Must... Get... Hemp... Yarn!

I just found out that yarn made from hemp gets softer with every machine wash/dry, never pills (the sweater I just finished is already pilling! grrr), and requires NO herbicides/pesticides to produce! So it's eco-friendly, easy-care, and the results are beautiful for a lifetime? Sign me up! My thoughtcicles are already melting at all the brainstorming going on....

The smallest people have the biggest parites....

Today was one of the DD's little friend's 2nd birthday party. Only in NYC would I be invited to a birthday party at 10 am on a Sunday! We had a good time though. I really like the little friend's parents and the DD and her little friend get on like peas and carrots, despite the one-year age gap. This party was much more low-key than the last two-year-old New Yorker's birthday party we went to, but not nearly as low-key as the DD's is going to be!

We ended up taking a nice long walk up to Columbia University after, until the DD feel asleep. Got an amazing latte at the first not-Starbuck's I've come across up here.

FINALLY put away the Christmas decorations! The DD could not understand why on earth I would put away Baby Jesus, lol.

The DH is at a pub watching the Vikings game. He has even bought a Favre jersey. Who is this rogue and what has he done with the man I married? I hope they win!

Hot Chocolate, Butterflies, and Boutiques

Got up early with DD; we were at the park (via scooter) by 8 am! Normally an 'early' day would be 10 or 11, and often I don't leave the apartment until 3 or 4, which is not good when it is nearly dark out at that time!
NYC is a very different place in the morning! All the dogs were out scampering about. It was actually very beautiful; the air was that ultra-clear air that comes when it is very, very cold. We made it all the way to Hippo Park, and DD wanted to, of course, stop and play, but there were no other kids and she got bored. Having her stop moving was a terrible idea; she didn't dress warmly enough (read: she refused to and I needed to get her out of the house--I didn't know it was so cold!) DD started having fits: she wanted me to carry her and her scooter from 90th st (plus I twisted my ankle carrying her, screaming, from the playground to the street), so I carried her--I tried not to but she refused to move and was waking up the whole street--straight to Broadway and we ended up going to Le Pain Quotidian so that she could warm up. I learned my lesson: must continue to bring stroller, no matter how much I don't want to schlep it around, until she can make it to our destination and back consistently. *Sigh*

DH met us at the cafe (with the stroller!) and we had a nice time. Scones, Belgian hot chocolate, and waffles. Mmmmm. I know that place is a local chain, but that ambiance is so nice--almost addicting. I started to fantasizes about getting the same tables...
After nap we went to the Natural History Museum just for the Butterfly exhibit DD has been clamoring for for ages. Last night I told her we could go, she got a confused, excited look on her face and said, "We'd better get going!" When I told her that the Museum was closed and that I meant tomorrow she started to cry, poor kid.
Anyway, the exhibit was amazing! So fun. We went into a special room designed so that the butterflies could not escape and were surrounded by the hot, tropical air and huge, tropical butterflies. It was called a "Vivarium"--I supposed like a terrarium with animals. My personal favorites were the Blue Morphos--absolutely stunning. DD and I both got a kick out of one landing on my head! She was more interested on spraying water on everything for the butterflies to drink, silly kid.
We got hot dogs (so gross, so yummy) and went to Central Park after the museum closed. It was twilight, but still we went across the street to the Diana Ross playground, the first place I ever took DD, when we came to NYC that first time for DH's interview. We spent most of two days there. Ah, memories.
DH and I have such a good time just walking around the city together. I could do it everyday. We went past a boutique that DD refused to move on from. The lady in the boutique ended up opening the door for her and giving her a necklace. Sheesh. That kid is too cute for her own good. We ended up spending quite a bit of time there. She was having a ball making everyone there fancy--me, daddy, the two ladies working the floor. She has interesting tastes, but is amazingly good at co-ordinating. Perhaps she will be the host of a show like What Not to Wear someday?

2010, Resistance, and resolutions

2010 Came in with a bang at our place! Not really. We "celebrated" by watching three episodes of LOST while knitting (yes, DH was knitting, too--a cowl for me! Yay!) and enjoying some really good wine. THEN we got to really celebrate by changing the linens on our bed where the DD, who was completely wrecked by the excitement of the last two days, had a bit of an accident. Very unlike her, but most kids her age are still in diapers, so I really can't complain.

We had a wonderful Christmakah miracle here! We were gearing up to have our first Christmas without friends and family. I was trying not to let it get to me, look at it as the beginning of our family's own traditions rather than on being far away from everyone we love. The Wednesday morning before Christmas I got a call from my sister. She was stranded at Chicago O'Hare. No planes to MSP due to weather. Could she try to get her tickets transfered to NYC? Duh! She was in building being knocked over by her very excited nice by 2 pm. We loved having her for four short days!

My sister, the DH and I had a really great discussion during her visit about our goals for 2010. Many of my goals have to do with this great book I just read called "The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield. I highly recommend it. It is the type of book that came at just the right time, creating a perfect storm and, I think, changing my life. Creating a shokabuku of sorts (I'm not going to even try to spell that). 2010 is the year that I will be conscious of, and fight, Resistance. I've already started to write again. I feel like a new person. I'm doing my 'work.' Even if it doesn't matter to anyone but me (and God), it matters to me (and my relationship with God and others). Therefore it is paramount.

I get so frustrated with the mundane in life. I am an ENFP and suspect I've got a little ADD thrown into the mix. All this to say, I'm not one for repetitious tasks, or the mundane. I'd rather die. Any time I am doing the daily same-old same-old I can't shake the feeling that I am watching my life waste away before my very eyes. But when I get my work done (understand, I mean the work I was made to do, not the myriad things on my to-do list), it makes me feel like the whole day was worth living, dishes and all. The tedious becomes less tiresome.

I want to be more deliberate. More deliberate in my 'work'--my art. More deliberate in my marriage--not letting things slide, letting inertia take over. Making sure to 'date' my DH, even when there is little time or money--picnics in the living room, whatever it takes. More deliberate in my relationship with the Monkey. She is exhausting, and she is wonderful. I can't afford to miss it. I can't afford to miss any of it. Here is to embracing and seizing. And Grace. Always, always, Grace.

Much love and peace to you in 2010. I have a feeling it's going to rock.

Usually the New Year seems arbitrary to me, but this year is different.

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