New home/photo catch up

Well, we're in our new home! The move went pretty smoothly, considering that the weeks leading up to it were hectic. Makena and I walked to the Farmer's Market and played at our park one last time. She's very much into climbing these days!

My parents moved in to their new home, and Makena and I spent some time there on a Sunday while Pam did some packing. My sister and the kids came over too, and everyone picked snap peas and ate ice cream cones then we went to Blackberry Farm and for a geocaching hunt.

During our last days at our old apartment I tried to pack and organize as much as possible but it was nearly impossible. Makena was going through a very whiny clingy stage, and I struggled to get anything done. She is in a hiding phase lately, she's constantly hiding will stay still and hidden for quite some time. Little nooks and crannies as we packed boxes and moved furniture became prime hiding spots. Normally she plays really well on her own, but not then. She wanted to hide and be found, over and over again. Yesterday she "hid" in her car seat during the ride home from lunch, so when we unbuckled her we said, "Hmm, where's Makena? Have you seen her?" And she thought that was just so hilarious. I'm getting burned out of this game though. Sometimes we turn around and can't see her, and then realize she's hiding after we've panicked and called out her name. So we're trying to work on that.

We got the keys to our new place and started bringing stuff over. The new carpet and paint and drapes and linoleum all look great. We're working on the back patio/yard area now. I can't wait until it's ready and we can put Makena's new slide and sandbox out there. I got her a water table today and she loves it so much. It's really cute. Yesterday we bought some plants and herbs to grow. We don't get much sun out there, so we can't really have a real garden, but we can have some nice greenery!

When the moving truck arrived we started loading it and soon it was time to drive to the new apartment and unload. The next morning we got there at 8am to start our day of cleaning. We used a Groupon for a cleaning service and they were there for 2 hours and were a huge help. Still, we stayed until 5pm. I hope we get as much as possible back from our deposit!! We scrubbed like crazy. That was also Mother's Day. So basically our day sucked. The best part was going to Chili's for lunch. It was a well needed break, but then we had to go finish up. Next year we want to do something special since this Mother's Day was a flop. Makena was really cute with these flowers though, and that brightened our day. Pam got them from her preschool job, and we let her play with them as we took out the garbage.

On her first day playing outside in our new outdoor space Makena discovered these fun window markers. She drew a rainbow all on her own. I like that we put the computer desk right next to the sliding doors so I can keep an eye on her while she plays outside. Sometimes I imagine how nice it would (will, I hope) be to have a sibling for her to play with. I loved playing with my little brother. I think there is less boredom when you have a sibling, but there are also more squabbles. And right now Makena is so awesome that I wouldn't want to change that by adding a baby. I still love HER being our baby. Still, if it was easier and cheaper for us to get pregnant I'd already want another. But then again sometimes I'm glad she's an only child... I just hope it's only for now. :)

We have a new park that's in even closer walking distance. I came here when I was a kid, it's right by the public pool we used to swim in. Pam brought the boys she watches twice a week to come play, and Makena and I joined them at the park.

We live by a Baskin Robbins, which is equal parts terrific and terrible. We also have a Pizza My Heart, Jamba Juice, Starbucks, bagel place, and Chipotle nearby. I wish it was a Noah's Bagels, but I'm very happy with the other eatery selections! On a walk back from dinner the other night (ee ate out a lot of meals our first week here, due to not having the kitchen unpacked, but our finances do not allow for that so often, unfortunately) Makena stopped to pick a flower for Pam. Her birthday is tomorrow so we'd been talking about what to get her as a present, and she wanted to pick a flower. There were yellow flowers all over and she picked a half dead weed. Then she found a wish and blew it, and put the used empty wish and the weeds in a vase for Mama. Such a thoughtful gift! ;)

For Christmas Makena was given a Stone Soup book and gardening kit, and we were so excited to finally have a place to plant all the seeds. Yesterday we went to Nash's birthday party then came home and planted a few things. Makena has a cute new watering can and she loves helping Pam outside.

