Play-Learn-Grow-Repeat

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
So, we made our big move last week to a new apartment. Overall, it went pretty well. The movers were on time and efficient. My parents hung out with Haley so that we could focus on the task on hand. I have said it before and I’ll say it again– I don’t know how people manage without family close by!

When we got to the apartment, our landlord was there with his crew, installing appliances. They assured us they would be out of our hair in no time. Famous last words! They took the whole day– and some of the next– to finish everything they needed to do. Unfortunately, that made it difficult for us to clean and unpack. We were annoyed until my husband returned to work, and his co-workers chastised him for his attitude. They were incredulous that we were complaining about getting new kitchen appliances in New York City: it’s virtually unheard of! Upon reflection, we laughed at ourselves. But what was actually bothering us was our inability to get everything ready for Haley.

A delay in settling into a new apartment is precisely the sort of situation that would have rolled right off of our pre-Haley backs. We would have just spent our time strolling through the new neighborhood, eating out rather than cooking, and unpacking a few boxes each day for weeks. That’s not such a good strategy with a toddler who gets into EVERYTHING. There are hazards all over the place and it takes extra care to watch her these days. Luckily, we are still two-against-one so we can take turns being productive and keeping Haley entertained and at bay.

Now that I am seeing a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of getting organized, I’m looking forward to exploring our new community. I can’t wait to meet other parents and sign Haley up for some toddler classes. And to figure out where to get a perfect cup of coffee. I’m sure before we know it the apartment will stop feeling like an endless to-do list and will just feel like home.

One of the things that constantly amazes me is how far in advance we have to plan things for our kids. We needed doctors and daycare reservations for our kids LONG before they were even born. You sign them up for sports two seasons before they’re scheduled to play them. (I’m still in shock that I had to sign Andrew up for spring t-ball the other day)

From Friday Mom – Jaime:
And I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that parents are already talking about getting their kids enrolled in kindergarten. Yes, I know my son is in pre-k so kindergarten is the next logical step.

In our district, kids have to be 5 by September 1 in order to enroll, and Andrew misses the cut off. I keep thinking how much time we have before he’s six and enrolling in “real” school. But I guess that’s not really too far off.

Scary!

I am NOT old enough to have a kid in kindergarten! But even if I wanted to remain in denial, it’s still right about time for thinking about this stuff. Do we put Andrew in kindergarten in our town? Do we keep him in kindergarten at daycare? It’d certainly cost more with daycare, but it’d still be open til 6:15… We have no real answers yet.

For the time being, I think we’ll enjoy a weekend without soccer. It sounds like a good weekend for apple picking and hay rides. I love fall!

Have a great weekend everyone.

Oh, and I would be terribly remiss if I didn’t say, GO YANKEES!

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
October is here, and finally we have a fall- like day in Mississippi.  The temps are in the mid 70’s, and the air is crisp.  My hair is less frizzy, and I am wearing jeans.  This means the hot and humid summer has come to an end.  Although, sometimes we get these fall teases only to have temps back in the 90’s a week later.

Tate and I took advantage of the nice weather by going for a walk in the woods.  The woods where we live is a simple nature trail with some trees.  We found all kinds of leaves, acorns, bugs and rocks.  We ran up hills and rolled down them.  We crossed over a bridge where we saw several fish.  We stopped at the playground and raced down the slides together.  It was so much fun.  Tate loved it, and so did I.  I hope to do this more often with him now that the weather is tolerable.

October also means annual trips to the county fair and pumpkin patch.  Our weekend schedules are busy, but hopefully we can find time to squeeze them in.  The boys love finding the right pumpkin, and I love the food.  Stay tuned to hear about our fall adventures to include Daddy’s birthday and Halloween.

From Monday Mom – Neetika

Today we are moving into a new place! After months of looking, we found a great apartment to make our home. I’m really excited to move in and set everything up, especially Haley’s room. I don’t think there’s anyone who actually enjoys the process of moving—let’s face it; it’s a pain in the neck! But I’m hoping the day will be as drama-free as possible and that we will feel settled soon.

I’m very nervous about moving Haley away from the only home she’s known. Not only does she love my parents’ house, she loves my parents! She’s used to spending a lot of time with them, so I worry about how she will adjust. Luckily, our new home is about 25 miles away from our old one, so we’ll have ample opportunities for visiting. But it won’t be the same for Haley, my parents, or me; I will certainly miss the free, on-site childcare!

Another adjustment we will be dealing with is the shift from the suburbs to a more urban setting. Though our apartment is a decent size, it’s nowhere near the square footage we are all accustomed to. I wonder if Haley will go stir-crazy with fewer rooms to explore. Luckily, there’s also a lot more to do nearby—a beautiful park, a local library, the YMCA, shops are more are literally steps away. Exploring the neighborhood will be a fun new adventure! I look forward to bringing the perspective of an urban parent to the blog. Stay tuned.