I haven't blogged for a long time. So long that Blogger has changed it's set-up since the last time I used it. Still trying to get used to all the new features. And I changed my template. Not sure if I'm digging the grass/dandelions now. It just doesn't scream, "Jamie freakin' Bates!" does it? I dunno. So I guess the reason I don't blog so much nowadays is because Facebook has pretty much taken over the planet. It's easier to write a quick status update or post a funny picture or link than to sit down and write a blog post. Although, I would prefer to write more. It would be good for my soul.
So the last time I posted something we were still living in Montana. We are now in the beautiful state of Oregon and I must say I love it here. Our move went extremely well. The kids did great on the drive. We like our house and suits us just fine for right now. We are hoping to get a feel for the area and find a house to buy when our lease is up next year. So far I have absolutely no complaints about where we live. I thought the number 1 big issue for me was going to be the rain. Well, to be honest, it hasn't rained all that much since we moved here. We've had a great deal of sunshine and warmth, which is not what I was expecting. But it's only been a couple months, so I guess I can't judge this place by the weather quite yet. Since Mike has a pretty busy weekday schedule, we have taken full advantage of our weekends together. We've done something fun every weekend since we moved. We've gone to the coast twice, seen 2 beaches, checked out some restaurants, been to the farmer's market, gone on some hikes, been to the gorge, and plenty of other fun things. It's like we jumped right in from the get-go, not wanting to let any moment slip away. So far we really love it here. I don't know if Portland will be home forever. But for now, I am happy, and that's all that matters.
I feel like life, in a lot of ways, hasn't been better. The only beef I have right now is not being able to see my husband as much as I would like to. These past couple of months have been a little difficult because Mike has been super busy with work and studying for the level 2 CFA exam. It was only a mere 6 months ago that he took the level 1 exam and it seems like he had to start studying for level 2 right after. From what I've heard, it's a very difficult test to pass, so Mike isn't taking any chances. He spends all his spare time studying. If any of you remember me telling you about the level 1 exam you'll recall how stressful that time in our lives was. The good news is that the test is this Saturday and once it is over, life should start to calm down and the boys and I will have Mike to ourselves again. We hate sharing him with work and studying. Boooooo.
Being in a different time zone has been an adjustment for Mike. He has to wake up at 3:45am to make it to the office by 5am to be on the morning call. Since he works in the stock industry, everything is based around the stock market which runs on Eastern time. And we're 3 hours behind, which is why he has to be to work so early. So, he's out the door by 4:30am and sometimes doesn't get home until 7 or 7:30 because he stays at the office to study and take practice exams. Luckily the days go by quickly for me and the kids and I have a ton of options to keep us busy during the day. I just feel bad for my sweet husband. He works so hard for our family, and I can't express how grateful I am to him. Anyway, like I said, after this test he won't be spending so much time at the office studying and he'll get home at a decent time of day. Summer should be a very relaxing, fun time for all of us!
The boys have adjusted so well to being in a new place. I was actually pretty amazed at how easy the whole transition was. The first week or so Vessel mentioned that he missed preschool and his friends and that he missed our downstairs neighbor, Sharron. But now he talks about his new Primary friends and our new neighbors and what's going on NOW. He will be going to kindergarten this fall, but I've got to say I am disappointed that kindergarten is only 2 1/2 hours long each day. I wanted him to go to kindergarten last year, but the Montana school district wouldn't budge on the rules and they didn't do child assessments. If the child misses the deadline, that's that. I just feel like Vessel would benefit from full time school. He's been reading since he was 3. He's been writing for just about as long. We practice drawing, coloring, writing, and reading everyday. We do a craft just about every single day. Some days we play with clay, or make stuff out of construction paper. I mean, I'm giving him the equivalent of a kindergarten education at home. I just don't want him to be bored, ya know? It would be good for him to have more time around other children for a greater portion of the day. How can the school district justify a half day being 2 1/2 hours long? I suppose it has a lot to do with funding. But I'm pretty sure that when I was in kindergarten it was at least 4 hours a day. Oh well. It's just kind of difficult to work around the younger boys' naps and lunch schedules when I'll be picking up Vessel from school at the same time. So speaking of school, I've been thinking a lot about public school versus private school. It seems that private school is a big thing here. Some people Mike has talked to have asked, "so where does your child go to school?" When Mike tells them our child will attend the public school a couple blocks away they seem confused and then say, "Oh, well, kindergarten doesn't matter that much anyway, right?" I guess a lot of people look down on public schools. I don't really know how I feel. I guess if I had my way I'd enroll Vessel is some kind of Montessori school. But for the time being, we don't have the money for that type of program, or any other private school for that matter. But such is life.
Jacob will be turning 2 next month and has recently started having some of those "terrible two" moments. Like tantrums and what-not. He has always been my quiet, mild, happy, content little guy. He is now testing his boundaries a lot more. He can be very stubborn. We are starting to work on potty training. It's never fun starting over with that. :) Also, he has a habit that we are trying to break him from: he is addicted to pacifiers. I know, I know. I don't want to be THAT mom. The mom everyone judges because they're toddler has a piece of plastic in his mouth 24/7. The funny thing is that he never took them as a baby. Never even thought about them. When Haven was getting closer to being born, I got out all the bottles and pacifiers to boil and I set the pacifiers in a little basket in the baby's room. Jacob found them and starting using them. At first it was cute, but that was before we realized he'd get so reliant on them. Now he has one in his mouth all the time. It's very strange that he developed the habit so late into toddler-hood. He won't nap or go to bed at night without one. Like it's a soothing thing for him. Today I took it out of his mouth after nap time and he sure ripped me a new one, if a child could even do that to a parent. He screamed at me, he cried, he kicked, he begged for me to give that pacifier back to him. He ran away and hid in my closet for awhile. It was shocking to get such a reaction from him. Somehow we need to rid him of his dependency on the things because I believe it's affecting his speech. What I mean by that is, his mouth is always corked with a binky so he doesn't talk much. He's as smart as can be and understands everything I say to him, but he doesn't say many words yet. I don't want to compare him to his brother too much, but by this age Vessel was already saying a few sentences and had a reasonable vocabulary. Just goes to show how incredibly diverse siblings can be even though they come from the same gene pool.
