Logan's Bar Mitzvah

Ночью Гаврик спал плохо, утром во время прогулки тоже так себе. Потом покакал - и наконец заснул крепким сном. Таким крепким, что до сих пор спит, хотя покакал примерно в час (сейчас почти половина четвертого).

По какой-то причине его аппетит несколько снизился, что хорошо. Не потому что Кате не хватает молока (слава Богу, его достаточно). Но оттого, что все же съедать по 1, 2 литра в день для месячного малыша явно много.

Ночью опять просыпался Захар. Непонятно, почему. То ли зубки прорезаются, то ли замерз, то ли еще что.

Захар, кстати, продолжает удивлять родителей. Сегодня Катя, майк и Захар ходили в синагогу на бармицву Логана, сына Шон. Так вот в зале Захар отличился, по Катиным словам, примерным поведением. Тихо и спокойно сидел на стуле, куда его посадили. А потом так же спокойно и с достоинством общался со взрослыми и детьми.

Вчера вечером мы опять ходили ужинать в Эпплбирс. И опять Гаврик мирно спал, Захарка на своем высоком стуле обозревал окрестности и пробовал еду, которую я, Майк и Катя понемножку перекладывали в его тарелку из своих (больше всего ему понравилась картошка фри; кто бы сомневался в победе фастфуда над рыбой и капустой брокколи). А мы пили пиво и ели разные вкусности.

Ради интереса Катя поставила рядом на своем телефоне фотографии Захарки в возрасте двух с половиной месяцев и полуторамесячного Гаврика рядом. Ракурс один и тот же: два малыша лежат в ванне. На снимках видно, что мальчики почти одного роста (?!), но у Гаврика крупнее голова и короче ноги. По толщине братики одинаковые. Забавно...

Happy Day!

У Захарки после садика было отличное настроение. А это, как я уже отмечала, волшебно преображает и самого малыша, и мир вокруг него (буквально весь мир, включая нас, взрослых).

Когда у Захара хорошее настроение, он ни за что не ударит Гаврюшу. Напротив, подходит к нему и нежно, аккуратно целует в ногу (или что там ему попадается поближе). В хорошем настроении он охотно во все играет и весело смеется. Например, достал мне книжку про лошадку и с удовольствием ее вместе со мной “прочитал”. В хорошем настроении он с удовольствием ест яблоко, которым поделилась с ним мама, и с не меньшим удовольствием делится своим куском яблока с Ральфиком. В общем, когда у Захара хорошее настроение, жизнь прекрасна!

...А зубки у него действительно болят. Он уже второе утро постоянно лезет в рот пальчиками и что-то там трогает. Скорее бы все, что должно прорезаться, прорезалось.

Оба мальчика растут так стремительно, что выражение “на глазах” приходится интерпретировать буквально. Захаркин рост виден, в первую очередь, по его одежкам. Брючки, которые он носил в прошлом сезоне, теперь, по Катиным словам, выглядят как панталоны. А курточка, которую Катя ему купила и которая ему как раз, имеет маркировку не “1 - 2”, а “2 - 3”.

Гаврюшин же рост не только виден, но и слышен. Когда он кряхтит и корячится, это гораздо больше похоже не на то, что он хочет покакать, а на то, что он хочет себя растянуть, потому что кости и мышцы еще немного выросли. Хотя ему нет и двух месяцев, он уже полностью врос в кофточки и штанишки “от нуля до 3 месяцев”, а шапочки этого размера ему почти все малы.

Такой вот небольшой (пока) симпатичный Пантагрюэльчик. Карапуз - круглые щечки. Глазастый галчонок.

Irma the Hurricane Is Coming

Тужиться и карячиться он продолжил и сегодня. Дома утром никак не мог уснуть. Пока не пошел обещанный дождь, поехали с ним на прогулку в коляске. Катались, катались, но глубоко заснуть карапуз так и не смог. Кряхтел, покрикивал и карячился.

Дома покакал много-много, и наконец, кажется, заснул на диване. Не знаю, насколько основательно. Увидим.

Майк сказал, что небывало сильный в американской истории ураган идет прямо в район, где живут Мартон с Вайолет. Улететь они не могут. Билетов нет ни в одном направлении. Уехать тоже. По словам Майка, дороги все густо наполнены. Что будет? Как будет? Может, ураган все же повернет?

