Preludes And Nocturnes

Awkward in Kitchen

Boxes disappearing Fast

All Hail Moving Men

Dear Braxton Hicks - ow stop it and go away.

Dear boxes - why do you fill up, but never seem to make the house be packed?

Dear Battlestar Galactica, Deadwood, and Big Love (all disc ones) - thank you, these have been some very entertaining evenings!

Dear beeb - I have no idea what you are moving around in there, but it is exhausting.  I think you can just leave the sofa where it is, you’ll be relocating soon enough regardless.

Dear Friends - thank you for the lovely comments on the house. I have this strange fear that I’m somehow bragging (just go with for a second here).  I am so excited and it is so pretty - in the words of Wayne and Garth, I’m feeling not worthy. I don’t know how this has all happened for us and the beeb.  It just seems like a dream.  And I love sharing all the pictures and excitment with you all - so I hope you are not tired of house pictures yet… and they’ll soon be replaced by pictures of the beeb in the house!

Okay, 10am (well, 10:30 now as I had to have some toast before posting) and we’re doing okay with the new house thing.  Today and yesterday I was able to do more stuff as the GRADES HAVE BEEN UPLOADED!

*small cheering section here*

So did stuff we did.  (Yeah yeah, I teach English.) We packed some boxes, we got some stuff done here at the rental place, and we headed over to the new house (now called NH).  I should think up something else to call the NH, like Betsy or something.

We confirmed this and that with the builder, chatted with the tile dude and worked out the backsplash, and headed out to get our towel things and toilet paper holders and whatnot.  Also went to my chiro appointment where my chiro had to comment at one point “for such a little thing, you have the most stubborn middle back!” after trying to adjust it three times.  Last night saw me spending some quality time with a tennis ball in a sock trying to unstick my shoulder blades from my spine. I may want to consider that prenatal dvd sitting next to the tv.. but, well, WHEN would I do that?

So after chiro we headed over to Builder Store where we picked out random things, found house numbers, and realised that mailboxes are not as straight forward as one might suppose.  We need one less than 12 3/4” wide and most are wider.  There are the more narrow (in theory), but try finding them…   We got home close to five without a mailbox (oh how we think this should be an easy errand!) and then kinda bagged out for a bit. Started watching Battlestar Galactica (Mini-series) as we’ve been told to get into this show.  Night before we watched first two episodes of Big Love.  Big Love gets a “meh” from Jim and I, but we might give it one more disc.  BoostooGooLooTiCoo (did I get that?) is doing well.  We’ll watch the last two hours today some time.

This morning had a nice 7:30 am start with appliances being delivered from Sears (squeeee!!!!!!!!!), the not-perfect-but-will-do mailbox being bought when the one I wanted couldn’t be found, and some more confirming of things at the house.  And so I shall give you pictures:

Back of house:

Front:

Fireplace:

Kitchen:

Mainfloor:

Powder Room:

Master Bedroom:

Beeb’s Room:

Office:

Main Bath:

Basement:

And there are more pictures on Flickr!

I love all of your comments - thanks everybody! We set up the play pen the other night and the cats immediately jumped in and let us know they approve of their new bed. It goes nicely, they say, with their new bed on wheels (stroller) and bed on the floor:

Chuck says, “You are not allowed to scratch that.. trust me!”

(In the bottom right corner you can see a little bit of my latest diaper material. I made some extra small diapers out of the blue - so very very cute!)

This is a funny little pillow thingy I got with the play pen. It is fairly flat in the middle and then pillow all around -meant for when the beeb starts to sit up so that no matter what way he falls he has head/pillow contact (but room for the toys and him on the flatter part). Also, obviously, Rupert Bed.

Jim is packing boxes like there is no tomorrow. We’ve ordered some of our blinds, arranged some of our utilities, and cleared out most of our freezer (strange goal we always set when moving, dry goods and freezer - I think we’ve spent all of $30 on groceries the past three weeks as we make all these really yummy meals based on what is on hand).

