Christmas 2008

For the first time in quite a few years, all my siblings were together this year, with our significant others, and our parents, and--naturally--little Munchkin.

Brad, Munchkin and I headed for Mimi and Papa's house in Livonia early on Christmas Eve. A lovely church service included the blessing of Ethan's music, and a beautiful message given by our very own Mimi. The whole gang gathered at the house after church for a rousing (among other things) game of Celebrity and a multitude of merriment.

Our Christmas Day was lazy, relaxing, entertaining, and yummy. I am including ALL the photos this time, which I almost never do, because I think it truly gives a flavor of our gift-opening fun, and the overwhelming sense of love and joy in the room. The adults participated in a (Not-So)Secret-Santa this year, and it was fun to buy for each other, and to see what everyone chose to gift. Of particular amusement were the gifts exchanged between Ethan and Mimi, who had drawn each other's names: matching iPods. Surprise! Our favorite gift for Munchkin was a Bumbo seat from Mimi and Papa. He LOVES sitting in it to observe the world. He also got a this great onesie from Auntie Abigail and Uncle Andy.

One highlight of our trip was having Papa babysit the little one while Brad and I went on a date to see "Australia." Actually, Mimi, Naomi and her friend were there, too, but we had taken separate cars and sat separately at the theatre--aren't we funny. We also did a little Target shopping, saw "Benjamin Button" in two shifts, drank lots of coffee, stayed in PJs VERY late, laughed and giggled, talked and talked and talked and talked.

It was a very Merry Christmas, indeed!

http://gallery.me.com/hannahrae#100226

Compassion (Beware of TMI)

com⋅pas⋅sion [kuhm-pash-uhn]
–noun
1. A feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.
2. What your (very) good friend has for you when your baby deposits two meals worth of vomit ALL OVER her daughter's crib, requiring new sheets, outfits, bathing, etc...and then does it again in the car seat 10 minutes later.

December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas!!!


("Oh Joy! Designs" ohjoydesigns.blogspot.com)

Christmas Memories

Okay, I'll admit it: I stole this post idea from a friend.

But my head is filled with Christmas memories of the past, and I just want to get them down on paper--well, you know what I mean.

1. Photo of Santa
My mom and a friend took a photo that appears to be Santa's bag of goodies disappearing behind the Christmas tree. It was COMPLETELY convincing.

(SPOILER ALERT BELOW!!!! DON'T LET YOUR KIDS READ IT.)
2. Is Santa Real?
Mom used to have a coffee table whose top extended past the legs on both ends. I asked her if Santa were to sit on the end of the table, would he break it. She responded with, "That depends. Do you think Santa is a real person?" Huh.

3. Bikes
One year, my sister and I came downstairs to discover a HUGE pile of gifts. I was exclaiming "Oh my gosh!!!" over and over, and so was she, but she was excited about the pile. It took her several moments to realize that there were two brand new bikes in the middle of the living room.

4. Waiting
A family tradition is always to wait at the top of the stairs on Christmas morning until Mom and Papa turned on the tree lights and did some last minute gift rearranging. Then, all the kids came down at the same time. We still adhere to this tradition, sort of, only now it's more important that we don't start until the coffee is made. ;o)

5. "Rad Dad"
Ah yes. The year of the Rad Dad. Even though my parents were no longer married, Mom used to invite Dad to come to the house on Christmas Day to exchange gifts with us kids. One year, he brought a big box full of...well, just cool stuff. A giant bubble wand, a test tube kit, magic tricks--mostly things you find in those really neat science stores. It was great fun.

6. "It's a Cardigan"
There is an infamous moment of Papa opening this gift, and in his sleepy state, it came out sounding a little tipsy. I'm pretty sure we have it on video somewhere.

7. Theatre
One year, we went to Oklahoma to celebrate with Aunt Nancy and Uncle Joe. My parents gave me my first professional theatre tickets, to "Les Mis." And so it began.

I'm sure there are dozens more, but this is what springs to the immediate mind. Can't wait to add a few more memories this year!

Hanukkah 2008

One of the things I love about December is that I get to celebrate two holidays.

Having taught music for seven years, and prepared holiday programs for seven years, and as the education world became increasingly "tolerant" (read: "politically correct"), I needed to do my research on Hanukkah. I learned about the Maccabees, menorah-lighting procedures (actually, it's called a Hanukkiah--a menorah is something different), latke recipes, dreidel games, the "O Chanukah" song, dancing the hora, etc. But all of that research is pretty dry unless one actually celebrates the holiday with family and friends. Fortunately for me, I am now part of a family that does!

