Growing Up

I can't believe this kid is a year old.

Belle's Birthdays

(click on the picture)

Thanks, Belle

Belle slept through the night in her crib last night...until 5:20am. While I appreciate not getting up and moving Belle in the middle of the night last night, I could have used another 30-60 minutes of sleep. But I won't complain. Thanks, Belle, for sleeping more than 10 consecutive hours in your crib for the first time in your life.

Back to school tomorrow

Returning to work after a full year of being a stay-at-home-mom seemed like a great plan when I made it. Now one year seems like too short an amount time to have spent exclusively with Belle and I'm filled with a million questions:

Will Belle be OK in daycare? How will my teaching compare to my pre-mom performance? How will my parenting fare now that I am away and working all day? Will Belle still respond to me as she does now that I'm home with her all day? Will daily tasks get completed as I juggle full-time work and motherhood? Will I find time to have any life outside of teaching and being a mom?

I keep telling myself that people dumber than I have juggled work and parenthood with fewer resources, so I'll be fine. I also remind myself that Belle and I will get through all this because, well, we have to. There's not choice. There's no "stop the ride: I want to get off" button.

I'll get through day 1 back at school looking forward to seeing Belle's smile at 3pm.

Belle's first year in numbers

Belle's first year in numbers

1: Cousin, whom she is lucky enough to play with often since he lives in Manhattan

2: Parents who adore her completely

3: Uncles (and the same number of aunts) who made her giggle

AND

Plane rides (round-trip)

4: Great-grandparents who showered her with love

AND

Grandparents who spoiled her rotten

5: Nights Belle has slept 11 hours straight without a wake-up

7: Different states in which Belle has slept (New York, Texas, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Florida, Illinois); she napped while we drove through Rhode Island in January- so maybe this number should be 8?

AND

Different pediatricians who have examined Belle

AND

Her weight at birth in pounds (plus 4 ounces)

10: Inches Belle has grown since birth

14: Different babysitters who have cared for Belle, NOT including family members

19: Her weight the day after her first birthday (plus 13 ounces)

367: Days I spent with Belle as her stay-at-home-mom

Belle's birthday lunch

Today, Belle enjoyed her first sushi lunch (OK, Belle ate some sticky rice, cucumber and bits of avocado).  She and her father sure had fun with their chopsticks!

Belle's new shoes

Happy FIRST Birthday to Belle!

Belle's First Birthday (Cup)Cake

Yesterday, Seren and I baked birthday cupcakes in honor of today's special day. After taking an afternoon walk, we sat down and sang happy birthday to the guest of honor. We followed that up with eating. Enjoy.



Belle's attention span promptly dropped from barely minimal (which is average for a one-year old) to speed addict long. She was jumping and running from toy to toy and couldn't sit still. We started playing the tennis ball game (video to come when she nails it). Then we had a playdate with Charlie and Mariel upstairs where the sugar high continued. When Belle started to crash, we decided it was bed time.

Today's festivities began promptly at 6am. We already had a birthday breakfast of oatmeal.

Belle's bday treats

In preparation for Belle's bday, we baked cupcakes and a small cake. She'll be one soon!

Better a birthday than a birth

I went into labor last year on August 28. This year, Hurricane Irene is paying NYC a visit on August 28. Cancelling Belle's birthday party because of a hurricane is not as big a deal as giving birth during one. Boy, am I glad that in 2010, August 28 and 29 were beautiful, warm and sunny days.

Impromptu post-walk playgroup

A diagnosis

Belle woke up this morning with a rash on her face, belly and back. Now it seems that Belle has a virus called Roseola Infantum. The symptoms of Roseola, which is common in babies 6month-2 years, included 3-7 days of a high fever (often over 103) with no other symptoms besides loss of appetite and fussiness, followed by a rash just as the fever breaks. Belle seems to have a rather text-book case of this virus.

Hope now that the nasty rash has appeared, she really is on the up and up!

Weaning: and then there were two

The process of weaning Belle off the middle-of-the-day feeding in preparation for my return to work is complete. I now nurse Belle when she wakes up in the morning and before she goes to sleep at night and that is all. She isn't drinking cow's milk in place of the daytime nursing sessions, but she is consuming cow's milk (in her morning cereal and also sips here and there during the day). It's likely that both her aversion to drinking a whole cup of cow's milk at once and also the weaning are related to her illness, which is on its way out the door (I hope). At any rate, she is healthy and I am no longer vital to her nutrition during the day.

