Fin

But it's not really. In a way we are just getting started.
Miss Koala is now 13 months and a few days and has been walking in that cute I can walk 4-5 steps to mama or daddy and be really proud about it kind of way. She crawls like a champ, but prefers walking SO much more. And Miss Bean is, as I write this, sleeping for the second night in her big girl bed, OFF the floor. And she's potty trained!! Like 87%! She made it all the way down to NYC (with stops to pee, of course) without any accidents. The way home wasn't as good, but since we've been back she's been perfect. She even gets up in the night to potty. We took her changing table out of her room today and with her big girl bed in there instead of the crib, I feel like my baby has grown up really fast.

Speaking of becoming a grown up, in about five weeks or so, it's looking like N and I will become first time homeowners! All big, wonderful, exciting stuff, but I don't feel the urge to write about our daily lives quite so much anymore. In the first place, as the girls become older, I don't want to violate their privacy and also, I don't miss Brooklyn/NYC quite as much as I did when I first stated this blog a little more than three years ago. I'm happy to be here, at this point. I wouldn't want to be back in Brooklyn with two little girls. But there are things I do want to do, like maybe think about getting a part-time job at some point and really trying to make a go of it with my fiction writing. Blogging has been great---it's been a wonderful record of our lives in New Hampshire and, despite me writing about my kids so darn much, something that provided me with an outlet from being a mom.

I'm going to take the summer off and then in September, I might start a new blog. One that will be a little less mommy, a little more worldly. Just like Miss Koala is taking her first steps into the big wide world, I think it's time that I start thinking about my place in it too.

Thanks for reading y'all!
Happy Summer.

Happy 1st Birthday, Baby Girl!

Woohooo! You turned one today, Miss Koala. A year ago, you were a little more than two hours old and I have no idea what I was doing. I don't think we'd gone to bed yet...we were probably calling people with our excellent news.

This is how we celebrated your big day. You got up around 5:30, got bday hugs and kisses, went downstairs with your pops to have some milk and Cheerios. When your big sis got up around 30 mins later, she pointed out the Happy Birthday banner, noticed the presents, and the excellent balloon on your high chair. Actually, I think you noticed the balloon on your own. The Bean got Belle and Snow White figures for being such a good big sis for a whole year. You got a new baby doll (because we don't have enough already) and band in a box so you can form a band now that you're the big 0-1!

After that it was bagels with cream cheese for breakfast!

I am so happy your sis had school this morning. She was a bit of a nutter. When she left, you went down for a good long nap. When you got up, we took you to look at this house we think maybe we should buy. Then we got your sister and had a picnic with some friends at the playground.

The sun finally shone for the first time in a week!

You ate a whole cupcake although I think a lot of the icing ended up on your jeans.

You wore your super cute 1 shirt.

Everyone got tired so we came home and had overlapping naps!

You were cranky when you woke so we gave you milk in a bottle, which is your most favorite thing ever.

When your sister got up we played outside. You went off a tear pushing the little red wagon all over the yard. Dinner was early and pretty good. You were able to eat spinach, which made me happy because I think maybe you don't get enough leafy greens. You loved eating tomatoes, too. You also had chicken and yam. And some more fruit salad (strawberries!) because you only turn one once.

After dinner you played a bit, had a bath, got goofy on your bottle and went to bed. All in all a pretty good day.

You are very mobile now. I find you sitting or standing or lying on your belly in the big kid crib. You talk a lot! You smile a lot! You are still pulling on your ears a lot even though last week Dr. Doug said your ears looked good. I can't believe you got another cold , but I'm hoping it's not that bad. We'll see how you're doing at your well-baby on Monday.

I think you're doing fantastic! You are the most amazing, sweetest, most edible, happy, wonderful baby in all the land.

I feel so lucky to have had you. I can't wait for next year's adventures! Happy Birthday, my little love!
Love,
Mama

My Life Just Got Harder (And Easier)

So, at like the exact same time The Bean decided she was all 100% confident getting out of her crib and opening her door and coming down the hall into our room or walking downstairs (if the gate wasn't locked) AND Miss Koala decided to enter the horrible period of transitioning from 2 naps to 1 or maybe 2, but it's going to be a fight to get that 2nd one mama, you'll have to drive me to Claremont and back or stroller me all over town and if you do get nap number 2 it's going to be short and I'm going to be wanting a brawl when I wake up and see just what you've done.

2011 might be the summer of car/stroller naps.

Because The Bean no longer has to stay in bed, she no longer stays in bed. The girl hasn't had a decent nap since Sunday and man she was just deliriously tired tonight. The only people who should have dark bags under their eyes like that are frat boys snorting Ritalin all night to write their term papers. I took the crib mattress out of the crib this afternoon and was all like "here's your big girl bed" but she still wouldn't nap. It probably didn't help that her sister was up and hanging out in my room. It's hard to explain to an almost 3 year old, that the baby already took one nap and since she's transitioning she might be up till 4. They did have a good 15 mins of sisterly love cracking each other up. Every time, MB would get out of her bed, she'd come running into my room, saying "what's going on guys?" and her sister would just bust a gut.

