動いてるよ〜！/She is on the move!

今日は大変な日でした...まず最初に郵便局まで日本にいる私の家族宛にクリスマスプレゼントの詰まった箱２箱を送りに...郵便局に着くと列は外に出そうな位長かったしマディソンも起きていたから大丈夫かなと思ったけど並んでみる事に...思ったより列は速く動いてくれたんだけど、丁度順番が来た途端にマディソンはベビーカーに座り疲れちゃったのか泣き叫び始めちゃって大変！シートベルトを着けてあるのにクネクネして出ようとしたり、眠たいんだろーなーともう少し頑張ってって抱っこしながらやっと終わり！外に出て歩き出した途端予想通り眠っちゃいました。そのあと家を通り越してパネラブレッドに朝ご飯を食べに行きながら朝注文しておいたクリスマスレターの印刷したのを取りに行きました。今年はクリスマスカードに写真も入れると張り切ってます！外を歩き回っている間ずっと良い子に寝ていたマディソン、そのせいなのか家に着いた後お昼寝一つも取りないじまいの午後...せっかく入ったフリーランスの仕事ができると思っていたら全然手が付けられなくって仕様が無い今夜は徹夜かな！？
話が変わってマディソンが今好きな事はと言うと、あちこち動き回る事！最近いろんな物に興味が出て手に取ってみたり口に入れたりしていると思っていたら今日初めて移動開始：）ハイハイまでは行かないけど腕だけで下半身を持ち上げてずるずるって行ってるみたい...このビデオが証拠です。
Today was a busy day... First we had to go to the post office to send out two boxes full of Xmas gifts for my family in Japan... When we got to the post office the line was at the door and Madison was awake in her stroller so I wasn't sure if she can handle the wait but the line moved quicker than I thought and our turn came up but then she decided that she wasn't gonna stay in her stroller all cute anymore! She started to scream and tried to wiggle out of her straps so I had to get her out and hold her... I knew she was so sleepy and that she would fall asleep as soon as we left the post office and of course it felt like the agent was taking FOREVER typing all the information in the system. Well, we got done with it and as I predicted as soon as we came outside and started walking she was gone! Sigh!
We walked past our place and went over to Panera Bread to get some breakfast for me and then we were off to Kinko's to pick up our Xmas news letter I ordered in the morning. We usually do color news letter but since we made Xmas photo cards for the first time we've decided to keep it simple and just do Black & White letters:-)
Madison slept the whole time we were out which was about an hour and a half and I don't know if that's why but she just could not take another nap all afternoon and evening... So frustrating! I actually had some freelance projects that I needed to work on in the afternoon but wasn't able to work on at all so I will be staying up late tonight... Another sigh!
Exciting news is that our little girl is on the move! She started to move a lot recently and today she started to scoot herself to everywhere! Wow this baby can scoot! She would spot something and will be there pulling or chewing on it so fast that I could not take my eyes off her for a second... So here is the proof:-)



最近夕ご飯の献立日記をあんまり書いていないけど最近作っていませんでした...デイブの両親も来てたしでートに行ったりしたし...これは昨日作った晩ご飯です。カレーピラフとラタテューユ！
I haven't been able to keep up with my dinner journal lately but that's because Dave's parents were visiting or we had date night, etc... so here is what I made last night... Curry Pilaf with Ratatouille and Parmesan cheese shavings.

