Belle sure loves bananas, especially when Grammy feeds her:
Friday, April 29, 2011
Belle laughs
Grammy makes Belle laugh:
Grammy enjoys Belle's laughter as much as Belle enjoys Grammy's song.
Grammy enjoys Belle's laughter as much as Belle enjoys Grammy's song.
The walking group enjoys a coffee after the walk
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Spring Fashion Show
Belle is excited to show off her new spring wardrobe. Here's a fashion show:
Belle (between Gaga and Grammy) is showing off her new spring artsy outfit (clam-digger pants with a matching funky top):
And this is Belle's ducky hat from Guatemala, courtesy of Uncle Joe and Aunt Carla. It would be great on hot days if it weren't so delicious and therefore tempting to eat instead of wear:
Here's her 'Sugar and Nice and Everything Nice' outfit for hot days:
And this is her cute (but totally impractical) baby kimono:
And, of course, undershirts and smiles are always in fashion:
Belle (between Gaga and Grammy) is showing off her new spring artsy outfit (clam-digger pants with a matching funky top):
And this is Belle's ducky hat from Guatemala, courtesy of Uncle Joe and Aunt Carla. It would be great on hot days if it weren't so delicious and therefore tempting to eat instead of wear:
Here's her 'Sugar and Nice and Everything Nice' outfit for hot days:
And this is her cute (but totally impractical) baby kimono:
And, of course, undershirts and smiles are always in fashion:
The highlight of my day
Nearly every morning, I take a nap with Belle. These early-morning naps (around 7am) make for special snuggle sessions. Craig garbbed this shot a few mornings ago, but usually Belle sleeps holding my face. What a lucky mommy I am!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Cute baby
I swear this is a true story.
Belle and I attended a free lecture about sleep at Giggle on Amsterdam Ave. Belle and I were sitting in front of a couple and their four-month-old daughter. Belle was making friends with the baby and her parents (talking and smiling). When we went to leave the sleep lecture, the man stopped me and said, while standing next to his wife holding his own baby girl, "All parents think their baby is the cutest baby in the world, but your baby really may be."
Belle is going to have such a swelled head...
Belle and I attended a free lecture about sleep at Giggle on Amsterdam Ave. Belle and I were sitting in front of a couple and their four-month-old daughter. Belle was making friends with the baby and her parents (talking and smiling). When we went to leave the sleep lecture, the man stopped me and said, while standing next to his wife holding his own baby girl, "All parents think their baby is the cutest baby in the world, but your baby really may be."
Belle is going to have such a swelled head...
Thank goodness it's a rental
Sorry for the poop post, but this was too crazy not to share:
So, Belle had a full diaper. So full, in fact, that the poop leaked out and onto her belly (her seated position while pooping pushed the poop up and out- totally gross, even for me the Mom). While I was cleaning the mess, Belle put her hands on her belly and pretended she was Van Gough creating wall art. OK, so she didn't really realize what she was doing, but she did smear her own poop on the wall next to her changing table. It was a mess beyond any mess I'd seen before in Belle's nearly-eight months.
It's all been cleaned, and there's no sign of Belle's poop-art incident, but I sure am grateful that I can walk away from the pooped wall when we move from our rented apartment.
So, Belle had a full diaper. So full, in fact, that the poop leaked out and onto her belly (her seated position while pooping pushed the poop up and out- totally gross, even for me the Mom). While I was cleaning the mess, Belle put her hands on her belly and pretended she was Van Gough creating wall art. OK, so she didn't really realize what she was doing, but she did smear her own poop on the wall next to her changing table. It was a mess beyond any mess I'd seen before in Belle's nearly-eight months.
It's all been cleaned, and there's no sign of Belle's poop-art incident, but I sure am grateful that I can walk away from the pooped wall when we move from our rented apartment.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
A tooth is cut!
Belle has demonstrated all of the symptoms of teething for months. She puts everything into her mouth; she drools excessively; her cheeks are rosy; she has had bouts of unexplained low-grade fevers. But, no pearly whites. When I put my (well-scrubbed and totally clean) finger into her little mouth on Monday morning, however, I felt something sharp: a tooth! Her bottom right-center tooth is on its way up. The baby books say that a first tooth generally appears between 4 and 12 months. Well, just shy of 8-months, Belle is right on track. Let the tooth-brushing begin!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Daddy as hairdresser
Craig is a wonderful father. One of the most endearing things he does in his role as Belle's daddy is comb and pin up Belle's hair with a barrette. He doesn't have much experience combing little girls' hair, and his expertise in hair clips is limited to yarmulkes. But he does a wonderful job with his daughter's locks, and it's really sweet to watch.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Tina Fey
I finally crossed paths with Tina Fey. We've been neighbors for nearly four years and in that time I've come to appreciate Fey as a brilliant and hilarious writer/actress. For example, she recently published this Prayer for a Daughter in her new book Bossy Pants. We passed her on Broadway in the 70's this afternoon. As we walked by, I smiled at her, as if to say, "I totally know who you are and you're brilliant," and she smiled back at me, as if to say, "Yup- that's me: I'm Tina Fey." Very cool. Next time, I'll chat her up.
