The World According to Bungy

January 2012

2012-01-31T19:57:00.005-06:00

Melita got a DIY castle for Christmas. It's amazing.

Melita's first self portrait in which she doesn't have spider-like arms and legs. She's learning proportions!

Castle Tower

Melita's first self portrait with Bungy

Bungy 0 Deer 1

(see the January 2008 post when Bungy took down a deer in the yard. 2012 was the year of revenge for the deer.)

Wound where the buck gored Bungy on his ribcage. Ouch.

Melita as Tangled.

Melita's first time to paint a self portrait.

So far 2012 has started off with a bang! Other things that happened that I don't (am not allowed to) have any pictures of: dear old friends coming to visit and then buying a house nearby which resulted in Melita hosting her very first slumber party ever and she was in heaven. She also got to take her new friend to the Farmer's Market one Saturday which was also super fun. We can't wait until this is a weekly occurrence rather than a sporadic event. Hurry up and get here dear old friends!

Merry Chsristmas

2011-12-25T07:30:00.003-06:00

NOVEMBER 2011

2011-12-25T07:24:00.005-06:00

November marked the beginning of the busy season, where we had some type of gathering or party to attend almost every weekend. We ended the month being thankful and full:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

OCTOBER 2011

2011-12-25T07:10:00.005-06:00

In October, Reagan and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary. I would also like to point out that October marked our 14th year as a couple. I guess time really does fly when you're having fun!

Anniversaries aside, this October was also the first Halloween that Melita was excited about and picked out her costume all by herself. Despite Reagan's many attempts to make her dress up as a zombie princess, Melita stuck to her guns and went as a fairy princess:

SEPTEMBER 2011

2011-12-25T06:58:00.006-06:00

September was a little busier than August. First, we went to New York City to see Cirque du Soleil at Radio City Music Hall. Then we realized a few days before we left that we would actually be in the city for the 10 year anniversary of 911. It was also the first time both Reagan and I were away from Melita at the same time.

Once we were back in NBTX, our friends, Amanda and Mike got married and asked if we would host their wedding reception. We were honored to do so and it was a blast!

But, in all honesty, the highlight of the month was getting to leave for a mini vacation and then getting to come home to this sweet face:

AUGUST 2011

2011-12-25T06:43:00.004-06:00

Not much happened in August. The heat in Texas was relentless, so we tried to keep a 3 year old entertained inside. This involved letting her ride her new birthday scooter around the house while dressed up like her dad:

And jumping on the trampoline for 2.5 seconds:

And then when we told her it was time to come inside, she became the saddest girl in the world:

Happy 37th Birthday, Floyd Reagan!

2011-07-09T17:46:00.004-05:00

Happy 3rd Birthday Melita!

2011-06-02T22:18:00.005-05:00

2008

2009

2010

2011

OUCH! I'm old!

2011-05-30T12:00:00.006-05:00

Memorial Day weekend was exciting for us. A local 80's cover band played on Sunday night and Reagan and I decided it would be fun to go. So, a group of friends sprung for a party bus and
away we went!

It's the morning after and I am so sore from dancing and jumping around. Forget the hangover!

APRIL 2011

2011-05-21T13:02:00.007-05:00

Happy Easter! Easter egg hunting requires a pretty dress, crown and backpack, naturally!

And because we live in Texas, we got to get the pool out for the first time in April and have some fun.We also decided to give Melita an early birthday present:

A big girl bed! She was so excited!

Sorry for the brief hiatus, but as you can see the last 5 month have been busy! So far, May is the same way, but I promise to try and stay on top of updates. Melita continues to be an amazing kid and we are thankful everyday for all of the love and laughter.

MARCH 2011

2011-05-21T12:30:00.005-05:00

Melita got a trampoline for Christmas. Reagan had lots of fun antagonizing her while she was jumping on it after school.

Also, the home improvement spirit continues and we painted the kitchen green!

FEBRUARY 2011

2011-05-21T12:20:00.005-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day and I turned 37. What do old people do for their birthdays, you ask? Besides get terrible colds that keep you bed-ridden for days,

we like to put paper bag masks over our heads.

It's fun for the whole family!

JANUARY 2011

2011-05-21T11:13:00.006-05:00

We re-did our floors. Well, actually we pulled up disgusting carpet, crossed our fingers, said a prayer, and found fanf*ck!ngtastic hardwood underneath. After a quick sanding and a coat or three of clear veneer, this is what the result was:

This is a project we did ourselves with a little help from Reagan's dad. We only spent twice as much as we budgeted and it took 3 times as long as Reagan predicted. Not bad for amateurs. And, I only had 2 nervous breakdowns during the process. However, I will say that the end result was well worth it!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-19T08:44:00.003-06:00

It's a new year and I have a officially gotten off my soap box. hah! Life is too short to compare to others. Also, I am over it. Updates have been few and far between for many reasons. The main ones being our computer slooooooowly died and although we bought another fairly quickly there hasn't been much happening. Oh we do have a little girl who grows more and more into a little person everyday, but often I am too busy laughing uncontrollably at the new shenanigans she has come up with to grab a camera or get on the computer to blog about it. Kids are awesome! Another thing is we are ripping up stinky carpet in our house to expose salvageable hard wood floors. We are doing this ourselves (or Reagan is doing this himself. I am on toddler and dog wrangling duty) and since we don't have a money tree outside our window (or anywhere in close proximity) we are taking our time and doing what we can afford. Pulling carpet is, also, not that interesting. So, HI!

Soap Box

2010-12-10T23:52:00.003-06:00

I never wanted to have any children.
I always envisioned myself as a wife but never as a mom.
And then I met Reagan.
He would be an awesome dad, I always knew.
And so I realized I couldn't be so selfish and deny him his wants.
Reagan and I had a great courtship. We got to be selfish in where lived and what we did (even without concern for one another).
One day, we decided that after all of our selfish adventures, maybe we should start thinking about the future.
But I never wanted to be a mom, only a wife.
We moved to a safe community with a stable work environment and a positive outlook.
Reagan had his dream job and I made do and actually fell in love with making do.
And then I got pregnant.
And still made do.
Melita is nice and witty and terrible and a thorn in my independent side.
And I still make do.
Sacrifices are made.
But I, the reluctant mom, am still the one raising my daughter while living a life and having a career and husband.
I make the beds, do the laundry, make the dinner, call the clients, schedule hearings, make the coffee (times 2), answer the phones, keep 4 adults and myself and a child on schedule, pay the bills, buy the groceries, remember the birthdays, remember to be gracious, remember to be the mom and the wife and the employee.
And never ever asking anyone else to step in.
I never wanted to be a mom.
I can't imagine a life without her.

