Heading South

So, tomorrow morning we're going to load up Stanley and drive down to NYC. We looking forward to meeting new babies, seeing old friends, eating some Shake Shack, and maybe seeing a movie or two. Then, on the 5th day of the new year, The Bean will be taking her first flight to Florida to meet her great-grandmother. How cool is that?

I'm a tad daunted by going away for 10 days, but things already seem good as The Bean went to sleep with no fuss and, more importantly, N. and I seem to have gotten it together to get the bulk of packing done tonight rather than our usual harried morning packing and cleaning.

I know y'all will be a tad depondant that posting might be a little light in the next ten days. To keep your sprits from dampening too much, I'll leave you with another image of N. and the crazy new stroller he got in the snow.



Makes you feel a bit better doesn't it?

CONGRATULATIONS BETH AND SUSIE!!!!

I don't think these kids even read my blog before the birth of their son so there's no chance they will now now that their darling boy has finally made his appearance. But still I thought I'd give the new family of 3 some blog love! Their son was born on December 22, was 21 inches long and weighed a whopping 8 pounds! Since I don't name my own kid, I certainly won't name theirs but N., The Bean, and I are all so super excited to meet The Frog when we're back in Brooklyn (whooo hooo!!!) next week!

If you happen to see Beth and Susie and their son before we do make sure to give them some non-cyber loves!

SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW and GUESS WHAT? MORE SNOW!

So, winter has happened. And it's ugly. It snowed for something like 69 out of the last 72 hours. I know this firsthand, actually because when I wasn't changing a diaper or nursing The Bean, I was looking out the window and watching it snow. This is the extent of the conversation in our house over the weekend.
Me: It's still snowing.
N.: You can't keep saying that. It's getting old.
Me: I know. Snow is getting real old, real fast. And you know what it's not even officially winter! What am I going to be like in two months? Three? Where did we move to? How is it possible that it's STILL snowing?
N. walks out of the room to get The Bean who is screaming not because she's hungry or tired or wet but because there's so much snow.
Twenty minutes later....
Me: It's still snowing!
N. You can't keep saying that. It's getting old.
And so on and so forth ad nauseum.

We got around 2 feet of snow here since Friday. 2! Feet!
Completely unrelated to the snow, but no less tragic is that N. ran over the baby's stroller. Really. There was so much snow to get off his car that he completely forgot it was in the driveway and wham. Luckily the Bean wasn't in the stroller and luckily she has two back ups, but still. Snow makes good people neglectful parents.

Anyway, we're off to the Adirondacks for The Bean's first 1/2 Jewish Xmas. Apparently there's slightly less snow over there. Bah humbug!

Is a Lame Post Better Than No Post At All?

Probably not, but who cares. The Bean and I both got colds over the weekend. A cold is a bummer in general. Having to get up a lot to nurse with a cold is even more of a bummer. But it's worstest for The Bean since she can't blow her nose and her dad has suck up her snots with a bulby thing that he puts up her nose. Ouch! We're both on the mend though.

I wish I could say the same for the weather. We had a major ice storm, which you probably heard about. We got super lucky that our power was only out for about 9 hours and most of that was during the very early morning. Hundreds of thousands of people were without power for DAYS! N.'s school had to postpone finals till after the holidays since they were powerless and couldn't heat the dorms. So N. got an extra week to hang with his ladies in the daytime, the lucky man. The storm did teach us a lesson and we went out and got some flashlights and shotguns. You know, just to be prepared.

It snowed yesterday and it's going to snow tomorrow. And soon this blog will be nothing but rants against snow. I'm that will really build the blog's readership.

On a positive note, I got my eyebrows waxed this morning for the first time in months. There's nothing like a little personal grooming to weather a bad storm.

Friday Books!!

I was psyched to see my moms had a copy of Assisted Loving by Bob Morris on her shelf back when I was home in November. I always liked reading Morris' columns in the Style section of the Times and in radio interviews he was pretty fun. My mom lent me the book over Thanksgiving and I just finished it, but only because it was light and easy and I was too lazy to find something better.

The basic premise of the memoir is that Morris and his 80-year old recently widowed father are both dating. The problem with the book is the cover. Really. It's such an obnoxious cover that I think it brings the whole book down. It sets the wrong tone and seems to really exaggerate Morris' father's flaws. Less superficially, I think the book itself is dumbed down---the cute overrides any interesting story. I got to page 50 and thought I could really stop reading this right now because I'm not exactly enjoying it, but then out of laziness I didn't. But I feel like that also speaks to the author. I just can't believe that Morris--a total fashionista/snob--would like the cover. But one would not say no to a publisher who would push such a cover. I also bet his editor pushed him to dumb down the book. Maybe they're hoping Hollywood would buy it and they probably have, but it seems to be to the detriment of the story. The cuteness just doesn't work.

Say, Do You Still Hang in New Hampshire?

I've heard that perhaps the blog is getting a bit Beancentric and that the peoples might be interested in life in NH, which was the reason this blog was born. So....I'll answer a few questions I think you might have and then, gentle readers, you can ask me some more and I will answer them. Really. The weirder the better. Fun, no?

1. Is it cold there?
Lots of people asked me this last week and the answer WAS not really. I mean it was cool, but all of the Northeast is cool in December. But Sunday night a cold front came in and it dropped like seventeen degrees in an hour! It got so cold so fast. When I went to the dentist on Monday morning it was a whopping 4 degrees! Tuesday and Wednesday were on the warmer side. Today And it snowed like a mother. Luckily I just got new ugly boots and snow tires.
2. Do you have any friends yet?
Um....I'm not sure. I know a lot of moms and I do things with the moms but it's always about the kids, you know. What I need is someone I can call spontaneously, which I might be able to do but haven't done lately. But I certainly do go out to lunch a lot. Us moms love our lunches. Making friends with moms is a lot like dating or the first month of your freshman year. Read this if you're so inclined.
3. What do you miss most about NYC?
I missed the city the night Obama won. NH seemed so quiet although realistically I probably wouldn't have been out in the city either the quiet felt particularly isolating. I miss having my family close by. If they were around life would be different. N. and I would probably have more date nights and on those long Tuesday afternoons I could just bring The Bean to grandma's. Plus, my family is pretty cool. I miss my friends, people who have known me for years. It's hard establishing who you are with people you've just met. I miss good ethnic food. I also miss people of color. I really miss the ease of curbside recycling. In the battle of the family vs. recycling it seems the recycling is going to win.
4. Are there things you don't miss about NYC?
When I was back in the city last month I could see what a drag city life can be with a big stroller and even-bigger diaper bag. It's kind of nice having a car where you have more of an option of nursing or changing a diaper than on the 2 train. The crowds can be annoying. N's schedule was horrible back in NY and not conducive to having a Bean.
5. What else?
I don't know. Ask and all shall be revealed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BROBLY!

30 years ago today life as I knew it came to a screeching, 7lb, halt.
My brother Jacob Nunu Vasqensalez Dakini Thurston Moore Wunsch aka BROBLY was born. My reign was over. What did I do? I coughed my three year old germs right in his face the minute my folks brought him home. It's been all good since then.

