Happy One Month Birthday!

Today is our little lady's one month birthday! (Minus two weeks as she is still two weeks away before her original due date).

I can't believe how much she has already grown. Following are milestones that make a mommy proud:

- She weighed 5 lb 6 oz last Friday and her face has filled out. She has plump baby cheeks and a very tiny double-chin.

- She is already out of the first set of teeny preemie clothes and is in the next size up of preemie clothes. Newborn clothes still are huge!

- She is a great eater!

- She is now very alert and wakeful. This was a big transformation from the early days home of just wanting to sleep all of the time.

- We call her squeakers due to all of the sounds that she makes. She is very vocal and expressive already, letting us know how she feels at all times.

We feel so blessed to have this little lady in our lives!! I am proud to be her mommy and feel so fortunate that she is doing so well. She has certainly come a long way from being born at 34 weeks (3 lb 15 oz, 15 1/2 inches long) and from being in the NICU.

Happy Birthday little lady!!! We love you!

Froggies or New Baby Sister?

We received some good advice ... be sure to give your first baby (and now the new big brother or sister) a special gift when the new baby arrives. We had heard that this is one way to make them feel special as their new baby brother/sister is getting the attention and gifts.

We took this to heart and opted for some miniature frogs. Yes, frogs. Come on, when you think of becoming a new big brother, don't you automatically think of frogs?

Our son's school has two mini frogs which my son loves. They are no larger than the size of my thumb. Each "frog bowl" comes fully furnished with two little frogs, colorful rocks, a plant and food. Talk about an easy and effortless gift experience. And get this - the frogs never get any bigger and only need to be fed twice a week. Their bowl only needs to be cleaned three times a year. Sound too good to be true for a pet? Well, it is true! (though we did just learn that the life expectancy of these frogs was 23 years. Yes, 23 years!! I guess we will be sending the frogs with my son when he goes to college. And who needs a wedding present. We will just send the frogs with him.)

So, my husband and I decided to wager whether our lil man would be more interested in his new miniature, swimmingly green friends - or his new baby sister.

We both opted for the frogs (but secretly hoped lil sis would win out) as we had seen his excitement with them and all things fishy (think Nemo - as it is a video favorite these days. In our house fish are king).

We placed the fish on the kitchen table and waited until lil man was home from school. He showed initial excitement about his new little sister, but then spotted the frogs. He named them Bill and Ben (yes, after the Thomas choo-choos) - BUT then turned back to his sister (good boy!).

We were very pleased that she won out and that we don't have to tell her that the frogs won.

A baptism to remember

We finally did it.

Our son, now over three, had not yet been baptized and this was something that both we (and our parents) really wanted to do (and that I had been stressing about for some time). (That or when asking my in-laws for how we could properly thank them for watching our son on our last trip to Mexico, they responded: "Baptize your son." Or maybe the subtle encouragement was when my parents suggested that my son and his cousin have a double baptism. Hints taken. :)

We found a great church (really the biggest factor that held us back when we lived in PA, well one of them at least) and decided that with child number two on the way (who arrived exactly one week later in fact) and with lil man being over three, that the time was now. (Also, knowing that he would only get taller and older, the time had to be now to avoid visions of him being alongside newborns from becoming a reality). (Also, not knowing what a three year old would do at a baptism, being much more vocal, completely unscripted and completely mobile compared to a newborn - we knew that there was the potential for adventure or impeding disaster.)

The big day...

The big day was finally here. We had carefully planned - selecting the most laid back pastor and casual service, hoping that this would ensure that even if a pre-school meltdown erupted, the damage would be minimal - and we could still show our faces again at church.) The wild card was that the baptism was a part of a regular church service. Yes, risky, but we were up for the challenge. A positive though (pushing the odds slightly into our favor) was the fact that our lil man who had sworn off naps (only on the weekends, of course) did decide to take a nap that day.