The overall packing is going well (I think..?). Kitties do not seem to tire of jumping into each box as it is made.

I need pictures of today, but here is my 32 week pic (actually, it was 31.5 but I don’t know what happened to 32 weeks - oh yeah, I was marking!):

Marking will be finished up today aside from the stragglers (mostly due to health issues and we have made arrangements for them to finish up). One class is totally uploaded already, and this group should go up tonight, all things being equal. I’m looking forward to just being able to focus on the move and any other beeb stuff for a little while. I think my belly is huge, but it is strange as I’m not gaining weight these days. Just bulk! I can’t get my socks on sometimes as he really just seems to take up all the space between my ribs and my crotch. And he really juts out there - I believe the way it is said is I’m all “baby out front”. I’m not sure where else I’d keep him?

He’s very active. I think last week he was moving furniture in there and this week he has taken up the bongo drums. Very interesting little character.

Status Updates (random):

Beeb: Gets pissed when I try to crunch over in any way and sticks his butt into the air making a visible mound somewhat like a third boob. Tends to hang out on my right side thus making me somehwhat lop-sided.

Weeks: 33 today (seven to go)

Second Year Papers Marked: 57 of 57

First Year Papers Marked: 70 of 70

Second Year Exam Status: 59 of 59 marked

First Year Exam Status: 64 of 70 marked

Straggler items: 5 papers and one exam outstanding

Days Til Move: 7!!

I am hitting the wall.  I’m actually becoming more stupid every day I mark.  I use up all my words and then cannot speak after 5 hrs of marking.

I have marked every day since last Friday.  Marked a bit more before that too.. but since Friday it has been 9 days straight.  Some days logged 6am onwards marking.  Yesterday was a bit of a break as Jim and I had to go buy our appliances so they’d be in for the house in time.  We bought fridge, stove, dishwasher, washer, dryer, and another stove.   Do we WANT to talk about how much money that come to??  We also bought a chair for in the beeb’s room as it was amazing and lovely and on sale for about the same amount we’d pay for a rocker.  And I’m actually not super keen on rockers/gliders.

Like this, but more eggplant/grey:

I have a whole post about buying appliances -must come later. Also now in our house: crib, stroller, car seat, play pen (got a pretty much new pack n play from a local mommy board for $50 with the bassenette, changer pad thingy, and mobile):

So I’m feeling pretty set with “gear” these days… Or, whatever.  I don’t know.  I have actually bought stuff so that is a move in the right direction.  I’m also glad we’re getting a bit more room with the new place.. especially with the fridges et al as that would be silly to have all that here too, wouldn’t it?

Our washer/dryer are pretty cool.  Front load.  I’m amazingly excited about them.

Status Updates (random):

Beeb: Head down, lower than two weeks ago. Kicking me in the boob now.

Weeks: 32 and five days

Second Year Papers Marked: 57 of 57

First Year Papers Marked: 70 of 70

Second Year Exam Status: 34 of 59 marked

First Year Exam Status: 0 of 70 marked

Days Til Move: 9!!

Okay, I’m having some really weird (or not) conflicting emotions these days. I’m so excited about having our first baby. I just want him here NOW! Not that I’m sick of being pregnant, I’m actually okay with it these days. It is just that I’m ready for this next stage with a baby.. and to try out the new diapers I made and see if they work. He is kicking and squirming like bonkers in there, and Jim and I both really feel like we know him and he has this whole personality and like he’s ready to come out very soon and be the Outside Baby (rather than the inside baby he is now).

But then I get this CRAZY fear! Like ‘HOLY FECK’ fear. WHAT HAVE I DONE??!! Why on earth are we having a baby? What if he is horrible? What if he turns out to be a serial killer and I MADE HIM!! What if I don’t love him, what if this ruins our lives, what if he dies, what if one of us (me or Jim) dies, what if the beeb hates us, what if I didn’t make enough fitted diapers….What if having a baby really sucks and I don’t want him after he becomes an outside baby.

