WE ARE IN!

So I'm sick with a cold, and over tired from not sleeping from said cold. Surrounded by boxes, three non-working, non-cabled-up TVs and fast food wrappers.

Our living room decor is a fresh eclectic mix of "stuff the movers weren't sure where to put" - a painting by my professional artist sister in law Michelle, along side Matthew's first finger painting, next to a hideously stupid collage I made in junior high school ("no, honey, you CAN'T throw it away, I made it, it's coming with.).

My dogs are continually circling and panting, wondering when we're going home.

I've started having nostalgic flashbacks of my family room; my front stoop; my flowers; my kitchen and (sigh) new fridge we had to leave behind.

But here's why I'm still surprisingly happy: I am not longer under any deadline to wrap and stuff every piece of crap I own into one of 200 boxes to be ready for movers coming at a very certain point in time. If I choose to live in BoxWorld for the next 3 weeks, that is my choice. I am also no longer living in constant anticipation - or fear - of my realtor calling with something else I have to do/pay for to buy/sell my house.

I am a new home owner! Neighbors are dropping off banana cake. Mattew is referring to the yellow bedroom he's sleeping in right now as "My woom!" I am listening to my beautiful new full sized black and whisper quiet dishwasher washing - as opposed to my old and midget sized and banging gongs loud dishwasher.

This morning Mike and I both had room to get ready in our new bathroom with double vanities at the same time vs. the divorce inducing proceedings that usually occurred in negotiating morning routines in our old one horse number.

Tonight I bathed Matthew in his new bigger and as Libby pointed out, lower down (i.e., less back breaking) tub. Hey people, it's the little things.

Last - miracle of miracles, as I was sitting here debating do I try to get online tonight... I looked down and saw that lovely wireless icon already going. I am online! I am joyous! I am settling in.

P.S. One Thing That Doesn't Blow About Moving

When your mom drives 7 hours round trip in one day, JUST to help you clean, lend moral support with the movers because your husband had to work, because she just wanted to see your new house so badly, and mainly just because she's my mom, I'm her baby, always will be, despite being a 33 year old preggo mom myself.

Oh - AND she brings two giant boxes of Crispy Kremes with her.

Moms ... are amazing. They just love you THAT MUCH.

My House: Love it or Leave it? Both

Here I am spending the last night in my house of the last seven years. Tomorrow will be the first night in the house that will keep us for the next seven, or more. I still can't quite take it in despite sleeping on an air mattress surrounded by blank walls, no furniture, no dogs (kennel) and no husband (the poor guy is STILL out dealing with unloading the garage onto our trash heap and/or into our SUV).

I feel I should post pictures of our house filled with boxes and mess. Or maybe all empty and sad. But I have none - damn batteries died and if I even had any, they're packed on a truck a few miles away, waiting to be delivered to our new side of town. A sad yet appropriately disorganized ending to our last few months here. (Read: moving really blows.)

I can't really get into all I want to say about the move. Exciting for what it will bring - our new daughter to her new home in 3 months. Sad for what we're leaving - the house I brought my son home to, had countless nights with friends, had countless beers with friends (and apparently spills - hello, my poor carpeting that was hidden under the furniture until now!), and to kick it off, the house I moved into with a different last name, just 3 short months before we got married and began building the family of seven (yes I count the cat) we have now.

This afternoon I got emotional saying good-bye to a neighbor. Thinking I won't live on this street - my street - anymore tears me up. I am happy I'll remain part of it a bit, as we'll continue bringing Matthew to our neighbor's for our shared daycare several days a week. But also scared I'll be jealous its not me living here...

And yet I know that soon I'll probably grow to love my new neighborhood just as much. After 3 months off for maternity leave, hopefully I'll know the streets intimately from walking with TWO kidsm in beautiful fall weather. Once our basement's finished, we'll definitely feel we've gotten the step up house we've waited a long time for. Having the kids in rooms where they have space to have a crib AND turnaround without bumping into something will be neat. And, it'll just be fun to pick paint colors and rearrange furniture again - to start fresh.

But walking out of here tomorrow is gonna hurt like hell.

Not to Steal Your Thunder, Amelia...

...But there are three other babies that The Management has been remiss in welcoming.

First, miss Rosalie Pearl, born on Mommy's day to my Me a Mom? friend Cara. Beautiful Miss Rosalie arrived early also - 6 weeks, I believe - but as she did throughout her mommy's pregnancy, rallied to the occasion, showed up at 4 lbs and 11 oz and nearly 17 inches long (good girl) and is doing just great from what I hear.

