Cows and Sheeps and Chicks Oh My!

I do realize that sheeps is incorrect, but that is what Libby kept saying at the WVU Farm yesterday. Shawna and I (being brave parents) loaded all 4 kids into her van and headed to WVU Farm yesterday to participate in Kids Week. A guide took us around and we got to see and pet all the animals. Libby was in heaven, Elliott loved all the tractors Addi and Joe were content in the stroller. It was absolutely a great trip! Here is a play by play:


First we saw the cows. Libby got to pet a calf that was only a few days old. She was so gentle. The bigger dairy cows were next. Libby wanted to say "Hi" to all of them. At one point she reached out to touch one and it looked up at her and Elliott-I think it spooked him a bit and he wasn't really interested in touching any of the big animals after that. Libby however was persistent in her need to pet and talk to all the cows.

The "sheeps" came next. And there were lots of them to pet and look at. Some had been sheared already, but some were really wooly (and really dirty-not the fluffy white things on TV). Libby loved the sheep. She talked to them and called for them-making kissy noises like we do for cats and dogs. She did not want to move on, but the next building housed the new born sheep. We weren't able to pet any of them, but Libby was fascinated. Elliott and Libby stood by the fence mesmerized.

We walked down the hill and saw more cows. Libby acted like we hadn't just seen cows with her enthusiasm. Every stall brought shouts of "That's a big Cow!" or "Hi Cow-Come here". At the end of this little area was a place where the kids could play. There were cut outs of pigs and cows, a peach tree with velcro peaches, stufed chickens with eggs inside and wooden cows to milk. There were also some baby goats and a bunny to pet. Elliott really liked milking the cows-Libby loved the peach tree. They both petted the goats and talked to the bunny before we moved on the chicks and ducks.

The chicks and ducks were cute but hard for the kids to see because the walls were so high on the pens. But we held them up so they could see. Libby liked patting the horse. And then as we walked out, Elliott's dreams came true. He got to sit on a John Deere tractor. He was in hog heaven! I wasn't sure we would ever be able to leave. But we did and we got home, fed the kids and put them all down for a nap. WHAT A FUN DAY! Hope you enjoy the pics.

Always changing

Libby and Joe playing with the curtains. Libby and Joe both think this game is really fun. Libby hides Joe in the curtain and then lets him out and says "Peek-a-boo."

I have few pictures this week, but heaps of stories! Libby is as always hilarious. She has a very active imagination and retains a ridiculous amount of information. She loves to play with her baby dolls and makes Corey and I hold them and say hi and feed them etc. Recently Joe got an inflatable penguin and Libby loves it too. She holds its fin and walks around with him. She reads books to him while he sits on her "wap." She has also started speaking Spanish. She loves Dora and Diego so the other day she was walking up the steps and started counting them in Spanish. She also says "Help, Help, Ayudame, Ayudame" whenever she wants us to help her. We've also been teaching her her full name- Libby Grace Bozic (pronounced Bibby Grace Mozic). The other day I asked her what her name was and she said it. Then I asked her what my name was. She thought for a second and then said "Mommy. Mommy Grace Mozic." I love her!

Libby trying on Gramma Candy's boots

Joe is also growing and changing. He can now wave and high five (and he understands when you ask him to do said tasks). He has taken a couple of steps-but is still content to crawl. He hits his head on everything (Corey says there is a magnet in his head that is attracted to sharp corners). He is happiest when he is with Libby-even when she is being the bossy second mom. She mothers him and any other child within her grasp. We visited Shawna and Elliott and Addi the other day and the kids played outside. Joe loved the grass (he has finally come around) and Elliott was ALL over the place. But when Libby decided she wanted to go inside she started yelling to Elliott "Elliott come down here please." And then "No, no Elliott don't run dat way, come here. Come see Bibby." Luckily Joe doesn't mind being mothered a little extra. I'm sure he will someday.

April pictures (Easter, Dad's Bday etc)

Since I have been bad about pictures lately, I snapped about a hundred in the last few days. I will spare sharing all of them, but I will show the best!

This month was kicked off by my dad's birthday on April 1. Since Libby is a little older, she helped with EVERYTHING. We made PawPaw a card, we wrapped his present, we made the cake (Libby ate the icing mostly). Libby loves birthdays and since we didn't have birthday hats, she made her own with the wrapping paper. It is self-adhering paper, so we made hats and bracelets. It was a really fun gathering. However, Libby refused to sing Happy Birthday until 2 days later and she got upset when PawPaw was taking the card home-must not have sunk in that we were making it FOR him.

