Twenty words at twenty months

When Elisa was this age I wrote a blog post about her development and tried listing all the words she knew. I'd heard the expression 20 words by 20 months and thought it was fun to check in and see how she was stacking up. And it didn't take me long to list them all out. I'm sure I even missed a few. She wasn't quite at the point of combining words, but Elisa was definitely making herself understood more and more. Fast forward a few years and here we go all over again counting words for Carolina. It seems like in these past few weeks there's been an explosion of language and she's often making short phrases to communicate. It's amazing how quickly you go from grunts and shrieks to babbling and now real talking. Just this morning as I got out of the shower, Carolina pointed at me then looked at herself. Without blinking an eye, she pulled her shirt up saying "I'nt nakie." Or after pick up when she saw her sister with a sucker, she said "I'nt sucka." Yeah, the kid has mad language skillz. Here are a few of the highlights so far...twenty words or however many I can remember:

1. NO! (always the first and most frequent word)
2. Boobie
3. Cheese (said when a camera is pointed at her)
4. Shoe
5. Agua
6. Apple
7. Juice
8. Bye
9. Down
10. Pee pee
11. Sister
12. Naked
13. Sucker
14. Popcorn (often requested for breakfast with a simple "pa-ka")
15. Thank you
16. Marker
17. Phone
18. Hot
19. Milk
20. Night night
21. Mine (this was just used in the past week or so and it blew me away--she knows what's hers!)
22. Want (most often combined with "I" into "I'nt")
23. Pink
24. Blue
25. Flower
26. Puppy
27. Blanket
28. Off
29. Boot
30. Sit
31. Ice cream (don't even ask me how she freaks out when she sees the Mister Softee truck)

I'm sure there are a few more I'll remember after posting this. But I wanted to commemorate this list and milestone so at least if there's no baby book for the second born, there are some blog posts I've remember to replicate. As I said with Elisa, it's pretty amazing--and frankly exhausting--that we love and care for babies and toddlers for so long when we only have non-verbal cues to understand.  But they are cute and eventually, they do speak. And then, if she's anything like Elisa, she won't stop talking. So while we know Carolina is only beginning to make the sounds that will form all of her words going forward, it won't be long before we can't even remember a time she wasn't talking. Which reminds me I need to make more videos of this stage. Learning words is just the cutest.

Greening up

Yesterday we were up and out of the neighborhood early enough to enjoy a wonderful tour through Central Park before nap time. It's been feeling more like spring this past week and Saturday was no different. The sun was gloriously bright, the breeze was light and the girls were happy to be out and roaming free. Well, almost. Elisa had a complete meltdown before we ever left the apartment.  There's no rhyme or reason to her tantrums at 4 1/2 and it completely catches me off guard at times and frustrates me more than it should. She didn't want to get dressed. She wanted to wear the same polka dotted dress she'd worn the day before and slept in. And after I picked out another lovely dress for her to enjoy, she screamed and cried and generally pissed me off with her craziness. I have to say I lost it. I know it's not the best way to garner cooperation, but sometimes I think she just wants to see how mad I can get. So I showed her, and then we moved forward. Once outside she was amazed how pretty the park looked and I reminded her that this was the reason I was trying to get her ass dressed in the first place. A knowing look was all I needed to know that she understood. Quit being a turd. This weather is too nice. 

We probably should have ended up at the playground near Columbus Circle and sent Nacho for lunch from Good Burger.  But when the idea of Shake Shack crossed our minds, it wouldn't leave. So after a little rest in Sheep Meadow, he left ahead of us and trekked up north and got in line. And waited, and waited. What was supposed to be a "15 minute" line turned into a 45 minute slog, but he held tight.  Meanwhile, I meandered with the girls trying to enjoy the paths and beautiful flowers and delay Elisa's persistent request for ice cream. We met up again in front of the Natural History Museum's flower-ringed fountain on 77th and the girls ate and danced while Nacho and I scarfed down our burgers. It was a nice end to the excursion and contrary to the start of the day, things were mellow and peaceful on the way home. Saturdays like this can just keep coming--minus the crazy.

