We Have Lift Off!

Sure, it's a terrible picture, but who has time to focus the camera when Ellie's lifting her head?!

Not a Baby Picture

I know, there's no baby Ellie in this picture. But still, how cute is that? It's so nice that Brian's willing to take dictation for Topaz. Happy New Year everyone!

Peek-a WHO?

Apparently, we're supposed to read to Little E every single day to encourage a love of words and literature. While that's all fine and good, Ellie prefers to practice mugging in the mirror. Is there a Vanity section on the SAT?

...And to All a Good Night

Ellie had a wonderful Christmas! She met all the Jersey relatives, played Christmas and Hanukkah Bingo, and discovered Negre Blanc...the Mount Everest of holiday desserts. Happy Holidays everyone!

Click to Play the Slideshow

Merry Christmas!

Perspective

Ellie may not rate on the pediatrician's so-called "growth chart," but check out these two pictures! The first is from when she was one week old. The second was shot this morning at nine weeks. What a difference. Growth chart be damned!

60 Seconds of Smiles

Though She is Small, She is But Fierce

Ellie is two months old! We had our monthly pediatrician check-up today, and everything is going well. The nurse practitioner was smitten with her, and Ellie was a brave girl and took her shots like a trooper.

We also had her weighed, measured, and charted.

Weight: 9 lbs, 5 ounces (up two pounds in a month!) 15th percentile, up from the 7th percentile at her last visit.

Head Circumference: 38.6cm. 46th percentile.

Height: Um yeah...we're not exactly a tall family...20.4 inches, which puts her below the growth chart and in the -1 percentile. But she gained an inch in a month, and is growing at an appropriate rate, so the doctors aren't concerned. She's just small. And fierce.

And taking a nap right now in her crib, which makes me do a dance of joy!

Snow, Snow, Snow, Snow, Snow!

Yep, the Bkschnei-mobile is still alive and well...

It snowed! Saturday night was a winter wonderland. Especially for me since I didn't have to do any of the shoveling. Sunday dawned bright and clear and we took Ellie out to forge our way through Brooklyn's slush-filled streets.

Don't drop lunch on the baby!

(Apologies to John and Becky for pushing them off the top of the blog! You know it had to happen.)

Uncle John and Aunt Becky

Vermont is in the house! Uncle John and Aunt Becky came to meet Little E this weekend. Actually, they're here for Becky's baby shower; she's due February 3rd! Ellie was pleased to meet them, but was a little annoyed that David Andrew was still in Becky's belly instead of being ready to come out and play. Someday, those two are going to be trouble.

In weather news, we're supposed to get 6-9" of snow in the city today. Ellie is joining legions of New York City school kids in lamenting the fact that a major snowstorm is happening on a Saturday, and doesn't bring with it a day off from school. But still, Ellie's first snowstorm! Maybe I'll get out and take some pictures later.

The Office

For the past eight weeks I have had a difficult time concentrating at the office. What happened eight weeks ago? My favorite blog happened. That's what.

Work a little... check blog.

Work a little... check blog.

Check blog.... work? A little?

8 Weeks Photo

Ellie's official "8-week Shot"

8 Weeks (and Latkes)

To celebrate Ellie's eight week mark we were going to spend the afternoon doing a super-cute photo shoot. Instead, she spent the day squawking, fussing, and generally driving me up a wall. So, we'll have to make do with this shot grabbed yesterday while she was in her swing. Maybe tomorrow she'll cooperate...

On another note, here's cutie Cousin Leila checking Ellie out during the latke party on Saturday. Thanks again to the Posts for hosting!

When Mommy's away...

Daddy's enjoying his first day alone at home with Ellie. Baby clean? Check. Baby fed? Check. Baby sleeping? Check. Daddy on couch with feet up watching football? CHECK! (Who wants to take bets on whether or not Daddy will be able to stay awake for the 8:20pm Eagles/Giants game?)

8 Crazy Nights

Ellie studies up for the holiday...

Happy Hanukkah everyone! Tomorrow we make latkes with Mike, Sari, cousin Leila and Sari's family. Yummmmm...

Best Buds

Ellie and her buddy Paulie. Ain't love grand?

Sibling Rivalry

I always thought this was a cat cliche...but hey, if this is all they've got? I say, bring it on...

O Tannenbaum

Growing up in Vermont, getting a Christmas tree meant one of two things:

1. Hiking miles into the woods to chop down a monumental pine, then throwing out your back while struggling to drag it home through four feet of snow drifts and a beaver dam.

2. Going to the local tree farm and essentially repeating option #1.

Here in Brooklyn, we do things a little differently. The hardest part is deciding whether it's in the Christmas spirit to haggle over the price of three-foot Charlie Brown tree, and whether you should still tip the friendly French Canadian who just emptied your wallet. We must have "Baby's First Christmas" madness, since this year we didn't haggle, and still tipped.

Tonight, we decorate!

Update: Our Tree

Boys and their Girls

Our friends Kyle and Amber came to visit this weekend (all the way from Queens!) and brought their beautiful daughter, Arden.