I wish I was back in NYC to cough some b-day wishes his face right now, but instead I'll have to send him to cooties via the web.

Happy Birthday, little brother. Here's to a great decade, you old man!
xo, sissy

FOUR!! Months! And Couting!

Crazy that The Bean is a whopping 4 months today. She's totally rocking her four monthiness. She weighs over 15 pounds and seems very very long, but we'll get the official measurements on Thursday when we go for her second round of shots. I mean when she gets to have more of that delicious grape Tylenol.

To celebrate we tried to get crafty with some NH moms and make Bean a felt hat. N. says she looks like a Shriner and that the hat looks more like an open-ended pencil case but what does he know. (Actually he's totally right, but in our uncrafty defense we basically had another mom do the whole thing for us).

Cool Bean Things you might not know about:
She's sleeping unswaddled. In her crib. In her own room.
She's a champion at rolling from her back to her belly. The belly back to the back is still a problem though.
She's into holding her bottle and feeding herself although we don't let her do this for long stretches since she is only four months.
Jumperoo! That is jumping on her mom or dad's lap, really fast and bouncy since she has very strong, very muscular legs.
Scream-yelling because it's fun to be loud.
Pulling mom's hair and soon to be forever off hoop earnings.
Holding things in her own two hands.
Sucking her big toe!

Go Bean Go! We love you very much and can't wait to see what exciting adventures this next month will bring!

I Can't Think of A Good Title

Because I'm too stuffed. Highlights of the weekend include:
The Bean sleeping like a champ on our many long car rides.
The Bean sleeping like a champ on Thanksgiving. Two 6! hour stretches.
The Bean sleeping like a champ in our hotel room in Newport. She slept till 8:15, but that might have been because the room was freezing!
Eating a delicious Thanksgiving dinner.
Eating a great brunch on Friday.
Eating tons of pizza on Friday night.
Going out to dinner on Saturday with J. and K. and not talking about babies!
Getting to see Milk with N. while the 'rents (thank you so much!) Bean sat. This was a great movie; timely in a sad way because of Prop 8. Sean Penn is on my short list for Oscar nominations.
Hearing about the Bean's baptism from my aunt's ancient dog.
Finishing the Ms. Hempel Chronicles in only 5! days. This was a good book and although it's about a woman, it's not chick lit. Really.
Learning about Mark Whalberg's 3rd nipple!
Woohoo! Too bad Thanksgiving only happens once a year!

Turkey!

Well, I just finished making the mashed potatoes for tomorrow's feast over in Boston with the familia. Thanksgiving is the best holiday. No freaking presents just food! And one plus for New Hampshire is that tomorrow's drive will only be about two hours rather than five. Of course with The Bean it could turn into six although lately she's been a champion sleeper on road trips. But enough of this. There's eating to do! From our turkey to yours, have a happy Thanksgiving!

Holy Shit!

I finished a book! In like 5! days.
Okay, it was a dumb, chick-lit book.
But still. I feel like in some ways I'm back. A little.

Completely unrelated to my reading habits, did you know The Bean is now rolling over?
She goes from her back to her belly, hangs out for a bit, decides she's miserable, which is a bummer since she can't go from belly to back. N. and I now spend a good portion of the day rescuing Miss Bean from her belly. Ahhh, the joys of parenting.

Also, the picture was N.'s idea. I couldn't think of a good image to steal so I asked N. for a word. He said Jesus not knowing I was blogging or that said blog was entitled Holy Shit. No offense, y'all.

5-0! 5-0!

Okay, so before you worry (moms) the damage was purely cosmetic. The Bean slept through our first (and very minor) auto, uh...auto thingy! Yes, we had an auto thingy this afternoon. Route 12A is in West Lebanon otherwise known as West Leb and it's where all the box stores are. I normally hate 12A because all the box stores make it really crowded and slow, with people constantly turning and entering and all that annoying driving stuff. The only reason I was there was because I wanted to buy The Bean a boom box so she could really take it up a notch. Really, I just thought it would be nice if she had a cd player in her room so we could listen to tunes there. (The Bean has quite a cd collection btw). Anyway we were cruising in the LEFT lane because eventually we were gonna make a LEFT when a RENT A CENTER truck pulled out of the lot and smack into our car.

Yikes.

It was actually on the side of the car and the only damage was cosmetic so we're lucky! The Bean slept through the whole thing, but it still was scary and a bit of pain. We had to go all the way back and talk to the not so nice Rent A Center people who said the guy in the truck thought I was moving out of his way or something, which makes no sense since I was just going straight. The Bean woke up on the way back home and was in a foul mood because she had taken such a long nap and hadn't eaten in ages. But I wouldn't do one of our parking lot nurses because I didn't have my cell phone and I wanted to get home. After she nursed, I called the cops figuring I wouldn't wait around to hear from the RAC people. The cop said to bring the car there and file a report, which I did. The Bean was a trooper. For her the car means the car seat, which is totally confining these days and not fun. But she loved the police station. It was eye-opening for me since there's no real privacy so we heard the lady be told she had to pay the $40 bail for her son and that he was being held because he got caught selling what he said was cocaine but was really baking soda in the high school parking lot. Double yikes. The woman has had some kind of life since she's currently raising her 9 month old and 21 month old grandchildren because her daughters are "even worse" than her son.

The Bean really liked this woman and listened to her advice intently. It was probabaly because she had such good advice (don't sell drugs at the school, grow up to be good) and also because she had fringe on her coat, which The Bean thought was awesome.

Anyway they didn't even file a report since the damage was not particularly significant. I spent this AM on the phone with the insurance people. Hopefully the car will get pretty again next week and this will be worst traffic thingy The Bean and I are ever in.

Back in Town!

The Bean and I returned from our travels yesterday. And excellent time was had by all thanks most especially to Unkie, Granny, and Dr. Muel. But of course we are thrilled to be back with Papa N! To celebrate the return of the family unit, Baby Bean and Papa Bean got styling new hats today. And guess what? It snowed. Even better? It didn't stick!

More better and thrilling than all of the above is that I FINISHED THAT DARN BOOK. Yes, it only took about 10 weeks and 2 renewals, but I finished the first novel since the arrival of The Bean. It was some random mystery by Laura Lippman and it took me so long to read that I forgot all the plot points, which I guess defeats the point of reading a mystery. I never read a mystery before but somehow it seemed like a low-investment. Still I feel accomplished. And probably a little cocky since I took out 2! new books from the library this afternoon. Neither of the new books are mysteries either.

And now I'm gonna to take the opportunity to go read (or maybe nap) since Papa N is home and The Bean is talking to herself up in her crib.

So......

The Bean and I have bolted. But never fear. We shall return to our darling N. and creaky old New England home shortly. A longer post will follow.

Happy November 5!

(this image was clipped from kottke.org)

3! Months! And Counting!

Do you believe it? The Bean is 3 months today! Yay Bean!