Anyway. The Bean is sleeping on the mattress sans crib now. It took some stories from papa and a few lullabies from mama, but she was out. She already woke herself up once by rolling off the mattress and onto the pad we have next to her. Who knows where she'll end up, but please could whoever is up there let the girl sleep in tomorrow. She's been up at 5ish for weeks now and it's making everyone so tired. How sad is it that 6:30 would feel late?

Even though the girls haven't been really overlapping naps for a while, occasionally I might get 20-30 mins and man, was that good. Or just having one of them is so much easier. But having both of them? From like 7:30 (when N left for work) till 5:00 (when he came home early)? It's killing me. Just thinking about makes me need a drink. I can't believe I didn't have a cocktail this evening. I'm trying to only drink on weekends and holidays...not that I drank too much, but because I'd really like to lose the last ten pounds of baby weight left over from baby #1 and also because drinking and women and breast cancer blah blah. And it makes it more special, you know.

Anyway.

So this is The Bean's first night out of a crib and N and I feel kind of sad. Kind of like we want to swaddle her in her old miracle wrap and put her back in the bassinet with a binky. But not really.

Miss K loves her morning nap still. Would probably take a nap at 8 if I let her, but we really need to push it back back back. I bet once that finally happens, her sister will probably have dropped her nap entirely. I think we might have to move the occasional milk and Sesame on the couch at 4:30 to the early afternoon. I'd really her to stay in her room quietly reading Proust from her quiet time, but the reality might involve a little more Elmo time. I don't know why I feel bad about it. She watches far less TV that all the other kids we know. She rarely watches more than 45 mins at a time. I don't know. I know everything will settle eventually....

But in wonderful, fantastic, my life got so much easier news, tomorrow is N's last day at school!! Woohooo!! 3 months of daddy-day care!

11 Months!!

Today, Miss Koala is an amazing 11 months, which means in one short month she'll be eating some 1st birthday cake! Wow. Can't believe my baby is going to be one. I think it took 3 years for Miss Bean to turn 1, but about 5 months for Baby Meow-Meow.
Let's see what you've been up to:

Sick: You've basically been sick the entire month. Two ear infections, high fevers, a terrible cough, and lots of horrible boogers, which lead to the even more horrible face wiping. You haven't been the happiest of babies, but the last few days have shown dramatic improvement.

Sleeping: Knock on wood, your sleeping seems to have improved. You slept through the night last night. You had one really horrible night and a lots of needing-the-paci back nights this month. But hopefully your improving health will help you sleep better. Your napping has gotten a little wacky. You've been taking one long morning nap from about 9-10:30 or so. But then you don't get tired again till around 3 and that nap has been on the short side. I think you're probably starting the long and annoying process of dropping a nap. We're going to have to start pushing the morning one later and later, but you are truly exhausted by 9 so I'm not looking forward to it.

Talking: You are very talkative. You can say "hi" and "bye" and of course "da-da" and "mama." You do a lot of squawk-talking and maybe wonderful happy bird noises when you're happy.

Eating: You can pretty much each everything these days, but you've been shaking your head "no" a lot. I think you like doing it rather than really meaning it because sometimes you'll shake no and then put a handful of food in your mouth. You're definitely drinking less formula these days. I think it's partly to do with being sick, but also it's time to start thinking about getting you off the bottle. In a month, we'll start you on whole milk. I'm interested to see if you like it or not. You don't like water, that's for sure. I hope in the summer we can get you to start drinking more of it. You loved corn bread and the itsy bits of cupcake crumbs I snuck you. I'm starting to lose track of all the new foods you've tried.

Moving: You can move, but it's not what I would call directed crawling. You do come over when you want to be picked up, but you still can't move your leg out of the way, which makes you incredibly frustrated. You are a terrific stander, but unable to pull yourself up. I think I'm going to make you try more instead of placing you feet down in front of the coffee table/upside down laundry basket. For the first time, this month, you started sleeping not on your back sometimes. I think you like being on your side. I wonder if you'll ever be a belly down, butt up sleeper like your sister was.

Teeth: You have two bottom teeth now. Not sure if you had them last month.

Likes: You are getting much more vocal about your likes and dislikes. You LOVE birds, being outside, and being silly with mommy when you should be going to bed. You dislike drinking water and having your face wiped. You are fascinated/unsure with/by dogs. You still love measuring spoons, banging things together, and your Mickey Mouse. You love screaming contests with your big sister and being danced around the room. I'm pretty sure, baby girl, that you're going to love the cake you'll get to eat next month.

Wow!

I can't wait to celebrate you!
xo,
Mama

10 Months!

Go Baby Go! You are an 10 amazing months today. I can't believe we're already starting to think about your 1st birthday...well, actually I can since your big sister is birthday obsessed (even for yours) and I'm rather forward thinking. But what a month, baby girl. You want to move so badly. Well, you are moving, just not in the right direction. You can't seem to get the hang of crawling forward. Most of the time your knee is in the way; and when you do get to your belly, you mostly scooch backwards. You are frustrated no end! But you're moving around and getting into things in a way you haven't done yet. You were crying earlier this evening and when I went to give you your binky, you were laying diagonally in your crib. Your dad moved your crib to the lowest setting last week because you have been flipping over more too.

