Happy Halloween

We joined our new Reading friends for trick or treating on Thursday night and really enjoyed ourselves. Isaac quickly got the hang of ringing the doorbell and saying, "trick or treat!" Eventually he got tired, but before he did, here is a picture of him with his buddy Nolan.

First official play date!

Night in NH

Fall night in NH

Happy Sukkot!

After several false starts, I finally succeeded in raising our family sukkah: an Olivier-Mason first. Here's a picture of Isaac and Anique preparing our first meal (Note the scary pirate pumpkin, chosen by Isaac as a crucial decoration).

The Gaga Chronicles

With Josh back at school this week and Isaac's first day next week, we had a childcare snafu on our hands. Thankfully, my family was available to help us out. Last week, Isaac played with his cousins in the North Shore while Nicole watched him.  This week, my mom and dad are watching Isaac for two days (and two nights!) and then Danielle will finish off the week. It's also a special week because I'm giving a talk at Southwestern University and it happens to be our ninth wedding anniversary on Thursday.

To celebrate our anniversary and take advantage of these childless nights, Josh and I enjoyed a nice dinner last night and then a 5:30am trip to the gym--that's a real treat. We then donated blood after work together. It's fun and special doing things together that typically would be done alone.

Meanwhile, my mom has been sending us reports about Isaac's visit. Here is a snapshot of life in Barrington right now:

  "This morning after breakfast, shower (I was in the shower, he stripped and came in too even though he had been already dressed) and music, we went to the Barrington park so he could ride his scooter and play in the park. We also went to the library where Isaac played with trucks and loved it." Later Isaac had a long nap and went to cello practice with my mom where the teacher commented that Isaac "keeps the beat!" After dinner, my dad made a fire and the three played music together.

It sure is fun having this different schedule, but we miss Isaac and I imagine the novelty of 5:30 at the Y would wear off eventually!

Cute pictures and videos from the last year

Old but cute videos from Steph

Isaac at Lowell Folk Festival

Another Josh-Isaac outing with friends. Just two more weeks of my class and I can rejoin my family!

More PA

Isaac and Josh in Pittsburgh

Isaac and Josh are on another summer adventure--they are in Pittsburgh visiting Tirzah, Bob and Ella. Meanwhile, I'm at home because I'm teaching a class at Tufts in addition to my MIT job. I really underestimated how much work it would be to teach my own class. There are 22 students with 15 class meeting and each class is either 2 hr:15 min or 2:45. That's a lot of time to fill! We've met four times and while I am less nervous (I was surprised about that--but teaching for over two hours is much different than presenting a one hour talk of your research), I still am struggling with creating a balance between good teaching that includes active learning with getting through a ton of material. I was taught straight lecture style and that's the way I know the best, but intellectually, I know that the style doesn't work for most students and so I'm trying to get them out of their desks, drawing on the board, using real-life computer programs that I used in my PhD (Ape) and next week they'll use an MIT simulator for genetics called StarGenetics.

I worry that I'm not covering enough or covering it deep enough. While I am trying to remember that this is my first class and I'm allowed to make mistakes, so that the pressure isn't so much, the reality is that I need this class to work out for me career-wise. I feel sad missing out of all the fun Josh and Isaac are having for the second summer in a row (last summer I was writing my thesis). It's only four more weeks and the money will be appreciated, but I am looking forward to sleeping soundly and exercising again.

Here are some great pictures that Josh has taken of their trip so far:

Catching bubbles

Isaac and Maya (new big sister to Hannah Julienne)!

Saying bye to the Lagoon

On the carousel on Martha's Vineyard

Apparently, they won a free ride!

On the ferry

My beautiful boy on the way to the Vineyard with Josh.

Hiking at Halibut Point

IOM's words: "I love my shoes."

IOM in his treehouse

A Reading night's sleep!

Last night, Danielle, Tavi and Izzi came over for pizza and helped Isaac feel safe. We also realized what contributed to the bedroom fear Sunday night.

I forgot that early Sunday night I told Isaac a "funny" story about our family trip to Vinalhaven last summer that started with a motel bed breaking while we lay in it. That wasn't meant to be the takeaway, but given Isaac's imagination, he combined that story with his his new Pepere Bed (my childhood bed that my dad made) and how our bed was "broken" to bring it to Reading (disassembled). Knowing that's what caused the confusion and fear, I'd like to make a book about how we moved that includes how beds are taken apart and put back together.

Anyway, having the cousins over made everything normal and fun. Even the thunderstorm outside was exciting and loud instead of scary.

After the group bath and the Cambridge cousins departure, Isaac was ready for sleep. Then I did a very normal bedtime. 10 minutes later he was up asking for PJs (it was still hot, but he was cold). After that, he was asleep until 6am. Phew! At least we've had one good night!

