Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
commentary
Sebastian yesterday, gazing upon his daycare's class picture:
"Anaiyah is very pretty. Almost like a dinosaur."
"Anaiyah is very pretty. Almost like a dinosaur."
Monday, March 21, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Empire State Building!
In a fit of enthusiasm and bravery, we headed into the city today to visit the Empire State Building. We have had a run of books lately about visiting New York City - walking around, seeing the sights, naming the landmarks. The ESB is of course prominently featured in all of them. So we figured we should visit while Seb's fascination is fresh and before the summer tourist season begins.
We got lucky - there were no lines, and it was a clear enough day to see a long way. Our pictures are not great - it's not a great photo venue - but it was a lot of fun. Seb was scared of the height but did enjoy seeing all of the water and bridges surrounding us. Liesl was not a fan of the wind, but she made a lot of friends among the workers and fellow tourists, with her wide-eyed stares and smiles. She's a charmer.
I haven't been up to the top of the Empire State Building since my cousin Jeff came to visit years ago, shortly after I had moved to the city (1998/9). It was really fun to be back.
We got lucky - there were no lines, and it was a clear enough day to see a long way. Our pictures are not great - it's not a great photo venue - but it was a lot of fun. Seb was scared of the height but did enjoy seeing all of the water and bridges surrounding us. Liesl was not a fan of the wind, but she made a lot of friends among the workers and fellow tourists, with her wide-eyed stares and smiles. She's a charmer.
I haven't been up to the top of the Empire State Building since my cousin Jeff came to visit years ago, shortly after I had moved to the city (1998/9). It was really fun to be back.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
photos of the week
tough week
We had a really tough week here. Liesl was sick all week, throwing up at least once per day. She was also not sleeping well, for obvious reasons, and so I was very tired as well as anxious. Sebastian, for his part, didn't get quite enough sleep for a few successive nights and naps, and was cranky and petulant as a result. We were not good company, and I was very abrupt with him when not losing my temper entirely. Sigh. On Friday, Seb's bad week culminated with him biting his best friend Nathan at daycare, something he's never done before. I was surprised and mortified. We had a long talk about it on the way home and I hope he doesn't repeat it.
Happily, Liesl seemed much better yesterday and today, and the whole family managed to get naps today. It was a lovely spring-like day and we went outdoors to enjoy it. I played Ultimate Frisbee this morning, for the first time in a year. I have not forgotten how to throw, and I dove to catch discs as usual, but I was seriously exhausted after about 20 minutes of running. But it was glorious to be back in the game. We also went for a late day walk at Stone Barns farm, and Sebastian was as always thrilled to see the chickens, sheep, pigs, and cows. All of the usual trickly streams are full-blown spring gushers at the moment, and he loved pretending to fish in them with a long stick.
Pics to come -
Happily, Liesl seemed much better yesterday and today, and the whole family managed to get naps today. It was a lovely spring-like day and we went outdoors to enjoy it. I played Ultimate Frisbee this morning, for the first time in a year. I have not forgotten how to throw, and I dove to catch discs as usual, but I was seriously exhausted after about 20 minutes of running. But it was glorious to be back in the game. We also went for a late day walk at Stone Barns farm, and Sebastian was as always thrilled to see the chickens, sheep, pigs, and cows. All of the usual trickly streams are full-blown spring gushers at the moment, and he loved pretending to fish in them with a long stick.
Pics to come -
Saturday, March 5, 2011
sick baby
Liesl woke up at 6, gave a dry hack that sounded like she had a hairball, and then vomited everywhere. The day continued downhill from there - she threw up at least a dozen times today. There's nothing sadder than a sick baby, who doesn't understand why such things are happening to her. She kept smiling at us in between episodes, which was just heart-breaking.
We went to the doctor, who said it seemed like just a stomach virus. It most likely came home from daycare with Sebastian, starring in the role of Typhoid Mary. Our boy is never sick - only the mildest and briefest of colds, and even those pretty rarely - which is amazing for a daycare kid.
So it was a long, yucky day, with many loads of laundry and a lot of floor-scrubbing. She fell asleep early and I'm hoping she'll be better tomorrow. Our poor girl.
We went to the doctor, who said it seemed like just a stomach virus. It most likely came home from daycare with Sebastian, starring in the role of Typhoid Mary. Our boy is never sick - only the mildest and briefest of colds, and even those pretty rarely - which is amazing for a daycare kid.
So it was a long, yucky day, with many loads of laundry and a lot of floor-scrubbing. She fell asleep early and I'm hoping she'll be better tomorrow. Our poor girl.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Four-month doctor visit
Liesl visited Dr. Jane today for her four-month checkup. She weighs 13 lbs 6 oz, and is 24 1/2 inches tall - 50th percentile for both. Everything looks great so far.
Sebastian was bigger at this age: 14 lbs 11 oz and 26 inches tall, which isn't surprising, given how much he loved his food. I remember laughing at all the books that noted that babies can only see a certain number of inches - just the distance from your breast to your face. Sebastian never ever interrupted anything as important as a meal to gaze up at me lovingly. Liesl, on the other hand, will certainly stop nursing to grin at me, or to check out her brother's noise, or just on a whim.
Sebastian continues to love his food, and eat large quantities of it. He had always spit out and refused to eat carrots, until I had the bright idea of telling him that they would make his eyes super-strong. I think I promised that he'd be able to see New York City from our apartment if he ate enough carrots. And lo, they have become his favorite vegetable. He has requested them a few nights this week. Of course, he also asked if he'd soon be able to see all the way to California, so I'm about to be unmasked as a fraudulent huckster...
