Life with a TWO year old.

It's been quite a while since my last Presley update. 

Negotiations are very popular right now... trying to get her to eat, to do something she doesn't want to but has to do, etc.  She has become extremely picky when it comes to eating.  Her new thing is stuffing food in her cheeks and never eating what's in there.  Oh and screaming, crying, and kicking.  For example, we went to Chick-fil-A today for lunch.  She was in SUCH a wonderful mood and ate so great - we celebrated by going to the play area!  After about 15-20 minutes of playing, it was time to head out.  I was coaxing her gently but really, no matter what I said, the tantrum was unavoidable.  Cue the kicking, screaming, and crying in the middle of the restaurant.  I just have to pick her up and force her out of there... which makes me feel and look like I'm stealing someones kid... awesome!

Moments before the breakdown...

 Want to know one area Presley is still a ROCKSTAR at?  Sleeping!

No fits when it comes to naps and bedtime.  We can fluctuate her bedtime and it doesn't affect her and she sleeps for a long time.  Unfortunately, she's starting getting up SUPER early (6:30-7am) no matter what time we put her down!  That is new for me but it is what it is!  Maybe once she's back on a real mattress and in her own room perhaps it will get better... just in time for a new baby to show up and throw a wrench in the sleeping all together!  Ayeeee yii yi! 

Presley still sleeps with a bunch of her favorite buddies and Tony & I sing to her every night before bed - usually the one her nighttime puppy used to sing before it crapped out and also twinkle twinkle.  We've also added Happy Birthday to her bedtime routine because she just loves that song.  We've also started singing a song about rubbing her hands and feet (to the tune of "row row row your boat") and rub her feet then hands before covering her up.  She LOVES it and it seems to really calm her down before bed.

Presley's currently liking mandarin oranges, chicken, fish sticks, cheese, cheese tortellinis (sometimes), apples (no peel), honey + PB sandwiches (no crust), milk (she's drinking 2% now), chips (oh my word! every flavor!), noodles, corn, green beans, french fries (the only potato she will eat), turkey + cheese sandwich (usually warm), and SOMETIMES cheese pizza... to name a few of the things that we can count on her eating regularly.

She just turned on me with grapes... she has been loving grapes for the longest and now she tells me she will eat them and then doesn't, ever!  

Oh goodness, and Presley has been such a little daredevil lately.  She loves standing up on the arm of the couch at Chris & Kristen's and jumping/falling off onto the couch among other things.  She's fallen off the couch several times lately and I just have to let it happen so she learns.  I can only tell her "no" and ask her to get down and redirect her only so many times.  So, I keep a close eye on her and stay close in case anything goes wrong and let her be the little adrenaline junky she is.

I love having her repeat the baby names we like right now... just hearing her say the name that will potentially belong to her little sister makes my heart melt into a puddle.  I have just two favorite names that I can't get out of my head... and really, if it were up to only me, I would have her name picked out right now because one name sticks out over the rest!  But, we will just have to be patient and keep talking about names together (Tony and I) and see where it leads.

Also?  Presley is starting to look a heck of a lot like her dad right now.  And she loves him in the sweetest ways.  I don't think I'll ever get over the way she runs to the front door when he gets home from work.  Or the way she talks about him throughout the day.  I love our family dynamic and I am so happy we have each other.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it much on the blog, but about a month or so ago Presley and I stopped nursing.  With the pregnancy and sleep changes and everything else going on, it just felt like the right time to stop breastfeeding.  I was 110% ready to be done but once it was over and there was no going back, I did have somewhat of a hard time with letting that part of our relationship go.  I was telling a friend recently that it also had to do with wanting some time between breastfeeding babies.  This way we will have about five months until breastfeeding the next one.  My concern here is that I may have burnt myself out with breastfeeding so long with Presley - I hope that's not the case - but I am mildly concerned with that right now... especially how taxing breastfeeding a newborn can be.  I am encouraged by other mothers telling me how much smoother it went the second time around because you already know what you are doing.  I have every intention and hope of breastfeeding throughout baby 2's first year of life just as I wanted for Presley.  I - CAN - DO - THIS.

