Keira

Keira is excited to be home and play with all her toys again!!! And especially to play with dada!!

did anyone see it???

If you watched Extreme Home Make-Over on ABC tonight very closely.. there were 2 glimpses of our house during the car versus skateboard race. Ahhhh- our humble little Vigneau crib on national TV. Pretty darn cool!!!

Post Construction Pics

Here are the post-construction week pictures. Some long hours, painful knees, backs and wallets all contributed to the project.

We finished the major things we wanted to complete. We put in new flooring in the kitchen and bathroom, installed the lighting, cabinets, sanded the hardwood floor and put one coat on, installed the plumbing (new vanity, toilet and kitchen sink). We didn't get to finish the drywall...but it only needs some sanding and another coat of mud. Then the molding, door reinstallation and all of the other finishing touches. But things are much improved from before.

Anyways...back to lazying about ;)

Baby butts!!

Baby butts.. I couldn't resist taking this pic!!

All the mamas and babies

All the kiddos

Baby Benjamin (my friend Katie's baby- he is 6 weeks old) and then more pics of Eli and Keira

Keira and Eli 1

Natalie and Eli (Natalie is Eli's mama)

pics from iowa

This is Keira and my friends baby Eli.. the one who is 2 weeks older, 10 lbs heavier and 3 inches longer!! He was always grabbing keira and trying to kiss or eat her. She didn't mind most of the time.

Keira and Kim... and baby Lydia

AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keira and I made it back safely and without too much hassle. Keira wasn't in the mood for sleeping during our flights but we survived. Although Mike and crew didn't quite finish the vigneau extreme home make-over ---everything looks AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Will post pictures tomorrow... I promise. I am heading to bed since I have been up since 3 30 am. The tile, the hardwood, the counter tops, new cabinets, heated bathroom floors... it all looks sooooooo good- and the best part?? I now have a dishwasher!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YIPPPEEEE. Can you tell I am excited??
Again thanks to all of those who helped Mike while Keira and I were gone. I know LOTS of people put in long days at the Vigneau crib to help Mike with construction.

Don't forget!!!!

ABC's Extreme Home make-over show airs this Sunday night at 8 pm EST and its the New Hampshire edition and its our neighbors!!!!!
In other news it was -31 last night here in Iowa. This morning I went outside to move Keira's car seat from one car to another and I didn't put my mittens on. I was outside for about 2 min and when I came back inside my fingers were so cold that I couldn't feel them. Yes I know I grew up here but seriously.. Iowa weather is brutal and I am glad I don't live here anymore!!!
I have tons of new pictures to post that I took with our old camera but I have to wait till we get home. The info that I have received on the construction project back at home sounds .. errrrr..l interesting. I am the project manager after all so I do get twice daily updates on the construction. Last I heard some crazy people were up tiling the kitchen floor till 3:45 am..... A big thank you to all of our friends how have been putting in long hours and helping Mike get things done before out return.
In the Keira department I have been busy trying to teach her a few new tricks, 1 being how to clap her hands and 2 being how to say da da. She pretty much ignores me on both new things and sticks to saying things she knows like baaaaa baaaa and naaa naaa- whatever that means. She is still trying very hard to crawl but seems hesitant to take that leap of faith and actually try to move when she gets up on all fours. I just picked her up out of her crib since she woke up from her afternoon nap and she was up on all fours... trying to crawl!!!

Where is the blogger???

It appears that my husband is neglecting the blog.. just as I feared!!!! Its not like he is busy or doing anything while I am gone.... JK!!!! Actually Mike said he wasn't going to post any pictures of the work because he wants it be be a surprise when we get back. But I have heard that drywall is up, the cabinets are in and possibly the tiling will start today. I can't wait to see it!!!!!!!
Here in Iowa.. it hasn't warmed up any... its still freezing!!! We miss everyone- especially Mike!!
Keira has become obsessed with thumb sucking and before we left she only sucked her thumb at night -- now she sucks her thumb ALL DAY LONG!!!

Update from the Artic!!!

Keira and I are surviving just fine here in the Artic- Artic indeed. The high yesterday was 1 degrees. With the windchill it was -15 -20 according to Natalie's dad. Keira is doing great. She is sleeping well (thank goodness!!!) and having fun with my friend's son Eli. Eli is 2 weeks older than Keira and 10 lbs heavier and at least 3 inches taller. Keira and Eli have fun trying to eat each other, steal each other's toy's and talking to each other. We also get to visit my friend Katie and her little guy who is about 6 weeks old. He just sleeps through all the madness. Tomorrow we will visit my friend Sarah and her 3 little monkeys. Keira now has 2 teeth!!!! (although they are not all the way up) and is soooo close to crawling. We are trying to hold her off so that daddy doesn't miss the big moment and so far so good- ohh and mama isn't quiet ready to chase her around the house yet. Other than missing Mikie- Keira and I are having a great time!!! I am so excited to see the house when we get back!!!!!!
Tanya

Day 3

Where is the post? Hmm...I got home from work on Thursday at 5 and worked until 11. Got home from work on Friday at 5 and worked until 11. Woke up Saturday at 7AM and worked until 10:30PM . Not much time for a post...but here is one for all the "faithful" readers.

So...well day 3 is over and I am exhausted. Tanya and Keira made it into Chilly Des Moines without any problems. Their flight was delayed 1.5 hours but they made it and are having a good time hanging with Tanya's old friends and seeing the new babies.

We did some more deconstruction today and finally started the "con"struction. We pulled out the kitchen cabinets so we could pull up the floor...because who doesn't put the flooring underneath the cabinets? We fixed our front door so it would fit and cut down a high spot on a joist.

