Big things

I am so, so behind in my quest to get rid of 365 things. But now that I've found my camera and am nearing ever closer to having a fully functional kitchen, I'm recommitted to getting rid of crap.

And this week, I got rid of some big crap. I give you Things 16-19:

From 365 things

A cordless drill. Seems like a silly thing for two homeowners continually updating their house to get rid of. But the thing is, this thing kinda sucks. The battery doesn't hold a charge well. So it's great for hanging the occasional picture frame. Not so much for remodeling a kitchen.

From 365 things

Old TV stand.

From 365 things

Old coffee table. I actually really like this table, but babies, sharp corners and glass don't mix.

From 365 things

Old bed frame.

That's all for now!

Family

Can I just take a minute to express how wonderfully awesome it is to have a family support system? Cause it is.

Maya's daycare is unexpectedly closed this week due to the recent storms. So she's staying out with my parents for most of the week, and my cousin who just graduated college and moved to the city is helping out, too. In addition to babysitting, my parents are also coming over this week to help us install our new kitchen counter tops.

This weekend, my sister and brother-in-law are babysitting Maya (along with their own two kids), while Chris and I go to a wedding.

Then, at the end of August, Chris will be out of town for work the same weekend as my triathlon. So, my mom is staying over to help out with Maya and help me get to and from the tri. This involves dropping me off downtown around 4:30 a.m.

So, allow me to restate: Family is awesome.

Crawling camera

I can't find our camera. Its last known whereabouts went something like this:

• I take out the camera to video Maya's newly acquired skill: crawling.
• I set the camera down on the bottom shelf of the changing table.
• Maya uses her newly acquired skill to begin pulling down anything not bolted to the floor.
• Realizing that NOTHING is bolted to the floor, I frantically run around Maya's room moving things to higher ground.

Since then, the camera has been missing. Once I find it, I'll post the video of Maya on the move.

By the way, now that Maya's mobile, we've realized that we need to invest in a new trashcan. Once she's on the floor, she make a beeline for it and all its plastic-bag and dirty-diaper goodness. Anyone have a recommendation for a baby-proof trashcan?

Quarantined

We're living primarily on the second floor of the house right now. The first floor of our house is pretty much uninhabitable for a number of reasons: the kitchen is torn up; the dining room is full of all our kitchen stuff, as well as our new cabinets; and the family room is both full of new cabinets and without power.

So, we live upstairs. And outside. Last night, we went on a 2-hour walk. Maya had dinner in the park. It's actually not so bad. Our neighborhood is so kid-friendly and walkable, and now we're actually taking the time to appreciate it. Sure beats watching prime time TV.

Still, I'm counting down the days until we no longer have to wash vegetables and baby bottles in the bathroom sink, or eat dinner in bed.

Nomads

So much has been going on lately I don't even know where to start. So, let's do this PowerPoint style, as in, lots of bullets points and an occasional visual thrown in:

• We all went to Kansas City for a wedding and then to Branson to hang with the in-laws. Missouri itself was great, but getting in and out of Chicago during tornado season was less than. Without going into the gory details, I'll just say this: Over the course of 6 days, Maya and I spent a combined total of 15 hours in airports. Fun times.

• After we got back, we stayed at our house for all of 72 hours before going to stay in the suburbs. Maya's daycare is closed this week, so we stayed at my parents' house for three nights.

• We leave again tomorrow to head to Pittsburgh for another wedding. Thankfully, this time we're driving.

• Traveling and sleeping in various cities and states over two weeks is stressful. So naturally, Chris and I decided to do what any two sane people would: remodel our kitchen. Honestly, this does make sense. Because we're spending so little time home, we're not as disrupted by the construction. But I must admit — you don't realize how much you use the kitchen sink until it's not there anymore:

Once we get back from Pittsburgh on Sunday, we have six blissful, travel-free weeks. Which should give me plenty of time to train for that triathlon I've been meaning to prepare for. Ha.