The R Files: 11 Months Later

Here we are, the last month before my baby becomes a toddler. How the heck did 11 months go so quickly? Let's take a look at what our little dude has been up to this month:

• Walking. Yep, walking. He actually took his first steps the day before he turned 10 months, but now he's walking 80% of the time.
• Able to push up from sitting to standing.
• 2 more teeth sprouting through for a grand total of 6.
• Still sleeping 12 hours through the night, with 2 to 3 naps a day.
• R has started to work on stacking objects from largest to smallest as well as placing his blocks through same-sized openings.
• We're still working on puzzles. He is slowly starting to understand how the puzzle piece goes back into the same-shaped hole.
• He has perfected the remote control. Well, he points, pushes the buttons, and always buggers something up. Amazing how they know which remotes do not work.
• Lots of babble but no specific sounds for words just yet. 

11 months.  1 month from now my happy, gummy-kissing baby will be a happy memory, replaced with a go-go-gadget, babbling little dude. Bitter Sweet. Pin It

My Working-From-Home-Mom Gig : 9 months later

So here I am 9 months into my Working-From-Home-Mom gig and I'm still loving. I have migrated up to the living room, as I love being around my son as much as possible, but then in turn I'm distracting them with my presence. I do need to get back into my "office" but with the basement renos still in progress (blerg), there is crap everywhere. Although, I think come the summer when Rockstar is off, I'm going to commit to a couple of days a week in the downtown office to resume socializing with adults. Plus, the patio options are much more plentiful there

There are times that I miss not experiencing maternity leave. For example, taking R to library time or being able to enroll in a program during the week. Partaking in the trips to the doctors (though I don't miss being there for the shots) and doing mini day trips to explore the neighbourhood with eachother.

I miss being able to catch additional zzzz's when R is down for his naps, and cleaning the house with a giant smile on my face (no wait, that I'm OK with not doing) but I do wish I did tended to the cleanliness issue like I did when I was still off.  

Over all, I'm glad I'm back at work and feel I made the best decision for me and my family. I am definitely thrilled to have the income coming in and being able to work from home has helped tremendously. We are very lucky to have both parents home with Rhys during the day.

9 months, I can't believe it! While a few of my friends are nearing the end of their maternity leave (big hugs to you), I've extended an additional 4 months of my contract. What's next? No idea. Month at a time I guess. Pin It

Future Lunch with Bjork

In 1994, I met a super cool girl. She was the sister of a guy I knew, and quickly became someone I adored. She oozed inner beauty, had a huge smile every time I saw her, and I doubt ever had a stressful day in her life. Fast forward to last year when we reconnected on facebook, and lo and behold, this beautiful girl has embraced the ultimate yogi life. My heart warms knowing the person I meet 19 years ago is living the life that makes complete sense for her. She was yoga 19 years ago long before I knew what yoga was.

Where am I going with this? Well, yesterday I was on the phone with her, booking a yoga retreat to:

ICELAND!!

3 years ago when Rockstar and I went to Ireland, we decided the next big trip would be to Iceland. We were torn by the hefty pricetag that's associated with the trip, but when this opportunity presented itself to us, I could not deny the deep desire to go. 4 months of do we, don't we, we pulled the trigger. How could we resist experiencing 24 hours of day light, soaking in hot springs, meeting new people, learning more about how to embrace yoga into my daily routine, eating lunch with Bjork, and reconnecting with the warm soul of a lost connection. 

Is R coming with us? Well, we thought about it, but having a kid who goes to bed at 6pm puts a damper on exploring the city until the street lights come on (ha). R will likely be house jumping between family members, and my heart will miss him tremendously. But, he's in the best of hands, and will enjoy spending time with those who love him just as much as us. 

So yep, ICELAND BABY!!! So frickin excited.

 {source}

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The R File: 10 months later

Really? 10 months! To celebrate 10 months, my little dude and I accepted an invitation from my bestie Robin to head up to Deerhurst Resort. How can I say no to a weekend away? Less than 5 minutes into our vacation, R decided to share gratitude to his Aunt by taking his first few steps unaccompanied. Aunt Ro has that affect on everyone to "push harder and just do it!!" Obviously that starts with the super young.

Some other "new" things my guy is doing:

• Puzzles. R loves doing his puzzles. Sure he just throws them onto the board, but the fact that he throws one at a time and waits for me to put the piece in is pretty cool.
• R has finally realized that when he pushes a button, it does something. Like the buttons on his books, and the horn on his car. If the button makes noise, then the button gets pushed.

• We picked up a slide, and after I showed him once how to go down, he propels himself. Makes me laugh at how excited he is.
• We have 4 teeth in total and this kid loves his food that much more. You name it, he's tried it (aside from the big no no's)
• I've caught R standing on his own, unassisted, a few times now. I look over, and there he is standing, drinking his bottle. I swear he doesn't even know he does is.

• Fabric books are the bees knees in this house. As is throwing everything off shelves and out of bins (and into another). Constant disaster zone.
• I'm almost certain he says "mom" when upset or angry. He also makes this pig-dragon sound when he's annoyed. 

I've already scheduled his first birthday party and the invitations have arrived. While I miss my little snuggle-bum, getting purposeful hugs and knowing I'm making my dude happy is pretty amazing. 10 months, wow.
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Backyard: Dog and Kid Friendly

Once upon a time, our backyard was filled with mint. Yes, mint. Although the mint was super soft, it was slightly annoying as it was sprawling everywhere. I miss that mint.