You rock on with your crazy growing self!

To celebrate N. and I bought cupcakes. Mmmmm...mom loves cupcakes. I told The Bean she'd get actual cake in 9 months.

To celebrate her 3 monthness The Bean spent last night in her crib. NOT in her bassinet. She was a big fish in a little bed in the bassinet, but she's totally minnowed in the crib. She was having issues staying put. N. and I found her in a variety of crazy positions including a total 180! Hopefully, this will improve. But if she wants to be the kind of kid who sleeps with her feet on the pillow we're not going to knock it.

Also, to celebrate her first trimester out of the womb, I heard but didn't witness, The Bean flipped over from her tummy to her back this morning. N. says it was accidental, but still it counts as something.

What else, you ask.

The Bean is "talking." She says hi and variety of other things including "geek" when she looked at N. the other day. She's no dummy our little Bean.

Have I mentioned that The Bean is HUGE! She eats other babies her age for breakfast! But she is generally sleeping in longer stretches and becoming more efficient at eating.

Now that she's so old, for the first time, she's going to go for 1 hour (hopefully) of babysitting at the daycare at Mom's gym on Monday. And on Tuesday, she's going to vote for Obama. She thinks you you should too! Especially if you're at least 17 years and 9 months older. The Bean thinks it will be a great 3 month bday present if Obama wins on Tuesday. How can you let her down? She's just a baby!

Friday Books

Just kidding. You think I'm reading books? That was a lifetime ago. Remember the book I took out of the library back in early September? It's a total no-brainer and yet I've had to renew it twice! And I think I still have 200 pages to go. I'm not sure because I haven't looked at it in a week.

Actually, I just remembered I did read a book. It's probably one of the best YA books out there. Mom, The Wolfman and Me by Norma Klein is just so well done. I've read it at least 10 times and more than a few times as an adult. I recommend it. It's quirky without being cute and the narrator sounds so honest. It's very short too, which is how I managed to read it while The Bean took her 10-15 minute naps. The next too easy read while The Bean naps is going to be Superfudge by Judy Blume, which I read so much as a kid that I knew the entire first chapter, word for word, by heart. Really. Ask my mom if you don't believe me.

Other than the YAs I read this excellent piece by Larry David. And this this interesting piece about David Foster Wallace

On a more uplifting note than suicide, the scariness of the election, and having a mushy brain because I no longer read or have regular adult conversations, I did have an excellent (i.e. STRONG) margarita last night! Hopefully there's another one in my future real soon.

Happy weekend!

ANGEL VOMIT! BABY BARF!

A few days ago I asked N. for a post topic since my brain has been quite mushy as of late. N. suggested spit up. I agreed and then promptly went to bed since it was already 8:45 and my bed time is, um, 8:30.

But better late than never.

The Bean in the undisputed spit up champion here at 93 ------- Street. It's copious. It's everywhere. Really. Couch. Clothes. Floor. Hair. And you know what? It stinks something awful. Like regurgitated cheese, which makes sense since it's basically curdled milk.

The other day I felt like everything in the whole house smelled like spit up. It was depressing. Then I went swimming at the pool and even though I knew it was impossible I swear I smelled spit up through the gallons of chlorine.

I have nightmare sometimes that instead of taking this house, we took the one WITHOUT THE WASHER/DRYER! Do you know how miserable I would be? I probably would have left the state. Hands down, the washer/dryer trumps the dishwasher every day of the week.

Now, go smell your shirt sleeve and feel lucky it doesn't reek.

You Know Why It's Called Fall?

Cuz the leaves fall off like rain here in New Hampshire. I have to say I've never seen a fall like this. The foliage is/was stupendous but this morning (and several mornings and afternoons last week) I would sit in the rocker in the Bean's room and watch the leaves just fall and fall and fall. It's beautiful, but scary. Soon the trees will be more naked than the Bean in her bath.

But let's not dwell on the impending doom and gloom of our first winter when we've been having so much fun.

Two weekends ago we went to visit the country grandparents in the Adirondacks. En route the Bean got a new and improved stroller and a very hip pair of shoes. And a giraffe! An excellent time was had by all in the Adks: the Bean was a star and her parents went on a date!

Then, on Wednesday the city grandparents came up to the country. The Bean spent three days completely out her swing since there were so many eager hands to hold and cuddle her. We went to visit the great aunties in Vermont where Grandpa Muel was bullied into his first diaper change in what? 30 years? We also went apple picking. Do you believe that I actually made apple sauce! I even froze some for the Bean when she can eat such deliciousness in about 3.5 months. I know I'm getting so country it's a little scary.

Even scarier is that this weekend we're heading off to Binghamton for my 10 year college reunion. I want to say I was smoking crack when I thought this would be a good idea but since I was seven months pregnant at the time you probably wouldn't believe me.

TWO MONTHS! And Counting!

The Bean is two months old today! To celebrate she got grape Children's Tylenol (YUM!) and 5! immunization shots (OUCH!) But she was a brave little Bean and didn't scream/cry for too long. The Bean is now 12 pounds and 14 ounces and 23 inches long. To celebrate her two monthness and all-around cuteness, I'm going to post this on the same day I wrote it. And put up another picture of her up cuz it's been a while and I know you're all dying for another peek. This picture is from a few weeks ago. The Bean is trying to look interested in a lecture her dad is giving in his classroom at his new school.




Try harder, Bean, try harder!

Mice VS Moose!

I hate mice. Specifically, I hate mice in my home. Outside little country mice that I don't see are perfectly fine. (Unlike squirrels which I absolutely hate inside or out, but that's because I'm scared of them because I'm convinced that they're all sociopaths. Yes, squirrels are sociopaths.) We haven't (knock on wood) had any mice issues here in NH. But I'm kind of living in fear of the moose. No, I don't think I'll see a moose scurrying across the kitchen counter at 2 AM. I'm afraid one will decide to cross the street. In front of my moving car.

There are all these moose crossing signs around here and everyone time I drive past one I kind of freak out. You really don't want to hit a moose. Not only will it wreck your brand new car, it can also wreck you. And your little baby. It's no joke. The other morning on the NPR affilate it was announced in the local news section that a couple had a moose accident and were air lifted to a fancy hospital. A doctor I met said all the ER accidents up here are related to hunting and moose. Back in Brooklyn it was guns and knives but here it's the big beasts!

Interestingly enough despite all the road kill around here, you don't actually see any of it. Know why? Apparently, there's a "road kill" list. When your name comes up, you get the call at 3 AM that there's a downed moose on 89 South so you get in your truck and go get it. Weird, huh?

So keep your fingers crossed that no moose cross our paths and that N. doesn't put us on the "road kill list" because we have no idea how to dress a moose, Sarah Palin, and we like it like that!

Milestones of the Month

What do you know, kids? We've been we've been livng free or dying for a whole month now. Some NH milestones are:

1 I joined the gym.
2. AND I went swimming. And it wasn't in a maternity suit! And I got to use the hot tub and sauna without fear of over heating a fetus!

