So How Are Things Going With The House?

The quick version is that things are going well.  The long version is that this has been an epic ordeal.  We've had three inspections, two contracts, four offers and too many open houses to count.  We saw the market go from being quiet and simple to absolutely crazy, with houses that had been sitting on the market for weeks suddenly get multiple offers.  Things got so hectic that in one day, we saw three houses and had to decide on which we wanted to make an offer. It was like living an episode of House Hunters.  We made an offer on a house for $22,000 over asking price and we still didn't get it, and we weren't even surprised.

The process showed us what we actually want in a house and want we don't want. For example, we saw one house that we really liked and almost had a deal, until we learned how much of a pain oil heat is, as opposed to gas.  We learned all about the school districts in Westchester and why, to Nilda's dismay, the beautiful old Victorian in Park Hill was not going to work for us.  We learned that we might actually be very happy in an early 1960s split level.

Where we are now is that we have a contract and are on the verge of closing on the house that was far and away my first choice.  We actually came very close to this house once before, after we cut bait with the first house with oil heat, only to lose it to someone offering 50% cash.  I didn't understand why this was a big deal six months ago, but now I realize that putting down 50% cash means the buyer getting the mortgage is not as important or difficult and makes life much easier for the seller. We found another house around the corner that was not as nice and were hours away from signing the contract on that house when we learned that my first choice came back on the market.  

Days later, we were ready to sign the contract on the house when the sale of our apartment became an issue.  We needed to make sure that our apartment would actually sell, since the contract on the house was not contingent on the sale of our apartment (NY is weird).  We had a very tense weekend, but the sellers gave us a week and our buyers were approved by the coop Board.  Everything worked out well, but man that was rough.  Whatever else happens, I have learned that getting and having a house is not as easy as it looks when you're a kid. 

The new issue, because there always is one, is that we don't know when we'll be able to move into the house.  We were supposed to close on August 1, but that's not working for the sellers now and we can't get a date from them.   We closed on the apartment in late June and are able to stay in the apartment until very early August pursuant to a post-occupancy agreement, but we'll be homeless after that.  We have some plans, but the lack of a definite plan is killing Nilda annoying.    

 

We've been packing and thank God we started early because this is going to take forever.  You just don't realize how much stuff you accumulate.  Here's most, but not all of the boxes we've packed so far, and how knows how many more we'll need. 

I'll try to keep blogging through this, but you can already see how much of a toll Charlie switching his bedtime from 8:30 pm to 9:00 pm has taken on the blog, so don't hold your breath.  In the meantime, Charlie has been doing great.  

• He is getting bigger and bigger and smarter and smarter.  He has already learned how to give attitude. 
• Charlie luuvs his naps.  He may fight going to sleep, but he loves lying down in the middle of the day.  And what's not to love?  Enjoy it while you can, Charlie.  
• I've started reading Charlie "Caps For Sale," which is a book I remember reading when I was a kid.  The book says that there are gray, red, blue and brown caps. I don't see a brown cap, but I'm pretty sure there are plenty of orange caps.
• Charlie is very sensitive with his feet.  He does not like to walk outside barefoot and hates dirt.  Nilda said that he started limping the other day and wouldn't put his foot down.  When she looked at it, the problem was that he had a sesame seed on his foot.  A sesame seed.

Like his father and uncle before him, Charlie has wild time after dinner.  Thank God we're moving to a home without downstairs neighbors. 

He's starting to use more words. Nilda told me that one day, he said to her, "Outshide?  Mommy?  Peash?  Outshide?"  And when it's hot, you KNOW Nilda wants to go outside!  And check him out saying "pizza." 

Nilda loves to play with his hair.  Here is a blurry picture of Charlie with a Steven Segal ponytail. We have just learned that using conditioner is way easier than spraying on detangler and combing his hair. I never realized that my 19-month old needing conditioner was a consequence of marrying Nilda.  She said today that maybe he needs a haircut, but we both know she'll never do it.  She, along with everyone else, just loves those little blond curls too much.

