Are you ready to Rumble?

Ready or Not, We're Ready

NewKid
I'm ready. X is ready. Arun will never be ready, so he doesn't count. I've done what I can to ease the transition, but there's not much you can do to prepare a 20 month old for a new sibling. Anyway, teeny-tiny, postage stamp sized diapers have been purchased, clothes have been organized, bouncy seat has been dusted, car seat installed.

Arun
I've started the paperwork for Arun's nursery school that he will start in September and am already pondering what the hell I will send with him for lunch (if nuts are out, I am back to the drawing board). I've had several people ask about why we are sending him and a few comments that were along the lines of "Wow, nursery school already?". No, there's nothing I've perceived as judgmental, so this isn't a rant. In the past few months, it's become increasingly obvious that playgroups and cousins are not enough for him and he needs more social interaction - 2 mornings a week for a total of 9 hours seems just about right for all of us involved. If I wasn't having a baby, I'd look into Gymboree or something like that, but it's difficult to find activities where you can take both of your children at once when they are in such differing age groups (besides, paying for a newborn is ridiculous). Anyway, Arun is ready for pre-school. That's all. His doctor has said so. The Parents as Teacher lady has said so. X and I say so. Most importantly, Arun said so. At least I am pretty sure that's what he was saying when he began bawling as we left the school the day we visited.

Moooooving (Maybe. Perhaps. Es posible.)
I mentioned recently that we may have to move when/if this Big Idea takes off (potential investors are already asking about it). You may have heard the collective rolling of the eyes as all my Real Life friends muttered "Whatever." You see, until late last year, I was the girl who cried "Virginia!". I had been proclaiming for years, that we would be moving to the DC/VA area "next year!" In my defense, when I began dating X in 2000, he did warn me that his company was actually based in the DC/VA area. Then, as if to prove his point, he bought a house there in 2001. Fortunately, it turned out that the Kansas City office had enough going on that X could run the company from here and we never had to actually move (which was nice because as if to prove my ownpoint, I also bought a house before we were married. HERE.) While the DC/VA area is fun to visit and I really liked some of X's friends there, I never felt at home or at peace there. So, where would we have to move? At this point, it's anyone's guess and it will probably depend on where the investors are located. My #1 choice would be Boston - I feel so at home there and would LOVE to live there. While Boston was briefly in the running, it now appears that San Francisco area is occupying the Top Spot. And I actually cried when X told me. Listen, I love visiting the area, but haven't felt particularly comfortable enough there that I would want to live there. And don't get even me started on the ridonkulous housing market in the Bay Area. It's outrageous. Outrageous. I mean, I'm totally cool with downsizing our living situation - our house here is too large for us anyway. But I do insist on living in something that doesn't have require a parking permit.

When Arun was teeny-tiny and it looked like we most certainly have to move to Virginia, we talked about jury-rigging the system and just getting a condo there so we could all commute between the 2 cities. We briefly talked about doing the same in Boston, San Francisco, wherever. However, in the past few months, I'm at a point where I just want us to all be together, all the time in one place. I'm not excited about moving away from the life that I've worked hard to create here, but in the end, I have to focus on my family. And as such, have even started researching the Bay area and what is around there. The other night, X was driving from San Mateo into the City and needed directions to the area we usually hang out. I was able to tell him how to get there fairly easily by referring to the map I have from our trips. So yeah, I guess I'm ready.

Or not.