Playing in the Snow

We had a cold week in February that brought just enough snow.  Amber got out in the back yard and played in it.

38-weeks

Sandi is at 38-weeks!  We are so thankful baby sister is content to stay inside mommy this long.  This has been a long, hard journey for Sandi.  Amber is excited (at least in theory) to have a baby sister.  She talks about helping change her diaper and putting on her socks.  We can't wait to meet our wee lass.

Have you seen the muffin man?

Amber loves sitting at the table.  Here, she is enjoying a yummy muffin mommy made for her. 

Amber's Parenting Advice

Sandi and Amber were talking about baby sister this morning.  Sandi asked Amber what she is going to do when baby sister starts crying.  The expected response is to say, 'It's OK, It's OK'.  Amber had another idea.  "Baby sister needs a sweet potato." 

To clarify, we asked, "Do you want to give baby sister a sweet potato after you say, 'it's ok?' 

"No, we need to give baby sister a sweet potato first.  She needs to sit in the high chair and eat a sweet potato."

big sister Amber rocking her monkey in baby sister's rocker

Let's go see Santa!

We took Amber to the fancy mall in downtown Portland on Saturday.  She saw Santa and was very excited to see him. We told her that we will see Santa on Monday. 

Monday afternoon comes. I meet Sandi and Amber at the chiropractic office where Santa is hanging out.  As I'm taking her out of the car, she is talking about seeing Santa. 

We walk in.  There's Santa!

We approach Santa.  Suddenly, Santa isn't so cool anymore.

We place Amber on Santa's lap and our little pumpkin begins to cry. 

We quickly take Amber off Santa's lap and set her down to look at the massive Christmas tree filled with donated toys.  Fortunately, the tears dry off soon as she finds a stuffed panda under the tree.  Suddenly, she needs to show the panda to Santa, but she can only get so close before the train starts coming off the tracks.  Instead of handing the panda bear to Santa, she stays a safe distance and throws the panda bear at him.  The she starts telling him about sticky spiderwebs and they have a great discussion about sticky spiderwebs. 

By now, Amber has recovered enough for a family photo with Santa (as long as she is with mommy).

When Amber went back to the chiropractic office for her scheduled appointment on Wednesday, she asked about Santa and was disappointed he wasn't there.

This was last year's Santa photo.  It turned out so well, the office used it to promote Santa this year.

Master bath: finished

 Our master shower was in dire need of a new look; one that isn't covered in mold. 

We found a company to do just that.

We also installed a new floor.  It is a vinyl water-proof floor with a weathered wood look.  We are really pleased how it turned out and made the vanity pop.  Amber didn't have any opinions about this project.  (Though daddy developed a few since he had to install the floor twice.) 

Daddy broke the shower!

On the surface, nothing was really wrong with our guest shower, but the plumbing was old and tired and the shower was cheap and poorly installed.  Perhaps most important was that it stood in our way of a complete bathroom remodel. 

I hate plumbing.  Actually, I really hate plumbing.  There was no way I was going to rip into the wall and change out shower values and install new faucets.  Fortunately, my neighbor enjoys this sort of thing.  He agreed to set aside a Saturday to work on both master and guest showers. Before my neighbor arrived, I exposed the plumbing.  In Amber's telling, daddy broke the shower. 

before

after

Granted, you can't tell much difference between the before/after, but it was a vast improvement.

A couple of contractors installed the new shower surround and we are thrilled with the outcome.

In Amber's telling, 'No more wood.'