I Can't believe 4 Months have gone by!!!

Four months ago, at exactly this time, Chloe took her first breath. It was amazing to meet her for the first time!! That moment is utterly, indelibly, irrevocably etched into my mind (as I'm sure most, if not all, moms would agree). She is simply a joy to our family. It is so fun to glimpse her little personality. She has such a peacefulness about her that I can't help but bask in her serenity. I love that little girl more every day, and I'm still in awe about how a little person could grow inside me and then come out and be her own little person...it boggles my mind, and yet it happens all over the world, everyday. It amazes me that such a miracle as life could be so prosaic.

Chloe commemorated her 4 month birthday this morning by grabbing her toes for the first time. (Too bad my camera was in the car and I had to resort to my cell phone camera...the things we take for granted these days...resort to another camera....my how technology has changed since I was a kid!) ;)

Chloe's 4 month size picture. Our day was pretty crazy. By the time I was able to take a picture of her, she was dreaming sweetly. Oh well, I guess it makes it interesting because it's different than all the others...although I might do another one tomorrow. :)

Molly's Dance Class

For Molly's birthday this year Paula found a dance class for her and we got her signed up.

She's done a little ballet before at her old school (Summit Academy)

but she got discouraged and didn't seem to enjoy it so we didn't ever get her into anything.

Now, however, she's really enjoying it!!

This is her costume for her recital in June.

She's doing tap and ballet.

(19 April 2010)

Wiggling & Giggling & Wiggling & Giggling

I must amend that title...not so much giggling as smiling.

Chloe is such a good natured, smiley baby.

She giggles occasionally, maybe once every day, but they're brief and far between.

Smiles on the other hand are as abundant as her wiggles!

(14 April 2010)

(15 April 2010)
Thanks for the cute outfit Fran!! :)

Chloe is growing so much...she's wearing a 6-12 month outfit here!!

I just can't keep up with her growing!

Rob will often come home from work and say to her:

"You've done it again!! You've gone and got bigger while I was at work."

I think it might be true too!! :P

Snuggling

So I've mentioned, and also shown pictures of, Chloe's habit of snuggling her nose into my neck while she sleeps (she's done with Rob also, but I don't have any pictures). I also mentioned how she likes doing the same thing in her cradle against her fuzzy bumper pad.

(11 April 2010)

And how it's a bit worrisome to us and we try to discourage this behaviour by turning her away from the pad, but many times she ends up turning right back and burrowing her nose into the pad again. (I usually at least put her little snuggle blanket between her face and the pad because it's more convenient to keep clean.) :P

(12 April 2010)

She also works her cute little legs or arms, or sometimes both, out of her swaddling while she sleeps. Funny girl. :)

Thankfully, last Thursday and Friday (April 22 and 23) I noticed that when I laid her in the bassinet she turned away from the pad instead of toward it!! Maybe this is a new trend! :)

A Few Days In The Life of An Infant

•last week Chloe started laying with her legs straight up in the air

•this week, yesterday for the first time, she used those raised legs to help her flip from back to front...she did it by turning on her side while her legs were raised and then suddenly flipping onto her tummy

•she's only grabbed onto hands, her pacifier, or clothing until today...for the first time today she reached for two different things out of curiosity: my hair and a book I was reading (in both cases she just watched her hand exploring the object of her attention but never grabbed anything...just explored)

•this week she's taken to sucking on one hand while raising the other straight into the air and keeping it there...maybe she's been watching too many super-hero shows with her dad ;)

•tonight I was rocking her to sleep, her face was in the customary nuzzle position-- flat up against my neck-- and her breathing was slow and deep, when suddenly she let out a long, giddy giggle.... I'd really like to know what that dream was about!!!

Chloe's Blessing

Chloe was blessed on 11 April 2010. My dad's birthday. :)

I didn't take any pictures!! :(

The next day my sweet sister Maria came over to my house to take some pictures of Chloe in her dress since we missed it that day.

This is a little video clip of Chloe during the shoot....ignore all the giggling in the background. :P

The dress she wore was a dress my Grandma Grace made over 60 years ago when she had her first child. It was worn by my Uncle Eric. I've loved it ever since I first saw it so my grandma intended it to me when she passes away but she decided to give it to me now so that my little Chloe could wear it to be blessed in. I find it incredibly special that she was able to wear a dress made by the wonderful lady she was named after!!

The blessing was really special. It wasn't too long and it was very meaningful! I had three of my sisters write it down as they heard it so that I could put those in her baby book. I hope she will treasure that as I've treasured many of the blessings I've kept record of in my life!!

(12 April 2010)

Tanner Dance

Molly's teacher has a class blog. I pilfered this picture from her blog and blurred/cropped the other kids that I don't have permission to post pics of on my blog. :P They're doing a dance unit with some dancers from the Tanner Dance company at the University of Utah. It's interpretive dance. It looks pretty fun. :)

(9 April 2010)

Sisters

Chloe sure loves her big sister! She smiles and coos and laughs for her frequently. The second time I heard Chloe giggle it was when Molly was playing with her while Rob and Ben were at the priesthood session of General Conference (3 April 2010). We were at my parents' house and Molly had just changed Chloe's diaper and was playing with her. I ran in to get my camera and just missed the giggles. By the time I started recording they were still having fun, but Chloe was just squealing and cooing by then. It's still very cute tho!! But you know me, I'm not biased one bit. :D

Expressions by Chloe...

What do you think she's thinking??

Another Day at the Zoo

On Chloe's 3 month birthday, Ben and Molly were out on Spring Break and Rob took the day off so we decided to go to the zoo. Chloe and I had so much fun a few weeks before that we wanted to take everyone and go again (plus Ben and Molly were envious that we'd gone without them).

Chloe took a nap while we were getting ready to go....and she didn't even need to be swaddled...isn't she precious?!?!!

The rotating globe fountain is always a fun attraction.

We watched the baby elephant (Zuri) and her mama for a while.

Zuri was so cute and playful.

We saw news trucks near the giraffe area...we couldn't figure out what the "news" was.
I heard later, but didn't realize it when we were there, that the baby giraffe was gone.
It'd died. :( I never heard the cause.

Chloe thought it was very bright out!

Ben and Molly enjoyed riding the carousel and the train.

The tiger exhibit was a bit of a disappointment...

we were all hoping they'd be active and get in the water like they had when
Chloe and I were there earlier in the month.
No such luck though. They were all asleep way in the back. :-/

Chloe got tired of the stroller and wanted to cuddle. :)

29 March 2010