going to the zoo zoo zoo, how about you you you???

We ventured to the zoo to show Isaac some new animal friends. Due to the long line we ended up purchasing a membership to get us through the doors faster...BUT...we had so much fun that we cant wait to go back. Isaac's favorite were clearly the giraffe's. He was fascinated, and had his finger in the air from start to finish. We spent a couple hours walking around, ate a churro, and enjoyed the crisp air. Looking forward to returning soon.

ONE

Its so hard to believe that Isaac turned one today. As we have gone through each of his many stages this year, we have been amazed by human development, and the struggles and joys that accompany it. David and I always say to each other, it both feels like yesterday and a lifetime ago that Isaac came into our lives. I do think we would both agree that we are enjoying him in a different way as he has begun interacting with us, and becoming his own little person. If Isaac has shown us one thing, it is that he knows what he wants, and he wants it when he wants it. He is incredibly determined, curious, observant, witty, and thrives amongst familiar faces and surroundings. He carries pieces of both David and myself, and in these reflections, we have come to realize that as a couple we are more similar than different. He clearly has mom's nose, dad's hair, and his own little personality.
Isaac, we are so proud of everything you have accomplished this year as a baby. We are excited and ready for your next year as a toddler. Thank you for forcing us to grow, for teaching us about ourselves, and for reflecting goodness back into this world. You have given us our best, most challenging year, and have transformed what was a couple of sorens into a f a m i l y.
We love you.
xo.
mama & dada

a hybrid for the sorens

I arrived home yesterday to find T^H^I^S sitting in our driveway!!! David had done a little shopping while I was away on the cruise, and purchased an 08 prius. We had been looking at the car for a while, and knew we wanted a hybrid, but David wasn't sure when he wanted to get rid of his jeepy. After "bumping" into a pole on our driveway, he felt it was time for a fresh start. We both care dearly for the world we live in, and are so happy to be making a positive contribution to the environment.

cruising

Isaac and I just returned from our one week trip to the Caribbean on the jewel of the seas. We met 12 of our family members from Toronto for a 8 night cruise. I was pleasantly surprised throughout the week at how well it worked out, and what a great vacation it was with a baby. Here is a little rundown of our week:

San Juan, Puerto Rico > We toured the town. Browsed shops, Enjoyed the weather and scenery. Looked at historical monuments.

St. Thomas > Went to the beach. Swam in the ocean (picture above). Checked out the jewelry stores. Isaac napped in the stroller.

St. Maarten > Visited the french side of the Island. Had lunch. Shopped around. Visited the Dutch side of the Island. Shopped around. (ps. i bought NOTHING)

Tortola > Family day at the beach. Nail bitting ride in the open air shuttle over the mountain to the other side of the island.

Nassau,Bahamas > Visited Atlantis resort. Went to the aquarium. Had ice cream. Went back into town, and shopped around.

Days at Sea > Swimming, waterslides, EATING, reading, knitting, napping, gambling.


I was surprised how much we did over the week, and how flexible Isaac was. It ended up being a really great time with lots of new exploration for the both of us. We both enjoyed catching up with family. It was a great way to celebrate the end of his first year.

hanukkah o' hanukkah

Tonight is the sixth night of Hanukkah, and we spent the afternoon at Bubie and Papu's for our annual Hanukkah Party. As always, there was food, family, friends, and much giving. We all enjoyed watching Isaac and Koehn play, and open their Hanukkah treats. I made an annual photo slideshow which is always fun to watch. This year the DVD player was having some issues so it was a little choppy... but still a fun way to reflect on the past year.
Two more nights of Hanukkah to go, and then isaac and I are off to Florida for our cruise. It will be a couple weeks until we post, but we will have lots of stories to tell when we return!

catching up

I have been meaning to post some recent video of Isaac for a little while so here they are. I have selected five that highlight how we spend our days. There is lots of laugher and discovery.

#1: Playing Harp with Dad: Isaac has enjoyed listening to david play the harp for a while now, but this was the first time that he actually tried to participate.





#2: Finding Ernie: It has been amazing watching Isaac show us what he has probably known for a long time. He is now getting things we ask for and pointing to things we mention.





#3: Cuddling with Mom: This past month Isaac has become a lot more cuddly. I am not sure if it is because he has been under the weather, or if he is just enjoying the some down time, but I am loving every minute.





#4: Laughing,Laughing,Laughing : Need I say more?





#5: Being Silly : This is how we spend most evenings... just being goofy and having fun.

takashi murakami @ moca

Today we ventured to the temporary comtemporary at moca to see the takashi murakami show. We entered just as Sasha Baron Cohen , Isla Fisher, and baby Olive were leaving.
The show was phenomenal. I felt like I was transported to a whimsical alternate world for a an hour. Isaac was fixated on all of the colors, textures, and shapes. Each room had a wonderfully different feel, but at the same time managed to feel a part of the bigger collective. It was so much fun taking Isaac to the museum, especially to this exhibit.

11 months

I cant believe Isaac is 11 months, and that we are celebrating his last 'monthly' birthday. In so many ways it seems that he has been in our lives forever, but then again I cant believe what a little boy he has become in rapid time.
Izzy is now pointing to everything. Most of the pointing seems quite intentional, as if to say, "Hey mom, look at ____." He seems so proud of this new accomplishment.
In addition he has become incredibly decisive about what he wants and doesn't want, likes and doesn't like, etc. He will bring us a book to read, and once we are done reading it he makes sure to let us know which one to read next. If you choose one he doesn't like, he shuts the cover immediately. If there is a food he isn't interested in eating, there is no way he will eat it. He now picks through his plate and enjoys what he wants, leaving the things he isn't interested in.
Isaac is able to retrieve items by name. If you ask him to get ernie, a truck, his Gandhi doll, or a myriad of other things, he will get them. If you ask him to point to certain items in books he knows, he will point to them. He knows where the cats are at all times.
In addition, he is climbing up and down the stairs in our house, quite gracefully I might add. He is cruising around, standing with very little assistance. He is sporting 6 teeth, and eating almost everything.
Other than the colds he seems to get every other week, he is a wonderfully happy little guy. Each day brings new adventures, challenges, and milestones. I intend to savor every day of this first year, and am so looking forward to whats ahead.

the steamiest star spotting

I had to post just to say today on our Monday lunch with bubie, Isaac and I had the greatest start spotting. McSteamy, aka Eric Dane of Grey's Anatomy, was eating at Hugos today too!!! Holy stars HE IS STEAMY. I am not one to be easily "star struck", but I have to say this was one of my most delightful run ins. For those who care, or want to know, he was wearing a plain white tee, jeans, and a pair of gold rimmed aviators. He wasn't with his wife, but seemed to be with family friends including two young kids. Always fun to see someone who you enjoy watching on the tube. Hopefully next time, McDreamy will come popping in.

a glorious grey weekend

Hubby and I ventured north this weekend to Santa Barabra... our first weekend away since the bambino entered our lives. David just finished a grueling week at work. And I was spent after dealing with back to back illnesses with Isaac.
On our agenda for the weekend: DO AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE. I think we accomplished our goal. We took a long wonderful uninterrupted nap in the middle of the day (without baby monitor). We took a walk on the beach and gathered drift wood. We visited the spa and enjoyed a jacuzzi and steam. David read, I knit. I took a bath, a long shower, several hours to get ready for dinner. We then headed out to Downey's for dinner. I had wanted to try this restaurant for a long time. Husband and wife, john and liz, own and operate this tiny jewel. I have to mention that we were the youngest patrons in the joint (second to dennis franz). The food is carefully crafted from Santa Barbara's local farmer's producs. Everything was at season's peak. The butternut squash soup was in both of our opinions, the best soup we had every eaten.
We woke up the next morning and headed to IHOP. That's right... David and my guilty pleasure. We have to hit at least one on every road trip we take. Every time we leave, we concur that we have had our fix for the year. We are both fans of the german pancakes with a side of hash browns - well done, of course.
On the way back to Westlake to pick up Isaac, we stopped in Camarillo for a movie. We saw Into the Wild, which far surpassed both of our expectations. I can tell a good movie by how it resonates with me, and I am still thinking about it. I would highly recommend it to anyone. The soundtrack was wonderful, the imagery beautiful on th eyes, and the storyline inspiring to say the least.

mr. roseola

Our poor little guy, and frankly, poor mama and dada. This has been quite a week. It all started with a little Isaac getting a little fever. It continued to come and go for the next 3 days. We would give him Tylenol, and it would go down. Once it wore off, the fever came back. Every time I called the pediatrician's office, the nurse said "sounds like teething". I continued to watch him, but seeing that he does have tooth #5 and #6 pushing through, I hoped that it was the teething. On Thursday the fever went down, but he still wasn't himself. He was incredibly fussy and just not himself. Friday he woke up at 5am (not our son),and voila, the rash appeared. I freaked out having no idea what it was. I thought chickenpox? measles? what the ****? I called gramma barb, and she immediately said "sounds like roseola".
She was right. As if parenting isn't hard enough, it seems that I continually learn about new stuff AS IT IS HAPPENING. Dr. Shulman promptly yelled at his nurses for suggesting that a fever could be a result of teething. Apparenlty 80% of kids under the age of 3 get roseola at some point, and it is highly contagious. The kicker is that it is most contagious before the rash presents itself, so you really don't know what it is until the end. I am convinced Isaac contracted it from one of his little friends, and returned the favor to several others over the course of the week.
To those babies with high fevers followed by rashes, and to those parents who are pulling their hair out... we're so sorry.
Our little man seems to be on the mend. He had a 3 hour nap in his stroller (yes he is not feeling well) at Topanga Mall. When we got home he was in good spirits, eating well, and (im crossing my fingers) seeming much more like himself.

