Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah

Once upon a time, I wrote a blog post with a cute little ditty for Banner's first Hanukkah. It was to the tune of "The 12 Days of Christmas." But, time is limited now, and ain't no one got time for that! :) So, I'll cut right to the chase and give a little tidbit from each night of our Festival of Lights holiday:

Night One:
Banner was super-excited for the first night of Hanukkah. We lit candles on our dinner table, and we sang the prayers together. After dinner, the boys were playing peek-a-boo around a dining chair while Sam and I cleaned up; they are getting much better at playing together, and it was definitely my Hanukkah gift to hear their laughter and to watch them play and be silly together. Then, it was time to give them their first gift of the holiday. Quinn really liked playing with the wrapping paper and trying to help Banner unwrap his gift. Banner got a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pajama set and a Batman PJ set. Quinn got a tub of Color My Bath tablets. So, after a blue bath, the boys got ready for bed, and Banner wore his TMNT "jajamas."

Night Two:
We had Banner's class Hanukkah party at the end of his school day. He got very generous gifts from a classmate and from his teacher, and then Ms. Hedy passed out gifts for the kids to give to their parents. Banner requested that I wait to open the gift until later, so Sam and I opened it right before we lit candles. Perfect timing because it was a hand-made chanukiah/menorah with Banner's name on it. I love it! Then, after candles, prayers, dinner, and clean-up, it was time for the boys to open another gift. Quinn's gift is a little more for the future than for now - it's a "Super Q" cape and mask to go along with one Banner received at his 2nd birthday party. Banner often puts his cape and mask on, and we didn't want Quinn to feel left out, so we got him his own! We tried to get a picture of both of them wearing their capes and masks, but Quinn wanted nothing to do with it. He wanted to help Banner open his toy instead, which Banner didn't seem to mind. Banner was ELATED to open his gift: a Rescue Bot transformer named Heatwave. He's been wanting these toys, and he's been asking for them for a long time! I was super-excited to finally give him this special toy. And, Banner did NOT disappoint. He talked to Heatwave through his bath, he made sure Daddy didn't splash Heatwave or knock him over, he stopped me from reading every few pages to say, "It's okay Heatwaver, we're just reading," and he wanted Heatwave to sleep next to him on his nightstand. Definitely a nice present for ME to see him so attached to this little toy!

Night Three:
We opened gifts before dinner this night. Banner was so excited to open his gift as he said, "Come on, Heatwave! Let's see which of your friends we're opening tonight!" Unfortunately, when Banner opened his gift, he didn't find a Rescue Bot friend and looked sorely disappointed. Instead, he got some Leap Readers (Letter Factory and a Ready to Read book set). He didn't seem too excited about this gift, but once we downloaded the audio files onto his Scout reader, he seemed more interested by bedtime. Sam read 3 of the Ready to Read books with him, and Sam said Banner really liked them, especially the music that played on the front and back covers. Quinn got to open his present before dinner, also - a personalized place mat. (Quinn wanted to wear Banner's kippah from last school year, which fits him perfectly - and I must say he looks so cute in it! So, that's why he has that on in these pictures.)

"Sweet" Menorahs for Banner's teachers

Night Four:
This night was kind of a disaster. The boys were hot messes by dinner time - so when Banner decided to play with his rice all over his chair and both boys refused to eat their dinners, our evening went downhill and there was simply no time for presents. So... we had to wait for the morning to open gifts. We did light candles, but I did not take any pictures this (awful) night!

Night Five:
It was Saturday, and it was time to get ready for our family Hanukkah party. But first, we got to open presents in the morning, which actually ended up working better for everyone. Banner opened a Hanukkah gingerbread house kit, and we got right to work building it! Quinn opened a special CD made just for him! (Banner has one of these with his name in the songs, so we felt that Quinn should have his own CD. The best part is that this is an entirely new album so both boys have special songs.) We listened to Quinn's CD while we built the gingerbread house. Then, later that night, we went to Aunt Jacque & Uncle Freddy's house for the party. SO MUCH FUN! Yummy dinner with latkes, play time with cousins, fishing for prizes, lighting a gazillion menorahs, opening so many generous gifts! The boys left with some seriously fun loot - a microphone, gift cards and money, clothes, toys, Banner's very own framed picture of Aunt Jacque (hehe), and some very special experiential things for Quinn! We are so grateful for all these fun things - but more importantly, for the fun people we get to call family! The boys also gave Grandma a "special" gift - a container full of Hershey's kisses and hugs because when Banner asked Grandma what she wanted for Hanukkah, that's what she told him: "Lots of hugs and kisses."

