9.15.12 ~ The Whole Night Through
Nora slept through the night last night! Well, from 8pm until 5:30am - which, I believe, totally counts. She went to bed late, which usually results in more waking - but no, at 5:30 she stirred and I realized that was the first I had heard from her. She ate, and then went back to sleep until 7am. Much better than the 2 to 3 feedings per night we are still very much used to. Though I am not naive enough to think we'll be able to replicate last night any time soon, I know now that there is hope!
9.5.12 ~ 7 Months and the End of Summer
Yesterday Nora turned 7 months old. We did a little photo shoot, but I'll have to post the pictures later. My computer is currently at HP getting a new fan since it was over heating and shutting off. So, I'm using Jason's computer which doesn't have Photoshop. And I can't stomach the idea of posting photos without a little post-production tweaking. I realize how ridiculous that sounds now that I've written it out. Oh well.
This week marks the beginning of the fall semester at Columbia. Today was my first day teaching (I'm teaching a class!) and Liam and Nora's first day with their new babysitter. Tomorrow will be their first day back at school. I have a lot of anxiety about the work I'm doing and the class I'm teaching this semester. I also have a lot of anxiety about handing off my kids 4 days per week when I've been with them 24/7 for the past month. But, I'm also giddy with excitement over the entire enterprise as well. I love getting work done and being productive - even if it is all slightly scary. And I truly believe I am a better parent when I can mix in work time too. (And by "mix in work time" I mean having uninterrupted child-free time to focus on work during the day. I do NOT mean mixing it in during the evening hours from bedtime to midnight like I have been doing for the entire month of August.) This afternoon, I came home, said goodbye to our wonderful sitter, and had a truly lovely evening with Liam and Nora. I was patient and engaged... things that I am often NOT during dinner and bath when I have already spent the whole day with those little rascals.
After even a few hours away I appreciate them more. And there is so much to appreciate with those two. Liam is such a little kid now. He talks and talks and talks. He asks "why?" at least ten gajillion times per day. It can be annoying - but it's also sweet how interested he is in everything. How things work... why things happen... people's motivations for their actions. He is also listening to all the conversations around him. Some times he puts together information he's collected in truly interesting (though highly inaccurate) ways. This is a great source of entertainment. I have a very funny example of this involving his penis that is, unfortunately, not internet appropriate. He's sweet and caring and totally tuned into other's emotions. He worries about people when they are hurt or sad - children and adults. And he often works as a translator for Nora: "Mommy, I think she's hungry and needs some food from your boob".
And Nora. I just can't get enough of that baby. I fall more in love with her every day. She makes such firm eye contact that sometimes it feels like she is trying to communicate through ESP. And when that fails she screeches at the top of her lungs or makes crazy dinosaur sounds. She can really, really scream. The notes she can hit are insane and deafening. But when she isn't screaming, she is busy playing, exploring, observing, rolling, sitting, and reaching for everything. And then putting everything in her mouth, of course. On the floor, she rolls to where she wants to go like a little hot dog. Flop, flop, flop, reach, grab, and in the mouth. And she loves her big brother no matter how much abuse he dishes out. And she really loves her daddy. If Jason walks into the apartment her little arms and legs start flapping and flailing and she makes the funniest little noises until he pays attention to her. And when he comes over to talk to her or kiss her - she just stares and grins and drools. It's cute. I only wish she were so happy to see him in the middle of the night when I can't peel myself out of bed (yet again) and so I send him to her instead - ha!
I like to cheat on my blog with Instagram. To make it up to the blog, I'll repeat some of the pictures here (thank goodness for filters to get around Photoshopping!).
This week marks the beginning of the fall semester at Columbia. Today was my first day teaching (I'm teaching a class!) and Liam and Nora's first day with their new babysitter. Tomorrow will be their first day back at school. I have a lot of anxiety about the work I'm doing and the class I'm teaching this semester. I also have a lot of anxiety about handing off my kids 4 days per week when I've been with them 24/7 for the past month. But, I'm also giddy with excitement over the entire enterprise as well. I love getting work done and being productive - even if it is all slightly scary. And I truly believe I am a better parent when I can mix in work time too. (And by "mix in work time" I mean having uninterrupted child-free time to focus on work during the day. I do NOT mean mixing it in during the evening hours from bedtime to midnight like I have been doing for the entire month of August.) This afternoon, I came home, said goodbye to our wonderful sitter, and had a truly lovely evening with Liam and Nora. I was patient and engaged... things that I am often NOT during dinner and bath when I have already spent the whole day with those little rascals.
