Going forward, however, my Crazy Murderer Deterrent Booby Traps shall grow more elaborate, and my fears even more insane. Look what we bought:
(House: side view)
(That...is not our stuff.)
We're moving in late June (in that blink-and-you-miss-it moment after school ends, but before camp begins), destination: northern NJ. Our house is perfect for us, or it will be after we redo the kitchen, which has literally -- LITERALLY -- not been updated since the Eisenhower Administration.
What this means is, when we're not working and hanging with the kids, J is taking care of brilliantly organizing and orchestrating every important thing, and I'm obsessing over things for which I want to punch myself in the face. Things like backsplashes, and drawer pulls, and...granite edge styles. (Bullnose! Bevel! Ogee! AM I IN A DR. SEUSS BOOK?) Also, Googling crucial home improvement tips, like "making sure your new house isn't possessed," and "how to paint a room with your spouse without filing for divorce."
I will desperately miss our neighborhood, friends, and apartment living for a whole mess of reasons, but I'm also beyond-words excited for our next step. (I'm in a glass case of emotion, truly.) We can't wait for the kids to each have their own room, a backyard in which to play (complete with new swingset!). And the space! Oh, sweet lord, THE SPACE.
The kids know we're moving, but I am a touch worried that when it becomes real, it'll actually hit them that they've left behind their friends, home, and nanny (which, don't even get me started, or I will cry about that -- again -- as she is amazing and has been with us for nearly five years, and OH, HERE COME THE TEARS AGAIN). Any of you who've done significant moves with small kids: do you have any advice/book suggestions/ideas for ways to cushion the impact, so to speak? And failing that, please feel free to share your favorite ways to booby trap your house to guard against intruders, and/or adjust to life in the suburbs. Lord knows I need all the help I can get. (Am I supposed to buy Juicy pants? I'm supposed to buy Juicy pants, aren't I.)
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61 comments:
Annalie is 7, and she's moved three times already thanks to the Navy. Definitely find a book about moving! I don't have a particular recommendation; we had a board book we found in Target's dollar section that talked about packing up boxes and the moving truck taking them away to the new house, saying good-bye and meeting new people, etc.
Good luck! And congratulations!
Woah! Congrats! This city will miss you for sure.
Woah! Congrats! This city will miss you for sure.
You'll have to disclose where in northern NJ. If it's Elizabeth or Paramus then I'm telling you now that I'll be a visitor post-Ikea trips.
Also; is a minivan next?
Also, also; congrats, you crazy kids!
I can't get past the gorgeousness that is that house! But I sort of want to see pictures of this kitchen, because it must be entertaining.
No advice on moving with kids, but I wish you the best of luck!
I just left you the most awesome comment ever and Blogger ate it.
DAMN IT.
We'll be neighbors-ish.
I am just CRAZY EXCITED FOR YOU YAY OMG!!!!!
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh congrats!
(the aaaahhh is also slightly jealous, because omg buying a house is so hard and I hate it.)
OH MY! CONGRATULATIONS! ACK! So excited for you!!!!!
CONGRATS!!!! THAT IS AWESOME! And now you won't have to pump gas! :)
I always use my cat as the intruding murderer detector. As in, the cat is still asleep on my bed, so that noise must not have been someone sneaking in the door with a knife.
The house is so pretty, congratulations!! I feel safer in my big house when I have proper window coverings so at night I know no one can see me. (Eww, that gives me the creeps just typing it). Deadbolts on the doors, etc. help, too. :)
Congrats! That house looks beautiful!
When we moved with our kids we had them each pack a bag full of their favorite toys which they got to physically transport to the new house. That way they knew that they were safe and they had toys right away at the new place and it was something familiar.
SO exciting!!
I moved a lot as a kid (military family) and my parents always had a special box for me and my brother (purchased from a different store in a different color). We packed it ourselves and got to unpack it straight away at the new house - so it held our favorite toys and books, what not. We also got a special day with Grandma (or the nanny!) for move in day - so Mom and Dad could deal with furniture and open doors without worrying about us.
Congratulations!
We just moved with four year old twin boys. What helped us was to go visit the new house (a few times, actually) and let the boys go crazy in it. Then we talked about it ALL THE TIME.
In the new house, you will have your own rooms! (but you can still sleep together if you want)
In the new house, you can destroy the trees in the backyard with your lightsabers on the first day!
