14 Weeks (and 1 day)

At Audubon Park, taking a break from our walk

• Growing hair
• Gaining weight but about 12 lbs.
• "Talking" to Freddie

 

Big Boy

• Carrying on entire conversations with your coos
• Sleeping 5.30pm-1.30am and 1.30am-5.00am and 5.00am-6 or 7ish
• Napping morning and afternoon
• Getting used to the car

 

• Enjoying baths
• Sucking your fingers and then your whole fist

• Smiling at anyone who stops to interact
• Stuffy nose complete with boogies
• Reaching

• Grabbing and pulling towards you
• Rolling over to get a different perspective
• Rolling over and fussing to be flipped back over

Snoozing in the Baby Bjorn

Photo courtesy of Freddie

• Easy going
• Patient

Beignets

My boy asks for beignets pretty regularly.  I'm doing my best to raise a New Orleanian, but I will not deep fry.  I just cannot do it.

So for now he'll have to settle for an order once every few months.

He definitely knows the fun is in the eating, as well making a big ole powdered sugar mess.

Trying to make a sugar cloud.

And it won't be long before Hansie is able to chomp down on an order of his own.

Um, Mama...Where's mine?

Christened

Hans Edward received his first sacramanet. 
 

He was baptized at St. Philip Neri.  Lizzy and Bruno were there to serve, yet again, as the wonder godparents. 



He was a perfect angel, no tears at all. 

Benign

My mole was noncancerous.  Turns out it was a compound nevus, which often mimics malignant melanoma.  I suppose if it's hard for an expert to distinguish, who am I to even attempt to decide which moles are suspicious. 

Another body check in the spring. 

Love

Ian, Hans, Papi

Cousins

Ian, 4 yrs 1 month and Freddie, 2 yrs 7 months

13 weeks (and 3 days)

I'm late.  So late I even considered just skipping this week, but I know poor Dada is dying for some pictures of his boys since we've been away from home for almost a week.

 
I'm happy to report you're a good traveler, getting into a sleep routine very quickly.  Sharing a room with your brother isn't something that's going so well though.  More on that later.

You're turning over at every opportunity and reaching and grabbing on to small toys.  I think you may outgrow your pajamas before we get home.  Slow down, please!

Drop Biscuits

Drop biscuits were popular in our house growing up. They were the Bisquick variety. Even without Bisquick, these are super easy. And oh so yummy.  Ask Freddie.  He ate several in one sitting.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 tablespoon baking powder 
• 2 teaspoons white sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 cup melted butter 
• 1 cup milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. 
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. 
3. Stir in butter and milk. 
4. Drop batter on a lightly greased cookie sheet by the tablespoon. 
5. Bake until golden on the edges, about 8 to 12 minutes.

Makes about 12 biscuits.

Lovin'

• My assistant chef
• Chocolate frosting mustaches
• Packed bags
• Open windows
• Halloween candy still sealed in the package
• Weight loss, however small or slow
• Christmas shopping
• Folded laundry
• Breezy mornings
• Fleece
• Costume browsing

What are you lovin?  Go ahead and link up!

Freddie Goes to the Dentist

Today was Freddie's first visit to the dentist.  We'd been preparing this past week talking about what dentists do and we had a book about the dentist.  We'd find him in his room looking through the pictures during the week.  He seemed pretty excited to make sure his teeth stayed healthy and "didn't get sick."

Mama went first, and he watched.  But when the noisy cleaning began he covered his ears and began crying.  I asked him to stand closer and hold my hand to help me be brave.  That seemed to do the trick as he clamed down.  I thought that had pretty much sealed the deal and there'd be no way he'd let her into his mouth.

But he climbed up into the chair and said "aaaahhhhhh" just like we'd been practicing.  He held his mouth open wide the entire time.  The dentist poked around and "no signs of any cavities."  She then showed him her "special brush" and let him feel the movement on his hand first.  He sat still through having his teeth polished.  His favorite part:  the little cup filled with water, rinsing, and spitting in the little sink. 

Storytime

In bed waiting for Mama to come.

The three of us spend all of our time together but there's not much the three of us can all *do* together.  But reading stories is something we all enjoy, especially the Mama. 

 Both boys are still and quiet.  Both boys giggle.  And there's usually snuggling involved, too!

12 Weeks

Three months old.  I have been thinking today about how you're a new baby lately.  Lots of smiles.  Sleeping.  Napping better.  Babbling away.  Going down to sleep without endless rocking.

And then last night you sneaked in an extra mid-night nursing.   Then today no significant naps.  And now you are fighting sleep.  Sigh.  Two steps forward, one step back.

Or perhaps a growth spurt?  Or skill development?  You did roll from your belly to your back for the first time yesterday.  Man, were you ever upset about it too.  You are stretching out your arms and swiping at objects, checking out your hands, and calling out to interact.  So much happening.

Good thing you're so cute.

You're definitely growing fast.  I think you'll be in your crib within a few weeks because the cosleeper is going to be a little cramped soon.

You're holding up your neck and putting weight on your legs.  And as I look down at you stretched across my lap as you nurse I wonder how it has happened that you're already so long.

 
One thing I can say you love right now is your brother.  You smile at the sight of him or the sound of his voice.  I wish it'd be like that forever.

 I'm feeling so content with our little family the last few weeks.  You've really added something we've been missing. 

Moley

Being a parent means doing lots of stuff you really don't want to do.  Beyond sitting at birthday parties with far too many kids and no booze, and spending money on cute shoes for the unappreciative children rather than yourself, there's lots of being responsible.  Updating wills.  Getting life insurance. And making sure you're in tip top shape until the kids can pay all of their own bills, and that damn well better be before they're 30.

I (foolishly) delay trips to the dermatologist mostly because I don't want to endure a brow beating about my sun worshipping over the last 20 years.  I'm suffering with wrinkles and ages spots, isn't that enough?  But today I sucked it up, mostly because I was scared silly at the sight of a multi-shaded mole on my neck.  It broke one of the A(asymmetrical), B (Border poorly defined), C (color not the same throughout), D (diameter greater than 6mm) indicators I check for at home.  Ugh.  Cannot go leaving Charlie as a single parent, now can I.

Dr. V, the newest dermatologist, took a quick look and said, Benign.  Whew.  I went ahead and submitted to the full body check.  There's a mole on my belly, which hasn't seen the sun for years mind you, that I had questions about a few years back.  It was preblog or digital calender so no documentation of how long ago that was.  Noticing it with it's unusual border pushed me to the dermatologist office.  After a long lecture about the sun she did a biopsy on another mole and thought the belly mole was just something to watch.  So I've been watching.  No change.  Today it came off and was sent to the lab.  And Dr. V said he's concerned.

He also photographed the mole on my leg for documentation purposes.  He's watching this one.  I told him I've had it for nearly all my life, and I'm actually a little attached to it.  For real.  It can stay for now.  Call in a week for results and be sure to schedule another full body once over every 6 months.  Your insurance pays for it after all.  

Brothers

Freddie 2 years 6 months, Hans 11 weeks

Weekend

• Delacorte Clock chimes
• Stroller cleaning
• Central Park stroll
• Bridge and tram closures because of  suspicious package
• September 11th security
• Zoo trip
• Tomato Soup
• 9 hours uninterrupted sleep
• Clogged milk duct (see above)
• Brother cuddles
• Much appreciated walk alone time for Mama
• Biscuit baking
• Football on the tube
• Who Dat cheering practice
• Smiles, smiles, smiles
• Scooter riding

Garlic Cilantro Ribs

I got this one from Better Homes and Garden.  Charlie's a fan of cilantro and marinade, so this was for him.  I'm a good wife like that.  It made him happy, and I thought they were pretty tasty.  

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp minced garlic (I'd recommend more)
• 1 large bunch cilantro
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup Asian sweet chili sauce
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 lb. baby back pork ribs

Directions:

1. In a blender or food processor combine garlic, cilantro, and sugar; blend or process until ingredients form a paste. 
2. Add soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, and vegetable oil. Pulse until well combined. 
3. Pour the mixture over the ribs in a large glass, plastic, or stainless steel container, turning ribs to coat well. 
4. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Preheat grill. 
6. Remove ribs from the sauce, shaking off any excess. Reserve remaining sauce. Flip and grill another 4 minutes. (Um, we have no grill so this didn't happen.)
7. Transfer ribs to a 9×13×2-inch baking dish and pour reserved sauce over ribs. Cover with foil and bake 3 hours. 
8. Remove and serve immediately.

