making of a momma

We Love Dr Seuss aka "Pop!"

2012-03-01T21:03:00.000-05:00

Yay Pop!

Isaac was comin' right at me, with white knuckles, and Hop on Pop leading the way.
"Pop!" he was announcing, sort of yelling, or definitely demanding, and that was something like 2 months ago, before he was saying much of anything!

If Dr. Seuss wasn't already awesome enough, here's one more reason to love him: [from Wikipedia]

"One of Geisel's manuscript drafts for the book contained the lines, "When I read I am smart / I always cut whole words apart. / Con Stan Tin O Ple, Tim Buk Too / Con Tra Cep Tive, Kan Ga Roo."Geisel had included the contraceptive reference to ensure that publisher Bennett Cerf was reading the manuscript. Cerf did notice the line,^[4] and the poem was changed to the following: "My father / can read / big words, too. / Like... / Constantinople / and / Timbuktu."^[3]

Ha!

Isaac at less than 2 months old and already learning about green eggs and ham.

The Michigan booties were sent to the very small Isaac from his 2nd cousin once removed (?) Talia!

The Miracle of Growing Up

2012-02-28T16:58:00.001-05:00

From this:


Isaac at 7 months, 4/23/11

to this:

5 months later, 9/13/11

to this:

His red pants are too short now!

See, I have 2 old lady cats, named Evette and Goose, and I've thought about them often through the years. Thoughts like, "Wow, if they were my human babies, they would be talking to me by now." And then a few years later, "My goodness, they would be going to kindergarten!" As of today, they would be in the 5th and 6th grade!

Through this time, they have continued meowing, eating, sleeping, pooping, cuddling, and running like crazy possessed beings through the apartment; very silly and cute and fascinating, but not so much has changed.

And these kitties have been my main taking care of something and watching it grow up experience, except for plants.

So as you can imagine, Isaac has really done a number on my whole growing up perception. I'm liking it though. It certainly keeps a momma on her toes.

handknit baby pants!

2012-02-21T21:01:00.000-05:00


I love the little rollover waistband

Isaac's Omi made him these, and 5 months later, they finally fit!

What a lucky baby!

Pants, on the go, at the Monument in Fort Greene Park

This was right before we got a big compliment from a stylish momma!

An over the shoulder close-up pose

In case you love these pants and are a knitter, or if your mom/grandma is spry with needles, they are called Kumfy Pants and you can find the pattern on the website ravelry.

Happy knitting!

Toddler as Popcorn

2012-01-26T21:24:00.001-05:00

I'm like what!?

popcorn floweth over

=

I haven't made popcorn in a while, but I remember how it went. I'd put in a little oil, a little popcorn, turn the heat medium high, close the lid and wait.
Then there would be one pop.
Woohoo, I'd think, its gettin' there!
And then another pop, (yay!) and another, and another, one more, and then suddenly the corn would be popping so crazy-like, there would be no discerning the separate kernels. There was just this feeling that without a doubt, popcorn was happening.

And so it is with Isaac these days. He's popping like crazy, especially with words. Here are a few of the latest:
(see if you can figure them out!)

1. Ap-pol choo
2. Bo-tu
3. Up-tu
4. Kackk
5. Boat
6. Oioioioioioi-o
7. Uh-oh and many variations such as Uh-oioioio, Uh-eeeaaa, Uh-aiuuu, etc
8. Ta
9. Doggie
10. Beeyee
11. Knee!
12. Pa-tou

Key for the more difficult ones:
4. Duck
6. I am handing you this!
8. Cat
10. Belly
12. Peggy

A Serious Snow Portrait

2012-01-22T22:05:00.001-05:00

New Year, New Things!

2012-01-02T21:19:00.000-05:00

Isaac enjoys the beach!

"Baaaa-bulls!"

He also wears jeans and generously gifts sand.

Sand for Daa-dee.

Momma takes a video for the blog!

And tries for a family portrait!

Well, almost!

Hannukah Baby!

2011-12-27T21:33:00.000-05:00

It's the last night of Hannukah tonight, so Isaac got to enjoy his pasta and water by candlelight.

I'm not sure if he's laughing, crying, or singing along!

We didn't buy the little guy any hannukah presents. Jeremy said that he wouldn't know the difference, and he's right, but I still feel a little guilty.

Ah well, we'll get 8 days next year to try again.

Isaac receives a visitor from Japan

2011-12-26T13:09:00.003-05:00

Isaac's Auntie Kyoko has arrived!

She has proclaimed him "sooo cute!" many times, with her enthusiasm for the little guy bringing on big smiles from all of us.

Isaac has been showing off for her an impressive usage of the Japanese language: rousing games of "inai, inai....bah!" ("peek-a-boo!"), as well as, "naanii!?"("whaa-aat!?"), and "naii-no!" ("it's here...isn't it??")

Kyoko and Isaac discuss how to break inside a chain link fence.

We had a lovely Christmas Day at The Brooklyn Bridge park, where Isaac got to look at trains and planes, and got to ride on the carousel, twice!

Surveying the surroundings after the eventful, double-ride.

Baby, Moon, and Me

2011-12-22T21:58:00.000-05:00

Isaac

the moon (here shown with jupiter and its 4 moons!)

Major fascination, appreciation, and a loud, "moooooooo" (still working on the "n").

Moo(n) Isaac's 5th word to date:

#1 Da-dee!

#2 No

#3 Maa-ma

#4 Bubble (Baa-bul)

#5 Moo(n)

I think the moon has received such high rankings not only because of its glowing perfect shapes, but because it makes an appearance in about 7 out of 10 baby books that we read to Isaac. The moon is everywhere in baby picture-literature.

A short list:

The moon peeks through the window in Goodnight Moon.

It shines its light on Maisy in Sweet Dreams Maisy

It looks very mysterious and much like the photo up above in the beautiful and bizarre Margaret Wise Brown book Red Light, Green Light

It is a cute crescent in Goodnight Gorilla

It inspires conversation and glows round and yellow-y orange in Say Hi Backback Baby!

It lights up a love-match of crickets in The Very Quiet Cricket

And keeps watch over an egg in The Very Hungry Caterpillar
The moon is huge and round in The Three Robbers, and barely lights the rich dark sky.

Funny that the sun doesn't show up nearly so often.

Maybe we want to inspire babies to love the night and sleep as much as possible.

Goodnight moonie moonie moon!

This is not isaac, but whomever it is sure is a cutie pie!

Isaac's band photo

2011-12-19T21:53:00.000-05:00

Here he is with band-mate Abilene, playing the stroller in the background.

yeah, we so cool.

Sadly, his baritone ukelele had to be left at home.

Very Sick Kitty

2011-12-11T14:00:00.001-05:00

Yes, I am very skinny, and not feeling so hot.

I am not only Isaac's momma, but also the momma of a very sick cat. Goose has Cholangiohepatitis, which means her liver cells are inflamed, and the bile is not being excreted properly. Her biliruben is really high, so she's yellow and jaundiced, won't eat, and feels like poop.

The vet said this often happens after a cat has had hepatic lipidosis, which she had, maybe 8 years ago. Its a similar course of treatment: we have to just make sure she eats (+ appetite stimulant, + antibiotic, +streoid), so she's got a feeding tube again. Its a weird feeling to squirt all that stuff through the tube giving her no say in the matter whatsoever. And I feel guilty, paying so much attention to my human baby and not enough to her. I should have noticed her not eating enough earlier. Plus Isaac drives her crazy. She is really scared of him (as perhaps she should be) and that must give her lots of stress.

Poor thing, she was so groggy and out of it when I brought her home, she couldn't walk straight. But I think she's happy now, or as happy as a cat can be with a feeding tube sticking out of her neck. She's on my lap and purring. Its a different kind of purr than her usual high-class motor style purr, but a purr nevertheless.

Lula Says Goodbye

2011-12-04T21:37:00.001-05:00

Lula relaxing at Fort Greene park, summer 2011

My neighbor and good friend Micaela's little girl died last night.
Her name was Lula Neave Walker Murray and she was just 18 months old.
She left behind a boundlessly energetic twin brother, incredible parents, doting grandparents, and so many caregivers and friends. This little one was seriously loved.
She fought so hard to live for this year and a half, and needed true rest, but still it is so sad.
She was a precious and very delicate flower.
If you want to read more about Lula, you can here: www.roanandlula.blogspot.com
Goodbye sweet Lula.

The Discipline Begins

2011-12-02T20:34:00.001-05:00

Yes, this little angel in a panda hat can drive me nuts.

I've been feeling pretty beat up lately by Isaac's shrieking, biting, intensely wanting stuff, intensely not wanting stuff.

