April Update
Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will never die."
--John 11:25-26
Our baby was nine months old on April 2nd. She had a well baby check up a few weeks later. She is happy, healthy and developing just fine. Alayna weighed in at 17 lbs. 9 oz. and was 27.75 inches tall. Those measurements keep her in the 50th percentile in height and the 25th on weight.
Another milestone this month: Alayna pulled herself up and can take a few wobbly steps around the furniture. She loves standing and gets the biggest smile on her face as if to say “Look at me, I’m a big shot.” One morning she was on my bed and pulled herself up. Amelia also climbed on the bed and started jumping. Holding onto the headboard, Alayna kept bending her knees and laughing. She actually thought she was jumping as high as her sister.
Alayna remains a relatively quiet and content little girl. She is easy to take on errands, as she loves her stroller and will sit calmly for hours. At home, she has gotten much better at sitting on the floor playing either by herself or with Amelia, making it much easier for mommy and daddy to get a chore or two done. She is our cheerful little princess.
The two things that continue to elude us: she is still not sleeping through the night, and at month's end she still had no teeth. She’s just a few days shy of 10 months.
Love to Swing!
In other family news:
We were fortunate enough to spend 10 days in Marco Island, FL over Easter break. I flew down early with the kids since Tom had to work, and he caught up with us 4 days later. Alayna did great on the flights and Amelia was, well Amelia. She had a minor little mishap with spilling her bottle of water, causing her to drop her Pringles, jumped up and stepped on the whole stack and then proceed to try to get naked because she didn’t like wet clothes. I’m holding the baby and starting to sweat, and Nick is just kicking back listening to his ipod. We ultimately regrouped and the rest of the flight was fine.
The trip went great. We couldn’t have asked for nicer weather, and the kids loved to be out of doors again. Nick actually came home with a slight tan--highly unusual for him. The girls did great in the pool. Amelia is quite the little fish, and Alayna loved splashing around. For some reason, the beach wasn’t as big of a hit this trip. Hmmm, Amelia thought fish would bite her toes, and Alayna could have done without the sand. The pool worked out better during the day, but you can’t beat heading to the beach for those gorgeous sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico.
For Easter, the kids dyed eggs on Saturday night and woke up early Easter morning to hunt for them. The bunny did not disappoint, and all were happy with their baskets as well. We had a nice breakfast and then headed off to mass. The afternoon was spent swimming and playing outside, and then a nice ham dinner on the lanai. I couldn’t have asked for a lovelier day.
As you know, Alayna seems to have some sleep issues. On beautiful Marco Island, not one sleep problem. We would take her for an evening walk; she was out like a light in the stroller and continued to sleep through the night. This happened every single day. (She hasn’t slept through the night once since we have been home. The weather hasn’t been in the 80’s, but it’s been nice enough to walk. I can’t figure this one out, unless it’s her way of telling us to relocate.)
The only sadness regarding the trip is that we most likely won’t be going back to our condominium. Due to a suffering Michigan economy, and Tom and I both in unstable industries, we need to sell our condo. Unfortunately, the market has not been kind to us, but it will be nice to eliminate some of the financial stress. I feel bad the girls won’t have the opportunity to go play in the sun and sand as often as we would have liked. Oh well, I’m sure we will all be just fine! (sniff, sniff)
The month ended on a nice note. We flew home from Florida, and the next day Nick and I drove to Indianapolis. Nick and his oldest friend, Erika, were going to her senior prom together. (Oldest in the sense that they have known each other since birth. Despite her moving back to Indiana in elementary school, the two of them have always gotten along so well.) They looked so nice together and had a great time. As an added bonus, I had a nice dinner out with Karen and Paul and then a good night’s sleep with no kiddos to tend to. It was a nice weekend.
The following weekend, Nick went to Ladywood’s prom with a friend of his and a group of kids that he always has a good time with. He came home with blisters on his feet from dancing so much. April was definitely a fun month for him.
The weather in Michigan has finally broken. It was a long winter, and it’s nice being able to get outside with the kids. We’re looking forward to some trips to the park and dinners on the grill. It won’t be long now.
Until next month…
Adorable!
Posing
Staying Cool in the Pool
Cheerios on the lanai. What's not to like?
Dying Easter Eggs after a Swim
Happy Easter
I'm crawling!
So Cute
Liking the Water
Not Much for Sitting Still
Sisters
Love the Shades!
Do I like the beach or the pool?
Amelia is Getting So Tall
Big Brother
So Amelia
Happy Kids
Alayna Loves her Big Brother
Alayna and Mommy
Happy to Be Outside
Love My Pink Car
Erika, where are you?
Looking Good
Friends
