Tonight marks the start of Hanukkah, which by any standard isn't the most significant of Jewish holidays but when you are 4 and a half, it certainly is. My kids will be overloaded with gifts this year - from their grandparents, aunt/uncle, extended family, nanny and of course us. Yet, their favorite things still continue to be activities like baking cookies (Abby) or throwing a tennis ball to Sadie (Zach). So why did I find myself out at the beyond crowded and disorganized Toys R Us at 8 pm on a recent weeknight? Well, it seems that I, too, have gotten caught up with this holiday.
As a young child growing up in a reform Jewish home, I distinctly remember my parents actually hanging a stocking above our fireplace (the horror!) and leaving out cookies & milk for Santa until I realized there was no Santa. Looking back, I realize that perhaps that was more because my parents wanted to eat the cookies but also probably to see the look of joy on my face on Christmas morning. I never had a Christmas tree or egg nog, but I definitely looked forward to waking up to see what Santa had brought me.
While I won't go that far with my own family, I do look forward to the "traditional" Hanukkah celebrations of lighting the candles for 8 nights, saying the prayers (which I sure hope that 3 years of Jewish preschool have taught my daughter), eating latkes and watching my 4.5 and 1.5 yr old tear open presents that they will no doubt love (for at least a day or two). I also look forward to creating new memories and traditions with my own family that my kids can carry on.
Happy Holidays to all and here's to a great 2012!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
The House of Sickness
I was just about to pat myself on my back and think how lucky we were that the whole first "semester" of school was nearing an end with Abby not having had to miss a single day of school due to being sick, with only a day or two of sniffles for the kids. And then, BAM! It hit our house like a ton of bricks. We got back from a lovely weekend trip to visit friends in Maryland on Sunday night, and by Monday at 9:30 am, Zach had a nice 103/104 fever.
And when we were starting to think that maybe, just maybe, it was teething-related, Abby came home from school and gymnastics that day with a fever. Monday night was a rough one in our house, with both kids up off and on throughout the night. And when Zach woke us up at 5:30 am Tuesday and would only sleep ON me, I thought the end was not in sight. Luckily I was only half wrong. Zach's fever broke on Tuesday and he got back to being himself. Not quite the same story for Abby, who got worse throughout the day. All activities, therapies and playdates were cancelled and the kids were in lockdown mode.
As of today, Abby still has a pretty high fever but after a quick trip to the dr, it was confirmed that it's just a virus that we need to let run its course. It would have been fabulous if she had something easy and treatable, like an ear infection or strep, but noooooo...we just have to wait it out. And hope she drinks Gatorade, which the dr recommended. Tomorrow will be day 3 of no school, and we'll have to see if she'll miss the rest of the week.
Here's to hoping that Jason and I don't catch whatever virus it is, and that the rest of the winter season is easier, but I am not overly optimistic about that!
And when we were starting to think that maybe, just maybe, it was teething-related, Abby came home from school and gymnastics that day with a fever. Monday night was a rough one in our house, with both kids up off and on throughout the night. And when Zach woke us up at 5:30 am Tuesday and would only sleep ON me, I thought the end was not in sight. Luckily I was only half wrong. Zach's fever broke on Tuesday and he got back to being himself. Not quite the same story for Abby, who got worse throughout the day. All activities, therapies and playdates were cancelled and the kids were in lockdown mode.
As of today, Abby still has a pretty high fever but after a quick trip to the dr, it was confirmed that it's just a virus that we need to let run its course. It would have been fabulous if she had something easy and treatable, like an ear infection or strep, but noooooo...we just have to wait it out. And hope she drinks Gatorade, which the dr recommended. Tomorrow will be day 3 of no school, and we'll have to see if she'll miss the rest of the week.
Here's to hoping that Jason and I don't catch whatever virus it is, and that the rest of the winter season is easier, but I am not overly optimistic about that!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Thankful for What I've Been Given
I just realized that it's been a full month since I last updated what's been going on with us. Oops! Call that mommy brain or simply a hectic pre-holiday season, it's been busy, that's for sure! In fact, my to-do list is about 99 pages long, but I'll check this box off now....
This past month, we celebrated a few exciting things: the birth of two friends baby boys (and two brises), a great parent-teacher conference report, a first-time meeting between Jason's grandmother and her great-grandson Zachary and of course, Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving brought Grammy Sheryl in from Chicago for a few days and it also brought many belt-loosening, tasty treats like sweet potatoe casserole, home-baked brownies and apple pie. We also took a trip to the city for a visit to the Museum of Natural History and a pit stop at Shake Shack for lunch. Not to mention, Jason's cousin Karen's 30th birthday surprise lunch in NYC, which was enjoyed by all. Needless to say, it was a busy and filling weekend - literally and figuratively!
Which brings me to why I am thankful. Not to sound cheesey, but with the last year being a bit of a struggle with Jason not working, somehow we've managed to make it work. We have a beautiful family and words can't even convey how grateful I am for my three little blessings: Abby, Zach and Sadie. With the holidays upon us in a few weeks, I want to try to focus more on what we DO have: our health, our family and our friends. I think that if we stay positive now, good things will come our way in 2012!
This past month, we celebrated a few exciting things: the birth of two friends baby boys (and two brises), a great parent-teacher conference report, a first-time meeting between Jason's grandmother and her great-grandson Zachary and of course, Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving brought Grammy Sheryl in from Chicago for a few days and it also brought many belt-loosening, tasty treats like sweet potatoe casserole, home-baked brownies and apple pie. We also took a trip to the city for a visit to the Museum of Natural History and a pit stop at Shake Shack for lunch. Not to mention, Jason's cousin Karen's 30th birthday surprise lunch in NYC, which was enjoyed by all. Needless to say, it was a busy and filling weekend - literally and figuratively!
Which brings me to why I am thankful. Not to sound cheesey, but with the last year being a bit of a struggle with Jason not working, somehow we've managed to make it work. We have a beautiful family and words can't even convey how grateful I am for my three little blessings: Abby, Zach and Sadie. With the holidays upon us in a few weeks, I want to try to focus more on what we DO have: our health, our family and our friends. I think that if we stay positive now, good things will come our way in 2012!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Highs and Lows
This past weekend, we had a few highs and lows in my house. Let's just get the low out of the way - unfortunately, my kids lost their great-grandpa Stan on Saturday and my husband and I lost the only remaining grandfather in our family. As Jason trekked off to Florida for his funeral during the historic October snow storm, somehow my mom made it in to Westchester from Chicago to spend the weekend with us.
The high notes of the weekend included dinner with the kids and my mom at the new Cheesecake Factory, (yum!), baking Halloween brownies (double-yum!), going to see a kids play and having a fun snow day on Monday with no school or work.
On Sunday, my little boy turned 18 months old! We celebrated with a shared piece of banana cream cheesecake at dinner, which he enjoyed eating as well as smearing the whipped cream into his blonde hair. Yum :).
Monday was Halloween and while Abby & Zach's daddy was stuck in Florida due to torrential rains there, I took the kids trick-or-treating with friends in the neighborhood. We literally went door-to-door to almost all of the 86 units and collected a ridiculous amount of candy and treats. Zach enjoyed his first bite of a candy bar (Milky Way, delish!) and looked adorable in his chicken costume. Abby was a beautiful Snow White, complete with bright blue eye shadow, lip gloss and blush. She will next be seen on "Toddlers & Tiaras"!
Tuesday, while I was still off work and I sent Abby back to school, got off to a sad start. We took Zach for his 18-month checkup and the little guy is still VERY much little. In fact, he fell off the height and weight charts for his age :(. The doctor recommended that he be tested for celiac disease and thyroid issues (both of which run in our family) to rule out those as possible reasons why he isn't growing like he should. Watching him have blood drawn was definitely a low point for the day. We'll get those results back in a few days. Part of me would love an explanation, but the other and more reasonable explanation is that Jason and I are not very big people, so our kids won't be, either. Plus, he has been so late in his gross motor skill development and getting his teeth that it wouldn't surprise me that he was late in growing, too.
