The Rozells

First Day of School 2010

2010-09-09T21:03:00.005-04:00

Both girls started pre-school this year 2 days/week. Here are some pictures from their first day of school. They both did good and seemed to enjoy their day.

Lila Turns 16 Months Old

2010-09-06T21:24:00.001-04:00

You are a full-fledged toddler, Little One. Your "babyness" is almost gone (except for when you cuddle in our arms when you're upset/nervous or needing some sleep). Even your knees have evidence of your new stage of life ... they are covered by scrapes and bruises these days, courtesy of your new walking/running/climbing skills. Bactine, bandages, and a few kisses are never far away!

As you enter this new stage of life, your personality continues to emerge. Recently, I have noticed that you are quite a ham. Whether its shaking your head back and forth wildly to “dance,” popping a raspberry on the tip of your finger, or making a funny noise, you wait for a reaction, smile coyly, and then continue on with pure amusement. Usually, giggles abound from your sister and that is enough to keep you going for a while. You also continue to be quite strong-willed and are starting to learn how to exert your independence with emphasis. During a recent trip to the doctor's office, the nurse was taken aback by your strength when we couldn't get you to lie down on the table. You were having none of it. You also have a way of making your entire body limp when I want you to do something you don't want to do. Yet, as frustrating as these episodes are for us at the time, I am also sheepishly proud to know that you will stand your ground and even a bit amused on some level at the sight of your little body limp in protest. Just save this skill for once you’re out of the house, O.K.?

Your entry into the English language has started much earlier for you than it did for your sister. These days you are trying to say all sorts of words and have mastered quite a few. Some of your favorites: "uh-oh," "uh-uh," up, more, all done, help, bye, hi, cheese, duck, hop, Mama, Dada, and Adah. It’s a joy to hear your little voice try to sound out new words!

Much like your sister, you also have an affinity for music. You like to dance, even if it’s just a cartoon jingle, and you even like to sing. One day I heard you singing in your crib. When I looked in on you, you were singing the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and making the hand motions that go with the song. Your favorite song at the moment is Wheels on the Bus, and you are learning all the motions to the song quite quickly.

So much of your life up to now has been built around routines within our little family … walks in the morning, lunchtime and naptime, playing with Daddy at night, etc. This week your world will get a little larger as you start pre-school and learn to trust others while we are away. Though it’s only a few hours a week, this will be a good first step to growing up. Love you, Lila Bug.

Girls on the Move

2010-07-20T20:24:00.006-04:00

Both girls are on the move these days. Here are a few of their moves....

Adah Rockin' It Out to the ABC Song

Lila Walking ... Like a Drunken Sailor

Don't worry. Bandages are on hand at our house these days.

Last Day of School

2010-05-30T14:53:00.004-04:00

Last week was Adah's last day of her Parent's Morning Out program. She loved her classmates and her teachers and brought many sweet art projects home. Her teachers say she was the class leader. She could open any child proof door, so she would often lead her classmates out the door to the playground. She also stood at the door with the teacher to greet her classmates and gather their diapers, sippy cups, and bags (putting them all in their proper places) and she would run to get someone's sippy cup if they started crying. The girls loves her routines!

Here are two pictures: one from the first day of school and one from the last day of school. It's amazing to us to see how much she has grown! Next year ... preschool!

Lila Turns One Years Old!!!

2010-05-08T20:33:00.011-04:00

Lila Bug,

Whoa ... how fast the last 12 months flew by! You are quickly leaving babyhood behind, and I don't think we're quite ready for it. Here's what 12 months looks like for you right now...

The pace of your growth at this time in your life astounds us. You are now a very speedy crawler, you started to stand up on two feet, and even started to walk (with some assistance). It won't be long at all before you take your first steps on your own. You babble a lot, but are also starting to form some words. Your Daddy LOVES when squeak out in your little voice "Bye Dada," or come excitedly crawling across the floor to him at top speed when he walks in the door. You also say Mama, ball, and duck. Much to our chagrin, you also have been testing your volume limits with your new voice. You love to scream and yell ... sometimes you seem to think you're actually singing when you do. A love for music must be in our blood, because (just like your sister) you seem to truly enjoy music. Occasionally, we catch you bouncing up and down or swaying back and forth to the beat of a song. Hilarious.

I have decided that sisterhood is an amazing thing (at least for now). It is truly heart-warming to watch your sister and you play together right now. Adah takes her role as big sister very seriously and will step in to parent you when we are in the other room. Your Daddy and I have to laugh when we hear things like, "Sssshhh, Lila. Too loud!" (with her finger wagging back and forth in front of you) and "It's OK, Lila. It's OK." (with her hand gently rubbing your back while you are crying). More so than before, you are now starting to truly interact with your sister. You crawl up on her bed and throw her cherished Panda, Teddy Bear, and Bunny on the floor with some sass and a giggle. You cook with her in your play kitchen and taste things on your spoon. You like to snuggle on Mama's lap and read books together before nap time, playfully pulling at each others hair or holding hands.

Your emerging personality is different from your sister's in some ways and yet very similar in others. You seem pretty happy most of the time and you go with the flow pretty well (for someone who is one, that is). But when you set your mind on doing something, it is quite hard (if not impossible) to change it. I foresee some hard days for me in the near future, but am confident that this trait will serve you well in your life.

Things are changing fast and we can't wait to see what the next few months have in store for you. We're thrilled to have you as part of our family, Lila! Here are some pictures of our new one year old:

Cupcakes ... good to play with, but too sticky!

Got Places To Go ... Watch Out!
(Notice the bag over the arm like a purse)

Giggles with Daddy

Lila Learning to Walk

Happy Easter

2010-04-05T15:08:00.001-04:00

Lila Turns Nine Months Old

2010-02-15T20:57:00.000-05:00

Lila Bug,

I've watched other babies. Some of them sit still on the floor quietly playing with a toy or watching the activity around them. Others lay peacefully in their parents’ arms while taking a bottle, calmly soaking the nutrients into their growing bodies. Still others obediently open their little mouths for spoons full of baby food, finishing the entire jar. We apparently don't make these kinds of babies. What you are is adorable, bright, animated, determined, joyful, mischievous, and very active. Even your doctor agrees. After describing your eating habits and asking for advice to get you to take more food, she offered, "Well, it sounds like she's opinionated!" So my arms may get a good workout while trying to contain your spunk and I may need to calm my frustration sometimes, but I am still intoxicated by your budding personality.

