As promised...

Pictures from apple picking, courtesy of Grandma C...

Apparently, we weren't too excited to get pictures taken before picking apples...
Cousin Jacob was SUPER excited, as you can tell.
Z was too busy munching on her apple to pose with Mommy and Auntie J...
LOOOOOVING those avocadoes!
Saying bye! It was a lot of fun, and we'll have to do it again next year when the babies are running around!!

Anyone for some apple pie??

Or at least apples in a mesh feeder?

Zoe has something that we picked up. You can put pieces of food in it, and because it's just mesh, she can chew on it all she wants and get the taste of it, but we don't have to worry about her choking. Her first taste of something in it was a piece of apple..fresh off the tree. She loves apple sauce and apple juice, so I was sure she'd love this, and I was right. She sucked on it so much that it shrunk to half its size!!

Zoe decided that it'd be fun to take her Grandma and Grandpa C, Auntie and Uncle J, Cousin Jacob, and us apple picking today. We went to the Nashoba Valley Winery (where we got married last July) and had fun trying to find the PERFECT apple. That was particularly difficult to do this year because the apples had a run-in with some hail earlier, so a lot of them got damaged....but I think we found some winners. After, the adults enjoyed hunting around the wine shop, and we even got to see a wedding underway too! Zoe did a great job supervising us in her overalls and chewing on a piece of apple.

This morning, before we took off, we discovered that Z has 2 more teeth...not the ones I THOUGHT she'd get, but two more on the bottom. That makes 4 on top (with the eye-teeth threatening to pop through) and 4 on the bottom....she's not even 8 months old and she already has 8 teeth! I know kids who don't have any teeth yet and they're Z's age!!! Craziness!! Other than a little more drool and not really taking much from a bottle last week, we really had no idea she was getting teeth...they don't seem to be bothering her as much as some babies (thank goodness!!).

I'd like to point you to the right side of the screen, under the section "Blogs and Stuff". I added a link to Noah's Flickr site where he's uploaded all of the pictures and videos. Please take a look there! And, if you want to order any pictures, you're welcome to do so.

More pictures to come....we didn't manage to take any pictures of Z picking apples...but Grandma C is never without her camera, so she managed to get a LOT. Maybe she'll be kind enough to share them with us so we can post them!

Oh, and an update on the week?? Z still loves day care, gets excited when Noah drops her off, and just has a ball. She's sleeping much much better, including putting HERSELF to sleep (without us rocking her). The last few nights, she's slept a MINIMUM of 12 hours and WE have even had to wake her up before I go to work to nurse her! WOW! She's growing up before our eyes...when you look at those pictures on flickr, you'll see a huge difference!

What else? She's scooting everywhere, rolling where she can't scoot, and has begun to get onto all 4's. We saw it today...all fours and starting to rock for a few minutes and then slips back down onto her belly. Soon enough, I'll be making dinner in the kitchen, and she'll be playing in the living room, and I'll find her near me, I'm sure!!

Happy Sunday!

So, I looked back and realized that we have some 'peats and repeats of pictures. But that's because they're SO good! :) AND, I was experimenting with loading them from Flickr rather than directly from the computer or the camera.

So, Z has started to lift her body OFF the ground. Ahh! She was up on all fours for about a second and then slipped down. I think, if she hadn't had cloth on her knees and been on the carpet instead of the hardwood floor, then she might not have slipped. She's working SO hard to do this. So hard, she ends up pushing herself backwards and moving that way. She'll try to go forward, but it's SO much easier to scoot back!

We either have more teeth or growing or both coming shortly. I've seen the bumps for her eye-teeth, she's been drooling up a storm, AND she's been chewing and sucking on her fingers like crazy. And, she's been sleeping like crazy this weekend. She might be getting up early (*yawn*) but can only manage to stay awake for about an hour before falling sleep again!!

Yesterday, Z got to experience the Rainforest Cafe for the first time. We weren't sure how much she'd like it with the noise and the lights, but she was okay with it. She just looked around, and as long as someone was holding her, she was fine! Then it was off to shop with Mommy, Daddy, Grandma B, Grandpa B, and Unka G...of course she got some new things!

Today was a lazy Sunday...perfect for the wet yucky day that it is!

