Moments of Musing

The Prospect of Moving

Filed Under: home, moving //

Recently, the prospect of moving upstate came up.

On the outside, I played it cool. On the inside, I was f r e a k i n g out. I love being near family and don’t want to move far away from them. We moved back from Chicago so we could live near them and have their support, especially for our kids (and boy, have they been a big help from babysitting to helping with our moves)… I also don’t want to move to a colder climate. There has to be palm trees to get me to move away again (kinda kidding, kinda not).

Still, I decided I would be supportive and could see the pros of moving. I’m an optimist, remember?

A surprising concern of mine was brought to light during this time: my growing love for where we’ve moved and currently live meant I didn’t really want to leave. We’ve had such a great experience in our short time living here. We’ve made plans. We’ve met new friends. I am finally starting to feel like this is home. (I probably have maternity leave to thank for it because I’ve been able to really explore and appreciate the area during my time off.) And then, there’s our house! We’ve made it our home and already it holds some of my favorite memories.

Ultimately, the prospect of moving made me realize that I love where we live… genuinely and without having to consciously choose to. It’s been some time since I’ve had that feeling (since Chicago to be exact). It feels so good to have it again.

In case you are wondering, I’m happy to tell you we are staying put!

*Check out my post about what three things you should discuss if you are thinking of moving.

home, house, homeowners, new home, new house, suburbs, new york, new york suburbs, lawn, flagpole, mailbox

Married … and Moved in With my Parents

Filed Under: homeowners, house hunting, moving //

Before my husband and I bought our home, we rented an apartment, which I discussed a couple weeks ago. Before that…we lived with my parents in their home. Luckily, they had a semi-separate living space so we had some privacy but we were still in close quarters.

We moved in with them when we moved back to Brooklyn from Chicago the summer of 2015. We planned to save up, which we did, and buy a house. During that time, we were also expecting our first baby and knew we’d have to make a move.

While we eventually did move out and did buy a house, I want to talk about our reasoning and experience living with my parents.

Moving Day, Brooklyn 2015
Our primary reason for moving back with them was to save money. Luckily, we saved quite a lot and that helped us transition to our new apartment and cover expenses related to our baby. As the baby’s arrival approached, I was keen on moving out but my husband wanted to stay a bit longer and save a bit money. Looking back, that would not have been such a bad idea but I am glad we moved into our own space when S was born.

Surprisingly, or maybe not so much, living with my parents and brother was okay. It was better than okay, actually–it was a pretty neat experience. I hadn’t seen them regularly over the previous couple years because we’d been living in Chicago so it was nice to spend quality time together. However, not having our own kitchen space was a downside and I had a constant nagging feeling of regression. After all, we’d gone from our apartment in a doorman building to my parents’ basement. Of course, I knew it was temporary and we were treated really well so we didn’t have any major qualms.

Ultimately, it was what worked best for our situation and I am grateful my parents were supportive enough to house us. That’s the best thing about the situation — knowing they’re there for us whenever, wherever, and however. I hope I can be as good to my kids as they have been to me, my brother, and my husband.

Would or have you ever moved back with your folks?

Nusery Design Board

Filed Under: Baby L, moving //

As I’ve alluded to before, we’re still unsure whether the baby will have his own room. Not because we don’t have a spare bedroom–we do and specifically wanted one so we could have a nursery–but because we’re unsure whether we’d feel like he’s too far away being down the hall from us. #firsttimeparentproblems 
Regardless of whether he sleeps in the room, I’d like to decorate it like a nursery. His clothes and many of his things will be in the room so it makes sense. Plus, it would allow me to make the space his. The decor is inspired by my favorite children’s book and the first we read to him in my belly, Love you Forever. When Tim saw the owl blanket with the play on those words, he called me over and showed me. I was hooked from then on.  
Without further ado–our nursery design board:

Inline image 1

What’s going on

Filed Under: Baby L, moving //

Moving in

We began our move-in process last weekend but it’s just that–a process. Being 9+ months pregnant and all, I’m not much help, which is frustrating at times. I did build the baby’s Halo bassinet with the help of family so that was nice. We were hoping to be fully moved in by tomorrow but this upcoming weekend/week seems like a much more realistic goal.

Surprise 3D/4D ultrasound 
Last week when we went in for an appointment, we were surprised with a 3D/4D glimpse of our babe! I won’t be sharing the photo because I’d like to keep some things a surprise but he is absolutely adorable and perfectly plump, and we’re so grateful that he’s ours. 
Hot weather
The temperatures have warmed up here and while it can be uncomfortable as a pregger, I still can’t complain. I just love summertime and that is not changing–any time soon, at least. 
Wrapping up at work
It’s hard to believe I have only a couple more weeks in the office before I begin working from home and then begin maternity leave. Fortunately, I’ve thought ahead and hopefully won’t leave any loose ends for my fill-in. Have I mentioned how excited I am to be a mom?! Yes, yes I have. I just can’t help repeating it 😉