What's that squirrel doing on Mama's shoe, Daddy?
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- posted by Lenise @ 7:58 PM |

 

Daddy and Jay in transit
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Unsuspecting child sitting atop a slide
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- posted by Lenise @ 7:57 PM |

 

Chalk that one up to experience
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- posted by Lenise @ 7:57 PM |

 
Who? How Much?
After much confusion about prices and the home inspectors who charge them, we have a single inspector scheduled to meet us on the 12th at 9. There were two others, three other prices (one of which was way wrong- like $180 less than what they ended up charging), and anyway, we kept our realtor busy making appointments and canceling them. I feel like we should go ahead and borrow the downpayment from my 401k if the inspection goes fairly well so we can close with our current rates and get moved before I'm 8 months pregnant. Paul is still hesitant to buy until we sell. I did find out today (I had to call) that as long as we have the full loan amount, we can repay the loan at any time. Since we don't expect to be TOO long in selling the house, we shouldn't be foregoing any significant interest unless the return on my funds suddenly skyrockets. If it does, we'll just have to be glad for what will still be in there (at least half)!
- posted by Lenise @ 9:06 PM |

 
Afternoon Jaunt to the Park
Since we were all three home this afternoon, and it was nice and sunny out, I suggested a walk to the park. The park just past the house (which, by the way, still doesn't have an "under contract" sign). On the way there, as we approached the tracks, Jay's mouth was very round. I thought he was indicating "Choo choo", and told him he was right; that's where the trains go. He kept his mouth in the same shape as we walked over the tracks, down two blocks, and made our turn. Sometime in there, Paul noticed that he was actually whistling. In tiny little quiet bursts. We were both quite impressed and I whistled back at him. Sometime later this afternoon, it became apparent that that's now how he says, "woof". Ask him what doggies say, and he'll either say "'ggie" or whistle. (Pucker your lips and pant, and you've pretty much got it.)

Meantime, he's continued to lunge more often. Hopefully this really does mean he'll be walking soon. I suppose you could say he already is- he'll only take 3 or four steps at the most, though. And he's not ready for the slide at the park. It's ok if someone's holding on to him, but even the little kid slide is a bit too much for him to handle alone. Speaking of which, I'm not sure he's ready for "Toddler Time" at the library either. He really enjoyed the beginning (he was sitting on my lap), in fact, he enjoyed himself the whole time- he just wasn't paying much attention. He'd crawl out to the in-floor brass covered outlets, smack on them a couple times, crawl over to the mural (acrylics on canvas, Mebane children), smack on it, crawl to the story lady, stand up in front of the book so no one could see, then crawl back to me for an instant before he was back at the outlets. He was definitely the youngest kid there, and the others sat nicely with their parents. Oh well!
- posted by Lenise @ 8:44 PM |

 
Cool Bookcase!
To keep the little ones from pulling all the books out. There is the glass issue, though. Maybe they can make mine out of plexiglass ;)
- posted by Lenise @ 10:59 AM |

 
Price Reduced!
Here's hoping it helps! I would have preferred to wait until we got the inspection over with, but Paul and James decided to go ahead and lower the price. Probably the best we can hope for is to close on our current house a week or two after the new one, and this might well accomplish that. That would give us some time to move, but we wouldn't have to borrow that downpayment for long, and any additional equity we can cash out would be available for gussying up the new place pretty quickly. For example, installing a dishwasher next to the stove. Our realtor also reduced his share of the commission so a buyer's agent will have more incentive to steer a client our way. I didn't know such things happened... No reason for James to do that, unless he really thinks it'll help. I'm sure the buyer won't be apprised (at least not upfront)!
- posted by Lenise @ 8:58 AM |

 
Unbelievable! (Or Is it Just Me, Part 2)
So the guy pled guilty to diverting tax money into his pet cause, and from thence into his pockets and those of family members. What do his supporters do, but throw him a fundraiser where he tells his supporters that he's innocent, not a crook, blah blah blah. Charming comment from him: "Ballance said he didn't ask for the fundraiser, but said he can spend the money however he wants because he has paid all fines and court costs." It actually gets worse, but I'll let you decide if you really want to know.
- posted by Lenise @ 3:26 PM |

 
A Temptation, or an Opportunity?
According to our mortgage broker, we would qualify for our new loan even before/without selling our current house. There are definite advantages to buying the new house before we sell this one, the most obvious being that it would simplify the move significantly. Also, if we could find a tenant, we could keep this house for building equity and possibly make enough profit to have a little left for fixing up the new house while still having all those 1,925 sf to ourselves. I do really like our current house, and who knows, maybe once the new house is fixed up, we could do some renovations over here and make this house more attractive, which is no more than the old place deserves. Meantime, we could be moved and mostly settled before the birth. This is a big one for me! Dealing with the seller has been a big pain, and if we have to negotiate extensions, there's no telling how long this will all get dragged out.