You've just turned 9 months old, and it's hard to believe how much change we've seen from you lately. The most obvious change is your mobility. You've been rolling over well for a long time (and had been using that skill to get where you wanted to go), but one day in December you decided to try and go forward. Within a day or two you had developed an "army crawl" that takes you anywhere you want to go in the house. You've become very proficient, and can surprise us if we take our eyes off you for a second. You still haven't moved up to your hands and knees, but it's not clear you'll have any need for that. You are also finally starting to sit. It’s taken you sometime to develop the desire for this stationary skill. Now that you’ve realized the increased access to toys sitting up allows, you have learned to pull yourself from the floor to a stable sit. You've also started climbing stairs and pulling yourself up, even to a wobbly stand once and a while. Like your sister, you are a very brave (or maybe naïve) girl. We're placing bets right now on how long until you take your first steps. Until then, it looks like we will spend much of our time spotting you.

While your new mobility is the most visible change, your personality changes have been more dramatic. In the first few months you seemed more mellow than your sister. However, when you learned to move, your personality seemed to change. Now YOU have become the active one in the house, often not content to sit still or be held. While it is fun to watch you explore, your dual goal of having us nearby and yet doing things by yourself is a challenge. You have also developed quite a babble, which both entertains us and sometimes drowns us out in volume. We often hear Mamamama, Babababa, Dadadada, or Thppppbbbb (with a spitting spray).

We've been working for many months to try to get you to eat solid foods, with less success than we expected. When we come near you with a spoon full of anything, you usually purse your lips and turn away. We stopped offering most of the pureed baby food and just started giving you small pieces of whatever was on our plates. (You just cut your first few teeth, so you have some chance of actually chewing now.) You've liked this, and it had made mealtimes more bearable. You only get bits and pieces of food into your mouth, but hopefully the coordination will come with a bit more time.

Your big sister is also enjoying your new ability to play with her more. We keep telling her that it won't be long until the two of you are running around together, but I don't think she's grasped how fun life will get once that happens. Somehow I think you get it though, and are just biding your time until you get your "sea legs" and then take the house by storm.

Snow in Atlanta!

2010-02-13T09:07:00.006-05:00

In Atlanta, you need to make your own sleds
... we used a baby bathtub.

Sledding in Atlanta
(yes, that is Lila whimpering)

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T13:16:00.003-05:00

Christmas Card Rejects

2009-12-06T13:49:00.003-05:00

Santa's Little Helper & CRAZY Hair

???

Do you see what I see?

Snuggle Bunnies

Lila Turns Six Months Old

2009-11-03T20:39:00.014-05:00

Lila dear,

The last six months with you have flown by. Frankly this time has mostly been filled with trying to take care of your needs. We've recently felt like you are becoming aware of us and can interact with us a little more than the occasional smile, which makes our time together much more fun. You've started engaging us in an occasional game of peek-a-boo, and will play happily with just about any toy you can get your hands on. Sometimes this playing can be very vigorous, and we even captured a video of a recent play session where you really showed the stuffed giraffe who was the boss.

Now that we are out of the wilderness of those first few months, this time is full of many fun "firsts" for you. You've recently started your first solid food, though you don't appear convinced of the appeal of rice cereal just yet. You've also had your first ride on a swing a the playground, and (to no one's surprise) you seem to love it. You've also gone from the occasional flip from your back to your tummy (and only in one direction) to becoming a rolling machine that can cross a whole room in just a few seconds.

You are a lucky girl to have a big sister who not only loves you, but is intent on taking care of you. One of Adah's primary joys in life is to bring you toys to play with, so you are rarely without a treasure or two (or 10) to shake or rattle. Adah is also trying to master some new skills of her own (jumping, dancing, spinning until she is dizzy and falling over), which often makes you break out into a gregarious laugh.

Seeing your personality emerge a little more over this last month or so has also shown us that you have the same independent streak that your sister (and your parents) have. For example, you will sometimes boycott your last nap of the day, despite the fact that you can barely make it through dinner without a complete meltdown when that happens.

We love you, little one, and we look forward to seeing more of your personality emerge over these next few months. You also have a sister who loves to "mother" you, and can't wait to play with you when you learn a few more games.

Playtime with Daddy

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T20:10:00.011-04:00

Happy Halloween
from the Butterfly and Little Ladybug

(yes, for those of you who remember,
the ladybug costume was used by Adah last year
... poor fortune to be a second child!)

Adah has been learning some new words for the occasion:
* Pa pa (pumpkin)
* Care Crow (scarecrow)
* Guts
* trick tree (Trick or Treat)

Adah Turns Two

2009-10-22T20:22:00.017-04:00

Adah Love,

I can hardly believe that you are two years old! When I look back at pictures from 12, 9, or even 6 months ago, I see the “littleness” of you that is now somehow absent. You are still little, but everyday you seem like you get bigger, more mature, more adventuresome, more knowledgeable … more you. And we, your parents, watch you grow (with a bit of reluctance and a great deal of admiration).

You are a sweet, sweet girl with a generous spirit that is quite unlike most other kids your age. Whenever I set your sister down, you always bring her toys to entertain her, setting them on her belly saying “Here Lila.” And when your sister cries, you rock her chair while singing her name to calm her down. And when we are at the park and you notice another child wanting to play with whatever treasure of a toy you have found, you often offer it over without prompting or protest. You have your challenges as you enter this two-year-old phase of your life, but possessiveness is not one of them and for that I admire you.

You also continue to revel in your desire to be helpful. The other day when I came to pick you up from pre-school I noticed you swiffering the floor under the snack table with such determination. Your teacher explained, “If I would let her, she would do this all day!” Apparently you have found jobs to do at school too!

Your language has really exploded these last few days and sometimes you really take us by surprise with your new words. For instance, you belted out the word “CAKE” with such clarity and enthusiasm the other day in the store … how appropriate to learn that word just before your birthday! Also, about a week ago your sweet little voice called out “HOME” from the back seat as we rounded the last corner in our neighborhood and came into view of our house. I am glad that our home is something you look forward to! Some of my other favorite new words include: owl, yellow, purple, play, pool, Elmo, & Ohhhh Kaaaaaay.

You also continue to have a particular way of doing things. My favorites of late include:

You raise your glass at every meal so that we can clink them together and say “cheers"
You must make sure everyone takes their shoes off and YOU get to put them in the shoe closet.
On a related note … you look your Daddy up and down each morning and then pick out appropriate shoes for him to wear … and, to our amazement, you get it right 99% of the time.
You sometimes sing along with a tune on the radio or a cartoon jingle. However, if I join in with you, you often shoot me a sharp look and definitely say “no,” as in “this is not something you get to do, Mama.” Still, your backseat “la, la, las” bring joy to my days.
When your Daddy goes to work, you sit on the step to the garage, wave goodbye, and blow him kisses. You also wave and blow kisses to all the cars that drive by our house, including the garbage trucks.

