December Visits and Holiday Cheer

Mid-december Grandma Jill and Grandpa Bill came for a long weekend. We did a ton during this visit! They of course came and saw our apartment and checked out our neighborhood. They also spoiled the girls with lots of gifts and Grandma made them beautiful handmade sweaters. Grandma also made me a matching sweater. I will hopefully get to post a picture of us in these soon.

Anyway, well they were here we decided to have a few fun adventures in Manhattan. Here is where we went: FAO Schwarz, Rockefeller Center (hopefully next year Sophia will be old enough to skate), Grand Central Station, and Union Square Holiday Bizarre. It was a quick, busy, and fun filled visit!

Christmas Eve Sage, the girls, and I had a quiet evening. I made a 22lbs pork roast. Why? Hum, I am still pondering that myself... but it turned out great!

We spent Christmas Day at Deb & Tim's. Nonna, Uncle Andrew, and Deb's parents were all there for the festivities. It was great fun eating and hanging out. I know the kids enjoyed all the new toys and gifts. GG Mum sent along two special gifts, handmade sweaters for Dylan and Sophia–thanks! Sadly, we didn't take any pictures. We will try to do better next time. Still figuring how best to carry the kids, kid related items, and all the items we need or want while riding public transportation. I think that I will be taking more pictures with my i-phone.

5 months

Just wanted to share these cute pictures of my angel. 

November

Nonna Penny paid us a visit. Sadly, it was a very cold and brisk weekend, which it made it hard to walk around, but I think she got a good glimpse of North Williamsburg.  Tim and Dylan joined us on Saturday for the day. We spent our time checking out the East River State Park and assembling the awesome play kitchen that Nonna got the girls. Nonna—thank you, thank you for the gift!!!

Sophia jumped right into bed with Nonna when she was visiting... she really missed her Nonna!

Nonna and Rylan cuddling together at the East River State Park

Aunt Jenna also visited later in the month for the weekend. I took her to all the places I knew she'd love in the hopes that maybe she'll think about moving to the NYC in a year or two. Aunt Jo and Kristen joined us on Sunday for brunch and I can't say it enough, but Sophia just loves her Kristen—and who wouldn't?

Sophia wearing Kristen's hat at brunch and refusing to leave her lap

Jen and Sophia cuddling

Thanksgiving came and went in a flash! We took our first flight as a family of four to the good old SYR to have a Young family celebration at Penny's abode.  It was a great feast with yummy food and great live music played by Larry's sons. There was a lot of running around to visit various people, but so happy to have done so. We had a wonderful celebration of Thanksgiving/Christmas with Nana Wendy and Papa Scott and after this we were able to see Aunt Ginny. We also visited with Oma, Mirca, Barbel and Angie.

Pop-pop, Mimi, Jenna and Uncle Tito were all away visiting Brian, Chantal, and Marcus in NOLA.  Luckily, they arrived back the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The girls and I stayed a few extra days to visit some more with them. Mimi drove us back to Brooklyn, even after the horrible experience that she had traveling with Sophia and I to NOLA....obviously she really loves us! Both girls behaved so well on the drive. And I was so excited that Mimi was finally able to see our apartment and neighborhood. It put the icing on the cake for me this month!

Other news:  November 19th Rylan rolled over for the 1st time from back to front and since has been rolling a little more each day, however her little arm gets stuck and prohibits her from making a full roll to her belly. She has also started eating solid foods and seems to really love eating-just like her big sister.

The Rest of September and The Month of October

Since living in Brooklyn we've been warmly welcomed by some local friends (Jeff, Lorena, Nyles and Carolyn) and family (Natalie, Sharone, David, David, and Chelsie). We've made a few trips to the Union Square farmer's market in Manhattan, only to discover that we had our very own smaller version farmer's market just two blocks away—ha ha! Anyway, those who are unfamiliar with NYC this meant we had to take the subway to make the journey to Union Square—I say journey because going on the subway with a toddler and infant is a bit of an ordeal. My cousin David had us all over for lunch in his beautiful new apartment and after we checked out the annual pickle festival in the Lower East Side.

As resident New Yorkers we gave up our car and became Zipcar members. During our first adventure out with the zip car to IKEA we got in a hit and run accident.  No one was hurt and the girls slept through the whole thing, although Sage and I were definitely traumatized—emotionally and then financially since we had to pay for the damage.