3. I went to to the library and took out a book! The book wasn't about kids or parenting at all. It's fiction and I've read about 70 pages! I might even finish it before 2009.

4. I drank a drink made with liquor.

5. I stayed awake for a whole episode of "Mad Men".

6. I registered my car and myself (to vote) in the state of New Hampshire.

7. I volunteered for Barack Obama. You should too.

8. We went to a party. At nightish. Given by someone I met who might become a friend.

9. I cooked five course meal in which everything---from pasta to pie crust---was made from scratch using only organic, locally grown products.

Okay, the last one is just keeping you on your toes. But all the rest, cross my heart, are true.

All About N.

The Bean and I think N. was a little hurt that he wasn't included in the last "what's going on" post. I mean we even mentioned the wonderful post office! Again! So this post is dedicated to N. We're also curious as to when he discovers this dedication as he's sometimes neglectful of his favorite Brooklyn blog.

N. has been working really hard. The days when he used to sit on the couch and stare lovingly at his iPhone are long gone. His new school is very awesome so he has to be awesome while there, which means going to work on Saturdays and Mondays when doesn't even have to. N. wakes up very early in the morning while the Bean and I snooze till about 8:00 or 9:00. (I should say this is the only snoozing we do all day and I'm like way more tired than N. so don't feel too bad for him). After N. has driven into the sun to teach his awesome students at his awesome school he has to deal with making the program better which involves a lot of meetings and various other things that apparently quite involved. Then he has to go to this really huge (for us, apparently for locals it's the small one) Hannafords to pick up the various things I've texted him to buy which always seems to include: diapers, turkey, and batteries. Then he has to drive home into the sun and come home to a very messy house, a very tired wife, and a very cute, overtired baby who needs a bath and be put to bed.

Once he came home to a wok that was on fire but that's probably best for a post that's more removed from the actual incident.

After N. has bathed the cute baby and put her to bed, he eats a dinner that consists of frozen things that are partially reheated because his wife likes to cut corners when it comes to meals these days.

After the wife has collapsed in her semi-frozen soup, N. must deal with the dishes from the entire day and put together whatever terrible plastic baby sleep-aid/toy his wife has gotten that day even though the directions are often only in Chinese.

Weekends require N. to spend loads of time putting big wooden things together or hanging cumbersome clocks and 80 pound mirrors. For fun, wife and baby have N. take 8,000 pounds of garbage and recycling to the dump before going to mobbed box stores to buy more things they would like him to put together.

So while you might feel a bit sorry for N. and his two full-time jobs, don't feel too bad. He, unlike, some people can still have a stiff drink at the end of the day and not be concerned as to what it might do to the cute baby's development when ingested by the cute baby from her mother's milk.

Say, Momma, What's Going On?

Baby: not a whole lot of sleeping that's for sure. Bean is still excellent, but not an excellent sleeper. She doesn't like to nap, which means she gets overtired, which means it takes her parents an extremely tiring amount of time to get her to sleep at night and because she's growing like a weed she wakes every two hours to eat which means mom is pretty sleep deprived and thinks a really long sentence will get the point across. Whew. Today I had what would be a degrading situation if it had been someone other than an almost 6-week year old in the room. I was on my hands and knees rocking the bassinet. Why was I on my hands and knees? I was hiding from the baby. When she sees me, her eyes fly open. Really. She's kind of a genius like that. This morning when N. was trying to give her a bottle she refused to take it so he put her back to bed. It wasn't until his milk was poured in his coffee and he was about to take a bite of cereal that Bean decides she'll take the bottle.

Car: still cute even in the driveway.

NH: I'm sick of the two main restaurants in town, that's for sure. But there are some things NH does better than Bklyn. Like the food co-op. The Bklyn co-op was so small that you'd never consider going there on a Sunday at 5:00 unless you're some kind of masochist. The one here? Totally empty. And huge. And there's never a line at the bank. Or, as you remember, the post office.

Another thing I like about NH: kids playing on the streets. Not babies being wheeled around in gourmet strollers in gourmet playgrounds by their parents but real kids ages like 8-11 riding bikes and playing ball on their own.

Another plus about NH: Did I mention there's no sales tax? Regardless, I spend like no money here. Back in Bklyn, I spent money just breathing. Of course I did spend like a kagillion dollars at the Coop on Sunday but we do need to eat.

Baby Crap: just keeps coming into our house. Tonight poor N. has to put together the Graco Swing. I considered putting it together but keeping Bean together is job enough. Besides, I'm really bad at putting stuff together. Especially if there's 40 steps and 80 pieces. And screws are involved.

Other people commenting on the dearth of blog updates: shouldn't really talk now, should they?

Knitting: I'm considering learning how to do it. Bean nurses a lot, it's gonna be cold a lot soon. Shouldn't these two things come together? Any knitters out there? Do you think someone who's bad at putting things together and not really sewy can learn to make knots?

The New York Times: why do I keep buying it when I don't ever read it? It's a good thing they don't deliver to this zip code.

Brooklyn: I'm too consumed with general day to day living to miss it but say hi if you see her.

Bigger Than A Baby and A Bread Box

What's bigger than a baby and bread box, you ask? My new super cute Subaru Imprezia Sport. Yeah, Sport, cuz it's a hatchback and very styling because even though I'm a mom who has barely has time to look in the mirror I still need some cool wheels.

I love my new car. It's been ten years since I've had my own car and I forgot how fun it is to drive not in a city. City driving sucks. Country driving while listening to loud rock music that you listened to in high school (no, the baby isn't in the car, mom, I know loud music is not good for little ears) is fun. It's freedom and man does it feel good.

Driving with the Bean isn't as scary as I thought it would be. It's miserable to drive while she cries but today she stopped as soon as I turned on Lucinda Williams. Driving in the winter is going to be a whole another deal but like I said, here's to a balmy NH winter.

Today the Bean is one month old! Nice job, Bean. She spit-up like someone's skinny cat all day to celebrate. There's nothing like baby spit-up all over your clothes, couch, and car to really welcome in September. Here's hoping that month #2 will be excellent and possibly provide a few more sleep opportunities for good old mom and dad as we've had about 23 this month combined.

Granite Greetings

It'd wrong to start a blog about my impending move to New Hampshire and then not let people know what happened when I got there, right? Fear not my 3.5 readers. I'm here. We've been in NH for a week. N. went to work on Tuesday so Bean and I were alone for the rest of the week. We did pretty well because Bean is actually a very excellent baby. I recommend getting one like her. When she cries or fusses it's generally because she's hungry or wants to be picked up so (thank god) I'm able to console her. By Friday though I was going a little crazy mostly because I was sick of the house. I did make it a point to go out at least once a day but it was hard because it's sunny and unlike the city there's not a ton of shade in the middle of the day because there aren't any tall buildings and it's bad for the Bean to be in the sun. Plus, there's a ton of construction on our street and wheeling the stroller in the heat and up the hills is pretty intense.

