Monday, June 30, 2008

What we are doing




When we returned home from the beach, I immediately felt like the babies had grown well more than a week's worth while we were gone. They go longer between naps now. For example, when we left, they were going down for their morning nap at 8:00, now they make it until almost 9:00.

Also, the babies were mobile and crawling when we left for the beach, but the first morning we were home they all struck out, one behind the other, and made a lap around our house. This is now something they do most mornings. Elliott usually leads the way, moving out in front and then turns around to make sure Lucia and Mazie are following.

H has also commented that they are playing independently for longer periods of time. They don't need others to amuse them as much.

Before we left for the beach they would make one another laugh every so often. Now, everyday several times one will make another one laugh. This is the favorite part of my day right now.

These changes have been so pronounced that I wonder if our trip made the babies develop quicker. Perhaps they gained more confidence. Maybe it was the exposure to new people and toys and sites.

Here are some of the things the babies are doing right now:

Lucia


This past week Lucia has really taken to standing and sitting back down. She has really gained confidence and practice with this skill. With NanaLin last week she even let go, standing up by herself for a second or two.

Lucia also has a new smile. She is smiling all the time now. She shows off her teeth by scrunching her whole face up. It would make you smile to see it.

One change is that she has become a rather messy eater. She used to be our clean girl. Now she really loves to get her hands into it. Food ends up throughout her hair and all over her clothes and face.

Elliott


Elliott loves to bite people. It is becoming a problem. It hurts (yes I have been a recipient too). I am not really sure what to do about it. He seems to find it funny.

Elliott is good at making his sisters laugh. They think he is very funny. I have observed his getting them to laugh two ways. One is by laughing himself. The other, while sitting facing one of them, is by lunging his face toward their face. (He has yet to head-butt them.) They think this is hilarious, and it is very fun to watch.

Mazie


Mazie loves to graze. She will pick up anything off the floor and put it in her mouth. Usually this just consists of Cheerios. The craziest thing I've taken out of her mouth--twice--is a piece of banana pepper. She was very much enjoying it and didn't like me taking it away from her.

Mazie is also our clapper. Since before we went to the beach she has been clapping away. It is her favorite thing to do. She'll clap if we clap, but mostly she claps on her own. This wasn't a skill I was working with her on, she just started doing it one day. My favorite is when she just breaks into clapping when she is sitting by herself. It makes me wonder what she is thinking about.

When standing, Mazie is also starting to let go. She does it for a very brief second. To watch her, you can really tell she is practicing her balance. She usually does this when she is holding on to me. She will let go for a second and then grab back on. She is very steady.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Missing Avery



My dad and his wife came to visit this week: Grandpa and NanaLin. Below is a recreation of a photo we took with them the first week of October. The baby order in the top photo is Avery, Lucia, Elliott, Mazie. Below it is the same sans Avery. Eight months passed between photos.

Friday, June 27, 2008

The Best Visitors

Grandpa and NanaLin came to spend part of the week with us. We had not seen them for seven months. This is uncharacteristic of our normal pattern and was much too long of a spell. H and I always enjoy having my dad and Linda visit because they are very easy to be around and make themselves at home. This week they babysat the babies one day so H and I could go to the big city to see the dentist and run some errands. They all had a great day together. Dad also completed a few projects around the house I asked him to help me with. We look forward to when we can all be together again.

Grandpa with Mazie.
Grandpa with Lucia.

Grandpa with Elliott.

Lucia and Mazie checking out the alaphabet pal NanaLin and Grandpa brought. Elliott helping Grandpa put weather stripping on the door.
Lucia asking Grandpa a question.

NanaLin feeding the babies yogurt.

Grandpa feeding the babies oatmeal.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Brushing Teeth

H and I went to the dentist Wednesday. Afterward we went to Target. I guess teeth were on our mind as H wanted to buy the babies toothbrushes so they could start getting used to brushing their teeth. We also bought them the baby toothpaste that they can swallow.

It turns out that they love their toothbrushes. They bite on them, turning them in their mouths every way. I am sure it feels good on their gums.

Mazie cut her second top teeth while we were at the beach, so now Elliott has six teeth and the girls have four each.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

More Beach Photos

Here is another barrage of photos. These are from our week at the Gulf.

Note: Somehow we ended up with a far greater amount of photos of Elliott; I assure you we love all the babies the same.

We took a basket of toys, but the favorite thing for the babies to do was stand, pull up, and cruise around the coffee table. They seemed to congregate there quite a bit.

Here the four youngsters are telling "my fish was bigger" stories.
Lucia and Mazie hanging out at the coffee table.
Elliott standing at the couch.

Seth and Mazie cutting up at the coffee table.

Here is Mazie, finally coaxed into the blow up pool filled with gulf water.

Then her brother joins her and splashes...

...and splashes her, but she hung in there.

Seth made the babies jealous by eating lots of great finger foods: black beans, tofu, grapes.

Lucia playing with her toys at the Gulf.

Alyson in the bayou with a tentative Mazie.

Elliott's first encounter with sand. He consumed a fair amount of it.



Whitney and Elliott checking out the water.

Amy and Elliott lounging by the bayou.

Alyson turns 40 next month, so we celebrated with a chocolate cake and lots of wishes for a wonderful year.
Aimee and Lucia singing: "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart...." Indeed they do.
Elliott in the water and in the sand. I don't know which he liked better. He's in the water with Kristen.



Mama Summer and precious Seth.

Seth and Elliott taking in some sort of sight.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Back from the Beach

We had a great time with our friends at the beach. The week went by much too fast. We ate lots of good food and had lots of time to relax and catch up with friends who are very important to us.

The photo above is of wild lavender and lichen from our walk through a state park.

Here is Lucia enjoying the sun.
Elliott with his first taste of apple.

Mazie hoping for a few crumbs from Seth.

The group before saying good-bye on Sunday.