Date Night/デート

Tonight Anna and I had our first date night with each other since Madison was born...for those who have lost count that would be seven months and one week. Grandpa Klein happened to have some business in New York City today so Grandma and Grandpa came down yesterday and watched Madison tonight so Anna and I could enjoy a meal at Basta Pasta, an Italian restaurant with Japanese chefs and a wait staff that really spoke Japanese...
今夜、マディソンが生まれてから初めてのデートにアンナと行く事が出来ました。７ヶ月と１週間ぶりです。クラインお爺ちゃんがニューヨークに会議に来る事になったから今夜、お爺ちゃんとお婆ちゃんにマディソンのお子守りをしてもらう事に...１週間前に来る事が分かってから慌てて予約をしたレストランはバスタパスタって言う日本人の人のやっているイタリア料理のお店...お母さん達の所で言うとミラノサローネとかカネリーローみたいなレストラン。

it was pretty cool and super delicious! Each dish was the type of Italian they would eat in Japan. I knew I was going to like the place when they had these delicious breadsticks and a bread basket with olive oil to dip in...
凄い良いレストラントでとってもおいしかったです！それぞれの料理が日本で食べれるようなイタリア料理。まず最初に来たパンとオリーブオイルを食べた途端デイブも満足顔！ポッキーみたいなパンはアンナのお気に入り！
Not pictured are our entrees of spaghetti with tobiko(small caviar looking things that are not caviar) for Anna and veal, prosciutto and parmesan ravioli for me...the appetizer was kakiage tempura over tomato sauce...we started eating before we remembered to take the picture...
写真に撮るの忘れちゃったけどアンナはトビコと青じそのパスタ、デイブは子牛と生ハムとパルメザンチーズのラビオリを注文...そして前菜には海の幸のかき揚げのトマトソース添え...
for dessert we shared chestnut millecrepes with vanilla gelato and creamy parmesan cheesecake with fresh fruit.
デザートには栗のミルクレープのバニラアイス添えとクリーミーパルメザンチーズケーキの果物添え。どれもおいしくてとても満足！
While it was the coldest night of the year so far in New York City it was still nice to get dressed up and have a night on the town...apparently Madison didn't miss us that much as Grandpa and Grandma were amazed at how easy she was to take care of...good job Madison.
と〜っても寒かった夜だったけど久しぶりにお洒落して出かけられて良かったです。マディソンも凄い良い子でいたみたい。

平凡な火曜日.../Ordinary Tuesday...

まず最初に、この２、３日の献立はただの残り物だったからわざわざブログに載せなかったんだけど、何も食べてない訳じゃないから心配無用で〜す：）
Let me just tell you in case you are wondering that the last few days of our dinner menu have been left overs so that's why I didn't bother posting it on our blog... so don't worry we have been eating something... Just something not exciting enough to share:-)

さて今日の予定はと言うと、マディソンが朝のお昼寝から起きた後マンハッタンまでお買い物に行くつもり...そして観光客でいっぱいじゃなければロカフェ ラセンターのクリスマスツリーをマディソンに見せてあげる予定...ただの火曜日だから混んでなければ良いんだけど...
Today as soon as Madison wakes up from her morning nap we will be heading into the city for some shopping AGAIN! and some Christmas decoration viewing around Rockefeller Center if it's not swamped with annoying tourists... I hope it's not, it's just a Tuesday...

４時間経過...
4 hours later...

結果的にいいプレゼントが見つかったから良かったんだけど一番欲しかった物は残念ながら売り切れ...今週末で全部プレゼント探し終わればいいんだけどね...今日は天気が良かったから歩き回れていい火曜日になりました。
今日の晩ご飯は、えびとかにのマカロニグラタンです。
Okay so I got to cross off two more family members from the list today but the one thing I really wanted wasn't available so that was frustrating... But Madison and I got to have a nice walk around the city on such a nice day so very happy with how our Tuesday turned out:-)
Tonight's menu is Shrimp-Crab Macaroni Au Gratin. yummy!

最後に、プレイマットに掴まれば立っていられるようになったマディソンの写真です！
Oh and lastly Madison can stand up by leaning on her play mat now so here she is!

