Bag O' Glass

Happy Feet Dance Party

2008-04-27T14:49:00.008-04:00

Now spinning: Boogie Wonderland (our clip syncs with about 1:17 of the movie clip).

A rare glimpse inside Caroline's recurring Happy Feet Dance Party. I'm only allowed in when I hold a penguin - and I'm not allowed to dance or sing along.

Happy Feet is Caroline's favorite movie, which means I've had to learn some Queen (Somebody to Love), Prince (Kiss) & Elvis (Heartbreak Hotel) for bedtime lullabies.

Who can be sad

2008-04-09T08:04:00.002-04:00

when KU won a National Championship?

(It's too bad the video of this is too big to upload)

Aruban Mini Golf

2008-04-06T08:29:00.001-04:00

Can be fun...
But it can also get boring for a 2 year old just around the 9th hole.

Aruba II

2008-04-06T08:12:00.001-04:00

More pictures from Aruba-

The balcony view that caused Caroline to jump up & down yelling 'Beach' for 5 days straight... she started calming down the last 2 days we were there.

Thanks Granddad for the DVD player. Clifford was key for a certain very tired big-puppy lover- and for the 5 hour plane ride!

No trip to the beach would be complete without stopping to practice that elusive dunk.

Aruba III

2008-04-06T08:00:00.002-04:00

Aruba's Eagle Beach

I must admit that I didn't wash Caroline's hair for several days after returning. I didn't want it to lose that beach smell.

Easter

2008-03-23T15:02:00.002-04:00

Some shots from Easter at Granddad's house. Caroline had a grand old time collecting eggs in the front yard for a whole hour. That'll teach the Easter Bunny to hide less than 32 of them next year!

We also had fun separating the ones with bugs inside from the others.

St. Patrick's Day I

2008-03-17T14:06:00.001-04:00

What a nice, clear St. Patrick's Day.

A little Rice High School thrown in there for all the Russ Rob fans. I think it's impossible for ESPN to cover a KU game without mentioning at least twice where he went to High School.

St. Patrick's Day II

2008-03-17T13:09:00.003-04:00

While the parade was fun, it just couldn't compare to the lure of a nearby sandbox. Good thing there were a number of toddlers in there, so I wasn't too embarrassed about Caroline's choice to ditch the festivities.

The day wouldn't be complete without a stop at the Central Park Zoo (a favorite).

In fact, the day was so much fun Caroline wouldn't change her shirt for another 24 hours. Sigh.

Happy Birthday

2008-03-03T15:06:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday at the farm! E-I-E-I-O! Grandpa Earl he has a cake... and cousins!

I'm sure it was a process for the baker to fit all those birthday names on one cake. Unfortunately, though, one big job for the baker is one small swipe for Matthew!

We also had lunch at the Allen Main Street Grill, where Caroline delighted in the cowboys & their horses outside, the cow bell on the door and the tater tots on the tasty menu.

Chores in Lawrence

2008-03-02T15:12:00.001-05:00

Caroline loved riding her new tricycle with a little 'help' from Granddad Alan.

She also loved 'helping' Grandma Carol sweep leaves from the front walk.

More fun in Lawrence

2008-03-02T14:17:00.001-05:00

Faces only a mother could love

Winter Fun

2008-02-02T15:19:00.001-05:00

The classic 'some assembly required' shot. Caroline's kitchen before:

and after 6 beers (Thanks Santa!):

Caroline enjoying some good Christmas reading.

and drawing.

and playtime with Cousins Liz and Grace

Santa Sightings

2007-12-26T15:23:00.003-05:00

All aboard the Christmas train!

Our tear-filled attempt to see Santa at Queens Center Mall-

And our successful, 2nd attempt back at Macy's (whew!). Personally, I was a little scared myself of the 2nd Santa- must have been the Egyptian tan make-up he was wearing.

Xmas Mug Shots

2007-12-20T15:28:00.002-05:00

Some Christmas card out-takes. It was all downhill once we introduced the candy cane.

And the dog.

Trick or Treat - Queens Style

2007-11-01T15:46:00.001-04:00

Trick or treating in NYC consists of visiting various retailers instead of homes. Jackson Heights is the perfect location for such an adventure. First, Caroline got lollipops at the bustier shop: Then more candies at the liquor store, which was hard to muscle into, I will add.
Finally, we marched in the Halloween Parade down 37th Avenue with Alex.

Halloween

2007-10-31T15:51:00.001-04:00

Halloween with Aunt Beth and Granddad! An episode of car-sickness on the way to LI made me very happy for 2 things: 1. I packed Caroline's costume instead of letting her wear it in the car & 2. The Bronx Zoo gave us a large men's t-shirt when we joined for the year, which I still hadn't removed from the car. Caroline didn't let the wardrobe mishap get her down either.

Caroline and Aunt Beth after lunch:

Caroline missing Liz:

Watch the tail kid-

Cousin Liz Comes to Town!

2007-10-16T16:07:00.001-04:00

Pumpkin hunting with Cousin Liz:

And 'waiting' for Pooh to finish blowing up:

Poor Pooh

2007-10-15T16:15:00.001-04:00

He didn't stand a chance-

Buffy Update: All Washed Up

2007-10-12T21:15:00.000-04:00

'Buffy' fans bemoan demise of sing-along from Yahoo News.

I've got a theory it could be bunnies.

Update: JH, the Musical

2007-10-11T23:35:00.000-04:00

Well, I just found out that we actually are close to selling out all the shows (there are only 90 seats in the theater) - and the phone line for tickets hasn't been working in almost a week. It will be fixed tomorrow (Friday), so chances are more people will be calling. Apparently, we were mostly sold out before most of the cast was even in the show - so none of us have tickets. Suddenly getting a roast beef doesn't seem so great anymore.

Anyway - If anyone wants to try to catch a show, email me asap & I'll see what I can do - or call the ticket # at 718-424-6666.

Halloween Preview

2007-10-10T16:01:00.000-04:00

I took these when Amy came by a while back. Caroline so has no idea what Halloween is all about, but she sure likes dressing up as a dinosaur.

She also really wants a horse, much to AJ's dismay. By the way, don't forget your purse when going out for an evening stroll - Caroline never does.

Hurry it up already

2007-10-10T15:40:00.000-04:00

Caroline and I were doing returns in Hicksville last week when I shot this. She had a blast, but was obviously slow for the other kids on the slide (as you can tell by the video) - especially for one much older boy who liked to rush up the front of the slide. At a time when there were no less than 4 kids on the stairs and 2 at the top (Caroline & one of the kids who was routinely passing her in line), the boy zoomed up the slide and accidentally knocked Caroline off the back. I was in a sheer panic. It's not the first time she's landed on her head lately at a playground, but it was the first time someone else knocked her that way. At least the crowd of children slowed her descent from that height. She cried for 1/2 a minute and demanded back at the slide - where she cried for another 1/2 minute watching the other kids climb. Then up she went. She sure liked that slide.

Jackson Heights: The Musical

2007-10-10T14:08:00.000-04:00

Ok, time to come clean. It's been a while since I've been in a show (can you say 8 years or so?). The academy first put the kabotch on it back in 2000 and I've never really found the time since then. Well, the stars are finally aligned (in terms of a light rehearsal schedule for me and a reasonable call schedule for Clay)- so it's on. Oh, it's so on. It's so on, it's already been brought-en.

Little did I know this show was going to get some press, though - from yesterday's Daily News. And the news is spreading. I should put a notice here - there is no slant to this show, as many of you (like I) would have guessed. It's not angsty or satiric or edgingly comedic. It's just a cute little revue highlighting the diversity and history of JH. I've had a fun time so far at rehearsal. It's a slice of life for sure. There's also been lots of eating - Clay, Caroline & I went to Sukkot dinner a couple of weeks back and on Saturday night they sent me home with a roast beef. Who can complain?

Best of all, I get to play a tree. I've always wanted to play a tree - ever since I was a Christmas card from Spain back in the First Grade. And now I have a Halloween costume, too. It's a really small chorus part, so there's no obligation to hop on the 7. However, if you're craving some good Indian food, it's an excuse to make the trip. Shows are next Thursday & Saturday evening, Sunday afternoon & Sunday evening. Roast beef goes to anyone who wants to babysit Caroline intermittently on Sunday while Clay does his 'at-home' call.

This Weekend's Picks in JH

2007-09-28T16:17:00.000-04:00

Anyone up for a little adventure tomorrow is welcome to join us for the 2nd annual Jackson Heights Film & Food Festival. Seriously - give us a call 'cause it should be fun.

Tomorrow is the food portion of the event, with several Jackson Heights restaurants serving dishes priced from $1-$3 from Noon-4pm at a local church. Yum Yum.