She will no doubt be home giving Mommy, Daddy and big sister Lila a run for their money sooner than later. All of us are pulling for that sooner, knowing it's gotta be hard hard hard for Cara to be in two places at once these days - mentally and physically - with Rosalie spending time at the hospital for a while. Our love goes out to this sweet new girl, and we'll wish her home, soon. Welcome, Rosalie!

Second, miss Riley Jane, born last Friday to my college BFF Sarah and her husband Bryan. Again, an early riser - what is with you babies, I swear it's really comfy cozy in there comparatively - but miss Riley, much like her momma, could not be stopped. She arrived via a totally natural water birth as Sarah had planned and wished for for many months.

The downside was while Riley took in her new world - perfectly happy and healthy - Sarah had some post-partum recovery issues including what sounded (to her worried friend over email) like a scary hemorrhage. But everyone is doing well now, and the rest of us are oohing and aahing over the beautiful new arrival highlighted in her artistic daddy's birth announcement. Which of course I can't figure out how to post at 10:20 p.m. when my eyes are shutting but trust me peeps - she is a looker and will be a strong, smart, accomplished young lady just like her mommy. Welcome, Riley!

Last but not least, Cole William entered the world and his mom Sarah and dad Ryan's hearts on Sunday. He was 7.5 lbs and perfectly healthy, perfectly perfect. My ever-so-on-top-of-it friend Sarah emailed us about 1.5 hours later to give us the update. Sarah, even from labor and delivery, you are my super-mom hero (I knew there was a reason I hired ya back in the day :)

Mom has been waiting for Cole to get here safely for a long time, and we are so thrilled that he obliged. I simply can't wait to meet you, congratulate your parents, and your awesome big sis Evie. I am quite certain she's as excited as the rest of us that you're here - and I do know that girl love babies. Welcome, Cole!

It's hard for me to take in that five little miracles have arrived in just under one month. It's overwhelming actually (you can't see the tears swelling) and also still not registering that I'll be joining the ranks again in three months.

For now, I'll celebrate your little ones with you ... get your pictures up when I can ... and gladly babysit anyone of you darlins' at any time. Post-double-closing date, that is.

Welcome, Sweet Amelia

I met the newest member of my inner circle today ... beautiful miss Amelia Mabel, born earlier this morning to dear friends Mark and Kim.

This little girl was long anticipated - and yes, I KNEW SHE'D BE A GIRL AND I BEAT THE 50/50 ODDS OF BEING RIGHT AGAIN SO I AM CELEBRATING. Anyway, she must have known we were about over waiting for her because she make her appearance about 4 weeks early. But she's big and healthy and doing just great, thank you very much.

Mommy and Daddy weren't at all surprised - think this weekend she started tipping them off she might be coming. Her bluff really collapsed when Mommy's water broke last night. Then I kinda think it was, "Crap, is that what I think it is?" and once determined "YES MY WATER BROKEN", off to the hospital they went. Dilating, epiduraling and pushing ensued...Kim was a champ...and then our sweet new baby girl arrived

We could not be more excited for you guys. It's a blast, it's the best, and it's all just beginning.

Your precious girl is very lucky coming into such a loving family ... having two super fun cousins/built in BFFs in Shane and Bridget ... and having two pseudo cousins/built in BFFs over here in the Muldrow clan.

Welcome, Amelia!

It's About Damn Time

Don't know what all the fuss is about, or why it took until yesterday for CA to approve gay marriage. Two states down ... 48 to go.

Sadly, our Dem candidates don't see it the same way:

Same-sex marriage has been a highly contentious issue in presidential and Congressional elections, but it was not immediately clear what role the ruling would have this year. The Democratic and Republican candidates for president have all said they believe marriage should be between a man and a woman, but Republicans could use a surge in same-sex marriages in the most populous state to invigorate conservative voters.

Somehow, Ah-hold gets it right and they don't?

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, said in a statement that he respected the ruling and did not support a constitutional amendment to overturn it.

Don't mean to offend anyone who disagrees - that's your right. I just think its everyone's right to form a committed and legal union, with health and financial benefits for your family, for life. So today I'm pretty happy with those crazy liberal judges out West.

What a Difference a Day Makes

I made an executive decision tonight to skip the two fun events I had planned, send Libby home earlier than we'd arranged, and take MY SON WITH ME shopping. To let go of moving and work stress and obligation for a night and just get out in the car with my boy.

And it was great.

