Fin

Gigi and Thomas visit my house

Last Wednesday, I did something I didn't think I would do for another year; I introduced Graham and Thomas.  When Gigi met Graham she was 2 and I feel like it was a good age because to someone less than a toddler, Graham's evervesance could be overwhelming and possibly scary.  Being a ball of energy is great in a dog but not when you can't run away if you are tired of it.  I figured that when Thomas was 1&1/2 if he were steady on his feel and wouldn't put a dog toy in his mouth we'd arrange a meeting.  That said, Gigi loves Graham and he loves her back so much that the idea of them not seeing each other again before the big move really made me sad. 

Wednesday provided the perfect excuse for a get together because while all New York City kids could enroll in the Summer Reading Program (Gigi had a list of over 300 titles by the way) I knew for sure that my local branch was doing a really great ending party for kids with Pizza, snacks, and goody bags.  While it took a lot of being over careful and running around, it was a really great day and I'm so happy we did it. 

Thomas really liked Graham and wanted to get closer to him, G and Graham froliced around like best friends, she and my mom got to see each other one more time (which is great that could happen because she kept asking to see JoAnn) and G even won a gift card.  By the end of the day we were completely exhausted.

Gigi is three today!!!

Gigi at one

Gigi at two

Below is a hand drawn card that (was made by Gigi's mother Nicole) Gigi gave me for my first birthday with her.  The ball is an inside joke but it's the translation that matters; at not even 11 months Lauren and I might have been Gigi's best friends but by now she truly is one of mine. 

Yes I know, having a toddler for a best friend at my age sounds sad or creepy but she's not just any 3 year old.  She is brave and smart, funny and caring, she always knows when you need a hug and will tell you of you are being rude or selfish or inconsiderate.  Everyday we have dance parties and bake (ok it's fake food but remember I have a gluten issue) and she's always up for shopping or the occasional trip down the block to look for Spiderman- really who wouldn't want to hang out with a chick like her.

I've spent the last two birthday posts talking about all of the things she has learned and she does consistently amaze me in that area that in the rare moment she acts like most people her age I have to remind myself she is acting like a baby  because she IS a baby.  I have also created so many memories in these years it is hard to pick a favorite.  I was there for her first steps and the first time she saw her brother but the one thing I will always hold dearest is the unconditional love that only a child can give you.

Next week G and her family are moving to Chicago and I truly feel like I'm loosing a chunk of my family.  Well not loosing, family is always family and I hope I'm right to speak for her and her parents when I say after these years that is what we are.  Still, the idea of not seeing the four of them 4-5 times a week aches from my heart straight through my skin.

Thinking of all the firsts that are still to come wrecked me when they told us and the idea of not repeating all the milestones with Thomas seemed  heartbreakingly unfair.  As it settled in,  I knew the only unfair thing would be if they stayed here and gave up this great opportunity. 

Yesterday, we sang Happy Birthday as G blew out her candle.  She's visited her family in the Midwest the last two times so this was actually the first of "the new firsts" like the first time I vist Chicago, my first Cubs game, the first time she calls to say she lost a tooth, and God help us all- the possible first time where she calls to talk about boy problems.  

So happy Birthday to the precious creation formally known as Ms. Baby. I love you, that will always be the case and I am not going anywhere.  And to her wonderful parents congratulations on doing such a great job that I might have to move tp Chicago when I have my own babies so you can help raise them and thank you for allowing me into your lives and for promising to let me stay there.

The best Gigi moment I missed

Gigi turns three next week and over almost three year I have had the privilege of creating 1000s of memories with her and her family. The four of them have implanted a permanent imprint on my heart and will make countless more memories with me but one of my greatest, I wasn't actually there for.

You might remember around the beginning of this blog, I mentioned that i had a slight problem with Magnolia Cupcakes. I know that it sounded stupid, but treats are really addictive and, sadly when GiGi was on we got her hooked on the Peeps. Her heroine addict like reaction went as follows according to her mother's email the following day. I always wanted to blog about it but time passed and then I lost the email. That said, I have never been able to look at the mashmellow cuties the same again and , no, G has never had another. > Hi Girls, > > Unfortunately, GiGi can't have any more peeps. She went on a Peep Rage last night--I think it was just too much sugar. At the grocery store she couldnt' control herself and was runnign around and yelling and then spinning on the ground and shouting PEEPS! PEEPS! and then crying when we tried to leave. She was a nightmare on the way home and then when we got inside she had about 3 tantrums and couldn't get a hold of herself. Finally, she passed out. I asked my mom and my mom said it was probably just a sugar reaction. So, I told her that the peeps are old and dirty (I forgot to hide them--will you do that please?) and that we couldn't eat any more. Phew! Who would think she is a peep-addict???? > > > > > > >

My perfect teeth can suck it

I believe I mentioned how contented I was with life on my birthday; at least I think I did.  Everything was going well I loved life, great job, good health, ect.   I had been suffering from, what I assumed was one of my semi-frequent sinus infections and, having gone to the doctor, was given antibiotics to treat it.  After two weeks my doctor gave me a second round of antibiotics because, even though there was no mucus, my sinus pain and pressure was still there.  By the time that ran out, I was at the Jersey Shore where I would go through bouts of pain- sometimes in the cheek, other times in the jaw, and once a raging headache.  Migraine medicine didn't help, sudafed either, and very little relief came from nasal spray.

Clearly this wasn't simply caused by a sinus infection and being a hypocondriac I considered my other options.  Cancer, luckily was ruled out by the clean blood test results from my recent physical but what about noncancerous growths of the sinuses or brain.  Or it could always be a wisdom tooth.

