piper doesn't live here anymore.

it's been a while.  the past several weeks have been a tumult, and, as i am wont to do, i am undertaking about a zillion life changes all at one time.  whee.  i am going to try to avoid the cliches of "it's not personal, it's business" and "nothing is certain but change" and "this too shall pass".  ha.

i quit my job last week.  tomorrow is my last day at the company i've worked for the past almost six years.  i start a new job on monday.  i turn 30 on tuesday.  30!  it's really not a big deal, i hear.  we moved last weekend.  slash we are still moving now.  the hesterly family (and friend) brigade will be here tomorrow to help with the settling, which means we will collectively breathe a sigh of relief.  but in all, a lot is happening, with more always on the horizon (paint colors, pergolas, projects).

i am a person who does relatively well with change.  i don't fear change or avoid it at all costs the way some people do.  but it's still a stressor.  i'd put this year/18 month time period on par with the 2006/2007 period in terms of the crazy.  that was the year i ran a marathon, bought a house, got engaged, started graduate school, and got married within 12 calendar months.  i'm tired again just thinking about it.  so now this will be the year i got pregnant, finished graduate school, had a baby, bought a new house, and changed jobs.  even when you do well with change, this bombardment can be a bit overwhelming.

anyway.  i am really happy and excited about the new house and the new opportunity at a new company.  i believe both are absolutely the best decisions for me and for our family in the long-term.  but i still have that small square in my heart that is grieving the losses that these changes represent (even though the over-arching experience is a net-gain).

this job, the one i'm leaving.  i kind of fought for this job, and i won and i made it what i wanted it to be (or was working on that, i guess).  that makes it feel so much more personal to me.  like i made my own little nest in a big corporate animal den.  and now i'm abandoning it.  it took me a little while, but i have a small group of people i care a whole lot about that i will miss.  and as much as you say you're going to keep in touch, do lunch, reach out, come back some day...the reality is that people get busy and move on and it's harder and harder to do that.  i also feel like i am abandoning some projects and people, even though it really IS just business, and the show will go on.  i am not indispensable, clearly.  no one is. 

so this is it.  there will be cake and a few hugs and a few nice words from a few folks.  and these are all really excellent.  and monday i will venture out into the unknown.  i will work on a windows machine - gasp!  i will, slowly but surely, i imagine, make new friends and find new things to work on and get excited about.  i will be annoyed by internal systems and corporate red tape but excited to have this opportunity and to be in the place that i am.  just like i have been.  it will be weird and it will take a while, but i will turn the new job (and the new house) into a home....

packing it all up.

y'all.  i have a revelation.  it' super new - i don't think anyone has ever thought or said this, ever.  packing is not fun.  ha.

this past weekend, my parents came into town to help us get the moving party started.  it must be said: my mom and dad are machines of productivity and help.  they can be counted on in any situation to show up and get things done efficiently.  it should also be said that i don't think i have ever had to ask them for this sort of help - they just volunteer, show up, and deliver (they also don't require direction or micro-management, which is amazing).  i am a very lucky daughter.

it works out, of course, because we also like hanging out with them, so the help happens and then there's time for fun and visiting and loving on emme kay.  this weekend, they were in town for 23 hours.  seriously - they drove in from houston saturday morning and left sunday morning after breakfast.  in those 23 hours we packed up 90% of the living room, a good chunk of our bedroom, and probably 50-75% of the kitchen.  we also drove by the new house; visited with wendy, david, and parker; grilled red snapper and ate a delicious dinner; had a plumber fix our garbage disposal; went out to breakfast; went to mass; and got a chance to visit and goof off a little bit.  whew.

we still have a lot to do, of course.  there's a bunch of packing that just can't happen until the final moments, but at least we've started making some headway....10 days til closing....

fourth of july in wichita, ks.

for the long weekend, we headed north to jb's home town.  it was our first trip since emme arrived, and we had a lovely time.  the trek is rather arduous - i-35 is a beast and it's an 8-hour drive when you speed and don't hit any traffic.  the ride up there on friday ended up being a little over 10 hours between construction, traffic jams, and our gas/diaper change break.  but, it was worth it, of course.

