At 6 months Ray Kon is 20 lbs even and 27.75 inches, with a 18 inch head. He's 90 percentile for all. Our little big man.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The measure of a man
At 6 months Ray Kon is 20 lbs even and 27.75 inches, with a 18 inch head. He's 90 percentile for all. Our little big man.
Monday, January 28, 2008
And whatnot
Where does the time go… blah, blah, blah. I’m harried, frazzled, tired, grumpy but yet happy. I know – it makes no sense. I’m behind in everything to everyone – except of course the boys. We’re still getting out to see things and people, keeping busy and whatnot while trying to maintain some semblance of order. So far so good, I think. At least with a passing grade from those who don’t grade too harshly.
Ray has is 6 month check-up tomorrow. I am sure we will discuss his early teething, early attempts at locomotion and gargantuan size and strength. Also that he doesn’t love the baby food, merely tolerates the fruits and sweet potatoes. And is still nursing every three hours like clockwork, even during the night. But aside from waking to nurse and then dozing right back off again, he is still a decent sleeper getting a little less than twelve hours a night typically and has one long (1.5 to 2 hour) and one short nap a day. Things you might not know about Ray – he is a drool fountain. It’s not just teething. This boy has dripped drool every second of every day since his birth. He’s always wet. Though he is generally good natured, he has quite a temper. If he merely SEES a piece of paper in your hand that he wants to put in his mouth and you do not give it to him – all hell breaks lose. Red faced, shaking, shrieking anger. “RAHHH! I smote you mortal.” Two sure fire ways to make him happy and chill him out – Noah or kitty! A passing notice of either will set the world right. And once again Ray of sunshine.
Noah is still my shy, smart boy who becomes ridiculously extroverted when he’s performing. And the imagination of this kid is outrageous. He’s making up scenarios, stories, and people every second. I know I was never this imaginative – he definitely got the fantasy gene from Dad. He’s still having nightmares – some about monsters and some just about getting his toys taken away from him when he misbehaves. He’s still a really well behaved boy but his three year old emotions cause ridiculous meltdowns when “No” or “Wait” are mentioned. Thankfully this only ever happens at home when he’s got no witnesses. He’s very good with his brother, for the most part. Unfortunately he’ll often snatch a toy out of his hands despite our protests – won’t he be surprised when Ray can kick his ass. Noah’s loving school – the four hours a week he goes really is perfect for him at the moment. I’m already thinking about what the next two years will look like for his schooling and where we should send him for kindergarten in Fall 2010. Since the Philadelphia school district has issues we have to do a lot of research into the many options for education. To me it’s a good thing – we can’t just take for granted that the local school will work. Instead we really have to think about what will be best for us and for Noah. And careful consideration is never a bad thing. Time consuming, yes. But not bad.
And the big people? We’re well. Budgeting is still the big new thing. This year we decided to compartmentalize Mark’s income so that each month we set aside a certain amount for groceries, home improvements, vacation, entertainment, the boys, etc. It makes me edgy to think that much about money – but I realize it will really work well for us. This way we don’t just overspend in some areas to the detriment of others. So now we’re entering everything into designated columns in an Excel spreadsheet. Fun, right?
What should I be doing right now? Slogging through stuff in the basement. Tomorrow we are getting some of Mark’s late Grandmother’s furniture. This means that some of our old stuff has to be moved and some stuff has to be stored in the basement. Are we ready? Now we ain’t. Our basement is a pit of crap. Things that have no home go there never to be seen again. But somehow we’ll manage to make some more room. With what energy and time? I have no earthly idea.
Ray has is 6 month check-up tomorrow. I am sure we will discuss his early teething, early attempts at locomotion and gargantuan size and strength. Also that he doesn’t love the baby food, merely tolerates the fruits and sweet potatoes. And is still nursing every three hours like clockwork, even during the night. But aside from waking to nurse and then dozing right back off again, he is still a decent sleeper getting a little less than twelve hours a night typically and has one long (1.5 to 2 hour) and one short nap a day. Things you might not know about Ray – he is a drool fountain. It’s not just teething. This boy has dripped drool every second of every day since his birth. He’s always wet. Though he is generally good natured, he has quite a temper. If he merely SEES a piece of paper in your hand that he wants to put in his mouth and you do not give it to him – all hell breaks lose. Red faced, shaking, shrieking anger. “RAHHH! I smote you mortal.” Two sure fire ways to make him happy and chill him out – Noah or kitty! A passing notice of either will set the world right. And once again Ray of sunshine.
Noah is still my shy, smart boy who becomes ridiculously extroverted when he’s performing. And the imagination of this kid is outrageous. He’s making up scenarios, stories, and people every second. I know I was never this imaginative – he definitely got the fantasy gene from Dad. He’s still having nightmares – some about monsters and some just about getting his toys taken away from him when he misbehaves. He’s still a really well behaved boy but his three year old emotions cause ridiculous meltdowns when “No” or “Wait” are mentioned. Thankfully this only ever happens at home when he’s got no witnesses. He’s very good with his brother, for the most part. Unfortunately he’ll often snatch a toy out of his hands despite our protests – won’t he be surprised when Ray can kick his ass. Noah’s loving school – the four hours a week he goes really is perfect for him at the moment. I’m already thinking about what the next two years will look like for his schooling and where we should send him for kindergarten in Fall 2010. Since the Philadelphia school district has issues we have to do a lot of research into the many options for education. To me it’s a good thing – we can’t just take for granted that the local school will work. Instead we really have to think about what will be best for us and for Noah. And careful consideration is never a bad thing. Time consuming, yes. But not bad.