the first sweater

So I tried my first garment and loved it. I thought I would start with something small, so of course a sweater for Izzy came to mind. I also wanted to do something classic... so cabling was in order. It was easier than I thought. After knitting turtles, and chipmunks, the shaping was a breeze. I spent a fair amount of time at la knitterie parisienne on Saturday getting some help from edith on putting the thing together. I finished it off with a few vintage woven leather buttons. I made a 18-24 months size thinking it would take me a long time, so little Isaac has some growing room.
My current endeavor, a little sweater/jacket for me!

trick or treat

Last night we celebrated Halloween with our little one. Those who know me can attest to the fact that I am not a huge fan of Halloween, and I loathe costumes, but I have to admit that it was a pretty fun holiday now that Isaac is in the picture. Bubie and Popu came in spirited seventies costumes. Me... not so much. I put a little glitter on my eyes and called it a day.
We took Isaac to the Beeman park area to trick or treat. There was a carnival at the park, and the houses around had great decorations and fun jack o' lanterns.

and hey, who can pass up free candy.

As David said, we 'rented' Isaac just so we could score a little loot, but as rentals go, we thought he was the cutest, granted only, itsy bitsy spider out there.

no folks, we're not in paris

we just returned from vegas, and both david and i question if we ever will return. i have always felt that it is one of those places that is great for about 30 minutes, and then you are ready to get the heck out of there. this trip was special because we were celebrating bubie and papa's 60th wedding anniversary. the entire family, or at least the majority, flew in from around the country to celebrate. having only been married two and a half years, i have a tremendous amount of respect and appreciation for their journey together, and wouldn't have missed the weekend for anything. with that being said, it was more challenging than i expected in every single way. lets just say that vegas isn't a great place to bring a baby - ever.
the weekend started with a complete bag search at the airport (the baby food throws them every time) followed by a two hour check in a the hotel. there was an enormous line up, and we then proceeded to have an hour argument with the manager of the hotel because our rooms we're screwed up. by this point isaac was several hours overtired. we rushed him up for a nap, and then out to dinner at b&b ristorante (which is the one thing i would recommend from our weekend. mario does it again. delicious, simple, and wonderful. david and i went to see 'o' at the bellagio after dinner. we both had been wanting to see a cirquedusoliel performance for a while, so we thought we would check one out. perhaps it was the six guys behind us screaming profanities like "holy sh** balls" , and whistling at every topless dancer on stage (ok, i could write an entire blog entry on these guys. it started as humorous, and then became very grating. the slightest dive into the water by any of the performers caused all of then to scream 'unbelievable' in unison. there was constant shushing from those around us) , or the fact that we were exhausted... , but neither of us were too impressed. saturday we checked out the bellagio's water show, and took a dip with isaac prior to meeting at the buffet at 5pm. luckily seniors and babies are on the same schedule. david and i crashed at 8:45. oh, i haven't mentioned that we had isaac sleeping in a crib in our bathroom, so david took several middle of the night bathroom trips down to the hotel lobby any time he needed to pee. i on the otherhand held it because i was too darn tired to get up. it made for very uncomfortable sleeps as my bladder was dying to be relived. today david and i had massages at qua, caesars new spa. the facility was amazing, my treatment not so much. david really enjoyed his, and the hour or so away was so nice. we met my parents and jamie and allie for lunch at mesa grill. i wasn't so impressed with bobby's brunch, but it was fun to see what he had to offer. the margarita i had was the best part, and drinking at lunch is mandatory when on 'vacation' (in quotes. there really aren't any vacations when traveling with baby. they are now trips) the las vegas experience ended with a delayed flight, four hours in the airport, a very tired baby, and a cranky mom and dad.
later las vegas.
the end.

toot toot ... he he

Yes, its exactly as it sounds. I was feeding Isaac his dinner of lentils, tofu, green beans, and spinach (probably cause for the toot toot part of the story) but anyway, he proceeded to toot toot, and then laugh hysterically. This happened twice during the meal. Needless to say, I was laughing too... and then made toot toot noises with my mouth which got yet another deep belly laugh out of him.
It is so fun to watch his sense of humor develop.
On a side note, Jessica Seinfeld just released a new book, "Deceptively Delicious". I want to kick myself in the butt for not putting this out first considering it is the way I have always done things around here. Anyway, maybe I will start compiling some of my recipes for a Soren Family Version in stores soon.

