All I Want For Christmas...

... is my two front teeth!

Cheeeeeese!

That's right... the critter has been working very hard on cutting his two front teeth... he told me that's all he wants for Christmas this year! Well, he got that and a little more from Len and I (and Santa, too)! Santa made an extra-special trip to our house in Bel Air several days after Christmas, since we weren't home to celebrate with just our little family... he said it was OK since he had extra time on his hands after a very busy night on Christmas eve! Thanks, Santa!

We had a blast opening our stockings and presents as you can see in the pictures below! It was a blessed holiday season with our baby boy, Zachary... I can't wait for many more to come!!

The Goodman Festivus

Every year, since Len's Mom and Brother Dan both work in retail, we delay the family celebration and exchanging of gifts until after the big holiday return day when they can both afford to take some time off from the busy holiday retail grind! (I actually love that we have a few extra days for wrapping the gifts, and it seems to stretch out the holidays that much longer, which is a good thing in my book!) This year Dan was able to make it up from North Carolina on the Sunday after Christmas, so we celebrated with everyone on Monday evening. That makes 6 trips to NJ for us over the past several weeks, and marked our final one for 2008... whew! Len has put his foot down and declared a moratorium on New Jersey road trips for the entire month of January, so anyone wanting to see us (I mean Zachary, of course) will need to head to lovely MD.

We had such a nice time with everyone, opening gifts, playing with new toys and simply enjoying being all together again. (Zachary hadn't seen his Uncles Tim and Dan since the Outerbanks summer vacation, if you can believe it!) Here are all of the Goodman boys back together again - -

Zachary loved helping his Great Grandpa open some of his gifts... I think Grandpa loved it, too!

Despite his VERY runny nose, Zachary really seemed to be into everyone opening their gifts, including his own!

And, what would a Goodman family gathering be without a new installment of The Four Generations??? I just love this one!

The next morning, we all opened our stockings... Zachary just LOVED his musical card from Grandma and Poppie... he kept opening and closing it to play the music!

Playing with Grandma and all of his new toys was top on his list of good times over the holidays!

To round off the visit, we met at Red Lobster for dinner before making our final journey in 2008 back home to MD... good times! (Zachary just loves taking off Daddy's hat and wearing it himself!)

Merry, Merry Christmas!!

Well, another trip to the fabulous New Jersey is under our belts! That makes #5 since late-November... good thing the price of gas has come down so much! We just love traveling to see our family and friends, but I have to say the running back and forth is really starting to wear on us. We have one more trip planned for early next week, and then we're declaring minor travel restrictions on Route 95 North (except for work of course) in January! I don't think we're going to know what to do with ourselves in Maryland for more than 5 weekdays at a time... definitely some much needed rest and relaxation!
This last trip was sooo wonderful... I just love Christmas, especially celebrating it with all of our family around us. This year was definitely different than last year. If you do the math, last year, Zachary was only 22 days old, and I was still minorly recovering from my c-section. It's actually a bit of a blur for me, since sleep deprivation had taken over at this point last year. Thank goodness I have such beautiful pictures to keep my memory fresh and able to recall Zachary's first Christmas.


This year was so fun... Zachary "sort of" opened some of his packages, loving the paper and bows as much as the contents inside of them! To begin the festivities, we went to the Christmas Eve children's service at the Hamilton Square Presbyterian Church, where we watched Hailey sing with the choir. Afterward, we headed to Grandma and Poppie's for Christmas Eve dinner and to spend the night. Uncle Tim was home from Mo-town dub-v and Zachary was just so excited since it had been quite a while since they had seen one another. In fact, Uncle Tim was definitely the "chosen one" for the evening... Zachary just couldn't get enough of him!

The next morning we had a yummy Christmas brunch and Zachary play-time before heading out to Mom-Mom's for Christmas dinner. Zachary decided he would give Poppie an extra-special Christmas morning present, also... he said "Poppie" for the first time (and second and third and fourth time, too... he just kept saying it since we celebrated the first time so much)!! It was just adorable... it sounded like "Popppeeeeee" with a strong emphasis on the eee. Ya gotta love the critter!

A wonderful surprise that awaited us at Mom-Mom's house was Robyn was able to join us for a very special visit... we haven't seen her in quite a while, but she was able to make a very careful, hug/touch-free cameo. That was such a treat for all of us! Zachary also loved playing with everyone, especially his cousins Hailey and CJ... I just love watching them together!






It was a busy day full of TONS of great food, fantastic family and fun, fun, fun... definitely a very memorable 2nd Christmas with the most precious gift of all - our little boy, Zachary!

We would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with health, hope and happiness!!

A Precious Gift...