Jacob is actually completely different from his older brother. They have such different personalities. It's kind of cool to experience their differences and it helps me become a better mama because I have to tend to their needs in contrasting ways. Jacob and Vessel tend to fight a lot though. When they are alone they are angels. But when they are together they fight over toys, they fight over my attention, they yell at each other and they basically just annoy each other. Jacob likes to copy whatever Vessel does, and that gets on Vessel's nerves sometimes. Of course, there are some moments that melt my heart. Like when they DO play nicely together and laugh together.
Haven is half a year already. He is healthy as can be and perfect in every way. At his 6 month check up he weighed in at 20 pounds. He is eating some solids now which he seems to enjoy. He is scooting all over the house. I didn't realize how mobile he was until he accidentally fell down the stairs a few days ago. Nobody call the bad mommy police on me, okay? He was in my room playing with toys and I ran downstairs to take something out of the oven. I was probably less than a minute when I heard a "thud, thud, thud, crash." I knew right way what had happened and I don't think I've ever ran so fast in my life. He didn't make it all the way down to the bottom luckily. He wasn't hurt at all, just a little confused and scared I think. Needless to say, now we have a gate. :) That baby sure is a cutie. I love every thing about him and he is happy and sweet and I never thought I would say this, but he is growing up TOO fast. I always wanna rush my babies to grow up, but not this time. I'm really enjoying this stage in Haven's life.
Well, this post has gotten a little longer than I had planned and now it is past midnight. Definitely waaaaaay past this blogger's bed time. So, I best catch me some shut eye.
Showing posts with label Updates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Updates. Show all posts
Friday, June 1, 2012
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Sigh
Well, most of you know by now that we were supposed to move to Portland in September. It looks as though there has been a change in the plan. Short version is Mike can't take the CFA test until December and won't know whether or not he passes until January. Without the CFA under his belt, he can't officially get the promotion. We could still move to Portland, but without the pay increase that his promotion promises us, we will be living in a city with a higher price of living without having the added benefit of a higher income. So after another lengthy discussion with his boss, he and Mike decided to hold off on the move until February. That's right, people, FEBRUARY. Do you know what this means? This means I have to endure ANOTHER Great Falls winter.
Not only that, it just creates a lot more stress in my life. I am a planner. I plan things out to the last detail and when something goes awry it really puts a dent in my mood. I found this little apartment and decided it would work because I thought we were only going to be here through the summer. I wasn't planning on having my baby here, and now I'm wondering if this place is going to be big enough. And hey, we were looking forward to saying all our kids were born in different states. :) But let's talk the big stuff here. When I was packing our things I did it thinking we were only here for a few months. EVERYTHING is in storage. I didn't make plans for Vessel to go to any kind of school here in the Fall because I thought I'd do that in Oregon. I could go on and on. Everything is just kind of messed up for me now. I know it's only 4-5 months longer than we thought, but I was really looking forward to this move. I had made plans in my head and now I have to rearrange it all. I'm not mad at Mike or his boss or anything. I realize that life can't always go perfectly. I'll get over it. I'll have to make the most of the situation. Maybe it will even be a blessing in disguise. But right now I can't help feeling a bit agitated. *SIGH*
Not only that, it just creates a lot more stress in my life. I am a planner. I plan things out to the last detail and when something goes awry it really puts a dent in my mood. I found this little apartment and decided it would work because I thought we were only going to be here through the summer. I wasn't planning on having my baby here, and now I'm wondering if this place is going to be big enough. And hey, we were looking forward to saying all our kids were born in different states. :) But let's talk the big stuff here. When I was packing our things I did it thinking we were only here for a few months. EVERYTHING is in storage. I didn't make plans for Vessel to go to any kind of school here in the Fall because I thought I'd do that in Oregon. I could go on and on. Everything is just kind of messed up for me now. I know it's only 4-5 months longer than we thought, but I was really looking forward to this move. I had made plans in my head and now I have to rearrange it all. I'm not mad at Mike or his boss or anything. I realize that life can't always go perfectly. I'll get over it. I'll have to make the most of the situation. Maybe it will even be a blessing in disguise. But right now I can't help feeling a bit agitated. *SIGH*
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Tiny Spaces
So, right now I'm sitting here with a pile of henna on my hair covered in a shower cap. I haven't done henna on my hair for a few years and I forgot what a freaking pain it is, not to mention how messy it can be. Part of it could be that I was just in a hurry though. In my haste, I didn't follow the directions verbatim, either, so let's hope this turns out. Anyway, since I've got some time to kill before this little concoction on my head is done, I thought I'd write a post.
It's been exactly a month since we moved from our house into our little 2 bedroom apartment. Transitioning from a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house with a yard to a tiny apartment like this hasn't been that hard at all, believe it or not. At first it was... I mean, I miss our deck with the fire pit and our yard, and the space in our house. But being here has forced us to live simply. I guess what I mean by that is we came to realize that things are just things. A few items got broken during the move and, well, it was a great way to make us see that "things" shouldn't rule our lives. Here today, gone tomorrow, so don't get attached to things now, as Maude would say. We also had to part with several "luxuries" we were used to in our old house because we just don't have the room anymore. We stored pretty much everything we owned, except of course, the basics. Since all my "projects," (i.e. scrapbooking, knitting, sewing) are packed away for the summer I have actually been doing other things like...reading. Yeah, I've read 3 books this summer. Okay, they weren't big books, but books none-the-less. I have also planted a mini garden on the balcony of our apartment and some things are starting to sprout. My first real attempt at growing stuff and I might just be successful! Let's cross our fingers.
Since we live in a tiny space, I find it much easier to keep it clean because there are not as many rooms to deal with. Also, since the place is not technically "ours" I am much more lax about the kids playing with messy things like markers, play-doh and bubbles and I really don't care if Vessel drinks juice in the living room. :) There are some cons to living in an apartment again, however. For instance, I forgot how noisy an apartment complex can be. Hearing people and their TVs and their cars coming in and out of the parking lot is not something I am used to since our house was always so quiet. Also, we live right by the hospital so pretty much every day I hear sirens or the life flight helicopter. Actually a couple days ago at 5am that chopper sounded like it went right by our bedroom window.... because it did! And soon followed the sirens from the ambulances that were on their way to the hospital as well. I wasn't exactly happy to wake up to that. I haven't been sleeping all that great since we moved here. It could be the noise or the lights that seep in through the windows whether or not the blinds are closed. Or maybe it's pregnancy. Hmmm...
