Has It Really Been That Long?

It doesn't seem like it's been nearly a month since I last came around the old blog, but I guess it has! Things have been CRAZY here so I guess I'm not totally surprised. What a whirlwind we're living in. With any luck it is coming to an end...

So, since we last touched base, we have pretty much gotten everything in line as far as the business. Unless by some bizarre occurence, we will be closing on the practice on February 1. Mark already has his name on the door...how neat is that? And, he's receiving his 1st paycheck on Friday of this week. A whole $10. Woo! We decided to pay him a small amount to take advantage of a special the bank was running on their payroll service. By making this one payment, we'll be saving $40. Not too shabby. :)

In other news, we are now officially back in Colorado after a horrid week of moving last week. It was awful, but we made it through it....with 1 1/2 PODS. We could't get everything into one. If you ask Mark, it is because we have too much stuff and need to get rid of some. If you ask me, it is because we have a baby and because I wasn't really given anytime to sort through what we had and get rid of things. I wasn't even able to take what I did have to donate to goodwill...I had to get a friend to volunteer for it!

With respect to our house, the good news is that we actually found some renters for it. They're probably going to be moving in toward the end of February. I was able to meet with the husband of the family and he seemed quite nice...he's actually a vice principal at a school in the area. I hope they like our home...if so, they plan to do a lease option and with any luck eventually buy it. That would be lovely.

As far as the news that everybody really wants (hee hee!), Nicholas is doing just fine. He's 8 months old now and just as much of a doll as ever though he has learned how to throw a fit. He's just not at all fond of wearing hats. He has a total of 7 teeth popping through at this point. Thankfully he's gotten used to all of them again and so he isn't gnawing on me. I don't like that much and it seems to happen every time he gets a new tooth.

Let's see, he's also sitting up on his own which makes him quite a bit of fun...especially at bath time. I'm still taking baths with him for safety's sake, but he's close to getting to be in the tub by himself...I'm just looking for a bit more stability. He's really come to love bath time....he loves to splash and kick and just smiles and smiles all the while he's doing it! He is also scooting around now. He looks sort of like an army guy scuttling along on his tummy especially when he has his one "dead" leg. Too funny! Finally, he seems to have discovered his feet...I always thought that happened a little sooner, but whatever.

Eating wise, he's still getting formula, breastmilk and he's been trying new little goodies in jars. I'd always planned to make all his food, but so far it's been a bust. Every time I try the consistency is too chunky and I end up pulling out a jar of something. I'll give it a try again soon I'm sure since he's getting into the land of "normal" food. We started trying meat out on him a few days ago and he seems to be quite happy with it, but then, he's pretty easy to talk into trying things as long as apples or pears are mixed in and it happened to be Chicken Apple. I just bought him a bunch of other goodies to try this evening.

Allergy-wise, we're still combating combinations with formula and what not right now. We seem to have cleared prunes and squash with formula, but we tried feeding him those in California and he was just a bit too stressed out with all the moving. His tummy was mighty upset and sending back everything including apples and pears. Thankfully he's feeling better now that we're at my brother's house, but I worry about how he'll do when we move into our new house at the end of the week...if we actually do.

It will be available, but we have the family timeshare this weekend in Frisco so we're probably going to enjoy some time away. I need it! I have been overworked and up to now quite underpaid for my services. Dr. Rocco totally owes me! ;)

Sleep-wise, Nicholas seems to do okay. We still have one night waking which I have grown weary of. We kept it up for a while there so that I could keep my milk supply up, but we need to get rid of it. Unfortunately, with Nicholas being so agitated with all the changes and what not, it just isn't the best time. So, we'll have to wait until we get settled into our new dwelling and then we'll have to endure a few very long nights, no doubt, as we refrain from giving him the breast or bottle when he awakes. We're going to need some serious patience for that activity I'm guessing.

