If you play your cards right during a black out, you can have tons of quality time with your children and possibly break your toddler of their Team Umizoomi habit. But most likely, you will just be fielding incredibly annoying questions like "WHY????" over and over again.
Conversations go something like this:
"Can I watch Team UmiZoomi?"
"Sorry, sweetie, the TV isn't working."
"Why?"
"Because there is no electricity."
"Why?"
"Because the power went out."
"Why?"
"Because of the big storm."
"Why?"
"Because people have taken advantage of the earth in ways that are resulting in a scary amount of climate change and unfortunately natural disasters are only going to become more and more common."
"Oh…"
(pause)
"Can I watch Fresh Beat Band?"
Thankfully, we only spent 24 hours in the dark before we moved to our friends house on the Upper West Side so I really can't complain. But it was enough time to know that a toddler without a television and a microwave (or at least my toddler without a television and a microwave) is something I would not wish on my worst enemy.
If I learned anything about Mazzy during the hurricane, it's that, if given the choice, she would choose her electronic devices over her own mother. Sad but true.
The East Village got power back on Friday evening and we were able to head home. Slowly, life is getting back to normal, except now that we are back in our fully-functioning apartment, it's beginning to sink in how incredibly fortunate Manhattan was compared to the devastation in places like Staten Island, the Rockaways, Coney Island, and Hoboken.
Most of our relatives on Long Island, including my mother, still have no power. My sister who lives in the West Village has her power back but still no heat or hot water. Our cousins came over on Sunday to shower because they are still without power and water in Westchester.
This whole thing is so far from over it's hard to process. And no heat or water is hardly a problem when you compare it with people who have lost their homes.
I don't have anything new to say about the problem. I just began to feel like I was whining about my own situation last week and didn't think nearly enough about the people who are really suffering.
If you haven't already (or even if you have), please make a $10 donation to the Red Cross by texting REDCROSS to 90999. It's stupidly easy.
On the pregnancy front, we had an ultrasound on Wednesday morning at 8am and was I relieved to find that everyone and everything was completely operational at our hospital. The baby is currently weighing in at 6.5 lbs. which is exactly how much Mazzy weighed when she arrived two weeks early.
I don't feel like I am about to give birth just yet, but I think it might finally be time to pack a hospital bag. What can I say? I'm a procrastinator in denial.
Before I go, here's a picture from our first night back home. Everything was working but since we had no heat for five days, the apartment was FREEZING. My solution was to put Mazzy in her fleece hooded pig costume from Just Pretend Kids.
It made her almost as happy as unrestricted access to an iPad.
That night, Mazzy kicked me out of my bed (literally) and I ended up sleeping on the couch in the living room.
As I said, things are slowly getting back to normal.
She does make a cute little piglet.
Glad you’re finally getting back to normal. The more I hear about the devastation in New Jersey and NYC, the more surreal the whole experience becomes. Like Katrina all over again, except in a much more urban setting that you wouldn’t necessarily expect to be so completely devastated by a natural disaster.
Speaking of which, I like your very logical and literal explanations to Mazzy’s incessant “whys.” I do the same thing to Lil’ Bit when she starts in, hoping to throw her off. So far, it has not worked.
Do they make that pig costume in adult sizes, too?
very glad you’re OK – and you’re right, no heat / water is far easier to deal with than those without their home. it just breaks my heart to think of families dealing with the change in temps, too – praying for everyone affected. this isn’t supposed to happen in these areas! I mean, i don’t wish it on any area, but it’s just crazy to me that it’s NYC and NJ.
i’ve donated – easiest thing and quickest thing. thanks for sharing that info.
I didn’t feel like you were complaining at all. I mean, I was WITH power and I was complaining to be stuck at home. We can only take so much Sprout TV and our son getting frustrated at some of the more difficult games on our phones. Anyways, glad you have power back! LOL, getting kicked out of bed is getting back to normal. Love your sense of humor.
Proportion also does not matter. We had our power go out one day…for 45 minutes…and after explaining to my 3-year-old daughter that nothing worked without power, she tearfully told me that, “Mommy, we have to move. Our house is broken.” I wouldn’t even want to think about days without power!
Oh, I am so tired of Team Umizoomi that a power outtage almost sounds like a very good idea. “Almost” because, crap, it’s hard to joke about such things this week, isn’t it? Very glad you are home and have power and health and, well, HOME. Please know you aren’t the only one with a NickJr-addicted toddler (I have two). And also, as a new reader, please allow me to be the eight-millionth person to gush over the name Mazzy. I love it. And she’s too cute, to boot.
Glad to hear it – and love the graphic, as always. 🙂
Thanks for the update. I was actually wondering about your late stage of still being pregnant. No, you’re not whining. They’ve been awesome posts. As someone who lives in the North West, it’s really hard to imagine what it’s like to be in those situations, and imagine the horror of what everyone in the hardest hit areas are going through.
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