Evening bike ride

Cooling down their feet

Bedtime reading

Good morning, cousins!

At Muscoot Farms

Dinner in Avon and fun at Muscoot Farms

Silliness at the library

Ice cream social at the library

Ducks!

With Grammy and Grampy in Burlington, CT.

My glimpse into a commute

We live in a suburb of New York City and most of our neighbors travel from White Plains to Manhattan everyday. We do not. Our lives primary exist within a rather tiny radius: my commute to school two miles form our house is currently the longest commute among the four of us.

But I took a class in Manhattan this week. Monday-Friday, I was required to be on East 61^st Street near 5^th Avenue at 8:30 each morning. Class ended 4-4:30pm each afternoon. In other words, I experienced a taste of the life of a commuter this week.

THE CONS

I was shocked by the cost of a train ticket. A monthly train ticket costs more than $250. A one-way peak ticket costs nearly $12. What?! On top of the train fee, people either pay for parking ($8-$12/day, or perhaps a bit less with a monthly parking garage permit), or take a cab at $6-$8 a fare, plus tip. I walked from Grand Central to East 61^st Street but many people must then pay for the subway to get from the train to their offices. More expensive than money is the time people invest in their commute. I spent more than two hours each day commuting. I kissed the girls goodbye Monday morning at around 7am, and saw them again at 5:30pm. I was only actually in my class for eight of the ten and a half hours I was away.

PROS

The drive to the train to the walk offered diversity in my single commute. I appreciated the glimpse into the community among commuters, and it is a bond. I found train time both productive (I completed my homework on the way to class in the morning), and an opportunity to decompress after a busy day (I usually listened to music and closed my eyes on the way home). It was nice to have a break between being a student and being a parent. I usually end my teaching day, travel across the street, and assume my mom role. I also really enjoyed the walk as part of my commute.

ULTIMATELY

This glimpse into a commuting lifestyle made me better appreciate our non-commuting lifestyle. The New York Times agrees that it is most economic to live closer to here you work. We are awfully lucky to live where we work and visit New York City only electively.

The new reporting team at News 12 Long Island

 

At the Long Island Children's Museum.

Happy birthday, Craig!

We picnicked and played on the Hudson River just north of the Tappan Zee Bridge.

Fun at the Avon Library

With Grammy, Grampy, and Gaga.

At the Nassau County Children's Museum

Belle is making (and is inside) a bubble!

How many Emilys do you see?

With Grandma Helene and Grandpa Richard.

"Emily, please get Grandpa Leon and bring him to the front yard"

Emily taking Belle's picture

Daughters, nieces, nephews celebrating Craig's birthday

Happy anniversary

Celebrating Craig

Silly in the sand

Buried

At the beach

Emily and Grammy engage in yoga

Belle and her magnet tiles

Fun in the pool!

"Thumbs up" to swimming with Grampy

Swimming with Emily

Unintended consequence

I selfishly opted to be home with Belle and Emily this summer because I wanted to spend time with the girls. I didn't sign them up for camp (besides four half-days of Frozen camp, which Belle loved) and instead joined a gym/pool so we would have flexibility and time together. I did this for me, because the kids are growing up so fast and because the school years are so busy.
I hadn't bargained for what this summer would do for the relationship between Belle and Emily. As a result of us spending the summer together, Belle and Emily have become best friends. They play together nicely, hold hands electively, snuggle, and look out for each other.
It is a most wonderful unintended consequence of the summer. It will be hard to say goodbye to our wonderful summer days together when fall arrives.

At the zoo!

Em as Pooh

Sister snuggles!

Adaptability

The first ride we went on at Sesame Place was the Sunny Day Carousel. Emily was happy, until the pretend horse she was riding on began moving.
When Belle suggested we ride the carousel again much later, Emily didn't protest. Instead, when it was our chance to select a seat for our turn on the ride, Emily ran right to the bench and invited me to sit next to her. Belle found a purple horse just in front of the bench. Emily really enjoyed the carousel from her stationary bench, rather the moving horse. I was impressed that Emily came up with the solution to her carousel dilemma all by herself.
I hope that this kind of adaptability and problem-solving will fare Emily well in life.

Empathy

On our least-fun summer outing, the four of us went to a walk-in medical clinic for strep tests one Sunday. We all went into the same examination room. For some reason, the doctor examined Emily first, then me, then Belle, so Craig was last. [CMC Edit: The doctor examined Emily first because I knew Belle would hate the throat culture.  I wanted Emily to go first so she didn't see Belle get upset first and then not want her throat culture.]  Each exam ended with a throat culture. An uncomfortable, awkward, gag-inducing throat culture. Since the girls had their throats cultured first, they each took one of Craig's hands when it was his turn to be examined. They clearly disliked their own experience getting their throats cultured, and they wanted to support Craig through his. The doctor marveled at Belle and Emily's empathy.

Last week in Mystic, Belle felt unwell at dinner so (after a meltdown) she lay herself down on the floor in the corner of the restaurant next to our table. Emily went to her and rubbed her back.

Emily got scared when we watched a movie together during one of our sick days last week, so Belle took Em's hand and talked to her soothingly ("it's OK, Emily. Don't be scared. It's just a movie. It's only pretend.").

Holding hands watching the parade on Sesame St

Selfies with Elmo & Cookie Monster

We met Grover!

On The Sunny Day Carousel

Mystic travel buddies

Dress -up

Belle is a mad scientist