SO, this is what life with our two year old looks like lately.  There are so many times throughout the day where I stop and text Tony, "She really is such a sweet girl."  Because she absolutely is.  We have our moments - good and bad - and we're all learning.  I love being a mom, especially to Presley, and I can't imagine where my life would be without her.

21 Week Pregnancy Reflection {Baby 2!}

How far along?:  Exactly 21 weeks along in my second pregnancy today! 

19 weeks to go!

I am feeling:  excited!  I really feel like March is gonna be our month.  I feel like it has so much potential - it's a brand new month with new opportunities.  It could be our month to move into OUR home.  My month when it comes to finding a doctor in town and starting to get prenatal care (don't you even get me started on this story - to make a long story short, we've had no health care for the last two months).  It'll be our month to find a new doctor for Presley.  It's our time to settle our roots.  I just have such high hopes for this upcoming month and I hope it doesn't disappoint.  After all, it's been good to us in the past - we started officially dating each other eleven years ago next month!  Instead of feeling anxious and desperate and defeated... for once, when I think of March and our current situation, I just feel excited.

Size of baby:  Baby 2 is the size of a banana this week - 7 inches, 11 ounces and growing!  That makes me hungry for banana pudding!!!  Oh and banana bread.  Might actually have to make some this week.

Movement:  I think I have been feeling Baby 2 for several weeks now but second guessing it.  Well, this week is finally the week that her kicks are no doubt kicks!!!  I hurried Tony over to feel my belly for the first time this pregnancy last night because she kicked 2-3 times over and over in the same spot but of course she stopped as soon as he put his hands on me! 

What I miss most:  Not a whole lot at the moment.  I'm not kidding when I say this pregnancy really hasn't gotten in the way of my every day life.  It isn't that I forget I'm pregnant or anything... but I just feel more normal and capable this time around, I guess.  I don't like feeling so sleepy all the time - but then again Presley has been getting up much earlier than she used to.  I guess I don't like having to pee all times of the day... and just think this will get WORSE!

What I'm excited about:  Oh man, I guess I answered this one by accident a few questions ago!  Don't worry, there is plenty excitement to go around.  I feel very excited when it comes to Baby 2.  I can't wait to see her little features and sweet baby everything!!!  I can't wait to choose a name for this future beauty queen.  (Hopefully soon!!!)  I can't wait to see the gears turning over the next few months for Presley when she realizes she will be a big sister.  I cannot wait to see my babies together.  I can't wait to see my husband become a dad again and hold his 2nd baby in the hospital.  So many mental pictures yet to be taken and I feel so lucky to be in the drivers seat.

Cravings:  Potatoes.  Give me some potato salad with a loaded baked potato with a side of BBQ baked potato and some potato soup.  How about adding some creamy mashed potatoes to the mix.  All of that just sounds amazing.


This excitement thing is a great feeling.  Is this what it feels to be a glass-half-full kinda person?!  Because it must be great to live life feeling hopeful all or most of the time.  And I know I haven't said too much on the blog when it comes to house hunting... that's mostly because we thought we found the ONE and it ended up not working out in our favor.  Every house we've seen since isn't even worth talking about on here... so we may revisit the house again and look at our options more closely.  Hopefully we will rule it completely in or completely out this time around.

My Baby Names.

I know this story has been told once or twice before, but really, who gets sick of talking about a love story?  Especially when it's their own?

I'm linking up with Kathryn from Team Whitaker to talk about part of our love story that includes a baby girl and how we ended up choosing a name that was just for her. 

First, lets start with the mama.  My name is Allison Michelle and I love my name.  My name is unique and something my parents seemingly agreed on together.  My name has no family ties and was picked purely out of love for those two names.  How cool is that?  My two sisters have family ties in their names (Amanda Marie - Marie is hugely popular in my family - and Ashley Merideth - Merideth is my mom's maiden name), so you could imagine as the middle child, I had a complex about this.  When I realized I was the only one who was different out of us, I took it personally.  Then I got over it and realized how cool it was to be different and that even though they each had family names, theirs were different too.  To fast foward a couple years...

