Currently Obsessed With
Housing in New Jersey. I'm realizing that if my husband does an extra year in a sub-specialty of his fellowship, we're going to need to move to Jersey if I ever want to actually see him. The extra year will mean consistently long work hours for him. But since it would only be one year, that means we'd need to move again afterward, so buying is out of the question.
And finding rental homes in New Jersey is scary. Particularly in the Pine Barrens.
Labels: Living, moving
Ta-Da!
We made significant unpacking progress over the weekend. We just dedicated hours upon hours to only that task. The baby's room is now clear of all un-baby related items and, while there's still a lot to do, you can actually see the floor of most of the rest of the apartment. Which is a huge improvement.
We're also apparently competing with
my friends about who can have more Ikea furniture. We got a
Billy bookcase in black-brown with the attached doors, to use for extra kitchen storage. Ron's job is to put that together tonight and then hopefully all the extra kitchen appliances and dishtowels will have a home. Later this week, I told Ron we're getting
this table. He's not thrilled about it, but I'd really like a regular table for guests to be able to sit at. We've already got some funky red chairs that we'll pair with it until we figure out what chairs we really want. I really wanted a table that's expandable, which sadly, the table that matches
our sideboard is not. So not only is all our furniture from Ikea, but it's also a hogposh of styles.
Excellent.
Labels: moving, style
Update
I'm still here.
I'm taking some time off from work in the next few days to try to make some unpacking progress. Boxes are everywhere and I still can't get a handle on where to put everything.
We decided to get this
baby furniture set in the cherry color. Actually, we're just getting the crib and dresser for now, until I can figure out how much extra space we'll have in the room.
I have swollen up like a balloon. I've gained 33 pounds, but I'm trying to attribute some of that to fluid and not to my nightly ice cream ritual. At first my ankles were gone. But now my hands, arms, legs and sometimes face decide to take part in the fluid retention party. It's pretty. My pressure is fine, so it's nothing to be alarmed by, but it takes a bit of a toll. This is why people avoid having babies in August. Apparently, I didn't get that memo.
Also, I'm not working out anymore, because not only did my gym membership expire, but even if I had a gym accessible, I have zero time to dedicate to working out. With 3 weeks left to go, my priority is to organization.
At least today I'm feeling pretty positive. Yesterday I was convinced the world was coming to an end. Well, not really, but I was convinced that I was going to go into labor and have the baby sleeping in a U-Haul box. Today, however, I have more energy and will make some progress tonight. And then I plan on sleeping late tomorrow and dedicating the rest of the day to unpacking.
And then I'll reward myself with a dinner of guacamole and chips.
Labels: moving, preggo
Moved!
So, everything is out of the old place and into the new and boy, do we own a LOT of stuff/ I have no idea where it's all going. I only know that I need to buy more stuff to put the smaller stuff in. I miss the storage in my old place already.
On Friday and early Saturday, I felt pretty sad about leaving the old place and the old neighborhood. But by the end of day Saturday, I was feeling a lot better about it. The new place is nice, a lot more modern than my old place--totally different style. I've been doing laundry like crazy, because the wonder of having my own washer/dryer is intoxicating. My life is exciting, no? Then on Sunday, Ron and I grabbed a quick breakfast at Cosi and lo and behold, who should walk by but my friend Michelle? It was a nice reminder that there are perks to the new neighborhood. Namely, being closer to my peeps.
Of course, just in time for the move, annoying pregnancy symptoms slammed into high gear. I swear it wasn't intentional, but I was just about completely useless during the weekend. I didn't move a thing, but the simple task of standing for most of the day and unpacking totally wiped me out. At least now, our furniture is laid out so I can sit when I'm home. Tonight will be a little unpacking, a lot of purging and hopefully, alot of sitting down. Tomorrow is another doctor's appointment.
For some reason Blogger won't let me title this post. Weird.
Labels: moving, preggo
The New Place
It's smaller than I remembered. And will be difficult to baby-proof. And involves a lot of stairs.
Other than that, it's smashing.
Labels: moving
Taking Vaca
Okay, so I'm obviously not taking a vacation for reals, but I'm most likely taking a short blogging vacation. Work is nuts, and I'll be without internet access for a few days at home while we move. Also, I'll be busy losing my mind.
The packing has progressed considerably, although I have a feeling we still have lots to pack despite it looking like a majority of everything is in boxes. I'm picking up the keys to the new place later today and Ron and I are going to move some clothes in tonight. Tomorrow, his brother-in-law is coming to help Ron move some of our breakables (i.e.
my beloved china) and then the movers will be here on Saturday for everything else. My mother-in-law is insisting on going to the new apartment tomorrow to clean as well.
I went to see my doctor on Tuesday and after having her entire hand up my hoo-ha, I learned that the baby is head down and
right there, as they say. I'm also a whopping one centimeter dialated and starting to efface. Too much info? Oh well.
Now all that doesn't really mean anything. I could walk around every day of my life being one centimeter dialated. But for some reason I feel like I've accomplished something. Like one down, only nine more to go! Of course, I'd like those other nine to happen in late July and not next week. Hell, those other nine centimeters could wait until sometime next year for all I care. Babies are hard work, and I enjoy sleeping.
What Tuesday did, however, was make this baby thing a reality. Like it really, really hit me. One, because of that doctor's visit. Two, a woman's water broke at a wedding we were at. And I mean it broke like all over the freaking place. She was completely freaked out and started hyperventilating. It was only 3 weeks before her due date, but still, it caught her off guard. But it gave me something new to worry about, because I hadn't really thought about the possibility of my water breaking in a gushing fashion while out in public. You see that sort of thing on TV shows, but most people don't seem to experience it quite that way in real life.
Oy.
