Memorial Day

Long weekends are so nice, especially when they surprise you.  Now that I'm staying home with Sawyer full-time, I hardly keep track of what day it is, let alone if there is a holiday coming up.  So when Jonathan came home and announced, "I've got a 3-day weekend!" I was elated.

First of all, I should mention that every 2-3 weeks, Sawyer hits some kind of developmental/growth spurt.  It usually lasts 1-3 days.  During this time, he eats a lot.  A LOT!  When he eats a lot he gets really bad acid reflux.  Sometime his burps sound like...well like this.  This is evidently irritating to the poor boy, so he gets really cranky.  And when he can't get the burp out, he sometimes cries inconsolably.  This weekend was one of these spurts.  Poor baby.  So, Sawyer was a bit of a handful.  Good thing Jonathan and I were there to tag team him.  

On the up side, along with these spurts comes exciting new developments in what Sawyer can do.  Last time this happened, he started to grab things with his hands (he's still not very good at it, or maybe he's just lazy.) This time, a miracle: Sawyer is on the brink of sleeping through the night.  Last night, he slept 7 hours straight and would have slept longer if I hadn't stupidly woken him up out of worry. What was I THINKING?!  Ahhh...Sleep Sawyer, sleep.

Ok...so this weekend:

On Saturday we took a walk through the city.  A long walk.  Although our bodies were regretting the decision to walk instead of take the subway, it was fun because we sojourned through neighborhoods old and new, posh and...otherwise.  Jonathan also carried Sawyer in a front pack so he could look around at the buildings and the many passers-by.  Sawyer becomes wide-eyed and entranced by the city--and sometimes goes cross-eyed. 

Where were we going?  Well, you know Jonathan and me, we rarely do anything that doesn't involve food.  Our destination was Momofuku Noodle Bar, and, oh, those pork buns made our exertion and exhaustion worth it.  We arrived right as the restaurant was opening for dinner service.  The people poured in, always a good sign.  We sat Sawyer on my knee and went on to eat some of the most delicious food I've had in awhile:  Spanish Mackerel appetizer, Pork buns, Kimchi, and Ramen...yum.

The pork buns were soft and sweet and savory.  They were served with cucumbers which made them taste fresh and healthy.  Tricky chef.

We also attempted to take Sawyer swimming on Saturday. He was all decked out in his swimming gear, but sadly the pool was still too cold for him to go in...bummer.  

Sawyer decked out for the ill-fated trip to the pool.  

Front Pack Adventures!

On Monday, Memorial Day, Jonathan really wanted to go to his old Alma Mater, West Point, to visit the graves of some of his friends and classmates.  Jonathan's West Point class has suffered the most deaths of any USMA class since WWII.  

West Point really is a magical place.  It's a place that feels timeless. A place where generation upon generation of cadets are connected by tradition, honor, and valor.  I never appreciated West Point when Jonathan was a cadet there, because I saw it as a wedge between us. But now that I've been back a number of times, I feel sad that I didn't understand Jonathan's sacrifice when he gave up the academy to marry me.  Neither of us regret the decision, of course, but I feel sad that Jonathan didn't get to finish what he started there.  What is clear to me, is that West Point will always be a really important part of who Jonathan is, and for that reason, I've come to love it too.

West Point graduates have the honor of being interred in its sleepy, peaceful, and beautiful graveyard.  Although not everyone decides to be buried there, several of Jonathan's friends have been laid to rest beneath the shade of the graveyard's giant leafy trees.  So have other famous Americans:  General Custer, Daniel Butterfield, George Goethals, Sylvanus Thayer, and more.  

This is was the first Memorial Day that I actually took some time to remember those men and women who have fought in the name of our country.  It's difficult to think that peace is often brought about by war, but since it often is, I'm grateful for the brave people who have died in the MiddleEast, especially Jonathan's friends.

Sawyer's nap in the beautifully manicured West Point grass.

  

Empire State of Mind

Yea, I stole the title of this post from Alicia Keyes and Shawn Carter, but it describes my life this summer.  "If I can make it here, I can make it anywhere." Please see the following video to understand more:

Alright, so, the truth is that I just wanted to hear this song and watch the video this morning.  My life in New York is not quite as sexy as this video would make you believe.  It probably has something to do with me trying to carry a stroller up and down the subway stairs or finding a bench to whip out the b@@b so Sawyer will stop crying.  But that's ok...I'll eventually adopt the attitude of being a hot mama like Alicia Keyes.