Happy times!

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Originally uploaded by KingdoK

Here's our happy Z...she's such a good baby. We're so lucky to have such a happy baby. We noticed with the change in diet for ME, Z's attitude and mood has gotten even BETTER, if that's possible. Rarely does she have a tough day, and when she does, it's usually because of something, like teeth, gas, or a bonk on the floor when she takes a header scooting.

Flashing a new 'do!

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Originally uploaded by KingdoK

I was having a lot of fun during bath time....since she gets to splash around, I gotta have my fun. Look how long the top of her hair is getting!!

Smiling Z

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Originally uploaded by KingdoK

Oh so happy is our little girl. She's becoming such a ham!

These toys are more fun!

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Originally uploaded by KingdoK

Z has figured out how to scoot over to the cat toys and play with those...

Smilie Z

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Originally uploaded by KingdoK

Having fun with a wet paper towel after dinner...it's where it's at, didn't you know??

picture overload!

These have been a long time coming! Here's Z fooling around with her Daddy. What a goof!!

At her first Red Sox game (it was the Futures at Fenway games where we saw the Lowell Spinners and the Pawtucket Red Sox!).
Swimming with Auntie D in Z's pool AT the beach...the water was perfect! The ocean? Not so much!
Z's reading "It Looked Like Spilled Milk". She loves the book! It's captivating and has lots of action! ;)
Her new spiked 'do. She loves her bath time!
She scooted herself over to the cat toys...apparently, they're more fun than hers??

Oh, how fun a wet paper towel is!

In her newest toy--an exersaucer! It converts to a walker that she can push around later! It doesn't look it, but she LOVES it!

And so it begins...

Very shortly, our life with a largely immobile daughter will be ending. Even with rolling and rocking and what she HAD been doing, she would only go around in a small area. However, today, while playing on her belly, I caught her starting to push up on her hands from her elbows...lifting her chest with it. THEN, I pushed her "Smile" book (the one she got from the doctor at her six month visit) a little out of her reach. She got one foot planted, lifted up her butt and straightened that leg. She pulled a little with her arms, and scooted forward. It's kinda funny to watch, but MAN, I'm SO not ready for a mobile, crawling baby!! Time to babyproof!! She kept doing this, and I kept moving the book away from her. She must have gone a good 3-4 feet before she gave up and got a frustrated!

Bath time!

New Things!

Yes, yes, it's been awhile since the last post other than the video. Thanks to Noah for getting those videos out. I've been trying to juggle going back to work, and it's been trickier to find time to keep up with the blog than I thought!

Zoe's been up to all good things. She is VERY close to sitting up on her own. She lasts a couple of minutes and then looks up and falls back. Today, at day care, she was able to sit for a reported 10 minutes with nothing but Miss Laura just holding onto the back of her sundress to keep her from face planting into the plastic piano and guitar she was banging on.

Z continues to talk to us all the time, sharing her singing and new-found voice with anyone who will listen. She thinks the funny noises we share are the best, and laughs...not a big squeally laugh, but a "ha ha ha" type.

Z has NO interest in crawling, hasn't even pushed up on all fours, and that's okay with us! However, she IS starting to scoot just a little bit forward. Usually, though, she ends up pushing herself backwards and gets upset when she can't reach the toy she wants.

As you've been able to see in the video, she likes to chew on and play with a plastic water bottle. She also likes to chew on wet paper towels, but tolerates it when we trade it out for a face cloth instead.

Z is starting to get very upset when you take something away from her when she wants to play with it. She's starting to voice her very strong opinions! I think we might be in trouble with that!

What else has she been up to? She loves laying on her changing table and dances "like Stevie Wonder" (is that P.C. to say? Probably not, but it works, and everyone knows what I'm talking about). She LOVES to play with her friend in the mirror, and LOVES to try to walk with us, dance, and play with this toy pig she has. You push on its snout, and it vibrates and sings a song. Z just cracks up!

Z's been visiting with her cousin Jacob (who's as big as she is, already!) and with her Auntie and Uncle J, Grandma and Grandpa C, and spending lots of fun time with Mommy and Daddy when she can stay awake from a full day at daycare!

The best things in life are free

Raspberries

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Originally uploaded by KingdoK

Zoe's favorite new activity

It's been awhile!

Sorry about that! We've been busy! I started back at work teaching, and Z started daycare...so we're trying to get used to a new schedule. Z had a tough time starting up at daycare, crying a bit, not eating much, and just having a hard time being away from mommy and daddy but with Miss Laura and the kids. The kids were in her face a lot because they were so excited to have a new friend, but Z wasn't so excited by that. Slowly though, she's gotten much more comfortable, and has started to eat and play more and more, and gets excited when she sees Miss Laura and the kids. The only thing we wish would get more regular is her sleep. She's managing 2-30 to 45 minute naps a day, which is not close to enough for our Little Z. The poor thing is so tired when I pick her up at 3:30 that she gets herself SO worked up when she sees me (happy, squealing, laughing, kicking her legs and waving her arms around) that when she gets home, I feed her and she just crashes by 5pm. Last night and tonight, I've put Zoe down for a *quick* nap at 5ish, and she just crashes! Last night, she went down then and didn't get up until 1am to eat!!! She went back down until 3am, Daddy put her back down, and then got up at 5:30 for the day, and to see Mommy off to work. Poor thing just needs to get used to sleeping at daycare with all the kids there!

Lots of other things going on...Z is SOOO close to sitting up. I can put her between my legs and she will just teeter back and forth from one leg to the other, but she won't sit independently yet. Any day now!!

Z will try to scoot, but instead of going forward like she tries...she'll push herself backward!

She has been getting better and better about rolling from one place to another. She isn't getting stuck places as much...she's moving toward things she wants.

She is reaching for toys and getting exactly what she wants.

Z's babbling is getting more complex. She's putting more syllables together, and putting facial expressions together as she "talks". It's cute to see her really try to tell us what's going on in her day!

We have *6* teeth...YIKES.

And, last week, unfortunately, Z had her first virus. She had felt warm (and had a runny nose) when I picked her up from her trial time at day care on Friday...so I took her temp (100.7) and gave her tylenol. She needed a nap and slept long enough for the tylenol to take effect and the fever to come down. After a couple of hours, she had dinner and then promptly threw up the cereal allllll over me. Lovely. I took her temp again, and it was at 101. It was a little too early for Tylenol, so I kept Z in her diaper with nothing else, hoping that that might cool her down a little. No dice. After a little bit, I took her temp again, and it was 102. I couldn't give her tylenol yet (still had about a half hour before it was "safe" to do so) so i just got her dressed in her pjs and we sat on the floor and played quietly. She basically just sat and played with her Octivity Octopus. Noah came home, and he took her temp again...103. Tylenol was finally given and phone call was made to the dr at that point, and we were off to the Pediatric ER aftercare clinic. After a lot of tests, we learned it was just a virus and we had to just try to rest her (how do you rest an active 6.5 month old??!), give her fluids, and tylenol if the fever got high again.

Get this, throughout the entire ordeal...Z was as happy, smiley, and good as could be. The dr commented that Z was the most energetic 103 degree baby she'd ever seen! Honestly, if I hadn't felt Z and noticed she was warm and a little flushed, I'd never have guessed she wasn't feeling well!!

Fortunately, the fever broke that night, but the runny nose stuck around for a few days...nothing more than a cold but with a temp of 103, we don't mess around.

I recognize I have lots of pictures to post. We have a lot from our travels and other things going on. I'll do my best to get some up before the weekend is up!

Have a good weekend everyone!

At long last.... VIDEO

6 Month Drs Appointment!

Forgive me of any typos, for some reason, I can't seem to get the "n" to stick without hitting it really hard. So, if I don't have it, and don't think to go back and spell check, deal! :P

Anyway, Z had her 6 month appointment today....DRUM ROLL PLEASE!

It has been 2 weeks since she saw the pediatric GI dr...today she saw her pediatrician. In the 2 weeks, she's gained nearly a POUND. She is now 14lbs 3oz (up from 13lbs 3.5oz) and 25.75inches long! Talk about growth!!! WOW!!! We were very happy to see this growth. This puts her weight in the 10th percentile (up from the 7th) and her height continues to be in the 25-50th percentile! YIPPEE for our Z!!

She did VERY well with her shots today too! We're just SO proud of her today!!

The Toofies are at it again!

That's right! Even MORE toofies. She now has the top two on the side from the front two...if that makes sense. She has 4 on top now and 2 on the bottom. Crazy to think that she is 6 months with 6 teeth!!

Visits from the Vineyard

Zoe would like to let everyone know how much fun she is having on the Vineyard. She has tried to put her feet in the ocean again, but it's still too cold for her. She's been in the hot tub and LOVED it. We did take a kiddie pool to the beach, filled it with ocean water, and Zoe liked it MUCH better.

Zoe has been to the Agricultural Fair....she got to see alpacas (getting a small stuffed one from Unka G), donkeys and mules, horses, bulls, oxen, geese, cows, pigs, bunnies, and llamas. She had fun trying to taste my humus (getting it on her fingers), watching Unka G play a quarter game in the carnival section, and was overcome with excitement watching the people riding the rides. She fell asleep in the front pack and slept for over 2 hours!!

Zoe has had fun shopping with Grandma B, Auntie D, and me, getting some cool things in the process.

She has gotten toys (including a ladybug that moos--yes, I said moo), books (a favorite has become a cloth book called "Where did it come from?"), and clothes. She made friends everywhere she went, including dogs!!

She had fun playing on Grandma's computer, getting up early, singing and telling everyone jokes, watching the dogs play catch, and dancing. Unka G's and Auntie D's birthday parties were especially fun times for Z.

Zoe also met her great-aunt M, who she hadn't been able to meet the first time she came to the island.

All in all, Z's had a great time, and we're not done yet. Tonight, if she gets up from her nap in time, we're going to venture out to a beach (away from the crowds) and watch the fireworks. Then, tomorrow it's a quiet day at the house, I think, and then off-island to meet up with Auntie D before heading home.

I promise pictures when I get home! I forgot the cord to my camera to upload pics to the blog...Grandma B and Unka G got some pics too...maybe I can snag some of those too!!

The World Traveler is at it again!!

Z is spending the week, with us, of course, on the Vineyard. What fun! It's Unka G's 21st birthday, Auntie D's birthday (we'll be polite and not share which one!) too. It's also the Agricultural Fair, so we're going to be able to see cows, pigs, chickens, ducks, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, bulls, horses, and that's just the people (just kidding). It'll be exciting to see the different things at the fair, and see how Z reacts.

So far, we've done just a little bit of fun on the island (we've only been here for a day!). We've gone to Nancy's (a local hot spot) for dinner, the beach to watch Unka G and others kayak in his new kayaks, met a dog named Larry (a Portuguese water dog), went in the hot tub, and played with Grandma B, Unka G, and Grandma's friend, Auntie J.

Z's had a LOT of fun already, talking to everyone, and showing off what a comedienne she can be! We DID have to back off on sweet potatoes, unfortunately. Something, we think, didn't agree with Z, and she was spitting up more when we gave them to her. So...we're giving her body a couple of days to adjust, and then we'll try something else, probably squash.

We have lots of excitement coming this week! We'll get on when we can, and post pictures when we can!

Reviews Ahead!

Today was an eventful day for our Z. She went to visit her new day care, and met 4 other young kiddos, as well as the boys of our new provider, Miss Laura. Everyone was VERY interested in spending time with Zoe, but she was less enthused, apparently. While Zoe had fun listening to the music the kids played, watched them play on the porch when everyone went outside, watched a little t.v. when some of the others napped, AND got a 1 hour nap herself in, she spent a good chunk of time crying and wouldn't take her bottle AT ALL! Good thing I only left her for about 4 hours, and had fed her before I dropped her off. I'm sure when she gets used to being there, she'll settle in nicely and eat for Miss Laura. We have more days that will get planned very soon, depending on Miss Laura's schedule (she can't have too many kiddos at a time right now because of the state restrictions). It wasn't all tears for Zoe, but she was certainly glad to see me when I came to pick her up! I was also very glad to see Zoe, too!

On a much more positive note, Zoe tried sweet potatoes for the first time today. She LOVED them. She didn't even scrunch up her face when she had her first taste....she opened her mouth RIGHT up for more. If all goes well in the next few days, we'll be introducing Z to something new soon! YAY!