And the big people? We’re well. Budgeting is still the big new thing. This year we decided to compartmentalize Mark’s income so that each month we set aside a certain amount for groceries, home improvements, vacation, entertainment, the boys, etc. It makes me edgy to think that much about money – but I realize it will really work well for us. This way we don’t just overspend in some areas to the detriment of others. So now we’re entering everything into designated columns in an Excel spreadsheet. Fun, right?
What should I be doing right now? Slogging through stuff in the basement. Tomorrow we are getting some of Mark’s late Grandmother’s furniture. This means that some of our old stuff has to be moved and some stuff has to be stored in the basement. Are we ready? Now we ain’t. Our basement is a pit of crap. Things that have no home go there never to be seen again. But somehow we’ll manage to make some more room. With what energy and time? I have no earthly idea.
Ray's frustration
He can get up on his knees and bounce. He can go backwards a bit.
He can get up on hands and toes with his butt up in the air. But mostly - he's just PISSED OFF.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Bewitched
Yesterday we went to The Children's Discovery Museum in Cherry Hill for the first time. Noah thought he reached nirvana. He spent almost an hour on the stage in the theater - putting on costumes and dancing. Right before I shot this video another little girl dropped a witch hat on his head to complete the look with the cape he was wearing. I don't think he could see a thing but he just kept going. And keep in mind I shot this while nursing Ray. I'm going to add multi-tasking to my resume.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Nuts and bolts and flights of fancy
- Noah, struggling to pull the plug out of Ray’s bath tub, said “Damn. I can’t do it.”
- Ray is totally rolling, slithering and sitting up. And of course as a result he had his first roll off the bed. He managed to survive with little else than a bruise – and the same can be said for Mark who left Ray on the bed.
- Noah was making a frowny face when I buckled him into his carseat before school. “Is something wrong?” “You know my friend Annie.” “Yes.” (She’s imaginary.) “Well she is very old and today when we were coloring in the kitchen she died.” “Oh… I’m very sorry. It’s very hard to lose a friend.”
- Noah informed me that some day he and Ray will be floating together in space. He was heartbroken when I told him he won’t be able to make that a reality in the near future. But later seem placated with the idea of going to a space museum. I told him there was one in DC, but that it was three times as long as the trip to Grandma’s. He said “I’m sure I can be patient if you bring a lot of snacks.” However I was a bit irritated when he started insisting we go to DC NOW. So I took him to The Franklin Institute thinking they had some lunar landers or something to look at. Unfortunately they didn’t. Their space command section is made to look like mission control but you don’t actually see any space gear. Bummer. The museum is geared for older kids but Noah really enjoyed a handful of things – the Imax movie on the space station, the train and of course walking through the heart. The heart was a favorite of mine too. This time however I felt panicky and claustrophobic. I was an amazon woman with a 20 lb. baby strapped to my front and a large shoulder bag flung across my back and I was certain I was going to get stuck. Somehow we made it through. TWICE.
- Noah told me recently he wanted to be a Daddy when he grew up but a few days later said he wanted to be an astronaut instead. After watching the Space Station movie he thought better of it and said “I want to be a Daddy when I get big. A Daddy is a better thing. I don’t want to do all that astronaut stuff. That’s a lot.”
- In mid-December I was way overdue for a hair appointment and then we were sick and I had to cancel my hair appointment. So I was REALLY overdue for the cut I finally got yesterday. Earlier in the week I was lamenting to Noah about my hair and he comforted me with “You look nice even when your hair is bad.”
- So yesterday was haircut day. Thank God. Me and the boys took the subway to see our stylist and Mark met us there. Noah sat on my lap and got shorn while Mark wrangled Ray. Then Mark handled both boys while I got my cut. Then we hiked it a few blocks to have a truckload of dumplings at our new favorite Chinese place. It was an exhausting evening - Ray was fussy and by the end of the night Noah was exhausted. Occasionally going out with the kids is more work than it is fun – and it’s rarely relaxing. But it’s SO very necessary. We need to get out and be a part of the world and the kids need to see the world and be reminded how to operate within it. My Dad always commented that kids that never get taken out to dinner don’t know how to act out and I firmly believe that and make sure we get out fairly often. But sheesh - last night there was a moment where I was like "ABORT MISSION! ABORT! Return to the station at once!"
- And the most blogworthy thing going on in our house is that for the last three days Noah has been pretending to be his “new” 5 year old girl cousin Jordan. And that isn’t all – he has decided that Mark is Jordan’s sister Sammy and I am “Jordan’s Mama” though I have tried to explain to him that Jordan wouldn’t call her Mama “Jordan’s Mama.” Oh and Ray is cousin Chase. So when I slip up and call Noah by his given name I get “I’m not Noah.” I told him I missed Noah and he informed me that he WAS Noah, that he was just pretending. So I asked when he would be done pretending and he said “When the story is over.” Yesterday he told me it was over and half an hour later was looking glum. I inquired about his mood and he told me he was sad he wasn’t Jordan anymore. I told him he could still be Jordan if he wanted to – and we were back on story. Ahh… three, it’s an imaginative age.
- Ray is totally rolling, slithering and sitting up. And of course as a result he had his first roll off the bed. He managed to survive with little else than a bruise – and the same can be said for Mark who left Ray on the bed.
