Nine Months!

Dear Maya,

Mayita, My sweet girl, MayaMayaMaya!

Every month I say the same thing to daddy; this has been my very favorite month. You are so much fun! Thanks to your checkup yesterday, I can report that you are 28 inches long and weigh 22 lbs, 5 oz. And for anyone that cares, your head circumference is 17.5 inches. You, my sweet, are what they call thriving.



As always I begin with your big news, and have lots! You have a tooth! Your bottom front tooth started to come in a few weeks ago. For the first few days, you were such a great sport and you hardly even noticed. Frankly, neither did we! We only learned about your little pearly white poking through because your teacher commented about it! (Awesome parenting, I know.) But a few days in, you were not nearly as excited about this tooth situation as we were. Your poor gums hurt and nothing seemed to make you happy. But now you are back to your normal smiley self. Overall you’ve handed teething very well, you rarely fuss. However, as a result, everything goes into your mouth. Everything. From the rinse cup in the bath to your blankets and even the edge of your high chair tray- all of them have become teething rings (which, oddly enough you could not care less about).


chowing down on the rinse cup in the bath

You are more agile. You reach for all kinds of things now. You've also figured out how to roll onto your tummy and push up into a sitting position. The other day, I came into your room after a nap and you were sitting in your crib. Just sitting there, chillin all by yourself. You were so proud… like, “Ta Da!” Now you often greet daddy in the morning by sitting in your crib and grinning as if to say, “Where have you been? There is fun to be had!”


good morning!

You are on the move! You still army crawl a bit, but you can really crawl now! You seem to enjoy getting around. You see a toy on the other side of the room and you are off crawling towards it. We’ve put up a baby gate across the steps to the basement and covered all of our outlets. Im sure you will soon let us know the next thing we need to baby proof around the house.


9 months and crawling!!

You are really interacting with your toys. You like to spin and open and close things. You like to make things light up and make noise. Its like a switch has been flipped in your brain and suddenly you are able to make all these new connections. You hit a toy to make a sound. You press a button to make something spin. You close a door to make something disappear. Instead of passively playing peek-a-boo you put the blanket up on my face and play it with me. How fun!



You are also beginning to use exaggerated hand and arm gestures to communicate. When I unbuckle your car seat, you stretch out your arms as if you say “pick me up!” When you’ve had enough to eat, you put your hands in front of your mouth. In school, when they sing ‘Ba Ba Black Sheep’, you go baaaaaaa.



The other evening, I sat and watched you play in the bath. You were squeezing your pink rubber duckie just at the water line and cracking up at the bubbles it was making. You couldn’t get enough! This went on for a good five minutes….babbling to the duck, making it squeak and blow bubbles. You didn’t even notice that I was there with you. I so enjoy watching you discover and learn about the world around you. I also really enjoy styling your (little bit of) hair in the tub. We make mohawks and comb-overs. I cant get a bow in your hair yet, so I'm making the most of bathtime beauty salon.


bath fun hair

We’ve started going to music class on Sundays at the JCC and you absolutely love it! You get to see your friends Josh and Emily, and you seem to be making new friends too! You enjoy the singing and clapping and swaying and dancing- but you love to watch the teacher play guitar. You are captivated. You got to strum it yourself after class the other day. You also like shaking your ‘egg’ during the Choo Choo song and when I play the finger cymbals during our jam session.



Boy do you have an opinion! You can get upset when it’s time to put away a toy or if you cannot have something anymore. You get especially annoyed when a song is over in music class and we have to give back the instrument you were just enjoying so much. Also, for the first time this month, you cried a bit broke down into hysterics when we dropped you off at daycare. It doesn’t happen every day and it never lasts long- but it’s hard to leave you like that, my sweet girl.

You are becoming more independent. You are a very social girl, but sometimes you like to play quietly on your own. We put you in the pack and play with some toys, and you are happy to entertain yourself for a while. This is nice because mommy and daddy can get some work done around the house- like blogging or cooking dinner. You also like giving yourself your bottle (when its not very full). So grown up looking!


hangin in the pack and play


big girl bottle

You love TV remotes and cell phones, but you are no fool! A phone that is not on, or a remote without a battery will not light up and simply will not do. Only the real deal is acceptable to you, my sweet.