The negatives are pretty much all financial, but some of them are pretty big. I can borrow enough from my 401k for a downpayment, and if we take 10 years to pay it back, it'll only cost us $30 from each paycheck (every two weeks for 10 years, but still...). We were planning on having some extra cash from the sale of this house to put straight into the other house, though, and we wouldn't have that. We should be getting a nice tax return, and possibly a bonus from my employer in Feb/ March, which we might be able to put into the new house, though March is not going to be a very good time for home improvement projects, what with Stephen Tobias (my latest favorite- nothing's decided) on the way. We may also have the extra mortgage to cover by ourselves those months (and my income will be reduced while I'm out on maternity leave- probably late March through early May). There's no possible way we can cover two mortgages long term (absent a tenant, of course), and we don't know the first thing about the legalities of renting out a house. On the other hand, February and March should give us time to find a buyer, and that's the best time of year for us to have extra expenses.

Time for some serious prayer, I guess!
- posted by Lenise @ 6:48 PM |

 
Is it Just Me,
or is this an outrage? An elected official sets up a non-profit, funnels cash to his family, campaign contributors, and friends, is found out, tried, convicted, and still gets invitations to speak and parties thrown in his honor. I hope Rebublicans have enough shame not to allow something like this to happen within our own party.
- posted by Lenise @ 9:46 AM |

 
Baby Steps
Not that kind, unfortunately. No, we locked in a 6% APR on a 30-yr loan for 45 days. Looks like we may be able to use the negotiated seller-provided closing costs to buy down the rate a little further, since our lender doesn't anticipate our needing the full amount for closing. Hey, fine by me!

We still don't have any inspector candidates, but I expect our realtor will be getting back to us with that information tomorrow. It figures that those bank people would wait until the last possible moment before Christmas to sign the contract. I don't know who they have it in for worse, the realtors or us (they already reduced the commission as part of the contract!)
- posted by Lenise @ 7:49 PM |

 
Progress?
Jay got to wear some shortalls yesterday and this morning (yes, Daddy dressed him- how'd you know?), and it seemed like he was doing more standing and lunge/walking, especially after he had shed his socks. Maybe if I spend some time hemming his pants so they don't keep coming unrolled, he'll be more comfortable trying to walk. There's also the toy issue, though, as in all the blocks, puzzle pieces, and what-have-you that Jay has scattered all over the floor. It doesn't leave much open space for unimpeded traveling. Short of following him around and putting back every toy he drops, I don't think that one is solvable. He'll just have to practice first thing in the morning (after nights when I pick up- I think that's most nights again)!
- posted by Lenise @ 1:46 PM |

 
My Husband is Trying to Become a Chess Nerd
If you'd like to discuss "mutual zubzwangs" and the power "incandesc[ed]" by the queen, enhance your "chessic life" and give him a holler.

Meantime, I'll try and stop laughing. Zubzwang!

*UPDATE: I am informed the word in question is Zugzwang. Believe me when I tell you that the word did not sound remotely German coming out of Paul's computer speakers. I sincerely doubt that a German would have recognized it.
- posted by Lenise @ 9:40 PM |

 

And back in again.
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"Buh-bye, blocks! Out you go!"
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"Yum, wooden fire truck!"
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Merry Christmas, Everyone!!
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- posted by Lenise @ 8:35 PM |

 

"Wooden cows, on the other hand..."
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"You will notice, Grandmas, that I have not yet removed my socks. That's what the car ride is for."
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"Oh, kitty!!!"
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- posted by Lenise @ 8:32 PM |

 
Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good Night!
We had our Christmas Eve service at 5:30 tonight. I love singing the carols, but maybe the best part was when I was standing in for some late nursery volunteers and I got to hold a sad little girl who didn't want to be left behind. It didn't take much to comfort her- I just picked her up and walked around for a couple of minutes. She didn't object to my sitting down with her; just held on tight! Jay decided he had to at least share my lap, but that didn't last long- there were toys to be played with!

I handed her off to one of the scheduled workers shortly after he arrived. She didn't want to let go of me, and I don't think she especially wanted a man. Maybe I should have stayed, though she was clinging to a sweet lady when I returned after the service, so she did find a replacement. But I get another chance to sing Christmas carols tomorrow, and it may be a very long time before I get to comfort a little girl again.

