Homeless

The Darnells have taken us in.  

We had hoped our house would be ready at the end of June, but it would take an act of God.  This past week it rained a ton which delayed the exterior work that had been planned.  We did not pass the electrical inspection, so the electricians have been out a ton, the brickers put in pedestals and some more of the trim (exterior doors) have been completed.  We still have a ways to go and your parents are stressed.  You on the other hand have been fantastic.  You seem un-phased by this enormous transition.

It’s been really great living with the Darnells.  Griffin (their 18 month old) recently transitioned to his big boy room in lieu of his baby brother / sister to be born in September, so you have your very own room.  You sleep in a crib.  You have a permanent changing table and rocking chair.  Great training for your nursery in the new house.  When we wake you up in the mornings, you are SO smiley and happy.  We joke it’s because you know we are busting you out of jail (crib / swaddle).  You still stretch a lot but the routines aren’t as lengthy.  Your dad and I sleep downstairs in the guest room.  Kristin is a stay at home mom, so we have been able to hang out during the day.  She has introduced me to Mommyfit – a group of moms that get together and work out with strollers / kiddos in the park or the mall if it rains.  Many of these moms live right in our neighborhood.  Since it was raining last Monday, we took you and Griffin to Baby Bounce where there were 50-75 moms and kids singing, waving colorful scarves and egg shakers.  You were so intrigued.  It was like nothing you have ever seen before!

Kristin and I take turns making dinner.  It was great watching her with Griffin and seeing a glimpse of what you will be like.  Griffin loves you.  He tried to pat you even though he pats sometimes can be little swats.  He says “baby” every time he sees your swing or sees me coming down the stairs.  When you are sleeping, he says “shhh” and tip toes around.  Brodie (the Darnell’s dog) does drive by licks – you don’t even care that he is 10 times as big as you.  You love to blow spit bubbles.  Sometimes you fall asleep mid bubble.  Sometimes there is milk in your bubbles.  You must store milk in your cheeks you little chipmunk you.      

Because your head has a flat spot on the middle right side of your head, we spend a lot of the days in “sleep training” where I prop you up against something so that you are laying on the left side of your head.  You HATE this and cry.  You also really hate tummy time.  You can get your head up but then you don’t know what to do. 

Your dad had his first father’s day the first Sunday we were at the Darnells.  We met Nonnie, Grandad, Brian and Thip, Alex, Mimi and Papa and Jeff, Kristin and Griffin on the new pedestrian bridge (Continental) for a gospel brunch.  It was four course meal and the food was really good but it was HOT!  We didn’t last long for the gospel part.  Afterwards, we toured your dad’s new site in Oak Cliff (Alexan Trinity).  The property just opened and it’s already getting a ton of renters.  I can see why.  It’s a beautiful property with rooftop views of downtown.  I’m so proud of your dad.  Their properties are gorgeous.

You met your new buddy Alexander Byrd Christian the third last Friday night.  He is 4 weeks younger than you.  We met the Christians and the Darnells for dinner at Cane Russo.  Afterwards, we had a family date at Times Ten Tavern.

Our anniversary was this past Tuesday.  You have slept through really loud concerts, so we decided we would take you with us and go to Shinsei (this fancy Japanese restaurant).  I’m not sure why but you HATED Shinsei.  As soon as the hostess sat us, you started screaming.  Haha!  I guess you don’t like Japanese.  So, we went to Snuffers.  You fell right to sleep.

On Wednesday, your dad’s company sold their Las Colinas project.  It was the first sell from the “new” company that your dad has been a part of for the last few years so the sale was a really big deal.  Your dad works a ton of hours and put so much time and energy into this deal.  I am so proud of your dad and all of his accomplishments.

Kristin and Griffin left to go to Michigan for a month this past Wednesday and Jeff left for a week on Friday, so your dad and I are house sitting / dog sitting.  The very day that Jeff left, I locked myself out of the house with you inside!  Luckily I had my phone with me.  It was the best possible scenario even though it scared the bejesus out of me.  Once it happened, I called a locksmith while Jeff called their old neighbor who had a key.  Dallas traffic is really bad, so I figured that two options were better than one in getting to you.  The neighbor showed up at the same time as the locksmith which was also the same time that this man sat in the yard next door with a very large, old German Shepard.  The locksmith said he got his first ticket hurrying to get to me.  I was able to get in and of course you slept right through it!  

Continental Bridge

Mimi and Dad

your parents

This was your first gospel brunch

The Darnells

Uncle Alex, Grandad, Nonnie, Uncle Brian, Aunt Thip, mom and dad (you were sleeping in the stroller)

you and Brodie were fast friends

Sleepy baby

Sweet baby dreams

Love your longhorn

 

Love your stretching

 Eskimo kiss

 You can ALMOST sit in the bumbo

Goodbye Richmond Home

We had your two month check up this week and you are a rock star!  You are weighing in at a hefty 14 pounds (90 percentile) and you are 23 ¾ inches (95 percentile).  During this appointment, you got the first series of most of your shots.  You took the oral medication down like it was formula.  The nurse laughed because she said most babies HATE this medication but you didn’t seem to care.  I told her it was because I thought you thought it was food.  LOL!  You love your food.  The next series of shots was given in both legs.  You SCREAMED.  Mom cried.  It was heartbreaking.  But like the little champ you are, you stopped crying within a couple of minutes.  You never ran a temperature.  You were never grumpy.  You just rolled with it.  You are such an easy going baby.

