The Lang Family: February 2012

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Reed's First Haircut!

So, I had every intention of going at least a full year before cutting Reed's hair. I loved it long and, like so many moms, hated the thought of him getting a big boy haircut. But it was becoming clearer and clearer with every passing day that the hair needed to be cut - and badly. The front was always in his eyes, and the sides came well over his ears. It constantly looked messy and dirty, due to Reed pushing it out of his face or rubbing food in it during meal times. Jeff was making daily comments about how long Reed's hair was getting (with strong hints that he wanted it cut), so I finally succumbed to practicality and on Sunday we took Reed to The Yellow Balloon, a children's salon in the Kentlands.

Overall, it was a great first haircut! As usual, Reed was cool as a cucumber, and I have to admit that he looks absolutely adorable with his shorter 'do. But I have a whole envelope of his sweet baby locks that will go in his baby book and many months of pictures to remember the long hair days! Here are some pics of the big event, along with a video of the whole cut (be warned - it's eight minutes!).

Pre-cut!

Post-cut - no more bangs!

Reed loved his yellow balloon

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Reed is 10 Months Old!

This month has been a big one for our little guy! At his nine-month check-up, I reported to the doctor that Reed was not yet crawling, pulling up, or getting to a sit on his own. One week later, he was doing all three with ease! Now Reed is a moving machine - he loves standing up in his crib (and it still cracks me up to walk into his nursery and see him standing in there), pulling up on anything he can, crawling toward Ari, and taking a few steps while holding our hands. And he still remains our easy-going, sweet-natured boy. Yesterday some friends babysat him for a few hours while we had the home inspection on our new house (!) and they were just amazed at what a great, easy baby he is. We know we're lucky!

Without further ado, here are the things we want to remember about our wonderful Reed at ten months:

At around 21 1/2 pounds and approximately 29 1/2 inches long, the chart I referenced says Reed is in the 49th percentile for weight and 66th for height. But he's still got those deliciously chubby cheeks, thights, and tummy!
Sleep patterns have remained the same. Morning nap from around 9 to 10 a.m., afternoon nap from around 1:45 - 3:30 p.m., and nighttime sleep from 7 p.m. to 6:45/7:00 a.m.
Reed takes breastmilk four times a day (6:45/7 a.m., 10/10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m.), with just a little sip before bed. He's taking less and less milk now, down to around 23 ounces a day (from 32).
He eats three solid meals a day (8:30, noon, and 6:15 p.m.), with a snack in the late afternoon. He loves protein (ground beef is his favorite, but he likes chicken too), dairy (cheese and yogurt), and bread (Cheerios and bread). Fruits and veggies are not his faves, but we're usually able to get in one carton a day. Reed really loves feeding himself and spoon feeding is getting more and more challenging.
Still no teeth! Again, no complaints, since I'm still nursing him in the mornings.
As I mentioned above, Reed can now get to a sit on his own, crawl, and pull up, as well as cruise a bit and walk with assistance. But while he's growing in independence in terms of his ability to get around, Reed still really loves to be held and picked up. He often reaches out for Jeff or me to hold him and is happy to be cuddled.
He added "na na" to his vocabulary this month. He alternates between "ma ma", "ba ba" and "da da" as his favorite word.
Reed is getting better and better with his waving. While it's still not consistent, he'll wave back about 50% of the time now. Progress!
He loves peek-a-boo, both with blankets and on the floor, when we hide behind objects like the ottoman or door.
His favorite game this month was when I would crawl toward him on the floor, and at the end of the month, he would start crawling toward me before I could get him, meeting me in the middle. So much fun. Reed also likes "trying" to crawl away from us on the sofa, but then waiting for us to grab him and swing him back. Lots of laughs during that game!
He loves being ticked on his legs while he's in his highchair (see the video below!).
Reed's favorite toys are his Leap Frog Learn 'N Groove Table, his VTech alphabet train (thanks Bubbe and Zaide!), his dog from Uncle Rob and Aunt Brie, and his elephant ball popper from Aunt Rachael. He also loves our toys - the remote control is a particular fave!
His favorite books continue to be All of Baby, Nose to Toes, The Going to Bed Book, and Goodnight, Moon.
Reed continues to be mesmerized by music. I've learned that singing to him while changing his diaper ensures that he stays put, instead of trying to crawl off the table!

We're now on the countdown to the big first bithday . . . We can't believe we almost have a 1-year old! But for now, we'll treasure our precious 10-month old and all the sweetness that he is.

Look at his tums!

Proud of his sign!

And now it's time to get it!

Eurkea!

Our little cruiser

Rockin' out


Ragamuffin!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

North Stars

Last week my best friend from college, Lisa Munger, wrote a blog post about her North Stars - the women in her life who have helped shape and guide her into the person she is today. She encouraged readers to reach out NOW to the people you love, to tell them NOW that you love them and appreciate all they are and have shared with you. I was inspired. I have always felt unbelievably lucky to have amazing women in my life who have loved and supported me through my life journey thus far. While I'm grateful to all of my female friends, there are, of course, some who are MY North Stars. They are the ones on speed dial. The ones I instinctively turn to, for different reasons, in times of joy, times of sorrow, times of uncertainty. I love you, ladies!

Lisa - thank you for teaching me that conflict is not only okay, but healing, cathartic, and ultimately restorative. Thank you for your authenticity and for your constant quest for self-improvement and self-love. Thank you for proving to me that soul mates never truly leave each other.

Beth - thank you for providing the inspiration for a beautiful relationship and marriage. Thank you for your idealism. Thank you for your empathy and uncanny ability to always say just the right thing at the right time. B'sherit.

Allyson - thank you for your huge heart, the biggest of anyone I know. Thank you for your constant love, support, and forgiveness, no matter what I might do or say.

Maureen - thank you for your thoughtfulness. Thank you for your quiet, yet constant support, for which there is never a question. You teach me loyalty and faithfulness.

Rebekah - thank you for your unerring pragmatism. Thank you for the truth - always the truth - and for listening without judgement.

Aunt Candy - thank you for your passion, and for sharing your passion with me. Thank you for listening and remembering. Thank you for always letting me be a part of your life.

Brie - thank you for your grace, humor, empathy, and kindness. Thank you for being my role model. Thank you for loving me and being the sister I always dreamed of.

Aunt Karen - thank you for your prayers (you know the ones!). Thank you for laughter. Thank you for listening and poring over every detail. You are my reminder of the depths of love.

And Mom - thank you. Thank you for being my daily inspiration to be the best woman and mother I can be. Thank you for the PURE and unconditional love you have given me every day of my life. You teach me compassion and generosity. You are my heart and soul.

Thank you to my North Stars. You are my constants. I love you!

Thursday, February 2, 2012

SO LATE - Holidays 2011

I am unbelievably late with this blog post, but I wanted to make sure I had record of our wonderful trip to California for the holidays. We were lucky this year - Hanukkah and Christmas overlapped, so we were able to celebrate both holidays while we were home. We lit candles every night (thanks Sherwins, for participating so willingly!), and also had a lovely Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Other highlights included a day trip to Malibu and a fun family photo shoot, but the best part for me was watching my family interact and play with Reed. It breaks my heart that it can't be a more regular occurrence, but I'll take what we can get!

Here are some of my favorite memories of the trip.