well, we did it. we sold our house without any complications. adam and dad pulled off a small miracle fitting our entire household in a uhaul like a finely crafted puzzle. our caravan of adam and dad in the uhaul, me with the kids and brody in the outback and bubie in the legacy had a smooth and tear/whine free trip to Kansas. we closed and got unloaded on friday, 22nov.
during our discussions about this relocation, adam just kept saying let's move before or after winter. we thought we were going to make it moving in november but the day we closed had a high of 27 and we have had several days in the teens and twenties since and continues to be record breaking cold...sorry sweetie.
the kids made a remarkably smooth transition to their new home and school. we haven't had a tough drop off yet and i have to bribe mackenzie to get her to come home at night.
we (at least me) were a bit unrealistically optimistic about unpacking. we got the essentials done and then just stalled with us both working and not figuring out how our texas home translates to our kansas home...plenty of space but not sure how we're using it.
bubie, shatzie, grandma and grandpa arrive this weekend to celebrate mackenzie's 3rd birthday. jackson sees our new pediatrician tomorrow for his 4 month appointment and mackenzie sees him next week for her 3 year well visit.
i've been excited to work in the office a few days and congratulations to adam as he is in the countdown in his position with ppd, working from home for a few more weeks, before he takes a week off to catch his breath and then starts a new position manging a clinical programming group here in town. he's excited about the opportunity and looking forward to working in an office but a bit nervous about the new and very different position...but he'll be fantastic!
here are lots of photos and a few videos of the kiddos...hoping to start feeling settled and catch up with everyone over the next few weeks.
a last minute ladybug girl costume for mackenzie, we spent our 3rd halloween at harold and andrea's church 'trunk or treat festival'.
look at that domestic guy...that's now how you're supposed to "do" home deopot!
morning snuggles on the counter.
look at that grown-up kid...our third neighborhood fall festival with a petting zoo.
what a charmer...love this shirt and so sad he's growing out of it...he looks just like his sister did when she wore it...he's enjoying some mobile time here.
some papa snuggles at the end of frank's birthday...sleepy girl fell asleep within 3 minutes of getting in the car.
mackenzie loves to drop Jackson off at school. miss mary was mackenzie's favorite teacher and she used to cry and cry when mary would leave the room. jackson only had a couple of weeks with her before our move but he loved her too. mackenzie started giving mary instructions on how to take care of jackson, 'if he cries he might need a clean diaper or to go to his bed or he might be hungry so you can do it'.
mackenzie sporting the tutu dress harold and andrea brought to her when they visited us in the hospital...she found it in her dress up box and insisted on wearing it to school...she loves her little brother so much, she cannot walk by him without touching him with exuberant affection.
the kids have been amazing through the move, they didn't fuss once on the way from texas to kansas. they were even at our closing with us, which was a little tougher but we got back on track for the unloading and had a great day.
so often looks surprised...he is always so alert and attentive, so much like mackenzie.
goodness gracious this boy loves his baths...i would share the video of him splashing, kicking and laughing but it's not very modest! just in case he decides to run for president some day, i'll keep it clean!
mackenzie and dad having a peanut break.
while jackson and mom bundle up to rake leaves.
home depot had a bonus kids workshop on thanksgiving weekend, mackenzie did an awesome job on her little tool box. honestly, she hammers better than some of the dads there. they don't provide paint at this home depot so we painted it at home. you can also see that she is not letting go of her texas wardrobe easily. we're talking her into adding pants and sweaters, raiding her closet and...
picking up a few long sleeve dresses for her. adam calls this one her lumberjack dress (it's flannel). i also wanted to show off some of my handy work since she's been asking for braids for a few months and this was my first true success...of course the fell out a few hours later because her hair is like silk.
what an irresistible little man, so good at his tummy time and he can roll from back to belly and belly to back, though not always when he wants to yet. he's also trying to get a six pack as he crunches to try to sit up from reclining. jackson also loves to stand up and can do that just holding our fingers now.
eight nights of hanukkah hop and candles...daddy caught some of my favorite evening time on video...i just melt when both kiddos want to sit and read with me.
our surreal experience of watching our kids on stage in a christmas pageant the night after the final night of hanukkah. i wish i could convey how excited mackenzie was to go on stage and then as they paraded across the stage in silence (both of their classes were in the same "number"), everyone in the whole high school audience could hear an adorable "little" voice say "i've never been on a stage before". here we are in the audience watching the other classes. parenthood...we have arrived.
here they are bundled up and zonkered out.
jackson loves toys and blankets (or any fabric really, just like mackenzie) and he has the benefit of all of mackenzie's baby toys PLUS a few of his own.
last weekend was the final kids workshop of the year and it was a good one...tic tac toe. once again, we painted it at home. it has been amazing to watch mackenzie's skills, interest and engagement in these projects grow over the last 6 months.
mackenzie and brody working it for the camera.
mackenzie and jackson's first "snow". mackenzie was so excited about it until she touched it. jackson was even into touching it as they brought some in to the class room for the kids to "play" with.