- Noah was making a frowny face when I buckled him into his carseat before school. “Is something wrong?” “You know my friend Annie.” “Yes.” (She’s imaginary.) “Well she is very old and today when we were coloring in the kitchen she died.” “Oh… I’m very sorry. It’s very hard to lose a friend.”
- Noah informed me that some day he and Ray will be floating together in space. He was heartbroken when I told him he won’t be able to make that a reality in the near future. But later seem placated with the idea of going to a space museum. I told him there was one in DC, but that it was three times as long as the trip to Grandma’s. He said “I’m sure I can be patient if you bring a lot of snacks.” However I was a bit irritated when he started insisting we go to DC NOW. So I took him to The Franklin Institute thinking they had some lunar landers or something to look at. Unfortunately they didn’t. Their space command section is made to look like mission control but you don’t actually see any space gear. Bummer. The museum is geared for older kids but Noah really enjoyed a handful of things – the Imax movie on the space station, the train and of course walking through the heart. The heart was a favorite of mine too. This time however I felt panicky and claustrophobic. I was an amazon woman with a 20 lb. baby strapped to my front and a large shoulder bag flung across my back and I was certain I was going to get stuck. Somehow we made it through. TWICE.
- Noah told me recently he wanted to be a Daddy when he grew up but a few days later said he wanted to be an astronaut instead. After watching the Space Station movie he thought better of it and said “I want to be a Daddy when I get big. A Daddy is a better thing. I don’t want to do all that astronaut stuff. That’s a lot.”
- In mid-December I was way overdue for a hair appointment and then we were sick and I had to cancel my hair appointment. So I was REALLY overdue for the cut I finally got yesterday. Earlier in the week I was lamenting to Noah about my hair and he comforted me with “You look nice even when your hair is bad.”
- So yesterday was haircut day. Thank God. Me and the boys took the subway to see our stylist and Mark met us there. Noah sat on my lap and got shorn while Mark wrangled Ray. Then Mark handled both boys while I got my cut. Then we hiked it a few blocks to have a truckload of dumplings at our new favorite Chinese place. It was an exhausting evening - Ray was fussy and by the end of the night Noah was exhausted. Occasionally going out with the kids is more work than it is fun – and it’s rarely relaxing. But it’s SO very necessary. We need to get out and be a part of the world and the kids need to see the world and be reminded how to operate within it. My Dad always commented that kids that never get taken out to dinner don’t know how to act out and I firmly believe that and make sure we get out fairly often. But sheesh - last night there was a moment where I was like "ABORT MISSION! ABORT! Return to the station at once!"
- And the most blogworthy thing going on in our house is that for the last three days Noah has been pretending to be his “new” 5 year old girl cousin Jordan. And that isn’t all – he has decided that Mark is Jordan’s sister Sammy and I am “Jordan’s Mama” though I have tried to explain to him that Jordan wouldn’t call her Mama “Jordan’s Mama.” Oh and Ray is cousin Chase. So when I slip up and call Noah by his given name I get “I’m not Noah.” I told him I missed Noah and he informed me that he WAS Noah, that he was just pretending. So I asked when he would be done pretending and he said “When the story is over.” Yesterday he told me it was over and half an hour later was looking glum. I inquired about his mood and he told me he was sad he wasn’t Jordan anymore. I told him he could still be Jordan if he wanted to – and we were back on story. Ahh… three, it’s an imaginative age.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Bless America
Santa finally sent Noah a keyboard to replace the one the reindeers busted. And this one is an upgrade. It's even got a headset mic. And now Noah... the singing sensation. And Ray on backup vocals.
You've got that look.
Ray is getting SO big, so fast. And by that I don't just mean size wise. In a week he will be six months old - he's almost twenty pounds, has two teeth, sits up and is definitely going to be on the move soon. I just can't believe how fast it is going. He's a funny little charmer. And the ease of him and his generally sunny demeanor definitely suggest that his name suits him.Today was an unusually warm day for January so we hit the playground outside of Noah's school. Today Ray rode his first playground swing!
Oh and in the last picture - CHECK THOSE THIGHS! I couldn't resist sharing them.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
The year in children
2008 is treating us well thus far. Today was Mark’s last day home for holiday break and we went out for my holiday employee lunch at Rangoon. We started this tradition last year after Mark had his departmental work lunch and I was all jealous, mopey and remarking “but nobody takes ME to lunch for a job well done.” No drama queens here. So over Burmese food we discussed 2007 - we’ve experienced a lot of growth and doubled our output. As for goals for 2008 – more growing, learning and loving while holding it all together. Or at least trying real hard while enjoying the ride. Oh, and we’ve got to create and maintain a more regimented budget. Please kill me. (Again – no drama.) I don’t consider myself a shopper or a spendthrift but I absolutely abhor having to account for every cent so this will be quite a challenge.
As for New Year’s Eve, this year we decided to check out First Night Haddonfield after I heard an ad on KYW saying that they have a countdown and fireworks at 9 pm. We weren’t sure until the afternoon if we were really up for going but we pulled it together and had a really nice time. Some of the performances were too packed for us to see but since the fireworks were the main goal going to some of the shows was a bonus. Noah nodded off during an acapella show (hysterically funny acapella faces) and had to be prodded repeatedly to wake up for the fireworks while Ray stayed awake during the show when I’d have preferred him to be napping (typical!) The fireworks display was small but great because we were right underneath it rather than the typical miles away. And the best part is that we took the Patco train to Haddonfield so we didn’t even have to deal with the nightmarish traffic to get out of there. I’d totally consider doing the same next year.
