Jamie wakes up excited exclaiming, "Christmas tree!" before the sleep is even brushed from his eyes. I heave myself wearily down the hall, and am soon pleasantly nudged awake by the scent of balsam needles in the air.
12.06.2009
The Christmas countdown
Jamie wakes up excited exclaiming, "Christmas tree!" before the sleep is even brushed from his eyes. I heave myself wearily down the hall, and am soon pleasantly nudged awake by the scent of balsam needles in the air.
12.02.2009
Say hello to my little friend
Fake children are, apparently, even more frightening. Take, for example, the not-so-lovable doll Chucky in Child's Play. He's a doll with the heart of a murderer. And has red hair. What could be scarier?
On Thanksgiving, my mother brought "Little Jamie" - as the wee man has dubbed him - into our lives. And he's been scaring the socks off of unsuspecting victims ever since.
Patrick's initial reaction to Jamie's new little friend? "If you don't take him home with you, Mary, he's going out in the alley the moment you leave this house. I'm not kidding!" Jamie, however, likes the little guy. And so, he stays, blankly facing the corner for a little while longer.
I'm still waiting for him to leap out one morning and say "Wanna play?"
11.30.2009
Zoo light up my life
A snotty Jamie snoozed as P and me looked for the perfect spot for lunch. We found it in Potbelly's. Not the most creative choice, but the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie was calling my name.
That evening, our "act like a tourist" adventure continued at Lincoln Park Zoo. Through the New Year, the normally low-key zoo was dolled up to the 9s in lights of every color. If Jamie was excited to simply visit the zoo at night, he was jump-out-of-his-stroller ecstatic about the rainbow of Zoo Lights that travelled up every tree and even included dancing Christmas trees in the sea lion stands.
The ride was well worth the wait. The video below doesn't even begin to capture J's wide-eyed awe and jubilation as his elephant pumped up and down and spun around and around.
Patrick summed Jamie's life up well: Everyday is a new adventure. I hope we can keep it that way for as long as possible.
In just five weeks, we'll see how "fun" he finds having a sibling to share all of his adventures with. I'm betting that he's going to love every second of it. :)
11.28.2009
Peking turkey, anyone?
I changed the words from "Happy birthday" to "Happy Thanksgiving" but even that enlightened move failed to fuel the wee man's anticipation for his second Turkey Day.
The arrival of my parents - Mar and Pat - on Thursday afternoon, however, tipped him off that it was no ordinary day. Grandma even brought a "life-sized" gift along for Jamie. But, the gift is so .... special ... that it deserves its own future post. (Anticipation will surely only make the story better!)
When my brothers showed up with pint-sized people , though, Jamie knew the party was on.
Faced with the impossibility of cooking on the inadequate appliances of our hodge-podge kitchen, Patrick, with my pop in tow, slaved away over an off-site commercial stove. For my paltry part, I made guacamole and fruit salad, while P crisped up roasted potatoes, carrots and parsnips, glazed ham and stuffing.
P did, however, get a little help from his friends for the main event: A deep-fried turkey pre-ordered from a local Chinese - yes, Chinese - restaurant. A name mix-up, additional hour wait and a sliver of two of raw meat made the dish even more delightful. Even with these slight issues, Patrick says next year he's not only ordering the turkey from Sun Wah, but all the side dishes and fixins', too.
There's a lot to be said about someone else doing the work for you...especially if you spent a mere 10 hours ensuring your wife and her family had food to be thankful for on Thanksgiving.
A thousand thanks to you, P. No. And, now, a Chinese proverb to nicely sum up this post:
(yī)人(rén)吃(chī)饱(bǎo),全(quán)家(jiā)不(bù)饥(jī)
If a single member of a family eats, the whole family will not feel hungry.
11.24.2009
Pat-a-cake
Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man;
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
Roll it and pat it and mark it with a B
And put it in the over for baby and me!
Now that I've given it 20 more seconds of thought, patty cake makes no sense. But, really. Pat-a-cake? What are you patting and pricking before putting it in the oven? A gooey globby mass of batter? Gross. And that's not even close to how you make a cake.
I now know that nursery rhymes are just another way for adults to mess with a child's fragile mind, and make her question herself well into adulthood. :)
Here's the recipe:
1. Take one 3-ft tall boy, fill him with anticipation and impatience and then tell him he has to wait an hour to eat the chocolate he can so plainly see right in front of his freckled nose. Feed him chocolate chips to keep him quiet.
2. Open box of mix and place in the $300 mixer that you received as a wedding gift and pretend that you are cooking something from scratch that is truly worthy of said mixer. Hey, those eggs don't break themselves!
