Our baby boy has a name

I came home to the best surprise tonight. We were eating dinner and Seth asked Piper what her baby brother's name is and she told us Quinn.
Woo hoo!
My favorite.
I have loved this name forever. Quinn is my maiden name. It is strong and unique, just like our son will be.
Both my mom's side and my dad's side of the family are brilliant people. They are hard workers and very accomplished. I am lucky to have come from such amazing people.
I love that Piper's name came from my mom's side and Quinn's name from my dad's side.
We are still working on a middle name.

Simplifying Life

We recently made the decision to disconnect our cable and I can't tell you how liberating it is.

I have never been a big television watcher. Even as a child I thought it was boring. People will ask me if I remember a certain show, and the answer is often no. Seth loves the occasional Jazz game and cooking show, but he isn't really a TV guy either. I hate paying certain bills, and cable was at the top of my list. We had basic cable and it was $70 a month. That is $840 a year. That is a lot of money.
I have never wanted my children to be couch potatoes. Childhood obesity and diabetes are a worldwide epidemic. So for $11 a month we have Netflix and watch pretty much whatever we want when we want. Piper has her videos that she loves to watch over and over.
I wouldn't say that I am cheap, but rather frugal and a minimizer of waste.
So this whole cable business has got me thinking about what else I can save on. I am obsessed about leaving lights on and letting water run. We canceled our home phone and use our cell phones instead. I took a look at our garbage bill and you can get the smaller green can which is less expensive than the bigger green can. This also forces you to recycle more. The blue can is free. You would think it was the great depression. I think I spent a bit of time with my grandma growing up, and her mentality rubbed off on me.
I just want to focus funds on more important things like vacations, trips to the salon and college funds.
I'm not sure if it is humans as a whole or just Americans, but I think it is very easy to get into the rat race of believing we need all this unnecessary crap. Stop and think about what it really costs, do you really need it, how much do you have to work to afford it, and the biggest issue of all, how much time do you have to spend away from your children to pay for it.
Is it really worth it??

Our Baby Boy

It's official. Seth and I have a son.

WOW. I am so excited. You always wonder how many children you will have. Will it be a boy or girl. I can truthfully say that I have never cared. Seth confessed that if he could design it any way he would have a girl first, and then a boy. We haven't chosen a name yet. I am thinking Piper is going to love having a little brother. I imagine my son loving me and being protective of me the way that Southern boys are with their mothers. I will teach him to be a gentleman. To love and respect all life. Seth and Piper and I will introduce him to hiking and bugs and the stars. I pray he will always love his older sister and take care of her. I am hoping he and his cousin Ronan, who will probably be more like his brothers, will not raise to much hell.

Most of all I hope he is born healthy and happy.

Until then my love we will wait anxiously for your arrival.

July 14, 2011

Just Us Girls

For the last two plus years it has just been Piper and I plus daddy. We spend a lot of time together. We sleep in, eat breakfast together, go to lunch. We are just a momma and baby in love. Pretty soon we are going to have another little love in our circle, so I am taking every opportunity I can to spend every second I can alone with my daughter. I can't wait to meet my new child, but this time we have together right now is so precious to me. We will never get it back.

Moving On

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=475&ad=13914097&cat=279

I'm crossing my fingers that our house will sell. We found a house we love, and Seth and I actually agreed on it. Hold cow. Whatever happens it will be ok. At least we have a warm home to go to. This is a lot more than most people have. I have to remember that thru this process. We have each other, our health, good jobs and lots of love. I would love to add a 1950s rambler on a fantastic street to that list, but only time will tell.

Christmas

Every night Piper sits in my lap and I read to her before bed. I cherish this time. I know it's not going to last forever. Tonight she appropriately chose to read The Polar Express. I love this story. If you haven't read this story recently, take a moment to read it. It made me realize that having a child really does make you hear that bell ring every day. Piper creates a magic in our lives. She makes me believe in all that is good and beautiful.
I remember so vividly right after I had Piper I was having a tough time. I got to experience postpartum.So much fun.
It was my brother's birthday party, and everyone was sipping cocktails and living it up. I was talking to my dear friend about how hard of a time I was having. She told me that she looked around the room and she felt so bad for everyone who didn't have children. She wondered what they did. What is was that fulfilled them. At the time I just listened to her. Not until some time had passed did I really understand her words.
Christmas and all holidays I suppose make me think about what she said even more.
This little girl is so magical. One day she will be off to college and creating a life all of her own. It's the little moments with her that I cherish. Feeling her little body rest in my lap and ask who certain characters are in her books. She is the best gift that I could have ever received.
At the end of The Polar Express the child is talking about how he is an adult now and all off his friends, including his sister can't hear the bell ring anymore. I didn't travel to the North Pole, but I did become Piper's mom. She will forever make me believe.
Merry Christmas.

More Change

We've known this was coming for some time now, but we have simply outgrown our house. It's time to start thinking about saying good-bye and saying hello. This makes me so sad. I know a house is just some bricks and paint, but many memories and emotion go into a home.
This was the first home I have ever owned, and Seth's second. Under this roof our children were conceived, 1 child was brought home, and 2 dogs died. Many jokes, laughter, and memories happened here.
When my brother told me that he had ordered the for sale sign, it made my heart sink. I'm not sure if I will be able to watch him hammer it into my perfect lawn that I have taken such pride in mowing for the past 8 years.
My hope is that some fabulous gay couple will buy our house and love it and care for it as much as we did. Ok they don't have be gay, but they just usually have the best taste and take really good care of their homes.
So we have 6 months to sell our home and find a new one. This seems like a tall order in this economy, but we will try our best. If not Seth and I are going to be sharing our room with a newborn. I adore my children, but I am not into co-sleeping.
I am looking forward to the new adventures that lie ahead of us. New neighborhood, new friends, a new home, but mostly the new life that has precipitated the need to move.
www.patrickquinnhomes.com