four front teeth

I have been waiting until I could get a shot of his new (not so new) top teeth before I posted this. About two months ago they showed up, ant it has taken a while for them to drop down. I have to say, that despite everyones warnings that the top teeth were more painful and caused more teething distress than the bottom, I really didn't notice Isaac in any discomfort. Granted their arrival was paired with his first cold.
I am adoring his little toothy grin and his new sense of humor. He is now laughing because something is actually funny whereas he used to laugh as only a reflection to very silly expressions in our faces. Now you can get him to chuckle with a good game of peek-a-boo, bouncing a ball of his head, or even his devious new discovery of 'lets rip mom's magazine while she is reading it'. He finds all these things hilarious, and unfortunately for my discipline strategy, so do I.

knit wit

Prior to Isaac's birth I was knitting like a crazy person finishing project after project. Post Isaac... it has slowed down. He is such a handful that I have had a hard time getting into a project. With the start of his new two hour morning naps, I have finally found a little time to do something creative with my hands again, and I am having so much fun. This is a little two day project that I used to brush up on my skills. I haven't made clothes before, so it has been a great challange. Upon its completion I started a cable knit sweater. Stay tuned for some photos... probably next month.

nueve

Nine months already. Holy cow!

Here were Isaac's stats from his latest doctors appontment:


Height 28" (50th percentile)
Weight 18lb 8oz (25th percentile)

His checkup went very well. Dr. Shulman was happy to see how well he was gaining weight. I spoke in length with him about the MMR vaccine that I am so anxious about. He was very understating and agreed to let me wait until 18 months before administering it. He is also letting me split up the measles, mumps, and rubella into three vaccines given a month or so apart. Yes that means three pokes of the needle, but if there is an inkling of a chance that there is a connection between autism and the MMR vaccine, I want to do what I can.

Some of Isaac's latest developments (and something new is happening every day)...

*** he can say mama and dada (although we are not sure it has anything to do with his parents)
*** he is crawling well
*** he can pull up on almost anything
*** he has started cruising around furniture and transferring from on thing to the next
*** he is waving
*** he is mastering the pincer grasp
*** today he started clapping

these are just a few of the many amazing things that Isaac has been picking up. cant wait to share more.

the l.a. county fair

Today we ventured to the fair to meet the Gehle's for an afternoon of fun. The traffic on the way there, parking, waiting in line for tickets, and the VERY crowded entry had us thinking... was this a good idea? The truth was Isaac had a great time. He was constantly looking around, checking out all the people and bright displays, and he fell in love with a rooster. It seemed like sensory overload to me, but he was all smiles, and dare we say... had a very good time.

our holiest day

Today we ventured to the Skirball Cultural Center for the Stephen Wise preschool service. It was led by the youngest rabbi at our synagogue who has a 14 month old daughter. It was a refreshing 30 minute service filled with songs, stories, and tons of very young kids. Isaac played on the floor, shared his toys with the rabbi's daughter, and seemed to enjoy the blowing of the shofar. We really enjoyed our high holidays this year, and both of us agreed it felt great to be part of a new congregation.
Having a son has renewed my connection to Jewdiasm, and has reminded me of what a huge role it played in my upbringing. For our family it is the cultural aspects of being jewish that we most connect to. Food, family, song. The visceral and etherial. The soulful jourey; being part of something much bigger than ourselves. A reminder to live humbly and give often. Most importantly, a tie that binds generations.
f a m i l y

the wave

Isaac's newest and greatest achievement.

noise

Here is a little sample of Isaac's typical playtime. He is obsessed with things that make noise... and bashing the against other things that make noise... to make more noise.

row row row your boat

Im a posting this a little late as we just finished up the DVD in our camcorder. This is a moment from my time with the Sorens from our last trip to Toronto. They were singing in beautiful harmony to baby Isaac, as I watched completely perplexed from the sidelines. Singing in a circle (kumbaya style) was not something I grew up with… so as lovely as it is to watch… I am always taken a back… just a little.

shana tova

Last night marked the Jewish New Year. Here is a little info, for those who would like to learn more. For our family, it has always been a time to get together and eat (but there really isn't a bad time for that, is there?) Last night was particularly special because we celebrated Bubie and Papa's 60th wedding anniversary, and surprised them with a trip to Vegas in October. The whole family will be flying there, reunion style, to celebrate with them. As for Mr. Isaac, he proudly sat at the kids table, for the first time, wearing his cookie monster keepa, and devouring his favorite cheerios.

