Look - No Hands!

Mommy and Daddy finally put together one of the cool gifts the Easter Bunny brought me this year... and I just love it! I feel like such a big boy when Daddy helps me stand in front of my Activity Walker and then takes his hands off of me, while Mommy holds the wheels so they don't roll forward. What's really funny is when, a few seconds later, I let go of the toy, throw my hands up in the air, and just fall back into Daddy's arms! It really makes me giggle... what fun!!

Goodnight, Grandma!

Len and I got a new phone that has a speakerphone feature... it makes for fun conversations with Zachary and his grandparents. He heard Mom-Mom's voice call out his name the other day, and his smiling reaction was just too precious... he couldn't understand why he could hear her but not see her! Tonight, we were on the phone with Grandma and it was the same thing. He just stared as he heard her talk to him! We decided to try something new and held the phone within his reach. Guess what he did?!? He leaned over and gave it a big kiss... it was just adorable! So, being the Mommy that I am, you know the camera was within arm's reach, so I grabbed it and snapped a shot to capture the moment! We've titled this picture, "Goodnight, Grandma! Love, Zachary!"

On another note, we had pears this morning (sans cereal), and it went much better than last night! It's a shame, because we were ready with the video camera to capture all of the funny faces he was making last night, and instead, it was just another day of eating food off of the spoon. Here are a couple of pictures I took before and after this morning's meal of pears...

Before:

Oh, no!!! Are you gonna make me eat those icky pears again today??

After:

Okay... that wasn't bad at all! I think I like pears now!

Ewwww - Pears!

So, one would think the name of this entry should be YUMMY Pears... well not with Zachary. We tried pears mixed in his cereal tonight, and he pretty much gagged with about every third spoonful! It was just so funny to watch all of the yucky faces he made as he took each bite. Even though it didn't seem to be his favorite thing, he did finish the entire bowl of cereal, though he protested a few times throughout the feeding. How adorable he was!! My intention was to introduce the flavor tonight (in the cereal since he's already used to that texture), and then give him straight pears tomorrow. We'll see how that goes... maybe we'll take a video of it. I'm sure that will be movie-worthy if it's as cute as he was tonight. I just love being Zachary's Mommy... even the littlest milestones with each new adventure totally make my day! (The picture above shows him so happy, probably because it was after we were all done and cleaned up!)

Our little peanut!

Well, once again, Zachary was a champ at the doctor! We had his 6-month well visit this afternoon, which meant 5 more vaccines (4 shots and 1 liquid). Len is the brave one (in addition to Zach) who holds the little guy while the doctor gives him the shots, so I was hopeful I'd get through the appointment without issue. Well, that all changed yesterday afternoon, when a CRAZY line of storms passed through Maryland and on east. Len's hotel lost power, which never came back on through the day. To ensure everything ran as smoothly as it could, Len stayed in Columbia last night. We were all hopeful the power would be restored by morning... but that wasn't the case. Instead, hour after hour, no power and therefore, no Len at home. Zach's appointment was at 3:45, and when I last spoke with Len earlier in the afternoon, they were still in the sticky heat with no power at all. What did that mean? Well, it meant that I would be taking Zachary to his 6-month appointment alone! Oh my goodness... I was going to have to be the one to hold him for the shots. I spent all afternoon psyching myself up for the moment.

So, at approximately 3:10, I headed out to pick up the little guy from daycare and make our way to the doctor's office. As we sat in the waiting room, I was mentally preparing and reassuring myself that we both would be okay. "Zachary Goodman," they called, and back we went to get all of his measurements. I'll get to those in a moment, but first I'll finish the story... the nurse took his weight and head circumference and led us back to the examination room to get his height. After she left, there Zach and I sat waiting for the doctor to come in. There was a knock on the door and as it opened, it was as if the light of heaven was shining down upon us... hallelujah! DADDY WAS HERE! The power had been restored and Len and his team got everything back up and running, then he hurriedly hopped in the car drove north to try and surprise us at the appointment. Thank goodness they were running a little behind, or he may have missed it... this is truly the one time I was actually grateful to have to wait to be seen!!

