D.C. and Zoo Pics

Nana and Elliot play on the floor at Aunt Diana's:


PopPop and Elliot play at Aunt Diana's:


Uncle Bruce arrives back from getting the newpaper in his UFO - er, uh, I mean motorcycle:


They have Elli-phants at the National Zoo!:


And-a Pandas:


Elliot gets a bath in Aunt Diana's wetbar sink: (Just the right size!)


Daddy and Elliot at the Jaklitsch/Flack family reunion:

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety-Jig

Finally home from our weekend in D.C. It was a great time, and wonderful to see Nana and PopPop again! (Elliot said "PopPop" while we were there! I missed it, but Daddy and PopPop heard it!) It was a LONG drive back!!! 7.5 hours, rather than 5.5 hours! Elliot was unhappy by the end of it for sure! Glad to be home!

Washington D.C.

Well, we arrived in D.C. yesterday around 4. Elliot did GREAT on the car ride! She only started crying about 25 miles from our destination. After we arrived, my Aunt Diana took her on a walk and Dave and I relaxed a bit. She seems to have given her cold to her Daddy. Today we plan to see some sights. Waiting on Nana and PopPop to arrive tonight!

A One Night Reprieve

Well, we cancelled our trip to Ohio to see Nana and Poppop. We hope they'll be able to join us in D.C. this weekend, but who knows? After I saw Elliot with eye slime yesterday, I knew a trip with a sick 9.5 month old wasn't going to be worth it. Then she proved me wrong. She went to bed at 6:30 last night. Poor sleepy girl! She slept 'til seven this morning and only got up once to nurse. Wow!!! I heard her up a couple of other times, but she just laid in her crib and talked and played then went back to sleep. I certainly don't think this is going to last for more nights, but at least I got the sleep that I've been needing!

Still no tooth!

I did, however, decide that since we weren't going to see Nana, whom I was going to ask to make some babylegs, that I would learn to make them. I taught myself to use my sewing machine and made one pair and started a second for Elliot. I have a pair to make for cousin Molly, too. Just 'cause!

Elliot's Wish List

I have decided that since Amazon.com does not have everything Elliot wants, I would make her a wish list on here, much like her book list (except that her book list is of books we already have!) I'll try to keep it updated with her wants/needs! Please understand that this is just a list of ideas!


Savings bonds
Books
HABA toys/Melissa and Doug toys
Pedipeds shoes (she's a size 3, according the geeky guy at Stride Rite)
Zoo family membership (we got one already this year! thanks, anyway!)
Wooden Toys
Upholstered Baby Chair (Pink, of course!)
Riding toys (We like the elephant on Amazon!)
Push toys
Quiet toys :)
Bath toy storage
Water play table
Trains/Cars/Planes are all okay, too!
Babyhawk Carrier
Mommy's Touch touchtape diapers in fun colors and patterns

Elliot's wishlist on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/1S8TDC3H72K0D/ref=reg_hu-wl_goto-registry?ie=UTF8&sort=date-added



Thanks in advance! Love, Elliot

The Zoo, a Faucet, and a Tooth?

Well, we finally made it to the Bronx Zoo! We bought a family membership so that we can now go back anytime for the next year without paying. It was wonderful! By the end, Elliot was asleep in her stroller. We saw zebras, a giraffe, penguins, bison, monkeys, tigers, and bears. Oh, my!

Elliot is now sick. Those silly monkeys must have given her a cold when they were swinging her from tree to tree! Her nose is running like a faucet that can't turn off, she's waking up all night from coughing, and she now holds the world's record for number of sneezes in one day. Poor kid. The biggest problem is, we probably won't be making the trek out to Ohio now to visit the fam. Thank goodness we'll see them all next month in Colorado for Phil's graduation!

What with all the whining and crying today due to her cold, Dave and I noticed that her gums are cracking where her first tooth is due to arrive any day now. Her first little pearly white will be on her bottom left side. Pictures to come once it finally arrives! Dave and I both agree that we will miss her gummy smile.

Zoo pics:
Mommy and Elliot with the Bison

Daddy and Elliot at the Zoo

Tiger

Mommy and Elliot on the Skylift

Daddy and Elliot's hat and body on the Skylift

Peacock

Elliot is worn out!

Shoot!

"Aunt Vik" came over yesterday to do a photo shoot with our darling 9 month old girl! Here are some pics...

