#uwswannabe

So by now, we've gotten into somewhat of a routine, most of which involves mini-trips to the UWS during the week.  (#uwswannabe) This normally involves the double elevator car situation followed by a hunt for non-sketchy street parking, AKA: parking my husband would approve of.  This is not exactly easy to do.  Hurdles involve multiple bus stops, sidewalk curbs painted yellow, fire hydrants, work vehicles, one-way streets, proximity to stop signs and traffic lights - all no parking zones.  It reminds me of my Austin days at UT (I thought I was past this!)  The parking jockeying, parallel parking: there are no nice wide parking spots in a freshly cemented parking lot to speak of.  Oh, and did I mention the scaffolding?  I don't think I actually said this word out loud (or knew what it meant to be honest) ever, until moving here.  For those of us who need a little vocabulary help, these are structures that have been built outside of the buildings for construction crews that might be cleaning or repairing the outside of the building.  To normal people, this means metal bars that can be destructive to car doors and obstacle courses for stroller users.  They remind me of those limbo poles from the middle school dances.

Once I finally arrive to the UWS as a pretend resident, the girls and I have been seeking out the various free activities around the area.  I've been relying on some of the nice, organized people of the .org and .gov websites. (I believe these people to be the super overachiever types that are bettering our communities and children of tomorrow - so glad they exist - remember I'm a joiner!) They have to have people come to their events, right?  Anyway, this week we tried out a free concert, where we were met by the rulers of the town.

Watching the free concert at Riverside Park

Not sure if any of you out there are watching the new Bravo show, "Odd Mom Out," which airs Mondays at 10/9c, but they recently had an episode about nannies.  If you haven't seen it yet, it's basically a comedy about parenting in the Upper East Side.  As you can imagine, I can totally relate to some of the plot lines in one way or another.  We decided to go to a free concert in Riverside Park at one of the piers and the nannies came out in droves!  They know where all of the free, enriching activities are and bring their little ones along.  They often seem more comfortable with their kids than I do with mine out in public.  They know all of the best playgrounds, get there early, and stay late (wear orange?).  Am I talking about nannies, or tailgating?  They are here to stay, and I think I need a guidebook to know how to interact with them.  They seem to have their own schedules, social circles, and are they judging me as I struggle to fold down my cheap stroller?  They are giving me a complex!

We also ventured out to Columbus Circle (via a successful subway ride, mind you - yay) to the H&M - very fancy.  This is my NYC version of Target kids' clothing - wash and dry, then throw away if need be.  The Shops at Columbus Circle sit right at the bottom of the UWS, by Central Park, and present some recognizable places like Williams Sonoma (hello civilization).  I find it is always better to have one stop in mind with kids and if that goes well, call it a day!  Don't be greedy!  We needed more "play" clothes with these amazing playgrounds involving water, sand, fountains, sometimes mini-rivers.

Later in the week, we even found a new playground the perfect size for toddlers, called Mariners' Playground (thanks to some new friends in the know).  As a Houston girl, I am totally foreign to the vast varieties of playgrounds which present a Goldilocks and the Three Bears scenario - too big, too small, just right.  One thing I have learned about NYC is that unfortunately the only way to figure things out is by trial and error, oh, and by following the advice of others and absorbing it like a sponge.  I swear sometimes if the ladies would let me turn on a recording device or take notes, I would.  Then follow said advice to the letter.  Trust me, if they are taking the time to tell you something - LISTEN.  Scarlett is obsessed with the playgrounds with water fountains, and Savannah, thinking she's a big girl now, is starting to walk around a little bit and play with the older kids. (Anxiety levels going up...)

At Mariners' playground playing in the water

Our weekend was mainly taken up with apartment hunting - we saw FOUR!  Three were disappointing, but one has potential, so WE SHALL SEE!  We may become UWS residents after all!  I have narrowed down my requirements considerably to simply enough space as not to kill each other and an elevator, and maybe no black mold visible upon first sight? 

