Little Monkey and Friends

We visited my folks upstate this weekend for a two-night stay. I packed for myself, Miss Mina, the Monkey, and Oscar - our dog. I was responsible for clothing, toiletries, diapers, medicines, food for mealtime consumption, food for the road, entertainment for the road, entertainment for the time in house, lotions and potions for myself and for the kids, various miscellaneous items like Binkeys (for Miss Mina only!! Woo-hoo!!), sippy cups, kid-sized eating utensils, stuffed animals, shoes, socks, blankets, the dog's poo bag, leash, bowls, and newspaper.



I did a good job too. Both monkeys had an assortment of day outfits, play clothes, and pajamas. They comfortably slept each night cuddled next to their favorite snuggly, with a soft blanket close at hand. Mina soothed herself with pacifiers when needed, and familiar toys were available for their amusement. The car ride was made marginally more bearable by the presence of chocolate munchkins, kaboom cookies, and dvds.

First on the list of packing priorities was the Monkey's medications. Thankfully, he only takes a couple, so no great sweat remembering those. Miss Mina decided to join in on the fun by picking up a cold and a case of pink eye before we left, so I added her meds to the lot. And of course, both monkeys have a diva's worth of lotions for their ultra sensitive skin - all of which came along in neatly packaged ziplock bags.



Most people think I have two children. The truth is, I have three. Our first child was not Jordan. It was our dog, Oscar. He came along, and required his own gear for the trip. Homemade food (long story), his bowls, his bag, his leash and his folded newspaper for poo patrol. (Don't ask.)

Where am I going with this post? Right here.

I forgot to pack underwear. For myself. Everyone else had all they needed. I had the choice of going commando, or hitting our neighborhood Target. I chose the latter. There, I purchased a three pack, and a clean t-shirt - because I had apparently forgotten to pack more than the one I was wearing. My reward for all this? Not even an hour into the wearing of the new t-shirt, Miss Mina snots all over it with her cold-ridden, runny nose. And not a cute little, wipe-your-nose-with-the sleeve kind of swipe either. It was a big one.

And that, my friend, is a day in the life of this mom. There is no such thing as travelling light with children. And there is no dignity either.

Labels: mommy time, travelling

I grew up in the country. I mean it was serious country. When our dogs got loose they would come home days later with chicken feathers dripping from the corners of their mouths. Inevitably, that would be followed by a phone call from our neighbor down the way advising that the next time he caught our dogs on his land, he'd shoot them himself. And to our way of thinking, that seemed just. After all, we're talking chickens here.

It was that country.

Needless to say, I couldn't wait to get out of there. College could not arrive fast enough, and with it, dreams of eventual cosmospolitan hedonism. The funny thing is, now that I've arrived at a certain (tired) point in my life, two kids later, I've gained a new appreciation for all that the country has to offer for the younger set.



Gardening for example. Gardening is supposed to be good for the soul, right? And what could be more important than proper hydration? Here, Monkey learns from an expert - Grandma B. To my untrained eye, that plant looks of the smokeable variety, but she assures me that by midsummer, it will be abloom with colorful flowers.



Perhaps a closer inspection is in order.



Armed with his newfound knowledge, the young Padawan is ready to wield his own garden hose.



Monkey discovers that sometimes the best flowers are those that require the least amount of effort to cultivate. "Poofs," as we named them, came in abundant supply and provided endless hours of amusement.



They can get sticky though.



It's all right. That's part of the charm of being up country. Getting dirty comes with the territory. A little bit of dirt, a lot of fresh air, wide open spaces, and clear star-filled nights ... sounds like a fair trade off.



Ever the princess, Miss Mina is still undecided about the whole country experience.

Labels: adventures, family get togethers

After a very long week, we're looking forward to a relaxing holiday weekend. The monkeys got started early.

This weekend, we had a chance to celebrate a milestone birthday with our buddy Samantha. The birthday girl, dressed in petal pink with matching shoes (impressive) smiled pretty for the camera. The prospect of unlimited pizza and ice cream cake might be responsible for the wide-eyed anticipation you see here.



