Finally Thursday One-Kid-Day!

Hello blog-lovers!
Christina here, sitting in wet hair and a towel after grabbing a quick shower- a rarity in the world of child-rearing. Both children are happily playing independently, which is also a rarity, so I thought I'd jot some things on my blog!
Let's see, what's been going on these past 2 weeks...
-Well, the baby got his first two teeth- got them on St. Patrick's day so of course Irish Daddy is sure it's a sign from God. Haha.
-I've been informed that the 6:15 wakeup call will soon be changing to 5:15 which basically means any semblance of a social life will be halted due to my super-early new bedtime: 9:15. Woah!
-I'm still laughing thinking of all the good and funny times I had with Mom and Care this weekend- like the time I ran into a pole while trying to look at the Metro-North schedule while we were at Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center, I would suggest this over the Empire State building for a bevy of reasons, just trust me). Also when Caroline was so impressed with Mom's college friend's building on the Upper West Side because she'd gone through the work of putting our name on the buzz-in list (We share the same last name, and it was on the Apt. listing BECAUSE SHE LIVED THERE). Good times :) Also it was so good to take them to my church, and introduce them to some of my bible-study friends and show them where I'm making my home.
-On Monday, the kids and I went for a walk. This was complicated by the fact that they don't have a double stroller, so Kid 1 was in the stroller and Kid 2 was strapped to my chest. I didn't think it would be that bad, but after about 5 blocks of 20 lbs strapped to you, you start to feel the heat... literally. It was quite the workout! Of course I was not willing to admit defeat, and after hitting Panera for a muffin for the little guy, we actually went shopping for a bit at Marshalls. What was I thinking? Also compouding the ridiculousness, I put the baby back into the Baby Bjorn wrong after Panera, and his little sleeping head was rolling all over while I waddled around the store. Ahhhhhhhh! Good thing though, I found that awsome dress for the opera and also an amazing suit. So all is good.
-Today I'll bring Kid 1 to school, then Kid 2 and I will Starbucks it for as long as he'll let me :) and then head home to do some laundry, etc. Thursdays and Fridays without Kid 1 used to seem so long and luxurious, but now they seem to go by in a flash! Ok, better get going, but I love you all!
christina

A great weekend to be had

So this is the email that my mom sent out to the family about our weekend together in Manhattan... names have been changed :) but I think this pretty much sums up our weekend- it was so great :)

"We had a wonderful time! We wish you had been there. We went to littleItaly, Chinatown, Times Square, Central park, and Rockefeller Center. Wewent to the upper 80's, SoHo, Midtown, Uptown, Downtown, East Side, WestSide and Underside. We gave money to cab drivers, waitresses, buggydrivers, skate park attendants, Canal Street hawkers, street vendors,subway ticket machines, tour guides, pedicurists, restaurants, beggars(in the form of food), bad hotels and good ones. We ate Chinese,Italian, New American, seafood, diner, famous bagels and famous cupcakes. We walked and walked and walked and walked, sometimes schlepping (my newfavorite word) suitcases along. We met my college room mate Ginnifer(who gave NYnanny 2 tickets to opening night of Don Pasquale at theMetropolitan Opera for Friday night), Christina's bosses (the husband is so Irish he got married in a kilt), our old friend Allie, andour new friend the cabby who left 2 children behind in Bangladesh. We proved we were tourists by taking pictures of every place we went,looking at our subway map every other block, and ordering water and swapping plates at a fancy restaurant. Nynanny proved she was a NewYorker by giving directions to people who knew even less than we did;hailing not one, but 2 cabs at the same time; taking us places that shehad already been and loved; and haggling for a watch in Chinatown. Welaughed, we cried, we giggled, we slept, we ate, we walked, we ran, weshared, we ate, we explored, we conquered!! We loved being together andbeing in NYC together!"

