Friday, September 30, 2011

Day 273


September 30th, 2010

September 30th, 2011

Well... we didn't make it to Mass this morning. Gus woke up around 8:20 and we would have had to leave by 8:30... maybe next week? I guess until they get the sound figured out, it doesn't matter if we're there or not.

So instead, we got up and played and had breakfast and then Kristen and Grace came over. Kristen had stopped at Starbucks and brought me a strawberries and cream Frappucinno.... so good!!!

Here are some pictures from today:
Gus and Mickey... watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

He LOVES the Mega Blocks!


Gus and Grace playing

Gus upset about something... the livingroom was TRASHED!!! They were serious about playing today!!!

Grace was sad

Another view of the livingroom  :)

We had a great morning with Grace and Kristen. It feels like it's been forever since I saw Kristen... it's been a week since I saw her, but about two since we played together. Last Wednesday we saw each other at Marcie's, but we didn't get to talk. So it was nice to talk today and talk more about our move.

I'm excited to go to the fair with her and Lacey and the kids. I've wanted to go since we moved here, and I'm glad that this year we'll finally get to go. We're trying to figure out a date (I don't even know when it starts), but I think Gus will enjoy it as much as I do!

Tomorrow we're going to see Will and Adri and I CANNOT WAIT!!! I'm trying to think of the last time we saw them... I'm thinking it was the Hollerin' Festival in June, but I hope it hasn't been that long. Maybe it has... anyway, it's been MUCH TOO LONG since we saw them, so tomorrow is going to be GREAT! I'm excited to go pick pumpkins with Gus and take him on the hayride. It's going to be chilly tomorrow-- high of 61, and it's PERFECT weather for a pumpkin patch and farm. I'm taking my camera and will post pictures on my photography blog this weekend.

We're going to Shuckers Oyster Bar and Grill tomorrow for dinner and I'm eager for that. It should make for a great day with some absolutely WONDERFUL friends. We will miss them more than they can imagine!!

So tonight we had fish for dinner... Gus wasn't a huge fan, but he did eat some. After dinner we watched Gray's Anatomy and then Modern Family. Gus was being a silly-boy. He's started pushing his pants down and trying to take off his diaper whenever he's wet it. I guess showing signs of potty-training readiness of sorts. Obviously, he needs to be able to communicate that he's about to go, but to be able to show that he's wet is a good starting point!

He's also started taking off his clothes and trying to put them back on. He got his shirt almost off, and then was running around like a crazy-boy. It was funny. Then he fell and because his arms weren't in where they should have been, he was kinda stuck and resembled a turtle... we were laughing while he was crying. It was horrible parenting, but so funny.  :-)




See you tomorrow!! BTW-- there are a bunch of new videos on the YouTube site! Go check them out!!


Thursday, September 29, 2011

We're Moving!!!

There are places I'll remember
All my life though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I've loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more

Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more
In my life I love you more
 
What a GREAT song. Totally makes me cry when I listen to it!
 
So... Steve and I are moving!! It's been so hard to not be able to blog about it all! About a month ago (or so), he got a call from his head hunter (Eryn) and she told him about a potential job in Atlanta. He wasn't sure if it was something that he wanted to do or not, and decided to do some research on the company. He couldn't find ANYTHING. It's like top-secret. I call it The Skulls (like the movie).

Anyway, he was contacted by Eryn to do a phone screen a few weeks ago. He still wasn't sure if he was interested, and it was the best time to do an interview-- when you've got nothing to lose. The call went well... BETTER than well. He was actually interested in hearing more and was eager for more info.
 
The guy he talked to (P) was also interested, and told Steve that he wanted him to talk to his partner (B). So another phone screen was planned and Steve talked to B, and again, left the conversation wanting more. He sat back and hoped that Eryn would call with good news.

She did. She was super excited to report that both guys were really impressed with Steve and wanted to meet him and bring him to Atlanta to meet the rest of the team. He was going to be in MI speaking at Chrysler (keynote address) so they decided to fly him to Atlanta the Friday before his trip to MI. He flew for the day and came back that night.
 
Before his trip, P sent Steve a packet of info to look over, to familiarize himself with what the company does and to get and understanding of what they're looking for. He also talked to P on the phone before he flew down... P wanted to give him as much info as possible and to prepare him for the various interviews that he'd be having while there.
 
It was a GREAT trip. He loved the area, felt really good about all the conversations that he had throughout the day-long interview, and enjoyed talking to the CEO as well. He flew home and had a good feeling. So then we waited to hear from Eryn and see what insight she could give.
 
She called Steve to let him know that P called her after Steve left the building, and told her that he felt it went really well and that the team would be meeting to discuss Steve. We crossed our fingers and toes.

So that was like two weeks ago and Steve has been talking to Eryn and she gave him the news that they wanted to do a background check and reference check. All good signs. She finished her reference report this week and Steve got a verbal offer from P on Tuesday night. Then yesterday, while we were standing in the frozen food section of Harris Teeter, the written offer came through. We celebrated in the middle of the aisle!! :)
 
Steve accepted and then today, met with several people to let them know that he's leaving. Giving them his resignation letter wasn't easy, but we're super excited.