You were a great traveler to Florida. You enjoyed being outside, playing in (and trying to eat) sand for the first time, and swimming in outside pools. You don't like sunblock at all! Your eyes got very red each time we put it on. You also figured out how to take off your hat on our trip. And down there you made it clear you're so done with baby food even though we sometimes have to give it to you if only to use it up. You have your first tooth and can eat most everything as long as it's small enough. You had your first fish stick today for lunch and seemed to like it. And you got really mad that everyone else was eating pizza for lunch. You love feeding yourself---you don't want to be fed unless you're super hungry or it's something super delicious like applesauce. Your hand-eye coordination is so much better too. You probably feed yourself 7 out of 10 Cheerios these days.

One of your favorite things to do these days is to give your paci to me or your dad. You think it's so funny when we have it in one of our mouths. You also laugh when I put a silly hat on. I love seeing your sense of humor develop.

You and your sister and dad all got a nasty stomach bugs when we got back from our trip. It was so sad having you so sick. But the next day, after being vomit-free for 12+ hours, you were hungry and SO mad when I tried to give you 50% formula (doctor's orders) or took away the pedialyte after a few ounces. Hopefully you won't get a bug like that for a long time.

You're starting to "talk." You like to say "da-da-da-da-da." When you say that The Bean says, "he's at work" or "I'm not da-da" or "that's mama, not da-da." You do say "ma-ma" but it tends to be when you're upset. You can also say "uh-oh" and "hi." You're a really good clapper now, too and starting to get the hang of waving. You seem very responsive to music and love shaking rattley things. You also love birds! You have this little noise you make when you see them.

For the most part, you are sleeping better. You've slept through the night a few times and before we left for Florida, you were taking one very long nap during the day. Since we've gotten back, your naps have gotten a little shorter and worse, you've taken to waking up at 4AM. It's much too early! We've been giving you a bottle at 5 AM, but I think we should try to make it even later.

You are such a big, strong girl! I don't put you in anything but 12 months and you can even wear some 18 month clothes. I ordered you a sweet little jumper in 18-24 months and hope that it will be warm enough for you to wear it on your bday. You are probably getting close to 24 pounds, honeybunch, and killing my back, but I wouldn't want you any other way.

xo,
mama

Nine Months In! Nine Months Out!

My delicious Miss Koala!
You are a fabulous nine months today! You are rocking it, girl. It seems like so much has happened this month, this week even.

Moving: You still don't really like tummy time, but you have been scooching backwards. What you love is standing. You just want to stand stand stand and do a little walking. You can support yourself with the couch or table, but we still need to be really close to you. You've gotten to the point where you go rigid when we try to get you to sit down. If you weren't so big, you'd probably have an easier time pulling yourself up, but as this point you're still dependent on us. You're still a happy girl most of the time, but you are definitely more frustrated with your lack of movement than you were last month.

Eating: Today your dad gave you fruit and oatmeal and mini waffles for breakfast. For lunch you had a combo of quinoa, which gave you some funky gas, with pureed squash and zucchini. Since we were at a bday party, I gave you a little bit of cheese and a Triscuit, which you seemed to enjoy. For dinner your dad gave you a jar of spinach and potato and some mushy fruit thing. You love eating/sucking/gnawing on rice crackers these days. And you are crazy for bread and most especially pizza crust. I wish you'd get some teeth so I wouldn't have to keep pulling mushy chunks of bread from the roof of your mouth and watching you like a hawk.

Object Permanence: You are in the prime peek-a-boo stage. You also know that things aren't really gone when they're removed from your grip. This is why you cried when I took that pizza crust away to get you in the stroller. It's really interesting to watch you look for things that have been removed.

Toys: When you will sit down, you love going through boxes of different toys. You have strong opinions (it seems) about what makes a good toy. You like taking two different objects and banging them together. You also like knocking things down.

The Big Wide World: You're starting, like your sister and I, to get a little stir crazy. I try to do everything in my power to get you out to do something at least once a day. You enjoy looking out the window, but you seem to really love being outside...maybe because it seems so novel at this point in mid-February. You also really like music. You get into singing and dancing and clapping. You have the most wonderful smile.

Your Big Sister: There's been a shift this past month. Now I feel like your thing the most wonderful person in the world is, when you're not tired or cranky, your big sister. It's gotten to the point where I want Miss Bean to wake up from her long nap so you'll be entertained by her. I don't think there's been any violence against babies this month either. And Miss Bean now says that she loves you!

Sleep: Last night you slept till 3:30! That's 9.5 hours, girlie. I'm still nursing you once in the night, but it's just for comfort because you have bottles o' formula the rest of the day. I'm sure the doctor will say to cut it out when we go to your well-baby on Thursday, so we'll just wait till he does. I do hate hearing you cry during the sleep training though. No pressure, but The Bean did sleep entirely through the night on her 9 month day. Mama wouldn't mind a full night of sleep, baby girl.

