December Update
...and still catching up...
12/4 - 12/7
So, December was off to a good start. Josh still wasn't sleeping the night, but slept well enough that we were getting by. With his cold, he started leaning his head noticeably to the right as well, though we weren't sure what this meant. Also, money was a little tight, but we had gotten much of our Christmas shopping done early, so I didn't think much of it. We were getting stuff done, getting used to the new work-and-daycare schedule, and gearing up for Christmas. Life was good. It was COLD (5 F outside), but good.
Then, on the 7th, my car died, as mentioned in this post. Pulled out of the driveway, got two houses down the street, and the engine went "CLACK!", and that was it. Coasted to the end of the street, tried restarting it, and then tried again. Then, in 5 degree weather, with Josh in the back seat, I pushed it back in front of the house. Josh wasn't bothered, thank goodness, and he only needed to be carried through that dangerous cold from the street to the front door. I shudder to think what would have happened if I had gotten further away from the house! Dealt with the tow truck, and then after the driver frowned disapprovingly at the noises (and lack of noises) made, we dropped it at the dealer. Best guess: siezed bearing. Cost to diagnose/repair: far more than the car was worth, even in tip-top shape. The rest of the week was spent looking over the ol' finances and looking at cars. And dealing with my brother Gregg's car.
12/8 - 12/11
Gregg and his wife went to North Carolina for a baptism that same week, and left their car in front of our house on the 8th. He left the key, but not the keyless remote. Well, since Josh was going to be baptized that Sunday (the 11th), I figured I should move it to the garage. I open the car, the alarm goes off. No remote to deactivate the alarm. Well, I figure, I might as well see if the car will start, so I can pull it into the garage. It does! But the car is parked in a snow bank, and it takes me a minute to dislodge it. I finally do, get it into the middle of the street, and... it dies. Turns out the engine cuts off after a minute of operation unless the alarm is deactivated. It won't restart. So, for the second time in two days, I am pushing a car down icy, snow-covered street in single-digit weather. Except this time, it isn't my car, and the alarm is going off. We also looked at cars for the second night in a row, and found one we rather liked...
On the 9th, we were already booked to go to a concert with our neighbors. We dropped Josh off with some friends (Z's parents, from the November Update), and headed down to the State Theatre in downtown Detroit. On the way, we found out that the neighbor's daughter (2 yrs old) saw me pushing Gregg's car down the street hilarious. Knowing I had at least provided some entertainment made me feel a little better. Once downtown, it was Standing Room Only, but Brian Setzer put on an awesome Christmas show! Could have done without some of his pure-rockabilly stuff, but it was still a great show! Jenn and I loved it! Definitely helped get my mind off of cars.
And then, more distractions, as Josh was baptized on the 11th. We kept the gathering small, though it was still a lively party. Everyone showed up before we were truly ready for them, but once we caught up, Jenn and I were able to kick back and mingle. People kept filing through, so we were socializing all day long. Shortly after the last people left around 8pm, we had one more set of visitors--Gregg and his wife, just in from North Carolina. After regaling him with tales of my car-pushing prowess, we had a good visit, and Jenn and I went to bed after another satisfying weekend.
12/12 - 12/14
So, after a successful baptism, and one dead car out of our lives, it was time for the second dead car to go. After getting a Saturn mechanic to personally show me what was done with the car, and why they thought it was a siezed bearing, I was convinced--the car was unrepairable. Some folks had suggested that I could replace the engine with a cheap used engine from some mystery source or another, but I decided it still wasn't cost-effective. So, after finding a private buyer through word of mouth, we sold my car (previously Jenn's car) for 2.5 times what any dealer or junk lot would have given us. And we didn't have to pay for additional towing.
Then, it was on to the Credit Union to line up financing. Finally, on the 14th, one week after the car died, we got posession of our new/used car. A 2004 Hyundai with 27k miles. Good condition, runs like a dream, looks like a Jaguar. And it was cheaper than a used Corolla. The car nightmare was over. Jenn offered to drive the Hyundai and let me drive the Vue, but I politely declined.
12/15 - 12/20
Thankfully, we got home before the snow storm hit. We got a LOT of snow, and while the Hyundai handled well, there was no point in risking the car so soon. So, our shared rides to work continued for another couple of days, though we now had enough cars to not have to share a ride. That weekend was pre-Christmas, as my parents came out to exchange gifts on Saturday, and we attended a Christmas party on Sunday. Everyone was a little cranky on Sunday, since he didn't sleep well, and neither did we as a result.