Mommy and Elli outside:


Elliot's big laugh:


Look, Ma! No hands!:


No Way!!!:


Watermelons:


And finally, "Yay!":

I love my kid, but...

...I need a day off! I went to the outlets today, taught a new student, and had a friend over to visit. All nice things. And now I need a day off. Elliot was up seven times two nights ago. She was up four times in four hours last night. It's 9PM, and I am off to bed. Is it this hard for everyone?

Cloth Diapers and Board Books

Yay! Fuzzibunz! We got our first cloth diapers in the mail today, and Elliot is modeling "baby pink." We also got "lavender." I just ordered a green and blue bum genius, too. Can't wait 'til they get here!!!

Okay, here it is - Elliot's library list so far!!!

A
A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Treeman

A Potty for Me! by Karen Katz

A Was Once an Apple Pie by Suse MacDonald

ABC by Dr. Seuss
ABC by Eric Carle

Abby's First Book of Shapes by Sesame Books
Albert the Albatross by Syd Hoff*

All for Pie, Pie for All by David Martin

Annie and the Wild Animals by Jan Brett
Arthur’s Halloween Costume by Lillian Hoban*

At the Zoo by Little Windows Books

At the Zoo by Sesame Beginnings Books
B
Baby 123

Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr and Eric Carle

Baby Elephant by the San Diego Zoo Animal Library

Bad Dog, Marley! by John Grogan

Barkley by Syd Hoff*
Barn Owl by Phyllis Flower*

Belly Button Book by Sandra Boynton
Big Band Sound by Harriett Diller

Big Words for Little People by Jamie Lee Curtis & Laura Cornell

Bill Grogan's Goat by Mary Ann Hoberman & Nadine Bernard Westcott

Blankie by Leslie Patricelli

Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boynton

Boat Alphabet Book, The by Jerry Pallotta
Book of Children’s Classics, The compiled by Dutton
Boy Who Could Find Anything, The by Joan Lowery Nixon*

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr and Eric Carle (Hardcover and Board Book)
Bubbles, Bubbles by Sesame Street Books

Buddy: The Story of Buddy Holly by Anne Bustard

But Not the Hippopotamus by Sandra Boynton
Butterfly Kisses by Bob and Brooke Carlisle (Golden Books)
C
Can You See What I See: Nature by Walter Wick

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina*
Cat in the Hat, The by Dr. Seuss
Catalina Magdalena Hoopensteiner Wallendiner Hogan Logan Bogan Was Her Name by Tedd Arnold
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr and John Archambault
Complete Adventures of Curious George by H.A. Rey
Cookie’s Guessing Game About Food by Sesame Street Books

Corduroy Lost and Found by Don Freeman

Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Bed? by Barney Saltzburg

Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes, The by DeBose Heyward
Curious George by H.A. Rey
D
Daddy Hugs by Karen Katz

Daddy Loves Me by Waters
David and Goliath by Golden Books*
Disney Bear: A Day at the Magic Kingdom, The Story of by Disney Books
Does a Cow Say Boo? by Judy Hindley
Don’t Make Me Laugh! by James Stevenson
E
Easter Parade by Eileen Curran
Easter That Almost Wasn’t, The by Nan Roloff*
Ella the Elegant Elephant by Carmela & Steven D'Amico
F
Family Car Songbook, The (Hundreds of Miles of Fun) by Running Press Kids
Farm Friends by Baby Einstein Books
Feast for 10 by Cathryn Falwell
Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss
Free to Be…You and Me by Bantam Press*
Frosty the Snowman by Golden Books*

Fun With Colors board book

Funny Farm by Joanna Bicknell
G
Geraldine's Big Snow by Holly Keller

Giving Tree, The by Shel Silverstein

Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton

Good Night, Spot by Eric Hill
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Gossie by Olivier Dunrea
Grandpa's Little One by Billy Crystal
Great Mouse Detective, The – Basil’s Great Escape by Disney Books*

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney

Gus Was a Friendly Ghost by Jane Thayer*
H
Halloween Hide and Seek by the Book Studio

Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins*

Happy Birthday, Little Pookie by Sandra Boynton
Happy Birthday, Moon by Frank Asch*
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
Hatful of Seuss, A by Dr. Seuss

Hickory Dickory Dock and Other Favorite Nursery Rhymes...Ill. by Sanja Rescek

Hide and Seek Pets

Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss

Horns to Toes and In Between by Sandra Boynton
Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss
Hug by Jez Alborough
I
I Already Know I Love You by Billy Crystal
I Am a Puppy by Ole Risom*

