SUV's and Anniversary Presents

There are those out there that will mock this post. There are those out there who will completely understand what I'm about to say... I realized this weekend that my double stroller is now my SUV. There. I said it. It's out there now. This fact was driven home even harder by the fact that I single handedly destroyed my trusty Maclaren Twin Techno and Techno XT and was left strollerless for a few days. When we moved to NY I ever so tearfully said goodbye to our faithful, mid-sized, air conditioned, automatic everything, child proof switches, DVD playing, sound system blasting SUV. Little did I know I would never look back. If I lived back in the South it would still be my primary means of transportation. Hauling two kiddos in and out and driving here and there is the norm there. Not so much the story now though. My primary form of transportation involves my own two feet. This is where the stroller enters the picture.

My kids are young. Not so young that the oldest can't walk. He should walk. He needs to walk to get out his energy. I need him to walk to get out his energy. However, after two or three miles in the elements there's only so much walking a preschooler can do! Rewind back to one of my previous posts about our first winter walk to really understand. Then there's the youngest. She can walk now. It is both a blessing and a curse. She can only walk a few feet without hearing me say something akin to, "Stop or you'll surely be killed/maimed/destroyed by ______." My daughter is one of my greatest joys. She was such a surprise to us and is literally the reason our little family is in such a happy place now. That being said the child has no sense of danger or boundaries when we go out on one of our many misadventures. She is a one year old going on five as she sees it and should be able to live like it, Dang it, Mom! So as you see, strollers are not a want or a desire. They are a necessity. I too was once one of the people who bemoaned excessive baby gear. Our home is very minimalist and devoid of most baby gear. But to those who would mock the need for a stroller and its wonderful bonuses I would say, "Shut it, until you literally walk a mile in my shoes...in the snow...uphill...pushing a double stroller..both ways."

So, what is it that makes a stroller so great? I'm sure that's what you're thinking. Well, here are some non-negotiable factors. It must be side by side. None of that six foot long, four hundred pound, boat like mess for me. I'm sure my mother is flashing back to the beast of a stroller she schlepped around with me and my sister. Yes, my children can touch and annoy each other to no end, but rest assured they'd do that even if they weren't next to each other. That's kind of the point of a sibling relationship. It's character building for them. My side by side can shimmy through the narrowest of doors and hallways with ease and no greasing.

Reclining seats and a good sun canopy..stoller gold I tell you. We spent this weekend in the city and going back home for a nap wasn't part of the plan. When you can pimp your stroller into a La-Z-boy for a tired toddler and preschooler you've got it made. If it's cold, windy, or precipitating slap on a stroller cover. On a side note, my personal favorite part of the stroller cover is it's sound muffling abilities. What's that you say screaming children? Oh, so sorry I can't hear your muffled whines through this AWESOME stroller cover, but I digress. Handle bar height, handle bar height, handle bar height. If you know me you know that I'm an Amazonian she giant. I'm not hunching. I did that enough in middle and high school to avoid hearing some puny boy tell me for the umpteenth time that I was at least 6'2" since he was obviously 5'10". I digress again... Easy folding is of utmost importance when you are rushing to catch a subway or train. My husband can fold and schlep a stroller in a New York minute..Sorry, I had to do it. Throw in a couple of storage pockets and a mommy hook and we're in business.

Or are we in business? This brings me back to destroying my beloved strollers. It's a long story for another day, but one had it coming due to it's age and the other was just a freak accident. I'd been making not having a stroller work with my trusty Beco carrier and lots of incentives and breaks for the preschooler. It was not pretty though. With several upcoming visitors and excursions planned the no stroller situation looked grim. Enter my dashing husband of nine years as of August 3, 2011. I had been scouring Craigslist (a norm for me) when I came upon the stroller steal ( I mean deal) of the century. I mentioned it to my husband and held my breath. Without hesitation he replied, " Happy Anniversary, go get the stroller." Never had he been so romantic and thoughtful. (Total and complete exaggeration) So for our ninth anniversary we celebrated by purchasing my crazy awesome SUV... and who could forget the lovely dinner and evening out my husband planned, but that's another post for another time. Suffice it to say, you can catch me outside any day strolling with ease and bliss enjoying every feature of my SUV and thinking of the thoughtful husband who understands why good strollers are a necessity.

Subway Explorers

The final frontier of New York for me. The one thing I've dreaded doing by myself since we moved here.. Navigating the subway with two small children all by my lonesome. It's not that I don't appreciate the subway and all the amazing things it takes me to. I don't even mind that my husband and son have an ongoing rodent spying competition when we ride. I'm almost past the sludge dripping stalactites and know never to get on an empty car...the bodily excrement filling the car is the only passenger needed. It's just that solo subway navigating is a teeny bit intimidating and slightly overwhelming to me. Not that this map is confusing or anything...






