Virtual tour

Well, we've managed to unpack about half of the boxes, and since we're no longer wading through the wreckage of moving (merely stepping in a pile of it every now and then), I thought I'd share some pics of our new home.

Here's the view from our front door. This is the living room which opens to a little office nook on the left and the bar on the right.




















Here's the office. It's a great space to land when we come in (drop mail, keys, and coats) and it's just big enough to house files and computer equipment.




















Next is the crowning jewel of the house. I think the decision to nix the planned fireplace and put in a bar speaks to how truly compatible Thom and I are. Our personal ads could have read, "Wanted: Soul mate who loves beer."




















Just beyond the bar is the dining room area, which looks into the kitchen. It's been great to have a space for our dinner table that doesn't make us feel like giants eating in a hobbit hole.

























Then comes one of my favorite rooms: the kitchen. I love the choices we made in here - cabinets, countertops, floors, and backsplash. Once we install a pantry in the corner, we'll have enough space for everything, but right now the cabinets are a bit overflowing.




















The stone and glass mosaic backsplash, which was the first thing I picked in designing the finishes.




















Next is a view of the hallway from our front door. On the right are doors to River's room and the second bathroom. I'm not thrilled with the color choice here. It came out more baby blue and less dusty than I imagined.

























River's room. In time, we'll move him downstairs and hope to turn this into a nursery. (I just realized how horrible that sounds. Images of Sloth shakled in his dark hole come to mind. Move over River! There's a new baby in town! Actually, the room downstairs is much more spacious and will be a nice change once he's ready for his big boy bed.)




















The second bath. The color is actually more rust in person. You can see the cats have already taken over this space.




























Here's our master bedroom. It's tighter than our last one, but the huge communal areas totally make up for lost bedroom space.




















The master bath. Two sinks and a jacuzzi tub. I love the tile, but the paint and decor need some work.




























So there's the first floor! The basement is still too cluttered for me to photograph. When we get some more unpacking done down there, I'll continue the tour.

click your heels three times...

Our friends, The J's, have been so nice to let us spend this past week in their home. Thankfully, we won't have to impose upon their generosity too much longer as, the new house will be ours on FRIDAY!

I can't believe there's an actual, real-live, closing date for us to look forward to. We've been chasing after the Unicorn and Gryphon of fantasy close dates for so long, I can't believe we have an actual Liger in hand. (Did that metaphor go too far? It's late and I'm tired.)

I'm 90% thrilled to finally have a home and 10% terrified to have to unpack. Not too bad.

River News: Month Sixteen

Dear River,

These past two months have been a little crazy for us. We spent all of July traveling or hosting company, and all of August getting ready to move. I started writing this post weeks ago, but the pile of boxes and endless errands have kept me from my computer. Still, I really want to let you know about your 16th month (so much happened!), so I am plowing ahead and finishing this TODAY.



















If all goes as planned, five days from now we will have a new home. We will be sharing pancakes in a new kitchen, snuggling together under a new roof, playing trains on a new floor, and doing it all while wading through a sea of boxes. It's this last part that gives me cold sweats in the middle of the night. I imagine the unsorted, untamed, uncontained jungle that will be our new home, and I want to crawl under something warm and well-organized (a pile of alphabetized kitties? a flaming card catalogue?).

























I should probably be much more worried about what the move will do to you. But however much I know this will be a huge transition for you, I'm not too concerned about your ability to adjust to a new space. This past month has shown just how adaptable you can be.



















We have spent every weekend of July on the road, and while it wasn't easy per se, you were just such an amazing trooper. From wedding in New Jersey to condo in Vermont to ski resort in the Berkshires to family reunion in Nebraska you (mostly) went with the flow and enjoyed yourself in the moment.



















