They think they're people!

So today I went to my OB for my annual visit and I was delighted to find out that Dr. Kamaljeet Murthy is pregnant with her second son and due in June. This of course brought on talk of when and if Mark and I are going to have a second child. I told the Doc that I'd like to have another sooner rather than later so that they are close in age. I then said "That of course won't be that easy on me in the beginning, but I think it will be best for the kids and in the long run." And Doc said "That's true - but the hard part is over before you know it."

But it seems the hard part IS over before you know it. When I was pregnant I heard "the first three months are the hardest" a GAZILLION times. And BOY were they right. Now Noah seems like a piece of cake in comparison. And I'm sure it will be even more daunting to be going through the first three months with a new infant while tending to a toddler. But you get through it because as hard as it is, it's also a joy and it's worth it in the long run.

Of course it would be easiest if baby number two were a carbon copy of baby number one. But those crazy babies are born as different as people. Grown people that is. They're born with different likes and dislikes and you can bet that what Noah liked won't provide much guidance for us on baby number two. Last night Mark and I had the pleasure of babysitting Ms. Bella so that Patrice and Sean could attend a screening at the film fest. We were only double babying it for an hour since Mr. Noah is a morning person (up between 4 and 6 am) and was in bed by 7:30 pm and Ms. Bella is a night owl (sleeps in) who wanted to hang out. This was perfect for last night -but can you imagine how hard it is if your two kids had totally different sleep preferences? It means you would be up late with one and up early with the other. No time for sleep! That sounds nightmarish - but it happens and parents get through.

The developmental differences and preferences between Noah and Bella are astounding considering they were born only four days apart. While Noah is a rolling fool that can barely sit up even when propped, Bella loves to sit and hates to roll. Noah eats ANYTHING like a champ but Bella is far advanced with raspberries and consonant sounds galore. Noah likes to hang out in the Bjorn but hates being strapped in the stroller while Bella is a stroller fan who puts the kibosh on the baby sling. So you see you never know what you're going to get because these silly babies are actually born with personalities. They think they're people! And don't let any book or parent tell you that your child is late or wrong because they aren't doing what another kid of the same age is doing. You certainly can't assume there's a problem. Growing and learning are really personal things that can't be judged too strictly on a universal time scale. Hell, it took me forever to learn to knit and I still suck at it - that doesn't mean I'm a slow learner or that I have a problem. At least not that I'm willing to admit to.

So in the not too distant future we might be up for a second one. And if we're lucky enough to conceive and deliver he/she will offer new challenges and the two of them will run me ragged. There will be nights when I'm so tired I won't be able to see straight and times when I wonder "what in hell was I thinking" but the hard part will be over before I know it. And later it will seem that the tender childhood years were gone in a flash and I'll want to relive them all - even the hard parts.

Moms don't get sick leave

There was a couple minutes this morning where I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital. I was laying on the hallway floor nauseated, sweating, and having abdominal pains and Noah was squawking in discontent from his Exersaucer. I called Mark and told him to look up the symptoms of appendicitis. He said nausea, sweating and abdominal pains. Luckily I think I was just suffering a minor stomach issue. It subsided after a spell in the loo. But for a couple of minutes I was in a panic. Not about the hospital or the operation but "WHAT ABOUT MY BABY?"

What does one do with an infant if you get sick? Of course this is not the first time I have thought of this. I worry about coming down with the flu, breaking a limb or being briefly incapacitated. One thing I think about frequently is falling down the basement steps while the baby is napping. If I were knocked unconscious while Noah was napping would he just scream in his bassinet until Mark came home or would he master climbing/rolling out and fall on the floor? Would Mark know if he didn't hear from me all afternoon that something might be wrong?

I know. I deserve a Nobel Prize for worrying at this point. It's just so weird to have this other little person who is totally dependent on you. I can't really do anything without having to think about what would he do, where would he be at the time. It really is an overwhelming thought.