Luckily the rest of the day ended on a better note, with a lunch date for Abby and I with her friend Jared and his mom, and then I got to take her to OT for the first time. Zach is also now walking about 99% of the time - a huge improvement in just a few days' time!
As winter nears and the ever-changing weather goes from high to low and back again, so, too, do our lives. Hopefully the coming months will provide more highs than lows though!
The high notes of the weekend included dinner with the kids and my mom at the new Cheesecake Factory, (yum!), baking Halloween brownies (double-yum!), going to see a kids play and having a fun snow day on Monday with no school or work.
On Sunday, my little boy turned 18 months old! We celebrated with a shared piece of banana cream cheesecake at dinner, which he enjoyed eating as well as smearing the whipped cream into his blonde hair. Yum :).
Monday was Halloween and while Abby & Zach's daddy was stuck in Florida due to torrential rains there, I took the kids trick-or-treating with friends in the neighborhood. We literally went door-to-door to almost all of the 86 units and collected a ridiculous amount of candy and treats. Zach enjoyed his first bite of a candy bar (Milky Way, delish!) and looked adorable in his chicken costume. Abby was a beautiful Snow White, complete with bright blue eye shadow, lip gloss and blush. She will next be seen on "Toddlers & Tiaras"!
Tuesday, while I was still off work and I sent Abby back to school, got off to a sad start. We took Zach for his 18-month checkup and the little guy is still VERY much little. In fact, he fell off the height and weight charts for his age :(. The doctor recommended that he be tested for celiac disease and thyroid issues (both of which run in our family) to rule out those as possible reasons why he isn't growing like he should. Watching him have blood drawn was definitely a low point for the day. We'll get those results back in a few days. Part of me would love an explanation, but the other and more reasonable explanation is that Jason and I are not very big people, so our kids won't be, either. Plus, he has been so late in his gross motor skill development and getting his teeth that it wouldn't surprise me that he was late in growing, too.
Luckily the rest of the day ended on a better note, with a lunch date for Abby and I with her friend Jared and his mom, and then I got to take her to OT for the first time. Zach is also now walking about 99% of the time - a huge improvement in just a few days' time!
As winter nears and the ever-changing weather goes from high to low and back again, so, too, do our lives. Hopefully the coming months will provide more highs than lows though!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
An Anniversary
Yesterday marked the 7-year anniversary of my father's passing. While so much has happened in the last 7 years, it seems that each year passes quicker than the one before and more changes occur within each year. I was a newlywed back then - just turned 28 - and I didn't expect lung cancer to take him so soon, so young. I also didn't think that packing up the limo for the airport after our wedding would be the last time my new husband would see his father-in-law. I never would have imagined the loss I'd feel when I realized my kids would never know their grandfather or how much he would have loved them. It comforts me knowing my dad is watching over us all and probably thinking how I am getting what I deserve with having a slightly difficult preschooler, since I wasn't exactly a piece of cake at that age.
I am also now watching as Jason's grandfather is deteriorating quickly and will likely pass away soon. I consider my mother-in-law "lucky" that her dad got to see 6 great-grandchildren, go to all of his grandchildren's weddings and live a really full life with friends and family. In his upper 80s now and not being himself the past 2 years, it will be a huge relief to most of us when he goes. My dad didn't get to experience any of those blessings.
Each year that goes by is one closer to my kids being old enough to ask questions about their grandfather and understand where and who he is. While I've tried showing Abby pictures of him, she doesn't quite understand it yet, but I bet within a year she will. And when we are both ready, I will gladly show her pictures and videos and share stories of my daddy, who no doubt would be beaming with pride and showing off his granddaughter and grandson to everyone he knew.
I am also now watching as Jason's grandfather is deteriorating quickly and will likely pass away soon. I consider my mother-in-law "lucky" that her dad got to see 6 great-grandchildren, go to all of his grandchildren's weddings and live a really full life with friends and family. In his upper 80s now and not being himself the past 2 years, it will be a huge relief to most of us when he goes. My dad didn't get to experience any of those blessings.
Each year that goes by is one closer to my kids being old enough to ask questions about their grandfather and understand where and who he is. While I've tried showing Abby pictures of him, she doesn't quite understand it yet, but I bet within a year she will. And when we are both ready, I will gladly show her pictures and videos and share stories of my daddy, who no doubt would be beaming with pride and showing off his granddaughter and grandson to everyone he knew.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Happy Birthday to ME!
Yes, today I turned 35. Yes, I left the prized 18-34 demographic. Yes, I feel older and probably have another wrinkle or two today. But those milestones are nothing compared to the one that happened at my house today - my little pumpkin Zach started walking today!!!
Jason took the kids to my office for a birthday pizza lunch and came back to my office so I could show them off after lunch. Zach was crawling around as usual, and decided he didn't even want to stand up or hold my hand and walk, which was fine. But a mere two hours after they got home, our nanny Cora texted me and said "Zach is walking." I quickly called her - thinking she meant he was taking 2-3 steps like he had done a few times in his PT sessions - and she said "he's walking all over the place!" I could not believe my ears and she sent me a photo of him doing it.
I am sure I'll be chasing after him as he runs away from me in no time, but I've been anxiously awaiting this milestone for a while and he gave it to me as a wonderful birthday gift! The ice cream cake and other presents are of course appreciated but not nearly as special :).
Jason took the kids to my office for a birthday pizza lunch and came back to my office so I could show them off after lunch. Zach was crawling around as usual, and decided he didn't even want to stand up or hold my hand and walk, which was fine. But a mere two hours after they got home, our nanny Cora texted me and said "Zach is walking." I quickly called her - thinking she meant he was taking 2-3 steps like he had done a few times in his PT sessions - and she said "he's walking all over the place!" I could not believe my ears and she sent me a photo of him doing it.
I am sure I'll be chasing after him as he runs away from me in no time, but I've been anxiously awaiting this milestone for a while and he gave it to me as a wonderful birthday gift! The ice cream cake and other presents are of course appreciated but not nearly as special :).
Monday, October 3, 2011
A Trip to the Windy City
Last Wednesday, the four of us got on a plane for the first time together and headed to Chicago, land of my favorite pizza and cheese fries (yum) to celebrate the Jewish New Year with my family and friends. While the ride there wasn't entirely smooth - both kids napped in the car to the airport, which meant no naps on the plane and Zach bounced up and down on me the whole time - overall, it went as well as I could have asked. The kids didn't even have a meltdown when we arrived at Grammy's house at 6:30 pm (7:30 pm NY time) and dinner wasn't on the table. And I calmly moved every single item that was within Zach's reach to higher ground, hoping that he wouldn't create a disaster there.
We settled in nicely (although we kicked Grammy out of her bed so we could use her room with Zach) and enjoyed time at Grammy's store picking out loads of stickers (Abby), grabbing the numerous amount of loose items someone managed to find (Zach) and running around town. Sure, we missed the tot service because of Zach's nap, but hey, at least we got dressed up and went to temple! We even managed to squeeze in some time with a few of my high school friends for a playdate. Holiday dinner on Thursday night was a bit chaotic with 7 kids under age 8 (including 2-yr old triplets) at my aunt and uncle's house, but everyone ate a lot and had fun.
Friday we did a fall photoshoot in a local park, went to the mall and had a playdate. We also made time to stop by our favorite eateries, including Walker Bros, Michael's and Dairy Queen (a low-cal trip it was not)! We did not head back to NY until our bellies were full (Chicago-style pizza is my fave) but when we did, it was actually not such a bad flight back since Zach slept the whole time and we had an extra seat.
