Nu Howss!
Alright, settle down folks. I know you've been clamoring! Geez, guys. I'm here, I'm here! :)
Soooo...we bought a house and moved!
Tee hee! Into a fabulous little house that feels like part of a resort. The neighbors have come out to introduce themselves, the Association pool is a quick walk away - on little wooded paths, through a TUNNEL, no less - and because of the multiple dogs in our neighborhood, Ollie is positive that if he asks just one more time, he'll get a new doggie to go with the new house. (Nope).
Thursday, June 27th, we took O to daycare and met our realtor, Brian, for a walk-through. All looked absolutely wonderful - she had even left her dehumidifier and mowed the lawn! We came back home to finish packing, and I drove past a yard sale. I came home with a bar fridge and a deep freezer all for $40! After a quick freak-out over getting some checks from the bank, we closed (OFFICIAL!) and then went and had a martini to celebrate.
We cleaned and started the moving process that day and had the families over for pizza dinner to celebrate! And we've have been unpacking ever since!
Things are going so incredibly well. We didn't even have any disasters during the move process. It was tiring and sweaty and overwhelming, yes, but there weren't any hiccups. Oh, well, there was one hiccup. Doug and I were sitting in the garage going through boxes on Monday night and he found what appeared to be a toy snake in the corner. I somehow got across to him with my shrieks, shivers, cursing and frantic prancy dancing on the garage steps that it was real. One quick tap on the wood above the snake confirmed its alive-ness, and Doug and I both shot out of the garage lickety-spa-LIT. I found a neighbor who was willing to lend me his rake and Doug was able to usher the snake outside. The next day, with Senior's help, the hole in the garage floor was FIXED. (CHILLS.)
Everyone has been so helpful. During the move, Kris and Jess took turns watching Oliver, we've had moving help from Senior, Ross and Chris, Heather has painted O's room, a woman at work gave us a sofa and Nick and Emily brought over cleaning supplies! Thank you, guys!
Ollie is doing remarkably well. I'm really glad that we talked with him this whole month, because it really helped him along, I think. I have to share two good mama stories, just to, you know, show off, but also to remember them in later years when I need an opportunity to pat myself on my ever-stooping back.
With the new house Oliver is adjusting perfectly. Every time we turn onto our road, he gets excited and says, "Get in nu howss?" It helps that everything is new and fun to explore.
He's slept very well each night and loves to play. Maybe the $8.50 kitchen from Once Upon A Child, a built in swing-set in the backyard and finding more toys as we unpack is the way to go!
I think it also helps that his new room (thanks again to Heather!) looks AWESOME.
Ollie's progress marches on, too. Lately, his favorite phrase is "Lookit meeee!" Adorable when he's going down the slide, not adorable when he's running around the other side of the house. "Eh? eh?" is big too and is used when I have just told him not to touch something, and he puts his hand out to try it again and see how far he can get. When I catch him again, he goes, "Ollie funny!" like it was all a joke. Ha ha, Oliver. Hilarious, ya' little weasel.
Newest words are:
Popsicle = pock-a-choh
Ice cream = I deam
Peekaboo = chick-a-boom
Spoon = boon
He's also learning his full name. Upon request, he told us that his name was Ollie Tehk, and Daddy's other name was Duck Tehk. I'm Mama Tehk. He just laughs when I try to correct him.
And when did he start saying sentences? Anyone know? Because all of a sudden I realized that not only was he repeating sentences after us (i.e., "Ollie, can you say 'silly daddy!'" "Silly Daddy!"), now he's stringing words together: "Ollie tell Daddy to sit down." "Sit dow, Daddy!" Last night he put spaghetti sauce on his nose and went, "It's on my nose!"
Apparently, at this age, they start wanting to do everything themselves and start giving some lip. We're getting both of that. He wants to do everything himself: climb up onto his booster seat, brush his teeth, fold his clothes and buckle his seatbelt. The other day, he put on his own tee shirt - and wore it all day backwards and inside out. God bless his teachers who probably spent their whole day itching to fix it!
And as for lip, this was last night's conversation:
"Ollie, please don't spit your water back through the straw." [GUESS WHAT.] "Oh, Ollie, look, now it's on the floor. Please listen to Mama."
[O looks at me with derision] "It's pizza water, Mama."
Like that's an explanation.
