Saturday, July 10, 2010

It's been a long time...

I didn't realize it had been nearly two months since the last update!!! So much has happened, but I blame 1. laziness 2. craziness and 3. finally giving in and joining facebook which, as I suspected, sucks up any seconds of spare time that I have. I admit it! But I'm going to try to catch up on everything this week.

So lets start with Drew-Drew. He started what we are calling "summer camp" while he is out of Montessori for the summer. He adjusted wonderfully and seems to have a blast each day. Each week is themed - carnival, farm, parades, transportation, etc and they seem to do a lot of fun things. He continues to have a friendly and loving disposition - his new teachers at summer camp have described him to me as "Mr. Personailty" and tell me that he loves to greet every person that walks through the door. His number one passion continues to be choo-choos. Other things he is into now include: throwing balls, kicking the soccer ball, drums, sunglasses & hats, balloons, the beach, playgrounds, Yo Gabba Gabba, cars, firetrucks ("woo-woo firetruck"), tractors, boats, being outside, Steve, jumping & clapping. He sings a lot now (ABCs, Wheels on the Bus, God our Father, Itsy Bitsy Spider, and others - some of which we think he is making up). He likes to dance with Mommy and "shake his booty". He likes to talk to Zaza and always lets me know if she is crying - telling me, "oh no, Zaza crying. Get her bottle." He is starting to realize that one person can have multiple names, and seems fascinated by this - for example, he will look at me and go "Hey Mommy! Hey Mom! Hey Mama!". He loves any and all dogs - he always says "Awwwwwww, sweet puppy. Drew pet her" when he sees any dog. He absolutely loves birthdays - anyones birthday - I think mainly because he knows cake will be involved! He continues to be a very cautious child. He doesn't like really loud things (though he can be very loud!). When he goes to a pool/waterpark he will only splash in the very corner of the pool. He is still too scared to climb out of his crib, so he remains in the crib (thank goodness!!!). Still not much progress in the potty training department - he has very good awareness of it, but not a bit of interest in sitting on the potty. He is now in 5T clothes and wears 11.5 W shoes. Big boy!!!

On to Miss Eliza. AKA Zaza, Miss Priss, Prissy Pants, Zazi and probably various other names. 6 months old now - time has flown! She is the spitting image of Brad. Her hair is changing over from brown to now having bright white roots - sometimes it looks like she has some curl in there - and her eyes are so pretty but we can't quite figure out what color they are yet (green? blue? hazel?). She got her first tooth at the end of her 5th month and she has just broken her 2nd tooth through. It looks like her top two won't be far behind as they are starting to bulge now. We went yesterday to get her 6-month check-up and vaccinations. She is now 28 1/4" long (97th percentile), 16.11 pounds (50-75th percentile) and her head diameter is 16 3/4" (50th percentile). In comparison, when Drew was this age he was one inch longer but 6.5 pounds heavier! We're up to eating 3 meals of solids now - she loves the solids (everything except the meat). There hasn't been any particular veggie or fruit that she doesn't like yet. She loves to roll and is getting very close to being able to crawl - she gets her legs under her but can't quite push off yet. She has quite a personality as well - loves attention, loves to squeal and that little girl's smile totally wins you over! When she is really happy or excited, she will kick her legs really fast. She has recently started liking her jumper and has started to rock out in it. We are back at daycare with her now - she had a hard time at first, but this last week she has started to seem much more content there. She adores her big brother and Steve - they can both capture her attention even in the middle of a crying fit. Daddy and Zaza have a special relationship and she loves the songs that he sings for her - he sings Norah Jones "Don't Know Why" when getting her to go to sleep, but then has 2 special songs for her as well - these are the lyrics: "Hola, Hola, Hello, Hello. Zaza is a mess & a trip you know, Zaza is a mess and a trip you know" and "Hello Zaza, hello Zaza, hello Zazaaaaa, yalls a trip and mess". Very interesting indeed. Other things she enjoys: chewing on anything, pulling Daddy's sunglasses off and Mommy's hair out, flying through the air as "Super Zaza", pretending to stand up, being carried in Mommy's carrier and being outside.

We have taken a lot of fun trips in the last couple of months, and I am going to work this next week to post pictures and some stories from many of these trips.

Eliza + Lane = Baby Love!

Our good friends, Jason and Michelle, had a baby boy at the end of March. The babies do not yet realize it, but us parents have already planted seeds of romance for the two. =) Lane is a cutie, too - Zaza is a lucky girl!

Here are some pictures from their first meeting at the end of May (Eliza was almost 5-months-old and Lane was about 2-months-old).

Hello, handsome! You know, Lane... us older girls can already blow bubbles! I can teach you a lot! Cute, cute, cute! Big brother approves! (And I would like to point out the fact that ALL THREE kids are looking - not an easy thing to capture!)

Sweet, sweet Drew. May 2010.

Drew found this old baby doll (it was mine from when I was little) in Eliza's room. He started calling her baby Zaza, and told one of Eliza's bottles and started feeding her. Just a sweet little moment!


Gimme some real food! May 2010

Just before four months, Eliza started eating solids. She liked it from the beginning!

Here is one of her first bites of solids - we started with rice cereal. This stuff is pretty good! A few weeks later we added veggies. There is no fruit or veggie so far that she won't eat! Our family likes to eat! =)

Merlefest! May 2010

Drew and Eliza made the trip to Merlefest this year. It was hoooot, but fun as always. Drew loved the music and kids area (and ice cream, of course!). Thanks Uncle Denny & Aunt Lynda for helping make the weekend so fun! Here are some pics:

Aunt Lynda, Mama's house, and Drew. Just chillin' with some ice cream, listening to some good music. Mama's house is so much fun! Eliza hung out in the tent for a lot of the day to stay out of the sun. Mommy & Drew - shakin' their booty! Woohoo! Merlefest!
Merlefest can sure wear a boy out!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Buddies

I took this picture this morning and I LOVE it!!! Drew was holding her hand and talking to her - and, as usual, anytime that Drew pays her any attention she eats it up! She already adores her big brother and it is just so sweet to see.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Pictures, pictures, pictures...

Not too many updates... Eliza got her 4-month vaccinations this week and seemed to tolerate them pretty well. She is on the verge of rolling back to tummy now. She is sleeping well at night now, but only very short naps during the day... we're working on that one! Drew is fine as well. We're not looking forward to the school year ending because I know he will miss all of his Montessori friends & teachers. He has loved his first year there. It is awesome that he can now tell us about his day and what he did. I love it! His new "thing" recently is obsession with storm drains. The child can NOT pass one without looking to see "is there water n'air?", then he likes to stomp on it. He has even started doing it to the air vents in the house. That is about all. On to some pictures!

Drew talking to Eliza in her bouncy and explaining her toy to her. Sooooo sweet!

Cousins! Drew adores "big kid" Camden!

On a recent visit to Home Depot, Drew fell in love with these smokers because, in his mind, they were choo-choos! He was pulling the handle and loudly going "Choooooo-choooooooo" - the fellow Home Depot shoppers got a kick out of it! Cutie-pie ZaZa
First bite of oatmeal - she liked this even more than rice cereal!
I'm getting so strong!! Buddies I admit it... we look absolutely NOTHING alike!! This youngin' is all Brad!

Monday, May 3, 2010

Eliza at 4 months

Eliza is now four-months-old. She went in for her check-up on Friday, and this is where she stood with how she is growing: height - 26 and 1/4" (97th percentile), weight - 13.8 pounds (50th percentile), head diameter - 16" (50th percentile). The doctor gave her the go ahead to start solids, which we tried for the first time yesterday. She actually really seemed to like the cereal! The doctor doubled her dosage for her reflux medicine since it is still bad (if not worse), and we are hoping that between this and the start of solids that soon her reflux will be controlled. The doctor is concerned that she may have an allergy to cow's milk protein. I am hoping that she just has sensitive skin, like Drew does, and that some creams will work so that we can avoid the switch to soy formula. We'll see! In the past week she has all of a sudden entered the phase of wanting to put everything into her mouth. She also now reaches out for things with both hands (in efforts to get something to put everything in her mouth!). She is sleeping well at night - usually about 10 - 11 hours - but barely sleeps much at all during the day. She continues to have the cutest smile - she smiles with her whole body!

Eliza reaching out for her toys Enjoying bath time Pretty, pretty girl!!! Cheeeeeseee! I can stick my tongue out at you, too! Look at the big girl holding her head up!
Eliza's first taste of solid food I like it!

Nightlife

Decisions, decisions, decisions...I'll take the margarita - on the rocks Alright!!! One more round, please!

Monday, April 12, 2010

Raspberries and jelly beans

Eliza has had a big week - she is just starting to learn to blow bubbles/raspberries and she is getting pretty consistent with actually getting her thumb into her mouth (instead of just having her fist bang her head repeatedly which always made her so mad!). She appears to be a right thumb sucker, while Drew always was and still is a left thumb sucker... whatever that means. If she gets her thumb in her mouth, she almost always uses her other hand to continuously rub her hair on her head. Drew has been hit very hard by all of this record-setting pollen and unfortunately it looks like he is going to have to deal with allergies - poor little guy.

We had one last egg hunt this weekend in our neighborhood park. Drew rarely gets candy, but we did let him have a little Easter candy and he has become quite obsessed with jelly beans. He always shakes the eggs to see if jelly beans are in them.

To help you interpret the "Drew-speak" in the above video, here is a script:
"Alright!" "It's empty in there" "Oh! Jelly bean in there! A jelly bean. Jelly bean in there!"

Meema bought Zaza her first, but certainly not last, tie-dyed outfit. Daddy and Eliza... deep in dream land Drew learning the ins and outs of being a train conductor. Drew got to check out a "Wooo-Wooooo firetruck" and meet a fireman at a community event in Lewisville. He is now a big fan of the cartoon "Fireman Sam".

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Updates - check them out!

Just FYI - because I was so far behind on posts, I have added a bunch of posts but backdated them so that the would stay in order. Please scroll down and check them all out - I added 8 new ones today!

Easter fun

So far, Drew has attended 4 egg hunts - not counting the multiple ones in his front & back yard or the neighborhood one coming up next weekend! He is quite a fan of all of the Easter festivities this year, as he was old enough to participate in dyeing eggs and getting excited about the "Bunny coming".

Drew does some Easter art The finished result The Easter Bunny came for Drew and Zaza! Can you guess what his favorite treat in his Easter basket was??!!?? Even the Easter Bunny knows how much Drew loves Thomas! Me and my beautiful kiddos - ready for church on Easter morning in their Easter best Pretty girl Eliza And silly boy Drew Drew participating in one of his many egg hunts Eliza relaxing in the shade as big brother hunts eggs Drew checks out his loot from one of the hunts - I think he wishes egg hunts were an every day activity! First Peep ever