Thursday, February 27, 2014

Happy Birthday A!!

Happy Birthday to my fabulous husband!  Here are just a few things I love about A:
 

1.       He is patient.  Not just patient, but like the most patient person EVER.  As a middle school teacher, he puts up with A LOT.  But he never loses his cool.  He doesn’t get aggravated, irritated, upset like most people would in a stressful situation.  Which leads to my next point…

2.       He never gets angry.  I can count the number of times I’ve seen A angry or really upset on one hand.  Actually only 2 situations come to mind.  It’s one of the things I admire most about him.  While I’m fuming, he remains calm, cool, and collected.

3.       He’s committed to our marriage (as am I).  Do we disagree every now and then?  Sure.  But it happens rarely these days.  If we have differing opinions on something or if one of us (me) is upset about something, we talk through it.  I think we both agree that nothing will break us, nothing will come between us.  We are stronger together.

4.       He never criticizes my shopping habits.  Admittedly, I probably spend way too much money on clothing.  I love dressing W, myself, and A too for that matter.  Although, I should be better (MUCH better) at budgeting, A has never made me feel guilty about it.

5.       He is a teacher.  He molds young minds.  He puts up with poor behavior, raging hormones, and bad attitudes in an attempt to make 12-14 year olds respectable, contributing members of society.  He calls parents.  He gets to know his students.  And most importantly, A genuinely CARES about his students.  He wants them to succeed and he tries his best to make that happen.

6.       He is insanely good at trivia.  He remembers countless useless facts.  He can quote lines from tv shows and movies.  He remembers events that happened years ago.  He remembers who the Cubs were playing the night of our first date.  I always want him on my team when we play any sort of trivia game - he blows away the competition.

7.       He knows everything and anything about Chicago sports teams.  When I hear the term die hard sports fan, I think of that crazy guy yelling at the ref about a bad call.  A call that was fair, but was made against his team and therefore it was bad.  This is NOT A.  Not at all.  A UNDERSTANDS sports.  Not just rules, but why certain players are drafted, why a specific play was called.  He knows players.  Not just names, but what they are capable of and when they should be brought into a game (or taken out).  He understands strategy.  His sports knowledge amazes me.

8.       He never EVER complains about having CF.  EVER.  I’m sure it sucks having to do his vest every day and I know there are times when he’s having tummy pains, but you’d never know it.  He doesn’t complain about doctor’s visits or medications.  He just deals with it and goes on with life.

9.       He supports me in all I do.  In the time we’ve been married, I’ve had 4 jobs, enrolled in graduate school, travelled a bunch.  My recent travels have required A to solely care for W.  Not an easy task.  Yet he does it willingly, without complaint.  If the roles were reversed, I know I’d be whining.  He’s always been the biggest enthusiast for all my endeavors.  He's there for me when I'm down and he listens to all my worries.  He lets me vent and sympathizes with my frustrations.

10.   He is an amazing dad.  He is an excellent role model for W.  I love watching my boys play together and read together.  They chase Addie.  They go to swim class and take walks together in the summer.  They even dress as super heroes (cape and all) occasionally.  I know they’re going to have so much fun attending baseball games together when W is older.

 
I could come up with many more, but this is a good start. J

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

CF Clinic

As I mentioned previously, A had his CF clinic appointment yesterday.  The appointment went well.  A’s lung function has remained the same, which I’m very thankful for.  Also A and I didn’t have to complain about anything this time so we were all in good spirits.  ;)  The appointment was incredibly long – 3 hours!! and W was a trooper.  Books were read, snacks were consumed, walks were taken, and mom was pretty tired by the end of the appointment. :)

I enjoy going to A’s appointments because I like meeting other people affected by CF.  I’m not saying I want anyone else to have to battle CF, but I do enjoy hearing stories of hope and meeting people who can relate.  One lady I talked to for awhile.  She and her husband were at the clinic with their grandson who has CF.  She was incredibly sweet and explained that her grandson was 24 years old.  He was very close to needing a lung transplant, but is one of the few who has the CF gene that Kalydeco is approved for.  Since starting on the drug, her grandson’s health has improved greatly – so much so that he doesn’t need a lung transplant.  Of course, no one is sure what the future holds, but what an amazing, uplifting story.  Science is remarkable.  Kalydeco was found to be ineffective in treating the most common type of CF – the delta f508 mutation, but if scientists found something that works for the g551d gene mutation, my hope is that they can find something for delta f508!!

