Zoey's Mom's Blog

Zoe's First PJ Party

2007-01-14T12:49:00.000-06:00

While Daddy and Mommy were away at a youth conference, Zoe had her first night away from Mommy. Everything went well, and Zoe and her grandma and grandpa and aunties and uncle all had fun. She ate and when to bed like a good girl and shared her sweet kisses with everyone (except Dave). Thanks to Auntie Annie for all the lovely photos!

Merry Christmas!

2007-01-02T11:01:00.000-06:00

Since she was only 2 months last Christmas, this one was much more fun! Zoe enjoyed ripping into her new packages almost as much as she enjoyed her new toys. She also liked mom's new guitar and enjoys singing along when mom plays (really!).

This one's for you Uncle Dean and Aunt Marilyn!

2006-12-22T22:18:00.000-06:00

Zoe checking out the latest winter fashions...

Zoe's First Birthday and Party

2006-10-17T19:56:00.000-05:00

Day at the Lake

2006-08-29T19:57:00.000-05:00

Too Cute at the Pool: More Summer Fun with Zoe

2006-08-11T21:44:00.000-05:00

Everybody Duck!

2006-08-02T23:22:00.000-05:00

So today, Zoey did several things for the first time: She said a word (and I know it wasn't just random imitation), and she fed herself with a spoon!
I was giving Zoe her bath (which we all know is one of her favorite things) and I was talking to her about her rubber duck and she said, "Duck!" I'm guess I'm not too surprised that her first word was bath-time related.
Earlier, I had been feeding Zoey her breakfast, which she wasn't enjoying very much, so I decided to let her try. When I put the spoon in her cereal, she picked it up and put the spoonful right into her mouth. I was pretty amazed that she got it in the first time, as if she had been doing this her whole life (she hasn't). I thought that maybe it was just beginner's luck--could I child of mine be that coordinated? Yes, she can, for she did it gain with the next spoonful, and the next. Really, I should never have doubted; she's been intensely interested in how other people eat for a long as she's been interested in anything at all and she's been watching very closely for some time now. Apparently, it paid off for her! Bon Appetite!

Rhythm and blue

2006-07-27T22:06:00.000-05:00

My little Zoe is growing all the time! I am forever amazed at how her little mind and body so efficiently learn and grow. She is very musical: she loves to hear and feel music. She has great rhythm, she can bop her little self with precision to the rhythm of any song. She also finds rhythm in everyday sounds, like water falling from the hose or a bouncing ball.
For those of you who don't know, Zoe is a very proficient crawler now and has even been trying her hand (or should I say foot?) at standing all by herself! She has fun climbing stairs (yikes!) and even more fun playing in the tub. I think, if she could, she would spend all day in the tub. If she ever disappears, I always know where to find her: in the bathroom, looking longingly into the empty bathtub!

Can you handle it?

2006-07-12T20:50:00.000-05:00

More cuteness comin' your way!

To and Fro

2006-07-10T22:54:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've actually said anything on this blog, so I think it's time to share some news. Zoey is, of course, getting bigger everyday! She's now 20 lbs! She's also getting smarter, which is great and not great. She is figuring out how things work and starting to formulate little plans in her mind and executing them (I want to put the ball on the bench, etc.). She is also getting smart about crying (If I cry, mom will respond), so I'm having to start to rethink how I'm doing some things, mostly naptime and bedtime. She's waving at people now and says, "Mama," "Dada," and "nana," (which is interpreted "banana"). She learned how to do stairs this weekend, well, getting up the stairs. When she gets to the top she cries because she doesn't know how to get down! She also has a keen interest in the piano--maybe we have a prodogy on our hands! :) We've been traveling a lot lately, and Zoey's been doing great with that for the most part. She did throw up on Brian on our return trip from California, and was teething pretty intensely while we were in Minnesota, but now she's snug in her own bed and hopefully ready to sleep through the night (wait, am I dreaming already?). Anyways, I'd better get to bed, Zoey has had a rough couple of nights (hence, have I!), so I must keep this post brief. I'll post more pictures from our travels soon. P.S. to the Grandmas--Zoey is feeling much better!

