Posts
I know I've complained about the dogs before, especially our recent bouts with jealousy and the baby. I have to admit, though, this little laugh makes all that annoying stuff totally worth it.
If you make it all the way to the end, you'll also get to hear Murray's patented snort. He makes that noise all. night. long.
Seriously, though, doesn't that laugh make you want to cry? The sweetness melts me. I'll do whatever it takes to get that laugh.
By the way, this video is taken in a hotel in Rochester, NY, because we've been traveling AGAIN. I am in dire need of a couple of weeks at home, and hopefully I'll be able to get those over the next month or so.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
talk about being disconnected...
Life with a baby is tiring, I've discovered. Most days I feel fantastic, head over heels in love, wondering how life could get any better. The next day, I might be exhausted and overwhelmed, dreaming about one complete night of sleep, trying to figure out how I am going to stay awake until 9pm. I guess this is typical, but it makes for a lackluster blog, I'm sorry to say. I started and stopped about 4 posts about how little sleep I was getting, but they all seemed so boring, and I was so freaking tired, that I never finished any of them, and now it all seems to complicated that I feel exhausted just trying to think about writing it all out.
Suffice to say, Gabe used to sleep, then all of a sudden he didn't. It got to the point that he woke up every half-hour to forty-five minutes for two days straight, and I almost lost my mind. I talked to a friend of mine, who in grand fashion scared the ever-loving daylights out of me by saying that I'd officially screwed Gabe up forever and he'd never sleep again, so I instituted Baby Boot Camp. Baby Boot Camp is just a fancy way to say that I finally put together a schedule for Gabriel. He'd been going to bed and waking up at any old time, and I guess that wasn't working for him.
Now we get up at a reasonable time, take 3 naps a day (at least), and try to go to bed at a reasonable time. This way, he is in a better mood, and he sleeps for longer stretches at nighttime. He also eats more in the daytime, which he hadn't been doing, a fact that I'm sure was contributing to the lack of nighttime sleep. We also instituted a blankie/lovey (a fuzzy brown blanket with a bear head and feet) and convinced Gabe that he really did want a pacifier. All those things helped.
We're back in California, though, first for a wedding, then for a week of travel with the inlaws in Lake Tahoe, and now for a few day of visiting my parents, and his schedule is all screwed up again. So what am I doing? I'm up at 2:30, of course, writing this blog post, instead of sleeping. It's what all the cool kids are doing, didn't you know?
In all seriousness, though, life is good. Gabriel is wonderful and sweet and adorable and all cooey and smiley and delectable. He has extended his skills to being able to put all his toes in his mouth, and he spends a good chunk of the day loudly slurping on his big toe. It is one of the cutest things I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. Josh graduates from business school on Saturday, and I can hardly believe that we've made it through his two years of school. Two years without working, two years of me supporting him, two years of not knowing what our future would be. I am so proud of him.
I'm also trying to figure out my own future, and that has been weighing on me these days. I have moments of crushing insecurity about what I should be doing, both with my career and with Gabriel. Why didn't anyone tell me what a whirlwind motherhood was? Or maybe you did and I just didn't listen. Someone slipped it in when they told me to try to sleep before he arrived, right? I'm working on a blog post to parcel through all my thoughts and get yours. We are flying back on Thursday, and I'll try to put that together soon.
In the meanwhile, I hope that you are all doing well, and that everyone's mother's days were wonderful and sweet. Gabriel came through in grand style, and got me a lovely card that made me cry. A necklace too, but best of all, he's been giving me great gummy smiles and slobbery kisses and those are worth more than everything else combined.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
rrrrrrr... a parent bloggers review
Parent Bloggers Review
I grew up speaking Spanish. In fact, Spanish was my first language because my parents didn’t speak much English when I came along. I learned the little bits of English that they knew from them, and then learned more in school and of course, from television. I went through different stages during my childhood of refusing to speak Spanish or being embarrassed to speak Spanish in front of friends. When I was 10, though, we took a trip for 3 months to Argentina to visit all of our family and friends, and since then, I’ve been enraptured with the language. All of a sudden, I realized what being bilingual meant. Since then, I’ve worked to keep up the language, including studying there in high school, college and law school, each for a semester. I’ve tried to get back to Argentina whenever possible, and Josh even took an immersion trip to Costa Rica 2 years ago in the hopes that he’d be able to speak Spanish fluently in the future.
It appears that Gabriel is also working on being bilingual. At least, he’s been gargling and gurgling so much, that my mother in law asked me the other day if he was practicing rolling his r’s. I doubt that, but I certainly have been working to make sure that he will also grow up bilingual. And trust me, this is harder than it sounds. I have to remind myself constantly to speak to him in Spanish, even when Josh is around. I have also been buying books and music CD’s in Spanish so that when we read and sing together, he will constantly be exposed to the language.
When the Parent Bloggers asked me to review the Boca Beth language program, I was excited. Gabriel is still too young at 4 and a half months to give me much of an indication as to whether he likes the products, but I tried them out myself to see what I thought. The Boca Beth set that we received included a DVD called “I like animals”, music CD, coloring activity book, Boca puppet and maraca. All of these products come in a set that retails for $29.99.
The first thing we tried out was the musical CD, along with the props. I tried mimicking the songs from the CD with the Boca puppet. Gabriel was a fan, and I agreed that Boca was pretty cute, with bright colors and ease of maneuverability. The maraca was also a hit with Gabe, although his rhythm was a bit off. The CD had 15 songs that included phrases in both English and Spanish, often directly translated one after the other. The same song might include one sentence in English, followed by the same sentence in Spanish, or vice versa. The songs were catchy and not too long, and I was able to get through a few of them before Gabriel lost interest (not bad for a 4 month old, I’d say). I didn’t love the CD, though, mainly because I would have preferred a full song in each language, or at least a full section of each song in the different languages. Since almost every sentence was in a different language, I thought it could be a little confusing for a non-native speaker. I worry that it might not be totally clear whether each sentence is a repetition of the previous sentence in the other language, or whether it is just a continuation of the song. I did think the songs were fun for kids, though, and as long as you were clear on how the songs were structured, you’d definitely learn Spanish from the CD.
The DVD won me over, though. Gabe doesn’t watch TV yet, but when he does, I’m sure he’ll love the DVD. I believe that the best way to learn another language is by seeing language in context, live and in action, and that is what the DVD does. The DVD is interesting enough to keep a child’s attention, and included quite a bit of vocabulary and language. The DVD’s description boasted 200 vocabulary words and 85 phrases. Not too shabby for one DVD, that’s for sure. Animals are featured throughout, with their names in both Spanish and English, along with descriptive sentences in each language. I also loved the fact that Gabriel will hear grammar and other words besides just the names of the animals. I may even try to imitate that structure when I teach him other words in Spanish and English in the future.
The coloring book was cute, but definitely too old for a baby. I did show it to my 7 year old nephew and almost 4 year old niece, and they both seemed interested in learning the different Spanish words featured in the book. I was pleased to see that the products will apparently appeal to a broad range of ages. Once Gabriel is old enough to understand a little more, I suspect we’ll be using the whole set of products for quite some time.
My overall feeling about the products is that they will definitely come in handy if you’d like to introduce a foreign language to your child. Obviously, they can’t do it all by themselves, but the DVD and CD could certainly spark an interest in Spanish in your child. All the products appear to be entertaining for children, and I’d definitely recommend it to friends.
If you’re interested in checking out one of the Boca Beth sets, leave a comment on Parent Bloggers for a chance to win a free copy!
I grew up speaking Spanish. In fact, Spanish was my first language because my parents didn’t speak much English when I came along. I learned the little bits of English that they knew from them, and then learned more in school and of course, from television. I went through different stages during my childhood of refusing to speak Spanish or being embarrassed to speak Spanish in front of friends. When I was 10, though, we took a trip for 3 months to Argentina to visit all of our family and friends, and since then, I’ve been enraptured with the language. All of a sudden, I realized what being bilingual meant. Since then, I’ve worked to keep up the language, including studying there in high school, college and law school, each for a semester. I’ve tried to get back to Argentina whenever possible, and Josh even took an immersion trip to Costa Rica 2 years ago in the hopes that he’d be able to speak Spanish fluently in the future.
It appears that Gabriel is also working on being bilingual. At least, he’s been gargling and gurgling so much, that my mother in law asked me the other day if he was practicing rolling his r’s. I doubt that, but I certainly have been working to make sure that he will also grow up bilingual. And trust me, this is harder than it sounds. I have to remind myself constantly to speak to him in Spanish, even when Josh is around. I have also been buying books and music CD’s in Spanish so that when we read and sing together, he will constantly be exposed to the language.
