I Wanna Meet Santa Claus

Because he knows that someday when we are old and gray I will still be saying "remember Chloe's first Easter and how you made us miss out on a picture with the Easter Bunny," Paul was sure to work in a quick trip to see Santa for Chloe's first Christmas outside of my belly.  We didn't have to wait in a very long line since we went on a Monday night.  There were a lot of tears shed by little boys and girls before and after Chloe in the line.  Paul and I were guessing that Chloe would just sit there with her "blue steel" look and not crack a frown or a smile.  We were right.  What she is doing in this picture here is what she did for three minutes straight.  Santa loved her and asked if he could maybe hold her a little longer - maybe we had some shopping to do?   

She actually looks a little annoyed that we would even bother taking her to see this funny looking man.  But then I think she is actually annoyed at the cameraman who kept saying, "do you have a special way of making him laugh?" Maybe it is my fault for dressing her in all black and misplacing her bow, but she did have on pink boots and a dress for the love of Santa.

Merry Christmas!

I had every intention of sending Christmas cards this year.  I was actually really looking forward to it.  I even had some family pictures taken for the big event; however, it is now December 13, time is running short, and by the time I got them in the mail it would be too late. 

I get a little envious of those women who somehow find the time in their busy schedules to take their baby to a photographer to get the perfect Christmas picture, create the perfect Christmas card, order the perfect Christmas card, and then actually mail the perfect Christmas card in a timely fashion.  As Carrie Bradshaw would say "I will never be the woman with the perfect hair, who can wear white and not spill on it."  So as a last minute option I created a quick Christmas card online for all seven of you to enjoy:

And here are a few other cute shots we got during the photo shoot:

Alarm Clock Exorcism

What makes this alarm clock so evil?

It's a funny story really.  My mom bought me this alarm clock to put in Chloe's room when she was first born, because the pediatrician had recommended that I feed Chloe for ten minutes on each breast.  Being a new mommy I, of course, took this advice as the gospel and insisted on watching the clock, switching at exactly ten minutes. 

The alarm clock has always been something of a pain in the ass, because the whole thing operates using only four buttons and the instructions might as well be in a different language - press mode six times, press function twice, then up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right B, A, Start just to set the time.  Chloe, some day I will explain to you that Nintendo reference.

As it turns out this alarm clock is one of Chloe's favorite toys.  She'll press the buttons and watch it light up for 15 minutes straight.  I rejoice in any object that entertains my daughter long enough to apply a whole face of makeup in the morning.  I was letting her play with it about a month ago in her bedroom when it somehow got pushed below her changing table.  Retrieving the tiny object would have required me lying flat on my stomach and reaching my arm under the table, which seemed like a waste of already rationed energy.  So I just left it there.  A mistake of epic proportions.

Now I mentioned in a previous post that Chloe woke up for one entire month religiously at 2:30 a.m.  You may already know where I'm going with this.  As I'm trying to write this I am shaking my head and laughing that irritated laugh where you can't believe you were so stupid... Yes, she had set the alarm to 2:30 a.m. and being that the alarm lasts for about 20 seconds and goes off only once, Paul and I were never lucky enough to hear the damn thing going off until four nights ago when I woke up and thought "what the heck is that noise?"  Sure enough, Chloe woke up within 20 seconds of the alarm going off. 

So three nights ago I removed the alarm from her bedroom, and for three nights the entire family has slept through the entire night.  Any day now I'm expecting the clock to rotate its head and spew pea soup. 

Blackberry Bliss

Now that the winter is upon us we no longer have the farmer's market as an option for fresh food.  Also, we find ourselves trekking to the grocery store far more infrequently. As a result, I have been stocking up on frozen fruits.  They work well for Chloe because they are already squishy when they unthaw.  In my infinite wisdom I thought a good option would be blackberries.  When I finally got them unthawed I realized they might be a little too messy so I thought I would just feed them to her with a spoon.  Well that lasted for one bite when she took the berry out of her mouth and rubbed it all along her chin.  I thought the hell with it and just gave her the whole bowl to feed herself.  Here are the results:

 If this were a math equation it would be something like Baby + Blackberries = Bath

Thanksgiving & Christmas Tree Hunting

Chloe's first Thanksgiving had its ups and downs.  We hung out at Kendra's house the entire day on Thursday while she and Paul made a big Thanksgiving feast.  Chloe caught a cold, but she was still in a pretty good mood.  When we were finally able to eat dinner (there was a bit of a fiasco in that Chad was late to fry the turkey, there was not enough oil to deep fry the turkey, oh wait now there is way too much oil to fry the turkey and it is boiling over, there wasn't enough propane to fry the turkey, etc.) we all really enjoyed ourselves. 