When I walked into Zachary's classroom yesterday to pick him up from daycare, there sitting in the highchair with his diaper bag was a beautifully wrapped gift. Much to my surprise the tag read: "To: Mommy and Daddy, Love: Zachary." I couldn't imagine what it could be... it was the FIRST gift Zachary has ever given Len and I together as his parents (besides being born, of course). Yes, that's right, I still have "firsts" to write about... I suppose I will have them to write about for many, many years to come. (I just love being a Mommy, can you tell?) Anyway, I packed the beautiful, delicate package in Zachary's bag very carefully, to take it home and open it together with Len.

Later that evening, once Len was home and we were all settled down, Len and I opened the package. Even before tearing the paper open, a wonderful scent was filling the air... cinnamon, we believe. As I slowly and carefully pulled away the paper, I saw the masterpiece - Zachary (with the help of his teachers Miss Theresa and Miss Brittany, I'm sure) made us an ornament for our tree.


On this ornament (which looked like a round gingerbread cookie) was his little, tiny handprint marked in white paint and an adorable poem attached to the back. It read:

"Sometimes you get discouraged

because I am so small

And always leave my fingerprints

On the furniture and walls

But every day I'm growing - -

I'll be grown some day

And all those tiny handprints

Will surely fade away

So here's a little handprint

Just so you can recall

Exactly how my fingers looked

When I was very small"

We just love Zachary's teachers in the Infant II classroom... they are so thoughtful, attentive to his needs and truly create a loving and fun environment for Zachary everyday. Here is the most recent class picture of the Infant II room with special teachers, Miss Theresa and Miss Brittany. This will be the last photo of these children together, as 3 of them will be graduating to the Infant III classroom right after the holidays. I'm so glad we have this to remember the crew.
PS - the pictures of the ornament and tree were taken with our NEW CAMERA! That's right, we are the proud new owners of the latest and greatest Canon Powershot Digital Elph! I'm armed and back in action!! Merry Christmas to us!

Zachary meets Santa... twice!

Today, I had the day off from work and took Zachary to our local mall to see Santa Claus. It was a miserable day out, cold and pouring rain, but I refused to let that hold me back (I really did not want to take him to the mall this weekend, as I'm sure it will be a complete mob scene). So, we got up and had our breakfast, got dressed in holiday-appropriate garb, and made our way to the mall (it felt more like we were rowing vs driving!).

When we arrived at Santa's special place in the middle of the mall, we found a sign indicating that he was taking a break and would not be back for almost an hour. So, we did some shopping (I'm actually almost done now if you can believe it) and people watching waiting for his much anticipated return. At about 15 minutes before he was due to be back, I thought it would be a good idea to find our place in line... best decision I made today! We were #2 in the line, which was about 25 deep by the time Santa made his appearance.

I have to tell you this was actually Zachary's SECOND visit to Santa... about a week ago, we took him to a larger mall to have his picture taken, which did not exactly go very well. Here is the result of today's visit... I'm so glad I went for round two... this picture and the overall experience made it totally worth it!

Just a little flavor of how round one went... though it was much nicer weather and both Len and I were there with Zachary, it was a very disappointing and incredibly frustrating experience. The line wasn't too bad, but the folks working there with Santa were less than pleasant (I'm actually being nice)... it was not exactly behavior you'd expect from Santa's elves (they must have been having a bad day or something). They only took two pictures, both of which Zachary was fussing and Santa was talking so his mouth was gaping open. When I looked that them, I asked if they could please take another with Santa smiling, and they flat our refused (which annoyed me because Zachary was sitting there all of about 45 seconds vs. the minutes that all of the children in front of us were given). Just because Zachary can't talk to Santa with real words doesn't mean he deserves any less time with the big man himself... you know what I mean?!? Anyway, I refused to pay for the package we asked for (we actually were getting the digital image instead of hard copy photos) and we walked out.

I thought that perhaps we'd go back to the end of the line and try again (I'm not exactly sure why since I'm sure they would be just as, if not more grumpy the second time), but then they ended the line as it was almost time for Santa's break. Oh well, no formal picture, though they allowed me to take one of Len putting Zachary on Santa's lap... he was very tentative, a little scared and even a bit curious looking at this big man in a red suit with lots of white hair.