Beware: Breast Talk

It should be no secret that I have not loved every minute of breastfeeding. I'm not a big fan of sore nipples, gihugic unwieldy breasts that can't fit in anything, unsupportive bras that fling open, leaking, or even wearing a bra at all hours of the night and day. The first three months were HARD. I was so sore. The only thing that stopped me from quitting is because I promised myself and Noah that I would breast feed him for six months - following the current medical recommendations and the "Babies were born to be breastfed" campaign.

Noah's six month check-up is just around the corner - but now I'm not so certain that it is a good time to stop. Yes, I want my breasts back to somewhat of a "normal" size before trying to wear summer apparel. Yes, I want to work out without worrying about leaking or souring my milk with lactic acid. And yes, I can't wait to wear a supportive bra - and sleep without wearing one. But I have some reasons to keep on keeping on. I'm happy to say that it stopped really hurting just after the three month mark. Breast milk is not only healthier but also FREE. It is also more convenient - rather than getting up in the middle of the night to prepare a bottle I can now practically doze through nursing Noah during his still very prevalent night feedings. Plus I am HOME and I have no good reason NOT to breastfeed. And then there is the bonding aspect - I alone won't be responsible for providing Noah's nourishment in such a primal mammalian level. Oh, and I can't forget to mention that when I stop nursing my period will return - and I haven't had it in over a year.

To ween or not to ween? I'm so torn. I change my mind every five seconds. I guess I'll just wait and see what the pediatrician and the OBGYN say. Or maybe I will flip a coin.

Truly a world wide web!

I was hesitant about starting a blog. I like to write so that part appealed to me but I felt the idea of writing about my life and expecting other people to read it seemed a bit self-centered and showy. I mean the blogosphere is filled with people just saying "Look at me world - I have something unique to say!" But my mind changed when I became addicted to other blogs - mommy blogs in general and Dooce.com in particular. Not only did I really feel like I started to know these women and their children - they gave me touch points on which I could compare my experience. They made me feel less alone and also to see what might be coming around the corner. Through reading about their highs and lows I could better value my own time with Noah. So I finally thought, "Why not write one too?" By writing about my days with Noah I could easily share info with family and friends who were interested and I could also preserve moments to compensate for my truly bad memory.

But it gets even better than I thought. Today I received an email from my Great Uncle Wolfgang in Germany! My Oma (Grandmother) immigrated to America when my Dad was only five so I never really got to know Oma's family. I met her brother Wolfgang only once briefly when he visited us in 1997. Recently Oma asked that I send Wolfgang a letter and some pictures to let him know how I was doing, and in the letter I included not only my email address but also my blog address. In my first email from Wolfgang he says that he enjoyed looking at the blog and even mentioned some details of my babblings in recent weeks. He said " So you’ve got at least one really interested reader from now on. Just go ahead! It’s so much better than just writing a letter now and then." And that made my day! Not only do I feel SO international (Ha!) - but also I feel fantastic to have made contact with a part of my family that I have never had the privilege to really know. So a big "Hello" to Great Uncle Wolfgang and his family - Roswitha, Elmar, Marius and Gerald! Noah, Mark and I send you our love.

Stand up and be counted

The handful of stranger comments I have received made me curious about how many people arrive on this page a day. So I finally got myself a counter. Of course now I'll probably get a bunch of spam from the counter people.

Maxin' and relaxin' at Casa de Ed.  

You have to give him SOME rope

Wasn't that weekend weather to die for? And thankfully this week is supposed to be just as exquisite.

Saturday afternoon we headed to see Uncle Ed Ford at his abode in Princeton Junction. We chatted in his back yard while eating potato chips, pizza and coca cola. Just writing that brings back my tummy ache. Noah of course stuck to oatmeal and breast milk. Smart boy. With a diet like that I should envy his figure - but somehow his thighs are even doughier than mine. His abs however are as flat as a board. The boys talked tech toys, TV and contrails while I just marveled at the sunshine. And I SWEAR Ed took more photos of Noah than we did - which is still an INSANE amount of photos. And I'm happy to report we talked to Ed about wiring Patrice's house for the dying hamster cam and he's putting together a strategy.

