It never fails!

Less than 30 minutes after I put the diapers in the wash Isabella poos! No more blogging. It is diaper changing time!

I must have fallen asleep

My little precious baby girl just turned one. ONE! Can I even call her baby anymore? She got new big girl shoes, new big girl pants and new big girl shirts. She looks twice as big as she did running around in nothing but a diaper. I miss the baby she was already and am very much looking forward to meeting the little girl she turns into. Mama and papa bought her two new toys for her birthday. We couldn't decide on her one birthday gift from the both of us. I can't help but think this will be how it is every birthday.

Tomorrow we go for our first professional portraits. I'm bringing along her hand crafted birthday rocking chair. (will be posting pictures soon) I think we have already filled up many a memory cards between all our visitors! We've been busy these last couple of days with Isabella's Grandma, Nanna, Bubby and Zaidy who are all in town buying, playing and napping with her (and giving mama a well needed break.) Her Monkey Jeff just showed up tonight and we are getting ready for a big family birthday party!

Keeping up with a one year old is a whole new challenge. Wish me luck in staying patient and mindful in this next year.

Things we learn from children

I hear this a lot "We learn so much from our kids". I have always wondered what parents really meant by it and what kind of things they are learning. Things I've learned since having a baby: be more patient, slow down, plan ahead more(I'm still working on this one). Last night I learned something from her and not just, well, because of her.



We are near the end of what I call the worst move ever. No planning ahead. No packing. No organizing. No time. And little help. Last night as we finished packing up the last of the boxes at the old apartment, Isabella and I step outside to avoid a melt down while David loaded the cars. I quickly pick up a stick and some rocks and start showing Isabella different things she can do with them(Still in "hurry hurry avoid a melt down" mode). She quickly grasps onto the idea of playing with the sticks and rocks and continues, seemingly, on her own. As I slowly stand up to back away, she comes quickly to my legs and starts pulling on my pants whining for me to pick her up. I sit down again and this time really engage in playing with the rocks and sticks. Isabella and I sat there for 35mins at least piling up rocks and clearing paths. I thought to myself, this is really relaxing. This is the most relaxed I have been in probably a month. We were just sitting, playing, collecting, spilling, scraping, and piling and yet it felt so good. Good to not think about two rents for two months, or breaking leases, or job interviews, or grocery shopping, or anything other than sitting and playing. I look forward top more of these moments. I am going to need them these next two weeks.



So our newly put together garden is being slowly taken apart and moved to our new apartment. We have no private courtyard but we do have three balconies. I know it seems excessive but I think I will be able to get a few potted vegetable plants going before it is too late. I transferred the basil without any problems and he seems to be as happy as ever in his new home. The green beans, I am afraid, will not be making it. They had a short and very inspirational life in our little garden and in some weird way I will morn them. Davids newly sprouted potatoes have not been transplanted yet because I ran out of containers. I will be updating more about my container gardening finds soon.

update on our living situation/excuses for not blogging more

Ok so here is a shortened version of what has happened since Ike:

We leave two days before Ike to in-laws and stay for 5 days. Come home to water infested moldy apartment. Leave to friend's one bedroom apartment for 5 days. Go to hotel for 7 days (yey for space), and back to friend's apartment for 5 days. Move to other friends big house for going on a week and a half(yey our own bedroom AND a stove to cook with.)

[that is a lot of moving and relocating]

A week ago after battling with the apartment managers we have given up and found a new apartment. Hopefully we will be moving in this weekend! Finding this apartment was no easy task. Between home foreclosures (which are popping up all over the neighborhoods out here) and people being displaced because of the hurricanes, nice apartments at affordable rates in good neighborhoods are few and far between. and when we would find a nice one.... they have no openings for weeks. Normally I would never leave finding a new apartment to the last min. but we have no choice and no where to live somewhat permanently.

I am so torn on what to do about breaking our lease and losing our deposit at our current apartment. The owner and managers are in agreement that there is nothing wrong with our apartment and in fact went and washed all the mold off the walls and repainted them. They told me there was no mold there and that they did not want to see pictures because they were in the apartment already and saw for themselves.
They also informed me I am obviously making this up and over reacting. As a parent, I take my daughters health very VERY seriously and refuse to put her in a moldy apartment and even risk her getting sick or her allergies acting up again. I can't rent from people who accuse their tenants of lying and then try to cover up any evidence of the walls being soaked all the way through. I have tried being patient and giving them time and the benefit of the doubt but I feel like because we were not calling them nonstop from the beginning they are not taking us seriously. I never thought I would ever say or do anything like this but I really feel like we are being taken advantage of and we may be seeking professional legal help to fight them for our rent and our deposit.

Wish us luck with these new apartments. I will post pictures of it soon. It is a two story town home with two bedrooms and twice as many square feet. If anyone has a bed they are looking to get ride of.... we are now taking donations for the guest room/office/craft room. hehehe craft room!

p.s.
Yey for fall and cooler nights and mornings. Yey for all the acorns and pine cones on the ground and pumpkins at the store. I can't wait to take Isabella to the pumpkin patch! Yey for local farms! I don't remember much of last fall, mostly because I was on bed rest a good portion of it. I know it wont be as beautiful as Western Washington but I do hope for some color!


Oh and most of all.... YEY for fall arts and craft projects!