Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Moved!
We moved into our new home on Monday and are quickly settling in! Here are a few pictures to enjoy.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Farewell New York
We only have three more days left in the apartment. I felt a little guilty last night when I realized this blog has been an endless rant of how much I can't wait to leave the city. So I decided in all fairness -- being that I was trained to be a balanced journalist -- I needed to write a post about how wonderful this apartment has been too.
For four and a half years, since shortly before Bret and I were married, we have lived here and made so many wonderful memories. This apartment has been great to us despite its shortcomings in the dishwasher and laundry department. We love this place. It will always be the place where we truly become a family. For better or worse, here are some of my most memorable memories.
1) The Horny Pigeons. Not long after we moved in we discovered that pigeons would rest on the stoop outside our bedroom window. It didn't seem so bad until we realized that all they wanted to do was get it on 24-7. I didn't even realize that pigeons had sex, but let me tell you when pigeons get it on boy are they loud. This kept us up many a weekends when we were trying to sleep in and finally culminated in a trip to Home Depot where a very scared sales associate told me that no they do not sell pigeon spikes to mount outside apartment windows and that I should probably seek professional help.
2) Getting stuck in the elevator. Oh, the elevator! We have an old-fashion pre-war style elevator in our building that likes to run out of juice every so often. It also likes to take you to the wrong floor two our of three times you ride in it. One morning before work I got stuck in the elevator. Eventually it let me down to the basement where there are no stairs leading up to the first floor. Can you say fire code violation? Well, stairs do exist but they are locked. Long story... I had to go into the back ally behind our apartment, climb up the fire escape and climb in someone's bedroom window. Boy, was that awkward... Did I mention this was also the same morning I had a huge presentation at TIME Magazine for one of my stories?
3) Tin-foil parties. We have had a lot of parties here. Birthday parties. Housewarming parties. Just because we feel like it parties. But none tops Bret's first birthday party here when we all got so drunk that we made those tin-foil hats. This is why you don't play quarters after the age of 25...
4) Nestie. After returning from our Honeymoon in Hawaii in 2006 we found that a pigeon had laid a nest of eggs on the air conditioner outside our apartment. After a few months of listening to pigeons make out all the time I insisted that we knock it down because the last thing I wanted was baby pigeons chirping... That was until Bret decided to get all sentimental and name the pigeon Nestie and the two eggs -- Doctor Kenneth Noisewater and James Westfall. Anchorman, anyone?
5) The great printer incident. For Valentine's Day 2007, our first as a married couple Bret asked me what I wanted. I am not a jewelry person. I don't like having chocolate around because I will eat it all and I am sort of cheap so I told him what I could really use was a new printer and I figured he would get me something else small like flowers. Well, Bret took me a little too literally. He got the printer but that was all. No $5 bouquet of flowers to be romantic. No sweet little teddy bear saying how much he loved me. I wasn't looking for something big. I was just looking for something. The whole thing culminated in an argument until Bret went to the store and came back with a bouquet of beef jerky to show how he had acted. I started cracking up the moment he walked in. The beef jerky has been on top of our refrigerator even since and it always makes us smile. Ewww, I just realized how gross that probably is...
6) Rockband. When Rockband first came out Bret was obsessed. So were our friends. We played morning, noon and night. Until our downstairs neighbors got pissed off. I can't say I really blame them but it escalated into a full our war between the two apartments to see who could be the loudest. Such maturity. Wow, and we have a child now...
7) Thar she blows. Before I got pregnant with Alyson I liked to drink from time to time. Every six to eight months I would get together with my girlfriends and really have at the bottle. My stomach, however, does not like me to drink and every time would culminate in an all morning session with me wrapped around the toilet. An act Bret fondly dubbed "Thar she blows." Oh yes, the bathroom toilet and I have many fond memories together.
8) Settlers of Catan. Last year we were obsessed with Settlers of Catan. Bret and I are big board game lovers but none has captured our heart as much as Settlers. We spent many a nights up with friends playing on our living room coffee table -- something that is a little tougher to do now that Alyson is here. But we will get back there. I'll give you two sheep for one pacifer....
9) Nail polish stains. For some reason I can't seem to not spill nail polish remover. In fact, I think I have spilled nail polish remover on every piece of furniture in this apartment. When I walk around it makes me remember the loud curse words I yelled out every time it happens and Bret screaming from the other room -- What did you do? Are you doing your nails? Carolyn!
10) Bringing Alyson home. Nothing can top the August afternoon when we brought Alyson home and placed her in her crib for the first time. I guess you could say Bret and I grew up in this apartment. We became adults here and then we became a family. I'm glad Alyson will grow up in the suburbs but I am also glad she was born a New Yorker. After all, it's much cooler than saying you were born in New Jersey. That's just lame...