Part of the dinosaur exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History

In the middle of all this, my enthusiastic husband got me to agree to the American Museum of Natural History with the girls and it actually went well! I'm not a big sight-seer to his resounding disappointment but sometimes he can drag me along and I actually like it!  For example, when I log-in to Netflix when he is traveling, his shows of choice are something along the lines of history shows about spies (i.e., TURN, on AMC).  We targeted the dinosaur exhibit (remember ONE THING) and the girls LOVED it.  Even little Savannah (Peppa Pig enthusiast) noticed the dinosaurs! RAWR!

After that we did make it into the what I will call "taxidermy" section, or to others the Mammal Halls.  Maybe I've lived in Texas too long.  Deer mounts, anyone?  These animals were so creepy!  So real!  I have to say this may have been more successful than the zoo.  Why do you say would dead animals be better than live ones for little girls?  Well, they are still and easily spotted (you can't miss 'em), they are close up and behind glass, we are in the air conditioning, there is no way they can spring to life and bite my child.  This may be the ideal way to do animals with toddlers! 

the monkeys checking out the monkeys ;)

Here's hoping and praying that we find an apartment next week!

Buck up, buttercup!

Last week was a series of high highs and low lows.  I guess it is to be expected in a time of transition.  I feel like I am constantly giving myself pep talks and metaphorical slaps across the face to pull it together.  Since I'm a bad news first kind of gal, we will talk about the hard part.  What's that expression? "Buck up, buttercup."  This New York City place is making me feel like I'm kind of a wuss.

After the stroller debacle last week, I was convinced my new tandem stroller, the Joovy Caboose, possessed magical powers.  With this new tool, I could conquer this concrete jungle - no problem.  Now, I can't discount some of the benefits: narrower, smaller, technically fits two children.  Perhaps I was too confident.  I decided I would try the subway solo with both girls in tow.  Then Life basically said, "I'll see your bet, and raise you one." I proceeded to go the wrong direction, despite my best efforts to know my way beforehand, and got off at a non-handicap stop; translation: non-stroller stop.

As I broke into a sweat, I tried my best Southern charm to ask an obliging stranger for directions back the other way.  It is unfortunately not that useful when there is also a language barrier.  The subway can make you feel like you suddenly cannot read correctly or that it is written in code.  Eventually we found our way to discover it had started to rain at our stop.  SERIOUSLY??? Silly me, I forgot to check the weather and all of our umbrellas are in storage or in the car.  In Houston, I would have just turned the car around, headed home, and called it a day - but we were STUCK!  I fought back the tears of frustration (cue metaphorical slap) and we finished our errand.

The Joovy seconds as climbing equipment at home :)

For the journey home, we piled in a cab.  Mental monologue: SCREW THE SUBWAY.  Twenty painstaking minutes with a tired one-year-old trying to careen out of the vehicle later, we arrived home.  Once again, my poor mom received the brunt of it, and explained that I need to preface these outbursts with a disclosure that no one has been injured or has gone to the hospital.  I apologized for that, but continued on my rant.  Leave it to a mom to pinpoint what had really been hard, the fact that I felt unsafe.  The subway and taxis with little ones can be truly petrifying.  You feel very vulnerable, and this is magnified when you feel your children may be in danger.  Thankfully, a good night's sleep, some good advice, scripture, and a glass of wine can renew any perspective.  I had a fun weekend to look forward to in DC with old friends!  ROAD TRIP!!!!

I have to say, after the plane flight to NYC, I was a little bit tentative to embark on another trip.  Couldn't I just sit at home and be content?  Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment - who knows.  Either way, the DC journey was a success!  Maybe it was the car seats, maybe it was the portable DVD player not requiring headphones (another Peppa Pig marathon!), maybe it was the familiarity of driving, but the girls did great.

Now, we had been warned about the driving in New York, which we had experienced somewhat, but we were not prepared for the Lincoln Tunnel.  Who designs only two ways off the island?  It took us 45 minutes to circle our block just to decide we would take another route - the George Washington Bridge to access the New Jersey turnpike.  Unfortunately there is no way to explain to your phone or GPS to take us the "back road" way, so we were trapped with everyone else.  Luckily, NYPD traffic cops are an amazing diversion to watch while sitting in line.  Talk about some bada**es.  We would cheer every time they would not let another car cut in line!  If we weren't so scared of them we would have rolled down the window for a high five or fist bump.