Besides this appointment, we spent the majority of the week packing.  And packing.  And packing some more.  When we weren’t packing, we did make sure to get some walks in for you.  You love your walks.  I think you will be an outdoorsman when you get a little bigger. 

Since our house is still not done, we had to move everything into the new garage and a few boxes went to Mimi and Papa’s.  Your dad and Papa spent a ton of time moving boxes into the garage and getting the house ready by painting and fixed many of the cracks in the walls.  Friday, Gigi came to get Missy and we were able to walk to the house.  On Saturday morning, the movers took care of all of the furniture and remaining boxes.  You and I watched the truck drive out of sight on the porch swing.  It was a surreal feeling. 

The driveway isn’t poured yet so your dad had taken out part of the fence in hopes that the moving truck could unload from the alleyway.  Since it had rained earlier in the week, the truck started to sink whenever it was in the alley.  So the movers carted everything in – 150 feet – by dolly.  Our little 2 street move cost $1600!  Uncle Son and 3 of his friends moved into our old house and by the end of the evening, it was as if we had never been there.  Our memories are now all that remain.  There is still progress at the new house but still a ways to go so we moved in with our sweet friends, the Darnells. 

You are starting to coo more (saying ma and gee sounds) and smile a ton!  You don’t like your longhorn pacifier as much but it still comforts you to have it around.  You manage to get your feet out of any blanket that we put on you.  You look more and more like your daddy every day.  Your eyes are still blue – there’s still hope for mom!  You are sleeping from 9:30 or 10pm to 6 in the morning.

Eating is serious business.  You love strolling with the homies.  You still think the turtle or any light for that matter are the coolest. 

 I'm two months old!

 

Dylan and Gigi the night before the big move

 I just love my Gigi

Boxes piled high in the guest room

Living Room

 

Dining Room

 Our room

Matt's office

 My bathroom

Back room / Missy's room / Texas room

 The garage has never been this empty

Kitchen

 Your dad = Master Painter

Dining room to the living room

Moving van

Moving van getting stuck

 

All of our lives packed into the garage

 Thanks for the memories Richmond home

Boxing up our lives

We have to move next Saturday and chances are our house will not be ready.  Moving is always bittersweet.  We have loved this home.  This is the house was our first major investment (which was so scary).  We got married while we lived here.  This is your first home.  We have laughed and loved.  We have cried and grown.  We will miss you yellow house.

You have been a great little packing buddy.  You like to sit in your blue chair, blow bubbles and watch me pack.  You continue to smile more and more each day – which makes it unbelievably hard to not stop and talk with you right in the middle of packing up a closet.  We also introduced you to Pandora’s kid channel and you seem to enjoy hearing the music and smile at mommy when I’m being silly and singing to you. 

You have started to mimic my sounds and I swear you “say” hi and I love you in the same tones that I say to you.  You are so smart and just the sweetest baby ever.  You rarely get upset and when you do, something is wrong (you want your diaper changed or you are hungry).  You are clockwork on our schedule and most of the time put yourself to sleep without us having to do anything.  You are turning into a noisy little sleeper!  You grunt and stretch and squeak a lot during your sleep.  It’s not because you are waking up all of the time.  I think you are just an active little guy – even in your sleep.  You still signal when you are hungry by smacking your lips together.  In between bottles, you also give me this signal and let me know that you are the hungriest hippo of them all.  I always tell you that you will always have food to eat no matter what.  Your mom and dad will always make sure all of your needs are met. 

We continue to walk around the neighborhood as much as we can but it’s getting hotter earlier in the day.  We still go to the new house almost every day to check out the progress.

Friday night, Nonnie and Grandad, Aunt Laura, Uncle Son, Uncle Alex, Uncle Brian and Aunt Thip got to watch you while we went to a work event for Dad.  They took you to Blind Butcher for dinner and said you were the perfect baby to watch.  On Saturday, Mimi and Papa watched you as we went to the George Strait farewell concert in Arlington.  George Strait is your mom’s favorite singer.  The concert was a country lover’s dream!  It was over 3 hours long and had a slew of special guests.

It is very hard for mom to leave you but I know it’s good for both of us and it will get easier.

Eating is by far your favorite thing to do.  And your longhorn pacifier is your best bud especially when you sleep.  You love just hanging out in the blue chair.  You are mesmerized by your turtle light machine, any fan, light or vent that you see.  Dude - you love to stretch.

Man.  You love to eat.  You really scold anyone who has the nerve to take away your bottle.   You just hate wardrobe changes.  You don't like anything over your face.  Those pesky hiccups need to take a hike.