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Our week at the beach

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Our week down in Emerald Isle, NC has been fantastic – such a relief to get away and enjoy a bit. We had a long drive to get here in the car, so we decided to try leaving at night so that Micah would sleep through the entire trip. Surprisingly, we managed to get ourselves together and out the door on time (despite a vet appointment during the day for Nugget and a visit to the hospital to see a friend), and Micah cooperated by falling asleep in his carseat and sleeping the entire trip! The weather was horrible and it took us forever to get going, but we made it to the beach safe and sound. Micah transferred easily into the pack ‘n play, and Elliot and I settled in and went to sleep.

The house we are staying in is nice – nothing fabulous, but clean, in a good location, and nice. Micah woke up around 7 on Thursday morning. I nursed Micah, and Elliot was wonderful and took care of Micah while I went back to sleep for another hour. I took over in time to put Micah down for his nap. When he woke up again, I nursed him and fed him his breakfast. While I was taking care of Micah, Elliot took the time to go exploring. He likes to scope out the neighborhood – he found the grocery stores, and he went in search of a pool we could use later in the week.

After lunch, we headed off to the beach. Poor Elliot – he was loaded down like a pack mule! We used the bike trailer I bought him for Father’s Day as our stroller, and it was really an asset this trip. The big wheels handled the sandy beach quite well, and we strapped Micah in along with the beach bag, blankets and towels. Unfortunately, we did not think to bring enough beach toys, a sun umbrella, or beach chairs on our first trip. It took us a few days to finally get it all down to a science and remember everything we needed.

As an aside, I’m amazed by how much more complicated it is to travel with a baby. We just have so much more STUFF we need to bring. We had toys (we brought the jumper, an activity table, the gumball machine, a few animal chimes, the giraffe, the winkle, the stacking rings, and the nesting pails for the beach), a travel high chair/booster seat, towels, baby food, bottles, pumping stuff, baby bowls and spoons, diapers, wipes, swim diapers, music, a pack n play, a bottle brush, a cooler, the sun tent, the baby float, puffs, rice cereal, oatmeal, sippy cups, a diaper bag, music, hats, bathing suits, suntan lotion, shampoo, lotion, baby monitor, lovey blanket, cloth diapers, and strollers. Not to mention our regular beach stuff and our own clothing. AND we brought the dog, so we had all of her stuff, too.

Once we finally got everything together and made it out the door, we decided to stop at the pizza place and grabbed lunch. On our way to the beach, we walked by one of the pools we were considering trying out this week. It took us a while, but we made it to the beach around 2:00 or so. Micah had a great time – he had such a big smile on his face. He loved the ocean, and he loved the sand and water. We purchased a sun tent for Micah – it kind of looks like a mini camping tent, and it has SPF in the fabric to protect him from the sun. We tried to keep him in there most of the time, and he seemed to really like it. The sides are mesh, so he had a nice breeze flowing through the tent. We also took him down to the water and found a spot right at the edge where the waves were lapping the sand. I sat him up on the sand (how much do I LOVE this sitting thing!?!). About every 8th or 10th wave came out and touched us. Micah watched the waves, screeched with joy, and dug his hands in the sand. I picked him up and held him upside down over some of the waves a bit further in so he could stick his hands in the water. While he was sitting, he did keep trying to eat the sand. I’m not sure I understand the fascination there. I mean, I understand sticking the handful of sand in the mouth the first time, but seriously, how many times does it take before one realizes that a mouthful of sand is just icky!?!








After a few hours at the beach, we came home, showered, changed and tried running to the grocery store before meltdown. Unfortunately, we *just* missed getting all of our shopping done by 7:00 pm, and Micah was not happy towards the end of our trip. I had to run with a screaming baby out to the car and sit and nurse him. By the time we got him home, he was over-tired, and let’s just say bedtime was not a fun experience. I finally got Micah to fall asleep around 8:45, and he was out for the night.

On Friday, my parents joined us mid-day. Micah woke up at his usual time, we played, he napped with his Daddy, then he ate his breakfast, and we waited for my parents. Once they arrived, we headed off to the beach while they unpacked and got lunch. We did not make it there until almost 2:00 pm again (far cry from the time I like to be on the beach when I vacationed pre-baby), so we only stayed for a few hours. Micah was just adorable! He kept screeching with joy at the beach. He smiled when he saw the waves, and he had a great time rolling around in his sun tent. He napped on the beach, and I nursed him, and it was another wonderful and relaxing day. Friday night, Elliot decided to cook dinner – he made fajitas, and they were delicious! We spent the evening relaxing and hanging out. Micah spent some time rolling all over the floor (and getting stuck under furniture) before he went to bed.












