Frequent Visuals

Sweet

2012-02-11T21:07:00.001-05:00

Crowns

2012-02-08T11:46:00.000-05:00

Solitude

2012-02-06T22:42:00.002-05:00

I'm writing tonight from another hotel room in Atlanta, a mere two weeks after my last trip to this city in the South. I'm not complaining, though. Given the type of work I do, it's unlikely that all this traveling will continue. I have one more trip on the horizon - California in March - and then work will happen only in Queens.

I'm down here for a project I've been working on for several years now. Every week we chat on the phone to discuss the evaluation, to move things along just a little bit more. But I'm always surprised how much I learn when we meet in person - it's shocking to see how frequently I zone out on the phone, but how clued in I am in person. The "charms" of modern professionalism...

I am always overwhelmed with how to spend my personal time on these trips. I want to squeeze so much into my two hours alone every day --- yoga and reading and blogging and sleeping and reading and thinking and sleeping and working and walking and sleeping... The list goes on. So now I will say goodnight, and fire up my kindle...

Missing You

2012-02-06T21:03:00.000-05:00

Traveling, Cont.

2012-02-05T16:54:00.000-05:00

Laundry - 10 am

2012-02-05T15:03:00.000-05:00

Starting the Day

2012-02-02T22:43:00.000-05:00

Bedtime Chaos

2012-02-01T20:37:00.000-05:00

Lights

2012-01-31T08:39:00.001-05:00

Rise & Shine!

2012-01-30T08:29:00.000-05:00

Sunday Play

2012-01-29T20:40:00.000-05:00

Recovery

2012-01-28T15:09:00.002-05:00

As soon as I said it...

As if on cue, the minute I started to relax in Atlanta, my nose started to get stuffy. I came home early on Wednesday, wrestling with a full-blown cold. Everyone in our family has been sick this week. We're a sad sack here -- trading coughs, sniffles, sneezes, naps, tissues, medicines. I think recovery is within sight, but still a few days away. Keep us in your thoughts!

Continued...

2012-01-27T17:24:00.000-05:00

Sick

2012-01-26T17:52:00.001-05:00

Break

2012-01-24T13:44:00.000-05:00

Day 2

2012-01-24T07:37:00.000-05:00

Atlanta

2012-01-23T22:28:00.002-05:00

Yup. I'm in Atlanta.

Stone Mountain, to be more exact. I'm here on a work conference, learning all about HLM modeling and how best to present the vast array of data we've collected about physical activity in schools. I came down yesterday and will be here until Wednesday night.

To be honest, I'm having a nice time. I've enjoyed some yoga, slept a little more soundly than normal, and enjoyed quiet cups of tea while reading. I'm riddled with guilt, however, because I left my dear, sweet, loving husband with a sick Alice. And when Alice is sick, she's pretty darn miserable. I feel bad that M is not only dealing with the regular chores of daily life on his own, but doing so with a sick kid. I will owe him one.

And now I must go to bed...

A Morning in Stone Mountain

2012-01-23T07:28:00.000-05:00

Traveling Alone

2012-01-22T16:49:00.000-05:00

SC

2012-01-21T22:39:00.001-05:00

Smile Alice!

2012-01-20T08:16:00.000-05:00

Order

2012-01-19T20:52:00.000-05:00

Should. Be. Asleep.

2012-01-18T23:41:00.000-05:00

I wish

2012-01-17T20:18:00.002-05:00

Dear Alice,

How I wish there were a way for me to capture the cuteness!! At least once a day, I find myself in total awe of you. Of the words you now know. Of the moments you remember. Of the conversations you start to have with your loved ones.

This morning, when I asked you if you had good dreams, you said you had been crying, but now you are happy. This evening you told me that daddy was at the gym and that you had fun with Mel. You said wallet and popcorn and zipper, words I didn't know you had. When we were going to bed, you rubbed my cheeks with your sweet little hands. When it was time to give kisses through the slats, you pushed your belly up against the bars, then your nose, then your hands. You said, "LOVE YOU!"

I wish I could capture the sweet curls of your hair after the bath. The joy of hearing you say a new word. The awe inspired by your ability to convey emotion.

I love you, my sweet Alice!