Charlie still likes to have things his way.  Here he is chilling at a party.  He stopped wanting to leave when everyone started paying attention to him. 

Charlie's new thing is to find a cute girl the playground, smile and stare at her until she plays with him.  Charlie's got game.  And then he runs like a track star, with that one arm flopping around just like Lilah used to run.  Until he falls down. Which is quite often. 

He can even go down the slide by himself now.

Here's hoping Charlie likes the suburbs.  He'll miss the street and the park and the Saturday morning chocolate croissants, but he'll have multiple rooms, a back yard and the ability to run as much as he wants.  Plus, there's a playground right near the house and a ton of kids.  I think this will work out well.  I mean, no one's ever made any movies, tv shows or books about people being unhappy living in the suburbs, right?

Lauren Alexa

Meet our beautiful new niece, Lauren Alexa, 7 lbs 2.6 oz, born to my amazing sister Julie on June 27, 2013, at 7:34 pm.  Baby and Babymama are doing great.  Julie, you did an amazing job and I'm incredibly proud of you.  Can't wait to meet Lauren this weekend!!

Memorial Day

We spent Memorial Day weekend in Philadelphia with my family.  Nilda and Charlie went in on Thursday and I followed on Friday.  It had been a few months since Charlie was there and he had some trouble adjusting at first.  Mommy left him for a few minutes and he did NOT like that.  Cousin Lacey got picked up and he wanted to go too.  Here is a video my Dad took documenting how easily Charlie and Serena took it. 

I'm glad my Dad took this video, so he could finally see what we are talking about.  "Such an easy baby!" they would say.  Dad recognized that he's tough, but nothing phases my mother.  Not even 6:15 am the next morning when Charlie was demanding to go downstairs and sit in the car. 

Things started to get better, however.  We discovered that we like playing the piano. 

We got to hang out in the car with our cousins.

Yet another grandchild discovered the wonder that is Poppop's chair.

The best part was that we left with an awesome new ride that Mommom and Poppop got for him.  Now, when Charlie cruises up to the playground in this thing, there is no question that he is the coolest 17.5-month-old in the neighborhood.  My father says he was impressed that I was able to put this thing together.  I'd be offended that it takes so little to impress him, but the truth is this is very close to my limits on being handy. 

It's not Memorial Day Weekend without a barbecue at Aunt Sheila and Uncle Alan's.  I was trying to make a little cousin laugh by making funny faces at her.  She was fooled but I look over at Charlie and he was cracking up.  Excuse me, I'm going to have to take this. 

Notice how in that video Charlie shows that he knows how to turn on the phone and that he has to hold it up to hear ear to talk.  Yes, Julie, it's a video.  Yes, you can't see it on your ipad.  Yes, I know it's annoying.  No, I don't know how to fix that.  Hey, has my niece or nephew been born yet?  Anyway, here's what else Charlie has learned:

• Charlie has started blowing on his food when it's hot. He blows through his nostrils, but it's a start.   
• Charlie knows how to access all of his favorite shows.  For example, he brings me the remote if he wants to watch The Chica Show, and he stands by the DVD player and grunts if he wants to watch Little Pim.  If you don't  know what either of these shows are, you have been spared. 
• Charlie's vocabulary is expanding. He says "mommy" and "dada" pretty clearly now, and says a pretty mean "socks."  
• We went to a baby dedication for Nilda's cousin, which was very nice, with a lunch afterwards. I wore a suit and Charlie sat on my lap for much of the lunch. I now have to get that suit dry cleaned. 
• His new favorite food is raisins.  Nilda now appreciates how raisins can impact poop.  He's starting to get music class. He knows the songs, claps along and raises his arms when everyone else does.  The teacher says he's "Charlie Unleashed."  

Here Charlie is with Mommy at the Thai restaurant chomping down a chicken curry puff...

...and flirting with the waitress.

We are ready for summer.

But sometimes the desire to go outside overwhelms the need to get out of your pajamas.

Btw, this is the face we make when we get hurt. 

