Thoughts on Pregnancy, so far

As I said, I learned I was pregnant on January 26th. I found out early - real early, like barely pregnant early. Call it a hunch and just happened to have an EPT on hand early.

I have a few girlfriends that have children and I come from a large family so I have a clue about pregnancy, what can happen or not. I won't even begin to complain after seeing what some of my friends have been through, I know I'm lucky. My nausea was morning only and lasted all of four days, the blinding exhaustion the first few months was nothing like I have ever experienced (but hey, I wasn't puking!), I'm out of breath a lot and I'm still dealing with the daily headaches although they seem to be letting up a bit. All said, I think I've gotten off pretty easy - so far.

I am currently 18.5 weeks pregnant. Almost half way and up until the weekend before last, my normal clothes still fit. They had begun to get a bit snug but, meh, nothing I couldn't work with. Then! "I popped"! And I do mean popped. I had heard of this phenomenon. I understood the concept. Or at least I thought I did. However I had no clue that I would go to bed one Saturday evening after wearing my normal clothes all day to waking up Sunday morning desperately needing to go shopping for clothes that fit.

So I ask you, where did this come from? I have to admit, I like this picture, it makes my tummy look much smaller than it is and my face looks skinny! (Good job honey. Thanks!)

I have found one fantastic thing about pregnancy that I never would have ever guessed. The best feeling in the whole world is to scratch my tummy when I change out of my work clothes. Oh sweet heaven!

Oh and all you girls that got those, uhhh, "nice" dreams - you know the ones with George Clooney or Brad Pitt or your neighbors husband, your husband, clowns, mimes...whatever - wish some my way. I've been having horrid vivid nightmares for the past couple of months. I've never really remembered any of my dreams, but these are sticking with me and I could use something, ummm, "fun".

So We Meet Again

Huh? Oh. Hi! I know, it has been quite a while since we've last spoken. I've missed you too. It's just been so crazy lately.

Lets catch up, shall we? I'll start.

1. When we last spoke, Matt and I had just bought a 3-level townhome. I'm happy to say we are darn near fully settled in. Home improvements are nearing completion and have been very time consuming. Yes, I have been taking before and after pictures however...

2. ...my laptop died. My new laptop died. Nope. Not kidding. I've spent a large portion of my free time trying to correct what the VISTA update destroyed with no luck. I've had to ship my laptop off to Gateway to repair it. Needless to say, I've lost all 'pre pictures that were on it. Descriptions will have to suffice.

3. Work keeps my insanely busy. Really. It's a madhouse.

4. Finally, the most shocking and exciting news of all, on January 26th I learned that I am pregnant with our first child. Needless to say, this has put a whole new spin on "got to get the house ready as soon as possible". Obviously, this is including setting up a nursery and gathering baby gear. I'm weary already.

So lets recap - bought house, got pregnant, killed laptop, work is trying to kill me. All in three months. It's got to be some type of record.

So whats new with you? Anything exciting?

Again, I apologize for my extended absence but, I am back and have lots of stories to share - including pictures.

The Many Faces of Moving - Cat Style

I'll hide under the bathroom sink and act all scared while Mommy cleans the bathroom. She'll never clean under here so I'm surely protected.

Where's the rest of my stuff? Why is this in the living room? Where are you taking that? What do you mean "I'm in the way!"?

Supervisors.

I think we can all figure out what this face says. Now if only he could hold out that middle finger.

In other news, we are completely moved in. Everything we own is on ONE floor of our 3 story townhouse. We slept on our mattress in the middle of our dining room last night. We were exhausted and sore! Tomorrow we start unpacking and continuing with the improvements.

Don't worry, we are taking pictures and will post them once we complete a room so you can follow the progression.

Hey! Do you want to know what sucks worse than moving in July/August in Florida?...Moving in January in Virginia. Yep! We woke up this morning and it was a blistering 6 degrees. (SIX, PEOPLE! DO YOU HEAR ME!?!? SIX!) This Florida girl does not do six.

We are now at the apartment doing a final clean and gathering of the cats. (Yeh, they're really pleased.

OH! And for those of you who don't already know - if there are any left - today is Matt's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY! I love you! (See, I remembered yours....and no, you're never going to live it down.)

That's Just Naaaaaasty

Dear Former Owner of the Townhouse we just purchased,

1. I am guilty of loving me some fried foods, we probably all are, but HOLY GOOGLY MOOGLY SIR! you should probably have your heart checked because I am pretty sure you have some seriously clogged arteries. I am basing this off the amount of grease Matt and I pulled and are still pulling up from the kitchen cabinets.

Speaking of grease, sir. A simple wipe down of your kitchen cabinets once in a blue moon would help to keep the bleeping cabinets clean.

2. I see that there may be some bugs you think are cute. I disagree with you, but that is my opinion and you are allowed yours. HOWEVER, bugs are not pets and living with this many in your kitchen cabinets is absolutely UNACCEPTABLE! Just EW.