So great, huh? The worst part of the weekend was having to say goodbye, but that would have stunk no matter what, so I would say we had an awesome weekend... some things mom forgot were ice-skating in central park (so fun- Care totally biffed it a couple times trying to be really impressive on her skates... even with the falls she's still way better than me, but oh well, it was great), when Mom tried to hail the SAME "out of order" cab like 5 times in a row and he started to get freaked out, and when we had a vegan- cupcake birthday party for mom on a bench somewhere on the lower East side. It was a great weekend- so great. Caroline actually came into town on Tuesday, hung out with Allie, than Wednesday I went down to the city to get her to bring her up here. We found the cupcake place that won "Best Of..." in New York Magazine, which I'd been dreaming about for weeks, and walked about a million blocks since we got off at the wrong subway exit... oops! :) Thursday and Friday we hung out with the kids (Care was great help and even watched them while I took a nap! awesome! Of course, they were new and cute to her so she was lovin it) So that was just awesome. Than this weekend I'm headed to the opera (which I have a new dress and coat all ready for haha) with Allie then to Little Italy to explore on Saturday- I realized while Mom and Care where here that you can't just walk into what the map says is little Italy and find a good Italian restaurant. Ugh. So I need to figure that out this weekend. This weekend rekindled my love for the city, which is sweet. I'm looking forward to exploring more so I can be an even better hostess for my best friend Megan who's coming up here next weekend. So all is well. The kids are in rare form.... but at least they're not mine! Haha. love you all

christina

Seeing the Sliver (LOG)

Ok, so one thing that is amazing today (well, really yesterday) is that a bad, bad thing with a friend has been (kind of) resolved. You know those times, when you just act REALLY, REALLY badly, and you have no excuses or reasons? That's what this was. No explanation, really. The things I said I didn't really even believe. It was like word vomit that just came spewing up in a huge moment of weakness. It was one of those times, when you are so bent on correcting someone else's percieved wrong that you have no idea that you have a HUGE LOG in your own. I moped around all week, so sad about it. My mom was so worried cause let's me serious, it takes a lot for me to lose my joy. But I did, I was just appalled at the way I had been acting and appalled that I could hurt someone so much that I love so much! Isn't that how it goes! The people that are closest to us see our faults, OUR GLARINGLY OBVIOUS FAULTS clear as day. And because you are so close, you hurt them with these faults so much more! Sin is out to get our relationships! I've mourned my mistakes all week long, and although God has forgiven me it just doesn't feel right until the relationship is restored! So I'm praying, praying, praying.
The question is- can you go back? You can't take back the words, but after all is done and all is forgiven and intentions are known, can you go back to being good? Can you go back to opening your heart to them as freely? I'm hoping so. I'm praying so! Ok, that's enough about that.
christina

Poofy leg hair and steam coming out the ears

Pretty frustrating end of the day.
Am I overreacting to think that my time is not being respected when...
I get a call at 4:02 saying "we'll be home in 15 min." then them getting home an hour and 15 later.
And when they GET home, the Mom walks around talking on her phone for 15 while I just stand holding the baby (looking very annoyed and tired by the way)
Yes, talking and laughing while I take care of her children.
AN HOUR AND HALF AFTER I WAS TOLD I'D GET OFF WORK! AHHHHHHHHHH!!
Ugh.
Also, the mother told me something that is so wrong it's almost laughable.
and I quote...
"Children don't misbehave. They're just trying to get more attention. Also, they can act out because of inconsistencies, really, they're correcting you."
What the...? Children DO misbehave, THAT'S WHY THEY CALL IT DISCIPLINE!
Ok, I'm done :) I promise. :)
Anyway, today was alright, dropped the Mom off at work (a new development that leaves Reily screaming for like a half hr. into the car ride.) then Reily off at school. Reily was still upset from Mom leaving the car, so he cried all the way into school. Hate it when stuff like that happens cause I feel like a horrible nanny. Like shut your kid up already! :) Nah, just kidding. Anyway, dropped him off, headed home w/ the baby, and during his super short nap I got to take a shower which is such a rarity these days. Out of soap, so volumizing shampoo had to do, so I may have extra voluminous leg and armpit hair for the next few days, but I guess it'll just keep me warmer during the cold nights :)
Tonight I think I'm gonna go for a run to get rid of some of this aggression, then eat something healthy before spiffing up the room. I'll have my MOM AND SISTER as guests next weekend (not here at the house, but they'll get to tour my humble abode) so it needs to be great! I'm so excited about them coming! Anyway, so all is (sort of) well here in New York tonight. At least I'll have a quiet supper here at the homestead and not have to deal with the crazy Italians at the pizza joint Regine and I hit up last night. The men working there were like crazy flirts, it was almost weird. Got some more free food out of the deal, but the SALAD PIZZA they sent over is not really my idea of an Italian delicacy. And portly Italian men are not my idea of a hot date :)Anyway peace out.
christina

