November Update

It really has been a long time since I've been on here--so long that I forgot the friggin password. Anyway, we're in and we're here. Things have been pretty busy around the Oksenhendler household.

First, it's hard to believe that our little boy, David, is almost 4 months old. Now he's laughing, smiling, babbling, and jumping around in his bouncy thing. I have no idea what this is called. Our nasty, shitbag downstairs neighbors probably can't wait til he starts walking. But he is sleeping through the night, although teething hasn't started yet. For the most part he is a really good baby--actually, he's a freakin' genius!






David has also been getting a lot of play-time with his grandparents. Nana and Grandpa were here last week. Nana comes after work to relieve Rosa. Grandpa comes to play with David because they have a lot in common--they both like cartoons and have no hair.

And then, last weekend, David paid Babushka, Dedushka, and pra-dedushka (grandma and grandpa in Russian) a surprise visit in Rockville. You can bet whenever David shows up, everyone is happy! Here are some pics!!

We've finally put the finish touches on Casa de Oksenhendler. Our blinds are up and everyone and everything are pretty much settled in. Within the next few months, we're going to redo our closet. This piece of shit on wood tracks from 1949 really is annoying when Natasha and I go to get our clothes. Also, a plasma t-v will soon be visiting Jason & Natasha's bedroom. Oh, getting back to the closet--I was excited about the plasma--we're going to update the closet with a custom-made California-style closet. My wife has been investigating these, as she needs room for plethora of footwear. She only has two feet--how many shoes can a woman need? Men, there is no definitive answer to this question.

Sammie, the son-of-a-bitch, apparently likes to tear the pads of his paws while scratching at the floor and getting pieces of floor lacquer in his feet. Needless to say, mommy and daddy are unhappy at his attempts to leave the apartment, but if he keeps f***ing up the nice hardwood floors, he won't have to scratch at the door--he'll be on the other side of it.

Natasha is doing well. Actually, she had some trouble with milk production (yes men, breasts can be spoken about in a polite manner--not for long though), but actually, through a few visits to an acupuncturist, the milk is a flowin'. I'm sure she's really thrilled anyone in the world can read about her boobs. And that's all you'll get to do. There are no pictures, ahem! She is truly enjoying motherhood, and I have to tell you, she is an amazing mom. I thought I loved the woman before she gave me a child, but it's amazing to see her operate as a mom. David's a lucky kid and I am a lucky dad (I am not writing to suck up. I have done nothing wrong as of yet--give me time). Tell me that's not one of the best pics in the world. The flash from the camera made my wife have a dream she was being followed by the paparazzi--I am not kidding.

I am doing well. Work is fun--doing some more podcasting. I am studying for my GMATs (graduate management admissions test). What a bitch! Critical reasoning, hard math problems, shit--I thought I ended this mess in college. In all seriousness, I want to learn more about the types of analysis that I edit, so a trip back to school for finance or accounting is in order. But the most enjoyable job right now is being a dad to this terrific kid. I never knew being a dad could be so fulfilling.

That's really about it. We're getting ready for Thanksgiving. This year has been very giving to my entire family. My wife and I were blessed with a terrific son and a terrific home, but we're also very grateful for the fact that my youngest brother-in-law, Natasha's brother Symon, is on the road to what we are hoping is a very quick recovery. He is a real star in everyone's book because last May, shortly after his Bar Mitzvah, he endured a surgery to have his legs lengthened. I cannot tell you the excruciating, and I mean agonizing amounts of pain and multiple surgeries this child endured. He was laid up in a hospital bed with these rods and pins in his legs, both the upper and lower part, and was truly in unimaginable amounts of pain. I have never heard someone writhe in pain as my little brother-in-law did. For a 13-year old, we all truly admire his courage, braveness, and his endurance to work hard and get back on his feet. He frequently reads this blog and has been on my ass to update it--so Symon, this one's for you! Get well soon!