So it was a wonderfully serendipitous moment when yesterday Jeremy sent me this book excerpt about discipline and your wonderful yet terrible toddler. It's helpful, inspiring and short. The author, Dr. Michelle Cohen, has a no nonsense approach that I like. It's along the lines of puppy training.

I like how he says not to make the little guys say sorry because they aren't sorry, since they don't understand sorry yet. I like how he explains to deal with a tantrum about putting on a winter coat. This is what you are supposed to do:

1. Pin him down
2. Put on the coat
3. Go out

I feel like roaring like a lioness when I read those directions! Woohoo! It is much easier though to feel strong and purposeful and lion-like sitting here in the quiet after-bed-time, than in the moment of upset. No matter, today I took a stand.

Isaac bit me, and I told him not to. He did it again and I picked him up, put him in his crib and left his room. My goodness, he screamed. He SCREAMED! It was a good thing that I had lots of dishes to wash.

He was a little clingy and upset when I took him out 2 minutes later, but he didn't bite me again, and cheered up pretty quickly. An hour later and we repeated the same scenario. No more biting after that. I dunno, maybe it worked?

Baby Vampire

2011-11-30T20:30:00.001-05:00

Perhaps you cannot see the teethmarks, but notice the redness!

Isaac bit me through my pant leg tonight, while I was trying to make his dinner.
It hurt! I wasn't happy.

Then he did it again, and tried to again, and then tried to bite my forearm when I picked him up and my neck when I carried him kicking to his highchair.

I know its unfair to be mad at a 14 1/2 month old, but he laughed when I said, "No!", "Stop!", "Goshdarnit this isn't funny!"
He looked so cute laughing. Arghh. I wasn't going to let him know I thought he looked cute.

Here is my list, in order of probability, of why Isaac became a small vampire tonight:

1. Teething, as my neighbor told me, "Girl!, His gums are itchin'!"
2. He was hungry and couldn't understand that the onions needed to carmelize before I could make the chopped liver. Yes, he eats, and loves chopped liver!
3. He felt ignored, I was paying more attention to the onions then to him.
4. He wanted to nurse.
5. He was tired: this is always a probable excuse.
6. He had a big day, doing lots of big boy things, and needed to express his ability to be a big boy and drive me nuts.
7. He is a baby vampire (in training)

Isaac, going off to do big boy things, before he bared his teeth.

Plane-spotter!

2011-11-29T12:36:00.001-05:00

It wasn't actually this one, but it looked just like it!

Isaac spotted his first airplane today!

All of the elements were in place: he was in the mysteriously helpful for looking up baby-backpack, bright grey clouds wallpapered the sky, and there was a lovely little airplane, looking like a toy from so far away.

A big whoop, a chubby finger pointing and pointing, and then me, oohing and ahhing, telling his papa and our friend Bibi, "He spotted his first plane! He spotted his first plane! This is a very big deal!"

Then the plane flew away, we crossed the street, and now he is napping.
Life goes on even after something something momentous.

Isaac, Professional Mover (and Shaker)

2011-11-28T22:12:00.001-05:00

"I got it!"

Today I found a walnut in the shell in Isaac's pants drawer. He was standing in front of the drawer anxious and fretting and looking in over and over again. There was also a big bumpy rock he had put in there, heavy enough to go under the mess of pants and out of his sight. He was very distressed, until I fished it out, then he was very happy.

Later I heard him in his room talking and talking and arguing and cajoling. He was trying to put his grey karate style sweatpants on his head.

He carries around our yellow and black tape measure like he's planning on doing some measuring, and then takes both the benadryl and neosporin tubes out of the cupboard and into the bath.

After the bath, he has a tradition involving a very calming and lovely photo that my stepfather took of wooden chair and a daisy: I lift him out of the bath, wrap him in his striped towel, and then he reaches up and takes the photo off the wall for a while and considers it. I always worry he'll drop it into the tub of warm water but so far, thank goodness, he hasn't.

Like Daddy, Like Baby

2011-11-22T22:14:00.001-05:00

Brown corduroy pants and black puffy coats are a style statement of cool, whether the man is 38 years or 1 year, as exemplified by this father-son combo.

Matchy-matchy!

This photo was taken after Isaac had walked off with a small cowboy stride, all the way to the chain-link fence, a whole two basketball courts away!

Tom Waits on Childrearing

2011-11-16T21:44:00.001-05:00

Jeremy just sent me this quote from Tom Waits. He makes me feel much better after a day of feeling in the middle of a hurricane, inside.
And who knew Tom Waits thought about kids anyway!?

"Living with kids is like living with a bunch of drunks. You know you really have to be on your toes all the time. Things are falling over and breaking and spilling. If you live on the second story, you really have to keep the windows shut."

just a wee glimpse of drunkard walking skills

I wonder when Isaac will appreciate Tom Waits?

"He speaks English!"

2011-10-31T21:16:00.000-04:00

"He speaks English!" was Isaac's daddy's pronouncement on hearing the big news:
While on the poddy, Isaac's Omi said, "Clap hands Isaac!" and Isaac clapped those little paws, just like that!

He can point with two fingers too!

Brooklyn Art Museum Proves Delightful for Toddling

2011-10-28T12:10:00.002-04:00

I am so small, and these mushrooms are so big!

Isaac began his first ever trip to a museum in a room of enormous puffy white mushrooms. He gave the bottoms of the mushrooms big happy slaps and fell in love with a museum guard named Enza.

Enza and Isaac danced together, oohed and ah-ed at one another, did a bit of walking, and then finally sat down. Enza felt so worked out by the little guy, she had to take off her museum coat!

Enza is on the right

Omi, Isaac, and I said goodbye to Enza, who cried "Oh! You must come again!" (She has 11 year old twin grandsons and misses their babyness.) We walked to the tall and shiny elevator doors, waited for them to open, and were soon flying through space, up up up, to the 3rd floor.

We were greeted by an especially entrancing Rodin sculpture. Isaac wanted to touch the bumpy nakedness and it drove him nuts that he wasn't allowed. I understood because I wanted to touch it too. We commiserated, and finally toddled on to appreciate portraits of smirking, staring, stately folks dressed in fine robes.

We finished with a visit to the Egypt exhibit and their mummies (very different from our mommies, we explained), an examination of a floor light socket and a shared sandwich in the windowless, hot green chaired museum cafe. We did it! First ever trip to a museum was successful!

We huddled out into the cold rainyness and then home for a warm supper and bed.

Guess Who Started Walking Today??

2011-10-20T22:43:00.000-04:00

Isaac did, that's who!

The steps were very joyous, and ended with a big fling of his little body into my open arms.

Track team soon!

Bedtime Tonight

2011-10-18T21:14:00.000-04:00

Isaac and I were sitting in his almost black bedroom except for one skinny streak of light coming in through the edge of his door. He had already tried pushing me away and jumping off for a daredevil back-dive. He was finally on my lap, all snuggled in.
His cheek was on my chest with his bottom sticking out toward my knees. We were rocking on his Great Grandma's rocking chair and I was singing him a waltz (doo doo doo, doo-doo. Doo doo. Doo doo. Doo doo doo doo doo, doo doo, doo doo. and so on), and then a Spiritual, and then a made up song from his baby-hood.
After 15 minutes of this, I heard his baby-voice shine through the darkness, softly but very clearly, "Buliobuliobyabya. Gliogloba. Pha."
I knew he was not asleep.

Pouting: A Fine Example

2011-10-10T21:16:00.000-04:00

Today Isaac was a crab-apple boat.

what?

A very fashion forward crab-apple boat.

With Curiosity and Wonder, Isaac Gives the World the Finger

2011-10-09T19:51:00.000-04:00

This finger is a blurry because it never holds still for more than the moment it takes to say, "Ba?"

I think he was wanting the little red crab-on-a-string kitty toy we keep wedged between 2 books on the shelf. When I gave it to him later, he grinned a warming up smile like a sunrise, and his arms were outstretched and his palms open like little rays.

Dying and Living

2011-10-05T22:42:00.000-04:00

Jeremy just called because Apple Computer's mega-wizard Steve Jobs died. He needs to stay late to report about it.

My aunt died in December, a little while after she told me that Isaac looked like Alfred Hitchcock.
Grandma Nina died 2 weeks ago.
Jeremy's great aunt died too, before Grandma Nina, but nobody told Grandma Nina because they didn't want to upset her.
My step-brother's grandfather died one month ago.

