57 Months

Goosy,

Yes, I'm late with your letter. Like really late. I am blaming that we were out of power for 7 days and out of school for 2 weeks.  Truth is, we have been crazy busy and you are a complete technology hog. As soon as I pick up my phone, you would like to play a game.  Or watch a TV show as soon as I get the remote.  If you have my phone and I have my iPad then you want to trade.  Its actually kind of amusing.  And I have been working so much that if I'm not making an effort to go out and see some friends, I'm sleeping.  Its one or the other.

Everyday when I pick you up from school you ask what is on our to-do-list. I rattle off a list of places and you usually accept your fate or add a few places of your own.  Or re-arrange the order in which we do them in. (Let's go to the deli first, then home, then the new house, then Home Depot and then maybe a toy store?)  A testament to our very busy lives. The other day when I rattled off 4 places, you just sighed.  Then 5 minutes into the drive you say, "I don't really feel like myself today."
"Yeah, Bud?  Who do you feel like?"
"I fee like you.  Just running and running.  Can't we just relax?"
I decided the best plan of action was to go play Legos. Everything else could wait.

Hurricane Sandy left us without power for 7 days and out of school for 2 weeks.  I am not complaining.  I know a lot of people that lost everything.  We had it easy. We played lots of CandyLand and R2D2 Operation.  We watched some movies on my iPad when it wasn't charging in the car.  We raked leaves and walked around the block.  One day we went to the new house, so I could spackle with a headlamp.  We spent time at the one library that actually had power, along with 1200 other people.  We read.  Played lots and lots of Legos.  It was refreshing to have a little of a break after running around like crazy for days.  But I always had the knowledge in the back of my head that the first second the lights turned on, all hell was going to break loose.  Laundry!  Dishes! Power Tools!  Internet!  The new house got power before we need.  I packed our laundry and got to work.  Back to the grind.

Halloween landed smack in the middle of the week.  You have wanted to be R2-D2 for ages.  Even wanted me to be C3P0.  (Gold sweatsuits are NON-EXISTANT.  I was totally game.)  We have done Star Wars halloween for 2 years already.  I had bought a white pop-up laundry basket for your body then didn't really do much more.  Without a sewing machine, Gammy had to do her best with duct tape.  I was definitely slacking this year.  We got together with cousin William and did the rounds with some other neighborhood kids.  It was only like 2pm, but without lights, I was nervous it would be a little scary if we went later.  Every house that was game; that didn't wait till the Halloween reschedule, that had time to shop for candy before the gas shortage, that thought to buy something 4 days after the power went out; there were people on there front stoops or porches.  Their doors were open and the streets were filled with kids and adults alike.  There was nothing else to do, might as well trick-or-treat.

You have been getting a little jealous about the house and how much time I have been putting into it.  The other day I was telling you about how you are always my number one.  That you are always on the top of my list.  You scrunched up your fists and lowered you voice saying, "Except for the day you had to look for tile!"  And your right.  Of course I didn't tell you that.  It is a hard lesson to learn.  Especially for you that has had my full attention for years.  It has been your first true experience with sharing my attention for any length of time.  Its hard.  Its hard for me too.  It might seem hard to understand that I need to work when you want to play.  Or I need to spend money on the house when you want to spend it on toys. But please understand, if not now then later, that everything I do is for you.  Is for us.  Is to give us the best possible life imaginable.  You are my whole world.

I love you everyday,
Momma

Sandy, That Bitch.

Here are some pictures during and after Hurricane Sandy.  This is part of our local playground.  This was before the hurricane even hit.  High tide around noon when she was making landfall later in the evening.

At around 11pm, Dad and I walked down the end of our block.  It was supposed to be the worst part of the storm.  The sound the trees made were unreal.  You expect for trees to come uprooted by storms.  But there were huge trees that just snapped. Our flashlights caught a glare where the road should have been and I couldn't understand what I was seeing. "Dad, I think thats a boat?" It took him a while to believe me because we couldn't get very close.  The next morning we walked down. Yes, it was a boat.  A boat appropriately called Tip-Sea.

I can't complain about our lack of power.  We had a lot of candles.  We made due with Candyland, lanterns and candles.  I drank lots of wine and cooked all the food in the freezer on our gas stove that was remarkably still working.  It was actually kind of nice.

This is one of the main road into our town that got partially washed away. They are trying to open it back up in July.  Until then its the long way out of town.

One of the most shocking pictures I've seen.  (Taken by a friend).  This is Long Beach.  Wyatt and I have walked down this street hundreds of times.  It is going to take a while but it will be back and stronger then ever.

Beep Boop

That's his robot face!

Wyatt asked to be R2-D2 for Halloween.  Gammy made most of his costume because I have been pre-occupied with the house renovations.  Then we lost power for a few days so finishing touches left him a very home-made.  Wyatt LOVED it.  Like thought it was the best costume ever.  Best part was instead of "Thank you" he would tell everyone "May the force be with you."  More on trick-or-treating sans electricity coming soon...