Attack of the 3 Foot Tall Froggy Monster

2010-11-17T06:23:00.002-06:00

Halloween 2010

2010-11-17T06:06:00.005-06:00

Because we are bad parents, we did not take Melita trick-or-treating this year. She really showed no interest and in fact didn't even ask about it. My motto is don't ask, don't tell. She had a Halloween party at school the Friday before Halloween, but they were not allowed to wear costumes and I think it was actually called a "Fall Festival". However, when I picked her up from school that day she did have a goody bag and she announced to me that she went trick-or-treating even though there was no candy in the bag. Perhaps it was suspiciously empty? At any rate, not another word was said about it for the rest of the weekend and Sunday came and went like all the others. (ed note: we in fact did not have a single trick-or-treater in our neighborhood.) And as I mentioned before, I am milking her oblivion to certain things for as long as possible. Reagan did make a Jack-o-latern though. It was kind of impressive albeit not exactly safe.

Comal County Fair

2010-11-17T06:01:00.004-06:00

Back in September, we took Melita to the annual Comal County Fair. It is one of the biggest county fairs in Texas. In fact, there is even a holiday for it: Comal County Fair Day! Despite it being held in late September, it was still a million degrees outside which made it a tad miserable to walk around. There is a petting zoo as well as a kiddie amusement park and then, of course, a ton of grown up things to do. We took Melita to the petting zoo. We skipped the amusement park because Reagan was working and I couldn't fathom standing around in the heat watching her go around in circles. Plus, I am queen of milking the last few months we have left of her oblivion to certain things. The kiddie amusement park being one of them. She was interested in the rides but when I told her we were only looking and not touching, she seemed OK with that. I think next year I won't be so lucky.

When It Began

2010-10-25T19:30:00.004-05:00

Apparently Reagan and I were in the same 1st Grade class. And I thought his stalking started in the 8th grade! I love you Flo! Also, there have been a lot of changes going on at the Chunn house: I finally got a new car, I started a new job, and I got a better attitude. Seriously, I never knew how much negative people could bring you down. Needless to say the whole family is in a much better place.

And here's the star of our blog wearing her brand new hat. More updates coming soon :)

Princess Melita

2010-09-13T13:50:00.001-05:00

Nite-Nite with Bungy

2010-09-13T13:49:00.002-05:00

It was Melita's idea to get blankets for she and Bungy so they could take an impromptu nap.

Labor Day at the Beach

2010-09-13T13:37:00.002-05:00

Further proof that I gave birth to a mermaid, we spent Labor Day weekend in Corpus Christi and Melita did not get out of the water once while we were at the beach. She did play in the sand for .5 seconds but ended up back in the water chasing waves. Bungy also loved the beach and a good time was had by all.

San Antonio Zoo

2010-08-23T15:19:00.005-05:00

Panties and Hello Kitty Socks

2010-08-10T19:21:00.004-05:00

For the last 2 weeks Melita has been diaper free. I hadn't mentioned anything sooner because I didn't want to jinx it or get prematurely happy if it was just a hoax. But it's real. Melita is potty trained. (editor's note: she still sleeps in a diaper only because she can't hold it through the night yet and I am not about to wake her up to go and ruin the precious solitude I get of her sleeping for 10 hours straight.) She wears panties and she loves them. I also got her some new socks just in case panties alone didn't make her feel praised enough. But it turns out panties were enough and the socks were just an added bonus.
It all started around Christmas when I bought a training potty. The idea was to just let her sit on it when she wanted, no pressure to actually do anything in it. Some Saturdays she would spend all morning sitting on it while watching cartoons. Sometimes she would be naked. Sometimes she would have a diaper on. Sometimes she even sat on it backward. I was just excited because was interested in interacting with the potty. Then around her birthday, I decided to follow Bethany's lead and buy panties to put on over her diaper. It worked for Violet so why not Melita? The truth is that potty training was the one single thing I was scared shitless about undertaking. I had no idea on how to approach it and definitely no idea on how to follow through with it. To be honest, I would keep changing diapers for as long as I needed. I just hated paying for them! When Melita moved to the 2 year old class in June, I started to feel the pressure from her teachers. Melita's classroom had its on bathroom and I could feel free to start getting her ready for the potty any time I wanted. And that's how it all began. The real star of this whole story is Melita. She basically potty trained herself. At any rate, I love her so much and even more so for making the transition from diaper to potty a breeze!

Feminism in 2010

2010-08-04T18:29:00.002-05:00

Poor Bungy

2010-08-03T12:00:00.005-05:00

For the last couple of months, Bungy has been a itchy, scratchy fool. Every second of every day has been filled with the sounds of him scratching. In fact he scratched and shook so hard, he actually got an aural hemotoma which is basically when the blood vessels in the ear explode and the ear (between the cartilage and the skin) fills up with blood. While, it is not painful it can result in permanent disfiguring of the ear if not treated. For dogs with ears that normal point upwards, it look a little unsettling.We like to call this his Tupac look. Of course we were concerned because his ear was starting to look like a sopapilla. I made an appointment at the vet and he was scheduled to have surgery the following week. I was told they would lance the ear, drain the blood, and then press his ear between two pieces of foam and sew threw the entire sandwich to keep the ear from refilling with blood.
This we like to call Gimpy Dawg. Thankfully he is healing well and he gets the foam ear off on Friday. This little incident also made us treat the yard and the entire house for fleas (finally!) and start Bungy on new flea medicine because obviously New Braunfels hosts a new strain of fleas immune to Frontline. I don't know what the new flea treatment is called, but it rocks the house! It is in tablet form like heart worm meds and within 4 hours of ingesting it all fleas are dead! I am happy to report that there has not been a single itch or scratch for the past two weeks. Take that, mutant fleas!

Reagan and Katee Have a Ball

2010-07-25T08:01:00.003-05:00

Reagan's dad and step mom treated Reagan and I to a belated birthday gift at the Texas Ski Ranch yesterday. I highly recommend it if you're OK with being hot and sweaty and slightly claustrophobic with another person suspended above you. But seriously, I am hoping that we do it again. Thanks Ann and Lonnie!

Farmer's Market

2010-07-04T09:39:00.003-05:00

Happy 2nd Birthday Melita!

2010-06-02T21:00:00.004-05:00

June 2, 2008

June 2, 2009

June 2, 2010

Still Best Friends with Bungy Dawg

2010-05-25T21:32:00.004-05:00

San Antonio Botanical Garden

2010-05-25T20:38:00.020-05:00

A couple of weekends ago, we went to a wedding at the San Antonio Botanical Garden. It was beautiful and magical in so many ways.

We reconnected with friends from Germany that we hadn't seen since we were there in 2007 for Andre and Crystal's wedding. The awesome thing was that we all picked up right where we left off. No one would have ever guessed that it had been 3 years since we had seen each other. I look forward to our next reunion which will hopefully be this fall when Reagan and I return for a much needed vacation.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Newlyweds and new parents

Recently engaged

Garner State Park

2010-05-20T17:15:00.007-05:00

The first weekend of May, we had a family camping trip with Chupps and the Kims in Garner State Park. Unlike last year, when the same people went excluding Bungy and myself, this time it was not 100+ degrees with little to no water flowing in the Frio River. This time it was actually overcast which made it too cold to swim. What? Didn't you know the word 'frio' means cold?

