Spoiled ROTTEN already

Yes, yes, yes...we know.  This is the season of giving, BUT this is ridiculous!  Baby Kruse has more clothes than her mom, and almost as many as her dad!  (However, Dad is still way ahead in the shoe category, but there's no doubt that he will single-handedly tighten that gap on his own.)  We honestly don't think she needs any more clothes!!!

We probably shouldn't leave out the plethora of other things that she has already been gifted from some of her favorite people (in alphabetical order- to keep the peace): Aunt Addie, Aunt Kera & Uncle Zack, Aunt Norah, Brad & Katherine, Grandma Gwen & Lyle, Grandma Terry, Grandpa & Nana, Linda & Mark, Terry & Rick, Travis & Jess, Wendy & Nick, and Zoe.   Anyway, we blame (really thank) all of you for the growing piles of toys, books, blankets, supplies, gadgets, and gizmos that she has already received.  She is such a lucky little girl and not even here yet.  She will love you all so much. 

Here are a FEW of the things we have so far...

Already a Daddy's Girl

 

 

 

 

We Won't Say Which One...Maybe All of Them

 

  

 

Ready for Summer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just Plain Cute

 

 

Sports...this kid is going to be so confused!

 



 

 

 

Jean-ish

 

 

 

 

Bed Time

 

Just for Fun

 



Things We Used to Take for Granted

Elissa's list:

1. Sleeping on my back or stomach

2. Sleeping through the night without getting up to use the washroom

3. Traveling for more than an hour without having to stop and use the washroom

4. Being able to paint my toenails easily ( Thanks for the help, Tony!)

5. Putting on socks or boots by myself

6. Zipping up my coat (or anything, really)

7. Bending over to pick something up

8. Being able to reach all the way down into the washing machine

9. Walking up a flight of stairs without being winded afterward

10. Being able to shave my legs easily

11. Good deodorant

12. The comfort of leggings and sweatpants

13.  Being totally oblivious about the million different types of bottles, cloth diapers, and strollers

14. A really good (or even mediocre) foot rub

15. Sitting up without having to roll to the side first

16. Elastic
17. Tony opening doors for me or scraping the ice off my windshield
18. Zipping up a coat (or pretty much anything)

Tony's list:

1. Elissa being able to paint her toenails, empty the washing machine, and put on her own socks and boots

2. Real Craft beer 

3. Pinterest

4. Having the right power tools for home improvement projects
5. Elissa cooking dinner rather than just wanting cereal

Baby's Room

One of the easiest things so far was deciding what we wanted the Baby's room to look like.  Usually, when it comes to paint and decorating, we spend hours trying to choose colors and a layout.  For some reason, this wasn't the case.  We kind of just mentioned a few things, agreed with each other, and got started.  (If I'm being totally honest, I have to say that Pinterest had A LOT to do with it- for Elissa and Tony!) 

Tony really deserves most of the credit for this big project.  He started pinning wainscoting pictures and DIYs from blogs right away.  After that, he bought the tools he needed and got to work.  My biggest contribution so far has been helping pick out wall colors and and holding boards as Tony nailed them to the wall (with his new compressor and nail gun).  Check out our progress so far...

Before...

    Tony mixes primer and gets it ready for the sprayer.

                             

Walls are primed. Tony has the baseboards in and is getting the top of the wainscoting nailed to the wall.

Now the vertical boards are up. Great measurements, Tony!

This part was a little tricky!  Tony had to frame out the boards around the window and remove the trim underneath it. 

More vertical boards. Up next... Caulking and sanding the gaps. 

Trim paint and doors are white.

Wainscoting is also a high gloss white, and the solid wall is gray. Up next.... Striping.

The one striped wall turned out great.  Thanks for the help, Uncle Zack!

Finally, the painting and wainscoting is done!  One wall striped, and all the rest gray.  Amazing job, Tony!

Here's a panoramic picture of all four walls. 

(We should've left the blinds closed.  Oops!)

Now, if that furniture would just come in........



A Detroit Thanksgiving

   We decided to continue tradition this year by going to a Thanksgiving Day football game.  (Okay, so two years might not be long enough to be considered a tradition, but whatever...)  It was on our "to-do before baby" bucket list!
    We went to the game in Detroit because it was the closest game to us, and the Lions were playing the Packers.  (Again....I know...Packers???? It's the tradition that we're thinking about here!)

     We had a great time and managed to cram about 100 hours of stuff into one day.  Here are some thing that we did:

• Got stuck in a snowstorm on I-94 in Indiana
• Rerouted ourselves in the snowstorm and drove an hour out of the way but probably saved many hours by avoiding the standstill on I-94
• Stayed at the Motor City Casino Hotel, which was beautiful, by the way
• Had a little bit of beginners luck gambling at the casino
• Listened to a band that covered everyone from Robin Thicke to Lynard Skynard
• Walked through the Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit to get to the stadium
• Walked to the game with no coats- DUH!!!  We have lived in the Midwest for 31 (or32) years
• Ate a turkey leg dinner at the game with cranberry sauce and stuffing (picture below)
• Sat in great seats at the game and had a super time
• Watched the Lions demolish the Packers!!!   (40-10)
• Tried two local craft beers (Tony)
• Had a great time

 

Some Recent Pictures

These are just some random pictures that we have taken- in order from newest to oldest.

Daddy put together the Pack 'N Play

Aunt Kera paints Mom's toenails.  (I can't reach them anymore.)  Thanks, Kera.

Nap between football games

Just got our travel system.  Tony is getting really good at putting baby gadgets together.

Here are some pictures from our Gender Reveal Day with our parents and siblings: