This was my day. TGIF

DD finally named the doll that a dear friend of mine made for her before she was born. I've been waiting for some time for this naming to take place. First I waited for her to show any interest in the doll at all--it is a beautiful Waldorf doll, made with much love and skill. Then I waited for her to begin naming toys at all. We have dolls and stuffed animals named Baby, Heavy Baby, Yellow Kitty, Girl--you get the idea. The other day we were at the park, and DD heard a mom call to her daughter, Eva, and she looked at me and said, "I like that name!" So today, day three of our confinement (I have not left the apartment except to bring her to the doctor yesterday, in three days), and we were playing playdough at her little table, and she brought "Girl" over to play with us, and I asked her what her name was. I suggested Eva, and her eyes lit up, yes, she loved that idea, and I don't know why, but her naming her doll made my heart get bigger. She then named another baby "Macy" for her best friend. Two names in one day. :)
We spent quite a while making Christmas ornaments. Well I made them and DD made a big mess, lol. The tree is only about a foot-and-a-half tall, so the decorations had to be small and light. I ended up crocheting three birds, a gold garland, and gold star for the top. It actually looks pretty cute. So I'm trying to decide if the birds are the Three French Hens, or if I need to make another so we have Four Calling Birds.
As I mentioned, we've been in the house--nay, three room apartment--for three days straight as DD has strep throat and we don't want to spread the love around. I was hoping to just take a walk today, even for a new minutes, but DD refused, refused, REFUSED to put on pants. I'm talking that I would have had to bodily harm her to get pants on. I'm sure the neighbors thought I was skinning a pig. I wanted to get out so badly, but the wind chill was about 6*F, so I just threw up my hands and we watched female singers and guitar players on YouTube. I'm not trying to brainwash her ;)

Thanksgiving!

My family came to see our new diggs, flying in from MN and NC. I think they liked it. We had a great time together, even though we were jammed into our little apartment like sardines. The real question is how we can convince my sister to move here, too.

I love New York in the Fall

The opening scene of "You've Got Mail" has to do with 'don't you love New York in the fall?' I've always wondered about that. I must say I concur. I totally and completely love New York in the fall.

Sorry it's been so long since the last post. We've really been in survival mode around here. We got the apartment to where we can function and just started, well, functioning. L and I spend most of the day at the park--I figure we'd best get outside as much as we can before the cold sets in. The word on the street is that this part of town is very windy, the icy wind coming in off of the Hudson, which is right next to the park. Perhaps Central Park will be less windy/cold? I'm not sure. What I'm trying to say is this: I would rather have L running around making friends (and me making friends) than organizing/cleaning. There will be plenty of time for indoor activity once the snow flies, and less opportunity for meeting people for mommy/play dates. My parents and sister are coming to stay with us for Thanksgiving, so my goal is to have this place dressed to impress by then. Hopefully things will be nice; we've decided to splurge just a bit to make it homey and livable--after getting three houses nice just in time to move out (and not enjoy) we decided that was lame and to try to enjoy things right away. New curtains, some IKEA storage pieces, new beds for us and L, etc. Our new bed is crazy--the box spring is a storage unit--pretty much our "attic" now, and makes our bed waist-height, L can't get onto or off of by herself. Fortunately the room is just big enough to handle it--the 9.5' ceilings help.

Halloween was fun; we spent it with some new friends whose little girl L adores. They just happen to be from MN--you know, good people ;-) L was less into dressing up for Halloween than I thought she would be, though she pretty much is a Fashion Monkey every day. She wore a tutu, but she'd been wearing that tutu for four days in a row, so, you know, it was the Four Days of Halloween here. Her little friend lent her a Fancy Nancy Hat, so I suppose she was Fancy Nancy. She was fancy.
The day started with a costume parade to Hippo Park led by some bagpipe players, ending with cider and dough nuts and slides. The a party at the friend's building. Apparently their building has 21 small children in it--we were the only non-building attendees. Having a close knit community is one advantage to buying in NYC, despite the closing costs that are the same price as some small homes.

Speaking of homes, we quickly and virtually painlessly unloaded our house in NC (though we did put the $$$ in) THANK GOD. One down, one to go. No buying in NYC for the time being. That is A-OK with us, thought the thought is tantalizing.

Today was AMAZING out. Warm and sunny, and we spent most of it in Madison and Central Parks. I even got a little poetry/lyric writing in, which makes the whole day feel worth living, and my various and sundry knitting projects are coming along swimmingly, I'll have to post some pics as soon as I get my act together.

with much love,
me

A slice of the life...