We have also been trying some new foods lately. Joe had some egg yolks scrambled and Libby had a bowl of cheerios with milk in it. She was so proud of herself-she kept saying she was eating cereal like Mommy. Joe also is eating toast, pancakes and steamed veggies cut up. Libby LOVES PB and J roll-ups and pickles.

Easter was fun and hilarious as always. The kids got new outfits courtesy of their MeMe-who can't resist a party dress! Lucky for Joe she is also gaga over little boy clothes now too. So Libby and Joe put on their Sunday best and I snapped some shots of them. Then Sami woke up and we got some pictures of her too. It was the first holiday that Casey and I did not buy the girls matching outfits, but lo and behold Casey bought Sami a coordinating dress! The photo shoot did not go smoothly though. Neither child would smile at the same time. Then Sami kept trying to sleep. We tried getting them to kiss or hug, but the photos mostly look like Sami is attacking Libby. I kept taking pictures because they got funnier and funnier!

Easter also brought Easter baskets-or in this case Easter back packs. Gramma Candy filled each bag with fun goodies for the little kids. Libby loves it. Also in the realm of goodies was a tunnel for the kids to crawl through. It was a big hit with kids of all ages, including my brother Rob who got "stuck". Libby and Sami thought it was HILARIOUS!Just a pretty picture of Claire and Libby to end the very long post. Two of the prettiest girls in the whole world in my opinion!

Joe's 9 month doctor visit

Just an update after our doctors appointment today.

Joe weighed 24 pounds 10 ounces = 95th percentile
Joe measured 29 inches long = 75th percentile

He is right on track and even ahead in some of his gross motor skills. And Tony was pleased with his growth and disposition-Joe has come a long way from the fussy, spit uppy baby that he once was.

I'll post later with new pics etc.

The New Things

There are new things everyday around here. Here are this weeks highlights. Joe has successfully moved from bottle to sippy cup for all but one feeding. He can only use the straw cups right now, but he does great and enjoys it. The only feeding left is the one before bed and it's Corey and I who are holding onto it more than Joe. Joe has also started walking behind wheeled toys. Video footage to prove it below.

Libby has come into herself and her twoness. Her vocabulary is ever expanding and more and more sentences are coming out intelligibly. She is a great eater-trying everything I make from lentils to vegetarian chili-mac. The spicier the better for this child! She loves to brush her teeth and have mommy make her hair pretty. I like to french braid it on each side-adorable! She loves to play outside and be with her friends. Last week Shawna and I took all the kids to a little park near our house. There wasn't much play equipment, but there were swings and a slide. The slide was high and steep, but our daredevil kids were unfazed. They must have gone down it 100 times. Joe and Addy watched from the grass where they sat for 45 minutes without moving. Libby also cannot decide if she likes Joe or not. Some days she plays with him nicely-giving him toys and letting him chase her. Other days she lashes out at him if he even gets near her. The other day I heard him making noise and walked into the room to find Libby sitting on him saying "Go Joe, I wanna ride." She's a hoot and a handful!

Libby pretend sleeping on the coffee table-she even snores!

More to come as they grow and change (Joe goes for his 9 month appointment April 6).

Pictures as promised

I know that I have been really bad about posting-I wish I could say that I am really busy, but the truth is I just use my time a little differently now that there are two little rascals moving about the house. When Joe goes down for the first nap, I exercise and shower while Libby plays (or exercises with me). Then the lunch preparation begins. When both kids are down in the afternoon, I have quiet time and I watch TV-or sleep-or read-or do anything that is nearly impossible to do with the kids awake. The afternoon is when the kids need a lot of mommy-initiated play. Then dinner, baths, etc. By the time they go to bed I just want to sit down and hang out with Corey! It means there is not a lot of time for blogging, but I still want to record their lives and share it with all of you so please forgive me if they are sporadic. Libby's rendition of "Mary had a Little Lamb"

Information Only (no pics sorry!)

We have had a really uneventful week. The kids got colds again so we have been wiping noses and fighting through meals for most of the week. The kids are great despite the snot. They have started playing "together" sometimes. Libby will run away and Joe will chase her. But Libby quickly tires of Joe's immaturity and goes and plays by herself. She is still singing everything. Her newest song is "Mary had a little Lamb" which comes out more like "Mary had a doodoo lamb.." We are constantly asking her to sing songs and she usually obliges unless there are strangers around-she can be a little shy.

I weighed them both yesterday and Libby was 24 pounds and Joe was 23.5. She is already competitive! Also accomplished this week was the booking of the surgery. She is scheduled for June 1. It looks like we will only have to stay for 1 night and then of course go back for checkups etc. UPMC is moving into their new hospital at the beginning of May so we will get to be in it (hopefully it is nicer than the old one).

