Baby Signs, Cloth Diapers & Christmas Fun

Finally recovered from my vaccines! Last Sunday I was feeling much better & about 90% back to feeling like myself. We went over to Grandma & Grandpa Snyder's house to pick up some Christmas decorations for our house. The two Westies were so curious about me. Lily was trying to lick me while I sat in my Super Seat & Duncan definitely thought my toys were pretty cool. We came home with an SUV full of Christmas gear & a bird feeder for the backyard. We spent the rest of the afternoon figuring out where to put everything. Mom was in charge of hanging & placing everything, while I directed her what should go where from my Ergo carrier. On Monday we went to our Stroller Strides exercise class. Finley got her mom Alicia to come to class today too & it was a beautiful day to exercise (60 degrees & sunny). I was really excited to have a friend in class, even though we both snuzzed for most of the class while our moms chatted away. Thank goodness I didn't need a diaper change while we were exercising because Mommy thought my diapers were in the diaper bag, but oops they were left on the kitchen table by accident - catastrophe avoided because I held it until we got home. Mom & Alicia chatted briefly about cloth diapers. Here I am on my way to class:

Once we got home, Mom decided it was time that we segue from our disposable diapers to our cloth diapers. Right now we only have 6 cloth diapers, since we're just trying to make sure we both like how they feel & work (plus Dad's a bit skeptical about the cloth diapers & putting poop diapers in the washing machine). I really like the cloth diapers - they're nice and soft - lined with a soft fleece. Unfortunately for Mommy, I decided Monday afternoon would be a great time to test my poopy pipes & we blew through our 6 cloth diapers really fast (& left Mom with a big load of poopy diapers to deal with - gross!). Tuesday we had a substitute teacher at Mommy & Me Yoga. Libby was a great teacher. There was only one other Mom in class & her daughter, Macy and I got so much love & attention. It was my first yoga class where I really got into watching all the poses and was flirting with Macy (she's super cute & smiles and giggles the whole class). I didn't need Mommy to stop her yoga practice all hour - go Me!! Mom said she's so impressed with how mature I've gotten since our first yoga class when she only could get a few minutes of yoga in. Tuesday night we went to Dad's Christmas party at work. Mommy got all dressed up & put me in a very festive outfit. I love Mom's peep toe Louboutin's, but I'm not sure they were the best shoe option for walking through Philly with the stroller (especially since the elevator was out in the parking garage so we had to push the stroller up from two flights underground. What a great time we had at the party! Dad showed me off to all his work buddies (I was definitely the cutest baby around). I loved getting to see Daddy's office on the 46th floor of the Comcast building. He has a great big corner office that overlooks Philadelphia - very cool. There were tons of people at the party & pushing the stroller through crowds of people was a bit difficult. Can't wait for my next visit to Dad's office. Maybe he'll let me sit at his desk & play on his computer (he has 3 screens active, so I'm sure he can spare 1 for me to amuse myself). Wednesday morning we tried to get to Stroller Strides, but didn't make it to River Trail in time. We were packed up and ready to go at 8:50AM, when a strange woman walked up our front driveway. She told Mommy that she thought a package for her son was delivered to our house. Mom thought it was a neighbor she hadn't met yet & said no packages arrived and asked where she lived in case it arrived. It was at this point that the woman introduced herself as Joan (the owner of our house before the real estate flippers owned it last year). Strange - this woman hadn't lived in our house for well over a year, so why was her son having packages sent to our house. Our neighbors warned us that Joan sometimes wandered the neighborhood and that she was crazy. She was lurking in her car and staking our house out before she came up the driveway. She babbled away about the neighbors, things she had done to the house twenty years ago & asked a million questions that Mom wasn't comfortable answering. Mommy was a bit freaked out & Dad said to make sure we always set the alarm when we leave. Hopefully Joan doesn't pop over any more - I don't like to see Mommy worry. Needless to say - after Joan's babbling we got to our class ten minutes late & the class was already on the trail. Mom thought about catching up but it was pretty windy & chilly. When we got home, Mom decided to test our her new Fluidity bar & did her Seat and Thigh DVD on the third floor. She brought my Super Seat upstairs so I could get my ab & neck workout in while I watched her work out. Maybe I'll be a very athletic little boy - I just love to watch Mommy work out. I giggle & smile every time. We spent the afternoon looking into Baby Sign Language course in the Philadelphia area. No luck! Mom decided to look into the next best thing - getting herself certified to teach Baby Signs classes. We went back & forth via email with the representative from California & chatted with Dad that night about starting our own business. Perfect plan for Mommy - she gets to start her own business where she can bring me to play with other babies & work as much or little as she wants, while doing what she loves - teaching. Perfect first step to starting her larger business where she will be helping special education students with outside services after school. Mom was so excited about starting baby sign language with me that she started signing away. She said we'll start with the signs for milk, more & eat first & then build upon those once I begin signing back (at about 6 or 7 months old). On Thursday, we had a conference call with Michelle from Baby Signs to discuss the logistics of the certification process & how to start your own independent contractor business. In the afternoon we met up with Will & his mom Liz at the King of Prussia mall for our walk. Will & I napped away while our moms walked & chatted away - next thing you know it was two hours later. Mom & I stopped at the grocery store on the way home to pick all the ingredients we needed for our Christmas party on Saturday. I love grocery shopping!! I get to hang out in the Ergo carrier, check out all the people & help Mom pick out healthy treats. Friday it was too cold for Stroller Strides to be outside & the teacher was unable to move the class to her inside location, so she cancelled class. We were bummed that we couldn't hit the trail, so Mom hit the third floor work out room & tried out a new barre DVD. Here I am doing my own exercises during tummy time:

