another cross-dressed infant

I don't really care if people mistake my baby girls for boys. If it matters less now, maybe it will matter less down the road when they're older and choose their own outfits. It's important to keep an open mind, even in (baby) fashion. Besides, infants have no idea there's a difference between boys and girls, and they have no idea at all what gender they are. So if navy blue happens to bring out Mariel's eyes, then I'll dress her in it. Admittedly though, I didn't choose this outfit, but it's got a nice print, so I quickly got over the color. The sweater was one of Lil's, and it's one of the best baby sweaters ever. Yup. As long as they keep making awesome baby and kids' clothes for both genders, my kids will wear awesome baby clothes for both genders. *shrug*

can't get enough of Lil + Cat (video)

Last week I uploaded these videos of Lil with the Cat. It's anyone's guess what she's actually telling him, but I think she's trying to convince him to stop being naughty, and gives him a "tiny blanket."

He is a naughty cat. He tries to eat Lil's food, and picks on his sister, Kitty, all the time. He also chews on wee Mariel's pacis. Anyway. They're pretty cute, but the uploads only provide little snippets. Here are a few still images that were captured by Lil's papa.

s.w.a.k.

grown up... all most

Lil's been growing like crazy, though you wouldn't know it from this poor, sad, neglected blog. The only consolation is that I'm busy mothering actual people, not just failing to rant on the internet, so that's a plus (right?). A few weeks ago I snapped some  photos of Lil in a fitted beatnik turtleneck and skinny jeans, with her hair pulled back in a messy pony tail, á la, Kate Moss circa 2008. Yes, Lil looked much cuter (and a little chubbier) than Ms. Moss, but what was really stunning was her ability to transform from a baby to a little girl one frame to the next. These pics did not span months or weeks— just a few minutes and a couple emotions.

baby...

...little girl.

pony tail.

falling into place

Sometimes I miss the early days of the blog. We had a well-lit living room, and a baby with bright sparkly eyes who sat relatively still. Gorgeous pictures were easy to come by. Nowadays Lil is just too fast for me, and she rarely puts a good outfit together or combs her hair. Most of our pics make for good Facebook fodder, but that schmutz on her chin is not quite blog-worthy.

 Oh, but then a couple weeks ago we went to the park—before that Sandy came through and knocked all the leaves off the trees (and knocked the trees of the trees)— and found a path canopied by the colors of fall. Our delayed start meant that we arrived at the perfect time of day, and the bright autumn sun lit up everything from the carpet of fallen leaves to those aquamarine eyes of her's. Add to that a pond full of water foul, the playground, Mama, Dada, and her sweet bebe sister, and you end up with the most picture-perfect Brooklyn afternoon. And of course, some pretty decent pictures.

Prospect Park, one week prior to that bitch Sandy.

the many faces of mah-nah-nay

"mah-nah-nay" is Lil's name for Mariel. 

Mariel is now 6 weeks old, and very expressive. For the first few weeks of her life, she mostly looked serious, and we assumed this was normal for an election year baby. But after the devastation of hurricane Sandy,  she's got some things to ponder. For instance, "Is Mike Bloomberg really wearing a salmon pink sweater—again?" and, "Why did it them take so long to cancel the Marathon?" and, "When will Fresh Direct come back?" possibly even, "Why is Ali Velshi still standing out there?"

It's anyone's guess what that little face is trying to tell us. Probably something about boobs, The Cat's tail, dada's chest hair, or Lil and the paci, since that's pretty much all that comprises her sphere of reality. Lucky girl.

By the way—you should do Lil and Bitty a favor by donating to The Red Hook Initiative, so that they can continue to provide comfort to our neighbors in Red Hook, Brooklyn, who are still without electricity, hot water, or heat. For one thing, RHI has been bring hot meals to the residents stuck in high rises— without elevators! We're humbled by their exemplary service to this underprivileged community.  

video: bubble beards

Lil loves bubbles. And from time to time she has a dirty face. The obvious solution is the bath time bubble beard. It's cute, it's fun, and it gets the job done.

Squeaky Clean!

lil and the wee bitty

I did warn you that we would be gone for a little while so that the wee Bitty could come into the world, didn't I? She finally arrived about three and a half weeks ago, on September 24, weighing in at a svelte 7 pounds, 10 oz. It's impressive that she was nearly a full pound smaller than Lil at birth, considering I binged on Easter candy for the entire first trimester. I won't go into details about the labor and delivery, but the first words that come to mind are "easy, peasy."

Miss Mariel Margaret, 17 days old

So far, Lil appears to like her new sister, whom she calls, "das bebee." She points to Bitty's head, her eyes, her wee hands and feet. She also informs us whenever "das bebee cry," in case we didn't notice or weren't paying attention. She is fascinated by the paci, and she understands that the baby nurses in order to drink milk, and thinks the breast pump is fun and exciting. I suppose someone ought to.

paternity leave, day 18.