Now... to let the world (we told our families prior to releasing the info to others) know, I put Gus in a UGA onesie and took a picture of him. So coincidental that I had it... who knew that we'd be moving to GA when I bought it at a consignment shop!! I just got it because it was cute! Anyway, I took pictures of Gus and we announced our move on Facebook with a picture:
 
This caused a lot of questions about what he'd be doing and who he's working for. I'm going to post what he wrote and then I'll put it into my own words:
World 50 provides C-level executives from globally respected organizations a private, trusted peer forum for knowledge exchange on and exploration of issues senior-most executives find most critical to their businesses and careers. World 50 facilitates the sharing of ideas, best practices and collaborative discovery among many of the world's top executives and thought leaders from around the globe through real and virtual conversations on what works, does not and why. World 50 peer communities include: Marketing 50 (CMOs), Global 50 (divisional CEOs), Sustainability 50 (corporate social responsibility), Human Resource 50, Revenue 50 (Chief Commercial Officer), Supply Chain 50, Brand 50, Chief Executive 50, Enterprise 50 (CIOs) and other similar."
HUH?? So basically, he's going to be the Insights Director (whoo hoo) and working directly with Supply Chain 50 and Sustainability 50. There are Fortune 500 companies that belong to World50 and they basically come to World50 for support, guidance, help, and feedback. Then, World50 takes their needs and helps to facilitate the solutions to the clients.

So if company X has a need for something and they want info, they can go to World50, tell them what they want/need, and World50 will put them in touch with the people and answers to their problems. 
 
I've simplified it GREATLY... but that's it basically (I think). I keep calling it a "think tank" because that's what it is to me. Steve's job will be to work with the Sustainability50 and Supply Chain50 clients, find out what they need, and work to help them get their needs met. It's so vastly different from what he's been doing at Burt's Bees, but yet, makes perfect sense.

I'm most excited for him because this is the most perfect job for him. He LOVES to teach others, loves to speak at various events, goes all over the US to speak about what Burt's has been doing as far as sustainability goes, and loves to network and help connect others. He's been doing all these other things lately that have nothing to do with his passion. This job... is like a dream job for him. It's everything that he's wanted to do... it's a little bit of teaching, consulting, networking, and problem solving... and he gets to help others do this. He's not responsible for implementing these at the plant-level, or dealing with budget constraints, or clashes of philosophies. He gets to share his knowledge and be a supporter. It's INCREDIBLE.
 
So... he turned in his letter of resignation today. His last day with Burt's Bees will be Friday, October 14th. Then he starts at World50 on Monday, October 17th!

His first week on the job will take him to New York City for their fall session with their clients. He'll meet CEOs and BIG WIGS from the various Fortune 500 companies that are members of World50. All the while, he'll be looking out of the 51st floor of the Bank of America building, overlooking Central Park in the middle of peak fall colors. Could it get any better???
 
He'll be jet-setting all over the world for meetings and gatherings, as World50 has companies from all over the WORLD as members. Last week they were in Dublin for a meeting. Before that, Switzerland. :)

So what does that mean for our move? Well... Steve will leave for GA and Gus and I will stay here. He'll come here and fly back, and we'll drive down and see him and come back. He's got to get through his trip to NY and then figure out the run of things... and then we'll be going to GA some time in November to do some house-shopping. We'll start the mortgage process and have movers come and give us estimates on how much it'll cost to move us... and then probably between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we'll be able to close on a house there and make the move!!
 
So, Gus and I will be here for at least two months... and Steve will be here for two more weeks. I'm not thinking about him going... I'll have a break-down if I really think about it. We were apart for the first time when Gus was three-weeks old... and it lasted for over a month. I don't think this will be as bad because he'll be coming here and we'll be going there... and there will be an end in sight that's in our control.

For now, we're going to spend as much time as we can with our friends here and enjoy the time left in NC. 
 
My 35th year of life is going to be GREAT. Many changes and I'm eager to let go of a lot of things... as I said yesterday, change is good!!
 
My SIL Heather wins the prize for being the most intuitive with me... she read my blog and totally KNEW something was up. She's a smart cookie!!  ;)

Definitely stay tuned for updates, pictures, and videos of our new adventure!!
 
Oh-- and I've changed my email... I can't keep catwalkernc because I'm not going to be living in NC anymore! So I changed it... yep... to catwalkerga@gmail.com   I know- I'm so creative!! ;)  Make a note of it!!

Day 272


September 29th, 2010

September 29th, 2011

We had a GREAT day today! No temper tantrums and no screaming. We got up and headed down for breakfast. Suzanne came to clean and Gus and I played while she cleaned upstairs.



Gus went down for his nap at 11 and he slept for two hours. When he got up, I gave him a snack and then we headed to Wal-Mart for some groceries that we couldn't get at the Teeter last night.

While at Wal-Mart, I got Gus the Mega Blocks that he's been LOVING at Kristen's. He played with them at his cousin Lily's too and just really loves them. They're bigger than Duplo and he can't play with those yet because he tries to eat them and they're small enough to choke him. The Mega Blocks are big and he can't swallow them.

