One Crazy Kitten

Princess Tuck is CRAZY! She loves to play so so much. Unfortunately, she really thinks playing is actually fighting, which is actually biting. Good thing she's pretty cute.

In a couple hours, we're taking her to the vet (for real this time. We took her on Wednesday because apparently we have first time parent panic syndrome. Let's not even think about what we will be like with a real baby.)--- We're hoping the vet can give us some good tips on teaching her not to bite us and also help her stop sneezing! Poor little baby. We also want to make sure she has no trace of the Bronx left in her- we've found a couple teeny tiny bugs in our house, which wouldn't be alarming except that we haven't seen a single bug the whole time we've lived here. Until Princess Tuck arrived. Like I said, it's a good thing she's the cutest little Princess ever. So wish us luck! Another adventure with Tucky begins....

Here's a few more pictures of the ever-growing baby. The little scrawny thing is getting a belly now since she eats like such a cute little pig.

Here's some new pictures! We have some videos too, but I have to figure out how to put them up first.

A Family of Three

Say HELLO to baby Tuck!!!

She is our new baby and so so fun.



So far, she has never stopped purring, tried obsessively to eat my muffin for breakfast, took a big long nap on futon, and just played and played and played.


She's pretty smart, so we think she'll be a little troublemaker (she has already gotten through all of our barricades, so apparently it's time for her to have free reign of her new palace).



But she's completely sweet and friendly and really curious.



Mostly, we think that she thinks that she has had an amazing stroke of luck- to be rescued from the streets of the Bronx and brought to an Upper West Side palace with endless food, hiding spots, and view of the Hudson? Now THAT is the life Princess Tuck was meant to have.

Iceberg! Right Ahead!

It is COLD here right now. Like, "you-have-to-run-to-keep-warm-but-not-so-fast-you-fall-down-on-the-ice-covered-streets" cold. Like, "frozen-solid-dog-pee-spilled-coffee-leaky-trash-and-anything-else-unlucky-enough-to-leave-its-warm-receptacle" cold. Like, "icebergs-in-the-Hudson-River" cold. No, really, there are actual icebergs in river. See Exhibit A:
Small ones, yes, but icebergs nonetheless.

But, all that being said, I THINK I still prefer this to the "stick-to-anything-you-touch-because-you're-that-sweaty-and disgusting" heat of July and August. And anyway, a little arctic blast is nothing compared to horror that is the wintry mix. At least it's sunny out, and nothing is pelting my face.

Wintry Mix.....

...which today equals a grey, freezing cold drizzle, with just enough wind to require a death grip on your umbrella, lest it will either bust itself or fly away forever. It's the type of day where someone is getting drenched in "cab-splash" on every street corner and where the wise and the lucky will stay inside, not at a desk, but on a couch, preferably curled up with a book, a kitten, and the last of that holiday nog.

But no, we are made to go out in the dreaded wintry mix, braving the horizontal icy rain, umbrella-destroying gusts, and ever-present threat of tidal wave when a cab passes by.

January, why you gotta be like this? What did we ever do to you?

Another one bites the dust

I'm still wondering how we've already said goodbye to 2008. I mean, sure, I started writing the right date (2009? what?) at work, and I counted down to midnight on the 31st, and I suppose somewhere in my head I can comprehend that it is now January, but I can hardly believe that 2008 passed by us so quickly.

It was a truly incredible year: a first year of an incredible marriage, a promotion at work accompanied by a year of living dangerously (ie- not having a clue at all of how to do my job, but yet, having some kind of success at it), several weddings, pregnancies, engagements, and heartbreaks among friends, a new (AMAZING- have I said it enough yet?) apartment, the end of torture/grad school, and another year counting my blessings for the health, support, and generosity of my family.

As I come down from the high of another perfect Christmas in Colorado, I'm trying to take time to reflect on what I accomplished last year, and what I want for myself in 2009. It's easy to fall into January's emotional rollercoaster- you know, where one moment you're excited and determined to really take on the world this year, and the next you're all crumpled up, wishing for nothing more than another glass of champagne and just one more night of frying bread and vegetables and meat and dipping them in cheese with your family (ok- could just be my family, but you get the idea...).

Eric and I talk all the time about all the things we want to do- travel, run a marathon, keep our apartment clean, to name only a few- but we tried on our loser New Year's Eve to come up with a few resolutions that we can really accomplish, and maybe change small parts of ourselves for good. First, I'd like to revisit my list of "rules" I posted several months ago:

1. It is what it is.
2. Think for yourself.
3. Show up (on time).
4. Finish what you start.
5. Play hard, play fair.
6. Clear your desk every day (editor's note- have you seen my desk??? this is going to be the hardest one I think...)
7. Don't complain (editor's note- even about grad school.)
8. Be brave, be bold, let not your heart grow old.
9. (editor's personal addition) Sing, dance, floss, travel.

So every now and then I think about these, and, you know, I think I'm doing ok! I'm the QUEEN of "It is what it is." No sense in freaking out about something that is done. Or happening. Or beyond my control. Try it sometime.

I've been flossing, traveling, singing to my ipod, and dancing in my living room like a fool. So that one's good to go.

I think I play hard and fair. And I think I'm at least a little brave and bold.

Now the rest? The rest leave room for continous work. Let's check in again next year. At least, it gives me something to strive for!

So now that I write those out, it turns out I don't need any more resolutions! That's enough to keep me busy forever! But, I promised the short list of the Vierhaus goals for 2009, so I must deliver (see rule #4.):

Here we go, 2009!
Be better friends (and son, daughter, and sister). You guys better get ready for us to actually answer the phone! And even call you sometimes!

Send cards and presents when we're supposed to.

Eat and drink (just a little) less. (We don't want to be lame-o's--- we just want to give our livers and tum tums a small break, to help us avoid feeling like crap. Seems simple enough.)

Find a new hobby. Now that we don't have to use our minds to survive grad school, we need to keep those things sharp. Any suggestions?


And that's that. Don't worry, this is not the official send off for 2008- you can still expect a good blog about the Hoerl/Strietelmeier/Vierhaus Christmas Escapades (as soon as I can figure out a way to effectively sum up the fun), but this is definitely the kick off for 2009. Which, hopefully, will be the most inspiring, interesting, and hilarious year yet.