Bloggers* in flight

* I can call us that because even though Luke hasn't posted since June, he still does have a blog, and Kara certainly held her own during my back-to-work hiatus, and it makes for a short and catchy title, and it's one fifty-seven in the morning as I sit to write this people, give me a break, will you?

I'm tired.

It feels like the last couple of weeks have been non-stop around here. My little family did make the looong trip to Chicago two weekends in a row, once to see my sister Ryan off to Germany, and once for my nephew Danny's baptism, though it was canceled at the last minute due to the poor little guy spitting up constantly and his pediatrician's recommendation that Samantha and Dan bring him to the hospital for observation. Thankfully, it appears to be a simple case of acid reflux to the -enth degree, but he gave his parents a little scare, nonetheless. So the weekends, not exactly a time for productivity.

Plus, work has been busy, and I had to play a lot of advance catch-up to be able to take the first part of this week off. Then there's the Web training seminar I'll be taking in Nashua, New Hampshire, next month, for which I'll be gone three nights, and the very idea of being away from Kara that long has me feeling much like I did in the days leading to my return to work in March. It's been suggested several times that I bring Luke and Kara with me, but between my tight schedule and our tight budget, it's not a good idea. I just have to wear my big-girl panties and resign myself to a good cry on the nights I should be putting her to bed.

And of course, in between work and family and trips up north has been our house, our blessed, wonderful, pain-in-the-ass house that is eating our money and sucking our will to live. To be fair, it's not so much the house itself as it is some of the contractors that have been dragging their feet (I'm looking at you, Cutting Edge Flooring). The last loose end should be tied up tomorrow, and then we can finally collect our spare keys and collapse in a sea of cardboard boxes and Tupperware bins that unfortunately won't unpack themselves. I'm so sad about leaving this apartment--this modest, two-bedroom apartment, where I held Kara to my chest and sobbed the night we came home from the hospital, where the two of us spent hours of my maternity leave snuggled on the couch while the snow fell outside, content to just sleep and breathe each other in--and yet, so excited about our new home, a home that will see a properly sized Christmas tree and stockings along the staircase (I just listened to our holiday playlist on iTunes, can you tell?) and the pitter-patter of little feet that my heart smiles just thinking about it. It's a bag of mixed emotions I've got going on here, but I'm hoping the joy wins out once we're settled in and I can revel in hammering nail holes wherever I damn well please.

All of this would explain why my contest winners have yet to receive their prizes, but rest assured, friends, they're coming soon to a mail box near you.

In the meantime, pictures! Good ole pictures. They're like the the pinch-hitters of blogging, when words are not enough (or just really boring).

 

Here are a couple from last weekend, aka Ryan's American farewell. She and Jason probably won't visit until sometime next fall, so we tried to soak up as much of her as we could. The sentiment seemed lost on Kara, though.

 

In this shot, the childbearing sisters attempt to show off their offspring while the offspring couldn't care less. Way to ruin a Kodak moment, kids.

 

How cute is my nephew? Let me count the ways.

   

Okay, one more, but really, how cute IS he? And can you believe that come February, this picture will be my life? GAAAAH.

 

Here, Kara and Grandma Dunscombe have a meeting of the minds.

 

Kara wants YOU to know about the awesomeness of Daddy D.

We weren't in Chicago long enough this past weekend to pull out the camera very much, but I did catch one of Kara and my mother in a full-fledged hands-and-knees face-off. Grandma seems determined to win, but she's no match for Kara's adorableness. That always trumps speed.

 

One of the rare instances in which Kara allows herself to be lulled to sleep by the sounds of the highway.

And now, seeing as it's three in the morning and Luke is already hauling miscellaneous crap to our car, I'm going to sign off, but not before I tease you with the promise of after pictures the minute AT&T says we can.  

Comments

[Katie]

Yay! How exciting (and exhausting)!

[Jen L.]

Your nephew is beautiful! Your family makes cute babies.
Glad you got to spend some time with your family.

[AJU5's Mom]

Kara is so cute asleep in the car seat! Hope the moving in goes well today! We still have boxes after 7 months, but then again we are still finishing the house. Hopefully you can get unpacked quickly!

[eva]

1:57am?!?! Yikes! Thanks for all the pics - you have one adorable father in law! Oh and the nephew and daughter ain't too bad either:)
Take care and don't forget to BREATHE!

[La Petite Chic]

My husband and I will be moving out of our first home soon so I can completely understand your attachment. It sounds like you already have many wonderful memories conjured up for your new home!

[Julie]

So..this is totally unrelated to your post, but I was watching the Today Show yesterday morning, and there was a woman (about late 20s, early 30s maybe) holding a small sign out in the crowd in Rockefeller Plaza, and it said "Hi" to Kara, Luke, (one name I couldn't read), and Ryan. I thought for SURE it had to be meant for your family, and that the name I couldn't quite read was Bree!

Any idea if it was meant for you?

[Molly]

I can't believe you stayed up half the night before moving day!! I hope you didn't pay for it yesterday. Can't wait to hear how everything went, and see more pictures!

[Grandma Molly]

I am glad to hear that Danny is all right. The condition did sound scary, and he was in the hospital. Even the trips were hectic and busy, we did enjoy your visits.

Are you in the house now?

I finally posted an entry too after more than month absence.

[daddyd]

Busy and more busy. It is coming together. It will be even better than the old two bed room place. Even though it had good times, better times are coming. Joy of joy.