Yesterday I posted that our pace recently has been fast and furious.
I didn't know $#%* yesterday.
Thursday started with my cleaning the upstairs. We have a showing scheduled for Saturday and an Open House Sunday. We've been hoping for more showings and try to be prepared all the time, but there are things like washing sheets, making beds etc that need to be done. And, as much as our house is "staged" day to day, there are items essential to daily life (dog food bowls, trash bags, high chairs, toys) that need to be cleaned, hidden, moved for an actual showing.
Around 10:20 I got a call for someone who wanted to see the house at 11:15. Like in an hour. Ahem. Luckily One Philly Daddy was able to rush home and we put away the microwave and toaster, the high chair and toys. Swept the floors, wiped the counters, turned on the right lights, made the beds, arranged flowers and ran out the door with One Philly Son and our two dogs. Thank god for my sister-in-law who let's us crash at her house for an hour with our dogs.
We returned home at 12:30 to realize NO ONE showed up. Argh!
One Philly Daddy returned to work, One Philly Son took a nap and I pulled a few things out to return to living. Toys out, pretty flowers away.
Fast forward to 5:30, One Philly Family is gathered in the kitchen about to eat our dinner, like literally, food on fork, headed to mouth. Phone rings. An agent is in town and wants to see the house. Now.
As calmly as I can, I ask for 10 minutes. We re-hide high chairs and toys, leash up the dogs, throw One Philly Son in a stroller, hide our dinner in the oven, put out our sell sheets and run out the door.
One Philly Son wants to be held during these stressful high energy moments, and we have a dog who likes to escape so it can be hectic. But we went for our walk and an hour later we were all back in the house smiling, laughing and finally eating.
One Philly Daddy and I have different responses to these situations: I get uber-focused and a bit manic in my single mindedness. One Philly Daddy says "what should I do next?" and "this is awesome"! Both are certainly valid reactions, but we're certainly not on the same page for about 20 minutes. The good news is that we usually are at about minute 22, when my "get-it-done, get-it-done" adrenaline wears off and his "yay-yay-yay-yay" dials back a notch. Then, the fun starts!
Do you think they like the house? Will they put in an offer? When? For how much? They'll love the house, right, WE loved the house! Remember when we saw this house and we wanted it so bad, and we were so nervous? Remember how we knew right away we loved the house? Gosh, isn't our new house great too, can you not wait to get in there?!? So cool!
In short, our story takes over. We re-read the chapters we've already finished, reveling in the plot twists now that we've been to the last page. We share our joys, fears and hopes. We slide to the edge of our seats, staring unblinking into the future to see what it will bring, feeling eager and excited.
Now, this, this is exciting.
sky's the limit
"And you? When will you begin that long journey into yourself?" - Rumi
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Nothing is forever...
So we're initiating a lot of changes in our world right now: One Philly Son has started nursery school, moving to a new bedroom and moving out of the crib and into a big boy bed. In the even bigger picture we're expecting our daughter in January and are moving in December. The home we live in now is currently listed for sale.
We've had a crazy pace the past month, starting with reconsidering the dream home we chose not to go for while in the midst of Hurricane Irene to having our offer accepted, listing and showing our home. The pace has been fast and steady.
But given the stresses we're under, I am proud of the "little" things we've managed to focus on and accomplish in the midst of that storm: One Philly Son knows all letters but Q (how often is that used anyway?), can count to 10, is loving nursery school (he's the only boy in his class!) and is successfully transitioning to his role as a "big kid". We couldn't be prouder.
We've also thrown in the random midwife appointment, 2 ultrasounds (stubborn girl wasn't cooperative the first time, and the professionals felt it was worth another look), a host of family and social events.
I feel like One Philly Daughter is getting lost in the shuffle a bit, but since the end of the first trimester, she's made it pretty easy on me. Our dogs are responding to the stress by leaving "gifts" so I'm also attempting a daily walk for them.
Sigh. I just made myself tired!
But I am proud that we've only had a few meltdowns, mostly brief and contained. Everything that needs to get done is getting done, occasionally even with some flair and grace.
Every task we successfully complete, every milestone we reach even in the midst of all this proves to me that we're on the right path.
We've had a crazy pace the past month, starting with reconsidering the dream home we chose not to go for while in the midst of Hurricane Irene to having our offer accepted, listing and showing our home. The pace has been fast and steady.
But given the stresses we're under, I am proud of the "little" things we've managed to focus on and accomplish in the midst of that storm: One Philly Son knows all letters but Q (how often is that used anyway?), can count to 10, is loving nursery school (he's the only boy in his class!) and is successfully transitioning to his role as a "big kid". We couldn't be prouder.
We've also thrown in the random midwife appointment, 2 ultrasounds (stubborn girl wasn't cooperative the first time, and the professionals felt it was worth another look), a host of family and social events.
I feel like One Philly Daughter is getting lost in the shuffle a bit, but since the end of the first trimester, she's made it pretty easy on me. Our dogs are responding to the stress by leaving "gifts" so I'm also attempting a daily walk for them.
