Chloe is Thirteen Months Old!

Could it be possible that I am blogging on Chloe's actual thirteen month birthday? It must be a ruse of some sort!

Our little Buggy is thirteen months old today! This monthly birthday actually sort of snuck up on me. I attribute it to the fact that I just did her twelve month well-check and pictures last week. I'm feeling like there should be a few more weeks before we drag out the Aggie bear.

I'm determined to take these pictures until she is two like I did with Sawyer, but she sure does make it difficult. The last thing she wants to do is sit (or stand) still. She is perpetual motion, that girl!

She's doing something really cute right now where she pretends to tickle us. She gets a head start and starts scrunching her fingers as she walks toward us. She makes a sound that she thinks is "tickle, tickle," but it comes out more like, well, I'm not even quite sure how to type the sound that escapes her lips. It kind of reminds me of someone who just downed an entire bottle of Mucinex. Just trust me, it's darned cute!

I'm letting her try more foods now that she has celebrated her first birthday and that rash has left the building. She has tried mandarin oranges, corn, cantaloupe, watermelon, wheat, Gerber fruit snacks, turkey sandwich (she swiped Sawyer's at the zoo), Goldfish, animal crackers, grapes (cut in itty bitty pieces), macaroni and cheese, and frozen pancakes. She wasn't too crazy about the cantaloupe or the watermelon, but I think it was a texture thing. She absolutely loves the fruit snacks! I remember Sawyer devouring them too. I think they are so gross! The Welch's ones are so much better, but they're too sticky for her to have yet. She is also on a chicken kick. She loves it boiled, grilled, baked. I'd better stop...I sound like Bubba on Forrest Gump! She is also loving cheese, Gerber dehydrated apple, pears, sweet potatoes, avocado, and bananas. I still need to introduce chocolate, tomato, tropical fruits, berries, and honey. I'm sure there are other foods, but they're escaping me now. I know Lorne had some food allergies when he was young, so I have to keep a close eye on our kids.

While I'm on the topic of eating, all four of Chloe's one-year molars have surfaced. All that remains are her incisors and she will be all set until the two-year molars make their appearance. My next task is to get her to brush them and not just mangle the toothbrush bristles!

I mentioned in the twelve month post that I wanted to get a picture of Georgia. She still carries her around all day. I figure it will only be a matter of time before Georgia starts to look like George. I didn't take the time to peruse the archives, but I think this may also be George's Aggiefamily debut.

They both wanted to bring them into a store the other day. We were in the parking lot heading to the car when I realized George must have been finishing up some shopping. I'm going to try and make a rule that they may have them in the car, but they need to stay there. I'm scatterbrained enough these days. I don't need to have to try and keep up with my two stuffed children too!

Chloe is also loving her some Daddy. Everyone is Daddy right now. It can be pretty embarrassing: the Ozarka man, the UPS man, the bearded checker at Wal-Mart (okay, so I'm pretty sure that was really a woman, but I digress). "DADDY!" is really fun to scream at the top of her lungs, too, apparently.

Not too much else to report in the words category. She is just grunting louder and gesturing more emphatically. She is trying to do more signs, but she usually just sticks her thumb on the side of her head when she wants something and claps when she wants more. She also rubs her hands together and looks to the counter top when she wants a banana. She pants when she hears Rosie or hears the bark of a dog. It blows my mind how kids learn some things very quickly and others take more time. The most important thing to me is that we're communicating, even if it isn't in the conventional manner.

On to the pictures:

This was a group effort. Sawyer was standing behind me and jumping out and saying, "Peek-a-boo" like we were doing to them on Friday, so of course she zoned in on him!

This is a pretty good shot of the right side of her forehead where she tried to roll down the driveway yesterday.

While in the crib Chloe usually lays on the blanket part so that Georgia's head is next to hers.

Here they are in all of their splendor!

Additions and Corrections

Lorne read my blog last night and informed me that I had no pictorial reference of fauna in the Arboretum entry. I inadvertently left off a picture of a squirrel. Sawyer, our poor city kid, stared at the thing forever. I couldn't help but think of all the squirrels I saw running around the two acres where I was raised. I also remembered how Dad tried to single-handedly annihilate the species every fall when the pecans emerged, but I'm working on blocking that out.

Sawyer thought it was neat that the little guy (gal?) was eating with their hands.