My husband and I found out that we were carrying a girl about halfway through our first pregnancy.  I was ECSTATIC and so relieved to be having a girl.  I don't know if it was because I came from a family of three girls or what... but I just felt like having a girl the first time around was perfect for us.  And I was totally right.

Our daughters name was discussed long before we ever got pregnant or were even married.  I was one of those girls who often thought about baby names throughout different times in my life and it's something Tony and I would discuss together.  I wanted our first baby to honor my dad and also utilize family names if possible and that's how we landed on Presley Rose.  Apologizing in advance for everyone who has heard this story a trillion times... but since I'm linking up with a whole bunch of new blogger pals, I must tell the story once more!

To say my dad was an Elvis Presley fan may be somewhat of an understatement.  He straight up loved the guy and his music!  And I remember his Elvis impressions were just great.  I also remember nearly every Christmas he would load the family up into our station wagon (aka, chick magnet or "chick mag" as it was lovingly known) and we would drive passed Graceland to see the blue lights on the house while listening to a little "Blue Christmas."  My dad was a fan before the family even moved to Memphis, Tennessee and I'm sure the admiration he felt for the King of Rock & Roll just got better after moving here for dad.  So Tony and I went with the king's last name for our child's first name.

Presley's middle name was handed down from my paternal grandmother - Elinor Rose.  It's a beautiful, timeless name and my grandmother is someone who is very interesting, open-minded, witty, and someone I have always liked spending time with - so many qualities I appreciate and would love bestowed upon my daughter.  Tony hugely loved my Gramma's middle name for Presley and he really pushed to use that name.

This time around?  We totally prepared our hearts for a boy.  At first, all I could think about was having another girl.  That's what I wanted.  But somewhere along the way I started to brace myself in case we would be bringing a boy into our family this time around.  So I prepared myself ahead of time so I wouldn't be disappointed or anything.  (I know that sounds awful - I can't think of another way to put it!)  And then bracing myself turned into neutrality which soon turned into hoping for a boy!  How that happened, I'm still not sure.  We came up with a boy name that we both agreed on right away: Benjamin Anthony!  (That should've been sign enough that we wouldn't be having a boy... agreeing on a name so easily!!!)

As you may know, this 2nd baby Duggan is a GIRL and we are so overjoyed.  And of course, we are having a very difficult time agreeing on a name that feels right.  I can think of dozens of names that work well with our last name, sound good with Presley, and names that have meaning to us.  My husband, on the other hand, is having a harder time finding one that fits his criteria - a criteria he even has yet to discover.  Meaning, he doesn't know exactly what he's looking for or expecting, but it is no doubt going to be a magical moment when he hears THE name.  [insert sigh here]

So, it might be a while until we come up with a baby name this time around.  Tony wants it to have as much background and meaning and purpose as Presley's, but I told him the important thing is that we focus on THIS baby and that what's special is her parents coming up with her name together.  And he agreed.  But here we are.  My mother-in-law suggested getting a book full of baby names - and we have a great one... in storage!  Just another thing being put on hold until we find a place to live...

Presley's Birthday Eve.

Holy freaking guacamole.  I just feel like I'm not ready for this.  I don't feel like I've let it all set in that Presley is turning two tomorrow and it makes me so sad.  I wish there weren't so many things going on at once that has kept me from really processing this.  Not that there is really some huge life changing thing that occurs with a birthday... it really is just another day like any other, but I feel like it is monumental in the big scheme.  Or maybe it's just the opposite.  I don't know.

But my first baby is about to double her age overnight.  It's just surreal and the thing I don't want to happen here is let it pass by without making it special for her.  I see these parents out there making occasions so special for their kids - Valentines Day, Christmas, Birthdays, etc.. and we have yet to really start on that.  And I worry that maybe we (Presley, Tony, and I) are missing out on something fun.