But we went to post office, the bank, and on Thursday we went to this moms meeting in town. I need to talk to adults and even though baby talk can get a little ridiculous, it was helpful and the women were nice. I even went to the pub across the street with a bunch of the ladies afterwards.The back room is only for the moms so you can breast feed while eating your burger and not alarm the non-breast feeding patrons.

If our big mommy-baby outing wasn't enough, later that evening I maneuvered the Bean back down to the town Green for the farmer's market. N. met us there after work and we bought: the tastiest heirloom tomato I've ever had, organic wheat bread, corn, lettuce, and jam. We ate some dinner there and listened to some music. It was pretty fun but they do not know how to make a samosa in New Hampshire. At least not here.

If you are planning on getting a baby, I recommend getting the brand that can nap in their bassinet during the day. Our Bean is not that brand. She'll nap during the day but only while being driven or wheeled. It's very dangerous to nap while strollering so I end up pretty beat.

I do not recommend moving with a 3 week old baby because they are not conducive to unpacking. Our place is finally starting to look livable and that's thanks to N's parents who came down this weekend.

The weather here has been really nice. I hope it stays that way for the rest of the year.

Will I ever be able to post in a more narrative, less jumbled fashion? Don't hold your breath but do stop back for some other bigger than a baby news soon.

Bye-Bye Brooklyn

Last night was our last night in Brooklyn. Fittingly, we spent it eating pizza with two of our closest friends. I only cried once and that was because before we went to bed N. hugged me and said he loved me in Brooklyn. I got all weepy because this apartment has been really important to us over the last (almost) 3 years. N. and I moved here together in October 2005 when we'd been dating less than a year. We threw a 40th anniversary party for his parents that summer in our backyard; at the peak there were more than 50 people here. We got engaged in the apartment in March 2007 and returned here as husband and wife nearly a year from today. And, not to be to graphic on this family read, not far from the engagement spot was where the magic happened that landed the Bean on my lap as I write this.

It's been a great run, Brooklyn! A wonderful husband, a fabulous baby, terrific friends, and of course, mouth watering pizza.

Get ready New Hampshire, here we come!

Sleeping Beauty

You know how hard it is to get up when you have a sleeping kitten on your lap? It's 1,000 times harder with a sleeping baby. As i write this Bean is totally conked out on her Boppy which is on my lap. I could move her, but she'll probably wake up and then I'd have to nurse her (again), which would make her pass out (again) so i figure I'll just let her sleep. She's curled up like a little kitten so I really don't have the heart to move her.

My butt is totally asleep and her dad put the bottle of water out of arm's reach but I've still managed to accomplish quite bit with the phone. I changed addresses on my two magazines, renewed said magazines, changed me and N.'s address via the postal service, activated the credit card that had been sitting on the window sill for the past month. This doesn't seem like much now but it felt like things had been accomplished.

Yet another lame post. 2 for baby, 0 for blog.

Why I Haven't Been Posting

Yes, it's partly because of the nursing, cuddling, and diaper changing demands of the Bean, but it's also because my darling husband tinkered with the blog and inadvertently took away the option to post new entries. But now it's fixed. Of course because of the nursing, cuddling, and diaper changing I don't really have much to say. My brain is mushy, people.

But today we took the Bean to the Queens County Farm Museum. It's where N. and I got hitched about 50 weeks ago. Bean kept her eyes open for quite some time and we had our first semi- public feeding (there was no one around) and public changing. Good times in Queens!

We have a date for the move to NH. We're gonna be out of here on the 23rd. In a way I'm relieved we have a date and UHaul reservation and some semblance of a plan. I need to start living and being a mom in NH rather than worrying about it from afar.

And that's all I can think of right now. Hopefully, future posts won't be so random and lame.

It's A Baby, Not A Bean!!!!!

Our daughter was born at 10:42 AM on August 2nd. She was a pretty big bean at 8.5 pounds and 21 inches long. We might be a little biased but N. and I think she's incredibly beautiful.

I'm not going to use her name on this blog. The five readers who know me will know Bean's name. And just in case there are some lurkers (which is cool:) I don't want to give out her name to strangers. That way when she's 16, she can't guilt me into a bigger allowance because I like totally violated her privacy by giving her name out on the Internet, which will probably be totally old school by then. So she'll remain Bean.

Because she won't look like this soon enough, I will share a picture.



Pretty cute, huh?

Friday Books: Please Kill Me and The Ten-Year Nap

Actually, Boris, I have been reading. While in NH, I began reading N's Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain. The book is a series of interviews with people in and around the 1970's Punk scene. I found it interesting, easy, and light---the kind of book you can pick up here and there without losing any plot points. It was a good to read when I was up in the middle of the night since it's pretty much gossip about all the boozing and sex that went on back in the days of Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, Television, MC5, The Velvet Underground.

Man, those people could party. At nine months pregnant with nary a memory of the last time I stayed up past 1 AM, I felt pretty removed from the scene. But it was fun to read about.

Closer to home, I finished Meg Wolitzer's The Ten-Year Nap. It's her most recent book and I enjoyed it. I don't know if it's because I took a break between her novels or if I just found the topic more interesting. My problem with The Position was that I wasn't sure if it was supposed to tragic or comedic. I found The Ten-Year Nap a solidly good summer novel.

The book is about these four mothers raising young kids who aren't young enough to necessarily warrant them still staying at home. The kids are in school and a lot of the women and their families struggle financially in New York City. Yet, something holds them back from returning to the working world. The chapters dealing with the four women---a failed painter, a lawyer, a failed academic/film producer, a math whiz /econ person---are intersected with stories about their mothers--many women who had to work or truly enjoyed working. These parts tended to be shorter and at first I felt they were gimicky, but by the end, I enjoyed them more and recognized why Wolitzer needed this device.

Wolitzer remains, in my opinion, a terrific, line by line writer. She really nails the human condition and has a great sense of endings. Read this book but get it from the library. I don't see why you'd need to own it.

What We've Been Doing Other Than Not Having A Baby

No, no bean yet. Do people think we're gonna keep it a secret?
In our remaining days of "freedom", N. and I have gone to Fort Tryon Park and the Cloisters, the Brooklyn Flea, watched the French "thriller" "Tell No One", David Gordon Green's "George Washington", and Werner Herzog's "Encounters at the End of the World". On DVD we watched "Chinatown".

I enjoyed The Cloisters a lot more than I did when I was a kid, which was probably the last time I was there. Remember how boring museums are as a kid? Fort Tryon Park is really neat, too. It has a very different, almost more mountainous feel than Central and Prospect Parks.

We went to the Brooklyn Flea on Sunday. We didn't buy anything since we're in no state to accumulate and nothing seemed really great. The most exciting thing was getting interviewed for The Brooklyn Paper. I love TBP because it's very local and the crime stats are very thinly veiled and funny.

We were interviewed because there's been some controversy since the flea occurs right across from a church and apparently is making parking a problem.

After our interview, we waited on the long line for taco, which turned out to be a bit of a bummer for me. Because of the bean induced heart burn, I couldn't stomach more than a few bites of the deliciousness. Of course N. was more than happy to eat my taco since they are so very tasty and authentic and probably will not exist in New Hampshire. I can't wait till I can eat spice!!