The Whys and Wherefores of Our Move to NYC

Here's the Cliff's Notes version:

In March of 2008 C' company, Destineer Studios/Atomic Games moved us out to Raleigh, NC, because development of the game Six Days in Fallujah was moved out there. After the game was announced, the subject matter caused much controversy, and the game's publisher (Konami) pulled out. After 4 months, Atomic pretty much let everyone go and shut down production. Fortunately the same day that C found out he was out of a job, he also found out that he had an offer from THQ / KAOS Studios in Manhattan! We had taken a family trip to NYC for C's interview, and we liked it, so we were jazzed that he got the job (and that he had a job at all!).

We've been in NYC for two weeks now, and have had all of our stereotypes of New Yorkers blown away. People have been, for the most part, friendly, helpful, and welcoming. We signed the lease on an apartment a few days ago, and are pleased to be calling the Upper West Side (think "You've Got Mail") home. Our new place is just steps from wonderful Riverside Park. We'd love to hear from you and tell you all about it :-)

L is doing great; she's nearly 2.5, talking up a storm, and charming everyone we meet--she's very popular on the subway and often requests to ride the train or "see New York."

We found a new and loving home for our two dogs, Bailey and Elisa. We were very sad to say good-bye, but their new home and family is fantastic-they'll hardly miss us. In fact, when we went to say good-bye they seemed scared to leave their new home and come with us.

I'm at home with L, and looking forward to taking advantage of all of the literary opportunities that the City has to offer. In fact I've already been to a Young Adult book reading of seven authors--you know, market research!

80* & Sun


I think I'm in love. With New York in the Fall.


Today was a fantastic day. First of I went to the Gap on 86th & Broadway to get the hat I saw there on clearance, and it is a good thing I did as I ended up walking from 86th st to 26th st (THAT IS 60 BLOCKS, PEOPLE!!!), not to mention back-tracking several avenues, and then back to the apartment on 32nd and to the park later in the day. Definitely go my exercise in today! i Even did that long walk on purpose, though I don't know that I will ever make that choice again!

L and I went to the park on Riverside and 83rd, spending quite a bit of time there. My heart was so full of gratefulness and contentment. The sun, the lovely weather, watching L playing happily—it all seemed so fantastic. On the way back we stopped by the marina to look at the boats. L kept insisting that we see the boats, and I kept insisting that we were looking at them. I think the poor dear wanted to ride on them, which would be nice; we'll just have to make some rich friends.

I decided to walk to the 59th st station, but by the time I'd gotten that far L had fallen asleep, so I just kept going. Somewhere along 40th and 5th ave Carlos called and asked me to meet him at work (27th and 7th ave), and I reluctantly agreed. I was having a hard time keeping the sleeping L out of the sun. Eventually we did meet C and I got some much-needed food, which helped with my increasing grumpiness greatly.

After coming “home” to freshen up and catch a small nap, we went to Madison Park until C met us there after work. L is such a monkey!! People are so impressed with her climbing abilities, and other moms are impressed that I don't have a heart attack while watching her, or even that I “let” her do it at all. Honestly, I don't know how so many parents can take over-protective to such extremes. I'm all for taking care of your kids, but if you never let them do anything they will go ape-nuts on you eventually.

After C arrived at the park he got a phone call from our realtor in NC—some people offered a bid for our house, we countered the offer, and they accepted!!! We close on October 30. So, barring something going haywire, OUR HOUSE IS SOLD and we break even! PRAISE THE LORD OH MY SOUL!!!

Everything is falling into place. Life is beautiful. I want to add to the beauty and spread it around. And right now, I want to go to bed!

We Did It! We've Got an Apartment!

65* and rain all day


Well! We signed for the apartment today! Our new home as of October 1 will be across the street from Riverside Park! Yay! Just like "You've Got Mail"....

To get to the signing L and I had to take 3 trains and walk in the rain. I had an umbrella, but it was broken (so was the other one for C—here I pack two umbrellas, thinking I am awesome, and both are bunk!).

After we had a celebratory lunch at a cute—and very tasty—French restaurant on Broadway. Good food, good people-watching, good ambiance: I hope we will go there for more celebrations in the future.

After C went back to work and L and I went to the apartment so that I could measure everything. I am so glad that I did; I think that I might have a chance at having a dishwasher! There is an 18 5/8” gap in the kitchen, and they make 18” dishwashers... there is hope!

I also think that we're going to have to go with lace curtains... It wouldn't be my fist choice, but I don't mind, and the apartment's style is so old-school, I can't imagine anything else.

C is so very relieved about having a place to live--he might even be back to his old self soon; I'm sure if we sold the NC house he would be there within 24 hours. I don't know if I am there yet; I had a hard time sleeping last night and kept waking up thinking about how I was going to decorate—-if I could afford it; how to make the most of the space, etc. I don't know if I will be settled until we are actually...settled. Then, after establishing a home, there is establishing a life. * Sigh *

L and I spent the rest of the day (we got home at 4) just chilling. Sitting out the rain, snuggling and watching Finding Nemo...again.

