Happy Easter

Here we all are on our first Easter as a family of five.

We started the weekend by decorating eggs. It was just the kids and I since Justin was out of town for the day. Chloe decided that she should lob the hard boiled eggs across the table. This was very unlike her, but she was bound and determined that she should do it, so after 3 eggs she was done. Jake was very sad that three of his broke and he had little funerals for them. Wyatt just really, really liked the feel of them and has broken several since decorating them. I think next year we'll paint rocks. Haha.
On Saturday we visited with the the Phillips family and Chloe got to play with Justin's cousin's baby who is 8 months younger. Here they are in their first face to face meeting.
Justin's Grandpa Pete got to meet Chloe for the first time. Here's all three kids with their only living great grandpa. These 3 three lucky kids have 8 grandparents, 4 great grandmas and 1 great grandpa. Wow!
This morning they were very excited about their Easter baskets and enjoyed hunting for eggs.
Here's the best picture of Chloe's outfit. It was so much fun to get her all dressed up. The boys were very good sports about dressing up. It's not their favorite thing.
They were also very good in church this morning. Everytime the congregation is told to please stand, Chloe would say, "Kay." very loudly and hop to her feet, it was so funny.
We ended the day with a stop at Grandpa George and Grandma's house. This week was also a very big week for the Bucys. Jay and Erica had their baby on the 4th. I'll be posting all the info as soon as they email me a picture.

The other exciting news this week was that Jake ran into someone in gym and hit his nose very hard. I'm afraid he broke it. We are following up with the ENT next week and then we'll see what else we should do. Poor kid! As if he doesn't have enough sinus troubles.

Oh, just had to add in that the next 10 days in St. Petersburg, Russia are going to be warmer than here in Chicago. What is that about????

Spring Break in Review

Boo! Tomorrow's the last day of spring break. We had a good one though. I did tons of yard and house work, the boys had friends over almost every day and Chloe has been able to sleep late and play, play, play!

On Monday we went to a water park for Luke's birthday. I though maybe Chloe would be a little afraid of the water. Brave and daring little Wyatt freaked out the first time we went to the pool when he was that age. Not Chloe! She loved it and despite several accidental plunks under the water, blue lips because she was cold and a couple falls on cement, she did not want to leave the "wateeee." As always Madi stuck to Chloe and kept her entertained and soooo happy. The boys had a ball as well and went around and around the lazy river. They always stick together at places like that. Here's some pictures:That night we took the whole family to the Rainforest Cafe. This is another place that really freaked Wyatt out at that age. Chloe thought it was awesome and they all had a ball.

Here are some questions that Jake has asked me this week:

How is (cereal, babies, apple sauce, metal, earth, the universe, God) made?

What's the difference between boys and Girls?

Ha! I give as little information as he'll accept for some of these and some I really have no idea how to answer. Metal? I liked the apple sauce one, that one was good for me.

Do-Ruh...Uh, uh!

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Chloe is a real jabber box and her pronunciations are getting better and better. A couple days ago she told me, "My milk gone." I had to check her cup to be sure I heard right and yes indeed the milk was gone. But one of my favorites is the way she says Dora even though she can say the individual syllables. Here's a clip:

Yeah for Spring Break!

Woo hoo! We're home! This is mostly a picture post. Here's Chloe and Wyatt enjoying a tea party while Jake and Daddy were at boy scouts. Wyatt put this ensemble on just for the tea party.

There's no reason for this picture other than... have you ever seen cuter pajamas??? This weekend was Joe's 2nd birthday party. For those who don't know, Joey is my sister's youngest son who is just 3 months older than Chloe. This is the birthday cake I made him. The last cake I made was in January and It was very hard because Chloe wanted me to hold and play with her and not do anything else. This one was much easier. Justin was working on remodeling our bathroom the whole day and Chloe played outside with the boys who were having a ball with the hose. Yesterday was a record warm day with a high of 79 degrees!Here I am with all 5 cousins at the party. Tony will be 5 in June so the three big ones are like three little stair steps, 7,6 and almost 5.

