Week 15: What a Gem!

Chloe is still just such a gem! She is a great nurser (by this time with Marshall I had quit) and Chris and I are so excited about all of the money she has saved us! Her little personality is really starting to poke through. You can tell that there is so much noise she wants to make but it is so hard for her to get it out of herself. She will have her mouth open when shes in a funny mood like she wants to laugh out loud, then it will pop out. It is such a glorious sound. I can't wait until she laughs more readily.

She is a bit of a Momma's girl (which makes Daddy wildly jealous) and she will sometimes stay up a little later to bond with us (she has to get her one-on-one time after the 'Marshall Show' has gone to bed).

Super Daddy.

Just lunging around the house. Look at those long toes. I love little infant feet.

Look at all that drool/spit up on her and Daddy. Little Dirty-Bird. :-)

Goof Ball - Hamming it up for the Mamma!
What an adorable little chicken! She likes the feel of her fingers in her mouth.

She loves being in the big-kid bath with Marshall.

Playing with Marshall. He's showing her all the toys. But he really wishes that it was him playing in there... (see video)

What a funny expression. She has a big cuddly personality in a small body.

The Dreaded Tummy Time.

Marshall is starting to take more of an interest in Chloe. He is very sweet towards her. And so far so good, no outward signs of jealousy.

Although it is hard to get both of them to look at the camera at the same time.

Christmas 2008

Baby's First Christmas, including the tree and all of the trimmings...Picture with Santa (he was a little awkward looking, plus is it possible that Mommy is taller than someone?!)

Chloe had her first Marathon-Called-Christmas. First we visited MeMe and Grandpa and she and Marshall were so excited that they got a wagon (and Chloe got a fun dolly that daddy named Curly-Sue)! She was very excited on Christmas morning after seeing that Santa left her and Marshall lots of fun new toys (especially Elmo! and a new dolly that Daddy named Merry... a.k.a. Merry Christmas... daddy is so clever!). Then we had breakfest and then Mommy's family came over for lunch and dinner. Chloe got to see both of her Uncles before they went back to Missouri! Christmas with the Loomis':
Christmas with the Teachenor-Bray Family:

Week 14: The Makings of an Animated Personality

This girl likes to coo and Kick to “Girls just Wanna have fun.” She is so much fun. She is a real entertaining personality. She loves to talk to everything. To Marshall. To her Dollies. To the TV (Especially to Yo Gabba Gabba). And she just LOVE LOVE LOVES playing with Mommy and Daddy. She will give Mommy some realy great belly chuckles. Although she gets so happy and excited but no noise comes out of her mouth, despite the grin being wide open. You have to work her up for a good five minutes before the noise FINALLY comes out. She is also SUPER ticklish at her hips, her thighs, the small of her back, her rib cage and her neck. Her little chuckle is priceless.Video:

3 Month Old S-MILEstones

The Picture People was a nightmare for these photos. I have been pretty disappointed the past two times I have gone at the low quality of the shots and the number of shots they take. I think they have lost a lot of their talent and these newbies aren’t creative geniuses. They are also poorly lacking in Customer Service Skills. Oh well, you take the good with the bad I suppose. Plus it was the holidays, but four hours with two babies was enough to try my patience.

Moving on…Chloe is ADORABLE! Oh I just love her perky little personality. She always has a smile or coo for her Mommy (and daddy too sometimes). But she is defiantly a MOMMA’S GIRL.

Here are some of her accomplishments…

-LOTS AND LOTS OF SMILES!!!
-Belly Cuhckling when she is tickled.
-Loves to “Talk” but sometimes her mouth opens like she wants to say or laugh out loud but no sound comes out. That is really cute too…the positively elated smile!
- She loves it when you stick your tongue out at her and will just laugh out loud at it. Then she will try to stick hers out too. So cute.
-Her gas smells like Daddy’s – I will think that she has a poopy diaper and it will have only been Chris…J
-Raises head and chest when lying on stomach -Supports upper body with arms when lying on stomach
-Stretches legs out and kicks when lying on stomach or back
-Opens and shuts hands
-Pushes down on legs when feet are placed on a firm surface
-Brings hand to mouth (all the time!! She doesn’t like the binky anymore)
-Takes swipes at dangling objects with hands
-Grasps and shakes hand toys
-Watches faces intently
-Follows moving objects
-Recognizes familiar objects and people at a distance
-Starts using hands and eyes in coordination
-Smiles at the sound of my voice
-Watches Marshall Run from one side of the room to the other as well as the other babies in playgroup.

Week 13 – Out and About

Since about Halloween, we have spent much of our time out and about. Chloe loves looking at the big kids during Playgroup and Library time. She is starting to not want to be confined to the Snuggli and is starting to be awake during much of these activities, so with Marshall generally running from Point A to B and not wanting to be confined; it has become a challenge keeping two babies happy.

Greater challenge still is that she has decided that Binkies make her very very angry and that she prefers her fist to all other things besides nursing. Each time I go out I wonder which of the two will have a melt-down at the same time, but for the most part it is fairly easy taking the two of them out in public. Especially since Baby Girl is so efficient at nursing. I am out and about and she becomes hungry – I just need 10-15 minutes to nurse and she is done. Easy as Pie…

Although every time I went out Christmas shopping, I seem to attract opinions and questions from random strangers. It is pretty vexing to have random people walk up to your face and say – you must have your hands full! Not really, until they get in the kids faces and freak them out. It is also tiring hearing the old “So did you take Biology Class in School” phrase. Chris and I are pretty lucky to have kids at all. So it is a miracle to have two kids so close in age – if it was possible we wanted two kids within two years of each other. Also, it is actually far less work managing two than you think. Plus our little family is complete for now. And we won’t have to wonder what it will be like introducing a sibling to our only child during those toddler years.

This week we took Marshall and Chloe to the Frisco Festival of Lights and the Fire Safety Town. It was nice to meet up with our playdate friends, but the Halloween event at the Fire Safety Town is much better than the event for Christmas.

Chloe loves hanging out with Marshall. She enjoys cooing him (and her Dollies). She really looks up to him and enjoys his affection (he is so sweet to her! I love how he will stop what he is doing and run over to see her. She doesn’t mind when he is loud or rough. She has him on a pretty high pedestal – I don’t think big brother can do any wrong in her eyes. I think he enjoys her company too. He sometimes calls her “sissi.” Chloe was on a growth spurt and became a little fussy in the evenings this week, so I pulled out the Swaddling blankets and it has become easier again putting her to bed. She sleeps most of the night and wakes up around 3 and 6 for nursing. But the two of us are so used to this routine that there is little effort at having her latch on.
Talking to her Dolly...
Some other fun photos of Baby Girl!