Zachary Is Back to School

Our mini-vacation is over, and Zachary is back to school today! This academic year, he was transferred from his original group to the next "grade." He used to be in Ms. Claudia's 1-2 y.o. class, and now he is in Ms. Vicki's 2-3 y.o. group. During the whole month of August, he was transitioning: Every day, he spent more and more time in Ms. Vicki's classroom, participating in all activities. Today, Mike and I both dropped him off at the new classroom. He was a bit confused, but did not show any sign of fear or sadness. He went to explore the classroom and play with other kids. Zachary (19 m.o.) is the youngest kid in his group, but he behaves well and is as clever and bright as his classmates. In this group, they do not give pacifiers to the kids (that is, Zac napped without soska today and fell asleep just fine); they do not use bibs (why??); they change their diapers while kids are standing up on the floor; every day, they go the gym and on walks; they no longer play nursery rhymes music; and best of all, they potty train them. I was lucky enough to demonstrate Ms. Vicki how Zac poops on the potty, and I hope he will no longer have accidents at school. They train them to pee on the potty as well, and I really need to work in parallel with them and do the same at home. 

Gabriel is still acting uncomfortable. Last night, he woke up at about 2:30 and was barely sleeping since. I really hope this stage will pass soon, and he will be getting a better night sleep. And we will, too.

Alley Pond Park: Part Two

Today was the last day off for Zac. Happy Labor Day! Because the actual holiday is today, and not on Saturday or Sunday, and because the weather is so, so nice (bright sun, not too hot and pleasantly breezy), the park was unrecognizable. It was no longer that romantic and mysterious, as it was filled with people. Outdoor grilles were smoking, the paths were packed with children running and scooter/bike riding, and the lawns were filled with people sunbathing, picnicking and playing sports.

We still had a great walk, though. Gabriel pooped and fell asleep. Zachary was let out of his stroller and after a few minutes at a jungle gym, he switched to his favorite thing: Pushing the stroller. His behavior was great! He wasn't whining or misbehaving. he walked together with us probably a mile or two. In fact, he didn't just walk. he also ran: Sometimes, he was stuck behind and then ran to catch up to us. And sometimes, he ran ahead of us, and them towards us again.


Just like everyone else in a good mood, Zachary is great when happy! His laugh is joyful and contagious, he is very friendly, talkative, and he genuinely enjoys the surroundings. Today, he was in this exact mood, therefore, our trip to the park was a big success. 

what can Zachary do, as of today? He can sing the ABC song; he can dance and sing along many nursery rhymes; he can count to ten; and he can repeat many words, including long and complicated ones. In our opinion, he understands everything we say. 

And one more thing: Last night, before it was time to go to bed, he cleaned up his toys, all by himself! Nobody asked him to do it, he just looked around and parked his walker; parked all his trucks in their specific locations; and put together his pyramid with rings. I was so proud of him, my heart almost jumped out of my chest!

Alley Pond Park: Part One

Zachary woke up very early today, at 6:30AM. I have a feeling he got cold. He sleeps in summer pajamas, and he unwraps from his blanket at night.

I decided to change his morning routine, hoping that it will help his morning whining. before, if he woke up as early as today, and we did not need to rush, we would take him to our bed and let him watch videos while we caught another 20 minutes of "sleep." Usually, after that, Zac was very whiny, as if all his morning energy disappeared and he was tired and bored. Starting today, right after he woke up, I include him in a busy morning routine: Potty, get dressed, brush hair, and have milk while sitting in a chair. As soon as he is done with his morning chores, he is allowed to whine or watch cartoons. At that point, it would matter less. So far, the plan is working, and we have smoothly completed day one.

After lunch, once again, we went to a park. And once again, we picked a new location. Alley Pond park is situated is a strange location: right in between a few highways; sort of right in the middle of highways, and almost under them. it is amazing how such a big park could hide like that! Besides thick walls of trees, bushes and wild flowers, there was a deep ravine. Generally, the park felt very romantic! We didn't find the pond itself, however, windy alleys hidden behind giant trees looked very mysterious. 

While my mom and I were exploring the park, Zachary and I played at the playground with Zac's sitter Shawn and her son Logan.

Sunday fun day!

First Family Dinner & Crocheron Park

Yesterday, we all went to Applebee's (me and Mike, my mom, Zac and Gabi). Gabriel slept through the whole dinner in his stroller. Zachary was participating in dinner. He sat in a high chair and played with all offered entertainment, which included dishes and two crayons. He tried drawing with the crayons and tried eating them. They tasted petty bad, unlike French fries and fried fish that he ate with pleasure.

Life is fascinating! How many times did Mike and I come to Applebee's and talked (read, dreamed) about bringing our children here for a fun and easy family dinner? And finally, yesterday, this dream came true. And it was as amazing as I was dreaming about it. Beer helped, LOL.

Today, we went Crocheron Park. it is a regular park, without a historic mansion and Manhattan skyline views. But it did feature shady paths and old giant trees. There were very little people there, maybe because the day was very gray and gloomy. The park is located on a hill. We could hear a highway, but we couldn't see it behind thick trees. There was a side of the park where a lake was seen. Probably, back in day, when the landscape was a bit neater, this side of the park was the most picturesque. However, now, the trees and bushes are so thick and wild, they create a wall that blocks beautiful views from our eyes.

