in transit

big check handed to lawyers: check.

kitchen packed: check.

sore hands, arms and backs: check.

The moving truck arrives bright and early tomorrow morning. We're alive, but perhaps kicking less than usual.

leaves fall in the fall

We spent a lovely Thanksgiving at Rob's Aunt's house yesterday. The uncannily warm weather was quite welcome so we could enjoy her huge yard populated with majestic trees and, more importantly, their colorful leaves. Ally had a blast. Her favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner was by far combining mashed potatoes and corn, followed by peas. She fell asleep on the drive home and gave us one of those very sweet moments I love as a parent. Our young children are so dependent on us, and as tiring as it can become their unwavering trust is so humbling and fleeting.

it comes down to this

True to the "when it rains, it pours" idiom, in the next six days I will pack our condo to prepare for settlement on Monday, while Rob finishes his graduate research project that is due the same day. Oh, and we'll enjoy Thanksgiving. And did I mention that Ally is still limping? The movers arrive next Tuesday, various deliveries and installations will occur on Wednesday, I will take an exam and head back to work on Thursday, and on Saturday we'll empty our storage facility.

Despite the busy days ahead we are really, really excited to move soon. Our final walkthrough with the builder was great, with only minor issues to be resolved at this point. We have our HUD-1 in hand with less due at settlement than expected, causing Rob's eyes to sparkle with dreams of a new television. And I'm feeling that calm that reminds me that it will all get done, because it always does. Pictures from the walkthrough are now in the House Construction area.

highs and lows; or, the day Ally discovered Dora

I think everyone has bad days. When Ally was a newborn, it seemed like once or twice a week she would have a day when she was in a real funk, a day with a lot of fussing and grunting and rocking that would wear me down and drive me to eating Chipotle for dinner. Because, you know, I earned that guacamole. On Saturday Ally definitely woke in a mood and nothing quite seemed to please her, and after about an hour I watched her as she walked and began to feel alarmed.

"Is she limping?"
"Um... well shoot. I think she is."

No wonder she's in a bad mood!, we concluded. Rob intervened with a dose of tylenol (have I mentioned that Ally knows the word "tylenol" and has asked for it by name?) and let her have her pacifier and even turned on the tv so she could watch a video we keep "for emergencies" for which she has an intense and yearning passion. She even got an extra cup of juice.

Asking to be lifted while I checked my email on the laptop we keep in the kitchen pass-through, I thought she may enjoy seeing something fun on the computer, so I went to the Nick Jr. website and showed her a Dora the Explorer video. Having never seen Dora, I didn't know that the theme song would be so addictive and so educational, such that putting Ally down resulted in bouncing and crying and pleas of "Dora! Dora! Dora! Dora!" We wanted to prevent her from moving much, so Dora it was.

A day later, Ally still has a slight limp, but a trip to the pediatrician only resulted in the baffled determination that they don't know what's wrong. Fortunately like most bad days, yesterday was followed by a wonderful day. Today we enjoyed a shiny, happy Ally and only a few requests for Dora Dora Dora. But I'm still feeling a bit of guilt over my tv-watching pacifier-sucking juice-drinking knows-how-to-ask-for-tylenol toddler.

eavesdropping

I imagine the conversation on Thursday went something like this:

"wow, it's cold outside."
"yea, the coldest day yet this fall."
"this would be a good day to install a lawn."
"I think so. And let's plant some bushes too."

We were really excited to see the landscaping completed this week. We even finally have our very own tree. But it was a reminder of how nice it will be to soon no longer second-guess every decision our builder is making, and to not have another conversation that begins something like, "they put it in backwards?" "Yes! and drilled extra holes on each side!"

no, Ally

Inspired by the popular No, David, I give you the impact of daylight savings time changes on a one year old.

No Ally, don't lick the kitty's water.
No Ally, don't throw your yogurt-covered spoon.
No Ally, put Matilda's bowl DOWN.
No Ally, don't chew Mommy's eyelash curler.
No Ally, don't kick Mommy.
No Ally, don't climb onto your dresser.
No Ally, don't chew on the bubble wand.
No Ally, don't pull hair.
No Ally, don't suck on your markers.
No Ally, don't stick your finger in Mommy's lipstick.
No Ally, stop throwing rice at Daddy.
No Ally, you can't stand on a chair and rock it at the same time.

my tomboy

For some reason I have always assumed that Ally would be a tomboy. She doesn't seem particularly careful or delicate. But her behavior in the past month has made me reconsider. First, one of Ally's favorite things to do is to hug stuffed animals and generally shower them with love and affection. She also likes to carry them to her changing pad, placing them carefully down and then demanding to me, "change!" She has a doll that she cuddles and puts in her highchair to be fed and in her crib to sleep. And then this week she became fascinated with my cosmetics bag, proudly saying "make up!" She likes to take items out of the bag, pretend to use the blush brush or lipstick, and then put everything back into the bag. So.