We weren't entirely sure what caused this star-struck look that Jordan was sporting. At first I thought he was mesmerized by the toys..or maybe the balloons .. Or maybe it was the sight of the birthday girl.



Nope. It was the birthday girl's mommy - Gina.



For Jordan, it was love at first sight. Perhaps you think I exaggerate. Let me put this scene in perspective. This is the lot of us sitting in a circle, singing along with "Janine," a songstress from Music Together. She helped lead us all in a rolicking hour of songs and dancing, play with instruments, etc. This is the kind of thing that normally has Jordan running in the opposite direction.

Except on this occasion.

He walked right over to Gina, and made himself comfortable for the duration, participated in the songs, the music, the play - as long as Gina was close at hand. Samantha was a pretty good sport about sharing her mommy. Danny, Samantha's dad, looks less thrilled.

Mina found her groove with the shakers, and needed no other diversion.



Up next ... cake!! Specifically, my favorite - ice cream cake!!! Yes! Have I ever mentioned my love of ice cream cake? And with crunchies? Oh yeah. Samantha had no need of any extra sweetness. After all, she was safely back in her mom's arms.



Jordan consoled himself with a plate or two of the good stuff. The pain of unrequited love is easily forgotten with a healthy serving of Carvel. Recharged, face covered in chocolate, he was ready to return to the playroom.



Jeff, a/k/a "dada" offered cake to Miss Mina, but she seemed more interested in something else.



Or maybe she just wanted a closer look at Joe's kicks.



She certainly enjoyed the cuddles.



They both had fun. We did too. Thanks for having us over Samantha! Happy Birthday!

Labels: love, parties

I've been in a bit of a blogging slump this week. It's not for lack of pictures, or ideas. I guess it happens to all of us. As usual, we've been busy though. Here's a sample.

Jordan has been practicing blowing bubbles in the backyard. I've been practicing my alliteration skills. Jordan is better at the bubble-blowing. As you can see, he's already graduated to the big bubble wand.



You can take the kid out of Brooklyn, but you can't take the Brooklyn out of the kid. Both of mine got a kick out of spending the day at Coney Island. Mina observes the beach pre-season. It's not the Outer Banks, but it has its own charm.



Jordan and I spend some quality time on the Boardwalk where he proudly sports his team loyalties. Go Mets!



Mina does a bit of posing with Jeff too. Despite her hair issues, this is one kid who loves the camera.



Since the monkeys are both a little too young to be riding the Cyclone, we hit the next best thing. The Aquarium! Here, Jordan amuses himself with the life aquatic.



He also had a pretty good time steering Michael's boat. Sorry, but no "three-hours tours" for us just yet.



At least Mina gets my sense of humor. I work best with the under-one year old set.



Switching gears, we also revisited the children's museum back in our neck of the woods. Among the multitude of interactive displays, there was a kitchen. Here, Jordan prepares lunch. Eating it, of course, is another story.



He also managed the clean up. That works for me. I feel confident in assigning him some of the grunt work in my own kitchen ... peeling, chopping, sweeping, loading the dishwasher....



Mina just sat back and glowed. Smart girl. A good manager knows how to delegate.

Labels: two monkeys

To my mom:



We don't tell you often enough. We love you! Thanks for all the special things you do, all your hard work over the years, and for being you.

love,
S

Though he will always be my little monkey, there are many other roles he takes on for himself. Here's just a sample from today.



Rocker...



Cowboy...



Baseball player...


And I am proud to report ... he ended his busy day, tucked into bed without his pacifier, aka the "binky." That peice of plastic, in which he has taken such joy for the past 28 months, is with us no more. I hope. We have done away with the binkies, in an elaborate "Bye-bye binkie" ceremony. Jordan was the guest of honor and MC all in one. I wish I had taken some pictures of him solemly throwing out binkies into the garbage can. I could have taken some pictures of him screaming in his crib a few hours later, but for the sake of preserving some shred of his dignity, I restrained myself.

He went down tonight without too much of a fuss. Could it really be this easy? Have I just jinxed myself? Stay tuned.

