Emma Loves Cody

Four Months?

So you may have heard...Emma is four months old! We were out in Seattle on her four-month birthday, which coincided with BJ and Julia's wedding. She was, as always, a gem. But for a few moments on the plane and during cocktail hour, she was just as lovely and peaceful as ever. We deliberately kept her on East Coast time, which meant that we opened up Starbucks--in SEATTLE--each morning. It was possibly the most exhausting weekend in a long time, but really special to just be wandering around in the mist at all hours with her just taking it all in. When we got back, she had her four-month checkup. 

She's still a peanut. 

Cody, at 4 months, was 16 pounds, 9 oz, and 25 1/2 inches tall, putting him in 75th percentile for weight and 95th for height. Cordelia, at four months, was 13 pounds, 14 oz, and 24 1/2 inches long -- 50th percentile all around. Emma comes in just behind her for weight, at 13 pounds, 12 oz, and height, too, at 24 inches.

Somehow, though, this only puts her in the 40th percentile for weight. But hey, she's jumped to a whopping 29th percentile for height!

I don't quite understand it, but then, I've never been good at math. The main point is that she is healthy and darling and doing just great. And totally unfazed by the entire appointment. She cried for about 7 seconds after her shots, then grinned at me. I love this kid. 

It's possible I could love her more if she would sleep more. Looking at Cody's four-month post, it seems he had started sleeping 10 hours at a time and not needing nighttime feedings. This is...let's just say, NOT happening. She's kind of still doing three nighttime feedings. Perhaps when we move the big kids in together and she's in her own room we'll get past this, but I'm not so sure. Dr. C says she doesn't need it; she's waking out of habit so "all" I have to do is eliminate that feeding. I tried; it didn't go particularly well, and as she sleeps 7 inches from me...hey. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. Still, I'm looking forward to a 10-hour stretch.

Or really, even a 4-hour stretch.

Pretty in Pink

Last Tuesday, my last day at home before returning to work, the girls and I set off for a walk around the lake and some fun at the playground. We just went at Cordelia's pace, and had such a wonderful hour. We saw turtles and geese and ducks, but mostly she was interested in picking up every dandelion she saw (and later, as you'll see, buttercups). She called the poofy dandelions "wishes" and yanked up and blew the seeds off of every one she could find. I'm sure the residents will be so pleased. 

 She's clearly pleased, at least. : )

Where should I put them, Mommy? Oh! I have an idea!

Mother's Day at CMS, 2013

Yesterday was Mother's Day at CMS. Mom came down to serve as reinforcements for JVL, and they took care of the girls so that Cody and I could have a morning just for us. It was so, so wonderful. 

After doing the entire Africa map (which doesn't have the names of the countries, just the shape) by himself--I wasn't even sure which continent it was--he turned to me and said, "Okay. It's time to use a lot of different jobs at once and make a ship."

So this is what he means. He starts with the rods, and builds the frame. Then he got the colored stacking thingies (I'm sure there's a more technical Montessori term) and started making...masts. 

Five masts. And a lot of booms. How great is that? It took him about 45 minutes of pure concentration. I hung out and did puzzles with Carly for awhile because he was so absorbed in the task.

Then, someone wanted to sing, so Ms. Leavesley assented, and I got some of the best parts on video. 

We've decided we should make that our theme song, and next time Cordelia storms, "I AM ANGRY!" we're just going to retort, "Go make your own sunshine." 

(I tried that last night. Her rejoinder, not surprisingly, was: "I will NOT make my own sunshine!"

In the afternoon, while E was sleeping and JVL was working, the "big kids" and I had lemonade and cookies at Starbucks, where we loudly serenaded passersby with our own version (hand gestures included) of "I Make My Own Sunshine." We then went to the park and rocked out to it on the swings. After which Mommy needed a break from the actual sunshine, having forgotten sunglasses and sunscreen, and took five on the bench. Whereupon my sweet children did this:

Ten minutes later they were both being asshats again...but it's so wonderful when it's like this. : )

Blasting Day

Yesterday was very nearly a perfect day. Cody played hooky from school and came to my office with me. In order to beat the traffic, we left at 6:00 a.m., were there by 6:45, and had time to run over to St. Matthew's for Mass. (It turns out that daily Mass is the perfect length and form for him at this age.) Afterwards, Cody lit a bunch of candles for the special intentions of his heart, which is great and everything, but what's really great is that he did the entire thing completely by himself. No help for me at all, except in providing the singles for him to fold up and put in the box.