Love,
Mommy

Weekday Morning

2012-01-17T06:41:00.000-05:00

Dinner

2012-01-16T21:03:00.001-05:00

This weekend, I cooked three meals:

Saturday: Cavatappi with Cilantro-Pistachio Pesto
Sunday: Prosciutto, Apple, and Brie Monte Cristo Sandwiches
Monday: Ratatouille and Sausage Potpie with Cornmeal Biscuits (substituting zucchini with butternut squash)

The pesto was a total disaster - we threw the better part of the meal out. The Monte Cristo sandwiches were DELICIOUS (think your favorite appetizers, melted, with buttered toast - fantabulous). Tonight's was an old standby.

While preparing this somewhat labor-intensive dinner, I realized that it is my favorite winter meal. And the best part is that the meal is better on day two. Looking forward to tomorrow night's meal...

Counting

2012-01-15T16:15:00.001-05:00

Planning

2012-01-14T23:13:00.000-05:00

Way Past Bedtime!

2012-01-13T23:11:00.000-05:00

Photo Op

2012-01-12T22:59:00.000-05:00

Exhaustion

2012-01-11T20:54:00.000-05:00

Coca-Cola, why are you so good?!

2012-01-10T20:50:00.000-05:00

Early Riser

2012-01-09T21:18:00.001-05:00

My sweet monkey woke up very early this morning. The past few nights she's been staying up late, chatting in her crib, yelling for "mommy!" "daddy!" "door!" "choo choo!" (we live right near the above-ground train). She's also been eating an INSANE amount for a tiny little bug. So we were are pretty convinced she's going through a bit of a growth spurt.

This morning, she woke up crying for mommy 5 minutes before my alarm was set to go off for my early morning gym class. The clock read 5:03 AM. I turned off my alarm before it disturbed Michael and went into Alice's room, fully aware that picking her up probably doomed any chance at the gym. I picked up my crying baby, sat with her in the rocking chair, and let her sleep in my arms for an hour. At 6, I finally decided to try and transfer to the couch so that I might be able to sleep too. But as soon as we left her room, Alice decided it was time to wake up.

The two of us played together quietly, in the semidarkness of the early morning. I have to admit, it was perfect.

Alice Making Her Monkey Face

Reading Circle

2012-01-08T14:59:00.000-05:00

Family outing!

2012-01-07T17:15:00.000-05:00

Mod!

2012-01-06T08:11:00.000-05:00

2012

2012-01-05T17:17:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year!!

I'm a few days behind schedule (surprise, surprise). But welcome to 2012! I'm excited for the new year. 2011 was a good, solid year of living. Michael & I enjoyed watching our sweet baby grow into a toddler. We both did well at work, and continued to settle into our no-longer-new apartment. We made it to Spain (!), and Virginia. It was a good year.

But I'm partial to even years. Most of our major life events have happened during an even year - I was born in 1980, graduated high school, college and grad school, got married, had a baby, etc, etc, etc. So I'm hoping that 2012 brings a similarly exciting time of change. I don't know what's ahead for me or my family, but I'm encouraged by a new year to make things happen.

Incidentally, I have been working out since I wrote about it in mid-November. I've managed to workout at the gym at least once a week and do at least one yoga class per week since. I'm encouraged, though always hoping for more.

She Loves Hugs!!

2012-01-05T17:09:00.001-05:00

Yogurt Makes Me Happy

2012-01-04T22:27:00.001-05:00

At Least It's Sunny!

2012-01-03T08:59:00.001-05:00

Cold!

2012-01-02T14:37:00.000-05:00

Happy New Years!!!

2012-01-01T15:24:00.000-05:00

Self Portrait

2011-12-23T07:12:00.000-05:00

Morning Sky

2011-12-19T06:59:00.000-05:00

Updates!

2011-12-17T16:35:00.006-05:00

So it's Christmastime!! That's pretty wonderful. Michael, Alice and I have been enjoying the season. We put up our beautiful Christmas tree last week, and hosted an open house for Michael's students. We put on "holiday" carols, baked oodles of sweet goodies, and made some delicious Parsnip-Potato-Leek soup.

We both had a string of holiday parties last week. Alice loved hugging all the babies.

We've been trying to keep warm. Alice is wearing adorable leg warmers now:

And one other major highlight - a couple of weeks ago, Michael and I went to a work function, where we got to see the mayor! And then we went OUT to a bar. FOR DRINKS. Like grown-ups do. It was a real highlight.

