I Need a Weekend After My Weekend

I had quite the busy weekend. Friday night luckily was quiet, but Saturday I woke up early and Luke was still sleeping, so I decided to do the walk without him and try....running. I know, I know, in the past I've thought people who ran for no reason as strange. But there's been something inside me telling me or rather urging me to run. I lasted maybe 4 or 5 blocks all together, but now it's become something I want to beat. It's like because I don't have any concrete grad school plans, I need something else to accomplish or achieve. So....I'm unofficially going to try to train for a 5K. I think. There's a website that has a very reasonable training program. And I've been scouting craigslist for a cheap cheap cheap jogging stroller. So we'll see.

After the nuttiness that was my attempt at running, Luke had OT and then we set off for the Pepsico Sculpture Gardens. I visited them a LOT when I was in college and I have some nice, artsy shots from those days. But I figured Luke would enjoy it. He did...mostly. He had some issues with listening about running off and wrenching his little arm out of our grip, but for the most part he liked the ponds and the vegetation. We had lunch/early dinner at a very kid-friendly restaurant called Q.

Sunday, Luke and I hit the park and did our usual walk. It was so nice out. I felt like I could've walked double what I did, but as usual, the errands were calling me and I knew Luke would stage a revolt if he passed the swings one more time. Then it was off food shopping, run home, receive 5 bags of hand-me-downs from a dear friend who has given Luke some very nice things, take a quick shower and hit the Italian Fest at Hofstra. Happily for them it was very well attended. Unhappily for Luke/Mom/Me it meant navigating the stroller all over, a cranky Lucas and a hot and tired me.

Unfortunately, the weekend ended with probably one of the worst nights for us to date. Luke has been having trouble going to sleep. My theory is that with it getting darker earlier, it's taken away his time to look at his books and gently settle into sleep. He's getting put into the crib when it's pitch black outside. Needless to say, there's been lots of screaming, hysterical crying and frustration. And that's just me. I can only imagine what Luke's feeling. But last night, I had to cave and take him into the bed at 3am - and even then, it took almost 3 hours for him to fall asleep.

Luckily, Starbucks is a panacea for mornings that follow nights like this one. He's lucky he's so delicious, otherwise I'd start looking up gypsies in the phone book.

Who Do You Think You Are?

Last week was not a particularly easy one in my world. I was told that my amazing, delicious, bright, beautiful, socially outgoing baby boy scored sufficiently on the ADOS test to be placed "on the spectrum". What? Who are you to tell me this sweet boy has some flaw? Luke still doesn't have much of an oral vocabulary (his receptive vocabulary astonishes me sometimes though, as he responded appropriately to "if you want a snack, get some grapes out of the refrigerator") so we were advised to have him re-tested in a few years when his 'speech comes in'. It threw me for a quite a while. I was fully prepared for those words, but until I actually heard them I didn't accept it. So. There it is. It does mean that Luke's eligible for more structured, intense services, so that's the plus side here. Our wonderful pediatrician has said that he believes that by the time kindergarten comes around, he'll have caught up with his peers and you won't even know that he's received services.

And on top of that, I discovered that Hofstra no longer accepts people into the 2 graduate programs I was interested in. Argh.

Alright Already, I'm Just a No-Goodnik

Okay. So I've been slightly tardy with a new blog post. I blame life. I've been working diligently at my new(ish) job (which I still LOVE LOVE LOVE). I've been playing non-stop. Seriously. I've been playing just about every weekend (with an errant cello-free weekend peppered here and there) since February. Honest. Just ask the husband and son who woefully eye me as I leave the house. Not to mention the general house stuff, laundry, cooking, grocery shopping, and small child care. So to recap:

February (and part of March) found me playing "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" at Smithtown (my new home-away-from-home) Performing Art Center. I love that theatre. It's an old movie theatre and it's got charm and coziness. I know where everything is. I love that WalGreen's is right next door to it (facilitating errand running prior to curtain and during intermission!). But I really loved this show. Small pit - only 5 of us: piano, keyboard, reed, cello and percussion. By the end we were really rockin' it. It was one of those rare shows where my heart would beat a little faster when it started and I just reveled in playing. I'd just simply feel the music surround me. I know, I know, I sound like a huge geek, but what can I say? I am a music geek. But there were just some of those musical moments where you get to play a great line, or have a touching, mushy solo and life is good for a while. (Here's a link to one of the numbers from the show - coincidentally it's my favorite song and actually ME playing! )

Then there was a cavalcade of musical engagements, it being the height of High School Musical Season. There were 2 different productions of "Thoroughly Modern Millie" (which I will be doing AGAIN in May), a week of living in my office since we were doing a concert of Rodgers and Hart songs here in the playhouse and last week was "Pippin" at Freeport High School. Sunday finds me doing a chamber concert and then I am FREE for a little while.