I can’t say that these days are without their challenges. You are two, after all. You do whine, test boundaries, and (consequently) spend time in hallway “time out” spot. I have learned, particularly with your whining, that you have quite a bit of stamina in you. It has been my challenge to keep my cool in these times and be the non-anxious presence you need. I have to say that I am still mastering this skills.

On the flip side of that coin, you have been cuddlier than ever before. You will sometimes come up and ask to sit on your Daddy’s lap … and will even stay there for more than a few seconds. You are also very free with your kisses and hugs, which we love, but has taken some visitors by surprise.

Every night when your Daddy puts you to bed he tells you that you are smart, beautiful, kind, helpful, and funny. I hope that you will always believe him.

Baptism

2009-10-11T20:22:00.000-04:00

There is something quite special about baptisms, but even more so when it is your own two girls who are carried in front of the church in their sweet white dresses and claimed as God's children. Your Dad & I made promises to you, the church made promises to you, and the children of the church made promises to you ... to pray for you, to care for you, and to nurture you in your faith. May your journeys be well traveled!

"He has shown you, oh man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. --Micah 6:8

"Rejoice in the LORD always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The LORD is near. Do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. -- Phil 4:4-7

First Day of School

2009-09-08T19:34:00.003-04:00

Today was Adah's first day of school ... OK, it's just preschool two mornings a week, but it's still a big deal for us all. She came home tuckered out, so that was a good sign that she had fun.

Game Day

2009-09-05T13:32:00.005-04:00

At the Rozell household, we are preparing for the next Michigan football season. Some of us are a little nervous about it, others of us are eager with anticipation, but we all are ready to cheer "Go Blue!" Here are a few shots for game day...

"Yeah, I'm ready for game day."

"When's the game going start?"

"What's Coach Rodriguez going to do this year?"

"Hail to the Victors Valiant!"

Adah: A "Just So" Kid

2009-08-25T20:25:00.011-04:00

Adah, the more I see you play with other children your age, the more I see your personality emerge. I am realizing that you are a wonderfully unique child. Here are just a few of the quirks that I love about you…

You love tupperware and consider the drawer where we keep said items your personal space (not to be invaded by others).
You feel the need to close every open drawer or door that you pass.
You take roll call throughout the day of each household member, but always skip yourself. (Adah: "Dada?" Me: "Dada's at work." Adah: "Lila?" Me: "Lila's sleeping." Adah: "Mama?" Me: "Mama's right here. I'm Mama." *pause* Me: "What about Adah?" Adah: "No.")
You always sit in the same spot to read books (and direct me where to sit as well).
You like to walk around the house with a hat over your eyes trying to feel your way through the rooms, giggling the whole way.
You bring your favorite stuffed animals to your sister when she's sitting somewhere by herself.
Sometimes, when I am talking to Lila, you push me out of the way and mimic the exact thing I was just doing to Lila yourself.
You often pack up a bag, wave good-bye, blow kisses and leave the room (to go to “work” like Dada does). You return within minutes bursting through the door to "come home" with kisses and hugs.
You kiss and hug your panda bear, bunny, and blanket every time you get up out of your crib in the morning.
You have to turn your light on and off every morning before leaving your room.
You give the toy frog drinks of bath water before you get out of the tub.
You clap when we finish brushing your hair after the bath.
You have started "reading" books to your stuffed animals and dolls, complete with the same motions your Dad and I add to our orations.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made, Little One, and I love every bit of you.

Lila: Tummy Time & First Laughs

2009-08-25T19:38:00.011-04:00

Lila, you are a tummy magnet these days. A few weeks ago, you figured out how to roll over onto your tummy ... and you haven't stopped since. You roll over as soon as we put you down on your back, especially in your crib. I have to admit, this new skill is a bit of a blessing for me, as it has led to some decent napping habits (FINALLY!). I, for one, am singing praises ... Yeah Tummy Time!

Unfortunately, you have also become a spit-up machine (maybe not unrelated to your new rolling skills). Rarely do I make it through the day without spit up somewhere on me and often we go through one or two burp cloths a day. You are giving our washing machine a work-out, girl!

However, our greatest joy these past few weeks has been seeing your new found expressions and hearing your laugh for the first time. Here are a pictures and a short video clip to enjoy ...

To My Girls

2009-07-23T09:15:00.005-04:00

God gave me a great gift in the two of you...

Lila Bug, you can melt me with your smiles ... especially in these intense care-giving days when exhaustion is a constant state of being. We are still working on getting you a decent amount of sleep and milk each day ... and I spend MUCH of my day working on these two tasks. But in the moments in between, you are a pretty good baby with engaging eyes and a sweet smile. You are transitioning from the groggy state of newborn to the more alert babyhood and it has been fun to watch you "wake up." You are entertained by the simplest of things: a smiling face, a hanging toy, a bath, etc. I look forward to our days ahead together when you can start to explore the world around you more.

Adah Love, you are beautiful and loving and also strong-willed and challenging. I am learning new ways to engage you every day, especially since we have been stuck in the house a lot lately due to your sister's napping needs. My stand-by engagement activity is to have you help me around the house, which you seem to take much pride in. You have certain jobs that you know you can do (and get upset if we do them without you), including: closing the garage door, emptying the plasticware out of the dishwasher, putting out the recycling, helping prepare vegetables for dinner, bringing condiments to and from the dinner table, sweeping and dusting, etc. In fact, the other day you handed the duster back to me and then pointed to the places you wanted me to dust. Way to take charge, little one! You are also learning to communicate more and more each day and new words abound. My favorite of your current vocabulary: Mama, Dada, Lila, sister, "nigh-nigh," "shh" (as in "quiet, sister is sleeping"), "mo" (as in "more"), teeth, hat (with a strong emphasis on the "t"), shoes, eyes, eggs, and "I did it!" (OK, this one is more of a hand sign and a high pitched squeal in the pattern of the phrase, but I know what you're trying to say). You are also learning that Mama actually cannot fix everything. The other day you broke a crayon and handed it to me to fix. When I told you that I couldn't, you just kept handing it back to me as if you were in disbelief. Yes, it's true ... things get broken in life and Mama can't always fix them. This is a good lesson for you to learn.

