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Friday, March 26, 2010
The mall's gymboree
These are some pictures of the mall's play area that I got from their website. It looks like it was taken later in the day, since there are so many people and older kids around. In the mornings it's usually a little quieter.
Climbing stairs and nearly walking
Eliana has managed to take about seven steps in a row. She's so close to fully walking! She's great at it if you hold her hand and little by little is gaining stability on her own.
Both girls can now climb stairs, though they haven't yet figured out how to go down. We're on the top floor of our building but there are eight steps above our apartment leading to the roof landing so I let them go up there a lot. They race each other up and laugh like crazy when I pick them up to plop them back down at the bottom to start all over again. It's also handy when carrying them up the four flights to our place, I can just put them down and walking behind them as they (sloooooooowly) make their way up. The only sucky thing is our building doesn't have a regular floor cleaner so most of the time the stairs are really too gross to let them climb, with the exception of the stairs up to the roof since we're the top apartment.
I attribute these skills mainly to lots of time spent in the mall play area. I tried copying some pictures of it from the mall's website so I'll try posting them here (I suppose I could actually take pictures of it myself but I'm too lazy...though I might have some my in-laws took. I'll check and post that shortly). Anyhow, the area is totally padded and as long as we show up early enough, and it's not a school holiday, then the place is either mostly empty or has only other babies/toddlers. Later in the day, after school lets out, it's full of older (by which I mean 5-6) kids, and they get a little too rambunctious so it's not all that safe for little kids. There the girls have learned, by themselves, to climb steps, slide down little slides, and teeter around on their feet a bit. They climb through tunnels, under arches, and ride see-saw-type toys. Oh, and steal food and toys from other babies. My girls aren't bullies, they're just so used to sharing everything they have with each other, especially food and toys, that they don't know everyone else doesn't share the same way. It's really kinda sweet, when you think about it.
This morning they pigged out over breakfast!! Leftover regular spaghetti and gluten-free shells (can anyone tell we're cleaning out our pantry for Pessach?) cooked in tomato spice sauce (the grown-ups' dinner from two nights ago), plain egg omelet, cucumber, and strawberry gamad (a slightly sweet yogurt-cheese thing). Now they're playing quietly together but soon will be diaper changes and naps. Oh, and Bracha is still in PJs (Eli is in her Mini Mouse shirt and OshKosh overalls, I love it!!!)
Both girls can now climb stairs, though they haven't yet figured out how to go down. We're on the top floor of our building but there are eight steps above our apartment leading to the roof landing so I let them go up there a lot. They race each other up and laugh like crazy when I pick them up to plop them back down at the bottom to start all over again. It's also handy when carrying them up the four flights to our place, I can just put them down and walking behind them as they (sloooooooowly) make their way up. The only sucky thing is our building doesn't have a regular floor cleaner so most of the time the stairs are really too gross to let them climb, with the exception of the stairs up to the roof since we're the top apartment.
I attribute these skills mainly to lots of time spent in the mall play area. I tried copying some pictures of it from the mall's website so I'll try posting them here (I suppose I could actually take pictures of it myself but I'm too lazy...though I might have some my in-laws took. I'll check and post that shortly). Anyhow, the area is totally padded and as long as we show up early enough, and it's not a school holiday, then the place is either mostly empty or has only other babies/toddlers. Later in the day, after school lets out, it's full of older (by which I mean 5-6) kids, and they get a little too rambunctious so it's not all that safe for little kids. There the girls have learned, by themselves, to climb steps, slide down little slides, and teeter around on their feet a bit. They climb through tunnels, under arches, and ride see-saw-type toys. Oh, and steal food and toys from other babies. My girls aren't bullies, they're just so used to sharing everything they have with each other, especially food and toys, that they don't know everyone else doesn't share the same way. It's really kinda sweet, when you think about it.
This morning they pigged out over breakfast!! Leftover regular spaghetti and gluten-free shells (can anyone tell we're cleaning out our pantry for Pessach?) cooked in tomato spice sauce (the grown-ups' dinner from two nights ago), plain egg omelet, cucumber, and strawberry gamad (a slightly sweet yogurt-cheese thing). Now they're playing quietly together but soon will be diaper changes and naps. Oh, and Bracha is still in PJs (Eli is in her Mini Mouse shirt and OshKosh overalls, I love it!!!)
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
New subject lines
Since it will be a looong year if I keep putting their age in the subject line, and since no one really cares about how many months old they are once they hit a year, I guess I'll start coming up with actual titles for my posts from now on.
Eliana had her surgery a week ago tomorrow, and is absolutely back to her good old self. She plays, eats, and screeches just like she always did. Yesterday we had an easy day (well, the girls did), me watching them at home in the morning while Shawn was at work and him with them at home in the evening while I was at work. But today I think I'll take them out. They got up about an hour and a half ago and the three of us played in bed for a while. Then came diaper changes, breakfast, more diaper changes, and now bottles, cookies, and games in the living room. But in an hour or so I'll try to get them out the door and we'll head to the nearby mall where they have a childrens play area. I'm going to get some prints made of pictures of them, too.
Meanwhile, enjoy these:
Eliana had her surgery a week ago tomorrow, and is absolutely back to her good old self. She plays, eats, and screeches just like she always did. Yesterday we had an easy day (well, the girls did), me watching them at home in the morning while Shawn was at work and him with them at home in the evening while I was at work. But today I think I'll take them out. They got up about an hour and a half ago and the three of us played in bed for a while. Then came diaper changes, breakfast, more diaper changes, and now bottles, cookies, and games in the living room. But in an hour or so I'll try to get them out the door and we'll head to the nearby mall where they have a childrens play area. I'm going to get some prints made of pictures of them, too.
Meanwhile, enjoy these:
Saturday, March 13, 2010
One year, two healthy babies
Eliana is home, happy, and healthy. We had a great Shabbat at Saba and Savta's and she is totally herself.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
One year
Eliana had her surgery this morning. It went well. Right now we're in the pediatric surgery ward and she's fast asleep, as is her father on the cot near her crib. He'll be spending the night while I go home to be with Bracha, who has been with my mom all day (my dad, who drove us here at 6:30 this morning, has been here with us all day). I'll go home later.
The awesome news is she's not going to be here the 5-10 days they initially estimated. Instead, she's coming home tomorrow!! So we'll be at my parents' a few days but will be back at our own place next week.
Everyone here has been so nice. The whole staff is really kind, there are tons of volunteers offering everything from hot meals to ice cream, there's a library on wheels and all kinds of fun activities for kids. Our surgeon was the guy who has been following our case and seeing Eliana every other month since she was born...and also just happens to be the hospital's head of pediatric surgery, so we really felt we were in good hands.
That's about it. Thanks for your well-wishes and prayers, our baby is doing great!
The awesome news is she's not going to be here the 5-10 days they initially estimated. Instead, she's coming home tomorrow!! So we'll be at my parents' a few days but will be back at our own place next week.
Everyone here has been so nice. The whole staff is really kind, there are tons of volunteers offering everything from hot meals to ice cream, there's a library on wheels and all kinds of fun activities for kids. Our surgeon was the guy who has been following our case and seeing Eliana every other month since she was born...and also just happens to be the hospital's head of pediatric surgery, so we really felt we were in good hands.
That's about it. Thanks for your well-wishes and prayers, our baby is doing great!
Monday, March 8, 2010
One year
Ask and ye shall receive!
I hope y'all have enjoyed the new pictures. Videos will take longer since I have to reformat them first, sorry.
I hope y'all have enjoyed the new pictures. Videos will take longer since I have to reformat them first, sorry.
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