At this point, it was painfully obvious that we were having real money trouble for the first time in our marriage. The car was a painful and unexpected expense, but the money was disappearing before that. If anything, the car drew attention to the real problem--daycare. Daycare is expensive. Our daycare is quite affordable compared to most, and it is only a couple hundred dollars less per month than our base mortgage payment. Actually, if the car had died a few weeks later, we might have been in MUCH worse financial straits. So, in a bizarre way, buying a new/used car saved us financially. Go figure. We discussed it at length, but unfortunately, workable budgets are tough to set up when multiple people are involved. And we still had to pack for Louisville.
12/21 - 12/31
So, we packed up on the 21st, and headed down to Louisville on the 22nd. Josh slept for half the trip, and was pacifiable for the other half. Unlike the trip in October, we took care of feedings and diaper changes efficiently, and were able to keep our stops relatively short as a result. That Josh was two months older didn't hurt. Once in Louisville, we wisely handed Josh over to Marmee (Jenn's mom), and we got a brief respite. At dinner that night, Jenn's brother-in-law (Pat, the pediatrician) declared that Josh's head-tilt was nothing to worry about, but his lack of sleeping the night was. To quote, "He's got you trained!" Jenn wasn't pleased with this diagnosis, but it was hard to argue. The answer was simple, but hard--let Josh cry. The house was packed with people, so we said we'd start when we got back home. But Jenn's family quickly jumped in, declaring with one voice: "We don't mind--let him cry!"
This was not what we expected when we hopped into the car that morning, but we went with it. That night, we fed him once and changed his diaper once, but only checked on him otherwise. After getting some harsh looks from the family upon mentioning the diaper change, the next night we held out and merely checked on him. Josh was not happy with this lessening of nighttime attention, and cried long and loud about it. Jenn and I got very little sleep listening to him cry, though the rest of the family insisted that they didn't really hear him. Given that the beds we were in were not overly comfortable anyway, Jenn and I were completely wiped by the time Christmas Eve rolled around.
Christmas Eve was interesting, as Erin (Josh's two-month-younger cousin) was dressed in a matching outfit. They looked like identical twins. Everyone oo'ed and ah'ed over Josh and Erin, and then Josh petered out early, giving Jenn and I a chance to enjoy the party. Then, Jenn's cousin Steve watched Josh, and we went to the Carmelite convent for Christmas Eve mass, which was interesting as always. It is a cloistered nunnery, so mass has little pomp and nearly as little circumstance. STRONG communion wine, too. Like last time (two years previously), Jenn sang at the nun's request, and absolutely overwhelmed the chapel with her voice. No wonder they like having her sing. After lots of compliments, we all went back to the house, and Jenn and I collapsed in a heap. Josh woke us up quite a bit, but we miraculously got some sleep.
We were even more wiped for Christmas Day, which is always less exertive than Christmas Eve at Jenn's family, thank goodness. Still, a trip to the in-law's in-law's house in Indiana for dinner was involved. Josh was very well-behaved, and it was (again) a good time, but Jenn and I were wiped. That night, Josh slept in chunks, and we finally got some real sleep. Boxing Day held nothing special, and we got to visit with the less-extended family more. Erin and Josh continued to look exactly alike, even falling asleep in the same poses, except that Josh is twice the size. Many pictures were taken (which will be posted in due time).
Then, a miracle. Josh slept the night. We weren't sure what was wrong. He slept ten hours. We couldn't believe it! The next night, he slept eleven hours! And then, of course, it was time to head home. Would he keep to the new schedule after a car trip home? We thought not, since he (again) slept through half the trip. And he was really cranky for the other half. We were prepared to be disappointed. But he then slept twelve hours that night at home!! A Christmas miracle! Since then, he's consistently slept between eleven and twelve hours a night, depending on how tired he is. He will sometimes cry briefly in the night, especially when he has a cold, but almost always goes back down within a few minutes.
Another nightmare over. We still weren't sure how to stick to a budget, but we had a new car, and we were destined for MUCH more sleep. Josh had his four month appt the day after we got back, where he weighed in at 19 lbs 15 oz, which is the 98th percentile, and was declared perfectly healthy--and ready for solid foods! Given how he'd been eyeing our dinners, we weren't surprised when he immediately took to solid foods. We were surprised with the gusto with which he attacked the food! He simply could not get enough!
New Year's Eve was spent quietly, as we planned to get our first uninterrupted night's sleep since Josh was born. It would be the first time I'd miss midnight since I was a wee lad myself, but it would be worth it. We got to bed later than expected though, so before falling asleep, we heard fireworks from the neighbors across the pond. I rolled over and kissed Jenn, we wished each other a Happy New Year, and then we drifted off to sleep.
It was a rough month, but it ended well.