New everything

The move went really well on Saturday and we have now had two nights in the new house! A big shout out to my parents--who despite being 72 and having had Isaac for two nights-- moved boxes, a heavy bed and random objects all afternoon. Also big shout outs to Nicole for watching Isaac all Saturday and Danielle for his dinner and ride home. Thanks to the Masons and Jenn for listening over the last month as I complained about the movers canceling and other fun surprises. To those wondering, the blue striped couch has made it to another home.

It's not a shock really, but Isaac is having a hard time. Yesterday we went to Watertown to clean and swim and he was too terrified to get out of the car. He claimed "the monsters are in the Watertown house!" No swim and many tears later, we had a nice evening in Reading. Until bedtime that is. Oh man, we have problems! He "does not like" his new bed OR his old bed. He couldn't fall asleep and didn't want us to go downstairs. He was still crying and running out of his room past 10 pm after waking up from a nightmare. Josh ultimately slept next to him on the floor after, "my new room is bad! I don't like it here!"

Josh and I feel so guilty about all this that we're not parenting normally. We chose to move and bring in a new bed. It is a lot for our very imaginative boy.

So it was a surprise when my little guy woke up a changed boy: "what a good cook you are Mommy." Later, "thank you for getting my milk. I love you."

I'm now on the commuter line to Boston and Josh just drove Isaac to his second-to-last day of daycare in Watertown. His good mood remained but was shy going to his class.

Any ideas about how to make this easier? Tips welcome! 

Josh's Mac & cheese muffins were a hit!

It's a bit chaotic at our house right now:

--Josh is finishing his year at Lexington High

--I'm teaching Genetics at Tufts in a couple weeks

--Isaac is leaving his daycare and his beloved Steph-and-Izzi days

and the big one...

--We're moving this Saturday to Reading

My parents will have Isaac for a few days to give Josh and I space to pack the rest of the apartment and then we'll reunite in our new home. Lots and lots going on, but we there is still joy in little achievements like Isaac loving a new dinner (okay, homemade mac and cheese isn't new, but baked in a muffin pan is!).

Fwd: Home

Homeowners at 231 High Street Reading, MA 01867!

Motorcycle buddies

What a nice long weekend!

We stayed local and Isaac and I went to the Children's Museum on Saturday and had an absolute blast. I think it blew his mind how much fun he could have in one place. I can't recall ever seeing him that excited and engaged for that long  (10am - 3pm!). For dinner, we went to Danielle and Zev's and enjoyed every second that Isaac and Izzi play like little partners in crime. It's a joy watching the two of them--not to say they don't fight--it's just that they have a natural, easy way with each other.

On Sunday, we had our old friends Adam, Dayna and their daughter Sasha over for brunch. We've known them so long that a long time ago, I changed Sasha's diapers and helped her use the toilet when she was small. Seeing the tall(!), talented, beautiful woman on Sunday before me, I almost cried. Her sister, Jordan, was busy with her crew team and couldn't make it because her team is so good they are going to nationals!

Later on Sunday, we played at the playground with Maya and Jenn to be joined by Josh's sister, Ella! She was visiting MA briefly and stayed with us for the night. We all continued to play, dance and eat pizza back at our house.

On Monday, we played at the playground and then went to the zoo in JP with Jenn, Paul, Maya, Ryan and Pat. It WAS a zoo at the zoo with lots of crowds, but the amazing playground was what we were really there for(!) and spent a long time trying to keep Isaac and Maya from falling from the crazy structures made for children over 5 years old. Later that night, with Ryan seated at the "adult" table, we ate BBQ and enjoyed watching Isaac and Maya play together in the yard. They haven't always enjoyed being together, but this weekend, I heard them calling for the other and saw them hold hands--unprompted!

For whatever reason, hearing Isaac make his own conversation with another child and engaging with another child pleases me tremendously. He's still a little boy, but in those moments, I glimpse into the future and see him becoming a capable and independent person.

Brandeis Graduation

I know, I know. I graduated already, right? Well, yes and no. I defended in July and got my diploma in August, but never walked in a ceremony. So yesterday, Josh, Isaac and my parents watched me get hooded and then join my "colleagues" on the graduation stage--for the whole time. My participation was totally ceremonial--inside the fancy binder there was a plain note from the registrar saying I already got my diploma. The ceremony was also very long! All the majors had their names called and some had their dissertations or awards listed as well. So yes, it was ceremonial and yes it was more than a little boring, but I am happy I did it. Isaac said I was a princess when I had my black robe on and you know, maybe I didn't fee like a princess, but I did feel transformed out of my normal self for at least a few hours. Here are some pictures that my dad took of the day.