After 8+ hours and 15 apts, Home Sweet Home??

After eight-and-a-half hours of walking all over the Upper West Side and looking at 15 different apartments with seven different people, we put an offer on a little apartment on 98th right off of Riverside Dr. It wasn't the biggest, it wasn't the fanciest or the “nicest,” the sunniest, or the most likely to be chosen by anyone else, but I do think it is the most “us,” despite the tiny kitchen, and the shabbiness. I couldn't understand the attraction the place held on me (or Carlos for that matter). He put his finger on it only after we got home—the place has a European vibe—reminding us of the apartment we stayed in in France.

French doors, high ceilings (very high ceilings), the huge gray marble foyer, the old-world styling of the rooms (corners rounded off near the ceiling)--it just has an attraction. The kitchen is absurd and I am afraid of regretting it later, but I am hoping that a rolling island will help that be more tolerable. I am also hoping that I can make the bedroom walk-thru to the toilet more private for our bedroom, I think that the living room area will be charming and the office/library/L's room will be cute as well. It is in the back of the building on the first floor so it should be quiet but have low light. It is on the first floor, which is great with a baby and stroller, etc. I hope that if we like it and do well there that they will let us know if something bigger becomes available (especially if our family expands). The walls and floor/ceilings are thick and the piano should not be a problem. In fact, there is a piano teacher above us—maybe C can finally take lessons! A woman from the building told me that she loves it there, that it is like a vertical neighborhood. I hope so!

I am only feeling a bit torn about Riverside Park vs. Central Park. We'd been looking near CPW for so long, hoping for it so much. We even could have been the neighbor to some people L & I met at a CP playground last week. L got on great with their son, and it would be cool to be neighbors with these cool people but... but I don't know. That apartment is $500 more per month! That is a lot of gluten-free doughnuts!

If nothing else, it should be a quiet, nice place to meet other kids and parents.

If nothing else, it should be and adventure.

Life, Aquariums, and Parenting

I am afraid that L has heard the 'F' word more times in the last week than I did until High School. I wouldn't be surprised if she just says it one of these days, completely innocently, and then I won't know what to do. People's obliviousness to those around them, especially those little ones around them, is astounding (Here I am, the pot calling the kettle black, I am sure, but still!). You could not pay me to be 15 or 16 again. Though I would hopefully use my time more wisely than I did previously....

We went out to the Aquarium at Coney Island/Brighton Beach relatively early today. L has been so obsessed with Finding Nemo that it was not very hard to convince her to take the long train ride to go and see Nemo and Dorey in the flesh. We had a great time; the weather was very mild which added to the ejoyment.

We enjoyed the reef, the sea lion show, the walrus, the sea horses, and, of course, the tank containing the Dorey and Nemo look-a-likes. Jelly fish and eels still creep me out. Sharks and manta rays are still cool.

After, we enjoyed a walk on the boardwalk while L napped. The beach looked inviting though chilly, and I was surprised by how much the surrounding neighborhood seemed to be a big dump.

On the way out, after we'd transferred and been on the train for a while, C told me that we were passing through the area that one of the Brokers wanted us to look in. We were on the el, and I could see that this place was 1) a dump, and 2)way too far out--we'd been on the train a while. What is it with these brokers??? Honestly. Totally not listening.

On the parenting side of things, I love my L, she is great, she is beautiful, she is startlingly smart (yesterday she told us, “the problem is dada...,” [only she pronounced it 'ploblem'] when we were telling her to do something she didn't want to; and she amazes me with what she remembers and the fanciful stories she makes up, not to mention her climbing ability is that of an older child). But she's on the edge, and so am I, and we push each other nearly over from time to time.

The Apartment Hunt Begins

Well paint me pink and call me Susie! My husband is drinking beer and watching football. Apparently all that it took for him to find his inner “Curran” was Bret Farve donning a Vikings jersey. Who knew?

After a gluten-free beer and several pointless Facebook quizzes, I think I am ready to begin processing. Tiger started his new job today, and in my own way, I suppose I did, too. Stay-at-home momming it in NYC is going to be a very different animal than SAHMing in NC, or even MN 'burbs, for that matter.

We are currently in a furnished apartment until we find a closet, I mean, apartment, of our very own.

The first order of business today was to go grocery shopping and get as much as I could fit into the stroller--or had cash for--whichever came first. The whole thing from start to finish (door to door) was about an hour-and-a-half. Not too bad considering most of that was just getting there and back. I went to Whole Foods as I knew they would have some of the specialty items I would need and—let's be honest—I have had enough new lately that I wanted some familiarity. In my own defense NYC Whole Foods and Cary Whole Foods are different experiences, anyway.