We've spent our first week in NYC and despite the rain (it's rained EVERY DAY since we've arrived), we've had a really wonderful time.

First of all, Jonathan really loves his job.  I don't know if you know, but Jonathan was able to land a job at his dream firm.  This is a particular blessing because the crummy economy is really hurting the law profession--so law jobs are hard to come by, especially those at big firms in NYC.   He was elated.  I was proud.  We are sure it was an answer to prayers.  So, yes, Jonathan is loving his job.  And his commute is short.  When he hits the trains right, he's looking at 25 minutes door to door.

We are living on a little island in the middle of the East River right between Manhattan and Queens, Roosevelt Island.  It's about 800--feet wide.  Sawyer and I walked all the way around it in about an hour.     The Island has a tagline, "Roosevelt Island--Where you can have your Manhattan and Leave it too."  I like it, because that's exactly what I'm looking for.  

Roosevelt Island has lots of parks and green space.  In fact, people all around the city travel here to play sports.  Every Saturday there's a farmer's market--where you can buy fresh produce, special farm-fresh meats, and a array of breads, cheeses, pickles, etc.  The Island also has a beautiful community garden (with a two year waiting list).  Families and strollers abound here.  There's really no commerce to speak of on the Island except for a grocery store, drug store, and maybe three restaurants.  So, it's really no place to have a party, BUT, it's the perfect place to hang out with your 2 month old baby.  I really love it here.  And the fact that it has no restaurants (eating out is where I spend 90% of our money), has forced me to cook almost every day so far--a feat for me since Sawyer's birth.  I wish you could see this place on a summer Saturday morning--it's something out of a movie--kids and families are everywhere, happy, healthy, and playing together.  

Another reason to love it here is that we are living in a newly renovated historic building called, The Octagon:  "In 1841 The Octagon opened as a beautifully designed island retreat by Alexander Jackson Davis, the era’s most influential architect, known for his lavish Hudson River estates. Davis’ design for the building’s signature five-story octagonal rotunda incorporated stately blue-gray stone quarried on the island..." Here's what it looks like today:

Pretty, right? We got a craigslist deal. We would have never been able to live here otherwise.  Our apartment has two large bedrooms, two baths, a full kitchen, and washer and drier all for about the price that we pay for our apartment in Boston.  However, although it's spacious and luxurious, there are even better reasons to love this place:

You get to take an awesome sky tram across the River into Manhattan!

 A pool!

And the view right outside my window!

There's also the gym membership, the media room, play room, and billiards room to consider...ahhh.  I could really love New York if we lived in a place like this.  I know I shouldn't be bragging, but I'm doing it for an even more selfish reason:  I want you to visit!  Yes, YOU.  There's plenty of room for you and whomever else you might want to bring.  And don't you want to swim in the pool on a humid NYC summer day? We need you!

And finally, our first family outing:  A 5 hour walk and picnic in Central Park.

After eating, Sawyer was so full that we had to unbutton his pants to make room for his belly:

Sawyer and His Cow

2 Months Down or the Tale of the Giant Baby

Sawyer is 2 months old now.  2 months.  It's unbelievable how fast two months have past.  I wish I could say that everything is back to normal for our family.  Although we are getting close to a equilibrium, we are still not exactly adjusted to our new lives together.  But that's ok.

Being a mom is the hardest thing I've ever done.  There have been many times in my life when I've gone through big changes, like graduating from high school or college or getting married or moving, etc, and with each impending change I've expected to feel different.  To feel like a different person. To feel that somehow the world has changed.  But, that never happened.  After graduating from school, I found the world to be exactly the same as it ever was.  I felt exactly the same.  Same with being married.  But having a kid...has changed my world...completely.

Yes, yes, colors are brighter.  My heart is full.  And a missing part of me, that I never knew was missing, has been found.  However, there are some harder, stranger, and more disturbing changes.  My ears are keen to the sounds of babies.  I hear Sawyer crying, even when he's not making a sound.   When I get dressed in the morning, my first thought is not, "What would be a cute outfit to wear today?," but rather, "What allows easiest access to my boobs."  And then there's the contradictory emotions:  I can't wait for him to take a nap, but once he's asleep I miss him and can't wait for him to wake up.  Or, I can't wait to get out of the house and do something on my own for a while, but once I'm out the door all I can think about is getting home to my baby.  And then there's the constant guilt.  I've read about it.  It's called "Mother's Guilt."  The constant feeling that you are not doing enough or that the frustration you feel means that you are a horrible, terrible person.  Ehh....