Not much going on in other news. Lucas still is our silent little guy. He has a few words, but he's darn protective of them. But he's delicious. I have no other word for him but delicious. In the mornings we snuggle in bed before starting our days. He is full of hugs and kisses. He actually makes a "mmmmm" sound when he gives a kiss now. He loves any and all things musical. He vocalizes along with Ben Vereen when he sings "On the Right Track" from Pippin. He squeals in delight when he hears the opening piano line of "And The Beauty Is" from "The Light in the Piazza". He's my little musical buddy. I just can't get enough of him. At the end of a long work day followed by a grueling rehearsal or show, when I get home I sneak a peek of him sleeping sweetly and just sigh contentedly.

Life can't all be bad when you've got a munchkin who thinks your his version of Elvis.

Yup, that ole chestnut

Yeah, I decided to tweak and renovate the blog. The dark colors were just too much of a downer. I need some light, some levity, something new and fresh. And I was inspired by BP of that awesome blog, "Southern Circle of Hell: Part Deux" since she gussied up her blog.

But I digress.....I wanted to do a "What Did I Learn in 2009" entry, but got bored after I couldn't really think of anything noteworthy to list. So instead, here is what I'm digging lately:

Pink and Gray. Lots of it. Got a super silvery-gray scarf from the Mr. for Christmas. Bought myself a nifty charcoal scarf from the mall. Got a cute pink sweater from the cookies (Mom and Dad) for Christmas. Bought myself a rilly rilly cute gray tank from J Crew (it's got ruffles and a flower, hence the 'rilly rilly'). I'm just trying to coax myself away from the all-black in my wardrobe and pink and gray look classy with black.

Music. All sorts of stuff. My secret santa at work upgraded my Pandora account for me. How freakin' awesome is that? Now I can listen to ANYTHING. And have been. My top stations are 'cartoony jazz' (based on Raymond Scott), Al Green, Steely Dan and The Bird and The Bee. I have 24 stations right now. I want to run out and buy an internet radio just so I can have it in the bedroom.

Salads. I know it sounds lame, but I really like eating salads. And Trader Joe's has just the yummiest things you can add to salads. Like pistachios, goat cheese, croutons, soy beans. All good eatin'. Plus, with the weight I lost since last year (25 pounds, baby!) I have an incentive to eat salads and low calories veggie soups. Works for me.

Yoga. I have Miss Lori to thank for this one. We started doing lunchtime yoga podcasts and it stuck with me. I do it every night before dinner. Or almost every night. I've been averaging about 6 nights out of 7 a week. AND....over the break I was squeezing in 2 20 minute sessions a day. It makes me feel like cooked spaghetti afterwards and warms me up when it's unbearably cold outside.

Mr. Luke E. Bear. I know it's redundant and obvious that I mention him in a list of things I'm digging lately, but he's just too delicious for words. He's growing so fast that sometimes I can't get over what he's doing. He's making leaps and bounds. He's got a smile that just makes me melt. Cutie boy.

They're Cousins...(Un)Identical Cousins

Cuties. They had a grand ole time chasing each other around and being silly. I bought them matching pajamas for the holiday season so I pounced on the chance to take a picture of them wearing them at the same time in the same place.

For some reason, Luke was unhappy about the paparazzi.

Then, once it was apparent that it was a party, he warmed up a little.

A good time was then had by all.

A Budding Art Critic and Suzy Homemaker

We took the Lukey-Bear to the Islip Art museum yesterday to catch the last day of "Fashion Forward" a group show where all the pieces were about fashion. It was a great show and a bargain at $6 for the 3 of us to enter. (Plus, the $$ goes to a good cause) Lukey seemed to enjoy just being somewhere different and seeing unusual things.

He decided to get a little closer to some pieces. I think he felt a certain kinship to the monkey-girl, being that she was his size.

Later that night I was feeling decidedly domestic and made homemade sauce and homemade peanut butter cookies that I just had to dip in chocolate ganache. Mmmmmmmm.

Those (Not) Lazy, Hazy Crazy Days of Summer

The title above reminds me of a Gilmore Girls episode where they kept playing that song over and over and over again at a town festival.

But today was far from lazy.

Luke and I:

*Went to a teen production of "Thoroughly Modern Millie", whereupon I was able to show off my pristine, perfect child to my friends. Whereupon it was also Luke's first musical.
*Did laundry.
*Ran home to change and load the Lucas-bag.
*Went to my MRI where I conquered the closed MRI. (I thought I was going to have to be seriously drugged to be put in there.)
*Came home.
*Made dinner AND homemade caramel sauce for a cake I made over the weekend.

I'm beat.

And I'm lucky that Luke's so good that I can tote him just about anywhere. He LOVED the show. So much so that I had to remove him from the theatre since he thought it was an audience-participation type performance and sang along and spoke back to the actors. This kid seriously has the theatre gene.

What We Do Every Night Pinky.....

