The Christmas Miracle to end all miracles: Abigail Jordan Strongin is (mostly) considered potty trained (during the day)!!!! Yes, folks, you read that right. My 3.5 yr old child who adamantly refused to so much as sit on the potty a week ago, is now wearing underwear during the day and telling mommy and daddy when she needs to pee! My dreams came true!
Here's how it all went down: On Thursday night, Dec. 23, the Diaper Fairy (aka mom) sent Abby a box that containted Kandoo flushable wipes & Pull-Ups, with a note to Abby that she was to take those items and put her diapers and wipes in the box to send it back to the Fairy to receive lots of great presents in return. So Abby threw her remaining size 4 diapers and wipes in the box and left it outside for the DF to pick up that night.
When Abby woke up bright and early on Christmas Eve morning, Jason "answered" the door to find the huge box from the DF with a million "B" and "C" presents in it (more to come on that). It also contained a letter from the DF, a potty chart and sparkly star stickers. Abby put on her big girl underwear around 7:30 am and we waited. And waited. And waited. The 3Day Potty Training lady told us to tell her to say "Tell mommy when you need to pee" and wait for her to have an accident and then rush her to the potty. By 1:30 pm, she still had not peed! Then, she had her first accident and we did as we were told. Some crying ensued as she did NOT want to use the potty, but we convinced her (ok, an M&M convinced her) to at least sit on it. A little while later, she told us she needed to go and lo and behold, she went and peed on the potty! OMG. And guess what - she did it 1 more time that first day and had one more accident, but 2/4 isn't bad for Day 1.
Day 2 came around and she only had one accident and made it to the potty 3 successful times! I have to say, this kid has a huge bladder - she held it in for 4-6 hours each day! Every time she'd pee in the potty, she would get an "A" present - an M&M, hershey kiss, chocolate-covered raisin, etc. and a star on her chart. 6 stars = a big "C" prize. The "B" prizes were for poops.
Day 3 - no accidents, more stickers and finally a "C" prize! Still no poops.
Day 4 - no accidents, more stickers and finally a poop - in her underwear. Another "C" prize!
Day 5 - no accidents, more stickers and another poop in her underwear. Another "C" prize!
Day 6 (today) - no accidents, more stickers, no poop and another "C" prize.
You see where this is going?! We are almost out of "C" prizes but still have LOTS of "B" prizes for when she decides to poop on the potty eventually. We even sing her favorite "pooping on the potty" song (thanks to Clara & Emma for that!) and she knows where she should do it but seems afraid to. But regardless of the poop issue, I am beyond thrilled that she is in underwear ("nighttime underwear" or Pull-Ups, are for night). Hopefully she will figure out that pooping in her underwear is not so fun and will try to go in the potty. And hopefully, the transition back at school next week will be a smooth one.
Not to neglect my second child - happy 8-month birthday, big guy! Zach got shots today and barely cried, weighed in at 17 lbs, 13 ozs, and finally decided to roll over from his back to his tummy (about time, dude!).
As we come to the end of year where we became a family of 4, welcoming a baby boy into our world, I recognize that it was a great year. Abby became a big sister and transitioned to a big girl bed; Zach was born and has spent the last 8 months of his life laughing and smiling and I became the mommy of 2 amazing kids and can only dream of what's in store for 2011. Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
'Tis the Season
How is it possible that we are halfway through the last month of 2010 already?!?! The month has flown by for us, mostly because we have a lot going on!
Cora started last week and got off to a good but slow start. She is coming off a job she's been at the past 23 years, so this is all new to her. But thankfully, Abby took to her right away as if she'd been with us for years (relief!). While she gets up to speed with Zach and our house, Jason and I have been around a bit more to guide her. I hope that this will be our last nanny for some time!
Surprisingly, Laura paid us a visit last week as well. I wasn't home at the time (lucky for her!) but Jason said she and her son knocked on our door at dinner time, came in and made themselves at home with her son going to play with Abby and she went to hold Zach right away. She apparently had tears in her eyes and asked how the kids were doing with our new nanny. She implied that her new job wasn't all that it seemed to be and she wasn't so happy. Jason didn't know if she was coming by to see if we'd offer her the job back, or to see if she wanted to come back or just to say hi, but he felt it was awkward considering she didn't feel it was necessary to tell us she'd be working in such close quarters.
Abby's been enjoying some fun kid-friendly activities such as a friend's holiday party, the off-broadway production of Annie and this past weekend, we took her to see the Radio City Rockettes. She loved taking the train to the city and being among the gizillion tourists in Rockefeller Center and along 5th Ave.
While we have been asked "who's that?" with regard to Santa, we haven't gotten the "why don't we have lights and a tree" question yet. If not this year, I am sure it will come next year!
Abby (and we) have something exciting/scary to look forward to in the coming weeks: The Diaper Fairy (younger sister of last year's Paci Fairy)will be paying us a visit to take Abby's diapers away once and for all when school lets out for the year. Our adorable, smart daughter is as stubborn as they come and refuses to use the potty, so Miss Diaper Fairy will be coming along to show her the way. We anticipate a rough few days (weeks?) but hopefully it will pay off and we'll just have one size of diapers to buy!
Cora started last week and got off to a good but slow start. She is coming off a job she's been at the past 23 years, so this is all new to her. But thankfully, Abby took to her right away as if she'd been with us for years (relief!). While she gets up to speed with Zach and our house, Jason and I have been around a bit more to guide her. I hope that this will be our last nanny for some time!
Surprisingly, Laura paid us a visit last week as well. I wasn't home at the time (lucky for her!) but Jason said she and her son knocked on our door at dinner time, came in and made themselves at home with her son going to play with Abby and she went to hold Zach right away. She apparently had tears in her eyes and asked how the kids were doing with our new nanny. She implied that her new job wasn't all that it seemed to be and she wasn't so happy. Jason didn't know if she was coming by to see if we'd offer her the job back, or to see if she wanted to come back or just to say hi, but he felt it was awkward considering she didn't feel it was necessary to tell us she'd be working in such close quarters.
Abby's been enjoying some fun kid-friendly activities such as a friend's holiday party, the off-broadway production of Annie and this past weekend, we took her to see the Radio City Rockettes. She loved taking the train to the city and being among the gizillion tourists in Rockefeller Center and along 5th Ave.
While we have been asked "who's that?" with regard to Santa, we haven't gotten the "why don't we have lights and a tree" question yet. If not this year, I am sure it will come next year!
Abby (and we) have something exciting/scary to look forward to in the coming weeks: The Diaper Fairy (younger sister of last year's Paci Fairy)will be paying us a visit to take Abby's diapers away once and for all when school lets out for the year. Our adorable, smart daughter is as stubborn as they come and refuses to use the potty, so Miss Diaper Fairy will be coming along to show her the way. We anticipate a rough few days (weeks?) but hopefully it will pay off and we'll just have one size of diapers to buy!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Love Thy Neighbor but Don't Covet Thy Neighbor's Nanny
Since last posting, Laura has left us...and started her new job just around the corner from us at our neighbor's house!!!! Yes, you read that right, and if you are even somewhat as appalled as I am, you understand my frustration. Here's the background:
As Laura's last day with us the week before Thanksgiving approached, I started finding out more about her reasons to leave, 99% of which had to do with her thinking she was working too many hours and not getting paid enough. Now I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure we are still in a recession, and last I checked, I don't get a raise from my company after just 6 months of employment! But apparently Laura's husband wasn't working so much and she needed to make more to support the family. So she told us that she had found an afternoon job working 12-6 pm 4 days a week so she could do housecleaning or something else in the mornings to make extra money. I felt badly and gave her a nice going-away present: products from work, some extra cash and a big hug with a "we'll call you for babysitting!" send-off.