I keep thinking about how when a person dies, they take nothing with them.
My aunt left her piles of papers behind in her kitchen, high heels in her bedroom closet, a tuxedo cat, her full Bottega Veneta purse.
What did we do with the purse?

Meanwhile, Isaac is living like crazy. Soaking up and sputtering out, zooming and clapping. Here's a video of his latest playground trick:

Goodbye Grandma Nina

2011-09-21T21:28:00.000-04:00

I feel a little funny calling her Grandma Nina because she was Jeremy's grandmother. But she was the kind of Grandma so full of love and blessings and worries about whether or not you are dressed warmly enough, that it seemed there was enough to go around, so I got to call her Grandma Nina too.

She died last night.

Jeremy says there is now a huge hole where she once stood as a rock. She was the center of gravity for his family. We tried to visit her every weekend, if that gives you any idea of how much she was loved.

I remember her stroking my pregnant belly and telling Isaac that he had very dopey parents because we had visited her so late (8:30pm) at night. She said we were dopey dopes, but that he would be very smart.

Her yiddish flowed onto small Isaac, "Shayna punim. Tattela. Shayna kinda. Zeezun kinder."
And then to us, and anyone else in the room, "I love him! I love him. I love him!"

Grandma Nina, 94 and Isaac, 7 days

We love you too! We love you too!

Toddler + Cats = Problems

2011-09-19T22:18:00.001-04:00

I have two old lady cats who are mother and daughter. Their names are Evette (mother) and Goose (daughter). Evette is crotchety and fluffy and loves affection and your lap. Goose is white and squishy and bizarrely scared of almost anyone who is not Jeremy or I. She used to play fetch when she was a kitten, and sit out on the stoop with me impressing all my neighbors, and dogs of my neighbors even more. I've had them both for about 10 years, so this is not a new relationship. We go way back.

One year ago we added Isaac to our mix. It was very easy at first. The cats stayed away from him and he didn't notice them. Then he did notice but couldn't give chase. Now it's totally different. He wants them bad. He wants to squeeze and shake them like big furry maracas, and they are having none of that. Goose runs away really low to the ground, or moans and hisses at him. She's even scratched him once. I tell him over and over, "Don't mess with the Goose!", but he doesn't listen.

Before the danger set in.

Evette thinks if she holds really still and just twitches her tail a little bit he won't see her, but of course that doesn't work at all. He grabs her and squeals, or plays a maniacal game of patty cake, and then grabs. "No Isaac!, Gentle!", I say. Then I pet him like I want him to pet Evette, "Gennnntle."

The only thing that works is to sequester them in our room. It's a bummer, but I don't know what else to do. Any suggestions?

Back in May, when we didn't grab and were a happy kitty-baby family

Happier kitty note: I just found a Australian kitty website called Flippy's Cat Page. The lady who runs it obviously loves cats like crazy. One of the pages on it has a super long list of kitty names (6,300). Some of them really make me laugh.
A few highlights: Lord Chrysanthemum, Mervette, Sheepish Lion Lampert, and Baby Bookins. Funny, there was no Goose or Evette!

Happy Birthday & Banana Cake Recipe

2011-09-11T23:07:00.000-04:00

Isaac's made the BIG ONE!

We had his party yesterday at the playground across the street. It was really fun!
Possible thunder-showers ensured we had the park to ourselves, the play gym was a lovely mingling backdrop, and Isaac got to show off his climbing up the slide skills. We ended with him almost falling asleep in the swing.

I especially loved it when we all sang him happy birthday. He looked so surprised and tickled that everyone had suddenly broken into song. He broke into a big grin. That made my day, and his too, hopefully!

I made a banana cake because banana was Isaac's very first food, and remains his true food-love.

Gone in about 30 seconds!

The cake was good, like seriously, crazily goo-ood!.
The recipe is from the Joy of Cooking, with a few changes on my part. Thank you Joy!

(Birthday) Banana Cake!

Butter and flour a 9" springform cake pan, preheat oven to 350 deg.

In a cuisinart or blender mix together:
2 very ripe large bananas (I used 3 medium ones)
2 Tbs. sour cream

Add:
2 large eggs
2 tsp. lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Beat on low speed in a separate bowl for 30 sec.:
2 cups cake flour (make sure you actually use cake flour! I think that was the secret to the delightful crumb!)
3/4 c. + 2 tbs sugar (I used less than 1/2 a cup and it was still plenty sweet)
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (I used less)

Add 1/2 the banana mixture with:
10 Tbs soft butter

Beat on low until the dry ingredients are softened, then on med for 20 sec. Add the rest of the banana mixture in 2 batches, beating for 20 sec. after each time you add it.

Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes, let cool for 10 minutes, slide a thin knife around the edge, and voila!

Or, almost voila! If its a birthday cake for a 1 year old and you want to have frosting, but not frosting loaded with refined sugar, try this cool icing, adapted from the Sivananda Yoga Cookbook:

Milk and Maple Frosting:

Into your mixer add and blend:

1 stick (1/2 cup) softened butter, unsalted
1 cup whole milk powder, minus 2 Tbs. (you can find this at Indian, Middle Eastern, or Health food grocery stores)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup maple syrup

You will find that it is ever so slightly granular from the whole milk powder, but when eaten with the cake it just tastes delicious, and not too sweet.

The little man's first piece of cake ever in his whole 1 year old life!

He was very focused.

He only looks perturbed here because that was the last bite.

I want more cake!

Smart phone = Stupid person?

2011-09-08T23:14:00.000-04:00

My very old sort-of-smartphone died in my pocket last Friday. It is now Thursday, which means I've gone six days phoneless. After an initial feeling of loss, confusion and out-of-it-ness (much like coming off drugs), things have brightened up considerably. I have felt like a puppy off-leash, inspired to run around and yelp with freedom. When I was at the playground with Isaac, I was at the playground with Isaac (yelping). When I was waiting for the walk-sign, I was waiting for the walk-sign, not yelping, but also not in my in-box!
I've been very "present".

Now my new smartphone is here and I feel very middling about it. I did take it out of it's box, but then I also just stuffed it back in. It felt too cold, hard, computer-y and heavy. I thought there is no way I want to put this thing up to my face. Then I saw it has earbuds so I wouldn't have to put it up to my face.

The guy at Verizon said the screen resolution is beautiful, and that I wouldn't need to get up from the couch to turn on my computer; it's that awesome. That means that if I keep this thing, I'll have access to crazy infinite amounts of information anytime, anywhere. Jeremy calls the web the Internets. I'm scared to get tangled up in the Internets!

I know I am going to check my email way too frequently. I'll check the weather, look for directions, take pictures, surf a little, yet perhaps still feel unsatisfied. It's only been a week;
I remember the feeling of seeing the little red splat on the message icon on my Blackberry.
I felt Excitement! Curiosity! And then disappointment when it was only a notification of a change in terms from Chase bank.

I listened to a interview on NPR where the interviewee (I can't remember his name!) talked about how we are conditioned as a rat can be conditioned, to look at our email. He said when you occasionally gave a rat a treat after they heard a bell, they always reacted to that bell.

I don't want to be a rat! I don't want to be a momma (and I have been with my defunct blackberry) who looks at their phone while they push their baby in the swing. But I also don't want to lose out. I don't want to miss something important, I want to see some beautiful resolution!

In a wonderfully synchronistic and serendipitous moment, my step-mom sent me a link to another NPR interview addressing exactly what I have been pondering. The interviewee is MIT professor Sherry Turkle. She has been studying how technology affects ourselves and our children for a very long time. In this interview she questions what is gained by always being on and available to anyone at anytime. My favorite quote was that the greatest gift you can give your child is to leave your phone at home.

I'm not a nut. I'm not going to give up a cell-phone completely, but I've decided as of this moment, to get a dumber phone and enjoy my own smarts.

The Strange Practice of Dunking Babies Underwater

2011-09-06T22:15:00.000-04:00

To dunk or not to dunk, that is the question!
I dunked Isaac yesterday, for the second time ever. It was a last hurrah sort of baptism; the last day and the last hour of the little pool across the street. I dunked myself at the same time since it didn't feel right just watching me push him under.
They say the younger the better, that the little guys automatically hold their breath as long as you do it forcefully and quickly. Isaac did. There was no coughing or choking or anything like that, just a super surprised big eyed fish looking face. His hair was plastered straight on his head with water streaming off, eyes blinking and blinking. There was a cry after that, a little one. Then there was a grumpy stage (understandable), and he was over it, complete with chortling and ba-ba-ba-ing.

Then why did and does it freak me out so much!? It's healthy for goodness sake, no?

