Pictures of Isaac's party taken by me/Josh
More pictures taken by Becca/Jose
More pictures taken by Emily/Mike
On Saturday, we celebrated Isaac's first birthday at my parents' house. It was a wonderful party with mostly family and some friends there--you know, just our family alone is a big group! We planned on Josh's folks, Tirzah and Bob, joining us from PA for the occasion, but didn't expect our Oberlin friends from western NH and Brooklyn to come. We invited our NH friends, Emily B-W and Emily H W, thinking it was possible that they might come-- even though it's a couple hour drive to Barrington. Becca in NY wasn't even on our radar because she has a 10 week-old at home. She emailed us a few weeks ago and asked if we were having a party for Isaac and wanted to come! So all the friends +husbands +children came to the party and stayed overnight so that we could see each other in the morning.
My parents cleaned the house on Friday and got everything all set. I made the cake on Friday night and had gone to BJs earlier in the week. On Saturday morning, we piled all five of us into our Honda Civic and loaded in the food and bags too. It was a full car! Once in NH, my mom took charge with directing the rest of the cooking while the rest of us either entertained the babies or did other preparations. One important job was setting up the giant trampoline. With Jenn and Paul there too, we got a lot done and weren't too stressed. Jenn and I even did a little yoga a couple hours before people arrived.
At around 3 the party started and we ate the yummy lasagnas and turkey my parents cooked up just "in case." Kids and adults were on the trampoline and all around the house. At one point there was a game of volleyball being played and a group of people played some good music.
Isaac was in a happy mood and seemed to really enjoy himself. Josh and I felt so lucky to have such good friends and family and had a great day. I can't believe that our little guy is one year old!
Thank you so much to our friends and family who have really supported us over the last 9+12 months. There have been some low moments, but thankfully, not many. I'm so happy Isaac is with us and am thankful for all of your love and support.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Almost One
Here are a couple of videos that capture where Isaac is as that first birthday approaches. Check out the way he crawls toward Anique as she reads to him from his favorite book, Baby Boo!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Patience
I called my sister Nicole last week to ask for her professional opinion on something that had been nagging me. Isaac scoots, rolls over, says "hi" and waves, claps his hands and I swear says something that sounds like Isaac "Eye-ek". The thing is that he doesn't crawl. At first, I shrugged off that fact by normalizing his development and saying to myself--he seems so normal in everything else. But as the days have passed without any more progress toward crawling, Isaac's non-crawl has gotten to me. When I drop Isaac off a daycare, it's hard not to notice the children his own age and younger who are crawling all around him.
So I called Nicole, who is an occupational therapist and has worked with children with delays to get them to crawl, or do other normal baby things. She said Isaac was fine and that I shouldn't worry. There were a few exercises that I could do, but basically I just needed to wait for the inevitable thing to happen.
Since that conversation, I have put Isaac through "his paces" as Josh says. I put him on his belly with a toy in front of him and I lift his hips and pull his knees in. He hates this. Sometimes he tolerates it okay, but most of the time he cries and puts his head on the floor (like, "why are you making me do something that is so hard?"). It literally breaks my heart when we're doing this. I'm trying to do the right thing, but I don't want to push him too hard either.
I recognize that the way I feel right now--fear and anxiety about Isaac being normal--will not go away. When I imagine myself years from now (when Isaac can walk away from me whenever he wants), I predict I'll be fretting about something... his socialization or test scores or why he can't shoot a basketball like someone else. I know it won't end with crawling or walking.
I searched on Google "late crawler" and almost had a heart attack. (By the way, do NOT use Google about any questions on pregnancy or babies! People write some scary stuff). I did somehow find my way to the Berkeley Parents Network and read some really encouraging notes there. Some parents wrote about their babies starting to crawl at 12 months and being totally normal older kids. Some parents said their child was late to crawl, but was an early talker (that's Isaac). Others said that their baby seemed unmotivated and even lazy, but eventually got the hang of it and now is totally active and normal. Also, my sister Jenn told me that her daughter didn't crawl until she was 11 months and then waited a few months to walk.
The best piece of advice was in the form of a question: how many 5-year-olds do you know who can't walk or crawl?
I've never been good at waiting. I over-think everything. I believe that results eventually come with hard work. But Isaac isn't a project in the lab or a chore I have to tackle. He's my wonderful, happy, loving, little boy. He'll eventually crawl--this I know. In the meantime, I need to stop using Google and listen to my doctor who said just last week (during Isaac's sickness) that we shouldn't be worried and get a little patience.
PS--I almost simply put in a Guns'n'Roses reference here until Josh admitted he didn't know the song, "Patience" and I found that fact more interesting than the reference. He said he wasn't allowed to buy GNR albums and that I was cooler than him. How can this be? Josh is my pop-culture maven. Is this song a girls' song or was Josh hiding under a rock in 1989?
