Here's the quick update/rundown:
1. Bad news - I think we might be replacing the countertops in our kitchen. We need to do it before we sell this house (maybe 4-5 years down the line), and I certainly do not want to be doing it with a newborn and a toddler, and we don't really want to do it right before we sell - would be nice to enjoy it for awhile - so it looks like now is the time. I'm getting bids and getting overwhelmed with the thought of not having a kitchen or dishwasher for three weeks. We're also considering biting the bullet and getting the rest of the house painted at the same time since we're planning to paint New Baby's nursery soon (indoor - we've painted about half of it ourselves but the other half is still the beige it was when we moved in). If the place is going to be unlivable for a few weeks, maybe we should just go all-out. Again - overwhelmed.
2. Good news - I think we've settled on a name for New Baby! Finally. We're not monograming anything yet but for the first time I'm actually happy with her name. It actually makes her feel more real, which is a pleasant bonus.
3. Bad news - Also overwhelming is the search for a preschool or Mother's Day Out program for this fall. We're doing perfectly fine now, but I know Julia is going to want more stimulation that I'm probably going to be able to provide for her with an infant in the house. So we're looking at options ranging from once-a-week for-a-few-hours care to all-out preschool. I have no idea what's going to be the best option for her so I'm looking at everything, basically. The worst part is how crazy expensive it all is! Holy cow people - you're just watching toddlers... I know that's insulting to all early childhood educators but what on earth are you doing with all that money that could possibly make a difference to a 2-year-old? She's just as happy playing with rocks as with your fancy wooden organic free-range Montessori-approved-and-accredited toys. Just keep her safe and happy for a few hours for me, and don't charge a fortune, k?
4. Good news - Julia's rash has been doing so well that we're back into cloth diapers about half the time. I'm gradually easing us through the transition, watching for signs of reoccurrence but none so far. It's awesome to have a rash-free baby. She's happy, I'm happy, woohoo! She's also twice used her little potty successfully in the last couple days. I'm not crazy and trying to potty train her now, but she always pees when she gets in the tub, and she loves sitting on her potty in the bathroom anyways, so we put her on it before her bath. So far we're at about 50% getting her to go in the potty vs the tub. She knows what's going on so I figure it can't hurt to get her used to the idea.
5. Bad news - I read book one of the Hunger Games this past weekend. I was pretty much obsessed with it for the waking hours between when I started it and finished it. I desperately want to get the next two books but I'm afraid of getting sucked in for another weekend. (S - have you started yours yet? You have to!)
6. Good news - The weather has been relatively nice here lately so we squeezed in another nice park session today before the sun went down. I can't convey how thankful I am that we've had such a mild winter so far. It gets me so depressed anyways, the cold and the indoors and the dark and the longing for lazy, hot, long summer days, that it's been just amazing to be able to get out as much as we have been lately.
So, without further news, here are the pics:
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| Surveying the new playground. |
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| Quickly became obsessed with the gravel. |
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| Concentrating on staring at other children. |
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| Both my kiddos. <3 (You wanted a belly shot? There's a belly shot.) |
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| More socially-inappropriate wistful staring at other children. |
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| Finally - she figured out how to go down a slide without hurting herself! |
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| Yeah we need a close-up on that grin. |
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| And, my favorite photo of the bunch. My view for most of the day - Little J disappearing around a corner. |
