Riley's Really Ravishing Room

Riley's old nursery was sage green with lavender as an accent color. It had a dragonfly theme. This time I based everything around her Circo Nature Love bedding. Here's Riley's bedding in her old room:

It's pink with bright blue, green, pink and orange owls birds and mushrooms. There's even a little brown hedgehog. Very cute bedding and Riley loves owls. It looked pretty good in her green room, but this time I did her room colors around the bedding.

The colors we used were custom, but they were based on Pale Sunshine (Behr) and Ballet Slipper (Martha Steward). Or in other words yellow and pink.

Owls on the wall above her bed.
They're wall decals I bought at Target. They looked much bigger on the box. I thought the tree was going to take up most of the wall. Also, peel with care I pulled the tree top half off and it tangled with itself and everywhere I had to un-stick it from itself had a bald spot.

Here's her cute bedside table with birdie fabric table cloth:

I bought the fabric from Joann's to use as an Easter table cloth knowing I could use it again in Riley's room.
Growth cart vine:

This was a Christmas gift I held on to because I knew we were moving. It's a sticker you have to put up in segments. Mike used a level. It also comes with little pick bows to mark the growth, but I think I'll make birdie or owl markers.

More birdies:

Her matching lamp
I got this at Target it's part of the Circo Nature Love collection. It has three holes through which you see owls and a squirrel. The pull is a little pink mushroom. Riley loves it.

Her rug

I got this at Kmart. I love it, it's got a lot of white so it gets dirty fast.

Accidents happen

This is a little set of hooks I got at Joann's for Riley's purses and necklaces. As Mike was demonstrating how far away from the door to hang it to keep it safe he dropped it and it broke in half. So, super cute, but not very durable. Don't worry a little glue and some cute ribbon to cover the patch job will fix it right up.

What do you think? Riley seems very pleased.

Under Pressure

I have felt enormous pressure since the moving process started. Get packed, unpacked, painted, put away and cleaned in time for the Easter party. Phew. Get packed, unpacked, cleaned out so you can turn in the old house key. Get the kids organized, closets organized, etc moving stuff. All this while keeping the kids on their respective schedules. I've felt enormous pressure not to rock the boat.

Aside from the pressure within myself which is always the worst and within my household there is external pressure. Pressure to meet deadlines for old landlords and new landlords. Pressure to stretch a budget that is taxed with moving expenses. Pressure to still make it to family functions smiling after hellishly long days sweeping behind large appliances and literally cleaning the fridge from the inside. Pressure to keep everyone motivated and on track. Pressure to keep up my social life when all I want to do is crawl into bed for a week.

Pressure not to show my stress or pain. This is a big one right now because the move and potty training are happening concurrently. When your toddler has an accident you have to smile sweetly and explain where their bodily fluids are supposed to go. If you spook them it's game over. I'm pretty good at this usually, but today Riley sat happily on the potty watching cartoons and then took a huge poop on the floor next to the potty. It was big and smelly. I breathed through my mouth detained the pooper and called for back up. While Mike handled the floor I went to rinse off Riley's shoes. They looked like tiny cakes frosted with fecal matter. It was not the first time in the process that she stepped in her own poop. I kept looking at the floor so that Miss Roo wouldn't see my disgusted face. I gagged with my back turned while saying things like "almost big girl, in the potty next time."

Now I feel pressure to explain myself. I feel, maybe wrongly, judged for potty training my not quite 20mo old right now. I feel pressure to end the horrible rashes and infections once and for all, but for the most part I'm just following Riley's lead on this. Later in the day she went to the bathroom door and knocked. When I opened it she lifted the lid on the toilet and put her Sesame Street seat on it. She said "up." and I obliged. Sure enough this poopy made it in the big potty. She throughly enjoyed wiping and flushing while sweetly calling "bye-bye". She even got a potty super star sticker for that one.

Let us not forget the pressure of finding things. Finding the right pan, a certain shirt or a pair of scissors leads to major meltdowns right now. It gets a little better everyday. It occured to me, watching Mike build the swing set, that tools and kitchen utensils are similar. There's is a perfect tool for every job in the kitchen a wonderous utensil or machine, but I don't own most of them. I cook with what I have which is less than perfect, but gets the job done. Mike doesn't always have the exact right tool (although his dad is striving to fix that one Christmas at a time -air compressor, nail gun, etc), but he gets the job done.

