Natalie is literally walking all over the place now! It’s so strange to see my tiny, little person wandering around on two feet with such precision- she’s become a pro in no time at all. She took her first steps just days after her birthday, and then about two weeks later, she started making cautious stretches here and there between pieces of furniture and things. And then almost immediately, that turned into full-blown walking, no assistance needed. It really is such a milestone for her and for us. It really makes me realize that she’s growing up so fast! She doesn’t really need much of my help anymore, which makes me sad…
We’re also well into the weaning process and it’s going smoothly, which is a relief. I was worried that she would refuse anything but the boob, since she’s always been such a fan. We started around her birthday by adding whole milk to her bottles when Eric fed her and then we started gradually increasing the amount. And now, about six weeks later, I’m down to only nursing her before bed and sometimes during the night or early morning. Otherwise, she seems to enjoy her milk bottles just fine.
She’s also eating a wider variety of foods, although we’re still very cautious what we offer her since she doesn’t have quite enough teeth to chew very well. She does have ten teeth however! Two molars poked their way through about a week ago and then she has the four on top and bottom. That’s another milestone that makes me realize just how big she’s getting! One issue we’re still having however is that she often refuses her “mush” food once she sees us or other people eating “big people” food. So we’ve had to start feeding her ahead of time or pretend that her mush food is just the best thing ever and then offer it to her. Sometimes that works.
The other night when we were having dinner- salmon, rice and peas- Natalie was very eager to eat what we had, so we gave her a few peas. And they were a complete hit! She must have eaten about two adult servings of peas, she just kept signing “more!” We figured it wasn’t like she was asking for more candy, so we gave her as much as she wanted. The salmon, on the other hand, she wasn’t too sure about. She kind of spit it out, shoved it aside and then looked up at us
for more peas.
I had my 16-week check-up on the 19th. I met with midwife Warren once again, who delivered Natalie. Unfortunately they were running really far behind, but luckily Natalie was content enough to hang out in her stroller and munch on some cheerios as we waited. They weighed me, took my blood pressure and then it was just a quick check-up. We did get to hear baby’s heartbeat though, which is always nice- it was 155 this time around. And just like with Natalie, it seems I haven’t gained any weight yet. I think it’s because my usual sweet-tooth just isn’t in gear when I’m pregnant, which is probably a good thing anyway. The midwife seemed pleased with my progress and we scheduled another visit for late January.
Our “big” ultrasound is coming up soon- it’s scheduled for January 11th. I’m not convinced that we should find out what we’re having, but Eric on the other hand, is eager to find out. So we’ll have to discuss that a little more and come to an agreement. My thought is that we already have all the baby stuff we need, and should it be a boy, all we’ll need to get are a few more boy-colored cloth diapers and some clothes. Plus, that element of surprise would make this birth special. Natalie’s was special because she was the first and it was just so exciting because it was a completely new experience for all of us. But now that we kind of know what to expect more or less, I’d kind of like the surprise. But then again, all births are unique and exciting! Maybe I’ll cave at the appointment and we’ll end up finding out. Who knows!
In other news, our househunt is currently on hold. It’s been so frustrating! I decided that we needed to focus on enjoying the holidays for the moment and hope that the rental market will be a little more favorable once we start a serious search in January. I’d like to think that people would put off advertising rentals during the holidays anyway, and that may be why there isn’t much out there. But I’ve also realized that there are plenty of families looking to rent right now and rentals are going very quickly, and often for more than the asking price. I hope we’re able to find something affordable that will suit our growing family…
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
Foreclosed Tenant Update & 14 Weeks
I attended the auction for the condo we’re currently living in on November 28. It was a chilly morning and I made sure to get to the county courthouse steps a little early since I didn’t know what to expect. A little guy with a wheeled cart and a laptop arrived a few minutes late, set up his things at the top of the steps and began reading the addresses- first the postponements, then the cancellations, and finally the auctions themselves. The ordeal was the most informal meeting- aside from standing out in the cold, the auctioneer listed off addresses one after another, as a couple dozen brokers took notes on their tablets. I couldn’t help but think that each and every one of those addresses was someone’s home at one point- where meals were cooked, where children played outside. What a cold, insensitive way to transfer property to a new owner. Whatever the circumstances, I felt for those families as we waited for the auction to begin. I even felt for the owner of our rental condo, despite the mess we had to deal with. They were still losing a place that was once their home, too.
