lank.

mom came home from her business trip today and mercer was excited to see her. so was daddy! pop took the day off to spend it with mercer and they basically wasted it napping and lounging. actually, that sounds like a fun, relaxing day.

the family did a little shopping in the afternoon and picked out their christmas tree on the way home. it was mercer's first christmas experience and he spent it napping. oh well. he seems puzzled by the presence of a large tree in the living room, but he'll get used to it, as we all have.

mom plans on stringing the lights tonight and we'll decorate it tomorrow while wearing our matching red turtlenecks, sipping apple brandy, and staying warm by the fireplace. ok, we don't have the turtlenecks, brandy, or fireplace, but we do have the tree. we'll just stick with that. let the christmas season begin.

sleep tight.

male bonding.

mommy is away on business, so it's just us guys living it up for the next couple of days. dishes are piling up, garbage is being left out, high-fives are being exchanged, and questionable characters are coming in and out of the house. just typical guy stuff. tomorrow we're going fishing and then we're going to haul some concrete around in our pick-up truck.

of course, that's all false. except for mom being away. basically, mercer came home from school happy, played a bit, ate, played some more, and is now sleeping. nothing eventful at all. he was in great spirits and very cute today. pop thinks he'll sleep straight through the night again because he didn't take any naps after school. sweet, slumbering mercer.

sleep tight...

the first pearl.

over the thanksgiving holiday, mom and pop discovered that mercer's first tooth had broken through. mom had suspected something a little while ago as she was feeding mercer with a metal spoon. she thought she felt or heard something against the spoon, but couldn't see anything. PaPa had suspected something as well, but we finally saw the tooth on november 21st. it is along the bottom row, which is where they usually come in first. mercer hasn't been overly agitated or drooly recently, so again, we're very lucky that mercer is such a good guy. we're going to put him and his tooth to good use by opening canned goods.

mercer is whining his way to bedtime now, listening to mom recite curious george and the big city, which contains a number of great new york city landmarks (empire state building, guggenheim, rockefeller center, etc.). soon, mercer will be slumbering, clutching his cuddly blanket.

mercerMusic:
ingrid michaelson - "the way i am"

roll call.

mercer would like to thank all of the friends and family members who helped make his first thanksgiving so memorable. he even got his very own gobbling turkey toy and was so happy to see all the fun, smiling faces.

mercer can't wait to see grandma and grandpop, MeMa and PaPa, uncle quinn, great aunt vicki, aunt becky, aunt jen, uncle matt, uncle toby, great aunt karen, great aunt amy, margie, brian, scott, uncle rob, aunt amy, kayla, and nathan again soon!

it's been a long and exciting holiday. time for some sleeping.

the gobbler.

mercer and company are getting ready to see family and friends for thanksgiving. this blog will be inactive for the next few days while we eat, drink, and get merry.

we've changed formulas and mercer is becoming much more regular than before. for those who don't know, mercer had a lot of problems when he was a very young cub. days and days would go by without anything "passing" and mom and pop always worried. mercer never showed any signs of discomfort until it was time to take care of business. now that we switched from similac to nestle good start, things have been - how should we say - running smoothly. sorry to be so revealing, but hey, this is mercer's diary as well as his blog. it's been a pretty important part of his life so far (unfortunately) and we'd like to document his improvements! mom and pop think everything is back on track now. we also think that the introduction of mango, spinach, squash, and the like have helped out quite a bit, too.

on that delicious note, happy thanksgiving from team leonowicz. mercer is looking forward to sitting at the table with all the grown-ups and eating some squash.

mercerMusic:
chris walla - "sing again"

sleep tight...

early to bed, late to rise.

for the past week or so, mercer has been getting tired a little bit earlier each night. on top of that, he's been wanting to sleep late every morning. he'll wake up at his normal time, talk, and rustle around a little bit in his crib. but then he can go right back to sleep, which is odd for him. the same goes for if we have to get him up for day care. we can change his diaper and dress him, but he'll fall right back asleep on pop's chest if you let him! so tonight we're trying to put him to bed a little bit earlier so our growing boy can get some more sleep. we'll see how it works. we'll keep you posted, of course.

the latest poll is over! most of you thought we should keep mercer's hair short when it decides to grow back. letting it grow wasn't far behind and a few jokesters even voted for the mullet. we'll see what his hair looks like when it really starts coming in, but I think I can guarantee there will be no mullet.

mercer saw his first snow this morning. another of mercer's many firsts.

mercerMusic:
the arcade fire with bruce springsteen - "keep the car running"

at home with mercer.

mercer spent a playful and fun weekend baking holiday cookies with MeMa, aunt becky, and aunt jen. they made congo squares, peanut butter surprises, chocolate chip-raisin-walnut oatmeals, cranberry-orange oatmeals, chocolate pretzel bark, and a few more. pop spent the weekend in pennsylvania with jeff, brian, scott, and his wife rachel. he's still sore from an intense session of wallball, but he'll live; much fun was had by all.

mercer was a treat all weekend and well-behaved for his guests. he was so excited when dad got home, too. they played for a long time until mercer realized he was hungry and started to whine a little bit. after a snack, mercer took a long nap. he was then snuggle-tag-teamed by mom and pop at 7 to ensure that he would be awake for his nightly ritual. he was startled at first, but smiles, giggles, and snuggling ensued.

on another note, mercer is now seven months old! a new kodak gallery will be sent out shortly. stay tuned for the cuteness.

mercerMusic:
st. vincent - "these days" (cover)

sleep tight...

session player.

each night, after pop is finished bathing the little juice box, he lifts him up from his tub chair, kisses him on his wet, clean face, and says, "good shower session, buddy." who knows how it started, but it's become part of mercer's nightly routine since he was 1 month old. it's not really a shower, but it sounds good, and mercer smiles every time he hears it.

anyway, mom returned from her business trip somewhat unscathed; there is still a little matter to resolve regarding enterprise rent-a-car, but that's another story. pop fixed up some turkey burgers with french fries to eat while mercer played with his chewing toys and soccer ball. he has really taken to the soft soccer ball. he giggles every time he sees it spin around and loves shoving it in his face.

if this post seemed somewhat disjointed, it's because we're all pretty tired here at camp leonowicz. we're going to hit the sack. sleep tight...

one fine mercer.

mercer was absolutely perfect for pop today. he ate all of the food he was supposed to eat, slept when daddy put him down, and played during playtime. no fuss, no crying, no messes. when mommy got home, we all went out to pick up a rental car that mommy needs for work tomorrow. she's going on a trip to albany, so mercer needs to spend an extra day in day care this week. no matter, because next week, he's only in the Big House for one day. mercer can't wait for thanksgiving.

after we picked up the car (a nissan pathfinder!), pop got a haircut, and then the gang went to a favorite pizza joint. everyone stuffed their faces, including mercer, who chomped down sweet potatoes and corn. we can't wait until mercer can eat pizza and all sorts of good things. it'll be here before we know it.

now mercer is getting his nightly rubdown and snack. sweet dreams, big guy.

mercerMusic:
sondre lerche and regina spektor - "hell no"

blood on my hands (and shirt).

well, mercer was very excited and happy when we picked him up from day care today. that doesn't usually happen. he must have gotten a good amount of sleep. he didn't really nap when we took him home, but he's tired now (7:45) so we're starting the process a little earlier. he did a lot of playing on one of grandma's quilts tonight, including some moves that looked like he was either trying to push himself to sit up, or crawl; we're not sure which. we both think he'll be doing one of those things by the end of the week. it's strange how it just clicks in his head: "well, time to sit up on my own, now."

pop has cut mercer's fingernails dozens of times, but last night was the first time he drew blood. it was on his thumbnail. mercer didn't feel a thing or cry, but dad still felt horrible. he took a good slice of skin off and during playtime, mercer got some blood on daddy's nice white shirt. babies heal (and forget) pretty quickly, so we're all OK; well, maybe not the shirt.

mercerMusic:
small sins - "it keeps me on my toes"
small sins - "stay" (slow version)
small sins - "what your baby's been doin"

keep voting and sleep tight...

the best part of waking up...

...is mercer in your bed! yes, babies sometimes wake up during the night. however, we've been lucky that mercer prefers to sleep through the night (on his belly, arms tucked underneath, head to the side, butt in the air) like a normal person. he is also a great alarm clock, as he wakes us up at the perfect time each morning. he leaves just enough time for us to lift him out of the crib and bring him into bed for serious cuddling and playtime before we all have to get ready for the day. i think he knows just how to time it. getting mercer's first giggles of the day going is pop's favorite part of the morning.

mercerMusic:
the little ones - "face the facts"
the little ones - "lovers who uncover"

sleep tight!

i can't stop smiling!

first, here's a photo of mercer and his giant bear friend from the american cancer society. mercer loves romping around with this big guy. he's so soft!

anyway, mercer came home today after seeing his family in new jersey. daddy spent an evening in new york and saw some fun things (such as a giant melting ice exhibit in cooper square, for example; completely by chance), but nothing compared to seeing mercer's beaming face again. after some snacks and a nap, the family did a little food shopping. pop made dinner for the grown-ups (rigatoni with chicken, spinach, and ricotta) while mommy fed mercer his dinner (some mushy stuff). he's very random when it comes to what he likes; one day he'll love avocados and choke at the sight of them the next.

one amazing development, however, is mercer being able to hold his bottle now. he can't do it perfectly, or even all the time, but he's proven that he can do it when he wants to. it's really unbelievable to see. to pop, it's quite a milestone representing a kind of tenuous step to independence (along with talking back, misbehavior, and other forms of disobedience). to watch mercer hold his own bottle and drink from it is out of this world, especially when images of a helpless, tiny newborn are still fresh in the mind. oh well, better to advance than regress.

a new poll is up. help us decide whether we should keep mercer's hair short, let it grow, or give him a beatle cut!

sleep tight...

avocado boy.

well, mercer finally ate some fresh food today. after limited success with green beans, squash, and applesauce, mercer devoured some smashed avocado and bananas tonight. at first, he squished the odd substances around his mouth trying to place the new texture. but his face beamed with delight and he opened his mouth for more, even when we supplemented each bite with oatmeal. good boy, mercer! the pre-packaged gerber foods are fine, but all natural is better. we'll keep it going as long as we can.

mercer is taking a quick trip to new jersey this weekend for some family functions. all of the grandparents are trembling with anticipation for some cuddling and kissing. he'll be in new jersey a bunch over the next few months since it'll be his very first holiday season. it's an exciting time, to say the least. maybe he'll even partake in the christmas goose! or blood pudding.

safe journeys, mercer.

mercerMusic:
maritime - "calm"

licking our wounds.

not much to report on today. team leonowicz is resting, eating chicken noodle soup (or pizza), and recovering. mercer is sounding much better in his nasal region and pop is getting a little bit better with the help of some tylenol. in fact, last night, pop probably took too much tylenol cough medicine and passed out on the couch all night. whoops! that's ok since pop never takes medicine so once in awhile is fine. he got a good sleep out of it.

mercer took a 2 hour nap on top of daddy today while he was watching champions league action on espn2. its hard for pop to decide whether mercer is cuter while sleeping (his tiny snores are adorable) or awake (his facial expressions any time of the day are priceless).

anyway, it' time for a proper sleep, now. sleep tight...

mercerMusic:
the weakerthans - "sun in an empty room"
the weakerthans - "a new name for everything"

disabled list.

sorry for the lack of updates, but team leonowicz has been out of sorts the past 24 hours. mercer has developed another nasty cough (not as bad as the last one, though) and some congestion, pop seems to have caught a head cold, and mom strained her back somehow. we're all a bit slow to get things done these days; pop might even have to borrow some of mercer's vicks rub.

despite mercer's condition, he's still managing to laugh and play, which is fine with us. more importantly, he's still sleeping through the night; though when he coughs loudly at 3am and wakes us up, he remains silently sleeping!

another thing we can't figure out while he's sick is whether he likes mom's homemade baby food. he seems to gag every time we give him some and the faces he makes are hilarious. we'll keep trying, that's for sure. now it's time for bed. mommy is reading mercer a classic right now: danny and the dinosaur. sleep tight...

mercerMusic:
illinois: "alone again"
menomena: "my my"

all natural.

another busy weekend for the big boy. our friend caroline came up from philadelphia and mercer had fun showing off all of his new skills and being cute. he developed a slight case of congestion/sniffles again on saturday night, but it's nothing too major. he's eating, smiling, and playing just as he normally would.

mommy made her first batch of homemade baby food tonight. applesauce was first and we don't know if he liked that too much. he doesn't really like fruit anyway, so we're not too surprised. we'll adjust the recipe and try again. but he did like the batch of sweet potatoes mommy whipped up. he ate most of what mommy offered, but started to gag a little bit and was whining for his formula bottle after awhile. it was a promising first attempt. bananas and green beans are next!

we're putting mercer to sleep a little earlier tonight because of the whole daylight savings thing. it's really quarter to nine now, but it's not - it's quarter to eight. whatever, i think mercer will be fine. mommy is reading him his favorite book: little pea.

mercerMusic:
white rabbits: "the plot"

sleep tight...

mercer the sandwich maker.

so, most of you think that mercer will at least grow up to be a fine sandwich maker. maybe he'll create the best sandwich ever made in the History of Sandwich Making, or maybe he'll open up his own chain of sandwich stores. or, maybe-and this would be great-he'll be able to make a mean cuban sandwich for his old man when he grows up. that would make me happy.

the rest of you thought he would be an outlaw and/or soccer player. maybe he'll be some kind of outlaw soccer player, creating havoc wherever he plays. anyway, stay tuned for the next poll, which should be just as fun.

mercer and mom are preparing for a visit from our friend caroline, who is making the big trip up from the city of brotherly battery-throwing, philadelphia. we're not sure what's planned yet, but it will surely involve lots of ooohing and ahhhing. mercer loves new faces. he also loves sitting up! he's doing this more and more without our help. how exciting and weird to think that he couldn't hold his head up just a few months ago.

have a good weekend and sleep tight.

mercerMusic:
spoon - "monkey feelings"

who's the standing baby?

no, mercer can't stand yet, but he's getting there. he can almost sit up all by himself and we let him sit in the running bath for a little while tonight. he loves the water just like his old man. pretty soon, he'll cry when we take him out.

mercer spent halloween in school and was supposed to be part of some kind of parade or party but it was all over by the time mom picked him up. we still have no idea whether the care takers dressed mercer up in his costume, but they give parents DVDs of the party, so we'll see what that action looked like.

mercer was a great baby for mom today. he was well-behaved and is napping in his crib regularly. he loves to squirm, inspect new items, and put them in his mouth. mom and dad have to be that much more attentive now.

mercerMusic:
jenny lewis and the watson twins: "the big guns"

sleep tight...