Long Time No Pics

2006-06-17T22:14:00.000-05:00

Here's a few cute ones from our trip to Seattle!

Meet the Neuenschwanders

2006-04-23T21:48:00.000-05:00

Just a little before Easter, Daddy's Grandma Millie went home to be with the Lord. We ended up driving to Indiana for Great-grandma's funeral, and while, it was sad for us, it was also a happy time. Not only was Great-Grandma Millie in heaven, but mommy and I got to meet all the Neuenschwanders. Here are some pics of our time in Amish country!

Ashley has the coolest beads!

I love my Great-Grandpa Art

Grampy and Great Grandpa chat

Love from Grammy and Grampy

One little happy family

Chit-Chat and the Combat Crawl

2006-04-06T08:05:00.000-05:00

Every week is something new! For a while I thought Zoey was never going to talk. My friends' babies all did a fair amount of babbling, but Zoey seemed a bit quiet. I just figured she was figuring everything out--it turns out I was right. In this past week or so, she's begun to chat in multi-syllables: ma ma ma, da da da, la la la. She even greets people with her version of "hi" which turns out to be one syllable of whatever she's feeling at the time. Even when she cries, she's saying something. Usually, it's da da da. Really she has no idea what that means, but it usually gets her Daddy to pick her up, "she calling me," he says.
She's also becoming more mobile. She's been rolling for a while, that, and schooching (as I like to call it) but the day before yesterday, something truely scary happened: she started combat crawling. She puts her little fists together, digs those little elbows in, and pulls herself over to the object of her desire (the day before yesterday it was a chair leg).
I better go, I have to baby-proof the house!

smilin'

2006-03-18T16:15:00.000-06:00

A While

2006-03-18T15:48:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since I posted. Life gets crazy sometimes! Well, Zoey and I are recovering from Influenza--joy, joy! If there's anything more fun than taking care of a sick baby, it's taking care of a baby while sick! Besides being ill, since my last post, Zoey has been blossoming into her own little person. She's become very astute at using her hands and loves to spend hours playing with whatever toys she can get her hands on. Here's some pictures of her in her exersaucer.

Picture Time!

2006-01-30T21:48:00.000-06:00

Singin' in Church

2006-01-30T16:12:00.000-06:00

Zoey loves music, dancing, singing--anything rhythmic, lyrical, harmonious. She may be destined to sing words before she speaks them. This probably has something to do with her mom's strange habit of singing things without realizing she's singing them, not to mention all the intentional singing that her mom and dad are constantly dishing out. When asked if she thought she might be the next American Idol, Zoey was being released from a bad case of the poopy-pants and could not be reached for comment. It has recently been discovered that Zoey also likes singing in church as well as singing alone in her room. During a lively rendition of "Blessed Be the Name," Zoey was compelled to lift her voice. Only her mom and dad were able to hear the song, but they confirm that she did indeed sing. They were not sure, however, if she got the lyrics right.

The Wonders of the 3 Hour Nap

2006-01-25T14:45:00.000-06:00

Oh, the blessed afternoon time, when Zoey takes her three hour nap. Don't hold your breath folks, because it could stop as suddenly as it started. Before Pennsylvania, Zoey took a three hour nap for three days in a row. I was relieved and excited to have so much time to myself, but I didn't know if she would pick it back up after the 5 day absense from normalcy (is that you to spell that?). The trip went quite well, which is really saying something when you consider we took a 4 month old on a 14 hour car trip! I learned a lot about Zoey just seeing her out of her normal context (so did her Grandma Jill). She also had a few firsts this weekend: her first giggle and her first solo playtime with a toy (Elephant). She also has begun to "sing," especially if she is by herself. I put her in a blanket in the other room and I went into the kitchen. I though I heard her crying but when I went into her room, she was saying "oooo, oooo, oooo, ha, ha," and stuff like that. She was talking non-stop--probably a preview of what's to come. Oh, back to the other firsts...when we were in Pennsylvania, her Grandma was tickling her and she started giggling. There's nothing in the world like a baby giggle. I think they should bottle it in jars and give it to depressed people. It would make the world a happier place. As far as the toy goes, I gave her this elephant with crinkly stuff in his ears. She likes to crinkle the ears. When I drive, I can hear her back in the car seat-crinkle, crinkle, crinkle! Her impending physical development freaks me out a little bit. The thought of her mobile is terrifying and exciting all at the same time. Well, I've got to get her up for her 16 month check up!

