Saturday, August 16
Yarden has the undivided attention of both Daddy and Grammy today. Mommy has to continue the shoot and won't be home until late. Seamus and I decide to go out to lunch - it's such a rare treat to spend some down time together. We go to a barbeque place in LA (yum!) and enjoy lunch while Yarden naps in her stroller. When she wakes up she thinks that perhaps she is in heaven. What is that she sees on the ceiling? Not one fan, not two fans, but 12 - count 'em -- 12 fans!!! Good thing she is strapped into that stroller. Otherwise she'd be jumping around doing a jig. Sorry, I didn't get a picture of it.
Trading Spaces
Friday, August 15
Today is a busy day. Aliyah has invited Yarden and me to join her at a shooting location for "Trading Spaces." So first we drive Daddy to work and take his car up to Pepperdine University in Pasadena. We admire the ocean along the Pacific Coast Highway and marvel at how many surfers there are. Yarden thinks that maybe she'll be a surfer girl when she grows up, but then decides against it. She is much too fair skinned and would never tan properly. I sing some Beach Boys tunes to her anyhow.
Yarden is excited to see Mommy, so much so that she solves her constipation problem. Or maybe it was Grammy's freeway driving skills. So a desk in a vacant dorm room becomes a changing table.
Everyone is happy to see Yarden. Here is Paige Davis of Trading Spaces giving her some face time.
Yarden is quite unimpressed with all this equipment and celebrity. She needs her nap, and since Grammy forgot to bring the sling to carry her in, she sleeps in my arms. My right arm is now two inches longer than my left.
I'll try not to lay it on too thick, but I was very impressed with Aliyah's skills as a producer. She makes decisions quickly and clearly, she knows her business, and she has the respect of her coworkers. The Laks/Silversteins should be proud for having raised such a fine young lady.
We head back home and hope that we avoid too much rush hour traffic on the freeway. It really is quite different than driving in Simsbury, but I manage. I think I saw a bottle of Ketel One at the house, and it's starting to look really good to me once we put Yarden to bed.
Today is a busy day. Aliyah has invited Yarden and me to join her at a shooting location for "Trading Spaces." So first we drive Daddy to work and take his car up to Pepperdine University in Pasadena. We admire the ocean along the Pacific Coast Highway and marvel at how many surfers there are. Yarden thinks that maybe she'll be a surfer girl when she grows up, but then decides against it. She is much too fair skinned and would never tan properly. I sing some Beach Boys tunes to her anyhow.
Yarden is excited to see Mommy, so much so that she solves her constipation problem. Or maybe it was Grammy's freeway driving skills. So a desk in a vacant dorm room becomes a changing table.
Everyone is happy to see Yarden. Here is Paige Davis of Trading Spaces giving her some face time.
Yarden is quite unimpressed with all this equipment and celebrity. She needs her nap, and since Grammy forgot to bring the sling to carry her in, she sleeps in my arms. My right arm is now two inches longer than my left.
I'll try not to lay it on too thick, but I was very impressed with Aliyah's skills as a producer. She makes decisions quickly and clearly, she knows her business, and she has the respect of her coworkers. The Laks/Silversteins should be proud for having raised such a fine young lady.
We head back home and hope that we avoid too much rush hour traffic on the freeway. It really is quite different than driving in Simsbury, but I manage. I think I saw a bottle of Ketel One at the house, and it's starting to look really good to me once we put Yarden to bed.
Oso
If you had to call central casting in search of a junkyard dog, they would send Oso.
Seamus has already blogged about his background -- a rescue dog from the streets of Guatamala with irritable bowel problems. He has a torn ear, a scar on his nose, and six stitches in his side where a growth was recently removed. So it was with some trepidation that I approached this animal. (I know some of you will not believe that last sentence -- moi, who falls in love with almost anything with four feet and a tail). I decided to simply observe the dog's actions, especially around Yarden. And here's what I found out.
Oso is smart. He stays in the enclosed back yard all day. He doesn't bark. He follows the shade and digs holes to keep himself cool.
Oso is loyal and affectionate. He is allowed in the house when Seamus is home, and follows him everywhere. He seems to understand that Yarden is the priority in this house and doesn't try to take attention away from her.
Oso likes a routine. Seamus feeds him, walks him, and cleans up after him every morning and night.
Sometimes Seamus and Yarden find some time to catch up on their reading.
Oso is learning. A dog trainer has donated her time to work with Seamus and integrate Oso into their family life. He is learning to stay down. Perhaps soon he will learn that pushing out the screen in the bedroom window is not an acceptable form of egress. Use the door, please.
So my feelings after one week of life with Oso is to give this dog a chance. He is a survivor with a good personality and some stomach problems. In time I think he will win us all over. And he is still ugly.
Constipation
Thursday, August 14
It's been two days now. It makes her cranky. Aliyah says not to worry - this too shall pass. Babies on breast milk exclusively sometimes use up every bit of it and there is not much waste to be extruded. Still, I worry. Maybe I'll give her another squeeze before bedtime.
It's been two days now. It makes her cranky. Aliyah says not to worry - this too shall pass. Babies on breast milk exclusively sometimes use up every bit of it and there is not much waste to be extruded. Still, I worry. Maybe I'll give her another squeeze before bedtime.
A day at the beach
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13
After such a busy night last night, the kids are exhausted but Yarden and I are ready to tackle the day. We put on our Montauk t-shirts (doesn't it look great on her, Auntie Pat?) and head out to the back yard. It's hard to describe the sea of foam that is created as I hose down the sudsy towels from last night's washing machine disaster, so I'll ask Aliyah to help me post the video I took, when she gets a chance.
Meantime, here are some more photos of the girl (be sure to scroll down to previous posts)
Yarden's big smile
Aliyah insists she is not outgrowing her 0-3 month clothing, but Yarden and I know better. Give it up, Mommy, you can save those cute outfits for the next baby
The I Love Lucy Incident
Tuesday, August 12
Please don't tell Seamus and Aliyah I said this, but I think they multi-task too much. When they get home from work they do a thousand things. We have a nice dinner outside around 9:30, and they still have a thousand things to do.
At 10:30 PM, Seamus is trying to fix the freezer problem, which means he has to disassemble the entire freezer. Aliyah is on the computer still doing her job plus researching a thousand things to make life better for Yarden, plus pumping breast milk, plus preparing for tomorrow, etc. Multi-tasking.
Here's another little family secret to keep in mind for this story -- My beautiful daughter-in-law is a laundry freak. Everything - and I mean everything - must be washed and dried just so. In that regard, she has purchased a GALLON of special detergent to economically launder Yarden's cloth diapers. Two teaspoons will do an entire load.
So at 11:30 PM I head out to my little room at the back. I walk through the laundry area and James is there spreading towels all over the floor. "What happened" his mom asks. "The laundry detergent spilled" he replies. "Good luck" say I, "I think your wife will be upset." And off to bed I go.
James puts the detergent-soaked towels in a laundry basket. Then he takes the dog for a walk. Meanwhile, Aliyah sees the basket full of dirty towels and throws them in the washing machine. The exhausted woman falls into bed. Man and dog return and realize there is a problem. Are you getting the picture yet?
Lucy and Ethel did a great job of faking the scene of the overflowing washer. The real thing must have been a sight to behold.
When I figure out how to do it, I will post a video of Yarden and me hosing down the sudsy towels in the back yard.
Please don't tell Seamus and Aliyah I said this, but I think they multi-task too much. When they get home from work they do a thousand things. We have a nice dinner outside around 9:30, and they still have a thousand things to do.
At 10:30 PM, Seamus is trying to fix the freezer problem, which means he has to disassemble the entire freezer. Aliyah is on the computer still doing her job plus researching a thousand things to make life better for Yarden, plus pumping breast milk, plus preparing for tomorrow, etc. Multi-tasking.
Here's another little family secret to keep in mind for this story -- My beautiful daughter-in-law is a laundry freak. Everything - and I mean everything - must be washed and dried just so. In that regard, she has purchased a GALLON of special detergent to economically launder Yarden's cloth diapers. Two teaspoons will do an entire load.
So at 11:30 PM I head out to my little room at the back. I walk through the laundry area and James is there spreading towels all over the floor. "What happened" his mom asks. "The laundry detergent spilled" he replies. "Good luck" say I, "I think your wife will be upset." And off to bed I go.
James puts the detergent-soaked towels in a laundry basket. Then he takes the dog for a walk. Meanwhile, Aliyah sees the basket full of dirty towels and throws them in the washing machine. The exhausted woman falls into bed. Man and dog return and realize there is a problem. Are you getting the picture yet?
Lucy and Ethel did a great job of faking the scene of the overflowing washer. The real thing must have been a sight to behold.
When I figure out how to do it, I will post a video of Yarden and me hosing down the sudsy towels in the back yard.
Shots Fired
Tuesday, August 12
Yarden has a doctor's appointment this morning, so off we go en famille to the pediatrician's office. Yarden is 24 inches long and 13 lbs 10.5 oz of sheer delight. The lovely Dr. Shaheedy pronounces her hale and hardy at 12 weeks. And then the pediatrician produces a tray of three needles for immunizations. Ouch! Triple ouch! Yarden cries for about 10 seconds after each shot. Grammy has been permanently traumatized by the sound of that little girl's cry.
Yarden and I then went to Seamus' office so Daddy could show off his little girl. I wish I could have bottled the pride in James' face as he introduced Yarden to his coworkers. Many of them said that she looks like Daddy. We'll see how many people say "she looks like Mommy" when we visit Aliyah's office later in the week.
More to come about our eventful evening, plus photos I hope to post...
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