Christmas Eve

One would think I would have managed to get a whole bunch of nice photo's of the boys this Christmas, but for some reason I just didn't get anything good. Luckily I was able to capture one of the two of them in their Dala horse pajama's sitting in front of Grandma's tree.

Making Bullar Part II

Swedish Saffron Bullar

They were at it again, the baking duo. Anna and Anders had round two, making traditional Swedish saffron bread. It's made with marzipan and it's quite yummy.

God Jul!

'Tis the Season

Yes, snow. Snow, snow, snow. And we are supposed to be getting more tomorrow!
Yippee.

Here are a few snapshots of Anders (and Kuba's) first time out sledding this year.

Trying hard to get a good Photo

You just have to laugh. By the end, poor Jakob was 

really unhappy.

Family Pride

I was just searching some blogs and found this article on a blog site called Family Pride. (www.familypride.org/blog/) I thought I'd copy it and post it here on my blog. Read on.

Proven again: lesbians are good for kids.
It's no surprise to us that kids thrive in loving homes regardless of family type.
With results that mirror those found in U.S. and Canadian studies, new research from the Netherlands proves parenting by two mothers is just as good - if not slightly advantageous - for children when compared to heterosexual families with two parents.
"Children do well in loving families, regardless of whether there are two moms or a mom and a dad involved," said Robert-Jay Green, director of Rockaway Institute - a national center for public policy and research on LGBT issues.
200 couples with boys and girls - ages 4 to 8 - were included in the study. Half the parents were heterosexual, half lesbians. Child adjustment and parental characteristics were measured by questionnaires, family observations by researchers and diaries kept by parents. Research showed children are better-off if more time is spent with parents.
Earlier this year, a Canadian Justice Department study concluded children of lesbians have the same levels and qualities of social competence.
Research from 2004, at the University of Virginia, showed the single most important predictor of a childs' well being was their relationship with parents - regardless of family type.

Of course....!

Cutting down the Tree

We had a family outing in which we went to a tree farm to find our holiday tree. I had Jakob in the moby wrap, under my coat, and Anna pulled Anders on the sled. We quickly found a beauty, cut it down and made Anders haul it out of there. Only kidding! But Anders did try real hard to pull the tree to the car. Jakob cried real hard, which prompted the "quick" find, and when all was said and done, we had warm hot chocolate and Anders tasted his first piece of candy....a candy cane.

Snow Day!

Our first snow day of the year! We awoke to a nice snowy morning and quickly headed out to the park next door to play. Here are our neighborhood friends posing for a photo with our friendly snowman. We played outside for hours, and then all tromped into our house for mac and cheese and gingerbread cookies. A lovely time was had by all, even Kuba who slept through the good times.

One Month Photo

Here is Jakob after four weeks! When Anders was a baby I took a monthly photo of him sitting on the same chair with these same pillows. I then made a baby book at the end of the year. I will do the same with Jakob.

And to remind you....

Here is Anders when he was 4 weeks old. See any resemblance?  I coincidentally dressed them in the very same onesie. 

Baking Pepparkakor

4 Weeks Old

Jakob had his one month old doctor's visit today.
He weighed in at a whooping 11 lbs. 3.5 ounces. I compared it to Anders one month check up and Anders weighed in at 11 lbs. 4 ounces. Almost identical.
Their heights were also identical at 21 and 3/4 inches. Both boys will be tall.


The doctor said Jakob was great. He recommended Anna stay off dairy for 4 days and then go to Ben & Jerry's for a big ice cream....see how Kuba reacts and if it's bad, we know he's sensitive to dairy. Anna's really looking forward to the ice cream....all I can think about is the bouncing and walking we'll be doing afterwards.

Tonight is another good night for Kuba. He was alert and squawking for a couple of hours and I read some real thrilling books to him and then crashed about 20 minutes ago. He is now sleeping in his crib. (That is why I have a minute here to do a blog entry.)

