Dancing Girls and Baby Jesus

Ok. I am sure that title sounds a little weird. However, that pretty much sums up the content of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

It was AWESOME.

I partially watched/took pictures/laughed/ohmygoshed/cried through the whole thing. Some of that had to do with the fact that I was actually THERE...in Radio City Music Hall, watching THE Rockettes (that I had only ever watched before during countless Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parades) and I was with all my "girls."

But another part was the fact that it was Christmas. I am not a big fan of the "Happy Holidays" greeting and pretty much try to not use it. I realize other people are celebrating other things this time of year, but we celebrate CHRISTMAS. And so that is what I like to say. Merry Christmas. Happily enough, the Christmas Spectacular is just about Christmas. Sure, about 2/3rds of it is the Santa/Shopping aspect of Christmas.

But then, THEN, there is a live Nativity. With real camels. CAMELS PEOPLE! IN NEW YORK CITY! I still wonder how they get them there and where they stay between shows, etc. etc.

It was so beautiful I actually got tears in my eyes. Of course, in between all that I tried to get a picture of it.

I will try and post tomorrow about the shopping/sightseeing portion of the trip.

Plus, I should probably post about our Christmas (especially since it was a certain little man's first!).

Here's a sneak peak...

5 Months

Dear Baby Boy,

I can't believe 5 months ago today you were born. I can't believe how big you are getting. I also can't believe Christmas is going to be here in 4 days.

Time doesn't just fly, it flies on a supersonic jet!

This has been another busy month...full of holiday cheer and happiness.

It also was the first time I was away from you for any real length of time...and while you seemed ok with it at first, you decided to show me just what you thought about my absence by going on a nursing strike when I returned. For two days. That was a hard time, and you got your point across, believe me! I won't be going anywhere for awhile...

You are still a super good baby. Of course, I knew as soon as I typed our last monthly post about you sleeping through the night that that it would change, and it did for awhile. But for the most part you are still a good sleeper and still a happy baby.

This month you are most happy about the dog. We have no idea why because that dog will bark and bark and bark and ... well, you get the idea. But when she walks in the room and you see her, you laugh and laugh and get the biggest grin on your face.

You also started using your exersaucer. You seem particularly intent on figuring out how to bounce in it. You have not shown any interest in rolling, but you have started to notice your hands and feet more and we are pretty sure we will see some teeth pop out soon. Or you just are one drooly, drooly guy. The drool, combined with your spit-up (oh yes, still with the the spit-up) means the laundry is becoming it's very own mountain in our laundry room.

We continue to be amazed at how quickly you are growing. You are just about out of your 6 month sleepers, we have gone up another diaper size, and you have the longest feet (and toes!) I have ever seen. Really.

Just don't grow up too fast, Baby Boy.

Tiny Home - Big City

First of all, I HAVE to thank my sister for being our tour guide/awesome host on our trip to NYC.
She is the cooler, hipper, braver, younger version of me.

She has moved every year for the last 3 years (did I also mention she is fearless?) and a big part of what prompted us to visit her in NY now is that she is moving to LA in January.

I always try and see the places she is living when she moves. It helps me envision her in her home when we are talking on the phone, especially now that she is moving all over the country (or so it seems).

All I knew about her apartment in the Upper East Side was it was small. Really, really small. And expensive. REALLY, REALLY expensive.

Finally, I have seen the apartment, and it has lived up to its reputation.

The door on the left is her apartment. It is a little blurry, but the hallway goes to a point and that little strip of white at the end is all the divides her door from the door across the hall.

I am taking this picture leaning against the back wall of her apartment. Yes, that is her bed Baby Girl is resting on. And yes, that is her kitchen. This is it. Her whole place in one picture. There is a dresser to the left that is out of frame...but you get the idea.

This is the closet/entrance to the bathroom (you can see the closet just behind the kitchen in the previous picture). I realize that looks like A LOT of shoe boxes.