A major point of discussion on Saturday was our possible purchase of a new computer. It seems pretty certain that we may have to use some of our tax refund to dig in and buy a new system before the one I received while working at CDNOW bites it and leaves us dead to the modern world. Ed says the best way to go is to buy Dell. You folks got any input on that?

And like so many of our friends Ed has joined the ever-growing cult of Comcast DVR. On one hand we don't really want to spend any more money on television related expenses - however there would be a major plus to having a DVR. Judge Judy. Let me explain. We have significantly decreased the amount of television time we enjoy since we had Noah. The American Pediatric Association has recommended that children under the age of 2 not watch television and we are currently sticking to that. As a result the TV is not on during Noah's waking hours - except if we are listening to one of the Music Choice cable music channels. So we really only watch TV from 8pm until 11pm (like we can stay up that late - HA!). My husband however is missing his gal Judge Judy - the only woman he may love as much as me. And if we had the DVR we could set it up to record Judge Judy and Mark could spend time with her whenever his heart desired. The idea of taping only the things you really want to watch and watching them when YOU want is really appealing especially when you have limited TV time. Of course we can't even get it together most nights to watch something from Netflix. So who knows? It might not be worth the $10 a month. But our friends who have it rave about DVR so much that you think they were getting commission on the deal. Anyway, Saturday was lovely - lovely weather and lovely visit with Uncle Ed.

My blessed mother came to our place to baby-sit Noah yesterday afternoon so Mark and I could go to the movies. Because what else would you do on a beautifully sunny spring day other than sit in a dark theater? Well it's Philadelphia Film Fest time and in past years Mark and I have seen between 5 and 10 films each year. Along with Fringe Fest it is one of our favorite city activities, so I was feeling a little crestfallen this year when the film booklet came and it seemed obvious we weren’t going to be seeing squat. Happily my mom agreed to come to our place two Sundays in a row so Mark and I could go catch two matinees - and feel a little like our old selves. HA! When the time came yesterday for us to leave for the theater I felt like a wreck. I really didn't want to leave Noah and not because I didn't trust my mom. He hadn't taken a decent nap all morning and after Mark said Noah had a bit of a freak out last week when I went out - I was convinced he would cry the whole time we were gone and both he and my mother would be miserable. And it would be all my fault. You know what I fear the most? I know it is absolutely ridiculous - but I fear loss of Noah's trust. Like he is going to feel abandoned for that brief time and it will scar his emotional development and he'll never love me the same way. INSANITY, right? I know. Anywho - needless to say when we returned from the movie my mom said Noah was SO MUCH FUN while we were gone. He didn't fuss once. And I have to admit a weird little part of me felt disappointed. Like huh - I thought he's miss me more. WIERDO.

The movie we saw, "Mysterious Skin," was very good. But I would hesitate recommending it to anyone because it was also very disturbing. The subject matter was so emotional and so graphic that I felt physically ill by the end of the movie. It contrasted the coping mechanisms of two small town teenage boys who were sexually molested at the age of eight. And the flashbacks were seriously hardcore. I don't know how you get a child actor to perform in scenes like that - what you tell them the movie is about. The kid who played Tommy on Third Rock puts in an amazing performance as one of the teens. Patrice had said to me in the past that she couldn't handle this sort of subject matter because she was a mom and it put too many scary thoughts in her head and now I see exactly what she meant. I walked out of the theater thinking about how vigilant you have to be in order to keep your child safe.

