Four Month Milestones

With ten minutes to New Years Eve here on the East Coast, Isaiah sleeping in his crib, my husband snoring next to me, I am sitting here thinking about how much my little one has grown over the past few months! I can't believe he is four months old! Moreover, I can't believe it is about to be 2008. I remember thinking about how Isaiah would be four months old for the holidays and how much older that seemed! I look back at his pictures and he looks SO much bigger.

My husband and I are both over six feet so we knew we would have a tall baby. Isaiah is already outgrowing his 3-6months clothes and his 6-12 month socks are snug fit! The other day he discovered screaming. Now when playing with his toys (which he loves to beat the hell out of) or playing with me he screams with delight. He also is laughing out loud. I can already tell he has his Dad's hearty laugh. He is also holding himself up when propped up without toppling over. He is drinking about 5-6 ounces of pumped breast milk every 3-4 hours (or 10minutes each breast) and eating two bowls of rice cereal a day. This age is so much fun. He is so talkative and is ticklish (just like his momma). Above are some pictures of him smiling at me while propped up on the couch.

Well, I guess this will be my last post before 2008! New Years Eve is the anniversary of my grandmothers death so we are going to breakfast with family in the morning. We may pass through a party a cousin of mine is having but despite numerous volunteers to babysit, the hubby and I opted to spend those final minutes of 07 at home with the little one. What better way to spend his first New Year :-). Wow... this time last year (20 lbs ago), I was planning a New Years party at my Upper West Side apartment, and about to have a little too much fun (considering I had no clue that I was pregnant!), yay, Carribean Rum. Check out the flash back photo (not of New Years but almost 5 years ago when Richard and I started dating!). As unbelievable as it sounds though, I am looking forward to this New Years much more. Well, Happy New Year, Everyone!

A holly, jolly Christmas..

Christmas was so much better than I expected. Between the move and all the expenses we didn't get a tree or any decorations! We had a wonderful (WONDERFUL) Christmas Eve just spending time together as a family. The video above is of Isaiah's famous stomp dance on Christmas Eve. He is really trying to walk! Then on Christmas we headed to my family's house where my mom had a huge tree and a ton of presents for Isaiah. Everyone said he wouldn't know the difference but he was pretty happy with all his new toys.

I feel like a kid again seeing it through his eyes. Richard and I are still debating whether to teach him about Santa. I never believed in him. It was pretty simple for me. I had no chimney lol. So, I really couldn't picture Santa climbing through the windows of my Queens, NY neighborhood without someone calling the cops. My husband shared a similar rationale. I don't think I was too traumatized. I was a pretty spoiled kid. I was more fun making specific requests to my mom than some mythical creature who couldnt be held accountable. Well, I guess we have a few years to decide! Hope everyone had a great Christmas!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Love, Isaiah

It has been a hell of an end to the year for my family. One thing I never mentioned was that my husband worked for Archstone-Smith during the whole fiasco. Needless to say, he no longer works for them because they made sure to make it very uncomfortable for him because he dared to speak up when they put our sons life at risk (for more info see my Seizures, Mold and Archstone Westbury post).

So, we leave in 2007 any more illness (God willing), a dangerous apartment and a company I always believed my husband was too good for. We move forward with a stronger marriage, our healthy son, a renewed faith in God, a new home and a new career! I hope everyone has a beautiful holiday and a healthy and safe new year! May 2008 be the best year yet!!

Good With Needles: Isaiah, The Trooper!

My mom told me this funny story the other day. We were at the doctors office for an appointment for me and I was about to have blood drawn. She said, "You are so good with needles."

She paused, snickered a little and said, "You know how I know?" Perplexed, I replied, "How?" Surely she would tell me some brave tale about how when I was five years old I snatched the needle from the Doctor, administered a vaccine to myself and laughed all the while.

But, no... she said, "Because I told you you are."

HUH?!

She then told me when I was a kid, just before I needed to get a shot or have blood taken she would say, "Tiara is SO good with needles." That way, I would be tricked into not crying or complaining because I had to live up to my own legend! Besides feeling a little betrayed.. I mean, I REALLY thought I was good with needles all these years... I thought, Genius!! Can I just take a moment to say, nothing.. NOTHING makes you respect your Mom more than becoming one yourself! I made it to 18 with all my limbs, common sense and most importantly, my life. Of course there were points in college where I seriously tried to undermine that (Drinking games, anyone?) but looking at Isaiah now I realize what a true mission that is! Anyway, I made it my mission to convince Isaiah that he, too was "good with needles."

So, it doesn't work on four month olds!! All he knew today was that his gray haired doctor stuck two needles in his thighs and it hurt like hell. The picture I attached is of him 15 minutes after the shot when we packed him in the car seat ready to go home. Boy! Was he MAD at us!?! Anyway, I figure the convincing will work some time after the age of two. He still looked cute crying!

Ready for solids?

