Schatz Family

epic VT adventures 2011

2011-09-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a week and change up at Sarah's cabin in Vermont. It took a few days for everyone to adjust, but in the end we had a great time. We even hunkered down and rode out the wild winds of Hurricane Irene! The rain poured, the wind howled, and we lost electricity (plus water and phone), but in the end nobody was the worse for wear.

Coleman's been really coming into his own. . . lots of walking and talking like a regular little boy. No more babies in this house.

Helloo handsome...

Just us and our dog.

Taiko surveys another fine sunset.

The boys have discovered the joys of rough housing.

Grandma and Papa took the little one for a stroll at Shelburne Farms

Grandma's little dude

Matching stripes and comb-overs.

Who's that!

Emmett toured Ben and Jerry's for his birthday!

also, this. . .

2011-07-25T06:56:00.000-07:00

Uncle Stephen's Wedding

2011-07-24T18:59:00.001-07:00

We had a delightful time at Sarah's Uncle Stephen's wedding today, exactly seven years to the day since our wedding. A most auspicious day for loving.

The wedding was at a lovely spot in Groton, Mass. We got to dress fancy, hang out with some family, and eat yummy food. A wonderful day.

Also, please notice that Iron Man never left Emmett's hand and you can see him in many of these photographs.

PEEKABOO!

ME TOO!

Uncle Stephen and Uncle Brad look dapper.

The bride and groom.

Cousin Vivian looks scrumptious!

E enjoyed the toast, but wondered where the jam was.

Get down on it!

Schatz Boys!

Fun in the yard...

2011-05-01T12:44:00.000-07:00

The weather has been so nice lately. Spring is in full force. Trees are budding, bulbs are pushing their way up through the dirt and towards the sun, and the grass is back to glorious green. What a relief!

The boys have been tearing it up in the yard: makeshift construction sites, fire truck rides, water table games, stomp rockets, tee ball, sticks and dirt. Basically a boy's dream.

Spring is here!

2011-03-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

It is getting a bit warmer, the snow is melted (mostly), and you can smell the nice weather coming around the corner. We took advantage of the sunshine to go out in the yard and Emmett was really having fun. Yes!

Ballpit

2011-02-26T18:22:00.001-08:00

Love this picture of Noam & Coleman at almost 9 months!

Emmett's winter JAMZ

2011-02-23T17:43:00.001-08:00

MASS MOCA

2010-11-28T20:15:00.000-08:00

It's been a lovely fall here. Emmett has been having a blast jumping in the leaves, playing with his trucks, and rocking on the drums. Coleman is almost 6 months, sitting up steadily and babbling away like a nut. Looks like he'll be crawling soon, so everyone pray for us! ;)

We decided to take a Sunday drive out to North Adams and visit one of our favorite spots, the Mass MOCA. Lot of great new exhibits, and fairly toddler friendly. Emmett was going on and on about "Art" and "Culture", especially raving about one piece that was assembled by robots. A two-year-old fantasy!

As we headed out, a glorious sunset marked the end of our beautiful afternoon.

various fall goins on.

2010-10-03T20:55:00.000-07:00

Emmett hooped it up at the Garlic Festival.

Emmett assembled an armada.

We saw bulls pull heavy things.

Emmett ate his first corndog.

Coleman and Sarah chilled.

Emmett ran around. . . a lot.

We discovered videogames.

Time keeps rolling on.

Epic End of Summer Post

2010-09-06T16:57:00.001-07:00

Summer is nearly over, and we've been so busy that we've neglected the blog for a bit. Well, I'm going to make up for that now, with an EPIC SUMMER BLOG POST!™

Every weekend here in Western Mass provides a myriad of activities for the whole family, and the Schatz's have been taking advantage of the beautiful weather and wonderful local culture as much as possible. Hikes, barbecues, birthday parties, swimming, fairs, and weddings . . . you name it, we've been there. Here are (more than) a few of the highlights:

Dave came for a visit, and jamming ensued.

Emmett peeks out at the folks gathered for his 2nd birthday. Two years old already! How time has rolled past us.

Emmett's friends from "Yo Gabba Gabba" helped decorate the cake.

"Happy Birthday to You!"

Emmett enjoys some milk from his chalice.

And some rough housing with the older kids.

We got all dressed up for Dave and Maggie's wedding. Dave is Emmett's idol. In the middle of the ceremony, he walked right up to the couple and called out, "Hi Dave!" Everyone laughed and laughed. He even got to dance with the bride.

Coleman contemplates the holy bonds of matrimony.

Emmett looks up to his buddy Chris.

We even managed to sneak in a trip to the ocean.

Emmett romanced his friend Elizabeth at her birthday party.

Elizabeth and Emmett push Acer on the swing.

At the Three County Fair, Emmett rode on tractors, large...

...and small.

Coleman slept through a lot of this!

"I think we got one."

A big catch!

Easy Rider.

This is the biggest damned sunflower I've ever seen.

Peek a boo!

A good fireman and his dog are never parted.