On Saturday (4th of July) my mom, dad, Micah and I went to the shops for a few hours in the morning. Behind the stores, there was a small lake with turtles (probably snapping turtles). We had so much fun watching them swim and eat! After lunch, we went back to the beach with my parents. Another relaxing day. Elliot and I took a long walk together down the beach, Micah napped, and we stayed on the beach until almost 6:00 pm. We headed home, got Micah bathed and ready for bed, and Elliot grilled in honor of the 4th of July. We were able to watch fireworks from our deck, and we watched A Capitol Fourth on tv. It was the perfect end to a wonderful day.








On Sunday, we woke up and decided to take the boardwalk to the Sound.





(Sidenote: many years ago, we went on a family vacation to the Thousand Islands in Canada. We spent one day fishing out on a boat, and each of us, in turn, caught a very large fish . . . except for my father. When we each caught our fish, we took a picture grinning from ear to ear and holding our fish up. My father, so as to avoid being left out, worked for 20 minutes trying to catch a minnow with a fish net from the bait bucket. When he couldn’t grab that, we fished one out for him, and he, too, posed for his picture, holding a tiny little minnow. We met some nice people on the dock, who humored my father, helped him fish out another little bait minnow, and he posed for this picture – just a bit of deja vu!)



We had a lovely walk, but when we came back, we realized we had locked ourselves out. Elliot and my father were working on breaking into the house when the cleaning crew showed up! Luckily, they showed us where the spare key was, and we were able to get back inside. Good thing they showed up on the wrong day! After spending the afternoon at the beach, we decided to attempt dinner out with Micah. We went to eat at a local restaurant, Portofino, and my little guy was great. My biggest complaint for the day? Andy Roddick. For you tennis fans out there, I was DEVASTATED when Andy Roddick lost to Roger Federer in the finals at Wimbledon. The match was so exciting, and Roddick just made 1 poorly timed error (well, 4, if you count those 4 set points he blew in the 2nd set) and it was all over. Such a disappointing end to a fabulous match!

While I was putting Micah to bed Sunday night, Elliot and my dad decided to run out to the grocery store and then to the ice cream store. Long story short, my dad tripped on the way inside with the ice cream. He has a bad back and made a HORRIBLE noise – we were sure he’d fallen down a flight of stairs and seriously re-injured his back. While he had a nasty cut on his arm, a few bruises (including a bruised ego) he was just fine. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for the ice cream! Yup, it spilled ALL over the carpet. And the walls. Needless to say, the ice cream was chocolate, and the carpet is beige. Yes, it was quite a mess. After making sure my dad was okay and securing the area from the dog, my mom and I set about the task of cleaning up. We started with water and did our best to minimize the stains. We then headed out to the store and bought some Resolve (and some bandaids for my dad). We soaked the area and scrubbed some more. The mess was better, but we were still concerned about the stains on the floor.

On Monday morning, I decided it was time to take Nugget to the beach – her first trip! She has been spending most mornings basking in the sun on the deck, but I’ve always wanted to bring her to the ocean. I have to say, I was a bit disappointed. When she was a puppy, she had such an energy – she loved to pounce, and she loved the waves at the local lake where I would take her wading. I thought she would be chasing waves and going crazy in the sand – all full of life. We arrived at the beach, and she looked around. She seemed to like the sand, and smiled at the ocean. She was curious about the waves. . . . until they got her wet. Then she looked at me sideways as if to say “okay, mom, I’ve seen the ocean – can I PLEASE eat my breakfast now?




After I returned from walking Nugget (and bathed her), I soaked the carpet with Resolve AGAIN and scrubbed some more. We felt the stains were better, but we were still concerned. We figured a little time and soaking would do the carpet some good, so we sprayed it again and let it sit. The weather was lousy on Monday, so we headed out to Beaufort, a small town here on the Crystal Coast, and hit the shops. We ate ice cream and fudge, bought a few things, and just had a pleasant afternoon. We went out for a buffet dinner at the Golden Corral (we intended to go to a local buffet, but it was closed on Monday), and we made it home just in time to put Micah to bed. On the way home, we stopped at the grocery store to pick up more Resolve – yes, we used an ENTIRE bottle trying to clean the carpet. After a bit more spraying and scrubbing, we started to feel better about the condition of the carpet.