Night Six:
We spent all day playing with new things from the Hanukkah party. Later in the evening, Banner opened what I thought would be his most "boring" gift. He opened a gift bag with several things I thought he wouldn't get that excited about: the first issue of a High Five magazine subscription (the preschool version of Highlights magazine), a Talking Words DVD (the "sequel" to The Letter Factory), and two light switch extenders. At first he wasn't thrilled, but once Sam installed the light switch extender, the boy lit up (pun intended!). :) He felt so liberated being able to turn on the bathroom light by himself. I honestly wasn't going to give him this as a gift, but I just threw a couple of them in his gift bag, and viola! he was super-impressed! I think it's more of a gift for Sam and me, because we get sick of getting up (usually from the dinner table) to turn the light on for Banner to use the restroom. Later in the evening, Banner and I read through a good portion of the magazine, and he didn't want to put it down. It was a good change of pace from a typical book. I think the variety held his interest - a cartoon comic, a story, a hidden pictures, an illustration to explore. Pretty neat. Anyway, Quinn also had a great night. He opened a Gymboree bubble set. If you know anything about Gymboree bubbles, you know they are the best ones - they last so long and don't just pop when they hit the floor. We had some fun before bath time just blowing bubbles in the kitchen watching bubbles land on heads or on the counter. Lots of giggles from my boys!

Night Seven:
The boys got a surprise visit from Grandma who brought over some gifts for them! It was such a treat to have her here and to share some more Hanukkah time with us. Quinn opened two pairs of jeans, a onesie, and a set of name labels. Banner opened a Transformer (Bumblebee) and several sets of warm, cozy pajamas. Then, Banner showed Grandma how well he sings with his new microphone - performing 3 different Hanukkah songs ("Sivivon," "Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah," and the Driedel Song). Before she left, we lit the menorahs altogether. Banner had a rough time saying goodbye to Grandma; he made sure she knew, "Grandma, I'm gonna miss you," and then he cried as her car drove off and he couldn't chase it any farther. Such a sweet boy who loves his Grandma SO much. After dinner, Banner got to open one more gift - a LeapFrog Scribble and Write Tablet.

Night Eight:
On the last night of Hanukkah, we borrowed my friend, Laura's, idea to take special treats to the police department, fire station, and library. So, after baking some chocolate chip and some peanut butter cookies, we waited for Daddy to get home from work to join us making deliveries around town. Then, we headed to the library. Banner and I hopped out of the car to deliver a tin full of cookies to the librarians - thanking them for story times and encouraging us to keep reading and learning. As we turned away, I heard one of the librarians say, "That is so sweet!" I thought the same thing - which is why we took Laura's idea and applied it to our own neighborhood. :) Then, we went to the police station. The officer who accepted the plate of cookies gave Banner a special teddy bear with a police badge. Finally, it was off to the fire department, definitely where Banner felt most "at home." A couple firefighters gave Banner a chance to sit in the fire trucks; they even turned on the lights for us. (Banner was a little worried they were going to turn on the sirens and became a little jittery about it. Luckily, they didn't do that!) The firefighters gave the boys each a fire chief hat and some sticker badges to keep. They were all very appreciative of the cookie plate we brought them, and I know Banner felt good about this activity!

When we got home, we hurried to get dinner on the table and light the last candles of the holiday. After dinner, the boys got their final Hanukkah presents: Quinn got a personalized piggy bank, and Banner got a monthly calendar which he was really excited about. Quinn, on the other hand, was more excited about the box his piggy bank came in. :)

Whew! That's it! Another Hanukkah in the books! The boys have plenty to keep them entertained, clothed, and learning! I'm so grateful I got to watch them open exciting presents and share the joy of the festival of lights. My favorite has been listening to Banner (and the occasional chime in from Quinn) singing Hanukkah songs and watching them adore the glow of the candles.