Chloe used snot on her turkey rather than gravy. (The turkey leg was for photo purposes only.  I did not feed my 10 month old daughter a whole turkey leg!)

She was pretty messy from the meal so we gave her a bath after dinner.  Taylor and Oli joined her while she splashed around, and it was easily Chloe's favorite bath ever.  She had so much fun playing in the tub and I laughed the entire time.

Chloe had a hard time sleeping that night.  She was super gassy and I think she got the turkey toots.  She was also very sick and was coughing and sneezing the whole night.  I ended up sleeping with her, but I probably only slept an hour or two.  There was a big party going on down stairs!  My dad picked us up at 5:00 a.m. and drove us out to meet my mom and my Aunt Paula in Saginaw.  Thankfully my dad volunteered to watch Chloe so that I could go on my annual Black Friday shopping drip with my mom!  I ended up being awake for something like 36 hours, but you find yourself doing all kinds of superhuman things as a mom.

We went Christmas tree shopping on Saturday.  Unfortunately, Paul had to work and so he missed our first annual Christmas tree hunt.  I found the perfect tree.  It was about 20 feet tall.  We cut the top 11.5 feet off of it and brought it home all the way to Grand Rapids where Paul had to cut another 2.5 feet off the top.  What can I say?  I love a big Christmas tree!  Chloe hated hunting for the tree this year.  Look at her in her snowsuit.  I would have hated it too!

We got the tree up on Sunday when we got home.  It took a few days to get it all decorated, but we love it now that it is up!

It is hard to believe that Christmas is right around the corner.  I love thinking back to what we were doing at this same time last year.  I was getting to be very pregnant looking and I slept through most of the Thanksgiving events like our annual Christmas walk party.  My mom had to put the lights on our Christmas tree.  The snow could hardly put a damper on our spirits because we were getting so excited to meet Chloe.  This month is going to fly by like it usually does and soon here we will be having Chloe's first birthday party.  I can't believe I have an almost one year old!

Chloe - 10 Months

Ten months!!! At ten months Chloe is waving buh buy AND hello. She blows kisses, gives kisses, claps, and high fives. We taught her almost all of those "tricks" in one day. Right now she is just a little sponge.

This month Chloe's 10 month photos didn't go very well - primarily because I ended up buying one of these giant flowers that I swore I would never torment her with.  As you may be able to sense... she hated it!  I couldn't even get it down far enough so that her little ears weren't sticking out.  Instead of just taking it off and snapping a few cute ones without the headband I just kept sticking it back on her head and she just kept screaming at me.  We never did get a good shot. 

I thought for sure that Miss Amelia would be an early walker, but as it turns out she hasn't really been very interested in walking. For most of the month when we tried to walk with her she would get wet noodle legs. Why walk when you can move at lightening speed on your knees? She does walk all along the couch and even goes from toy to toy. Finally, at the end of the month, Chloe can stand unassisted for ten to twenty seconds. She thinks so hard about moving that foot to take a step, but she is still very cautious and isn't quite ready to go for it. She usually will just lunge forward or fall on her butt.

Chloe can go all the way up and down the stairs. She is pretty much the master of the stairs. Now that she can go down the stairs, she is obsessed with the basement stairs. What is in the basement you ask? A super cool slide! She loves to crawl UP the slide and loves when daddy lets her slide down without any additional support... ahem.

Forget about the cool light up toys that litter the living room, Chloe's favorite toys right now are the stairs, the kitchen table, any power/USB cord she can get her little fingers on, magazines (a delicacy), remotes, and cell phones. Oh and we cannot forget Griffin. Nothing compares to rubbing our face all over Griffin's back, dodging wet dog kisses, and taking advantage of a nice stepping stool. Also, he has the coolest toys - great for chewing.

We have discovered this month that Chloe is actually a little shy. One night Drew, Shantel, and Andrew came over to my parents' house. Andrew was cheesing it up and stealing the show. Chloe just looked at him like he was an alien. It took almost an hour before she even found the courage to move. She is a silent observer in new situations. I guess there is nothing wrong with taking in your surroundings before you decide to get comfortable.

Chloe is getting some new teeth and has been a little bit of a "cry baby" lately. She just doesn't feel good. She is normally so chill with an "oh well" kind of personality, but lately the slightest little thing can make her cry. I thought maybe she was just discovering that when she cries people pick her up, but in the end I think it is just the teeth. I hope it is just the teeth. Please God let it be the teeth.