This was your first Rosh Hashana. You went to Saba and Abuelita’s house for dinner and we celebrated together with Natalia, Tia Paty and Tio Ilan. The last time we were all gathered for this holiday, Tia Paty and I were pregnant! We looked at the photo we took together a year ago and at our beautiful babies. We laughed at how Tio Ilan was even wearing the same shirt! It was a really nice family evening.


Saba and Abuelita love

You were fighting a sniffle but you played so nicely with Natalia. You two looked so cute in your matching outfits! We tried to do a photo shoot, but with two curious and mobile babies it’s not so easy! You had all these toys to play with, yet both of you really enjoyed empty seltzer bottle more than anything else. I guess it’s the simple things, huh?


Natalia & Maya Matchy Matchy



You went to Temple on Long Island and got to meet the Rabbi. You looked so pretty in your dress! You behaved very well the whole time. Later that day, we we went to the park and saw ducks and turtles and dogs. You got so excited when you saw other kids running by- I bet you cant wait to run as well!



Bubbie had a party for you, and you met lots of her friends and some family too. It was a great day; you smiled and went from person to person so sweetly. You had so much fun playing with the balloons. By the end you were pooped! After a long nap, you had a blast opening presents.




where's Maya?



You absolutely love being outdoors. Whether it’s going for walks in your stroller or splashing in the pool you love looking around at everything surrounding you. You like the chirping of the birds, breeze on your face and the crunch of the fall leaves under my feet. I bet daddy cant wait to take you hiking next year. One thing is for sure, you simply cannot get enough of the swings!


Maya loves swings with Bubbie


Maya loves swings with Abuelita


yay for the swings!

You are eating so many new foods! You eat pasta and yogurt and chicken and egg (yolk) and cheese now. You also like beets and melon and green beans and fennel and cauliflower too.


what should she eat first, the chicken or the egg?


sharing kiwi and mango with grandpa

You give the sweetest kisses! One day we will have to teach you that you should really close your mouth, but for now I cannot get enough of your silly, wet, sweet big ol kisses.


kisses for mommy. heaven.

You helped daddy celebrate his birthday this month. I think this was his favorite birthday ever, can you guess why? Because you were here to celebrate with him!


opening daddy's birthday cards


playing with toys and daddy

Mommy and Daddy celebrated their 4th wedding anniversary this month. We had dinner and talked about what an amazing year it has been; we reminisced about becoming a family and all the amazing little moments between our last anniversary and this one. A few days later you helped daddy open his birthday cards and we again thought about how lucky we have been this year. My love, thank you for making it so special. I love you!

Love,
Mommy


9 months!

Backdated post- June 20, 2010: Fathers Day News!

Fathers Day News!

This afternoon we told our parents our big news, and boy were they surprised! It’s Fathers’ Day and although it’s still a little early in the pregnancy, we figured it was a great time to let our parents know. There were tears! There were hugs! It was perfect.


(If the video doesnt work above, try this link)

I'm going to keep this post short, because I tink the video says it all. We will start telling extended family and friends in a few weeks. In the meantime, enjoy this video and pictures of our dads opening up their Fathers Day gifts.

Backdated post- June 10, 2010: Father’s Day Gifts

Father’s Day Gifts

Our Fathers’ Day gifts for our dads arrived today, they came out great! We ordered these t-shirts which will serve as gifts for them and a way to tell our parents about the baby.

My dad’s t-shirt is Mets colors and says “Kick Ass Grandpa” on the front and “Grandpa Marty” on the back. Dov’s is Yankees colors and says “Kick Ass Saba” on the front and “Saba Dov” on the back. They are so cute.

I can’t wait to give them to our dads. I can’t wait to see the look on our mothers’ faces. I am really looking forward to finally sharing our news and our journey with our families.

HOTlanta!

OK, I’m sorry this is a little belated; I don’t even have a good excuse. (Especially since my friends who have an infant to care for got their post about the same weekend up online faster than I did!) Now that I’ve been properly shamed, let me present the much-belated-somewhat-anticipated-blog-post: Our Mothers’ Day Weekend in Atlanta.

