KNOCK! KNOCK! CAT LADY!

Do you think that crazy attracts crazy?  I am the person the insaine guy on he subway sits next to and picks on.  I am the woman whom the postal worker goes postal on for asking if there are any other kind of stamps not cartoons. I'm the mom who got attacked at Macy's by a pacifier nazi mom for my infant sucking on a pacifier. Last night I was the one who did what I hate most to do: confronting someone pissing me off. I hate and will avoid confrontation at all costs. Cat lady upstairs is a single woman I'd say about 55yrs old who is a music teacher at a very prestigious elementary school.  That would make me assume she wakes up VERY early. She's been living upstairs from us since before I moved in 8 years ago. I remember clearly so many nights before I was pregnant when my husband and I would have just gotten back from the bar and would lie in bed imagining what she and her 3 cats were doing. So whatever. I've been a TERRIBLE neighbor most of my loud adult life. I never complained. When I was big and pregnant, Cat lady got into the elevator with Marc and I one day and said, "So with the baby below me I won't be vaccuming at 1am anymore." WHAT?!? OK maybe that's part of the noise but what about the bowling with cats, rearranging her furniture, and basketball playing that we have imagined you doing pretty much every night too?!? What about that? The vaccum wasn't even the big problem. So 3:20am last night she was on a roll, Alex was awake and crying, and I couldn't take her shit anymore. I went up there in my bathrobe and slippers. KNOCK KNOCK CAT LADY. "The baby's crying I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! What are you doing!?!?!" AND SHE STARTS CRYING opening the door slowly and jesturing me to come inside. "My dresser doesn't belong here, the end tables don't match I have to depopodge them, and my table needs to be against that wall. What do you think? You have great style. I'm sorry. Will you help me move my bookshelf? Can I get you a cup of tea?" She's wired on this OCD rant and WTF no cat lady I have a crying baby and a pissed off husband and I don't like you. Crazy bitch. I HATE confrontation but my lordy lord I had to be firm about the noise and get the f*** out of that nut house before her crazy energy rubbed off on me.  Her apartment was SPOTLESS though and rather lovely. I mean she could channel her craziness into say coming over and cleaning out my closets. There's a million things she can do. I'm a mom and protecting my son is my life. I live in a neighborhood where this means weekly throwing an egg at a car or two all because some couple had a fight and the husband comes out to sit in his car and blast salsa between 1-4am. Not appropriate and believe you me; different couples every week=same shit. Before Alex, I could sleep through a bomb going off outside my window. I've grown into a mom who wakes up just to check on my baby during the night. I've grown by confronting my neighbor face to face. I was DYING to leave a note. I've grown by working on my pitching arm so that when I throw an egg it doesn't hit the car I'm aiming at and mess it up, but land to the side to make a point. I've grown. Alex has grown. We are changed and we are changing.

Every day Alex is doing new and exciting things. Yesterday we accomplished what I have been waiting for since his birth: playing with a ball. The interactive stage. We sat rolling a ball back and forth. He giggled like a mad man. It kept his attention for almost 10 minutes which is really cool. This year has been so long and fulfilling. I don't feel like it flew by at all. Alex turned 1 on January 30th which was my last blog entry. This whole journey has left me putting off thinking about how I feel about it all because it's an extraordinary thought that leaves me feeling like a stoner when I even dare to go there. So, yeah. Other than Alex, I held a co-worker's baby a few years ago. That was my experience regarding me and babies until Alex. When Alex was born and was left to me alone in the hospital last year, that was the first for everything for me. He was the first baby I ever picked up and held unsupervised, the first diaper I ever changed, everything. I had to learn how to clean him, feed him, and not forget him anywhere; all of which I did pretty damn remarkably well naturally. Dressing him was a bit of a challenge, but we got there too. Now, he claps his hands, waves, feeds himself, crawls, loves his toys, watches tv, stands up, is learning two languages at once, and is now trying very hard to conquer walking. All in one year!! I am almost finished with my associates degree. I'm pregnant again. I turned 30!!!! I found my first grey hair. All in one year so much has happened. Alex and I have learned so much it's beyond what I ever imagined. And each day has become a complete kick in the ass challenge to keep myself and my son learning and growing so that each year we can hopefully say that we have learned as much as we did in our first year together. Extraordinary!

Alex LOVES riding the swings at the playground

This little guy came out of ME 13 months ago and here we are sharing coconut ices in the park. Wow.

This is my New York, NY. My pretty neighborhood along the hudson river. Also home to The Little Red Lighthouse from the famous children's book.

Hi, from below the George Washington Bridge!

My boys on one of our adventures! 

I have gotten a lot of great responses to the recipes I've posted and been asked more than once now on a recipe for a quick and cheap meal. My favorite go to meal is spaghetti and clams. It's fanciest enough to impress in-law's for dinner, under $10, and best of all if you use canned clams you can whip it together in under 30 minutes and have a fabulous feast. I love using fresh clams, but that's not always practical so minced clams in a can are great to stock up on when you see them on sale.


SUNDAY DINNER SPAGHETTI AND CLAMS
*1.5 pound spaghetti
*3 cans minced clams (or about 18 fresh clams)
*1/2 bottle clam juice (only for canned clams recipe)
*1/2 can chicken broth/stock or 1 glass of white wine (no worries if neither is on hand use a cup of the starchy cooking water when the pasta is about done cooking!)
*1 tablespoon butter
*a lot of chopped garlic
*evoo
*crushed red pepper/grated cheese/fresh or dried parsley or any garnishes

Saute garlic in about a generous inch of evoo. Add clams in cans in their juice + 1/2 bottle of the clam juice or all your fresh clams. Add butter. Cook 3-4 minutes and throw in the stock/wine/water. Cook 5 minutes or until fresh clams open. Salt and pepper I love adding crushed red pepper. When pasta is done I always reserve a bit of cooking water to add to sauce if needed and for leftovers. Toss pasta with sauce and garnish as liked. Serves 2-3. Bon appetit!

Keep these in your pantry for a quick fancy meal

Smelling so good in the pot!

Bon appetit! Spaghetti and clams for dinner!