OK, it IS a lot of shoe boxes...but it's what she does for a living. NO, not shop for shoes...she works for the company!

We didn't sleep at her apartment (for obvious space reasons) but I was so glad to have the chance to see it. Of course, I have to start planning my trip to LA so I can see her next place!

Next up...Radio City, Shopping, and More Pictures!

New York, New York

We're back! We survived the crowds, the cold and the craziness and had a lovely "Girls Only" weekend. I'll post more later. Here is a video that pretty much sums up Baby Girl's favorite thing about the whole trip:

Why I REALLY Love Christmas ...

This is the most wonderful time of the year...

for commercials.

Things you forgot about all year long are suddenly being advertised because, hey, someone might like it for a gift!

For some reason, when this commercial comes on I really know Christmas time is here. Because, really, when else do you see this around?

Anyway, trying to distract myself from the fact that I still need to pack, finish decorating the tree and make sure Baby Boy has clean clothes for when we are gone this weekend.

Plus, Baby Girl informed me yesterday that maybe she was a little sad she was going to miss Polar Express Day at school and would like to stay home instead of going to New York City. I had to pull out the laptop and show her Exciting Pictures! of Rockefeller Center! and Big Trees! and Ice Rinks! and Rockettes! She seemed a little more excited. At least I am!

I am feeling a little (a LOT) guilty about leaving Baby Boy. I know he will be fine. Dr. Dad is more than capable. Baby Boy won't even remember I am gone (I know this, because when Baby Girl was about 8 months old Dr. Dad and I ran away went to New Orleans, and she swears she remembers none of it).

Ok! Distraction! Look at the pretty picture of our house, decorated for Christmas! (Thank you Dr. Dad!).

Ho Ho Ho

I will not talk about how fast this month is going.
I will not panic that I am not done decorating.
I will not worry about money.
I will not stress out that it won't all get done.



I will keep looking at this picture.

Baby Girl and I leave on Friday with her Nonna to visit my sister in New York City. I am sure I will have a lot to say about that when I get back.

Dr. Dad will have Baby Boy all to himself this weekend. Let's hope Baby Boy sleeps!

Genetics

Once Upon A Time, I thought I would be a Genetic Counselor.

Then, I realized it required a lot of Math, which is my nemesis.

So I became an English Major.

Anyway, I have a general idea of how genetics work. However. How is it that I can carry my children but yet they look nothing like me?!

Evidence:

Dr. Dad at 4 Months

Baby Boy at 4 Months

My only hope is that he will keep his blue eyes and be like his Mama.

Contests

Sometimes blogs I read hold contests that I think are cool. And to give me (and you!) a chance to win I am blogging about them here...

First up at 4 Little Men there is this contest to win a tummy time mat.

I think Baby Boy would LOVE IT! So I am entering by blogging about it here.

Also, over at My Charming Kids, there is a donation raffle (see the link on my sidebar) for an awesome camera and a chance to help out some very worthy causes. Plus, this little information gets me entered for a cool bonus prize!

Finally, over at Deal Seeking Mom, there is a chance to leave a tip on how to save money and enter to win a $500 Walmart Gift Card!

Enjoy!

Princess

Baby Girl had her first "Father Daughter" dance a few weekends ago. I wasn't sure it was something we needed to do, since she is just in Kindergarten, after all, but I consulted with my local BTDT (been there, done that) Moms and they said "she HAS to go" and so they went.

Corsage and all.

This was an interesting experience for me as a mom. Usually I am right in there for these types of occasions. I got the dress together, went with my mom to get shoes (Gold and Sparkly, thankyouverymuch) and I even ordered the flowers. So when I went in to take pictures of them on the "red carpet," and then wanted to look in the actual place where the dance was held, and wasn't allowed in, I didn't know what to do with myself!

Looks to me like it was good times...despite my absence (hahaha).

Special thanks to her second cousin who happens to be 6 months older and the previous owner of so many of Baby Girls' awesome clothes (and Halloween costumes!)...including this beautiful dress.