Wow! So many big changes for my big beautiful girl! In a few weeks, we'll be going on a family vacation to Florida. I'm very excited that we'll be able to take you outside every day! I can't imagine what kinds of things you'll be up to next month, but I can't wait! Here's to a good month!

xo,
mama

8 Months, Miss Koala!

Today Miss Koala you are 8 months! And so super, edible cute. Let's see, we've been quasi sleep training you the past few nights because we don't think you need to eat at 9:30. Two nights ago was terrible with 40+ minutes of crying, but last night it was only 10 minutes and then you slept till 1:30! Then you nursed, then when you woke at 4:30 you consumed a staggering 10oz of formula and thankfully went back to sleep till just before 7. The other mornings you woke up laughing at 5 and didn't want to go back to sleep. Ugh.

After your 9AM nap, we booked it over to Music Together, which you're very into. It was a crazy class today and you conked out on the way home in your new snowsuit, which Granny pressured me into buying since she thought your other one wasn't warm enough. But it was a whopping 32 degrees today! We all ate lunch when we got home. You had pieces of yam and avocado and these airy things your sister and I call puffers. You practiced putting food into your mouth by yourself and occasionally you got it in!

I'm very excited for the time when you and your sister can eat the same foods. At the same time. I had to make three different lunches today.

After lunch you did some exercising in your Exersaucer and after that we all went upstairs. You're still the queen of the 40 minute nap, but once a week or so you'll take a much needed longer one. Sometimes your much needed and my much needed don't mesh, but what can you do?

After your nap, we cuddled and played on the bed since your sis was still confined to her crib for the mandatory 60 min siesta. You got obsessed with my cell phone. I made you laugh by kissing your belly. You played with some toys. The Bean was in a terrible mood when she woke up for her too-late, too-short nap, but other than a freak out the other day violence against babies is way down and she told you she loved you for the first time last week! At 3:30, you and your sister shared some banana. Around 4:00 you got into Nutty Baby Mode. You made crazy noises and I wasn't sure what you really wanted. When I finally fed you dinner, you kept head banging in the high chair. For dinner you had egg yolk and some alphabet pasta with mushy carrots. I think you liked it, but the nutty baby mode made it hard to tell.

I've been wanting to keep you up till 6:30, but you just hit a wall around 5. We had a very unconventional bedtime---your sister was in the room yaking non-stop, you had a new super fast nipple on your bottle of semi-cold formula, we looked at the stars from the ladyug constellation thing, and then I put you in your crib. Normally, your bedtime is a much cozier, quieter affair with either me or your dad, but since he was working it just didn't happen that way. You've been more or less sound asleep since 5:45.

You are such a great baby. You love getting out, having new people over, and playing with new toys/dangerous electrical appliances. It's making the winter extra hard having to keep you in so much. You're still not moving, hate tummy time, don't have any teeth, and very little hair, but you are so easy going, so happy, and smiley, and fun that we're gonna keep you around!

I love you so much! Only 4 months till we feed you cupcakes! With sprinkles!
xo,
Mama

Actually, Today is My Birthday

Yeah. I'm 35 with 2 kids and a minivan. All we need is a morgage and a dog.

Actually it was a pretty great bday. N and I went out for a fancy adult dinner last night and this morning when I got up (at 7!) my girlies were wearing Dora party hats and sitting in a big stroller in the kitchen.

It took me a second to register that the stroller was a brand new BOB stroller---the creme de la creme of strollers. It's got shocks y'all. N was super awesome and bought it for me even though we have about 7099 strollers already. Apparently he and The Bean chased down the UPS man yesterday afternoon and he somehow managed to fit it in his tiny car.

I had an excellent massage at 8 this morning and then we took the girls to the Bouncy House iand then for a minorly disastorous pizza lunch in Hanover. No one napped this afternoon, which was a bummer, but N got a whole bunch of fire wood from a neighbor who's moving and made a fire and we took a walk with the new stroller and then came home with a super grouchy Bean who got super happy when we had a little party with a little cake. At the party were me, of course, N, The Bean, Miss Koala and several of The Bean's lovies: Pink, Fire Bear, Baby G----, and Baby Jesus.

Dora party hats were worn by all except by Baby Jesus and Baby G--- who come with their own hats.

Dinner was chili and salad and an early bed for a super tired Bean.

35 was a good year: an excellent new baby, three new strollers (one of which was just passed along to another family), a new mini van, goodbye cable, hello Apple TV, a super verbal super awesome toddler, a super N, a winning lottery ticket, and lots of fun. 36 is a lucky number for us Jew Jew Bees so let's just do it.

7 Months Miss K!

Today you are 7 months baby girl! You celebrated this by sleeping in till 8AM, which meant mama slept till 8 too! Yay!! Not so yay is that you're still getting up to nurse 2 times a night. Tonight I will nurse you once (hopefully later rather than sooner) but then I'm going to send your dad in to give you a bottle of water. That is the message we are sending you.

You are eating up a storm. Tonight for dinner you had avocado and squash. For a snack you got pieces of banana since your dad and sister were eating Toddler Yogurt right in front of you. Actually it was baby yogurt, but I think we should wait to give you dairy till you're a little older.

