Long time, no blog

So, I know I haven't blogged in a really, really long time. We have had a very strange year so far, with lots going on, and sometimes not enough going on. I really haven't had much time to reflect or think about what to share with you all, and even now I feel like most of you have heard our same story over and over again.

Today we booked our move to the house we are renting in San Jose. We seriously considered buying, and even took several trips up there to look at what was available, but decided to continue renting for now. We are so excited to have a house that seems like it will be very comfortable. It isn't he most up to date, and it is a little hard to go from the urban style of our NY apartment to a house that has pink tile in the bathroom, but we are grateful to have more space for ourselves and our kids, not to mention awesome public schools. This is exactly the situation we were hoping for when we considered this area. I am looking forward to decorating a room for each of the girls, but as for the rest of the house I am kind of at a loss for now! We don't have a ton of furniture right now so the place is going to be a little strange until we can buy a few more things. Of course, I haven't even seen this place yet, so I am going to wait until I get up there to see what I can do. Anyway, I am preoccupying myself with these thoughts, but really I am dreading the day that I wake up there by myself (with the girls, but without Matt) for the first time and the loneliness of this new life hits me. We don't know yet how often Matt will be able to come home. This year really won't be that different than it was during the first three years of med school (some times were easier than others), so I know I can handle it, but I just think it will be a big shock after being at my mom's and having so many people around (including Matt) for so long. Of course, I am also looking forward to being totally in charge and not having my pesky husband putting in his two cents about setting up the house and I can do it all my way--I mean, the right way--the first time. Yay for that. Still, even after being a SAHM for almost three years now, I wonder how I will fill my time. Babies 24/7 with no relief. Yes, I am hoping to get Lizzie in preschool in a few months, and yes, I am hoping to find a good sitter, but it is still a lot of work with almost no breaks, even through the night. Obviously, I am having some trepidation about this move, but I know we have planned as well as possible and set ourselves up for success. I am sure it will all be fine in a couple of months, but it is going to be exhausting!

Catching up

I miraculously have both babies asleep (okay, it IS midnight), so I am going to try to get caught up.  I can't believe I was still in New York the last time I wrote!  We had a crazy trip home that included a night in the airport with two babies in a successful attempt to be first in line at the ticket counter after we and about 20 other people missed our flight to LA, got off the standby list one at a time onto the first flight out of there on Christmas Eve, landed in LAX, discovered one of the carseats wouldn't be arriving for a couple of days, went straight to Babies R Us with Lizzie in a regular seat (and Matt clutching her) to buy a new one, then headed over to the Honda dealership that was expecting us in Montclair, haggled a few hours until I got the lease I wanted, then drove off with our new Pilot (which I LOVE).  Then the holidays began!  We felt like it was a very boring version of the Amazing Race.

Matt spent the month of January interviewing and we now have a better idea of our rank list.  We still won't know where he will end up until March 19.  The girls and I went with him to San Diego and had a lot of fun at Sea World and the zoo.  He left last Sunday to do one more rotation back in NYC.  It is tough without him, but my mom is a huge help and time is passing quickly.  Of course, I haven't had much sleep, but I can sleep when I am dead.  He comes home on Friday for a couple of days, so that will be nice.

I am just trying to keep busy these days (not difficult with two babies!).  It is so hard for me to just wait for the magical day of March 19 to come along and change my life.  At least I am back on the best coast and am infinitely happier because of it.

Addie is a very sweet and mellow baby.  She is starting to interact more and may have laughed the other day (we aren't counting it, since Matt wasn't here).  I can't believe she is already three months old.  She is already teething!  It isn't fair how quickly they grow up.  She is very wiggly, but otherwise an easy baby.  Now that I have Addie, I realize just how much of a challenge Lizzie was/is.  She is just as crazy as ever, jumping and climbing everywhere.  She has been picking up more words lately, so that is good.  She pretty much disagrees with me on everything right now and takes pleasure in making even the smallest task a battle.  I feel like a crazy person chasing after her all the time.  She colored a bunch of stuff red tonight with a crayon while I vchatted with Matt, but it all came clean.  Fortunately, she loves my mom and is having a blast running her ragged, which gives me a bit of a break.  She does yoga and step aerobics with me on the Wii Fit, so that is pretty fun.  She also tries to mimic me on the hula-hooping and shakes her little butt, which is pretty freakin cute, if you ask me.  I should really try to get it on tape...ooh, new project!

Well, my left arm is completely asleep now since it is holding Addie.  This post is starting to feel boring, so I guess it is time to sign off.  I am not my usual hilarious self because sarcasm takes more brain power than I have right now!  Well, I guess that was just a little sarcastic...

New York

I have been making a mental list of all the things I will and won't miss about NYC for the last few days.  Since I am up late with a fussy baby (again), I thought I would share it with you.

