Jim is 59! No wonder he’s crotchety.

Seriously – Happy birthday, Jim. Hope it was a good one.

Shocked.

Tonight I discovered something shocking – and equally appalling. Cooper’s feet smell! I took his socks off, and to my utter astonishment, my tiny two month old baby had sweaty stinky feet!

Wow.

More revelations to come, I’m sure.

Happy Birthday, Judith – from Coop.

…no, Coop doesn’t have a giant potbelly – it’s just the way the sweater is laying!

Happy Birthday, Adam!

Monthday.

In honor of Cooper’s monthday [thanks for that little nugget, Judith] – which was on January 7th – we bring you 30 Days of Coop in Pictures.  Yep – one pic for each day of his first month.  Recognize the background music?  We used it in our wedding video, too – perfect.

55 of 62 people found this review helpful.

Judith gets credit for this find.  The toy itself is great, but the reviews are absolutely amazing.  Prepare to spend the next couple minutes (hours?) in hilarity.

http://www.amazon.com/Playmobil-3172-Security-Check-Point/dp/B0002CYTL2

Like Adam, Like Cooper.

On New Year’s Day, Coop wore his special sweater – a baby blue knit sweater that his grandma, Phyllis, made for his daddy to wear when he was eight days old. Can you believe that Adam was ever tiny enough to fit into this little outfit? It took Cooper a little while to grow into it, but we’re sure glad he did. Handsome devil, huh?

Help us choose!

So TurboTax is giving away $5,000 to the parents of “America’s Cutest Last-Minute Tax Deduction.” And, obviously, Coop is the cutest thing ever, so we have to enter him.  But we can’t pick a photo!

So we leave it in your trusty hands. Below are 9 pictures for your voting pleasure. You can click on each image to enlarge them and then vote in the poll just below.  And, if you’re feeling feisty, you can check out Coop’s competition here.

Videos Page.

We’re going to try to have a subpage on the old blog where we’ll post videos. Sometimes we’ll write about the videos and sometimes we’ll just post them. On the top of the page will be a link to the video page. Who knows if it will work. We’ve posted a video there to get things going.

Where Cooper Benjamin Zissman Happens.

Cooper and I are watching our first Magic game together tonight. The Magic started off playing poorly, but then I took him out of his swing and held him in my lap and the Magic went on a run and are now up 15 at halftime. I know that you think it is just a coincidence, but it isn’t. Cooper has good basketball karma.

And during the first quarter a new “Where Amazing Happens” NBA commercial came on and it was just perfect for the moment (and let me dream about what my lanky boy will one day do). 

Whoa Baby.

For reals.  UncommonGoods.com is the best shopping site ever.  If you’ve gotten a gift from us over the past couple of years (when we’re not being pinko commies and doling out Kiva gift certificates) – especially a baby gift – it’s probably from there.  I mean where else can you get everything from a pack of peepee teepees to a onesie declaring your baby’s illiteracy?  If you have a baby girl, expect to receive a smartly wrapped bright blue box with a happy green ribbon – and, inside, a pink snapsuit that proclaims “No one puts baby in the corner.”  Perfect.

It’s nice to find a place where you can buy cool not-sugar-sweet clothes and toys and fun stuff.  Here’s just some of the baby stuff they have available.  But check out the other kids’ stuff – and definitely the regular people stuff, too.  Lots of great home decor, art, jewelry, and other treats.

Seriously – I’m turning you on to a gem of a site.  You can thank me later.

Honest to blog.

I swear I’m going to update you on everything [and there's a LOT of everything] going on in our lives.  Seems like when I work in an office, I fall off of the face of the earth.  Well, I plan to remedy that this week – both by blogging – and also by finishing my stint at 360jmg, the firm I’ve been working at this election cycle.

Here’s what I have to remember to cover in this massive posting I plan on writing this week:

• Becky’s super-secret-surprise-birthday-halloween-costume-party extravaganza
•  The election. I’ve almost purposely avoided blogging about politics this cycle. Most of you know what I think already – and everyone from outside of DC only seems to want to talk to me about it so I can tell them how smart they are and what a DC insider they sound like.  That said, I’m certainly happy that so many of my hitherto apathetic friends seem to get why I dragged Adam here and what I’ve been working for for the last 8 years.
• Baby-ness.  We’re 5 weeks out and I’ve barely even mentioned him here.  I hear you saying to yourself, “Booo! Sandy sucks.”  Agreed.
• TV – all of the new seasons have started and we need to talk about it – including the new Jeopardy theme music. Eww.
• Pictures. I’ve got a TON of pics of everything from the Jimmy Buffett show to my giantness to Heidi and David’s wedding to our new front stoop and basement, to a baby shower – and even this weekend’s party. I’ll upload those bad boys soon.  Pretty hilarious.
• Recent reading – and my book club.
• My job.
• A few more recipes that did not fail.
• An update on Teddy and his bizarre health issues. (Don’t worry, nothing too bad!)
• A request for stroller/baby stuff recommendations.  We have no clue what we need.  You baby mamas and baby daddies out there need to tell us what things you use that you can’t live without!