Infant Aquatics seem to know quite a bit about this subject. Their website has a very compelling videos of little ones as young as 9 months old in action. Like little fishes they flip over and float on their backs!

water baby at 6 months old

Beautiful New Camera! New Backpack too!

2011-09-05T22:28:00.000-04:00

And we are so very happy about both.
The camera is a Nikon D3100 and it takes insanely gentle, lovely photographs.
Huge thank yous, Grandma Judy!
The backpack is a Deuter Kid Comfort II. It comes with nice yellow buckles, lots of pockets, a kick-stand so it stands, and a little teddy bear peeking out the side.
Huge thank yous Omi!
Combining the two was very exciting.

Since the proof is in the puddin', I give you some puddin', from our recent trip to Seattle
Isaac is walking (well, riding) to the meadow at my Dad's house, trying out (sleepily, dirt-ily) the baby back-pack for the very first time.
He did grow to love it, but not quite at first.

We loved the pack, even if he at first did not. It has snazzy design elements incorporated so its nice to our hips and shoulders. My mom says its the Cadillac of baby backpacks.

He smiled a lot and slept a lot in this pack.
I took a lot of photographs of both activities, and whatever else in between.

Down below is at Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park. A lovely place to nap.

The Olympics are an even lovelier place to walk and look and smell!
There were mountain goats, alpine flowers, and overwhelmingly stunning vistas of mountains galore!

Cornstarch is Not Just for Lemon Meringue Pie!

2011-09-04T21:05:00.001-04:00

Its for baby bottoms too!
Or wherever else they need a little smoothing and drying.
Its also cheap and doesn't smell weird. Natural, like I like it.
I got this advice from my yoga student Leah, who seems to know what to do in this mommy-ing maze. She gave me very emphatic advice to get it out of my kitchen cupboard right away and onto his skin.
Isaac and I are both very appreciative.

A New Dining Method

2011-08-31T20:42:00.002-04:00

Wearing your dinner is way more fun than just eating it!

Polka dots!

And his legs! A mini topographical map of eggs and rice, dotted with bits of mushy onion and pepper.
Just delicious!

He's Comin' Up

2011-08-23T20:48:00.001-04:00

That's what Jeremy's dad says about Isaac all the time, referring to his hair, his crawling, his talking, his general growing-up-ness.

But now he really is comin' up, pullin' up, on everything! The best part is that it makes him deliriously happy.

Today he pulled up onto the wooden trunk in his room and yelped with happiness, hit the top of the trunk with both chubby hands over and over again, yelped some more, hit it again, laughed with his little head thrown back in delight, hit it again. His joy just went on and on. I was so riveted I couldn't even leave to get my camera to commemorate the occasion.

His name is Isaac Sander, but I really must begin to call him by the more currently correct: Isaac Stander.

Glasses Thief

2011-08-22T12:25:00.002-04:00

Spotted and photographed in Fort Greene Park, Isaac B. shows no remorse in taking his Grandpa's *glasses.

Got 'em! Now just try to take them away from me!

Or his harmonica.

I'm good at this!

We have still yet to discover a motive for the crimes other than "well, that's just what babies do."

*Speaking of glasses, Jeremy found this cool online store that Isaac would just love. Its called Warby Parker. Their shtick is that they send you a box of 5 pairs of eyeglasses that you pick from their website, so you can try them on before you decide. Or your baby can steal all of them, as long as they give them back within 5 days. How exciting!

Isaac Braves Childcare at the Food Co-op!

2011-08-20T23:55:00.000-04:00

Separation anxiety doesn't only happen to the baby! I hadn't planned on using the childcare service at our co-op grocery store. Isaac had never been left with strangers, and I wasn't thinking to start now.

All we planned was to grocery shop as a family, but his meltdown near the bagels changed our vision. I suggested Isaac and I check out childcare and sleepy eyed Jeremy looked very relieved and agreeable to finish the shopping solo.

The tall smiling pregnant lady who unlocked the door told me that parents weren't supposed to stay, that it would be too crowded. I was welcome to get him comfortable with the blocks and then stay close by outside for a little while.

"Eek-gods!" I thought. "Oh. Uh-oh. Umm." I said. "Well, I guess we could try. But you know? He's never done this before!"

He stuck an orange block in his mouth. I worried about germs. He took it out to watch the other kids. I made a very worried getaway.

Oh boy, I hovered outside that door! I stalked the little guy, standing to the side so he wouldn't see me through the window and at the same time peeking and peeking. His brown eyes looked HUGE and very far away.

My heart was racing when I went downstairs. I had left him! At least he could crawl. I told the checkout lady I definitely wouldn't have left him there if he wasn't crawling.

After helping Jeremy bag the groceries I went to go get him, breathlessly running up the stairs. I found him with a band of tape on his back that said "Isaac" in very nice handwriting. I couldn't decide if I loved it or wanted to tear it off right away, but first I took this photo.

yea, that's me.

Poop!

2011-08-15T23:49:00.003-04:00

Isaac just had his most frightening poopy diaper to date.
There was an "oh no!" yelp from Jeremy, a "sweetie!" from me and the poopy diaper fell, poop-side down onto my mom's striped area rug.
There is a (somewhat) happy ending to this very short poop-story.
Upon lifting the diaper we discovered a miracle: The poop was so sticky, none of it separated from the diaper and the rug remained clean.

Wheew!

Eating the Alphabet

2011-08-02T20:04:00.001-04:00

The wondrous omi gave us this Eating the Alphabet book.
Jeremy pronounced it "a crazy vegetarian manifesto of food", but now agrees that the fruits and vegetables are painted artistically and beautifully and are a good influence on Isaac. The pictures have inspired us to try Kohlrabi (very yummy, like inside a broccoli stalk, but in a bizzare looking package), and to look up Xigua (baby Chinese watermelon!)
Out of appreciation, health, and taste sensation, we are doing our best to do as the book advises.

Corn!

Plum!

Watermelon! (a delicious orange variety, with Mike)

Yum!

My Poppa Wrote This!

2011-07-27T20:36:00.001-04:00

Its an Op-Ed for the NYTimes (woohoo!) about how the Republican Party is acting CRAZY and remarkably like elephants in musth.
I'm very proud of him, and sadly, not them.

Playing with a crazy elephant is dangerous.

What are they thinking!?
Oh yeah, they aren't thinking, that's the problem!

Crawling Can Take Many Forms

2011-07-26T20:18:00.014-04:00

It's a seal!
It's a caterpillar!
It's a tiny breakdancer!
No....
It's SuperIsaac!
Floor-flying across the living room!

Watch out world, here he comes!

Love and Marriage Certificates for Everyone!

2011-07-25T14:59:00.000-04:00

Oh, this just makes me so happy!

The New York Times has photos of Lots of Happy Couples in NYC

Big smiles, big smiles.

Goose is smiling too, you just can't tell.

Same Book, Bigger Baby!

2011-07-20T20:46:00.001-04:00

July 17, 2011

February 13, 2011

Isaac is now big enough to look over the My Big Animal Book.
Jeremy still hasn't shaved his beard.
It's supposed to be 100 degrees on Friday.
And, we're out of ice cream.
Entropy!

Surprising Food For Baby Bellies

2011-07-17T15:34:00.006-04:00

Isaac is 10 months old now, and my momma chef-of-mush days are limited!
I am both happy and sad about this, but rather than dwell on the inevitability of babies growing up, I will share a few exciting and important baby food components you may never have considered, but should!

1.Full Fat Organic Plain Yogurt: Makes everything creamier and yummier, besides adding lots of protein and calcium.

2.Silken Tofu: It's nicest when you heat it, has lots of iron, and is fun and jiggly.

3.Peanut Butter: Frightening at first, but they say these days early exposure is better than no exposure! I swished it in my own mouth first the first few times so Isaac's belly wouldn't think it was a foreign invader.

4.Maple Syrup: Just a touch adds instant deliciousness and its a good alternative to the (danger-ball) honey. Grade B Maple Syrup has lots of B vitamins to boot.

5.Frozen Spinach: Thawed first, of course. Blended with bananas, your little one will open their mouth wide for green mush.
That is very good since spinach has got loads of Protein, Phosphorus and Zinc, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper, Manganese and Selenium.

6.Goat Cheese: Mixed into warm mashed sweet potatoes; shoot, I'd eat it!

7.Pesto: I like to try to turn his food green however I can, and this is already in a mushed form. Woohoo!

The soon-to-be-post-mush Isaac, hard at work:

concentration face

and it's in!

boy, that was great.

What will he inspire next?
Stay tuned!

Huge Family, Small Spaces

2011-07-11T10:03:00.000-04:00

Or, Why My Little Apartment Doesn't Seem So Little Anymore.

