Not a baby anymore . . .

Now that I've entered my second year of life, Mommy and Daddy aren't treating me like a baby anymore. I have to walk by myself part of the time on their marathon treks around NYC. My current gym class lasts 50 minutes and I'm pretty much, climbing, rolling, and jumping the whole time. They're even trying to make me hold my own bottle when I drink
milk-- but that's where I draw the line-- can't I act like a baby for a few more weeks?

Some other highlights from the last couple weeks:

-- I finally have a friend! Alexandre Jules Goh Saint Saveur (I think I'm going to call him Alex) is going to be playing with me as soon as he gets his bearings. I'll give him a few more days.

-- Check out the picture of me playing in the water-- that's our new apartment building in the
background. Daddy makes me walk by it almost every day . . . this place better be nice!




 

Let me eat cake!

It took 365 days, but finally, Mommy and Daddy fed me something with real sugar in it. We partied all week to celebrate the big 1 and they finally gave me some cake and ice cream. I have to say, I really enjoyed being the center of attention. I definitely worked the room at my party and let everybody play with the birthday boy. Thank you to all my aunties and uncles who celebrated with me-- Michael and Edina (twice), Alice and Arnaud (even with a new baby due any minute), Courtney and Matt (all the way from Connecticut), Aparna and Raph (all the way from Brooklyn), and Samir (even though Anojja was out of town). Next year, Mommy and Daddy promised that there would be some kids at the party . . .

Thank you to everyone who called and/or sent cards, e-mails and telepathic messages . . . it's very special to know that people all over the world are thinking of me!




 

Swimming with Sharks in Denver?

We went to Denver this weekend and had a great time with the grandparents, Aunt Amy and the rest of the family. I especially enjoyed playing with all my cousins-- Brooke, Abby, Nick, and Charlie. I was finally old enough to be entertaining, so we played together alot.

Here are some other higlights from the week:

-- I went swimming with sharks (they were in the aquarium and I was on the outside, but it was real enough for me)

-- I started my Baby Muscles class-- I am enjoying somersaults, but I really hate it when the lady hangs me off of a bar. She's kind of granola-- she claims it's good for babies to hang upside down . . . whatever.




 

My First Haircut!

Mommy and Daddy decided it was time to cut off the mullet and the stray hairs growing over my ears, so we made an appointment for a haircut at Whipper Snippers (the local baby salon). When we walked into the store, the child getting his haircut before me was screaming bloody murder, so the experience of cutting off the precious little hair I do have didn't seem nearly as exciting as Mommy and Daddy had explained on the way over. I was a real trooper though-- I didn't cry at all, but I did get fidgety when she lunged those big scissors at my ears. Sadly, of all the people we saw over the weekend, only Uncle Amit could tell that I got a haircut (which is good since he was the one who has been making fun of my hair for the last 3 months).

Other Highlights from the Week:

-- I got to see my first fireworks show from Auntie Sonali's roof deck. . . to be honest, I fell asleep, so I have nothing to say about it.

-- I've started sharing my food, but only the food that I know there is a lot more of (ie Cheerios). I'm not sharing my cherries until I get to decide how many I get to eat.

Star Sighting: Scarlett Johanssen . . . she looks good, but the bull-like nose ring was kind of a turn off.

Postcards from Brooklyn

Mommy and Daddy went to a wedding on Sunday and I had an appointment with Auntie Alice and Uncle Arnaud to train them about life with a baby. I pointed out all the places in their apartment where their baby might cause trouble. I tested them on calming a baby that won't stop crying. I even gave them a chance to change a diaper explosion. Hopefully, the experience wasn't too traumatic . . . I had a great time!

Other Highlights from the Week:

-- Daddy and I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge this week (he walked while I lounged in my stroller). It was a great idea until we had to come back over the bridge in the 95 degree heat and 95% humidity.

-- I tried cherries for the first time this week . . . honestly, I don't think anything could be tastier. You should see my excitement when Mommy brings them to the table.

Some new milestones for me:

-- I can get past the pitiful child locks that Mommy and Daddy put onthe cabinets

-- I can reach the last row of wine glasses in the cabinet . . . time to move those out of the way.




 

God Bless Him!

Three people this week commented how "pretty," "beautiful," and "cute" I am and then followed up with "God Bless Him." Personally, I don't know whether I'm pretty, beautiful, or cute (you can decide that for yourself), but it seems to me like these people should be blessing the ones who they don't think are very cute instead . . . or maybe that is what they are doing???

Here are some other highlights from the last two weeks:

-- I took two trips to Cleveland to visit Nanaji-- one time with Daddy and one time with Mommy. Between the four flights, I waited in the airport for 9 hours for delayed flights. The funny thing is, I was the most patient person in the whole airport!

-- I am finally walking . . . I mean, you won't see me walking down the street yet, but I can walk across the room without falling on my face (though I fall on my face a lot too).

-- We are starting to enjoy the soccer more and more (even though the US team lost). Uncle Arnaud seemed very excited yesterday when France beat Spain. Viva la France!