When the Parent Bloggers asked me to review the Boca Beth language program, I was excited. Gabriel is still too young at 4 and a half months to give me much of an indication as to whether he likes the products, but I tried them out myself to see what I thought. The Boca Beth set that we received included a DVD called “I like animals”, music CD, coloring activity book, Boca puppet and maraca. All of these products come in a set that retails for $29.99.
The first thing we tried out was the musical CD, along with the props. I tried mimicking the songs from the CD with the Boca puppet. Gabriel was a fan, and I agreed that Boca was pretty cute, with bright colors and ease of maneuverability. The maraca was also a hit with Gabe, although his rhythm was a bit off. The CD had 15 songs that included phrases in both English and Spanish, often directly translated one after the other. The same song might include one sentence in English, followed by the same sentence in Spanish, or vice versa. The songs were catchy and not too long, and I was able to get through a few of them before Gabriel lost interest (not bad for a 4 month old, I’d say). I didn’t love the CD, though, mainly because I would have preferred a full song in each language, or at least a full section of each song in the different languages. Since almost every sentence was in a different language, I thought it could be a little confusing for a non-native speaker. I worry that it might not be totally clear whether each sentence is a repetition of the previous sentence in the other language, or whether it is just a continuation of the song. I did think the songs were fun for kids, though, and as long as you were clear on how the songs were structured, you’d definitely learn Spanish from the CD.
The DVD won me over, though. Gabe doesn’t watch TV yet, but when he does, I’m sure he’ll love the DVD. I believe that the best way to learn another language is by seeing language in context, live and in action, and that is what the DVD does. The DVD is interesting enough to keep a child’s attention, and included quite a bit of vocabulary and language. The DVD’s description boasted 200 vocabulary words and 85 phrases. Not too shabby for one DVD, that’s for sure. Animals are featured throughout, with their names in both Spanish and English, along with descriptive sentences in each language. I also loved the fact that Gabriel will hear grammar and other words besides just the names of the animals. I may even try to imitate that structure when I teach him other words in Spanish and English in the future.
The coloring book was cute, but definitely too old for a baby. I did show it to my 7 year old nephew and almost 4 year old niece, and they both seemed interested in learning the different Spanish words featured in the book. I was pleased to see that the products will apparently appeal to a broad range of ages. Once Gabriel is old enough to understand a little more, I suspect we’ll be using the whole set of products for quite some time.
My overall feeling about the products is that they will definitely come in handy if you’d like to introduce a foreign language to your child. Obviously, they can’t do it all by themselves, but the DVD and CD could certainly spark an interest in Spanish in your child. All the products appear to be entertaining for children, and I’d definitely recommend it to friends.
If you’re interested in checking out one of the Boca Beth sets, leave a comment on Parent Bloggers for a chance to win a free copy!
Monday, April 30, 2007
4 months
Dear Gabriel,
This month you've been on a roll. Literally. First you rolled from your stomach onto your back while visiting your Bubbi and Saba in Florida. Since then, you've repeated the trick a couple of times. Then you rolled yourself from your back to your stomach while I was trying to change your diaper. You kicked your feet up, got yourself onto your side, then stretched out your legs quickly, and your momentum carried you over and onto your stomach. Frankly, you looked a little shocked at your new position. So was I. The other day I walked away from the couch where I'd laid you down, and came back to find half of your body hanging off of the edge. I guess that is why everyone warns you never to leave your baby unattended. Lesson noted.
This month has been full of new experiences for you. You got to spend quality time with each of your grandparents and your aunt for the first time in your short life, and you got to meet your uncle and cousins for the first time also. Your cousins loved you, of course, and kept fighting over who would be allowed to hold you and when. I suggested that you all take a bath together, and I've never seen them move faster. Your Bubbi and Aunt spent every night making you laugh out loud- big guffaws of laughter at their antics. Your Nonna spent her every available second making you smile and smothering you with kisses. You are so very loved, sweet boy.
You went to the beach for the first time, although you didn't actually touch the sand or the ocean. Baby steps, I say. You did go swimming in a pool with your Daddy, though, and based on your reaction, you might have been a fish in a past life. You oohed and ahhed at all the new sensations. You spent time barefoot in Florida, and stared for minutes on end at your toes. Your hands are even more fascinating. You had your first outing with your Daddy, and I left you at home for the first time. You also watched some of your first Red Sox games. Your Daddy will tell you that those were your most important milestones thus far.
To be fair, you also made me suffer through some of the worst nights of sleep we've had so far. After all that travel, whatever semblance of a schedule we had was completely lost, and for two weeks straight you progressively woke up more and more often, until you woke up every half-hour to forty-five minutes for two nights straight. It felt like having a newborn again, except that you never slept that little as a newborn! After those two nights, I put you into Baby Boot Camp, and you've been fabulous since. Baby Boot Camp is just a fancy name for a schedule, and you seem very grateful to be waking up, taking naps, and going to bed at a reasonable time. It took your Mommy a little while to learn that our loosy-goosy schedule wasn't working for you. Forgive me, I haven't done this before.
This month I discovered something new, though. Something I should have known all along. Something that I guess was rather obvious. I discovered that you love me and you need me. I'd assumed up until now that although you clearly like me, and of course you look to me for food, you found everyone to be pretty interchangeable. Thankfully, it turns out I'm wrong. You stop fussing instantly at the sound of my voice, as soon as I reach out my arms, before I've even picked you up. I lean down to give you kisses and you open your mouth wide to try and kiss me back. If I laugh at you, you laugh back, deeply. You smile at me all the time. You play peek a boo with me, and duck your head down as if you are playing shy. You are the cutest thing ever, and I wish I could bottle you up to keep you with me all the time.
I can't believe you've only been with us for four months, but I also can't believe that a quarter of a year has passed already. Wasn't I waiting for your arrival just yesterday? You are so. much. fun. Having you in our lives is pure unadulterated, unequivocal joy. I beg life to stand still so that I can burn these days into my memory.
I love you. Your Daddy loves you. We couldn't live without you.
Love,
Mommy
This month you've been on a roll. Literally. First you rolled from your stomach onto your back while visiting your Bubbi and Saba in Florida. Since then, you've repeated the trick a couple of times. Then you rolled yourself from your back to your stomach while I was trying to change your diaper. You kicked your feet up, got yourself onto your side, then stretched out your legs quickly, and your momentum carried you over and onto your stomach. Frankly, you looked a little shocked at your new position. So was I. The other day I walked away from the couch where I'd laid you down, and came back to find half of your body hanging off of the edge. I guess that is why everyone warns you never to leave your baby unattended. Lesson noted.
This month has been full of new experiences for you. You got to spend quality time with each of your grandparents and your aunt for the first time in your short life, and you got to meet your uncle and cousins for the first time also. Your cousins loved you, of course, and kept fighting over who would be allowed to hold you and when. I suggested that you all take a bath together, and I've never seen them move faster. Your Bubbi and Aunt spent every night making you laugh out loud- big guffaws of laughter at their antics. Your Nonna spent her every available second making you smile and smothering you with kisses. You are so very loved, sweet boy.
You went to the beach for the first time, although you didn't actually touch the sand or the ocean. Baby steps, I say. You did go swimming in a pool with your Daddy, though, and based on your reaction, you might have been a fish in a past life. You oohed and ahhed at all the new sensations. You spent time barefoot in Florida, and stared for minutes on end at your toes. Your hands are even more fascinating. You had your first outing with your Daddy, and I left you at home for the first time. You also watched some of your first Red Sox games. Your Daddy will tell you that those were your most important milestones thus far.
To be fair, you also made me suffer through some of the worst nights of sleep we've had so far. After all that travel, whatever semblance of a schedule we had was completely lost, and for two weeks straight you progressively woke up more and more often, until you woke up every half-hour to forty-five minutes for two nights straight. It felt like having a newborn again, except that you never slept that little as a newborn! After those two nights, I put you into Baby Boot Camp, and you've been fabulous since. Baby Boot Camp is just a fancy name for a schedule, and you seem very grateful to be waking up, taking naps, and going to bed at a reasonable time. It took your Mommy a little while to learn that our loosy-goosy schedule wasn't working for you. Forgive me, I haven't done this before.
This month I discovered something new, though. Something I should have known all along. Something that I guess was rather obvious. I discovered that you love me and you need me. I'd assumed up until now that although you clearly like me, and of course you look to me for food, you found everyone to be pretty interchangeable. Thankfully, it turns out I'm wrong. You stop fussing instantly at the sound of my voice, as soon as I reach out my arms, before I've even picked you up. I lean down to give you kisses and you open your mouth wide to try and kiss me back. If I laugh at you, you laugh back, deeply. You smile at me all the time. You play peek a boo with me, and duck your head down as if you are playing shy. You are the cutest thing ever, and I wish I could bottle you up to keep you with me all the time.