Thanksgiving week came and went (my mom came to town, we ate a lot, played with the kids and had a fun week) and I stressed out over the nanny situation. I was still considering Laura's friend, Silvia, for the job, but I had reservations about her (as Laura's friend and she was asking for more money based on her previous job). I continued to field calls and screen candidates, and then, a small glimmer of hope: I was speaking with another nanny at Abby's gym class, Patricia, who Laura had become friendly with. I told her that I was looking for someone and gave her my number should she know of anyone. I got a call the next day from a woman named Cora, who said Patricia had passed along my information. With the holiday the next day, I took a few days to call Cora back but when I did, I couldn't believe I had waited so long.
Cora and I spoke briefly on Saturday morning via phone and I invited her to come to meet us that afternoon. By the time she left our house, I knew she was the One. Cora is a bit older - my guess is early 50s. She has worked at the same daycare in our town for 23 YEARS! She also babysits on the side and has a ton of references. She has been background checked, she has taken all of the childcare classes/workshops, is CPR certified, drives and lives IN MY town! Ours would be her first real "nanny" job but I know she is up for the task. We made Cora the offer and she very happily accepted and will start next week.
The day after we made Cora the offer, we found out that Laura is working for our neighbor. I also came to find out that she was soliciting business and trying to find a job at Abby's school - nice. And as if it isn't bad enough that she'll be working in my community and seeing my kids around, she won't call us back, presumably because she knows we found out and she feels guilty.
In the meantime, I let Silvia know that we couldn't hire her due to Laura's deceitfulness and I said I'd help her find a job because we did really like her, but it would not be a good idea to have Laura's friend working for us when Laura was working in the same small community. Hopefully, Silvia will pass along the message to Laura so she knows what she did was wrong - but judging by the fact that she won't return our calls and didn't come clean in the first place, she definitely knows she was wrong to do what she did.
All in all, I have a good feeling about Cora and our fresh start next week. So my kids won't grow up learning Spanish as their second language, but they'll hopefully be taken care of by a responsible, honest and caring woman who has more years of experience with children than us!
And may this be a lesson for all in the future: if you are in need of a new nanny, ask your neighbor's nanny for a referral for a friend, but don't hire their nanny as it certainly doesn't bode well for future run-ins in the neighborhood!
As Laura's last day with us the week before Thanksgiving approached, I started finding out more about her reasons to leave, 99% of which had to do with her thinking she was working too many hours and not getting paid enough. Now I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure we are still in a recession, and last I checked, I don't get a raise from my company after just 6 months of employment! But apparently Laura's husband wasn't working so much and she needed to make more to support the family. So she told us that she had found an afternoon job working 12-6 pm 4 days a week so she could do housecleaning or something else in the mornings to make extra money. I felt badly and gave her a nice going-away present: products from work, some extra cash and a big hug with a "we'll call you for babysitting!" send-off.
Thanksgiving week came and went (my mom came to town, we ate a lot, played with the kids and had a fun week) and I stressed out over the nanny situation. I was still considering Laura's friend, Silvia, for the job, but I had reservations about her (as Laura's friend and she was asking for more money based on her previous job). I continued to field calls and screen candidates, and then, a small glimmer of hope: I was speaking with another nanny at Abby's gym class, Patricia, who Laura had become friendly with. I told her that I was looking for someone and gave her my number should she know of anyone. I got a call the next day from a woman named Cora, who said Patricia had passed along my information. With the holiday the next day, I took a few days to call Cora back but when I did, I couldn't believe I had waited so long.
Cora and I spoke briefly on Saturday morning via phone and I invited her to come to meet us that afternoon. By the time she left our house, I knew she was the One. Cora is a bit older - my guess is early 50s. She has worked at the same daycare in our town for 23 YEARS! She also babysits on the side and has a ton of references. She has been background checked, she has taken all of the childcare classes/workshops, is CPR certified, drives and lives IN MY town! Ours would be her first real "nanny" job but I know she is up for the task. We made Cora the offer and she very happily accepted and will start next week.
The day after we made Cora the offer, we found out that Laura is working for our neighbor. I also came to find out that she was soliciting business and trying to find a job at Abby's school - nice. And as if it isn't bad enough that she'll be working in my community and seeing my kids around, she won't call us back, presumably because she knows we found out and she feels guilty.
In the meantime, I let Silvia know that we couldn't hire her due to Laura's deceitfulness and I said I'd help her find a job because we did really like her, but it would not be a good idea to have Laura's friend working for us when Laura was working in the same small community. Hopefully, Silvia will pass along the message to Laura so she knows what she did was wrong - but judging by the fact that she won't return our calls and didn't come clean in the first place, she definitely knows she was wrong to do what she did.
All in all, I have a good feeling about Cora and our fresh start next week. So my kids won't grow up learning Spanish as their second language, but they'll hopefully be taken care of by a responsible, honest and caring woman who has more years of experience with children than us!
And may this be a lesson for all in the future: if you are in need of a new nanny, ask your neighbor's nanny for a referral for a friend, but don't hire their nanny as it certainly doesn't bode well for future run-ins in the neighborhood!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Another Nanny Nightmare...Again
I mean, really. If someone had told me 4+ years ago before having kids that finding and keeping a nanny would be the bane of my existance, I might have either moved somewhere with a lower cost of living where I could be a SAHM, or just not had kids. I am OVER IT.
The latest debacle (if you haven't already seen it on Facebook) is that our beloved nanny, Laura, is leaving us. I am alternating between being super-pissed off and very sad. There is still some fuzziness regarding her decision to leave because I heard a few reasons from her and a few reasons from my friend's nanny (who originally introduced us). The reasons range from: shorter hours to get home for dinner and homework help to better pay (can't argue there, there is only so much we can offer her!) and Abby's behavior lately (a bit challenging but not so horrendous as to warrant a nanny leaving). It seems that she is torn up about it - she says she loves us, working for us, loves our kids, etc. But she can't stay. She is trying to get us to hire one of her friends, who we are meeting with tonight, but I am not sure I want to have a friend of hers since her reasoning is still a bit sketchy. My friend's nanny also is trying to help us out again and she apparently got a call from Laura that Laura was angry she was helping us (?!?!?). You can probably see my confusion and stress now, huh?
Needless to say, it's not exactly what I was hoping I'd have to do again, and so soon. I am dreading the adjustment period for us all, assuming we find someone we like who wants to work for us. I just want this nightmare to be over with and find someone who we trust, like and can keep until both kids are in school full time!
The latest debacle (if you haven't already seen it on Facebook) is that our beloved nanny, Laura, is leaving us. I am alternating between being super-pissed off and very sad. There is still some fuzziness regarding her decision to leave because I heard a few reasons from her and a few reasons from my friend's nanny (who originally introduced us). The reasons range from: shorter hours to get home for dinner and homework help to better pay (can't argue there, there is only so much we can offer her!) and Abby's behavior lately (a bit challenging but not so horrendous as to warrant a nanny leaving). It seems that she is torn up about it - she says she loves us, working for us, loves our kids, etc. But she can't stay. She is trying to get us to hire one of her friends, who we are meeting with tonight, but I am not sure I want to have a friend of hers since her reasoning is still a bit sketchy. My friend's nanny also is trying to help us out again and she apparently got a call from Laura that Laura was angry she was helping us (?!?!?). You can probably see my confusion and stress now, huh?
