La Petite Chic

Four Years...

Like a river flows,

(Dunn's River Jamaica, Honeymoon 2006)

surely to the sea,

 

(Caribbean Sea Jamaica, Babymoon 2010)

darling so it goes,

 

(Jimmy Buffett concert, Summer 2008)

some things are meant to be.

 

(La Petite Bébé ultrasound, March 2010)

Take my hand.

 

(First anniversarymoon, Jamaica 2007)

Take my whole life too.

 

(Night of our engagement, December 2005)

For I can't help falling in love with you.

 

(Wedding Day, September 1, 2006)

Happy anniversary to the love of my life, my best friend, my partner in crime, the father of both our baby girls (furry and unborn) and truly, my everything. I can't imagine anyone else I'd rather take this journey of life with. I love you forever and always.

Little Nittany Lion

Jon has been getting pretty bummed out about the inordinate amount of Baltimore Ravens and Orioles gear that my mom and I have been picking up for baby girl, but he really can't complain because we've been buying it all on the cheap at yard sales. I tell you, those little baby uniforms and jersey onesies are expensive when you pay retail and they only get to wear them for one season!

We did pick up a Phillies onesie the last time we were in Pennsylvania, but we didn't have anything Eagles or Penn State and Jon was beginning to pout! As I've mentioned on here before, we fully support each other's sports alliances up until the point when they play each other (which is rare since they're in different divisions) and it does make it kind of fun to have double the teams to root for.

Well, I decided to surprise Jon with a package all the way from Penn State. Behold, the cutest little Nittany Lion ever:

You should have seen his face when he opened the package! I ordered it in a size 18 months so it should fit La Petite Bebe (albeit big) for next football season and probably the one after. He adores it!

Babymoon Photos

As promised, here are a few photos from our babymoon:

Our gorgeous resort (The Grand Palladium in Lucea, Jamaica)

 

Right after a gorgeous sunset

 

Of course we visited the Margaritaville in Negril! (For what it's worth, I had a frozen lemonade. Sniff sniff.)

 

A bump on the high seas!

 

View from lunch at Margaritaville

 

I'm a firm believer that pregancy can be sexy! Work it!

 

Our last night in paradise

 

Have I ever mentioned that Jamaica is my favorite Caribbean locale? This was my third trip there and I love it more every time. Le sigh.

The Other Side

Almost exactly five months after selling our condo Jonathan and I are finally ready to begin house hunting for our second home.  Can I get a collective "HOORAY!" for that, please? 

This has been a long and eye-opening experience for us.  We borrowed from our 401(k) and depleted our savings to avoid a short sale.  We scrimped and budgeted every penny that goes in and out.  We got creative with alternate ways of bringing home some extra bacon.  We moved in with my parents to save money and replenish said 401(k) and savings accounts.  We have grown as individuals, as homeowners and as a couple and though it was an experience that I wouldn't wish on anyone, I'm grateful for the lessons it taught us. 

The funny thing about all of this is that the few trolls I've had on my blog have all come out from whatever nasty bridge they live under when I post about this subject.  Well, and the one who commented on our completely unrelated financial situation on my baby post, as if they really know anything about our finances except that which I decide share.  (Which is very big picture, mind you).  (Also, note to trolls: You get deleted).  It's absolutely puzzling.  We have never asked for pity or a handout from anyone and the only reason I decided to share our story is to show a different side of the housing situation from the ones they usually highlight on the news. 

We pay our mortgage every month, on time and in full.  We don't keep a balance on our credit cards.  We have a very strict and elaborate budget that we stick to every month which tracks every last cent.  The vacations and travel that we love?  They're all saved for, usually a year in advance.  The little things that we buy?  Jon and I each have a monthly budget that we're allotted to buy whatever we want, no questions asked.  Both of our cars are paid off, we use coupons and we shop secondhand or discount, first and foremost.  Financially, we do everything right.

Truth be told, we adored our little condo.  We lovingly made it our own by tearing down walls and installing granite countertops and bamboo floors with our own hands.  We painted and hosted parties and decorated it for the holidays.  It was close to work and Washington D.C., close to great shopping and restaurants.  The only thing it couldn't do for us was make room for a baby, nor was it near our families, whom we are very close to.  And above all else, family is most important to us.

We bought at the tippy top of the inflated housing market, never expecting it to crash so hard and so quickly.  When we sold our condo, the market was nearing bottom.  If we knew then what we know now, would we have bought back in 2006?  Of course not.  But we did and there was a price to pay if we wanted to move to start our family and that was a price we willingly paid.  

