We Need To Move

We've been busy finishing up projects on this fixer-upper.  It seems that once a project is completed, three more are added to the list.  When we started this final phase of fixing-upping, we had about four big projects on our list.  New counter tops, entry doors, carpeting for the upstairs and staging the house for selling.  It didn't take long before the ceilings got painted, the light fixtures got swapped out, the blinds were replaced, the master bedroom was painted a new color, the outside lights were replaced and the list goes on.  Whether we created more work for ourselves or we didn't see the flaws before is up for debate but the list still isn't finished.  I'm not sure it ever will be. I am worried about making a good first impression to buyers for this not-so perfect house.

We have been going back and forth whether or not to sell.  We are the worst decision makers.  There are pros and cons to everything and nothing was fully swaying me either way until the other morning.

We have one bathroom for five potty-trained individuals in this house.  Well, we do have a toilet downstairs that has been used once or twice in an emergency but it's not hooked up all the time.  My alarm went off at 8am and I heard some commotion going on by the bathroom.

"Piper, we really have to go bathroom and you are just sitting there!"
"Piper, get off the pot!  We have to go really really bad!"
"Ouch, that hurts, Avery, stop it!"
"But you are just sitting there staring at us and we are going to pee our pants!"

I threw my legs out of bed and stumbled over to see what in tarnation was going on.  Piper was sitting on the toilet, quite comfortably it seemed with her grocery cart containing her baby and her baby's accessories parked next to her.  Avery and Tucker were surrounding her, both had their arms crossed, clearly not happy that she was sitting on the toilet.

I had no words.  I was hoping this was either a bad dream or that these were the neighbor kids.

Avery spoke before I could.

"She is just sitting there and not even going potty and me and Tucker have to pee really really bad!  She has been in there for 40 minutes!"  she squealed, clearly exasperated.  Piper stared at her, expressionless, completely not caring about Avery and Tucker's emergency situation, holding onto the handle of her grocery cart.

"Are you able to go to the bathroom with someone staring at you and yelling at you and pinching you?" I asked.
"No." she said, hanging her head.

As soon as Avery and Tucker left the bathroom, Piper got off the toilet like nothing had happened, wheeled her baby over to the table and started in on her breakfast.

I went back to my room and woke up Chet.
"We need to move."  I whispered.
"I know."  he said.
"We need two bathrooms." I said.
"I know."  he said.

I'm used to working on projects with kids running around but the husband is not.  Usually when he's working on something big, I take the kids elsewhere.  With baby number six on the way and doctor's orders to "take it easy", I haven't been able to do that.  This house has been a zoo of kids, construction equipment, ladders, drop cloths, Domino's pizza and a lot of, "Well, that's not good." and "Oops." and "I have to run to Menards again." and "This took longer than I thought."

The kids have been pretty good, quarantining themselves upstairs with what's left of their toys.  Most of them have been packed away.  Milo, however, doesn't like to stay up there and frequently wanders down to check out the action.  He busied himself a few days ago with a hair pick, a Little People person, a wet wipe and step stool, banging and sanding and painting and wiping the stool for almost an hour. It turned out great!

But who wouldn't want him hanging around?  Look at that face!