And so we come to the end of another year. For many, it was a horrible year, but for me, 2009 will always be special because of the birth of Muffin and Squeaker. ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mabfan and I saw our lives change significantly this year, and we are amazingly blessed.
May the coming year bring you everything you want and nothing you don't.
(And a note to the various media outlets: it may be the end of the ohs/aughts/naughts, but it is not the end of the decade. See earlier rants re "end of the millennium.")
mabfan and I saw our lives change significantly this year, and we are amazingly blessed. May the coming year bring you everything you want and nothing you don't.
(And a note to the various media outlets: it may be the end of the ohs/aughts/naughts, but it is not the end of the decade. See earlier rants re "end of the millennium.")
Four Baby-Related Things
Dec. 1st, 2009 03:16 pm1. If you have a Flickr account and are interested in our baby picture repository (which is a private group), make gnomerino one of your Flickr contacts and (provided I recognize who you are) I will send you an invitation to join the group.
2. We received a gift with no card mailed to our PO box. If you sent it (four books), *please* let us know; we've been scratching our heads over this one.
3. We received a gift with no card a while ago, a gift bag with two lovely toys in it. We'd love to be able to write a thank-you note for the gift, especially because the girls adore both toys. Mystery solved!
4. Does anyone have a crib mobile with a wind-up music box that they're not using and that they wouldn't mind me canibalizing for parts? I need a music box (the kind that makes the mobile spin; like the music box on this mobile) for one of our two mobiles, and I've been unable to track one down.
2. We received a gift with no card mailed to our PO box. If you sent it (four books), *please* let us know; we've been scratching our heads over this one.
3.
4. Does anyone have a crib mobile with a wind-up music box that they're not using and that they wouldn't mind me canibalizing for parts? I need a music box (the kind that makes the mobile spin; like the music box on this mobile) for one of our two mobiles, and I've been unable to track one down.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Nov. 26th, 2009 09:00 amAll of us here at the Burstein household – especially Muffin and Squeaker – wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving!
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Muffin and Squeaker say Happy Thanksgiving! Photo ©2009 by Michael A. Burstein. Do not copy. All rights reserved. |
A Thought Upon Looking into the Co-Sleeper
Oct. 2nd, 2009 11:38 amThe field of battle was littered with pacifiers as the Burstein girls wreaked their havoc across the countryside...
Scene: mabfan and gnomi are walking to lunch on second day Rosh Hashannah. mabfan is pushing the stroller.
mabfan: So, probably you and I will eat in shifts, with one of us holding whichever baby is fussy.
gnomi, indicating the baby sling: If someone is fussy, I can probably sling them, and then I can eat.
mabfan: Well, then I can Magic Missile them.
mabfan and gnomi are walking to lunch on second day Rosh Hashannah. mabfan is pushing the stroller.mabfan: So, probably you and I will eat in shifts, with one of us holding whichever baby is fussy.gnomi, indicating the baby sling: If someone is fussy, I can probably sling them, and then I can eat.mabfan: Well, then I can Magic Missile them."Conversations" with an Eight Week Old
Sep. 16th, 2009 10:09 pmOr, "Some day, they'll really talk like this, too!"
Scene: Squeaker keeps letting her pacifier fall out of her mouth.gnomi, on whose side of the bed the co-sleeper is located, keeps replacing the pacifier.
gnomi: Squeaker, if you don't turn your head, it will keep falling out. The pacifier, I mean. Not your head. That can't fall out.
Scene: Squeaker keeps letting her pacifier fall out of her mouth.
gnomi, on whose side of the bed the co-sleeper is located, keeps replacing the pacifier.gnomi: Squeaker, if you don't turn your head, it will keep falling out. The pacifier, I mean. Not your head. That can't fall out.Emerging-From-Hibernation Rambly Bits
Sep. 16th, 2009 01:20 pm-- I'm done with my leave and am now back at work, so expect to see me online at least slightly more often.
-- How is it that Muffin and Squeaker are almost nine weeks old? They're gaining head control and other good things on a daily basis, and they're beginning to notice the other baby in the co-sleeper/pack-and-play.
-- Ridiculous things I've said to my children: "[Muffin/Squeaker], are you crying because you're sad or are you crying because the baby is crying?" "[Muffin/Squeaker], shhh! You'll wake the baby!" "All baby service representatives are currently assisting other babies. Your call is important to us; please be patient and the next available baby service representative will be with you as soon as possible. This call may be monitored for quality assurance."
-- How did it get to be the week before Rosh Hashannah? This happens to me every year, and I never understand how.
-- A question to ponder: what earthly purpose do pockets have on a 0-3 month size onesie? What's she going to carry, her keys and mobile phone? She can't even support her own head yet.
-- People bringing us food was wonderful, but at the same time there is something very nice about getting back to doing my own menu planning and cooking.
-- I missed my coworkers. I did not miss the commute. Thank goodness for understanding management and coworkers who are willing to give me rides.
-- Our home office is at the back of our apartment, and I'm discovering that our portable phone doesn't have the greatest reception back there (the base station is at the front of the apartment in our bedroom, and it's only recently that I'm using the back office regularly, so it hasn't previously been an issue). On the downside, it means that the home line isn't the best to reach me on when I'm working back there. On the upside, though, it means that we won't be as likely to have that phone ringing in the room next door to the kids' room.
-- I've missed everyone while I was in hibernation. I hope all is well by all of you.
-- How is it that Muffin and Squeaker are almost nine weeks old? They're gaining head control and other good things on a daily basis, and they're beginning to notice the other baby in the co-sleeper/pack-and-play.
-- Ridiculous things I've said to my children: "[Muffin/Squeaker], are you crying because you're sad or are you crying because the baby is crying?" "[Muffin/Squeaker], shhh! You'll wake the baby!" "All baby service representatives are currently assisting other babies. Your call is important to us; please be patient and the next available baby service representative will be with you as soon as possible. This call may be monitored for quality assurance."
-- How did it get to be the week before Rosh Hashannah? This happens to me every year, and I never understand how.
-- A question to ponder: what earthly purpose do pockets have on a 0-3 month size onesie? What's she going to carry, her keys and mobile phone? She can't even support her own head yet.
-- People bringing us food was wonderful, but at the same time there is something very nice about getting back to doing my own menu planning and cooking.
-- I missed my coworkers. I did not miss the commute. Thank goodness for understanding management and coworkers who are willing to give me rides.
-- Our home office is at the back of our apartment, and I'm discovering that our portable phone doesn't have the greatest reception back there (the base station is at the front of the apartment in our bedroom, and it's only recently that I'm using the back office regularly, so it hasn't previously been an issue). On the downside, it means that the home line isn't the best to reach me on when I'm working back there. On the upside, though, it means that we won't be as likely to have that phone ringing in the room next door to the kids' room.
-- I've missed everyone while I was in hibernation. I hope all is well by all of you.
A General Announcement
Aug. 5th, 2009 09:39 pmThese days, my online time is down to about five minutes total each day, so until things calm down a bit, I'm likely to be scarce around these parts. Know that I am thinking about all of you, and I'm dropping in periodically when I have a free extra minute. Which might be at 3:30 AM, depending on what Muffin and Squeaker are up to.
Today mabfan and I named our daughters:
Elisheva Meira (formerly Thing One) (AKA Muffin) -- Named for Michael's great grandmother Elizabeth and my great grandfather Meir
Yael Batya (formerly Thing Two) (AKA Squeaker) --Named for Michael's father Joel and our friend David's father (who died the Saturday night before my surgery) and for my grandmother Betty
(By the way, I haven't read e-mail since Saturday night a week ago, before the babies came. If you sent me e-mail, I cannot at this time guarantee when you will receive a reply.)
mabfan and I named our daughters:Elisheva Meira (formerly Thing One) (AKA Muffin) -- Named for Michael's great grandmother Elizabeth and my great grandfather Meir
Yael Batya (formerly Thing Two) (AKA Squeaker) --Named for Michael's father Joel and our friend David's father (who died the Saturday night before my surgery) and for my grandmother Betty
(By the way, I haven't read e-mail since Saturday night a week ago, before the babies came. If you sent me e-mail, I cannot at this time guarantee when you will receive a reply.)
Twin Naming Scheduled for This Saturday
Jul. 21st, 2009 05:53 pmOur daughters will be named during the morning service on Saturday July 25th at Kadimah-Toras Moshe, 113 Washington St., Brighton, MA 02135.
The service begins at 8:45, but the Torah reading tends to start around 9:45 or 10. The naming will occur during the Torah service, when Michael will receive an aliyah, and Nomi will bench gomel.
Services will end about 11:30, with kiddush afterwards. Near the end of kiddush, Michael and Nomi will speak about the names they choose. Kiddush is being co-sponsored with our good friends Alexis Kaplan and Josh Rosenthal, who are celebrating their anniversary and the arrival of their new niece.
The service begins at 8:45, but the Torah reading tends to start around 9:45 or 10. The naming will occur during the Torah service, when Michael will receive an aliyah, and Nomi will bench gomel.
Services will end about 11:30, with kiddush afterwards. Near the end of kiddush, Michael and Nomi will speak about the names they choose. Kiddush is being co-sponsored with our good friends Alexis Kaplan and Josh Rosenthal, who are celebrating their anniversary and the arrival of their new niece.
So Let Me Introduce to You...
Jul. 19th, 2009 06:48 pmBaby girl 1: born 9:20 AM 19 July 2009. 5 lbs 8 oz,17 inches
Baby girl 2: born 9:21 AM 19 July 2009. 5 lbs 3 oz,19 inches
The babies are adorable and wonderful; the parents are exhausted.
