May 25, 2008
More photos of the family in Virginia.
My son has
been the perpetrator of some well-documented sippy-cup jackings. Its true.
Another was reported by Claudia in the park this morning. Apparently,
as in cases before, he was told “no!” But he did it anyway.
Some part of me feels good, like, ok, everyone recognizes that the kid
understands the word “no” and its not just me he doesn’t
listen to. When an object that Devlin wants is involved, he really doesn’t
want to hear it from anyone.
But I know that as his parent, I am somehow responsible for putting an
end to this. Ugh. Who knows how to make him stop? He’s in the other
room right now supposedly sleeping but what he is really doing is wacking
his bottle against the bars of the crib (like a teeny tiny prisoner) and
yelling “Upa!”…(Upa being his word for Up)
So we have been out recently. Yeah, out and about, socializing, eating
(which has got to stop) and drinking. LW threw a lovely birthday party
for Jim M., where Jenny also presented me with a cake and they all sang
for both Jim & I, and it was very fun and happy, so a big thanks to
you to all. Anyway, that was at Coco
66, which continues to be a great bar in the hood. Where else can
you get together with a large crowd, manage to bump into your old Bklyn
neighbors AND an old friend from high school?
For our anniversary Jim and I went to Dressler.
We have been wanting to try the place out for forever, but its down the
other end of the neighborhood, definitely a no-kids establishment and
expensive. So we finally went since we had a babysitter and it was an
occasion. We ate. We enjoyed. I would like my whole apartment’s
interior redone to look like Dressler's…but
the food, while delicious…was….um, a bit overpriced and on
the pretentious side? I had a kick-ass pomegranate martini and the sauce
on the ravioli appetizer was amazing, but you know, you gotta think, “am
I really paying $35 to eat a (tiny) piece of halibut under the Williamsburg
Bridge.” Yes, I was. And no, I don’t think I can justify that
kind of excess anymore.
A more pleasant surprise is the addition of “Lokal”
to the neighborhood. Like many other people, my first reaction to this
restaurant going in was, what the hell is it and why the hell don’t
they know how to spell “Local”?!
But it’s good! It’s reasonably priced! Its not crowded! They deliver! I went there on my birthday with LG and had a delicious pasta with shrimp, then last night I had the grilled vegetables and Jim had what he thought might be “the best turkey burger ever.” Sweet. Oh, also, forget what they say about this being a "mediterranean" bistro...this is astraight up multi-culti mismash of foods.
And that crazy bitch Denise Richards is premiering her new reality show on the E! channel sometime this weekend. Tivo that shit. And then on days when you are in the dumps about how much you messed up your own life and thinking you have already messed up your kids, you can watch it! Her life can make you feel better about yourself, your husband, your kid, your girlfriend, your dog, whatever...I think her actual quote to the press this week regarding her ex husband Charlie Sheen was that she didn't want nor need his "prostitute-tranny-infested sperm." I am happy to report guys, it has NEVER gotten that bad at our house. Yay!
May 24, 2008
So we spent last weekend in Virginia. I want to say it was relaxing, but you know that would be a lie. There is no such thing as relaxing with kids, is there?
We also had an appalling reality check. The reality that we are indeed...clear throat...absolutely 100% out of shape. That is true for both Jim and myself. I have been told by Jim "we will not speak of this" so I am not at liberty to go into the full details here. Suffice to say that Jim had a kyacking "incident" and while running across a two lane highway, on my way to try to help him, I pulled my calf muscle.
What did I learn from this? I am joining the gym this weekend. Must. Lose. Weight. I was reading this study about how people do best quitting smoking in groups. Makes sense. That's how people lose weight too. So there ya go, who's in??? What's the weight loss plan?
New Weezer video for Pork and Beans. If you are like me you should be very, very scared by how many references you get in that video. Have I been mainlining the internet or something?
Real World Brooklyn. Oh yeah. Ok, all I want in the whole wide world (Santa, are you listening?) is for someone I know to hook up with one of the housemates. Please single people, please.
Jim & Elle:
May 20, 2008
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| In all of our family shots, Dev's back is turned, but here ya go...I'll get better ones from Lisa. |
 |
May 11, 2008...also...
I forgot to link this earlier. Dev likes to eat Annie's Cheddar Bunnies. A lot.
May 11, 2008
Mother’s
day. I love being a mom and love my son more than anything on earth. But
I can still find the whole being-a-mom-thing to be overwhelming and frustrating
and draining at times.
Ok, I’ll admit it; sixteen-months does not seem to be my favorite
phase so far in my son’s development. I loved, loved, loved 4 –
10 months-- that was the sweet spot for me. Now, my once docile, smiley-faced
son seems to have turned into defiant anarchist toddler. Oh, he’s
still totally smiley. He smiles while he tries to strangle the cat, he
smiles as he touches the hot mug, smiles as he tries to remove the baby
proofing from the wall outlet.