The Crocheron family house burned down in 1907, and the estate remained unused and undeveloped for almost 20 years. In 1924, the City of New York bought the land where the house once stood. The following year, at the request of the Bayside Civic Association, the City purchased another 45 acres and drew up plans to build a park on the consolidated property. By 1936, the City had turned the area into a park with picnic grounds, winding walks, an enlarged lake for wintertime skating, and thousands of trees. 

We walked along the park's paths, pushing two strollers, and after that, Zachary and I went to a playground, and my mom and Gabriel continued exploring the park. During the walk, Gabi experienced his first adventure! It looked like for the first time in his life, he was bit by a bug. While my mom was looking at Zachary, something landed on Gabi's cheek and bit him. My mom saw a tiny drop of blood on Gabi's cheek and assumed he had a mosquito bite. Gabriel didn't seem to notice, and did not show any discomfort. Perhaps, then, it wasn't a mosquito? On Sunday, while in a tub, I scrubbed his cheeks and the spot disappeared. It looks like the adventure finished without any loses.

Adam's Birthday

Today is the first day of the long Labor Day weekend. It means, Zachary has a day off, and he is staying home all the way until Monday.

On the 30th, Adam, Michelle's son, turned 10. They came over yesterday, all of them, except for Alon, for pizza and cake (how healthy, haha). All three boys are so grown up! David and Jacob are turning 13 in March. They are great with Zachary. They play with him very gently, and they give him a lot of attention. It is, however, getting harder for them to actually "play" with Zac, as he now expresses a lot of desire to do everything by himself. For instance, when Zachary sat down inside his yellow Tonka truck and David tried pushing him around the room, Zac confidently declined David's hand and attempted to push himself. He used his feet to make the first push, but, of course, he rolled down the truck and fell on the floor. He immediately got up, and did it all over again. Once again, he say down inside the trick, pushed David's hand away, started moving on his own and fell on the floor. David did not make any more attempts to push Zac around, but Zac didn't even seem to notice it. He was sure they are all playing together.

I must note that Zac loves guests. Well, actually, he loves to be WITH guests. He laughed a lot, and generally behaved very well. He ran back and forth, didn't demand attention and his face was lit up with pleasure and joy. 

However, today in the morning, once again he was in a whining mood. In fact, by the time it was time for him to have breakfast, his behavior got so bad that he was crying out loud and even spit up his yogurt, a few times! This really pushed me out of my balance, and it was time for a time out. I carried him to his room and closed the door, explaining him what he did wrong and why he was punished. Of course, he was crying and screaming and calling me until I let him out. After I let him out and calmed him down, once again, I explained him what was wrong in his behavior and brought him back downstairs. I put him in his chair, and he started whining again. I asked him whether he wanted to go back to him room, and he shook his head no. He then ate all his breakfast properly. I praised him, and we moved on with our day.

Gabriel did not sleep last night... again. Something was bothering him, but not his belly. He was screaming like never before, woke up every few minutes and couldn't fall back asleep. He was awake all evening, and all night. He was obviously very tired, but couldn't fall deeply asleep. Today, he is still a bit uncomfortable. He sleeps very well in the stroller, and can stay asleep for up to 2.5 hours. In his sleep, he can produce different sounds and make funny faces, but overall, he stays asleep. He sleeps in the same manner in his crib -- with sounds and funny faces; however, outside, movement of the stroller and fresh air put him back to sleep. At home, he doesn't have either, so he wakes up tp the point where he cannot fall back asleep right away.

Another Sleepless Night

Every day is different, and so is every night. Yesterday, Gabi was sleeping all day long. Literally. As soon as he started to eat, he fell asleep: With his hands in a starfish position, mouth open, eyes shot closed... and there is no way to wake him up. But, unfortunately, at night, he woke up and was awake all night long. Once again, I did not get to sleep... oh well. 

Because he ate so little yesterday (just under 30oz), he also barely pooped. He did poop at night, but nothing too crazy. He didn't poop all the way until after his morning walk and a full bottle of milk. In fact, he pooped four times in a row, every time in a new diaper. That was one (four, actually!) pretty expensive poop! Still, every poop makes up so happy. It is very upsetting seeing him struggling to poop, fussing and getting all red.

Zachary continues to whine. It doesn't mean that whining is all he does, but because we see him so little during the day, it seems like he spends more time whining than being happy or neutral. According to BabyCenter, it is actually a good thing: 

Is your toddler a ray of sunshine at daycare but a thundercloud when you show up on the scene? These end-of-day meltdowns are actually signs of true love. Your child knows that it's safe to let out all of his pent-up feelings around you. While you may be tempted to run a few errands on your way home, you should probably put those tasks on hold until your child's more agreeable.