Other things that aren't the best about living in an apartment (or this one, anyway) is not having our own washer and dryer. Our old apartment before moving to Montana had washer and dryer hook-ups so it was wonderful. But now we have to pay to wash our laundry and haul it up and down the stairs. Oh, those blasted stairs. 3 floors up is not ideal when you have a baby in a car seat, groceries, and/or a stroller (and if I'm really unfortunate, a stubborn 4 year old who insists he's too tired to walk up the stairs by himself and that I MUST carry him.) That's probably all the cons I can think of at this point. Nothing that is unbearable, just inconvenient. Oh, I suppose there is one other thing: The smell. You know how people have their own smell? Well, every time I walk into the apartment after being outside I just think, "This is not our smell. This is not our home." It smells like whoever lived here before us, and whoever lived here before them. All these different smells just mingled together. It's kinda funky. But I guess you get used to it. :)
Okay, so enough about the apartment. In other news, my youngest is about a week away from turning 1. This past year went by like a flash. Jacob and I have a very strong connection. I'm not picking favorites here, because I love both my kids so much. But Jacob and I have a different kind of bond than Vessel and I do. It's interesting how diverse kids can be from each other. Already I can see major differences in my kids' personalities.
Next week I'll get my 20 week ultrasound and find out the gender of this baby I'm carrying. I won't lie, I'd be pretty excited to get a girl. But if Mike is right that he only makes men, then I guess I'll be happy with a boy too. I've got 2 great boys already, why not add another to the mix? I'm not really looking forward to moving again when I'm 8 months pregnant. It will be a hassle for sure. Plus, when we get to Oregon, I'm gonna have to find a new doctor right away. I don't think I'll have time to "hunt" around for the best one. I might not get to be choosy. I guess I won't worry my pretty little head off about that now, though. That's still like 3 months away.
I guess the other news is that we own a motorcycle AGAIN. I knew Mike's itch to get another motorcycle would never completely be eradicated. All it took was for him to ride a friend's little motor bike a couple blocks and he was hooked again. It's different than our old motorcycle. This new one is more of a sport bike. Yesterday it was brought over from Missoula and Mike took it to work today. Which means I have a car again! Yahooo! Although, I have to wait several hours for this henna to stain my hair so it's not like I have plans to go anywhere anyway. Psh. I'm just happy to not be stranded anymore and the boys and I can go do what we please.
Since I promised Vessel a quick game of GO-FISH before nap-time I better wrap this up. Just wanted to write a brief update. I'm pretty much horrible at updating my blog these days. So I don't blame you all for totally neglecting me... :)
It's been exactly a month since we moved from our house into our little 2 bedroom apartment. Transitioning from a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house with a yard to a tiny apartment like this hasn't been that hard at all, believe it or not. At first it was... I mean, I miss our deck with the fire pit and our yard, and the space in our house. But being here has forced us to live simply. I guess what I mean by that is we came to realize that things are just things. A few items got broken during the move and, well, it was a great way to make us see that "things" shouldn't rule our lives. Here today, gone tomorrow, so don't get attached to things now, as Maude would say. We also had to part with several "luxuries" we were used to in our old house because we just don't have the room anymore. We stored pretty much everything we owned, except of course, the basics. Since all my "projects," (i.e. scrapbooking, knitting, sewing) are packed away for the summer I have actually been doing other things like...reading. Yeah, I've read 3 books this summer. Okay, they weren't big books, but books none-the-less. I have also planted a mini garden on the balcony of our apartment and some things are starting to sprout. My first real attempt at growing stuff and I might just be successful! Let's cross our fingers.
Since we live in a tiny space, I find it much easier to keep it clean because there are not as many rooms to deal with. Also, since the place is not technically "ours" I am much more lax about the kids playing with messy things like markers, play-doh and bubbles and I really don't care if Vessel drinks juice in the living room. :) There are some cons to living in an apartment again, however. For instance, I forgot how noisy an apartment complex can be. Hearing people and their TVs and their cars coming in and out of the parking lot is not something I am used to since our house was always so quiet. Also, we live right by the hospital so pretty much every day I hear sirens or the life flight helicopter. Actually a couple days ago at 5am that chopper sounded like it went right by our bedroom window.... because it did! And soon followed the sirens from the ambulances that were on their way to the hospital as well. I wasn't exactly happy to wake up to that. I haven't been sleeping all that great since we moved here. It could be the noise or the lights that seep in through the windows whether or not the blinds are closed. Or maybe it's pregnancy. Hmmm...
Other things that aren't the best about living in an apartment (or this one, anyway) is not having our own washer and dryer. Our old apartment before moving to Montana had washer and dryer hook-ups so it was wonderful. But now we have to pay to wash our laundry and haul it up and down the stairs. Oh, those blasted stairs. 3 floors up is not ideal when you have a baby in a car seat, groceries, and/or a stroller (and if I'm really unfortunate, a stubborn 4 year old who insists he's too tired to walk up the stairs by himself and that I MUST carry him.) That's probably all the cons I can think of at this point. Nothing that is unbearable, just inconvenient. Oh, I suppose there is one other thing: The smell. You know how people have their own smell? Well, every time I walk into the apartment after being outside I just think, "This is not our smell. This is not our home." It smells like whoever lived here before us, and whoever lived here before them. All these different smells just mingled together. It's kinda funky. But I guess you get used to it. :)
Okay, so enough about the apartment. In other news, my youngest is about a week away from turning 1. This past year went by like a flash. Jacob and I have a very strong connection. I'm not picking favorites here, because I love both my kids so much. But Jacob and I have a different kind of bond than Vessel and I do. It's interesting how diverse kids can be from each other. Already I can see major differences in my kids' personalities.
Next week I'll get my 20 week ultrasound and find out the gender of this baby I'm carrying. I won't lie, I'd be pretty excited to get a girl. But if Mike is right that he only makes men, then I guess I'll be happy with a boy too. I've got 2 great boys already, why not add another to the mix? I'm not really looking forward to moving again when I'm 8 months pregnant. It will be a hassle for sure. Plus, when we get to Oregon, I'm gonna have to find a new doctor right away. I don't think I'll have time to "hunt" around for the best one. I might not get to be choosy. I guess I won't worry my pretty little head off about that now, though. That's still like 3 months away.