After lunch and a nap, L and I hopped on the subway to meet our apartment broker. Things can only go up from here, kids. After viewing three apartments (all of which would make my mother cry) and two hours (additional to this morning) of walking, along with thoughts along the lines of “Holy Hannah, we are living in New York City!” I was having a hard time keeping things together.

When we got back to our temporary apartment (which is soooo much nicer than the ones I had just visited, it hurts to think about it), I tried to implement some culinary-therapy by making DH (Darling Husband)'s favorite, French toast. I set the smoke detector off. Twice. L was hysterical. The poor kid was so overwhelmed and overstimulated (as was I), and had spent the whole day in a stroller, not interacting with me or others, the smoke detector was just too much to handle. By the time DH came home L and I were both on the couch, catatonic, watching Finding Nemo.

Dinner was nice, and having DH back in our midst brought some sense of equilibrium. But, man, did I want a beer! And, as I cannot just have just any beer (gluten!), we made another trek to Whole Foods, this time bringing our Equilibrium along with us, which helped, at least a little. L, who needed a chocolate milk while we were at Whole Foods, somehow sprayed or flung or squirted the pants of the man whom we were behind in the check-out line. I realized just as he walked away. Sorry, guy! That seemed to be the perfect top off to the day. Fortunately things began to look up...

On the way home we stopped to see if one of our NYC acquaintances (an employee from the Ace Hotel whom we hit it off with when we were here for the interview) was working. She was! And she was so pleased to see us! Perhaps we will have a play-date soon.

So! that was a faithful account of my second day as a New Yorker. Tomorrow looks to be a lovely day. I hope Little L won't rebel as I drag her on more apartment visits!

Good bye, one thing at at time...

We've said good-bye to the dogs. Good bye-to the car, the amp, some friends, and tonight our church family.

The dogs were easier to say good-bye to than I thought they would be, but only because we went and saw them with their new family--seeing them so happy and so loved made things much, much easier. In fact, Bailey looked like a whole different dog--her hair (yes, she has hair rather than fur) went from charcoal to black in two weeks! I think Bailey and Elisa were afraid we were going to take them back with us!

I know they are just dogs, but they were special to me in the way only pre-kid dogs are (in a sane, I-don't-dress-them-up kind of way). Their new forever family is, quite literally, an answer to prayer.

The Jetta was hard to get rid of, too. What is it with Americans and their cars? I loved it in that this-is-my-first-not-crappy-car kind of way. The amp went to a guy who will use it to teach kids, so that is cool. Everything else seems to be getting a good home, too, which is comforting.

Leaving people one cares about is never fun or comforting, but it is so nice to have people who make it hard to leave, if that makes sense.

Now it's Official

Tiger has bought our plane tickets and Lily and I are leaving with him on the 30th, 8 a.m.

This makes me want to eat a lot of ice cream and take a nap. Wake me up when we're in Manhattan.

The dogs are gone, which is both weird, sad, and a relief. The first thing that Lily did when we got home from our 3-week trip to Minnesota (around dinner time) was to run over to her little table and chair in the breakfast nook, her body language saying, Whew! This is mine--just my size. Then she called out cheerily, "Bailey, Elisa, where are you?" This both warmed and broke my heart. I told her, "They're not here, honey." Her guess as to their whereabouts was the grocery store. I chuckled and left it at that.

The real job now is to decide what to get rid of, what to sell, what to give away, what to (hopefully, if they agree) ship to mom and dad's, and what to leave for the movers to pack up and send to a storage unit in New Jersey until we find an apartment. My stomach just leapt up into my throat at that sentence. OhGodohGodohGod. We're doing it; we're leaving: we're moving.

The realtor came today and made me realize just how shabby our house is; how ugly and terrible our furniture is; how little I relish deep-cleaning or yard-work, and how cash-poor we are for things like new carpeting, yard guys, and the simple and general face-lift things this place needs like a coat of paint. I have a feeling that this place will sell, though. I hope I am right.

I know it is immature and tacky, but I don't want most of the neighbors to find out until we are gone and the For Sale sign is up. I hate good-byes, especially among the people whom I don't actually know or remember their names.

I spent most of the day with Amber and the kids. My heart sank to realize that they will be leaving for the beach on Sunday and will get back the day we leave. We have a dinner planned for Friday night. This will be our good-bye. I suppose it is best to get all the good-byes knocked-out one-by-one.

Amber told her four-year-old daughter, Lily's self-proclaimed Best Friend, that we were moving away and she wouldn't be able to play with Lily anymore. She asked her daughter if this made her sad. Her daughter said that it did make her sad, but maybe another family would move in who had children she could be friends with. I am glad of this. I will pray for that, just for her.