Also, please marvel at the picture of Dr. Dad in a suit. It is a rare sight. He looks mighty good. It's too bad you can't save the wetlands in a suit...

4 Months

Hard to believe, but you are 4 months old already, Baby Boy!

It's been a busy month for you. A lot of firsts...Halloween and Fall weather, finding out how much fun it is to gum your hands instead of a pacifier, heck, you even voted for the first time! You are starting to enjoy more of your "toys" and we can make you laugh (especially with the little cow that your sister also loved) and sometimes you get very chatty.

Mostly you are thrilling us with your super laid back style. I can take you almost anywhere with no problem. You even managed to charm Baby Girl's principal at the PTO meeting and he held you the whole time. Even when he got up to speak. And you FELL ASLEEP. Really, how do you do it?!

According to the doctor's office, you are now 13 pounds 7 ounces and 26 inches long. 25th percentile in weight, but 90th percentile in height?!? And, considering how much you look like your Dad, sometimes I wonder if my genetics were involved in this process at all.

In other news, and I almost hate to type this for fear it will go away: you are sleeping through the night.

We are so happy about this, and so surprised because (and I know I say this all the time) your sister didn't sleep much. Or let us put her down. Or swing in the swing like you do. Or enjoy a good bouncy seat. So if I go on and on and on about how you are so laid back and mellow it's just because we never thought one of our kids would exhibit this particular trait.

Now if you can only use your powers to get the pets to stop using the baby stuff...

Snow Belt

Ok.

I know when we moved back to Northeast Ohio (as opposed to the middle of Ohio, where we lived for 7 years, or Northwest Ohio, where we both went to college, or plain ol' Ohio, where we both grew up...geesh) we would be getting back into the Snow Belt.

I never really understood what people complained about when I was a kid living in the Snow Belt, because we got our fair share of Snow Days, and that was good for me.

But now, as an adult, with kids and a house and pets and places I would love to go, I understand the special torture that is living in the Snow Belt.

Really. It's not even Winter yet people.

And yesterday I woke up to this:

Happy Birthday, Dr. Dad!

Today, long, long ago (just kidding!), something amazing happened.

This man was born:

I call him Dr. Dad because he has a PhD and he doesn't often get the respect he deserves for earning that degree. Most people don't walk around calling you Doctor for your Doctorate. Even though he can't save you medically, he is trying to save the world ecologically. I think that's pretty cool.

I have had the honor of knowing my husband for almost 16 years. We were friends first, then dated for 2 years, engaged for a year and a half, and married for over 11 years now. We have been through it all, good and bad, and I am so very, very blessed to have him as my strength and support and husband and friend.

He is an INCREDIBLE Dad.

He is the SMARTEST person I know.

He has a UNIQUE sense of humor.

He is STRONG in his convictions.

He is an AWESOME person.

Happy Birthday.

I love you!

Some Bunny to Love

It all started when Baby Girl was born. We were living in Big City then...and it was few days after her birth, when she was still in the NICU and we were still so confused and stressed and hopeful. Our backyard neighbors came over, and they brought us a stuffed bunny as a gift. It was October, but this little bunny was decked out in a very spring-like pink hat with flowers and a pretty bow around her neck. I had noticed that some of the other NICU parents had brought some things in to "decorate" the stations of their baby. Anything to soften the hardness of all those machines. So the next day, I brought the bunny in and propped her up on top of Baby Girl's monitor. A few days later, we came in and saw this polaroid taped to her isolette.

She was 10 days old. And the nurses couldn't help but notice she was just about the same size as her bunny.

So we started taking a picture of her with the bunny every week until she came home. Then it was every month until her first birthday. Then every year on her birthday.

Now that Baby Boy is here, we are trying to do the same thing with him.

In some ways it is a different experience. With Baby Girl, it was just so amazing to see how far she had come. To have something physical that we could bring out and say "she used to be this small." With Baby Boy it's something I'm doing because I can't believe how fast he is growing. I couldn't wait to for her to get bigger than the bunny, but I don't want him get bigger than the bunny!

