Spork and Swinging

Like most kids, Cate loves her mac & cheese. I don’t give it to her very often because I want her to eat, you know, vegetables, but occasionally…Henry loves it too. In the video, I keep asking her to wave. She won’t do it. This morning though, we were watching this on my iPhone, and she couldn’t STOP waving when she heard me asking on the video.

 This was taken a couple of months back, back when we could go outside without being dressed like eskimos. The girl still loves to swing.

iPhone Woes


iphone
Originally uploaded by telfandrea.

This is the only picture (seven months pregnant at Claire's wedding!) I could find of me and my beloved iPhone. Since we moved to New York, my iPhone and I have had, well, a complicated relationship.

I first left my phone in a cab back in September. Eleanor was babysitting while Cate napped. I wanted to maximize my time at the MET and so I took a cab. We don't take cabs often and I employed a habit back when I had a car, I slipped my phone underneath my leg. Stupid, stupid. I realized the phone was gone when I was climbing the steps to the MET. Sea of yellow taxis, none being my taxi. The cab driver's daughter called my mom who emailed me. Eleanor brokered the phone's return. Paid cab driver $80.

The second time I left my phone in a cab, my parents were in town and Telfer and I took them TO THE BRONX for an authentic Italian dinner. It took forever to get up there and the meal was okay, not great. We took a cab back to Manhattan and yes, I employed the phone-under-the-leg-trick yet again. Called phone, cab driver answered. Already back in the Bronx. Returned phone to apartment for $20. Somehow, I have had the two most honest cab drivers in the entire city.

Christmas Eve-Eve. At brunch with Eleanor, Chris, Mendy, Telfer and Cate. Talking, gesturing, submerge phone in a newly refilled cup of coffee (with cream). Stare at phone, can't comprehend what I have done. Finally regroup and pull phone out of coffee. Elizabeth tells me to put phone in a glass of dry rice. Doesn't work. Phone completely wonky. Take phone to Apple Store. Ruined. Buy a new phone on Christmas Eve. Won't tell you how much it cost.

My husband loves me. Thank goodness. New Year's resolution: Treat iPhone with respect. Nine days in, doing good.

Post-Christmas Blahs


present from papa and g-ro!
Originally uploaded by telfandrea.

We had such a good Christmas with Telfer's family. This is Cate opening one of her presents from my parents. It was a lot of people (9!) in our small apartment but it didn't feel like too much. We had brunch and opened presents and then met some of Tracie's family at a restaurant for dinner. A New York kind of Christmas.

After Christmas, everyone left, and all three of us got colds. Cate's has been especially bad, the sound of her cough would break your heart. I took down the tree and all the rest of the decorations. It's really cold. Telfer's working a lot. In short, I don't much like the first half of January. Is that depressing? I think I am coming out of the blahs a little bit though. Today I talked to my mom, mailed several packages, wrote ten thank you notes, made a couple of needed phone calls and finished organizing closets and drawers. Tomorrow I might even pull out my label maker. On the rebound.

New York Santa


new york santa
Originally uploaded by telfandrea.

Telfer and I took Cate down to the tree in Rockefeller Center on Saturday night. Lots of people. Lots of snow and wind. Lots of cold. We bundled up and were bolstered by hot apple cider. The tree is really beautiful. And I got this shot of a slightly dejected Santa on 49th near Rockefeller Center.

Telfer's family is all here and we are in the thick of Christmas celebrations. Went to Billy Elliott last night – fabulous – Cate is loving the extra attention.