Not sure whether it is true or not.

Gabriel's Doctor Appointment

Yesterday, Gabriel had his doctor's appointment. Wow! He weights... 9 lb, he is 21 in in length, and his head in 2 cm larger! It looks like he grows 0.5cm a week, gains a pound a week, and his head grows 1 cm a week. He caught up in weight, a little behind in height, and everything else seems to be well. What a strong kid! We are so proud of him. 

Doctor gave him his first baby shots. Gabi was screaming his head off, but stopped as the shots were over. He fell asleep in the car going home, and he slept well. The weather was helping, as it was rainy and gray. 

In the evening, I gave him anti-gas drops. Either the drops helped, or it was a coincidence, but Gabi was sleeping well all night, waking up to eat a few times, but quickly falling back asleep.

He now really likes bathing! It looks like he understands the process and genuinely enjoys it... unless he is hungry. If he is hungry, he screams through the whole bathing process, and screams even louder while I am putting lotions on him. All he can think about it milk, milk, milk.

... He looks so funny after the bath! His hair is ling and very light, although much darker than Zachary's. If I don't brush his hair after the bath, it looks spiky and messy. And when he looks around with his big blue eyes, he looks like a baby bird. So cute!

'Arbuz!'

Luckily, Gabriel slept well last night. Perhaps, it is true that his sleepless behavior was caused by the change of weather, but in the end, because he barely slept all day, he finally was tired enough to go to sleep. Who knows? 

It looks like Zachary finally started sleeping through the nigh without waking up once. This time for real, not temporary. I still cannot say for sure. I will be more confident saying it in October, when a month of sleeping through the night will give some more assurance.

Zachary's new word is "arbuz" (watermelon). He LOVES arbuz, and he says the word so clearly! It seems like he provenances Russian words better and clearer than English words, although it looks like he understands both languages equally well. Maybe I am just being bias because I ask him to repeat Russian words more often than English, haha.

Zachary does not yet know names of colors. Gabriel cannot yet concentrate his attention (eyes) on things, and he does not yet recognize familiar objects or faces. I am sure they both will master new skills soon!

Gabi Update

It looks like Gabi is undergoing another period of growth and development. He continued to fuss during morning feedings, morning exercises on a play mat and during morning walk in a stroller. It is 3PM right now. He is sleeping in front of me on his belly, on the changing table. He has just calm down.

Perhaps, it has something to do with the weather? I noticed that last time it rained, he, too, was fussy and sleepless. It is not raining now, though, but Mike says, it will rain tomorrow. And yet, I feel like the weather is changing right now. 

Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park & Coe Hall Historic House Museum

It's Gabriel's due date! If he followed the doctor's orders, he would have been born today. In honor of such a big day, I took some pretty pictures with him.

It is amazing to see how big our "newborn" is now. I can't stop thinking, how wonderful it is that he is already born! So many tough events are already behind: Feeling nervous, pain, labor, Bris, adjustment of our schedule... And it is so impressive how much Gabriel grew up in just one month!

After lunch, we made another attempt to go to the Coe museum. Neither I not my mom read anything about this park, so we drove into an unknown location. The park, on one hand, exceeded out expectations, and on the other hand, it was disappointing.

A few words about the park. Planting Fields Arboretum is a historic location. Mr. and Mrs. Coe purchased the land in the beginning of the 20th century (1910-s), where later, they hired architects and designers to build a Victorian-style mansion and a beautiful park. They lived in the house for a little while, until 1920-s, and after that, they sold the property to the state of New York for just one dollar. Did some charity work, that is. Currently, the park is a popular wedding and photography venue.

We were truly charmed by the beauty of the park. Coe's garden park made a big aesthetic impression on us. We loved walking along windy paths, surrounded by decorative trees. The mansion was very picturesque as well. It features giant columns, tall chimneys, giant windows and gray "antique" brick. It looks like in Spring, there are a lot of flowers here. Unfortunately, now, in late Summer, flowers are not blooming even in the green house.

This, the beauty of the place was not doubtful. The problem was that my children are not old enough to appreciate this beauty. At the same time, no matter how much we loved the look and feel of the paths, most of them were covered with gravel, which made it very hard to push strollers. The giant emerald green lawns were very inviting, but again, we cannot push strollers on grass. Therefore, Zac, who loved pushing his stroller, did not really have an opportunity to enjoy the process, and constantly needed my help.

Gabriel wasn't lucky, either. He woke up to eat at the time we started driving back home. He had to fall back asleep on the way home. It sounds like not such a bad thing, but it turned out that he slept through the whole day, and he had no choice but to be active and playful at night... another sleepless nigh: Check! 