If you've ever met Lucas, you know he's a super-smartie. I know I'm a doting mama and such, but he is, really. And if you need proof, I submit the following. Here he is trying to take over the world. We're convinced he's secretly an evil villain. He's got all the characteristics; the almost non-existent hair, the quirky wardrobe and the interesting pet (Cupid, the rattle reindeer).

So here he is, working very very hard at his evil plan:
Notice the little globe next to his control panel. It's how he chooses his targets. I asked him to spare Panama since they make such delicious coffee as well as Holland since that's where yummy cheese comes from.

And here he noticed his classified area was broken into and promptly called for security.Notice the little button he just pushed calling for security? You think it's a simple toy that plays animal sounds and synthesizer versions of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, but once deployed, the hounds are released.

Bribery does work however, and by slipping Dr. L-Bear an ice cube I was spared tortuous punishment with the death laser.I was recognized as being an ally and even let in on some classified information. I was given the code name "Maaahhh". We discussed future evil plots and had a happy conclusion to our meeting. I have since been made press agent for Dr. L-Bear. (Notice Cupid not far from control central on the floor.)

First Non-Cello Sunday

It's about 5:00 p.m. est. I'm not finishing up a performance or en route home from a show. I feel naked in a way. But I had a glorious day. I was able to:

* Hang with Lukey-Luke all morning all relaxed-like.

* Try my Panamanian coffee in my one-cupper. (Which shocked the hell out of me as to how good it was - not bitter, not too strong and a nice aftertaste. Exactly what Fairway CoffeeMan described.)

* Have breakfast at Our Diner (the Infinity Diner in West Babylon, if you must know). I love that the proprietor knows us and whisks us to a booth immediately. And I love that no matter what I have, it's delicious. From corned beef hash (which I'm sure Kerry will have something to say about) to a veggie omlette to my usual vanilla egg cream, it's always tasty. Even when I take a chance on something I usually don't order like chocolate chip pancakes.

* Take an impromptu nap with a sweet smelling baby snuggled next to me.

* Finish Chuck Palahnuik's newest book "Snuff". He's such a sicko, but I'm addicted to his writing.

* Have a pot of homemade sauce simmer on the stove. It smells heavenly.

It's good to have some time to myself and a week off, but rumors are a-stirring that I'll be filling in for a few shows of "Grey Gardens" at Smithtown. Love that theatre.

Chicago - Day 3

We visited Tommy's mom and had a real "Chicago" lunch - hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches at a little "hot dog stand". (Calling it a 'stand' makes no sense to me. It's inside a building with tables. Wouldn't a stand mean it's outside?) Luke loves loves loves trees and flowers. I think he's going to be a budding botanist. (hee hee) That night Merry came by and we watched "Xanadu" and ate pizza (I'm a thin crust girl - who knew?) and ice cream. (Dairy Queen! There are no Dairy Queens in the NY metro area.) It was good to have just a hang-out-girls'-night together.

Chicago - Day 2

Happy Father's Day! Luke was outfitted appropriately with a shirt that said "Cool Just Like Daddy". Do I rock as a wife or what? It was a warm day, but perfect for swimming. The boys went swimming and relaxed. I took many a picture, fretted by the side of the pool about Luke swallowing pool water, getting it in his ears and sunburns. He's still in one piece, so I think it agreed with him.

Chicago - Day 1

So we finally made it to Chicago for a few days to visit Tommy's family. It was bliss. Four days of napping, eating delicious non-NY food and visiting. On day 1 we got in at Chicago-Midway nice and easy (Luke was an angel on both flights) and promptly went to breakfast. See, here's where NY is lacking. You could trip and fall in the Chicagoland area and find an amazing breakfast place. I was able to choose from like a million different skillets. But I had a chicken, asparagus, cheese skillet. It was delicious. And the babies communed with one another. They got along really well and Luke was loving the fact that he had plenty of room to sleep (poor little guy has really outgrown the cradle) and there were TONS of toys for him to play with. He probably thought he was being punished when we got back home. And, he napped on the most comfy down comforter/feather bed type thing. I may have even dozed off here and there on it.

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

We went to visit the big guy himself - no, not Santa, the Easter Bunny. Luke was bummed that he was too little to visit Santa (we weren't about to take him to the mall at 2 weeks old), so we made up for it by having his picture taken with the big bunny. He was all eyes and very well behaved; so much so, that he stared at the other kids who were crying as if to say, "Hey dude, it's the Easter Bunny." My little sweetie.

There's a Baby in My Pocket

Well, I guess it's not really a pocket, but it's still a neat title. He's actually enjoying being tucked in there, which is great. I still love the Moby Wrap - especially when I'm really walking around the mall or making dinner, but this is great for when he refuses to nap when I'm not at home. Plus he likes to sit up in it as seen here like he's king of a Mardi Gras float. I call him Mayor McCheese when he does that - it looks like he's going to start waving and politicking. I look like a dweeb in the picture, but Luke looks too cute not to share it.