When he sees something on the floor that he realizes he can put in his
mouth but that he shouldn’t put in his mouth, this completely mischievous
grin spreads across his face. He looks at me, then lunges for the object
and then takes off at such a speed that you would be convinced this kid
has a future as an Olympic runner.
I sit around sometimes when he is throwing a particularly dramatic tantrum
and think, “Am I a bad mom? What am I doing wrong?”
Then I begin to reconsider all of my mommy decisions. Like I thought the
fact that Devlin shares a nanny with another little baby his age was a
great idea…. he would be socialized! He would learn to share! But
instead it seems to have released his inner competitive bully, where he
has no trouble shoving another kid or stealing their sippy cup, or just
trying to move them out of the way so he can get more attention.
My son is
now a biter. He never does it out of anger, but rather an expression of
a BIG
BIG love. He seems to really enjoy it.
He often laughs as well, after he bites. Yesterday he came up behind me
as I was cooking in the kitchen and hugged me by the legs from behind…then
bit me in the butt.
Other moms have told me that this is a common enough problem. The books
say that it's often related to speech delay or frustration about speech.
And that does seem like it could be a factor in this case. Devlin has
not been the most verbose kid, not “verbally-delayed” per
se, but his partner in crime – the little girl his age he spends
all his time with – is like a walking dictionary at the moment.
Yeah, she’s a girl, and yeah, she’s a particularly advanced
girl, so it’s to be expected. But I think Dev is getting REALLY
frustrated at not being able to express what he wants. And in turn I am
getting really frustrated with the biting.
We have
been advised to firmly tell him, "No biting.” And stop playing
with him for a minute. If you engage him in any way after the biting (negative
or positive) he thinks it’s a game and keeps on doing it.
I was thinking about getting him this book, Teeth
are not for Biting, but I already bought him Tails
are Not for Pulling by the same author and that hasn’t
seemed to help his relationship with the cats.
First of
all, Dev doesn’t actually like to “read” or “listen”
to books, he likes to slam through the pages of books, hit things with
books and put books in little stacks all over the house. Reading the books
(or listening to someone read the books) doesn’t seem to occur to
him, nor does he enjoy it at all. It’s hard to believe he is my
son. And of course, I am always getting him more and more books thinking,
“maybe he’ll like this one” and no, he won’t…he
prefers his drums and his new skateboard.
Really, he has a skateboard and he loves it. It’s half the size
of daddy’s skateboard and super cute. Dev holds out his hands for
help to steady himself, says “Up?” then steps up on the board,
busts a huge grin and bounces up and down until he falls or the board
flies out from under him.
Ok, so let me say that all the qualities that drive me up the wall right
now, will most likely be qualities that I will admire in the grown up
Devlin. Like his fearlessness. Its very admirable.
Devlin also happens to be one of the friendliest and cutest little guys
I have ever seen. And he is the best bath-partner ever.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Even the cat is starting to come around... |
 |
Happy mother’s day!
May 10, 2008
Fuck, fuck, fuck. It's gorgeous out and it is Mother's Day weekend and I am SICK. Yes sick. Jim was sick last weekend/beginning of this week...by Thursday Dev had a fever of 102 and I just knew it was coming, KNEW it. But I'm stilled pissed. I'm still hoping to drag my ass our for a Mother's Day brunch tomorrow...mama likes her Bloody Marys.
You guys, I don't know how to break this to you, but the Union Square subway station is infested with bedbugs. And yes, they can live on wooden furniture and have been found on the benches in said subway station. I almost vomitted when I read this.
If you believe in balance in the universe, this story will only add to your belief system.
10 things to recycle that you didn't think you could.
The tower of smelly toys is being removed from the LES. Another step in the complete erradication of all local flavor from the neighborhood.
I walked by this church on 29th street the other day...on a mission to find a Claire's so that I could get High School Musical gear for my goddaughter in London (yeah, its friggin inescapable)...Anyway, the church is covered in ribbons, mostly yellow, filled in with names of service members that have been killed in Iraq. And I was shocked. Shocked, that is, that there aren't more reminders around that we are a country at war, you know? That this war, like every other American "aggression" is becoming so distant and abstract from our everyday life that all I ever hear about on the news is the price of gas. And yeah, I'm as guilty as everyone else.
May 4, 2008
Can you still buy a house in Greenpoint for $890,000? Aren't the prices supposed to be crashing down around us? Why don't I see this happening?
