I was taking the framed artwork down from Connor’s wall and wrapping it in bubble wrap for the move when the emotion really hit me. We’ve been through so many changes in the past nine years. This house has been the setting for so many memories.
Waiting with Aaron and Eric in the still-chilly house on Moving Day for the tow truck to arrive and tow the empty U-Haul out of the mud.
Bringing kitty Mei home for the first time and watching her do laps, then lay down and sleep under the speaker stands or the recliner.
Quiet Sunday mornings lounging on the couch, reading magazines and petting Mei.
Playing with Mei and her kitty fishing pole, or the laser pointer, or her jingle ball.
Intimate afternoons with Aaron.
Parties with our friends, playing Rock Band, looking at photos of our vacations, enjoying adult beverages and sushi and roast pork (though not all at the same time).
Laying newborn Connor on the living room floor on the afghan Traeonna made for him, eating the Indian takeout Sheryl brought for us, just embarking on the very beginning of this crazy parental journey.
Flooding the bathroom with my first post-partum BM.
Nursing Connor in his room at 3am, both of us wrapped in a blanket against the winter chill, with Aaron laying on the floor to keep us company.
Rocking Connor to sleep, listening to Neil Young live at Massey Hall.
Letting Connor “cry it out” during a week of sleep-training, after Aaron spent four (FOUR!) hours one night trying to get Connor to stay down.
Connor falling down and giving himself a black eye at his first birthday party, only a few days after taking his first steps.
And now, Connor running around, chattering away, trying to get into everything, but being irresistably cute while doing it.
It’s not that I’m sad to leave our current home, per se. Our new home is going to be host to so many new family memories; it’s just realizing that our current home is already on its way to being just a memory, just a story we tell Connor, just a place we drive Connor to see when he asks where we lived when he was born. Soon, this place will be filed away in my mind with our first apartment together, and my one apartment on my own, and Aaron’s few apartments on his own.
We spent nine years of our life here. We’ll spend many, many more at the new house.
Those are some good memories. I can remember Sam falling asleep to Coldplay at my old place. That moving day was cold as hell! The U-Haul–I’d forgotten about that or having move things extra far. New memories to be made now!
so many memories, so vary glad thay are, mostly, good ones. also glad Connor will be living in the same house through all his school days, making good friends, and not have to move and make friends for a while and move again. there is something to be said for being in the same place all your life. I am so glad you found a “HOME” in Toledo.