 

Happy Hanukkah to all, and to all a Good Night! :)

15-Month Check-Up & Bye-Bye Bottles

Every time I take my kids to the doctor (or have a parent/teacher conference), I feel like I'm getting a report card. I always liked report card time. I was a really good student - always well-behaved, and I always tried my best. My dad's motto was: "Another day, Another A." My mom's was: "Behavior's a must, and grades are a plus." So, I was pretty well-rounded. I always worked hard to get good grades, so I liked to have feedback and praise from my teachers and from my parents about my work. Now that I'm a grown-up and rarely get "graded," I feel like my parenting skills and how my kids are thriving are part of my check-up, a reflection on how I am raising my kids, keeping them healthy, and handling the pressures and changes of my kids getting older.

Yesterday was Quinn's 15-month check-up with Dr. B. We got some great feedback - as well as a slap on the wrist - from Dr. B... and I fully expected everything he said. The best news is that Quinn is healthy and developing exactly as he should - if not a little ahead of what is expected. We are always grateful to hear that our boys' exams are great. I definitely don't take their health for granted, so having everything check out is always a relief.

His current stats are:

• Weight: 24 pounds, 12 ounces = 55th percentile
• Height: 31.75 inches = 75th percentile
• Head: 47.4 cm = 50th percentile

Developmentally, Quinn is scoring between a 16.5-month-old and a 19-month-old. Mostly, he's quite verbal for his age. The expectation is 3 words (not including Mama, Dada, and other names), but Quinn has a vocabulary of 20 words right now. Dr. B asked me if I knew how many words he was supposed to have, and I said, "Yes, 3." He said, "Yes, we've been through this with Banner." What can I say? I have verbal kids! As with Banner's 15-month check-up, I wasn't sure he believed me, but Dr. B also heard Quinn say several words while we were in the exam room.

The "slap" came from the fact that Quinn still has two bottles a day. He refuses to drink milk from a cup, so in order to get his minimum of 16-ounces in each day, I give him 2 bottles - one in the morning and one at night... and he won't even finish those. He usually only gets about 12 ounces a day. Sam and I laughed when Dr. B's first question on his check-list of questions was: "Doing well drinking at least 16-ounces of whole milk from a cup?" We knew what was coming. He told us to quit the bottle that day. He said to put them all away and to only offer milk in a sippy cup - and not offer water at all - until Quinn learned to drink 16 ounces (or more) from a cup.

Because Quinn had a rough day with 2 shots and being poked and prodded, we decided to give him one more full day with his regular routine. He also doesn't feel well right now - he is very congested and his nose is like a faucet (which we reported to Dr. B, and we're now trying Flonase before bed).

So, tonight was Quinn's official last bottle. Sam gave him his last morning bottle, and I gave him his last night bottle. I rocked my baby and reflected on his first feedings in the hospital. I thought about all the little 2-ounce Similac bottles (with the little tan nipples) we opened in the hospital after deciding not to breastfeed after only 3 days. I remembered random moments of giving him his bottles - singing to him, humming to him while we listened to "My, My Love" playing on my iPhone, the early morning bottles on the couch - the two of us cuddling while the sun came up. I thought about all the mornings I fed him his bottle, wishing he'd hurry up so I could get Banner ready for school. I thought about the mornings all 4 of us would cuddle in bed while I snuggled Quinn as he drank his bottle. All the washings, the midnight wakings, the preparing of bottles, the buying of formula . . . all done for now. Quinn sucked and tapped his bottle while I sang "Old McDonald" and he would pause to try to say the animal sounds with me. Tears rolled down my face, and eventually, Quinn stopped sucking, signed "all done" with the usual 1 ounce of milk left, and then he turned to look at me. He saw my tears, and he rotated his body to rest his head on my shoulder. He touched my tears, and then he "laid keppe" again on my shoulder. We cuddled for a minute, and then I offered him one last sip - which he refused. Then, I told him that was his last bottle and to tell it "bye bye," so he waved to it and said, "Bye-bye. Nigh Nigh." And, that was that. We snuggled in the glider after I turned off the light - me reflecting on how fast my little one is growing up, knowing I'd long for these days of feeding my baby his bottle and this being his last one ever... and Quinn not having a clue that it's all being taken away from him from now on.

After I left his bedroom, I went to wash the bottle. Sam came in the kitchen while I was rinsing, and I told him I wanted to put all the bottles away so Quinn wouldn't see them anymore. As we put nipples and collars and bottle tops in baggies, I held back tears until I just needed a big hug from Sam. What if we never see these again? What if that was our last baby? How did that happen so fast? 15 months of bottles, and then none. My baby is growing up. Thank God my baby is growing up, and thank God for the extra counter space and cabinet space and dishwasher space... but how did that happen so fast? Those quiet nights of feeding my baby, nourishing him first thing in the morning, of the cuddle time as he ate... gone.

