Crazy weekend

We did lots of stuff this weekend and I even ended up in ER for about two hours with my anxiety problems. Good news is that there was no hospitalization. We are still alive and together.
On Saturday we went for a run, stopped at the Farmer's market. We also visited Botanic Garden and delighted in beautiful flowers paying close attention to all bumble bees.

Jeremy with lilacs. I still remember their smell. So delightful.

Today we signed up for a membership in Central Park, Brooklyn, Queens and Bronx zoos and Aquarium. We saw a big walrus with a little one, lots of fish,a sea lion show, and many other fun animals at the Aquarium. I made perfect crab meat cakes with mango salsa for our lunch and at night we went to see Prospect Park zoo. Baby walrus is on this pic.I am amazed that with just one family membership we can go to all these fun places. Okay, so on the way home we had a huge argument but we resolved some issues and had wonderful home family night with great lesson from Jeremy and pretty good game from me.
I also made bread for the first time in a while.
I am excited about new opportunities to go to the zoo and Aquarium and so grateful for all things we enjoy in New York.

Brownie bowl and sock story 14 month old Sonia

Everyone knows how much I love to... scrape the bowl after making brownies. The other day we made a batch of brownies for Jeremy and then we shared the bowl. Here is all the fun in pictures. "Honey, try this. It is so delicious to your taste," Alright I know I should restrain myself from introducing chocolate to my 14-month old.

"Ut Oh," says my little one. "That is so very good"She had to have another bite... well here goes the story of my sharing with my daugther what is important in life.She is exactly fourteen months old today. She is still learning how to walk but is super good at cruising by herself. She bends, picks up things from the ground. She can stand by herself for a little while. She walks with one hand.
Last week we were doing laundry and Sonia tried to help me with all she could. This time she amazed me. I folded socks as usual and left them in the middle of a room to be put into drawers. She crawled, picked one sock up and put it in the drawers. Sonia did it again and again. She didn't just put them all together in one drawer. She sorted all socks and put my socks in my dresser and Jeremy's in his. What a little smarty!

a date at Cold Spring town

We had a whole day to ourselves ;-) My mom watched Sonia while we headed outside of New York City. We rode a subway to Grand Central Station. There we transferred to a real train. The one hour ride seemed heavenly.... the feel and sound of a train rocked me to sleep with my head resting on Jeremy's lap. Trains are just so calming and relaxing. I couldn't keep my eyes open and wished we could stay on the train longer.

We passed Manhattan, went through Bronx, and then followed the river all the way up to a small town, almost a village after living in NY. It was the most North we've ever been in the United States. Nestled on the banks of the scenic Hudson River lays Cold Spring, New York - a timeless town, filled with 19th century architecture -overflowing with ageless elegance yet modern and fashionable enough for every generation.

It rained and rained and it was just perfect for all we wanted to do. We checked out more than a dozen cool antique shops, enjoyed abundant historical monuments and had a pastry at a local bakery.

Here is a gun that was designed at West Point, just across the river and it was used in the battle Bull Run during Civil War. We also saw Old Train Station and the Washington Plaque that told a story about President George Washington drinking from the cold spring.

I also found pretty pearls for my mom. She loves making jewelry and this set should work beautifully for her wedding.

It was a perfect day... I missed our little one so we had to come back ;-)

The Dress

Today we got the dress for my mom. Macy's at 34th Street had such a wonderful selection that it took my mom about three hours ;-) She had many choices and I think she choose the best one. I can't post a picture but will post her wedding pictures later.

In the meantime while my mom tried on all her dresses for about thousand times, Sonia and I got to play peek-a-boo and roll nice dresses around the floor.

I was picking some cute dresses for my mom when Sonia ran away and I heard someone saying, "What a cute child. Whose child is it?" then I got lectured by some European pro who suggested a child leash for my little girl. I just smiled through it.... I really don't mind when Sonia runs away because she always comes back. She is so good and I can let her be herself even in the biggest Macy's in the world.

FAO Schwartz Day

My mom and I decided to spoil Sonia at Schwartz today and we did it ;-) Train ride was a bit long but it was worth it.

We got there right on time for a story time with a fun soldier.

Sonia loved a story about Elephants. Then she played with push toys until she got very tired. She is practicing walking and it can be tiring for Babulya ;) We didn't get any push toys. We got finger paint and a very special baby in the crib. Baby's name is Lyalya.

Sonia loved Lyalya so much that she put her close to heart and was stroking her hair. It is her first little baby. My mom took all these photos so I got to be on the pictures ;-) She loves taking pictures but tomorrow I'll try to get her on the photos.

Gift exchange & play date

A while ago Lakshmi and I had a play date for our little girls who then just turned one year old. Lena is Sonia's friend and Lakshmi is mine ;-), they are our neighbors from the first floor. The girls' birthdays are only six days apart. We had a little party with a gift exchange. Girls enjoyed playing together and Sonia watched Lena and learned new games.

Later that day Sonia decided to take all her books of the bookshelf. She read the Eensy-Weensy Spider by Mary Anne Hoberman all by herself. Here is my favourite verse from this book.

The eensy-weensy spider went swimming to get cool.

"Out!" croaked the frog. "No spiders in my pool!"

"Please!" begged the spider. "I'd really like to swim."

So the frog allowed the spider to swim along with him.

Mother's Day afternoon

In church my mom and I ;) received little bouquets of tulips. It was special ;-) I am grateful for everyone who is helping me to make this transition home. Thank you. I don't have enough words to express how grateful I am.

We also went to Botanic garden and enjoyed the beauty of flowers. My mom took a picture of every flower it seemed like. I tried to restrain myself in some ways.

Sonia in her toddler way was refusing stroller rides the whole time we were out, preferring walking around & leading where she liked it best. At home she nowadays gets a lot of help with walking from Babulya, my mom. She usually walks from wherever I am to wherever Jeremy is and back again. I have a feeling she will be walking soon all by herself.

We got to Discovery Garden for the kids and that is where Sonia's real fun began. She enjoyed sorting out pine cones, digging in the big bucket of dirt and walking across miniature bridge a thousand times.

I was switching with my mom to support all these activities. There were two boys getting worms out of a worm pit and after they succeeded, Sonia saw a slimy red worm for the first time. I was glad she didn't try eating it. She didn't even get tired ;-)

Mother's Day

These roses welcomed me home after the hospital stay last week and today in the morning we took a picture with three girls and a piano bench ;-) I decided most seriously to proceed with giving piano lessons, women in RS were so supportive that I have a prospective student, a little girl who lives nearby. I am so excited ;-)

About a week ago I was hospitalized once again for anxiety. A good news is that I am home now and I got to leave the hospital two days before the Mother's Day. Jeremy made my two days worth living over and over again ;-) I shall never forget this time.

My mom also flew in and helped with Sonia. Yesterday we went to walk across the Brooklyn bridge and we took a few photo shots. The views with upper Manhattan turned well because the sun was hitting it just right. Brooklyn Bridge walk is becoming a new tradition for our guests and visitors.

The Bridge runs into City Hall Park so we naturally stopped there. The fountain was on and Sonia wanted to fish out all little coins. They flashed like gold and silver in the water under the waining sun.

She stood silently gazing for the longest time and tried dipping her hands. Needless to say our Sonia didn't want to leave.

Jeremy sneakily picked her up, showed her the bigger portion of the running waters and then we tucked her into the stroller with a help of a cookie. There was no crying ;-) All was well.

I am moving on to the next post about today......