New Years Day is my mom’s birthday so we typically see her and eat the requisite lucky pork and sauerkraut (we are of PA Dutch descent though I didn’t realize until adulthood that this tradition was regional) but this year she ditched us for her new in-laws. Therefore I was forced to make a pork roast my damn self and accidentally made enough to feed 10. Aside from the fact that our house is a wreck, I was wishing we had invited people over to eat. We ate the same thing for dinner again tonight even though I dislike leftover pork as much as I love sauerkraut on top of mashed potatoes – but hopefully we will be twice as lucky. And because Noah obviously did not enjoy sauerkraut last night I didn’t put any on his plate this evening. His response - “Where is my sour crap?”
I have to admit it. I’m feeling a bit burnt out. Just tired a lot and wanting a break that feels impossible. I hate missing time with my kids so instead I am daydreaming of freezing time so that I could pull myself outside of it to have a quiet lunch, read a book and take a nap. I’m sure some of this feeling has to do with post-Christmas crash so hopefully I’ll be able to get myself and the house in some semblance of order soon.
And in the world of giant infants – Ray is still a frontrunner. He’s just more and more massive, squishy and sweet. But he’s no fat, lazy baby – the boy is strong and seriously on the move. He is slithering and rolling all over the place and I have no doubt he’ll be crawling in the next month. He’s also grabbing on to anything he can get his death-like grip on and shoving it in his mouth. And if you take it away from him – he turns from good natured cuddly bear to vicious maneater. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. The only hope of escaping his wrath is to get Noah to smile at him and he melts into a puddle.
Noah is THREE now. And three is, above all else, EMOTIONAL! I was comparing parenting notes with my friend Wendy the other week when I noticed her looking at me with an expression of grave concern on her face. It was then that I realized that she took my saying that Noah’s three year old mood swings seemed ridiculously bipolar to mean that I really thought he was bipolar. HA! No. THREE is bipolar. Ecstatically goofily happy one second and the next OH THE HUMANITY! He can’t possibly bear these atrocities for one more second. And what puts him over the edge is typically the most ridiculously small thing. But crazy mood swings aside – THREE is so incredibly smart and charming. Noah says the most amazingly astute things followed by the most loving and then the most cute. Three year olds seem to me a case study in extremes. And then there is the learning. Picking things up out of nowhere, mastering them in seconds. Noah can write his name now and is letter and number obsessed. I keep thinking back to when I taught first grade in the poorest section of the city and how so many of the kids came to school not even knowing their alphabet. And all I can think of is how those kids must have been kept in a box. Must have been so neglected, so traumatized, so overwhelmed by troubled home lives. That is the only way to explain a three year old not learning even the slightest letter lesson by accident. Kids seem so naturally hungry for learning at this age. Noah wants to know everything and more. I’d love to bottle it and put it in my coffee.
As for New Year’s Eve, this year we decided to check out First Night Haddonfield after I heard an ad on KYW saying that they have a countdown and fireworks at 9 pm. We weren’t sure until the afternoon if we were really up for going but we pulled it together and had a really nice time. Some of the performances were too packed for us to see but since the fireworks were the main goal going to some of the shows was a bonus. Noah nodded off during an acapella show (hysterically funny acapella faces) and had to be prodded repeatedly to wake up for the fireworks while Ray stayed awake during the show when I’d have preferred him to be napping (typical!) The fireworks display was small but great because we were right underneath it rather than the typical miles away. And the best part is that we took the Patco train to Haddonfield so we didn’t even have to deal with the nightmarish traffic to get out of there. I’d totally consider doing the same next year.
New Years Day is my mom’s birthday so we typically see her and eat the requisite lucky pork and sauerkraut (we are of PA Dutch descent though I didn’t realize until adulthood that this tradition was regional) but this year she ditched us for her new in-laws. Therefore I was forced to make a pork roast my damn self and accidentally made enough to feed 10. Aside from the fact that our house is a wreck, I was wishing we had invited people over to eat. We ate the same thing for dinner again tonight even though I dislike leftover pork as much as I love sauerkraut on top of mashed potatoes – but hopefully we will be twice as lucky. And because Noah obviously did not enjoy sauerkraut last night I didn’t put any on his plate this evening. His response - “Where is my sour crap?”
I have to admit it. I’m feeling a bit burnt out. Just tired a lot and wanting a break that feels impossible. I hate missing time with my kids so instead I am daydreaming of freezing time so that I could pull myself outside of it to have a quiet lunch, read a book and take a nap. I’m sure some of this feeling has to do with post-Christmas crash so hopefully I’ll be able to get myself and the house in some semblance of order soon.
And in the world of giant infants – Ray is still a frontrunner. He’s just more and more massive, squishy and sweet. But he’s no fat, lazy baby – the boy is strong and seriously on the move. He is slithering and rolling all over the place and I have no doubt he’ll be crawling in the next month. He’s also grabbing on to anything he can get his death-like grip on and shoving it in his mouth. And if you take it away from him – he turns from good natured cuddly bear to vicious maneater. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. The only hope of escaping his wrath is to get Noah to smile at him and he melts into a puddle.