So I guess the wrap up for this weekend has me realizing what a paranoid freakish mom I am already. I just love him so much and I don't want him to hurt. EVER. Of course this is impossible. It seems such a fine balance between protecting your child and suffocating them. I'm sure Mark will have to remind me many times over the course of Noah's life that leaving him some room to grow is not neglect - and that if I protect him from everything he will experience nothing. And that is not the kind of life I want for my baby. The best parts of my life I can attribute to throwing caution to the wind - so I have to not only let Noah do that but also encourage it as he grows. GOD this is hard work.

Special News Bulletin

You are NOT going to believe this. I was just spit up on. Not too surprising, right? I must have been spit up on a million times already, right? Right. So what makes this time so special? Well, I don't even know how to say it in a way that expresses my surprise. So I'll just have to come out with it plain and simple... Noah spit up on my FACE! Yup. The right side of my face, my glasses and my hair were all covered in clumpy regurgitated breast milk. Nice, huh? And how did this happen you might ask? Supra genius me was laying on the floor and holding Noah so he could stand on my abdomen. And then I started to lean his head towards me to give him a kiss and... BLEK! "I was repaid in puke."

Motherhood is SO very glamorous.

He'll rock your world!

The following are a few of the GAZILLION pictures I have taken to illustrate Noah's tumbling skills. And yes, I am fully aware that I am a complete dork.

These blocks should live in fear.  

Watch me bust a move... 

AHA! I got it! Soon I will RULE THE WORLD! 

Tacos, tumbling and blogs - OH MY!

Last night we had an unexpected adventure. Though it looked as if it might rain any minute, the three of us set out for a walk once Mark came home from work. The other night Kristen mentioned that it looked like there was a new taqueria open at Fifth and Thompson. I had read that the owners of Las Cazuelas were opening a taqueria and I had been looking forward to it. So Mark, Noah and I strolled (with stroller) in the direction of the new Taco Riendo. We wanted to see if it was open and to grab a menu for a possible future meal.

When we arrived at Taco Riendo I asked Mark to stay outside with the stroller while I ran in for a menu. But we both soon realized that inside was a friendly neighborhood couple we know (Mark met them while doing neighborhood canvassing for Move On) and their ten-month old son. I greeted them and they invited us in. We chatted briefly while they ate, and we ordered food to go. In their situation Dad stays home and Mom works - and that is always refreshing. Their son is adorable and definitely in the grabby can't sit still phase. He's on the verge of walking and talking - and he is proudly sporting one shiny new tooth. It's really nice meeting neighbors with infants - I fantasize about swapping babysitting and our kids growing up together. It would be so cute if they would interact - but I read the other day that children don't play interactively until the age of two. And of course while we were in the taqueria Noah sat quietly and scanned the room with saucer-sized eyes. SO much to see.

And the food - AMAZING. I had the enchiladas mole which came with black beans and rice. It was a delicious. And pretty reasonable. My entrée was a whole meal for $6. But skip the Mexican sodas if you're on a budget. They are $2.50 each.

Oh and we found out from said neighborhood couple that the former Zekas market on Girard which is now adorned with an awning that says "Taste" is to be a restaurant operated by the father of Hadar Nisimi, the owner of Aden. That too is very exciting. I really like Hadar. He worked at Il Cantuccio when it first opened and Mark and I went there often. Hadar remembers faces and was always super friendly and accommodating. And when he opened Aden we became regulars there too. Plus his sister who often hostesses at Aden was in our yoga class. They are really nice people. And of course the food at Aden is excellent. I would be willing to bet that Taste will be just as good.

Have I mentioned that Noah has become quite the gymnast? He's become very adept at seeing something out of his reach, rolling towards it, and reaching out and trying to grab it. He has gotten pretty agile at the rolling and reaching, but the grabbing needs some work. Often he bats something out of his reach several times before he actually gets it in his grasp. Practice. Practice. Practice. I have a series of photos to illustrate but I am having problems with my photo posting program.