Goodbye New York!
For four and a half years, since shortly before Bret and I were married, we have lived here and made so many wonderful memories. This apartment has been great to us despite its shortcomings in the dishwasher and laundry department. We love this place. It will always be the place where we truly become a family. For better or worse, here are some of my most memorable memories.
1) The Horny Pigeons. Not long after we moved in we discovered that pigeons would rest on the stoop outside our bedroom window. It didn't seem so bad until we realized that all they wanted to do was get it on 24-7. I didn't even realize that pigeons had sex, but let me tell you when pigeons get it on boy are they loud. This kept us up many a weekends when we were trying to sleep in and finally culminated in a trip to Home Depot where a very scared sales associate told me that no they do not sell pigeon spikes to mount outside apartment windows and that I should probably seek professional help.
2) Getting stuck in the elevator. Oh, the elevator! We have an old-fashion pre-war style elevator in our building that likes to run out of juice every so often. It also likes to take you to the wrong floor two our of three times you ride in it. One morning before work I got stuck in the elevator. Eventually it let me down to the basement where there are no stairs leading up to the first floor. Can you say fire code violation? Well, stairs do exist but they are locked. Long story... I had to go into the back ally behind our apartment, climb up the fire escape and climb in someone's bedroom window. Boy, was that awkward... Did I mention this was also the same morning I had a huge presentation at TIME Magazine for one of my stories?
3) Tin-foil parties. We have had a lot of parties here. Birthday parties. Housewarming parties. Just because we feel like it parties. But none tops Bret's first birthday party here when we all got so drunk that we made those tin-foil hats. This is why you don't play quarters after the age of 25...
4) Nestie. After returning from our Honeymoon in Hawaii in 2006 we found that a pigeon had laid a nest of eggs on the air conditioner outside our apartment. After a few months of listening to pigeons make out all the time I insisted that we knock it down because the last thing I wanted was baby pigeons chirping... That was until Bret decided to get all sentimental and name the pigeon Nestie and the two eggs -- Doctor Kenneth Noisewater and James Westfall. Anchorman, anyone?
5) The great printer incident. For Valentine's Day 2007, our first as a married couple Bret asked me what I wanted. I am not a jewelry person. I don't like having chocolate around because I will eat it all and I am sort of cheap so I told him what I could really use was a new printer and I figured he would get me something else small like flowers. Well, Bret took me a little too literally. He got the printer but that was all. No $5 bouquet of flowers to be romantic. No sweet little teddy bear saying how much he loved me. I wasn't looking for something big. I was just looking for something. The whole thing culminated in an argument until Bret went to the store and came back with a bouquet of beef jerky to show how he had acted. I started cracking up the moment he walked in. The beef jerky has been on top of our refrigerator even since and it always makes us smile. Ewww, I just realized how gross that probably is...
6) Rockband. When Rockband first came out Bret was obsessed. So were our friends. We played morning, noon and night. Until our downstairs neighbors got pissed off. I can't say I really blame them but it escalated into a full our war between the two apartments to see who could be the loudest. Such maturity. Wow, and we have a child now...
7) Thar she blows. Before I got pregnant with Alyson I liked to drink from time to time. Every six to eight months I would get together with my girlfriends and really have at the bottle. My stomach, however, does not like me to drink and every time would culminate in an all morning session with me wrapped around the toilet. An act Bret fondly dubbed "Thar she blows." Oh yes, the bathroom toilet and I have many fond memories together.
8) Settlers of Catan. Last year we were obsessed with Settlers of Catan. Bret and I are big board game lovers but none has captured our heart as much as Settlers. We spent many a nights up with friends playing on our living room coffee table -- something that is a little tougher to do now that Alyson is here. But we will get back there. I'll give you two sheep for one pacifer....
9) Nail polish stains. For some reason I can't seem to not spill nail polish remover. In fact, I think I have spilled nail polish remover on every piece of furniture in this apartment. When I walk around it makes me remember the loud curse words I yelled out every time it happens and Bret screaming from the other room -- What did you do? Are you doing your nails? Carolyn!
10) Bringing Alyson home. Nothing can top the August afternoon when we brought Alyson home and placed her in her crib for the first time. I guess you could say Bret and I grew up in this apartment. We became adults here and then we became a family. I'm glad Alyson will grow up in the suburbs but I am also glad she was born a New Yorker. After all, it's much cooler than saying you were born in New Jersey. That's just lame...