After a much-needed trip to the grocery store and a lot of unpacking and laundry, our first family trip to Chicago was complete. Abby's favorite part was picking out tons of stickers at my mom's store and Zach's was seeing all the "eh-pane"s (airplanes) at the airport. Dairy Queen, Michael's and Pierro's ranked on the top of my list, along with seeing family and friends and spending time with my kids (of course!). Happy New Year to all!
We settled in nicely (although we kicked Grammy out of her bed so we could use her room with Zach) and enjoyed time at Grammy's store picking out loads of stickers (Abby), grabbing the numerous amount of loose items someone managed to find (Zach) and running around town. Sure, we missed the tot service because of Zach's nap, but hey, at least we got dressed up and went to temple! We even managed to squeeze in some time with a few of my high school friends for a playdate. Holiday dinner on Thursday night was a bit chaotic with 7 kids under age 8 (including 2-yr old triplets) at my aunt and uncle's house, but everyone ate a lot and had fun.
Friday we did a fall photoshoot in a local park, went to the mall and had a playdate. We also made time to stop by our favorite eateries, including Walker Bros, Michael's and Dairy Queen (a low-cal trip it was not)! We did not head back to NY until our bellies were full (Chicago-style pizza is my fave) but when we did, it was actually not such a bad flight back since Zach slept the whole time and we had an extra seat.
After a much-needed trip to the grocery store and a lot of unpacking and laundry, our first family trip to Chicago was complete. Abby's favorite part was picking out tons of stickers at my mom's store and Zach's was seeing all the "eh-pane"s (airplanes) at the airport. Dairy Queen, Michael's and Pierro's ranked on the top of my list, along with seeing family and friends and spending time with my kids (of course!). Happy New Year to all!
Friday, September 23, 2011
And, We're Off!
We have officially kicked off another school year - Abby's last year of preschool began last week. So far, she has enjoyed seeing her friends, meeting her new teachers, doing art projects and of course, snack time. Not that she tells me much but I manage to pull a few things out of her every now and then! I was lucky enough that this year's Shabbat list was alphabetical by FIRST name, so Abby (and I) were first up (last year it was alphabetical by LAST name which meant we were last of 14 so Abby had to wait until January for me to come!). I saw her classroom, sang songs with the kids and celebrated Shabbat last week. It was a nice opportunity for me since I rarely have the chance to go to her school.
Zach's taking off in other ways - Heather (his physical therapist) has begun to encourage him to take a few steps on his own. While it's only 2-3 steps at a time right now, we have no doubt that he'll be off and running in no time. My hope is to have him walk to trick-or-treat, so we'll see! And, the little guy will be starting music class soon - his favorite activity as he bounces around and dances to the songs.
I was off to Minneapolis this week for a one-night work trip. It was fun to be an adult for a night, but I did miss kissing the kids goodnight and seeing their faces in the morning.
Last, but not least, we are all off to Chicago next week to celebrate Rosh Hashana with Grammy Sheryl and the rest of the family. It will be our first time as a family of 4 going on a plane! Zach's first trip was when he was 5 months old, but it was just with me; now we'll get to see how both kids do on the plane and in Grammy's 2-bedroom apartment. We are all looking forward to at least one home-cooked meal (not Grammy's) and seeing some good friends and family.
We all hope this fall will be a great time to start lots of new things - jobs, classes, activities and more!
Zach's taking off in other ways - Heather (his physical therapist) has begun to encourage him to take a few steps on his own. While it's only 2-3 steps at a time right now, we have no doubt that he'll be off and running in no time. My hope is to have him walk to trick-or-treat, so we'll see! And, the little guy will be starting music class soon - his favorite activity as he bounces around and dances to the songs.
I was off to Minneapolis this week for a one-night work trip. It was fun to be an adult for a night, but I did miss kissing the kids goodnight and seeing their faces in the morning.
Last, but not least, we are all off to Chicago next week to celebrate Rosh Hashana with Grammy Sheryl and the rest of the family. It will be our first time as a family of 4 going on a plane! Zach's first trip was when he was 5 months old, but it was just with me; now we'll get to see how both kids do on the plane and in Grammy's 2-bedroom apartment. We are all looking forward to at least one home-cooked meal (not Grammy's) and seeing some good friends and family.
We all hope this fall will be a great time to start lots of new things - jobs, classes, activities and more!
Friday, September 2, 2011
Fall is Here!
It is hard to believe that it's September and Labor Day is upon us, just staring us in the face and saying "ha, ha, summer flew by and fall is here!" Just like that, summer is over and school will be starting 10 days from now. My big girl is all ready to start her last year of preschool (tear) and my big boy will be doing a pre-preschool mommy-(or nanny)-and-me and music class this fall. I cannot believe that just one year from now, Abby will be off to kindergarten and Zach will start preschool. It's just going by way too quickly!
It's also about that time to pack up the sandals, dresses, shorts and t-shirts and trade them in for warm, cozy jackets, tights (Abby's favorite), boots and long-sleeves. This means that I should really get crackin' with getting my kids some clothes - while I have a few boy hand-me-downs for Zach and most of Abby's 3T clothes from last year still fit, it is probably time well spent this weekend to get a few more items to fill their closets so they have something to wear when the weather cools down.
This weekend also commemorates 7 years of marriage for Jason and I - unbelievable! How 7 years flew by is really quite shocking, but I guess when you factor in a house, two cars, a dog and two kids during that time, it makes sense. We'll be celebrating low-key, but we're looking forward to a kid-free night on Sunday when the kids have a sleepover with their grandparents. I simply cannot wait to sleep in on Monday morning!
We are all looking forward to a busy month, filled with friends and family birthday celebrations, the start of school, a trip to Chicago and our favorite fall events (apple picking, etc). Let the fall begin!
It's also about that time to pack up the sandals, dresses, shorts and t-shirts and trade them in for warm, cozy jackets, tights (Abby's favorite), boots and long-sleeves. This means that I should really get crackin' with getting my kids some clothes - while I have a few boy hand-me-downs for Zach and most of Abby's 3T clothes from last year still fit, it is probably time well spent this weekend to get a few more items to fill their closets so they have something to wear when the weather cools down.
This weekend also commemorates 7 years of marriage for Jason and I - unbelievable! How 7 years flew by is really quite shocking, but I guess when you factor in a house, two cars, a dog and two kids during that time, it makes sense. We'll be celebrating low-key, but we're looking forward to a kid-free night on Sunday when the kids have a sleepover with their grandparents. I simply cannot wait to sleep in on Monday morning!
We are all looking forward to a busy month, filled with friends and family birthday celebrations, the start of school, a trip to Chicago and our favorite fall events (apple picking, etc). Let the fall begin!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
4 going on 14
Abby, aka "Little Miss 'Tude," has lately been on a streak of asserting her, uh, independence it seems. Her new favorite words include "whatever!" and "totally!" (used correctly, I might add). Seriously, am I raising a teenager or a toddler? I can't get over the sassy stuff that comes out of her mouth sometimes. She probably picks it up from friends (or, admittedly, me) and while it's comical, I am also frightened by it at the same time. I wonder how much she soaks up of my (often) sassy attitude and when she uses my own words against me, I know she takes in more than I think. And I realize that the influence from her friends (especially those with older siblings) is probably stronger than I'd like.
Hopefully she will still want to be a kid for a little while longer since I am not ready for her to be a full-fledged teen yet!
Hopefully she will still want to be a kid for a little while longer since I am not ready for her to be a full-fledged teen yet!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
A Note to My Kids
Dear Abby and Zach,
While I love you both with all my heart and I would stop at nothing to make you both happy, nothing says "happiness" to me like a good night's sleep. While you both seem to take extreme pleasure in waking me and daddy up at 6 or 6:30 am recently, I would like to remind you that this is simply NOT an acceptable wake-up time in our house. I know your cousins wake up early, but I thought that the past 4 years and 15 months (respectively to each of you) where you both woke up anywhere between 7 and 8 am (or later) regularly was an indication that I had GOOD sleepers in my house. Yet the past few weeks prove otherwise.