the soren family trust

When did we grow up???
Yesterday we visited a lawyer to get our will started... Not the most fun appointment we have had, but I suppose the question of: if your spouse dies and you are incapacitated, what should happen to issac? : is never very fun to think about, let alone answer.
Nevertheless, we took care of it, and it give us both some piece of mind.
Straight after the appointment, hubbie and i took of to the beach. We had a great lunch at Malibu Seafood, stopped at Diesel bookstore, and drove through an area called 'lake malibou'. David and I would love to stay in studio city, but we are always considering other alternatives. This was one that we wanted to check out, and although it was very pretty, it was not for us.
The few hours alone was great, and picking up isaac from bubie and papu's was like always, a fun reunion.

labor day weekend

HOT HOT HOT!!! Thats the only way I can describe the past weekend. It was 115 degrees in the valley and 85 in our house at most times. It was so unpleasant that we couldn't leave the house.
With that being said, we did get a double dose of Gehle Love. David and I met Shawn and Erin for dinner Saturday night at Lucques, one of our favorite eateries. It is always so nice to catch up with them, and share parenting war stories. We also spent time with the Gehles at my parents labor day get together. The bambinos played together, and we even snuck in a bath for the little ones. The evening ended with a little birthday celebration for Stella Beatrice. I wasn't willing to miss her 1st, so we made a mini one for her ourselves.
The thermostat is finally starting to drop, and with that... a little relief.

blogiversary

One year ago today sorenspace was launched. I have so enjoyed my virtual journaling. Sorenspace has acted as a place to record thoughts and feelings from our day-to-day, as well as milestones, accomplishments, and simple pleasures. When I look through the past posts, I am happy with the record I have of this amazing year. I hope as Isaac gets older, he is able to read through the blog, and learn about the many intimate details of his family life growing up.

sniffles

Sad to say... Isaac has his first cold. I suspect he got it en route home from Toronto. I noticed him sneezing yesterday, and today the cough followed. We took him to the doctor this morning to make sure there wasn't anything to worry about, and as we suspected it is just a little cold. Hopefully a weekend of R&R will help him to feel good as new.

eight months young and on the move

Happy 8 month birthday to our busy izzy. That's right... he is very busy, and determined to crawl. I am seeing a lot of his behind these days. Every time I look over he is trying to go somewhere. He is just getting comfortable on his hands and knees, but after a little bit slides on to his tummy. He hasn't quite mastered moving forward, but he seems to get what he needs but rotating in a 360 circle.
After visiting Toronto last week, and seeing baby Dylan, it was so hard for me to believe that Isaac was ever that small. I think I was in such a haze those first couple months that I didn't realize just how tiny he was. Isaac looked like a full fledged grown up next to Dylan. With that being said, I love the stage that Isaac is at now. He is becoming a little person, and with this comes new challenges. It is no longer the sleepless nights that I struggle with, but rather the separation anxiety (he wants and needs his mommy and daddy) and his new movement (having to watch him like a hawk at all times). Oh, and after all my hard work... every other word out of his mouth is 'daddy'. It is pretty adorable, not that he has any idea what he is saying, but just hearing his tiny voice makes me smile.
Happy Big 8 Izzy. We love you!

t.dot for the second time

We just returned from our second trip to toronto with little izzy. I went a few days early with bubie and papu, and stayed at auntie iris' house so that izzy could spend a little quality time with the kohn klan. His cousins adored him, calling him 'baby isaac', and he seemed quite intrigued as well. It was so nice seeing him interact with all the kids. He slept great in a crib auntie iris set up in the basement. The time change was a little challenging, but no matter what time we put him down, he was always up around 6:30/7.
A few days later daddy flew in, and we stayed at the soren's house. Again he slept great in their pack and play. There was lot of singing, and playing. Gramma babysat so mom and dad could go our for a few hours. We even got to go to gramma joyce's 90th birthday party.
We made it home, and are now coping with the time change in this direction. Isaac is up around 5 every morning which leaves a very tired mom and dad. AND flying with an infant is EXHAUSTING. I need a vacation from my vacation.

happy birthday stella bella

I cant believe it is a year ago that little stella came into our lives. At the time I was five months pregnant and remember taking very close notes of every single thing erin told me. All of the advice and stories she shared with me was invaluable. It has been so wonderful having a close friend with a baby just a few months older than Isaac. Its like having a constant preview of our future.
shawn + erin, your friendship and support during this difficult first year is a huge part of how i manage. i love being able to call you up and ask you anything, and you are always there with a sensible, compassionate answer.
erin, you have acted as my 'big sis' through this experience, and i love you and stella dearly. you are such a wonderful mom and should be proud of your accomplishments during your first year. i look forward to many years to come.
the sorens love the gehles and thats all there is to it.

