Playing with Uncle JoJo

No more "Tough Guy"

Maybe Belle was overstimulated after a day of fun with the Levinsons. Or maybe Belle was just overtired. She could have been teething. Or perhaps she was just making sure that her lungs were in good working order. Whatever the reason, Belle screamed and screamed after we put her in her crib this evening. While we seven adults (Seren, Craig, Grammy Hilary, Grampy Elcon, Uncle Joe, Aunt Carla and Gaga/Great-Grammy Maxine) ate dinner, Belle screamed and cried in her crib.

As a new mom trying to figure out my way in mommyhood, I was especially appreciative that no one told me what to do. My mother didn't say, "why don't you..." and my father didn't say, "when you kids were babies, we used to..." No said offered, "should I try..." or "I could..." and no one made me feel bad when I said we were going to let her cry it out this time.

Still, Belle's little screams grew into bigger ones and my heart broke a little. Craig supported being tough, though he did go into the bedroom to put the stereo on Peter, Paul and Mary for Belle hoping the folk music would soothe her.

While we finished and cleaned dinner, packed the Levinsons and said our goodbyes, Belle screamed and screamed. My grandmother expressed her discomfort listening to her great-granddaughter cry, but Craig and I remained strong and united in letting her cry in out.

Less than one second after we heard the elevator ding indicating that my parents and grandma were on their way out, Craig said, "OK, I have to go rock Belle to sleep right now." He appeared to be Mr. Tough Guy dad in front of my family, standing with me as we tried to let Belle soothe herself. But really, like me, Craig's heart broke a little when he heard our beautiful, generally-happy little girl cry. So Craig soothed Belle and rocked her to sleep and lay her down gently to slumber peacefully in her crib, which is where she is as I write this.

We may appear to be tough, but we are both really softies.

That's how they roll

Nice wheels

Chillin' with the Fradis/Levinson clan

Goodbye, early morning nap

Schedules come and schedules go. As I was warned, just when I think I have a schedule with Belle, she changes her mind about some major aspect of it and we're on a different schedule.

For weeks, Belle took three naps a day. The first was only a few hours after she woke up, so 7:30 or 8am. I sometimes napped with her during this early morning nap. Then, she napped while I walked with my mom friends at 11am or a little later. Finally, she napped in the afternoon at 3pm or so.

Well, for three mornings in a row now Belle has skipped that early morning nap. I tried to skip to the "routine" (the idea of a "routine" has been a bit of a joke these past seven months of motherhood) and put her down at 7:30am. No dice. Today, I waited until Belle looked sleepy closer to 8:30am and put her down. After 15 miuntes of crying which escalated to screaming, I gave up on this mornings early morning nap. She has been sleeping at 10 or 11am, but it seems that the morning nap is gone.

There is no question that Belle is the boss around here...

Happy Birthday to me

Craig made sure I had a wonderful birthday. Besides letting me sleep an extra hour in the morning, he took Belle to Shabbat services with him so I could have a nice shower (we are talking shampoo and conditioner- separately!). A highlight of the day was reading the card from Belle, which she signed with her footprint. Thanks, Craig :)

An event to remember

It's not the best pic, but if you look closely you'll see Alec Baldwin. My picture of Stephen Sondheim didn't turn out as well.

Craig's early bday present to me is a ticket at Sondheim's Company, a four performance theatrical event featuring Neil Patrick Harris, Patti LuPone, Martha Plimpton, Jon Cryer, Stephen Colbert and more. Craig sent me to Lincoln Center with cash. I found a nice man who offered me his center orchestra ticket for half of the face value. This seat is awesome, as is the pre-show star gazing (there was an opening night gala at Avery Fischer Hall before doors opened for the likes of me). I am sitting next to Clinton from TLC's What Not to Wear. I just smiled at John Lithgow. OK, now I'm just name-dropping.

This is a serious New York theatre event. I am one lucky bday girl.

Thanks, Craig!