I also wanted to post some picture of Chloe in the sandbox. Lorne let the kids play last night while I was at Weight Watchers. It was quite a sight! He said that he had Chloe naked so that she wouldn't mess up her outfit. Does he know me or what?

She sure looks like she's having fun!

I hope this is a toy which they will be able to share for a few years.

Time for Me

I have a few posts to share today. I'm so excited that it won't take me four hours to blog! I am finding that I am getting some me time back now that Chloe is older. That is such a great feeling. I love my children with all my heart, but my time no longer being my own has been such an adjustment for me, as I'm sure it is for all moms to a certain extent.

I'm going with Denise to Weight Watchers tonight which means that I am currently starving AND dehydrated. We go to a 6:15 meeting without our kids so it has been lots of fun. We take turns driving each week and spend most of the time talking about our kids, but I guess it gets us out of the house. I have lost 45 pounds this third (and final) time around, so that means that I have 17 more to get to my goal weight. I weigh fourteen pounds less than I did when I got pregnant with Chloe so that is a step in the right direction I think.

I'm going to the gym tonight after the kids go to bed, so that will take away some of my evening free time, but for a good cause. I am finally starting to take advantage of what all the gym has to offer. I've been doing the elliptical or the treadmill three times a week, but have recently started taking a Kickbox Jam class which is held on Sunday afternoons and a circuit training class at 5:30 a.m. on Thursdays. That means I only have to spend one night on the boring machines, trying to avoid all the big screens because I watch way too much reality TV which is all on my TiVO at home, waiting patiently for me.

I am also working on a cross-stitch for Presea, so I like to have time to do that too. I told Denise that I would like to have it for her first birthday in September, but I stipulated that she might be getting it for Christmas instead! I really enjoy cross-stitch (thanks Velma for teaching me!). It's relaxing and I can't eat when I'm sewing so it's win-win.

I'm reading 1st to Die by James Patterson, which is the first book in the Women's Murder Club series. I wasted about $15 in gas last week driving to three different Half Price Books trying to find all six books already in paperback. I have enjoyed watching the show on ABC, so I figured that I would like the books too. I've read James Patterson's Alex Cross series and I love it, so I knew I would be hooked. I try to read a few chapters before I go to sleep, but reading a murder mystery thriller isn't exactly giving me sweet dreams!

Well, enough about me. Enjoy catching up with my family as we actually get a used toy for the children (first time for everything), chase Sawyer around the Arboretum, and cry with Chloe as she gets her one-year vaccinations.

It's New to Them!

Our next-door-neighbor's kids have outgrown their sandbox so Dawn offered it to us. I am normally really weird about things that aren't new. I'm not sure why I'm like that, but I have never gotten into the whole garage sale and secondhand store scene, much to Lorne's chagrin. For some reason I decided to take this sandbox. It's probably because I could see that it was in okay condition (even though she got it at a garage sale herself) and it would save us having to go out and buy one ourselves. The Easter Bunny brought the kids sand toys so it worked out perfectly. I was also thinking that it might end up in a landfill somewhere, so I thought us taking it would be a way to contribute in a small way to the environment. Yes, I have been watching Human Footprint on the National Geographic channel! I think often about trying to be less wasteful. Lorne calls me a Hippie on a weekly, if not daily, basis. I keep telling him I cannot be a Hippie because I drive an SUV and live in the suburbs.

On a side note, I recently purchased ten Envirosax which are reusable grocery bags and EcoBags which are reusable produce bags. It's more work, but I always feel better when I load up my disposable diaper wearing kids into my SUV, and leave, knowing that I have prevented another twenty or so plastic bags from ending up in our oceans or who knows where else. My only complaint with Oprah and all of the other Powers That Be begging me to "Go Green" is that they don't take into account the fact that my checkbook dives into the red to do so. Why is it so blasted expensive to eat organically and Save the Planet? Would my kids rather have a workable ecosystem or go to college? I think the jury is still out at this point. All I know is that I feel guilty when I buy a #7 plastic or spend $67 filling up the Tahoe. But hey, I'm Catholic, so guilt is a daily part of life, right? :)

OK, back to the post at hand:
The kids and I were at Home Depot at 8:15 this morning buying play sand and more flowers for the flower bed. There was a very nice lady who helped me because I didn't quite think through the logistics of getting two kids, eight plants (two being bushes), and 200 pounds of sand into the Tahoe by myself. I ended up driving home and dropping off the flowers into the garage and going back for the sand. It was worth it because Sawyer has already spent almost an hour playing in the sandbox, or should I have been thinking of the fossil fuels.......