I guess the other news is that we own a motorcycle AGAIN. I knew Mike's itch to get another motorcycle would never completely be eradicated. All it took was for him to ride a friend's little motor bike a couple blocks and he was hooked again. It's different than our old motorcycle. This new one is more of a sport bike. Yesterday it was brought over from Missoula and Mike took it to work today. Which means I have a car again! Yahooo! Although, I have to wait several hours for this henna to stain my hair so it's not like I have plans to go anywhere anyway. Psh. I'm just happy to not be stranded anymore and the boys and I can go do what we please.
Since I promised Vessel a quick game of GO-FISH before nap-time I better wrap this up. Just wanted to write a brief update. I'm pretty much horrible at updating my blog these days. So I don't blame you all for totally neglecting me... :)
Monday, May 30, 2011
Spring Catch-Up
He's a big fan of graham crackers.
OMG, I love this picture so much.
He loves to eat.
This face is priceless.
So happy he can give himself a bottle.
He loves this hat. Whenever I put it on him he happily wears it all day. Vessel always pulled his hats off.
Mike with our two cute boys at Russel Park.
There's nothing greater than seeing your kids smile.
It's official, Jacob hates the swings. Even when one of us is holding him.
I told Mike to act happy so that maybe Jacob would act happy too...but to no avail.
He liked the ladybug toy though...
I love Vessel's dimple.
Close up!
One of the first warm days of the year (this was a few weeks ago.) I introduced Jacob to grass and he HATED it. So he just stayed on his little blanket the whole time.
Blinded by the light!
Snot and drool really compliment this photo.
Sampling the wood chips.
Kind of looks like he's smoking a joint....not that I would know what that was like....
Vessel loves the swings. And he loves "comfy" pants. He would wear this Puma sweat suit everyday if he could.
The boys had a blast playing on the boxes I collected for moving.
Sweet smile.
Naked boys.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
The Story
Most of you know we are moving. And for those of you who don't know, here are the deets.
Last summer after Jacob was born, Mike got the idea that we should put our house on the market and buy an investment property (like a 4-plex or small apartment complex) and live in one of the units. That way we would be able to have other tenants pay our mortgage and we could save some money and make some extra money outside of Mike's regular income. We figured we would be around Great Falls for the next few years. So in September we listed our house and looked around Great Falls for various real estate possibilities. We had several people look at our house in the beginning, but as the weather got colder and winter began approaching, people stopped showing an interest. All winter we had no calls on the house. It wasn't frustrating for me, necessarily. I had faith that it would all work out in the Lord's time and I didn't feel rushed to sell it immediately.
As the months passed, things started to change. There was more talk about Mike being moved to Portland for work. But the time frame was never really discussed. For all we knew, it could've been a couple years from then, or it could've been a few months. Nothing seemed certain. And in the field that Mike is in (finance) he is constantly up to date with the latest news concerning the stock market, the economy, the housing market, etc. All the stuff he had been reading about lately from all the financial gurus who predict stock market trends and housing trends were saying things were going to get real bad again real soon. So spring came and we thought, we need to sell our house a.s.a.p. in case things hit rock bottom again and we aren't able to get out of our house when we need to (because at that point, we didn't know when we'd need to since everything was so up in the air.) We made some necessary repairs on the house and put some fresh paint on the walls. Eventually, with the change in the seasons we started to get more calls on the house. And before we knew it, we got an offer and we took it. This was April 14th. The closing date was set for May 16th, only a month to find a new place to live, find a storage unit, pack, and move. And the process began...
We started looking for a place to rent, but guess what? There aren't a lot of options here. Most of the rentals in this town are dumps. And those that aren't, are more expensive than our mortgage for a much smaller amount of space. But, again, I had faith it would work out. Of course I was stressed though. And nervous about what was going to happen. We didn't know if we should be looking for a place with a year lease or something less. We had no idea how long it would be before we moved to Portland. So it was hard to know where the right place to live was going to be. But I can attest that prayer really works. I know Heavenly Father answered my prayers, even during a time when I felt like I didn't deserve to be listened to. Within a day or two, Mike's head boss in Portland called him to do his bi-annual evaluation over the phone, and he told Mike he wanted us to move to Portland in September. Bingo, now at least the uncertainty of "when" had been resolved. That helped us narrow things down a bit, because we knew that we had a find a place that we could rent month to month. I ended up talking to an old friend who lived here who was in the same boat as us and she gave me a few numbers to call. I ended up getting a hold of an apartment manager that happened to be a member of our church and she said she had an opening in the complex she and her husband managed. Right then I went to look at the apartment and we took it! It's only a two bedroom, but we can make it work until we move in September. At least it's not a dump, and it's sooooo cheap it blows my mind. We rented a storage unit and will be storing pretty much everything we own and only taking the necessities to the new apartment (beds, table, computer, couch, dishes...) I don't even plan on hanging up pictures or decorating the place.
We were kind of cutting it close with the closing date so soon, but it all worked out. I just needed to trust the Lord. And as usual, everything fell into place. I just think about how impeccable the timing was for everything. Mike wanting to put the house on the market when he did (even though it was for a different reason, he still felt inspired to do it.), being able to sell our house before the housing market dropped again, being able to find a nice, affordable rental so soon, etc. etc. I could go on and on. I have seen the Lord's hand our lives as he's directed and guided us in our choices and in this whole process. And even though life for me (for several reasons) has been a struggle these past couple of months, I can't deny my blessings from a loving Heavenly Father who knows my needs and understands me personally.
Anyway, now we are just a week away from when we need to be out of here and I feel like I have so much to do. I just hope my body and mind cooperates and lets me get something accomplished this week. It's been a battle to get everything done that I need to with being incessantly tired and sick . My poor kids probably feel neglected as well. I will be happy when this move is over and I can just try to have a carefree summer before we move to P-town.
Last summer after Jacob was born, Mike got the idea that we should put our house on the market and buy an investment property (like a 4-plex or small apartment complex) and live in one of the units. That way we would be able to have other tenants pay our mortgage and we could save some money and make some extra money outside of Mike's regular income. We figured we would be around Great Falls for the next few years. So in September we listed our house and looked around Great Falls for various real estate possibilities. We had several people look at our house in the beginning, but as the weather got colder and winter began approaching, people stopped showing an interest. All winter we had no calls on the house. It wasn't frustrating for me, necessarily. I had faith that it would all work out in the Lord's time and I didn't feel rushed to sell it immediately.
