Balls!

Nathan and Papa have fun with "flying balls."

Nathan plays computer...

Sidney's 1 month visit

Today was Sidney's first month visit at the Doctor's. Growth is fine, and we are already at 10 lbs 4 oz!

Un allez-retour de reve

On the way to our friends house in San Rafael for a lovely dinner, Nathan spotted the Golden Gate bridge. "Bumble gate bridge" he would say. "In San Fran Kiko."

--

On the way home, he was very tired (we kept him out much too late) but he wouldn't sleep. I was sitting in the back seat of Alex's car, scrunched between the the two child seats, with my arm stretched over Nathan's chair so that my hand hung down near his right cheek.

He was very calm, very quiet, holding my finger tightly. Occasionally I would attempt to pull my finger away so I could move my arm and hopefully let him drift off to sleep, but he wouldn't let me take my hand away and would press it closer to his cheek.

It was fantastic.

"Alligator!"

Nathan, Sidney, Alex and I all went to the Academy of Science museum again this morning.

When he realized where we were going, he kept saying "alligator... alligator." They happen to have an amazing albino alligator there (I imagine Alex thinks it would make a nice purse).

We took him to the area where the alligators are, and he kept pointing off in the distance.

"Alligator!? Alligator?!" he continued.

We walked over to the elevators and apparently THAT is what he was interested in.

Corriendo con saco

Tom-bongo!

On the way to "Baby Loves disco" today, Nathan looked out the window and saw a little park with a slide ("tobogan" in French).

"Tom-bongo! Tom-bongo!" He cried, repeatedly.

Nathan and Papa at the museum... Opening day!!!

The California Academy of Sciense museum had its grand opening today. Because we are members Alex, Nathan, Sidney, Linda and Robert were able to go to a "sneak preview" during the week at 9A.

I wasn't able to go, so Nathan and I hit the grand opening ceremony and arrived just in time to watch them release about a hundred butterflies into the air and open the doors! What an event.

Inside, Nathan loved the museum -- the fish, the penguins, the snakes... especially the snakes.

It's a great resource and one that I am sure all of the kids (including me) in the family will enjoy!

Sidney and Maman

The mystery of Ovo

A few months ago, Nathan mysteriously started saying "Ovo!" at various times, apropos to nothing.

We didn't know what he meant until just recently... We have a few Baby Einstein videos, and one which Nathan likes the most is "I know my shapes!" In it, they sing songs about circles, triangles, ovals and squares.

Nathan has progressed to the point where he no longer needs to ask us for "ovo" now he plainly just says "Baby 'Shtein."

(Yes... "Ovo" might seem pretty obvious in retrospect, but we're only human)

Areu....

Sidney is definitely Nathan's younger brother... today Linda heard him say "areu" for the first time (which leads of course to areu, ageu, a-gli gli!).

Sidney's first bottle

At one day shy of being 4 weeks, Sidney accepted his first bottle, making Papa very happy.

Nathan and Papa at the manège

Nathan and I went on the merry-go-round today.  Apparently Nathan really likes the chicken... he choose it last week with his mom and again this week with me.

Too bad the "seat area" on the chicken is ... a little short ... and the extended seating area is ... a little bumpy ...

Vanessa!

Pretty much every week day, Ana (our nanny) takes Nathan to the park.  At the park, she meets up with several other nannies who all take care of kids about the same age.

Today as we walked to the park, one of Nathan's "weekday" friends and her mom was walking near us.  The little girl recognized Nathan and excitedly began saying his name!

Nathan turned, and recognized her, too.  So, I introduced myself to the mother and we had a nice chat.  According to her, it seems that her daughter talks about Nathan at her house as much as Nathan talks about her!

Telephone!

Tonight I pulled out my blackberry to send myself a reminder/note about some cute thing that Nathan did, and when he saw my phone he exclaimed,

"Telephone! Gonna call Janice call Max? Call Max?"

"Do you like it, Papa?"

Nathan got to try carrot/zucchini bread tonight for the first time.

"Do you like it, Nathan?" I asked.

"Yum" he replied. "Do you like it, Papa?"

There's some sugar there

My mom's game of finding some sugar somewhere on Nathan and tickling him or kissing him in that spot really struck a chord with Nathan and I, so I've also been doing it occassionally.

Earlier today while Skyping with my mom, Nathan walked over to the camera and stood right in front of me, pointed at the back of his neck, and stated simply "there's some sugar, there."

Much tickling and laughing ensued...

This looks familiar

Seeing Mommy and Baby snuggled up and sleeping together once is a once-in a lifetime feeling.