Sawyer is so excited about his sandbox!

He realized I was taking pictures so he had to get all shy.

The Dallas Arboretum

We traveled to the Dallas Arboretum on Saturday. I can't believe that I have lived in the Dallas area for almost nine years and have never visited this landmark. We had so much fun! Sawyer actually lasted in the stroller for a little over an hour. After that we let him run around and let off some steam. Chloe, as usual, wasn't far behind.

The flowers and the grounds were really beautiful. It gave us lots of ideas of what to do with Lorne's flower bed, a work in progress that's really looking nice. The weather was perfect and the place is so huge that we couldn't really even tell if it was crowded.

We had a picnic lunch which was so neat. We chose a spot overlooking White Rock Lake. We brought a blanket, turkey sandwiches, chips, cookies, and drinks. Sawyer wasn't too interested in eating. There were too many other things for him to do. We were leaving after lunch and Sawyer spotted a little girl eating an ice cream. He soon changed his tune about eating his lunch!

I thought this hat was too cool.

What Native Texan could resist snapping a picture of this?

This is a nice view of downtown Dallas across White Rock Lake. OK, no more flora and fauna...on to the kids!

I think Sawyer used all his smiles on Friday when we had pictures made.

I tried to take Sawyer's picture on this tiny park bench, but he wanted Daddy to sit with him.

Lorne took this picture of his girls in pink next to the pink flowers.

Our family portrait, Arboretum style.

This appears to be a tranquil shot of my children, but Sawyer is actually dragging Chloe across the lawn!

I stayed with Chloe while she finished her lunch.

Sawyer in the act of rolling down the hill. I showed him how, but I didn't think we needed to capture that taking place!

Better Late Than Never

Chloe had her one-year well-check last Tuesday. As previously posted, she had an appointment on March 25, but that was when she had her ear infection. I rescheduled again when we had the stomach bug. The office called at 8:00 that morning to tell me that Dr. Darrow was ill and we needed to reschedule. I told them that this would be the third time I had rescheduled the appointment so they said that she could see another doctor. I figured that would be fine since I didn't have any major concerns.

Chloe weighs 22 pounds and is 31 inches long. She is the 70th percentile for her weight and 95th for her height. Her head circumference is the 70th percentile too which is crazy. Her head is really growing! I'm just glad it decided to do so postpartum! It made my job back in March of 2007 much easier!

I looked up Sawyer's one-year stats and he weighed the same, but was 29 3/4 inches long. I know that I shouldn't compare my kids, but I just find it interesting to see how they're growing in relation to one another.

The worst part was at the end when they did the shots. My kids have always had the combined shots, so they have had two pricks at the most; one in each leg. According to the nurse, those are apparently off the market now, so Chloe had four individual needle pricks. I think that must be due to the debate swirling around the correlation between vaccinations and autism. Not only that, but there are usually two nurses who do two simultaneously, but she didn't even get that luxury. She actually didn't cry all that loudly or for too long, though. I've decided that she has Lorne's high pain tolerance. Here's hoping she also has Lorne's frugality, common sense, and even keel! Could I throw in his dry wit for good measure?

We're FINALLY Well! (Maybe)

I have finally been able to catch up on blogging tonight. We got back home from Van Vleck late Sunday night. Chloe woke us up at 1:00 that morning and that was the official start of our week of The Stomach Virus That Wouldn't Leave. All four of us have had it at one time or another and one form or another this week. It has been horrible.

I feel the worst for Chloe. Her nose started running on March 3rd, then she got some kind of viral rash, an ear infection quickly followed, and now the stomach virus. She is probably wondering what the hell is going on! Things haven't been much better for Sawyer since he had a runny nose too, then strep, and then the stomach virus.

We're going to try and go back to see Miss Linda at Sawyer's little class through Plano Parks & Rec. The fourth and last class is Monday and he's only been able to go to the first one. He had strep for the second one and the stomach virus for the third.