Today was Spa Day! We headed out to the OC Spa in Indian Beach and scheduled facials, massages, and a nice lunch. Micah spent the day hanging out by the pool, and enjoyed his first day at the spa. We are all thoroughly relaxed and refreshed. Unfortunately, this is the end of our vacation. We stayed in and ate leftovers for dinner, and we are starting the process of packing up to leave. My parents will leave first thing in the morning, and we will be spending the day on the beach and then packing up to leave when it is time to put Micah to bed. We are hoping the weather will be better on the trip home and Micah will sleep through the ride back.






All-in-all, it was a wonderful, relaxing and pleasant week. I am so thankful my parents could join us and help out with Micah. I think it was a great way for him to spend time with his grandparents, and it was a great getaway for all of us.

Breastfeeding

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After all this time, I’m still breastfeeding Micah. As you know, I actually have not loved breastfeeding, but I continued to do it because I thought it was good for Micah and I was worried about my allergy to the infant formula. When I initially began breastfeeding, I hoped to make it to 3 months, and then if all went well, I would continue to 6 months (if it was convenient). I never really expected to make it this far, and I have to admit that I always thought women who breastfed beyond 6 months were crazy. So, why am I still breastfeeding? I have no idea.

Maybe it is because weaning Micah means he is officially a “big boy” and I’m not ready for that. Maybe it is because I fought so hard for this and Micah is doing so well that I am afraid to rock the boat by introducing formula. Maybe it is because I am afraid he will develop my allergy. Or maybe I’m just not ready to let go. I wish I knew, because I really, truly am sick of all the stuff that comes with breastfeeding – pumping, being tied down, worrying about supply, and frankly the responsibility.

I keep saying “next week” I am going to switch to exclusively bottle-feeding him breast milk during the day, and when my milk supply drops, I’ll start replacing with formula and I’ll cease pumping. My biggest challenge? I hate pumping, so I don’t feel like bottle feeding him and pumping when breast feeding is easier. I could start skipping a session and just give him formula, but I think I’m afraid if I skip a feeding time for a few days, my supply will completely dry up overnight. Part of me keeps waiting for a sign – the doctor to tell me he isn’t gaining weight fast enough, or for my supply to suddenly disappear or for Micah to refuse to nurse, but that hasn’t happened. So I keep going along and nursing him. Maybe when he is at 7 months, I’ll switch to bottle feeding him the frozen stash of breastmilk I have, and when that runs out, I’ll start giving him formula? We shall see.

Right now, things are going well. It seems that Micah has dropped from 6 nursing sessions to only 5 most days. Each time I think I’ve had enough, he makes it easier for me! We’ll see how much longer I hang in there.

All About Me

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I spend a lot of time posting about Micah because, frankly, that is why most of you come to read the blog! But today I am making this post all about me. I am thinking of discussing different topics in just a random order, so forgive all the non sequiturs.

Mah Jong. I have recently turned into one of those little old suburban Jewish moms – I started to play Mah Jong. Some of you may have no clue what these two things have to do with each other, but for my Jewish readers, you know that the majority of suburban (and even urban) Jewish mothers and ESPECIALLY grandmothers seem to play mah jong. The game is based on a Chinese game that is a lot like Rummy. When I was a child, my mom and her friends used to play mah jong every week. I remember many nights when the ladies would gather around the kitchen talking, laughing, eating (a few of them smoking) and playing all night long. Well, it was probably only until 11 or 12, but at the time it seemed like “all night” because I had to go to bed while they played. In my teen years and even in my 20s, I had no interest in learning how to play. In fact, I’m certain I mocked my mother (and my grandmother) for being “old ladies” because they enjoyed mah jong. I kept thinking of it as a “Jewish mother” or “Jewish grandmother” game. I have no idea when my mockery gave way to interest. Over the past few months, I noticed more and more on Facebook that my friends (both single and married) set their status to inform everyone that they are off to play mah jong. Maybe that is what piqued my interest. All I know is that a few weeks ago, when one of the women in my playgroup mentioned something about starting a game, I was excited to learn. For our first weeks, we have been rotating houses and taking advantage of our mah jong playing mothers to teach us how to play. Monday night was my mom’s turn. I think we are getting better, and perhaps soon, we’ll be all set to play on our own!

