Melanie-isms

When we were by the pool last week, Julie and my parents were discussing the fact that it was Joey's "birthday."  (his one-month birthday)  Mel picked up on this, and headed inside, telling me she was going to go have some cake.

I got Melanie some new vitamins, and they're gummy.  She had one, and assumed they were fruit snacks, so threw a 20-minute fit to get a bowl of these goodies (she had a name for them resembling "vitamin," but a little garbled).  Jeff finally had to go out and get her fruit snacks, at which point she was VERY happy.  She's had about 5 bags of these goodies since he bought them 24 hours ago.

There is a sunshine on a towel that I used for her the other night; she kept talking about "my sunshine" - so I told her that she was MY sunshine.  The rest of the night, she told me "you're MY sunshine, Mommy."  She also has a shirt with a sunshine on it, and we have similar discussions when she wears this shirt.

Jeff was gone, and I knew Melanie was playing upstairs by herself.  I started to get nervous, and headed upstairs to see what I was in for.  She was sitting at the computer desk (thankfully not coloring on the desk with markers, as she has been known to do).  I asked her what she was doing, and she replied "Checking email."

Happy 1 Month Birthday, Joey!

Joseph Pierce Worzala entered our lives one month ago today.  He continues to be our little miracle baby (our second!) and amazes us with his development.  It's crazy the things that you forget in just two years - like how small they are!  He is eating an average of 4 ounces every three hours (with gas drops at every feeding), and sleeping about 60% of the time.  (edited June 1 to add that as of 6/1/10, he weighs 9 pounds, 9 ounces!) He is tending toward sleeping all afternoon.  He is wearing 0-3 month clothes (more Newborn pants), and size 1 diapers. He loves his swing (hates his bouncy seat; has had his two biggest pukes ever after sitting in it - once with it vibrating and once just as a chair!)  He has extreme patience with his big sister climbing all over him, poking, prodding, and kissing him. And trying to give him his pacifier (and then taking it out so she can do it again) As I type this, he is crying, and Mel is screaming "It's OKAY, JOEY!!!!"  She's a great big sister; she changed his diaper AND made him smile the other day.  At least that's her story!  We are so blessed to have him added to our family! 

Happy one-month birthday Joey!!!!

First day by the pool!

The kids and I headed to Frankfort today (Tuesday) for our first poolside day.  Melanie & Molly enjoyed a brief trip into the pool; Mel liked being held by Uncle Matt and floating around in her crab blow-up toy.  The girls ate a good lunch and ran Gigi & Poppy ragged playing, and I snuck away for a little pampering (pedicure, eyebrows...)  I also got my first Milky Way meal of the season.  If you look closely, you can see in the bottom picture the effect the sun, Gigi, Poppy, and Molly had on the kiddos!

Weekend Silliness

After a great day at the museum on Friday, we were ready to tackle the zoo on Saturday!  The whole family headed down; this time we divided & conquered with two strollers.  I decided that the cadillac double stroller that I asked for/received was TOO much stroller for our needs.  We switched it up later in the weekend, and now we have a more manageable double.  Anyway, we went to the zoo (without the camera!) - it was Joey's first trip there, and it was Mel's best trip yet this summer.  She's really starting to warm (back up) to the animals, and there was no fear this time around.  She was again excited to ride the choo-choo, and saw most of the animals before getting a little sleepy, so we headed home. 

Later Saturday night, she was the chief entertainment at the house (just like always).  The kid across the street was throwing a tennis ball against his garage, and so Melanie found a soft ball (or three) and threw it against the front door over and over.  Then she involved Mommy & Daddy by sitting on the landing and playing catch with us, we were stationed on the floor by the front door.  Then she got out the arm covers from the couch and we all had to wear them as hats.

Sunday we got up and got out to venture on some errands, and then we went to Holliday Park.  It was a VERY hot day, so we didn't keep the kids there very long, but Mel had fun running around to the big Wees and the swings.  Before we went, she repeatedly said she wanted to go on the wee, the swing, and the pony boy.  Not sure about that one; pony boy is when she "rides" your leg like a pony; not really a park attraction.  Joey's reaction to the heat is captured above....