We're at a place now where our savings account is replenished and we've made a significant dent in Jon's student loans.  With the current mortgage rates and the difference in home prices between D.C. and Baltimore/Annapolis, we can afford a home with four times as many bedrooms as what we had, with a lower monthly payment to boot.  People are still desperate to get rid of their homes so we'll thankfully get a break on this side of the deal. 

We're in a good place, a very good place.  I've learned a lot about saving and patience and need vs. want, lessons I won't soon forget.  Our goal is to be in a home by the holidays, though we're being non-specific on whether that means Thanksgiving or Christmas.  We're going to take our time and slowly dip our toes into the housing market the second time around and hope that we'll find our dream home, the one we'll eventually bring a baby home to.  HOORAY!

Three Years

I wasn't nervous about marrying Jonathan.  I never had cold feet nor any inkling of anxiety nor any of the typical jitters one might get before one of life's major events.  On the day of our wedding, even with Tropical Storm Ernesto raging outside ruining our perfect wedding day weather forecast, all of my bridesmaids kept asking, "how are you so calm?".

The truth is, marrying Jonathan was the easiest and most natural decision I've ever made.  I've never been surer about anything else in my life and on that day, our wedding day, I was filled with the greatest sense of peace and conviction and elation that I can't imagine being anything but calm that day.

Honestly though, I'm not usually a calm person.  I'm a perfectionist, and what perfectionist is calm?  I worry and nitpick and get stressed over the littlest things causing me to have minor breakdowns about stuff like mini muffin tins (right, love?).  But you know what?  Ever since that rainy, beautiful day three years ago, Jonathan has been my calm in the storm.  He soothes my soul and brings me so much serenity and happiness, and above all else, unconditional love.  He is my perfect partner in life and I can't imagine weathering any storm, or any day for that matter, without him.     

Happy third anniversary, Jonathan.  I love you more!  XOXO.

One of my all-time favorite photos of our wedding day.  Notice how Jon is shaking my Dad's hand, but beaming at me.  So cute!

Our first kiss as Mr. and Mrs. D

 

My favorite wedding photo

 

Honeymoon in Castries, St. Lucia and Montego Bay, Jamaica!  (this was St. Lucia)

 

First Anniversarymoon in Ocho Rios, Jamaica

 

Second Anniversarymoon in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Third Anniversarymoon...coming soon to Key West and Orlando!!

P.S.  Another reason why we're perfect for each other?  We decided to change our first dance song to what we originally wanted, "Can't Help Falling in Love" by UB40.  We ended up switching it for various reasons before the wedding, but we've always regretted that decision.  So I said, "Why not change it?  It's our wedding and it's our song!  Who cares if it's three years later?!"  Jon added, "Plus they played it anyway and we danced to it!"  My husband, he gets me.  And so from this day forward (well, last Saturday actually), our song is UB40's "Can't Help Falling in Love".  So perfect for us!

"Like a river flows, surely to the sea, darling so it goes, some things were meant to be..." 

Tidbits

Has anyone else noticed how dark it is in the mornings lately?  Every year I seem to forget that the days quickly get shorter as soon as September is on the horizon, but this morning positively felt like an autumn day.  The air was cool (finally!) and at 6:15 AM, the sun wasn't even up yet.  It's always strange starting your day off in darkness.  Perhaps it's time to start looking for my box of fall and winter clothes that is currently residing somewhere in my parent's basement! 

::::::::::

Today should have been my birthday.  My mom was due with me on August 31st, but didn't have me until 21 days later!  Can you imagine going three weeks past your due date, in still-hot September no less?  She is my hero!  My birthday ended up being on the last day of summer and I think it's perfect timing because it's the bridge between my two favorite seasons. 

::::::::::

Speaking of birthdays, tomorrow kicks off what has effectively turned into a month long celebration for me and Jonathan.  As I mentioned, we have our anniversary on September 1st.  Then it's my birthday on the 21st and to wrap it all up, it's Jonathan's birthday on October 2nd.  It's a very expensive and busy month for us, but also a very fun one.  I think going forward I might just start planning a big Oktoberfest celebration for the weekend between our two birthdays.  That way we can celebrate our birthdays together and also honor our mutual German heritage at the same time! 

