Zoe is trying to jump, which is really cute to witness. She bends down and goes up but doesn’t quite leave the ground. If you jump, she will laugh hysterically. Her uncle said that jumping is a big developmental step (so is learning how to blow your nose).
She’s also become much more involved in getting dressed in the mornings. She is very cooperative when putting on pants and shirts (picking her arms or legs up to help you). After her clothes are on she picks up her feet as if to say: you’ve forgotten something! If you do not put her shoes on quickly she will start looking for them and yelling. She’s very insistent about putting on her shoes. It’s funny because she goes to a little hippie daycare where most of the kids take their shoes off or don’t wear them at all but she’s entered this new phase where she must have her shoes. I guess she feels they complete an outfit?
So, the shoe thing also brings up a tough issue. Often on the weekends she wants you to put on her shoes pretty much first thing in the morning. Then she walks to the front door and wants to go outside. One of the downsides to apartment life is that we do not have a yard, something she is definitely used to. I’m trying not to get too bummed about it because we are so close to Zilker and to two schools with great playgrounds. We have been to these places and they’re fun for her, but it does make me sad that she can’t just walk out her front or back door and into a yard.
The move has been a hard transition in a lot of ways. Sometimes Nate and I can’t believe how much we’ve gone through (six months of change already!) and we’re not all the way done yet. We did a ton of work to get our house ready to put on the market, lived apart for about six weeks, both got new jobs, stayed with friends for quite a while, now we’re under contract, living in an apartment, and planning on emptying our house and putting almost everything in storage. Our lease will end next September and at that point we’ll see if the economy is totally in the toilet and we’re all growing victory gardens, or if things are looking okay. We’ll also evaluate where our debt is and we might decide to buy, or we may rent for a bit longer and maybe get rid of all our debt. We are on a budget now and have a good plan to greatly reduce the bills we racked up while living in the house and then getting it ready to sell. There’s good and bad in our situation, as with everything.
Monday
Tuesday
Our House
We went to Dallas a couple of weeks ago to pick up a few things for our apartment in Austin. Pots, pans, silverware, sheets, Zoe’s 24-month-old clothing, that kind of thing. We have a house sitter and he mentioned that a man was coming by later that day to see the house for the fourth time and that on the previous visit, he’d brought his wife, mother-in-law, and a camera. Good signs. We mentioned it to our realtor, who hadn’t known about the four visits because the viewing agency had somehow listed it as two separate two-time visits instead of one four-time visitor.
The next week (last week), our realtor followed up with their realtor. She told us we were “the bridesmaid and not the bride” and that they were going with a smaller, less expensive house. She reassured their realtor that we were open to negotiation and on Wednesday evening he called and told us they were withdrawing their offer on the other house and to expect an offer the next day. Due to some complications with opening the file, we didn’t get to see the actual number until late Thursday. Their first offer was a fair one, we countered slightly higher and then we had a deal. Needless to say, we were very relieved.
The hilarious thing is that we got the offer two weeks after signing a year lease on an apartment. Oh well. The location is really great (very convenient to both of our jobs and Zoe’s daycare) and the lowered expenses over the next few months will give us the opportunity to pay off some debt and possibly save some money. So in a lot of ways we’ll be in a much better position to buy at the end of our lease.
Right now we are in the option period, so we are waiting impatiently. They are pre-approved and asked if we could close in two weeks (we’re in turn asking for three) so I doubt they’ll back out if they’re on such an accelerated timeframe. They’re moving to Dallas from out of state and I think they would like to move directly into the house, rather than find some interim solution.
So, there you go. Eight or nine days to go and then I will feel much more confident about all of this and so relieved to be able to finish the move to Austin.
The next week (last week), our realtor followed up with their realtor. She told us we were “the bridesmaid and not the bride” and that they were going with a smaller, less expensive house. She reassured their realtor that we were open to negotiation and on Wednesday evening he called and told us they were withdrawing their offer on the other house and to expect an offer the next day. Due to some complications with opening the file, we didn’t get to see the actual number until late Thursday. Their first offer was a fair one, we countered slightly higher and then we had a deal. Needless to say, we were very relieved.
The hilarious thing is that we got the offer two weeks after signing a year lease on an apartment. Oh well. The location is really great (very convenient to both of our jobs and Zoe’s daycare) and the lowered expenses over the next few months will give us the opportunity to pay off some debt and possibly save some money. So in a lot of ways we’ll be in a much better position to buy at the end of our lease.
