central park on thursday
Originally uploaded by telfandrea.

Here we are with more snow. It hasn't stopped snowing since Thursday morning and now it is Friday afternoon. I think we'll probably have two feet before it's over. Maybe? I am hopelessly awful at looking at snow and estimating how many inches. Also bad at estimating crowd size.

It's actually very beautiful. Yesterday Telfer was post-call and I had the afternoon to myself. A little snow was not going to keep me home. I went to lunch and then headed over to the Frick Collection on the east side. I highly recommend this art museum. The MET is so overwhelming but the Frick collection, once a private home, is such a charming place to experience great paintings. I finally got to see the Hans Holbein portraits of Thomas Cromwell and Thomas More (doesn't sound that interesting unless you have read Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel).

In two hours I had finished up at the Frick and still had some time so I thought I would walk partway home. So, I started off on E. 70th and walked up Madison and then cut back over to 5th Ave at 88th street. I looked like a walking snowman with wet glasses but I kept going. I decided to walk through Central Park to the west side and then maybe get a taxi the rest of they way home. In the fifteen minute walk across the park I saw maybe six people. So beautiful and quiet. I heard today that a man was killed by a snow-filled branch in the park yesterday at the exact time I was walking through the park and taking pictures. Whoops! Maybe not so smart. And when I got to the west side I was officially ready for a taxi. Except for there were none. All full. I walked another ten blocks up and then a few avenues over and finally found one. I was SOAKING wet when I got home and my mascara was down to my jaw line. But I had my winter walk and an afternoon out. Such a treat for a mom.

Today we are definitely staying inside as much as possible. Cate actually likes snow days because she gets to watch Sesame Street, a once or maybe (on rare occasions), a twice a week occurrence. I have dinner already done (it smells amazing) and Cate and I (with the babybjorn, the stroller is impossible) are going to venture out for a baguette. Big plans.

in action
Originally uploaded by telfandrea.

So Cate is almost 17 months now and is still not walking. She's getting close though. She stands and shakes her necklaces and sits and then stands again but so far she has only taken a couple of unassisted steps a handful of times. Alyssa's girls are late walkers too and so Mom and Alyssa suggested we get a baby walker for Cate to practice walking and gain confidence. I found one on craigslist for $15 and Telfer picked it up for me. Yes, another ugly plastic toy. Luckily, it's pretty small and we can store it underneath the exersaucer.

Cate seems to like the walker so far (so geriatric!). All our doorways have lips and so she can go like ten feet before she's stopped up. With the snow, I finally took her down to our somewhat dingy lobby where she can practice with a bit more space. She had fun but was more interested in climbing the stairs. Go figure.

locked out of the room of delights 

Since my last post, we have had another all-day snow day (Tuesday). Cate and I spent the day enjoyably but spring is sounding like a delightful gift at this point. Two other gifts: Telfer got home on Saturday morning from his conference and is now off of his ICU rotation. Last night he walked in before 5:30 and then took Cate and Henry for a walk. I could get used to this again.

This last week I have had more time than usual at home so I have been doing a lot of random little things.

Dreaming of projects:

• I really want to make this wreath. Yes, a Christmas wreath in February. Not normal. I have a feeling it would be too expensive though when all is said and done. But maybe worth it?
• I also want to make a daily weather and a daily word spot for Cate – maybe on a magnet board? Alyssa is getting a fancy new toy for her birthday so I am thinking she could help me out…

Cataloging my dislikes (for no good reason):

• the feel of newsprint 
• the little paper inserts in magazines
• chalkboards & the idea of chalkboard paint
• excess of plastic bags and packaging
• mushrooms
• all cable news (right and left). Posturing nonsense…

Making good food:

• I made this dinner for Telfer for Valentine's Day. I also have discovered the humble brussel sprout this winter.
• And last night went back to an old classic: cashew chicken curry with vegetables added.

Lastly, we would appreciate your prayers for my cousin Charisa. She is one of the Baptist missionaries in Haiti. They released eight of the prisoners last night, but my cousin and the leader are still being held. Charisa has diabetes and needs better care than is currently available. It's a difficult situation. 

multi-use
Originally uploaded by telfandrea.

Important: Cate only gets her pacifiers during naps or nighttime.

At least once a day I plop Cate into her crib for a minute while I do something, usually to tidy up her room quickly. Lately, the second she gets in her crib she locates and then drops all of her pacifiers out onto the floor. I usually forget to pick them up. We'll be out in the living room playing and all of the sudden she's been to her room and now she's coming back out with a pacifier in each hand and one in her mouth.

This kid's crafty.

If you look, she's got a pacifier in her mouth in this picture.

I feel like I am living in the middle of a snow globe at the moment. And Telfer's gone this week at a conference in a sunny locale. He said this morning he felt guilty sending me photographs of palm trees. As well he should. A snow day with a 16-month old isn't exactly restful. 

Here's how we are coping:

Of course I made soup. We are really into this potato-leek soup. 

Henry still needs to go outside twice a day, no matter the weather. This is our street at about 7:30 this morning. The snow was so beautiful and the wind hadn't kicked up yet. I hate wind. I got my fill of it growing up in the Tri-Cities. Henry has learned to do his business in the snow and for that I am grateful. We decided to make the trek to our favorite bagel place. We were literally the only customers. The lack of people on the street was absolutely eery. 

The librarian in me decided to pull out every book we had on snow and read it to Cate after she woke up from her morning nap. I was definitely more into it then she was…

Then the mailperson brought me my latest Indiespensable box from Powell's Books. I have been subscribing for about a year. Every six or eight weeks they send you a box with a featured title, this month is Shadow Tag by Louise Erdrich (signed, in a slipcover) as well as varying surprise gifts. This month I felt very lucky: a galley of the new Lionel Shriver novel, a red Powell's journal and a box of treats from a local Portland bakery. Words cannot describe how much I love this program. I view it as an investment [picture Telfer snorting].