Things are letting up...kind of...slowly...God willing...I hope.

Mars/Venus Priorities

My priorities in order of importance: Unpack all remaining boxes (there aren't very many left), finish painting touch ups in Isaac's room, get Isaac's furniture into a more functional formation, laundry (where did it all come from?!?), start painting the baby's room, organize kitchen cabinets (now that I have everything), cleaning, organize my own closets and drawers, hook up blue ray in the bedroom (the living room one has been hooked up since day 1), organize my desk/craft stuff, make invites to house warming play date, etc etc (I could write this list for days).

Mike's Priorities: Set up shed (aka man cave), set up living room tv, blueray, stereo, etc (including programming remotes), mount speakers and camouflage wires, landscape backyard, build swing set

I would like to point out that nothing on my list is finished and his list is complete. This is simply because he gives himself less general tasks than for example unpack all boxes. Also because he doesn't mind if one item takes him all day (and doesn't have a toddler under foot). The other reason is I can only tell you what his priorities are after he's started a project because I can't even begin to guess what he'll decide is important.

It should also be noted that his priorities make him a hero. Although I get everyone up on time, fed, bathed, etc I am never a hero. My goals are too mundane, I suppose. I do what has to be done because it has to be done and he does what he wants to do next because I will always make sure what has to be done is.

I'm really grateful, today. The kids needed a swing set. They're so happy. Check with me again tomorrow...

Change of Address Card

It's a lot less empty these days. In fact there's a dining room table there now. Although, the old house isn't completely empty yet and not all the boxes are unpacked we're making progress. I keep telling myself that's it's only been a week. It has only been a week, but in less than 48 hours we're having company for Easter. I tell myself the people who love me won't care if my house isn't immaculate or that the painting isn't finished. I calm myself with the thought and then I walk into my bedroom, Oy!

Six of the seven rooms are either done or "pretty close" Tonight we're having friends over to dye eggs. I have my priorities in order and a semi-realistic grip on my deteriorating physical state. The weekend is here. Easter will be here before we know it. I think we all need this event. It's a ceremony to mark a new begining for us. It's a chance to test drive what future events will be like in this house and how our friends feel about our new place. Above all it means we did it. We survived, we worked together and we'll get through the end of this intact.

My Changing Relationship With Home Depot

When I was a kid I HATED being dragged through Home Depot. It was huge and tiring to walk. There were nasty chemical smells, which I've always been super-sensitive to. There was never anything for kids there so I couldn't get a reward for being good during the shopping trip. On top of all that my mom was walking through anxious about the things that would dangerous to kids, not exactly the energy that makes a kid enthusiastic. My dad was always the instigator of these jaunts, but he never had unbridled enthusiasm for anything really, DIY projects around the house included.

As an adult I lived in quite a few dorm rooms and apartments where I wasn't permitted to change anything. Mike's house where I moved after the string of apartments was painted all one color. The whole house was powder blue walls and dark blue trim, the whole house. Since I knew that was temporary I never felt compelled to change things very much. I even outright resented the time, energy and money poured into that stupid little rental.

My pregnancy changed all that. I had a nursery to plan. Now like that kid you always hated who grew up to be kind of a hottie I re-introduced myself to Home Depot. It was a tentative first date. I only needed painted, but it was the first time going there had ever been fun.

When we moved suddenly I had a whole house to make my own and I felt like, "Home Depot where have you been all my life?" I started with paint, four rooms worth of walls and baseboards to choose. Then we needed a drain plug for the bathtub that was toddler proof, blinds for our front window and plants for the backyard.

Every trip there now is exciting. The possibilities are endless. There's all the immediate stuff and then there's the "someday list". I "pick out" $100 wood blinds for the master bedroom, Martha Stewart window treatments for the front window, a $200 grill for Michael to use on the back patio, a beautiful top-of-the line dishwasher, a chandelier for over the dinning room table and a new ceiling fan for the bedroom. It's a big list but "someday" is a long time away.