The films start tonight and continue through Sunday at the Eagle Theater in Jackson Heights. From the NYT: "It’s not easy to find American cinemas that offer samosas (Indian pastries filled with meat or vegetables) along with popcorn and candy. The Eagle Theater in Queens is one..."

While we probably won't make tonight's flicks, there is a kid's fest on Sunday (complete with free bagels and kiddie-rock) that we surely can't miss.

Testing Out

2007-09-27T16:23:00.000-04:00

the new camera. If you listen to the video, right before Caroline goes after the ball a second time, she says "I'll get it!". I caught it on tape!

Go Grandma for teaching her this, though Caroline would never say it in front of her. This is completely indicative of Caroline's talking skills. She says words once or twice, but not often and never when you want her to. Clay got her to say 'please' the other day, but that was the only time. I can get her to say 'all aboard', but not when anyone else is around. If there are any theories out there about this type of behavior, please share them. We're stumped.

We both, however, understand her many faces...

Cheap Healthy Entertaining

2007-09-15T23:16:00.000-04:00

I thought of my cousin when I saw this today and I post it here in her honor. For the college girl who once visited me in the city and pleaded 'Can we get chicken on a stick?!?', I give you the toddler equivalent.

Please though, be careful they don't run with the sticks.

Look down the comments for another good idea - edible apple ring jewelry.

Get your kumbaya-yas out

2007-09-14T23:36:00.000-04:00

Beware! The network Fx has pulled a quick one on us all. After airing the 'Once More With Feeling' episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer at 7am this past Monday, they switched the 7am slot to Malcolm in the Middle on Tuesday. While I have nothing against Malcolm, it cannot replace what has become a staple of my morning ritual since - oh 1999? I tried not to panic (sometimes holiday schedules tend to interfere with the Buffster), but after Malcolm was aired in this slot all week, I needed to take action - but how? The only way to counter this scheme would be with a fierce and unyielding... google search.

While I did unearth Fx's master plan (through an ingenious perusal of the Fx website), my search stumbled upon something far more interesting. Apparently, IFC Center in NYC is having Buffy sing alongs on Friday and Saturday nights at midnight (ala Rocky Horror not The Sound of Music). I immediately wondered how horribly wrong it would be of me to show up to one of these with a toddler - or, alternatively, how much a sitter would cost for an 11pm-2am shift. Though I bet Caroline could sleep through it (she did, after all, sleep through The Bourne Ultimatum last week), I don't know how comfortable she would be in a Buffy costume - that's an awful lot of leather.

For those of you who are as outraged as I, Fx will be showing Buffy at 7am this weekend - but I have no guarantees going forward. Tomorrow's episode is 'Tabula Rasa', the one where everyone forgets who they are.

And for those of you who are itching for some sing along action outside the NYC area, they also tour.

On a side note, how did I never know that Anthony Stewart Head is the brother of Murray Head? And yes, he did take over for Murray in Chess at one point. That means he can hit a tenor high C in full voice (4:45 of recording). Go Giles-

_____________

A bonus side note: Everyone is familiar with at least these two aspects of the show Chess. It's also the prime example of how difficult it can be to write a show 's book around an already released concept album and a recently ended cold war. But it does have some great songs.

Almost caught up...

2007-09-12T15:42:00.001-04:00

The end of our vacation in pictures happened on Tuesday, when I dropped the camera in the sand. Here are some shots of our pre-drop and post-drop activities.

Pre-drop: Having fun at Jones Beach

Post-drop: Seeking out borscht in Brighton Beach

This week's activities? Finding a camera repair shop

Labor Day (cont.)

2007-09-12T15:20:00.001-04:00

Some shots of lunch at Wall's Wharf in Bayville:

Labor Day (cont.)

2007-09-12T15:10:00.000-04:00

More pictures of the vineyards:

Labor Day

2007-09-12T14:51:00.000-04:00

Labor Day was our big weekend with Grandma Carol and Grandad Alan, as well as the beginning of Clay's week off. We had lots of fun hitting the North Fork vineyards for a picnic on Saturday, Wall's Wharf for lunch on Sunday and lots of pastries in between. Some shots of the vineyards:

Oh my...

2007-09-12T14:41:00.000-04:00

I hope this doesn't translate into endless hours of her teenage years stuck in front of a mirror, but Caroline has had a thing for her sunglasses lately - too cute. I would worry about her being too girly if she didn't also glow when trying on a dinosaur (dragon) costume for Halloween. She started roaring around the house. No pics of the dinosaur as our camera is currently kaput. Here are the sunglasses shots, though.

Road Trip (cont.)

2007-09-12T14:33:00.000-04:00

More blurry slide action - and the choo-choo train!

Road Trip

2007-08-29T20:16:00.000-04:00

I wrote this a long time ago (couple of weeks), but please humor me and just go with it:

A classic way to spend any finals' week is to take a road trip. Usually, though, this is done after finals are over. Caroline and I decided instead to throw caution to the wind and venture south twice before finishing up for the semester.

Our first jaunt was on Wednesday with Grandad to Aunt Roie & Uncle John's house near the shore in NJ. Caroline had a great time there, exploring their DVD collection and all the neat giveaways from the baseball stadium. Unfortunately, our pictures are kind of blurry because I'm currently having a fight with my camera over using the flash. I did get one shot of Caroline offering up her hair clip, though.

Then on Friday, Uncle Joe, Mary D., Caroline, Piglet and I trekked down to Cousin Liz's house for the weekend. We kept Caroline entertained most of the way down by afixing her accessories onto Uncle Joe's head. We managed to get 3 hair clips and a shoe on before he became wise to the deal. Later, we all played Ring Around the Rosie - a new favorite. Although we missed the Nets' game due to a downpour, Caroline got to make her first trip to McDonalds. She & Liz had a great time - Check out the blurry slide action:

Rainy Days

2007-08-29T11:00:00.000-04:00

Last week, Caroline decided a cold, rainy day called for wearing her Oscar the Grouch shirt - a new favorite. Overcome by Oscar's presence, Caroline then herself became a grouch and sulked in a corner. This is something I had to document to present to her during a some future motherly guilt trip.

Upon finishing her Oscar impersonation, Caroline and AJ got caught up in her beads - literally. At first, AJ could tolerate it and loved the attention. After a while though, even AJ grew weary of the game. She eventually thwarted Caroline's attack by employing the put-my-chin-on-the-floor-so-she-can't-get-beads-around-my-head tactic, a classic defense. Caroline was stymied. Score 1 for AJ. Considering how limpy AJ was at the time, it was a much needed break.

MVP

2007-08-29T09:42:00.000-04:00

Last weekend was a busy one and not without significance. After Saturday's lunch at Sapori D'iscia, the fam headed to LaGuardia Landing Lights Park for an easy game of.... say it softly now so as not to excite the canines.... frisbee.

Try as she might, AJ just barely caught 2 throws in her mouth - both very tame tosses at that. There were no might leaps or great runs and she did wipe out at least once. Caroline had a great time watching her play (& AJ had a fantastic time regardless of her reception stats) and we packed it up after about 1/2 hour of throwing. The significance of this, however, emerged as the day went on - when AJ was barely able to make it down the stairs for her evening walk. It got even worse on the days that followed, where coaxing her up and down the stairs and even down the block was a major effort. Poor dog. We are certain this will be her last season on the famed Landing Lights field before she's forced into retirement by the team's resident physician. Therefore, we are looking at dates now for her retirement celebration and MVP (Most Valuable Puppy) Award Ceremony.

On Sunday, we were treated to a BBQ out in Lake Grove at Chez Swensson. Juicy burgers, yummy kabobs and a modest amount of fruit were consumed along with some fresh corn on the cob. Caroline skipped the burgers and devoured the corn. She also had a fun time playing baseball with the DiBiases.

For the beef lover in your life

2007-08-27T11:30:00.001-04:00

As I'm finishing up finals week, I'm a bit behind on my posting. This is mainly because I've really ignored my chores lately in favor of taking fun trips. More on that later -

Meanwhile, I just found out my cousin Kris has been holding out on me! She's got a blog on Cheap Healthy Good eats that's darn cool. I particularly like her recent post on beef.

And finally

2007-08-15T16:53:00.000-04:00

Part 3 of our Jones Beach trip was to the pool. Caroline had a lot of fun despite being closely followed by her security detail.

Pay no attention to the man behind the glasses. He's just a another toddler out for a day at the beach too. Just watch him blend folks. He was even nice enough to swing Caroline around in the water a couple of times.

If you ask Caroline now if she likes the beach, you get a firm 'dup'.

Playing in the Sand

2007-08-15T16:46:00.000-04:00

Caroline had a much better time in the sand on Monday than she did in Aruba. She put sand on her towel, in her shoes, on her legs, in her mouth, in her hair - oh - and in the toys we brought.