I am more than happy to see your little cute faces between the normal operating hours of 7 am - 8 pm, but let's put the past behind us and get back on track to sleeping until a more respectable time so that we can all be less cranky. Daddy, Sadie and I will all thank you for it.
And a side note to Big Sis - you do NOT need us to come watch you go to the bathroom when you wake up at 6 am. I'm pretty sure you are capable of doing that yourself, as you do during the day!
With all my love,
Mommy
While I love you both with all my heart and I would stop at nothing to make you both happy, nothing says "happiness" to me like a good night's sleep. While you both seem to take extreme pleasure in waking me and daddy up at 6 or 6:30 am recently, I would like to remind you that this is simply NOT an acceptable wake-up time in our house. I know your cousins wake up early, but I thought that the past 4 years and 15 months (respectively to each of you) where you both woke up anywhere between 7 and 8 am (or later) regularly was an indication that I had GOOD sleepers in my house. Yet the past few weeks prove otherwise.
I am more than happy to see your little cute faces between the normal operating hours of 7 am - 8 pm, but let's put the past behind us and get back on track to sleeping until a more respectable time so that we can all be less cranky. Daddy, Sadie and I will all thank you for it.
And a side note to Big Sis - you do NOT need us to come watch you go to the bathroom when you wake up at 6 am. I'm pretty sure you are capable of doing that yourself, as you do during the day!
With all my love,
Mommy
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That
It's official: I have a "little" boy! As Zachary just turned 15 months old over the weekend, I took him for his 15-month checkup yesterday. The little guy is, well, quite little still. He did manage to move up from the 3rd% to the 9th% in height (yay!!!) but remained at the 3rd% for weight. He actually weighs less than Abby did at the same age, which is quite a feat since Abby has never been even remotely big for her age. I am so relieved that he grew 2 inches in 3 months and I hope that trend continues - I don't want my little guy to be little forever!
However, in the past 7 weeks alone, Zach has learned to sit up on his own, crawl, pull up to stand and cruise! That's a lot of progress for a little guy in a short time frame! He is still getting PT services for his delay and Heather (who we adore) says she is happy with his progress. Hopefully he is well on his way to walking - and running - in no time. If he does it by the time he is 18 months, he'll be able to trick-or-treat by foot, not by stroller :).
Zach is still so much fun - his smile and spirit are 99% happy (except, so it seems, when he is teething, which he is now in the process of getting his third tooth and not so happy about it). He is starting to show a little bit of a temper and crying when he wants something or has something taken away from him, but it's easy to soothe him quickly. I am just trying to enjoy his sweet demeanor as much as possible since I realize it might be short-lived.
As for Abby - we are trying to establish an earlier bedtime for her in hopes of her being less crabby and overtired. She is definitely giving us a run for our money at home - the whining, crying and not listening is becoming an issue we can't ignore. Whether we seek professional help in the way of an OT evaluation or we read up and talk with others to know if it's age-appropriate or not, we are hoping to get to the end of this phase quickly.
These kids always have something in store for us and around every corner is another surprise or challenge, but it's keeping us young, tired and quite in need of a vacation!
However, in the past 7 weeks alone, Zach has learned to sit up on his own, crawl, pull up to stand and cruise! That's a lot of progress for a little guy in a short time frame! He is still getting PT services for his delay and Heather (who we adore) says she is happy with his progress. Hopefully he is well on his way to walking - and running - in no time. If he does it by the time he is 18 months, he'll be able to trick-or-treat by foot, not by stroller :).
Zach is still so much fun - his smile and spirit are 99% happy (except, so it seems, when he is teething, which he is now in the process of getting his third tooth and not so happy about it). He is starting to show a little bit of a temper and crying when he wants something or has something taken away from him, but it's easy to soothe him quickly. I am just trying to enjoy his sweet demeanor as much as possible since I realize it might be short-lived.
As for Abby - we are trying to establish an earlier bedtime for her in hopes of her being less crabby and overtired. She is definitely giving us a run for our money at home - the whining, crying and not listening is becoming an issue we can't ignore. Whether we seek professional help in the way of an OT evaluation or we read up and talk with others to know if it's age-appropriate or not, we are hoping to get to the end of this phase quickly.
These kids always have something in store for us and around every corner is another surprise or challenge, but it's keeping us young, tired and quite in need of a vacation!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
The Great Mommy Getaway
It had been in the works for just over 2 months but it felt like forever to finally arrive: The Great Mommy Getaway, to celebrate our 35th birthdays this year, with 2 of the best college girlfriends a girl could ask for. This past weekend, Ali, Liz and I left the dads, kids and dogs at home and escaped to Atlantic City for two nights.
Saturday morning, I prepped both kids, fed them breakfast, gave Dad a few instructions, packed myself up and kissed all goodbye. I headed towards Newark Airport to pick up Liz, who flew in from Chicago for this weekend of fun. We then drove (in slightly ridiculous traffic) to meet Ali in AC and begin our girls getaway beach weekend.
While sparing you the details so as not to make you jealous, we had lunch on the boardwalk, took many walks along the boardwalk, ate a few too many ice creams, dined in amazing, non-kid-friendly restaurants, sat by the pool (and read!) and shopped. A girl's dream come true! We slept until 9 on Sunday, which felt like a world of difference from our typical 6-or-7 am wake-ups. We actually TALKED, like real adults, and enjoyed each other's company without interruption. There was very little drinking and no gambling that occured and I have to say, it was much-needed and very appreciated break from being mommies.
Kudos goes out to the three husbands, 5 kids and 2 dogs that missed our presence this weekend, but it was a quick, easy way to feel refreshed from mommy duties and remember what it was like to have girlfriends again. Yes, I missed everyone at home, but sometimes a little break is all that is needed to rejuvenate and feel missed.
Let the planning begin for our 40th birthdays!
Saturday morning, I prepped both kids, fed them breakfast, gave Dad a few instructions, packed myself up and kissed all goodbye. I headed towards Newark Airport to pick up Liz, who flew in from Chicago for this weekend of fun. We then drove (in slightly ridiculous traffic) to meet Ali in AC and begin our girls getaway beach weekend.
While sparing you the details so as not to make you jealous, we had lunch on the boardwalk, took many walks along the boardwalk, ate a few too many ice creams, dined in amazing, non-kid-friendly restaurants, sat by the pool (and read!) and shopped. A girl's dream come true! We slept until 9 on Sunday, which felt like a world of difference from our typical 6-or-7 am wake-ups. We actually TALKED, like real adults, and enjoyed each other's company without interruption. There was very little drinking and no gambling that occured and I have to say, it was much-needed and very appreciated break from being mommies.
Kudos goes out to the three husbands, 5 kids and 2 dogs that missed our presence this weekend, but it was a quick, easy way to feel refreshed from mommy duties and remember what it was like to have girlfriends again. Yes, I missed everyone at home, but sometimes a little break is all that is needed to rejuvenate and feel missed.
Let the planning begin for our 40th birthdays!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
A Fourth to Remember
We just returned from 5 days at the beach, living in the same house as my MIL, FIL, Grandmother-in-law, SIL, BIL and their two kids (ages 5 and 2.5). We went to celebrate MIL & FIL's 40th anniversary, and quite a celebration it was.
While we arrived on Thursday afternoon and had an enjoyable afternoon and evening, the REAL fun started at 5:40 am Friday when my 2.5 yr old niece woke up screaming. Apparently she had a fever and had thrown up, and this threw our whole day into quite a nightmare. Abby woke up from the commotion (her room was next to where my niece was sleeping) and in her state of confusion, she tried getting out of her room but she locked herself IN to her room. After many attempts at having her try to unlock it (which failed b/c she was hysterical and wouldn't listen), my FIL called a locksmith who said that because it was a child locked in the room, the cops had to be called. So, at 6 am, two of Ocean Grove's finest came and were able to successfully break through the lock and get her out.
