Zoe's now 6 months

Today was her 6 month checkup

Weight: 17lbs. 8 oz. --75th percentile
Height: 26in. --50-75th percentile
Head: 42.5cm -- 50th percentile

What Zoe's doing:

sitting up
loves her Jumperoo
HATES food, I have tried the rice cereal and veggies but she just gags and spits it all out. The doctor said to keep trying but it's probably the texture she doesn't like.
She was sleeping 10-11 hours a night before she got sick. I'm hoping she will return to that schedule once she's better.

She does really well playing by herself or being entertained by Maeley and Chase.

If you give her your attention she will just light up and smile. She is such a sweet baby!

She gives hugs and kisses too. She will wrap her arms around our neck and sometimes tries sucking on our cheeks or chin. It's pretty cute.

She loves to pull my hair. It's driving me crazy!

and much more, I just can't think of them all

We call her pudgy.

See those dimples, cute as can be!

A few weeks back I was changing her diaper and Maeley was sitting next to Zoe with a bowl of bunny marshmallows. Zoe reached over tipped the bowl over and grabbed a marshmallow and immediately put it to her mouth. She really liked it, well the small taste I let her have before taking it away. I'm thinking she'd do great with a teething biscuit.

Our little princesses

Maeley loves to dress up in her princess dresses and when she was one for Halloween she was Snow White. Considering how much bigger Zoe is than Maeley was at this age we've realized that Zoe will not be able to wear the same costume this Halloween. A couple weeks back I dug out the costume while Maeley had her Princess Aurora dress on so they could play dress up together. Obviously it was more exciting to Maeley than Zoe but of course I took pictures.

Zoe dressed as Snow White

Maeley & Zoe

I'm a brunette now

Saturday night I mentioned to Derek I've thought about dying my hair again for something different. He liked the idea and was willing to do it for me. We needed to get some groceries so we bought a box there. I've had some horrible experiences with grocery store box dye so why I chose that route again boggles my mind. Lucky for us it worked without going red/orange (that's happened every other time). Derek and I really like the outcome.

Too funny

This morning Chase & Maeley were eating baby carrots as a snack and I noticed Chase doing this.

Apparently Chase thought is was more fun to stuff them up his nose than eat them.

Sick kiddos

Unfortunately whatever is going around our kids have caught it. Last week Maeley started off having a stomach bug for a couple days then she caught a cold which Chase and Zoe already had. Maeley now only has a cough. Chase has a cough and stuffy nose. Poor Zoe, I just got back from the doctor with her. She has an ear infection in her right ear along with a horrible cough and stuffy nose. We all missed church Sunday because of this and yesterday Derek stayed home from work because I wasn't feeling well so he was a huge help with the kids. I can't wait until everyone is feeling better. I'm so tired of all the coughing.

On a side note, Zoe weighted 17 1/2 lbs today. Smaller than I thought. She is very pudgy but oh so adorable!

Chase got a haircut

Chase's hair had become very shaggy so Derek buzzed his head again. Now he rubs his head and says "Dad!" I'm not sure if Chase is saying that because Derek shaved his head or because Derek also has a shaved head.

Before

During

He did a great job sitting still.

After

He look so different. But he is still so cute!

While Derek was shaving Chase's hair Zoe was sitting on our bed playing. Maeley sits next to her and starts talking to her. "Look Zoe, Chase has a fuzz head like you." Derek and I had to laugh at that. Just too funny. Zoe is practically bald. She does have some hair but it's so light.

Maeley also got a hair cut but I only cut about an inch of the back. After I was done she said, "Never cut my hair again, Mom. Next time we go to the haircut store." She's a funny kid.

Poor little Miss Maeley

Last night after I got Maeley in her pajamas she coughed and said she didn't feel good. I didn't think to much about it and tucked the kids in bed. Only a few hours late she woke up came to our room and said there is something in her bed. She had thrown up in her bed. Thankfully Derek, who can tolerate that so much better than me, striped her bed and put it in the wash. She then slept on the couch. It was so strange this morning when she took nearly a 2 hour nap. She never naps. Luckily she seems to be over it and is herself again. I really hope the rest of us don't get whatever she had.

It's funny how she's holding her cup.

Easter

Well Easter didn't quite go as I thought, but that's okay. We were supposed to come back from Gilbert Saturday night after Zoe's nighttime feeding about 8pm. Just a few miles after leaving my parents house Derek mentions how tired he is. So he calls his sister Kari and asks if we can stay the night. She graciously said yes. Maeley, Chase and Zoe were asleep by the time we got to their house. We left about 7:30 Sunday morning and made it home at 9:30. We had to rush and get ready for church at 11. After church we came home changed our clothes and headed to my aunts house for Easter dinner. There was an egg hunt for the kids afterward. We stayed around a visited awhile and got home around 6ish. The Easter Bunny hadn't come yet because we were so busy so we told the kids that the Easter Bunny called us and said if the kids sit in their room then he'll come and leave the gifts. Maeley and Chase were thrilled to see Easter eggs around the family room. He also left a movie for everyone, Bedtime stories. We quickly got the kids bathed and had movie night while the kids ate candy. Derek and I both enjoyed the movie. I think Maeley has watched in 3 times since then. Thankfully the kids both fell asleep at the end of the movie. What a busy nonstop day.

