These are a few of my favorite things. . . .

After 2 1/2 months, I would say that these are a few of our favorite things . . . .

• Video Monitor (click here to read an entire post about this)
  
• Fisher Price Papasan Cradle Swing
  
• Fisher Price Rainforest Bouncy Seat
• Secure Incline Sleeper
  
• Summer Newborn-to-Toddler Bath Center and Shower
  
• Aveenobaby bath & body wash
• Hooded bath towels
  
• Sunshine Kids Car Easy View Mirror (I love being able to watch Micah through the mirror - and this simple inexpensive one works great!)
• Tiny Love Lights & Music Playmat
• Graco Pack 'N Play (with changing table)
• Balmex or Desitin - I'm hating the Butt Paste - it is yellow so it always looks like I forgot to clean off all the poop, and it smells like cinnamon - that is just so wrong.
• Sleepy Wrap (DH is liking the Ergo carrier . . . I don't get to use it much, though)
• Medela Pump-in-Style and SOFT breast shields
  
• First Years Breastflow Bottles (GREAT for breastfeeding moms - or for breastfeeding babies that are not taking to the bottle)
• Playtex Ventaire Wide Mouth (slow flow nipple - good for breastfeeding moms - wide mouth more similar to breast)
  
• Medicine dispenser pacifier
• Hooter Hider (now known as the Bebe Au Lait)
• Swaddle . . . either the Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe or the Halo SleepSack Swaddle
• Pacifier clip (for attaching the pacifier to the baby's clothing)
  
• Sleep Sheep/Dexbaby sound machine
• Hands-free pumping bra
  
• Lullaby CDs (Rockabye lullabies - U2, Beatles, Einstein Baby Classics)
• Childrens CDs (Free to Be You and Me, Sesame Street Platinum, Really Rosie)
• Nursing bras (and sleeping nursing bras)
• Medela or Lansinoh breast pads
• Prefold Cloth diapers (we use these as burp clothes, for putting on top of the changing table cover and in the Pack 'N Play changing table to keep things from getting dirty)
• Pampers Swaddlers Diapers (if you have a skinny baby, these seems to fit better - it also has a notch for the cord cut out, and they come in sensitive AND in preemie size)
  
• Footed zip up outfits
• Side snap shirts or side snap onesies - these are SOOO much easier to put on/take off early on. Regular onesies must go over the head, but the side snaps do not.
  
• Long sleeve shirts with the built-in mittens (only good for the winter time)

Here is some video of Micah in my new sleepy wrap:

I'd like to thank the Academy . . . or at least Eve!

Who knew there was such a thing as blog awards? Okay, maybe you all did, but I apparently live in a hole. Thanks to Eve, who nominated me. I have to say, I've been thoroughly enjoying her blog, Infertility Rocks! - she writes about infertility with a sense of sarcasm and humor that just somehow makes me smile about all the hard times. She has a way of saying EXACTLY what I've thought and it makes me feel less alone. Yes, I have a son now, but that doesn't mean that I've put my IF experience behind me. I think you are never the same after you experience IF. We also plan to TTC#2, and I worry about going through all that pain again . . . and what will happen if we can't have a #2. Anyway, if you can't ACTUALLY have a great attitude about IF, then you might as well use sarcasm, intelligence, and humor to process the pain and make it bearable. She does a great job of helping us all find humor in an unfair situation.

Anyway, I have been charged with nominating 10 more blogs that are award-worthy. I'd give the award back to Eve since I'm loving her blog, but in the spirit of fairness, I'll just state that publicly since I probably shouldn't just pass it right back to her after she just won it!

So here are the rules:
Put the logo on your blog or post.
Nominate at least 10 blogs that show great attitude and/or gratitude.
Be sure to link to your nominees in your post
Let your nominees know they have received the award by leaving them a comment on their blog
And be sure to link this post to the person who nominated you for the award.

So, here are my awardees (really, I could have given this to ALL of the bloggers on my blog roll, but I was asked to pick only 10):

1. The Watson's Random-ness
   
2. Everything is a Miracle
   
3. Family Journeys
   
4. A little pregnant
   
5. Our IVF Journey
   
6. Our Family
   
7. Journey to Conceive
   
8. Confessions of a Professional Couch Potato
   
9. Open my Eyes to Wonders Anew
   
10. The Boling Bunch
    

Thanks everyone! Keep on blogging!

I've lost the weeks . . . .