!!!!!Spoiler Alert!!! Do NOT READ THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU WANT TO SEE "Tell No One."

It seems that everyone with the exception of my parents loved "Tell No One". I'm happy to report that the critical movie viewing genes run deep because N. and I were disappointed with the movie. It's not bad exactly, but suffers from seemingly sloppy editing and, even more to its detriment, some serious plot flaws. The acting is good and there are parts of the movie that are well-done, but then there are some aspects of the plot that are unforgivable. N. and I didn't mind seeing the movie although at various points we both wondered when the movie would end. My more specific thought was actually: if I go into labor now, we'll leave. But it was more of a passing thought. And no, I didn't go into labor because no, we haven't had the bean.

One thing that made N. and I more critical of "Tell No One" is that we watched "Chinatown" the night before. "Chinatown" is such a perfect crime-thriller that most other movies in the genre would pale in comparison.

I love David Gordon Green. You should too. Put "George Washington" on your NetFlix queue. Now.

Werner Herzog is odd. The temperature today in Nico, Antarctica is -64 degrees Fahrenheit.

Best of Brooklyn: (More!) Pizza

It's hard to believe that I would have anything more to say about pizza considering the breath and depth of the previous pizza post, but I do.

Last Sunday, N. and I went with our friends to Lucali over in Carroll Gardens. The owner/pizzailio was influenced by Dom at DiFara. Well, the influence is in the pies. Three or four cheeses, thin crust, fresh herbs. In terms of the ambiance, Lucali couldn't be more different. It's low-key but charming and has waiter service, which is kind of nice considering getting a pie at DiFara's is a waiting game. We did get to Lucali about fifteen minutes before they opened, which is key, but once we got seated the wait wasn't bad at all. All they have are pies and calzones; the toppings change depending on the day. We got a plain pie with basil, which was very similar in its tastiness to DiFara's. If DiFara does anything better, it's probably only that the pies are a little hotter. But that's pretty minor. Four of us shared a pie and a calzone. The calzone was truly amazing. I know, calzones got gross back in 8th grade. I don't think I've eaten one since then but the one at Lucali is really good. Ours had mushrooms and basil. What's really good about the calzone is that it's light and airy--not like the heavy, oily ones that are just dough filled with processed mozzarella cheese. At Lucali there are several different cheeses and it doesn't make you feel sick or cheesed out afterwards. N. and I would definitely go back to Lucali for the calzone. It's the only place we'd ever eat one.

To top off our pizza eating, N. and I spontaneously shelpped out to Coney Island yesterday and made the pilgrimage to Totonno's. I think we got lucky because there wasn't a wait. In terms of ambiance Totonno's falls somewhere between DiFara's and Lucali. It's on a pretty dingy block, but the place is bright and clean and there are tables with waiter service. The order came very quickly too. N. and I shared a plain small pie. I think that's the way to try a pizza place. Toppings can make things weird. I do have to say that the pepperoni on the pie next to us did look pretty good and I don't even like pepperoni. At first I found the slice disappointing; I even put a little salt on it because marinara sauce tasted a little bland. But after another few slices (they were thin crust and small) I got into it and didn't salt again. Totonno's is good but different from Lucali and DiFara's because the sauce isn't all about the herbs and spices. I also think the slices got better as the cheese and sauce solidified. N. and I left happy and satisfied without feeling too sick or cheesed out.

If I had to give out grades I'd say Lucali gets an A and Totonno's gets an A-.

It's back to the leafy greens this week. Our arteries have been working overtime.

Things We're Doing List

This week N. and I were able to cross a few more things off our list of NYC things to do. One thing, which technically wasn't on the list, but N. added as an addendum, was going to Juniors. It had been a while since I ate there and the food was surprisingly good. My matzoh ball soup wasn't overly salty and the chicken salad sandwich we shared was actually quiet tasty and fresh. N. was happy with his egg cream, too.

The food was more disappointing at Peter Luger's. To be honest, eating there once was enough for me, but N. wanted to go again and since there were friends involved who am I to say no? The sides were all pretty standard--decent fries and onions rings, heart-attack ridden creamed spinach---it's what I expected. But the steak wasn't that great. I've had better. N. think it's because we got the steak for 4 (there were 6 of us but we had a lot of sides) and that if we went again, which we won't, he'd stick to the steak for one because you get a smaller and therefore better selection. The first couple of pieces I had were pretty much all fat.

Yesterday's outing was to Long Beach out on Long Island. N. and I took the LIRR from Atlantic Ave and even though we had to switch trains in Jamaica, Queens, we were beach side in less than an hour. I'd never been to LB before and it's great. I thought the water was a lot cleaner and nicer than at Brighton Beach. The ocean was the perfect temperature, too. Cool without being freezing and very refreshing. I'd get to Long Beach soon though. In another month the jelly fish babies, which can't sting now, will be full-grown and up for some human flesh.

The photo used for today's entry is property of N's. I believe it was the time he escaped a flesh-eating, cheesecake looking jelly fish attack.

Tacoroni with Cheese!

N. suggested I blog about Tacoroni with Cheese! because there's absolutely nothing else going on in our lives that is as exciting as Tacoroni with Cheese!

What is this Tacoroni with Cheese! that you speak of, Brooklyngirl, you ask. It's the perfect meal invented more or less by moi.

Tacoroni with Cheese! began one cold and dark Brooklyn evening many moons ago when N. and I realized that were feeling unfulfilled with Annie's Mac-N-Cheese. It needed something. Perhaps some protein,some veggies, and some salsa!

These days I don't even use Annie's--I just buy regular old macaroni noodles and cheddar cheese. It's cheaper and cuts out the middle man.

This is what you do:

Boil water.

Cut up some veggies. I like to use peppers, carrots, onions, tomatoes. Sometimes I add a little bit of spinach and zucchini and frozen corn. You can use whatever veggies are in your fridge although I tend not to use things like broccoli or kale.

Sautee veggies in a bit of olive oil. Add garlic if you like. Then you add the meat. But I don't use meat I use Smart Ground veggie soy stuff. The reason is that meat just isn't that good for you and since Tacoroni with Cheese! is often a spur of the moment thing, you can have Smart Ground Veggie stuff in your fridge for weeks at a time with worrying that it's going bad. Plus, it tastes really good in Tacoroni with Cheese!

Add macaroni to boiling water.

Mix all the meat/veggies stuff together with whatever kind of salsa you have. I recommend using the cheap stuff. You can also add some cheddar or pepperjack cheese. Stir it altogether, turn off the stove, and wait for the macaroni to be cooked.

When the pasta is drained, eyeball it and add it into the the meat/veggie/salsa concoction. Mix it altogether and dump a bunch in a bowl. Sprinkle with cheese; stick some tortilla chips on the side if you're feeling arty and wham! Tacoroni with Cheese! Filling, fast, and virtually fail proof. Too much pasta? Quickly add some more fake beef and that part of the pepper you were thinking of throwing away. Need more flavor? Add some more salsa or hot sauce or cheese. Tacoroni with Cheese! is also great because you can have it for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow.