Despite not having too much to do, we all managed to have quality family time together sleeping under the stars in our tents on super rocky terrain with an actual bathroom 100 yards away and a shed with a roof and doors where we kept our food and which also had running water and electricity so that we could hook up our electronic dart board to pass the time at night and if we discovered we had forgotten anything there was a park store a short walk away which came in handy when I discovered I forgot diapers. Who said camping had to be rough?

In preparation for the trip, I bought stuff I thought my niece, nephew and Melita would enjoy playing with. Little did I know that the $2 hot pink float would be the hit of the weekend.

A Day of Firsts

2010-04-12T22:50:00.005-05:00

Today after school, Melita had her first 'Fudgesicle' and her first wash off with the hose. These are reasons A & B that I became a mom.

Rockport or Bust

2010-04-12T22:41:00.002-05:00

This past weekend, we decided to go to the beach with two other couples and their kids. It was beyond relaxing and well overdue. I think that we need to keep reminding ourselves that Texas beaches are only a couple of hours away. This was Melita's first trip to the beach where she could actually play in the water and the sand. She had an amazing time. And so did her parents. We love Texas.

A Break from Parenting

2010-04-12T22:37:00.003-05:00

On a random Saturday night, after my parents asked to have a sleep-over with Melita, Reagan and I got to hang out with some of our childless friends and get back to basics.

Beer pong anyone?

A Friendly Visit

2010-04-12T22:27:00.003-05:00

Before we undertook the renovating of the backyard, our dear friend Crystal came and visited us for a few evenings. We had the pleasure of meeting Crystal and her (now) husband Andre while we were living in Germany. We had visited Crystal and Andre while they were living in Florida and since Melita was born. By the way, Melita absolutely loves Andre.

Anyway, recently Crystal and Andre had the opportunity to return back to Germany. We were very sad. But then Crystal had to visit San Antonio for work and then we were happy again. We did miss Andre though.

We love you Crystal and Andre!

D.I.Y. Update

2010-04-12T22:18:00.005-05:00

Despite the silence over here, we (actually Reagan-but I am in charge of toddler wrangling!) have been working on our backyard lately. If you remember from way back in 2007, we have an extra large backyard with tons of potential. So after 2.5 years we decided to get moving. Our ETF (estimated time to finish) is for Melita's 2nd birthday party in June. I think we might make it!

Before

During

The Many Faces of Moo

2010-03-14T14:22:00.002-05:00

Time flies when you are having fun. After a very long and cold winter, spring has sprung and it has been absolutely gorgeous outside. Hence, my absence from the computer. Who wants to be inside when you can be outside listening to choo choos and collecting rocks? I love the fact that Melita is an outdoor girl. So, Internet that's a brief summary of what the Chunns have been up to. Living the dream :)

What's Going On?

2010-02-12T22:15:00.002-06:00

Hi Internet. Right now, Melita is suffering from a flare-up of eczema on her back and ear infection #4 and Reagan and I are still sniffling and sneezing our way through mountain cedar. Despite the medical difficulties, we are having a blast. Melita is blossoming into a chatty Kathy. It is so cute to listen to her try to emulate adult conversation. The good part about it is she really understands what you are saying to her which is also the bad part. Since she started another round of amoxicillin for her ears, she has had cookies for breakfast and dinner because bribing her with them is the only way I can get her to swallow the medicine rather than spit it out. She also loves to dance and color. She likes to watch Word World, Super Why, and Sesame Street (Melmo). She's a PBS nerd which makes me proud in a weird way. She also likes Sponge Bob, but he is a guilty pleasure. The other day when I picked her up from school, I was told that not only was she the only kid that ate her green beans, she actually asked for seconds. And tonight, she actually ate all of her broccoli and only picked at her fishsticks and fries. I have no idea why this is. I'm just embracing the love for all things green and moving forward. Her imagination is growing exponentially and dressing up in play clothes is one of her favorite things. She likes to walk around naming what each object she sees is and most often she is right. A genius always breeds a genius, right?

Unicorns ARE Real

2010-02-12T22:11:00.003-06:00

And they live in New Braunfels.

Nap Time at the Chunns

2010-02-12T22:05:00.002-06:00

The following is proof of Melita's silly and stealth efforts to delay nap time as long as possible. It took every bit of strength I had not to bust out laughing while I videoed. The apple never falls too far from the tree. Enjoy.

Weird Science

2010-01-28T19:39:00.018-06:00

Don't worry. We're still alive over here. After Christmas, I took a much needed break and went to Colorado and then when I got back Mountain Cedar was in full swing in the hill country and neither Reagan or I had much time left to do anything besides coughing, sneezing, blowing our noses, and taking care of a toddler. Luckily, zyrtec seems to be keeping most of Melita's allergies at bay and she was not too affected by the cedar. She did go to school with red eyes a few days but at least she could breathe and sleep through the night!

Speaking of Melita, over Christmas she brought Sleeping Beauty into the modern world and showed us all that even a narcoleptic princess could still be a feminist. Future DIY helper!

She also showed Reagan and I that she could sit still for longer than 5 seconds by getting snuggled up and watching cartoons one Sunday. Yay for free babysitting!

Then in celebration of learning that she was moving to the 2-3 year old class at school on February 1 (!), she got her first pair of Chucks. Next up is hopefully big girl panties :)

AND, I got the best Christmas present of all when Reagan actually conceived a project and completely executed it in, not only less than a years time, but in less than a month! We needed not only a window seat in our front room, but also a place to store Melita's toys in a pinch.

I LOVE YOU FLOYD!

Happy 'Shoe' Year

2010-01-07T18:35:00.005-06:00

So far 2010 has been awesome and relaxing! And for Melita, it has been a happy 'shoe' year in that she is slowly working her way through wearing all of the shoes in my closet as well as the 100 pairs of princess slippers she got for Christmas. Although, so far, she still prefers her momma's shoes.

We didn't do anything exciting for Christmas besides celebrate it FOUR times from December 12 to December 25. We are so burnt out that we are thinking of taking a family vacation this year so as to avoid celebrating it more than once! We'll see how that goes over with the family! We did have our 2nd Annual Christmas Day BBQ which was fun but too small of a turn out for my liking. This year I think I will have to include the invite in our Christmas cards. Which means I will have to send out Christmas cards which should make a lot of people happy.

Melita celebrated New year's Eve with her Grandma and Papa Faust, and Reagan and I got to go to a grown up party and play boozy board games! It was a perfect way to ring in the new year.

Already this year Melita's vocabulary has grown exponentially as well as her understanding of language and grammar. She is showing a slight interest in potty training and so we have started with teaching her not to poop in the bathtub. She doesn't always make it to the potty before pooping but she does know to scoop the poop out of the tub and then put it in the potty afterward. Baby steps. We are also working on saying 'please' instead of screaming for something we want. I admit my heart melts a little when she looks up at me with her big blue eyes and says 'Momma peas?' while asking for her hundredth piece of chocolate that day.