VT part II

2010-07-28T17:19:00.001-07:00

Well, it's almost time to go home . . . We've been having a great vacation packed from top to bottom with fun at the beach, excursions to interesting places, and visits from friends and family.

We took a trip to Shelburne Farms, a Vermont institution. It's a working farm and educational center. Emmett played with the animals, rode on many a tractor, and even saw them making cheese!

Here I come!!

I got one.

Nana!

Emmett and Papa cut a rug.

Love...

Nana blows bubbles.

Dancing in a sunset rain shower.

See you soon.

Camp Vacation!

2010-07-25T17:34:00.001-07:00

Ahhh...

Emmett plays his stick and leaf drumset.

E contemplates the vastness of the universe.

Happy Baby!

Tired Baby!

Emmett donated some of the clippings from his haircut for Coleman's weave.

Our old friends Katie and Chris came to visit.

Zonked!

Chris and Tara's daughter Adia and Emmett enjoy some lunch.

Adia holds the baby.

Hot as July!

2010-07-08T21:17:00.000-07:00

Hello.

It's been a hot, thick patch of summer around here. We've been combating the hot weather with freezee pops and italian ices. We've taken to running around through a sprinkler in the backyard in our underpants, whooping. We've dined on fresh fruits and vegetables we've picked at our farm share.

Emmett has decided to join the firehouse.

Our old friend Josh came up to see us and help celebrate Sarah's birthday. Emmett immediately began demonstrating all of his toys, and soon Josh had joined the firehouse as well.

We jammed a nasty old school "Fireman Dance" in the dining room the other day. I played drums while Emmett busted several varieties of moves. Somehow, Coleman slept peacefully on the table throughout the dominating funk. What a world!

You and me, staring contest . . . NOW!

this is the life!

Vermont Father's Day Getaway

2010-06-21T18:39:00.000-07:00

Coleman was getting a little claustraphobic around the house, so we decided to make a last minute weekend trip to Sarah's family cabin in Vermont. Emmett was excited and kept pointing at various things, exclaiming, " That's a Mont!"

Well it was just what we needed, and while things aren't as relaxing with two little ones to tend to, it sure was a ton of fun! Emmett and Taiko loved playing together on the beach. Emmett would throw sticks and rocks, and Taiko would try to get them. Everybody laughed and laughed.

We had fun blowing bubbles on the porch.

Let's get our shoes on...

...and move it on down the path to the beach.

two buddies

First week with the little guy

2010-06-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

Things are going great around here. Coleman's first week home has been a smooth transition. With Pam's help we've been able to keep Emmett busy and tend to the little lump of Cole. Sarah and I have gotten out of the house a bit, including our first family trip to town with the two boys. And there's even been a fairly satisfying amount of sleep to be had.

Emmett's reaction has been nothing short of awe inspiring. His love for the baby knows no bounds. He's always checking that "baby's ok" and making sure we all give Coleman lots of kisses.

Our good friend Peter was Coleman's first visitor. He looks so natural holding a baby. The good news is we just found out he's accepted a job nearby, and he and his wife will be moving back up to the valley after a 5 year sojourn in Brooklyn. Let's hope this sparks a trend!

Shhh..... baby's sleeping.

In order to get Emmett out and about, and so I could have some special time with him, we took a trip with a few of his little pals to the Hartford science museum. We had so much fun.

Emmett's 'tache

Daddy's turn

Emmett play's Tron's drumset

I love Smock and Roll!

Emmett, Eli, and Ian enjoying a small cocktail

Almost time to go, so the boys all sat around to read about some big trucks!

Coleman Ray Schatz!

2010-06-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

Well, all the waiting and hoping and pacing is done. . . Coleman has arrived!

Coleman Ray Schatz

Born June 6 at 11:57 p.m.

8 lbs 12 oz

We had a great birth experience. Everything went smoother and quicker and easier than the first time. Our birth team was fantastic including Maggie, our friend/neighbor/midwife extraordinaire, and Patti, an excellent nurse and laboring-lady-massage-specialist.

Maggie checked in on Sarah all day on Sunday (its good to have a midwife who lives across the street!) and we headed to the hospital around 4:30 pm. Things progressed smoothly through dinner time, and then picked up after that. Sarah was in the tub for quite a bit and the warm water seemed to really ease the pain of her contractions. Sarah is a trooper and you could hardly tell from her steady composure how powerful those contractions were.

Around 11 pm, she decided she had enough agony, having been through an excruciating transition with Emmett, and called for an epidural. What a godsend! She mumbled a quick blessing over the anesthesiologist. With the pain and anxiety out of the way, her body quickly readied itself for the last blast... 13 minutes of pushing and out he came!

Open your eyes, little guy.

Welcome to the Schatz family!

Emmett came to visit the next day, and he couldn't have responded more positively to the sight of his new brother. He kept exclaiming, "Baby is sooo cute!" and ordering everyone to kiss the baby.

No Emmett, Coleman can't have a chip.

Nana enjoys some time with her two grandsons.

Daddy and Cole relax.