Change of Plans

On weekends, I try to plan fun outings. My mom, the boys (Zac and Gabi) and I drive somewhere pretty or fun. We all like this idea as new impressions, new knowledge and new possibilities is good for both adults and children. Unfortunately, as of today, we cannot drive all together, and Mike stays home with Ralphie. It is not very convenient taking two cars, plus, in certain locations, dogs are not allowed. In addition, Ralph is pretty rough when he is exploring a new territory, and walks with him are not relaxing at all.

Today, I planned to go to Coe park in Long Island. I didn't really have a chance to read about it. I liked the pictures, and I learned that it was located 40 minutes from home, which is not that bad. Unfortunately, my plan did not come to the fruition. To plan something that includes to many people with different schedules is a tough job. As expected, I started having doubts about going when Zachary fell asleep one hour after I out him to bed. Obviously, this means, that he woke up one hour later than usual, too. The park closes at 5, and we only started driving at 4. From the beginning it was clear that the park will closes right after we arrive. Therefore, I made a decision to go to another park, this time, local.

(To tell the truth, I am terrible at changing plans on a spot. If I have already planned something, and was about to follow the plan, and then this plan suddenly falls apart, I feel disappointment and frustration. After I had children, honestly, this happens all the time. So I do work on myself in that regards. I try to learn how to be flexible without getting upset. This time, all worked out very well. As soon as we started driving to a new location, I felt better and happier.)  

The park we went to was Kissena Park in Fresh Meadows. It turned out to be very pleasant, shady and neat. We walked along smooth stroller-friendly paths and near a big man-made pond. We saw ducks, geese and... turtles! There were big adult turtles and their baby turtles. They swam together, and they swam separately. I have never seen so many turtles at once! Unfortunately, Zachary was not impressed with either geese, ducks, or turtles. He was happy about a playground we found there, where he went down the slide and enjoyed the swings. Gabriel stayed with my mom. He drank milk from the bottle and napped, so I want to believe, he enjoyed his walk as well.

I think Zac's top tooth popped out! There might be more than one, but he didn't let me look.

Before we went to the park, for fun, I put Zac's hair together in a tine ponytail. It looked very, very cute and silly!

Big Steps Forward

Oh boy, Gabriel sleeps MUCH less! He now easily stays awake for 1.5 to 2.5 hours. What does he do while awake? Sometimes, he lays quietly and looking around. During those moment, he looks like he is in his own rich inner world: His eyes are wide open; his cheeks are hanging; he looks very concentrated... In other times, he makes these baby noises, trying to either burp, or fart, or poop. When he cannot achieve either one, he cries for help. Sometimes, he simply cries out loud, and it means, he either wants to be held, or fed. In other words, there are many activities that currently are a part of our everyday routine.

Gabriel has also learned how to hold on to one's shoulder. When he is positioned vertically, we don't even need to hold him, as he can hold on to us himself. And, I must say, he loves being positioned vertically! He feels like he is tall, and he can see better that way. This morning, he ate very well, grabbed to my mom's shoulder and relaxed. My mom went to the mirror to check whether he is sleeping or not, and she saw the following: Gabi slowly opened him big eyes, looked somewhere far away, open his mouth, burped, closed his mouth, slowly blinked, closed his eyes, fell asleep right away and hang on my mom. His cheeks were hanging, his head is leaning towards my mom's shoulder, his hands and legs are positioned as if he was a starfish... So funny!

Meanwhile, Zachary went downstairs all by himself today! In addition, as if to celebrate, he was holding three big red balloons in his hand! He confidently refused an offered hand, and without any doubt, went downstairs on his own, step by step. He seed very confident, and it is both good and bad. It is good, because having no fear is much better than being afraid. And it is bad, because he wasn't afraid to fall and therefore, wasn't looking where he was going. Twice, his foot was too close to the edge of the stairs, and it was a pure miracle he didn't fall down.

And the last thing for today, again about Gabriel. He cannot yet focus his eyes on objects and faces, and he are not yet reacting to familiar faces and sounds. He lives in his own big inner world... he was supposed to be born the day after tomorrow, by the way. How wonderful that he is here already!

The Bigger the Better

Humidity is finally gone, and now it is finally so, so pleasant to be outdoors. It is dry, worm and breezy.

We noticed that now Zachary, when requests to turn on his cartoon, is looking at the TV rather than at the phone, where Mike has already turned it on for him (we are not into Dave and Ava, and Chu Chu TV, LOL). Meanwhile, very recently, he almost did not react to cartoons playing on the big screen, but he watching the same videos on the phone with big interest. We suggested that objects on TV are too big for him to register. And now, all of a sudden, there is this change.

Gabriel's life has also changed: He now drinks 5oz of milk at one feeding, and wears diapers size one (they fit perfectly!). Clothes size NB is officially to small for him now. He also started sleeping less.

