Saturday, December 19, 2009
Delayed
Big snowstorm expected here. Not a flake yet, but this morning we preemptively rebooked our flight for 24 hours later... and a few mins afterward received an email telling us the airline had cancelled the original flight. Just hope there are no serious delays at the airport -- could be lots of fun with a cranky baby, a squirrelly pre-schooler, and no stroller. Happy holidays, y'all!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Off to Wisconsin
Henry has been corresponding with Grandma Ann. I have been enjoying her letters a lot! Here is the most recent one -- I think it's a footprints-in-the-snow hole-punch that made that design on the paper.
We are flying to Madison on Sunday early morning, spending part of the week in Richland Center, back on the 31st in time to celebrate the New Year. Very much looking forward to the vacation in Wisconsin... but not the snow! I keep trying to convince Ken's family that it would make more sense for them to celebrate Christmas in July.
We are flying to Madison on Sunday early morning, spending part of the week in Richland Center, back on the 31st in time to celebrate the New Year. Very much looking forward to the vacation in Wisconsin... but not the snow! I keep trying to convince Ken's family that it would make more sense for them to celebrate Christmas in July.
On surviving a day with one's own children
Ken had to work today (actually he went in around 11am, not too bad) and then he had to stay to give an exam, of all things, from 7 to 9:30 tonight. And it was bitterly cold out -- 16 degrees Farenheit -- not exactly playground weather. It looks sunny in the photos, but don't be misled. What to do? I was dreading the day. Just 2 or 3 weeks ago this scenario would have ended with some kind of comical-only-in-retrospect catastrophe. But in the event it went fine, and was even weirdly relaxing.
I decided right away to practice hands-off parenting today. Like letting Henry choose whatever he wanted for snack. (Yes, that is a piece of chocolate you see on his cracker.)
Trying to divide my attention equally between the two of them. (Fortunately, Esti was bizarrely well behaved: napped, ate every 3 hours like clockwork, let me put her down in the baby gym and the bouncy chair, didn't fuss -- the time at Nirmala's must have done something to her.)
But what really saved the day was that Sean came over at 1pm with Veronica and Philip, so Veronica and Henry kept each other entertained for most of the afternoon. They're really pretty close friends; it's cute. Then, though he had not napped, Henry was super-nice after they left: helped me clean up (which entailed putting together about five wooden puzzles and a jigsaw), cooperated in dinner-eating and pajama-putting-on and story-reading (The Adventures of Little Bear) and toothbrushing, even helped get Esti to sleep.
They were both in bed with the lights out by 8:19. I suppose in some families this is normal; around here it's a minor miracle. Yet this is the third or fourth night in a row it has happened! With the extra hour and a half in my day, I feel like someone just gave me a 10% raise. (Imagine: being awake at the same time as your spouse but not your kids?? Having a cup of tea after dinner? There is no way this can last.)
And can I tell you what Henry ate for dinner? Rigatoni with pesto, anchovies, and the oil from the anchovy can! I had made tomato-tuna sauce, but that's what he insisted he wanted, and I saw no reason to object. Would you have?
I decided right away to practice hands-off parenting today. Like letting Henry choose whatever he wanted for snack. (Yes, that is a piece of chocolate you see on his cracker.)
Trying to divide my attention equally between the two of them. (Fortunately, Esti was bizarrely well behaved: napped, ate every 3 hours like clockwork, let me put her down in the baby gym and the bouncy chair, didn't fuss -- the time at Nirmala's must have done something to her.)
But what really saved the day was that Sean came over at 1pm with Veronica and Philip, so Veronica and Henry kept each other entertained for most of the afternoon. They're really pretty close friends; it's cute. Then, though he had not napped, Henry was super-nice after they left: helped me clean up (which entailed putting together about five wooden puzzles and a jigsaw), cooperated in dinner-eating and pajama-putting-on and story-reading (The Adventures of Little Bear) and toothbrushing, even helped get Esti to sleep.
They were both in bed with the lights out by 8:19. I suppose in some families this is normal; around here it's a minor miracle. Yet this is the third or fourth night in a row it has happened! With the extra hour and a half in my day, I feel like someone just gave me a 10% raise. (Imagine: being awake at the same time as your spouse but not your kids?? Having a cup of tea after dinner? There is no way this can last.)
And can I tell you what Henry ate for dinner? Rigatoni with pesto, anchovies, and the oil from the anchovy can! I had made tomato-tuna sauce, but that's what he insisted he wanted, and I saw no reason to object. Would you have?
Better all the time
Nirmala (Esti's babysitter) was less traumatized this week - Wednesday was especially good, but even Thursday she didn't greet me with that expression of shell-shocked disbelief when I came to get Esti after what was, after all, only four hours.
Though she still felt the need to tell me the many ways in which Esti differed from other babies: fussier, ate less per feeding (NOT my experience with the breast), took shorter naps, didn't like to be put down, and get this: "her stomach feels different -- it is harder." It's true -- as Nirmala was the first to point out -- that Esti is very strong. Lying on her stomach, she can lift either her head-neck-shoulders or her bottom way up in the air. From the position shown here she can actually push herself up over the Boppy so that her nose is buried in the rug.