our primary reason for heading up for the holiday was that justin's cousin, patrick, is being deployed to afghanistan.  his family was throwing a farewell barbecue, so we wanted to make an appearance for that.  he's going to be stationed on the afghan/pakistan border in a very aggressive battalion.  we wish him a safe time and speedy return.

while there, emme got to meet her cousins maddox (3) and julianne (5 months).  maddox was unbelievably sweet to ek - he gave her about 3,000 kisses and was constantly hugging on her legs.  it was very cute.  julianne is still a little young to be super interactive, but the girls enjoyed looking at each other and i'm sure they will have much to share in the coming years since they're only about 2 and a half months apart.  emme also got to meet her other great grandmother, nana jo.

it was a nice, mellow weekend full of good food and conversation.  we had hoped being out of texas would give us some respite from the heat, but it was just as hot in kansas as it is here.  we did take some nice walks and ek got to feed some canada geese, which was really fun.

i'll update with more pictures when i'm on the regular computer, but for now here are a few that i snapped with my phone using instagram, my new favorite iphone app.

8 months old.

this morning i made a mistake and told someone you were 8 years old now.  at the rate you're growing and changing, it feels like you will be 8 years old any second.  as your mother, it is unbelievably rewarding to watch you developing so well, but i do feel like time is racing by at speeds i didn't know about before i met you.  i am imagining you being completely annoyed in the future, as i'm sure i will tell you you're growing too fast at every possible occasion.

this past month has been kind of a blur.  we found our new house, traveled to wichita, had father's day and a weekend in sisterdale, texas.  add to that all of the usual fanfare that accompanies the work week and our social calendar, and i can see why i feel like time is racing along.

in spite of the frenetic pace, though, you have continued to be the most joyous part of our lives.  you're crawling everywhere now and you are not afraid of anything.  you make calculated decisions about which path you're going to take in whatever direction you've decided to go in, and it's so fascinating to watch your mind working out your plan.  that plan often leads in the direction of plugs and cords, so we have to be on our toes with you constantly.  you prefer to be standing up and occasionally try to creep along but you're not quite there with taking steps yet.  i'm thankful for that, as i hope it means we have a little while longer before you start walking....

you have recently entered the fabled land of separation anxiety and are incredibly attached to your mommy these days.  when i leave the room, you crawl as fast as your chubby little legs can take you in whatever direction i went and you call out for me or cry.  it's really endearing, but i hope we can work through this constructively as i know it's not really good for you or me in the long run.  you are curious about everything and everyone, but you like to take a moment to observe people before doling out grins.  you definitely don't give your chuckles out for free and there's got to be something pretty hilarious happening for you to give up a laugh.  that being said, you do think it's endlessly entertaining when i try to eat your feet and when your daddy makes donald duck noises.  you love hand-clapping and are trying to do it yourself but you're still a little too fisty.  you love it when we whistle.  you think the quack sound is delightful.  you talk to animals whenever you see them and seem well on your way to being an animal lover like your mom and your kk.  you continue to be a great eater and your pincer grasp is really getting good.  you're not saying a whole lot more than you were a month ago, but i think you've made a ton of physical strides this month, so i don't think that's abnormal.  you still have just your two bottom teeth and have only bitten me a few times.  it hurts a little but you don't bite hard and i always jump a little, which scares you and then you don't do it again for a few weeks.  i actually find it kind of hilarious when you do it, but i try not to give you positive feedback, as that seems like it would be a bad idea for mommy....

what else?  you nap 2-3 times a day.  you sleep 11-12 hours at night.  you nurse 5-6 times a day (or take bottles when i'm at work).  you eat in the morning and in the evening, and i'm thinking i will gradually add in a third meal over the course of the next month.  you love every food you've tried - including feta cheese.  you are in constant motion and we have all learned to change your diapers and put on your clothes while you're in mid-roll or standing up on your changing table (see pictures below for your favorite post-bath activity).  you are fascinated by simple random objects like boxes and receipts and your diaper bag.  we love you so much little niblet.  happy 8 months!