This morning Mommy took me to the doctor for my six month check up and according to the doctor I am doing just great.  I am 26″ long and weigh 15lbs 15oz putting me in the 50th percentile for height but the 25th percentile for weight. Despite being really solid, I’m still a bit of a peanut according to the statistics.  Hard to believe it since I’m such a good eater and have already taken to my rice cereal really well.  I’ve been eating a tablespoon 3x a day for weeks now and I gobble up every last bite most of the time.  The doctor said I can start to try other cereals then fruit, then veggies and eventually meat and chicken.  By the time I’m 9 months old I should be eating a true breakfast, lunch and dinner with some formula.  I am also suppossed to start transition to a sippy cup so by the time I turn 1 I can drink from a regular cup.

Developmentally I am doing a great job.  I can sit up in the middle on my own as I have a very strong core.  I think I get that from Mom.  Thank goodness since I’m pretty much all Daddy and I have to have something from Mommy too so she doesn’t feel left out.  I haven’t quite figured out how to roll over yet but that will come in time.  The doctor says one day I’ll figure it out and then that is all I will want to do.  I have terrific use of my hands and can pick things up and transfer them from hand to hand so I’m right where I should be.  My tummy time is great as I can hold my head up at a 90 degree angle which is excellent.  Before my next visit, I should be starting to show signs of crawling and then I’ll really be on the move.

Its hard to believe that six months have gone by already.  I’ve been making phenomenal strides especially in the last couple of months and every day seems to bring something new so I’m really excited for the summer.  I’m looking forward to spending time at the playground and the pool.  I also can’t wait to take my first motor boat ride on Uncle Bob’s lake.  Now that is going to be a great time.  I just hope I don’t lose my hat…(or anything else).

It has been a busy week in my little life.  From play dates to music class and Central Park, I’ve really had a great mix of city and suburban life.  Earlier in the week, me and my buddy Reid spent the day “strollering” around the Big Apple with Mom and her best friend Shari.  The weather was kind of yucky but we didn’t care.  Our mom’s took us to all their favorite spots on the UES – PJ Bernstein’s for breakfast, Tasti-Delite for a sweet treat, to their manicure place and of course up and down third avenue for a little shopping.  Despite the fact that we are so little and can’t do too much we had a great time nonetheless. Towards the end of the week we were back in Scarsdale where the weather turned beautiful and we were out and about.  The playground was packed with lots of little ones playing on the swings and the slide while I watched from the sidelines.  I loved feeling the warmth of the sun although Mom insisted I put on some sunscreen so my fair complexion didn’t burn.

Saturday we returned to the city so Mom could spend the afternoon with her friends at 44 & X (she will be blogging about that later).  Daddy was officially on duty so I tried to make life as easy as possible for him.  Listening to his wishes I held off my poop til Mom was home and I slept while he took me out to lunch with Uncle Kenny and friends.  My buddy Reid was along for the ride too but he slept much of the day.  We went for a father/son walk in Central Park where I had my first encounter with a dog.  According to Dad, I was not a big fan and cried.  Oh well.  Hopefully I won’t be that way when my cousins bring home their new Cavalier King Charles named Lucy in a few weeks.

By the time Saturday night rolled around I was exhausted and very happy to return to my familar crib for a good night sleep.  Yesterday I woke up refreshed and ready to entertain the Kepner family with my antics.  I spent the day helping Grandma Lorraine celebrate her birthday and what a great time I had.  I was talking up a storm and busy playing with my cousins that I had little interest in taking a nap.  Needless to say by the time I got in the car last night I was pooped.

It was a great few days and I loved being in shorts and my bare feet.  What a treat.  Too bad the warmer weather will disappear for a while but that’s okay…I know what’s waiting for me in a few more weeks and I can’t wait.  Maybe by then I’ll be able to sit up!

This weekend the weather was incredible so Mom & Dad took me out for a walk and my first trip to the playground.  I was so excited when I got there that I couldn’t stop looking at all the fun things to play on.  Of course I am too little for most things but there are swings that are just right for a peanut like me.  First, I sat on Dad’s lap and then Mom’s.  Since I was having such a great time feeling the wind as we swayed back and forth, Mom & Dad decided to put me in the ‘baby swing’ and let me ride by myself.  I had a blast!  I was even giggling.  After fifteen minutes though, all the swinging was making me very sleepy and on the walk home I was fast asleep in my stroller.  The weather was truly spectacular and I can’t wait for another great day so I can go back to the swings and have fun.  And I can’t wait til I am older so I can enjoy the slides and the jungle gym.  Now that looks like a great time!

