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The white tornado

By Goddess in Progress · Comments (0)· July 22nd, 2007

My dad, stepmom, and stepsister were in town for a visit this weekend. It was fun to have them around, and they were an immense amount of help. For one thing, it was great to have my dad with me when I went to trade in my car and buy the minivan. I dread all things haggling, and was nervous about being talked into things that were unnecessary. Dad has purchased a lot of vehicles in his day, so it was good to have his experience and confidence next to me. It also helped that I had not only researched the heck out of the car itself, but had dutifully looked up Kelly Blue Book values for both the new and my trade-in. I didn’t need to come out feeling like I had gotten a steal, I just wanted to know I wasn’t paying more than I should. They ended up basically accepting the KBB values, and we were off.

But even better than the emotional support of Friday afternoon was the white tornado that came through my house on Saturday. I can’t be on my feet for more than 5-10 minutes without my ankles swelling to alarming proportions, and my beloved husband was passed out upstairs, having worked from 10pm to 10am (after a normal 10-6 day before then – he doesn’t normally work the night shift). And in truth, I’ve just never been a spectacular housekeeper. So it’s safe to say that things were a little on the messy/cluttered side.

After insisting that I sit on the couch with my new copy of Harry Potter and a bag of frozen peas on my elevated feet, the family went nuts. My dad mowed the lawn, busted out the weed whacker, and later put together a whole bunch of baby stuff. My stepmom cleaned the kitchen and dining room to within an inch of their lives. My stepsister painted our new-but-unfinished front door.

I couldn’t, in good conscience, spend the entire day reading on the couch, so I did get up and try to at least help people figure out where things ought to go. I offered up vast amounts of amazement and gratitude at their hard work on our behalf. The first floor looks like a new place, entirely. And as quickly as they arrived, they were gone, back to Chicago. It was a brief visit, though I have no doubt that they’ll be back on the first plane as soon as the new grandbabies arrive.

So a big huge thank you to my dad, stepmom, and stepsister. They did exactly what you would hope. They didn’t come to stare at my enormous belly, though that was clearly an enjoyable perk for them. They came to help, and help they did. It was awesome.

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Categories : Family, Pregnancy

Tags : cleaning, Dad, new car, pregnancy symptoms, Stepmom, Stepsister, swollen feet

All I need are some soccer balls

By Goddess in Progress · Comments (2)· July 21st, 2007

Another milestone in my adult life has been reached.

My Jeep was coming up on 8 years old (only 56,000 miles, thank you!), and I had long known the time was approaching for a trade-in. For the last couple of years, I couldn’t take it in for repairs without the mechanic finding three other broken things and it costing at least $1000. I like driving an SUV. I particularly like having the space to haul things, and I really like not having to worry too much when it snows in New England. My husband’s Jetta might be confined to the driveway for a week, but not me and the Jeep.

But its time was nearing, so I long thought I might go for a small SUV, like a Subaru Forester or Rav-4 or something. Still hearty, still plenty of space, still the ability to get places in the snow. But a little less of a behemoth, both in physical size and outrageous gas mileage. Sure, I knew we were going to try to get pregnant soon, but there’s no reason you can’t put a carseat in a Forester. The minivan, I laughed, could wait until the second child.

Heh.

Once we knew the twins were on their way, I knew the minivan was going to be the way to go. I resisted the idea a bit. Somehow the idea of being 28 years old and driving a minivan was just too strange. My mom drives a minivan, not me. But the draw of the dual power sliding doors was too great. So, on Friday, I said goodbye to my Jeep Grand Cherokee and hello to my Toyota Sienna.

Though I keep wondering what stranger has parked in my driveway, I cannot deny that it’s a great car. It drives really well, has an obscene amount of space (and I thought my Jeep was huge), and still has better gas mileage than I used to. And though I hadn’t intended to get all of the options, that’s pretty much what they have on the lot at the end of the model year. My dad decided the rear-seat DVD system was the best thing ever when we put on the Big Lebowski on the way to dinner Friday night.

It still smells like new car, and has not yet been pimped a-la Zima. The carseat bases are installed, and the dog is amazed at how much there is to sniff back there. I really do like it, even if it feels surreal. Now I just need some soccer balls in the back, and I’ll really be on my way.

Oh, and I swear it’s a bad angle and I really do look pregnant. Not just hugely fat.