New Adventures

Tomorrow, unless something goes terribly wrong, we will close the door on a big part of our life and start a new chapter.

In 2005, after a little over a year of marriage, Jason and I bought our condo. At the time, we didn't think we wanted kids and this place was a great setup for us. Master on main with attached bath, main living on first floor, and three rooms upstairs with a full bath. We used one room for an office, another for a guest room, and the other was empty for years.

We moved from a 3 bedroom apartment and going from rent to mortgage was so very satisfying and we were very proud of ourselves and our place.

Fast forward to 2009 when we brought home the eldest. We moved our bedroom upstairs so we could be close to Jackson. Our office moved downstairs and the garage became the workout room.

Fast forward again to 2013 when we brought home the littlest Altman. Our room remained upstairs and suddenly our guest room was a baby room.

We've tried several times to sell the condo. It was never the right time. We tried in 2009 and the economy tanked. We tried again a few years later and still it didn't sell. We tried again after Karson was born that was a mistake and we weren't ready to be showing the home.

We decided in late April to fully commit to selling. We needed to move and to get settled before J starts kindergarten. We had no idea the market was so good and we'd be buying and selling and closing within a month.

On the advice of the lovely and awesome Marian, we moved a bed downstairs to make the master look like a bedroom. The office went back upstairs and Jason, Karson, and I have been sharing a bed in Karson's room so that we'd still be close to Jackson. We cleaned and prepped the place for market.

We looked online at dozens of houses and all sold before we could see them. We found two places and one was in the same development as some friends. We loved it on the spot. We put in an offer before we left for vacation. While on vacation, our place went on the market and we sold it. I can tell you vacay isn't nearly as relaxing as it should be when trying to counter offer and complete real estate transactions but hey, we were thinking long term and it made the extra work from the beach okay.

This was our first home. This is the first home that our boys will remember (Karson may not even remember it...) and will be a place that holds so many special memories. We hosted birthday parties, Thanksgiving meals for friends, planned thousands of events from our kitchen table, and cooked dinner here almost every night for the last decade.

We are so excited about tomorrow and our new home. It will be a great place for the boys to grow up. I will miss our condo. (Probably even more so when we are doing yard work!) I will miss the coziness of this place and I will cherish every memory made here.

Time for a new adventure.

See ya on the roads!

Dearest Karson...

Dearest Karson,

It is 9 pm on the night before your actual birthday. You think today was your birthday because we celebrated with Italian Ice, playgrounds, playing at Krutch Park, presents, and cupcakes. Tomorrow is a busy day and we wanted you to feel special so today was the day.

You are asleep now (thank you!). Your dad and I are having an adult beverage on the sofa and trying to unwind before a very chaotic 8+ days.

Two years ago on this day and at this time, I was on the sofa timing contractions. I knew you were coming soon. I had known for days.

On June 20, 2013, we found out you were footling breech and you'd have to be delivered via C-Section. No choice. I cried to the doctor we saw in the office and she had my normal doc call me that afternoon. He said there was no other way. I was already in labor and too far in to safely turn you. Surgery it would be.

I was heartbroken. So many people judge on how you deliver your kid and I didn't want to be a bad mom because I couldn't deliver you the same way that Jackson was delivered (although that didn't go well either).

The next day (two years ago today), I was contracting from the time I woke. Truthfully, the doc onsite for the ultrasound the day before wanted me to deliver that day (June 20). She kept telling me to go home, get my bag, get Jackson settled with someone, and come back. We didn't do it. And the doctor on call that Friday wasn't one that I knew so you'd have to wait until the 22nd when my normal doctor was on call to be delivered. Thankfully you did. If my water had broken, we'd have been in a lot of trouble.

On June 22, 2013, you were born late afternoon during the most amazing delivery ever. We laughed and joked and talked through the whole thing. Your dad was there and I was able to kiss your face within seconds of your birth. You spent some time in the NICU. You had fluid on your lungs and they couldn't keep your body temp where it needed to be. But, you rallied quickly and we were able to come home just days after you were born.

You have taken us on a wild ride since. I have never had another human being take me from anger to smiles to frustration to pride at any given minute on any given day. It can be exhausting. Really exhausting.

You are stubborn. You are impatient. You want to do it your way. You don't want or need help.

I could play dumb and say that I have no idea where you get those traits but I know too well where they come from and what lies ahead of you.

Here's what I can tell you....

1. Stubbornness is good sometimes but in many situations, you need to be open to others. Just do it. You'll learn.
2. Patience is necessary. It sucks sometimes but totally necessary for being a good person. And for learning and growing. You can't be your best if you are impatient.
3. Keep doing things your way. I have found that it helps to solve problems. That doesn't mean that you can discount other ways and ignore suggestions from others but I have found that if I take all the information from all sources then I can usually figure out the answers. Just make sure you give credit to those who help you.
4. You do need help. I still struggle with this one. Your father made me see that two is better than one. But, I still struggle with asking for help. Don't. Ask for help when you need it. Ask for help when you don't need it. Engage other people in whatever you are doing. Seriously. It's the best way for everyone.

I love you itty-bitty. You are amazing. You have this flaming red hair and these blue eyes that can see right through a person. You are going to do big things. I know it in my heart.

Love you dude.

Mom

Randomness

Random thoughts on a Saturday afternoon...all very random and in no particular order of importance.

Baby gorillas are cute. Very cute.

Being at the Zoo in a torrential downpour isn't really that much fun.

Karson likes Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches. We may never get Oreo out of his shirt.

Only my kids would be on the train at the Zoo when it derails and runs off the road. Yep. That happened today. No one was hurt.

Two years ago today, I found out that Karson would have to be delivered C-Section. I cried. A lot. Then I cried more. Turns out, it wasn't so bad and I recovered just as quickly as I did with Jackson.

Jackson is really (really with an exclamation point) into numbers these days. While I admire his eagerness to learn addition and subtraction and all things numerical, I am not a numbers person. He counted from 900 to 1000 on the way to Target. My head hurts. A lot.

Buying a house and selling a house is hard.

Packing is really hard.

Buying a house, selling a house, and packing while working full-time plus, chasing two kids, trying to rehab my hip, and keep up with my other community commitments is hard. Worth it in the end but still hard.

I can't wait for the move to be completed.

I am glad we aren't moving ourselves. Moving companies are awesome (I hope).

My left hip is the bane of my existence. It would be good if my pelvis would stay in its' place and the muscles around it weren't so angry all the time. I don't care anymore whether or not I can run a marathon this fall (the answer is likely no) but I would like to relieve stress through some running. And soon (see above random thoughts).

Through all of the randomness, I have the best husband that a gal could ask for who is also the best father that I know. I hope both kids grow up to be just like him.

See ya on the trails!