I can't believe you've only been with us for four months, but I also can't believe that a quarter of a year has passed already. Wasn't I waiting for your arrival just yesterday? You are so. much. fun. Having you in our lives is pure unadulterated, unequivocal joy. I beg life to stand still so that I can burn these days into my memory.
I love you. Your Daddy loves you. We couldn't live without you.
Love,
Mommy
Thursday, April 19, 2007
we hate germs
Gabe and I have our first colds today. I've been watching him like a hawk to see if he feels sick, but besides keeping me up all night whining, he seems fine. I, however, am coughing and have lost my voice, and my throat hurts and I feel generally achy. Now I feel like whining, especially about the fact that I got no sleep thanks to my little whiner.
I can't figure out what is going on with him and sleep. I'm assuming that last night's disaster was related to this cold, but we've had some bad nights lately. For a while we were on a great schedule where he would sleep a solid 6 or 7 hours (once 8 and a half!), wake up for 10 minutes to nurse, and then go back down for another 5 hours or so. But for the past week and a half, that schedule has been nonexistent. I'm lucky if I can get him to sleep 5 hours in the first stretch, and then it is 3 hour stretches after that. I feel like we are in the newborn days all over again.
I've tried pumping and feeding him a bottle, and not pumping and breastfeeding him directly. I've tried putting him to sleep in his bassinet and then in his crib. I've tried a blanket, I've tried pajamas, and last night I tried layered pajamas in case he was cold. I've tried putting him to sleep early, and I've tried putting him to sleep late. He seems to do better when I put him to sleep later, and by later I mean around 11pm or midnight, but that seems so absurdly late, I worry that it can't be a good bedtime for him. At this point, I'm thinking that the problem is that his schedule is all over the place. So I think I'm going to pick something and stick with it for a while to see if his sleep improves.
It could also be the fact that we've been traveling all over the place, first to California, then to Florida, then my mom was here, and now she left. Maybe he is thrown off by the number of changes we've been undergoing. I'll let you know if I see any improvements.
In unrelated exciting news, Gabriel rolled over for the first time in Florida from his stomach to his back! It was such a surprise! Since then, he's done it 2 more times, both of them by accident. Then yesterday, he rolled over from back to front! It also looked like an accident, frankly, but I suppose that's how it always starts. He rolled himself onto his side, and then suddenly straightened his legs out and scooched himself forward and he ended up on his stomach. He looked up at me with this shocked look, as if asking, "what just happened here?"
This kid seriously wants to MOVE. It scares me a little, especially knowing that both Josh and I walked at 9 months. I'm planning on knocking him over if he starts trying to stand up. When I sit him in his bouncy seat, he spends a good amount of time trying to pull himself into a sitting position, so it looks like he is doing crunches in his seat. When I put him on his stomach, he flails about madly, trying to reach everything around him and can even get himself to move a few centimeters.
Just to show you that we actually do something besides sit here admiring this baby, Josh got a job. A real job. Which means that when he graduates from business school next month, he will have an actual paying job and I will no longer be supporting the whole family on my own. I am excited, to say the least. The best part of it is that this job was his first choice. Family friendly, interesting work, consulting (which he loves), but not much travel (which we both hate). So things around here are happy happy happy.
Also, now that I've convinced Gabe to nap, I'm able to read more books and I'd love recommendations. I am finishing up this book, and I recently read this book and this book. I loved them all. Suggestions?
I mean, I can't spend all day sitting around staring at this gorgeous face, although I'd like to.
I can't figure out what is going on with him and sleep. I'm assuming that last night's disaster was related to this cold, but we've had some bad nights lately. For a while we were on a great schedule where he would sleep a solid 6 or 7 hours (once 8 and a half!), wake up for 10 minutes to nurse, and then go back down for another 5 hours or so. But for the past week and a half, that schedule has been nonexistent. I'm lucky if I can get him to sleep 5 hours in the first stretch, and then it is 3 hour stretches after that. I feel like we are in the newborn days all over again.
I've tried pumping and feeding him a bottle, and not pumping and breastfeeding him directly. I've tried putting him to sleep in his bassinet and then in his crib. I've tried a blanket, I've tried pajamas, and last night I tried layered pajamas in case he was cold. I've tried putting him to sleep early, and I've tried putting him to sleep late. He seems to do better when I put him to sleep later, and by later I mean around 11pm or midnight, but that seems so absurdly late, I worry that it can't be a good bedtime for him. At this point, I'm thinking that the problem is that his schedule is all over the place. So I think I'm going to pick something and stick with it for a while to see if his sleep improves.
It could also be the fact that we've been traveling all over the place, first to California, then to Florida, then my mom was here, and now she left. Maybe he is thrown off by the number of changes we've been undergoing. I'll let you know if I see any improvements.
In unrelated exciting news, Gabriel rolled over for the first time in Florida from his stomach to his back! It was such a surprise! Since then, he's done it 2 more times, both of them by accident. Then yesterday, he rolled over from back to front! It also looked like an accident, frankly, but I suppose that's how it always starts. He rolled himself onto his side, and then suddenly straightened his legs out and scooched himself forward and he ended up on his stomach. He looked up at me with this shocked look, as if asking, "what just happened here?"
This kid seriously wants to MOVE. It scares me a little, especially knowing that both Josh and I walked at 9 months. I'm planning on knocking him over if he starts trying to stand up. When I sit him in his bouncy seat, he spends a good amount of time trying to pull himself into a sitting position, so it looks like he is doing crunches in his seat. When I put him on his stomach, he flails about madly, trying to reach everything around him and can even get himself to move a few centimeters.
Just to show you that we actually do something besides sit here admiring this baby, Josh got a job. A real job. Which means that when he graduates from business school next month, he will have an actual paying job and I will no longer be supporting the whole family on my own. I am excited, to say the least. The best part of it is that this job was his first choice. Family friendly, interesting work, consulting (which he loves), but not much travel (which we both hate). So things around here are happy happy happy.
Also, now that I've convinced Gabe to nap, I'm able to read more books and I'd love recommendations. I am finishing up this book, and I recently read this book and this book. I loved them all. Suggestions?
I mean, I can't spend all day sitting around staring at this gorgeous face, although I'd like to.
Monday, April 09, 2007
3 months (very belated)
Dear Gabriel,
I'm very late in writing this month's letter, but I do have a good excuse. This month you took your first flight, and then your second flight, and then your third flight- all within three weeks. You visited your Nonna and Nonno in California while your Daddy went to Russia on a school trip, and then you visited your Bubbi and Saba in Florida for the holidays. It's a shame the airline won't give you a frequent flier number for traveling on my lap, because you'd be halfway to a free ticket by now.
I've also been avoiding thinking about this letter, because hitting three months old means that you are no longer considered a newborn. You're an infant now. I'm sure you'll laugh when you can read this, because the difference might seem silly to you. To me, though, it seems like night and day. My blobby, sweet, calm newborn is gone. In his place is a smiling, bubbly, chatty baby. A baby with rolls and dimples, a baby that doesn't have the jerky movements of a newborn, a baby that lights up when I walk into a room.
You laughed for the first time this month. You babble in response to my conversation. You prop yourself up on your arms and kick your feet during tummy time. You've found your hands and watch them intently for minutes on end. One day you could only stare up at your toys, the next day you could swat at them, and the next day you reached up and grabbed them. Watching you is like watching miracles take place. I can almost see your brain making new connections every day, and I am so grateful for this gift.
I guess that every mother thinks her baby is the most beautiful, wonderful, sweetest baby who ever graced the earth, and this mother is no different. I find you remarkable and marvelous and I smother you with kisses all day. I would think you would become annoyed at the attention, but instead you become very still and melt into my arms as I pepper you with tiny kisses. Your Nonna says that you almost deflate in my arms- you obviously recognize and enjoy the love. You've even started opening your mouth as I bend over you to give you a kiss or to press my cheek against yours. You will screech and giggle if I bend over slowly and hesitate before giving you a snuggle.
Your daddy was away from you for two long weeks while he went on his school trip to Russia, and it was terrible for the three of us to have to be apart. I worried that perhaps you would forget who he was, but the second he picked us up at the airport, your little face lit up and you began your stream of chatter. You love your daddy, and trust me sweet boy, the feeling is mutual. He can't get enough of you.
I saw one of my childhood friends while we were in California, and she is pregnant with her first child. She asked me whether all this was worth it, whether I liked being a mother. I paused for a moment to answer, and felt my eyes fill with tears. I understood in that second what everyone tried to tell me when I was pregnant, that what awaited her was this magical, amazing thing that couldn't be put into words. I can't wait for her to discover it too.
My life was wonderful before, but this life is incomparable. You've made your father and me so happy. Our days are filled with laughter. Thank you for being you, sweet boy.