But, time moves on, and it's time to face our next challenge of getting this kid to take milk from a cup. For the first time in 15-months (and 8 days), there is no bottle waiting in the fridge ready to go for the next feeding. Tomorrow may be hell, but I'll be damned if I get a bad report card at his 18-month check-up!

Three & a Half!

Dear Banner,
The week you turned 3, I panicked. I don't know why, but quite literally the day after you turned three-years-old, your behavior quickly spiraled downhill. All of a sudden, my sweet boy who seemed to dodge the "terrible twos" was a typical "threenager." I'm all about being honest, so you should know I cried a lot this past summer - starting that week you turned 3. You stopped listening to me, completely ignored my requests and my questions, started treating Quinn with some animosity, had a very difficult time sharing with your friends or even wanting to have friends over, and seemed so angry at the world. I worried you were regressing big time: you started hating swim lessons and crying during them, you even stopped listening to Grandma! I had heard that 3 was rough, but this? This was awful, and I felt like I had lost my boy.

I'm not sure where all the behavior stemmed from, but Daddy and I thought maybe it was a new camp environment (where many teenagers were in charge and didn't uphold the same standards your classroom teachers had at school), maybe it was because Quinn was more and more mobile and brotherhood was really getting to you, maybe it was that you had stopped napping by late June? Who knows? We will never have the answer, but the good news is that these behaviors began to subside slowly over the coming months. Once you started back to school in late August, you seemed to have adjusted to whatever the issue was. And, through it all, I kept remembering what Aunt Kira told me she tells the parents in her "3's" class who often complain about the very things I would: my job is to be your constant, to never let you push me away, to show up and keep showing up as your mommy. I listened to that, and I kept playing my part, and sure enough, you and I are closer than ever. I'm not saying you're perfect, sweet Angel. You definitely have your bad days and your "threenage" moments, but I have seen great strides and major maturity going on in you these past 6 months:

-You use your words in times of distress. Sometimes when you get really angry, you yell in frustration, and sometimes you cry when you don't get your way. But, with patience on your part and good listening on mine, we work it out okay. You are very particular about the way you describe your feelings. If I say, "Why are you so upset?" You might reply, "I'm not upset, I'm ANGRY!"

-You are definitely your mommy's son. You want to know what the daily plans are all the time. Your first words in the morning are usually, "What are we going to do today?" followed by "And, what am I going to do after that?" You enjoy a play-by-play of what your day is going to look like. I have been subbing all semester as a part-time school counselor, so each day of the week IS different, and it HAS been hard to remember who picks you up which day. So, I don't blame you. For Hanukkah, you can expect a calendar to help you with this. Welcome to our family. We LOVE calendars!

-You have learned to play well better with Quinn. You've learned when to anticipate him taking your toys and how to handle that situation. You're not a pro at it, and he definitely gets under your skin when he takes your toys or invades your space. But, you have come a long way. You push on him from time to time, but more and more you are leaning in for kisses and going up to him to hug him. Sweet boy, he LOVES you! It's so hard for you to understand that he just wants to be near you, doing everything you're doing. So, when you offer him a different fire truck and he wants the fire truck YOU have, it's only because he wants to be just like you. I'm looking forward to when you two can duke it out yourselves or - better yet - when the two of you can talk together and have fun. I know once Quinn can talk more, you two will have so much fun!

-You are more independent. You use the potty so well. You aren't afraid of the doctor or dentist (you went to Dr. R by yourself in September and were excited to tell him about giving up your pacis), you're doing well in swim lessons again, you love carpool at school, you ask to be excused at the dinner table, you clear your place nicely, you are our "trash collector" and you help with laundry, too. You handle no naps very well - you just recently started insisting it be called "Turtle Time" because Avery used to call it that when she was your age. It's become your iPad time while Quinn naps (it was rough for a while and evenings were awful for a while, but by now we've all learned how to ward off meltdowns). Your cooperative play has improved, as well. It's fun to listen to you play with your friends!