Fast forward 4 years, and our once-lush backyard, is far from that. After 4 years of Seamus guarding the backyard, it now looks like this.

Do you see that self-made path? Here, let me show you from another angle.

Ugh! We started to notice this path last fall, and now after some recent rainfall, it's brutal. Not to mention the 100% uneven ground throughout.

With R being super mobile, I hope to spend a lot of time outside this spring / summer, but the state of the yard is not getting me excited. It's not the yard I was excited to have my future kids play in when we bought out house.

Ideally I'd love to have the area by the trees Seamus friendly. So perhaps wood chips? Mulch? I love the look of this.

Traditional Exterior by Johns Island Architect Wayne Windham Architect, P.A.

I want our vegetable garden along the south fence and floral garden on the north side of the yard (where you can see the green pot in the 2nd photo) and grass everywhere else.

Where Seamus has created his path, I am thinking that even if we resod he will tear it up in minutes, so perhaps we go with it and make a path? I like the look of this. Or should we go with random stepping stones like above? We also have to keep in mind making it kid and lawn mower friendly.

Traditional Landscape by Mission Landscape Architect Easton Landscape Design and Installation

Friggin Seamus!!! Would love some suggestions on how to pretty up our backyard on a budget while making it both dog and child friendly.  

Do we rip up the yard and plant new grass? Or is there a way to help even up the yard? 

Friggin' Seamus. 

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Dino boy heads to daycare

Yesterday my little dude went for his first day of daycare.

{standing outside his first daycare}

Rockstar and I made the decision to send R to daycare one afternoon a week as a way to socialize our little dude with other kids. We were referred to a woman down the street who is an ECE with Montessori background and was fortunate enough to get a spot. My little dude is so grown up. Upon pickup (he was there for 3 hours) I was told that he would cry off and on (he does this with us), played very well with one of the girls (that he knows from the dance studio) and that he LOVED snack time. She told me that even though I told her he eats everything, she wasn't prepared for his excitement when it came to eating. Clearly my boy.

{driving home after his first day}

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How I Saved $4K On a New Van From the Comfort of My Couch

The plan was for us to buy a new van come June and call it R's 1st birthday gift. Then I got my notice to renew my plates with the "plus e-testing is required" highlighted. Ugh. See, my good old 2006 Mazda 3 has been showing off its engine light for at least a year, and every mechanic says it's a sensor of some sort they cannot fix. Great. I've also heard that they will not pass you if there is any mechanical light on. Super great. So, this meant the "buy R a van" mission was pushed up to May.

Rockstar, R and I went to check out the Honda Odyssey after I read article after article, facebook comment after facebook comment, about how great and reliable the Odyssey was. I must admit, it is one sassy looking vehicle. I continued to research about the honda and found OdyClub, an online forums all about Odysseys. From the specs, to after market add ons, you name it, they talk about it. It was here that I started my research onto how I was going to get the best deal.

At the end of the week long back and forth with Honda dealers, here is how I saved $4K on a brand new 2013 LX Odyssey. (I say I, because Rockstar was 100% focused on getting the basement mudding moving along while I was in project "figure it out").

1. I emailed 10 different dealerships within a 2 hour drive asking for models on hand, colours, VIN numbers and total breakdown on cost. This was on a Sunday night. One guy emailed me back within an hour saying he would be in the office first thing in the morning and would be glad to get me the info I request. He was also the first on Monday morning to respond. Some gave me the info I wanted, some said "come on in!!" I ended up buying from the first guy.

2. I asked for marketing fees to be waived so he knocked $1,230 off the price

3. I researched some of the other fees and asked that "nitrogen and VIN etching" be removed as I was not paying for the option. Another $438 off.

4. We are trading in our Mazda 3, and got $2,000 for it (it's black booked at $2,300 if in perfect condition ... which ours is not) so I was good with the offer.

5. Once I had the lowest deal I could get, I went back to my local dealer (where we test drove) and asked if he could beat it. He was able to get as close to $219 away WITH an added on included in that price.

6. I went back to the guy I emailed 71 times with (yes, 71 times) and he offered me the add on that we wanted for 50% (228.50), which in the end came out $478 (incl tax) LESS than my local guy, and he was shipping it to my door at  NO EXTRA PRICE (perhaps this is the standard?)

After 71+ emails, this guy more than deserved our business.

So let's see the breakdown of discounts:

$1,230 (admin etc)
$438.00 (nitro / etching)*
$2,000 (trade-in)
$228.50 (50% of protection package)
TOTAL = $3,896.50**

* OK, this really isn't a discount, but if I hadn't done my research, I would have paid for this
** this price does not include the approx $500.00 in HST I would have had to pay had I not negotiated from the original quoted price

Not bad at all!

What I also know that the MSRP for the 2013 LX is $29,990, and read that most salesman target 7% commission from that, so this would have been $32,089.30. I was offered, less than 3% off BEFORE the discounts.

So there you have it, how I was able to save more than $4,000 CDN on my new 2013 Honda Odyssey LX from the comfort of my couch. Not too shabby if you ask me.

I spent hours upon hours (seriously) researching the heck out of this car. HOURS!!
I even visited a local scrapyard in search of an Odyssey 2011+ EX centre console. Yep, this gal may turn into a motorhead in no time! bah hahaha .. motorhead of mini van moms.

Resources:

Car Saver
Edmunds
OdyClub
Confessions of a Car Salesman
Car Cost Canada
Ebay Motors
Hunstville Honda - Ask for Sean Morrison

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