We haven't been moving ahead on growing up, though. The poor kid's been through enough in the past month. I think our next big change will be transitioning into a big boy bed. Nobody has minded that he's been in a crib, and I don't think O even realizes that his bed is different. But he did jump out one day when he was having a tantrum. It was terrifying. As soon as we get the house and outside in order, we're going to start talking to him about a big boy bed.
Once the bed situation is in place, we'll work on potty training full-time. He told me he had to poo the other night at dinner. I thought he was either getting out of eating or had already pooped, so I took my time taking him to the bathroom. But yep, as soon as I got him on the pot, he squirmed and clenched and pooped! I realize this is not very exciting to many people, but to me, it's pretty terrific. :) We gave him two M&Ms.
Overall, I'm feeling incredibly blessed that we've found our lovely house and accepted the supportive help from our friends and family. We are slowly building a little community in Eden Prairie and are starting to create some semblance of normalcy for our teeny family. Perhaps we will be able to put New York behind us and stop feeling like we're living in perma-vacation mode very soon!
There's more to come - our Fourth of July party (less than a week after moving in), our night out with the Destics, checking out the Basilica Block Party and watching ZZ Ward, Family of the Year and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, finding water in the basement after a big storm and pulling weeds in our first landscaping adventure, but that's for another post. This one's long enough and I'm flattered that you've stuck with me!
We are without internet for the time-being, so I'm at a nearby Caribou Coffee, stealing free wifi. I'm not sure when the next time will be, but I'm hoping it won't be quite such a long period. Thank you for your support, lovelies! We love you!
Soooo...we bought a house and moved!
Tee hee! Into a fabulous little house that feels like part of a resort. The neighbors have come out to introduce themselves, the Association pool is a quick walk away - on little wooded paths, through a TUNNEL, no less - and because of the multiple dogs in our neighborhood, Ollie is positive that if he asks just one more time, he'll get a new doggie to go with the new house. (Nope).
Thursday, June 27th, we took O to daycare and met our realtor, Brian, for a walk-through. All looked absolutely wonderful - she had even left her dehumidifier and mowed the lawn! We came back home to finish packing, and I drove past a yard sale. I came home with a bar fridge and a deep freezer all for $40! After a quick freak-out over getting some checks from the bank, we closed (OFFICIAL!) and then went and had a martini to celebrate.
We cleaned and started the moving process that day and had the families over for pizza dinner to celebrate! And we've have been unpacking ever since!
I did a little art to welcome everyone...didn't realize until it rained three days later that I basically was welcoming the whole neighborhood to come pick up whatever they wanted. But they didn't!
Masey getting a little handsy with O. Perhaps he hadn't been warned properly.
Sharing is caring with Kenzie Lee.
Everyone has been so helpful. During the move, Kris and Jess took turns watching Oliver, we've had moving help from Senior, Ross and Chris, Heather has painted O's room, a woman at work gave us a sofa and Nick and Emily brought over cleaning supplies! Thank you, guys!
Ollie is doing remarkably well. I'm really glad that we talked with him this whole month, because it really helped him along, I think. I have to share two good mama stories, just to, you know, show off, but also to remember them in later years when I need an opportunity to pat myself on my ever-stooping back.
- One morning, Ollie was screaming so badly for Bapa that I had to ask him to pick Ollie up out of bed. Bapa left for work and Oliver only stopped crying after I reminded him that "Bapa always comes back." The next day he was doing it again, so instead of calling for Bapa, I listened to my instinct (YES!) and sat down to look at him through the crib. I started speaking to him about how I know he's scared about the changes, but there are many things that won't change - he'll still get to see Bapa and Nana, he'll still come over to the house, he'll still get to ride Bapa's tractor and Bapa and Nana will come to our house, etc. He visibly calmed down and was fine the rest of the morning. I didn't realize that I was so focused on getting him excited about all the new changes that I wasn't speaking to him about all the things that were going to stay the same. Understandable freak-out.