Anyway, I will miss you all for the next few days and hope you will miss me. As soon as we're settled, I hope to be back to my regular posting.
Labels: moving, preggo
The Packing? It's Not Going So Well
When I got home from work Friday night, I suddenly didn't feel so well, and stayed on my couch until Ron got home from work...at about 9:30pm. So not so much with the packing.
Then Saturday, supposedly our big packing day, we got sucked into shopping all day. Ron was on the hunt for new shoes. Oh, and also? A new crib. His mother and sisters generously purchased our crib, the one we registered for, mind you, but now my diva husband has decided that he doesn't like it. So we wound up running around all day and didn't get any packing done.
Ron was on call yesterday, so yours truly spent the day packing. It certainly took all day, but somehow it seems that I didn't make much progress.
Oh a brighter note, I did laundry yesterday and I think that will be the last time I ever need to go to the laundromat. As of Thursday I am the proud owner (well, renter really) of a washer and dryer. Praise be Jesus.
Labels: moving
The Insanity Begins
So, I started packing last night. That's big fun. Now I get to spend the next three weeks tripping over boxes in my apartment.
One of the benefits of marrying into a large family: I called a moving company yesterday and had a nice conversation with the owner. I decided to tentatively reserve the date with him, saying that I needed to double check with my husband. Let's just pretend our last name is Smith. The following conversation ensues, as the the owner of the moving company takes my information:
Moving dude: Smith? I know some Smithes.
Me: Oh yeah, there's a lot of them out there, but we're probably not the ones you know.
Moving dude: Well, my last name is Canter...
Me: Wait a minute, are you related to Lou Canter?
Moving dude: That's my grandfather and my grandmother is Josephine.
Me: Get out of town! Josephine was at my bridal shower last year. Do you know Felix Smith?
Moving dude: Yeah I know Felix!
Me: Well, I'm married to his son, Ronnie.
Moving dude: No way! Oh, we'll do the move for you for a 20% discount!
See, with my own family, that would never happen, because there are like 5 of us and half aren't speaking to the other half. But with Ron's side, everyone's family. Ron's likely never even met this moving dude. But you know, family gets discounts!
Labels: moving
The Places in My Neighborhood
In a lot of ways, I'm really excited to move to our new place. New layout, new start. One of the things I'm not so excited about is the new neighborhood. Oh, the block we're moving to is nice enough. Actually, there's a hospital across the street, which I guess is a little strange, but it looks like a mansion and the grounds are gorgeous.
The thing is, I really like my current neighborhood. I'm moving from Rittenhouse Square to Washington Square and Rittenhouse wins best neighborhood in my book hands down. I love being so close to the park in Rittenhouse Square. I'll be reasonably close to another park in my neighborhood, which is nice enough but it's not the same as Rittenhouse. Going to the park in Rittenhouse is like an event. There are usually tons of people; some picnicking, some painting, some doing yoga. In the summer, there are so many sunbathers there, you would think you were at the beach. Washington Square just isn't the same. It seems so much smaller to me, although it's really not much smaller. There aren't as many people usually. And since Rittenhouse is surrounded by shops and restaurants, and Washington Square is surrounded by historic landmarks, the vibe is just decidedly less social there. At least in my experience. I don't go to parks to make friends. But I do go for the vibe.
You can't swing a dead cat without hitting a little byob restaurant in Rittenhouse. Plus it's so close to
the trail along the Schuykill River. Now Washington Square does have some restaurants, but not really as many or as much variety--you kind of need to go to Old City for that. I'm not sure why, but I've never been much for Old City. And Washington Square isn't far from the Delaware River, but the Delaware River waterfront, in my opinion, is one of the city's crowning disappointments.
I'll miss being so close to
Chaucer's, which is one of our favorite places to chill out and get a beer. I'll really, really miss
my gym. It's certainly not the largest nor does it have the best equipment or amenties. But the people are nice and keep to themselves. It's not a meat market and it's not intimidating. In the new neighborhood, my choices are the
12th Street Gym or the
Philadelphia Sports Club. Both are nicer, with better equipment than my current gym, but neither have me itching to join.
I'll also miss being so close to my church, which right now is just around the block from me (incidentally, so is my gym). I'll still attend my current church though, even once we move, because I just love it and I really don't like St. John's, which is closer not where we'll be living. There's also Old St. Joseph's, which won't be too far from us, but I've never been there. I'll probably check it out, but I'm sure I'll remain a parishioner of St. Patrick's. There's a fruit market, Maxx's Produce, across the street from St. Patrick's and one of my favorite rituals is picking up some fresh fruit (I swear they have the best fruit salads) on my way home from Mass.
Although there some many things that drive me insane about our current apartment (like the carpeted bathroom), there are some things I'll miss. Like the crown molding. And the staircase, which is beautiful, even though the owner isn't properly taking care of the wood. And the tall, narrow windows on either side of our bedroom. On cool nights, with the windows open, you get a wonderful breeze, plus a view of the trees and moon. It's like floating in heaven.
Although I am willing to part with our apartment, I do have pangs of regret about leaving our neighborhood. We've been here for 4 years and it feels like home. Even though we're not super-friendly people, it has been nice getting to know the pastor of our church, the lady who runs the produce store, the morning workers at the gym, the bartender at Chaucer's. It's cozy, comfortable, and all neighborhood-y. The new neighborhood will have some advantages too, I'm sure.
And sometimes I wonder if I feel so nostaglic about my current place because it's where I lived before I was married, and then as a newlywed. It's where I've spent the last years of my carefree life. I love that some of my biggest concerns are getting to my gym in the morning and what little restaurant Ron and I might try next. In the new neighborhood, our lives will be drastically different, not just because everything we love is no longer right around the corner, but because our impending little bundle of joy will turn that carefree life we have upside down.
Labels: moving
