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• Now We Are Two

  Yup, I'm sneaking back to share something I made for Hugo's second birthday, which is less than two weeks away, followed by an update. Hugo is doing wonderfully. Of course, he's still not speaking, not much at all. Maybe we should've named him Harpo.  Yes, he's been evaluated up and down. They said he was advanced in social, cognitive and physical skills.  But his speaking at 18 months was 12 month old level.  We're on our second state-sponsored speech teacher already. She's not worried. The teachers at his school are not worried. And me? I'm not worried, but how I would love it if he was talking! He makes himself known, and he gets by on charm, mime and blonde ringlets.  Nice work if you can get it, eh? Me?  I'm loving my work, I'm also on TV quite a bit lately and you can check out some of my "dumb" blogging here. Oh and my man is doing fab too.  Here's a hilarious article he wrote about skiing at Alta in Utah for the FT and their "Pink Snow" section.   I think it's the tops. Posted Oct 18 2008, 08:38 AM by Susie Felber with | with no comments Filed under: alta, speech delay, ft, toddler birthday, two year old not speaking, pink snow

• Spelling Bees & Paparazzi

  First a picture of my dad enjoying a smoke and a men's magazine with my oldest brother Michael. How old is my brother? Well, the world was still black & white when he was born! And doctors still smoked pipes. Hey Mike, happy upcoming birthday! Yer friggin' OLD!    After attending a fabulous BBQ down the road thanks to Finnegan's mom taking pity on my aloneness, I'm watching TV for the first time in a dog's age.  Final rounds of the Spelling Bee followed by celebrities complaining about being famous on 20/20. The Spelling Bee taught me a few words and made me resolve to work towards landmark anti-mustache-at-12 legislation.  Those kids are such freaks it's great to watch because it curbs your urban impuse to enrich them and makes you want to let then run with wolves rather than take oboe lessons lest they end up like such stunted specimens -- children as Bonsai trees. 20/20 taught me... well nothing really, and I wasn't watching, but I'm too lazy to turn off the set or change the channel.  Plus I've a vague memory of Hugo taking the batteries out of the remote.  OK I'm about to get very boring.  If you want to read a great new mommy blog, check out my recently re-found old friend Mary.  She's doing the single parenting thing, she's down in Florida working (and sometimes blogging) for a cool company and she's genius and funny and some of her posts make me tingle, -- like the one about the Depeche Mode concert she attended at Radio City.  And she's half- Mexican but raised by Jews which makes her... I don't know.  Cooler than me, at least.    Anywho, I don't know if Hugo is ready for Spelling Bees (seeing as he doesn't talk, could be a crimp in his Bee career), but the puzzle championships are calling.   That's it! It's Friday at 11P. I gotta walk the pooch, get sleep and regret I didn't pack it in earlier tonight with a good book. No regrets about my love for you, Internets! xoxo, Susie Posted May 30 2008, 10:31 PM by Susie Felber with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: speech delay, abc, single moms, 20/20, depeche mode, spelling bee

• Total Balls

  Is the title of this post perhaps about Hugo's early intervention assessment?  No, not really.  I'll tell the whole early intervention story soon, but the long and short of it is that: #1 I liked the women who showed up this morning much more than I expected.   They were kind and they were pros.  Until recently I had forgotten that I was in speech therapy from age 5-12 and somehow couldn't get sprung from it once in.  So I've bad memories of being trapped against my will, missing regular class in a land of dull dittoes and dull children, "taught" by sincere speech teachers I wanted to run screaming from even then. And due to this I've a chip on my larynx about the whole speech business, ya dig? #2 I liked them speech ladies even more when I found out that Hugo is advanced in most areas, and just has a "33% speech delay." What exactly that means I'm still not sure.  But I've a piece of paper declaring him a social and developmental star and that's nice.  The fine motor skills of a 28 month old?  The social/emotional skills of a two year old?  The cognitive skills of a 33-year-old genius?  Well slap me with a flounder, and call me Cedric!  Thats fantastic!  Oh and that last one was a bit of an exadggeration, but only slightly. Speaking of balls, Hugo is obsessed with them.  Here's two days in a row of ball kicking action. The first soccer ball you see wasn't his, he simply swooped in and stole the ball from a group of sweet Hispanic kids.  The kids were really kind and also distracted by the dogs who had joined us in the park.  Ever since the basketball net broke, the park has blossomed with all ages and genders and species and sports.  We're all hoping the net doesn't come back.  When the basketball net went up, this little park became for men 18+ only and there was no room for little girls, kids skating, playing handball, playing with their dogs, playing soccer, etc.  Note to self: Call the Mayor's office tomorrow to request the net not be fixed... G'night Internet. Lotsa love. xoxo, Susie Posted May 08 2008, 09:33 PM by Susie Felber with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: weehawken, speech delay, early intervention, babble, balls, basketball, speech therapy