Baby Brunch

Saturday brunch without the kids? Why yes, thank you...

Last weekend a gaggle of us from the playgroup gathered at La Flor for brunch in honor of Kristin and Patrick's baby boy Burns who's due to arrive in early May.  Our turnout was pretty decent considering how busy we all are with kids and schedules and weekend activities.  It's been nearly 5 years since this group formed in the fog of newborn mania, and over the years, many of us have taken the leap into pregnancy a second time. At least one brave friend has blown past us and is expecting #4 in the fall! But no matter how many we have, the bonds that began with our firstborns in 2008 have only grown.  We still make time to celebrate these important moments, and I consider myself very fortunate to have had this group of women in my life as I navigate motherhood in this city. 

We're all currently in the midst of the Kindergarten shuffle which has brought a whole new level of intrigue to our little group. With G&T options, charter school lotteries, and two different locally zoned public schools, there are many facets to this conversation--with many anxieties as well.  All of us want the best education for our children, but knowing what that looks like and where to find it is the question.  For the past few years, I've been dead set on Elisa getting into P.S. 150 for their Dual Language immersion program in Spanish. It seemed like a natural fit for our family.  But a few weeks ago we were notified that Elisa made it into the lottery at Academy of the City, a progressive charter school in LIC, and that has thrown us a curveball. It's definitely not my ideal school, but there are many positives about it's longer day with built in recess and rest time. Even if she's my big girl, Elisa is still not necessarily ready for the steady march of academia that I dread with a one-size-fits-all public school education.  And because of these staggered deadlines and assessments, we are faced with a choice that may not be a choice at all.  We will have to decide on the charter this week without knowing if we will have a spot in the Dual Language program which isn't determined until June.  

And while I drone on and on about all of this to Nacho (and anyone that will listen really), I know it's with this group of women that I find the most understanding. We might not all have the same views about education (or motherhood, for that matter), but we are in it together and there's something about that I find comforting. Afterwards, a few of us walked over to the park and hung out while the kids roamed from one birthday party to another crashing it as though they were drunken college kids.  The fact that they think of the park as their turf and all the parties are just waiting for their RSVP could prove interesting in the coming months and years.  But for now, it was fun to sit back and continue the chatting while the kids played and danced with abandon.  I'm not sure how many more baby brunches we will get to have, or how far away the next few years will take us. But I'm sure this group will still find time to meet no matter the reason.  We are friends. Our kids are friends. And no matter where we end up, I think Sunnyside and this playgroup will always call us back home.

More playground fun

So it's been a week since our little adventure to the Tom Otterness Playground on 42nd and 12th Avenue, but I wanted to share a few more photos. My cell pictures didn't really do it justice. Even though it was a bit cool and the sun didn't want to show its face for a while, we managed to enjoy the slides and use the energy to get the girls excited about lunch and more walking. I think it kind of worked. It was a pretty simple day and I would love to take others there if we could only figure out why you'd need to be all the way over to 12th Ave. Ugh, that was a hike!  But anyway, we checked it off our NYC bucket list. And since we have taken the jump and purchased a brand new iMac (which I quickly tried to break), here are the photos I had nowhere to store until now...

The week in review

This week kicked my ass. First there was Monday's horrible turn of events at the Boston Marathon followed by the Senate overwhelming rejecting some much need gun reform legislation. Add in one massively destructive explosion at a fertilizer plant in Texas and my truly shitastic luck cracking the screen on our one week old iMac, and I was ready to call an end to the thing by Wednesday.  And yes, I know how absurd it is to put those  scenarios in the same sentence as my pitiful computer problems. But whatever. They all made me cry. There was a lot of emotion this week--enough that I was happy to bring a pitcher of sangria to the park on Friday afternoon and kill it with some good friends.  Sometimes in the midst of anxiety and sadness, you just need one good thing to happen. And if I push myself, I can honestly say there were a couple of those too.  Like seeing a friend from high school who was great to catch up with or hanging out at brunch with my mama friends today. And how about finding out that Elisa made the cut at the Kindergarten lottery for a great charter school? That's better than a kick in the head, right? But I'm still done with this week. Good night, Saturday. Hope Sunday is more my speed.