But the fun didn't stop there. At 1:45 pm, I called our dog walker Karen to check in on my third child, Sadie, who was alone in our house with the dog walker coming to walk and feed her while we were away. Karen's reaction? "What? I thought I was coming tonight!" at which point my heart stopped beating when I realized Sadie had been alone in the house with no food or walks for over 26 hours. Thank goodness Karen raced over there and Sadie was fine and there wasn't so much as a drop of pee or poop anywhere. My little furball was hungry and thirsty and happy to see her, but she was ok. I, on the other hand, was not. I cried and cried and finally calmed down when I knew she was ok and the vet reassured me that dogs were ok for 2 days without food/water.
Thankfully, the trip improved from there out. Of course there were bumps in the road - my SIL caught what my niece had and Abby somehow caught an ear infection out of nowhere - but the kids all got along and had fun. I ate too much BBQ and ice cream (the ice cream shop was literally 500 feet past our house) but between the beach, BBQs and boardwalk, we had a nice time and perfect weather. And my IL's absolutely were blown away by our gift, which was a photo album with photos and facts from every year they've been married.
But then there was Abby's lovely behavior. Just when I thought we had turned a corner with her turning 4, boy was I wrong. She was a nightmare. Whining, not listening, totally rebelling. I assume some of it was due to her early wake-ups and short (or no) naps but most of it was due to her personality. She purposely defied us in everything we asked of her, as simple as taking a family picture, getting her feet wet in the ocean or wearing certain shoes to the beach. (If you only see pics of Zach during this trip, you will know why - my pouty 4-yr old refused to smile when a camera was nearby). It was challenging, frustrating and exhausting at best.
On the opposite spectrum was my happy, easy-going 14-month old, who just a few days before we left finally pulled himself up to stand (yay!). Zach was the easiest baby and most well-behaved. His only issues came when mommy wasn't around or tried giving him to someone else - he is a total mama's boy. But with his boyish good looks and delicious behavior, I didn't even mind. He slept great, napped well and overall was such a pleasure to be around. I am sure he'll change soon but I am enjoying it for now. And he LOVED the beach! My little guy happily entertained himself in the sand AND ocean, having so much fun with it all. For his first official vacation, he did great. While I had previously been considering taking Abby to Disney World this fall and leaving Zach at home, I am thinking that maybe I have that backwards!
Now that we are back at home - without Cora, who is on vacation this week - I am hopeful that we all get back on track in every way. We had a great, long Fourth weekend, but now it's back to reality and hopefully, a well-behaved 4-yr old. I can only hope as much!
While we arrived on Thursday afternoon and had an enjoyable afternoon and evening, the REAL fun started at 5:40 am Friday when my 2.5 yr old niece woke up screaming. Apparently she had a fever and had thrown up, and this threw our whole day into quite a nightmare. Abby woke up from the commotion (her room was next to where my niece was sleeping) and in her state of confusion, she tried getting out of her room but she locked herself IN to her room. After many attempts at having her try to unlock it (which failed b/c she was hysterical and wouldn't listen), my FIL called a locksmith who said that because it was a child locked in the room, the cops had to be called. So, at 6 am, two of Ocean Grove's finest came and were able to successfully break through the lock and get her out.
But the fun didn't stop there. At 1:45 pm, I called our dog walker Karen to check in on my third child, Sadie, who was alone in our house with the dog walker coming to walk and feed her while we were away. Karen's reaction? "What? I thought I was coming tonight!" at which point my heart stopped beating when I realized Sadie had been alone in the house with no food or walks for over 26 hours. Thank goodness Karen raced over there and Sadie was fine and there wasn't so much as a drop of pee or poop anywhere. My little furball was hungry and thirsty and happy to see her, but she was ok. I, on the other hand, was not. I cried and cried and finally calmed down when I knew she was ok and the vet reassured me that dogs were ok for 2 days without food/water.
Thankfully, the trip improved from there out. Of course there were bumps in the road - my SIL caught what my niece had and Abby somehow caught an ear infection out of nowhere - but the kids all got along and had fun. I ate too much BBQ and ice cream (the ice cream shop was literally 500 feet past our house) but between the beach, BBQs and boardwalk, we had a nice time and perfect weather. And my IL's absolutely were blown away by our gift, which was a photo album with photos and facts from every year they've been married.
But then there was Abby's lovely behavior. Just when I thought we had turned a corner with her turning 4, boy was I wrong. She was a nightmare. Whining, not listening, totally rebelling. I assume some of it was due to her early wake-ups and short (or no) naps but most of it was due to her personality. She purposely defied us in everything we asked of her, as simple as taking a family picture, getting her feet wet in the ocean or wearing certain shoes to the beach. (If you only see pics of Zach during this trip, you will know why - my pouty 4-yr old refused to smile when a camera was nearby). It was challenging, frustrating and exhausting at best.
On the opposite spectrum was my happy, easy-going 14-month old, who just a few days before we left finally pulled himself up to stand (yay!). Zach was the easiest baby and most well-behaved. His only issues came when mommy wasn't around or tried giving him to someone else - he is a total mama's boy. But with his boyish good looks and delicious behavior, I didn't even mind. He slept great, napped well and overall was such a pleasure to be around. I am sure he'll change soon but I am enjoying it for now. And he LOVED the beach! My little guy happily entertained himself in the sand AND ocean, having so much fun with it all. For his first official vacation, he did great. While I had previously been considering taking Abby to Disney World this fall and leaving Zach at home, I am thinking that maybe I have that backwards!
Now that we are back at home - without Cora, who is on vacation this week - I am hopeful that we all get back on track in every way. We had a great, long Fourth weekend, but now it's back to reality and hopefully, a well-behaved 4-yr old. I can only hope as much!
Monday, June 20, 2011
The Fours are Here!
I am one day into Abby's 4th year and already am breathing a sigh of relief that the 3's are over. I mean, you always hear about the "terrible twos," but I, for one, was not exactly prepared for the "torturous threes"! Granted, Zach was just 7 weeks old when Abby turned 3, so a lot of changes happened at once for her, but it's been a rough year, to say the least. Abby has always been a hot/cold kind of gal, but the hots were scorching and the colds were frigid this year. She could go from the happiest girl on the block to a screaming, crying mess in the drop of a hat if something didn't go her way. I was told this is what 3 is like, and it did not disappoint.
The good news is that we seem to have moved into a calmer (albeit still whiny) phase as she gets older. She is able to clearly express her needs/wants/desires and we encourage her to choose words over tears when possible. I am hopeful that each day that she gets further away from 3 and closer to 5, her words and emotions will be tied up neatly in a little gift-wrapped package.
And speaking of gifts - oh my! Her birthday party on Saturday was fun-filled 1.5 hours of painting, dancing and eating. Abby seemed to have a good time in the group activities (painting, dancing, eating) and became shy and pouty when the focus was on her (limbo, parachute, singing happy birthday). I don't know why she gets shy when the spotlight gets on her, but I hope she gets more comfortable. She has a lot to be proud of and I want to try to help her grow into herself. Her friends and family all love her and it makes me sad when she gets mopey or shy.
Our task now is to find room for all the wonderful gifts she received, from lots of great princess dress-up costumes to dolls, beach toys, a picnic set, a huge dollhouse and her first big girl bike. Jason and I can't wait to watch our little girl begin her fourth year of fun!
Happy birthday, Abby! We love you!
The good news is that we seem to have moved into a calmer (albeit still whiny) phase as she gets older. She is able to clearly express her needs/wants/desires and we encourage her to choose words over tears when possible. I am hopeful that each day that she gets further away from 3 and closer to 5, her words and emotions will be tied up neatly in a little gift-wrapped package.