Diet. I am so frustrated with myself about my weight. I put on a lot of weight trying to get pregnant, and I thought that because I did not gain weight during the pregnancy, I would be skinny in no time once I gave birth. Wrong! I’ve been breastfeeding, and while it has not been a source of huge weight loss for me, my biggest fear is that it is the only thing keeping me from gaining massive amounts of weight. I am slowly coming to the end of breastfeeding (I’ll save that discussion for another post), and I really need to get my diet back under control so I do not put any weight on when I wean him. Frankly, I need to do more than just avoid gaining weight when I wean Micah – I really need to commit to South Beach again and lose weight. I’ve been avoiding it for quite a while – I always have an excuse: breastfeeding makes me hungry, I’m going on vacation so I am waiting until I get back, etc., etc. I really do need to just commit to losing weight and taking care of myself. I wish it wasn’t so hard!

Exercise. I have been terrible about exercising lately, but I am trying to get back into it. I have gone to the pool to swim my laps a few times in the past few weeks, and I have been desperately trying to attend my yoga class (the one I had to drop when I was put on bedrest). It turns out, failure to exercise for long periods of time results in poor physical shape. Who would have thought? Part of my effort to lose some weight is to get back into good physical shape. I’m working on committing to that process.

Finding me. I really need to continue working on finding me again. Life has gotten easier now that Micah is getting older and we have a daycare solution. I am building time to work into my schedule, and I am slowly building time for a social life into my schedule, too. Now, if I can figure out how to work in the diet and exercise, too, I’d really be on top of things! Elliot and I have been going out on “date night” on Thursdays. I have been meeting my friends weekly to play mah jong, and I try to take some time out for a walk with a friend or a dinner out once each week. I’m thinking of starting a wine club for my friends – just a fun evening once a month. I really think that I’m on my way to having that perfect balance I am seeking!

Video Wednesday

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I thought it was time for more Micah video! Hope you enjoy. Just press the triangle on the lower left corner to play.

Off to the beach!

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Last-minute, Elliot found a great deal on a condo in Emerald Isle, NC, so we are off for the next week! We will be working and beaching and enjoying ourselves. We decided to leave at night so that Micah can hopefully sleep the entire way there. My parents will be joining us in a few days, and we are hoping for a wonderful vacation! I’ll do my best to keep blogging while we are out of town – we’ll be driving back next Wednesday, July 8th (just in time to start our music class with the nasty Singalong with Karen – I have a sneaking suspicion asking her for a makeup class would not have gone well).

Favorite Things

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I last did this post when Micah was about 2 months old. Now that he is older, we have a different list of “favorite things” I thought I would share.

Baby Einstein Exersaucer
Rainforest Jumperoo (we also got an Evenflo doorway jumper for traveling)
Innobaby Packin’ Smart stackable snack holder
Cooler bag (put bottles/food in here when traveling – we’ve been using a lunch-sized bag)
Little Tikes Piano
Little Tikes Activity Center
gumball machine
Baby Blocks
Stacking Rings
Tagalong Chimes
Graco Pack N Play (with diaper changing station and bassinet)
Blanket and Beyond Blue bear lovey (small blanket with a bear in the middle)
Gund dog blanket
Bumbo seat w/ tray
High chair – we are using the Evenflo chair with a wipeable cushion
First Years Sectioned Bowl
Spoons – turn white when food is hot
First Years Take and Toss Spoons
Sippy cups – we like the Nuby (10 oz and 8 oz with handles) because it is an all-in-one vented system (no small parts to lose), but we are also trying the Born Free
Organic baby food (we’ve been liking Earth’s Best and we also buy some Gerber organics)
Babycubes food storage containers We’ve been using these for freezing the homemade babyfood
Snack cups
hand blender/food mill if you make your own food (I’ve heard good things about the beabo all-in-one but have never used it – we just cook the food in our own pots and hand blend or use a food mill)
Organic puffs
Organic teething biscuits
Icy teething rings (filled with gel and can be frozen – we have a foot and a Baby Einstein caterpillar)
Winkle
giraffe
Swimways baby float with canopy
iplay swimwear (bathing suits, rash guard shirts, hats)
Wipeable bibs
Summer Infant Video Monitor
Summer Bath Center
Cloth diapers (prefolds) (we use these for burp cloths, as a barrier to the changing pad, for wiping up after eating – generally useful!)
Diaper Dekor diaper pail
Biodegradeable trash bags (to carry in diaper bag)
Fisher Price Electronic Mobile
Fisher Price booster seat
Sunshine Kids Easy View Mirror
Carrier – Ergo (better support/comfort/higher weight limit) and Baby Bjorn (forward facing)
CityMini Stroller
Aveeno Baby Wash and Baby Daily Moisturizing Lotion
First Years bath cushion
Medicine pacifier – we still use that everyday to give him his Trivisol and Zantac.
Dutailier glider – we love it and use it every night when we put Micah to bed!
Pampers – we are still a pampers family! We may try out the Costco diapers (we’ve heard good things) when he moves into the cruisers, but for now, we’re all about the Pampers swaddlers. We’ve tried Huggies (they are too big for Micah and leak), Seventh Generation (he peed right through it) and Luvs (he can pee right through those things in 5 seconds flat) and Target brand (like the Luvs – not so absorbent). Apparently, Babies R Us just came out with their own generic brand, too – have not yet tried them.