The lady wanted to know all about W.  I explained to her that A had CF, but I had had lots of genetic testing done and was not a carrier (to some degree of certainty).  I told her that W does not have CF, but is a carrier.  I also told her that we had to go through IVF in order to have W, but that he was worth it and perfect in every way.  She agreed. :)

I also met another mom who’s daughter was diagnosed with CF at 17.  I imagine that is very rare.  Her daughter had a 1 year old.  There’s a long story about that, but I gathered he was unplanned and was a happy surprise.  He was a cutie and wanted to play with W, but W wasn’t so sure.  W finally sat down to play with the little boy and the little boy was so excited, he threw a book at W.  Oops.
 
Since we were in Chicago, I had hoped to make it to the Children’s Museum, but the extra long appointment threw off my plans.  We went to Navy Pier for lunch and walked around <inside>.  Overall a great (albeit exhausting) day!  And there was no shortage of compliments on how cute W is and how well he behaved.  I love my boy.

Sorry about the font... Obviously I suck at blog aesthetics.  I've been wanting to change the blog design since day 1, but need to figure out how to do so.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Weekend Recap


We didn’t have many plans for this weekend and it seems like we were busy all weekend.  How does that happen?

On Saturday we ran errands and decided to go out for lunch.  W was SO well behaved.  He sat next to me and had fun checking out the other people in the restaurant.  He ate lots of chicken and French fries (his favorite).  He even reached onto my plate and stole my fries. J  He was perfect.  I have so much fun hanging out with that little man.

Sunday was our usual church/Starbucks routine.  W slept while I held him at Starbucks.  Watching him sleep in my arms is the sweetest thing ever.  He may be a toddler, but he’s still my baby (sorry this post is turning so mushy).  Then A and I went to check out a potential preschool for W.  I know it’s early, but this preschool has a program that starts at 20 months.  And it’s never too early to begin thinking about education, right?  I think W also needs to interact with other kids.  A and I both liked the school.  The only thing I didn’t like was the 3-4 year old preschool classes are only 3 hours per day.  I thought it would be longer?  It was adorable to see all the little chairs, little sink, sand table, blocks, costumes, etc.  My aunt watched W while A and I checked out the preschool and A and I were even able to squeeze in lunch.  Our first lunch date (with just the two of us) since October!

It was a really great weekend.

Tomorrow A has his CF clinic appointment.  W and I are going with to keep him company.  Praying the appointment goes well.  The last visit all 3 of us attended was not a good one.  Health-wise, it was good, but I think A and I gained a reputation.  I complained about the survey the clinic sent out and A was frustrated at always having to answer the same questions (his answers never change) and possible changes to his medications.  I think A now has an asterisk in his file and a notation as a problem patient.  ;)  Just kidding.

I want to note all the words W knows before I forget.  He doesn’t say them, but if you ask him to find said item, he will.  Here goes: books, hat, shoes, doggie (toy), Pete the Cat (story book), Addie, blanket, jump, and butterfly.  I think he also knows his turtle, piano, and school bus toys.  I tell him to sit in his chair and he does.  I can tell him to throw something in the garbage and he will.  He amazes me.  Clearly I’ve turned into one of THOSE moms.  I’ll stop now. J

Thursday, February 20, 2014

14 Months of W!


Happy 14 months!!

This past month has been a doozy.  Crazy weather (snow, dangerous cold, and rain today?!?), busy weekends, and colds for all of us.  Much to my disappointment, you didn’t add very many words to your vocabulary this month (words are my favorite milestone!!).  You have said uh oh and down a few times.  Grandma W says you say hot when you spy her coffee.  You have started following directions.  I’ll say “go get a book” and you do.  I’ve also told you to put something in the garbage and you toddle right over to the trash.  Your dad and I have both witnessed you pick up lint off the carpet, walk over to the trash can, and throw it away.  Grandma G has told you to go get her glasses.  You find them and bring them to her.  This morning I was telling you that we were going to go bye bye and we were going to Nani’s house.  I walked into the kitchen and turned around to find you standing there with your coat! 

You LOVE to read.  LOVE!!  I think we go through at least 20 books a day and that’s not counting the books you read with your grandmas.  You get bored pretty quickly with story books, but love pop ups and books that have flaps to open.  The exception to this is Pete the Cat story books.  We read Pete the Cat Saves Christmas every single day.  I had to order another Pete the Cat just to give myself a break from Saving Christmas.