That evening Mom, Dad & I prepped all the recipes for Saturday's party. They're such good cooks & I love getting to help them. Saturday morning Dad quickly finished the prep work & by noon guests started arriving for our holiday luncheon. I had so much fun getting to see all our family together.

Mom was glad I got my naps in before guests arrived because I really didn't want to sleep with guests in the house - she says I'm just like her - afraid to miss something if I nap. I had a blast with Uncle Mario & every time I he held me I just laughed. He's a pretty funny guy & I'm glad he feels comfortable holding me now:

Grandma Smeriglio brought me a jumperoo - highlight of the party. I love this new apparatus!! I can touch the floor & reach for the hanging toys. What fun!! Here I am hanging in my new Baby Einstein jumperoo:

Check out my new Christmas stocking - it arrived in time for the Christmas party:

Sunday morning we hit a breakthrough - I decided it was time to let Mommy know that I can nurse without the shield. After my breakfast, Mommy had me sitting up tall and I leaned forward all the way letting her know that I wanted more. She let me lay on her belly and chest & I baby wiggled my way to more food & latched on like a champ. When I was finished, I wiggled my way to the other side for some more. Mom cracked up and thought my new skills were very cute. After going back and forth for a while, I napped on Mommy's belly. We had a lazy Sunday morning snuggling in bed together - I napped for 3 hours while snuggling with Mom. What a life!! Dad got a kick out of our lazy Sunday routine. Mom's been teaching me the "I Love You" sign & I definitely know what she's telling me. Every time she says the sign, she makes a kissy noise & as soon as she finished the routine I look into her eyes & smile. I love my Mommy too!! Hate to break it to Mom but I won't be ready to sign back to her until I'm about 6 or 7 months, but for now I'm thoroughly enjoying Mom making silly faces at me & showing me various signs.

