Talent

I know it's just coloring... but how talented is Zoe??? I mean... she just turned 3 at the end of June. I personally am pretty impressed with her fine motor skills. She did this completely by herself. I guess she's been getting a lot of practice since coloring is what she tends to do while Ana is nursing (which seems to be ALL THE TIME!).

I do believe Tink needs to worry a little bit more about the sun. She should definitely up her SPF.

Wordless Wednesday - Who's who?

Ok... sorry... I thought it could be wordless... but I need a few words after all.

This is Zoe at 2 weeks old.

This is Ana at 2 weeks old.
I seriously think I need to go back and start putting their names on the back of pictures.

How am I doing?

I've had a few e-mails asking how I'm doing. I'm really not ignoring you! I promise.

Except for time getting away from me... things are going pretty well. I really have so much I want to post, but I sit at the computer and something more important comes up. Someone wants to nurse (breastfeeding is going so much better now than it was a few weeks ago) or someone wants to color (I have to scan some of Zoe's coloring... it's amazing how careful she is) or someone decides a shower or breakfast is more important during the quiet moments. Something just needs doing more than blog posting and commenting (even when I've got time to read!). But... I want to just shortly tell you how we're doing.

Zoe is amazing and just loves Ana to pieces. I really was prepared for her to be jealous and have a hard time since she had me all to herself staying home for 3 years. But she just loves her sister. She is totally a little mommy. She's very ready for her school to start again though. She misses her little friends and has started talking about "Colin and Alexa and Jordan and Kiera and Elizabeth etc etc" non stop.

Zoe's newest obsession... the scooter she borrowed from our neighbors...

And Ana... well she's getting too big too fast. I'm packing up the newborn sized clothes to get rid of and it makes me sad. No more teeny tiny newborn. I even moved up the straps on the car seat. It's like I put one baby to bed one night and then the next morning someone had replaced her with the bigger version.

Ana's newest milestone... smiling!!! I caught her very first real smiles (sort of). I'll have to keep trying to catch a better video. Until I do... there's this...

So... how am I doing? I'm just great. I think we're adjusting well. If you miss seeing me online as much as I used to be... just think of me loving on my girls. Pretty soon school will start... and Ana will get more of a schedule. I'll be back to posting and commenting more soon. Promise.

Today

Today Ana is 6 weeks old.

Today Ana had an ultrasound done on her hips. (because her big sister, Zoe, was born with bi-lateral hip dysplasia, and that meant we had a 1 in 100 chance that Ana would also have some hip issues.)

Today an ultrasound technician told me Ana's hips looked "beautiful". (She also told me she was born with hip dysplasia... and was so happy that such treatments and test were now available... because very little was out there when she was born)

Today a pediatric radiologist looked at Ana's films and told the ultrasound technician that we had nothing to talk about... everything looked good.

Today my pediatrician called to say they had heard from the radiology department and were confirming that Ana's hip ultrasound readings were "well within normal limits".

Today one mommy shed a few happy tears of relief.

I knew her hips were just fine... but I guess I still worried.

That's us mommies. We worry.

Wordless Wednesday - Silly Faces

Sometimes I just can't control myself.

Click.
Click.
Click.
Click.
"OK! Mommy... seriously... I'm sleeping here. Could ya quit with the clicking and flashing already??? I mean, really, don't you appreciate the sleeping?Umm... Click... sorry.

I have 2 dozen shots EXACTLY LIKE THESE. I think I need help. Maybe an intervention?

Wiggle You Hips!!!

Nick will say he's going outside to water the grass. In reality, 1/2 the time he ends up watering Zoe too. (You'll notice that Zoe does NOT like her bare feet in the grass.)



I LOVE this video. If you listen when I ask "What are you doing?" you can hear Zoe say "Wiggle You Hips!!!" For anyone who has had to deal with hip dysplasia you can truly understand what joy this silly video brings. Even though we don't even have to think about scheduling a follow up x-ray for 2 whole years... it's still a constant in the back of my mind.

More catching up...

Another week gone by. It's just going too quickly. Sometimes I feel like Ana was just born yesterday... and sometimes I feel like she's been in our family forever. These are pictures from her 3rd week.

We had a very nice visit from my Aunt Nancy (One of my Dad's sisters. He has 5 sisters and 1 brother). She also lives in Florida now... but comes back to NJ and to PA to visit.
I caught Zoe entertaining Ana. I snapped a couple photos... but am so happy I had the Flip recorder on hand!!!

