TWENTY EIGHT

A couple of weeks ago it was my birthday- I am now officially in my late twenties! I woke up to the smell of fresh coffee and the sounds of an excited husband hustling and bustling all through the apartment, all the while hollering "don't look yet! don't come out here!" He came into the bedroom a few moments later, giddy and smiley, plopped down on the bed next me, handed me a mug of stovetop coffee made just the way I like it, and said "Happy Birthday my love." Then my twenty eighth birthday celebration began.

He led me by the hand out to the dining table, and just as I turned the corner and glimpsed the bright and fiery tabletop display, he broke into an uproarious version of happy birthday to you. Biet, who was sitting in her highchair, began laughing and clapping, and I couldn't stop smiling. Before me on the table sat an envelope, a giant white paper-wrapped box, a bouquet of white flowers, and a pastry box with candles affixed to its top. I felt so very special.

Inside the envelope was one of the most beautiful cards I've ever received, complete with Biet's little purple handprint (Papa's DIY father/daughter tempura paint skills truly impressed me! That also must have been a blast to clean up). Inside of the flaming pastry box were multiple chocolate mousses from Claude's Patisserie! They are my very very favorite, especially with coffee for birthday breakfast. After one taste, Biet was kind of obsessed with them too! And inside of the big box... well, I was sure it was a new sewing machine {which would have been splendid} but Gaby hid something better inside of a sewing machine sized box. Something that I have been wanting for a long time... a new digital SLR camera! With the opening of that box I felt so many creative opportunities finally come alive!

After our dessert/breakfast, we walked around Prospect Park awhile with the family and began to learn how to use my amazing new camera. 

For me, this birthday was definitely up there with the best.

I feel so grateful and loved.

xx

Fly Baby Fly

We fell asleep last night with the windows open (I can't believe I'm saying this in February!), and awoke to an airy apartment and a day brighter and nicer than I've seen in a long time. The sun was shining in, the people on the streets had a little more bounce in their step (probably due to the incredibly light feeling you get when you first ditch your heavy winter coat), and we- we were just itching to get outside. So one messy breakfast later {of homemade apple-spinach-oatmeal (blended together, its really not bad!) for baby girl, and yogurt + fruit + coffee for Mama} and off we went. To the park!

I have been longing to give Biet her first ride on a swing for some time now, but it's been so cold. I wanted her first swing experience to feel more like "I'm flying. I'm flying! I'm flyyyyyyyyyyyying!!" and less "Mama, why are you blasting me with icy winds all over my body!? Mama I can't open my eyes! Mama please stop!".  So, even though Biet was sitting up like a champion months ago, we had to wait for Mother Nature to give us the go-ahead for the park swings. And today she did.

I remember LOVING the swing set since I was a wee little thing.  My sisters and I would take turns pushing one another, or else have competitions of who could swing the highest. Flying up above, everything felt so free. Biet won't be swinging high over the world for a few years yet, but I can see already that she enjoys that weightless freedom. We pushed her over and over and over and over, and she laughed and laughed, and all was well. She was so excited! We could have stayed there all day. I think we'll be back at the park soon. Maybe tomorrow.

**I hadn't worn this dress (from H&M last spring) since being pregnant, but lately have been living in it. I love constantly re-discovering my pre-pregnancy clothes!

A Winter Portrait

The other afternoon, our little family of four strolled over to Prospect Park for our annual Holiday Photo. Let me just say that handling a baby, a dog, a tripod, and a self-timer makes for some pretty comical outtakes. We did eventually get some good shots, though, and here are our favorites. Here is our family: Me, Gaby (the love of my life), Nico (the best, most affectionate and charismatic dog in the world), & Biet (my first born, my pearl, my soulful baby girl).

Happy Everything!

We sent this card

to family and friends

to celebrate this winter season;

& to wish everyone

a Happy Christmas,

a Happy Chanukah,

...a Happy Everything!

Exploration Day 1 (photo heavy)

Twas a gloomy, rainy, overcast day yesterday. We awoke in our slowly evolving new home, sat down for coffee and breakfast, and began planning the projects we wanted to complete in the apartment that day. Should we build the new bed frame or put up shelves? Finish painting or put away the winter clothes? Organize the records or hang the guitars? Then Gaby had a great idea: how about none of it? What if we put the apartment plans on hold for a few hours and went on an adventure? Biet, Nico, and I were game. We threw our plans out the window, grabbed a couple umbrellas, and went to explore our new front yard: Prospect Park.
The park was completely deserted in the chilly wet weather, and it was beautiful. We hiked deep into the center of the land, past the lake and through the forested area, and into a lush green field. We discovered abandoned turn of the century platforms, grand at one time but now decaying. We let Nico run free and head the way. We watched the ducks and the swans, and said hello to the occasional fisherman. We walked under bridges & down staircases & along winding dirt pathways. It was a magical way to spend a rainy day.  I couldn't believe that we were still in New York City. I can't believe that this green oasis is our new New York City.

The B

If (or shall I say when) we find our dream apartment in the park-side neighborhood we've discovered (and now LOVE), then our local subway will no longer be the F-train, but instead the B. This means that when she's a bit older, little Biet will learn how to ride the B train. I like the thought of that. I can almost see her, metrocard in hand, toddling through the turnstile eagerly & fearlessly. I'll tell her stories about the days when we used shiny tokens to get on the subway instead of cards. And she, a street-smart tiny New Yorker, will tell us how how the B stands for the Biet train. Oh, the adventures to come!
Here are some more photos of our little trip to Prospect Park by way of the B-train..

Prospects..

So we are definitely moving come October 1st. We have decided to try to end up within a couple blocks of a NYC park this time. If we're lucky enough to find a place in my neighborhood of choice (I'm keeping my fingers crossed and obsessively checking craigslist every day) then the name of our new park (aka front yard) will be Prospect Park! Prospect Park: the wild-eyed stepsister of Central Park, the tourist-free oasis in the middle of Brooklyn, the home of botanical gardens & The Prospect Park lake (part of which is dedicated as a dog swimming area- Nico will thank me one day) & museums & a 99-year-old carousel & horseback riding (yes please) & an ice-skating rink & and acres of forest and wilderness!

Gaby and baby girl and myself took the train out the other day to get a feel for the park. We walked around our potential new neighborhood, chatted with locals, & sat and daydreamed of what it might be like to wake up each day to such wondrous nature. In my daydream we were calm and joyful, more creative than we'd ever been, in the center of a vibrant neighborhood and in a home with abundant space (and hard-wood floors & a huge kitchen & lots of natural light- ok, my dream may have been a bit unrealistic, but maybe not) and Nico & Biet were happy to have the brightness & freedom of the park.

Now I just need to make it all happen.