Chickens

Colleen's Aunt Gail and Uncle Steve got some baby chickens and we went over to check them out. Uncle Steve even built a giant coop in the back yard for when they are old enough to live out there.






I'm not sure what Molly thought of them. I'm sure she would have grabbed one and slobbered on it if she had the chance.








She was happy to see everyone. I think she's starting to enjoy the attention she gets. Colleen's parents, Kathy, Marc, Calvin and a few neighbors were there.

Rollover

Yep, she did it. I was surprised at how excited I was to see it. She twisted her body, pushed her arm out, then kicked her leg back. All the while I'm yelling, "Colleeeeen! Looooook what she's doooing!!!"

This video shows rolls two, three, and four.

Fun at the Park

Kathy and Calvin stopped by and we decided to take a walk to the park. The kids had fun on this nice sunny day. It might be a few months before Molly can be pushed on the swing, but Calvin didn't mind.





Molly was content just to sit and enjoy the day.

Solid Food

We started Molly on a loose mixture of rice cereal. She is taking to it pretty well. She figured out quickly that this spoon had delicious food on it and was opening her mouth in anticipation for the next bite.





She started grabbing at the spoon making it look like she was trying to do this on her own, but this is probably due to the "chew on everything" reflex she has.






Molly eventually had enough of this. The food wasn't coming fast enough. We got a tip to feed her formula first, then an hour later try the rice cereal so that she's not super hungry during the feeding.


How quickly it happened that she's sitting in a high chair being fed.

Here's a video of the process:

First Tooth

We can feel Molly's first tooth poking through her gums. It's really sharp and causes her a bit of discomfort. The teething tablets we use help a lot. They almost instantly soothe her.

Colleen knows first hand how sharp it is after getting her finger bit a couple of times.

More Easter Fun

Easter was another full day for Molly. She started by checking out what she got in her Easter basket.







Along with a few toys and books, she got some pretty sweet shades.

Grandpa Remeika also stopped by for brunch and helped color a few eggs.





We went to the Caird household for Easter dinner. It was a fun time with the family and a great meal as well. Of course Colleen got Molly and Calvin sets of bunny ears for a photo op. Trying to pose two babies for a picture is a daunting task. You have a narrow window of opportunity to get it right before things spiral out of control...

Poor kids. They eventually got tired of being arranged and adjusted. Once one started crying, the other followed suit.

It was pretty funny though.

Happy Easter

Molly got into her pretty pink dress and visited the Easter Bunny. Unlike for Santa, she was awake the whole time. She did not even seem bothered by sitting in the lap of a giant rabbit.

Opening Day

Molly sure is excited that the Tigers won their home opener. She even had her baseball-themed sweatshirt on.

I had mentioned that she learned how to grab her feet. She now is able to get them into her mouth... something I can only do metaphorically.

Back to Work

Colleen went back to work this week. She arranged a three day a week schedule. That means that Molly got to hang out with Aunt Kathy and Cousin Calvin for two days and Grandma for one. She was apparently a "total doll" for everyone and made the day go by a little faster. She was a little fussier with Kathy on day two, but as a mom with a teething baby, Kathy knew what to do.

We are so grateful that we have loving, supportive and generous families that will come together and help each other out.

Bouncy Molly

This bouncer really entertains.

Flat Footed

It wasn't too long ago that Molly barely fit into her Stimulation Station. We had to put a pillow down so that she could plant her feet.

She now can stand without help and can also turn on her own to get to whatever item she wants to play with.

Molly's Mom is a Goof

It's not enough that Molly got dressed in a ladybug outfit that my sister got for her, Colleen made some antennae to go along with it.

There's no shortage of cuteness here!

New Teether

We got this massager for Molly to help soothe her as new teeth start to poke through her gums.

Not that there are any teeth to speak of. There are occasional bouts of crankiness that is more than just her being tired or hungry. I wouldn't say that she's teething, but I think that there is definitely some movement going on in there.

Four Month Checkup

Molly had her four month checkup and everything looks good. The doctor examined her and is happy with her progress. She weighs 18 pounds, 10 ounces and is 27 1/4 inches tall.

