Esteban Javier Loobo: A Birth Story

Our water broke when we moved in.

Yes.

Nine months after we got kicked out of our old house, upon moving into our new house BAM, the water heater bit the dust a mere ten minutes after we dragged our first box over the threshold.

Hal: "HAKSDHAKJFHKAJHDSKJAHDKJSA! Our hot water heater just died!" (Yelling, screaming, expletive expletive expletive."

My mom, hands in the air: "IT'S A SIGN! YOUR WATER BROKE, GET IT!??! THIS IS THE BIRTH!"

(You think I'm crazy with the signs? My mother is even crazier. I think she even cried tears of joy when our plumber carried the old, exploded water heater out of the basement because THERE GOES THE AFTERBIRTH OH GOD!")

But she was pretty right on and in terms of broken water heaters, the timing could not have been better. Plus, it was humbling in a way. A sort of "Welcome to homeownership! Let me pop your cherry with your first unexpected expense!"

Not that there haven't been PLENTY of unexpected expenses. The house was an "as is" purchase, so when we moved in, we inherited all of the issues and had to pay out of pocket for things like termite fumigation.

And less than adequate paint jobs.

Seriously?

But! And perhaps it's because we're hunkering down in Honeymoonphaseville, these unexpected expenses almost excite me? In a way? Sure, we don't have as much money in our savings account as we did last month and likely ever will, but this is our BABY. And I want it to be happy and healthy and filled with love at all times. So if replacing the water heater can do that? Beautiful.

It's all beautiful.

Sincerely,

Blissed-Out Blissybliss...

As for Esteban's full name, I thought it only fair, since the kids have Hal's last name (archaic, I know. And a little annoying, to be honest. But that's for another post and I don't feel like getting into the whole "who takes what" last name debate, because, it's complicated and I have regrets. ANYWAY!) that our house should have mine, so I don't have to be the lone Woolf.

Of course, because Esteban's first language is Espanol, I thought Lobo, more apropos. Lo(o)bo, with the extra O.

Javier is just a sexy name so I stuck it in there because DAMN, Este. You sexste.

Voila! Esteban Javier Loobo (pronounced Lobo)!

I'm still not entirely here here, so forgive my posting these next few days. The first five episodes of ChildStyle go live this Thursday on HGTV.com which is very exciting and also highly nerve-wracking aka my stomach is a little on the loopy side c/o anticipationitis. In the meantime, I got started on Archer and Fable's room makeover this morning, researching bunk beds and narrowing down curtain swatches so the kids have color coordinated options to choose from. (Archer picked his "city transportation" print already. Fable's leaning toward something "pink rainbow doll"esque.)


In the meantime, I nailed a few things to their walls temporarily. 

One of these days I'll come back down to earth and stop bombaring everyone on Instagram (and here!) with pictures of light fixtures and partially-decorated rooms, but for now, I'm just going to ride the wave, you know? I'm going to ride the crimson wave in my giant postpartum pad and hospital-grade mesh panties.

Which is totally gross but 100% on par with how I'm feeling right now, a mere nine days after pushing a 2100 square foot house out of my soul's vagina.

project #2: restoring the original kitchen floors.

It's a boy, you guys. And he's bald and handsome, with a serious milk fetish and eyes like windows to the soul.

Las ventanas del alma.  

GGC