Last weekend, we headed to the Peach State for some quality family time with my mom, a whole lotta good eating, and a visit with some very good friends. My brother Brian has been living in Atlanta since college, (and is the only person I know who has moved 8 times in 8 years) and for the last several years, my mom has been making this trip down to Atlanta to spend Mothers’ Day with her son. This year, we joined them. Mom had landed a few hours earlier so after dinner, Brian and mom picked us up at the airport Friday evening.


On the porch swing at our bed and breakfast

We soon arrived at The Gaslight Inn, our charming Bed & Breakfast. Located in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood, it was very close to Brian’s house and several restaurants, bars and stores. We dropped off our bags and headed around the corner to Atkins Park patio for drinks. The place is literally right across the street from Brian’s place, the beer selection is good and they serve food until 2:30am- no wonder he’s the mayor of the place! We had a really nice night catching up but eventually had to get some sleep for our very full day of activities and eating ahead of us.


Checking into the B&B and heading out for cocktails

Saturday morning started out with a nice breakfast at the Gaslight Inn, walking around and exploring the Midtown and Little Five Points neighborhoods, some shopping and sipping mimosas at Piedmont Park.



Then we met up with Kevin and Andrea and met baby Jordyn (!) at Fox Bros for some fine southern BBQ.




Boys and BBQ = HAPPY

Jordyn is amazing- she is fascinated with her hands and feet and is constantly putting them in her mouth. She was very happy to be the center of attention, making sounds and laughing the whole time.

We had a great time with the Rubin family- we ate ourselves silly full of chicken and ribs and brisket and all kinds of BBQ goodness. Then, we went back to their home to see Jordyn’s room and the mezuzah we got for her. And now we pause our regularly scheduled weekend recap for a brief current events message: If you live in Bucks County, PA, Please vote for MICHAEL RUBIN for JUDGE in the primary tomorrow!! Thank you. And now back to our recap currently in progress….


Jordy and Mommy


Jordyn


Jordyn and Daddy


the mezuzah (waaay up in the top left corner)


Ali and Jordyn - I'm only slightly obsessed with this child, can't you tell?

After quite the jam-packed afternoon, we went back to the bed & breakfast for a classic Koles family activity- washing up. There have been several Marty Koles road trips and family vacations over the years, many states visited, many museums toured, many state fairs attended- and ALL of them include designated time to ‘wash up’ before lunch or dinner. I don’t know why we think it’s funny, maybe it’s the way our dad always said it as one word, “washup” but this has become a part of how Brian and I go about our vacations- we plan each hour or each day filled with activities and attractions which ultimately culminate in a very specific time to ‘wash up’.

Now I need to take another slight detour from the weekend recap to talk about eBob. So… if you’ve ever met us or if you have read this blog for more than 2 posts you would know that David and I are into wine. No surprise there. We blog about tastings we’ve attended, wine dinners we have hosted and the amazing people we have met who also share our genuine interest in wine. Much of what I have learned over the last few years has been gathered through developing my palate at tastings and by reading threads on the Mark Squires' Wine Bulletin Board housed on the eRobertParker.com. You can learn so much just by browsing the posted messages on the Wine Bulletin Board. Wine Talk is the central forum, it includes a wide range of wine-related discussions on topics such as buying tips, tasting notes, questions about winemaking, wine growing regions and tons more. The Food and Wine forum is for discussions about food/wine pairings, food and wine events, restaurants, and recipes. The Off-Line Planner is for members planning off-line, real life wine dinners and events and lastly, the Commerce Corner and is a place where board members can look to trade or acquire wine. A few days before our trip to Atlanta, I posted a request for Sunday brunch recommendations in the Food and Wine forum. I received several useful suggestions from local board members. Another individual posted a separate request for dinner restaurant recommendations in Atlanta, and in the replies I saw that Aria (the place we were going to on Saturday night) came well recommended. I called the restaurant and found out about their corkage policy (you can bring your own for a fee) asked the board if anyone could suggest a good wine shop in the area. And this is how we met the Johnsons- a wonderful and munificent family.


