8.18.13 ~ Germany 2013

Opa Hans turned 90 this year, so I met my parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins in Germany for the big celebration. Jason couldn't come and it was too expensive and difficult for me to take the kids, so I was flying solo. I missed them all, but I also had a wonderful time. Opa is much spunkier than most other 90 year olds. And our family is so spread out that it's really exciting when we all meet up somewhere. So, we all ate and drank ourselves silly for a few days to celebrate Opa and our togetherness. It was fun. Here are some pictures to prove it:

 

Of course we also spent some very quality time with the Benz's. We had less time with them because of the whole birthday extravaganza. But the togetherness was just as good. I love all of these people so much. It's always sad to say goodbye and fly back to the States.

8.18.13 ~ Also this.

Liam has also been working on this:

I fought with him quite a bit about his swim vest and in the end forced him to leave it behind. When he got over the hissy fit he threw about it, he spotted a group of little girls - probably about 6 years old or so - playing across the pool. He wanted to go over to them, but I told him that the other end was too deep...BUT if he learned to swim he could go anywhere in the pool he wanted. So little, determined, Liam who likes to follow around older girls started practicing: jumping from one set of steps to the other, getting his butt up to the surface, putting his face in, kicking, and pulling. And within two days he was pretty much swimming. Though, that was a couple weeks ago and we haven't practiced much since then because the Baltimore August weather has been uncharacteristically chilly. However, I do think that he has his father's genes, and with a little more practice we'll likely be joining swim team next summer.

8.18.13 ~ Two Wheels

Liam never ceases to amaze. He's had a balance bike since he turned three and has since mastered that thing completely. So yesterday we set out to buy him a new bike with real pedals and no training wheels - an early birthday gift from his grandparents. Liam picked out the most expensive 16 inch bike in the shop. But we noticed he had the easiest time pedaling and maneuvering on it so we went along with it. However, we did tell him that the model he wanted did NOT come with training wheels. The guy at the store took them off for us, told Liam they didn't come with the bike, and hid them in a bag for us to secretly take home. When Liam was out of earshot, he told me we were the first parents he had ever met who wanted to completely forgo training wheels. I explained that Liam knew how to balance on the balance bike and that I believed he would learn to ride without training wheels within a week. So we took the new bike home, took it out to the sidewalk between the buildings in our complex, and then Liam learned to ride that new bike within about 10 minutes. The first time he got on, I gave him a little push and he started peddling. I let go and he balanced on his own with no problem. Then he realized he was doing it and looked at me and said "Did you let go? Am I doing it?" Then he swerved off the sidewalk. I told him not to look at me and keep his eyes on the road. Then he tried it again and got it and was completely fine balancing and pedaling without me holding his bike. Then Jason joined us outside and he worked with Liam on starting and stopping which Liam pretty much could do by the end of yesterday. This morning we took him to a park and he practiced gently braking to slow down during a down hill and steering and balancing around tight turns. He's learning so quickly and he's so happy and enthusiastic about it. Not even five years old and cruising on two wheels. Proud mother here.

8.18.13 ~ Charm City

I haven't blogged in a while because we MOVED! And it's been lovely, but also hectic. First we had to pack up the NYC apartment of course.

Nora was a huge help. NOT. PSYCH. JK. But at least she's funny and cute.

And now we live here:

Our new home is new and has light, space, a washer and dryer, a dishwasher, a garage, and friends and family nearby! I love living here so far.

But of course we had to get one of these too:

Life in the burbs has been good to us so far. Though, I do get a little pang in my chest every time I think of New York. Not our old apartment, but the city itself. I will always love that crazy place. But for now - onward and upwards!

7.14.13 ~ We're Moving!

I have lived in New York City almost eight years. I tell people I grew up in Baltimore - but, really, I only lived there from the end of 4th grade until I graduated from high school. Also just about eight years. It's amazing that those two time periods are almost equal. I bring this up because on Friday this week we are moving out of New York City and back to Baltimore. Well, Elliott City - near Baltimore. I was awarded a one year (possibly two year) fellowship in DC and it was just too good to pass up. But since it's a temporary position, Jason will be keeping his job - and a studio apartment - here in NYC. He'll be commuting down to see us on the weekends and I'll be commuting to DC on the weekdays. This new chapter of our lives will surely be interesting. 

