by request (updates on the house)

we've been asked a few times about the kitchen floor update -- specifically "have you gotten rid of that gold linoleum from hell yet?" and the answer is YES!

view from dining room, through kitchen, and into mudroom/nook/laundry area. next to go -- the yellow backsplash. it will be replaced by brushed aluminum looking metal. unfortunately, the yellow countertops have to wait. but i'm envisioning a granite-look laminate similar to this.

here is a view from laundry area into the kitchen...and YES that IS a new range with a microwave above it! woot! (okay, you can't actually SEE the microwave, but it's there) it was a belated mother's day gift from alan after he pulled out the old range and realized just how greasy and disgusting it really was. yes, it was so bad that even a man was not about to install a brand new microwave above it! thanks, babe!

view from laundry area into "mom's nook" aka "the time-out zone". time out for misbehaving kiddos and for tired mommies to take a load off. i need to finish crocheting my retro-inspired pillow cover (visible in gold linoleum pic) and i want to make an amy butler gumdrop pillow to prop my tired feet on.

alan has also been really busy in the yard...mainly hacking down dead/diseased/overgrown/poison-ivy infested trees with his manly chainsaw Pepe. (yes, it has a name and it is also the BEST father's day gift EVER.) he also found time to install a tire swing for the kiddos. every yard needs one. next project may be a treehouse -- we have sooo many trees! some of these pics may be on alan's blog, so apologies to the avid double-blog reader.


alan and the kids looking sassy and coy.

had takes a solo swing -- i wanted to show our "petite woods" that is part of our backyard. so far, it's off limits to the kiddos, but alan has plans to clear out all low-growing branches and poison ivy so it will be a groovy place to explore sometime in the future. incidentally, it also houses TWO sheds. one is falling down and will be demolished and hauled off. one is salvageable now that alan has felled the tree that was half-dead and leaning on the roof. he also cleared a nice sunny patch for a garden near it. (someday) :)

both monkeys on the swing...you can just see the screened porch in the background.

and one more -- this time you can see the porch and a bit more of the house and backyard. someday we will post a pic of the front of the house! crazy that we haven't taken one...we have a lot of work to do on the outside of the house and yard. my dream is to have our house featured on the HGTV show Curb Appeal. that would be awesome!

finally, pics of the comp-u-babe-dio (that's computer room, baby's room, and painting studio all rolled into one). props to g'ma S for the idea -- we stole it from her comp-u-sew-dio (same thing but with sewing rather than a baby)

here's where the two parts of the room meet up.

daddy's corner.
ruby's corner.

that's all folks! keep scrolling for yet ANOTHER entry featuring more miss ruby...(and including the cutest photo yet)

more of miss ruby (because we can't get enough!)

first (sponge) bath:

when we first lay her down on the kitchen countertop, she was NOT a happy camper.

all swaddled up getting her hair washed...she LOVES it, strangely enough and is calm and happy for the rest of her bathtime.
clean, happy baby, post-bath. smelling like johnson's cucumber melon lotion -- YUM! babylicious!

ruby sleeps most of the time still, so I was excited to get this photo of her all dolled up and awake after her bath. I think this might be my favorite pic so far...in fact, it's going up on the family photo ledge tomorrow!

after that first picture (above) she promptly fell asleep. baths, apparently, are exhausting.
ready for her closeup, whether she realizes it or not.

BABY MAKES 5!

Introducing Miss Ruby!

Born: Friday, August 22 6:46 pm EST

Weight: 7 pounds 14 ounces

Length: 21 3/4"

Here's Ruby in her special hat her favorite nurse made just for her. Apparenty she developed quite a reputation because a new nurse came in our room this morning and said "Oh, so YOU'RE the one with the pretty hat Ruby!"

Here I am, bright and early Friday morning, happy to be about the business of getting the baby OUT of my belly!


Our chubby-cheeked little sweetie, moments after being born -- already tagged for ID.


Ruby is the BIGGEST of my 3 kids -- almost 8 pounds! (For reference, X was 7lbs 1oz and H was 6lbs 10oz). I can't believe this huge baby was in there!

Proud and happy daddy! We can tell you by the clock in the background that Ruby is less than an hour old in this photo.
Meeting mommy for the first time. I was amazed by the chubby cheeks (just like the ultrasound pic on Alan's blog ). Also, she actually has a good amount of hair!

Another pic of me and my girl.

The kids came over the next day, because after I was feeling okay and had some food, it was already after 9:30. They were SO excited to meet her -- wide-eyed and quiet like Christmas morning magic!
The best shot I could get of my family -- they were a bit wiggly and giggly by this point.
A proud and excited big brother.
A proud and thrilled big sister. (The nurse made them each special wristbands to wear when they came to visit. A pink one labeled "Big Sister" and a blue one labeled "Big Brother" -- I think you can see Xander's in this photo.

Me snuggling Ruby on Saturday afternoon. At this point, little miss still didn't have a name! It took us awhile this time -- sorry to all you impatiently waiting....and waiting...you weren't the only ones! Most of her hospital paperwork says "Baby Girl Peck". When they brought her in after dinner on Saturday she had a new "Ruby" namecard in her bassinette. In the middle of the night (4am) the nurse brought her in and told me they all loved her name and that she was crying and mad, and bright red -- they said "Ruby's got her red dress on!" She does turn a lovely shade of ruby red when she's really mad! :)

Sunday morning, ready to go home. Still love the diva fancy hat.


Snug and ready to roll.
One more cute pic of each kid with the new baby. They were SO excited when we came home. We could see Hadley's beaming face through the window where she was perched waiting for us. (Wonder how long she sat there?)
She's so happy to finally be "a big sister AND a little sister".


We are home and happy and doing well. We welcome all phone calls and visitors (give a call first).

Quick shout outs and thank-you's to Cyd and Jenn for lots of babysitting, to Liz for saving me from a mental breakdown, and to Lisa for being our first official visitor and welcoming committee! (The cookies were divine -- I have devoured far more than my share already -- YUM!)