Peanut Update

The little lady isn't feeling well. Her platelette count is still dropping and we're starting to get really concerned. So, keep our little fuzzy friend in your thoughts over the holiday break...

Food For Thought

So, I just got a new MacBook for my birthday/Hanukkah/Christmas. It's awesome thus far. My biggest complaint is that the edge is rather sharp. Most people probably wouldn't notice this, but I apparently don't hold my wrists up while I type. I rest my wrist/forearm on the edge of the laptop. Greg says it's no wonder I show signs of carpal tunnel. Foo.

But anyways - one of the features of the new laptop is this funky touch pad mouse thingy. If you use just one finger, the mouse moves on the screen just like any other touch pad. If you use two fingers however, you can scroll up and down the page. Now here's my question. If you want to see something further down the page - would you:

a: slide your fingers up the touch pad - as if trying to get the page to move up your screen OR

b: slide our fingers down the touch pad - as if to see what's further down the page

Just curious...

Follow The Leader

Typing quick while Atticus is in the bathtub. He was too stinking cute tonight. He has a tower of star shaped rattles, the stacking kind that go on the big stick... well, each of us had one in our hands. When Atti would shake his rattle, Greg and I would follow the leader. When Atti stopped, we stopped. Atticus thought this was the funniest thing EVER. He would shake and stop and shake and stop - then just laugh, laugh laugh.

Too cute.

Happy Birthday to Me

The day has come and gone with little fanfare. Thanks to all for the warm wishes via email, phone calls and Facebook.

Weekend In Review

So the Baden crew has had a pretty busy 72 hours. Last Friday was the first night of Hanukkah. To celebrate, we attended the Rocking Tzedakah Hanukkah party at the JCC. It might have been a little more enjoyable if they'd sold about 20-25 fewer tickets. I understand the need to fund raise - honestly I do - but it was just a wee bit too crowded. By the time we made it through the dinner line - there were no tables left to sit at in the "dining room". Let me tell you, after waiting 30 minutes with a squirmy toddler, that was not what we wanted to hear. But - the beginning of the night was fun. There was music, the lighting of the menorah, the Shabbat blessings, and of course lots of little kids dancing all around.

Saturday morning, Atticus and I packed up and headed north to Chloe's 2nd birthday party. It was held at Arrowhead Ranch - which is literally a small little ranch stuck in the middle of a Round Rock neighborhood. Literally. It was strange, but good. The best part - there were bunnies, chickens, goats, a donkey, pony rides and the thing that caught Atticus's attention? No joke - the rocks on the gravel driveway. He had a field day playing with the rocks. Oy. He didn't want to pet the bunnies, definitely didn't want to sit on the pony, feed the goat - nope, he just wanted to sit and play in the rocks. I did get some fun pictures of the animals and of the festivities inside. Once I figure out how to work Picasa on the new MacBook, I'll upload the photos. :-) Yes, I realize iPhoto has it's own thingy - but I've kind of gotten used to Picasa. Now I just have get used to the Mac.

Sunday morning, we headed to brunch before Greg headed back to school to study. Then a quick nap for the little man and we went over to a Hanukkah celebration at Central Market just around the corner. Several of the children's choirs from the local synagogues were singing. It was nice, but crowded. We didn't stay too long. It was a beautiful day, so Atticus and I headed home and went to Shipe park down the road. I really hope we live walking distance to a park in Toledo! We've really gotten spoiled!

Sunday night however, things started to go downhill. Greg and I could tell that Atti was tugging on his ears again, and he definitely had more congestion at night. Poor guy woke up coughing several times early on, and then woke up wailing at 4 am. Since Greg really needed to get some sleep in preparation for the 8 hour exam he took today, it was all me. Normally when Atti wakes up in the middle of the night, I can hold him for a minute until he calms down, put him back in the crib and go back to bed. Sigh, not last night. We sat in the rocking chair for a couple of hours. Atticus couldn't breathe, he couldn't get comfortable, it was just a mess. He finally fell back asleep sometime after 530, but by then I was too afraid to move! So, I ended up letting him sleep on my chest until about 730 this morning. Then, back to the doctor's office. While neither side was in full blown ear infection mode, according to the doc - both were on their way and would be infections within a day or so. Lovely. So, he upped the dosage of the bubble gum medicine and we've started our 10 day regimen again. Day 10 should be as we're packing to head to Ohio. Let's hope little man can stay ear infection free the entire week we're there!

