All Moved In

So we bought a new house before we sold our old one...YIKES in the current market! We've been distracted for the last few days as we moved into our new house and got settled but now that we are Eric and I are both beginning to feel the push to stop strangers on the street and ask if their in the market for a new home! :)

It's a beautiful home, well taken care of, and we could have been very happy there for years if the tempting home down the street that had everything we wanted to eventually do to ours and then some had not popped up. And then the darn financial market began spiraling downhill and it became a smart, cost-effective move to make. So we jumped on the opportunity, took a leap of blind faith and hoped that ours would sell in a timely manner.

We've had a good bit of traffic, gotten some comments back and made some updates (more neutral paint...should have known, huh?) and yet still no offers.

Now starts the rambling and wondering...is our house under-priced? Are the wrong people coming to look at it since we priced it low to sell quick? Then a neighbor's house (a nice house but of course I think mine is nicer :)) comes on the market and it's priced almost $4000 more than ours. Makes me want to pretend to be buying and go snoop the house!

When we thought the house we were buying was a sinking ship (the first, second and third times we signed termination of contract papers) we nicknamed it the Titanic. It's something of a misnomer now since it has sailed safely into port and we are happy and settled but the icebergs keep on floating by as we are anxiously awaiting an offer on our house for sale.

Do you know someone looking for a new home in Austin??? Our previous Well's Branch home is for sale. Visit the listing here: http://listings.listhub.net/pages/ABORTX/5059778/?channel=trulia

Motivated Sellers! One of the best homes in Wells Branch! With new neutral paint and laminate wood floors, this house is move-in ready.The soaring ceilings, spacious layout, roomy kitchen, and large backyard with patio are great for entertaining while the large master suite is the perfect place to rest and relax. Wonderful bonuses such as surround sound speakers, quality stainless steel appliances, and a lush lawn with vegetable garden make this home a complete package! Plus its in Round Rock ISD!

Houses used to be named to represent what they stood for to their owners. The dream of owning a home, the work that it took to get there all culminated in the few words that forevermore the home site was known by. These days with neighborhoods full of similar plans, elevations and landscaping we no longer do this. Our recent adventure in real estate was a roller coaster ride of emotions, craziness, mishaps and comedy, and I'm bringing back tradition. Our house has earned a name...The Titanic.

A little background...
We live in a typical, average, truly lovely part of Austin, the Wells Branch area. We are surrounded by hike and bike trails, swimming pools, soccer fields and quirky neighbors. Eighteen months ago we bought a great two story, grey brick house with too many tall bushes in front, and a great room that knocks your socks off.

That transaction was also convoluted and riddled with last minute interest rate changes (had our lender never heard of locking a rate?), but that's another story for another time! The house we bought was a basic in good condition but had none of the upgrades we were hoping for. So we bought it, buckled down and spent the last eighteen months doing one project at a time. It kept us hopping but eventually we were ready for a break (did I mention we have a toddler too J), and a house where weekends were spent playing in the backyard and not laying wood floors, or installing new appliances.

So we started searching for a home with all the upgrades we had in mind in our same neighborhood, and four months later the Titanic sailed into view!

One to Two, A Year in Review

So right now Mommy and Daddy have "flown away" to Canada. To keep busy I'm partying all night with Noni and Pa, doing some major shopping with Noni, Aunt Christine and Bis Nana and just generally having fun.  Before she left Mom finished my two year annual photo album and wanted to share.  Click this link to take a peek.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0QbtWTNwzbMXOw

Lately I've been a bit of a drama king (mom keeps threatening to film and post it) and am definitely taking the "Terribly Trying Twos" to heart. I'm doing great in school though. My new teacher is Ms. Paine who I love taking flowers that I pick myself to.  Most of my friends from my old class are in my new one, plus a few new guys too. Mom's a homeroom mom so she pops in now and again and we're learning all kinds of new stuff. Plus we get to play on the big playground! YEAH. I love the playground and slides, and pretty much anything outside that keeps me running.

Mom is constantly chuckling at some of the things I do like say Okidokey, sticking out my bottom lip, throwing myself on the floor to cry but peaking up to see if it's working, and the thing that made her laugh so hard she cried...locking myself in the laundry room with the dog's gate so I could eat in peace. Man did she laugh forever. Ever day when it's time for the dogs to eat mom or dad puts them in the laundry room and shuts the baby gate so I can't go love on them and they can eat in peace. But when I get to eat (Cheerios mixed with goldfish if I get my way) they run around after me trying to get my food. I yell "No princess, no brinna, my cheerio fishies" but they just keep coming. So finally I had enough and decided that I would go where they couldn't. I went in the laundry room, shut the baby gate, sat down and ate in peace, knowing they couldn't come and steal my food.

If you haven't been around lately I'm talking up a storm, complete sentences, and very nicely pronounced. I still tend to get a bit whiney if I don't get my immediate way but overall I'm a darn good little communicator.

Ok I gotta run and go keep Noni and Pa in line but I wanted to update everyone on who's really running things while Mom and Dad are away.

My first vacation without the kiddo

So far everything is going okay. I haven't gotten to talk to Alex much at all since we have been here and that has been particularly hard.  I'm such a control freak (and perfectly okay with that) that it has been very frustrating not being on a good schedule and talking to him daily. Other than a rough first night, for both him and me, everything does seem to be going well though.

Yesterday I spent sightseeing around Vancouver (pics to come soon) and saw the beautiful Stanley Park, a few national landmarks, some local shopping and even managed to stumble across a tent sale, which was fun even though I left empty handed. In the afternoon I treated myself to an hour and a half long high tea at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, which was just amazing. If we are ever blessed with a daughter I think that will be the perfect mom and daughter birthday ritual.

