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Posted at 07:17 PM in Holiday | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
The furniture has arrived. It's time to finish unpacking. First thing...books. Arranging a bookcase is not an easy task. The Dewey Decimal system does nothing for aesthetics. There must be rules listed somewhere about height and paperbacks, etc and I need to learn them.
There is also the issue of which books to keep and display and which to toss or hide. (I have an embarrassingly large library of chick lit) After some spousal discourse it was determined that a tattered copy of Cheever, complete with gin stains, is a keeper and "Breastfeeding for Dummies" is a "to hide".
Posted at 01:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)
The hitting thing... it's becoming a real problem. All morning I've been reading Brazelton and googling "18 months + toddler + hitting + help".
Last week when I dropped Henry off at school he hit a little boy square in the face, right in front of me and his teachers. I knew I had to say something, but I felt intimidated to discipline with the Early Childhood Educators watching and I awkwardly blurted out "Henry, no! Hands are for hugging (what??) and touching people gently and clapping and not for hitting and OHMYGOD WHAT AM I EVEN SAYING?". It was so embarrassing. The room was silent and I could almost hear the teachers thinking "This poor woman has no idea what she is doing". I wanted to get out of there as fast as I could. It happened that I was on my way to the airport and without thinking how it might sound said, "Good-bye Henry, see you in 4 days!" and bolted out the door.
This morning that same little boy came running up to greet Henry (toddlers are so forgiving) and once again Henry smacked him in the face. Rather than saying something ridiculous I sheepishly looked at his teacher and asked for her advice. She told me to do just what i'd done the last time (ugh, she remembered) and that she sometimes will take the child's hand and show them gentle touch immediately after they hit. Teacher also told me it was a phase that many kids go through. I can't be told this enough.
Posted at 11:40 AM in Bad Mom | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)
Bravo to Nick for channeling his inner blogger this past weekend. He's a bit more verbose than I am and he swears a lot more, but I'm hearing that he was a huge hit. There would have been a Day 3 recap, but unfortunately Nick came down with some kind of cold or flu. Thank goodness it was nothing more serious. Judging from the miserable voice mails and text messages I received it sounded more like he'd contracted Ebola.
I knew that this trip to NY was going to be an emotional one for me. Even though I'm trying really hard to be more easy-going and take life a bit more lightly, I had to mentally prepare for this visit pretty hardcore. I was given some great advice from a friend, who also left the greatest city on earth, about how I could now enjoy NY without the inconveniences of actually living there. This was my mantra.
Besides closing my eyes and holding my breath when I rode past my old apartment, I did really well and didn't cry once. Okay, maybe a little bit at the airport on my way home, but my sunglasses were on so it doesn't count. I had an amazing time filled with delicious food, fabulous shopping and beautiful, loving sisters and friends. Although, I could have used approximately 2 more days in the city. It's shameful how many people I didn't get to see. The weather was to blame. Lying around in bed listening to the rain was just too tempting.
Flying Sun Country wasn't nearly as ghetto as I'd feared. In fact, any airline that doles out free grilled cheese sandwiches will have me as a passenger for life. I've arrived safely back in Minneapolis and am quite happy to be home. Little Henry hugs and kisses have never been sweeter.
[PS: Where are the pictures? It wasn't a very photogenic weekend. I'll hide some of the more acceptable ones in Flckr]
Posted at 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
OK since I know none of you loyal MissAndrea readers gives a rat's ass about what either of us are up to I'll continue with my guest blogging updates about Henry and Dad Day 2. (For those of you who didn't figure this out I am guess blogging for the weekend while Andrea is having a debaucherous (I hope) weekend in NYC.
Nothing much new to report other than Henry's new favorite things:
1) Getting old photo albums and climbing on the couch and then carefully looking over all the pictures of us and our friends back when we had fun.
2) Flushing the toilet. Over and over and over again.
3) Hitting older kids. I'm not endorsing this, really, but in every case they deserved it, as they were trying to start with him and Henry totally warned them in baby talk to step off and they kept at it, so he gave them a swipe. He had a 5 year old crying the other day at the park, seriously and HENRY is supposed to be the baby? Please.
4) I guess this isn't new, but Henry still loves his Masami Friday Pizza Night parties. He ate more pizza than she did, what a beast.
Henry sees Uncle Lonney today and grown up Big Brother Matt tomorrow hooray!
--Nick and Henry
Posted at 01:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)
The teachers at school said Henry would sleep well because he had been rudely interrupted in his sleep so only got an hour at school rather than his usual 4 1/2. He went down easy (despite the TORNADO SIRENS which are placed RIGHT ACROSS FROM OUR BUILDING and made me think the Soviets (not the Soviettes for all you MNdie rockers) were attacking but anyway... but woke up again at 11PM and was very upset his mommy wasn't there. He finally gfot his act together but only after Stephen from Bravo's Top Chef program lulled him to sleep.
What a douche that guy is.
My main goal today is to try and figure out which various chemicals he's been ingesting as he stands at his bathroom, so you loyal readers can read Miss Andrea's blog. Henry's mom let's him indulge in his favorite pastime (brushing teeth while chewing /sucking on various household products in tubes) so she can churn this thing out daily. I'm finally starting to look at the labels on some of these moisturizers, shampoos, etc, an alarming number of which say KEEP OUT OF REACH OF SMALL CHILDREN and something about calling the Poison Control Center should a child even spot the bottles. So basically, I am trying to eliminate chemicals from his system at least until he decides to chose to do them on his own. Sorta like religion, ha ha.
