Us at dinner

Dinner at the Temecula Creek Inn.

New blog address

I've started a new blog for Luke & Stella rather then trying to do two for each kid.  It has been hard to keep up with both and since they are really interacting together it seems their stories are becoming so intertwined it didn't make sense to keep individual blogs.

Here is the new link!! All our love...
Presenting the Amazing Luke and Stella
http://lukeandstella.blogspot.com

Mama!!

Today Luke started calling me Mama and I asked him why.  His response was quite simple: Cause sister is calling you Mama.  I hadn't noticed as I've really only heard her babble Dada and Baba....Well a few hours later I walked by her and I clearly heard, Mama, Mama....baba.  Well suffice to say I'm through the roof...she knows who I am!

She is so GORGEOUS....

The ladies at day care are right Stella is gorgeous....we hear it every day and these photos confirm it.  I can't tell if it is her dimples, her eyes, her big smile or just her fantastic disposition.  Doesn't really matter we love her and think she is just the tops!

It most definitely has been awhile

Ok a lot has happened in the many weeks it has been since I last blogged....

Stella is now crawling...she can cross the room a lot faster then we can keep up with.  We are having to remember how we "blocked" access to various areas within our house previously when Luke was at this stage.  It is actually funny how we go about it.  We moved into this house when Luke was the same age Stella currently is and our conversations seem to go "oh remember this is how we did this" or "this is how we made sure Luke didn't bonk his head on the fireplace".

Luke being a precocious two year old makes sure to let his sister know what not to do...the kid can repeat anything we say with the right inflection and tone. It is a little scary at times.  He also can be a little bossy but at least the kid knows what he wants and how he wants it.

So last week we took a big family vacation and went camping.  We went to my family's favorite camping site near Yosemite.  We had a blast.  At first we had thought perhaps Stella and I wouldn't go since things at work are just so chaotic but I said screw that I'm going and I'm taking Stella with me.  We missed the trip last year as I was just too pregnant to deal with sleeping in a tent and using pit toilets.  This year was our fifth trip and my Dad, Uncles and Cousins 10th year.  My family actually has been going to this area since the 50's. It is always fun to hang out, sit around the fire and spend time together in the outdoors.  The kids loved it.

Clapping it's the new activity

Stella has discovered the wonderful world of clapping.  She is becoming quite the expert!  Last night we sat around in a family circle singing if you're happy and you know it clap your hands...and she did repeatedly when it came to that verse.  Of course when it was time to show Daddy she clammed up but Luke and I saw it!!!  I don't want to hear how it could have been coincindental cause I believe she is a genius....

In other Stella news - she is progressing with her crawling hasn't quite grasped it but she can motor across a room using many different skills.  It is funny to leave for a second to find her completely somewhere different from where I had left her.  Apparently the other day at school she had a toy one of the other girls wanted and she just rolled away from the baby as fast as she could giggling the whole time.  Such a prankster.

Luke has been getting his sister in stitches as well. I have some good video where he is playing peek-a-boo with her and she is just cracking up.  The girl loves to laugh...even when she is crying she smiles.

She is such awe of Luke it is adorable.  It is obvious she looks up to him, you can just see it in the way she gazes at him.  Luke is a fan of Stella and the more she gets social the more he wants to play with her.  He is starting to get a little "rough" with her and tries to tumble/tackle her but we are doing our best to keep an eye on them.  He isn't really menacing about it but when you see it happen it can be a little surprising.  I'm sure being an only child myself I don't quite understand as Curtis keeps explaining it as "well that's what siblings do, it's his sister".  So I guess I need to research sibling rivalry so I can understand or grasp the concept.  By the way, this doesn't happen a lot there are more cute things happening with their interactions such as....

Luke yelling, "sister, sister watch" or "sister look at this" or "hey sister, that's Luke's toy". 

9 month check-up

Yesterday Stella had her 9 month check-up!  She is reaching her milestones quite well....even though one of the photos previously posted might suggest she has an abnormally large noggin ;-)....heeheee

She has actually slowed down in her growth a bit but the doctor isn't concerned.  She is currently 17.11lbs; 27" long & her head puts her in the 50 percentile (weight & height has her in the 25%).  Ok so maybe (just maybe) her dome is a little big so is Luke's and he is a super genius!!!! 

We are in just about to start toddler-dom soon and I'm not sure I'm ready.  I have already weened Stella so I could start my darn cholesterol meds and I really miss nursing her.  I still bond with her but it is sad sometimes that that phase is passed and over. 

It is interesting sometimes to notice how we interact with her.  The more active she gets the more we are aware that Luke takes up a lot of attention.  So we are doing our best to make sure to include her in everything.  Luckily Luke loves playing with her and letting her know which toys are his and which are hers.  Honestly though he is pretty good about sharing so that makes things a lot easier. 

Sunday Stella got upset about something (I think she hit herself with a toy) and she was crying and Luke came over and gave her a bunch of kisses to get better.  It was absolutely adorable.  He also let's us know when his sister is upset or is crying (as if we can't hear her).  He really likes us to do something to help sister.

One Luke note: his new phrase is "No Way"....for everything it is "No Way".