El Nino's Big Adventure

Ugh, houses are ex-pen-sive in this area. I thought we could swing it but got pre-approved for a mortgage and ran in the opposite direction with my tail between my legs. I realize now that we will have to move much further from NYC in order to own a comfortable home without breaking our necks paying for it. As a consequence, el's mom and dad have come up with a two-year plan. We hope at the end of two years we'll be able to afford a home. But if we can't, we're moving anyway to a bigger apartment with room, room, room. So we will suck it up a while longer and live in our cozy nest.

Taking any and all suggestions for a good school system in a reasonably priced area (preferably accessible by metro-north along the Hudson River) within 2 hours of NYC. Or we may pick up and go somewhere else entirely. We had no idea two years ago that we would have el in our lives. I doubt we'll be able to forecast what the next two years will bring.

El continues to crawl and stand. He's very mobile and very proud of it.

Well our newest and biggest news is that Grandma sold her house! This was the first step (we thought it would take longer to sell) in her moving in with us. So now we are more actively looking for a house. As mom and dad had the good fortune to grow up in a house, we thought we'd do our best to provide the same for el nino. And he will have the wonderful bonus of having grandma (and grandma's dog) live with him. I think our daug will be very happy about the new arrangements as well.
I've been talking to a lot of people and looking around the internet for information. High on our list of priorities is an excellent public school system. And I think we've found that (along with some economical areas) in Bergen County, New Jersey. So wish us luck and good sense as we move into this new and exciting phase of our lives.

And so it begins, el nino began crawling yesterday. He hasn't figured out yet that this new skill can take him places. So far he only goes a couple of feet at a time. But he is also pulling himself up to standing. He did that again this morning in the crib. He beamed with pride.

So it is an exciting time in our household. Lots of cheers and celebrating going on.

I've been thinking a lot about the balance between taking care of myself and taking care of my son. It's actually been a fairly constant theme. But it has come up recently as I spoke with a friend who is feeling ill and has a baby to care for. And the subject also comes up for a family member who is just beginning divorce proceedings but whose focus (for both parents actually) is on how the now grown children will fair during this process.

El nino had a bad reaction to a shot last week. His leg swoll up where the shot had been given, and he was crying in pain. I came home a little later than usual that day and brought some baby tylonol with me. As soon as I walked in the door I had this urgent need to hold my son to try to comfort him. And when his dad placed him in my arms, I could feel my whole being envelope him with love and care. I had nothing in the world I wanted to do or anywhere else I wanted to be than right there holding my child.

And baby tylonol is a blessing. It was only a few minutes after giving him the medicine (and mommy's love) that he calmed down and felt better. What a joy to see the pain ease and to have my son's normal demeanor return.

So caring for oneself and caring for one's child is a constant negotiation. Sometimes immediate need makes the decision fairly transparent, but at other times it is not quite so clear. So building a routine of self care and child care seems to be the best route. No guilt when it becomes routine. And there is a beauty to routine, a grace to it. Then when you break the routine once in a while, new life is infused into it. Anyway, those are my thoughts about it for now.

El's dad turned 40 yesterday. El came early into the world and was able to celebrate his mom's 40th b'day last October. And now, at 7 1/2 months of age he was able to share his dad's 40th b'day as well.

We spent the afternoon sailing the Hudson (http://www.scaranoboat.com/Sail-Adirondack.html) by the Statue of Liberty and around Governor's Island. We learned that the waterway between Governor's Island and Brooklyn is called the Buttermilk Channel. Who knew? El slept for part of it and didn't seem to suffer from seasickness. So I think a cruise looms in our future.

The evening was spent with three dear friends having tea and dessert. Again, el slept for some of this as well. We missed our daug as she couldn't join us for the sail or the tea. So a picnic in Central Park looms in our future as well, I think.