We live in a townhouse in a really adorable neighborhood. There are always kids riding bikes and always friends just down the street for me to talk to and the boys to play with. We really love it here but with interests rates so low and home prices dropping it's the perfect time for us to upgrade to a larger house on a piece of land. We called our Realtor who is awesome, BTW, and asked if she'd take us to see what's out there.
We found the house.
The "I'd like to be buried in the back yard because I'm dying of old age or because this house needs so much work it's going to kill me" house. Either way.
Fast forward to now, our house is on the market, there has been a lot of interest, we're feeling pretty good about things and we're negotiating with the Bank (read: evil, evil bank) who owns our little foreclosure of a house. The negotiations are not going well, or maybe the bank's asset manager is schizophrenic, who knows.
First they're willing to fix things. Then we have to wait till after the home inspection before they're willing to agree to fix most things. Then after the home inspection they'll fix the dual zone HVAC and the mold but not the roof which has about a billion leaks in it. Then while we're negotiating how much we'll get as a credit and how much it's going to cost to have X, Y, Z fixed they then decide they're not fixing anything. Um, excuse me? So we've sunk more than a grand into inspections for the home, the well, the septic field and the roof and hvac estimates and now they tell us they're not willing to fix anything?! Since our entire deal was negotiated with the understanding that they would be willing to fix some things and now they're changing their minds entirely the Husband and I are thinking they didn't negotiate in good faith and we're PISSED.
Who knows how this will end. Maybe there has been some miscommunication between the bank's asset manager and the seller agent. Mayb we're still on track or maybe we've some how managed to misunderstand everything from the very beginning... but I highly doubt that.
As of tonight, we're a little pissed, a little confused and somehow still convinced that this is the right house for us. But by tomorrow we might be asking for both our earnest money back and compensation for the costs we've incurred thus far. But I hope we'll be sitting fireside singing Cum Baya by tomorrow.
Update:
Cum Baya, my Lord; Cum Baya.
Yup, we were just confused. Thank goodness! I'd explain more but I'm off to get my hard did, without the kids! Woo Hoo!
Monday, August 9, 2010
I'm in denial.
The Carlsons are moving from the lovely MD to NC. Emily said it best, and has some great pics too of our little send-off party. We had a fabulous time at the Casa-de-Kentobean and we're very sad to see Lindsey, Cady and Kevin go but I see this as an opportunity to invite myself down south once in a while to visit my old grad. school stomping grounds and to visit my friends in a place with such delicious venues as: The Hibernean, Cookout and El Rodeo.
I will not say goodbye, I'll simply say see you later, alligator.
I will not say goodbye, I'll simply say see you later, alligator.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Cereal
Horray for maternal instincts! Henry is now happily enjoying solid food. We skipped rice, because it tends to block babies up, and went strait for oatmeal. Such a happy boy.
See? Happy. Boy.
See? Happy. Boy.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Henry's Stats... and a rant
As Big-Brother-Jack would say "He's HUGE."
And it's true. Henry is 26.5 inches long and 16lbs 12oz (which btw is only 85th percentile- for real I want to meet the last 15 percent, because I refuse to believe that kiddos come much larger than what I got). So from now on when I say things like "Hank the Tank" and "Oy! My aching back!" you all will believe me.
On a slightly related note I saw a different doctor in the practice from our normal guy because he's enjoying a vacay. We do delayed immunization with the boys, partially because I think 4 shots all at once for little babies is just mean, partially because it's an awful lot for their little immune systems to handle at once and partially because I'm paranoid about autism (I know those studies were de-bunked) but I'm a mom therefore I worry.
So this other doctor is like "You know it's completely inadvisable to the health of your baby to delay immunization, right?" (I'm no rookie mom, and my personality type which I'd call outspoken b*tch is not one to be intimidated)
So I say, "Yeah, I know."
He's like "Um, okay, good. I need you to bring any articles you've read that suggest this method."
Me "Okay." Thinking: Whatever, buddy, our regular doc doesn't think I'm dangling by baby over a proverbial balcony.
And now this is me stepping on my soapbox.
I get it. I'm not a normal parent in the sense that we use cloth, we tummy sleep, we delay immunizations. But I don't understand how a pediatrician who deals with all types of parents (it's a diverse area) can be so intolerant. Parenting is hard, we don't need discouragement and judgment we need encouragement. What makes this even more bizarre is he knew Henry is a tummy sleeper.... which is way riskier in my mind than his chances of, say, catching Hepatitis. I guess I just expect more support out of my health care professional.
And it's true. Henry is 26.5 inches long and 16lbs 12oz (which btw is only 85th percentile- for real I want to meet the last 15 percent, because I refuse to believe that kiddos come much larger than what I got). So from now on when I say things like "Hank the Tank" and "Oy! My aching back!" you all will believe me.At 4 months Jack was not exactly the same size...
On a slightly related note I saw a different doctor in the practice from our normal guy because he's enjoying a vacay. We do delayed immunization with the boys, partially because I think 4 shots all at once for little babies is just mean, partially because it's an awful lot for their little immune systems to handle at once and partially because I'm paranoid about autism (I know those studies were de-bunked) but I'm a mom therefore I worry.
So this other doctor is like "You know it's completely inadvisable to the health of your baby to delay immunization, right?" (I'm no rookie mom, and my personality type which I'd call outspoken b*tch is not one to be intimidated)
So I say, "Yeah, I know."
He's like "Um, okay, good. I need you to bring any articles you've read that suggest this method."
Me "Okay." Thinking: Whatever, buddy, our regular doc doesn't think I'm dangling by baby over a proverbial balcony.
And now this is me stepping on my soapbox.
I get it. I'm not a normal parent in the sense that we use cloth, we tummy sleep, we delay immunizations. But I don't understand how a pediatrician who deals with all types of parents (it's a diverse area) can be so intolerant. Parenting is hard, we don't need discouragement and judgment we need encouragement. What makes this even more bizarre is he knew Henry is a tummy sleeper.... which is way riskier in my mind than his chances of, say, catching Hepatitis. I guess I just expect more support out of my health care professional.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Happy Birthday, Henry!
You are 4 months old today. Man, oh, man the time is flying!!
We love you, sweet boy.
We love you, sweet boy.
They were having a sale
On boys. I got three (four if you count my husband) for the price of one.
One. Popeye mustache free with purchase.
Two. Fuzzy-yellow-bed-stealer.
Three. Gigantic 4 month old boy. (4 month pictures coming later today.)Monday, August 2, 2010
Help!
Okay, so it's not like we're ready to move right now. Yes, our house is on the market, but it doesn't mean I'm not obsessing about this GIGANTIC room and trying to figure out what the heck I hope to (contracts willing) do with it. So, ladies (I think the only gentleman reader is my husband... correct me if I'm wrong...) take a look at the pics of the "great room" and tell me what you'd do... clearly it needs work... but what work does it need?!
The living room & entry, view from above.
Entry... clearly we need new glass in the door...
The living room.
The dining room with painted white brick hearth meant for a free standing wood stove.
The living room & entry, view from above.
Entry... clearly we need new glass in the door...
The living room.
The dining room with painted white brick hearth meant for a free standing wood stove.So, the room is an "L" shape, so the entry, living and dining room all need to coordinate. Have at it! Tell me everything!
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