Playing in the SNOW!!

Oh BOY! This is exciting!!
The snow comes up to my knees!!
Uh oh! Help me out here, will ya?
Oh, FUN!!
This was NOT what I bargained for...who pushed me in the snow!?!?
Ahh...much better in the warm house!

Z had her first experience in the snow today. It wasn't the first snow fall of the season, but the first one we'd been able to get her out into. She liked it well enough, until she fell face first into the snow. WOOPS! Guess she whitewashed herself!

Merry Christmas and milestones...

Merry Christmas (a little late) from Zoe to you! And, if you can believe it, we're not even done celebrating the big holiday!! Grandpa C has been sick with some nasty bug (HE wants you to know he was on his death bed) and didn't want the little babies to get sick (Z and her cousin, Jacob) so we are holding off until next weekend.

The weekend before Christmas brought us to Auntie Kate and Uncle Eric's house for their annual party and then down to Plymouth for a family party...Z was quite the ham. :) She wore her special Santa outfit for the family party and tried so hard to play with her cousin Taylor....he was not quite so forthcoming in the beginning!!

Christmas Eve morning, we spent the morning together having our Christmas. Santa was good, and changed HIS plans to accommodate us and bring us our gifts early. Zoe loved her Fisher Price Sing and Learn Stage and her talking teddy bear. She was such a good girl this year, she got lots of good toys, books, and clothes.

Then, Christmas Eve night was spent at Grandma and Grandpa B's house, with Unka G, Auntie Darcy, and Uncle Jeff. Z enjoyed the family time and was all about giving people raspberries and talking up a storm. We stayed over (and had to alert Santa to the change in plans) and had a great day at Auntie Darcy and Uncle Jeff's house. Zoe got to meet her older Cousin Taylor, and got to spend some time with her Uncle Richard, Aunt Marney, and Great-Grandma, as well as the rest of us!! She got some really cool things from Santa. I think her favorite is the pink piano. It was actually a toss up between that and the activity block.

Since, we've just been home, hanging out here and playing with the new toys. Pictures are coming, as soon as I get a chance to upload them!

Milestones! How could I forget!? Zoe stood, by herself, for a couple of seconds for the first time on Christmas day at Auntie Darcy and Uncle Jeff's house. She's been increasing her time bit by bit since. I feel the sharpness of ANOTHER tooth (that makes number 10, btw) and feel the bumps for at least 2 more!! CRAZY!

Weirdness

The last couple of days were weird for Z. She was great, and went with the flow, even though her normal schedule was a bit off kilter.

Thursday, we got a phone call late from Zoe's daycare provider, Laura, who said she was too sick to take the kids. It was too late for me to take a day off and call in for a sub (we have to do it by 6am). So, Noah took the opportunity to work from home. Then, he brought her to school just before the end of the day where Z got to meet some of my students and then walked around the school meeting some of my friends at work before going to PAAAHHH-TY at my holiday party down the street from our school. Zoe was decked out in a striped red and pink dress Auntie Darcy had given her. We couldn't have asked for better behavior. She hammed it up with the workers, socialized, played, ate dinner with us (including chowing on a breadstick from my dinner), and just had a great time with my co-workers. Zoe was complimented on her behavior SO many times. She would talk and play with anyone who looked at her, didn't have a problem with anyone holding her, and didn't have an issue with the noise, closeness, or anything else. Zoe was WONDERFUL! She had SO much fun, and she was SO tired, she fell asleep before I was even out of the parking lot and then went down when we got home without a fight.

that was at about 6:30 (when we got home). She didn't wake up until 8am Friday morning!!!!!

Today, she managed one nap. That was probably because she slept in so late (for her). And, she isn't feeling too well. She has one red cheek (probably just dry skin) and a runny nose. She was originally going to spend another day home with her Daddy, but Laura called and said it was okay for her to come for the morning. Only the morning because *I* had an early release. Why would I have a random early release? The upcoming snowstorm, of course. Picked up Z, and she was falling asleep in her carseat in the 5 minute drive home. Again, I just put her down (she should have had lunch, but when she couldn't keep her eyes open with me holding her, I knew tiredness was winning out) and not an argument from Zoe. She slept 2 1/2 hours and woke up NOT HAPPY...that's what happens when you sleep that long and wake up hungry!!! She was MUCH happier after eating a little somethin' somethin'.

This weekend is going to be a full weekend. We have a party at Kate and Eric's (annual holiday party) and then a party at Grandma and Grandpa B's house! That includes some gingerbread house making!!

I have more pictures to post, and will, after the weekend festivities!!

Can you believe??

We have ANOTHER tooth.  That makes *9* teeth! 

In other news, Z pulled up today and tried to stand by herself...for about a second and then fell forward into me.  She's trying!

Oh, and if you are planning on having Z around anytime soon, be sure to move anything you don't want her touching that may be 3 feet off the ground or less.  She'll get it, try to eat it, or otherwise do something you might not want with it (rip, crumble, throw, slobber)...Just a warning!!

Pictures and Development update!

Look ma, I'm standing...ALL BY MYSELF!


Oh NO! Can't let go yet, I guess!


This is MUCH more fun!


So you like my new helmet??


See how cute I look??

Btw, that "helmet" is the bowl the hospital gave us that they used to sponge bathe her with! She just recently discovered it and after Noah put it on her head a couple of times to just fool around, she tries to put it on...or gives it to us to put it on her! It's actually come in handy a couple of times. A couple of times she'll fall and actually hit her head (not hard, don't worry) on the side of the coffee table, and with the "helmet" it's kept her from getting upset. Do the same thing without it on her head, and she cries!