Other than that we have been hanging out with friends and catching up on housework. We did leave our kids overnight with their MeMe and Pappy on Saturday and enjoyed a night out with the Allens. Sunday morning, Pappy heard Libby and thought she was knocking on the door upstairs but when he came out of his room she was knocking on the grandfather clock in the hallway. She is hysterical sometimes!

Corey has some time off later in the week, so I will try to take some pics and post for all of you who don't get to see our kids on a regular basis.

Our Weekend Away

Joe turned 8 months on Friday and our way to celebrate was to take a trip without him or Libby. With the help of MeMe and Pappy (who took Joe) and Aunt Debbie and Uncle John (who kept Libby), Corey and I were able to go to Gaitlinburg TN to spend the weekend in a cabin with our friends Scott and Danielle. It has been a long time since we have had a weekend away and it was truly wonderful.

Scott and Dani had told us they were going on a weekend trip and when we asked if we could join in another cabin, they asked us to just stay with them. It was so fun. We played pool and soaked in the hot tub. We napped and watched movies. It was great to spend time with our friends and away from our kids. Scott made yummy food (I think his perfectly cooked steaks were my favorite-although the lava cake came close), and Corey and I took a really nice walk in the warm weather.

While away, our kids had a wonderful time too. Libby was DOTED upon by Debbie and John. They played "tennis" (badminton) in the hallway and she ate them out of house and home. Joe charmed his MeMe and Pappy with lots of smiles and laughs. He is into everything, but that grin gets him off easy most of the time. I think the weekend was great all around!

In other news, Libby went to the orthopedic doctor yesterday and it looks like we are scheduling surgery for the end of May (after our vacation). He was really pleased that she is walking, but agrees that it is time to correct the tight knee capsule and get her on the road to walking with straight legs. This is an answer to prayer and also a reason to pray. Keep her in your prayers-they have never let us down!

This is Joe trying to get Libby out of the box with the baby broom. He loves his big sis.

We had another fun-filled week with our kids. It is never boring that is FOR SURE! Libby and Joe have started playing more and more. She is sharing (mostly when we ask her to) and playing "catch" with Joe. There are still multiple outbursts a day of "MINE", but we are dealing.
Libby is obsessed with Joe's bottom drawer where the hats live. AT LEAST once a day she gets out hats for ua all to wear.

Wednesday brought Casey and Sami to the house since my mom and dad lost power overnite. It was hilarious! The kids slept okay - Joe woke up a few times- but Casey slept on the couch and I slept on a recliner because the wind was making a piece of our porch ceiling scrape against the siding right outside of the bedroom. It was SO loud. And at 6:00 am I got a wake up call from my dad saying to go get mom because they had no phones or power. So the day began.

The kids had a great time playing. Sami and Libby are able to play and communicate much better now. Libby entertained everyone with her songs and Veggie Tale monologues (she loves Larry Boy from Dave and the Giant Pickle). Luckily Thursday and Friday were a bit more uneventful and we recuperated a bit from the storm. Saturday Libby went for her first trip without Mommy or Daddy. Gramma and PawPaw picked her up and took her to Charleston to visit her Gigis and Aunts and Uncles. From what I hear it was a great trip. Casey's blog should have some pictures as soon as she uploads them. Corey and I (and Joe) spent the evening in Deep Creek with our friends the Allens. It was fun to sit around and play games without an agenda. Joe didn't sleep great, but we all survived! And yesterday we all were home again. Libby came home with pent-up energy and drew all over the walls (cream of tarter mixed with water gets it off the walls) and Joe was spitting up everything (which he hasn't done in a long time). But we were all together and that is good.

Yesterday was not as good of a day for Corey's parents who experienced some serious plane difficulties on their way home from their cruise (an engine went out on their descent into Atlanta). They are ok, but a little (maybe alot) emotionally scarred. So Becky and Rick, this song is for you - so you know you are loved.

Partners in Crime

Libby doesn't always want to play with Joe. In fact she spends much of her day yelling - "No Joe" or climbing for higher ground when he approaches. But I have witnessed a few incidents lately that are showing me a change that is happening in their relationship. The first incident was on Tuesday. My parents kept the kids for a couple of hours while I went to a Young Life meeting and I was late getting back. It was after both of their bedtimes, so we rushed to get everything into the car. I grabbed Libby and my Dad had Joe. But Libby couldn't see that and she was EXTREMELY upset in thinking that I had forgotten Joe. She kept repeat, "Go get Joe?" and "Where Joe". She was so relieved when Dad put him in the car seat. She said "There you go Joe, go Libby house." It was endearing to say the least.

