Reese goes to the Dentist

When Reese was 2.5 or so, I knew I needed to prepare her for going to the dentist. She has never liked going to the pediatrician, so I was worried the first dental appointment would be hard. To prepare, I bought the book "Dora goes to the Dentist." I think it helped or maybe Reese is just getting bigger and able to handle things better. Either way, I am glad she had a good experience.

We went on the morning of January 26th, a week after her 3rd birthday. We took her book and crayons to entertain her while in the waiting room.

She sat in the examination chair like a big girl!

And she let the hygienist count her 20 teeth and polish and floss them. I was so proud of her! She did so great.

The dentist said her teeth look great and all we need to do is start flossing every night as her molars are touching. We found that flossing with the picks is easier because you can get in and out of her little mouth quickly. Reese likes "to try" and does a good job. We'll be back for her next cleaning in July.

This past Thursday, Matt took Reese to her 3 year check up with the pediatrician. The appointment went well and Reese didn't cry when Dr. Miller came in like she has in the past. I think the fact that she has seen Lane visit the doctor has helped her overcome her fear. Dr. Miller always told me Reese would love her one day. I've always loved Dr. Miller - she is the best! So, Reese got one pneumococcal vaccination and weighs 34 lbs 5 0z (80%) and is 3' 3.25" tall (88%). Way to go Reese.

Quote of the week...

I know I told at least 5 people this week and I quote,

"This house is consuming my life!"

Let me walk you through a week in the life of Adrienne - the contact for all design items in the Sicinski house. (Let me preface with the fact that Matt has spent just as much time dealing with the finacial aspects of the house - loan, bids, budget, etc.)

Two Friday's ago - Met Crystal (the hardware girl) at Kiva to finalize the door knobs, drawer pulls, hooks, towel rings, etc. I'd made these selections over a year ago, but needed to review/tweak and finalize. Then I fought rush hour traffic through the Galleria to get to the bank to pay the interest payment. And last but not least, I swung by the tile place to confirm the name of my fireplace sample. Later in the weekend - emailed Crystal a few more items which we forgot to discuss and emailed Frank (the floor/tile guy) the name of the tile.

Last Saturday - Met Lambert (the builder) at the house and spent 2 hours walking the house and discussing the progress/to-do list/changes/fixes/viewed 3 variations of the main paint color and ended up agreeing on the original hue/etc. Also discussed the room paint colors with Emicio (the painter) and promised I would come back and mark each wall noting my selection. Keep in mind I have also noted these selections on a spreadsheet which Emicio already has. However, I don't mind doing this because it ensures everyone is on the same page or should I say wall. I always leave these meetings a little worked up and anxious because I analyze and worry about everything. "Can they fix that tile mistake?" "Will they be able to patch that hole?" "Ahhhhh!"

This week - Sunday - Back to the house to "mark" each wall with our paint color selections. Then onto the neighborhood park with Reese, Lane and Daddy. That night, I emailed Frank noting the tile mistakes that needed correction.

Monday - Fielded phone calls and emails from Lambert, Frank and guys who needed me to sign checks. Met both Jerry (the landscaper) and Rohit (the fabricator/granite guy) at my office to sign checks for their work. We typically sign checks on Friday, but these two didn't make the check run. Then over lunch, I met Crystal at the house to "walk it" and ensure the hardware count was correct.

Tuesday - Slushed through the mud walkway (glad I have those rain boots) to meet Frank and his team at the house to review the punch list on the wood floors and tile. They are all very kind and agreed to fix everything that wasn't quite right. See Frank and I discussed the layout a few weeks back. Then he reviewed it with Joann (the tile coordinator). She works with the installers to ensure it's done right. Well a few things got lost in the translation between me and Frank and Frank and Joann, but we got back on track. They assured me that I would be called for all major items like the fireplace and master bath. There is too much detail involved, so they can't assume anything.

Wednesday - Got an email from Frank, "Fireplace tile has arrived, can you meet at 12:45 to discuss?" So back to the house to review the tile layout. This is very important you see - to ensure the tile cuts and main pieces are laid in the most appealing way. The details take the time!