Catching Waves

2007-08-15T15:58:00.000-04:00

By popular demand, here are some of our beach shots-

On Monday, we headed out to Jones Beach with Uncle Joe and 'the gf' Mary D. What a fun time! It was a perfect day with only a small crowd on the beach. We knew Caroline was going to have a blast when she got really excited about the tunnel under the roadway and the dirt next to the path. She hadn't even seen the beach yet.

She was all Clay - running into the oncoming waves (while holding our hands of course). Despite one or two face-forward spills in the sand, she loved it!

Summer Days

2007-08-15T15:15:00.000-04:00

Caroline continues to make the most of her summer days by just playing. Her swim lessons are done. Our takeaways:

Some pools are really deep (Caroline was very unhappy to not find the pool floor beneath her feet when she tried to jump out of my arms during the last class).
Swim lessons are worth the $, even if it's just an excuse to get into the only pool in the neighborhood. Caroline learned to kick her feet & that's a start.
Four foot tall pool fences aren't safe enough - our pool's surrounded by barbed wire.
As long as you can't actually hear thunder or see lightning, swim class is on.

Caroline's newest feats:

Climbing ladders on the playground (even the loose, chain one) and sliding down the slides all by herself. Very scary.
Helping me make dinner - using a step ladder to reach the counter. I also got her to eat pesto for the first time. I let her stir up the tortellini and told her not to taste any.
Bleeding from the head. Thank goodness this didn't last long or else her first trip to the ER would be on the list too. You can see the cut by her right eye, though. Poor kid - how does a fall in the crib equate to that injury?
Putting blush on her T-rex. *Sigh* And putting beads on Mrs. Potato Head. I think we've entered little girl country.
Current word count: 5 (dup or dip/yes, deh/any #, mama, dada/daddy or bye bye)
Newest animal sounds: anything that roars, growls or chomps
Newest favorite food: Mommy's mint chocolate chip shake. By the way, my newest favorite food is a salad with lettuce, grilled chicken, walnuts, mandarin oranges & gorgonzola with raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Try it - it is sooo good!

If you've got a couple of minutes...

2007-08-08T21:07:00.000-04:00

... you can see how lfatboyl spends time with his baby. They're pretty cute videos - but the poor kid stuck in that bumbo all day while Daddy is 'watching him.'

Ready Set Bumbo

& Ready Set Bumbo II

Ready, Set, Bumbo III is coming soon.

Hi-diddly-ho, neig hbor-inos!

2007-08-07T14:50:00.000-04:00

The staff at Time Out New York must really be bored. TONY did a piece last week called Simpsons in New York- including their New York counterparts. I can't imagine being chosen as the quintessential Barney is a good thing.

I also can't imagine Homer growing up in Jackson Heights. Apu? Well, that's a different story - I'm just sad they didn't pick my corner bodega owner, who is usually pleasant considering he's sandwiched in a 5'x5' area behind the counter with his wife and well behaved black lab.

Beware

2007-08-06T20:22:00.000-04:00

Beware you husbands, you cell phone losers and breakers. You may think you've come out alright. Upon finding out you lost/ broke/ otherwise destroyed your cell phone, your understanding wife offers you hers until yours can be repaired or replaced. She even offers to order you a new one when the Verizon store says yours was submerged in water (a complete lie) and cannot be saved.

Oh sure - you may think you've come out just fine - maybe even slightly ahead, as you imagine the wonderful new cell phone the nice Fed Ex man is delivering with care right to your doorstep. As Frank The Tank would put it, "Maybe it's uh something really cool that I don't know about. You know?"

But, then again, maybe it's a hot pink Motorola Razr. Yes, every 13 year old girl's dream phone. And maybe the ring tone is set to 'Sunshine.' Oh yeah.

Don't worry says Clay, "I can pull it off for a few days at least."

Fake News!

2007-08-05T15:19:00.000-04:00

Jackson Heights earned a mention in The Onion this week - definitely not something that would've happened when they were back in Madison.

Sometimes their fake news is just cruel, though. I mean, I know of no 'really good' Cameroonian places in the area. Indian? Pakistani? Thai? Argentinian? Colombian? Mexican? Ecuadorean? Halal carts? sure - but not Cameroonian. I would love to try some really good Cameroonian.

Why I suspect my daughter is actually an 8 year old boy...

2007-08-05T12:30:00.001-04:00

The evidence is mounting:

1. Caroline's had a thing for dinosaurs lately. She loves reading dinosaur books, making dinosaur 'roar's and today I caught her sharing her plans for scaling the crib wall with a stuffed triceratops (the one with the ruffle, as Aunt Beth puts it) .

2. Caroline likes to cut you off when you're reading her a story. This is one new game that I find particularly annoying. It's similar to the interrupting cow knock-knock joke, but in Caroline's version, she interjects a loud 'aaaa!'

3. Caroline has questionable uses for some of her toys. I got her a set of plastic play food the other day - you know, the typical pots/pans/fruit/eggs/meat set with 56 colorful, choke able pieces. As soon as she got it open she took the flexible, plastic butcher knife and thrust it at her chest.

4. At the Queens' Hall of Science the other day, she spent a considerable amount of time examining the stuffed rodents in the toddler play area (see picture). She was also taken with the puppet show. Luckily for the staff, they were behind a wall. When Clay, Caroline & I went to the Queens' Zoo later in the week, she tried to rush the puppet show stage to express her displeasure. She had to be removed from the theater. They deserved it though - it was pretty lame.

Check out the pictures where Caroline is trying to sneak a kiss to the sheep & goats. They were flattered, I'm sure.

What do we need with dessert?

2007-07-21T16:26:00.000-04:00

The farm has corn. Caroline had her first ear and was a natural. She loved it - almost as much as Grandpa's bacon. She also had her first ride on the 4-wheeler with Grandpa.

Caroline had a great time exploring the farm. And with all the neat stuff around, it was a while before she noticed the garden hose. She had a great time with that, though. Yup, there's nothing much better than a garden hose for a 17mo - oh - except for rocks. Rocks to sit down on and explore, rocks to push through the grill of Grandpa's truck, rocks to throw into the creek ('crick'), rocks to bring into Allen's Main Street Grill for lunch, rocks to put in your mouth... Too bad rocks are so hard to come by.

Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty

2007-07-21T16:16:00.000-04:00

Here are some more shots of our time in Kansas. Caroline had a great time at the farm, especially petting the plethora of kittens available. The Cousins are very good at catching them! We weren't able to find the goats, though.

More from KS

2007-07-21T16:01:00.001-04:00

Caroline had a great time at Googels of Fun in Lawrence pushing over Grandma's stacks of blocks. I have no idea why this kid gets such joy out of knocking over other people's stuff. She's been doing since the first time I stacked a couple of blocks in front of her, but she never once has actually stacked something herself. Yeah - that's what I'm going to tell the Kindergarten Teacher.

Here are some shots of Caroline's first milk bubbles at Paisano's in Lawrence and visiting Great Grandma Caroline in Topeka.

Gage Park

2007-07-15T22:32:00.000-04:00

We got the chance to visit Gage Park, 'Topeka's Jewel', a couple of times while in KS. It's actually a pretty neat place with a Zoo, Train, Carousel, Pool/Water Park, Rose Garden and Picnic Playground. It's complete with free pony rides on Saturday mornings courtesy of one of the six existing Optimists Club Charters in Topeka . I chuckle just imagining how mobbed this place would be in Queens.

Caroline had her first pony ride, led around in a circle by a man who was distinctly unoptimistic. She had a good time, though, and even squealed for the Carousel before she almost fell asleep on it.

Back in Town

2007-07-12T09:57:00.000-04:00

Caroline, Lion, Monkey, Piglet & I made a triumphant return to NYC yesterday afternoon with 2 new dinosaur friends in tow. Good thing there was an extra empty seat next to us on the plane. Luckily, my wallet made the trip as well - thanks to the Kansas City police department & the Midwest Airlines staff. Apparently anything I can lose in 5 minutes, they can find in 45.

Our trip to Kansas was full of excitement and firsts, lots of sick-free car rides (thanks Pat!), exactly one funnel cloud and a minimal amount of slumber. We spent a lot of time in Topeka this time around, visiting G. Grandma Caroline & 'The Cousins' (a phrase coined by Grandpa Earl).

Here are some shots of our time in Lawrence: spending time with Grandma, admiring Grandma's garden, tasting yummy crayons at First Watch (Caroline & the KU basketball team's favorite brunch spot), the sky over Highway 10 & Wakarusa right before our 4th of July funnel cloud & the beautiful sunset after.

Random Sightings II

2007-07-02T10:31:00.000-04:00

Some shots of Caroline & Co. in Central Park with the Pegs on Saturday. Clay & I also had dinner with the Pegs afterwards at Carmine's on the Upper West Side (UWS). Caroline spent most of the meal under a dinner napkin.