Needless to say, it's not exactly what I was hoping I'd have to do again, and so soon. I am dreading the adjustment period for us all, assuming we find someone we like who wants to work for us. I just want this nightmare to be over with and find someone who we trust, like and can keep until both kids are in school full time!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Ready...Set...Trick or Treat!
One day from now, my little man will turn 6 months old, and to celebrate, we thought it would be fun and appropriate to dress up and go trick-or-treating! (I can only imagine how much fun it would be for a kid whose birthday really falls on Halloween!)
Spoiler alert: Abby and Zach are going as a ladybug and bumblebee, or Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy from one of Abby's favorite books. We got a taste of how cute a bumblebee could be when Zach wore his costume to Barnes & Noble's dress-up storytime yesterday. He looked as sweet as honey :). And my little ladybug-to-be, who caught a school cold and kindly passed it on to her brother and mommy, is ready to rock her black and red dress, tights, turtleneck and boots on Sunday. Frankly, I haven't been this excited for Halloween in a LONG time!
Hopefully if we are all in good health and spirits, we'll make it to two parties, Stew Leonard's (trick-or-treating and free ice cream for kids in costume on Sunday!) and to our neighbors doors all before we collapse in a sugar overload. In a half-ass attempt at bribing Abby to use the potty, we already planted the seed that she will only get candy if she goes to the bathroom. We shall see how long that lasts!
I'll post pics after the weekend and I hope everyone has a fun time!
Spoiler alert: Abby and Zach are going as a ladybug and bumblebee, or Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy from one of Abby's favorite books. We got a taste of how cute a bumblebee could be when Zach wore his costume to Barnes & Noble's dress-up storytime yesterday. He looked as sweet as honey :). And my little ladybug-to-be, who caught a school cold and kindly passed it on to her brother and mommy, is ready to rock her black and red dress, tights, turtleneck and boots on Sunday. Frankly, I haven't been this excited for Halloween in a LONG time!
Hopefully if we are all in good health and spirits, we'll make it to two parties, Stew Leonard's (trick-or-treating and free ice cream for kids in costume on Sunday!) and to our neighbors doors all before we collapse in a sugar overload. In a half-ass attempt at bribing Abby to use the potty, we already planted the seed that she will only get candy if she goes to the bathroom. We shall see how long that lasts!
I'll post pics after the weekend and I hope everyone has a fun time!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
The Mid-Month Review
Alas, my favorite month of the year (and not only because it's my birth month) is already more than half over! Which means that we are quickly approaching Zach's 6-month mark and the start of the oh-so-fun holiday season.
What have we been up to this month, you ask? Well, like every other family in the Northeast, we went pumpkin picking last weekend at Outhouse Orchards. Between the pony rides, hayride, swingset, fresh food, ice cream truck, band and pumpkin patch, there was more than enough for everyone to do. Unfortunately, Jason got a little ambitious when pushing Abby on the "big girl" swing and she fell off it - thankfully with just a scare for us all, nothing more.
We are also working on cleaning out our loft/office area to make a real room for poor Zach, who routinely alternates his sleeping arrangements between a pack and play in our closet and a crib (with Abby's pink sheets) in the loft. We are hoping to get a wall built ASAP so we all can go back to having our own spaces, and the kid can have some blue or green crib sheets of his own!
I celebrated my birthday night at Abby's school at storytime, where the parents took turns reading to the group and the kids enjoyed cookies and milk. Afterwards, we came home and enjoyed cake and other delicious treats.
And last, but definitely not least, last night Abby FINALLY decided to SIT on the potty again, which she hasn't done in a very long time. Nothing happened, but we are back to celebrating the baby steps in this horrific process known as potty training. And should the day ever come when she is out of diapers, we will no doubt celebrate in a very big way!
What have we been up to this month, you ask? Well, like every other family in the Northeast, we went pumpkin picking last weekend at Outhouse Orchards. Between the pony rides, hayride, swingset, fresh food, ice cream truck, band and pumpkin patch, there was more than enough for everyone to do. Unfortunately, Jason got a little ambitious when pushing Abby on the "big girl" swing and she fell off it - thankfully with just a scare for us all, nothing more.
We are also working on cleaning out our loft/office area to make a real room for poor Zach, who routinely alternates his sleeping arrangements between a pack and play in our closet and a crib (with Abby's pink sheets) in the loft. We are hoping to get a wall built ASAP so we all can go back to having our own spaces, and the kid can have some blue or green crib sheets of his own!
I celebrated my birthday night at Abby's school at storytime, where the parents took turns reading to the group and the kids enjoyed cookies and milk. Afterwards, we came home and enjoyed cake and other delicious treats.
And last, but definitely not least, last night Abby FINALLY decided to SIT on the potty again, which she hasn't done in a very long time. Nothing happened, but we are back to celebrating the baby steps in this horrific process known as potty training. And should the day ever come when she is out of diapers, we will no doubt celebrate in a very big way!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Zach Earns His Wings
Zachary earned his first set of wings this weekend when he and mommy went to Chicago! We got very lucky on several fronts when we left: it was a torrential rain and wind storm with every road leading to the airport flooded, but we made it just in time. The gate agent must have felt badly for the single mom traveling with her adorable baby and not only gave us the bulk head, but an extra seat for Zach as well (thank you Steven Webber at AA)!!! With a little assistance from fellow passengers, we got settled and Zach did great on his first flight - he ate, pooped, played and slept a little. We even landed in Chicago early, so there really is a first time for everything!
Over the weekend, we went to the cemetery to visit Zach's Grandpa Joe and Great-Grandma Faye, we met up with some friends and enjoyed the local specialties, including deep dish pizza, Dairy Queen and cheese fries. Clearly it was not a trip for anyone on a diet!
Zach met his extended family and his Grammy's close friends on Sunday when Grammy went a bit overboard with a catered party for him which included "Z" mini-cupcakes and way too much food.
All the while, Abby enjoyed some daughter/daddy (and grandparent) time, had her 3rd visit to the dentist and visited the Greenburgh Nature Center for like the 5th time this year. She and daddy also took Sadie for a much-needed grooming.
The trip home was pretty easy, though Zach was on my lap during it instead of his own seat. But we made it home in one piece and I realized how much easier it is to travel with a 5-month-old than a 3-year-old (which I never would have done when Abby was 5 months old)!
Over the weekend, we went to the cemetery to visit Zach's Grandpa Joe and Great-Grandma Faye, we met up with some friends and enjoyed the local specialties, including deep dish pizza, Dairy Queen and cheese fries. Clearly it was not a trip for anyone on a diet!
Zach met his extended family and his Grammy's close friends on Sunday when Grammy went a bit overboard with a catered party for him which included "Z" mini-cupcakes and way too much food.
All the while, Abby enjoyed some daughter/daddy (and grandparent) time, had her 3rd visit to the dentist and visited the Greenburgh Nature Center for like the 5th time this year. She and daddy also took Sadie for a much-needed grooming.
