Tag: DIY

What’s happening?

Posted on by Kilian Ateh

– 9:57 am

Well for starters, your mother and I spent four and half hours last night putting together an IKEA baby changing unit. By the time we were done, I had a footprint the size of an elephant’s. I had pain all over my back from trying to be nimble with a fractured leg. It took a few yoga poses to relieve some of the tension. That I miss. Yoga that is. I’m going to attempt a class one of these days (like I usually do via the app).

The decision to put it together was a spontaneous one. We were going to do it last weekend right after assembling the bedside crib we bought from Snuz. We’d unpacked all the pieces and all it took was a glance at the manual to shelve it.

We agreed to get someone from IKEA or Airtasker to do it but Valentina (who helps us clean) volunteered her husband. They were going to pop round yesterday but six was too late for us. That’s when we decided to give it another go – terrible fucking idea!

Dear IKEA

You can do better. You really can.

Thanks
Kilian et Liza

PS – But we got it done.

IKEA baby changing unit

Midway through this writeup, I had to dash upstairs with my drill and toolbox to help put up a blackout curtain in the second bedroom. That’s been my morning so far.

Yesterday was also day two of the NCT classes we’ve been taking. This session was about labour and childbirth. I took some notes. Honestly, I have not the faintest clue why anyone would want to put their body through pregnancy and childbirth. It ranges from uncomfortable to downright excruciating throughout. But your mother keeps repeating the female hormones override any input from a logical standpoint. Good thing I’m not the one who has to bring you into this world. You’d be abandoned son. I would never do it.

What else? Umm… We bought another sofabed to go in the studio downstairs. I foresee myself sleeping in there a lot, especially if I have to work while your mother is on maternity leave. There is currently no reason to believe you will spare us and sleep throughout the night. Most babies won’t and you won’t be any different. I’m prepping for the worst-case scenario. But the idea is a catch-all for anyone who offers us help and needs a bed. It gives us flexibility.

I also started reading Cribsheet by Emily Oster. It’s a data-driven approach to parenting. I read the chapter on circumcision this morning when I woke up. I was but you won’t be. Medically speaking, there is no real reason to get it. Historically, it’s more for cultural and religious reasons. And we know where I stand on the latter. You can be circumcised at any point in your life so if you decide otherwise when you’re older then it’s your choice.

Ah yes, you’ll be on a plane again tonight. This time to Riga. Your mother is flying out for a work conference. It’s a project she spent a solid six months working on and this event unites all her “Central and Eastern grantees”. You’d have to ask her what that means.

I just had to help her put on compression tights as she’s too big to do it herself now. They are also quite tight to be fair. You’ll get to hang out with your grandparents. I joked she could bring anything but COVID back. I still have a bad cough I seem unable to shake. Thinking about it, I wonder if I should get it checked out…

Anyway, I have to run. The car needs cleaning and charging. I have to drive myself to the hospital and back tomorrow morning for a progress update and an X-ray. The part of the leg which had an infection just won’t heal. We’ve been managing it with iodine since Friday but I’m keen to speak to Mr Culpan about it. It’s doing my head in quite frankly. 

Also worthy of note are the Braxton Hicks contractions your mother reported having. I think it may be prudent doing a dry run to the hospital and finding a 24 hour and over car park. I have a ticket raised on my Trello board to complete this task. I want to minimise uncertainty on d-day as much as possible. Where to park shouldn't be something to worry about.

Bits and pieces

Posted on by Kilian Ateh

– 9:17 am

I woke up at about six this morning, and couldn’t get back to sleep. Nothing new. So I decided to start the Sunday early.

Work on the kitchen was completed Thursday. We spent that evening and bits of Friday putting things back into new homes. Good thing we’d boxed everything properly in the first place with clear labels etc. So the job was easy enough. They’ll install the worktop in a fortnight. For now, we have (temporary) thin boards across the kitchen top. But it renders the kitchen functional which we longed for. So we won’t be pernickety about it. (I learned that word from your mother. She’ll probably laugh if she gets to read this someday).
The fitter left a pile of trash in the “garden” which should be collected tomorrow.

I spent most of yesterday filling in the holes the previous kitchen shelf left in the wall. Once done, I painted off most of the stains in and around that area, especially around light switches. They had dirty fingers all over them. My last thought as I went off to bed was how visibly bumpy the filling had been. Annoying mini mountains on the wall. They’ll need a thorough sanding down.

So this morning, I bought a Bosch sander which should be delivered by ten this evening, as promised by Amazon. I love a Bosch product, got a couple already. (Your mother is obsessed with the TV series). I’ll work that wall till it’s smooth and unnoticeable.

We got to the Farmer’s Market around one. Late for a Saturday. Most of the stalls were closing and packing away. So there really wasn’t much to see beyond folding tables and things being thrown into vans. We got some a shit tonne of cheese and left. From home, we drove to Moat Farm to get Simon’s eggs and catch some air. While at it, we bought some grass-like plants to replace the dying ones at home. (Contrary to my advice, your grandmother bought a bunch of plants which have now died. Lavender, thyme, some flowery plants… RIP)

“Packing a hospital bag” was also on yesterday’s checklist. A couple of T-shirts, some underwear, a pair of shorts and chinos. Done. I also tossed in the Nintendo I never play. I bought it under the illusion I could fabricate some time or use it on long-haul flights. Or flights of any kind. Neither has happened. It’s more of a knick-knack now if I’m being truthful. But the dream lives on. Maybe I’ll get lucky when your mother’s giving birth. Even writing it now sounds absurd.

I just heard the curtains draw open. Liza’s up. And walking down the stairs. Time to hide this screen. I just kissed her bump you good morning. She requested some coffee which I just made. So now she’s trying to figure out her breakfast. Same as always I imagine –granola, yoghurt… I brought some honey back from Cameroon which she can’t part ways with. It goes into everything. It does taste great to be fair.

Last night, Liza complained about the fake contractions and the discomfort they bring. Unfortunately, the physical part of pregnancy is a solo ride. The rest of us can just observe and be present. It’s a silent, passive but equally important role in itself.

Summer creature that she is, this heat is fatiguing for her to be or walk in. The other day, the strap in her sandals snapped from her feet swelling so much. But we both agree to sunshine over Winter any day of the week.

Last week Dr Erskine repeated you’re nowhere near coming out. Friday gone made you 38 weeks.

Ah yeah, I bought a Dyson – the V11 Absolute Plus, brand new on eBay. A cordless vacuum cleaner, easy on the wrist and manoeuvrable. It’s by contrast something that doesn’t require you dragging out a hoover to clean small messes (like the ones created by babies). As is the case with most Dyson products, it’s multifunctional and extremely versatile.

However, it came with the wrong wall mount. So I spent more time than I would’ve liked to, trying to figure out why it didn’t fit before coming to that conclusion. This is after tinkering with the stand we bought for it and googling around helplessly for whys. Right after emailing the seller, I bought a replacement which should arrive Monday. Hopefully, he – could be she – refunds me enough to cover the replacement purchase. At least some of it.

Side note, I wonder what happened to the person we had to make an emergency landing for. I hope they’re OK.

Other tasks await. Must go. BBQ later. Ciao.