1 Crazy Month!

Wow - It's been a while since I've written about my journey through life. My Mommy finally gave me some down time to get writing. Let me tell you that lady barely gives me a free moment - I mean do you expect me to blog in my sleep?!? She's constantly feeding me, changing me, teaching me how to hold on to my toys & hold my head up, etc... I don't know how she ever expects me to keep everyone updated when we're constantly moving & on the go. Ok so what have you all missed this past month? I'll go week by week & give you the highlights: Week of October 28th: I left off with preparing for Hurricane Sandy & sharing that Dad thought it was just going to be hype. Boy - was Daddy wrong about this storm. Hurricane Sandy was a crazy storm that caused unspeakable damage to Mommy's Jersey shore & parts of New York City. We were alright at our house. We only lost power for one hour. Philadelphia as a whole managed to escape a lot of the destruction, but many areas had lots of trees, telephone poles and wires down. SEPTA stayed closed for 2 days and Dad worked from home on Monday & Tuesday (crazy Comcast still holding meetings from home when the rest of the tri-state area was in a state of emergency). On Halloween our neighborhood encouraged everyone to get out & have a regular Halloween parade. Mom dressed me up in both of my Halloween costumes (during the day I was a froggy & at night I was a cute little pea in a pod). We joined the parade & met some new neighbors. During the week Mom & I brainstormed how we could help out with Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. We decided to set up an online food drive using YouGiveGoods.com. Our drive ran from November 1st through November & we raised 1,846 pounds of food ($3591 worth of food & for every $1 raised the Food Banks of Monmouth & Ocean Counties can feed 5 people). Grandma & Grandpa Smeriglio lost power for a week, but Pop brought a generator home so they could keep warm & have some electricity at night. New Jersey rationed gas & many grocery stores were sold out of food and water. On Friday, Mom & I brought Grandma Escarole & Bean soup, groceries & more candles. We also gathered up clothes to donate to the pop up shelters. I think Grandma appreciated my homemade fudge brownies the most!! Uncle Mario gave me a really cool present when I visited - a Woody onesie (too bad I didn't have it for Halloween). I love my Woody outfit, but got upset that he forgot to get me the matching cowboy boots. Saturday night was the first night I stayed home while Mom & Dad went out. Uncle Jon & Ann Marie babysat, while Mom & Dad went to a dinner ball at the Philadelphia Club. Mommy was a little huffy getting ready & kept complaining that none of her formal dresses fit anymore (Daddy reminded her that she just popped me out 7 weeks earlier & to give herself a break). I think she looked beautiful in her long, red dress & Dad looked very handsome in his tux. I was pretty good for Uncle Jon & Ann Marie, but they needed to change my diaper A LOT!! Here are some photos from the week: Hurricane Sandy photos

Halloween photos

My Woody outfit

My parents dressed up for their first night out

Week of November 4th: On Sunday we woke up at 6AM to do the Junior League of Philadelphia's Harvest Hustle (5k & 1 mile walk). Mom, Dad & I did the 1 mile walk because Mommy didn't think she could handle the run yet. Mom got a little competitive & made Dad smoke the other moms & their strollers. We won the 1 mile walk (but mostly because nobody else cared about winning the walk like the runners cared about winning). On Tuesday, Mom & I went to cast our vote for president. Don't ask who I voted for - I don't vote & tell!! Mommy got to bring me into the booth & the woman working the sign in books told Mom to make sure I didn't press the buttons Wednesday night Mom & Dad drove me to Grandma's in New Jersey - I was going to have my first sleep over while Mom & Dad went to Jamaica for Aunt Tatum's wedding. Wednesday was a pretty terrible storm - Winter Storm Athena!! On our drive to New Jersey the snow got worse and worse as we got further east on highway 195. We got their safely & Mom and Dad left to go pick up Nichole and get back to Philly so they could get a few hours of sleep before their early flight. On their way to pick Nichole up in Avon, Mom & Dad got in a mini accident on Route 18. A tree went down on Rt 18 & blocked all three lanes. Since it was a "white out" they didn't see the tree until they were practically on top of it. Dad swerved so they didn't hit it but went under a giant tree limb that scratched the top of the car. They made it back home safely & I had a great time at Grandma's. Mom & Dad had a blast in Jamaica, but we still got to do FaceTime daily. I missed them a lot & was a really good boy for Grandma & Grandpa - Pop even took me shopping because I was such a good boy. After the Dolphin game on Sunday, Grandma & Grandpa drove me home and we waited for Mom & Dad to get home from their trip. While Mom & Dad were away, Uncle Mario asked Arianna to marry him in Disney World. She said yes & I'm so excited for her to officially become my Aunt!! They were there for the Disney marathon & they both finished the race in pretty good time (Uncle Maz said he had to practically drag Ari across the finish line though - Mom was shocked because she thought Aunt Ari would smoke Uncle Mario in the race). Maybe Aunt Ari's beautiful ring was weighing her down during the run hehe. Here are some photos from the week: I voted

They're engaged!!