For Munchkin's first Hanukkah celebration, we had two different dinners: one with Grand-Dede and Granny (Harvey and Joyce), and one with Grandma and Grandad (Esther and Rick).

We had a wonderful time on both evenings, and enjoyed keeping true to two slightly different sets of traditions. Highlights from Hanukkah Part I include the following:
- watching Grand-Dede grate potatoes until his arms were going to fall off
- visiting with friends Doug and Laura
- listening to the story of Hanukkah
- Bradley re-living his childhood memories of his dad singing the Hanukkah song and then running around the room with Bradley in his arms (a tradition that Bradley passed on to Munchkin this evening!)
- fun gift exchange including Wii gadgets, fancy headphones and musical toys for us; cameras, gift cards and electric salt and pepper shakers for them

Highlights from Hanukkah Part II:
- yummy brisket and Hannah grating potatoes until her triceps were sore (and still are)
- lighting the candles
- admiring Grandma's card collection
- surprising Esther and Rick with a new TV (see pics)
- opening LOTS of musical gifts for The Munch and a season of theatre tickets for Bradley and Hannah
- watching Melanie, the cat, play in the TV box

Most importantly, both of our Hanukkah celebrations were spent enjoying each other, our family. The love and warmth that surrounded us will keep us for another year.

http://gallery.me.com/hannahrae#100215

The Hard Way

I stole something from a store, once.

I think I was in 2nd or 3rd grade, and I went with my Mom to a craft store, similar to Michael's or Joanne's. While there, I was handling these little fuzzy pompoms. I have no idea what possessed me to stick some up my sleeve and walk out the door, but I did. When Mom (who paid for her items!) and I headed out across the parking lot to the car, she looked behind me to see a little trail of fuzzy pompoms following me on the ground. Upon questioning, I told her that I had put them up my sleeve to "see how they felt" (a lie), and forgot they were there. She let it go...for a while. A few hours after we got home, she questioned me again. (This is where I'm missing some details. I can't remember if she discovered me with more pompoms, or if she just had a feeling...) This time I admitted that I had stolen the pompoms, and, essentially, for no good reason. She marched me back to the store to apologize to the woman at the cash register for having stolen from the store. The woman was FAR too nice to me, and I specifically remember her saying, "Oh, that's okay, we all make mistakes." And while it is true that we all make mistakes, it was NOT okay, and I knew it. That experience has since prevented me from stealing.

(Also, there was a little incident with a person in my life involving stealing from a drug store and getting caught by the security camera, but it's not my place to tell that one.)

Two days ago I lost a glove in Best Buy. Losing a glove is so very frustrating to me because I hate waste--and one glove that doesn't match is a waste. So Munchkin and I stopped at Target yesterday with the hope of getting another pair of gloves identical to the $10 pair I had purchased from there in the first place. I scoured the winter accessories aisles and almost gave up when something on the ground drew my attention. Aha, the gloves! There was one pair of black, fleece, Thinsulate-lined gloves on the floor...separated from each other...with no tags. Literally, it looked as though the gloves had simply fallen out of someone's pockets. I was SO tempted to simply pick up one of the gloves, the left one, and ditch the store completely.

Two things stopped me: I distinctly remember the feeling l had as a child when I had to apologize to Craft Store Lady, and it wasn't a good one. I felt like garbage about myself, and I remember thinking "if only" I hadn't stolen that day, "if only" I had just put the darn pompoms back, I wouldn't have ruined my entire life. Dramatic, I know, but I was eight. Of course, the other thing stopping me was my son's innocent face in his stroller. Even though he wouldn't have been aware of my bad behavior, I don't think that future me would ever have the nerve to march HIM back to Craft Store Lady to apologize for stealing if I wasn't able to learn from my mistakes. So I paid another $10 for the gloves with no tags.

The funny thing is, if I hadn't gotten caught stealing from the craft store, I probably would have done it again. Strange how some people just have to learn the hard way.

Re-Married

I haven't worn my wedding rings in six months.
One of the sad side-effects of my pregnancy was that my knuckles swelled (well, a lot of things swelled, but the knuckles are the only parts relevant to this post). So I finally bit the bullet and had them re-sized.