 And that brings us to today. We went to dance class where Makena participated wonderfully. I kept spotting her watching herself out in the mirror. She loves to shake her booty, it's so funny. In the car a song will come on the radio and she'll start nodding her head and close her eyes and say, "I yike dis song mommy!" She's so beyond my dream come true.

Up, up, and away!

Ending the chapter in this apartment

I'm nostalgic. I really love memories. As much as I love new adventures, I have a hard time closing chapters in my life.

Tonight is our last night in this apartment. We moved here in October of 2009. I was pregnant, in my last trimester, and so very excited to get started on the nursery.

I love this apartment. I was so excited when I saw the ad on craigslist. I remember walking in the door and knowing I wanted it, then worrying that we wouldn't be approved. I was so happy when it was ours, and I went to work turning it into a home. Pam and I decorated the nursery. We put together the crib. Applied the wall paper border. Painted the fan blades to match the theme of the bedding set. Hung the curtain, mirror, and all those adorable little baby dresses. I cleaned the hand me down glider chair. I sat and rocked my big belly and tried to imagine rocking my baby to sleep. Laying her down in the crib. Peeking in the door to glance at her. I imagined her learning her animals and colors in that room.

I never imagined that we'd live here forever. I moved around a lot growing up, so did Pam. By the time I was 22 I had lived in like 20 different places. I've never imagined owning a house. (Not in this area at least!) But I thought we'd stay here for a few years. We like the neighborhood. (Mostly... There are some ghetto-ish areas in one direction, but we mostly only go the other way.) We love the nearby park, and the playground where Makena first played in the sand. Where she first went down a slide,  honed her climbing skills, and swung in the swings. I loved the Saturday farmers market tradition that Makena and I started when Pam was busy with soccer classes. We took lots and lots of walks. We saw the ducks in the fountains at the civic center. The same civic center where I walked and walked to try and induce my labor.

Sentimental much??

I've really loved living here. But our rent got more and more expensive. Then they raised the price of the coin washers and dryers. Then they started making us pay for water/trash. We knew we had to find a cheaper apartment. The one bedrooms in our complex were renting for more than what we were paying for our 2 bedroom. And we didn't even use that second bedroom. It was pretty much our storage space. Makena never slept in that adorable nursery by herself. Except for several weeks where we all slept on a mattress on the floor of that room, that room was largely unused.

I'd browse apartment listings occasionally, but it was frustrating. We couldn't afford more than $1200 a month, and anything nice in this area was going for upwards of $1500. And even then they didn't have any outdoor access other than a balcony or tiny patio. They didn't have dishwashers, something I've become accustomed to and thoroughly enjoyed. And I couldn't find anything with a private washer/dryer. There ate lots of sketchy cheaper areas around, but we wanted to stay in a safe neighborhood. And we wanted to be closer to our jobs, but unfortunately the rents only got more expensive as we looked in those neighborhoods.

But, what's done is done and we're moving tomorrow. It's not my dream apartment. It's not even close. The kitchen is tiny and old. It's one bedroom and smaller, but it is a tad cheaper. It took a lot of convincing for me to feel like it was a good choice. I'm still not 100% sold, but I am excited. The new carpet, paint, and lineoleum look great. It's only 5 miles to Pam's job, 3 to mine. It's in a pretty good neighborhood, though there's a bar up the street that worries me. It's across the street from a park, and a short walk to a playground and the library and all the goodies that downtown has to offer. And it has a great outdoor space for Makena. I've already bought her a little table and a slide and sandbox. So, yes. I'm excited. It's always exciting to start a new chapter.

I'm sad to say goodbye to this place, this apartment where we came home when Makena was born. Her first home. She learned to walk on these floors. I'm feeling super nostalgic. As we took down the wall paper border it all cake back to me- all those moments that I imagined would happen in that room. Most of them never happened, but so many other wonderful things did happen, things I never thought to imagine.

And I suppose that's what life does. It makes new memories all the time, regardless of what you imagine they'll be like.