Thursday - Fielded emails from Lambert noting the progress of this and that. "Need to order lights soon", he wrote. Immediately, I called Don (the light guy) and asked that he walk the house today, so I could meet him tomorrow to review selections. Replied to Lambert and asked if we could postpone our Friday meeting until Saturday because it was going to be 28 degrees on Friday morning...not really wanting to hang out at the house and freeze any more than I have to.

Friday - Met Kimberly in the lobby of my office (an Allegro architect and coordinator of the administrative stuff) to sign the weekly checks. After getting a much needed hair do, I met Don and Gloria (the light experts) at Heights Lights to review and finalize the selections.

Saturday - Met JoAnn (the interior designer who has helped me along the way to make all of our selections) at the house to discuss and select window treatments (i.e. woven wood blinds and shutters) and discuss light placement, mirror sizes, etc.

So, you see why I said, "This house is consuming my life!" I know it will all be worth it, but I wanted to remind myself by documenting it here that it took A LOT of time, work and worry to get there.

Here's the progress...Still hoping for an end of March move in!!!

The view when you walk in the front door ~ Dining Room. The wall paint is called Naval and is a beautiful navy blue shade.

This is the chandelier that will hand in the Dining Room.

The powder room is a nice shade of sage green called Silvermist.

The study is a fine gray blue called Krypton. These pictures are dark because little light is coming in as the windows are still covered on the outside and the inside has trim paint on it. I can't wait to see everything in the natural light.

The main wall color is a neat taupe which is in the hallways, living, kitchen, mud, game room and guest room/bath is called Analytical Gray. The fireplace tile looks so great - they got the cuts just right! It still needs grout, but it has been too cold to grout.

The kitchen island is painted black called Caviar. Black paint is tricky for some reason - it tends to turn out brown or blue if you are not careful. Now Caviar looked black as black can be on the swatch and the samples Emicio showed me, but in certain light is actually ebony or a very dark chocolate. I actually love it!

This piece of marble will go on the island (which Rohit and I selected 2 weeks back) and is called Callacutta Oro. It was hard to come by! I had seen it 2 years ago and knew it was what I wanted (it is white with gray veining), but I couldn't buy it yet because we had not begun building. So the plan was to find and buy it once the house was framed. Well that was October, right before Lane was born. I tried and tried for 3 months to locate a piece, but nobody had any. Everyone kept saying, we'll get some next month. The shipment finally arrived and I went during lunch to view it the day it was unloaded from the crate. Seriously - do you feel my stress?

View from the front door when not looking at the Dining Room. Next on the agenda is to select the wood floor stain. That will drive the stain for the wood doors and stair newels/handrail.

Reese's room is Silvermist - the sage green. It is a very neutral color. She loves it! Yay!

And Lane's room is the same shade as the study - Krypton. Their bathroom is also this color. I figured I can do a lot with blue (add green, pink, anything).

Reese and Lane's bathroom shower/tub. It's subway tile with an eye level border where the tile is placed soldier style (vertical) with black and white glass tiles on top and bottom. This was one of the tile mistakes that had to be corrected (the black and white tiles didn't line up right the first time).

This is the guest bath floor. White octagon with black dot. Very traditional which I love. Lane and Reese have the same floor but theirs is all white.

And finally, this is the guest bath shower. Large subway tiles - all white - no detail. The window ends up being the detail which I like.

We can't wait to be done and get moved in. I'll get so much time back...of course then I'll be trying to decorate it!

Moments to remember...

Sweet moments with GiGi

New outfits Chubby hands and feet - Lane has the softest hands and feet. I can't feel them enough. I think he has hands and feet like his Daddy and Reese - super soft and a bit clammy.

Bath time - Lane practically jumps out of the tub. He pushes hard using his legs and back. I've really got to watch him, but it's so funny because he makes the funniest face and the biggest splashes.

Playtime

I called Reese's leap frog junior holder a bag and she said, "It's not a bag, it's a suitcase!"

