Kerpens Rule!

FlipCam Fun

2009-03-26T19:34:00.000-07:00

Some Edited Fun:

I love the flipcam.

CLASSIC KERPEN VIDEO

2008-11-02T17:44:00.000-08:00

First Steps!

2008-08-04T04:52:00.001-07:00

Kate Turned One!

2008-08-04T04:44:00.000-07:00

And I didn't even post! Here is the pigtail princess on her first birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVELY LADY!

The Big Girl Bath

2008-06-19T19:46:00.000-07:00

Charlotte turned Five, and I got all Sentimental.

2008-05-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

The story of me and my Gilmore Girl. Even though we're part of a growing, fabulous family now....I will always remember looking at Charlotte and thinking that we would always walk through life together. Now, we've just got more people to walk with!

Kate is a MODEL!!!

2008-05-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

Charlotte is FIVE!!!!

2008-05-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to the beautiful, lovely, caring, grown-up Charlotte Jayne Ryan Kerpen.

2008 MS WALK

2008-05-04T17:57:00.000-07:00

Today, Kate, Dave and I all walked in the 2008 MS Walk! It was a lot of fun, and very inspiring!!! Too bad Charlotte has a little bug and couldn't come....the weather was lovely and the scenery was great, and we raised almost 5,000 dollars!

Kate's ALL TIME Mets Record at Shea 1 and 0

2008-04-27T13:58:00.000-07:00

The Mets WON! Kate's first trip to Shea Stadium was filled with fun (and home runs!).

Playing with Plates

2008-04-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

Here are Dave and Charlotte in April 2003, playing with a plate at a NYC diner:

Here are Dave and Kate in April 2008, playing with a plate at a NYC diner:

The more things change...

Happy Nine Month Birthday, Kate!!!!

2008-04-01T19:26:00.000-07:00

A letter to Kate:
Happy Birthday, my darling little one! You are such a beautiful little spirit, and it is such a pleasure to be your mom! You are so wonderful. Currently, you are sitting, standing while holding on to stuff, saying "mama","dada", and "dista" (sister). You love to clap hands, and to EAT! You are one of the happiest, calmest babies that I've ever seen, and I am so thankful that I have gotten to spend so much time with you. I can't wait for you to crawl and walk, but at the same time, I do love having you as my little that I shnuggle daily. It's weird that you have been here for nine months-- equal to the number of months that I carried you. It's been a wonderful ride, Kate Rebecca Kerpen Sunshine Kitty Kat. I can't wait to keep going!
Happy Birthday.

Charlotte's Art Wall

2008-03-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

Charlotte reorganized her room, and decided to create a wall of her (and Dave's) artwork. It's pretty phenomenal if I do say so myself!

Kate has a sense of humor!

2008-03-18T17:05:00.000-07:00

Miss Kate discovers that her mom is really funny...NOT!

Kate Rebecca

2008-03-10T20:11:00.000-07:00

Kate doesn't really look like herself in this pic, but it's cute enough to post.
Kate loves to talk when sitting in this high chair. Her favorite words? Dada (for Dave) and Di-ta (for Sister) xoxox

Shopping Adventures...

2008-03-06T08:33:00.000-08:00

I hate shopping with kids. The carts are dirty, they want every sugar cereal known to man, and inevitably, one of them needs something instantly. But yesterday, when Charlotte requested a family trip to the grocery store, I couldn't say no.

And so, Charlotte and Kate rode in the "car cart" as I shlepped with Dave through every aisle. And, despite a minor choking instance with Kate, and the purchase of a Rice Krispies box with "barbie watch" only available by MAIL IN to the disappointment of my almost five year old....it was kinda fun.

My Three Girls!

2008-03-04T11:29:00.000-08:00

Charlotte, Kate, and Baby Alive

When Charlotte Gets Mad...

2008-03-03T04:49:00.000-08:00

"Charlotte, come sit down at the dinner table", I said. "NO", she replied. "Charlotte, come on...finish up your drawings, and come EAT!"...."FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!" she says. I hear a fierce scribbling sound. And then...VOILA.
Self expression at (almost) 5 years old is pretty cool.

At Eight Months Old, Everything is Applause-Worthy

2008-03-02T17:37:00.000-08:00

Okay, I'm horrible.

It's been nearly two months since I've posted on the blog. Work, parenting, and everyday craziness have gotten in the way, but I finally got around to taking a little video.

I will post some good Kate and Charlotte stories soon.

Love to all!

Shimmy Like My Sister Kate...

2008-03-02T17:08:00.000-08:00

This video is titled, "Shimmy Like My Sister Kate"...or..."Bored on a Sunday While Daddy's at Work"

xoxoxo enjoy!

Family Vacation

2008-01-27T19:43:00.000-08:00

Sorry we haven't written in January-- we took a two week vacation to California! It was a ton of fun! Highlights included the San Diego Wild Animal Park, LegoLand, Disneyland, day of fun in San Diego, LaJolla Seals, and visiting Rayni and Robert in beautiful Santa Monica!

Enjoy some pics from our trip....you can see that Kate is getting much much bigger!!

YAY KERPENS!

Happy New Year!!!

2007-12-31T21:39:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from the Kerpens!

Pictures Galore!!!

2007-12-30T15:56:00.000-08:00

Okay, it's been too long since I went on a picture taking spree....and so, to entertain the doze--I mean millions of people who check this blog out...here are some updated pictures.

First, here is Kate just two days shy of her six-month birthday:

Here she is in her Bumbo, getting ready to sit on her own:

Here she is eating Sweet Potato, fed to her by her sister:

Here she is, post Sweet Potato, in the bath:

Here she is at the Bowling Alley, watching her sister bowl a strike (in bumper bowl, that is):

Here are a few pics of the two girls hanging out together:

And finally, here is Charlotte on a trip with her dad into the city to see Max and Ruby!!!! What fun!

I hope you enjoyed this photo adventure! Happy New Year's Eve Eve!

Kate's Christmas

2007-12-27T10:18:00.000-08:00

Charlotte goes every year to hang with Daddy Chris's family at Christmastime, which left us with a little bit of quality "Kate time". While we missed Char a TON, this was really fun. Kate started singing this week....cooing to a fun melody that she hears every time her daddy sings his favorite song to her-- "You're a good good good good girl, you're the best baby in the world....you're a good good good good good good good good girl WOO HOO!". Kate kept the tune but sang "Gooo gooo goo goo guh, goo goo gooo goo goo goo guh!" Fascinating stuff! Anyway, here's a recent pic...she'll be six months next week!

The Elopement of Grandpa Robert and Grandma Rayni

2007-12-16T05:41:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to our creative West Coast G&G!

Happy Five Month Birthday, Kate!

2007-12-01T10:55:00.001-08:00

To celebrate, we tried oatmeal for the first time!

Why I love Shabbat..

2007-12-01T10:51:00.001-08:00

Perhaps the greatest Shabbat dinner in Little Neck Kerpen history...

Phil, Dan, Carrie and Joanna cooking together.

Charlotte and Phil baking Challah.

A terrific game of Monopoly.

The smell of fresh pesto filling the air.

Kerpens united!

So happy to see the amazing, talented, thoughtful, and altogether terrific Uncle Dan-- appearing from the West Coast for Thanksgiving, and this special Shabbat. We love you.

This is what happens...

2007-12-01T10:49:00.001-08:00

When your sister gets a hold of you and decides to play "dress up"!

theKATEbuzz

2007-10-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

Here she is, the official office mascot for thekbuzz.

Oh, that wacky Kodak!

2007-10-21T21:06:00.002-07:00

You see what happens when you can't sleep? Here is a lovely coloring book image of my daughters...it looks like something straight out of an A Ha video....remember "Take on Me"? Okay, first one to color in this pic wins a prize!

In case you're interested, here is the pic in its beautiful original form. Aren't they getting big?

Baby Love!

2007-10-21T20:48:00.000-07:00

Here are two pics of me and Dave as babies....who do YOU think Kate looks like?

Conversations With Kate- Part 2

2007-10-08T04:57:00.000-07:00

Apple Picking!

2007-10-08T04:51:00.000-07:00

On our trip to the Berkshires, we stopped in Sturbridge at a place called Hyland Farm. They had a great variety of apples to pick, and they had their own brewery. They even had bands, and dancing, and activities for everyone. It was awesome. It was unseasonably warm, and so I've eliminated the pictures of mom and dad sweating profusely, however, these Charlotte photos needed to make it to the blog!

The Kerpen Family

2007-10-08T04:50:00.000-07:00

Here we are! It's the first nice picture of the four of us!

Blogger Slacker!

2007-10-08T04:47:00.000-07:00

OOOOH!

I am in TROU-BLE!!!!

I have been majorly slacking on the blog! Mostly because I have been away. First we went to the Berkshires for a wedding and a fall foliage trip, and then we went to Washington DC to visit Uncle Phil!

Here's a basic update and then I'll post some pics...Kate is wonderful, she's very verbal and does a lot of cooing and gooing and laughing. Charlotte is also doing very well, and currently has 53 stars on her star chart! (She needs 100 to get BUNK BEDS!!!)

:)

Sorry I haven't been posting. Look for a slew of posts to come right NOW!

Sad About the New York Mets

2007-10-02T15:40:00.001-07:00

Day 24- My first mommy friend EVER

2007-09-26T00:47:00.000-07:00

Hi! Long time no update!

So, this weekend, we went to a birthday party of one of Charlotte's very first friends. Priya turned four, and was part of a playgroup that I joined when I first had Charlotte. This playgroup was incredibly meaningful to me, as I had no friends with kids at the time, and it was nice to just have some women to talk to about poopy diapers and crying and so much more. We all ended up being pretty good friends, and now, it is such a joy to get together with them.

Here is a pic of me and Kate with my VERY first of the mommy friends, Keisha. Keisha lived in my building when I first had Charlotte. We first became friends when she ran up to me and excitedly said "I'M PREGNANT!". Note: I did not even know her at the time, I was just carrying Charlotte in an infant seat. Keisha's warmth and willingness to share with me made us instant friends, and our children still love each other.

I miss you Keisha! It was great to see you and all the other mommies!!!

Day 23- Manicurist from hell.

2007-09-19T04:44:00.000-07:00

Let's go back in time a bit.

The year? 2003. The place, Forest Hills.
There I am, cutting my little 5 month old infant's nails, when suddenly, I hear a sharp cry. Yes, I mutilated my little Charlotte. She only cried for a minute, although she bled for quite a while, and I took a picture of my baby with her first band-aid to commemorate the experience.

Now, let's fast forward...
The year? 2007. The place, Little Neck.
Once again, I attempt a manicure on one of my children...except this time, it's THREE month old Kate! Same yelp, same blood, different band aid. (I guess I wasn't stocked with Backyardigan bandaids when Charlotte was little) Here's a pic of Kate post butchering.

Maybe I should stick to marketing. I guess I'll never be a manicurist. :(

Congratulations Kev & Ivey!

2007-09-18T06:43:00.000-07:00

Beautiful wedding, beautiful instant family!

STOP! Hammertime!

2007-09-18T06:39:00.001-07:00

Isn't it depressing that the youth of today don't know MC Hammer? No recollection of the gold lame pants...the hammer dance, 3-5-7...its just sad.

Day 22- CLEAN SWEEP

2007-09-18T02:40:00.000-07:00

Have you ever watched a show, and felt like you were going to have an anxiety attack because it was too close to home? Well, I watched Oprah's "REORGANIZE" show which featured people who lived in complete clutter, and I nearly lost my lunch! I mean, normally, I live in a perpetual state of "messy not dirty". Things on the table, toys on the floor, lots of laundry to be done. But lately, with the addition of a new child, and therefore new stuff, clutter has gotten out of control. Case in point:

WOWSA. Now, true, these pics were taken MID clean sweep, but still, it shows the amount of STUFF we've got going on in this small space. And so, on one special Sunday, Charlotte and I decided to reorganize. And so, we did:

What a fun day this was. While Dave worked (and Kate napped), Charlotte and I bonded through the art of organization. We attacked every room, and while there's still some work to be done, it's not disorganized anymore. When our sitter Sasha came over that night, she was totally impressed...and since she's a neat freak, I really considered that the stamp of approval.

Hurray for Charlotte and Carrie...the Organization Nation!

Day 22- Happy Birthday Bubbe!!!

2007-09-16T06:17:00.000-07:00

Bubbe turned 92 today! Isn't that awesome!?!

We celebrated at Aunt Bella's, our favorite Little Neck restaurant...where we take all of our favorite family members to have yummy home cooked meals with amazing service. We all had a great time!

Day 21- Formula.

2007-09-14T13:52:00.001-07:00

I never really considered myself to be a "nature mommy". I always felt rather ambivalent about breastfeeding. I breastfed Charlotte and supplemented with formula from the time she was three days old, and I didn't feel an ounce of guilt.

However, with Kate, I was fortunate enough to be able to exclusively breastfeed her. It came easier, she wasn't quite as hungry, and it just seemed to work. Yet now, with going back to work and a variety of social functions to attend, I decided that it was time to supplement with some formula.

Of course, I didn't think that this would bother me at all. I have NOTHING against formula! In fact, I was always more offended by the lactation consultants than in favor of them...I felt pushed and pressured with my first baby. But now, as I knew my daughter was receiving her first half formula/half breastmilk bottle from our new, amazing babysitter, I felt really sad. I felt like I failed. :(

Yes, I know that this is silly. She is still going to be 90% breastfed...it's only for when I am out or can't pump enough. And who cares????? My Charlotte did very well with a formula/bfing mix.

When I came home today, I stared at my beautiful baby. She was sleeping peacefully. When she got hungry, I was so happy to just lay with her and breastfeed her. When she pooped successfully, I was thrilled. I think you just love your kids so much, you just want them to have the best thing, always. It's just defining that "best thing" for you and your family that's the hard part. There's never an easy answer. There's always guilt. There's always sacrifice. But, if you're lucky, there's always a lot of love too.

P.S. Similac Sensitive seems to be great! So far so good!

Conversations with Kate: The Miniseries, Part 1

2007-09-13T21:46:00.000-07:00

Day 20-- L'Shana Tova!!!!!!

2007-09-13T20:46:00.001-07:00

Today is the first day of the Jewish New Year-- 5768, I think! I'm wishing all of you a sweet and happy New Year. Here is a pic of my cousins, sans Reinstein crew...it's a cute pic, and its nice to celebrate holidays with family!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Introducing...the HOOTER HIDER!!!!

2007-09-13T20:37:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to announce to the blogging community that I am now the proud owner of a "HOOTER HIDER". Yes, this is its actual name...a device created by some mom who is now a millionaire, I am sure. This is simply an apron with a trendy pattern on it, EXCEPT that the top has a wire in it, which enables the apron to stick OUT so you can see your child while you are breastfeeding. (As you can see, Charlotte is very interested in this feature.) Anyway, I paid $35 buckaroos for this thing, and it's worth every damn penny. I mean, can anyone tell I am breastfeeding here? I felt totally comfortable. This will extend my bf-ing for a bit longer, and also, I will continue to be stylish and chic. BRILLIANT!!! This mommy inventor gets the Carrie vote of confidence! I will pay 35 dollars for your silly piece of cloth any day of the week!!! YAY HOOTER HIDER!

Updated Kate!

2007-09-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are looking for some soon-to-be-12-week Kate pics...here you go!

Man....I Missed Days!!!

2007-09-13T20:32:00.000-07:00

Rather than catching up on specific days, I'm just going to post a few new bloggie entries here, and then start from today on.

DAMN!!!! I've been really good too!!!!

Day 15/16- Happy Birthday Mommy BFF!!!!!

2007-09-10T06:29:00.000-07:00

Finally! A picture of mommy BFF! Day 15 of this weekend was my mommy BFFs Birthday, and so, in honor of all Mommy BFFs, I thought that I'd list some of the many reasons it's important to have a mommy BFF:

- You can discuss your children's doodies at length
- You can talk nonstop about your children without feeling weird
- You can use weird words, and its totally understandable b/c your kids use the same language (Helloieeeee)
- You understand each other
- You watch the same tv shows (when you get two seconds to watch tv) because your kids are on the same schedule
- They understand what its like to be married to Daddy BFFs
- They let you cry when you are freaking out over PreK, or when you think you are raising a monster
- They let you lose your patience, and never call you a bad mom
- They never judge.

Thank you Mommy BFF, and Happy BDAY!!!!

On Day 16, I went to brunch with my non mommy friends. This was equally fun and exciting. It's great not to talk about your kids once in a while, and discuss boyfriends, jobs, and life BEFORE kids!

Love to all friends, mommy or otherwise!

Day 14- In the office with Kate

2007-09-09T06:02:00.000-07:00

(This stock photo is NOT me, and is being used because once again, my theKbuzz staff has my camera!)

My experiences as a working mother with an infant were completely different with Charlotte and Kate. During Charlotte's first three months, I was home...and I mean, completely, totally home. Staring at her little wrinkled face, I did nothing but love her, bite her tushee, and worry every time she did anything that I hadn't read about in "What to Expect when You're Expecting". When I went back to work, I went BACK to work-- 8:30 - 5:30, with some slight flexibility, but mostly, just full time like any other parent.

Now, with Kate, Dave and I have our own business. And so, I am required (if we want to make any money) to jump back in a bit earlier. However, because it is our own business, I can work from home, breastfeed whenever the heck I'd like, and bring Kate with me without any manager raising an eyebrow. This, to me, is a much better option.

And so, it is with great excitement that I report to you that Friday, September 7th, I spent the entire day in my office with Miss Kate. I watched the contractors build the furniture. I breastfed her under a blanket in the middle of meetings. I took her for walks while I was on conference calls. It was a great day.

I know this won't last beyond a few months...as she gets bigger, she gets more challenging to have at work. I've hired a sitter who is going to be FABULOUS for two days a week. I also have Dave to switch off with. It's going to be great. But for now, I'm celebrating my successful office day with my beautiful, smiling daughter.

:)

Day 13-- FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL WOOOOOOOHOOOOO!

2007-09-06T12:54:00.001-07:00

Today was Charlotte's first day of school! Even though it was only 1 hour, 10 minutes long....it was great to watch her first day of Pre-Kindergarten, and know that there's light at the end of the no camp/no school tunnel! Turns out she needs it as much as I do!

Here's a pic from class that Charlotte drew today....SO cute! I especially like the depiction of her teeth!!!

My girls at home

2007-09-06T12:48:00.001-07:00

As I've mentioned several times before-- the girls have both been home this week. I took some pictures of what they do while they're home.

Charlotte has taken to tying ribbons around her, and creating new looks for herself. Shown here...

Kate, on the other hand, hangs out on Dad or Mom's lap for much of the day! Note the dress hiked above her diaper and her messy clothes on the futon...such is life when you have two in the house at the same time! Cleaning goes on the back burner...well, at least in this house!

Day 12- OY VEY

2007-09-06T12:31:00.000-07:00

Day 12 was just an "oy vey" kind of day!!! It was so busy!! Between work, and kids, and stuff to do to get ready for school, I hardly had time to breathe, let alone write!

Thank goodness school starts tomorrow. I am really pooped. Can't wait to go back to working, for Char to go back to school, for Kate to go back to having my attention during the day...

Tomorrow, school starts, but it's only a tease of a 1 hour, 10 minute day. That's hardly school. It's the same thing on Friday, and then Monday....HALLELUJAH!!! School is back! :)

In other news, Kate is enjoying tummy time a bit more. Look for fun pics of full on head lifting to come soon.

Day 11- Recapping BFBG

2007-09-05T05:13:00.000-07:00

Here is a video I made that aired on the Jumbotron of Baby's First Ballgame. Why am I posting this for my Tuesday post, you ask? Baby's First Ballgame was on MONDAY, you say to me....that's kind of like cheating!!!

Well, this Tuesday was so busy that I can't even remember what happened today. Amidst meetings, taking care of two shnoopies, building an office from scratch, and working on the Parent's Association of Charlotte's school...well, needless to say, my head is still spinning.

So, for today, Day 11, just watch this video, and remember that Kerpens Rule!

PH Marathon

2007-09-03T20:48:00.000-07:00

Life is so surreal. Paradise Hotel is re-airing on Fox Reality for a Labor Day marathon. I woke up from a post-Baby's-First-Ballgame nap and was flipping channels, and there it was. I've watched this show in full twice...the first time, I was in the process of becoming a single mom and watching my friend Dave. The second time, I was holding my boyfriend Dave's hand as we watched the Reality Revealed version. Now, I just woke up next to my husband Dave and watched the "Charla says she's lonely"/"Dave is seen as whipped" segment. Shoot. Why couldn't I have turned it on during the "Dave kicks butt in tennis" piece? Gotta love reality tv.

I'm happy Dave had the PH experience. But I'm far happier that he's now married to me, with two beautiful daughters, and a very nice life. I love you, Dave...xoxo

My favorite Dave and Carrie pic

2007-09-03T20:43:00.000-07:00

I just thought I'd post this since I never use recent pics of me and Dave (plus we are usually with our kids), and I absolutely love this picture. It was taken at our friends Lauren and Rich's wedding. It was our first full day away from Kate, which was hard, but also very nice.

:)

Day 10- Baby's First Ballgame

2007-09-03T17:26:00.000-07:00

Well, today marked the first ever "Baby's First Ballgame" at KeySpan Park. And while it was EXTREMELY hot, it was a wonderful event. Tons of families came out with their babies in tow, and there were lots of great giveaways for everyone. Kate, the honoree of the day, slept through almost the entire event. It was so hot that I couldn't keep her out in the stands much, so I didn't get to see a lot of our family and friends, but we were so happy that Everyone seemed to have a wonderful time! I'm way too exhausted to write more today, but look for pics of the diaper derby, family first pitch, and other fun stuff soon!

Day 9- Confessions of a PreSchool Drama Queen

2007-09-02T19:52:00.003-07:00

In preparing for Baby's First Ballgame, I've been working a lot with baby pictures. In an effort to make sure I include Charlotte, I've also been using a lot of pics of her as the beautiful, amazing four year old that she is.

Well, today, I was uploading and selecting pictures for a slideshow, and she asks for paper and markers. THIS is what she drew, and taped on the door next to me.

"Mommy," she says very seriously.

"This is my broken heart. It's broken because you aren't using pictures of me."

"But Charlotte," I say, "Here are five pictures of you. Look, here you are with Sandy the Seagull. Here you are at our wedding".

"NO!" she screams... "I want a baby picture of me!"

And so, Miss Broken Hearted girl, here is a pic of you at your first ballgame. It was freezing cold, it was an exhibition game in DC, the first game at the Nationals new stadium. Nationals vs. Mets...and the Mets won. I was freezing and miserable. You were exhilarated and thrilled. You stayed through the whole game, screaming "Let's Go Mets". It was April 2005. You were almost 2. You were, and always will be, an amazing daughter, and, perhaps more importantly, an amazing Mets fan.

We love you, and we hope your heart heals soon.

Day 8- Preparing for BFBG

2007-09-01T18:59:00.000-07:00

Well, we're two days away from Baby's First Ballgame, and we've been preparing the promotions, video clips, music, and more. It's really fun putting together a promotion that is directly involved with your family (as opposed to our normal work stuff), and we think this one is going to be really terrific.

Now that I know how to make videos, I've gotten a little video happy lately. I recorded Charlotte as an attempt to make a little in-between innings video welcoming fans to Baby's First Ballgame. I decided it was a bit too much...it was pretty redundant with a lot of the other stuff we're doing. However, she was so proud and worked so hard on it, I had to post it. Plus, I included the outtakes. It's cute.

I have to tell you, school/camp vacation is getting to me. I'm totally exhausted. I'm going to give every stay at home mom of multiple children who are not yet in school HUGE hugs when I see them! I need lessons!

2007-09-01T07:55:00.000-07:00

WOOOOOHOOOO! It's the weekend of Baby's First Ballgame, and we are so excited to celebrate all the babies of NYC....especially our newest addition, Kate!

Baby's First Ballgame was featured in New York Magazine, New York Metro Parents Guides, and local Brooklyn Papers! We hope to get a great baby turnout! What a terrific day to celebrate LABOR (get it?) Day!

Charlotte's Joke

2007-09-01T01:54:00.000-07:00

Charlotte told the following joke today, and I thought it was worthy of a post:

"Mommy, How does a chicken know a monkey's butt?

"I don't know, Charlotte...How does a chicken know a monkey's butt?

"BANANA PEEL!" (she proceeded to burst into hysterics at the punchline of her own joke)

Kids are so weird.

Day 7-The Times They Are A Changin'

2007-08-31T17:29:00.000-07:00

(Note: When Mommy's camera is being used by theKbuzz staff, she resorts to her camera phone to capture moments throughout the day. I apologize in advance for the poor quality of this and future cameraphone Katie pics. I'll have my dig back soon enough.)
Things have changed a lot from the time when Charlotte was an infant. There are tons of new inventions for babies, lots of new toys, and even videos designed for teeny creatures. Considering Kate is most entertained by the sight of her own toes, I don't really buy into a lot of stuff.
Until, that is, Karen Kirschenblatt purchased the BUMBO as a gift for us. Yes, the BUMBO. What the heck is a bumbo, you ask? Well, I was kind of unsure myself, since they didn't make them in 2003 when Char was little. The Bumbo allows your child to sit up before sitting up is developmentally possible. I was quite skeptical about this contraption, but also quite intrigued. Today, Kate seems to really have mastered the "hold-your-head-steady" thing, and so, I promptly busted out the Bumbo.

I LOVE the Bumbo, and here's why. There's something very magical about when your child first sits up. It's like they're a real person, and not some lump of coal you have to lug around. And, while the Bumbo does not ACTUALLY mean that they are sitting, it feels like they are up and about, and able to see the world. And I think they feel it to. (At least Kate seemed totally entertained!)

So, thank you Karen Kirschenblatt! Kate loves her Bumbo, and so do I!

Day 6- A Mom's Gotta Work...

2007-08-31T06:26:00.000-07:00

Today, (or rather, yesterday, as I was way too busy to write this on its proper day) I woke up, put on my fanciest high heels, and went to work. While it's not officially "Back To Work" time, and while I do usually work from home, Dave and I both had meetings that required morning getting-readiness, and childcare, and all that jazz.

First, let me say, that as I was getting dressed, I was thinking that I truly do have it all. I can put on my finest earrings, my hottest pumps, and kiss my kids and tell them I'll be back in a few hours. I've got it easy compared to most, right? I make my own hours, I work mostly from home, I attend meetings when I want...it seems ideal!

Well, after I kissed the kids and left, I remembered what its like to work outside of the home. First off, those hot high heels I mentioned? OUCH! And how did I used to balance in these things? Oh well, I still looked good. My meeting, of course, started late...and I immediately began calculating the amount of minutes I would be late to pick up the girls. My meeting also started with an intense round of introductions, joking, and chit chat. This is quite common in the businessworld, but for a working mommy with a 2 month old at home, you just want to get on with it. An hour into the meeting, we were still at the beginning of strategy discussions. Wait a minute....what's this?

Oh no.

A leaky boob.

Yup. Right in the middle of my meeting, I got the familiar sensation of "Uh-Oh, I'm about to burst". And then, the heavens opened, and out poured my boob milk. No one noticed, (Thank goodness for dark patterned dresses!) but of course I still found it quite embarrassing.

Two hours into the meeting that was scheduled for just one and a half hours, and i was really starting to lose it. I call my mom, who was watching the kids.

"We're out of breast milk" she says. "She's not hungry yet, but I'm not sure when she will want to eat again".

Now, I have a decision to make...do I leave the meeting, or starve my kids?

Guess which choice won out?

It's never easy. Whether you work part time, whether you stay at home, whether you are a workaholic. Every choice is hard. Every choice is judged by others. And every choice is one that the mom is not 100% sure about. Even when you work part time, the occasional leaky boob meeting pops up. Even when you work from home, or are a SAHM, you want to walk around in your Manolos once in a while. And so, today, on Day 6, I am sending big hugs to all working moms, whether they work in an office, or work as a stay at home parent. It's the hardest damn job on earth.

Day 5- Time OUT!

2007-08-29T16:38:00.001-07:00

"We are made kind by being kind." Unknown

Today, my older daughter received a "time out". This is VERY unusual in our home, since she's generally a pretty good kid who responds to reasoning and calm discussion. But today, I gave her a big, fat time out. And I'm glad. Here's the story:

We had a busy day-- an early morning trip to the movies, then up to my office, then over to the pool to meet "Da" (Grandma), Aunt Susie, and Cousin Nicole. We had a lot of fun, but Charlotte got pretty pooped. THEN, Charlotte's BFF (as featured in cute pictures, and, coincidentally, daughter of Mommy BFF) came and met us at the pool. At first, it was quite lovely. Everyone played quite nicely, while I sat with Mommy BFF and Da, and nursed Kate as discreetly as I could while in a bathing suit :).

Of course, it was too good to be true, and Charlotte, in a move that was uncharacteristic of her general demeanor, began to be mean to her BFF while in the pool. Perhaps it was the dynamic of three, perhaps it is the aftermath of having a new sister, but she was REALLY mean. And since I was nursing Kate while this was going on, Mommy BFF went to tend to the situation, and help poor BFF in her time of need.

Suddenly, I see Charlotte SCREAM at Mommy BFF, "BFF can't PLAY with us if she's crying!" My angel, My SWEET ANGEL, then proceeds to SPLASH Mommy BFF. The splash, as far as I'm concerned, is the ultimate act of pool disrespect. And so, I RIPPED Kate off of my booby, handed her to Da, and in my firmest mommy voice EVER, featuring the perfect balance of volume without yell, said:

"Charlotte."
"Out."
"Of."
"The."
"Pool."

It was like time stopped. Every kid, every mommy, every lifeguard within the vicinity looked up to watch me. And, at that moment, I was fighting for every kid who had ever been picked on. As a former victim of the "I Hate Caroline Club", I was not going to let my child turn into a "Mean Girl"...Even if this were a one time only occurrence (although truth be told, I've seen this coming for a few weeks now), I was going to make sure that Charlotte knew how hurtful girl-on-girl meanness could be.

Charlotte came out of the pool. She was hysterical, and surprised that I pulled her out. I took her into the locker room, helped her calm down, and explained how important it is to be nice. I think she got it...and by the end of the day, although she was exhausted, it was a lot better. Now, she's sleeping, and she looks like the beautiful cherub I am madly in love with.

For tonight, I am Queen of the Mommy Kingdom. I am Mommus Perfectus-- the one who teaches you not to bully, and won't let you be bullied. I am Numero Uno Mami-- the one who can give a time out to her older and then go back to nursing her younger without blinking an eye. For tonight. Tomorrow, I'll be back to Messy, Mean, Mixed-up Mommy. But hey, there are four hours left until tomorrow, and eleven hours until my kids wake up again. So, for tonight, I'm kicking up my feet and celebrating. Chalk one up for Team Mommy.

Sisters.

2007-08-28T19:07:00.000-07:00

Day 4-- School Vacation = Parenting Overdrive

2007-08-28T17:55:00.000-07:00

Hi!

Have I mentioned that this week and next are one of the brief periods where Charlotte has no school or camp? Yes, that's right...she's home, and that means we've got to keep her busy. Now that we have two, that's a new and unusual challenge.

Dave was at our office today, preparing for Baby's First Ballgame and some other fun stuff. And so, it was up to me to entertain these nudniks, at least for most of the morning. What's a girl to do?

Well, first, one must enlist the help of her "mommy bff". You see, other mommies, ESPECIALLY mommies who are in the same situation of camp/school hiatus, understand your pain. And so, I called mommy bff Stacy, and asked if she and her daughter would like to meet us for breakfast. Here is a picture of "mommy bff":

Huh, you say? Why is this a pic of the back of her head? It's quite simple. When you have four year olds, they are not really interested in taking pictures of your face. Today, my daughter wanted pictures of everyone's hair. Alas, this is the only pic I have of mommy bff from our adventures today.

Anyhoo, we started off by going to breakfast. The girls were complete angels. (Here's the pic to prove it)

Then, we went to the playground by my house and played in the sprinklers. There, we saw one of the coolest miracles around...

We took a break for lunch. Mommy, Charlotte and Kate went home and snuggled. THEN, Daddy came home and decided to take Charlotte and Samantha (daughter of mommy bff) to play tennis at our pool, while Mommy BFF and I hung out with Kate and watched. (Thank goodness for mommy bffs....seriously, you need company when going through this crazy mommy life!) Tennis was incredibly cute, and not just because of these snazzy outfits.

The day ended with Kate's bath...where she proceeded to poop all over the bath, all over me, and all over Charlotte. After we all finished laughing, we cleaned her up, put her on Charlotte's beanbag chair and took a photo to commemorate the moment.

Now, the girls are asleep. Dave is watching the Mets game. I am writing away. I would say it was a great day!

Rock Star!

2007-08-27T13:54:00.000-07:00

Remember when I wrote about giving my daughter the Hebrew Name Kochava Sela-- which, loosely translated, means Rock Star? Well here she is "in da club", partying it up at just 1.5 months old

NOTE: Dave would like me to point out that Kate was only at this party very briefly...and that we dont normlly bring our children "CLUBBIN'"-- this was a party we helped organize as a charity fundraiser, and Kate and I merely stopped by to take pics for the recap...but she actually slept through the whole experience! AMAZING!

Day 3-- The "I Hate Tummy Time" Club

2007-08-27T11:31:00.000-07:00

Okay, so when we were kids, we slept on our stomachs.

And THEN, they come up with the "Back To Sleep" campaign to combat SIDS. Despite the theory given by my friend's hippy mom that SIDS being related to older flame retardant fabrics...(and the cover up of this is a huge government conspiracy), I comply with the doctor's orders. Kate is a "back to sleep-er".

Because she is a back to sleeper, tummy time becomes forced and a struggle. While Kate LOVES her playmat....lying on her stomach as she tries to do a push up? Not so fun. (Ah, memories of the 6th grade Ronald Reagan Presidential Fitness Test flashing before my eyes.)

She grunts. Pushes head up.

She groans. Head falls down.

She yelps. Turns head to side.

All while mommy snaps pictures and carefully watches to see when she can check off the box on the developmental chart that says "child rolls from front to back".

Anyway, here's a picture of Kate's tummy time today. She's getting much better, I think. A little less grunting, a little less groaning, a little more lifting. I guess it's just like personal training....the more you push, the more you try...the more results you see. Unfortunately, I've always hated the gym. Apparently, so does Kate.

My Brother In Law-- The Next Food Network Star!

2007-08-27T07:22:00.000-07:00

I am so proud of my brother in law, Phil. Not only is he a genius, but he's also an amazing cook. (If only I picked up a teeny bit of this skill set...my family would be so thrilled!) Here is his audition tape for the Food Network's Next Food Network Star! GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PHIL!
Phil Kerpen NFNS Audition Tape

Day 2- 13th annual PVCA Tournament

2007-08-26T18:58:00.000-07:00

Today, the Kerpens attended the 13th annual Pool Volleyball Championship of America in Staten Island, at the home of Anna and Andy Evangelista! Unfortunately, the Kerpens, as part of team "Kerpens With Benefits", were unable to win even ONE pool volleyball game during this tournament. However, they did take home this wonderful prize:

Congratulations are in order for "The Cubs"-- Steven Evangelista, Danny Ryan, and Orna Kleinman...who took home the PVCA trophy shown here:

Kerpen Talent

2007-08-26T02:06:00.000-07:00

This is the blog of my incredibly talented youngest brother-in-law, Dan. It's funny, my brother in law lives on the other end of the country, and we've only met a few times, so I feel like the way I know him best is through his blog. His blog is thoughtful, insightful, weird, anti-establishment, warm, familial, and very very special. I read it all the time. I used to comment on it, just to let him know that I was there. Lately, I've taken to a more voyeuristic approach-- I just read his latest stuff and smile.

Keep up the great work, FussyPucker. You've got a huge fan in your sister in law, even if she does like advertising, pop music, and driving a car.

XOXO

Happy 13th Annual PVCA tournament!

2007-08-26T01:53:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken in 2004, at the tenth annual Pool Volleyball Championship of America, held in Staten Island at the home of Steven Evangelista's parents.

It's now three years later, and Dave and I are getting ready to compete in our third PVCA tournament together. I can't help but think back to this day in 2004. Dave was really just becoming more of a fixture in Charlotte's life. This event has always been really important to Dave, and my attendance with Charlotte in 2004 really signified that we were becoming an official family.

It's a really nice memory for me, and not just because you can really see in this picture how quickly Dave fell in love with Charlotte. It's also a nice memory because I have absolutely no skill in anything that requires coordination...EXCEPT for pool volleyball. And I discovered this talent on a steaming hot day in Staten Island-- August 2004.I mean, just look at this shot!

To check out the PVCA's website, click here

And look for pics from 2007's tourney on the blog soon.

The Count Von Kerpen- The Story as She Knows It.

2007-08-26T01:16:00.000-07:00

Click on this link to watch a video featuring the Story of Count Von Kerpen, as told by Dave's mother, Rayni Joan.

Dave's college friends used to crack up laughing when Dave told the story of "Count Von Kerpen". I think it was just fun to say..."COUNT VON KERRRRRPEN". When Dave's mom came to visit us from Santa Monica, she mentioned the story, and I asked if we could record it. The story itself is probably inaccurate (we'll have to ask Grandma Mimi, who probably has a bit of a different version, though similarly off)...but I thought it was really neat to watch a grandma recount a story to her children and her grandchildren. There have been plenty of times in our family where we've heard completely different versions of the same story. In the end, isn't that what makes story telling (and memories)so beautiful? It's the ability to insert and share individual perspectives on experience. I hope you enjoy this story by the lovely Rayni Joan.

My two babies

2007-08-25T18:40:00.000-07:00

Here is Charlotte on her two month birthday:

This is Kate at 8 weeks old-- about a week before she turns two months:

Welcome Kochava Sela

2007-08-25T18:29:00.000-07:00

Kate had her baby naming last weekend. A baby naming is a Jewish ritual similar to a baptism-- a welcoming of the child into the Jewish religion. We gave her the name Kochava Sela. In the Jewish religion, you pick names that begin with the first initials of someone in your family who has passed-- and so we picked K for Dave's Grandpa, and S for my Great Grandma. We picked these particular names, however, because of their meaning. Kochava means STAR, and Sela means ROCK. Kate is our little Rock Star. (Charlotte is Haviva Bluma-- meaning Beautiful Flower.) Here's a quick story about the naming-- we had a moment of silent prayer and meditation. As I held her in my arms, I was praying for the health and happiness of everyone I knew. At that moment, I look down, and Kate Rebecca smiled her biggest smile yet...you know, like the first NON GAS super smile that all mommies wait for? It was the closest thing to a religious experience I've ever had. Then, of course, she proceeded to poop all over everything. Alas, maybe it was gas....but who the heck cares? A smile by any other name still seems as sweet...

Here is a pic from the baby naming featuring my smiling daughter (thanks Karen!)

And, just for fun, here is a pic of Charlotte at her baby naming, over four years ago. That's the Rabbi on my left and "DA" (my mom) on my right, holding Char.

Day 1- Big Sister, Little Sister!

2007-08-25T18:12:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Kerpen blog!

As opposed to our Kblog, this is a personal blog designed to update friends, family and anyone else who cares about the Kerpens. Designed to chronicle our first year as a family of four, I hope I can keep it updated with lots of pictures and good stories.

I've posted a picture of big sister Charlotte and Little Sister Kate. Today was a nice day for the girls. I took a bunch of pictures of them snuggling today, and they were nice enough to put as part of the layout of this blog.

Do you ever wonder if a baby's temperament is indicative of their personality as a toddler/kid/adult? Kate is so calm, and so very sweet. I really hate the term "old soul", but I wonder what's going on in that relaxed little mind of hers. Goodness knows her parents are highly energetic, and would rarely be described as "calm". Her sister is certainly a ball of energy, and I'm pretty sure (although memories fade quickly-- and thus, the need for blogs is born) she was that way from the time she was born. Kate, however, is different. She seems like a totally chill, relaxed person. Is it strange to say that an 8 week old seems kind? I can't explain it, but she does. It's so fascinating to see kids grow up and watch them turn into people with real personality traits. Only time will tell...hope you stay with me for the journey!

The Kerpens Summer Video

2007-08-25T18:11:00.001-07:00

So, recently I have been playing with YouTube and Windows Video Maker a lot...and it has been a ton of fun. Here's my latest one-- Kate and Charlotte's first summer as sisters!