They say a woman will look at her engagement ring more than one million times in her life. Well, I'll tell ya, I probably logged a couple hundred on the day I picked them up from the jeweler, and I felt like I had just gotten married again. I promptly called my husband and thanked him for picking out such a gorgeous setting. Funny how such a material thing can lift one's mood!

In honor of that mood, here's a little anecdote:
It was pouring rain on the day in March when B and I closed on our house. We were completely unprepared for just how long the process would take, but had taken the entire day off work. After we signed our last signature we immediately drove to our new neighborhood. We were starving, so we picked up a pizza from Papa Romeo's, took it to our sparkling new house, and ate it on the dining room floor.

Three and a half years later, we are blessed with a great dog, a beautiful baby...and we no longer eat on the floor--much.


(Now, how to "re-size" my shoes...)

Carols at the Spinnet

In my quest to actually enjoy the holiday season, rather than be constantly overwhelmed by it, Munchkin and I sat down at the piano to sing some carols.

No more than 2.5 minutes into our attempt at holiday cheer, he pooped himself so badly that I had to cut his onesie off his body to avoid getting poop in his mouth.

Bah humbug.



(Thanks for the idea, Auntie G. Not sure I would have thought to perform that ER procedure on my own...)

Stand Up and Be Counted

I'm about to be high-maintenance.

I use this very fancy program called Google Analytics. With it, I can tell which blog posts get the most traffic, where that traffic comes from, etc. But it doesn't tell me (for obvious reasons) who is reading, and I seem to have the same 3 or 4 people who post comments--which is totally fine, BUT my curiosity is getting the better of me. Also, it is always helpful to the author to know his or her audience when composing.

So I'd like to conduct a little two-question survey because, really, what else have you got to do on a Sunday afternoon in December (haha). You can participate by either posting a comment below (feel free to stay anonymous) or emailing me. You can only email, however, if you already have my address. I don't want to post it here, sorry.

QUESTION ONE:
How often would you estimate that you read this blog (choose the best answer--just like school):
a) I read every post.
b) I read many posts, usually NOT on the day they are originally posted.
c) I read very few posts.
d) This is my first time on this blog.


QUESTION TWO:
Choose from the following statements:
a) I am a relative of Hannah or Brad.
b) I am a friend/aquaintance of Hannah or Brad.
c) None of the above.

Thanks for playing! I'll post the "results," if you're interested.
H

Fasten Your Seatbelts!

Last week we took Munchkin on his first airplane!

The ride itself was fairly uneventful, and the surrounding passengers remarked at how great he was on both flights. The vacation itself was quite jam-packed.

Among our activities were the following:
- an evening with Munchkin's Great-Grandparents (Hannah's Grandparents) and Great-Aunt Pat
- an evening with the Osadchuk relatives (Grammie Val's family)
- a few hours at the pool and golf course
- a dinner at the country club for pasta night and Brad's birthday
- a trip to In and Out Burger (Yum!)
- facials and shopping for the girls
- golf for the golfers

We enjoyed the company and the weather, and can't wait to visit again, soon!


Visit the link for pictures: http://gallery.me.com/hannahrae#100192


(Sorry for the lack of "color" in the posts lately. November and December have sucked out all my creativity. :o) )

Joy to the World

Please observe, as my baby shows you how to be joyous.
In two different locations, no less.

3 months

Dear Munchkin,
You lucked out! No doctor appointment this month, and no shots. Hurray!

Overnight, it seems, you have morphed from a baby into a little boy...which will sound ridiculous to my friends who have older children, but nevertheless. You continue to make great strides, developmentally, and you're such a joy to be around.

I love that you...

- squeal blissfully at the monkey sounds coming from your playmat.
- continue to eat your hands.
- have official tickle spots.
- hold your head up all by yourself.
- can find yourself in a mirror.
- often continue a sucking motion, even when nothing is in your mouth.
- laugh like a real boy at your Dad's funny sounds (and sometimes mine, too).
- "drown" when wind gets in your face...too funny.
- have a windshield wiper arm when you're nursing.
- have to hold my hand when you're trying to fall asleep.
- watch my hands during "Eensy, Weensy Spider."
- seem to truly love monkeys...on your mat, on your shirt, at the zoo (just like your friend, Huey).
- sleep with your arms up over your head (just like your Dad).
- reward me with huge smiles when I come home from being out.

