Excitement

House update – we got it! J

Ever feel like something was just meant to be?  Last Thursday afternoon, I received an email from our realtor’s search tool thingamabob that was a notice of status change for the house we had made an offer on.  I just about fell off my chair.  It was back on the market?  Within minutes I was simultaneously emailing Jeff and calling our realtor to find out what was happening.

The original buyer got cold feet, backed out and yes, the house was in fact back on the market.  We already had an appointment to look at four houses the following day.  We kept those and added this house to the list.

You see, for the past week or so, we had been talking about all the reasons why maybe this wasn’t the house for us in an effort to feel better about losing it.  Now that it was an option again – had we talked ourselves out of it?  

The first four houses were rough.  One was HUGE, but a foreclosure and in terrible shape.  There was a fireplace in one of the rooms and in the photos online it had an entire wall of brick around it.  In reality it was brick wallpaper.  Yes I said brick wallpaper.  Seriously.  Who does this?

When I walked into the house again, I felt content.  I felt reassured it was the house for us.  We made an offer before we left and it was accepted the next day.

Does this house have everything we’ve ever wanted and more?  No.  Is it as big as we’d like it to be?  No.  Unfortunately like probably everyone I know, we can’t afford everything we want, especially in our first home.  

What I love most about this house:

• huge kitchen with an open floor plan to the kitchen table and living room
• cathedral ceilings
• walk-in closet and a master bathroom
• finished basement with tons of storage also
• large yard for the girls with space for me to have a garden
• in-ground pool and deck

While it may not have as much square footage as we’d like, I think it’s perfect for how we would like to *live* in a house.  The girls will have their own rooms where their toys can live and our living room will no longer *have* to look like Babies R Us threw up all over our floors.  It more than likely still will at times, but it will no longer be the only option.

The house is a blank canvas.   Everything is neutral so we can decide what color we want to make it without having to invest in gallons of primer to cover up fluorescent pink walls or figure out how to cover up all those awesome faux paint finishes we saw in so many homes.

Finally we will have a place for the girls to play outside.  This makes me so happy.  I grew up with an in-ground pool and have so many fun memories from that.  I can’t wait for the girls to have that as well.  I also hate being hot, so this is a pretty awesome feature considering it will help me tolerate the summer J  We may go broke paying for the necessary sunscreen costs though…

Now to get past the inspections and the nine million steps that have to come before we can move in.

Disappointment

House update – we didn’t get it L

I think we were too late and too low with our offer.  I’m trying not to dwell on it but I was disappointed.

I found out Monday after work as I was on the way to meet Jeff, the girls and some friends of ours for dinner at Nagoya.  I heart their sushi, but always feel like I’m cheating on Een when I go there without her - that’s one of our favorite date spots J.

The company and the sake made me feel a little better.  That and Lily was pretty well behaved.  Toddlers can ruin a dinner out pretty quickly, especially when Mama forgets crayons or any type of activity to entertain them (the iPad is a life saver).

Outside the restaurant is a nice grassy area between the Hilton and Nagoya.  Lily wanted to run in the grass, so her and Jeff did just that for a bit.  I took some photos and sat with Gracie.



Daddy really is so much fun!





Strawberry Shortcake sunglasses from a birthday party last weekend.  We wear them constantly.



I heard her ask about going into the Hilton to go potty.  She had just gone potty in the restaurant not 20 minutes ago.  I didn’t think much of it, sometimes she uses wanting to go potty as a means to do other things… like get out of bed when she should be sleeping, etc.  We thought she just wanted to go into the hotel, which we of course were not going to do.

Next thing I know, she is pulling up her shirt and pulling down her shorts and honeys.  Yes, that’s my child naked in the “park” at Levis Commons.  Jeff quickly reassembled her outfit while laughing histerically.  I was snapping photos and didn’t quite catch it, mostly because I was laughing myself (it's blurry, but you get the idea).  I wasn’t super proud of this… but you have to admit, it was pretty funny.

Dropping trough - as they say

As he was walking her back to the car Lily stops on the sidewalk and Jeff yells to me as I was packing Gracie up – “What do you suggest I do now?”  I look over and Lily is standing on the sidewalk peeing.  There is literally a lake sized puddle growing at her feet and it’s splattering everywhere.

This was. not. funny.  

Lily potty trained in about 3 days.  Since that time she has had all of maybe two accidents.  This was not an accident, it was on purpose.  Sometimes she is evil difficult but this was new.  I was disappointed.

I explained that this behavior was not acceptable and was definitely NOT funny and we went home and took a bath and got her to bed late.  Awesome.

The next morning I had to get up early for a meeting.  I was coming upstairs from the kitchen and heard Lily yelling for me “Ohhhhhhhhhh Mamaaaaaa… I have to go potty…” in her sing song morning voice.  It’s hilarious.  But by the time I got up there her bed was a swimming pool of pee.  I was disappointed.

I miraculously was able to get her bathed and still get to my meeting on time, so all is well that ends well.

Potty setbacks are not fun.  We will be limiting our drinks in the evening from now on.  

tick tock...

I have never owned a home.  We rent a wonderful townhouse, but now that my employment situation is settled we have very excitedly begun the process of finding our home.  We have been looking at houses - what feels like a ton of houses.  It is a frustrating process at times, but we are learning a lot about what we love and what we don't.  

We looked at a house that belonged on the Hoarder tv show – I wish I could have taken pictures, but I felt like that was bad karma.  It was amazing.

I digress -

We found a house.  We love it.  We made an offer yesterday.

Now we wait.

