Finally....

Bless me followers, for I have sinned. It's been close to two months since my last "real" post.....

In my head I've written probably a few dozen posts, and I've told Erik I dream of magical blog transcriber that could write and post entries from my spoken words or thoughts, but I haven't yet had time to search for such a glorious product. It's hard to get around to writing another post, because I can only do it late at night, while I sacrifice either sleep, showering, chores, or downtime with Erik. BUT, it's time to update the masses and give myself something to refer to later when all I can remember about this time in our lives is that I didn't sleep much.

BABY
On the 21st of August, Kaden had his 6 month birthday. 6 months is said to be a magically significant milestone according to the parenting things that I've read. All of a sudden, they're not a newborn worm any more. They can sit, they can eat, they can see and hear well, and interact more! Also, at 6 months, I saw big changes in Zabri, my nephew, so I very much anticipated Kaden arriving at 6 months.

So we're here now, past the magical 6th month, and into the 7th. In some ways it does feel like an amazing milestone, but it's hard to say, I suppose because I'm totally immersed and incapable of an objective opinion. As far as big changes go, he is sitting up on his own. He hasn't quite mastered the counterbalance maneuver before crashing over backwards or sideways, but he'll get there. I hope. However, I'm still not ready to put him on hard surfaces without a pillow or two. He kicks butt at squirming, military style around the living room, most quickly when in pursuit of a kitty. He is so much more "awake" to the world around him, is fun to interact with, and cracks me up on a daily basis. He also had his first tooth break through August 22nd, and his second on September 2nd. The morning of the 22nd, I let him chew on my finger as usual, and there was suddenly something sharp in there. Realizing that it had actually arrived made his fussiness make a bit more sense, and made me feel "smart" for going and buying teething tablets the previous week.

"Smartness" has become incredibly relative and relatively rare, because as far as I can figure, since I've had him, my "smarts" have been leaking out my milk every time I nurse him. Basically I've traded "smarts" and sleep for big tits and a live baby accessory. I'm not sure yet how I feel about this trade, but I'm committed now, and the return policy sucks. So, here I am, large-breasted, dumb and tired with wet chew marks on my shoulder from my 7 month old live baby accessory. It's good thing that so many people have told me to recite the mantra, " This too shall pass," because I'm taking their advice to heart. Don't get me wrong, Kaden is ridiculously cute, he's a sweet baby, but Mama needs some sleep someday to appreciate all the good things.

HOUSE
During the last 6 weeks, we've been hemorrhaging money and gaining lifestyle. Erik and I can, for the first time in 3 years, go into our backyard and enjoy it! I can't express the change that I feel regarding the house, specifically related to the daunting, overwhelming stress that Erik and I battled with every time we looked out to or discussed our backyard. The drainage is fixed, the stucco damage is fixed, there is an actual functioning irrigation system, we don't have two huge 5 ton A/C units with hazardous waste back there; when it rains, we don't have to freak out if we're not home and wonder how badly the basement and cat litter area will be flooded. There is grass for all of us to play in, and a fence providing privacy from our neighbors and our piles of contracting shit. I marvel at what a new gate and little pavers through gravel leading to our new gazebo can do to my mood when I look out into our backyard. Yes, it was a huge amount of money to spend, especially when we are only making do with one income, and Erik will be stressing and bitching about money for the next 6 months at least, but right now, it feels worth it.

The process to get to this point of yard completion has been frustrating, stressful, infuriating and slow, but we're done for now, and I can tell you about it. As you may recall, I interviewed a number of different contractors regarding the landscaping projects. Being a contractor myself, and having hired many over the past 9 years, I thought I did my due diligence and hired the "right ones." Let's just say that I would rather pummel myself senseless with my breast pump, while Kaden chewed on my left teet with his new sharp teeth than work with that company again. They were incompetent, unorganized, poor listening ass wipes, who took too much time while still managing to fuck up whatever they touched. Despite my repeated attempts to explain what I wanted step by step in order to meet my original specs, to everyone from the owner of the company down to the crew leader of the day, they still had to do every single project at least one more time. It was painful. Even though I held their hands through the whole process, they still managed to screw up some things the second time around, but I was worn down enough to let it go. For now. Towards the end, I actually canceled one of the projects they were scheduled to do, and hired someone else. Thank God.

After many weeks of contractors on the property, the yard looks great. It's far from finished, but when you look back there, you don't just see an enormous yard with an overwhelming number of problems to tackle, you see a huge yard, that has a lot to offer with even more potential. I am confident that if next spring, or the spring after that, we have to sell this place, we'll be able to.

The happiest accident of the whole contractor fiasco, was that because of their ineptitude, Erik and I ended up hiring another contractor whom we had heard about years ago, and he has been like a godsend. He swooped in and took care of so many things that we needed done, and he did so with a great attitude, skill and integrity, a pleasant crew, a good price and he was always available when I had issues. Seriously, in Contractorland, those things qualify him for a damn gold medal. Not only did he work on our house, but I have already recommended him to no less than 4 new clients. I have another contractor I like a lot, who knows a lot, about a lotta shit, but he is far from available these days, and he is not very swift at getting bids out. That leads me to my next topic....

WORK
Now that Kaden is over the 6 month hump, and doing better around people other than me and Erik, I am emerging from new-mommy hiding and taking work as it comes. Before the aforementioned godsend-contractor showed up, I was really nervous when I received business inquiries, because they usually went something like this: "Hi, we like your designs, do you recommend a contractor to use?" I was nervous, because my reply would be, "I could recommend someone, but he may not ever get back to you. I know another guy, but he doesn't have a license. Well, I know this other guy, but a lot of people don't like him, and no, I have no one else to recommend." You can see my dilemma. Well, since Mr. Godsend has showed up, I can actually answer that question without wanting to cry. I have also cheerfully recontacted a slew of previously interested people and told them that I have found "A Guy." All of a sudden, I'm back in the game. Things are starting to happen again, and I am thrilled for the work. I can't wait to get a kitchen or bath design that I can sink my teeth into. It hasn't happened yet, but it's coming, I can smell the paint and sawdust in my future!

I have pictures, but that's a whole 'nother project, for yet another night.