Tuesday, August 19, 2014

I'm sad because our friends are leaving

Dear Pea,
It's been the summer of mass Brooklyn Exodus. One by one, our friends are departing for more space, cheaper rents (or mortages) and better gigs. Yesterday we lost our BFFs to California, the most heartbreaking move to date. Everyone else has at least been visitable. But Harper is en route to the West Coast and we'll be doing most of our playing over Facetime.

 Several "Farewell to Harper" event this past week 



Unrelated, or maybe not, you have been on a Difficult to Parent streak. You ignore instructions, you totally meltdown at the slightest perceived injustice ("I don't want it to be Monday!!"), you throw your toys, you argue, you tell me that I'm not being nice. This morning, after the 800 millionth tantrum in 2 weeks, I spoke to you very shortly. I had lost my patience and was trying my best not to yell, so I just looked at you with what I thought was a disapproving look. You stared back evenly, concerned. "Mama, are you sad about Jeanmarie moving away?" After that, the day got much better. 

In other news, you've uttered your first swear. It was an F-bomb! Amazing! You were pretending to nurse your doll and after you had switched sides, you looked down at her and told me that your baby is so fucking cute. 
Champion nurser!

This weekend will be a bit of a reunion of sorts and I'm very excited. Friday we're going to visit a friend who moved north and Sunday other friends are coming back to Brooklyn to celebrate their 2nd kiddo's first birthday. It will be so wonderful to have much of the gang together. 




Saturday, August 9, 2014

Summer Fun!

Dear Pea,
Your two most common phrases these days are "Remember yesterday?..." and "Let me show you a trick!"

Yesterday is anything that happened in the past. It could have been an hour ago, a week ago or last year. But you really like to tell stories about what happened. They are always accurate and often random (as in, what could have made you think of that?!). Sometimes we have to hear a lot of the story before we know what you're talking about, but most of the time we can figure it out. I read something somewhere that said that children remember early childhood well until about age 4. Once they're 4, most of the early memories fade and the lasting memories start around 4. In any case, you remember a lot of your life so far.

You also love doing "tricks." Tricks are really anything that you're doing. "Let me show you this trick!" basically means, watch me do whatever I'm doing right now. Sometimes it's a somersault, other times it's eating your breakfast. In any case, it's pretty funny.

So far this summer we have traveled to Cincinnati to see dear friends, been to the beach, taken lots of boat rides in the East River, had wonderful special play dates and been to a number of parks. NYC in the summer really is pretty amazing.

 Your first amusement park, Rye Playland! You went on two rides then wanted to go home



Long Beach!



  Cincinnati Pirate Cruise



 Cincinnati fun with friends!!!



 boating along the East River



 giant playground play dates



 your first popsicle, at a concert in Madison Square Park with some friends



 Coney Island