cora kay barillaro

Its raining babies! Our close friends Alan and Nancy just gave birth to little Cora Kay. She is a peanut, just like Isaac, weighing in at 5lb 13oz. We cant wait to meet her.

dylan ryan kohn geist

The little guy was born August 15th around lunchtime. Ironically we arrived in Toronto the evening of August 14th, just in time to meet him. Magdie took after me as I gave birth the day after the kohns arrived in December. We are a close family so it is only fitting that we are around for the important stuff. His brother Jack seemed to be adjusting well, and Magdie and Stephen seemed to be settling in by the time I left. I cant wait to see Dylan in December to see all of his growth and development.

family picnic

Today was the first family picnic we have had with all of ladies I share the Mother's Gathering with. We met at Coldwater Canyon Park for a mini potluck, and lots of laughs with our little ones. Four chocolate chip cookies later (thanks Elaine!), and half a beer to wash it down... we were ready to call it a day. Again, I cant reiterate how important the relationships with these women are to me, and how each week I learn a little something about myself as a mother from their own trials and tribulations. The ebbs and flows of motherhood are truly something that only another mother could understand, and I am so grateful that I have twelve of them I can call on at anytime for anything.
With that being said, it was lovely meeting everyones spouses, and seeing all of the daddies with their children. I have been so curious what the fathers look like, because of course the babies are a reflection of both mommy and daddy. Today I was able to put the puzzle pieces together.
I will make sure that this is only one of many events to come. I so enjoyed spending time with everyone, and only wish there was more time to get to know some of the people I didn't get to chat with. Till next time...

all by ourselves

This post is coming a few days late, because as always it takes forever to get to the 'non- isaac related' things on my list. This past weekend David and I had our first night away from Isaac, and I think both of us would agree that it ROCKED! It was a bit of a bitch to pump every night for a couple weeks before to get enough milk to leave the little guy... but man was it worth it. The good news is, I pumped it all back while he was away.
David and I spent our blissful day together at the beach, getting massages, enjoying a relaxing dinner, pancakes for breakfast (without taking turns eating while the other entertained Isaac), and seeing the borne ultimatum (man are we starved for movies). Every part of the day was perfect, and spending time with my hubby - solo - was the best part. We have vowed to do it more often.
It is upon spending time alone that we could reflect on how much our life has changed. We both have agreed that we are just starting to get adjusted to our new life, and just beginning to miss our old life a little less. In having 30 hours to ourselves, we cherished all the things we used to take for granted.

a mother's haven - session 3

I have been attending a mother's haven's mother's gathering since isaac was seven weeks old... and now all the babies are seven months. It has been so great seeing each of the little ones grow and develop in their own ways. One of my close friends Elaine who has been there since the beginning so eloquently wrote:

Oh so long ago, on a particularly trying February afternoon, six-week-old Riley and I made our way to The Right Start in Sherman Oaks to purchase (if memory serves correctly) Diaper Dekor bags and a few “never-knew-I-needed-these-too” baby products. It must have been my bleary eyes and dazed expression or perhaps my spit-up stained XXL maternity t-shirt that gave me away as a new mom urgently in need of some support and camaraderie. The sales clerk referred me to A Mother’s Haven, and the rest, as they say, is history. Five months and twenty (!) classes later, I thank my lucky stars that I joined our wonderful group. It has made all the difference is this grand adventure called motherhood.

Need I say more?

saffron rouge

I recently learned about saffron rouge, the Sephora of organic and biodynamic cosmetics. I have to admit I am totally in love. It is a small company started by a mom named Kristen who does intense research to find THE MOST wonderful organic cosmetics on the market. Each product must pass a rigorous evaluation process to be sold on her site. I recieved the Dr. Hauschka starter kit, and some wonderful Eberviva (a company out of Topanga Canyon) stuff for Isaac. Everything I have been using is amazing.
The best part... its a Canadian company, of course!

bubblicious

About a month ago, Isaac could care less about bubbles. In the last week, he has finally started to become interested in them. David often spends the last part of the day sitting outside with Isaac, and blowing bubbles. The summer evenings have been so lovely, that it is a great way to savor the last bit of time we get with isaac before he hits the hay (or his wonderful organic mattress).

siete... ALREADY!