3. Open computer and, as you do with everything else in life, proceed to make this "mix and bake" recipe much more difficult than it needs to be.
4. Find recipe for raspberry filling and because you don't have two of the five ingredients, just wing it (again...as you do with many other things in life.)
5. Browse 10 recipes for chocolate frosting until you find the one that calls for ingredients that can be scrounged from your paltry pantry. Pretend that you would've picked that recipe even if you had all the fancy-dancy ingredients.
6. Check clock and see that you've already been at this for an hour, and your son has been staring up at the stove repeating, "cake, done now?" for at least 10 minutes.
7. Realize that your stellar raspberry filling and chocolate frosting won't be cooled until long after your ever-so-patient son has laid his weary head to rest. Reward him for his pat-a-cake "help" by slicing the uneven top off of a cake and dousing it with a generous helping of frosting.
8. Revel in watching the wee man take his first bite, and letting out an appreciative grunt/giggle. The sound of pure pleasure.
9. Pretend the jagged edges, oozing filling and uneven frosting only add to the cake's homemade deliciousness.
10. Wake your over-worked husband with the sound of a fork ringing off a cake plate. Know you've got a good thing when he let's out the same appreciate grunt/giggle you heard from your son an hour before. :)
11.21.2009
The greatest show on Earth
This past Thursday, we left the humdrum world of the everyday behind and entered the magical sphere known as the circus.
Armed with an armful of fried food, we settled into our seats for the start of the Chicago Circus Spectacular, held at the UIC pavilion. The lackluster enthusiasm of the crowd in the quarter-filled arena at first filled my minds with doubts about the "spectacular" aspect of the circus. I reflected on the cost of our $9 "preview" night (aka practice night) tickets, however, and resigned myself to have a good time.
The tiger cage act failed to impress, with its bored felines and David Lee Roth look-a-like "tamer" but the aerialists who swung from the ceiling, tethered only by their hooked feet, resorted my faith.
The non-stop clown, dog, and pony show left Jamie in open-mouthed awe for the better part of three hours. He was thrilled to be able to visit the kind-eyed elephants during intermission and watch the ponies dutifully carry glee-filled children around the ring. Thankfully, he had no idea that a few dollars could have purchased him the same pleasure.
Patrick was impressed as well by at least some of the "talent." I think the ladies' outfits might have actually impressed him a bit more than their skills.. ;) He claims, however, that two men in the tandem human hamster wheel were his highlight of the show. Their blindfolded, security-lineless antics kept my palms sweaty the entire performance.
11.18.2009
View from the top: 33 wks
The same is very true of our children's precious early years. They grow up long before you're ready for them to. I can hardly believe that Jamie is pushing 2 and newbie will be here with the new year. All this, and I somehow remain a youthful and vibrant 26. Amazing, really.
I've noticed that recent photos of me have been taken at long distance or shown a well-camouflaged belly. Just so newbie does not feel as though s/he didn't get the air time coming to A or C (still struggling with the name thing), I offer you the belly in all its glory.
I'm 33 weeks into this pregnancy and still do a double-take when I pass a mirror. Denial is a beautiful thing.
Newbie updates:
- At the 32 week checkup, the doc tracked a heart rate of 156. According to those old wives and their tales, this is an indication that the babe is an A and not a C.
- Over the weekend, I woke to a strange rhythmic thumping in my belly. It took the deduction skills of a keen Irishman to point out the obvious: Hiccups. Jamie had them all the time...and is still prone to move from a giggle fit to hiccup hilarity. I'm glad to see the siblings already have something in common.
- If you're speaking to me and I seem distracted, it's likely because a 5-6 pound being is making itself more comfortable, and me less so. How many positions can a baby achieve in such tight quarters? This one is more than willing to try them all out...and then some.
- Mama coughing? Certain foods and mass transit systems seem to disagree with newbie. Jamie has been very helpful, though patting my back and attempting to wash my hands as I "cough." :)
Another where has the time gone: Nov. 19 marks the 11-year anniversary of Patrick and I first setting eyes upon one another. Appropriately, across a smoky bar. Feels like yesterday. OK, maybe more like last weekend. :)
11.15.2009
Looking through emerald-colored glasses
Tiny toilets: No, this is not a landmark. Rather, it is a revelation! The "family" bathrooms in Dublin feature tiny toddler-sized flushing toilets. Not that the wee man used them, but I appreciated the fact that they were there.