After even a few hours away I appreciate them more. And there is so much to appreciate with those two. Liam is such a little kid now. He talks and talks and talks. He asks "why?" at least ten gajillion times per day. It can be annoying - but it's also sweet how interested he is in everything. How things work... why things happen... people's motivations for their actions. He is also listening to all the conversations around him. Some times he puts together information he's collected in truly interesting (though highly inaccurate) ways. This is a great source of entertainment. I have a very funny example of this involving his penis that is, unfortunately, not internet appropriate. He's sweet and caring and totally tuned into other's emotions. He worries about people when they are hurt or sad - children and adults. And he often works as a translator for Nora: "Mommy, I think she's hungry and needs some food from your boob".
And Nora. I just can't get enough of that baby. I fall more in love with her every day. She makes such firm eye contact that sometimes it feels like she is trying to communicate through ESP. And when that fails she screeches at the top of her lungs or makes crazy dinosaur sounds. She can really, really scream. The notes she can hit are insane and deafening. But when she isn't screaming, she is busy playing, exploring, observing, rolling, sitting, and reaching for everything. And then putting everything in her mouth, of course. On the floor, she rolls to where she wants to go like a little hot dog. Flop, flop, flop, reach, grab, and in the mouth. And she loves her big brother no matter how much abuse he dishes out. And she really loves her daddy. If Jason walks into the apartment her little arms and legs start flapping and flailing and she makes the funniest little noises until he pays attention to her. And when he comes over to talk to her or kiss her - she just stares and grins and drools. It's cute. I only wish she were so happy to see him in the middle of the night when I can't peel myself out of bed (yet again) and so I send him to her instead - ha!
I like to cheat on my blog with Instagram. To make it up to the blog, I'll repeat some of the pictures here (thank goodness for filters to get around Photoshopping!).
Super Soccer Stars in Central Park. Liam is the one sitting on his ball.
Nora enjoying her Sophie while watching Liam play soccer. (Sadly, we lost our beloved Sophie on the streets of New York when Nora tossed her overboard out of the stroller and I didn't notice. We even back-tracked 6 blocks to try and find her. I'm glad we have this picture to remember her dedicated service to Nora's oral fixation).
Sibs.
Climbing to new heights on the playground.
Safety first.
The child LOVES fairs. And riding horses.
I bet she was making dinosaur sounds when this picture was taken.
Bedtime.
Identical.
Mani/Pedi.
Couch time.
I love how she looks when she sleeps.
Liam and Isaac.
Always sneaking in stroller naps.
May, Ada, and Liam waiting for the swings.
Post-bath artwork.
8.23.12 ~ Check-Up
Nora's stats from her 6 month appointment:
26 inches - 14th percentile
13 lbs 12 oz - 6th percentile
26 inches - 14th percentile
13 lbs 12 oz - 6th percentile
8.20.12 ~ Nora Eats!
Just like Liam, Nora had all breast milk all the time for six whole months. But unlike Liam, (since we were in Baltimore when she actually turned six months old) we were't quite systematic with her first foods. Since I didn't have any baby cereal or pureed foods on hand, we started by letting her suck on large pieces of fruits and veggies. Her first official food was cantaloupe. Next she had banana at Angela and Jeff's house. Angela served it up in one of those handy net-feeder things. Nora hesitated for a split second before sunk her gums right into that banana in a net. She also tried (sucked on) large pieces of cut apple and carrot.
This past weekend I finally got my act together and hit up the organic produce section in Whole Foods to look for foods to puree. I also picked up a box of baby cereal. I spent the afternoon steaming and food processing and now we have a freezer stocked with baby sized portions of peas, sweet potato, zucchini, squash, and apple. Also, Jason and Liam reconstructed Liam's chair back into a high chair for Nora to use. Now Liam sits in a big boy chair and Nora can happily join the rest of us at the table.
For Nora's first meal in her new seat she got baby cereal mixed with breast milk. She was pretty enthusiastic and really like helping guide the spoon to her mouth.
This past weekend I finally got my act together and hit up the organic produce section in Whole Foods to look for foods to puree. I also picked up a box of baby cereal. I spent the afternoon steaming and food processing and now we have a freezer stocked with baby sized portions of peas, sweet potato, zucchini, squash, and apple. Also, Jason and Liam reconstructed Liam's chair back into a high chair for Nora to use. Now Liam sits in a big boy chair and Nora can happily join the rest of us at the table.
For Nora's first meal in her new seat she got baby cereal mixed with breast milk. She was pretty enthusiastic and really like helping guide the spoon to her mouth.