On top of the tears, Chloe has been waking up at 2:30 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. for most of the month. The 2:30 appointment is for a snack and the 4:00 appointment is to be AWAKE. She is bright eyed and bushy tailed before the sun comes up. That is just too early for this momma! She is waking up so early that sometimes she can't make it through breakfast without falling asleep. I don't get to fall asleep on my desk. It's not fair! I'm hoping it is just a phase, but if you have any advice I'm open for suggestions!

Because I think Chloe will appreciate reading this someday, she occasionally bites me oh the arm or collar bone. She only bites me and it it happens maybe once per week. I will yelp and say "NO BITING!" and then she looks at me and cries and cries. I even have a bruise from the most recent nip. It's crazy! Again, open for suggestions here.

Chloe's first Thanksgiving is just around the corner. I love thinking back to just one year ago when Chloe was still a mystery to me. I remember sleeping through our annual Thanksgiving party. This year I will be running around chasing a ten month old baby. I have so much to be thankful for this year. Every morning I thank God for my family, our good health, the roof over our heads, the food on our table, and that we still have jobs to support our family. On top of that, I am so thankful to have such wonderful daytime help with Chloe between Melissa and my Mom. Another big change in my life this year is the addition of some wonderful new friends. I'm not sure how I would have made it through the year without the help of my Bradley girls. I thank God every day for leading me on the path to Lisa Miller's basement. Haha! Also, we have some amazing "mommy" neighbors - one in particular who has been an amazing wealth of knowledge and support. This has just been a great year, and I cannot imagine life getting any better than this. Thank you again, God, for your blessings, comfort, and grace.

Mom Skin

It's the weirdest thing. Ever since I became a mom, it's like I've been reborn. It seems that no matter what I do, there is always a sign across my forehead that reads "I'm a Mom." It doesn't matter that my ripped up jeans are the complete opposite of "mom jeans," because you can still see parts of my mom skin, which struggles to cover my enlarged mom heart.

What is it about me that just screams "mom" lately? Is it that last remaining bit of stretched skin on my tummy that serves as a constant reminder of the commitment I made to Chloe, much like my wedding band serves as a reminder of the commitment I made to Paul?

Is it because I no longer walk into a room wearing four and a quarter inch heels and a new Coach purse slung over my shoulder, but instead a pair of flats and a diaper bag?

Is it my watchful eyes? The bags beneath them?

Is it because talking to a person without kids sometimes feels like I am conversing with an entirely different species? Because all I want to talk about is how Chloe has diarrhea right now. And I think she might be allergic to spinach. And is that normal? Wait, are you sleeping? Did I just put you to sleep? Oh, you are tired from being up at 2:00 a.m. last night. Phew. Finally, something we have in common. Except it is different, because you probably had your hand jammed down a Doritos bag and didn't have a baby latched to your boob.

Is it the faint undertone of sour milk in my classic perfume?

Is it my constant state of nostalgia? Except I yearn only for the moments that occurred AC, After Chloe. The unfamiliar tears shed from simply packing away 3-6 month clothing?

Is it because carrying around an 18 pound baby somehow feels like I am carrying around the weight of the world?

What I do know is that no amount of money could turn me back. It is like once you've discovered God, freedom... sugar. I love this skin I'm in - this mom skin.

Chloe - 9 Months

I'm getting later and later on these monthly posts. Luckily, I keep up pretty well with the paper baby book, so that when I go to write my monthly update I'm not getting confused with Chloe's new tricks. I realize that it is almost time for Chloe's ten month post, but I figure it is better late than never. The winter is always the craziest time at my office, and I have been struggling a lot with the balance between work and family. More on that in a later post. For now, I'd like to give you a quick update on the life of Miss Amelia.


At her nine month appointment Chloe was 18 pounds, 5.8 ounces and 27 inches long. She was in the 50th percentile for weight and 30th percentile for height. This time we met with the nurse practitioner. She had laryngitis and so in my opinion she shouldn't have been at work treating little babies in the first place. She was being a huge you-know-what through the whole appointment; probably, because she was sick. I told her that Chloe wakes up sometimes at 3:30 or 4:00 a.m. to nurse. She said that was a bad habit and it should have stopped at 7 months. She told me to give her a pacifier. I told her that is funny, because a pacifier sounds like a bad habit, too. Besides, Chloe has never liked a pacifier. She also said that Chloe should not be eating any baby food because it isn't nutritious. I told her I make almost all of Chloe's baby food so SUCK IT. No, I didn't really say that. But I did decide to start feeding Chloe more table food. More on that. I'm just venting. Overall, the NP said that Chloe was doing well and meeting all of her milestones. After a quick flu shot, Hep B shot, and finger prick/iron test we were on our way.