As the months passed, things started to change. There was more talk about Mike being moved to Portland for work. But the time frame was never really discussed. For all we knew, it could've been a couple years from then, or it could've been a few months. Nothing seemed certain. And in the field that Mike is in (finance) he is constantly up to date with the latest news concerning the stock market, the economy, the housing market, etc. All the stuff he had been reading about lately from all the financial gurus who predict stock market trends and housing trends were saying things were going to get real bad again real soon. So spring came and we thought, we need to sell our house a.s.a.p. in case things hit rock bottom again and we aren't able to get out of our house when we need to (because at that point, we didn't know when we'd need to since everything was so up in the air.) We made some necessary repairs on the house and put some fresh paint on the walls. Eventually, with the change in the seasons we started to get more calls on the house. And before we knew it, we got an offer and we took it. This was April 14th. The closing date was set for May 16th, only a month to find a new place to live, find a storage unit, pack, and move. And the process began...
We started looking for a place to rent, but guess what? There aren't a lot of options here. Most of the rentals in this town are dumps. And those that aren't, are more expensive than our mortgage for a much smaller amount of space. But, again, I had faith it would work out. Of course I was stressed though. And nervous about what was going to happen. We didn't know if we should be looking for a place with a year lease or something less. We had no idea how long it would be before we moved to Portland. So it was hard to know where the right place to live was going to be. But I can attest that prayer really works. I know Heavenly Father answered my prayers, even during a time when I felt like I didn't deserve to be listened to. Within a day or two, Mike's head boss in Portland called him to do his bi-annual evaluation over the phone, and he told Mike he wanted us to move to Portland in September. Bingo, now at least the uncertainty of "when" had been resolved. That helped us narrow things down a bit, because we knew that we had a find a place that we could rent month to month. I ended up talking to an old friend who lived here who was in the same boat as us and she gave me a few numbers to call. I ended up getting a hold of an apartment manager that happened to be a member of our church and she said she had an opening in the complex she and her husband managed. Right then I went to look at the apartment and we took it! It's only a two bedroom, but we can make it work until we move in September. At least it's not a dump, and it's sooooo cheap it blows my mind. We rented a storage unit and will be storing pretty much everything we own and only taking the necessities to the new apartment (beds, table, computer, couch, dishes...) I don't even plan on hanging up pictures or decorating the place.
We were kind of cutting it close with the closing date so soon, but it all worked out. I just needed to trust the Lord. And as usual, everything fell into place. I just think about how impeccable the timing was for everything. Mike wanting to put the house on the market when he did (even though it was for a different reason, he still felt inspired to do it.), being able to sell our house before the housing market dropped again, being able to find a nice, affordable rental so soon, etc. etc. I could go on and on. I have seen the Lord's hand our lives as he's directed and guided us in our choices and in this whole process. And even though life for me (for several reasons) has been a struggle these past couple of months, I can't deny my blessings from a loving Heavenly Father who knows my needs and understands me personally.
Anyway, now we are just a week away from when we need to be out of here and I feel like I have so much to do. I just hope my body and mind cooperates and lets me get something accomplished this week. It's been a battle to get everything done that I need to with being incessantly tired and sick . My poor kids probably feel neglected as well. I will be happy when this move is over and I can just try to have a carefree summer before we move to P-town.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Post Pregnancy Update
Jacob is 1 month old today. I feel like the time has gone by fast. Much faster than with Vessel. I had a difficult time adjusting to life as a new mom with him. When Vessel was a newborn I kept wishing his life away. I thought, "if only you were older then I could enjoy you." Regrettably, I didn't savor those newborn moments with Vessel. I know postpartum depression had a lot to do with that. Plus, I had several other things on my plate at the time including full time school and a calling in YW. And then my sister moved in with us and consequently brought all of her problems along with her too (not to mention my mother's death which still loomed over both of us.) Then there was that hypothyroid problem I was diagnosed with. Yeah, only two words to describe that time in my life: NO BUENO.
But things are so good this time around. I haven't had any postpartum depression or problems with my thyroid. My labor and delivery was great and I had a fantastic experience at the hospital. Last time I was admitted to the emergency room a week after delivery because of a uterine infection. But I haven't had any problems at all since Jacob's birth. I feel healthy and fully recovered for the most part. Wow, I can't believe how blessed I am to have everything going so well these days.
Can I just say, I have such a deep love for both of my kids? Jacob is so sweet and mild. I love cuddling with him. He is an amazing little babe. He eats well and sleeps like a dream. I can say this because Vessel NEVER slept through the night until he was over a year old. I blame myself for that. This time I've tried doing the "Babywise" methods and they are working great. When I was pregnant with Vessel I heard about the book "On becoming Babywise" and was told by numerous people that it was awful and basically child abuse. I vowed to steer clear of the book and just parent my child however it felt natural to me. And then while I was pregnant with Jacob I heard a couple of friends praising the book and I decided to read it for myself. So I picked up a copy at the library, and I just have to say that it is far from child abuse. In fact, I think it's a genius book! Jacob has started sleeping 6-8 hours straight through the night. I think a lot of this has to do with me applying the "babywise" techniques from the book. Anyway, having a baby on a good eat/wake/sleep cycle has done wonders for me. I feel way less exhausted this time than I did with Vessel.
Speaking of Vessel, things with him are going super as well. I was worried that when the baby was born he was going to be resentful, mean, and bitter. But he has certainly surprised me. Jacob couldn't ask for a more loving brother. Vessel has never tried to intentionally hurt the baby. He always want to love on him and kiss and hug him and stroke his hair. It's so sweet to watch. He calls Jacob HIS baby. It's nice that he hasn't been lashing out too much. I think having family visit for a couple of weeks helped because Vessel was lavished with attention while Mike and I could focus more on Jacob. Vessel is still just as loving towards me and Mike too. Of course, he has his days. He is a 3 year old after all. :) But he is a good little boy and I feel totally blessed that I get to be his mama. And that kid makes me laugh. He is getting so smart and says some of the funniest things I've ever heard. One of the best parts of having little kids is to hear the things that come out of their mouths. :)
So that is how the post pregnancy is going. I wasn't expecting things to be going as smoothly as they have, but I'm not complaining. If one thing can go right in my life, I'd rather it be with my little family than anything else.