XOXO,
Mom

Haul Out the Holly

NOW it's time for Christmas. :o)

The Rose Family has finally decorated our first family tree. In fact, I've lived away from home for 11 years, and this is my first tree without my mother. What a strange thought. We had a certain set of "rules" when it came to tree trimming in my childhood home. Yes, they were rules we insisted on ourselves; I guess that'show traditions are formed. Here's generally how it went:

1. Purchase a live tree, usually from the parking lot of a furniture store or the equivalent. You couldn't cut a better one down yourself, anyway, and it's only 5 minutes from home. That way, if it doesn't QUITE fit atop the little Honda Civic, it's only a few miles.

2. Bring down the ornament boxes. Or bring up the ornament boxes, I can't remember. That was actually one of the best parts. See step 3.

3. Papa and Mom set up the tree in the metal stand, water it, arrange the skirt, and string the lights (always white) while the kids examine the boxes of ornaments we hadn't seen since last year--or longer, if some of the less attractive homemade ornaments had "accidentally" not made it onto the tree the previous year.

4. Be sure to have holiday music playing on the CD (or tape) player. Bonus points if you have hot chocolate, too. At least one year, we had live music on the piano.

5. Decorate the tree. Kids concentrate on the bottom, grownups on the top. Don't forget to hang ornaments on the BACK of the tree, too, because there are windows there. And yes, that's the best spot for the gigantic dough ornaments made in art class. Be sure to use a hook and not just the string on the ornament, and hang it far enough away from the end of the branch that it won't slide off.

6. Consider things like color, composition, balance (this sounds like the opening to "Sunday in the Park With George"--look it up). And if you don't get it right, don't worry, someone will rearrange it after you go to bed, anyway.

7. Add the tree topper. This should always be some kind of angel in a cone shape; never a star, and certainly never a lighted topper. Tacky.


So, now that I'm an adult, here's how my tree experience went:
We purchased a fake tree. Oops. But it looks real enough that I can tolerate it, AND it won't be a fire hazard when we leave town in a few days. It's gigantic: 4 whole feet tall. When I came downstairs on Saturday morning, my wonderful hubby had assembled the tree, plugged in the lights (let's hear it for pre-lit trees!), and added a few ornaments, at which point I almost panicked. Was he trying to decorate the tree during the day?! Heavens, no. Trees are decorated at night. As we added our meager collection of ornaments to our tiny tree, I caught myself correcting his placement:
"No, you have to use a hook."
"Why."
"Because that's how we do it."
"Um, okay."

We did enjoy ourselves, and I found myself rehashing the history of each ornament in my head. I think it's pretty neat that our ornaments are new enough that I can remember where each came from. (And, admittedly, I "adjusted" a few ornaments after B left the room.)

And we have no topper, and no skirt. I guess we've left room for improvement!

We have tried to purchase an ornament from each vacation we've taken, but we often forget. Here are a token few, however, that we enjoy:

From Maui


St. Lucia


San Francisco


Australia


Sedona

Thanksgiving 2008: Report Card

I've been married and a home owner for 3.5 years, and this was my first major holiday as a hostess. Here's how it went down:

Turkey: A. Very moist, thanks to the brining process, which is definitely the way to go.
Gravy: D. Too thick, too greasy, too rich. But I know how to fix it for next time...I think.
Mashed Potatoes: B. Forgot the scallions, which I really like. But I get bonus points for them actually being warm when served.
Salad: B. I did a spinach salad with strawberries, grape tomatoes, and avocado. Completely forgot the slivered almonds and feta.
Other dishes: A+. Made by Grandma Esther. They were all hot and tasty! (Thank you.)

So, for my first Thanksgiving, I'd say it wasn't bad at all. In fact, it was pretty good. More important than the food, however, was the company. Bradley, Munchkin and I were joined by Bradley's 2nd and 3rd cousins, his mom and Rick. We had lovely conversation and explored our Wii, which B got for his birthday (early). Fun!

Here are a few pics:
Me and My Turkey



Little Lumberjack



Our Mascot (no, I didn't make it)


More pics here. Don't forget to check the gallery for pics you may not have seen.

I Never...

There's a game we used to play in college called "I Never." Now that I'm a Mom, however, the phrase "I Never" has taken on a slightly different connotation.

