Belle's Anatomy Lesson

Remember that scene from the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie Kindergarten Cop in which a little boy raises his hand and stands up to announce, "boys have a penis and girls have a vagina":



I just lived it.

Belle came to me this morning while I was changing Emily's diaper and said to me proudly in her sweet little voice, "Mommy, you have a vagina and I have a vagina!  And Daddy has a....penis!"

She had formerly called her nether-regions her tuschy and her "front tuschy," so Belle's morning announcement demonstrates acquired knowledge.

Semi-relatedly, Belle found my sanitary napkins/maxi-pads/panty liners and thinks they are stickers.  She has peeled the back of three in the last two weeks and affixed "Mommy's stickers" to her book, bed, and floor.  I hope she'll laugh when I tell her of this in a decade or so.

Kids...

Emily's one-month check-up

Emily had her one-month check-up today.  She is growing well! She weighs 9lbs 11oz (nearly two pound more than she weighed at birth) and is about 20.5in. long.  She's in the 60th percentile for weight and 25th for length.  This is all healthy and normal, and more like her parents than her sister was (Belle remains "long and lean," though these early statistics mean little in terms of predicting what the girls will look like when they're grown).  Emily overall looks healthy, which is great news.  The pediatrician commended me on keeping Belle's icky germs away from Emily during Belle's bad virus earlier this month. Belle joined us at the pediatrician for a few reasons: 1. To "help Emily be brave," though Belle got upset every time Emily fussed.  Belle is really sweet and compassionate and was worried for her little sister; 2. To make sure Belle is all recovered from her horrible illness earlier this month (she is good as new- doc checked out Belle's ears, nose, and throat); 3. So Belle could get her flu shot (she didn't enjoy the shot, but she appreciated the bandage on her arm after). Emily today before her one-month check-up.   Might she be a red-head? When we three came home after the trip to the pediatrician (which was, by the way, preceded by lunch with Daddy at his office), Belle said that she did not want to take a nap.  I told her just to go to her room and play (in her pajamas- her request- with her "baba," the pacifier, alone).  She played nicely for a while.  Then she read herself a book, sang herself "Edelweiss," which I sing to her, and lay down to sleep.  Craig and I are clearly obsolete since Belle can put herself to sleep with her own bedtime routine. Craig and I are happy and lucky to have two healthy little girls.

Emily is one month old!

Good morning

"Let's get in our Kajamas!"

When I was changing Emily's outfit for the third time today (just glad she's healthy...), Belle wanted to change her clothes, too.  She asked if she could put on her "kajamas" and hold baby Emily.  Here they are:

Emily's milestones

Just shy of one-month old, Emily has reached two wonderful, rewarding milestones: 1. She has just outgrown the newborn-sized outfit she wore home from the hospital on Hurricane/Super Storm Sandy Monday, October 29.  She will soon be wearing all 0-3 month-sized clothing.  Keep growing well, Emily! 2. Emily revealed her smile (and what a sweet, warm smile it it).  The social (non-gas-induced) smile is the best: a glimmer into her personality (what makes her smile?) and her beauty (her face lights up with her smile).

Touchdown!

Craig took Belle to her first football game.  She enjoyed it, especially when the home team scored a touchdown.

Bar Flies

The Ceplers and the Bingers enjoyed a night on the town, including a trip to the bar for Belle and cousins Isabelle and Owen and a look at the moon.

Emily and Gaga (Great-grandma Maxine)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Emily meets two of her great-grandparents

Emily left White Plains for the first time today to travel to Queens to meet her father's maternal grandparents Great-Grandpa Leon and Great-Grandma Selma.  Emily is named for Selma's mother Nana Mary.
The trip offered the opportunity for another milestone: Emily's first meal out.  She mostly slept through our lovely lunch at the Blue Bird Diner, which was much appreciated by yours truly.

Belle and Emily are lucky little girls to be loved by so many, including four great-grandparents.

Two healthy little girls!

Sit-n-Spin

We acquired a hand-me-down Sit-n-Spin, which Belle is enjoying. Craig and I both have fond memories playing with our respective Sit-n-Spins when we were little. How cool that Belle can play with a newer version of a toy her parents enjoyed.

Big sister kisses

Our little fashionista

Hugging Daddy showing off the back of the outfit she insisted on wearing: a lavender top, a fun patterned skirt, teal leggings, and pink Uggs. Quite the fashion statement. I have a new appreciation for Emily allowing me to select her clothing for her.

Things we didn't know when we named our kids.

See the trains in the middle? We didn't know about that. Our third kid, if there is one, will not be Thomas.

She has some time

But Belle is ready to be a soccer mom and drive a minivan.

Great Grandma Ann and Emily

From November 11.

Getting some fresh air

 While on the mend, Belle enjoyed some fresh air.  She insisted on wearing her "ka-jamas" (Belle-speak for pajamas) and her rain boots, and Grammy got her to wear a hat, scarf, and mittens.  Belle sported quite the look walking down our block:

By whatever means necessary...

OK, so I bent a few rules.  At least Belle is eating!  Dinner tonight was the most she's eaten since Friday.  I hope appetite = strength = good health.
Good thing I called in reinforcement.

Trying to remain healthy

Here's Emily, trying super duper hard to remain healthy despite her big sister's persistent illness (today is day five of fever for Belle, which warranted a trip to the pediatrician for the third time this week).

Stay healthy, Emily Mattea!