Julie and Belle :)

Dr. Julie (of successful throat culture fame) and Belle share a smile
at the Fairway Cafe. Belle is wearing her Brown and Blue onesie- Go
Jumbos!

Phases

Good or bad, every thing a "just a phase" for a baby. Belle's new-found detestation for bath time, manifested by screaming while dangerously trying to climb out of the tub, will end at some point. In the meantime, I deal with quieter screams while I shower her. Yes, it involves me getting undressed, wet from the shower, and re-dressed. Indeed, she has peed on me more than once while I held her pre-shower. And, as was a concern with her climbing from the bathtub, babies are dangerously slippery when wet. But she most certainly tolerates the shower more than the bath, and her bath-hating days are just a phase.

And now Belle has found her shrieking voice. Her shrill shriek seems to indicate "NO!" and well as "YES!"; "NOW"; "I'M TIRED!"; "I'M HUNGRY"; "PUT ME DOWN!"; "PICK ME UP!"; "I WANT THAT TOY!"; "PACIFIER PLEASE!"; "THESE EGGS COULD USE SOME SALT!" For the record, it only seems fair to type out the translation of Belle's shrieks in caps since it gives a similar feel to how the screeching sounds. This, too, is a phase that will one day end.

Today, like her mother in her youth, Belle shrieked her way through her doctor's visit. She was especially uncooperative when the doctor took a tongue depressor and attempted to look at Belle's throat. Like her mother when she was younger (you, know, like 30), she proved an unpleasant patient today. It's just that my "bad patient" phase only (sort of) ended in my pregnancy- like during labor and delivery. I still shudder at the sight of needles and get tense when the needle approaches my skin. Heaven help the medical professional who has to give me a throat culture (though my friend Dr. Julie recently successfully got the cotton swab in and out of my throat without eliciting my usual screaming fit). Despite being the daughter of a doctor, I spent my life in the running to be named the world's worst patient. Anyway, this is all to say that Belle's behavior at the doctor today may have been influenced by her 102 fever, or it could be a phase. And if it's a phase, maybe it's a phase like my patient behavior is a phase: one that lasts a very long time.

I certainly hope that's not the case for her bath-hating, shrieking phases.

Her smiles still light up my world and her laughter sounds like rainbows and her affection (she has taken to interrupting her play time to crawl onto me or Craig just to give a hug; she then climbs down and continues playing) is truly heart-warming. It make all of her less-pleasant behavioral phases seems less significant (sure, I'll shower a baby who nuzzles her head into my neck affectionately after the shower is done and she's all clean and wrapped in her ducky towel).

Unfortunately for me, this stay-at-home/snuggle-all-morning wonderfulness is also just a phase and will end very soon...

Shoe shopping

Sick though Belle was (fever touching 103), we went out for a walk to get some fresh air today. The fresh air (and the Advil) seemed to be perking Belle up so I stopped by a nearby children's shoe store to get Belle sized for her first real pair of shoes. Boy, did she enjoy that! The helpful salesperson told me that she couldn't remember a baby as young as Belle getting both feet sized and trying two pair of shoes on without tears but with smiles! Indeed, if there was ever question as to whether Belle was a Levinson/Fradis/Abrahams, the pleasure she expressed while shoe shopping hushes those concerns.


(walking around to test out one pair of shoes)

(playing to test out a second possible pair of shoes)

The trip out was a nice break from the fever-induced sleeping that filled most of the rest of the weekend. Here, Belle is napping on my lap.

In her sick state, she sleeps best in my arms. I can't say I blame her clingy-ness- her fever has been high and relentless.

A trip to the doc is in store tomorrow...

Sick baby = snuggle time!

The bad news: Belle woke up this morning with a fever. The silver lining: she was so sleeping and snuggly that she and I spent a few hours this morning (on and off from 6am until after noon) snuggling and napping. It was the most restful morning we've had in months (the whole year maybe?). I actual felt well-rested when we finally began our shortly after noon when her fever went down. Sick babies are lethargic and clingy and needy and whiny. Belle was heavy on the three former and light on the latter and it made for a most cuddly, sleepful day.

If I couldn't bring her fever down (the Advil helped), at least I could keep her comfy and well-cuddled while the fever ran its course. I hope Belle's fever breaks and she quickly returns to her fully healthy state. If not, more snuggle-sleeping tomorrow.

Pony-tail

Thanks to cousin Diana, Belle has a new hair-do.

