A Video from VA!

We are adapting well here. Preston is super cranky I believe from the whole move and the lack of naps. He is peacefully sleeping right now, I think from pure exhaustion. I have been trying to keep up with everyones' blogs-wow being out of commission for a few days is rough.

I am also trying to adapt at slowing down a bit. Yesterday I wanted a spot in front of the grocery store and saw someone get into their car. After about 15 seconds of them not pulling out I saw my impatience rise. Very similar to Larry David in that Curb Your Enthusiasm episode. I was all like, "What the hell? Just put the key in and BACK OUT!"* (*This was also edited for violent language).

Perhaps because I had just dealt with the real intense man from the Geek Squad at Best Buy. All I needed was a simple wireless card. OH NO....we had to first "run" a spy ware sweep and then I proceeded to get a lecture about how my spy ware could be outdated, yada, yada,yada. Meanwhile you would think I was a government hacker or kiddie porn downloader the way I was interrogated. Then after he got the card which was $49 he told me the "installation fee" was another $49. Apparently I thought the installation was technical-actually it entailed a flat head screwdriver and being adept enough to place the part inside the hard drive and then----oh the hard part----screwing it back together! He then proceeded to tell me that his "work" (can you believe this) was not guaranteed because I refused to pay an additional $79 for him to perform a "diagnostic" on my hard drive. OK. Now come on. Really? He just ran a whole spy ware check and virus check! What would the diagnostic reveal? Wasn't that what he just did? Doctors at Columbia Presbyterian could not even diagnose my son and this guy wanted to check every orifice of my hard drive?

So I did not get the diagnostic. My computer can have the sniffles, I don't know. I think I am pretty smart and I felt the Best Buy Geek Squad Nazi man was just trying to get me to pay for a service I did not need. You know like when you go to Jiffy Lube for JUST an oil change and they show you your air filter and that it is slightly dirty. Of course it is you idiot-it's a friggin air filter. They get dirty. They filter air. They are pretty much always dirty. It's like the lint catcher in the dryer....OK sorry. Deep breath. I am down south now. I need to tone it down. I hope VA is ready for me.

FILM REMOVED FOR PRIVACY OF NEIGHBORS. I will post some pics of the house again soon!

We've Made It!

We are here in one piece. Gosh was the move exhausting, hectic and all around CRAZY! But we are here-thanks to my cousin Caitlin for driving with me. Saying goodbye to my sister and Steve was ridiculously hard. My sister wrote me the most beautiful card. I am already missing her. I am literally dealing with four hours sleep so I will write more later.

Suffice it to say, Preston has already decided that he likes this house and does not want to go back to "Mommy's house." Got to love children and their adaptations!

Thank you all for your well wishes. They mean so much to me. Today I am off to Target to get Preston a book shelf and if it stops raining, then to the playground in the development.

Today I will also find out if my job starts Tuesday or next week! Already thinking about back to work! Hugs to you all!

We are Leaving!

Just thought I would update before the move. It has been beyond crazy and I am not really looking forward to unpacking all these boxes. I feel as if there is still so much to do! The movers are picking up our stuff today and we will head out to my parents' to say goodbye to Katie, Steve, Charlie & Patricia. I have a heavy heart as I say that. I am so used to seeing my sister all the time. As the move approaches, so does my apprehension. I know it is a great thing, but I still have my ups and downs.

Here are a few photos. Here is Preston at his talent show. Notice when the pinata was being filled up how full of glee he was, but once the show started my little cowboy stood to the side with his friend Chase.

Aunt Melski came over on Saturday to say goodbye. I lived across the street from Mel almost my entire life, we went to the same college, we worked at the same law firms and now I will not see her until Preston's Birthday. That is also very strange for me. Preston had fun with Aunt Mel and played with all his blocks. Preston also got a haircut. His hair stylist is very concerned that a new stylist will not cut his hair correctly and he'll end up with a bowl cut. I cannot believe I have to find a new hair salon. Twenty three years at the same place!

Sunday we went to my Grandma's to say goodbye. After a long day of packing Preston went "camping." He would just not settle down. After one hour I came up to check on him and I swear this is how I found him!
See you in Virginia!