The trip home was pretty easy, though Zach was on my lap during it instead of his own seat. But we made it home in one piece and I realized how much easier it is to travel with a 5-month-old than a 3-year-old (which I never would have done when Abby was 5 months old)!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Adventures in Maryland
This past weekend, Jason and I packed up the kids and a whole lot of luggage and headed down "south," to visit friends in Maryland. Our roadtrip began Friday at 5:30 pm (yes, we chose to sit in rush hour traffic) and we arrived at our first destination just outside of Baltimore (our friends Karrie & Michael's house) around 10:15 pm. Thankfully, both kids fell asleep in the car and transferred nicely. That was the first night that Abby slept on an air mattress and she did great, other than waking up at 2 am confused about where she was!
Saturday morning we hung out with Karrie & Michael's kids at their place and then packed up everyone yet again and drove to Rockville, Maryland. Our plan was to surprise birthday girl Lauren at brunch, which went perfectly as we saw the look on her face of pure shock when she walked into the restaurant and saw us there. After enjoying some birthday cupcakes we brought down from Magnolia Bakery in NYC, we sent the husbands off with 6 kids (ages 4.5 months - 4.5 years)so that Karrie, Lauren and I could enjoy some girl time with massages. The kids also had a great time at the town fair, getting balloon animals, their faces painted and playing in a bounce house.
Saturday night was adults night out at Rosa Mexicano in National Harbor. We had a great night of perfect weather and with no children, we all were able to engage in real adult conversation for a change!
Our trip ended Sunday morning when we left early so that Lauren & Dan could get their house ready for an open house and attend a few birthday parties. Zach took his usual 30-45-minute naps throughout the day so the poor guy was exhausted at night. But all in all, it was a fun and action-packed weekend that we all enjoyed!
Next up - a mommy/son trip to Chicago next weekend (and Zach's first flight) which will be a lot of fun assuming Mommy can get through the airport and plane ride in one piece. Abby and Daddy will enjoy their time together as well, and Jason and I will be sure to compare notes about who is easier - the 5-month old or the 3-year old!
Saturday morning we hung out with Karrie & Michael's kids at their place and then packed up everyone yet again and drove to Rockville, Maryland. Our plan was to surprise birthday girl Lauren at brunch, which went perfectly as we saw the look on her face of pure shock when she walked into the restaurant and saw us there. After enjoying some birthday cupcakes we brought down from Magnolia Bakery in NYC, we sent the husbands off with 6 kids (ages 4.5 months - 4.5 years)so that Karrie, Lauren and I could enjoy some girl time with massages. The kids also had a great time at the town fair, getting balloon animals, their faces painted and playing in a bounce house.
Saturday night was adults night out at Rosa Mexicano in National Harbor. We had a great night of perfect weather and with no children, we all were able to engage in real adult conversation for a change!
Our trip ended Sunday morning when we left early so that Lauren & Dan could get their house ready for an open house and attend a few birthday parties. Zach took his usual 30-45-minute naps throughout the day so the poor guy was exhausted at night. But all in all, it was a fun and action-packed weekend that we all enjoyed!
Next up - a mommy/son trip to Chicago next weekend (and Zach's first flight) which will be a lot of fun assuming Mommy can get through the airport and plane ride in one piece. Abby and Daddy will enjoy their time together as well, and Jason and I will be sure to compare notes about who is easier - the 5-month old or the 3-year old!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
High Holidays & High Apples
This past weekend started off with celebrating the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. It was nice to spend some time with the family but fasting while your 3-year-old eats is not as fun as it sounds! I made it until 5:30 pm but was a tad bit cranky towards the end. We hosted the "break fast" at our house and Abby had a great time with her cousins Matthew & Morgan. Zach had a great time just being his cute self!
Sunday morning we woke up and saw the sun was bright so we motivated and headed up north to Wilkens Farm for some apple picking. Abby & Zach's cousins and our BIL & SIL joined us for a little while as they celebrated SIL's birthday. This year, Abby was able to reach a few more of the apples herself and was a great bag holder while Jason got the taller apples. Even Zach had fun as he tried to reach for the leaves and loved being outside in the gorgeous weather. We enjoyed tasting the various apples but the best part was going to the treat shop at the end and indulging in fresh apple cider donuts! Yum!
On Monday morning, Abby was very excited to bring some of the apples we picked to school to share with her class. Hopefully the kids all enjoyed the apples as much as we enjoyed picking them! Happy Fall!
Sunday morning we woke up and saw the sun was bright so we motivated and headed up north to Wilkens Farm for some apple picking. Abby & Zach's cousins and our BIL & SIL joined us for a little while as they celebrated SIL's birthday. This year, Abby was able to reach a few more of the apples herself and was a great bag holder while Jason got the taller apples. Even Zach had fun as he tried to reach for the leaves and loved being outside in the gorgeous weather. We enjoyed tasting the various apples but the best part was going to the treat shop at the end and indulging in fresh apple cider donuts! Yum!
On Monday morning, Abby was very excited to bring some of the apples we picked to school to share with her class. Hopefully the kids all enjoyed the apples as much as we enjoyed picking them! Happy Fall!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
The First Days of School
Pre-school started off with a bang on Monday - the class (9 returning students, 3 new ones) seemed to hit it off and the teachers are (hopefully) getting into a groove. Abby had a nice time, other than apparently she was not so happy about putting away toys to go read a story and she threw a minor fit and hit her head when she threw it back in protest. Par for the course these days, but she was fine and the rest of the time was ok.
Yesterday was only Day 3 of Abby's second year and she came home from school with a fever! Last year she must have been sick at least 4-5 times so I was hoping that this year it wouldn't be so bad, now that her immune system adjusted to a bunch of runny-nosed kids all playing with the same toys and putting their hands in their mouths. But alas, that hope only lasted about 48 hours. Luckily she is fine - her fever is gone and other than a lingering cough and swollen glands, she should bounce back by the time school resumes on Monday after Yom Kippur.
In other news at home, I must have been in a fog for the first few months of Abby's life because I don't really remember how her demeanor was. I know she was a pretty easy baby but Zach seems to be a little saint (so far)! He is so smiley & happy, and will just hang out no matter where he is or what he's doing. He eats, sleeps and gives us the best smiles. So maybe he's a little short but his big personality will make up for his little height. I just adore the kid and can't believe I was so nervous to have a boy! I am sure I'll change this once he's mobile and active, but if what everyone has told me about boys being so loveable with their moms holds true, his future wife better watch out!!!
Yesterday was only Day 3 of Abby's second year and she came home from school with a fever! Last year she must have been sick at least 4-5 times so I was hoping that this year it wouldn't be so bad, now that her immune system adjusted to a bunch of runny-nosed kids all playing with the same toys and putting their hands in their mouths. But alas, that hope only lasted about 48 hours. Luckily she is fine - her fever is gone and other than a lingering cough and swollen glands, she should bounce back by the time school resumes on Monday after Yom Kippur.
In other news at home, I must have been in a fog for the first few months of Abby's life because I don't really remember how her demeanor was. I know she was a pretty easy baby but Zach seems to be a little saint (so far)! He is so smiley & happy, and will just hang out no matter where he is or what he's doing. He eats, sleeps and gives us the best smiles. So maybe he's a little short but his big personality will make up for his little height. I just adore the kid and can't believe I was so nervous to have a boy! I am sure I'll change this once he's mobile and active, but if what everyone has told me about boys being so loveable with their moms holds true, his future wife better watch out!!!
Friday, September 10, 2010
A Little Labor Day Fun
It's hard to believe that Labor Day came and went so quickly this year! We had a lot of fun activities and we are sad to see the summer coming to an end.