The next day she got her three immunization shots. She was none too pleased with the procedure, but recovered quickly.

A parent with a healthy baby is a happy parent. We have many blessings to count.

Cousins

Molly and Calvin are getting along pretty well. They are starting to enjoy playing with each other. Since Calvin is a little older, Molly tends to be the one on the defensive. He especially likes to steal her pacifier from her.

There are signs that she is starting to figure things out. She had a toy that Calvin was trying to take. She hung on to it until Calvin gave up. Is it a sign that she's beginning to hold her own?

Time will tell.

Jumper

Her legs get a nice workout in this jumper. She constantly pushes and bounces around.

March Madness

Molly decided to root for the University of Illinois Fighting Illini for the NCAA basketball tournament, thanks to the nifty outfit that her aunt Karen got for her during a recent trip there.





Unfortunately, they lost in the first round to Western Kentucky. It really messed up Molly's bracket.

Hanging With Kaitlyn

We visited Kaitlyn and Sara and had a great time. Molly loved Sara! She laughed and smiled at her the whole time. Kaitlyn had fun playing with Molly too.

You can see a few of Sara's pictures over at Kaitlyn's Chronicles.

Toe Touches

She has been grabbing her feet lately. Usually when she's on the changing table. It makes changing a diaper a little more interesting.

It is hilarious, though.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Molly's cousin Calvin came over to celebrate St. Pat's Day and no, we did not serve green milk.

There were no wet willies this time, but Calvin did steal her pacifier a couple of times.




And a good day to you, sir.

Uncle Pete

My uncle Pete traveled here from Arizona to meet his grand-niece. After the initial "who is this stranger" cry-fest, they warmed up to each other nicely. It took uncle Pete no time to fall in love with Molly.

His cousin, Christine stopped by as well.

And yes, that is a "Daddy's Girl" shirt she has on.

First Laugh?

(not the actual laugh)

We think we heard Molly's first laugh. She did a quick ha-ha, once when my mom was playing with her and once with Colleen. We couldn't get her to do it again so we'll see if it continues, but it was quite amazing to hear.

Obligatory Cute Photos

Mid-yawn?









Not sure if I mentioned it, but her middle name, Kay, is because her three aunts have "K" names: Kathy, Karen and Kathy.







Mom's favorite gift. This was her outfit on Colleen's birthday.

Rubber Duckie

Bath time is still fun. Especially for the parents (maybe even more so). Molly did enjoy playing with the rubber duck that her aunt Karen got for her.

Karen travels a lot for her job and can't resist buying toys and outfits for her niece and nephew. This duck was from the University of Illinois.

On The Move

Molly is strong! She has a good grip, she likes to push with her legs and arms. Getting her to sit on your lap while she is trying to stand up is a challenge sometimes.

While feeding, she puts her hands on the bottle. She has occasionally sent it flying to the floor out of our hands. She lifts up the couch so we can vacuum underneath (kidding - she just moves it out of the way).

Imagine Colleen's surprise when she discovered Molly laying sideways in her crib. Yep, she figured out how to get her foot on one of the rungs and push herself around.

Brooke

Molly and I had a nice time at home while Colleen and Brooke went out shopping. Brooke couldn't resist checking out how much Molly has been growing.

Brooke is also pregnant (congrats)! I'm sure Molly is looking forward to having another little buddy to play with.

Just The Two Of Us

I had the opportunity to take Molly on an excursion without Colleen. It was our first time out of the house together. We've spent plenty of time alone at home, but venturing out without Mom to back me up was a new experience.

What's more fun and glamorous on this landmark occasion than shopping at Costco?

It was a little intimidating since I would have to be ready if her mood turned sour at any moment. How long do you try to quiet a crying baby before you abandon your basket and high-tail it out of there? To top it all off, I left her pacifier at home. Rookie mistake for sure.

Luckily, she seemed pretty happy to be there. She smiled easily and enjoyed looking around at everything. She really took it easy on me and we had a great time.

Activity Center

We put together Molly's self-contained stimulation station. I'm not sure what she makes of all the objects there, but she does like to reach out and grab stuff.




The pillow is underneath because she is reaching out with her legs and standing (sort of).