XOXO, New York City

New York. You are a city of one million surprises. A vivid, bubbling pot of activity and culture and ideas and sights. I love taking my kids to you, slipping them into your busy stream and laughing out loud at what we encounter and learn about and wonder at.

 

 We are lucky to be neighbors, you and I, New York. I talk you up around town. I know plenty of people aren't sure that you're all you're cracked up to be. Dangerous? Overpriced? Stinky? I think you're a jungle gym of a place, all wild with the foment of hopeful, industrious, imaginative humanity. And I hope my boys feel your lovely hum in their bones in the same way I do.

 

 

 

I guess all I'm really trying to say is that I love you, New York. That's all. <3 p="p">

P.S.
New York...I think The Highline is totally bananas! One of your best inventions yet. I'm a fan.

Packing Everything, But The Diapers.

Well, folks....it feels amazingly good to be able to tell you that I met my goal of potty-training Dee before we left for California. Tomorrow we take off in a plane bound for the "other coast" and in our suitcase will be a lot of training pants and 2T underwear but just enough diapers to serve us at nighttime. Boy, is victory sweet!

I am so very proud of myself. I think I was a much more level-headed and kind potty training coach this time around although I'm not sure how much of that I can take credit for and how much of it is just his personality versus Ru's. He's less confrontationally stubborn and I feel like he is easier to work with. That said, I know I've grown and become a better mommy since I went through this stage with his big brother. How can you not grow? For one thing, I'm just older and more mature and for another, experience of course, is a wise teacher. There were not tears on my part this time. There were very few floor messes and there have been no meltdown shouting matches over "sitting right down on that potty young man, right now!" Whew.

It is positively mind stutter inducing to pack bags for our first trip with two potty trained children. I keep looking at their suitcase and alternately thinking "What's missing?" and "Where will I put all the diapers though?"  Then I catch myself and have one more good laugh about it and give myself a mental slap on the back. Nothing like reliving your own glorious success accidentally!

I have even stopped putting him in diapers at naptime because he doesn't want one on and most of the time manages to stay dry anyhow! I'm so proud of him I could bust! What a big boy! And can you believe my extreme luck? I will have only the baby in diapers in a month or so! WOOHOO!!!!

Tomorrow, our plane flies out and we'll haul all those triaining pants (and of course everything else we're bringing to the check-in desk) and head to Medford, Oregon where to adventure begins. I am bringing the laptop and plan to photograph and blog our way down the coast, thus to stay in touch (like a good blogger) and more clearly remember our exciting journey. I'll see you on the other side, wherever I get a chance to sit down with the keyboard and unload in the next 24 hrs.

Bon Voyage to us!!