I Never...realized how noisy baby laundry is in the dryer.
I Never...expected my baby to feel heavy at three months of age.
I Never...thought I'd have to get my wedding rings resized.
I Never...knew how excited I would get about poop. Baby poop, that is.
I Never...EVER thought I'd spend as much time as I do on the couch...nursing.
I Never...really thought that I would love my child as much as other people say they love theirs.
I Never...prepared myself for how my child would affect my marriage.
I Never...anticipated the need to purchase an entirely new shoe wardrobe.
I Never...thought I'd be able to operate on small amounts of interrupted sleep.
I Never...knew how very expressive infants can be, both facially and vocally.
I Never...expected a smile from my son to send me reeling away from the brink of "I can't handle it."
I Never...stared at other people's strollers in the Starbucks like I have in the last 12 months.
I Never...thought my little body could be responsible for large amounts of flatulence.
I Never...expected to be living in THIS house with a child.
I Never...knew the phrase, "It's never too early to start reading," was actually true.
I Never...expected that music would take a (very distant) back seat in my life.
I Never...appreciated my mother the way I do now. (Well, Mom, you knew that was coming. :o) )

I am thankful to have this knowledge, and I wouldn't trade it.

A New Verse...

...to "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush."

Right after "This is the way we wash our clothes," we'll add,
"This is the way we torture the baby, torture the baby, torture the baby.
This is the way we torture the baby so early in the morning."

What the video doesn't really pick up is that every time you blow in his face, he takes a sharp breath in, almost as though he's drowning in air.

Mean mommy.

For the record, Dad was holding the camera. :o)

Escape to Mimi's

As any new mom can tell you, the absence of her spouse can induce panic.

So when Bradley went to Las Vegas for work, we went to Mimi's!

Mimi and Papa and Auntieomi took care of all three of us (Oliver included) while we were there. We had a lovely four days of rest, play, tasty dinners, and TLC. Munchkin got to meet his Great Grandy B, hold and taste a rattle, and see snow (lots of snow) for the first time.

Here are a few token pics:

The. Best. Website. Ever.

Thanks to Auntie A for sending it. When I was watching, all the puppies were sleeping but one--who spent five minutes climbing all over the others to find a spot to snooze.
Enjoy.
http://www.ustream.tv/videoplayerpopup/channel/317016

LoveScarf

Yesterday, I went to chemo; not for myself, but to keep a friend company through her 5 hour treatment. This is her second time battling breast cancer. As we were leaving the hospital, I commented to her that I was completely stunned by the number of people receiving treatment at this hospital, in this city, on this day. Cancer, unfortunately, is everywhere.

So, while I'm one month late for official breast cancer awareness, I'm still going to try to raise some anyway. Fellow blogger, Kage, has organized a LoveScarf project out of NYC. Please consider knitting or crocheting a scarf (or hat) that will be donated to a cancer patient at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Email Kage for a mailing address: kristy at kristyglass dot com.

If you can't do that, perhaps you can find another way to donate your time or love to cancer patients and survivors in your area. Visit Avon or Susan G. Komen for the Cure for more information.

It's November 12.

I'm just sayin'. The economy can't possibly be THAT bad, if these people can afford to run their Christmas lights for seven weeks.

For the Record

Lest anyone think I am the perfect mother with the perfect child, I'm here to set the record straight.

Yesterday, I let my child "cry it out" for the first time. And yes, I DO think he's still too young for that. But sometimes, a Mom's gotta do what a Mom's gotta do.

It all began with a nursing session around 7:30 AM. Munchkin was unusually impatient and fussy, and ended his session by puking up half his breakfast on his playmat about 30 minutes later. Not a problem...it was laundry day, anyway. So, I cleaned up the spit-up, covered the wet spot (temporarily), and sorted the laundry. I even got the whites in the washer before hell--in the form of an adorable, yet cranky, child--broke loose. Literally, THE REST OF THE DAY was spent alternating between carrying him, rocking him, giving the paci, taking it away, putting him down, picking him back up, bouncy chair...all while enduring bloody murder screams.

At 2:45 PM, I was wracking my brains, trying to remember all the mommy advice I had read in my books about what to do to keep my sanity. This graced my memory: "When all else fails, sometimes you need to just put your baby in the crib and walk away." So I did. I closed the nursery door, went into the bathroom two floors down, ran the fan to block out the noise...and had an "Ugly Cry." Now, I know I don't have to explain what that means; we've all had them. During my UC, I weeped out "I can't do this I can't do this I can't do this" for a few minutes, before I remembered an anecdote from a friend, in which her child was left to "cry it out," and puked all over himself and his crib because he got so upset.