Zachary Speaks

Happy day! Zac once again slept all night without waking up once. And another joyful update: After he woke up, he drank 5oz of my breast milk. I like to think that this is his vitamin boost that stimulates his immune system. Why not?

In the morning, for the first time, Zac was speaking sentences. After breakfast, he decided to play with Ralphie. He grabbed the dog's toy and said, "Schaschee, nah!" He offered him the toy again and again until Ralph had no other choice but to take it. It is yet unclear whether Zac will be speaking sentences from now on, or it was a one time thing. In either case, it was worth mentioning!

Solar Eclipse 2017: NYC

Today, we all experienced a solar eclipse. In NY, we did not have the "full version" of it, like in many other states, however, we still got to experience it. Here, the Moon covered approximately 70% of the Sun. We all tried to see what it looks like (yes, yes, without the special glasses), however, the Sun is not something you can look at easily, even if it is 70% covered. So, no one could see anything special. And yet, there were definite consequences: It got a bit darker (not like at night. The sky was still blue, but it felt like the Sun was covered by transparent clouds). It also got a little cooler (not too much, just a slight comfortable change). And that's about it.

Gabriel is enjoying his walks almost fully undressed. He shows the world his round belly. In fact, he now looks really round and strong. You can never tell that he is a premature baby who, by the way, is technically not even supposed to be born yet (haha!).

Gabriel's First BBQ

After the morning bath, I decided not to put Aquaphor on Gabi's face. It is supposed to moisten skin, and it does, but it clogs pores. If it is as humid and hot outside as it is now, clogged pores create a noticeable discomfort. It is, of course, hard to say if such a young baby as Gabi feels the discomfort, but it seems like his skin looked much better today than yesterday. Red spots appeared less, and the face wasn't as shiny.

Today, Rabbi Uri, Leila and Noah came for a barbecue. They are originally from Argentina, but now they live here, not too far from us. Rabbi Uri works at our shul, and Leila is on maternity leave with 4 month old Noah. We had lunch outside. Gabriel behaved very well (slept and ate), and so did Zachary... at first. He was running around, played with a ball, jumped in a (baby) jumper and was entertaining himself with other activities. But towards the end of the BBQ, he got very tired. Probably, he overheated, or maybe he was overstimulated. He started crying hysterically, and it was impossible to calm him down. Rabbi Uri and Leila left, and Mike and I worked on settling Zachary. We managed to keep him in OK mood, but he wasn't himself all the way until bedtime.

Queens Botanical Garden: More Pretty Views

As the forecast predicted, after the rain, the weather was gorgeous.

 Today is Saturday, and we decided to look for a new place to go for a walk. This time, we drove to Queens Botanical Garden. It is not too far from our house, but we still had to drive to get there.

 The Botanical Garden turned out to be more a place where you would go for a walk or jog, rather than a collection of botanical treasures. However, this only means that the paths are shady and very cozy, and decorative flowers bloomed everywhere and added beauty to the place.

 We went with the same tactics we used last weekend (long walk with Zac in the stroller, then choosing a spot to 'anchor,' and only after that letting Zachary out), and it worked well this time, too. We walked around the park for quite a while, and then picked a bench to sit on. I let Zachary out, and the same second, he pushed his stroller away. My mom stayed to feed Gabi. We had quite a bit of fun watching Zachary running and playing with strollers, and I even managed to take some photos of the boys wearing matching outfits. I was pretty lucky taking those shots because Zachary is not the most patient kid, and could have easily not cooperate. I have a second to take a good picture of him, because after a short smile, he storms away and will not come back to take another picture.     

You Can Leave Your Hat On

Hooray, Zachary slept through the night again, without waking up once!

My mom and Gabriel continue their long walks. He now wears short sleeves, as he is big enough for us to be comfortable undressing him.

We are expecting a very stormy weather tonight. Neither of my boys sleep well when it rains. Ugh!.. 

Zachary's Big Achievement

Today, we had a very big day: last night, for the very first time, Zachary slept through the night without waking up a single time! He slept from 8 pm until 8 am, 12 hours straight! We were thrilled; however, I did need to pour out the breast milk that was waiting for him on a nightstand all night long. Five oz down the drain. But it was worth it!

Gabriel continues sleeping on his belly.

Zachary learned how to say 'vsyo-vsyo-vsyo' ('that's it, that's it!') when he doesn't like the process and he want to stop it, for example, when I brush his hair, or put a lotion on him after bath. He also clearly prounaunces the word 'poka [pa-ka]' (bye-bye!) when he is leaving, or he sees my mom leaving with Gabriel to go for a walk. My little Russian!

The Big Explosion!

Today was a regular day, and this is why we all quite enjoyed it.