Ready/準備完了

Today we dodged the rain drops, which are supposed to turn to snowdrops tonight, and headed to our local tree farm around the corner at Home Depot and brought home our prized 6ft Fraser Fir...while it is a little smaller than previous years (we are in a recession you know) it was still no match for Anna's Xmas tree decorating prowess...as last year, we stuck with a white/crystal/glass and garland theme. Anna has done very well with the holiday shopping so we were already able to put a good deal of presents under the tree. It was also fun to hang one more stocking by our make believe chimney with care, since Anna was pregnant last Christmas we had purchased a stocking at the after Christmas sales, but we forgot a stocking holder, so the beans had to donate theirs. Sorry there is no picture of Madison today because she was kind enough to take a long Winter's nap as Mommy and I decorated all afternoon. Madison did give a smile when she saw the tree so I think that will encourage more long naps because she might think a shiny tree will arrive if she sleeps for a long time :-)
今日は雨が降っていて後から雪が降るかもって言われていたんだけど、朝の内に近所のホームディポで売っているもみの木を買って来ました。フレージャーって言う名前のもみに木で去年のよりはちょっと小さめなんだけど(不況だから丁度良い)完璧な飾り付けで大丈夫。去年と同じように真っ白な飾り付けのテーマで綺麗に出来上がり：）いつも以上にプレゼント探しが進んでいるからクリスマスツリーの下に置けるプレゼントもいっぱいで見た目がより良くなりました。でも何より嬉しいのはもう一つ掛かっている靴下が増えた事：）去年のクリスマスの後に安売りでちゃんとマディソンの靴下を買っておいてよかったー。でも靴下を掛けるフックを買うのを忘れてたからエリーとココのを借りる事にしました。ごめんねビーンズ！ごめんなさい、今日はマディソンの写真無しです。午後飾り付けをしてる間長〜いお昼寝をしてくれたから。でも初めてクリスマスツリーを見た時のマディソンの笑顔が良かったな〜：）

ヤット終わり！/It's done!! It's done!!

今朝、やっとバンパープレートのゴタゴタに幕を下ろす事が出来ました。ちゃんと新しいの貰えたし(駐車場代も入れて２２ドルちょっとかかったけどね)、やっと終わった〜！そしてそのお祝いを込めてスタバーでラッテを買ってお祝い。ハロウィーンのスティーブとリンダから貰ったスタバカードを使っちゃいました...ごちそうさま：）
ターゲットにちょっとお買い物しに寄った後、来る時に見かけた新しそうなペットコーに寄ってココにあげてる薬(ココはうんちを食べちゃう悪い癖があるから)を買って行こうと思って入って行きながら、やっぱり新しいお店だー、わーまだいろいろ揃ってないし、こんなに整頓していいる人がいるって歩き回っていたらガーンッ！!まだ開店したないじゃん！慌ててマディソンに独り言言いながら早歩きで入り口へ逆戻り...：）良い笑い話になりました。
This morning Madison and I drove up to the DMV for the 3rd time in College Point to take care of the license plate issue... After a bit of a hiccup with the paper work (apparently the DMV is the last place left in the world that actually checks a signature against a license...I almost got busted for forging Dave's) we finally got a new set of plates! Yay! Before that it cost us $22.50 including $4 parking fee though... Stupid license plates thief!!
Well, We celebrated it by me getting a cup of latte at Starbucks using a gift card Steve and Linda gave us for Halloween... so thanks Steve and Linda:-)
Then we went to Target to do some shopping and on the way there we drove by a brand new looking PetCo so after we were done with Target we made a quick stop to get some more of Deter tablets for Coco(She eats poops...). We walked in and I remember thinking "yeah it's brand new...", "Oh those people are just setting up grooming tables...", "Wow, a lot of people are stocking shelves!" Then I turned around to see a big sign that says "Just Opened!" then I noticed that the other side that faces outside was saying "Coming Soon!"... Oops! I have walked into a store that is not even open! Of course I acted like it's not a big deal but I quickly walked out of the store while telling Madison that the store is actually not open yet...:-) Good times.

Dinner Journal: Day 4
紙皿使っちゃいました...面倒くさがり屋...：）
Please excuse the paper plate... I felt lazy I guess...:-)
Broccoli and Chicken Ziti-Farfale