11.12.13 ~ Some more Halloween

10.31.13 ~ Happy Halloween!

This morning Nora and I attended the Halloween Parade at Liam's school. And I am so on the ball and posting the video already (working from home today)! Mostly, I wanted Jason to enjoy the cuteness (in NYC) in a timely fashion! Once the singing starts, look for Liam in the way back on the right side. Sadly, you can't see much of him except his blue batman ears bobbing around behind the other kids' heads. And don't forget to notice Sydney up in the front in the middle - she's Doc McStuffins. She's more visible and is so adorable when she notices first her dad and then her mom in the audience.


Halloween Parade from NMPH on Vimeo.

Also, the costume Liam is wearing belonged to Jason and his brothers when they were little. There's a bit of debate over which Hetzner boy this is behind the mask, but for our purposes we'll pretend it's Jason. And then Liam, of course, on right.... about 32 years later.

And Nora is a little bat. Her costume is a bit more contemporary. Liam claims she is the bat who bit him so that he became Batman. He might be getting his superhero histories a bit crossed - but it's a good story nonetheless.

I hope you enjoyed this post because it might take me another month to get the trick or treating pictures that will likely be taken tonight posted.

10.15.13 ~ Nora's Words

I started a list of words that Nora says to try and keep track of her progress. She communicates all the time, but most of it is in her own little language, not English.

Like this:

Nora's Language from NMPH on Vimeo.

This is the list of real words she really says in a consistent way that most people can understand. It's a running list, so I may be missing a few here:

Unt (Want)
Want that
What's that
What's this
Liam
Dada
Night night
Mommy
Hi
Bye bye
More
Baby
All done/ done
Hot
Dut (dog)
Go go (here you go)
Yes
No
Look
Book

Just for the record, these are all the words you one really needs to communicate. Nora is very clear. We could all talk just like her and be just fine.

10.14.13 ~ Apple Picking Baltimore Edition

Two weekends ago we missed out on one of my very favorite yearly traditions - apple picking with the Mayforths and Auerbachs. Our plan was to drive from MD to NY and meet them at the same farm we went to last year. But, in the end we canceled and didn't go. Jason had been away for almost three weeks leading up to the apple picking weekend and so we decided to stay home and have some down time focused on the kids instead. 

So, this past weekend, when Cathleen invited us to join her family on their apple picking trip, we jumped on it. We went to a local farm and pretended we were part of the Carver clan for a morning. We picked apples, we ate fritters, we fed goats, we got muddy, and we went on the strangest hay ride ever (let's just say Both Harriet Tubman and Harry Potter were there). 

Liam and Nora get to spend a lot of time with the Carvers when they are with Cathleen, which is lucky for them. I've never seen a family more enthusiast about babies and children. They welcome and love and care for Liam and Nora as if they were their own. Cathleen is fantastic anyway, but the fact that she exposes our kids to her amazing parents, siblings, and niece and nephew is an added bonus! 

10.14.13 ~ Late 30's

Jason is getting old. He's 36 now which means he's almost 40. But his old age isn't stopping him from celebrating his birthday twice in one day!

Scenes from Party One: A very small gathering for pizza at our apartment. The adults had pizza and beer and ignored the children who played with each other. There were no casualties and there was actual adult conversation had. It was truly lovely. We might do it again every weekend.

P.S. Nora ate more pizza than everyone.

Scenes from Party Two: Dinner with Carol and Tim (and Ryan and Sydney):

9.29.13 ~ The Care Square

It’s been quiet on this blog because life has been very busy. I started working at the beginning of September and therefore also commuting to DC each day. Jason is working in NYC, so he’s been commuting down on the weekends. I love my new job so far, and actually don’t mind the commute. But man – what a time suck. So, because the kids don’t see their parents as much anymore, they are now being raised by an entire village of people. Angela called it the care square.

Mostly they are with their nanny, Cathleen. She is outstanding and is probably the only reason any of this is even doable. The kids bonded with her faster than I would have hoped in my wildest dreams. She is sweet and nurturing and dependable and organized and goes above and beyond on a regular basis. She is the QUEEN of the care square.

My in laws are also pitching in big time. Liam is spending two afternoons per week with Carol (and therefore also Sydney and Ryan). One evening per week Ron takes him to soccer. Also, each week there’s a big family dinner at Tim and Carol’s, where I meet the kids when I get home. My parents are doing their part if anything comes up in the evenings and to fill in when Cathleen can’t be here. One of Cathleen’s sisters has subbed in a couple of times as well. And then, Liam is also in school for half the day. He started at a new Pre-K and we are all slowly getting to know the teachers there. It took them a while to get the various people in Liam’s life straight. There was even confusion as to who is mother was (Cathleen? Angela? That lady who came to orientation and then never showed up again?). Now that the basics (like that the lady who came to orientation was, in fact, me aka Liam’s mom) are settled, I’ve also opened up the lines of email communication with the teachers since I don’t do pick up and drop off and can’t talk to them then. Even though Cathleen and Liam report back as much as they can – what happens during Liam’s school day is still largely a mystery I am trying desperately to solve. Goodbye Rita Gold with those awesome two way mirrors!

But really things are not as chaotic as they seem. And both kids are very well taken care of, very busy, and very happy. During the week, the schedule is tight. But most evenings I am home in time to do bath, books, and bed. And in the mornings I get a chunk of time with the kids as well because they wake up so early.

Like other working people, I now have to fit laundry, cleaning, food shopping, and errands in on the weekends. But between all that mandatory stuff we have managed to squeeze in quite a bit of fun each weekend as well. Soccer games, a birthday party, a wedding, a high school friends reunion brunch, a little music festival, etc.

I’m a little exhausted and always a little on edge, hoping that one of the gears in this well-oiled care square machine doesn’t pop out. Or that I don’t massively drop the ball and forget something crucial. Or that I don't forget to gas the car up or pack Liam's lunch. I also have times during the week where my heart literally aches because I miss being with my kids. And I think Jason is feeling the same way since he is so far away from them so often. And there are many things I really miss about New York. But I do love our new apartment, I love living near family, I love having better access to the outdoors, I love watching the kids thrive in their new setting, and I really love my fellowship position (so far). Generally, I love having a full life, being busy, and feeling productive. So, lets hope the honeymoon doesn't wear off too soon and we can all keep this up for a while!