I’m not sure if this counts, but we found a consignment shop, and that might also qualify as one of our “favorite things” because we have gotten so much fromt here at a great price.

Feel free to add your own “must haves” to the list – I always like learning of new things, and I’m sure others will appreciate the input!

Can women “have it all?”

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I have a feeling this blog post will be a bit controversial. My friend Tammy has a theory – that women cannot “have it all.” On one level, I think I am going to have to disagree with her, but it is possible that our disagreement is a question of semantics. As every good lawyer must ask, what does “having it all” really mean? I think that by some definitions, Tammy is right – no one can have it all. But, by other definitions, anyone (including women) can certainly have it all.

Some may think that “having it all” means having the perfect job, working 9 million hours a week, having a family, being there full-time, being strong and independent while simultaneously being domestic, having plenty of money – you know, having everything 100%. By that definition, I do not believe ANYONE, male or female, can “have it all.” As a matter of mathematic principle, it is impossible to give yourself 100% to more than one task. I think the question for me is whether a woman can strike a balance between work, home, love and self that allows her to enjoy all of these areas without feeling as if she is missing out or losing something. I think a woman who finds that balance does, indeed, “have it all.”

Women often feel that there is societal pressure to choose – a high-powered career or a family? Women are made to feel that if they pursue their career, they are doing so to the detriment of their family. Frankly, if a single woman spends long hours at a job, then there is very little time available for dating and relationships. If a well-educated woman earns a high salary, many men are intimidated (and some even feel emasculated) and they fear having a relationship with a strong, financially independent and secure woman. Even more than that, if a woman works long hours or travels, it is difficult to juggle everything and schedule a date. It is also hard to find men who are willing to change things last-minute when work interferes. Ironically, there are many men out there in the same situation – while one would think these men would be understanding, these men are often the least willing to be flexible – they expect someone to bend to their demanding schedule and they have no interest in working around another person. Their time is tight, and they want to date a woman who is available and waiting on them.

I know that when I was single and dating, I often had challenges finding men who were comfortable with my job, my salary bracket, the fact that I owned my own house. More than one man said he felt that I did not need him. Indeed, these men were correct – I did not need any of them to live my life. Elliot was the first man I met who did not have a problem with the fact that I did not “need” him. It did not bother him that I had my own career, that I had a graduate degree and he did not, or that some years I earn more money than he does. He appreciated my independence and intelligence, and he was proud of the work that I do. I learned that while such a relationship is hard to come by, it does exist.

It is easier for men to balance relationships and work – society puts lower expectations on men in terms of balancing work, home, love and self. In fact, society seems to teach men that if they put everything into work, whatever they have leftover to give to the other compartments is sufficient. Men can have demanding careers, get married, have children, and when they prioritize career over family, they are still said to “have it all.” Some are able to find women with less demanding careers who are willing to accept whatever time is given – a pass that many men are unwilling to give to women with demanding careers. Nevertheless, in my opinion, men who pursue their careers to the extreme heights also have to make choices (albeit more socially acceptable choices) – they cannot hold jobs with long hours and stay in the rat race without missing out on family. But, somehow, an “absent father” (or one who is only present on weekends) is viewed by society as a good father – he is providing for his family. It is socially acceptable for him to put the hours into work, miss out on precious time with his wife and children, and still be viewed as a “good father.” Yet, when a woman works the long hours, she is often viewed as a “bad mother” – neglecting her children and husband, and letting “someone else” raise her kids. Perhaps that is what Tammy means when she says women cannot “have it all.”