Bikes: Bike-riding commuters are everywhere in Dublin. I even saw a few office workers clad in their suits as they peddled past me. The strange part? The majority of bikers wear neon yellow safety vests. When I mentioned this fact to my aunt she casually commented, "you'd have to, if you didn't want to get killed on the roads." Lovely.
Shockingly to me, in the short time we were visiting, there was a bank heist where criminals forcing the bank manager to do the robbing, while they held the employee's family captive. It even has a name "Tiger kidnapping." I'm officially one of those people who can say "I remember when..."
The more things change, the more they stay the same: The calming smell of peat-burning fireplaces, clicking diesel cars, the rolling Irish brogue, the gift of gab, the glistening green of the land, the kindness of the people, the relaxed pace of life, RTE's 6 o'clock Angelus, tea, tea and more tea.
Toddlers can travel internationally: For all my fears, Jamie was a travelling star. He did have the worst tantrums I've ever seen scream out of his larger-than-life lips, but he has since returned to normal, so I can only assume it was a result of being around strange people in a strange place and 6 hours off his normal schedule while doing so. Other than those few episodes, he knew and loved his family as if by instinct and has asked for an airline lounge subscription for Christmas. A man of refined taste already!11.12.2009
Say my name, say my name
But, faced with the possibility of bringing a member of the opposite sex into the world, we have no choice. So, what's a girl to do? In my case, I chose a name for my son that, in the U.S., is more commonly bestowed upon a girl.
With newbie's impending birth (only 7 or so weeks away!) I am once again faced with this seemingly insurmountable dilemma: What if the baby is a boy?
Last month, Patrick and I dove deep into the big book of baby names and quickly jotted down a list of possibilities. Just as quickly as the names made the list, however, they were struck off. First by us, then by our brutal family.
There are still a few contenders out there, but none speak to me just yet. Maybe my indecision is the baby telling me that a boy's name is not necessary this time around. Or, more likely, the sneaky little devil is already messing with my mind. :)
11.10.2009
Lollipops, people!
Last year, he made his Halloween debut as a frog, a hand-me-down from my sis. This year, I continued the tradition of taking whatever costume my family thew my way and dolled the boy up as a scarecrow.
I may have sat on this particular costume a year too long, however, since it was designed for "infants" 25 lbs and less. Ever the mother of thrift and invention, I dug out some colorful pants from his drawer, pretended his shirt collar didn't look just a little too snug on his 30 lb frame and plopped the hat on his head. Viola! A super cute scarecrow.
While I was applying his nose and freckles, he asked "mama, nose too?" Just like that, we became mama and baby scarecrow. I forgot how fun playing dress up can be.
The monsters, angels and "just a dead bride" first frightened, but then thrilled our fearless lollipop sucker. He was of course, in an enviable position underneath a furry blanket on his mama's lap. And, right next to more candy than he'd ever seen.
After his sugar high, Jamie collapsed into a well-deserved slumber. But, not before showing that while scarecrows may not be too brainy, they sure can bust a move.
11.08.2009
Eire: One man's perspective!
However, as time passed on, I realized Jamie could have been on the moon or in Tipperary, for all he knew. It was a bit like when I went in the chunnel to Paris for the first time and it went pitch black. For some reason I thought I was entering the Sea World Aquarium. If you could have only saw my face and the disgust. Priceless. For some reason I thought I was going to see the below. Muppet!
And as for newbie, well let's face it, (s)he's living in tight quarters right now with little views. While (s)he did not get the views, she did get the taste and sounds of the mother land, much like her/his mother did back in the 70's! If you did not catch it below. Sheila was in her mothers tummy outside a church on St. Stephens Green in 1975. That Church is where our gracious hosts, my sister Liza and her hubby also go married in the 80's. In 1975 I had just turned three and the wife to be was a yank in Dublin, in her Mams tummy, probably just 10 miles away. Crazy. I'm sure I was looking all smooth in my 70's rig out...sideburns and all.
Well Jamie was not in the country 12 hours when he stopped in for his first sip of the cream, on the other side of the pond! He was guilty of such pleasures on this side a while back. Now I probably would not have chosen the pub Thomas Read but newbie and Mommy needed a break and who am I to get in the way. This was a proud moment for Papa and the view of Dublin Castle lit up by the lights at night was not bad either. Jamie was a little hesitant at first, but he got it down him. In hindsight, I probably should have got him a pint instead of a half.
The Zoo was our Day Two trip which was cool because there was a huge expansion (double in size) since my last visit there. It really is a beautiful place just to walk. Let's just say I was happy!Besides the views, Sheila shared a little insight into my personality. She said "Hey look, just replace "animal" with "Patrick!" Sadly, I could only laugh and agree.
