glenrockschwartz

...how could I forget some of her favorite words! shoes, socks, hat, bag There is really something to having two XX chromosomes, huh?

Well, it's the best I can do because I prefer to enjoy the moments with you kids instead of always preserving the memories and not being "in it" with you. But then Alex and Avery, you have both been doing so many amazing things lately that I feel compelled to capture some of them here. 1. This is the comment that made me come back to blog. From the book "Horace, Morris, but Mostly Dolores" which is a story about three young mice who are friends that go on adventures. In describing the adventures, the author writes humorous things like "They sailed the seven sewers" which is of course funny because they are tiny mice who wouldn't sail the seven seas. Then on the next page the mice are on top of what looks like a garbage heap holding a flagpole (the flag is made of cheese) and the caption reads "They climbed Mount Ever-Rust". At this point, Alex asks what this means - Mount Ever-Rust and I explain to him that they are probably in a scrap me...

...but there are a few bits and pieces of language that I would like to capture for posterity. 1. On a cold and rainy afternoon while Avery was napping and Alex was playing with his SmartCycle video game I was working on a kids puzzle (300 pieces!) at the kitchen table. This was the day that Eric had torn his hamstring playing softball, so he was resting upstairs in our bedroom. I asked Alex if he would mind if I went upstairs for a little bit and his response, "Who do you think you are, my puzzle slave?" 2. Avery this morning. I take out my phone while she is eating breakfast to make sure that I have enough battery power for the day. Avery sees the phone and wants it, so she says, "More Hi there" while putting her little hand to her ear. I guess since when she talks on the phone she says hi there, she actually thinks the phone is called a "hi there" And this is why I should blog more often because I know there are many more and I can't remembe...

Hi Avery, Yesterday you turned eleven months old. The countdown to your first birthday can now officially begin. While you were napping yesterday afternoon and Alex and Eric were having their necessary TV downtime, I did something stupid which was to read a book about developmental milestones. Now while I generally think you are perfect, when I read these types of books, I can have what is known as a 'freak out reaction'. Because there are guidelines about what is developmentally appropriate. And it's not that you are necessarily developmentally delayed (what an evil phrase, huh?), it's more that I have not 'tested' you on these developments. So you woke up from your nap and I was on a mission: pulls herself to standing. yup, you can do that in your crib with verbal encouragement. check. can walk holding on to a sturdy children's car/push toy. brought your Winnie the Pooh car up from the basement, stood you behind it and lo and behold, you can push it and wa...

Hi Alex and Avery, Today is Tuesday March 10, 2009 - actually it is already March 11 in Istanbul, which is where I am as I type this blog. Alex, you will be five years old in just a few short days. Avery, you are a bit passed ten months. I want to let you both know (now and years from now when you go back and read this) how much I love you, how I never stop thinking or talking about you when I am away from you, how lucky I feel to know how well loved and cared for you are when I am away. And how lucky YOU are to have a mommy who will teach you all about the world, including such far off and magical places as Istanbul, Turkey. Alex, I cannot wait to bake cupcakes with your class in honor of your birthday when I am Shabbat Mom this Friday - I wouldn't miss it for the world! You may just be having dinner right now, but I must go to sleep since it is the middle of the night here. I love you both with all of my heart and more. Love, Mommy.

So now that I am the even wiser mother of two I can say with complete conviction that every child will have some recurring type of illness that the kids around him are not necessarily getting. I have seen kids who throw up or get fevers at the drop of a hat. Alex had an ear infection nearly every month for the first couple years of life. And now it's Avery's turn. So what ailment do I joyously get to celebrate regularly with this little girl? Diarrhea (cha cha cha). Now you are probably thinking that diarrhea trumps ear infection as far worse. But believe it or not there are some pluses. 1. You never have to go to a doctor, 2. You never have to go to a pharmacy, 3. When you catch the disease, at least there is the benefit of losing some weight.

...Obviously, since I did not manage to blog even once. I missed writing Avery her nine month note, so I'll do that here. Also want to record for posterity some of Alex's current idiosyncracies. So here goes, Avery, Stats: at your 9 month check up you weighed 21 lbs 9 oz (88 %ile) and were 29.75 in (96 %ile) You turned 9 months about a week and a half ago. If you think you are looking particularly slim in these photos (hee hee) it is because you had a stomach virus that took out the entire eastern seaboard. I'm not kidding, I had it, Jenny had it, Jenny's whole family had it and then we went to Florida and you gave it to Grandma and Pop Pop too! Florida was not the best trip. I've already mentioned Grandma and Pop Pop getting sick, but to add insult to injury, you screamed and cried almost the entire 3-hour flight to West Palm, it was freezing cold the entire time we were there and Alex sliced open his finger while out for the first ride on his razor scooter (no s...