We all met in the church parking lot and this is where we learned that our niece, a 5 year old 'spirited' little girl, decided to make a fashion statement that day. On the car ride to the church she informed her family that "she wasn't wearing any underwear!" (And important to note, she was wearing a dress!!). They took immediate measures and coaxed her 7 year old sister (under protest) to give up her pair, as she was wearing jeans that day. A move that would prove to be a very good one...

Upon entering the church, we were ushered to the front (a place that as a parent you never, never, never sit with kids (unless you are very brave, which we are not). We met the pastor and then waited for the big moment - which would come about midway through the church service.

We pulled out toys, snacks and every gadget we could come up with to hold our lil man's attention and keep him as quiet as possible. Worked for about 10 min, and then we were saved by the children's sermon...

I wish I could say that our lil man had been to church hundreds of times before his baptism, but that was not the case - so this was his first children's sermon. His niece (the one with the 'new' paid of underwear just acquired in the car) took him by the hand and they were on the alter). The pastor began talking - and so did our son! Lil man (and this was sooo sweet, only something a mom could love) started saying (in his outside voice), "Hi Mommy!" He said it again and again. And in between, he got up a time or two and ran part way back to us and then back on the alter. He was certainly the star of the sermon. And while this went on, we constantly gave thanks that our 5 year old niece didn't spring the "I'm not wearing any underwear" surprise on us at that time. (Especially as she was flipping her dress around. I could only imagine if the congregation would have become real-time reality viewers and if the moment turned into 'Basic Instincts.') Thank goodness we would NEVER have to find that out. I mean, would they escort us out of church? Would we go on the outlaw list for people not to let back in? Would they still baptise our lil man? (Glad we never had to find out the answers to those questions.)

We tried to quietly contain our laughter so not to draw additional attention to ourselves. Then at the end, when the pastor quieted down to say 'Amen' our lil man let out a loud, "Hocus Pocus!!", as he grinned from ear to ear. Yes, it sounded like he was completing a midevil or warlock chant. Only our lil guy! But, truth be told (it was so cute) (and now some trivia) - "Hocus Pocus" was actually something he had been saying (as a kind of joke only a 3 year old and his family would enjoy) as it was the name of the magician's rabbit in "Frosty the Snowman". Come on, doesn't every house watch Frosty the Snowman in summer?? :) If not, you're missing out.

After the children's service, and seeing that no armed guards were going to escort us out, we waited for the baptism to start. A few minutes before it began, the Godfather stepped out. I thought he was going to get his 5 year old who had left a few minutes earlier to explore the church. Then the pastor motioned for us to come up. As we were one Godfather short, we motioned for the entire family to come up. They did and then after the baptism began, the

5 year old ran in and onto the alter. About 30 seconds later, the Godfather could be seen running into the church up the aisle to the alter. Nothing like making an entrance at a baptism! We had told him that it would be more casual, but never thought that it would be this casual!!!

I give the pastor lots of credit, he had his game face on and didn't skip a beat. Then came the water and lil man did a fantastic job!!! We had told him (over and over) what would happen at the service in the hopes that this would prepare him and help to contain any outbursts - and it worked! He was so proud and did a fantastic job through the entire baptism. No "Hocus Pocus", and no, "Hi Mommy". He was a proud lil man and we were very proud parents.

Definitely an experience that we would never forget - due to the spiritual significance it had to all of us (as well as the other moments that you don't plan for, but will never forget).

Big Brother's First Comments on New Lil Sister

It has been quite a journey over the past months. Lots of ups, downs, and worries. However, I am very happy that our lil lady is now home!!!! And with her homecoming, I have wondered how big brother would feel about her arrival. He has been fantastic!!! Following are some of my favorite pre-school sayings that lil man has said about his new baby sister...

- "She came out." Throughout the pregnancy, we have been talking with lil man about his baby sister and about being a big brother. Not knowing what would be absorbed or how it would all be interpreted, we did our best to get him ready. We explained that one day, his lil sister would come out of mommy's belly and would come home. When we shared the first photos of baby sister, my inlaws who were watching my son, shared the news with him. The first thing he said was that "she came out!"

