Home with Miss Ellie

Today Ellie is 5 days old (I wrote this yesterday- but didn't get to the photos).

Proud big sister!

Dyllan ran to grab her chair so she could peak in.. 

I am sitting here in bed- with Ellie's little body on my chest sleeping.  There is no where I would rather be right now.  I have a white chocolate hot chocolate, a bowl full of ripe mango, my computer and a sleeping little barnacle attached my my chest.  Its the first time since she was born that I have really had a chance to sit down and relax with no one around.  Its perfect, I am in heaven.

The past 5 days have been surreal.  I knew it would be different once we had two kids, but I really didn't know what to expect.  Its amazing how quickly you forget the infant stage, then how quickly it all comes rushing back as soon as the next one is born.  I am brought back to the time when Dyllan was only tiny- having to set an alarm every 3 hours to wake her up and feed her.  This is similar- except I don't have to go to all the trouble of getting a bottle ready while simultaneously pumping (thank god!)- breastfeeding is so much easier in that respect.  Ellie is calm, peaceful, happy, sleepy but alert for a few min every couple hours.. Dyllan set the bar high with how easy she was.. but so far Ellie is following right in her footsteps.  We are lucky (knock on wood).

Dan has been such a great help so far- especially running around after Dyllan - who's energy levels have doubled since Ellie was born!  He's been able to take some time off work which has been great- but we want to save his vacation time for vacation (Feb and July/Aug)- so he is popping into work when he needs to.  Dyllan is booked into an extra day of daycare today- which she was thrilled about.  She's been telling the teachers and her friends about her sister "Ellie Crammit" for weeks now!  Its so nice that she loves daycare so much- and that I can rest easy knowing that she is busy, stimulated and happy.

All 3 girls

Dyllan in the baby bath

Skin to skin- her favorite spot.

Ready to go out- (hi Dyllan!)

Sitting on my knee

My little bundle

Our first home- gets a makeover!!

View from the Front
I will have to dig up more photos- can't find any more right now..

Dan and I bought our first home in May, 2008- just before our big wedding- and right in time for all of our Australian guests to come visit- and have a place to camp.  Literally- it was a campground.. 10 or so of Dan's friends came over from Australia- and plunked on whatever free piece of carpet they could get to- few were lucky enough for a blow up mattress or a room.  It was great- we wouldn't have changed a thing (although the guests may have.. haha)!

View from the patio- looking out at Lake Washington

Living room

Guest Bedroom

Nursery... those pink and white stripes (hard to see) took dad and I FOREVER.. only to move out the day after Dyllan came home.. sigh..

We lived in our Mercerwood home until the day after Dyllan came home from the hospital (February 15, 2010)- and did minimal remodeling and home improvement projects in that time.  Its not that we didn't want to do anything- it was more that things like that cost way more than we could afford at the time.  So we did what we could.. on a budget.  We were like most new home owners - our age-,anxious to get in there and attack everything- and completely clueless as to how, how much, and how long these things take.  It all started - as soon as we moved in- I went away for my bachelorette party- leaving Dan and Mylo and a can of "Bamboozle" to paint the kitchen.  Bamboozle was the color our color consultant recommended for the kitchen - as it would bring out the natural brick.  We loved it- but would never have come up with the color on our own. Anyway- Dan and Mylo spent the weekend painting.. and about half way through the weekend mom came by to see how it was going.  When she arrived- there was Dan- shirtless- with Bamboozle war paint  on his face, and chest.. and Mylo with a Bamboozled tail... that managed to paint the tan carpet.  HAHA.. it didn't stop there... Dan decided our natural wood beams needed a hint of Bamboozle  and painted just one side  of the beam so that when you look at the kitchen from the front door- its all Bamboozle- including that side of the wood beam.  THEN... he thought that the front and back door needed a hint of color- and painted what I called "clown buttons" - the etched square boxes on the doors too.  I came home- and actually my first reaction was I loved the color- then had to laugh cause it was really good effort.. but probably the last time Dan has.. or ever will paint again.  Painting is more work than it seems... and much harder than it seems- especially when you are trying to do several rooms in a short amount of time.