We love you,
Mommy
I'm very late in writing this month's letter, but I do have a good excuse. This month you took your first flight, and then your second flight, and then your third flight- all within three weeks. You visited your Nonna and Nonno in California while your Daddy went to Russia on a school trip, and then you visited your Bubbi and Saba in Florida for the holidays. It's a shame the airline won't give you a frequent flier number for traveling on my lap, because you'd be halfway to a free ticket by now.
I've also been avoiding thinking about this letter, because hitting three months old means that you are no longer considered a newborn. You're an infant now. I'm sure you'll laugh when you can read this, because the difference might seem silly to you. To me, though, it seems like night and day. My blobby, sweet, calm newborn is gone. In his place is a smiling, bubbly, chatty baby. A baby with rolls and dimples, a baby that doesn't have the jerky movements of a newborn, a baby that lights up when I walk into a room.
You laughed for the first time this month. You babble in response to my conversation. You prop yourself up on your arms and kick your feet during tummy time. You've found your hands and watch them intently for minutes on end. One day you could only stare up at your toys, the next day you could swat at them, and the next day you reached up and grabbed them. Watching you is like watching miracles take place. I can almost see your brain making new connections every day, and I am so grateful for this gift.
I guess that every mother thinks her baby is the most beautiful, wonderful, sweetest baby who ever graced the earth, and this mother is no different. I find you remarkable and marvelous and I smother you with kisses all day. I would think you would become annoyed at the attention, but instead you become very still and melt into my arms as I pepper you with tiny kisses. Your Nonna says that you almost deflate in my arms- you obviously recognize and enjoy the love. You've even started opening your mouth as I bend over you to give you a kiss or to press my cheek against yours. You will screech and giggle if I bend over slowly and hesitate before giving you a snuggle.
Your daddy was away from you for two long weeks while he went on his school trip to Russia, and it was terrible for the three of us to have to be apart. I worried that perhaps you would forget who he was, but the second he picked us up at the airport, your little face lit up and you began your stream of chatter. You love your daddy, and trust me sweet boy, the feeling is mutual. He can't get enough of you.
I saw one of my childhood friends while we were in California, and she is pregnant with her first child. She asked me whether all this was worth it, whether I liked being a mother. I paused for a moment to answer, and felt my eyes fill with tears. I understood in that second what everyone tried to tell me when I was pregnant, that what awaited her was this magical, amazing thing that couldn't be put into words. I can't wait for her to discover it too.
My life was wonderful before, but this life is incomparable. You've made your father and me so happy. Our days are filled with laughter. Thank you for being you, sweet boy.
We love you,
Mommy
Sunday, April 08, 2007
parenting is a humbling experience
I have this thing about babies without shoes or socks. It bugs me. It's a little weird, I know. I'm fine with babies or toddlers barefoot in parks, I'm certainly okay with them barefoot at home or in your yard. When I see babies or toddlers running around Target or the grocery store barefoot, though, or running around in restaurants barefoot, it makes me cringe. Josh finds this endlessly amusing, and is quick to point out any children in the vicinity without socks, just to hear my diatribe on the subject.
This means, of course, that poor Gabriel gets very little sockless time to hang out. In fact,
we were in Florida this week and he became mesmerized by the sight of his toes while we sat outside in the sun. You see, he'd never really seen them before except during changes or baths. He is seriously toe-deprived.
Anyway, we were flying back from our visit with Josh's parents for Passover in Florida. The plane started its initial boarding, and I realized that I'd better change his diaper quickly before we got on the plane without a changing table. I rushed him into the family restroom at the Tampa airport and left Josh with the stroller and the food we'd bought for the flight. I pulled off the bottom of Gabriel's pajamas and unsnapped his diaper and started wiping quickly. I looked to my right to grab the clean diaper and realized that my hands were getting wet. Yup, he started peeing. All over me, all over himself, all over the wall and changing table, including the toy I'd handed him to entertain him during the diaper change. I pulled the dirty diaper out from under him to cover the stream of pee, and heard another horrifying sound.
He pooped. All over me, all over his clothes, and all over the changing table. I took one look at the mess, and pulled out my cell phone to tell Josh to book it over to the bathroom because I needed another pair of hands. In the meantime, the poop was spreading slowly underneath Gabe and across the table. Josh didn't answer, of course, so cursing wildly, I started the slow process of mopping up the mess.
I peeled off Gabe's socks, his onesie, his outfit, I took off the changing pad, recovered the table with paper towels, one-handed I wiped Gabe down and put him back down on the semi-clean table. I scrambled to get the clean diaper on him before he gave me another little present, and then I realized that over the loudspeaker they were announcing the final boarding call for our flight.
There I was, baby only semi-clean, clad only in a diaper, with a hand full of dirty pooped and peed on clothes, with only a diaper bag and a blanket with me, and the emergency change of clothes sitting in the basket underneath the stroller at the gate with Josh.
So I picked up my semi-clean, semi-naked baby, and wrapped the dirty clothes in a paper towel, and ran out of the bathroom and over to the gate, where they were ominously announcing over the loudspeaker that this was REALLY the last boarding call for flight 1861.
And then I boarded the plane. With my naked, dirty baby. All the way down the aisle until our seat. Wrapped in only a blanket, while several people exclaimed out loud when I walked by that my baby was naked. They couldn't smell him, so they didn't know he was also relatively unclean.
All I can say about the whole experience, is that I will never look askance at the barefoot babies again. I have learned my lesson. And a bit of humility in the process, too.
This means, of course, that poor Gabriel gets very little sockless time to hang out. In fact,
we were in Florida this week and he became mesmerized by the sight of his toes while we sat outside in the sun. You see, he'd never really seen them before except during changes or baths. He is seriously toe-deprived.
Anyway, we were flying back from our visit with Josh's parents for Passover in Florida. The plane started its initial boarding, and I realized that I'd better change his diaper quickly before we got on the plane without a changing table. I rushed him into the family restroom at the Tampa airport and left Josh with the stroller and the food we'd bought for the flight. I pulled off the bottom of Gabriel's pajamas and unsnapped his diaper and started wiping quickly. I looked to my right to grab the clean diaper and realized that my hands were getting wet. Yup, he started peeing. All over me, all over himself, all over the wall and changing table, including the toy I'd handed him to entertain him during the diaper change. I pulled the dirty diaper out from under him to cover the stream of pee, and heard another horrifying sound.
He pooped. All over me, all over his clothes, and all over the changing table. I took one look at the mess, and pulled out my cell phone to tell Josh to book it over to the bathroom because I needed another pair of hands. In the meantime, the poop was spreading slowly underneath Gabe and across the table. Josh didn't answer, of course, so cursing wildly, I started the slow process of mopping up the mess.
I peeled off Gabe's socks, his onesie, his outfit, I took off the changing pad, recovered the table with paper towels, one-handed I wiped Gabe down and put him back down on the semi-clean table. I scrambled to get the clean diaper on him before he gave me another little present, and then I realized that over the loudspeaker they were announcing the final boarding call for our flight.
There I was, baby only semi-clean, clad only in a diaper, with a hand full of dirty pooped and peed on clothes, with only a diaper bag and a blanket with me, and the emergency change of clothes sitting in the basket underneath the stroller at the gate with Josh.
So I picked up my semi-clean, semi-naked baby, and wrapped the dirty clothes in a paper towel, and ran out of the bathroom and over to the gate, where they were ominously announcing over the loudspeaker that this was REALLY the last boarding call for flight 1861.
And then I boarded the plane. With my naked, dirty baby. All the way down the aisle until our seat. Wrapped in only a blanket, while several people exclaimed out loud when I walked by that my baby was naked. They couldn't smell him, so they didn't know he was also relatively unclean.
All I can say about the whole experience, is that I will never look askance at the barefoot babies again. I have learned my lesson. And a bit of humility in the process, too.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
A traveling one, that is.
I mentioned a couple of posts ago that I was traveling to visit the parents with Gabriel and both dogs, baby on my lap and dogs as carry-on. I was slightly concerned about how I would manage to fly with all three of my boys. It did feel a little circus-like, I admit.
I pushed Gabe in his stroller with the diaper bag hanging at one end and carried the dogs in a bag. When it came time to go onto the plane, I'd switch Gabe to the sling, pack the dogs into the stroller, then get to the end of the walkway, take the dogs out of the stroller and try to break down the stroller with Gabe hanging from my mid-section. I hit him a couple of times in the head with the handles of the stroller, unfortunately. Once I had the stroller broken down, I'd carry everyone onto the plane, slide the dogs under the seat, try to shove my diaper bag under there also, and then juggle Gabe in the never-ending minutes until the plane took off. I thought that was the hardest part, keeping him happy until the plane finally took off. I stood him up, sat him down, sang to him, made him look over my shoulder, out the window, at his blanket, and so on and so on until I could finally feed him close to take-off.
