Moving on up.....

I have been MIA lately,

but for good reason....

WE BOUGHT A HOUSE.

Joe and I started looking at houses about 8 months ago when it became apparent that both our child and us were growing out of our town home living.  I have loved our town home, it has been the most perfect 1st home, but both Joe and I knew that this was not our forever house.  We wanted a house with a yard, two car garage, more space for Collin and Clemson, and family to visit.    We searched online for about 3-4 months just familiarizing ourselves with what was out there and narrowing down locations.  

We decided on Ashburn, because well- we can afford a single family home out there.

I do not know how people afford homes!

I feel like Joe and I both have wonderful jobs, but felt a lot of single family homes were out of our budget.  

After 3-4 months of looking soley online, we went out with our realtor to look at the different areas of Ashburn.  We looked at houses in Ashburn Farms, Ashburn Village, Belmont, Brambelton, Loudoun Valley, etc.  

We made a wish list and on that list were as follows:  (some negotiable- some not):

-Two Car Garage

-Washer and Dryer upstairs

-Two closets in master bedroom (this saves our marriage)

-Yard

-"Newer" house so we would not have to worry about repairs especially with roof/ac, etc

-Office/separate room for Joe

-Storage

After spending two different days out with our realtor over a two month period, we were getting very discouraged.  All the houses we could afford were older and in older parts of Ashburn, not centrally located near schools/activities.

Also, it is harder to house shop with a toddler!

We were lucky that my parents watched him almost every time we went house hunt, because if they had not, it could have been even more painful. 

In July, after a week of researching all the communities and comparing everything, I made another decision which was not really a negotiable- I wanted to live in Brambleton. 

Not only did it have 3 (building 2 more for a total of 5) pools, it also had elementary/middle/high school in walking distance with good school ratings, as well as a Town Center with Restaurants and movies- also in walking distance.  We have been spoiled with having Fairfax Town Center near us. It has a dog park, multiple kids parks, as well as multiple grown up and children actives planned every month such as live music everything Thursday night in the summer or Santa visiting in the winter.  It just had the community sense that I wanted.  

It has a Harris Teeter in the community and a Wegmans 4 miles away.  

So about a month ago we went out and looked at almost 10 homes in Brambleton with our realtor.

VERY DISCOURAGING.....

Every home had something wrong with it- 

no yard, on a major road which one day will be a highway, etc.  

We left discouraged.  

I also was getting very frustrated with the whole process.

Joe and I went on-line and search every home on the market in Brambleton.

We called our realtor again and went out looking in mid August.

This trip was much more promising.  

We found two homes that were built in early 2014 for sale, one in our budget and one that was overpriced- both we would be happy with.  

  

Joe and I were pretty sure a new home was off the table for us because we were strict on our budget and basically a new home was just too much $$.  

We were driving by new homes in Brambleton by Winchester and Van Meter and our realtor suggested just going into see what they had.  

Winchester had a beautiful home that was in our budget and ready for someone to move in- only it backed to town homes and had no yard.  

Then Joe suggested we go to Van Meter- Joe and both knew that Van Meter was totally out of our budget but he just wanted to look so I humored him.

We walked in the model, and that is when we found our house.

Matt, the Van Meter Sales guy showed us around the model (which was amazing), and when our realtor asked if they had any specials, Matt advised that a house was slated to be done end of September/October which they were trying to unload.  (Not sure if something fell thru or this was truly a spec home.)   The house had the framing up so we went and walked it.  It was amazing. 

Huge, everything with both wanted and backed to a walking trail/wooded area which would not be built on. 

 AMAZING.

Only 1 little problem, out of our budget.

We left feeling like this was the house for us, but frustrated because it was just too much.  

I went back the next day to show my mom (with Collin in tow, while Joe was home working) all three houses,

1 that was in our budget and 2 (included the Van Meter) that were out of our budget.

After seeing the three houses with my mom, 

I came home and told Joe that we need to just make a low offer on the Van Meter 

and see what they do.