So, it is my theory that babies tell us when they are ready for solids. Isaiah has been eating rice cereal with his breast milk for the past two weeks or so. This was less about a milestone and more because the doctors thought he would hold it down better when he was sick. But, as of late, anytime Richard and I bring anything towards our mouths - from a glass of OJ to a piece of chicken, Isaiah turns his head and STARES at our mouths. He is seemingly fixated on every little bit, every open and close of our mouths - every little detail until the last morsel is gone. Sometimes he even opens his own mouth to mimic our movements. Last night while tearing apart a plate of greek food (yay, Wild Fig - if you are in Long Island), Isaiah even reached for my plate. I would think this was uniquely Isaiah but I saw a commercial with a baby doing something very similar. On Wednesday, Isaiah has a doctor appointment and I am going to see what he recommends we start Isaiah with - can you believe he will be four months old on Saturday! Moving to solids means I will not only no longer be a slave to my breast pump BUT I will also enter a whole new world of baby poop. Joy, lol.

HUSBANDS

I love mine. I have to write this now... especially while we are in the rain. Not rain. Hurricane. I knew I loved him from our second date. We slow danced in my studio apartment to Umi Says by Mos Def. Then, he asked me if could kiss me. I said yes. And, I am not just saying this because he is my husband, but it was the best kiss I ever had.

Yesterday, I was diagnosed with Asthma. Never had it in my life so my doctor believes it was also, due to the mold. I also have an ear infection and sinus infection, most likely caused by the cold I had two weeks ago that I was too busy to pay attention to. I also have a possible ulcer. What 26 year old has an ulcer? One who thought she would lose her child, I guess.

Anyway, my pity-paragraph wasn't to invoke sympathy. It was just to set the stage. Between Isaiah's illness, the move, sleep deprivation and my illness, I allowed myself to be in a pretty funky mood today. While most of our stuff is in the new apartment, my husband (who packed up our lives in three days by himself) left a few things at Archstone Westbury to sort through in the next few days. We popped by the old place today so I could decide what I wanted to keep. He waited in the car with Isaiah (who will never set foot in that apartment again) and I went in to look around. I went in and it all hit me. We were forced out of our home! The bedroom was still the color of sweet potato pie I had spent all day picking. Isaiah's room was still a deep bright blue that reminded me of the ocean. There were still traces of sticky tack on the wall were I put his farm animals. I remembered taking him in his room just to sing Old McDonald and point to the animals. I felt overwhelmed. On the floor, where his crib used to be, lay a coat that Isaiah hadn't even worn yet. I purchased it in 6-9 month size just waiting for him to be big enough to wear. I felt like I was going to cry. In the corner of the bedroom lay my first stuffed animal, Pup Pup who I hijacked from my mom's place just so Isaiah could meet the stuffed animal Mommy had as a baby.

When I got back to the car, I was so upset. I proceeded to lecture Richard on what a horrible job he did packing our things. He forgot to pack the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, he forgot to get my contact lens from my cabinent, he forgot Isaiah's Jumperoo, he forgot Isaiah's coat and most importantly, he forgot Pup Pup. He nodded, occassionally tried to interject, loaded the car with the forgotten stuff and we drove back to Glen Cove in silence. Now, lets recap, Isaiah was in the hospital all last week. During which, Richard was on the phone constantly planning our whole move - cancelling service, hiring movers, finding an apartment. Then, here I was - mad about a stuffed animal?

Yeah, I can be a bit high maintenance.

So, I am sorry. Here is my public apology. We have been through HELL these past few weeks and no one could have made hell a little less hot than you. Thank you for telling me I smell good and look beautiful after not having showered in four days or looked in the mirror at the hospital, thank you for letting me have first pick of the nasty hospital food, thank you for letting me sleep in the pull out chair at the hospital while you sleep sitting up against the wall, thank you for taking your T-shirt off and letting me wear it after Isaiah threw up on mine, thank you for the M&M's and juice during the move while I was talking to Newsday, thank you for kissing me like you mean it even when we didn't have toothbrushes at the hospital, thank you for only turning to sports when I wasn't looking at the TV, thank you for holding me while I cried, thank you for letting me hold you while you did, too, thank you for making me laugh at least once every day, thank you for telling me it would be okay even though I know you didn't know it would, thank you for making me go to the doctor to get checked out, thank you for telling me you loved me every time you left a room, thank you for telling that student nurse to leave the room while I was trying to get Isaiah to sleep, thank you for sleeping in the chair last night so Isaiah and I could sleep on the bed until we re-assemble his crib, thank you for not sleeping to pack up our whole lives in three days and still changing Isaiah's diaper so I could sleep a little longer when you got back to my mom's AND STILL not telling me off when I complained in the car, and most importantly, thank you for Isaiah, without who we wouldn't be complete. In the words on the great Christina Auguliera, ain't no other man could stand up next to you. My life wouldn't make sense without you. Let's make more babies and die old and fat in each other's arms!

Isaiah's story is in the news!

I feel so grateful that Newsday allowed us to tell our story about the mold at Archstone Westbury. Hopefully, others will read the story and know that they are not alone! Yesterday, we also began talks with an attorney representing tenants in the class action recently filed against Archstone. We plan on joining and retaining another attorney to represent Isaiah with regard to his personal injury claims.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassau/ny-liarch1204,0,7451573.story?coll=ny_home_rail_headlines

Resident of Archstone Westbury?

Archstone Westbury is refusing to hold a community meeting allowing the residents to voice their concerns regarding the health issues in the community.

If you are a resident of Archstone Westbury, please email: ArchWestResident@gmail.com.

I am trying to compile a list serv of Archstone residents to organize a meeting in the very near future. I am moving out on Monday but I plan to see this through. Thus far, I have meet five residents who have had health issues associated with the mold at Archstone. I KNOW that if we just talked, we would realize we are not alone.

Seizures, Mold and Archstone Westbury

Ever been through so much in a short period of time you feel like you are watching yourself like a movie? These past two weeks have been so surreal, I haven't even begun to think of how to tell the tale.

Isaiah had a seizure on Saturday November 17.

I was waking him from his nap, as usual. I placed him on the changing table when he began to stiffen up. His eyes fixed downward and he grunted repeatedly unlike anything I had heard before. It lasted about a minute and when it stopped Isaiah was staring around disoriented. My mother was visiting at the time and we rushed him to the Emergency room. He recieved a Cat Scan, Blood and Urine Tests and a Spinal Tap to help determine what happened. All tests came back negative. He wasn't running a fever, he hadn't bumped his head... all the doctors could tell us was that it was a fluke thing and that hopefully, it would never happen again.

On Monday November 26, my husband called me and told me that we would have to move from our apartment in three months. Our apartment complex had uncovered a "catastrophic" water leakage problem which was causing mold throughout the units. The damage was so extensive all buildings in our community would have to be torn down and rebuilt. Therefore, every member of the community would have to move out. (For more google: Archstone Westbury). I went to talk to the management at our community and they all told me while the couldn't gurantee that it was safe - we could still stay until March. My husband and I decided to give our 30 days notice. Better safe than sorry, right?



The evening of November 26, while feeding Isaiah, Isaiah stopped breathing.

He began to gasp and gag and do everything to catch his breath. My husband called 911 but we eventually ran out of our apartment barefoot to speed Isaiah to the hospital. When we arrived, Isaiah had a chest xray. They asked us to tell us everything so we mentioned that we had just been informed our apartment community had a mold problem so could the two be related. The answer was a definitive YES.

The test results came back positive for a possible pneumonia. Isaiah was diagnosed with two respitory illnesses and an allergic rash covering 85% of his body. A rash I originally thought was just due to heat and teething. We stayed in the hospital 7 days. I watched Isaiah vomit repeatedly, cough himself awake, cry in a way no parent should ever have to see her child cry and scratch himself bloody from his rash.

After six specialists and five different courses of treatment, Isaiah woke up Thursday morning smiling for the first time in weeks.

His rash had cleared and his cough was much better. His change was so drastic his pediatrician cried with me and Richard. All six specialists determined his problem was most likely caused by his environment - most pointedly, the mold.

Thursday evening we were finally discharged and not only did the doctors tell me my son should never return to our apartment but we should throw away all of our upholstry (couches, mattresses, etc.) to be sure nothing was contaminated. As I write, I am staying at my mothers with Isaiah and my husband is packing our apartment. While in the hospital, my husband was out searching for an apartment and we are moving on Monday.

On Friday afternoon, my husband and I went to the managment of our community and told them that there is a health issue at the community and residents (especially those with children) need to know definitively that they need to get their families OUT of the community as soon as possible. My husband and I are fortunate enough to have family to stay with and a new apartment to go to but god forbid we didn't. In that case, they need to be putting people up in hotels.

The VP of Operations at Archstone-Smith said - while you and your doctors may believe the problem was environmental we don't believe the situation is dangerous. To my childs illness she said, "I'm so sorry." In the most condescending voice. Talk about devil personified. I could say more I think it will sound better being served by a process server. In short, Archstone plans on doing nothing.

After leaving, I spoke to three mothers who have the same, almost IDENTICAL issues with their children in Archstone Westbury. I feel like I am living in a movie. Thank God Isaiah is out of the woods - but to know that this problem could have been totally avoided is enraging. Who knows what other ailments my son could face in the future?

Isaiah was born August 22, 2007 perfect. Pink lips, a button nose, a head full of curly hair and beautiful brown eyes. He trusted Richard and I to put him in an environment that was safe. He trusted us to make sure nothing happened to him. We trusted our apartment community to provide a safe home for us and our child. I moved there in March just because I thought it would be a perfect first place to start my family. In the span of a week, I almost lost my perfect child and my husband and I were forced out of what we thought was our home. I feel angry, betrayed and lost. Right now, we are picking up the pieces. But, I feel more committed to this blog than ever. I promise to write more once we get settled with the move and Isaiah is out the woods.