In this immediate postpartum phase, I'm relieved that my body is once again (mostly) mine. I'm not saying this because it's nice to be done with the indigestion and insomnia, though it does make for more restful sleep. I'm happy to feel like I can be Lil's mama again. Even though I usually have a Bitty bundle in one arm, I've gotten lots of chances to sit on the floor and play with Lil, let her sit on my now vacant lap and read a story, bend down to get a kiss, or rock her to sleep at night. Even though the challenge of raising two little girls is just beginning, I'm glad to be able enough to mother them both.

two girls, one mama

my one and only

It's nearing the time when Lil will no longer be my one and only. I adore her so much, but sometimes think that the next few months will be hardest on her. I fear that I'll neglect her in certain ways, that she'll lack for attention and affection. All the strength and independence she showed as a baby is harder to see now, at least for me. I just see this little girl who needs guidance and patience, and within days her mama will be short on both (not to mention mental clarity, emotional fortitude, and sound judgement).

So in these final days of Lil's Only-Childhood, I am giving it my all. And I'm soaking up every moment, every word, every smile, every tear. Every time I successfully hoist her into her high chair, or lay her in her crib without dropping her. I take extra time putting her to bed, rocking her just a few more times even as she tries to wiggle free. I get hugs and kisses more often. I give her cookies whenever she asks. I bend to her whims with ease even though I cannot bend to reach the floor. For now she is my only baby, my only child, and I will love her like no other.

I only have eyes for you (maybe)...

i came, i saw, i corn-quered.

I'm not sure how to translate that into Latin...

It took five days for me to do this post. Seriously. It's in direct correlation with my ever-expanding waistline. Thank you, pending baby, for making me the laziest mama-blogger on the planet. Poor Lil. She's constantly showing off her adorable new skills and Mama just sits there and says, "good job, Lil." No cameras, no uploads, no new posts. The guilt is overwhelming, I can assure you. 

Getting on with it– Lil can now eat corn on the cob! This is a huge milestone for us. I didn't expect Lil to chomp any c.o.t.c until next summer at the earliest. I am pretty sure this is NYS corn (not that bastard sweetcorn from PA) which may explain her sudden lust for our favorite summer side dish.

It's safe to say she found it quite nummy. I think the only thing that would've made her happier is a chocolate cupcake. In my opinion, it's a toss-up.

the aftermath

lil baller

Lil really likes throwing things. Stuffed animals are launched from her crib at least once a day, and Mama was struck in the head by a rogue lemon last week. It's a miracle I walked away without a bruise. Lil will also throw herself on the floor in a fit of despair from time to time. What she really loves to throw is this wool dryer ball that we used at our old place when adding fluff to the laundry was important. Now it's the perfect Lil-sized ball, firm enough to get a good grip, but soft enough not to damage Mama or any of the household items. Everyday Lil's arm gets stronger and more accurate. Most impressive is the fact that she'll wait to throw until the count of three...

I wonder how small of a baseball glove I can find. Shoulda looked in Cooperstown...

state of emergency!

this photo has nothing to do with our current crisis, but who cares?

URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT: Lil to Corn on the Cob: "NO!"

While getting Lil ready for our upcoming trip Upstate, something terrible happened. Mama lovingly prepared a half-ear of organic Lancaster County (PA) sweetcorn, and Lil turned it down– for mashed potatoes with Bolognese (ick)!

To the casual Lil watcher, this may seem like typical toddler behavior. They say new foods may be introduced sometimes as many five times before kids start to enjoy them. But this is no ordinary food, and this is not just some run-of-the-mill toddler. She is the product of my womb– the womb of a born-and-raised Upstate country girl– who is also the product of an Upstate country girl, and so on. Mama grew up on a-dollar-a-dozen-from-right-down-the-road sweetcorn, and I-dare-you-to-eat-an-ear-of-corn-that's-meant-for-feed corn. How can I accept that my offspring will not eat corn on the cob?? Worse, I feel terrible wasting awesome corn on someone that won't eat it!

Mama only hopes that once we're actually Upstate and surrounded by corn-loving relatives eating locally grown, just-picked Madison County (NY) corn, Lil will have a change of heart. In my experience sweetcorn just isn't the same unless you're enjoying it with my aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Also troubling, Lil still insists that cows say "baaaah." Lil!! Get thee to the country!!

green monster

Why yes, that is a broccoli floret sticking out of Lil's mouth...

Yeah–and then after dinner, she wiped down her high chair tray. This makes up for a good deal of difficult behavior.

wedding crasher

"All the single ladies? That's me!!"

This past weekend Mama, Papa, and Lil headed to Cooperstown, NY for a very special wedding. Without going into too many details, it's fair to say that next to the bride and groom, Lil had more fun than anyone. She literally danced the night away, staying up hours past bedtime and coercing boys to dance with her. I had to drag her off the dance floor when it was time to go home!

