and so it begins

it didn't start so well.

i returned a library book. it was two days overdue and i owed 50 cents. honestly, i can't remember, but that may have been my first overdue library book. ever. and then i couldn't check it out again because i had all ready renewed it once. it was a wee-bit humiliating experience.

i picked up Punkin from school on Friday, and we had less than an hour to prepare for our flight up North. el Jefe' had taken care of the dogs, so really all we had to do was pack. and the true packing was done for all three of us in about half an hour. then Punkin needed a diaper change. then i had to pack some snacks and extra food for Punkin. and then i had a meltdown because i couldn't see in the backpack. my dad was going to take us to the airport so we wouldn't have to pay for parking, but we were running too late so we went straight there. then el Jefe' wanted to park in remote (thankfully i squashed that idea). we ate Sbarro for dinner on the floor in the gate waiting area. our hotel was a dump. the kitchenette consisted of a microwave. the heater took several tries to maintain warm air. our neighbors were up all night.

still, we all got a good night's sleep, even if it was short. we skipped the free breakfast consisting of packaged oatmeal and dry cereal, and opted for a Dennys where we truly had a great start of our day. we looked at 3 apartment complexes and 2 rental houses (shacks); our main search criteria was more than one dog over 35 lbs, so our choices had a nearly $400 price range differential per month. we ate lunch on the sidewalk in a parking lot and passers by looked at us like we were homeless. not really, but i was feeling a bit displaced.

Sunday was spent looking at houses from model homes to open houses, to just driving around and gawking. it was exhausting. there is plenty of inventory on the market, so we have some options once we sell our existing home (which is not on the market, yet).

Monday we tried to tour daycares. we got through one despite a toilet-floooding incident. the location wasn't the best, and they thought i was insane for making my own baby food, and the infant room is tiny for kids 6 weeks to a year, but it was an option. the second is close to my office once i transfer, but we couldn't do a tour due to staffing issues. after two attempts and all our questions were answered satisfactorily, i put down a deposit for both kids (the waiting list for Punkin is until summer; the waiting list for Peanut currently is September. do the math. it's worse than getting tickets to the Bozo show). el Jefe' signed up for an apartment. we looked at a few more neighborhoods, flew home, and started some laundry.

we're making progress and it's not all a catastrophe. but the next 20 weeks are not going to be easy. i'll be able to do less as the pregnancy progresses, i'll be able to travel less, and i'll be able to be with el Jefe' less. i'll be a part time single working full time mother. once the Peanut arrives, we'll be moving into a 2 bedroom apartment with an infant, a two-year-old, and a dog or two. i've gotten over the library book; i've got a few other things on my mind.