And last but not least - blog talk. Yesterday I got my first comment from a stranger! So exciting. You can check out her blog. We wish her daughter Sophie gets well soon. I use the next blog function in blogspot all the time, but I never comment. But as I was next blogging yesterday I ran into this blog. Inspired by my first stranger comment and because she had a post requesting that next blog visitors leave her a comment - I did. And she was as pleased to get her first stranger comment as I was to get mine. Pay it forward. (And no, Jon, not the Haley Joel Osment movie, just the idea that spawned the movie. Though I do often see dead bloggers.)

Not cute because they are little

Today is the second day I have had the back door open. And already my kitchen is being taken over by ants. Sneaky little bastards are everywhere. They are staging a coup. So in a rash move I started spraying the crap out of them with ant poison. Now I have visions of Noah and the cats lapping up poisonous dead ants. And the fumes! What about the fumes?

It is not fair that city people have to contend with ants, or bugs of any kind. Don't those stupid ants know they'd be alot happier in some field somewhere. They could have their own lovely ant hill and not bother walking along the perimeter of my kitchen cabinets. City people have different nuissances like litter, drunk passerbys, and bus routes to name a few. We don't need no stinkin' ants!

Girard Avenue is loud. It has always been loud.And generally I enjoy being part of a vital thoroughfare. Noah and I have already taken to sitting on our front step and watching the people go by - just like our neighbors. But with the windows open and an infant napping - Girard is possibly the loudest place on earth. Just wait til they start building those new houses right out our front door. I might have to buy Noah one of those sound-proof chambers. Or at the very least an ant-proof one.

Happy jumpin' fun for all! 

On the road again

After months of stockpiling provisions, planning a fortuitous route and waiting for the weather to break, Noah and I set out yesterday on an expedition to see Ms. Janette in Reading. Noah slept in the car for most of both trips and the weather was divine. After Ms. Janette served us a lovely tea we went for a walk to the Schmoyers bakery. Yes, Schmoyers. I don't think you can get more Pennsylvania Dutch than that. I bought a raisin bread and apple dumplings. Then we walked up the hill to tackle the swings on the playground. Noah did some swinging - courtesy of being strapped to me in the Bjorn. And then back to the Cathedral de Hough-Fertig to eat said apple dumplings. It was a lovely afternoon of conversation and sunshine.

Unfortunately for Mr. Mark, the only nap time Noah had yesterday was in the car and together that accounted for only an hour and a half of sleeping rather than his three to four hours of normal nap time. And then last night I left the overly tired Noah with Mark when Patti, Kristin and I went to the Tap for a couple hours of burgers and beers. It was a great time and I barely worried about the Eggerts boys. After we returned to the house and I showed former Literacy Interns Patti and Kristin my growing collection of children's literature (only they can get as excited about "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" as I can), Mark told me Noah had had a "little freak out." I was feeling so guilty for leaving while Mark described Noah's general discontent and crying fit. I was convinced that Noah was miserable because I had overtired him during the day and then he became more upset because I wasn't home. I felt bad for them both. I didn't want either of them to have a bad night. But Mark was right. He's Noah's father. He can take care of Noah when he fusses too. And it wasn't the whole time I was gone. Just a brief episode. I just wish it had gone better for them. Maybe next time.

In my first attempts to address the problems of Penn Treaty Park I wrote an email to the editor of one of our local papers describing my experience the other day and telling her it would be great if the newspaper would do some stories that would champion the reclamation of the park. I am happy to say that she wrote back to me saying she really liked the idea and intended on getting to work on it. Yippee!

Today will be just a normal quiet day with the possibility a brief stroller expedition. Noah and I both need to catch up on our naps. Yawn.

What would Willy Penn and the Indians think?

It is absolutely gorgeous outside. Spring seems to have sprung - and I for one could not be happier about it. The warm weather makes me so happy - I could sing. And I have. Lucky for you that you don't have to hear it.

Master Noah and I went on an afternoon stroll to Penn Treaty park and back. I wanted to take the boy out so he could enjoy the warm weather and take in a bit of the world. Of course he feel asleep in the stroller after a few minutes of our hour long adventure. Silly boy.