So that's just a basic outline of the past few weeks. There's more to share, but I'll save it for another post.

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-27T21:04:00.002-05:00

Dear Alice,

Happy holidays, my sweet!! We just celebrated an amazing Thanksgiving, full of great food and family. Your PapPap, GG, Grandma, Grandpa and LeeLee came all the way up to New York to mark the holiday with you. They showered you with love and attention, spending every last minute making sure your every need was met.

At dinner, we went around the table sharing what we were thankful for this year. Everyone agreed - you are the greatest blessing. Your PapPap and GG both mentioned being grateful for having spent time with you, getting to know you and witnessing your personality develop. Your daddy and I cherish every minute we have to share you with this lovely family.

I love you insanely, my sweet baby girl. Happy holidays!
Mamma

Lunch: Parsnip Soup

Dinner:
Roasted Turkey with Citrus Rosemary Salt
Harvest Bread Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows
Green Beans & Carrots in Charmoula Sauce
Roasted Asparagus

Dessert:
Pumpkin Pie
Candy
Bourbon-Chocolate Pecan Pie

Too Much!

2011-11-27T20:25:00.001-05:00

Funny Faces

2011-11-20T23:11:00.001-05:00

Recovery

2011-11-17T20:33:00.002-05:00

I've been in a mood lately. I'm the first to admit it. A whole lot of factors contribute to this thrilling version of me, but mostly I have been feeling a little stuck. I've been trying to make some changes in my life lately without much success, and it has just been getting me down.

I have a vivid memory of the first time I heard Tom Frieden, our former Health Commissioner and the current head of the CDC (a God among Public Health folks), speak. The very first thing he said was, "Do you know what the only proven cure for depression is? Physical activity!" So, with that ringing in my head, I've been trying to get to the gym this week. I'm committing to 2 times a week from now until the end of December, or I have to quit the gym. Will it work? I sure hope so. And so does my husband!

And my sweet husband brought me flowers tonight!!! YAY!

Sweetie Pie

2011-11-14T20:57:00.000-05:00

Stoop

2011-11-10T21:57:00.002-05:00

Alice & I have taken to sitting on our building's front stoop. Neither of us get enough time outside, and developments over the past several months have limited that time even more. My office's move from a lovely, lively downtown to a rather ugly neighborhood in Queens in April keeps me indoors much of the work week. In order to get home in time for family dinner - which been pretty committed to since Alice started eating real meals - we ride the train home rather than walking from daycare. We just can't seem to spend enough time outdoors.

So, we sit on our stoop. Thankfully, a lot goes on right outside our building. Alice loves watching the trains come and go. We have a lot of dog lovers in our neighborhood, so we almost always see a friendly pup. There are plenty of kids in the neighborhood for Alice to wave to. A few of our neighbors just love Alice, and occasionally we will all sit together outside, chatting about this and that. And we get some beautiful sunshine just outside our building. I've been surprised by how pleasant the experience can be.

This is just another way that Alice is growing up as a City baby. I find the differences in our upbringing so shocking sometimes. Alice knows how to wait for an elevator, how to hail a cab (the CUTEST thing ever), how to steal some sunshine and fresh air from just outside a building. Amazing.

At Home

2011-11-08T20:46:00.001-05:00

We're getting ready over here...

2011-11-04T09:47:00.001-04:00

NYC Marathon Alex Baldwin prorez from Marc Beroza on Vimeo.

Cuteness!!

2011-11-03T22:21:00.000-04:00

A Happy Night

2011-11-01T22:20:00.002-04:00

Dear Alice,

Tonight was a lovely night. I picked you up from John & Anna's, and you were happy to see me, though a little sad that it meant you were leaving Naomi & Penelope for the evening. On our walk home, we stopped to pick up a bread role from the bakery just down the road. You impressed everyone, walking into the bakery, holding the bag with your evening treat, saying "Thank you" before we walked out the door.

At home you played patiently while I cooked dinner - pork chops, roasted broccoli, mac & cheese and salad. You, Daddy and I enjoyed a relaxing dinner, and you even made it through the WHOLE meal in your own seat! After dinner, we did the hokey pokey and ring-around-the-rosie. You pretended to sleep, and then jumped up to surprise your daddy and me.