The count down is ON! :(

Unfortunately, we have had to start to worry about what'll happen in a couple of short weeks. We have a very, very nice woman, Miss Laura, who will be taking very good care of Z. I think this is going to be harder on Noah and me than it will be on Z! Tomorrow, we have a trial run, and will have more before school starts for me. Miss Laura is a very nice woman, who has 3 boys of her own, 16, 12, and 7, I think. She lives very close to us, and is very careful not to have too many kids, since she works out of her home and has strict rules to follow. She's opened her home and business to us, and we're very happy to have her. Z will be the youngest kiddo there, by about a year, but that's okay. :) I'm sure she'll get plenty of attention. Noah will do drop off; I'll pick up. While it's sad to know we have to do this, it'll be good for all around. Z will meet friends, spend time with people other than her Mommy and Daddy (it IS good, right?), and I get to go back to work, which is something I need to do. I would LOVE to spend the time home with Z, but it's just not practical for us.

We'll be back with an update from her "first day".

Grow, Z, Grow!

We had a follow up with the pediatric GI dr today. Z is now 13lbs, 3.5oz....up 2.5oz from Wednesday. While the dr would have liked more weight gain, Z has stayed in the 7th percentile, so he was happy to see that. We're gonna keep on the same plan that we're on, and need to keep trying the formula...Z just doesn't like it! The dr gave us some ideas to flavor it, so we're going to try that.

Thanks for keeping up with everything!

Batter Up!

Yesterday, we went to Fenway Park. Noah had gotten tickets to the Futures at Fenway games for Father's Day, and we couldn't have had a better day! First, we got to see the Lowell Spinners win in fine fashion, and then that was followed up by a great game by the Pawtucket Red Sox winning as well! Our little Zoe was there in fine fashion in a Red Sox onesie, her baseball cap, and a smile to light up the park. She thoroughly enjoyed it all, looking at the game (sorta), watching the people around us (lots), loved the clapping (lots), and danced to all the music played. She was wonderful! She napped a couple of times (can you believe that?) but just enough to recharge her for more baseball watching.

We couldn't have asked for better seats. When I ordered the tickets, I picked "best available". That gave me $20 seats....good deal, huh? I mean for 2 games, right? Well, it got even better when I looked up the face value for these tickets....$90! That's right! We were sitting 17 rows from the field on the left field side. We were SO close, it was amazing. We watched for foul balls, but only 2 came relatively close to us...I'm sure if this was a Boston Red Sox game, the balls would be flying even more! I don't think we'll ever get to sit that close for a game with the big leaguers!

We had so much fun, the day was perfect, our angel loved it, we've planned to return there again. Anyone want to join us next year?

Pediatrician Update

Good news! Yesterday we went to the pediatrician for a follow up appointment. Z is now a strapping 13lbs 1oz. The dr is pleased. We were pleased. This means that in the last week, she gained another 5 ounces. She's becoming a regular chunky monkey!

We've changed Z's rice cereal to Earth's Best (organic, non-soy--apparently, Gerber has soy. Who knew?), mixing it with formula the GI dr wants us to get her to take for added calories, and if this elimination diet doesn't resolve everything. However, she just DOES NOT like it. She'll take it in her cereal just fine, but won't take it otherwise. Ah well, we'll do our best! We've since added apple juice this morning (Mott's 100% juice) to her cereal, and she had a little in a sippy cup after she ate...we also have some oatmeal for her to try too. Always something new with Z!!

On other fronts...Z's been coming to work with me to help pack up my room (I have to change classrooms for next year). She's been just a doll and the kids there for summer school, the custodians, other teachers, and administrators just couldn't stop coming in to say hi, got lots of smiles from Z, and even some squeals. They were all very impressed with how good she was, watching me, playing with her key teether and other toys, hanging in the front pack, and sitting in the stroller when she wasn't in the front pack. She didn't sleep much, but she was SO good. In fact, she was so tired, she didn't fight me going down for a nap just now...this is a first for awhile now!

We still have plenty of summer left, and have lots of things planned. Can't it slow down just a LITTLE bit? I don't want to go back to work!!

Weekend Update!