On Saturday (our 6-year anniversary), we took the kids to Rye Playland for the evening with some friends and their 3-year-old daughter, Leah. The girls had a wonderful time on all of the rides and Abby even asked to try the "adult" rides (denied!). Zach just loved being there, and was looking around at all the people and lights. The girls tried a funnel cake for the first time and loved it (what's not to love!).
Sunday, we spent the morning & evening at my in-laws' country club, where Abby was more interested in the swings than the pool. After Jason picked up my mom from the airport, we went back to the club for a carnival and BBQ with the family and everyone ate a lot and had a great time.
Monday morning, we packed up the whole family (Grammy, mom, dad, Abby, Zach and Sadie)in our new 7-seater SUV and went for a long hike in the Rockefeller Estate. It was a perfect day outside and it felt good to burn off a few of the calories we consumed the evening before! Monday night, Jason and I had a post-anniversary celebration of dinner & a movie while Grandma babysat.
Tuesday rolled around Grammy and I took Abby to her school's "fun day," which consisted of time on the playground, meeting the teachers, and a visit from a Bee Keeper. It definitely got us all in the spirit for Abby's upcoming first day of school on Monday!
We celebrated Rosh Hashana with the family in the city on Wednesday night and in White Plains on Thursday night, and we went to a kids service at Abby's school. There was a lot of yummy food and we all seemed to have a nice time. Abby helped Grammy bake yummy brownies which we are excited to dive into.
It's hard to believe that Abby is starting her 2nd year of preschool on Monday. I am sure that Laura is happy to get her back into structured programming and I know she'll have a great time there. I am excited to see what fall brings - hopefully some apple and pumpkin-picking and maybe, just maybe, a little potty progress once school starts. Happy Fall!
On Saturday (our 6-year anniversary), we took the kids to Rye Playland for the evening with some friends and their 3-year-old daughter, Leah. The girls had a wonderful time on all of the rides and Abby even asked to try the "adult" rides (denied!). Zach just loved being there, and was looking around at all the people and lights. The girls tried a funnel cake for the first time and loved it (what's not to love!).
Sunday, we spent the morning & evening at my in-laws' country club, where Abby was more interested in the swings than the pool. After Jason picked up my mom from the airport, we went back to the club for a carnival and BBQ with the family and everyone ate a lot and had a great time.
Monday morning, we packed up the whole family (Grammy, mom, dad, Abby, Zach and Sadie)in our new 7-seater SUV and went for a long hike in the Rockefeller Estate. It was a perfect day outside and it felt good to burn off a few of the calories we consumed the evening before! Monday night, Jason and I had a post-anniversary celebration of dinner & a movie while Grandma babysat.
Tuesday rolled around Grammy and I took Abby to her school's "fun day," which consisted of time on the playground, meeting the teachers, and a visit from a Bee Keeper. It definitely got us all in the spirit for Abby's upcoming first day of school on Monday!
We celebrated Rosh Hashana with the family in the city on Wednesday night and in White Plains on Thursday night, and we went to a kids service at Abby's school. There was a lot of yummy food and we all seemed to have a nice time. Abby helped Grammy bake yummy brownies which we are excited to dive into.
It's hard to believe that Abby is starting her 2nd year of preschool on Monday. I am sure that Laura is happy to get her back into structured programming and I know she'll have a great time there. I am excited to see what fall brings - hopefully some apple and pumpkin-picking and maybe, just maybe, a little potty progress once school starts. Happy Fall!
Monday, August 30, 2010
The Beginning and End of Potty Training
I am writing this in the hopes that a few months from now, I will look back and laugh at how we started and stopped potty training in a matter of hours. I was really trying hard to be patient and wait until Abby was ready and wanted to go on the potty. But changing 2 sets of diapers was really getting to me, and with her getting closer to starting school, I figured it was time. So this morning I told her that we'd have a "panty party" tonight if she wore panties all day and went on the potty. The party would consist of cupcakes, balloons and stickers. She was on board with this plan when I left the house at 8 am. Here's the rest of the timeline:
8:36 am: Jason had called to say that she had her first accident
10:45 am: The number crept up to 3 accidents
12:00 pm: I heard she was screaming every time Laura would try to put her on the potty
1:30 pm: Call to mom to express frustration. Mom reminds me that I was trained when I was 3 and started school
2:45 pm: Phone call to family friend and psychiatriast (who also has a 3-yr old daughter who is not potty trained)
2:55 pm: Called off potty training efforts
Family friend/psychiatriast told me that it is in our best interest to not speak of it or think of it and let it happen on its own. She said we'd be causing many more issues later on if we pushed her. She said if and when she does go, to be happy but not overly excited b/c it will make her feel like she is doing it for us, instead of for herself (so don't say "I'm so proud of you", rather "you must be so proud of yourself"). Glad to hear it from an "expert" who is also going through the same thing as us. So PT is off for the time being!
8:36 am: Jason had called to say that she had her first accident
10:45 am: The number crept up to 3 accidents
12:00 pm: I heard she was screaming every time Laura would try to put her on the potty
1:30 pm: Call to mom to express frustration. Mom reminds me that I was trained when I was 3 and started school
2:45 pm: Phone call to family friend and psychiatriast (who also has a 3-yr old daughter who is not potty trained)
2:55 pm: Called off potty training efforts
Family friend/psychiatriast told me that it is in our best interest to not speak of it or think of it and let it happen on its own. She said we'd be causing many more issues later on if we pushed her. She said if and when she does go, to be happy but not overly excited b/c it will make her feel like she is doing it for us, instead of for herself (so don't say "I'm so proud of you", rather "you must be so proud of yourself"). Glad to hear it from an "expert" who is also going through the same thing as us. So PT is off for the time being!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
A Rainy Week
I have to say, we've been quite lucky with the great summer weather we've had - until this week, that is! It's been rainy and chilly since Sunday, which proves to be a challenge when it comes to entertaining an active 3-year old!
This past weekend, Jason's cousin Lauren, her husband Mike and their 7-month-old daughter Maya came to visit from Atlanta. We had lots of family activities, from a yummy BBQ dinner at our house Saturday night to lunch and family photos on Sunday. It was so nice to see them and for everyone to meet the new babies (Maya and Zach). Hopefully the family pics came out well, considering Jason's mom insisted that all 17 of us wear the same color tops & bottoms, which I personally think looks ridiculous. But the picture wasn't for me, so I could only be so vocal! Luckily, most of the children cooperated and we might be lucky enough to get one picture where everyone is looking at the camera.
This rainy week so far, Abby and Zach have gone to the library, the park, Target and our neighbor's house. Hopefully as the rain clears up, they will enjoy more outdoor activities since there are only so many art projects to do in a week!
Speaking of outdoor activities - Jason and I may do a day trip upstate to Rhinebeck, NY, for the Dutchess County Fair on Saturday. Who wouldn't have fun with carnival rides, fried Oreos and zoo animals??
This past weekend, Jason's cousin Lauren, her husband Mike and their 7-month-old daughter Maya came to visit from Atlanta. We had lots of family activities, from a yummy BBQ dinner at our house Saturday night to lunch and family photos on Sunday. It was so nice to see them and for everyone to meet the new babies (Maya and Zach). Hopefully the family pics came out well, considering Jason's mom insisted that all 17 of us wear the same color tops & bottoms, which I personally think looks ridiculous. But the picture wasn't for me, so I could only be so vocal! Luckily, most of the children cooperated and we might be lucky enough to get one picture where everyone is looking at the camera.