We also had the boys help us pack boxes so they could see that everything was going to the new house. They mistakenly thought new house = all new stuff.
Congratulations! Looks like a beautiful place!
Congratulations. I don't know about NJ, but generally-just NO Juicy anything, especially "sweatpants."
We just moved twice in 6 months. The first time was a move of 150 miles, so new school for our 5 year old. The 2 year old stopped going to daycare and stays home with me now. Honestly, they adapted really quickly the first time. The second time made them think we can just move as the whim strikes, even though it was just around the corner.
Congrats! And that house looks amazing. You'll have so much room you might actually lose each other in various rooms!
CONGRATS!!!!!! So very fantastic!
Congrats! We moved from GA to NC last summer when our son was 5...my tip is"don't let the kids see your apt empty!". He had a heartbreaking crying session that became a family cry session. It was just too too confusing. But 5 minutes after we walked in the new house he announced that he LOVED IT! Best of luck!
It's GORG! I can't wait to see the rest of the pictures!
Remember our conversation in Seattle? Just have a smaller TV than the people next door and no one will bother you. Case closed.
Because the new house is RAD, the kids will adjust seamlessly. Promise.
Buy a dog? And not one that fits in your purse. It'll help you sleep better when J is away.
Congratulations!
When we moved, I took pictures of each of the rooms in the old place (before we packed) and the outside of the building and the neighborhood and had it made into a photo-book. It was great for when the home-sickness for the old place hit. (And we only needed to pull it out twice.)
When we prepared to make our move, which was exactly one year ago today, I helped my kids pack "survival kits" (we moved these ourselves) which had a sleeping bag, new pair of pjs, a new and an old book, a favorite stuffie and a new toy, new toothbrushes, toothpaste and some individual cereal containers and plastic spoons, just in case our moving van didn't make the 500 mile trip on time. Which it didn't. Plus, we didn't have to go crazy looking for a couple of essentials in those first days after the move.
Good luck, and have fun!
Congrats!!!!!!
It can take a while for kids to adjust to a move. It took Michael much longer than we anticipated. But they will adjust. Take the kids to see the house before you move, and let them have some say and where stuff goes. Let them feel in control.
Congratulations! It's a gorgeous house!
Wow, congratulations!!! This is a gorgeous place.
I have no helpful hints, I'm just so excited for you!
Oh, biggest congrats! The biggest!
Wooohoooooo! So excited for you all!
Congrats on the house!!
I just moved from city to suburb.
On the one hand: OMG I MISS THE CITY AND MY FRIENDS AND LIKE, WALKING TO STUFF
On the other hand: Holy shit: do you know how much easier life is with a garage? And coat closet? and laundry room? DO YOU???
I am drunk on space. And I miss the bustle. And, well: such is the trade off. But I will say, without qualifier: I am a nicer person since moving, and my family is better for it. So. ThereIam.
YAY! How exciting for you. I am getting a rash just thinking about all of the things you get to do and have to do. Neurosis and home ownership go hand in hand. CONGRATS!
YAY.
Now I have a place to stay when I come to visit. Hee!
SO EXCITING! Home ownership is wonderful (just not very glamourous, so get yourself some work gloves. mine are pink, for the record)
My kid was smaller when we moved, but she got pretty upset when the movers took her stuff away. (She looked concerned when they took her toys, she burst into inconsolable sobs when they took the vacuum cleaner.) I would just say that you might want to explain that all their stuff is coming back. Because my mom also tells the story of when I cried during one of our moves when the movers took our car.
I've found the best way to paint a room with your spouse without filing for divorce is to have only one of you paint it. We both taped, he painted. We remain married.
Congratulations on the house! It's beautiful! You will be showing us lots of pictures when you get all moved in, right?
I'm so excited for you! On advice, we let Brynna pick her paint color for her new room and a few new accessories which made it exciting for her. We also "camped" in the house with no furniture one night, which she really loved and thought was a ton of fun.
Books: Alexander, Who's Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move! I love Alexander.
So, so excited for you. I have no real advice regarding the kids, although I will say that when we moved, we put the more sensitive dog with friends and had her come to the house after we'd unpacked because we didn't want her to witness all the actual change (and screaming and crying, done mostly by moi).
Re: living in the 'burbs, no you do NOT need Juicy pants. You do need a go-to recipe for something to take to neighbor get togethers, and I recommend checking with the neighborhood association before painting your door red. But you'll love it!
