The Big Reveal…

Posted on October 31, 2013 by lksquared

October 29th was the day the storm came…and October 31st was the day I went home. One year ago today, I had to show my ID to get into my city. We had to pry the door open from the water swelling it closed. We had Miss A in the car and Baby D in my belly. We had a box of black garbage bags and we packed them full of wet clothes, damp clothes, and things we decided to throw in the washing machine for 5 cycles with rubbing alcohol to disinfect. I stood outside on my soaked lawn, in my rain boots, crying on the phone to Dr W, scared that my racing heart and panic was hurting my baby. He prescribed me Xanax to keep in my purse…happy to report that it remains there, untouched.

Warning: In honor of the longest year of my life so far…this is the longest post I’ve ever written!

Here is what I came home to that day…

Two years earlier we lined the 200 feet of curb with the previous owners stuff when we moved in. One year ago we lined the 200 feet of curb with our stuff. I’m hoping to never have to do that again.

Our best friends came and didn’t let me lift a finger…just lifted my spirits. They made me laugh till I cried happy tears. They uncovered my secrets and my love letters to and from Mister LK. They were wet…and unsalvageable….but I knew what they said. They waited patiently as I cried. They made me laugh when I didn’t think it was possible. They froze their butts off. They got filthy. They showed us the kind of friends they are. The best kind.

The months that followed were so busy I barely remember them. We moved into Staten Island. Got Miss A settled in school. Got her transitioned to a big girl bed. I drove almost daily to the house to make decisions, choose finishes, oversee, take deliveries…just to rush back at the end of the day, go to sleep and start all over again. Most days it seemed like it would never end.

Then we. moved. in. Into a completely unready house. We camped out in the dining room while the contractors saw we meant moving in business & finished up as quickly as they could! Mister LK wasn’t happy, but I WAS!!!!

And where are we today?

In our house, which is everything I hoped it would be. (Except for a little higher up of course!) We have a little more in the “replace our stuff” category to do…but I am a happy LK with where we are today. So thankful. So incredibly humbled by the love and support we’ve been given over the last year. Sad for our neighbors who aren’t home yet. In love with my house and more in love with my family.

October 28, 2012 I sat in my living room obsessing over Miss A’s big girl room. Arguing with Mister LK about how we HAD to get everything done before Hannukah so that we could give her a new room as her present! Busting his chops about getting Uncle C on board to finish up ASAP. Online window shopping and putting this together…

Little did I know that the following day, mother nature would force me to renovate our entire house! Without further delay….here is what it looks like today!

When you’re forced to renovate unexpectedly…you look for inspiration everywhere you turn. This girl became my inspiration … and I couldn’t be happier!

One Year Later…

Posted on October 29, 2013 by lksquared

One year ago, I looked out my window and saw the water reach halfway up the driveway. It wasn’t even high tide yet. I was pregnant and running around our house at this very moment packing bags for each of us with clothes for the next 2-3 days. Shoving the cat in the dog’s bag and imagining what I thought was most valuable to throw in the car with us “just in case”. We put our important papers by the front door to grab as we left…then left them there by accident. We put the box of pictures on the bookshelf, and my babies in the car. We headed to Grandma’s house and tried not to worry. I spent the next 12 hours waiting for the 7pm high tide and watching Facebook comments to see if anyone who lived in my bayside neighborhood had anything to report. Then he commented. My neighbor from his 2nd floor. It’s Bad.

I cried. And panicked. Where would I bring my family home to? How long would I be staying with my mom? Where would this baby be born? How was I going to tell Miss A that she had no home? I had a zillion unanswered questions. 2 days from now will mark the day I came home to the nightmare. And the day my prayers were answered.

We were fine. We are fine. Miss A is the strongest little girl in the world. She waited patiently as her “dirty house” was cleaned up. Mister LK and I made it through construction and now we have a beautiful house. My dream house. My dream family. My dream life.

Some days I can’t believe we did it…while at the same time knowing all along we would. I have the best husband. Without him I would have crumbled. There was so much to deal with and he did it like he always does. Without complaining. (to me at least). He’s my rock and my best friend.

More than anything today I am feeling so lucky that I have him. I am remembering all of our love letters that were washed away from high school and knowing that I am the luckiest girl in the world to not need them because I have the real thing, right here, in our home…wherever that is.

There is another family that I would like to thank for getting me through this past year. They are my gift from gd. To M&K. Our friends who let us live in their house. I have never been more thankful for a gift in my life. I will spend the rest of my life trying to repay you in any way I can. I truly felt helpless without a place for my family to live and you saved us.

We are stronger than the storm…even if we’re not from NJ!

Half A Year Old & Handsome As Ever…

Posted on October 20, 2013 by lksquared

My baby is 1/2 a year old. 6 whole months. Holy Bananas.

He is a big noodle! 27 1/4″ tall and 17lbs. Long and skinny. He is a rolling machine and can make his way across the house with a combination scooting and rolling, if I let him! He’s sitting up pretty well these days. Although he is much like a big puppy dog. Huge “paws”, drools like a leaky faucet and he’s very floppsy!!!

He’s a kicker & will kick anything left near those adorable toes! He’s still talking non-stop and his noises crack me up all day long! Sometimes, when I need a quiet moment, I have to put headphones on because there is no place in the house that I can’t hear him!!!

He is eating 4 8oz bottles a day, and we’ve introduced solids. We had a little trouble with my mommy guilt that led me to give him organic formula, which tried to kill him. Like from one of those sci-fi movies Mister LK is always wanting to watch….the formula tried to kill my baby boy. So we switched back.

We now have our happy baby back! Hooray!!!!

Everyday it is more apparent how this little man is making our family a happier one! He’s always laughing & smiling…and when he sees his sister, his eyes light up and he is brighter than the sun! He is a doggie lover and a cat puller. And my daily reminder to smile and life will be good!

Baby D…please stop growing so damn fast. Keep those teeth under your gums, I’m not ready to loose that gummy smile! Keep doing everything you’re doing because you are perfect and we love you!

Apples, Friends & First Loves…

Posted on October 3, 2013 by lksquared

In the past, we have been loyal Hamptons apple pickers. We’ve thrown elbows to get that unbruised apple on the midget tree while dodging bees and slipping on rotten apples. For the past 3 years we’ve done that. This year…we changed it up! We headed north….and we had a wonderful day! We went with our friends…picked apples…picked pumpkins….had a picnic & took lots of pictures! Baby D also got his first cheap feel from his first love. What can I say? He’s a stud.

This is what it looks like when the cutest best friends go apple picking on a beautiful day.

When you’re 3 1/2, matching is cool in public!

These girls don’t go anywhere alone anymore…they’ve got siblings!

The north has taller trees than the Hamptons. That means that Daddy has to help out with the picking part. It also means delicious apples and no fights at the top!