A meme
2008 @ 10:43 am
It’s been a while since I responded to one of these and this one seemed appropriate to now–I graduated college ten years ago and recently decided to head up there for my reunion. Mr. Sassypants will also attend since he graduated at the same time. But folks, it’s gonna be so strange! See, we were “together” for sophomore year, but spent the rest of our time at school being separate. Barely even friends. We know a lot of the same people, but had very different experiences in that tiny town. It will be interesting to check out our old haunts together. Bars at opposite ends of a two block Main Street. Actually, I wonder if we will even wind up bar crawling together–maybe we’ll separate into our groups? I guess that will depend on his crew showing up though… I digress.
1. Where was I 10 years ago.
Just graduated SUNY Geneseo and had already started my first low-paying job in nonprofit at the Westchester Arts Council. I learned a lot at this place in a bass ackwards sort of way. I was smoking a drinking my way through this summer to be sure. Most of my college buds lived on Long Island so I drove out there almost every weekend. When I stayed in town (Mamaroneck, NY) I ran with my friends Megan and Karen to local bars. My grandma gave me $1,000 towards a professional wardrobe for graduation and I shopped A LOT that summer. I don’t recall what I did for the fourth, but it probably involved missing the fireworks. That always happens to me.
2. Five things on today’s to-do list.
-Start NYFA grant for client
-Go to Abs class at the Y. We are new members.
-Hand address envelopes for Cassie’s birth announcement (yes, late)
-Groceries
-attempt to figure out sidecutter attachment for sewing machine.
3. Snacks I enjoy.
Brownies, plain yogurt with honey, Lundberg rice cakes with butter or cream cheese.
4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire.
Start my own foundation to support the arts and social change.
Get my kids better health insurance.
Set my parents up for retirement wherever they want and then make it easy for us to visit whenever we want.
Purchase Volvo S50 and a corner brownstone with one of those detached garages in a good public school zone (that’s right, i would still try hard for public ed).
5. Places I have lived.
New York (Mamaroneck, Geneseo, Manhattan, Brooklyn)
6. Jobs I have had.
babysitter, receptionist, sales clerk, telephone operator, development assistant, development director, foundation program officer, consultant.
7. Who would I like to know more about.
whoever. comment if you decide to go for it!
Summer Days
2008 @ 7:34 am
So, Cassie’s getting a little bit bigger and more alert as the summer progresses–we’ve got some smiling and a pretty strong neck. Maia is still being a great big sister. There’s a little more interest in putting Cassie’s pacifiers in her own mouth, but it’s not all that bad. We’ve had playdate upon playdate to keep us busy and we’ve managed to get to the swimming pool (our favorite is quite a distance) a couple of times.
Maia’s favorite activity at this pool is to “be the monkey” and swing from the railing. She also does this at home on our bathroom sink. I’ve heard her give very precise instruction on how to “be the monkey” to her friends–she’s really into it. Since this pool is shaped like a bowl with no steps, she’s pretty much relegated to the railing or someone’s lap. We signed her up for swimming lessons at the Y starting this week because the kid has NO FEAR (unlike mom, ahem) of water. She’s gotta learn to swim by next year or it will be disastrous. Mostly for my nerves.
All in all, it’s been a great start to summer!
barfy baby
2008 @ 3:56 pm
As I type this, I think it’s safe to say that Cassie has slowed it down on the spit up. While she was in the throws of it, I made a few burp cloths (as per Cathy’s post). I used what I had around and they came out pretty great! Not my first choices, but pretty much the only stuff that matched my green skull flannel.
I need some serious help with my top-stitching and I think this pattern is a great way to practice! Burp cloths are not items that need to look perfect and the curves are great for getting better at guiding fabric through the machine. Next time I might try one of my fancy quilting stitches.
I also need some help with the manual setting on my camera. It’s blurry, but you get the idea. I’ve been reading the blog Beyond Megapixels–it’s been really helpful in helping me understand more about the potential my camera has.
Pattern: New Conceptions
Earl Grey Socks
2008 @ 10:57 am
I’ve cast on for some Earl Grey socks… I was needing something portable and non-lacy… I like the pattern so far, but didn’t pick a solid color yarn that would highlight the cables. It’s not awful and I don’t think the recipient will really care anyway.