WHoa time flies. I cant believe Isaac is seven months today. Who knew his stunning blue eyes would stick, but they have... and I think they are here for good. It was today at our Wise Temple mommy and me, when Isaac was sitting around the table with other kids having snack, that I realized, he is a little (granted very little) boy. I am starting to feel like his itty bitty baby days are over, and we are moving on to a whole other phase of existing. It is almost time to pack up his 0-3 month clothes, and pull out the new larger versions. Who knew it was possible to love someone so much. Each day my heart gets a little bigger to make room.

all smiles with a couple teeth

Our little guy has been all smiles lately. (ok so he gets fussy periodically), but there is no comparison between now and the weeks where he was teething. He is so delighted to spend time with dad on weekends, and has been so much fun to be with during the week. His gigantic grin now shows off his two lower teeth, and as much as I miss the gummy grin, they are equally adorable in a different way. He seems so much more the little boy as he is now sitting down and playing. He enjoyes interacting, mimicking, and hugging. He is beginning to understand object permanence. He is laughing and giggling when tickled. He also is starting to lurch forward. He sees what he wants, and pretty soon he is going to get it. For now we are enjoying his sedentary state, and of course, smothering him with kisses.

lucky duckies

We took Isaac to see the duckies at the Franklin Canyon Reservoir. It brought back so many memories being there as David and I walked around there the day my water broke, and then we returned for one of our first walks just after Isaac was born. It is so much fun seeing Isaac interested in his surroundings, and curious about the ducks. With every time that we visit there is such great development in his world, and in our lives.

sitting pretty

Within a matter of a couple of days mr. izzy is sitting on his own. He went from sitting with support, to sitting with little support, to sitting on his own and tumbling over (there were a few head smacks involved), to sitting on his own. He loves this new vantage point, and seems to be observing the world in a whole different way.
On a completely different note, he has also begun eating rice cereal. I have been mixing it with different fruits and veggies, and he seems very fond of it. He also loves avocado and tofu (like mother like son), but his all time favorite to date - nectarines. He slurps them up with excitement.
In addition he has started laughing at the characters on sesame street. It is really funny to watch the expressions on his face. He used to just seemed fascinated, but now he seems to almost be interacting. He has preferences for characters, Sunffy being his favorite.


Also today, we took our first trip to the grocery store where Isaac sat in the cart. We used our new cart cover which worked out perfectly. Mr. Elephante, and Horse Hair Willie came along with us for the trip (the also conveniently helped to prop Isaac up). It was so much fun to introduce him to different kinds of produce. He seemed enamored by all of the textures and smells. When we got the the water bottle section he was blown away as he is incredibly fond of them.
It seems like every day he is doing something new, moving slightly differently, and becoming more of a little boy. It is so exciting to watch and such a close distance.

my chuckling duckling

Isaac has just started to chuckle, giggle, laugh. All of it is totally delicious.
Here's a sneak peek...

the 4th

In celebration of the first American Soren, we hosted a 4th of July BBQ. There was a delicious menu that everyone contributed to, and wonderful Watermelon Margaritas care of mixologist 'a. friedman'. It was so nice to have the Gehles there. Stella and Isaac went for a swim, and enjoyed the afternoon outdoors. We finished the evening off with a flag cake and some fireworks. Not so bad for a party hosted by us Canadians.

isaac's six month checkup

This morning we visited Dr. Shulman's office for Isaac's six month checkup. His most recent stats...

Weight: 15lb 7oz.
(15th percentile)
Height: 25 1/2"
(30th percentile)

We asked about Isaac's recent crankiness, or what I like to call, who took my baby and left me with the devil (just kidding). I attribute it to teething. Dr. Shulman does not think teething is the reason, and believes it is more likely the age. When I got home I noticed a second tooth popping through (bottom left). I am now convinced my little guy is in pain. In addition, the Tylenol we have been giving for the vaccinations seems to be making him less cranky. Maybe its helping the teeth???
Anyway, other than the teething stuff, he spoke with us briefly about feeding. He seemed to think we could give Issac anything we wanted with the exception of peanut butter and honey. Everything I have read gives some limitations per age. I think we will fall somewhere in the middle, being cautiously forward minded about the whole thing. Hey in India, babies are eating curry by now.

izzy's 6 month birthday

I cant believe only six months ago this was me, and that was Isaac. It feels like years ago and yesterday at the same time. Happy to say I feel much more like myself today. Back in my old clothes, active and hiking, and even cooking dinner and enjoying it on the patio with David.
That little bundle, wrapped in the cedars blanket, and turned my life upside down... or maybe right side up. I love my life. I love my Isaac. Everything is in the right place.

summer is here

We have officially opened the pool for business, and have been enjoying it thoroughly. Izyy has taken to swims with dad, and being outside in the afternoon. Lots of sunscreen, a little hat, and a swimmer diaper is all we need for a wonderful lazy Sunday.

a tooth!

