Monday, June 30, 2008
Good News in the Blogosphere!!
Go congratulate Marci and Jen at lightcomingon on their beautiful son Cole!!!!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
The Ugly
So, I posted the cute pix and the fun highlights of the weekend. But with my family, there's always a dirty underbelly.
My mother didn't do anything for our first Mothers' Day. I was a little sad about that, especially since she made a big fuss for my sister's first Mother's Day last year and then told me all about it. But her brother was dying, and then he died, and I understood.
This weekend at the music festival, she whipped out Father's Day cards, one for my brother-in-law, and one for her husband that she hastily made my sister sign. (Sooo tacky; her husband has been wonderful to both boys, but he's not our father, and Grandpa Father's Day cards need to be our choice.) I was hurt that she would make a public fuss over Father's Day after ignoring Mothers' Day. I checked in with my sister, and sure enough, Mom had gotten her a belated gift.
I had it out with Mom today. She was apologetic, and explained how she'd been frenetic and impulsive because of her brother's illness and death. And, you know, I understand. I guess.
But it hurts. It hurts so deeply. Even in her impulsiveness, she thought to honor my sister and her husband. Those actions came naturally. She didn't honor us for raising our hard-won baby boy (my sister has let it be known she got pregnant on the first try). She didn't honor the motherhood that, for me, is both natural, and a daily struggle against the world; or the motherhood that Co achieved after putting her body and soul through the wringer. Parenthood is beautiful in all its forms -- my sister's motherhood, my brother-in-law's fatherhood, are no less worthy and powerful because they came by it easily or because society honors their roles on a daily basis. But if Mom had to forget somebody, why us? Why the pair who already exist outside the norms of society and the legal system?
I forgive her, but it's going to be harder to forget.
My mother didn't do anything for our first Mothers' Day. I was a little sad about that, especially since she made a big fuss for my sister's first Mother's Day last year and then told me all about it. But her brother was dying, and then he died, and I understood.
This weekend at the music festival, she whipped out Father's Day cards, one for my brother-in-law, and one for her husband that she hastily made my sister sign. (Sooo tacky; her husband has been wonderful to both boys, but he's not our father, and Grandpa Father's Day cards need to be our choice.) I was hurt that she would make a public fuss over Father's Day after ignoring Mothers' Day. I checked in with my sister, and sure enough, Mom had gotten her a belated gift.
I had it out with Mom today. She was apologetic, and explained how she'd been frenetic and impulsive because of her brother's illness and death. And, you know, I understand. I guess.
But it hurts. It hurts so deeply. Even in her impulsiveness, she thought to honor my sister and her husband. Those actions came naturally. She didn't honor us for raising our hard-won baby boy (my sister has let it be known she got pregnant on the first try). She didn't honor the motherhood that, for me, is both natural, and a daily struggle against the world; or the motherhood that Co achieved after putting her body and soul through the wringer. Parenthood is beautiful in all its forms -- my sister's motherhood, my brother-in-law's fatherhood, are no less worthy and powerful because they came by it easily or because society honors their roles on a daily basis. But if Mom had to forget somebody, why us? Why the pair who already exist outside the norms of society and the legal system?
I forgive her, but it's going to be harder to forget.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
6 Month Stats & Family-Filled Weekend
Today was Jo's 6 month checkup. He is hitting all his milestones, and in fact the doctor was impressed with his communication skills (he's a little chatterbox).
He weighs 19 lbs (68th percentile) and is 28 1/4 inches long (91st percentile). Since he started rolling around, he's switched from being very chubby to very tall.
He was very brave about his vaccines this time around -- he cried, of course, but cheered up pretty quickly, instead of the screamfest at 4 months. Mommies were relieved. We were also perversely pleased that, thanks to the national Hib shortage, Jo is getting a delayed vaccination schedule of a sort.
In other news, we've continued introducing solids -- thus far, sweet potato and banana -- but Jo hasn't shown a ton of interest (except in chewing on the spoon). Apparently a lot of breastfed babies just prefer their milk. But we'll continue the daily experimentation sessions.
-------------------------------------------------
This past weekend, we went to this festival, which I've been attending since I was nine. (Neither of my two childhood homes nor my parents' marriage have survived the years, so tradition means a lot to me.) We got to spend time with my sister, her husband, and her son; my mom and her husband; our friend-aunties E., K., and their son; friend-auntie W.,; and more friends. Jo got to see Pete Seeger in person. Or rather I got to see Jo see Pete Seeger. Whatever, I was happy. Jo had an absolute blast rolling around on our blanket, playing with his new maracas from Grandmom, and being showered with attention. He slept until nine o'clock on Sunday morning. Awesome.