All my worry ended up being for nothing, though, because he slept for both flights. First from Boston to Atlanta, and then Atlanta to San Francisco. He hardly made a peep on both flights, and the dogs were also model citizens. I was terribly relieved.
Since then, our trip has been fun and fairly uneventful. We had some mishaps with the time change with Gabriel waking up at 6am for the first couple of days, but we're fine now. He also seems a bit out of sorts when we go out too much, so I've had to curtail activities, but that doesn't bother me. Other than that, we are having a great time.
Gabriel is changing by the day, which is almost scary. It has been almost 2 weeks since Josh saw him since he went to Russia for a school trip (hence the reason for our visit to California without him). I think Josh is going to find a completely different baby in his place when he picks us up from the airport. Gabe is cooing and laughing and interacting 100 times more than he was before. I've taken tons of pictures, and I can't wait to share them with you once we are home and I can connect to the computer.
My biggest problem is that I have had a touch of insomnia since I've been here, and I end up staying awake until 2am or later and then of course Gabriel wakes up around 4am and I feel like I'm not sleeping enough. I'm looking forward to climbing into my own bed with Josh and getting back to a regular routine. I'm also looking forward to a house that doesn't have a dial-up internet connection. Ick. Hope you are all well!
I pushed Gabe in his stroller with the diaper bag hanging at one end and carried the dogs in a bag. When it came time to go onto the plane, I'd switch Gabe to the sling, pack the dogs into the stroller, then get to the end of the walkway, take the dogs out of the stroller and try to break down the stroller with Gabe hanging from my mid-section. I hit him a couple of times in the head with the handles of the stroller, unfortunately. Once I had the stroller broken down, I'd carry everyone onto the plane, slide the dogs under the seat, try to shove my diaper bag under there also, and then juggle Gabe in the never-ending minutes until the plane took off. I thought that was the hardest part, keeping him happy until the plane finally took off. I stood him up, sat him down, sang to him, made him look over my shoulder, out the window, at his blanket, and so on and so on until I could finally feed him close to take-off.
All my worry ended up being for nothing, though, because he slept for both flights. First from Boston to Atlanta, and then Atlanta to San Francisco. He hardly made a peep on both flights, and the dogs were also model citizens. I was terribly relieved.
Since then, our trip has been fun and fairly uneventful. We had some mishaps with the time change with Gabriel waking up at 6am for the first couple of days, but we're fine now. He also seems a bit out of sorts when we go out too much, so I've had to curtail activities, but that doesn't bother me. Other than that, we are having a great time.
Gabriel is changing by the day, which is almost scary. It has been almost 2 weeks since Josh saw him since he went to Russia for a school trip (hence the reason for our visit to California without him). I think Josh is going to find a completely different baby in his place when he picks us up from the airport. Gabe is cooing and laughing and interacting 100 times more than he was before. I've taken tons of pictures, and I can't wait to share them with you once we are home and I can connect to the computer.
My biggest problem is that I have had a touch of insomnia since I've been here, and I end up staying awake until 2am or later and then of course Gabriel wakes up around 4am and I feel like I'm not sleeping enough. I'm looking forward to climbing into my own bed with Josh and getting back to a regular routine. I'm also looking forward to a house that doesn't have a dial-up internet connection. Ick. Hope you are all well!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
in the eternal quest for more fiber
Since being pregnant, my quest for enough fiber has been a never-ending one, as I'm sure you all can relate.
I have to share my newest discovery... Fiber One's Granola Bars. Seriously, I cannot stop talking about these granola bars because they are sooo delicious, and the best part is that they have 35% of your daily fiber. 35%!!! Do you know how many vegetables I have to eat in order to get to 35% of my fiber?!
I have never had tastier granola bars than these, and I tried both flavors- Oats and Chocolate and Peanut Butter, and both were fantastic. I thought that maybe I was crazy because I loved these bars so much, but I ran them by both Josh and my parents, and all agreed that they are sweet and yummy. More like a candy bar, than a granola bar. I even made my mom take me straight to the grocery store in California to pick some up, because I love taking a short break in the afternoon with one of the granola bars and a cup of decaf coffee as a quick pick-me-up.
The funniest thing is that I googled the granola bars to see where I could find them here in California, and there were tons of blog posts about them, so I'm not the only convert.
I'd definitely give them a try if you are also in the hunt for fiber, and if you don't like them, send them my way!
I have to share my newest discovery... Fiber One's Granola Bars. Seriously, I cannot stop talking about these granola bars because they are sooo delicious, and the best part is that they have 35% of your daily fiber. 35%!!! Do you know how many vegetables I have to eat in order to get to 35% of my fiber?!
I have never had tastier granola bars than these, and I tried both flavors- Oats and Chocolate and Peanut Butter, and both were fantastic. I thought that maybe I was crazy because I loved these bars so much, but I ran them by both Josh and my parents, and all agreed that they are sweet and yummy. More like a candy bar, than a granola bar. I even made my mom take me straight to the grocery store in California to pick some up, because I love taking a short break in the afternoon with one of the granola bars and a cup of decaf coffee as a quick pick-me-up.
The funniest thing is that I googled the granola bars to see where I could find them here in California, and there were tons of blog posts about them, so I'm not the only convert.
I'd definitely give them a try if you are also in the hunt for fiber, and if you don't like them, send them my way!
Thursday, March 15, 2007
on the boobs
As a woman whose breasts normally lean on the smaller side, I'd always made jokes about wishing for big boobs. Although I'd never go the plastic surgery route, I thought that "bodacious tatas" (as coined by Liz) wouldn't be bad.
Now that I've graduated into this new world of humongous breasts (leaning on the D side of things), all I can think is HOW THE HECK DO YOU DO IT?
Nothing fits. Nothing. Not one of my old shirts fits me now. All the stores that used to work for me don't anymore, because their shirts are too short with the breasts in the way. If I move to the bigger sizes, then the whole shirt swims on me. So I'm still wearing maternity tops, or at least those maternity tops that don't have a huge amount of belly space in them, of which I have a few. I'm remembering fondly my perfectly respectable B cups.
But seriously, where do larger breasted women shop? Gap doesn't seem to work, neither did Ann Taylor. Am I shopping at the wrong places? Or maybe I'm gravitating toward tops that would have fit my smaller bust and now hang all wrong. HELP!
Now that I've graduated into this new world of humongous breasts (leaning on the D side of things), all I can think is HOW THE HECK DO YOU DO IT?
Nothing fits. Nothing. Not one of my old shirts fits me now. All the stores that used to work for me don't anymore, because their shirts are too short with the breasts in the way. If I move to the bigger sizes, then the whole shirt swims on me. So I'm still wearing maternity tops, or at least those maternity tops that don't have a huge amount of belly space in them, of which I have a few. I'm remembering fondly my perfectly respectable B cups.
But seriously, where do larger breasted women shop? Gap doesn't seem to work, neither did Ann Taylor. Am I shopping at the wrong places? Or maybe I'm gravitating toward tops that would have fit my smaller bust and now hang all wrong. HELP!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
exhausted, and more exhausted
Things are a little bit better, thankfully. I've been making a concerted effort to get out of the house, even for just a few minutes every day, and Gabriel gave me a couple of nights of 6 hour sleep- wooohooo! But it was last weekend. Since then, he's had some of his worst nights of sleep ever, though, go figure. I'm exhausted. He is getting up every 2 hours or so, and refusing to take any naps at all during the day. Saying that I'm very tired feels like an understatement.
Just to show you how crazy Red Sox fans are... Someone sent us a Red Sox sleeper when Gabriel was born, and last weekend we decided to put him in it, got him ready for bed, and glory of all glories, he slept 6 hours. So we thought what any logical parent would think- it was clearly the Red Sox sleeper. The next night, we recreated conditions. Put him in the sleeper, wrapped him up, and he slept 6 hours again! We were singing from the rooftops our praises for the Red Sox!
Then he spit up on the sleeper. I warned Josh that we needed to wash the pajama and get it back on him before the next night, but of course we didn't. He was up every 2 hours throughout the night. Clearly, because he wasn't wearing the Red Sox paraphernalia. Since then, I have made sure that the stinking Red Sox pajama is clean and available for him to wear, but has he slept longer then 4 hours at a stretch? Of course not!
A sleepless baby wasn't enough either. The dogs wanted in on the action, and have apparently just realized that the baby is REALLY not leaving after 10 weeks. So the other day, they pooped on the bathroom rug. I washed the rug and put down a towel in the meantime. They peed on the towel. I started shutting the bathroom door. They peed on Gabriel's beautiful bedroom rug. I went out for a walk, they climbed on the coffee table, stole Gabriel's toy and shredded it throughout the living and dining room. They are also stealing baby socks and articles of clothing. I feel like I'm starting to lose my mind!