And I won't deny she can be temperamental. (By the way there is a baby pic of me and I think also one of my dad in which we look a lot like the photo above.)
But there is a certain cockeyed charm to it all. Nirmala seemed almost sad to see us leaving for two weeks of vacation. I think she has started to bond with Esti (Stockholm syndrome?) and to take some warped kind of pride in being able to take care of her.
Though she still felt the need to tell me the many ways in which Esti differed from other babies: fussier, ate less per feeding (NOT my experience with the breast), took shorter naps, didn't like to be put down, and get this: "her stomach feels different -- it is harder." It's true -- as Nirmala was the first to point out -- that Esti is very strong. Lying on her stomach, she can lift either her head-neck-shoulders or her bottom way up in the air. From the position shown here she can actually push herself up over the Boppy so that her nose is buried in the rug.
And I won't deny she can be temperamental. (By the way there is a baby pic of me and I think also one of my dad in which we look a lot like the photo above.)
But there is a certain cockeyed charm to it all. Nirmala seemed almost sad to see us leaving for two weeks of vacation. I think she has started to bond with Esti (Stockholm syndrome?) and to take some warped kind of pride in being able to take care of her.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Daycare situations
She is so lovely. Why does she have to be so difficult? Today was the beginning of Esti's second week with the babysitter. She cried most of the day. Same thing last Thursday. Nirmala says she doesn't even calm down when held and rocked, except by me; she'll consent to sit briefly in a bouncy chair looking at the other babies (for about ten minutes at a time), and she seems to eat fine (except when she decides to refuse the bottle) and best of all, she falls asleep instantly and sleeps for hours when outside in the car-seat stroller or the Bjorn -- "but my husband and I can't always be walking around outside," she says. "We have other children to take care of!" Ken has the same experience. She really only wants Mommy. We never had anything like this with Henry. Of course, I also never had a maternity leave. It was just summer vacation, and Ken had it too.
Nirmala seems like a calm and decent lady (Nepalese, about 50, used to be a schoolteacher back home; I met her in the park). I am terrified she'll give up. Now we have decided on a systematic effort to socialize Esti. I'm trying to hold her less. Ken is trying to practice soothing her, rather than just handing her off to me as soon as she fusses. Will let you know how it goes.
The finding today: I picked her up at 2:30 (she had been there since 9am; I had a meeting). She was just up from what Nirmala described as a long nap -- "I doubt she will sleep now" -- but as soon as I bundled Esti in her warm pink piglet suit into the car seat with her pacifier to go home, she fell asleep in the doorway, slept on the way home, and didn't wake up for 3 hours. Did the same thing when we went to DeCordova yesterday. So, somehow they are not getting her to nap enough. Do they not swaddle? Do they consider the car seat and pacifier (as I do, but who cares) unaesthetic or somehow cheating? Or can she just not settle down unless I'm there? Pretty hard to believe.
But at least our other behavioral experiment is bearing fruit. Henry was in bed by 8:13 tonight after three stories, toothbrushing, and a bath. Earlier he had lit the candles carefully, politely requested and neatly consumed a second helping of lentil soup, etc. Could this be? I thought I would hurry to mention it now because I'm sure it can't last.
Speaking of little devils, here's the bathtub goatee.
After dinner we also played a couple quick rounds of Don Quixote and the Windmill (taking turns who got to be DQ and W). Because apparently in day care they are studying knights and castles and chivalry. They built castles out of manila folders. They got dubbed Sir Henry and stuff. The girls -- I asked about this -- became "princess knights." And of course they memorized the Knightly Code of Honor: "Never hurt people, always be hospitable and share with people, and help anyone who is in distress or needs help." I love this day care.
Nirmala seems like a calm and decent lady (Nepalese, about 50, used to be a schoolteacher back home; I met her in the park). I am terrified she'll give up. Now we have decided on a systematic effort to socialize Esti. I'm trying to hold her less. Ken is trying to practice soothing her, rather than just handing her off to me as soon as she fusses. Will let you know how it goes.
The finding today: I picked her up at 2:30 (she had been there since 9am; I had a meeting). She was just up from what Nirmala described as a long nap -- "I doubt she will sleep now" -- but as soon as I bundled Esti in her warm pink piglet suit into the car seat with her pacifier to go home, she fell asleep in the doorway, slept on the way home, and didn't wake up for 3 hours. Did the same thing when we went to DeCordova yesterday. So, somehow they are not getting her to nap enough. Do they not swaddle? Do they consider the car seat and pacifier (as I do, but who cares) unaesthetic or somehow cheating? Or can she just not settle down unless I'm there? Pretty hard to believe.
But at least our other behavioral experiment is bearing fruit. Henry was in bed by 8:13 tonight after three stories, toothbrushing, and a bath. Earlier he had lit the candles carefully, politely requested and neatly consumed a second helping of lentil soup, etc. Could this be? I thought I would hurry to mention it now because I'm sure it can't last.
Speaking of little devils, here's the bathtub goatee.
