We do a lot of work on our house, and I don’t mean work like re-painting a room or replacing a faucet. I mean like ripping off half of our roof.
On purpose.
Sometimes, when we have our child sequestered in a jumperoo over looking the neighborhood through our non-existant roof, and I’m climbing a ladder moderately pregnant, DanO and I look at each other and think “we must be crazy”. And sometimes, the child in the jumperoo looks at us like that, too.
Sometimes, when our living room is a battle field of shelving units waiting to be installed, we pass the parenting time by turning shelf-backing into race car ramps.
Sometimes the boys get to participate and although it may impact our pace, it is worth it to include them and watch their excitement at the opportunity.
Sometimes, though, they have to wait it out.
Sometimes my children play with shop-vacs and ladders because, really, who would play in the room in the house entirely dedicated to toys when they could play in with shop-vacs and ladders? As a result, we have a house rule that kiddos can only go as high as the second ladder rung. We have lots of strange household rules.
Sometimes we have rules about things, and other times we hand our oldest a (legit) hammer and pry bar and say “Hey. Make yourself useful. Rip out some flooring, would ya’?”
Dude doesn’t skip a beat.
Sometimes I cringe as my boys crawl around on plywood subfloor or are tickled by work gloves, but never once have they seemed to care or even notice.
Sometimes I think (know) that we are absolutely, positively, certifiably crazy for tackling all of the projects we do with two toddlers under foot.
But always I am amazed by how much joy and fun we find in this dusty, busy, construction-filled adventure we are on.
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It took us five years of parenting to be as comfortable with and rolling with what is happening like you two do. Your boy will remember this time his whole life, and probably think it was the best fun he ever had :)
So….when do we get to see kitchen pictures? Sitting on pins and needles here:)
Lol! Have have pictures that are very similar of toddlers walking across floor joists with hammer in hand. Love these moments (even if I have to turn my head and not watch.)
~Kristin
Super cute post :)
You guys sure are ambitious and I give you credit for tackling these projects with little kiddos under foot! I’m dreading just a simple kitchen makeover (paint on walls & cabinets, flooring, counters) with one underfoot 17month old…which is the reason it didn’t get done this summer! There’s always next year…
I grew up doing projects like this with my dad, and you have no idea how handy I feel now!:) Learned how to solder pipes at age 7 :)
Your boys take it in stride – as do you. And truly, you and DanO are SOOO good at what you do. Makes perfect, crazy sense to me.
Wouldn’t it be lovely if you could come south for the winter and bring your lovely boys and fix up my home-to-be? Best. remodel. ever. I would totally loan you a jumperoo…
You make me feel super lazy with all this super awesome home renovation goodness. We’re still renting, so I’m sure one day I too can know this strange joy! I do think it’s pretty wonderful that you’ve found a way to just roll with it. I think your boys are going to have some great memories of helping mom and dad work on the house, and even if they’re too young to remember – you’ll have pictures and stories to tell them (which will thus make them super impressed by how you managed to do all this with children afoot)!
I freaking love this post!!!
GIRL. You amaze me in whole new ways with this. I am so NOT able to relax about projects like that. Mentor me, will ya?
love this! your little boys must be LOVING it! I love how you let them be a part of it.