Lovin'

• Silence on two monitors at naptime
• A video monitor for the toddler
• Cooking with fresh vegetables
• Skyping
• The anticipation of a hair appointment
• Packing bags
• Treadmill time
• You're beautiful, Mama.
• I beautiful too, Mama.
• Two boys listening to stories
• Reading, as in a book

I know it's been a while.

Go ahead and link up.  What are you lovin?

Introducing Thomas

Here he is, Freddie's new friend Thomas, sitting in "the beach chair looking at the dolphins and starfish."  Freddie searched for my camera yesterday afternoon specifically to take a few pictures of Thomas at the beach.

Thomas sitting in the beach chair.  Photo courtesy of Freddie.

And here he is again, playing.  Well, patiently waiting his turn.  Thomas gets told he can wait "one minute and then he can have a turn" quite a bit.

Thomas showed up at our house a few weeks ago.  He came not long after Freddie started telling me he wanted to go to school with the big boys.  He'll put on his backpack and carry around his lunch box, give me a kiss goodbye, and tell me he's going to school with his friends.  His friend "Big Boy" finally got the name of Thomas after about a week of playing at our house.  Freddie opens the front door a few afternoons a week to let him in to play.

Freddie's been very much into imaginative play over the last 6 or so months, and the scenarios get more and more complex with each day.  It's hard for me to keep up with what's going on since he uses few or no props to give me some clues.  Often he'll slouch his shoulders down and just about roll his eyes with this look of disappointment if I don't realize the baby fox is sitting by my feet waiting for some milk.  Get with it, Mom.

Sometimes when Thomas arrives and they "go to school" together I feel a little tug at my heart because I feel like I'm not providing him with something he needs, either attention from me or time with kids his age even though this play is developmentally normal.  Nothing like a little Mommy guilt, eh.

I have vivid memories of instructing my grandmother to hold open the back door of her yellow Oldsmobile Cutlass for my gaggle of "friends" to climb in with me, including the likes of kids named Wheatsie and Stapler.  For years and years she kept the list of their names written on a scrap of paper in the kitchen "junk drawer."  There were at least seven or so regulars who'd hang around to play, and their names every bit as crazy creative as "Wheatsie" and "Stapler."  Maybe that was a New Orleans thing, y'all.

And Charlie's buddy was "Duke."  Yeah, I know what you're thinking.  I'd name my kid Wheatsie long before I'd name him Duke, too.

I don't know what ever happened to Wheatsie and Stapler.  It'll be interesting to see how long Thomas comes over to play.  I have a feeling when cabin fever sets in this winter we may end up seeing a lot of Thomas and he may even bring a few friends.

11 Weeks

You're a very patient fella.  Thank you for waiting...and waiting and waiting and waiting, sometimes.  I think sooner or later you'll let us know you're tired of waiting as you're discovering your voice.  I love the coos and sighs. 

Your eyes lock on to Freddie when he enters the room, and you smile as you watch and listen. 

Watching Freddie

I love watching the two of you together.  I think you're already developing your own secret language.

 
Freddie reminds me to burp you and change your diaper when you're fussing.  His gentle patting along with his soft "It's ok, Freddie's here," usually do the trick to get you settled.

You seem to look serious pretty often, but I wonder if that's just because your chronically tired.  You're sleeping well at night, but your naps aren't what I know they should be.

Tummy time is a breeze, and you're very content on your belly.  I think so much time on your belly means you'll be an early crawler.  You've definitely got some wiggle moves down and get those legs underneath already.

Freddie taking your photo

Gas still tends to be a problem, especially when you go three or four days between poops.  It concerns me and always has me wondering when "it" will finally happen.  I'll ask the pediatrician about it on the next visit.  I'm sure it's normal and I shouldn't worry, but you do seem uncomfortable at times. 

 
You're definitely another brown eyed boy.  Your hair is filling in and your eyebrows are starting to show up. 

My favorite part of being your mama this week is your tiny hand resting on my chest when I pull you close to nurse or snuggle.  Sometimes I place it in my hand to feel your fingers curl around mine.  Can't keep them there forever, but I don't want to ever want to forget how those tiny fingers feel.