Ok – so that’s a lot to post about this week.  But I’ll try.

Is anybody even reading anymore, now that I’ve left you without any titillating info for months? If so, let me know I’m not just typing to the wall;)

ABBA? Really?

So Political Wire, via Blender, published a list of the candidates’ favorite songs.  Hmmm…

1. Ready or Not Fugees	1. Dancing Queen ABBA
2. What’s Going On Marvin Gaye	2. Blue Bayou Roy Orbison
3. I’m On Fire Bruce Spingsteen	3. Take a Chance On Me ABBA
4. Gimme Shelter Rolling Stones	4. If We MakeIt Through December Merle Haggard
5. Sinnerman Nina Simone	5. As Time Goes By Dooley Wilson
6. Touch the Sky Kanye West	6. Good Vibrations The Beach Boys
7. You’d Be So Easy to Love Frank Sinatra	7. What A Wonderful World Louis Armstrong
8. Think Aretha Franklin	8. I’ve Got You Under My Skin Frank Sinatra
9. City of Blinding Lights U2	9. Sweet Caroline Neil Diamond
10. Yes We Can  will.i.am	10. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes The Platters

Tourette’s for Preggers.

So this morning I had what I would categorize as my first truly unreasonable emotional outburst – over a YouTube video aired on The Today Show – and then I got mad at Teddy for not understanding.  Yep.  I’ve lost my mind.

But, before you get all judgy, watch the video – with the volume up. The music makes it and you’ll think I’m a crazyhorse for losing it if you watch with your sound off.  I would like to point out, though, that the cheesy ending ["get back in touch with someone..."] was not on the original video I saw on the news and may have actually caused a spontaneous vomiting effect that would have counteracted all the crying.

I mean come on. If you didn’t tear up at that, you’re just the most heartless of the heartless.  Plus, did you happen to notice the striking resemblance that the lion bears to our Teddy?  Well, I see it – and this is where the story turns unreasonable.

So I’m crying – probably more than I ordinarily would.  But I don’t feel that unjustified because the news crew on The Today Show is also crying over the piece.  And then, I take a turn for the worse.  I make the connection between the lion and Ted – which leads me to notice that the lion jumps up and stands on his hind legs just like Teddy.  They move in a very similar way.

Then I realize that my Ted can’t really do that right now because his legs hurt him – which turns into – “He’s just a BABY!  What if he is unhappy for the rest of his life – or even dies, for that matter?!”  Which turns into an uncontrollable need to hug him and pet him.  So I get down in the floor to hug him, and he looks at me out of the corner of his eye like I’m a disgusting freak.  I extend my hand – and he LEANS AWAY FROM ME like I have the plague.  Are you kidding me?!  I feed him medicine out of my hand covered in peanut butter.  I pick up his poop and brush him and lay in his bed with him when he feels bad.  I sneak him treats.  I don’t kill him when I wake up in the morning to find he spent the night on the sofa – the evidence being a hairy spot of the sofa and a huge dark drool stain to match.  Just this morning I brushed him and scratched him and opened the door for him so he could lay down and still see outside.  And I can’t even get a little lovin’ when I’m visibly upset…over him?!

So here I am, sobbing, and now I think my dog has deliberately hurt my feelings.  Totally irrational.  And I know it’s totally irrational.  But that knowledge does nothing for me.  So I call Adam to tell him about it.  He is adorable and sweet and understanding, only mocking me for a second until he realizes I’m serious.  And then, hearing myself say these things aloud, I realize that I have absolutely become a cliche.  Ugh.

Hi there, Layla!

JT&U is pleased to welcome the newest Gold to the world.  So world – meet Layla Wynn Gold, born this morning and weighing a svelte 7lbs 9oz:

Welcome, Layla.  We’re glad to have you.

Rumor has it that the whole clan is thrilled and has been updating their Facebook statuses about it all morning – Tayler apparently sounds tired, but assures us that both Jaime [who is already on IM] and Layla are happy and healthy and it’s a good day all around.

Congrats, Jaime & Tayler!