Be like Kip, just chill.
Hope your couch is comfortable!
March 31, 2020
Chill
Some inspiration for those lazy moments during this nationwide quarantine.
Be like Kip, just chill.
Hope your couch is comfortable!
Be like Kip, just chill.
Hope your couch is comfortable!
March 30, 2020
Weekending it
Days are blending together but I was actually still bummed last night when I realized the next day was Monday because logging-in for work is a task, quarantine or not.
After I posted on Friday, we all had a discussion about being rational. What were the risks of being careful and doing laundry in our building as opposed to taking the risk of hauling all our laundry across the state line to do at a laundromat in New Jersey? The risk of getting exposed was about the same but hauling it to NJ was tremendously more inconvenient. So Mandy did the laundry after the Super cleaned the room and she was careful. That's all we can do. Be careful.
On Saturday our goal was to get outside. But it rained all weekend. So we drove to Target in Staten Island and got some essentials like Easter candy, cookies, chips, soda...I let my anxiety feed some cravings. We also got diaper wipes okay, so there's that. Then we went to Mandy's apartment and hung out there. Let Kip nap, watched some shows, restocked from her pantry/fridge, and had lunch. It was a safe change of scenery. On the way home we supported local business and got bubble tea and then dropped some groceries off with friends who have one member positive (don't worry, we didn't see them or touch a thing).
Sunday we watched church online and struggled to get through the day with just Legos, chalk, kinetic sand, and coloring. The weather has been consistently gloomy which is good for keeping people inside but bad for morale.
Onward with another week.
After I posted on Friday, we all had a discussion about being rational. What were the risks of being careful and doing laundry in our building as opposed to taking the risk of hauling all our laundry across the state line to do at a laundromat in New Jersey? The risk of getting exposed was about the same but hauling it to NJ was tremendously more inconvenient. So Mandy did the laundry after the Super cleaned the room and she was careful. That's all we can do. Be careful.
On Saturday our goal was to get outside. But it rained all weekend. So we drove to Target in Staten Island and got some essentials like Easter candy, cookies, chips, soda...I let my anxiety feed some cravings. We also got diaper wipes okay, so there's that. Then we went to Mandy's apartment and hung out there. Let Kip nap, watched some shows, restocked from her pantry/fridge, and had lunch. It was a safe change of scenery. On the way home we supported local business and got bubble tea and then dropped some groceries off with friends who have one member positive (don't worry, we didn't see them or touch a thing).
Sunday we watched church online and struggled to get through the day with just Legos, chalk, kinetic sand, and coloring. The weather has been consistently gloomy which is good for keeping people inside but bad for morale.
Onward with another week.
March 27, 2020
Peeks from the Week
I guess this is technically the end of week two since the office officially closed and the end of week one of the city being on official lock-down, or stay-at-home, or shelter in place. Whatever you want to call it.
I feel like mentally we are in a better place this week than we were last week. I've moved from being really down and disappointed to just accepting this is what it is. Am I happy? NO. But I'm no longer delusional about this being our new reality. We've tried to stick to a routine and now that Mandy is here with us, we have a much better handle on the working from home/childcare situation. We are trying to make the best of it.
New developments this week: I had my first telemed visit with my OB. She said I was her first virtual visit as well. Since I am just at the start of the third trimester she was able to just do a quick check-in. But in two weeks I need to go into the office for a real visit since they need to check the growth and baby's heart. I've ordered a blood pressure monitor as she suggested. The bummer news was finding out that hospital policies have changed in light of the virus and now all women have to deliver alone. No visitors allowed in labor/delivery or recovery. I'm hoping circumstances will change by the end of May but I'm being realistic as well and accepting that will likely not be the case. I am grateful that I at least know a bit what to expect for labor and that it's what's best for everyone on the maternity floor. Mom's, doctors, and babies. It will truly suck to not have Dan there for support and for him to miss the birth of his baby girl but all of it is out of our control. Maybe by that point in time they will figure out a way for partners to be available via video.
Also, new this morning...someone in our apartment building is symptomatic. And this is what I feel like people across the country don't realize about this pandemic and one big disadvantage of living in the city. We don't have a home that is separated from all other people. We can't actually practice true good social distancing when we have to use common spaces to get in and out of the building, to take the trash out, to do laundry! We are doing everything we can and it still won't be enough. Mandy got up at 6 am this morning to do our laundry at a time when most people aren't up yet. When she got to the basement the door was locked and the Super came out and told her he had gotten a text 15 minutes earlier from another tenant letting him know that they did their laundry yesterday while they had a fever and were coughing. One, I'm glad he stopped Mandy. Two, why in the heck would you do your laundry while symptomatic and wait almost a full day before informing the Super? Three, now what? We still have to do laundry! 40-50% of the tenants in our building are over the age of 60. Odds are, someone in our building will die from this virus.