Putting her own spin on the classic Sit-N-Spin.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-19T13:41:00.004-06:00

I can't believe Christmas is in less than a week. Thankfully, Reagan and I have already finished our shopping. Now we just need to wrap the presents. Not much has been going on around here. Melita got hand, foot, and mouth disease. And another ear infection which makes the total come to 3 since September. That's not very good. We also took her to get allergy tested since Reagan is allergic to everything and we found out she is highly allergic to dogs. Go figure. Her vocabulary has exploded in recent weeks and she can point at and name most things. She has also started to say phrases and her favorite one right now is 'Where'd it go?' while shrugging her shoulders. She also likes to draw. So far she has done a good job of staying on the paper and not on the furniture. However, she likes to draw on her hands and arms a lot too. All in all we are having a lot of fun around learning about and exploring the world.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Melita's Got Talent

2009-12-06T14:28:00.001-06:00

Nature vs. Nurture

2009-11-23T05:33:00.003-06:00

Sure, I like me some shoes. In fact they are the one purchase that I will actually splurge on justifying to myself that shoes can make or break an outfit. Think Carrie Bradshaw. Anyway, I've mentioned before on here that Melita is also showing a liking to shoes. Sometimes 'shoes' is the first word out of her mouth in the morning. And I will admit that we have used putting on her shoes as a means of bribing her to do something else. However, her love for shoes has grown exponentially in the last couple of weeks. Before when she would go into my closet she would rummage around i.e. underwear and bras on her head and random shoes being thrown around. But lately she's been going into my closet and heading straight for a pair of red wedges. She puts them on the correct feet and then prances around the house like a true super model. Where did she learn this? Obviously I don't prance around the house in my shoes so it really does beg the question if little girls are born with the concept of what is girlie and what isn't. The is little for the parents to do but sit back and watch the show. It's definitely something to think about...

Moo & Renard

2009-11-07T13:31:00.003-06:00

Halloween 2009

2009-11-07T12:34:00.006-06:00

Despite me thinking that Melita was too young to dress up and go trick-or-treating and actually get something from it, I caved into peer pressure and bought her a costume and met up with the family so Melita could go trick-or-treating with her cousins. Buying the costume was challenging because I knew that A) Melita wouldn't wear anything on her head/face, B) it had to be warm, and C) Reagan wanted it to be scary. I don't know about you, but I have not very often seen scary costumes made for 18 month olds. Most costumes for that age group are cute animal creatures which comprise of some sort of hood/hat and mask/paint to go with it. Believe it or not, I actually hit the jackpot at Walmart. Behold, Melita the Skeleton!

I will point out that my predictions about Halloween were correct and Melita didn't understand it at all. She was scared and confused most of the night, refused to walk, and cried until we took her costume off. Her costume that was basically just a nylon jumpsuit with which she was wearing leggings and a t-shirt. Oh well. There is always next year!

Reagan and I actually got a Halloween present and were given a free night of babysitting. So after trick-or-treating with Melita for about an hour, we snuck away and met up with some old friends and headed to Wurstfest to eat, drink, and be merry!

Reagan left Wednesday afternoon to go hikling in Big Bend for 5 days. So I have been the single responsible adult since Wednesday afternoon. I am T-I-R-E-D. Needless to say, I am definitely due a night out when he gets back. 17 month olds are demanding!

What Happens When Mom's Away

2009-10-13T20:37:00.000-05:00

Road to Recovery

2009-09-29T06:37:00.002-05:00

Melita had her first bout with illness this past week. It started with the 24 hour bug and projectile vomiting and finished off with an ear infection. It was just so heart breaking seeing someone so little feel so terrible. Of course, Reagan and I also got sick so things were out of sorts with the Chunns for a while. The pediatrician also told us that because Melita went so long without getting sick at all, this one would probably hang around a little longer. Welcome to the world of public childcare!

I'd also like to report that no matter how crappy Moo felt this past week, she still had to rock her shoes a la Carrie Bradshaw!

Future Solid Gold Dancer

2009-09-12T14:58:00.004-05:00

Melita loves music. Melita loves to dance. If there is any sort of tune playing, she is shaking her groove thing. Not only is it cute to watch, but it is also inspiring. Reagan and I often find ourselves dancing right along with her. We have been trying to get a video of her dancing but as of yet have been unsuccessful. I promise that as soon as it is caught it will be posted here. The kid has talent!

This past week, Melita had her first of many school portraits done. She wore a dress that the Buchanans (thanks!) gave her for her birthday and she loved it! Seriously. Normally when we get home from school, I take off her clothes and she has diaper time until her bath. Normally she loves diaper time. But not on Thursday. When I started taking her dress off she threw a tantrum until I put it back on her. I think I might have birthed a girly-girl. At any rate, after picture day, I also have a new respect for people who photgraph children for a living. Try as I might, the only 'good' photo I got of Melita before school is sadly mediocre at best. Thank goodness her proofs came back yesterday looking much more successful. Yay for professional photographers!

Let's Slow It Down!

2009-09-03T07:22:00.005-05:00

Time flies when you are having fun! August was definitely a month of change around here:

*After 13 1/2 months of being cared for at home by her grandmothers, Melita started 'school' on August 24. Reagan and I cheered and cried all at the same time. Yay for privacy! Boo to babies growing up!

*With the starting of school, we also had to ween Melita off of her naptime bottle. Which was not as hard as I thought it would be.

*Melita also had to endure me FINALLY putting her hair in a rubberband rather than just a clip. This also was not as hard as I thought it would be. In fact, Reagan enjoys the same hairstyle to!

*The new playground opened up at the park and Melita finally got to go down the big girl slide.

*She also successfully pooped and peed in the big girl toilet (with a little help from her daddy). She even told her poop "bye bye!"

*She is sleeping like a champ. Yay for school wearing her out! But is getting up at 6:30AM including weekends. Boo!

And finally, yesterday she had her 15 month wellness check up:
24lb. 7oz.
18in. head
33in tall

We also got told the night time bottle needed to go too. Admittedly I was scared believing that with it would go the peaceful bedtime and sleep. However, this morning I am glad to report that she drank her sippy of milk before bed like she was born to do it and went to bed fairly easily. The best part though? She slept through the night without a peep!

Go Melita Go!

All About Shoes

2009-08-02T13:09:00.012-05:00

As I was making Melita breakfast this morning, she comes into the kitchen, takes off her diaper, and hands me her shoes to put on her. I guess this means we can be certain that she likes wearing shoes and the 'getting used to' period is over. I did oblige her by putting on her shoes
but only after I put her diaper back on her. I don't think it would have been good parenting to let her run around naked with only shoes on. I may be trash, but I don't live in a trailer!

So, suffice it to say the shoe shopping adventure was a success. I got her two pairs, a girly pair and a tough pair, at Kohl's for $4.99 each! The pair that she wanted to wear today and incidentally the ones she has been wearing for the last couple of days were hand me downs. They are super cute but Melita is starting to grow out of them. We might as well get some used out of them, right?