I haven't had much time to reflect on leaving New York and I'm not totally sure I want to. This city and I have always had a bit of a love/hate relationship. At first it was pure love. I moved here and was SO excited to be away from West Lafayette, Indiana. But I moved in by myself into a tiny,dark dorm room in the student housing building. And the first year of grad school was HARD. It was a lot of course work and a steep learning curve at the fellowship I had then. I was visiting Jason in Baltimore a lot and clearly remember the anxiety rising every time I passed through the Lincoln tunnel returning from a visit. Like, real anxiety. And that was the first time in my whole life I had ever really felt that. The nervous stomach, butterflies, can't eat, and can't sleep feeling. Thanks, NYC. But over the years I have fallen in love with this place. First as a childless, poor grad student and then as a new mom. And the city had lots to offer to both versions of me. But having children here comes with lots of ups and lots of downs. Apartment living on a budget is, well, rough. Lots of steps, no dishwasher, no space, no laundry. And then there are the mice and roaches. But when you step outside there is a world of possibility. It's so easy to entertain your children here. And you're never isolated. Not only do I have lots of friends with kids who are friends with my kids, but it's also so easy to strike up a conversation with someone new a the playground. And to make up for the tiny, crowded grocery stores and no laundry there's always FreshDirect and wash-n-fold services. Nothing to complain about there - except that it all costs an arm and a leg. Also, I love being able to walk everywhere. Pushing a double stroller a mile to school and back means I have a built in work out. But sometimes the trash, the dog poop all over the sidewalk, and the concrete and tall buildings can get claustrophobic. And the people on the subway can be so RUDE. If you show up with a stroller people act like you just ruined their week. It's a stroller, people. Just step around it and move on with your life. The eye daggers are a waste of your time. And if you dare to say anything to me, I will bite your head off. I'm not scared. I have kids and we have to get from point A to point B. And the stroller has to come too. Sorry. If I didn't have them strapped into these seats and they were free to roam the subway car, you would be much more annoyed. I promise. 

So, yeah., love/hate. I'm eager to improve the mouse/roach/ant situation. But there are many things about New York that I'm also really going to miss - not the least of which are my amazing friends here. It's going to be an interesting year. But as usual - bring it on. I'm ready. 

7.10.13 ~ So This Happened

While we were in the Outer Banks Liam stepped on something on the deck. At the time all of us (except Jason) were pretty sure there wasn't anything in his foot. 

On Monday he was still limping and we had a pediatricians appointment anyway so I asked her to take a look at his foot. After some poking around (which Liam tolerated surprisingly well) Dr. Hammond was pretty sure there was something still stuck in his foot so she sent us to get an ultrasound. When you look at the ultrasound picture below you should know that Liam was laughing at a very loud Sponge Bob Square Pants show and Nora was screaming and arching her back due to starvation. We had left their school in the middle of lunch for what should have been a 15 minute weigh-in appointment. Instead we were there for five hours. I had nothing in my bag for the kids. No snacks, no drinks, no diapers, and no cash to get those things. Now you have a more complete idea of how that really went. 

The ultrasound confirmed that there was a 1.5cm splinter deep in his foot. The poor kid had been walking, running, and playing on it since Thursday! It wasn't infected but did have a pocket of fluid around it. So, yesterday we had a consult with a pediatric surgeon. I picked Liam up from school looking like this. Liam (aka Flash) was a big hit with the nurses and the doctor.

So, we were scheduled for surgery with general anesthesia for the next day (today). Jason has been out of town for work so I was on my own to deal. Luckily Lynda swept in to save the day(s). After my lack of success in finding a sitter, she took care of Nora both yesterday for the consult and today for the procedure. I am so thankful for her. Taking Nora along to all those visits would have been hell.

 Because of the anesthesia, Liam had to fast today before the surgery which wasn't scheduled until 5pm . So, this breakfast was the last thing he was allowed to eat.

He was allowed to have clear fluids until 2pm though, so I bought him a Sprite, a Vitamin Water, and an apple juice. He drank a lot of each one. And by the time we got back to Mt. Sinai, Liam really had to pee.

After our pee break we stopped back in to see Dr. Hammond to be "cleared" for anesthesia.

Then we ventured a few floors up to the ambulatory operating room. There was a sweet view.

We were called back and Liam was calm, cool, and collected until he was asked to put on a hospital gown. Full freak out ensued. He was screaming so loud that three nurses and the surgeon showed up. They told Liam he could just put his clothes back on. However, after another 45 minutes of waiting, a nurse showed up with a huge white suit for me to wear into the operating room. Once I had my suit on and was making jokes about marshmallows and astronauts, Liam became eager to put his gown on too. And then the surgeon brought him this surgeons cap with a Spiderman sticker on it. So, he was happy again.

And I don't have photographic documentation of the rest. As soon as we got into the OR he panicked. Complete panic. They stuck the sensors onto his chest and he tried to rip them off while also swatting his arms at anyone who came near him. I had flashbacks of our experiences at the dentist. So the anesthesiologist forced the mask on his face and through sobbing and panic he took a few breaths and then rolled his eyes back and passed out mid scream. It was crazy to see.  Then I was shooed out of the room. Twenty minutes later I was called back in from the waiting room. The splinter was out and Liam was starting to wake up. When he woke up, he was really groggy at first and then immediately fixated on his IV and how it was "bothering him". He wouldn't even accept crackers and juice until the nurse took the IV out. After that the doctor showed us the splinter. I couldn't believe that it had been in his foot. I would say 1.5 cm was a conservative estimate of its length. And it was about as thick as a toothpick. After Liam polished off his crackers, we put his clothes on and left. We went to Lynda's to pick up Nora and she also fed Liam dinner. He must have been starving because he ate about 75 shrimpies in the 30 minutes we were there.