Happy Birthday Mr. Morlan

To my dear friends Jhana and Christopher-

Mazal tov on the birth of your second son. The days events may not have gone as planned, but your love for the little man will grow larger with every passing moment - no matter the path he took to arrive!

Congratulations. I can not wait to see the entire Morlan family... and meet the newest family member.

16 Weeks

Greg and I saw Dr. Seeker today for my 16 week check-up. Good news. All's well. My blood work came back great, the little one was wiggling and moving all around for the sonogram... We were able to see fingers, toes, 4 chambers of the brain, the beating heart, the spine, the tush, pretty much all of Baby #2. We did still manage to keep the sex a surprise. Dr. Seeker and the nurse were great and turned the monitor away when they measured the femur bone -- just in case something could be seen on screen!

I have been incredibly blessed to have such easy pregnancies thus far... Next checkup is in a month!

Yay for Photos!

I have finally freed some photos from our digital camera. Check out the Baden Family Photos link over on the right hand side of the screen.

Here is a favorite from yesterday morning:

Wishlists

Hmmm... this is tough. None of us really need anything. But, since we've had lots of folks asking - here's my best short list.

Atticus:

• bath toys
• mittens
• slipper socks (that he can't pull off - if such a thing exists)
• 2T sweaters and/or long sleeve onesies
• Shoes 6.5W or 7W preferably with no laces... (if you happen to have a resale shop near you -- Stride Rite, Primigi, Naturino, Aster, Tsukihoshi)
• books
• pretty much anything with lights, sounds and/or buttons
• I like GeoTrax, but I'm not sure he's quite old enough yet

Jen: (My list is pretty sad...)

• iTunes gift card
• books (Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, Anagrams by Lorrie Moore, Light Years by James Satter, Anything for Jane by Cheryl Mendelson, Janet Evanovich the Stephanie Plum series, The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, The Puzzle King by Betsy Carter
• Any recent girlie movie out on DVD (I promise you I haven't gotten out much, so I haven't see anything!)
• gift cert for a maid

Greg: (This list is even sadder...)

• tie holder (to hang in the closet)
• slippers (I was thinking about the UGG slippers even if they are a bit fancy)
• iTunes gift card
• Barnes-n-Noble or Amazon gift card

More Words

While playing after dinner and before the bath, Atticus impressed us again. He looked at me and signed milk. Apparently all the signing I'd been doing to him did sink in -- it just took him a while to use it all! I'm pretty excited.

Signing!

Atticus has had a signing breakthrough. When my Mom picked him up from "school" today, they asked if he knew sign language. My Mom replied a little, why? One of the teachers handed something to Atticus and he signed "thank you". Tonight, when I got home, I asked him to sign "please" and he rubbed his little hands all over his big ole belly. That's two more words... Now I wonder exactly how long he's been signing thank you that I've mistaken for him being a little Indian. Ha.

Of course, the Grand Bubbe thinks I'm doing everything all wrong. I figure Atticus has another 85+ years to speak. If I can communicate with him now via sign language, I'm all for it. He's working on some "m" words with speech. He signs more and says "muh, muh". He looks at Molly the dog and says "muh, muh". I pulled out the bubble gum medicine just before bed, asked if he was ready for medicine, and we got more of the "muh, muh". Perhaps that's just the general word for lots of things? The other common word lately sounds alot like "gong". I'm still trying to figure out what it means... :-)

Wednesday

Well -- we woke up to snow! It's snowing, alot, at my parent's house in Plano this morning. Crazy. Cold.

And totally unrelated, but Atticus is really getting good at using a fork and spoon. Of course, I have to put the food on said utensil... but he grabs it from my hand and makes it successfully to his mouth every time. (Usually with his left hand...)