Friends of ours gave us two huge things of formula because I've been thinking of giving you a bottle of it before bed. But I haven't brought myself to actually do it yet. I think I will in the new year. As much as I'm tired of getting up to nurse you in the night, I know that once I start giving you formula, my supply will probably tank and you'll prefer bottles and then before too long you'll be weaned. I stopped nursing The Bean at 8 months. I wonder how long you'll go.

I kind of want you to be weaned, but I also want you to stay my baby, baby.

Anyway, you're sitting super well. And you've really stated to need to play with toys. You like having a box of toys to choose from. You kind of finger through it pulling different toys out as you go.

Colonel Granny came to town this weekend and she gave you lots of tummy time and you rolled over on your own twice this afternoon. I didn't witness it because I was eating a sandwich in the kitchen.

You really want a sandwich, big girl. The other day you looked at granny so angrily when she was eating her lunch. You were all like how can you eat that without even offering me a bite? Then, you tried to take a bite of my sandwich!

We are in the love affair stage. You LOVE mama and smile and laugh and light up when I come into the room. You make me feel like Julia Roberts and I can't get enough of it. I'm happy to report that violence against babies is dramatically down. Granny says she can see that The Bean now loves you in a way she didn't before. That said, toddlers can not be trusted so she won't be babysitting you anytime soon.

You are still the queen of the 45 minute nap. Although when we have somewhere to go, you decide to power nap for 2 hours!

Next week will be your first Xmas, which will be fun. I hope all the traveling is okay with you. I think this month will be full of big developments. You may even get to try some Cheerios!

I love you to bits, baby!
xo, mama

6 Months and Rocking!

Miss Koala is 6 months today! In fact, six months ago at this very minute I was pushing her out---sans ANY pain meds, y'all. Cuz that's how I roll. As I write this, Miss K, you are 11 minutes away from being born! This past half a year has FLOWN by, girl. In no time, you're going to be eating some bday cake!

Anyway, to celebrate your 6 monthness, mama had Indian food tonight. I haven't had any since September and since you're not nursing as much now I'm thinking we can deal if it makes you a tad fussy.

You had three solid meals today. You had combinations of pureed squash and peas and bananas and applesauce. I think you're enjoying it...sometimes you get a little squawky while eating and I'm not sure if it's because you want more and you're not getting it fast enough or some kind of other gastro issue is going on. You tend to eat best at the Montshire museum and I think you like your food warm rather than cold and man, have you made up for any non-pooping issues you had in the last five months!

I must change 800,000 diapers a day.

What else? It goes without saying that you're getting huge. Goodbye 3-6 months clothes, hello 6-9 and 6-12! I saw 2-4 little bits o teeth on the top of your mouth and it feels like you have about 20 more coming through. You're getting good at sitting. When you're interested in something, like the craziness of story time at the Norwich library, you can sit on your own for a minute or more. The other day I tried to lay you down on the bed and you attempted to push yourself up to sit. I remember last month or so when I stuck you in your sister's high chair and you were slipping and sliding all over the place. But this week you sat in it for quite a while no problem. There was a nice moment a few days ago when you were playing with some toys on the highchair tray and your sister was on the kitchen stool next to you playing with her toy cookies on the tray too.

Sweet.

(For the record violence against babies has decreased this month but you were bitten yesterday).

You're definitely more into toys. I can give you something and, if it's baby appropriate, you can hold it and examine it. You seem to like the little Grover your dad bought you.

Your dad brought down the Exersaucer aka Circle of Neglect this month and you're pretty into it in small doses. Today I had you hang out in it while I put your sis down for a nap and all of sudden you got really quiet. I went to check on you and you gave me this huge LOOK AT ME grin.

You're getting really fun, Miss K. I love the morning (especially when it's after 7AM) when you wake up all happy and edible! Mmmmmmm.....baby. I like hanging out on the bed making you laugh and kissing your amazing baby belly.

I feel like I'm sort of getting the hang of this two kid thing. Today we came back from Tot Lot and you were hungry and I was hungry and Miss Bean was hungry. I had to cook soup, feed you and me and Miss Bean and it all got done.

You sleep in your own bed (except for a few mornings here and there when we're too lazy to put you back in your crib) and you have the potential to sleep through the night. It's been better and some nights---like when you went till 4AM---great. But then there are nights when you're up three times and well, you're a baby. I think back upon the weeks when getting you to sleep was a nightmare and how we had to use the swing all the time and now we never even think about it. You eat dinner around 4:30, nurse around 5:30 and are usually in bed by 6. The swing has needed new batteries for weeks and we haven't bothered to put them in. You nap for 40 minutes although occasionally, like when I need/want to go out, you'll do a good long one. I'd like to get you on a better nap schedule but I'm not sure how possible it is.

Have I mentioned how cute you are?

Okay little duck, six months ago you were 12 minutes old! And now you're this amazing, food eating, toy holding, working on sitting, fantastic laughing little baby. I am so excited to see what month #7 brings!