I know my way around Home Depot as well as I know my way around the grocery store (not quite as well as Target). I go there with confidence and direction. I no longer feel like everyone's staring at me because I don't belong. I park and mount an electric cart and zip around choosing things for my house. We've come a long way, Home Depot and I.

We still fight now and then when aisles are blocked by layers of displays and I can't get through or when things are too high for me to reach. We usually make up in the end though. I always laugh when things in the store sport "out of order" signs... come on guys, don't you have the tools to fix it? When the staff is around (they're elusive) they're always very friendly.

I guess I'm a real grown up now because I'd rather buy things for the house than myself.

Which Box Did I Pack My Brain In?

Moving is a lot like being pregnant, at least for me. I never had swollen ankles pregnant, however and I've had them every day since we started moving. Other than that the similarities are endless. I'm tired, starving and grouchy all the time. I'm having weird dreams. I'm disheveled and self-conscious all the time. My memory's shot.

The other day I had my first contact with the legendary P next door. It was the morning after the first night we spent in the house on air mattresses/pack-n-play/sleeping bags. I was painting Isaac's room I had the window open and P climbed up on his fence and shouted to me "young lady your back lights have been since last night." Whoops. I'm batting a thousand on the first impressions with the neighbors front.

I also got a few things from the kitchen at the old house so I could make dinner early. I chose frozen ravioli because I had tomato sauce and all I had to do was boil them. It turns out I had neither a pot to boil water nor did I have the freaking sauce. Come on! I hand my hands on both things before I left the old house and managed to leave them. Grrr.

I continue to hit the wrong switches to turn on lights and fans. I made sure diapers and tampons came over I'm not completely in competent. I however manage to leave ALL the garbage cans until the end. Duh, maybe we need more than one. Also, double duh you can pack in them! I felt so dumb when I finally started loading things into the garbage cans and bring them over. They get unpacked a lot faster than boxes because they need to be used.

I had my Easter decorations up before we moved in, but until today I only had two days of my own clothes at the new house. Everyone else had their whole wardrobe by yesterday. It's a good thig we've had the washer and dryer have been hooked up the whole time.

Also, like pregnancy moving is hard work. You almost always want to quit before it's done in both cases. No amount of preparation makes the end any easier. In the end though even though you're glad it's over it was totally worth it.

You Find Out Who Your Friends Are

This morning my coffee delivery came with a cat and a bird. We brought everything we needed for breakfast except spoons. It was almost calm considering it was "the big day". I had a handful of responses to my pleads for help yesterday, but only one yes. I was still very anxious, but Mike seemed collected.

I tried following his lead. We painted in the morning and I let people know when we expected to rent the truck. My mom was supposed to come get the kids at noon and it was clear Mike and I had more work than we could handle. I sent out another round of pleading texts and heard another round of polite nos. Of course now it was super last minute so I had expected as much.

The afternoon wore on and no sign of grandma. I got the Riley down for her nap and sent Isaac to play quietly in his new room. I was sweating bullets when I heard from my mom who was in stand still traffic on the bridge. I pressed on with painting and unpacking trying to keep my panic at bay. What a day it was turning out to be.

My mom picked up the kids around 2:30 and help arrived soon after. Boo's mom and I painted Isaac's room and than she left to get her husband who she'd enlisted to help load furniture in the truck. While she was gone our friend C around and helped me by painting the "up high" parts of Isaac's walls.

Boo's mom arrived with Boo and her Mike and soon the 3guys were off to U-haul. While they were gone the kids came back from the beach with grandma. The kids played while we moved boxes against the walls, swet and otherwise got the rooms ready for furniture. Once we were done and grandma had departed it was hours of trying to keep things that way while we waited. Not an easy task with two toodlers and an 8yr old on the loose.

I tried several time to text and call Mike for an update, but heard nothing. It was getting late so we ordered pizza so the boys would have something to eat when they arrived. It was right after we ordered the pizza that we heard from a Mike that the U-haul had a dead battery and they were waiting for a jump. What a day!

