The first few weeks

So we've been here two weeks already and we are settling in just fine. During the first week or so a lot of time was eaten up with setting up immediate needs like finding a new pediatrician, a pediatric dentist, and midwives, shopping for millions of necessities, and getting our bearings in our new city. But we have found time to have fun too. Here are some quick notes about our start in NYC:

One of the first challenges we faced in the new apartment was that we didn't have blinds to block out the sun when it was Penny's 7 p.m. bedtime. Last week, as soon as the movers dropped off our stuff, we tacked a quilt over her window as a temporary fix until our blinds arrive. (They are taking forever!) But for the seven days we lived here without our furniture, we had to figure out what to do with a loopy-tired toddler who just wouldn't, couldn't sleep until the sun went down after 8 p.m. Thus began a nightly tradition of reading Owly, a graphic novel series for kids. Penny loves Owly so much she will not be put in her crib without the book and falls asleep clutching it like a teddy bear.

There is an amazing playground kitty corner from our building. I can't believe how lucky we are to live so close to it. Most weekdays Penny and I head there straight after breakfast and stay until lunch. As soon as Penny can see it from her stroller she kicks her feet and shouts "Hooray!" The advantages of getting out early are threefold: it gets taken over by older kids in the afternoon, a heatwave hit NYC this summer and I have no tolerance for hot noonday sun plus the slide gets too hot to ride, and Penny gets worn out and takes at least an hour-long afternoon nap. Bonus for me!

Her usual pace at the playground:

Going down her favorite playground equipment, the "yide!"

It has a fountain area, which some days Penny loves and other days she says it's too scary. Toddlers. Can't make up their minds!

Coloring in Dad's chalk rendition of Owly:

We've also taken a few field trips, the most notable being to Central Park Zoo, and I have many more planned for this summer. It's just two miles from our building so we can walk. Other highlights: Marty loves his new job and the new challenges it brings to him. He gets to walk, logging four miles there and back.

I'm glad the move is over. It was hectic and exhausting. It feels good to get back on track to our new routines. We're really going to have a great summer. Sometimes I still get sad thinking about all we left in Chicago. I know Penny misses our people, too. She hears people walking in the hall and jumps up and yells "COMING! JOSIE! Hooraaay!" or gasps and says "Allison! Hershecoooooomes!" More than once I've gotten a lump in my throat while explaining it's just our neighbors. Thank goodness for Skype!

Anyway, there's more to say as always, but Pen's up from her nap already so enough blogging for now.