Things I Will Miss:

snow

Christmas decorations

Macy's

the subway (when I am by myself and not carrying heavy items...oh, and not pregnant)

my old job :(

our "new" friends

Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill (ok, we only ate there once and they have one in Vegas anyway)

Tavern on the Green (again, only once, but YUM!).  I am still trying to think of a way to fit in lunch there tomorrow

Radio City Christmas Show

Fresh Direct (my online grocery store)

being surrounded by history

the friendly people (you heard me)

the political mindset (stores sold out of champagne on November 4)

Biscuits and Bath (Wahoo's daycare/overnight care/groomers...yes, it is the same place to which Rachel Ray takes her dog)

yelling at strangers and not getting my butt kicked

street vendors (food, jewelry, you name it)

my doctors and our pediatrician :(

Central Park

Things I won't miss:

People say "on line" instead of "in line" (like in line at the post office, they yell, "next on line".  what am i, a computer?)

cockroaches!

awful, muggy summers

the subway [when I have my kid(s) or something heavy...or when you barely miss stepping in human poo because you are too distracted by trying to decide whether that guy you just passed on a bench was dead or just sleeping]

the way every apartment corridor smells like a mix of everything that everyone is cooking for dinner (our old place always smelled like garlic in the halls, one day last week I think this place smelled like warm garbage)

needing a stroller for your babies and crap, but having to figure out how to deal without it since it won't fit in stores and elevators on the subway are rare and never working when you really need them to be so you either have to leave it at home or you have to just pick up the entire stroller and carry it up and down 10-20 flights of stairs for each leg of your trip.  Those are the days when I take what I call pre-Motrin.

have I mentioned the lack of mexican food here?

the long flight home

the long flight back

when a family member gets really sick you have to decide between saying goodbye and getting to go to their funeral (happened THREE times and the last time we couldn't go either way)

not having a car

why do they only sell vanilla coffee creamer here?  there are so many other awesome flavors!  it drives me nuts.

the fact that everywhere is filthy (except the upper east side) and no one seems to care.  many people actually love it that way--like it adds character or something.  blech.

It is actually really strange to think of coming home.  Part of me can't believe we are already done here (almost), but mostly I feel it has been a long, hard challenge on so many levels.  I am really upset that I am almost four years older than I was when we decided to come here.  That is yucky!  I wanted an adventure, and I certainly got it.  We cried in the car on the way to the airport after we left Jason and Winter's house in Redlands, and I know we were both wondering if we were making a mistake.  I still remember how I felt as the plane took off that night, although it is hard to describe.  I guess I felt that although I didn't know what to expect, my eyes were wide open and I was ready to be exposed to a different life.  Since then, there have been times where I wanted out of NYC with all of my heart and times where I thought I could never leave.  I think I will always have a love/hate relationship with this city.  I think nothing compares to the feeling of walking out on the streets by yourself and just soaking it all in.  For some reason, I feel so aware of myself and my surroundings when I am out walking and I think that is actually when I feel the most alive.  But, of course, the walking thing is killer when you have kids.  I am proud of my "New York mom" moments because they are a learned skill and have been a challenge for me that I never saw coming.  Anyway, it has been difficult adjusting to life here, and I know it will be a bit of a challenge to downshift into a less intense world.  I think moving is always an adjustment.  I am especially nervous about becoming a driving mom, just because it will be different and Lizzie is getting older.  How long before we are fighting over the radio?  My guess is that will happen next week.  No, probably sooner.  For the most part, though, I think it will be pretty easy to slip back into California living.  I will be taking the yummy mexican food, amazing produce, driving, cheaper cost of living, etc. for granted before you know it.  We will be there in just under 24 hours!  I can't wait.

Up late again

I am up late again, rocking Addie in the office chair.  I thought I could post a few pics while I sit here.  She has been up in the early hours the last few nights.  I have been watching a lot of History channel and CSI:NY.  Ask me anything about the Dead Sea scrolls, I dare you.  Anyway, here are a few pics.  Our little angel is growing up so fast!

Blogging again

Okay, so it has been a while since I last blogged, but I did have a baby, so...yeah.  Yes, I have two babies now (three, including Wahoo).  It is pretty crazy, but I am surviving.  Do you remember that episode of Friends where Phoebe is left babysitting her brother's triplets by herself?  The apartment is destroyed, but everyone is alive at the end of the day?  Well, that is kind of how my life is now.  It really isn't so bad, it is just hard to get anything done.  I am just proud that I can get everyone fed and changed.  Sometimes I even have one free hand to click my way through Amazon and get some Christmas shopping done.  Exciting life, eh?

