Suck It!

Baby O has been doing many magical things the last week of so--commando crawling, laughing at peek-a-boo, babbling and picking up new sounds. She also has begun the not so magical activity of sucking her arm. You see she has been teething something awful and despite our attempts to provide her with other objects on which to exercise her little baby gums--the mini bagel, the frozen teething ring--Baby O will not be moved and continues to suck her own little fleshy drumstick. M and I find this all incredibly disturbing. Is this because she is causing herself pain? Yes. Is it because the result of this activity is the presence of little baby hickies up her forearm? Yes. It is because these hickies look awful and we worry what our daycare providers will think? Possibly. What are we to do? Baby O knows we don't like it. Each time I ask her to stop, she does for about a second, looks up at me and then smiles and begins again. As I mentioned we have tried to no avail to redirect her sucking. Suggestions are, of course, welcome. She is beginning to look, as Michael Kors would say, slutty, slutty, slutty.

Can I get a cleanup on aisle nine?

For me summer ended today and so I must get "back to school" and back to the blog. And so, here it goes . . .having returned from all summer vacays and required appearances, and having confirmed that lil Baby O is up for pretty much anything and finding ourselves all at home together this past weekend, we managed to pack the last two days with activity.

Friday night found us at a local summer Catholic parish festival. Until I moved here three years ago, I was unfamiliar with such an event but here in the Nati they take their church festivals very seriously. There is a festival every weekend from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and they are such a big deal that each fall there is a summit during which the parishes hash out who takes which weekend for their festival. You see there can be no two festival the same weekend because how would we be able to decide which one to attend? So what is a parish festival, you ask? Well basically it is like your PTA-sponsored school carnival--a few rides, games, dunking machine, food stands that include funnel cake (delicious), "walking tacos"(that's taco fixins in a bag of Fritos), soft serve; and tweens as far as the eye can see. The only major difference from the parish festival and the school carnival of my youth is the amount of drinking (so much beer) and gambling, serious gambling. Seriously, there was not only a the festival hall full of the "bid and buy" (think silent auction) but there was an outdoor tent which housed a hopping casino. It was out of hand. Baby O, in attendance with her BFF Lil S and her parents, A and C, had a fantastic time watching all the other kids and trying to figure out where all these people came from. I enjoyed the funnel cake.

On Saturday O hit the courts and watched her first professional tennis match when we traveled out to the ATP Tournament. Mauresmo lost in the third set which, if you ask me, was full of bad calls. It was incredibly sunny and the ladies in front of us were not happy about our talking during the match but O, Lil S and all the parents had a good time. It was adorable to watch A with Lil S. A, a good and avid player, is already hoping that Lil S will pick up the game in a few years. He spent most of the match explaining the intricacies to her. So cute! Me, I am hoping O will take up the guitar (I want her to rock) and maybe hit the pool.

But Sunday was the big day . . .O's first trip to the grocery store in which she got to ride in the cart and she loved it. She smiled at the cans of veggies and tried to grab everything in sight. M finally handed her a box of Jello pudding "to play with" during her ride. We ended up paying for it as O managed to gnaw the paint off the corner of the box. Responsible parenting, I know. O also managed to notice the gumball and toy machines. I see her working this down the line. Anyway, she was so tired that she had to take a juice break before leaving the store. All-in-all O had a kickin weekend. Next Saturday: the Zoo.

Miss Independent/ce

I know. I know. The excuses are too numerous to contemplate but go something like this: work, baby, baby, work, travel, blah, blah, blah. For me, the summer has just begun and thus I too, begin again, vowing to write more often and with more, shall we say, vigor.

SO, now I begin with the latest adventures of Baby O. O is now six months in age and in spirit. She woke up this week fortified (after having begun to experience the sheer pleasure of solid food--more about that later) and decided to start playing. I mean playing, for reals. She grabs her toys, dances with her little animals from her stash of "bath friends" and has started trying to "sweep" up the stripes off our carpet. She also loves the sight of other babies, particulary the ones in her babies and animals book from G, H and A. She is "talking" up a storm and is cooler than words. In all, she is, to borrow my dear friend, Aunt Bomb's, phase: pumped and awesome.

By the way the portrait above was taken by my friend, M, the photographer.

Say my name, say my name

I know. I know. It has been too freakin long. So much has happened. . . so much work, so many changes in Baby O. Since my last post O has started turning over (well, according to M she has because I haven't seen it. Every time I put her on her stomach she fusses. But both M and my mom swears she does it. So, there you go!).

Anyway, since the last time I wrote, O took her first trip to Philly--a much better flight than our trip to Houston. We had a fantastic time. It was so good to be "home" introducing O to lots of friends and many of our old haunts. We also went to see G/J, H and Lil A, who correctly summed up O's activities: "Baby O drinks milk from boobies." A is a hilarious and wise two year old.

O has also started laughing and is super smiley. Everyone asks, "what is she like?" And all I can think of is an email I received from my friend A, who is living in It'ly this year with his wife C and their little daughter, S (who is four months older than O and is O's soon to be BFF). Anyway, in the email A, when describing little S, simply said "S is just perfectly S." I think that about O. She is so many things and the only way to describe her is that she is perfectly herself.

Every day there is something new with O--some new skill she has mastered or some exciting thing she now does--and today brought us the realization that O know her name. She is now turning her head when called on, looking up at us with a big smile as if to say, "yes, I am O and I am right here." It is pretty freakin incredible.

I promise to be better and return to more regular correspondence and in the meantime, leave you with this recent photo of O taken by my friend, M, who is a photographer and took a few shots of O in my office. You will notice she has begun to grow hair like a champion and looks a hell of a lot like M.

PS: Happy belated birthday to my dearest GZ and to Lil HW. Can't wait to see you both in NYC for the big day.

Baby Momma's B Day

We just returned, exhausted and starving from Houston, and so I will report on our adventures in the next 24 hours. However, I couldn't let the evening pass without wishing M a very happy birthday. Along with December 27th, it is my favorite day of the year.

Also, I must give a early birthday shout outs to DDK who celebrates tomorrow. Cheers!

I'll bet the house

Seeing as how O is a Jew and I am a lapsed Episcopalian trying not to eat a lot of candy, we spent our Easter weekend practicing a new religion, "Bracketology." You see O and I are in deep in a serious, and potentially lucrative, NCAA Final Four pool. (I thought it is never too early to get O interested in gambling and hopefully she can win a little spending money in the process.) After kibitzing for several hours and reading extensive background on ESPN, O and I made our picks and ponied up our dough. So, after the first weekend, I am tied for first place, but am not that excited as I know it won't last. You see, every year is the same story. I am riding high after the first weekend, only to then fall apart during the "Sweet Sixteen." The Davidson upset killed O as she had Georgetown through to the finals and so she sits close to the bottom pool. But, she is a little trooper and is taking it fairly well.

Happy Birthday Mikey B!

Because he turns 40 today, Mikey B gets his own birthday post.
So . . . Happy Birthday, Mike! Wish we could be there to celebrate!
Lots of love,
M, C and O

"Don't wake me, I plan on sleeping in"

Here is O this morning after sleeping through the night for the first time. I am not counting the other evening where she went from midnight to seven because, on that day, she had decided that naps were for babies and so she was up from 10 a until midnight. But yesterday, she was back on her "normal schedule" and went to bed around 7:30, got up for a bite from the late-night bar menu (as she usually does) at 10:30 and then went back to bed until 6:30 am. (She even went back to bed after breakfast.) I love that kid! M and I, of course, woke up a few times, wondering "what the hell?"

There were so many owls down there, I could hardly believe it!

I have been meaning to post this for days. Orly is now enjoying making all kinds of noises. Her favorite and most accomplished sound is the "hoot hoot" she rocks from her crib. You can see that she also has the outfit to match.

Back to basics

The last two weeks have been a blur . . .the Ohio primary, Orly's shots (I cried), a visit from my mother (aka Susu) and the blizzard of '08. We actually got nearly a foot of snow and it made me excited for the years to come when we can take O sledding. M and flirted with bundling her up and taking her out in the backyard to look at the snow and document her first "blizzard," but, in the end it seemed too cold and we never made it out of our PJs.

What has not been a blur is O. She is growing so fast. Last night in the bath she was practically sitting up all by herself. She has also begun to more acutely experience and enjoy the world around her--her pure delight in story time and the pleasure that sucking her thumb brings. Yesterday she was alternating thumbs. Good times!

O is also a playa'. She knows already how to get your attention with tears and melt your heart with her gummy, gummy smile. When my mom was visiting she would be fussing about something (food or diaper) and then see my mom come in the room, turn her head and smile at her Susu and then return to fussing at me or M. She already knows who is going to buy her the pony and the Barbie dream house! But as H reminded me in an email the other day, "don't hate the playa', hate the game." So, play on little playa. Play on.

I'm gonna party like it's my birthday

Orly is two months old today. She spent the day kickin it in her gym. Adorable!

THE DAY AFTER: WTF?

Tilda Swinton??? Clearly Kate, Ruby and the chick from GONE BABY GONE split the vote. She is this year's Marissa Tomei!

More to come . . .

O' Holy Night

Tonight, for me, is the holiest night of the year--The Oscars. With the writers strike and O I have not been as pumped about the ceremony as I usually am. But, realizing that today's was O's first Oscar ceremony, I felt the need demonstrate the importance of the event and get back in the game. So, O and spent the afternoon kibitzing about the nominees and have marked our ballot. Orly and I have made our picks based on we think will win, not necessarily who should win

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLL:
Winner: Daniel Day Lewis, THERE WILL BE BLOOD
I haven't seen THERE WILL BE BLOOD but I hear good things. However, the people love their Clooney and he was great in MICHAEL CLAYTON. The dark horse, I suppose, is seven-time nominee Johnny Depp (and my sentimental fave) for SWEENEY TODD.

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLL:
Winner: Julie Christie, AWAY FROM HER.
The critics love Christie and there is no real commercial choice. Ellen Page is too young to win in this category and I don't think not enough people saw LA VIE EN ROSE. Marie Cotillard could pull it out. I hope not.

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLL:
Winner: Javier Bardeem, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
Bardeem was fantastic and has the momentum going into tonight. The only possible spoiler is Hal Holbrook, INTO THE WILD, who could pick up the Jack Palance Oscar

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLL
Winner: Cate Blanchett, I AM NOT THERE
Cate Blanchett was awesome in this Dylan fantasia and will not win for ELIZABETH. Also, a vote for Blanchett in this role is a vote for her cast mate Heath Ledger. The only possible spoiler is Ruby Dee for AMERICAN GANGSTER. Like Holbrook she could also claim the Jack Palance Oscar tonight.

WRITING, ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Winner: Juno
This is the one big award that this year's LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE will win.

WRITING, ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
WINNER: PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON THERE WILL BE BLOOD
Like in the directing category this is a toss up between Paul Thomas Anderson and the Brothers Coen (I am a huge fan of both the Coens and PT). I am thinking screenplay to Anderson and directing to Ethan and Joel.

DIRECTING
Winner: JOEL AND ETHAN COHEN, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
Great movie. Great filmmakers. They have the edge and the hearts of the Academy.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Winner: RATATOUILLE
Hands down winner. Enough said!

BEST PICTURE
Winner: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
It has the momentum and is a fine film. Plus, more people saw it then saw THERE WILL BE BLOOD and MICHAEL CLAYTON might not be considered serious enough.

Look for my recap of tonight's festivities in a few days. Enjoy! O and I will.

Bitches get stuff done

The lovely and hilarious Tina Fey hosted Saturday Night Live last night. I, of course, watched it on DVR this morning as I have a eight week old baby. Anyway, the first forty minutes were pretty funny, especially the opening spoof of the CNN debate. I also thoroughly enjoyed Tina's "Women's News" segment, especially her endorsement of Hillary Clinton. Brilliant!

Keep Smiling, Keep Shinning

This weekend brought nothing but goodness. First, there was dear H who came for a much anticipated visit. It was so great to have her here. She, of course, was adorable and super helpful with O but it was just lovely to spend time talking and chilling with such a fantastic and hilarious friend. We are counting the days until we go visit H, G/J and lil A in April.

Thanks to unseasonably warm weather there was also brunch at our favorite café. This was our first meal out since O was born and O first meal in a restaurant ever. It was fantastic and easy. O was incredibly well behaved and it was so great to be out and about.

Then, there were baby smiles. Last night O began smiling back at us. There is nothing more adorable than her little toothless smile. Seriously, she can have whatever she wants. I’m going out and getting her a pony tomorrow.

Finally, there was O spending her first night in her own room. Granted her bedroom door is two feet from ours, but it was a big step—much more for us than for her. She was a champ and slept as well or better than when she was in with us. We only checked on her twice. It was kind of fantastic. Our girl is growing up.

Clinton '08

So, I wrote this whole long post about why I am voting for Hillary Clinton in the Ohio primary on March 4, but it sounded ridiculous and crazy. My reasons were completely valid but the execution just wasn't happening and I needed to move on. If you want to know why I am supporting Clinton, just read Gloria Steinem's Op Ed piece from the Times, she says it better than I ever could. Amen!

Every day the 14th!

Orly wishes you all a Happy Valentine's Day.

Forever in Blue Jeans

Today Orly wore her first pair of jeans along with a beautiful sweater made by her Aunt Abby. Classic!

Clear Nose, Full Diaper, Can't Lose!

Yesterday was a gift. A few inches of snow and lots of freezing rain meant I got to stay home with M and O. We hung out all day in our pajamas and took care of mundane chores that we had failed to complete the previous weekend. It was fantastic. I have always loved the snow day--the unexpected and guilt-free day off. But, yesterday, I felt the gift of time like never before.

O had experienced a rough 24 hours prior to our holiday and we spent the morning trying to rid her of a stuffy nose by applying the doctor recommended saline drops and squeezing out what was buried deep within her nasal passages. (M and I were both skeptical at first—it seemed like baby waterboarding but she was so stuffy that we went for it.) And, O hated it at first too, but then she soon realized that it actually helped and became completely compliant. She had this look on her face like "hey, this actually works. Go figure!" So cute!

PS: In my Friday Night Lights/Orly cross-promotion attempt, I found this online. I am ordering one for Orly today.

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose!

There is talk around the water cooler than NBC is threatening to pull the plug on, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, the greatest show currently on television. (Frankly, it is in like my top five of all time greatest shows and I am not alone). I am encouraging all my readers to go to Best Week Ever and sign a petition to keep FNL on the air. Go PANTHERS! Haven't ever seen FNL? You can watch episodes at NBC.com. Seriously, it is awesome.

I write the songs

M and I sing to Orly--not well, but we try. She likes it. M is cooler than I am and sings her Lucinda Williams. O's favorite: "The Night's Too Long."She likes hearing about Sylvia and a place called Beaumont. Maybe her Susu will take her to the "Golden Triangle" one day.

I am a dork and even though I listen to all kinds of music and a lot of it, I can only seem to remember the lyrics to power ballads and show tunes. My repertoire consists of "Johanna" (SWEENEY TODD), "Faithfully" by Journey (which Orly adores) and Manilow's "Mandy." I did also sing her "Desperado" which she hated. Frankly, who can blame her, but it is the one song I can play on the guitar and so I know the words. I also know the words to the theme from Ice Castles as it is the only song I can play on the piano. But I can't bring myself to utter the phrase "looking through the eyes of love."

I also sang O, up until a few days ago, what I thought was, my signature song, "Froggy/Froggie Went a-Courtin'." In my mind, (and I only knew four lines from the song, or what I thought was the song), it was an innocent little tune about Froggy/Froggie taking Miss Mousie on a date. Well, I was wrong. The other day I decided to look up the lyrics so as to spare O from the continous loop of the SAME four lines. I come to discover that Froggy/Froggie is locked and loaded, carrying a gun and sword with him when he rides over to propose to Miss Mousie. The song seems to take a trippy dark turn once he gets to Mousie's crib. After her Deliverance-like Uncle, Rat, agrees to the marriage, a wedding supper catered by various bugs and vermen plays out with Froggy/Froggie meeting his maker when he swallowed by a duck or some nonsense (at least in the Dylan version--wait, Dylan, I don't do Dylan. M does Dylan. There are also versions by Elvis, Burl Ives and Springsteen. ) It is very trippy--very Go Ask Alice. There is also something about cornbread.

Needless to say, I need some new material. Any requests?

Orly Pics

Here is the latest Orly album!

It's all takin' and no givin'

Yesterday marked the beginning of a new chapter . . .my return to full time employment post baby. Maybe it was the cold I am fighting off, the lack of sleep, the fact that my cell phone mysteriously quit working after only two months and I had to find time during the day to haul my ass out to the cell phone store (god forbid Verizon has a location DOWNTOWN) or that things at the office are in their usual "dramatic/Chicken Little state," that made me less than pumped and awesome to drive down the hill and into my office. Maybe it was also that I missed my kid. (I did show some self control and only checked her Picassa album twice during the day.)

It isn't that I want to stay at home with her full time (God knows), it is just that I didn't want things to change so drastically with the shrill whelp of the alarm clock. It is just that would have prefered to "work up to it" a bit more that I was able to do.

Anyway, I will survive and today has been a bit better. Maybe it was the fact that O slept like a champ last night which meant her mother and I got a few extra winks. It is, really, at this point, all I can ask for.

Happy Birthday to Me

How time flies. Orly is one month old today. She continues to be pumped and awesome.

"Can I check under your hood?"

Here, Orly rocks her "Bunco" attendant uniform. I couldn't resist!

Fashion Plate

Orly has been packing on the ounces over the last ten days an so, I had to pack away her "newborn" clothes, most of which she barely wore. With the exception of an adorable onesie from Anna, the newborn clothes were more utilitarian than fashionable. Outgrowing the newborn clothes, however, means that O is now stylin in her 0-3 month attire, much of which is fierce. Here, O demonstrates her gang signs in a hot outfit from Aunt Hester and Uncle Gianni and then proudly shows off her first hoodie. I am counting the days until she can wear the Dolly Parton onesie made for her by Aunt Gab.

Speaking of fashion, when is Ricky going to be "out" of Project Runway? His clothes are so not fierce.

"Are you going to blog about spilling coffee on the baby?"

One morning this week (I can't remember which one as every day right now feels like Sunday) I was enjoying some coffee while Orly and I were chilin and watching a Kathy Griffin standup concert on Bravo. I think she is hilarious. How could I not as her entire act is centers around celebrity gossip? Plus, she reminds me of one of my favorite people on the planet, JK Taylor. Anyway, Kathy was making fun of Paula Abdul, a worthy subject, and said something that made me do a spit take and send coffee flying onto Orly's head. Thank God the coffee was tepid and Orly didn't seem to mind. M didn't even seem that horrified and we eventually, like at 7 p cleaned the coffee stains from her head. I have noted this in the record books as my first, of what I am sure will be a long line, of reckless parenting moments.

Pics

Here's a link to Orly's latest photo album: Orly

I surrender!

Here's Orly in her favorite position, "I surrender!" She is also working on "I swear!" "crime scene" "Dracula a.k.a good evening" and "pin up."

Overdue

I have been trying to post for days but like a shower and a hot meal time to write has alluded me. So much has happened with Orly plus there is the not whole Britney/Dr. Phil showdown, presidential politics, yada yada yada.

First, the babe . . . Orly is doing well. She is sleeping in her bassinet at night waking to feed and get a fresh diaper. This happened once we got her in a cozy little sleep sack and gave her a pacifier. I know, we caved on Day 7 but it had to be done. She is very curious and alert and loves to suck her fingers/hands. She is currently asleep in her "Rainforest" bouncy seat (she's hip, ya know) or as I call it, her kiddie crack chair. Hence, my ability to write this quick post. M and I are hanging in, though we would kill for four straight hours of sleep. The whole breast feeding thing has been stressful but things seem to be on a up swing.

The only downer in my life at the moment is the WGA strike. It is really putting a cramp in my baby TV watching. Don't get me wrong, I support the writers. The producers are greedy bastards and need to cough up a deal. It's just not only are there no new episodes of any of my shows but the guests on Ellen really really suck. So, I am watching a lot of What No to Wear, Oprah and of course, am doing my lesbionic duty and watching the new season of The L Word. I have also been forced to watch Cashmere Mafia, so you know I am desperate. Oh, and the awards shows which I love, love, love are all getting canceled. Stop the madness.

Oh, no. The crack is wearing off. More later. Gotta Go.

No Sleep til Brooklyn

Before I get started a few shout outs of thanks.

In no particular order, much props and thanks to:

• Hester and Abby, for respectively talking me off the ledge last night. It meant more than you know.
  
• Carolyn, for driving in from Oxford bearing delicious food. Seriously, I need the recipe for the casserole.
  
• Kimberly, for the In Style and beer. By the way, Katie Holmes, who graces the cover, is not the sharpest pencil in the box.
• Stefanie, for coming over with even more provisions and a second boppy.
• Claire and SER, for being our heroes.
  
• Gianni, for the conversation and the enjoyment of his new blog, Food Boom. You have found your milieu, my friend.
• Gab, for the endless emails and good cheer.
• Hannah and Craig, for the sweet Brooklyn hoodie. You know how much I love the hoodie and now Orly has two. The first, which is equally as sweet, was from the lovely Jamie and was representin' the 191 (aka Philly).
• All my peeps for the calls and emails.
• And, Orly and M, for keeping me company.
  

As I write this Orly is asleep in her car seat. With the exception of five minutes here or there she has not been much for the being "put down." This means sleep has come in very short shifts and supply. It is a very strange sensation, the sleep deprivation. I feel completely punch drunk. And so, I am savoring this moment of quiet and free hands and hoping it will last a little while.

Otherwise, Orly is doing great and meeting all her marks (i.e. eating, peeing and pooping). Each day we seem to learn some thing new and hopefully understand her a little better. She is incredibly sweet and curious even for six days here on the outside.

I will post more pictures very soon.

PS On an unrelated note, Happy Birthday SER!