These days I am learning having my own learning process as well. What are my lessons?: to learn to be more patient and understanding, to be present in the moment, and to take time for myself to recharge whenever I can get it. You girls have intense needs right now and it takes all of me to take care of you both. But I am finding joy along the way. Thank you for letting me be your Mama!

Easy Baby?

2009-07-05T20:14:00.005-04:00

Does the "easy baby" truly exist? Being in the trenches myself, I'm not so sure. (If you have or have had an easy baby, now would not be the time to tell me so.)

I truly love my girls. They are the heart of my heart. Yet I find the work of caring for them simply the most difficult thing I have done in my 33 years on this earth. These two can bring me to tears.

It is with this thought that I must inform you that blogging is not happening very much these days. For those of you who need your Adah & Lila fix (mainly you grandparents), I will try to continue to post pictures on our online photo album (see link on the side nav bar).

Sleeping Beauty
(a rarity these days)

Big Sis, Little Sis

Twins?

2009-05-29T20:21:00.004-04:00

We have been asked by some who Lila looks most like. My answer: she looks most like her sister Adah. Seriously. Take a look for yourself....

Adah

Lila

Baby Lila Arrives

2009-05-07T15:02:00.003-04:00

With great joy we've just welcomed a new daughter into our family. Lila Hovey Rozell was born at 12:28pm on Sunday May 3rd (not more than 40 minutes after we arrived at the hospital, I might add). She was 18 3/4 inches long, weighed 6lbs 11oz and had a head full of beautiful dark hair. Everyone is healthy and we are now home from the hospital.

Adah thinks her new sister is pretty funny (for now), but we have had to remind her to be a little more gentle than she is with her baby dolls! She is doing much better with this than we expected. She pats Lila gently on the tummy, strokes her hair, or gives her kisses. Adah watches what we do with Lila very carefully and often tries to imitate us. We are blessed to have these two little girls in our family and couldn't be happier that they now have each other.

39 Weeks

2009-04-28T20:01:00.005-04:00

Yes, the shirts are tugging and the baby is trying to kick it's way out of my belly. This one will be with us shortly! Someone actually stopped me in the grocery store the other day to say with much sympathy, "I hope you're due soon." (I think that's on a list somewhere of things you shouldn't say to a pregnant woman!)

Adah Turns Eighteen Months Old

2009-04-24T12:54:00.006-04:00

The last few months, we have found ourselves quite busy. With our second child's due date fast approaching and an active toddler on the loose, our time for blogging has been pushed further and further down the to do list.

Adah is continues to grow into herself and exhibit her independence. She is learning to communicate a bit more calling out an "uh oh" when something is dropped or signing for help when she can't do something on her own. Actually, "uh oh" has become her favorite word. She sometimes uses it even before dropping something (as a warning, I guess). This is quite amusing to us! A little less amusing, however, is entering the stage of toddlerhood where Adah is testing us and protesting our refusal of things she wants. She has developed a real sour face (where she furrows her brow, scrunches her nose, and pouts her lips) in response to our saying "no, no, Adah ... don't do that." She has also been known to scrunch her body down into a ball and fall onto the floor in protest. Sometimes the face is so exaggerated or the fall to the floor is so dramatic that it is hard not to be amused by it. Still, we persist in choosing our battles and sticking to our "no" when it is important. Unfortunately, I think this testing may get worse before it gets better (or at least that is what I am told).

Collecting and sorting are the favorite activities of late. In the waiting room at the doctor's office the other day, she helped the staff collect all 7 of the etch-n-sketches from around the room and put them with the others away on their shelf. At home, she collects her favorite Tupperware containers, coasters, and magazines. She then stacks them in one place then moves the pile to another place. The joy she finds in these type of activities amuses and delights me.

Adah has also moved into her "big girl" room ... a bit of a transition for us all! It's been fun to decorate a room that suits her developing personality ... complete with bright colors and frogs, fairies, and butterflies. Getting back into a good sleep routine has been a challenge though (especially since the room transition also coincided with getting rid of the pacifier and dealing with a couple of colds and new teeth).

Adah's physical coordination is also improving. She runs around the house, park and yard with relative stability. She also rides around the house on the little scooter her uncle gave her for Christmas, and has great facility for climbing all sorts of things (furniture, stairs, parents, etc.). She is working on using silverware all by herself, and (when she wants to) can actually get most of the food in her mouth surprisingly often! She is also getting very good at matching blocks of different shapes to their corresponding holes on one of her toys and completing puzzles.

Below are some pictures of the last month or so. Frankly, it's hard for us to believe that our baby has grown up to become the beautiful little girl in these pictures.

Adah in Her New Room

Easter

Swinging at the Park ... and Loving It!

Too Cool for School

Happy Birthday To You ...

2009-02-18T09:48:00.006-05:00

Happy Birthday Chris!

Yesterday we celebrated Chris' Birthday with a family lunch and lemon cake. (We also used the occasion to test our new tripod.) Here are just a few pictures from the day.

Chris' favorite playmate

A Family Portrait
(Adah helped her Daddy with the bows)

My Growing Belly

Valentine's Day Pasta Party

2009-02-16T13:57:00.004-05:00

The Rozell Family spent Valentine's Day making pasta. Here are a few pictures from the day...

From Babyhood to Toddlerhood

2009-01-29T20:45:00.000-05:00

Our baby girl is growing up before our very own eyes. These last few months have brought many changes.

1. Feeding: Adah has dropped both her bottle and her pureed baby food. This, of course, has brought some challenges in finding foods that are both manageable enough for her to eat by herself and appealing to her new finicky tastes. (By the way, it appears that Adah has acclimated to living in the South more quickly than either Chris or me as we discovered that she LOVES biscuits. Last week she gleefully swayed her head back and forth when one appeared on her high chair tray.) Unfortunately, she occasionally refuses meals and is still bottoming out the weight chart. We've read all the books, consulted doctors, agree on a strategy for raising a healthy eater, and yet it's still hard not to worry. In any case, here is a clip of Adah eating peas (one of her current favorites)...