Luckily the auctioneer saw and heard Natalie chatting and bouncing in the front pack and asked for the property address we were interested in, so it could be auctioned off first. About five minutes later, an investor placed a verbal bid for 136k and one penny. It was accepted, he handed over a check, and that was that. Plain and simple. Then I introduced myself to him and explained that we had an existing lease on the property he just purchased. Apparently he had bought it for a friend and so he took down my information and said that we’d be in touch.
Then we were served with a 90-day eviction. The new owner had no interest in honoring our lease, and she had no obligation to, but it was still upsetting to us to say the least. Our plan of staying at the condo through October of next year when our lease expires was no longer an option. So, we threw our househunt into full swing and started sifting through rental listings in search of a new place to call home. We also decided to seek legal counsel, as we weren’t sure about our rights. It’s a terrible feeling to be in this situation and not know what we’re entitled to- we certainly didn’t want to be taken advantage of any further. Luckily my employer offers legal counsel, so we were referred to a lawyer specializing in landlord/tenant law. After meeting with the lawyer, we felt much more confident about our rights and how to proceed.
Rentals these days are just ridiculous- prices have increased so much lately, since everyone is in the market to rent. And finding an affordable place in our target area near Walnut Creek has proven difficult. But in my mad hunt to find decent place, I stumbled upon a charming little house in Clayton. The pictures posted in the ad looked clean, so I replied to the post and asked when the home was available to view. The owners hosted an open house on Saturday, which Natalie and I attended (Eric was working). I went prepared with credit checks in hand- and good thing I did. Upon walking into the house, I had a feeling. I don’t want to get our hopes up that this is the home for us, but I knew immediately that it would suit our growing family nicely. It had three bedrooms, a bathtub, a garage for storage, a living room that would fit our sectional couch and a lovely big backyard with plenty of room for Natalie to play. We’re still waiting, so we have our fingers crossed. It would be such a blessing to be in a larger house in a safe area and be close to our jobs. This kind of change would be so good for us right now.
In the meantime, we’ve had to deal with the new owner of the condo. We set up a meeting with her this weekend to basically tell her that we plan to stay in the home as long as we need to since it’s our right to do so (up to our 90-day notice), not to mention our need to recoup our missing security deposit. We’re not looking to screw her over- it’s not her fault that we’re in this situation. But neither is it ours. So we just plan on being honest with her and hopefully coming to some sort of compromise that benefits both her and us.
In happier news, we’ve enjoyed watching Natalie take more and more walking steps! She’s becoming braver, but still cautious as she wobbles her way from one piece of furniture to another. I can tell that she plans for each step, calculating the distance from one point to another. It’s been fun to reach out for her when we get home from work and then she’ll smile and stumble her way over to us- it really does melt your heart. That kid is my life and my joy.
She also enjoys eating more and more table foods from mommy and daddy’s plates. She still seems to like everything we offer her and has mastered the baby sign for “more.” It’s so neat to see her really communicating with us! At her most recent appointment on November 29th, we learned that she weighs 18 pounds, 6 ounces and is about 29 inches long- which surprised us. I was convinced that she’d be around 20 pounds- instead, it seemed like she didn’t gain much weight since her last appointment! But her pediatrician said this was normal, as baby’s growth spurt tends to slow around age one. So that was interesting. Other than four vaccinations and a seasonal flu shot, Natalie checked out with a perfect bill of health once again. We’re thankful for that.
The weaning process has also been going smoothly- I only nurse her once or twice during the day and then at night as needed. I’m happy and sad at the same time… it’s not that I had any interest in nursing her until she was two or three years old, but I wouldn’t have had a problem continuing for a couple more months if it made her happy. She enjoys her organic whole milk though. I still pump here and there at work, but come home with maybe two ounces at most. So she’s still getting something, but we’ll definitely be done come the end of the month. The night nursing, on the other hand, is going to be an entirely different issue I think. It really calms her in the middle of the night and I’m not exactly sure how she’s going to react when I can’t offer that to her anymore!