I Am Absolutely Too Small for School by Lauren Child
I Love You Through and Through by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak

I Spy: School Days by Walter Wick
I’ll Teach My Dog 100 Words by Michael Frith*
I’m Still Here in the Bathtub (brand new silly dilly songs) by Alan Katz
I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry

Itsy-Bitsy Spider, The by Taggie Books
J
Jack and the Beanstalk by Troll Associates*
K
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems

Knuffle Bunny Too by Mo Willems
L
Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen

Lift and Look Opposites by SoftPlay Books

Little Elephant's Listening Ears by Susan Hood

Little Golden Book of Hymns, The by Golden Books*

Little Tiger is Loud by Susan Hood

Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney
Lorax, The by Dr. Seuss

Love is a Handful of Honey by Giles Andreae
Love You Forever by Robert Munsch
M
Maestro Plays, The by Bill Martin, Jr.
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

Mama Don't Allow
Marsupial Sue by John Lithgow
Mary Had a Little Lamb by Mary Ann Hoberman and Nadine Bernard Westcott

Merry Christmas, Curious George by Margret and H.A. Rey

Micawber by John Lithgow
Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton

Mirror Me! by Baby Einstein books
Mommy Doesn’t Know My Name by Suzanne Williams
Moo, Baa, La La La! by Sandra Boynton

Mother Goose: A Collection of Classic Nursery Rhymes selected by Michael Hague
Mouse and Mole’s Great Race by Diane Redfield Massie*
Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? by Dr. Suess

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters

My First Animals Book

My First Colors Book

My First Numbers Book

My First Shapes Book by Leap Frog Books

My First Word Book
My Very Own Octopus by Bernard Most
N
Napping House, The by Audrey Wood
Nicky Goes to the Doctor by Richard Scarry*
No, David! by David Shannon
Noah’s Ark by Golden Books*

Nursery Songs and Sing Alongs
O
Oh, David! by David Shannon

Olivia by Ian Falconer

Olivia Forms a Band by Ian Falconer

Olivia Leaps by Natalie Shaw
Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
P
Parents Guide to the Baby Signs Program by Acredolo and Goodwyn

Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt

Pictures at an Exhibition by Anna Harwell Celenza

Pirates Don't Change Diapers by Melinda Long and David Shannon

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin, Jr and Eric Carle
Pooh and Friends Board Book Set by Disney Books

Pooh Loves You by Disney Books

Potty Book for Girls by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire

Q
Quack! Quack! by Louise Rupnik
R

Rainbow Fish by Mark Pfister

Remarkable Farkle McBride, The by John Lithgow
S
Santa Mouse by Michael Brown

Snappy: Little Colors by Kate Lee & Caroline Repchuk
Sneeches and Other Stories, The by Dr. Seuss

Snowmen at Night by Buehner & Buehner

Snowy Day, The by Ezra Jack Keats

Splash! A Jigsaw Puzzle Book
Story of Easter for Children, The by Beverly Rae Wiersum*

Story of Ferdinand, The by Munro Leaf

Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola
Sunshine Colors by Lamaze Cloth Books
Supercat to the Rescue by Kate McMullan & Pascal Lemaitre
Sweet Smell of Christmas, The by Patricia Scarry
T
Tails by Matthew Van Fleet

Tell Me One More Thing, Dad by Tom Pow

Ten Little Rabbits by Brimax Books*

That's Not My Reindeer...by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Simms Taback
This Little Piggy by Steve Haskamp

This Little Piggy ... Illustrated by Jane Manning

Tickle Tum by Nancy Van Lann
Twelve Bells for Santa by Crosby Bonsall*
U
Ugly Duckling, The by Hans Christian Anderson*
V
Very Busy Spider, The by Eric Carle

Very Clumsy Click Beetle, The by Eric Carle
Very Hungry Caterpillar, The by Eric Carle (Hardcover and Boardbooks)
W
W by Sesame Street Board Books

Wee Sing Classic Rhymes and Lullabies by Pamela Conn Beall and Susan Hagen Nipp

We're Going On a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury

We’re Taking an Airplane Trip by Dinah L. Moche*

Where is Baby's Belly Button by Karen Katz
Where Jesus Lived by Golden Books*
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Who Hops? by Katie Davis
Who’s Afraid of the Dark? by Crosby Bonsall*