My time with you is so special to me. I can't tell you the number of times I will just stop whatever I'm doing to watch you with such joy. You truly make me so happy, and you light up my life in ways I'll never be able to describe. I am so overjoyed to be your mommy, Banner. You are beyond smart. You're so creative and have a memory of steel. In fact, we had your parent-teacher conference today, and your teachers have nothing but amazing things to say about you: they said you are always well-behaved and play nicely with the other children. They are impressed with your language skills and conversation ability, as well as your deep thought process. They know you are a thinker and are always asking why. Your "report card" shows that you have mastered so many skills already, but we will continue working on your writing skills (using your fingers properly to hold the pencil/crayon), sequencing with pictures, and standing on one foot for 5 seconds or longer. Your teachers also say your "mischievous smile and twinkly eyes light up the classroom as he enters the room each morning. His positive energy and spunk are contagious and one can't help but feel happy when he is around. Banner has a wonderful sense of humor and really enjoys it when his teachers act silly." They commented on how you will take questions a step further and want to find out more. They say you are "outgoing and show compassion and empathy towards others." Ms. Hedy says she wishes she had a grandson just like you! In a nutshell, Daddy and I left feeling pretty proud of you and how well you are doing in school!

Here are some other things that I want you to know about you at 3 and a half:

-You are a country boy! You LOVE country music. Some of your favorites are "Would You Go With Me?" (a song you call "Uncle Brock's song" probably because you think that's him singing), "Deeper Than the Holler," and any song that has a fiddle. You pick up on lyrics quickly and love to sing along. You can't help but dance to these country songs. In fact, one day we were leaving a restaurant (Mooyah), and you heard the speakers outside playing a country song. We could not get you to get in the car, and Daddy and I both admitted to tearing up watching you dance your heart out on the restaurant walkway. We just let you do your thing, and man, did you do your thing!

-Speaking of lyrics, you know your Hebrew songs very well, too. I LOVE listening to you sing "Ma Tovu" or "Modeh Ani" while in the car. You even let me sing with you. One of my favorite memories is singing "Oseh Shalom" with you one night in the car. And, just last night, we got ready for bed while singing all kinds of songs you learned at school. You're also very aware of the words you are singing and want to know why the singer says it like that: "Mommy, why did he say, 'sun came crashing in'?"

-Some of my favorite/notable quotations from the past 6 months:

• "Mommy, am I older today?" (September)
• When you almost ate a boogar, and I told you I'd leave your room if you did it... you pulled your finger out of your mouth and said, "That was a close one!" (September)
• When you try a new food, you are polite and extremely fake and say, "Mmmm, Mommy, that's so good. I like it! But, I don't want anymore." (such a little gentleman)
• "Am I a big kid now?"
• "Why did Bubbie die? When am I going to die?"
• "It's ridiculous how much I miss my Mommy!" said to Ms. Florence and Ms. Hedy at school one day -- but I pretty much love any time you use the word "ridiculous"
• "Tell me a story about the Hook." I had NO idea what you were talking about but you said it was green, and a couple days later, we finally figured out you were trying to say "Hulk."
• The funny things you say right before you go to sleep. I know you're about to crash when you start saying things like, "If we put the trash in the street, Daddy will be scared. The elephant might get it. If we put all our stuff outside and then someone tried to take it, we will not let them." I've learned to just say, "Oh. Okay." Within minutes, you're out.
• When I picked you up from school one day, Ms. Hedy asked you to tell me about all the names of the baby animals. She would point to a cat, and you'd say "kitten." A dog, you'd say, "Puppy." Then, she pointed to a cow, and you said, "Cough." I thought it was so funny because Ms. Hedy has a South African accent. You were saying "calf" the way she says it.
• You still say "hostipal,"rensrant,""jajamas," and "slanwich." But you have perfected "lellow" to yellow and "shank you" to thank you. The /th/ sound is still hard for you, but you are able to correct it if we ask: "fumb," "togever," "free years old," "over dere," "brover." I want you to be able to say these sounds, but at the same time, I love how cute it is when you say them incorrectly!

-One thing we are watching closely is a new trend in your speech. You are repeating words and phrases over and over again before finishing a sentence. Daddy and I have noticed this in the past 3-4 weeks, and it's not improving or decreasing yet, but we will keep a close watch on it. I've talked to 3 different speech-language pathologist friends of mine who assure me this is normal language development for a little boy rapidly adding to his vocabulary. We think your head is just way ahead of your mouth, and you are buying time to figure out what to say next. You'll say things like, "Mommy, I don't want to do that because I, because I, because I, because I want to watch the iPad," or "You should walk me in to school if, if, if, if, if, if it's raining." The repetitions happen several times a day, and we've been advised to just let you say what you want to say and not interrupt you and then repeat back what we've heard you say with our own smooth speech. It's been difficult for Daddy and I to watch and hear you do this over and over so many times a day. I'm very hopeful that we will see this decrease soon.