The Love of a Girl for her Lamp

2006-01-16T10:07:00.000-06:00

Never underestimate the love of a girl for her lamp. Take, for instance, the story of Zoey and her friend Lampy. At first, Zoey didn't notice Lampy, but he continued to patiently give soft glowing light for all those late night nursing sessions. In time, Zoey grew to notice Lampy and spent many happy moments gazing into his glowing light. She began talking to him as a beloved friend, and even looking lovingly at him during the day when his light wasn't glowing. Lampy never knew he could be loved like this. He had been appreciated before, but loved? Never!
He began his life in a factory in Tawain and spent many lonely nights in a dark box all alone traveling the the Ikea distribution center and then on to the store where he waited with expectation that a loving family would find a good use for him, never dreaming what lay in store for him. One day, along came Zoey's mom and dad (long before Zoey was born) and brought Lampy home where the mounted him above a beloved painting. Lampy enjoyed the painting and was greatly appreciated by Zoey's mom and dad. But, after Zoey was born, Lampy was re-purposed and mounted above Zoey's mom and dad's bed and that's when he met Zoey. Zoey and Lampy remain good friends to this day. When asked to comment on her relationship with Lampy, Zoey exclaimed, "A-goo!" which no one has been able to translate as of yet. Could it really mean, "I love Lampy"? We may never know for sure, but we can never underestimate the love of a girl for her lamp.

Fist-The New Gourmet Craze Sweeping the Nation

2006-01-08T10:01:00.000-06:00

Well, folks, she's done it again! Zoey has set a new trend in the world of fashion and food. Apparently all the up-and-comers are trying it-- it's fist. When asked about the proper way to enjoy fist, Zoey demonstrated by shoving her fist in her mouth and drooling on her dress. It is true, actions do speak louder than words. For your contribution to society, we thank you!

Zoe Turns 3 months

2006-01-04T20:06:00.000-06:00

Our sources have confirmed that this week, Zoe has turned 3 months. When asked to comment, her mother exclamed, "It's so amazing to see how much she changes from month to month, even week to week sometimes." When asked to comment on how it felt be be three months, Zoey spit up her bottle of formula. Apparently, formula doesn't agree with this three month old.

Daddy's got a brand new blog

2006-01-03T18:56:00.000-06:00

Here is a pic of Zoey hangin' out with her daddy as he sets up his new blog. One of Zoey's favorite things to do is hang out with dad. On some days, she'll sit in his lap and play video games, too! Funny thing, if mom tries to get on the computer, Zoey won't have any of it. Maybe she's just a daddy's girl.

Little Angel

2005-12-29T23:24:00.000-06:00

Isn't she lovely? I know, I'm totally, ridiculously proud of her, but wouldn't you be, too?
Isn't she the cutest ever? :)

Bloggin'

2005-12-29T23:01:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Emiley for helping me to get set up with this blog--it's so funny because I didn't know I really wanted one. I always kinda thought that a personal blog was a little self-glorifying--you know, like, "this is my life, don't you want to read about me?" But Emiley pointed out that it's a good way to get info out to family and friends without having to send fifty ba-gillion emails or just spamming your whole address book with "all the latest" because not everyone on your email list cares about "all the latest" anyways. Now, I only have to send out one spam to let everyone know about the blog and I don't have to spend hours downloading photos of Zoey to everyone. That, and those people who don't care, don't have to be subjected to any more spam. Ok, I don't actually spam anyone with anything, in reality, I'm probably more guilty of undercommunication. Anyhoo, thanks, Ems! Now of to work getting some cute pics up for you all!
P.S. The lovely picture you see with this posting is Emiley (for those of you who don't know her). Our Mac (!) has a cute little program called photo booth that is hours of uselessness but great fun, right Ems? :)

profile pic

2005-12-29T22:27:00.000-06:00

hi

2005-12-25T16:08:00.000-06:00