I also got him a little shopping cart. It came with five boxes for pretend shopping. I knew he'd love it... it was only $10!!! I couldn't believe that it was $10!! We got home and had lunch and then he played with his shopping cart, Mega Blocks, and wooden food (that we got last week) for more than an hour. It was amazing!!
He kept taking things out of the cart and then putting them back into the cart








Chewing on a hotdog (wooden)



My Gymboree clothes and bubbles came today! I got Gus three shirts that are SO CUTE!! One looks like a sweater over a dress shirt with a bow-tie, then there's a referee shirt with a whistle, and the last one is a t-shirt with a backpack... they are adorable and were on sale. Then his bubble wand and bubbles came... we played with them after dinner and he LOVED it!!

Gus went down for his afternoon nap at 4 and didn't wake up until 7:15. I'm thinking either it's a growth spurt or teething, but I'll take what I can get!!

At dinner I had my hands on top of my head and Gus mimiced me... he's so funny.


We're supposed to go to 9am mass with Kristen and Grace in the morning and then they're coming over to play after. Not sure if we'll make it to mass since Grace has been up all night and Kristen can't get her to go to sleep. 

Anyway-- I'm super excited for this weekend! We're going to spend Saturday with Will and Adri and I'm excited! We're going to go to their house then to a farm (it's supposed to be like 60-- perfect weather for a pumpkin patch) and do a hayride and get pumpkins, and then back to their place for a bit. Then we're going to all go out for dinner together to celebrate my 35th birthday (which is Sunday)!! It's going to be GREAT!!!

See you tomorrow!!


Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Day 271


September 28th, 2010

September 28th, 2011

Gus woke up this morning at 5:30 and was very unhappy. Thankfully it was before Steve got in the shower, and he helped me change Gus and put him back to bed. He ended up sleeping until about 9am... which was WONDERFUL. I was able to take a shower without worrying about him. However, because he woke up so late, we were not able to make it to the Pet Smart tour with my MOMS Club.

We ended up spending the day at home and played. Gus was very moody today. He didn't want to eat breakfast, and hardly had lunch. He had a piece of pizza for dinner, but has had no real appetite today. He's teething though, and because of that, he's been really irritable. It makes for an especially long day for me, and makes me cranky too.






It's funny how things can change in a short period of time. Change can be good (and bad), and I am one that likes to change things up often. I don't like to get into routines or habits for the most part, and it's always fun to try new things (even though I usually hate that I tried something new and curse myself for not sticking to what I know and like).

As I approach the eve of my 35th birthday, I find myself really ready for change. I'm going to be embarking on new adventures, meeting new people, and going to make my 35th year, the year that's all about me. I'm going to focus (seriously) on my health, and the dreams of birthing a child will be leaving... it's sad, but it's time to move forward and let go of the "what might have beens" of my life.

Who knows what changes will come tomorrow??

I do.  ;)

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Day 270


September 27th, 2010

September 27th, 2011

We had an amazing day today!!

Gus got up earlier than I would have liked (like 6:45) and was in his room until about 7:45. He'd fall asleep and wake up and then fall asleep and wake up again. Around 7:45 I just went in and got him. It made for a long morning, and he was yawning in the car on the way to The Little Gym.

We had breakfast and then watched "The Sing-Off." Gus likes it because there's singing and dancing and he likes to clap along and sing and dance.
Breakfast: 1 banana, 1 GoGurt, and 1 piece of string cheese

Watching his show in his favorite chair

Fixing his tractor (lol)

We headed to TLG and I am SO VERY proud of Gus!!! This week he walked across the double-beam ALL BY HIMSELF!!! Two weeks ago he wouldn't even try to step on it, and last week he wasn't willing to try either. Then this week, he was totally willing AND ABLE!! I was so very proud and took a ton of pictures and a video for Steve (and everyone else too).
Patiently waiting to go in

Playing with the sticks

He wanted to chew them instead

Climbing




The double-beam

Walking!!

YAY GUS!!!



How awesome is he?!?!?!? Here are more pictures:
Maybe next week we'll focus on the rings or the uneven bars...


Walking on the low beam with a buddy





Attempting the high beam with Miss Allie

All she had to do was walk with him... he did his own feet (for the most part)


Stepping "OVER" the bean bags and "ON" the ribbons

YAY GUS!!!

Time to play with the balls!!


Miss Allie brought out bubbles!!



Gus was trying to catch them and was following her around to get more!

Forward Roll!!

Ooh more bubbles!



He had so much fun!!

We got home and had lunch and then it was time for Gus's nap. He slept for almost three hours. While he slept, I worked on school stuff... BLAH!!

After he got up, we played in the playroom for a while and then headed downstairs.

We finished watching Cars, and then had a snack and played. I made dinner and Gus and I ate because Steve got home late tonight. Then Gulbike came here and I tutored her. We did social studies today and I loved it.

Tomorrow we're supposed to do the Pet Smart tour with MOMS Club and then I've got to run to Target to get my new prescription in my glasses and then we've got nothing for the rest of the day. :)

It's been a WONDERFUL day.
Such a handsome bald baby!




A year ago... Mindy was still alive. This might be the last picture of her.
>^..^<