Birthday plans as of now?  Hopefully spending tomorrow doing the things she enjoys... if it's a nice day then we will go to the park and probably the zoo.  She also loves the play area at the mall, so maybe I'll take her there.  She likes Chick-Fil-A, so I wouldn't mind taking her there for lunch - maybe have Tony meet us there on his break.  For dinner we are heading to Texas Roadhouse because they e-mailed us a free kids meal for her special day!  She will love that atmosphere!!  Then the real celebration takes place this Saturday.  Since we aren't in a home of our own yet, we decided to make reservations at a local hotel so that we could enjoy some swimming, pizza, and cupcakes with friends and family who can make it!  We planned on either doing a Tangled (Disney movie) or Sesame Street theme... but as I said before, it seems silly going over the top with a theme when it's not necessary.  I just want her to have a good time.  And it's been a crazy few weeks!

And being the silly, hormonal, pregnant lady I am... I decided to make the cupcakes for her party... the flavors I chose?  Half will be lemon... and half will be strawberry.  Silly.  But hopefully delicious.  Haven't decided the exact flavor to go with for the icing - but they'll both be iced the same way to keep it simple.  Can't wait to see her dig right into one, either!!!

Welp.  I had big plans for writing out all my thoughts, opinions, emotions... etc. but they seem to just be non-existent right now, as I've sorta mentioned before.  Maybe it'll hit me tonight.  Or maybe tomorrow on her birthday.  Maybe next week.  Maybe this is it!  Who knows.  In the meantime, we'll be celebrating our sweet girls birthday in whatever fashion feels right, I guess, and I'm just getting very excited!  I'm off to enjoy the last day with my little one year old...

Presley flexing her muscles like Ashie!
We went to Chattanooga for a weekend visit with Ashie and Jojo!

We stopped through Nashville to see Annie, Amanda & Sammy!
They were so sweet and had a great time together!!

 

Story time with Amanda!

Presley loving on Mickey ;)

 

Presley & I at Overton Park!

Have a happy week everybody!!!!

It's a GIRL!

We found out today that we are expecting a baby girl in July!

Words can't even begin to describe how at peace I feel after seeing that out baby was alive and healthy today via ultrasound. We are so blessed with that technology! Though I didn't get to experience it next to my husband, my little sister got to be there with me today!!!! Amazing! I just feel so lucky.

And in case you don't believe me, here is the proof:

Now... To come up with a name for this little lady!!! We have ZERO girl names picked out. (And of course already chose our boys name!!!). Any suggestions? :)

The Struggle.

For all of my facebook friends, sorry for the repetition, because I am sure you will hear stuff here that I've vented on FB recently.  It just feels good to talk through my thoughts and feelings in more than just a few quick statements for a status update.

Something on my mind lately is the frustration I feel at falling in love with these houses on paper, going to visit with hopes ultra high, and then leaving and figuring out that the home will not be our house.  I was getting very discouraged... our second batch of houses and still nothing.  I feel this way mostly because I am so ready to stop being a burden and start living on our own again.  I think if our living situation was different than it would take the pressure off the situation.

We were slated to see 4 houses, all in the same general area.  This area is MUCH closer to my in-laws than the last batch of homes.  (That is important to us and was a major con with the location of the last 4 homes.)  We ended up not being able to see one of the homes yesterday because, guess what?  It sold!  My first genuine reaction?  Hey, that's good, means it isn't our home!!!

Now, onto the houses! 

House #1: Built in 2000, 2 stories, 4BD 2BA.  You could tell this home had been foreclosed a few years ago and has since been given the updates and TLC it needed and they HIT IT OUT OF THE PARK!  The house looks amazing.  I loved the fresh paint and new carpets.  I loved the counter space in the kitchen and really adored the 4th bedroom.  Unfortunately, the closets were teeeeeny tiny!  Like I was telling a friend, it looked like the house was 98% redone and unfortunately, for me it made the 2% stick out like a sore thumb.  Good part about that?  Only 2% of the redo would fall on our shoulders.  But for some reason, I just never felt that this would be our home.  And I went into this house feeling like we would be making an offer before the day was done!!!