My whole life I have had flawless teeth, not so much as a cavity in a baby tooth, but it seemed possible and the dentist was the cheapest and most logical first specialist to attempt so last Friday I went to see him hoping that my wonderful teeth would have betrayed me and I would have an answer.   With initial X-rays there was no sign of trouble and after a physical exam of my mouth the dentist still found nothing explaining that my perfect teeth should not lead to this pain. I began to panic and he explain that it could be a host of things including something pressing on the other end of the nerves (you know like a brain tumor!) or something curable by an ENT.  However, since his 360 scan X-ray could show nostril and sinus passages he could see mucus if somehow an infection had managed to survive so long, he decided to do one. 

Only after looking at the results of the 360 did he discover there was indeed an impacted wisdom tooth on the left side.  He said that in his 4 decade career he'd never seen an impacted wisdom tooth that didn't at least show a bump in the jaw line or gum until he saw mine.  My stupid tooth, following the formula of the rest of my teeth, must have lodged into my jaw perfectly.  If this had been twenty years ago, I probably would have never found out it could have been the culprit.  Yeah that's right could have because the scan also showed that I have sinus polyps on both sides.  However since 1- there has been jaw pain 2- people on the internet often talk of lingering sinus trouble being solved by an extraction and 3- the polyps are on both sides but the pain is only on the left I decided to go for the extraction and today I did just that.  I was given laughing gas and the actual procedure was very calm (although everybody I love has been trying to keep me calm which inadvertently was worrying me) and I felt so good afterwards, that I went and got my ears pierced.  Now, however, the gas and other numbing agents have faded and there was about an hour where it felt like I gave birth through the mouth!!

The dentist says he hopes that this cures everything but that we can't be sure if I'll need the ENT visit or not.  Let's all hope NOT I hate spending money and despise pain and worrying.

Ryan Star STAY AWHILE

One of my favorite singers (and for that matter New Yorkers) has finally released new music!


The song has been performed for a while but now you can finally download it http://smarturl.it/iStayAwhile


To Go along with his new single there is a NEW RECORD DEAL!! FROM RSTAR.NET

(August 7, 2012 – New York, NY) Prolific songwriter, video trendsetter, and native New Yorker, Ryan Star has been signed to Island Records, a division of Island Def Jam Music Group, it was announced today by Steve Bartels, President & COO, Island Def Jam Music Group. > > Ryan Star’s first Island Records single, “Stay Awhile,”inside the Top 30 this week on the Hot AC radio chart, has logged over 1.1 million YouTube views to date, after causing a stir at theMTV.com Buzzworthy, VH1.com, and the AOL.com Music home page. “Stay Awhile,” available on iTunes and all digital retailers August 14th, is the first single from Ryan’s upcoming new album on Island Records, details to be announced soon. Meanwhile, to check out the video and all things Ryan, please go to:http://www.youtube.com/rstar or view Ryan’s sizzle reel at http://vimeo.com/41748674. > > Ryan will make his late night television debut on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno next Tuesday, August 14thperforming “Stay Awhile”. > > He’s earned licensing deals across a broad range of television programming. Ryan’s song “Brand New Day” was used as the main theme of FOX’s television show Lie To Me, and went on to win a BMI Television Award in 2009. Other sync licenses include shows like American Idol, The Biggest Loser, So You Think You Can Dance, The Amazing Race and Vampire Diaries. In addition Ryan has received key song placements on HBO, NBC, ESPN, NFL Network, The History Channel and more. > > Ryan has been on the road in support of “Stay Awhile”. Recently opening for Andy Grammer, Ryan has previously toured with Bon Jovi, Train, The Script and Rob Thomas.

Please Support real Musicians

Headlines from the Gothem newspapers

If you saw The Dark Knight Rises you probably wondered how the news was being covered.  I certainly was.
Website I stole this from

Crazy Commute

There was a wacko on the subway- I know shocking.  But seriously, this one was creepy.  He started out like any number of other nut cases I've encountered in my comings and goings; just kind of miserably mumbling to himself.  Would I have preferred he not be in my car, sure but he wasn't sitting right next to me and he wasn't trying to interact with me so it was okay. 
Then, however we hit train traffic and his angry mumbling got more obnoxious.  He said how he could get the place moving again by pulling the emergency call lever and while we did move shortly after, I'm pretty sure that was coincidence as there is always a several minute delay there.  Then he started talking about all this crazy stuff like Nazis leading to the trains having the "emergency only" speeds over 100 mph- on and on he went with his insanity and I mouthed to Lauren how I was getting off if he wasn't.  He didn't so we did just that.  Lauren took it a step further and told the police to investigate him at the next station.  He had a large backpack and it is better to be safe than sorry.  It was kind of funny that the police were going to brush it off until we said he was white because apparently, white girls feeling unsafe because of a white man seems very dangerous. 
This was the right course of action but it did lead to the 4 train being stalled and us half way to our transfer station.  Because of this, we had to walk 2 blocks (in not exactly the best neighborhood but rather safe at 8:30am) to catch a cross town bus, and walk to the blue line which gets us within three blocks of work. 
Not exactly the most time efficient way to get there, not to mention it costs a bit more.  Needless to say we value our lives over 5 dollars and being on time and are bosses are sweet and understanding to also choose our safety over fifteen minutes and $5.  That sounds stupid to say but not everyone would be so okay with our occasional dramatic tardiness and we know we are luck! 
Once again, we were good humored about it because, honesty sometimes you just have to laugh.  You can't take life too seriously; the rest of the day was tons of fun (playing in the rain, spending some time with Gigi and Thomas' grandfather who's visiting, ect) and if we'd let the morning get to us, the day might have been ruined.

Awesome talking cat

Taking a beach break

I just returned from a beautiful vacation in Seaside! Great weather, great friends, great time!

Farewell to an Icon

Gore Vidal October 1925- July 2012

m.guardian.co.uk

Rest in Peace