- "She's ok." Lil lady was born at 34 weeks, so she spent her first week and a half in the NICU. I was so excited to introduce lil man to his new baby sister. He did a great job of washing up and when he saw her he smiled from ear to ear. It was a sight that I will never forget. When I asked him what he thought of his new lil sister, he said that she was "ok."

- "Here you go sweetie." It always amazes me to see what commonly used words and phrases that you use are repeated by your lil ones. I was very pleased with this one, as he shared it when he brought her a toy.

Three-Year Old - Simple Pleasures...

You always hear that life is all about the "simple pleasures". Watching my son grow and develop, his vocabulary grow and his sayings definitely are one of life's pleasures.

Here are my recent favorite activities...

Opening/Closing Garage Door: Who knew that pressing the button and opening/closing the garage door could provide such pleasure and joy. I never knew!

Car Windows and the DVD Player: (I smell a theme here). Little man loves putting the car window up and down. Doesn't matter if it is sunny or rainy, he has a blast with it. I think he could play with it for hours. Which brings me to the DVD player and the CD player, he absolutely loves putting movies in and taking them out. I don't know how he does it, but he can sit there and do it over and over again.

Hopping: Why walk if you can hop everywhere? Lil man loves to hop from room to room.

Kissing my belly: He is such a sweetie and kisses his baby sister every day. First on my belly button and then on my mole.

Beep the mommas!: OK, per an earlier post. I stand by my decision to rename this part of my anatomy. They are changing and someone likes to beep them.

Some recent favorite phrases:

Why isn't there a purple traffic light?

Beep "Santa"!

I hear an airplane!


Favorite Foods...

He has become almost an exclusive snacker. I wonder if he will ever eat anything else?

Favorites include:

Popcorn
Yogurt Bites
Hebrew National Hot dogs
Apples (sometimes with Peanut Butter)
Organic Chocolate Milk from Starbucks

This week's favorite toddler phrases

This week we have gotten a kick out of our toddler's growing vocabulary. It is interesting as a parent to see words and phrases you use coming back at you, likely with a different context. It also is fun to see what new and creative phrases that a little one comes up with to express what he sees, hears or feels.

Here are some notable phrases for us this week. What is your toddler saying that you KNOW he picked up from you? What creative phrases does he/she say that are going down into your blogs/journals or notes?

1) HELP! (OK, I don't know where this one came from, but he is saying "HELP!" every time we "encourage" him to do something that he doesn't want to do. Examples include - taking a bath, going potty, going to bed, etc. We went to a restaurant this week and as we were sitting there, what did lil man do? He yelled, "HELP!" at the top of his lungs. I looked around to see if someone was going to come after us. Why do I get the feeling that this is the first of many times this lil man will call us out as he grows up. :)

2) "It's not yours!" (So, lil man loves to say "mine" and again, what almost three year old doesn't? For that matter, I bet adults wish they could say that too!! We use this phrase when the dog takes something that is not his, but this phrase is coming back to haunt us as lil man says it to everyone he meets. We went out for Gelati (really we DO eat at home the majority of the time) and a lil girl around his age was looking through the glass refrigerated case and picking out the flavor of gelati she desired. What did our guy do, he proceeded to yell (his voice carries like his dad - and I swear if we did a science experiment, I think that if you listened carefully, you would hear him speaking if you were within a 10 mile radius). Anyways, lil man proceeded to yell, "That is NOT yours!" He clearly did not want to share the gelati with anyone.

3) "Don't squeeze the penguins!" (Come on. I know, you too use this phrase on a daily basis, right? His new favorite show is the Penguins of Madagascar and in his recent "hall monitor fashion" he now likes to remind us NOT to squeeze the penguins. Try that one out on your friends and family at home. Sure to generate some strange looks. Especially if you are in the grocery store like us and he yells it aloud."

