S'no-w Joke

On Sunday, still digging out from "Snowpocalypse," we saw the forecast for today and preemptively changed our flights to Thursday. And it was a good thing too. Today's evening flights out of Dulles airport were canceled.

So--I should be flying to Romania right now but instead I am happily ensconced in my bedroom. Instead of sitting in an airport terminal I am watching American Idol. Bee is asleep and so is Babycakes--hubby is downstairs ironing (!!) and snow is just pouring out of the sky like laundry detergent from a box.

I really am not entirely sure our flight on Thursday won't be canceled as well. The weatherman is predicting blizzard conditions tomorrow. That's just fine by me. I am in no real hurry to return. Just need to make sure that my husband can be back at work next Tuesday.

Blizzard of 2010

Snowed in at our house--hot oatmeal for breakfast--making Valentines--my husband out shoveling with all the neighbors--cocoa with extra marshmallows.


We aren't going anywhere--extra cuddles with the girls--stacks of library books and magazines to read--pizza dough rising for dinner.


Power lines pulled precariously low--here's hoping the lights stay on.


Love. Home.

Embarrassment of riches

Oh I am really really really (maybe I should capitalize REALLY, in case I am not coming across clearly enough) going to miss my library. My library is three blocks away from my new house and filled with wondrous books. Everyone should have a library within walking distance. I am certain that walking distance libraries are an amenity in heaven.

Because of my library's close proximity I have been a regular reading fool and have three more books to review before I head back to Romania.

"The Year of Magical Thinking," by Joan Didion: I have never been a fan of Ms. Didion, but I challenge you to read this memoir and not be moved. She writes of a year of loss with such clarity, yet also manages to convey the utter confusion and devastation brought on by losing her spouse. The book was all about death, but it somehow wasn't depressing.

"South of Broad," by Pat Conroy: Not his best, but surely entertaining. I'll read anything Pat Conroy writes. He is one of America's greatest novelists and brings the South to life like no one else.

"The Wildwater Walking Club," by Claire Cook: Yes, this book was as stupid as it sounds, but it did inspire me to buy a pedometer.

Kicking and screaming

Less than a week until we go back to Romania, which would really be just fine if it were not for the fact that we have to fly about a dozen hours to get there. With a three year old and an 8 week old. Oh, the lugging of luggage! Oh the sardines in a can feeling of togetherness! Oh the potential for screaming! Thinking of flying back just fills me with yuck.

So I am half in denial and half frantic to shop at all my favorite stores and eat all my favorite foods before we return to Eastern Europe. I was at two bookstores today buying books for Bee, which is ridiculous, considering we have a small library of them in our apartment. And don't get me started on the quantity of art supplies I have purchased. If anything, going back to Romania will give my Amex card a break.

There is less to do in Bucharest (by that I mean less places to take two small children), but that will allow me to focus on my family. I am determined to make these upcoming three months at home with my girls enjoyable and memorable. Bake bread. Play dolls. I am looking forward to life in the slow lane.

Snow Day

Epic

This morning we were at the pediatrician for almost two hours. It was the whole "called back right away but then left to moulder in an exam room alone for 40 minutes trick". Except we were not alone. The whole family was together! Miss Bee enjoyed the contents of my purse. J and I were busy keeping Baby N warm as we had had to undress her to be weighed. She was just about asleep when the doctor finally came in for N's examination. She was pronounced to be in good health and ready for vaccinations.

I am pro vaccine. I believe it is the duty of every parent to have their child vaccinated for their own health and for the public at large. However I do not like watching my baby get her shots. My guess is that no mother does. And today, the beastly nurse--don't know where she came from because they are mostly so nice--jabbed my darling baby bird as if she was sewing up a Thanksgiving turkey. Not once but three times. Baby N bled a surprising amount and cried herself to sleep in indignation.

At home, N spent the next couple hours sleeping and whimpering. By mid afternoon she was really hurting and switched to full on screaming. I don't know how some poor parents survive colic. Here I was, feeling pretty competent as a mom of two, with my nerves completely frayed after about 30 minutes of crying. J and I took turns holding our little tea kettle, who eventually wore herself out and subsided into snuffling.

For the rest of the day N slept and ate and cried. My mom came over and played with Bee. We ordered pizza.

Around 8:00 pm, N woke up feeling a lot better. She feasted. And then feasted some more. She was bright eyed and wiggling and seemed to be her old self. I was feeling relaxed for the first time all day. Then she barfed all over me and my bed. It was like a tidal wave of regurgitated milk. Amazing in its quantity and consistency. Lots of things are in the laundry and the moment. Hungry after her mighty effort, she nursed again and is sleeping peacefully now.

I am hopelessly in love with this baby, but I am looking forward to a hopefully more normal day tomorrow.

Two weeks

In just two weeks we are headed back to Romania. I am in denial. I wish I could keep my husband home with me forever, snug in our new house, grown fat with daily trips to Starbucks.

America is easy. Everything you could possibly need is available, prepackaged, and clean. Multiple sizes and colors. The largeness of Target. The ridiculous selection of foodstuffs at the grocery store. Tempting fast food on nearly every street corner. Instead of zipping to Safeway and strolling the mall, we will be shopping at the market and walking in the park.

In Romania, I will get to stay home with my girls for the next several months. A luxury indeed. Slightly terrifying as well. How will we structure our day? How to keep Bee occupied when I am feeding and caring for Baby N? Will I go stir crazy? Or worse, will going back to work in June completely break my heart?