Labels: Jordan, milestones

What does this...



Have in common ...


With this?

Absolutely nothing! Except, they both share a passing intimacy with the word "Buffalo."

Buffalo, NY is where I've spent the last few days, in celebration of my little bro's graduation from med school. That's right, ya'll. It's Doctor Riz now. Ya'll better recognize, yo!

He even got the piece of paper to prove it. In all fairness though, I never actually got to see what was written on it. I assume it was something along the lines of: "You made it! You're a real doctor now! Now, go get that medical malpractice insurance. No, really. Now."




The majority of the Family made it to Western New York for the occasion. Which brings up an interesting observation about families. We share more in common than we might realize. For example - the gene that produces a trait I call "techie-techie-ness." Here, both brothers exhibit its symptoms.



Other traits need more explaining. For example, my mum's insistence on taking a half hour to order from the menu. This particular trait is one that developed over time. Whereas once, we dreaded its manifestation, we now observe it with that endearing fondness reserved for infants and fuzzy animals at the zoo. It's gotten to be cute and amusing in its own way. We make up for it by tipping heavily.



On the subject of food, let me say, that a large part of this trip was consumed (ha ha) by the task of keeping ourselves well fed. That being said, our hosts - Riz and Tahera, deserve a hearty shout out for selecting a range of dining options that kept us all happy and full.

Kebab and Curry house was the scene of the graduation night celebrations.



Where Dallice made the act of eating a samosa look elegant. On the other hand, I inhaled mine so quickly, there was no opportunity for snaps ... which is probably a blessing for all involved.




I did manage to get an important picture preserved for posterity - my appetizer. The chaat papri. That hand reaching in across the horizon? That would be my bro ... "sharing."



Enough about the food. Let's talk about what really matters.
Dessert! That required a separate eating establishment altogether. In our case, we hit the famous - Butterwood's.



Another view...



And because I really have my priorities straight... here's a close up.



This is what it looks like plated with a side of doctor.



Here's what I ate - homemade chocolate almond ice cream.



At the end of the day, I went back to "My room."

It rocked.

I wholeheartedly recommend Mansion on the Delaware for anyone looking to indulge in a little bit of pampering. And I don't mean Pampers of the infant persuasion. Those monkeys stayed home with their dada. My itinerary: Day one - an in room massage. At night, turndown service with bedside candlelight and drinks in the library. Lux breakfast in the drawing room daily and WIFI access as well.



The view from my room - downtown.



On the subject of the monkeys. Don't feel too badly for them. They were well cared for. I hear they barely noticed I was gone.



They had exotic adventures of their own.



Which makes me very happy. I had a chance to relax and celebrate an important day. We're proud of you, Riz. You done good. Now, go and do no harm.

Labels: family get togethers, mommy time

This time tomorrow, I will be at the airport about to depart on my first ever, travel adventure without monkeys in tow. That's right - I will be by myself!!! For two whole nights!! I almost don't know whether to laugh or cry. The reason for this great adventure - my little bro's graduation from med school. Finally. The big day is arriving, and the clan is assembling to witness it live.

For various reasons, we decided it best to leave the little monkeys home this time in the care of their beloved dada, who will be assisted by a variety of experienced helpers. Don't worry too much about him. I think he's looking forward to my mini-break as much as I am.

So, back to me. Here's where I'm staying. I am so psyched!!! Notwithstanding the cheesy music on their website, I think the place looks pretty sweet. For two nights, I am going to get all posh and have my own room, with no baby monitors, no binkies, and no 6:00 am wake up calls. I will take endlessly long showers without fear of monkey mayhem. I vow not to get out of bed in the morning before 8:00 am. And I am actually going to read the morning paper with my complimentary breakfast without having to share it with anyone or listen to the sounds of Dora or Mickey Mouse in the background.

Friends are taking bets to see how long it will take before I crack and phone home. They underestimate me. I am going to be so Jack Bauer about this. As tortured as it may be, I will not break. I will just kick back with my laptop, next to the fireplace and breathe deeply.

The sounds of silence.



Waddaya mean, I can't come???

Labels: mommy time