It is funny - all throughout pregnancy, you have to be extremely cognizant of how many weeks along you are. Every Monday was our "flip" day, and DH and I would sit down and read the different tickers from baby gaga to hear how big Micah was growing and what developmental milestones he should be hitting. It was a little ritual for us, and we loved doing it. Once the contractions hit at 28 weeks, every week was another significant milestone - it meant Micah was a little safer if he was born early, and more likely to make it to full-term. I remember celebrating when we hit 36 weeks and felt we had left the "danger" zone for Micah.

Once Micah arrived, we continued counting in weeks. There was his actual age, and his adjusted gestational age (since Micah was a bit early, they often adjusted his age for hitting different developmental milestones). The weeks were important - for when he should return to his birth weight, for when breastfeeding (well, frankly eating in general) should be easier, etc. Then somewhere around 8 or 9 weeks, Micah hit the "2 month mark" and I haven't looked back. I can tell you that Micah is over 2 months old now, but I generally can no longer tell you how many weeks. It is a graduation of sorts - we no longer need to think in weeks - we can think in terms of months!

Oh, in case you were wondering . . . I did go count on my calendar, and Micah is now 11 1/2 weeks old.

Helpful Tip

I learned something new and useful this weekend, and felt like an idiot that I did not have a clue earlier. Some of the swaddles have some very useful features. For example, the Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe has a slit on the rump. I never understood the purpose of this slit (it isn't particularly useful for checking diapers since they usually wear clothing under the swaddle). Well, my cousin informed me that the slit in the back is to allow for travel in the car seat while they sleep! The buckle for between the legs fits through the slit in the back, and you buckle them in and swaddle around the seatbelt arms! Another person informed me that the reason the SwaddleMe has a detachable bottom is so you can change the diaper without completely undressing/undswaddling your little one!

While we are on the topic of helpful hints, I wish someone had told me not to bother with the mobile that matches the bed set. It is cute, and it plays nice music - for about 3 minutes. It is largely a useless piece of equipment. I'm much more fond of the sound machine we are using. We also just purchased a 2nd mobile - one that can play for 10-20 minutes and has a functioning remote control for use outside of the room. Now THAT makes more sense to me! I can barely put Micah in the crib before his current mobile stops turning and playing. He loves looking at it, but I just can't stay on top of the demand.

I also just bought some lullaby CDs . . . did you know they have U2 and the Beatles as lullabies? I'll have to let you know how they are. Now, just add Billy Joel, and I don't see how Micah could possibly be UNHAPPY?

I love my video monitor

I have to say, I'm loving the video monitor. I have a Summer Infant Video Monitor - the kind with the color screen and night vision. The clarity is unbelievable, and it is so reassuring to be able to check in and watch my little guy while he is sleeping. Sometimes he is restless. Sometimes he slides down the incline sleeper. Sometimes his pacifier falls out. Sometimes he is just a noisy sleeper - he'll kick his legs, or cry out. The video monitor allows me to see EXACTLY what is going on, and judge whether or not I actually need to make a trip into his bedroom. It also allows me to eavesdrop on DH when he is rocking the baby to sleep.

My nephew also enjoyed watching him sleep this past weekend. I confess, sometimes I just turn the video on and watch him . . . he is so stinking cute! I love that I can hear him sucking on his paci through the monitor. I can't figure out how parents managed without all this new technology. I'd never let him out of my sight or sleep so long uninterrupted without some good visual confirmation.

Update on Me

The past few weeks have really been great for me. The hardest part of becoming a mom and staying home all these weeks has been that I feel like I've been losing me. When friends call, I feel tied down and incapable of leaving to go out for a little while. Micah's eating had been a huge consuming part of my life, and has left me a bit unsure about stepping away for too long. When I have friends on the phone, I have lost my ability to hold a conversation - I have nothing to discuss other than Micah. I can talk about poop, or sleeping, or breastfeeding, or how many ounces I can pump. I can tell you the last time I fed the baby, and how many outfits he has worn in any given day . . . but most of these things probably aren't interesting to anyone other than me . . . or possibly DH. I don't do anything else during the day, so it is quite difficult to find interesting topics to discuss. I have felt a bit starved for grownup interactions, and I miss doing my work and being able to go to meetings and schedule my calls. I definitely needed this time off, and I'm not ready to fully return to work, but I miss me.

So, the past few weeks I've tried to get a life. I joined a Baby & Me class, which has been wonderful! It gets us out of the house once a week, and we interact with other mommies. I don't feel quite so boring because I have lots of other mommies who don't care if I talk diapers and pumping. I have been going to a breastfeeding support group that gets me out of the house a second day and I usually go out to lunch after that as well. I am certain I will develop a nice playgroup for Micah from all of these activities. Next month, I am joining another group - each week for 6 weeks, we will go to a different location for a baby-friendly activity - infant massage, a yoga class, a pottery class, a visit with a pediatrician, a photo session, etc. I am excited to learn what activities are out there for Micah and me!

