Charlotte's Web

Last night J put pen to paper and created his first representational drawing! I almost cried when I saw it, I loved it so much.

Thanks to Katie, at Where Is Thumbkin, for the beautiful ceramic magnets!

Happy Birthday, J!

Moments after your birth

Your first walk in Central Park

Yawning

Snuggling

Crawling

Age 1!

Age 2!

Age 3!

I love you sooooo much, kiddo! Thanks for making me a mom.

The Theory of Relativity

This afternoon, after hanging out for a while with some friends on a little patch of grass in the shade adjacent to the Great Lawn, we decided it was time to rove. J had been hearing the strains of a violin coming from around a bend and he wanted to check it out, so I gathered our picnic blanket & snacks and strapped W into the stroller. 99 percent of the time I wear W in a sling or wrap and push J in our Maclaren, but recently I've started letting W try out the wheels when J is in a walking (or, more likely, running) mood. So off we went, towards the music.

We found the violinist, playing under a little bridge, where the acoustics were fantastic. We enjoyed our very own little concert before the man invited us over to inspect his violin. He let J pluck the strings and explained that the bow was made of hair from a horse's tail. J gasped with surprise at that revelation :)

When we strolled out from under the bridge fifteen minutes later, I realized to my excitement that W had fallen asleep in the stroller -- a first! We continued walking for a bit, but it was slow going, as J was stopping at every rock and blade of grass and was also dribbling his beloved ball on the path, which meant frequent backtracking to chase it down when it got loose.

Everything was fine, but it was getting late and I needed to run an errand in the near future, plus I was eager to keep the stroller moving so as to prolong W's nap. I suggested to J that I would be willing to carry him in the sling if he wanted a ride, so we could walk faster. Well, I didn't have to mention it twice! Excited about the now-rare treat of having me wear him, J jumped into my arms, we adjusted the sling, and off we all went at a good clip.

It had been a really long time since I had worn J like this, on a jaunt. At nearly three, he's heavier now, for sure, but there was another striking change that I noticed: the small, babbling toddler that he was when I stopped wearing him early in my pregnancy with W has grown into a very conversational, extremely verbal boy. I already knew this transformation had occurred -- I mean, I am his mother and I am with him every minute of every day -- but it took this shift of perspective from him being in the stroller all the time (where we usually have to shout back and forth to hear each other over the din of traffic) to him being back on my hip, a whisper-breath away, for me to really realize how epically he has changed.

We walked and talked and snuggled and it was wonderful and sweet and sad. As we continued downtown through the park, we soaked up all the lovely details of our surroundings. We paused for a moment to watch people rowing boats on The Lake, and then, as we took off again,

I sighed, "I love Spring"

to which J replied, "me TOO. And it's MAY."

Me: "Well, not quite. It's actually April, but May will be here soon."

J: "Where is May?"

Me: "Oh, May isn't a place. It's a month of the year, so it's a time."

J: "What is time?"

Well, folks, that one stopped me in my proverbial tracks. I got chills. What is time. What is time. How in the world do you begin to explain that? How in the world do you begin to understand it yourself, really?

So I said, "hmmm, I don't exactly know how to answer that."

I felt kind of lame for leaving it like that, but he didn't seem to be bothered. He didn't ask again, and was in fact already pointing out new observations about the scenery we were passing through. Internally, I was grasping, still trying to think of a good answer, but kind of confounded at the same time by the deepness of the question, just for myself. What is time.

But we moved on. There were horse-drawn carriages and rollerbladers and bicyclists coming past us down the hill, and a busy intersection inside the park near 72nd street for me to navigate. Soon we were on an unfamiliar path and I was unsure of which direction to go. I turned around and headed a new way, that I thought would lead us out of the park near our final destination.

Suddenly, I recognized this path. Almost two months ago, in the middle of February, we had been in this section of the park a couple of days after it snowed heavily. J and Taro had spent an hour frolicking in the drifts and galloping around a big cedar tree while I nursed W on a nearby bench. The snow was so deep that I remember I could barely see the bench except for this one, small, dry, patch where we were sitting -- presumably already cleared of the snow and ice by someone else enjoying the same seat a bit earlier in the day.

Now, this location is as green as can be, and although vastly changed, it was very familiar. Excited by my realization, I blurted,

"J, ohmigoodness! This is where we were playing in the snow recently! Do you remember?! Wow, that was so fun, and it looked SO DIFFERENT! Can you believe that snow ever melted?!"

"Oh, yeah!" said J, nodding and remembering.