I’m a little bummed that we can’t exactly set up the Christmas tree and start decorating just yet, since our living situation is in limbo at the moment. Once we know one way or the other, I’m definitely decorating, as least a little. It definitely adds to my holiday cheer and I enjoy doing it, along with all the holiday wrapping and baking. Speaking of which, my holiday shopping has actually been really enjoyable this year- I went to the mall the other day with the intention of buying one thing and one thing only. And we had fun shopping for just one item, instead of a long list of things for everyone. We really only have a small handful of people to shop for since we’ve scaling way back this year and have instead decided to focus on the kids.
In new baby news, I’m starting to feel good. I honestly really enjoy being pregnant. I still have bouts of sickness in the morning, but my energy levels are returning. I’ve started to feel what seem to be little “flutters”- I’m not convinced that it’s true movement, as I am only 14 weeks. But, I have heard that you feel movement sooner the second time around, so maybe it is! I’ve yet to inform my employer about baby number two, but I’ve started to think about when to tell. And just as luck would have it, five other people in the clinic made pregnancy announcements last week! So I think I’m going to have to wait another week before sharing the news. I don’t want to send my supervisor over the edge!
Luckily the auctioneer saw and heard Natalie chatting and bouncing in the front pack and asked for the property address we were interested in, so it could be auctioned off first. About five minutes later, an investor placed a verbal bid for 136k and one penny. It was accepted, he handed over a check, and that was that. Plain and simple. Then I introduced myself to him and explained that we had an existing lease on the property he just purchased. Apparently he had bought it for a friend and so he took down my information and said that we’d be in touch.
Then we were served with a 90-day eviction. The new owner had no interest in honoring our lease, and she had no obligation to, but it was still upsetting to us to say the least. Our plan of staying at the condo through October of next year when our lease expires was no longer an option. So, we threw our househunt into full swing and started sifting through rental listings in search of a new place to call home. We also decided to seek legal counsel, as we weren’t sure about our rights. It’s a terrible feeling to be in this situation and not know what we’re entitled to- we certainly didn’t want to be taken advantage of any further. Luckily my employer offers legal counsel, so we were referred to a lawyer specializing in landlord/tenant law. After meeting with the lawyer, we felt much more confident about our rights and how to proceed.
Rentals these days are just ridiculous- prices have increased so much lately, since everyone is in the market to rent. And finding an affordable place in our target area near Walnut Creek has proven difficult. But in my mad hunt to find decent place, I stumbled upon a charming little house in Clayton. The pictures posted in the ad looked clean, so I replied to the post and asked when the home was available to view. The owners hosted an open house on Saturday, which Natalie and I attended (Eric was working). I went prepared with credit checks in hand- and good thing I did. Upon walking into the house, I had a feeling. I don’t want to get our hopes up that this is the home for us, but I knew immediately that it would suit our growing family nicely. It had three bedrooms, a bathtub, a garage for storage, a living room that would fit our sectional couch and a lovely big backyard with plenty of room for Natalie to play. We’re still waiting, so we have our fingers crossed. It would be such a blessing to be in a larger house in a safe area and be close to our jobs. This kind of change would be so good for us right now.
In the meantime, we’ve had to deal with the new owner of the condo. We set up a meeting with her this weekend to basically tell her that we plan to stay in the home as long as we need to since it’s our right to do so (up to our 90-day notice), not to mention our need to recoup our missing security deposit. We’re not looking to screw her over- it’s not her fault that we’re in this situation. But neither is it ours. So we just plan on being honest with her and hopefully coming to some sort of compromise that benefits both her and us.
In happier news, we’ve enjoyed watching Natalie take more and more walking steps! She’s becoming braver, but still cautious as she wobbles her way from one piece of furniture to another. I can tell that she plans for each step, calculating the distance from one point to another. It’s been fun to reach out for her when we get home from work and then she’ll smile and stumble her way over to us- it really does melt your heart. That kid is my life and my joy.
She also enjoys eating more and more table foods from mommy and daddy’s plates. She still seems to like everything we offer her and has mastered the baby sign for “more.” It’s so neat to see her really communicating with us! At her most recent appointment on November 29th, we learned that she weighs 18 pounds, 6 ounces and is about 29 inches long- which surprised us. I was convinced that she’d be around 20 pounds- instead, it seemed like she didn’t gain much weight since her last appointment! But her pediatrician said this was normal, as baby’s growth spurt tends to slow around age one. So that was interesting. Other than four vaccinations and a seasonal flu shot, Natalie checked out with a perfect bill of health once again. We’re thankful for that.
