That's What Chloe Said - May

Chloe has developed a new accent and we have no idea where it came from. She's dropped the Russian accent more or less and now has a...Southern(?) accent.

The shortened version of "yes" is no longer "yeah." It's "YAYuh"

Dad is now "DAHYud"

It's so weird. We have no idea where this came from. 

Chloe's First Haircut!

Purple

This is Purple

Things to keep in mind when talking about Purple.

1. Purple is a proper name and must be capitalized.
2. Purple is to be treated with respect. Do not toss her on the floor or step on her. (Which brings me to point 3.)
3. Purple is female and female pronouns should be used when referring to her.
4. And don't ever ever call her Blankie, Purple Blankie, or (heaven forbid) Your Blanket. I mean, seriously, how would you like it if someone called you by some other name? 

Purple first made her appearance in our lives during one of our pre-baby shopping extravaganzas at Babies R Us. We lived pretty close to one in Colorado and became quite familiar with its aisles during the 3 years we lived there. Purple came home and sat neatly folded in Solana's future crib waiting for her. Little did we know how important Purple would become. Stuffed animals have come and gone. There were the tiny square blankies with little Pooh and Tigger dolls sticking out the middle and rubber teethers on the corner. There was Puppy. And most recently, a rainbow night light. These were all night-time must-haves at one point or another. But Purple has stayed the course and is a true friend. For a long time Solana wouldn't drink her milk without "walking her fingers" along purple's edge. I wonder how many washings she'll withstand. Maybe she'll be a tiny shred of fabric that Solana carries off to college. I know I still have my Ted sitting up in the top of my closet. I guess time will tell. She looks pretty good for her age. 8 years down and a few to go... For now I thought it wise to snap a picture of her while she still resembles her original self. 

That's what solana said - April

Solana loves to compliment my cooking. She knows I'm a good cook but just doesn't appreciate what I put on her plate. She sit there and talk about how great dinner is but then sits without taking a bite. Or we'll eat something I di don't make and she'll say, "but Mommy's _____ is way better!" It's actually kind of annoying despite her good intentions. I'd rather she eat her dinner than talk about how good it is. The other day I made shrimp. We don't eat shrimp often. She took a few bites and gagged down every bite and finally threw up in her mouth. I asked her if its really that gross. She said, "No, it's really good! My mouth thinks its good but my stomach just doesn't know."
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Solana has recently decided that she doesn't like taking baths. When I suggested that she take a bath one day she balked. I asked her, "Do you want to be stinky?" She replied, "yes." "What?!?" Solana, "Well, not TOTALLY."
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New Favorite Words: Farty-pants and Goofball
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That's What Chloe Said - April

Daddy - I touched my peepees.
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Mommy, what am I touching Bluebell with?
-Your foot?
YES!!!

Mommy, what am I doing?
-Spinning in a circle?
Yes! I AM spinning in a circle!

Mommy, where is my hand?
-Inside your boot.
Yes Mommy! That's right! My hand IS inside my boot.

I could go on...
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Chloe's begun a new habit of beginning statements with "here." For example, "Here, let me do it." Or, "Here, I'll get down and then I will help you." She sounds like a tiny grown up making the calls and I think it's adorable. Then I figured out why. It's a speech pattern she picked up from me!
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I told Chloe that she needs to go to sleep. Rest is important because her body grows while she sleeps and that's how she'll become big and strong. After that she began to exclaim every time it was time for a nap or bedtime, "But I don't want to grow! I want to stay little!"

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-Hey Chloe!
-Hey Mommy!
-What's up?
-I'm just playing in the bathtub. You can go away now. (Said in a sugar sweet voice and followed with a huge smile and batting eye lashes.)

Solana is 8!

,Solana turned 8 this year! Something about 8 seems so old to me. It's so much closer to 10 than 7 somehow. I don't know... But I decided that this year would be a much easier party than last year's unicorn pegasus party. We decided to have her party somewhere else so I wouldn't have quite so much planning to do. Somehow, though, her birthday turned into the never ending weekend! I think she liked it, though, or at least she better have...

The festivities started with strawberry cupcakes with strawberry icing sent to her class on Friday. 

Saturday was her actual birthday. She woke up to a few presents and a number 8 pancake. It's been over a month since her birthday so I can't remember what else we did on her birthday but I do know that Dave and I stressed out all day about the weather because her little party was outdoors and there was a significant chance of rain all day long. We ate dinner at the Greene and then came home for some chocolate cake. Our cake comas are only 2/3 the way through at this point.

Finally came her party at the farm. The sky was full of clouds but we just might beat the rain. The girls ran around checking out the animals while Dave and I set up. These people definitely did not have their act together. We expected a little more hosting but we felt like we were pretty much left to our own devices. They eventually came out to help a bit. Dave and I weren't super impressed but the kids seemed to have a great time so we didn't complain.

Dave came to the rescue and fixed the little cars because they weren't attaching to the tractor correctly. They drove the kids around for a good 20 minutes while we waited for all of Solana's friends to arrive. Another lesson learned: If you can have 8 guests at a party, don't limit your invitation list to 8 kids. Duh.

Chloe, Gage, Jackson, Maria, Abby, Hannah, Solana

Solana saved her magic sprinkles from last year and decided to sprinkle the chocolate cake before we left for the party. It looks like they still work.

Solana had a great weekend and was satsfyingly excited. We're pretty lucky to have her.

Chloe's Memories From the NICU

Every night before bed I sing one song to Chloe and I let her choose the song. 9 times out of 10 she chooses the "humming song." There are two songs I hum to her. One is a simple three notes repeated. It's hummed by all the Moms in my family and extended family. That's not the one she wants. Chloe's preferred song is one that I learned from my Mom. One that I have hummed to her since her earliest days in the NICU. I remember standing by her isolette for 90 minute stretches with my hands resting (very lightly) - one one the top of her head and one under her bottom - humming this very tune. I hummed it to her every single day standing by her isolette for 6 weeks before the first time I had kangaroo time with her. I hummed it while she got a new IV and while I fed her her first bottle. I hummed it while she came out of anesthesia from her many procedures...every day for 5 months as I visited her...

Last night she requested the humming song and I wondered, "Does she prefer this song because it comforts her? Does it comfort her at a deep level that she doesn't understand but is a result of hearing it during a time when she yearned for the love and comfort of a Mother who was only there for a short while each day? Did she anxiously await my arrival during her long solitary days laying alone in the isolette?" The I realized I'd never talked to her about her NICU days and was compelled to mention it... In the dark...at bedtime...maybe not the most well-thought-out plan.

-Chloe, do you know that, when you were a tiny baby, you were very sick and lived in the hospital for a very long time?
-(Very dramatically) Yes Mommy! And you left me all by myself and I was so sad! I sat in my bed all by myself and cried and cried. And I said, "Mommy, please come back!" But you went in the van and drove away and I was crying and crying because I didn't want to be all alone!

It's a good thing I was sitting down during this...revelation...? I was shocked, confused, overcome with emotion. Those feelings of sadness and guilt came flooding back. I was only able to spend a few short hours with Chloe every night after Dave got home from work. I hated that she was alone all day and night. Sure there were nurses to see to her medical and physical needs but they couldn't see to her emotional needs.

-Chloe, I never wanted to leave you in the hospital.
-But you did, Mommy. You left me and I was so so so sad and I cried and cried. And you drove away!

It was creepy I tell you. I have no idea where she came up with this but it was so real and difficult to hear. I know she has no memory of that time. And I hope she wasn't crying for me when I left. But that conversation really sent me back. I wish I knew...