Frustration

My Mommy puts me in this contraption she calls a "bounce about". I know, sounds cool, doesn't it? Well, it is a misleading name because you don't bounce about - like bounce about the house.... You bounce in the same spot. I never move, except for up and down. It is very frustrating, especially when my dear family all leave the room. I have no way to chase after them. The worst part is that it has these hanging things. One will hold some of my toys, but I give them a good yank and pull them down with ease. That's right - I got skills! However, that leaves an annoying tie and another toy that hangs on that I have not been able to pull off yet. They are always swinging around right in my line of vision and they drive me crazy! I pull, and pull, and pull with all my might, and cannot break them loose. Drives me nuts! I have tried to shake the bar loose and break it free. I have tried to gnaw on it like a beaver and break it down. Nothing works - yet. But I will, I promise you, I will figure out how to break off the hanging toys.

I had my chance...

I was sitting on my favorite colorful blanket on the floor with a basket full of toys. What a great afternoon! Mom was kind of busy doing this and doing that (I can't really figure out what she's always doing because she runs from room to room just saying coochie coo to me on her way through). I noticed that when she unplugged the sweeper that she gave a little pat-pat to something under the quilt rack. It was Mindy, our darling cat that I've been dying to get a hold of (she teases me and sits in front of me with that wagging tail of hers). I had my chance. Mom was going to put the sweeper away, which wasn't much time, so I had to be quick. I flipped my bib around backwards like a cape, performed a couple of stealth ninja rolls and I had her! She was trapped and I had a hold of FUR! The next part is kind of a blur, but I screamed, Mommy came running and had me release Mindy's tail from my grip. Mommy looked all over me for a scratch and didn't find anything, so I guess I didn't get scratched. I guess having the cat by the tail is just kind of an overwhelming thing to a baby girl like me. After Mommy washed my hands (yes, there were tufts of fur in between my fingers), she held me on her lap. That silly cat kept walking back and forth, teasing me once again. I squealed and smiled at her....one of these days...

Love to all,
E2

Safety is so important.

The feeling of comfort and safety is tops on my list. That is why I love it when Daddy or Mommy hold me. That is why I tend to be a little anxious why Sissy is holding me – although she loves me (I can tell by the way she hugs me all the time), it makes me nervous because she isn’t much bigger than me. I’ve seen her flex her muscles too - they aren’t very big. In fact, I think I need to get MY magnifying lens out to see them. Anyway, back on safety. Mom had decided that I needed a bath the other day and she put me on her bed to get things ready. Mommy & Daddy’s bed is the ultimate place of comfort and safety – especially at night when I am lonely in my own bed and the shadows start creeping on the wall and I hear the howling meow of our scaredy-cat, Mindy. As Mom is getting the bath ready, I was my usual curious and wiggly self. I don’t know what happened, but the next thing I know, I’m flat on my back on the floor. It was like flying off of Mt Everest!!! I screamed as loudly as I could!!!! Everyone came running! Now, I don’t know what to think! I love Mommy & Daddy’s bed so much, but I am still scared about falling off of it. I cry out for them in the night, but I don’t want to go to their bed anymore, and I don’t think they fit in my crib (well, they might, but there wouldn’t be any room for my toys and I don’t want to give up my Woozit). So I just cry, cry, cry – just like Johnny C – all night long! What a state of delirium I am in! On top of all that, I have some weird feelings in my mouth again. It makes me pucker and rub my tongue on the top of my gums all the time. Life is getting pretty hard for this 7 month (almost 8 month) old these days!!

The good news is that I am sitting up on my own very well now. That means that Mommy puts me down on the floor more often and I get to play with toys in a basket. It is SO much fun – especially to chew on the basket handle. J Mom said she is sure it is filled with BPA and she is such a terrible Mommy – but I think she is the best Mommy I have ever had!

Love to all,
E2

So funny!

There is something going on in my mouth again that I can't quite figure out. It makes my mouth hurt, my head seem warm and all this mouth water (that's what Sissy calls it) just pour out of my mouth!! I mean it is a constant flow. It also gives me an uncontrollable urge to gnaw on things. I have found something that I think looks awesome to gnaw but Mommy won't let me at it (yet). It is the back post of the rocker. That yummy wood looks like it would taste and feel great! All this mouth water has caused my Mommy to put these bibs on me. They are kind of fun to chew and play peek-a-boo with. This morning, she put one on me that was so funny looking! It has a face on it and some green tag type things. She says it is for Halloween but I think it must be for a funnier holiday like April Fools. Everytime I see it, I just laugh and laugh - then Mommy actually put it on me - I couldn't stop laughing! Mommy musta thought it looked cute because she took a picture (see below). Mommy also included some more pictures of me and my wonderful Sissy. :)

Enjoy the snow! Love to all!
E2

I love to help

I know that my Mommy has a lot to do and sometimes (ok, most of the time) I make her job harder. Well, I am really trying hard to figure out ways to help her out.

