Passport Photo, Take 2

So the Hudson County Passport Services office took a picture of Daniel (see previous post) which was rejected by the government (lovely news seeing as though we're leaving for Mexico in a few weeks) so we went to our local photo place for new photos.

OMG. Can these be any f-ing cuter??? I think he looks like a British punk rocker but Matt thinks he looks more like an Irish Mobster, so I used the sepia tone finish on the photo below to really bring out the mobster in him.

This kid is going places, I tell you!

A Couple of Cute Videos

Even though Daniel isn't napping, he's still one happy baby. These videos from today are just too good! I love that he is finally letting us capture his smiles on camera. Now if he would just laugh while the camera is on or rolling!!

Napping Strike

Dear Daniel,

You've decided to go on an in-home napping strike. This means that you no longer nap for more than 30 minutes in your crib and getting you to sleep requires way too much crying on your part. The only way you sleep for more than 30 minutes is in the stroller (lucky for you we're having some amazingly warm weather for mid-November).

As your loving mother, I BEG you to stop striking and start sleeping. Sleeping makes you a much happier baby and makes us much happier parents.

Love,
Mommy

4 Months Old, Laughing and Rolling Over!

My, oh, my! 4 months, already!?


We celebrated Daniel's 4 months birthday while in Hanover, Mass visiting some of Matt's oldest and dearest friends. Think of a quaint and lovely 4 bedroom home in which all rooms are normally occupied by family members.. and then imagine 12 people (6 adults, 6 kids/babies) there for a weekend. Yes, that's how we celebrated (and it was incredible! Thank you again to the Dannison family)!

Ross Dannison was born about 3 weeks after Daniel and we've been counting down the days until the 2 meet. It was probably the cutest meeting ever. There was a lot of babbling and rolling on top of each other all weekend long. They were a little like old men in the night when they would wake each other up and then complain about it.

While we were there, Daniel started laughing. Real, legit laughing (unlike the previous post when he laughed once and my mother had to convince me that it was, in fact, a laugh). It's the most beautiful sound in the whole world!

He also rolled over from his belly to his back during his normal, everyday protest to tummy time. The great thing is that I was taking pictures for his 4 month birthday pics while this turning over was happening (I obviously stopped taking pictures once I realized he was going to roll over):


He had his 4 month check up today and he is rockin'. He weighs about 14 1/2 pounds and is 25 1/2" tall. He is definitely the cutest baby the pediatrician has ever seen and he had a blast with the protective paper on the exam table (long video but damn cute).



All I can say is how amazing it is to fall deeper and deeper in love every day. I didn't know I could possibly love this much!

Happy (belated) birthday, my baby!

I Got My Husband Back

The past 14 hours have been heavenly. While it's unfortunate that Jon Corzine lost the gubernatorial election that Matt has been working on for the last 2-3 months, the fact that I am no longer a temporary single mom is the best thing in the world. You see, Matt has been working from 9-10am until about 10pm every single day (including weekends) for the last month. Not fun for either of us. In fact, my appreciation for real single mothers has skyrocketed.

So, our first official day as a reunited family unit was wonderful. We spent the morning at the VW dealership (finding out that we were seriously taken advantage of by the VW dealership in Alpharetta, GA) and then played all day. Matt bathed with Daniel tonight and put him to bed after I nursed him. We just ordered Chinese food and we're going to watch Dexter. I may just stay up past 10pm.


I love that my best friend is back and so does Daniel!

Bizarre Dreams, Part 2

From last night...

I decide to go into Manhattan to do stuff for myself (I don't remember exactly what I was doing). I'm walking around the streets and suddenly realize that I left Daniel at home alone while he was sleeping (suddenly it turned into nighttime). I make a crazy mad dash for the subway and I'm freaking out (this may be the most intense anxiety dream I've ever had).

Weird stuff was happening on the subway. Trains were splitting in half and going opposite directions and it was really stressful so somehow I ended back on the street and negotiated with a cabbie to get me to Jersey City.

I run home in a panic and as I enter Daniel's room, I see a bunch of people just staring at him. He's kind of sitting up and smiling in his crib.

The crowd consists of my family and all the members of Bon Jovi.



Thoughts?

A Year Ago Today

November 2nd is not only my dad's birthday (Happy Birthday, Daddy) but it was on November 2nd, 2008 that I found out that I was pregnant. Thinking about how my life has changed in one very short year is mind–blowing!

I knew I was pregnant before I even took the test... but I woke up super early and sat in the bathroom trying to do anything but stare at that stick (I wanted it to be a surprise... like I would just turn around and POOF it would say "pregnant" rather than staring at the stick for however many minutes it took). I climbed back into bed and woke Matt up by smiling as big as I could and telling him the news. I think he knew already, as well... but that didn't take away the excitement.

It was not only my dad's birthday, but it was also Marathon Sunday. My most favorite day in Manhattan. Matt and I drove into the city and had breakfast at Pastis (one of my favorites). I drank decaf coffee for the first time and said that I better get used to it. We ate in a state of shock and joy, careful not to get too excited as we knew the heartbreak of losing a pregnancy already.

Watching the marathon was magical. I always get choked up by people's spirit in Manhattan on Marathon Sunday. Everyone is happy and rooting for each other. But Matt and I had a secret and we were able to celebrate our friends (Joy and Lauren) running 26.2 miles on the outside, but we were really celebrating the life we were creating among the all the cheering crowds.

I was told that no one could ever prepare me for the journey of pregnancy and motherhood and all of those people were right. I could never know how beautiful I would feel throughout my pregnancy, how Matt would adore me pregnant more than he ever had before or how spiritual I would feel while a baby grew inside of me. But no one could ever and will ever be able to fully explain the true wonder of becoming a mother. I feel a sense of wholeness and completeness that I didn't even know I was missing and the joy and love that I feel when I look at Daniel is something that was totally incomprehensible 4 months ago.

So, I'm celebrating November 2nd today and every year for the rest of my life!

Oh - and the picture is one we took as a birthday present for my dad. We gave it to him on Thanksgiving as a "belated" present (these are 2 of the 12 tests I probably took, just to "make sure" that I was really pregnant!)