For dessert she got a big piece of cantaloupe to suck on. Because, as it turns out, that's actually a pretty handy way to feed a baby.
8.14.12 ~ Heidi Klum
Yesterday we were walking to the grocery store, waiting to cross the street, when a bus pulled up next to us with this larger than life photo on the side:
I noticed Liam was staring at it.
Me: "Do you like that picture?"
Liam:"Yes."
Me: "Why do you like it?"
Liam "Because she's not wearing a shirt."
Huh. Silly me. I thought it had something to do with all those scissors.
8.7.12 ~ Feeling Better
Nora is feeling better and we're enjoying our mother/daughter time together.
But we sure are missing Liam and Jason.
But we sure are missing Liam and Jason.
8.7.12 ~ Six Months Old
Happy, happy half birthday to our sweet Nora Bear. We had to take the pictures on the 5th (a day late) since she was feeling so sick the day before. She still wasn't feeling 100% for these either... but it didn't seem to affect her cuteness.
8.7.12 ~ Annual Camp Steele
We're in Baltimore right now for Liam's Annual week at Camp Steele. This is the third year that Tim and Carol have taken Ethan and Liam for a week and entertained them with awesome activities and pancakes.
In addition to Camp, we've had a lot going on since we've gotten to Baltimore:
I officiated at my second wedding! It's sort of becoming a thing for me. Anyone want me to marry them? Congrats to my dear, long-time friend Stephanie and her husband Frankie.
Our time at the wedding was cut a bit short though since Nora was home with my parents screaming her head off with a fever. Poor baby. But Jason and I appreciated those few child-less hours since they were the first we've had together since Nora was born.
We also attended Ethan's 4th birthday party. Emily and Jarred had his party at an indoor pool near their house. Liam was beyond excited to attend, swim, help blow out candles, help open presents, and eat cake. His level of enthusiasm was seriously off the charts. Nora was less enthusiastic because she still wasn't feeling great. But I kept her well medicated and her relatives kept her well entertained.
And then today Angela, Sydney, Emily, Owen, Nora, and I crashed Liam and Ethan's week with Nana and Grandpa and together we all went to the Aquarium in Baltimore. Liam has been really into the show Octonauts lately. And maybe you remember from my description of our trip to the Outer Banks, that this has resulted in quite a love for marine life. So, Liam was also off the charts enthusiastic (this is turning out to be a very exciting week for the little guy) about everything the aquarium had to offer - down to the tiniest, most boring fish. He stayed at each and every tank, observing and commenting excitedly, until we coaxed him on to the next. And when we were all done and ready to go he asked to see his favorites, the sharks and the jelly fish, again. Even Nora enjoyed herself since today was her first fever free day since Saturday.
And we went swimming at Woodbridge Valley Pool this week. I could write a book about how weird and touching and familiar and nostalgic it is to swim with Liam there. But I won't.
In addition to Camp, we've had a lot going on since we've gotten to Baltimore:
I officiated at my second wedding! It's sort of becoming a thing for me. Anyone want me to marry them? Congrats to my dear, long-time friend Stephanie and her husband Frankie.
Our time at the wedding was cut a bit short though since Nora was home with my parents screaming her head off with a fever. Poor baby. But Jason and I appreciated those few child-less hours since they were the first we've had together since Nora was born.
We also attended Ethan's 4th birthday party. Emily and Jarred had his party at an indoor pool near their house. Liam was beyond excited to attend, swim, help blow out candles, help open presents, and eat cake. His level of enthusiasm was seriously off the charts. Nora was less enthusiastic because she still wasn't feeling great. But I kept her well medicated and her relatives kept her well entertained.
And then today Angela, Sydney, Emily, Owen, Nora, and I crashed Liam and Ethan's week with Nana and Grandpa and together we all went to the Aquarium in Baltimore. Liam has been really into the show Octonauts lately. And maybe you remember from my description of our trip to the Outer Banks, that this has resulted in quite a love for marine life. So, Liam was also off the charts enthusiastic (this is turning out to be a very exciting week for the little guy) about everything the aquarium had to offer - down to the tiniest, most boring fish. He stayed at each and every tank, observing and commenting excitedly, until we coaxed him on to the next. And when we were all done and ready to go he asked to see his favorites, the sharks and the jelly fish, again. Even Nora enjoyed herself since today was her first fever free day since Saturday.
And we went swimming at Woodbridge Valley Pool this week. I could write a book about how weird and touching and familiar and nostalgic it is to swim with Liam there. But I won't.
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