I called my veterinarian yesterday because I simply cannot deal with this. If the dogs had acted up when the baby first came home, it would have been one thing, but two and half months later, I'm lacking in sympathy for them. They are incredibly pushy and demanding all the time, and we give them quite a bit of attention and treats and rotate their toys, but it is never enough. If anyone has advice or has been through this, please do share. I'm hoping that an improvement in the weather might help because I can take them on some walks to get rid of excess energy.
Lastly, I'm packing for Gabriel and my first trip, we are off to California. I am traveling on my own with Gabriel, Tango and Murray. I don't know whether I'm daring or insane. Maybe a little of both. Any tips on flying with a newborn are much appreciated also. Hope you are all enjoying some Spring-like weather too!
Just to show you how crazy Red Sox fans are... Someone sent us a Red Sox sleeper when Gabriel was born, and last weekend we decided to put him in it, got him ready for bed, and glory of all glories, he slept 6 hours. So we thought what any logical parent would think- it was clearly the Red Sox sleeper. The next night, we recreated conditions. Put him in the sleeper, wrapped him up, and he slept 6 hours again! We were singing from the rooftops our praises for the Red Sox!
Then he spit up on the sleeper. I warned Josh that we needed to wash the pajama and get it back on him before the next night, but of course we didn't. He was up every 2 hours throughout the night. Clearly, because he wasn't wearing the Red Sox paraphernalia. Since then, I have made sure that the stinking Red Sox pajama is clean and available for him to wear, but has he slept longer then 4 hours at a stretch? Of course not!
A sleepless baby wasn't enough either. The dogs wanted in on the action, and have apparently just realized that the baby is REALLY not leaving after 10 weeks. So the other day, they pooped on the bathroom rug. I washed the rug and put down a towel in the meantime. They peed on the towel. I started shutting the bathroom door. They peed on Gabriel's beautiful bedroom rug. I went out for a walk, they climbed on the coffee table, stole Gabriel's toy and shredded it throughout the living and dining room. They are also stealing baby socks and articles of clothing. I feel like I'm starting to lose my mind!
I called my veterinarian yesterday because I simply cannot deal with this. If the dogs had acted up when the baby first came home, it would have been one thing, but two and half months later, I'm lacking in sympathy for them. They are incredibly pushy and demanding all the time, and we give them quite a bit of attention and treats and rotate their toys, but it is never enough. If anyone has advice or has been through this, please do share. I'm hoping that an improvement in the weather might help because I can take them on some walks to get rid of excess energy.
Lastly, I'm packing for Gabriel and my first trip, we are off to California. I am traveling on my own with Gabriel, Tango and Murray. I don't know whether I'm daring or insane. Maybe a little of both. Any tips on flying with a newborn are much appreciated also. Hope you are all enjoying some Spring-like weather too!
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
funkity funk
Lest you think it is all sunshine and roses around here, I can definitely burst your bubble on that one.
After his shots on Wednesday, Gabriel was in a bad, cranky, no good, awful mood for the next 3 days. We couldn't figure out if it was because he was fatigued from the shots, whether his little thighs were achy, or some combination of those plus more, but he was NOT HAPPY.
On Friday night, I woke up with him at 12:30am, 2:30am, 4:30am, 6:30am, 7am, 8am, and then finally 9am for the day. It was a bad, cranky, no good, awful day. On my part that is, Gabe was in a fine mood once he was up for the day. Then on Saturday he blessed us with a 6 hour stretch, his first ever, and I woke up on Sunday morning feeling like a new woman. Oh, the sleep, it is good.
I was so excited that I let myself believe that perhaps we were moving into a new era of 6 hour stretches, so on Sunday night he scoffed at me and was wide awake from 4:30am to 7:30am, also his first time ever. It was exhausting. At least his mood has improved since the days following the shots, and I am incredibly grateful.
His mommy, however, is fighting a case of the funks. I am feeling funky, and a bit down these days. I'm attributing it to a few things, like the weather, the lack of consistent sleep, the fact that none of my clothes fit me, the hormones from breastfeeding, and mostly, from the fact that Josh got back from his first trip away from us. I didn't share the fact that we were alone, for obvious reasons, but Gabriel and I had our first stretch of 4 days on our own last week. It was lonely. Very, very lonely. Especially at night and in the mornings, when I had no choice but to be alone. During the day, I kept our schedule jam packed with outings with friends, but we were on our own at night and I definitely felt it. By the time Josh got back, I realized that I had definitely fallen into a case of the baby blues.
It is mind-boggling how you can have everything you've ever wanted, be happier than you've ever been, and still find yourself feeling sad with no explanation.
Anyway, I'm working to pull myself out of the funk and keeping busy. Gabe and I are traveling to visit my parents soon, and I'm definitely looking forward to that. On Saturday, the three of us took a day trip to Newport, Rhode Island, to enjoy the warmish weather and get some fresh air. It was good for my soul.
So is this, of course. This is always good for the soul.
After his shots on Wednesday, Gabriel was in a bad, cranky, no good, awful mood for the next 3 days. We couldn't figure out if it was because he was fatigued from the shots, whether his little thighs were achy, or some combination of those plus more, but he was NOT HAPPY.
On Friday night, I woke up with him at 12:30am, 2:30am, 4:30am, 6:30am, 7am, 8am, and then finally 9am for the day. It was a bad, cranky, no good, awful day. On my part that is, Gabe was in a fine mood once he was up for the day. Then on Saturday he blessed us with a 6 hour stretch, his first ever, and I woke up on Sunday morning feeling like a new woman. Oh, the sleep, it is good.
I was so excited that I let myself believe that perhaps we were moving into a new era of 6 hour stretches, so on Sunday night he scoffed at me and was wide awake from 4:30am to 7:30am, also his first time ever. It was exhausting. At least his mood has improved since the days following the shots, and I am incredibly grateful.
His mommy, however, is fighting a case of the funks. I am feeling funky, and a bit down these days. I'm attributing it to a few things, like the weather, the lack of consistent sleep, the fact that none of my clothes fit me, the hormones from breastfeeding, and mostly, from the fact that Josh got back from his first trip away from us. I didn't share the fact that we were alone, for obvious reasons, but Gabriel and I had our first stretch of 4 days on our own last week. It was lonely. Very, very lonely. Especially at night and in the mornings, when I had no choice but to be alone. During the day, I kept our schedule jam packed with outings with friends, but we were on our own at night and I definitely felt it. By the time Josh got back, I realized that I had definitely fallen into a case of the baby blues.
It is mind-boggling how you can have everything you've ever wanted, be happier than you've ever been, and still find yourself feeling sad with no explanation.
Anyway, I'm working to pull myself out of the funk and keeping busy. Gabe and I are traveling to visit my parents soon, and I'm definitely looking forward to that. On Saturday, the three of us took a day trip to Newport, Rhode Island, to enjoy the warmish weather and get some fresh air. It was good for my soul.
So is this, of course. This is always good for the soul.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
2 months old
Dear Gabriel,
You are two months old today, and I feel like a broken record when I say that I can't believe how much I love you. No matter how tired I am, or how gloomy the weather seems, waking up to find you smiling up from your bassinet feels like the start of the best day of my life.
I said to your daddy yesterday that I think you've finally arrived. My little newborn who seemed blissfully unaware of his surroundings is gone, and in his place there is a smiling, cooing, active baby. You are constantly looking to see what is going on, and you often whip your head around while feeding if you hear a noise or someone is talking. You will stay awake for long periods of time observing the scene, or listening to the conversations. At lunch the other day, people commented that you looked more like a 3 or 4 month old because you seem so aware of the world around you. You smile at me more and more, and will stop in the middle of feeding to look up at me with your big eyes and give me a huge gummy grin. You melt my heart.
You are still an exceptionally happy boy and it is such a pleasure to spend my days with you. You love music, and as soon as we start singing, you become completely enraptured with us. You even seem as if you are trying to sing along and will coo and gurgle while gazing intently at our faces. Your Bubbi and Saba came to visit last week and Bubbi made up song after song for you, just to see your adorable smiles.
Last weekend, your daddy left us alone for the first time while he went to a soccer tournament in Texas. I was terrified of how I would take care of the two of us for four whole days with no help, but we had a wonderful time. Although I know that we both missed him, we were able to spend lots of time snuggling and playing and exploring the house together. It is lovely to see how much you know me, and when I pop my head over the edge of your bassinet after a nap, you greet me with the sweetest smiles. The smiles start at the corner of your mouth, your dimple appears in your right cheek, and it slowly spreads up your face until the corners of your eyes crinkle in delight. You clasp your hands together and duck your head to one side, almost as if you are embarrassed at how happy you are to see me. Your little arms and legs wave around until I pick you up to smother you with kisses. I will never forget how wonderful this feels.