-You are still very active and still have a tendency to run off. I still hate how you do this, especially at a busy place like the Arboretum or the mall.

-I see you becoming more and more aware of others. You don't like it when people look at you when you're upset, or when you're singing, or when you're hurt. "Don't LOOK AT ME!" you will yell to me or Daddy when we are just trying to help. But, I also know your triggers in public, and I like being your anchor when I can sweep you away to give you the privacy you desire in these situations. Sometimes you don't want people to talk to you when you're upset, and I can 100% understand this; we are just working on your tone and how to ask for privacy and distance with grace and respect. :)

-You love: lollipops, giving a thumbs-up and a wink to Aunt Kira at school, the iPad, spending time with your cousins, being outside, building with Legos, helping Daddy build things or watching repairmen fix things, baking with me, sweeping/mopping, Mighty Machines and Rescue Bots (and singing the lyrics to the theme songs), Ninja Turtles, pretending to be Batman, shows like Super Why, Daniel Tiger, and Letter Factory (which you know thrill my teacher heart!), dancing, being at Grandma & Papa's house, playing in Zaide's truck and "driving pretend," playing in sandboxes, donuts and kolaches, and putting on costumes.

Iron Man on Thanksgiving Day at Grandma & Papa's

-You wake up around 7:00, give or take 30 minutes. You are not a big breakfast eater, but you are still really good about drinking your milk at meals. Your favorite breakfast is colored pancakes that you help me make. You eat lunch around noon - and mostly you take a rice cake and cream cheese as your staple lunch item at school, but you love when it's a "hot lunch" day. You have your "turtle time" around 1:15 until 2:30ish or later (depending on how long Quinn naps). You have dinner around 6:00, bath around 6:45, and books, stories, and bed right after that. You're usually asleep by 7:30-7:45.
 
Banner, my favorite days with you are when you don't have to go to school - when I know what you've done all day long, and your behavior is usually best on the days we have spent our entire day together. I just love, love, love my time with you when we get to play and chat and spend time together. I am very much embracing these young years with you, because I so realize how fast they go. There's a day that sticks out in my head when I watched you at Ms. Patty's pool: you did NOT want to be there, you cried and kept telling me and Ms. Patty that you didn't want to jump in to her like she has you do each lesson. You expressed your fears but we kept telling you that you could do it. Finally, you jumped, and you were so proud of yourself. You smiled and seemed pleased. I teared up watching because I was so very proud of you. I love watching you light up at your successes, and I'm so very grateful that I get to be in that front row seat to watch you experience so many wondrous things throughout your life. Thank you for allowing me to play this important, special role.

I love you, Angel Baby!
Happy Half-Birthday! :)
Love,
Mommy

15-Month Newsletter: Quinn

Dear Quinn,
Here we are at 1 and a quarter year old! You are such a joy, so much fun, and a pleasure to be around! And, finally, FINALLY, this month, we settled in to a better routine for you. You've always been such a sweet boy, but your schedule and sleep habits haven't always been so sweet. I know I'm probably jinxing everything, but I'm merely describing what a fabulous month this has been for you - and us! We officially dropped your morning nap last month (I wrote about it in your 14-month newsletter), and things have been awesome. You nap much better in the afternoon now - a good 1.5-2.5 hour nap! And, you are ready to sleep again at night time. You seem much more well-rested, and I'm hopeful that trend will continue! You are also talking more and more each day - certainly my most favorite part of this age! I love awaiting those words - never knowing when they will stick and surface as a new word you "own." As of today, you have 18 words!! (Yes, I count them and keep track of them and add to my list every other day or so - see below!) It's so exciting to listen to your voice, your inflection, and how you try to copy us. It's so neat to hear you at this age, too, because you sound VERY much like Banner did when he was your age - your voice, your giggle. You may not look much alike, but you definitely sound like brothers.

What else have you been up to?

-You are climbing more and more. Your favorite place to be is either on the couch or anyone's bed - walking and pacing it back and forth. You point to the bed ("behhh") and say "Up!" And, once you talk us into it enough, we oblige and you are all giggles! You've also just recently figured out how to get down.