4) "Dat, dat, dat, dat, dat." (Now, another phrase that I am sure must be one of your favorites. Lately when he is running to the slide. He says this. I guess it is because there are still some things he can't seem to express. It is cute and my hubby reminded me of it).

5) "Cars/airplanes/trucks/diggers(you get the idea) are sleeping. They are taking a nap." (When we are in the car or outside he loves to point out all of the vehicles that he sees. Lately when a car is parked or a digger is not being used, he likes to say that they are sleeping and taking a nap. This is just a sweet phrase to us. Only one a parent would love!"

Just your average Saturday

So, what did you do today? It's a Saturday and here is our story...

1. Took a field trip to ... the car wash. Yes, you read correctly. We did not go to the museum, zoo or anything like that. As a family we went to the car wash. Hey, isn't a key to parenting taking the mundane errands you need to run and giving them a fun new twist? In our house it sure is. Lil man LOVES cars and trucks so it was a fun-filled experience. Plus, it is easy to forget the simple pleasures in the little things - like watching your car get soaped up, scrubbed by the giant brushes and then all of the people watching in the lobby.

Favorite quotes from lil man today included:
"Don't bite the dog." Yes, didn't I tell you - he is training to be a future hall monitor. We aspire to great heights here. :) (Not that there is anything wrong with being a hall monitor. I did not mean to offend any professional hall monitors by my post. Nothing should be inferred either one way or the other from my post.) Well, there was a man there with his dog and who wouldn't say, "Don't bite the dog." Lately, lil man has been telling EVERYONE "not" to do different things. It is quite cute and gets fun looks from people of all ages - as he tells anyone he sees (usually perfect strangers).

Even as I write this, I just heard him say, "No screaming." To put that in context, my hubby was telling the dog not to eat the furniture. As lil man gets older, he may appreciate the tone and volume of that one more. My other favorite was at school he scolded a parent and said, "No waving" as they were saying goodbye to their child. I hate to say it, but I either want to shrink in embarrassment or I want to crack up. It all depends who he selects to impart his wisdom upon.

2. Went to the "super park." There is this amazing park in the city's downtown area. If parks and swing sets were rated like restaurants in Zagat's, I think this one would surely make the top of the list. As the sun was finally out, even though the air was crisp, we went and swung for what seemed like an hour. Just seeing lil man's smile made every minute extra special.

3. Meltdown at the bookstore. It wouldn't be a Saturday, or any day that ends in "y", without a meltdown of some sort. We stopped by Barnes & Nobles, which has a fantastic kids section, so I could purchase my first prenatal yoga DVD. I have decided to try and give some level of exercise a try. Funny because when I am not pregnant, I love to workout (and miss my kickboxing and cycle classes). When I am pregnant, I just can't do very much. So, I am hoping that the DVD doesn't stay in a permanent "child's pose" in the box and actually makes it into the DVD player. Verdict is still out. Anyways, the B&N has a train table (much like the one we have at home). But that doesn't matter. Lil man loves it and could play there - alone - (key word) for hours. He was doing great as I grabbed the only DVD they had when another sweet lil child came up to play. That signaled a colossal fit. Because, who wants to share? Def not this lil man. (This is where we think a little bro or sister will do him, and us, good).

4. Naps are a family occasion. Who says naps are only for lil ones? Whomever says it doesn't know what they are missing. Today, tired from our exciting morning or turning the mundane into an adventure, we all took a nap. Mom, Dad, Lil Man and Dog. I love these moments and try to savor them as I know they will only pass too quickly.

5. A security banana? Some kids have a security blanket or special toy. Well, we went to Whole Foods today and lil man picked out his favorite thing, "nannas". He then proceeded to clutch them closely for the entire shopping trip. We barely got them away to be run up at the checkout counter. When we got to the car, he wanted to hold his nannas on the ride home. It was so endearing. I am still kicking myself that I forgot my camera!!

That's the scoop thus far for a Saturday. It is easy for something that is already wired with excitement to be exciting. The challenge and adventure comes when you take something that is ordinary and routine and making it a special day.