Peace and Love to all!
Tamara, Jeremy, KZ, Jake and Kadou
# 11 Travel
- KZ did her first overseas flight as a "big girl". We had taken her to London and back, of course, before, but this was the first time she was old enough to remember it. She was a remarkable little flyer, well behaved and followed instructions about turning off her iPad, unlike some TV actors we've heard of recently.
- Travel for me included my first time down under to Sydney, Australia. I want to write a lot more about Sydney, but I'll do that separately on my blog. Net/Net, it was SO worth the 33 hour flight back home to New York. I did not have one bad experience in Sydney, or even with the flight except that they were long. I did fly Emirates, which was the nicest coach section I've been on to date. I highly recommended them. I do want to go back, with KZ when she can remember it. I also want to see other parts of the country and stay longer than a week! It took about that long to recover from the flight.
#10 We bought a co-op on the Upper East Side
And moved Feb. 14. Honestly, we really loved our building, neighbors, and location in the Financial District/TriBeCa area. But, we were renting, the landlord was raising the rent by 25%, and we just couldn't find a place downtown. We ended up in a nice three-bedroom at 86th and York. The good things about this area that we do love ...
- Carl Schurz Park, not as big as Central Park but a great place for KZ to play, for me to walk the dogs, and for all of us to sit by the East River and enjoy the view of Queens, which really is nice -- no joke. :-)
- Central Park is less than a mile away. Need I say more?
- Multitude of vets, dog groomers, and shops for mom.
- Multiple great little diners/restaurants such as the Mansion and Ottomanelli's, which has been around since 1900.
- Glaser's Bake Shop, http://www.glasersbakeshop.com
#9 A Family Reunion in Arkansas
We had a wonderful family reunion in Bentonville, Arkansas the weekend of November 11, 2011. The occasion was my Uncle Maurice's 70th Birthday. It was a surprise party for him, given by my Aunt Pat and Cousin Theresa. They really pulled it off. My Uncle's two siblings were there (including my dad), and most of their kids, plus grand and great-grand children. It was fun for me to meet family members I had only heard about, but never actually met. KZ had a great time playing with Matthew, my Uncle's great-grandson, who was her own age. They ran all over my Uncle's farm. It was a lot of fun for all of us to watch. When we asked KZ what she thought of Arkansas she said, "I LOVE Arkansas!" I plan to take her back in the spring. Also, we visited the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, http://crystalbridges.org/, which opened that same weekend. This is a museum started by Alice Walton, which is her own personal collection. The building is a masterpiece as well as all the art within. Truly a treasure that is worth the trip to Bentonville, whether you know my Uncle or not.
#8 Writing
I have continued to take writing classes but just wish I had more time to actually sit down and write. I can write a book load of words, but making them all sound flawless is the challenge. I've learned that they don't need to be perfect, but they do need to be said. I'm hoping at the very least, that KZ will have these words to look back on when she is grown. I had three writing goals this year ... to enter a writing contest at Real Simple Magazine (results have not been announced), submit an essays for publication (which was rejected, but at least I submitted -- need to resubmit somewhere else), and start my blog. I would love to say that I blog everyday, but it really is only a few times a month. Again, I want to get the words out there, but I always seem to be busy with something that prevents me from truly sitting down and writing. I do love writing and am happy with my results so far. My goal for 2012, two solid days of writing a week! More if I can get it. :-)
#7 Torn Achilles and Malleolus Tendons
Now how can this be a good thing? Honestly, it was one of the worse non-life threatening experiences I've been through. The tendons had been giving me problems for years, but I really never found a good doctor to help me with them. So, I did what any runner would do, I kept running on them. Then on May 14, 2011 (a date I'll never forget), I was running a 10K in Central Park. It was a good day, I was fast, and a sub 50 minute race was in site. With about a half mile left, I felt it rip, but I kept running. I did have my sub 50 minutes in mind. I hobbled across the finish line in 51-ish minutes. What followed was months of painful therapy and even more painful -- not running. I do want to note that Dr. Wayne Winnick, http://www.drwaynewinnick.com/, was a miracle worker. I wouldn't be running pain free now without him. What really came to me during this downtime (and not quickly) was a sense of balance, then a shift in priorities. Before my injury, I would spend so much time running that when KZ asked me to go to the park, I was too tired. I would go but I would be grumpy. Gone are the days where I can go for a 20-mile run, come home, shower, eat, and sit on the sofa reading the paper and drinking coffee for the rest of the day. I have a little one who wants to be with me, who wants to do things with me, and, best of all, who still thinks hanging out with mommy is the coolest thing ever. I know these things will change eventually, but until they do, I'm going to cut back on my running. Half Marathons will be a lot less time consuming, and a lot less tiring. I can still be fit and hang out with the coolest kid I know. Marathons can wait, KZ's childhood cannot.
#6 KZ is a pre-schooler!
KZ started pre-school FIVE days a week, 9-5, at the House of Little People II, http://www.
#5 KZ -- Anything she does.
I'm fascinated by her development from an infant to a pre-schooler. Everyday there is something amazing that she says or does, like reading the Very Hungry Caterpillar to ME every night. I swear, and I mean this by how her pants are now way too short, that she grew two inches since November, 2011! She's been out of diapers at night starting in the summer. We switched her from a crib to a "big girl's" bed. At that time, and she took to getting up, using the potty, and going back to bed, like a duck takes to water. It was a wonderful day when I realized that we no longer needed to support the diaper industry ... ever! I'm always saddened when I see little kids who are just tossed aside. Yes, this is the hardest job I have ever done in my life. Yes, there are many days that I've taken migraine meds by 8:30 a.m. Yes, it never ends, and I would just like a few hours off every day to recharge. BUT, she is by far the coolest thing ever. I wouldn't change my life for the world.
#4 Earthquake and Hurricane
August 23, Earthquake. Ok, fine, the earthquake was nothing, and I didn't feel it. I was here, at the Plaza Hotel having High Tea with a friend, and the chandeliers didn't even sway. BUT, I did love watching the news coverage.
August 28, Hurricane Irene hits New York. This one scared me. Net/net, we were fine, but as we all know, many people were not. I would like to thank everybody who gave me tips on what to do. Jeremy survived Hurricane Andrew and took Irene very seriously. One of the best pieces of advice I received, make your coffee the night before so that if the power goes out, you at least have a cup cold of coffee.
#3 and Jeremy turns 40!
August 29, Jeremy turned 40! We had planned a very nice dinner at Del Posto, a Mario Batali restaurant in the Meat Packing District for twenty of Jeremy's family and friends, most from out of town. Well, due to Ms. Irene, only two couples made it in. One other person made it in, but was in Jersey so we never ended up seeing her. Comically, since there were so many cancellations throughout the city, we were able to take the two couples who made it to Per Se for a wonderful dinner overlooking the park in a private room spending the same amount budgeted for 20 people at Del Posto!
#2 Jeremy, the marathoner
Jeremy ran his first marathon at Disney, in January 2011. He ran his second in Philadelphia in November. He is not at Boston qualifying times yet, but he is completing them in good health. Two years ago he was clinically obese and exercised only by watching football. Now, he is at a healthy weight, lifting weights and/or running almost every day. He is in the best shape of his life and intends to keep it that way.
#1 Jeremy is cancer free!
Two years ago at Christmas, Jeremy was diagnosed with Lymphoma. Today, his chemo is over, his health is good, and the future is looking bright! We couldn't ask for a better gift ... at Christmas, or ever.
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