The Ransom of Red Chief

For some time now, I've been telling people who "threaten" to take Elizabeth home with them because she is so cute that it would be like the Ransom of Red Chief. They think I'm joking, but I'll let you be the judge:

• Sunday, January 16th - Reid, being a smart-ass, put the Catholic Mass service from Wheeling's Cathedral of St. Joseph service on the television. Elizabeth came downstairs from playing tea party in her bedroom and inquired, "Oh! We're staying home???" (Okay, I get it, this one isn't so bad...it's actually as if she was Jake's & my love child (it is West by God Virginia after all...) fast forward several years and I'm sure she'll enjoy watching service on TV while having "communion" (eating Italian bread, with a little butter, and drinking a bottle of wine!) Consider this one the warm-up for the next story...
• Monday, January 17th - Elizabeth's 5th birthday - Reid & E were playing on the Wii playing the boat racing game. Elizabeth lost the race to which she exclaimed, "What the Hell happened here?" Reid and Grandma quickly exchanged glances to ensure that they had actually heard her say what they thought they heard...Digging the hole a bit deeper, Elizabeth then says, "Jesus Christ, I lost!" When asked by Reid & Grandma what she said, Elizabeth explained, "I talkeded [sic] like a man!"
• Tuesday, January 18th - Elizabeth is obviously having a banner week at this point... I asked her to help me with dinner, she wasn't having any of that. She further wasn't thrilled about having to come to the dinner table for our family dinner - wanting instead to watch yet another episode of iCarly. She did as she was asked though...and upon my request, she called Grandma to the dinner table with, "Grandma, dinner's ready. Blah, blah, blah..."
• Monday, February 14th - Valentine's Day...actually, late night Valentine's night - 11PM - despite having been cuddling (aka wrestling with a jumping bean) for well over an hour and reading books, Elizabeth was not yet asleep. (That's not exactly news, just setting the stage...) I told Elizabeth to go upstairs to Mommy's & Daddy's bed and I'd be up in a minute. My throat is really sore (thanks to whatever bug that both Reid & Grandma have had), so I was making a cup of Russian Tea to take up with me. Just when I was about to go upstairs, I heard a little voice from the top of the stairs saying (but not so loud, for once, that she thought Mommy would hear), "Come on, Mommy, I don't have all day!"
• A while later we're still wrestling, I mean cuddling, in bed. I am continually telling her to stop fidgeting to which she responds, "But my heart keeps telling me to do it."

I'm still hoping that Red Chief will work up the courage to get her picture taken with her favorite basketball player, John Wolosinchuck, but for now this one will have to do (Disclaimer: Some objects in this picture may appear larger (E) or smaller (C) than in real life! And, John is a real sport for us trying to get E's picture with him!!!):

Doctor Check-Ups

So we all survived the regular check-up appointment to the doctor this morning -- or should I rephrase to say that despite Elizabeth passing her hearing test but refusing to listen to her Mommy and Daddy (like lying on her belly on the doctor's stool and whizzing herself across the floor in our room), Elizabeth managed to survive the doctor's appointment. (Likely only because Reid and I figured there were too many witnesses around so we restrained ourselves from beating her...)

Elizabeth had an ear ache last week (right ear again) with a significant amount of drainage that came out of that ear -- good thing she has tubes in those ears! She does still have a little bit of fluid behind that ear, but both tubes are in place...and she passed her hearing test. She also passed her vision test. She gained 12 pounds since last year and is in the 90th percentile in weight (she now weighs 48 pounds). She grew 4 inches (!) since last year and is in the 95th percentile in height (she's 46" tall!). The growth spurt mostly came in the fall/winter -- as the pants that I bought her in September have long been stored away. She's wearing size 6's now to get them long enough for her limbs...

When asked what her favorite vegetable, Elizabeth said "broccoli"...her favorite fruit "oranges"...her favorite meat (and I'll do my best to quote -- but it was said in under 5 seconds and I'm not a stenographer!) "Well, I like deer meat...my Papi shoots deer...Papi smokes but Grandma doesn't...he's gonna get in trouble for smoking because it's naaaasty."

Elizabeth was most elated that she didn't get any shots this appointment! She was also thrilled (twisted sister!) that Cate was getting two shots (in addition to one vaccine orally). So excited that she videoed a little bit of it on my phone...

Cate grew 1-1/4 inches in the past month (she's currently 22-1/4") keeping her in the 50th percntile in height. Where she made some major gains {literally} were in the weight department. She went from the 50th percentile to the 90th percentile as she gained 3 lbs., 8 oz. (she now weighs 12 lbs., 11 oz.)! Even her rolls have rolls!!!

Cate's doing a pretty good job of holding her head on her own. (Or maybe it is just the fat rolls propping up her noggin...) She's trying to talk and will engage with you quite a bit. Her smiles will just melt you heart!

Baby Cate - 2 months

Cate turned 2 months old on my Daddy's birthday, February 1st. She's growing so quickly -- due in no small part to the large quantity of awake time that she spends nursing/eating! If Cate is awake, odds are she is either eating or hiccupping.

Yesterday, for example, she nursed before I got into the shower around 6:45 AM. Then Mom reported that she took 4 ounces by bottle every 1-1/2 to 2 hours until I got home. (My Mom deserves a HUGE shiny medal for the banner day she had, too -- as Elizabeth woke up in the middle of the night with an ear ache, so Mom had a hungry, hungry Cate and Elizabeth who stayed home from Pre-K due to the ear ache!)

Cate is getting so chubby -- most evident in her belly and "thunder thighs." She's starting to coo and smile, especially when Elizabeth engages with her! That just melts my heart to watch Cate's reactions to Elizabeth getting her to smile!!! I'm looking forward to her next appointment so we can see just how much she weighs.

For this month's picture, I think she looks quite appropriate in the Steelers onesie that Elizabeth wore when the Steelers won the Super Bowl in 2006. (Pictures on the quilt are in order - 1 week, 1 month, 2 months...and just a cute one from tonight's photo shoot). Here we go...