House #2:  Built in 2014, one story, 3BD 2BA.  What can I say about this home other than it was beautiful.  And brand-spankin' new.  How appealing!  A home that has never been lived in and is fresh and waiting for a family to make memories in it.  I liked that this home had a split bedroom plan - the kids on one side of the house and us on the other.  It made the house feel a lot bigger that way.  Overall though?  This house (and the next one, which are practically identical) was just way too tiny for a growing family like ours.

This house had the dishwasher installed, unlike the photo here shows.

 

House #3:  Built in 2014, one story, 3BD 2BA.  Pretty much everything I said about the 2nd house applies here.  Same builder, same square footage... yadda yadda.  Though, this house didn't offer the same split bedroom floor plan so it felt even smaller!  Again, not our home.  Beautiful... so beautiful... but not our home.  Also?  These houses were in a subdivision full of all new homes that were right on top of one another and a lot of construction still happening.  No fence, big mud pits all over the front and back yard, etc. etc.

 

So there you have it.  I went into the day with my hopes set WAY too high and left feeling pretty crummy.  We are setting off to yet another area in the Midsouth to check out two homes that have already won my heart over COMPLETELY (on paper).  Trying to keep my expectations low but that is easier said than done.  I scoped out both neighborhoods on Google Earth and they both look fantastic.  Elementary schools for both houses are great as well (one is rated 7/10 and the other 9/10) and for me, that is a huge bonus!  Not to mention, both houses combined haven't even spent a month on the market and I feel like they might go fast - so we are going to see them quickly which makes me feel proactive. {UPDATE: Before I could even FINISH this entry or hit "publish"... one of the two homes we were slated to see this afternoon has SOLD!  In less than 24 hours they got 5 offers and sold the home for $10,000 over their asking price.  Sheesh.  Competition is steep out there right now, you guys.  And I am bummmmmmed.  Trying to tell myself it is not our home... our home is still out there... and that this is just saving us time and energy... it's a good thing, it's a good things, it's a good thing.....}

This leads me to sharing what exactly we are looking for in a home.  One of my sisters recently asked what our priorities for a home was and I have yet to answer because I didn't really know HOW to answer it.  First of all, like most people, we are looking for safe, quiet neighborhoods and decent schools.  On top of that... we have a list of things we are looking for in a home.

Our home must have:

• Dishwasher
• Disposal
• Bathtub (bonus: master bath with jets)
• 3 bedrooms (including a master bedroom)
• 2 bathrooms (including a master bathroom)
• Plenty of usable kitchen space (prefer an eat-in kitchen - not necessary)
• Garage (preferably attached - not necessary)
• Central air/heat
• Plenty of closet space
• Backyard (preferably fenced - not necessary)

Bonus:

• Fireplace (preferably non-gas logs)
• Playroom &/or usable basement or attic space
• A mud room
• Flat driveway and yard - safer for the kids and easier to mow/landscape
• Extra .5 bathroom - that would be a bonus!  (But would also mean more toilets to clean!)

Not extremely hard to achieve... right?  RIGHT?!  Hopefully it is doable and achievable here soon.  Because mama wants a home.  Nesting is real... people... :)  20 weeks until this baby is due... that gives us just about 4-5 months to find a home, close on our home, move into our home, get things set up... ETC!  We can do this and we will do this.

No Looking Back!

It's February 11th today... that means exactly 9 days until my BABY turns two years old!  And after that, there is no looking back.  She will never be one again!  I am so excited for her being two and beyond... to watch her become a big sister... for her to master things like jumping and maybe start the earliest stages of swimming... to go from a crib to a toddler bed... to start having favorites and all those fun, crazy things that two year olds do.  (Notice: Not on my list of things I'm looking forward to is potty training.  The thought of it scares the hell out of me.  But, hopefully that will come too.)  Expect a supremely sappy birthday post sometime next week... assuming I can hold it in that long!

Presley's first time sliding by herself!

This happy girl sang her aunt Ashie a happy birthday! It was the sweetest. 
This is a still from the video we sent Ashley.

