Moved

Our house is finally starting to feel like home. Are there still boxes to unpack? Yes. Are there still pictures to hang? Most definitely. However, there are also toys on the floor, dishes in the cupboard, and clothes in the closet. It is starting to feel like a place where we are living, not just staying for awhile.

Our first dinner in our new house.

Before we moved in, I spent several hours cleaning. I was upstairs, looking at the closed door to Clare's room. I had a sudden flash of my future - Clare closing the door against me, her dad, her sibling, the world. Writing her blog, talking on her phone, or maybe laughing at how dated the words "blog" and "phone" are, even though her lame mother insists on continuing to use them.

New furniture, old $20 coffee table.

Despite our house coming together, our yard has not. Ben insisted on buying a push reel lawn mower, but he has only used it once because he only cuts the grass once every three weeks or so. He ends up having to rent an gas-powered mower to cut through the jungle of our yard. Our new neighbors are very nice, but I am sure they are cringing at the sight of our lawn.

In the midst of unpacking, Clare found room for her shopping cart.

We decided to put new counter tops in the kitchen. We debated whether to do it now or later, and whether to go with the stylish black counters or get what we liked. We decided to get what we liked, and enjoy them for as long as we live in the house rather than waiting and living with the horrible counters that were here when we moved in.

We were without a kitchen for some time, but it was worth it when the counters were finally in.

Oh, and this happened:

Clare is now sleeping in a twin bed. We put her on the mattress for her nap on move in day, and that night she informed us in no uncertain terms that she would no longer be sleeping in her crib. She wanted to sleep in the twin bed. I was thrilled - we were hoping to make this transition before the baby came, so all the better that it happened in June. The crib is set up in the baby's room, and Clare has only asked to sleep in it once. I reminded her of her bed in her room, and she thought about it for a few minutes. Then she nodded, pointed at the crib, and said, "Baby's." YES.

On the day of my cleaning spree, I looked out the side window in our bedroom. Our house neighbors a school, and the playground is across a large expanse of black top next to the house. I imagined one day calling out of that window for the kids to come home, dinner is ready. Yes, this house definitely feels like our home.

Clare watching the kids at the school, filled with envy.