Yesterday, Caroline, Lion, Monkey, Piglet & I headed out to Kansas City. Unfortunately, Clay & Gorilla weren't able to make the trip. The packed flight was fun, especially the running up and down the aisle and playing with the other babies on board. Thank goodness for Midwest Airlines' wide seats and chocolate chip cookies. I think it was 10:30pm EDT before Caroline finally zonked out.

Random Sightings I

2007-06-30T21:00:00.000-04:00

Last Wednesday, Clay & I witnessed Caroline eating a piece of meat- an honest to goodness piece of hanger steak - in between fists full of farfadelle.

Last Thursday, Caroline & I got together with Amy & Alex for lunch and a rousing game of 'How many books can Caroline hand Amy?' at the Barnes & Noble on 86th. Caroline was pretty tired afterwards and slept on the 7 train platform at Grand Central during rush hour yet again. Maybe I should tape it for her as a lullaby. Thanks Amy for the picture.

On the way back through our door, a neighbor invited us to the famed 'Farm Spot.' While we don't own a farm share, there are other vendors there and a nice patch of grass for the kids to run on. Well, apparently this day, there was also a Marimba band, two guitarists, free flowing champagne and a line-up of strollers. Who new Farm Spot is just a front for a big party of toddler parents? Sign us up.

On Monday, we went to visit Aunt Roie & Uncle John. Caroline had a great time checking out the neighborhood, especially the pool. Roie also taught her how to nod her head 'yes.' I almost thought Caroline would never say 'yes,' but even she just can't say no to Roie.

Arrrgg! Not my booty!

2007-06-29T08:54:00.000-04:00

Schoolwork and a running toddler haven't left me much free time over the past week (except for all those pre-scheduled activities). This is big news, though - especially for Clay, our own Veggie Booty addict. Good thing we haven't touched the stuff since KU was ousted from the tournament.

Bored of the Rings

2007-06-20T18:22:00.000-04:00

I've always considered myself to be on the up-and-up of what's going on theater-wise. Translate that to mean that I've always thought I preferred newer musicals to older ones. I'm a real connoisseur, can't you tell? Then I realized that by newer I actually meant shows that opened from 1965-1995. Sure, there are some more recent favorites of mine- Urinetown, Avenue Q, Hedwig - and the puppetry in The Lion King is brilliant - and I still want to see Spamalot - but I just haven't been drawn to most of what's on Broadway lately.

This is what I was thinking this morning when I read there were mixed reviews for 'Lord of the Rings' - the musical. Originally written by the Finnish folk group Varttina, it's gotten two re-writes, including one by a famous Bollywood composer. Am I just behind the times or is this the sign of a weakening art form?

The Lion King aside, I'm truly annoyed by the recent number of movie-to-musical creations trying to cash in on big screen success. Granted, some were obviously books first - but the movie is where they should have ended. Let's look:

At what's on Broadway now: Beauty and the Beast, Tarzan, Legally Blonde, Hairspray, Mary Poppins, The Color Purple, Xanadu. Check out ibdb.com for these shows.

And what's already closed or said to be coming soon: High Fidelity, The Wedding Singer, The Little Mermaid, Young Frankenstein, Shrek, Goonies, Spider-Man (music by Bono) and The Addams Family.

And don't even get me started on Mamma Mia! - that's a whole separate Abba rant. You know, they actually can write real shows.

As box office revenues are finally up, I guess I should take this as a sign that I'm behind the times, or at least out of touch with demand. But Lord of the Rings?

This post would not be complete without Clay's list of his top 5 favorite musicals. They're eclectic and witty picks. I feel especially proud to have introduced him to most of these shows, though #1 was all him.

Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road

2007-06-19T10:16:00.001-04:00

Ok, I can't resist this stuff this morning-

The Vatican has issued a set of "Ten Commandments" for drivers. They are:

1. You shall not kill.
2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.
5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
7. Support the families of accident victims.
8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
10. Feel responsible toward others.

You have got to be kidding me. The document also suggests praying the rosary while driving. Do you think that's going to help my driving? Have they checked with the DMV on these?

#8 sounds perfect for a reality series.

A real catch

2007-06-19T10:05:00.000-04:00

From yesterday's NY Times article Erasing Tattoos, Out of Regret or for a New Canvas

Kelly Brannigan was suffering from a case of tattoo remorse. Just a year ago, Ms. Brannigan, 24, who holds up Case No. 24 as one of the models on the NBC game show “Deal or No Deal,” had been full of hope when she and her fiancé had each other’s names tattooed across their inner wrists.

But now, when she looks at the letters — P-A-T-R-I-C-K — she is reminded of the failed relationship....

Ms. Brannigan of “Deal or No Deal” said she was happy to see the name of her former fiancé fading from her wrist. She said she had learned an important lesson: “I’m not going to get a tattoo of another guy’s name until I get married.”

Coming this fall

2007-06-19T09:49:00.000-04:00

NYC has officially said go to the cash for grades plan and it will start this fall. Maybe they can pay kids' allowances for taking out the garbage, too.

The school incentive program is part of the mayor’s wider antipoverty initiative, which also includes other cash payments, all raised privately, to influence behavior and reduce poverty. Details of the various incentive programs were announced yesterday by Linda Gibbs, the deputy mayor for health and human services, at a briefing at City Hall. The incentive programs are expected to attract more than 2,500 families in Harlem; Brownsville and East New York in Brooklyn; and the Morris Heights and East Tremont sections of the Bronx, she said.

Cash incentives for adults will include $150 a month for keeping a full-time job and $50 a month for having health insurance. Families will also receive as much as $50 per month per child for high attendance rates in school, as well as $25 for attending parent-teacher conferences.

Under his plan, fourth-grade students will receive up to $25 for a perfect score on each of 10 standardized tests throughout the year. Seventh-grade students will be able to earn twice as much — $50 per test, for a total of up to $500. Fourth graders will receive $5 just for taking the test, and seventh graders will get $10.

In related news... check cashing store owners are ecstatic this morning...

Bada Bing

2007-06-19T08:26:00.000-04:00

Sad the Sopranos is gone? Gawker has the scoop on a Sopranos yard sale happening today in Long Island City. They got the info from the gay pop culture website LOGO. Come early to fetch some of Carmella's chachkis or a stripper pole of your very own.

Update: Found the craigslist post.

Crocs

2007-06-17T19:32:00.000-04:00

New Yorkers can be quite egocentric - and they really hate it when the city succombs to a fashion trend that started somewhere considered less 'fashion-forward.'

The latest offender? Crocs.

Comfy but ugly resin shoes, crocs have been discussed at length in certain NYC mommy circles lately. Founded in Boulder, CO, they're finally reaching California, NY and even Kuwait. Crocs are everywhere. Teri Hatcher & Jack Nicholson wear them - but this doesn't matter. Manhattan moms let out an audible gasp at the mere mention of crocs because it is a symbol of all things mini-van driving and fanny pack wearing. As one mom put it, "So California kids are adopting a fad that Kansas City is already over?" These shoes are surprisingly polarizing and flammable.

We were out looking for Kansas chigger-proof sneakers for Caroline on Thursday in Astoria when we wandered into Modell's. There in the middle of the sneaker aisle was a huge display of crocs. Clay's comments were, "I see a lot of residents wearing those things" and "Caroline and I should get matching pairs." Well, unfortunately, there were no hot pink crocs in Clay's size and no black crocs in Caroline's - so the two won't match after all.

We probably would not have picked up the shoes had we not stumbled across them (We also got those neat light-up sneakers we stumbled across too) - but have them we do. Now we can once more illustrate the difference between Manhattan and Queens: We were at the playground for only about 5 minutes before a parent approached me and said, "Where did you find those shoes?"

Welcome to all things toddler

2007-06-17T18:49:00.000-04:00

A few of things have happened this week that make me think 'toddlerdom' has officially arrived:

Caroline is now 'sans paci.' Though she's only been using it to sleep for months now, it was still a tough break-up for both of them. The paci just sits on the Dining Room table unresponsive. Caroline is really bleary-eyed and will only take one nap. This has put a big dent in my schoolwork & blog time.

Caroline has started taking other children's toys on the playground. True to her Queens roots, I caught her hot wiring a tricycle on Wednesday. Note the picture of her slyly trying to sit on it. I finally broke down and got her a doll stroller that we can take to the park so she doesn't have to bogart poor little Adam's when we get there. She has been pushing this thing non-stop. She won't even let go of it when she falls down (she's not a very good driver). I've taken to hiding it during early morning/evening hours so as not to disturb the neighbors.

Caroline is crying more often now if she doesn't get her way. This is probably related to the tired, bleary-eyed, sans paci phase. We haven't had any full out tantrums yet, but I wouldn't put them too far over the horizon if I continue to hide the stroller.

