Return to blogging...

So, I have recently been inspired to return to blogging by a couple of friends who have posted great anecdotal stories in their lives... After over 18 months since Rome was born, we are finally feeling like we are getting are heads above water a bit. I figured it would be a good thing with the few extra minutes we have found with efficiencies here and there to resurrect the blog. When I checked out the last postings to see where we left off, I was a bit embarrassed by the age of the boys' picture. That being said, I am going to start with a more recent picture of the boys.


Champ was having a ball in the park while pushing Rome around in the "Hot Rod". In spite of his death grip, Rome had a great time having Champ push him around.

We have also been trying to get the yard looking a little better. This past weekend was full of gardening. We planted some iris', bougainvillea, and some pretty little plants as ground cover (I have already forgot the name, but Anna just reminded me they were blackfooted daisies). Clearly, we are not known for our green thumb, but the girl at the nursery said those little plants don't like a lot of water (perfect for us!) We did have some master help with the planting though...



I will close tonight with a brief story from Champ. Lately, I make a sign of the cross on their foreheads as part of the bedtime prayer routine and say "God Bless You". I guess Champ picked up on this and wanted to express something that means a lot to him as well. Tonight about half way through dinner, he got our attention and proclaimed "God bless whip cream!" I guess his priorities are right in line for a 3 1/2 year old. Good night.

-Jeff

the little joys

Last weekend the whole...I mean whole family ventured to San Antonio. As we enjoyed a weekend with both sets of grandparents, I felt sure Rome was going to introduce his new teeth and show off his ability to crawl. Well, the little bugger wanted to show off everything new in the privacy of his own home. Just last night he was hopping up onto his knees and his first tooth, a lower one, made it's debut today.

We had a fantastic weekend in San Antonio. Champ was proud to proclaim to his classmates that his favorite part of the trip was..."THE ELEVATOR!" So to all of our efforts it wasn't the river boat cruise, the loads of ice cream or the ukulele, the glass elevator in the hotel.

On the home front, Jeff is spending the weekend knocking out the remaining interior green in the house. We only had a couple of places we hadn't touched but the guest suite is getting a second coat of Irish Cream as I type and there is a blackstone sheet of Formica on the floor of the living room slated for the small patches of green laminate in the kitchen. I will have to post some before and after pictures when these last updates are completed.

The BIG gun:


A picture from Mother's day:

deliquency

I have promised myself to return and here I am. Life has been busy to say the least, but I want to keep the pictures and stories coming. Over the last few months I have used this blog as a way to look back at Champ's growth and see how far he's come and where Rome is going. This is just the start, but I hope to get organized and get this going again. I want this blog to be a communication tool with family as well as a diary for the boys.

More to come, I promise...

on our way...

So the house is in the option period and inspections are on going. All of the paperwork was signed Sunday and closing has been set for November. Today we had electrical, mechanical and structural inspections. Most things look good with some normal wear and tear one would expect. Tomorrow the plumbing will be checked and then we just talk to the homeowners on how to proceed to closing.

I was busy during the inspection chasing the Champ and picking out paint colors. Currently I am leaning toward a warm neutral that will bounce the light around from the great windows. Most of the living area in the home will likely be repainted. I just need some help from my artist sister-in-law with the color selections then we should be finished with that.

If all goes to plan, we will close on the house prior to Thanksgiving. Attack the painting the week of Thanksgiving then move in December. That way my Christmas decorations can just stay out and get hung up when we move in. I am really looking forward to Christmas in my new home.

The boys are doing well. Champ stayed home today with a mystery fever from yesterday, but he is showing no other signs of illness and the fever has not returned, all good news. Rome is sleeping well with going at least 3 hours between feedings at night.

We are still keeping our fingers crossed with the house, but it looks very promising.

i don't have to cry

I must tell a little history to explain...Jeff and I quickly toured our current home and leased it 3-1/2 years ago when we sold our home in the suburbs and moved into the city. Life inside the loop has been fantastic. I have truly come to love my running route on crushed granite, under a tree lined trail. I love that Walgreen's is less than a block away and I can walk there. Many a time with a sick Champ we have gone for a walk to pick up a prescription. The walk alone calms and quiets him. We also live walking distance from great shopping and dining. I always love on a nice evening to walk and grab a bite to eat. I never thought that was possible especially in such a large city. This doesn't even account for the fantastic church parish we live in or that I have family within blocks. All this said, one day driving home I told Jeff I will cry when we move. I love this location so much and will never be able to replicate it. I know we live in a leased house and I knew the day would come to move and I just knew I would cry.

Many of our family know that we have had discussions with the owner of our home about purchasing it. The negotiations for that fell apart this summer when he decided he didn't want to sell it at that time. Jeff and I were confused and a little disappointed, but we both had faith in God that He would lead us where He needed. Not exactly sure where that was but we both had lots of peace.

In the mean time, we took the opportunity to walk through some open houses and check out the nearby areas for comps and availability. Most of our adventures taught me 2 things...first, I love this location; second, I hadn't seen a house that really fit us.

