Another NC Christmas



Our Tree



Yep. Christmas came and went as expected.  I didn't feel a lot of Christmas spirit this year AND I even listened to Christmas music during work BY CHOICE!  I dunno, it just comes and goes so quickly. Maybe when the boy is older it will be more Christmasy.  NC was great though.  As always I had a wonderful time with Josh's family.  There were a lot of cousins for Sonny to play with and he loved it.  We all loved it.

Josh's Mom planned a live nativity with all the cousins, it was hilarious:

Every little girl needs a round brush stuck in their hair at least once

What's Christmas without a fruit cake?

Grandma's famous bicuits

Maybe Inappropriate - but whatever

It's cold in NYC right now.  After work I usually walk one mile to catch my train but today I decided to take the cross town train to save me from the blistering wind.  While speed walking through Grand Central Terminal, up and down stairs to get the subway, I was reminded of a couple things.  They are probably not even 1% politically correct to admit but I've felt this way for a long time.

Sometimes I think it would be really cool to be a big fat black lady. Here are my reasons why:

• Infectious Laughter
• Get to call people sweetheart or hun without sounding demeaning
• Culturally considered sexy even when above average sized
• Proud of Ethnicity and the features it gives them
• Can dress and accessorize outrageously
• Just don't seem to give a hoot about crap that doesn't matter
• Give good solid hugs
• Seem Jolly

Now, I have nothing to base the above on except my own observations.  While on the subject; i think it would also be cool to be an older skinny black man.  Here are my reasons why:

• Get to call people sweetheart or hun without sounding demeaning
• Dress sharp
• Can pull off a suit and hat just going to the corner store - like no other
• STEREOTYPE ALERT - Maybe be a great harmonica player or jazz musician
• STEREOTYPE ALERT - Can dance

 I really hope that no one is offended by this. And don't get me wrong, I am happy being me, but if I could just fora  day be someone else to see what it was like, I would try the above people first.
Then I would be a subway driver next.  I think that would be an awesome job - for a day.

So instead of this:

I get to be this:

and I like that.

I've been busy

But who hasn't?  That is no excuse not to blog. Truth be told, I have three posts drafted just waiting for pictures to be added and published.  But I can't finish those right now.  You don't even know about Sonny's birthday, or our trip to Chicago.  At least I can tell you about Thanksgiving.
My parents are in the last stretch of construction at their place and have no kitchen, so obviously we couldn't have Thanksgiving there!  My sister offered to host at her house in Orlando, so after flying into Ft. Lauderdale Tuesday night we drove 3 1/2 hours to Orlando Wednesday afternoon.  Not sure if I mentioned this before, but the boy HATES car seats - although by the end of the week, he matured enough to accept that sometimes he has to man up and sit in the car seat. He gets it.

It was a treat to spend some time with my sister and her new husband in their home. They are happy and wonderful and I am so happy for them- and their house is fantastic.   I only get to be with my parents and sister a few days out of the year so the times we do have together seem to go by way to fast.

All the food was Thanksgiving-y, my Dad helped Cicely make the Turkey and he made is signature cranberry sauce (it isn't Thanksgiving without it).  We (the Maready half of the dinner) dined on a Quorn Tuk'y log (it was a little dry- my fault).

My sister has two dogs and two cats. As much as Sonny liked the dogs, they were chopped liver compared to the cat. Man, he loved Ira.   He would follow (ok, chase) him around the house and whenever he would catch him, he would just try to hug and kiss him.
Speaking of kisses - the boy is all about kisses.  He just started really going for it.  He will walk up to us, pucker his lips and give kisses and even make a MUAH noise!  He kisses all the stuffed animals he can find (even in the airport gift shops), the animals in his books and even the stuffed santa in the lobby of our building. He is such a sweet boy.   After Orlando we headed back to Ft. Lauderdale where we spent 3 days in the sun with Grandma and Grandpa.  All in all a successful vacation (we always joke that i judge a vacation based on the tan I get- I have a little bit of a glow)

(this list is more for me to remember than for you to read through, since I don't keep a journal or a baby book, i have to document these milestones somewhere right? you can skip all this and go to right to the pictures if you want) He is growing so fast and is definitely developing his own unique personality. He is funny and loves to laugh and make us laugh, he is social and loves an audience, he is a great dancer and has rhythm I could only dream of having, he loves to sing and can even sing (lalalala ) a couple real songs, he talks all the time and he really thinks he is having a conversation with you. He says Momma, Dada, ball, more and will try to mimic other words and sounds we say.  He signs please, milk, more, help, no and all done.  He makes less of a mess eating, uses a fork and spoon, washes his hands after dinner (no soap), brushes his teeth (by no means is he an expert at any of these, but he tries and improves daily). When ever he sees a dob he says woof woof, he roars when he sees lions and will try to make any animal sound given him.  He is very helpful when we are cleaning and loves to sweep and wipe things.  If he sees a paper towel or a sponge he will pick it up and start cleaning the nearest flat surface smiling the whole time.  He is just great and I love him.

For the Little Ones

I am stepping onto a soap box right now, but only for a minute.

