My birthday was on the 19th...can't believe I am 33 years old! I'm always excited about my birthdays-turning another year older always seems so exciting to me! I like seeing where I have become as I get older...doesn't necessarily mean that I get more mature...some will say that I haven't changed much but then again, who knows. I just really love celebrating my birthdays...it's one of my favorite holiday besides Christmas! Steve & I went to a U2/Black Eyed Peas concert, which was our first outing since Callie joined our world. A good friend of ours, The Irias', watched our girls while we get to play. It was so much fun & rare for us to do. Halloween was okay this year. Chloe did not want her pictures taken! I was super sick & running a fever, but still managed to go trick or treating with family & friends. We went over to our friend, the Siemen's & trick or treated in their neighborhood since our neighborhood has basically been vacant. The lighting on the streets are terrible...or should I say the lack of lights in our streets doesn't make me feel too safe to go trick or treating with the kids. Chloe eventually learned to enjoy herself. She was saying the word "Trick or Treat" and was very gracious with candies were being given to her. She was getting the hang of it and she was happy that she got to go with her friends. Steve was very happy that she remembered to say "thank you" (in her really quite & sweet voice where most people would barely hear if you are not listening for it) every time she got her treats!
November:
Callie is 4 months old...well check for her. It was a day full of shots. The H1N1 shot finally arrive in our Ped's office so Chloe got her shot too. Needless to say, Chloe cried the most. We met up with Auntie J for lunch after their doctor's appointment and Chloe was milking her "owie" to anyone that paid attention to her. She would howl & cry on and off...she seriously could have won an Oscar! Callie on the other hand, slept it off. She cried hysterically, of course, but got over it real soon enough & went to sleep.
Chloe's well check on 08/08/2007 @ 4 months
13 lbs. 5 oz. and 24 3/4" in height
Callie's well check on 11/19/2009 @ 4 months
14 lbs. 7oz. and 24 3/4" in height
Funny how both Steve & I think Callie is so much bigger...and Chloe being tiny but they are only a pound apart. I guess Callie is built more like me...stocky & muscular and Chloe is built more like her Dad...long & skinny...no waist, no butt & skinny legs!
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Chloe is such a sweet big sister. She's always making sure we don't forget her Baby Callie behind. If she doesn't see her, she's always asking me, "Oh no! Where's baby Callie, Mommie?" She loves being the helper - always reassuring her baby sister everything is okay every time Callie gets upset & that's normally when she's either hungry or very sleepy! She loves to entertain her by dancing or playing with her. We have to remind her to be gentle at times but for the most part, she truly is a wonderful sister. I just cannot believe she is talking to me like an adult at times...she'll say phrases that will catch me off guard. I would have to take a double take & ask her what she just said. She is still being potty trained. She sleeps in underwear, barely have any accidents in bed. She has no issue with going shi-shi (pee) in the toilet either home or in the public. It's the pooping part that she can't seem to handle. We've tried letting her go "commando" when she's at home so she can tell us if she needs to go poop. She feels comfortable standing & you can hear her grunt & she basically goes poop. Believe me, we've tried running her to the toilet when she's about to poop & for some odd reason, she cannot get it out! We've tried letting her sit on the toilet for hours (the longest was 3 1/2 so far) & she still can't get the grasp of pushing it out while sitting. We've given her juice & all types of liquids to help her. We've provided books, pens & whatever things that might help her get comfortable...and nope, she would prefer to poop in her diaper.
Callie is enthralled with Chloe. Loves to keep an eye on her & observe. It seems like she's soaking all the things that Chloe does or say...it's just the cutest thing. When we ask Callie where her Big sister, Chloe is at; Callie will turn to where ever Chloe will be sitting or standing. She's always a happy girl...unless she's hungry or tired. She loves to talk & give you lots of smiles & laugh! She hates to feel left out - if she hears us in another room, she will quickly let you know she is not happy to be sitting alone in the other room by herself! She just discovered how loud she can be so we are hearing a lot of her squealing...I must say, I quickly remembered how annoying that can be! Chloe squealed for a little while but Callie seems to be doing it longer...or maybe I've just blocked it out of my memory! :P I have to keep telling her "inside voice" but of course she doesn't know what that means & just start laughing. Eventually I am hoping she will catch on...soon! She's definitely a thumb sucker...finally found her thumb & uses it to sooth her at times...she doesn't use them as much but I do see her use it as her soothing mechanisn. She thinks Magic is just the greatest thing on earth! I know some of you might get so grossed out by this but Magic just loves to lick her to death! And Callie thinks it's funny! She gets so tickled by him. I have to tell Magic to stop kissing her in the face but he feels like the Mother Hen to both girls. We truly are blessed to have him. As much of a pain he can be, he's really great with the girls. He puts up with Chloe & her being a toddler. He loves to run around with her & play with her. He has become Chloe's play buddy when Steve is not around. And he is more than happy to oblige since he doesn't get as much playtime as he would love to have.Steve & I are doing great - we are trying to figure out what to do with our house. We both love our house but I think Steve loves it more than I do. To me, it's just a house but to him, it's our haven. With the economy not doing so great, the worth of our house has come down in half but yet we are still paying our mortgage at the rate of the original cost! I'm having a hard time dealing with paying our mortgage at the rate that it's now. I hate knowing that a $1000 of what we are paying just goes into a black hole each month! It wouldn't bother me so much if the area we live has so much more to offer but I feel like we, literally, live in the boondocks. The most exciting thing happen this year in Maricopa is that a Wal-Mart store opened. There so many open land that still needs to be developed - a lot of potential amenities were put into a halt due to the economy crisis. We don't foresee any big changes happening soon. Steve has been working hard with the bank to see if we could qualify for modification. At this rate, it doesn't seem like the banks are in a hurry to help anyone. So maybe by next year we might be living in a new place. Not sure where our path will lead us to...but where ever it may be, whether we stay in Copa or rent somewhere until we get our bearings, I am always up for the challenge.