Somewhere along the way in my career, I made a choice – a choice about what I wanted for myself professionally. It was not a decision I made based on a desire to get married (which I did not have) or a desire to have children (which was far off in the future at that time), but it was a decision I made based on my desire to live my life and enjoy it. I knew I wanted to have a career, and I knew I wanted to earn a good salary, but I also knew I wanted to find balance in my life. At one point, I worked over 300 billable hours every month at a big law firm. In 2001, I decided to walk away from that life – not because I couldn’t “have it all,” but because I realized that I was on a career path that lacked the balance I was seeking. It was not a life I wanted for myself. I never felt that I walked away from my career, or that I could not continue to work in my trained profession. Instead, I went in search of a job that could be satisfying and challenging, but still allow me to live life – take vacation, enjoy a summer day at the pool, and ultimately, have time to spend with my loved ones. I am lucky that I found that job – I work enough hours to be occupied, well-compensated, busy (sometimes even overwhelmed) and thoroughly challenged by my profession. I would say (based on my salary and hours) that I work full-time, however, I absolutely have hours during the work week almost every week to devote to my personal life. When I left the world of corporations and law firms, I did take a pay cut – perhaps about 20-30% at the time (and perhaps a more significant difference now). I do not miss that money. When I was earning it, I never had time to enjoy it.

It is true that men less frequently make the choice for balance. It is also true that seeking balance is challenging as a woman – we are often not taken seriously when we say we want to do it all. We have this fear that if we drop our hours, or try to structure flexible schedule, or choose a job that allows for more personal time, we are wasting our education or giving up on our career paths to success. I beg to differ – I think it is time we (as a society) start to redefine success, both personally and professionally. I do believe, most days, that I “have it all.” I am constantly striving to improve my balance between work, love, home and self, but I have each of those components in my life, in a proportion that suits me. It is not always easy to maintain that balance, and some days I find that some parts of my life encroach on others. The biggest challenge for me is figuring out how to maintain that balance, and I am hoping one day it will be less effort.

I have several female friends that “have it all,” too. They have families and children and careers – I have friends who are neurologists, dentists, and managers. I suppose that each of us gives up a little to have everything, but I do not think that giving up a little of one thing to get a lot of something else you want is a failure to “have it all.” We make choices in life – do we want 100% of one thing, or do we want a satisfying piece of everything. Kind of like eating at a buffet restaurant – do we want to eat one thing for dinner, or do we want to load up our plates with a variety from the buffet? We may feel overstuffed when all is said and done, but we will have our fill of everything we want. We each have 100% to fill, and when we fill our lives with the things that matter to us in appropriate measure, then we do truly “have it all.”

Tell me, do you think women can “have it all?” What does “having it all” mean to you?

Wiggle Worm

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When I was a small child (and my brother was just a baby) I remember my mom calling my brother a “wiggle worm” every time she tried to change his diaper. She even made up the Wiggle Worm song to sing to him while she changed his diaper. It was not exactly a complex song, but I remember laughing and singing it with her all the time. If my memory serves correctly, the words to the Wiggle Worm song were “wiggle” and “worm,” and the tune vaguely resembled Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.

I share this story not to mock my mother or brother in any way, shape or form, but it is because I, too, have a wiggle worm on my hands. Indeed, Micah has become a true wiggle worm. I thought when he was newborn that he sometimes squirmed or kicked and made diaper changing challenging. It turns out that I had NO idea how much more complicated it could become! These days, changing Micah is like trying to diaper a moving target . . . you know, imagine trying to catch a stuffed animal in a blanket and tie it up while it is hurdling through the air at 85 mph. I think that about summarizes diapering Micah! He loves to exhibit his new rolling and twisting skills. At best, I have to diaper him sideways. His legs are constantly kicking (and often end up stomping the poop in his diaper if he manages to free them from my hands, so I then have to play catch the feet and wipe the poop multiple times) while his hips roll to and fro. And don’t forget those hands! If they are not grabbing at his newly discovered penis, they like to reach out and grab the electrical cord to the CD player on his dresser (I thought I so cleverly hid the cord along the side of the changing pad and threaded that through the cut-out in the hutch) and pull with the strength of 10 grown men. He apparently is starting to grasp object permanence – I can hide the cord behind the changing pad, and he still knows it is there. He will hunt it out and grab and pull. He also likes to try and stick his hand through the hole in the hutch over the dresser that is designed to discretely hide the power cords.