I still find the NYC geography a little confusing, but basically you have to leave the city via New Jersey, AKA the turnpike.  Distance-wise in Texas, this should have been a three hour trip, hello 80 MPH on I-10.  Here, things are vastly different.  There are at least $60 in tolls round-trip, less when we figure out a toll tag, but STILL.  Texas could teach New York and New Jersey a few things about highways.  Generally in Texas, a toll road means smooth, wide roads with LESS traffic, without potholes, but what do I know?

Upon arrival, we were BEYOND EXCITED to discover our friends had an adorable little playground exactly 50 steps from their front door, toys, and a bunk bed for the girls.  Don't worry, Savannah was in the Pack 'n Play.  Not only were we staying with a PROFESSIONAL CHEF, but they had this amazing set up!  We were stunned with the good fortune.  Cat and Insung (our friends) should definitely own a bed and breakfast in their old age!  We would come!  We always say Insung won the wife jackpot.  Cat - stop making everyone look bad! ;)

Our main reason for the DC trip was to attend Baby Kerwin's shower, but we selfishly felt like our batteries had been recharged seeing our "family" from our old stomping grounds.  It was very reassuring to know they were a simple (ha) 5 1/2 hour drive away.  TOTALLY WORTH IT.  The shower with the littles was a success - no one ate any markers, there were dinosaurs to play with, and we got to catch up with friends we had missed for 5 years.  The journey home was uneventful (grateful sigh) minus some traffic, and the only evidence of destruction was the Starbucks scone crumbs all over the backseat.

In the wise words of my mother, the key for me in NYC is to "not to try to do too much."  We will see about that...I have a habit of taking on a lot! ;) The apartment search continues this week, and we are starting to make some friends.  This buttercup is toughening up!

The Mommy Sorority

Becoming a mom is more life-changing than anyone can imagine.  It changes you, the way you view life, your priorities, the way you spend your time and money.  It also changes something else: YOUR ABILITY TO MAKE FRIENDS.  Holding a five minute conversation without someone requiring something is staggering, and if you do, you probably need to worry that something is going down (eating play dough, coloring on the walls, eating your makeup, eating something...)  This is why I was so excited to set up a play date with some of the other women that had moved up here to NYC with my husband's company.

I am truly a fan of organized friendships (however lame that may sound).  I am a joiner: drill team, sorority, Junior League.  You name it, I tend to love finding friends, and have found some of my best friends through organizations.  If there was a mommy sorority in the Upper West Side, or even Houston, I would have joined.  Can someone please set this up?  

So you can imagine, as I headed to my first day of "rush" to meet these ladies, I wanted my little girls to be on their best behavior.  Things were going great, we hopped in a cab, headed up to the UWS, got to the playground where we were meeting, found the ladies, looked up, and...my potty-trained oldest got too excited and went pee right there up next to the slide!  Bless her heart!

I think she was just as excited to be out and about as I was!  So our first playground activity was rinsing and drying her shorts in the public bathroom's hand dryer.  Stupid me, didn't bring a change of clothes for her because we had never had an accident before.  The ladies could not have been more gracious, even offering clothes to borrow for my three year old.  The funny thing about this?  I actually took her up on it.  I guess we are going to start bribing to go potty before and after with M&M's.  I better find that pediatric dentist ASAP.  To further the great impression we were making, my littlest promptly had a meltdown exactly one hour into our new friendships.  I'm sure they can't wait to hang out with us again!  

Sororities often get a bad rap, but the camaraderie is irreplaceable.  And I can tell you, it is often during the hard times that people bond.  This can even apply within your immediate family.  On Wednesday, I thought I would venture out and find the "local" (ha) Nordstrom in White Plains, NY.  Normally, Nordstrom is just the ticket to feeling just a bit happier, call me shallow if you want.  However, maybe the day of the anniversary preview sale was not a good choice.  I should have read the writing on the wall, or door frame that hit my poor Scarlett's leg as we tried to get the car.  To access our vehicle, we have to go through not one, two, but THREE narrow doors with the double stroller, ride an elevator, and navigate a tightly packed garage including tippy motorcycles.  And yes, loading two toddlers into carseats, collapsing a double stroller, loading it and exiting a microscopic garage takes a little bit of time.  I'm glad the parking attendants were able to witness aliens landing.  