I think our first journey was the hardest on you. The trip to New Jersey for your auntie Ama's wedding was a nightmare. It was the longest drive we'd attempted with you and it was way worse than we had prepared ourselves for. You slept only 30 minutes of the 6 hour trip and needed almost constant entertainment (and lots of breaks to stretch your legs). The next day, at the beautiful outdoor wedding on The Farm in Ringoes, you got overheated and spent most of the event crying in Mommy or Daddy's arms. We put you in the pool (thank goodness for casual affairs!), we found a basement to sit in and nurse, we let you run around nearly naked (you insisted on keeping your shoes on), but nothing could turn that sour mood once you had it.



















Still, in the face of difficult circumstances, we celebrated the union of friends, shared time with loved ones, and spent a beautiful evening under big stars and bigger fireworks (only one of them flew into the crowd--no casualties, and they finished the show!).



















Your auntie Jenn flew out from California for the wedding and spent the rest of the week with us in Cambridge. You held it pretty close and didn't warm up to her much. She insists you're missing out on a great opportunity to be spoiled and fawned over, and I have to agree. It may take a while, but I think the day will come when you appreciate having a cool auntie who will get you hopped up on pixie sticks and take you to the arcade. Take advantage, my boy, because with mommy you're much more likely to get a wheat germ high and and a trip to the library.



















After Auntie Jenn went home, you and I drove to Killington, Vermont to spend some time with Oma and Opa at their vacation condo. It was a much better drive this time around, and we had all kinds of fun adventures in the countryside. Your favorite, by far, was taking a ride on the gondola at Killington Peak. You didn't care about the hike to the top of the mountain afterword or the amazing view of five states from the peak, you only wanted to watch the gondolas swing up, around, and down. Once we were back at the foot of the mountain, you sat there next to Oma with rapped attention while the gondolas did their lazy turns, until, finally, they closed the machine down. I'm trying to figure out some way to get you your own personal gondola--not only because it's so much fun to say, but because I think you might explode from pure joy.



















The next weekend your dad joined us on a trip to the Berkshires where Oma and Opa had another vacation spot reserved at a ski resort near Lanesboro, Massachusetts. This trip was marked by brushes with fame. On the drive out, we went to the Eric Carle Museum (author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar) and learned that the man himself would be there for a signing the following day. Librarian and superb grandma that she is, Oma Julie woke before six the next day to make the 1 1/2 hour drive back to the museum and stand in line with throngs of fans to get books signed for you and Finn.



















The following night we drove to Tanglewood to hear John Williams conduct the Boston Pops in a night of movie music. Williams has scored countless films (including Indian Jones and all but one of Steven Spielberg's movies). The evening started with a torrential downpour and a picnic in the car, but by the time the musicians were tuning their strings, the skies had cleared and we'd found ourselves a nice spot on the grass. We were all surprised when Kate Capshaw came out to sing after the intermission. But when she was followed on stage by Steven Spielberg, who MCed the rest of the evening, we were all pinching ourselves (well, the grown-ups were; you were asleep). It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and though you were pretty unimpressed at the time, years from now I know we'll tell stories about the time you slept through a live appearance by Steven Spielberg.

























I know all the travel wasn't easy on you--you were fussier and clingier than I have seen you in a long time--but it also provided some really amazing opportunities for you. You were so lucky to spend time with your grandparents, to see mountains and farms, museums and playgrounds, adorable towns and historical ones. You jumped and ran and climbed; you ate amazing food and touched sweet animals and played with new toys; you laughed and cried and snuggled and hugged.

























In years to come, you may not remember any of these experiences, but I hope you will read this and know that you have had a truly blessed childhood from the start. You are surrounded by so much love, and that at least, will never change.

























To the moon and back,
Mommy

on hold

As these things go, the new house isn't done yet (we're literally waiting for the paint to dry), and our closing has been delayed by at least a week. If all goes well (permits come in, inspectors get there in a timely manner), we'll be calling the new house "home" by Friday.

Until then, we're staying at a hotel and trying to keep some modicum of a normal life. River is handling the change well (though he seems to have decided he doesn't want to eat past 4pm anymore). He's sleeping through the night, enjoying the time he's had with mommy and daddy this weekend, and generally seems like his normal, happy self.