Caroline has started to 'help' me do things. She assists in loading/unloading the dishwasher and will come running with an oven mitt on her hand if the oven 'dings.' Don't worry - she has not been near the hot oven. She even helps 'clean up' by putting things in the garbage. Yesterday, I found $41, my wallet and the phone there. Good thing there wasn't much to sift through.

Caroline has started staging coups on the playground. This afternoon, she led a gaggle of fellow crumb-crunchers to freedom by opening the gate and letting them all out. Parents scurried while Caroline cruised her stroller around the bathrooms outside and back to the gate again. She released the toddlers once more before giggling and letting herself back in. One of the parents turned to Clay and said, "Why did you teach her that?" We didn't.

I love you Bear

2007-06-11T14:46:00.000-04:00

Caroline had lunch with bear on Thursday outside at Rock Center Cafe. Oh - Aunt Beth, Aunt Jeanne and I were there too. You never would've guessed that, though, as she made rounds to all the other tables.

On Friday, Clay & I managed to catch the 11am showing of Ocean's 13, which was a lot of fun. We'd definitely recommend it for anyone with a sleepy 16mo. After you get through the previews, the movie is quiet enough to sleep through in a stroller.

One more NYT piece to post as a follow up to redshirting. Apparently, NYC is more seriously considering giving kids cash incentives for standardized test scores 4-5 times/year. Although the Department of Education hasn't officially approved the idea, Bloomberg likes it and organizers have already met with some principals. That's certainly another way to go.

The 'Where have you been?' award of the week goes to Clay, who said on Saturday, "Paris Hilton's in jail?" He followed that up later with, "The iPhone looks cool. I want one."

Los Altos Kindergarten Trounces East Claremont

2007-06-09T09:56:00.000-04:00

I'm a little late in posting this article from the NYT that talks about states moving up their school cutoff dates. With standardized testing starting in the 3rd Grade these days, a lot of states are trying to help their scores by ensuring their children have "the gift of time."

Indeed, increasing the average age of the children in a kindergarten class is a cheap and easy way to get a small bump in test scores, because older children perform better, and states’ desires for relative advantage is written into their policy briefs. The California Performance Review, commissioned by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2004, suggested moving California’s birthday cutoff three months earlier, to Sept. from Dec. 2, noting that “38 states, including Florida and Texas, have kindergarten entry dates prior to California’s.”

What caught me about the article was the use of the term 'redshirting' to describe children born close to cut-off dates that are held back a year so they'll perform better against relatively younger peers.

Redshirting is not a new phenomenon... ...Recently, redshirting has become a particular concern, because in certain affluent communities the numbers of kindergartners coming to school a year later are three or four times the national average. “Do you know what the number is in my district?” Representative Folwell, from a middle-class part of Winston-Salem, N.C., asked me. “Twenty-six percent.” In one kindergarten I visited in Los Altos, Calif. — average home price, $1 million — about one-quarter of the kids had been electively held back as well.

Another side note - According to the article, in 49 of 50 states, the average annual cost of day care for a four-year-old in an urban area is more than the average annual public college tuition. The Times then suggests the choice is between spending an unbelievable amount of money for preschool or plopping the kid down for another year of TV "in the basement with Grandma."

You know what I think? Instead of TV, a year of Wii & weightlifting with Grandma will better prepare your child for those older, bigger, faster and much more exciting games of dodgeball on the playground.

The Profit Calculator

2007-06-07T18:12:00.000-04:00

An interesting article in New York Magazine this week does a cursory comparison of the strategy and profits behind 21 different New York businesses, from a soup kitchen to the Yankees. Also on the list: a copy shop, Pfizer, Horace Mann school, Silver Star Diner, Macy's, a yoga studio, a cab driver, Goldman Sachs & others.

I used to shudder watching people buy milk & frozen food from Jack's 99 Cent Store by Bryant Park, but Jack's is making almost $7 mil in profits a year - That's a 23% profit margin.

Other items of note:

The YES Network's profit margin is 60%! I never thought they were worth $2/mo when I pay $.45 for a news channel.

H & M is fascinating - Goods go from design table to store in as little as 2 weeks. That's just crazy.

Will it float?

2007-06-07T09:27:00.000-04:00

Though I don't catch much Letterman these days, I'll always consider myself a fan. I mean, how could you not be a fan of the guy that gifted your brother a canned ham? That's love.

Whenever I try to get Caroline to try something new (food, adventure, etc.), it makes me think of Will it float? This is when Dave & Paul ponder whether an object (bar of ivory soap, vat of oil) will float in a tank of water. They then test the theory.

Well, we've played our Will it Float? at-home game a lot this week. Currently I'm 2 for 3, with homemade Chicken Nuggets, Lemon Poppy Chicken & Balsamic Chicken. The nuggets were a shoe-in, but I was surprised she ate the Lemon Chicken.

Last night, I made Balsamic Chicken with Pesto Gravy & Bitter Greens. It's one of Rachael Ray's 7 minute meals that I can proudly make in 23. It's very easy & good. It tastes much better than the picture would lead you to believe. While Caroline liked the gravy, she wouldn't go near the dish as a whole. It Sinks! buzzzzz

Eureka!

2007-06-07T09:08:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I'm really amazed at the amount of stuff Caroline can learn when she's got some downtime. In the past week or so, she's...

mastered climbing on & off furniture (couch & coffee table)
had moderate success with spoon & fork
climbed up & down stairs without my help by holding onto banister spires. This is pretty exciting, considering she hasn't had much practice on stairs. The only stairs we have are marble - not suitable for occasional practice tumbles.

We think she may also have her first word - 'up.' This doesn't appear at all reliably or without being prompted, though.

But Caroline's personal favorite discovery is how to let herself in and out of the playground. This was a little unsettling to me. Perhaps planners should be aiming a little higher intellectually with their gate locking mechanisms.

Now she's working on doorknobs.

Jackson Heights, Queens - Part II

2007-06-03T10:17:00.000-04:00

JH is the type of hood that's always evolving. There's a large number of families in the JH area and a good sense of community with the co-ops and the many small business owners. (The owner of the Italian deli on the corner even sent us flowers when Caroline was born.) This sense of community, diversity of cultures, architecture, affordability and quick access to midtown beckons to newcomers of all shapes and sizes.

The newest transplants to the hood are just as different as the variety of cultures that came before. They dress and groom themselves differently. They have their own distinct language, strewn with words like Claremont . They are delighted to hear about Jackson Height's FarmSpot. Yes, you guessed it - these people are from Brooklyn.

JH and Brooklyn realtors have been enticing people priced out of Park Slope for a while now and it's starting to really show, through the presence of Polo on kids in Bugs. They stick out like a sore thumb. But now the floodgates can truly open wide. JH is officially no longer one of those neighborhoods summarily dismissed at the start of a new home search. Why? Because, finally, FreshDirect delivers here.

FreshDirect is a central figure in the lives of NYC residents. Based in Long Island City, it is an internet grocery that delivers to most of Manhattan, Brooklyn & Queens and selected parts of NJ, Staten Island, etc. - with summer delivery to the Hamptons as well. Commercials feature clients such as Ed Koch, Bobby Flay and Paulina Porizkova. The website displays the shopping lists of Spike Lee and other celebrity customers. In fact, Clay and I used FD alot when we lived in Manhattan. They were usually cheaper than the local grocery store, provided timely deliveries and you could be really specific about what you wanted to receive (i.e. slightly green bananas). According to Joe, one of his friends gets each of his deli cheese slices individually wrapped.

I was excited to try FD again when they started to deliver to JH. Although I thought they would be slightly more expensive than the local Met grocery, I was sure their quality would be higher as well. It only took one order to realize how much I've changed. Items of note:

All fruits/veggies received were organic. While this is nice, I can't afford to buy apples at $1/apple.
They're very careful not to damage their fruit. The $1/apple apples were packed in a plastic container suitable for fragile tree ornaments. The Bananas were wrapped in foam to prevent bruising. The box of blueberries was encased in an additional plastic case.
They're not very careful with their bread. It came completely squished.

All in all, I spent 66 bucks for what I could've bought for less than 50 down the block - and my bread still came squished. I've finally realized how much I've changed. I'm no longer a Manhattanite. I'm so Queens.

Jackson Heights, Queens

2007-06-02T18:01:00.000-04:00

I often think back to December '05, just before Clay matched at Mt. Sinai for residency. At the time, we contemplated the various places we could end up. They were certainly diverse and any one of the them would surely influence soon-to-be-born Caroline's overall character after having been there for her first 5 years. Would she have a southern accent? or a love for the beach? or season tickets to the Indians? Nope - as it turned out she's going to be a Queens gal. How Queens? Well, let's just say Jackson Heights, Queens.