12/4 - 12/7
So, December was off to a good start. Josh still wasn't sleeping the night, but slept well enough that we were getting by. With his cold, he started leaning his head noticeably to the right as well, though we weren't sure what this meant. Also, money was a little tight, but we had gotten much of our Christmas shopping done early, so I didn't think much of it. We were getting stuff done, getting used to the new work-and-daycare schedule, and gearing up for Christmas. Life was good. It was COLD (5 F outside), but good.
Then, on the 7th, my car died, as mentioned in this post. Pulled out of the driveway, got two houses down the street, and the engine went "CLACK!", and that was it. Coasted to the end of the street, tried restarting it, and then tried again. Then, in 5 degree weather, with Josh in the back seat, I pushed it back in front of the house. Josh wasn't bothered, thank goodness, and he only needed to be carried through that dangerous cold from the street to the front door. I shudder to think what would have happened if I had gotten further away from the house! Dealt with the tow truck, and then after the driver frowned disapprovingly at the noises (and lack of noises) made, we dropped it at the dealer. Best guess: siezed bearing. Cost to diagnose/repair: far more than the car was worth, even in tip-top shape. The rest of the week was spent looking over the ol' finances and looking at cars. And dealing with my brother Gregg's car.
12/8 - 12/11
Gregg and his wife went to North Carolina for a baptism that same week, and left their car in front of our house on the 8th. He left the key, but not the keyless remote. Well, since Josh was going to be baptized that Sunday (the 11th), I figured I should move it to the garage. I open the car, the alarm goes off. No remote to deactivate the alarm. Well, I figure, I might as well see if the car will start, so I can pull it into the garage. It does! But the car is parked in a snow bank, and it takes me a minute to dislodge it. I finally do, get it into the middle of the street, and... it dies. Turns out the engine cuts off after a minute of operation unless the alarm is deactivated. It won't restart. So, for the second time in two days, I am pushing a car down icy, snow-covered street in single-digit weather. Except this time, it isn't my car, and the alarm is going off. We also looked at cars for the second night in a row, and found one we rather liked...
On the 9th, we were already booked to go to a concert with our neighbors. We dropped Josh off with some friends (Z's parents, from the November Update), and headed down to the State Theatre in downtown Detroit. On the way, we found out that the neighbor's daughter (2 yrs old) saw me pushing Gregg's car down the street hilarious. Knowing I had at least provided some entertainment made me feel a little better. Once downtown, it was Standing Room Only, but Brian Setzer put on an awesome Christmas show! Could have done without some of his pure-rockabilly stuff, but it was still a great show! Jenn and I loved it! Definitely helped get my mind off of cars.
And then, more distractions, as Josh was baptized on the 11th. We kept the gathering small, though it was still a lively party. Everyone showed up before we were truly ready for them, but once we caught up, Jenn and I were able to kick back and mingle. People kept filing through, so we were socializing all day long. Shortly after the last people left around 8pm, we had one more set of visitors--Gregg and his wife, just in from North Carolina. After regaling him with tales of my car-pushing prowess, we had a good visit, and Jenn and I went to bed after another satisfying weekend.
12/12 - 12/14
So, after a successful baptism, and one dead car out of our lives, it was time for the second dead car to go. After getting a Saturn mechanic to personally show me what was done with the car, and why they thought it was a siezed bearing, I was convinced--the car was unrepairable. Some folks had suggested that I could replace the engine with a cheap used engine from some mystery source or another, but I decided it still wasn't cost-effective. So, after finding a private buyer through word of mouth, we sold my car (previously Jenn's car) for 2.5 times what any dealer or junk lot would have given us. And we didn't have to pay for additional towing.
Then, it was on to the Credit Union to line up financing. Finally, on the 14th, one week after the car died, we got posession of our new/used car. A 2004 Hyundai with 27k miles. Good condition, runs like a dream, looks like a Jaguar. And it was cheaper than a used Corolla. The car nightmare was over. Jenn offered to drive the Hyundai and let me drive the Vue, but I politely declined.
12/15 - 12/20
Thankfully, we got home before the snow storm hit. We got a LOT of snow, and while the Hyundai handled well, there was no point in risking the car so soon. So, our shared rides to work continued for another couple of days, though we now had enough cars to not have to share a ride. That weekend was pre-Christmas, as my parents came out to exchange gifts on Saturday, and we attended a Christmas party on Sunday. Everyone was a little cranky on Sunday, since he didn't sleep well, and neither did we as a result.