"Over there," I said, "that was a snowman, and hey, look at the bench now! And you were having a snowball fight over there, and wow, look how green and lush and blossom-y it is now...wait..."

It had hit me:

"That's what time is."

"Ah." He said.

And he got it.

All Is Love: A Maxstravaganza

This is the last Max post, I promise!

All Is Love: Max Costume 2009 from Marvelous Kiddo on Vimeo.

Max

And Then There Were Four of Us

Photos by Liz Rubincam.

The Boys Are Back in Town: An Update

So, I wanted to fill everyone in on the return of my husband and son, after their Florida adventure and my solo staycation.

We were reunited on Sunday afternoon, when they leaped out of a cab into my waiting arms, in front of our building.  I was shocked to see it, but the Kiddo was already older-seeming, with more words at his disposal after only three nights away!  We hugged so tightly, there on the sidewalk.  It was the sweetest reunion ever.

When they left, the Kiddo was still a zealous breastfeeder (at 25 months and counting) and I have been in no hurry to wean him.  This was perhaps the largest hurdle that we expected to face upon parting for so long: would he come unglued without the boobies?  Would Taro be able to provide alternative soothing mechanisms for those times when it seems like only the boobies would do?  What about nighttime?  I have never so much as pumped my breastmilk a single time since the Kiddo was born, so he has never had a bottle or a plastic nipple (he drinks liberally from regular cups and glasses, though, I might add), and well, forget about pacifiers.

In preparation for the trip, and on the advice of Taro's mother, I bought a bottle.  Riki had suggested that for those times when the Kiddo was really missing the breast the artificial nipple might serve as a better substitute than, say, a sippy cup.  Right before the guys left on Thursday, I presented the apple-juice-filled bottle to the Kiddo for the first time.  He took it from me, gave it a quizzical look, took a few swigs, and in an astonished voice announced,

"tiny mammo!!!"

He loved it.  Apparently, between the tiny mammo and the occasional bedtime-stroll-in-the-Maclaren-around-the-hotel, my breasts were not missed.

I had been hearing about this state of affairs all weekend, so I was extremely curious to see what would transpire upon the Kiddo's return home.  Would he be weaned?  I was determined not to bring it up, but planned to wait until nursing was explicitly requested by the Kiddo.

Turns out, I only had to be in suspense for about ten minutes.  That's how long it took for the Kiddo to get the initial welcome-home hugging out of his system before he looked up at me with a sly smile and said,

"mammo!"

At which point I happily sat down and nursed my boy, secretly pleased and relieved not to have given up that beautiful bond quite so soon.

Notes From a Staycation

Thank you all so much for your amazing comments of support and empathy on my last post! I have such sweet readers :)

So: after I got myself together yesterday, I had a wonderful day. So did the guys. I kept getting jubilant texts from Taro describing all the fun they were having on the trip, and that made me really happy.

I started to feel that relaxed yet exhilarated vacation-y feeling...like the world, (or at least New York City) was my oyster.

I took a nice long shower.

I bought a magazine and a little journal for notes and inspirations.

I ate a very long and leisurely lunch at a sweet little cafe and savored a delicious iced decaf cappuccino.

On a lark, I went to an Apple Store and took a free class (intro to iMovie -- watch out Martin Scorsese!)

I came home, ordered pizza, watched a movie.  

I talked on the phone and Skype to Taro and the Kiddo, and was comforted to see their smiling faces.

I did have trouble falling asleep :)  It was just so surreal to be all by myself in the bed.  I could hear my breath coming out of my nostrils, it was so quiet.

This morning I talked to the guys again, and not only did they have a good night, but they're off and running with their first full day of Florida fun.  So all is well.

Looking forward to the rest of my day...

Remember this?  Well, seven months later, I'm going to be taking a sewing class this afternoon! 

I can't wait.

Maybe afterwards I'll catch a movie in the theatre.  Any recommendations?

I'll keep you posted!  XOXO.

Photo from here.

A Mama Milestone

So, something kind of big just happened.

Taro and the Kiddo just left home about a half hour ago.

They're going to Florida for a few days (they'll be back on Sunday).

Tonight will be the first time the Kiddo and I have spent a night apart since he was born 25 months ago.

So it's kind of intense.

Ever since we hatched this plan for a fun father-son getaway a couple of weeks ago, Taro and I have been excited, but also more than a little bit nervous about what the experience would be like for the Kiddo.  Would he be emotionally traumatized?  Would there be crying and wailing and sobs from him as they try to leave me?  

Well. 