The Playground with Dad and Grandpa
We went on the swings (mixed reactions), then the slide and then into the crawling tunnel where Belle heard some funny echoes. Here are two pictures from the day.
Overall, Passover was lots of fun. Belle stayed awake for kiddush twice and fell asleep long before the Four Questions or the Frog Song. She went to shul with Grandpa one day and Grandma the other. Grandma Selma and Grandpa Leon came over and she played with Noah as well as all of her other cousins. It was a wonderful, if exhausting, few days for Belle.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Four great (short) videos of Belle
On April 11, the whole Levinson side of the family (Grammy and Grampy Levinson, Gaga/Great-Grandma Maxine, Uncle Joe and Aunt Carla) spent the day in NYC!
Belle was so hungry, she could eat a piano!
But she settled for a few Cherrios:
(Part 1)
(Part 2)
And she disliked kiwis such that that she preferred her bib to the sour fruit:
Belle was so hungry, she could eat a piano!
But she settled for a few Cherrios:
(Part 1)
(Part 2)
And she disliked kiwis such that that she preferred her bib to the sour fruit:
The moon and the stars
We attended our friends' son's bris this morning (Mazel tov!) and I was struck by three things:
1. It is really rather funny (and award) that people gather to watch a circumcision. Ouch. Ew. Really?
2. What a challenge to brand new parents to have to plan and host a party a week after entering parenthood. These new parents aren't sleeping while they struggle to figure out how to be a mom and a dad. Mom is recovering from birth and dealing with unnervingly unpredictable postpartum hormones. Yet, they must put on a smile (and a dress or tie) and entertain guests who want to watch their newborn's penis get snipped.
3. Both parents at this morning's bris spoke beautifully (and admirably, especially considering the above about being new parents and all) at the end of the ceremony. They explained their son's Hebrew and English first and middle names. The mother spoke of her grandfather, whom she honored by using his name as her son's middle name. Our friend said that her grandfather adored his family and would tell his children and grandchildren that he would do anything for them- even get them the moon and stars- because he loved them so much. This new mom said that after being a parent for one short week, she is beginning to more fully understand her grandfather's sentiment and what it means to love a child- one's own child. As she closed her remarks this morning, she promised her eight-day-old son that, if wanted the moon and the stars, she'd try to get them for him.
Our new mom friend so beautifully articulated how I feel about Belle, as well as my immediate ancestors. I would do anything for Belle, whom I love more than I ever thought possible. And I now better understand my parents and grandparents because I am beginning to see what they went through raising my brother and me.
Belle, I would try to get you the moon and stars, the sun and clouds, a rainbow.
1. It is really rather funny (and award) that people gather to watch a circumcision. Ouch. Ew. Really?
2. What a challenge to brand new parents to have to plan and host a party a week after entering parenthood. These new parents aren't sleeping while they struggle to figure out how to be a mom and a dad. Mom is recovering from birth and dealing with unnervingly unpredictable postpartum hormones. Yet, they must put on a smile (and a dress or tie) and entertain guests who want to watch their newborn's penis get snipped.
3. Both parents at this morning's bris spoke beautifully (and admirably, especially considering the above about being new parents and all) at the end of the ceremony. They explained their son's Hebrew and English first and middle names. The mother spoke of her grandfather, whom she honored by using his name as her son's middle name. Our friend said that her grandfather adored his family and would tell his children and grandchildren that he would do anything for them- even get them the moon and stars- because he loved them so much. This new mom said that after being a parent for one short week, she is beginning to more fully understand her grandfather's sentiment and what it means to love a child- one's own child. As she closed her remarks this morning, she promised her eight-day-old son that, if wanted the moon and the stars, she'd try to get them for him.
Our new mom friend so beautifully articulated how I feel about Belle, as well as my immediate ancestors. I would do anything for Belle, whom I love more than I ever thought possible. And I now better understand my parents and grandparents because I am beginning to see what they went through raising my brother and me.
Belle, I would try to get you the moon and stars, the sun and clouds, a rainbow.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
A baby all-nighter
Belle skipped her afternoon nap, though she did resume her early morning nap today. Anyway, she woke up from her midday nap at about 12:40pm and was awake until about 7pm. For an infant to be awake for over six hours straight is like a baby all-nighter.
I think she stayed awake in solidarity or sympathy with/for her CPA grandfather seeing as today is the day before taxes are due.
I think she stayed awake in solidarity or sympathy with/for her CPA grandfather seeing as today is the day before taxes are due.
Singing back at the stereo
Belle loves music, as we've established time and again. She recently seems to have figured out the source of the music. When we play music through our stereo, she looks at the speakers and coos. Tonight, we were listening to a CD while I fed her rice cereal for dinner. In between songs, she looked at the speakers and made cute noises until the music (the next track on the CD) resumed, at which time she gave me a huge smile before taking another bite of cereal.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
A very special dinner
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