We did a few other things to the house- like knock some cabinets down in the kitchen to open it up more- painted just about every room- most we ended up repainting at least once!  We gave landscaping a good shot- and spent hours and hours chopping down junipers (peskiest bushes EVER!) and digging up blackberry bushes (what a nightmare!)- we cut down a tree- we planted black bamboo in the front- which I still enjoy checking up on.... but all in all... we really didn't do that much to improve the place... haha.

Our house has been rented out for the past few years- and now that the Casa has finally sold (I don't wanna jinx it- but i'm almost positive its sold now!! ) Dad and Tatyana have started fixing it up- and getting it ready to move into.  And the best part?  Tatyana has started a blog - to document the remodel process- so we can keep up to date with how its going!  Check it out! http://mercerwoodhome.wordpress.com/

My new office

For my birthday- Dan's parents- so generously- gave me a tow bar for our car- so Dan could hook up his bike rack to the back- and so we could move all of our stuff out of storage without having to borrow their car.  Nice.  Haha, actually- its been great- its really helped us with our move!

So, for Dan's birthday- appropriately- they gifted us a large piece of timber and a whole day of Laurie's time - to construct my new office.  Well- desk really- but its more than just a desk.

The inspiration came from an ikea book shelf/ room divider with an option for an attachable desk.  I was just about to buy it- when Dan suggested we make it instead- using our old crap furniture.  I was a little hesitant at first- but I have to admit- in the end I actually like it much better- plus its unique- plus doesn't scream IKEA.

On Sunday- handy-man Laurie arrived bright an early- at 8:30am- to help sweet Dan put my office together.  They took our old bookshelf- removed the backing- and fastened it to the ceiling for stability.  Dan painted the piece of timber white- and our original plan was to paint the book shelf white too- but now- looking at it- it matches the wood work along the windowsill perfectly.. so I am having second thoughts.. still leaning toward all white- but need a few second opinions... what do you think??

Also- another funny match- was our old night stand- which is now acting as desk drawers- again perfect wood color match.

Calling all you interior design lovers... I could use your help....take a look at the pictures below- should i paint the book shelf white?  drawers white?  new knobs on the drawers if i paint them?  Also- how do you decorate a book shelf- as a room divider?  I don't want to over crowd it - because I want the light to shine through.. but I needs a little love..and functionality.

Also- notice our new art!  I snached up an offer on group on for a photo on a canvas.  Although it didn't turn out quite like I imagined (because its a square - not rectangle- and cut off my favorite parts)- it matches our make-shift couch cover and room colors perfectly- plus I love this photo.

I had to give Dyllan her own basket (the round one with the Micky ears popping out- so she could unpack and repack all she wanted!  She is into EVERYTHING!

Feel free to share your decorating tips - I would love the input!  

Our new place

Well- we are finally feeling settled in.. its been a few weeks now- boxes are unpacked- storage unit is emptied and we can finally kick out feet up and relax... well almost.. our couch didn't fit up the narrow flight of stairs- so we are borrowing Bushy and Stacey's futon for now- and our storage shed arrived over the weekend- so we still need to put that bad boy together.. then we can relax!  We have already had one dinner party- 3 BBQ's- one Dance party- and several fun things on our calendar to look forward to (including Lionel and Kayleigh for dinner tomorrow night)!!

Speaking of dinner.. gotta finnish making mine- we are having fish marinated in Yoshiida's sauce- with a little ginger and wasabi  (Thanks to costco for bringing yoshiida's over here) steamed Vegi's (also frozen) and Quinoa (all thrown into the rice maker)- if you don't have time for making dinner- consider this recipe - it took me only about 10 min - and 5 of the min were defrosting the frozen fish fillets.

Anyway- here is our new place....

Table is all set and ready for a back yard BBQ party- complete with out new landscaping lighting- good work Dan;)

This is our living room/ main room for everything- our coffee table was my birthday present- I had one just like it in college - where it converts into a dining/tv table by lifting the top up- and used for storage underneath.  The best concept ever for small spaces!
Dan's got the sound system ALL set up

Master Bedroom (aka the boat- because it feels and looks like you're on a yacht.. we joke around every morning about where we have landed today!)- still needs a little work...

Living room- with the coffee table up

Right now this is Dyllan's office/dining table.. but soon it will be mine

And the best part is the location...

Fairlight Rock Pool

Fairlight Beach- about 10 min walk over the hill- there is a pathway that leads from Balgowlah (where we live) through Fairlight- to Manly - and we walk this walk to Manly several times a week.