And it's neither the Christmas spirit nor the fact that the Redskins won that allowed me to overlook the fact that the girl's name was Landry. Poor little darling!
- posted by Lenise @ 9:56 PM |

 
I'm NOT Wrapping This
And I gave Jay his baby cell phone/keychain set without wrapping it either. He's already unwrapped two packages of his own (two pairs of shoes from G&G G), plus three (well, four, but one of them is just in a box with a ribbon around it and gets re-wrapped several times a day) that weren't his own, so I think he'll be ok. His Little Engine That Could book is wrapped, which I guess is his last present to unwrap. He's getting the wagon and a toolbench from G&G G which we don't have room for until we evict the various toys we have borrowed from our church friends (who are expecting twin girls, due a little later than "Obie"). That'll be tomorrow, right, honey??

And Paul has a few more wrapped gifts under the tree. Other than that, a solitary load of clean laundry is about all I have to show for my day off. Maybe I'll get something done Monday...
- posted by Lenise @ 10:59 PM |

 
Will Wonders Never Cease!
We have a contract! Now we just have to sell our house, provided the inspection doesn't turn up any big issues we haven't already discovered. Thanks for your prayers, and don't stop now!
- posted by Lenise @ 11:56 AM |

 
Relief and Exhaustion
I probably shouldn't say too much about the most frustrating part of catching up at work. Let's just say if I'm using people as scapegoats, it's because they make pretty good candidates. In any case, thanks to the help and support of a few of my teammates, I made my deadline, checked my co-worker's work, and am officially allowed to enjoy Christmas. Whether I will ever get around to sending off Christmas presents I've already bought, wrapping gifts for Paul and Jay, or ordering the others I've been meaning to get to is another question. One small victory at a time!
- posted by Lenise @ 8:28 PM |

 
Fifteen (?!) Months Old
Which means we only have three months to choose a name for Tobias/Stephen/Daniel/Obadiah/Caelan (yeah, I knew Paul wasn't going to go for that one, but it's very cool, nonetheless). Anyway, Jay had his 15-month checkup today and his last immunizations until AGE FOUR!!! YAY!! He's now 28 lbs, 6 oz and 31.25 inches. The doc suggested we take advantage of a county PT evaluation since Jay isn't walking, though I think the nurse hit the nail on the head when she asked, "Is he walking yet, or is he just too good at crawling to be interested?"

Doc says that a string of bugs is more likely to be responsible for the sniffling and coughing than allergies are (I forgot to mention the rash. Shoot!), and that Jay's lungs sound fine. He also didn't say anything about Jay's weight, other than he'd probably slim down when he starts walking (though he observed immediately thereafter that Jay seemed to be expending a good bit of energy, regardless).

A few things I forgot to mention in my Jay update a few posts back:

Jay likes several books well enough to sit and have them read to him. He knows where his books are kept and will often go and get one when I suggest it. Sometimes, he will even bring it to me so I can read to him. Grandma B bought him several VeggieTales books that have CDs in them, and he took the disc out of one this evening, took it to the VCR, and tried to push it in. Thankfully, he had it on a pretty steep diagonal, and it didn't fit!

Jay says "ghee" for doggie and ducky. Every now and then, a "duh" syllable even seems to slip in.

He seems to understand the concept of ball, since he knows his "big red bouncy ball", but also looked at his blue-and-green Nerf ball from Cousin Beka when I asked him where the ball was.

Jay loves to say "Bububbbbb".

Our boy is liking his shy routine more and more. Everyone knows it's an act because he peeks through his long lashes and smiles. Such a ham!

Sometimes he likes to watch his videos from Mama's lap. He's very interested in being face-to-face and loves gentle nose-to-nose bumps. Jay's also becoming a very good hugger! I spent pretty much all day Wednesday working, and when I got home, I got some good big squeezes =] Always makes a rough week so much better!!

Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, we had not much sleep. Jay must have been cutting a molar or something, because last night he only woke up once, and didn't stay awake long enough to require any attention, thank goodness =]
- posted by Lenise @ 7:59 PM |

 

You know you can't resist me, kitty. C'mon over here.
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Touchdown, Redskins!
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Oh, yeah? Well, I'm cuter than you, anyway!
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Back when jammies weren't so bad
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Lotsa toofies
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Huh?

You Are French Food

Snobby yet ubiquitous. People act like they understand you more than they actually do.

Quiz via Angie.