So I called Nicole, who is an occupational therapist and has worked with children with delays to get them to crawl, or do other normal baby things. She said Isaac was fine and that I shouldn't worry. There were a few exercises that I could do, but basically I just needed to wait for the inevitable thing to happen.
Since that conversation, I have put Isaac through "his paces" as Josh says. I put him on his belly with a toy in front of him and I lift his hips and pull his knees in. He hates this. Sometimes he tolerates it okay, but most of the time he cries and puts his head on the floor (like, "why are you making me do something that is so hard?"). It literally breaks my heart when we're doing this. I'm trying to do the right thing, but I don't want to push him too hard either.
I recognize that the way I feel right now--fear and anxiety about Isaac being normal--will not go away. When I imagine myself years from now (when Isaac can walk away from me whenever he wants), I predict I'll be fretting about something... his socialization or test scores or why he can't shoot a basketball like someone else. I know it won't end with crawling or walking.
I searched on Google "late crawler" and almost had a heart attack. (By the way, do NOT use Google about any questions on pregnancy or babies! People write some scary stuff). I did somehow find my way to the Berkeley Parents Network and read some really encouraging notes there. Some parents wrote about their babies starting to crawl at 12 months and being totally normal older kids. Some parents said their child was late to crawl, but was an early talker (that's Isaac). Others said that their baby seemed unmotivated and even lazy, but eventually got the hang of it and now is totally active and normal. Also, my sister Jenn told me that her daughter didn't crawl until she was 11 months and then waited a few months to walk.
The best piece of advice was in the form of a question: how many 5-year-olds do you know who can't walk or crawl?
I've never been good at waiting. I over-think everything. I believe that results eventually come with hard work. But Isaac isn't a project in the lab or a chore I have to tackle. He's my wonderful, happy, loving, little boy. He'll eventually crawl--this I know. In the meantime, I need to stop using Google and listen to my doctor who said just last week (during Isaac's sickness) that we shouldn't be worried and get a little patience.
PS--I almost simply put in a Guns'n'Roses reference here until Josh admitted he didn't know the song, "Patience" and I found that fact more interesting than the reference. He said he wasn't allowed to buy GNR albums and that I was cooler than him. How can this be? Josh is my pop-culture maven. Is this song a girls' song or was Josh hiding under a rock in 1989?
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Isaac scoots forward to destroy block city
This morning, Isaac's passion for knocking things over led to a half-crawl, half-scoot forward. See the video below. We're very excited.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Isaac takes a tumble; Dad questions self, feels ashamed
Thus read the headline of the imaginary newspaper article I composed yesterday afternoon while I used my shirt to wipe away the blood and tears from Isaac's face.
In order to take off my sweater, I had put Isaac down on the couch. Mistake. Big mistake. I even knew it was a mistake while I was doing it. "But, I'll take off my sweater really fast. He won't have time to fall," I thought. Well, in the time that my eyes were covered by the inside of my sweater, Isaac moved to the edge of the cushion. Through the neck hole in my shirt, I watched him to do a swan dive directly onto the living room floor, his head snapping back. There was a momentary pause followed by the loudest, saddest, most accusatory (well, not really, but he would certainly have been justified) cry I've ever heard.
Immediately I picked him up and pressed him to my chest, holding his head, feeling his neck and the top of his spine, wondering if I would be able to feel the cracked vertebrae with my fingers. Lifting him up to look at his eyes, all I saw was the blood. In Isaac's mouth. On his chin. It was everywhere, all over the front of my white t-shirt. It was several seconds before I realized that he'd bitten his lower lip. His two perfect front teeth--thankfully, still in place--had left two tiny indents in the flesh of his lip, which was ever so slightly beginning to swell.
At this point, I started to cry too. Then I called Anique. She was on her way home, and I tried to sound calm when she picked up the phone. "Isaac fell off the couch. I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. He bit his lip and there's blood, but I think he's ok. I'm so sorry. Will you be home soon? I can't believe I let this happen." On the other end of phone, Anique was calm. In my arms, Isaac had stopped crying and was using his fingers to inspect his wounds. I pulled his hands away and he looked up at me and wailed. "Fly's in the sugar bowl, What'll I do?" Undisturbed by recent events, from our computer speakers, Pete Seeger continued to sing. I opened the outside door and Isaac stopped crying as we watched the cars drive by and waited for Anique to get home.
Well, as veteran parents know, Isaac was fine. "He's already forgiven you," Anique said, after arriving home. From her lap, nursing lazily, Isaac looked at me. There was no hint of outrage, no plans for revenge, in his beautiful brown eyes. But, even now, I can still see him falling. Such a scary image. I know that this kind of thing, and much worse--a fall off the swing, a slip on the stairs--happens and that it will happen again, no matter how vigilant I am. And, in an effort to learn from my son's compassion, I have forgiven myself.