A Bittersweet September

I'm going to go in a different direction with this posting, so before you read, pardon me. This one is about September. This month is strange. It's bittersweet as the title says. It starts out nice with Labor Day. My birthday and Natasha's birthday fall in September, as do birthdays for some other relatives. But the bitter part of September is on September 7th and September 26th. I lost two significant people. My grandma Dora died on September 7, 1989. So much time has passed, I've learned to live with her death, but don't mistake, I miss her more than anyone can imagine, and I have nothing but the fondest memories a grandmother could've given a grandson--something Natasha and I want for our son.
My other grandmother Dorothy (Bubby, as most people know her) died 3 days before my birthday in 2005. Some gift. The best gift would have been to learn that what went on at the time was just a nightmare and that Bubby was going to be fine. What went on was plain and simple--symptoms of congestive heart failure went undetected until it was too late. Everyone grieves differently. I still sob. I still wonder why the symptoms were never detected. I still wonder why she hasn't called. I try to wonder what she would tell me on the phone. I yearn to hear her boisterous laugh. I stop when I smell Ralph Lauren perfume--I hope its her. I wonder why it was her time. I sometimes still can't believe she's gone. I saw her in her coffin--she didn't respond--You think that'd be enough. I can't understand how I lived in denial of how sick she was--maybe I didn't know. Maybe I didn't want to know. I always thought she was invincible. She overcame so many hurdles. She buried a child when she was 28. She buried a husband when she was 32 and 59. She beat a stroke, uterine cancer, and lung cancer. So, why would I have any reason not to believe she would beat this. In 1992, she called to wish me a happy 15th birthday and told me she was cancer-free. She asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I told her I got it and ran away and I cried. She was the kind of person you wanted on your side--not against you. She listened; she gave advice; she was always there though she was 3000 miles away. I'd wait weeks for her to come to NY, but the two or three she would stay would go so quick. I'd blink and we'd be unloading her luggage at the airport again. I always wish she hadn't moved to California. She's the grandmother who made the frown a smile; always had time for a 'what's doing' phone call; never missed a major occasion or a chance to be with her grandchildren--especially me. She was one of my best friends. I could be me comfortably. There were no stipulations. I absolutely loved making her laugh--even until the very end. She was easy to make laugh--whether it was an impression, a snide remark, or just something amusing. It was the best--like a good time you never want to leave. It was hard though--Her laugh went silent. My happiness turned to sadness. For someone who had the tough life she did, she was more normal than most people who hadn't gone through the shit she had. I miss her terribly. My heart still aches. It still hurts--Alot. I still can't watch my wedding video, where she and I danced to the song, "Through The Years," by Kenny Rogers. We danced to that at my bar mitzvah 17 years ago. I can't listen to the song. I think back through the years, and wish I could have 28 more that were just like the first 28. So many good times. So much fun. But I guess all good things come to an end.

MEN--No More Bitching

There's no doubt this is the face of a proud mom holding her baby--only seconds old, if that. But gentlemen, the next time you feel the urge to bitch about something minuscule, I want you to think about one thing--child birth. I didn't give birth, but I stood next to my wife as she gave everything she had to bring our handsome son, David, into the world. Before this picture, Natasha was in a much more uncomfortable, painful, and indescribable position. As a man, you can't even imagine. It's nothing like they show you in the movies--that's all fake bullshit. Some women, like my wife, elect to have an epidural, which numbs basically the waist down. For about 6 hours, we didn't know she was having contractions unless we looked at the monitor. But I can not begin to tell you what women have to go through to bring a child into the world. First, watching her use muscles you can't see to push the baby out was incredible. Doctors, nurses, interns, and residents are poking and prodding all over the place. It's one of those things where unless you go through it or witness your spouse or relative giving birth, you have no idea what it entails. Think about it; in some instances, as was ours, my wife hadn't eaten a real meal (we saw Die Hard and ate a bunch of junk food at the movies); she hadn't slept; and then she had to conjure up all of this energy to, and I quote Kirstie Alley from Look Who's Talking, "push something the size of a watermelon out something the size of a lemon." And frankly guys, if you don't look at your wife giving birth, no pun intended, but you're a pussy. It is, hands down, one of the most surreal and precious moments ever. A few friends who are already dads were like, don't look, don't look. I'd be sorry if I didn't look. Seeing the doctor hold my son up and hearing David belt out a good scream is one of the best moments of my life. I will say that following the birth of the baby, it can get a little messy with the afterbirth, but I was too busy with my video camera and following David's nurse around to the scale. So guys, the next time you stub your toe or get a kink in your neck, remember the pain when your wife gives birth; you'll appreciate her much more.