Sebastian was bigger at this age: 14 lbs 11 oz and 26 inches tall, which isn't surprising, given how much he loved his food. I remember laughing at all the books that noted that babies can only see a certain number of inches - just the distance from your breast to your face. Sebastian never ever interrupted anything as important as a meal to gaze up at me lovingly. Liesl, on the other hand, will certainly stop nursing to grin at me, or to check out her brother's noise, or just on a whim.
Sebastian continues to love his food, and eat large quantities of it. He had always spit out and refused to eat carrots, until I had the bright idea of telling him that they would make his eyes super-strong. I think I promised that he'd be able to see New York City from our apartment if he ate enough carrots. And lo, they have become his favorite vegetable. He has requested them a few nights this week. Of course, he also asked if he'd soon be able to see all the way to California, so I'm about to be unmasked as a fraudulent huckster...
Monday, February 28, 2011
plant life
In the last three years, a number of my plants have fallen victim to a sad lack of attention. Apparently I can't keep both multiple people and plants alive and thriving simultaneously. This is the latest tragic case.
But then, against all odds, both the orchid and the anthurium flowered this week! Woo-hoo! Hope is not lost, ye few remaining plants!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
winter sports
The end of February - the snow is melting, the trail is muddy, the local streams are rushing, and I saw a brave forsythia bush coming to bright yellow bloom. I can't wait for spring to arrive. We have rushed outside to enjoy these first few warm days. Sebastian has been riding his push bike around the neighborhood, and the difference in his confidence level between last summer and now is amazing. He actually lifts both feet off the ground and glides along for a few feet at a time.
I've also just realized that while I've blogged lots about Sebastian and Liesl, I haven't written much about how we've stayed busy this winter. Sebastian goes to daycare three days a week and stays home the other days, so we've had lots more time together. We signed up for a music class on Thursdays that has been great fun. Sebastian plays the instruments and dances, and Liesl gazes at everyone with rapt fascination. Seb requests that I play the accompanying music cd constantly, and so I have memorized all the songs and am able to sing along in my ridiculously off-key voice. :) We also signed up for swimming classes at the Tarrytown YMCA. We've only had three so far, and it's been rough going, but we're hoping to get him a bit more comfortable in the water before next summer. We've been visiting the library at least once and sometimes twice a week. The Irvington library is just a few blocks away and is one of Seb's favorite places, so we often walk down after naptime to pick up a few more books. At any given time, we have 10-20 library books scattered around, and it reminds me so much of my childhood.
Last winter, I couldn't convince Sebastian to wear a hat or mittens or boots, so our outdoor adventures were extremely short-lived. It was frustrating, especially for this Canadian. This winter he's been much more accepting of warm clothes and of the snow, and so we have done lots of tromping through the snow along the trail. Seb likes to make little tunnels in the snow with his boots, or get a stick and whack the snow, or drag along our little red sled. We went sledding a couple of times and had a really good time, although we had to start off very slowly. Our boy is not a daredevil and did not want to go too fast, so we had to start a couple of steps up the hill and work our way higher.
There were also a couple of special trips: we visited the Children's Museum in Norwalk, which has been completely redone, and went ice-skating with Nathan and his family. Ice-skating was back-breaking for me: bending over and holding up a 32-lb boy on skates is no picnic. I was crippled the next day. But he gamely tried it out and we went round and round the rink. And we discovered an indoor play space in Port Chester called Leapin Lizards, which has tunnels and slides and rope ladders and ball rooms, and have been there four or five times to let Seb run off some steam.
All in all, it's been a busy winter, with lots of small adventures. But I'm still looking forward to spring.
I've also just realized that while I've blogged lots about Sebastian and Liesl, I haven't written much about how we've stayed busy this winter. Sebastian goes to daycare three days a week and stays home the other days, so we've had lots more time together. We signed up for a music class on Thursdays that has been great fun. Sebastian plays the instruments and dances, and Liesl gazes at everyone with rapt fascination. Seb requests that I play the accompanying music cd constantly, and so I have memorized all the songs and am able to sing along in my ridiculously off-key voice. :) We also signed up for swimming classes at the Tarrytown YMCA. We've only had three so far, and it's been rough going, but we're hoping to get him a bit more comfortable in the water before next summer. We've been visiting the library at least once and sometimes twice a week. The Irvington library is just a few blocks away and is one of Seb's favorite places, so we often walk down after naptime to pick up a few more books. At any given time, we have 10-20 library books scattered around, and it reminds me so much of my childhood.
Last winter, I couldn't convince Sebastian to wear a hat or mittens or boots, so our outdoor adventures were extremely short-lived. It was frustrating, especially for this Canadian. This winter he's been much more accepting of warm clothes and of the snow, and so we have done lots of tromping through the snow along the trail. Seb likes to make little tunnels in the snow with his boots, or get a stick and whack the snow, or drag along our little red sled. We went sledding a couple of times and had a really good time, although we had to start off very slowly. Our boy is not a daredevil and did not want to go too fast, so we had to start a couple of steps up the hill and work our way higher.
There were also a couple of special trips: we visited the Children's Museum in Norwalk, which has been completely redone, and went ice-skating with Nathan and his family. Ice-skating was back-breaking for me: bending over and holding up a 32-lb boy on skates is no picnic. I was crippled the next day. But he gamely tried it out and we went round and round the rink. And we discovered an indoor play space in Port Chester called Leapin Lizards, which has tunnels and slides and rope ladders and ball rooms, and have been there four or five times to let Seb run off some steam.
All in all, it's been a busy winter, with lots of small adventures. But I'm still looking forward to spring.
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