Love,
Mama

5 Months!

Miss Koala!
You are 5 months old today! In NYC! You were supposed to be 5 months in NYC, CT, MA, VT, and finally NH, but we stayed one more day in New York because your papa N got food posioned and spent the earliest parts of the morning puking puking puking. One lesson you should no know at your wise old 5 monthiness is: DON'T ORDER THE FISH ON MONDAYS!

Moving right along, you seem to be growing up and out and long! You're are super aware of your surroundings now and I feel confident that when I bring you to places like the playground or gymnastics that you will enjoy it (to the best of your non-mobile abiities) and then, when you've had enough stimulation, take a quick nap.

Getting you to go to bed has gotten so much easier this month. In fact, I really don't remember the last time we used the swing! Yay! I am starting to wonder if you might like to have a bottle instead of nursing before bed though. I think you get so tired that nursing is too much and you get a little hysterical. So we might try incorporating that during your sixth month. I think you also might be ready to have some dinner. There may be some mushy goodness in your future, little one.

This is also, hopefully, the last month that you'll be swaddled. It's time to say good-bye to that rarely washed cotton wrap, dude.

You haven't rolled or really attempted to roll again this month,but I'm confident that you'll be moving soon enough and I really enjoyed doing a whole yoga class two weeks ago when you so chilly lay on your back and listened the whole time. You have discovered your feet, which is pretty exciting. For you.

Okay, this post was just interrupted by YOU! For the second or maybe third time this evening (and you've been asleep for less than 3 hours!) you've woken up and needed a cuddle. You've been sleeping horribly in New York. I don't know if it's that you're going to bed hungry (which I kind of doubt since you're huge) or you're teething like crazy or you don't like sharing a room anymore, but it's been a little bit of a nightmare. Actually, you haven't been sleeping that great in NH either, baby. And you know, you're kind of old now and mama's kind of tired, so let's work on improving this, 'kay?

Although there have been some scratches, I'd say all in all violence against babies has been down this past month.

Your sister has decided that you're going to be a monkey for Halloween. While in the city, I found a cheap costume, which I hope will fit you in 12 days, monkey girl.

You're still smiling and laughing AND pooping a lot, which is a lot of fun.

Here's to an unswaddled, sleeping longer stretches month #6!
Love,
Mama

Another Fall

Miss Bean has been saying, "Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn," this past week. And although it was annoyingly humid today, those leaves are changing and dropping off at a really rapid rate.

This is my third fall up here. The first one struck me as the most beautiful. Perhaps because it was my first and because I was so tired that everything was just a little bit druggy. Last year I felt like the colors were too patchy. And this one is...well I don't know. It seems fast. I know what's coming although I don't know how it's going to be with two kids. I feel like we have to be outside all the time while we still can. Even when it gets cold, I think I'll try and get the girlies outside for a stroller walk everyday. We have these super cozy bundle me things for the stroller....if I make sure they've got hats and gloves how miserable will they be in zero degree weather?

I know they're gonna hate it, but I truly believe everyone is better mentally and physically when they get fresh air.

In other news Miss Koala HAS A TOOTH! I know, she's only four months. It's on top too, which I think it pretty unusual. It kind of explains her wacky a doodle nursing of late. Maybe she's reconsidering that sandwich N offered her last week....

Four Months! And Counting!

Today, Miss Koala, you are four months! Go you! We celebrated this milestone by taking you to Kmart and buying all kinds of cheap Chinese crap that we can't live without. On a happier note, here's what you've been up to:

Smiling/laughing: You're doing this a lot more. Some objects really make you smile. You like the little blue monkey and the elephant the best. Early in the morning is your best time. You're a pretty happy baby except when you're tired/hungry/full of poop, which is probably 78% of the time.

Crib: You've been in your mini crib in your tiny room for the past five nights. The first three were pretty rough. You woke up more frequently and wouldn't take the paci. Just the act of having to get up made me exhausted. But it seems like you're getting more used to it. Last night you did an initial five hour stretch.

Sleeping: The last few weeks/month it's been kind of a nightmare getting you to settle down (not cry) before going to bed at night. For some reason, you're usually okay going down for a nap, but the evening hours are not happy ones for anyone. We've been in this situation of either putting you in the swing after an hour of crying or letting you nurse yourself into a coma. I think all the crying makes you pass out from sheer exhaustion. The other night though, I was able to get you settled without a long stretch of crying. I've been rocking you in the glider in your room, which you like. I'm looking forward to having you sleep unswaddled. It seems sort of silly at this point since you're able to bust out of it so quickly, but the few times I've put you down without it, you flailed and cried.

Gymnastics: You've flipped once on both sides. You spent a lot of this week on your side, attempting to flip from your back to your stomach, but got incredibly frustrated. You love to be held in a sitting up position so you can look out.

Holding: You can hold onto your monkey and parts of your elephant. I don't think there's 100% cognition that you're the one doing the holding, but I think by next month there will be.

Pooping: You've got some issues there, honey. Last Sunday, after five days without going, we had to take action, which you were not happy about. Hopefully we won't have to do that again.