So we called our realtor on Sunday, and Monday we were in the Van Meter model talking pricing.

They came down to exactly what we wanted!!!

I was shocked!!!

Now one of the draw backs is we did not get to pick everything because the home is almost completed, but Matt took us over to the design studio and showed us everything.  

I love pretty much everything that was picked out except for the bathroom tile which they were accommodating and let me change it.  

We signed on the dotted line....

OMG!!!!

So now we are just waiting for our home to be finished....

Monday, August 20th.... 

Our new home...

 Stealing boxes from work to start packing!!!

Matt, our Van Meter Rep has been amazing.

Sending us pictures every week of the new details

  1 week ago- what will be the kitchen

 1 week ago- the front- with the brick

1 week ago- our living/dinning room

This week- installing the trim and staircase.....

 This week- power washing the brick.

To say we are excited would be an understatement but at the same time we are nervous which I think is normal.  So now our life is being placed into boxes so that we can move to a new home and start a new adventure.  

Ashburn, here we come!!

Our Special Harbor Spray Park

Over July 4th weekend, we decided to head as a family to the Our Special Harbor Spray Park at Lee Rec Center in Alexandria, Va.  

The park opened at 9:30 and is free.

We were advised by multiple friends to be there right when it opens because it will be crowed in about 15-30 minutes and they start turning people away.  

We left our house at 9am and were there by 9:30-

The lifeguards said they heard thunder (B.S!!!) so it was not going to open till 1000.

I was a little annoyed but luckily they had a awesome play ground which Collin was super content playing on.

At 1000, we were let in.  It was a little chilly so there were actually not that many people there and the water was cold.  

After about 30 minutes of playing and having a ball Collin started shivering so we ended up leaving.  It was cold!!!
Who would have thought this on July 4th weekend!!!!!

This is something we will do for sure again this summer.  

Trip to the Aquarium

On Sunday after the 4th of July, 

we decided to head to the Baltimore Aquarium.

We got $10 off each ticket via my dad since he is retired military

plus we did not have to pay for Collin yet. 

We got breakfast at Wegmans, and headed out after Collin woke up in the morning.

We made it to Baltimore in record time- 45 minutes!  

We were so lucky and got a spot right across from the aquarium which had hourly parking for a max of 4 hours.  We put enough money in for 4 hours- we only stayed for 3 so it worked out.

We spent a little over two hours inside the aquarium which was perfect for Collin.

"Aqua, aqua"

He kept saying over and over!

 He learned the word SHARK...

and "da da... da da"

 At one of the exhibits we got there just in time for Collin to have a front row the feeding of the crabs.  

Which Collin proceeded to get really excited about and say "Crab...Crab"

 A couple family selfies....

 Off to the Jellies we go....

 The "Jellies"- by far Collin's favorite.  

We exited the aquarium and played outside for a bit.  

Collin tried to go swimming a couple times.

Then headed to Chipotle in the Inn Harbor which proved to be a high light!

Within 5 minutes of being in the car- Collin was out!!!!

We spent 3 hours there which was perfect. 

After getting home and Collin sleeping 1 hour in the car,

we played for a little and then slept for another two hours.

Boo's Wedding

 Over Memorial Day weekend, we headed to St Louis to celebrate Boo getting married.  

I was in the wedding, and Joe has family in St Louis so it proved to be a very very busy weekend. 

Flying with a toddler is a lot different than flying with a baby.  

It was not horrible but it was not as easy as before. 

We landed Thursday night and headed to Joe's aunt and uncle's to spend the night.

The following morning we headed over to see Joe's grandmother/Collin's great grandmother.  

Collin was the life of the party!

Then that night we headed to the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner.

It is very difficult to get a picture of a toddler!!!

The rehearsal dinner was in a pizza bar which was perfect for Collin.

He had a blast.

Joe headed back to his Aunt's with Collin while I headed out with the girls and then spent the night by myself in a hotel.  