Anna and Anders are downstairs making Swedish Pepparkakor - or in layman's terms, gingerbread cookies. I took a ton of photo's of Anders speckled with flour. Keep your eye out for that.

Oh Boy oh boy

Oh boy is all I can say. Jakob has been fussy. I'm not quite ready to say "colic," but just imagine the word and what it signifies, and that is enough to paint the picture of how it has been here in the evenings.

But, there is a God after all. It is now almost 10 pm and tonight Jakob has been quiet. Anna hasn't eaten any dairy, onions, garlic, cruciferous veggies, or had coffee for 2 whole days. We also have been trying a few homeopathic remedies and belladonna might have done the trick...or it's the dietary switch. All I know is that I feel a little more sane tonight myself.

Have I mentioned I am neurotic around baby illnesses? Yes I am. Quite the nutjob. I immediately get anxious and fearful and go right to death. Even if it's just a goopy eye. SO, I have been all upset, exhausted, worried, and desperate. Doesn't that sound pleasant! Doesn't that sound like the kind of mother you want bouncing and soothing her crying newborn?

Jakob goes to the pediatrician tomorrow for his one month check up (can you even believe that!) and Anna will be asking all sorts of questions related to baby gas, baby spit-up, and baby crying. I told Anna the other night, that if Iwas crying as hard as Jakob was, I would be at the emergency room. Luckily his crying only lasted a few hours at the most and just in the evenings. And so far tonight, not at all. Keep your fingers crossed. Toes too.

SO, what's it like to be a mom of 2, and a bit too old, a bit too sleep deprived, and a bit too busy now that I am back to teaching full time? Hard. Just a bit hard these days.

Oh, but of course that is just my perspective. Anna, oh brilliant incredible mother that she is, is of course, fine. She has handled her first 3 days at home with me back at work with ease. Today she even went shopping for a new pair of jeans! And found a pair. I swear, she is bionic. Really.

Heading into the Holiday

Well, here it is, Tuesday and I am home all week from work. No school! I can't tell you how happy that makes me. This is my last week off until the Christmas break, and then I will have off for 6 whole weeks!

I am nervous for Anna next week when she begins life at home alone with 2 boys.

I couldn't do it.

No way, not yet.

Anders has been waking up at the crack of dawn, actually even before dawn, and raring to go at 5:30 in the morning. This was the first morning I was able to talk him into going back to sleep until 8. I felt triumphant and we all got a little more sleep. In fact, I think I had the best nights sleep than I have had in ages.
Normally, I am up with him for a few hours before Anna heads down.
What will she do? I leave for work at 6:30! I think it will be an interesting transition.....and I am slightly worried....more on that as it unravels.

I do think Anna and I are pretty well, even though we take turns being irritable and grumpy - soley due to sleep deprivation, and an entirely new life....life with 2 boys. I had one day where I was in a panic over everything. I wish I was a good writer and I could really describe the way life justs shifts paradigms. One day a whole life, next day it's gone forever and a new life slips in it's place. It was the same kind of thing when Anders was born....and this time it is the exact same profound change. The life we had with the 3 of us, the way we spent time, related, set up routines, etc. gone. It simply vanished.
And now the big job of creating a new rhythm for all of us.

I think it is going to take a little time.
Yes, I remember that the first time around.

2 Moms 2 Boys 2 Weeks

This is my first rattle about how it is going so far with Anders and Jakob. Hmmmm....where to begin?

Jakob has been a dreamy baby so far. Sleeps well, eats well, has some quiet alert moments, and an occasional really bad bout of gas. He has passed his birth weight of 8 lbs. 11 ounces and this week weighed in at a whooping 9 lbs. 10 ounces. The doctor was pleased to say the least. I of course was bursting with the same dopey pride I had about Anders.

Anders has also been doing remarkably well with the whole transition. He's been idylic with his baby brother, which he now calls "Kubi." He likes to hold him and talk to him - and then he forgets he's around and just gets into his own play mode. He still gets a ton of attention from us, so in some ways I think that eases some of the transtion. However, he did wake up crying last night at 2:30 in the morning, wanting Anna to hold him.