The apartment Complex

My sis sent up a couple mix-CD's that she made and there is an amazing song that talks about the apartment complex which got me thinking- I'm not sure about what, but it did get me thinking. Like if there actually is a complex out there about apartments and if so, do college students have it? Because I'm looking for a man with a REAL LIFE HOUSE, bum college students in parents-pay-for-apartments need not apply. Cause really, wouldn't that be nice? To find a guy who already had that whole buying a house thing all figured out? I suppose if I want one with a house he'd have to be older (def. not knocking that- I am SO FULLY supportive of a certain favorite cousin's husband!! hi matt!) and possibly have kids (not knocking this either! haha) and God knows I'm definately not ready for that, since I still have problems growing out of the whole kid- deal myself. But only God knows what's in my future- in the future today is a little Grey's anatomy (a show, Grandmas and grandpas out there) and fixing a lamp in my room that the little sticky strip things are not successfully adhering it to the ceiling. ugh. Maybe they've got a stapler around here?? ...
But this is beside the point.
I had an amazing weekend...
Friday night I was just happy to hang out alone- the week had been long emotionally and otherwise- and even my fantastic new haircut couldn't give me the energy I would need to actually give a friend a call and get ready and hang out with someone.
So I was just bumming around on Friday night when I finally called my Bronx-sounding friend Regine and decided that we would go to the city to hang out later that night. argh. yep, made plans although exhausted. What can I say, my social skills are so stupendous they cannot be kept quiet. So I got beautiful in a fun and weird outfit (wearing a lot of those lately) and headed to the Columbia part of Harlem to go out with Regine's friends. We headed to a chill bar (our request- they wanted to go to a hard-core dance place but those places make me mega-uncomfortable) down in Soho and hung out there for awhile. Turns out super loud bars aren't super fun for people that don't have a pint of liquor in them, so it was just ok considering half the people there I didn't have much to talk about with, but it was definately a place I would go again. It's hard to find fun hang-out places for 20-somethings that you aren't afraid of inappropriate and unasked for touching from men, and I think this place was a winner in that respect- people were respectful and friendly and some really interesting types. I'll keep that address in my back pocket for when BEST FRIEND MEGAN comes. (22 days, she's started a countdown) So that was fun- got home at 3 am and slept in the next morning.
TO WAKE UP TO A GORGEOUS DAY.
walked around in a light jacket and a smile on my face. Coffee shop for some bible-reading and journalling, then bought a painting for the pad. Came home to an EMPTY HOUSE which was just what I needed. Spent the whole afternoon sewing pillows for my room and watching movies on pay-per-view while wearing one of my favorite skirts. I don't know why, but that made the day oh-so-much-better. Stepped out for chinese food in flip-flops and my heart was warmed at the thought of summer just around the corner. Those glimpses- when I can see myself here in the next season, having the time of my life- I realize I am making a home here! And that is a strange, strange feeling. So that was nice.
My room is looking amazing, by the way.
So great.
Then today, sang at church (went off pretty well, if I do say so myself) and had a great time praising God with my song. So many ladies from my bible study were there to support me- They all sat together, cheering me on with huge smiles on their faces. It was amazing. I am so richly blessed here. Plus one of the ladies, Lynn, is also my hairdresser, so my new hair-do was on display and it was looking good. Kudos to Lynn. :) Then Regine and I ate at Applebees, went grocery shopping, then to the movies. My first "movie with a friend" here in New York. I've been going to movies this whole time by myself on Sunday nights and loving it, but it was nice to have a friend to go with. The weird thing is- I actually really like going by myself now- Wow look at this independent woman :)
Church was amazing today- talked all about letting go of your past and letting God take hold of your future. Very applicable to life.
anyway, God is good.

love to
-shout out to Caroline, for the best package ever. (care, who is song #4 on cd 1 by? i love it. love it. love it.)
-to Matt and Coralynn, who are wonderful and I'M SORRY FOR NOT CALLING YOU BACK WHILE YOU WERE IN TOWN! I LOVE YOU BOTH! LIFE GOT CRAZY BUT I THINK YOU BOTH ARE THE BEST!
-and both sets of grandmas and grandpas- you all are wonderful and I love you so much.
so glad to share my life via blog in a way we might never get to in person :)
-britton and julie in Michigan- happy to hear you remenisce about the club- you both are part of my testimony so thanks for being Jesus to me that summer.
Cindy, Dick, Sam, Bethany, William, James, Caroline.
you're the best.
no question.
I am insanely blessed.
God, who is so good. and gives me all good things
christina

