Halloween Cat Cookies

It has been occasionally pointed out to me that I have some control freak, perfectionist tendencies (Hi, Brian!). Making cookies with a two-year old is full scale immersion therapy. Thank god my mom was here to supervise or there could have been casualties, and not just of the cookie variety. Thanks, Dad, for the sugar cookie mix and the cookie cutter. You saved our rainy day.


(and don't worry, Brian. There are plenty left for when you get home.)

Ahhhhhhh

See? It's not always chaos. Sometimes there is play-doh, peaceful children, and coffee...

Tooooooth!

Yep, Gabe cut his first tooth today. After months of unstoppable drool, I say it's about time!

A Dream Come True

I finally got that Cleaning Fairy I've always wanted.

2 Years

2 years old. Ellie is two years old today. I just finished putting her to bed, and I'm feeling outrageously sentimental - verging on maudlin.

We sat in her room and she snuggled against me while I quietly sang "The Rainbow Connection." Our song. I've sung it almost every day since she was born, sometimes more than once. She must know all the words, but she never joins me. She just listens, and leans her head against my shoulder while I stroke her hair. It's one of those moments. Those moments that make you forget the willful, defiant two year old she was just ten minutes earlier. For that moment she's still my baby, like she will be forever.

Happy Birthday, baby. There are no words for how much I love you.

St. Patricks Day, 2010...when she really was still my little baby.

Klezmer Boogie Down

Fall!

We have yet to make it to the "Obligatory Pumpkin Patch" (it's so true, Sarah) but we did hit up the local synagogue's Sukkot Block Party last weekend. There's some highly entertaining video of E dancing to Klezmer music, but we have some learning curve to conquer on the iPhone before we can post it.

But don't worry - we're off to VT this weekend to hit a local Pumpkin Festival. Though at this point we could just paint Gabe's head orange and call it even. Speaking of which, what's everyone doing for Halloween? I am completely inspiration-less. I always thought Halloween costumes would be one of those things I would excel at as a mom, but not this year. We might have Ellie and her BFF Paul go as Bam-Bam and Pebbles...but honestly unless someone hands me a costume they may just go as "the kids with the lamest mom in Park Slope." Ugh, they're too young for irony.

Baby Mum Yum Yum

Those "Baby Mum-Mum" rice snacks are ridiculously messy, but 15 minutes of contented baby lip smacking? Priceless.

Her Hair

I want to memorize every curl, every blond streak, every snarl and tangle. Clutch them in my hands and hold them in my heart forever.

Ellie's Birthday Party

So yeah, that happened. Good grief! Ellie's two?! (Technically not for another two weeks, but we had a little party for her yesterday.) And I am freaking out. Two?! Suddenly middle school is right around the corner.

It was a gorgeous day, so I decorated the backyard like a bad 80's prom, complete with crepe paper streamers and balloons. Ellie was prom queen in her purple party dress and pink tiara.

Two. I just can't believe it.

Sleep Tight

After almost five years of moaning and groaning about the Grand Canyon in the middle of our bed, we finally bit the bullet yesterday. The new mattress comes today, and I have never been so excited in my life. As a side note, mattress stores are awesome for kids. Ellie happily ran up and down the aisles for over an hour. Next rainy day? We're heading to Sleepy's.

Mama's Little Helper

"Quiet, Baby!"

Toddler Prozac

Sometimes you just gotta dance.

Avocado and Sweet Potato

Gabe's become a master of solids. I can already hear myself complaining in 13 years that he's eating us out of house and home. But, see those bags under his eyes? Yeah, the kid still doesn't sleep well. Ellie has always been such a beautiful sleeper, and even though I publicly said we were just lucky, and that it didn't really have anything to do with us as parents...of course there was always the smug bit of me that thought "well, of course, we did everything right." So, I take it back. We did nothing right. Or at least, we can't seem to do anything right with Gabe. The kid just doesn't want to sleep past 3:00am. Ugh. Yawn.

Story Time

Welcome to Jonah

Our new nephew Jonah was born last week and his bris was held today. While not my favorite part of the Jewish faith, it was a beautiful and meaningful ceremony - and wonderful to bring the family together to mark Jonah's entrance into the world. Plus there were Sarge's deli sandwiches, and you really can't beat that.

The proud parents.

The man of the hour.

Mazel Tov!

Glamour Baby Caroline

One of the 5 (yes, really, FIVE) babies born in the last two weeks is little Caroline, baby sister to Ellie's bestest Paul. I got to spend a little time with them yesterday, taking some newborn photos. It was a great learning experience for me, and I'm driving myself crazy with everything I'd do differently if I could do it over. Which I may have to do, like tomorrow. She's such a sweet little model baby!

(I'm a little evil for loving this last shot so much, but I can't help myself)