By the time we got home Liam was back to his regular self. He was limping around again on his bandaged foot and was eager to unwrap the gauze. When we did, it was amazing to see that the "boo boo" on his foot was barely larger than the entry point of the splinter had been.  Liam took a bath, we slapped a bandaid and some Neosporin on there and now he's sleeping soundly.

All that for a splinter. The End.

7.10.13 ~ OBX 2013

Oh so, SO much to share..... lets start with pictures from our annual trip to the Outer Banks with the Hetzner/Steele clan. Many of these are from my phone and repeats from Instagram. I'm always disappointed with the quality once the pictures are off the little iphone screen and on my computer. Ah well.

Nana provides lots of new toys to make the car ride more enjoyable for everyone involved.  

I love that phone. Too much.  

The weather was stormy when we arrived and stayed that way for the first few days. But then it cleared up and we finished the week with lots of sunshine and long days outside.  

 That's Liam and Jason. Keep squinting. 

 Nora and her BFF Bailey. The feeling is not mutual. Can dogs roll their eyes? 

 Fah-reeeezing water. But he didn't care. The kid played till his lips were blue. 

Those colors.  

 That adorable right foot sustained an sad injury two days after this was taken. 

 Beach babes. 

Hair cut.  

 Nora and her Gram. 

Lounging with the ladies.  

Game night.  

We made it through with no major fighting! Also, Jess and I won - the two least competitive people at that table full of very competitive people.  

Beaching napping. 

The baby warmer.  

Evening ice cream. 

Hey down there!  

 Ultimate relaxation. 

 Nana and her crew. 

 I love this. All four of us managed to look decent in the same picture. Miracle. 

And the whole group. Look at Gram up in front just owning it. 

6.6.13 ~ Liam Shares

Liam asked to bring a measuring tape to school today. At home he often pretends its a rope to catch the bad guys with. Apparently, he asked to share it during his morning meeting. Here are the notes. I promise Liam does not get high before school.

Liam shares his measuring tape

Liam places the item in the middle of the circle.

Liam: It's a rope. 

Neela: But why does it have numbers on it?

Liam: It measures the bad guys. 

Neela: Do you know what the small numbers are?

Liam: The small numbers are if the bad guys are hot and the big numbers are if they are cold.

Neela: But do you what they are called?

Liam: Cold and hot numbers. 

Neela: Inches and centimeters. The big ones are inches and  the little ones are centimeters. 

William: The bad guys are kind of bigger... 

Liam: No, no they are bigger than the bad guys and I am bigger so I measure them. It's like this (he holds up his hands to show size). The big guys are like this and the good guys are like this.
William: Sometimes I fight dragons and giants and the giants are bigger than you and me and we have to fight the bad guys and sometimes we fight bigger bad guys and they fall down and I cut them up and... 

Isaac: I like... what are these letters? (Isaac points to the brand of measuring tape on the back)

Liam: The letters are where I can send the bad guys. 

Isaac holds up the measuring tape across him. 

Liam: And we can pass this around. 

Sean: Let me show you it is not a tape measurer. This is how you measure how long the rug is. 

Sean holds the tape measurer across the rug and fixes it to lay it flat. 

Sean: That is the example. 

Neela: The big ones are inches and the small ones are centimeters. 

Liam: Paco. 

Paco: O-kay. So what are the big numbers?

Liam: The big numbers are to measure the hot of the bad guys. The little numbers are for the cold.  The little ones are the comment ones and the big ones are the measuring ones. 

Neela: The big ones are the inches and the little ones are the centimeters. 

Gabriel: Those things are for measuring how tall kids are. 

Liam: Yeah and for measuring bad guys. 

Gabriel: Dinosaurs might be going... dinosaurs might eat fish. 

Liam: I can measure fish.

Gabriel: Some fish are small so you can't see them. 

Liam: And some are this big. 

Nepemba: Some sharks are big.
Danil: Sharks are just really big fish. 

Liam: Realy big fish are whales. 

Kuan: You can continue the discussion later. Let's take one more question. 

Liam: No but we have to pass it.

Kuan: Can we leave it here?

Liam: No.

Kuan: But we need time to go outside. Let's leave it here and remind people it is here. 

Liam: Danil!

Danil: Umm... why why... umm... why it's really part of a tape measurer. 

Liam: Because I made it like that. 

Danil: You wanted to break off a part of an old tape measurer?

Liam: Yeah. 

Danil: It's just an old part of the tape measurer. 

Kuan: And now it's Sean's turn and by the way there is a shark's train. Does the shark train belong to any of you?

Class: Preschool.