So that is the bunny story. It's why in just a few days I will post yet another picture of Baby Boy with his bunny. I will marvel at how big he is getting and how fast time is going by. And it's why I will take a picture of my Baby Girl every year on her birthday with her bunny. To see how far she's come.

VOTE

Halloween

Mostly Treats...no Tricks (unless you count the dirty diapers!).

Baby Girl as Mulan.

Baby Boy as Sleepy Dragon.

We did the traditional holiday gathering at our place with Dr. Dad's family the weekend before Halloween. Then we were invited to another Trick or Treat party at our good friends' house in a neighboring town on the actual date. Good times were had by all.

3 Months

Baby Boy,

Even as I type this I am having a hard time believing 3 months have gone by since you came into this world. Even more surprising is how much you have changed in just that short of time! You smile so much now, holding your head up and looking around at your world. Even more exciting is the way you love to "talk" to us, especially when you are sitting in your bouncy seat and can see us eye to eye. You coo and squeal and sigh and we just love this new development!

We have been really busy in this last month. We had your Baptism at our church and invited all our family and friends to come to this special day. We took you to your first pumpkin farm and you had your first sleepover at your Nonna and Papa's house. You continue to be our easygoing little guy and you are even getting better at sleeping through the night (or at least sleeping more at night), so thank you for that. Just this past week you got your first cold, and it is breaking my heart to watch you sniff and snuffle. I just want to make you feel better.

I know we have technically done this all before with Baby Girl. But I think in so many ways this is just a whole new experience for us. Not just because you are your own little guy, and of course every baby is different. I was looking through Baby Girl's calendar of milestones and because she was so premature, we didn't get our first real smile from her until her 5th month. We didn't take her anywhere for 6 months and her actual Baptism was done in the NICU. I hold all of her babyhood in a special place in my heart. And while her developmental journey was full of worry, relief, patience and prayer, yours is more of an "aha! this is how it's supposed to be!" journey. Both of these experiences are more precious to me than either of you will ever know.

Plus, if you turn out even half as awesome as your sister...well...wouldn't we just be too lucky!

You Know You Wanna

See that handy little link over there on the right? The one that says Subscribe to Lucky You? Go ahead. Click it. I dare you.

Actually, it's a pretty cool little gadget that will send you a brief email to let you know when I have updated my blog. This way you don't have to just randomly check back here whenever you think about it. Assuming you do think about it. You do, don't you? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

I am hoping to get some more posts up soon. Like the story of The Bunnies and Baby Boy's upcoming 3! Month! Update!

Also, Halloween.

So go ahead. Click.

After all, you don't want to make this Pumpkin angry.

Wizard!

There is just something about that hat...

Halloween is coming!

Shot Through the Heart

Oh, Baby Boy, I am so sorry you had to get your shots yesterday. You made it through like a champ. Thank you in advance for not hating us for taking you to that mean, mean doctor with the mean, mean needles.

On a happier note, at 11 weeks old you weigh in at 11 pounds 14 ounces (48th percentile!) and are 24.4 inches long (80th percentile!!!). Obviously you take after Dr. Dad. No one got my height challenged genes. Thank God.

You are my mellow, mellow guy. Just one request: Anytime you want to cut down on the spitting up would be fine with us (and our laundry).

Doctor says you are healthy and fine and growing and we're thrilled.

6 Years

Dear Baby Girl,

Six years ago you decided to arrive in our world 12 weeks earlier than we expected you. From that first day I knew you would be something special. A miracle.

You are certainly all we could have ever hoped for when we decided it was time for us to start a family. You are funny, smart, charming, energetic, silly, a master negotiator and fashion icon. What surprises me the most is that I not only love you...but that I really like you.