As I walk around the neighborhood, I can't help but wonder how all this will shape her. Let's just look at the facts. JH is known for:

The most ethinically diverse neighborhood in the most ethnically diverse county in the country. Only 18% of households speak English only. Caroline, of course, doesn't fit into this category as she has yet to speak.
2006's Vendy award winner, Sammy's Halal & another of the finalists, the Arepa Lady. In fact, if you are a chowhound regular, you will know there is actually a map of the best 19 street food vendors in the area (including the Arepa Lady, the Churro Lady, the Oblea Lady and the Suckling Pig Dude). The restaurants are also pretty renowned for NYC.
Being the hometown of Lucy Liu, John Leguizamo, and Gene Simmons .
A substantial gay population & the 2nd largest Gay Pride Parade in NYC.
Being the place where Scrabble was invented.
The country's first planned garden community. The pre-war architecture is what originally drew us here. The history of how this grew from farms only 100 years ago is pretty interesting. Our apartment (built in 1917) still has a nob from the original gas lighting and, as discovered by Clay & Earl, the original cloth electric wiring as well.
A Little India (complete with Bollywood theater and mangoes sold by the case) and a Little Columbia (complete with money laundering).
Being featured in Maria Full of Grace , Ugly Betty and Coming to America (as home to the band 'Sexual Chocolate').

This is a big weekend in Jackson Heights. The barricades are up and there's a purple stripe running down 37th Avenue. We've reached the unmistakable eve of the annual Gay Pride Parade. Tonight is sure to be hopping - with the kind of noise that's rivaled here only during the World Cup. The local Queens Tribune even has their yearly issue devoted to Jackson Height's Divas, including 2002's Queen of the Country. My favorite quote: "It feels like a Victoria’s Secret fashion show directed by Willy Wonka and Hunter S. Thompson."

Maybe we'll wake Caroline up for some late-night pictures with the ladies of Roosevelt Avenue. Maybe we'll just let her sleep instead.

The crib was tagged 'Charlie'

2007-06-02T17:16:00.000-04:00

The rest of my week off from school has gone by fast. Determined to make the most of the free time, we were in Manhattan 3 days of 5. Wednesday was Caroline's 15mo appt., which revealed she was still tall (33") and still has a really big head (49cm). We like to describe it as a thick skull.

Clay was post call on Thursday, so we hit the park for some sprinkler action. Caroline also proved her Queens hometown proud by leaving her first mark on the playground. She's a graffiti artist in the making and only had to bite into one piece of chalk before she decided she was full.

Beth, Caroline & I had a toddlerific lunch with Kristen on Friday and then did the Ferris Wheel in Times Square again. We also introduced Caroline to her first motorized dinosaur. Her expression to Beth was as if to say 'Shouldn't someone be concerned there's a great big roaring dinosaur in the room?' The big dinosaur picture has Caroline in it too - can you find her?

Caroline was so tired yesterday she slept from 6:30pm to 9am (with one wake up @ 5). Boy would Clay be jealous-

A bushel and a peck

2007-05-30T21:25:00.000-04:00

Pat mentioned when she was here that we probably eat a peck of dirt in our lifetime. Well, Caroline's love affair with dirt continued on Tuesday in a busy Bryant Park. She camped out smack dab in the middle of a walking path next to the big lawn. I tried to move her a couple of times (including once when a man in a wheelchair needed to get by), but she was fixated on returning again and again.

We had another great moment on the 7 platform in Grand Central when the Rastafarian drummers offered Caroline one of their drums. She was beaming, drumming along with her newfound, gap-toothed smiling friends. Only in New York. I wish I had gotten a picture, but at the time I was completely caught up in keeping her from putting the drumstick in her mouth. Ewww.

City Girl

2007-05-30T18:28:00.000-04:00

Caroline & I headed out to LI for the parades on Monday. There we met Uncle Joe and shadowed the LV Taekwondo troop as they marched along. Caroline thought they were just the neatest thing - especially the two kids in padded uniforms. Instead of sparring every once in a while, they just kept on hitting each other as they walked.

I lost the camera midway through the route when Caroline decided she didn't want to walk on grass when she could walk on pavement instead - She's a city girl. Joe was a star and retraced our steps, coming up with the camera while Caroline took pictures with Beth during the ceremony.

Caroline loved taking pictures with Beth, especially because she could hit Beth repeatedly on the head with the flag they gave her. You'd think the kid never saw an American flag before...

Here are shots of the parade & the afterparty and one that Joe took of the car to test the camera. The camera was quite wet when he found it.

Forest Park

2007-05-30T10:43:00.000-04:00

We were looking for something new to do on Sunday, so we headed out to Forest Park. It was recommended by neighbors who told us it's the place to go in Queens to see nature. They neglected to mention that it's still surrounded by multiple major roadways.

We took a short hiking trail and headed to a playground on the south side. There, Caroline got her first knee scrape - nothing a few crackers and sippy cup of water couldn't solve.

Caroline's favorite parts were sitting in the dirt, saying hello to some puppies and checking out the reflectors in the road.

Splish Splash: The Original

2007-05-27T10:01:00.000-04:00

Caroline actually went through the sprinklers for the first time on Friday. Silly me didn't bring a camera, but I took some shots with the cellphone. Well, I finally figured out how to get those shots to the computer! Here they are (She's trying to catch water in her mouth).

By the way, after 10 minutes in the sprinkler on Friday her teeth were chattering and her lips were blue. I tried to get her to take a break but she would have none of it. The first time mom here dragged her out of the area and muscled her into the stroller where she cried for several blocks of our trip home. Saturday wasn't nearly so traumatic - Clay let her have her fill of sprinkler time. She eventually left on her own in pursuit of the swings. Both days she needed an extra nap to calm down from all the stimuli. Could you imagine this kid in daycare? She'd be twitching.

Splish Splash

2007-05-26T16:29:00.000-04:00

It's 88 degrees here today. I'm sure Pat is glad she headed home. After emailing my final project this afternoon I headed out to join Caroline & Clay at the park. Although there's no grass in Traver's Park (how the heck is Traver's Park listed on wikipedia?!?), there is a neat set of sprinklers that keep the local kids from opening up fire hydrants. So, I grabbed Caroline a towel, water shoes, extra diapers and an extra set of clothes before I left. Turns out when you're playing with Daddy, there's no need for such supplies. She preferred to stay in her soaked diaper and clothes until we got home. I've rarely seen her more excited. I'm really astounded, though, about how cold the water is from these sprinklers. This must be one of Clay's traits coming through - It would take me at least an hour to run through sprinklers so cold.

On a side note - I included a picture of the general sprinkler scene from my vantage point (ala Caroline & the hipsters). Can you pick out Caroline in green among the other children? There's also a picture of Caroline & her music class friend Alex checking out his new set of wheels.

Cookie Monster

2007-05-26T16:21:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday, Caroline pulled her first thing down from the kitchen counter - it was a package of Oatmeal Raisin cookies. Feed the kid much? I took it as a sign. She and AJ each took a stack of stuck-together yummies. I had to snap a few shots before replacing it with a yellow pepper.

MIA

2007-05-26T13:51:00.001-04:00

I've been pretty much keeping my head in the sand this week, concentrating on finishing my final papers for school. I am proud to say, however, that I am officially done for the semester. Woohoo!! I'm going to go take a walk.

Post Pat in NYC - Day 1

2007-05-21T23:46:00.000-04:00

So, Pat left this morning. I think Caroline & AJ are both crushed.

Stops for the day:
2 dog walks
1 bag of garbage

Naps for the day:
2 - Caroline was out from 11-2:30, so I snuck one in for an hour too.

Highlights of the day:
Leftover Joe's Shanghai.

Boy are we tired!

Pat in NYC - Day 6

2007-05-21T16:45:00.000-04:00

Stops for Sunday, Day 6:
Coney Island
Katz's Delicatessen
Central Park
Joe's Shanghai

Naps for the day:
3 - thanks to Pat

Car-ride illnesses for the day:
0 - again, Pat is a genius!

Highlights of the day:
They painted the Cyclone recently, which makes it harder to distinguish the old wood from the older wood.
The current 'Freak' at 'Shoot the Freak' is really young - and nimble enough to avoid 80% of Clay's shots.
Pat will let you win at boardwalk games if you have a kid who likes stuffed animals.
Katz's is child friendly. Caroline tried her first pickle (she ate half) and Corned Beef (ate very little). She refused to try Liverwurst, but found it to be very squishy. Knishes and Rye Bread were good to go, though.
There's a Dairy in Central Park. I think this freaked Pat out.
The Polar Bears at the Central Park Zoo are absolutely adorable. The pigeons at the Zoo are more interesting to Caroline than the goats - and they're faster than toddlers as well.