Perhaps the best things that have happened are Micah finally nursing "normally" and sleeping through the night. Nursing normally allows me the freedom to just feed him - when he wants, when we are out, etc. I now have a stash of breast milk in the freezer, so I don't have a panic about what to do if I have to (or want to) run out. It has been unbelievably freeing! Even better, Micah is now sleeping through the night. We put him down at 8:30 and he sleeps until 6:30 or so. What is amazing about that is I can go out after he is asleep! I can even miss the last feed and go out to dinner and have an evening out. On Wednesday, I left DH with a bottle of milk, nursed Micah at 7, then went out to dinner with a friend. It was so freeing to be able to just go out and do my thing for a few hours.

My mom and dad have been great about babysitting. On Sunday night, they came over and watched Micah for a few hours. DH & I were able to go out for dinner to celebrate a belated Valentine's Day - our first "date night" since Micah was born. It was some time we needed to recharge our relationship. Of course, we spent the whole time talking about Micah, but at least we got out! Now that we officially have a bedtime routine and Micah is sleeping through the night, I think we are going to start having them babysit AND put Micah to bed so we can take a longer evening to ourselves. My mom actually asked if she could come and do this one night a week!

So, slowly but surely, I'm trying to find myself again. The new me . . . the one that is a mommy, and the one that has a life beyond being a mommy, too. The balance is so important to me - I really want to "have it all." Wish me luck!

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's SUPER MICAH!

Part of our new bedtime routine is to swaddle Micah in the Halo SleepSack Swaddle. We were swaddling him in the Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe, but he managed to get his arms out of the middle and kind of wrap it around his neck a few weeks ago, so we switched to a different swaddle for our own peace of mind. Well, the new swaddle is sort of a dress . . . with a cape on the back. Anyway, we couldn't resist taking these pictures:



Here are some other adorable videos of our little Micah man this past week:





Oh, and as promised, here is my dog loving the playmat:

Let's Talk About SUBs

If you are squeamish . . . or easily offended by slightly foul language. . . I urge you to stop reading this post immediately. Today, we will be discussing SUBs . . . and PUFs. No, I do not mean the yellow underwater kind of SUBs, or even the foot-long kind of sandwich. Nor by PUF do I mean a facial tissue or cotton ball or even one of those body cleansers sponges.

The term SUB, we believe, was coined by a friend of ours. It stands for Shit Up the Back. PUF is something we take full-credit for . . . it stands for Pee Up the Front. I impart these definitions to you at the outset of this post, because they are the centerpiece for my blog today. Feel free to frequently return to this section if you become confused.

So, here is the first topic we will be discussing - Did you know that it is possible to poop through a diaper and up your armpit? Because that is EXACTLY what happened to my cute little Micah tonight. We've had quite a few SUBs over the course of Micah's infancy, but tonight was the first time a SUB required an emergency run to the bathtub for a head-to-toe cleansing.

I had changed Micah's diaper about 2 or 3 hours earlier, and I suddenly noticed a faint smell of poop. I had determined that he did, indeed, require a diaper change, but was hoping to wait a bit longer until after I fed him (as feeding generally prompts some poop). I stood up and walked with Micah into the other room, and I heard another mild explosion coming from his behind . . . and the telltale smile on his face that follows that sound. I knew immediately that we had another poop. Micah has actually outgrown the newborn-sized diapers and should be wearing size 1 diapers, but we still have about 15 newborn diapers left and have been trying our darndest to use them all up this week. Consequently, it doesn't take much poop (or pee, for that matter) to cause a leakage. Once I heard this second explosion, I knew it was time to change his diaper.

Based on the sound (relatively mild in comparison to his other explosions), I did not expect an emergency situation. I walked Micah to the changing table, set up his next diaper, pulled out a wipe, and took my sweet time getting down to business. I undid the diaper tabs, and as I picked up his legs to wipe everything up . . . . I saw it. There was shit up the back . . . and up his side reaching around to his armpit!! The onesie was totally covered in poop! It kind of reminded me of the BLOB . . . it was sort of growing and swelling and taking over. The longer I waited, the more . . . encompassing . . . the poop became. I quickly realized that merely wiping and changing the diaper wasn't an option. I began to fear that the poop would take over Micah's entire body, and begin to take possession of the changing table. I called upstairs to DH to come help (and help did not arrive), and I quickly began stripping my baby down. I suddenly decided that I would have to bathe him . . . immediately. I grabbed everything needed for the bath, and brought him to the bath to finish stripping him. As I peeled back the layers, the poop blob continued to expand. The entire onesie was covered. There was poop on his tummy, and all over his back, and on his feet. It had begun dripping down his arm. I moved him to the tub and started hosing him off! As we finished up the bath, DH finally made it downstairs to help. So, I assigned him the task of washing out the poop-laden onesie, and bringing me a fresh diaper and a change of clothes. Yes, I was quite impressed by my little guy tonight.