-You LOVE anything Banner is playing with. You are copying how he plays, too. When he was your age, he was not at all into toys - and you would probably be the same way if you hadn't been observing him your whole life. You love Grandma's cups, pots, pans, foil, Ziploc baggies, etc. You get into the cabinets and drawers and are quite content to make a big mess while doing so, BUT you are also usually pretty easily redirected to toys. You love playing with cars and trucks and making a driving sound while you scoot them around - a very "Banner" thing to do. You also love playing with Legos, digging in the sand, and pretty much sitting next to Banner while you both play side by side. You and Levi are also really good at this parallel play. In fact, you two love to roll a ball to each other back and forth.

-We stopped using the bath ring this month. You now just stand on the bath mat in the tub and play with toys while standing. You're much happier now after a few weeks of crying through bath.

-You're in to puzzles and shape sorters now.

-You LOVE being outdoors. "Out, out, out" you will repeat, especially if we have just put your shoes on you. You love to have shoes on - in the hopes of being able to go outside. You've gotten interested in your ride-on toys out there, and you really enjoy the park and playgrounds now.

-We've been going to Toddler and Me at Banner's school. I have SO enjoyed watching you come into your own in these special times for just you. You like the shakers, touching Ms. Lisa's guitar, and dancing at music class; you love rolling down the mats and tossing the balls with Ms. Rhonda; you love the playground and letting Ms. Mara hold you every now and then. You're not so great at sitting down and listening to the books Ms. Donna is reading, but neither are the other kids. I'm not worried yet. :) You also enjoy sitting with Banner at Torah, and it's been fun for me to sit with both of you!

-You had a cold and then another ear infection this month. We're 7 days in to a course of antibiotics, and you seem much happier now. The night before we took you to Dr. B's office was awful - you were up from 9:50pm - 2:40am just crying on and off. We knew something was up, and sure enough, you had an infection in your left ear.

-You also celebrated another Thanksgiving holiday.

-You love all things cold: the freezer, the fridge, ice, yogurt smoothies and frozen Gogurt, ice packs.

-Still only 4 teeth. Waiting and waiting for more!

-You're most comfortable in 18 month clothes and size 4 diapers still (size 6s at night!).

-We go to your 15-month check-up next week. I'll do a separate post on those stats, but for now I should note that I plan to be yelled at by Dr. B because you still have 2 bottles a day. You simply will NOT take milk in a cup... only water. I'm going to try to drop at least one bottle this week, but you have NOT been cooperative when we've tried this month. I'm being slightly flippant about it - and not really ready to take on dropping it. I'm really not in any hurry, and I don't see the necessity of dropping bottles completely. You only have a morning bottle and a "before bed" bottle - and you would probably do fine without them - but you would never drink milk, and I need you to get your calcium. So, I'm not pushing you - yet.

-Daily routine: You wake around 7:00ish - give or take 15 minutes. Then, you immediately take your Prevacid (which we are going to try dropping this week to see how you do), get a 6-7 oz bottle, breakfast around 8:15, dressed, play or go to Grandma's (depending on if Mommy's working that day or not), snack around 10:00-10:30, lunch around 12:00, nap around 12:50 or later (depending on if you have to go with me to pick Banner up from school), wake between 2:30-3:15, snack, dinner at 6:00, bath at 6:45, and then a 6-7 oz bottle, book, bed.

-Your words: ball ("bah"), yucky ("gucky"), banana ("nana"), up, night night, cracker ("cacker"), out, hi, eat, all done ("all duh"), dog ("woof woof" or "dodie"), water ("wawah"), some ("um"), help ("hep"), bed ("beh"), eye, on, and uh-oh (which you often repeat before you purposefully drop or throw something down... this is definitely your favorite word)... you also sign "more" and "all done" anytime you want something or want it to stop!

-You blow on your food when I tell you it might be hot; you love using a spoon; you could eat grapes all day long.

-You LOVE Yo Gabba Gabba, and you have a word for it, but I'm not exactly sure what you're saying. But, anytime I ask if you want to watch, you immediately head toward the TV and wait for me to put it on. It grabs your attention when you're upset and stops the tears, and I can count on it to let me take a 5-10 minute shower while you watch!

Quinn, you are such a cuddler still. I LOVE your sweet, loving personality. Your separation anxiety is still much better than months before - but you hate when Mommy and/or Daddy leave. You adore your time with us - and us with you. You crave attention and affection from Banner - even following him to time-out when he's in his room - probably there because he pushed you, but you still want to be near him.