Jeremy sent me a link to Annie Ling's photographs from the NY times:
A Bed and a Key at 81 Bowery

It does look cheerful in there; though my goodness, it must be loud.
Lots of cooking smells and hot too.
I can't help but like all the colors, and just focus on that.

stroller envy

2011-07-09T22:12:00.005-04:00

Stroller envy is real. Talk to a momma and see if she's felt it; you'll notice she's not listening if a super cool stroller is passing her by.
I feel the envy: I want a Bugaboo Bee, though my punk rock side would be way too embarrassed to trot down the street with a $650 set of baby-wheels. My husband clearly states while frying potatoes, "There is just no way we would spend that much money on a stroller." So I say, "Maybe next year on craigslist?"
Oh the bee: cute, compact, very upright, and ever so slightly tough. Lots of room underneath too.

bzzzzzz

I've discussed stroller envy with my friends. I say it comes from how you can't have your kid do everything you want them to do, so instead we gotta have the stroller that does everything we want it to do. And then when we find out our dream stroller doesn't make our lives perfect, we think another stroller will do the trick. Its a classic grass is greener situation.

Fellow momma Micaela says that we feel like if we had the perfect stroller, our kid would never cry. You could bring 'em anywhere and do anything, and they would just be happy. Yeah, right.

I began strolling with an old city mini I bought it from my friend Molly. Her kid is really cute and smart and I was hoping that her stroller would impart such qualities to my little kid. When we came to pick it up she told me she hoped Isaac will be okay in it. Her son had screamed and screamed whenever she took him out in it for the first few months. Uh-oh. What was I supposed to do? It was a winter evening and my little one started screaming too, on 5th Ave and President St., 20 minutes away from home.

I felt bad listening to him cry. Sad and worried too, because I couldn't see him, (the Bugaboo Bee can be turned so your face your baby while strolling) and his little 3 month old face was out there exposed to the world without me to filter the bad stuff out.

The city mini barely lasted the winter. I wanted every other stroller we walked by that looked cute and comfy. Pushing the city mini with one hand and carrying Isaac with the other aching one made those times especially hard.

He did look cute in there, all bundled up.

Technically speaking, I think he didn't like the city mini because it set him far back, in a jogging stroller sort of way so that when he turned his head side to side, as he likes to do, he couldn't see anything except for the inside of the stroller. I think that is what brought him to such despair. He did try to sit upright, but then he bumped his head on the front bar, which brought on a different kind of despair.

Enter the 2011 Uppababy G-luxe: I read about it online, saw this photo and thought, "this is the one."

cute, cheery, yet technologically advanced, yes?

Its "the most lightweight reclining stroller on the market." though I mostly liked how it looked.
And it inspired action: a trek to Mini Jakes, the home of very cute (and pricey) baby stuff, to give it a spin. My first disappointment was that the cool electric orange of the photo, was more of a muted pumpkin. I was a little bummed, but still hopeful. I put Isaac in and noticed that the crotch strap was a little tight, but I ignored it because I didn't want it to be too tight. He didn't cry, and that cemented the deal. We left with a black one, to please his papa and match his clothing. I was happy until we got to the car and I tried to fold it. Wrestle it to the ground would be a better description.

Life has not been perfect since buying the uppababy stroller. The crotch strap is still too short (make sure your kid is skinny and/or doesn't wear cloth diapers before buying this one!) and I still break a sweat trying to get it to fold. There still are times that I carry Isaac with one breaking arm, and push with the other. But he can see side to side now, the wheels roll deliciously smoothly, it's given my friend Micaela her own case of stroller envy, and its the one we got, so I'm now going to stop complaining.

Checkin' out the sides!

Tired

2011-07-07T21:09:00.000-04:00

This is a tired that I never knew before becoming a momma. This is an aching, slouching, dizzy kind of tired where I can't read a book without it becoming my own bedtime story.
This is also the kind of tired that only cookies (those biscuity ones with dark chocolate on top seem to do the trick!) seem to assuage.

for him, I fake not being tired

What to do!? How do I see, and talk to my husband, wake up with the little guy, and work a bit all in the same 24 hours?
I'm sure there are many books on the subject, but alas, no energy to read 'em.

Isaac's Handiwork

2011-06-30T09:51:00.000-04:00

Empty bookshelf! Pile of books!

Note the ease of composition

All done by two small smooth chubby hands.

First "Real" Dinner Eaten Well!, + Recipe

2011-06-28T20:47:00.001-04:00

Isaac has eaten many dinners before this, but they have all taken a spin in the Cuisinart first.
This dinner was intead whittled into small chunks by only my sticky fingers, and then put gently into Isaac's hungry maw. He chewed like a champ, and only gagged once when I surprised him with an after dinner chunk of strawberry.

A "before" shot

It was so easy, yummy, healthy, and pretty (my four favorite qualities of dinner) that I feel I must dish (ha!) the recipe:

Pasta with Spinach, Goat Cheese and Salmon
serves perhaps 2 hungry adults, 1 kid, 1 baby, or 4 middling adults, or ?

3 cups dry tri-color spiral pasta (spirals are nice because the yumminess gets inside the ridges, but perhaps you already knew that!?)
1 package of frozen spinch (I am usually much more into fresh, but I love frozen spinach. It seems like a brick of green-goodness to me)
2 smallish salmon filets
Big chunk of goat cheese, (however creamy you like)
Olive Oil
Parmesan (that way you can make it not too salty for the wee one, and then put it all over yours)

Boil the pasta (I accidentally overcooked mine, but that made it more baby-mouth friendly), drain, toss with olive oil and set aside.
While the pasta is boiling, sprinkle salt on, and then bake the salmon filets (nice to put a few lemon slices on top) in the oven at 375ish for about 10 minutes.
Put the (hopefully already thawed) frozen spinach in the pan you used to boil the pasta (the less dishes the better!), and heat on medium flame with a little olive oil.
When the spinach is warm add the pasta and goat cheese, and stir gently until the goat cheese becomes melty and mixes into the pasta.
Cut the salmon into cubes, (or however it flakes is fine) and toss into the pasta.
Grate Parmesan cheese on the fine side of the box grater (I like it to look like snow), and sprinkle liberally!

Enjoy, Mama-chefs (and baby-chefs too)!

Fleeting Moment of Serenity

2011-06-27T21:05:00.001-04:00

Isaac was up for A LOT of last night. It felt like newborn times all over again, except that waltzing him around the living room had an extra measure of willpower and strength involved. 25lbs of willpower and strength!

The thing is, amidst this tiredness, confusion, muscle fatigue and un-amusement, there was a fleeting moment of serenity, a small pocket in the big fabric of the night (2am-ish to 5am-ish). I remember thinking, there is perfection here, I can feel it!

Sadly, it was so fleeting, I'm not sure where it went. Like the smell of bread baking: distinctive and delicious, and then blown away by the wind.

I think it had something to do with moving slowly, but I'm not sure. I'm going to do a little more research.

No Longer Relaxing to Take a Bath with the Little Guy

2011-06-25T20:06:00.000-04:00

It used to be a dreamy and horizontal way to end the day; 7pm Isaac and I would retire to the tub for a wee bit of splashing, swooshing, washing, and finally reclining, Isaac's head resting on my tummy, and my head in blissed out momma-land.
My goodness, bath time has changed! Now 7pm finds a combination of jumping practice (I'm hoping the quick in and out creates an old fashioned washing machine effect for his bum), grabbing practice (today he turned on the overhead shower to both of our shrieks!), and slippery fish holding practice (that's my practice).
It's fun, but I'm tired.

Isaac, clean as a whistle

Crawling is Imminent!

2011-06-21T21:50:00.000-04:00

We're thinking its going to happen any day now. Today we had a little park-practice time:

Do I really have to crawl?

No sweetie!, but its sure fun to try!

Ok, let me focus for a moment. I'm gathering my strength.

Take your time chickie boo!

I'm up!!

Woohoo! Yayy you!

Crawling will make my arms even more shapely?

Perhaps, but we think your arms are perfect just as they are.

I worked up a serious appetite!

Good holding of the (sprouted grain) bagel sweetie!

Is that what this is? I thought it was a donut.

No sweetie, its a yummy fancy bagel!

If its so good, you want it?

Oh, such a generous sport you are sweetie.

Maybe Isaac needs more enthusiastic compliments from his momma?

