Ear Dialing

Sasha has discovered ear dialing. Highly efficient. And danceable.

I'm Sure There Was a Stampede at the Library

Sasha got his very own library card this week. I know it seems like jumping the gun a little bit, but there were extenuating circumstances. Even now Nerdy can recall the reverence in which she held her first and very own library card. She can describe in detail how the librarian spoke with her about how you treat a book ("books are your friends") and then let her write her 5-year-old signature on the card.

I thought that she might like to create a similar experience for the Bub and have it be a special day. But then I heard about the limited edition, only while supplies last, Sesame Street's 40th Anniversary celebratory Elmo library card. Yes, friends, Elmo himself is on the front of the card. Sasha may not care one whit about Elmo by the time he understands what a library is, but he can lovingly pull it out of my wallet until then. (And leave my $90 Metrocard alone.)

In the meantime, we have plans tomorrow for the whole family to go to the Central Library to enjoy the Sesame Street memorabilia and whatever else they have going on for the anniversary.

As part of the card application process, I authorized the Bub to be able to check out materials from the adult section as well as the children's section. That way when he sneaks out to the local branch and tries to check out The Communist Manifesto nothing stands in his way.

Rolls Are for Rolling

Hair Emergency

Oh no. Why do I think I can do the job of a professional? Since I hacked up his hair the last time I tried giving him a cut, this time I thought I would soften the choppy look by using electric clippers. YouTube said it would be easy! We were afraid that the buzzing would scare the Bub, but instead he loved it like a head massage. I started with the back of his hair and it looked okay. So I moved on to the front. Just a little touch to his bangs to get them out of his eyes. But he was so cooperative he helpfully leaned forward and Bam! Instant balding hairline. Square in the middle of his forehead. We then tried going for the Caesar cut. Yeah, right. Nerdy and I discussed: what to do now??? There was only one solution. My heart hurts a little, but here he is in all his buzz cut glory:


While Googling how to cut a toddler's hair ('cause that's how professionals do it), I came across this post from Chris, blogger at Notes From the Trenches. I should have paid closer attention to it before the disaster.

How to cut a toddler’s hair in 25 easy steps

1. After looking at the sweaty haired toddler, determine he desperately needs a haircut
2. RIGHT NOW
3. Get out the haircutting supplies while feeding self delusions of grandeur
4. Put cape around toddler, which he promptly tears off
5. Pick up the first piece of hair, hold it lovingly between fingers
6. Begin cutting the perfect hair cut
7. Toddler shakes his head furiously
8. Resulting in a bald spot
9. Delusions of giving the perfect haircut, where strangers would approach and ask for the name of my toddler hairdresser and then look at me incredulously and utter, “wow, you cut hair? You are amazing!” are shattered
10. Pin toddler between knees
11. Let toddler loose exactly 3.5 seconds later after fearing the neighborhood windows will shatter from his piercing screams
12. Scream, “Baby you’re so going to lose an ear if you keep up the writhing!”
13. Employ new method of haircutting, a.k.a how much worse could it look
14. Grab and cut random patches of hair
15. while following behind the running toddler
16. Running with scissors near son’s head
17. now THAT is behavior you hope your children will model
18. Encourage 3 yr old to have a turn cutting toddler’s hair
19. good parenting at it’s finest
20. This way when people ask if a child cut the toddler’s hair the answer is truthfully, yes
21. Wonder how a baby crew cut would look
22. Decide, wisely, against getting out the clippers
23. Realize there is a special place in hell for people who cut their own toddler’s hair
24. At least he has those dimples to distract people, and a cute sun hat
25. And really, does anyone who still craps their pants care what their hair looks like

White Christmas, Baraboo

Our visit to Wisconsin for Christmas was a good time. Sasha and Taylor got along famously (well, mostly). They had fun sledding together, giving each other hugs and kisses, and sharing food.

Here's little stinker #1 pretending to be a baby by sitting in a high chair and wearing a bib. She thought it was hilarious. The pink cup in the foreground was quickly adopted by Sasha because it produces the best water and juice he has ever tasted. On the last day of our visit, she saw it and declared, "Sasha's!"



Here is TayTay teaching Sasha how to eat ketchup off your finger without having to eat any actual food.


A rare moment of peacefully sharing a toy.

Showing off a gift from Aunt Wendy, a sweet pair of snowpants.

Talking to Grandpa J. on the phone.


Grandma Z. being directed to the playground by Taylor who had enough of sledding.

Happy New Year to Everyone!!!

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.