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!
Friday, April 23, 2010
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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