This is not the first SUB we've had - they happen on a regular basis. What I don't understand is how does one poop out a diaper? Especially when sometimes, like tonight, there really isn't that much actual poop IN the diaper. Is it a physics equation . . . something like the force of the expulsion times the volume of the poop with the angle of contact with the diaper surface factored in? I would really like to understand the mechanics of this issue.

Speaking of baffling physics equations, this brings me to the PUF. I do not understand how the PUF happens. Here is a typical PUF . . . Micah is sitting around happily playing in his diaper, and suddenly a wet spot appears on his stomach. I quickly realize this is urine, and run to change the diaper. I can see that the diaper is on properly, and it is not wet. Somehow, he has managed to pee out the top of the diaper without actually having ANY urine come in contact with the diaper itself! This sometimes happens moments after changing a diaper. For example, after cleaning up a SUB, we have a nice new diaper firmly attached. I am getting ready to pull down and attach the onesie when all of the sudden, there is this fountain and a puddle on the belly. I sit there looking at the top of the diaper, taking note that both sides are fastened and there are no apparent gaps. I search desperately for big gaping holes or tears in the diaper, and finding none, I wipe up the puddle on his belly. As a precaution, I re-open the diaper, note that it is dry, and seal it again. I double-check Micah for any inexplicable holes in his belly (just in case his belly sprang a leak). I quickly realize Micah has soaked his hair, the onesie, and an outfit. I quickly change his entire outfit, wipe up his hair, then put him back on the playmat . . . only to find that he has PUF'ed again - as apparent by the big wet spot on his new outfit. (NOTE - I intend to revisit the topic of how DH DOESN'T notice the wet spot on the belly, or the onesie, when Micah has a PUF). And no, I'm not ashamed to admit that at this point I look at him and think - "it'll dry." So, if you can please explain this . . . I would love to know HOW a PUF can happen. Does it have something to do with the relative density of boy urine to the diaper when erupting in that fountain-like motion that makes it possible to pass through the diaper without being absorbed? Feel free to submit your scientific proofs as explanation. Inquiring minds want to know!

If I only knew . . . .

That my dog would love the playmat as much (if not more) than my son, I would have bought the playmat years ago! My cute little dog has figured out how to make the lights go off, and she lies on her back and hits at all the animals, and pulls them with her teeth. When we go out for a few hours, I come home and find her napping on the playmat. Every time Micah gets on the playmat, she joins him - to sit, to snuggle, to just roll around. The playmat is an endless source of fun! So, for you animal owners out there - feel free to go out and buy a playmat - I'm sure your pets will love it! Here are some photos of my babies - I'll have to snap one when the dog is playing on the mat by herself! Maybe some video - she loves to start the music and hit all the toys while she lays on her back.

2 months today

I can't get over the fact that Micah is 2 months old today. We have been through so much already, and I'm amazed by how much he is growing and changing. Here is a general update on Micah at 2 months:

• Breastfeeding is finally going well! He is latching without a nipple shield, nursing efficiently and able to get what he needs from me without formula or even bottle supplements of breast milk. I'm even able to get in a pumping session every day and now have a bit of a stockpile of breast milk!
• He has graduated this week from the newborn size diaper to a size 1. What a road . . . we started out and the preemie diapers were big on him!
• Micah is officially able to wear the 0-3 month size clothing. He hasn't outgrown the newborn size yet, but that looks like it will happen in the next 2 weeks. I can't believe that the preemie clothes were huge on him when we first brought him home, and now he is wearing those "giant" 0-3 month outfits.
• Micah is holding his head up and can even roll over!
• He has started showing an interest in toys/objects. He is fascinated by the mobile and his playmat, and he now smiles at me and notices when I leave the room. He also recognizes me - he calms down when he sees me or I pick him up. He also is recognizing some of the songs I sing . . . "You are my Sunshine" immediately quiets him down now.
  
• Micah sleeps through the night! He is officially sleeping at least 9 hours at night (I hope I don't regret posting that)!
• We are starting to develop routines . . . for napping, nighttime sleeping, etc. I am actually liking the predictability right now - it is nice to know that I can go out and do something during certain times of the day.
• We've met some wonderful people through our Baby & Me class, and it looks like we have a playgroup forming!
• Micah now enjoys bathtime, and he doesn't shriek bloody murder when we change his diaper.
• Micah can sit quietly awake and not need to be held.
• He is starting to exhibit his personality, and has definite likes/dislikes. I think I have one stubborn little boy!
  