Once we got there, I was lost on so many levels (parking levels, mall levels, food court levels...)!  I should have known better, since I don't think I've ever gone solo with the girls to Nordstrom at the Houston Galleria, but I guess I was overconfident.  Let's just say, I left only buying a couple of those "mall" pretzels because I was starving.  My poor husband got the brunt of it when he got home that day as I informed him in a demon-esque voice that "We need another stroller and I am ordering it right now from Amazon." He looked kind of scared and nodded in agreement: cue Joovy Caboose.  Reviews at a later date once we receive.

As always, a good night's sleep and taking it out my poor mom (for nothing) - sorry Mom, cures anything and we were excited for the weekend: the Central Park Zoo and two open houses in the UWS.  The zoo was great, and the subway ride less stressful (maybe I can do this public transit thing after all), but you can tell that it is a smaller zoo.  It is in the middle of a city, but it's mainly birds and sea lions, minus some huge Grizzly bears.  Our girls are still a little young to notice the animals (or care) but it was a great one hour activity with toddlers.  

Sunday was great, going to church at The Redeemer followed by two open houses.  Both apartments were close to what we are looking for, but not quite right.  One had a "second" bedroom that would not fit more than one twin bed, and the "closet" was about one foot wide akin to a linen closet.  I know ours is out there!  We can't wait to see what this week's adventures bring.  

"Welcome to Earth" (or NYC)

We have officially made it through the first week.  We survived the plane flight, move-in, second move-in after the delivery of a giant pile of things I have no memory of requiring during temporary living (oops), the Fourth of July, and a trip to Jersey.  PHEW.  I think in some ways we had to look at it as a mini-vacation in order to push through.

You have two options when you get a professional moving company's delivery - leave everything in the boxes, and they will come back at a later date for them, OR leave it all in a pile in your living room.  Which one would you opt for?  We went for the pile, thinking, oh sure, we will get through it all, it can't be that much.  Well, it was much.  These New York closets, while impressively wide, are not very deep.  You would have to be a six-inch wide person for your clothes to fit properly in them.  Another option? Be an 8 foot tall person to access clothes on a 9-foot shelf.  Therefore, the little girls' clothes on tiny pink hangers fit great!  Trey's suits? Not so much.  And so the closet battles begin.  Side note: the pink kitchen made its NYC debut!

Another problem I seem to have with figuring out a new dwelling?  Location of cabinet doors that give me head injuries.  I have approximately two small goose eggs on my head.  The second happened when working to find places for groceries in a kitchen without a pantry.  I was going along strong, organizing and finally feeling a little normal with healthy food to eat at home, then WHAP.  Right to the skull.  My optimism for life without a pantry was quickly diminished after the assault. ;)

By the end of the week, we were getting more comfortable riding the subway, however, I have a new found respect for those in wheelchairs.  Whether it is having to use a service entrance, find a ramp, find an elevator, or wait for enough space to hop on the train, a double stroller presents some of the same issues.  There are a range of looks you receive from other people when using a double stroller - annoyance, disbelief, eye rolling (why in the world would anyone have kids??), and the occasional nod of encouragement.  Did everyone forget that they too were babies at one point???  Maybe it will be better in the more residential parts of the city.  Maybe I'm just self-conscious about being in the way.  Either way, the girls were real troopers on our little adventures.  What an amazing first weekend (the Fourth of July) to experience NYC.

Like everyone else, I remember sitting in class my senior year of high school when 9/11 happened.  Never did I imagine in my 30's I would be taking my babies to go visit its monument.  I am glad I will be able to show them these pictures and help them remember its significance.  I am not really into history (that's probably an understatement), but when you really see a place in person it raises the gravity of its meaning.  What they have built at Ground Zero is truly haunting and will hopefully move generations of Americans.