Little Izzy was chomping on my finger this morning when I noticed it felt a little different than normal. I peeked in to find... thats right.. a tooth! Just poking through the surface on the lower right side. I have noticed that he has been a little fussier than normal, but nothing totally unusual. No huge drooling, or mouthing (other than his usual stuff), and his sleeping has been great. The only thing that I noticed was that he has been completely repulsed by solids the last couple days. I tried bananas yesterday and today, and there was no way he was eating it. I switched to sweet potatoes, an old favorite to see if it was the bananas, and he wasn't interested. Perhaps its the tooth. I have to say that I felt I tiny bit of sadness when I saw the little tooth... I will miss that gummy grin. Yet another reminder that he is growing up all too fast for me.

daddy's day

David wrote a long and thoughtful blog entry... and the technical gods somehow threw it away. So I wanted to write a quick entry to say : happy daddys day! It has been so amazing to watch the bond grown between David and Isaac. When David walks in the room or comes home from work, Isaac lights up. He loves his daddy time in the morning and evening too. We love you and are so thankful for all of your help and support.

starting solids

Today we had Cynthia Epps, and infant foods specialist, come over to speak with us about starting Isaac on solids. I made some yams in the morning so that she could show us how offer Isaac some food. She was wonderful. We learned a lot about what foods he should be eating, in what order, how many times a day, and what to avoid. We will be starting with sweet potatoes and moving on from there.
As uncle andrew so poignantly commented:
Look out foie gras and caviare!

snacking and pulling on mommy

Like most babies Isaac has taken an extreme liking to my hair. Pulling it and eating it has become a daily delight. Considering mommy's hair is falling out on its own accord, Isaac's new habit isn't helping much... but were hoping its a phase. Unless I pull a Britney Spears, I will be enduring the pain for a while longer.

isaac's first trip to Tdot (toronto)

We just returned from Toronto. Traveling is definitely a different experience than it used to be. I can remember the days that I savored the 5 hour flight to catch up on reading, maybe knit, catch a flick... NOT ANY MORE. With that being said, Isaac did extremely well on the plane. It is just hard entertaining a 5 month old with very limited resources and space.
Papa and gramma put a lot of time and energy into preparing their home for izzy, and it worked beautifully. The transition to the pack and play was seamless. He slept through the night the entire time, and was in a great mood. He visited with all of his cousins, aunts and uncles and friends which seemed overwhelming for the little one, but he handled it great.
Now that we are home it seems that Isaac is still adjusting. Last night he was up a couple times which is very unusual for him, but I think it is the time change, and am hoping in the next couple days we return to his old fabulous sleep schedule.
All in all a great trip, exhausting but totally necessary.
Couldn't have been that bad because we already booked tickets to return in August. Cant wait to see everyone again.

dos anos

It was two years ago that David broke the glass... and they have flown by.
I love you David. You hold my heart.

my first mother's day

I was woken today by Isaac and David with a wonderful surprise for my first mother's day! It definitely made me smile. I have to say that mother's day has more meaning now that I am a mother. After the morning at home, we spent the rest of the day at Bub's house with Bubie Y and family for brunch. Bub also gave me a charm bracelet that belonged to my Dad's mother, Magda. I love my new keepsake as it every charm gives me some insight into where she may have traveled, and what types of things she found appealing.
I had a wonderful first mother's day, and feel so lucky to be a part of this new group of worriers. As the book my mom bought me for mothers day says, "motherhood is not for sissies"... and amen to that sisters.

Stephen S. Wise

David and I have been looking to join a synagogue for quite a while and we finally have found on that feels like home. Lat week we took a tour of the campus, and yesterday we joined Stephen S. Wise Synagogue. They have a BEAUTIFUL facility with lots of family activities. They also have elementary, junior high, and high school if we choose to go that route. In addition, I am going to be doing a mommy and me class with Isaac starting in July. We are really excited to be members of this new community.

4 month checkup

Here are Isaac's stats from his four month checkup:
Weight: 13lb.8oz. (25 percentile)
Height: 24" (35 percentile)

The doc was very pleased and thought he looked terrific.
Little Izzy woke up with a low grade fever ( a reaction to his vaccinations), but seems to be doing much better now. The doc also thought we could start "sleep training" isaac to sleep through the night (which means dropping his once a night feeding). The past two nights he has slept through the night on his own, so I am hoping there wont need to be a lot of crying in the near future.

happy 4 month B.day

Today is Isaac's 4 month birthday. I cant believe how quickly the time has passed, but how long I feel like I have known him. What was life like B.I. ... can barely remember. Just a quick shout out to izzy, one of the two loves of my life. Happy Birthday Baby.