Sandy

Ada, gearing up for Sandy

Hurricane (I mean, ahem, Super Storm or what? Tropical Storm) Sandy didn't do much here aside from make us rather stir-crazy. Mike was supposed to take a test Monday that was turned into a take-home exam. Ha. Taking an exam with Ada and I around? Not a chance. Luckily our neighbors upstairs let him crash their kitchen exam-style and take it upstairs on Tuesday.

The same Tuesday where it was raining lightly and cloudy all day and everything was still shut down. I know, I know, better safe than sorry. But it was hard not to feel a bit silly when I flipped on NPR and opened my computer to see the devastation up north of us.

We had prepared well with water and food (in fact, I didn't go grocery shopping again until Saturday, as in, two days ago). I decided that other things that should go in hurricane-prep kits are distractions for toddlers (and mothers alike). Stickers! Fun treats! Silly string! New toys!

By the end of day two my creativity was spent.

Much of our time was spent playing and reading. We played with play-doh and paints and crayons. We took bath (two in one day!) and wore lots of fancy things likes gloves and necklaces and bows.

Ada got in a new habit of wanting to show Mike everything and anything she put on.

One necklace, "Daddy! See me! Daddy! See!" and she charges right up to him, plants herself inches away, sticks out her chin and grins. I get where she's coming from, like a true Anderson, Michael gives really great reactions and always makes you feel like a million bucks.

(Speaking of, Happy Birthday, Love!!)

It's now habitual. We change her diaper, "Daddy see me!" She puts a flower behind her ear (and even though it falls out before she gets to him), "Daddy see me!"

I'm not sure why it took us so long to venture out of the house. I guess it's probably because I hate being wet and cold, but when we finally did we found a few fallen trees and lots of leaves on the ground. It felt so good to breathe air than hadn't been recirculated in our 700 square foot apartment for nearly 48 hours.

Needless to say we spent nearly all our waking hours Wednesday out doors. There were way too many leaves that had yet to be crunched, dogs that had yet to be bothered, and slides that had yet to be slid on.

It felt so good to be back on the bike after nearly a week of not riding.

Wednesday felt like waking up and kicking into gear after a holiday weekend. I feel really fortunate to consider Sandy a holiday when so many others consider it their ruin.