But things are so good this time around. I haven't had any postpartum depression or problems with my thyroid. My labor and delivery was great and I had a fantastic experience at the hospital. Last time I was admitted to the emergency room a week after delivery because of a uterine infection. But I haven't had any problems at all since Jacob's birth. I feel healthy and fully recovered for the most part. Wow, I can't believe how blessed I am to have everything going so well these days.
Can I just say, I have such a deep love for both of my kids? Jacob is so sweet and mild. I love cuddling with him. He is an amazing little babe. He eats well and sleeps like a dream. I can say this because Vessel NEVER slept through the night until he was over a year old. I blame myself for that. This time I've tried doing the "Babywise" methods and they are working great. When I was pregnant with Vessel I heard about the book "On becoming Babywise" and was told by numerous people that it was awful and basically child abuse. I vowed to steer clear of the book and just parent my child however it felt natural to me. And then while I was pregnant with Jacob I heard a couple of friends praising the book and I decided to read it for myself. So I picked up a copy at the library, and I just have to say that it is far from child abuse. In fact, I think it's a genius book! Jacob has started sleeping 6-8 hours straight through the night. I think a lot of this has to do with me applying the "babywise" techniques from the book. Anyway, having a baby on a good eat/wake/sleep cycle has done wonders for me. I feel way less exhausted this time than I did with Vessel.
Speaking of Vessel, things with him are going super as well. I was worried that when the baby was born he was going to be resentful, mean, and bitter. But he has certainly surprised me. Jacob couldn't ask for a more loving brother. Vessel has never tried to intentionally hurt the baby. He always want to love on him and kiss and hug him and stroke his hair. It's so sweet to watch. He calls Jacob HIS baby. It's nice that he hasn't been lashing out too much. I think having family visit for a couple of weeks helped because Vessel was lavished with attention while Mike and I could focus more on Jacob. Vessel is still just as loving towards me and Mike too. Of course, he has his days. He is a 3 year old after all. :) But he is a good little boy and I feel totally blessed that I get to be his mama. And that kid makes me laugh. He is getting so smart and says some of the funniest things I've ever heard. One of the best parts of having little kids is to hear the things that come out of their mouths. :)
So that is how the post pregnancy is going. I wasn't expecting things to be going as smoothly as they have, but I'm not complaining. If one thing can go right in my life, I'd rather it be with my little family than anything else.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Life....and stuff
Jacob likes to punch himself in the eye.
Cuteness.
Black and white cuteness.
Not a fan of bath-time.
Mike turned the big 2-8 on July 13th. I made sure to "Rick Roll" him twice. And both times he fell for it. I rock.
I made a basket full of treats with balloons and a card with the best Dwight Schrute quote on it. I also made him a cake (which Mike's mom frosted and decorated) and his favorite Indian food.
Then I blindfolded him and drove all over creation to try and disorient him.
Then we ended up at the grassy area near the Civic Center where the farmer's market is held. I hired a couple musicians to play a private concert for us. They played "our song" and a few DMB covers because that's Mike's favorite artist.
Then we busted out the "booze."
Mike's parents came to stay for a little over a week. They were a HUGE help with the kiddos. We spent a day in Helena with them. Here is Vessel and grandma on the carousel ride. It took a lot of persuasion to get him to ride on an animal and not the freakin' bench. Ha ha.
Then we ate at the supposed best sandwich place in Helena called the Staggering Ox. This is what my club sammich looked like. There were a lot of artsy paintings which gave the place a cool ambiance.
Uh, that's all the pics I've got to share right now. Thank you for viewing.
Friday, June 18, 2010
I don't have the energy to think of a cool title for this post
Hi, dear readers. Are you there?
'Cause I'm not. Well, mentally I'm not here. But most people would say that's all part of being pregnant. Perhaps. Maybe I'm just a little bit stressed. A little bit hormonal. And a tad on the crazy side lately. Not to mention irritable. I really can't say I know what's going on for sure, but I hope it passes soon. Like, right now. :)
On a bright note, my house is absolutely immaculate. Top to bottom, everything is in order and everything is clean. Now, if I didn't live with two other people, it might stay that way. :) Okay, okay, Mike and Vessie aren't slobs. I just have obsessive compulsive disorder. Maybe not full blown. But, yeah, I'd venture to say I'm mildly OCD. Just throwin' that out there in case anyone wants to know some juicy detail about ME.
So what's been going on with me these days you ask? Well, let me tell you. It's been rainy, cold and wet for the past...uhm....I dunno, two weeks or so it seems. We didn't get much of a spring and at this point it doesn't look like we'll have much of a summer either. Lo and behold, do my eyes deceive me? Is the sun actually showing it's cowardly face now? It's about time. The thing about the rain (besides being a bit depressing) is that it's hindered Mike and me from getting any real yard work accomplished lately. It's raining any time Mike has a little free time to work outside. It's definitely a bummer. He did get the retaining wall built. And was able to put stone tile around the fire pit a couple weekends ago. (Although, he still needs to do the grout.) We also got our front door replaced. But as far as other projects go, the sod hasn't been laid, the path hasn't been made, and the garden...well, I don't know if we'll have a garden this year after all. It's very sad to me. I think it's just too late in the year to plant anything now. So much has been going on that some things have just fallen by the wayside. Hopefully some good weather comes our way soon so we can actually make a dent in our projects.
What else? Well, I'm overdue. Just by three days, so it's not too bad yet. I'm just getting impatient I guess. I saw a woman from our ward yesterday while I was shopping and she told me she was 3 weeks overdue with one of her children! Is that even possible? Although, I think they must've had her due date wrong, her comment did not comfort me in the least.
We still haven't come up with a name for the baby. It's been a constant battle this entire pregnancy. Mike really likes the name Dallin. He even liked that name back when I was pregnant with Vessel. I am not a big fan of that name. Believe me, I've really tried to like it, but for some reason I just can't. My top choice for a name at this point is Riven. I think it looks and sounds awesome. The literal word comes from "rive" meaning to split or be ripped apart by force. Kind of unusual for a name, and yet I LOVE IT. It's the only name I've really liked this whole 9 months. Mike doesn't seem to care for it much, unfortunately. I wish we could come up with a name we both like that also has special meaning to us. I also tend to lean towards names that are unique. Vessel fits perfectly into that category. I'm sure if we named our 2nd son Riven, he'd be the only one in his class with that name. I told Mike that if I had to get a cesarean section, it would be cool to name the baby Riven. Because he would quite literally be riven from my body. Eh, eh? I said if that's what it takes for me to be able to use that name, then BRING ON THE KNIVES, baby!!! Yeah, I'm gross. So, uh... anyway, one name that Mike and I have recently started to like is the name Ember. I've toyed with the name a bit and also like Embry. However, everyone we've mentioned those names to think they are a bit feminine. AGH! I shouldn't care what anyone else thinks, but I'll admit, I kinda do. Psh. I don't know what's going on this kid's birth certificate. Last time, Mike and I knew for awhile that our son's name would be Vessel. There was comfort in having that already established before he was even born. One last thing to worry about, ya know?
