Happy Memorial Day!

And what a beautiful one it was! My husband so rarely has more than one day off a week that it would have been nice anyway, but the gorgeous weather made it even nicer. My mom bought the boys these adorable matching shirts at Walmart yesterday:



They're so handsome! They're such good big brothers, too. Zoe is a lucky little girl to have them. We went to a picnic today where there were around 100 people, and it was so easy to keep track of them... I just had to look for the red stripes! I'm gonna dress them alike more often:)

Although I have to say I'm more often embarrassed by my country than proud of it, I do appreciate those who have served our country with the intention of protecting all of our freedom. And today I felt the true meaning of the holiday... In the back of my head all day was a picture of my grandfather, a young man, dressed in his navy uniform. When I saw the picture at his funeral last December, I remember thinking how handsome, and strong, and ALIVE he looked. Though my sons were by no means close to their great-grandfather, I hope they grow up with the same values he had. Like my husband, my grandpa was the kind of guy who got up every day, and worked hard, and did what he had to do to provide for his family, and for the most part, never complained... It was just what he did. That's something to be proud of.

Daily Darling 5/31

Look at that all-american girl... What a little beauty. My mom grabbed this little dress at Walmart yesterday for 6$! I like it because it's red, white, and blue, but it's not too american-flaggy, so she can wear it all the time. And I think the big tropical bloom and blue chiffon really bring out the blue in those big eyes.

Daily Darling 5/30

What a terrific smile... She's looking up at her daddy in this picture. Can't you just see the adoration in her eyes? I actually see a lot of myself in her in this pic, especially because her eyes look brown here (they are really a bluish/greenish gray).

This dress is just so sweet and girly girl.It's another Millie Jane original, and it actually has a matching sun hat, too. It's really short, the bottom ruffle barely coming down past her cloth-padded heiny, but it has really cute old-fashioned style bloomers. On her head is a simple light-pink band with an ecsquisite spring green peony bloom.

Daily Darling 5/29

Well, clearly today's head accessory is a repeat... I mean, who could forget that hat? I just love it though, the brown and pink is so cute and trendy, and what could capture the fun of being a little more than a big ol' pink curly ostrich puff?

This little sun suit is adorable... But unfortunately this will be the last time she wears it. With the cloth diaper it just too snug lengthwise, and the elastic that make the leg ruffles leaves red marks on her chunky thighs:( It was Miliie Jane's, and something tells me Ms. Chicken Legs didn't have the same problem.

Daily Darling 5/28

Ribbit! Yes, those are froggies on her ribbon. Who says slimy amphibians are just for boys? This is one of the little Carter's cardigans my MIL bought her at Kohl's, and I have to say, I think lime green is her color! Those froggies on her headband must be princes in disguise, because she is definitely a little princess:)

The Latest Stats

Sooo... I finally got Max and Zoe to the pediatrician for their 2 year and 2 month visits, respectively. So what if they're 2 and a half and almost 5 months? Seriously though, since I wasn't planning on doing vaccines at either of those visits, and since I didn't have any concerns about their health or development, I didn't feel the need to drag them into the ped's office where they would doubtlessly have picked up some nasty bug during the cold and flu season.

So I'll start with Max... He is a very healthy boy! He falls in the 50th percentile for both height and weight. That makes me very happy, because for a while there his weight was dropping a little lower than they'd like to see it, and he wasn't exactly shooting up height-wise, either. But he is right on track now. His ear tubes that were put in last winter are still in place, which is GREAT. He's been ear infection free ever since. The only concern I have right now is about his feet... He's a little pigeon-toed. Jennifer, our practice's APRN, isn't too concerned... She just wants to keep an eye on it. As far as vaccines, Max got DTAP and polio boosters, and his first dose of the varicella vax. I really didn't want to give him that yet, I wanted to wait and see if he picked up the actual virus before he hit adolescense. But he needs it to go to school in the fall, because unfortunately CT does not allow philosophical objection to vaccines. I'm waiting to give him the first MMR dose until right before school starts, but other than that he's pretty much caught up.

Zoe is also doing spectacular. She is in the 90th percentile for weight... and the 50th for height. Short and fat, lol. I guess all that nursing is paying off. She is right on target developmentally, and Jennifer seems to think her eyes will stay blue, although I'm still not convinced. I am still on the fence about piercing her ears... I was gonna do it at her next visit, but after seeing her get her first shots, I don't think I can cause her even brief pain for purely cosmetic reasons. She got HIB and Prevnar, and will go back in a month for IPV and DTaP.

I feel so fortunate to have found a pediatrician her in New Haven that is okay with a selective and/or delayed vaccine schedule. So many doctors are so close-minded and fear-mongering about the issue. We use New Haven Pediatrics, headed by Dr. Tamiko Jackson on Chapel street here in New Haven.

Daily Darling 5/27

Ok, you caught me... Today's headband is a rerun. But I decided I have to stop custom-designing a new one every single day to go with her outfits... The storage alone is an issue! Who knew I would one day struggle with the organization of my 4-month-old's hair accessories?

This sweet little dress is the other one that my MIL picked up at Back on the Rack. I love the soft colors and the old-fashioned style, it's so classic looking.

And who is that spotted, long-necked character Zoe is so happy about? Why, it's Sophie the Giraffe, of course! I don't know why she loves this little teether so much, but she, like millions of other babies out there, finds Sophie's friendly eyes and perky squeak irresistible. It's basically an overpriced dog toy, but hey, if it keeps her busy, it's worth every penny! And after all, it IS made in France.