Let's just say that after we shared a very sweet and tender and happy "goodbye," the Kiddo leapt into his dad's arms and waved to me as they got into the cab.

I kept it together until the car was out of sight, 

until I was inside our building, 

until I was on and then off the elevator,

until I had turned the key in our lock, 

until the door was closed.

And then I fell to pieces.  

We're talking desperate, hugging-a-pillow sobs.  

I'm not really a crier.  I didn't know I had that in me!

But boy do I miss them already.

Now look who's emotionally traumatized ;)

Saturday Jazz on the Great Hill

With Taro out of town for work until tomorrow, the Kiddo and I decided to spend our Saturday relaxing in the park.  A little before noon, we met Riki near one of our favorite spots, a tranquil little pond with ducks and willow trees a few blocks from our apartment.  We were soon joined by some friends and we all proceeded over to the Great Hill for this event:

The music was fantastic and the weather could not have been more pleasant, so we enjoyed laying out and picnicking for the rest of the afternoon.  During that time, the Kiddo befriended a couple of sweet siblings, Jack and Cecilia, and the three of them happily hung out, sketching, dancing, and playing catch.  (The next two photos by Riki):

The only thing marring our otherwise blissful afternoon was the absence of Taro :(  We can't wait to see him again tomorrow for the first time since Thursday!

I can't resist adding this shot I snapped of a gorgeous duo that I spotted at the concert.  The mom had great style (notice the cute hat!) and was wearing her adorable baby in a seriously fab wrap.  I was impressed, and also inspired...I'm thinking I should start a new blog feature, called Street Style: Babywearing Edition and start photographing all the cool babywearing mamas I see around town.  Food for thought...stay tuned!

The Kiddo Says The Darndest Things

Mere moments ago the Kiddo requested a snack of peanut butter on saltine crackers.  As I handed him the plate of munchies, the following dialogue ensued:

Kiddo (in his most cavalier tone):  Thank ya, baby.

Me (rather taken aback):  You sound like Elvis!

Kiddo:  I know!

Me:  How do you know that?

Kiddo (defiantly): I just KNOW.

This wondrous exchange reminded me of a great idea I recently ran across on the stellar blog, Simplesong:  Mama-blogger and letterpress artist Suann Song created a beautiful and ingeniously-useable journal of her toddler son Ike's funny statements.  You have to check it out, here.  What a great way to archive all those priceless Kiddo insights and observations.  I'm inspired!

The Kiddo's First Story (as told to Taro, last night)

"Two stars were walking in the park. Then the moon came. Then the clouds came. Then noodle pastas came. Then Dada came. Then I came. Then Mama came. They were all walking in the park. The end."

Image via Weheartit.

Fun Press

I thought you might enjoy reading this press about the Our Time album release, which includes tons of great photos of the event (and the co-hosts)!  Photo by Peter James Zielinski, via Broadwayworld.com.

Unwinding

The album release was a huge success on Tuesday!  The special events room at the new Barnes and Noble was packed to overflowing with an eager and enthusiastic crowd that went crazy over the performances by the Our Time kids and celebrity artists.  It was a dream come true for Taro and I know that the reception exceeded his expectations. 

 

The Kiddo and I were able to snag plum seats in the front row, so when Taro went up on stage to introduce Our Time and kick off the show it was just too easy for the Kiddo to jump up there on stage with him.  Hence, my two-year-old son became cohost of the event, a job that he seemed to savor almost as much as his dad!

After the CD signing, the three of us hopped in a cab and went to Dean's Pizzeria for a celebratory dinner.  By the time we got home we were completely tuckered out from all the excitement.  The next morning we were still pretty hung over, so Taro impulsively decided to take the day off from work and spend it recuperating and rejuvenating instead, bless his heart.  So, yesterday was blissfully spent wafting from one chill family activity to the next, sans computers, phones, and clocks.

It's amazing how much you can do in a day when you're not trying to "do" anything!  We started out by getting on the bus and heading downtown to the High Line, which the Kiddo and I have been raving about since our first visit last week, and which Taro was dying to check out.  

photo via flickr

It was raining lightly off-and-on, so we spent several hours walking the length of the park, alternating with taking cover under one of the beautiful covered passageways and splashing about in sunny puddles.  Watching the epic sky was a pastime in and of itself (you can see everything from the Statue of Liberty to the Empire State Building and beyond).

When we finally decided we needed nourishment (beyond the delicious oatmeal cookies and lemonade available at the little City Bakery pushcart up on the High Line, we descended back

to street level and entered the adjacent Chelsea Market.