We haven't been outside since last Saturday. Our plan for tomorrow is to get up at 5/5:30 and get in the car. Haul ALLLLL our laundry and drive over to New Jersey to go to a larger laundromat near Mandy's apartment. It's more spacious and we can wipe down the machines. We will do all the laundry for the week, hang out at Mandy's place, restock from her fridge to bring to Brooklyn, and try to go out for a walk at a hopefully vacant park. We still haven't decided if we will risk going to the store. Everything feels toxic and that's a really scary situation to be in. Someone might say, well, that's your problem for deciding to live in a big city. Well, yes, technically true. But no one could have ever expected this and we can't change our situation now. Also...this will be the reality in every city in the nation very, very soon.
All week on social media it's been hard for me to see other moms and families across the country worrying and complaining about their situations. I understand everyone has a right to be afraid and complain. None of this is comfortable for anyone. No one wants this. But, not every situation is the same. We have no backyard to send Kip out to when he gets stir crazy. He can't run around safely anywhere near our home. We don't have space to store food for a month and deep freeze to avoid shopping for weeks at a time. We share laundry facilities. Our next door neighbors are literally on the other side of a three-inch thick wall. We have 40,000+ people who are sick and a hospital crisis.
So, before you complain that your kids are fighting in your backyard swimming pool...think of the family of 8 crammed into a terrible public housing apartment. A woman stuck inside with an abusive partner. A family without a car or money to buy groceries normally and suddenly both parents are out of work. And...and...and...
Everyone can and will be affected by this crisis, but not all equally. Count your blessings but don't brag about it. Even as precarious as our situation feels, I know it could be worse (and could get worse) and I try to remind myself of that daily. Accept what is difficult in this moment, look for the silver lining, be grateful for what you have and what is going well. You have a right to be afraid and to breakdown and cry. Take those moments to mourn and then try to move on. Easier said than done, but really, what other choice do we have?
To end on a positive note, some scenes from the week.
Coloring with markers
Mega train!
Broccoli cheddar soup!
Kip discovered all of Dan and my old stuffed animals from when we were dating (plus some childhood favorites like my Cowie and Dan's baby blanket).
Amazing breakfast sandwich made by Mandy!
Kip's Grocer
31 weeks big
Happy Friday everyone! Tomorrow is another day.
I feel like mentally we are in a better place this week than we were last week. I've moved from being really down and disappointed to just accepting this is what it is. Am I happy? NO. But I'm no longer delusional about this being our new reality. We've tried to stick to a routine and now that Mandy is here with us, we have a much better handle on the working from home/childcare situation. We are trying to make the best of it.
New developments this week: I had my first telemed visit with my OB. She said I was her first virtual visit as well. Since I am just at the start of the third trimester she was able to just do a quick check-in. But in two weeks I need to go into the office for a real visit since they need to check the growth and baby's heart. I've ordered a blood pressure monitor as she suggested. The bummer news was finding out that hospital policies have changed in light of the virus and now all women have to deliver alone. No visitors allowed in labor/delivery or recovery. I'm hoping circumstances will change by the end of May but I'm being realistic as well and accepting that will likely not be the case. I am grateful that I at least know a bit what to expect for labor and that it's what's best for everyone on the maternity floor. Mom's, doctors, and babies. It will truly suck to not have Dan there for support and for him to miss the birth of his baby girl but all of it is out of our control. Maybe by that point in time they will figure out a way for partners to be available via video.
Also, new this morning...someone in our apartment building is symptomatic. And this is what I feel like people across the country don't realize about this pandemic and one big disadvantage of living in the city. We don't have a home that is separated from all other people. We can't actually practice true good social distancing when we have to use common spaces to get in and out of the building, to take the trash out, to do laundry! We are doing everything we can and it still won't be enough. Mandy got up at 6 am this morning to do our laundry at a time when most people aren't up yet. When she got to the basement the door was locked and the Super came out and told her he had gotten a text 15 minutes earlier from another tenant letting him know that they did their laundry yesterday while they had a fever and were coughing. One, I'm glad he stopped Mandy. Two, why in the heck would you do your laundry while symptomatic and wait almost a full day before informing the Super? Three, now what? We still have to do laundry! 40-50% of the tenants in our building are over the age of 60. Odds are, someone in our building will die from this virus.