My Night With Charlie

Nilda was out tonight.  Here's the play-by-play:

1. Arrive home late because of "an earlier incident on the A."  Looking forward to no longer having to take the subway, especially when there's a Yankee game.

2.  Immediately abandon Nilda's plan for a vegetarian pasta dinner.  Order in chicken francese from pizza place instead. 

3.  Give Charlie a pacifier when he falls and cries, even though I'm pretty sure he fell on purpose just to get the pacifier.

4.  Play guitar with Charlie trying to emulate the video of the guy with his son. Realize that the smell of shit is, in fact, coming from my son.  Change diaper.

5.  Eat dinner when it arrives, but unlike plan, do not watch in front of TV.  Talk to Charlie about how great living in a house, the house we're hoping to get, is going to be.  Charlie goes off topic and winds up doing most of the talking.

6.  Take Charlie to bath. See that his diaper may not be dirty.  Hating to waste a clean diaper, I try to see if it is actually wet and, since my hands are already wet, rub it on the only dry spot I can find, which is my face.  Realize that diaper is in fact wet, and that I just rubbed Charlie's dirty diaper on my face. 

7.  Put Charlie into pajamas and, in a highly unorthodox move, take him outside in the stroller with the intent to get a milkshake.  Find myself unable to buy said milkshake because of this book I'm reading talking about how we've all been tricked into being sugar addicts. Walk around the neighborhood with Charlie thinking about how great Inwood is and how I'll miss it.

8.  Try to get a picture (see below) but Charlie is already losing it and not having it. 

9.  Get Charlie home and in bed by bedtime at 8:30, prepare to watch Deadliest Catch.  Don't tell mommy, but a great night.

Hanami

In Japanese, Hanami means "flower viewing," and refers to the custom of "enjoying flowers."  I admit it; I like the fucking flowers.  Nilda and I took Charlie to the Botanical Gardens in the Bronx and, overall, it was a success.  We picked a good time because many of the trees were flowering. 

Breaking away from his past as being a photogenic photography subject, Charlie has decided to graciously extend his middle finger to all photo opportunities.  Here I am desperately trying to stop him from jumping to the ground so I can get a god damn picture.  No luck.

The best thing we saw were the magnolia trees, which were in full bloom.

We tried to get good pictures with Charlie with the trees, but he was  more interested in going up and down, up and down, the 2-inch step from the road to the grass.  

I did, however, get Nilda's new facebook profile picture.  Because I'm awesome.  Isn't Mommy pretty, Charlie?

 We saw a baby owl, too. Yay?

 Then we were off to the cherry trees, which were also blooming. 

 There was a road there, too, which Charlie had to go up and down, up and down.

Charlie did a ton of running.  I told Charlie he had to hold my hand, so he didn't (1) run in front of a tram, (2) run in front of people or (3) trample the flowers.  Except holding Charlie's hand is really grabbing his wrist to try to stop him.  At one point, I just grabbed his hoodie and finally understood why people use the monkey backpack. 

By the time we went to the orchid show, Charlie was done.  He ran around some more, but that was it.  We had to give him a pacifier just to get him to make the trip out of the greenhouse.

I got a ton of steps in.  The goal is 10,000 steps per day and I usually average around 12,000, but this day I got over 24,600.  I'm winning Fitbit. 

I Was Told There Would Be Milkshakes

Charlie has discovered the playground.  He gets a clue that we might be headed in the direction of a playground, he gets excited, and don't even think about going the other way.  It's gotten to the point that since there is a McDonald's near one playground, he thinks every McDonald's is a playground. First, we start with the swings.  

Then, we like to run around, climbing steps and just missing getting knocked over by the bigger kids. 

Sometimes, we have to wear Mommy's sunglasses. 

Although my picture taking and cataloging has significantly declined since Charlie's first birthday, here he is at his 16 month birthday.  First five quarters completed!