Sigh. I just made myself tired!
But I am proud that we've only had a few meltdowns, mostly brief and contained. Everything that needs to get done is getting done, occasionally even with some flair and grace.
Every task we successfully complete, every milestone we reach even in the midst of all this proves to me that we're on the right path.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
I am again faced with the question of how MY choices will affect One Philly Son, and how I hope I'm doing right by him.
Oh, yeah, not to mention there's soon going to be a New Philly Daughter who will have her own sets of needs, wants, and desires to be considered.
But, back to the case in point: in the next 5 months One Philly Son will experience some massive changes in his world. Starting nursery school, new baby, new room. And, just for kicks, we've decided to throw "new home" into the mix as well. So he's currently experiencing a fair amount of home turmoil as we prepare to show and sell our house.
Buying a house now was not the plan. But, as I've learned, even the best plans need to be flexible when circumstances warrant it. And the opportunity we have right now is worth the turmoil of uprooting our family in the midst of my pregnancy. (Even though a short time ago my opinion was different http://onephillymommy.blogspot.com/2011/07/if-youve-been-to-my-house-since-may-you.html?m=1 )
In addition to trying to manage the paperwork and deadlines of purchasing and selling a home, packing and staging our home and praying for a swift sell, I am really focused on One Philly Son. I've read the best way to prepare a toddler for a new sibling is to understand feelings of jealousy or resentment, to explain as best you can, to keep stable the things you can, and to give some undivided attention each day. I'm hoping the same techniques will apply to the other changes we're initiating.
Even though my head may be full with details and plans for packing, selling, moving, and baby preparing I want to spend some time each day reading or playing with One Philly Son. Not mindlessly "uh-huh"-ing him, checking it off my list, but REALLY focusing on him.
If anything, I consider this a gift, not a burden. For one thing, it reminds me of what is important and "why" we're doing all this in the first place: we believe all this is in the collective best interest of our family in the long run. But more than that, being a mother has forced me to take a hard look at getting overwhelmed, scared, stressed, aiming for unattainable perfection and being full of doubt. These things never really served me, but now that I can see the ramifications reflected on a 2 year old face I see how truly detrimental they can be.
If I hope for One Philly Son to be resilient, calm, trusting of his abilities and willing to live life, I need to exhibit these skills myself. The words and actions I choose need to support and strengthen my family rather than fill them with worry and dread.
Indeed, being pregnant makes the ramifications of that stress more important too. My ability to cope and roll with the punches has immediate and physical impacts on my daughter.
All these changes are really forcing a hard look at some baggage, and I'm making smart decisions about what to take and what to leave. In the boxes and my head.
Oh, yeah, not to mention there's soon going to be a New Philly Daughter who will have her own sets of needs, wants, and desires to be considered.
But, back to the case in point: in the next 5 months One Philly Son will experience some massive changes in his world. Starting nursery school, new baby, new room. And, just for kicks, we've decided to throw "new home" into the mix as well. So he's currently experiencing a fair amount of home turmoil as we prepare to show and sell our house.
Buying a house now was not the plan. But, as I've learned, even the best plans need to be flexible when circumstances warrant it. And the opportunity we have right now is worth the turmoil of uprooting our family in the midst of my pregnancy. (Even though a short time ago my opinion was different http://onephillymommy.blogspot.com/2011/07/if-youve-been-to-my-house-since-may-you.html?m=1 )
In addition to trying to manage the paperwork and deadlines of purchasing and selling a home, packing and staging our home and praying for a swift sell, I am really focused on One Philly Son. I've read the best way to prepare a toddler for a new sibling is to understand feelings of jealousy or resentment, to explain as best you can, to keep stable the things you can, and to give some undivided attention each day. I'm hoping the same techniques will apply to the other changes we're initiating.
Even though my head may be full with details and plans for packing, selling, moving, and baby preparing I want to spend some time each day reading or playing with One Philly Son. Not mindlessly "uh-huh"-ing him, checking it off my list, but REALLY focusing on him.
If anything, I consider this a gift, not a burden. For one thing, it reminds me of what is important and "why" we're doing all this in the first place: we believe all this is in the collective best interest of our family in the long run. But more than that, being a mother has forced me to take a hard look at getting overwhelmed, scared, stressed, aiming for unattainable perfection and being full of doubt. These things never really served me, but now that I can see the ramifications reflected on a 2 year old face I see how truly detrimental they can be.
If I hope for One Philly Son to be resilient, calm, trusting of his abilities and willing to live life, I need to exhibit these skills myself. The words and actions I choose need to support and strengthen my family rather than fill them with worry and dread.
Indeed, being pregnant makes the ramifications of that stress more important too. My ability to cope and roll with the punches has immediate and physical impacts on my daughter.
All these changes are really forcing a hard look at some baggage, and I'm making smart decisions about what to take and what to leave. In the boxes and my head.
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