Yesterday, we went to Boston to meet up with Auntie D, Uncle J, and Grandma B. We walked around Faneuil Hall, had lunch, and went to Build A Bear, where Uncle J and Auntie D made Z a cute doggie. We had lots of fun and it was great to see them!

I was thinking about all the things that we've noticed Z being able to do...it's a LOT!

• moving toys from one hand to another
• picking up things she wants when she sees them--out of a group
• smiling to see if others will smile back
• "talking" and saying "mamamamamama" and "yayaya" and other cool sounds
• she's moving on the floor like crazy--rolling and scooting around
• she reaches and grabs everything--our faces, noses, mouths, shirts, hair, glasses, Daddy's beard, you name it
• she has *4* teeth now

That's all i can think of now, but I think Daddy may have a few...hopefully he'll post some!
The princess calls!

Update from the Drs

We went to the pediatric GI dr today in Boston to see what was going on with Z's slowed weight gain and slightly elevated liver enzymes. He did a full evaluation, interviewed us about our health background, including allergies, GI issues in the family, etc. This dr has come to the conclusion that Z may have an allergy dairy and soy products. This means for ME no dairy and soy products or anything that contains those products until we figure out what is causing this in our beautiful Z...

So bear with me--no chocolate, no cheese, most breads are out, deli meat, bagels and cream cheese in the morning, milk/cream/non-dairy creamer in my coffee in the morning (I'm giving a shot at rice milk)....there are lots more, but I have to just read labels. It also means going out to eat is going to be more difficult. The dr basically told me "if you can't read the label, don't eat it".

This is all for Z...she's worth the little sacrifice now to be healthy later. :) In time, if this is what it is, she should outgrow it and be just as happy and healthy as we know she is right now!

***editted 8/10/08*** I just realized I didn't put the best news in from this visit! Z had gained 12 oz from the previous week at the pediatricians!!

Acrobatics!

Someday, Zoe may kill me for putting the first picture up, but c'est la vie! :) Zoe's rolling has gotten crazy. Now, even when we're trying to change her diaper, she's been on the move! Many times, those stuffed animals people have given Z have come in handy to keep her still long enough to change her!

Today, she rolled a bunch and got caught in the table leg. She wasn't hurt, and she wasn't mad, but she was trying as hard as she could to move that leg. We tried to get her to move the other way, but no dice! Soon enough!

Yesterday was her Mommy and Daddy's first anniversary. Saturday, we had gone to dinner at the winery we got married at, and Grandma and Grandpa C babysat. She was SO interested in them that she just didn't want to sleep for them! That's okay, because we were home early enough! But today, we were going to have a nice dinner at home, after Z went to bed. Apparently, during the day, she thought she didn't need to nap, and then when it was time for bed, she wanted in on the action! Ah well...it was still a nice night!

Mmmm...tasty!

Mmmmmm....SO good!
Mommy and Daddy...I think I'll feed myself!
Keep it coming!!
I want to do it myself, but I don't know if I am getting it right!
YUMMY!! So good!! Can I have some more?

Z got to try rice cereal for the first time yesterday. She LOVED it! There was no pushing out with her tongue, no funny face, nothing but smiles, laughs, and pure bliss. Noah got it on video, and as soon as we figure out how to put it on the computer, we'll do it.

We got the okay to start cereal at 5 months by the dr at Z's previous appointment. We waited until after the adventures in Virginia because I just didn't want to bother with all that would have been necessary to have the cereal...so we waited. This weekend, Z proved to us that she was ready for the food, anyway! She was grabbing at our food, drinks, and anything that was near her at the table. She has become grabby, and even more so with the food and drinks...she was watching us like a hawk!

Z really enjoyed her cereal, and today at the drs appointment, he gave the go ahead to give her as much as she wants, not go as slow as he had told us previously...so today, she got two servings of cereal, one at lunch and one at dinner time (by her Daddy, too). She LOVED it! She did discover that it's fun to suck on your fingers between bites, but I think that's because she's soooo close to those teeth popping through on the top! Soon enough she'll be eating squash, sweet potatoes, and peas!

Our World Traveler!

Zoe before the trip...she had plenty of toys to keep her busy!
Checking the water out in the pool....Seems to be just like her bathtub, only bigger! :)
Zoe with her Great-Grandma B and Cousin A. What a set of beauties!

