Accepted!

Today we bit the bullet and accepted an offer on the house.

It was lower than we originally planned on selling for but as time has gone on and we've found a house we like we decided to just sell up while we can and see what happens.

They still have to have an inspection and valuation done so fingers crossed!

House news

We're still in negotiations on the house.

We gave them our final offer last night so now we're just waiting to see if they accept.

We had a drive around a neighbourhood we liked that is not too far away and we really liked it.

There are couple of houses we liked too so we're trying to make appointments to see them this weekend.

There was one we especially liked from the outside and from the photos we've seen it looks nice inside so hopefully we can get to see it today to see for ourselves.

We're ready to move quick as the new home buyer tax credit runs out at the end of April.

An offer

We received an offer on the house on Monday.

Unfortunately, it was less than we want so after a day of soul searching, and a long conversation with a mortgage broker we went back with a counter offer.

Now we're waiting to see if they meet it.

We had another viewing today and six on Sunday so there is interest. We're thinking of doing an open house too hopefully we'll get an offer we can accept.

Baby's first concert

We went to see Muse on Thursday night.

For three little Welsh guys they make a hell of a racket.

It was the baby's first concert so obviously we had to do it in style. It was at the Toyota Center in Houston and we were lucky enough to have a suite.

My wife said she could feel the baby moving during the show so she must have liked it, dancing around in there.

And the result is...

We had a doctor's appointment yesterday and they did a full ultrasound and measured all of the body parts.

This was also the day we could find out the sex.

We've said all along that we were going to wait so it was a surprise. However, the thought of being able to know and buy clothes and decorate the nursery was too much and we found out.

It's a girl!

Blimey. Now what?

My family is all boys so it will be a culture shock for us, although I don't know anything about babies so it was going to be a rude awakening whatever it was.

We're both really pleased though and it definitely seems more real now. I think seeing the baby clearer on ultrasound and knowing it's a girl has made it sink in properly now.

We even had a walk round Babies 'r us last night but managed to not get too carried away with buying stuff.

Now we know, I think it's going to be more exciting planning for her arrival.

We're just over half way through now and the baby is definitely more photogenic than last time.

Butterflies

Yesterday morning my wife started to feel the baby move for the first time.

At least she thinks she did. She wasn't sure at first.

The way she described the feeling, it sounded a bit like butterflies, or little bubbles moving around. It could've just been gas I suppose but she felt the same thing again last night when she got into bed.

She's started to out grow her old clothes now so we made another visit to the maternity shop and bought her a new wardrobe.

These clothes fit much better and she looks pregnant now instead of her old clothes fitting incorrectly.

We have a doctors appointment tomorrow where we could found out the sex. Up to now we're not planning to but who knows when we get there!

All Clear

The doctor's office finally called back with the results of the triple screen that was actually for five tests (Down syndrome etc) and we got the all clear.

Good news.

How does your garden grow?

We've had some interest in the house but no offers so far so today I decided I would do some work on the front garden while my wife was working at the rodeo.

The recent freeze killed pretty much everything we'd planted in the front so it was time to start again and add some colour to give the house a bit more curb appeal.

We actually picked up some plants yesterday but when we got home from the garden centre and I was unloading the car, I noticed that the soil my wife ordered and had supervised the loading into the car while I was juggling all the plants we'd just bought, was actually mulch. All five bags of it.

So this morning at 8am I was back at the garden centre to pick up some top soil. I actually needed the mulch anyway so it wasn't a total waste.

So I spent all morning and some of the afternoon digging out the things we'd planted this time last year, added more soil, planted everything and added the mulch.

It wasn't too hot today so it was good gardening weather but I think next time I'll bring in my good friend Manuel to help. You know, Manuel Labour, the Mexican handyman who can handle any job you can't be bothered doing yourself.

Plenty of people have been driving by and taking a leaflet with the info for the house so there is interest. I actually caught a little Mexican girl looking in the window today. Her parents were sat in the car and probably asked her to get a leaflet and as I had all the windows open to give the house an airing she probably thought she'd look in.

Some people eh?

Sign o' the times

I came home today to find a For Sale sign up in front of the house.

Even though we've been planning on putting it on the market for a while, and I knew it was going up it was still a bit of a surprise.

We printed off some flyers so people can get the info on the house and hopefully come and have a look round and make us an offer we can't refuse!

After the big freeze killed most our plants I think I'm going to plant a few more at the front this weekend to give the house a little bit of extra curb appeal.

Interest?

We put the house up for sale yesterday and already had a couple come round and have a look today.

Hopefully there will be more interest and someone will put in an offer.

Fingers crossed.

House for sale

We finally put our house up for sale today.

Hopefully we will find a buyer soon so we can find a new house and move in before the baby is born.

If we don't sell the house by a certain point then we'll take it off the market and stay for a while.

It's no big deal staying here if we have to but we'd prefer to have a bit more room when the baby does arrive.