I’m using a US2 (magic loop) and Araucania Ranco Solid in a gray colorway. I agonized over which two skeins to purchase since they all appeared wildly different, even among dye lots. Hopefully the two socks won’t be too “off”!
A day in the life
2008 @ 10:44 pm
I have enjoyed reading Heidi’s “day in the life” posts for the last few years–it’s probably because her daughter and Maia are the same age and have some shared experiences. I thought it would be funny to try one of my own. Yes, funny. Funny because even as I type this, I know that it’s going to be impossible to remember the whole day. So, we’ll see how it goes.
7:30 am: Cassie seems to be awake for “good” at this time. I am so out of it that I think it’s 6:30 when I look at my watch. I look at the clock and realize it’s close to 8. In that span of time, Cassie has spit up three times. In my bed. There has also been a diaper malfunction and there is a baby piddle puddle. In my bed. I hear Maia, Cassie seems to be asleep again, go get Maia.
8 am: Maia greets me, “I want daddy”. Naturally. “He is downstairs”. “I want to see him”. “okay, let’s change your diaper first”. She tells me its “just pee” a few times. Lucky me, it is 
Cassie still sleeping, we debate bringing her and decide not to even though Maia really really wants to. We go downstairs. I talk to Jennifer about the day’s plan to get our girls together post-nap. I call back 5 minutes later to discuss pre-school payment schedule.
9 am: Maia plays and I make coffee and call the health insurance company to contest yet another statement. Low point of my day, even though i think it will work out in my favor.
9:30 am: Maia jumps on daddy who, amazingly, does not wake up. Sidenote: sometimes when Jason comes home from work very late, like 4 am late, he passes out watching TV. She plays with her “topato” (computer), which is really a LeapPad, until I bribe her to the table with orange slices. Orange in slice format is VERY exciting. She also eats a couple of hard boiled eggs, but only the yellow part. Some white part is had with resistance. We have some silly conversations that I don’t really remember right now. The following phrases were uttered at least 5 times each: “what you doin’ mommy?” “where mommy?” “where daddy?” “where cassie?” “where joey?” “who dat mommy?” I tell her the plan for the day, which i thought would involve a trip to the shoe store. Maia would rather go to the park. She has started calling me Papa–what a weirdo. I down two cups of coffee.
10:15 am: Maia seems to be done with breakfast, but chooses to sit with me while I work out the class schedule for Brooklyn General. How nice to have company! We hear Cassie and agree that I should go get her. I am finding it works to ask Maia what we should do when Cassie cries. Turns out we usually agree There’s not really an averse reaction to things having to do with Cassie, i just like involving Maia in the process.
10:30 am: Feed Cassie while Maia watches (sort of) Ni Hao, Kai Lan. Great show, short episodes, positive themes, Mandarin skills. We have seen each episode 1,000,000,000,000 times. I still can only remember “green”. Maia can remember green, red, push, and a few other things.
11 am: Daddy is awake and is on a few calls that seem to involve the purchase of a forklift for $100. I am skeptical, but say nothing. I pass off Cassie to tackle the gross kitchen which was left the night before by me. I passed out with Cassie at 8:30. Sue me. Daddy does a diaper for Cassie.
11:30 am: Nurse Cassie.
11:45 am: I get to shower today–hooray! Maia and Daddy make lunch, Cassie fusses in the bouncy chair. I try on three shirts and finally settle one that has a pattern crazy enough to distract from my baby pooch, but that I can nurse in. Towel dry hair, put in ponytail/knot thing and throw on a headband from Renegade ‘07. That’s right, i didn’t even comb it. Pack diaper bag.
12:30: Bag is packed for our long walk to Brooklyn General that I have strategically planned for naptime. Cassie is falling asleep so I move her to the snuggly thingy that slides into the bottom of our fancy pants double decker stroller. Daddy converts stroller from two-toddler set up from the weekend (cousin visiting) to infant/toddle. See? told you it was fancy pants. Maia tries to go on the potty.
