Back East

It's been a few days since we got back from our East Coast trip. ESK is still a bit jet-lagged and has been crankier than usual. We're also concerned because it seems to be effecting her eating. I hope it's just because she's out of sorts.

Our trip East was tiring but a lot of fun. Originally, SK and I made the trip to go to a wedding, but I stayed another week to spend time with friends and family. Both sets of grandparent are in Philly, so it was an effort to make sure everyone got their fill of ESK. Also, I hadn't seen some of my close friends since my wedding more than a year ago. And some of them had not even met ESK!

My sisters also came down to Philly to see ESK. It was such a treat. Little GMK wanted to do everything ESK was doing -- crawling, babbling, sitting in her baby car seat. And SK and I were amazed with her talking ability. All in all a lot of fun.

I also made a quick jaunt up to the Big Apple to see some friends and spend some time with auntie L. It was great to be back in bustling Manhattan, but I have to admit, doing anything in "the city" with a baby is a pain in the butt. I didn't see as many people as I would have liked, or do as many things (like shoppping!) as I had planned, but it was good to be back in my old neighborhood.

In Remembrance

So while I was in New York, I had just put ESK down for a nap in my sister's downtown apartment. All of a sudden, I heard the sound of drums and the wail of a bagpipe. I was kind of annoyed since I thought it might wake ESK up. But then I realized it was a parade in memory of the fallen 9/11 police officers and fire fighters going through the neighborhood. I actually woke ESK up and took her outside to see the parade go by.

I was really moved by the parade and fought back tears a few times. I was a little caught off-guard by my own reaction. It's been six years now since I was standing on a corner on my way to work and I saw the second plane fly over my head and into the tower. I remember I instinctively started running away from the towers and to my office, just to get to a land line (cell phones were not working). I called my mom and then my poor sister RBK at her office, who had to hear me break down over the phone.

For awhile, I was pretty messed up about everything that happened that day, even though I didn't personally know anyone who was killed and I myself did not suffer any bodily harm. I used to get anxious if I saw anything related to planes and graphic pictures of the attack. But I do believe I'm over it. This year, I flew cross-country on September 11 (I didn't realize until I printed out my e-ticket the night before). I believe I'm healed, but there will always be a small corner of my heart that will feel this unexplainable sorrow about that day.