 The following morning we all go ready in the bridal suite,

of course with food and mimosa's.

The photographer and the bride asked us not to take photos during the ceremony due to flash interfering with the pictures....

So Joe listened....

The wedding was in the Chapel on Washington University which was beautiful!

Here are a couple from after!!!

After taking some post pictures in the chapel we walked the campus grounds for some more pictures.

We then headed on a party bus to take more wedding photos and hit up a beer bar prior to going to the ceremony.  

 We then headed to the reception.... which we actually have no pictures of because we were too busy having a fun filled night with out Collin.  

Collin spent the night with Joe's Aunt.  

We headed back sunday after visiting more with friends and family.  

It was a blast to see my college friends again and spend some time with the girls.  

Happy 15 Months!

 24 pounds and 11 ounces

32 1/2 inches tall.

More hair

More attitude!!!  Oh yes.... 

For the most part you are very agreeable but when you want something and we say no....

well we have a little bit of a melt down.

More words.

Almost 30 now.  

Almost every day now you add a new word into your vocabulary.  

You know almost all of your body parts, most of your colors.

You are still rocking the sleeping and the napping.

Completely off baby food and eating pretty much anything and everything!

Yes we are still dealing with biting.....

I just have to tell myself this too will pass.

You are a "Mama's boy" for sure.

Taking the good... and the ugly

Tonight as I sit in bed reflecting how awesome my day was with Collin,

I mumbled the words "I could be a stay at home mom."

It was a REALLY GOOD DAY.

By really good, I mean no breaking down, no biting (more to come on this), snuggling during reading time, being verbal and dancing as crazy,  having a nice mommy and Collin date at the pool followed by Wegmans for lunch, followed by naps for both of us, and then again some quality time tonight.  

He pretty much listened when I asked him to do things such as sit down for his snack, or when I told him we could not go outside unless he put his toys away.  I totally love that he is learning the true art of cleaning up.  

Today was a good day-  I am lucky that for the most part I have good days, not really good days like today but good days.  

Just when I think I have this mom thing down, he throws a curve ball or we have a not so good day.  

A day when he yells when I tell him we have to go inside because it is raining, or he does not want to put his shoes on to go outside but he wants to go outside, or worse he bites!

Yes, Collin is a biter.  

This is something that has been extremely hard for me to deal with because 

1) I know it is nothing we are doing

and

2) He is so young that has been really hard to "re-direct him."

He is only 15 months.  

This is our ugly..... our child bites.  

You may ask what we have done differently to help with this.  

Over the last three weeks we have attacked this problem head on because I refuse to have a child that bites!

So here is what I found useful....

1) Take advice.

Tammy- the director at the school had two kids who were biter's and gave me a bunch of advice

2) Watch your child

This has two parts. 

 First watch to see when they are biting and why?   

After watching Collin and talking with his teachers, we noticed he only would bite me and other girls.

Also, his biting had nothing to do with aggression or anger. 

Joe and I brainstormed and came to the conclusion that we think Collin is trying to "kiss" but instead he was biting.   So we have changed how we kiss him good night, etc.  

Second to prevent them from biting other children.

This is hard but to be honest most people understand as children go thru a biting phase because they are learning how to use their mouth.  

3) Constant reinforcement-  "Ouch Biting Hurts!!!" is now our phrase.

I went so far as to purchase a board book that reinforces this as well.  

(Which we read at least twice a day!_

4)Re-direction

When Collin would bite me at home, I would say "Ouch Biting Hurts," act like I am really hurt, and then ask him to go sit in his blue chair.  This first couple times this was hard, but it got easier.  

We have also been teaching to give "love" thru hugs and not biting and also using the word "gentle."

It has been a couple days since he hurt me by biting 

and last week I talked with his teachers and the biting is super improving.

Still a little to go, but maybe only once a week compared to a couple times a day.  

But I think what this has taught me is you have to take the good with the ugly...

Today was good, and I am taking that

and not trying to think about the ugly.