1 pm: We are on the road, yay! Ahead of schedule even, which turns out to be a bad thing. Cassie sleeps the whole way there (40 mins), but Maia never sleeps. Lots of exciting stuff to see: dogs, jackhammer, BIG trucks, buses, etc. Maia has “sprrrring cheese” (string cheese).
1:40: we are there, but Maia is awake. keep walking.
2:10: No napping. Head for Coffee Den to get a peanut butter and jelly on wheat, banana and iced coffee. Meet Catherine there, but don’t recognize her from behind. Hello. She only delivered my baby. Nearly DIE when the cost is only $6.45. I had $12 and was worried it wouldn’t be enough. We walk back to the shop and meet a bunch of friendly faces. Maia plays with some kids that are there and I watch/listen and enjoy my lunch. Cassie is still sleeping–I am somewhat amazed by this. Maia gets possessive when another child looks a HER baby sister and covers the stroller with a blanket. So freakin’ cute.
3:00: Maia’s playmate who DID nap, wakes up and they are getting along well–only minor sharing B.S. to deal with. Cassie wakes up, nurses and goes back to sleep. Wow. I wind some yarn.
3:30: I decide to walk Maia again and there is talk of going to the playground. Run into Stephanie and Camille, who are meeting us at the store. After 15 mins there is no napping and the sky look foreboding. Go back to shop and watch Camille, Paloma and Maia play. Lots of running and craziness. Also lots of hugging. Maia gets huggy when she’s tired, but Paloma is sick of it and needs her own space. I cast on for Earl Grey socks. Cannot believe I accomplished this.
4-something: Cassie wakes up and nurses. Maia getting crazier by the second, I begin to wonder if we are trapped at the store by weather. I call Jason to see what’s up with him–any chance he can rescue us? Fancy pants stroller is not devised for public transportation. he might be free at 6:30 so I decide we are eating dinner at the shop. yay pizza! There is crazy play going on, hugging that ends in injury (toddlers often knock each other over when they hug), “mine mine mine!!!!”, sneeze-ball (the very first game Maia and Paloma made up with each other), maia is tired and falls a lot (”i ok!”). Change diapers.
5 something: Pizza is procured and Stephanie and Camille take off. Cassie goes back to sleeping. There is intermittent conversation about how I will get home dry. Take the subway and hope someone pities me and helps me get stroller down and up the stairs? Leave the stroller at the shop and take the bus? Leave the stroller at Jennifer’s and take the other bus? Settle on the latter. Children are instructed to sit on butts or knees on the chairs to eat pizza. Small amount of pizza is consumed and also some chocolate milk. Gross combo, huh? Maia falls off the chair and announces “I all done”. i think she meant to say, “I ok”, but was so tired she mixed up the words. Either way, she nailed it in that she was totally DONE with being awake.
6:10: We leave the shop.
6:30-ish: Get to Jennifer’s and I decide to go for it. I pee at her place and grab some crackers for the ride. We make it about 5 blocks and run into a former student, Melissa, who just had an ADORABLE baby boy. On the small side like my babies Getting paranoid about rain and decide to walk fast.
6:45-ish: Crossing Gowanus Canal and feel drops. See lots of drops in canal. CRAP–this is the worst place for it to start raining. No shelter. Start to run. Get 1/4 mi and realize I am way way way out of shape, but maia really likes going fast. Walk again. Fast. We make it to the door with the first clap of thunder and I am the most wet, but it’s not that bad. Phew. Cassie waking up.
7 pm: Nurse Cassie. Maia searches for various toys, pets the cat and pulls out a book to read. Maia finally poops and we change her diaper.
7:30 pm: Maia requests water (with lemon juice like mommy) and we head upstairs to bed. Cassie is awake, but pretty quiet while we read books-nice! Change Cassie’s diaper. Once in the crib Maia asks for Cassie to sleep with her. This is nightly. I explain that some day Cassie will sleep in the room with her, but not until she’s bigger. She asks me to “sleep on Oda’s bed” (this is Lola’s bed and Lola is Maia’s paternal grandmother. really, it just came from her house and will someday be Maia’s bed). I tell her that Cassie and I will nap in there with her tomorrow. And we will. That works and Cassie and I say good night and leave the room.