So . . . happy 2-month birthday, my little Valentine.

Today's 2 month photos

Today we went to the Picture People to take 2 month photos of Micah. I have to say, I'm a big fan! This experience was so much better than Sears Portrait Studio. So . . . here they are:

It wasn't an accident

Micah is definitely rolling over. His Grammy came over to visit tonight, and he rolled over about 4 or 5 times just to show off for her! We managed to capture it on video:



I can't believe my big boy! Sleeping through the night, sleeping in his crib, rolling over . . . I just can't believe what will happen next!



Micah's Daddy tried to capture the moment on video last night . . . instead he got some really adorable shots of Micah fussing and then sucking on his paci. Enjoy!

Roll Over!

Micah rolled over again last night! We're still not sure if it is accidental or on purpose, but he has rolled from front to back about 4 or 5 times, and from back to front 2 times!

Once again, he fell asleep in his crib . . . or, more accurately, he fell asleep on his mommy in his room while we sat in the glider, and then was moved into his crib to spend the night. While I miss having Micah around with us until 2:00 in the morning and sleeping in our room, I also am enjoying the time for us.

We can't believe how much he is growing. I weighed him yesterday at the breastfeeding support group, and he weighed 9 lbs!! We just bought size 1 diapers, and this week I am going to see how the 0-3 months size clothing fits.

Forgot to Post this

I should have posted this a long time ago. Just before Micah was born, I was getting very frustrated with all the contractions that were not leading to labor. I spoke to my friend in NY, and told her I was planning to hire her husband (an attorney) to evict Micah, because I was fed up with the ongoing war between Frank and Micah, and I thought Micah was ready to come out and join us and put me out of my misery. Here is what I received about 7 hours before my water broke:

CIVIL COURT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK

COUNTY OF QUEENS: HOUSING PART

--------------------------------------------------------------X

TKEYS

Petitioner-Landlord, Index No.: _____________

-against-

JOHN DOE,


NOTICE OF PETITION

(holdover)

Respondent-Tenant,

John Doe, refers to that infant child who is

currently using and occupying the uterus of

Petitioner named herein and who is in possession

of such uterus for which the license of

Respondent-Tenant has been revoked by

Petitioner despite his use and occupy of the subject

Premises and subsequent use, in whole or in part, of

all appurtenant organs, tissues, and

other anatomical and physiological appurtenances

thereto and herein described.


Premises: TKEYS

Uterus of Petitioner

---------------------------------------------------------------X

To the Respondent above-named and described, in possession of the Premises hereinafter described or claiming possession thereof:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a hearing at which you must appear will be held at the Civil Court of the City of New York, County of Queens located at 89-17 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, New York 11435 on ___________________ at 9:30 am in the forenoon of that day, on the annexed Petition of TKEYS dated December ___, 2008 which prays for a final judgment of eviction and revocation of any license to occupy the premises, awarding Petitioner possession of Premises described as follows: all organs of Petitioner including, but not limited the uterus as demanded in the Petition, which you must answer. Your answer may set forth any defense or counterclaim against Petitioner, unless such defense or counterclaim is precluded by law or by prior agreement of the parties. Demand also is made for a judgment against you for the sum of at least One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars And No Cents ($1,500.00) for the attorneys’ fees of Petitioner.

TAKE NOTICE also that if you fail to immediately vacate the uterus of Petitioner, even if you interpose and establish any defense that you may have to the allegations of the Petition, you may be precluded from asserting such defense or the claim on which it is based in any other action or proceeding, your failure to answer and appear may result in a final judgment by default for the Petitioner against you for the relief demanded in the Petition.

TAKE NOTICE that this Court has personal jurisdiction over the parties mentioned herein because counsel for Petitioner lives in the City of New York, Borough of Queens, State of New York, and is happy for the Petitioner.


TAKE NOTICE also that under Section 745 of the Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law, you may be required by this Court to make a deposit of use and occupancy, or a payment of use and occupancy to the Petitioner, upon your second request for an adjournment or if the proceeding is not settled or a final determination has not been made by this Court within thirty (30) days of the first Court appearance. Failure to comply with an initial deposit or payment order may result in the entry of a final judgment against you without a trial. Failure to make subsequent required deposits or payments may result in an immediate trial on this issues raised in your Answer.