But don't take my word on it. N. says " Spicy noodles, fresh veggies, fake meat. A San Francisco treat!"

I think he means Brooklyn, but he's washing dishes so I'll let it go.

What are your last minute dinner recipes? And no, you can't suggest ordering in or taking out. I'm moving to the country, people, remember? Take out up there is probably hitting a moose and bringing it home on your fender.

Why Angelina Didn't Tip

This is from the NYT science section a few months back. Kind of interesting, the evolution stuff, right, Kansas?

This is more recent.

Shucks, now we're going to look like fools when we name our bean Knox.

Things (We Want) to Do List

Have I mentioned that N. and I have a Things We Want To Do Before The Bean And Before We Move List? This week we were able to cross a few things off.

On Monday, we took the Staten Island Ferry. It's a very nice view/ride. Did you know it's free? Other than the Staten Island Yankee's Stadium, there's nothing walking distance from the ferry so we didn't do anything while we were in SI. My feet were starting to hurt so I didn't feel that bad about it.

From the ferry we saw two of the Olafur Eliasson waterfalls. We found them underwhelming and crossed that off The List.

On Wednesday we went to the hell that is Buy Buy Baby to return things. That was not on the Things We Want To Do List, but rather Things You Really Don't Want To Do But Really Should Because You Really Don't Need Six Baby Bjorns And Eight Tubes Of Nipple Cream List. Once that mission was deemed a success, we went to the heaven that is Shake Shack, which was most certainly on The List. We had single Shake Shack burgers, shared fries and a shake. It was as good as they say. I wish my stomach had been feeling a little more normal and that the hip, new self-cleaning .$25 toilet wasn't stuck in some self-imposed self cleaning mode. Having to pee makes a burger just a little less delicious. The city owes me $.50 cents, too.

We went for a medicinal stroll on the Coney Island boardwalk Wednesday evening because I was going stir and humidity crazy. Since we neither ate Nathan's, played an arcade game, swam in the ocean, or ate greasy Russian food in Brighton Beach, we're going to keep it on The List.

Not on the list, but other things we did include: watching many episodes of Arrested Development on the genius that is Hulu, watching the first two episodes of Season 1 of Prime Suspect with the genius of that is Helen Mirren, seeing the maybe he's a genius but we don't get it Murkami show at the Brooklyn Museum, and eating too much ice cream (it's organic!) at the genius that is Blue Marble because the new location is only 2! blocks from our apartment. Mmmmm...ice cream. Almost as good as pizza.

Best of Brooklyn: Pizza

During our years here in the Borough of Kings, N. and I have eaten a lot of pizza. I've probably had around 2,300 slices, while N. tops with me 453,211.

The best Brooklyn pizza, as of this writing, is DiFara's out on Ave J in Midwood. Dom uses makes each pizza very slowly. You have to go when you're hungry but not starving. If you're starving when you get there, you'll have a breakdown since there's always a wait. Even if there are only three people ahead of you, you'll have to wait an hour. In addition to really working slowly (as artist should, of course), it's never clear that Dom has heard you place an order. If you've even gotten to the placing an order stage. Sometimes you just wait, which can be good for working on your zen goals. We were there in the spring and Dom's kids sort of helped keep their dad current with the orders but sometimes it's just him. When the kids are there, they might take an order or your money but they never touch the pies. Dom does it all--from making it, to putting it in and taking it out of the oven with his bare hands, to adding clippings of fresh basil on the just-out-of -the-oven pie.

Everyone should eat at DiFara's at least once. Get a plain pie--those are the best. Even if you just want a slice, get a pie, wait for it to cool off, eat what you want there, and then take the rest home. It won't be nearly as delicious but it's more time effective to get the whole thing. And you really do have to wait a few minutes to take your first bite It's so hot, olive oily, and three cheesy that it needs to solidify. Plus, you'll scald your mouth if you eat it too soon.

While DiFara's is this fairly dingy, non-descript hole in the wall, Franny's in our neighborhood on Flatbush Ave is just the opposite. It's pretty hip with menus, an impressive and expensive wine list, and actual servers. The critics went wild for Franny's when it opened a few years ago because it's brick oven and there's a list on the menu of where each product comes from. While N. and I think Franny's is tasty, we agree that the pizza never really fills you up and that there can be a lack of variety. Once N. and I got two different marinara style pies and they tasted pretty much the same. Plus, Franny's is expensive. I don't think going out for pizza should be expensive.

Although I'm not sure why, N. likes Antonio's at 318 Flatbush Ave. I've always put it in the barely mediocre category since I find it too greasy, too cheesy and the sauce non-descript. I should mention that N. would eat pizza 3-5 times a week if he could, which probably explains why he is the undisputed, undefeated pizza champion in our household. I like pizza too, but since it's fattening and not exactly good for you, I don't like to have these vices on mediocre pizza. And that's what Antonio's is. Very mediocre. At least the delivered stuff is. In the pizzeria itself, the slices are just slightly better. But I'm not sure why you'd be eating in Antonio's when your apartment is 4 blocks away.

Gino's further down on Flatbush, I think, is much better than Antonio's. It's not overly cheesy and the sauce has more character. It's exactly what you want on a Sunday night when you're too involved with Battle Star Galatica to make dinner.

Grimaldi'sunder the Brooklyn Bridge has been famous for years. Why? N. and I have eaten there a few times and while it's good, it's not the be all end all. Nothing about the pizza itself really stood out to me. The only thing that really stands out was the long line we waited on to get inside one Friday night only to remember that it's cash only. Of course, we had no cash and there are no ATM's in that part of Brooklyn so we had to grate 1,000 pounds of mozarella before they let us leave.

Back in his swinging bachelor days, N. lived in Williamsburg where Fornino's was. That was good pizza--more gourmet than DiFara's, but less pretentious than Franny's. Plus, the menu is a lot bigger than Franny's. I've always thought the options at Franny's were somewhat limiting. I've always regretted that N. and I always got Fornino's to go. Eating there, I'm sure the very good pizza would have been closer to great.

A few years ago, I took N. on a surprise trip to L&B Spumoni Gardens out in Bensonhurst. I feel like this is what the hardcore Italian Brooklynites think of when they think of pizza. L&B is known for Scillian slices, which were good, but N. and I prefer triangle pizza. Scillian slices tend to be too dough heavy for us. If you're going to take an out of towner on a schelp for pizza, we'd recommend schelping to DiFara rather than L&B. I'm sure we had the spumoni, but I can't remember it at all.

N. and I don't like the name The Brooklyn Pizza Factory that recently opened up on Vanderbilt Ave, very close to our house. We don't think factory just shouldn't be used in restaurant names. Or baby names, either. Nonetheless, the pizza, at BPF, is quite good and we're happy it's so close. They have very tasty regular slices and also some more intriguing gourmet pie options that I'm sure we will sample once the Bean comes and we're not cooking. The other day, the heat and 36 weeks of pregnancy nearly did me in on our walk in Prospect Park, but I'm happy to save I was revived with a Sprite and BPF slice. I guess the real test will be to get a pie delivered, but since it's so close I'm optimistic.