Today was your 2 month doctor's appointments, and the nurse couldn't stop exclaiming over how sweet you are. You tipped the scales at a whopping 12 pounds, 8 ounces, and showed off your head control by pushing yourself up with your arms to admire yourself in the mirror beside the exam table. While we were talking with the nurse, you lay happily on the table talking to yourself in the mirror, squealing and even letting out a couple of giggles. You barely protested at her prodding during the exam, and only cried when you got your first three vaccines. You were so indignant and angry when they stuck you, and it broke my heart to hear you cry. Once I was allowed to pick you up, though, you stopped crying almost instantly, but the sight of your little face crumpling was terribly sad. It is so hard to see you hurting, and I know it doesn't get easier with time.
[2 month picture coming once the crankiness has faded a bit]
Over the last month you have grown out of all your newborn outfits, and almost all of your 0-3 month clothing, and it pains me to see you growing so quickly. Up until now, I've been dreading the time passing. I've wanted you to stay my sweet newborn. But as the days go by and I see you becoming sweeter and more animated and fun by the minute, I realize that every day with you will better than the last.
We love you so very much, and we feel so very lucky to be your parents. Happy two months baby!
Love,
Mommy
You are two months old today, and I feel like a broken record when I say that I can't believe how much I love you. No matter how tired I am, or how gloomy the weather seems, waking up to find you smiling up from your bassinet feels like the start of the best day of my life.
I said to your daddy yesterday that I think you've finally arrived. My little newborn who seemed blissfully unaware of his surroundings is gone, and in his place there is a smiling, cooing, active baby. You are constantly looking to see what is going on, and you often whip your head around while feeding if you hear a noise or someone is talking. You will stay awake for long periods of time observing the scene, or listening to the conversations. At lunch the other day, people commented that you looked more like a 3 or 4 month old because you seem so aware of the world around you. You smile at me more and more, and will stop in the middle of feeding to look up at me with your big eyes and give me a huge gummy grin. You melt my heart.
You are still an exceptionally happy boy and it is such a pleasure to spend my days with you. You love music, and as soon as we start singing, you become completely enraptured with us. You even seem as if you are trying to sing along and will coo and gurgle while gazing intently at our faces. Your Bubbi and Saba came to visit last week and Bubbi made up song after song for you, just to see your adorable smiles.
Last weekend, your daddy left us alone for the first time while he went to a soccer tournament in Texas. I was terrified of how I would take care of the two of us for four whole days with no help, but we had a wonderful time. Although I know that we both missed him, we were able to spend lots of time snuggling and playing and exploring the house together. It is lovely to see how much you know me, and when I pop my head over the edge of your bassinet after a nap, you greet me with the sweetest smiles. The smiles start at the corner of your mouth, your dimple appears in your right cheek, and it slowly spreads up your face until the corners of your eyes crinkle in delight. You clasp your hands together and duck your head to one side, almost as if you are embarrassed at how happy you are to see me. Your little arms and legs wave around until I pick you up to smother you with kisses. I will never forget how wonderful this feels.
Today was your 2 month doctor's appointments, and the nurse couldn't stop exclaiming over how sweet you are. You tipped the scales at a whopping 12 pounds, 8 ounces, and showed off your head control by pushing yourself up with your arms to admire yourself in the mirror beside the exam table. While we were talking with the nurse, you lay happily on the table talking to yourself in the mirror, squealing and even letting out a couple of giggles. You barely protested at her prodding during the exam, and only cried when you got your first three vaccines. You were so indignant and angry when they stuck you, and it broke my heart to hear you cry. Once I was allowed to pick you up, though, you stopped crying almost instantly, but the sight of your little face crumpling was terribly sad. It is so hard to see you hurting, and I know it doesn't get easier with time.
[2 month picture coming once the crankiness has faded a bit]
Over the last month you have grown out of all your newborn outfits, and almost all of your 0-3 month clothing, and it pains me to see you growing so quickly. Up until now, I've been dreading the time passing. I've wanted you to stay my sweet newborn. But as the days go by and I see you becoming sweeter and more animated and fun by the minute, I realize that every day with you will better than the last.
We love you so very much, and we feel so very lucky to be your parents. Happy two months baby!
Love,
Mommy
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
my life has become a cliché
Thankfully, breastfeeding is going swimmingly, except for one thing- pumping. I hate pumping. The pump is my nemesis, and it is made all the worse because I am committed to pumping bottles of milk for freezer storage every day, and I also try to pump enough for Josh to give Gabe a bottle every other day or so.
So yesterday, when I pulled the bottles of pumped milk out of the fridge and accidentally tipped
them to one side so that over an ounce poured onto the kitchen floor, I felt tears prick my eyes. It was so frustrating to see my hard work lost in a stupid accident.
Which means what you think it means. I actually cried over spilled milk.
I think I may need more sleep.
My milk! She spilled my milk!
So yesterday, when I pulled the bottles of pumped milk out of the fridge and accidentally tipped
them to one side so that over an ounce poured onto the kitchen floor, I felt tears prick my eyes. It was so frustrating to see my hard work lost in a stupid accident.
Which means what you think it means. I actually cried over spilled milk.
I think I may need more sleep.
My milk! She spilled my milk!
Monday, February 26, 2007
public service announcement for new moms
I told Gabriel that it's about time that he starts making a living around here, we're not running a free joint. So Gabriel and I have been hard at work for the past couple of weeks reviewing a product from the Parent Bloggers Network- the Burpcatcher. The Parent Bloggers Network reviews all kinds of kid and parent appropriate products through blogging. I've been looking at their products for a while now and have found tons of items that are interesting, so check it out if you have a minute!
If this is your first visit to the Halloweenlover household, welcome! I'm a new mom to an 8 week old baby boy (Gabriel), on maternity leave from my law firm in Boston, married to a business school student (Josh) who is currently knee deep in his post-graduation job search, and living with our two adorable pooches.
I have to admit that many things about being a new mom were a surprise to me- the explosive and leaky diapers, the socks that constantly slip off, the dry skin (for both of us), and definitely, DEFINITELY, the spit-up. My mom never mentioned the spit-up and my niece and nephew never seemed to do it, at least when I was around, so I was wholly unprepared for the prolific, ahem, liquid that could appear without warning. So when the Parent Bloggers Network asked me to review the Burpcatcher, I was psyched!
Funnily enough, I'd just seen an advertisement for the Burpcatcher when I received the email from PBN. The Burpcatcher is just like a regular burp cloth, but with a pocket at one end. Once you place the Burpcatcher over your shoulder or arm, the pocket automatically hangs open, and stays open, to catch any spit-up that might ensue from a burping session. The Burpcatcher comes in a couple of options, both costing $9.99. You can either purchase a package of two flannel Burpcatchers with a ribbon lining in pink, blue or green, or one fleece Burpcatcher also coming in pink, blue or green. Gabe was a little disappointed to receive his sample Burpcatcher in pink, but after some convincing he agreed to try it out anyway.
See? Doesn't he look a little moody about the pinkness?
The Burpcatcher is the first burp cloth to include a pocket that catches spit-up rather than letting it run down your back, or over your arm and onto the rest of your clothing.
The hardest part about using the Burpcatcher, is to remember to pick it up every time you go to burp your baby, or if you know that you are approaching a fussy time that often includes spit-up. In our case, Gabe doesn't consistently spit-up so I occasionally risk it and leave off the burp cloth, but since I was trying the product I made an effort to use it constantly and it certainly worked.
We've found over the last 2 months that regular burp cloths aren't absorbent enough, so for the most part we stick with cloth diapers. I was happy to find that the flannel fabric was just as absorbent as the cloth diapers we've been using and caught most of the spit-up before it reached the pocket, but the pocket did save my sweater a couple of times. We also draped it over the boppy and leaned him onto the boppy for some modified tummy time. It caught some unanticipated spit-up then too. I even brought it to my new mommy's group to see what some of the other mothers thought, and those of us that have experienced the spit-up agreed that it would have been a great gift. The colors are simple enough to go with anyone's style. It would be a cute shower gift if you were in the market for gifts.
Now if only Burpcatcher could come up with a burping bib with a pocket too, for those spit-up episodes when I'm sitting Gabe up in front of me for a chat!
All in all, I was definitely pleased with these burp cloths and found them easy to use and pretty cute. One of the other reviewers mentioned that in her dryer the Burpcatchers were the last things to dry, but I didn't have that experience, although now I'm wondering if maybe I'm overdrying my clothes! I'd definitely recommend them to a new mom or anyone looking for a baby gift.
If this is your first visit to the Halloweenlover household, welcome! I'm a new mom to an 8 week old baby boy (Gabriel), on maternity leave from my law firm in Boston, married to a business school student (Josh) who is currently knee deep in his post-graduation job search, and living with our two adorable pooches.
