Busy week! (Simon's First Somersault)

Lots of fun with Stacey this week... An Olympics session, a scary bear, and some pushups from Lillian.

Lillian's 4 Month Well Visit

We visited the doctor today for Lillian's 4 month well visit. She is 50% for weight and 50% for height. The doctor said that Lillian is a very healthy, happy baby - which we knew! As soon as the doctor came in Lillian started talking up a storm and Dr Perlman kept laughing at how vocal she was the whole appointment. Literally any time either of us started to talk Lillian joined in. The doctor was very impressed by how well she was standing and said she looks strong with her pushups. She confirmed that Lillian definitely has the strength to roll over, she just has to figure out how to make all those muscles move together! Dr Perlman also confirmed Lilly's sudden love of a drool covered chin is the result of teething, but sadly couldn't feel any teeth coming through (I thought I felt some, but apparently it was wishful thinking). Doc said it could be months before we see anything breaking through, which did not make me or my slobbery Lillian very happy. Lillian took her 4 month vaccines with a whole lot of tears since she was both sleepy and hungry when she got the shots, but a bit of food fixed her right up. I expect her to sleep well tonight because the vaccines really take it out of her. Maybe we'll get a whole night sleep! (Trying not to hope for this too hard!)

Height: 24.5 inches
Weight: 13 pounds 14 oz
Head Circumference: 15.75 inches

Tuesday Train Ride

Tyler, Karmen and Simon went to a mall in the suburbs today that has a big train that kids can ride free. They look like they had a blast!

Heading to the train!

Cheese!

Close up in the train car.

Happy kids...

Simon holding Lillian

Lillian is 4 months, Simon 2 and a half.

Watching the snow - look familiar?

In the winter, Basque Babies like to look out at the big front window at the snow and people passing by.

Lillian at 4 months (Feb 16, 2014)

Simon at 7 months (Jan 12, 2012)

Lillian is 4 months

Four months already! Lillian is finally sleeping better and in longer stretches. She regularly sleeps from 10 until 3 now and will occasionally sleep from 10-6 or from 8-3. (One glorious night it was from 8-6). She totally adores her brother and will fuss if she isn't positioned so she can see him when she's awake. She has no problem eating straight from the tap, but doesn't love the pumped milk bottles - though she will take them. Unfortunately, lately Lillian has been crying a lot more during the day than she previously has - but we haven't figured out what is causing it beyond sometimes she wants to be held and sometimes she doesn't (either will cause tears). We are trying to start her on a sleeping/eating routine, but as of now it's still in the air. She did sleep the last two nights in her cradle, not the rock-n-play, which is the first big step toward the routine. The trick appears to be swaddling her! She usually is a very happy baby, usually ready with a big smile for you and a laugh if you do anything remotely funny. She is a drool factory and she will put anything that she closes her hand around straight into her mouth. If there is nothing in her hand, then she is just as happy putting the whole hand into her mouth. It's pretty funny when one hand grabs the other and then she fights to shove both hands into her mouth. I think all the mouth action is because she seems to be getting her upper two teeth, but I also think she is borderline about being a thumb sucker. She rarely takes a pacifier, though we haven't stopped offering them. She spends Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with Jenn and Simon, Tuesdays with just Stacey and Thursdays with Stacey and Simon. Weekends with the whole family!

Week of weather!

Monday it snowed around 8 inches....

So while Lillian was napping I let Simon go out and play in it!! He didn't last long since it was so cold!

Wednesday is was icy so we played car wash!

And Friday was summer so Lilly kicked off her pants!! Only kidding....this was mid outfit change :)

Here Comes the Tongue

Our morning...

Alan: Simon, what are you doing?
Simon, from the bathroom: Just putting it away...
Alan, with great concern in his voice: Putting what away?

Sunday Sunday Sunday!

Happy Valentines Day!

Auntie Amy Visit (Feb 7 to Feb 10)

Last weekend we had a great visit from Auntie Amy. Though the visit was quick we fit lots in... play-dough, sleeping in (for us, not Amy) lots of time with Dr Simon, shots in the toe, Lillian Laughs, some teething and surprisingly little spit up. Amy even watched the kids while Alan and I went to a movie! It was the first movie we've seen since July, so we were pretty excited and happy with our choice of the Lego Movie. (Everything Is Awesome is my new favorite song.)

Happy Wednesday

Laughing Lillian

Stacey got Lillian laughing!  

Simonwood Derby

On Sunday Simon and I built some tracks to race his different cars and trains against each other.  We tried lots of different matchups and gradually eliminated the pool of contenders until we were left with a high-powered final race: Lightning McQueen vs. Thomas the Train.  Two of Simon's favorites (I think some of the results may have been fixed), but not exactly a fair race.  Piston Cup champion Lightning McQueen easily crushed Thomas as we confirmed once and for all that freight trains are not faster than race cars.

Snowball fight

Last weekend we had another big snowstorm.  Simon kept asking to go do things outside ("let's play baseball! let's ride bicycles!") that we had to say no to because the weather was bad, and he was starting to really get frustrated with the winter.  So we got all bundled up to see if we could have some fun outside even though there was a ton of snow.  We ended up having a great time playing around in the snow for over two hours: having a snowball fight, building part of a snowman, and even doing a little sledding.

Funday Punday!

Hello all! Simon and Stacey here! 

Much to Stacey's surprise, Simon loves puns. Especially snow puns!

So while we were out sledding, we were laughing so hard because we came up with so many! These were our favorite two:

"Snow wonder we're friends!"

"Gotta put on our Snow-veralls!"

Dr. Jenn and Dr. Simon at your service

You might not know....but doctors wear glasses according to Dr. Simon. 

Hoarder Simon

Pretty girl!

Super Bowl Sunday

Since Simon loves football so much, we figured he had to see the last game of the year. Unfortunately it started at 5:30, which is right at the end of dinner and about time for him to go upstairs for bed. We decided to watch the pregame show and have a special picnic dinner of nachos watching TV. 

We laid out a blanket and set up a special place mat (food stays on the mat!) and Simon LOVED it. Football, eating on the rug, watching TV during dinner, eating nachos for dinner - so many things to love. I think we have a new Super Bowl tradition. 

Lillian Laughs!

Lillian laughed last week for both Jenn and Stacey and as a result both Alan and I tried like crazy to make her laugh for us all weekend. We did finally hear it (a super cute, happy noise that sounds a bit like a coo with a catch in the middle) but she did it on her own terms - so despite many minutes of video there is no recording of her laughing. However the below videos have some great expressions - smiles, muppet sad face, amazement at both mama and daddy's funny faces. Luckily because I'm the video taker you can't see any of my funny faces.

In the morning Lillian was dressed for Super Bowl Sunday. She threw up on these mid-day though and moved on to outfit number three for the day for the next video. Muppet sad face shows up in this one a few times.

She had *just* laughed for us so I pulled out my phone thinking I could catch it for you. As a result, this was taken during Super Bowl half time and you can see the colors reflected on the back of her head.  

Homemade noodles

I got a noodle making attachment to my kitchen aide for Christmas and last Sunday Colleen and Joe came over so Colleen and I could make noodles. We had a noodle off and each made our own set. I used my machine and Colleen rolled hers out by hand. We made a super quick, lovely sauce with a fresh tomato and basil base with parmesan cheese. It was a great afternoon with a delicious result!

My homemade noodles, cooked.

Sauce before basil.

Yum