At this point, it was painfully obvious that we were having real money trouble for the first time in our marriage. The car was a painful and unexpected expense, but the money was disappearing before that. If anything, the car drew attention to the real problem--daycare. Daycare is expensive. Our daycare is quite affordable compared to most, and it is only a couple hundred dollars less per month than our base mortgage payment. Actually, if the car had died a few weeks later, we might have been in MUCH worse financial straits. So, in a bizarre way, buying a new/used car saved us financially. Go figure. We discussed it at length, but unfortunately, workable budgets are tough to set up when multiple people are involved. And we still had to pack for Louisville.
12/21 - 12/31
So, we packed up on the 21st, and headed down to Louisville on the 22nd. Josh slept for half the trip, and was pacifiable for the other half. Unlike the trip in October, we took care of feedings and diaper changes efficiently, and were able to keep our stops relatively short as a result. That Josh was two months older didn't hurt. Once in Louisville, we wisely handed Josh over to Marmee (Jenn's mom), and we got a brief respite. At dinner that night, Jenn's brother-in-law (Pat, the pediatrician) declared that Josh's head-tilt was nothing to worry about, but his lack of sleeping the night was. To quote, "He's got you trained!" Jenn wasn't pleased with this diagnosis, but it was hard to argue. The answer was simple, but hard--let Josh cry. The house was packed with people, so we said we'd start when we got back home. But Jenn's family quickly jumped in, declaring with one voice: "We don't mind--let him cry!"
This was not what we expected when we hopped into the car that morning, but we went with it. That night, we fed him once and changed his diaper once, but only checked on him otherwise. After getting some harsh looks from the family upon mentioning the diaper change, the next night we held out and merely checked on him. Josh was not happy with this lessening of nighttime attention, and cried long and loud about it. Jenn and I got very little sleep listening to him cry, though the rest of the family insisted that they didn't really hear him. Given that the beds we were in were not overly comfortable anyway, Jenn and I were completely wiped by the time Christmas Eve rolled around.
Christmas Eve was interesting, as Erin (Josh's two-month-younger cousin) was dressed in a matching outfit. They looked like identical twins. Everyone oo'ed and ah'ed over Josh and Erin, and then Josh petered out early, giving Jenn and I a chance to enjoy the party. Then, Jenn's cousin Steve watched Josh, and we went to the Carmelite convent for Christmas Eve mass, which was interesting as always. It is a cloistered nunnery, so mass has little pomp and nearly as little circumstance. STRONG communion wine, too. Like last time (two years previously), Jenn sang at the nun's request, and absolutely overwhelmed the chapel with her voice. No wonder they like having her sing. After lots of compliments, we all went back to the house, and Jenn and I collapsed in a heap. Josh woke us up quite a bit, but we miraculously got some sleep.
We were even more wiped for Christmas Day, which is always less exertive than Christmas Eve at Jenn's family, thank goodness. Still, a trip to the in-law's in-law's house in Indiana for dinner was involved. Josh was very well-behaved, and it was (again) a good time, but Jenn and I were wiped. That night, Josh slept in chunks, and we finally got some real sleep. Boxing Day held nothing special, and we got to visit with the less-extended family more. Erin and Josh continued to look exactly alike, even falling asleep in the same poses, except that Josh is twice the size. Many pictures were taken (which will be posted in due time).
Then, a miracle. Josh slept the night. We weren't sure what was wrong. He slept ten hours. We couldn't believe it! The next night, he slept eleven hours! And then, of course, it was time to head home. Would he keep to the new schedule after a car trip home? We thought not, since he (again) slept through half the trip. And he was really cranky for the other half. We were prepared to be disappointed. But he then slept twelve hours that night at home!! A Christmas miracle! Since then, he's consistently slept between eleven and twelve hours a night, depending on how tired he is. He will sometimes cry briefly in the night, especially when he has a cold, but almost always goes back down within a few minutes.
Another nightmare over. We still weren't sure how to stick to a budget, but we had a new car, and we were destined for MUCH more sleep. Josh had his four month appt the day after we got back, where he weighed in at 19 lbs 15 oz, which is the 98th percentile, and was declared perfectly healthy--and ready for solid foods! Given how he'd been eyeing our dinners, we weren't surprised when he immediately took to solid foods. We were surprised with the gusto with which he attacked the food! He simply could not get enough!
New Year's Eve was spent quietly, as we planned to get our first uninterrupted night's sleep since Josh was born. It would be the first time I'd miss midnight since I was a wee lad myself, but it would be worth it. We got to bed later than expected though, so before falling asleep, we heard fireworks from the neighbors across the pond. I rolled over and kissed Jenn, we wished each other a Happy New Year, and then we drifted off to sleep.
It was a rough month, but it ended well.