Dated: December 13, 2008

Queens, New York

__________________________

Clerk of the Civil Court

__________________________

Attorney, Esq.

Attorney for Petitioner

IMPORTANT TO TENANT: If you are dependent on a person in the military service of the United States or the State of New York, advise the Clerk of the Court immediately in order to protect your rights.



CIVIL COURT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK

COUNTY OF QUEENS: HOUSING PART

--------------------------------------------------------------X

TKEYS ,

Petitioner-Landlord, Index No.: _____________

-against-

JOHN DOE,


NOTICE OF PETITION

(holdover)


Respondent-Tenant,

John Doe, refers to that infant child who is

currently using and occupying the uterus of

Petitioner named herein and who is in possession

of such uterus for which the license of

Respondent-Tenant has been revoked by

Petitioner despite his use and occupy of the subject

Premises and subsequent use, in whole or in part, of

all appurtenant organs, tissues, and

other anatomical and physiological appurtenances

thereto and herein described.

Premises: TKEYS

Uterus of Petitioner

---------------------------------------------------------------X

THE PETITION OF TKEYS , owner and landlord of the Premises shows that:

1. The undersigned is the sole owner of the Premises.

2. Petitioner is married to DH.

3. On or about March 2008, Petitioner and DH conceived the Respondent in this matter.

4. Since this time, the Respondent has used and occupied the uterus of Petitioner by, among other acts, attaching himself to the wall of Petitioner’s uterus, developing bodily organs, bone, skin, and other tissue necessary and proper to the development of a human body.

5. Upon information and belief, Respondent understood and agreed that he may use and occupy the premises for a period of nine (9) contiguous months and that at or about the end of such nine month period, depending on the comfort level of Petitioner, Respondent should vacate the premises.

6. Upon information and belief, the vacatur of Respondent was to occur by either natural or artificial means.

7. Regardless of the method of vacatur, Respondent and Petitioner agreed that Respondent’s license to use and occupy the premises was to be revoked at our about the ninth month of use and occupancy or at or about the time that Petitioner could no longer tolerate Respondent’s use and occupancy.

8. To date, Respondent has engaged in conduct that has included, but has not been limited to:

a. Causing Petitioner to vomit incessantly;

b. Causing constant nausea;

c. Sleeplessness and irritability;

d. Irregular eating;

e. Loss of work and consortium; and

f. Such other and further conduct that amounts to nuisance.

9. Respondent holds over and continues in possession of Premises without Petitioner-Landlord’s permission.

10. The Premises occupied by Respondent-Tenant and/or Undertenant is not subject to rent control as defined and described by the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR). The Premises is a two-family home.

8. The Premises is not a “multiple dwelling.”

9. Petitioner requests final judgment: awarding possession of the Premises to the Petitioner-landlord; and issuance of a warrant to remove Respondent from possession.

10. Petitioner lacks information or notice of any address where Respondent/s reside or are employed or have a place of business or principal office in the State of New York, other than the address of the Premises sought to be recovered.

11. At least thirty (30) days before the expiration of said term the Respondent tenant/s were served in the manner provided for by law with a verbal warning, that the landlord elected to terminate said tenancy and that unless the tenant removed from said Premises on the day on which said term expired, the landlord would commence summary proceedings under the statute to remove said tenant therefrom.

WHEREFORE, Petitioner requests final judgment awarding possession of the Premises to the Petitioner landlord; issuance of a warrant to remove Respondents from possession of the Premises; a judgment for the fair value of use and occupancy of the Premises after October 20, 2005; a judgment of at least One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars And No Cents ($1,500.00) for the attorneys’ fees of Petitioner; and the costs and disbursements of this proceeding.

Dated: December 11, 2008

New York, New York


_____________________________

Attorney, Esq.

Counsel for Petitioner

100 29th Street

Suite 10

New York, New York

(212) XXX-XXXX

Another Milestone

Last night, Micah slept in his crib for the first time! Not only that, he slept for 10 hours. We are hoping to replicate that tonight. Getting him to go to sleep was a bit more challenging tonight, and he was extremely over-tired (since he was apparently not in the mood to nap today). We have started a bedtime "routine" but he still won't fall asleep on his own in the crib. We have to get him to fall asleep and then move him into the crib. Tonight, after 1 hour and many failed attempts to transfer him from the glider to the crib, I finally brought the secure sleeper into our bed, and sat with him on my chest, then gradually moved him to the sleeper. Once he was down, we moved the sleeper to his crib. Probably not ideal, but not bad for a 2 month old baby.

Even better . . . I seem to finally be getting ahead on the stored breast milk - we actually have several bottles of pumped milk stored. If he keeps going to bed relatively early and sleeping through the night, I should be able to pump an extra 4-5 ounces to store everyday!