The doctor then came in and we proceeded through the motions of the check up. I had my list of questions and pen in hand to take all of my notes, as usual. (For those who know me well, a real shocker, right?) We were very pleased to hear the little guy is doing just great!!! She continues to be very impressed with his physical strength, control of motion, interactiveness, and general progress against typical milestones. Zachary did very well with the shots again (though not as great as last time). He cried a little bit throughout the series, but as soon as I scooped him into my arms (to comfort BOTH of us), he immediately stopped crying and just buried his head in my shoulder and wrapped his arms around me... I know I felt better right at that moment, and I think he did, too! There is one little watch item for us... our little peanut is truly a little peanut! His weight is a bit low, even though he eats like a champ. Nothing critical, but we'll be taking him back next month for another weigh-in to be sure he continues to gain. Here are his official 6-month stats:

Height: 25 1/4 inches (15th percentile)
Weight: 14 lbs 10 oz (5-10th percentile)

All in all, a very good trip to the doctor with a very happy ending! Thanks, Daddy, for working so hard to make it there in time to be with us!!

Happy Half Birthday, Zachary!

Today, Zachary turned 6 months old! It was probably just like most other weekdays for Zach... but for me, it was a day to reflect on how incredibly blessed I am! I have a wonderfully incredible husband, and the MOST AMAZING son... I really couldn't ask for more! Today it felt harder than usual walking out the door to leave for work, knowing my two favorite guys were upstairs cuddling and snoozing without me. It's just amazing to me how one little creature can fill you with such an overwhelming love!

Zachary's 6-month visit to the doctor is not until Thursday, so I'll update everyone on his official stats after the appointment. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that is goes as smoothly as the last check-up... more shots this time so wish us luck!

Here are a couple of pictures I took this evening... he was a very tired little boy when I picked him up from day care. He still does not have the greatest sleep patterns when he's there, but at least he's giving Mommy and Daddy the opportunity to sleep the night through these days! Woo hoo! Though it's not new, one of his favorite tricks lately is to grab his feet... and now he chews on his toes, too... I guess anything will help those teething gums (poor little guy)!!

6-Month Portrait- Take One!

Today, Len and I set out with high hopes of capturing the perfect photo to commemorate Zachary's 1/2 Birthday! Instead of going to the mall and having a formal portrait done, we thought it would be fun to take Zachary somewhere outdoors for the perfect photo opp! Well, several factors worked against us today, even though we had a blast trying to capture the perfect smile...

First, the sun did not cooperate, even though the weatherman told us it would be a beautiful, sunny afternoon. Second, Zachary decided he needed an unexpected nap at the last minute (we thought it would be best to capture him in good humor afterward), so we did not even get started until almost supper time. Third, however unusual it sounds, we struggled with getting the little man to flash us his usual smile. Instead, he had this intense, inquisitive look on his face almost the whole time. I have to say, it was just hysterical... it's like he was taunting us on purpose, just to see what crazy moves, sounds and routines Len and I would actually do to try and coax out a smile from him. Len and I had a great time, and I'm sure Zach did too, but we were not successful in capturing his official 6-month portrait. We plan to try again sometime this week, weather permitting, of course! : )

We did have an exciting first today, after we gave up on the pictures... Instead of going home, we decided to take a walk on the grounds of our local library, where there is a beautiful fountain, pond and small boardwalk. We had the stroller in the back of the car, so we thought it would be best to push Zach instead of carrying him. Well, to make a long story short, we put him in the stroller WITHOUT the car seat. Our little peanut had an official big-boy moment today... he looks so small sitting in the stroller, but he seemed to be quite comfortable and happy to have a new view of things while riding along!

They just grow up so fast, I'm afraid to blink for fear I'll miss something. Our time with Zachary (especially on the weekends) is just so precious, since Len and I both work during the week. I cherish every moment (awake or asleep) when I can just soak him up!

Here are more of the pictures from the whole experience - -

Haa Haa - - check me out! Maybe I'll look this way... or maybe I'll try and touch this nice soft branch behind me... or maybe I'll just crack up at those two clowns trying to make me smile nice... what fun!

You guys are just nuts and I'm totally loving hamming it up for the camera! Now can we please go home so I can have some cereal? That's serious business and I'm hungry!

Happy Memorial Day! - continued

OK, so I know I promised to continue the Memorial Day post on Tuesday, and it is now Thursday... it's been a very busy week with work for both Len and I. Our evenings have pretty much consisted of playing a bit with Zachary, feeding him (both cereal and nursing), bathing him, putting him down for the night, getting everything washed and ready for another week day routine, and rounding off the night with some work-related stuff. But, even though a few more days have passed, the memories of our NJ road trip are still just as fresh - it was such a great weekend! So, I started below with Saturday - - now let's move into Sunday.

We spent the night at Mom-Mom's house (as you see above, the little man passed out after a very busy, fun-filled Saturday). He pretty much slept soundly the entire night, with a minor stir here and there, and woke up early Sunday morning bright-eyed and bushy-tailed! Zachary continues to be a morning-boy... always so cheerful, vocal and adorable. Mom-Mom took full advantage of his lovable humor and had some special cuddle time (just the two of them), while Mommy and Daddy began to get ready and pack up to move on to Grandma and Poppie's house.

Upon our arrival in Bordentown (just a couple of miles down the highway), we all sat down and had a very nice breakfast - my favorite corn pancakes! Yummy! For some reason, I keep finding these excuses to "not worry" about the calories - it was Memorial Day weekend, of course... hee hee! Zachary had fallen asleep in the car on the way over (he usually takes a mid-morning nap) so we all were able to eat our breakfast like normal adults... though, I must say, I think Grandma was very bummed she couldn't just scoop him right up when we walked in the door. Zachary woke up as we finished breakfast, so she was happily able to make up for lost time!!

After we cleaned up, Len's cousin Bobbi and her three kids stopped by to meet Zachary. We also had the chance to meet her newest addition - Cheyenne - what a beautiful little girl. She's three days younger than Zachary, but I think practically twice his size. I exaggerate a bit, I guess, but he's still such a little peanut. We had a very nice visit, though Zach had to retire upstairs for a feeding and another nap while they were all there. Hopefully, we'll have more play-time during the next visit.

As the afternoon progressed, Great-Grandpa arrived as we were planning an early supper - another fantastic cookout! Before dinner, we took advantage of the beautiful weather, and sat out on the deck for quite a while. Zachary was loving the fresh air and of course, all of the attention! We even found a perfect photo opportunity, and captured the next version of our 4-Generations pose! Good times, Len would say!

After a late-night fire in the fire-pit out on the deck, and a quick visit from Mom-Mom, Len and I headed back to Bel Air... we actually didn't arrive home technically until Monday (about 1:30 am). Zachary had been asleep since much earlier, so when we unloaded the car, he awakened. That was the first time I had to nurse him late-night in quite awhile, but I didn't mind at all since we were already up.

Monday was a total lazy day for us... I slept in with Zachary in our bed, and truly enjoyed that opportunity!! We played in the afternoon, and just enjoyed one another as we closed out the long weekend. Here are a few pictures from Monday...

(Aunt Robyn and Uncle Bobby - did you notice the tee shirt?? He wears it well, though I'm not sure his Daddy agrees! It's perfect for his yoga routine, too, as seen above!)

Happy Memorial Day!

There were so many great times had and fabulous photo opportunities this weekend, I don't even know where to begin this entry!! We took another one of our much loved road trips to NJ to visit the family and we all just had the best time! I'll break it down by day to share all of the unforgettable moments from the visit...

It all began Saturday, when we arrived at Mom-Mom's house... we started with a quiet lunch and play time with Zachary, awaiting everyone's arrival. Once the troops started to roll in, the energy definitely picked up, and the festivities really began.

Hailey and CJ just couldn't wait to see and play with Zachary... he's so lucky to have cousins that love him so much (and it's very obvious that he loves them right back, based on how he lights up every time he sees them)!!

Aunt Lynne brought over one of Hailey and CJ's old "jumper thingies" (from when they were babies) to keep at Mom-Mom's house, and boy did Zachary love it! It's like a 'swing on a spring' that you hang in a doorway. He was just so cute bouncing up and down... perfect for his little legs that are always kicking and jumping!

After the Goodmans arrived and got some love and kisses from the little guy (Grandma, Poppie and Great-Grandpa came to share in all the fun and food), we fired up the grill and had a wonderful picnic (though it was a bit too chilly to eat on the patio). After dinner, Len and I broke out our most recent favorite yard game - Baggo... it was a real hit! Zachary really enjoyed watching everyone have so much fun... he was very much into the competition and excitement (just like his Daddy)!

After the sun went down, it was time to feed Zachary his cereal (the first time everyone got to see it live and in person). Hailey even helped and gave him a few spoonfuls! Needless to say, Zachary was just POOPED after such a fun-filled and exciting day! THANK-YOU, Mom-Mom, for working so hard and making it such a nice day for all of us!!

(There is so much more to add... Sunday at the Goodmans and Monday at home were equally fun! But, it's late Monday night and I need to get everything ready for back-to-work tomorrow, so I'll continue editing this entry tomorrow night after Zachary goes to bed. Stay tuned!!)

Before and After...

Zachary dressed and waiting for his breakfast... (BEFORE)

Zachary AFTER finishing his breakfast... (I guess he's satisfied!)