Anyway, I have now dragged out the Wiggle Worm song for diaper changing sessions. It is becoming a new favorite with the Micah man. I just hope one of these days I can find a toy that will keep him adequately occupied while I change him!

Click Click

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Another new discovery – Micah can flip switches . . . light switches, the on/off switch on his playmat – he loves switches! Yesterday, Micah was on his playmat and he kept turning the music on and off. Earlier in the day, I was holding him and he managed to turn the light switch on and off. He has skills! I’m thinking I should buy him one of those switch controls that are used by people with disabilities to operate a computer – with that, I think he’ll be surfing the net in no time!

Actually, I was quite impressed with him. First, I had him sitting up (with the boppy behind him to protect his head if he fell over). I stepped into the kitchen to grab some lunch, and when I returned he was on his back (not on the boppy) playing on the playmat. I smiled, pulled the boppy out of the way, and let him roll. As I chatted with him and listened to him playing, I turned my back and opened up my computer to check some email. I was about 8 feet away standing at the table, when all of the sudden I heard the gumball machine noise. I turned around and saw that Micah had moved about 3 feet and was now on his belly pushing himself up high and playing with the gumball machine! He smiled at me and went back to playing. My little guy is moving. Later in the day, I picked him up and carried him for a bit, and he was bending over backwards, smiling and talking. It took me a few minutes, but I realized that he was talking to the recessed lighting. Yes, apparently recessed lighting is fascinating and worthy of a chat. He seems to love recessed lighting and ceiling fans in equal measure – I guess a ceiling fan is kind of like a mobile without the decorations, but I have yet to comprehend the allure of recessed lighting. I mean, it doesn’t do anything – it is just a light bulb in the ceiling, right?

After his little adventure rolling all over the floor yesterday, I debated taking Micah to the pool. I really wanted to swim laps, which is something I cannot do if I am at the pool alone with him. Thankfully, my father said he could come by and stay with Micah for an hour while I ran to the pool. The two of them took a nice walk together, and I exercised. I’m in terrible shape, and my asthma is still bothering me, but I did manage to swim for 20 minutes. I’ll have to work on that a bit more. I raced home after swimming so my dad could go about his business and I could get ready to go out.

Thursday night is usually date night around here. Normally, my mom comes to babysit and we head out for some fun. Last week, we went to see a show at the Bethesda Theatre – 3 Blonde Moms. I have to say, if it is touring in your area, you should definitely go see it – it was hysterical! Well, the 1st and the 3rd mom were funny – the 2nd was kind of annoying. The 3rd mom had us crying we were laughing so hard. She did a bit about public bathrooms, and she hit the nail on the head. She talked about the quest to find the “perfect” stall, and how sometimes that stall doesn’t have a door lock or the hook for your purse, but it is the cleanest so we use it anyway and have to do a kamikaze squat and hang our purses on our necks. Anyway, last weekend when we went to visit Elliot’s family in New Jersey, we stopped at a rest area on 95. I generally will not use a public rest room, but in this case, it was unavoidable. I can only tell you as I went in search of my “perfect” stall, found it, realized the door didn’t lock and there was no hook for my purse but decided to use it anyway, I started laughing all over again. I even hung my purse around my neck for good measure!

But I digress – I intended to talk about last night. This week, we did not have our typical date night. It was my father’s retirement party (after working 42 years at Montgomery College). They arranged for a nice little dinner for all of us at the Summer Dinner Theatre performance of Cabaret. Just before the show started, the chair of his department (and long-time friend) gave a nice speech thanking my dad for his years of service to the College. My dad had about 5 tables of friends and family (mostly people from the college) there, and many people coming up to him and taking the opportunity to wish him well. We had our babysitter Christin come last night. I spent most of the evening worried that Micah was raising hell and shrieking hysterically, and I was terrified that Christin would never come back again to babysit (at least not at night). Despite my consuming fear about the events transpiring at home, the retirement party was lovely. When we returned home at 11:30, Christin swore that she took him upstairs, got him ready for bed and he fell asleep after drinking only 2 ounces of milk (much to my shock and amazement). Way to go, Micah – thanks for being such an angel when Mommy really needed it! And congratulations, Dad, on your retirement – we are so proud of you, and I am certain the next chapter of your life will be filled with things to do. I think you will enjoy retirement, and knowing you, you’ll be even busier than you were before.

