Feeling sad--I'm about to pack up my trusty rusty desktop and the packers come tomorrow. Then we'll head to the beach for Thanksgiving, come back to Raleigh afterwards and load up the truck. We'll fly out of Charlotte and be in California by Dec. I'm excited! But I'm sad (the good healthy sad).
I know it's just a house but it's my house. Our first house. Fresh out of grad school with the young professional lifestyle and funness ahead. The house where I finally got to have my very own Christmas tree to decorate and walls to fill with pictures. Where I got to have my first doggy! Where we had lots of parties and friends over. Where we had many a date night watching lame movies or nesting on the couch with the Sorensens. It's the house where my babies were born. Where the good times rolled, the music was always on, craft table always calling my name, baby gear and toys slowly creeping their way in, front door thrown open, blanket on the grass, miles and miles of loops around the neighborhood and playing in the driveway with neighbors, and lately lace rompers filling the garage. Tears, laughter, sickness, happiness. And a whole lot of love, that's for sure. So much in just 1 house, in little suburbia America.
Yes, home is where the heart is, and it's not the house that makes it a home. But I will miss this place and all the people. And that's for sure.
And lest I blog without a photo, here are 2 things I just took off the walls of my dear house.
1) Amaryllis has successfully stopped sucking her thumb. I'm so proud of her! She did it out of sheer will power and courage. And a little bribing. No painting her fingernail with nasty stuff, no thumb guards (except for one Granny knitted...and she wore it as a "bracelet" on the opposite wrist). No threats. It took about 2 months. Maybe she'll relapse, I'm not sure. Apparently thumb sucking is a really addicting and comforting thing and usually lasts into childhood.
The bribe? Duh, can't you tell....a belle dress. She earned a sticker if her thumb wasn't wet in the morning for a week, for 4 weeks. I can't wait to give her the dress (probably this weekend, after Family Photos, yet another bribing tool if she cooperates. Is it bad to bribe? I prefer to call it rewarding).
2) Mr Sunshine has been around since this summer, when the Wretched Three's hit. If he is behind the cloud at the end of the day, no books at night. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
5 comments:
I'm sad too. The east coast will not be the same without you.
I would be sad too. That's a lot of memories in one house. I hope you love your new home.
And I about bribing/rewarding - I think it's a good thing. I read something once (I can't remember where) that was on rewarding kids for grades/performance in school. But I remember them making the point that even if they start out trying hard in school for the rewards, it becomes a habit that will stay with them past the bribe stage.
Well bribing hasn't turned out well at our house. Will decided on a camping trip if he stopped sucking his thumb. His poster only has 7 stickers on it. We made it 9 months ago. And he's 5. Maybe now we're both on the west coast I'll see you more than once every 10 years. :)
I know how you feel... when we moved this summer I was so ready to get out of our tiny little house. But as the move date got closer I was really sad about leaving our first home where we had made so many memories!
I wish that bribing would work for James to stop sucking his thumb! Way to go!
Looks like you do some good work with ol' AV. We're currently using sticker charts (and rewards, not bribes!) to get Hazel not to drop her nap. I can't live without it! She also sucks her thumb AND twists her hair til it knots up and gets ripped out. Maybe I should shoot for the moon and start rewarding her for leaving her hair alone... You've inspired me. Can I do two sticker charts at the same time???
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