Four years ago we moved cross country, bought a house, had a baby, and potty trained. All within 4 months. We knew it was crazy and laughed about whether it was possible for us to make our lives any harder. Somehow, in spite of that experience, we're doing it again, albeit in a slightly different order. I'm trying to laugh through this time too, but I must admit it's harder this go-round.
#1: Wrinkles
As you know, Isaac was born on February 9. Fortunately, he is a very good baby and a marathon sleeper, for which I am immensely thankful, as it generally allows me to work on all the other chaos in our lives at the moment. The boys have received him well and are very attentive to his needs. David loves to hold him. Daniel complains that Isaac is too heavy to hold, but he likes to look at him, plug the binky in, and occasionally pat his head.
By the way, we're blessing him on Saturday April 16.
#2: Extra Pounds
Nathan has decided he's done dealing with big-boy diapers and has been trying to potty train Daniel for months now. Really what this means is we have lots of M&Ms in the house. Unfortunately I'm not good about following through with Daniel during the day because frankly, I'm not ready to focus on that right now, and I don't think Daniel is really ready, either. But we did enjoy two consecutive days of solid business in the potty last week. And I've enjoyed walking past the M&M bowl.
#3: Hernias
We're moving to California the first week or so of July. We wanted to wait for David to finish school (June 30), but we also want to get to Cali, drop off our stuff, and then drive back to Utah in time for Nathan's sister's wedding on July 15. We've decided to rent an apartment on the other end for a few months while we get to know the community we're interested in, and test out the 80-minute commute before we're locked into it with a mortgage. Incidentally, David announced to me this morning that there are exactly 100 days until we move (which
he decided will be at 4 pm on the last day of school). Which makes me think that maybe I should start filling the stack of boxes sitting in our garage.
#4: Gray Hair
Moving cross country means sell the house. Which, I've decided, is one-hundred times more stressful than buying one, especially with active little boys. And the economy stinks, so we're losing what little equity we have and then some to get out of this house. Our Realtor did not have a particularly aggressive list of things to do to get the house ready (yay!), but it still took me a week and a half to get everything done between kids' demands. As much as I like this house, at this point I just want out so I don't have to worry so much about spills, dings, and messes that come from kids having fun. And that's after only being on the market for 3 days.
We had our first showing yesterday. I wish I could have glowing reports on how that went, or any reports for that matter. We haven't heard a whisper of feedback, and it's making us crazy. Or crazier, I guess, is more a appropriate description.
#5: Migraines
The day before Isaac was born, David started coughing and complained that his throat hurt. Long story short, he's been on three different antibiotics over the past six weeks and he's still coughing. We've been to the pediatrician a couple times and the ENT, all without any conclusive diagnoses. Meanwhile I keep having teachers telling me in carpool that he has a bad cough. Like I hadn't noticed for the past month? And the poor Primary children are besides themselves when he has a coughing fit. I guess he had a particularly bad spell his first Sunday back after Isaac was born. I'm told you couldn't even hear Sharing Time over his cough, and kids were crying "please make him stop!" He got to spend 3rd hour in the foyer with Nathan. I've been told by several moms that their kids came home and prayed for "the boy that coughs." I suspect allergies are the underlying cause of the cough and several other little issues he has. We're going to a pulmonologist (asthma & allergy specialist) this week to see what we can find out.
Almost as stressful as listening to the cough is trying to deal with the insurance company. His allergy test is covered, but I can't nail down a dollar amount in advance that we'll be responsible to pay. I keep getting a run-around. The pulmonologist says they don't have contracted amounts in their computer, and it can vary each time they submit the same code, so call the insurance company. Our insurance is through Blue Cross in Washington. They say the contract price is determined in the State of service, so I need to call the provider (lot of good that did) or the local BCBS office. The NC office says it's processed through the home office, I need to call Washington. You'd think I asked them for
Permit #838.
Meanwhile I'm still having issues with a fractured tooth that got crowned last fall, I'm supposed to go see a periodontist about another tooth but that will probably wait until California, and oh yeah, Isaac gets to see a pediatric urologist. Who needs money, anyway?
And because we needed
a few things to laugh about:
Our baby swing died.
Our washing machine decided it will only do the spin cycle if
Nathan loads it.
Our garbage disposal objected to a few of its parts and literally spit them out at us.
...All in the last three days.
I think I'll go eat some cookie dough.