And speaking of gifts - oh my! Her birthday party on Saturday was fun-filled 1.5 hours of painting, dancing and eating. Abby seemed to have a good time in the group activities (painting, dancing, eating) and became shy and pouty when the focus was on her (limbo, parachute, singing happy birthday). I don't know why she gets shy when the spotlight gets on her, but I hope she gets more comfortable. She has a lot to be proud of and I want to try to help her grow into herself. Her friends and family all love her and it makes me sad when she gets mopey or shy.
Our task now is to find room for all the wonderful gifts she received, from lots of great princess dress-up costumes to dolls, beach toys, a picnic set, a huge dollhouse and her first big girl bike. Jason and I can't wait to watch our little girl begin her fourth year of fun!
Happy birthday, Abby! We love you!
Friday, June 3, 2011
2 Weeks Til 4 Years
Hard to believe that nearly 4 years ago, I only had a puppy, husband and myself to worry and think about. As Abby's 4th birthday approaches, I realize that in the last 4 years, my life has migrated from relatively calm, somewhat boring and highly organized to slightly chaotic, always-on-the-go and highly disorganized - some might simply call it "Parenthood."
Abby's graduation and last day of her 2nd year of preschool was this week, signaling the official start of summer and that her birthday is right around the corner. As I was talking with her head teacher at the Moving Up Day reception, she said that she usually notices a few kids each year whose tremendous growth is noticeable from the beginning to the end of the year, and this year she wanted me to know it's Abby who she saw amazing growth from. She said she started out the school year one way and ended it mature and glowing - I liken it a little to how my life has changed in the last 4 years. She said it's been such a pleasure having Abby in her class and watching her grow up from an un-potty-trained toddler who didn't know the meaning of sharing to a fully-potty-trained, sharing and caring little girl. I had a very proud parenting moment and tried to take it all in. While I have my struggles with her at home, it's reassuring and so nice to hear that she is doing so well in school.
Abby still has mini-camp and regular camp (and don't forget about post-camp!) until she embarks on her last year of preschool, but I am anxious to see what this coming year brings for her and us. On the top of my list would be pre-reading and less whining...only time will tell if that will happen! In the meantime, we are taking her for a special end-of-the-year trip to Hershey Park tomorrow with our Maryland friends to celebrate her accomplishments this year and let her know how proud we are of her. I can't wait to see what her 4th year brings!
Abby's graduation and last day of her 2nd year of preschool was this week, signaling the official start of summer and that her birthday is right around the corner. As I was talking with her head teacher at the Moving Up Day reception, she said that she usually notices a few kids each year whose tremendous growth is noticeable from the beginning to the end of the year, and this year she wanted me to know it's Abby who she saw amazing growth from. She said she started out the school year one way and ended it mature and glowing - I liken it a little to how my life has changed in the last 4 years. She said it's been such a pleasure having Abby in her class and watching her grow up from an un-potty-trained toddler who didn't know the meaning of sharing to a fully-potty-trained, sharing and caring little girl. I had a very proud parenting moment and tried to take it all in. While I have my struggles with her at home, it's reassuring and so nice to hear that she is doing so well in school.
Abby still has mini-camp and regular camp (and don't forget about post-camp!) until she embarks on her last year of preschool, but I am anxious to see what this coming year brings for her and us. On the top of my list would be pre-reading and less whining...only time will tell if that will happen! In the meantime, we are taking her for a special end-of-the-year trip to Hershey Park tomorrow with our Maryland friends to celebrate her accomplishments this year and let her know how proud we are of her. I can't wait to see what her 4th year brings!
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Working Mommy Debate
Every now and then, usually when the weather gets better, I find myself aching to ditch my full-time job and work part-time or be a SAHM. While this isn't exactly feasible at the moment while my husband looks for a job, I feel the need to weigh the pros and cons of being a working mommy - maybe you have these feelings, too, or perhaps I just need a reminder every now and then:
Cons of being a working mom:
- Missing out on many "firsts" and fun activities: Zach's first time on a swing, numerous storytimes, lunches, playdates and classes
- Only seeing my kids for 2-3 hours at MOST each week day
- Squeezing in valuable family time on the weekends, in-between birthday parties and errands
- Not really knowing your kids' daily routines/activities - who they play with, how they play, etc.
- Saying goodbye in the mornings and seeing the look of sadness on the kids' faces when I leave
Pros of being a working mom:
- A paycheck! i.e. not having to worry what my husband will think if I want to buy a new pair of shoes or get a manicure
- I get to eat lunch, make a call and check emails in peace and quiet
- "Me time" - usually when I'm commuting, but time to myself that I wouldn't have if I were at home
- Being able to leave work at a certain time to get home to relieve the nanny (whereas you ARE the nanny as a SAHM!
- Seeing the pure look of joy on my kids' faces when I walk in the door after a long day of work
- Showing your kids that you are a super-mommy - able to do it all
There are many more pros and cons but these are the first that came to mind. While I enjoy all of the pros of working, I hope that one day I'll have the chance to have some more flexibility in my schedule and test out what being a SAHM is like (maternity leave excluded - being completely sleep-deprived doesn't really count)!
Cons of being a working mom:
- Missing out on many "firsts" and fun activities: Zach's first time on a swing, numerous storytimes, lunches, playdates and classes
- Only seeing my kids for 2-3 hours at MOST each week day
- Squeezing in valuable family time on the weekends, in-between birthday parties and errands
- Not really knowing your kids' daily routines/activities - who they play with, how they play, etc.
- Saying goodbye in the mornings and seeing the look of sadness on the kids' faces when I leave
Pros of being a working mom:
- A paycheck! i.e. not having to worry what my husband will think if I want to buy a new pair of shoes or get a manicure
- I get to eat lunch, make a call and check emails in peace and quiet
- "Me time" - usually when I'm commuting, but time to myself that I wouldn't have if I were at home
- Being able to leave work at a certain time to get home to relieve the nanny (whereas you ARE the nanny as a SAHM!
- Seeing the pure look of joy on my kids' faces when I walk in the door after a long day of work
- Showing your kids that you are a super-mommy - able to do it all
There are many more pros and cons but these are the first that came to mind. While I enjoy all of the pros of working, I hope that one day I'll have the chance to have some more flexibility in my schedule and test out what being a SAHM is like (maternity leave excluded - being completely sleep-deprived doesn't really count)!
Friday, May 13, 2011
EI Update
This just in: Zach will be getting physical therapy once/week at our house for 45 minutes to help with his delayed gross motor skills. While the evaluation report said his other (i.e. verbal, fine motor, social, etc.) skills were all age appropriate or better, his gross motor skills are still significantly delayed, and the state apparently agreed. I look forward to getting him the help that he needs so that he can run and play this summer! More updates to come.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Little Man
With the hoopla of the first birthday come and gone, it has been fun looking back on what I was doing this time, last year (just had his bris, was about to miss out on Mother's Day due to a horrid allergic reaction to my c-section strips...) and being very relieved that I'm on to new and different things this year.
Zach's first birthday was a lot of fun - he had a great time listening to the music (he was very intently watching) and had the most fun shoving an entire piece of cake in his mouth for the first time. Probably the highlight of his whole year! Abby loved watching him, too, and I just sat back and took pictures while marveling at my baby boy turning into a big boy. Oh, and not to worry, he is still "little" in some ways - he measured in the 3rd percentile for height and 6th for weight at his 1-year check-up!
Of course, I have some sadness at the fact that he is no longer a baby as he is most likely my last child (I say that with a 1% chance of changing my mind, never say never!). I know that in no time, I'll be chasing him around the park, telling him to stop bugging his sister and complaining about the "terrible twos" (or threes, in Abby's case). But in the the meantime, I am just so happy to have my little boy, who delights in the littlest things (balloons! paper towel rolls! Sadie's kisses! his sister's tickles!) and makes my world that much better.