I always try very hard to get a picture of Chloe and Joey together, but it's not easy. Here are a couple shots. I love this one of the two of them wishing they could go down the stairs like the big boys.

Here's Chloe is Jake's lap watching Joey open presents.

Speaking of the big boys, here they are. Wyatt is pretty ticked that we're leaving.

No More Indoor Baby

Sorry for the long break between posts. We had temporarily misplaced our camera.

I managed to have Chloe thinking that the back yard was just somewhere the boys went. Well, one nice day spent outside has cured her of that misconception and she looooves to be outside. She can climb up the play place like a champ and loves to go down the slide. She waits for someone to catch her since she flew down and plunked on the ground hard a couple times. She also loves to swing and will get the boys to help her if I'm not right there... so I reeeeally have to be right there because they think putting her on the two man swing with them and pumping until they are horizontal with the top of the swing set is a super idea. Yikes! All this climbing has given her a great new skill that she's been practicing on the boys bunk beds. Justin took off the ladder so she couldn't get up and it took a day for her to figure out that she could just go up the back just like the boys. Oy! I don't have a picture of this because I just snatch her right down from there. She gets very mad and tells me, "Mo, mo, mo!" She's very careful and coordinated and isn't all crazy or wild when doing any of this, but it really freaks me out. I can't really remember when the boys started being able to do that stuff but I know when they were 21 months there was no big play set in the back yard and no bunk beds. Also, she is so tiny that it is really freaky to see her just effortlessly go up and down that play set. You can tell how careful she really is when you see her sit down about a foot away from the small step from the patio to the grass. She then carefully scoots to the edge before standing on the grass. I'm sure she could just step down, but I love that she's careful.
My job next week is to clean up the yard.

Bow?

Okay, when the weather gets a little better I just about go crazy deciding what Chloe should wear. It's so exciting for me to pull out new outfits! This had me so preoccupied for the last two days that Justin sent the boys to school in jeans with holes both days. He claims that this is because it's fashionable. This is from the guy who wears his good clothes to paint and his painting clothes when he goes out. Hmmmm. I think I need to get up earlier.

Anyway... Chloe looked down at this outfit on Tuesday and then looked back up at me and said, "Bow?" So, I got her a bow (sorry, this was after the photo op). Chloe's friend Vivi has a bow everyday so she decided she needed one. She ran over to show Daddy her outfit and does this little thing where she touches her tummy and kind of dances around. Then she looks all excited when Daddy says how cute she looks. She was also very excited to be able to lift her dress and touch her tummy. She loves her tummy.

I was amazed when I got to Pat's to see that Chloe had her bow in her hair. Pat said when her husband got home from work Chloe asked for her bow back and then went over to show him how cute she looked. He is a very nice Grandpa-ish man and she knew she was in store for another round of, "Oh, don't you look so cute." Pat marveled at the fact that at only 2o months she knew that if Vivi had a bow then she should wear one also. I better start a fashion fund for that girl. Yesterday she wore jeans and a little pink springy top. I asked her if she wanted a bow and she looked down at the outfit and said, "No." I think she gets the idea that when she's all dressed up she wears a bow and she didn't really think yesterday's outfit fit the bill.

Did you see? 8+ days until spring break.

Chloe Has Been Ours for 4 Months? Mo Way!

Chloe's new phrase is "No way!" Which she says, "Mo way!" As in, "Do you want your eggs?" "Mo way!" Hehe.

We went to visit the Bucys this weekend. Justin and the boys helped fix up the farm house and Chloe and I went to Erica and Jay's baby shower. Baby Tyce Justin Michael Bucy should be coming along by the end of the month. We can't wait to meet him. Chloe entertained herself for hours by telling Jay and Erica's cute little cocker, "Mo, mo and MO!" If Bailey would dare lose interest in any of the things Chloe was telling her not to do, Chloe would wave the toy or whatever it was in her face again and the game would resume. She started by calling her Bay, then Baby and then after only a couple hours she could say Baily perfectly. She was still talking about Baily today. At the shower Chloe was an angel. Here she is having a little punch with the adorable little Johanna.