Oh wow that is so exciting! The house is gorgeous, even with other people's stuff in it! Congrats, you guys.
Congrats! I can tell you that the best murderer deterrent we've ever had is our Doberman. We keep him crated by the door, so he's the first thing people intent on harming us will see. He also has a fierce bark.
Congratulations!
We just moved with our 2-year-old, and my friend who works in child development sent me a Word template for a moving-themed kids' book, into which you can drop your own personal photos. The pages say things like "This is my [current] house," "This is a picture of my NEW house," "We will pack up all my toys and play with them at the NEW house," etc. Worked like a charm for us. If you'd like me to forward it to you, lemme know!
I've never moved with my kids but when I was a kid we moved a lot. We would get used to the new house by playing hide and seek in the boxes when we first arrived. Also, if you can spend the night in the house before you actually move in you could let the kids stay up late to see how the house is when it's dark. If there are any weird noises coming from the furnace/AC or pipes or whatever you can figure it out and explain it before it becomes "the cowboy stomping through the kitchen" or "someone shuffling down the hall in their slippers" (both things I was afraid of as a child that turned out to be the furnace).
To help them settle into having their own rooms you should let them help decorate so they are invested and feel like it is their own space.
Moving into a new house is fun and exciting and stressful and scary - I hope it all goes ok!
Congratulations on your house purchase!
Speaking of crazy murderer deterrent boobie traps - there is a very funny series of mysteries written by a woman named Sparkle Hayter (yes, that's her name) in which the heroine leaves a pot of poison ivy by her apartment window in case someone tries to break in, so at least they will regret it later. The first one is called "What's a Girl Gotta Do?" (I was just reminded of this series when you mentioned the boobie traps, and can't help but recommend them to you.) :-)
If you're headed to Teaneck you can be friends with my sister and 3 awesome nieces!
Aaaaah! Congratulations! But also: OMG SUBURBS!
I am dying to know which town, because I am nosy like that.
And one of the biggest reasons I am sorely afeared of moving out of the City is the burglar/murderer paranoia. Although with a good security system, and maybe some federal agents stationed out in the yard, I could probably sleep at night. Yep, I'm normal.
Congratulations you guys! SO EXCITED for you!!
LOVE the house!! That's so very exciting for you guys.
Ooooh, pretty! Lots of space, hard floors! I'm drooling over your new place over here. :-)
Congrats! It's beautiful!
Congrats! Gorgeous house. When we moved, the baby was less than 1 year but we moved her furniture in and decorated her room just like it was in the other house... so she never even noticed ANYTHING! I'm sure your kids are old enough to "get it"... You will just have to put a positive spin on EVERYTHING and of course, try not to argue w/ daddy too much (in front of them anyway!). Good luck!
When we moved my boys were 3 and 5 . . . I got them toy moving trucks with doors that actually opened so they could put their duplos and whatever inside and practice moving. I have no idea if it made a difference since they seemed to have no trouble adjusting. The people they loved most were with them . . . and all their toys.
Congrats!
Fun fact to help you sleep at night: Sellers are required by law in some states to disclose if a house is haunted. Seriously; my aunt and uncle's mortgage info mentions "spirits." Read the fine print :)
Kids are adjustable; you all will LOVE it!
I am so far behind in Google Reader after my vacation, I just saw this. Congratulations! You'll love your house after apartment living. I surely did. The kids will love the extra space.
We closed on our house when I was 39 weeks pregnant. I joked that it was the mother of all nesting! I'm sure this will be much easier and less stressful! Congratulations on your new home!
Welcome back! :)
Wow, that house looks huge! I freaked out when I moved into my own house and between my dog and deadbolt locks; it was all good.
Congratulations!
I am so late in coming here to say:
a. CONGRATULATIONS!
b. Your house is GORGEOUS.
c. YOU HAVE A HOUSE!
d. YAAAAAAY!
e. My apologies for the excessive use of ALL CAPS EXCLAIMING! in this comment.
f. ALL OF THE ABOVE.
I think you should adopt a dog or two!! The kids will LOVE them and you will be protected! And hey, you'll be saving a life if you get your dog from a shelter or rescue organization!
I moved around a lot when I was little and I don't actually remember the actual moves. I don't think it was a big deal, so maybe it won't be a big deal to your kids either. Just point out the FUN parts of the new house.
Congrats!
Also, if you haven't noticed, I am clearly catching up on your posts. By reading them in reverse order...
I don't know, either.
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