The boys arrived safely and everyone ate pizza. Boo's mom took all 3 kids back to her house for baths and pjs as soon as they were done eating. I directed furniture into rooms and sometime around 10pm it was done. The Mike's returned the U-haul and then we exchanged Boo's dad for some sleeping kiddos. We got to tuck them into their own beds when they got back.

It was while I was waiting for Mike and the kids to return that I realized it was a school night. I'm a terrible mother. The plan had changed so much over the weekend. I had asked Isaac to bring his backpack, but he hadn't. We had no school clothes or shoes, grr. I would fix it by getting up before 7 and rushing him to the old house before school started. Just when I thought my day was winding down.

I have survived. My good friends who came through repeatedly during my back surgery recovery when I had a baby at home and couldn't move saved the day again. I'm nominating C and Boo's family for sainthood or baking them cookies whichever I can manage when this move is over.

Are We Done Yet?

I keep swinging between elation and an anxiety so severe it renders me dysfunctional. I keep thinking the deus ex machina moment is coming. As of yet, it has not. I have moved some where in the neighborhood of 10 times, but this has been by far the most difficult.

As I mentioned I have been waiting for help to come save the day, (atypical of my personality since birth). Let me explain the factors at play here. First, regardless of my moving experience and above average organizational skills I am limited physically in ways that I've never dealt with before. Second, I am moving a family of four instead of just myself. Third, I have a toddler underfoot or "helping" at every turn. Fourth, Mike.

Mike has limited moving experience, no organizational abilities to speak of and a completely different set of priorities. I feel like I'm swimming against the tide a lot. Thank God he can run cable, anchor shelves and fix things that require the use of a nail gun. I really would be lost without his talents. The trouble is when I tell him the 3 things I need him to do before I can proceed with getting us settled and instead he does something that wasn't even on my radar like mount speakers. I think it's a Mars/Venus thing.

The kids haven't been all obstacle either they've pitched in here and there. Isaac "packed" his bookshelf (which I had to repack while he was school). Overall his attitude has been much better than expected. He was helping untangle the cords on the entertainment center today and he became very concerned. "Are you SURE we're supposed to take this?", he asked me. It turned out Isaac thought that t.v.s come standard in every house. Eight year olds. I straightened him out by pointing out that there was nothing in the new house when he saw it the first time (not even a t.v.) and we would leave nothing in this one. Riley decided to be helpful today too. She told us she was wet and instead of waiting to be changed went to the diaper bag got a new pull up and had it halfway on by herself. I think when they can change their own diaper it's time for the potty.

I've done my best to keep kids on their normal routines, but it's hard. I had all these sunny visions of long afternoons spent letting Riley run through the empty house while I unpacked boxes in peace (while the boys were at work and school). The problem was there was no furniture to unpack things into. So, instead I spent long days in the wreck of the old house packing boxes and waiting. Waiting for help to load the car, waiting for shelves to be disassembled/reassembled, waiting for Mike to get off work, waiting for a time when I'd be free of both kids and so on.

We've done our best to this point largely by ourselves. I feel like I'm drowning. Tomorrow we'll have the U-haul for the big furniture and I don't feel like we're as far along as we should be. I thought we had lots of help and it's turning out that we don't. I tried to line everything up ahead of time, but I never knew how much we'd have done at any point. We're down to the wire now and I'm pleading on facebook and text message for help tomorrow, fingers crossed.

I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of this move. He's gotta be strong. And he's gotta be fast. And he's gotta be fresh from the fight. (I totally hear it sung from the fairy godmother in Shrek 2, but feel free to hear Bonnie Tyler).

Feathering the Nest

We were up and out bright and early eager to get the new house ready. Mike took the day off. It was a beautiful day we both drank an inordinate, probably unhealthy, amount of coffee and picked up a few things. By far my favorite is this kid size recliner I've had my eye on for awhile. Riley's a big fan. I think it's very likely that it is one of the only pieces of furniture we'll buy for the new house.

Riley testing out the new chair in the family room.

Miss Roo sticking Sesame Street stickers to yellow paper ("wella pap!") and watching Follow That Bird while Mommy and Daddy paint.