2. Agility: Adah truly is a mobile girl these days. She has learned to crawl up and slide down the stairs in our house (a skill that will be useful to me once the new baby comes). With this skill has also come the ability to climb everywhere ... on to the couch, chairs, footstools, bookcases, Daddy/Mama, etc. (She really did climb me the other day ... I held her arms and she started walking up my belly. Monkey girl!) She will frequently climb into her rocking chair, push me onto the ground, and start throwing her back into the chair to get it to rock ... all the while sporting a huge grin of pride. Here is our stair climbing master (although I can't figure out how to rotate the clip):

3. Music: It appears that Adah loves music. One day, we turned on some music and she started bopping her butt up and down to the beat. Now, wherever we are (i.e., the living room, the car, the coffee shop, etc.), if she hears music she starts head or butt bopping. Even if it's just the 5 second intro music for NPR! I've never seen this, but Chris has even caught her bopping around when there is no music playing aloud (maybe it's in her head!).

4. Separation Anxiety: We had an unfortunate month over the holidays when Adah had a hard time being too far away from me. While it's lovely to be wanted, it's not lovely not to be able to cook dinner, answer the phone, or go to the bathroom without Adah vying for attention. It was also quite hard on Chris and he is especially glad to have his daughter running back into his arms these days.

5. Comprehension: The biggest change of all is Adah's increasing ability to understand what we are saying. Now, when Chris leaves for work in the morning Adah waves her hand bye-bye to him. And when it's time to put toys away we can tell Adah "bring Mama that book" and she will bring it over to bookcase to be put away, or "put this toy away" and she will walk to toy over to the toy drawer and throw it in. I plan on using this to my advantage while it lasts.

Holidays 2008

2009-01-06T14:27:00.017-05:00

This update is well overdue, I know. (Some of you have gently reminded me!) We have had a busy holiday season with some travel and much too much sickness. I think we spent every day of December with either Chris or me sick. Luckily, Adah didn't catch anything from us!

For Thanksgiving, the three of us traveled to my aunt's house in New Hampshire for a little family reunion. Most exciting was that Adah had a chance to meet her Great Grandmother. Unfortunately Adah developed a little separation anxiety from me while we were there and had trouble getting much sleep at all. Still, she found time to wander the house, play with blocks, and get herself up and down steps. We all came home exhausted realizing how challenging traveling with a one year old can be.

Christmas was a special time for us as a family as it was our first in our new house. Adah enjoyed looking at the Christmas tree and all the ornaments. She would often point to it and smile, her hand getting just as close as they could to the ornaments without actually touching them (well, most of the time). If we reminded her not to touch it, she would quickly put her hands behind her back and look away as if touching the tree was the furthest thing from her mind. What a funny child! In addition to the tree, we also set up our nativity set for the first time this year. Every morning we told Adah who the figures were and what they were doing. On Christmas morning, the pregnant Mary was switched out with Mary and Baby Jesus. It was so funny to see Adah's reaction ... she noticed right away and seemed so surprised. It amazes me how much she is understanding what we say! In any case, Christmas was a joyful day and we were grateful to be able to spend it with Chris' Dad (aka Grandpa Rozell) ... paper was just as amusing as the presents themselves, a yummy Turkey dinner was had by all, and there was lots and lots of playtime. My favorite memory of this holiday, though, was time spent Christmas Eve dancing around the living room. Adah has just started dancing (i.e., bopping her bum up and down when she hears music). On Christmas Eve, we put on holiday music and swung around the living room with Adah in my arms and big smiles from ear to ear. Chris' Dad was amazed at just how busy his granddaughter is! It was nice to be able to share the holiday with him.

For New Year's, my Dad and Charlotte came to visit. We ate lots of good food, went to the "park of misfit toys" (as I affectionately call it), and toured a wonderful exhibit at the High Museum of Art. Adah was struggling a bit trying to decide whether she needed one or two naps a day (something we are still trying to figure out), but still managed to play as much as possible while she was awake.

Happy New Year to all!

Winter Preparations

2008-12-05T14:51:00.003-05:00

Adah "helped" Chris and I get ready for winter by "raking" leaves. This little one loves to be outside and find treasures in nature. The task took a little longer, but it was much more fun.

Happy Halloween

2008-10-30T09:42:00.006-04:00

Pre- Halloween ... Picking Out Pumpkins

Pre- Halloween ... Playing with Pumpkins

Happy Halloween ... from the Little Ladybug

Adah Turns One Year ... Oh my Goodness!

2008-10-22T21:45:00.000-04:00

Someone gave me some advice shortly after Adah was born ... She said that the days may go by slowly, but the years go by very quickly. Boy was she right! Seriously ... has it really been a year already! I thought we would start out this post with a little nostalgia. Here's a picture from one year ago...

As a parent, I don't think I will ever forget the first moment I saw her ... heart gushing with love for this little being whom I just met. She has completely changed my life (for the better) and I love her more and more each day. Here are some things I have learned in the last year ... patience does grow with children, love for your children (and husband) really is boundless, Moms and Dads always carry snacks, and the joy of watching someone else discovering the world for the first time is one of the best things in life.

Now, here's what Adah's been up to the last month.... Adah now has 8 teeth and is trying lots of finger food. She has days where she still prefers a bottle, but she has really been good about trying new foods. She developed her own language (Adahish, we call it), babbling away assuming that we understand her. She also has added new noises to her repertoire, adding clucking and clicking with her tongue to her lip smacking. Playtime is filled with a lot of piling and sorting things. That is, first the books come off the book shelf to a pile on the floor, then they go in the laundry hamper, then out of the laundry hamper, etc. She also has started handing toys to us, beaming with a smile when we say thank you. She is definitely proud to be a giver.

She has gotten more mobile by the day. While a month ago she was tentatively standing and holding on to nearby furniture, now she is often running around the house on her own. She can still be unstable at times, but she gets less wobbly by the day. She has an especially proud smile when she makes it across the room on her own. You can just see new worlds open up for her as she discovers that she can now get up and go where she wants, when she wants. God help us!

Days when I go to a mom's group and Adah goes to the nursery to play with other kids for an hour or two are the best days. She loves other kids, and gets very excited when she sees her playmates. Today, she kissed her friend Zach who was visiting the house for her birthday. Unfortunately, Zach was not too happy about the invasion of his space! Her daddy tried to explain to her that she should play a little hard to get, but we're not sure she understood.

Here are some pictures of the Birthday Girl on her special day...

Adah Opening Birthday Presents

The Birthday Girl in Her Birthday Dress and New Shoes

Oh the Joy of Cupcakes

Hmm, I wonder what this delightful thing is...

Oh boy this is good!

Did you say there were more of these ... was it "cupcakes" you called them?
(Adah finished at least 3/4th of it ... frosting first)

Adah Turns Eleven Months Old

2008-09-22T08:00:00.004-04:00

Greetings from the Rozells and our new home in Atlanta!
(and from our shrubs, which need a good trimming!)