Across the street from BPF is Amorina. This is a family-friendly, more of a sit-down kind of place. The pies are a little more gourmet than BPF. N. and I are fans of the Tricolore pie, but when you're in the mood for pizza I think you want the standard NYC style like BPF. Amorina is more like you're too lazy to cook and too lazy to walk more than three blocks to go out to dinner. It's the kind of place where you might get the Puttanesca pie or, just as easily, the spaghetti with meatballs. It's not a bad place, but for being so close and calling themselves a pizzeria, N. and I have gone there surprisingly few times.

On our list of NYC things to do before moving to NH is eating at Totonno's out on Neptune Ave near Coney Island. This place always gets mentioned in lists that include DiFara's and Franny's so we're excited to check it out. I've heard, and this could be a rumor, that they make 100 pies a day and then they close no matter what time it is.

Whew. Posting about pizza has made me hungry. Where do you get your slices?

Muchos Gracias, Mi Hermano

Since I've last posted we've: unloaded 8,000 boxes, made 12 trips to Kmart, 21 trips to Pier 1, 11 trips to the the town dump, ate, slept, showered, and used the dishwasher in our new home, saw Wall-E, drank 124 Heinkens, eaten 16 bags of potato chips, and got a Lebanon library card! It's yellow! Do you know which was most exciting for me?

Most of the above would not have been possible without the generous time and effort of my brother, who despite his ugly-ass "moving" pants was a total rock star. On his own accord, Jacob, offered to come up to help us, which meant a 10! hour train trip on Sunday, and a myriad of boxes to lift and unpack and multiple trips up to the attic and random places in town on Monday and Tuesday.

Not only did N. and I wake the dude up at unreasonable AM hours, we forget to get him whole milk so he couldn't even imbibe Kiks with us. He even put up with us referring to him as our "man-servant"! So many thanks, little bro. And sorry for my back seat driving comments---2 nights on an aero bed when pregnant is okay, 3 makes you a tired little bitch.

I don't have a review of the new David Sedaris since I slept through most of what N. played on the way up and Jacob didn't let us listen to anything but Lil Wayne on the way back. For reals.

"Bet I'm gonna reap this when I'm gone defeat this while I'm here
Gonna keep beatin this street shit in ya ear
Gonna speak in every single street this year
My shit beat in every jeep on every street this year"


P.S. Lest we scare visitors away, N. wanted me to clarify that normally the train ride from NYC to our house is 7 hours. There were some delays on Jacob's train. (I've heard there are always delays but not usually 3 hours worth.)

Friday Boxes and Belly Aches: No Books

Well, the movers are coming for 90% of the stuff tomorrow. As of this writing, we're about 75% packed. A week spent in boxes doesn't yield much reading time so no books today.

After an excellent dinner with my friends C. and N. last night, I woke up at 3:00 this morning with the worst stomachache ever. I should say that seeing C. and N. was excellent, but the dinner itself, Pad See Ew of course, tasted a bit burnt. I'm better than I was, but still not totally recovered from the misery that is food poisoning. I'll never know if it was the culprit (my friends are fine) but sadly my Pad See Ew days are now over. My N. assured me that I will eat Thai food again and then lovingly went out at 7:30 AM to procure Coke, Ginger Ale, Tums, Saltines, and Gatorade. I'm confident that I'll be fine for the movers and going up to NH tomorrow, though. Even though he's getting a little predictable, I'm looking forward to listening to the new David Sedaris collection When You Are Engulfed In Flames during the drive.

I'll have a review of that and full recap of our moving adventures when we return to our cavernous Brooklyn apartment sometime around Tuesday. Till then, have a good weekend and feel sorry for Malice who's absolutely beside himself at our imminent departure.

Jersey Boy: Strangely A Post That's Not About Me

Congrats to N. for finishing a whopping 6 years commuting to and from New Jersey! I thought about figuring out the number of miles and hours you put in slogging from Brooklyn to central NJ but I don't want to depress you or my 4.5 readers.

For those of you who don't know, N. had a really rough commute for a less than stellar teaching environment for a less than stellar salary. And you know what? He didn't complain about it. I know, it's crazy since I've been known to complain about the hair on my left pinky toe or the texture of a piece of cheese, but N. would get up at 5:30 AM to get to Jersey by 8:00, teach a 5 hour class, have office hours, maybe have 20 minutes to scarf down a mediocre Quik Check sandwich at his desk, and then teach another 5 hour class. After that, he'd finally drive the hour-if-you're-lucky home only to spend 20 minutes looking for a parking spot. He didn't have any of the heaps of time off that other academics get either since the terms began anew every eleven weeks. Despite all this, he never complained. I know, I'm a lucky woman.

He will have to drive to work in NH but it will be a simple 30 minutes down the comparatively empty highway to a beautiful school with a real art department, traditional students, and an actual cafeteria where he might get to eat some kind of human lunch. Plus, no night classes! And no more looking for parking since our new place comes with a driveway!

Here's to a job well done, N. And here's to better schedules, less traffic, and more satisfying classes in your NH future!

Ants in My Pants

There was just, no joke, a bee flying inside my pants. It's very unnerving to hear bzz-bzz and realize that it's coming from between your thighs. Especially if you're inside your apartment. All is okay as of this writing although I did break several small mirrors with my piercing shrieks.

Anyway, you should take this time to enjoy the pants you're wearing. If you're not wearing pants, put some on. This is not the kind of blog to read pant-less. I miss pants. Specifically, I miss wearing jeans that really fit. I love jeans much to my mother's chagrin. I really like expensive jeans much to my wallet's chagrin but my brother's approval.

When you're nearly 35 weeks pregnant the thought of ever wearing your overpriced, but oh-so stylish Joe or Citizens of Humanity or Seven or Paper Cloth Denim jeans seems like a distant dream in your ill fitting maternity pants. Sure, elastic is necessary around the constantly swelling belly but I have realized why zippers, buttons, and sizes were invented. Elastic doesn't fit. It hangs low around the butt or slides down the hips. Elastic also gets stretched out so while you might have thought these aren't so bad when you first put them on the morning, by afternoon the pants are riding between low and high and it's pretty terrible.

I've had much better luck with maternity tops. As much as I hate contributing to child-labor, I have to give props to Old Navy maternity tees. Comfortable! Flattering! And of course, thanks to the blind Indonesia 8 year old making it for me, Cheap! Also, the style for many tops this seems to be flowing with odd inclusions of elastic which is exactly what the pregnant woman ordered! I've happened upon many cute, non-pregnancy tops which makes me happy.

My doc. said that most women lose between 18-20 pounds during the labor/birth. I'm not so crazy as to actually pack Seven's in the hospital bag but maybe, in the not so distant future, I can go back to looking like my old self, like this: