Trick or Sleeping?

On Saturday night we went Trick or Treating with some friends of ours. They do Halloween on Saturday in their neighborhood so we tagged along. Saturday we had beautiful weather and on Halloween it is supposed to be very cold so we probably won't go out. Although we'll still probably dress Lib up to get a few more pictures of her (she wasn't looking at the camera in the ones we took on Saturday). Anyway, we made it one house and she was out for the rest of the "trip". Here's a picture of her snoozing...



TLA

We're proud parents

Last night our parent educator came by for her routine visit and did a 6 month screening on Libby. She looked at 5 areas: social development, language development, fine motor, gross motor, and problem solving skills. Libby passed with flying colors. In the problem solving and social areas she is doing all of the things (and more) they want her to be able to do by the end of 6 months. She was able to pick up a block just the way they wanted her to and transfer it from hand to hand. She also did a lot of banging on the table with the block and her hands which is a huge developmental skill at this time. Her language is a bit advanced in some areas right now. Apparently most babies don't start repeating syllables (such as "da", "ba", "pa", "ma") until closer to 8 months and Libby is saying "da da da da" all the time now but she's only sometimes having "conversations" with us with she should be doing now. We were pretty thrilled with her last night! What a smart little girl we have - we're just sure that she's of above average intelligence!! :)

TLA

What a day

I really love my job. In fact, Mike says that I have an unnatural enjoyment of my job. I do wake up like most people and wish I didn't have to go - but it's mostly because I LOVE to sleep. I enjoy my job because it is very rewarding - very sad and stressful at times but VERY rewarding.

Today I took 30 kids whose families are struggling financially to get new winter coats, warm clothes, socks, underwear, and shoes. I will be taking about 15 more next week to do the same thing. This is always one of my favorite days all year. It is very stressful because we are leaving the building and something could always go wrong. But I feel so good that these kids are able to get some nice clothes that they feel good wearing to school.

Many of these kids are not able to get new coats each year and have to resort to wearing their old coat that is dirty or too small. Their clothes are often dirty, too small, or worn thin. Being able to get a few new things is such a self-esteem boost for them. For example, one boy that is new to our school this year has a "don't-bother-me-attitude" much of the time. Once he had tried on the new clothes, he was all smiles. What a change!!

Well, many of kids that went with me today have gone to this in the past and the organization that does this for the kids usually gave them new backpacks in addition to the clothes. This year, they chose to forego the backpacks in order to provide for more kids (which, I think, is a great thing). But many of my kids were expecting backpacks and are really in need of a new one. So, I called our PTA treasurer to make sure if I purchased some bags that I would get reimbursed - and I will. So, thanks to our PTA these kids will still get what they need!! What a great day - stressful, busy, tiring - but FANTASTIC!

TLA

Blog about nothing

There's not too much to blog about this week except that my brother will be returning from Europe tomorrow so expect to see some more comments from him soon. I hope he has a safe flight home!

Libby's personality is really showing through these days. Her new favorite noise is "da da". She says it all the time. It's funny because at first Mike thought she was saying it to him but it seems that she says it to everything. Mike will point to himself and say "da da" and then Libby will look at the wall and repeat it again. It's pretty funny. Hopefully soon she will begin to attach some meaning to the word.

Here are some new pictures of the Little Princess.



A picture of all three of us in St. Louis.



I am the Queen of all. Please don't bother me while I sleep. (Really I just got my 6 month shots and I'm TIRED.)



Libby sleeping on Mommy.
TLA

Daddy shouldn't leave

Both times Mike has gone out of town, Libby has gotten sick. Last time she had Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease and then gave it to me all while he was gone. This time she still hasn't kicked her ear infection and in fact now has one in both ears. We're on a heavier duty antibiotic now that will hopefully kick it.

TLA

The Things We Say...

I'm out of town again, traveling for work. This week I'm in Chicago, or more precisely the South Suburbs of Chicago. I really like this city, but the traffic's a nightmare.

I was realizing this morning that hotels have lost all of their charm to me. When I was little and we'd have to stay in a hotel for vacation or just for a night while we were on a trip, hotels were magic to me - I loved walking in to one and staying the night there. Now - well, they're simply just another building that's lost its appeal. No matter what chain I'm staying in, or how many "stars" it has, they all look and feel the same. I can't get the temperature just right. The pillows are waaay too soft. I never feel like I have enough towels. I don't know the channels on the TV. The continental breakfast's are all the same. Seriously, there's no more mystique to hotels for me. This morning I woke up not knowing where I was...ugh.

Tricia and I have noticed lately that there are certain things that we each say all the time, particularly when we're in specific places. For example, whenever we're at the grocery store and we need to buy honey, I say (apparently all the time), "I wonder why honey comes in bears?" Seriously, why does it? But back on topic, I guess I say this all the time. There's a new Chinese buffet in Columbia that opened a couple of months ago. Apparently everytime that we'd pass by there for a while, I'd ask Tricia "Hey, I wonder if this new buffet is taking business away from Great Wall (the other buffet in town)?" Everytime. Without fail. Can I not come up with anything original??

