Exodus

I used to think blogging was really hard when there was nothing much going on. Just the same old same old, nothing much to report.

Turns out it's even harder, at least for me, when there's lots of stuff to talk about.

So!

This lady turned one! There was cake.

And then she turned 13, 14, 15, and 16 months old. Lordy, I guess it's been a wee bit longer than I thought.

She walks, she runs, she dances. She puts shoes and diapers on her stuffed animals and buckles them into her carseat. I remember saying when she was nine months old that I just could not imagine a kid being any more fun. Guess what? It gets more fun. She kills me.

The one thing she doesn't do is talk. Not a single word, not ever. I'm not really worried because she signs, and signing babies are just the cutest. Especially when you ask them "more what?" hoping they'll elaborate on the ubiquitous demand for MORE MORE MORE and they stop, think for a second and then sign "more... PLEASE."

The second and third things she doesn't do is give up bottles or pacifiers. But I'm ignoring that for now because: 1) teeth. OMFG THE TEETH. They never stop with the being assholes! This child has never shown interest in a single toy designed for teething babies, but she will chew on keys, cigarette butts she finds on the sidewalk, and her personal favorite: styrofoam packing peanuts. So! When you see her with a pacifier in her maw in 75% of the pictures I post on Facebook, just realize that it is better than seeing a picture of her with four cigarette butts poking out of her mouth NOT THAT THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED. Except yes it has. 2) she is already sleeping like crap, which should be downright illegal after months of fantastic nights of 12+ hours of sleep and predictable naps, which lull parents into a false sense of security and causes them to lose all the powers of functioning in the world on very little sleep that they develop during the newborn months. I realize that complaining about her waking up 2-3 times during the night between the hours of 6:30pm and 6am sounds absolutely laughable to people still on the waking-up-every-ninety-minutes schedule. But the other day I was trying to veg on the couch during her (too-short) nap, and I went to the search function on Netflix and typed in "netflix". And was then surprised when no results were displayed. Goddamnit Netflix, FIGURE OUT WHAT I MEAN. I had absolutely no recollection of what show I was trying to find. That's what a few weeks of waking up several times a night and starting the day at 5:15am will do to me nowadays. So I'm not even THINKING about taking away bottles or pacifiers until we're all good and settled in our new house.

Oh, did I mention that we're moving? To Salt Lake City? Um, yes. That is happening. 

Joel drove away from our house in Baltimore on December 28th. Sad, surreal, strange. Thank goodness my brother was staying with us at the time, helping us paint and pack, when Joel left or I would have lost it. Instead I lost it when my brother drove away later in the day. And then I survived fifteen days of solo parenting with no car. In the middle of winter.

 

It wasn't pretty. Hannah learned to fend for herself while I dozed on the couch (STOP WAKING UP AT 5:15AM) or packed boxes. I learned not to care about messes, because OMG. The mess created by solo parenting + not enough sleep + too small house + no car + winter + can't go outside + boxes everywhere + has anyone seen the vacuum + OH, JUST HELP YOURSELF TO A SNACK SURE THING GREAT JOB NO NEED FOR A BOWL.

Hannah and I stayed behind in Baltimore for a few weeks to finish packing and getting the house ready for sale. Movers arrived last Monday, and when they finished loading the truck we all bundled into my mom's car and retired to our country home (aka my mom's house) in New Jersey. 

Goodbye, Baltimore. It was good knowing you.

 

 

Comments

[Zandria @ I Choose Buffalo]

Moving to SLC will be quite a change from Baltimore! You've often spoke of your desire to leave your house in the city for something larger and/or farther out, but I didn't expect THIS. :)

However, I've heard it's a beautiful place. I hope you're extremely happy there. Let me know if you're coming to DC for a visit before you leave!

[Liz]

I can't imagine the craziness you must be going through with this HUGE move. And I'm a touch jealous because of how exciting it all sounds. Exhausting and stressful, but exciting.

[heidikins]

I'm so excited for you to be my neighbor!!! Eeeep!

xox

[RA]

Look at that CHUUUBBY baby! I love how her eyebrows are always like, "Not impressed."

I'm so SAD that you won't be on the east coast any more! Boooooo. But I hope all goes well with settling in and getting a new routine down in a new city. 2013 is your year, lady!

[Janssen]

So excited to hear more about your life in SLC!

[Lisa]

wow, that's a big life change (says the girl still adjusting to moving from Jersey to California last year). Was the move prompted by a new job, or the desire to live someplace else? will you be working when you get to SLC?

We did the same thing when we moved--my husband went out to CA first, and we followed two weeks later, with me and the kids living at my MIL's house in the interim. I cried every night I was so stressed out. It gets better, but it was a rough couple of weeks.

[PinkieBling]

She is SO cute!

The weather here still hasn't gotten it's act together, but I hope it's just throwing its last tantrum before you get here. (A girl can dream!)

[susie]

I am in love with your hammy baby. And I cannot BELIEVE how stressful this month must have been (continues to be) for you, and also, how little you are complaining about it. Rockstar.

[Life of a Doctor's Wife]

I am WAY behind, but a) your baby is SO CUTE and b) SLC! What a big move! I hope all is well and you are reunited with Joel. And that you get some sort of all-expenses paid spa weekend to help you recover from 15 days of solo parenting. (!!!)

[Janelle]

A) I love your baby. She is seriously adorable. 2) I totally hear you on the hard -blogging-when-life-is-busy thing. And D) congrats on the move. And the single parenting. My husband had late meetings twice last week and I gained a new (or re-newed) appreciation for single parents!

[Angela Noelle]

I'm not sure it's legal for a baby to be that cute. I cannot wait for the girls to reach this age! I don't want to wish their babyhood away, but omg, I LOVE ONE-YEAR-OLDS!!! I hadn't realized you were doing the solo parenting thing for two weeks. I'm so glad you made it through! Hope you're having fun in SLC, tell Hannah to light up a cigar in celebration ;)

[Samuel]

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