I can't think of much else that's going on right now. Just kind of waiting and wondering what this next week holds for us. I'll keep you all posted.
P.S. The baby birds that were in the little nest on our porch have now embarked on their journey away from the nest and mama bird's protection. They grow up so fast. *sniff, sniff*
'Cause I'm not. Well, mentally I'm not here. But most people would say that's all part of being pregnant. Perhaps. Maybe I'm just a little bit stressed. A little bit hormonal. And a tad on the crazy side lately. Not to mention irritable. I really can't say I know what's going on for sure, but I hope it passes soon. Like, right now. :)
On a bright note, my house is absolutely immaculate. Top to bottom, everything is in order and everything is clean. Now, if I didn't live with two other people, it might stay that way. :) Okay, okay, Mike and Vessie aren't slobs. I just have obsessive compulsive disorder. Maybe not full blown. But, yeah, I'd venture to say I'm mildly OCD. Just throwin' that out there in case anyone wants to know some juicy detail about ME.
So what's been going on with me these days you ask? Well, let me tell you. It's been rainy, cold and wet for the past...uhm....I dunno, two weeks or so it seems. We didn't get much of a spring and at this point it doesn't look like we'll have much of a summer either. Lo and behold, do my eyes deceive me? Is the sun actually showing it's cowardly face now? It's about time. The thing about the rain (besides being a bit depressing) is that it's hindered Mike and me from getting any real yard work accomplished lately. It's raining any time Mike has a little free time to work outside. It's definitely a bummer. He did get the retaining wall built. And was able to put stone tile around the fire pit a couple weekends ago. (Although, he still needs to do the grout.) We also got our front door replaced. But as far as other projects go, the sod hasn't been laid, the path hasn't been made, and the garden...well, I don't know if we'll have a garden this year after all. It's very sad to me. I think it's just too late in the year to plant anything now. So much has been going on that some things have just fallen by the wayside. Hopefully some good weather comes our way soon so we can actually make a dent in our projects.
What else? Well, I'm overdue. Just by three days, so it's not too bad yet. I'm just getting impatient I guess. I saw a woman from our ward yesterday while I was shopping and she told me she was 3 weeks overdue with one of her children! Is that even possible? Although, I think they must've had her due date wrong, her comment did not comfort me in the least.
We still haven't come up with a name for the baby. It's been a constant battle this entire pregnancy. Mike really likes the name Dallin. He even liked that name back when I was pregnant with Vessel. I am not a big fan of that name. Believe me, I've really tried to like it, but for some reason I just can't. My top choice for a name at this point is Riven. I think it looks and sounds awesome. The literal word comes from "rive" meaning to split or be ripped apart by force. Kind of unusual for a name, and yet I LOVE IT. It's the only name I've really liked this whole 9 months. Mike doesn't seem to care for it much, unfortunately. I wish we could come up with a name we both like that also has special meaning to us. I also tend to lean towards names that are unique. Vessel fits perfectly into that category. I'm sure if we named our 2nd son Riven, he'd be the only one in his class with that name. I told Mike that if I had to get a cesarean section, it would be cool to name the baby Riven. Because he would quite literally be riven from my body. Eh, eh? I said if that's what it takes for me to be able to use that name, then BRING ON THE KNIVES, baby!!! Yeah, I'm gross. So, uh... anyway, one name that Mike and I have recently started to like is the name Ember. I've toyed with the name a bit and also like Embry. However, everyone we've mentioned those names to think they are a bit feminine. AGH! I shouldn't care what anyone else thinks, but I'll admit, I kinda do. Psh. I don't know what's going on this kid's birth certificate. Last time, Mike and I knew for awhile that our son's name would be Vessel. There was comfort in having that already established before he was even born. One last thing to worry about, ya know?
I can't think of much else that's going on right now. Just kind of waiting and wondering what this next week holds for us. I'll keep you all posted.
P.S. The baby birds that were in the little nest on our porch have now embarked on their journey away from the nest and mama bird's protection. They grow up so fast. *sniff, sniff*
Monday, April 5, 2010
Feeling quite happy indeed (or, don't rock the boat)
I am eating a S'mores Pop Tart as I type this. I must say, I've missed these things. I don't think I've had one since my college days before I got hitched. In high school I used to think S'mores Pop Tarts were the best breakfast pastry ever invented. I don't know if I feel that way anymore, but this one is definitely hitting the spot. I'm sure I'll regret all the junkfood I've been consuming whilst being pregnant when the time comes to start losing all the baby weight. But right now, I figure, I'm fat already, so who cares? I sure don't. :) In fact, this past weekend I did some scrapbooking (highlight of my life) and found my pictures from the first round of pregnancy. I guess I look about the same this far along as I did back then. I think in the belly region, at least. Everywhere else on my body is bigger than last time, unfortunately. But at least the protruding tummy looks about the same, instead of what I had originally thought. Anyway, this wasn't intended to be a post about pregnancy. I just digress.
So, life has been pretty good lately. Maybe that's just easy to say because I had an exceptionally great weekend. Mike had Friday off because of the Easter holiday. Hooray for Good Friday! So Thursday felt like Friday and we watched movies all night and just hung out. Friday we had a leisurely morning and made the traditional cottage cheese pancakes that we usually make on Saturday. But since it felt like Saturday, why not make 'em, right? Mr. V. was sick though. He put himself to bed like an hour and a half after waking up from his nightlong sleep. His eyes were drooping like a little basset hound all through breakfast. I could tell he wasn't feeling quite himself. He pretty much slept all day. He was running a fever, had some chest congestion, and didn't have an appetite. Mike and I worked in the yard all day while Vessel slept. We finally took out the chain link fence and those horrid bright orange iron post things that stuck up out of the ground. It took a great deal of effort and time, but it's done. The next big project is getting the wretched stumps/roots out of the ground. Blasted things. We'll probably end up renting a mini backhoe or something. I'm sure Mike will love operating some heavy machinery. I just don't know if I'm going to enjoy forking out the money for it. Once we get that done, it's going to be easy peasy lemon squeezy. Till up the soil, rake it, plant a garden, make a rock path, plant some sod... Mostly easy stuff. The real issue is going to be the moolah.