You started Kindergarten this year. At first I wasn't too worried about the adjustment. After all, you've always been a "see ya later Mom and Dad" kind of kid, never displaying much seperation anxiety. And of course with the arrival of Baby Boy I knew we would be plenty busy at home. But what I didn't expect was how QUIET it was that first full week you were gone. You get on the bus around 8 am and don't get home until 4 pm and it's like you have a little job, and I am not sure I was ready for that after all! Just lately you have been spending your lunch time crying a little, and you confessed that you were missing me. It breaks my heart, and I have to play "bad cop" and tell you that while I do miss you, you just have to go to school and have fun and you aren't missing anything special by not being here. But it is a big change. I am sure we will all get better at this as we go. Maybe you are finally realizing that this school thing is EVERY DAY and EVERY YEAR for what must seem like eternity. Plus, I think you miss your sleeping in. Like you say about your brother waking at night "he is making me miss my beauty sleep."

And as for being a big sister, you have been so awesome. You have taken the whole thing in stride, you really seem to love your brother and are so patient in waiting for your time with us when we are busy with him. You love to show him off and I am really excited watching your relationship with him develop.

You got your six year check up and you weigh a whopping 35 pounds, putting you firmly in the 5th percentile in weight, but at 45 inches tall you are 50th percentile in height. You are all gloriously long legs and dainty hands and while you may be tiny, to think of where you started from (2 pounds!) you are looking amazingly more like a BIG girl.

But you will always be our baby.

Love you, love you, love you Baby Girl.

Happy Birthday

2 Months

Dear Baby Boy,

I am shamelessly ripping off this idea from a bunch of other blogs, mainly Dooce, of writing a little letter to her child on their monthly birthday.

You might have noticed I skipped month number one.

I have a good excuse.

You see, you have an older sister. You might have noticed her. She has been around for quite some time now and we really, really like her. However, she keeps us busy.

With things like this

and this

and even this

So I kind of missed writing about you. About how amazing it was to bring you home from the hospital and how mellow you were in the midst of our crazy first few weeks at home. How you were so good for me and Dr. Dad and let us focus on Baby Girl and all her goings on. How you let us drag you around to your first big introduction to Dr. Dad's BIG family at their annual picnic, and then up to Lakeside for our vacation and then to Pennsylvania to meet my family. Even how you let me take pictures of you with your Bunny.

So now you are two months old. Starting to smile and coo and get really, really happy when you see Mr. Sun on your playmat. You are still pretty mellow. But boy, can you ever spit-up. This is something your sister NEVER did and it has thrown me for a loop. Well, mostly it has thrown our laundry for a loop, but you get the idea. But you make up for the increasing laundry with the smiles

and also the way Dr. Dad likes to pose you with the pets.

We are anxiously awaiting every new thing with you. I am excited to see how big you have grown in these few months with us. So welcome to our little world Baby Boy. Sorry in advance for all the bunny pictures.

Happy 2 month Birthday,

Love,

Lucky

Everybody Else Is Doing It...

So I like to read. I like the Internet. I like people to read what I read on the Internet. What to do about this? Start a blog.

When Baby Girl was born I needed a way to keep everyone updated on her health and progress. I found a free web page that I could update and send out to everyone. It had issues...such as limited picture space and the inability to save what you wrote from month to month (resulting in the permanent loss of whatever I wrote about her in the first few postings). So when Baby Boy was born I thought he should have his own page too. Until I found out it would have to be a separate web page with a new email address. In addition, to preserve whatever I wrote, I would have to print out these pages every month. I am finding out I don't have the time or the desire to do this. So I decided to start a blog.

I love blogs. They are kind of like Internet diaries and since I am hardly shy about my life, I figured why not have my own?

I am hoping this is will be a way to document our pretty average American Life. Including exciting updates on the kids, the adults, heck, even the pets. Since I am new to all this, I'm not using our real names...so the kids are Baby Girl and Baby Boy, my husband is Dr. Dad and the pets are, well, the pets. And me? I'm Lucky. More on that to come.