You’re running all over the place.  You stand yourself up in the middle of the floor without any support (you actually started doing this at 13 months).  We’ve started to do puzzles.  You haven’t quite gotten the hang of it, but I’ve watched you match the pictures on your farm puzzle.  We still get comments all the time on your red hair.  We went grocery shopping for Super Bowl snacks a couple weeks ago and no less than 3 people came over to say hi to you and comment on your hair and cuteness.  Last week while we were grocery shopping, a lady came over to say hi and gave you a bag of animal crackers (daddy wouldn’t let you have them).  You’re getting a little better about eating.  The rule seems to be if it’s meat or bread, you’ll eat it.  Anything else belongs on the floor.

One other exciting thing that happened – your mom submitted a picture of you to Baby Gap (I can’t help it, I think you’re the cutest ;)) and you were featured on their Facebook page. :)

I think that covers it.  We’re having so much fun watching you grow and learn!

I've been slacking on pictures...


Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Thinking Spring


Whew… I’m glad there’s only one Monday per week. J  That last post may go down as my longest ever.  I had a lot on my mind <obviously>.  The thing is, I’m a really sensitive, compassionate person.  I feel things.  Possibly more than most people.  It doesn’t take much to make me teary.  And when someone does/says something unkind and it affects me, well, I take it very hard.  That sensitivity has only increased since bringing a little man into the world.  I have trouble watching the news.  I have trouble with television shows and movies that depict disturbing images and stories.  Those images stick with me and bring me major anxiety.  Partly why I hardly watch any television and stick to romantic comedies. J

Anyway, I’m not going to apologize for who I am.  And even though those friends suck (screw them), I know things could be much worse.  I was reminded how small and insignificant my friend problem was yesterday.  One of my friends from high school was diagnosed with cervical cancer shortly after giving birth to her daughter.  Yesterday she told us that she has a rare form, which isn’t responding to chemotherapy.  Despite that, she remains hopeful and spends as much time with her daughter as possible between treatments.  She is the epitome of strength and I admire her courage.  Her husband is participating in a bike ride for her and her friends are all raising money to support them.
 
As I drove to work, the sun was shining.  The temps have warmed a bit.  I even dressed springy today.  J 

I look weird in this picture.  Whatev.  You can see my spring colors.

I’m feeling hopeful.  I do believe in miracles.  Please say a prayer for my friend, Celeste, and her family.  She deserves to see her daughter grow up.

Monday, February 17, 2014

One giant brain dump and a change in seasons


I’m feeling very blah today so this post is going to be exactly that.  It’s also going to be long because I’ve been doing lots of thinking, lots of soul searching.  Here goes my mind dump...

This weekend wasn’t great.  It started Wednesday night.  A had been fighting a cold and when I went to bed Wednesday night I realized I was also getting sick.  When W woke up Thursday morning he had a runny nose and was just unhappy.  I got ready for work and W and I headed over to Grandma W’s house as we do every Thursday morning.  W was a little fussy during our ride there, but nothing major or out of the ordinary.  We arrived and I went to get him out of his car seat.  That’s when I smelled it… At first I thought he needed a diaper change.  I wish that was the case.  W had puked all over himself, the car seat, and my car.  He looked miserable.  I debated going to work.  My instincts told me he had a cold and the puke was the result of a combination of milk/mucous/car.  I decided to head to work and Grandma W told me she’d text if W seemed to get any worse.  There were no more puke incidents, but W didn’t eat much and wanted to be held all day.  He wasn’t himself.  I left work early and picked him up.  He perked up a little when we got home, but still wasn’t feeling well.

Friday was a little better.  W and I were both at the peak of our colds, but W had a little more energy.  A and I had agreed not to exchange gifts for Valentine’s Day, but my wonderful hubby still came home with truffles, gourmet taffy apples, and even special dog treats for Addie.  I love him! J

Then it was Friday night.  W went to bed around 8pm per usual.  He woke up at 9:30 and pretty much cried until he finally fell asleep at midnight.  In that time he had 2 nearly full bottles, which never happens.  Maybe he was hungry since he didn’t eat much all day.  Maybe his ears/sinuses were bothering him.  Maybe he wanted to be near mom and dad because he just didn’t feel well.  Maybe all of the above.  Anyway, he was up again at 5am.  Thank God for A because he got up with W so I could sleep a little longer.  Battling the cold and little sleep had left me exhausted and I incoherently mumbled to A that I just couldn’t get up.