I'm not an expert painter by any means. It's lack of experience on my part. I put a foam pillow down on the floor to sit on, taped the wall to the best of my ability, opened the paint, set it on the drop cloth and went to work painting the baseboards. It was super important to tape carefully because the walls are a sage green and the tile is white as opposed to the chocolate brown we're painting the trim.

This is what Riley was up to while I painted. My 19mo old assembles furniture, what does yours do?

I'm pretty sure I mentioned my little girl's fondness for tools. She swooped in on Daddy's reassembly product like a pro. She picked up the screwdriver, circled the structure studying it and then put the screwdriver exactly where it belonged. It was really cute. She even tightened some screws with Daddy's help.

While they were being adorable and productive behind me I finished the first section of baseboards I'd taped off. I crawled off the foam pillow and started taping farther down the wall. When I say "crawling" it was more like dragging myself on my belly with my legs straight behind me. When I sat up my legs were bent behind me and I reached behind me to stabilize myself. I put my hand down in paint and thought I was touching the lid of the paint can, but I was very much stuck that way. Since I couldn't jump up I yelled for Mike. It was the loud cussing behind me that was my clue it was worse than I thought. I had kicked the whole can over and not on the drop cloth it was sitting on. I kicked it onto the tile. it was horrific. I felt terrible.

I drenched my cool shoe and there was a massive dark pool congealing on the floor. I murdered my floor and my shoe was in critical condition. I also severely injured my sense of calm. It went from bad to worse as we scrambled to paint as much as possible before the spilled paint dried. My hands were so coated in paint they were sticking to my brush handle. It was a race and I was losing. Eventually, Riley wondered over to hug her frazzled Mommy and shuffled away tracking more paint across the floor.

I didn't understand that this paint wasn't going to wash off my skin the way the paint we used on the walls did. Mike ran out to get paint thinner and I dropped a drowsy Miss Roo at Boo's house to take her nap safe from fumes. I scrambled back and scrubbed the floor and myself until my head ached from the fumes. I decided to make up for it by painting Isaac's room until I couldn't raise my arms anymore. Also, in a pinch you can totally substitue angry paint rolling for angry scrubbing.

It was a long day. The paint came off the floor and my skin, but my shoes has a permanent brown splotch. I'm hoping it looks more artistic than "she stepped in paint." We did get the trim finished in record time which was cool. Mike and Riley got the whole entertainment center together too. The best thing in the end was that the new chair we got for the kids is just my size. I'm not joking. Check this out:

I really like it. It's super cushy on my back and my feet touch the floor. Riley may have to fight me for it in the future.

Blogging in the tiny chair (from now on).

Would You Be Mine? Could You Be Mine? Won't You Be My Neighbor?

The day started (like most have lately) with pain, fatigue and more packing. Enough to empty the entertainment center and a desk. I put up the "bat signal" in morning hoping someone with a vehicle large enough would come to our aid transporting bookshelves, the desk, etc. I was feeling pretty down on myself because I hadn't had multiple offers to help. I going down the "I have to do everything" spiral by the afternoon. So, I decided it was time to get out. After Riley's nap we headed over to Boo's house so we could play, but be near the new house when loads of stuff came. It wasn't until I got there that the clouds parted in my brain and I remembered it was a weekday and everyone was working, duh.

Help arrived around 4pm with a load of stuff from the old house and by 5:30p Mike was ready to start reassembling furniture. Riley and I invited ourselves to diner after Boo clearly articulated "cat-tah cheez" (cottage cheese) and Riley lit up like a light bulb and tried to run up the highchair. It's always hard to separate the girls between how much they love each other and how entertaining they are to their mothers'. I think toddlers should be used in conflict resolution senarios. How can you be mad when a tiny person is popping from around the corner yelling "I see you" and shaking their head while crooning "silly mommy!" I think it's impossible.

We managed to get over to the new house about 7pm. Mike brought in the washer and dryer, yay! Painting the baseboards was almost done and the entertainment center was waiting to be assembled. I think if we didn't have kids we'd be moved by now. Not only transported all our belongings but decorated all the rooms. Sigh.