In The Absence of Angst

If I wrote a book, it would be called "In the absence of angst." Because sometimes, I think I have this sad poet's soul, but I just can't work up that deep tortured soul-sadness. It's like joy just overwhelms the sadness. I can be sad one minute, singing at the top of my lungs while driving down the freeway the next. Silly me. Like I'm sad here, sometimes, missing my family, the easy great life I had in Iowa, but somehow I'm ok here. strangely, I'm doing alright! God is good, that's for sure.
Ok, so I haven't written for awhile, what's been going on...
Saturday I helped Allie move apts. Whew, big work. So I hurried back up here for church on Sat. night but didn't get back in time, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise cause I got some great me-time shopping and at a movie. bought some amazing things that I will look amazing in :) plus some shoes I may have already mentioned because they're so amazingly fabulous that God totally dropped in my lap for only $7 whoohoooo! So that was great, then the christening on Sunday, then I tried to go to Ikea on Sunday night (in New Haven, CT, about an hour and a half away) on the train and by the time I got there there was only an hour till the store closed to it was POWER SHOPPING all the way. so after I got done shopping, hopped on a train back home, and they told me I had to transfer. Ugh. That's alot of remembering- watching the stops, getting off at the proper time, etc. Apparantly I couldn't handle it, cause I missed my stop (looked out the window as we pulled away, ugh) and the train went all the way south to HARLEM before I could go back north. Now, I realize the "harlem renaissance" happened and all, but it didn't change it into a happy fairy-land or anything. Still pretty sketchy. So anyway, I realize that's the next stop, so paranoid me starts transferring all my money and credit cards into my pockets so if I get mugged, they only get the free restaurant mints in my purse and some trash. So yeah, I'm a dork, and I DIDN'T get mugged, so that was nice. Called Caroline and she looked up the schedule for me to hop on another train right after I arrived there, so I didn't even have to leave the station. Nice, that technology stuff :) so anyway, got home safe.
This week has been okay with the kids, but kis #2 (baby) has been like CRAZY NEEDY. Like
" I won't be happy unless you carry me around or plop me in front of baby ensteins." Ugh. I already have mother guilt and I'm not even a mother yet :). Kid 1 has been so cute and helpful and sweet this week though, gotta love that. When they both explode in anger is when you gotta watch out. I am singing "special music" (solo) at church on Sunday, so last night after choir I sang my little heart out practicing it with the director. Pretty excited, cause it will be my first special music here. Probably not the last because I think they are in dire need of people under 50 that have a little talent. Which is fine with me! Pencil me in! :) So that's new, and I'm getting baptized next week, something I've been meaning to do for about 10 years or so but kept putting it off. God made it pretty obvious that the time is NOW, so I'm getting up there and gettin 'er done next week. Pretty excited! It's sweet to do something I've been meaning so long to do. Kind of like moving out here! It happened! It's becoming normal now, which is weird. Seeing Manhattan all the time, knowing my way around, understanding (well, sort of) the subways, it's crazy. Anyway, today I'm just w/ the baby, and I'm going to TRY to get my hair cut while he naps in his carseat. Hopefully it will work! :) hopefully!
ok, love you all,
hugs and kisses to Iowa,
christina

