Moving Time

Well, Méabh is napping but I don't know for how long... so I am doing a quick blog post while I have the chance.  I know this weekend is going to be crazy and next week my brain might be a bit scattered in the new place, so just wanted to give you all a brief update!

We got the keys to our house yesterday!!!

We had a look around after Niall got off work-- it was really strange to see the place empty, because any time we had previously viewed it, it was FULL of you-know-what.  We envisioned what items would go where, painting, and making it our own.

Now-- despite the excitement of it all-- this is all really bittersweet for me.  Let's just say it won't be easy; once we got home, I had a really good cry.  I couldn't stop the tears!  I kept thinking of our area and how much I love it, our cozy apartment, starting my life in Belfast here over 3 years ago, all of the familiar faces along this road, my favourite coffee shops... the list goes on.  You'd think I was moving to a new country all over again rather than a ten minute drive away-- I tend to get a bit sentimental over things like this!  Poor Niall-- he understands, and knows that the last time we walk out of what has been my only home in Belfast so far, I'll be a wreck!  :(

Méabh was pretty bummed too when we first broke the moving news to her:

there's no place like 304

However, yesterday I think she warmed up to it a bit!

this is our front sitting room

Today, it's packing time.  Niall's parents are driving up from Naas tomorrow with a big van to help us get everything over other than the necessities.  We'll probably stay in our apartment until the end of this month and move over to the house on April 1st.  Niall has been a champ with all of the organizing and logistics-- along with working and doing his Master's, he's been a busy guy.  But he still makes time for his girls and we couldn't love him more!

this was last Saturday... we had a beautiful weekend with SUN!

this is actually from this morning.  We decided to have one last morning coffee date at our favourite spot, '5A'.

Speaking of our favourite spot, I have to tell you an amazing story!  So this morning I was chatting to my friend Daniel who works at 5A while putting our coffee order in.  I was lamenting over how we'd miss coming to this place and having it so close, but that we'd probably be in on weekends.  He then said, "Did you know we're opening another one?"  I was surprised and asked where.  His response was 'Ballyhackamore', an area VERY close to where we are moving!!  I was shocked and really excited-- Niall couldn't believe it when I told him.  I know, you may be thinking 'what's the big deal?' but it's little comforts like these that we will really miss!  So we took that as another sign from God that everything will be okay.  :)

Apart from the move, everything else is going well.  Méabh is great (oh dear... she just started crying in there... may see if she'll settle back down on her own...)!  I'm getting to know her better as she grows and her personality starts to show more.

We walk A LOT!!  She loves the pram and usually falls asleep whenever we're out.

Whenever she's being really fussy, I just stick her in there and we go somewhere!

pram--grocery cart-- doesn't really matter, as long as we're moving!

My mom sent me an article about how Swedish people leave their babies out in the fresh air while they have coffees inside.  We decided to give it a try!  She didn't seem to mind :)

Ok, she is still fussing in there so I'll stop there.  We'll check in again soon!

my packing buddy :)

Happy Monday!

Hello from Méabh and me!

Well, as you can guess most of my posts in the near future will probably center around baby talk-- hope that's okay with everyone.  :)  Not much I can do about it, that's my life these days so baby updates just seem like a must-do!

Between my last post and now we've had some really good times and made some great progress.  My wonderful parents have come and gone (hard to believe, the 2 weeks flew by), Méabh started to smile (finally, a response!), and overall we are just feeling more and more comfortable as a family of 3.

As I type this, Méabh is having a rare moment of pure fussiness/crying... I know she is exhausted so hopefully in the next few minutes she'll pass out!  I really can't complain about that kid-- I'm sure most of you have heard from my parents that she is a very mellow little girl.

*side note* ... after putting her pacifier back in about 10 times... I guess I jinxed it, she definitely didn't settle!  Just fed her (oops... I guess she was hungry.  I'm still learning!) and now I'm back.

As I was saying-- she's pretty much perfect.  ;)  I really am grateful; sometimes I think God gave me an easy baby this first time around because both of our families are far away, and being a first time parent is a bit of a shock in itself.  Niall and I have been pretty purposeful in trying to still get out for coffee dates, go to friends' houses for dinner, run errands in town together, etc.  We just bring her along and most of time time, as long as she's fed, she's happy to either sleep or just relax while we're out!