I just came home from a few days in the city with Mom & Dad and it was fabulous.   This was the second week in a row that I spent some time strolling the streets of Manhattan with Mom while Dad was working hard.  Mom has done a great job of making her former ‘bachelorette pad’ feel like my home away from home.  I have a Gymini, a bouncy seat, a bunch of toys to play with and books to read so I can entertain myself.  Every day Mom takes me out for walks and we cruise up and down the avenues window shopping and gazing at all the pretty things on display.  I love the fresh air and watching the people and the cars go by.  I even like looking at the puppies.

It is really great that steps from our apartment are so many fabulous places and the park is just a five minute walk.  While the fresh air knocks me out about 15 minutes into a walk, I haven’t been the best sleeper at night.  I am just too excited for all the fun things we can do that who wants to sleep in.  Poor Mom (and Dad) but I’m cute and loveable so they take it all in stride ;)   I am looking forward to seeing more of the city and spending time at the Central Park Zoo.  I think it will be cool to see the sea lions being fed and all the other animals.  We will skip the reptiles of course since Mommy doesn’t like them.  Who knows, maybe I won’t like them either.  All I know is I am wide-eyed as we explore the big city and I can’t wait to go back again.  It’s so much fun!

Bringing home a new baby is scary enough and all new parents are overwhelmed with the thought of caring for every need for their newborn.  Everyone tries to be as prepared as possible by reading books, taking parenting or birthing classes or talking to other “experienced” moms but you can never really be prepared for the reality of bringing your little one home.

When I was pregnant with David we followed Jewish tradition and did not bring any baby items into the house until he actually arrived.  Of course we registered for what we thought were all the baby necessities but little did we realize at the time that there were so many ‘little’ things that we needed day one.  This resulted in us running out to the baby store and the drugstore to get all those essentials the moment we arrived home from the hospital.  Having just given birth and not in the best physical shape, getting around was challenging enough and running errands was much harder than I ever expected.  So, as I learned from my experience, you must have the necessities for your baby’s arrival BEFORE he or she arrives.  Even if your religious beliefs prevent you from having these items in your house, I recommend having a family member, friend or neighbor hold on to them and bring them to your house while you are in the hospital.

Several of my friends have since had babies or are expecting babies and I have put together what I call “Baby Necessity Baskets” and “Mommy Necessity Baskets” for all those things that you need that you will most likely never get as gifts.  For all you ‘Mom’s to Be” I thought I would share the contents of my baskets.  Hopefully this will help to make bringing home baby just a bit easier.

Baby Necessity Basket Items:

1. Diapers – newborn or size 1
2. Wipes
3. A&D Ointment (I prefer this over Desitin which is too creamy and sticky)
4. Rubbing Alcohol and Cotton Balls to care for the umbilical cord
5. Bacitracin and gauze to care for a newly circumcised penis if you have a boy
6. Bibs
7. Birp Cloths
8. Receiving Blankets
9. Undershirts/Blanket Sleepers/Onesies/Stretchies/Gowns
10. Dreft or All Free and Clear for Laundry / Oxy Clean Baby
11. Aspirator and Little Noses Saline Drops
12. Baby Tylenol/Motrin
13. Mylcon and/or Gripe Water – I like ColicEase…works great!
14. Rectal Thermometer
15. Pacifier – have more than one
16. Underpads for your changing table – these are found in the ‘incontinence” aisle of the drugstore.  Regular size are perfect for the changer.  They are disposable and great for catching any pee/poop that may leak from the diaper (or your little one) during changing
17. Diaper pail and bags
18. Diaper Bag – your first doctor visit will most likely be your first venture out of the house just days after bringing the baby home
19. Bottle Drying Rack and/or Sterilizer
20. Bottles/Bottle Warmer/Bottle Brush

There is nothing glamour about your body and its needs after giving birth.  You will need to care for yourself in ways you never thought possible.  The most simplest act will now seem like climbing Mount Everest would be easier.  To help ease your recovery, have the following on hand – trust me, you will need these items – especially the hemorrhoid items even though you will deny needing them before the baby comes.