A few days later I had to take Chloe to the lab to have her blood drawn for a lead test. Since our house was built in 1926 there is an increased chance that Chloe could get lead poisoning, say, if I were to feed her some paint chips for dinner. Luckily, the tech was successful with one prick and even though Chloe screamed BLOODY MURDER, I was grateful that it went so well. Future Cassie wants you to know that we are in the clear for lead poisoning.

Chloe has had a very big month, but lately it seems that all of her months have been big. She is growing up so fast and she is surprising me every day with the things she does. Just a simple thing like copying me as I put blocks into a bucket just blows me away. I think that Chloe's biggest accomplishment this month would be learning to feed herself without gagging. This happened at the very end of the month, mind you. It took about a week of practice, but since I have a sneak peek into future (10 month old) Chloe, I can safely say that she is becoming a self-feeding pro. She thinks she is really cool stuff.

She has been climbing the stairs for a long time now, but she can climb all the way up over and over and over and over again. One day I was upstairs paying bills when I heard Paul coaching and cheering and Chloe crying and complaining. This went on for about a half hour and when I came down to check it out I found Paul teaching Chloe do go down the stairs. She was so pissed. But she figured it out. I have a vision of Paul coaching her team someday and I have a feeling it will be a love/hate type of relationship. Chloe can whiz around the house on all fours and can walk along the furniture. She loves to explore and knows her way around the entire house.

Let's see. What else? In the beginning of the month Chloe got Roseola. Oh the new words we learn upon becoming parents. What the hell is Roseola you ask? Well that is a very good question. All I know is that it gives your baby an instant fever and makes them HIGHLY irritable for 2-3 days straight and then when you think it is over they get this big rash on their tummy. Poor baby.

This month marks the first time Chloe stayed home with Grandma and Grandpa for longer than 6 or 8 hours. Paul and I went to Traverse City to celebrate our 3rd anniversary and attend a wedding. We were in far worse shape than Chloe. When we got home it was like she didn't even notice we were gone. And I always thought I loved my parents more than they could ever love me. I guess there are some things you just can't understand until you have kids. Who would have known?

Taking Chloe's nine month pics was very difficult this time around... you'll see what I mean. For the first picture I caught her off guard.

And then we were into the chairs...

Up the stairs...

Into the cabinets...

And then the dog food...

And eventually I just gave up.

Where have YOU been you ask?

First, I'd like to apologize for my absence; however, please know that this apology is male in gender, meaning I fully intend to continue to disappoint you. And just when you have had it, you are done, you are never checking this website EVER AGAIN, I will write a post with the most adorable pictures of an elephant baby looking at kitties, and you will forgive me and forget that I never called you back... I mean left you high and dry without a post for a whole month. Here is a quick update in photos because I am just too crazy busy to give you anything more than that!

Paul and I celebrated our three year anniversary up in Traverse City sans baby. Here we are at our fourth winery.

I hung out with Sara the same weekend at Josh & Lydia's wedding. I love you and miss you, Sara!!

Shortly after I hung out with Kelly and Julie. We had an impromptu lunch date. So fun!

I taught Chloe to sweep the floors. She has to start pulling her weight around here!

Chloe got a jack-o-lantern smile just in time for Halloween.

Chloe learned to feed herself and here she is having some blueberries. YUM!

Chloe met her Great Grandpa Jack for the first time. She was sad that she wasn't able to meet her Great Grandma Alvina who has been with Jesus for just over two years now. I know my Grandma Al would have been beside herself.

Chloe the elephant found some cute pumpkins while cooling off on the front porch. That costume was extra warm.

Elephant babies are scared of mice, but are enthralled by kitties!

I Heart Daddy

Chloe - 8 Months

Chloe is now eight months old and I am starting catch a glimpse of the "kid" in her. Paul's Grandma T bought Chloe this really cool wagon from a garage sale this summer. Last weekend was the first time we went home in maybe forever, and Paul decided to try out her cool new toy. We sat her in the bottom and started pulling her down the driveway and it took one, two, three seconds before she was beaming from ear to ear. She stood up and held on to the sides and rode that little wagon down the dirt road like the daredevil I always thought she would be. It was adorable. When I took her inside to change her diaper she actually started crying because she wanted more wagon. So there I was just standing on the porch watching my husband pull my beautiful daughter around in this wagon and I was thinking... how did we get here? I'm watching my baby do kid things. It's amazing. It's terrifying. It's indescribable.


