random pictures

I don't have a very cohesive report on the last week and a half in Astoria... but all is well.  A much easier adjustment than last time, probably due to the fact that our previous stay here introduced Josephine to the pace and boundaries and rules, while also giving us time to get things set up in a workable fashion for Josephine and me.  So we were both a lot less overwhelmed by newness and little inconveniences.  Also, this time we arrived on a Friday rather than a Wednesday, so we went straight into a weekend with Sean being around and not having to disappear to the office all day.  Which was a huge relief to me and delight to Josephine.  

Add to that my own mental state of being much less frazzled.  I was exhausted, yes, but exhaustion is a lot more tolerable when you're facing two months of rest than when you're faced with two weeks of adjustment followed by a return to total chaos!  So in general, I've been more present and paced and Josephine and I have both enjoyed that mentality.  

For instance, I actually feel the freedom of mind, time, and energy to point out little things like snails on the sidewalk after a rain, talk to her about them, find a kids book at the library about snails, read said book several times, humor her while she makes up songs about snails, etc.

It's nice.  It's the way mommying should be, at its most ideal.  I'm hugely grateful to have this time with her before our son comes along and distracts me.  What a blessing to be able to focus on and cherish our current family dynamics before it all changes.

Especially because she's at a really precious age.

Sean and I spend a lot of time swapping stories of her antics and trying to stifle our laughter at her behind her back.  She's so exuberant, creative, talkative-- always eager to find something funny, laugh, try new things.  Her conversation topics are increasingly amusing, lending humorous insights into how her mind is working and processing things around her.   She happily waves and greets strangers when we're out and about, and truly is a delight to be around.  Naturally, all of this is enhanced by having Sean around-- it's more fun to parent when he can watch it all firsthand, too.

I haven't taken many pictures yet, but I'll share what's accumulated on my camera so far...  

We got a couch.  The back lies down and makes a bed.  (Between that and an air mattress, we're ready for you!)  Most importantly, though-- it serves as a place to sit other than the floor, much to this third-trimesterly-pregnant woman's relief!

Josephine patiently awaiting her pancake breakfast at the Family Corner Restaurant... We could both eat there every morning and not grow tired of it!

A few pictures of her hiding behind one of her birthday presents-- a green bean bag chair:

You can see in the above picture that one of our fun little projects has been finding curtains for our bedrooms.  It's really bright in our apartment by 6:30 in the morning, and that is simply not the wake-up time I feel called to observe in my precious few months pre-newborn.  I can't do much about the three huge skylights, but I figured darkening the bedroom windows would at least help us sleep in a little longer.  I found some plain brown linen ones for Sean's and my room at a thrift store, and we found the fabric for Josephine's at a hole-in-the-wall fabric shop a few blocks down Ditmars Blvd.  I miss my sewing machine a little bit... I'm slowly getting around to running darning stitches to keep the edges from fraying.  It would have all been properly hemmed in 10 minutes flat with a machine, whereas by hand I get about two sides pinned and sewn per naptime.  But that's okay.  So far, I'm all about this spirit of keeping things slow.  It's the antithesis of my normally obsessive tendencies with efficiency, and it feels healthy and therapeutic.

Okay.  That's all for now.  I'll try to remember to take more pictures!