Anyway, one of our good friends recently came up to visit us. Robert and Wes went into the city early Saturday and I stayed behind so the kids could nap. When the kids and I got to the city the moment of truth had arrived. The guys were held up and I had to get to them by subway. I won't lie. I started sweating immediately. The subways are undergoing a LOT of construction right now. Every weekend there are different lines closed down so nothing is the same week to week. I put on my big girl pants, strapped baby girl in the Beco, collapsed the stroller, threw the diaper bag over my shoulder, grabbed my son's little hand and off we went. I met one of NYC's finest psychotic subway crawlers as soon as we set foot on the subway stairs. She was convinced that she was my mother and I was destroying baby girl's life by not following the life lessons she'd taught me. This was so bizarre to me, mainly because I've NEVER been approached by any crazy person since we moved up here six months ago. Really, I'm not kidding. When we went home to Raleigh for the birth of my nephew in April I got out of the car and was approached by two homeless guys in five minutes. True story.

We made our way to the ticket machine where we were greeted by the lovely aroma of fresh emesis and various aspiring singers and break dancers. Always entertaining... Metro card purchased, everyone still present, we were doing great..and then I saw the turnstile door. The emergency door was way too far away so I did what any reasonable person would do. I crammed my son, stroller, diaper bag, and daughter in with me and used sheer brute force to push my way through. It was hysterical. Elbows flying, noses twisting, seams bursting, children screaming they'd surely be crushed. I'm positive if Gary Larson had been there we would've made it to a Far Side cartoon. My husband had emailed me impeccable directions so I had a vague idea of what I was supposed to be doing. I managed to find my way to the right platform and even knew to wait for the R train when the N train stopped at the platform. My son did not feel the need to projectile vomit on the platform like he did in January so I felt like things were going great! I got two kids, a stroller and diaper bag onto a PACKED car in the allotted 3 milliseconds that the doors stay open. I even stayed calm when I realized that the stop I was supposed to get off at was affected by construction. As opposed to the typical New Yorker stereotype, people are actually quite friendly and very willing to help when you ask for directions. We made it off the the first ride and transferred to the next with continued profuse sweating but no glitches. While on the second car, I marveled at the fact that my children had not once licked/ sucked on a hand pole or even touched a cesspool of nastiness and put a finger in their mouths. A typical subway exercise for them. We are not germ freaks. We believe in building up young immune systems, but our kids take it to an extreme. We got off on the right stop with no damages or losses and met our last subway foe. Multiple flights of stairs up to the street exit. Being no stranger to adversity, I was able to grunt my way up the stairs carrying said baby girl, diaper bag, stroller and assisting the young son. I just kept going towards the light...of the sun shining down from the street level. When we got to the top of the stairs there was a smiling husband with a Shake Shack burger and fries! Talk about a sweet reward..so these days I still avoid solo subway traveling at all costs, but it's nice to know I can do it if the occasion arises...and if Shake Shack is involved.

"When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,
And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again"
-C.S. Lewis

One of my favorite quotes especially after this winter! After two weeks with temps above 60 I'm inclined to believe that Spring has sprung. It has been amazing to watch this season unfold in the Northeast. I'm seeing a whole new growing season here. It's May now and the tulips have just finished unfolding and the lilacs and azaleas are in full bloom. We walk a lot with our neighbors on the Bronx River Trail and each day there is something new budding and flowering. Speaking of flowers, we went to the Orchids on Broadway exhibit at the New York Botanical Gardens. Truly amazing. Who knew there were thousands of varieties of orchids? Every display was designed by a Broadway set designer and was spectacular. Spring seems to be rewarding us for surviving a winter of epic proportions. We are discovering festivals, parks, exhibits, trails, playgrounds, cafes and diners...I could keep that list going and going. My heart feels as warm as my thawing toes. This evening we took the kids to the city for dinner and fun. While we ate I couldn't help but stop and smile at the beauty all around us. Winter seems like a distant memory. The uncertainty we felt when we moved our little family here in the dead of winter is gone. A growing community of friends, a familiarly pleasant routine, plans for a fun filled summer and getting to know the great city we now live in has replaced all that uncertainty. As a family we've never been happier or more sure that we are exactly where we are supposed to be. I am so grateful.

This coat was made for walking

I am aware that some of you are living in the balmy temperatures of a Southern spring. However, it has snowed and "thunder sleeted" here for the last two days. My post may be strange to you if you're basking in the glow of a tropic sun but hear me out. You will appreciate this next winter. If you can really call 48 degrees "winter" but I digress.