Sweet Lil made friends with everyone she met, but her best "budday" was Ethan, the 3-year-old son of Mama's childhood playmate known as Little Vic, and Mama's good friend Chelsea from middle school. It was some kind of special watching our kids play together. I wonder if these two will ever hear stories that start out, "When your mom and dad were little kids..." and end with, "... so we washed their hands with dishwasher detergent," and include pictures of shared baths and dirty faces, birthday parties and dance recitals (yes, someone's daddy did a year of ballet, and yes, those pictures still exist. [insert bribe here]). I know you can't force two kids to be friends, but when you see these two together, it seems destined.

(also a big thanks to Papa for gathering all the footage while Mama was busy being the pregnant, hungry bridesmaid.)

Guess who filled Lil's dance card.

tiny dancer (video)

Seriously, how is it possible that out of the 258 previous blog entries about a baby dressed up in cute outfits, none are entitled "tiny dancer?" A bit surprising, but there aren't that many entries about dancing. I've been patiently waiting for the perfect burst of movement from our subject, and this weekend she delivered. After playing countless hours of reggae and hip-hop–plus some folk-y stuff thrown in for good measure–Lil began moving those feet in ways that would make Jennifer Beals proud...

A few moments later she worked her way up to dancing in circles. Now she can make herself very dizzy and fall down. It's endlessly entertaining for both of us...

It became clear that she was in need of a twirly dress. A day or two later I pulled out a cute summer frock that had been gifted to her last summer with the hope that it would fit this summer. It certainly fits, and it's gorgeous, and it twirls.

She's just warming up for all the fun we're going to have at this weekend's big wedding (where Mama gets to be one BIG bridesmaid)! Unprecedented cuteness will be blogged next week!

end of month report

Back when Mama had a job, EOM (End of Month) was a stressful time. Lots of numbers to crunch, and so much pressure to make profits and bonuses and all that. So now that my main focus is incubating and raising children (for the time being), it's about time to take stock of Lil's most recent accomplishments.

so much to be proud of!

• She can find her knees, nose, toes, head, eyes, and bellybutton. And her bottom.
• She can crawl on the floor and meow like a kitty.

"if she walks like a kitteh, and talks like a kitteh...?"

• She can say "buddy," and "that guy."
• She can make her stuffed animals dance.
• She can feed herself with a fork or a spoon without disastrous results.

 

nom

• She will put the phone to her ear and say "Hiiieeeee." (She can also use the camera, and play Fruit Ninja.)
• She learned which way to wave when you say "bye."
• She calls Papa "Daddieeee" and Mama "Moggieeee."
• She makes friends easily with 5 year-olds.
• She can wipe the floor, or her high chair if you give her a damp cloth.

 

little Ms. Clean

Not bad. I think we're ready for Lil's Q3.

networking skills

making friends on the Highline lawn

Lately Lil's taken every opportunity to flex her social muscles. Results have been mixed. She is learning that her charms work best on little girls ages 3 - 5, and that kitty cats respond well to food, but not so well to spontaneous hugs. At the playground, she will occasionally encounter a belligerent child who will not share and doesn't like smiling. The "Mommy, why are some kids such douchebags?" conversation is not one I'm looking forward to. I am afraid I'll only come up with those empty one-line responses like, "they're just jealous," or "probably because their parents don't love them very much," which will do little to inspire compassion and understanding.

bribing The Cat

On other fronts, it appears that Mama is doing a little networking of her own on the blogosphere. It is CSA season once again here in Brooklyn, and our friend Jenny's blog snackreligious is a source for inspiration. I was glad to lend her some ideas, but to be sure all my culinary acumen derives from one source, and one source only: Jon Wallace, co-owner and executive chef of the eagerly anticipated restaurant The Wallace, coming soon to Clinton Hill. So read Jenny's blog, and check out The Wallace's menus, and keep an eye out for their grand opening! Lil has her VIP bib ready for the occasion.

video: lil & padd, so happy together

Who among us can resist a bear in a tux? And even if you could, who among us can resist a Lil dancing with a bear in a tux, and sharing floor-cheerios with him?? Yeah. Go ahead and try...

a budding photographer

lunch with friends

Lil loves to take my cellphone. She will snatch it up whenever I put it down, she will even unplug it from the charger without my knowing. She had a tendency to call the first person in my phone book until I added some security measures. Today I was using a photo app called Vignette to snap some cute pics of her bothering playing with the Cat when she sauntered over and stole the phone right from my hands. So I showed her how to use the camera feature (sort of), and after randomly hitting the screen a few dozen times, here's what she came up with:

Lil self-portrait #1

Lil self-portrait #2

"footsies"

This last picture isn't one she took herself exactly, but her hands were on the camera/phone.

love.

fresh

Lil to berries with fresh whipped cream: "NOM."