Oh and Andrea he just tore your little Japanese fan thing to shreds and handed the pieces to me quite sweetly. I think it was a present.
More later after we walk around the lake. I would take pics, but I don't know how, maybe Masami will help.
Signing off,
Nick and Henry.
Posted at 10:27 AM in Bad Mom | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)
On the list of pros for moving to Minneapolis was the ability to travel more frequently. It came right after "less garbage smell" and right before "strangers smile at you".
When more than half of your income no longer goes solely towards rent, it's a bit easier to afford trips. The jet-setting shall commence this weekend. I'm leaving the boys home alone for some father son bonding time. Here's the exciting news... Nick and Henry are going to guest blog while i'm gone, so we'll see how the home alone experiment plays out in real time.
The following weekend the whole fam damily will be poolside in Palm Springs and then it's back to New York for a long weekend.
Posted at 09:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)
Meet Siri. She grows things. Mostly things of the green variety, but right now she's growing a baby too. Siri was the inspiration behind me buying a bunch of plants yesterday. They will all surely die, but for right now look fantastic in my apartment. I'm hoping this orchid survives my kiss of death. It's so pretty.
Posted at 11:30 PM in Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
We appropriately celebrated spring and the season of rebirth with a pineapple glazed ham, avgolemono soup, clipped-wing Peep cupcakes and a playdoh egg hunt (Thanks Beth!).
I kind of missed the cute Easter outfit boat and stuffed Henry into a suit that made him look like an accordion player. You can tell he's totally not feeling it.
Posted at 02:43 PM in Holiday | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack (0)
It seems a shame to use them when the weather is so perfect, but I have to tell you that the skyways in Minneapolis are remarkable. Personally, I don't like to be the least bit uncomfortable. Freezing wind, rain, or an unsavory dew point are all great excuses for getting around downtown at room temperature via the skyway system. It's super easy to get turned around and lost, but once you know your way around you can accomplish a myriad of tasks without having to brave the elements. One day last week, in the rain, I dropped Henry off at school, contested a parking ticket, got a bikini wax and went to Target without one single breathe of fresh air.
Nick is now employed. His new office overlooks Henry's school's playground. Isn't that great? The new job involves monthly travel to New York. I'm thinking Henry and I will tag along quite often. Now that I'm a stay-at-home-artist my schedule will totally allow for that.
Posted at 01:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
I read a lot of blogs. Call me a voyeur, but I'm constantly fascinated, horrified and intrigued by stranger's lives and the stories that they choose to tell. I even read the comments. I especially love when the author responds, because it often shows a different, more candid, side of someone I think I already know through the words in their posts. Many times there are critics commenting on how self-indulgent and dangerous it is to disclose so many personal details and perhaps there is no sane argument to make for doing so. I do know that I often times have to remind the people that know me in real life about the poetic license I take. "No, mom I really don't drink that much". I assume that others do as well.
Revealing the gory details serves a purpose, i do believe. More often than not, I end up touched or inspired by what someone has chosen to share. For example this post over at Greek Tragedy and the comments it generated have honestly given me, not only great advice, but the desire to really make my life work and find happiness in Minnesota. That sounds lame and crazy, i know. It's totally random and has nothing to do with me, but i'll take inspiration wherever I can get it. We're all human and all trying to navigate the same terrain. Maybe we should stop judging each other so harshly and focus instead on what we can learn and how we can grow from other people and their lives --especially strange lives.
Posted at 10:50 PM in Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)
It was a gorgeous 75 degree day in Minneapolis today. Henry took an unusually late afternoon nap so I thought I'd take advantage of the nice weather and a well-rested kid by heading down the block to a pub and treating my darling to some sweet potato fries and myself to a locally brewed beer.
I felt all cool and mommy chic as we walked down the street hand in hand. Aging hipsters cooed and waved at my little tow head, obviously jealous of my precious offspring.
We walked up to the host at the bar and before I could say "Do you have a high chair?" Henry screamed at the top of his lungs and frantically pointed at the door. I calmly told him how much fun we were going to have and that we'd be ordering some special french fries. He responded by throwing his body to the ground, kicking and crying. All of a sudden I didn't feel so chic. I started sweating. Game over. I scraped Henry off the floor and retreated home. The host seemed relieved.
I'm not proud of this, but I sometimes secretly wish that Henry was a little bit older. Consider this a horrible confession. It might be nice if I could reason with him, maybe ask him to sit quietly and read comic books while I got an express pedicure or maybe just old enough to want to sit in bed with a bowl of cereal and some tv while I slept for 20 more minutes. I constantly have to remind myself to enjoy every phase and that soon he WILL be older and then I'm going to long for the sweet-smelling baby days.
Posted at 12:53 AM in Bad Mom, Henry | Permalink | Comments (3)
I'm embarrassed to admit that I had not, until Friday, visited the new Walker Art Center. I'd heard that the layout was lame and confusing, but I found it to be an inviting, beautiful, sunny building and I can't wait to go back without Henry, who, while mostly well-behaved, almost ran off with a Kiki Smith sperm.
Back in NYC Nick was having another goodbye party, but he flew to Mpls with a one-way ticket on Saturday morning and now there are two brushes in the toothbrush holder. Except, there isn't right now, because Nick flew to Toronto for business and omg, i'm alone again.
We jumped right in and went to a bbq/fire pit party, in the woods, on Saturday night. Apparently the fire pit is the new hot tub. Apart from an unidentifiable rodent sighting (the Hopmanns naturally assumed it was a rat) it was great fun and we were able to totally decompress in the wilderness.
Posted at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Posted at 03:40 PM in Fashion | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
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