The girls got in on the action too...

Next time, we make the trek out to Astoria...

Careful, Baby

It's a jungle out there...

Family Photo

I think this is actually the first picture of the three of us. Thanks to Rob Beiderman for coming all the way from Los Angeles to be our family photographer. Next time you visit I'll actually cook instead of just ordering a pizza.

Thanks, Grandma!

After a month in town, my mom heads back to Providence tomorrow morning. Which means I have to relearn how to go grocery shopping, empty the dishwasher, and make dinner. Should be interesting...thank god for take-out.

Thanks, mom! We couldn't have made it through the last month without you.

Six Weeks...Six Faces

It's a good thing she's cute. She seems to have forgotten how to sleep...

Ellie Takes Manhattan

With Poppop Steve and Mommom Pat in town, Little E hit the Big Apple in style. She had her first subway ride, her first taxi ride, her first Gray's Papaya hotdog, and her first visit to Times Square. Despite never having been there before, our little New Yorker insists she likes the old Times Square better.

Gobble Gobble

You all said we were crazy, but we pulled it off.

We're thankful for Fresh Direct pre-cooked turkeys and side dishes, Lucy's masterful way with a potato peeler, mom's pumpkin pie, Mat's beard, Aunt Barbara's birthday cake, Sara and Andre's wine, Mommom Pat's skill with a diaper, Poppop Steve's turkey carving, Cousin Jay's liberal politics, and Ellie and Paul's sweet dispositions.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

(Note: I didn't take nearly enough photos)

Lovely Sunday

No cute baby picture to commemorate it, but we had a lovely Brooklyn Sunday. Brian and Ellie met Mike and Leila for lunch, while I had a "no-baby-afternoon" with my friend Melissa. I missed the kid, but it was liberating to spend a few hours visiting the adult world. Next step? Brian and I going out TOGETHER and leaving the kid behind. Are we ready? Our friend Lucy gave us coupons for some mid-afternoon babysitting, and I think it's almost time to take advantage...

Happy Month-iversary!

Our little tyrant is one month old today. As such, her loyal servants (read: me) bundled her up and trucked her off to the pediatrician for her monthly check-up.

She's almost real-baby-sized! Ellie was born at 5 lbs, 12 ounces and is now a whopping 7 lbs, 5 ounces. That's a 23 ounce gain since her last weight check two weeks ago, which explains why I'm so darned exhausted. She's eating me out of house and home! (Please don't check my math. It's probably wrong, but you have no idea how hard it was for me to figure out. Stupid, useless brain.) She's now 19.4 inches long, up from 17.25 at birth. So all is going well.

She also received her first immunization today, which is notable only because of the BANGING hot pink camouflage band-aid she's sporting. She's such a fashion plate.

On a completely unrelated note, while at Dunkin Donuts this morning we heard the first christmas music of the season. The holidays are coming! The holidays are coming! I recognize I'm noticing this pretty late, but hey, I haven't been getting out much. Mostly I'm excited since this means I can update my ringtone to the Kinks' "Father Christmas," something I've been looking forward to doing since June.

If you don't know it: http://popup.lala.com/popup/504684715144199565
Enjoy!

Gratuitous Baby Butt

Something tells me I won't find this so amusing when she's 14 and wearing sweatpants with "Juicy" written across the rear end...

Ellie Plays Air Piano

(Thanks to Ellie's Auntie Diana in Vermont for the wicked cute outfit!)

Bottle Milestone

Success!  Now Daddy can share middle of the night feedings and Mom can get more sleep.

Nap Time

It's a rainy day in Brooklyn. Perfect for napping. Also, learning to use the breast pump, attempting to bottle-feed for the first time, and hopefully finally finishing our thank you notes. Wish us luck!

60 Seconds of Stretching

...Because I think she's just the cutest thing in the world when she's waking up.

We had a girls' day out today, and pretended to be "ladies who lunch" to celebrate Grandma's birthday. Ellie proved herself a cheap date and slept through the whole afternoon. And thank god. I'm still living in fear of the first time she wakes up in the outside world and demands to be fed. One of these days I will conquer public breastfeeding...just not yet.

As Promised...

A shot of Ellie with her eyes open.

And a shot of her yawning, just because it's so darn cute.


Until she started crying because I was too busy taking pictures of her yawning to realize that HELLO, yawning = tired = put her to sleep before she starts screaming bloody murder. Lesson learned.

Happy three weeks, kid.

Three Weeks

Ellie will be three weeks old tomorrow. Wow. Three weeks. 21 days. I can't decide if it feels like no time at all, or an eon.

All I know for sure is that I haven't marked this many milestones in a new relationship since my first "boyfriend" in junior high. Hopefully she won't break up with me the day before the big dance. And maybe tomorrow I can get a photo with her eyes open.

Cousins

The best part of living in our neighborhood is that Mike, Sari, and cousin Leila live here too. It's absolutely fantastic that they can pop over for a visit anytime. With all the rest of our families spread out throughout the country, having them here can't be taken for granted.