Two Months (Belatedly)

Month two flew by in a sleepless blissful blur. Chloe spent most of her sleeping hours in our arms, on our chests, or snuggled in her bouncy seat (i.e. we did not sleep much). We started medicine for reflux and it helped almost instantaneously. Chloe positively adores her daddy and loves snuggling with mommy.

This little girl craves social interaction and loves to be in the mix of the action (unless she's tired). She smiles, coos and gurgles, makes the cutest little razz sound back and forth with us and produces more bubbles than a bubble wand. Chloe began playing with Sophie the giraffe and already lifts her head 90 degrees during tummy time.

Chloe loves little games we play with her, such as, "I'm going to get your cheek/tummy/fingers..." and often smiles and waves her arms and legs in pure delighted anticipation.

Chloe loves the Boba wrap, bathtime, and expressive cries. I can pretty much read her like an open book most days...she lets you know what she needs! She is getting chubbier and chubbier (especially those cheeks!) and clocks in at 10 lbs. 11 oz. and 22 inches this month.

Enjoy the barrage of photos!

Pond Monster

We read this book.
We drew this picture.
We used this lantern...
To make some shadows.
We made this puppet.
We love this book.
We can recite this book.
Hurray for pond monsters!

Up High

Sarah Beth usually writes these lovely blog posts, but Matt thought it was his turn for a change. We'll see how many of you regret reading on!

Jack loves to go "up high." That means I throw him as high in the air as (a) the ceiling allows, or (b) my arms allow, or (c) other kinfolk allow ("Oh, careful!"). At an Erdel family gathering a few months ago, a certain Peter Ringenberg was there to take family pictures. During some photography which we weren't involved in, Jack asked to go up high, so I started tossing him. (It's an excellent way to keep him out of trouble, at least for the few moments he's in the air.) Peter, ever the clever photographer, snapped a few.

This is how "up high" usually goes — that is, happily:

If asked, I'm sure our KPC friends will tell you Jack kicks his legs furiously while up high. But not all up highs are quite so blithe. Sometimes Jack is ejected a bit awkwardly, and then this happens:

I'll have you know that I've never dropped him, or hit his head on a ceiling, or caught him in a painful way. If asked, I'm sure Jack will tell you the same.

Matt

PS For the record, the bystanders in the pictures were not compensated for their excellent reactions to Jack's Evil Knievel routine. However, Peter Ringenberg was, and for good reason: for my money, he's one of the best photographers in the South Bend area, and quite reasonably priced. Check him out here.

One Month

 Sacked out on Daddy's chest.

Tummy time on the Boppy.

And...now we're all done.

Just hangin' out...

Love that smile!

I'm not even sure where to begin I love this little girl so much! She has been pure delight over the past month and is a welcome addition to our little family. She coos and smiles occasionally, is very alert, and loves being held in very certain positions. :) Once we figured out the poor girl has reflux and have made some simple adjustments, she has been sleeping better and has been happier overall. She sleeps best on our chests and also favors the bouncy seat (keeping her upright). She eats well and efficiently. She falls asleep most soundly when we hold her upright and tightly against our chests and sing softly to her. My 'closer' lullabies are Silent Night and O Holy Night. For a while, those got the eyelids to close every time. She loves her Daddy and he often has the magic touch. A couple of nights ago, I could NOT get her to go back to sleep after 4 am. She got very fussy then and nothing I did helped. So I finally woke Matt up and he took her. Within moments she was calm and relaxed and sleeping, well, like a baby.

At last week's doctor appointment, Chloe weighed 8 lbs. 7 oz. (birth weight of 6 lbs. 2 oz.) and was 21 inches long (birth length of 20 inches). We're slowly growing out of newborn clothes (though not quite yet!) and graduating to 0-3 month outfits. She's strong and wiggly, though perfectly at peace when she sleeps. She is learning to like her bath (sort-of), and HATES to get dressed with a passion. Once the clothes are on, she's fine. But, oh, wow, those arms! She also despises riding in the car (we think it's a reflux thing). So no trips over 10 minutes for a while! Whew!

