forgetful

This year’s costume?  A zebra.  I bought it last year when all the costumes were on sale.  It was one of the last available in Jaia’s size (or the size I thought she’d be at this time this year) and it was warm and fuzzy – my only two criteria. 

A zebra wouldn’t have been my first choice – it was nowhere as adorable as the chick from last year, but I didn’t have a lot to choose from, so a zebra it was.

And then, a couple of months ago, Jaia discovered zebras.  They appear often enough in children’s books, but we never really talked about zebras with her.  But they grew on her.  A lot.  She points them out to us on tv, in books, in stores.  Turns out she really likes ‘zebas’.  ‘Zebas’ of all shapes and sizes.

Looks like the zebra I settled on last year was the perfect choice for my little monkey.

So excited.

When we moved into out 15 year-old house, we knew there would be a bit of work to do.  Then, as we settled in, we discovered there was even more that we might want to update than we originally thought.  Other than the paint colour and main level flooring, almost everything needs a little *help*.  But we Fullertons like to tackle one project at a time, and right from our first viewing, we knew it would be the carpet that runs up the stairs to the second floor den and up unto the bedrooms that we would concentrate on first.

At first sight it was fine, acceptable almost, but one step on the badly worn underpad which, when you investigate by removing the vent cover – not even a high traffic area, looks to be the thickness of cardstock.  After living in our last house which had upgraded underpad and the most beautiful berber carpet on the upper level, this carpet was near unbearable.

But then, faced with the decision, we decided to go with a whole, unexpected approach.  Berber in the main areas and on the stairs, GORGEOUS bamboo in the bedrooms.  AND we (Dan) would install it ourselves.  Risky, yes, but something Dan wanted to learn to do anyway and since we are doing three seperate rooms, we could take our sweet time getting it done.

So a couple of weeks ago, off he went to buy supplies, the wood, the tools.  He ripped out the carpet and went to work.  The first day was spent preparing the floor and learning how to use the tools.  But the second day he was underway.  He quickly got the hang of it and by the end of the second weekend, the floor was down.  In one room.  The spare room.  The room we don’t really use.

Now the real test of organization begins.  First Jaia’s room because it is smaller and then ours.  Both are going to upset the house for the length of time, for the mere fact that there will be no good place to store all the stuff.  That and prying a little girl from her room and have her sleep comfortably and soundly somewhere other than her own bed is going to be a feat in itself.  But at least the floors will be pretty.