You are too cute for words these days. You learn 10 new words a day, it seems, and love mimicking your Daddy and me. You want to be a part of everything, from cooking dinner to doing the laundry and carrying groceries. You love to read, and dance, and sing, and eat.

I love you more than anything ever!

Love,
Mommy

Chatty Cathy

2011-11-01T22:20:00.001-04:00

Halloween

2011-11-01T22:19:00.001-04:00

Work!

2011-10-24T21:32:00.002-04:00

So, I haven't created these at all, but look at this awesome ad campaign our office launched today!

And you can see the ads here.

All Quiet

2011-10-24T20:55:00.002-04:00

Sorry it's been all quiet on the blogging front lately. October has flown by!

Michael has been working particularly long hours lately, as naturally occurs when you work in an academic institution. Between his late nights and mine, we've had few nights together as a family this month. Thankfully we've had some lovely visitors, including my mom and Michael's parents, and savored our weekends together.

I've been feeling particularly flabby and gross lately. Too much time running around, too little time to take care of myself. I miss the gym, but not enough to find a way to make it happen. My poor husband is sick of hearing about how I miss it. Perhaps I need to set some real goals for myself - 2 visits per week for the next month or so. Something with a punishment. Or a reward.

Alice is super cute these days. She mimics everything we do, and insists on helping me with groceries. Here's a little something from last weekend - too cute!

Family Time

2011-10-17T08:26:00.000-04:00

Friends

2011-10-14T10:26:00.000-04:00

Dark

2011-10-12T06:09:00.001-04:00

Just because she's so cute!

I woke up at 5:30 this morning, jumping out of bed to get a shower before our hot water turned off at 6 (oh, apartment living...). I was shocked to see just how dark it is at 5:30 am.

This summer, I wrote about my internal debate with waking early enough to get some quiet time in the morning versus sleeping in to get some rest. When it was light out, I chose to wake up, practice some yoga, enjoy some quiet time before my day ran away from me. But more recently, as the morning light drifted later and later, I stayed in bed longer. I've noticed that I can actually stay awake at night with my husband. I'm definitely more rested when I wake up, and think I'm a little less moody than I was before. But I've also been consistently late for work, pushing my dinner prep time to after Michael & Alice leave the apartment in the morning. I've felt more frantic from 6:45 AM until 9:30 AM. And I definitely haven't done any yoga in weeks.

I guess this is just another balancing act, like so many others. For now, I'm enjoying some extra sleep and think it is worth the sacrifice. But I'm also already excited for lighter mornings and early rises...

(PS Is this the most boring post ever?!?)

Happy Babe!

2011-10-10T17:11:00.001-04:00

A Bull in a China Shop

2011-10-09T20:49:00.000-04:00

Joy (cont.)

2011-10-06T21:06:00.001-04:00

18-Months Old!!

2011-10-05T09:05:00.000-04:00

As if on cue...

2011-10-04T20:48:00.002-04:00

Continued.

2011-10-04T08:43:00.002-04:00

This morning, Alice woke up early. After a few sweet minutes of play, she went bananas. Broke my glasses. Cried for an hour. Brought me to tears.

Please let today improve. Please let tonight be better. Please.

Challenged

2011-10-03T23:16:00.004-04:00

Today was a hard day. Leaving work I was giddy to see Alice. Michael had to work late, so I knew I would get some quiet time with her. But from the second I walked in the door to the last cries before she fell asleep, the baby was just a total nut with me. She had utterly adorable moments (for example, she helped me load the washing machine with clothes tonight, gently picking up items from the pile I put at her feet and shoving them overhead into the machine). But she also broke down into fits of tears at least four times in the two hours we spent together.

Days like this are really hard, because I am just aghast that we spend oodles of money to have a woman spend the best parts of the day with Alice, while M & I get stuck with the grunt work. It feels like hiring an intern to take all of the work that requires your brain, relegating you to data entry and filing. I know that it is all for the best, for both Alice and for me, but days like today make me wonder why we run this crazy race.

So, to make me happy, I watched this:

Breakfast

2011-09-26T22:48:00.000-04:00

What a Day

2011-09-25T21:45:00.002-04:00

So much to say, but here's a funny thing that happened today - I met a bunch of guys who were on "The Biggest Loser"! They joined us for the Largest Zumba Party in NYC History, celebrating the launch of the mobile enhanced version of BeFitNYC.org. Pretty random. Pretty cool.