There are a lot of things I've learned about cold weather survival since moving to New York. The anatomy of a good coat being one. We walk here. A LOT. We walk the dog, we walk to the library, the mall, the grocery store. You name it we probably walk to it. Thus, the dire need for a good coat. My friend Kerri and I came up with a list of must have coat features. They are as follows: 1) Get down with yo' bad self. No, really, it's gotta be down if you're going to stay warm. 2) The toilet seat isn't the only thing cold in the winter. A subway seat can be brutal. Get at least a knee length coat with a two way zipper if you plan on doing any sitting, standing, walking or existing with a windchill that translates to instant frostbite. 3) The hood isn't just where you come from...Should you want to keep that head on your shoulders you'll need a good hood on your coat. It should cinch or snap otherwise you're just a silly tourist. 4) Fleece cuffs are way nicer than french ones. They will keep a gust of wind from rushing up your sleeves and thus freezing you from the inside out. 5) Fleece lined pockets are a sweet oasis to frozen hands. So, that's the anatomy of a good coat...Here are a few more things I've realized are necessary to life here in the frigid temps.

Invest in Kleenex stock. I used to think it was a frivolous and silly expense. Why buy tissues when you can swipe a stack of napkins from a fast food restaurant? First of all have you ever tried to pull a bunch of napkins out of a little coat pocket..while wearing snow gloves..in the snow..in 20 mph winds..while pushing a stroller and walking a dog? Convient little packs of tissues have rocked my world. We use tissues about every 3 seconds when we're outside. My son can't stand a runny nose and gags at the sight of mucus. Poor guy, he gets it honest though. Phlegm and mucus are second only to broken bones in my list of gaggable offenses and I'm a nurse. Then there's my daughter who turns into a screaming ninja when I try to wipe her nose. Even a seasoned pro wrestler with an oversized tacky gold title belt couldn't wipe her nose with just one tissue and a single try. The secret to keeping her nose clean lies in the surprise attack. I am so stealthy with a tissue now it's more than a little impressive. So, obviously, we need gentle tissues with the amount of nose wiping going on here. Score another point for Kleenex.

Boots and the proper tying of a scarf. A girl can't have enough boots here. First, there's the obvious snow boots and you can't get them from the local superstore. This is an investment to take seriously! You're risking dead toes and broken bones if you go cheap. Then there's warm walking boots unless you'd like your lower legs to freeze. Remember your coat should be covering your legs down to the knees! Lastly, galoshes for when the snow eventually turns into grey slush that overtakes the city. Yuck. I have also learned the secrets of properly and effectively applying a scarf but I'd have to kill you if I told you how to do it...

Lastly, the plastic wrapped stroller. I hear you. Yes, you! Mocking me quietly from your sub-tropical homes. "That's ridiculous. Plastic covers for a stroller? Just another piece of silly gear that's unnecessary. Kids can handle a little cold." I once was one of you. The person who thinks this practice is a tad on the overprotective, hover mother side. That was before we took our first walk.. If the weatherman says its going to be 25 degrees that does not include the wind chill. We live 10 minutes from the beach. The wind here is typically between 15-25 mph daily. I will attempt to describe our first walk. It all started out with an innocent check of the current temp. Hmm, 25 degrees? They'll be fine. I 'll just bundle them up and cover them with a blanket. 6 blocks to the post office? That's not too far, just a few minutes there and back, right? I'll cut to the chase. This walk ended with me begging God to teleport us home or put me out of my frozen misery. My son was ever so loudly and tearfully lamenting that he would surely lose his cold, dead, frostbitten toes. My screaming ninja daughter had innumerable snotsicles that were so long they were like trail markers guiding us back home. I'm fairly certain that several people, who all had their strollers wrapped, considered calling Social Services on me that day. Maybe my look of painful frozen agony convinced them I really am not the world's worst mom. The memories are almost to painful to recall... So, that's why I now use and highly recommend the plastic stroller wrap to block out the wind.

One day we will enjoy beautiful, minimal pollen spring like weather..I think. I'm told when July and August roll around I'll be glad I live in the cool, comfy Northeast. Until then I'll keep abiding by my frigid weather rules and layer my clothing accordingly.

Home Sweet Home

When we told people we were moving to New York we got two reactions. "Wow, that's awesome!" and "Why would you ever move there?" There was also the general assumption that we'd be moving to some sketchy place with bars on the windows and regular muggings by our front door. Because that's New York City, right? We really wanted to make sure this was the right move for our family so Robert came up first. I'd be lying if I said it was easy for any of us to be apart for those two months. Looking back it was definitely the best thing for our family. He settled into the swing of things at work and then moved on to procure our living arrangements. I should take a moment to say this was a HUGE undertaking. Finding the right area, the right school district, the right price, the right size..Did I mention we have two small kids, a dog and a car?!?! You need to understand that no one blinks an eye to charge over two thousand dollars for a 400 sq ft room with a concrete floor, an old grungy toilet in the middle of it, all over a Chinese restaurant that vents it's exhaust into said concrete room. Then one weekend he stumbled upon an open house in a crazy awesome building...