I am so lucky to be Abby and Zach's mommy and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't feel blessed to have these two little people in my life, who make my life complete.
Happy Mother's Day to all the great mommies out there!
Zach's first birthday was a lot of fun - he had a great time listening to the music (he was very intently watching) and had the most fun shoving an entire piece of cake in his mouth for the first time. Probably the highlight of his whole year! Abby loved watching him, too, and I just sat back and took pictures while marveling at my baby boy turning into a big boy. Oh, and not to worry, he is still "little" in some ways - he measured in the 3rd percentile for height and 6th for weight at his 1-year check-up!
Of course, I have some sadness at the fact that he is no longer a baby as he is most likely my last child (I say that with a 1% chance of changing my mind, never say never!). I know that in no time, I'll be chasing him around the park, telling him to stop bugging his sister and complaining about the "terrible twos" (or threes, in Abby's case). But in the the meantime, I am just so happy to have my little boy, who delights in the littlest things (balloons! paper towel rolls! Sadie's kisses! his sister's tickles!) and makes my world that much better.
I am so lucky to be Abby and Zach's mommy and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't feel blessed to have these two little people in my life, who make my life complete.
Happy Mother's Day to all the great mommies out there!
Friday, April 29, 2011
One Year Later
Well, friends, it seems that being a working mommy of 2 with a new job has proven to be busier than before, as my last post is from early February!!!
Since then, I have become fully immersed in my new job. In April, I traveled to Houston for the NCAA Final Four (which was a huge blast and a lot of work) for 6 nights. It was a long time to be away from the family, but Jason held down the fort with some help from our nanny and his parents. My boss is currently on maternity leave, so I've had some good opportunities to interact with senior management on several projects and get visibility to things I normally wouldn't have. I still have a lot to learn, but I'm coming along nicely, or so I think I am!
In March, Jason and I took Abby skiing for the first time with friends of ours (and hers). She definitely didn't love it at first, but she got adjusted and seemd to enjoy it. She requested a ride on the chair lift, which we promised her on our next ski trip (next winter). Abby's also been going through a major "dress" phase - she wants to wear a dress EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. and cries if she doesn't! Every morning, the first words out of her mouth are: "Mommy, can I wear a dress today?" My almost 4-yr-old little girl is growing up fast, because she also requests a necklace and "party shoes" to go with it!
My little pumpkin Zach turns one tomorrow. I have NO idea where the past year went - it seemed to just fly by! The one thing that hasn't changed is he is still the happiest baby I have ever seen. The kid doesn't cry (unless you take something away from him that he wants, like the remote or a brush)! He is a good eater for things that he likes but he refuses any/all meats (i.e. chicken, turkey, steak, fish) as well as beans. He does LOVE cheese, cottage cheese, veggies, pasta, sweet potatoes, yogurt, fruit and bread, so pizza and grilled cheese are generally his favorite foods. At his 1-yr appointment on Monday, I plan to ask our doctor what I can do to get him to eat our "staple" foods (i.e. chicken and turkey) more so that he doesn't live on cheese and pasta!
Developmentally, he is doing ok. His fine motor skills (talking, pincer grasp, waving, clapping, etc.) are good but he is still delayed in his gross motor skills. We had him re-evaluated for Early Intervention this week and the reco will be to give him PT services, with a focus on sensory PT - he doesn't understand the space around his body, so when he leans forward or to the side, he doesn't yet put his hands out in front of him, which makes learning to walk or crawl quite difficult. He is not crawling or walking yet, so we still have a long way to go, but he is quite squirmy and rolls around everywhere so I know we'll have our hands full soon enough.
I just can't believe that a year ago today, Abby was still an only child and Zach hadn't come into our lives yet. He is such a joy and I can't wait to see what this next year brings for him (and us) - I know it will be so much fun to see him walk for the first time, start talking (though he does say "hi daddy" as clear as day) and of course, become more independent. In the meantime, we'll celebrate with pizza (his fave) and he'll have his first taste of cake tomorrow.
Happy first Birthday, little Zachary Jacob!!! Mommy, Daddy, Abby and Sadie love you!
Since then, I have become fully immersed in my new job. In April, I traveled to Houston for the NCAA Final Four (which was a huge blast and a lot of work) for 6 nights. It was a long time to be away from the family, but Jason held down the fort with some help from our nanny and his parents. My boss is currently on maternity leave, so I've had some good opportunities to interact with senior management on several projects and get visibility to things I normally wouldn't have. I still have a lot to learn, but I'm coming along nicely, or so I think I am!
In March, Jason and I took Abby skiing for the first time with friends of ours (and hers). She definitely didn't love it at first, but she got adjusted and seemd to enjoy it. She requested a ride on the chair lift, which we promised her on our next ski trip (next winter). Abby's also been going through a major "dress" phase - she wants to wear a dress EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. and cries if she doesn't! Every morning, the first words out of her mouth are: "Mommy, can I wear a dress today?" My almost 4-yr-old little girl is growing up fast, because she also requests a necklace and "party shoes" to go with it!
My little pumpkin Zach turns one tomorrow. I have NO idea where the past year went - it seemed to just fly by! The one thing that hasn't changed is he is still the happiest baby I have ever seen. The kid doesn't cry (unless you take something away from him that he wants, like the remote or a brush)! He is a good eater for things that he likes but he refuses any/all meats (i.e. chicken, turkey, steak, fish) as well as beans. He does LOVE cheese, cottage cheese, veggies, pasta, sweet potatoes, yogurt, fruit and bread, so pizza and grilled cheese are generally his favorite foods. At his 1-yr appointment on Monday, I plan to ask our doctor what I can do to get him to eat our "staple" foods (i.e. chicken and turkey) more so that he doesn't live on cheese and pasta!
Developmentally, he is doing ok. His fine motor skills (talking, pincer grasp, waving, clapping, etc.) are good but he is still delayed in his gross motor skills. We had him re-evaluated for Early Intervention this week and the reco will be to give him PT services, with a focus on sensory PT - he doesn't understand the space around his body, so when he leans forward or to the side, he doesn't yet put his hands out in front of him, which makes learning to walk or crawl quite difficult. He is not crawling or walking yet, so we still have a long way to go, but he is quite squirmy and rolls around everywhere so I know we'll have our hands full soon enough.
I just can't believe that a year ago today, Abby was still an only child and Zach hadn't come into our lives yet. He is such a joy and I can't wait to see what this next year brings for him (and us) - I know it will be so much fun to see him walk for the first time, start talking (though he does say "hi daddy" as clear as day) and of course, become more independent. In the meantime, we'll celebrate with pizza (his fave) and he'll have his first taste of cake tomorrow.
Happy first Birthday, little Zachary Jacob!!! Mommy, Daddy, Abby and Sadie love you!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
A New Start
Today was Day 4 of my new job at LG Electronics and so far, I have survived. It is a HUGE change from where I worked previously in the beauty world and in the city, but I have to say, it's rather nice to be able to drive to work and work with more men than women. I am learning a lot and adjusting, but overall doing pretty well and looking forward to some of the exciting programs I'll be working on (i.e. I get to go to the NCAA Final Four in April!).
I very much enjoyed my week off in-between jobs (could have used more time, honestly!) and Jason and I escaped to Atlantic City for a few nights. The time we had there with no kids and no "real" obligations was amazing! We slept, ate (a lot), got some spa treatments, shopped, worked out and even hit the casino. It was a lovely escape.