We haven't been outside since last Saturday. Our plan for tomorrow is to get up at 5/5:30 and get in the car. Haul ALLLLL our laundry and drive over to New Jersey to go to a larger laundromat near Mandy's apartment. It's more spacious and we can wipe down the machines. We will do all the laundry for the week, hang out at Mandy's place, restock from her fridge to bring to Brooklyn, and try to go out for a walk at a hopefully vacant park. We still haven't decided if we will risk going to the store. Everything feels toxic and that's a really scary situation to be in. Someone might say, well, that's your problem for deciding to live in a big city. Well, yes, technically true. But no one could have ever expected this and we can't change our situation now. Also...this will be the reality in every city in the nation very, very soon.
All week on social media it's been hard for me to see other moms and families across the country worrying and complaining about their situations. I understand everyone has a right to be afraid and complain. None of this is comfortable for anyone. No one wants this. But, not every situation is the same. We have no backyard to send Kip out to when he gets stir crazy. He can't run around safely anywhere near our home. We don't have space to store food for a month and deep freeze to avoid shopping for weeks at a time. We share laundry facilities. Our next door neighbors are literally on the other side of a three-inch thick wall. We have 40,000+ people who are sick and a hospital crisis.
So, before you complain that your kids are fighting in your backyard swimming pool...think of the family of 8 crammed into a terrible public housing apartment. A woman stuck inside with an abusive partner. A family without a car or money to buy groceries normally and suddenly both parents are out of work. And...and...and...
Everyone can and will be affected by this crisis, but not all equally. Count your blessings but don't brag about it. Even as precarious as our situation feels, I know it could be worse (and could get worse) and I try to remind myself of that daily. Accept what is difficult in this moment, look for the silver lining, be grateful for what you have and what is going well. You have a right to be afraid and to breakdown and cry. Take those moments to mourn and then try to move on. Easier said than done, but really, what other choice do we have?
To end on a positive note, some scenes from the week.
Coloring with markers
Mega train!
Broccoli cheddar soup!
Kip discovered all of Dan and my old stuffed animals from when we were dating (plus some childhood favorites like my Cowie and Dan's baby blanket).
Amazing breakfast sandwich made by Mandy!
Kip's Grocer
31 weeks big
Happy Friday everyone! Tomorrow is another day.
March 25, 2020
Apocolypse in Black and White
Random post for the week!
Remember when I said we went on a creepy walk in New Jersey this weekend? It inspired me to add to my Black and White series for your creepy pleasure.
I wonder if the producers for The Walking Dead ever scouted this location? It had all the zombie vibes.
Remember when I said we went on a creepy walk in New Jersey this weekend? It inspired me to add to my Black and White series for your creepy pleasure.
I wonder if the producers for The Walking Dead ever scouted this location? It had all the zombie vibes.
March 23, 2020
Weekending it
It's not called lockdown and it's not called shelter-in-place, but here in Brooklyn (and the tri-state area) we are now in mandatory "stay at home."
It seems that most cities and states are moving in this direction but here in New York City, it looks a lot different and is a lot more difficult. Not to minimize anyone else's experience but forcing people to stay inside is very difficult in the most densely populated city in the country. People do not have backyards and the parks are FAR too crowded to be considered safe. Supposedly, the Governor said it is okay to go out for walks but when you walk out your door and immediately run into 5+ people before you hit the end of your block, it's a major risk to consider.
Initially, we were going out for walks before 7 am but it was still too crowded out and when the weather hit near 70 it was even worse. We drove to New Jersey on Saturday at 7 am and went to a secluded area. It was essentially an abandoned road with a very post-apocalyptic vibe but we were alone so we walked around a bit and let Kip scooter.
After our creepy walk, we went to Trader Joe's for the last time. Mandy and I wore masks and stood in line outside for 30 minutes to get into the store. They were limiting 20 people inside at a time and only two of any one item. We split up and stocked up on meat to freeze and a few fresh items. We went to Mandy's apartment after and collected some of her pantry items to take back to Brooklyn. After we got back to Brooklyn we accepted this as our new reality. It's tight quarters. We don't have the choice to go let Kip run around in a backyard. We don't even have the choice to go for a safe walk. People may be confused by this but imagine 100+ people living in the same building as you, even taking your garbage down to the basement or going to do laundry is a risk. We have enough food to potentially last 3+ weeks and it's possible we won't leave before then. The only exposure we have at this point is Dan carefully taking garbage out every night and Mandy and/or Dan doing laundry once a week.