On top of that my Dad taught her how to stick out her tongue. And it didn't take her very long to figure out that if she sticks her tongue out at people, nine out of ten people will stick their tongue out back at her. Chloe's other favorite trick is making noises with her lips either using her fingers or blowing air through her lips to make them vibrate. I have been trying to teach her to patty cake for a couple of months now and she is finally starting to get it. She can sort of clap, but her favorite part is to "roll it." I always catch her rolling and rolling cakes as fast as she can! She is getting to be pretty hilarious. Also, we are getting close to waving buh bye.

Where last month Chloe was a little shaky at pulling herself up, this month Miss Amelia has truly mastered the skill. I used to sort of hover behind her because I thought she would fall and hit her head on the hardwood floors, but now she is so steady and strong that I'm not even worried. She even figured out how to climb the stairs. She went up four stairs right in a row. I, of course, was hovering behind her for that!

I think one of the funniest places to see Chloe standing up is in her crib. She was been doing this since the minute she figured out she could pull herself up, and now every morning I wake up to my little girl peeking her head above the railing. She is typically smacking the top rail like a drum. If I toss some toys in her crib in the morning she will usually sit back down and play with them while I hop in the shower. Good Chloe.

Chloe seems to think she is ready for more solid foods. She begs worse than Griffin whenever we are eating. She wants pizza, spaghetti, hamburgers... everything. The problem is that she chokes on any semi-solid food. And I really do mean chokes. Like, I gave her the teeny tiniest chunk of solid banana and it got stuck in her throat. She started coughing and gagging before throwing up. Twice. I waited two weeks and tried giving her yogurt bites that dissolve in your mouth. She choked on that. Melissa asked if she could give Chloe some Cheerios at school because all of the other kids get them and Chloe seems to want some so desperately. I decided to send some baby puff things to school with her that also dissolve in your mouth. When I went to pick Chloe up Melissa said she is definitely waiting a while to try that again, because she started gagging. So we are done with super solid foods for a while. Sorry, Chloe. You'll get there someday.

This month Chloe graduated to a big girl car seat. She got both of her top teeth, and is now sporting a four-toothed grin. She was granted one blanket in her crib. She eats two meals per day and has added beets, yogurt, apples, mangoes, and much more to the menu. She has figured her way around the downstairs and can follow us from the living room, through the dining room, and into the kitchen. She still goes to anyone, but has a preference for people she knows in addition to strange people with bountiful facial hair. Pretty much the only time she cries anymore is when I try to get her dressed. The worst time is getting dressed after a bath. Chloe still takes baths in the sink. I guess you could call it a bath even though it is really Chloe standing up and grabbing anything she can get her hands on rather than play in the water like most kids, and me plunking her back down on her butt over and over again.

Ooh ooh how could I forget the greatest news? I have noticed when we are at family gatherings or when Chloe is really upset or tired she will look around for me and you can just see the words "mama" on the tip of her tongue. There have been a couple of times where I swore she said "mama" and I'm all "DID ANYONE HEAR THAT?!?!?!" Paul thought she has been trying to say it, too. But the other night she was kind of saying "mama" and then when Paul and I would say it to her she would parrot the words right back. I think it is safe to say that her official first word is "mama!" Yay!

My "New" Waistline

A few weeks ago I was getting dressed in front of the full length mirror in my bedroom that I have so vehemently averted over the past year when out of the corner of my eye I noticed... What in the? Could it be true? Was it the start of my waistline? I couldn't be sure because I always tip my full length mirror at an upward angle to ensure my reflection body is always three inches taller and ten pounds thinner than my flesh body. But after spinning around in the mirror a few times I was convinced that, yes, it was indeed the start of my waistline. Let's be clear. My new waistline looks nothing like my old waistline. There is no trace of an abdominal muscle in sight, and my "hourglass" figure looks as though it has been warped in the dishwasher. But it is a sign that maybe my metabolism was just dormant for the past nine months rather than gone, lost forever.

I got pretty cocky and started dusting off all of my old pants. To my surprise, I could pull most of them up for the first time since I found out I was pregnant. I could even button some of them, and I will, too, whenever I feel like sporting a muffin top. But for now, I'm happy to be able to slip into a pair of jeans that require the assistance of a hair rubber band rather than an entire waistline of elastic.

ALERT! ALERT! ALERT!

READER BEWARE. There is a serial thief in the neighborhood. The accused is known to target innocent ducks, puppies, and elephants. Victims have been found in their own homes and are reportedly chewed, bitten, and smothered before being left for dead. Authorities need your help in identifying the victims.


The perp has been described as being male with shiny, brown hair and long, floppy ears. If you see this villain alert the authorities immediately and proceed with caution. Do not be fooled by his innocent demeanor. He will attack anything that is soft, fluffy, and squeaky.