3. Also, for future reference, all the beeping that you heard in the house was not aliens coming to get you. It was all 6 smoke detectors alerting you that they needed new batteries to continue to protect you and yours.

DUDE - in your next home, pick up a sponge and some basic cleaning solution and you find it really helps.

Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew, ew, and EEEEEEEEEEWWW!

In the words of Cleveland from Family Guy...AW, THAT'S JUST NAAAAAASTY!

Thanks, Lori

PS. Before and after shots will be coming. We will start improvements once we can get it at least a little clean. Honestly, its just the kitchen. Its not at an acceptable level of clean for Matt and I. We've seen SO MUCH WORSE than this, but still, you know?

The Great House Coaster

OY! It's a good thing we like rollercoaster rides because this whole house buying experience has been quite a ride.

Here's how our day went. (keep in mind our closing is tomorrow)

Early Morning: I woke up much later than I had planned and barely made it to work on time. That should have been my first clue that today was going to be one of "those" days.

10:30 am: Appraisal came in (late) and is $8500 less than the agreed to selling price.

WHAM-O!

12:30 pm: Sent an appraisal contingency notice and a copy of the appraisal to the seller.

wait wait wait

2:40 pm: Our agent wrote up a addendum that we signed in hopes the seller would agree to the change in price and we would be ready.

wait wait wait wait DIE wait wait wait wait

6:00 pm: The seller agreed to the price drop, (WOO HOO, die again) our agent faxed over the addendum we prepared in advance

(I heart our agent!)

6:42 pm: The seller signed the addendum and sent it back. (if thats not a record, I don't know what is)

7:19 pm: Our lender and the title company notified us that they will be working late to make the changes and be ready for closing tomorrow but requested that we give them a couple of extra hours tomorrow.

SO! If everything runs smoothly tomorrow, we will be closing at 4pm on our new home. I feel better, but I am still a bit cautious. I won't relax until we have the keys in our hands.

I might be entirely too exhausted to be excited or I may have really died, I'm not really sure anymore. This has been one wild ride and right now, I know I feel a lot like this.

I've Been Keeping a Secret

It became obvious to me that by telling all the inter-world we found a house before we had a fully ratified contract angered the Housing Gods who then caused everything to unravel purely for spite.

(What? That doesn't make sense? I disagree. It makes complete irrational sense.)

Now that the "thumbs up" has been giving by the "Housing Gods"... we're buying a house!!

FOR REAL AND FOR TRUE!

I know. I can't believe it either.

News came today that we now have a fully ratified contract and our closing date is 1/9/09. And let me tell you there's nothing like cutting it close, we have to be out of our apartment by 1/14/09. Between the cleaning, painting, fixing and moving - we will be a very tired couple. Luckily, I had taken that week off with hopes that we would be moving.

More information later, right now we are in Florida for Christmas and having a wonderful time. If it wasn't for that whole having to go back to work in Virginia thing, I would never leave ever again.

WTF?!?!?! Really?

That is all I'm going to say about this.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/28284679?GT1=43001.

When I showed this to Matt, his statement was - "that's really messed up. Congrats, BK, you've outcreepied yourself again"

I have to agree.

Just ew.

The Reason I Married Him

How many times have you come home from work after a 13 hour bad day with really sore feet to find this?Today was my day.

Dinner (salad w/steak and homemade onion soup) on the table with a foot soak at my feet.

This is what I wearily came home to find, all set up and waiting for me by my perfect husband.

Feel free to be jealous, I know I married Mr. Perfect.

Screeeeeeeeeech – CRASH!

That, my friends, was the sound of a house deal hitting a very thick brick wall. Matt and I have decided to walk away from this property due to lack of positive feedback from the lister as well as the bank who owns the property. At this point, it feels more like a cat and mouse game and we are the mice. When we do get information, it is contradictory to something we've been told previously, or it seems to have an underlying "if-and-or but" involved that makes us very uncomfortable. After speaking with our agent, who is equally uncomfortable/concerned, we have decided to put this deal on the back burner and consider it a lost cause unless something changes that makes this deal seem MUCH less shady.****

Before we go any further, lets all put our bad-attitudes on. Follow me people -
HMPH!, kick at the ground, roll eyes, cross arms indignantly, shift weight to one foot and start tapping the other.

Ok, now that that is out of the way. Back to the drawing board we go, with 6 weeks left before we have to be out of our apartment – including the 2 weeks that we will be in Florida for Christmas.

(Feel free to freak out right along with us)

What makes this whole situation much worse, there isn't anything new in our price range that we haven't looked at and scratched off the list for one reason or another. We either have to settle for something that doesn't really work for us or, extend our lease (if possible) on our apartment and continue to live out of boxes, or win the lottery and not have to live within a budget. (I'm feeling this last option is the most likely to happen. You agree?)

****Update: We are thinking of offering them a "this is how its going to be" ammendment to the contract. If they agree to it, we will move forward, if not, we will walk. I'm not hopeful.