But, next time I want to take off my sweater, I will place Isaac on the floor. Or maybe I'll just be hot.
In order to take off my sweater, I had put Isaac down on the couch. Mistake. Big mistake. I even knew it was a mistake while I was doing it. "But, I'll take off my sweater really fast. He won't have time to fall," I thought. Well, in the time that my eyes were covered by the inside of my sweater, Isaac moved to the edge of the cushion. Through the neck hole in my shirt, I watched him to do a swan dive directly onto the living room floor, his head snapping back. There was a momentary pause followed by the loudest, saddest, most accusatory (well, not really, but he would certainly have been justified) cry I've ever heard.
Immediately I picked him up and pressed him to my chest, holding his head, feeling his neck and the top of his spine, wondering if I would be able to feel the cracked vertebrae with my fingers. Lifting him up to look at his eyes, all I saw was the blood. In Isaac's mouth. On his chin. It was everywhere, all over the front of my white t-shirt. It was several seconds before I realized that he'd bitten his lower lip. His two perfect front teeth--thankfully, still in place--had left two tiny indents in the flesh of his lip, which was ever so slightly beginning to swell.
At this point, I started to cry too. Then I called Anique. She was on her way home, and I tried to sound calm when she picked up the phone. "Isaac fell off the couch. I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. He bit his lip and there's blood, but I think he's ok. I'm so sorry. Will you be home soon? I can't believe I let this happen." On the other end of phone, Anique was calm. In my arms, Isaac had stopped crying and was using his fingers to inspect his wounds. I pulled his hands away and he looked up at me and wailed. "Fly's in the sugar bowl, What'll I do?" Undisturbed by recent events, from our computer speakers, Pete Seeger continued to sing. I opened the outside door and Isaac stopped crying as we watched the cars drive by and waited for Anique to get home.
Well, as veteran parents know, Isaac was fine. "He's already forgiven you," Anique said, after arriving home. From her lap, nursing lazily, Isaac looked at me. There was no hint of outrage, no plans for revenge, in his beautiful brown eyes. But, even now, I can still see him falling. Such a scary image. I know that this kind of thing, and much worse--a fall off the swing, a slip on the stairs--happens and that it will happen again, no matter how vigilant I am. And, in an effort to learn from my son's compassion, I have forgiven myself.
But, next time I want to take off my sweater, I will place Isaac on the floor. Or maybe I'll just be hot.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Masons visit in Feb
Bob and Tirzah visited with us for the weekend and Isaac loved it. To show it, he started clapping! He also has started (finally) sleeping through the night--Josh and I are actually sleepier because of the extra sleep. Enjoy the photos below of us walking in Arlington and eating snacks at the local coffee shop there.
One Little Penguin
Here's a fun song that Josh wrote for our little penguin. Enjoy! (I copied the lyrics below.)
One little penguin on the ice
Skating all around, thinking this is nice.
But what could make for a better day?
Another little penguin here to play.
Two little penguins ...
Skating all around, thinking this is nice.
But what could make for a more fun day?
Another little penguin here to play.
Three little penguins ...
Skating all around, thinking this is nice.
But what could make for a sunnier day?
Another little penguin here to play.
Four little penguins ...
Skating all around, thinking this is nice.
But what could make for a sillier day?
Another little penguin here to play.
Five little penguins ...
Skating all around, thinking this is nice.
But what could make for a crazier day?
A hundred more penguins here to play.
A 105 penguins on the ice
Crashing all around, asking is this nice?!
What could make for an easier day?
A few less penguins I should say.
One little penguin on the ice
Skating all around, thinking this is nice
But what could make for a friendlier day?
My best friend here to laugh and play.
Two little penguins on the ice
Skating all around, thinking this is nice
We little penguins love to play--
What a fun time we've had today.
One little penguin on the ice
Skating all around, thinking this is nice.
But what could make for a better day?
Another little penguin here to play.
Two little penguins ...
Skating all around, thinking this is nice.
But what could make for a more fun day?
Another little penguin here to play.
Three little penguins ...
Skating all around, thinking this is nice.
But what could make for a sunnier day?
Another little penguin here to play.
Four little penguins ...
Skating all around, thinking this is nice.
But what could make for a sillier day?
Another little penguin here to play.
Five little penguins ...
Skating all around, thinking this is nice.
But what could make for a crazier day?
A hundred more penguins here to play.
A 105 penguins on the ice
Crashing all around, asking is this nice?!
What could make for an easier day?
A few less penguins I should say.
One little penguin on the ice
Skating all around, thinking this is nice
But what could make for a friendlier day?
My best friend here to laugh and play.
Two little penguins on the ice
Skating all around, thinking this is nice
We little penguins love to play--
What a fun time we've had today.
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