8 pm: clean up a little bit downstairs and realize Cassie’s been asleep, like, all day. I pick her up and hold her for an hour or so and give her a little more to eat. Call my parents. Watch So You Think You Can Dance. Dance around a little with Cassie. Until cable box fritzes. Stupid thing.
9 pm: Cassie is clearly tired so I pop the pacifier in to help her relax. She falls asleep and I put her in the bouncy chair. She’s been making intermittent grunty noises, but is still asleep as I type.
11 pm: will probably fall asleep on couch until Jason gets home around 12. He says he’ll take the next feeding (for a couple of night Cassie’s been sleeping 5 hours at this first stretch). Yay sleep. Oh wait, I need to change my sheets. I am pretty confident that if I hadn’t decided to write this post, i wouldn’t remember that until too late.
11:15: Maia crying. She is overtired, but puts herself back to sleep.
All in all a pretty typical, fun day! I even got a little knitting and a little cleaning in. How about that
a dollhouse. really?
2008 @ 9:56 pm
I was never one for doll houses. Sure, I admired the one Mimi (grandma) had in her Florida room (what IS this room anyway?), the one with the working chandelier, but I never desired one of my own. I liked looking at the exact replicas of real homes at the local craft store, but thought they were ostentatious to say the least (yes, I believe I felt this way as a girl, even without the vocabulary). Maia hadn’t been that into dolls, not like her friends, until recently. Honestly, i didn’t see a doll house as part of our journey together. But then I saw this one for sale for $10 just five houses down the street last weekend. And it wasn’t just the price that dictated the decision. I want to live in this house.
It reminds me of a summer rental on Long Beach Island (NJ) or something similar. As such, I’ll be building in an outdoor shower. It came with one piece of furniture–a wooden bed. Soon I’ll start the search for other small creature comforts, but the first order of business was to populate for Maia. I suggested all manner of smaller plastic buddy live in the house, none of which fit the bill for Maia. Obviously, only a doll goes in the doll house, duh. I remembered I had picked up a set of create-your-own wooden finger puppets from Brooklyn General a year or so ago and I got busy on a test doll. These guys are the perfect size and my fuddy-duddy finger doll was immediately accepted as resident of the house.
She reminds me of Miss Beadle from Little House on the Prairie. It’s gotta be the hair.
There will be more of the family to come… and I expect I’ll wallpaper and knit some rugs too And I thought I wasn’t into doll houses *sigh*.
a virtual thank you note
2008 @ 5:25 pm
Thank you to the lovely Spiders for the woolly goodness bestowed on Cassie this weekend at her babywarming. These things are becoming extremely frequent, aren’t they? Behold the cuteness…
Clockwise from the left: Jess’s Hemlock Ring Blanket, Lisa’s brown sheep, Steph’s elephant, Nancy’s crochet bear, Carrie’s crochet hippo. Can you even stand it? There’s more…
Cathy’s Baby Surprise Jacket, Connie’s leg warmers, Virginia’s socks, Katy’s bonnet. Not pictured: an adorable squeeky pirate and top from Tea (my fave) from Jess F&P
I am so grateful for friends like you! Now, please do me one final favor and publish links to your patterns right here in the comments
THANK YOU!
things are going to get confusing…
2008 @ 8:16 am
Thank goodness for digital dating of photography. Without it, i am sure I would confuse my two girls down the road…
2006:
2008:
I guess I don’t look as much like I’m going to collapse this time around, huh? Or I had already had my coffee when the photo was snapped. Joey the cat doesn’t look a day older–and she’s now 17!
too cute not to share…
2008 @ 4:50 pm
Thank you Tiny Prints… we used them for Maia’s birth announcements too and they were great both times!
flashing my stash
2008 @ 6:06 pm
It’s not all that interesting, but I reorganized my stash to make room for Cassie…
I moved everything from a big suitcase, that I had to haul out of a corner everytime I wanted to fondle my yarn, to this “closet” that used to hold Maia’s clothes. Maia’s clothes now hang in my closet since I don’t really own much that needs ot be hung up these days. Neither does she!
It’s organized by weight, in case you are curious. And the photo doesn’t really do it justice. You can’t see 4 of the shelves and the depth is hard to capture. We’re talking 3 to 4 skeins deep in most cases. I will be knitting through this for a long, long time…