I know, I don't have pictures. I left the camera at the hospital visiting Cousin Jacob...I have to wait until Grandma C brings it when she baby-sits Z Friday. However, Z has turned into quite the traveller the last few days. After a trip to visit Cousin Jacob, we were off to Grandma and Grandpa B's so that we ALL could drive down to Viriginia to visit with Grandpa B's side of the family for a good old fashioned family reunion. It was great to see everyone and for Z to meet everyone for the first time! Of course, everyone thought that Z was quite the beautiful babe (as IF anyone would think anything different!!).

Z's experienced quite a bit in this long weekend! She went on her first VERY long car ride. It took us from Massachusetts, through Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and then into Virginia. She got to stay at the Presidential Suite of the hotel because we got our rooms bumped (we got there a little late and the hotel was overbooked). THAT was quite the treat! Z went swimming in the heated outdoor pool at the hotel, and LOVED it!! She got a taste of Daddy's Gelato (cookies and cream, if you were wondering, and yes, she liked it!). Z went to the National Zoo and saw all kinds of animals (some of them were even in cages and had homes in the Zoo!). She was a trooper the whole time. She's still fighting with teething, as those two top ones just WON'T come through. Z napped as well as can be expected and was a charmer to anyone who'd look at her, never mind those who actually TALKED to her and PLAYED with her.

Zoe got to spend some quality time with her big Cousin A and Auntie B. I think a good time was had by all!!

We had Z's weight check today...it wasn't the news we were expecting. Our skinny minnie is just that. She is now exactly 12lbs. No more, no less. She grew a quarter of an inch longer and only a few ounces in the last few weeks. While it's a little early for her to level off in her weight gain, the doctor thinks she might have, but was still concerned. Her growth curve is continuing to decline and he wants to figure out what is up. He thinks she is a "pokey gainer", but still ordered a bunch of lab work. Z was a trooper getting blood drawn. She had the attention of THREE lab techs--one to draw, one to hold her arm down and distract her, and another one helped distract her. I got to hold her, and console her after, and she quickly stopped crying after they got what they needed. The doctor called me a few hours later, and while he still doesn't seem concerned, he did notice her liver enzymes are slightly elevated. So, to be sure that it's nothing, he's sending us to see a specialist. Noah and I appreciate this attentiveness and are SURE it's nothing, but it is still something we are concerned with, being Z's Mommy and Daddy. We want the best for our daughter.

We'll keep you posted!

Welcome to the world, Cousin Jacob!!

Sorry the last two pictures are sideways...I'll fix that when I upload the pictures to my computer itself. I just wanted to get the pictures up right away! :)

We want to congratulate Auntie and Uncle J for their brand new son--Cousin Jacob Dylan! I just got permission to use his name in the blog. :)

Jacob came into this world at 1:48pm today, weighing a WHOPPING 10lbs 1.5oz and 22 1/2 inches long. He's a BRUISER. He's adorable, with some reddish brown hair, blue eyes, and HUUGGEE hands and feet. Seriously, his hands are bigger than Z's. To compare the kiddos--Z is only 12lbs and 24.5inches long. She's in the 10th percentile in her weight, 50th for height...J is in the 90th for ALL measurements. WOW!!!!! Like I said at the hospital, she may be little, but Z is SCRAPPY. So, Cousin J--watch out! :)

We are all very proud of the new family, and wish them the best. Please, join me in celebrating the new life and newest member of our family. We are all so very happy!

Oh, and yes, it did make us miss Little Miss Z as a newborn...:)

latest happenings!

On the Island Queen ferry to Martha's Vineyard...
Testing out a high chair Grandma B got Zoe...Mommy and Daddy think we're going to get the same one for home (It's the Fisher Price space saver one, if you're wondering!).
First experience at the beach. Zoe didn't like the water so much, but she DID like the feel of the sand between her toes! Right after a nap at the beach...the waves just lulled her to sleep!
"I think I like the beach!" I see more trips for this beach bunny in the future!

