We've made it.

I can't believe it. We're home. Last year about this time I wanted out of our old house so badly. I was done with it and the busy street and the pool and the ridiculous driveway situation. We put it on the market and it just became a "house" in my mind.

As the months dragged on (and my hormones returned to normal levels) I became sentimental about the beautiful old house and I realized I had been a little irrational about the whole thing. I mean...Max wasn't even 6 months old at the time...he wasn't going to toddle out to the pool by himself or run out into the middle of 55th St just yet. I gained a little perspective, but still realized this was not the best home to raise our family in.

Then I wrote this post. I didn't know it at the time, but everything was about to fall into place the way it was meant to happen in just a few short weeks into the future. And now after a whirlwind of packing and paperwork we're in our new place that fits all of our criteria and we finally feel settled.

It has our needs (quiet street, 2 car garage, easy access from my car into the house) and also the things that make a house a real home for Billy and me (old neighborhood, walking distance to shops/restaurants, tree lined street). We also have many plans for this house and the additions we're going to make in the coming years. We see so much potential here.

We're really excited about this new chapter in our lives. And as a bonus we get to add another little baby to it! We couldn't be happier with the way things played out. The wait was worth it and made us realize what is most important to us. I'm always amazed how the phrase "everything happens for a reason" consistently proves itself in my life even though I hate to hear it in the midst of a challenge.

So now, with the craziness of the move behind us, all that's on the "to do" list is to make room in our hearts and our new home for little Sullivan. And I'm happy to just sit in my nest and await his arrival.

Here are a few pics of what we've been up to in the new house:

Max loves: the backyard (with no pool!!).

Washing hands and feet after playing outside.

Max loves: his new playroom

Read me books, Momma! All day. All day. All day.

"Vacuuming"

Max loves: riding his fire truck in the living room

He climbs on and says "Go. Go. Go."

Max loves: to watch out the front door.

The construction on our street has been a real treat for Max.

Max (still) loves: to eat. Now in his new highchair in his new kitchen!

"The Land of And"

Do you know those commercials? I cannot stand them. I think its for some horrible restaurant like "Old Country Buffet"...I'm not even sure. But like anything incredibly annoying it got stuck in my head the other day. Through some weird stream of consciousness I started thinking about the word and and its importance in my life. Such a tiny and simple word that connects some of the biggest pieces of my life together.

For so long, it was just me. I was just Sara. One person. And then Billy came along and I acquired my first and. Sara and Billy. The addition of that and gave me someone else to consider and put before my own needs.

With Max, my and moved forward again. Sara, Billy and Max. After that, my time, my energy and my focus all changed directions as our little stinkbomb rearranged everything we knew about responsibility and love.

Last weekend, as I was laying on the couch thinking these weird thoughts while watching my "big" and and my "little" and play together, the littlest and of all gave me a solid kick in the ribs, reminding me that the position of our and is about to move forward again.

Sara, Billy, Max and Sullivan.

I wonder how many times our and will shift positions to accommodate new important beings in our lives. Wherever my and ends up I feel very lucky for its existence in my life.

This week.

I'm utterly exhausted. This past week has taken it all out of me. Moving, unpacking, trying to get our now "rental property" spotlessly clean and celebrating my 30th birthday. Oh, and I managed to make it to my dental appointment somewhere in the middle of all of that too.

Little Max has been a trooper. The poor guy has had some interesting meals this week since we still haven't gone to the grocery store to stock the fridge. Random canned goods have come in handy. The first night we were in the house I couldn't even find the can opener though so luckily I found a single-serve can of Speghetti-O's in the kitchen cabinet. Did I buy that at some point? I don't remember packing or unpacking it. Did the previous owner leave it behind? I'm not sure. That and a slice of stale wheat bread spread with some peanut butter was his dinner. Then I gave him his bath but could only find our little travel kit that has old hotel shampoo in it. Good to know that my baby will not spontaneously combust if he doesn't have a balanced meal and a bath with his organic shampoo :)

Even with all of this craziness I feel really content. It finally seems like we're on the other side of the hill we've been climbing trying to get all of this to fall into place. I'll write more about the new house soon, but for now I'll just include some recent pictures of what we've been up to this past week when we haven't been up to our necks in boxes.

Mother's Day Weekend

Saturday we walked up to Glace' with Grandma Murray for ice cream.

And this is what I woke up to on Sunday morning :)

Chocolate chip and fresh blueberry pancakes and pink tulips.

Then we went to the zoo for the afternoon with the whole family.



Max was so excited to see the animals. Especially the polar bear.


When we got home from the zoo Max was more than ready for his afternoon nap. So Sullivan and I went for a dip in the pool while he slept.


Then later in the day we went up to the garden to water our seeds.


Monday evening we went to Quigley's for dinner to see our dear friend Dave on his last night. We had just closed on the house earlier in the day so we were also celebrating our new home!

The boys.


Coloring on the floor.


Eating corn doggies from a sharks mouth is way more fun than eating off the table like a civilized person.

Saturday was my 30th bday party at the Blue Grotto. It was exactly what I wanted...I little gathering with the people I love.



Here's Max this Sunday morning getting a closer look at the collage of pictures my mom put together for the party.


From these images you can't tell how disorganized are lives are right now can you?

Becoming a mother again

You know what the best thing about being a momma is? You get to always be one. It's not a phase in life like being a teenager or being in your twenties that quickly passes you by...it's permanent.

I can't stop thinking about how excited I am to become a mom again. To have the chance to bring another life into the world is an honor that I will never stop being thankful for. Max's birth was the single most defining experience of my life so far. It was the most physical. The most emotional. The most painful. And the most rewarding. I imagine most women would describe it this way regardless of how their little one came into the world (drugs, no drugs, c-section, etc). I know every birthing experience takes enormous amounts of courage. And every mom should be proud of that.

It sounds odd, but I'm looking forward to being in labor again. Don't get me wrong...its the most ridiculous pain I've ever felt, but it's not a "bad" pain (if that makes any since at all??).

I'm excited for all the aspects of becoming a momma times two. Some people are quick to point out that two kids means two times the dirty diapers, twice the expense and half the sleep. There's that. And two times the little smiles, twice the tiny, dimpled booty cheeks (my favorite part of all babies!) and exponentially more love.

I can honestly say our inital reaction of feeling surprised and unprepared for this pregnancy now seems like a very distant memory. I find myself thinking "I can't believe this wasn't our idea!" on a regular basis because it feels so right for our family.

Happy Mother's Day to all the Momma's out there! I hope you're getting all the love and pampering you deserve :)