A few of my favorite things

I am letting myself one post to be nostalgic about my apartment.  Buying a home and moving is too exciting for too much sentiment.  I always knew that the apartment would be temporary though I never knew when living there would end.

It has been a good little house.  My landlord mentioned how it is like RP has grown up there, which in a sense is kinda true.  He knows that we lived with my mom before that apartment but he does not have that many memories of living there.  He was 3 when we moved in and we are leaving a month before his 8^th birthday.  Most of his first solid memories are of this place.  I know he will always have memories from living here.

Parker when we moved in.  So small I could still carry him!








There are a few things that I cherish with this place that will not be able to ever be recreated.  This was the place where I truly learned what it meant to live on my own.  I had done so in college before, financially speaking, but I had so many roommates and RP’s dad.  Then I lived at home again where we were fully enmeshed with my parents and my sister again.  I miss living there a lot, but I know how good it was for me to move away.  I have grown and continue to grow.  I have learned how to handle the struggle of when the last paycheck really wasn't enough to cover everything.  I have learned how to build a home…..granted maintaining a house will be very different.

The biggest part of living here that will always be the most dear to me was the day that Nikki and Zach moved in with their (at that time) only child, Quinn.  They have changed my life more than any other moment living here.

When they moved out, I knew my time left living here was limited.  The feel of the building wasn’t the same anymore.  They are my family.  Their children are RP’s siblings.   I adore everything about Nikki as a friend, feminist, mother, and domestic partner….everything.  The growth in both of our lives means that we will never live as close as we did for 3 years, but I would never ever trade that time for anything else.

Despite the wasp infestation, the numerous sewage backups, the broken washing machine, the drafty windows, the lack of a sidewalk and yard, the late night gunshots and the miscellaneous other problems we have had, we have had a good run here.  I know never to paint RP’s bedroom walls green stripes again.  I know that I love to tape pictures of my furthest friend and my furthest family member on my cabinets so they don’t seem so far.

                  I know that decorating my kitchen with the cake pans from past birthdays is a fun way to reminisce and see how much my baby has grown.  

                                                                       

I know that Rosie helps me remember that I can do it ;) And seriously, who doesn't get inspiration from Rosie?

Next week I close on the new place and then a week later RP and I move into our next adventure.  I don't think moving will be hard for him.  He is so excited at all the differences between there and here already.  He has also brought up how some rules will change and he will have to get used to the new rules.  We have talked about a garden and yard work and more responsibility for both of us.  I am so happy right now, with this step in life and I am very proud of my self for being able to do this for my small family.  I made a very good home for RP here but making a home for him in our own space and enough space that we are not on top of each other.....I mean seriously, that is amazing