Who's Hiding? by Peep and the Big Wide World
Who’s That Knocking on Christmas Eve? by Jan Brett

Winnie-the-Pooh Storybook Treasury, The by A.A. Milne
X

X by Sesame Street Board Books
Y
Yertle the Turtle (and Other Stories) by Dr. Seuss
Z
Zin, Zin, Zin! A Violin by Lloyd Moss

*From Grandma J – used to be Daddy’s books

A (not so) relaxing day

I woke up today so excited that we had no plans to leave the house today. Just a nice routine day where we could follow our routine. Three naps. Nursing before naps. Solids after naps. You know the day. Just a nice low key day. And it started out that way. Until 1:00 when I changed Elle's diaper. Blood in the diaper sent us to the emergency room. We were there FOUR hours. She should have napped at 1:30. Instead, she fussed at the hospital out of exhuastion. She was so tired. (So was I.) Daddy couldn't join us, of all days, because of NYSSMA. Any other day he could have been there. Long story shorter, she had some tears from "straining." She gets prunes at every meal for a couple days so everything keeps moving easily so her tears can heal. Poor kid. We're wiped out.

A great time was had by Elle

Wow! What a weekend!

Friday night, Dave took Elle and I out to dinner at the diner. Afterward, we headed to Comsewogue High School to visit our kids perfoming at NYSSMA. Saturday, I headed off to East Northport to try my hand at scrapbooking for my BFF Vikki's birthday party. That was the first night I have ever chosen to not put Elliot to bed. It made me sad. But I had a really nice night out with a bunch of silly girls, making an album about....Elliot, of course. Sunday, Elle and I got up to go to our friend Kelly's baby shower. She's making a little playmate for Elliot - a boy, as almost all of our friends have done. We left her shower and went to see Daddy's concert. As it was about 90 degrees in the room the concert was in, we left at intermission. Elliot grabbed a quick nap while we waited for Daddy to come home. Daddy got home at about 10 til 5, and we were quite late (45 minutes) to BFF Vik's birthday dinner. It was okay that we were late, we arrived during hor d'oerves. A great time was had by Elle, and all of the rest of us, too. Elliot especially like the balloons. Pics to follow!

Here's Elliot eating a bagel while all the ladies brunched at the baby shower:


Here are Elliot and Mommy bonding at "Aunt Vikki"'s birthday dinner:


And here's a big beautiful Elliot smile!:

Our newborn...

Hey, Mommies. Remember when you had to get up every two hours to feed your newborn? You know how wonderful it is that those days are over? Could some tell Elliot that those days are over? For two nights now, she's getting up every two hours to nurse. I can hardly stand it! I am SO TIRED!!! Thank goodness its the weekend again. David is usually good about letting me sleep a little on the weekends.

Speaking of weekends, we have a very busy one! Lessons and NYSSMA tonight, NYSSMA and a birthday party tomorrow (Saturday), and a baby shower, concert, and birthday party Sunday! Whirlwind, anyone?

You MUST be kidding me!

This is what I say to my students at school when they say something stupid.

Today, we had my friend Amy over after school. This is very nice for me. I adore talking to grown ups, other women, and of course my friends. Amy is all three wrapped up in one adorable funny delightful gal pal. She was sweet enough to stay for dinner. I've tried to feed her before, and she didn't like my crazy concoction. So I offered to order Chinese food. Yum.

We sat on the floor eating the yummy food (peppersteak for me!). Elliot was next to us being surprisingly delightful. Usually she's a bit cautious with visitors, but not today!!! The dogs were in their room, because they're crazy when visitors are here. After awhile they were barking because they wanted to go out. I let them out. Dave let them back in. Monty immediately went for Elliot's cloth blocks. Grrr. I yelled at him.

Amy, Elliot and I headed to the basement (the dogs followed of course) to talk to Dave about working on Doctorate degrees. The dogs were fighting in the basement. They fight/play all the time. Also, they do other things now that its spring. Ew.

After about 15 minutes, Amy and I head upstairs so Amy can head home and do boring, mundane things like work on grades and not hang out with me. As we round the corner into the living room, I see the dogs eating the WONTONS and FRIED DOUGH from the Chinese place!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So now, Amy watches Elliot, while I toss the dogs into their room. Amy takes off, I nurse Elle to sleep, and then I have to do dishes and vacuum. I am so stinkin' tired! I already clean up after my hubby and baby.......now the dogs make a mess for me too?!