We just like to be clear on such matters. There can be no misunderstanding.
Looking back at the pictures, birds where a theme in Dublin.
The Zoo
St. Stephen's Green
The Canal Talent all around Dublin...did I mention the weather was mild? (Editor's note from Sheila: I had to give Patrick some creative license with his blog post...maybe too much ;)
Jamie was a big fan of the birds, he got up close and personal. Unfortunately for him, it was not the last bird above but the birds in St. Stephen's green that got him. As we fed the swans, pigeons etc. in the green, out of the corner of my eye I saw what appeared to be something dropping out of the sky and by Jamie's head. I quickly turned my head to see that luckily he had avoided such disaster.
Well we proceeded on our merry way down Grafton street and about 20 mins later I noticed Jamie had crap (literally) all over his face. At this point I'm rubbing it saying "what is this?" Well the pigeon got him on this jacket and while the wee lad was turning his head left and right to the sights and sounds of Dublin, he was also getting the smells and touch under his chin! My niece Ava Lee found this hilarious, as did we all, especially when he started to freak out and go "birdie poo poo, birdie poo poo, birdie poo poo" When he relized what happend to him, he could not help but laugh himself.
No trip is complete without some Dublin bay prawns. These things are fluffy and melt in your mouth. Really good just plain with some salt and butter or some garlic butter with shallots. So anyway, we headed out to Howth (first picture above) to get some whitening fish for Rio and some Dublin Bay prawns and mussels for P. What a feast. Here is a sample of some of the goodies at Wrights at the harbor.
Molly Malone (Dublin's unofficial anthem and ambassador) would have been proud. Speaking of which, I find it amusing how Sheila is always apalled by the endowment of Ms. Malone, but if Sheila did a little research, she might understand why the tribute is the way it is. There is more to the story than meets the eye! See and read for yourself.
On our way back from Howth, we stopped off at the Stand Beach. Now there was a few things I had not seen before. It was all about perspective for me that day. I was trying to give everyone the sights and views of Dublin but my memory and the weather were not complying. On this particular day, Sheila and Eva Lee decided to stay in the car and admire the views from there.
While they saw...
and this...I saw...
and...
Sometimes when the weather is not working out for you, you just need to use a little imagination! It's all about perspective people.
Well the primary purpose for this trip was to bid farewell to our "Italian stallion" to marriage and Georgina. Who knew Karlo would eventually fall. Anyway, a good woman has tamed him and trained him...he's now more of an ass than a stallion! Georgiana, is kind enough to put him to pasture and not send him to the glue factory. Just remember Karl, "yes dear...yes dear," learn to love it.The following day in the morning we went to Mondello Park and Jamie loved the motor bikes. Then Daddy went drinking for the rest of the afternoon/evening for the post wedding party. The venue was beautiful and we had some craic.
After burying the dead we headed back to Dublin.Has anyone seen She (Kill-a-shee....)?
The rest of the trip we visited our friends and family on both sides. We covered Howth Head in the north of Dublin bay to Bray Head on the south of Dublin bay and everything in between. Our shoes and guts got a good work out. It was great to catch up with everyone.
Outside the doors of Dublin on Fitzwilliam St. In the shadow of the Art Museum...
Oh look! Is that the Lord Mayor of Dublin sitting on the steps of the Mansion House? Local celeb! Shemo wouldn't put the camera away. I was so embarrassed given himself and all.
On the way home I watched Angels and Demons on the plane. Would rent that one again.
Slainte
11.04.2009
Out for the day by Dublin's Bay
Dublin Bay offers a unique perspective of Ireland's rugged rocky shoreline, rolling mountains and lush landscape. Last Tuesday, Patrick, Eva Lee, Jamie and me hit the road to explore the bay and get a taste the salt air in Howth.
Situated on the north end of the bay, Howth is a small seaside town, famous for three things: fish, fish and fish. Patrick, eager to give us an eye-popping view of the ocean and surrounding bay, drove us up into the hills to two viewing points. The first had no view, except, oddly, of recycling bins and trails that led to nowhere. The second offered panoramic views, which were marred only by the dismal weather, low clouds and blanket of hair covering my face due to the 100 mph winds. God loves a trier. ;)
The famous Wrights of Howth fulfilled our fishy dreams, however. The small shop was brimming with scales of every color. Even a non-fish eater like me had to appreciate the variety and freshness of fish. Patrick and Jamie were in heaven. P was already dreaming up dinner while J struck up a lovely conversation with a lobster.
