Micah the Maniac

Micah's personality has come out in the last couple months... like a hurricane she blew past the baby and is now constantly into everything and looking to discover what else can can crawl into/under/through and get stuck.

Her most favorite pasttime? Finding things on the floor to eat. Even if you've just swept, she'll find something. Her finger dexterity is pretty stinkin' amazing, I do have to say that, but I fish something out of her mouth no less than 20 times a day. No exaggeration.

She started crawling at 6.5 months. She's now, at 9 months, walking and pushing things around the house. She likes to try to throw herself off your lap or out of your arms. She still loves being upside-down. She'd rather feed herself than be fed and loves to eat real people food. She only has 2 teeth completely in (with another that just broke through yesterday) but she manages to eat pretty much whatever she wants.*

Here's a vides that shows her in all craziness. Enjoy!





* Including half a newt. That was fun to pull out of her mouth. Blech.

Stuff to say

So it seems that I often have these musings, realizations, and thoughts throughout the day, with no real outlet to get them out. My 2-year-old and 8-month-old aren't too interested in Mommy's random thoughts as much as when I'm going to give them their respected beverages. Mark often says that I don't get enough of my quota of words out during the day and he's assaulted with the leftovers in the few precious hours we have together at night.

So, to help with both these issues, I'm thinking of writing here every once in awhile. Anyone opposed to that? Leave a comment with your thoughts...

So here's the first installment in Melissa's Musings.

Today I was working out with Jillian (i.e. I was doing the 30 Day Shred) and during one of the exercises she makes a comment (that goes something like this, because I can't remember exactly):

"When it starts getting uncomfortable, that's when it matters most."

And I started to think about true that is. Not just in exercising but for life in general. I think back to all the times where I was just plain uncomfortable and it seems that's where the most good came out of my life. Where I grew the most and became closer to God.

Moving away to a college where I only knew one person was uncomfortable. But without moving to UT and joining Phi Lamb I wouldn't have the relationship with God that I have today (or possibly any relationship with God).

Our first year of marriage was uncomfortable. Quite uncomfortable. But the foundation of fighting through the rough periods brought us to a place where we know each other deeply. We realized what it really means that love is a choice. We learned how to interact, communicate, and how to fight. We learned how to love the other person in the way they needed to be loved.

Colic was uncomfortable. There are no words. But, in some weird way, I think it made me a better parent. It gave me patience (that I greatly need right now as I still find myself running out). It gave me a frame of reference to what bad days really are (at least she isn't screaming at us all the time). And I really understood unconditional love... because I loved this kid, no matter how many hours the screaming went on.

Obstructive sleep apnea + a newborn was uncomfortable. But God, did I learn about myself. I learned to let people help me. I learned that I am not superwoman. I learned that sleep really is kinda important (imagine that!) . I learned that I don't have to go it alone. That God is there for me but so are so many other people. And to just get over myself, already. And also that I hallucinate when severely sleep deprived.

So... are you in a position that feels uncomfortable? Hang in there. It will be one of those times that matters the most. Look for the blessings and the lessons. Cling to God's promises, because even if it doesn't feel like it at the time, He's there. Looking back at all these uncomfortable times in my life, I can see God in every one of them. Whether He was just holding my hand and getting me through or pushing me past the point I thought I could endure.

You gotta be uncomfortable sometimes to see real results.

Miss Sassypants

So lately Mia has become quite the sassy girl. I'm not sure who she thinks her mama is, but it's not going over well. Though... I have to admit some of the things she comes up with are quite funny. Here's some of the latest. And yes, these are all real quotes.

Mia: NO! YOU are the kid and I am the adult! You sit in the car seat and I'll drive and then we will NOT leave the zoo.
***

Mia: Mommy! The sun is up! It's time to wake up!
Me: Mia, the rule is you stay in your room until your clock says 7.
Mia: Well, it's 7 somewhere.
***

Mia: Mommy! It's time to wake up! The sun is up. (sense a theme?)
Me: Mia, honey, it's completely dark in your room.
Mia: (goes and opens her closet door) Well, it's light now.
***

Me: So, Mia, what was your favorite part of dance class?
Mia: Um, Mommy? I'm on the phone here.
Me: Mia, that wasn't polite (blah blah blah)... and how was I supposed to know you were on the phone? You aren't holding a phone.
Mia: I'm on the bluetooth. So Granddad about those ducks...
***

At the zoo a helicopter flies overhead...
Random zoo guy: Hey kids! Did you see that airplane! Pretty cool, huh?!
Mia: (walking off, thankfully) *sigh* That wasn't an airplane, that was a helicopter.

Cute Mia

Crazy Mia... A ball for a hat! Craziness!

Sassy Mia mid-eyeroll

Sea Center

So we had to check out the Sea Center in Lake Jackson. We've heard a ton about it and since Mia has pretty much been in love with fish for forever, it seemed like a good choice. If you haven't gone, I highly recommend it! It's free and it's so calming to sit and watch the fish swim around.

