Zoe's baby

Some things to remember.

This week Zoe intended to brush Piper's hair. This morning I finally was able to describe their play. It is interestingly like a pack of feral dogs. They love each other, stick together, and yet if one gets too close to a toy there is an immediate and viscous reaction indicated by shrieking, screaming, and potentially flailing and teeth baring. I intervene, or the situation resolves itself and we go back to a happy wolf cub pack. So, Zoe went at Piper to brush her hair. Said viscousness erupted. I was washing my face and remembered that earlier Zoe tugged her doll out of her crib and was mothering it. So I instructed through soapy eyes, "Zoe, go brush your baby's hair."

"OOOOOOOtay!" She said. I went back to washing my face.

A few minutes later I heard sleeping Noah stirring in the monitor. I'd just put him down to nap and the 20 minutes wasn't a long enough sleep for him. I went to check on him and discovered Zoe had opened his door, climbed up the side of his crib and was reaching in with the brush and combing is nearly bald head. He was arched up as high as he could be from his tummy grinning wildly. I laughed and then Z and I had another talk about not going into her brother's room when he is asleep. My freshly groomed Noah skipped the rest of his nap.

Our day today has not been so eventful, little girl wise. Zoe is currently napping. Piper is playing with the Little People city. She has some quarter sized plastic lady bugs that are taking turns swinging on the Little People swing and riding a motorcycle. She is talking in her pretend voice which is really high pitched and they are saying "okay, now its my turn." Noah is laying under his play gym blowing bubbles and cooing at the monkey. He started rolling over from his stomach to his back yesterday! That's the hard one for our babies Brandon is helping with the garage sale a street over and I am taking it all in. This is August so far.

justice?

baby lemons, I hope they are growing in this 104 degree June

Noah, almost 4 months.  He is definitely growing.

A little photo essay.  

The heat calls for vigilante justice.  Apparently.

Oh Zoe

It was too quiet.  Brandon went searching and heard a flush.  There, in the bathroom, was Zoe.

Completely naked.  Flushing her diaper.   

Summertime

 by Piper

The pool is fun

Mosquitos are not fun

They eat somebody 

Ouch

the last night in May

Noah is about the smiliest baby ever to have slept (or not slept) in this house.  He lights up at everyone, and not just with a smile, but this enormous grin that takes over his whole face.  I haven't caught it on camera yet, because even though he's been doing this for 7 weeks now, I still can't put him down to take a picture.  He's too sweet.  Noah also coos.  And I mean, the boy talks.  He has more to coo about than our very social girls did as babies.  He will giggle and "ooh" for anyone and has started that developmental bubble blowing.  I love hanging out with him.  The middle of the nights are sweet although, I'm ready to sleep.  Its been a long time.  He is consistently waking up between 3 and 4 am, and is so hungry he gasps as he eats.  I hope that soon, some of this food will stick to him and he'll sleep say maybe 7-8 hours.  That might mean I'll sleep more than 4-5 hours at a stretch.  I'm not complaining.  I think someday I'll long for these sweet nights again.

I wanted to have our kids soclosetogether so that they'd always have each other.  Now the babies have come and our routine as a family begun.  Zoe is working on growing teeth lately, which makes her sleep late.  One of these mornings, Noah was back down for a nap, and the normal breakfast routine included only Piper and me.  Piper talked away, welcoming her day.  She chattered and observed, and asked lots of questions.  I bumped around, half awake, messing with the french press, and tried to keep up.  And I thought "wow I'm glad we have Zoe," all 20 months of her.  I had no idea how quiet I am in the mornings and how much they talk and play then.

She and Piper love each other well for being so little.  They hold hands, giggle, and really enjoy being together.  They each slip off to play by themselves at times, but for the most part stick together.  I'm curious how the next few weeks will go as we put Zoe and Piper back in the same room to sleep at night.  We separated them when Zoe was about 8 months old, so they've had their own "space" for as long as each can remember at this point.  I've been talking it up with Piper and she is happy about it as long as Zoe is still in a crib, and not a big girl bed.

Once the girls are settled, Noah gets a room, and I get my closet back.  Noah currently and this minute is curled up on a crib mattress that's laying in the middle of my closet floor.  I'm trying to move everyone now, because I expect him to start rolling in a few weeks and this arrangement will no longer be sufficient.  He'll land in shoes if he rolls too far.

Brandon is back from playing basketball now so we're going to sleep.  I'm turning off the PBS documentary on cows, and posting my note.

sundaynight

I have no photo of the crane yet, but that's not what you really came to see, right?

little guy

lazy rainy day

sweet zo

boogie bunny

Backyard Crane

B made a little video with the footage he shot today, trying out the crane that he built yesterday. I've been in bed with a fever all day so I missed out on the fun. The crane is really cool, and I'm excited about what we can do with it.