Day one of weaning

In an effort to wean Belle off the middle-of-the-day nursing session, I introduced her to cow's milk today. I offered her a sippy cup of milk instead of her nursing her before her afternoon nap. She was not interested in either the milk nor the nap. Eventually, I got her to take a few sips of milk through a straw that I put into an open cup of milk. She drank those few sips well, though didn't nap until after some time at the playground. She woke up from her nap cranky and hungry. Dinner went well, and was accompanied by another sip of milk.

It looks like I'll get to drink milk one sip at a time...

Highlight of the day? Belle started saying "Mama" and "Mom." She is just babbling (ie, she is not called me "mom"), but she can make the sound! I am so excited for her to call me "Mommy."

Sip....ah

In the Town of Thompson park:

Doing the Slides

We went to Riverside Park yesterday where Belle showed off her sliding skills. The videos were taken by another Mom who attends the Thursday morning music class with Seren.

Belle in the Park on her Bus

The Town of Thompson Park

On our way home from Ithaca, we figured we could drive about 2 hours before Belle would need a pit stop. Two hours from Ithaca, we ended up in Monticello and the neighboring town of Thompson which has a park we found thanks to the good people at Shoprite. The spot was just a grassy spot with some small trees and picnic tables. A small creek runs behind it.

And we were the only people there. Belle walked back and forth holding on to a new walking school bus she got (thank you to "Uncle" Arnie and "Aunt" Janine in Rochester). She was full of energy. And wasn't tired after walking the baby equivalent of miles. She walks like her mother - without regard to distance.

She dipped her feet in the creek and then went back to walking. This kid is going to love the wide open spaces of suburbia.

The purpose of our stop was to give Belle so room to move and tire her out so she would nap well on the second leg of our trip back home to NYC. Mission accomplished.

The happiest place on Earth

Nope- it's not Disney Land. It's Wegmans!

Craig had a mini-man-spa experience: he went to his old barber shop for a shave and a haircut ("two bit"- it was more than two bits, but that's how the ditty goes). After we dropped Craig off, Belle and I went to Wegmans! We walked around and smiled at fellow happy shoppers. Then we settled into the candy department. There is a toy train that goes around and around it- how fun! Belle sat and played with the candy (she especially enjoyed taking apart the Pez display, which I promptly reassembled). Between the bright colors, friendly shoppers and toy train, Belle was one happy little girl. I sipped my Weggies coffee and wished we lived closer to the most wonderful supermarket ever.


(see my purple Wegmans coffee on the right and the toy train in the upper left corner)

(Here Belle disassembles the Pez disperser display case- what fun!)


After, we picked Craig up, we three went beer tasting at the Ithaca Beer Co. Well, only two of tasted the beer. Belle walked around and made friends with the other Ithaca Beer fans.




Lunch at the famous vegetarian Moosewood Restaurant followed by playing in the park with our newlywed friends, and it was one super fantastic vacation day.

Newlyweds and birthday boy

Happy Birthday, Craig!

We spent today with the newlyweds from last weekend's Syracuse wedding. We explored the Ithaca Commons (downtown shopping area) and then picnicked at the Cornell Plantations, where we took this picture. After, while Belle napped, we spent some time on campus so the boys (Craig and Travis) could reminisce about their college days together (they lived together all four years at Cornell).

Later, after Belle went to sleep and her babysitter arrived (thanks to our friend for the introduction), we four enjoyed a lovely birthday dinner. We sat outside and enjoyed a street performer play her harp while we ate and talked.

So, the newlyweds and Craig celebrated while Belle made us all smile. I just enjoyed the good company.

Ithaca Sciencenter and more

For the first time, we visited a museum/attraction for Belle. the Ithaca Sciencenter had a special section just for little ones under the age of four. After spending time there, we took Belle all over the center. She enjoyed seeing and sometimes even touching exhubits, and really loved crawling and exploring while watching the other kids run around. It was a great activity for a semi-rainy day. I am pretty sure Craig had the most fun at the Sciencenter, but it was certainly a worthwhile visit.



We also visited three Wegmans in as many days (Dewitt/Syracuse, Pittsford/Rochester and Itahca). The massive supermarket is like Disney Land to me. While Belle was fine in the grocery store on her father's shoulders, she didn't seem to want to ride in the Wegman's wagon shopping cart. Maybe next time.

Cornell Class of '02 (and '32?)