Perhaps one of my favorite things about her besides the cuddliness is her expressive cries. She's got the pouty-lip cry perfected for when she's disappointed (Daddy is already wrapped around her finger and Mommy thinks it is just so funny), the furious and ferocious cry for when she's just plain mad, the little chin-quiver whimper for little grievances, the short squawk to let you know that she's slightly annoyed, and the I'm tired cry which also sounds a lot like the change-my-diaper cry. Each cry comes with it's own facial expression. She is dramatic already—watch out!

Chloe Beth, Mommy, Daddy, Jack and so many others love you to pieces. Happy (belated) one month baby girl!

Siblings—(Mostly) Pure Love

Perhaps the question we hear most these days (besides how much sleep are we getting) is, "How is Jack doing?" A thoughtful question and well, overall he's doing just fine. Adjusting to sharing Mommy, yes, but handling so much change with as much understanding as one could expect from a three-year-old!

Of course, Jack has a plan anytime he wants Mommy's attention, "Daddy (or Grandma) hold Baby Chloe and Mommy hold Jack?!"  

Jack helps burp Chloe, sets out the diaper and wipes during changes, holds her hand and sings while she screams in the car, and reads her his favorite books while I nurse her.  Jack is fascinated by tummy-time (no pictures—this needs close supervision!), and says during her nap time, "I go get Baby Chloe, I'll be right back," many times a day! He loves having her around and feels tremendously special when he gets to hold her. Sadly, she was crying in both pictures (before Jack started to hold her, not his fault!).

Recently, while driving in the car and Chloe was crying, I thought Jack was trying to tell us something. Between the noise of her screaming and not quite understanding what Jack was saying I asked him to repeat it again several times. Finally, I caught the word, "Salvador," and realized he was singing to Chloe one of the lullabies I sing to him at night in Spanish, "Jesus Me Ama." Sweet.

Chloe does not mind Jack in the least. Matt pointed out that next to my voice, Jack's is most likely the voice she recognizes most! She patiently 'endures' his kisses, love 'pats' and gentle squeezes. We have to remind Jack that she is not a stuffed animal! :)

 Last Friday, I took Chloe to her one-month check-up in the morning. My mom came to watch Jack and they had the most marvelous time as always—happy, happy boy. However, I will never forget the look on Jack's face as I drove away. We were blowing kisses to each other, but his face was crestfallen—Mommy is taking Chloe in the car again and I'm left behind. Later that afternoon, Matt was going to take Jack on an errand run and Jack refused to put on his jacket and shoes. Matt and I exchanged one of those parenting looks and Matt wisely said, "Jack, do you want to go with Mommy?" Instant change. Ecstatic boy. Ah, Jack and I had the most wonderful time, singing our favorite worship song together in the car (Chris Tomlin's Glory in the Highest), skipping into Sam's Club and down the aisles, talking about the sky and the Christmas trees already up for sale and about all sorts of little things, and holding hands and just being together. It mattered not what we did. It was truly glorious. He was positively angelic and I don't think either of us wanted our time to end! I realized that I both LOVE having two children AND I miss being able to dedicate my full attention to one.  We're all adjusting.

So Jack, we'll go out again on a date this Friday night...a real date—no errands this time!!

 

Petite Package

We joyfully welcomed the newest member of our family, Chloetta Elizabeth Getz, into the world on Saturday, September 29, 2012 at 6:58 p.m. Her name honors three generations: great-grandmother Chloetta Erdel, grandmother Sally Elizabeth Erdel, and we'll call her Chloe Beth after her mother. 

At birth, Chloe Beth was 6 lbs. 2 oz., 20 inches long. 

 Thankful parents.

Excited big brother.

Naming body parts oh so "gently."

 All tuckered out.

Perfectly content.

Almost 38 Weeks and Counting

Thanks to my lovely and talented friend, Andrea, for capturing us in these final weeks as a family of three!