Lost It

See this cute little girl?

I've lost her.

Nope. I didn't misplace her at the store or pretend she wasn't mine while she was throwing a tantrum in public

Since I looked like this:

I've lost the amount she weighs.

I only gained 24 pounds while I was expecting Nate, so I expected it to disappear quickly. When I went to my 6 week check-up and got on the scale I found that I had only lost 14 measly pounds. I was dejected, sad, irritated, and I did something about it. I've lost 40 lbs.--the weight of my four year old.

My husband lost more than 50, but he cheated--getting diabetes isn't fair.

It feels pretty good not to be carrying her around anymore

Unless I want to, of course!

Outloud at Target

The other day we were walking through the store as a family. I was carrying Nate in my arms rather than in the Moby like I usually do. Kate looks at me and says. "It looks like your pregnant."

Nothing like a comment like that to take you down a notch. This lady was walking behind us and passed as we stopped to pick out some coffee. She had giggled at Kate's remark, but as she passed she whispered, " But you don't."

So thank you to the kind lady who was nice enough to tell me that I don't look pregnant. And as for this little stinker:

I guess I'll keep her and pretend that she said that because of comments she's heard about how it's like I'm pregnant again when I carry Nate in the wrap. But I don't think I'll ask her how I look before I go somewhere. She might be a little too honest for my taste.

Showings

Showings, showings, showings. We had 4 today (over 20 total), but still no offers yet. The new home buyers tax credit runs out in 9 days. We'll see what happens.

We'll be so glad to be done with all the showings. I've never heard of anyone having this many. We're thinking perhaps some people are waiting until the last minute hoping for prices to drop again. It is a cute house, everything is in working order, lots of updates, along with new appliances and even a new air conditioner, so hopefully some other little family will have a happy little home here soon.

We've been saying we would rent when we move. We thought fleetingly about trying to buy, but we know that we can't possibly get what we'd want to end up with in 5 years. The thought of having to do this all over again, cured of us of any delusions of buying right away. I'm looking forward to notifying a landlord that we won't be renewing our lease and walking away to our final earthly home (I hope).

Evacuation Survival

We've been kicked out of our house more times than I care to count lately--actually it is 15 times--14 showings and an open house (and another on the schedule for tomorrow!). I have been counting. Thankfully we've had nice weather for most of the time, so we've been to parks, gardens, shopping, and walking.

Here are some pictures of our adventures in evacuation!

Last week at the Botanical Garden


Yesterday at the park


Upside down!


Uh-oh Kate's got him!


Yesterday we were gone at snack time, so we stopped by McDonald's for a quick treat--coffee, ice cream, yogurt, and chicken nuggets for the fellow who can't have a sugary snack.

Kate as a Poet

Kate's always been pretty bright linguistically. I will never forget at a well visit when she was about two years old and the nurse checking us in asked if she could say 50 words. I laughed. The child had been talking since we'd walked in the room and had undoubtedly passed the 50 words in the time the nurse had taken to ask the other developmental questions. I told her I had no idea her current number of words--I stopped counting at 100 shortly after she turned one.

She's learning to rhyme, spell, and sound out some short words now. It's a fun new development. She's also loving to do some word play. Occasionally she'll even use alliteration. And she's also discovered the fine art of modifying poetry to meet her own ends.

"Mary, Mary me,
How does Mama’s not garden grow?
Not with vegetables or flowers;
Only Daddy’s garden grows."

She's no Lord Byron or Keats, but it was pretty funny. I beg to have it known--there is no garden this year because we're moving and I was largely pregnant last year and I did pick some of the produce, I just didn't plant the garden. And my azalea and hanging basket are both blooming--okay enough defense.

Happy Friday!

I Don't Wanna

Before I write this...I know it will work out, I know it will get better, but right now...I don't want to move.

I don't like packing with three children. I don't like having to make beds five times a day (the girls' beds each have to be made twice). I'm not enjoying trying to be sure that there is nothing out of place, loosing the convenience of where I typically store some things to make the house look nicer, taking down my family pictures, being afraid if what I'm cooking for dinner is too pungent smelling, or if we'll even be here to eat it. I don't like the extra work we're putting into the house that we'll never get to enjoy or even get our money back out from. I don't like hearing Kate say, "But I just wanna play!" when I have to ask the kids to clean up again so we can leave for another showing.

I can not stand the fact that we will have to come to closing with more than a year's worth of house payments! That makes me want to just mail the key to the bank and say, "See ya." We won't. It's not moral, it's not ethical, it's not fulfilling the promise we made to the bank, but my goodness is it tempting.

But it's also tempting to live complacently here. The move is full of good things--a raise, location to family, and more opportunities for Justin at work. Right now though, this is our home. It's safe, it's familiar, and short term, it's a better decision to stay financially.

I know, I know it will be fine. I know that we will make the move, but we were never told it would be easy, just that we would get through.

Wish me luck and pray we get an offer soon before I paint one of the children or make them into their bed!

Through Kate's Eyes

Kate got a camera for Christmas. It takes low resolution pics, but she LOVES it. It has given us an interesting view into Kate's world too.

She takes pictures of people who come to visit us:

Aunt Holly


and Miss Ann with Gabby.

She takes pictures of us:

Nate,


Gabby,


and Justin in the foreground (vacuuming) and me in the background.

She captures random objects around the house:

The toothbrush holder,


The view out the back doors,


Her calendar,


This very disturbing picture of the baby doll, Daniel,


Her radio,



Staged pictures with her toys,


And even a picture of my mom on Skype--with the phone because the sound didn't work that day.

She even takes self portraits:

Like this very avant-garde pic of just her eye.

I hope you enjoyed this view into Kate's little mind!