Monthly Archives: March 2007

Giggle Monster

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Tonight, while getting Ana ready for her bath, I set her on the counter on her towel. Wanting to keep her happy while Simeon filled the tub, I tickled her chubby little legs and blew a raspberry on her stomach. As with all the previous raspberries I have given her, her eyes got wide with surprise and she paused as if considering how to react. Normally she remains still, gives me a serious look, and I am sure wonders why I insist on treating her in such an undignified manner. I keep trying in vain to tickle my child, but have had no success. I was beginning to wonder if maybe she wasn’t ticklish.

Until tonight.

I blew the first raspberry and her eyes got wide, but then I blew the second raspberry and she curled up her tiny legs and giggled. An honest to God, real laugh. Her first laugh. It was the sweetest, most precious sound I have ever heard! I instantly turned to Sim to see if he heard it and the look on his face told me he did. I blew on her stomach another time and she giggled again. Sim quickly ran around to grab the video camera, so we could capture this moment (and share it with all of you), but as soon as she saw the camera she was so distracted she stopped giggling. We tried several more times, but the moment had clearly passed. Don’t worry, I will keep trying to get her to laugh on video so you can all hear her adorable little laugh. I promise it will totally be worth it.

Gettin’ All High Tech

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Remember those old AT&T adds from like 10 years ago, where they show people talking on video phone? Like the dad would tell his kids good-night or the grandparents could see their grandchild taking their first steps. You remember the ones, right? I use to watch that commercial and think how crazy that was. Who would ever do something like that? Well I am here to tell you that I am now that person.

I just got off of…the computer? The Internet?…with Simeon. He is currently training in New York for the week and knew he couldn’t go six days without being able to see Ana and I. Sure I always send him pictures of us (more her than me) with my camera phone, but nothing can replicate seeing and hearing us at the same time. So before Sim left, he hooked up a little camera to my computer (his MacBook has iSight built in) so we could see each other every day.


Because, honestly, would you want to miss seeing that (sometimes smiling) face looking back at you each day? Not to mention all her adorable coos and baby sounds? Yeah, me neither. Plus, when I am up feeding her at 4am, it is 7am in New York so Simeon is up getting ready for work and we have a few minutes to chat. And that is a great way to start the day.

Oh I forgot to mention I put some new pictures in the
Ana Three Months gallery. And as always, check my Flickr page, too. Enjoy!

Three Years & Going Strong

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Today is my three year blogoversary (blog-o-versary?). I have officially been publicizing my life to the world for THREE YEARS now. It’s funny, whenever I try to explain my site to people who don’t really “get” blogging it either sounds voyeuristic or narcissistic. I am sure there is a little of both in there, but mostly I do it for me. I find nothing more gratifying than looking back over old entries and seeing what I have done, where I have come from, and how I have grown. I don’t honestly sit and read my archives very often, but when I do I am astounded by how easily I am transported back to that very day. I can remember exactly how I was feeling and what I was going through. To me that is magical. My blog is like my own personal time machine.

All those things are only compounded by the fact that I am now a parent. I love that my daughter will be able to look back (maybe with more embarrassment than anything–but what good are parents if not to embarrass their children, right?) at specific milestones in her life and relive those moments. Whether it is through a video clip (note to self: put up more video clips), photos, or even just my little daily musings. After all, isn’t life in the details? To know that I am keeping track of all these things whether they seem important to me now or not, is priceless. Because really, EVERY moment is special and not to be taken for granted.

Ok, so now we know why I blog, why do you blog? And if you don’t blog personally, what are you waiting for?

Learning to Let Go

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It has been six days since I vacuumed. 12 since I mopped. You don’t even want to know how long it has been since I cleaned the toilets. (Ok, it has been two weeks. WEEKS. I know. Ewwwwww, right?) Oh and I honestly cannot remember the last time I washed the windows. Seriously. And you know what? We have all survived. No one is sick. We haven’t even been contacted by the Department of Health! Can you imagine?

I have learned recently that there are more important things than a clean house. Sure, I still do a load of laundry just about every day (and even fold it and put it away!), keep the dishwasher loaded/unloaded as is needed, make my bed (decorative pillows and all!) and banish anything resembling clutter, but I am not a slave to keeping my house clean like I use to. I am learning to let go. Having Ana has really taught me that it is more important to spend time with her whenever I can and if sparkling floors and cobweb-free corners are the cost, then that is a sacrifice I am willing to make. She is only going to be this little once and I will be damned if I am going to miss it just because of my damn neurosis.

A Letter: Three Months

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Dear Ana,
Oh my little monkey, can you believe we made it three whole months? Time sure does go by faster now that you are in my life. I love spending my days with you, watching you grow and develop new skills. If I were planning to go back to work, I would have to do that this month as most maternity leave only lasts for three months. I cannot even imagine leaving you with someone else at this point in your life. I am so thankful each and every day that I am able to stay home and raise you.



In the past couple weeks you have expanded your bag of baby tricks to include blowing bubbles. I love the way you purse your lips together to create the tiniest little bubbles. Sure, this now requires that I keep a cloth handy to wipe up the excess drool, but it is just too cute to discourage. That and I totally do it too and it’s good to know you got something from your mama.



You have also started making a wider variety of sounds. Your current favorite is what I can only explain as the sound someone makes when “rolling your r’s” in Spanish. You make the sound, pause to allow me to make it back and then smile and laugh like it is the funniest thing in the whole world. And I just can’t help but smile and laugh back with the same enthusiasm. See? You just make every little thing so much better.



Another silly thing you have really perfected this last week is your fake cough. I admit I must take the blame for this one. A couple weeks ago I had a cold and whenever I would cough it would scare you (sometimes so badly that you would instantly burst into tears) so I would try to show you that coughs were not scary by adding a little fake cough to the end and smiling at you. Apparently this made the cough not only non-threatening, but also highly entertaining.



Oh and have I mentioned how much you love your reflection? You just love making faces and staring at yourself in the mirror. We first noticed this with the mirror in the car that allows me to see you in my rear-view mirror. You would just stare and coo at yourself while we were driving. So we decided to put one in your crib as well and it has made you very happy. Hopefully we are not encouraging narcissism or vanity. Your father is already worried about focusing too much on looks and makes sure that each time he tells you that you are beautiful or adorable, he also compliments you on your intelligence or talents. He just wants you to know that we love you just the way you are. And, I have to say, I totally agree.


All my love,
Mama