Mia can't stop smiling watching the fish swim around.

Looks like we have another fish-lover!

Dory and Nemo/Marlin!

(You have no idea how long it too me to get this picture...)

Mia talking to the turtles.

At the Sea Center, octopus seems the obvious choice of snack.

Mia and Mommy working on the fish rubbings.

The obligatory family picture... with both girls crying. It was lunchtime and naptime.

Picnic in the park

Or just in our backyard.

These are from back in May... I'm trying to catch up obviously. But they were too good to pass up! Enjoy!

So it was a lovely day in May; too lovely to stay inside. So we packed up some lunchables that I'd found as a steal at Kroger and headed outside!
(also -- I'm trying the captions above thepictures this time, as the spacing has been weird. Just a warning!)

Eating outside? With an oversized Strawberry Shortcake sticker? Awesome!

Micah almost foiled the plan of outside eating by taking a freakishly long nap. Never fear, just cart her outside in the carrier, swaddle and all!

Mia gives the picnic two thumps way up!

Micah awakes and stretches to find herself outside and a bit confused.

Dancing with a cookie? Oh yeah.

Happy girl

Oh grass! Where have you been all my life? I shall eat you now.

We are alive!

So yeah... the computer saga lives on... Hopefully we have something figured out that will work for us better.

Mia's surgery went well. It's amazing the difference in the child. Now that she's sleeping, it is like somebody switched her. She is (mostly) agreeable and helpful and only throws 5-6 fits a day, as opposed to an hour (well, she is still a 2-year-old. can't expect miracles, right?).

Mia did really well during the whole ordeal. she was very brave and didn't cry at all when they took her back (without us! ack!). She was very upset and out of it when she woke up which was so sad! She rebounded quickly, though and was even able to go home the same day, which they said doesn't always happen with kids her age. But within a week she was doing much better and at two weeks she was herself again. Well, herself several months ago at least.

We tried to take some pictures to make it fun and seem like an adventure. Enjoy!

On the way to the hospital very early in the morning... documented proof that she actually fell asleep in the car!

Micah joined in the car naptime, too.

Mia playing with all the new toys with Grampy. She did so good for not having eaten!

Micah wasn't quite sure what was going on, but she liked it.

Modeling her much-too-big PJs.

TRACTORS!

The aftermath...

This is after the morphine. Sleepy girl.

Car ride home... poor baby

Cute things

There are the times when your kids do such amazing things that you never want to forget them but they happen so fast you don't have a camera nearby. Here are some of those moments.

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Mia has learned "The Lord's Prayer". She loves saying it and I was even able to get it on video (grrr, stinkin' videos). This is how she starts out:

Our Father, You are in Heaven...
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Micah has learned to growl. She does it all the time, especially when eating her feet or trying to eat your face. We call her "The Micah Monster". It's a fitting name. She's also "Micah the Lion." Her love is ferocious.

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As much as you try not to compare them, it's impossible. Micah, at 4.5 months, give or take, is way, way more talkative than Mia ever was. Sometimes I'm already asking her to "Give mama a minute" or "You are hurting my ears!" She's intense with her love and joyfulness and wants to express it AS LOUDLY AS POSSIBLE!

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Now that Micah can roll over both ways, she wants to be on her tummy all the time. No matter that the day before she learned to roll over she hated her tummy, it was the worst place ever, the end. Now it's awesome and rolling over is the best thing ever. Little monkey!

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Mia still loves to repeat everything you say, except now she has an even better memory (oh dear!). The other day, I had finished my 30 Day Shred video (Level 2 baby!) and was telling Mark about it.

Me: This level has a lot more arm work. It has been well-established that I have zero upper-body strength. I think my arms are going to fall off.

Mia: Oh mommy! I hope your arms DON'T fall off!



and later...

Mia: Hey Mommy, when do you think your arms are going to fall off?



It probably doesn't help that my Uncle Ed only has one arm...

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Mia is convinced that I am on T.V. She has decided that not only am I Vanna White, but I'm also Jillian from the 30 Day Shred. Rock on!

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The other day we were going through the alphabet (in random order, cause Mia totally calls me on it) and quizzing Mia on letter sounds. It went something like this:

Us: Mia, what does "Mouse" start with. Mmmm-Mmmmm Mouse?
Mia: M!
Us: Yay! *and falling all over ourselves because of course she's the cutest thing to walk this planet*

So we got to R. She correctly identifies that rainbow starts with "r." Then she informs us:

"R means 'back-up'"

I was thoroughly confused until Mark pointed out that R is for 'Reverse'... as in the car. Duh! She got that one from Granddad.

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Micah is still not a big laugher. She laughs, oh she giggles. But she just doesn't think we're that funny. What does she laugh at? Being thrown up in the air! Being held upside-down. And, of course, being scared. As in, look away from her; then turn your head at her really fast and shout "BOO!" or pretend to sneeze. She's startled for a minute and then she laughs.