Micah is currently upstairs napping. He has finally taken to napping in the crib. While he still prefers to sleep on his side, he now sometimes sleeps on his belly, too. This new habit started last weekend when we were visiting Elliot’s family in New Jersey. It is so cute to see him on his belly. I have to say, I occasionally miss him napping on me. We rarely take naps curled up together anymore. There was one day last week when he napped on me for about 20 minutes, but it dawned on me that it has been a few months now. I used to think it was such a pain to be tied down while he was napping, but I do miss those moments.

No surprise here, but Micah is still in love with Nugget. Right now Nugget adores him, but she can walk away from him at any time when she has had enough. She has been so patient with him when he grabs her fur a little less than gently, and she just nuzzles him, kisses him, or gently escapes from his iron grip. I am certain that once he is crawling, he will spend all day chasing her around the house. She may not be pleased then, and I think Nugget is going to be greatful for daycare on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, too.

I have one other thing I will share before closing this post for the day – television. I think Micah loves television far too much. I try my best to keep the television off when he is around, or to put on educational shows such as Sesame Street. Elliot, however, is obsessed with watching the news, so we do have the news on sometimes when Micah is around. And I am currently obsessed with watching Wimbledon, and I fail to see how tennis in the background could endanger Micah’s development. Nevertheless, when Micah sees the tv screen sometimes, he turns comatose. He gets that vacant look on his face and all he wants to do is stare at the screen. It is particularly challenging when he is eating, so I generally make sure the tv is off during meal time. But yesterday, he was cranky for a bit, and the only thing he wanted to do was sit on Mommy’s lap and watch tennis. I told him all about the players, and the rules of the game, and we counted the score. That has to be educational, right? Elliot is worried that I am creating another tennis monster in the house. I’m okay with that. Just wait until the US Open – I sure hope Rafael Nadal is feeling better by then – I’m so disappointed his injury allowed Roger Federer to win the French Open. Did I mention I am NOT a fan of Roger Federer? For those of you who do not follow tennis, forgive my rant, but someone else better step up and put an end to his run this Wimbledon – I just cannot stomach another win from him, and I do not want to see him beat Sampras’ slam record. Come on Andy Roddick or Andy Murray or really anyone else – you have my support!

Here, doggy doggy doggy!

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Micah has discovered the joys of calling Nugget. I don’t mean actually saying her name, but he noticed that when I want Nugget’s attention or want her to jump up to be close to me, I call her name and pat my hand on my thigh, or I pat the couch next to me, or I pat the ground next to me. Since Micah figured that out, he now looks at Nugget, smiles, and starts banging his hand on his thigh or the ground. It is CLEAR he is calling her over. And the smile that lights up his face (and the accompanying squeals of delight) when she actually comes over are priceless. Unfortunately for me, his favorite time to call her is meal time. He can’t stop looking for her and smiling at her and calling her long enough to focus on eating. He wakes up in the morning and while I am nursing him in our bedroom, he tries to roll over and bang on the bed to get her attention. He has a new hierarchy of needs: NUGGET, food, NUGGET, toys, NUGGET. Okay, maybe it is more like NUGGET, NUGGET, NUGGET, food.

He has hit a few other milestones this week – he is really sitting steadily now, and rolling all over the place. When on his belly, he uses his arms to pull himself around in circles (and sometimes forward). He grabs for toys, and he recognizes people and things (especially Nugget). He is starting to express some wants and preferences. He has learned to pick up these small balls that go into his gumball machine toy with one hand! I think he is developing his “pincher” grip skills. He sucks on his toes, and he definitely can pass objects from hand to hand.
Micah is getting better at napping – he now naps upstairs in his crib, and he takes about 2-3 naps a day. We added in a second meal each day almost two weeks ago. We keep thinking he says “hi” and he seems to spend a lot of time trying to form sounds/shapes with his mouth – I think he wants to speak but has not quite figured it out yet.
Today I am going to try and take Micah to the pool for a little while – or at least the park (he loves to swing). Tonight is my father’s retirement party (he has been teaching at the same place for 40 years!), and we are having Christin babysit – I’m hoping Micah cooperates and goes to bed easily. We shall see.