We moved the weekend after Labor Day (with some help from my Mom and Step-Dad) and are starting to feel at home. Though we still have boxes to unpack and pictures to hang, having a place of our own is helping to make Atlanta a more comfortable place for us.

Now onto what you all are really here for ....

Adah is as gregarious and playful as ever. Day by day she learns new things and interacts with us in new ways. Kisses abound right now, which is wonderful for us. She will blow kisses from across the room and occasionally come over to you to slobber all over your face. We love her laugh and can't get enough of it.

This last month, she has started to walk. She's not there yet, but will take several steps on her own, or walk across the room holding our hands. Her face lights up and she starts to giggle with pride when she ventures out on her own. Check out the video below...

Adah has also started to really enjoy and play with other kids her size. When the neighbor girl Samantha comes over to play with Adah, Adah giggles and kicks with excitement. And when we leave her in child care at church, she practically jumps out of my arms when she sees the other kids and all the new toys. She is definitely an extrovert.

This last month has also brought new teeth. Right now she is working on cutting 4 new teeth ... 2 on top and 2 on the bottom (to accompany her other 2 on the bottom). What's funny is that her 2 top teeth coming in aren't the front ones, but the ones right next to those, so she will have a bit of a front tooth gap for the meantime.

Here are just a few pictures of the month...

A Study of Bark

Adah Turns Ten Months Old

2008-08-22T16:02:00.018-04:00

I know we say it every month ... but 10 months already!?! It's hard to believe. Our little one continues to grow up before our eyes.

The last month has had it's share of struggles (mainly with bottle feeding and sleeping), but Adah still manages to charm us (and herself, actually). She finds much joy in life ... even if it's just a Tupperware lid!

This last month, she has been exploring new sounds and will sometimes let out a big lip smack or squeal. On occasion (when she feels like it) she will repeat a sound we make to her. She has become quite expressive ... from a furrowed brow to a coy grin to a beaming smile.

Adah's curiosity of all things has made exploring new solid foods and textures an adventure. Added to the list now are chicken, fish, cheese, yogurt, watermelon, nectarine, zucchini, avocado, mashed potatoes, pasta, toast, and more.

Adah continues to explore the boundaries of her mobility. She has no fear to simply let go of whatever she is holding onto while standing, even though this mostly results in her falling down. The other day she let go and took one or two steps before falling into another supporting object. Her independence is growing each day. While this can be a struggle for us, we love to see her gaining confidence and acquiring new skills.

In other (big) news, we have just bought a house! We feel incredibly blessed to finally have a place of our own to put down some roots. The housing search has occupied much of our time since getting to Atlanta, and we are grateful to have this process almost over. We love the house and are especially excited to think about Adah remembering this as the house she grew up in. We will move in about two weeks, hopefully for the last time in a while!

Mobility is Definitely Here

2008-07-30T21:45:00.001-04:00

Here is 1 min. 30 sec. of motion in 3 clips... She crawls, she stands, she sits, she stands again, and we enjoy. Hope you do too!

Adah Turns Nine Months Old

2008-07-23T12:15:00.002-04:00

The Rozell household has settled down a bit ... for awhile at least. The boxes are unpacked or stored, grocery stores found, nearby parks explored, new doctors selected, and there is even rumor of a paycheck on the way. However, we still feel as though we are living in transition. We have spent much of our time looking for a house to buy. It may be a buyers market, but desirable communities are still desirable (and pricey). Regardless, we do feel blessed to finally be in a position to own a home! (Hopefully!)

Amidst the business of our lives, Adah has remained her active, mobile self. Sitting down to read books, cuddle, and kiss are not Adah's favorite activities of late. Instead, her crawling skills have been perfected as she follows me from room to room, checking out every cord, plug, and piece of lint along the way. Standing has also become quite easy for her. For awhile, my primary role as her parent was that of spotter as she teetered up and down while swaying back and forth. She has become more stable, though. She is actually squatting when she wants to get back down (rather than just letting go to fall down) and is standing without holding on more and more. I both cheer and cringe as she becomes more brave with her actions. All in all, it's a fun time in her life to be a parent and watch her grow.

Here are a few picture from the last month. Enjoy!

Adah climbing

and crawling over whatever is in her path
(with me as spotter)

Adah standing

Adah in her "southern bell" dress

Adah helping fold laundry

Uh-oh! There she goes!

Adah Turns Eight Months Old

2008-06-25T11:00:00.000-04:00

This last month has been quite busy for us all. Since we last wrote, we have crossed the country from Berkeley, California to our new home in Atlanta, Georgia with stops along the way in Houston and Michigan. We are now at our home in Atlanta. Chris starts work at Georgia Tech on July 1 and we all will begin this next chapter in our lives.

Adah has been the busiest of all. With new surroundings to explore at each stop along the way of our journey, she found much encouragement to increase her mobility. In two weeks time, she went from only sitting up unassisted for moments at a time to pulling up to standing. She now confidently moves from laying on the floor to sitting up on her rear end, then lunges forward into a crawl to scramble across the room quickly (sometimes on her hands and knees and sometimes on her belly), to reaching for our hands so that she can stand up on her own two feet. She has also made a game out of crawling over Chris and I when we lay on the ground with her ... like climbing Mount Mama/Daddy. We've only been in our new apartment for a few days and we have already made a run to Target for plug covers and other baby-proofing supplies. This little one can move quickly and with great determination! Chris and I both wish she used a bit more caution in her movements. She has many more scrapes and bumps than before, but I guess that's just part of being a kid.

Adah also met some new best friends on the journey ... Grandma Hovey-Wright's dog Brett and Grandpa Chessman's dog Murphy. Upon entering the room, Adah would not take her eyes off those doggies! Both were tolerant of her "petting", poking, and prodding, but may be happy to have some time away from her.

Here is a brief look of our journey to Atlanta in pictures...

Chris & Adah on our last weekend in Berkeley
(standing at Sather Gate on campus)

Adah's first time in the pool
(at Jenny & Derek's in Houston)

Visiting Grandma Weiers in Ludington

Visiting Grandma Hovey-Wright in Muskegon

Visiting Grandpa Chessman in Muskegon

Here we go ... Atlanta or Bust!

Adah helping unpack

Adah Turns Seven Months Old

2008-05-23T21:00:00.000-04:00

How can it possibly be that our daughter is 7 months old already!?!

This last month has been quite full of new activities (most of which I have already written about). Here are a few things I have not yet mentioned...