We had a meal delivered tonight by the church - actually by one of my sorority sisters who happens to attend our church.  She has a daughter two months younger than Mel, and is expecting her son about two months after Joey's arrival.  It was great getting caught up with her!  Melanie loved the sloppy joes that Stacey brought; it's been great to see Mel's tastes develop.  She even tried crab legs the other night!

Children's Museum

Today was the first day I kept Melanie home from daycare to spend a weekday with Joey & me (and no Daddy).  I decided to test myself by heading to the Childrens Museum (the weather didn't warrant a trip to the zoo).  I realize my limits, though, so I tagged along with my cousin Suzi, Wyatt, and their neighbors Shelley & Morgan.  I think my first big outing (driving the kids, navigating the double stroller, trips with both to the family restrooms to change diapers, etc) - went pretty well!  Thank goodness I had extra hands, but I feel like I passed my self-imposed test pretty well!

We saw several exhibits that we hadn't been to before - like the Bob the Builder, dinosaurs, trains, Dale Chihuly's glass, etc.  Mel loved them all - and enjoyed another trip to the Playscape.  She was asleep before we were out of the parking garage!  She did an incredible job of staying with me, not running off, and listening. 

Happy Birthday Aya!

Of the four girls that are in Mel's neighborhood playgroup, we've celebrated everyone's second birthday in the last two months (starting with Melanie's).  Last night was the conclusion of this group of celebrations - for Aya's birthday!  The girls have been so fun to watch grow into their friendships; instead of "parallel play," they're really interacting and having a good time.  They're fighting a little, too - but they resolve it well.  Melanie last night tried to make Ellie feel better about something she was upset about by giving her a Minnie Mouse; they really did great together.  Little did I know, when I showed up, that the girls were doubling the party as a baby shower for me!  They had planned to do something before Joey's arrival, but then he got here earlier than expected!  How sweet!

I'm a Great Catch

Well-rested after sleeping in until 9:45am!

More introductions!

People to add to Joey's list of visitors include Rick & Lori from Lauth, Suzi & Wyatt, and Scott & Lori Hufford.  Mel was in rare form with Scotty & Lori over last night.  She was VERY social, and had Lori read her every book in the living room.  I'm sure Lori was thankful that I had just, hours before, cleared out more than a dozen books from the living room! 

Mel & I made cookies last night before Scotty & Lori came over.  She was upstairs playing by herself while Jeff checked email.  To get her attention to start the process, I yelled upstairs for her, and she answered "Yes?" - I wasn't sure if she was responding to me, or maybe Jeff (or one of her babies), so I called her name again, and she said "Yes?" - much more polite than her Mommy yelling across the house!  I thought that was funny.  Yesterday was her first day in the "2s" room at daycare; it sounds like it went well, and I'm thankful that they provide a better daily report of her activities.  Luckily her friends Jakey & Ellie moved with her, so I'm sure that makes the transition smoother.  Plus, she's back with her friend Courtney, who moved several months ago (due to her age).

Joey had a rough night of sleeping last night.  Or, should I say, Jeff & I had a rough night of sleeping last night!  He was up from about 2:30 until about 5am; just fussy and couldn't settle down.  Luckily he & I could go back to sleep after Jeff & Mel left for work/school; we slept until about 9:45am.  Daddy wasn't so lucky!

I called the doctor yesterday to make sure Joey isn't eating too much - he's up to about 24 ounces a day.  I wanted to see if we could add cereal to his bottle to get him feeling fuller.  While he's at the high end for formula intake, they didn't see any cause for concern, encouraged me to wake him up every three hours during the day for feedings, and to give him gas drops before every feeding.  Calling the doctor because my child is eating TOO much is definitely a deviation from the calls to the doc I was making when Mel was this age!!  Everything is going great!

Lovin' on Joey

Melanie often takes solace in her baby brother's company.  I came in the room the other day to find her lying on his pillow (top picture), just hanging out taking a rest.  The second picture looks a little weird now that it's posted - his mouth is open!!  However, it's an illustration of her favorite activity - loving on Baby Joey.

My future's so bright....

Melanie

Melanie giving Daddy a pedicure

I gave Mel a snack the other day after school, and came out to find that she had rearranged the porch furniture to best optimize eating her snack.  She LOVES to hang out on the porch - front or back.

