It's been a crazy month of August

I started off the month turning the ripe old age of 28 [ahem, 31] and doing it gracefully and with style. (In a 20 year old shirt, thumbs up mom!)

Doug was in Las Vegas for 2 huge presentations for work that he has been working on for a year and while I missed him terribly, I was so proud of all he was accomplishing.  A life goal achieved! He kicked ass, took names and rocked his presentations.  All the hard work, late nights and headaches were worth it and then some.  I wish I could have seen it all in action!

So unfortunately, he missed out on a delicious birthday meal at Drew's, the (soon to be) world renowned restaurant of which we have been patrons from day 1.  (He won a recent "Throwdown with Bobby Flay"!)  Aunt Jeanie and Kir watched Anna while we had a delicious dinner!

We had a nice slumber party and I spent my birthday morning with them which was SO much better than waking up at home alone!

My boss Ken has a great sense of humor and never ceases to make me laugh.  My birthday morning was no exception.  I came in to the office on my birthday morning to this in my window:

Since I've been going with the whole "I'm 28" thing, he played on that on one of our many outtakes from our headshot photo shoots.  It made me laugh so hard all morning and everyone was questioning me and laughing themselves.  A great little birthday treat.    

[If you can't see it says:  "28.  Why do you ask?"]  Men, especially, have no filter when it comes to asking women how old they are!  This helped the issue.

The other thing I haven't been mentioning is that, oh yeah, by the way - we sold our house and we moved!

I have been super, superstitious and haven't wanted to tell anyone anything really because I didn't want to jinx anything. Back in May we talked with our realtor about when we might be able to sell our house.  He said "maybe a year", then a week later he said "I think things are changing, let's see what happens if we list the house.".... Yada yada yada, lots of little things done including cleaning up our whole house for staging with a 18 month old baby, every day, etc. It was not easy and time consuming but within 10 days we had 3 offers and a final accepted offer!

So with that we had to find a new house to live in!  We hadn't really given the whole thing much thought other than what our "dreams" were, and we looked all over. We saw a bunch of houses, found one that caught our eye in a town that we'd always dreamed we'd never be able to afford to live in, and just like that we were under contract.  The new town had everything we'd wanted for a family - great schools, a small town vibe, lots of kids/families/people our age doing the same thing as us, closer to the beach, parks, etc.  We loved it and next thing you know we were moving.  And the funny part was, it all came together to happen pretty much while Doug was going to be in Vegas for 8 days...

So we worked and worked and worked and packed and packed and planned.  And it was still insane.
So it goes..

And because God has a great sense of humor - my boss was also going on vacation for 10 days during this time, I had a birthday, Lisa was coming to visit and yeah, Doug was gone. HA.

Our house was a complete mess, insanity for weeks.  I tried to keep Anna's room as normal as possible until the end. It was easy to ignore until my birthday weekend.  We closed on our [old] house on 8/2 (A great birthday present!) and 'rented' our house until 8/7.  We closed on the new house on 8/5, and moved on 8/7.  Oh and I had to work every single day like a crazy woman, with zerooo time off (except for actual moving truck day).  Man, I am so glad that's over.  A story for the books, for sure.  Like they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger ..

Anyway!  Aunt Lisa came to visit for my birthday, we spent a nice day getting mani/pedis and having lunch, catching up, having wine and playing with Anna. 

Aunt Christina also came to town and we all celebrated what was meant to be a beach day, which turned into a crappy, rainy day at home by playing in the dirty laundry ;) and packing and helping to talk me down from panic attacks re: WE HAVE SO MUCH TO DO OMG WHAT ARE WE DOING.  They are the best friends a girl could ask for. 

Billy and Carolyn had a BBQ (not for my birthday, but conveniently timed) and by 6pm, the weather had broken and we had a great night outside celebrating... well, life.  It was a great party, great food, great friends.  My parents had a slumber party with Anna and told us to head to the beach on Sunday morning for a few hours since our Saturday plans were shot.  I will never be able to say how much their support means to me... there just aren't words for it. 

28 looks good on me, I say. 