I thought for sure we’d need to take W to the pediatrician.  But somehow, despite the cold and very little sleep, he seemed fine.  It was weird.  He ended up taking a 3.5 hour nap and seemed much better.

We then went to our friends’ baby shower.  Their identical twin girls are due in March and it was so cute to see how excited their families were.  There was so much food and so many presents wrapped in girly paper. J

But then I saw my former IVF friend.  I knew there was a good possibility she’d be there.  And as excited as I was for my friends who will be welcoming their twin babies soon, it also made me really sad to see this former friend.  It was a reminder of friendships that have dissolved, of hurtful things that have been said, of disappointment, sadness, frustration.   As if that weren’t bad enough, the wife of the guy who posted nasty things about me showed up and sat with my former IVF friend.  Apparently they’re good friends now.  Perfect.

So let’s start from the beginning…

My friend was the first to go through IVF.  She got pregnant on the first round, but complications arose and she was on bed rest early on in the pregnancy.  During that time, I tried to be supportive and optimistic for her.  I sent cards, visited her, brought her cupcakes.  It looked as though things might improve and I joked that cupcakes were the cure for everything.  Sadly, she ended up losing the baby and my heart ached for her.  We remained friends.  We shopped together, I dog sat while she visited family during Thanksgiving, and gave her a card on what would’ve been her due date.

She went through another round of IVF and I started my first round.  It was great to have a friend who could relate.  We shared stories, emailed daily, vented, etc.  She even recommended our first RE and answered the countless questions I had.  We became close friends (or at least I thought we were) and we commiserated on our failed rounds of IVF.  I got pregnant on the second round of IVF and she was the first one to know (besides A).  But unfortunately she didn’t have the same results.  She suffered several miscarriages and unsuccessful transfers.

I felt awful for her and tried to be a good great friend.  I didn’t talk about my pregnancy at all because I knew she was having a difficult time.  When I was about 17 weeks along, I announced my pregnancy on Facebook (stupid Facebook).  I warned my friend ahead of time.

A couple weeks later we were emailing and she told me she had hidden me as a FB friend.  Up until that point, I had been very careful about pregnancy posts trying to be mindful of her situation.  It was a weird position to be in.  I was so so excited, but at the same time, I knew she was hurting.  When I found out I was hidden, it made me really sad.  I guess I just had a different point of view.  After our failed IVF, I searched for positive (pun intended) IVF stories.  I wanted to read about the successes other couples had because it made me hopeful and more optimistic about our chances.  I read every successful story I could get my hands on.  But I understand that she didn’t feel the same way and I understand that seeing pregnancy related posts was difficult.

We occasionally emailed, but things were different.  In the emails, I never talked about my pregnancy.  I felt like I couldn’t say anything and I didn’t want to make her sad.  But at the same time, it was disappointing not to be able to share/talk about this very significant life changing event.

The emails nearly stopped and she didn’t come to my baby shower (I didn’t expect her to).  I thought our friendship might be over at this point.

I had my sweet baby W and much to my surprise, she visited us in the hospital.  I have no idea how she knew W had arrived since I was hidden on FB.  But it was a very kind, very unexpected gesture.  And I know it was hard for her to be there.

After W was born, we exchanged a couple emails, but I never mentioned W.  Again, it was hard and a little strange not to talk about the most important person in my life (next to A of course), but I was trying to be very sensitive to her situation.

Fast forward a bit… During the summer she emailed me and told me she was 3 months pregnant.  I was thrilled for her.  I had been hoping and praying for her for the past 2 years.  She had been through so much heartache and good news was long overdue.

I also hoped that we could be great friends again, that I’d be able to talk about W in emails, that we could be FB friends again (stupid, but I always enjoy seeing pictures and hearing what other people are up to).  I really hoped things would go back to normal.  I missed my friend.

I soon realized this wasn’t going to happen.  It seemed like the only time I ever heard from her was when I sent her an email first.  It was really disappointing and I felt like I was the only one making an effort.