First we waited in line together listening to my awesome new Mother's Day mix CD from BFF (thanks, Lisa!!) Our patience in the drive through line (1/2 hour wait - what up, Steak and Shake?) was rewarded with an amazingly delicious Frisco Melt. We hadn't minded waiting - "chatted" the whole time and had moved onto singing when the food finally showed. Still, felt it was karma when turns out they forgot the fries, ran them back out and "so sorry, ma'am" supersized them AND tossed in double cheese sauce. Good night.

Then we drove to Babies R Us to pick up a shower gift. I got to park in the Stork Parking, then Matthew got a turn on the Barney train out front. Luckily he had the good sense to be terrified and that didn't last too long. Good night.

We quickly found a gift off the registry, then picked up gifts for two other new babies we know. Went on to peruse the Thomas and Cars themed baby beds - "Cars, FAST!"

Matthew had fun locating a few other necessities, too... I'd him out of the cart while I pondered gift wrap. He goes to look at some toys a few feet away. Next time I look over he is loading the SECOND of two mini-construction sets into our cart. Which is higher than his head. I can't imagine how we got it in there so fast.

I cracked up and seeing it was on clearance anyway, decided tonight was buy my sweet kid a toy night. A good night.

We drove home and sang some more. We detoured through Webster to visit the new house. When we parked at home, we looked for the moon (found it) and the stars (no such luck, cloudy). Then we talked to Daddy on the phone at his school's camp; we wrestled our way into dinosaur p.j.'s.; and we snuggled up with books, which we took turns reading as he knows lots of Dr. Seuss by heart now.

To cap it off, we stood in his room in the dark, him snuggled up on me... and I swear, helping me sing - like, along with me - his Rocky Baby song. I have never heard our two voices singing together before (he can sing?) and it was the highlight of my day, week...

To think last night I nearly chucked it all and tossed myself off my window ledge (empty threat, it's 3 ft. high) due to moving stress. Work deadlines. MIA husband (ok, he was working). And a terribly cranky two-year-old that was still awake (long story) at 10 p.m.

And tonight. I am feeling a blessed mother of one helluva sweet boy (snoring quietly in other room) and one precious little girl on the way (kicking me like crazy this whole time I'm writing). Ah, perspective - what a difference one good night makes.

Stuff I Don't Wanna Forget, v1

It's been a while since I've posted much about Matthew. You remember him, that short person that lives with Mike me and the dogs.

I haven't been doing well lately with the picture taking, the milestone recording, the documenting. But thought I'd steal one post and just list out the cutest stuff lately that I hope I don't forget.

When you ask a question and get "YeeeaaaSSSSS!" in the most excited squealy voice.
How he likes to line up cars - on shelves, along the couch, on window sills. It's his calling card, I can tell where he's been throughout the house.
Calling our dogs Murphy girwl and Bogey boy.
Wanting to buckle himself into his booster seat - "Matthew do it" - and being so careful to not pinch his hands, doing it in fact just like Mommy and Daddy do it.
Chasing the cat throughout the house, never giving up, and never getting that his screaming "COME HERE MAYA!!" is exactly what's sent her on her way.
How every time we use the phone, he yells out, "HI GRAMA!"
How he names one of our family as wanting to drive all the trucks in the truck book and all the trains in the train book. "Mama!" "Yes, Mama likes the giant excavator." "Dada!" "Yes, Dada likes the dump truck." And "us" includes him, me, Mike, Bogey, Murphy, Maya, and House.

How just today, he told me he had "echos" (excavators) on his p.j.'s (he did, they are construction themed) and how they dig and how they dig dirt. I have never had this conversation before with this kid.

God, I sure love this kid.

TomCruise.com

With my family asleep, and me for some reason piddling away online delaying it, I just spent 20 minutes on TomCruise.com.

And naturally, entirely predictably, I am now left thinking, well, shit. That's 20 minutes I can't get back.

So I'll just pay it forward by saving you the same amount of time to use for something else more useful, more meanginful, more pleasurable. Such as nosehair plucking, toenail trimming, earwax digging, or the like.

Lest you be tempted to visit, I can tell you the contents right here. Ready?
Stupid intro letter from Tom about how he loves to make movies
Stupid video clips of his movies strung together with stupid mission impossible theme song
Stupid stupid TigerBeatesque photo gallery
Link to oh-so-candid (yeah, right) Oprah interview
Complete lack of a point whatsoever

Just don't, don't, don't bother. You won't find a peep about Brooke Shields, postpartum or Scientology. You will also realize Katie and Suri don't exist, because they aren't mentioned anywhere. And you will realize Tom is for sure hetero because there's lots of clips of him kissing lots of girls.