Biggest Losers Mark Pinhasovich, Frado Dinten, Danny Cahill & Patrick House

Sleep Love

2011-09-21T21:27:00.000-04:00

Love ya!

2011-09-20T22:40:00.000-04:00

Autumn Snack

2011-09-18T16:54:00.002-04:00

Apples, cheddar cheese and Fine Cooking magazine. Lovely!

Fall & Other Musings

2011-09-18T08:38:00.004-04:00

It's 8:40 AM on a Sunday morning. My sweet, angelic daughter is still asleep. So is my sweet, angelic husband. The house is quiet, and I'm enjoying the cooler, fall air, the warmth of my morning tea and cuddling up with my brother's birthday present. It's perfect.

Fall is officially here, given our morning started with a cool 56 degrees. It's a gorgeous morning - sun shinning, sea gulls crying, the hum of traffic as quiet as it gets in NYC. I'm looking forward to a day with my family. Hopefully it will include a trip to the farmers market (which we never get to anymore), a long walk in Riverside Park, lunch out and about.

This time of year is hopelessly romantic for me. I've written about it in the past, and yet the feeling of anticipation and anxiety and possibility always takes me by surprise. We shake off the summer doldrums and reconnect with what's happening in the world, feeling like something meaningful might change. I never quite feel like I take full advantage of the fall, but hope I do better with each passing year.

And now, back to my book, the quiet, and my morning tea...

(Oh, and PS, did I mention we found a new nanny yesterday? She starts tomorrow...)

Therapy

2011-09-16T20:56:00.001-04:00

Highlight

2011-09-15T23:18:00.001-04:00

What would I do without these two!?!

Continued

2011-09-14T20:22:00.002-04:00

Today was not the best day, either. The main event: our nanny quit. With 2 days notice. She has asthma and J & A's cat has been making her pretty sick. So it wasn't a huge surprise. But it is disappointing, and stressful.

But there was this:

And then this:

Scared.

2011-09-13T23:29:00.002-04:00

Today was a bad day. It started with nightmares about losing Alice on the A train. It continued with my mom spending the day in the basement of the American Embassy in Kabul, trying to stay safe during the attacks .

I did not handle this news with grace or dignity. In fact, I cried. Gross, ugly, mildly embarrassing cries. To date, I think I've been able to ignore the realities of where my mom is working, pretending that she is safe and sound, acting as the Peace Corps Director in some new and unexplored part of the world. Instead she's in the middle of a war zone.

My mom is safe tonight, and I am so grateful. There are so many other people in this country facing the same reality - loved ones far away, sometimes safe, sometimes in harms way. I can never know enough to keep her safe and protected. I can't love her enough to keep her alive. And I think today's brush - however brief - with mortality was more than I wanted from the day.

The truth is that we all face dangers every day, right? Today I drove on highways and flew in a plane and took a taxi and lived in New York. There are risks with each of those decisions. But somehow the distance, or the uncertainty, or the boldness of living in Afghanistan... It makes me scared. Proud. And scared.

Why?

2011-09-08T22:22:00.002-04:00

Today was one of those days when I questioned my loyalty to New York. In chronological order:

This morning I attempted guided meditation using my new favorite obsession, YogaGlo.com. I haven't been getting to the gym regularly, so I've started doing yoga at home using classes streamed on this site. I've been meaning to try meditation, so this morning I settled into our play room - the sunniest, most pleasant space in our apartment - and pushed play. Unfortunately I couldn't hear the pearls of wisdom streaming from my computer because the trucks and train noises just outside our apartment were too loud. I turned off the computer in disgust.
Michael and I have been battling a mouse problem. For about a month. Our super finally came in to identify where the mice are entering, and we have a hole behind the dishwasher. Oh, and there are several gaps between our floor and the baseboards on our walls. Oh, and by the way, there are mouse droppings in my kitchen. Yuck. [Of course, at least I have a super. If I were a homeowner in Virginia, for example, who would check this out for free?!]
I took Penelope, Naomi & Alice to the playground today. While there, a little boy about Alice's age wanted to play with them. This boy looked hungry, and sick, and in desperate need of a bath and some grown up attention. I gave him some of our snack and the girls would occasionally invite him to join. It made me sad. This isn't an experience directly related to New York, but somehow it felt like this City contributed to this boy's situation.
It's just been a noisy, noisy night. Loud music from some neighbor's car. Trains and trucks and taxis galore. No crickets. No birds. No cicadas. Just transportation.