(According to authorities, a more recent photo of the perp was not available as his parents have neglected him since his sister was born seven months ago.)

Chloe - 7 Months

Well it has almost been a whole month since my last post, because things at work just seem to be getting busier and busier. I figured I had better post something about Chloe's 7th month before I forget about all of the amazing things she learned! Chloe is now officially crawling. What started as an army crawl turned into an army crawl + two quick real crawls + fall on face, repeat.


All of this eventually turned into a full on crawl. By the end of the month miss girl could crawl all the way across the room and back, and boy, did she think she was cool shit.


At the very end of the month she decided, hey, if I can crawl, I can probably stand up. So she gave it a whirl. One night when I got home from work she started crawling over to me with this devilish little look on her face. You could just tell she was thinking "I'm gonna get you!" Then she grabbed a hold of me and pulled herself right up. And that, ladies and gentlemen, was the end of it. She has since made it her sole purpose in life to crawl over to things, pull herself up, and look over her shoulder at us silently thinking "neener, neener, neener." And poor Griffin. He gets the worst of it. She pulls herself up on his face, ears, tummy, tail, you name it. But he just sits there, probably thinking about how he can't wait to turn eighteen.


Chloe is talking now more than ever. I think she sounds like a baby dinosaur. She is always squealing, growling, or roaring. It is so funny. She never really figured out how to laugh. Instead, when she is excited she just screeches. The only way she will really, truly belly laugh is if Griffin is barking or playing because Griffin is hilarious.

Since Melissa took two weeks of vacation in August, my dad volunteered to take some vacation to come watch Chloe. Dad watched Chloe a total of six days in August, but I'm pretty sure it only took one day before he was wrapped her finger. Chloe loves my dad and it was so cute to see her with him. Now she loves pretty much anyone with facial hair.

Chloe still loves all of the same things like being outdoors, Griffin, stroller rides, and music, but this month she decided that the really loves to play. She loves playing with toys that light up and make noise. My mom picked up some toys from a few garage sales because all of the toys I had at home for her were soft, quiet, and boring. She has a big basket of toys in the living room now, but she still seems to go after anything that is not a toy. She is always trying to get Griffin's nasty toys and once when I looked away for a split second I looked down to find Chloe chewing on Griffin's gnarly Nylabone.

We are having all sorts of fun chasing Chloe around the house these days. Here is her 7 month photo.

Yum Yum!

Chloe started on solid foods on July 22. We started with some rice cereal that was just mostly breast milk. She was pretty skeptical.


Since then she has had sweet potatoes, bananas, carrots, peas, and nectarines. The peas only lasted one day before we fed them to Griff because Chloe dry heaved with each bite. Who can blame a girl?


For the most part, Chloe likes eating solid food. She isn't ravenous or anything. She just goes with the flow. She has given us lots of cute faces and is getting better and better at keeping the food in her mouth rather than all over her face.


Her favorite part of eating real food is getting to drink from a water glass! You have to be careful with your water glass because she will do everything in her power to get it.

I have been making Chloe's baby food. Lately, I just whip it up while I burn my bras. Don't worry, I have not turned into a total hippie or anything. I still do an evil laugh every time I throw Chloe's disposable diapers into the trash. Rain on my weekends... take that, EARTH.

The reason I have been making Chloe's baby food is because my Bradley friends introduced me to this book called Super Baby Food by this crazy lady named Ruth Yaron. The thought would have never occurred to me that it would be possible and even easy to make baby food. It is as simple as cook, blend, freeze. It maybe takes ten to fifteen minutes to make a batch of baby food. The most amazing part is that it saves us at least $15 every batch I make. I can't cook an adult meal to save my life, but I am very handy with the microwave and food processor, so it turns out I can make a mean batch of baby food!

For the record, I truly do not believe it is better to make your own baby food, and I have some jarred baby food, too. It is just surprisingly cheap and easy. It is even sort of fun. I would recommend that book if you are even somewhat interested in learning how to make baby food. Like I said, the woman is a total nut. She probably spends her whole day making baby food and sanitizing every nook of her home. But the back of the book has a lot of great recipes and advice on how and when to pick ripe fruits and vegetables, how and how long to store them, etc. It's really interesting stuff!

Pumping Woes

When I was pregnant and I passed by another pregnant woman I always felt like we had this secret connection, a unique understanding for one another despite being perfect strangers. It was like I was granted membership into an elite group, and all it cost me was fifteen pair of size four pants.

A few months later when I became a breastfeeding/pumping mother, the group became even more elite, because there were more drop outs than not. Now when I come across a woman carrying a little, black, milk-stained backpack, I feel the empathy and the connection on an even deeper level.