Faced with another puking episode, I rescued the babe, plopped him in the stroller and took him out for a walk--another suggestion from my Books. 45 minutes later, we returned home to nurse again, still while fussing and squirming.

At 5:00, I finally discovered the problem, because it manifested in the form of poop. Yes, my darling son pooped himself so badly it required an immediate soaking of clothing and a bath. Poor kid.

After a very stressful day (for both of us), Munchkin responded by sleeping through the night.

Darn it--I just lost your sympathy, didn't I. ;o)

Feeling Bookish

It's never too early to start reading!

A couple of our current favorites:

- "That's Not My Puppy" (Usbourne)
- "The Going-to-Bed Book" (Boynton)
- "Nursery Rhymes" (published by Priddy Books)

The latter is particularly special because it comes with a recording of each nursery rhyme set to music...and the singer is English. So we now have a lovely collection of nursery rhymes sung by a poor man's Julie Andrews. Many of you know that it is a secret dream of mine for my children to speak in English accents. This is a great start! ;o)

"Here we go round the 'mool-bree' bush..."

One of the books on our wish list is "Gallop," by Rufus Butler Seder (what a name!). We saw it at a children's boutique in the city, but were convinced we could find it cheaper elsewhere. He uses "scanimation" to tell his animal story. When I was a kid, we used to call these "holograms." You know, that plastic-y stuff that shows one picture when you hold it still, and another when you change the angle slightly? Seder's book is comprised entirely of these pictures. Way cool.

At this rate, I'm sure Munchkin will be reading in no time--being brilliant and all. ;o)

Milestone

Watch and learn.

"Change Has Come to America"

I wasn't planning to post about the election. I believe very strongly in being gracious in victory, and was concerned that any mention of it would have been misconstrued as the opposite.

However, this blog is turning into a memoir or diary of sorts for my son, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention this historic event in our country's history.

So...


Dear Munchkin:
Today, our country made history. The 44th President of the United States will be Barack Obama, the first black man to be elected to this office. Here is an excerpt of what he had to say:

"This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one thats on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. Shes a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldnt vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that shes seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when womens voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that We Shall Overcome. Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we cant, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America."

2 Months

10 lbs, 2.6 oz; 23 1/4 in

Dear Munchkin:
We visited Dr. B again today (our wonderful pediatrician) for your two month checkup. Can you believe it? He said, and I quote: "Wow, Munchkin is very advanced," in reference to a couple of benchmarks you have reached a few months before expected.

I love watching you...

- hit the monkey on the "jungle gym"
- watch the ceiling fan with rapt attention
- shove your entire fist in your mouth
- have smiling conversations with me, many still while your paci is in your mouth
- truly enjoy taking a bath
- take breaks while eating to look around and smile at me
- better tolerate being dressed in "real boy" outfits
- ride your bicycle
- play by yourself on the jungle gym for loooong stretches of time
- suck on your fists with vehemence, trying desperately to find your fingers
- stick your tongue out at your Dad
- move your head with your eyes when you track objects
- hold yourself up during "tummy time," with your fists balled up under you
- roll from your tummy to your back (which so impressed Dr. B)
- recognize your Dad when he comes home from work
- decide how you're going to handle that puppy who loves to kiss you

Lions, Tigers and Bears...oh my!

As my friend, "Auntie G," put it, "When it's 70 degrees in Chicago on November 3rd, you go outdoors."

And so we did! We took the boys to the Lincoln Park Zoo on Monday, primarily as an activity for mommies; not because we thought they'd actually be able to appreciate the animals. The LP Zoo is an amazing thing, really. If you face one direction, you see the downtown skyline. If you turn around 180 degrees, you see a giraffe. We also saw hippos, rhinos, bears, cats, and even spiders and cockroaches (ick). But my favorite moment of the day came in the primate house. There was a particular breed of monkeys (nope, can't remember which kind) enclosed in a glass cage that were showing off for us. They chased each other around, they played on the rope swing, and--most amusingly--rebounded off the glass right before our eyes. I took Munchkin out of the stroller with the hope that he could perhaps see the furry guys that were so close to us. I like to think he could. :o)

Oh, and the best thing about LPZ? It's free!