Like Kanye West, I had been wanting to Occupy Wall Street, even if it was only for 30 minutes.  I live in NY, I'm disappointed in our government, I'm disappointed in our economy, I'm embarrassed by our greed and our corruption. I do have a job though, and for that I am grateful.   Am I not "Un-American" as Presidential hopeful Herman Cain suggests. Nor do I think that the protests are "dangerous" as the mulit-millionaire (Wall St. poster boy) Mitt Romeny claim.  In fact, I am very much American.  Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin were very American and very outspoken on their fears of big government, big corporations and big banks.  In 1816 Jefferson wrote "...I sincerely believe, with you [John Taylor], that the banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies; and that the principle of spending money to be paid posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale."

I had yesterday off and after taking my sweet time around the house in the morning and afternoon, the babe and I headed down to Wall Street.  After taking random side streets to avoid the people I exited the subway with, (I was slightly embarrassed from falling UP the stairs, carrying a sleeping baby and landing on my back with my skirt not where it should have been) I saw the barricades and heard the drums.  We got there just in time to see the start of a line of people marching down the street carrying signs, playing drums and chanting.  Some signs were relevant and some not so much.  Then we found Zuccotti Park.  My nose was welcomed with the smell of Nag Champa, my ears were welcomed with the sounds of a drum circle and my eyes were welcomed with color! 

Sure, there was a LARGE mix of people camping in the park.  There were homeless people that were happy to finally have company, families teaching their children about Freedom of Speech, drifters glad to be a part of something, older men and women reliving the protests of their youth trying to fit into the same clothes they wore then, young women taking advantage of the topless laws walking around topless, people clearly on drugs, drunks, men and women wearing warrior paint on their bodies, women nude covered in body "spray" paint, college kids, "prep" kids, working men - in suits and ties, average people that are angry and hopeful, people really serious about making a difference.  Through all the crazies that were there, there were pockets of people that were sober, fully dressed, working hard.  Working hard to be legit. 2 legit. 2 legit 2 quit.

It is a real operational camp.  There is a kitchen.  Restaurants and people are donating food and money- there is a compost bin, recyling stations, water filtration stations, volunteer sign-up booths. I felt excitment.  I was happy to be there. I was happy to get to see some action. I am glad that this is happening.  I was impressed.  There is a lot of good going on, and I HOPE that it doesn't dissapear.  I will be back.

With all that is happening, several people (at least 7) said to me as they pointed to my son a variation of "We are here for him."  I would be lying if it didn't choke me up a little. Thank you to eveyone who is Occupying Wall Street for the right reasons.

This is often mis-quoted giving credit to Gandhi:

"First they ignore you. Then they ridicule you. And then they attack you and want to burn you. And then they build monuments to you." - Nicholas Klein in an 1918 Trade Union Address

Here is a good artcle from Sunday's New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/10/opinion/panic-of-the-plutocrats.html?src=tp&smid=fb-share

People get Married

I don't love weddings. I like the concept behind weddings. I like that people unite their lives when they fall in love and want to spend eternity with each other. That part is nice. I like the happy feelings associated with a new marriage and potential it brings.

I don't like the hoopla of wedding planning. I don't think weddings are the best use of the money spent on them.  I don't like the stress that everyone involved feels at some point during the planning.

I eloped and do not regret it. My family on the other hand were not so pleased with that decision. Hi, Mom and Dad  :)

I've been to two weddings this year and both were executed very well. First, my sister got married in March, **I failed to add pictures, so I will do that in this post** and then my friend Manisha got married this past weekend.

My sister's wedding was traditional in the American sense. She wore a beautiful ivoryish dress and had her wedding party onstage with her and then had the reception soon after.  She looked stunning and was a beautiful bride. Manisha's wedding was traditional (I think ) in the Indian sense.  She looked like an Indian Princess. She could have been in a Disney movie. Her dress was HEAVILY bedazzled and it sparkled like an open treasure chest on a pirate's ship.  No offense to my sister, but I don't think I have ever seen a more radiant looking bride.  She was just so shiny from head to toe.

The ceremony was long, but meaningful (like my sister's).  The food was delicious (Indian food), but my sister's cake was better (sorry Manisha).

I wore a nice bridesmaid dress to my sister's wedding - maybe someday I will have the chance to wear a floor length brown satin type dress. I was excited to get to wear a saree to Manisha's wedding - maybe I will have the chance to wear a saree again (I hope so).

If you are not married, but would like to be one day, may I suggest an Indian Wedding?  If you invite me, I promise to like it.   If I was not married and planning a wedding, I would forgo the Traditional American getup and wear an Traditional Indian getup.

Favorite's from Cicely's wedding:

From Manisha's Wedding:

Walkin the Dog - Not the Yo Yo trick

Yesterday when I went out with the boy, we heard live music in the playing in the distance.  I know how much he likes to dance, so instead of playing at the playground we followed the music and ended up at the Latin Grammy Street Party.

He danced a little bit, but the highlight of the day was when he found a tiny dog to befriend. The dog's owner handed Sonny the leash and then this happened:



I think it is pretty cute.