Also, I should mention how scrumptious our anniversary cake was.  It looked just like our cake topper, except this one said Happy 3rd Anniversary, of course.  The taste was just as we remembered, better actually because we were too excited to eat very much on our wedding day!  I'm going to order one for us every year because it was such a delicious and inexpensive way to remember our day.  The best part is that we still have some left so I can't wait to go home and have a piece for dessert tonight.

::::::::::

We went to look at my dream home on Saturday.  We don't have a realtor just yet so we couldn't go inside, but we did poke around the property and look through windows to get a better idea of the place.  Unfortunately, as is common in most older homes, the rooms are tiiiiiny.  Like, "how would we ever fit a couch in this room?" tiny.  Very disappointing because it's in such a great location, but when there are a lot of other homes on the market that are much bigger and just as nice, it kind of negates all of the other wonderful qualities of the house.  We spent the first few years of our marriage sharing all of 690 square feet, so we would like a wee bit more room to move around in this time around.  We have plenty of time to look around though, so we'll just continue the hunt.

::::::::::

Yesterday's bridal shower was absolutely perfect!  I'll share photos, a recap and an awesome sangria recipe with you all on Wednesday, but for now I'll just say that it was so much fun to be Martha Stewart for the weekend.  FYI: Tomorrow's post will be full of hearts and love and other schmaltzy words, so consider this fair warning if that's not your thing. :)

::::::::::

Finally, I'm very relieved that, for the most part, my last post wasn't misconstrued.  When you're (purposefully) vague, it's very easy for things to be taken the wrong way but I think most everyone understood the points I was honestly and delicately trying to make and that made me breathe a huge sigh of relief.  Some posts just make you nervous to hit the Publish button, you know?

Turning Corners

Having a blog can be a double-edged sword.  On one hand, it's a great way to keep far-away friends and families updated on your life and happenings and that reason is in fact why I started this blog.  My first readers were my family and friends and although I sometimes regret sharing my URL with all of them (because it's somewhat limiting in what I can talk about out of respect or privacy issues), the positives outweigh the negatives and I'm glad we can keep in touch this way. 

On the other hand, having a blog means that people you've intentionally kept out of your world for various reasons still have access to you and your personal life and that can be a bit unsettling.  Of course, that can happen by way of the good old fashioned grapevine as well, but when you're a blogger you really don't have much in the way of an argument when you say, "but I didn't want those people to know!". 

So, as you might have guessed, I've been having a bit of a struggle this week with the two points I raised above, and that, mixed with the dramatic shift in my hormones, has made me a joy to be around.  Believe me, my lack of writing is more from not wanting to write things I'll later regret and less about not having anything to write.  I've experienced extreme disappointment in the friends whom I know are regular readers of my blog, but have neglected to call or write to see how we're doing.  There's been resentment at those people we choose not to have in our lives whom have been let in on everything that's happened by others anyway. 

There's been anger towards people who make light of the swine flu because we know better than anyone that it's not something to joke about.  There was indignation towards a blog that I found in my referred page stats that has totally stolen my Bump Day format with not so much as a "Hey, I stole this idea from La Petite Chic."  (For the record, while doing a weekly belly bump update was far from original, the content was, and is, all mine.  Please don't plagiarize.)  There's still the overwhelming sadness that comes from losing our baby and then there's the guilt.  Don't even get me started on the guilt.  You can imagine how incredibly useful that is.

However!  That all being said, I think I turned a teeny tiny corner last night and this morning and am consciously making a decision to be joyful, because after all, there are a lot of things to be happy about and I shouldn't just dismiss all that happiness.

The main source of my joy is Jonathan and our marriage.  We have our 3rd anniversary to celebrate on Tuesday!  (Look, a happy exclamation point!  It's been a while since I used one of those.)  I ordered a mini replica of our incredible wedding cake which we'll pick up tomorrow and then we're going out to The Melting Pot for dinner on our actual anniversary.  When has cake and cheese ever failed to make me happy?

I'm also co-hosting a bridal shower for my fabulous cousin-in-law to be on Sunday and I seriously can't wait.  I'll share photos with you all next week because I'm so excited about everything we've put together for it, including the cocktail toothpicks.  You'll understand when you see them.

Lastly, I found my dream home.  We're probably still several months away from being able to purchase said dream home, but still...I've finally found what I've been looking for.  It's a renovated 1920's Craftsman style home in a very cute and well-established neighborhood.  It's walkable to a Baltimore Light Rail station (score for home Orioles and Ravens games!).  It has the original restored hardwood floors (they're gorgeous) and the front porch I've always dreamed of.  Seriously, it's not like those narrow and shallow porches they're putting on new homes nowadays...it has depth and width and I'm smitten. 