Right now we are in the option period, so we are waiting impatiently. They are pre-approved and asked if we could close in two weeks (we’re in turn asking for three) so I doubt they’ll back out if they’re on such an accelerated timeframe. They’re moving to Dallas from out of state and I think they would like to move directly into the house, rather than find some interim solution.
So, there you go. Eight or nine days to go and then I will feel much more confident about all of this and so relieved to be able to finish the move to Austin.
Thursday
Zoe Update
I’ve been so consumed with moving, trying to sell the house, new job, etc. that I haven’t done a Zoe update in too long.
She’d been saying “mama” and “da” or “a-da” for a while. Now she also says baby, ball, bear, and today she tried to say daddy. Sounded like “ahhh-dee.” Also tries to say “dog” but it sounds an awful lot like “da.”
She loves her dolls and bears. She hugs them and “puts them to bed.” She walks around with her “baby” and a blankie (or anything that could conceivably be considered a blankie, like a dish towel) and puts the baby on the floor and then covers them up. Sometimes she pats them. Then she gets up and does it over and over and over again.
She dusts, sweeps, and tries to help put things away. She is also wiping her hands and mouth with a napkin when she is done eating.
She’s gotten one molar. We suspect another is on the way.
She grooves down to the most godawful music. Loooooves to dance and will do this hilarious “thriller” shoulder move sometimes.
She takes care of the other babies at daycare, meaning if they start crying she will go pat their backs or hug them. There is a boy who has just transitioned into her pre-toddler class and he’s still learning to walk. She will guide him around and if he sits, she goes and brings toys to him.
There’s another little boy she dances with at daycare. They hold hands and go in a circle when there’s music playing.
She really loves animals and squeaks and points when she sees them. This includes, dogs, cats, squirrels, birds, whatever.
She’s pointing a lot in general these days, often at something she wants.
She’s really into shoes and bags (already!).
She is almost giving kisses with her mouth closed.
Stares at herself in the mirror and smiles as if to say, I’m soooo cute.
Will jabber very insistently, using her hands to make a point and sometimes crossing her arms. She’s serious!
Runs with her hands behind her back sometimes.
Seriously loves beans. Black, pinto, refried, whatever.
Her curls make her hair seem shorter than it really is.
She’s looking a lot less like a baby and a lot more like a little girl these days. Once we find the cord that connects the digital camera to our computers, we’ll try to load some recent pictures.
She’d been saying “mama” and “da” or “a-da” for a while. Now she also says baby, ball, bear, and today she tried to say daddy. Sounded like “ahhh-dee.” Also tries to say “dog” but it sounds an awful lot like “da.”
She loves her dolls and bears. She hugs them and “puts them to bed.” She walks around with her “baby” and a blankie (or anything that could conceivably be considered a blankie, like a dish towel) and puts the baby on the floor and then covers them up. Sometimes she pats them. Then she gets up and does it over and over and over again.
She dusts, sweeps, and tries to help put things away. She is also wiping her hands and mouth with a napkin when she is done eating.
She’s gotten one molar. We suspect another is on the way.
She grooves down to the most godawful music. Loooooves to dance and will do this hilarious “thriller” shoulder move sometimes.
She takes care of the other babies at daycare, meaning if they start crying she will go pat their backs or hug them. There is a boy who has just transitioned into her pre-toddler class and he’s still learning to walk. She will guide him around and if he sits, she goes and brings toys to him.
There’s another little boy she dances with at daycare. They hold hands and go in a circle when there’s music playing.
She really loves animals and squeaks and points when she sees them. This includes, dogs, cats, squirrels, birds, whatever.
She’s pointing a lot in general these days, often at something she wants.
She’s really into shoes and bags (already!).
She is almost giving kisses with her mouth closed.
Stares at herself in the mirror and smiles as if to say, I’m soooo cute.
Will jabber very insistently, using her hands to make a point and sometimes crossing her arms. She’s serious!
Runs with her hands behind her back sometimes.
Seriously loves beans. Black, pinto, refried, whatever.
Her curls make her hair seem shorter than it really is.
She’s looking a lot less like a baby and a lot more like a little girl these days. Once we find the cord that connects the digital camera to our computers, we’ll try to load some recent pictures.
Transitioning from Transition
Back in April or so when we first talked about moving to Austin, I think Nate and I cycled through excitement, worry, stress, and happiness, then we started over again. We got organized, got rid of stuff, and got the house ready to put on the market. Obviously, we didn’t foresee the mortgage and financial meltdown that came to pass, but even still, I think we made the right choice.