Other news?  I think I have tentatively ruled out fixer-upper homes.  Ideally, it would be a fantastic idea, experience, and investment - but when you consider where we are currently ("homeless" with one baby and another on the way) I just don't think it's an option for us.  If it doesn't have EVERY thing we want and there are projects we'd like to do down the road -sure!- but we are going to focus on homes that already have the basics and that are move-in ready.  Coming to that conclusion has given me a great deal of peace in this process.  While there are still so many unknowns for us and plenty of decisions to make, I am happy to have one decision tentatively checked off.  Next up?  What part of the Midsouth are we going to live in?!  So many options!

We are looking in the Memphis area for a home - this includes so many areas... Bartlett, Cordova, Germantown, Midtown, Downtown, Collierville, Oakland, Lakeland, and then there are the cities just off the Tennessee border in Mississippi... Olive Branch, Southaven, etc!  Granted, we've narrowed it down beyond that initial list... I still feel like we have so many options and they are all so very different.  Different style homes, different taxes, different schools, different commutes.  There are strong pros and cons in each city we are looking in.  When we were still navigating the loan process I viewed these choices as more stressful than they were exciting but now that we are READY to buy - I am getting more and more excited with each new hopeful.

Tomorrow Presley and I, along with our fabulous realtor, are going to check out the second round of houses - this time in a totally separate area than the last.  We will hopefully be scouting out four just like we did the last time.  I plan to share some of my favorite things and additional observations about these homes, too.  I am trying so hard not to get my hopes up because anything could happen... but I really really really feel like one of these four houses could become our home.  My friend Lindsey said that when they were looking for homes they had a list of expectations for their home - both needs and wants - and the way that they picked "the one" was going by that list.  Well, these next houses seriously have so many of those things for us.  I look forward to writing a blog later in the week that includes what we are looking for in this home!

Other excitement for this week?  We're going to get Presley's BIRTHDAY pictures done today!  I gave her a bath before naptime this afternoon and guess what happened?  Right before Presley got out she slipped and smacked the entire side of her face.  When I put her down it was still red so I wonder if that will make the photos!  I'm so excited for the results of these pictures and can't wait for you guys to see her sweet outfit.

Another thing I am just busting at the seems about is going to see WICKED with my mother-in-law, Selena, tomorrow evening!!!!  I saw it in Chicago in 2005 with my Aunt Donna and I was absolutely blown away by it.  So much so that when I saw it was coming to Memphis I knew there was no way I wouldn't be going to it and I am beyond excited for Selena to see what it's all about.  I am also excited to see how it compares to the first time I saw it.

Here is Presley with her Papa Mike & Grandmommy Selena at lunch Sunday... this is after we looked at the four houses from the post earlier in the week! So very thankful for my in-laws support and input throughout this process.

Then, later this week, we will have to chance to visit my sister and future brother-in-law!  They live about 5 hours away so they are just close enough for a trip but just far enough to not do it regularly so this is special for us!!!  And next week?  Well, we just might be finding out if baby 2 is a HE or SHE!  And then there is Presley's birthday and birthday party!!!  It seems like there are so many exciting things going on right now and so many things bringing us joy and anticipation right now.  I've got to remember to pace myself and not get too worked up about everything because it's those moments that when things don't go the way I planned it can be pretty upsetting... so just have to stay positive!

Presley, Baby 2, & I last week visiting Selena at work! 
I'm just about 18 weeks here.

Hope to be back later in the week with some positive news and that in the meantime you are having a spectacular week as well - I'd love to hear about it!!!  And for those of you who have sent me well wishes, advice, or just to let me know that we've been in your thoughts throughout the first time homebuying process - I appreciate you more than you may be aware.  None of it is unsolicited or unwanted in any way and I take your words of wisdom to heart.  Putting myself out there and giving you all specifics on our current situation is so that I can get your feedback - so I hope you know I TRULY appreciate every word of it.  So thank you friends and family... I love you guys so much and only hope to be a blessing in your life like you have been in mine!

House hunting!