Zoe has been on a tear lately! She is crawling fast, everywhere, and is getting into EVERYthing. She's helping us "clean" our house, by pulling everything off the shelves and tables! Zoe has been pulling up on every piece of furniture and us any chance she gets, and is starting to figure out that thing called cruising. It won't be long now where she won't be so timid and does it ALL the time. She's even attempted to let go of things, but she usually just falls at this point. OH, and we're SO glad she's figured out how to "fall". She sticks her butt out and just tries to crouch as low as she can, and then lets go. Good girl!!

What else is she doing? If she scratches or pinches us, it hurts...we've been saying "ow" even if it doesn't, and Zoe will repeat it...too cute.

Oh, the biggest news? We HAVE to get the gates this weekend. Zoe has been able to pull up on one step, but this morning, pulled up on two and got onto the landing between steps...and tried to go up further! Yikes!! She has NO fear.

Food wise, she's eating all kinds of new things. Zoe has discovered ham and hot dogs (all beef Ball Park Franks, no dairy/soy in them), loves peas, chick peas, bread (When Pigs Fly sourdough), blueberries, oyster crackers, and rediscovering old favorites in the form of finger foods. She's decided she doesn't like for US to feed her, so finger foods it is! She still loves her oatmeal, and if we can't get her to eat a puree, if we mix it in there, we can usually get her to take it that way. What a big girl!!

Oh, and she's been telling me how EXCITED she is for Christmas.

Santa!

Santa took some time out of his busy schedule to come visit Zoe and Cousin Jacob at my parents' house this weekend.  We had matching Santa outfits to show off for Santa.  The babies did great!  Zoe was tired, Jacob was hungry, but they were troopers. :) I think Zoe looks like a little elf!

Zoe was quick to show off her new skills--pulling up and telling jokes.  She's quite the ham, and let's you know it!  She was also trying to "play" with Jacob, but I don't think he's as receptive as she is to it.  She did offer to try to help him roll over from his belly to back by grabbing his pants.  Too bad we didn't get a picture of that!

A Way to Take Part in the Blog

...anonymously. Have you ever wanted to comment on something here but don't want to be 'noticed' or have to log into the blog in some way? Now you can!! If you'll notice, on the bottom of each post now is a section called "reaction"...all you have to do is check off the box that you want. Best part for some people? It's anonymous. Now, it's a new feature in blogger, and let me know if you have any problems (you can always email me). I HOPE it's as easy as I think it's supposed to be. :) Have fun!!

Anyone for Bowling?

I just put Zoe's head circumference into a growth chart percentile calculator on BabyCenter...

Our baby has a head circumference over the 95th percentile! Soooooo...her weight is in the 25th, height is in the 50th. How does this girl get her head off the ground? No WONDER her torso is so strong!

Although, if you think about the family, it's no real big surprise. Yes, I'm talking about her Daddy, Unka G, and Auntie Jill.

Imitation is the finest form of Flattery, right?

Then, I'm SO flattered. Zoe has been imitating, but nothing new lately. However, she JUST started imitating when someone says "ow" (her daddy thinks she's making fun of me!). She's also started waving a little more when someone else waves. :) VERY cute, indeed.

New sound? Breathing in and making a sound at the same time...kinda like screech but not too loud.

New discoveries? the bathroom and all of it's fun spots. We are keeping that door closed more often than not these days.

New love? Watching the weather on the news. She could be knee deep in her toys and as soon as this comes on, she STOPS and stares. Maybe she has a thing for Pete Bouchard. Who knows!

Puuulling, Sliding, Tapping, Turning, too...

That's the first line of one of Zoe's favorite toys, a Fisher Price tool bench that Auntie Darcy got her (you can see a picture of it in the Thanksgiving pictures). Anyway, she LOVES this thing and "dances" to it by bopping her head up and down and tapping her foot on the floor. She'll also drag it around the floor flipping it so it's face down on the floor. Good times.

BIG NEWS! Zoe pulled up today. YIKES! She's been pushing up when she's on her knees so that her feet are flat on the floor but that she's still got her hands on the floor too. But, today, she got on her knees, put her hands on my leg (which was on the floor), pushed her butt up into the air and then grabbed onto the top of the coffee table and was standing alllll by herself. Of course, she needed a little help getting back down, but that's okay.

So, I think we're going to finally put the mattress on the lowest setting this weekend.

Our baby is growing up!!

Drum Roll, PLEASE!!

Zoe had her 9 month check up today (at 9 1/2 months old). First, she did WONDERFULLY! Second, we found out from her GI dr that it would be okay (even with the possibility of an egg allergy) for her to get a flu shot (it's cultured in an egg culture, so those with egg allergies need to be aware!). She got her flu shot, and I think she was more upset at being put on her back than getting the needle! What a good girl!!

AND the big news!! Ba-du-bump, ba-du-bump!! (that's my attempt at typing a drum roll!)...

17lbs 12oz (25th percentile)
28 inches long (50th percentile)--this makes her no longer proportionate, but that's okay!
45.1cm head circumference (I don't know the percentile, though)

WOOOHOOO! The dr was VERY happy...from weight check at the pediatrician's (this does not count GI dr visits), she has jumped from the 10th to the 25th percentile in her weight! WOOHOO!

No WONDER she isn't fitting into her clothes and busting out of everything we put on her!!