In the meantime, other mutual friends announced pregnancies.  Some on FB.  And there she was wishing them congrats.  She also had no problem spending time with mutual friends who were pregnant.  None of these people had to be hidden.  That really hurt.  It seemed like she was happy for everyone else – just not me.  And since I hadn’t heard from her at all, I can only assume I was still hidden from her feed.  And by the way, what’s the sense in hiding someone?  You might as well just unfriend them if you have no desire to keep in contact/know what’s going on in their life.

And then the infamous FB post happened.  The one in which Nick the Dick (yes – I’m using his name because he’ll never read this and the nickname is just too funny not to use) said a bunch of nasty things about me.  And no one in our group of friends said anything to me including my IVF friend.  How can you just say nothing when one of your friends is verbally attacked?  Answer: You can’t.  If someone says nasty things about a friend, you ask if they’re ok.  You tell them none of those things are true.  You discuss the situation.  You offer support.  You definitely don’t look the other way and pretend like nothing happened.  And that’s when I realized none of these people were my friends.  That realization still stings.  I thought I was over it until Saturday.

Seeing Nick the Dick’s wife sitting with IVF friend made me sick.  They both ignored me and I don’t understand why they’re acting like I’m the one who did something wrong?  If I did, then someone should fill me in.  And even if I did, it’s still not ok to say/post nasty things about someone.  To be fair, I didn’t say anything to them either, but I think I’m the one who is owed an apology.

I feel like those who go through IVF/infertility need to support one another and somehow infertility seems to have made more enemies for me.  I.just.don’t.get.it.

So there’s that situation.  And then there’s the weather.  I’m working from home again because we’re supposed to get another 10 inches of snow on top of what we’ve already got.  And then it’s all going to melt into one massive flood later in the week.  Fun.

And then there’s the fact that all these friends and former friends are having babies at the same time and I’m feeling really left out.  I know that’s stupid.  Really stupid.  But I’ve already been replaced by Nick the Dick’s wife.  She’s hanging out with all the girls that used to be my friends –some of my best friends.  It’s bad enough that I still see them conversing on FB even though I’ve deleted most of them.  So this is another instance where I’m feeling like I don’t belong.  And I already see them making future plans for their babies who will all grow up together.  Blech.

People go through the so called mid-life crisis and sometimes I feel like I’m going through a friend crisis.  I almost wish I could just start over with a completely new group of friends.  In some ways I have.   I’ve reconnected with friends I hadn’t talked to in a long time.  One of which I learned also went through IVF.  Another from high school.  Hopefully this pattern continues because I definitely need friends who lift me up instead of bringing me down.

I was venting to a sweet friend over the weekend and she told me this: There are friends for a reason, a season, and for life.  I’m thinking this group was seasonal and it’s just time to move on.  Time for a change in seasons.

See I told you that was going to be long.  Holy moly.  As you can tell, I’m throwing myself a giant pity party – for having a cold, for losing friends, for feeling left out.  I’ll be over it soon and back to my happy ways.  I already feel better for getting all that off my chest.  And spring will arrive eventually, right?  A new season is on the horizon…

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Busy Busy


I’m finding less and less time to write, which is really sad because this blog has been so therapeutic.  It makes me happy to know that memories and milestones are being documented and this has become my little place to vent or talk things through.

I’m hoping things will calm down as I get used to my new job.  I’ll try to update as often as possible.  But for the time being, things may quiet down a bit.

A few things I’m looking forward to as we get through hump day (it is Wednesday, right?)…

·         I’m having lunch on Friday with a former colleague.  I haven’t seen her in several years so I’m looking forward to catching up with her.

·         Friday is Valentine’s Day.  A and I always try to go on a Valentine’s date.  I know it’s a cheesy holiday, but hey, I’m all for celebrating love.  We tried to plan a date last weekend, but our baby-sitter was sick and it snowed.  Still hoping for a date night, but I’ll settle for pizza and watching the Olympics. J

·         Saturday we’re attending a baby shower to celebrate the upcoming arrival of identical twin girls.  I’m looking forward to meeting these two special babies whenever they decide to make their big debut.