The weaning process has also been going smoothly- I only nurse her once or twice during the day and then at night as needed. I’m happy and sad at the same time… it’s not that I had any interest in nursing her until she was two or three years old, but I wouldn’t have had a problem continuing for a couple more months if it made her happy. She enjoys her organic whole milk though. I still pump here and there at work, but come home with maybe two ounces at most. So she’s still getting something, but we’ll definitely be done come the end of the month. The night nursing, on the other hand, is going to be an entirely different issue I think. It really calms her in the middle of the night and I’m not exactly sure how she’s going to react when I can’t offer that to her anymore!
I’m a little bummed that we can’t exactly set up the Christmas tree and start decorating just yet, since our living situation is in limbo at the moment. Once we know one way or the other, I’m definitely decorating, as least a little. It definitely adds to my holiday cheer and I enjoy doing it, along with all the holiday wrapping and baking. Speaking of which, my holiday shopping has actually been really enjoyable this year- I went to the mall the other day with the intention of buying one thing and one thing only. And we had fun shopping for just one item, instead of a long list of things for everyone. We really only have a small handful of people to shop for since we’ve scaling way back this year and have instead decided to focus on the kids.
In new baby news, I’m starting to feel good. I honestly really enjoy being pregnant. I still have bouts of sickness in the morning, but my energy levels are returning. I’ve started to feel what seem to be little “flutters”- I’m not convinced that it’s true movement, as I am only 14 weeks. But, I have heard that you feel movement sooner the second time around, so maybe it is! I’ve yet to inform my employer about baby number two, but I’ve started to think about when to tell. And just as luck would have it, five other people in the clinic made pregnancy announcements last week! So I think I’m going to have to wait another week before sharing the news. I don’t want to send my supervisor over the edge!
Friday, December 2, 2011
Thanksgiving Celebrations and First Steps!
We celebrated Thanksgiving on multiple occasions this year, since Eric was working a night shift on the actual holiday. The weekend prior, my Dad and Sally hosted an early Thanksgiving dinner for the family. They decided during last year’s holiday season that it would be best to start hosting holidays a little early so that we can celebrate the actual holiday itself and not be pulled in so many different directions (which is so appreciated). Elaine, myself and our families along with Sally’s four kids and their families came. It was potluck style, so I made some homemade crescent rolls and brought a few bottles of my favorite apple cider. Natalie sampled a bit of everything soft enough for her to try and the food was great.
Later in the evening, Elaine and I let Stacie and Natalie play in the front room together. Then David and BreeAnne’s daughter, Joelle joined in and really got Natalie excited! Joelle bounced all around the room, trying to get Natalie to follow her as a bunch of us sat and watched. Then a few of us noticed that Natalie might take her first steps! Luckily I had brought along the camera, so I quickly set it up and yelled over to Eric to come watch before he missed it. Then it happened- she took about five consecutive steps from the ottoman to the couch and nearly everyone was in the room to witness it! Then everyone started clapping- including Natalie. I nearly cried. It was so neat to witness her first steps and in such a perfect situation. I was so thankful that both Eric and I were there to see it and we definitely won’t forget it.
First Steps!!
We also had a potluck-style dinner, which was great once again. Then a few of us went upstairs to the great room to let the little ones play. Ava, Jade and RJ were all there, all of whom are older than Natalie. It was interesting to watch them play together- Natalie is not used to having her toys taken from her! She’s more used to playing with cousin Stacie, whom she can easily steal from!
Since we had no Thanksgiving leftovers of our own, and Eric kind of missed out, we decided to have one last Thanksgiving dinner just for ourselves. Eric found a little 12-pound turkey for just $7 at the grocery store, so I made a little feast for the three of us on Sunday afternoon. I hadn’t made a turkey before- at least not on my own without Elaine around to help. But it turned out really good. Moist too. I was very proud of myself for figuring out how to clean and prepare the sucker, stuff it, and cook it correctly! Now we have plenty of leftovers :)
Natalie's very own Thanksgiving plate
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