A little over a month ago, Jeff saw a house come up for sale when he was taking Champ to the park. That weekend they had an open house and we walked over. Having been to a lot of these, Jeff and I were surprised that we didn't unlike the house. The price was above what we had budgeted and I was really pregnant with Rome. We knew the house was pricey but nice and thought it would sell quickly. To our surprise it stayed on the market. Just Monday, Jeff bumped into a realtor friend and said just out of curiosity could she pull some comps for us. Jeff went to send her the listing that night and to his surprise the price had just been reduced. The agent sent us some information and we decided to tour the house. Upon closer inspection, we liked the home even more. All said we made and offer and signed a contract on Friday. We are buying a home and planting roots!

So I am totally crazy. I have a newborn not a month old, I bought a house and will have to move. But the house is just that great. This move should be the easiest, as moves go, that I have every made. The house we are buying is just around the corner, literally. The home shares a back fence with our next door neighbor. It is a mid-century ranch and some of the reasons we love it...it has a detached garage and a car port, our visitors no longer have to park on the street or even be exposed to the elements when they visit. The house is 3 bedroom, 2 bath which is perfect for the 4 of us. The house has formal living and dining, den and kitchen with eat in area. All of the rooms in the home are very large and the flow is great. There are wood floors throughout the home except for in the kitchen (I'll discuss that more later.) Double sinks in the hall bathroom and lots and lots of storage. The backyard is nice with a paved area large enough for a table and chairs. It even has 2 pecan trees, so we won't loose that either. Now for the true selling point, there is a bonus room and bathroom attached to the garage. WE HAVE GUEST QUARTERS! Our parents can soon visit us and stay in their own private retreat away from a the nighttime fun that parents of young children often enjoy at 2 am.

The house is such a perfect fit that I was telling the realtor that I would probably renovate the master bath one day as I always wanted a large shower with a double shower head, as I opened the shower door, I noticed 2 shower heads. The kitchen...the owners wanted to ask a premium for the house for the renovated kitchen the only problem is it is renovated to look just like a 1950's kitchen. It has black and white linoleum floors, fantastically retro cabinets and a tile counter top. Jeff and I said upgrades don't count if you can't tell they are there. The kitchen is large and very functional so I will not complain, but I will admit once the house is paid for it is first on the list for the remodel.

Again, I am crazy. This fall will be fun. Please keep us in your prayers as the paper work still needs to be signed and we still have the inspection. But we are planting roots, right here. The boys will go to the Catholic school just down the street. I don't know where the future will take us but I just feel so blessed.

growing pains

or successes?

Things here have been going well. We have been busy enjoying visits by both Honey and Budman as well as Mawmaw and Pawpaw. We are all grateful for the help with the boys as well as the food.

Champ has been teaching us what being two means. We expected the trials, tantrums and growing vocabulary. All of that has gone just as expected. Our discipline must be working as Champ realizes that the tone of voice and counting to 3 means he is pushing the limits and he needs to comply or something un-fun will follow. He responds really well.

Something quirky has been going on for the last 6 weeks or so...our wonderful sleeper vanished. He fought naps, bedtimes and even the start of the evening routine. I invested in a book and tried some of its tips. Champ started to sleep better, but insisted on sleeping on the floor, not in his bed. We even asked the pediatrician about his quirky behavior. He reassured us it was a phase that would go when Champ realized his bed was much more comfortable. Well Champ took a 2 hour nap Sunday and has slept in his bed for 2 full nights. I just wonder what is around the next corner...

Rome has been a great baby doing all he is supposed to do: eat, sleep and dirty lots of diapers. He gives us good and bad nights and last night was great. He is just 3 weeks old, but I fed him at midnight and proceeded to sleep until 7 am. I hope we can start stringing some of those nights together.

For what everyone has been waiting for...the picture. Here are the boys from Saturday morning. I love the look on Champ's face.

long overdue

I am sorry to everyone that the blog posting are coming so slowing with regards to our changing family. The week of Rome's arrival our wonderful high speed internet was, well, dead. Long story short but 3 technicians and one pole check later and the internet is up and running. It is so crazy how fast the internet has become a staple of daily life and I never realized that until no access for over a week. I couldn't see the weather radar, find take-out numbers or let alone access email. We kind of felt cut-off, but I guess the first week with a new baby is the best time for that.

On to more important things...the boys! Champ and Rome are both doing well. Champ loves his new brother and is learning quickly (with a few meltdowns) what he can and can't do. His first impression of his "brover" was "you mean he isn't MINE!?" Champ wanted to hold him and pick him up. We had to teach him that he can only hold brother sitting with Mom or Dad. It took a few days to get there, but he is compliant with that rule. The next obstacle was teaching "soft, soft." Champ's definition of soft is quite different than ours. He was all too excited to point out his eyes, mouth, ears and such. By point out, I mean poke, bang, tug. We are encouraging good behavior and he is catching on quickly.

Rome has been an ideal baby. He eats well, sleeps well, with almost non existent gas or spit-up. I really don't remember Champ being this easy. So far it is a pleasant surprise. I am keeping my fingers crossed, though, colic doesn't usually manifest until 2 weeks and we haven't reached that point yet. He is so snugly and sweet. He loves to fall asleep in the crook of an arm. I am falling in love hard and fast.

Sorry for no pictures yet, I am hoping to take some pictures of both boys this weekend if the weather cooperates.

Thanks to everyone for there love and prayers. We are all doing really well.