Sometimes you’re in a place, maybe it’s a job, a marriage, or another kind of relationship, where things just don’t feel right. For me it was a city. Dallas just never fit me well. So while I miss our old house, 'cause it was large and comfy and we got it to where we wanted it, I haven’t missed Dallas at all, and despite the uncertainty of the past few months I’m glad we’re in Austin.
We were really lucky in that we have some very generous friends in Austin who let us infringe on their hospitality for a while and it made our transition here much easier to manage. As Nate mentioned in a recent blog post, we decided to get an apartment and we moved last weekend. Our Dallas real estate agent is a very optimistic person and has been painting our situation in a very good light (continued showings, good feedback) but Nate and I knew it was time to get realistic. With the market the way it is we had to make some choices because we couldn’t stay with our friends forever.
We’re considering a price cut and there’s another open house this Sunday. But we have to accept that it may not be the price or the house, but the market. I’ve heard that people are having a harder time getting financing now and with all the crazy news lately if I were a person who could wait to buy a house, I just might until some of the nuttiness died down. But who knows? In some ways it’s an excellent time to buy and it’s hard to navigate all these unknowns. So in addition to lowering the price we’re also considering trying to lease our house and maybe wait a year or two and see if the economy improves.
I sort of feel bad for our old house, like we’re trying to unload it. But it’s a good house. I miss those old oak floors, all the light and bright colors, and the great yard. But what can you do? You either move forward or you stay where you are and I didn’t want to do that. Staying felt like stagnating and like we weren’t being true to what we really wanted in our lives.
The new apartment is interesting because we live near Zilker, about a block away from where Nate and I lived when we first started dating. The other night we took Zoe on a walk to the hike and bike trail and everything felt so surreal. We were back in our old neighborhood, seven years later. It was like time had zoomed forward and skipped over the three years in Chicago, the almost-four years in Dallas, and here we were walking where we had walked before, only now with a baby. Trippy.
We’ve never lived in a place like this before. There was the three-flat in Chicago, the house we bought in Dallas, and now we’re in a large apartment complex. It’s apartment living, with its pros and cons, but it feels like another adventure.
I've been feeling a little overwhelmed with all the changes so I haven't written much. But I’m glad to be back, glad Zoe will grow up here, and glad we made the move, despite the little bumps we've hit along the way.
Sometimes you’re in a place, maybe it’s a job, a marriage, or another kind of relationship, where things just don’t feel right. For me it was a city. Dallas just never fit me well. So while I miss our old house, 'cause it was large and comfy and we got it to where we wanted it, I haven’t missed Dallas at all, and despite the uncertainty of the past few months I’m glad we’re in Austin.
We were really lucky in that we have some very generous friends in Austin who let us infringe on their hospitality for a while and it made our transition here much easier to manage. As Nate mentioned in a recent blog post, we decided to get an apartment and we moved last weekend. Our Dallas real estate agent is a very optimistic person and has been painting our situation in a very good light (continued showings, good feedback) but Nate and I knew it was time to get realistic. With the market the way it is we had to make some choices because we couldn’t stay with our friends forever.
We’re considering a price cut and there’s another open house this Sunday. But we have to accept that it may not be the price or the house, but the market. I’ve heard that people are having a harder time getting financing now and with all the crazy news lately if I were a person who could wait to buy a house, I just might until some of the nuttiness died down. But who knows? In some ways it’s an excellent time to buy and it’s hard to navigate all these unknowns. So in addition to lowering the price we’re also considering trying to lease our house and maybe wait a year or two and see if the economy improves.
I sort of feel bad for our old house, like we’re trying to unload it. But it’s a good house. I miss those old oak floors, all the light and bright colors, and the great yard. But what can you do? You either move forward or you stay where you are and I didn’t want to do that. Staying felt like stagnating and like we weren’t being true to what we really wanted in our lives.
The new apartment is interesting because we live near Zilker, about a block away from where Nate and I lived when we first started dating. The other night we took Zoe on a walk to the hike and bike trail and everything felt so surreal. We were back in our old neighborhood, seven years later. It was like time had zoomed forward and skipped over the three years in Chicago, the almost-four years in Dallas, and here we were walking where we had walked before, only now with a baby. Trippy.
We’ve never lived in a place like this before. There was the three-flat in Chicago, the house we bought in Dallas, and now we’re in a large apartment complex. It’s apartment living, with its pros and cons, but it feels like another adventure.
I've been feeling a little overwhelmed with all the changes so I haven't written much. But I’m glad to be back, glad Zoe will grow up here, and glad we made the move, despite the little bumps we've hit along the way.