Sums It All Up

Growing Up Is Hard to Do

A while ago at the thrift store I found a collection of children's books by A.A. Milne, comprising two poetry books and the two Winnie-the-Pooh books. At the end of the final book, The House at Pooh Corner, I bawled my eyes out. In the last chapter Christopher Robin tries to find a way to tell Pooh he will no longer be able to visit the Hundred Acre Wood. He is unsuccessful--because he doesn't want to say it and Pooh isn't bright enough to take a hint--and simply tells Pooh to never forget him.

It took me some time to regain my composure after that. The ending hit just the right sentimental buttons inside me. I could relate so much. I loved playing pretend; I loved my dozens of stuffed animals; I loved all the stories my Dad made up about them. When I hit middle school, I found myself in an awkward situation, as do most kids. I was neither a child nor a teenager. It was a hard transition.

Two years ago I finally went through my stuffed animals when I visited my family. I remembered almost all their names and where I got them. I finally let go and only kept the nearest and dearest ones. I went through all my stuffed animals again once we moved, only getting rid of newer ones, not childhood ones. In the future the bag may become smaller, but there are a few I know I will never part with.

As you can imagine, I also cried at the ending of Toy Story 3. Little problem with it though: the toys will have to go through the same thing again once the little girl grows up! I guess they want us to assume that they will just continue to be passed along from kid to kid happily ever after. I like the ending of The Brave Little Toaster better (remember that one?). Then again, it's much easier for a college boy to take practical items like a toaster and vacuum with him to college than to take toys.

Fakebook

After editing my Facebook friends several times recently and having an upsetting conversation with my father today (not upset with him but with other people), I've decided I am done with Facebook. I just need to download some photos, videos, and notes, and then I'm gone! Of course, that may take a while. I need to figure out how to keep my giveaway page though. Might be tricky. I don't want to have to redo it and lose all my followers.

Just a note to you all: if you don't want people looking at, commenting on, and liking your statuses, links, and photos, then why the heck do you post them? I thought the purpose of Facebook was to share and stay connected. If you have a problem with that, get off Facebook and try something more private! And don't add anybody as your friend just because you met them once. If you don't care about them or they don't care about you, don't add them. Who cares if you offend them; you're obviously not close anyway. And if it is someone close, still only add them if you truly care for them. If they don't reciprocate your efforts to stay close, drop them. That's how I got down to 60 friends today (and I'd like to drop some more). Note, some of you were dropped because I follow your blogs and interact with you much more through them than through Facebook.

New House

When we renewed our ASU resident parking sticker last July, we ran into trouble requesting one for our second car. Apparently we were listed as being in single-student housing, and single students are only allowed one car. We had to go to the housing office to get proof that we were a family. We were able to get the second sticker, but at the housing office we were informed that we were placed in the wrong area and might have to move. Since I was about to have a baby, we could no longer live within the protective cap (lead in the soil). Apparently, Williams Campus Housing put us in single-student housing because we didn't have a child and did not tell us we would have to move when we did have one. If they had, I would have requested a different home since we knew we were going to try that year. After I got pregnant, ASU took over housing. Ever since then, everything has gone down the toilet, and WCH was bad enough to begin with (though ASU should have been monitoring them). Anyway, a lady told us she would check out the situation and call us. She never did, so we assumed everything was ok. I was relieved. I didn't want to move while eight months pregnant or with a newborn. We went on with life, renewed our contract in March with that same lady (and brought the baby), and went on our merry way.

Then at the end of May, Justin got a phone call from the office saying they had done inventory and realized we had a baby and needed to move. We met with a couple ladies, one nice one I knew and another uptight one. The mean one demanded we move immediately because it was a safety issue. I was M-A-D. Really? She dare ask us to start packing that same day? It was their mistake to begin with! We asked if we could wait a few weeks until Justin's family was in town to help us. She said no. The nice one said she would call their superiors and ask. They said yes. So at the end of the month, Justin's brother, sister-in-law, and father helped us move everything to our new home, and Caden miraculously took two 2-hour naps that day. Here's how I feel about the new place.

Positive

• Same layout (but in the mirror image) and rent
• Better color: dusty red instead of pale pink
• Windows can open
• Front door locks open easier and the door doesn't need to be slammed shut
• Fridge is quiet
• Less bugs--so far
• Bigger backyard with an awning providing shade and a grassy area behind the house (just dirt at the old place)

Negative

• Windows aren't tinted
• Washer/dryer hookups are opposite, so the washer and dryer doors hit each other when open
• Other side of South Desert Village, right next to the construction site, railroad tracks, and busy road (a reminder of ASU's incompetency), and far away from the mailbox, park, and carport (all were right next to our old house) and the outdoor track (ruins my route and timing)
• Smaller toilet and no cabinet under the sink
• Very low water pressure in the shower
• Loose outlets; the plugs either don't stay in all the way or don't get consistent electricity
• A/C makes a loud noise when it kicks in

Neutral

• Gas: two bills instead of one (and we had to pay fees to set up the gas and change our electrical account--ASU should have paid!), but it's nice to have a gas stove now, though I got used to electric
• Different dishwasher. Works just as well as the old one, but I have to figure out the best way to load it (I had a system with the old one--yeah, I'm crazy)

I don't mind the change; I like change. I do mind all the stress, money spent, timing, and drama with ASU. Not happy with their lack of professionalism. I can't wait to be out of here!

If It's Not One Thing It's Another

Caden's potty strike is officially over. Last week he started signing again when he needed to go and has been consistent about it. Yay! Once he's over his sickness we'll go back to cloth diapers.

He's also learned the sign for all done (both hands up shaking them back and forth, though he shakes them up and down). Yesterday morning when I did the sign because I thought he was done going potty, he signed potty to let me know he had to go more, finished his business, and then signed all done. What a smart little guy!

However, sleep has been a struggle. With all the change and chaos that happened over the last two weeks--the hives, moving, traveling, being sick, and family in town staying at our place--the poor little guy's sleep patterns are chaotic as well. The coughing and congestion keep him tossing and turning all night; he wakes up with bags underneath his eyes. He won't nap for long either even though he's exhausted. I'm exhausted as well. I just hope that as soon as he feels better, he'll sleep much better too.