One thing I have learned to do is to take my own diaper off. That's right. I can undo the velcro and if I were quick enough, I could even roll off of it. Usually Mommy stops me from rolling. I guess she doesn't want THAT much help.

I also help her out when I am taking a bath. I am really good at looking up when she is washing my neck (she says that it is hard because I have so many chins - not sure what THAT'S supposed to mean, but more is always better, right?) and lifting my head up when she washes and rinses my super soft fine hair. Yes, that's a lot of adjectives for my hair, but it is the truth. Not bragging. I feel it all the time. It is SO soft! It is also nice and short so my fingers don't get all tangled up in it. That happens all the time when I feel on Mommy and Sissy's hair. They squeal out so loud when that happens. It's not my fault that they have that long hair....

I also try to help Mommy when she feeds me. I try to help lean in for the bite from the spoon, but she is always moving around. It never fails...I lean left, she leans right, I move backwards, she moves backward. I move forward and GACK she moves forward at the same time (and I get the spoon jammed into my tonsils).

I'm really good at helping find all of Sissy's toys. Mommy is always telling her to pick them up when I am on the floor rolling around, but it never fails that she misses one or two. I love to find them and then shout out for Mommy (kind of a victory cry). I am pretty sure that if I lick on something it is officially mine, so I also try to hurry up and lick it a couple of times. Sometimes it works and I get to keep the toy. Most of the time, Mommy or Sissy make an icky face and take it away for a bath. Mommy says maybe when I'm three I can have the small toys....I think she lost track of time because I am 7....months that is. :)

The best way I help Mommy out is to love on her at night. I know she is lonely for me and misses me so much, so I holler out so that she knows she can come get me. She usually does, although I think she is hard of hearing because it is taking her longer and longer to come get me (so I have to yell even louder). The other night, I even held her cheek as she drifted off nighty night. The sacrifices I make for my Mommy. I give up my own bed with all my wonderful toys (she doesn't have any toys in her bed - can you imagine?!) just to let her be near me all night long.

I'm such a good helper!

Love to all,
E2

Some pics of E2

 

What's a burrito?

I love blankets! Have I mentioned that before? All kinds - colorful, fuzzy, soft, satin, big, little - all of them! I learned a game that my Mommy loves. It is called peek-a-boo. She loves it so much that when she puts me to bed, she'll stay just a little longer if I play this with her. I take my blanket, put it over my face, mutter a lil something (supposed to sound like "where's Evelyn", but I haven't quite figured out how to use this tongue for anything other than wet, slobbery kisses) and then yank the blanket down real fast. She just laughs and laughs. I really don't think she knows where I went and then is so happy once she sees me again.... Then, I do it all over again. I'm tellin ya, she eats it up!

Since I practice using my hands so much playing peek-a-boo, I am really good at grabbing blankets. The other day, I was on my favorite colorful blanket on the floor. I grabbed one side of the blanket, and without even thinking, I rolled. Next thing you know, my entire world looked like a kaleidescope. I looked left, I looked right, I looked up, I looked down - all I saw was my beautiful blanket, all around me. Just at that moment, Mommy came into the room and called me a burrito - I'm not sure what a burrito is? She was really laughing hard, so I am pretty sure it is not a compliment. But she did rescue me from the blanket (which had pretty much swallowed me whole) and I'll be sure not to do that again. Well, at least after the second time - because I did it again the very next day. As I was on my way over, I remembered that it wasn't such a hot idea to take the blanket with me when I rolled.... thankfully Mommy was right next to me that time (yes, laughing again and calling me a burrito). Maybe now I'll learn - maybe yes, maybe no.

Mommy put me and Sissy into some beautiful pink and blue dresses today and took us out. I thought I looked stupendous and so did this stranger lady. How do I know? Because she just kept on taking my picture. She must not have any babies of her own (or 4 year olds either because she took pictures of Sissy, too) and wanted to make sure she had some pictures of us to put in her house. She kept setting me different ways and having Sissy hold onto me (and we all know she isn't so gentle). I was kind of OK with this at first, but then it just got downright annoying. That silly flashing light and the tickling red feather. I had enough - and I let her know. I think she took nearly 100 pictures of us. I was pooped! I just wanted to chew on my toy and take a nappy! Sissy said she was tired of smiling and her mouth hurt, but she somehow mustered up the energy to chew on those fruit snacks afterwards (and she didn't even share).