After dinner we also played a couple quick rounds of Don Quixote and the Windmill (taking turns who got to be DQ and W). Because apparently in day care they are studying knights and castles and chivalry. They built castles out of manila folders. They got dubbed Sir Henry and stuff. The girls -- I asked about this -- became "princess knights." And of course they memorized the Knightly Code of Honor: "Never hurt people, always be hospitable and share with people, and help anyone who is in distress or needs help." I love this day care.
DeCordova Museum, Sunday
They had a room-sized installation about leaves and trees.
Made with all recycled or found materials.
Whee! Kind of fun.
Henry was really into it, until he decided to get ornery.
Made with all recycled or found materials.
Whee! Kind of fun.
Henry was really into it, until he decided to get ornery.
Hannukkah activities
My Jewish readers will understand why I have never been fond of Hannukkah. A dinky little minor holiday celebrating a ragtag band of Hellenic-era zealots, exaggerated into some kind of major big deal by the Christmas-fueled need for an equivalent Decemberfest. And what's up with all the gelt? Nevertheless. Having kids has a weird effect on one's principles.
Cutting up apples for the applesauce we made on Friday, because my husband insisted on making latkes (from scratch not from the Manishevitz box, that's how you know he's a Gentile).
Lighting candles (menorah kindly gifted by Abi, who has made or decorated a variety of them in preschool, kindergarten, etc.)
When Henry first saw the menorah, he asked: "Mommy, what's 4 + 4 + 1?" Mira, a mathematician, was impressed that he saw it as an addition problem.
More chances to practice addition as well as subtraction and division: playing dreidel with Rivi, who came to visit this past weekend.
They are playing for beans; as you can see, he is cleaning her out.
Cutting up apples for the applesauce we made on Friday, because my husband insisted on making latkes (from scratch not from the Manishevitz box, that's how you know he's a Gentile).
Lighting candles (menorah kindly gifted by Abi, who has made or decorated a variety of them in preschool, kindergarten, etc.)
When Henry first saw the menorah, he asked: "Mommy, what's 4 + 4 + 1?" Mira, a mathematician, was impressed that he saw it as an addition problem.
More chances to practice addition as well as subtraction and division: playing dreidel with Rivi, who came to visit this past weekend.
They are playing for beans; as you can see, he is cleaning her out.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Henry's drawing
One of his earliest figurative works. "Henry and Daddy and a trapeze hanging off of another trapeze."
My theory about the trapezes: he likes terminology and labeling things, so he probably drew them first and then tried to think of something they looked like. We can ask tomorrow -- we have a parent-teacher conference (!) at his day care.
My theory about the trapezes: he likes terminology and labeling things, so he probably drew them first and then tried to think of something they looked like. We can ask tomorrow -- we have a parent-teacher conference (!) at his day care.
Experimenting with child care
We started Esti at the babysitter's on Monday, just 4 hours for now, 4 days a week. In January it will go to 8 hours. So, I'm back to the computer and the Medela. Pumping out prose, pumping out milk. (Actually, trying to limit the flow of prose -- my editor has requested that the new draft not come in half again as long as the previous.) Meanwhile Esti seems to be adjusting. Cried most of the first afternoon at Nirmala's, napped most of the second. And last night she went to bed promptly and sweetly at 8, didn't wake up for a feeding until 4am! There must be a lot of stimulation over there: 2 other babies, 2 new adults, new toys and routines... I hope this lasts.
Friday, December 04, 2009
Growing
Longer attention span, better eye contact.
She can lift up her head now, even without the Boppy. If you put your hand behind her feet, she can push off like she wants to crawl. She makes assorted cooing and consonant noises. The other day she rolled over, though on an inclined surface: the real thing can't be too far off.
She can lift up her head now, even without the Boppy. If you put your hand behind her feet, she can push off like she wants to crawl. She makes assorted cooing and consonant noises. The other day she rolled over, though on an inclined surface: the real thing can't be too far off.
Real piglets this time
Abi and Henry got to feed a bottle of milk to the runt of the litter. (Also note her handful of speckled turkey feathers.)
Kind of an undertaking, given the electric fence.
They were pretty excited.
Well, I guess if you don't spend 5-6 hours per day feeding piglets, it can be kind of a novel experience!
Kind of an undertaking, given the electric fence.
They were pretty excited.
Well, I guess if you don't spend 5-6 hours per day feeding piglets, it can be kind of a novel experience!
Manda Farm
The now traditional visit to Manda Farm, down the street from Anya's parents' house. Inspecting the Thanksgiving survivors:
Early rodeo experience (Isaiah's cuteness at this point is difficult to express -- you'll just have to visit his parents' blog):
Ready to seize the bull by the horns?
Oops, turns out they're all cows.
Early rodeo experience (Isaiah's cuteness at this point is difficult to express -- you'll just have to visit his parents' blog):
Ready to seize the bull by the horns?
Oops, turns out they're all cows.
Playful piglet
Pink snowsuit courtesy of Ken's Uncle Al and Aunt Naomi, who live in Minnesota and know about cold weather.
Funny faces courtesy of our increasingly playful 10-week-old.
It's so much fun to see Ken smile, too.
Funny faces courtesy of our increasingly playful 10-week-old.
It's so much fun to see Ken smile, too.
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