After Christmas, I hung all of our cards on the arch between the living room and dining room. Lane loved to look at this picture of baby Sawyer who is only a month older than him. He would talk and talk to her. Such a ladies man already! I love this picture of Sawyer too - it is so cute! Nice job Steph and Christi.

Reese playing with her play doh cake making station.

Lane sat in his excersaucer for the first time around 3.5 months. He didn't last too long, but he gave it a try. I can't wait until he can enjoy this toy because gets bored fast these days with his bouncer and floor mat. He would rather be held and does not like his swing.

It seems like Lane will roll over any day now; look at that arched back. He moves around the mat a lot, so it will not be long.

Opening gifts - Here is Reese opening more birthday gifts a week after her Pump It Up party. We have sooo many toys! It's time to donate some of the oldies.

I put most of them away until we move into the new house; we just do not have the space right now.

Teething and all that comes with it (fist in mouth, drool, bubbles, fussy boy).

Family time at the park

Lane does well in the bjorn.

Reese loves to see saw and spin.

More playtime
Still trying out the excersaucer, but not lasting long (2 minutes max). Look how red his poor finger is from him chewing on it. His gums must really be bothering him.

Cuddling

Lane has a big head like his mommy did when she was a baby. I'm pretty sure the kid looks like me! Light hair, blue eyes, fair skin...gorgeous. Just joking!

And Mommy chopped that long hair off. I knew it was time when Matt said, "Are you growing your hair out?" (with a questionable look on his face) I love the thought of long hair, but I just don't wear it well and Lane kept grabbing it. I had it pulled back most of the time. It was fun while it lasted!

Sleeping babies and big girls - just love them!

First time in our bed - for a short nap after chatting with Daddy.

Lane loves to talk and smile at his Mommy (and I finally caught it on camera - he is camera shy or puts his hand in his mouth)! I just adore him.

Reese doing her "We did it dance" with Dora. So cute! I got the whole thing on video.

Lane is trying to roll over, but Reese show us that she can!

Things Reese says and does:

"So mom, where’s my ….?"
Repeating phrases from Toy Story 3 like “Whatever you say Mom” and "It's not a family, it's a prison."
She is afraid of Toy Story 2 (the robot and the man who stole Woody scare her). And she doesn't like the dog or Sid in toy Story 1. Guess this means we'll keep watching TS 3 over and over. That is ok, I really like the Buzz and Jessie dancing scene while the credits role. I think Dancing with the Start rubbed off on them.
"Can I try, Mom?"
Getting the stool and opening it herself to help with everything in the kitchen.
Knows her numbers – can identify them using her puzzle. Saw her clock said 8:30 and told me it was 8:00 (she saw the big hand on the 8).
Tells lots of stories – repeats them from her shows Max & Ruby or Dora.
Loves to kiss Piglet and Eyore – so sweet! And tell stories about them too.
Very sensitive – gets her feelings hurt if you do something the wrong way according to her. Like Daddy, putting something in the wrong place or saying piglet is a boy when Reese says piglet is a girl.
Strumming her guitar – knew to say strumming. Dora says strum and Reese added the "ing".
Loves to dance to Dora singing or Lane’s toys that make noise. Really swings her arms and moves her hips.
Is very Limber – can touch her head to the ground when she bends at her hips.
Sleeps with comforter over her head - like a hood. She then sweats like crazy, so I go and remove it after she falls asleep.

Things Lane does at 3 months:

Making bubbles
Wearing 6-9 or 6-12 clothes.
Teething? Chewing on fist and fingers and quite fussy.
Almost rolled over on Sunday Jan 30th .
First time in excersaucer Jan 30th.
Best little smile and still loves to talk – lots of goos, coos, gurgles and such – camera shy – won’t smile for me on film.

Warning - TMI: Lane is pooping twice a week now. We had to use suppositories twice because he went 8 days without a bm. Poor baby gets fussy and has lots of gas when he hasn't gone in a few days. The nurse says it is called rapid absorption; he absorbs the food too fast I guess.

Laughing at 3.5 months
Big splashes in the bath tub – almost bounces out of it.