So much to do, so little time

As most of you probably know by now, we will be leaving San Francisco and making a new home for our family in the Boston area. I'm excited about my new job (starting in the fall, you can call me professor!), proximity to many family and friends, and about the adventures and that life will bring in the future. However, the list of what we actually need to accomplish in the next several weeks is daunting. Let's see, we need to......
- pack our stuff
- get our stuff moved
- find a place to live
- Alex: find job
- find a good childcare center for Susannah

and at work:
- publish two papers
- pack and ship my precious reagents to Merrimack College

And of course most of these items encompass a million sub-items. Thinking about too much of this stuff at once is a great way to bring on a panic attack. Significant progress has been made on many of these things, but still, we have a lot to do. I alternate between feeling that everything is completely under control...... to complete and utter freakout mode. Has anyone ever heard of those super crazy type-A moms who take their kids' ritalin as a pharmaceutical "mother's little helper?" (http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Mothers-Turning-to-Prescription-Medication)
Before anyone stages an intervention for me, for the record, I am not suggesting that this is a good idea. But, I certainly can sympathize...

OK, deep breaths, deep breaths...........

On the one hand, I don't think Susannah will be very helpful when it comes to moving, generally speaking (except possibly with unpacking, and even then only if we don't mind our things unpacked completely at random). On the other hand, she helps us keep things in perspective and provides plenty of comic relief. The other day we took a trip to the drug store to pick up a few things...normally a pretty mundane task, right? Not when I bring my little "helper" along! She got bored standing in line at the checkout and when I turned my head for one second, she started making a beeline for the toy aisle, giggling maniacally the whole way. It turned into a slightly protracted chase because I was already holding several things, so it was hard to pick her up. I had to give up my spot in line to chase her down, but luckily everyone behind us seemed quite amused and they were nice enough to insist I reclaim my position in the queue. Susannah's comment on the situation: "Mommy funny!"
There is never a dull moment around here!



(This video has nothing to do with anything, but I love it and had to put it somewhere)

Grala!

Kids come up with all sorts of funny names for their grandparents. A quick Google search came up with many alternatives to regular old "Grandma" and "Grandpa". For Grandpa substitutes, there are many options, including, but not limited to: Gramps, Granddaddy, Grandpappy, and my all-time favorite: Big Paw. Instead of Grandma, there are even more unique and interesting names such as Grammy, Nana, Mami, Boppy, and my other all-time favorite: Big Maw. Well, nowhere on the almighty Google did I ever see "Grala" (pronounced Grah-la), the name that Susannah has given to all of her grandparents. She apparently likes to keep things simple, as this term covers both Grandmas and Grandpas (and, for all we know, all people above a certain age!). Despite the fact that a "Grala" sounds like some kind of odd creature out of a fantasy novel, it seems to be working just fine for now while she gets her pronunciation sorted out.
Both sets of Gralas have visited lately, and Susannah thoroughly enjoyed the loving attention of all of them. The Watters drove all the way from VT in their van and hit San Francisco during Easter weekend. If their legs were feeling stiff from the drive, Susannah definitely helped them get the blood moving, that's for sure! Susannah hasn't seem them since Christmas, but warmed to them very quickly and spent an entire day with Chris and Cynthia while Alex and I went to work.

At the Windmill/tulip garden at Golden Gate park, Easter weekend

More recently, my parents came for a weekend visit. We played tourist and rode the trolley down to Fisherman's Wharf and visited the historic ships at Hyde St. Pier. Susannah had lots of fun running up and down the dock, sticking her head into portholes (see video) and generally making my dad incredibly nervous. After a nice weekend visit, my dad drove back to AZ on his own and was kind enough to leave my mom here for a whole week! This was not only lots of fun, but especially helpful for Alex and I, as this corresponded with a vacation at Susannah's daycare. Oh, the fun they had! To top off the week, my aunt Marka was in town, too. I haven't seen her for a few years, and she has never met Susannah, so we were thrilled to have her over for a quick visit.
Susannah clearly remembers her grandparents, because after they leave she frequently asks about them. Her vocabulary is exploding these days, and she can express herself with simple phrases now, such as "Grala, home?" and "Where Grala?" She also has made the connection that I sometimes call my mom on the phone, because whenever I pick it up to dial, she asks, "Grala, phone?"


Grandma works her magic with the Magnadoodle


Susannah enjoying images of herself in Marka's camera display


Aboard the Balclutha at Hyde St. Pier. Ships Ahoy!