Second to Last Weekend in New York

And jam packed it was! My cousin's girlfriend Jess gave Preston a Remy the Rat doll so that prompted me to DVR Ratatouille. Preston and I snuggled up on the couch on Friday night and watched a movie (O.K. I confess-I totally stole the movie night idea from Danielle and figured if Peyton can sit through a movie then so can Preston)! He made it about an hour and a half. The movie was really cute, but seriously cartoon movies should not be two hours. Attention span people! I am very glad our generation of Disney/Pixar has cut back on the whole violence in cartoons such as shooting a parent, having a scorned lion uncle kill his brother, scary looking witches, etc. Very wholesome that little Remy and his critter friends were. Preston also can say ratatouille pretty well now too. That is more French than I remember considering Mel and I remember "Bon"and "Il fait chaud." (Which means, "the guy is hot." Hey that was a useful phrase when you were 16 and most people chose to take Spanish over French! And to continue this rambling-since Mel and I pretty much retained no French from taking it for six years, once her Dad told us we could only speak on the phone in French while she was at her upstate home. That conversation was pretty short. We might have thrown in a "oui" for good measure).

Saturday we had a play date with Rossana and Andrew. I met Rossana when she was pregnant and they suspected Andrew had achon. Here are pictures from Saturday.

Notice how Thomas has creeped into every facet of our lives. (Look for a future post on my thoughts regarding Thomas and the island of Sodor). Don't they look soooo happy to be in their strollers? Meanwhile we were being such horrible mothers taking them out for lunch. I have that mutant achon kid that hates the stroller and would walk everywhere. Really. I shake my head in disbelief when there is a discussion on POLP about achon kids not liking to walk because I would do anything to not wrestle Preston into a stroller!

On Saturday night we had a great dinner at Aunt Pat and Uncle Dennis' and Preston had a lot of quality time (ahem...unauthorized ice cream at the playground) with his cousin Caitlin and her boyfriend Will. He also got to spend time with Nana.

On Sunday Steve took us out to breakfast at the Pancake Cottage. The waitresses are so bummed Preston will be moving and becoming a Cracker Barrel kid now. Hopefully we can do one more pancake excursion before we take off.

***Note****Although there are a ridiculous amount of pancakes on Preston's plate, I did stop him at four silver dollars (this meal encompassed breakfast and lunch) but had I not, he may have eaten them all. The kid loves his pancakes.

Then we burned off the calories by washing my car and my sister's. Preston helped Uncle Steve with the hose and washing the wheels.

In the spirit of the Olympics, Preston found a rather large rock in my parents' garden which he proceeded to chuck all over the driveway (far away from cars and small animals mind you). Here is the future shot put champion of the 2024 Olympics.

Seriously Kid?

Is this the face of a child that become a mutant at night????
If you answered "yes" then you are correct! All of you remember the sleeping issues I was having about two months back? Well after one week with his dad, Preston has morphed once again into stubborn sleep toddler. We are back to sleeping out of the bed. The newest place? His armchair! So I have removed it from his room at night (which starts a tantrum). He is back to camping on the floor in a corner (he asked for the closet and I told him that he was just not going to sleep in a closet). I put him back in the bed and in the morning he is back on the floor. Argh! My mother told me to choose my battles. At least at the new house when he sleeps on the floor there is wall to wall carpeting and not a wood floor. I have to say though he slept 12 hours with no issues last night so maybe the floor is his thing.

HUGE NEWS!!!!!!!

I have very big news....We are moving! Preston and I are moving to Richmond Virginia in two and a half weeks. This is something that has been on the back burner for quite a number of years and finally coming to fruition. As an attorney we have certain states that are reciprocal with New York-meaning I do not have to sit for the bar examination. (Which I would never do anyway, once was enough thank you). Virginia is one of them. My friends Sammy and Jordana moved down after law school and have been there ever since. They just had their first child Maddie two months ago. I have always loved it down there and last summer brought my parents down.

My mother and father fell in love and in February they began construction on a brand new home. They sold their house on Long Island as well. My father is co-owner of a surgery center in New York so he will be doing the one hour flight down and still working in NYC as well. Preston and I are moving in with them until I decide if I want to buy a resale or build a home for us.

It's a huge change, a huge risk and I am actually pretty nauseous that I just quit my very good, very well paying job. I am owed over a month's salary from unused vacation and I have a position for the time being (of course I am so nervous that the recruiter is going to call and say there is no more work). It gives me the opportunity to find what I really like in a firm down there and meet people. Preston is already registered in a brand new (three month old) school which is gorgeous! I feel like I just made such a crazy decision, but truly my life here has been on hold for over two years-no dating, oppressive rent, oppressive tuition, so now I have the opportunity to change my whole life. I am so nervous because I am not a risk taker AT ALL! So wish me luck. (Don't worry I will still be back to NYC for the convention).

Here is a picture of the new home! More to come.

Geneticist Appointment-Stats Update

We had Preston's semi annual geneticist appointment today. Actually it's been longer than six months, more like eight or so...but who's counting? He was 26.9 pounds (his pediatrician said 27 but this time he was standing versus sitting I have no clue if that makes a difference). He is measuring 32 1/4 inches which puts him at the 95th percentile for achon and in never never land on the AH charts. What makes me laugh is the average 2 1/2 year old is roughly 35-36 inches (obviously there are some that are 37) so you think-no big deal a couple of inches but on the charts it's like Preston is suspended in dead air below the 3rd percentile. :-) They measured him twice since the first time they were at 32-I mean really but I guess that 1/4 inch is a big deal.