In front of the famous clocktower on the Cornell campus.

Then enjoying the view of Ithaca from the patio at Willard Straight Hall.

Cones for all (ice cream for some)

En route to Ithaca from Rochester, we stopped at Cayuga Creamery. Craig and I enjoyed ice cream cones, while Belle played with and ate an empty kiddie wafer cone.

Belle stands on her own- a photo spread

In Binghamtom, en route to Syracuse, Belle went from sitting to a bear-crawl position to standing on her own! Playing with Daddy at a random rest area sure is fun :)

Superhuman Strength

Binghamton gives it to Belle. She stood up by herself, without any support while exercising on a rest break.

Hi from binghamton

Just taking a food break on our way to syracuse. Belle's enjoying the upstate air.

Beyonce as babysitter

While Craig and got ready this morning, Beyonce's "Single Ladies" music video proved great for safely occupying Belle.

Climbing stairs

Belle is becoming quite the climber.

How am I ever going to leave NYC?

Emma Roberts, Chord Overstreet, Dianna Agron, my former roommate Laura and I are at The Beacon Theatre enjoying a Matthew Morrison concert. Guest appearance by N'Sync's JC. A super fun, if cheesey, evening.

How am I ever going to leave New York City?

In the past week, I've auditioned for a reality TV show (because you only live once, which is what I told myself when I agreed to appear in Glamour Magazine in a tankini and then go on Good Morning America in a bikini), witnessed a federal judge get sworn in, enjoyed walks in Central and Riverside Parks, spotted celebrities, walked to great bars and restaurants, and attended tonight's fun concert.

I have come home after exciting evenings out to a sweet but teething, poorly-sleeping baby with whom I share a bedroom.

Moving out of Manhattan will most certainly be bitter sweet.

Our first lost pacifier (a bad mom day)

Belle started our walk without a pacifier, but I relented and gave her the pacifier part way through Central Park. Somehow, the pacifier was gone when the walk ended. Two walking friends confirmed that Belle's yellow pacifier is indeed somewhere in Central Park.

Our first lost pacifier in 11 months.

Later, on the same trip out, I realized that the squeaky teething toy Belle had been playing with when we left the grocery store was no longer in her stroller. After her nap, I retraced my steps the ten blocks back Citarella, but could not find the toy anywhere (not that I would have give then teether back to Belle had I found it...I just felt bad that I let Belle lose a toy- and a pacifier on the same day). This happened before Belle fell while trying to climb on a Cherrios box and accidentally bit her lip (damn teeth: they hurt coming in and they are hazardous once they've finally grown in). I had been playing next to Belle, letting her try walking, climbing and exploring when she fell. It was an unfortunate boo boo for little Belle.

Today was not a good mom day for me.

Belle and Cooper

My good friend from Tufts Alex had her first baby- little Cooper David- two weeks before Belle came along. Though Cooper and his parents (both Jumbos) live in Virginia, Alex and I have remained close, as we're experiencing similar parenting ups and downs.

When Cooper and Alex were at his grandparents' house in New Jersey, Belle and visited! Here, the two future-Jumbos play:



I had visited Alex at her in-laws in NJ last July when we were both hugely pregnant. We swam together then, enjoying the relief from the heat and the weightlessness while immersed in water. Just over a year later, when we reunited; this time, the babies were not in our bellies but out and playing together! Here, Cooper and Belle splash and play in a whale-shaped kiddie pool next to the adult pool, in which they later played.

A late-afternoon visit to the park

Walking in the fountain with Daddy.

Standing

Saturday afternoon, we were walking in Central Park from visiting our friends' new apartment on the East Side. As we passed the Great Lawn, we saw our friends and their daughter Katie, so we stopped to say hi. Belle and Katie played in the grass for a few seconds before Belle showed off a new skill for the first time. She was seated in the grass and stood right up. She wasn't holding anything and wasn't supported by anything. She then proceeded to climb Katie's stroller going from grass to foot pedal to seat without any help. Unfortunately for Belle, it wasn't her stroller and she had to get down. Belle's stroller doesn't have a foot pedal so she isn't ready yet to climb into it.

Belle is 11 months old today!

Where does the time go?!

Belle as Charlie Chaplin

Tonight Belle enjoyed prunes for dessert. She missed her mouth at one point, which looked to me as if Belle were doing a Charlie Chaplin imitation (see prune as mustache below).





