What I'll miss about my home...

So, here I am, standing on the edge of a mental breakdown.  So much packing to do, so much house moving admin rubbish to sort and yet here I am, procrastinating writing a wee blog post.

I am totally thrilled to be moving to me new home in Bangor, there is so much to look forward to.  I am ready to leave this flat behind, but I am also sad.  There is so much I will miss. 

1. Wallpaper.

Sound silly? I don't care. We have some lovely (I think!) wallpaper in this house and I'm really going to miss it when we are gone. It would break my heart if the new owner came in and ripped it down to make all the walls magnolia.  There's not much chance of anyone keeping this wallpaper up, it's a bit of an acquired taste...

Birds of my wee paradise

Monkey business

2. Location

It's great to be in Belfast.  We love having so much on our doorstep. Fancy a chippy at 11pm? No big deal.  

As a young couple we enjoyed being able to hop into the town for local events and nights out. Transport links are great so we were able to get away without learning how to drive for a while.  Although we are now drivers, as wee family we still enjoy the convenience of local events.  We really enjoy Belfast Children's Festival and Festival of Fools and other baby friendly events.

Joel and his baby mate Sonny partying like hallions at Belfast Black Box Baby Halloween Disco.

We are also lucky enough to be part of a Sure Start area so we have an endless choice of free family friendly activities such as baby massage, baby yoga, stay and play, song and rhyme time and much more! 

I have the local doctors right across the road, and I am guilty of abusing this proximity, marching Joel to the open appointments morning at the slightest sniff of a high temperature.  It's great reassurance to have the doctors on your doorstep. 

We have a park close by which was amazing on cabin fever days.  We live in an upstairs flat with no garden. In the early days with Joel I loved to pop across to push the pram.  I would sit on a bench and hold Joel on my knee while he watched the passing runners and playing dogs with much excitement and interest. And as Joel got on his feet at 9 months the park was invaluable for an amble about and some exploring. 

Sunny day

Plus from this park there is an amazing view over the docks..

Great view

3. That 'ahhhh, I'm home' feeling.

I know that I will get that feeling on my new house one day too. However as I climb the stairs to my flat and look down my hall I get a warm comforting feeling, and remember all the special moments that I have stood at the top of those stairs and looked down that hall..

The best hallway in the world in my eyes..

15.05.10 - I climbed these stairs as a newly married woman, my husband in front of me, wedding music still ringing in our ears.  We choose to stay on our own home as our first night as man and wife, rather than a swanky hotel, we were heading on our honeymoon soon after all.  Phil had given his keys of the place to a neighbour who sneaked away from our wedding a little early and lined our stairs with candles, rose petals and chocolate.  It was beautiful.  Phil and I climbed the stairs and stuff down the chocolates (must have built up a hunger with all that wedding dancing) and read our cards from all our well wishers. 

9.01.13 - I climbed the stairs slowly still feeling a bit weak.  Phil climbed in front of me, wee squished up Joel in his car seat. Joel and I had just been discharged from hospital and this was Joel's first journey into his home.  I looked down the hall at that familiar view.  The flat was all cosy and shiney clean, Phil had scrubbed it for our arrival.  Our wee flat had just become a family home. 

4. Neighbours

You will know from my previous posts that I have a great bunch of people around me and I know it will be unlikely that I will ever find such a friendly lovely community on my new street.  I have made some great friends here, and I know these friendships will continue.  A street of superheroes! 

5. Memories

I know, I know you can bring memories with you but it will be sad to leave the location of so many magic moments behind.  So many of those magic moments are from this year since Joel arrived and it is sad that he will not remember his first home....good job there is plenty of photographic evidence! 

Reading together in cosy bed

Late night alertness in the early days

Slobbing on the sofa

Bouncing

king of the local park

Having a chat with the washing machine

Having a gossip

Bathing with new mate 'bit of celary'

Halloween 

Hiding from football

Exploring

Messing

More messing

Finding his feet

Collecting daddy from the bus stop

Bathing beauties

Cousins

Sick note

I can't believe that we are so close to be packing up our first family home....but I am ready for the new adventures of our new family house and garden.