The baby eats more and more, and after he eats, he fusses and pushes for a long time, trying to squeeze out poop and gas. We put him on his back and bring his knees towards his chest, rotating it clockwise. These movements help him release gas faster. My mom experienced an explosion today! She was changing his diaper, and while she was wiping him, he pooped right on her! My mom was covered in his poop from head to toes, haha! She even thought she would need to clean up the wall and furniture behind her, but thankfully, the poop shot didn't go that far. The damage consisted of my mom's body and dress, his changing pad and cover, and the changing table. Not great, but cleanable.

Gabriel Is One Month Old!

I cannot believe, today, Gabriel is one month old! Traditionally, I posted an update on social media, and here it is:

Gabriel is one month old today! He weighs 7.1lb, and he is 19.5in long. He spends his days eating, sleeping and riding in a stroller. He spends his nights eating and looking around, with an occasional short nap. Oh well, a new Zachary is here. Today, he officially graduated from clothing size NB, and in this photo, he is rocking a 0-3mo outfit! Zachary spent the past month getting used to his baby bro, and Ralph is enjoying his new puppy. Happy one month, Gabriel! We are so proud of you and your achievements!

In the mornings, my mom put him down on his play mat. She says, his spends him time there quite productively -- kicking and looking around. He is not rolling yet (duh, he is one month old, haha!), but he is trying very hard  to turn his head. My mom says, she thinks he tried to look at one of the hanging toys today, but he is not sure, as he is still too young to see things clearly.

Zachary behaved very well today. He was very careful and tender with his baby bro. Three times, he came to Gabi and kissed his leg (so cute!).

Gabriel has learned to sleep on his belly. He can sleep like that for over an hour. We do not leave him alone when he sleeps on his belly, as I am terrified of suffocation. But as time goes by and he gets stronger, I will feel more comfortable with him sleeping on his own, in any position.  

Gabi's Growth Update

Today marks a week since Gabrie's Bris, so we were able to finally bath him. He wasn't sure how he felt about it, and wasn't too thrilled about me rubbing him with a sponge. But after he was washes and scrubbed, he felt if not pleasure, satisfaction for sure. I could read it on him cute little face.

Also, today, we went had his Dr. appointment. Great news yet again! His weight is 3220 grams (more than me at birth, as I was 3200 gr). He is almost 50 cm long. His head measures 34 cm, which means it grew another cm in only one week. Doctore said, Gabi looked well, and felt fell, and this is such happy, happy news.

Tomorrow, Gabriel is one month old!

Long Island City: Views, Views, Views...

Today, Zachary came down stairs ALMOST all by himself. He didn't go down backwards (the easier way), but the 'adult' way, step by step, one hand holding the railing, the other one holding balance. Perhaps, if both of his hands could reach the railings, he would go down all by himself; but the width of his arms is not yet big enough. That's why towards the end of the stars, he had to hold on to my hand. However, his steps were confident, and his legs were strong. I think this is all the result of his endless outdoor playground activities (going up and down the slide, climbing and running).

We were also able to fulfill my plan and we drove to Gantry Plaza park in Long Island City. Just like Brooklyn Bridge Park, Gantry Plaza is located right across Manhattan. Thus, you can stand right on the boarwalk, or beach line, and take pictures with the skyline background view. It was unclear whether the boys will have enough patience to take some photos with The View. However, as my mom and I picked the correct strategy from the beginning, we were able to take some great shots. Right after we arrived to the park, we put Zachary in his stroller, which kept him calm for quite a while, and my mom took some photos of me with two strollers.

Right after the photo session, we let Zachary run around on his own. Set free, Zac went to the playground, and went down the slide a few times. The slide was for big kids, actually, and it wasn't easy to keep an eye on him at all times. For a second or two, he disappeared here and there, and I was very uncomfortable not being able to see him. This made me think of him growing up just a little more, and wanting more freedom and independence. It will so hard to let him go and explore, and I am glad I still have time to be 'in control.'

Inside Zachary's Mind

I wonder why Zachary whines. Or, why he starts screaming when there is no apparent reason. I am not talking about times when he is tired, or not feeling well. I am talking about 'incidents' in the middle of the walk, or in the middle of the game. It is easy to suggest that he doesn't like when his plans get interrupted. For example, he decided to push the stroller, here, right now, for a long time. And then I suggest to push the stroller to another location, for instance, towards a playground, or at least, straight down the street. Often, my suggestions do not work for him. Sometimes, he starts whining for no reason at all, as if some thoughts came to his mind and upset him. The only thing that calms his down is his soska.

Zachary like riding inside his yellow Tonka truck. The period of time when children fit inside their toy trucks lasts for a very short time. I wonder if one day Zac decides to sit down inside the truck... and won't fit in it? Or will he lose interest in it before this happens?