Additionally, while the break in the heat wave felt lovely, the rain prevented us from getting out this afternoon. Stir crazy and tired of staring at the four walls of our apartment, I called our awesome neighbor Dawn to see if she was up for a walk. She counter-offered and invited us up for a play date with the twins and their first cousins- lovely (and helpful!) five- and seven-year-old little girls. Here the oldest cousin plays with Charlie and Belle:



And here, the younger cousin "read" to Marielle and her father:

Belle laughs and spits :)

Spitting is so funny to Belle:

Daddy-daughter time

Craig plays with Belle most early mornings so I can sleep a bit more.  This Sunday morning, he took Belle for a walk along the Hudson River.  I packed her breakfast so he could feed her and they could spend some quality time together.  Here's Belle walking with Craig along the path next to the River.

Precious cargo

We did this on our way home from Florida in January. I don't think it's a "Parent Fail."

Staying cool on a hot day

In the interest of the super hot weather, a few of us moms met earlier than usual and in Riverside Park, where it's shadier and there's a breeze from the Hudson River, for a walk.

Post-walk, Belle, Marielle, Charlie, Sawyer and Gemma (only pictured in the second photo) enjoyed a visit to the River Run Park in Riverside Park where we stripped the babies down to their diapers and sat them in the shade in the cool water.

Moms took off their walking sneakers to cool down, too:

Nice try

Belle and I were playing and laughing this afternoon when she suddenly turned very serious. She looked at me with great intent and then reached out and grabbed my nose stud. In fact, she pulled it right out of my nose! She had never before paid it any mind but today pulled it out of nose. I suspect someone (my mother or father-in-law) had something to do with it. But don't worry, Mom and Richard, I put the nose stud back in easily. Nice try, though putting your granddaughter up to the task is pretty sneaky.

No more excersaucer

It's now an "activity center" she can walk around. And this little Mets fan (see her t-shirt) loves it!

Post-music class play date with Katie and Lucy

Story time with Lucy, Kate and Belle:

Snack time, of course with Belle, Katie and Lucy

Four generations: a serendipitous video

I accidentally left the camera on video mode when I asked my father to take a four generation picture last weekend. The result is a beautiful four generation video. The highlights are me telling my father what to do (what a bossy daughter I am!), Belle getting Grammy's attention, and the four us preparing and posing for a photo. How lucky we are to spend time together!

Belle plays with Grammy

From Peek-a-Boo to mint-box-as-rattle to "If you're happy and you know it," Belle enjoys playing with Grammy.



This video captures the essence of Belle's playtime.

"It's just a phase"

Remember how much Belle enjoyed her bath? That is no more. She suddenly one day hated bath time. She screams in the tub, and even tries to climb out of it (which feels quite dangerous). I tried a few tricks to see if I could help Belle remember how much fun bath time is. I bathed her earlier, thinking she was perhaps too tried- overtired- which made it hard for her to enjoy the bath. Nope- she still screamed as if I were trying to cook her in the tub. I made the water cooler figuring that she likes the swimming pool so maybe she'd like a pool-like bath. She screamed so loud, I worried the neighbors would call the Department of Children and Family Services.

I finally called Belle's pediatrician to get some new ideas and was comforted to hear that this anti-bath protest is "just a phase," meaning it's not so uncommon and it will end. The doc gave me a few new tips, one of which I tried last night. I bathed her while holding her in the shower. She screamed, of course, and I learned that babies are quite slippery when wet. The doc suggested just giving her a sponge bath, but Belle's hair is so long and gets so dirty with sweat and food that a sponge bath seems inadequate.

I guess I'll continue to patiently and carefully bathe her while wait out this phase. Thank goodness it is just a phase.

Belle discovered gravity

Belle is a just like Sir Isaac Newton: she has discovered gravity. She enjoys dropping items and then looking down to note that they've fallen. Yes, Belle, that's gravity!

In the booster seat while eating, it's fun for Belle to toss food and the burp cloth onto the floor. She peers over her booster seat tray to see where everything lands after she's dropped them. When I hold her and when she's in the stroller, she gets a kick out of dropping her toys and watching them drop to the ground.

Belle discovered gravity, I get a workout picking up what's dropped.

Happy birthday, Grampy!

How did Grampy want to celebrate his birthday? With his granddaughter, of course! Here Grampy holds Belle while she enjoys her lunch outside of Joe on Columbus Ave.

Take-your-daughter-to-work Day II

Part I in Bridgeport.

Today in White Plains: