And it's April

writing a letter to my friend that just went into basic training.  This friend was a boy I used to babysit 15 YEARS ago.  Whoa.

I didn't fall off the planet, I promise! 

We've been living, breathing, and making messes in our apartment.  IN OUR APARTMENT!  It took a bit of time to get all the final kinks worked out, and to have reliable hot water, and to, I don't know, have faith that we were really in our place.  But we are.  And we love it. 
 

We have very few duplo pieces, but it doesn't stop us from having a blast.  Harper is a big fan of making "rwellwe big" towers.

Harper likes to watch the lobsters at the store.  She found other lobster enthusiasts one day.

 

Being new to the city, most of my interactions have been with moms I've never met at parks, and chatting with people in the grocery store.  Two weeks ago I looked for a running group, or something, that I could go to and see some adults that would know me for being something other than Harper's mom, and so far so good.  (Mom, you know what I mean, right?)

 

Cat in the Hat after her bath

Umbrellas = "surprise!" over and over and over and over

 

My doula work is going well, and I've been busy with births.  Most of them are through the volunteer group I'm with, CVD, but I've also booked some independent (read: Paying!) clients.  This doula thing is a marathon, not a sprint, and I'm sometimes with myself for not doing more.  

 

Going shopping at Costco after the park. 

An early spring view from our window out to the lake.

 

I have a super great friend coming from AZ to visit in May, and you can be sure to hear our ruckus (from where ever you are!)  I'm happy we'll have running water, warm weather, and the moving boxes out of our place when she gets here, not that she'd care one iota.  

 

We set up the Lego table from Aunt Mary Jo and it's pretty much the bee's knees.  Lego, forts, jumping.  Harper is putting it to the test.

She likes to do puzzles when she uses the loo.

 

But as you can see from the pictures, Harper is HUGE.  She is getting more independent.  She is speaking more words.  Her Awesome is pretty much at an 11.   

Doing her chore to feed the cats.

Life in the Vortex

 We are not yet in our apartment.  Yesterday we received an update that it would be at least two weeks before the cold water would be working (ie: toilets can flush) and then another 4 to get the hot.  We are rolling with the punches. 

At least this time we aren't getting our hopes up every 3 days that there might be change. 

Harper seems to be fine with all the mess, as it's doubtless she even realizes anything is amiss. 

 There are pictures to color and sticker!  There are light switches to turn on and off!  There are pots to stir!

 In the last 6 weeks, there has been encouraging movement with my doula business.  I am now volunteering with Chicago Volunteer Doulas!  I've also met a handful of women that are encouraging me and helping me navigate this very large birth community. 

 Harper and I took a two day trip to Bloomington to visit friends - above is the only shot that is worth showing from that time. 

 And then the superbowl happened - Go Seahawks!

So, we are still here.  In snowy Chicago.  Perhaps next update will be from the comfort of our heated and water-running apartment!

apartment still on the fritz

We have heat in 85% of the apartment (yay!) but no running water.  We are going over everyday for a few hours to organize and get it set, but we are still staying with Dan's very gracious parents until we can do essential things, like flush the toilets and have water for (the really important stuff like coffee and...) cooking.

  :) 

I'm trying to keep things in perspective. 

New Year, New City

 We've moved.  We decided that December wasn't full of enough excitement, so we packed up our stuff and made an adventure out of it. 

Well, not quite.  But, it is what it is. 

 I don't recommend moving in December.  Even when it seems like a great idea when you give notice to your landlord in October and you think two months is plenty of time to get organized, find an apartment, pack, and move.  It won't be.  It's December, you can't do anything on schedule in December. 

We got lucky in that the days we were loading the truck it was in the 40's, but man oh man.  We used all that luck up because when we made it to Chicago, it was snowing, blowing, and the beginning of what is now called a Polar Vortex.  We didn't have to unload things when it was in the -15 to -20 degree range, but you could have fooled us - it was cold. 

 Even though all of our things, and our cats, are moved in, we are not.  You see.  The boiler in our building is broken.  No heat.  Then entered the Polar Vortex (duh duh, DUH!!!) and now the pipes are frozen. 

We are safe and warm with Dan's parents (thank God) but we are starting out 2014 with stress, sore muscles, cabin fever, and intense cold. 

 On the plus side, Yay!  We had Christmas!  My dad visited!  It's 2014!  It's only 8 days until my birthday!

Harper was enamored with the circus tent she received for Christmas, as well as with other things.  We had great food, fun, and memories with family and inducted some new faces (Nora's Boyfriend attended festivities for the first time!). 

And, Harper has finished teething.  Hallelujah!  A Christmas miracle! 

 We are sad our Bears did not make it to the payoffs, and the ruling is still out if signing Jay Cutler for a 7-year deal is a good decision, but we have cut ties with Bloomington, and we're making the best of our cold and complicated world. 

I am getting to know some people and places for Harper and I, and with the practically balmy temperature of 31 degrees forecast for this weekend, we'll be out and about our new city in no time. 

My adorable daughter, and thoughts on potty training

 These pictures are from our friends wedding this past summer, but I just got my hands on them.  Are they just lovely?  She has changed so much in 6 months.  *tear*

In other news, we are packing and moving.  Why not move to Chicago in winter? 

One positive side effect of all this crazy, is Harper seems to enjoy the freedom she has: she draws on the boxes, refuses to wear pants, and only wants to eat peanut butter and pancakes.  With food coloring.  Green, or blue pancakes are now the menu item for second-breakfast.  AND, she has felt empowered to potty.  Without pants, I've put her panties on and we're doin' this potty thing.  It's awesome.  Sometimes we use the timer, sometimes we go with the flow (ha!), sometimes we do diapers, but she is telling me more often when she needs to go, and she is starting to understand that she needs to push her panties down before sitting.  Progress! 

A down side of our new apartment is we no longer have in-home laundry.  So this all couldn't come at a better time. 

Last couple days - Grandpa, Make up, and Oscar

Some time with grandpa visiting