This rainy week so far, Abby and Zach have gone to the library, the park, Target and our neighbor's house. Hopefully as the rain clears up, they will enjoy more outdoor activities since there are only so many art projects to do in a week!
Speaking of outdoor activities - Jason and I may do a day trip upstate to Rhinebeck, NY, for the Dutchess County Fair on Saturday. Who wouldn't have fun with carnival rides, fried Oreos and zoo animals??
Thursday, August 12, 2010
The End of Camp
Well, today is the last day of Abby's first year of summer camp. I should be so excited at the prospect of her starting pre-school but alas, it is not starting for another month! That means a full month of our nanny Laura taking care of both kids all day long. Hopefully she'll be able to manage it, because I certainly wouldn't be able to! So if anyone has any fabulous suggestions for what my nanny can do with a 3-yr old and a 3-month old (other than the park, playground and library every day), please feel free to share them!
We were thinking about potty training Abby during this time but I don't think either of us is ready. I am not ready for the screaming and tears that will ensue when we force her to sit on the potty and I know she is physically ready but not there emotionally yet. No matter how much bribing we do, it does not seem to matter to her, which is odd considering the majority of her friends are trained.
Anyway, it should be quite an interesting month, that's for sure!
We were thinking about potty training Abby during this time but I don't think either of us is ready. I am not ready for the screaming and tears that will ensue when we force her to sit on the potty and I know she is physically ready but not there emotionally yet. No matter how much bribing we do, it does not seem to matter to her, which is odd considering the majority of her friends are trained.
Anyway, it should be quite an interesting month, that's for sure!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Bad (and Busy) Mommy
Well it seems that I have been a bit delinquent in posting since my last update 2.5 months ago!! Maternity leave flew by and I'm now back at work, where I seem to have more time now than I did at home with two kids, a dog, nanny and husband!
Hard to believe that my little guy is 3 months now. Zach is such a little ball of joy...very content, happy and generally has a very good demeanor. He's happiest when his big sister Abby pays attention to him or when he's "talking" to his "friends" on his bouncy seat or swing. He's been a great sleeper at night and not so good about napping during the day, but he's never cranky when he doesn't sleep (which is ridiculous because I certainly am!).
As for Big Sister Abby, she has been great with him, very gentle and loving. If you get too close to him, she'll tell you "don't touch, he's MY brother"! With us, however, she hasn't been exhibiting the best behavior as of late. It seems that the "terrible twos" have progressed into the "more terrible threes" with frequent bouts of whining, crying and demands. I would be convinced that it was all due to the arrival of her baby brother, but my friends with 3-year-olds are all saying the same thing - it's their age and their need to want to be independent. It's frustrating at best and there are days I want to put her up for adoption and other days when she is as sweet and good as can be. We just need to tough it out and hold our ground.
Because her behavior hasn't always been so stellar as of late, we have implemented a rewards/behavior chart at home. If she gets 4 out of 5 stars for good listening, no whining, no hitting, potty and/or good manners, she gets a lollipop at the end of the day. So far just the threat of no lollipop or no Dora on tv is enough to make her stop and think if her bad behavior is worth it!
Unfortunately the potty training, or lack thereof, hasn't been going so smoothly. Abby stubbornly refuses to use the potty, no matter what or how much we bribe her with her favorite things (ice cream, lollipops, M&Ms, etc..). Her pediatrician tells us to wait until she is ready, but the days just keep creeping past us, getting closer to when school starts (when I'd like her to be trained), so we might use the long month between the end of camp and the start of school as time to dump the diapers for good. We will see who wins that battle!
In other news, Abby's third birthday came and went quickly. We celebrated with some cute (and not-so-cute) animals at the Greenburgh Nature Center and lots of cake. About a month after her birthday, Abby joined the ranks of the big girls and gave up her crib for a bed! She has been doing great in the bed and following the two golden rules - no jumping and no getting out after naps or in the morning. We'll see how long that lasts!
Anyway, I promise to do a better job of keeping up to date now that I have two kids to keep track of. Each day is a new adventure and I look forward to sharing it with you!
Hard to believe that my little guy is 3 months now. Zach is such a little ball of joy...very content, happy and generally has a very good demeanor. He's happiest when his big sister Abby pays attention to him or when he's "talking" to his "friends" on his bouncy seat or swing. He's been a great sleeper at night and not so good about napping during the day, but he's never cranky when he doesn't sleep (which is ridiculous because I certainly am!).
As for Big Sister Abby, she has been great with him, very gentle and loving. If you get too close to him, she'll tell you "don't touch, he's MY brother"! With us, however, she hasn't been exhibiting the best behavior as of late. It seems that the "terrible twos" have progressed into the "more terrible threes" with frequent bouts of whining, crying and demands. I would be convinced that it was all due to the arrival of her baby brother, but my friends with 3-year-olds are all saying the same thing - it's their age and their need to want to be independent. It's frustrating at best and there are days I want to put her up for adoption and other days when she is as sweet and good as can be. We just need to tough it out and hold our ground.
Because her behavior hasn't always been so stellar as of late, we have implemented a rewards/behavior chart at home. If she gets 4 out of 5 stars for good listening, no whining, no hitting, potty and/or good manners, she gets a lollipop at the end of the day. So far just the threat of no lollipop or no Dora on tv is enough to make her stop and think if her bad behavior is worth it!
Unfortunately the potty training, or lack thereof, hasn't been going so smoothly. Abby stubbornly refuses to use the potty, no matter what or how much we bribe her with her favorite things (ice cream, lollipops, M&Ms, etc..). Her pediatrician tells us to wait until she is ready, but the days just keep creeping past us, getting closer to when school starts (when I'd like her to be trained), so we might use the long month between the end of camp and the start of school as time to dump the diapers for good. We will see who wins that battle!
In other news, Abby's third birthday came and went quickly. We celebrated with some cute (and not-so-cute) animals at the Greenburgh Nature Center and lots of cake. About a month after her birthday, Abby joined the ranks of the big girls and gave up her crib for a bed! She has been doing great in the bed and following the two golden rules - no jumping and no getting out after naps or in the morning. We'll see how long that lasts!
Anyway, I promise to do a better job of keeping up to date now that I have two kids to keep track of. Each day is a new adventure and I look forward to sharing it with you!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Welcome Zachary Jacob!
18 days ago, Jason, Abby and I welcomed Zachary Jacob into the world at 10:26 am. We are so blessed to have a healthy baby boy who weighed in at 6 lbs, 8 ozs and was 19 inches long. He looks very similar to his big sister Abby when she was a newborn, with big blue eyes, pouty lips and a little button nose.
Abby was very excited to meet her baby brother, especially when she realized she got lots of presents, treats and special attention. She has been great with him at home so far - wanting to help feed him and generally being well-behaved around him. We are aware that the honeymoon phase could change at any minute but we're enjoying the good behavior while it lasts until jealousy sets in.
We are all adjusting to life as a family of 4 so each day is a new adventure and challenge, but it's been a lot of fun and very rewarding to see this new little person grow and develop. I'll keep you posted on the Abby Adventures and now the Zach Adventures as I am able!
Abby was very excited to meet her baby brother, especially when she realized she got lots of presents, treats and special attention. She has been great with him at home so far - wanting to help feed him and generally being well-behaved around him. We are aware that the honeymoon phase could change at any minute but we're enjoying the good behavior while it lasts until jealousy sets in.
We are all adjusting to life as a family of 4 so each day is a new adventure and challenge, but it's been a lot of fun and very rewarding to see this new little person grow and develop. I'll keep you posted on the Abby Adventures and now the Zach Adventures as I am able!