After the fashion shoe, Melita nestled onto the couch to watch Sunday morning cartoons with Elephant (her bestie of the moment) and eat snacks. So far my Sunday has been brilliant.

Melita's Weekend

2009-07-29T07:15:00.005-05:00

As Melita gets older we're finding it fun to figure out new things to show her and do with her. Last Sunday in particular was jam packed full of fun. First thing Sunday morning, we packed up Bungy and Melita and headed down to the park to the spring fed wading pool. It was perfect timing as it was already steaming hot and because it was so early we had the place to ourselves for a few minutes. If you haven't already figured it out, Melita is nuts about the water. She had a blast and let out millions of squeals and giggles to prove it.

October 2008

June 2009

Later that day, I needed some help keeping Melita out of the kitchen so I could make homemade chicken enchiladas. Something about toddlers underfoot trying to reach the countertops and hot oil makes me nervous. Anyway, it was Reagan's job to keep her occupied. It was proving tougher than expected because lately she just wants to be up in my business. Well, Reagan is not only a genius but he is an expert fort builder! Melita had so much fun she forgot all about me. Success!

The perfect ending for the perfect day came as we were finishing up Melita's bath. She likes to sit in the bottom of the shower while the water drains and try to catch the water going down the drain. It's not unusual for her to be in a squatting position while she does this. However, after this, I think we will be a little more suspect when we see her squatting when she's naked.

Singing in the Rain Sideways

2009-07-24T22:47:00.001-05:00

4th of July 2009

2009-07-06T20:46:00.005-05:00

As I mentioned last year, we can see the city's fireworks display from our front porch. It's amazing and convenient. This year Melita even stay awake to watch them.

RWL 2009

2009-07-06T20:38:00.003-05:00

2 weekends ago, I met up with two of my girlfriends in Dallas for the weekend. I have known them since living in Germany and it had been over a year since we had gotten together for some fun. I had a great (but short!) time - even when Chase Fraud decided to block access to my debit card until I called them but they left a message on Reagan's phone and he was camping hundreds of miles away so I couldn't call them until I got home on Sunday - even after all that, I still had fun! I miss you Joann and Wendy and can't wait to do it again. Next time with cash only!

Father's Day 2009

2009-06-26T07:38:00.001-05:00

When I asked Reagan what he wanted to do for Fathers Day, he replied, "Hang out in the pool with my girls." And so we did.

Catching Up

2009-06-19T21:21:00.005-05:00

There are lots of preparations underway in the Chunn House. Next Friday I am off to Dallas for a much earned girls weekend with the Red Wine Lesbians. Next Sunday, Reagan and Melita will pick me up from the airport and we are heading to Austin to meet up with The Buchanan girls and the Gould girls. We are all super excited. Melita especially. She even practiced stowing herself away in my new luggage.
I then practiced folding myself up into a little ball in order to play in the ball pit with her. She thought this was hilarious.

In other developmental news, Melita actually used her fork properly during dinner tonight. Amazing. Less messy dinners are just over the horizon! She is also turning into quite the monkey and she loves swimming and playing in the sand. Summertime rolls.

With all her birthday excitement, I didn't share her stats from her 12 month checkup:
Height: 30 in.
Weight: 22.3 lbs.
Head: 18 in.

I am little scared because she is almost as tall as me now! She is definitely sizing up to Bungy although he still mows her over when he's excited. Which makes her cry. But then she gets her revenge when he is trying to take a nap by pulling on his tail or using him as a jungle gym. All while giggling and singing. I tell you the kid is nuts.

Birthday Wrap-Up

2009-06-08T20:48:00.010-05:00

We survived the birthday party. Two weeks of planning and 24 hours of setting up were over in a few hours. Everything was a success and Melita came away with some awesome presents.

One gift we gave Melita was a trailer to pull her so we can ride our bikes around town.

We also gave her Playhut's Mega Playland. She loves the tunnels and the ball pit.

Nanny and Papa Bob gave her a sandbox.

She spent a lot of the day in the pool.

Her sidekick, Connor, helped her blow out her candle.

She was super tired the next day.

Happy Birthday Melita Moo!

2009-06-02T06:30:00.003-05:00

I am absolutely speechless. I can not believe I have a 1 year old. I can't believe we made it without any major crises. At any rate, it has been a wild, but fun ride and I can't wait to see what this year brings. One major thing coming is Melita starts 'school' in August. Yowzers!

Because Melita's birthday is on a Tuesday, we are having the big party this Saturday. Today will not go uncelebrated though. Due to poor scheduling by her pediatrician, her 12 month check up is today. Not fun. BUT I am taking the rest of the day off after her appointment and I hope to get sweet treats from the bakery and eat them while riding the train in the park. And then once Reagan gets home, we are taking her out to dinner, big-girl style!

Stay tuned for a picture update later. The presents have been trickeling in since last weekend!

We love you Moo Moo!

In and Out

2009-05-21T21:41:00.004-05:00

New tricks abound here in the NB. This kid is a genius. Today she learned how to used the doggie door at my parent's house. I guess she really wanted to know what was going on outside. I wish I had a picture of that!

Walk Like a Toddler

2009-05-10T18:47:00.003-05:00

It's official. As of this weekend, Melita now walks more than she crawls. It's crazy cute. Right now she likes to carry stuff around the house or walk in circles. Either way she is on the move and unstoppable. People said I would hate it once she got moving but I actually like it. I think she is more fun and her personality is really shining through.

Back Off Ladies, He's Mine

2009-05-07T21:15:00.001-05:00

sWEIN FEST 2009

2009-05-03T12:41:00.002-05:00

Damn, the swine flu. Not only did the schools shut down in New Braunfels, but they also canceled my most favorite fest Wein and Saengerfest. We do have two confirmed cases here, but seriously? Set up some sanitize stations and drink and be merry. At any rate, we took matters into our own hands and threw together sWEIN FEST. We drank, we were merry, and we ate alot of swine. Also, it was Melita's first overnight at the grandparents. Everything was a complete success!

Someone Figured Out YouTube

2009-05-03T12:39:00.000-05:00

Month Eleven

2009-05-02T12:05:00.001-05:00

Baby Steps

2009-04-27T20:31:00.004-05:00

Things have been pretty exciting around here. Aside from minor DIY around the house, little Melita Moo is growing up fast. Once our little monkey perfected climbing up and down steps, she decided she should master getting off of furniture we put her on. The couch, no problem! The chaise lounge, easy! Our gigantic bed, piece of cake! We have to watch her 300% more now because she is quick and nimble like Houdini. Reagan actually 'lost' her in the house this morning. Talk about giving someone a heart attack! Another one of her favorite things to do is climb under and through tables and chairs around the house. Her current favorite play spot is under the stool by our front door. She chills for hours in her little fort watching the world go by. With all of this climbing, we knew walking was just around the corner. Well, we've reached that corner. She's not walking marathons (yet) and she still resembles a drunk Frankenstein, but she can go short distances without holding onto anything. When she finally does plop down on her bottom, she squeals and claps her hands. I wish I had pictures or (even better) a video, but this kid is fast. And a ham. When she hears the camera beep on, she stops whatever she is doing and poses. I have no idea where she gets that from.