Today Eric is finishing up classes in the morning and then we will sight see together this afternoon. We plan to hit up the suspension bridge and a few other gorgeous photo opps.  I'm still working on bettering my photography since I can't ever seem to take the shot I see, but even I'm seeing small improvements.

Tomorrow it's back to Seattle and Eric is off home while I spend one more day here with family and friends. I'll fly back Monday and join life as we know it then.

We are still trying to sell our house and buy a new one, but over the last few days that too has gone south since the seller of the house we love is a non negotiating little pinhead who won't negotiate at all and refuses to lower his house to the value it appraises for.  Since that is no longer assured watch the open houses we are having this weekend bring in an offer for ours. LOL

Ok off to play in Vancouver. 

Planes, Trains and Automobiles...What a Party!

We celebrated my 2nd birthday on August 2 (a mere 24 hours before the official big event since I was born Aug 3 at 10:19pm). Since I love everything that moves, rolls, or motors we celebrated with a Planes, Trains and Automobiles theme with a few boats thrown in for fun. Here are a few pictures of the big day and some of the prep Mom did for the big day.

 

 

and not a few days later Mom's getting on to me for the "Trying Twos". She says I am pushing my limits, exploring my boundaries and just plain does what he wants to do. Here's a great example!

 

Our Colorado Vacation

Make a Smilebox photobook

A Month of Madness

To start with, it's 11:40pm, and Mom should be sleeping but isn't. Wanna know why??? Because in my obsession to "drive" anything and everything I can with Mom's keys I somehow got distracted, as curious little boys do, and misplaced Mom's keys tonight. Now I don't see what the big deal is, she knows there around here somewhere, plus these two really nice guys from Mom's work who she was supposed to go to dinner with to talk shop, hung around the house for an hour helping us look for them. We still couldn't find them after an hour, even though I kept thinking I knew where they were and would take Mom all over the house, so we moved my car-seat to their truck and went to a REALLY late dinner. I was asleep by the time we got home so Mom had to finish search on her own. After tearing the house apart AGAIN she finally located them by walking up and down the backyard in tight little rows with a flashlight. Guess she finally found that knot hole in the fence where I stuck them!

 

Now that that drama is over, here's what I've been up to for the last month. May 14th was Sam's last day watching me. We had a special picnic at the park, played on the playground and had a great time.

 

 

 

 

Then on May 15th I started school at Shoreline Christian School. I'm in the 18 to 24 month class and my teacher is Mrs. Rogers. She's great and is always keeping us busy doing something fun. Although I was overwhelmed at first, I made friends quickly and can now name off my classmates with no problems. I'm working on learning boundaries since I'm a loveable guy and like to kiss all the girls goodbye.

 

I've been there a few weeks and am now getting into the swing of things, doing better at drop-offs (I've even had one day where I didn't cry at all!) and starting to get over the sleep troubles I was having when I started. Here's a few pictures of my first day at school!

 

 

 

 

When I get home from school in the afternoons I usually hang out with Mom, helping her out in the garden. Dad wouldn't let her plant watermelon so I planted some for her and we have two baseball size watermelons getting bigger every day now. Last weekend at my Uncle Bryan's graduation party Great Aunt Sharon showed me how to pick the rosemary and smell it! MMMMMM.

 

 

 

We've had lots of parties in the last few weeks, Mom's memorial day BBQ, Uncle Bryan's graduation, Mother's day, and tomorrow we leave for Cousin Michelle's baby shower. In between all the fun times I learned how to play washers, got to try out the sprinkler Nana Tyler gave me, and helped Uncle Bryan polish off his cookie cake. (He wasn't going to eat it all anyways!) Although I still take a few minutes to warm up to people I haven't seen in a while I had a GREAT time seeing all the family. Here's a few pictures of the last few weeks of friends and family.

 

My special occasion outfit!

 

 

Trying out my new sprinkler…Thanks Nana!

 

Uncle Bryan and Uncle Jason were teaching me how to play washers, while Aunt Virginia cheered me on!

 

 

Teaching Uncle Jason everything I know

 

Uncle Bryan was nice enough to feed me more cookie cake when Mom cut me off after three pieces.

 

Yelling YEAH UNCLE BRYAN at graduation!

This is also when Uncle Jason asked to "babysit me" so he can pick up chicks!

 

The Barber Bunch …so proud of Uncle Bryan..he carried Flat Alex when he walked across stage. You can see flat Alex in the picture here, I'm holding him. He's a laminated mini me that Sam made me to trasvel around with my friends and family so they can send pictures back to me for my website and scrapbook. He's been with Dad on business trips, graduated with Uncle Bryan and has plans to go to A&M with Auntie V and skiing for Christmas!

 

 

As most of you know my Mom is a little crazy about the environment, and now she's got me in on the act. To do my part in saving the earth and being more environmentally responsible I am now a gDiapers baby. They are a flushable diaper that biodegrades in 50-100 days instead of 500 years like plastic diapers. Mom's really excited about this and my teachers at school even think I'm neat for doing it!

 

If you haven't been around me lately, I've started talking a blue streak, including complete sentences and appropriate responses to questions. Mom's current favorites (she's trying to figure out how to get audio clips on here) are Opps a daisy and Oh MAN!

 

Well it's almost tomorrow so I better hit the sack but Mom should type this up and post it right away for you guys!

 

Love you all,

Alex