Mommy Necessity Basket:

1. Maxi Pads
2. Motrin
3. Colace or PeriColace
4. Tucks Pads and/or Witch Hazel Pads
5. Preparation H Maximum Cream and/or suppositories
6. Sitz Bath

Also, keep old sheets, towels and underwear on hand that way you don’t ruin any of your ‘good stuff’.  The first week is the hardest, the second week gets better and in a month you will feel more like yourself again although completely and utterly sleep deprived.

Hopes this helps all first time Mom’s to Be’.  If you have other ‘must have items’ to add to the list, please share in the comments section.   Good luck!

After five months of being a stay at home mom, it was time to spread my wings a bit and get out and about more.  The nice weather is upon us and David is at the age where I feel we can be on the go a bit more than we were in the first couple of months in his little life.  So, today it was time to start making some new friends in Westchester.  We started out at a playgroup in our complex with one of our friends from music class.  It was really nice to spend some time with another stay at home mom and her little one.  While the babies can’t really interact since they are so small it was refreshing for me to spend some time chatting with another adult.  It is so great to be able to learn from other mothers especially those whose babies are just a little bit older than mine.

After playgroup we took a ride to Scarsdale Village for our first Westchester Mom’s Meetup.  I joined this group through the Meetup.com website about a month ago but up until a few days ago there was no activity.  It seemed that a lot of people were joining but no ‘meetups’ were being organized.  Thanks to one bold mother amongst the 250+ members who sent out a mass email asking a question, the entire group is now talking and actively planning events.  Granted we are all at different stages with our little ones but very quickly a group of us with babies six months or younger have grouped together.  After some quick coordinating over the last two days a number of us met up at Scarsdale Village for lunch and ‘mom talk’ in the park.  We are all from the lower Westchester area and everyone was willing to travel just a bit to meet which was really nice.  I think everyone enjoyed getting out a bit and while we were all tied to feeding schedules and naps, it worked out well.  Hopefully we can all meet up again soon.  Who knows, maybe today was the start of some life long friendships for us and our little ones.

I have been terrible about keeping up with my blogging and I apologize.  At five months, I’ve got quite the hectic life with walks outside, visits with my grandparents, sleepovers, visits to NYC and attending music class.  I just don’t know where the time goes.  I took a lot of heat this evening at my very first seder for neglecting my readers so I will try to do a much better job in the future.

March was a busy month for me.  Mom and Dad took some time off from baby duty thanks to grandma and grandpa and they went skiing in Vermont to celebrate Daddy’s birthday.  While they were on the slopes and shopping in the outlets, I was taking walks and being spoiled rotten.  The weather has finally started to get nice some days so I’ve really enjoyed being out of the house.   There is so much to see!   My two favorite experiences this month have been my new music class, “Rock n’ Roll with Andy” at our clubhouse and my recent trip to New York City.  Mom and Dad have an apartment on the Upper East Side and I had my first touch of city life this weekend and my first walk through Central Park.  It was amazing!  I loved every minute of it.  Too bad I wasn’t the best sleeper but I was just so excited to be in the city that who had time for naps.

Aside from all the fun I’ve been having, I’ve really been growing too.  I am eating my rice cereal twice a day now and am going to start having in three times a day soon.  I am also trying so hard to roll over but I haven’t quite figured out what to do with my arm so I end up on my side and roll back.  Oh well.  I can’t wait til I can sit up on my own.  I keep trying to pull myself up but I’m not quite there yet.  Maybe when I’m six months old I will be able to do this.