It all passes so quickly

I am sitting here amazed at how quickly this is all going. Micah is now 8 weeks old, and he is about 9 lbs. He does a really good job of holding up his head, and this week he sort of "woke up" - he is really alert a lot of the day, and he seems to be developing more personality. I am so excited to watch him grow into his own person and really get to know him, yet I'm already missing some of the little things about him and I do not want to see those things disappear completely. So, I thought I'd make a list of all the things I adore about him now (and over the past 8 weeks).

• Micah makes these cute squeaky noises when he is sleeping or curled up on me. I melt each time I hear the sounds.
• He has this way of turning his head almost at a right angle to his body and looking up at me while I'm holding him on my chest. He then totally scrunches up his entire face (sometimes turning bright red in the process) and stretches. I just want to kiss him to death when he does that! The whole thing is so adorable that I just want to eat him up.
• He kicks his feet when he is restless in the secure sleeper, and it makes him slide down. The whole swaddle sort of moves. He does it when he is frustrated, too, if he is hungry and he is in a hurry to latch.
• When I was first breastfeeding him, he liked me to play with his feet. He would actually lift his foot towards my hand so I would play with it. Now, he likes to reach up and pull on my hair.
• Micah snorts . . . in his sleep, while he is eating, and sometimes just from the acid reflux. The snort is cute - almost sounds like he is clearing his throat.
• He was about 5 lbs (just under) when we brought him home . . . and I was amazed by how tiny he was. I could fit him from head to bottom from just above my ribs to just below my navel. My hands and arms dwarfed him! He had no extra fat on his body - you could see his ribs and he had these chicken legs. I could hold him on my chest and barely feel him there. I could easily hold him with one arm/hand. He would burrow so tightly into me, and I loved having him that close and so small. The preemie outfits were huge on him, and we had to fold the preemie diapers over to keep him from having a plumber's crack showing. Now, he is still small, but he is a typical newborn - his face is getting big and round, his thighs have filled out, and today we tried on size 1 diapers for the first time, and I'm thinking of seeing if the size 0-3 clothing is still huge.
• I love how he hugs me . . . when I hold him on my chest, he stretches his arms out wide and grabs on to my upper arms. It feels like he is giving me a big giant hug, and it gets me all teary.
• He just loves to curl his legs under him and lay on my chest in the fetal position - he looks like such a munchkin all scrunched up like that, and yet he is oh-so-comfy!
• I love when he gets startled for no reason (especially when he is asleep) - his whole body jumps and he throws his arms out wide and opens all of his fingers up while kicking out his legs.
• I love how he reaches out and grabs a handful of my hair or my locket neclace and hangs on tight. I also love how he puts his hands in his own hair and grips a handful of that while he is nursing or sleeping.
  
• I love how he holds his hands up by his face like he is saying "Oh my Gawd"(insert thick New York Jewish grandmother accent here).
• Sometimes, he gets this very worried expression on his face . . . usually when he is hungry. It almost looks like he is concerned someone will forget to feed him!
• I love how he sucks his pacifier - he looks a lot like Maggie on the Simpsons . . . making loud noises as the pacifier bounces up and down in his mouth.
• Sometimes, he fights to latch - pushes me away, hits the breast, arches away because he is SOO hungry and anxious to get on that he just makes it all take longer!
• I also love the chicken head bob when he is trying to latch or is hungry. I keep expecting him to start clucking.
• I love watching him rub his face when he is tired.
• When he is about to get upset, his whole face turns purple and he sticks his lower lip out . . . and then the wailing begins. I sometimes want to laugh because he looks so cute as he is about to explode.
• He snores! He makes this adorable snoring noise . . . much cuter than both his Daddy and the dog.
• He smiles in his sleep - it just makes me laugh! I hope he is having wonderful dreams.
• He sometimes smiles after farting or pooping . . . cute when he does it, not so cute when his Daddy does the same thing.
• He gets hiccups all the time. His whole body shakes and they are so loud and scare him!
• He has such crazy hair that stands on end - the crazier it is, the more I love it. Sometimes, he looks like either an old man or a doll with all the hair.
• Sometimes, I swear he listens to me. He looks at me, he seems to calm down when he hears my horrible singing voice, and he knows it is me. He'll follow me with his eyes, and I love that he focuses on me.
  
• His tongue is always sticking out. This has been a huge challenge for breastfeeding, but it is cute when he is sitting and sleeping to see his tongue hanging out just a bit.
• I don't understand how he manages to pee OUT the top of his diaper.
• I'm amazed that such a little boy can make such big poopy messes - how does one boy manage to explode that much poop out of his diaper EVERY day?
  