We spent the rest of the weekend trying to stay entertained for this marathon.
My list of gratitude to start the week:
Mandy - I'm not sure I could mentally or emotionally handle this without her sacrifice and help during this time. Also, she is hilarious and we need the laughs right now
Dan - His eternal patience is a true gift
Technology - keeping us close to family virtually and entertained with movies and shows
Jobs - both Dan and I are able to work from home and are currently still employed
Kip - his language and imagination are exploding right now and I am grateful to be here to witness it
Family dinner - when Dan and I were working we got home past Kip's bedtime and never got to eat dinner with him. Now we all sit together for lunch and dinner and it's a really wonderful bonding time
Occasional bad weather - it's easier to stay inside when its dark and rainy (we need the sunshine to survive but it's hard to resist going outside when it's nice).
Hope you all are staying well and managing to stay less stir crazy than us, in the epicenter.
It seems that most cities and states are moving in this direction but here in New York City, it looks a lot different and is a lot more difficult. Not to minimize anyone else's experience but forcing people to stay inside is very difficult in the most densely populated city in the country. People do not have backyards and the parks are FAR too crowded to be considered safe. Supposedly, the Governor said it is okay to go out for walks but when you walk out your door and immediately run into 5+ people before you hit the end of your block, it's a major risk to consider.
Initially, we were going out for walks before 7 am but it was still too crowded out and when the weather hit near 70 it was even worse. We drove to New Jersey on Saturday at 7 am and went to a secluded area. It was essentially an abandoned road with a very post-apocalyptic vibe but we were alone so we walked around a bit and let Kip scooter.
After our creepy walk, we went to Trader Joe's for the last time. Mandy and I wore masks and stood in line outside for 30 minutes to get into the store. They were limiting 20 people inside at a time and only two of any one item. We split up and stocked up on meat to freeze and a few fresh items. We went to Mandy's apartment after and collected some of her pantry items to take back to Brooklyn. After we got back to Brooklyn we accepted this as our new reality. It's tight quarters. We don't have the choice to go let Kip run around in a backyard. We don't even have the choice to go for a safe walk. People may be confused by this but imagine 100+ people living in the same building as you, even taking your garbage down to the basement or going to do laundry is a risk. We have enough food to potentially last 3+ weeks and it's possible we won't leave before then. The only exposure we have at this point is Dan carefully taking garbage out every night and Mandy and/or Dan doing laundry once a week.
We spent the rest of the weekend trying to stay entertained for this marathon.
My list of gratitude to start the week:
Mandy - I'm not sure I could mentally or emotionally handle this without her sacrifice and help during this time. Also, she is hilarious and we need the laughs right now
Dan - His eternal patience is a true gift
Technology - keeping us close to family virtually and entertained with movies and shows
Jobs - both Dan and I are able to work from home and are currently still employed
Kip - his language and imagination are exploding right now and I am grateful to be here to witness it
Family dinner - when Dan and I were working we got home past Kip's bedtime and never got to eat dinner with him. Now we all sit together for lunch and dinner and it's a really wonderful bonding time
Occasional bad weather - it's easier to stay inside when its dark and rainy (we need the sunshine to survive but it's hard to resist going outside when it's nice).
Hope you all are staying well and managing to stay less stir crazy than us, in the epicenter.
March 20, 2020
Peeks from the Week
I had a really lighthearted post planned for this week and yesterday I just felt so low and depressed and I even considered just not posting anymore at all because everything just feels so trivial now.
But, then I felt guilty because I know family far away from us like seeing updates and considering the fact that we are in the epicenter of this we need to share to stay connected. So, I'll try my best to balance updates, with normal happy posts, and limit anxiety and complaints. However, I do feel like having anxiety and sharing stresses is important. This is our reality and sugarcoating isn't helpful for me or others. If we made it seem like life was grand then we would be deceiving ourselves and others. Nothing about this situation is easy but we are ALL in the same boat. I'll just try to keep the negative limited and share positive and fun things when we can.