Stay tuned for more updates.  I promise I’ll be a better blogger now that I’m getting bigger :)

I haven’t blogged in awhile since I’ve been busy eating, sleeping and growing but since I turned four months old last week, I thought I would fill everyone in on what has been happening in “David’s World”.  First off, I am growing like a weed and measured 25″ long at my last doctor visit.  That’s a lot of growing especially since I was 19.5″ when I was born.  I’ve also packed on a few pounds since arriving in the world but I’m hardly chubby.  I’m kind of long and lean much like my mom was a baby.  The doctor is happy though with my growth and now I weigh a whopping 14lbs, 3 ounces.  That puts me right in the middle of all my baby peers.  Before I know it, I will be starting solid foods so the doctor suggested I start trying some rice cereal.  Mom has been trying to give it to me but I am still getting used to it. Right now more of it ends up on my bib than in my mouth.  I’ll keep trying though until I get the hang of it.

Aside from growing and gaining weight, I’ve been babbling up a storm.  I have my own little language and I talk a lot some days.  Everyone thinks it is so cute to hear me babble especially Mom and Dad.  I like to leave voicemail messages for Daddy at work so he can hear my voice when he gets back to his desk.  I want him to know how much I love him so I tell him in my own version of baby talk.

I am starting to teethe so some days I have been a little extra cranky.  I try to be a good boy and flash my famous smile but some times it’s just not that easy.   I had my four month booster shots the other day and afterward I just didn’t feel well.  I had a low grade fever and some soreness but Mommy gave me Tylenol and lots of TLC to make me feel better.  It only last a day or so, luckily.

I am traditionally a good sleeper but this week I’ve taken a bit of a step back.  Between the time change and my teething, I’ve been waking up on the early side.  Hopefully, I feel better soon so I don’t keep waking up mom and dad.

I like sitting up and am trying to do it myself but I need greater muscle strength.  I can sit on Mom’s lap when she reads a story or we watch Sesame Street and I can support myself by just holding her fingers but if she lets go, I topple to the side.  I am also trying to turn over but I’m not quite there yet.  I can roll over to my side but then I just roll back onto my back.  Maybe in a few weeks I’ll figure it out.

I love taking walks and looking at the trees that line the streets.  Mom and I are really looking forward to the spring and the warmer weather so we can be outside more.  I love my bath and have become a big splasher lately.  I have a serious face on but I am really enjoying myself.    I am going to start my first music class in the next few weeks so I can be with other babies and mommy can make some new friends.  I am starting to enjoy my toys especially my Lamaze clutch club and my Whoozit.  My new favorite activity is playing on my jumperoo…now that is a lot of fun.

That’s all for now.  I will report back when I am five months if not sooner.

Growing up I loved to watch Sesame Street.  I was fascinated with Bert & Ernie and Grover, laughed at Oscar the Grouch and was always wondering if poor Big Bird would convince everyone that Snuffleupagus was a real ‘person’ and not an imaginary friend.  Fast forward 30+ years and I’m thrilled to see the show is as wonderful as I remember it to be and in many ways even better.  All of the warm, friendly faces are still there (Gordon, Maria, Luis, etc..) as well as my beloved furry friends like Cookie Monster, The Count and Big Bird.  New characters like Elmo, Zoe, and Abby Cadabby have joined the cast, adding to an all-star lineup.  Always creative and on the cutting edge of what is new and trendy, Sesame Street continues to hit the nail on the head with their subject matter and in many ways have taken it to a level well beyond what it was when I was a first time viewer.  The word of the day, the letter of the day and the references to today’s trends such as computers, email, music all contribute to a show that has captured little David’s attention, as well as mine.  While he is way too young to understand what he is watching, it amazes me how the characters are able to capture and hold his attention for quite a long time.  I would never have expected at only a few weeks old the sound of Elmo’s voice would soothe him but it did many times.

Most books and doctors strongly discourage young children watching TV especially when they don’t understand what they are seeing but I disagree.  While I certainly don’t advocate parking your child in front of the set for hours at a time, there are moments when you have run out of things to occupy a child that is too young for independent play and can only sit in a bouncy seat.  After reading books, playing on the gymini, walking around the house, singing and playing with him, the only way to create new stimulation for him is to turn on the television.  Sesame Street is what I rely on when I’ve exhausted all other ways to occupy David.  He is enthralled by what he is watching and the show grabs and holds his attention for a majority, if not all of the time.  That is pretty incredible for a four month old baby.

Sesame Street definitely has the ’secret sauce’ to educating children while making their learning fun.  Keep up the amazing work!  I’m loving it the second time around, maybe even more than I did the first time.