Date night!

Gigi came over Wednesday afternoon and I ran a few quick errands, and then picked up Mel early to get her hair cut.  The haircut didn't work out, so I cut it myself.  It doesn't look fabulous, but at least it's out of her eyes!! (it looks scraggly here because she's fresh out of the bath) After Jeff got home, we ran some more errands, and then went to Stone Creek for dinner and ate outside while Gigi watched both kids.  It was nice to get out, but as is our new reality, it was just as nice to get home and hang out with the kiddos :)

Joey's first bath!

The little guy's bellybutton FINALLY fell off - at 17 days!  He got his first bath on Wednesday night, with lots of help from his big sister.  He was not a fan, but I'm sure it will get better as he gets bigger :) 

He is eating over 24 ounces a day; averaging 3-4 ounces per feeding every 3 hours.  He sleeps well, especially during the day (backwards, yes).  Now that we found Luv's brand diapers, we may have gotten the 85 wardrobe changes per day under control; we still have a few leakage problems, but it's getting better.  All in all, things are going great!

Meeting more friends - and relatives!

On Saturday, Joey met Jenny & Cindy Shaffer, and Jenny's husband Matt; on Sunday he met Laura McClelland, and on Monday he & I went downtown on Monday to meet two of my coworkers for lunch.  And then on Tuesday, Alli & Bella Maines brought us dinner, a gift, and lots of clothes for Mel & Molly!

He's making his rounds, and sleeping through most of the introductions :)

Happy Mothers Day!

We had a great Mothers Day; we spent it in Frankfort with my family.  Melanie had so much fun with Molly, the bottom picture captures what she was like before we even got out of Frankfort on the way home...

Jeff made me breakfast & cleaned, and I got an iPod Touch for Mothers Day. All around, a pretty good celebration, I'd say!

The last 2 years of being a Mommy have been the most challenging and rewarding ones of my life - I am very blessed to have two amazing babies who can call me Mommy (once they can both talk).  Through the middle-of -the-night screaming to the seven outfit changes (just on Mothers Day alone), I wouldn't trade a minute of my life with these two monkeys.

Happy Mothers Day to all of the Moms who have made our lives great too - Especially Grandma W and Gigi!

Post-show silliness

Melanie was overjoyed by the prospect of Molly picking her up from daycare after her performance!  She was in a silly, silly mood for the short time she got to play with Molly; and the mood continued through most of the evening.  She did my hair, played well with Joey, and of course was VERY busy taking care of her babies...

Spring Fling 2010

Friday was Melanie's annual school production.  They looked SO cute in their poodle skirts!  Her class (the Little Lambs) danced to "Get the Wiggles Out" and  "God Made Me."  Mel had a bit of stage fright, but got a few dance moves in.  She has been dancing every night at home, so I was surprised she didn't get into it more.  She also surprised us (pleasantly) when she saw Jeff, Joey and I in the front row right away, and Molly & Gigi right behind us, but didn't make any moves to come join us.  Her boyfriend Jakey didn't fare so well, and cried for most of the performance.  Molly wanted to join Mel on stage, but luckily Gigi ran interference.  It was another cute production!

"2 week" doctor visit

Joey is 11 days old today, and we walked to his "two week" doctor visit this morning.   He is up to 7lbs, 11.5 ounces - which puts him in the 48% for weight(!!) and he is 21inches, which is the 90%(!!)  The doctor was really pleased with everything I reported, and thinks Joe is doing great!!  He is eating about 3 ounces for each feeding, which are generally still happening every three hours - although we made it for a four-hour stretch overnight last night!!  He still sleeps a LOT, and is generally a very easy baby!  (Knock on wood!)

Visitors!

Joey has gotten to meet several new friends over the last few days.... the Nutts came to visit on Wednesday, and were very enamored by having a baby around!  They couldn't wait to hold him - with a little help from their mom :)  Our neighbors Tom & Paula returned from their trip to Jerusalem & Turkey and were able to meet Joey by celebrating Cinco de Mayo on our back porch the same night.  We've been getting out for walks most nights, so he's gotten a feel for the neighborhood (haha), and he continues to be fawned over by his big sister.  On her terms.  Lucky boy!