Bye Bye

Gran's in town and today she and Tali played a fun game. It made us laugh. Hope it makes you laugh, also.

Trip to New Orleans

This past week, Tali and I took a trip to New Orleans. It was Mardi Gras week down there but we didn't actually go to any parades. Tali's too young to get it. Instead, we made plans to see family and friends of mine and enjoy the nice, relatively warm weather.

But, Tali had other plans. On Tuesday, Tali started to develop a bit of cold. By Wednesday evening it was awful. And that night it was so terrible that we called my cousin Michael at home (he's a pediatrician) to find out what we could do for her. After a nice chat, Grandpa went to the drugstore and came back with a bag full of tricks to help Tali sleep. We followed all of Michael's instructions and Tali was able to get a few hours of sleep. Tali's cold was just as bad on Thursday but by Friday she seemed to be on the mend. We flew back yesterday (Saturday) and Tali's cold was almost better.

Now Tali just has a bit of congestion in her chest and she's lost most of her voice from a combination of her cold and HOURS of crying.

So most of our plans in New Orleans got canceled (we did go hear Granny speak at the WWII museum about being a war bride - she was very funny!) and Tali spent a lot of time in Gran and Grandpa's house playing with Mardi Gras beads (from the parades and balls they went to over the weekend) and exploring. But because she was sick, Tali was very clingy to me and didn't really want to be touched or held by anyone else. Luckily, I was able to get out of the house a bit while she was sleeping since Gran was there to babysit.

It's no fun when babies are sick - no matter how much help you have.

Tali with Mardi Gras beads the day we arrived.

She pulled them all out of the bags right away!

Tali with Granny (and a Mardi Gras throw).

Tali with Grandpa.

Tali with Gran, at the airport before we left.

Giving Thanks

Thursday was Tali's first Thanksgiving and she sat down with all the adults to enjoy a typical Thanksgiving meal. She ate turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce and loved all of it. She ate and ate and ate and ate. And after all of the adults were finished eating, she ate some more. While we did not go around the table and say what (and who) we were thankful for, I'd like to do that here.

The Who's:

My husband - He works hard to provide for our family. And on Thanksgiving morning, he watched Tali so that I could prepare the meal. He's also been very supportive in my decision to breastfeed for the full first year.

Gran and Savta - They do their best to make my life a little easier. Savta comes two or three times a month to watch Tali for a few hours and Gran comes every two months for a week. It's nice to have a break and a little help.

Doctor Holly - My childhood friend is a pediatrician and a huge help to me. I can e-mail her a question and she usually gets back to me within a day. Nothing like having your own personal doctor!

Jackson - When I'm having a really bad day, Jackson seems to know. He comes over to give me a dog hug and cuddle. It makes me feel much better.

The What's:

Wisp - I know I'm not the target audience for this product, but a "toothbrush" on the go is the perfect thing for a new/busy mom! Yes, we sometimes forget to brush our teeth or realize that our breath smells terrible from our last meal and it's too much trouble to turn the car around and unpack the baby before we get to our next destination. The Wisp solves the problem. I always have them handy.

Car Navigator - We moved to a new city just 3 1/2 months before we had Tali and I still don't know my way around. I don't know what I'd do without that woman's voice telling me where to turn and figuring out a new route when I make a wrong turn. She's a life saver and has a lot of patience.

Wholesome Baby Food Web Site - So far, I have made all of Tali's food. She's never tasted food from a jar (to those who told me I'd give up quickly - sorry to prove you wrong). This site has tons of great recipes and helpful guides.

Ergo Baby Carrier - Most people use the Baby Bjorn but I found it strained my back and the Ergo doesn't do that. All of the weight is on your hips (similar to a hiking backpack) and it makes carrying Tali so easy. I've used this carrier on countless walks with Jackson, a few trips to the grocery store and have even worn it around the house. Plus, it has a weight limit of 40 pounds! I'll be using this for a while.

Fisher Price - They just get it. Their toys, the high chair, etc. are all well made and loved by kids and parents. I know this is what they do, but I must say that they do it very well.

And, of course, I am thankful for Tali. I cannot even imagine my life without her anymore.

Gran's in Town!

Gran's back for another visit and it's been great to have her here. Luckily, Tali is still in the stage where she'll let some people hold her so my mom can just jump right in. She's been here since Thursday and we've been busy the entire time. 

There are both pros and cons to my mom living far away. The con is obvious - she lives far away and only sees Tali every other month. But the pro is that she can really see changes in Tali. It helps me realize how much she has grown. Although Tali still likes to cry (Gran calls this "her hobby"), she's doing it much less than she used to. The biggest change is that Tali can now entertain herself for periods of time - especially if she's given the freedom to roll around on the floor. My mom sees a lot of me in Tali and it's fun to hear that I did this and that as a baby. For example, if I wanted something (before I could crawl), I would just roll and roll until I got to it. Tali does the same thing. Even at this age, Tali is already showing her independence. My favorite phrase was "I'll do it myself." Tali loves her dresses (mainly because she likes to put them in her mouth) and all I wanted to wear when I was little were dresses.

Most importantly, my mom timed her visit so that she'd be here when I got sick (fever and all - yuck) and it's been great to have help with Tali. I'm sure I could have managed on my own, but it is really nice to have the help. Thanks, Gran!

She's Got One of My Genes (or Should I Say Jeans?)

Last week Gran and I took Tali shopping and she was on her best behavior. In fact, I've never seen her so well behaved for such a long period of time. She had a blast at the mall. All of the colors and people were simply fascinating to her and she spent the majority of her time just smiling and looking around. She was such a pleasure, having a normal baby was such a treat! So we decided that she inherited my shopping gene. Watch out Dad, she'll be asking for the credit card soon!

Gran's in Town!

Gran (my mom) came in to town on Thursday and is here for a week. Even though Tali hasn't seen her in about two months, she took to her right away and is having a great time with her. On Friday, she was actually very well behaved for Gran while I went to the doctor. Today she's been a bit fussier (didn't get a good morning nap), but still loving her Gran.

It's nice having my mom here because it's giving me a chance to get some rest and get some things done. I've been able to take some much needed naps, cook without a screaming baby and simply relax. And Gran has gotten to spend some quality time with her favorite (and only) grandchild.