I really would like to be posting here more often. But I don’t even have time to update my facebook status. Seriously, it’s been like two weeks. The kids are time consuming. I haven’t had pictures printed in about a hundred years and I’m tired.whatever. Such is life.

People came and looked at the house on Friday. They were insane. They didn’t like it because there “was just so much work to be done.” Gasp, the walls they are all plaster. And they couldn’t live like that. All those walls would have to be taken down and replaced.

I know I’m selling this house and possibly a bit biased… but the walls are not in terrible condition. They are plaster and lathe; fairly common in a 103 year old house. But seriously. If they can find a house in Monroe county that is 2200+ square feet, brand new roof, brand new windows, completely refinished hardwoods in 90% of the house. AND has all the plaster ripped out and replaced with drywall? For 135K? Then let me know because I want that house. I’m looking in that price range for myself right now and I can tell you; all that is out there in that price range are tiny little  splits and ranch houses.

It just makes me frustrated. However, we’ve decided that we’re not going to pull the house come December. Since they extended the housing credit, there are more buyers looking so our realtor wants us to keep it on the market. She did say if we get to it, that we can block off time during the holidays. I just don’t want to have to have the house looking like perfection between Christmas and Jeffrey’s birthday. I’d like him to be able to play with stuff and not have to immediately pick it up and put it away.

Conversation #1
Jeffrey: Mama, how long ago was I a baby?
Me: A year or two.
Jeffrey: Mama, how long ago were you a baby?
Me: A lot longer buddy, about 30 or so years.
Jeffrey: How long ago were dinosaurs?
Me: Millions of years ago. Long long time ago. Are you talking about dinosaurs this week at school?
Jeffrey: No. We talked about dinosaurs yesterday. Were dinosaurs when you were a baby?

Conversation #2
Jeffrey: This chair is beautiful.
Jeffrey: This room is beautiful, those flowers are beautiful. Why is the table not beautiful?
Brian: Not everything is beautiful to everyone. Different things are beautiful to different people.
Brian: Do you think Baby Elena is beautiful?
Jeffrey: Yes! she is!
Brian: Do you think Mama is beautiful?
Jeffrey: No. she is not beautiful.
Brian: Why not buddy?
Jeffrey: She doesn’t have any trains on her. Trains are beautiful.

So I’m pretty sure that no one actually reads this blog anymore. Unless of course, I write something that pisses off the family. Then the numbers spike.
Perhaps I need more controversy?

Anyway. I was reading a post over at Amalah and it inspired me. Let me tell you, I love her blog, I think I love her children. I want to be friends and drink wine with her. Seriously people, I have cried with joy about her children. who. I. have. never. met. whatever. I totally have friends.

She wrote a post about her husband wigging out over child injury and the aftermath. It reminded me of how I wig out over poop. Yeah. this is a post about poop. Aren’t  you all lucky. All two of you.

I went to the public market this weekend with Bridget and while there the baby had a blowout. I picked her up out of the stroller and was all “Eww sweetie, you’re leaking a bit. Let’s change you.” Then I noticed that there were yellow smears all down the arm of my shirt. SQUEE!! I hate this part of parenting.
I looked at Bridget and announced that Brian would be proud that he could clean up Princess Kicky Pants (PKP) with only one, possibly two wipes. I? on the other hand would prefer to use the entire container. If I could coat my hands and arms in them before touching the baby I would. Seriously people. It’s gross!

Bridget laughed at me. And was then slightly horrified to realize that I totally stripped off my shirt in the middle of the street to put on a new one.  True, it’s not the best neighborhood. But are people really going to mess with the crazy white lady who is muttering about poop, carrying around a house’s worth of laundry* and stripping** in the street? I don’t think so.

* We had two showings on Saturday and an open house on Sunday so I was driving around the clean laundry that we still haven’t had time to fold and put away.

**I have no shame. It’s true. And I looked around to make sure no one was standing or looking nearby.

We found the perfect house (and it WAS perfect).
And we lost the perfect house (stupid people making Cash offers. WTF!)

We’re looking and looking and looking now and nothing is jumping at me. (But I’m patient).
We’re trying to sell ours. We have a showing tomorrow and another open house on Sunday. (Send us good vibes!)

The baby is growing bigger and she’ll be 6 months old this week. ?!?!
She’s learned how to pump her legs and make the car seat rock. It makes her very happy.
She also likes to lift her legs up and slam them back down when she wants to wake up from the crib.
I’ve started calling her Princess Kicky Pants. It fits her and she smiles when I call her that.
She is almost sitting up on her own. She’ll play for a bit before tipping over.
She took her first bath with the ring to sit up with. She very much enjoyed it.
She laughs and smiles and is generally very happy.

But she still is not sleeping through the night consisntently.
I am tired.

Jeffrey is visiting Grandma. Going to the Trolley museum and generally having a fabulous time. We get random one sentence snippets from him on the phone. “I watched a movie. It had a railroad crossing! BYE!” They’re all very cute.
It’s been a week now. I miss him and his snuggley squirmey cuddles.