5pm cannot get here fast enough.

Laughter

mere seconds before she spit up on me :)

Gracie laughed for the first time last night.  Full on giggles.  It was the best sound ever.

Apparently taking her socks off was hilarious.  Probably because she just figured out how to grab her toes.  My guess is she was excited to get to them.

She wouldn’t laugh for Jeff, or even again for me.  I am sure it is only a matter of days before she is laughing all the time.  That’s just how it is these days.  As soon as she learns something new, it’s one more milestone checked off the list and we are moving on to the next.  Bittersweet...

So I will treasure that brief moment when her giggles were just for me.

Swim Update



paddling to retrieve the red alligator



Swim lessons are going well.  These photos are from last week.  Lily was too scared to jump off the wall (this was her favorite activity the week before).  We’ll see how this week goes.

Mama is just hoping that there are a few less people in attendance.  Last week there was barely enough room for all the kids to stand on the wall and forget about circling up for motorboat.  Seriously – how many people can fit in this pool?? 

Thankful

Since I’ve become a mom… things that happen in our world affect me differently.  Maybe differently isn’t the right word.  Deeper.  They affect me deeper.

Tragic, horrible, sad things happen all over the world on a day to day basis.  They always have.  But since I’ve become a mom, when I read about or listen to these stories, it hurts me in a way it never did before.  I “feel” pain and sadness deeper than I ever used to.  There are days I completely avoid the news because I just cannot take it. 

(Do any other moms feel this way??)

I used to work for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and children with life threatening medical conditions and their families have always been close to my heart.  Now that I’m a mom, I feel blessed and grateful every day that I have healthy children.  I don’t “know” what it is like not to, but I have been lucky enough to meet some wonderful families and learn a little bit about their stories.  I was lucky enough to be a small part of helping their wishes come true.  I no longer work for Make-A-Wish, but still hold the organization and the families involved close to my heart.  

A friend of mine has a very brave cousin named Erin.  I’ve been following her story for some time now.  She has battled cancer twice and won.  I was very sad to read that the cancer is back.  Erin and her family are beginning the fight yet again.  I cried when I read this and it hurts deep to even try to imagine what Erin and her family are going through.  If you have a minute, read about Erin.  Say a prayer, think good healing thoughts, do whatever it is you do for others when they are in need.  

Then take a minute and be thankful.  Be thankful for the good things…

Read more about Erin's wish to meet Justin Bieber here.

Swim Lessons - Update

Swim lessons were a success.  Lily LOVED swimming.  She blew bubbles, kicked on her belly and kicked on her back.  She threw toys and paddled to retrieve them and she even went under water.  She did “ok” with the under water part – but the look on her face coming up was priceless.  Why on earth would you do that to me mama??  We just kept singing.

Top 3 moments of the class:

1. The smile on her face after she got to jump into the pool from the edge - huge.
2. Yelling announcing to the little girl next to us her name was Lily arms thrown out to the sides and again with the huge smile – she did it with flair.
3. When Lily and her BFF Libby both realized they were naked in the locker room after class and they proceeded to spontaneously hug and giggle – nothing but pure joy.  (I wish I felt that much joy being naked – ahh the innocence of a child)

Ready or not…

Today is the day.  Today Lily begins swim lessons at the YMCA.  I have been talking about doing this for the last year.  I have been feeling guilty because I kept putting it off.  

Why would I put off something that she needs and will clearly love participating in?  She “swims” in the bathtub.  I think she’s part fish.

Cabin Lake - July 2011

The answer is simple.  Swim lessons = mama wearing a bathing suit.  Yuck.

Now that Gracie is 4 months old, I like to think that I’m figuring out our new daily routine.  We get everything the essentials done that we need to everyday on most days.  Sometimes the laundry piles up.  Our home isn’t as clean as I would love for it to be, but it will do.  The girls usually go to bed on time.  I usually don’t get to bed as early as I would like, but I don’t fall asleep at my desk, so I guess I’m doing ok.  

What I have not figured out how to make part of our routine is exercising.  Theoretically, I should have one hour at home alone before Jeff gets home with the girls.  All I have to do is leave work on time. Go home.  Work out.  Sounds easy, right?  I usually fail at step one.  If I make it past step one and get home on time, I start doing things in an effort to get ahead with the hopes of going to bed a bit earlier.  If I just do these dishes quick/start to make lunches for the next day/get just one load of laundry going/sort the mail… the list goes on.  What I do not do, is exercise. 

A couple weeks ago I borrowed P90X from Iristook.  I have the manuals, the dvds, everything.  I haven’t even watched them yet.  Ugg. 

Working out after the girls go to bed?  Forget about it.  I’m a hot mess.  Exhausted.  Outside of being exhausted, Gracie’s every night activity is what we’ve dubbed “floor time.” 

 

From about 8:30-9:30/10pm all she wants to do is lay on the floor and talk while being talked to.  Sometimes she wants to practice standing up.  The past few days, she has been practicing rolling over.  As every working mom knows… this is some of the precious little time I get with her each day.  I wouldn’t miss it for anything.  Once she’s had enough, she usually goes to bed and we shower and get ready for bed ourselves.  Soon enough it’s 11/11:30pm and we start the day all over again at 5:50am.

Boden Retro Swimsuit

Back to swim lessons.  I’m dreading this evening.  I’m dreading wearing a bathing suit.  I had to order one and I love it.  But I don’t love it on me.  All I can hope is that every other mom in the class is too busy feeling the same way to be judging me.

Maybe the torture will be enough to make me use my hour more wisely.