Welcome to my brain. The above ‘conversation’ runs through my head every hour or so and takes about 1.2 seconds to go from the one extreme to the other.

*sigh*

Status Updates (random):

Beeb: Heartburn central. I think he splashes around in stomach acid like he’s at the waterpark or something. He still really likes the squirm. And he’s had the hiccups lately which make me laugh. The cats wake him up in the morning and then he’ll kick me until I have to get up too.

Weeks: 32 yesterday (less than 8 to go)

Second Year Papers Marked: 57 of 57 (two coming late)
First Year Papers Marked: 16 of 70 (go out to class on Friday)

Second Year Exam Status: 59 Administered and ready to mark (one didn’t show)

First Year Exam Status: 70 to administer and mark

Days Til Move: 13!!

And yes, I agree that this whole “eight weeks” thing has really made me go WOAH! Really?? EIGHT??

I’m waking up from a nap (having had the window open for fresh air) and I can hear this honking outside.  Not regular auto traffic honking, but like those toys or those things that clowns carry - the rubber hand held horn thingys.  And there are lots of them all honkity honk honking.  I think “oh yes, clown car… they’re either geting in or out of it right now.”

Then I wake up a little more, still thinking clown car, and my brain decides to cut in with the possibility that it is actually Canadian geese flying overhead.

Since sharing the story with Jim, we now both agree that “clown car” is the right thing to say when the geese fly over.

Status Updates (random):

Beeb: kicking, squirming, and pushing something against my right upper rib area so hard I can’t bend over that way when he does it

Weeks: 32 tomorrow (8 to go)

Second Year Papers Marked: 37 of 57

First Year Papers Marked: dunno, but they’re not going back until Friday

Second Year Exam Status: 60 to administer and mark

First Year Exam Status: 70 to administer and mark

Days Til Move:  15!!

I’ve been marking papers since 7:30am.  It is now 3:50pm.  I’ve taken a few breaks (I’ve eaten twice, showered, and taken the laundry out of the washer), but other than that it has pretty much just been marking.

I would like my pretty pretty princess reward soon, please.

PLEASE??

We went to the house on Thursday (and I went again yesterday to measure the windows as we’ll need something to put over them for view blockage ie: blinds). It is amazing. Our paint choices are fecking awesome.  The fireplace looks so cool.  I will take the camera next week when I go back.  AMAZING!

Okay, enough of me flitting about.  I’m of to mark a few more papers and then I get a break to watch Lost Boys and sew diapers.  Not exactly the combo my 16 year old original Lost Boy loving self would have envisioned 17 years in the future. Of course, mainly because 16yo me thought 28 was officially too old to have a baby.

Okay, things are getting kinda harry here.  This is the last week of classes (my night class is tonight and then I have two classes tomorrow where I told them if they buckle down and get good work done we’ll cancel Friday’s class).  So I’m in the home stretch.

Well, aside from the fact that I’ll get 60 research papers tonight and that I’ll be handed 70 more research papers at the end of this week.  Oh, and that my 2nd years write their final next Tuesday and my first years write at the end of next week on Friday and then all marks are due by the Monday.  So I might not be getting any posting/sewing/fun stuff done any time soon.

But hoo boy am I looking forward to that Tuesday! (So I guess that is two weeks from today?)  As come hell or high water my marks will be in!

Of course, that will be exactly one week before we move to our new house…   O_o

And that will put me at 34 weeks pregnant  O_o

But at least I’ll have three weeks to get moved and get ready for the May course.  Right?  Silver lining?  Yes?

Very.

Past week and a bit have seen great strides made in the beeb department. First off, growing the beeb seems to be chugging right along:

And there have been PRESENTS!!

Mom got me some beeb clothes (that are actually in the washer right now as I’m prewashing stuff - so no picture at this moment).

From Leone:

From Julia and Jason:

(purchased off etsy from this lady here).

And my new car seat and stroller (picked up today)!

Oh yes, and my diaper bag I got a little while ago:

Pretty nifty, eh?

Whee!