I am not sure what is going on at home. Daddy was busy with some pretty blue tape and bright lights yesterday and when I woke up this morning - the living room was SO bright! It used to be all pretty red (which sure was pretty with the Christmas tree), but now it is bright white. Well, part of it. He is busy with those bright lights again and now the edges are a different color. He told Sissy it is called "hot chocolate". She is pretty upset that it isn't red anymore (that is one of her favorite colors) and she told Mommy that even Cinderella is so upset. I thought Mommy might want to make it red again knowing that even Cinderella is upset, but it still isnt' red.... I haven't had any hot chocolate yet, but I think it looks like something Mommy quickly puts into the diaper genie.

Well, it is nearly my beddie bye time. I have been having some trouble eating so I have to have another test on Friday. I hope that it goes well. Mommy is a little nervous about what the outcome will be and that she is praying for clear results. I guess I had better pray, too.

Love to all,
E2

Christmas Pictures

Big Sissy helping me with my new toy. A little tight around the neck there Sissy!!



Yummy!!!!



Siefker Grandchildren



Daddy and E2



E1 as Sleeping Beauty - Aunt Tina did a fantastic job of making this!!



Mommy and E2 - obviously paying very close attention as E2 digests wrapping paper.



Grama Pollard - isn't she beautiful. Too bad she is snagged up Grampa before E2 had a chance to marry him. Mom told E2 the bad news this week - that you can only be married to one person and Grampa Pollard is already married. She's one lucky lady!



What a great hat and scarf!!!!



E1 & E2 on Christmas Morning - Jesus' Birthday!

Growth Chart

I had this doctor appointment yesterday and I have a few things to say. First of all, I knew something bad was going to happen because on the way there, my sister was telling me to think like a scientist. When she says that, it usually means something is going to hurt and it is supposedly good for me in the "long run". I was right. I was very apprehensive each time they layed me down on the table because I just knew that at any moment, I was going to be stuck with something. Well, the first nurse came in, nothing, just a little tickle on my head and feet. Then the doctor. She is obviously has perfect eyesight because she said I am perfect. She did say one thing that I'll talk about in a few. Then the nurse came back in - and back to the table I went. I knew it! AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!! Stab on the right, stab on the left !!!!! Oh, I screamed and screamed to warn all the other babies out there that this nurse is a sadist! She thinks because she covers my wounds with shiny, sparkly bandaids that it makes it all better.... She's nuts! I can't even see my thighs so I have no idea what those bandaids look like. I just know it HURTS!!!!! Next thing I know, we are home. I must have passed out from the pain.

The thing the doctor said is that I have fallen off of my growth curve (they even rechecked the numbers). I guess I'm not growing as quickly as the chart says I should. I didn't know that once I started growing at one rate, I was supposed to stick to it. I would think that at 6 months, being 18 lbs 6 oz and 26 1/2 inches long would be a good thing. I knew what I had to do. I need to eat more. I woke up at around 10 last night and tried to explain this to Mommy and Daddy. I think I might have been a little to dramatic because they couldn't understand what I wanted, so I tried telling them even louder. I am sure that at this point, I really was being too hysterical because Mommy said something about calling a priest to get the demon out. She said she was afraid of pea soup or something like that. Finally, my wonderful, strong Daddy swung me in my carseat and I was able to settle down (without any pea soup episodes) and drink the bottle. Next thing I know, it is morning and time to eat again. I guess I must have passed out again. I think I need to work on how dramatical I am getting. It is hard to keep my emotions in check, and from what I have seen of my Sissy and Mommy, it doesn't get much easier.

Oh, here's another shot of Sissy and her fabulous babysitting techniques.



Love to all,
E2

Babysitting

Sometimes, Mom asks me to babysit my baby sister. My job is to make sure that she doesn't roll into something that could hurt her (like the corner of the TV cabinet) or grab something that could make her choke (like most of my Polly Pockets and Legos). I am really good at this. I quickly grab any small toys out of her hands and if she rolls off of her blanket, I just roll her a couple times to get her back on it. I love helping my Mom and Dad. It is best when I get to help feed the baby. I get to hold the bottle for her. Sometimes it doesn't work out because my baby sister is too busy smiling at me to drink the bottle. I guess she likes it when I help her, too. If I am a little busy watching one of my favorite TV shows, I have a special trick to keep my baby sister from getting into trouble. I literally sit on (or near) the baby. This keeps her from rolling away and getting into anything. She seems pretty happy with it, too, since she just laughs and giggles at me.

Well, I have to get ready to go to church today. I love to go and sing songs to God. I bet God loves it when we all sing to Him.

Love to all,
E1