Maybe I'll pretend to understand, so I can call this quiz "snobby, yet ubiquitous". So I like cheese, chocolate, and old houses. That doesn't make me French!!!
- posted by Lenise @ 11:08 PM |

 
Discouragement and Frustration
So being sick has put me way behind at work. I'm trying to catch up, but it seems like the more work I do, the more work I discover that needs to be done. And I'm running up against a firm deadline and inconveniencing co-workers who have generously volunteered to perform the required check of my work (not to mention one who's been waiting for me to check some work of hers since last month).

Meantime, Jay has decided this is a good time to get into the temper tantrum habit. My being there does not seem to help him, and it definitely doesn't help me, so I've had to just walk away twice tonight (I got to be on Jay duty all by my lonesome). So much for his going to bed happy. He has said "mom mom" when I have come to see him after he's woken up crying the past couple of nights (and I don't think he's requesting milk, but who knows for sure). Yesterday I brought a milky reinforcement, but tonight I didn't, since he had gotten a large cup of milk before going to bed (which hadn't been that long ago).

His screamy crying scared me a little, but his temperature wasn't high (thanks for the light-up ear thermometer, Mom & Dad). I took him out and rocked him, which hurt my back but cheered him up right away. It didn't make him especially sleepy, though. In fact, it seemed to have the opposite effect, and when my back hurt too much and he was acting happy, I got up to put him back into the crib. More screaming ensued, which was not to be assuaged by back patting or what have you, so I abandoned ship. Need to read the No Cry Sleep Solution book I got for Christmas (at Thanksgiving). Maybe tomorrow, if I decide not to break my rule about working on Sundays.
- posted by Lenise @ 11:11 PM |

 
Help!
Somebody take away my Barbara Dee Winter Mints from Dollar General! They look like thin mints, but the cookies are not chocolate- they have little pieces of peppermint baked in. Yum! And at $1 a box, I could afford this habit for far too long... If only I were a food snob.
- posted by Lenise @ 1:43 PM |

 
What Do You Mean, "Was"?
Our furnace troubles are not over, it would seem. Did I mention that the unit we had replaced was still working just fine, as far as we could tell?

Anyway, I was up late last night working and Paul came down about 11 and mentioned that it was cold. I had noticed my toes becoming numb, so I agreed, but didn't realize until I left my desk and headed upstairs that the temperature was 60F and the thermostat was set at 71F.

I don't know what the temperature was when Jay woke up at 4, but it was cold and Paul went down and jiggled something, I guess. It was a little warmer at 5 when Paul put Jay back in his own bed after he had spent the better part of an hour in bed with us, first quietly snuggling, then crawling up the headboard, then yelling "Rar rar rar!" (that's "Wwaw wwaw wwaw" for the unimaginative). It must have been fairly warm by 5:20 (?), when I put on my robe, failed at lulling him back to sleep in his own room and brought him back to bed with us (where I finally got him to sleep) since I wasn't cold despite not having been able to move well enough with a sleeping toddler on top of me to cover my left leg. Then we slept in, which resulted in my harried forgetfulness of my antibiotic before rushing out the door.

I'll take a cracked sail over spending $4.5k for no heat any day.
- posted by Lenise @ 2:40 PM |

 
Overdue Jay Update
Even though Mama is sick, Jay's still trucking along, learning new things and having new experiences!

I think it was the day I introduced Jay to the globe that he started trying to say "globe". It sounds more like "gum", but he consistently says it when I mention the globe or he's playing with it. It's a very fun toy because it spins and he can knock it onto the floor. It's a $3 garage sale find, so if he wrecks it, life will go on. The equator has already fallen off, and the base is dented in such a way that the axis was off by a couple dozen degrees or so when I bought it, so it's really nothing more than a starter globe anyway (not to mention the fact that the USSR is still on it).

Jay's kitty fanaticism is unabated, though he has accepted the fact that he will not catch a kitty in the living room. He seems to think that the baby gates are solely responsible for this sad fact, as he continues to chase the felines when he's upstairs. Although Kostya doesn't seem to have noticed, Jay has become much more gentle with him, usually patting whatever part of him is within reach, but occasionally PETTING him!! And it's been a long while since he crawled on top of Kostya, though I'm sure Kostya believes it is only due to his increased vigilance.

Our boy has become very adept at greetings, though a wave is usually followed by clapping, and often a touchdown signal. He's started giving high 5's, too. Jay can mount his ride-on firetruck at will, though he usually prefers to lay his head on the seat and watch the display rotate inches from his nose. Climbing onto the loveseat can be accomplished without help, depending on the circumstances, though the sofa is higher, and almost always requires adult cooperation.

