Resisting Arrest

There's a new game in town and I'm losing. As anyone who has tried to put the Bub in a stroller knows, he is fiercely strong and it takes a lot of effort to wrestle him in and buckle him down. But he always loses eventually because he's still the little guy. So he has a new strategy: go totally limp and How You Like Me Now, Sucka? Try putting on clothes or shoes or picking him up or putting him in the bath-- forget it. Totally impossible to maneuver a 23-pound slippery sack of potatoes.

What's all this white stuff?

A few pictures of Sasha having his first real encounter with snow.

Mittens. I hate mittens.

Hey check it out, stuff is falling from the sky!

Wow.

Wait, I seriously can't move in all these clothes.

OK, that's enough! Which way to the hot chocolate?

Happy Chanukah!

Last year we let the holiday pass without anything for the little one but this year we began the tradition of Chanukah with Nana and Zayde.

We all got together and lit the menorah (thanks for the polishing Wisco) and ate fabulous latkes (thank you Zayde) with homemade applesauce (thank you Nana). Because we wanted Nana and Zayde to see our reactions to the presents, we let the Bub open all of his gifts on one night. I think we enjoyed the opening more than he did! Then, to top it all off, Aunt Margot skyped in to watch Sasha open her gift and then Aunt Alice & Maya skyped in to join the party.

Sasha had a great time playing with his new train set and running around the living room waving his new pajamas in the air. However, I think the most exciting item of the evening was the dreidel. The Bub was captivated by the spinning top and attempted to turn it numerous times.

After the excitement of candles, latkes, and presents was over the Bub fell into a great sleep which allowed the adults to laugh and chat over coffee and hot chocolate. What a difference a year makes!

Nana!

Some of you readers may know that every Monday Nana drives to Brooklyn from the Bronx to babysit Sasha and to give me some Sasha-free time. I love it-- a few hours every week all to myself. It's also really good for Sasha. He loves hanging out with Nana and because he sees her every week, he's always comfortable with her. Lately, he doesn't even notice me leave. Or rather, he notices, he just doesn't care because hey, Nana's here so don't let the door hit you on your way out.

Yesterday, however, was a milestone. As I do every Monday, I tell him a little before she gets here that "Nana's coming!" so he's prepared and knows that I'll be leaving soon. Usually that gets no identifiable response. But yesterday when I told him, he whipped his head around and said, "NANA!" Then he said again, "Nana," and ran for the door. I'm still amazed. He really is developing at such a fast pace.

So now he has a two-word vocabulary: Mama and Nana. And Moo if you count animal sounds. I suppose he'll learn my name when he's old enough to say "chopped liver." Seriously, though, when he says "Mama" it's unclear if he's referring to me or Nerdy or both of us interchangeably; it's the subject of some debate.

One thing's for sure: Nana = fun. Here are some pictures to show the love.

Dearly Beloved

A very sad day at the Greenwood Playground. The Red Car, beloved by Sasha and many others, lost a wheel. Now the hordes of Brooklyn children who vie for a few minutes with the playground's most precious resource will have to make do with other toys. I'm not sure there's anything else there of interest to Sasha. We tried to keep it out of his line of sight, but eventually his eagle eyes saw it and he cried when we wouldn't take it out of the trash to let him push it around again. (Nerdy admonished me for taking pictures of his pain.)

Goodbye, Red Car. We will remember your bright shiny colors on dreary days, and we honor your service to the public. Countless children are steadier on their feet because of you.

Autumn

Sasha Turns One!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Sasha Sky!

The Bub started his birthday celebration last night with his grandparents from da Bronx. Nana and Zayde brought a present for the little guy and food and champagne for the rest of us. He seemed bewildered by the birthday song and cupcake, but I'm sure he felt the love. This morning, he got birthday wishes via a Skype call with Aunt Margot and a Youtube video from Aunt Carrie and Taylor. A card in the mail from Aunt Maureen. Then Aunt Mollie called to sing him the birthday song. Later, packages full of toys were delivered from Aunt Wendy, Grandma and Grandpa Z, and Grandma and Grandpa J. And then, before bed was another Skype call with a birthday song from Aunt Alice and Maya.

Nerdy and I have been reminiscing about where we were and what we were doing one year ago today. Hard to believe how much has changed in that short time. We've also been reflecting on how important family is and how much we rely on the people around us who love us. That has never been more true than in this past year. It's been quite a roller coaster and we wouldn't have gotten here without the love and support of all of you. So thank you.

Adoption Home Visit

This weekend we had a social worker come to visit us in our home to evaluate our fitness as parents. She stayed for about 2 hours, asking us VERY detailed questions about us, our lives, our families, our relationships, our finances. I think it went well and Sasha did his best to charm her, smiling and talking and playing coy when he "accidentally" went near her. He was trying to steal her pen and paper by the end of the visit, so I guess he thought she was all right. We'll get her full report in early December which will be the last paperwork needed by the adoption court. Then we will be scheduled for a final hearing where I get to dress him up in his sartorial finest. Oh, and officially become his Mom.

Visit from Aunt Carrie

The Amazing Aunt Carrie visited this weekend, bringing with her a bag of tricks for Sasha. She arrived in the evening, so he didn't meet her until the following morning. We were expecting him to be surprised to see her and a little wary, but nope, he saw her and gave her a big grin as if to say, "Hey I know you and I remember that you're pretty fun, too." So he climbed right up on her lap and she started playing hide-and-seek with a little cow she brought for him-- a game that never got old even after they played it all weekend.

We visited the Coney Island Aquarium, saw some fish and sharks and jellyfish, and ate an ungodly amount of grapes on the way home. Even Taylor got to enjoy a piece of the aquarium in the form of a stuffed penguin and some temporary tattoos with a sea life theme. She has a new obsession with penguins thanks in part to repeat viewings of "Happy Feet." When it's over she asks for "Mo...? Dancing...? Penguins....?"

Carrie also showered Sasha with gifts for his birthday: a warm hat (pictured below), a bouncy ball, and an excellent set of blocks. And a mostly empty bottle of water which he is playing with as I write this. The downstairs neighbor surely hates the blocks already-- Sasha loves to unstack the pile by slamming each block into the floor and halfway across the living room.

But the biggest news of all is that Carrie is so exciting she apparently warrants HIS FIRST STEPS. That's right, while we all were watching him play, he walked right to her! Yay!!!!! See the video clip below for more (filmed by Carrie).

Then he was too excited and couldn't do it again:

Sasha at the Playground

Well I'm pretty sure walking is just around the corner. Check out this video of the busy guy at the playground, pushing his favorite toy and being distracted from it by an empty box of raisins.