Isaac took Riley into the backyard to play. Soon there was a shouted exchange over the fence and the neighbor's kids invaded. I love the choas a house full of children brings. It was so nice to put faces and names together. Not to mention make a second impression while conscious. They all played really sweetly and I got to chat with S and his wife. Mike popped some break and bake cookies in our new digital oven and the bonding was complete. It was heartbreaking when it all had to come to an end, but it was a school night.

There are moments of clarity in life when you just know without a shadow of a doubt what the next step is (I wish there were more). Forward motion is very necessary and very scary. The universe always pats you on the back when you've done the right thing if you make yourself open to it, at least in my experience. Thank God, for this house, this new start, and these wonderful neighbors.

Dun Dada Super Mom...

I've been feeling really down about how little I've accomplished as far as the move. Mondays are my days sans kids (until 4p). Mondays are also the day the cleaning lady comes. Today I asked my mom to come over too. I was bound and determined to live up to my standards of productivity.

Mike got the kids their breakfast and I stayed in bed an extra ten minutes. It was really thrilling. After the boys went out the door I took the opportunity to blog while Riley finished eating. Once breakfast ended I hit the ground running.

I let the cleaning lady in and packed Riley's whole book shelf and the rest of her closet. I had her load the boxes into my car. I told her my mom would be over to start laundry for me in about 20min and took Riley to day care. I dropped off Riley with all her best friends. She's such a big girl she walks from the car by herself now. (And she's not the only one her friends sleeping in beds now too).

I left her in more than capable hands and made off with a bunch of empty diaper boxes. After I left I raced off to the new house to drop the boxes off that I packed earlier. I checked in that everything was ok at home on the way. Obviously, I can't lift a box of books so I used my wheelchair like a luggage cart. I wheeled it up to the door and slid the box on and then pushed it into the house. Once I got them inside I unloaded them rather then try to get them off of the chair.

When I got home I sat down for a minute answering questions about laundry, etc from the couch. I was building a to-do list in my head when Mike messaged me to please call about transferring utilities and turning on internet. I made those calls and got everything squared away and then packed some more boxes of the kids' stuff. After that I took some baby stuff to consignment and donated some things. I also (with help from mom) returned our cable boxes and set up our disconnection at the old house. After that I swung by the hardware store for a copy of the house key and more rollers.

I was pretty pleased with myself when we got home. I folded laundry for awhile and then I started dinner while mom ran to get Isaac from his after school science program. By the time he got home dinner was ready and waiting. Bless his heart, he had standardized testing all day today. He had to sit still and be quiet from 8:30a until 2:50p which is not his strong suit. He still came in and got through homework, dinner and changing clothes with time to spare before TaeKwonDo.

We dropped off Isaac and went to meet Mike at the new house with his new key. He wasn't there when we got there so we decided to get Riley first. She was having so much fun she didn't want to leave. It was sweet. Normally, when she doesn't want to leave somewhere I say, "Hey, Riley do you want to go see Dada?" and she heads for the door as quick as her tiny feet can go. This time she said "no." Grandma had to carry her out the door.

We went back to the new house to let Mike in and unloaded the boxes we brought over. Riley's whole closet from the old house plus her book shelf fits in her new closet with room to spare. After a brief meeting about base board color in the family room I was off to get Isaac.

Somehow we managed to get everyone home and bathed and in bed on time. Before my mom left she informed me that we are a half load away from having finishing all the laundry in the house. Amazing.

Hurray, productive day! I felt like myself again, probably for the first time since I got pregnant. It was amazing. Maybe things will be better all around from now on or maybe I won't be able to move tomorrow...It was worth it either way.

After demanding my partner validate my accomplishments today. I have completed my post for tonight despite my computer freezing, restarting and turning itself off repeatedly and have began my mental list for tomorrow: change address with NetFlix, return library books, clean out Isaac's room, pack more boxes....etc.

I asked Mike when the day was when I got to take a nap while someone else packed/painted and watched the kids and he said, "I think you're thinking of May."