Obviously I still love New York. I just need to go out and enjoy the parts that make it worthwhile before I drive my husband bananas.

Love

2011-09-06T20:43:00.002-04:00

Dear Alice,

This weekend, you, your daddy and I went to Rehoboth Beach. It was your first trip to this heavenly destination, and I'm happy to report that you loved it! We spent the weekend eating Grottos Pizza, playing in the sand, watching the waves crash, and enjoying some quality time with your Grandma & Grandpa, who also came up to visit. And, my sweet love, we took you to Funland.

You loved your first trip to the beach, and we loved sharing this special place with you. Your daddy and I both grew up with family vacations, and it's a thrill to start this new tradition.

Your vocabulary is growing by the second. You can now say car, ball, please, blueberries (kind of), milk and a smattering of others. Your favorite books are "Llama Llama, Red Pajama," "Goodnight Moon," "My Big Golden Counting Book," and "Goodnight Gorilla." You love to help open and close doors, and are very happy to walk to the elevator all by yourself. You enjoy dancing.

When we say goodnight now, we give kisses between the slots of the crib. And then I say a silent prayer and hope you find this joy in your life.

I love you more than anything ever!

Love,
Mommy

Too Cute

2011-09-06T20:43:00.000-04:00

Friends (Cont.)

2011-08-31T21:31:00.001-04:00

Countdown

2011-08-31T10:07:00.001-04:00

Friday - I came home from work at 12:30 am.

Saturday - I came home from work at 3:00 pm.

Sunday - I came home from work at 3:00. AM. Monday morning.

Monday night - M came home from work at 10:00 pm.

Tuesday - M came home from work at 8:30 pm. I came home at 10:00 pm.

Tonight - M will be home around 10 pm.

Tomorrow - M will be home around 8 pm.

Friday - Rehoboth!

Alice

2011-08-29T21:13:00.011-04:00

Alice and I had SUCH a fun afternoon together!! I picked her up early, and we walked home through the park. We took our time, just letting Alice walk wherever she wanted to go. It took us 2 and a half hours to get from daycare home -- all of 20 blocks. But it was heavenly. Alice ran all over the place, playing in the grass and mud and uneven sidewalks. She pointed at every dog that walked by, and cheered when we reached the swings. It was just such a pleasant, relaxing afternoon - no pressure, just fun. Heaven.

I love the arms in the air on this picture - a carefree and happy Alice:

And this video is worth it for the last 5 seconds:

Finally, in the midst of the hurricane on Sunday morning, desperate for an activity to amuse Alice (as well as ourselves), we let Alice "finger paint" with died yogurt (THANK YOU Sarah for this great idea). We stupidly let Alice see us mixing the paints, so she just chowed down. Adorable!

Placeholder

2011-08-29T20:04:00.003-04:00

Lots to say, but for now, I've been listening to this song on repeat since about midnight last night:

The romance of this story is overwhelming and beautiful.

Excited!

2011-08-22T20:48:00.002-04:00

Just booked my ticket to visit this sweet lady...

On a Mission

2011-08-21T09:37:00.002-04:00

Grocery list all ready to roll!

Alice Sleeps...

2011-08-20T07:59:00.002-04:00

... So Mommy reads under the covers with a cup of tea. Heavenly.

Ideal

2011-08-18T11:41:00.005-04:00

Lately I've been talking with other working mommy friends about the struggle to keep our families fed/clean/happy, our work life on track and ourselves sane - forget about living by some principals we value (i.e. eating home-cooked food, visiting farmers markets, getting out of the City every once in a while).

So of course we all come to one basic conclusion: can't we work 3 days a week? This is a silly idea to waste too much time on, since most of us can't afford that option. But it does sound lovely - having a few days out of the house to be engaged in the outside world, but also having enough time to get groceries purchased and apartments cleaned and errands run so that we aren't spending family time dealing with chores.

Ahhhh dreams...

(PS Are you sick of the same post over and over?)

Bag o' Books

2011-08-17T22:21:00.002-04:00

Break

2011-08-16T14:19:00.003-04:00

Sometimes

2011-08-15T21:55:00.002-04:00

Sometimes I really miss the old neighborhood. I miss the way our apartment was put together, the feeling of being settled. We've lived in this apartment for a year and a half, and I still feel like we haven't fully moved in.