I'm sure there are so many more . . . but I just didn't want to forget these things.

What a week!

Thought I'd start off with a forgotten picture from our Florida trip . . . when he does this I keep thinking someone has just shouted "stick 'em up" or "you're under arrest!"

This has been a crazy week so far - a really good week, but definitely crazy. On Monday I went to my 6 week checkup. All is going well - I've healed nicely, but it seems I have a yeast infection on my nipples. I was given a prescription for "Newman's Nipple Cream" to try and fix everything. Right after my appointment, I went to my first Baby & Me class! There were about 10 women in the class, and I think it seems like a really good group. We all just sat around to talk, then we went out to Panera afterwards to grab some lunch. It was nice for me to get out and about and feel like me again.

On Tuesday, I was worried that Micah might also have thrush since I had an infection, so I took him to the doctor. Turns out, he was just fine. We did get to weigh him again . . . and he weighed a whopping 8 lbs 10 ounces!!!! I talked to the doctor about whether Micah has reflux, and he thought it was a definite possibility. He gave us some different formula (which I didn't think would matter since we hardly ever give him formula). We decided to table the discussion on Zantac because Micah had not been crying from the reflux. Naturally, we left the doctor's office, and when we got home, Micah began to cry. And pretty much shrieked for over 8 hours. Nothing made him feel better. He was hiccuping, making choking and wheezing sounds, crying when he spit up . . . I was sure it was the reflux. I tried calling the doctor about 3 hours in, and he had left for the day. The other pediatrician wouldn't prescribe Zantac since Micah was not her patient (seriously?) and when I pushed about what to do, she first told me to let him cry until the next day. I pushed some more, and she suggested children's Maalox. I sent my Dad out to get it . . . only to learn that children's Maalox only comes in pill form. I called the doctor back, and she said "Oops, I meant Mylanta." I then sent DH out to look for Mylanta . . . and again, we learned it is not available in liquid. At 8:00 pm, I called the after-hours number . . . and got the same rotten doctor!! She finally gave in, and after giving me some attitude, she called in the Zantac. All I can say is it made a HUGE difference. Micah is doing really well on it!

On Wednesday, Micah was feeling so great that we went out ALL day. We went to the baby store to get gifts for a friend of mine who just had a baby (Micah, too), and then off to Target. After the errands, I went to the breastfeeding support group. Following the support group, two of us then went out for coffee. In the middle of all this, I got a call that one of my friends (whose grandmother had just died) was having shiva that night. For those of you who do not know, Shiva is a Jewish custom to support the family members of a person who has recently died. Everyone goes to the house, brings food, and is there for a short prayer ceremony that enables them to mourn. The custom is designed to ensure that those in mourning do not have to mourn alone. Anyway, DH & I decided to go there, so I took Micah to my parents' house on our way there. We made it home about 10:00 pm - I was out with Micah for 12 hours!!

Thursday was another adventure! I woke up in the morning and took Micah back to Target because I had mistakenly bought the wrong bottle. We then went to pick up DH, and we went to the bris for my friend's baby Micah. We spent the afternoon there, then came home. DH & I decided we were long overdue for a date night, so my parents' came over to babysit. We went out for a few hours to see a one-man comedy show at the local theatre. It was a lot of fun, and so nice to get out just the two of us.

Micah has been so much more alert and awake this week. We've had time to play on the playmat (actually, both my babies were playing together):




and run some errands, too! I can't believe how big Micah is getting. He is having some cranky periods now (very new for me) and he has some fussiness and hours when all he wants is for mommy to hold him. We're working on getting the hang of the new routine.

Bad Hair Day

It turns out that Micah is having a bad hair day. Actually, it seems he is always having a bad hair day. No matter what I do, his hair always seems slightly greasy and stands on end. The look is actually quite adorable on a 7 week old, but at some point, I would think we’d prefer his hair to behave. It turns out, there IS a solution to Micah’s bad hair days . . . we just need to move to Orlando. Yes, I said it. We stepped off the plane in Orlando, and within minutes, Micah’s hair began behaving. The greasy look disappeared, his hair got a bit fluffy, and those wild spiky pieces settled nicely in place.

HOME:

ORLANDO:

I thought it was just a fluke or a coincidence . . . until we returned home, and his hair returned to “Bad hair day” status. Apparently, Micah’s hair would like to move to Florida.

So, when we relocate to Florida, and the inevitable question is posed . . . “So, why did you move to Florida?” . . . I’ll just have to respond with the truth . . . “My son was having a bad hair day.”