Noah is THREE now. And three is, above all else, EMOTIONAL! I was comparing parenting notes with my friend Wendy the other week when I noticed her looking at me with an expression of grave concern on her face. It was then that I realized that she took my saying that Noah’s three year old mood swings seemed ridiculously bipolar to mean that I really thought he was bipolar. HA! No. THREE is bipolar. Ecstatically goofily happy one second and the next OH THE HUMANITY! He can’t possibly bear these atrocities for one more second. And what puts him over the edge is typically the most ridiculously small thing. But crazy mood swings aside – THREE is so incredibly smart and charming. Noah says the most amazingly astute things followed by the most loving and then the most cute. Three year olds seem to me a case study in extremes. And then there is the learning. Picking things up out of nowhere, mastering them in seconds. Noah can write his name now and is letter and number obsessed. I keep thinking back to when I taught first grade in the poorest section of the city and how so many of the kids came to school not even knowing their alphabet. And all I can think of is how those kids must have been kept in a box. Must have been so neglected, so traumatized, so overwhelmed by troubled home lives. That is the only way to explain a three year old not learning even the slightest letter lesson by accident. Kids seem so naturally hungry for learning at this age. Noah wants to know everything and more. I’d love to bottle it and put it in my coffee.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Tidings that bind
For me family togetherness is the real reason for the season. Here's some snapshots of some of the clan. It's the furious foursome at the storytime during Mark's holiday work party. Noah and Grandma hang out at his school Christmas show. Ray gets up close and personal with Pa Joe (who I think he most resembles). Nana and Pop Pop party at our place on Christmas Eve. And Aunt Jessica finally takes time out of her busy preteen socializing schedule to visit with us. 
Saturday, December 29, 2007
It's in the post
Oh holy night! Christmas is over already and it’s nearly 2008! I have no idea where the last month and a half went. It was Thanksgiving, Elisha’s visit, illness and Christmas all in one breath. I can make one generalization with a huge degree of certainty – having more than kid puts life on fast forward.
Fast though it was the Christmas season was lovely – filled with the typical trappings, new traditions and child-like glee. We’ve repeatedly watched the Nutcracker ballet (and had nightmares about the mouse king), saw the Dickens Village and Macy’s light show a couple of times, decorated the tree, cookies and a gingerbread house, sang and danced to many renditions of Christmas songs, saw four Santas, watched a puppet performance of The Velveteen Rabbit, watched many Christmas specials new and old, did many Christmas art projects, wrapped and opened about a billion gifts, and most importantly celebrated with many friends and family. Ray’s first Christmas and Noah’s fourth has been dizzying and memorable indeed.
And what did Santa bring us? Noah asked for “a keyboard, a microphone, and a turtle for the bath tub” and Santa delivered. Though Santa must be overworked – he forgot to include the 6 D batteries needed to operate the keyboard. And now we are sorely disappointed because even with the batteries it isn’t working. Noah is eagerly awaiting our trip to The North Pole to exchange it. And yes – I do readily participate in the Santa myth. To me it’s for the sake of magic and sparking the imagination – but I don’t use it as a threat for good behavior though at times it was mighty tempting. Ray got some stuff to chew and drool and Mama and Daddy got some utilitarian stocking stuffers like scissors, screwdrivers, tweezers and lip balms. And all the boxes of clothes and underwear were labeled from Mama and Daddy. As per usual Mark and I kept our exchange pretty small but thoughtful – he got clothes, shoes, itunes and a book and I got a movie, a tea pot and a frozen drink maker. And also per usual our families were incredibly, ridiculously generous. We got a million cool gifts and gift cards – so much stuff that it’s exciting yet sinful to talk about. I blush just thinking about it all. If I were incredibly good about thank you cards (and I’m not) I couldn’t even begin to ever send enough thanks to compare to all our parents do and think about us.
And on the sending front I’ve been meaning to comment on Christmas cards. I know it’s probably a bit weird, but I LOVE THEM. I just adore getting things in the mail that are sweet wishes from friends and families rather than bills and junk. So every year I design our Christmas card – spending far too long deciding on the right sentiment, the right picture, the right design. Wanting it to be sweet and smart and funny in some combination – all wrapped up in a photo of my boy(s). I’ve been using Vistaprint for the last few years and really recommend them – especially since you can get some killer deals once you are on their mailing list. Anyway the cards have stopped coming – I hope for a few stragglers - and now I know Christmas is officially over. Oddly enough this year I didn’t do much in the way of displaying the cards we received because I wanted to buy some sort of clippy garland or something but never found anything that fit the bill. How do you display your Christmas cards?
Fast though it was the Christmas season was lovely – filled with the typical trappings, new traditions and child-like glee. We’ve repeatedly watched the Nutcracker ballet (and had nightmares about the mouse king), saw the Dickens Village and Macy’s light show a couple of times, decorated the tree, cookies and a gingerbread house, sang and danced to many renditions of Christmas songs, saw four Santas, watched a puppet performance of The Velveteen Rabbit, watched many Christmas specials new and old, did many Christmas art projects, wrapped and opened about a billion gifts, and most importantly celebrated with many friends and family. Ray’s first Christmas and Noah’s fourth has been dizzying and memorable indeed.