When we came back from AC, we had Abby's CPSE evaluation meeting where we learned that she does not have any speech (or any other) disability and she won't be receiving services. We had her tested because we (and others) often have trouble understanding her, but the evaluators said it's within normal range for kids her age. She apparently is in the "superior" range for quantitative reasoning (numbers), high average verbally and below average for "visual spatial processing" (i.e. puzzles, shapes, etc.). They said she is smart, "adorable" and doing great. While I wasn't surprised to hear that news, I was a little surprised that they thought she wouldn't benefit from speech services.
Abby's been doing GREAT with the potty - peeing and pooping with little to no accidents! And she is in underwear at night and 9 out of 10 nights makes it through without waking up to go until the morning. Amazing accomplishment in such a short time!
Zach turned 9 months old at the end of the month and is doing great. He is still not a big guy - only 12% in height and 14% in weight - but cute as a button and happy as a clam. We got the go-ahead to try yogurt and cheese, both of which he loves. While we are still waiting for his EI evaluation results (late next week), the evaluators' initial thoughts were that he would not qualify for services. But with him being over 9 months and still not doing some big physical milestones yet (i.e. sitting up on his own, pulling up to stand, etc), I am hoping they'll qualify him! We shall see soon.
All in all, the past few weeks have been busy and exciting for everyone!
I very much enjoyed my week off in-between jobs (could have used more time, honestly!) and Jason and I escaped to Atlantic City for a few nights. The time we had there with no kids and no "real" obligations was amazing! We slept, ate (a lot), got some spa treatments, shopped, worked out and even hit the casino. It was a lovely escape.
When we came back from AC, we had Abby's CPSE evaluation meeting where we learned that she does not have any speech (or any other) disability and she won't be receiving services. We had her tested because we (and others) often have trouble understanding her, but the evaluators said it's within normal range for kids her age. She apparently is in the "superior" range for quantitative reasoning (numbers), high average verbally and below average for "visual spatial processing" (i.e. puzzles, shapes, etc.). They said she is smart, "adorable" and doing great. While I wasn't surprised to hear that news, I was a little surprised that they thought she wouldn't benefit from speech services.
Abby's been doing GREAT with the potty - peeing and pooping with little to no accidents! And she is in underwear at night and 9 out of 10 nights makes it through without waking up to go until the morning. Amazing accomplishment in such a short time!
Zach turned 9 months old at the end of the month and is doing great. He is still not a big guy - only 12% in height and 14% in weight - but cute as a button and happy as a clam. We got the go-ahead to try yogurt and cheese, both of which he loves. While we are still waiting for his EI evaluation results (late next week), the evaluators' initial thoughts were that he would not qualify for services. But with him being over 9 months and still not doing some big physical milestones yet (i.e. sitting up on his own, pulling up to stand, etc), I am hoping they'll qualify him! We shall see soon.
All in all, the past few weeks have been busy and exciting for everyone!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Change, Change, Change
Some exciting new changes to report in the Strongin household!
First, last night was the first night Abby wore her big girl underwear to bed and she stayed completely dry from 8 pm - 7:30 am! This is amazing, considering it was just 3 short weeks ago that she refused to even SIT on the potty and was waking up with a soaked diaper each morning. So given how well she has been doing with both pee and poop lately, we thought we'd try underwear last night and she once again surprised us! So we are saying goodbye to pull-ups officially!
The next big change is that I am going to be leaving my current job of almost 6 years and starting a new job a little closer to home! I'm leaving L'Oreal at the end of the month and have accepted a new job at LG Electronics doing partnerships and promotions for their electronics & appliances. It will be a welcome and interesting change for me to be in this new, exciting category. And, I'll be 30 mins closer to home and will drive to work.
And not to leave out the little guy, we started the process for early intervention evaluation for Zach. We'll know more in a few weeks but at least we got the ball rolling.
Lots of excitement to start out the new year!
First, last night was the first night Abby wore her big girl underwear to bed and she stayed completely dry from 8 pm - 7:30 am! This is amazing, considering it was just 3 short weeks ago that she refused to even SIT on the potty and was waking up with a soaked diaper each morning. So given how well she has been doing with both pee and poop lately, we thought we'd try underwear last night and she once again surprised us! So we are saying goodbye to pull-ups officially!
The next big change is that I am going to be leaving my current job of almost 6 years and starting a new job a little closer to home! I'm leaving L'Oreal at the end of the month and have accepted a new job at LG Electronics doing partnerships and promotions for their electronics & appliances. It will be a welcome and interesting change for me to be in this new, exciting category. And, I'll be 30 mins closer to home and will drive to work.
And not to leave out the little guy, we started the process for early intervention evaluation for Zach. We'll know more in a few weeks but at least we got the ball rolling.
Lots of excitement to start out the new year!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
2011 - We're Off to a Great Start (Mostly)!
Happy New Year!
I find it hard to believe that I am sitting here 13 days after Abby first wore underwear and started using the potty, telling you that I think my little girl is 99%potty trained! She has been pooping on the potty the past few days and most recently, is staying dry at night, too! Last night she woke up at 9:30 pm and today at 6:40 am to pee, but her pull-up was dry for the 4th night in a row! I am just sooooo proud of her and I can't believe how easy it was once we fully committed to it. She adjusted beautifully to having no pacifier and to the big girl bed, so I don't know why I am so surprised about the potty training, other than her stubbornness to go prior to this. My big girl is growing up right before my eyes!!!
In other news, Abby has part 1 of her speech evaluation tonight and parts 2 & 3 next week. Since her teachers (and we) have a hard time understanding her sometimes, we thought we might as well do the free evaluation and find out if she needs any help to clarify her words.
We are also having Zach (who is sick at the moment, courtesy of mom and big sis) evaluated for possible early intervention. My adorable little 8-month old is soooo laid back that he doesn't seem to want to move very much - from back to front, to get up on all fours or sit up by himself. His pediatrician said he may not need it, but we should at least get the process started, so I will be setting up those evaluations soon.
One new and exciting addition to our house is that now Zach finally has his own room! The contractors came the last week of the year to build a wall in our loft, so now the little guy has his own space at last. My job: decorate it so it looks cute but don't go overboard as I did with Abby's nursery!
A lot is going on in our household for the first week of 2011 so it promises to be a busy but hopefully great and rewarding year!
And a quick shout-out to Abby & Zach's great-grandma Zita, who is not reading this but who is celebrating her 83rd birthday today! Happy Birthday, Grandma Z!
I find it hard to believe that I am sitting here 13 days after Abby first wore underwear and started using the potty, telling you that I think my little girl is 99%potty trained! She has been pooping on the potty the past few days and most recently, is staying dry at night, too! Last night she woke up at 9:30 pm and today at 6:40 am to pee, but her pull-up was dry for the 4th night in a row! I am just sooooo proud of her and I can't believe how easy it was once we fully committed to it. She adjusted beautifully to having no pacifier and to the big girl bed, so I don't know why I am so surprised about the potty training, other than her stubbornness to go prior to this. My big girl is growing up right before my eyes!!!
In other news, Abby has part 1 of her speech evaluation tonight and parts 2 & 3 next week. Since her teachers (and we) have a hard time understanding her sometimes, we thought we might as well do the free evaluation and find out if she needs any help to clarify her words.
We are also having Zach (who is sick at the moment, courtesy of mom and big sis) evaluated for possible early intervention. My adorable little 8-month old is soooo laid back that he doesn't seem to want to move very much - from back to front, to get up on all fours or sit up by himself. His pediatrician said he may not need it, but we should at least get the process started, so I will be setting up those evaluations soon.
One new and exciting addition to our house is that now Zach finally has his own room! The contractors came the last week of the year to build a wall in our loft, so now the little guy has his own space at last. My job: decorate it so it looks cute but don't go overboard as I did with Abby's nursery!
A lot is going on in our household for the first week of 2011 so it promises to be a busy but hopefully great and rewarding year!
And a quick shout-out to Abby & Zach's great-grandma Zita, who is not reading this but who is celebrating her 83rd birthday today! Happy Birthday, Grandma Z!
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