Jay's very good at going up and down the stairs, though he often needs help getting into descent position. He crawls down just like he crawls up, and he's not always brave enough to back down that first step blind. He's also started to consider that he might not like what's waiting for him upstairs (a diaper change and/or nap), so it's helpful that the cats like to hang out in our bedroom while Jay's playing during the day. I just tell him to find the kitties, and his motivation is restored.

Somehow the boy manages to keep getting cuter and more precious. He loves to play peek-a-boo where I pretend to be startled, but he laughs even more when he's roughhousing with Daddy. That is a sound not to be missed! Jay is fascinated by my hair, especially when I've just gotten out of the shower. He's usually very good, though I have to remind him to be gentle.

Eating habits are not what they once were. Daddy's borsch always goes over well, even after a week. However, many vegetables and meats are starting to appear on the unfavored list. Frozen peas are no longer much in demand, and cooked peas are sometimes acceptable if Jay is permitted to extract them from the pods himself. Ground beef is usually OK, but recognizable chunks of meat (even quite small ones) are not favorites. Tuna salad, yogurt, applesauce, graham crackers, cookies, and anything new are among Jay's favorites.

Don't ask me how many teeth he has now. I don't know- they are coming in too fast to count! He seems to be getting in his lower canines now, along with a second or third molar.

And little Jay baby, no walking he makes. A couple of Sundays ago, I went to pick him up from nursery and one of the nursery workers laughed and said, "Oh, he crawls to you." Kind of confused, I informed her that he's not walking. She was genuinely surprised, so I clarified that he only walked if he had something to hold onto. She seemed to accept that, but now I'm tempted to sneak by and make sure he's not pulling the wool over our eyes!

One last thing about church: I just don't think parents who keep their kids in worship with them have children like Jay. He can't sit still. He'll jump/ dance when there's music, but when the music is done, he wants to get down and crawl. Immediately. I know this, because when he's sick, somebody ends up taking him out in the hallway and chasing him around. He's never sick enough that his energy level falls off!
- posted by Lenise @ 7:56 PM |

 
Dizzy Brunette
And here I was worried my dizziness would disappear at an embarrassing time. A week ago. Like that would have been a bad thing. At least I can hear! Actually, my dizziness has been pretty mild, and I even drove to work Monday, though I was a little apprehensive. The drive home was worse, since sitting at my desk seems to exacerbate the problem a little bit. And since there were slow people determined to pull out in front of me so I had to change lanes. Grrr. But, I made it, so I guess I'll be doing a repeat performance in the morning.

We're still waiting for the bank to sign on our contract. A co-worker told me that interest rates have gone up for 13 straight weeks, a trend of which I was blissfully oblivious. I guess we can't lock in our rate until we have a contract. That was not the case last time we bought a house, but I guess we'll live. I just hope we get the house, and soon!
- posted by Lenise @ 7:36 PM |

 
Boy, THAT Was Fun
Interesting couple of days here at the Baxter homestead. Paul had to drive me to work yesterday because I was just too dizzy to trust myself behind the wheel. Especially on the interstate. I had a long-standing meeting with a customer, you see, and did not feel I could miss it. So he dropped me off in the morning with the understanding that I would call when my meeting was over so he could come get me before he had to head back out to work.

When I called, he told me he had good news and bad news. When the good news was that his afternoon appointment was canceled, I wasn't bowled over, to say the least. Then he said "The bad news is- ssssssssssssssssssss". Now if that doesn't make you apprehensive, I don't know what will, so I started repeating "Hello? Hello?" until I heard him talking again a good 20 seconds later.

Turns out the bad news was that our 9-month-old, $4.5k(?) gas pack was no longer heating the house. Our HVAC guys called back while we were still talking, so he was going to have to call back and let me know when he could come get me. They said they'd be out after 2:30, and he came to get me early enough that we were home by about 1:30. The heat had come back on before he left, and so it was still working by the time we realized they weren't coming. For some reason, I was unhappy, nonetheless.

Our heat stayed on until sometime after we were all in bed, but I woke up to a 57F house at just before 7. Granted, I was finally comfortable indoors wearing a sweater, but poor Jay's feet and hands were really cold, though he let me put socks on him and wore a blanket for his pre-breakfast VeggieTale. Paul had left for his weekly men's breakfast, but called us at 9 to say he wouldn't be home until 11 and that we should find somewhere warmer to go. I wasn't dressed yet, but downtown Mebane doesn't open 'til 10 anyway, apart from the coffee shop, so I got dressed, changed Jay's diaper, and FINALLY got him into the mock turtleneck and fleece overalls his Grandma G had given him. Then he fussed when I paused before taking him outside to call the HVAC people and let them know that we were cold and unhappy that we had not seen them yesterday.

