All about Oliver!

Ah!  Our sweet little Oliver is one whole year old!  It's been one heck of a year!  This little monkey came just in time for us to move out of the farmhouse and Daddy to go to Argentina!  He threw us for a couple of loops in the beginning too.. a 3 day stay in the hospital with severe jaundice... then the PKU diagnosis... seriously can't we just keep things simple...  No not this family, not this year.  

This kid has spunk!  He's bursting with energy and full of it ('it' being whatever his emotion is at the moment, whether is angst, happiness, etc).  He loves his brothers and watches them very closely, taking in everything, learning constantly.  He explores his world with eagerness and enthusiasm.  He loves, loves to be outside...exploring grass, dirt, rocks, sticks, playgrounds, anything.  Fortunately, he's figured out that sand is really not good to eat.  

Things Oliver loves: dogs, balls, his family

Things Oliver does not love: diaper changes, riding in cars, not getting what he wants

Oliver sleeps pretty well now.  It was a rocky start, some sleep training might have been involved...  he still wakes up well before the sun...but he's solid, I can't complain.

Oliver loves berries, oranges, bananas, pasta, bread, and most things his brothers are eating.  He's pretty picky, the pickiest eater thus far.  He turns away a lot and refuses many foods.  No feeding him either...he'll only eat finger food...

A PKU update:  Currently, he's nursing and finger foods, no restrictions (woo hoo).  He's under the care of a geneticist who specializes in metabolic disorders and nutritionist.  We go to Seattle Children's Hospital for blood tests every other month, but once he starts on cow milk, he'll have to go in more frequently (boo).  The blood work is to determine the PHE level in his bloodstream. His last level check was 4.0 mg/dL, which is the highest yet...making me a bit concerned, but the nutritionist assures me he's fine and in the safe zone (below 6 mg/dL).  Praying his numbers stay low, so he can maintain a 'normal' diet and remain healthy!

Here are some more pictures from Mother's Day:

 

An opportunity to take a picture with my little buddies... It was a thought... 

Like Sardines in a Can

So as many of you know we moved from a 3500 sq ft house to a 1500 sq ft house...  The seller claimed it was 1900...they must have included the drive way and side walk, maybe the deck...it is a big deck....?  I'm calling it 1500, and that's still being generous...  It's a 'post war box' house, built in 1944.  These houses are basically little bungalows built inexpensively and simply.  Our house has no inherent style or character.   The main level has 2 bedrooms with a tiny shared, yes, shared closet, one tiny basic bathroom, living room, dining area and kitchen.  The previous owner built an addition, we'll call a morning room....this space is great!  We wouldn't have bought the house if it didn't have this room.  It gives us just enough elbow room!  Currently it serves as a playroom, eventually, it will be used to serve more purposes.  I'll do a blog for each room as I finish them with before and after pictures!

This past week, my awesome in laws were in town visiting.  We took full advantage of them while they were here...  Brett, his dad and I worked our booties off getting the basement done, yes, done! Okay, done, in this case, reads- usable and basically done...I still have to make curtains, decorate, and we have a few fun bonus projects to personalize the space more.

This is a picture of the bedroom upstairs when all 3 boys were in one room!  It was a transition...but they actually did really well all together and there is something comforting to me at least, having them all together nice and close by. 

Now this room is just Oliver's and the big boys are in their brand new bedroom downstairs!  Again, another transition...I was dreading it, because Cooper is going through a 'scared of the dark' phase and has been pretty clingy...but it went great!  We had some issues the first 2 nights, but now we are pretty good!

Just to remind you of what the basement looked like previously....

The shelves were mounted from the ceiling previously.

Stairs leading down to the basement

Boys' room, tiny window...

And now!

Here's the boys' room, loving the big, now to code, egress bedroom window!  We did make the closet a little smaller.  We had hoped to make the bedroom door larger, but there was a support post we couldn't move.  We kept stole the corner to make the main room feel larger.  They really don't need much of a closet, and there is another closet in this room, so it works.  Still to come: curtains, blinds, pictures...

More open stairs now, with our awesome cable railing!  Brett rocked the cable railing upstairs and down the steps!  Our two big cabinets are installed with a maple countertop!  Most of the shelves above the cabinets are installed now, but we ran out of wood, so that will be done pretty quickly. The angle cabinet, will be a big lingering project, but we'll get there.  Our runner for the stairs should be here by the end of the week!  That will had some fun color! 

Let there be light!!!  This window really makes a huge difference!  It's so bright now!  See the copper pipe in the picture?  That's our water supply...trying to decide if I should paint it or just clean it up?  I like the copper color personally....

Oh, FYI, loving the cork flooring!!!! 

Remaining here to do...blinds (on order), curtains, wall decor, shelf door (door out of picture, just to the right)...

Woo hoo!

Lil' Oliver is 1!!!!

Where oh where did the time go...  Sooo very much has happened since our sweet little one arrived, but I still don't know how he's already a year old!  Our little guy is such a happy, sweet baby.  He smiles at everyone!  He's super opinionated and will let you know what he wants.  He has learned from his brothers...  This weekend we celebrated his Birthday in style!

Birthday Boy and big brother hugs!

 Decorations:

 

Trail Mix Favors

 Food:

 

Cakes:

For the cake we made an Apple Spice with Maple recipe.  It was super dense, but delicious, with no refined sugars.

 It's my birthday!!!!!

 I love my new scooter bike!!!!  Thanks Nana and Grandad!

Who doesn't love a sleeping baby....

But now that sleeping baby is awake, so we'll call this post done!  Hope you enjoyed the pictures!