Chris has started his rotations at Flushing Hospital (first up is Pediatrics), so Paul and I are trying to get into a routine of our own. Here's how it goes:
Chris leaves the house around 6am (ugh!). Paul and I continue to sleep. Eventually, Paul starts to make mewling noises between 7am-8am. Often at this point I go fill up a bottle with milk, give it to him in his crib, and crawl back into bed. Either Paul falls back asleep for an hour, or 20 min. later I start to hear "Hi! Hi! Hi!" coming from the bedroom.
I'll go and get Paul, his pillow, his blankie, his monkey, and his bottle and bring them out into my bed (we're still sleeping in the family room - long story). I'll fill his bottle with water, and we'll cuddle in bed for a little while longer, before Paul starts asking for either "Ocean" (his baby einstein video) or "music". If I'm feeling like a responsible parent, I'll put on music, if I'm feeling lazy I'll put on the video and use it as a babysitter while I shower.
After breakfast, we'll hit the public park. Me with my coffee, Paul with his truck, ball, blowing bubbles, and snacks. We'll spend a couple of hours at the park, trying to make friends and meet new people. It's slow going, but I have had some decent conversations here and there. Today, I didn't really have much. All I could come up with was commenting on some other mom's baby carrier and how it was one I also had and really liked. Lame, I know. But it opened up the convo, and we found out we're both social workers (well, me kind of).
Time to come home and have a nap. Usually this is both of us, because if I don't nap, I look around my house and the many things that need doing and feel depressed. So, I ignore it and nap, play on the computer or read.
Usually, Paul naps for about 2 hrs. Yesterday, it was three hours, and by the end of the third hour, I went and woke him up because I was bored. Ha! Talk about crap parenting!
Time to shop! The other day we went into the City and met with a friend for window shopping. Yesterday, P & I walked over to Old Navy and some other discount stores and poked around.
Once Paul has had enough of that, I'll often go to Dunkin' Donuts and get one of the worst-for-you-drinks-ever - a coffee slushy. In my defense, I'll only get a small, no topping, and it's smokin' hot out here - so don't be a judger! Back to the park, but this time I'll go to Sunnyside Gardens park. Again, slow going meeting people at this one. There's a meet & greet coming up sometime soon, so hopefully that will open a few doors.
Back to the apartment for dinner and bed (which is like 9:30pm around here these days cause of Chris' early mornings. I don't like it at all!). It was super lovely the other day when Chris walked over to the park and brought us pizza for dinner. We ate at a picnic table, and Paul ran around in his diaper splashing in the sprinklers. Hopefully, we have more evenings like that one.
Night times these days is sweltering hot, with no a/c in our apartment yet (another long story). We all sleep sprawled out with no blankets, trying not to die of dehydration. We often leave our apartment door open a crack (with the chain on) to get a cross draft, but then our apartment fills up with flies which is just nasty.
And that's it! Repeat, repeat, repeat. Kind of uninspiring right now, but I suppose I'll have to get into more of a groove. What did I do in Grenada everyday when I was at home? Why am I bored? Maybe I'm having an existential crisis. But I was back at work these past four months, and although it was rewarding, I missed being at home! Always want what you can't have I suppose.
I live in NYC for heaven's sake! There must be a ton of things to do! I just need to work up the energy to get out there. We'll see how that goes. Signing off from Queens, NY!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Evening
My husband has gone out for the evening, and so I have taken it upon myself to eat KD and Ben & Jerry's and watch cheesy movies.
I was setting up shelving units while watching Julie & Julia for the upteenth time, when I saw that the shelving I was setting up was the exact same as they had in their apartment in the movie! Must be a Queens thing (or, more likely, a Home Depot thing).
It's too hot to sleep with the windows closed since we don't have our a/c units installed yet, and so currently I am listening to someone doing their rendition of 'Memories' at the karaoke bar across the street. I'm glad Chris isn't here as the bitching would be endless. He hates being hot, and he hates karaoke...especially bad karaoke.
Went to the park with Paul again today. We've been to all the parks in the vicinity, with the exception of the private park. I have definitely found a favourite, where it seems like a good mix of people, but it's still hard engaging with other parents. I don't find them very chatty. Even Chris said so, and if Chris fails to strike up conversations you know it's a tough crowd.
I thought of joining the private park, although I have no idea the cost. They actually have grass at that park! And tennis courts too, which Chris is stoked about. But Chris doesn't agree with the idea of a private park, and thinks it's too segregated and elitist. On one hand I agree with these sentiments, but on the other I thought it might be easier to meet people in a smaller park. The public parks are huge, with a ton of kids and parents, and sometimes you just feel like one in a million - it's impossible to get noticed. We'll see how it goes. I'll keep you posted!
I was setting up shelving units while watching Julie & Julia for the upteenth time, when I saw that the shelving I was setting up was the exact same as they had in their apartment in the movie! Must be a Queens thing (or, more likely, a Home Depot thing).
It's too hot to sleep with the windows closed since we don't have our a/c units installed yet, and so currently I am listening to someone doing their rendition of 'Memories' at the karaoke bar across the street. I'm glad Chris isn't here as the bitching would be endless. He hates being hot, and he hates karaoke...especially bad karaoke.
Went to the park with Paul again today. We've been to all the parks in the vicinity, with the exception of the private park. I have definitely found a favourite, where it seems like a good mix of people, but it's still hard engaging with other parents. I don't find them very chatty. Even Chris said so, and if Chris fails to strike up conversations you know it's a tough crowd.
I thought of joining the private park, although I have no idea the cost. They actually have grass at that park! And tennis courts too, which Chris is stoked about. But Chris doesn't agree with the idea of a private park, and thinks it's too segregated and elitist. On one hand I agree with these sentiments, but on the other I thought it might be easier to meet people in a smaller park. The public parks are huge, with a ton of kids and parents, and sometimes you just feel like one in a million - it's impossible to get noticed. We'll see how it goes. I'll keep you posted!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
NYC
Well, it's time I suppose, to bring back the blog. I'll try harder this time I promise!
I'm sitting in my new apartment in Queens, listening to Paul natter away in the bedroom. The only bedroom. We're been here almost two weeks now and the wall that has been promised to go up and give Paul his own bedroom has yet to appear. So, Paul sleeps in the master and Chris & I sleep in the family room.
So far there have been a number of things I've noticed about big city living that is very different than what I expected, or maybe I just never thought about it before.
1. Cream. Cream in my coffee. I ask for cream, and whoever is serving me looks blank for a moment, and then suggests "half & half?" No, not half & half, and no, not cooking cream. I just mean cream...coffee cream.
2. Traffic. Pedestrians. Cyclists. Emergency vehicles. There are no rules of the road here. It's kind of like Grenada, but times 10. Pedestrians never wait for a walk light, and often they are in the crosswalk when cars have the right of way, flipping off motorists for not slowing down. The reverse is true as well. Vehicles never, ever wait for a cleared crosswalk before making a turn. I suppose if they did, they would never get around a corner as the foot traffic never lets up. But I must admit I'm pretty choked when in the crosswalk with my stroller and cars are going around me on both sides. Cyclists take their lives into their hands every time they ride on these roads.
Emergency vehicles. If I were driving an emergency vehicle I would probably have a coronary from road rage. Most motorists do not seem to care to get out of the way of emergency vehicles, or they may change lanes, but they most certainly do not pull over and stop. I suppose half the time, they have no where to go, and just let the emerg. vehicle get around them somehow. This is probably why emergency vehicles use their horns constantly blarring their way through the streets of NY. Somewhat obnoxious, but I guess necessary.
3. That's another thing...horns. The honking is constant. There are even signs that go ignored all over the place warning against honking. In Grenada, the honking was a friendly beep, beep all the time, to say hi, to give warning, or to offer right of way. In Calgary no one dares use their horn because we're all so damned polite. In NY it's constant, obnoxious, "get the eff outta my way," or "you're a moron," honking. Kinda annoying and negative.
4. No 7-11's. Mom & Pop convenient stores on every corner, or in Manhattan - news stands. Kinda cool, actually.
5. Street meat is not just hotdogs. Often it's Halal food or sometimes, Mexican. One drunken night at 4am, Chris bartered a street vendor selling pastries down to 2 bucks from three crewlers.