As some of you know, my husband and I are in the process of first time home buying.  We're finally at the point where our loan has been approved and are starting to look at homes.  We look at four gorgeous houses today and it made me realize how excited I really am to move forward.  It's been a little tough trying to find the area we want to settle down in but that'll eventually fall into place.  I wanted to write about all four houses that we saw today and get some feedback!

House #1:  Built in 2003, single story home, 3BD 2BA.  This one is bank-owned and will need some TLC.  The previous owners smoked inside the house so the vents were in need of a deep clean.  It'll need new paint to get the smell out, new carpet, and just needs to be deep cleaned everywhere.  Because they are selling this "as is" the price is pretty low.  Oh, and there is a really weird, huge shed in the back yard.  But the yard is fenced in.  I honestly don't remember much else from this property.

House #2:  Built in 1996, single story home, 4BD 2BA.  My mother-in-law & I really loved this one and is move-in ready.  The house isn't very big - and therefore neither are the rooms - but it is enough for us. I fell in love with the open concept den and kitchen area complete with a real fireplace!  BEAUTIFUL.  The rooms spill into one another so when you are cooking or doing dishes, you don't feel closed off from everyone else.  The garage is a big, spacious one.  New roof, new carpet, new neutral paint, new hardwood flooring.  Washer/dryer fits hooks up in a hall closet, which wasn't that big of a deal.  The master bathroom was lackluster.  (I really want a jacuzzi tub and this had a tiny tiny shower/tub combo.  I know... spoiled.  Just a pipe dream!)  Other downside?  There is no back door.  In order to get to the backyard, you have to open up the garage door & go out from there.  Which I honestly didn't even notice until our realtor pointed it out.  WEIRD.  We got to talking about it... in case of emergency, that leaves you ONE exit through the front door - if you couldn't use the garage door.  I mean, you could always go through a window, but still.  Weird.  Also, very big yard that is not fenced in.  My question is, does anyone else find the no back door thing odd?  The bedrooms also felt like they were one right on top of the other since there are 4 in a relatively small house.  (Just thinking about life with a crying baby...)  Otherwise, this place hit it out of the PARK with me.

House #3:  Built in 2005, two story home, 4BD 2BA.  This one was Tony's favorite.  It was also bank-owned and somewhat of a fixer-upper.  It would require a deep clean, new paint, and new carpets.  It also comes with an in ground pool - which adolescent me would find as a HUGE bonus, but adult me finds it as somewhat of a small bother.  3 bedrooms were downstairs and the 4th was above the garage and would be used as a playroom because it's huge.  It's a split bedroom floor plan so our bedroom is on the opposite side of the house from the kids' rooms... which is pretty nice.  The master bathroom was beautiful with a big jacuzzi tub and a separate shower.  The living room was huge and opened up into the kitchen as well, which was nice.  Separate laundry room right off of the kitchen.  Decent garage but not much attic storage.  Also has a gas fireplace.  Would require a lot of work/money before moving in which we could probably talk down the asking price as a result.  I liked the potential... but all the work it would require might stress me out because at this point I am so ready to be in our own place.

House #4:  Built in 2006, single story home, 3BD 2BA.  Move-in ready.  It had a nice size garage that opened up into the laundry room.  From there you walk into the kitchen which felt somewhat closed off from the living room (and had great cabinets).  The living room was spacious and included a gas fireplace.  It's a split bedroom floor plan so our bedroom is on the opposite side of the house from the kids' rooms... which is pretty nice.  The master bedroom was a nice size and the master bath had a jacuzzi tub and separate shower.  The bedrooms were both pretty big and the guest bathroom was beautiful.  The backyard was a pretty perfect size, was fenced in, and had a covered patio area.  I loved the laundry room and felt that it was very convenient. 

Overall, I really like the move-in ready houses because they truly feel homey.  I do like the layout of the 3rd house but all the work makes me nervous not knowing how long it would take.  These houses are all in the same town and it's somewhat on the outskirts of the city - which would require a longer commute to nearly anywhere we go.  We now have to make the decision whether that commute is okay with us or not.  The taxes are much lower and therefore we are able to get a lot more home for our money, which I love.

Big decisions coming up!  Very excited to get going and start making things happen!!!