It is so cute the way little girls will find each other and then parade around hand in hand.

I wish I had a picture of the boys by the end of the day on Sunday. Wyatt was so tired he said his arms and legs were shaking. We got home way past bedtime and then with the time change we were all zombies in the morning.
Winter has taken a little break with yesterday in the upper 50's and today may get into the mid 70's! Woo hoo! We took a walk after school and played outside. We may go to the park after school today. We better enjoy it as much as we can because it will be in the 40's tomorrow through Sunday. Blah!

Notice the count down ticker... 10 days plus a few hours and minutes until spring break! Woo hoo!

Happ Birthday to Daddy's Little Sister

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I Hate Today!

Today is a day I've been dreading for a while. There are parent-teacher conferences tonight and tomorrow night. So, the only tme I'll get with the kids is the short time in the morning. Chloe is so used to me picking her up and putting her to bed, etc. I am so worried about how she's going to handle this. I know I'm not handling it well.

Happy 33rd Birthday Missy

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Notice Chloe trying to kick Jake out of the chair.

Jake's Lullaby

One great thing about having three kids is that when you're busy putting laundry away they are likely to find some way to entertain themselves. I walked into Chloe's room and the boys were in her crib with her and they were taking turns singing and tucking in Chloe and the other would pretend to be a baby. Jake agreed to start his song over so I could get the camera. Chloe seemed kind of pooped all weekend like she might be feeling a little under the weather. But, so far no signs of illness. Remember pause the music before listening. Oh, I should add that "Sunshine" is the song that I always sang to the boys, I love the verse Jake added.

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15 Weeks Home - Chloe Update

Chloe's been home for 15 weeks. So, a little Chloe update.

Sleep

Chloe is an awesome sleeper! She rarely cries out in the night. She goes down pretty easily around 8:00. It used to be earlier when I was home because she took her nap earlier, but now that she naps for 2 hours at daycare starting at 1:30, she's not quite ready for sleep again until 8:00. Many mornings I have to go in and wake her up at 7:00 so she can have a little time with us before we leave for school/daycare at 8:00 - 8:30. On Thursday I went in and she kind of peeked up at me with a little "gimme 10 more minutes" kind of look and then rolled back over to cuddle up and go back to sleep. She eventually wakes up and wants me to hold her but she doesn't really want anyone else giving her attention until she wakes up a little more. Well, forget that because the boys are certified morning people and act like she she walked into her own personal surprise party. They run over and are yelling her name and reaching up to touch her. She tells them, "Mo, mo." This is how she says, "no." It's funny! She is also getting better at going down at night. I always rock her in the chair first and then I get up and continue to cradle her while swaying back and forth before putting her in bed. She often stands back up and wants me to hold her. Then she say, "Chee" and point at the rocker because she prefers sleeping in my arms while I rock. So, now I don't do that I just sway her for another minute or so and lay her back down. I may have to do that twice and then she's fine. I've also been able to leave more often without laying on the floor until she's asleep. She seems to be getting more comfortable in her room and feels safe. She also doesn't cry anymore when she wakes up. She calls, "Mama, Mama."

Food
She is still pretty much a bird and just eats like a toddler. She eats a scrambled egg for breakfast and I also try to get a little yogurt and banana into her. Miss Pat says she's eating lunch and has even gotten the grand lunch time prize of "the cookie" for finishing her food. At dinner she will eat a small amount. She's sometimes so hungry when she gets home that she has some Cheerios, yogurt and banana and then won't really eat dinner. She also drinks about 16 ounces of milk with Carnation instant breakfast in it. That is equivalent to two meal replacements, so that's good. All in all she has very normal eating habits and we really don't have any issues with food. She eats when she's hungry and stops when she's full. It's the second part that I really need to work on. He he. Language
She is just amazing with her language development. I really can't keep track of the words she uses because there are so many and she keeps adding more all the time. She often tries two words together. I think she is trying to put "me" and "I" with words. One day she pointed to Jake's pajamas and said, "goggy" he said, "That's Scooby Doo." Chloe said, "Mo, dats goggy" Translation, "No, that's doggy." Wow! She looooves Dora but that is one of the hardest for her to pronounce, but she can say "Boots" (that's Dora's Monkey) perfectly. So, it sounds like this, "Uh-uh, Boots." Funny! Here are some other words since last time. I'll keep coming back and adding words as I think of them.

