Change is Good.

Me, My Mom, and her Mom (my Mimi) are taking Stella to Tappahannock today to meet more family. I'm looking forward to it!! I need to get away from this computer and get in the shower while the girl is sleeping but I really am overdue for an update here!!

My days feel like I do nothing yet I have NO time! It's the strangest thing! I actually do a lot here during the days - whenever I get a free moment, I am trying to do some chore so the housework does not pile up and require HOURS at a time.... it's better to do a bit at a time these days... I feel like the four hours inbetween feedings just FLY by! I'm doing A LOT of laundry and A LOT of dishes in my new lifestyle. Thank God for the new dishwasher we got a couple months ago. It's getting a workout with all of these bottles!

Stella is just amazing. She's already my best friend. She is just such a great baby! We are so lucky. She sleeps like a champ. Eats like a champ. And rarely cries or fusses. Only when she takes a poop. There's that POOP talk again!

She's still to small for any of her clothes but she IS growing. She's a bit heavier - I can tell - and she's getting thicker. I am so scared by the time these adorable summer clothes fit her, it'll be winter and she'll never be able to wear them. Oh well. I'll have a lot of amazing little girl clothes for somebody. JJ and Erica: Have a girl. :)

This past weekend was pretty busy with visiting family. It was my father-in-law's birthday on Sunday as well as Kristen's going-away cook-out. She is moving to Mexico for a year or so... When we went by Mom and Dad's before Kristen's event, I told Toby that the house next door to them is going on the market soon. The young couple that lives there have been so great to my parents and they are sad to see them go. They have been working really hard on the house and fixing it up...it's SO cute. So I told Toby about it being for sale and he said (drumroll please)

"This is a nice neighborhood. How much are they asking for it?"

And then I peed my pants.

He has sworn that he would NEVER live on that side of the river. He is a Southside boy and will be as long as he lives. He wants land and trees and nature. He would NEVER live in a neighborhood- much less have a Richmond address. So when he asked that question, I took it and RAN with it! How wonderful would it be to live there?!?!?! For MANY reasons.

We mentioned our interest to Mom and then SHE peed her pants. She went directly over there and asked them some questions and they told us all to come over and check out the house - so we did - and we fell in love with it. It's an old house with a lot of character. They have remodeled the whole house and it's beautiful. It's 4 bedrooms and has a cute little office with LOTS of built in bookshelves all over the house. I've always wanted a house with built in bookshelves. The yard is huge and fenced in. There is a GIANT garage/workshop for Toby and a really big storage shed (it's like a little house with windows and shutters) for me for STORAGE and ORGANIZATION! (my 2 favorite things...) Toby is already talking about making the upstairs of the garage into his "doghouse" for the guys to come over and drink beer and do whatever else they do. I don't want to know. :)

And the best part: it's in our price range.

SO, my Mother-in-law (who is in the mortgage business) did some research for us and pre-approved us for a loan. We are going to go back again this week and take another look and most likely put a contract on it before it even hits the market!

I am SOOOOOO excited. But the thought of packing and moving right now makes me want to go into convulsions. But Mom assured me that we would get it done and they would help us.

Now we just have to do a CRAPLOAD of work on this house to sell it.

Living next to Mom and Dad is going to be amazing. For one, all I'll have to do is hand Stella to Mom over the fence before work every morning (kidding!) But it sure will be easier than leaving home an HOUR earlier. And then I'll get in the car and drive FOUR MILES to work (instead of the 30 highway minutes I drive now.) We'll save so much money on gas and tolls. Toby drives a company van so even though his commute will be longer, it will be FREE! :)

Stella will get to live next to the most amazing grandparents ever which will make incredible memories for her. And me.

Say a prayer for us this works out.

And say a prayer that I get ready quickly this morning because now I'm REALLY late to go pick up Mom. :)