Craig's Note: This is where Seren is tonight.

Potential boyfriend?

NJB (Nice Jewish Baby) Daniel is exactly one month older than Belle. He's cute, shares well, loves his mother, and is from a nice family. And, most importantly, he is approved by me.

Getting ready for music class with friends

Nice to see you again, 5am

That's a lie. I don't miss being up at 5am and it is not nice to be up and see 5am. But since Belle became a super sleeper (asleep between before 7pm until midnight or after, and then straight until, well, 5am), her wake-up-to-play time has crept earlier and earlier until this morning's 5am wake-up. Do I let her cry so I can try to squeeze an extra wink of sleep out of her? I have been, but it seems senseless and unproductive, since, like yesterday, letting her cry until 6am just resulted in, well, nearly half an hour of crying. In other words, leaving her alone doesn't get her back to sleep, or even to play on her own. She is up ready to eat and play and is upset until she gets her way (babies can be such divas). How I miss waking to feed her twice at night...

Playgroup at Casa Cep

Six babies, ranging in age from six weeks to sixteen months, played at our place this afternoon. It was the first official event of the newly-established Upper West Side Jewish Moms Meet-up.

Belle - March

Belle - March

Click and enjoy.

Belle had a wonderful March. She celebrated Grandpa R's birthday and Great-Grandma M's birthday. She rode on the swings and tried solid foods, which she loves. Belle even got dressed up for Purim as a UConn cheerleader. We haven't told her that the women lost last night. Belle is sitting up a lot and still smiling all the time. No teeth yet. For a sneak preview of April, check our blog - serenandcraig.blogspot.com

Love,
Us

Playdate in the Park

Cousin Abby and Belle with Abby's good friend and former roommate Daniella and Cousin Max. It's a beautiful day to be at the Park.

Lunch with the walking ladies

Belle loves her veggies

It's worth noting that Belle enjoyed peas, carrots and sweet potatoes but made an expressively unhappy face when she tried avocado and banana. Maybe Belle will be a broccoli-lover and pass on the grapes.

Belle goes for the fruits!

First avocados



Then bananas:

Luggage for one night away

Car seat, diaper bag, purse, toys, clothes, change of clothes, just-in-case clothes and diapers and toys and stuff and stuff and stuff...
There is no more traveling light now that there's a baby on board.

Belle's first trip to a mall

In New Jersey of course:)

We visited the Garden State Plaza in Bergen County today where we found bridesmaids dresses for Melissa's upcoming wedding. Belle was a doll.

Bridal gown shopping

Belle yawns- trying on bridal gowns is hard work.

(We joined good friend Melissa on her quest to find the perfect gown for her upcoming wedding...and she did!).

Good parenting or sleep train derailment?

Last night, for the eighth night in a row, I put Belle to sleep in the Pack-N-Play in the living room after the 12:45am feeding. When I heard her scream at 2am, I was concerned, She usually doesn't make a peep until later in the morning, and she hasn't yet screamed (she just sort of fusses). When the crying continued past a few minutes (Belle has never cried for more than a few minutes in the middle of the night), I threw thought about her fussiness since Sunday. She's just been more needy and more fussy and less smiley since Sunday. Yesterday, her nose started running like a faucet (thanks, Cousin Noah, though we were warned about your cold before we visited on Sunday afternoon) and I had a hard time keeping up with it between the tissues and the Nose Frida (superior to a regular baby aspirator).

Anyway, when I ignore the rules of sleep training and went to Belle at 2:30am, her face was wet with tears and snot (gross, but more so sad) and her heard felt quite warm: a fever. I calmed her down, gave her Tylenol, and settled her into the car seat so she'd be upright. She slept then until her usual 6:20am.

I'll call off my search for a tooth because I think this cold is the culprit of her recent fussiness. And I trust that the sleep trainers will forgive this one exception to the golden rule of leaving the baby alone while "in training."

I hope Belle feels better soon.