We then had a quick trip upstate (ha ha... to Westchester) to Deb and Tim's to celebrate Nora's baptism. We actually used the Zipcar again, but with much caution! My cousin Kristen stopped by later that same week and it was so great to see her! Deb, Tim, and crew came our way for a few hours to see our new place, I thought that was really awesome! Finally, a low key weekend came along and we just went to a Cooper Park (local park) for a kids Halloween festival. Sophia was completely uninterested in the events, but really liked being outside and of course she as liked the playground.

Sophia and Dylan chowing down at our apartment

Nora and Rylan hanging out at our apartment

Sophia and I at Cooper Park

Here I am with Rylan at Cooper Park

The month ended with us celebrating Halloween. Sophia dressed as a cat and Rylan as a pumpkin. We celebrated by attending a Halloween party hosted by one of my playgroups at the Lutheran Church of the Messiah. Sophia had a blast at the party and she loved her costume. I was so surprised! Most the time she hates getting dressed, but she insisted on wearing her cat costume three days in a row, meow!

Bye 9 Nursery Lane, Hello Brooklyn

Recently, I've been an extremely delinquent blogger, but I guess I'll attribute it having a second baby, selling our house, and moving Brooklyn. Yes, it's been madness! 


The last week in June we put our house on the market because Sage accepted a position as an Interactive Art Director at a small start up-company in Manhattan. Two short weeks later our house was sold. Then, 4 days later little Rylan Avery was born. We officially moved ourselves and all of our belongings out of 9 Nursery Lane on August 15th. At which time we became temporary residents of 6916 Shalimar Way—Mimi and Pop-pop's abode.  Thank you both so much!!! I have such great parents! 

Thankfully, Sage's new job did not begin until the first week in October. This gave us some time to find an apartment and move.  We moved the old style way with the help of friends and family—thanks to everyone who helped! Then, on September 19th it was "bon voyage"... we boarded the Amtrak train one-way to Penn Station.

In between that time, lots of other events happened. Sophia turned two! Grandma and Grandpa Long visited for her birthday weekend—great seeing you guys! Ari started his first year at college. Jenna started her senior year. Brian, Chantal and Marcus came to visit and meet Rylan. We meet our new niece Nora (Tim and Deb's new addition), who is two weeks older than Rylan. We celebrated  a few Jewish holidays. We celebrated both Nonna Penny and Pop-pops' birthdays. I may have missed a few things, as it was a very busy time, but I think I hit most of the highlights.


Bloopers: Pop-pop boarding our train to NYC with Sophia and going to another car. First of all I really didn't even know he boarded the train with her—I thought she was still on the platform with the gang (Les, Jen, Dad, and Ari). I was distracted with  trying to organize ourselves, the car seat, stroller, Rylan and find possible seats. Anyway, the doorman gave warning that the train was to go and I asked for Les, Jenna, and Ari to pass Sophia to me. Then it really started getting crazy! We were all frantic and yelling, calling Pop-pop to get off the train and give us Sophia. It was like a scene from a Woody Allen film. I laugh now (it all worked out). Pop-pop made it back to us, handing over Sophia and jumping off in the nick of time.  


Side note: Aunt Jenna, your rock! Thanks for being my summer Nanny. I can't possibly tell you how much this meant to me and how much you helped me survive this period of time!!! During this process I've really felt all the love in our family and it's wonderful!

9 Nursery Lane

Sophia's old room

Grandma and Rylan

Sophia and Marcus in the bath

Sophia in her new big bed from Grandma and Grandpa

the view from our apartment

Rylan Avery, Our New Baby Girl

The labor officially started July 8th around 8:30pm, Rylan decided that she much preferred to be born on the 9th. It was a long and strenuous birth (Rylan's head was facing the wrong way), unlike Sophia's. With the help of a great labor team (Sage, Leslie, Jenna, and Mary Thompson) along with some coordinated assistance from my Dad I found the strength after 14.5 hours of labor and 30 some odd hours awake to have a natural birth. Finally, at 11am our beautiful healthy baby girl was born.

Sophia met Rylan the following day and within the very first minute of seeing her little sister she started screeching with excitement and yelling "baby, baby"!!! She then proceeded to give Rylan non-stop kisses–so adorable! 

Playing In The Park

I can't really remember when we had a lazy minute in this month (everything seems to blur at the end of pregnancy), but I guess we had one peaceful morning and so we decided to walk to park across the street. Sage, Sophia, and I all had so much fun playing, here a few pictures from our adventures.