Hanging with Grandma during my 1st sleepover

Week of November 11th: I was so excited to see Mom & Dad on Sunday night. I got to show them all of the cute outfits Pop helped pick out at the mall. I'm ready for winter! Monday Mommy & I tried out a new Yoga Mama class at Belly Pilates. I was a little fussy, but Debbie the teacher rocked me while Mom got in her yoga. I didn't like that I was the only baby in class. All the other moms left their babies with sitters. I much prefer our Tuesday Mommy & Baby yoga where I get to socialize with 8 other babies. Monday night Dad & I hung out at Uncle Jon's while Mommy attended a seminar on Genomics & Autism at the Franklin Institute. Mom was pretty psyched to do something academic after all the baby cooing we do at home, but told Dad that the content wasn't all that interesting to her and it's relation to education. She did not like that the focus of the genomics research was to eventually create a pill for kids with Autism (Mommy doesn't like giving meds unless it's absolutely necessary). Tuesday we had a blast at yoga class. All the babies were cooing & Sophia started crawling around the room. Tuesday night I hung out with Daddy at home, while Mom went to her Junior League meeting in Philly. I love when I get to have Daddy time. On Wednesday, Mom & I met Liz & her baby Will (he's 2 weeks older than I am) at the King of Prussia mall for a brisk walk. Mom told me she's now a "mall walker," but she & Liz don't care. They can get in some exercise even though the weather is changing & getting too chilly to be outside. At night I went with Mom & Dad to a seminar on wills & trusts. We chatted on the way home about who my guardian would be if something terrible happened to Mom & Dad. I think I'd have a blast with my guardian & once Mom and Dad are ready to set up paperwork we will all have a serious conversation with my possible guardian. Thursday we hung out at the Audi dealer while Mommy's car was serviced. I was such a good boy for her. She was so nervous that I'd want to nurse while we were there. We were surrounded by men in a very small waiting room - thank goodness I waited to have my snack until we got home. On Friday night, Daddy's friends came over for dinner and we had take out from Iron Hill Brewery. I loved meeting Uncle Josh! He's a pretty cool guy. Bret, Caroline & Marlowe also came over. Marlowe was unimpressed with the lack of toys I have, but he did keep himself busy with Dad's Playstation. On Saturday we met Bret, Caroline, Marlowe, Uncle Jon & Ann Marie at White Dog for brunch, before we all headed to the Philadelphia Dog Show. I had a blast at the dog show & wonder if we'll be spotted on TV during the Thanksgiving airing. We got to see all types of dogs & Mommy was dying to adopt Daphne, a beautiful Siberian Husky. Mom claims we need another female in the house, since she's surrounded by all males. My favorite dogs were the giant Great Danes. They're like little ponies that I could ride when I get a little bigger. Maybe Mommy will get me one for Christmas (I've put puppy on my Christmas list & hope Santa brings one). Here are some photos from the week:

Week of November 18th: We went to New Jersey on Sunday. First we had brunch with Lindsay & Nichole at Toast. Man, the food there is delicious & is definitely going to put a little meat on Mom's hips (she's says it's oh so worth it). After brunch, we went to visit Great-Nanny & Great-Pop. Great-Pop got a kick out of me & I was a really good boy when he held me. Great-Pop is 92 & hard of hearing, but he heard my really, really loud "big boy" fart. Everyone thought it was hilarious that he could hear that. We went to dinner with Grandma, Pop, Aunt Shana, Uncle Mario, Aunt Ari & her family, to celebrate Uncle Mario & Aunt Ari's engagement. The bathroom at the restaurant didn't have a changing table, so Mom & Grandma had to change me on two chairs in the corner of the bathroom (with my changing pad spread out & Grandma making sure I wouldn't roll off). Mom said it should be mandatory that all restaurants in public places have a changing table - if they are required to have handicap bathrooms/stalls then they should accommodate families. Mommy laughed as she told me that these thoughts never crossed her mind before I was born, but now she's becoming aware of how facilities accommodate (or don't accommodate) for families. Twice on Sunday I had to be changed in the car, due to a lack of changing tables in public places. I much prefer the car, since it keeps me away from all the germs of the public bathrooms but it is very inconvenient to have to run to the car often. Mommy was very excited this week because we were going to be headed to New Jersey for Thanksgiving. Mom & I baked two cakes (a caramel apple cake & a pumpkin ganache cake). She also made a delicious cornbread stuffing & Dad made his famous brussel sprout hash. This week I started to notice many new things in my surroundings & have been craning my neck to check things out. I can see bold shapes & colors now & am so curious. I love staring at my mobiles & bright lights. I turned two months old on Wednesday & Mommy set up a photo shoot. Dad worked from home & I think he got a kick out of the set up Mommy created for my photos. She put me in a basket lined with blankets. I had such a blast posing for Mom. That afternoon we packed up and headed to Grandma's house. Mom & Dad planned to meet Lindsay & Nichole at Johnny Mac's for a couple of adult beverages on Thanksgiving Eve. Mom told Dad that this is the biggest night for people to go out, but Daddy doesn't really understand why. When we got to Grandma's, Grandma & Grandpa were out with Aunt Ari's parents, so Aunt Shana stepped up to the plate and babysat me so Mom could get the night off. Aunt Shana baked yummy cookies while I slept. When Uncle Mario came home, he opened the garage & almost let Bolt & Toshio run loose (he forgot Mommy told him to use the front door). Thanksgiving morning, we got to watch the Thanksgiving Day parade. Grandma was very excited that I got to watch my first Macy's parade. Mommy dressed me up in a cute Thanksgiving outfit with a cool bib (it said "Grandma's Little Gobbler" with a big turkey on it). Dinner & dessert were delicious & I was such a good boy most of he night. I got a little fussy at dinner time, but who wouldn't when everyone around you is eating delicious smelling food & you're just hanging out (Dad ended up feeding me a bottle at the table so I wouldn't be left out). I got to meet Vito (Mommy's cousin Rachel's son - he's 1), but I don't think he likes me because he smacked me in the face... twice! Maybe he just needs to get used to other babies hanging out around the house - I promised to share my toys so maybe next time we can play nicely. We headed back to Philadelphia at the end of the night, so that we could get our Christmas tree on Black Friday. Mommy wanted to avoid the crowds (although she did take advantage of some online deals), so we skipped the malls & hit Linvilla Orchard for our tree. We got to take a tractor ride out to the tree farm. Mom & Dad quickly spotted out a tall tree & Daddy got to work chopping it down. We dragged it to the trail & boarded the hayride back to the village. After a little shopping at the Christmas shop & farmer's market we headed home. Here are some photos from this week: Great-Pop & I