• Late Early Intervention

  It's late right now.  At night.  I had a rare night out with an old friend.  Bouley Bakery.  Fantastic.  The company, if not the grub.  And this friend so tender and genius-y and fun, recently got a book deal based on her This American Life story that aired on the radio and was so good I had goosebumps and kept driving around and around the block (with Hugo in the back) just to hear the whole thing.  And I'd love to tell more but it's near midnight and -- oi -- the NJ early intervention team is (finally) coming tomorrow way early to stare at Hugo and listen and take notes on his talking and/or lack of it.   I know this is a big issue because my first post about this has gotten many search engine hits with things like: http://www.google.com/search?q=my+son+does+not+speak+at+all+and+he+is+18+months  Also "speak 18 months boys" and "how many words should child speak at 19 months" and "my baby is 28 months but does not talk full sentences" and on and on and so the site stats reveal the full neurotic spectrum.  Stuff a parent might've silently worried about now gets poured out to the all-knowing oracle that is the internet.  And the interweb sends them to me?  Poor things. I'm a bit peeved because even if he isn't using a lot of words, I know he's normal and smarter than normal and I'm not saying that because he's mine.  He understands everything, he's delightfully social and ever since he turned the babble back on, the fact that he's got his own language doesn't bug me.  However it's the early intervention folk I'm worried about. I had to call them the other day.  This 34 second video will explain all or some, or my annoyance.  Awesome, ya? Ya. OK pals. More on this fun tomorrow. For now, xoxo & I remain, slightly cranky and also, Susie Posted May 07 2008, 11:47 PM by Susie Felber with | with no comments Filed under: speech delay, early intervention, spanish, neurotic parents, babble, things I wish I didn't have to do, nj early intervention, baby talks but not enough

• Wheel Good Grub

  Going out to dinner with a baby is hard. This is probably why we never ever did it until recently. You never know when you might suddenly need to stop sipping your Shiraz and slip out the back door if -- nay when -- Jr. starts making enough of a fuss to make the other patrons hate you. And as I was someone who wasn't so fond of the babies before having one, I feel Hugo's every public peep like a thunderclap. But now, with the nice weather, outdoor cafes are calling.  Dining al fresco, you needn't worry about baby's squeals bouncing off of the walls.  The occasional piece of bread that flies?  Well it's not a scandal, it's a pigeon's repast!  And if there's a diaper smell, it's a cinch to blame it on any one of the homeless lads that waft by. But seriously, the very bestest part of eating on the sidewalk, is the free floor show.  Because for Hugo, nothing beats vehicles for pure entertainment and as you can plainly see, he's a bus groupie.  Please note how he literally stops breathing -- stops mid-cough -- when I mention the word "bus."  Note: I'm thinking this bus and car worship might not work for little girls.  Am I right? In other news, Hugo is having his early intervention assessment on Thursday.  Actually, it was to be last Thursday, but they cancelled on us that morning.  I know fellow Babble blogger Rebecca can relate. I'll tell you and show you more on this NJ state-sponsored speech nonsense tomorrow.  And in other other news, I may be doing a little something something exciting in the comedy/performing world next week.  Sorry to be vague but I guess I'll report more on this when it actually happens.    All the best Babble friends and big xoxo, Susie  Posted May 06 2008, 09:59 PM by Susie Felber with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: speech delay, early intervention, drinking wine, dining with baby, outdoor cafes, wheels on the bus go round and round

• Lucky Buddha Baby Belly

  It's been a rough week emotionally and physically. From a shared stomach flu to the dentist, to others being ill -- all while working and trying to wade through the speech delay intervention absurdity (we have an assessment to look forward to at some point) -- this week ain't no party, it ain't no disco, it ain't no foolin' around. I'm in bed right now under the cherry duvet at 9pm hoping to read a few pages of a book I haven't touched in weeks. In short, its not you, it's me.  We are experiencing mommy meltdown, please stand by.  Rub this tummy for luck (try it -- it works, really!) and I'll be back in a flash with new videos and wonderment. Patting this tum tum brings great fortune! PS Can you believe he's 25th percentile for weight?  He looks like the baby that ate Weehawken. Posted Apr 11 2008, 09:03 PM by Susie Felber with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: weehawken, speech delay, lenscap, belly

• Muy Cuteness!

  (Dance Till You Can't Dance No More) I forgot to mention that on top of losing 20 pounds by 6.17, getting in shape and holding down a full time job and more from home, I'm currently trying to learn Spanish.  It's been my broken New Years resolution for ages, but I've finally found my dream learning tool in the form of a free podcast done by two chirpy Scottish people. I now see that I am not alone and that this Coffee Break Spanish is very popular on iTunes.  I love it because they seem to be having a great time repeating dull phrases back and forth.  I smiled across Manhattan today from 8th avenue to 3rd as I got in one 15-minute lesson.  Also, it's just adorable/hilarious hearing Spanish from Scots.  I've one very good friend who is from Scotland and she's just eternally warm and open so I embue these faceless Spanish phrase phreaks with the very best wits and charms.  Also, there's a subtle sexual chemistry between teacher  (Mark) and student (Cara) that can't be denied. Hmm, maybe I need to get out more... Oh, why was I in Manhattan when I work from home?  Well speaking of coffee breaks, I spilled a dram of coffee on my laptop yesterday and it went all screwy.  So off hoofed to bigtown to get one of the genius boys in PC suport to help me. And speaking of podcasts, I feel my weight goal is easy peasy ever since I randomly found Dance Rock Radio with C.B. Lyon.  It's just amazing.  While my taste in music usually runs to sensitive ultra folky or anything black people do, this is an exercise mix dream come true.  The music is so exciting I had a hard time not shouting while on the treadmill like I was 14 again and sneaking into a club.  Instead of shouting I clapped like a spastic seal which is OK as I'm the only one in the gym (more on this gym that was a prayer answered soon). So speaking of cuteness:  This video of Hugo ignoring all his toys for... a Q-tip and plastic cup.   More on the speaking thing soon (what a can of autistic worms I opened by even mentioning it!) but honestly, ever since the doctor  seemed concerned, he hasn't stopped talking.  Almost none of it makes sense, but he is yapping again and that's good.   So now I want to share pics and stories about a friend I saw this weekend but I want to keep you wanting more so I think I'll save that for tomorrow, Internet. Hasta manana Web superfriends. xoxo, Susie Posted Apr 02 2008, 10:53 PM by Susie Felber with | with 5 comment(s) Filed under: speech delay, early intervention, coffee creak spanish, c.b. lyon, scottish people rock, podcasts, dance rock radio, spanish, autism scare, autistic

• Speak No Evil? Speak No Nothin'!

  Hugo is a normal happy baby and perfect in all ways.  But he's all but turned off his talking apparatus.  He's just hit 17 months and he talks less than when he was 12 months.   Am I worried?  No, the doctor said he's obviously an alert, social and happy baby and it's no sign of his intelligence and that he is absolutely not autistic do't even go there and that it is probably because my husband was a late bloomer.  My man went to Oxford with some sort of special designation for being a brain bucket.  But as a baby, reports from his mother (who should be biased as she thinks the sun rises on his left shoulder and sets on his right) are that he was late in everything.  I think she said he was a blonde blob of a baby who didn't walk until he was 22 -- years old.  Or something. But anyway, awesome, blaming his genes sounds fab. Again, am I worried?  OK, yes.  But only because the doctor uttered dreaded words "early intervention" and then she reminded me again that there was absolutely nothing wrong with him and then asked the nurse to leave and asked if I was OK.  Wait, you said there was nothing wrong with him?  So why are you expecting me to be not OK? Would you, dear readers, be OK?  How can you both not worry and yet look into "early intervention"?    Yes so to illustrate this post I intentionally picked the one video I have of him acting a bit like an autistic potato.  Enjoy!  And I'll let you know how the talking and intervening and all that comes along. See you soon Web lovelies, xoxo, Susie Posted Mar 28 2008, 09:56 PM by Susie Felber with | with 6 comment(s) Filed under: baby, autism, speech delay, early intervention, oxford