The only problem is that Jon and I have a bit of a difference of opinion when it comes to homes.  I love old, restored homes with character and he prefers newer homes that you won't have to worry about old pipes and wires.  Obviously someone is going to have to give, but I'm hoping that maybe I can convince him to go vintage.  Also, I should mention that two of my major requirements for a house is that the street name is nice and non-seasonal (no Snowy Ridge Way for me) and it should also be in a neighborhood that's conducive to good trick-or-treating.  I could probably bend on the street name, but I really have my heart set on a neighborhood that appreciates trick-or-treating (which means they probably also appreciate children and fun, right?).  This home meets both of those requirements, not to mention that the price is absolutely right.  Yes, I am fully aware of the ridiculousness but I'm a Virgo and can be quite particular.  Don't you just envy Jonathan?

A Fly on the Marriage Wall

Katie: JON! The traditional gift for 3rd wedding anniversaries is leather!! (Smugly) Looks like I'm getting a fucking leather handbag this year.

Jon: I think you're asking for ass-less leather chaps.

Katie: (glares) I'm totally blogging this.

Reason #9,106 Why I Love Him

As I mentioned on Twitter yesterday, just like that we are (not) homeowners.  It is so much easier to be on the seller's end of the table at closing.  It's more wham, bam, thank you, ma'am and less sign, here and here and here.  That doesn't mean that it wasn't painful, because oh boy, was it ever painful handing over that check, but nonetheless it is done and over and I'm once again a road warrior.

Which brings me to the reason I fell in love with Jon all over again yesterday.  I noticed a random cd sitting on the console in my car yesterday while sitting in traffic.  It was a Rascal Flatts cd and I thought, "Oh, I'll just pop that in and escape from the endless drone of afternoon radio shows."  Then I noticed there was already a cd in my stereo.  I popped it out and it was a cd entitled "Songs for Katie". 

Yes, folks, Jon made me a mix tape!  Well, a mix cd but I prefer the term mix tape.  He knew how much I have been dreading this commute so he put together a cd of some of my favorite songs, songs that remind me of him, our songs and songs that are commute appropriate.  I drove home with the biggest grin on my face.

Some of the tracks include, "Can't Help Falling in Love" - UB40 (our original wedding song), "No Tears" - Scarface (from the hilarious scene in the beginning of Office Space), "Pussy Control" - Prince (one of my favorites), "Move, Bitch" - Ludacris (in homage to my aggressive driving), "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" - Wham (I always give my sleepy-doo a smooch before I leave), "Would You Go With Me?" - Josh Turner (one of our songs) and "Better Together" - Jack Johnson (a song that reminds me of him). 

Le sigh.  It totally made my commute a lot less dreadful.  Gosh, I love him!

What I'll Miss...

As promised, here is a picture of me and our sweet set-up from Sunday night.  Forgive the shiny forehead and the general messiness.

 

I'll miss our first little home together; the home that we bought just before our wedding and the home where we created our own family and own traditions.

I won't miss the shared walls, the noisy upstairs neighbor and the one sink in the tiny bathroom.

I'll miss walking to work and being able to come home for lunch to walk Lola.

I won't miss dodging traffic and cars who don't seem to know what a crosswalk is and I won't miss using my lunch break to clean our house and do laundry.

I'll miss being just a mile away from what are arguably two of the best malls on the East Coast.  Banana Republic Petites, J.Crew, Sephora, Bloomingdales, Old Navy, H&M, Gap, Neiman Marcus, Anthropologie, Ann Taylor Loft, Saks Fifth Avenue, Williams-Sonoma just to name a few. 

I won't miss the dent it's made on my wallet.

I'll miss our proximity to our nation's capital, just 15 miles away, and everything it has to offer in terms of enterntainment, culture, history and dining.

I won't miss the D.C. traffic nor the bad drivers, though I will be driving around in it for a bit more.

I'll miss the wonderful neighbors we met and our other fabulous friends who live just moments away.

I won't miss the creepy neighbor who stares and stalks and lingers and won't stop friend requesting me on Facebook.

I'll miss being able to buy wine and beer in the grocery store.

Err, there's not much about that one that I won't miss! 

I made Jon pose for a picture with me in front of our door this morning.  I plan to take a picture in front of every home we own for the rest of our lives because I'm sappy like that.