In the hope of capturing a decent picture of the critter dressed in his cute snowflake sweater, I let Zachary walk around the decor they had outside of Santa's area and took some photos of him there. Here's the absolute WORST part of this whole experience... while I was snapping the shots of the little guy, he started to ease down as if to crawl, so I threw my hands under him before that could happen, since I'm sure the floor was completely covered with disgusting germs and dirt. In the process, I sacrificed our camera for the cleanliness and safety of the little critter... what I'm saying is I DROPPED it while the lens was open, and now it's totally broken and will not even turn on (or off, I guess). (sniff sniff) I'm in mourning as we speak and I'm even experiencing a bit of withdrawal symptoms, as so many Kodak moments are passing me by with no camera to capture them. Imagine my despair! :)

Here is the last ever photo taken with my beloved digital camera - rest in peace my dear Canon Elph PowerShot - I desperately miss you! And please don't think any less of me, as I totally plan on replacing you this weekend (if I can find the right deal on the right product). I'll always remember you and the THOUSANDS of moments you helped me capture over the past three years... beginning with our wedding/honeymoon and ending with our first born! Thanks for the memories!

Party for the Birthday Boy!

So, I must start this entry with the absolute realization I came to over the past two weeks that there are just NOT enough hours in the day, especially at this time of year. I can't believe it has taken me almost a week to post pictures from Zachary's big day - his first birthday party! We had such a nice time seeing our friends and family, eating tons of food, opening lots of really cool presents from everyone, singing Happy Birthday and eating the masterpiece of a cake that Len made specially for his baby boy! It was quite a busy day for the little critter and he was a champ throughout the entire, napless afternoon and evening!

I want to make extra special mention of the cake Len made for Zachary... we found it in an old cake making book Mom-Mom showed us (which by the way contained many of the cakes my Mother made for me as a child). We all agreed the teddy bear was perfect for our little birthday boy. After we decided on what the embellishments would be (and shopped in several stores before finding most of what we needed in one of those bulk candy stores) all that was left was to bake and decorate it. That was Len's department... he did such a beautiful job with it - - it was definitely a crowd pleaser!

Zachary finished off the night (after the guests were gone) with a MONSTER poopie... that birthday cake must have gone right through the poor little guy. You're probably wondering why the heck I am sharing this gross fact... I tell you because it actually required a bath in Mom-Mom's kitchen sink and I had to share the photos because they are just so darn cute!

Zachary was so funny the next morning when we brought him out into the living room where all of his new toys were strewn about the floor... he just couldn't decide where to begin as he surveyed all of his loot! I just love watching him discover all of the new sounds, games, colors and textures of all of his new toys - - thank you so much, everyone, for your generosity and kindness!!

Happy Birthday Mom-Mom!!

Zachary is sending out HUGE hugs and kisses to his Mom-Mom, who is having a big birthday today... guess which one?

Last weekend we hit the road again and headed north to NJ to celebrate (I think our car knows the way without us even steering it at this point). We took Mom-Mom out for a really nice dinner at the Jersey shore... we went to The Crab's Claw Inn, which is a place where we have been before for many, many years now. (I have to say, though, that I haven't been there in at least 15 [maybe even more] years... it was so cool to take a step back in time and enjoy the nostalgia of it all!)

We had good food, great company and tons of fun. We even had a beautiful ride home watching the snow fall (the roads were fine, but it stuck to everything else).



Happy 70th Birthday, Mom-Mom!!! (I know... the secret is out now!) We love you SOOOO much!!

Official 1-Year Stats...

Well, the official stats are in... Zachary had his 1-year well-visit with the doctor this afternoon and it went well. If nothing else, our little critter is consistent... his percentiles for height and weight are about the same as the last visit:

- Weight: 18 lbs 3 oz (4th percentile)
- Height: 28.5 inches (10th percentile)

The doctor was once again very pleased with the milestones he's achieved and thinks we have a very happy, healthy little boy. In fact, she commented specifically on how healthy he's been, especially with going to daycare. One thing she said that likely helped him with this is the nursing... I'm so happy I stuck with it and made it to 12 months (though I've been weaning him over the past few weeks). Her assessment made all of it (including the hassle of all the pumping) completely worth it!

We're just so grateful for our little boy and so pleased he's growing up so happy and healthy!

The Birthday Boy!

Zachary had a wonderful day today... Len and I both took the day off from work to spend with the birthday boy and we had a great time! We played this morning, then went and had his 1-year portrait taken this afternoon... I'll be able to publish the link to the pictures in about 10 days so you can all see them, but I think they came out nice!

When we got home, Zachary was zonked-out and asleep so Len and I grabbed a quick bite to eat. When he finally woke up, we continued the festivities with cake and presents! He wore his special 1st Birthday bib (thanks Mom-Mom), but wouldn't really have any part of the hat... it was so adorable!

He really seemed to love the cupcake... it was vanilla cake with vanilla icing. He especially liked the sprinkles as he picked up and ate them one at a time. It took forever for him to finish eating his first major sweet treat! I have to say, he was a relatively neat eater for a one-year old (even when he leaned down and tried to just lick the icing right off of the cupcake on his highchair tray)!! So cute!!

After a quick wardrobe change since he got some cake crumbs on his pj's, we moved on to presents! Zachary definitely loved his present, but I also think he loved the bow just as much!

It was just an awesome day and a memorable first birthday (at least for Len and I)!! I'm so glad we were all able to spend it together celebrating!! AND, we can't wait for the big birthday party in a week and a half... we're really looking forward to sharing in the fun and festivities with our family and friends in NJ!!

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY, ZACHARY!

It's amazing what a difference a year makes! Here is baby Zachary about 3 hours before he came out of Mommy's belly and joined us all in the outside world! On December 3, 2007 at exactly 7:31 am, Zachary Leonard Goodman was born... hallelujah! The world will never be the same and is an amazingly better place having our little critter be a part of it all!

This past year is unprecedented in terms of the love and happiness that fills my heart... I think Len and I are just about the luckiest parents on the face of the earth! Zachary is such an amazing gift and I can't even remember life without him. He makes me a better person, too! I think I even feel things more intensely since our baby boy blessed us.... I love more deeply and unconditionally, I laugh from the inside out so often, I cry more tears of happiness than sadness, and I live life to the fullest every day recognizing each sunrise and sunset as a gift! I'm simply dumbfounded at how another human being can bring such joy and fulfillment to me!!

Every month on the anniversary of his birth I share all of the milestones Zachary recently achieved and every month I continue to be amazed at how much he accomplishes. November is no different... in fact, I think it's his most dynamic month yet! Our little boy officially started walking!! I think that is the biggest news to share. He took his first unassisted steps back in mid-October (October 12th to be exact) and has been working very hard since then to perfect his stride. Though he will often revert to crawling for the sake of speed and confidence, many times he will take the opportunity to show off his "Frankenstein" walk (as I often refer to it). He holds his arms straight out in front of him and with stiff legs, will walk from person to person eagerly throwing himself into the open arms of whomever is coaxing him to walk toward them. It's just about the most adorable thing I've ever seen! And, Zachary is just so proud of himself every time he shows off his new skill!

Also, one of my other favorite Zachary-achievements was hearing him speak is second official word. (Da-Da or Daddy was his first real word spoken with purpose and meaning). His second (which just melts my heart) was "Kitty" or "Ditt-teee" as he pronounces it. This is especially meaningful for me given we very recently lost our beloved cat. Though Zachary hasn't said it for a couple of days now, I know when he did say it, he was very purposefully and meaningfully calling out to his bro, Kitty. In fact, the evening Kitty died, Zachary pointed to a stuffed animal I have that totally looks like Kitty and said "Dittee" with a big smile on his face. What an amazing little child... he is my comfort and peace!

Zachary is getting to be such a big boy, though we won't know his official stats until Friday when he has his 1-year well-visit with the doc. I can't wait to see how much he's grown. He's still a little peanut, but I can tell he's made great progress! As you can see in this picture of Zachary with his Daddy's little rocking chair from when he was a baby, we do need to roll up the bottom of his pants so he doesn't trip on them. (And we've been looking for suspenders to hold up his pants, too... size 12 month is still a tad roomy, but he's finally growing out of his size 6-9 month clothes! Believe it or not, he still can wear some of his size 9-month pieces but not for much longer... we're sure getting our money's worth out of his clothes!)

This past year has definitely been one of my favorite years that I've lived... I suspect they will probably only get better, too! Here are some of my most recent favorite things and moments with the little guy:

- his two little teeth that shine bright with every adorable smile he sports! (which is very often, by the way)

- watching him crawl around with the knob of a wooden puzzle piece in his mouth!

- when I'm getting him dressed and putting on his shirt, watching him find the armhole on his own and pushing his hands through the sleeve... he's just so cute and impressed with himself!

- when he's sitting in the car seat or just lounging somewhere, he bends his knees slightly and crosses his feet... he looks so comfortable!

- when he takes his pacifier out of his mouth and hands it to me as I lay him on the pillow to feed him (sometimes I'll put it in his mouth just so he'll take it out and hand it to me)... I crack up every time!

- when we're reading books, watching his eyes intently scan every inch of the page!

- when he lays his warm cheek on mine while he snuggles on my belly!

- his hearty full-belly laugh when Mommy and Daddy are being silly!

- PICKING HIM UP FROM DAYCARE and seeing his expression when he lays his eyes on me when I arrive!!

My baby Zachary is such a blessing... I am so grateful for him, and for every moment we have together! One year has passed, and we have lifetime ahead of us to anticipate and look forward to!! I love you, critter... thank you for being the light of my life!! HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY, ZACHARY!!