Oh These Are The People in Your Neighborhood

We spent the whole weekend at the new house painting and bringing loads back and forth. It was more than I could handle. I didn't do any heavy lifting, obviously. I mostly kept the kids out out the way and unpacked the boxes destined for our new closets. I also spent a lot of time sitting on the floor painting or playing with Riley. I feel about 80yrs old every time I try to get up from the floor, Oy! My back is furious with me.

We got 99% of the family room painted and a decent start on Isaac's room. We're only painting the 3 bedrooms and the family room. So, 2 out of 4 are underway. I got our living room bookcase packed and over to the house (thanks D!). I also got quite a few of the kids toys over. Honestly, it doesn't feel like I've made a dent yet. Mike also got his beloved shed disassembled, transported and reassembled.

When we toured the house we were told our neighbor "P" was amazing. "Just wait till you meet P, etc". On our other side was a house with a pretty sweet playground set up in the backyard. I've always waited the kids to have neighbor friends. The first day we met a family from down the block their kids were 9, 4, and 2. Kids both our kids ages! Yay!

It wasn't until this weekend that we met P's kids. A boy and a girl 10 and 8. They said their younger sister is named Riley too! They started talking to Isaac through the fence in the back yard and then came over to show us their puppies. Their mom waved them back, but P didn't seem to be around.

Well, today I spent 3 hours painting and entertaining Riley while the boys took apart Mike's shed foundation at the old house. By the time the boys returned with food I was beat. After lunch the plan was for the kids to play in the yard while Mike put up his shed. When I admitted to Mike earlier in the week that I had "tried" to lay on the tile floor with a blanket he put the air mattress in the car, just in case. Today was that day so he blew it up and I was asleep before the back door closed.

Apparently, while I was sleeping face down, sprawled in all directions and honest to goodness, drooling into the indentation in the mattress the neighbor on the other side came by. In walked S and his 4yr old daughter I can't imagine what they must have thought of me. When I was told they had been there my first question was "Did you tell them I don't have a substance abuse problem?" That would have been my first thought seeing some lady passed out in the middle of the day on the floor. Mike seemed confused by my question and said, "I told him..that you had mobility issues. I said moving has been hard on you."

Good work Honey, not that I had worked my ass off and been alone with the baby all morning. Sheesh. So, S was very nice and he also has 3 kids. A 9yr boy, 4yr girl and a 2yr old. The 4yr old played nicely with Isaac and Riley while the men chatted. Mike didn't ask the name or gender of the 2yr old, men! Either way, Hurray! Kids the same age on either side. It's like we won the neighborhood lotto. S also raved about P on the other side of us. I'm beginning to worry he won't live up to the hype. S even extended an open invitation to come play on his awesome playground equipment. It should go without saying Mike didn't find out S's wife name or if she stays at home with the little ones or not. He did find out that S is a "project guy" too. I was bummed that I slept through Mike and Isaac making friends.

I guess I have time to get all that information and make up for my less-than-stellar first impression, here's hoping. When I asked Isaac if he liked his new neighborhood he said, "Yes! There's better kids and they have pets."

Shell-less Turtle

I've moved somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 times in my adult life. Usually state to state. However, I haven't moved since having a baby and my body breaking down like a cheap used car. I started out all gung-ho this morning. I had my cleaning lady focus on the kitchen and bathroom and we cleaned out most of my drawers and cabinets. My hope for today was: 1)clean out kitchen cabinets, 2)clean out bathroom shelves, 3)drop baby stuff at consignment, 4)start cleaning out my closet. That would have been something I could have done before. I would have pushed through and paid for it, but it would have been done. Not anymore. I didn't realize I'd lost my super powers. I have no more armor. Between making me face the reality of my physical limitations (hate that!) and all the letting go moving is really making me feel vulnerable.

So, with the best of intentions and help I cleaned out 6 cabinets, 2 drawers and the top of the fridge. Thank goodness for trash day. After which I was non-functional. I had Mike wash the cover of the stroller and infant car seat over the weekend. Let me say they don't build strollers to be washed. It involved screwdrivers and digital photos so it could go back on correctly. I did online research and I got all excited because apparently complete travel systems go for $80+ online. Unfortunately I live with Mike who once gave the baby an entire container of yogurt in her car seat and left my beautiful stroller outside in the rain more than once. Our stuff wasn't in perfect condition, but it was close. The consignment lady didn't want the infant seat at all, but gave me $20 for my almost perfect stroller and and Elmo toy. Sigh.