Goodbye New York!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
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Friday, October 15, 2010
Macho Man
Yesterday, Bret and I had our first argument since Alyson was born. Considering the sleep deprivation, dramatic life changes and crashing hormones, I am told that is pretty darn good. Since we closed on our house over a month ago we have been able to do some home improvements. Last week we had brand new carpeting installed in the bedrooms and the den. The idea of picking out a color scheme at four weeks postpartum seemed completely overwhelming at the time. I remember breaking down in tears on the way back from Home Depot because I just couldn't put a coherent thought together to decide on a color. Grey Squirrel or Potter's Clay? Which one should we put in the master bedroom? And what if I choose the wrong one? Life will never be the same again. But now that the carpet is here I am so glad we did it. It really will be nice to start out fresh in the new house and I am glad Bret's parents convinced us it was worth while.
After the carpeting came the obvious next step: painting the baby's room. We had some painters some in to give estimates but after our first appointment Bret decided to get all "Dad" about it and firmly declared that he was painting his daughters room. He had this "under control."
Now, I understand the fatherly need to paint your kid's room before they are here -- when you are big and pregnant and there is nothing else to do but eat and look at ultrasound pictures. But here's my beef with it now: do you really need to paint your child's room when you have a seven week-old infant, you are moving in less than two weeks and you are both going bonkers from sleep deprivation? Apparently, yes, men do. So tomorrow Bret is making the trip out to Jersey to give his daughter's room a fresh coat of paint. Thankfully, Alyson's Godfather signed on to help. Really, Ryan (and Em!) are truly the best.
I am really proud of Bret for wanting to paint her room and I think it is adoringly sweet. Don't get me wrong, I am not overwhelmed by the idea. I am just overwhelmed by the idea of having one more thing to think about with one more sleepless night. At eight weeks postpartum I really thought I had it together. The crying episodes had stopped for weeks now and I am more even-tempered. But low and behold when I went to pick out the paint at Home Depot old waterworks started up again. I am told most women feel back to normal after six weeks but considering I am now in the process of moving as well I figure that buys me another four at least. Just don't ask me to pick out cabinets or I may lose it completely...
So here we are painting Alyson's room with one week until move day. Alyson thinks her Dad is pretty darn cool for wanting to make her room perfect. And I have to say, I agree. Mom, on the other hand, well ... she will get it together eventually. Probably just in time for Alyson to go to nursery school.
After the carpeting came the obvious next step: painting the baby's room. We had some painters some in to give estimates but after our first appointment Bret decided to get all "Dad" about it and firmly declared that he was painting his daughters room. He had this "under control."
Now, I understand the fatherly need to paint your kid's room before they are here -- when you are big and pregnant and there is nothing else to do but eat and look at ultrasound pictures. But here's my beef with it now: do you really need to paint your child's room when you have a seven week-old infant, you are moving in less than two weeks and you are both going bonkers from sleep deprivation? Apparently, yes, men do. So tomorrow Bret is making the trip out to Jersey to give his daughter's room a fresh coat of paint. Thankfully, Alyson's Godfather signed on to help. Really, Ryan (and Em!) are truly the best.
I am really proud of Bret for wanting to paint her room and I think it is adoringly sweet. Don't get me wrong, I am not overwhelmed by the idea. I am just overwhelmed by the idea of having one more thing to think about with one more sleepless night. At eight weeks postpartum I really thought I had it together. The crying episodes had stopped for weeks now and I am more even-tempered. But low and behold when I went to pick out the paint at Home Depot old waterworks started up again. I am told most women feel back to normal after six weeks but considering I am now in the process of moving as well I figure that buys me another four at least. Just don't ask me to pick out cabinets or I may lose it completely...
So here we are painting Alyson's room with one week until move day. Alyson thinks her Dad is pretty darn cool for wanting to make her room perfect. And I have to say, I agree. Mom, on the other hand, well ... she will get it together eventually. Probably just in time for Alyson to go to nursery school.
Take Me Out to the Ballgame
I grew up a die hard Yankees fan. Some of the best memories I have of my father involve us watching the games together. So when I married a Mets fan I knew it would cause problems. I just didn't realize how many until we had a baby. Alyson has both Yankees and Mets apparel hanging in her closet (OK, the hall closet... she doesn't have a closet yet) but neither of us have dared to try to put her in any of it for fear of setting the other one off. Eventually, I'll probably concede and let Bret have his way. After all it is more important to him anyway and Citi Field is awfully nice...
In the meantime here's what we do know: Alyson is definitely a Jets fan. Mostly, because Mommy just could care less about football. Here she is watching the big game with Daddy.
In the meantime here's what we do know: Alyson is definitely a Jets fan. Mostly, because Mommy just could care less about football. Here she is watching the big game with Daddy.
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