- We were driving to his first day at the new daycare and I was talking about how fun this day would be. I looked back at him and he was madly sucking on his thumb looking worried. Poor stink. I said, "Do you want Mama to pray?" (First time THAT'S ever occurred to me to say), and he nodded. So I prayed that God would please let all his teachers and new friends be nice to him, and please let Ollie have fun and like his new school. Then we parked and went in, hand in hand (he didn't make me hold him so I didn't pick him up) and while he was tentative, he was very interested. The director, Colleen, welcomed us and reminded him that she had visited him on Friday at his old daycare (they go the extra mile here!). The teachers and kids gathered around and Ms. Casi said how excited everyone was to meet him. Then he helped me put his stuff in his cubby, gave me a kiss, and reached up his hands for Ms. Casi to take him. It was all too perfect. Colleen emailed me later to tell me that the teachers said he acted like he'd been here all along - he was the first to fall asleep, too! I think he has since built an immediate bond with Ms. Casi because she is going gluten-free and sometimes finishes the food that he leaves. :)
Getting one last hug from Ms. Katie.
Checking out our new flower garden on the corner.
He's slept very well each night and loves to play. Maybe the $8.50 kitchen from Once Upon A Child, a built in swing-set in the backyard and finding more toys as we unpack is the way to go!
Rediscovering our tunnel!
Finding our dramatic play stuff - looking forward to splashing in some puddles!
I think it also helps that his new room (thanks again to Heather!) looks AWESOME.
Looks like Uncle Jay was our inspiration!
Ollie's progress marches on, too. Lately, his favorite phrase is "Lookit meeee!" Adorable when he's going down the slide, not adorable when he's running around the other side of the house. "Eh? eh?" is big too and is used when I have just told him not to touch something, and he puts his hand out to try it again and see how far he can get. When I catch him again, he goes, "Ollie funny!" like it was all a joke. Ha ha, Oliver. Hilarious, ya' little weasel.
Newest words are:
Popsicle = pock-a-choh
Ice cream = I deam
Peekaboo = chick-a-boom
Spoon = boon
He's also learning his full name. Upon request, he told us that his name was Ollie Tehk, and Daddy's other name was Duck Tehk. I'm Mama Tehk. He just laughs when I try to correct him.
And when did he start saying sentences? Anyone know? Because all of a sudden I realized that not only was he repeating sentences after us (i.e., "Ollie, can you say 'silly daddy!'" "Silly Daddy!"), now he's stringing words together: "Ollie tell Daddy to sit down." "Sit dow, Daddy!" Last night he put spaghetti sauce on his nose and went, "It's on my nose!"
Apparently, at this age, they start wanting to do everything themselves and start giving some lip. We're getting both of that. He wants to do everything himself: climb up onto his booster seat, brush his teeth, fold his clothes and buckle his seatbelt. The other day, he put on his own tee shirt - and wore it all day backwards and inside out. God bless his teachers who probably spent their whole day itching to fix it!
Showing Mama how he puts on his pjs.
And as for lip, this was last night's conversation:
"Ollie, please don't spit your water back through the straw." [GUESS WHAT.] "Oh, Ollie, look, now it's on the floor. Please listen to Mama."
[O looks at me with derision] "It's pizza water, Mama."
Like that's an explanation.
We haven't been moving ahead on growing up, though. The poor kid's been through enough in the past month. I think our next big change will be transitioning into a big boy bed. Nobody has minded that he's been in a crib, and I don't think O even realizes that his bed is different. But he did jump out one day when he was having a tantrum. It was terrifying. As soon as we get the house and outside in order, we're going to start talking to him about a big boy bed.
Once the bed situation is in place, we'll work on potty training full-time. He told me he had to poo the other night at dinner. I thought he was either getting out of eating or had already pooped, so I took my time taking him to the bathroom. But yep, as soon as I got him on the pot, he squirmed and clenched and pooped! I realize this is not very exciting to many people, but to me, it's pretty terrific. :) We gave him two M&Ms.
Overall, I'm feeling incredibly blessed that we've found our lovely house and accepted the supportive help from our friends and family. We are slowly building a little community in Eden Prairie and are starting to create some semblance of normalcy for our teeny family. Perhaps we will be able to put New York behind us and stop feeling like we're living in perma-vacation mode very soon!
There's more to come - our Fourth of July party (less than a week after moving in), our night out with the Destics, checking out the Basilica Block Party and watching ZZ Ward, Family of the Year and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, finding water in the basement after a big storm and pulling weeds in our first landscaping adventure, but that's for another post. This one's long enough and I'm flattered that you've stuck with me!
We are without internet for the time-being, so I'm at a nearby Caribou Coffee, stealing free wifi. I'm not sure when the next time will be, but I'm hoping it won't be quite such a long period. Thank you for your support, lovelies! We love you!
Comments
I'm so happy for you and your new home! I want to come visit.