 

World Cup Action?

Not that much going on this week, but Daddy and I have been trying to get into the World Cup soccer tournament. We've watched a few of the games on TV and today we even went to a bar to watch France play Switzerland. We sat there for two hours and neither team scored a goal and there was no overtime or sudden death . . . the game just ended in a tie, 0-0. That, plus the fact that I cried everytime the crazy Europeans screamed for their team, means that we may be giving up on the World Cup until 2010.

Not much else to report . . . no new teeth, still only taking a few steps at a time, no celebrity sightings. We better start stirring things up a bit.



 

Scalpel please . . .

Daddy and I observed one of life's more interesting cultural experiences this week-- a bris for Amichai Shalev Epstein. I couldn't really tell what was going on up there (Daddy said he would explain when I was older), but frankly, the poor little guy didn't seem that comfortable when a dude with a knife came at him while his parents,grandparents, great-grandparents, and closest family friends stood buy watching (actually his Mom couldn't watch, which may be a bit disconcerting). Anyway, their was a nice lunch after and Amichai Shalev didn't seem any worse for wear . . .

Here are some other highlights from the week . . .

-- Daddy and I have been going to Battery Park recently and discovered a big party every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Park Rangers bring out a ton of toys, read stories, and sing songs for all the kids in the neighborhood. If you were ever wondering whether I spend any time with other kids . . . see picture number 4.

-- No progress on the walking front . . . still only take a few stepsand lunge myself at Mommy or Daddy.

-- Unfortunately, my babysitter Dolly had to have surgery recently. She is okay, but apparently, there have been complications so she is not going to be able to come babysit anymore. How sad . . . Daddy has to put off finding a job (Woo-Hoooo!)




 

Almost there . . .

I'm a few steps closer to walking this week . . . I can take about four steps on my own before I lunge myself into Daddy's arms. I don't know why Daddy wants me to walk so badly . . . doesn't he know that I'll be able to wreak even more havoc?

Here are some other highlights from the week . . .

-- My fourth tooth is coming in nicely, which is making eating Cheerios even easier.

-- We went to the NY Botanical Garden in the Bronx-- all these beautiful gardens, and I wasn't even allowed to get out and play . . . what's the point?

-- We went to Rye, NY in Westchester for a great Memorial Day BBQ. These parties are great and I love going, but there were like 15 people there and I was the only baby-- it's time for Mommy and Daddy to branch out a little bit and find me some friends.




 

Sorry . . .

Daddy and I are very sorry that we haven't sent pics/stories for a few weeks. The angry phone calls and e-mails can stop. We have two problems . . . 1) Daddy's camera is broken (maybe taking 60-70 pics every week has something to do with it) and 2) Our stories from the last few weeks are comparatively boring. Anyway, here are some highlights:

-- We took a trip to Washington D.C. for Mommy's friend's wedding. Ic an live without being in the car for 10+ hours in two days.

-- The Stewarts haven't shown up for our weekly meeting three weeks in a row. We're beginning to think our first meeting didn't mean as much to them as it did to us.

-- My two top front teeth are coming in . . . makes chewing Cheerios alot easier.

-- I can maintain myself in a standing position for several seconds (basically until I realize that I am standing on my own). See picture number 2 for my dismount.

-- Uncle Amit came to visit me . . . he makes a very comfortable place to fall asleep.

Celebrity Sightings: Edie Falco and Michael Imperioli from TheS opranos (not together). Both could stand to run a comb through their hair before they leave the house.

The Stewarts and the News

Daddy and I were sitting in a coffee shop the other day (I was taking a nap like a good boy and Daddy was reading) when a nice family from the neighborhood (the Stewarts) sat down next to us. I was sleeping, but I could sense that Daddy was excited to see them. For some reason Daddy was waiting for me to wake up before he talked to them. After one of my longest naps ever, I finally woke up and Daddy swooped me out of my stroller and propped me up on the table. The family looked over and Daddy looked back proudly. The Dad (Jon) asked how old I was and the Mom (Tracey) asked Daddy how he gets me to sleep so well (like he has anything to do with me sleeping). Daddy and the Stewarts continued to talk about babies and childcare (boring) . . . at one point, Jon was coaxing their son Nate to make funny faces at me to make me laugh (Jon seemed to enjoy it more than Nate). For me, it was a nice morning, but you'd think Daddy had met Elmo or Barney, he can't stop talking about it! I have to say, I think I have seen the Dad on TV . . .

Some other highlights from the week:

-- We went down to the World Trade Center site the day that they started to build the Freedom Tower. Daddy and I got interviewed for the news. They showed the interview on the 5:00 news and I was only on for 1 second! Probably because I was crying the whole time . . .

-- We went to Cleveland to see the family . . . I was nice this time and let everybody play with me!

-- Some other celebrity sitings this week: Whoopi Goldberg (buying some ugly art), Aaron Eckhardt (he's in Thank You for Smoking, which I've actually seen), Jeff Garland (the fat guy on Curb Your Enthusiasm) . . . sadly, none of these people talked to us.