Why, why, why?

Julia is growing so fast and is quite a bit bigger than Ivey was at this age. She is filling out her three month clothes really well and will need to move up in size shortly. She is such a happy baby, always smiling and chuckling some too. She loves to have her diaper changed and just smiles, talks and laughs as you stand over her. She also is really liking bath time now. She kicks her feet the entire time and gets her mommy all wet! She adores her big sister, always watching what she is doing. She is starting to grab at objects now. She grabbed Ivey's hair the other day. Ivey didn't quite know what to think about that- we thought it was really funny.

Ivey is getting so big and more independent every day. She is starting to ask why- oh my! She loves going to school and announces every day when she gets home that she had a good day at school. She has two imaginary friends - Babe and Pooh. We are just playing along with it for now. She loves to read her books, sing and play with her dolls. She feeds them, burbs them, changes their diapers, takes them on walks in the stroller, puts them in Julia's swing and bouncy chair and insists they need music.  She is quite entertaining to watch.

Ivey is doing really well with Julia. She likes to give her hugs and kisses and is very gentle with her. She talks to her and tells her what she is doing, gives her toys and her paci when she cries. It is really sweet to watch them together.

Ivey has graduated to a toddler bed

Birthday celebration for Kevin, Philip & Val

Ivey doesn't appear to be happy about sharing Gramma's lap!

Julia loves to feel her head!

Busy Summer

Julia's second month was a bit more challenging than her first. She was quite fussy and really only liked being held. The moby wrap was our friend most evenings during dinner, bath and bedtime routines. She was not a big fan of any seat including her car seat. She was usually okay after we started moving, but she would scream every time we stopped for a red light. She was especially fussy after eating and ended up trying Zantac at about 6 weeks and oh what a difference. Julia became a content and happy baby.

Aunt Holly, Margaret and Anne came to meet Julia in mid July. Gammie came with them too! We were able to make it up to the mountains several times and even managed to stay longer than a weekend a couple of times. Gramma and Grandad spent a week in the mountains too in late July and Granpa came up for an overnight to help Joe at the new house in early August.

Ivey has been into umbrellas all summer with all of the rain. She got her very own umbrella and wants to use it everyday. She had a ball dancing in the rain at Shops on the Parkway.

Julia's First Month Home

What a joy it is to have Julia with us. She is such a sweet baby and loves to be cuddled and held. Ivey seems to really love her and enjoys helping us with her. She loves to shake up her bottles, help hold the bottle while she eats, throw away dirty diapers, put her pacifier in her mouth when it falls out and rub her back when she's crying or needs to burp.

Julia seems to be beyond her age. By 2.5 weeks she was smiling, eating 4oz bottles, scooting herself all over the mat with her feet/legs during tummy time and even once rolled from her tummy to her back. She also seems to be following in her sister's footsteps in terms of being a good nighttime sleeper. At four weeks she was sleeping 6 to 7 hours after her last bottle.

It is definitely harder being parents of two, but it just feels right - like Julia was the missing puzzle piece to complete our family. We think we'll keep her!



Granma & Granpa came to stay when Joe had to travel overnight Julia's second week home



Julia (like Ivey) is allergic to Pampers -
It took weeks to get rid of the awful diaper rash they gave her



Ivey decided Julia needed some stickers on her feet

  

 

             Sweet Cousins sporting their patriotic outfits over July 4th weekend