2 months old & checking out my surroundings (notice my big boy smile - all on my own)

Week of November 25th: On Sunday, we decorated the house & Christmas tree. Mom & Dad created a Christmas photo shoot for our annual Christmas card. They dressed me up in various outfits & posed me around the Christmas decorations. It was a lot of fun & I even got to borrow Santa's jacket. Monday Mommy & I tried to make the Stroller Stride exercise class, but we were a bit slow getting out of the house on time. We ended up getting there 15 minutes late & the class was already on the river trail. Mom decided to bundle me up anyway & go for her first jog. She kept me up on the "jog," as she groaned the whole time. I think Mom only jogged for 30 seconds on & 5 minutes off. She's pretty out of shape & kept complaining that her uterus was going to fall out (I think she got a little dramatic, but she claims she was going to die of a heart attack). On Tuesday it snowed & Mom and I were the only ones that showed up for yoga class. We got a private class with Randi & she had a blast playing with me while Mommy focused on strengthening her core. Wednesday we skipped our Belly Pilates class because I didn't sleep the night before. Mom & Dad ended up moving me to my crib from my bassinet in the middle of the night. I just got too big for my bassinet & kept waking myself up by bumping my head at the top. The switch to my big boy room took a little time to adjust for everyone. Mom told me in the morning that she stared at the baby monitor while I slept (we're both used to sleeping so close to each other & now we are on opposite sides of the house). I kept her up for 2 hours in the middle of the night, but finally fell back asleep until 4:30 when I made Dad get up and lull me back to sleep. The change in routine really put a crimp in our day on Wednesday. I only took one 30 minute nap all day & spent the rest of the day fussy & trying to tell Mom that I did not appreciate her kicking me out of her bedroom. I was really getting used to sleeping in close quarter with Mom & Dad (I even enjoyed being lulled to sleep by Dad's snores). On Thursday, we met up with Will & Finley at the King of Prussia mall. Mom, Liz & Alicia chatted away while we napped in our strollers, as they power walked through the mall. We all stopped for lunch at the food court before heading off in separate directions. Mom was really excited when the mail came because I got my first piece of mail. It was addressed to Winston Curtis Snyder. Inside was my Social Security Card. Mom said I am officially a real boy with a big boy social security number (what does she think - I was Pinocchio before) On Friday, Mom & I went to our first Stroller Strides exercise class. Mom was nervous for the class after her failed attempt at jogging on Monday. To our surprise the class was a blast. Mom got an awesome workout in (& even kept up with all the other mom's on the jogs and cardio blasts). We're signing ourselves up for the unlimited monthly membership & Mom is going to take on Carolyn's (the instructor) holiday challenge. 12 classes in the month of December from 12/1-12/22 - the mama's are getting their bodies in shape for the holidays. After class we headed to Dr. Berger's office for my 2 month check up. I'm growing like a champ. I weighed in at 12 pounds 8.4 ounces (I gained 2.75 pounds in a month) & was 23.25 inches (I grew over 3.5 inches). Dr. Berger gave me my 2 month vaccines (1 oral vaccine & 2 shots). I really enjoyed taking the oral vaccine - it tasted so yummy - and was shocked when the nurse jabbed a needle in my thigh. I screamed for about 30 seconds & then realized that the needle was gone. I looked up at the nurse & notice she was prepping my other thigh for the 2nd shot. I furrowed my brows at her & tried to convince her that this was a bad idea. She jabbed me anyway & said "this one's going to hurt." No kidding lady - it really, really hurt. I cried for a minute & Mommy calmed me down. Dr. Berger told Mom that I might be a little off from the vaccines & to be warned that I might have extra poopy diapers. Boy was he right - in the middle of the afternoon I let out a giant poop that sounded off for about a minute. Mom quickly attempted to change me, but there was more poop than ever before. It leaked out of my diaper, all over my undershirt & onto my brand new outfit (it even got inside my belly button). Mommy had to figure a way to get my clothes off of me without dragging poop all over my belly. I already had poop on my legs & even on my socks. We went straight to the bathtub so that she could clean me off. Thank goodness - I really didn't like all that mess on me - gross!! When Dad got home, I showed him what a big boy I was by sitting up nice & tall in my Super Seat. I love my big boy seat! I can sit & hold my neck up all by myself. Uncle Jon & Ann Marie came over Friday night & we all went to a special holiday event at the Morris Arboretum. We got to see the holiday railway. The little holiday village was set up to look like our neighborhood. We had hot chocolate and cookies & even got to listen to some carolers sing Christmas tunes. Afterwards, we all went to dinner at Avenida & I had a blast listening to grown up talk at the dinner table (Daddy gave me a bottle at the table so I wouldn't feel left out). I got to go to bed past my bedtime & fell right to sleep. Saturday Mommy & I had a tough day. I really didn't feel well - I think all those vaccines threw my body off. Mom gave me some children's Tylenol, but all I wanted to do was lay in her arms or on her belly. She nursed me all day long - I think it was my body's way of keeping hydrated. Dad was out running errands all day & Mom really wanted to get some Christmas present wrapped, but all I wanted to do was snuggle, so we basically spent the afternoon cuddling in bed. Here are some photos from this week: My Christmas card photo shoot