And what did Santa bring us? Noah asked for “a keyboard, a microphone, and a turtle for the bath tub” and Santa delivered. Though Santa must be overworked – he forgot to include the 6 D batteries needed to operate the keyboard. And now we are sorely disappointed because even with the batteries it isn’t working. Noah is eagerly awaiting our trip to The North Pole to exchange it. And yes – I do readily participate in the Santa myth. To me it’s for the sake of magic and sparking the imagination – but I don’t use it as a threat for good behavior though at times it was mighty tempting. Ray got some stuff to chew and drool and Mama and Daddy got some utilitarian stocking stuffers like scissors, screwdrivers, tweezers and lip balms. And all the boxes of clothes and underwear were labeled from Mama and Daddy. As per usual Mark and I kept our exchange pretty small but thoughtful – he got clothes, shoes, itunes and a book and I got a movie, a tea pot and a frozen drink maker. And also per usual our families were incredibly, ridiculously generous. We got a million cool gifts and gift cards – so much stuff that it’s exciting yet sinful to talk about. I blush just thinking about it all. If I were incredibly good about thank you cards (and I’m not) I couldn’t even begin to ever send enough thanks to compare to all our parents do and think about us.
And on the sending front I’ve been meaning to comment on Christmas cards. I know it’s probably a bit weird, but I LOVE THEM. I just adore getting things in the mail that are sweet wishes from friends and families rather than bills and junk. So every year I design our Christmas card – spending far too long deciding on the right sentiment, the right picture, the right design. Wanting it to be sweet and smart and funny in some combination – all wrapped up in a photo of my boy(s). I’ve been using Vistaprint for the last few years and really recommend them – especially since you can get some killer deals once you are on their mailing list. Anyway the cards have stopped coming – I hope for a few stragglers - and now I know Christmas is officially over. Oddly enough this year I didn’t do much in the way of displaying the cards we received because I wanted to buy some sort of clippy garland or something but never found anything that fit the bill. How do you display your Christmas cards?
Friday, December 21, 2007
Caring for a bunch of nuts
One has been appointed caretaker to the nutcrackers. The other is pissed he can't get around. This is life at The House of Eggerts.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Angels with dirty faces
I warned you people. These pictures are so angelic it's downright sinful. I hope the next preschool photo shoot has the kids dressed up as goths.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
I miss my Tater Tot.
We're finally on the mend here at House of Eggerts. What a crazy week it had been. I've been totally sleep deprived and overwhelmed by two of the clingiest, neediest creatures known to man. One sick preschooler is a handful. One sick infant is more than a handful. The two of them together is boot camp.Anyway, before we were quarantined my sister Elisha visited from Florida with her husband Christopher and their 15 month old son, Hunter. It was such a joy to have them here. It hurts that they are so far away and I get all teary eyed thinking about how big Hunter will be before we see him again. But such is life. I was reminded how fun yet challenging 15 months old is. Right after they learn to walk it seems impossible to get kids to sit still long enough to take a breath, especially in new surroundings. But Hunter was super sweet and it was good to see my little sister and her husband being such loving parents.
While they visited we went to The Please Touch, The Dickens Village, Reading Terminal Market and to see the Gallery Santa and ate Chinese, Mexican, Indian and Hoagie. It was a stuffed week - in more ways than one. Not to mention that my Dad (handsome bald fellow pictured below with my brother Jim, Mark and Christopher) cooked a delayed Thanksgiving feast for 13 adults and 12 children - CAN YOU IMAGINE?
It was lovely to be with family. We all miss Elisha alot. Before they visited I kept having dreams that they were moving in - and though that would be nightmarish for some I would be overjoyed. I love you, Lisey Ann. Give that sweet boy a kiss from Aunt Nicole.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
What's been plaguing us.
It was kind of a pitifully lost weekend here. We’ve all been sick, with Noah and Ray having the worst of it. It started over a week ago and while we were able to hold it at bay a bit while my sister Elisha and her family visited, (MISS THEM!) once she left we were sad and sicker. And sickness brings on nighttime disturbances which brings on sleep deprived parents fighting a losing battle against illness. Sniffle… yawn.
On the plus side, I’m almost done Christmas shopping. As of Thursday morning I hadn’t bought one single thing. Since then I’ve made one trip to Target and many shopping excursions online. If everything ships okay I should be golden. Thank you world wide interweb.
And back to the illness. A sick baby is a pitiful sight. Ray is awash in a fountain of snot, occasionally gagging on phlegm. He’s trying to keep his spirits up but the battle is too great. This is thanks in no small part to the fact that he is also getting his second tooth. YES – second. At not even five months old. This kid is in a rush. His super cool big brother has a whole mess of teeth and he wants some real bad. And the growing – by God this boy is huge. I think he’s nearly 18 pounds. Strong and built like a brick. I can honestly say he might be the most pleasingly squishy baby ever. We’ve taken to calling him happy bear – for his smiley disposition and his body type.
And Noah – well, while he’s been smart, engaging and sweet as always he’s also been tired, clingy and whiney. SO CLINGY. Yesterday he wouldn’t even let Mark put his coat on. “NOOO! MAMA! MAAAA-MAAAAA!” He’s been so beat that he’s taken naps every day for the past three days - for the first time since he dropped naps in May!
So PLEASE let the illness be gone soon. We want to get back to reveling in the holiday season. Photos and video to come.
On the plus side, I’m almost done Christmas shopping. As of Thursday morning I hadn’t bought one single thing. Since then I’ve made one trip to Target and many shopping excursions online. If everything ships okay I should be golden. Thank you world wide interweb.