Less fun was Sunday's torrential rain of Biblical proportions, and our brave little toaster of a Saturn sedan getting stuck in the mud. I was impressed that despite all, we kept Jo dry. The festival was actually cancelled by about two o'clock, which was very sad.
Plus, this trip was his first in the big boy car seat! He could have stayed in the baby bucket (as his measurements today show) but he was spilling out of it. So Co installed our fancy Brit.ax Mara.thon I bought back during the February sale.
Here's some adorable cousin time (Jo and my sister's son, Sam):
Here's Jo wading in the Hudson River:
And for the final shot of cuteness -- be sure you're sitting down for this one, people -- here is Sam kissing his baby cousin.
He weighs 19 lbs (68th percentile) and is 28 1/4 inches long (91st percentile). Since he started rolling around, he's switched from being very chubby to very tall.
He was very brave about his vaccines this time around -- he cried, of course, but cheered up pretty quickly, instead of the screamfest at 4 months. Mommies were relieved. We were also perversely pleased that, thanks to the national Hib shortage, Jo is getting a delayed vaccination schedule of a sort.
In other news, we've continued introducing solids -- thus far, sweet potato and banana -- but Jo hasn't shown a ton of interest (except in chewing on the spoon). Apparently a lot of breastfed babies just prefer their milk. But we'll continue the daily experimentation sessions.
-------------------------------------------------
This past weekend, we went to this festival, which I've been attending since I was nine. (Neither of my two childhood homes nor my parents' marriage have survived the years, so tradition means a lot to me.) We got to spend time with my sister, her husband, and her son; my mom and her husband; our friend-aunties E., K., and their son; friend-auntie W.,; and more friends. Jo got to see Pete Seeger in person. Or rather I got to see Jo see Pete Seeger. Whatever, I was happy. Jo had an absolute blast rolling around on our blanket, playing with his new maracas from Grandmom, and being showered with attention. He slept until nine o'clock on Sunday morning. Awesome.
Less fun was Sunday's torrential rain of Biblical proportions, and our brave little toaster of a Saturn sedan getting stuck in the mud. I was impressed that despite all, we kept Jo dry. The festival was actually cancelled by about two o'clock, which was very sad.
Plus, this trip was his first in the big boy car seat! He could have stayed in the baby bucket (as his measurements today show) but he was spilling out of it. So Co installed our fancy Brit.ax Mara.thon I bought back during the February sale.
Here's some adorable cousin time (Jo and my sister's son, Sam):
Here's Jo wading in the Hudson River:
And for the final shot of cuteness -- be sure you're sitting down for this one, people -- here is Sam kissing his baby cousin.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
The Adventures of Jo
Baby Jo turned six months old, and he got his first food yesterday. After much back and forth between the moms, we settled on sweet potato (mixed liberally with breastmilk). He had a good time, and he may even have ingested some. The spoon was his favorite part.
In the last week Jo also discovered water. He's been in the water plenty of times, of course, but was never a real fan of baths. Just in time for the Northeast's oppressive heat wave, he decided the bath was a fun place to be (perhaps because he learned to splash). I am delighted, since Co and I were both water babies and still love to swim as adults. This summer, Jo will be taking swimming lessons at the Y, as well as going to the beach. Next weekend he may get a chance to swim in a river.
In addition to the baby swim class, Jo is signed up for four other classes... music, Baby Boogie, and Mom & Baby Pilates (the latter two are free for members of the Y, however, so we may drop in and out). When we added him to our family Y membership, he actually got his own i.d. card. Too cute.
He has learned to say "Da da da da"....just in time for Father'd Day. Um. Okay.
In other weekend news, we joined a CSA for the first time, and got our first pick-up: strawberries, rhubarb, garlic scapes, leeks, asparagus, two kinds of lettuce, mesclun greens, arugula, and fresh eggs. Wow.
In just four more days, I will be free for the summer to hang out with Jo and play stay-at-home-mom. I am definitely more of a working mom than a SAHM, in every way, but it will be fun to play that role.
Today's milestone: we're leaving Jo with a babysitter (my mom) for the first time while we go to a wedding. He goes to daycare, of course, but somehow this feels different. Any last minute advice is welcome...
Here's the big guy in action, having fun in the exersaucer on loan from Cousin Z.
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