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).