All it took was one $200K website and some Flash and now I know I should listen to him when he says to take my vitamins. Because, you know, he's such a SERIOUS AND IMPORTANT movie star.

Travels with Aimee

In no particular order, here's what's made me chuckle from the road this week:

• Monday morning, 5 a.m. ish at Lambert. The nose-pierced girl behind me suddenly asking (in an oddly slow, not-panicked-I'm-gonna-miss-my-flight-way) if she could go ahead in the security line. Me saying, "Well, I guess..." sensing this wasn't a true emergency, which I am always happy to accommodate. And her validating me by saying, "That's OK, I don't have to. I'm just so000 tired, and I want to get on the plane." Me thinking, WTF?????????? Me snapping, "Well, aren't we all" and standing my ground.
• Multiple people at my client commenting, on seeing me in my more advanced maternity state and clothes, "Oh, I didn't know you were pregnant?" followed by "You don't look very big." Well, but remember how you just a minute ago said...so I must look...oh, never mind.
• The front desk guy at the hotel pointing me toward cocktail hour in the bar. Me snottily informing him I didn't think the baby would appreciate that. (And knowing my misdirected anger is a direct result of HOW MUCH I WANNA GO IN THAT COCKTAIL HOUR!)
• Me ordering dinner last night from a combination KFC/A&W restaurant. Ordering off both menus. Eating half on the drive home. And feeling incredible disappointment when my Lil' Bucket parfait somehow did not make it into the bag.
• Me calling the KFC to get a credit for the Lil' Bucket parfait (they agreed).
• Me ordering $10 room serve "chocolate dome" to make up for missing $1.79 Lil' Bucket.
• Driving my rental Nissan Altima out of the airport, and having to pull over several times within the first two minutes, wondering why it's driving so darn funny. Before I call the rental company's roadside assistance - from side of road, hazards on - at which point I figure out I have been driving 50 m.p.h. in first gear. Because Altima's have manual and automatic mode, and guess which one I was accidentally in? (To my defense, what genius labels a stick shift "+" and "-" instead of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5?)
• My wild little boy becoming inexplicably obsessed with me singing him "Rocky Baby" (aka Rock a Bye Baby) which I never sang at all until last weekend, and suddenly, it's his fave. So he's now requesting it by phone. Eight times tonight.
• Me, physically singing my son Rocky Baby, but in reality, watching Jason Castro butcher Bob Marley and Bob Dylan on Idol. (What the heck WAS THAT?)
• My son, requesting "Mama, home? Mama, home?" last night as I was reading him books by phone.

Okay, that one wasn't funny so much as heart wrenching. I might need to start another list...

I'd Get 5 1/2 Hours of Sleep...

...If I went to bed right now.

What in dear God's name was I thinking agreeing to a 6 a.m. flight?

I can tell you. It's like I forgot there's 3 hours of wake up, drive, get there early time. It's not 6 a.m. your alarm rings, you roll over and board.

Wish me luck on my alarm clock going off, my back-up going off, my coffee auto-brewing, and my car service showing up at 4:15 a.m.

Oddly enough, they didn't laugh or even question remotely that pick-up time. Which almost makes me suspicious, it was too easy, do they even intend to show up... "oh SURE we'll be there, and did you want donuts?"

Welcome, Shane Patrick

Bridget's Mommy become Shane's mommy yesterday at 10:08 a.m. at St John's when she delivered her new 7 lb, 9 oz baby boy!

Well, actually, she became Shane's mommy this morning, when Mom and Dad finally got off their duffs and named him after nearly a day.

Just kidding guys, believe me when I say I wouldn't be surprised to be doing the same delayed naming come August 29th.

Erin and Shane were both doing great. Well, I think Erin was - they certainly hand out the good drugs right after Mom's been through her ordeal, as they should, so hopefully she's still hanging in there today.

Shane is ADORABLE - we met him last night. He makes this awesome little squeaky noise, they said it's from breathing, but rest assured he is perfectly healthy, and in fact, seems pretty much perfect in every way. Even his sweet noise was NOT enough to distract me from how CUTE and good looking this kid is. Especially for a newborn boy. Who can of course, resemble an 80 year old shrunken up elderly man. But this kid's kinda a looker... must have gotten that from his mom's side, right TPD?

A proper post with sweet baby pictures, coming soon. But I couldn't wait any longer to say...

WELCOME TO THE WORLD, Shane Patrick! We love you already.