After a tantrum - at the playground no less - that resulted in two out of three buttons getting kicked off my only jacket (thank you, son) we braved the wind to admire the sea view from the pier. Jamie was soothed by the sounds of the accordion player. He showed his appreciation by dropping a few coins into his hat.
The Dublin Bay tour continued on Wednesday when we visited my aunt Eileen and uncle Jimmy at the south end of the bay in Bray. Lovers of adventure, we ditched the car and zipped along the coastline in the DART, Dublin's commuter train.
During our journey, Patrick quizzed me on the pronunciation of town names and pointed out the abodes of the rich and famous nestled in the hills of Dalkey (Bono, I know you were there in spirit).Eileen and Jimmy treated us to a delicious lunch of Irish stew followed by my favorite HB vanilla ice cream with sugar wafers. My inner child lept for joy (an interesting play on words, considering my present condition ;).
After Jamie took Jimmy's motorbike for a spin (well, he sat on it), we visited Dublin's only Catholic church that is open for prayer 24/7. Eileen lit a candle for newbie and Jamie sang happy birthday (the candles...).
We strolled along Bray's seaside promenade, visited the swans and admired the view across the bay to Howth. Our seaside adventure had come full circle.
11.03.2009
Granny knows best
Don't let her age fool you. Molly's mind is sharp as a tack and her tongue can be even sharper. One of her favorite sayings is "throwing an elbow", meaning get away from me.
Coincidentally, Jamie actually displays his wish to be left along by throwing elbows. They were fast friends.
Patrick's bro Derek and his wife Bridget joined the party last Monday night and Sadie, P's dad's sister, rounded out our motley crew who enjoyed a drink or two.
And, "that one" was there too. Jamie knows and loves our niece Eva Lee, but often forgot her name and would simply point at and say "that one." It was sweet, if not a little ego-busting.
Unfortunately, however, our gracious hostess and host were missing from the family reunion.While we were staying at P's sister Liza's lovely Georgian row home (complete with a newly red front door) she and her hubbie were basking under the Spanish sun. At least we now know where we stand. ;)
After the night winded down last Monday, Molly shared with me that the world is full of too many "Imeantos." Molly, I'll do my best to not add to the list of unfulfilled promises and dreams. And, I'll force your grandson Patrick to do the same. He owes you for addicting him to bread. :)
11.02.2009
It's a Naas day for a white wedding
Your wish is my command. From the photo above, you can see that my mom hid her pregnancies even better than yours truly. (She's the one in emerald green with the barely noticeable bump...)Jamie's first Irish wedding -with his pregnant mama - took place on 10/24 in Castleknock. Before 170 friends and family, P's childhood chum Karl traded "I do's" with his lovely bride Georgina (such an underused name!). Patrick stifled his tears, but I knew they were there.
The vows were followed by a reception at Killishee House in Naas (Nace). Less than an hour outside of Dublin, the boarding school turned hotel was a maze of huge reception rooms, guest suites and picturesque landscaped grounds.
Our boy Jamie, running purely on party adrenaline, made the rounds at the cocktail reception: flirting with the ladies and giving the guys "knuckles."
I then foolishly tried to walk the hotel halls to get the little guy to sleep. When I stopped to check on his sleep status, he perkily said "mama, more walking?" Silly mama. Tricks are for kids. ;)
The speeches did succeed where I failed, however, allowing us to childlessly chat our way through the delish meat and potato meal.
Luckily, more than an empty race track awaited us at Mondello. A motorbike race was on, and P and J were all in. Even the drizzle whipping in our faces couldn't remove the smiles from the boys' lips.
The rainy conditions did, however, lead to two crashes in less than 15 minutes. And, unfortunately, an abrupt end to our trip down memory lane.
During our two-day stay at Killishee, P and I took many walks with Jamie: Up the stairs...and down again. Down the hall. Through the "farting" door (J still loves that one). To the bar and out to the ivy-encapsulated patio where people "check the weather" (and bring along their cigarettes to do so ;).
But, the best walk by far was our exploration of the hotel's manicured garden on Monday morning.
Jamie had been staring at the fountain for days and couldn't wait to chuck rocks into it. I basked in the 60-degree weather and forgotten feeling of sunshine on my skin.
Patrick? We managed to disentangle him from brunch with the bride and groom long enough to see the nun's cemetery and -strangely - an 1980s Dublin commuter train on blocks.
Sadly, we had to bid Killishee - and it's farting door - adieu and head back to "town" where P's family eagerly awaited our arrival. More on that next post.