The physical changes...Even though I'm basically back to pre-pregnancy weight my body is changed.  It's saggy and soft.  Jonathan and I refer to my belly as "The Dough."  The Dough hangs over my pants when I sit down.  My belly button is a crater now.  And I'm not even going to address other "unmentionables."

But as hard as it is, being Sawyer's mom is also a lot of fun.  Sawyer is incredibly cute.  He loves me.  Sometimes he cries just so I will pick him up and cuddle.  I'm his favorite person in the world (hopefully) and it makes me happy that I can help him feel better when he's upset.   I also like that no matter where I go, I have someone to talk to.  I'm never alone, because my baby, Sawyer, is always with me.

But enough about me.  Let's talk about Sawyer:

First of all Sawyer is very big.  He is consistently measuring in the 97th percentile for height and weight.  But don't worry, he's not getting a big head about it--it's only measuring in the 75th percentile.  Right now he's weighing in at around 15 pounds.  He's been wearing size 3 months for a couple of weeks.  And he shows no signs of slowing down.  Jonathan is very proud.

Like most babies he's got some digestion problems.  He's been diagnosed with acid reflux.  And around 5 am he has a witching hour where he tries to push out the poop that has been waiting in the queue all night. Poor baby.  And Poor us.  It's no longer traumatic for any of us, but we never know whether we should just let him do his thing or pick him up and help him out. 

Sawyer has two kinds of cries: a pathetic wimper  and a "I-hate-you" scream.  The pathetic wimper is accompanied by the cutest little turned down bottom lip that you've ever seen. Jonathan calls it a sausage. It's like in a cartoon or something.  So sweet and pitiful.  However, the little boy's also got a temper.  When he's really upset, like, say, if you change his clothes a little too awkwardly, he thrashes his arms and legs smacking you in the face or where ever he can land a punch.  It's cute because he's raging mad, and, well, there's nothing he can do about it.  I'm sure the temper will become a problem a little later in his life, but right now, it makes us laugh.  He also has a clawing problem.  My sister calls him a Badger.

Sawyer seems to be more on the serious side, at least right now.  He spends a lot of time giving people and things the "evil eye" and then will either bust into an approving smile or yelp and growl until you take him away from it.  He is smiling more and more these days.  When he smiles his face looks completely different.  And I hate to admit it, but that little gummy grin make me love him more.

Sawyer also is a bit high-maintenance, surprise, surprise.  He's addicted to his pacifier.  This is convenient for me because it works as a plug to stop his protests.  But if I forget it...he will only gnaw on his fist for so long before he loses it.  He can't sleep without being swaddled, unless he's sleeping on me or Jon.  On the one hand it's great because when swaddled he sleeps for 6 hours straight, however, if he falls asleep on either Jon or me, before we can put him in his bed, we have to disrupt his sleep by swaddling him.  And swaddling has become a process.  Because he's so big, he's also incredibly strong and must be straight-jacketed in a contraption called "The Miracle Blanket" instead of a nice soft, cozy blankie. I've even gone so far as to do a double swaddling: a baby, inside a miracle blanket, inside a woombie.  Yes, I'm"that kind" of mom.  Oh, and did I mention the white noise machine?  Sawyer can not sleep without the soothing sounds of the womb playing ALL NIGHT LONG.  This means that Jonathan and I also have dreams of being in-utero or in deep space.

Sawyer's favorite toy is a musical panda bear  followed closely by a dangling cow thingy.  His favorite game is to knock the panda bear over.  I'll try to get a video of it at some point.

What else? Oh, he can put himself to sleep.  So, at nap time, I can just lay him in his bed and then leave the room and he falls asleep without being rocked...that's good.  He's rolled over a couple of times...I think these were mostly accidents.   Oh and he likes to chat with coo's and ahh's, which is incredibly adorable.

So there is my update. Hopefully it won't take me 2 months to update my blog again...especially since we have an exciting summer planned!