Pat in NYC - Day 5

2007-05-20T21:56:00.000-04:00

Stops for Saturday, Day 5:

Papa Faughnan's

Naps for the day:

Car-ride illnesses for the day:

Pat in NYC - Day 4

2007-05-20T20:12:00.001-04:00

Stops for Day 4:

Grand Central Station

Chrysler Building

New York Public Library

Bryant Park

Times Square

Naps for the day:

A big fat 0, though the rousing game of peek-a-boo with 2 young men on the 7 train was quite a refresher. They started the game, by the way.

Stuffed animals for the day:

1 purple #7 train bear.

Caroline's firsts for the day:

First NYC pretzel (Times Square)

First gravel-ly surface (Bryant Park)

First carousel ride (Bryant Park)

First ferris wheel ride (Times Square). All were rousing successes.

Oh - and first time chasing Bryant Park piegeons. They are also faster than toddlers.

Pat in NYC - Days 3/4

2007-05-20T20:06:00.001-04:00

We had a great visit from Brian, Miriam, Liz & Ceniza on Thursday night, which made the female to male ratio in the apartment 7:2. Poor Brian & Clay-

Pat in NYC - Day 3

2007-05-19T21:38:00.000-04:00

Stops for Thursday, Day 3:

Brooklyn Heights & Promenade

Grimaldi's Pizza

Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory/

Old Fulton Landing

Brooklyn Bridge

Naps for the day:
One on the F train going to Brooklyn

Lessons for Day 3:

Grimaldi's is child friendly.

Caroline can be suspicious of ice cream like no toddler should.

Brooklyn pigeons are faster than toddlers.

Pat in NYC - Day 2

2007-05-16T20:09:00.000-04:00

Stops for the day:

Roosevelt Island Bus Tour

Roosevelt Island Tram

Serendipity

Bloomingdales

FAO Schwartz

Jekyll & Hyde

Naps for the day:

1 on F train going home

Lessons for the day:

Sometimes, the RI Tram only runs on the hour.

Serendipity is not child friendly, but the frozen hot chocolate is really good.

Bloomingdales does not carry kids' shoes.

A stroller left outside Serendipity will not be stolen.

The Silver Cross pram Pat likes at FAO Schwartz costs $3000.

Caroline is heavy enough to activate the step-on piano there.

Caroline will hold exactly 1 horse, 1 lamb & 1 cow before she refuses a stuffed animal.

Place your bets

2007-05-15T21:43:00.000-04:00

Pat's in Queens! - Day 1

On the schedule for Wednesday-
Roosevelt Island Tram
Bloomies
Serendipity
Central Park Zoo/Carousel

Thursday:
Brooklyn Bridge
Grimaldi's
Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory
Ground Zero
Staten Island Ferry

Friday:
Macy's / H&M
Empire State Building
Chrysler Building
Grand Central
Times Square

Somehow, we want to fit in the Cyclone, Katz's, Chinatown, a good meatball hero & a good italian sub too. Maybe we'll just do nothing but eat on Sunday.

So, place your bets....
How far do you think we'll get with a 14mo? Clay says 2 activities tops.

By the way, if anyone is interested in joining in the fun (all day of something or even just lunch), give me a ring at home or on the cell. Obviously, seeing family trumps sightseeing anyday.

Beware your Mothers' Day flowers

2007-05-14T20:46:00.000-04:00

I was surprised to find out today that tulips are poisonous. Don't worry though, said Poison Control, they only produce a rash on & in the mouth - nothing too serious.

Apparently, another side effect is an aversion to bathing. This is the first day since she was 10 days old that Caroline hasn't bathed. Don't tell the other babies.
These shots were taken during the chase scene. She managed to take her shirt off while at a trot.

Do you notice something else interesting about these shots? Maybe a dog strategically placing themselves in the area? Yeah- there was an uneaten grilled cheese sandwich nearby. It's days like this that I like to remind both dog and baby that I used to manage 60+ people and a multi-million dollar operation. They really don't seem to care.

Happy Mothers' Day

2007-05-13T10:11:00.000-04:00

Happy Mothers' Day everyone! It's hard to know what really to say today. We planted our Mothers' Day flowers last week, so all we have left to celebrate with is our Mothers' Day guacamole & sangria. Most anything trite I could say about the day would sound just like that. So, instead I'll write about Caroline again.

It was time for dinner, also known as Caroline's messiest meal of the day. Dinner is immediately followed by bathtime, so anything messy is ok by me at this time of day only. I decided to make her a peanut butter & jelly sandwich (who knew that PB&J could be messy?), when she started the predictable tugs of my leg. I turned to say 'Would you like me to make you a sandwich?', when instantly into my head popped the words that followed, '*Poof!* You're a sandwich!'

Suddenly, a joke my Mother once told me ad nauseum became the funniest one I'd ever heard. I giggled and reflected yet again on all that I've learned in the past 14 months - all the times I've said to myself 'How do you think she handled this?' or 'Man, I can't believe I put her through that.' It's only since I've had Caroline that I finally think I have the smallest understanding of her sense of humor.

Later, after the craziness of this past week, I was trying to figure out the most appropriate activity for Mothers' Day. Clay is post-call today, his only day off between last Sunday and next Sunday. Surely, he will be tired. There's laundry and cleaning to be done too- and that's a priority given the condition of the apartment. But the most ideal thing for me to do today is one thing -nothing.

'I would relax... I would sit on my [rear end] all day... I would do nothing.' - Office Space

Now I know why my Mom always referred to that as 'having a party.'

Kid! Be careful - that's a grate!

2007-05-12T22:54:00.000-04:00

The question has come up from a few as to the origin of the title of this blog. Please, rest assured - Caroline has not been playing with a bag of glass. The title refers to a recurring Saturday Night Live skit with Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin that goes something like this.

No, Caroline has not been playing with glass - and please also know that no Carolines have been harmed in the filming of this blog. Usually, I will spot her on something at least once or twice before I grab the camera to document.

Back to our regularly scheduled post:

In keeping with the theme for this week (socialization), Caroline and I ventured out for a neighborhood playgroup on Friday. While we had gone to this playgroup once before, that was back in November. My winter hibernation and classes (and such) have prevented us from attending ever since. I was intrigued to see how Caroline would fare with these older kids now that she, too, could move about the room.

Knowing that I could never convince Caroline to get in the stroller for the 5th &6th times that day, I strapped on the Ergo and hoofed it to 91st St., about 1/2 mile away. There, nine children playing with 15 parents supervising seemed like 18 children with two. It was crazy and complete with wine, cookies and cheez-its. After an hour, Caroline was falling all over the place, a sure sign she was too tired to continue. So, we started to hoof it back home. We got about two blocks before she repeatedly lunged for the ground (her new signal that she wants to walk). We worked out a comprise where I would let her walk on two conditions: 1. That she walks in the general direction of home and 2. That I carry her across the streets where the vroom-vrooms go.

This worked for three additional blocks before she discovered her first sidewalk grate. Caroline's a sucker for a new surface, so I let her cross back and forth about 5 times before taking a picture. Once she started picking at the grate, I decided it was time for us to move on. She voiced her disagreement with this for one additional block before we came across a party store. Here, we picked out a small Grover of our own to take home and finished our trip home back in the Ergo.

Wow - this post has certainly meandered a bit. Cutting to the chase, the thrusts of it are: 1. Caroline discovered her first sidewalk grate on Friday and 2. It took us a full hour to get home.

Ever feel like you're in a Family Circus cartoon? All this socialization has gotten me tired.

Gantry Plaza State Park

2007-05-12T10:34:00.000-04:00

We took our first mommy outing on Thursday with S & N to Gantry Plaza State Park, another park on the water in Long Island City. This one is a bit south of Socrates State Park, with views of the UN, Chrysler Building & Empire State Building. It's set in (yet another) industrial section of Queens, complete with gantries and the Pepsi-Cola sign. (There will be some pictures of those on the side when blogger will let me add an element to the template.)

Formerly the 'hood of the eldest Swensson, there's been much change in the year or so since she left - 3 more luxury residential towers (to add to the original 2) with 7 more underway. It's really quite good that the 2012 Olympics didn't come to NYC - who needs an olympic village when you can have luxury highrises? Sticking completely with the usual NYC gentrification plan, they're converting a number of factories into lofts and opening up a Whole Foods too.

While Caroline, again, was unfazed by the skyline, she was quite enamoured with a long stone path by the water. She let me chase her down it a couple of times before she discovered the 'Dog Free Zone' sign. It was here that she stopped trotting. She immediately approached the sign started pounding her hands on it as if to say 'AJ!!!!! Nooooooooo!!!!!'. She then grabbed the rails and rattled the door for extra emphasis. Finally, she pointed at the sign and gave a little pant (signifying she knew it was a picture of a dog) to show her solidarity.

Later on we wandered down to Pier #2, which is completely enclosed by hatched wire, thank goodness. There, Caroline & N met a new dog friend and played while the dog's female owner - I'll call her B - tried to pick S & myself up. The conversation went something like this:

B: Are they cousins or friends?