And back to the illness. A sick baby is a pitiful sight. Ray is awash in a fountain of snot, occasionally gagging on phlegm. He’s trying to keep his spirits up but the battle is too great. This is thanks in no small part to the fact that he is also getting his second tooth. YES – second. At not even five months old. This kid is in a rush. His super cool big brother has a whole mess of teeth and he wants some real bad. And the growing – by God this boy is huge. I think he’s nearly 18 pounds. Strong and built like a brick. I can honestly say he might be the most pleasingly squishy baby ever. We’ve taken to calling him happy bear – for his smiley disposition and his body type.
And Noah – well, while he’s been smart, engaging and sweet as always he’s also been tired, clingy and whiney. SO CLINGY. Yesterday he wouldn’t even let Mark put his coat on. “NOOO! MAMA! MAAAA-MAAAAA!” He’s been so beat that he’s taken naps every day for the past three days - for the first time since he dropped naps in May!
So PLEASE let the illness be gone soon. We want to get back to reveling in the holiday season. Photos and video to come.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Don't wear it out.
Experimenting with different ways to post video. Let me know if you have a preference. Also - if you know how to flip a vertical video in Youtube.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Watch the hair, man.
Hope you enjoy our first video post. More of these to come, but hopefully not so many that you want to bludgeon yourself. And yes, I hate my voice. It and my own visage are what have barred me from taking constant video of my kids up to this point.
How about them Eagles?
We had folks over on Friday. Some with kids, some without. Any time I have a plan to mingle with the childless I remind myself that I can and WILL talk about other things – music, TV, news, entertainment gossip (Thanks, Tracey!), and even some politics. And yet after everyone left on Friday I was feeling like “Goddamn it! All I talked about was the kids. I suck.” In my defense I’ll say that people asked me questions about them – which is what you do when you are catching up with friends you don’t see enough. However I have a problem whereby I get on a roll and I can talk about them until the cows come home and your eyes sink back into your sockets. I really have to learn to stop myself and say something like “Are you by any chance watching Pushing Daisies/Project Runway/ Kid Nation?” Because nothing is more enthralling and fulfilling than talking about television.
And now back to your regularly scheduled program – Eggerts kids allatime! Noah is SO eager about Christmas. It started two weeks ago on the car ride home from my Mom’s wedding rehearsal dinner. A million questions about Santa. Most prominently “Why does Santa come at night when nobody can see him?” Ahem. I’ve since explained repeatedly that if he came when we were awake everyone would want to greet him and hang out and then he’d never get his job done. I’ve also explained that there are many Santas – the ones in the malls are direct reports to THE SANTA who comes out only on Christmas Eve. We are also in a flurry of “Can I have that?” especially since the toy catalogs have come in the mail. The ridiculous thing is that he keeps asking for things he already has, which clearly makes my point that he needs NOTHING. I’m having real difficulties coming up with answers for family members wanting to shop. I want to tell everyone to get him savings bonds or gift certificates to the art and bookstore but that stuff is not thrilling to see a kid open on Christmas day.
Ray had his first solid last night – the super savory and delicious rice cereal. Doesn’t every child enjoy the taste of paste? He seemed not all that interested or pleased with it last night. He mostly just shriveled up his face and let it dribble back out. He even gagged a few times. But he had another go this morning and was much more receptive – though still not eating with the vigor of Noah’s first meals. But the most exciting development of late is that Ray has come to appreciate Noah as the entertainment whirlwind he is. We’ve had a couple of instances lately where Noah is goofing around and Ray is laughing and squeaking hysterically. It would damn near make your heart explode to experience it. Last night Mark was trying to cheer up a grumpy Ray – he was singing and jumping. And Ray was like “SEEN IT! Next.” Then Noah got up from the dinner table to jump and Ray lost it. Mark was crestfallen. But he just can’t pit himself up against the master. Noah is clearly the David Hasselhof in our Germany.
And now back to your regularly scheduled program – Eggerts kids allatime! Noah is SO eager about Christmas. It started two weeks ago on the car ride home from my Mom’s wedding rehearsal dinner. A million questions about Santa. Most prominently “Why does Santa come at night when nobody can see him?” Ahem. I’ve since explained repeatedly that if he came when we were awake everyone would want to greet him and hang out and then he’d never get his job done. I’ve also explained that there are many Santas – the ones in the malls are direct reports to THE SANTA who comes out only on Christmas Eve. We are also in a flurry of “Can I have that?” especially since the toy catalogs have come in the mail. The ridiculous thing is that he keeps asking for things he already has, which clearly makes my point that he needs NOTHING. I’m having real difficulties coming up with answers for family members wanting to shop. I want to tell everyone to get him savings bonds or gift certificates to the art and bookstore but that stuff is not thrilling to see a kid open on Christmas day.