Only she, the woman with the milk-stained backpack, could possibly understand the disappointment you feel when you wake up in the morning and realize that you forgot to put the milk, the precious, precious milk in the fridge when you got home from work.

Only she can can understand the paradox you face when your office phone is ringing, and you really need to take the call, but will the person on the other line wonder what that "Riurr Riurr Riurr" is in the background? Also, only she agrees that the "Riurr Riurr Riurr" is actually taunting "Nipple Nipple Nipple."

Only she knows the feeling of spilling three ounces of milk down your shirt, pants, and shoes at the office because you failed to notice that the milk was pooling at the top of your tiny, disposable Medela storage bag.

She may not be the only one to notice, but she is definitely the only one who understands why you keep instinctively pressing on your boobs, which have turned into boulders because it has been almost five hours since you last pumped.

She knows how it feels to pump in a parking lot that was once empty, but is now full of construction workers on their lunch break. She knows how it feels to pump in a moving car, a pontoon boat, and a closet. She knows how it feels to pump over top of a public toilet, and when you drop a piece of your pump into said toilet and cry momentarily before throwing a fit of rage, only she will testify in court that your husband in fact MADE you do it and so it wasn't your fault that you attempted to kill him.

And in that moment when you see her hauling her purse, work tote, breast pump, diaper bag, and baby from her car you briefly think she may be the most amazing woman you've never known... but then again, is that bitch wearing size four jeans?

Chloe - 6 Months

Half a year! Six months! 26 Weeks! 181 Days! It doesn't matter how you count it - holy cow the time flies!


Chloe weighed in at 16 lbs 7 oz at her six month check up, and was 25 inches long. She was below average for height and above average for weight, and may be shaping up to have her momma's figure. Haha. The doctor was very impressed with Chloe's motor skills. She said Chloe was very strong and healthy. When she asked if Chloe could get up on all fours I turned her over and she stood with her palms and feet flat on the floor with her knees locked and butt straight in the air. It was her downward dog yoga pose I think. The doctor was laughing so hard, and it really was one of the cutest things Chloe has done to date. Little Miss Amelia also had to have two vaccinations. She cried so hard, but the pain was short lived and she was back to herself after a quick nap.

At six months Chloe is sitting up without much risk of falling over. She can roll all over the floor to get where she wants to go, and she can even army crawl. She is laughing and smiling all of the time. Her hair is coming in very thick and very blond. She still has blue eyes and dark skin.

Her biggest accomplishment so far has been breaking through two bottom teeth on July 16! She handled it like a champ. She wasn't fussy and didn't have a fever or diarrhea or anything. Chloe is one tough girl! I wasn't too thrilled about the challenges of teeth, but so far she has only bit me lightly a few times. Nothing major yet, although I'm sure I've got it coming.

Right now Chloe loves: necklaces, hair, beards, Griffin, grass, stroller rides, the outdoors in general, baths, drinking water from a cup, books, her exersaucer, mama and dada, grandpas and grandmas, Melissa, and country music (if Chloe is every crying in the car we just crank up some Rascal Flatts and she goes right into a trance). Right now Chloe hates: getting into her car seat, being left alone in a room, and taking naps (most of the time).

Chloe still sleeps pretty well at night. She goes to bed around 8:00 p.m. and stays sleeping until around 5:30 or 6:00 a.m. The problem is that when she hears people awake then she wants to play. She will take a hour long morning nap on a good day and then two 20 minute cat naps throughout the day. She is just go go go and hates having to stop for a nap. She is a good girl with or without her naps so no one seems to mind.

We started eating some rice cereal two days shy of her six month milestone. More to come on that in a later post. For now I'm just amazed at how fast these first six months have went. I have loved every month and all of the changes they have brought. Every day with Chloe is so much fun. I feel both joy and sadness to see my little baby grow into a big girl. Luckily, Chloe is getting to be more and more hilarious as the days pass.

New Name

You may have noticed that I changed the name of the blog in an attempt to make the site slightly less Googleable. It used to be that you just type in my full name and my blog came up as the number one hit, so I tried to go through and delete our last name from the blog wherever I could (including the title). We'll see how that goes for a while. Any suggestions on a new name? It's a work in progress.

Creepy Creeptsers

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a new post that was hilarious on all accounts. The story was so funny on its own that I had to do very little in order to make it a masterpiece. I mentioned a while back that a coworker of mine, Andrew, and I successfully planned and executed what was arguably the greatest practical joke on earth. Period. I was cracking up the whole time I wrote and edited the story. As I sat back in my computer chair marveling at my work, I moved the cursor over the "publish post" tab when suddenly the voice of reason popped into my head. It started out as a little whisper and the more I listened the more I realized it was screaming at me DON'T DO IT!