I have to admit that many things about being a new mom were a surprise to me- the explosive and leaky diapers, the socks that constantly slip off, the dry skin (for both of us), and definitely, DEFINITELY, the spit-up. My mom never mentioned the spit-up and my niece and nephew never seemed to do it, at least when I was around, so I was wholly unprepared for the prolific, ahem, liquid that could appear without warning. So when the Parent Bloggers Network asked me to review the Burpcatcher, I was psyched!
Funnily enough, I'd just seen an advertisement for the Burpcatcher when I received the email from PBN. The Burpcatcher is just like a regular burp cloth, but with a pocket at one end. Once you place the Burpcatcher over your shoulder or arm, the pocket automatically hangs open, and stays open, to catch any spit-up that might ensue from a burping session. The Burpcatcher comes in a couple of options, both costing $9.99. You can either purchase a package of two flannel Burpcatchers with a ribbon lining in pink, blue or green, or one fleece Burpcatcher also coming in pink, blue or green. Gabe was a little disappointed to receive his sample Burpcatcher in pink, but after some convincing he agreed to try it out anyway.
See? Doesn't he look a little moody about the pinkness?
The Burpcatcher is the first burp cloth to include a pocket that catches spit-up rather than letting it run down your back, or over your arm and onto the rest of your clothing.
The hardest part about using the Burpcatcher, is to remember to pick it up every time you go to burp your baby, or if you know that you are approaching a fussy time that often includes spit-up. In our case, Gabe doesn't consistently spit-up so I occasionally risk it and leave off the burp cloth, but since I was trying the product I made an effort to use it constantly and it certainly worked.
We've found over the last 2 months that regular burp cloths aren't absorbent enough, so for the most part we stick with cloth diapers. I was happy to find that the flannel fabric was just as absorbent as the cloth diapers we've been using and caught most of the spit-up before it reached the pocket, but the pocket did save my sweater a couple of times. We also draped it over the boppy and leaned him onto the boppy for some modified tummy time. It caught some unanticipated spit-up then too. I even brought it to my new mommy's group to see what some of the other mothers thought, and those of us that have experienced the spit-up agreed that it would have been a great gift. The colors are simple enough to go with anyone's style. It would be a cute shower gift if you were in the market for gifts.
Now if only Burpcatcher could come up with a burping bib with a pocket too, for those spit-up episodes when I'm sitting Gabe up in front of me for a chat!
All in all, I was definitely pleased with these burp cloths and found them easy to use and pretty cute. One of the other reviewers mentioned that in her dryer the Burpcatchers were the last things to dry, but I didn't have that experience, although now I'm wondering if maybe I'm overdrying my clothes! I'd definitely recommend them to a new mom or anyone looking for a baby gift.
Friday, February 23, 2007
sweet chubby thighs
Next Wednesday is Gabriel's 2 month doctor's appointment, which means that an unfortunate thing is on the horizon- shots. Needless to say, I am not looking forward to it. In fact, I'm trying to talk myself into not crying in the doctor's office.
Does anyone have any advice on how to make him feel better in advance or afterward? My doctor said not to bother with the tylenol, but I'm tempted to give it to him anyway. Thoughts?
At least he has enough meat on his thighs...
Does anyone have any advice on how to make him feel better in advance or afterward? My doctor said not to bother with the tylenol, but I'm tempted to give it to him anyway. Thoughts?
At least he has enough meat on his thighs...
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
napping is for the birds
We are going through a slightly fussy stage, right on time for the 8 week developmental spurt that Wonder Weeks talks about. Gabriel is fine at night, thankfully, but refuses to nap in the daytime. REFUSES. He will fall asleep breastfeeding or in my arms, but as soon as I attempt to put him down, he is wide awake with that look on his face that says, "Who? Me? I wasn't sleeping!"
This is the third day in a row that he goes without any type of lengthy nap, even though I make a valiant effort to get him to sleep. Have you ever heard of a 7 week old that doesn't sleep allll day? It makes for lots of singing and dancing and walks and sitting in the bouncy seat and looking out the window. If you have ideas for entertaining almost 8 week olds, please pass them along. I thank my lucky stars that he is still sleeping well at night, 5 hours in a row and then 3 hours and 3 hours, with only a brief wake-up to eat in between.
We have had our fair share of excitement around here, when my father in law slipped on the ice in our driveway on Thursday, landing flat on his back and slamming his head onto the concrete. Turns out that he broke 5 ribs, two of them compound fractures, and had to stay in the hospital for 5 days. We were terribly upset about his fall and subsequent stay in the hospital, but we were also terrified because he fell on the side where he has his remaining kidney (he lost the other one to cancer a few years ago). Thankfully, everything seems fine. It was also disappointing because my in-laws were visiting to spend some time with Gabriel, but of course with my FIL in the hospital, both Josh and my MIL spent loads of time with him. Gabriel and I stayed at home, since we're rather nervous about germs and all that. Spending time with his grandparents will have to wait for our visit to Florida in April, when he'll meet his cousins and have a week to play with the whole family.
Besides that, things are great. Gabe changes so much every day, it is hard for me to keep track. He smiles often now and loves it when we sing, he'll even try to sing along! He coos at me and at Josh and will gab happily to himself when we set him down. Today he has been trying to shove his whole hand into his mouth, and seems intent on accomplishing his goal. This has been going on for a couple of hours, and he just gagged himself into spitting up a few minutes ago. I shouldn't laugh, but I do.
One of his favorite things appears to be his chats with Josh, where he becomes animated and talkative. It is truly something to watch, and makes me cry a little every day. Did you also get a load of his cheeks? They are something to watch as well. I'm anticipating another monstrous weight gain at his appointment next week, based on the back pain I'm experiencing from hefting him around in the car seat and the carrier on our walks. They are delicious to munch on, however.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
happy valentine's day
We've developed a college tuition financing plan, just in case the soccer scholarship doesn't work out.
Hope you all have a day full of love!
***********
Idea courtesy of Chatty Cricket, who started the financing plan last year for her daughter.
Monday, February 12, 2007
more joys of parenting
Gabriel fell asleep on the drive home from our new mom's group, and to my surprise, he was still sleeping 4 hours later. Normally, I'd say that you should never wake a sleeping baby, but I'm always nervous that too much sleep in the daytime will equal not enough sleep at night, so I woke him up. Of course, as soon as he woke up he decided that he was frantically hungry, so he was not pleased with my decision to change his diaper before I fed him. He was getting himself worked up, and I picked him up for a moment in between taking off the dirty diaper and putting on the clean one to soothe him. As I set him back down on the couch, I felt warmth coming through my sweater and realized, far far far too late, that he was peeing on me. And on the couch, and on the floor, and on the changing pad, over his whole outfit, and through my sweater and t-shirt and jeans, and splattered on my computer and soaking into the rug.
The worst part was that he was so hungry, I didn't know what to do. Everything was wet with pee, both of us included, but he was starving and I couldn't take the time to clean anything up, so we plopped down on the couch soaked in pee to nurse. After a few minutes he was calm enough that I could throw some cleaner over the furniture and floor and peel off my clothes, but it was an interesting evening, to say the least.
Serves me right for not wanting to share my computer, right?
Hee! I peed on my mom!
The worst part was that he was so hungry, I didn't know what to do. Everything was wet with pee, both of us included, but he was starving and I couldn't take the time to clean anything up, so we plopped down on the couch soaked in pee to nurse. After a few minutes he was calm enough that I could throw some cleaner over the furniture and floor and peel off my clothes, but it was an interesting evening, to say the least.
Serves me right for not wanting to share my computer, right?
Hee! I peed on my mom!
Friday, February 09, 2007
the joys of parenting
Gabriel spit up all over Josh's laptop keyboard.
He no longer has use of the 9, (, 0, ), O, or P keys. Apparently, these keys are important to him. Something about not being able to take notes in class, blah, blah, can't do Excel equations without parentheses, blah, blah.
I'm getting nervous that he is going to ask to borrow my laptop to take to class with him and do his homework. I've been preparing myself, though. I have my speech all ready for him, about how maybe he should have thought twice before leaning over his computer with his son in his arms. It's all about tough love.
Plus, I need my computer for important things like blogging while breastfeeding and surfing the web. Maybe I should hide it under the couch and pretend that it's lost? You don't want to live without pictures of chubby baby feet, do you?
He no longer has use of the 9, (, 0, ), O, or P keys. Apparently, these keys are important to him. Something about not being able to take notes in class, blah, blah, can't do Excel equations without parentheses, blah, blah.
I'm getting nervous that he is going to ask to borrow my laptop to take to class with him and do his homework. I've been preparing myself, though. I have my speech all ready for him, about how maybe he should have thought twice before leaning over his computer with his son in his arms. It's all about tough love.
Plus, I need my computer for important things like blogging while breastfeeding and surfing the web. Maybe I should hide it under the couch and pretend that it's lost? You don't want to live without pictures of chubby baby feet, do you?
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