Unfortunately my trip was also a bit sad. There are two parks within a short distance of our home. Liberty Lands Park is lovely. It's owned and maintained by a Northern Liberties neighborhood group. I'm sure today it was teeming with earthy moms and precocious tots taking in the rays and playing on the equipment. However in the stroller I thought it best to head to Penn Treaty Park. It's on the river and has paved paths perfect for bikes and strollers. Penn Treaty is owned by the city and they do almost nothing to maintain it. It's covered in trash, flooded from the rain, and generally in disrepair. The location of the park is unfortunate in a way - it's cut off from the neighborhood by 95 and Delaware Avenue and is therefore almost forgotten. On the south side of the park was a BBQ joint that had at one time been a nightclub. Club Maui I think. I guess the BBQ place didn't do any business because it appears to be closed. How could I tell? A good number of the windows had had things thrown threw them - and the place was covered in graffiti. It is obvious that kids, dare I say hooligans, hang in this park and are intent on destroying any chance it has of being any place where families would congregate regularly. I was hopeful for a moment when I saw there were about twenty people at the end of park in white jump suits doing some sort of cleanup. I asked someone I passed if they were repairing the pier at the end of the park. The man told me that they were there cleaning the rocks that line the river - apparently they were still covered from the spill that happened so many months ago. It seems pointless when the rest of the Park is in such a state. Last year Mark and I went to one meeting of a Friends of Penn Treaty Park group that was forming. The police officer who was organizing it took our names and numbers and talked about a lot of big plans - but nothing ever came of it. He never contacted us again about a second meeting. It's such a shame. It's such a great place for a park - on the river with a great view of the Philly skyline. I would love to go there regularly with Noah. I guess I should probably find out what I can do - so I feel like I have done my part to salvage the Penn Treaty's potential.

Still very fresh

Noah is 5 months old today!

Whew. It was a busy weekend. A very grey, very rainy busy weekend.

On Saturday Ms. Patrice and Ms. Bella joined us for an excursion to the Troc for Janette's coed bar baby shower. It was a hectic day filled to the brim with misadventure - but we'll leave that story for Patrice because she got the brunt of it and she excels in relating those sort of wacky hijinks. Of course Janette was late for her own baby shower. I love Janette but her lateness is to be counted on. And if there is any justice in the world her baby won't appear until well after her May 25 due date.

Despite the rain, puddles, spilled drinks etc... Noah was well behaved so I chalk it up as a good day. I'm always paranoid that he will scream uncontrollably while I'm out in public and people will look down their noses, give us disapproving glares and whisper about what a bad mother I appear to be. This of course has not yet happened, but it could some day. So I worry about it any time I step out the door. God. I'm such a case... Anywho, on the upside when he is good out in public, as he almost always is, I am just so happy and thankful no matter what else goes on in the course of the day. And it was a nice night because Patrice and Ms. Bella stayed for dinner. I love having guests. Especially low maintenance ones. And EX-specially Patrice. And extra EX-specially Bella.

Yesterday we went to my mom's place for dinner and my Grandmother and Aunt Jill stopped by to see the Schmoah. It wasn't a special occasion or anything, just a nice visit. My mom likes to try to see her quickly growing grandson every weekend and since she is coming up the next two Sundays to baby-sit so that Mark and I can see Philadelphia Film Fest screenings, the long drive was ours this time. Plus Mark and I got pot roast and apple pie out of the deal. Yum.

My mom got me a couple of pairs of jeans that I LOVE. They almost make me feel normal sized when I wear them. No - they aren't magic jeans. At least I don't think so.