We have almost all of the hardibacker down, but we ran out of steam around 10:15 and cleaned up. That stuff is heavy and awkward, but should strengthen the floor enough for the tile.

Tomorrow we hope to finish that up, get in the new cabinets (bottom) and put up the drywall...we will see what we get done. You can see we pulled out the old cabinets. We will run new outlets (more) and then install them. Check out our makeshift table for our meals.

Sans Tanya Construction: Day 1

So...yesterday was the first day that Tanya was gone and we started in a flurry of motion. After getting out of work, we worked on the following:

1. Move furniture, rugs and appliances out of kitchen and living room
2. Install Recessed lighting Boxes in Kitchen
3. Run Wiring and switch (tie into same circuit as other recessed lighting)
4. Run 2” Conduit from basement to 2nd floor via kitchen wall
5. Run 20amp circuit for radiant floor and hallway outlet.
6. Remove molding on doors and floors

Of course I have a list and schedule that I hope will get completed in time...but after the problems that we ran into last night, my hopes are dwindling. What problems you ask?

1. Cut through a wire while installing the recessed lighting.
2. Hit a joist while installing recessed lighting, had to cut a new hole and now have to patch up where the old hole was.
3. Hit a furring strip (holds drywall) on the ceiling while installing the recessed lighting...just cut through it...since it is so close to the joist, wasn't worried about structural integrity.
4. The junction boxes for the hallway were too deep, picked up new ones, but they were too small for the outlets, picked up a 3rd set which finally worked.
5. Broke the 2.5" hole saw while cutting a hole for the wire chase from basement to 2nd floor.

All that in the span of 6 hours...

Anyways...I know you wanted to see the list...so here it is:

Thursday 1/17/2008 and Friday 1/18/2008 (evening)

1. Move furniture, rugs and appliances out of kitchen and living room.
2. Install Recessed lighting Boxes in Kitchen
3. Run Wiring and switch (tie into same circuit as other recessed lighting)
4. Run 2” Conduit from basement to 2nd floor via kitchen wall
5. Run 20amp circuit for radiant floor and hallway outlet.
6. Remove molding on doors and floors
7. Remove doors (dependent on floor)
8. Cut door frames
9. Remove Plywood floor and Linoleum
10. Hang Plastic to minimize dust in rooms.
11. Cover kitchen cabinets/counters with plastic
12. Cover TV/speakers with plastic.
13. Cut Hardwood by front entrance and bump out
14. Screw down subfloor (2 screws per board per joist)
15. Verify everything is prepped/covered/removed

Saturday

1. Sand Hardwood floor.
2. Hardibacker – mastic and screws.
3. Fix outside door (will rub against tile)

Sunday

1. Drywall (Double 3/8”where meeting up with plaster)
2. Mud walls.
3. Polyurethane living room (1st coat)
4. Remove bathroom fixtures
5. Remove bathroom floor/linoleum
6. Screwdown bathroom subfloor

Monday

1. Hardibacker in bathroom – mastic and screws
2. Lightly sand living room floor and tack cloth
3. Polyurethane living room (2nd coat)

Tuesday

1. 2nd coat of mud
2. Tile kitchen/hallway/bathroom

Wednesday

1. Grout
2. Lightly sand living room floor and tack cloth
3. Polyurethane Living room (3rd coat)

Thursday

1. Cover floors to protect them
2. Sand/mud drywall
3. Prime/Paint Ceiling and walls (if dry)

Friday

1. Reinstall bathroom fixtures.
2. Install doors/molding/etc…
3. Clean-Up (get help)

Update from the travelers

Tanya and Keira are currently snowed-in in Milwaukee...awaiting their second flight to Des Moines. Tanya reports that Keira was a monster on the plane. She slept for 15 minutes of our 2hr 13min flight. She decided that she didn't want to play with any of the toys that I brought even though they are the brand-new toys. So I let her do all the things she shouldn't, like eat the Skymall magazine, lick the salt off of my pretzels, stick her hand in my ice water, scratch the leather seats, play Peek-A-Boo with the lady behind us, walk up and down the aisles (me holding her).

Then Keira decided to poop. I had to grab Keira, the changing pad, the wipes, the diaper, the plastic bag for the dirty diaper and headed to the bathroom. If you have never changed a diaper in the bathroom, you don't know what you are missing as the space is cramped and Keira wouldn't stop moving. She kept trying to flip off the changing table. She cried because she kept bumping her head while squirming and then crying louder because of the echo her voice made.

Flying with Keira is not something I look forward to anytime soon.

Dear blog readers.......

Just a little FYI. My suitcase is beyond bulging and I still have a big stack of stuff to try to shove in there..... so because of a space crunch there are several items of technology that I unfortunately have to leave behind for the next 9 days. The items being... the laptop, the nice camera that makes all pictures look good, my breast pump ( not that anyone really cares), and a few other things I can't think of at the moment. Therefore, I am leaving MIKE IN CHARGE OF THE BLOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Which means it may or may not be updated for the next 9 days. He does have the good camera so it would be nice if he posted pics of the the construction going on at our house while I am gone. I hope to come home to all new floors (well except the bedrooms), drywall up and painted, new lighting installed and a bunch of a other little things accomplished. Keira and I will return on Jan 26th and resume blog writing duties. Hopefully while we are gone Keira's first 2 teeth will decide to come in all the way and she will be all better from her cold. We also hope that Keira will sleep on the plane....... :o)

The face says it all!!!

Keira hates Neb treatments and having her noise wiped... what a rough life she has!!!!