Easter Without the Bunny

2009-04-14T20:26:00.007-05:00

Melita's first Easter was sort of a bust. She did have Easter brunch with her grandparents . She did have too many chocolate Easter eggs and cupcakes. She did get an Easter bucket complete with some new clothes and a plush bunny. Sadly, however, there were no pictures with the 'Easter Bunny' and no Easter egg hunting.

However, a few weekends ago our friend Allen came over and made a surprise guest appearance as the bunny from Donnie Darko. You better believe we'll tell Melita this was her very first Easter. She was able to experience all of the uncertainty of a strange creature holding her and it didn't cost us a penny!

A few weekends after that Melita also hosted her first of many pool parties. As should be expected she was the perfect hostess.

And Bungy is still her best friend and playmate!

Month Ten

2009-04-02T20:26:00.002-05:00

I can't believe we are already in double digits! This month has been amazing and Melita is learning more about the world every day. To celebrate her big day today she practiced climbing up and down the stairs on the back porch! She's not walking yet, but she sure can climb!

Happy Ten Months Melita!

Look Ma, No Hands

2009-03-27T16:00:00.009-05:00

The biggest thing happening around here is that Melita is now free standing. She is able to get up from a sitting position and can stand fairly easily for a few seconds before sitting down again. A few times she has also taken some steps, but I think it was only an effort to gain her balance and not actually walk. Nevertheless, walking is presumably right around the corner.

Talking is following closely. She says MaMa and DaDa to the right person every now and again. And Reagan swears the other morning when they were feeding her fish, she pointed and said "ish!" I haven't witnessed that one yet, but I will vouch that she can be heard babbling through out most of the day while she is playing.

Last weekend it was warm enough to inflate her swimming pool and she enjoyed the first of many lazy afternoons splashing in the water. I think that was one of the funnest weekends we have had around here to date. I can't wait to do it again this weekend. I think she also understood the difference between playing in the tub and playing outside in the water. Swimming lessons are definite must.

Melita and Bungy are the best playmates and we actually are starting to wonder if Melita thinks she's a dog or Bungy thinks he's a baby. At any rate, most of today was spent in the living room with those two rolling around on the floor, sharing snacks and licking each other. It's too cute.

Lastly, I just can't believe how quickly Melita is growing into a little girl. She is definitely not a baby anymore. Her independance gets stronger every day and I am aware at how fast she is growing. If I am this whiney and she's not even one, can you imagine what a blubbering fool I'll be when she starts pre-school in August? Waaaa!

Easy Like Sunday Morning

2009-03-15T17:27:00.004-05:00

Melita is on the tail end of a week long cold. It's nothing to worry about-just a snotty nose and a slight cough-and the doctor gave us some medicine to help her sleep at night. Still, as minor as it was, it was a bear to get through. I am glad it is almost over.

Last week, Melita had her 9 month check-up. It was not exciting. She weighs 20 lbs. However, when I am carrying her it feels like a lot more. And her head is still growing 17 3/4 inches. It's her height/length that is of concern: 29 inches!!! This kid might end up taller than Reagan and I both. We both have 6 footers in our families so it is a possibility. Already, people have been commenting on how funny it is when I am carrying her as she is as long as my torso. Geez louise. I can't wait to see how this unfolds.

As of late Melita's favorite thing to do is give kisses which sometimes turn into bites. But mostly it's kisses. It's super sweet and probably one of the main reasons that Reagan is a little under the weather today.

Month Nine

2009-03-02T20:16:00.007-06:00

The Chunns had an exciting February. Melita drove through 4 new states: Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. Our final destination was Gulf Breeze, Florida to visit Andre and Crystal for a much needed vacation. They were great and generous hosts and we can't wait to do it again. Melita was a great traveling baby and handled being stuck in her car seat for 11 hours like a champ. One thing she hated though was having to wear a life jacket when we went out on Andre's boat. But when she got to take her life jacket off and go for a walk in the sand she was happy once again. We wished it would have been warmer so we could have gone swimming in the gulf.

As we head into the month of March, Melita is learning lots of new tricks. She can clap her hands not only when she is excited but also to imitate me doing Patty Cake. She also giggles like crazy the whole time. She's still not walking, but instead she is climbing on everything. Twice she has been able to get off of the chaise lounge by flipping over onto her stomach and sliding down feet first. She is stringing together a whole bunch of vowels and has been saying MaMa and DaDa indiscriminately. She has also taken a liking to singing. It's pretty cute.

Happy Nine Months Melita Moo!

Month Eight

2009-02-10T07:05:00.008-06:00

I think it is rather fitting that I am 8 days late in posting about Melita's eighth month. I like the number 8 and incidentally this so far has been my favorite month with Melita.

She is just the right mixture of independent spirit and cuddly baby. Her curiosity about the world is inspiring. But also, I am more tired than I have ever thought possible. She is not walking, but she is more adept than ever at using the furniture and walls to cruise around the house. Like her mother, this kid never sits still. If she is awake she is moving. Which means that Reagan and I spend most of our awake time chasing her around.

Also, this month Melita has truly started to enjoy bath time. She swims around and plays with her toys and makes a wet mess. Reagan is the one who usually gives her a bath and it's fun to watch them interact with one another. I can't wait for warmer weather so we can take her swimming because I think her head will explode from all of the fun!

Happy Eight Months Moo!

Especially for Jessica

2009-02-01T16:23:00.004-06:00

Inspecting her Otter Pop.

Liking her Otter Pop.

I know they're not the most nutritious snack, but they're cheap and clever. Today Melita tried (and loved) her very first Otter Pop. She has never cried when she has dropped food on the floor before, but today she cried when she dropped her Otter Pop. Also, because I am not a masochist, I am limiting her to HALF an Otter Pop a day. I do have a little bit of sanity in this brain.

1-800-222-1222

2009-01-28T07:11:00.005-06:00

We're back from a brief, unplanned hiatus. The LCD screen on my laptop decided to die, so I decided to give Dell far too much money to replace it. As a bonus, though, they replaced my A/C adapter even though there was nothing wrong with the old one. Thanks Dell! It's like a parting kiss after being schtoomped in the rear.

Last week we had our first (of many, I'm sure) dealings with poison control. Melita ate? consumed? licked? digested? almost half a jar of Boudreaux's Butt Paste. I was at work in a court hearing which I could not be gotten out of, and did not find out until almost 3 hours later. Reagan said when he walked into Melita's room to wake her after her nap, he thought it was funny to see her, her crib, and most of her stuffed animals covered in the sticky paste. AND THEN he decided to read the Butt Paste label JUST IN CASE and low and behold it said "if ingested, call Poison Control immediately."