This was the first truly committed week of life adjusted. As of this morning, Mandy is now staying with us full-time. With lock-downs and shelter-in-place orders being threatened we just decided it was better to all be together. Kip LOVES her so much and she is such a huge help to us especially now that Dan and I are both working from home. We can all share the load and take care of each other. Is it ideal? No. Is it what everyone wants? No. Is it forever? No. But for now, it's the next right thing (in the words of Anna from Frozen II). I feel a lot better having her here as well because if Dan or I need to go to the hospital for anything baby related, she can stay with Kip and that gives me tremendous peace of mind during this uncertain time.
THREE CHEERS FOR MANDY and endless gratitude for the sacrifice she is making by giving up her routine and freedom to be here with us.
As of Monday, my OB check-ups are now video calls with my doctor. I have no idea how that will actually work since it's not like I can check my blood pressure or fetal heart rate from home but I'll let you know how that goes. At least I won't be walking into a doctor office with potentially sick people on a by-weekly basis.
Now, for some fun peeks from the week:
Monday:
Playing with the new garbage truck Kip got for a potty incentive
Facetime from the other room
Making cheese biscuits with Mandy
Tuesday:
My workstation for the day
My buddies kept me company while they watched an afternoon show
Wednesday:
Early morning walk for some fresh air. Not being able to go outside regularly is the hardest part of this so far. Kip wants to go to the playgrounds but that is a big no.
Making banana bread with Mandy
Thursday:
My lowest day so far in this crisis. I truly haven't felt that depressed in years and it was really hard for me. I don't have any photos for the day.
Friday:
It's Friday!! And even while home bound, Friday is a good day. Mandy is here and she brings the cheer.
We caved and bought Kip a kid tablet. It was going to be a gift from the baby but we brought it out early because these are dire times and the child will not stop trying to touch Dan and my "pooters" (computers). It has a 30 minute daily limit and he has no idea how it works.
Our plan for this weekend is to get in the car early tomorrow morning and go for a drive to some outdoor space that is secluded and get fresh air and run around. That's our solitary goal.
But, then I felt guilty because I know family far away from us like seeing updates and considering the fact that we are in the epicenter of this we need to share to stay connected. So, I'll try my best to balance updates, with normal happy posts, and limit anxiety and complaints. However, I do feel like having anxiety and sharing stresses is important. This is our reality and sugarcoating isn't helpful for me or others. If we made it seem like life was grand then we would be deceiving ourselves and others. Nothing about this situation is easy but we are ALL in the same boat. I'll just try to keep the negative limited and share positive and fun things when we can.
This was the first truly committed week of life adjusted. As of this morning, Mandy is now staying with us full-time. With lock-downs and shelter-in-place orders being threatened we just decided it was better to all be together. Kip LOVES her so much and she is such a huge help to us especially now that Dan and I are both working from home. We can all share the load and take care of each other. Is it ideal? No. Is it what everyone wants? No. Is it forever? No. But for now, it's the next right thing (in the words of Anna from Frozen II). I feel a lot better having her here as well because if Dan or I need to go to the hospital for anything baby related, she can stay with Kip and that gives me tremendous peace of mind during this uncertain time.
THREE CHEERS FOR MANDY and endless gratitude for the sacrifice she is making by giving up her routine and freedom to be here with us.
As of Monday, my OB check-ups are now video calls with my doctor. I have no idea how that will actually work since it's not like I can check my blood pressure or fetal heart rate from home but I'll let you know how that goes. At least I won't be walking into a doctor office with potentially sick people on a by-weekly basis.
Now, for some fun peeks from the week:
Monday:
Playing with the new garbage truck Kip got for a potty incentive
Facetime from the other room
Making cheese biscuits with Mandy
Tuesday:
My workstation for the day
My buddies kept me company while they watched an afternoon show
Wednesday:
Early morning walk for some fresh air. Not being able to go outside regularly is the hardest part of this so far. Kip wants to go to the playgrounds but that is a big no.
Making banana bread with Mandy
My lowest day so far in this crisis. I truly haven't felt that depressed in years and it was really hard for me. I don't have any photos for the day.
Friday:
It's Friday!! And even while home bound, Friday is a good day. Mandy is here and she brings the cheer.
We caved and bought Kip a kid tablet. It was going to be a gift from the baby but we brought it out early because these are dire times and the child will not stop trying to touch Dan and my "pooters" (computers). It has a 30 minute daily limit and he has no idea how it works.
Our plan for this weekend is to get in the car early tomorrow morning and go for a drive to some outdoor space that is secluded and get fresh air and run around. That's our solitary goal.