What totally cracks me up is that they also measure...well.. you know...(ahem)...his boy parts. Are there charts for this? I mean I am sure if these were well known to the public, men would be all over this. So I hear them take the measurement and think well is it good? Bad? Do I really as his mom want to know that anyway?

All in all he had a good visit. He also got a stuffed animal, wind up toy and two lollipops from Dr. Angulo. After the visit Matt picked him up and they are off to Boston. Mommy celebrated by getting a manicure without having to corral Preston in the nail salon. Methinks it is time for some wine....

Weekend Fun

Another weekend-although I am excited since today is my last day at work for the week. I have a court appearance tomorrow on Long Island so after that I will work from home and then take Preston to the geneticist. Then Preston is off to Boston with his father and I am heading off to Virginia for the weekend with my family. I am so bummed that Jordana and new baby Madeline are going to be in New York this weekend. I was so looking forward to smothering that child with lots of kisses.

Preston is doing well with his transition into the String Beans at day care. I received his binder made by the Chili Pepper teacher, Joi, who also included a beautiful letter to me. The binder held observations of Preston, pictures and artwork. I was pretty much bawling at work reading it yesterday. Katie came over last night to watch him since I had night court (not like the show at all, mind you) and even she got very teary.

Here is the latest picture of the dude. I really think he needs another hair cut. This kid has the thickest head of hair! He is lounging here watching his Saturday Morning cartoons.

My brother Charlie and his step daughter Nicole came for a visit and a swim. Preston loves to water plants and apparently he also loves to water his sandals as well.

And here is a great example of Preston's wonderful listening skills of don't go in the water in your clothes. I seriously asked him 50 times to come upstairs to put on his bathing suit and swim diaper, but I guess it is more fun to dip yourself in the water fully clothed. My brother also seemed to instigate this whole fiasco.

Have a great week everyone. See you when I get back!

This and That

I feel the need to just write a random entry about a few things-answer some comments, etc.

First I must answer Renay's comment about fall television. As you all know Renay and I were big Idol fanatics and I feel since it does not come back on until January (pause for frowning) and you all will just miss my commentary sooooo much, I have to maybe pick something else to write about. I must also say that in the AI offseason, my boy Ryan was bitten by a shark.

I must say, I am ridiculously obsessed with my television (probably due to the lack of a boyfriend-I should probably work on that). I love September. The whole month is like a big holiday. September brings about three major events (all having to do with television-how pathetically sad am I, but I'll keep writing):

1) The kickoff of football season. Of course last season, being a NY Giants fan-I don't know if anything can top that so as I go in awfully excited I don't know if anything can possibly be as amazing as defeating the undefeated Pats. (And you all know my fondness for New England sports teams).

2) Baseball begins to get exciting. Of course it is only exciting for me if two things happen a) the Yankees actually make the post season this year or if they don't, b) hope the Red Sox fall into the black hole of oblivion. And finally...

3) The beginning of fall television. (I actually think I just heard the Heavens open). I for one watch way too many shows. My friend Kim and I each try to pick a new show for the season. What is not coming back is Shark or Cane. So here is my line up if I remember: House, Ugly Betty, Dirty Sexy Money, Desperate Housewives, Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, Gossip Girl and Grey's. I think my favorite is Grey's because I totally heart Patrick Dempsey. Although Gossip Girl runs a tight second. (Hey what do you expect form a girl who has not had 90210 since college)? In fact I was so jealous last week when GG was filming right outside my father's office in the City. My sister totally dropped the ball by not going out to take pictures or at least giving me updates on the fashions. Then again Dr. House is quite entertaining, although after watching each episode I believe that I will die. In fact last season when a girl died from a staff infection due to her bra strap cutting her I was suddenly petrified of all back closure bras. So we will see what the fall brings---many nights of my sorry butt on the couch that's for sure.

In other news, the dude had his 2 1/2 year old well visit. He is 27 pounds even. His height-I never go by her measurements so we'll see what Dr. Angulo says next week. He takes like four measurements on paper with two others helping him, so we will see what the official report brings. His doctor was impressed with his personality-Preston has a sense of humor and jokes around that she believes is advanced for his age. (My smart dude-see what happens when I got to raise him on his own?)

I also received his orientation/welcome package from the String Bean teachers. It said "Your child is now in preschool." I welled up with tears at that point. He is in preschool. WOW! Time surely is flying.