(There is a white-lipped deer in the background.)

"Happ"-y Halloween

Yet another Halloween celebration occurred last Thursday, when Munchkin and I were invited to a daytime party (hosted by our friends, the Happs).

Here's how the ages stacked up:
Elmo-2 yrs
Skeleton-10 mos
Monkey 1- 9 mos
Monkey 2- 8 mos
Sunflower- 7 mos
Turtle (our host)- 6 mos
Pumpkin (Munchkin)- 2 mos

We had a marvelous time! The adults ate yummy treats, the babies ate yummy milk (some had finger food!), and we watched the kids interact with each other. Christine had put out Turtle's "jungle gym," jolly jumper, swing, etc., which kept the babies thoroughly occupied. We did manage to get a group shot of all the kids, but Munchkin didn't make it into the shot you see posted. Supposedly, another parent has better pics. I'll post it when I get it.

Thanks, Happ Family!


More pics: http://gallery.me.com/hannahrae#100166

The Elephant or the Donkey

Tomorrow is Election Day, and no, I'm not here to pander.

Since I live in Illinois, I frequently hear comments like, "Well, we live in a blue state, so it doesn't really matter if I vote or not." It's certainly true that the Presidential campaign trail seems to run cold in states like ours, and I have often wished to live in Ohio or Florida, just to get a little attention. But I try not to let these sentiments dissuade me from showing up to the polls. After all, not all elections are for Presidents--including this one. I haven't forgotten to check out the issues surrounding our local races; and I never just vote the straight ticket without doing plenty of research.

Tomorrow, Bradley, Munchkin and I will all go to our voting facility together. It is a family tradition I hope to continue until Munchkin is old enough to vote, himself...even if we're still living in this "blue" state. Regardless of the outcome, voting is our right, our privilege, and--most importantly--our responsibility.

Make your own mark on this historic election. Go vote.


(Composed on 10/26/08)

Halloween Part II: Pumpkins!

Tonight's "adventure" was pumpkin carving! Unfortunately, Brad was out of town for the experience, but I got a little technical support from Auntie and Uncle A. Munchkin, of course, was the biggest help of all. :o)

Weekend Update: Halloween, Part I

Munchkin was invited to his first Halloween party--and so were his parents!

But you can tell we are still new at our jobs (parenting, that is) because neither one of us left the house with a camera. Doh! But our wonderful party hosts are bloggers, so I'll include the link to photos when they post them.

A quick synopsis:
Halloween is the Gelbers' favorite holiday, and every inch of their home was decked out in Halloween splendor. From cauldrons, to strobe lights, to spider webs and more, it was a spooky place. About two hours into the super fun party, it looked like a toy factory had exploded in their family room...which led me to the conclusion that I'm not ready to be the parent of a toddler. :o) The big kids had a craft (paper plate pumpkins) and played pin the something on the something else (I never got close enough to see what it was), and everyone had a wonderful time!

When we returned home, we enjoyed a nice evening with Mimi and Munchkin's two Aunties. Mimi and Auntie N babysat Munch the night before, too, while Mom and Dad enjoyed an evening of theatre. Thanks!

It was a great weekend!

P.S. Can you tell what Brad is? (His shirt says, "Go Ceilings!")

More photos: http://gallery.me.com/hannahrae#100146

Milestone

See Munchkin's right hand?

It grabbed that giraffe's foot with no help!



The giraffe isn't very happy.



But we are!

Look Ma! No Hands!

Maybe he'll be able to skip training wheels.

Mastitis

I have it. It hurts.

Fortunately, my OB is awesome and called in a prescription immediately, so I'm already on the mend. Yesterday, Munchkin and I sat on the couch and laid in the bed...all day. It was nice to take a day off, even if I was laden with chills and flu-like symptoms.

"Mastitis is an infection of the breast tissue that causes pain, swelling and redness of the breast. Mastitis most commonly affects women who are breast-feeding, although in rare circumstances this condition can occur outside of lactation." Mayo Clinic.

"Decided"

After many weeks, I stayed true to my word:

I watched every minute of every debate, and much of the "post game" shows on CNN. The last Presidential debate sealed the deal.

So.

"Obama 08!!!"


P.S. The slogan is from SNL. The T-shirt was created at The T-Shirt Deli.You can find my original "Undecided" post here.