With the Johnsons

We were invited to their beautiful home to share a drink, talk about our mutual interests in wine and explore their cellar. As David said, it never surprises me how many great people there are out there who are all united by their love of wine. We had a lovely time talking about our families, upcoming travel plans, tastings we’ve been to and wines we enjoy. We left their home that evening with more than just some great wine(s) for dinner- we also gained a great friendship. One we hope to continue to build upon in future visits to the Atlanta area.

(Now I promise no more walk talk for the rest of the post) We had an excellent dinner at Aria – I think mom had a really nice evening. We dropped her off at the hotel and spent a few more hours with “the mayor” of the Virginia Highlands on the patio at Neighbors Pub. Thoroughly impressed and exhausted, we went to bed a few hours later.


At dinner at Aria

On Sunday, we packed up our stuff, checked out of the B&B and checked out the impressive Dekalb Farmers Market. What began as a small 7,500 sq. ft. produce stand in 1977 has grown into a 140,000 sq. ft. true world market serving up to 100,000 people per week. The original founder and owner of the market, Robert Blazer, is still in charge of operations along with his wife, Barbara, and son, Daniel. It had everything you could imagine! We had a great time walking around checking out the gorgeous produce, watching people cleaning fresh seafood, sampling some delicious fresh breads, and looking at the selection of meats and cheeses. After eating such a great dinner the night before, we thought we’d never be hungry again but this was the perfect way to stir up our appetites.

So then it was on to South City Kitchen in Midtown for brunch. It was delicious contemporary Southern cuisine- sophisticated and comforting- and a perfect way to round out our good eatin’ tour of Atlanta.





We hung out at Brian’s place for a bit and played with Hammer until it was time to head to the airport. We called all the amazing mothers and grandmothers in our lives to let them know we were thinking of them on their special day and then we flew back to Maryland. Our flight home was uneventful and we got home in plenty of time to unwind from our whirlwind weekend.

חג שמח - Chag Sameyach

Happy Passover everyone!



Since the seders were right in the middle of the work week this year, we stayed local for Passover. We went to Fara and Hunter's home for the first night and hosted the second night at our place. David spent several days chopping, slicing, peeling, roasting, braising and sauteing his many sauces, soups and sides. His hard work paid off- everything was delicious (which is good because we will be eating the leftovers for the next several days)!


The chef hard at work.


My contribution to the evening- the Seder plate.

We were joined by my college friends Jenn, Brooke and Brian as well as my colleagues Michelle, Rosemary, Ross and his daughter Layla. While my seders will probably never be as complete or as traditional as the ones I grew up participating in, we did our best to replicate the traditions near and dear to our hearts. We lit candles, said blessings over cups of wine, told the story of the exodus, asked the four questions, discussed the four sons, remembered the plagues, sang Dayenu, Adir Hu and Chad Gadya, opened the door for Elijah and of course, concluded with L'shanah haba'ah b'Yerushalayim! (next year in Jerusalem)


candles



At their setting, everyone got a Haggadah, a plague mask and prop as well as a reminder of what we can (and cannot) eat on this holiday.




Our seder guests.

One thing I must mention about our thoughtful guests is that they brought some fantastic Kosher for Passover wines. Boy has this aspect of the holiday come a long way. Gone are the days of Manischewitz or nada. We didnt get to all of them, but last night we drank....


Noah Tevel Shiraz Cabernet: Grown in the Bet Shemesh Valley in the Judean Hills, this Shiraz-Cabernet is 60% Shiraz and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon.

2003 Chateau Jaumard Bordeaux: This is from Salignac, just north of Libourne.

Golan Sion Creek Red '07: Grown in the Galilee, this is the most northern (and generally considered the best)appellation in Israel.


No Jewish holiday is complete without matzoh ball soup. David worked on this for days.

I'd also like to thank Brooke and Ross for bringing delicious desserts. I'm sorry I did not take more pictures of them. I did however, take a lot of pictures on the first night of Seder at the Golds. Here is one of Marin and David. Marin did a fantastic job of asking the four questions and Hunter and Fara made a fantastic meal.