Food Exploration ... This month we have branched out to try several new "solid" foods. (I say "solid" because all are still pureed into a slightly runny state.) Luckily, there are very few foods Adah will not eat at this point. Anything orange (sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, peaches) are her favorites ... too bad for me that they also are the most likely to stain clothes. The only food she appears not to like are bananas. We will keep trying, but it's a non-starter at the moment.

Cutting Teeth ... Adah has a new tooth appearing on her bottom gum line. This is very exciting as it means more interesting foods are on the horizon, but boy is this tooth cutting process challenging! She has been on and off fussy for 2-3 weeks now!

Kisses ... I have been trying to teach Adah how to kiss as a new form of communication for her. After much trying, she is finally starting to get the hang of it. When she is in the mood (which is never as often as her parents wish), she opens her mouth sticks her tongue out a bit and then closes her lips down on your cheek. It's very sweet, albeit wet. We are still working on the closed mouth, puckered lip version.

Mobility ... I mentioned this one already, but it bears repeating. Adah can now army crawl and get herself wherever she wishes (if only her Mama would let her!). Anything up to two feet off the ground is fair game for mouthing, head bonking, or grabbing! This has quickly turned into a game for her. I am trying to teach her sign language for stop, but when I make the sign and say "stop" she simply pauses, looks at me with a big grin, and then continues on (as if to say, "come and get me Mama!"). Sadly, her joy for mobility has made cuddling in our arms less of a priority of late. Hopefully, she will be able to handle the 4 hour and 2.5 hour flights we need to get through in a few weeks (during which she is officially supposed to be on my lap).

Mobility Is Upon Us

2008-05-18T23:50:00.000-04:00

A tower of cups is just too tantalizing. Watch and see the power of temptation.

Wine Country Day Trip

2008-05-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, the Rozell family took a day trip to wine country ... Dry Creek Valley to be exact. We figured while we were living in California, we should probably enjoy as much of it as we could. A friend sent us a recommendation for some good wineries, so we made a day of it.

Mauritson Winery

Baby Grapes

From the Deck of Sbragia Winery
(our lunch spot)

Mmmm, this strap is tasty!
Can we go home now?

First Mother's Day

2008-05-13T00:45:00.000-04:00

I have come to realize over the last 6 months what a blessing it is not just to be a mom, but to be Adah's mom. Before you have children, you know you will love them. But I don't think I was ever prepared for the intensity of that love. She didn't do a thing to cause me to love her ... I just do ... fully and forever. Mother's Day was an opportunity to reflect on the last six months and my new role as a Mama.

After a favorite breakfast at home (prepared by Chris) and before an afternoon at the nail salon with a friend, we had a picnic lunch at the park. Adah's discovery of new wonderful things never ceases to thrill me. This day it was grass and swings. Joy!

Adah Discovers Grass

Swing Time

Chillin' on the Picnic Blanket with Mama

Learning to Sit

2008-05-02T19:34:00.000-04:00

Adah has been learning to sit up by herself lately. As mentioned in earlier posts, this hasn't been easy for her ... learning to balance and sit still is difficult when one never stops moving. Still, we try. Here are a few picture from today's trial. Enjoy.

Weeeeee

Whoa

Oooo, a new toy

Eeeehhhh (getting a little frustrated)

Waaaaa (and, we're done.)

4 hours later (and after a nap) ...
SHE CAN DO IT!

Adah Turns Six Months Old

2008-04-23T16:36:00.000-04:00

Wow ... our sweet, sleepy newborn has become a fully charged, very curious, gregarious infant. In a blink of an eye, she can roll half-way across the living room, have three new toys in her possession, and be pawing at the cord on our laptop, the cable box, the sliding glass door, or some other item we would rather she left alone. Most new items are explored with her mouth first, then her eyes and hands, but they are definitely explored from top to bottom. Adah can no longer be contained or fully entertained by her play gym and we may have to look for some up-right play gear soon.

She has also become fascinated with speech ... she watches our mouthes when we talk to her, sometimes putting her hands on our lips as if to feel what the words sound like. When she sees you pull out a book to read to her, she promptly rolls onto her back and starts kicking her legs in excitement.

Going out is still fantastic, especially when we put her in a sling of some sort so she can look out and view the world. It's rare that we can make it through a run to the grocery store without several strangers stopping to visit with her. She flashes a big, charming smile to any one who passes by in hopes of luring them in to interact with her for awhile.

Adah has been working on sitting up unassisted. She is usually too interested in reaching, twisting, and turning for toys to stay up on her own for very long. She has also become quite ticklish and can hardly stand a kissing or tickle attack, giggling with delight.

Adah has also been slowly working on learning how to eat solid foods ... mainly rice cereal. She's still sort of lukewarm about the whole experience but appears to be warming up to it. She kept playing in the bouncy chair we were using to feed her, so we decided to get her a highchair. She looks so tiny in it! But she seems to like it.

Now, on to a few pictures of the month...

Peek

Boo!

Napping Still Makes Me Happy

Daddy says the most interesting things.

Little Girl, Big Chair

Yum!

Pure joy

Springtime In California

2008-04-17T00:30:00.000-04:00

It's springtime in California. The trees are blooming and we have had our first 80 degree day. A week and a half ago (before we all got sick), we went out for a Saturday stroll and Adah discovered flowers. Here's to watching life being discovered through a child's eyes...

Adah's First Cold

2008-04-14T17:15:00.000-04:00

So, there are many firsts that parents look forward to ... your child's first cold is not one of them. I spent all of last week with a cold, but I thought with all the hand washing that we were going to make it through without Adah or Chris getting it. I started feeling better Friday. By Saturday, Adah was waking up in the night and, by Sunday, Adah was sniffling and trying to clear her throat. Today, she's miserable. We've been cuddling a lot and trying to keep her upright, but there's a lot of whimpering going on in our household. Poor thing ... she can't even blow her nose! At least when I was sick I knew what it was and could try to make myself comfortable. With Adah, I have to guess how she's feeling and what she needs. She woke up crying last night. When I went in to see what was going on, she picked her head up to look at me and then flopped it down on my chest to cuddle. Poor thing.

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

2008-04-06T23:27:00.000-04:00

Adah has been a very busy gal the past few weeks. She is much more mobile and active! She has had the ability to roll over for quite some time, but she has recently taken to really utilizing her rolling ability to move where she wants to go ... one side of her play mat to the other. She now has her choice of toys, which is FANTASTIC. Below is a short video clip. (NOTE: We don't normally use her toys as bait, but wanted to keep the video clip short.)

