Day 1374: Nineteen weeks and counting
I know, I missed a week again.
In my defense, last week we were out of town, and even though I was technically "off" I was still answering emails and fielding calls, so things were a little crazy.
Nineteen weeks, though. We find out next week if Baby Seedling is a boy or a girl. I figure after that point we'll make an official announcement on FB or something. Use some cute baby shoes and maybe a picture of the dogs.
So, the good:
Last week we were in New York so Cody could do his final two job interviews. It was rough. We packed mostly Monday night after a super day of court, and then we departed on Tuesday. Spent most of the day flying, had dinner with some people from the company that night.
On Wednesday, while Cody was doing one job interview, I wandered the town, which made for a very productive day of Pokemon hunting, in addition to answering phone calls and emails left and right. I had to answer my phone as soon as we landed in New York the night before, and I am pretty sure that the guy sitting next to me thought I was crazy. The two-hour time difference meant I was answering calls well into the evening, which was not my idea of a good time at all, but whatever. While I was wandering the town I made friends with a realtor, and I started getting leads on places. Property taxes in NY are waaaaaay more expensive, but property values are actually lower. Not sure how it'll even out in the end, but oh well.
Wednesday night was another business dinner.
Thursday I was mostly cold and lazy, since I didn't sleep well Tuesday night or Wednesday night. I went on another Pokemon hunt, bought some last-minute Christmas presents, and then tried to find words, even if they weren't great. We had one final business dinner for poor, exhausted Cody, and then Thursday we flew home.
As soon as we landed, I unpacked, threw in laundry.
We repacked Friday, and we loaded the van, and we hit the road, plus dogs. It was a pleasant enough drive. I started listening to The Tattoist of Auschwitz, read by Richard Armitage, since I was driving alone in the van with the dogs while Cody drove a friend's car up north for him.
We arrived at a decent time Friday, were lazy, unloaded the car.
Saturday we were also terribly lazy. Sunday we went to church (because I wanted to sing Christmas hymns, for crying out loud). Cody's friend Aaron stopped by. He works at a pet store, so he had presents for the dogs. He and Cody went shooting, and I lazed around at home. Cody's parents have been extra-indulgent with me, what with me carrying their very first grandchild and all.
On Christmas Eve we were also terribly lazy. We took the dogs for a drive, because at Grandma's house they have to be in the yard (which they can escape from - we built an escape preventer but it is now instead a ladder) or in the garage, which is chilly (they both cuddle in Ivy's crate together despite the heat lamp we have up), and also I sat at the shop and knitted while Cody cleaned all his rifles that he'd taken shooting (some of the ammo is pretty corrosive and the guns need to be cleaned quickly after they're used). While he worked we listened to the entirety of Tragic Kingdom, which Cody had never heard all the way through and which I listened to obsessively when I was eleven or something (and I could even remember which songs were at the beginnings and ends of which side of the tape, since I originally had a cassette version of the album).
And then Cody's little brother showed up, and we played Christmas Eve D&D! It was the best. I remembered to bring my dice. I sat next to Cody's mom to help her know what dice she had to roll. I've never played 5th edition but I do feel like the character sheet has been simplified and is a lot more user-friendly than when I started in 3rd edition. Cody's parents and a few friends played with us. Cody's little brother was the DM, and he was amazing. He had pre-built characters for us, but he let us choose who we wanted to play. John McClane, Frosty the Snowman, Cindy Lou Who, The Little Drummer Boy, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Jack Frost, and Kevin McAllister had to subdue a Christmas Elf strike and rescue Santa from Evil Robot Santa. There was a sled race, throwing snowballs, and beating down gingerbread men. Super good times. We were up pretty late as a result, though.
The next day we all stayed in bed super late. We got ourselves out of bed and were about put together when some relatives - a couple uncles and their families - arrived. We started opening presents, but there were so many (because so many people) that we took a break to have the traditional Christmas omelets before the relatives had to go on their way, and then we resumed opening presents.
Best present I got this year: my parents made me a letter writing desk, plus some beautiful pens (yes, my dad makes pens), and the desk had some lovely stationery in it. Best presents given this year: secondhand prom dresses. Cody and I were especially pleased when the one we bought for Kip actually fit (and of course he had to try it on). Cody's mother insisted Kieran try on his dress (it didn't fit - honestly we didn't expect either of them to).
I think the boys most enjoyed their epic nerf war battle (because nerf guns were given out all around, plus a box of 500 darts), which the uncles and fathers participated in. I stayed out of harm's way, mostly.
There was a really great moment when my father-in-law knocked over the Christmas tree trying to get to presents behind it.
After that, we were pretty lazy. Plans this week involve going to the movies, relaxing some, then driving home (very carefully in the snow) and then getting back to work. Till the next holiday lol.
I played video games for the first time in a long time. I really like physics puzzle games with pretty graphics, so I downloaded some on my phone and had a good time.
One of the gag gifts was animal onesie pajamas. Cody was a baboon, Kip was a rooster, Kieran was Winnie the Pooh, and I was a giraffe (lol at being a giraffe and the shortest). Those onesie pajamas are super warm, so when the dogs got lonely I'd sit in the garage with them and pet them while I played games on my phone.
Check-in:
Fitness: better, with the introduction of Pokemon Go.
Spirituality: pretty good, given the season. Could be better. Will do better next year!
Writing: what's that?
Work: zero fox given.
Here's to enjoying this holiday. :)