Ray had his first solid last night – the super savory and delicious rice cereal. Doesn’t every child enjoy the taste of paste? He seemed not all that interested or pleased with it last night. He mostly just shriveled up his face and let it dribble back out. He even gagged a few times. But he had another go this morning and was much more receptive – though still not eating with the vigor of Noah’s first meals. But the most exciting development of late is that Ray has come to appreciate Noah as the entertainment whirlwind he is. We’ve had a couple of instances lately where Noah is goofing around and Ray is laughing and squeaking hysterically. It would damn near make your heart explode to experience it. Last night Mark was trying to cheer up a grumpy Ray – he was singing and jumping. And Ray was like “SEEN IT! Next.” Then Noah got up from the dinner table to jump and Ray lost it. Mark was crestfallen. But he just can’t pit himself up against the master. Noah is clearly the David Hasselhof in our Germany.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Tis the season
We packed a whole lotta livin' in one Black Friday. We rode the Santa Express subway train to the Gallery, greeted Santa when he got off the train, paraded to the center of the Mall for the kickoff of the holiday season, raced over to see the Macy's light show, cut a line to see the wierd animatronic puppety Dickens Village, had a photo taken with Santa, and then hurried home to host our Black Friday Leftover Potluck. Noah was a party animal and stayed up for the duration. He went to bed at 11:30 pm. Needless to say he is a meltdown mess today - but it was totally worth it. The holidays have officially begun.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
It has nothing to do with Istanbul
Last Thanksgiving was the day we found out we would soon have one more thing for which to be thankful for – another baby. And this year as I cuddled Ray Konrad and watched Noah cavort joyfully for the sole purpose of making his baby brother laugh I was reminded once again this is what I should be thankful for, not only on Thanksgiving but every day. We have so much love in our lives – for each other, our families and friends – and I hope we have many, many more healthy years to enjoy and appreciate them.
Typically on Thanksgiving we stop in to see my Dad around noon and then head to my Mom’s place for dinner, where she also feeds my in-laws. It’s a nice plan to see everyone. This year however my Mom is honeymooning in Vegas and since my Dad is postponing Thanksgiving until next week when my sister Elisha is visiting from Florida with her husband and son – that left our plans in a shambles. So we invited my FIL and his wife to our place for dinner. And since I’m no saint or martyr I ordered the bulk of our meal pre-cooked from the grocery store. As pathetic as I feel for cheating – it made it a lot less stressful. It was hard enough managing the boys while getting the place a little cleaned up for company let alone figuring out how to cook the bird. Luckily Noah was kept busy this morning by an avid interest in the Thanksgiving Day Parade - unfortunately he was repeatedly asking to see bits from last years parade. Sheesh.
I’m very happy to report that both the boys got a clean bill of health at their pediatrician well visits (3 years for Noah, 4 months for Ray) this past week. Ray is 26.5 inches and 17 pounds and is in the 90 percentile for weight, height and head circumference – he’s one big boy. In comparison he is one inch longer and four pounds heavier than Noah was at four months old. Noah is now 39 inches and 32.5 pounds – which is 90 percent for height and 50 percent for weight for his age group. These numbers and percentages might bore you to tears but for some odd reason I totally look forward to finding them out at each visit. Both boys got shots – and Noah took his flu shot bravely and without one tear.
I am considering taking Noah on the Santa Express train to the Gallery mall tomorrow morning – but don’t intend on doing any door buster shopping. I haven’t even made out my Christmas shopping list yet. Years ago I would do all my shopping at the last minute because I would have to use the money from that very last pay period to buy gifts. This isn’t really the case any more but I still wait until the very last minute. I hope to change that for next year, but probably will say the same exact thing next year.
Tomorrow night we host our traditional Black Friday Potluck for a handful of friends. It’s been far too long since I’ve seen some of these folk – so I’m really looking forward to it. But of course weighing heavily (pun intended) on my mind is how I wish I were thinner and both I and the house were a bit more put together. But if I waited for that I’d never see people.
Typically on Thanksgiving we stop in to see my Dad around noon and then head to my Mom’s place for dinner, where she also feeds my in-laws. It’s a nice plan to see everyone. This year however my Mom is honeymooning in Vegas and since my Dad is postponing Thanksgiving until next week when my sister Elisha is visiting from Florida with her husband and son – that left our plans in a shambles. So we invited my FIL and his wife to our place for dinner. And since I’m no saint or martyr I ordered the bulk of our meal pre-cooked from the grocery store. As pathetic as I feel for cheating – it made it a lot less stressful. It was hard enough managing the boys while getting the place a little cleaned up for company let alone figuring out how to cook the bird. Luckily Noah was kept busy this morning by an avid interest in the Thanksgiving Day Parade - unfortunately he was repeatedly asking to see bits from last years parade. Sheesh.
I’m very happy to report that both the boys got a clean bill of health at their pediatrician well visits (3 years for Noah, 4 months for Ray) this past week. Ray is 26.5 inches and 17 pounds and is in the 90 percentile for weight, height and head circumference – he’s one big boy. In comparison he is one inch longer and four pounds heavier than Noah was at four months old. Noah is now 39 inches and 32.5 pounds – which is 90 percent for height and 50 percent for weight for his age group. These numbers and percentages might bore you to tears but for some odd reason I totally look forward to finding them out at each visit. Both boys got shots – and Noah took his flu shot bravely and without one tear.
I am considering taking Noah on the Santa Express train to the Gallery mall tomorrow morning – but don’t intend on doing any door buster shopping. I haven’t even made out my Christmas shopping list yet. Years ago I would do all my shopping at the last minute because I would have to use the money from that very last pay period to buy gifts. This isn’t really the case any more but I still wait until the very last minute. I hope to change that for next year, but probably will say the same exact thing next year.
Tomorrow night we host our traditional Black Friday Potluck for a handful of friends. It’s been far too long since I’ve seen some of these folk – so I’m really looking forward to it. But of course weighing heavily (pun intended) on my mind is how I wish I were thinner and both I and the house were a bit more put together. But if I waited for that I’d never see people.
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