I suppose that is it for now. The only other thing going on per se is that I've been contemplating maybe starting a new little business venture here in Colorado. I'm not sure what it would be. I'm not sure I really want to do wedding or event planning, but it's always a consideration. I really don't have time to focus on that right now anyway given my responsibilities to Nicholas and to Mark's business. I think the entrepreneur in me longs to give something a go, though, so I'm thinking on it. At least this time, hopefully, I will be able to do it in a way that I won't look back on it and realize that it was a "very expensive bout of therapy" like I do when I think about the wedding business.

Hopefully I'll get back into the swing of things and post a little more frequently now that things should be dying down a little!

Happy New Year!!!

In our little corner of the world, New Year's Day isn't quite yet over so Happy New Year to you! Sorry I didn't make it here to wish you all a Merry Christmas, but I'm sure you know I was thinking about you all that day, too!

There has been a flurry of activity around here since I last wrote. For one, the practice purchase is becoming more and more of a reality...despite a quick blip there where it looked like everything was going to h-e-double hockey sticks in a hand basket. We've received approval from the SBA for the loan, have an agreed upon price (this was where we had a problem for a bit there) and have received the good doctor's terms as far as the loan he'll give us for the remaining balance of the purchase price. Wow! We're hoping that Mark will be working by the beginning of February and making things happen!

By the way, I am typing this in Colorado...we're not here for good yet. We're just visiting for the holidays and to get things set up as far as the business and our housing situation. Speaking of the last one - we think we've found the perfect location to live. It is less than a mile from Mark's office and is right by a Safeway and a Target. It has 5 bedrooms, 2 baths and is very nice based upon our viewing today. The owners seem like very nice people and are looking to sell it sometime soon so we're hoping to maybe set up some sort of lease to buy situation. We figure if we later decided we wanted another home, we could conceivably rent this one and buy some other home for us. We're going to call and start the application and negotiation process tomorrow.

As for the holidays, today was not terribly exciting (nor was last night as we were in bed by around 10ish, I think - I'm not sure as I have a cold and am not quite 'with it') other than the house scoping and meeting up with a friend for dinner at Giuseppe's (yummo!). Nicholas, too, is under the weather with his very first cold...the poor dear. We're pretty sure he picked something up during our visit to Grandma and Grandpa's house. He's really been quite a trooper, but I've had to deal with way too many loose stools and resulting diaper leaks and explosions for my liking. I think he's starting to feel better, as I am, but we'll just have to see what happens tomorrow!

Other than the cold, he's doing great. He's just about had his 5th tooth break through (uppper right next to front if that makes sense). I'm expecting it to be official in just a day or so more. He is up to about 17 pounds and 29 inches now...almost time for a new car seat! We scoped those out the other day at Babies R Us. We're leaning toward the Britax Boulevard...

As for Christmas, it was really nice getting to spend it with my parents. It was a good one for Nick's first as well. Santa was quite good to him and brought him a Christmas tree of his very own for when I finally realize my dream of having a Christmas tree in every room of the house at Christmas time. He gets to decorate his however he'd like with no OCD allowed from Mommy. hee hee. He received some ornaments to get him started as well. He also recieved a neat little doggie towel, some books, a blankie, clothes, ornaments for his tree and so much more. He, of course, wasn't completely aware of what was going on, but he thought the red shiny paper was pretty neat.

On Christmas Eve we took him to the church I attended while growing up for the service. It was so much fun getting to show him off to all the people there. They loved him and he definitely stole the show...especially when he was fake coughing and chatting during the sermon. It was too cute. He loved all the singing and the attention he was showered with...the little ham!

As far as future plans, we're currently thinking we'll return to the Bay Area on Jan. 7 and get things wrapped up as far as packing and what not. Then we'll head out around the 15th or so. We're contemplating maybe having my brother drive the car out and just flying here again...we're not sure. But at least things are looking up and good and we'll be getting to get our lives in order again soon.

Well, that is it for now. I suppose I've forgotten something, but hopefully not!