Anna, wow. She is feeling great and has been up and around almost from the getgo. She is doing a fantastic job of taking care of herself and Jakob and Anders.

I however, well, let's just say I feel like a mack truck has rolled over me. I had to go to work this week, and put up and tear down an art show at school, all in a matter of 3 days. I also had to prepare yet more sub plans. My left eye lid is all swollen, my right knee hurts, my left shoulder aches, and there you have it....me in a nut shell. I have had intermittent sleep for weeks now, and I just simply want 8 hours. I did manage to take a nap today thank god.

Okay, there you have it. Life in a nutshell.

Christening the Blog!

Here it is folks, the official blog change over. Now that we have two boys, I can't really call the blog Life with Anders anymore, now, can I? SO, it was suggested by my good friend Carol, that I change it to be Life with Anders and Jakob. Sounds good to me....let's see how it looks!

You can still view the old blog still at www.lifewithanders.blogspot.com.

New Blog Site

 If you visit my blog, please add this new blog address to your favorites list.

I started a new blog for both Anders and Jakob.

http://www.lifewithandersandjakob.blogspot.com/

Check it out.  

The Birth of a Name

The birth of a name is sometimes complex, and sometimes serendipitous.  

Here is the story behind Jakob's name:

Anders was named after Anna's dad, Bjorn.  We chose Bjorn for Anders middle name.  Because Anna's dad is Swedish we felt this very Swedish first and middle name was perfect for him.

Jakob is named after my father, Leonard.  My father is Polish, and we wanted both of the babies first and middle names to be Polish too.   We searched and searched for a first name that we liked, but pretty much came up with nothing, unless Lech or Stanislaus sounds good to you.   

Then serendipitously at Anna's doctor's appointment mid pregnancy, the nurse who worked with her just happened to be from Poland.  Anna asked her about good Polish boy's names, and she laughed out loud.  She said many were not translatable here in the USA. (we had sort of already figured that out!) Then she told us her favorite boys name, which was Jakub, Kuba for short.  Of course, that became the immediate nickname for the baby...baby Kuba.  Anders has been calling him Kuba for months.

So the name Jakub rose to the top of the name list.  Still, we continued to search bringing a list with us to the hospital.  Felix, Soren, and Tobias (none of which are Polish) were on the list, as were Marek, which is a second Polish name.  

In the end, after meeting the baby, we decided Jakob Leonard was the perfect name for this little fella.  And there you have it, the birth of a name.  

Oh, and you can call him Kuba if you want to....or even sweeter than that, how about sugar KUB. 

Jakob's Quilt

 

This is our little guy at 5 days old.  This is pure bliss!

Grandpa and Grandma

 

How lucky we are that we have been able to spend the first week of Jakob's life with his grandpa and grandma.   Here they are proudly holding their little Kuba.  

My Little Brother is Here!

 

He's here, he's here!!!
Welcome Jakob Leonard

11/02/07

8 lbs. 11 oz.

Happy Halloween!

 

Anders smile matches the jack-o-lantern's!

Still no baby brother, even though we had one hell of a cute costume ready for him!

Instead, this cute little elephant dressed up the baby anyway - 

by drawing with aquarelles on Anna's belly.

You Wanna See My Room?

A good friend of ours came over the other evening.  She wanted to put Anders to bed and as Anders was taking her upstairs, he said in an exuberant way, "You wanna see my room? It's boootiful!"  And it is indeed.

We transferred him in early summer to his own room, with a new big bed, in anticipation of the baby coming.  We wanted him settled before the transition to a little brother.  We did this slowly and carefully.  First, we painted the wall blue, then the rest of the room was repainted, and then we moved his new bed and all of his stuff, etc.  His pride and joy over his space is so cool, so fun to witness.  Here is a photo of his favorite space, his bed with his baby quilt, his stuffies.  Soon I'll post a photo of the baby quilt I made for Kuba - it's all done!  