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Okay-- it is now 9:15 pm and I am continuing with this post.  Perhaps Méabh sensed that I was saying too many good things about her earlier and decided to give me a run for my money!  I could not get her to go down... finally I put her in the pram and out we went.  At first, the fresh air felt great and the sun was even shining.  Of course, that didn't last long.  Shortly after I entered the park the clouds rolled in and it got so windy-- I had my head down and was struggling to push the pram straight!!  Méabh of course was sleeping soundly through all of my frustration.  At least she finally got her nap.  :)

Anyway, time with my parents was really special.  Usually I am an 'out of sight, out of mind' type of person... so seeing my mom and dad hold Méabh made me realize how much I miss and love having close friends and family around.  I really enjoyed our lazy mornings, walking into town, stopping at cafés and coffee shops, eating dinner together, and just visiting in general.  It was so nice for me to have their company for 2 whole weeks.  The second week we did some traveling-- initially I was a bit apprehensive about how Méabh would do, but she took all the driving like a champ and didn't mind being carted around the country!  We spent time in Kildare with the Maddens, then down to Bruff to see the Noonans, up to Galway where the McCurnins are now living, and then back to Naas before my parents flew out of Dublin.  Needless to say the good bye at the airport was tearful, but looking back I couldn't have asked for a better two weeks with them and I'm so grateful they came.

This was on Sunday, right after my parents arrived... I was so overwhelmed by all of the gifts from home!!  It felt like I had a baby shower after all :)

we took mom & dad to 5A, our favourite local coffee spot

St George's market

the boys with their whiskey...

...and the girls with the baby!

stroll into town and then lunch

baby Méabh with Lucy

My parents got to see a cow calving!  Quite the country experience :)

cousin Jess!

Galway

our last evening together

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Right, well this blog post is titled 'Happy Monday' but I'm just getting it up now... so happy Thursday!  Those photos took forever to download and I got distracted doing something else... I don't have much patience with computers.  :)

Though signs of spring have been peeking through here and there lately, it is a very windy, rainy morning! I'm so grateful that we are coming into the longer days now-- it can be tough enough not being able to get out as much with a baby.  On days when I am feeling down or lonely or restless, a walk outdoors always cheers me up.  Today, however, that is not an option!  :/

Baby photos are taking over our phones/camera these days.  Here are a few more random shots from the last few weeks...

I love our pram, but it's pretty huge.  So if it's crowded at 5A we sit outside!

Méabh loves her dad :)

she usually dozes off as soon as we start walking

I feel like my mind is a bit all over the place as I write-- trying to keep things simple but not leave too much out!

Apart from baby stuff-- we are officially moving into our new house at the end of this month.  It's bittersweet-- the last few months I've been really excited about more space and a home of our own, but recently I've been feeling really sad about leaving this area and our cozy apartment.  It will be a big adjustment with more responsibility and more work.  Hopefully all will go as smoothly as possible!  Niall is still working away on his dissertation and making good progress-- it is due at the end of the summer and he meets with his supervisor at Queen's University every 2 weeks to discuss what he's been working on.  We're getting back into meeting up with our homegroup every Wednesday evening now that things are settling down-- that has been really nice!  Sleep: Méabh went through a few weeks where most of the time I only got up once a night to feed her; however, lately it's twice.  Usually around 2 am and 5 am.  It definitely catches up to me!  She has started to smile which is really fun-- you have to work for it though.  Overall I'm feeling a lot better-- I still have days that aren't as good as others.  I try not to dwell too much on how I wish I could just pop over to my mom's house, or meet up with Evan and the kids, etc...  I am definitely so grateful for Niall, he has been a great partner in all of this and helps keep me grounded!

Ok, sorry to stop abruptly but this kid is getting fussy so I'm wrapping this up!  We are headed down to Naas this weekend for Mother's Day (we're celebrating it on Sunday here), Benny's birthday, a big rugby match and the first Formula 1 race!  Lots of exciting stuff.  :)

Love you all!