Saturday, the boy was still feeling quite sick. Still had a fever, but wasn't very cranky. We watched General Conference which was pretty dang sweet. I had been praying all week to find answers to some questions and G.C. delivered. Amazing the way the Lord works, eh? I loved how Elder Anderson said that the speakers aren't assigned topics and they don't collaborate with each other on their talks. They are just inspired to speak on specific things and "Viola!" It felt like many of the talks were made just for me.
Sunday we had a great Easter. Conference, again, was a big part of the day. Vessel's fever broke the night before so he was feeling better. After the conference sessions I made the boys leave the house so I could hide some eggs in an attempt to have some Easter fun. I made it into a little scavenger hunt and Vessel had to find clues that led him to his Easter basket which contained some new spring outfits and some sugar-laden goodness. I also got a little basket of candy and a shirt for Mike. I didn't come from a religious family, so in my house growing up, Easter was not so much about the Savior and the resurrection as it was about the Easter bunny and gifts and candy. Mike didn't have that growing up. So we decided we'd compromise and make sure to focus on Jesus Christ, specifically, but also add some fun stuff too (like coloring eggs and other traditional Easter stuff.) We definitely agreed not to tell Vessel about the Easter bunny. I mean, Santa Claus is more believable than a big rabbit thing that hides eggs, am I right? It's just lame to us, so we decided to forgo it. No offense to you parents who do the Easter bunny thing. Just not for us, I guess.
Below, you'll find some pictures of the boys on their scavenger hunt and some egg coloring fun. Also, gotta love the egg salad sandwiches which inevitably ensue from the egg coloring madness. We didn't boil too many this year, though, since I figured they'd just go to waste.
Anyway, things are going well. I feel like I had more time to spend with my boys. It was nice to have a quiet weekend with just us as a family. Very relaxing. Even though the boy child was sick, it was still nice. Of course, I don't want Vessel to be sick, but in a strange way, I kind of enjoyed how still and quiet he was. I loved holding him and laying close to him and just stroking his hair and cuddling. He very rarely lets me to that stuff to him when he's completely himself. Maybe I should've gone into nursing.
Okay, I need to wrap this up. Hope all is going well for my readers (like all 2 of you :))
Enjoy the pics!
So, life has been pretty good lately. Maybe that's just easy to say because I had an exceptionally great weekend. Mike had Friday off because of the Easter holiday. Hooray for Good Friday! So Thursday felt like Friday and we watched movies all night and just hung out. Friday we had a leisurely morning and made the traditional cottage cheese pancakes that we usually make on Saturday. But since it felt like Saturday, why not make 'em, right? Mr. V. was sick though. He put himself to bed like an hour and a half after waking up from his nightlong sleep. His eyes were drooping like a little basset hound all through breakfast. I could tell he wasn't feeling quite himself. He pretty much slept all day. He was running a fever, had some chest congestion, and didn't have an appetite. Mike and I worked in the yard all day while Vessel slept. We finally took out the chain link fence and those horrid bright orange iron post things that stuck up out of the ground. It took a great deal of effort and time, but it's done. The next big project is getting the wretched stumps/roots out of the ground. Blasted things. We'll probably end up renting a mini backhoe or something. I'm sure Mike will love operating some heavy machinery. I just don't know if I'm going to enjoy forking out the money for it. Once we get that done, it's going to be easy peasy lemon squeezy. Till up the soil, rake it, plant a garden, make a rock path, plant some sod... Mostly easy stuff. The real issue is going to be the moolah.
Saturday, the boy was still feeling quite sick. Still had a fever, but wasn't very cranky. We watched General Conference which was pretty dang sweet. I had been praying all week to find answers to some questions and G.C. delivered. Amazing the way the Lord works, eh? I loved how Elder Anderson said that the speakers aren't assigned topics and they don't collaborate with each other on their talks. They are just inspired to speak on specific things and "Viola!" It felt like many of the talks were made just for me.
Sunday we had a great Easter. Conference, again, was a big part of the day. Vessel's fever broke the night before so he was feeling better. After the conference sessions I made the boys leave the house so I could hide some eggs in an attempt to have some Easter fun. I made it into a little scavenger hunt and Vessel had to find clues that led him to his Easter basket which contained some new spring outfits and some sugar-laden goodness. I also got a little basket of candy and a shirt for Mike. I didn't come from a religious family, so in my house growing up, Easter was not so much about the Savior and the resurrection as it was about the Easter bunny and gifts and candy. Mike didn't have that growing up. So we decided we'd compromise and make sure to focus on Jesus Christ, specifically, but also add some fun stuff too (like coloring eggs and other traditional Easter stuff.) We definitely agreed not to tell Vessel about the Easter bunny. I mean, Santa Claus is more believable than a big rabbit thing that hides eggs, am I right? It's just lame to us, so we decided to forgo it. No offense to you parents who do the Easter bunny thing. Just not for us, I guess.
Below, you'll find some pictures of the boys on their scavenger hunt and some egg coloring fun. Also, gotta love the egg salad sandwiches which inevitably ensue from the egg coloring madness. We didn't boil too many this year, though, since I figured they'd just go to waste.
Anyway, things are going well. I feel like I had more time to spend with my boys. It was nice to have a quiet weekend with just us as a family. Very relaxing. Even though the boy child was sick, it was still nice. Of course, I don't want Vessel to be sick, but in a strange way, I kind of enjoyed how still and quiet he was. I loved holding him and laying close to him and just stroking his hair and cuddling. He very rarely lets me to that stuff to him when he's completely himself. Maybe I should've gone into nursing.
Okay, I need to wrap this up. Hope all is going well for my readers (like all 2 of you :))
Enjoy the pics!
Finding a clue!
"Happy Easter! Here is your clue: you'll find an egg where you take a poo."
Another clue in the bathtub.
Under the sheet on mama's bed.
Finding one on the organ pedals.
Looking, looking for the next egg clue.
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