I realized that Dollar General might open a little bit earlier than some of the other places, too, so we went there to buy Paul a Christmas gift I had noticed earlier in the week and to get some milk. Jay saw his DG public, and then we headed to Solgarden. He got to see Doggy Kels again (before Kels went back home) and modeled the hat his friend had knitted for her. Then we went to see a friend who works at The Elegant Relic whom we hadn't seen in quite a while, due to my being sick and that store having closed for a month or two to re-open in a different location. She is also clearly part of his admiring public, complimenting each facial feature in detail (not really, but picking out a significant number anyway!)

Then we got home minutes after Paul (he passed us on the way), who decided we all needed to get back out. We went out for lunch, and headed over to the home of college friends of Paul's who have 4 young daughters (the youngest is a little more than a year older than Jay). When the afternoon advanced with no word from the HVAC guys (they had called Paul in the morning to tell him they'd call later *shrug*), I decided it was time to call back. They conveniently were just about to call to make sure someone was home. Anyway, Paul went over and they apparently cleaned out a large nest of some unidentified insect which had built up in our unit and obscured some air flow or something. We were not charged the $150 service fee, which I assume was due to the fact that they did not contact us yesterday afternoon. They say they had come by earlier, though they didn't leave a card, come back when we were expecting them, or even call.

Our house is plenty warm again without having obviously cost us anything (I wonder how much gas was consumed while the fan wasn't blowing, though, as the unit seemed to still be running- yikes!), and Jay had a great day with only a couple of cat naps (like one 5-minute, tops, car nap and one maybe 20 minute nap in front of VeggieTales before dinner). All in all, I feel a little foolish for being angry, especially since I wrote our realtor an e-mail to see if the insurance they hold on our house would cover the repair cost, and the poor soul made quite a few phone calls, even though on my second e-mail I told him there was no particular rush. But maybe it was my irritated phone calls that canceled our service fee. Those guys really did mess up yesterday.
- posted by Lenise @ 8:08 PM |

 
Names, Names
So we've been discussing boy names from time to time, now that we need one (Jay's name was decided from way back, though I'd occasionally suggest something different). My early favorites were Daniel and Stephen/Steven, but I've discovered a new one that might bump those two down on MY list anyway: Tobias. I just love the idea of Toby for a nickname. I'm a sucker for nicknames.
- posted by Lenise @ 9:14 PM |

 
Yay!
We made it out and back today, just Jay-Bear and me. We found a board book with a three-dimensional lamb face poking through the pages for a dollar, too, which came in handy while waiting for lunch and for the fax to go through to our realtor. It was kinda cold, but Jay had his VeggieTales jacket with the hood up (and yes, he wore socks) and he refused the blanket I tried to drape over his legs. Then the sweet lady at Solgarden gave him a hand-knit hat which he refused to leave on. He had a great time with Doggy Kels, though, which we all enjoyed. All in all, a welcome change of pace, even if it was somewhat more dizzying than lying around the living room in front of a video.
- posted by Lenise @ 2:29 PM |

 
Invalid Update
I'm on amoxicillin now. The ENT doc said I have a sinus infection and bronchitis. The dizziness has lessened, so maybe by tomorrow I'll just have a cough and a runny nose. Hey, a girl can dream!

The contract is waiting for my co-buyer to add his initials and signature to mine. Then we can find us an inspector. Sorry, that last sentence was Firefly speech patterns creeping in. That is such a fun show! Thank you, Netflix!
- posted by Lenise @ 11:04 PM |

 
What's This?
The ball's in our court. We have a contract from our realtor with no caveats. All we have to do is sign it and fax it back, and we can get underway with the inspection process! Then we have to wait for a buyer, of course. It finally seems like the ball is rolling, though (into our court, I guess :-7).

I'm still dizzy, though less so than I was this morning. I have an appointment with an ENT specialist tomorrow morning, scheduled by my OB's office (happily, he's in-network!). I still have a cough, though my ear seems to have drained again this evening. I probably won't even be dizzy by morning, and then I'll get to explain to my new ENT specialist why he's seeing someone whose only symptom is a cough. Won't that be fun?

