January 8, 2008
Found out today that our landlord has sold the house that we’re living in. I almost can’t believe it. In the winter? When houses aren’t selling? Phooey. The worst of it is that the buyer is pre-approved and wants to close January 30, a mere 3 weeks away, which also happens to be the day this baby is due. My husband, Chris, and I beg the landlord for mercy. At this point, I can’t lift either of my kids, let alone schlep boxes over ice. After several calls, they work out a deal with the new owner and grant us one more month. Our new “get out” date is the end of February, which means we’ll need to be out the weekend before that, February 24.

January 9, 2008
We insulated today and chose Icynene (www.icynene.com), a spray foam insulation that goes on wet and poofs up (not a technical term) as it dries. I wish I could have been in there to watch the spraying, but the installation requires special respiratory gear.  Icynene has mega R-value and denies the growth of mold. It’s the right choice for Donovan, who already has had pneumonia twice this winter. Air quality is of paramount importance to us. Another plus: It is astounding how much quieter the house is.

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January 11, 2008
We install hardwood floors in the pantry, dining room, and kitchen, finding the right price and product at Lumber Liquidators (www.lumberliquidators.com). They offer everything here. We chose quarter-sawn red oak to blend with our home’s original flooring and purchased it unfinished, which means that after it was installed, it would need to be sanded and stained on site. This gave us the chance to mix a custom stain for the floor. Tip: If you need a new floor and you don’t need to transition and blend old flooring with new, check out their Bellawood line which comes with an ultra-durable factory finish. I love this stuff. Maybe for another project?

January 16, 2008
The drywall is delivered early in the morning on this big truck. A crane moves it to the rear of the house where it is unloaded and brought in sheet by sheet. By the day’s end, the drywall has been installed.

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January 18, 2008
We have walls, and we have lights!

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January 29, 2008
A welcome sight: The cabinetry is being delivered.

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January 30, 2008
Sensitive to my pending delivery date, Kevin and Shawn, a friend who trims with him, work well into the night to set as many cabinets as they can. I won’t be having a baby today, and I won’t be having a kitchen either. But I am thrilled to see the cabinets. I chose Diamond (www.diamondcabinets.com) for their forward-thinking approach to everyday storage issues. They have cabinets designed to deal with pots and pans and others to handle food storage. But some of my favorites are the corner recycling cabinet, the toe-kick drawer, and the message center, which is a 3-inch-deep vertical cabinet that can hold keys, papers, and has a magnetic dry erase board. Love it!

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