Hannukah Baby!

It's the last night of Hannukah tonight, so Isaac got to enjoy his pasta and water by candlelight.

I'm not sure if he's laughing, crying, or singing along!

We didn't buy the little guy any hannukah presents. Jeremy said that he wouldn't know the difference, and he's right, but I still feel a little guilty.

Ah well, we'll get 8 days next year to try again.

Isaac receives a visitor from Japan

Isaac's Auntie Kyoko has arrived!

She has proclaimed him "sooo cute!" many times, with her enthusiasm for the little guy bringing on big smiles from all of us.

Isaac has been showing off for her an impressive usage of the Japanese language: rousing games of "inai, inai....bah!" ("peek-a-boo!"), as well as, "naanii!?"("whaa-aat!?"), and "naii-no!" ("it's here...isn't it??")

Kyoko and Isaac discuss how to break inside a chain link fence.

We had a lovely Christmas Day at The Brooklyn Bridge park, where Isaac got to look at trains and planes, and got to ride on the carousel, twice!

Surveying the surroundings after the eventful, double-ride.

Baby, Moon, and Me

Isaac

+

the moon (here shown with jupiter and its 4 moons!)

=

Major fascination, appreciation, and a loud, "moooooooo" (still working on the "n").

Moo(n) Isaac's 5th word to date:

#1 Da-dee!

#2 No

#3 Maa-ma

#4 Bubble (Baa-bul)

#5 Moo(n)

I think the moon has received such high rankings not only because of its glowing perfect shapes, but because it makes an appearance in about 7 out of 10 baby books that we read to Isaac. The moon is everywhere in baby picture-literature.

A short list:

The moon peeks through the window in Goodnight Moon. 

It shines its light on Maisy in Sweet Dreams Maisy

It looks very mysterious and much like the photo up above in the beautiful and bizarre Margaret Wise Brown book Red Light, Green Light 

It is a cute crescent in Goodnight Gorilla

It inspires conversation and glows round and yellow-y orange in Say Hi Backback Baby!

It lights up a love-match of crickets in The Very Quiet Cricket

And keeps watch over an egg in The Very Hungry Caterpillar 
The moon is huge and round in The Three Robbers, and barely lights the rich dark sky.

Funny that the sun doesn't show up nearly so often.

Maybe we want to inspire babies to love the night and sleep as much as possible.

Goodnight moonie moonie moon!

This is not isaac, but whomever it is sure is a cutie pie!

Isaac's band photo

Here he is with band-mate Abilene, playing the stroller in the background.

yeah, we so cool.

Sadly, his baritone ukelele had to be left at home.

Very Sick Kitty

Yes, I am very skinny, and not feeling so hot.

I am not only Isaac's momma, but also the momma of a very sick cat. Goose has Cholangiohepatitis, which means her liver cells are inflamed, and the bile is not being excreted properly. Her biliruben is really high, so she's yellow and jaundiced, won't eat, and feels like poop. 

The vet said this often happens after a cat has had hepatic lipidosis, which she had, maybe 8 years ago. Its a similar course of treatment: we have to just make sure she eats (+ appetite stimulant, + antibiotic, +streoid), so she's got a feeding tube again. Its a weird feeling to squirt all that stuff through the tube giving her no say in the matter whatsoever. And I feel guilty, paying so much attention to my human baby and not enough to her. I should have noticed her not eating enough earlier. Plus Isaac drives her crazy. She is really scared of him (as perhaps she should be) and that must give her lots of stress.

Poor thing, she was so groggy and out of it when I brought her home, she couldn't walk straight.  But I think she's happy now, or as happy as a cat can be with a feeding tube sticking out of her neck.  She's on my lap and purring. Its a different kind of purr than her usual high-class motor style purr, but a purr nevertheless.

Lula Says Goodbye

Lula relaxing at Fort Greene park, summer 2011

My neighbor and good friend Micaela's little girl died last night.
Her name was Lula Neave Walker Murray and she was just 18 months old.
She left behind a boundlessly energetic twin brother, incredible parents, doting grandparents, and so many caregivers and friends. This little one was seriously loved.
She fought so hard to live for this year and a half, and needed true rest, but still it is so sad.
She was a precious and very delicate flower.
If you want to read more about Lula, you can here: www.roanandlula.blogspot.com
Goodbye sweet Lula.

The Discipline Begins

Yes, this little angel in a panda hat can drive me nuts.

I've been feeling pretty beat up lately by Isaac's shrieking, biting, intensely wanting stuff, intensely not wanting stuff.

So it was a wonderfully serendipitous moment when yesterday Jeremy sent me this book excerpt about discipline and your wonderful yet terrible toddler. It's helpful, inspiring and short. The author, Dr. Michelle Cohen, has a no nonsense approach that I like. It's along the lines of puppy training.

I like how he says not to make the little guys say sorry because they aren't sorry, since they don't understand sorry yet. I like how he explains to deal with a tantrum about putting on a winter coat.  This is what you are supposed to do:

1. Pin him down
2. Put on the coat
3. Go out

I feel like roaring like a lioness when I read those directions!  Woohoo! It is much easier though to feel strong and purposeful and lion-like sitting here in the quiet after-bed-time, than in the moment of upset. No matter, today I took a stand.

Isaac bit me, and I told him not to. He did it again and I picked him up, put him in his crib and left his room. My goodness, he screamed. He SCREAMED! It was a good thing that I had lots of dishes to wash.

He was a little clingy and upset when I took him out 2 minutes later, but he didn't bite me again, and cheered up pretty quickly. An hour later and we repeated the same scenario. No more biting after that. I dunno, maybe it worked?