Battle Wounds: You big sister has had a few relapses. You had a minor eye gauging and still have a scratch on your head. I'm sorry about this, little love. Hopefully this next month will leave fewer emotional and physical scars.

Eating: You're full o' milk. Your dad offered you a ham on rye this afternoon to see if you were interested in food. You looked at him like he should know better. I think we'll wait till next month to start solids.

Here's to a rolling, laughing, pooping, smiling, wound-free fifth month.
Love,
Mama

3 Years!

Got hitched 3 years ago today.
Seems longer. In a good way:)

2 Years!

Two years ago today we moved in here with our 3 week old bambino. It was crazy. My dad and brother drove up the Uhaul with the remnants from our Bklyn apt. My aunt, her partner, my sister-in-law, and her friend all helped unload it. I was forced to nurse at a rest stop without my beloved Boppy since N had mistakenly sent it on the Uhaul. The Bean was wearing this terrible flowered outfit/pajamas. Granny ran like a crazy lady with her through the parking lot. I got a terrible dehydration headache from so much nursing and not enough water. The bed we were sleeping on collapsed and we ended up on a deflated aerobed in what's now Miss Bean's room. The Bean wouldn't go to sleep so N drove her around to the shopping horror that is 12A at eleven at night.

And today? The GIRLS!! slept until 6:30. We hung out. Our almost 13 year old neighbor came over to play with The Bean. She gave her 5! slightly loved stuffed animals as a bday present and now she has a new doggie with a PINK collar that she loves. Miss Koala took two short morning naps. She also had some rocking tummy and standing time. She smiled a lot. N went to 12A to take pictures, buy stuff, and do the recycling. Bean and Mama had eggs and tomato soup for lunch. I walked to the gym and lifted some weights. In the afternoon, The Bean and I took the bus to Hanover, which was super exciting as The Bean is very into taking the bus. We met Miss Koala and Papa N there, walked around, looked at art, bought some presents amazingly not for Bean, ran around The Green, and had an early burrito dinner outside. Everyone cried a little before bedtime, but that's par for the course when you're three months and 2 (and 34 and 35). Now, all is quiet except for the lovely sounds of N unloading the dishwasher, which I will soon load, which will hum into the night as the four of us snooze in our beds on a street in a town in a state called New Hampshire.

3 Months Miss Koala!!

Oh Miss Koala,
Today you are three months! Go you! As I told you when we were chillaxing on the bed earlier this evening, things should start getting a lot better. Soon, you should be able to sleep unswaddled and then you might start rolling over and being able to sleep on your belly and grabbing things and putting things that your not supposed to in your mouth and playing with toys and eating things like bananas and apple sauce.

I feel like you've gotten especially huge this month. And cute! But you're already wearing 3-6 month clothes. Your dad accidentally put you in a 6-12 month onsie and while it was big, it wasn't that big.

You did great at sleeping this past month although for the first time in a long while we had to put you to sleep in your swing tonight:(. I'm not exactly sure why though. Normally you've been sleeping in your bassinet with minimal fussing and, even better, a few times, you've been technically sleeping through the night! Last week I nursed you at 2 because I was in a little bit o boob pain, but you slept through it and didn't wake up till 5:00. The other night you went till 2:45 without having to nurse, which was awesome. You really like your naps too. The other day you needed to nap about four or five times during the day. Maybe it's a 3 month growth spurt or maybe it was the stimulation from traveling. We finally took you to New York State! We went to the Adirondacks this week to see the grandparents, eat some Donnely's ice cream (next summer you can get your own cone!), hike, swim, see friends and test out traveling as a foursome. I'm happy to report that you and your sister were awesome. Both car rides were super easy---you slept the entire way on both trips and you and Miss Bean both slept well even though your rooms were right next to each other and the walls are super thin. The only bad part of the trip was that my back got a little wonky and we ended up leaving a day early.

You are definitely more aware of the things, my darling bear. You track me and your sister. You liked looking at the stuffed Snoopy. You give lots of social smiles when you're in the mood. You're starting to use your voice and make cute, bird-like coos. Today in the car I watched you put your sinking pacifier back in your mouth. I think that was mostly luck, but tonight you reached for my finger in what seemed like an aware way rather than the sort of instinctual grabby thing all babies do.

Your sister has improved a lot this month too. Except for a few infractions today, the hitting has gone down tremendously. But I'm afraid, Lovey that there's nothing I can do about her volume. She is just 2, you know. We might as well just try and get used to it.

I can't wait to see what happens in month 4!

Love,
Mama Bear

Happy Second Birthday, Big Girl!

Today Miss Bean is 2! Can you believe it? Seems like just yesterday we were telling you she was in fact a baby, not a bean. Remember? Now she's a talking, running, playing, eating machine. Yesterday we had a smallish family party, which, in addition to the new doll family she got from her grandparents, she found a bit overwhelming and as such as spent today overtired from not going to bed till late and getting up much too early this morning. We're kind of pretending this is just a regular day since we're (insanely) having a pizza and cupcake party with a bunch of kids tomorrow.