Me: Friends.
B: Do you live around here?

Me: No, we're just on a trip - from Jackson Heights
B: Oh! Do you like to explore the city with the kids?

Me:Yeah
B: Well, I was working on getting something together. Would you be interested?
Me: Oh - do you have a child? Are you a mommy?
B: Uh - no, I actually have a friend who is. She has two girls. I just like to put things together
Me: Oh.

What I learned from the conversation? Piers are definitely not a place to hook-up with other mommies. People on piers are just plain weird.

Doing the mommy thing...

2007-05-12T07:35:00.000-04:00

I can't say that I am the most social of creatures, especially over the past year. Between baby, school & my winter hibernation period, I usually consider myself lucky just to make it outside most days. This can, however, get pretty boring - so I decided this week to make an effort to socialize.

My first discovery in the world of socialization is that the playground swings are the ultimate 'mom hook up point' (or so to speak). It is here, when babies and toddlers are happily confined, that moms have the best chance to meet and chit-chat. I've met many moms, nannies, grandmothers and yes, even the occasional dad, while pushing Caroline back and forth and back again. It's hard not to liken it to a singles bar. The conversation is pretty predictable -'Oh! He/she is so cute. When did he/she learn to walk/talk/drool so well?' This can continue for up to 5 minutes before one party decides there's not much of a connection and moves on.

It's pretty random to find someone with similar 'mommy interests' as yours. (Already note above, that you often don't even find a mommy pushing the swing.) However, if it is a mommy, someone with similar 'mommy interests' can be defined as: having a passable personality and a child of the same relative age / development stage as your own. This is when it's ok to move the informal connection to the playground or make a big leap to 'ask them out' for a play date.

Well, last Thursday, Caroline and I finally made a connection at the swings. Next to us was a mommy and daughter - I'll call them S & N. S & I started the usual chat... 'blah...blah...blah...' when we soon realized we had a lot in common. Not only were Caroline & N the same age, they were born just a day apart. Neither had any words yet and neither mother was going to worry regardless of what the books said. Suddenly, the conversation moved past the normal 5 minutes and we discovered we were both in school - and we both had a black lab. This was surely kismet. There was only one problem: S & N moved on to the playground without asking for a play date. I'm not one to rush into things either, so Caroline and I continued about our day. It was only later on that I started second-guessing my moves. Did I make too many jokes? Should I have offered out our number?

It was then on Monday that we bumped into S & N again. Coming out of the library, Baby Einstein 'Baby Da Vinci' in tow, we ran into S & N and two other mommies/babies going the other way. Obviously, S & N were social creatures. But never fear - they soon invited us for our first mommy outing - Yes!

Blocks!

2007-05-09T15:16:00.000-04:00

I've learned to recycle Caroline's toys to keep her freshly entertained (and the Living Room floor from being completely covered). It also helps when there's a toy she can't quite master. Such was the case with the blocks. A thoughtful gift from Bri/Mir/Liz, when the blocks arrived they were mostly regarded by Caroline as 120 uniquely interesting objects to be put in the mouth. For Clay and I, though, they provided endless hours of fun building castles, boats, etc. after she went to bed. After about a month, the blocks were removed from the toy mix.

Flash forward to yesterday and the recycling of the blocks. Caroline caught on to stacking them almost immediately and was quite excited (first picture). Then, she remembered they were also uniquely interesting objects to be put in the mouth (second picture). The third picture shows her trying to stack two with all her might (aka. pushing really hard with two fingers). Tomorrow? Trying to get her to understand that you can stack more than just two at a time.

The Common Language of Genius

2007-05-09T14:05:00.000-04:00

Eureka!

Believe you me, I am not the kind that likes to get bogged down by my own minutiae - and I like even less to read about someone else's. However, there's something so incredible about kids' 'firsts' (first ice cream cone, first mouthful of dirt) that I just can't provide Caroline with a story of her early years without including the little details.

So, feel free to skip the minutiae of some posts (labeled 'Eureka'). Like this one-

The Introduction of the Cherry Tomato

Caroline tried cherry tomatoes for the first time yesterday. They were decided to be explosive, and therefore exciting (first picture) - they did not, however, replace mac-n-cheese as her favorite food (second picture).

Lucky #13

2007-05-07T22:34:00.000-04:00

Caroline & AJ, best friends ever since Caroline started sharing her meals, now have some else in common. They both have canine teeth! As best as I can tell, Caroline's lower right cuspid broke through sometime during her nap today, causing her to scream. A lot.

This tooth has been plaguing my evening slumber for about a week. This is how the story goes: Sometime between 1 - 3am, Caroline awakes and chats (aka babbles) at length, finally culminating in screams. I respond and am met by Piglet at the crib rail. He has little to say. Caroline, meanwhile, continues her presentation for the others, who are assembled in a circle surrounding her. Only after hugging Piglet, Lamb and Hippo (and sometimes Ernie or Bear) am I allowed to give Caroline a glass of milk. This is followed by some Tylenol and an optional diaper change before returning her to bed, where she sleeps until morning.

Congratulations, Lucky 13.

Flowers Anyone #3?

2007-05-07T12:23:00.000-04:00

Sunday began with Caroline missing planting session #3 for, as you might have guessed, a nap. We'll see how the flowers and new fancy grass seed take. I've already replanted about 20 impantiens dug up by the squirrels.

Our neighbor Kerry let us know there was an opening at Socrates Sculture Park in Long Island City. So, since we were already headed next door to Costco, we popped in to see what it was like. I've created a new Blog masthead from my favorite picture, one I like to call

'Caroline & the Hipsters.'

Caroline had a great time mingling with the crowd - adults, children and dogs alike. Unimpressed with the view of the skyline, she preferred a colorful little boat teeming with children. There are some more pictures on the side.

Flowers Anyone #2?

2007-05-07T12:01:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, we took advantage of the beautiful weather to go on a long walk. Carlos & Nora joined us for lunch at Sapori D'Ischia, our favorite little Italian restaurant, 'nestled' in the warehouse section of Woodside. It's just down the street from one of Grandpa Earl's favorites, Fastenal. After lunch, we grabbed some yummy pastries from Lety's, a new Jackson Heights bakery with a pastry chef who logged some 20+ years at Veneiro's. Lety is his wife - and the boss.

With nourishment in hand, we started planting in the back garden. Caroline, however, tuckered out from a very exciting meal, skipped the planting session entirely for a very important second nap.

Flowers Anyone?

2007-05-07T11:55:00.000-04:00

With Clay off for the weekend, we spent most of our time planting flowers. Caroline, however, successfully dodged these duties not once or twice, but three times. After sleeping through planting at Grandpa John's house on Friday, she was in fits when she discovered a bare patch on the east side of the flowerbed. Poor Beth.

Climb every mountain

2007-05-04T08:54:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday, Caroline scaled the coffee table for the first time, proudly strutting across before realizing she didn't know how to get down. I sure hope she learns soon so I don't have to sit on this thing all summer.

Wednesday night, she learned how to take her shirt off all on her own. This discovery was made at approximately 1:30am, and was immediately followed by the discovery that it is very cold at night without a shirt on. I finally wisened up when I replaced the shirt a second time (around 3:45am). The new, short sleeved shirt stayed on for the remainder of the night.

Next Semester

2007-05-04T08:37:00.000-04:00

Well, registration is done. My summer courses will be Advanced Topics in Finance & Valuation and Capital Investment.

I've always enjoyed having some light summer reading.

Dance Party

2007-05-03T22:20:00.000-04:00

Raise your pj's up in the air and wave 'em round like you just don't care!

Lately, it's been harder to convince Caroline that she needs to wear clothes. Post-bathtime is a particularly difficult part of the day for this. This was taken in hot pursuit of Her Highness.

All in a rush, it was then that I realized...

2007-05-03T21:17:00.000-04:00

I am living with Al Gore.

It started out harmless enough. One day she wanted to turn off the lights. We thought it was a great. Almost convinced we had discovered it ourselves, it was a ingenious distraction that eased the long, dreaded walk to night-night.

Next, it was organic mac-n-cheese. We again deluded ourselves - by thinking she liked the bunny on the box, or the melodious rattle of uncooked macaroni - or even the Costco discount. But since then, it has become the mac-n-cheese of choice, received with squeals of delight in the bulk pasta aisle, with hand slaps and foot swings. Needless to say, it would rival the mighty Hippo puppet in baby delight, if Hippo weren't so darn huggable.

No, we hadn't realized anything was out of the ordinary until last Thursday. I was getting a glass of milk from the fridge when I turned and realized she had shut the refrigerator door. She had shut the door. It was then that I realized, as she glared at me with a look of disdain (or possible thirst). I am living with Al Gore.

What this doesn't explain, however, is her tendancy to get carsick in the Prius.