Of course, then I remind myself of the kitchen and the bathroom and the lack of doors, and I realize that living in our studio at this stage in life would be an insane challenge. But it was great while it lasted.

Bath with Friends

2011-08-13T10:39:00.000-04:00

We did it!

2011-08-12T06:23:00.003-04:00

Today is August 12th. Five years ago, Michael & I got married! Congratulations, my love!

It's been a thrilling five years - graduate schools; a law degree & a public health degree; about 200 jobs; two apartments; five countries; multitiudes of trips to Virginia and discussions about where to live and debates about politics and life in the City and having a family; and - of course - Alice.

I can't quite shake the feeling that I got better end of the deal. I married a man who is brilliant, romantic, fun, interesting, engaged in the world and his role in it. He wants to do good for people. He wants a life that prioritizes family above all else. He is exceptional.

Happy anniversary, my love!

Morning (Take 2)

2011-08-11T20:00:00.001-04:00

I had an insanely productive morning. Before leaving for work, I:

Did laundry
Made lunches
Made breakfast for Alice (forgot to make anything for myself, or for the hubs)
Did all the prep work for dinner
Unloaded the dishwasher
Dressed Alice
Hugged, kissed and loved on my family

It felt pretty great, I have to tell you. I've started preparing for dinner in the mornings, which has helped ease the stress of the evening and increased the frequency of us eating at home. We've been doing very well with family dinners, eating together at least 5 times a week. It's been a priority, and we've been sticking with it. I'm pretty proud, I have to say.

And can I ask for some input? I would LOVE book recommendations & good summer-time recipes (i.e. those that don't require the oven or stove for any longer than 20 minutes). Please share!!

Work, cont.

2011-08-03T06:22:00.001-04:00

Last night, we continued to promote the "Make NYC Your Gym" campaign with a night at the Brooklyn Cyclones, one of our local minor league baseball teams. Their stadium is out in Coney Island, on the boardwalk by the beach.

We had a lovely time, my colleagues and me, watching inflatable characters promote fitness and seeing the stadium erupt in cheer when mascots started tossing out our "Make NYC Your Gym" T-Shirts.

You can't really tell, but this is a picture of our logo on the jumbo tron! And here is one of our fun colleagues wearing their shirts and showing their support for the campaign:

The New Normal

2011-08-02T13:40:00.001-04:00

Our office moved out to Long Island City in April. Our new lunchtime walks take us here:

So insanely random.

Photo Booth

2011-07-29T22:51:00.003-04:00

Updates for Alice

2011-07-28T20:29:00.003-04:00

Dear Alice,

It's been far too long since I wrote to tell you how things are going. In a word, they are: GREAT. You are such a treasure.

At 15 months and some change, you can say Daddy, shoe, doggie, cheese and down. You can kind of say hi, bye bye and up. Generally, you aren't speaking a whole lot of words, but you LOVE to talk! You love holding up books and "reading" whatever is on the page --- minutes and minutes of a foreign language your Daddy and I don't quite understand. We're almost completely convinced that you will skip solitary words and just immediately go to full sentences.

You have such a lovely disposition! Sweet, smiley and social, you are. You give lovely hugs, and sweet kisses - but only if we've had enough alone time for you to be happy with us. You love baths and pools. You are thrilled to see a doggie, but afraid to pet one. You sleep with a froggie, a blankie and a binkie. Your favorite breakfast is scrambled eggs, and you love to eat blueberries more than anything else in this world. If I gave you yogurt and fruit at every meal, you would be one happy camper.

Your most recent discovery is your belly! You love to lift up your shirt (or your daddy's or your mommy's) and point to bellies and belly buttons. It's ridiculously adorable.

Another sweet character trait: you're mildly prissy! You really don't like to get your hands dirty. If your hands have anything on them, you're quick to rub them together to get everything off. It's endearing and mildly concerning. Your daddy and I are trying to figure out how to make sure you don't mind mess.

I will say we have had a rough week because you whine anytime your Daddy or I am in the kitchen preparing food or cleaning dishes. You want our full attention. And we want to give it to you.

We love you, sweet Alice! You are the bestest thing ever!

I love you,

Mommy