Nilda still refuses to cut his hair, though it's getting a little crazy.  She finds support in people at the playground who say "DON'T YOU DARE CUT HIS HAIR!!"  You can almost comb it, though his curls make that tough.  It's probably more timely to compare him to Don Draper, but I would rather say he looks like Gordon Gecco. Always on the phone. 

Charlie had a good time at the local beer garden.

 But then he had to sleep it off. 

This kid gets most active when he's tired, right before bed time.  Here he is working on his moon crawling. 

I tried to get a video of him dancing to Sesame Street, but he's become very camera shy.  Here he is eating breakfast and realizing that I was supposed to eat that particular waffle.

On the house front, we are closing on our apartment in early June and will need to be out.  We found a house we like in New Rochelle where we want to be, but things are getting a little rocky with the sellers, so we're looking at other houses this weekend just to be safe.  We'll keep you updated.   

P.S. - Charlie enforces a strict "no one poops alone" policy, so don't even think about closing the bathroom door on him. 

The Word Of The Day Is: "No (Shaking Head)"

It's the usually-almost-annual Passover / Easter episode!  We went to Philly for the long weekend and Charlie saw all of his cousins, including his 3-month older cousin, Serena. They were both so excited that they woke up early. Here's a picture of them being really pissed off about that.

The best part of going to Philly for Passover is getting the slow leak in your tire fixed for under $15 at Costco using your mom's membership.  Charlie's favorite part was the chocolate covered acai berries.

The first seder was with my dad's side, the second seder was with my mom's side.  This is one of the times where Nilda not being Jewish is very convenient. 

Charlie doesn't know the four questions yet, but his main question this year was "Why am I not allowed to throw this matzah on the floor?"  I tried to explain that if He hadn't smoted our ancestors, it would have been enough, but he wasn't having it. 

Charlie liked the clapping.  Apparently, having ancestors escape from bondage means you do a lot of clapping. 

Btw, you see that sheet/place setting right there?  That means I made  it.  Charlie had a great time.  He got to run around a house the first night and a large hall the second night with his cousins all around him.  The only problem is that he falls after every three steps he takes.  He's like Maggie Simpson. Finally, Charlie decided to make his own Exodus from Mommy changing him into pajamas and made a show for everyone. 

On Easter, back in New York, Nilda and I took Charlie to the Little Red Lighthouse under the George Washington Bridge, which is the only remaining lighthouse on Manhattan that you can only get to on foot.

 

Charlie liked it because he got to walk around on a picnic table and man, you should have seen the tears when it was time to go.  Just to put all of this in perspective, here is what Charlie looked like a year ago:

We spent that Friday night at Kate and Houdin's in Connecticut, where Matt and Mary were staying as part of their Passover travels.  Jeremy and Irene tagged along because what the hell.  It was a quorum-reunion of the whole law school group, with a key few unfortunately missing.  It's amazing to think how far we've come, from the mouse-infested hell hole in the projects that even the drug dealer wouldn't go to, to a diaspora of Connecticut, Min-eh-so-dah and shortly Westchester. 

It's amazing how when we're all together, it's like no time has passed.  Kate didn't go to law school, but she remembers being in 3A once and one of us catching a mouse on the kitchen counter using a cup, so she's in.  None of us met Nilda until well after law school, but she's got enough law school debt from Fordham to be one of us. Besides, I think we all recognize that I'm happier married than I ever was single, so that makes me easier to tolerate.  We had the eight-year old serve as the photographer and made sure to get a picture of what he claims is my butt.

Great shot, Noah.  Make sure they put you in the gifted class.  Speaking of the diaspora, it looks like we've settled on a house in New Rochelle.  We're in talks now on a particular place and more to come.  We may have a backyard sooner than I had thought.  I want a place Charlie can grow into and think of as his home. I sometimes look at him and remember about my own childhood, how I felt and wondering how my parents must have felt watching me grow up, like I'm watching Charlie. Then I look at Charlie and realize he's thinking, "I'm pretty sure there's more banana that they're not giving me."

In the meantime, check out this video, which proves why 90210 was not as cool as you thought it was at the time and why high school would have been so much better if everyone listened to Phish.