L'Chaim -- To Life

Sorry for the delay in updating the blog. Natasha and I have been very busy being Mommy & Daddy to David Seth Oksenhendler. He is 11 days old and just makes us the proudest parents in the world. We'll be back to posting here on a regular basis soon. Love ya!

The Agony Of DaFeet

I know, cheesy title, but seriously, walking isn't such an easy task these days for Natasha. It's painful, and if you're aware of my wife's sick, deranged obsession with shoes, you know that she aches every time we pass DSW or PayLess shoes. She tried everything...putting her feet up, surgical stockings, open-toe shoes, velcro...you name it she tried it, and no matter what she did, her feet got swollen and they hurt like a mofo. However, she awaits the day when the water goes away and the feet deflate back to their regular size, so she can slide these puppies into something comfortable and be comfortable. Until then, she should start throwing out shoes that she doesn't want. I think Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnell have a better chance of coming to a truce before that happens.

Baby Update: We went to Dr. Cohen on Tuesday and things are progressing nicely. Dr. Cohen doesn't think Baby O is going to wait until his due date, and Mommy certainly wants his due date to be yesterday, but Baby O is taking his sweet time. Dr. Cohen suggested several options to jump-start the contractions, so we'll definitely take one piece of his advice.

So, the last week has been an interesting one. The closing on our apartment was postponed because the seller's attorney dropped the ball and did not bring the necessary papers. The seller is a great guy who we've had not one problem with, but his attorney is a ___________. Suffice to say that we should tentatively be closing at the end of the month...funny, that's when our son is to be here. Great going, seller's attorney!

We purchased a living room set. The one that followed us from Hagerstown to Beckley did not make it on the moving truck, which Natasha was thrilled about because she hated the style anyway, so this was the perfect opportunity for us to finally get something we want, not buy something because it's all we can afford. Here are pictures of the couch and chair-and-a-half. If you come to the house, there will be no seating charges.


Last, but certainly not least, Susan and Chris were up here to celebrate Susan's 21st birthday. So, we took them to Havana's, a terrific Cuban cuisine restaurant on 46th Street, just off Times Square in New York City. Here are some pics from that fun afternoon.

ONE HOT MAMASITA!!!!!!

That's it for now!!! Until the next OX blog...................

It Has Been Awhile

Yes, it certainly has. Why would we be so busy? Well, most of you know that the move was difficult because the movers decided at the last minute that they wouldn't show up on Monday, but Thursday. So, Natasha and I decided to haul ass up to the Big Apple ourselves. On my first day of work, Natasha told me that the two of us were going to have a really big job...sometime around now; we're going to be parents. Natasha found a job with a good company, BoxTop Media, and once that happened, we were able to purchase an apartment in the beautiful town of Great Neck, NY. We have some renovations to do, minor ones, just some electrical, floor refinishing, painting. We'll show some pictures once we close, which will be on Thursday.
Natasha is doing well. Unfortunately, one of the many rigors of being pregnant is swollen...everything. Her legs and feet are swollen; they hurt, but she is a real trooper. She still looks beautiful, although she'll tell you she's a relative of Shamu or Sherman Klump from the Nutty Professor. Baby O, who is still unnamed and won't have a name until he's born, is doing well. He's got one hell of a kick and usually kicks when the Long Island Railroad train blows its horn in the morning and when he gets hungry (just like his dad). The good thing though is that he sleeps through the night, we think, or it may just be that mommy is so tired she doesn't feel the baby kicking. I say this because a lot of people have told us that babies' sleeping habits in the womb tend to follow outside. We hope that Baby O sleeps well for mommy and daddy's sake.
Sammie survived the move too. He went through a slight destructive phase in Nana & Grandpa's house. He thought Nana's living room blinds were tasty. He also thought Nana & Grandpa needed new carpeting by the door in the den, so he tore it up. And minus chewing Daddy's, Grandpa's, and Nana's shoes, and not letting us sleep during thunderstorms, he has been a sweet little Boober. We got him some help. A really terrific trainer, Leslie Berliner, Confidentk9.com, helped us build upon the training Sammie received in West Virginia from Eva Morales at itsapeththang. So that's it for now. This blog will be regularly updated. We've got a video camera and we're going to being uploading news breaks , so stay tuned. Enjoy the pictures and post comments. We only want to hear the good ones. Until the next Oxblog---