As far as smashing the edge of each 2x6 new joist, are you using a hammer or a sledge? If you use a scrap piece at the edge of the joist and hit it it will take the wear and tear instead of your joists. If you don't have someone to hold the 2x6 joist in position, at the middle as you hit/force it into place, you could screw a scrap piece of 2x6 into the end where you need to pound it to give you an extra 'hand', then unscrew the scrap after. Or you could jack up ever so lightly on the area from underneath to allow the new joist to fit better during installation and then release pressure/lift once the joist is securely in place.
Also, I think I saw fiberglass insulation stuffed into the space above your existing sill plate and the cellar ceiling joists-yes? If so, I recommend strongly to remove all of that and take 2" blueboard insulation and cut it to press fit against your outer rim joist and then seal each joist box with spray foam from a can to seal out any air infiltration. Otherwise the dew point finds its way into the fiberglass and saturates your sill plate and then you have a rotted sill plate and rim joist- I live in VT so these things we learn from hard experience.
2" is the best to use, if you can fit it since it will stop the dew point from finding its way in or out of your cellar. Air movement it the enemy- hot moist air moving to cold outside conditions can be stopped and it makes all the difference in being warm or feeling chilled and damp in a cellar. I would also put 2" blueboard from floor to ceiling in the newly poured foundation walls area to help with the same issues. By code it needs to be covered by some sort of fireproof paint or sheetrock for fire protection/burn time.
Things look good otherwise!
And as to one piece tubs- they are good if you can get them in as you have done during construction; but for future reference and for others doing similar projects Sterling, a division of Kohler makes some two piece shower tub kits that are solid as heck and are made of vitrile(sp?) which is MUCH better than fiberglass, and makes for a really nice unit that can be removed later if necessary and re-used too. I have a couple of them in a couple of houses I have and they have been great for new and retrofit construction.
I agree with the outside breaker box being not the best solution- but that is obviously your decision based on budget and your particular situation. Glad to see you are tackling the wiring nightmare and the plumbing now instead of later or never. Keep up the good work and level of enthusiasm.