After working for months to design the finishes and fixtures of the new house, getting the old house ready for sale, packing up our possessions, and moving to a temporary home, I am just tired.

I wish I could sleep and sleep; hibernation sounds unbelievable right now.

I hope I can find some energy to get back into a more regular writing routine, but I really need to just focus on staying healthy and sane right now. We'll see how it goes.

saying goodbye

Tonight is the last night I will sleep in this house.

I have nurtured friendships under this roof, built a marriage, created a family, and raised a son. I have decorated every room of this home, sewn curtains, hung pictures, built shelves, and created spaces fantastical and comforting. My hand has touch every nook and cranny of this space. I have cooked countless meals in this kitchen. I have been happier than I have ever known, more taxed and challenged, and more blessed than I could have ever wished under this roof. I have seen my child grow from sesame seed to toddler within these walls. I have given birth in this home.

I don't think I realized how much I would miss it.

Thank you for the shelter you have given, the love you have fostered, and the memories you have helped create.

good times

We've been crazy busy the past few days. Between a mad dash to get our current condo ready to go on the market, searching for the best flooring, appliance, and soundproofing options for the new house, and some insane yard work (long story, perhaps you'll hear it later) we have had very little time to devote solely to Mr. Riverman. The poor guy has been carted here and there, sent on playdates with the neighbors, brought along for endless errands, pushed from activity to activity with little time to switch gears--AND YET, he has been an absolute prince about it all.

I have to say I'm loving this current toddler phase. I know that it's very likely, in fact it is a veritable certainty, that we have not seen the worst. Still, right now River's attitude is not only okay, it's fantastic.

Rather than get into a laundry list of all the great things he's doing lately, let me give you an example from yesterday: River had already spent the morning at the sitter's, endured a very long car ride, and sat through an hour and a half of mom and dad examining appliances. Normally this would be a recipe for disaster and we would try to get home as quickly as possible.

But it was getting late, none of us had eaten dinner, and faced with yet another change of venue or the twenty minute ride home, we chose to eat out. A few minutes later we found ourselves at the Cheesecake Factory and were told it would be a half an hour wait for a table. Hungry and tired, I was sure more waiting would push River over the edge. Rather than stand in the entry with all the other bored parents and kids we decided go out to the courtyard to let him wander around and get some fresh air.

Blasting through the patio sound system was a Counting Crows album, and just as I was thinking how cheesy and loud the music was, River started waving his arms. Shake shake! Shake shake! Turn and smile. Shake shake! He was dancing!

He heard the music, wanted to move, and found a great way to entertain himself (and all the folks eating outside). And only moments before, I feared we would have to pack it up and move on before he had a meltdown.

Dinner wasn't the easiest--he needed lots of time in mom or dad's lap, he picked at his food, he wanted to wander around--but still we had no tantrums, no food throwing, and no embarrassing scenes. In fact he charmed everyone who came within three feet of our table. He flirted with the waitress, waving and smiling, stopping just short of asking for her digits.

These little changes have made all the difference. I love his newfound independence, his patience, his growing inventiveness. I love that he is happy and we are happy... even when we're crazy busy.

spring is here!

I've been spending quite a bit of time working on the house the last couple weeks (cleaning the garage, re-caulking bathrooms, doing touch-up paint, and de-cluttering) in anticipation of putting it on the market this summer. We've decided to find a new place, one big enough to accommodate a growing family, so I'm working working working like a busy bee to have our home ship shape and ready to show. (No, I'm not currently pregnant, but there may be news of that in the coming months...)

When I haven't been hauling boxes to storage or running to the hardware store, I've been taking advantage of the beautiful weather and making daily trips to the park with River. It's been so nice to be able to get him out of the house, let him toddle around playgrounds, and join other kiddies on swings and slides.

I remember last spring when he was still a little blobby thing and the outdoors were pretty much lost on him, so these past weeks have been wonderful! Here he is in action: