Trying something new...

My dear artist friend, we'll call her M, informed me recently about a non-instructional figure drawing session at a teashop. It will be a monthly thing, beginning this Friday. As neither of us have drawn from a live person recently, we are a bit nervous, but the power of two (e.i. of not doing something alone) has emboldened us to step out of comfort zones. For a small fee, you get to sit around a semi-clothed model with other artists and practice drawing. It sounds like all the fun of a drawing class without the pain of a teacher telling you that you are terrible or that so-and-so is the only one with the proper perspective.

M has also managed to give me the gentle push that I needed for me to consider putting my art work on display. She was kind enough to give me the tips I needed for putting together my portfolio. It all very crazy and yet exciting. I will try to keep you informed.

Hodge Podge of Thoughts (that I meant to post on Tuesday)

I have had this blogging window open on my computer screen all afternoon. This blank page has been waiting for my words. When I stepped away from the computer ideas of what to write came to my head, but the moment I sat down they float away. Here is what I was able to retain from my day's thoughts.

--H is taking steps. It's delightful to watch. Terrifying as well. Yesterday he figured out how to open the door to the bathroom and office. This action does not please me as well as his walking. He is also opening the cabinet doors in the kitchen. This last new talent is just plain annoying.

--My roommate and I went apartment hunting this past Saturday. We found an adorable apartment in my favorite Chicago neighborhood. It is slightly more expensive, but for the size and closeness to El, major important bus routes and neighborhood of my dreams, well worth it. It has three negatives: no A/C, no in-building laundry and no covered parking (roommate has a car). These are all things we were hoping to acquired with a new address. A/C can be bought, although it would be nice to have central air, window units are decent enough. My roommate said today that her car could live outside for another year. But we are both very uncertain about not having laundry in the building. I found reasonably priced portable washing machines online today. That might solve the problem. We figure if move and don't need it we could sell it to the people moving in after us. But still, is all of this worth a bigger apartment and a great location?

Today I was walking back to work for date night babysitting - I was freezing, but I was concentrating so hard on not slipping on the ice or stepping in a puddle that it wasn't until I was almost at work that realized I had warmed myself up with my walking. Anyhow, I am tired of this winter. I am tired of being cold. I want spring to arrive. I want pretty colors to be everywhere and I want to not have to bundle H up every time we go outside.

Grandparent Invasion Day

Today all four of H's grandparents arrived to stay until Monday. H's birthday party is being held on Sunday, although his birthday was last weekend. While it's nice to have more time to myself during the day, it feels very strange. I am not accustom to being able to leave the house during the day without H, nor am I used to doing laundry without carrying my twenty-two pound helper in the basket. Also, today as one of his grandmothers was feeding him his afternoon bottle, I realized that I'm delegating all the fun stuff. I don't think I realized how much I enjoyed having him look up at me while I give him his bottle or our cuddling during story time. It is nice though to be able to share the joy of watching H with people who adore him as much as I do, besides his parents.

Mini Road Trip / Ice Issues

This past weekend I went to St. Louis to visit friends. Four of us crammed ourselves into a car and drove down Friday night and came back Sunday afternoon. It was sort, but sweet. It was one of those trips that could have been stressful, but ended up being everything you needed.

I would also like to comment on the fact that people are lazy. I know shoveling snow is not the most fun winter activity, but people (ME!) don't have cars and have to walk places. I slipped on Friday coming home from the bus and tore a hole in my only pair of jeans without paint on them. And on my way to work this morning I slipped on the same spot, but not as badly because I was watching for the ice, but still couldn't pass this section of the sidewalk without falling. I intend to walk on the other side of the street tomorrow. The problem isn't the huge chunks of ice, it's the unsalted spots that are most dangerous. Either way, I am very annoyed with these people. My landlord is included in this because he thinks he only has to shovel the walkway that leads to the street and not the sidewalk parallel with the street. I am looking forward to spring more than you can imagine.

I probably shouldn't be amazed by this...

The little H man is about to turn one. He and I have been playmates for the past seven and half months and while he has grown in leaps in bounds (almost walking!), I look at him now as he is playing and still think of him as a darling little baby. Turning one seems to be the first big step to his becoming a toddler and I am not sure I am ready. One the other hand I watch as he plays with his older (17 and 15 months) girlfriends and look forward to him walking and talking along with them, but there is something so beautiful about children under a year.

One reason I love being a nanny.

Today as I was getting H's morning bottle ready he was leaning against the cabinets, "talking" to me, when he spied the bottle in my hand. His eyes widened as though it were a great shockingly delightful surprise. Looks like that get me through the lowest of days.

Also, H has successfully dropped his morning nap two days in a row. So far it has been a smooth transition. I don't mind the longer afternoon naps, that is for sure. I am not going to presume that the whole week will be like this, but it has been pleasant so far.

H is for Handsome Haircut

H got a hair cut this weekend. So now the "H" in little H man stands for handsome. H looked like an adorable baby when I left on Friday and now he looks like a handsome little tot. He is turning one soon and almost walking. It is amazing how it only takes a little hair cut to shock me into realizing that he is growing up.

H man strikes again.

This week the little H man has turned into a coughing snot factory and I am his human tissue. He has also decided napping isn't as much fun as "jump-in-the-crib-while-blowing-raspberries" time.

Frozen Grand Central at Improv Everywhere

I thought this concept was really interesting, well executed and worth sharing. Enjoy.

I was starting to feel better...

I have been sick these past few weeks. First the flu and then a drawn out cold that is now sniffling its goodbyes.

But now I feel a new kind of sick. It's a slight nausea in the bottom of my stomach that I haven't felt in ages. I blame this feeling mostly on my ex-boyfriend who introduced to me to the highs and lows of football. Thanks to him I am now a proud Patriots fan. I watched most of this season without prompting - figured out when the games were on and dedicated Sundays and Mondays to watching my boys. And actually ignoring my friends who, dear hearted as ever, didn't actually care about the games but were sweet in their support of my watching. I tried not to be cocky like those stupid Giants fans, because it's just not attractive. However... I was probably a little over confident. When your team, that you have watched for a whole wonderfully beautiful and interesting season, comes out to play at the most important game of the year, you expect great things. I feel kind of like I have been hit by a truck. My well intending ex sent this article that helped some, but mostly sunk in deeper the despair I have been feeling since the game ended. If a sports fanatic was blind sided by this loss, then just imagine how this poor little trusting newbie fan is feeling.

My employers were wonderful and left me a condolence card. They would understand how I feel, they're Cubs fans.

Go Patriots!!!

I am super excited about the Superbowl this year. I have worked hard to watch almost all of the games this season and even got a cool shirt to wear. I hope to leave a more excited post after the game, but I don't want to predict anything for fear that it won't happen.

It snowed... a lot.

Okay, so I think although the result of the storm was only about a foot of snow, the fact that it snowed for a day and a half continually at the same pace was pretty astounding. While at first the snow fall was pretty and enchanting, the continuation of it eventually just became monotonous and annoying.

The fun part of all of this is now trudging through badly (if at all) shoveled sidewalks and sinking our boots unsuspectingly into vast puddles of melted snow at the curves' edges as we attempt to cross streets. In such street in which cars are too busy "trying to drive safely" in the slushy streets to actually watch for wet booted pedestrians crossing the street (in the designated crosswalks). Oh, how I love winter.