Tricia is not immune to this - whenever we pass by Libby's pediatrician's office, she always says "You know, I always go in the exit here." In her defense, the exit does make the most sense for us to go into, particularly coming from our house.

We're also not immune to jibberish - the things you say when you're nearly asleep and that make no sense whatsoever. Ask us one time about Applebee's or breast milk...they may not be funny to you, but they'll crack us up all the time!

MK

Happy Birthday to ME! (a day late)

I've got to say that I had a pretty good birthday weekend. On Saturday, we went to the corn maze. It was so hard this year! Usually we're in and out in about an hour and have found all the checkpoints. This year we never did find 2 of them and it took us about 1.5-2 hours! We were so tired that we just left. I talked Mike into letting me open my presents a day early. He was worried I'd be upset about not having anything to open on Sunday but I talked into going to pick me up some donuts for breakfast and said that would make up for the lack of presents if he let me open them early. Libby got me a pair of awesome slipper socks! What a thoughtful little girl we have!! Mike says that she even helped pick them out. I bet she said, "Dad, I like that pair. Let's get those." No, he probably just bought the pair that she tried to put in her mouth! Aside from the rain on Sunday, this past weekend was pretty nice!

Libby will be 6 months old on Thursday. She has 6 month shots on Friday. And on Saturday we go to St. Louis for the night to celebrate my birthday again with my folks!

TLA

Post Number 100

Now what you've all been waiting for... Our top ten favorite blog entries.

10. The Innocence and Wonder of Children
9. Childbirth Class
8. Libby's Opinion of Food
7. Drama Queen
6. We Need a Guide
5. Cat Soup
4. What Kind of Question?
3. Which Cat is That?
2. Watch Out for That Deer!!
1. Welcome Elisabeth Patricia

We were going to just leave this post to be a top ten list but we actually have some really cute pictures to share from this weekend. You will notice that in the pictures at the corn maze Libby has on her slippers. We can't seem to break her of this habit or convince her that it's tacky. What a stubborn little girl! (In reality, they're about the only foot coverings that will stay on her feet.)



What a hairdo!



At the corn maze with Mom



Dad, what is this funny looking fruit?



Servant, can I please have some grapes now?

Dad = Duck??

Busy weekend for us this weekend - Libby's 6 month pictures are later this morning, we're going to our local corn maze this afternoon, and Tricia's birthday is tomorrow. Not only that, but I leave town on Monday morning for another business trip - this one to Chicago. Busy times for us...

Tricia's last entry was spot-on with Lib's words. When we started talking about her calling her duckie mobile "Dad", I took to calling myself "Duck" to Libby. We got a good laugh out of that. But what do they call a male duck? We know all about the goose and gander, but what about the duck itself? So where do we turn? If you're a long-time reader, you'll know the answer to that one - Wikipedia. Not only do we look up what male and female ducks are called (drakes for males, ducks or hens for females, in case you're curious), but we look up chickens too. Why chickens? Well, it all has to do with a little someone that you Seinfeld afficianados may know as Frank Costanza.

Frank Costanza, besides being one of the greatest bit-characters in sitcom history, posed a very thought-provoking question one episode regarding chickens. As he, his wife Estelle, George and Susan (the one he poisoned with their wedding invitation envelopes), and Susan's parents were sitting down to dinner, the following exchange occurs:

FRANK: Let me understand, you got the hen, the chicken and the rooster. The rooster goes with the chicken. So, who's having sex with the hen?
GEORGE: Why don't we talk about it another time.
FRANK: But you see my point here? You only hear of a hen, a rooster and a chicken. Something's missing!
MRS. ROSS: Something's missing all right.
MR. ROSS: They're all chickens. The rooster has sex with all of them.
FRANK: That's perverse!

Frank Costanza - the man of many insights.

OK friends, this is the Kosher Family blog post #99 - tomorrow will be #100, and along with that will be our Top 10 countdown of best posts - will your favorites be there??

MK

Libby's words

To date, Libby has spoken several words. Not all of them have been at appropriate times yet they have been loud and clear. Here's the list so far.

1. Hello - said to her Uncle Michael
2. Goodbye (or maybe Good Boy - we say that to Earl all the time) - said to a coworker of mine at the mall
3. This stuff's good - said while eating rice cereal
4. Dad - said to her duck mobile, not Mike

I think she's getting there!

TLA

New House Motto

At work, my direct boss has a hard time making firm decisions. It's humorous in one aspect, but it can definitely become annoying when I need him to make one. In fact, whenever I ask his opinion on something, the answer is inevitably "whatever you decide". Now, that in and of itself is not that funny, but imagine that being said with a Nigerian accent. That adds much humor to it. Shortly after I heard "whatever you decide" from him, I told Tricia about it. She thought it was absolutely hilarious. Now, whenever I ask her a question, I can almost guarantee the answer will be "whatever you decide"...ugh, I get it at work and at home! This has now become the Kosher house motto!

Here's a couple of pictures of Libby with Tricia - enjoy!

MK



Hey Mom, I like this magazine!



Naptime!