Jay seems to be over the big D. I guess we'll discuss the cough/runny nose/ sometime rash with his pediatrician at his 15-mo checkup in a couple of weeks. They may try putting him on allergy meds. It sure would be nice to be rid of the sniffles and cough. Poor boy!
- posted by Lenise @ 9:38 PM |

 
Good News, Good News, Bad News 2
The pediatrician's office says it's probably a stomach virus since it started with vomiting, though an allergy may be responsible for the runny nose/cough/rash. They say my poor mum-mum-mum milk deprived boy can keep drinking milk as long as he's not pooping all the time. Y'all, he was asking for it this morning and it made me so sad not to give it to him, especially since he was so sad not to have it, so we'll both be relieved when he wakes up from his nap.

Our realtor answered my concerned e-mail almost immediately to say that all was well and that he had an appointment with the other realtor this afternoon. Phew!

Now for the bad news- between my bursitis and my semi-clogged head, I woke up about 5 with MAJOR dizziness/vertigo which resolved once I lay facing the ceiling for a while, but it comes back everytime I move. This made for motion sickness when I went to the bathroom this morning. Luckily, there wasn't anything in my stomach. Unfortunately, this means I'm out of commission again today. So much for carrying over vacation days.
- posted by Lenise @ 12:13 PM |

 
Disconcerting
West Holt Street is showing up in real estate searches again. Maybe the bank thinks they can get a buyer before the end of January. Maybe that's why they haven't gotten our realtor a signed contract. I wish I didn't want this house so badly, but my bursitis this week has been really making our stairs burdensome. Ugh!!!
- posted by Lenise @ 8:50 PM |

 
Bedtime Update
I've been in charge of bedtime for the last 4 days due to various Paul absences and an incapacity, and every one of those nights, Jay went uncomplaining to his bed. It wasn't like that at all when we were away from home, so it's a very welcome change. It's also a welcome change from his naptimes, unfortunately. But maybe a sign that he's not far from being ready for a toddler bed!

Meantime, I'm trying not to freak out over the following passage:

Milk protein allergy – this is an example of one of the most common food allergies. Your child may start to develop diarrhea, rash on the face, body, and diaper area, runny nose, cough, or wheezing.

Jay went for some time yesterday without any untoward diaper happenings, having had at least two cups of milk and oatmeal made with milk during that time. Today, however, it seems like every time he has milk, a diaper event follows. Add to that the fact that he's had a cough and a runny nose for a long time, with an intermittent chest rash, and I'm really not sure what to think. I guess I'd better call the pediatrician tomorrow =[
- posted by Lenise @ 8:14 PM |

 
While I'm at It
I may as well mention that it is very exasperating to have a son so winsome that his gleeful laughter makes you feel like laughing while he's digging a thumbnail into your nasal septum. It makes it difficult to impress upon him the seriousness of inflicting excruciating pain upon his mama.
- posted by Lenise @ 10:14 PM |

 
Encouragement Needed
Go wish Cathy a quick return to health and share your tips on getting rest when you're sick and in charge of an active 7-month-old.
- posted by Lenise @ 9:55 PM |

 
Just When You Think It's Safe
The big D rears its very stinky head, or tail perhaps... He went until 5 or so without any smelly diapers, but then twice this evening he's made big, wet messes. A pair of overalls and a set of jammies have fallen prey so far. He did fine with breakfast- oatmeal, though I guess yogurt is supposed to be good for diarrhea sufferers. Anyway, according to various internet sources (what would I do without Google?), we should expect the diarrhea to hang on for a while (lovely) and invest in some rubber pants, but not worry too much since it's only happening a couple/ few times a day and he's still active. We are apparently supposed to restore unto him a starchy diet (he had a piece of bread and a few pasta wheels for dinner) and keep him drinking (water, if possible).

Of course, these guys have never seen the delight in his face when he says mom-mom-mom and gets the milk he requested. Then he gives it back and asks for it again, though whether it's for cheap thrills or as part of his mama training program, I couldn't tell you. Maybe someday he will use his "m" consonant to indicate me. I keep hoping ;) The good news is that my hearing is approaching normal, my ear having popped several times after dinner (at long last!), and that we have a 3' tabletop tree to decorate. It's cute and smells nice, but is a little bit tilted. I had to have the tallest tabletop tree at Lowe's, though. After all, it's plenty short already! I also got a $10 wreath for the front door. I need to bedeck it with a bow yet.
- posted by Lenise @ 8:40 PM |