Thank you for letting me be your mommy. Thank you for your sweet smiles, your contagious giggles, your loyal obedience, your generous hugs and kisses and snuggles, and your investigative curiosity. I'm so glad to be on this adventure with you as you learn so much these months!

I love you more and more each day!
Happy 15 Months!
Love,
Mommy

A year ago today! TIME HAS FLOWN!

You at Thanksgiving a couple weeks ago (November 27, 2014)

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Yesterday afternoon, we were on our way to the park, and I had the car radio on which played an assortment of Christmas music. As we drove, Banner randomly asked me, "Mommy, is Santa Claus really coming to town?" I wasn't really paying attention to which song was playing, and then, sure enough, that's the exact song that was on. I thought his question was so cute and sweet. I loved the inflection in his voice as he asked with such seriousness, and there was a part of me that wished I could say, "Yes, isn't that exciting!?" as if we'd be welcoming him to our house.

But, that's not what I said. And, I quickly analyzed this question before answering. I settled on this: "Yes, I think in a few weeks." I wanted to say more, but I left it at that. I answered the question he asked, and I answered it with a reasonable answer given that I have no intention of my Jewish child being the one to ruin a fantasy for any of his current or future friends who celebrate Christmas. We will be team players, and we will support the belief of zillions of children around the world who believe in him. It's a beautiful idea that I'd hate to ruin for someone else... plus, I'd love the help in having my child believe in the Paci Fairy or in the Tooth Fairy while magic still exists in his reality.

I grew up with a Christmas tree at my dad's house, and it was always one of my most favorite views each winter night that I was there. I love Christmas music. In fact, some of my most favorite Christmas songs are the more religious ones (O Holy Night, O Come All Ye Faithful, and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen). I love our annual tradition of getting in the car with hot chocolate and slowly driving down the ornate neighborhoods to see the beautiful lights.

But, you see, we don't celebrate Christmas. We won't have Santa stopping by our home, and we won't make up another fairy tale about some magical person (like Hanukkah Harry, or Ross's Hanukkah Armadillo!). We won't have a Christmas tree or lights outside our house. We won't have stockings hung or sit on Santa's lap. We will, however, embrace the spirit of the season... the gift of giving to others, the gift of time spent with friends and family, the gift of great food and company with our friends and family who DO acknowledge Christmas.

My children will know that it's perfectly fine to appreciate the beauty of Christmas, to embrace the spirit of hope, of love, of light, of giving, to wish those around them who celebrate a merry holiday. But, they will know who they are. We have our own beautiful traditions and stories to tell. Our holiday is one of latkes and chanukiahs and candles and dreidels and gelt. It will be filled with presents, yes - and as all kids do, they'll probably get excited for that the most. But, they'll also know that Hanukkah is one of the least important holidays on the Jewish calendar. They'll know that at this time of year we are just happy to have loved ones around us and to enjoy the beauty of the season. They'll know that Hanukkah is about celebrating a miracle of light. And, if Santa Claus really does come to town, they'll consider that a miracle - even if he's not coming down our chimney!

Yet Another Angel for my Angels

This year, we adopted another Angel Tree Angel. We decided to continue with the idea that the boys would adopt an Angel who was near their ages. The very first slip of paper I grabbed hanging on the tree was a 2-year-old boy named Carlos. We decided he was perfect - because he liked dinosaurs, too! :) So, for the next couple weeks, we gathered things for Carlos that he wanted and needed.

I figured this was the year that Banner would really start to understand the idea of giving, and especially of giving to others in need. I was right. It was hard for him when we would pick out something for Carlos, buy it, and then get home and not be able to play with it. I continued to have to tell Banner that these books and toys were for Carlos, not for us. Banner even picked out a coloring book to give to Carlos, and then when we got home, he said, "No, that's mine. No, I picked it out for ME!" We discussed how nice it is that Banner selected something that he himself would enjoy having, but that the more important part was being able to give it to someone else who would enjoy it.

Once we had everything picked out, we got to wrap it all up and deliver it. I always get a little emotional dropping off the toys/books/clothes and take a picture of the boys with the big red bag. I just love the idea of them learning to give to others and knowing that we, as a family, might provide a little joy for some little boy out there - and some relief to his mommy. I'm grateful that Kira introduced me to this idea a few years ago, and I'm glad we've made it a tradition!

"Yay, Carlos!" Banner said as I took the picture.