Sick-day

2011-06-19T18:31:00.001-04:00

Poor Isaac!
He is so very unhappy and warm, and he threw up all his father's day French Toast.
This virus has given him his highest temperature yet, last night 101.9 under the armpit, which is at least a degree cooler than how he actually feels (like a small hot potato).
The doctor told us to get Pedialite, which seems like a scam - $4.50 for a liter!
Ah, but we bought it anyway because doctor's words are very scary to disobey.
She said the fever will last 3 - 4 days, and that the diarrhea should begin tomorrow.
Now, that's something to look forward to! Oy!

A healthier and inquisitive moment

Update: I think he's all better! It was a mysterious illness, it didn't take too long, the dreaded diarrhea never came out, and now he's back to health, inquisitiveness, and a copious amount of drool!

At the coop

2011-06-13T21:10:00.005-04:00

I talked to a little girl at the coop on Friday, and though she is not Isaac, she was cute enough to inspire a blog post. I wish my camera had been with me, but since it was not, I will give you a mental photo.

On the check-out counter, there were 4 wooden boxes of baby strawberries, 3 bosc pears, and a bunch of organic lemons. The man buying the fruits had gone to find a box, and a little girl wearing a big pink round bicycle helmet pops up from where he had just been. The helmet comes far down, almost to her brown and smiley eyes. She plops a 4 pack of juice boxes on the counter next to the fruits and says to me, with a voice full of pride,

"I'm here with my dad." (I didn't realize the man was her dad)
"Well, that's good." (my unoriginal answer)
"And my mom." (with even more pride, and fairness)
"That's nice" (very boring again, I know.)
"They watched my actee-vee-teees (activities)" (Is that so!?)
Oooh, I started to laugh! (Her pronunciation cracked me up)
"Not funny." she answered (very serious)

That was pretty much it. But it certainly made an impression!

Father's Day, One Week Early

2011-06-12T22:58:00.001-04:00

I'm so confused!
First I thought it was last Sunday and I was wrong. Then I thought it was today, and I was wrong again!
Arghh. I gave this papa his present anyway. Couldn't wait!


On the card are two green dinosaurs. The big one is Jeremy, the little one is Isaac.

I learned I was wrong in a sort of embarrassing way: At a cafe this morning, buying bread for my baby-daddy's French toast, I called out enthusiastically, "Happy Father's Day!" to a daddy whose little boy was sitting on the counter eating something sticky. Both Daddy and kiddie looked at me like I was nuts and said, "Isn't it next weekend?"
Oops!

Little Guy is a Whopping 9 Months Old!

2011-06-10T21:58:00.005-04:00

Isaac's 9 month birthday means many things:
He's been without as long as he was within! This gives me a funny feeling, but I'm trying not to focus on it.
He can feed himself (melty puffs, advises the pediatrician)
Plank poses and bottom up in the air maneuvers. Maybe even crawling!
Because of the aforementioned maneuvers, he may slim down, ("all those baby rolls, they will just melt away!" they say) but seeing is believing, I say.

The good times before all the shots

It also means the 9 month pediatrician appointment.
He has a new one: A tall, upright, South African-accented doctor. I think I like him, but I am not completely positive. He seems very smart, friendly, silly, and he was the pediatrician for The Dave Mathew's Band's kids. I know this because there was a plaque in his office, dedicated to him, from when their record sold a lot of copies. This gives me confidence in that "ooh, he treated famous people!" sort of way. I liked how he was with Isaac, he gave him a tongue depressor to play with!
I didn't like how he shushed my worries about metals going into Isaac's small *plunchy thighs. And he wants us to give him baby vitamins in a dropper that "taste vile, but that's okay because babies don't really taste, its more about texture." (Is that true? I thought some had taste-buds in their cheeks!) Not so good, since Jeremy and I are not vitamin takers.
The thing is, when Isaac looks at me with his huge brown 9 month old eyes, it drives me nuts. I don't want them to be deficient in anything, that's for sure.
At 9 months, I feel I must make the right decisions, but I'm not sure what they are!

*Plunchy is a word I made up to describe my cat Goose, meaning delightfully squish-able.

Isaac takes on the Newsroom!

2011-06-08T19:46:00.100-04:00

Isaac visited his papa's workplace for the very first time yesterday and created quite a stir!

I've got a lot to do here.

He worked very hard,


You need something?

keeping a keen eye on CNBC for breaking news,

Ok, I'm on it.

and coming up with some very catchy headlines:

Stocks Down, Send in a Clown!

Our visit's end found our intrepid little hack somewhat tired, but still very photogenic!

Yes, that was me at the controls.

If you notice the birdcage painting in the background, it is my copycat version of Kiki Smith's birdcages from the Brooklyn Art Museum. You can't quite see, but in mine the little birdie is wearing a reporter's homburg hat.

Here's a close-up:

Here is Kiki Smith's original:

We all like them a lot.

.

June Feet

2011-06-06T15:42:00.000-04:00

In June's honor I present to you green grass and bare feet.

feet salad

The feet belong to Isaac (chubby center little foot) and Aunt Peg (expressive long toes).
They rest upon the green grass and delicate clover of Fort Greene park.
Hello Summertime!

A one diaper day!

2011-06-04T19:43:00.001-04:00

I never thought this would happen.
Well, I knew it would happen someday, but today? No way!

One loner diaper, 7:30 pm

Woohoo potty!
Yaay Isaac!
And the combination of the two?
Magic, pure magic :)

He is not a happy baby today

2011-06-02T20:42:00.001-04:00

I want to understand why!
This is communication in a foreign country. Both of us are using hand signals and emphatic pronunciation of vowels.
"Whaats wrooong, little guy?",
"Baaaa, Baaaa, aaaaaah"
"Whhyyyy you so maaad?",
"mmmmmnnaaaaaa"
"C'mooon, buck up, little bukcaroo!"
"Daaaa-daaaaa"
and on, and on, and on.
Right now he's continuing on in his crib, "ih, ih, eh-eh, and aa-aaaaaaa".
If I peek in, I'll see him pushed all the way to the back of the crib since that is his latest trick: the backwards scoot.
I think he's tired. But that is pretty much always my excuse when I can't figure anything else out. Shoot, I'm tired too, and if he naps then both of us will get to nap, and that will be a beautiful thing.

unhappy baby and middling cat

Update: one big poop later, he's sitting on my lap as I type, eating his daddy's business card. You'd never know he was such a crab-apple 15 minutes ago.
Isaac, you are as mercurial as the sky! You are ever changing into interesting and sometimes exasperating formations.

Happy Baby Pose

2011-06-01T21:59:00.000-04:00

Besides being a momma, I am also a teacher of yoga. In the past few days, there has been a very exciting confluence of both! Isaac has begun to practice "happy baby pose" (see below) whenever there is no diaper on to cramp his style.

"I have a foot!"

His version is very different from the Happy Baby Pose that I teach to my students. With them it is very organized. It can look like an upside down lunge, or a squat, depending if one knee is drawn in, or both. The hips end up with a galloping strong stretch, and the femur (thigh) bones get snuggled into their sockets.

Zeroing in on one pink toe

Isaac's Happy Baby pose (with no detailed instructions from me, thank goodness), is not about stretching the hips. Those are already very stretchy! Instead the pose centers around noticing the toes, and wanting to inspect them.

multi-tasking

Or in another incarnation, the pose becomes about moving his arms and legs really fast while trying to get the toes, all the while looking at me trying to capture the whole scenario on camera. A sort of baby multi-tasking.
I wonder how my students would feel if I taught them that one!?

early mornings

2011-05-30T22:36:00.001-04:00

This post is for anyone whose baby wakes them up crazy early in the morning.

Sunrise, Fort Greene Park, Isaac is almost as sleepy as me. That's why he's blurry!

Morning = Spring
Daytime = Summer
Evening = Autumn
Night = Winter

Spring is the most lovely and fleeting time of the year, no? And we get to be awake for it!
Thank you babies!

Milk Money!?

2011-05-28T15:15:00.000-04:00

Jeremy brought home Wired magazine from work yesterday. No biggie, he does that often.
But this time there was an article about breast-milk(!) inside! Quite a biggie!
First of all, I have never known of Wired magazine, with its microscope focused on innovation and technology, to report on our boobs. [Actually I'm wrong - there was an article about plastic surgery sometime ago, but that is certainly not my boobs!]
To summarize, breastmilk equals big money nowadays. The wet-nurse of times gone by has been replaced by craigslist like websites where women can hock their rich and creamy milk, for a fee, or for the satisfaction of helping another momma in need. The FDA is worried that mothers will make their babies sick with milk that has not been tested to be contagion free, and companies like Prolacta are spinning our milk in centrifuges to break it down and sell it concentrated. Its a delicate and expensive balance to feed babies!
I shouldn't be surprised that breastmilk has hit its own marketable stride, which it appears to be doing, as fast as I can pump. Or even faster. But it still leaves me a little uneasy.
Nevertheless, I couldn't wait to drink the article up. Which I did while flossing, last night. And which you can too, by clicking on the milk bottles below.