Friday, April 23, 2010
T-Minus One Week!
Abby has one week (or less) left of being an only child! Assuming Baby Boy doesn't decide to arrive sooner, I'll have a scheduled c/s on Friday, April 30, a week from today! I'm not so excited about recovering from major surgery (especially with a toddler at home who doesn't understand that mommy can't pick her up), but I am very much looking forward to meeting the little guy who has been jumping around in my belly the past 9 months and who seems to look like his big sister from the 3D ultrasounds.
Week one of our new nanny Laura has been great so far - so I am extremely hopeful that having her around will help with Abby's transition of Only Child to Big Sister.
Now the question is - how do we spend the last few days with Abby to ensure she feels special and is excited for her baby brother's arrival?!? Moms with two or more kids, feel free to let me know!
Week one of our new nanny Laura has been great so far - so I am extremely hopeful that having her around will help with Abby's transition of Only Child to Big Sister.
Now the question is - how do we spend the last few days with Abby to ensure she feels special and is excited for her baby brother's arrival?!? Moms with two or more kids, feel free to let me know!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The Nanny Diaries - take 2
Well, it's been a rough week, folks. Our nanny Simone (who as I previously mentioned we were not happy with) apparently decided that she wasn't happy and just didn't show up after she took 3 days off (only 1 of which was paid, thankfully). She didn't call, either. While it threw us into a huge tailspin (not good timing, considering I was 36 weeks pregnant), our childcare the last week has consisted of a combination of school, Jason, me, a babysitter and backup daycare offered by my company. In the meantime, we were feverishly calling and interviewing potential nannies.
Thankfully (maybe?), we found someone who could start right away who accepted the job and we are very much looking forward to having her start on Monday. Her name is Laura and she is a mother of 2 kids (18 and 8), Spanish/English-speaking, lives in the town next to us and offered to cook and clean for us. So here's to hoping it works out, and the worst-case scenario is that we have her until I am home on maternity leave and then deal with it. The best-case scenario is that Abby and Baby Boy learn some Espanol from her!
With less than 3 weeks to go until Baby Boy makes his arrival into the world, I am trying to relish every moment with Abby and appreciate sleeping through the night (for the most part). Our family is expanding very soon, but until then, we are enjoying this time and making the most of having an only child. And I'm enjoying eating whatever I feel like for a little bit longer!
Thankfully (maybe?), we found someone who could start right away who accepted the job and we are very much looking forward to having her start on Monday. Her name is Laura and she is a mother of 2 kids (18 and 8), Spanish/English-speaking, lives in the town next to us and offered to cook and clean for us. So here's to hoping it works out, and the worst-case scenario is that we have her until I am home on maternity leave and then deal with it. The best-case scenario is that Abby and Baby Boy learn some Espanol from her!
With less than 3 weeks to go until Baby Boy makes his arrival into the world, I am trying to relish every moment with Abby and appreciate sleeping through the night (for the most part). Our family is expanding very soon, but until then, we are enjoying this time and making the most of having an only child. And I'm enjoying eating whatever I feel like for a little bit longer!
Monday, March 29, 2010
One more month
Oops, I just realized it's been quite some time since I last posted some updates. My apologies - things around our household have been quite crazy!
With just about a month left until Baby Boy Strongin's due date, we've been gearing up (literally and figuratively) for the big day. We dug out all of Abby's old toys, equipment and accessories to see what shape it is in before using it again. Luckily, we kept everything in good shape so we don't need too many necessities. We finished putting a few things on our registry at Buy Buy Baby, did a load of newborn laundry (thanks to my nephew's old clothes), picked a place for the bris and we may even have chosen a name (you'll have to wait until he is born to find out)! And most importantly, we've been trying to spend as much quality time with our only child (for now) since we know it's only a matter of 4-5 weeks until she has to share us with her baby brother.
Abby's been doing great for the most part, other than an occassional "terrible twos" outbreak, which we realize is normal. She has been thrilled to be able to play outside as the weather improves (slowly but surely) and still loves school. Each day she continues to surprise us with a new phrase, sentence or funny thing she does and it is so much fun to watch her grow up.
We've been dealing with a lot of issues with our new nanny, Simone, lately, which is a whole other situation. We thought it would be a great idea to hire someone without children as there would be no excuses and they'd be more reliable. Well, she does show up (albeit a few minutes late each day) but we realized that she has NO motherly instincts at all and really doesn't have a good grasp of how to deal with Abby. We have seen a number of situations which we haven't been thrilled with and we don't see that Abby is loving her either. So the search is on for someone new since we don't want to just settle for anyone, especially since I'll be home with this person for 3 months during maternity leave! So if you know of anyone, please send them my way!
Happy Passover & Easter and get ready for spring, even if it brings a bad allergy season for you as it does for me!
With just about a month left until Baby Boy Strongin's due date, we've been gearing up (literally and figuratively) for the big day. We dug out all of Abby's old toys, equipment and accessories to see what shape it is in before using it again. Luckily, we kept everything in good shape so we don't need too many necessities. We finished putting a few things on our registry at Buy Buy Baby, did a load of newborn laundry (thanks to my nephew's old clothes), picked a place for the bris and we may even have chosen a name (you'll have to wait until he is born to find out)! And most importantly, we've been trying to spend as much quality time with our only child (for now) since we know it's only a matter of 4-5 weeks until she has to share us with her baby brother.
Abby's been doing great for the most part, other than an occassional "terrible twos" outbreak, which we realize is normal. She has been thrilled to be able to play outside as the weather improves (slowly but surely) and still loves school. Each day she continues to surprise us with a new phrase, sentence or funny thing she does and it is so much fun to watch her grow up.
We've been dealing with a lot of issues with our new nanny, Simone, lately, which is a whole other situation. We thought it would be a great idea to hire someone without children as there would be no excuses and they'd be more reliable. Well, she does show up (albeit a few minutes late each day) but we realized that she has NO motherly instincts at all and really doesn't have a good grasp of how to deal with Abby. We have seen a number of situations which we haven't been thrilled with and we don't see that Abby is loving her either. So the search is on for someone new since we don't want to just settle for anyone, especially since I'll be home with this person for 3 months during maternity leave! So if you know of anyone, please send them my way!
Happy Passover & Easter and get ready for spring, even if it brings a bad allergy season for you as it does for me!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Abby-isms
It's been a while since I've documented some of the funny things Abby has said (in my opinion), so in the interest of remembering for future posterity, here is a list of some my recent favorite "Abby-isms" - enjoy!
- "Mommy, stop yelling right now" (Mommy was not yelling, by the way)
- "Daddy, sit down right HERE" (pointing to the chair next to her)
- Mommy: "Who's the cutest girl?" Abby: "ME!"
- Abby: "Why is Sadie whining?" Mommy: "Why do you think she is whining?" Abby: "Because she's hungry. Sadie no eat my food" Mommy: "Should Sadie get a time out?" Abby: "Yes, Sadie goes to closet for time out" (bathroom)
- "Oh, MAN!" and "Oh my goodness!"
- "Yummy in my tummy!"
- "Uh-oh, daddy-o" (where she got this one from, I have NO idea!)
I know there are more things I wanted to document but my mind is blank at the moment, so I'll have to add to this list as I remember.
- "Mommy, stop yelling right now" (Mommy was not yelling, by the way)
- "Daddy, sit down right HERE" (pointing to the chair next to her)
- Mommy: "Who's the cutest girl?" Abby: "ME!"