There were a few things that I knew would be hard for me to adjust to when we moved. Not that any of these things are bad! They were just very, very different to me. For each trade off there is a perk (a whole post by itself) but it's a lot to adjust initially! First, there is no such thing as a parking space by your apartment. If you CAN find a spot then plan on walking BLOCKS to it and paying out the wazoo for it. Make sure you move your car to the right side on the right day too! That should be fun with those two small kids I mentioned after I haul them down multiple flights of stairs. You use a laundry service a few times a week to ensure clean clothing for your family. Did I mention my son caught a stomach bug in January? Your ability to take a hot shower or wash dishes depends largely on your neighbors not hogging every drop of water in the water heater. You like having a few basic neccesities? Get really creative storing them without closets. Fido is your friend? Have fun finding an apartment that will accept him without adding a stupendous monthly fee. But, I digress...

As I was saying earlier, my husband stumbled upon an open house for an incredibly nice building one weekend. He decided to give it a shot, even if it was a shot in the dark. It ended up being beyond perfect. We are spoiled, blessed..however you want to put it. He called me and let me in on the details and signed a lease later that day. I'll be up front, it's more than a little scary to not physically see the place you'll soon be calling home. I should have known I was in good hands all along. When I got here and saw the apartment my husband found for us I could have cried. Our building has the friendliest concierge service, 24 hour maintenance that quickly responds, and great security features. We live on the third floor with three elevators servicing each floor. Our apartment has huge windows in each room, brand new carpets and paint. We have two bedrooms and FOUR closets! Our building has it's own secured parking garage/valet service beneath itself. Our dog has plenty of doggie pals and a huge bark park to play in everyday. We have a dishwasher and drumroll please...a WASHER AND DRYER. We have central heat and air and our own water heater. The kids have two courtyards to play in and an indoor swimming pool. The adults get to grill out in the courtyards and work out in the gym. We can walk to everything you can imagine. It's a three minute commute for Robert to get from our door to the train but somehow we don't hear the train from our apartment.

All in all, it's a great place to call "Home Sweet Home".

"New York, New York, it's a wonderful town!"

It's been just over two months since we rolled up in the middle of the night to New York in a moving van and a P.T. Cruiser packed with two small and very awake children, a car sick dog with personal space issues and every earthly possession we own. We spent a comfy night on a mostly deflated full sized air mattress with two flailing children that magically morph into space stealing giants when the sun sets. Did I mention the car sick dog with personal space issues that kept sneaking onto the bed? The next day we lived on adrenaline and were able to move our things up to our amazing apartment with some generous help from family and friends.

A few days later we had one of the happiest Christmases on record. Sightseeing NYC at Christmas, getting surprise packages, a dinner with family, setting up race car tracks, my husband's unbelievable MacGyver repair on the X-box with a red ring of death, our kids on Christmas morning..a mega blizzard. The night the blizzard hit we didn't realize that this was NOT a normal snow storm. I would describe it as a hurricane with snow or a "snurricane" as my dad coined it. I was very relieved the next morning to see that NYC was just as shocked as I was by the blizzard. I realized two things from that storm. 1) I like living in a building with close proximity to every store and snow plow available. 2) My husband gets major points for picking a building with back up generators ensuring we don't lose power.

We have had weekly snows since then and apparently this is also NOT normal or so the people who live here tell me. Our mindset is that after this insane winter every winter hereafter will seem incredibly mild! The snow is starting to melt and my son "discovered grass" this week. That's a good sign. I will enjoy not having to stamp down snow for my poor dog to relieve himself. The dog, however, will continue to quietly mock me as I chase after him with plastic bags.

We are all adjusting phenomenally well. Robert loves his job and they love the work he does. Our kids are naturals at making new friends and crazy awesome little travelers/navigators. We are learning lots of new words in LOTS of new languages. I'm slowly getting used to navigating multiple forms of transportation with kids and a stroller. I've also decided that once it hits 28 degrees it's really warm outside and 40 is a heatwave. Our transition has been made much easier by family and friends that are family. I would be amiss to not credit all of you for the phone calls, letters, Skype sessions, surprise packages ( a certain 4 year old's favorite) AND the trips up here to visit us that were insanely fun!! THANK YOU! I can't say it enough...