The Po Show

The Year in Review

All right, we won't talk about the fact that I haven't posted here in almost two months. Time flies when you're having a nervous breakdown! Well, not really, but...anyways, I bin bizzy.

We've lived in New York for a year now. Yow. The quintessential California family living not only on the Wrong Coast, but in the state that has stood as the polar opposite of our beloved Golden State. What are my thoughts on the year that has just passed...I'm trying to figure it out.

All in all, it was a good year for the kids. Matthew had a wonderful year overall, after such a rocky start. Everyone has just raved about how much progress he's made over the course of the year. Not enough that anyone suggests actually reducing his services (and actually they suggested adding an additional service, a social skills class) but that's okay with us. We WANT him to get these services. They have made all the difference, particularly his having his one on one aide.

But the single most stunning leap Matthew made this year was that he made a friend, with a capital F. They are just great together, they totally love hanging out together. It's interesting to me that he finally latched onto another Aspie; you'd think they'd just be too much together, but somehow it works better than being with a "normal" kid. I see in Jeremy so many of Matthew's quirks, and I suppose they relate to each other better because they are similarly quirky.

Tessa had a dazzling year, wowing everyone at her school with her sunny personality and all the amazing things she can do. She loved the arts and crafts, loved the singing and dancing, loved the pretend play, loved playing outside on their amazing playground. She definitely has a public and private persona, and they always got the sweet happy public side of her at school (guess who the whiny, demanding private persona is reserved for :p?). She loved her ballet classes, loved the recitals, and definitely will continue with those in the fall.

And me? I went back to being a SAHM this year, but it was definitely different from my SAHM year in Davis. I was the ebay queen this year, and it consumed me. I spent practically every free moment shopping and selling. It became my channel for my OCD tendencies and I guess it was more positive than certain alternatives. I suppose I felt less like driving the car into telephone poles than I did the year we were in Davis, so I suppose that is for the good.

Ross was gone this year, for the first time in all the years we've been together, he was really gone. He'd be gone before I woke up in the morning, and he'd come home after the sun went down during the winter. 13 hours a day, gone. I suppose we've adjusted, but it's still a hard thing to deal with. His job has been absolutely less than fulfilling, so the time gone hasn't even been nourishing time for him. He's stoic about it, like everything, but I've missed him.

And New York itself? Well, slap me down and call me Franny, but I've found that I really do Heart New York. I love the city, though I don't think we could live there with kids even if we didn't have to worry about Matthew and the services he needs. I love Zabar's and H&H bagels with a passion. Much of what I love about places centers around food, and there's a lot of good food in these parts. Claude's almond croissants in the Village are the single finest item you can buy for $1.50. We love love love the Central Park Zoo and the Park in general. I love the energy of the city (in limited doses of course, since we're never there for long).

White Plains has been great for us too. It's a good sized place, absolutely manageable and navigatible for directionally challenged me. Plenty of green, playgrounds, shopping. Two Gymborees, what more could I want? Lots of diversity, which is sort of a lame catch word but still refreshing in reality after some of the places we've lived recently.

Have I been happy here this year? Is that a relevant question? Mostly I feel RELIEF that we will continue to live here after this summer is over, unlike the last THREE summers, which have each led to a new city/new house/new school for Matthew.

I don't know if New York is going to become home, but it is for now.