Chase fell asleep in Derek's lap, Maeley on the floor in her sleeping bag.

finding the eggs

Chase eating a Peep

Zoe looking at the movie

Parker J's 3rd birthday party

One of the reasons why we went to Gilbert Saturday was for Parker's 3rd birthday party. Phil and Stephanie (Derek's brother and his wife) are planning on moving to Colorado in June so we want to see them a few times before they leave. Like I mentioned in my previous post, nobody knew we were coming. The party was at Peter Piper Pizza so when we got to the table Derek said "So I heard theres a party." Everyone turned to look at us. It took them a second to realize that we weren't supposed to be there. It made Stephanie's day. We are so glad we went, it was nice to see almost all the family.

Chase and Maeley had a great time playing the games. Chase loved playing the game where you roll the balls up to get points. He must have played that game half a dozen times. It was really funny because he would take Great Grandma Jones' hand and have her take him to play the games. I think she thought that was special. Chase really is a sweet kid. Maeley liked going through the tunnels to go down the slide and she especially liked getting tickets to buy a toy. We ended up getting them each a cup that has a crazy straw that wraps around it.

Braden, Kari, Chase and Maeley

Stephanie and Braden

Parker getting ready to blow out his candle

Parker J the birthday boy

Surprise trip to Gilbert

Saturday morning we woke up about 6 and said let's go. We didn't call ahead and let anybody know we were on our way so it way fun to just show up at my parents house. Obviously my mom was beyond thrilled.

On our way up we had to stop so I could feed Zoe. Derek got out and let the kids run around with Ella. It rained most of our way up. I love rainy days!

We had Ella in her cage in the back but after the stop I decided I would hold her. Maeley then asked to hold her so she did, all the way there.

Maeley and Chase had so much fun playing at my parents house.

3 little babies

A few days ago I put Zoe in her crib with her mobile on so I could do some cleaning. She loves watching the birds fly. Chase then wanted to get in too, and soon after Maeley. All of these kids have loved this mobile. That was actually the first thing Maeley really laughed at.

I think Zoe enjoyed the extra company.

Should I be worried?

Maeley loves to do my hair whenever I let her. Last week she decided she wanted to cover my head full of bows. I must have had about 20 in my hair. Chase woke up before I had a chance to take them out and he kinda looked at my funny. I then told him Maeley did my hair and asked him if he liked it. He said, "yeah". Yeah is his answer to almost everything. Well I'm not sure who's idea it was but Maeley then began doing Chase's hair.

He may look sad in this picture, but he was enjoying it.

"When I was a tiny kid"

Maeley is always saying "when I was a tiny kid" and then telling us something she did. Here is a sample of things she's been saying.

When I was a tiny kid...
I went to Disneyland and saw Snow White and Buzz (that was from her first visit in May 2006)
I lived at Linus' house (that would be Derek's parents house, Linus is their dog)
I went to the big mountains (that would be Mt. Lemmon when we went in Sept. 2008)
I rode the yellow submarine (that was this last Disneyland trip in Dec. 2008)
We went to the library (that was only a week and a half ago)

Derek has begun carpooling to work because of a shortage in parking spots at the job site. Yesterday was the first day that the other guy drove. When Maeley woke up she asked where Dad was. I told her that he was at work. Maeley then asked, "did he walk?" I thought that was pretty funny. She must have looked out her window and noticed his truck was still here.

Chase and his dog

Chase just loves having a dog around. A couple weeks ago when I went to check on him outside I found this.

His smile in this picture is just too cute!

He is growing up way too fast. He talks all the time and makes us laugh. He learned what sound a cat makes but instead of saying "meow" it sounds more like "wow". At dinner a few nights ago I wanted Derek to hear it so Chase started saying "wow" then went on to talk to Zoe saying "wow baby". It was probably one of those moments were you just had to be there, hearing his voice and seeing his facial expressions. Simply priceless. We just love our little guy.

Red Velvet Cake and other events

Our tradition for Derek's birthday has always been Joe's BBQ for lunch. It wasn't do-able this year because we live in Tucson now. So the kids and I took Derek to El Charro Cafe instead. There are several around town and haven't had been out for any Mexican food yet (we've been here now 9 months). Anyways, the food was okay, and I didn't care much for their chips and salsa. For dinner Derek had picked out some steaks to grill with a cinnamon chipolte rub. I made him a Red Velvet cake. I made it from scratch.

Here is Derek blowing out his invisible candles.

I didn't know it was going to be such a big deal not having candles.

The kids anxious for a slice of cake.

Yummy!

Zoe is now sitting up! I love this stage. They don't go anywhere, and are more content sitting and entertaining themselves. Chase is begining to potty train. About a week ago he really started going frequently in the potty. We rarely change a poopy diaper now. There is still a ways to go but we are so happy he's interested at such a young age. Maeley is funny. She has been saying some pretty funny things lately. For example, yesterday when I told her that dad was on his way home from work she got really excited and said, "yay, dad gets to open presents!" I asked her, "did you get him presents? Because I didn't" (I gave him his shoes weeks ago, I'm not good with surprises). She goes on to say, "then we need to go to the store and get him some." I didn't even think about that. I should have had the kids pick something out at the store but I rarely go anywhere without Derek. Oh, also several people have asked if Maeley has gotten a hair cut. The answer is no. In fact she refuses to let me trim even her bangs. So we are growing out her bangs and her hair never has grown evenly so the sides are shorter than the back which in most pictures makes it look layered.

Chase going in to give Zoe a kiss.

Cute kids