It was at this point that all hell broke loose. Reagan couldn't find the phone book and didn't think to call 411, so he grabbed Melita and ran out the door to our nearest neighbor's house and asked for help. I can only imagine what she thought seeing a giggling baby covered in a putty-like substance from head to toe. I guess at this point, Melita started to vomit what Reagan described as large fur balls consisting of Butt Paste. Once he got connected to Poison Control and the operator figured out that Butt Paste was a diaper rash cream and not some kinky sex lotion, he said to expect vomiting and also diarrhea, but as long as she continued to drink her formula and stay hydrated she would be fine. I'm a little glad Reagan got this one as I was a wreck once I found out what had happened.

Other than the Butt Paste adventure, life has been pretty good. It seems like time is flying by and I can't believe it has taken almost 8 months to get into the swing of being a parent. What happened to it just being instinct?

Melita has moved on from eating almost all baby food and now eats a modified version of whatever Reagan and I eat. It has made meal time not only easier but also a little more interesting. I love watching her try new foods. She has discovered the joy of feeding Bungy, so he is often banished from the kitchen until she is done eating as he will end up eating more than her.

She's not walking yet, but she is thisclose. She's cruising using the furniture and on occasion lets go of whatever she is holding onto and balances for a couple of seconds before crashing to her bottom. She is a pro, though, at falling into a squat/sit position now rather than falling over onto her side or head. The kid is learning to balance!

Everyone around here is looking forward to warmer weather so we can get out of the house and enjoy swimming and bike riding. Here's hoping this is a short winter!

There's No Place Like Home

2009-01-14T21:25:00.004-06:00

My real job has been a little challenging lately and I find myself considering working at the wine bar full time more and more. Luckily, Melita and Reagan are both angels, so when I get home I literally can forget what stupid thing happened during the day and just enjoy my two favorite people.

Melita is almost walking. After successfully crawling and then pulling up on everything, she is now using the furniture (or whatever else she can find) to cruise around. She is getting more and more adventurous about testing her limits (read: boundaries) and everyday I fear she will figure out how to 'climb' out of the crib rather than just fall out.

We hit a snag the last week or so in what I thought was such a perfectly smooth routine. Melita hasn't been eating as easily (she would rather feed herself) and getting her to drink her formula has been next to impossible unless she was headed off to sleep (again she wants to do it herself but she lacks the understanding about tipping her head back to get the milk from the bottle). For the last month or so we have been indulging her in 'snack time' with Baby Mum Mums and juice in her sippy cup. Which is probably why she wants to do everything herself now.

Tonight it all paid off! She had her first 'table food' for dinner: semi-smashed sweet potatoes and steamed carrots and broccoli. She had fun feeding herself and for the first time I felt like a real family with the three of us sitting down to dinner together. As an end to a great dining experience, Melita figured out how to drink from her bottle while sitting up!

Heartbreaker

2009-01-14T21:19:00.002-06:00

A few weekends ago, while I was working at the wine bar, Reagan and some friends played Rock Band. Melita made a guest appearance as Pat Benatar.

Who's Your Daddy?

2009-01-03T14:14:00.001-06:00

Month Seven

2009-01-03T14:08:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, Melita celebrated her 7th month by be extra good and letting Reagan and I have some much needed alone time. As reported earlier, Melita has learned to pull herself up and now spends most of her time practicing her new move. Because she now pulls up on everything, we had to lower her mattress in her crib and start raising the railing to the highest position. Something I forgot to do when she went for a nap today. When I heard the loud thud, I knew what I had done. She's OK and only cried for a minute but she did get a little goose egg above her eye. Her new nickname is bruiser!

Happy Seven Months, Melita!

A General Life Recap

2008-12-31T07:15:00.006-06:00

Whew! Where has the time gone? I was going to save this update until Friday--Melita's 7 month milestone--but she's growing up so fast she might have already left for college by then!

Christmas was nice and only semi-hectic. It came upon us way too fast but luckily since I am so anal and a planner, we had all our presents bought and decorations hung. But we literally woke up on Christmas morning asking each other 'Is today Christmas? Already?' For the first time since Reagan and I have been together, we hosted a blended Christmas at our house for all of our families. Basically, if anyone wanted to see Melita on Christmas they had to come to our house. Not surprisingly everyone went for it as it relieved them of any hosting duties at their own house. We liked it too and have offered to continue doing it.

Melita got loads of gifts for Christmas including her first aquarium from Reagan and I which she loves. Most everyone got her wooden toys that do not make noise on their own but require a little imagination to play with, which is what I was hoping for. However, there were a few family members who got her electronic toys that talk and sing at the touch of a button or many buttons. Right now these are the toys Melita loves the most and mommy and daddy are already a little sick of. But, they do keep her entertained and she can play for hours without fussing.

She has been teething for awhile now, but over Christmas her top right tooth decided to make an appearance. The left side is still red and swollen and should be here fairly soon too.

Melita is fully mobile now with her crawling and is into everything. We took the tree down on the 26th because I was so tired of telling her no or pulling her out from beneath the branches. We had to create a make shift gate to block off the kitchen as there have been more times than I can count that we have found her shoving handfuls of dog food in her mouth. Other things that she shoves in her mouth are leaves, grass, and rocks.

And lastly, the big news is that Melita has learned how to pull herself into a standing position. It's pretty cute when she does it while she is playing with her electronic toys because it usually involves her shaking her booty to the beat of whatever tune is playing. But her favorite place to do it is in her crib. Once she's up, she squawks until we come to see what is going on and then she giggles when we walk in the room. No doubt very proud of herself.

Merry Christmas Y'all

2008-12-26T15:00:00.003-06:00

Busy Beehive

2008-12-22T07:19:00.002-06:00

Hiding in the bathroom from Reagan.

Taking a bath in the big girl tub.

Hating having to bundle up. Thanks for the hat Bethany!

Things have been crazy busy around here. Hence, the lack of updates. But things have been crazy in a good way. With Melita now mobile, most of my free time is spent chasing her around. Her current favorite things to do are eat Bungy's dogfood and crawl underneath tables and chairs and get 'stuck.' It's fun to watch and play with her and I can only imagine how much more fun it is going to get as she gets older. She loves the Christmas tree and especially the bows on the presents under the tree. She's only shredded 4 bows so far :) I am also surprised about how fast she moves. If we turn our back for even a second she has disappeared down the hall.

I Swear She Loves Me

2008-12-11T20:38:00.002-06:00

Progress Report

2008-12-11T20:17:00.007-06:00

Melita had her 6 month check up on Tuesday. She is still in the 75% for everything: 17lbs, 26 in., and her head is 17in. I was surprised at how little she weighed but the doctor said not to worry especially since she is crawling now. I am also pleased to report that she is crawling like a champ. She is racing around the house and nothing can stop her. And now that she has conquered crawling, she has moved on to drinking from a sippy cup and standing while holding onto something.

Bottles are so 1997.

Best Friends.

Month Six

2008-12-02T19:48:00.004-06:00

This month Melita not only learned how to crawl, but she also learned to sit up on her own. All day I have been asking who took my baby and left this little girl. This morning she played 'possum' when I went into her room to check on her. When she caught me turning around to check on her, she quickly closed her eyes and then giggled when I said her name. Also, she discovered the joys of crumbling, chewing, and sucking on paper. But my favorite thing is how she now constantly giggles and talks while she play.

