A Few Other Things...

Forgot a few things and a few new things to add since my latest blogs on Owen and Abby.

First, a video of Abby laughing is now up on YouTube. This is the most laughs I've gotten out of her since she started laughing. You'll see that she's more of a "courtesy" chuckler than a laugher and it's a lot of work to get even that - but so worth it.

Click here for Abby's YouTube video.

Abby officially rolled over from tummy to back several times starting on Friday - yay! She can't do it every time she wants, but she's figuring it out. Abby also started cereal on Saturday. So far so good.

Abby has decided that screeching and gasping are really fun sounds to make. Such melodious sounds now fill our house. Of course, the tricky part is when she's in her crib. Because without seeing her face you can't tell if she's screeching angry or happy.

She's had a low grade fever now for about 2 weeks. They've tested and retested for ear infection, throat issues, and UTI. But so far think it's a particularly stubborn virus. I'm starting to wonder if it's teething. Meanwhile, Owen has finished teething. Last week his final molar popped through so it would be appropriate that we'd get absolutely no break from teething if Abby starts now.

Owen's imagination is really kicking in. On Friday I had a conversation with him about how he'd climbed trees with Daddy (which he hadn't) and that Owen would only climb big trees not little trees and that you had to be careful not to fall off. He's also making up songs - the latest is about a starfish.

A few more Owenisms...

His version of Row, Row Your Boat...

Row, row, row your boat

gently down the stream

crocodile in the stream

life is but a dream

In the car with Robbie the other day...

Owen: "Pawpaw in Texas."

Robbie: "Usually he's in Texas, but right now he's in Atlanta with Aunt Tracy and Uncle Mike."

Owen: "Pawpaw in Georgia."

At bedtime...

We'd been reading and Owen had scattered books all over the room.

Me: "Owen, it's time to put our books away. Can you carry all the books to Mama and she'll put them in the book shelf?"

Owen: "I sure can!"

Abby Months 3 & 4

Miss Abigail is 4 months old! Not to brag or anything (and of course once I commit this to writing she'll feel the need to prove me a liar), but Abby continues to be a very easy baby. She's fairly laid back and accepts being dragged all over town on the days I've had Owen and her by myself or when I need to do errands.


We debated and debated doing sleep training with Abby and when to start. We did it with Owen and it was very hard, but very successful. But we started it with him a little later. However, we finally tried it in early August with Abby (since she'd been sleeping thru the night w/o a bottle since 6 weeks - just needed help staying asleep). It was quite successful. She only cried less than 20 minutes the first night and no wake up in the night, her naps the next day also great, about 2 minutes of fussing each time and nice long naps. Now she doesn't really cry - she might fuss for about 5 minutes, and sometimes she'll stay up and talk to herself quite happily for a while. So we are very excited to have a baby sleeping solidly thru the night from about 9pm to about 7am in her own crib and without help. She treats us so well!


We got our first laughs from her the last days of July. It takes some work to get laughs. Smiles are now abundant but not laughs yet. She is very observant - preferring to be sat up and facing out so she can watch everything. Unfortunately, if the TV is on, she will watch it - crane her neck to watch it even. Owen didn't even notice the TV until about 18 months, so this is different for us. She is starting to use her hands a lot. If a toy is within reach she will grab for it and she loves her lovey blanket which she wrestles with constantly. She also loves her Baby Einstein excersauser - this toy she "stands up" in and can swivel around and play with tons of toys. She plays with every toy on it already - involves lots of concentration. And she's found her feet which she wrestles with constantly. In comparison with Owen, Abby continues to demonstrate my generalization that boys seems to develope gross motor skills earlier and girls the fine motor skills.

My friends April and Miki each had their second child a few weeks after Abby (Addison and Kate). We're doing a 1/2 marathon as a relay team in October and have been walking together each week. It has been so fun to watch the three girls grow and change. We periodically take pictures of the three of them together. Below is the latest (taken at the Folsom Friday Night Concert in the Park). In order from left to right - Abby, Kate, and Addison.

Abby's averaging about 25-30 oz. a day in regular formula (yup - switched her to regular from the hypoallergenic stuff right after her 2 month appt. - she definitely had a breast milk allergy). We are planning on starting her on solid food this weekend - right at 4 months. All these calories are packing on more inches rather than weight. She just keeps getting longer and leaner. We had our 4month well baby checkup this week. Stats below. She's dropped in the weight percentile, but the doctor says nothing to be concerned about - especially since she's had her first virus (a tonsil infection) this past week.


