Here? Or there?

We are still trying decide if it is better for me to watch e at her house or at mine.  At hers, she can become familiar with her new space, she can see her mom during the day, we can explore the new neighborhood.  It is easier for E not to have to drive out here then home again in morning traffic around the schools.  But I find myself wishing I were home so I could do my own things while she naps, or even while she plays, now that she plays more independently.  On the other hand, last week I finished reading a book and knit more on the sock while she slept; at home I probably would have done neither.  At my house, I can do laundry and other chores with e helping, and Randy can see her.  But it can be very distracting for Randy while he is trying to work to have us making noise and passing through his office.  Last week we were here three days and there two days.  If it were just  me, I'd have her here daily, but I imagine we will continue to divide time between the two sites for a while.

Yesterday I made Thanksgiving dinner for E.  They will go to K's family in SoCal for the holiday, and E thought they might not have turkey, so she asked me if I would do a traditional turkey dinner.  Lynn and Jim, Dena and Alan joined us.  K made his famous mashed potatoes, E made succotash, Dena brought salad, and I did the turkey, dressing and gravy, with Brussels sprouts too.  Cranberry cake and date-nut pinwheels rounded out the menu.  On Thursday we will dine at Dena's along with some other friends.  I just realized I forgot to capture last night's event with a picture or two.  😟

My, what a temper!

Yesterday I watched e at her new house.  We walked over to the park, where she enjoyed playing on the new-to-her equipment.  But when it was time to leave she erupted into a tantrum that lasted all the way home and longer, maybe thirty minutes all together.  Crying, grabbing at my ear and spectacles, thrashing around on the concrete deck then in the house, quite impressive.  Finally I thought to offer her a mini peanut butter cup, which caught her attention, and she calmed down.  After lunch, she napped for three hours.

Today we're at my house, and so far have had a peaceful time.  At the park she had me put her in the swing and give her a push, then told me to sit on the nearby bench, perhaps because that's what the other adult present was doing as he watched his charges.  Her head began to droop and her eyes closed as she finished eating lunch, but I guess I didn't get her into bed quickly enough.  That was about 75 minutes ago, and she is still talking to herself, apparently wide awake.

It's ours!

One week ago tonight K, E, Randy and I sat at the dining room table with a notary and spent about an hour signing the papers that made the new house ours!  Tuesday the funds were transferred to an escrow account, Wednesday afternoon we got the keys, and that evening Sarah arrived.  Thursday movers loaded the furniture in Phoenix and then delivered it here Friday afternoon.  Sarah and e "helped" the two young men who delivered the furniture by watching them and offering encouragement.  We ordered Chinese take-out for dinner and ate in the new house.  Our first adventure--when we shut the door into the family room to help e stay put, we couldn't get it open again.  Fortunately E's tool box was on the bar, so Randy took off the door knob.  No, didn't help.  He took out the linch pins from the hinges.  No good.  The bolt was securely holding the door in place.  Finally K began to chisel out that part of the door.  We called Bill and Carol, who live around the corner, and asked if they would come help us, thinking that if they pushed on the door from the other side it would open.  When they arrived Randy dropped the keys out the window to them.  Nope, no good.  Finally K got the bolt out, and we were free!  We invited Bill and Carol to join us in the Chinese dinner, but they had left their meal on the stove and went back home.  The door is nice and sturdy, heavy wood.  But the door handle was either poorly made or poorly installed or I don't know what.  There was simply no way we could get it open.

Saturday and Sunday E and K worked on unpacking, stocking the pantry, that kind of thing.  Today E is working here at our house because the internet is not ready for her to use securely.  She figures it will take maybe a week to completely move their things out of here, but they were able to sleep at the new house last night for the first time.

Oh, dear

Several days ago I pulled out "Sing Hey diddle diddle," a book of 66 nursery rhymes with their traditional tunes.  I played and sang many of the songs while sitting on the piano bench with e.  Now we do this once a day.  Sometimes I just recite the rhymes instead of singing and playing.  Sometimes  I stop before the last word in a phrase, and e finishes the line.  What a memory she has!  One of the songs was familiar to her because I have often sung it as I put her to bed, "Oh, dear, what can the matter be?"  Yesterday as we threw a tennis ball back and forth to each other, it landed in a patch of ivy.  " Oh, dear," said e.  So cute.

While we continue toward closing on the house next week, we still have doubts about the wisdom of this decision.  It will be a huge project to renovate the ground floor unit into livable space.  There are many unknowns, about the foundation in particular.  But the eventual rewards would be great.

Sleep, little girl!

For the past couple of weeks e's afternoon nap has been inconsistent.  Some days she has slept, but other days she has just sat in her crib and chattered to herself, playing with her yellow bear.  We are definitely not ready for her to give up that nap!  When she doesn't sleep she is often cranky in the late afternoon/evening, which is why we think she still needs to nap.  One night she dozed off as she was eating supper.  So we have talked about different ways to help her sleep.  I hope something works.

K is in Myrtle Beach this week for his family's golf tourney.  About 28 of his uncles and cousins have gathered for this annual event.  They will golf, fish, play cards, talk and eat.

Only a week or so remains till we close on the new house.  It's time to gather funds together for the escrow company.  It feels quite scary to make such a big decision, to buy a house that needs work.  But there's also a sense of adventure.

Still distractable

While e seems a little more willing to be buckled into her car seat, it is by no means always easy to persuade her to sit down.  Yesterday she climbed in without too much trouble as we were about to go to Trader Joe's.  But after we had our groceries in the car, she didn't want to sit in her seat.  She wanted to be in the front seat.  I kept reminding her we needed to get the milk home and placed in the refrigerator, the 1% milk in the jug with a pink cap that we bought for her mom.  Finally that sank in, I guess, and she allowed me to buckle her in.

Last night E and K went to see "Jaws," part of the classic films series at the theatre.  As they left, e was unhappy, but we calmed her down.  Then a few minutes later it was time for me to leave for choir practice.  More tears.  But I suggested she show Grandpa what was in her red purse, and that saved the day.  She took it over to him and I left.  They read a few books before going upstairs to get ready for bed.  After a clean diaper and brushing teeth, Randy went to get his reading glasses so he could read some more to her.  When he returned she indicated he should just put her in bed, so he did and she went right to sleep.  His second night of babysitting went smoothly.

I don't know how much longer we will be able to use distraction as a tool, but for now it is usually effective.

The way we were

E and K arrived Saturday after about thirteen hours on the road.  Both of their cars were jam-packed with clothes, electronics and other things they did not want to place in the storage unit.  We unloaded, putting some items in the garage and others in the house.  It will take a few days to settle in, to unpack and find places for everything.  Already I think we will move the garage items to the other side so the van can park inside and the Camry on the street.  I think e was happy to see her parents after nearly a week without them.

K toured the new house Sunday afternoon, declaring it "Amazing."  Randy talked to the seller, learning more about the lower level and the foundation.  I still have doubts about whether we will be able to remodel it as we hope.

Today, e and I return to our previous routine with me watching her from about 7:30 till 4:30.