LIbra to Scorpio

I've been watching the zodiac signs changing for a few weeks now as I wait for the baby.  I was certain he would come a bit early and enter this world with a libra sun.  Mainly, because everyone I love so much is born in October.  Nope.  Libra has come and gone, and Scorpio has arrived.  That is okay too, because both Anders and I are double water signs, and it's a good match.

Then I started looking at the moon sign as it changed, the only remaining changing planet in the natal chart.  I hoped he would wait until after the Aries moon, a hard place for the moon to reside.  Then I rooted for a taurus moon, to match Anna's!  Nope.  We are currently in the moon sign of Gemini for one more day.  If the baby doesn't come with this air sign, the moon moves on to cancer.  If that happens, Anders, the baby and I will all have matching moon signs.  Oh, the watery, emotional homey life we will lead!  Stay tuned for the exact natal chart.  

Bedtime Conversation

We were talking about the new baby tonight, Anders and me.

It was a sweet conversation about what life would be like with a little baby brother.

Anders asked, 

"Is he going to have a face?"

I said yes. 

"Is he going to have a body?" 

I said yes.  

"Is he going to have foots like mine?"

Yes, he is.  

Silence.   And then,

"Okay." 

I can't imagine loving another baby as much as I adore this little boy.  Though I am certain I am soon to learn the lesson about the power of love.  As I type this, I can hear Anders over the baby monitor, quietly calling me in his sleepy little voice, "Mema, Mema, Mommy."

And now a little bit later, silence.
All is well in our house.  Anders is asleep, Anna is at a Greg Brown Concert, and I am alone, quiet and grateful.  
Awaiting the soon arrival of our second son, with his face, body and foots.  

Anticipation

 ...is making me wait.  

Pressing Apples

Today we went to Calais, Vermont, to visit my friend and colleague, Emily.  We watched (and helped) them make apple cider.  What an amazing day we had! 

Anders First Story

Last night as I was putting Anders to bed, he asked for just ONE MORE story.  I told him I was all done telling stories and if he wanted another one he could tell one.

He was quiet.

And then, "okay!"

Here is Anders very first story told at age two- and one-half years.   

"Once upon a time there was a beaver.  

It climbed a tree.  

It ate some berries.  

t came down the tree.  

The end." 

SOON!

We are all in waiting mode!

The baby will arrive any time now, and a brilliant, palpable 

sense of anticipation is in the air.

When is baby Kuba coming?

Will he be a libra or a scorpio?

Grandma and Grandpa have arrived to help us out.  

Everything is in ready.  

All things baby are washed, put away, and waiting for him.

Keep posted for all the delivery details.  

My Little Pumpkin

 

 

First Field Trip - The Great Pumpkin Patch

Here is Anders with his very first hand picked pumpkin.  His whole class went to a pumpkin patch on Tuesday and Anna was a chaperone.  Tractor, hay ride, cider doughnuts, and pumpkins.  Who could want more?

Growing Up

As we approach the due date, lots of other changes are happening around our home.

First of all, Anders has settled into pre-school and is doing well.  It happened right after my anxiety had reached an all time high.  Is it the right school?  Is he too young?  Should we have waited?  It was as if someone just flipped a switch and TA DA, new boy at school.  He runs in, doesn't cry, happy all day, you know...just what I had hoped for.  

SO, with that change came some other noticeable ones.  For instance, on Tuesday I witnessed him get into his first real tug-o-war over a car with his friend.  He really hung on tight and was adamant that it was his toy - so was the other boy.  

He has also decided to try to undress himself.  Talk about pride.  Bursting joy simply because he can take off his own shirt!  Oh, if I were only that grateful for simple things.  

Today he exclaimed "Holy Moly, that leaf it bootiful!" as we were gathering leaves for a fall garland.  Yes, Holy Moly!