Nice to meet you, Grandma!

Papa seems pleased with his 12th grandchild.

The modern working mom, Sarah keeps the business going throughout.

Fun at the Tractor Show!

2010-05-30T09:47:00.001-07:00

Today is Sarah's due date, but no baby yet. So we decided to get out and about, see some old tractors, and pet some baby animals. Lots of Emmett's pals were there and we had a great time.

Emmett enjoys driving the tractors

We climbed way up in this really big one

Emmett and his pal Acer compare stripes

Mommy crams into the cow barrel tractor pull

Lets see if this bumpy ride can get things going....

Acupuncture?! round 2

2010-05-28T10:45:00.000-07:00

Here we are again, waiting for labor for baby 2! I'll be 40 weeks in 2 days and am hoping to go ON my due date this time, rather than a week over. I'm trying to be patient and am actually feeling pretty good.

Emmett is getting ready to be a big brother and enjoys the books we bought him on the subject. It will be interesting to see how he reacts when the baby comes home with us.

I had accupuncture again with Amy Mager today and did not go into labor on the table like last time, but I am definitely having some contractions. Hoping this combined with the recent full moon will get the party started!

Sarah

Spring is here! It's cookie time!

2010-04-26T18:03:00.000-07:00

Hello. Sorry we've been so lax about updating this blog. We've been steady posting pictures on Facebook, and that seems to be a more direct way to share. But I like the archival nature of this blog as well, so I'll try to keep it up.

Is there anyone out there who's looking at this who didn't see it on FB?

Anyways, we've been having a great spring, enjoying the weather and getting ready for baby numero dos.

Emmett is talking non-stop. His vocab is growing faster than you can imagine and now he's saying complete sentences. His favorite activities are music, basketball, drawing, and "yo gabba gabba". What a vivacious little dude!

Here are some cute pictures of him enjoying a cookie at the Woodstar Cafe....

MASS MOCA AGAIN!

2010-01-31T16:32:00.001-08:00

It's been very cold, so we got a free pass from the Hatfield Library

and went out West to the MASS MOCA again.

The Sol Lewitt is still amazing, and Emmett had a great time

running around and looking at all the bright colors.

Bringing the blog back! Starting with Christmas!

2010-01-26T20:45:00.000-08:00

Sorry the blog has been seriously lacking in new photos! I intend to change that starting now!

We have been busy around here:

In case you don't know we are expecting Emmett's brother May 30th!

Here are a few Christmas photos from last month.

Rocking out on his "Muno Guitar"

Cousin Zada came for a visit all the way from California.

Emmett and Zada meet.

Sarah & Becky with Emmett & Vivian.

These cookie pictures are for Lucia mostly. These are Noam's favorite cookies that my aunt makes, so we decided to give it a try. Holy crap are they a ton of work, bt they came out great and tasted sooo good. Thanks Lucia!

Fall afternoon photo shoot

2009-12-04T14:22:00.000-08:00

Fall Fun

2009-11-15T20:20:00.001-08:00

Here are a few pictures of Emmett at Old Deerfield a few weeks ago.

emmett plays guitar, tumbles, drums

2009-10-20T05:42:00.000-07:00

Hello, here is a funny video of our little man exploring the sound of his little blue guitar.

A couple of days a week, he's been going to tumbling at the YMCA. Early training for the olympics.

We spent a rainy day at the children's museum in Holyoke. Emmett had a lot of fun, especially playing these drums. His hands move so fast, you can't see 'em!

From Josh's Wedding

2009-10-13T19:28:00.000-07:00

Here are 2 great pictures that just got sent to me from our friend Josh & Becky's wedding.
They were taken a week before Emmett turned one!

We are using one to submit as a entry for Baby Gap photo contest.
A link to follow if you want to vote!

2 cute pictures

2009-09-25T19:32:00.001-07:00

Hello!

It's been a while, so I thought I would show 2 new pictures that Emmett's babysitter took.

He now likes to stand and try walking most of the time. Most of all loves climbing on things.

Climbing pictures coming soon.

Crawling is still cool too.

camp powell 2009

2009-08-31T20:06:00.000-07:00

"If this ain't perfect, what is?"

We just got back from a relaxing week at Camp Powell, Sarah's family getaway in Vermont. The cabin is right on a very secluded and pristine bay off of Lake Champlain. It's the best swimming in the world and Emmett ate it up!

Tiny E was totally fearless in his pursuit of adventure, crawling in rushed zig zags in and out of the waves. With his perpetually sandy bottom, I think it's safe to say Emmett's a real beach bum. He even is starting to take his very first steps.

Katie T and The Rubinstein Clan all came up to share some of our good times.

The twins made good friends with Raleigh.

First the cupcake, now the bagel....where do we get such large baked goods?

No trip is complete without a stop at the Cold Hollow Cider Mill for some fresh cider doughnuts.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMETT!

2009-08-17T17:18:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe, Emmett's 1st birthday is here. We've survived a whole year, and I must say it's been a pretty fun time!

We had a blow out for his birthday with lots of his peers and other assorted children to run around and generally wreak havok.

Our old friend Paul, the ice cream man, brought his truck and everyone enjoyed his wares.

Emmett ate a cupcake bigger than his head.

We all sang Happy Birthday.

Emmett got a chance to hang with our good buddy, Dave.

Contemplating another turn 'round the sun.

Verdict: "YAY!!"

Emmett on the phone and the piano

2009-07-27T19:46:00.000-07:00

He was talking for twenty minutes... can anybody translate this?

...and a little music as well.

a day at the beach... and other activities.

2009-07-21T05:47:00.001-07:00

Welcome Little Wille!

2009-07-01T05:46:00.001-07:00

Well, it's happened again. How long could we have gone on with only one beagle? It's just not balanced that way.

Willie is a 7 week old beagle puppy and it looks like we're gonna keep him.

Who can resist such a cute little face?

Gettin' cozy...

Emmett and Willie love to play together.

Willie and the Family.

Double Beagle

Nudie Pix!

2009-06-25T20:31:00.001-07:00

As today offered the nicest weather in a week or so of cloudy days, we decided to enjoy some time all together in our yard.

Emmett enjoyed getting "back to nature" - the briskness of the water on his undercarriage, the fresh air seeping in through every pore, the sun shine hitting spots where it normally don't.

"Raleigh, let's race!"

I'm practically standing on my own.

"AARGH!"

"buns of steel"

Serious business in the pool...

"BUY! SELL! BUY! SELL!"

Emmett enjoying his new toy phone. He immediately started holding it up to his ear and "chatting". Why does he look so worried?

Father's Day Jam '09

2009-06-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

We went out to MASS MOCA, the great modern art museum in North Adams. It is in an amazing setting of old brick factories and mills.

Last time we were here was just a week before tiny E was born. Remember this:

Things are a bit defferent now. . .

Emmett really enjoyed the art and all the nice people he met. We especially enjoyed a 3 story exihibition of wall drawings by Sol Lewitt. It was amazing, like walking into someones notepad. Luckily it will be there for at least 25 years, so we'll have many opportunities to enjoy it. Perhaps Emmett will bring his kids someday. . .

comin' to getcha!

SEE YA!

Emmett goes west!

2009-06-16T18:44:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a long weekend in the Bay area. We went to the wedding of some close friends (Peter in fact is the bass player in Mobius Band) and to visit Sarah's cousin Sean and his wife Kate.

Everybody had a great time. Emmett as always was very fun and good mannered. He won over every scowling face on the plane with his shenanigans. More than a few times we heard: "What a happy baby!"

"Who's that handsome guy?"

Emmett really looked up to cousin Sean

Emmett practices "blue steel"

Swept up at the academy of Science aquarium.

"Look at that big fish!"

We got a chance to visit the redwoods at Muir Woods.

Looking fancy at the wedding.

All of our friends were excited to see baby Emmett. He was happily handed from person to person. Peter and Jess did a great job, the spot was delightful, the weather perfect. It was a great chance to hang out with lots and lots of dear friends.

Looking cute out at dinner.

Emmett made some new friends through the window of a unique ice cream shop we visited. Some of the flavors: olive oil, chile and lime sorbet, peanut butter curry, bourbon and cereal (secret breakfast), and passionfruit milk chocolate!

Bittersweet Spring

2009-05-17T21:11:00.001-07:00

Sadly, we had to put our well-worn and much loved beagle Bella to sleep this weekend. She had been a wonderful part of our family (and permanent lump on our couch) for the past 7 1/2 years, and it was certainly hard to let her go. It has been a little strange around our house without her, but we are so happy to have such a catalog of wonderful and hilarious memories to treasure.

We miss you Bella!

Any way, life moves on...

As Emmett has tought us, you must keep truckin'.

Spring has Sprung! (and Emmett's not far behind)

2009-05-05T19:55:00.000-07:00

Getting ready to crawl

Here I come!

I love being outside!

Taiko. Emmett, and Sarah enjoying the nice weather.

Emmett P Schatz - 8 months old and funky as hell!

2009-04-22T16:17:00.000-07:00

This post is for Dad aka Noam

2009-04-17T18:26:00.000-07:00

Noam is up in Vermont recording his new album and requested some cute Emmett pictures.

First day wearing my sun hat, it was 70 degrees today.

On the swing set again!

Walking dogs with mom is fun!

Best of all is my tiny drum set! I play it every day, just like dad!

Magic Wings

2009-04-15T18:49:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we went to see the butterflies at Magic Wings in Deerfield.

We all had a great time!

Emmett loved just sitting on the ground and looking at all of the butterflies!

Emmett especially like standing in the gazebo and looking around.

Between the Sheets

2009-04-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

We just started teaching Emmett how to put himself to sleep. And I'm happy to say that last night, only the second night of our sleep training, he promptly fell asleep on his own and didn't wake up crying the whole night!

I like sleeping!

And playing in the bed!

That's some good sheet!

Awesome!

7 months today!

2009-03-22T17:50:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from the last few weeks from Sarah's cell phone.

Happy 7 month birthday Emmett!

Spring Forward!

2009-03-11T20:46:00.000-07:00

Gettin' to look like spring might come afterall. Warm wind blowing the cloud from before the sun. Let us take some air, sitting a moment in companionship on the front porch.

Squeeeeky Clean Machine

2009-03-05T07:18:00.000-08:00

Now that Tiny E can sit up, he's able to use the big tub. That means more splashing, more toys, more soaking mom and dad, and overall lots more fun!

Pretty cool, no?

YAY!

Call and Response...

2009-03-03T12:21:00.000-08:00

Emmett in the Box!

2009-02-26T13:36:00.000-08:00

Emmett's new favorite spot - the penalty box!

Emmett's new favorite toy - SPOONIE!™

Wow!

Happy Half Birthday, Emmett P !!

2009-02-22T07:29:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I'm 6 months old now. What's the big deal?

Now that I'm all growed up, I decided it was time to pop my first tooth! Ouch!

For my Birthday, we took a family trip to Sharon to visit with all the relatives. We had lots of fun!

My cousin Vivienne and I shared some toys.

Grandma and Grandpa laughed and laughed!

My cousin Mirinae really loves me! We were very excited to visit with each other.

Emmett Schatz, Musical Prodigy

2009-02-14T19:44:00.001-08:00

Emmett Goes Bananas

2009-01-30T09:40:00.000-08:00

This was E's 3rd meal of solid food. Boy does he like it. In fact, he cries when you take the spoon away!

Wintery Weekend

2009-01-26T17:42:00.000-08:00

Well, it's just about too cold to do much of anything here. If we're lucky it may even brush up against the underside of freezing this week.

Our good friend Dave Rubinstein came to visit this weekend. Emmett and him are super tight. We also had our other friends Aaron and Katie Rubinstein come for brunch with their twin boys, Elijah and Aryeh. Schatz's were outnumbered by Rubinsteins 5 to 3! Yikes! Unless you count the beasts, of course.

Either way it was a full house - full of fun that is!

The twins teach Emmett a thing or two about turtles.

Flying is awesome!

Oops I crapped my pants!

A full load on the couch.

Mother and child.

My hand is deelicious.

Trying out my new punk rocker style.

Cellphone Pictures

2009-01-23T17:10:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures taken from Sarah's cell phone this week:

In the Bumbo seat

On a walk in the woods today.

Have a nice weekend!

Big trip to New York City!

2009-01-13T15:05:00.000-08:00

We travelled down to NYC this Saturday to visit friends and had lots of fun. Emmett was great on the drive, train ride and subway!

Here we are checking out Grand Central Station.

In front of Peter & Jessica's apartment in Brooklyn.

Today I wanted to try sitting in the rocking chair by myself! Lots of fun.

Emmett in Stripes

2009-01-04T12:01:00.000-08:00

Hello, I am a jolly baby. Let's party!

This is my blog. I rule!

Relaxing with my buddy Taiko.

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T10:36:00.001-08:00

What a great year 2008 has been for us! Noam travelled all around Europe with the Mobius Band, I got to visit him in Amsterdam and Emmett arrived in August. We have had a lot of fun and look forward to 2009! I hope everyone has a wonderful new year.

Here is a picture of me from about a year ago!

Emmett's professional picture taken a few weeks ago.

Grandma and Grandpa with the two grandchildren on Hanukkah at our house last weekend.

Emmett loved staring at the menorah!

Tuckered out after a long day of fun.

Snowy Weekend!

2008-12-21T11:14:00.001-08:00

Well It's finally Winter. And Ole Jack Frost ain't wastin' time no more up here in New England. It started snowing Friday and hasn't really let up all weekend.

Today is the shortest and darkest day of the year, but with the fresh snow it's also the most beautiful.

I had one dog-walk today. Driving there was a mess, but walking in the woods was amazing!

We've been spending this snowy weekend getting some small things done around the house, but mostly just relaxing. Picture heaps of blankets, piles of dogs, a handful of movies, and buckets of cocoa!

Emmett bundles up for his first snow day.

Taiko plays "log" in the snow.

Taiko in front of our neighbor's barns - a New England postcard!

Our neighbors have this beautiful old car in their barn.

Emmett looks out at the world.

Emmett muggin' it up for the camera.

Emmett and Taiko are B.F.F.!

We busted out the "kitchen gamelan" for E's entertainment:

Fun Weekend!

2008-12-15T18:14:00.000-08:00

Not too much has been going on here. Little Emmett is a happy camper most of the time.

He recently has been enhancing his cuteness with some excellent laughter. Sarah and I really had him going the other day with some knock knock jokes.

Despite the fact that he has no clue what the heck we were saying, he really seems to have a good sense of humor. That's important in a nut house like this place!

Grandma and Grandpa brought cousin Mirinae for a visit this weekend.

Grandma and Emmett are having a staring contest.

Mirinae thinks Emmett is pretty cool!

Everyone seems to love singing to the little guy:

2 cute pictures

2008-12-07T18:06:00.000-08:00

Nothing really to report here - but here are 2 cute pictures of Emmett from this weekend.

E.P.S. First Turkey Day!

2008-12-02T15:43:00.001-08:00

This year we went to Thanksgiving at Noam's aunt and uncle's house in Hopkinton. It was Emmett's longest car ride yet (2 hours each way) and he was great most of the way.

It had been a while since Grandpa Roy had seen the little guy and they both seemed happy to see each other again!

Grandma Paula and Mirinae were happy to see Emmett too.

Mirinae enjoyed reading Emmett his favorite book, Shiny Turtle.

After a busy evening, Emmett relaxed on Grandma's shoulder.

Then he took a nap on a chair - what a life!

Emmett says Happy Thanksgiving!

California Dreamin'

2008-11-19T15:02:00.000-08:00

We went to sunny Southern California this past weekend. It had originally been intended as a trip to bring Emmett to meet his Great Grandma, but unfortunately, she didn't make it long enough to meet the little fellow. So the trip transformed into a memorial. We got to visit with family and friends, and enjoy the memories of a remarkable woman.

My Grandma Jean was a huge influence on me. I was fortunate to live fairly close to her and my Grandpa Ray when I was younger. They were both extremely talented artists who pushed me to be expressive: drawing, sculpting, acting, and playing music.

They filled their home with exquisite objects made by friends and family, collected from around the globe. I would not be so immersed in a creative life if they hadn't set such a beautiful example. The continuing creativity of so many in our family is a testament to their energetic delight in the arts.

Well, her passing was bittersweet, a stark loss for those of us who loved her, yet a long awaited relief to her physical pain and the sadness she felt watching those she loved (especially her well loved husband) go before her.

As I was walking in the woods, processing her loss, and meditating on the inevitable loss of all of those we love, I wrote the following song:

Someone who's

Inside of you,

You never lose,

You never lose.

Someone who's

Made you who you are,

Is never far,

Is never far.

A winding line,

From you to me,

We never see,

The roots of a tree.

We'll meet again,

Not where or when,

But here and now,

In the present tense.

Because...

Someone who's

Inside of you,

You never lose,

You never lose.

Someone who's

Made you who you are,

Is never far,

Is never far.

Below the noise,

I hear your voice,

I feel your pride,

I feel your joy.

All your pain,

Is disappeared.

And though you're gone,

You are still near.

Because...

Someone who's

Inside of you,

You never lose,

You never lose.

Someone who's

Made you who you are,

Is never far,

Is never far.

All in all it was a really nice trip. I tend to look at these situations as a celebration of life, rather than a tragedy of loss.

And of course, bringing Emmett was like bringing an instant smile. As he got passed around, it was impossible for everyone not to see the miracle of the life cycle, and the renewal of our family in the next generation.

Aunt Mimi doesn't want to let go.

Aunt Carole gets a tiny hug

Emmett wears daddy's hat on his first trip to the beach.

Walking in the surf.

Emmett laying on a beautiful quilt Aunt Mimi made for Grandma.

We even had a moment to visit with the "Brunch Club", a group of our family friends from when we lived in Southern California. Here we are with the Levines, the Steins, and the Binstocks.

Furthermore, the Levines gave us a tortoise (because we don't have enough pets!)

Will the real Shlomo please stand up?

We smuggled him onto the plane in a sock in my pocket, and he arrived alive and well on the other side.

#1 cute baby for you!

2008-11-09T17:29:00.000-08:00

Emmett has been making leaps in personal development. His growth has been so astounding, I think he may have attended some sort of self-help seminar. . . so that's where the new Tony Robbins onesie came from! And the 10 CD set of motivational speeches, Diaper King: Being The Baby You've Always Wanted to Be.

He is doing a lot of dancing on the table, enjoy marathon sessions of music making, smiling and mugging it up like a little jester, emitting proto-laughter and trying hard to talk to us.

"Hello"

Unfortunately, our large tomcat Royal aka "brown" has been very jealous lately. Either that or he's having a personal identity crisis and thinks he's a baby. I think I'll order him that CD set, The Pussycat and the Tiger: How to Unlock Your Inner Feline Power.

We've had a fair amount of visitors of late. Last weekend, my bandmates Ben and Peter finally got to meet our new mini-tambourine player. This weekend we entertained our good friend Dave as well as a cross country visit from our friend Beth and her beau Drew. Good times!

A new seat!

2008-11-03T18:02:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we tried using the Bumbo seat! His big head is still a little too heavy, but I think he liked the new perspective on life.

What a happy guy!

2008-11-01T17:15:00.000-07:00

The Many Moods of Emmett Schatz

2008-10-28T15:13:00.001-07:00

Surprise

Delight

Sad Face

Fishing for Compliments

Pooping

Drooling

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-24T15:45:00.000-07:00

Emmett won't get any candy, but he's still pretty psyched. He helped us rake up the leaves today. Old Man Winter is peeking around the corner.... and I don't mean John McCain!

Can you guess what I am?

I'm a pumpkin!

Emmett Get Funky!

2008-10-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

Hello Everybody!

Take a moment please and leave us a comment, so we have an idea of who has been watching us! Hope you are enjoying this lil' stinker. . . .

Emmett loves dancing on the dining room table.

Holiday Weekend

2008-10-13T20:49:00.001-07:00

Hello. What an amazing Autumn weekend here in Massachusetts!

Literally the most beautiful Fall weather I've ever seen, and incredible foliage to boot. There has been little rain, so most of the brilliantly colored leaves are still on the trees, creating bursts of excitement wherever you look.

Emmett has been very good, and we've started to try and bring him to many different places. We walked around Northampton center Friday afternoon, putting up flyers for Sarah's Pet Services. We went to the Ashfield Fall Festival on Saturday with our friends in the Rubinstein clan. And Sunday we brought Emmett for a long dog walk through the woods and hills. Emmett even got to enjoy his first trip to a grocery store - very exciting!

Emmett is giving you the stink eye!

2008-10-07T14:46:00.000-07:00

Some new pictures for you.

Relaxing in his play pod.

Going for an evening stroll.

Singing the "Mashed Potato" with Grandma Paula.

Boys in the hoods.

No hair no mustache.

Taiko getting his licks in.

Day Dreaming

2008-09-27T15:27:00.000-07:00

What does a one month old dream about?

What an exciting week! Emmett is now 5 weeks old and you can truly see how every day he becomes a little more like a little person. Somewhere in the last week he decided that smiling is a lot of fun, and we couldn't agree more.

One nice thing about having a baby is all the cool people who come to visit you. If you're reading this and haven't met Emmett yet, please come and see us!

Here's Emmett with his cousin Mirinae. She immediately took a liking to her little cousin. Little kids seem to really go ape over babies.

Furthermore, this week we've started Emmett's musical training. Mostly this involves him lying on the dining room table while I play with some toy keyboards and rattles and shakers around his head to soothe him. But that's a good start for such a young lad, and he really loves music. The Mobius Band outfit is courtesy of our friends (and my band mate) Peter and Jessica.

That's the latest from around here. Emmett says "BYE BYE"!

1 month old!

2008-09-22T07:27:00.001-07:00

Where has the month gone? Oh, I know, I think it was mostly spent bouncing Emmett on the red yoga ball! Seriously, go buy one of these today! Not only is it good for exercising, stretching, pretending it's a Katamari ball, it is the #1 most important baby calming equipment we have! All for only $30!

Here are a few pictures from last week including one of Taiko & the yoga ball. The last one is of our friend Dave visiting with Emmett.

3 weeks

2008-09-15T08:41:00.000-07:00

Well I can say things have finally settled down here a bit! Now that we have known Emmett for 3 weeks we understand him a little better, which makes life easier for all of us. I don't think you can be prepared for how hard the first few weeks with a newborn is!

Emmett has enjoyed a variety of new experiences this week. We had our first trip to a restaurant (Vera Cruzana!) with Grandma Pam & Paula and Grandpa Roy yesterday. He was great, but mostly slept. He also likes his daily walk with Taiko, Bella & Raleigh in his Bjorn carrier. Lastly, he finally enjoys bath time! We were surprised how much he hated the bath initially, so it's a nice chance to have a relaxing evening bath.

Here are a few pictures from last nights bath.

2 weeks

2008-09-05T07:46:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note while I'm holding the baby...

Thought you would like to see some post-bath pictures of Emmett at 2 weeks.

Sarah

off the deep end

2008-09-01T19:05:00.000-07:00

Sitting at the computer, wearing Emmett in his Baby Bjorn, trying to write about our first week with this little guy, and he just settled down enough to let me at it. Phew. . .

Well, last week was crazy. Very crazy.

Emmett got impatient waiting for Mommy's delicious milk to arrive, and became very dehydrated. This led to an inconsolable crankiness and even a bit of a fever. We brought him to our pediatrician, and they didn't like his temperature (Emmett certainly didn't like them taking it) and recommended we go to the hospital for evaluation.

Now, whenever an infant this young has a fever, they automatically fire up the worry machines and inject the new parents with a heavy dose of paranoia. In order to rule out bacterial infections that can go from bad to worse faster than Emmett can soil a diaper, they hold you for a few days, poke and prod your kid until you can't take it anymore, and watch what happens.

So, we were only home two nights before we had to go back to the hospital for three more!

Luckily Emmett is fine. He has no nasty infections, but was basically just very, very thirsty. Unluckily, I picked up a hitchhiking virus in the Emergency Room, and became sicker than I've ever been in my adult life. Soon Sarah was caring for two helpless, whining babies. Yikes!

Well, it took me a few days, but I've recovered. We are finally able to start unraveling the mysteries of Emmett's strange language (why does he always have to shout?). And just being normally exhausted, the way every new family should be.

We had a few nice visits this weekend from Grandma Paula and Grandpa Roy. Plus Emmett got to meet Our good friends Meir, Annie, Dave, and Gabe. Everything's back to (ab) normal.

Grandpa Roy gets on Emmett's wavelength

Two Babies?

Emmett's first bath

quiet time with Daddy

The name is Emmett!

2008-08-24T14:30:00.000-07:00

Little Emmett is two days old now - my they grow up so fast! He's applied early admission to a few schools (we're keeping our fingers crossed for Wesleyan, just like dad) and is spending the rest of the summer working as an intern on the Obama campaign.

Well, maybe not, but its easy to look at his chubby little face and imagine the possibilities that await him in the future.

We've been home from the hospital for a whole day now, and he's doing really great. He's feeding well, sleeping well, pooping well, and crying very well. All in all it's everything you'd want from a happy bouncing new baby. He even let us sleep pretty good last night for a solid chunk of hours, so let's hope he stays on the straight and narrow.

The birth was absolutely amazing. Sarah was so strong and patient and powerful. Many of the nurses and midwives went out of their way to tell us how impressed they were with her natural birthing and mothering abilities. Watching her at work, surrounded by the amazing team of women, I felt as though I had been afforded a rare glance into the true depth of female potential. Fairer sex, my eye! As she sweated, groaned, and pushed, it quickly became apparent that if any man had to face such a task, they'd go running to the nearest hole and get in it. It was amazing.

Having our friend Katie there as our doula, made the whole experience flow much more easily. Even though it wasn't an easy birth, her calm and steady reassurances kept Sarah focused with her eyes on the end goal. She kept Sarah just on this side of panic, which if you've been to a birth you know is quite an accomplishment.

The midwives and nurses were also terrific. Maggie, the midwife who was there for the final stages of pushing Emmett out, totally blew my mind with her ability to gently guide Sarah, taking her natural impulses and honing them to be perfectly effective and forceful.

I tried my best to be quietly supportive, a stable force for Sarah to lean on, and a loving source of encouragement. Frankly, I just hoped not to get in the way and let the women do what they've done for eons. It really was so primal, I felt truly mammalian. At times the hospital room disappeared and it felt as though we were in a mud hut or some other primitive enclosure, just following the forces of nature.

So after a long night of riding out the painful contractions, the sun rose, our spirits rose, our energy rose, and we all got together for the final hard push. I was beside myself, gently wiping Sarah's face with a cold cloth or getting behind her and trying to help her push. Somewhere in there Sarah disappeared and a strange birthing machine took her place. She really went to another place.

Time slowed as we all focused on our goal. I was laughing, I was crying, I was scared, and I was elated. Here he comes, there's his head, and whoosh, like toothpaste out of a tube, his little blue body came flying out into the world. Immediately they put him up on her chest, where he wrestled his way right to the breast. He gasped and coughed, and as he slowly figured out how to breath his little blue face turned purple, then pink. We were all so happy and relieved, baby Emmett was here, healthy and beautiful.

Does he look like anybody you know?

Emmett was born 8/22 at 9:41 AM! 8 lbs 3 oz

2008-08-23T13:45:00.001-07:00

Could this be it?!

2008-08-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

Having contractions 5 minutes apart, will update soon!

Still here...more pics from Mass MOCA!

2008-08-20T16:23:00.001-07:00

Acupuncture?!

2008-08-19T14:31:00.000-07:00

I had my first ever acupuncture treatment today, which was pretty cool. We'll see if it does anything. I have heard stories of women going into labor within hours of it, but so far nothing here...

Weekly midwife apt. is tomorrow, we'll see what she says.

Sarah

40 weeks!

2008-08-17T07:09:00.000-07:00

Yup, I'm still pregnant! 40 weeks 2 days and I could go as long as 42 week before an induction, which we would like to avoid. I'm trying not to think that far ahead and be calm about the baby making his appearance, but I am getting impatient to meet Emmett!

At the last appointment they estimated he was about 7 lbs! Next apt. is Thursday, I hope he's here before that!

So to keep my mind of still being pregnant, Noam suggested we go the the Mass MOCA to check out the new exhibits. Pam, Noam and I had a great time and we all really liked the art that is there now. The above pictures are from the trip.

More news soon,

Sarah

39 weeks!

2008-08-09T20:41:00.000-07:00

Well our due date is fast approaching - less than a week away! Noam finished Emmett's room and installed the car seat, so we're all set to go. I'm still feeling good, but rather huge now. I have to say this has been a great pregnancy, but I'm ready to see little Emmett!

35 weeks and waiting

2008-07-12T20:41:00.000-07:00

We thought we would start a blog for family & friends to find out about baby Emmett!

I am currently 35 weeks pregnant and feel quite huge. I can't imagine my stomach getting any bigger than it is now, but I'm sure it will. Emmett currently weighs approximately 5 lbs!

I'll share a few pregnancy photos for those that haven't seen them yet. The picture of me in the blue dress is 31 weeks at my shower. I'm bigger now!

More soon.

Sarah