Gone Pickin'

Because I (we) heart fall so very much, we decided that this weekend's adventure would be to find a place where we could pick apples and pumpkins in one fell swoop. It almost worked out.

We journeyed to a magical place called "Apple Holler," just north of Kenosha, WI. What we found when we arrived were apple orchards, a pumpkin patch, hay rides, corn maze, doughnuts, cider...and the entire population of Wisconsin and most of Illinois.

Our day began when we entered the grounds and our senses were immediately overwhelmed by the sights, the people, and the reggae music. Yup, you heard me. After standing in line for 15 minutes, we were told by The Apple Folk that the trees were almost completely bare, but if we liked we could still pay $37.99 (no joke) for a plastic bag that we may or may not be able to fill up with apples. We passed.

We then went to have lunch at the restaurant, only to discover that the only dining option was a buffet of turkey, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, etc. Now, I was okay with this but anyone who has met my darling husband (DH for you blog-savvy readers) knows that he's a tad choosy about his food. The idea that dozens of people were breathing on what he's about to consume kinda grosses him out. Come to think of it, I guess I'm not a huge fan of the buffet either.

After that, we walked to the "pick your own pumpkin" patch. Now, I've not picked my own pumpkin in a few years, but I guess I was actually expecting to cut a pumpkin off the vine with my own two hands. Really, we just selected it from a picked over patch and transported it back to the main area via tractor pull. It just goes to show you how ignorant I was about pumpkin picking. We did, however, find a lovely pumpkin.


After that, we stood in another very long line to purchase our apple cider doughnuts and a 1/2 gallon of apple cider...not manufactured at Apple Holler, I realized later. (The doughnuts were tasty.)

We deemed the afternoon to be a lovely, sunny day spent together as a family, even if the events in and of themselves were a bit of a failure. We learned a lesson: go apple picking on a Monday in September. :o)

I Heart Fall.

Inspired by this post (written by my mom), I have a version of my own:

I love fall because...

1. The smell of fallen leaves. It's musty, slightly rotten, and I love it. Bonus points if they're really dry and crunchy.
2.Pumpkins. I love the seeds (after you cook 'em), the smell of the guts, and one day I'll make pumpkin stew. The only part I don't actually like is the carving. Never been very good at that. It always ends up looking like the same face.
3. Macintosh apples. Yum!
4. Hoodies like this one I got from J. Crew. They're the cosiest clothing on earth.
5. Warm and snuggly baby clothes. Like this hat I bought for Munchkin at Baby Gap.
6. Those evergreen bushes that get the little red berries on them. Reminds me of playing outdoors as a kid. We'd mash them up to make "berry stew"...and fake blood.
7. Football. Okay, I don't really love football itself. But the idea of football is great. People bundled up and cheering together....well, it's a nice thought, anyway.
8. Soup. I always miss cooking soup over the summer.
9. Apple cider. Preferably cold with a doughnut, or hot in the evening.
10. Halloween. Granted, I'm waaaay not into the ghouls and witches aspect, but I love the pumpkins and trick-or-treating.
11. Thanksgiving. Truly my favorite holiday of the year. Of course, I've never hosted it before, never been responsible for the food, rarely have to lift too many fingers to enjoy it. But I think the wind is a-changin'....stay tuned.
12. Fall colors. Enjoy.

(The Little Tree That Could)

Six Weeks and Counting

Today I am six weeks old.

Nothing monumental to report...but my mom hasn't posted a batch of pictures in over a week (oh, the horror).

http://gallery.me.com/hannahrae#100104

Baby Einstein

Now, I realize that my son is only 5 1/2 weeks old...but he's quite accomplished.

He can talk.
He can play percussion instruments.
And he can hit the monkey.
Brilliant.


(P.S. What's with the weird, modal version of "Three Blind Mice??")

A Bad Habit

We're so proud.



(Pardon the nudity.)

Yom Kippur-ing

More "firsts." Today Munchkin celebrated his first holiday, and went to Grandma's house for the first time.

If you're interested, you can read about Yom Kippur here. Note: I can't tell you on which day we celebrated, because we didn't do it on the correct day. We also didn't wear white, I was wearing suede (and I'm pretty sure if you can't wear leather, you can't wear suede), bathed that day, AND put on deodorant. I'm a very bad Shiksa. :o)

But we did enjoy a lovely meal prepared by Munchkin's Grandma, played with Melanie (the cat), and listened to some baby lullabies.

Thanks, Grandma!