Simon Chronicles 06

Wednesday November 8, 2006 – Day 101

Simon has been experiencing all these “firsts” over the last three months and now the world will experience a first as well: Representative Nancy Pelosi will become the first ever female Speaker of the House. This will be the closest a woman has ever come to the Oval Office (Speaker is second in the line of succession to the presidency.) This is an amazing thing.

Monday November 13, 2006 – Day 106

An old girlfriend called and jokingly said, "Thanks for naming your son after my cat." I laughed. Later I remembered that she’d named her cat after one of The Chipmunks – you know, Alvin, Theodore and Simon. Suddenly the name Simon is in a million places I never noticed before.

Wednesday November 15, 2006 - Day 108

Without our friend Sheila we would still be trying to figure out what we need – she basically gave us a baby starter kit. Clothes, boppy, fleecy thing for the car seat when it’s cold, and the biggest thing was a changing table and mobile. That mobile is Simon’s guru. He is SO delighted by it. It was the first thing he noticed in the world outside himself, and a day is not complete without some time laying there staring at the “Whoozit.” He has yet to show that much interest in anything else – including us. We probably wouldn’t have thought it necessary to get a changing table and where would all that crap go? We are pretty lucky to learn from Sheila’s experience.

Friday November 17, 2006 –Day 110

We took Simon to his pediatrician this morning. He is now over fifteen pounds! He still doesn’t seem to know what his hands are for yet. We are trying not to be nervous about this. I have enjoyed the use of my hands.

I never had an assistant until three years ago when Jude decided to share her assistant with me. It was a revelation! Someone to… well basically take care of me at work. I was tremendously lucky that my first assistant was the most wonderful, funny, competent Jill, or “Goody” as I liked to call her. Today is her last day. After three years of taking care of me she has decided she wants to move up the chain. Can’t say I blame her – wait, I can say I blame her – but she’s going anyway. She was with me when my mother died, in fact she helped get both my parents tombstones, and she called the social worker for Simon’s adoption and countless other things over these last three years. I will truly miss her.

Tuesday November 21, 2006 – Day 114

Aari started the going to sleep preparations at 6:30pm (bath, feeding, rocking) and finally got Simon down at 9:00pm. I am proud to say he slept seven hours in his own room in his crib. 9:00pm – 4:00am. Good job Simon!

I didn’t get home from work until after 11:00pm. “Long Day,” I said to Aari when I walked in. “Uh huh”, she replied. And it was at that moment that I realized her job is twenty four hours long.

Thursday November 23, 2006 – Day 116 - Simon's first Thanksgiving

I work on Thanksgiving but we always have parade watching and an office luncheon and people’s families come in. Aari and Simon and Martha came along.

As always Simon was a perfect gentleman.

When people ask me what I am thankful for (and by the way no one has ever asked me what I’m thankful for but articles on thanksgiving always start this way so I thought I’d give it a try) I say that without a doubt the best thing about me is the company I keep, and I’m adding Simon to that company list.

Friday November 24, 2006 – Day 117

On the way out to Sag Harbor we stopped at Jeannie & David’s (Matt’s parents). I have to say that Jeannie is the closest person I have right now that resembles my mother. I have adopted her as my Aunt and it feels very, um well, safe.

After reading part five of this chronicle she wrote me,

"The first few days made me feel very sad for you. You seem to question your life. However, in the last days of the chronicle your life has come together and Simon and Aari are the pieces that fit in the puzzle. When we saw you on Sunday, the puzzle was complete. You are wonderful mommies with a wonderful and beautiful son."

Her note made me cry – just the support and the fact that things are getting more together. Not as much as Aunt Jeannie said, but I’m on the road.

Saturday November 25, 2006 – Day 118

We went to Matt & Ken and family for dinner. Aari wanted to stay on the schedule she has been working towards for Simon so we gave him a bath and put him to bed there. He transferred home perfectly and it was the second time he slept seven hours straight. The seven hours were 8pm to 3am - but it is a start.

Tuesday November 28, 2006 – Day 121

This morning Simon started using his hands a little bit – really. He pulled my hair and touched a toy – we are beginning hand movement. In the morning after he’s slept and fed he is a completely delightful bundle of joy. He smiles and looks in your eyes – I like him very much.

Thursday November 30, 2006 – Day 123

Today I got this E mail from Aari:

"I am still stunned. I put the pacifier in Simon's mouth. He sucked on it a minute, reached up and pulled it out by the handle and held it in his hand. He looked at me. I thought "Wow! Does he know what he just did? He's HOLDING the pacifier!" And then he PUT IT BACK IN HIS MOUTH and started sucking again. Hello????? Got it in there the first try like he does it all the time. (This was like watching primitive man use the first tool or something.) Of course a minute later he spit it out and started crying. But you have to start somewhere. Pretty good for a guy who just discovered he could use his hands to hold stuff on Monday!!!"

I felt bad that I missed it and realized that I will probably miss a lot of things

Friday December 1, 2006 – Day 124

I don’t know what it is but Simon is obsessed with standing. He obviously can’t do it on his own but he loves to lock his knees and have you hold him up. Often I can’t get him to fold back down.

So every morning I have my time with Simon and we go through the same routine – mostly now with him standing on my stomach (or Fat Mountain as we like to call it) and I say

"This is my head, this is your head, this is my ear, this is your ear" etc. "You’re Simon, that’s Mommy and I'm Ema." "The Kitty goes Meow. The Dog goes ruff ruff. The sheep goes bababa. The owl goes, who? The camel goes (I spit). The horse goes Neh (we had some initial trouble with the horse being too loud and tears ensued). The bee goes beeeeee.”

I laugh. He looks curious and/or worried.

Sunday December 3, 2006 – Day 126

Arrived with Aari, Simon and Ilana in Punta Cana, The Dominican Republic, for five nights. It's my first vacation since Simon was born. As my friend Eric said, “What, Haiti was all booked?” It turns out it was the only Caribbean Island with a malaria watch and yes, I brought a four-month-old here. Simon now has his own passport. I didn’t have my own passport until I was 19 years old.

Monday December 4, 2006 – Day 127

Its official – Simon is using his hands. He grabbed his little red star at lunch today. Aari, Ilana and I were all very complimentary towards him for his feat of hands.

Here are some of Simon’s words:

Ah, La, Ha, Wah, Eh, Oh, Neh, Ew, No, Ga, Heh Heh, Arr-ro, Hehw, Grr, He-oo, in-ga, and armoire.

Tuesday December 5, 2006 – Day 128

Took Simon in the ocean for a second – he seemed intrigued. He is using his hands like crazy now AND he is all about the smile. Aari and I read somewhere that a baby gives you a "full-body smile." He kicks, waves his arms, squeals and smiles. The bad news is by the end of the first year that kind of “full-body smile” is pretty much over. So we better enjoy them now.

Thursday December 7, 2006 Day 130

Ilana graciously took Simon and sent us off to have dinner alone and an intimate evening. As we were leaving Aari was agitated and stressed and it took her a little bit to relax. Unfortunately rather then be sympathetic to her mood it kind of put me on guard and wary of her. Then at dinner it had been so long since we talked to each other so we spoke about what was happening in our lives which seemed to make me worse. And then I just wanted to go to sleep. So I basically ruined our first date night since the baby was born.

On the good side – Ilana and Simon seemed to enjoy their night together.

Saturday December 9, 2006 – Day 133

My brother came in from Arizona. It was the first time we’d seen each other since our mother died in June of 2004. So 2 _ years. When he saw Simon sleeping on our bed he said “Is this it?” I said “This is it.”

Sunday December 10, 2006 – Day 133

Back to work tomorrow. It’s always hard after spending time with Aari (and now Simon) to leave them and go back to my long week; but at least I had Punta Cana and all the really fun photos of Simon in crazy-cute beachwear.

Tuesday December 12, 2006 – Day 135

Matthew visited Aari and Simon today and I’m told Matty got Simon’s first laugh.

Aari and I heard that there is a Navajo tribal tradition that when an infant laughed for the first time the person who made the baby laugh hosts a party and the Navajos would exchange gifts to mark the occasion. I would tell Matt to have a party but as it is he makes dinner for us at least twice a month – so I think he’s covered his laughing obligations.

Wednesday December 13, 2006 – Day 136

Aari told me that anytime Simon makes any noise or fuss, Julie our housekeeper says "Si-mon, maybe you are hungry?" The first two times Aari was amused and then not so much. One look at this boy, you will realize he has never missed a meal.

Thursday December 14, 2006 – Day 137

Well it’s happened. Simon discovered his feet. Can't keep his hands off them.

Friday December 15, 2006 – Day 138 First night of Hanukkah

If you were wondering when the day would come that I would be a typical Jewish parent touting the wonders of my son -- - TODAY is that day.

Simon had his 4 month physical this morning with his regular pediatrician and the doctor turned to Aari and me and said, "He's such a good one!" Well, I actually beamed. I didn't say anything out loud; I didn't show my hand in any way because I'm still reluctant to admit I have any part of this baby business -- but boy was I ridiculously and out of proportionately proud.

He gained 1 pound and 1 oz - bringing him to 16 pounds, 13 ounces. He grew 1 1/4 inches bringing him to 24 3/4 inches and his head grew 1 cm bringing him to 42 1/2 cm circumference. Just to put some perspective on those numbers, when he was born he weighed 6 pounds 4 ounces, his length was 20 inches, and his head was 34.5 cm in circumference.

At night we went to temple to begin the festival of lights celebration. Had my mother been alive she would have been eight-seven today. I couldn’t help thinking about her as I watched my son be his 4 _ month-old charming self.

Saturday December 16, 2006 – Day 139

BIG NEWS!! I got my first laugh today from Simon. We were just hanging out and I folded him up to my mouth and I kissed his stomach and he giggled. I did it again and he laughed again. For the rest of the weekend I kept doing it but he never laughed again. It was such a sweet little sound I was dying to hear it again.

Sunday December 17, 2006 – Day 140

Aari, Aari’s mom, Simon, and I all went to the family Hanukkah party. This is basically my father’s oldest sister’s family. She had 3 children and they all had 2 children each and now they all have 2 children each. Since the entire group couldn’t make it, it was only 17 adults, 9 kids under 12 and 2 kids in their 20’s. We left the apartment at 12:30 and returned at 7:30pm; it was 5 +hours of food, football, dreidel, thousands of presents, screaming, and eating, and Simon slept through it all. That’s my boy.

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