Happy Six Months, Moo Berry!

Baby Steps...sort of

2008-11-30T16:54:00.004-06:00

Last weekend I had predicted that Melita would be racing around the house by Thanksgiving. With not much progress from getting on all fours and rocking, Thanksgiving morning came and went. The day after AKA Black Friday started off just the same with Saturday being no different.

But everything changed this morning...she figured out she needed to move her arms AND legs to get herself mobile. She spent the morning crawling all over the living room trying to get her hands on a magazine. Of course, I kept moving the magazine just out of reach and the more she practiced the better she got at it. Her crawling still isn't perfect; she looks more like an inch worm--stretching out on her belly and then drawing her legs up underneath in almost a hop/scoot motion when she realizes that she isn't quite long enough to reach her prize and she needs to move her whole body. But she is getting from point A to B on all fours.

We also decided to put up the Christmas Tree this morning.

Pandora's Box has just been opened. This Christmas could be interesting.

PS. We made a quick video of Melita in action and once I figure out (read: have patience) how to upload movies, I will. It's quite cute.

Melita's World Command Center

2008-11-30T16:41:00.000-06:00

Miss Num Yummy

2008-11-30T16:36:00.003-06:00

Had a Bad Day

2008-11-22T11:56:00.005-06:00

I lost my wallet in Albertsons on Tuesday. 3 credit cards, debit card, social security card, drivers license, TABC certificaton, library card, and insurance cards. Luckily there was no cash in it. I know it was lost inside of Albertsons because I took my coupons out of it in front of the baby food. When I went to pay it was gone. I saved $5.00, though. Internet, if you find my wallet can you please send it back to me?

Melita isn't crawling yet but she is close. My bet is by Thanksgiving she'll be racing through the house.

She is also a pro at sitting in her high chair and eating her rice cereal from a spoon. She's a little wiggly though. The kid won't sit still.

Last night was the annaul Christmas Tree lighting downtown. We missed the actual lighting but we did get to see all of the pretty lights. Melita loved it.

Ready, Set...Crawl

2008-11-16T12:21:00.005-06:00

All morning I have been trying to snap a picture of Melita on all fours in preparation to take off and crawl. But this kid is too quick for me. On Thursday, she got up on all fours for the first time and started rocking and she has kept doing it since. She has the rocking part down, she just hasn't gotten to the part where she moves her arms and legs FORWARD to get somewhere. Usually after rocking for a bit she either collapses and takes a quick snooze or she pushes herself backward and away from the object she was trying to get to. I will admit that we are trying to encourage her by spreading things of desire (toys, cell phones, TV remote) out in front of her, but so far it hasn't worked. It usually just makes her frustrated.

When she wasn't trying to crawl, she spent her morning sucking on a wet paper towel. WTF? I got the wet paper towel to clean off her face after her breakfast and she ended up grabbing hold and sucking the water out. She had previously discovered the endless hours of joy with crumbling dry paper, but never had she been interested in wet paper. We periodically re-wet the towel and she continued to loudly suck the water out. Has anyone else experienced this? She never tried to bite or chew the paper towel, she just sucked.

Tyra Would Be Proud

2008-11-11T16:25:00.002-06:00

Perfecting smiling with her eyes.

What's Going On

2008-11-11T15:06:00.011-06:00

Since Melita was born (and really even before), our friends and family have been awesome about sending her presents. There were two new recent additions the last two months. In October, Ashley, Sean, and Rhea sent her the Hungry Catepillar.

Last week, Andre and Crystal sent her an elephant.

As the above picture shows, she has finally mastered sitting up on her own. Almost. She no longer tips over sideways, instead she gets so excited screeching and wiggling that she usually flings herself backwards, her head making a loud thunk on impact with the carpet.

She may not be a mensa baby like Isla, but she thinks reading is pretty tiring anyway.

And, finally,the star of this blog, who I have neglected to talk about for far too long, is doing fantastic. He went to the vet today and weighed in at 86 lbs! He probably wishes he could get more sleep, but I think he secretly loves having a wiggly little girl to watch over.

Prison Break Chunn Style

2008-11-10T19:51:00.003-06:00

It might be time to put the bumper back in the crib. Anyway, after the excitement of Halloween and Wurstfest things never really died down. Melita entered round two of teething with a bang and as of right now I have lost my voice. It's super funny because Melita recognizes me by sight but when I open my mouth she looks at me like I am an alien. Too cute. She's moving (wiggling) a lot more and protests every time we try and put clothes on her. Her new trick too is to roll under the couch when she is on the floor playing. She loves scraping her fingers on the lining underneath. I'm all for cheap entertainment. She is becoming more aware of Bungy too. She likes to pet him in the morning when she wakes up and then following him around for the rest of the day. Someone help him when she starts to crawl and then walk. Someone also helo Reagan and I. I think we are in trouble.

A Weekend of Firsts

2008-11-03T21:39:00.014-06:00

This past weekend Melita experienced a lot of things for the first time. Not only did she celebrate Halloween and go trick-or-treating, but on Saturday she went to her very first Wurstfest.

Dancing with daddy.

And then falling asleep in quite possibly the loudest tent there was.

On Sunday, she was understandably tired and helped me out by hanging outside with her dad and her dog while I cleaned the house.

Later that afternoon, Melita and I hung out and played and she showed me all of her new moves she uses to get around the house. She also showed me how much she loves to grab my hair.

Melita capped off her weekend by trying a new food - PEAS. I think she loved them.

Month Five

2008-11-02T20:52:00.002-06:00

After a week of trying to get photographic evidence of Melita's teeth, she finally cooperated on the morning of her fifth month! Too bad her dad left the camera strap in the photo. This weekend also marked round two of the teething war.

Happy Fifth Month, Moo Berry!

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T20:05:00.008-05:00

Since Melita is a few days shy of being 5 months old today, I hadn't planned on her having a very 'spook'-tacular Halloween. I had decided to throw together an age appropriate and inexpensive 'costume' for mine and my mom's (who keeps her during the day) pleasure. And the picture potential. And then Reagan came home with a pumpkin to carve. AND then the grandparents offered to take her trick-or-treating while we went to the opening night of Wurstfest. An instant First Halloween!!

The reluctant witch.

Melita's first pumpkin.

Melita's first pumpkin after the morning after the deer feasted on it.

There are TWO!

2008-10-28T19:53:00.002-05:00

After the last week or so of teething hell, we have progress! You can't tell in this picture (try looking really hard) but she has two teeth that are coming in on the bottom. They are poking up through the gums now and are pretty and white. I can't believe my baby has teeth. And two of them!

The First of Many

2008-10-28T19:48:00.003-05:00

What I discovered when I went to check up on her after we left her playing in her swing while I made dinner.

Seconds later after the flash from the camera woke her up.

The Belly Shot

2008-10-28T19:47:00.002-05:00

Not sure why she looks so pained but she was having fun seconds before.