Ja- Ja- Jaded

Today is christening day, so our house is bustling with relatives from out of town. It's fun (and yet of course a bit awkward- what isn't?) to meet all these people I've heard so much about and I'm sure they've heard a lot about me, hopefully good :). It's Sunday, so the Irish music is on full blast (The Dad's side is Irish, and very proud of it. And I mean VERY. I think St. Patrick's day is like the apex of their existence every year) anyway so that's what's going on here. The christening is at 1:30, and we'll leave at one so I have 2 hours to figure out what the heck one wears to a christening. ugh :)
This weekend was good- I hung out with my friend Regine Friday night- we went out for dinner and coffee and just chatted about life. We like ea. other because we both could talk non-stop all day long so we entertain ea. other endlessly with stories and tall tales of our lives. :) So we did that, then she dropped me off at the train station to go into the city to stay with Allie so I could help her move
INTO HER NEW APARTMENT the next day.
ON THE UPPER WEST SIDE! It's an amazing location, an amazing neighborhood, a really gorgeous building. For cheap. So anyway, I headed down there but not before waiting like 30 min. in the terminal thing reading the newspaper about all the horrible things that have gone on in the city in the last week. Can you say depressing? A girl my age, in graduate school, was killed and they haven't found the killer yet. So I was nervous already, looking at all the other people in the terminal, wondering if it could be them. So on the way to the city my phone died, and when I finally got into Grand Central Allie had already gone home. So don't worry mom, I was NOT taking the subway all by myself out to Roosevelt Island when there was a killer on the loose, so I took a cab. And the cabbie totally took me for a ride. Literally, went around in circles and ran up the ticket. And I was so frustrated cause I didn't know enough about the area to know for sure. And his little ID tag wasn't hanging, so there was no way I could turn him in. By the time I got dropped off, I was seething. At him and myself. Anyway, so the next day Allie and I spent all day moving into her new place. So great. Her new place is amazing. So that was fun and what an experience, schlepping her huge bags through numerous subways with numerous flights of steps... yeah :) In one subway station, an old guy who looked kind of crazy had spilled his coffee and had kind of fallen down trying to get it, and me and Allie just stood there. Because although you should help people, in NYC the chances are that it's a scam to get some money from you or there's always the chance that someone will hurt you. So we just looked away, until some nice lady helped him up and we helped her, but walking away from that I thought, "Man, how jaded am I that I just assume it's a well-oiled scam to get money from innocent people? I must really be a new yorker now!" So, by the end of the day we were both totally exhausted. So I rushed back here to go to night church but I got back about 45 min. too late so I went shopping and to a movie. (good shopping, good movie, good alone time. really good alone time :) ) I found such good stuff, I called all the most fashionable people I know to let them know that I got the coveted gold strappy stilleto heels from BCBG for only $7. Most of you won't understand that, but if you do, yeah I know! Isn't that amazing! :) Anyway, so walking home from the movie I heard whistling etc. (Not uncommon at ALL up here) And I thought I hope they know they don't want to mess with me. I am annoyed enough with that type of guy to use my cowboy boots to severly hurt them. So yeah, I'm a New Yorker. I just don't know how I feel about that- the jadedness that comes with it and the cynical worldview. Anyway, better get ready for the christening! love you all!
Christina

Can't win 'em all

Hello friends!
so, the last couple of days have been crazy. Betsy was here until Tuesday morning, so Tuesday and Wednesday I recovered from gallavanting all over the city. I'm sure Betsy's still recovering, after the many miles in the freezing cold we walked :)
then yesterday, I had agreed to babysit until 9 ( to clarify, yes, that means I worked for 15 hours. in a row.) because Kid 1 would be at school and so therefore I thought I could handle it. Then about 15 min. before we head to school, we get the phone call every care-giver fears. The school cancellation call. AHHHHHHHHHHHH [insert horror film music here]. So they were both home with me all day and there was a snow storm so no getting out. So it started off bad. Then after both children decided they were both done napping after only 20 min (so note: very tired) and done eating after NOTHING (note: very hungry) and ready for some hearty screaming, I was at the end of my rope. But after talking to The Mom, I realized where I was going wrong. The key to life, apparantly, is lowering your expectations. For instance, I was frustrated b/c all Kid 1 wanted to do was drink milk and watch tv, two things there are rules clearly deliniating usage of. So, kid screams or I follow orders. ahhh. But The Mom said just give him what he wants within reason and don't make him eat. So I threw up my hands, threw in a video, and tried to sit and just breathe for awhile. so it was a long day.
But today was much nicer. Don't get me wrong, I've been running around all day, but the kids aren't as much like the "Satan's spawn" that I was ranting about on the phone to Megan yesterday. :) Which is good. Plus today is Friday and I have tentative plans for the weekend (you know, "hey, we should hang out this weekend! give me a call! ok!" etc.) but nothing set in stone which feels AMAZING and I love weekends like that, where you have options but no obligations. LOVE IT.
the options are:
-Hanging out with my Bronx- sounding friend Regine either today or tomorow.
-Going to a Hoboken, NJ huge St. Patricks day street party with Jodi
-Church and hanging out w/ Regine's church friends on Sat. night
-Kid #2's christening on Sunday.
-Plus I'd really love to see Allie, my friend from Iowa, sometime this weekend. So I might be calling her tonight.
So we'll see! I love options. I also love pants that don't have formula /sweet potato baby food /baby barley cereal all over my pants. But that is clearly not happening today.
Can't win em all, I guess :)
christina
shout out to Hannah and Hailey- We'll get ahold of ea. other sometime! miss and love you and I'll keep trying to call!