- Abby: "Why is Sadie whining?" Mommy: "Why do you think she is whining?" Abby: "Because she's hungry. Sadie no eat my food" Mommy: "Should Sadie get a time out?" Abby: "Yes, Sadie goes to closet for time out" (bathroom)
- "Oh, MAN!" and "Oh my goodness!"
- "Yummy in my tummy!"
- "Uh-oh, daddy-o" (where she got this one from, I have NO idea!)
I know there are more things I wanted to document but my mind is blank at the moment, so I'll have to add to this list as I remember.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
More Changes....
The past several weeks have been a bit of a blur for us. After Abby's post-vacation cold, she seemed to have about a week of good health but then developed an ear infection. Luckily after some good ol' pink bubblegum-tasting meds, she seems to be back to herself (for the time being at least).
In other big news in our house, we recently let our nanny Gaynell go. Her last-minute absences and late days were becoming too frequent and creating a lot of stress on us (and our employers). It was a very difficult decision, especially since we knew Abby loved her and she was super with Abby, but we realized we need someone who will be more reliable for us, especially with a new baby coming soon. As an employer, it was a no-brainer, but as a mom, it was quite emotional to have to say goodbye to her since she has been with us since Abby was about 16 months old.
So we welcomed Simone into our home this week. Simone is young (29), she has no children and takes nursing classes on the weekend. We think (hope) she'll be a good fit for us. Thankfully, Abby seemed to adjust pretty quickly to her (despite calling her "Gaynell" a few times already) and we are hopeful that she'll get accustomed to us and our house quickly and fit right in. Luckily, she has a sweet tooth so we're pretty sure she'll like working for us!
The next few weeks will bring a last-trip-before-baby to Chicago for me and a family trip to Maryland to celebrate little Jordan's 2nd birthday. Abby's Grammy Sheryl will be visiting us in March and then before we know it, we'll be welcoming a baby boy into the world sometime in late April/early May as Abby gets ready to turn 3 in June!
In other big news in our house, we recently let our nanny Gaynell go. Her last-minute absences and late days were becoming too frequent and creating a lot of stress on us (and our employers). It was a very difficult decision, especially since we knew Abby loved her and she was super with Abby, but we realized we need someone who will be more reliable for us, especially with a new baby coming soon. As an employer, it was a no-brainer, but as a mom, it was quite emotional to have to say goodbye to her since she has been with us since Abby was about 16 months old.
So we welcomed Simone into our home this week. Simone is young (29), she has no children and takes nursing classes on the weekend. We think (hope) she'll be a good fit for us. Thankfully, Abby seemed to adjust pretty quickly to her (despite calling her "Gaynell" a few times already) and we are hopeful that she'll get accustomed to us and our house quickly and fit right in. Luckily, she has a sweet tooth so we're pretty sure she'll like working for us!
The next few weeks will bring a last-trip-before-baby to Chicago for me and a family trip to Maryland to celebrate little Jordan's 2nd birthday. Abby's Grammy Sheryl will be visiting us in March and then before we know it, we'll be welcoming a baby boy into the world sometime in late April/early May as Abby gets ready to turn 3 in June!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
The Last Family (of 3) Vacation
Last week, we packed up (Two 50-lb suitcases, a pack-n-play, car seat, stroller and multiple carry-ons) the whole clan for a trip to Naples, FL for the last only-child vacation with Abby.
Traveling was relatively easy since we had plenty of snacks, books and a fully-charged DVD player. Upon arrival to Florida where we happily shed our winter coats and hats, we enjoyed family time at our resort's heated pools, a lazy river, a playground with a sandbox, the beach and of course, multiple fattening meals. We even managed to find a gigantic outdoor mall about a mile from our hotel where we had fun at a children's covered play area, ice cream shops, many restaurants and the largest Super Target I have ever seen.
It wasn't the most relaxing vacation ever - after all, we did share a room with Abby and were at the mercy of her nap and bed times, and meals were not the most pleasant after she realized that every dish came with french fries that we wouldn't always give her. But the time we spent together as a family was really special and I know Abby had a great time.
Upon our arrival back in NY, Abby developed a cold (not so surprising after touching everything in the hotel room and airplane) but I think she was happy to be home with Sadie and in her own crib. Well, at least I was happy about that!
It's strange to think that the next time we travel together as a family, it will be with Abby's baby brother, which will no doubt add a whole new dimension to the meaning of "vacation" and "family time." But for now, we are enjoying our last few weeks as a family of 3 and trying to spend as much time with the Abster as possible before life gets more hectic!
Traveling was relatively easy since we had plenty of snacks, books and a fully-charged DVD player. Upon arrival to Florida where we happily shed our winter coats and hats, we enjoyed family time at our resort's heated pools, a lazy river, a playground with a sandbox, the beach and of course, multiple fattening meals. We even managed to find a gigantic outdoor mall about a mile from our hotel where we had fun at a children's covered play area, ice cream shops, many restaurants and the largest Super Target I have ever seen.
It wasn't the most relaxing vacation ever - after all, we did share a room with Abby and were at the mercy of her nap and bed times, and meals were not the most pleasant after she realized that every dish came with french fries that we wouldn't always give her. But the time we spent together as a family was really special and I know Abby had a great time.
Upon our arrival back in NY, Abby developed a cold (not so surprising after touching everything in the hotel room and airplane) but I think she was happy to be home with Sadie and in her own crib. Well, at least I was happy about that!
It's strange to think that the next time we travel together as a family, it will be with Abby's baby brother, which will no doubt add a whole new dimension to the meaning of "vacation" and "family time." But for now, we are enjoying our last few weeks as a family of 3 and trying to spend as much time with the Abster as possible before life gets more hectic!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
A First in 2010
Happy New Year!
We said goodbye to 2009 and welcomed 2010 with our friends Lauren & Dan in Bethany Beach, Delaware. It wasn't exactly beach weather, but it was nice to get away for a few days and Abby had a great time with her friends Sammi and Jordan. And did I mention she is still paci-free??? It's very exciting!
Last night was a very big first for Abby....while running around naked after her bath, we suggested that she sit on the potty and she actually made a pee-pee! We were just as (if not more) surprised than she was! We have been gently asking her if she wants to sit on the regular potty for a while now and she sits but never does anything, so last night she went in the potty seat that sits on the ground. Hey, whatever works, right! While I don't think this is the official start of potty training, I am excited that there could be a light at the end of this particular diaper-changing tunnel....
Next up is the chocolate ice cream cone I promised her if she poops on the potty. It worked for the paci, so ya never know!
We said goodbye to 2009 and welcomed 2010 with our friends Lauren & Dan in Bethany Beach, Delaware. It wasn't exactly beach weather, but it was nice to get away for a few days and Abby had a great time with her friends Sammi and Jordan. And did I mention she is still paci-free??? It's very exciting!
Last night was a very big first for Abby....while running around naked after her bath, we suggested that she sit on the potty and she actually made a pee-pee! We were just as (if not more) surprised than she was! We have been gently asking her if she wants to sit on the regular potty for a while now and she sits but never does anything, so last night she went in the potty seat that sits on the ground. Hey, whatever works, right! While I don't think this is the official start of potty training, I am excited that there could be a light at the end of this particular diaper-changing tunnel....
Next up is the chocolate ice cream cone I promised her if she poops on the potty. It worked for the paci, so ya never know!
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