Then we went to a lovely breakfast at LPQ with our friend Miss Emily, and the two of them doted on one another. (He wrote his name for her; and drew her a tall ship.)

Then we went back to the office where he played with his "my" our tall-ship pirate ship that he got me for my birthday and I did a little bit of work. (Below you'll see what he chose for himself me us. It has real sails. I'm not too old for Fisher Price presents.)

And then there was the explosion.



Maybe not the best day ever, but surely top ten. Possibly top five.

The Birthday Walk, Remix

For my birthday on Monday Cody spent the morning writing the months of the year on flash cards and then making a Sun while at school. Then, when we all got home he brought down his globe and it was time for my birthday walk.


For this to make any sense, of course, you have to remember this. Go back and watch then one just to note how Cody uses not only the same wording, but even the same inflections as Miss Leavesley.

Emma Rolls -- The Verb, not the Noun!

Emma spent a good part of yesterday evening like this (her feet remind me of the monkey she's clutching).


You can see it in her eyes: It dawned on her that there was somewhere to go; she just couldn't quite figure it out. Until today.



And miraculously, I HAD THE VIDEO CAMERA. A first!



The second attempt was slightly more tragic, since her little arms got pinned under her. She hadn't packed for that.

I always find this day bittersweet. On the one hand, yay! On the other...she will be moving in the other direction from now on. I remember calling Mom the day Cody rolled and sobbing just that. I still feel that way. My baby.

A Bicycle Built for Two

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary

What is with our children and dismembering Marys?

I don't see that there's anything a spoonful of sugar can do about this one. 

Birthday Baptism Bash, Part 2

"Emma Elisabeth, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit!" And with that, Monsignor Jameson ushered another Last baby into the Church. 

Monsignor did a wonderful job talking about Emma Elisabeth's name -- particularly the Elisabeth part: her closeness to Mary, her sensitivity to the presence of God, her instinctual faith. He made a point of discussing St. Elisabeth's love of Mary, whereupon Cordelia Mary shared, "I love Mary, too! And, I love Ariel!"

Emma listened attentively, blowing bubbles and bobbing her head in agreement, causing Monsignor to remark that he thought Emma was trying say yes! Cordelia haughtily informed him--and the whole cathedral--"No, Emma can't TALK, Monsignor! She just cries."

Emma looked darling in her sister's baptismal white. And she was wonderful -- she only cried when Monsignor poured the awfully chilly water over her head (then mumbled to me, "I ask, every time, for warm water...it never happens!"). At which point Cody helpfully announced, "Don't worry! It's okay if Emma cries. That's just part of God's plan." Thankfully, it was also part of God's plan for the adults to narrowly prevent Cody from accidentally sending the table (which was on wheels) upon which the baptismal water sat off the altar and crashing into the pews. 

We all prayed together, and reaffirmed our baptismal promises. Naturally, when Monsignor asked the "Do you believe..." questions, Cody shouted joyfully, "I do!" Cordelia was more muted in her responses, and downright circumspect at this question: "Do you renounce Satan, and all his works, and all his empty promises?" Perhaps the glamour of evil holds a bit of attraction for our little jailbird.

All in all, it was a beautiful, truly joyful day. We are so thrilled she is now officially claimed by the Church, and so blessed to have her loved and held and prayed for by two amazing sets of godparents--Kelly and Mark, and Mary Beth and Walter. 

 

Time to go home, now, Mommy -- I'm hungry!

Here's Emma, having some bonding time with her godfather.

Birthday Baptism Bash, Part 1

I just realized I never got around to blogging the great birthday/baptism bash of 2013. Wonder why? :)  At any rate, better late than never. Exhausting though it was, we had a wonderful weekend. The kids were surrounded by all the people they love, and that love them. Plus, there were presents. And cake. Well, cakes. Lots and lots of cakes. 

An Ariel cake for our little mermaid -- cupcakes, actually!

Cody's appetizer cake was Spiderman. (Judy at the bakery is fully responsible for this monstrosity.)

 The crowning glory, of course, was the cake I bought from Cheesecake Factory created to suit Cody's current interest. Okay, so I didn't bake it. But I decorated it as a hurricane. A Category 5 hurricane. Get it?

I'm pleased to say he noticed the counter-clockwise rotation. Of course he did. That's my kid! : )