Oh Grammy and PopPop... we miss you oh so much. (I'm such a sap... I need a tissue now)
A little sunbathing at poolside while Zoe has her swim lesson.
3 week photo shoot. Ana is still not quite sure she wants to go along with this process. Luckily after the "1 month shot" we'll space it out a little more.

Fun in the Sun

In the midst of all the "Ana, Ana, Ana" let's not forget about Zoe.

Zoe is still LOVING the pool.
She just can't get enough.
Just check her out! She'd live under the water if she could figure out how.

Just so ya know...

if you happen to come by our house for a visit... you will be expected to do a puzzle (or 10).



You might as well not even consider coming over if you're not willing to do some puzzles with Zoe. She will not take no for an answer. You WILL do a puzzle.

Ana's 2nd week

Ana's 2nd week was my first week home "on my own" with 2 girls. Really... I wasn't alone too much. We had quite a few visitors (although I didn't remember the camera for everyone)... and my parents were still here in NJ with us. But, Nick was back to work.

Ana with (Uncle) Scott. (Scott is my mom's brother... but I've never ever called him Uncle Scott. Just Scott.)

Zoe and Ana with my cousins Mayci and Travis.

It was a week of cousins. Zoe and Ana with their cousins Alex, Nina, and Larisa. (So... when do I start getting tips on how to get multiple children to all look towards the camera all at the same time?)

A sleepy sleepy Ana.

Ana was much happier for her 2 week old photo shoot! She was happy to just stay on the floor for quite a long time, so I just clicked away. Would you just take a look at those long skinny string bean legs?

Here is a close up while she was still content on the ladybug blanket. This is the first really good shot of her eyes wide open. They are the darkest blue I've ever seen. I'm wondering if they will stay this color or change.

Looking back at Ana's 1st week

Another Ana fix (with a tiny bit of Zoe). Maybe I'll temporarily become a wordless blog. I'm finding that once I take the (few) pictures I've been taking... and upload them... and do minimal editing... I barely have time to think about sharing them with family and friends on Snapfish AND blog them, too. Words? Who has time for words?

Here are some pics from the rest of Ana's first week during the days after we were home from the hospital.

Tiny peanut. Ana was 7lbs 8 oz at birth, and 6lbs 13 oz when we brought her home. (Now... at 4 weeks... she weighs 8lbs 15 oz. I guess we're successfully breastfeeding.)

This could very well be the cutest outfit ever.
My, oh my... Zoe could very well be the best big sister ever.


Ana was not the least bit happy about her "birthday" photo shoot.
I did this with Zoe... and am going to torture Ana by doing it to her, too. We had a bound book made on Snapfish for Zoe's 1st year and her 2nd year. By her 2nd birthday I couldn't do it anymore. It was so hard to remember to take the shot every "birthday" and then it would take a couple dozen shots to get a good one. Hopefully Ana and I will make it to two books... they really were worth the effort.

I'll try to post 2nd week shots later. Maybe I'll catch up to the present soon? And maybe, eventually, I'll have to write up some birth stories. Until then... enjoy gushing over pictures with me!

Here She Is

Ana is 4 weeks old (and her 1 month birthday is Sunday). I figured I better start to post some pictures before it's time to send her off to college or before one (or many) of you hunts me down in order to see some Ana pics!!!). I cannot believe 4 weeks have passed. Time is already flying.

One day I will get around to real posts. But I can get pictures posted without too much thought or time (and I'm finding I can even do it while Zoe is standing next to me or sitting at my feet chit chatting away about normal 3 year old random thoughts. I can't write real posts with her chatter.)

So... for a start... Ana pictures from the hospital (all safe, non gooey ones!)













I'm off to sing and dance with Zoe before Ana makes herself known this morning.
Next up... some more shots from Ana's first week of life at home.

Grrr...

I finally sit down to write up a post... and mostly post a few (million) pictures... and Blogger won't let me.

GRRRRRR!!!!!

Strawberry Picking

Once upon a time... a long time ago (OK, fine it was just June 20th... it sure seems like a LONG time ago) in a place far far away (um, yeah, Chester, NJ... I guess it is only about 15 or 20 minutes from here) in a world totally unlike the one where we live now (you just try and tell me that the addition of a newborn doesn't completely change your world)...we went strawberry picking.

Just over a month ago but how life has changed. I was pregnant. Zoe was an only child. Just thought I'd share these shots before venturing off into the posting of life as it is now.

The strawberries were delicious, by the way.