Empire State of Mind

Before Christmas we tagged along with Brent on a work trip to New York City.  It was fabulous!  It is an amazing city and I would love to live there...you never know what the future holds?!?  But with three children it does not seem likely. 

Our flight out was uneventful.  We arrived and were very tired but hit the streets and headed straight for Little Italy.  We went to a popular pizza place first and put our name on the list.  While waiting we walked around to keep from falling asleep.  We came across Rubirosa and decided to eat there instead.  It was amazing!  The thing that took us by surprise was the servers did not speak with an Eastern European accent and could understand everything we said.  It is all in what you become accustomed and we are now used to London. 

The next day it rained.all.day.  Yes, I live in London but rarely does it rain all day and when it does I am not sightseeing.  In the morning, we went to early Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral.  The girls and I went to Radio City Music Hall to see the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular show.  It was excellent and I highly recommend it.  Brent and George stayed at the hotel...

I received a lesson from the cab driver on how to hail a cab.  In London there are rules about where the driver can stop.  Not so in New York.  You have to throw yourself in front of the cab to get it before somebody else.  Lesson learned.

Leslie (my college roommate) took the train in to spend the afternoon with us.  I know!  Amazing how we have not aged a day in 18 years...

We walked through Times Square and down to Chelsea.  The 1:1 adult to child ratio was nice.

Monday morning the weather turned bitter cold.  Brent went to work.  The rest of us went for brunch and shopping at American Girl.  I find American Girl to be overpriced but irresistible.  The girls save their birthday and pocket money for these shopping trips. 

Tuesday was more of the same very cold weather.  We did a little shopping but had to spend a good bit of time in the room because it was too cold to be outside for long.  We had an spectacular view...

We also spent a good bit of time in the bathroom waiting for George to go to sleep at night.  Eventually we would give up and go to bed too.  We did not try to adjust to the time change.  So Brent and I were up bright and early like it or not. 

On our last day we took the subway downtown to the Staten Island Ferry.  Tickets to the Statue of Liberty were sold out so this was the closest (and free) way to see it.  

During this trip George was officially banned from all restaurants worldwide.  Despite a few trials to lift the ban in the meantime, it stays firmly in place.  He ate a lot of street vendor hot dogs and the girls discovered Hawaiian Punch.  

I found the people to be surprisingly friendly and helpful.  In London, I rarely have a door held or help down stairs with the stroller.  Everywhere we went I was overwhelmed with help.  A plus to living here is I tackled the city and subway with three children on my own and did not think a thing of it.  We did not get to explore nearly as much as we wanted, namely Central Park, because it was take-your-breath-away cold.  My love affair with the city is going strong and I am looking for any chance to go back!  

George at 22 Months

George at 22 months is the funniest, sweetest, cutest, cleverest little thing ever.

In daddy's overalls:

Since he was born when he wakes I ask him how he is this morning/afternoon.  For the first time this morning he responded "good"!  He repeats many of his words - duck duck, yes yes, more more, paci paci.  He is putting different two words together.  His best words are "onk" for blanket and for paci he says it without the p and i.  He is very good at "shhh" when he should be quiet. 

The world of boyishness is open to him.   A couple of months ago he discovered trucks, buses, motorcycles and ne-nas (emergency vehicles).  Since we walk everywhere and live close to a hospital he gets to see several of these a day.  He can spot a ne-na a mile away.  The sirens are very loud and I cover his ears when they go by - he does it now too. 

George is very loving and affectionate.  He gives about 50 unsolicited hugs and kisses a day.  He loves Veggie Tales - too much.  He reads lots of books.  He does not get why daddy's phone does not work like mommy's with a touch screen.  He wants to jump and thinks he is jumping. 

Watching Veggie Tales....

He eats too well at times.  It is a little embarrassing around other people when he eats entire bowls of grapes and berries.  Or at his playgroup when he will not play but stays by the snacks until he has eaten all of them.  His favorite at the moment is large bowls of porridge (oatmeal). 

He new stunt is to climb on his little chair and slide over the back of the sofa.  I know I should make him stop.  But I find it so clever and funny I let him do it. 

His naps start between 12-1.  Occasionally I have to wake him for the school run.  How could I disturb him...

Busy Season Recap

I survived busy season #15! I think it was the most successful on record.  Overall it was intense but manageable.  Straightforward returns are nice for a quick feeling of accomplishment.  But my favorite is a complex group with multiple spreadsheets.  Ahhh the rush!!!  And I am not joking.  

How do I do it all?  Well, I do not.  I heard an author say when she writes she only writes and everything else is ignored.  This is my strategy.  No blog posts.  Only one lunch - it was a birthday lunch.  No volunteer meetings.  No coffees.  No exercise - and it is surprising how hungry working in the accounting field makes a person.  Laundry is washed just-in-time.  More take away than usual.  Stacks of clutter - apparently I spend a good bit of time sorting and organizing in ordinary time. 

When April 18th finally rolled around (those extra days are torment) I felt a little nostalgic about years past 15 years.  I started in tax my first semester at OU.  I answered an ad at the student union from a law office.  At this point accounting students are trying to answer the question of going into audit or tax.  After a few weeks I knew what I wanted to do.  Next, I spent time (it is has similarities to jail) in public accounting then tax software development.  Software development busy season was ahead of filing season then we had the torture of product phone support. during filing season.  

My first year home with Mary Kate I had a few paying clients - just enough to cover expenses and pay for her birthday party.  Odd as it my sound I truly enjoy my profession.  I am very thankful I get to stay home and work...another post for another day...