It's funny how emotional getting rid of baby stuff is. I loved that stroller. I used it all the time and now it's going to a new home. I'm so glad someone who wouldn't have been able to afford such a nice stroller will have it. As for the infant seat I plan to detach and wash the straps and sent it and the base to a friend's garage sale this weekend.

Riley's so big now. I was watching a video of the first time she belly laughed when she was only a few months old today. Now she'll be 19mo this week. She walks, talks and laughs all the time. Yesterday I said "Hello, Riley" and instead of repeating what I had just said or ignoring me Riley said "Ello Mama!". Babyhood is so over.

Vip Tour of the New Crib

It was really important to me to take the kids to the new house right away, get them all excited and show them around before the world turns upside down for a few weeks. I imagine alot of time with me unpacking and organizing at the new house while Mike cleans and paints the old one. It's going to get bumpy for everyone especially the kids. So, today we all went over to see the house.

Riley stands on the welcome mat, none to sure what's happening here. (That lasted approximately 45 seconds before running and squealing with glee ensued.)

Isaac describes exactly how we should decorate his new room. So far he's pushing for "Lego Atlantis" as a theme.

Ta-da! Isaac's Room. He went from no closet to two! And this room isn't a walk through to anyhing else. He currently sleeps laundry room and side door adjacent.

This is what excited looks likes. A real yard. Isaac and Riley ran around for a minute and then Riley stopped, turned around and hugged me around the legs. "You're welcome, kids. My pleasure."

Exploring...

Is it a shower? Or a space ship? Riley, space explorer. She left no stone unturned. She opened and shut both toilet seats a few times and climbed into the empty fridge.

I found you!

Wow.

"Hey guys! That pretty girl in the mirror lives here too!"

Looking out the living room window.

We hung a collage frame full of family pictures before we left. I wanted to plant a flag on the moon, claim our new home. We also met a neighbor out taking her kids and dog for a walk. It was a good trip. There's so much potential. I think the kids are really excited now. I know Mike and I are. Hurray, for forward motion. No more waiting, looking, hoping now we move on to a brighter chapter in our family history.

Home Is Where Your Heart Is

I have made no secret of the fact that I don't like "Mike's house". When I moved here it was supposed to be for six months, all those years ago. It was more than Mike's original family of three needed eight years ago. It was plenty big enough for a single dad and baby/toddler. It was a fine house for Mike, Isaac and I after I moved in. For the last two years, since Riley, it's been too small.

It barely contains almost five years of bachelor pad crap, two kids, and two adults even with most of my belongings in storage. On top of the space crunch there's all that history. I hate that Mike was with other girls in the bedroom we share. I hate that this is the house Isaac's mother abandoned him in. I hate that we didn't move in here together. I invaded his man cave and have been slowly transforming it, too slowly.

The new house has three proper bedrooms as opposed to two bedrooms and a converted garage. It has two bathrooms instead of one. Everyone will have a real closet instead of just the master bedroom. There are even extra closets for linens. Best of all it has a huge fenced in back yard. Currently, we have a close-up view of the highway instead of a back yard. The front yard at Mike's house is a reasonable size, but it's not fenced. We currently have no storage space indoors or out. The new house has both.

Currently the kids have no friends in our neighborhood because all the kids around here are horrible noisy teenagers, but there are children Isaac's age on either side of our new house. Also, Riley's best friend, daycare provider and pediatrician are 5min away (or less). There is a bike trail near by and an elementary school in walking distance. It's better in so many ways. I could imagine birthday parties in that yard in vivid detail.

I waited so long to have some space to call my own. I waited so long for a little patch of sunshine the kids could call their own. I waited so long for a fresh start. A place that could be ours instead of his (no matter how hard I tried). I have waited my entire adult life to be able to decorate a house. Mike was trying to talk me into painting the bed room to cheer me up and make it "more me" and now I get to paint three bedrooms (and anything else I want).

Now we can settle in all together, with our own space and put down real roots.