We Have Arrived

in Columbus! Well, we arrived on July 18, which I'm pretty sure was just over a week ago. We are still in the crazy unpacking zone, which seems to take longer with a 3 month old. Wonder why? But we're getting there. I was waiting to post with some pictures of the new house, but I honestly have no idea where my camera is. Those will come eventually.

First impressions of Columbus? I can honestly say that I think I'm going to really like living here. Just have to get used to all the Ohio State stuff everywhere. As a life long Michigan fan with two degrees from UofM it is a bit overwhelming at times.

Thumb

Looks like we might have a thumb sucker on our hands. I would Love that!!

Zoboomafoo Dance

Tensions are running high in the house with the big move date looming on the horizon. Cooper knows how to cut the tension with a little dancing to the theme song to one of his favorite shows, Zoboomafoo. I could learn something from his wild abandon and ability to let loose.

*note I only started video taping him after about 30 minutes of dancing

Lasts

We are entering our last week in Pittsburgh. This is the time I hate before moving...all the final visits.

Here is Cooper's last visit to the Pittsburgh Children's Museum (and Ellery's first) with his buddy Eleanor.

Checking out the cool color projector

Eleanor and Cooper loved running around in front of the screen

Cooper gases up the Mini Cooper

This is what Ellery did for most of the visit

Eleanor is up

Cooper is up

Not sure drinking the water is such a good idea

Working together to get Soaked!

Cooper figured out how to spray everyone around him

These two are certainly going to miss each other.

Ellery wants to say hello

Catching Up, By Dates

I've been missing from this blog for quite some time. 12 weeks and 2 days, to be exact. Most everyone who ever reads this knows what has been occupying my time. But, I thought I would give a quick update. There have been some really hard things, and some wonderful things. Here are the big events:

March 16, 2009 -- Erik got laid off from MAYA Design, where he worked for 5 years. While we had an indication that business was bad, and who doesn't know about the global economic problems? it came as a huge shock.

March 30, 2009 -- Erik had surgery to remove a small carcinoma on his back.

April 14, 2009 -- 11:50pm My water broke and 37 weeks exactly, making me officially full term!!

April 15, 2009 -- 6:51pm Ellery Jane Peterson Dahl was born weighing 8 pounds 4 ounces and 20 1/4 inches long. She is by far the best thing that has happened in 2009!!! She is beautiful and wonderful and I can't imagine our family without her.

May 5, 2009 -- I started tutoring again. Thankfully, Erik was around to help out. Working with a 3 week old is not something I recommend, but it wasn't so bad.

Now some sketchy dates. Immediately after getting laid off Erik jumped fully into an intense job search. This included traveling for interviews several times after Ellery was born, leaving me with the 2 kids alone. He also started doing some independent consulting work. I can not even express how incredible Erik was (and still is), working so hard to find a job. He is truly the most amazing man I have ever known!

May 15, 2009 -- Erik accepted a job with Lextant in Columbus, Ohio.

Week of May 18 we got a POD and started packing up our house to get ready to sell. We also got 3 rooms painted, painted one room ourselves, got new carpet, and did a whole lot of sprucing in hopes of selling fast. My dad came and was an enormous help.

May 29, 2009 -- The POD was picked up and took about 70% of our belongings to storage in Ohio.

May 30, 2009 -- We had a huge garage sale, eliminating much of what we would otherwise have had to pack.

May 31, 2009 -- Erik moved to Columbus, Ohio, leaving me behind as a single mom to a 3 year old and 6 week old. A very sad day.

June 1, 2009 -- Erik's first day at Lextant.

June 5, 2009 -- Our house officially went on the market. We had two showings that evening.

June 6, 2009 -- Another showing. By 10:00pm we had two offers, one above asking price!

June 7, 2009 -- We officially accepted an offer on our house above asking price!

June 30, 2009 -- All inspections complete and the house sale is official, except for closing which will happen on July 31, 2009.

July 1, 2009 -- We began renting a house in Grandview Heights, Ohio. Our new home! Note that we own and rent 3 properties right now. Woah. Also, I think it is worth mentioning that I have never seen this house or even been to Columbus, ever. So I will move to a house I have never seen in a city I have never seen. What an adventure! Good thing I trust Erik!!!

And future events:

July 18, 2009 -- The moving trucks arrive. We leave for our new home in Ohio. We are finally a family of four, all together in one home, after too much time apart.

July 19, 2009 -- The moving trucks will deliver all our goods and the fun of unpacking begins.

Yes, it has been a hectic few months. And now that everyone is officially caught up I can get back to blogging regularly, and you readers can share in all the fun, especially getting to know Ellery!