Zoe had a fun-filled weekend at Martha's Vineyard. Unfortunately, she is cutting her upper two teeth (her gums are so swollen and red--looks like they hurt so much!), so she didn't have *quite* as good of a time that she could have had. However, she did have fun at the house, sitting out on the deck, and looking at all the trees, birds, and other beautiful things there! She made it to State Beach for the first time EVER, and while Zoe didn't like the water so much (it was cold!), she did like the sand. We had to keep cleaning her toes off so she wouldn't eat it!!

Grandma B got her a high chair to keep at her house and on the Vineyard, and while Z isn't eating solids yet, it was fun to sit and play with her toys in it. It seemed to fit her to a T, and she seemed quite comfortable in it! We liked it too!! We're going to have to get one, and we may get that one to save room in our small kitchen!

Z got to meet Grandma B's good friend J and her husband (also a J!). She had fun rocking in J's lap and talking with her.

Z enjoyed being on the ferry, both there and back. She loved to watch the waves in the water, clouds in the sky, and the seagulls flying by!

Monday, Z got to meet one of Mommy's BBC friends for the first time. This friend lives in Tennessee, but was visiting another friend of hers in MA, so Mommy and Karen decided to meet up! Zoe now has her first boyfriend, Karen's son Tyler....as soon as I get pictures from Karen (I forgot my camera!) you'll get to see how much they got along. Zoe and Tyler hugged and liked to touch each other on their faces. They tried to hold hands at one point, and generally just liked to look at each other! We may have to watch those two in the future!! :)

We also got great news that Z's cousin to be, her Auntie J's baby, is coming on Wednesday! Yep! Be on the lookout for a post and pictures!!! We can't wait to meet him!!

Alas, Daddy didn't make the cut..

in the voting for the look alike. How, I don' t know. But here is the voting. http://www.girlsoxnation.com/community/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=236&Itemid=143 How they narrowed it down, I'll never know. What a let down!

You mean it's NOT a hat?

No, it's not a hat. :) I was being silly, and Z responded quite well to it!! We had lots of fun after her nap. She had been worn out from a visit from Noah's Uncle P and Aunt J. She had lots of fun with them!! As soon as we get copies of the pictures they took, and permission, I'll post them!



Random fun tummy time. She still won't roll back onto her back (although Noah saw it last night at 3am!), but whatever! She's looking much happier on her belly these days!!

I think Z's figured out that she's supposed to smile in front of the camera. We've been getting a LOT more smiley Z pics!

Happy 4th of July!!

We had a great day! Look at our little patriotic beauty! Z had a wonderful day. After taking a good nap, and letting me sleep in, we went to The Stone Zoo and enjoyed some time walking and talking with the animals. :) Z seemed to enjoy herself, and had fun taking in the sites. It was a great first zoo for Z because it was small enough to go through it in a couple of hours. We had such a good time that we're already planning future outings for this summer! After, Noah and I drove to a local ice cream shop and sampled some yummy things. Z had fun just listening to the small aircraft taking off from the nearby airport and giggling with us. She's still too little for ice cream!

Happy Independence Day, everyone! :) We hope you had as nice of a day as we did!

Voting Update

I just checked the website, GirlSox Nation, and Noah's picture is up, but it doesn't show what to do, how to vote or anything like that. It doesn't even really indicate that it's a contest. I also had to hunt around. If you want to look at the pic, go to "photos", "girlsox events", and "Jimmy Fund Fantasy Day - Player Look-a-Likes". As I said, right now it's nothing more than Noah's picture, but I sent an email asking how to vote. I want a weekend in Boston!!

And no, I haven't seen anything about the At Bat Stance contest yet.

Giggly Z

We had a little photo shoot, since Z was posing and laughing for the camera. She's giggling so much these days. Her newest thing is to make raspberry noises SOO loud, SOO sloppy that she sprays you (gross). And, if her pacifier is in her mouth and she wants to make the noise? She either spits it out with FORCE and then makes the sound, or just does it with the paci in her mouth. What a goof!

Baby-Wearers, Attention!

This is a contest, and if you enter, you could win *5* different baby carriers. Not a baby wearer? Then you could send them to someone who IS, or you could give them to me! :)


Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)

It's got ONE question to answer. C'mon, you know you want to.

BTW, I have started wearing Z with a wrap with her facing outside. She wasn't too keen on it facing towards me, but seemed to really like it facing out. Woohoo!