I was a bit concerned that over the course of the busy weekend Noah forgot how to take a proper long nap. Our non-blinking baby becomes too enthralled with the world to ever consider taking a lengthy nap when he's not at home. We'll see how he fares today. I know I could use a very long nap. In a completely dark room. With no distractions, no thoughts and no interruptions. And if I could wake up naturally when *I* was done sleeping - well that would be orgasmic. Of course this will never happen because though Mark often offers to take Noah away so that I can take a long nap, as soon as they leave my presence all I can think of is what they are doing without me and what I might be missing, and then I can't sleep very long at all.

And a word about the word "spoiled." I HATE it when used in regards to children. "Spoiled" means that something has gone bad irrevocably. It's ruined and it can't be fixed. You should just throw it away. This should never be used when describing a child. I'm a bit sensitive about this because as a child I was constantly called "spoiled" by my family. Even my mom called me "spoiled" and she was supposedly the one doing the spoiling. And in my family's defense they didn't necessarily mean it as a criticism most of the time. They merely meant that my mom was very vigilant about doing all she could for me. As she still does, bless her. And so it is with me and Noah. But please don’t' call him "spoiled." He might be indulged, fussed over, coddled - but he has not irrevocably gone bad. Not yet anyway.

Noah thought Patrice was getting a bit lippy. 

He's on the GROW

The thing with these infants is that they always have new tricks up their sleeves. Just when you think you know them, when you have their rap down, they up and flip yo ass. And so it is with Master Noah. Here are some of his recent accomplishments. Don't get too attached - tomorrow it might be completely different.

1. GGGGGG- G unit. As of this week Noah is the G man. He's finally added a consonant sound to his repetoire of assorted dolphin noises. And the gurgling "GaGaGaGa" can be used to express any emotion from euphoria to discontent.

2. Jump Around. My mom bought us a Jumperoo for Christmas. It's a safer version of those door harnessed jumpers that we all had when we were kids. Prior to yesterday he just sort of hung in it and I'd bounce his lazy butt. But yesterday he made a revelation. He began flailing his arms and legs as if he were trying to run for his life - but his legs kept slipping out from under him and he go bouncing back. It's HYSTERICAL! I wouldn't dare call it jumping. It looks more like a seizure. But oh how I laugh.

3. Recylcing. So our new favorite toy is not expensive. It's not brightly colored. It's not made by First Years, Graco or Carters. It's made by the fine folks at Poland Springs. My boy seems to like nothing more than an empty water bottle.

4. Pokey. I'm not entirely sure, but I think Schmoah may already be studying to be a dermatologist. He just loves to take his tiny, slobbery soft fingers and run them over my face. He noodles them over my chin, my lips, my nose, and OW! That's my eye. On Easter Sunday he started fussing in the car so I leaned into the carseat and just let him poke at me until he fell asleep.

5. Pig. Have I mentioned he eats anything? Today's new food was prunes. He sucked that crap down without even tasting it. Which leads me to the following:

6. Motility. For awhile there Noah was unwilling to free the solids he's been digesting. It would go three days, and while I was once again discussing with Mark if we should call the doctor about it, he would finally set the troops on the march. But luckily he has now gone several days in a row with normal bowel exercise. Hopefully it just took his body a little while to figure out how to process this stuff - but now everything will be as right as rain.

7. Temper, temper. Last night Noah was hungry. He was tired. And Mom and Dad wanted to eat their spinach ravioli before they fed him his oatmeal and pears. This is LUNACY. This is INJUSTICE. This is CHILD ABUSE. The Master threw his toy on the ground, spit out his pacifier and yelled at us. "GGGGGAAAAHHH!" Mark just gave him back his toy, replaced his bink and went about eating. Master Noah repeated his threats through our meal, until it was his turn to eat. "GGGGGAAAAHHH! I tell you. GGGGGAAAAHHH!"

8. More sunshine too. He smiles more. He plays more. He giggles more. But what drives me insane is that he's often too shy around strangers and too wrapped up in the chaos and glory of the world outside our house to ever do it for anyone but us. Perform, damn you, perform!!

And I'm sure there is more. But that's what I got today. And you thought you couldn't go one more second without hearing about my baby's bowels.