Good site for looking up all those songs in the Ipod commercials that you don't know. I just downloaded the Ting Tings. Dev was partial to that song by Yael Naim - he likes the la la la's - Jim hates it. I downloaded it for Dev to dance around. He nods his head up and down totally off beat, then does this strange little James Brown shuffle.
Maybe we can get over to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens for Mothers day. Its cherry blossom season, and I miss it every year. Damn my job, and the long bus ride across Brooklyn, and my general lack of interest in trees and parks for keeping me down year after year!
I have a dream of having a house big enough to have a treadmill in it. Really...that's how small my dreams are.
May 3, 2008
Among Devlin's favorite things: being naked and playing with the computer and mouse.
 |
 |
 |
| He also likes to dance. |
 |
| And play with his dad. |
 |
 |
Kid lost in the mountains "thought" his leg was broken, but he was really just tripping. How have I reached my old age without ever hearing the term "gorked"???
I don't have Showtime, so I downloaded This American Life, the tv show, on my Ipod. Then I found myself riding the subway, and even transferring to the G train, just so that I could watch the show. So entertaining!
April 23, 2008
Gotta go to SF. Will be back soon.
In the meantime....
Renegade Craft Fair is back in McCarren Park pool on June 14 and 15. I will be there shopping for everyone's bday presents so if you pass me carrying something, please ignore the booty.
And music is back in the Pool as well. Word on the street is the Breeders will be playing, but it has not been announced yet. But Wilco and The Hold Steady are def. playing. Whoo hoo.
Yeah, I know you're all sick of my baby articles. But this one is really interesting...really! A mothers diet following conception may determine the sex of the child. Ok, and they think it is high glucose levels that causes boys. I gained a shitload in the beginning! I live on chocolate! This theory is a winner!
Who is gonna go see Baby Momma with me?
You walk wrong. We all do.
April 22, 2008
Lisa W. quit her job. Lisa G. got a job. Drinks were in order:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
We were over at Union Pool, which I have not been at forever. They have expanded their backyard, and its really nice, but they no longer have those heater thingies there to warm up cold hands on a chilly night. Come to think of it, I was at Pete's Candy Store on Jim's bday and the outside heaters were missing from there as well. Is it due to the price of whatever they use to light those things? Because they are bad for the environment? Does anywhere still have them?!
Speaking of bars in the hood, Jenny and I were at Bar Matchless last week...so I could drown my midweek crisis in a shot and a beer. I also have not been there in forever, so I got to check out the outdoor patio that was installed like a year ago.
In other news, one of the other owners of Matchless is taking over Galapagos with guys from Southpaw. Whew. That's a lot of bar news huh?
The federal government reversed itself on the whole plastics and Bisphenol-A dealie last week. So throw out all that plastic, especially if you have baby bottles made out of it. Now I don't feel like a complete sucker for buying the Born Free bottles that I can't stand.
April 21, 2008
Devlin and Jaya had a play date last week. Dev's still a bit too big for Jaya, but they will be evening out soon enough. In the meantime, Devlin likes to steamroll Jaya with his entire body since she is still too little to object.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| So then I turned around to take some pretty mommy-baby shots of Lisa & Jaya... |
 |
 |
| And when I turned back, Dev was eating dirt. Yeah, dirt. I think its good for him. |
 |
 |
April 14, 2008
I feel compelled to clarify that I have already read Brave New World about twenty times. I am RE-reading it for a class. I feel so much better since that is off of my chest.
We got this BK poster for the kid's room.
 |
I think its pretty awesome. Buy one here.
Speaking of consuming, I saw this craigslist ad for some guys collection of "Smiley" figurines. Someone must buy. Is JM interested? LW? you got a lot of room now, and these dolls are smiling at you...c'mon! ACT QUICK.
Thursday, April 17th at 7pm there is a "Push for Parks" update meeting at the Warsaw on Driggs.
Find out the latest on Bushwick Inlet Park, India St End Park, Million Tree Project, Barge Park, McCarren Park, Brooklyn Greenway, Cooper Park, Transmitter Park and more...
Check out GWAPP for more info. Jim will be there representing the fams.
April 13, 2008
Books, books, books! That can go on the bottom of my gravestone, should anyone be taking notes here. I finished Songs Without Words, by Ann Packer, that the Times seemed to like a whole lot more than I did. But I'm gonna loan it to a friend and get her reaction before I judge.
Now I'm reading Brave New World by Aldous Huxley for a class I'm taking and at the same time reading A Nation of Wimps: The High Cost of Invasive Parenting. I'll let you know how it all turns out.
Gentrification Bingo - very funny.
Anyone watching the John Adams miniseries on HBO besides me and Jim? This made me laugh.
April 13, 2008
My kid is growing up fast.
 |
 |
 |
|||||
|
|||||
|
|