6. Haven't seen many big malls. And the malls seem to be just stores or food restaurants, no kiddie play areas and such.
7. Haven't yet seen a Coffee & Scream. I think I need to open one.
8. No Safeway's. Mostly corner groceries. At least in Queens. Again, kinda cool to keep the big box stores out, but a bit harder to find everything I'd like in one shop. The only Whole Foods I've seen is in Manhattan, and it will be unrealistic to make the trek very often. I have noticed though that lots of the little stores carry a variety of items, and it is possible to find rarer items there too, depending. I think I'll have to subscribe to delivery service for some of the specialty items I can't find in my neighbourhood.
PS...All the grocery stores deliver!
So, these are just a few of the things I've noticed right off the bat. Obviously the first things, are the ones that are different and unexpected. I'm not down on things by any means, and I'm actually pretty stoked to be here. It's an amazing city, with a million things to do to keep one busy. Paul & I are really gonna rip it up out here :)
I'm sitting in my new apartment in Queens, listening to Paul natter away in the bedroom. The only bedroom. We're been here almost two weeks now and the wall that has been promised to go up and give Paul his own bedroom has yet to appear. So, Paul sleeps in the master and Chris & I sleep in the family room.
So far there have been a number of things I've noticed about big city living that is very different than what I expected, or maybe I just never thought about it before.
1. Cream. Cream in my coffee. I ask for cream, and whoever is serving me looks blank for a moment, and then suggests "half & half?" No, not half & half, and no, not cooking cream. I just mean cream...coffee cream.
2. Traffic. Pedestrians. Cyclists. Emergency vehicles. There are no rules of the road here. It's kind of like Grenada, but times 10. Pedestrians never wait for a walk light, and often they are in the crosswalk when cars have the right of way, flipping off motorists for not slowing down. The reverse is true as well. Vehicles never, ever wait for a cleared crosswalk before making a turn. I suppose if they did, they would never get around a corner as the foot traffic never lets up. But I must admit I'm pretty choked when in the crosswalk with my stroller and cars are going around me on both sides. Cyclists take their lives into their hands every time they ride on these roads.
Emergency vehicles. If I were driving an emergency vehicle I would probably have a coronary from road rage. Most motorists do not seem to care to get out of the way of emergency vehicles, or they may change lanes, but they most certainly do not pull over and stop. I suppose half the time, they have no where to go, and just let the emerg. vehicle get around them somehow. This is probably why emergency vehicles use their horns constantly blarring their way through the streets of NY. Somewhat obnoxious, but I guess necessary.
3. That's another thing...horns. The honking is constant. There are even signs that go ignored all over the place warning against honking. In Grenada, the honking was a friendly beep, beep all the time, to say hi, to give warning, or to offer right of way. In Calgary no one dares use their horn because we're all so damned polite. In NY it's constant, obnoxious, "get the eff outta my way," or "you're a moron," honking. Kinda annoying and negative.
4. No 7-11's. Mom & Pop convenient stores on every corner, or in Manhattan - news stands. Kinda cool, actually.
5. Street meat is not just hotdogs. Often it's Halal food or sometimes, Mexican. One drunken night at 4am, Chris bartered a street vendor selling pastries down to 2 bucks from three crewlers.
6. Haven't seen many big malls. And the malls seem to be just stores or food restaurants, no kiddie play areas and such.
7. Haven't yet seen a Coffee & Scream. I think I need to open one.
8. No Safeway's. Mostly corner groceries. At least in Queens. Again, kinda cool to keep the big box stores out, but a bit harder to find everything I'd like in one shop. The only Whole Foods I've seen is in Manhattan, and it will be unrealistic to make the trek very often. I have noticed though that lots of the little stores carry a variety of items, and it is possible to find rarer items there too, depending. I think I'll have to subscribe to delivery service for some of the specialty items I can't find in my neighbourhood.
PS...All the grocery stores deliver!
So, these are just a few of the things I've noticed right off the bat. Obviously the first things, are the ones that are different and unexpected. I'm not down on things by any means, and I'm actually pretty stoked to be here. It's an amazing city, with a million things to do to keep one busy. Paul & I are really gonna rip it up out here :)
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