Pig: 22 months

Pig is a myna bird. She repeats everything we say. The other day we were in the car and I mentioned that the driver in front of me was getting on my last nerve. In fact my last nerve was more like "MY LAST NERVE!" with a fist raised for emphasis. I look in the rear view mirror to see Pig raise her little fist and say "LAST NERVE!" or at least something that sounded a lot like it. She also had me ROFL when she imitated the little Windows melody as my laptop was booting up.

The language explosion is just phenomenal. Her favorite phrase these days is "Say Cheese!" whenever we have our camera out. She gets frustrated often when we have trouble understanding her or when she thinks we're having trouble. Last week around dinner time, K was playing with Moo and I was puttering about the kitchen putting dinner together and Pig started saying "ju', ju'" (translation: juice). I told her ok but that I had to finish cooking the chicken. She asked a few more times and then when I looked over, I found her leaning over a bottle of juice that was on the ground (one of those two-packs from Costco) and she pointed most emphatically at it and shouted "ju'! ju'!" Yep, I got the picture.

Pictured above is one of Pig's creations, Wood Blocks #6.

Moo: 4 months

We visited the Barnyard's pediatrician. It was Moo's 4 month well baby checkup and we were hoping to get some answers about the mysterious rash on Pig's torso. Poor Moo got 4 shots in his unhappy fat thighs. He's a champ, he turned bright red and yelled his head off during the injections but the crying ceased immediately once the ordeal was over. Whew. Moo like his sister loves people watching and giggles with delight if anyone brings his/her face right up to his. So color him surprised when after flirting heavily with Dr. K, she brings out 4 stinging needles to poke him with. No big surprise, Moo is putting on the poundage nicely, he currently weighs a healthy 16 lbs.

He is trying very hard to roll over these days. I'll find him leaning to one side, one fat arm extended as he tries to flip himself over. He likes what my parents like to call "skinship," basically he's happiest when being held. He'll nap for 2 hours if held, but if we try to be sneaky and put him down in his bassinet or bouncy chair; we're lucky if he's down 30 minutes. I do love cuddling him but it gets challenging when I'm watching the kids solo. Basically, on those nights, Pig ends up getting a really fast shower and no book. I say a hasty good night and then rush down to appease a yelling and grumbling Moo. I feel terrible when I have to do that because Pig usually starts whimpering but Moo's crying very quickly escalates to hysterics and when that happens, not even a feeding will calm him down.

The past few days, Moo has been flopping like a fish in his sleep. 16 lbs of baby bouncing up and down in his co-sleeper is hard to ignore. Not sure what that's all about, gas? An itch? Hydraulics? Who knows, but I swear there were a few times when I could've sworn he went airborne for a few seconds.

Random Thoughts at Midnight

It's 12:37 am, K was paged around 10 pm to put out a fire at work. Kids are both asleep. I left a pile of dirty dishes in the sink and crashed around 8 pm with a bad tension headache and the beginnings of what can only be a cold, sigh. My nose just started running so it looks like the battle is well underway. I probably could've slept until morning but Moo woke up close to ten, eyes closed shut and mouth mumbling, my cue to start a feed immediately or face the wrath of the CEO (Auntie Spivey's nickname for Moo). This never fails to amuse me. I'm imagining adults doing the same thing. For instance, I would not be as amused if K woke me up from a sound slumber, his hand wrapped around an imaginary cup, and announced, "before I open my eyes, I expect to find a glass of water in my hand...or else." But then these are the years where I live to serve my kids....until they can lift a full garbage bag that is, muahahahahha!

Mad Men, Season 3 starts Sunday....can't wait.

The other day, I was feeding Moo lying on my side and thought this is what it must be like to dance the tango with an overly fresh gnome with two left feet. Gone are the days when he would lie still during his nursings. Now he kicks me in the belly, not so great since his fat toes reach my c-section incision scar.

Kid 'n Play

Ah the cuteness... At this point, I'm pretty sure that Pig views her brother as a very sophisticated stuffed animal, one that laughs, smiles and pees and poops. So after playing with him for awhile, she'll lose interest only to turn around again and see him and go aha, yeah you look like you need some livening up...*spin, spin.*

I just love how Moo smiles at his sister, after she stopped spinning him that is.