The next incident was no less adorable only frightening as well. I was working the other morning and I heard Libby talking to Joe. This is not uncommon, but she was rooting him on to do something. So imagine my surprise when I came into the family room to see Libby on the landing cheering Joe on as he climbed his third step. He has been pulling up on EVERYTHING but this was his first unattended climb. I was scared, but not so much so that I missed the photo opportunity. Here is Libby enticing Joe up the stairs. Here is Joe's delight at being able to play with his big sis. He is a handful-doing more earlier than any of us expected, but with Libby's help, Corey and I may be in for a whole new level of chaos!

Favorite things

So everyday we are learning the favorite things of Joe and Libby. It's amazing what these kids love. For instance, Libby LOVES to feed Joe. I let her help one day when we were leisurely eating breakfast (not our normal insane rush to finish so I can get back to work). She was great. Granted Joe was covered in the food, but both kids were happy and enjoying their meals. I used bribery to get Libby to finish hers. "If you take a bite of pancake you can help me feed Joe." So now a monster has been created and she wants to feed him every meal. She'll see me bring over his food and say "Mommy, help you Joe?" It's great and awful-great that she wants to interact with her brother and awful because it makes every meal a marathon and a mess!

Joe is also discovering his favorite things. One of which is the vacuum cleaner. He will crawl right up to it and pat it. He can push it while he is crawling. I thought the noise would frighten him, but it doesn't. He happily crawls along while I sweep. He desperately loves his sister and tries to be wherever she is. It is not reciprocated most of the time.

Other favorites:

Libby loves the CD player and the farm songs CD I found in her closet. She loves Yo Gabba Gabba and can sing almost every song on the show. She loves to be pretty "like a princess" and dress up. She loves to play with her doll house especially with the Daddy who often goes to the potty and takes a shower! She loves walking around (to the glee of everyone who has ever known her or heard about her).

Joe loves baths. He is psycho in the tub-splashing and laughing. He loves Yo Gabba Gabba too. He loves Peek-A-Boo and his Daddy's silly faces. He watches the cats every move when he decides to come around. HE loves people and wants to be around them all the time. He loves food and Baby Mum Mums.

We are growing and figuring out what being a family of four is all about. Joe is a great sleeper and Libby is doing ok these days (although she is being a bit of a pain to put to bed lately). Corey and I are "storing" my mom and dad's pool table for them-it is a hard job! And are excited to watch the Steelers in the Super Bowl. We've been busy and tired, but we are enjoying watching them both grow and change and develop. More later!

Better

This week brings less snot-which is a wonderful thing when it comes to kids! We are getting along much better despite the VERY COLD weather. We haven't been out much-mainly because of the snow and extreme temperatures. Pappy visited on Saturday and that was fun. Libby was laughing so hard that no noise was coming out of her at all. Pappy tends to have that affect. While he was here, Corey got in some ping-pong time and I was watching/talking from one of our recliners. I managed to tip it all the way over and Libby was SO concerned. She kept saying "Mommy, you ok?" The funny part is that everyday she reminds me of the story. "Mommy fall in da chair. Are you ok Mommy?" And then she kisses my head and says "All better now." Too cute!

Libby and Joe are able to play more together which is fun. Joe is getting around better and better-he is even starting to pull up onto things-my leg, the bouncy chair, the stairs (thanks mom for showing him that one!). Here is a video of the kids playing in Libby's room. As soon as Joe gets close she references the times that he pulled her hair and also when her cousin Sami pulled her hair (I think she is slightly traumatized).



As for milestones, Joe is racking them up quickly. He can crawl with his belly off the floor now. He can get himself to sitting and pull up on some objects. He makes a lot of noises, but nothing like Mama or Dada yet. He can eat biter biscuits and Baby Mum Mums. Libby is doing great as well. She is walking alot of the time now. She chooses to walk to her destinations without prompting. She loves to color and climb, to sit on the counter (bad habit) and play her keyboard. Her vocabulary is ever-expanding and she is easier to understand. Here is her rendition of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star...

Tagged

My other mother (aka MeMe or Becky) tagged me.

Anyway, here are the rules.

1) Choose the 4th folder where you storeyour pictures on your computer.

2) Select the 4th picture in thefolder.

3) Explain the picture.

4) Tag 4 people to do the same.

Here is my pic

This one is from Libby's 2nd birthday party. She had just woken up from her nap and was ushered downstairs to see her slide and a room full of balloons. She was WAY more excited about the balloons than we expected and we had some of them still blown up until November I think.

I tag Ashley Iliff, Casey Vanderbilt, Danielle Taylor, and Ashleigh Burdette