The market has long been one of our favorite destinations in the city, but I can't remember the last time we spent hours there, drifting from one marvelous establishment to the next with no schedule or agenda.  It is so fun to be aimless!  

While the Kiddo was asleep in his stroller, Taro and I decided 

to splurge on some homemade ice cream from Ronnybrook Dairy,

a local, all-natural farm that makes the most yummy, subtle flavors of ice cream (after liberally sampling the offerings, it was butter pecan for me, coconut for Taro).  Later, we ate at a new little spot called Friedman's Lunch, which proved to be totally delish.

Once the Kiddo was awake, he made a b-line for the colorful wares of 

Imports From Marrakesh, with its piles of vivid leather poufs piled inside and out, the rainbow of Fez tiles covering the floor, and a dazzling array of glittering lanterns festooning the ceiling.  The storekeepers were so kind and welcoming, interacting with the Kiddo, that we were lured right in and I decided then and there to put an end to my lifelong need for a pouf.  After all, they were having a giant 50%-off sale!  With the assistance of the staff, we perused every color available and sat on pouf after pouf, testing them out.  

In the end, I got three small poufs -- one fuchsia, one orange, and one turquoise to scatter about the apartment.  The quality is really excellent (the poufs are hand stitched in Marrakesh) and I am amped to have several nice little places to roost my increasingly cumbersome pregnant self when I'm playing on the floor with the Kiddo!  Check out the store's website, here.

The last long stop on our market stroll was the recently-opened KicoKids store, which stocks the most adorable kid's clothing in a fun and inviting space complete with a play area.  The Kiddo was in his element exploring the two playhouses and all the funky, kid-friendly furniture, until he lay down in the middle of a bright red rug and looked like he had passed out.  We took that opportunity to move along, and carried him out of the store, indeed right out of Chelsea Market and on to the street, where we promptly headed home.  

It was a glorious day in New York, and just the thing we needed to feel connected and refreshed after the recent peak of Our Time season.  Today, Taro returned to work, but he will not be staying late for the first time in quite some time.  And this Saturday and Sunday, he'll have his first real weekend (two consecutive days off!) in weeks.  Hooray!

The Belly, Week 29

Today I am 29 weeks pregnant!  I'm still feeling great and the baby is as rambunctious as ever.  The Kiddo has taken to giving me the sweetest, most adorable belly rubs while he's nursing, which just makes my heart melt and gives me hope that he's getting excited to meet the baby too :)  He even hugged and kissed my belly once last week when I said something about the baby!  That was amazing.  

I am wearing a dress that I got yesterday at the Butter by Nadia sample sale.  The sale was amazing and I ended up getting several pieces that I'm really excited about.  I am just in love with the flexibility of the designs and the fact that they are so versatile that I can wear them now as well as after I've had the baby.  Here are a few more ways that I can wrap this particular dress for different looks:

 

The clothes are super comfy, too, with just a terrific weight and drape to the fabric.  I actually got to meet Nadia herself at the sample sale, since she was there roving around, helping customers experiment with the myriad of options contained within each dress.  She was absolutely lovely and really took a lot of time to show me all the little tricks and tips and ways to finesse the garments.

Riki and the Kiddo came too -- it was quite the outing to Red Hook -- and we all had a blast together (Riki wound up with a nice little collection of pieces too!).  I'll leave you with a shot of the Kiddo taking a break from running around the loft showroom, twirling through the rainbows of fabric:

 

Birthday Fun

One last little post on the topic of the Kiddo's birthday, and I promise I'll move on!  

I just wanted to share a few cute shots from the festivities that unfolded yesterday...

First things first, there was early-morning unwrapping to do:

Followed by early-morning, mid-morning, and all afternoon playing with unwrapped items...

Followed by dinner at Ellen's Stardust Diner, where the servers all belt out show tunes and classic pop/rock hits.  Even though it (appallingly!) took an hour for our food to arrive, at least we were entertained in the meantime!

After dinner, we dashed over to 46th Street to see The Little Mermaid, and the Kiddo got a kick out of the show. 

Exhausted by all the underwater histrionics (and perhaps by the excess of neon-colored, iridescence-trimmed velour) the Kiddo was asleep by the time we hit the street at 10:30 pm.  

Happy Birthday, Kiddo!

These have been the most wonderful two years of our lives!  We love you!

Photo by Liz Rubincam

More Memories

Photos from late in my last pregnancy, about two years ago.  Taken in Central Park, near our apartment, by Liz Rubincam.