Gabi continues to grow longer and wider. He eats (drinks?) about 30oz of milk per day. Thta's a lot for such a tiny human being! I wonder how big he will be on his due date (August 27th).

Today, I put together our old (OK, not THAT old, considering Zachary is only 18 months old) play mat, and placed Gabi on it. Obviously, Gabi's toes do not reach the piano part yet, and he is not that interested in the hanging toys. But as he is growing so fast, he will start playing on the mat very, very soon!

How Gabriel Grows

I think we figured out when Gabriel is growing! Here, he is laying down, and then, suddenly, he as if gets a chill. Then, he slowly stretches and I think he becomes just a little big bigger!

He pretty much can hold his head since birth. This is so strange: He is such a tiny little dude, but he already is so strong. His head is so heavy, leaning left and right... but he lifts it over his head, or my knees, and trying really hard to hold it up. Surely, he is not very good at it yet, and, surely, he is irritated by it. So funny!

Today, he was all of a sudden licked by Ralph. Gabi was sleeping in his car seat after the walk. Ralph came to him, sniffed him for a long time and then licked him with his worm wet tongue. He either decided Gabi needed a bath, or he just felt THAT many feelings, haha.

It seems like Ralphie does not associate himself with a dog, but more with a human being. He, for instance, grabs a pillow from a couch, places it under his head, and lays down in the most inconvenient spot, in front of the staircase. That way, nobody can pass unnoticed. And nobody does! We all trip on Ralphie and his giant fluffy paws, which he doesn't bother to move.

Fun morning memory: Zachary is trying to fit a plastic block into a slot in a wooden box. The plastick block have no relation to the wooden box. These are different toy sets. But Zac tried really hard to fit a random block into a random slot. One time, he managed to push the block through the slot, but another time he didn't. In the process of the game, I can clearly see Zachary's mood: If he patiently "fighting" with the block trying to squeeze it into the box, he is in a good mood. if he throws blocks into the box, the mood is not that great.

He also likes to squeeze his breakfast puffs into his soska. First, he takes his time to push a puff or two with his little finger inside his soska, and then, he takes his time to take these puffs out of it. He looks very busy and concentrated, while he is at it.

... In the evening, when Gabi started to fuss in his bassinet, Mike took him in his arms. The little guy got lost on Mike's wide chest, but I could see that both boys were happy and content. Mike was happy because Gabi is such a cute little kid. And Gabi was happy because there is nothing warmer and stable than papa's arms.

Children Are Growing!

The day was pleasantly hot and very beautiful. The days like today only happen in Summer: Blue sky, gentle sun, an ocean of greens and crispy fresh wind. My mom and Gabriel went for a walk three times. Today was the second day in his life when he went for a long walk. It seems like he really enjoys this new way of learning about the world (riding in the stroller, that is). He right away falls asleep and sleeps for an hour and a half.

 

The speed with which he grows is quite impressive. On Monday, we had a doctor's appointment where Gabi was thoroughly weighted and measured. He weights 2,800 grams (gained over a kilogram!), and he is 49 cm long, which is already very impressive as he was born only 44.5 cm. His head grew 2.5 cm in size, and now, all his hats and bonnets fit tight on his head, while just a few days ago, his head was 'swimming' in them like a poppy seed in a jar. He literally grown in front of our eyes! After each nap, Gabriel looks bigger. His foot is the size of my index finger. And what about his eyelashes!.. They are white, but very, very long. Both Zachary and Gabriel got my grandfather's Nikolai's eyelashes: Long, light and very beautiful.    

Zachary becomes bigger and bigger, too. Today, his favorite activity is to push his own strollers. He even would rather do that than go on wings or ride down the slide. It is hard to understand why he likes it so much. Either he thinks of himself as of a powerful engine. Or, perhaps he likes walking in unknown direction (he is much shorter than his stroller, so he cannot guess where exactly he is going). Probably neither guess is correct, and he himself would have given a completely different explanation. But, unfortunately, we cannot ask his questions just yet. Not because he doesn't speak yet, because, boy, he speaks indeed!.. He talks up a storm, in three languages at a time (Russian, English and his own made-up language, which we do not understand). So far, he pronounces best the words 'kok and 'kak.' He uses these words all the time, as they fit many everyday real words, such as sok/juice (ssss-kok!), poopok/belly button (poo-kaka), soska/pacifier (koka), lozhka/spoon (koka), and, of course, poop (kaka). At the same time, his linguistic skills are very impressive. He gladly repeats everything in both English and Russian, and he even pronounces hard sounds such as 's,' 'sch' and 'tch.' Ralphie, for example, he pronounces as 'Sha-shee.' Zachary loves nursery rhymes, and he literally sings along and dances. He also moves his finger left as right showing wipers on a bus going 'swish-swish'swish.' So cute!