Seeing it twice is some kind of wonderful...

Nathan "poses" for a picture

Today at the park Nathan found a little stroller. He LOVES pushing strollers, so he put his nounourse in it and pushed it around.

I asked him if I could take a picture, and if he would stop and pose for me.

This is the first time that Nathan "posed" for a picture.

Oh boy! Milk, again!!!

Alex's birthday

Tonight, after an improptu party with Max, Lila and Tea at Janice's house, we had little celebration at home for Alex's birthday.

(Oh yeah... if you're wondering -- the woman behind that towering inferno of innumerable candles is my young bride, Alex)

Sidney et Mamie

Nathan and Maman at the manège

Nathan and Sidney, Alex, Max, Scott and I all went to the big park this morning.

Nathan decided that today not only did he want to go on the merry-go-round, he wanted to go with Maman.

He choose a poulet (also known in our household as either a pollo or a Cock-a-doodle-doo.)

Ou est le bouchon?

This morning at breakfast, Sidney started crying. Nathan looked at us all, and asked quite simply "ou est le bouchon?" (where is the cork?)

Doo dooo deeeee doo?

On the way home from the tienda (grocery store) Nathan saw our neighbor, Jack. Jack recently took up playing the recorder, and has played a few ditties for Nathan and I before.

"Doo dooo deee doo?" requested Nathan, pointing in Jack's door, towards the table where his recorders sit.

Not one to disappoint, Jack played a little tune for Nathan while Nathan danced with joy.

Comfy comfy

Papy et Sidney

Sidney is almost as big as Robert's big hands...

I used to fit in this thing...?

Nathan at the Discovery museum

See Nathan?
See Nathan splash.
Splash splash splash.
Nathan loves to splash.

That's one reason he loves the Discovery museum, and was excited all morning when we told him we were going. "Musee de l'eau!" he would shout. Fun stuff.

Nathan discovers "the fall"

When I was a kid back in Illinois, I used to LOVE running through piles of leaves. I'm sure I enjoyed it more than the people who had carefully raked the pile of leaves together...

Our California version of "fall" is not quite as profound as those we experienced in Illinois, but Nathan seems to have picked up a shared love of running through leaves.

Nathan loves cadeaux

C'est "fantstic!"

Mange pas fruta...

Tonight, Nathan learned that baby Sidney doesn't get to do a lot of the neat things that Nathan does.

Like eat pasta ("panzani!"), ice cream, or pano.

We were sure that Nathan understood us when all of a sudden he exclaimed, "bebe mange pas fruta!"

SF Gym

Miraculously, we were able to make it (late) to the Littlebug class at SF Gymnastics. Nathan was overwhelmed by all the activities but had fun climbing, jumping and crawling.

8 lbs...

Sidney is up to 8 lbs today. Must be that good triple-creme French milk that his mother produces...

Robert takes us to the Spinnaker

Robert took us to his favorite restaurant, the Spinnaker. It was a gorgeous day. Nathan discovered ketchup ("sauce tomate") and coconut pineapple ice cream.

What a day!

"I lub you"

Quite often, when Nathan and I are playing and having a fun time together, I'll quietly whisper to him and sort of interrupt our playing.

"Nathan, do you know what?" I'll say.

Usually he stops and looks at me... waiting for me to finish. "I love you" I say, and give him a big hug and a kiss. He will let out a big smile and then go right back on with whatever he was doing before.

Recently however when I (or Alex) prompt him, he'll respond quite quickly, "I lub you!"

Other times, (usually when he's asking for something) he'll voluntarily say "I lub you?" as if it were some sort of magic key to unlock our hearts and make us do his bidding...

(Let's not tell him he's right!)

Sidney's Brit Milah

8 days after Sidney was born we held a Brit Milah ceremony at our house with family and friends attending. Rabbi Chanan Feld joined us to officiate. The weather was fantastic so we were able to host it in our backyard.










It was great to have an occasion to have everyone gather in order to celebrate.

Sidney made it through the ceremony well... and even came down to the backyard for a few minutes to "meet the guests" before retiring to his room for a loooong nap.

Back to birth weight!

When Sidney arrived he was 6lb 15oz. After shedding 10oz of pure meconium bliss, he left the hospital last Friday at 6lb 5oz.

He had his first doctors appointment today and apparently he has been eating very well - he is already back up to his birth weight (from 6-15 to 6-5 to 6-15 in one week!).

(I think it has to be some sort of record!)

Nathan kissing Sidney

When Nathan is not throwing trucks or trying to pinch or scratch us, he's a real sweetheart.

Maman makes a comparison...

Corriendo