I feel like we're in some kind of vacuum. I have rescheduled Chloe's one-year well-check twice and her birthday and Easter pictures twice. I had the well-check scheduled and we actually went. That was when they told me that she had an ear infection and we had to come back in two weeks. I got to where I was actually longing for normalcy and the ability to do laundry or cook a meal...what's up with that? We'll try to go the pediatrician on Tuesday and take pictures on Friday. Everyone cross your fingers...

Poor Lorne only worked half a day Monday because I called him begging him to come home because I couldn't even hold up my head. He took Tuesday off because I slept all day. I haven't spent that much time on the couch since I've had children. We were having lunch Wednesday when I heard the garage door which could only mean one thing; Lorne was getting sick too. He spent the rest of Wednesday and Thursday in bed and returned to work Friday.

We were all on the BRAT diet all week. I kept thinking Chloe was probably getting tired of bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast until I remembered that she was on a total liquid diet for six months so she probably didn't really care. There were so many banana peels in the trash that you would have thought a family of monkeys had moved in!

We got out of the house today and went to the zoo. It was awesome! The weather was absolutely beautiful and the kids hadn't left the house since Sunday and I'd only left to get more bananas and to pick up the Camry from the body shop (more on that down the page).

I've gotten all caught up with pictures from Easter, Chloe's birthday, Chloe's first haircut, and our trip to VV this past weekend. I organized them under the dates in which they actually happened even though I've only blogged it all tonight.

I hate to make empty promises so I won't even mention that I plan to blog again this week, or even the next. Just know, my loyal readers, that I so appreciate everyone who takes the time to peruse my little piece of cyberspace and I will update as soon as I can!

A Weekend without Daddy

The kids and I traveled to Van Vleck this weekend for Tracy's graduation party. Lorne has been super busy at work so he told me that if I wanted to go to the party I would have to go without him. I didn't want to miss it so away we went! I was so proud of myself for making the trek sans Lorne.

I think my saving graces were having Chloe forward-facing in her carseat now that she is twenty pounds and one year and having the DVD player. It's crazy to think that we had one TV in our house for most of my childhood and my kids already have one in their car. I can already tell that I am going to be one of those parents who constantly tell their kids, "When I was your age...."

Mom worked Friday and Velma was off so we spent the day with Nana and Poppa. Sawyer loves to spend time in their yard and try to throw rocks in Poppa's fish pond. He also likes to bring out his wagon and pull it around. Their yard is huge and shady and their porch is very inviting so it's the perfect place to spend the afternoon.

We spent Saturday with Mom, Matthew, Jackie, and Kayla. We stopped and put flowers at Aunt Tisha's grave before we went to Needville. It's hard to believe that April 7th will be the two-year anniversary of her passing. I was so happy to see other flowers there. It warms my heart to know that others are visiting her since I am so far away and unable to do so as often as I would like. I talk to her often and remember her in my prayers daily, so I know that she hears me whether I am actually there or not.

The kids had so much fun playing. Jackie had all sorts of bubbles and that was tons of fun. She also brought out the sidewalk chalk and Sawyer loves playing with that. We stopped and got Subway so we had that for lunch. All three kids even got a nap. It was a really fun day!

Jackie brought out her sunbathing chairs. Please note that Sawyer is only borrowing one of Kayla's pink sweaters because it was chilly. I don't normally dress my son in pink I promise! Last time we were in VV I had to buy shorts at Wal-Mart because it was so hot. This time I only packed shorts and they got a cool front!

We could either get Mom, or the kids, to look at the camera, but not all four at the same time.

All the kids had fun in the swing.

Chloe patiently waited for the bigger kids to move on to something else so she could play with the bubbles.

Ditto with the chalk.

Chloe loved this little rocker.

Sunday was Tracy's party in Richmond so we headed to Sugar Land that morning and spent time with Uncle Ty, Aunt Jamie, Brittany, Tyler, and Jordan. Sawyer stayed with them while Chloe and I went to the party. Larry and Velma also came for a visit and to bring Tyler his birthday present as he was turning 15 on Tuesday.

Sawyer had a blast playing with Jordan again. He also watered all of Aunt Jamie's plants thousands of times. The boy has a thing for water. I'm hoping both kids can stay with them when we go to Tracy's graduation ceremony in June.

I got Tracy a James Avery 2012 charm and Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss.

What a beautiful young woman Tracy has become!

Aunt Net had a gift for Chloe so we went to her house after the party. Kayla rode over with us. She wanted to ride with us again when we were leaving Aunt Net's...too cute!