Miss Bean is an awesome little kid. She's obviously cute, but she's also really smart and funny and, most of the time, sweet. She has an incredible memory, which is wonderful and a little scary as she won't forget things for months. She loves books and can play by herself, putting her babies and doggies to bed or organizing things, for long periods. Now she's starting to sort of learn of her numbers and ABC's. Her granny says she even smarter than her own two kids were at 2. But she might be a little biased and a little forgetful. But now that she's 2 though things are going to change. We're going to start making sure her teeth get brushed with toothpaste twice a day. Hopefully in a few weeks she'll be able to spit the toothpaste water out of her mouth instead of a.) pouring it down the drain or b.) drinking it. The other thing we're going to work on is having her pick up her toys before she goes to bed. I know this is probably futile, but you know, we've got an actual baby round these parts now so Miss Bean has to start earning her keep.

Happy Birthday, Miss Bean! We're so lucky to have you! This past year has been incredible and we look forward to all the great things your third year will bring.
Love,
Mama

Two Months!

Sweet Girlie Girl,
Today you are two months old, Miss Koala! And, you are rocking the percentiles: 95th% in weight, just over the 75% in height, and the 90th% for your big ol head. You had your first taste of things other than boob milk today: the Rotovirus vaccine which is a sweet liquid administered orally and some Tylenol administered by mama this evening. You liked both quite a lot! You also got a huge number of vaccines in the form of three shots, which made you quite fussy tonight. I felt so bad for you. You were really miserable--over tired and probably feeling quite yucky. It took a lot to get you to go to sleep and I ended up putting you in your swing even though in talking with the doctor we decided it's better to get you more used to your bed. The swing is okay if we're desperate though and tonight just didn't seem like the right time to force the initial sleep in the bassinet. You are capable of falling asleep in there---I haven't had to put you in the swing in the middle of the night. So now we just have to work on breaking the habit. For both parents and baby.

What else other than your tremendous growth? You're cooing more, we think we've seen some smiles, you've had some ENORMOUS poops (conveniently all over your dad and not mama), and when you are awake you're definitely taking in your surroundings. It seems like you can get over stimulated in the evenings---we're still trying to figure out when exactly is a good time for you to go to bed.

You seem pretty easy going although the day after I said that to N last week, you got a bit fussy. But you don't seem to really cry unless you're tired or hungry or like the other morning in some kind pain. You're up regularly, every 2-3 hours, in the night---that first week when you went for four hour stretches (and that one 6 miraculous one) were teases. Your favorite eating time seems to be around 3 am.

Oh, and this month, right at week 7 you FINALLY accepted the pacifier! Interestingly, it's the same (and only) kind your sister liked.

You've been hit by sister around 600 times this past month. Luckily, it's not usually very hard, but she has, on a few occasions, caused you to cry. So, just between you and me, when you're 2 and she's 4 and you whack her because she takes your toy or won't share her snack, I'm going to fake yell at you and give you a fake time out. Cuz just that one time, she might deserve it. You gotta get a little revenge somehow, right girlie?

Oh, and when it's not a 8000 degree humidity heat wave, one of the best things about this month has been snuggling with you. You seem like you're getting pretty snugly. Here's to lots of snuggling for month #3!
Love, Mama

Miss Koala: One Month

Oh Miss Koala,
I do hope you are sleeping upstairs. I imagine you are since it's quiet. It's not that you're a huge crier---you're really not, but you love to nurse nurse nurse even when you're not really hungry just very very tired and sometimes mama just can't do it anymore and has to hand you off to Papa N. It's been a little trickier getting you to go to sleep the past few nights, but all in all you've been a good baby.

Your life has started off so differently than your big sister's. The labors were night and day---yours being tremendously easier. We didn't have to move last week, which was wonderful. But you have a lot more noise in your life than your sister did. And even though she tries to be gentle, you are often getting poked and prodded by Miss Bean. With the Bean I felt like it took me weeks to sleep deeply enough to feel somewhat rested. With you, we're breaking all our rules and letting you sleep in the bed with us 95% of the night....This way we're all able to sleep. I would've have been much too worried to do this with your sister, but with you I'm able to prop your head up on the crook of my arm and sleep well. But I'm hoping that next month you'll be sleeping in your basinette more and more.

In some ways I'm able to enjoy you more than I was able to enjoy your sister at your age. Not having to move, having Papa N around, having friends around, being fluent in toddler/baby talk, having done this once before all contributes to this. But at the same time I have expectations that I didn't have with The Bean. Because I know nights like this won't last forever, I can't help but sometimes want to speed things up. I know how much better it will be for everyone when you can sleep on your belly in your own room and sit up and smile and laugh and eat bananas. And so on....I hope these expectations don't force you to grow up too fast.

All in all the month has gone by pretty quickly. It's exciting to see you opening your eyes more and more each day.

Here's to a wonderful second month!

Love,
Mama

Introducing: Miss Koala!

The Bean has a sister!
Miss Koala was born on Wednesday, May 19th at 7:43 PM. She weighed 8 pound 2 oz and was 20.5 inches long.
We think she's gorgeous!



Things will likely be quiet around here while N and I learn how to parent 2!