Look Mom I'm a real boy now!!

Big boy after his 2 month Dr. appointment (literally being taken as I let off the bomb that soiled my cute outfit - noticed the relaxed look on my face)

Big boy sitting in his Super Seat

Halloween Frights & Harry Potter

Even though Mom & I had a rough day on Friday, we finished the day on a good note. Dad & I carved out our pumpkin. There was lots of debate about what we should carve out, but eventually we all agreed on a floating ghoul. I think he's pretty cool & scares me when the lights are out.

I had a great night's sleep - a full 8 hours. All the eating & short naps equaled a good long sleep which my body needed to help me grow big & strong. This morning we took our first trip to the grocery store - Mom, Dad & I. Mom decided it was best to carry me in the Moby rather than bringing in the stroller or putting my car seat in the shopping cart (which takes up all the free space). We got lots of compliments on how adorable I am (one lady asked Mommy if she just left the hospital because I looked so young). One employee thought my Moby was part of my outfit (weird observation) but he really thought it was "nifty." During the afternoon we headed to Germantown Ave for the Harry Potter day with Aunt Shana. There were tons of activities for older kids - scavenger hunts, photos with Harry Potter characters, sorting hat demonstration & Defense for the Dark Arts demo. We just walked around, popped into some shops & enjoyed the sights. Many people were dressed up for the day - including some creepy, grown men dressed as Professor Snape. Here are some photos we took in front of O'Doodles:

Dumbledore:

After browsing around town, we stopped over to check out the quidditch tournament at Chestnut Hill College. Mom, Dad & Aunt Shana were getting a kick out of this spectacle. It was very interesting to watch these college kids play a game with broom sticks between their legs. Dad got a kick out of Villanova's dedication - they had very expensive uniforms, ran laps, held an extensive warm up/practice session & had rally chants. I'm not sure I'll be playing quidditch when I get to college - somehow I think these kids get made fun of a bit. Here's a photo from the tournament:

This is my reaction to the quidditch tournament when Mom asked how I enjoyed it:

Later that night Mom went to Tatum's bachelorette party in the city, while Dad & I ventured out to Uncle Jon & Ann Marie's Halloween party. The apartment was decorated with lots of cobwebs & scary tidbits. Ann Marie had lots of Halloween inspired treats & cocktails - Dad's favorite was her candy corn rice krispie treats. Everyone had a great time - I of course slept during the party upstairs & didn't make a peep. I decided to give Dad the night off & let him enjoy the party. He checked on me every 15 minutes or so to make sure I was alright. Mom had a fabulous time & dressed up as her pre-baby self (she looked very pretty in her dress). She came back to the Uncle Jon's at 11:30PM. We left a little after 12PM & I slept until 1AM, which of course meant that Mommy was up with me most of the night. She didn't mind because she had most of the night off. I stayed up with her until 3:30AM & then Daddy took over until I fell asleep at 4:14AM. On Sunday, we stayed in, had a lazy day & prepared for Hurricane Sandy to arrive. Here's a picture of me catching up on logistic regression by doing a little reading with Dad:

All and all a pretty laid back day. Dad is going to be working from home tomorrow, since SEPTA has been shut down to prepare for the storm. Mom made sure all our flashlights are working, but Daddy doesn't think the storm will hit hard despite the hype. We're going to have to play Monday & Tuesday's activities by ear depending on what happens with Hurricane Sandy.

Adjusting to Life...

Tuesday Mom, Aunt Emily & I went to Mom & Baby yoga. I still wasn't ready to let Mommy fully enjoy class. I much preferred her holding me for the majority of class, but I did allow her to get a few poses in. Mom's pretty impressive with her yoga - she mastered some poses while holding me - I imagine that takes lots of strength & balance. After yoga I napped while Mom helped Aunt Emily shop for new pants at the King of Prussia mall. They shopped for a couple of hours while I snoozed & then decided to join a mommy meetup at Valley Forge park. We walked with 2 other babies - Finley (8 weeks) & Lucas (1 year). I slept the whole time. I got quite an impressive amount of sleep during the afternoon - 5 & 1/2 hours - WOW. On Wednesday, I got to hang out with Aunt Emily, while Mommy spent a few hours running errands and getting a massage. I thought it would be really nice to treat Mom to a massage after all her love and support this first month. While Mom was gone I went for a walk in Morris Arboretum with Aunt Emily & then she gave me a bath (my 1st bath in the big tub). Mom was so relaxed after her afternoon out & massage. She told me she even stopped at Starbucks for a pumpkin spice latte - sounds tasty. With Aunt Emily in Morris Arboretum:

Here's a funny note from today: This morning I felt a shooting pain & didn't know where it was coming from or what to do about it, so I did the only thing I knew would get Mom's attention to help: I furrowed my brow, turned bright red & let out a very loud scream. Mom came over & instantly started laughing. Apparently I shoved my pointer finger up my nostril & couldn't figure out how to get it out. Tonight I worked long & hard making a sign to send to Pop for his 50th birthday:

Pop said I am so smart - definitely Princeton material (Mom thinks maybe Stanford material - as long as I can figure out how to take my finger out of my nose once I've jammed it up there). Thursday & Friday were tough days for Mommy & I. All I wanted to do Thursday was nurse, so Mom fed me and changed me all day long. We didn't leave the house at all. All in all not such a bad day, but I think Mom was pretty tired by the time Dad got home from his team building activity at 10PM (after his conference his team went on a ghost hunt in Society Hill - maybe next time he can take me with him to catch ghosts). Friday was rough because all I wanted to do was eat again. When I wasn't eating, peeing or pooping, I was crying and screaming. Nap time wasn't in the cards for me today. Mom was pretty frustrated because we didn't get to go to Mommy Coffee hour or the 1PM hayride with the mom's group like she had planned. She tried really hard to get me to nap during the afternoon, but all I did was cry and scream. I was trying to tell her all I wanted to do was to keep eating, but she kept trying to get me to nap (I'll admit I was probably a bit overtired too) - Mom & I both ended up crying this afternoon. Mommy felt bad that she couldn't make me happy & I felt bad that I made her cry, but honestly Mom I just wanted food. We both finally took a 3 & 1/2 hour nap late afternoon & woke up when Daddy got home from work. Dad made us dinner & brought it to us in bed because of course I wanted to eat as soon as I woke up from my nap. I promise not to make Mommy cry again & she promises to adjust her expectations for our daily schedule. It's alright that we missed the hayride Mom - I probably wasn't going to remember it anyway. Fun weekend plans: preparing for Hurricane Sandy (grocery shopping), checking out Harry Potter weekend in Chestnut Hill & watching the quidditch tournament at Chestnut Hill College, hanging with Dad at Uncle Jon & Ann Marie's Halloween party while Mommy goes to Tatum's bachelorette party (I'm letting her go to dinner with the girls & promise to take the bottle from Dad) & possibly going to "Boo at the Zoo" on Sunday if the rain holds out.