Work has been crazy and we’ve been looking at houses like wild people. I miss writing here and I’m hoping I’ll have more time soon. I’d like to have more time to scrape out my insides and heave them onto paper.

They countered and we accepted their counter-offer. yay!

All we have to do now is sell our house. It’s beautiful and happy! We have our first showing tonight at 7:15.  Lets all keep our fingers crossed!

I’m really hoping that all the stars align and we’re able to sell our Hilton house and get the Brighton house.

So. We’re putting an offer on a house. I really like this house. I hope very strongly they accept our offer. And that our Hilton house sells quickly. I will be disappointed if the master plan doesn’t work out.

And by master plan I mean totally throwing our original and backup plan of selling our house and getting an apartment out the window.  However getting rid of debt is still an intregal part of current plan.

I think being impulsive may be taking years off my life. We don’t even have the paperwork for the offer with their realtor yet. (We’ve been playing tag with our realtor all weekend) and I’m already nervous and keyed up. I Really Really like this house.

Ok. Deep breathing. I know that if we don’t get it that there will be equally awesome houses out there and I will love the next one JUST as much. But still. Totally nervous and hyper.

Did I also mention that this is the week before our HUGE inspection at work. I’m working overtime all week and feeling super crazy and stressed out? Yeah, feel bad for Brian. Because I’m sure that I’m a little difficult to live with right now.

So big news today. The baby slept for 7+ hours.  I put her down around 10:30 last night and **I woke her!** at 6:30am.  This means that I slept for 7 whole contiguous hours. Wow. Seriously people, sleep is important.

Jeffrey continues to recover. I’m starting to think that the refrain of “my mouth hurts” is more due to attention than to pain. Thank God because I am getting tired of all this. He’s gone two nights now without waking up for pain medication and is slowly becoming less miserable in the mornings.

We were supposed to go to my mom’s this weekend and take the kids to Idlewild Park but a whole host of things made this less than possible. First, we are not done getting the house ready to sell and I really want to get that finished. Second, my father has gigs Friday, Saturday and Sunday so he wasn’t going to be able to go with us. And the whole point was that we could all go together. Last, unfortunately my great Uncle Stu died and his funeral is going to be on Saturday.  So. Now we are meeting my Dad in Erie tonight and transferring my Mom to him.

We’ve been told to not worry about the funeral.  And I tend to agree that dragging two children to a funeral is probably not the greatest idea. But I’m still feeling bad about it. I loved my uncle. He was living in a home near Pittsburgh and we tried to stop and visit every chance we had.  Unfortunately he wasn’t able to meet Elena but we took Jeffrey to visit several times and tried our best. He’ll be missed. He was a good man. He was always good to me and my parents. It was a long battle for him and while I’ll mourn, I truly hope that he’ll be at peace now.

love is
knowing that eight years have passed
and it feels like forever
and it feels like yesterday 

It’s the rush of raw emotion
and the quiet simmer of desire
knowing that time and age and looks
Hold no sway 

Love is
in the softness of your touch
the quiet of your eyes
the warmth of your hand
in mine.

love is
hearing our child in the night
knowing I have a Partner
to share, to help
to ride the steep curves
of life

love is
Eight years until forever
I loved you once
I love you now
I love you always
My partner. My friend
My husband.

Happy Anniversary Brian. I love  you.
May there be many more years to follow.

We had pictures taken this weekend, last weekend, at the beginning of this month. Thanks to Scott!! And you can see pictures here. You have to make a login if you want to see them and there’s a password as well. Email me (danimeehan at gmail dot com) if you want the password and to see the pictures.

Anywho. I love the pictures. They are fabulous and fantastic. I have adorable children.

Ok. WordPress changed up their website and I was completely flummoxed on how to login to the blog and and publish a post.
This could be less about their confusing new look and more about my lack of sleep.

Anywho. Little girl had her 4 month visit.

• Weighs in at 14lbs 6oz. 75th percentile
• Height of 25 and 3/4 inches.  95th percentile

Yes. My daughter is giant. And adorable. We’ve been sitting her in her Bumbo chair so that she can visit with us while we work on the house and she almost gets stuck in it because of her little fat legs. She had such a great day yesterday. We painted the upstairs room while she watched us and grooved to Bon Jovi. She sat for almost 3 hours without complaint. It was great, we got so much done and still gave her attention and some love.

Jeffrey is recovering from his adnoid and tonsilectomy. The refrain “my mouth hurts” is now becoming a painful reminder to all the adults that he is all D-R-A-M-A, all the time. I’m not saying that it isn’t hurting him but he’s still getting pain medication and if he can eat a candy necklace or an M&M without pain? I find it hard to believe that oatmeal, soup or a popsicle hurts. Whatever, this too shall pass. I am eagerly awaiting the return of my tough little guy.

If only the whining would go away with the pain.