Next stop?  The Statue of Liberty.  I had never seen her in person, and again, we were on a mission to feel American that day (#merica), so why not?  What better to do on the 4th than see Lady Liberty in person?  There is a beautiful little area called Battery Park City Parks right by the Hudson River where you can look out and see the Statue of Liberty from various viewing points.  We thought adding in a boat ride to Ellis Island might be a little ambitious so we opted for a distant view.  The park sits alongside a high end shopping center called Brookfield Place where we could go have "free looks" akin to "free smells" at the merchandise.  Window shopping costs nothing right?  DVF and Ferragamo will have to wait.  Not sure I would want applesauce packets or ketchup smeared on those garments anyway.  I'll stick to Tar-jay for a while longer.

That night, we were able to view FOUR different fireworks shows, two in New Jersey, two in NYC from our apartment.  It was a regular battle between the states.  When you have littles, 4th of July ends early and involves the television screening of Independence Day - hence, "welcome to Earth".  The show still wasn't DC on the Fourth, but it was pretty darn impressive!  This made up for the ambulances around 2 am, blaring for about 30 minutes.  It's going to take a while to get used to the 5am sunshine until 9 at night and the city noises in the middle.  New meaning to the city that doesn't sleep - just didn't realize it was self-inflicted.  But it's all part of the experience, right?

We did finally venture out in our car once it arrived and went over to New Jersey on the George Washington Bridge in search of our beloved Chick-Fil-A.  I have to say, it felt pretty good to just sit and drive for a while. When we got there, the girls were excited for the food, but missed the playground (tear).  NJ also presents better grocery prices, but you have to tack on that $14 toll on the way back!  Sheesh!  Good thing we had some cash (or Trey had some cash).  I have to get better about having cash in this city!

To sum up, we survived our first day yesterday with Trey at work as well.  I worked out (at 5:30am - a new one for me), the girls and I had a picnic, and joined some online moms' groups (meetup.com).  I think we can do this!  My nervousness about leaving alone with the babies is getting less.  Not sure that will ever go away but I am trying!  Meeting new friends today - things are looking up. :)

I've a feeling we aren't in Texas anymore...

To say it has been an adjustment would be an understatement.  Conversion is a better word, or mutation even.  You know when you go off to college, and everything, I mean, everything, exhausts you?  Showering, walking, eating...it is all tiring.  I have been banned by my husband from saying "I'm tired".  I know it will improve, but I feel like a visitor on planet Earth, or maybe Mars.

To add to the pile of surprises, our things were not delivered to our temporary living on time, and so we have been without a few crucial items for a few days now:

a) Diaper Genie - unwrapped diapers are the worst smell!
b) Toys (we are still surviving on the plane/dollar store stuff - which reminds me of the plane flight!!!).

We managed to order a high chair in advance and have it shipped here to us, which seemed genius (pat myself on the back) at the time, but of course you could only mainly put it together without a screwdriver until you got to the base.  Believe it or not, in our millions of bags (which included plug outlet protectors, towels shaped like bunny rabbits, and fake eyelashes, we did not pack a screwdriver).  The funny thing about this was I went down to the front desk to ask about borrowing a screwdriver from them or maintenance, what I thought was a fairly straightforward question, they stared at me blankly (blink, blink).  Someone had to have one somewhere, right?  What self-respecting apartment complex does not have one you can borrow? Oh, no.  Not only did the girl act like she had never heard the word screwdriver before, but to borrow one from maintenance would be liability.  Really?  I just finished telling her I was using it to construct a high chair.  I'm sure we were up to no good putting together baby things.

Anyway, apparently you can buy a screwdriver at CVS here along with nail polish remover and your toothpaste - good to know.  Problem solved.  Also, beer prices are about 6 dollars cheaper there than the "natural grocery" store at the bottom of our building - note to self.  Mind you, the natural store sells tuna in a packet. ;)

We felt a little more normal this morning.  We had unpacked most of the suitcases and ordered groceries from a wonderful little website called Fresh Direct.  www.freshdirect.com .  Texas ladies, you can order your groceries online, and have them delivered to your front door!  Amen!

There are a few necessities we need around here: milk, bread, Goldfish, paper towels.  The one roll provided to us lasted about 5 minutes.  The hilariously slick wood floor in here (watch your step) will be sticky and safe in no time.  We are back in business with a semi-full refrigerator, a few cleaning products, and doggie poop bags standing in as a Diaper Genie.  They actually smell fabulous!  Baby poop bags have nothing on the pet products (mental note).