·         I checked the 10 day forecast and saw high 40s predicted for next week.  Say what?!?!  I was excited when I saw that it was 11 today.  11!!  I can’t even remember the last time I saw double digits.  Like the rest of the US, I’m longing for some warmer temps so 40 is exciting.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Catching Up


I took a little <unplanned> blogging hiatus.  I usually write on my lunch break, but my breaks haven’t really been breaks lately.  So here’s a little recap of life lately:

 

Saturday (2/1) – Church.  W was feisty and I was reminded why we typically stick to Sunday morning mass.  Late dinner afterwards resulted in a cranky toddler who refused to eat chicken and threw everything he could get his hand on on the floor.  We attempted to clean up our mess, but left a nice tip just in case there were some remaining scattered chicken pieces, crackers, or French fries.  On the bright side, despite the mess, we weren’t very disruptive and the restaurant was empty… phew.  Dinner outings sure have changed!

Sunday (2/2) – Play date with a friend from high school, a couple other moms, and their kids.  I had a blast and I think W did too.  It’s fun seeing him interact with kids the same age.  He kind of observes them, but does his own thing.  He was also really shy at first.  My sweet friend also went through IVF and I love talking to her about her experiences and future children.  She actually recommended our current RE to us.  As she said, “you don’t ‘get it’ unless you’ve gone through it.”  I’m hoping for lots more play dates.  Her little ones are 23 months and 9 months so W is right in the middle.

Tuesday (2/4) – Flew to Philadelphia… at 6 am.  In order to make the flight, woke up at 3am.  UGH.  I should’ve played the Lotto because Philly got hit with a snow storm Monday and Wednesday and Chicago got hit Tuesday night.  I made it home just as the snow was starting to fall Tuesday night.  Talk about good timing.  And most importantly, I made it home in time to kiss W goodnight.

Thursday (2/6) – Thursday just flat out sucked.  I learned that a person I recommended for a job opening wasn’t getting the job offer.  I felt horrible – like I set her up for disappointment.  I never led her on and never gave her the impression the job was hers (I don’t think), but I know she wanted it.  And I can’t help but feel responsible for disappointing her.  Then there was a little birthday celebration for a colleague and I was not invited.  Apparently someone “forgot” to add me to the invite.  The invite came from a lady who has never been friendly to me.  I actually interviewed with her and apparently she had concerns about hiring me.  This is the same lady who was asked to show me around the office and introduce me to people when I first started, but she never did.  She'll say hi to everyone at an event and skip me.  I’m certain she’s never liked me, but I have no idea why.  Maybe she wanted the job I was interviewing for?  No clue.  So when everyone in my department was included on the invite – except for me, I was pissed.  I have no tolerance for that level of immaturity and ridiculousness.  Seriously, grow up.  And then the best part – when I didn’t show up to the birthday celebration, she asked where I was.  Lame.

Friday (2/7) – After the crappy Thursday, I decided to take a half day.  I needed a break from the office and my car was in desperate need of an oil change.  I think just about every reminder light had appeared on my dash.  So I picked up lunch, headed to the car dealer for the oil change and routine maintenance, went to the bank, picked up contact lenses and headed home.  I feel pathetic using precious vacation time for this stuff, but when do people get these types of things done?  I usually plan them for the weekend, but I swear it’s either -40 degrees or snowing every. single. Saturday. and the car dealer is closed on Sunday.  And I like going to the dealer because they have a record of all the work done on my car.  ANYWAY, I got home and found a package containing homemade treats from an awesome friend in Georgia.  Caramel Snicker Doodles - they were amazing!!  Then I received a text from my boss asking if she could call me.  Uh oh...  She called and told me she had good news.  I was transitioning to a new position at work, but thought it would be a lateral move.  I knew the new department paid a little more, but I wasn’t expecting much of an increase at all – I was just excited about learning a new role.  Turns out, they were treating the move as a promotion!  I’m very excited.  We’ve been <slowly> saving for a new house, but I’m hopeful that this will help us save up a little faster.  Hooray!!

Saturday (2/8)– More snow.  Got my haircut.  I had high hopes for taking W out to the library and a dinner outing, but the snow ruined that.

Sunday (2/9) – Church, Starbucks, grocery store, cleaning.  AND W was featured on the Gap Facebook page.  Baby Gap is by far my favorite place to shop for kids clothes.  I was so excited to see that he had been featured this week. J  Oh, and I found my dream house.  It made my heart skip a beat.  It was perfect in every way.  A and I drove past it and it didn’t have a sale sign out – I can only assume this means that it sold… we’re not ready to move yet, but I could’ve made an exception for this house. 
 
Today - Coworker crushes my house dreams.  He says it's too close to the railroad tracks.  It is.  But it's sooooo pretty.  :)