letters to Norby #25

Dear Norby-

It's been a while since I wrote to you, but you haven't stopped amazing me lately. You've become such an interesting little person, who love trucks and trains. It's ever so sweet when you play with your little red engine and say in the quietest little voice "choo-choo". My favorite thing to do with you is read "Little Blue Truck", we've spent so much time reading that book that I can recite the opening page on cue. Reading with you is so nice, you snuggle into a grownup lap with the book you've chosen and point out your favorite characters. You know all your barnyard animals, as well as all kinds of trucks.

Thank you for being my sweet little nephew. I am so happy I get to see you more often now and that our time together is so much fun.

See you tomorrow...

Love your favorite auntie



It's been a while since I've written you a dear letter my sweet little boy. You are turning into such a smart, nice child. My favorite thing that you do is bring books to me, and then snuggle in my lap while I read out loud

shipping up...

Well this is one of those big announcements… like really big. After seven years of living in Hoboken, playing and working in New York City – I’ve decided it’s time to return back to Boston.  I’ve heard New York has a few milestones before you become a lifer and I am coming up on the last one before it’s children that drive you to move out of the area. The first stretch is two years, then seven years. So in true form, at year seven mark I am giving the area one big hug and heading back to my roots.

It is a bittersweet time for me as I really do love the life I have down in what my New England heart considers south (at least NYC is south of Massachusetts). I’ve had good times, bad times, done a lot of growing personally and professionally, made friends, lost friends. Why I am living the city that never sleeps? Main reason: Family. Mom and Dad are both now retired, and well not getting any younger. I don’t want to miss getting to hang out for an hour or two here and there with them every other week or so – and the commute to them from New York is just too far to do on a regular basis.  Norbs and my sister and her hubs are also in the area in Boston.  Every time see Norbs he’s changed an incredible amount – he’s becoming such an interesting little human and I want to be there for as much as possible.

The good news, I am getting to stay with my current job, in the same role. I work primarily with people in Boston and London, so Boston is a good spot to head to. The other good news is I still will work with people in New York, which means the occasional business trip to the city which will mean time to visit all my favorite people here.

I’ve got about two months to go until I start the next phase of this journey we call life. I am doing my best to do as much as possible and see as many people I can before I go, and have as many New York moments as I can.

happiness list

Happy middle of the month friends, I cannot believe that in a few days I’ll be getting ready to head up north for the holidays. 'Tis the season to feel like you want about 4 more waking hours in each day.

The album Heatwave by Matt Wertz being added to Spotify fairly recently. I can listen to this all the time at work which makes me super happy – I just have to make sure I don’t sing out loud to annoy my neighbors at work.

Getting the plans in order for my birthday early for once, I usually figure out what I want to do around Christmas and then people already have plans, this year, well I planned about a month in advance.  This year I am hoping planning gets me in gear – I am looking forward to celebrating another year.

It snowed over the weekend and yesterday, I love the stillness snow creates in the world.

New Year’s Eve plans starting to take shape – I really didn’t give it much thought until some friends got the ball rolling, so very excited I don’t have to think about this too hard, merely show up with some champagne and possibly a snack or two.

Getting very excited for some quality time playing with Norbs, just praying that he doesn’t pull his I am going to cry unless you hold me while standing up move again, that was a classic. Poor boo boo though was missing mommy.

Hope you are enjoying the holiday season with your friends and family.

Letters to Norby #24

Dear Norby-

One year ago, you came into my life as the best little gift I could have ever received (thanks sis!). You came a little sooner than the family was expecting, at near 3 in the morning, when we were expecting to hear about you later in the afternoon. I’ll never forget that I was on my way down to Maryland to a wedding for two friends (who’s wedding anniversary I’ll always remember) when Grammy called me frantic, telling me you were here and that she knew nothing else.  All of a sudden, I was your auntie and all that mattered was that you were healthy.

Being your aunt is one of the best jobs I’ve ever had, I get to watch you grow, I get to play and have fun. I get to do some of the less then fun things like change you, pick up tons of toys, and I always get to return you to your mom. This past year has been full of many things full of you!  You’ll not believe me for years on how you use to fit in the crook of my arm and how you’d like when I rolled my Rs for you and cooed like an owl.  I can hardly believe the little baby you were has grown into a grilled cheese eating little man.

Looking forward to the next year of adventures with you. Happy Birthday Norbs!

Love your favorite auntie


(image via fun4kids)

Letters to Norby #23

Dear Norby-

Hard to believe you’ve almost been here a year. You are one happy little dude- you make everyone in the family smile when they see you. I cannot believe how fast you’ve been growing up too, I will always remember you as the little boy that I could hold in the crook of my arm. Now you are almost walking you little man. I love how much fun you are to play with now, I can see the wheels turning in your head as you figure out how to climb on things (good luck to your mother as I have a sense you’ll be climbing all over the house before she’s ready), and it’s amazing to see you develop a sweet little personality. I am so lucky to have a great nephew in my life, and I am still planning all the fun we are going to have a you get bigger and older. I fully expect to have regular adventures with you, just as we’ve done this past year.

Love you to pieces.

Love your favorite auntie

happy home

My apartment has two tiny closets in the main living area, one that's perfect for coats, boots and random outerwear. The other is more of a linen closet that also squeezes in my vacuum cleaner. I recently started to tape up pictures from postagrams on to the linen closet, which makes me completely happy every time I stop and pause by the door. As you can see, Norbs, is a major star in most of the pictures, but I've been trying not to make it all about him. Hoping that in a few months or so this entire door will be filled with many fun memories.

Letters to Norby #22

Dear Norby-

Vacation time is almost upon us my little dear! You are about to spend your first (well I mean technically, you were there last year  - just hanging out a little closer to your mom) family vacation to the Cape. We are all super excited to play with you on the beach, especially since your mom keeps sending the most darling photos of you playing in the sand – you happy child you.  It will be so much fun to take you swimming and around town – and to the playgrounds.  I am counting down the minutes until we get to spend some of our famous quality time together.

Hoping it doesn’t rain all week.

Love your favorite auntie