Now I don't want to knock our corporate housing too badly, they have a few amazing things on site - a playground, a dry cleaner, a NAIL SALON. Yes ladies, one elevator ride and you can get a pedicure.  Say, WHAT? Now that I could get used to.  Now if they could just provide babysitters...that I trust, of course.

Savannah sliding

We got braver today and ventured out to Times Square.  The walk there wasn't too bad, but the sidewalks off 42nd have nothing on the wide, groomed UWS pavement.  Maybe I have a weird thing about sidewalks.  The trash bags and the dangerous crosswalks are going to take some getting used to.

Now, let's talk about the people watching.  The airport cannot even compare to the clientele in Times Square.  I had been there before, so I thought I was prepared to witness some unique individuals,   HOWEVER, I was not prepared for Penal law 245.01.  Google it if you don't know.  Call me naive, (I am on some counts), but BOOBS were right in front of my daughters about 5 feet away as we were trying to go into a children's toy store!!!  And these were not just any old boobs, no siree, these were boobs painted like the American flag.  How's that for patriotism?  Happy Fourth of July and welcome to New York.  WOW!  We definitely weren't in Texas anymore.  At least wear an American flag (or Texas flag) bikini for goodness sake.  I'm all for needing to feed your baby, etc. (nudity allowed) but this was another level!

Once we got through the breast maze, we entered a child's wonderland!  If you have never been to the Times Square Toys "R" Us, you will not be disappointed, from a life size T-Rex robot (Jurassic Park style), to a ferris wheel, to a real Barbie dream house, to free glitter tattoos, they have it all.  Somehow we got out without purchasing anything outside of a ticket for a ride, but I'm sure we will have to go back now that the girls think THIS is New York City.

A real life ferris wheel

And the funny part? It is. This is New York.  Well, bring on the aliens!  We're ready for more.

Trial by Flight

Trial by fire - an expression I've thrown around in the past but never truly understood.  The phrase comes from medieval times, when one's guilt was determined by some sort of a "trial" such as walking barefoot over hot coals. Now I'm not saying we were physically harmed, but mentally wrought summed it up yesterday.  Traveling with little ones, especially by air, is not for the faint of heart.  

I consider myself a fairly organized person, making lists and coming up with a plan for nearly everything. This flight was included in that much. We received an awesome tip from one of my husband's coworkers:

Buy 20 items from the dollar store and distribute them one at a time throughout the flight; and snacks, lots of snacks.

This little hint ended up really paying off. I never knew the dollar store had such an amazing plethora of magical junk! We had mermaids with hair for brushing, Princess crowns, puzzles, silly putty. I was a bonified Mary Poppins. My purse also resembled a Mary Poppins bag with everything from a leftover scone from Starbucks (never throw those away!) to multiple phone chargers. (Trey I think I have yours ;).)

United Airlines, normally a reliable carrier, experienced every delay known to man on this flight short of a hole in the wing. We were delayed at the gate, sitting on the plane, sitting on the runway. Then in typical Texas fashion, a thunder and lightening storm shook the plane grounding us for an additional hour.  Mind you, I could not have been prouder of my three year old who was positively charming the entire day. Scarlett was the positivity and enthusiasm pushing us on. God gifted us another three year old girl in the row in front of us who was also playing with Disney princesses and the girls started trading those things like Pokemon cards. It was the cutest thing. Another blessing? We were seated next to not just a grandmother, but a GREAT grandmother who kept telling me how gorgeous my children were.  Every mother knows how this was what I needed when I was so on edge! An understanding neighbor.

Bless her heart, my little Savannah had one of her worst days ever. But who could blame her? If all the adults on the plane could have kicked and screamed (without being thrown off of course) they would have!!! There was simply nothing I could do. My heart broke for her and just wanted her to feel better. I felt a mother's guilt for asking her to do too much.  She didn't understand.

I captured this image after hours of crying when her little body finally gave in to her exhaustion.  We had a moment of solace.  

Despite all the hurdles, there were beautiful moments mixed in. God was with us and got us through this.  My mom sent me this via text right before we took off:

That's all you have in those situations: prayer and faith.

We are here, we made it, the adventure has begun.