Day 361

Day 10 in NY: Hey...there's only so much you can do when stuck inside an airport all day.... It was a long trip and time to head on home. Keegan was just beside himself to be able to spend Christmas at his home for the first time in about 14 years I think they calculated and it was very special for all of us. Keegan's parents were gracious hosts and gave all of us a wonderful Christmas to remember. I do find myself suddenly wondering when the time will come for us to hunker on down at our own house for Christmas. Living on the West Coast now for 8 years and counting and both of us having older brothers who had kids first and started hosting Christmas at their own homes, we've been a bit transient. It never seemed to bother me before, but this packing and repacking of gifts sure gets old and I think at some point it will be nice for Liam to remember his own traditions . . . not to mention it's kind of exhausting answering all of these logistical Santa questions about him coming to both houses and full stocking in one house vs. no stocking at the other house, etc. etc. Phew. He's getting too inquisitive for his own good.

Day 360

Day 9 in NY: Keegan's brother and family came to visit for the day. I always love seeing Liam with his cousins. With my brother's 4 and 6 year olds, Liam finds true playmates and with Keegan's brother's 10 and 12 year olds, Liam finds entertaining protectors. Either way, it's really sweet to watch and either way, I basically don't see Liam for the entire time he is with them, which is kind of a nice little break for me of course! If only they lived closer, then I'd really have myself a nice little setup.... This was a super sweet moment when the big boys were reading Liam his bedtime stories. Geesh, I remember these two big boys sitting in MY lap while I read to THEM!!!

Day 359

Day 8 in NY: Merry Christmas!!

Day 358

Day 7 in NY: Twas the night before Christmas. We had a lovely candlelit Christmas Eve at the church where Keegan grew up. Liam sat in Keegan's lap the entire service seemingly mesmerized by the choir, the speakers, the candles, etc. The pastor posed the question, "When does Christmas feel like Christmas to you?!" Ironically, almost at that very moment, with the silence and peace of the church enveloping us, that magical feeling of expectation that barely fades as we grow older, and looking over at my little guy dressed to the nines in his Christmas reds, his innocent face aglow with the candlelight he so tightly yet carefully gripped in his tiny little hand, yes, at that very moment, it felt like Christmas to me.

Day 357

Day 6 in NY: Keegan attacks the bins upon bins of old legos in his childhood basement to rebuild every lego set he ever owned . . . fire station, airport, police station, parking garage, raceway, airplanes, helicopters, boats, etc. etc. etc. Keegan's mom has saved all of these things WITH the instructions over the years. This is how we spent a large majority of the late mornings/early afternoons (Liam has developed an affinity as well so he seemed to really enjoy being down there with us as well) . . . along with a few beers that is.

Day 356

Day 5 in NY: Keegan and I return to Westhampton via the Jitney again and enjoy another winter walk. We were on our way to visit Keegan's 101 year old grandmother here. Amazing.

Day 355

Day 4 in NY: Keegan and I check out the High Line down in the Chelsea district. HIGHLY recommend checking it out if you are ever in the city. This elevated, dilapidated railway from the 30's was slated to be torn down in the 80's. Members of the community joined together to lobby for the preservation of the line and reuse as public garden space and in 2006, construction began of a 1.5 mile long park/pathway along the elevated railway through gardens, outdoor theaters, art exhibition space, back alleyways of buildings, and unique composed views of the city. LOVED it.

Day 354

Day 3 in NY: Keegan and I leave offspring with grandparents and take the Hampton Jitney into the city for 2 days and 1 night. First stop: Eataly (totally cool indoor market with any Italian delicacy you could ever want and restaurants) and La Birreria (the rooftop restaurant at Eataly) where I enjoyed some cask conditioned ales and some fine Italian dried meats with my ever handsome honey. Heaven.

Day 353

Day 2 in NY: A lovely winter walk in Keegan's hometown of Westhampton Beach with Keegan and his dad.

Day 352

Day 1 in NY: Grandma and Church!

Day 351

We were flying back East all day today to spend Christmas in NY with Keegan's family. The day started off so sweet for me when at the airport, I told Keegan I would meet him at the gate after I picked up a little cappuccino at Peet's. He and Liam went off and I waited for my drug. When I arrived at the gate, they were nowhere to be found so I figured they had made a potty stop. I was thoroughly enjoying my coffee when I see Liam galloping toward me with a somewhat sly yet shy grin on his face. "What's up Buddy," I say. He looks up at me and turns around and runs back to Daddy. I see them feverishly whispering back and forth and Keegan rolling his eyes and saying, "Ok . . . but that was supposed to be for Mommy's stocking . . . you sure you want to give it to her now?!" "YES," Liam confidently exclaims. And then, there at the gate, I unwrap what was supposed to be a Christmas present because Liam has all the patient genes of well, a three year old really. A beautiful necklace chain of interlocking hearts! It is so perfect and beautiful and from my favorite 2 boys in this universe and then Liam says to me, "Mommy, it's like hugs and kisses wrapped around your neck all the time!!" and Keegan was telling me this story about how they went into the store and Liam had picked out this God awful huge necklace and how then Keegan and the store owner were trying to lure Liam away to something I might actually find appealing. I couldn't stop smiling the whole flight about how sweet that moment was for me. It was either that . . . or the lush first class upgrade that Keegan handed over to me while he sat in the back with Liam the whole flight. Either way, good work boys, good work. At any rate, we flew over some beautiful country . . . just so amazingly pristine and quiet and expansive looking from the air . . . this really beautiful juxtaposition of wild organic sprawling rivers growing over these very orthogonal plots of land, sprinkled with a clean new dusting of snow. . . so hard to capture really but I tried....

Day 350

Day 349

My very sweet ex-boss from good old Andrew Mann Architecture always sends fantastic chocolates out around the Holidays. I helped him out this year with an odd photographic project here and there and he STILL hooks me up with these out of this world truffles. I already know what is in that box when it arrives on my doorstep. I furtively and furiously gather them up and hustle them inside, watching my back at all times to make sure husband and son are unsuspecting. All mine, I tell you, all mine.

Day 348

Just a little silliness here at Ikea. Ikea is the bomb really. I can redecorate my house, entertain my little guy with cool wooden toys, eat meatballs AND kill an entire rainy afternoon. Liam and I were playing soccer with a plush ball and using these boxes as the goal. No one kicked us out surprisingly....

Day 347

Like father, like son here, watching a little hockey. So funny.

Day 346

This is Circle Salon in Kensington where I get my hair cut with the talented Julie Moore. Liam is a good boy and humors me with his little DVD player and matchbox cars while Julie and I chat, drink coffee and redesign my head of lettuce. I am always so taken with this painting in her salon . . . it kind of reminds me of Liam actually. Today, the painting, the light, and Liam made quite the composition from where I was sitting in my comfy salon chair. I finally asked Julie about it and she said she commissioned it when her daughter turned 10 as a birthday portrait. What a great present!