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There She Grows

Quite a few in our friends & family have recently had a baby or are pregnant, some of them with twins. So L has been talking about babies in her body for some time now. When she plays pretend, if its not teacher or doctor (or monsters or animals), its being mommy. She is forever wrapping various objects in blankets and putting them down for naps. And last week we visited the California Science Center with our playgroup, where L stared wide-eyed at an exhibit of fetuses at various stages. Needless to say, she is now more fascinated than ever. Here is one example.

This morning she was playing alone and I could hear her getting upset. I found her struggling to fit a baby in its crib (L becomes exceedingly frustrated about things like this not working out instantly as she envisions they should, an intensity I should talk more about some time). In this case, the baby was her camera case wrapped in a pair of her tights and they were not staying on properly, which infuriated her. As did the fact that the whole thing didn’t lay comfortably in the plastic bowl that was its crib. The horror!

Once we managed to tuck baby camera case into a shoe box with a proper blankie, everyone was much happier. She kept it nearby all morning, and later she put the camera case under her tee-shirt and was pregnant. Saying he was going to come out in a few minutes.

She talks a lot about having a baby brother. She wants a baby in general but definitely leans toward having a brother. She’s been discussing this with me for quite some time now. I only hope she is still this interested in the idea of a sibling if and when it does happen. Lil is changing and maturing leaps and bounds all the time; she acts well beyond her age and is extremely opinionated. I sort of figured spawn2 would be on the horizon by now but things don’t always go as planned. I just hope we haven’t missed a great window, so to speak, of two little ones being close friends. On the other hand, with a little more space between them, L might feel less like her turf is being infringed upon, and could be a great help in caring for and teaching a new little one.

When I tell her that a new baby might be a sister and that its not something we can choose, she just says, BROTHER.

No pressure though!

My cousin-in-law Lori Kaplan has written and published a memoir that chronicles her experience raising her daughter, Jaclyn, who was born with Congenital Heart Disease. We’re so proud of her for accomplishing this, and excited to read it. Here’s an excerpt that describes the book:

Written by her mother, this memoir describes Jaclyn’s personality, her ability to find humor in frightening medical ordeals, and her perseverance in the face of serious illness. It is about being “normal” and doing what other children and families do, in spite of health issues. It is also a story about adapting to circumstances as they arise, and how a family can cope with chronic illness, without having it define their lives.

This book is an inspirational tale for parents and families, especially those who may have a terminally ill child in their lives.

Jaclyn’s Journey will ultimately be available for purchase at online bookstores but for now, you can buy a signed copy from her website.

Click the book cover (designed by our cousin Danny Kaplan) to visit the website (made by yours truly).

Almost two years ago, I posted about Nicolas Fransisco, an e-aquaintance who vanished unexpectedly one night. Leaving his two kids, pregnant wife, countless concerned friends and an entire community desperately searching for him to no avail.

Everyone was convinced of foul play. Friends and strangers country-wide took interest in the search; the unprecedented public outcry and internet buzz pushed the investigation far further than a typical missing person case. Even I received a phone call at home from a Sea-Tac detective with questions, and I had never even met the guy! I told them the same thing everyone else did: I felt fairly certain he hadn’t simply left on his own accord, but I didn’t have any helpful info.

Well, weren’t we all a bunch of chumps. After 2 years he has been found, living under an alias right here in LA, with seemingly no regard whatsoever for the three children he left behind. Read the rest of this entry »

Kid is very much enjoying the clay candlestick holders she made in pre-school. They are bejeweled with treasures. (sequins of all kinds are ‘treasure’ defined). Shown here in use with the lovely hand-dipped hannukah candles we got post-holidays for a buck. Ah the simple pleasures in life.

There’s lots I’ve neglected to discuss over the last few months… somewhere our little toddler has bloomed into a bona fide Big Kid and there’s evidence all over the place.

For one thing, Lil hasn’t been in a crib for months now, and I suppose this is worth mentioning! We finally removed the front panel of her crib at the end of November, just as Lilah was nearing the 2 and a half mark. And its been great! She took to it immediately. I was worried at first that with this freedom, Lil would never stay in bed on her own volition. I think that’s why we waited as long as we did. But I had under-estimated her readiness! Read the rest of this entry »

Read the rest of this entry »