The rolling isn't confined to her play blanket. Nap times have also been more challenging. Adah won herself some new crib bumpers after bumping her head a few times during naps.

And for those of you who could not get enough of the last laughing video, here is another one...

Photo Shoot - Little Peanut

2008-03-31T17:24:00.000-04:00

Last week, Adah and I had a photo shoot. She looked particularly cute that day (says her unbiased mother) and we got a new hat that she was trying on. Enjoy the pictures!

"Mama, is it nap time yet? I'm tired of picture taking."

Give Peas a Chance

2008-03-29T16:56:00.000-04:00

This week we gave Adah her first real solid food ... rice cereal. She has been watching us eat for the past few weeks and has seemed interested in and amused by it. After trying it, though, the jury is still out on whether she likes it or not. She ends up eating it, but there isn't a lot of noticeable swallowing. Her mouth crinkles up when we give it to her and she gets a confused look on her face, followed by a smile. Occasionally, some actually gets down her throat (probably due more to gravity than anything else). Below are some pictures from her first attempts.

Adah in anticipation of her first meal
(She has on her "Give Peas A Chance" outfit just for the occasion.)

"Wait a minute ... you guys said this was good."

"Really? Are you kidding me? This is what all the fuss is about?"

The next day ... Adah learning to open her mouth

Adah Turns Five Months

2008-03-23T19:59:00.000-04:00

Adah turned five months old this weekend. She has had a busy month of playing. She still loves to read stories, but she also loves a good game of peek-a-boo, listening to music, watching others eat (crunchy foods are especially funny), and telling "stories" with the many new sounds she has figured out how to make (the pterodactyl-like scream was our least favorite). It's so awesome to watch her little brain work as she figures out new things.

Apparently, putting her foot in her mouth is soooo last month. She has now moved on to throwing her legs in the air and slamming them down on the floor, crib mattress, or whatever else happens to be beneath her. This is especially funny in the morning when I hear THUMP THUMP THUMP coming from her room ... she's just letting me know that she's awake and ready to play. Adah has also figured out how to play peek-a-boo with me by herself. I had been throwing a light rag over her head and then pulling it off saying "There's Adah". One day last week she grabbed the rag herself, put it over her head, then pulled it off and looked at me with a big grin. She was quite proud of herself, as was I. Adah has also started showing some interest in sitting up. She does what Chris and I call her baby crunches. From a lying position, she picks her feet up at a 45 degree angle, then lifts her head and shoulders off the ground with her arms stretched out toward her feet. We have started sitting her up and helping her learn to balance, but she usually falls over in a few seconds. Maybe next month!

Here are some of her favorite activities of the last month and a few pictures in Easter outfits...

Adah likes looking at herself in the mirror.

Adah also like waking up from naps.
(and THUMP THUMP THUMPing her feet on the mattress)

Snuggling with Daddy

Here's Adah in her pre-Easter day outfit.
(Notice the bunnies on her feet.)

Here's Adah in her Easter outfit.

The Rozell household has been quite busy the last month. Chris has had two out-of-town trips (one to Atlanta for business at GA Tech and one to a conference at Princeton) and three grant submission deadlines. Unfortunately, sleep has been elusive for him lately. Adah and I have been holding down the fort while he was out of commission for a while. Chris and I are also starting to think more seriously about our move to Atlanta, which is approaching quickly. We have been looking at houses, hoping to buy something in the near future. California has been fun, but we now feel as though we are on the downward slope of our time here.

Kara's Birthday

2008-03-15T20:27:00.000-04:00

I celebrated my 32nd birthday this week. To celebrate, Chris treated me to several things: 1) a morning of rest by taking care of Adah's morning feeding and making me breakfast, 2) a date night out on the town without Adah, and 3) a morning brunch with friends and their children on the weekend. What treats! Here are some pictures from the week...

Daddy says it's Mama's Birthday,
so I put on my Birthday Suit!

Mama with her favorite girl

Adah put on her cute Winnie the Pooh dress for the party

Playing with Daddy .... a series

Napping Makes Me Happy

2008-03-07T15:38:00.000-05:00

We bought Adah a new shirt a few weeks ago to celebrate her ability to start taking regular, long naps (after a 1.5 mo. hiatus of the activity). If you can't read what her shirt says, it says "Napping Makes Me Happy". A little power of suggestions is fine, right!?! It makes Mama happy as well! She's now sleeping by herself in her crib 2 times per day for 1.5 - 3 hours at a time (and an optional third nap which is much shorter). It is wonderful to have the time to recharge and get a few things done for myself (like shower, eat, make a few phone calls, etc). She does wake up happy and is ready to get back to playing! What joy!

Adah laughing

2008-03-01T18:42:00.000-05:00

Sometime in January I coughed near Adah and she burst out into a laughing fit. We don't know why that was funny, but we were rolling on the ground laughing ourselves. Since then, she will occasionally laugh at sneezes, animal sounds, or us laughing. A few weeks ago we tried to use our webcam to capture a few seconds of one of her laughing fits for you all to enjoy.

Adah Turns Four Months Old

2008-02-24T13:56:00.000-05:00

Adah turned four months on Friday. She is quite active and very social these days. Here is a brief review of the last month.

Adah met her Uncle Chris and Aunt Elizabeth in San Diego
Here is Adah with Chris at Balboa Park.

Adah celebrated Valentine's Day
Her Grandma Hovey-Wright bought her this cute dress.

We all celebrated Chris's Birthday
The family took a day trip to Point Reyes National Park, which is a good place to watch for whales as they migrate for feeding/breeding. We didn't see any that day, but we did see a large population of elephant seals resting on the beach with their new pups (which are 300 lbs. at birth, by the way).

Some of Adah's favorite activities this month include ...

Reading books with Daddy ...

Looking in the mirror with Mama...

Sitting up (with some assistance) ...

and putting her foot in her mouth (literally).

To finish off the month, Adah had her 4 month check-up with Dr. King (her favorite pediatrician). Unfortunately, her weight gain is still not great, but she is very healthy and meeting all her developmental milestones. The doctor calls her very "social" and "active," which I think are code words for "would rather play than eat." We're trying some different strategies this week in hope of getting more calories in her. We ended the visit with my least favorite activity ... vaccination shots. She had three shots (and one oral) and boy was she mad! She screamed in the doctor's office and cried, whimpered, and pouted the rest of the day. Fortunately she forgot about the whole thing the next day and was back to her normal, happy self.