You Say Ya Want a Revolution

After a year of begging, and a year of Rec hockey, Chase has given up soccer to play ice hockey.  He is on Philadelphia Revolution Squirt White and is loving every minute of the "cool" sport.

He has improved dramatically in just these first two months and I am excited to see where he ends up by season's end.

He is an offenseman who shuffles between right wing and center.  He is learning to skate better, is making new friends, and is having a blast.  Here's to a great season!  Let's go Rev!

Hockey Tough

Avi's Bar Mitzvah

Last Shabbos we celebrated Avi's Bar Mitzvah.  He was amazing, and mature, and he looked handsome.  I always love, more than most things, when our family gets together.  Near and far gathered for the simcha and I enjoyed being together and having the boys spend time with their cousins.  Although I am sure there are pictures out there, I took none.   Eventually, they will surface.

But, Saturday night. While the bar mitzvah boy was partying with his friends, many of us gathered at Aunt Barb's to spend time together and, mostly, with the out of towners.

This picture was taken and I just love it.  Cousins are always the best friends you'll have.

Chase (9), Ryder (9), Turner (6), Max (2), Layala (3), and Lily (5)

Turner's Piano Recital

For Turner's 6th birthday he only asked for a few gifts:

-A robe, which may have been his favorite thing, Thank you Aunt Amy, Uncle Jay, Delaney and Madden.

-Lego sets (thank you 90% of the people who celebrated his birthday)

and, Piano Lessons.

So, with the help of Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop, Mom-Mom Jill, and Poppy, (thank you, all), Turner began taking lessons.  Beginning slowly he just went every other week and thrn conflicts (both by us and the teacher) caused us to skip many weeks in between.  But, he kept going.  And, before long came his first piano recital.  10/9/2015

Well-dressed, well-practiced, and bursting with a shy excitement, he got up in front of an audience and performed his first three songs.

We are so proud of you, Turner.  Keep practicing, keep learning.  We look forward to the next one.

A Letter to my Son on his 7th Month Birthday!

Dear Decker,

Today we celebrate 7 Months Happy!  Indeed, we do.

It is no secret that time passes quickly, as we get older time gets increasingly faster.  I am aware that it will feel like no time at all has passed, yet this seven month letter will become a 7 year letter.  Or, 17.

But, as fast it goes, you're not supposed to be in such a hurry.  Yet, you are.  You are trying to outpace time.  Or, at least it feels that way/

At 7 months old you crawl.  And, although you can crawl in traditional style you will also, sometimes, crawl then place one foot down- as if, mid-crawl, you may just get up and walk instead.  At 7 months old, you sit on your toosh, well-postured, for long stretches of time.  Then, you will bounce, on your toosh, as if you are trying to spring yourself to standing position, only you are not ready to fully stand just yet, so you sit back down.  You easily get an inch off the ground.  At 7 months old, you pull yourself up to standing and put your arms up to reach for us. At 7 months, you crawl up the steps, unassisted, though we do still stand behind you in case you should fall.  At 7 months old you do yoga.  You do not know you are doing yoga.  You've never been taught yoga.  Yet, you do a downward dog better than most people I know.  From that position, you will walk like a gorilla for a few steps.  It's only a matter of time before evolution takes over and you straighten up like the homo-sapien you are.

You started eating food right after your 6 month birthday and within a few meals you were well on your way.  You now eat two meals a day and, so far, have enjoyed carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans, apples, and pears, most of which I have made.  You've also had a little bit of chicken soup.  All of it you like and you're starting to get the hang of the whole spoon in mouth, swallow food thing.  Soon enough, we will add the third meal in.  You still take 4 bottles a day.

You started day care and have been doing great there.  For the first 5 weeks it was just you and Ms. Cheryl.  Last week, however, Phoebe came to join the party!  You seem to enjoy your day there and are always happy and playing (when you're not sleeping) when I arrive to get you.

You continue to be the easiest, most joyful baby.  You are happy and calm and bring a smile to all of us.  You're a serious boy, who takes in so much information as you watch the world unfold around you.  You watch your brothers' every move, mine, daddy's- and it is obvious that you are just collecting information to use at a later date, when your body catches up to your mind.

On many Fridays, though not all, you still spend your time with Uncle Mat. No one else teaches you like he does, nor communicates with you the way he does.  It is a wonderful bond you have with him.  When he is in the room with you, you do not take your eyes off of him, your focus can't be broken. It is quite fascinating.

Time with Uncle Mat includes Bass lessons....

...and piano lessons

You are truly my special little blessing and it is hard to believe we had a life prior to your existence.  You filled a hole we didn't know we had, and completed a puzzle we didn't know had a missing piece. We are grateful every single day.

I love you so, Decker

Mommy

you love spending time with your brothers

Turner helps feed you

Turner at 7 months
Chase and Ryder at 7 months

He Crawls

He's been working on it for months, long before his little tiny body should have been. At 3 months, when he started rolling over, he would try to move his body from one point to another.  But now, at 6 months, he is up and moving.  He didn't do it at 5:00pm and by 6:00pm it was done.  He's a crawler.
 Look at him go.

He Laughs

His laughter is contagious!

A Letter to my Son on his 6 Month Birthday!

Dear Decker,

We have been half-way around the sun since your birth.  The season has changed twice and is preparing to change again.  A school year has ended, a new one has begun.  6 months.  Half of a year.  It seems like just a few minutes. Yet, the calendar does not need to be turned in order to see how much has changed because Decker, my sweet boy, you are not the tiny little infant we held in our arms when the weather was still so cold.

No, now you are a baby, an active one at that.  You sit up, perfectly postured, for long periods of time.  And, you can get into that seated position yourself, even when lying down.  You roll all around and cover a good amount of surface area with your rolls.  You're working hard to get your crawl down but aren't quite there yet.  You can get  up on all 4's, you can rock back and forth, and you can move an arm forward, you just have not been able to master the balance of moving the arm and the opposite leg simultaneously.

You babble.  You babble often and not so quietly.  You babble when you're happy.  You babble when you're sleeping.  You must just have a lot to say. You coo. You giggle.  And, more than anything else, you smile.  Always.  You really are the happiest baby on the block.

Happy, indeed, but you also seem to be quite serious.  Intently taking in the world around you, you watch and listen and pay close attention to the things you see and the things you hear.  In this way, and in many other ways, you remind me of Chase,  You're not so serious that you don't laugh.  A tickle around your neck ; a silly act by one of your brothers; my singing of one of your favorite songs; any of that can set you off giggling and the sound is pure joy to hear.

But, nothing makes you more excited, more happy, more kicky and punchy with your legs and arms than your daddy entering a room.  His arrival is marked with happy coos and spastic movements, and at that moment it is clear who your favorite person is.

You weighed in at 16.12 pounds, a gain of 1 pound 8 ounces, and measured 16.5 inches long, a half inch of growth.  You are still in size 2 diapers but are getting ready for size 3 and you wear 6 month clothing.  You still only have your same two bottom teeth and continue to stick your fist in your mouth while drooling enough to soak a shirt.  Soon enough more should pop through.

We had a very busy last month and between now and then we have been to the Poconos, where we took you in the middle of the night to the beach to watch a meteor shower.  Without much shock you were easy going and happy to join the party no matter the disrupted sleep.  We've been to Baltimore, where we visited museums, visited with cousins, and had a great time.  All the while, you just hung out, smile on your face, once again happy to be included.  We also went to Hershey Park where, you guessed it, you smiled and cooed and enjoyed the day while everyone around you hit the big coasters.

You spent the summer napping outside at the pool and just going where we went, late nights, long days, all of it was fine for you.  You really are incredible.

6 months old and your eyes are still blue, blue as can be.  And, nope, I am still not 100% convinced that they are never changing.  6 months old and your hair is coming in shiny and soft and a light shade of brown. 6 months old and you love to have your hands clapped together, to be tickled, and to just be with all of us.  You enjoy your exer-saucer and the occasional toy you are given.

Your brothers went back to school and you and I stood back and watched the bus take them away on the first day.  I have a feeling you will miss the noise and the chaos that they bring!  Don't worry, they'll be home every afternoon with it.

Time goes quickly.  You are 6 months today but you'll be 6 years "tomorrow" and I just try to enjoy my moments in between with you.  You bring joy and calm and smiles to all of us and I could not be more proud to call you my son.

Happy 6 Months, Dex.

 

We all love you so!!

Mommy

Turner at 6 months