Photo: Mitchell Feinberg

Down By The Bay

2011-05-27T15:05:00.000-04:00

For a while now I've been telling Jeremy that I've found where I want to live.


here!

In this book!
It's a story-song about a little boy who doesn't want to go home because his mom will make silly rhymes like, "Have you ever seen a whale with a polka-dotted tail, down by the bay?"
I personally have no idea why he wouldn't want to go home. To me it looks positively, colorfully, water-ly delightful. The bay is so blue, the grass so verdant, and his momma disheveled-ly charming.
Plus, as he complains to his friend about how he can't go home, he looks so darn happy. They're swinging from trees, spitting watermelon seeds (home is where watermelons grow), and hanging upside down.
What more could a kid (or me) want!?

That is why yesterday, when as usual, I should have been napping (I am very pro-nap), I was instead filling my mind and body with glorious daydreams of living in this house:

Down by the bay?

What huge windows! Loads of grass! A wooden bench!? I see Adirondack chairs too...
The NY Times said the master bedroom sits "perch-like" overlooking the trees. It has gardens: Where watermelons could grow? Or is it too cold in Maine to grow watermelons?
I must find out.
My dream-house is cradled by 8 acres of land (near the bay!), and dotted with a studio, and a workshop. Heaven, heaven, heaven.
More pics for you to drool (with me) over below:

That's the studio back there ~ oh, so cute! And functional!

No mosquitos gonna get you in here!

Not exactly my style, but I would not complain, promise.

Isaac could be a fan of orange, easy.

They had a few other houses to drive you nuts with in this slideshow, but I'm just going to keep on with my Maine-ia.

Beauteous Buns!!

2011-05-26T20:33:00.000-04:00

Isaac's buns: I find them so very irresistible!
His buns are why I stayed up too late the night before last (I'm still tired), immersed in cloth diapers from the website, Preston's Pants. Please understand that a momma such as myself spends an unbelievable amount of time doing and undoing diaper-pants. By online shopping late into the night, I was standing up for my artistic sense and state of mind!

Isaac's Pants

Preston's Pants is run by a delightful momma to 3 (Preston being one of them) named Colleen. She lives in Pennsylvania (I imagine countryside?) and makes the best cloth diapers I have ever seen. The one the wee Isaac is modelling above and below (on the nice green sort of grass/sort of clover of the Pratt Art Institute), I found at a consignment shop, thus beginning my lovely diaper obsession.
Seriously, these bun-coverings are like fine little gems, works of art.

check out the gathers!

I am still not done bestowing the virtues of Preston's Pants! Most of the pants are made custom, so you get to pick all the fabrics and snaps yourself! Its like being a momma in a fabric shop. Especially exciting since there has been no time for this momma to go to a fabric shop.
My "fluffy", as she calls them (because their baby-buns look extra fluffy while wearing cloth!) will arrive in the next few weeks because custom takes a little longer, as I feel it should.
In the meanwhile I will make do (or Isaac will make doo! ha!) with the mass produced ones whose snaps don't even work.
I'm almost done, just one more thing: Her diapers only cost 5 bucks more. I'll stop proselytizing now. The End. Or really, the beginning!, of the cutest buns ever.

We look to the future...

Omi Buys the Best Presents

2011-05-25T20:12:00.000-04:00

We would love her even if she did not, but we sure wouldn't look as cute.

mini elmer fudd

In case you want a hat for your little fashion forward sun protected babies, she got it @ REI
The little book in his big hands has also made for big smiles, and I like it too!
Its called Peek-a WHO? by Nina Laden

Yummiest, Oddest, Easiest (& Healthiest!) Dessert Ever

2011-05-24T13:21:00.000-04:00

This is my first ever recipe on my mommy-blog, and I am very proud of it for three reasons:

1. I made it up!
2. Its so crazy easy.
3. My god, its good.

My aunt Betty's little egg cup full of mousse!

Chocolate Coconut Milk Mousse

*1 can of coconut milk (not the light kind!), unsweetened
2 tablespoons more or less of unsweetened cocoa powder, depending on your desired chocolatey-ness
**Agave nectar, a big squirt, or a small squirt depending on your sweetitude.

Directions
Mix the coconut milk with the cocoa and agave nectar and stir really well.
If you are a perfectionist you can push the mixture through a sieve/ strainer so that there aren't any white little lumps left about.
Put the not yet thickened mousse in your refrigerator for a few hours until it gets cold - when the coconut milk chills, it will thicken resulting in a lovely mousse!
I like to serve it in little egg cups so that it looks as special as it tastes, but that is not a requirement.

*Cans of coconut milk seem to vary in how thick they are - you want to use mostly the white creamy part on top (the milk separates in the can), unless you want more of a thick chocolate soup, in which case use more of the water part underneath.
**If you have no agave nectar, then you should buy some, but if you don't have time to do that, sugar, honey, or maple syrup works too!

This is Isaac, not letting me see his Fang(s)

2011-05-23T13:29:00.000-04:00

I think he was telling me that no photographing of new teeth are allowed while on the potty.

No! I will not show them to you!

I'm not giving up though. I promise I'll try again, perhaps in a different locale.

I hate my cats

2011-05-21T17:59:00.000-04:00

Today has not been a good cat day AT ALL.
5 minutes ago I was all snuggled in for a nap in between piles of partially folded, but very clean laundry. I was just beginning to doze when Goose jumped up to join me in napping (I thought) and instead threw up on 2 piles of laundry and the comforter in between the two piles. Aaarghhh. Now I'm awake.
But that is not all. This morning, that same Goose (bad cat of the day) didn't recognize her own momma Evette, coming in from outside, and started howling, hissing, moaning, and whatever else totally freaked out cats do and say. All that carrying on woke Isaac up, a mere 30 minutes into his morning nap.
Oooh, I was mad. Sooo mad. I never knew how mad I could get at a nap other than my own being disturbed. My hands were balled into fists and I was saying all sorts of words that you aren't supposed to say in front of a (now awake) baby.
If anybody wants a pair of lovely and terrible cats, let me know.


This photo is from when I loved them (Goose in front).

Goose right now, sleeping alone on the laundry.

Goodbye lovely diaper-service

2011-05-19T20:23:00.000-04:00

Today officially marks the day that I wash Isaac's diapers, "all by the self," as my little sister used to say, or was that me? It certainly is not Isaac, yet!
It is such a major day that I felt it should be commemorated on my blog.
I loved my diaper service very much. Perhaps even more than a person is supposed to love a diaper service? I just couldn't help myself.
I loved their logo,

I loved the owners email writing style (very...jazzy!)
I loved the stack of pale cottony diapers brightening my dark and dreary brownstone gate.
It was Christmas morning once a week (Thursday mornings); Very exciting for a Jewish gal.
So why on earth would I leave them?
Enter, the potty!
My ode to the potty will come later when I complete an EC (elimination communication) post, but for now, just know that the little guy is using his little potty (of which I am also quite fond) a lot!

fun times

Now that the day is done, I should note that it has not been a perfect diaper transition. We had some leakage with my home diapers being nowhere near as mega-absorbent as those from Diaperkind, and with me being too shy to potty him at the playground. But the weather was warm, his pants a relatively fast drying cotton, and my attitude hopeful. I write as I listen to the swish, swish, swish of the washing machine (first a cool rinse, then hot wash) feeling equal parts triumphant, and ...pooped!

Making Mush

2011-05-18T22:09:00.000-04:00

Isaac's dinner mush inspired me tonight; a sweet potato & melted goat cheese delight.
I'm going to make an equal mush for Jeremy and I in the form of a pancake, by adding eggs.

Isaac's mushes have been very creative lately, mostly because he eats so much that I have to keep adding things to them. There is the banana-spinach mush mixed with yogurt, baby oatmeal, or baby rice for an (almost!) complete meal. There is also the applesauce/yogurt/cinnamon mush. That is usually a breakfast mush, and its pretty much always a winner. Also for breakfast we have baby oatmeal mixed with peanut butter that I liquify first, for exposure plus taste sensation.
I tried pea carrot mush, but he wasn't such a fan. I added some egg, and then he really wasn't a fan, not that I can blame him. The avacado and rice mush is a lovely seagrass green color and Isaac opens his mouth wide in anticipation of its nutty creaminess.

