One year

One year ago today Rich and I landed at JFK Airport with our cats and a couple of suitcases and arrived in New York City, our new home. I wish I could say that I have taken advantage of all that this city has to offer and maybe getting pregnant two months later is a lame excuse, but it definitely cut into my nightlife. So here are some lists:

A few fun things I have done since moving to NYC:

• Christmas in New York - it really is spectacular. The tree and the ice skating at Rockefeller Center, the lights, the chill in the air, the insane shoppers, the craft fairs - it's all pretty incredible.
• Museums - MOMA, P.S. 1, the Museum of Natural History
• Brooklyn - Park Slope, Williamsburg, Green Point
• Enjoyed a massive snow storm. I haven't had one of those since I left Boston in 1996.
• Went to the ballet
• Have been to three Broadway shows and was inspired by one (Sweeney Todd)
• Been to DC, Philly and Boston for day/weekend trips
• Seen a lot of family and friends passing through town or who can now make quick weekend trips because it's closer and cheaper than flying to Seattle!
• July 4th - free live Belle & Sebastian and a rooftop party
  

Things I love about New York:

• The skyline
• Being able to get food from anywhere in the world and have it delivered
• Walking everywhere
• Donut Plant
• Gelato
• People come to visit you in New York (is Seattle really that far away?)
• The kindness of strangers
• The subway
• Its multiculturalism
• The shops
• Central Park
• The Arch in Washington Square
• Random celebrity sightings
• The architecture
• Walking through the West Village
  

Things I hate about New York:

• The smells
• Rude people
• People who don't know how to walk down a friggin' sidewalk
• The subway
• Not having laundry in my apt/house (this has become particularly apparent with the arrival of Theo the Spit-up King)
• Grocery shopping
• I can't afford most of the shops
• The price of real estate
• Not feeling safe enough to ride my bike to the bike trails!
  

So there's a rough summary. I think I have more positives than negatives. Is this where I want to stay forever? I don't think so. I should have lived here in my 20s. Now, with Theo in the picture, there is a lot to think about. Is it an even exchange for him to be able to visit some of the best museums in the world and be exposed to almost every culture in the world but not be able to ride a bike around his neighborhood or go play in the backyard? I'm not so sure. Maybe sometime in the next few years we'll be able to buy a weekend place in the country . Until then, we are here for the next few years at least so we will do our best to make the most of it and make sure we take more weekend trips out of the city so Theo gets a proper appreciation for the great outdoors and doesn't begin to believe what other native New Yorkers seem to think: that New York is the center of the universe.

Homesick

It's the eve of our one year anniversary of moving to New York City and I am finding myself missing Seattle just as much as ever. Oddly enough, I was listening to KEXP this morning and John was talking about the weather - cold and snowy. I hate snow, I hate cold and yet the memories of those days in Seattle gave me a jab of sadness. It's always fleeting, that kind of weather so I found I could enjoy it more knowing it would only be around for a day or two. I do like living in New York and even as I sat there nursing Theo and thinking about all the fun things we can do here when he's older like visiting all the museums, I still miss Seattle. I miss the Burke-Gilman Trail, I miss the trees, the tulips and daffodils in the spring, the mountains on a sunny day, the water, and even though I can see the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building from the window of my apartment, I miss the freakin' Space Needle in my skyline. And then there are the friends. Janet and Nitin have a baby girl who is two months older than Theo and with both Nitin and Rich going to Vegas this weekend for Huda's bachelor party, I wish Janet and I could have a baby slumber party weekend. So, Kelly, don't beat yourself up so much over missing Portland. The Pacific NW is an amazing place to live so it's OK to miss it as much as we do.

Tomorrow I will try to write about all the things I love about living in New York City and what I have to look forward to in the years to come. But today, today I miss Seattle.

Funny, the things you miss

It's the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and I find myself missing a day job. There is something about this time of year that is so evocative. When one has a regular schedule like school or a job, this time of year is palpable. There is an excitement and eagerness in the air. People are leaving town, making plans, they are distracted, things start to slow down as the year comes to a close and people begin to give up on getting much done between now and the January. Everyone is looking forward to time off work whether they are going to see family, friends or just getting away for a few days. I haven't worked in a year. Weird. I feel funny saying that because I never thought there would be a time when I wouldn't be working but we moved to NY and my goal was to focus on getting myself familiar with the acting and teaching scene. I launched into things full force but then pregnancy came along and everything was thrown. Now, I'm a stay-at-home mom and while what I do is certainly work, I miss the comraderie of a workplace and, ironically, the feeling of preparing to go on vacation from the workplace.

Hats off to single parents

Today is my fourth and final day as a temporary single parent. Rich has been at a conference in Boston since Wednesday leaving me to tend to Theo alone. Overall, it hasn't been terrible mostly because I am alone with him during the day all day anyway and my nights were tolerable thanks to my wonderful friends Karen, Deana and Mike who came over to keep me company, share a meal and keep me sane. I don't know how single parents do it. I suppose single parents have a job they have to go to so they get a break from the baby although it probably doesn't feel like a break to those who would rather be home with their child. If I were away from him all day I would enjoy my evenings with him more but as it stands by the time 6pm rolls around, I am ready for a break, especially since I get to spend the wee hours with him attached to my boob.

Rich comes home sometime this evening and tomorrow I get to go have brunch with Amre and Karen sans Theo. I'm sure I'll be worried the entire time I'm gone but I think I'll also find it in me to enjoy being baby-free for a couple of hours.

Happy birthdays

The first "birthday" I would like to acknowledge is Theo's. Yesterday he achieved the one month mark. This also means that Rich and I have survived our first month of parenthood. It has not been easy but the fact that it has been a month already is encouraging. At one month his neck muscles are getting stronger, he is tracking his teddy bear mobile with his eyes, we've heard the first indications of some baby coos and gurgles, he smiles a lot and just yesterday we realized he has moved up a diaper size from newborn to size 1. Rich has to go to Boston for a conference at the end of the week so I will be left alone with him for a couple of days. I'm a little nervous, but mostly because after a day alone with him I am happy to pass him over to Dad to free myself up a bit. I'll just have to dig deep and hope we have a good couple of days...and then I will make Rich take care of him when I get back so I can go have brunch with some girlfriends or something!

The second birthday to acknowledge is my lovely Kitty Kat. Friend, writer, director, daughter, dreamer, sister, wife, aunt, athlete, we have been friends for 20 years and I stand in awe of her dedication and drive and can't wait to see what the next 20 years brings us. God, 20 years from now our kids will be all grown up and I personally plan on taking lots of time for girls' weekends!

Handsome Boy Modeling

Theo had his first modeling job today and will earn his first paycheck at the ripe old age of 4 weeks and a day! Of course, Mom never booked anything while she was pregnant with him but our little Theo wastes no time. It was a shoot for Parenting Magazine and while I think they were shooting lots of infants, I will certainly post if his pictures get published. He got to be held by a very cute male model whom I guess is supposed to be his dad. I know it happens but I find it hard to imagine that male models are ever dads - they are just too cute to be covered in spit-up and poop (and this guy got spat-up on twice and was definitely grossed out!).

So cheers to our boy, already earning his way in the world.

My boys

I love these boys and man, oh man, are they cute!