4 mo. checkup:
Length: 26 inches (95%)
Weight: 13 pounds (30% - down from 50% at the 2 mo checkup)
Head: 15 3/4 inches (25%)

Owen Update - Whales Class, Sam's Bday, & More Owenisms

The end of July/beginning of August I got to have Owen at home 2 days a week rather than in day care. I LOVED this time together. We always did something fun for him - park, zoo, etc. He's surprisingly understanding of and willing to help with Abby. Unfortunately, he started getting really upset if he remotely thought we were taking him to school. I think he just likes this time at home so much. August 10th he moved up to the next level classroom at day care - the Whales - 2 to 2 1/2 year olds. In conjunction with that transition, we also put him back to full time day care - hoping that the regular schedule will help. It seems to have helped a little. He usually doesn't want to leave school when we pick him up. I think when I go back to work and Abby starts at day care too it will get even better.

In August we went to Samantha Geroy's birthday party. April and Miki are my 1/2 marathon partners. They each had their second children (Addison and Kate) a few weeks after Abby was born. Sam's party was at Bounce-o-palace. Owen loved it - although he insisted that Robbie had to be in each bounce house with him. After boucing the kids got pizza and cake. What a treat! Below is a picture of Sammie - isn't she adorable?!?


Owen has a lot of mile stones coming up in the next month or so. After he seems adjusted to the new classroom and full-time schedule at day care we plan to move him to a big boy bed. Oh man are we NOT looking forward to this. But he is ready and it's time (we think). We'd like to have him settled into his bed this fall in time to officially start potty training after Christmas. Another "oh yay" parent moment. He actually has had several "successes" in the potty - who knew that poo would become such a central theme in our lives - but we're not gung hoe on it just yet.


We are doing lots of encouraging good behaviour and discouraging bad behaviour stuff. We tried to start a sticker chart which was a failure. He liked the prizes, but he got upset that the stickers had to go on the chart instead of his had. So chart is out, and stickers on the hands are in. Time outs are becoming daily (sometimes multiple times a day) occurances - I'm sure that will continue to ramp. He has really hit that limits-testing phase of life. Especially with Robbie. We've heard and read that toddlers tend the test their favorite parent more, and Owen continues to be daddy's boy, so it makes sense. He's also started playing one parent against the other. Gotta watch out for this one!

A few of the latest Owenisms....

At the zoo with his friend Angelica... "Look Gelica, Tiger!"


In the truck... "Look Abby, motorcycle!"


In the minivan... "Mama, talk about ocean?"

At bedtime Owen was holding his truck book and then picked another book. I said, "Can I read the truck book?" And Owen replied, "Of course!" and handed it over.


Owen: "Conner very sad?"
Mama: "Why is he sad?"
Owen: "He needs his toy."
Insisted on bringing Conner his toy.


At Target picking a toy truck as a prize for earning 10 stickers. Robbie was holding him walking down the toy cars aisle... "Owen want that one. That one. That one. That one. That one." pointing and repeating as fast as Robbie walked past them.


Something in the bathroom in his classroom needed to be fixed. And Mr. Gray - the fixer guy - was there fixing it. Owen was facinated and apparently sat by Mr. Gray the entire time and narrated everything Mr. Gray did... "Mr. Gray hammer nail... Mr. Gray use wrench..."


Robbie listens to talk radio all the time (KSFO is the station). Apparently Owen has started requesting it in the car on the way home from day care... "Listen KSFO? Listen Mark Levin?"


We were in the family room and I was sitting with Abby on the floor. Owen earned himself a timeout by continually jumping on the couch despite repeated warnings from Robbie. As Robbie carted Owen to time out football style, Owen - facing me from Robbie's arms - said, "Mama, Owen go to timeout." (in the same tone that he might say something like "Mama, Owen go play outside.")


Owen knows the names of pretty much any type of truck. He and Robbie were in the car and passed a Dreyers ice cream truck - it was an 18-wheeler (usually labelled a container truck), but since it was delivering icecream to the grocery store, Robbie said, "Look Owen, a delivery truck." And Owen replied, "Actually, container truck." (Actually is pronounced actly). :)