Tuesday 18 December 2012

Goodbye California.

The girls (girls! plural! still gives me a thrill), myself, and my mom (thank you Marm!) will board a plane in a few hours bound for Florida. Steve will drive our swag wagon and join us just before Christmas. 

I wish I could take little pieces of California with me. I would take the two feet of flooring in between our bedroom and living room, where an almost 11-month old Mila took her first steps one amazing day in July. I would take my dear friend Cori and her daughter, Mila's first bestie. I would take chunks of the Golden Gate Bridge, a happy memory when we walked it the day I found out I was pregnant. Prayers were answered here. Prayers went unanswered here. We came as three, we leave as four. I arrived with a heavy heart, having to start over in this new place. Just beginning to trust my mama instincts. Now today at the airport I'll be wearing my littlest baby while chasing after my other one. I would say I grew up here.

We'll miss you California. You've been good to us. 


Friday 14 December 2012

Around here.

Besides u-haul boxes, here are some other bits and pieces of life lately. 


























Thursday 13 December 2012

This is happening.

Friends, we are moving. 
 It's no secret that we've always planned to end up in Florida. Our time in the bay area was initially planned to be a year; two years, another baby later, and we are finally heading home. Soon we hope to find a house we love and can set roots in. I get unbelievably excited at the very thought. 'Bout time.

Before that happens, though, we're going through the stick-a-fork-in-my-eyeball joy of packing this place up. Preparing for a cross-country move. Two weeks before Christmas. Feel sorry for us? Ah, but we have help*:














                                               We even have a foreman!

















Wish us luck. 
And patience. 
And grace. 

*in all seriousness we couldn't have done it without Marmousch. She's been AMAZING.

Monday 3 December 2012

Advent

Happy Advent, happy December 2nd, and here's our Advent calendar this year. I hodgepodged the idea for this years' off pinterest. Whatever did we do before pinterest?  I know what I did. I got more sleep. 

Last year I woefully realized that when we moved to California we had left behind all our beloved ornaments; ours are the sentimental kind, from the travel mementos we hunt down everywhere we go to the 'Bride-to-Be 2003' to the 'Just Married 2004.' And of course now Mila's teeny footprints to grace our tree (and soon, Dani's!). Taking them out of the box each year is like reuniting with dear and familiar friends and how I missed my friends last year. Terribly. The candy canes just didn't cut it. 

This year Marmousch brought with her few of our favorite ornaments. Hi old friends! Inside each muslin bag on the advent calendar is one of our ornies for Wugs to hang on the tree.

Thank you thank you Marmousch for hanging up the entire thing Friday night while I bossed out instructions from the couch as I fed my newest sweetheart. Speaking of which, I wrote this entire post with one hand while NAKing (nursing at keyboard). I've missed this!

Last year's advent calendar, and one of my favorites, from 2009.