 
Fun With Fleas
I bought some Advantage maybe a month ago after I noticed a flea on Kostya. Sometimes I've only had to treat him for the problem to resolve. He's much easier to get ahold of than his girl friend, has much more trouble with fleas, and seems to attract more of the vermin. Anyway, that tactic didn't work this time, so I had to catch them both this time around, a process that begins with the wet Whiskas pouches a co-worker gave me years ago because her Himalayans didn't like the lot number (or maybe they didn't like these flavors, though at least one of them has been known to refuse food based on which lot it came from). Of course, I had an extra step this time around, you see, because although there was already a paper plate in the bathroom, it had dry food on it, since I noticed that the permanent bowl needed a thorough cleaning, and I've been too lazy/sick to do it until tonight. So I did wash their real bowl, and they heard the pouch of Whiskas crackling and were both at the door as I started to empty it. Vyera is so absorbed in eating that she doesn't try to beat me to the door, which means I can trap them in. Corralling Vyera took longer than usual this time around. I chased her in circles a couple of times before she finally jumped onto the ledge of the bathtub. I'm not sure why she chose that spot to make her stand, but it's fine with me, since she's very accessible there. She just crouched there and took her medicine, so to speak. What a mysterious creature! She's really afraid of humans, but she's never tried to bite or scratch me or anyone else in my house. The first time at the vet was apparently a different story, though. The girl has some spunk ;)
- posted by Lenise @ 8:27 PM |

 
Crossing Fingers
Metaphorically, anyway- no mess has emanated from our big boy's backside since 8-ish last night (boy, THAT was a big one), so we're hoping the big D has run its course!!

Sorry about the TMI =7

No word on the house- STILL no contract, unfortunately.
- posted by Lenise @ 12:53 PM |

 
That Figures, Too
So now my bursitis is giving me semi-serious trouble again. Hello! You could at least wait until my ear drains!!

But we went to the Christmas parade anyway. Sort of. See, we were indoors and then Jay and I went to Dollar General to augment our milk supply so I could make hot cocoa (it does get fairly chilly at night, though it doesn't seem like much compared to Thanksgiving Day in Massillon!!) for any friends upon whom Paul might prevail to drop in. Thankfully, our Russian friends, complete with his mother, graced our home and helped us drink some cocoa. They even tried the marshmallows- what good sports! I stumbled through a few phrases in Russian for the entertainment of all (Grigoriy's mom doesn't speak much English), and all in all, it was a very nice end to a not especially nice week.

Which reminds me- besides hydrating, what do you do for a small boy with diarrhea?
- posted by Lenise @ 10:38 PM |

 
Well, That Just Figures
I managed to take Jay downtown by myself today without any real dicey moments. We walked around Dollar General twice gathering provisions for the Christmas parade tomorrow (I invited some friends out here for dinner and to watch the parade) and then went by Solgarden to see Kels (who was there this time) and his mistress. Then tonight I put away the toys which had accumulated (in an entropic sort of way), even going so far as to pull what I could out from under the sofa and loveseat and putting away the Scrabble supplies which had been left out the last time we put it away in the then-newly childproofed cabinet, along with some other game-like clutter. Which is to say, I must be getting better (though I did catch a few winks during "The Ballad of Little Joe" this afternoon- Jay took the opportunity to create a leaky #2, of course!)

So guess what? Paul came home with a bottle of the pink stuff and went straight to the futon, which he re-flattened and occupied. Good thing I'm feeling better!!! Now I have some dishes to do...
- posted by Lenise @ 9:32 PM |

 
Since Angie Asked
A quick house update: we're still really close to having a contract on the new house. I asked our realtor to change the latest closing date, since it's 2 weeks away and we don't have any offers on our house. I think it's safe to say we'll be here for Christmas. He suggested January 30th, so hopefully the sellers will be ok with that. Our house was shown once while we were in Michigan, and I was pleased to discover that the cats hadn't spewed hairballs all over or brought our underwear out, but dismayed to discover how I'd left Jay's room. Oh well! My hope is that we can get the contract on the new house this week, do the inspection next week, and then we'll know whether or not we can afford to lower the listing price on our house. All prayers are welcomed!

Oh- and now we have to decide how to decorate for Christmas. A real, full-size tree would probably make the house homier and more attractive to me as well as potential buyers, BUT since the living room is where it would have to be, and since that is the playroom, I'm not thinking it will be possible with baby dynamo. I'm considering a tabletop real tree advertised at Lowe's, since I'm really NOT a fan of fake trees. That would make me feel entitled to a real door wreath, too, as opposed to my usual big velvet bow. I'm also wanting to get into this Jesse tree thing, though it won't mean anything to Jay until next year. Anyone have any suggestions on managing active toddlers and real trees?
- posted by Lenise @ 12:28 PM |