Sisters

As much as they squabble with each other, they also love each other to bits. Sometimes it's hard to remember what it was like before Carolina--before there was this shadow following Elisa around imitating everything she does. I forget how it felt to just have one child.  How could I have been so busy with just one? Now I see what it takes to keep two spinning parts in motion and some days they really run me ragged. But then there are these little moments, playing in bed or sharing a laugh or ice creams and I am so smitten with them as a pair. They are each other's best friend. Even if they don't know it yet.

Saturday in the city

On Friday I went into Manhattan for a haircut and as I left the salon and wandered through SoHo, I had one of those strange epiphanies.  I really missed the city.  I felt like we were friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time and I wanted to sit and have coffee and catch up.  Everywhere I turned there were new stores and eateries and so many little corners I wanted to explore. And yes, I know I'm still living in New York City, but I guess the problem is that it doesn't feel like it at times.  With two kids and a comfortable existence in our little oasis of Sunnyside, Queens, I just don't have the same opportunities to wander aimlessly throughout the city. Nacho and I aren't taking walks post-work to discover new restaurants and cozy little cafes. We have fallen into our routines of eating out in the neighborhood (if at all) and hitting the local playgrounds when we want to socialize. 

And most of the time that's enough. But when it's not, I find I have an ache--an almost physical yearning--to spend more time walking around the city finding new favorite places and sights. It's something I can't explain better than that, and it's probably the reason that I can't imagine moving anywhere else. After you live here, what else can keep such a hold on you? It may not be for everyone, but I feel like in the 8 years I've been here, I've only scratched the surface of what the city has to offer. And on days like Friday, I realize that I'm getting slightly closer to being able to enjoy more time in the city. The girls are growing up and getting easier to deal with on these kind of outings. It's really more about my will to do it--the stamina will follow. And at times, I admit I get overwhelmed by the enormity of the city. There's so much to choose from it's hard to pick a place to visit without thinking there must be something better around the corner. The dilemma is oddly paralyzing.  But after my day alone, I wanted to do something fun with the family.  So yesterday, the weather looked decent and Nacho was off so we talked about doing something in the city. There was a playground on the west side a few moms mentioned recently and it looked promising. Tom Otterness, the sculptor, designed its bronze slides much like the little figurines that grace the subway platform on 14th street, my old stomping grounds. It was a good starting point for our walk through Hell's Kitchen...

Both girls loved the slides and we spent a good 30 minutes letting them run wild. The playground is situated on kind of a weird block at the far end of 42nd Street. So when Nacho suggested grabbing lunch nearby at Daisy May's BBQ, I was sold. It would be an easy walk and sharing meats and sides would work out fine. So far, this day in the city with two kids was working out pretty well. Yes, there was some mild fussing at the restaurant and lots of interrupted bites as I dealt with their demands throughout lunch.  Carolina is just at that terrible age for sitting still anywhere so she really hates high chairs. And Elisa can be counted on to eat for a little while. But she too gets antsy and wants to dance or switch chairs. Fortunately, we were done fast and back out on the street heading north to find another distraction as we walked towards Central Park. I wasn't really clear on what we were doing next, but after a few blocks, we spotted a neighborhood park near 47th that looked inviting. The sun struggled to come out until about 1pm, so we were finally out and enjoying some warmth. One crazy (possibly drunken) mother in the park later and we were looking for a reason to bolt. I got a recommendation for a good natural ice cream place, Je & Jo, a block away and that was our final stop on this day of exploring.  Coffee with cookie dough for the girls and an affogato for Nacho and me. A little something for everyone which is just how I like my city days. My confidence and energy restored, I look forward to more of this in the coming months.