When Jeremy feeds the little guy and I ask later what he ate, Jeremy says, a little of the green stuff, and then all the orange, he didn't like the brown. Or something close to that. Color coding of mush is very sensible.

Oh mush, tush, mush, tush, what fun there is in mush!

Enjoying a tan mush with Grandpa

Isaac's finger puppet moose

2011-05-16T20:37:00.000-04:00

This is a flying moose.

So very exciting, I must taste.

Demonstration of a no hands moose hold.

You wanna try?

beachdaddy and child

2011-05-11T15:50:00.000-04:00

There is just something about this picture that I love, love, love. I most certainly love the 2 peeps in the picture, but its the triangular-ness of their persons that gets to me, and the look on the little guy's face that makes me feel so content, though I'm not totally sure he was.

Goodnight Moon

2011-05-10T20:41:00.000-04:00

Goodnight Moon is a very trippy book!
I love it, thank goodness, since I have been reading it to the little guy 97% of nights, sometimes while he's on the potty, sometimes not.
I pretty much love everything about it.
I even love the author's name, Margaret Wise Brown.
For those who have not read it in a long time, here it goes (with just a little bit of commentary):

"In the great green room there was a telephone, [is someone going to call?, why is this first on the list of things?] and a red balloon, and a picture of--
The cow jumping over the moon [why the cow?, and not a cow? who is this cow she's talking about?]
And there were three little bears sitting on chairs
And two little kittens
And a pair of mittens [where did the little one go that his mittens are drying by the fire?]
And a little toyhouse [why are the lights on in the little toy house? who's in there?]
And a comb and a brush and a bowl full of mush [why a full bowl of mush? is there going to be a night visitor who will eat mush?, or did the little bunny not eat his mush?]
And a quiet old lady who was whispering "hush" [not an old lady, an old lady-bunny]
Goodnight room
Goodnight moon
Goodnight cow jumping over the moon [oh, I do like how she narrows it down!]
Goodnight light
And the red balloon
Goodnight bears
Goodnight chairs
Goodnight kittens
And goodnight mittens
Goodnight clocks
And goodnight socks
Goodnight little house [now it is a house, not a toyhouse!]
And goodnight mouse
Goodnight comb
And goodnight brush
Goodnight nobody [where'd everyone go??]
Goodnight mush [poor sad uneaten mush.]
And goodnight to the old lady [lady-bunny] whispering "hush" [has she been whispering "hush" this whole time?]
Goodnight stars
Goodnight air
Goodnight noises everywhere [oh!, what an ending! The lady bunny is gone and the room is dark except for the little lit-up toyhouse and the starry night sky]

I do feel a little insane now, for transcribing all the words, when I should be making dinner, but once I started I couldn't stop. Besides we're having an easy soup, and this labor-intensity seemed the ultimate way to show my appreciation.

Tonight I thought Isaac was appreciating the story too. He was very intent, but then at the end, he took the book out of my hands, and stuffed a pointy corner into his mouth, and I remembered, he's a baby!

materialistic mom

2011-05-08T21:14:00.000-04:00

I am very sad because my husband whom I love (usually) very very much got me a whole lot of nothing for my very first mother's day. He's very apologetic, with lots of reasons, and silly songs about what a wonderful mother I am. He's given me loads of kisses, and promises for the future, but no things!
No flowers, no card, no sweet poem, chocolate, or whatever else a gal is supposed to get on Mother's Day, and I don't even know what a gal supposed to get on Mother's Day since I have never before been a mother on Mother's day, until now.
Poop!

none of these

A small post amendment: He just sent me something. An email with this, “The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.”
- Honore de Balzac

my momma

2011-05-08T16:37:00.000-04:00

I just spent way too long looking for a photograph of my mom and me.
She's wearing sunglasses in the photo, with a canvas channel 13 bag curved over her long shoulder. We were visiting the Statue of Liberty, so she's got little black Olympus camera cupped in one hand while looking into the distance, looking very beautiful and tough. In a Jennifer Beals sort of way.
I'm up front and center in two braids, big glasses, and my Washington "deecee" overalls, looking squinty (no sunglasses).

Sadly, I can't find it anywhere(!) so please imagine it, and instead, look at this picture, from around the same time. She didn't usually wear deely boppers in the kitchen, but I think it suited her goofy side quite nicely.
Here are some memories of my mom from when I was a kid:

1. Strong, smooth, warm, brown hands with veins bobbing all about on the surface.
2. Big sunglasses, big regular glasses too!
3. The softest, silkiest, curly hair ever. I used to want my friends to stick their hands in it, to everyone's embarrassment, and to my pleasure.
4. Her key chain, a little brass pulley, worn smooth and soft.
5. Blintzes with blueberry sauce, homemade applesauce, big pasta shells stuffed with cheese in tomato sauce, warm raisin scones snuggled into a cloth napkin, sour cream coffee cake, and cookies, lots and lots and lots of cookies.
6. Delicate porcelain boxes (made by her) with mysteriously fitting lids.
7. A majorly green thumb resulting in bags upon bags upon bags of zucchini.
8. Love. Such an incredible amount of love, I swam in a whole mountain lake of it.

Happy Mother's Day Momma!

multi-tasking

2011-05-07T12:47:00.000-04:00

Oh boy, I just realized I am honestly trying to sew pants, eat lunch, and write a blog post all at the same time!
Why? Because the little guy is napping, of course!
I wanted to write about chewing my baby's food for him, how that many people find that gross, but I'll save that one for later, because multi-tasking is really the most pertinent thing of the moment.
Its funny to think of all the things I now do on the phone that I never did before. I must buy a phone where the speaker phone works. That would really help me grow the "to do" on the phone list.
Well in all honesty its not that many different things I do, just an important few.

When he goes down for a nap, I feel like a shotgun has gone off in my head. Like a practiced racehorse, I feel my head moving in front of my body, willing, daring it to keep up. And also like a race horse, sometimes I crash into things and it all goes to pot.
And then when he makes those little grunting noises, I have to first canter, then trot a little, warming down, as he warms up.
But that is hopefully 45 minutes away. Now I gotta go have another bite and find some brown thread, probably at the same time.

Oh, how I hate to listen to him cry

2011-05-06T19:50:00.000-04:00

Whoever says that sleep training works so that they won't cry like crazy after the first few days is wrong, wrong, dreadfully wrong.
His crying ties my stomach in knots (I feel sick).
I can hear the sleep sheep (velcroed to the side of his crib, eyes closed, to set an example) once in a while when he stops. It's a sheep full of ocean waves (or heartbeat, or eerie wale sounds, or rain depending on your taste), trying (not always so successfully) to soothe.
And then when he is quiet (like now!) the sleep sheep takes over, growing as big as his little room so he can snuggle into its fur and dream (or so I imagine).

My camera is broken and won't upload. Poop! Here is a visual, albeit an old one of the little one in dreamland...

sleep sheep and Isaac

Baby-food diet?

2011-05-05T17:57:00.000-04:00

Is someone, other than me, thinking about how its a little weird that I feed my little (big) guy pureed carrots, while I eat cookies?
Take yesterday for example,
Breakfast:
me: bagel with cheese and apple
little guy: yogurt mixed with applesauce
Lunch:
me: chicken sandwich on white (oy!) bread with a helluva lot of "chive mayo"
little guy: egg mixed with pureed carrot (yum!)
Dinner:
me: spinach salad with chicken sausage, oranges, manchego cheese, and zuchinni. (It was healthy!) Then ice cream.
little guy: banana blended with spinach (sounds gross, but not bad!)
(ok, I guess yesterday wasn't all that terrible, but let's now check out our varied snacks)
Snacks:
me: McVitties cookies, all together too many of them. And peanuts, perhaps too many as well. Something else I can't remember...
little guy: breastmilk, breastmilk, breastmilk, and then perhaps a little more breastmilk.

He wins! I'm sure of it, vitamin wise at least.
Not that I want to eat everything mushed up, but if only I fed myself as I do him, then...then, I would be drinking a lot of breastmilk, and that would be a little weird. But really, I want to eat closer to the source, that's all.

He's got a fang!

2011-05-04T16:33:00.001-04:00

He's got a fang!

Actually 2 fangs, on the bottom, really cute and small, just where they are supposed to be.
I’m not sure why, but I was worried that he would end up getting his first teeth in a weird spot, like way over to the bottom right.
I was worried that he would end up looking like an old drunk. And that's so silly since he is so very young and sweet, having drunk almost nothing besides breastmilk. Though there was that one time I had a mojito and he spit up a lot after and I felt very guilty, but that was it!
Picture coming soon…they are hard to capture!