Family Bonds
She is a total Mama's girl. Before I went back to work she had relaxed enough that I could go get a load of laundry or load the dishwasher without her wanting me to hold her. Then last week she needed me pretty intensely, but by the end of the second week she was back to the way she was before I went back. She will play independently enough that I can function around the house and get the basics done. But, she likes to be with me and I love it. If I give her something to do and interact with her, she will let me simultaneously fold laundry, help with homework, make dinner, etc. She loves to talk and I think the more her language develops the more she will enjoy chatting about what she's doing. She is also a huge fan of her Daddy. No one can make her smile that certain smile and giggle the way he can. She was letting him do more with her before I went back to work and I think she'll get back to that as well with a little time. She completely has him wrapped around her finger. She also wants to be with her brothers and loves them. She knows they will do anything she wants and I'm afraid their going to spoil her rotten. Her interactions with Jake are more like they would be with an adult. He makes her laugh and gives her what she wants and she seems to know he's her biggest brother. Wyatt plays more "with" her and gets a little annoyed when she whines for something and will whine right back at her at times. You can imagine how much Justin and I looove the sound of dueling whines. I tell them that whining makes my ears bleed. But, Wyatt is often the one she is looking for. They seem to be developing a more typical sibling relationship whereas Jake's is different because he is even older. Here's Chloe letting grandma help her into a chicken costume. Or is it a duck? HmmmmHere's Chloe getting to know her cousin Joey.

Daycare
You're pretty up to date on her separation issues, but a little more about her time there. She seems to really enjoy the other kids. She spent the day holding hands with one little girl and is eager to play with other kids. She seems very interested in finding kids her age to play with. When we are out and about she will point out babies and if older kids try to entertain her, she's game for that. But, she really goes out of her way to initiate contact with kids who look to be about her age. She is also very good about the way she approaches them. She will go stand near them and if possible give them a near by object or point to one and babble something. She is careful not to touch them but is patient when they try to touch her. She seems well aware that kids that age are likely push, pull, bite and scream, so she approaches carefully. I can completely trust her to not do anything aggressive and if she gets pushed down, she just sits there and waits to be rescued but stays very calm. Here's Chloe with her daycare buddy Ian and Ian's mommy who is also Wyatt's kindergarten teacher. Small world, huh? You'd think we lived in Mayberry or something.People always comment to me that Chloe walks with a certain determination and it is so true. It is especially noticeable in someone so small. You expect to see such a short little thing kind of running around and falling all over the place, but she has a calmness and determination about her. What a girl!

Wyatt Video Clip

Here's a fun little video clip. Wyatt was jamming to Chloe's baby Einstein video. Make sure to pause the music at the bottom of the blog.

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Kindergarten Patriotic Program

Last night was the annual Kindergarten Patriotic Program and my little Wyatt's stage debut. It was very cute! Here's Wyatt doing his thing:

This is Wyatt with his teacher who also happens to be a good friend of mine. I;m so lucky to have the boys at my school. I told them today that when Jake is in 5th grade, Wyatt will be in 4th and Chloe will be in kindergarten. They thought that sounded awesome.When the show was about over I showed Chloe where Wyatt was and she scrambled off my lap and went running toward the stage yelling, "Wyyyyaaaat." It was so cute and got a giggle from several audience members. Here we are all together. I love these family of 5 pictures:On the Chloe front... She is doing well in daycare although still crying. Today she got hip to our little morning routine and started to cry and cling to me when we started to pack up. So, now I can add loading the car onto the list of things I've learned to do with one hand. Hehe. Here's Chloe and Daddy at the show last night.