Most of you want to know about Addie, I assume, so I will get to it.  We are in love, of course, especially Lizzie!  She has really surprised us.  She wants to hold the baby ALL THE TIME, so I can't put Addie down ever.  Lizzie even tries to crawl into Addie's Pack n' Play to pick her up.  It is crazy, but I am glad Liz is like this instead of jealous or resentful.  Addie seems to like being held by Lizzie, too, so I am trying to ride this wave of sisterly love as long as possible (hopefully for the rest of their lives, but one step at a time).  Lizzie has developed the strange habit of doing a respectable baby impression when we change her diaper.  She flails her arms about, blinks and screeches annoyingly...oh, the joys of motherhood.  It drives me nuts, but I still can't help but laugh.  So, back to Addie...she seems pretty mellow.  She is a spitter, though.  I was shocked when she lost her dinner that first night on the hospital, and it broke my heart to see the fear on her face as it just kept coming and she couldn't catch her breath.  I will never forget that face for the rest of my life!  She was losing so much milk at first that I was really concerned, but the doctor did a weight check and she was gaining like a pro, so she is fine.  Her checks are already monstrously chubby and she is well on her way to being a decent butterball.  We have her one month checkup on Monday and I am curious to see what she weighs now.

I guess I should mention that the labor and delivery was AWESOME, at least compared to last time.  I was really surprised that she didn't come on her own (so was my doctor), and it was very weird to go to the hospital to have a baby and NOT be in labor.  Every cabbie for the last month or two of pregnancy would constantly check to see if I was in labor.  I think they secretly want to have to rush a laboring woman to the hospital.  The guy we had that night was really confused because we had my giant overnight bag with us, but I was talking on the phone, giving him instructions, etc.  I thought it was funny.  Anyway...my doctor and I decided to induce for several reasons, and I was fortunate to have everything go very smoothly.  It was so much less traumatic than the first time that I can still hardly believe it even happened.  I certainly can't believe it has already been a month!  I know everyone says this, but I can barely remember what it was like without her.

Well, we have only two and a half weeks left in NYC.  We are so glad that we did most of the moving already.  Yay, we did something right!  We still have to get our stuff organized, though, because the movers are picking our stuff up from our storage unit.  That means that we have to get everything that can't fit into our bags over to storage before the movers come.  It really isn't too much stuff, but I am stressing about it a bit.  Plus we have a few fun things we want to do before we leave the city, but it is hard to get everything squeezed into a short time period.  I was able to sneak away to get a haircut today and NYC at Christmastime is just amazing.  I know I will miss that the most.  It is much easier to feel attached to this place at this time of year: cold (but not miserable) weather, beautiful decorations, Christmas trees out on the streets, kids all bundled up (including my own!), etc.  I am glad we are leaving when I feel sad to leave...summers are miserable here and I wouldn't want to leave on a bad note.

We have so many pictures of the girls from the last month that it is really hard to pick ones to post, but I will try to get some up soon.  Love you all and we are excited to see many of you very soon!

Baby!

Matt here, making my long awaited return to contributing to this blog. I'm sure most of you now know Bren gave birth to our second baby this morning. Brenda Addison Alexander, or Addie as we'll call her, was born at 6:13, weighing an unexpectedly beefy 7lbs 13oz. I'll leave it to Bren to fill in more details later on, but I'll let you know that baby and mommy are doing very well, and Lizzie is wondering why this new tiny crying thing is around all the time. Thanks for all your well wishes and prayers! Here are a few pics from the past 24hrs.

40 weeks, 1 day

...and still no baby. We are inducing late tomorrow night, so she should be born Friday morning. Of course, she could still start the process on her own sometime in the next 24 hours, but one way or another, Addie will be here very soon. I am NOT looking forward to labor, but I am so ready to be unpregnant and I am very ready to meet her and hold her and love her. Matt's mom left earlier today after being here for almost 2 weeks. It is sad that she was here for so long and didn't get to see the baby, but at least Christmas isn't too far away. My mom lands in about 45 minutes, so it looks like we shouldn't have too much of a problem even if I went into labor now.

Right now my thoughts are mostly concentrated on Lizzie. Even if I don't have a cesarean, I could easily be in the hospital for three nights. I hope it ends up being only two, but even then it will be pretty hard on her. I know she can come visit, but I don't know how long she can just hang out in a hospital room without going nuts. Plus, I am really going to miss her! It is hard not to recall all the little details of the night she came into this world...man, I remember thinking "Umm...do they know I am all alone with this baby? Wait, she is MY baby...so, that means I am in charge. Wait--what?"

Of course, this weekend is just the beginning of Lizzie losing her "only child" status. Who knows how she is going to handle it when she realizes this little baby isn't going away? I just try to remind myself that it is good for her and she will be a better person for it. Plus, I want her to have someone to share her childhood with and all of that. I just have to brace myself for the growing pains in the coming weeks. Thank goodness Matt has a lot of time these days (which is why we planned to have the baby now).

Well, I had better wrap this up and get some rest. I will be pulling an all-nighter tomorrow night, so I am trying to be as lazy as possible these next 24 hours. Here are some pics of our little elephant on Halloween.

Pumpkin Patch in Central Park


















Carving pumpkins
















It's amazing what you can do when you use stencils! Matt still had to work pretty hard, though.






Dressed up again for our night at the museum.

















Sure...go ahead and color right on the table. They love that.



39 weeks