1 Month Old

Earlier in the week, I got to meet my Aunt Emily at Uncle Jon & Ann Marie's dinner party. She has three boys at home in Rochester (my 3 cousins that I'm very excited to meet soon), so she was happy to give Mom a break & get me cozy in the Moby. Everyone had a great time at the pot luck dinner. Mom & I baked a Pumpkin Apple Brown Betty & served it in a hollowed out pumpkin - it was a hit! There were other kids at the dinner party, but I really didn't have a chance to meet them because I took a nap soon after we arrived. The next night we went out to dinner in Philly with Aunt Emily, Uncle Jon & Ann Marie. We went to Vargas - one of the restaurants Dad frequented when he moved to Philly before Mom & I arrived in June. I of course slept the majority of the time in the Moby. Everyone had a great time - then I needed a diaper change. This restaurant did not a have a large clean bathroom that I could be changed in, so Mommy changed me in our booth. She wasn't really keen on this idea, but I was screaming so loudly because of my wet diaper that I didn't really leave her any choice. In the middle of changing me, I pee'd & it went all over the booth & even squirted me in the face. Aunt Emily was just talking about how baby boys always squirt themselves in the face at least once - I guess she jinxed us because I ended up christening myself that night. Yesterday I celebrated being 1 month old with a trip to New Jersey. It was Pop's 50th birthday party & I was so excited to celebrate with him. Mom bought lots of decorations with "50" all over everything & grandma got yummy food and ice cream cake. Before the party started, Mom, Dad, Grandma, Pop, Aunt Shana & I took a trip to the Allenhurst Beach. The weather was gorgeous & the ocean crashing onto the sand reminded me of my Sleep Sheep (my favorite bedtime buddy). We took lots of pictures & then rushed home to meet family. Check out my shades:

Hanging with Pop celebrating his 50th

Mom, Dad & I at the beach

Unfortunately, all the excitement of the day meant I missed my afternoon nap. Boy, oh, boy did Mom & Dad learn that I need my afternoon naps. I was so excited to meet family & friends, but I was too tired to enjoy meeting them (& that meant Mommy didn't get a chance to enjoy the party either because she needed to nurse me all afternoon). Dad did get a chance to show me off & walk me around so everyone could get a peek, but then it was off for more nursing, diaper changes & failed attempts at getting in a late nap. Mom & Dad were thankful that the car ride home put me to sleep (Mom was keeping her fingers crossed that I wouldn't be up all night because I was over tired). Lucky for them I went to bed around 1AM & then slept for four hours (not my typical 6-7 hours per night, but at least everyone got some shut eye for a bit). Aunt Emily is staying with us until Thursday. She's helping Mom & Dad around the house. We brought her to music class this morning at the Conshohocken Library. This was my first music class & Mommy was really excited. She knows I'm too young to really enjoy the class, but it's a fun way for us to get out of the house for a bit. I did actually enjoy the singing and dancing. Mommy had me clapping my hands together & bouncing on her lap. I'm really looking forward to going back to music class when I get a little older & Mom can let me play with the instruments. Check out Mommy singing along at Music Class.

This afternoon I had my 1 month checkup at Dr. Berger's office. I'm becoming such a big boy - 9lbs. 14 oz & 21.75 inches long - 50th %le for both. The nurse came to give me my 2nd HEP B shot while I was nursing. Mommy tried to trick me & thought I wouldn't notice the massive needle stabbed into my leg if she kept nursing. It didn't work - one minute I was happily nursing and the next I had a sharp pain in my thigh. I gave Mom the evil eye and started to scream. Thankfully the pain subsided quickly & I could continue nursing. Other fun things this week: Mommy & Me yoga tomorrow, Harry Potter weekend in Chestnut Hill complete with a quidditch tournament & Uncle Jon's Halloween party