We played this practical joke on another coworker, and even though it was all in good fun, no feelings were hurt, and the world is officially a better place because we did it, I realized that in some circles what we did might be considered grounds for say, I don't know, getting fired? It would be an extreme and unnecessary consequence, sure, but the last thing I want to do is get dooced. On one hand I'm happy that I've grown up enough to realize when I should keep my mouth shut (it only took 26 years), but on the other hand I'm disappointed that I cannot share this delightful story.

Anyway, the whole thing got me to thinking about my blog. Originally I just wanted to journal everything because I never wanted to forget my pregnancy or all of Chloe's milestones. I wanted to share our story with friends and relatives. I thought of how amazing it would be if I could read my grandmother's journal. But this isn't a journal. It's a public forum. The more I thought about it, the more I started freaking out about the fact that any old creepster in the world could log on to the Internet, Google my name, and get my life story. I do, after all, have a history of attracting the creepiest of creepsters.

Like just two years ago I was up in Ludington inspecting a vacant laboratory building for work. The owner of the building had the groundskeeper meet me there and give me a tour. The building had been vacant for years and it was dark and scary on its own. They used to test animals there for Pete's sake. But on top of that I'm walking through the building with this textbook redneck by my side. I'm just trying to be pleasant and quick about my business, but this guy keeps casually cornering me, and by the end of the inspection he is telling me how nice and beautiful I am. I was freaking out because no one would have known or heard me if this lunatic touched me. Luckily I got out of there safely, but the next morning I got a phone call. I asked who it was and the deep lawnmowerman voice on the line would just say "Don't you know?" or "It's me." Then later that day the same thing. I received four phone calls from that guy over the next two days before he finally let me alone.

That story is nothing compared to the one I have from the summer after my freshman year in college. I was working at the golf course as a beach volleyball coordinator and beer cart girl. The job was fun, but you had to deal with a lot of wise guys. I got to know a few of the guys on a first name basis because they played in leagues and showed up every week. Well toward the end of the summer this one guy started showing up at my stand every night of the week. Then one night I was closing down my stand at 10:30 or so. I was the only one out there and was just hopping in my car when the guy comes driving up in his truck. He asked me to come to his window because he wanted to show me something. When I looked in he had a video camera and on it was a home video of him and his wife... you know... bow chicka wow wow. Stunned and disgusted I ran to my car and drove away. I mean, WTF? What is it about me that I attract the weirdest people in the world? I'm not sure.

I was talking to Paul about my blog and I asked him what he thought of it. He hurt my feelings a little when he said he wasn't really sure how he felt about it. Said he thought it was dangerous to post all of those pictures of Chloe, our house, our family. I think it only hurt my feelings because he was voicing my own concerns, and he kind of got me thinking there might be some weird person out there reading my blog (lawnmower man?) who is just waiting to up and steal our baby. The thought sounds crazy, but, like I said, crazy people tend to gravitate toward me.

So right now I'm on the fence about my blog. Should I stay, or should I go? I may just make it a private blog so that all seven of you will have to log on before reading. I'll be sure to let you know.

Just for Kicks

Just in case you need a laugh today, I thought I'd post this picture. I forgot about it until just now. Chloe received this "Lil' Kim" wig as a gift from daddy's friend.


I'm sorry, Chloe, but this is hilarious :o)

Happy Independence Day!

Chloe had a great 4th of July weekend up at Houghton Lake and Hubbard Lake. We headed up to Houghton Lake to stay with the Moore's on Friday and Saturday. We went out to the sandbar where Chloe hung out on the beach the whole day. We sat her little Bumbo chair in the shallow water and she splashed around. She loved it! Saturday night we headed over to Hubbard Lake. We spent the rest of our time up north playing with Andrew, tubing, jet skiing, wake boarding, and just relaxing. It was perfect weather for playing in the water at almost 90 degrees!


We bought Chloe this little pool where she spent some time cooling off.


The problem was that mommy and daddy got too hot playing with her in the pool, so we decided to take her down to the lake. The lake was cold, but Chloe didn't even flinch. She loves the water!


Chloe spent some time playing with Andrew, but Andrew is a little skeptical about Chloe. In fact, twice when Chloe cooed at Andrew he started crying huge crocodile tears. We aren't sure what she told him, but it certainly hurt his feelings! When Chloe wasn't busy being a bully we snapped a few pictures.




It was another wonderful mini vacation and we had a great time. We are so blessed to have the cabin. It is out little piece of paradise!