While we closed on our new house, again my parents stepped up and came to feed, bathe and put Anna down to bed so we could write a ridiculously enormous check and try to clean the up new house. Tuesday was spent packing up the rest of our house (thank you again Mommy for your amazing work that week, and any/every time I need you..) 

Wednesday was moving day.  Yahoooooo.

Anna was off to daycare, we worked and worked and worked....

oh HILARIOUS tiny little truck, funny you think you're going to fit our whole lives in there!

And I definitely sat in the doorway of Anna's room as I swept and cleaned it and cried.  This space held so many memories and definitely will not be forgotten anytime soon. I don't want to dwell, I know that everything is meant to be and we are on to bigger and better things and this new house is where Anna will grow actual memories - but the old room is where I became a mom.  Where we painstakingly applied that wall decal, and decorated and planned and sat up late nights feeding at 12am and 2am and 4am and and and.... and where we took our monthly photos and there were so many memories in 19+ months and it just hit me.  It's bittersweet.  We upgraded, we made a great family decision where we have a lot of work to do but we will make this place our home and we will remember it so fondly too.   "Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end.."

And then there was this..

Yep, that's Doug truck looking VERY Beverly Hillbilly-esque on our way out of the neighborhood.  I'm sure the people of Fair Haven wondered "Who let THESE people in??"

My last trip to the house, with car FILLED with lamps, crap, etc. and I had to pick up Anna from Miss Sandy's.  I armed her with a bag full of fresh Goldfish and let her go to town. Dinner time be damned, we had work to do.  Thank God my dad came to help, packed up our remaining crap in his truck and took Anna back to their house for an actual dinner, bathtime and bedtime at their house.  That night Doug and I had delicious burgers and I had the best glass of wine I think I've ever had in my life.  Longest 12 hours ever.  OH and she decided the last night in the house had to be one for the books - up at 3am, crying incessantly, basically unable to be soothed to sleep till almost 5:30 [then had to be dragged out of bed at 8am to go to daycare]. Yes, we moved our entire house on 3 hours of sleep, if you were wondering. 

On Thursday my mom and Doug worked non-stop all day and unpacked and cleaned and worked and unpacked and cleaned and I had to go to work. It was terrible timing, again, but having great people on your side changes everything.

First dinner in her new house!

The kitchen "before" Miss Jane went to WORK

Anna's room after they set up the crib and the old towel "blackout curtains"

whatever works! (and it does)

Our kitchen clean and ready to be used

Master Bedroom

Our first night in the house, Woody on TV and champagne in our hands

Just a few days after moving in, I had long-term plans to head up to Boston to be a witness to the proposal of one of my best friends from college, Kara.  It was a surprise orchestrated by her girlfriend, now fiancee, Melinda. We would all be on the beach, just beyond where Kara would see a sandsculpture made just for her and then turn to see all her close friends waiting to celebrate!  I knew it was something so special and I couldn't and wouldn't miss it - even if we had just moved into the house.  The way I look at it is this - we'll live in this house a LONG time, we'll unpack and decorate for months but Kara will only get engaged once and I wanted to be there for my friend.  Thankfully I have great family to support that choice and off I went on my whirlwind journey!

Took the train up to Route 128 where Tiff and her boyfriend Chris picked me up and then we drove up the beach in Ipswich Mass, which is Kara and Mel's favorite beach.  I could see why - even arriving at 4pm, the beach was PACKED and people were still arriving.  It was absolutely beautiful and the water was so clear! (But cooold!)  Who knew!

We hung out for about 45 minutes before they arrived and we were able to witness such a special and romantic moment. 

I was so glad that I made the effort and time to go up there and be a part of something so special. I love Kara so much and have been on her side as she's struggled with many an issue especially this one of being officially "out" and I'm so glad to see her so happy and healthy.  It was something I know none of us will soon forget. 

So that's about it for now.  We are just trying to get used to our new lives, our new routines, our new rooms, our new house.  We need curtains and blinds and paint and rugs and to keep unpacking, but you know what... it will get done!  Little by little we will make this house perfect for us.  Till then we are enjoying the weather, going for long walks, playing at the park down the street and throwing huge, enormous fits when it's time to leave (which is so fun).  Like I've always said, take it one day at a time, one hour at a time, one minute at a time.  We'll be feeling like this is home in no time.