And lastly, as he was drawing recently, he drew a bunch of yellow lines, all close together, like rays.  He told me it was the sun.  This was the first time I observed him to draw something and name it, and if you looked at it from his point of view, it did look like the sun.

Oh, and only two weeks to go!  Baby Kuba is really close to being here with us!!!!  We can't wait!  As I was leaving for work this morning Anders said, "Mema, you forgot to kiss baby Kuba" Excellent! 

Rainbow Boy

 

We spent some time at the Orleans beach and it was so beautiful in late September.  Here is our boy, adorable and sheltered by this gorgeous rainbow! 

Crazy Cousins

My first videodownload!  How exciting!  Here they are, the three cousins dancing in and out of a sand circle on Cape Cod.  Beautiful aren't they!  

Click here to see the video link.

Here We Are!

 

5 Weeks and COUNTING!

Only FIVE more weeks until baby Kuba arrives!  Yippee!  

We have been calling him baby Kuba for months now.  It's a nickname for the name Jakob.

Anders name is very Swedish, and his second name is Anna's dads: Anders Bjorn.  The next baby will have my dad's name as a second name, so we wanted a Polish boys name to go with that.  The nurse at Anna's doctor's office is from Poland.  We asked her about good boy's names and she said there were not that many that translated well.  Except of course, for Jakob.  That name is very popular in Poland, and she especially loved the nickname, Kuba.  (The pronunciation for the name Jakob in Poland is YaKUB, hence the nickname Kuba) We've been calling the baby Kuba, and you know, it just might stick.  But then again, with us, you never know.  

Writing it Down

Anders sometimes says the best things.  I feel like if I forget to write them down I will lose these in a few years and he'll never have any stories to listen to when he's older about the funny, brilliant, or plain old silly things he has said as a toddler.  

A recent quote:   "Mama, no drainage here?" 

He said this to Anna as they were hiking down to the swimming hole at Bristol Falls.  I had taken him there just once before summer, but honestly, I don't think I used the word drainage.  This time he was going down and looking at a rocky cliff above them and piped up with this little doozy.  

Another funny one was recently when Mor Far was visiting.  We were sitting at the dinner table and Anders was directly across from Mor Far.  He looked up at Mor Far's forehead and said in an absolutely curious an excited tone - "Why you have those lines for?"  He was referring to the wrinkles on Mor Far's forehead.  They span left to right and there are lots, but who really sees these things?  

Little kids do.  

And then this morning when he woke up too early calling for me,  I went in and told him I was up and was about to take a shower and then I would come and check on him.  His sleepy response was "you dirty?"

Yep, I sure am.  

Pre-School Jitters

It's me.  

I've got a case of nerves worse than Anders does.  

He started pre-school 2 weeks ago and had three half days of school.  All went well...other than I wanted tons of feedback from his teachers and didn't quite get that.  This week he had 3 full days.  It seemed like it was going alright except for the morning drop offs were getting harder for him and he was a bit clingy on the second full day.  The third full day he cried saying, "Don't leave Mama!" over and over.  Anna said it was heart wrenching.  That night he was crying in his sleep dreaming and saying "Don't leave Mama" over and over just like he did at school.  Heart breaking to know that he is processing this separation anxiety as he sleeps.  So, I am just not sure what I think about it all yet.  I want him to love it, I want his teachers to love him, and I feel anxious myself that maybe this place is a bit too big for him, too overwhelming.  Everybody says - give it time.  Everybody says - this is normal.  I'm not so sure.  

He's the youngest one in his class of mixed ages, most are 3 and older, and even that makes me anxious.  So, I'm giving it time.  If it still feels like he's unsettled and unsure in 2 weeks, I'll figure out what to do next. 

Drinkin' From the Tap

We are in the middle of putting in a new bathroom sink and cabinet.  Anders has already figured out that if you pull yourself up you can actually drink right from the tap.  Our 187-pound great dane used to do the same thing...but he kept his feet on the ground.