Catching up...

July 24, 2011

Stacie is busy gumming everything and is no longer turning away or crying when Madilyn comes near or bothers her. However, in turn, Madi has to try harder to get a rise out of Stacie. Stacie has great hand-eye coordination, able to bring an item from her grasp to her mouth. She is an easy going baby. Stacie will be 4 months on August 1 and Madi turned 4 years on July 21, 2011. Madi says many funny things and is very smart and intuitive. She has been a joy and at times a challenge because she does know what to say and do to get out of things. She has been able to hold her head up and if we hold her core she can hold her head up and look around. She doesn't like to be held laying down because she likes to look at all going around her. She met Aunt Esther on July 24. Stacie has a last feeding at around 1030 consistently and then most times can make it until 430-530 AM to eat. She is a hardy eater, as is Madi. Both are great sleepers. We have noticed Stacie is a lighter sleeper than Madi was/is. Madi will try almost any kind of food, there are some she doesn't like; spinach, kiwi, etc. She loves olives, black or green. Stacie always wants to drink a bottle when she sees us eating. Madi one day in July decided to go without a diaper at night and was dry from that night forward.

August 11,

Stacie and Madi had shots on aug 5. My bday. 4 yr madi. 4 mo stacie. Madi was terrified and stacie stopped crying when she was held. Madi is 40 p 40 inches and has next shots when she is 11. Stacie is 20 pounds. Madi was 18 p at 6 mo. Stacie is now grabbing her toys and can sit up with little support. She can also roll back to front. She started rice cereal on the aug 8th 2011 She sits in high chair. She has been drinking 6 oz every 2 hrs and wakes 1-2 times at night.

Madi's current phrases;

"I amn't yelling, I am talking loudly so you can hear me"

"Look at my mouth... It is thirsty"

"Someday you will poop on potty without diaper" Madi..."That will be wonderful"

More later,

Abelsons

May 3

Madilyn continues to be a great big sister, always wondering where Stacie is and wanting her to be around.

Stacie had Dr checkup today. She is 4 weeks and weighs 11 pounds 8.5 ounces. She is very healthy. She holds her head up well, makes great eye contact, and has smiled a few times while we are speaking to her. She tracks objects well with her eyes. She turns when Madilyn speaks to her. When swaddled, she always takes out her left hand. She eats 4 ounces (or a bit more) every 2 hours during the day and at night wakes only 2X to eat. She is becoming more alert and awake as time goes on.

More later,

Abelsons

NEWS!!!

I am sure most of you have heard the news by now or have actually seen the new addition in person, if you live in NY.

STACIE MAXENE was born April 1 at 9:38PM. She weighed 8 pounds 8 ounces.

Beginning around week 34 of pregnancy Alissa began to measure big. They found she had a lot of fluid surrounding the baby. They did not ever plan to induce; not for size of baby or amount of fluid. However, on Thursday March 31 Alissa had a sonogram at the hospital and follow up Dr appt scheduled with Dr. Aaron right after the sonogram. At that appt the Dr in the hospital in conjunction with Dr. Aaron decided to induce the nest afternoon... on Friday, April 1. It was such a shocking turn of events because Dr Aaron and Alissa had just discussed that she would not be induced unless baby was late, but then all of a sudden we were going to have a baby the very next day!!!

We dropped Madilyn at school on April 1, went to bookstore for reading materials for the hospital during induction process, and had a nice big lunch since Alissa would not be able to eat for a day or so. We got to Roosevelt at 1PM and got a room right away. Stacie was born at 9:38 that evening.

The labor was fairly easy. Alissa did not push for long, however prior to deciding to get epidural she had a strong bout of nausea and cramping.

Stacie has been a delight and looks a lot like big Sis Madilyn.

Madi has enjoyed kissing her, hugging her, bringing us a diaper to change her and talking to her when she cries "to make her feel better". She even has brought her toys to play with. "I love big sister" "Hi Stacie Maxene" she says, but pronounces Maxene (Mah-xene). She is very proud.

It has been so beautiful to watch the girls together. To see Stacie turn toward Madilyn when Madi is talking and to see Stacie watch her and track her already has been amazing. It is breathtaking to see the similarities between the girls from when Madi was an infant!

Madi updated

Moved over for boy to sit with her at bus stop, then said "I moved over and gave him room so he could sit with me"

Says she will teach sis how to hold on to pole in subway and "Then I will give her purell".

When holding on to pole in subway..."I can balance"

Asked friend to play with her

Asked "Is he a girl?"...seeing a boy with 2 earrings

Can make up words to tunes she knows

Holds our face in our hands to kiss us

Asks are you happy?"

Came to Dr with me and wanted to be checked, layed on table

Turns and says "I love you little mommy"

Kisses our hands

Gives baby (belly) a massage and says she is massaging baby

Asks us to ask her a question so she can answer it "Tell me why am I doing XX"

Madi-isms

We were asking her something while she was "writing" a note..."I don't talk while I am writing"

In class: Madi and a friend were using L shaped blocks as guns...teacher asked how they were using blocks, she replied "nicely"

We put together bassinet for baby. She said "baby sister will sleep in here. I will get her some toys (she ran and got toys to put in bassinet". She often says "I want baby sister to come out now" and "I will change her diaper, all by myself"

More later,
Abelsons

Some new stories...

Madilyn woke up, turned to Steve and said "Time to brush teeth"
Bumpy stroller ride to park: "Sorry Madi" Madi: "It's ok mommy"
Madi recently asked where the baby will sleep in our house

Some recent pictures...and stories

Madi on the bus







Madi with Steve playing with snow









Madi holding our friend Benny

Alissa at 31 weeks

Stories: We were walking down the street, Madilyn was trailing behind, I stopped to look back at her and she said "here I am".

We made homemade playdough. Madi loved it. She kept giving me other things to play with if I would grab some of her playdough.

"he is him, she is her"

"birds live in a nest, nests are in trees"

More to come,

Abelsons

Madilyn Story

Hello All-

Madilyn is now 3.5 years old.

Madilyn and I were in the playroom before school started today. She stated "I am going to see what we have in here" (and then went to check my bag). I was talking to teachers and then looked over to Madi to see what she was up to- she was sitting quietly eating my apple. It was a very funny sight!

Alissa

The funniest things

Madilyn says the funniest things, and no matter our mood, she can always brighten a day

Whenever we are sick or bumped ourselves, she asks if we are ok.

She often asks if we are happy.

She shares items with kids at museums and parks and negotiates (trades, tells them they can have one and she can have one, etc"

She remembers things from months ago. For example, she saw a bracelet in the end of December and said "Like Aunt Sophie wears" (She hasn't seen Aunt Sophie since October). We were on our way to museum and we haven't been there for 2 months or more, she asked "Can I go on the firetruck when we get there?".

Madi: "I want daddy to go in the living room" Alissa: "What do you want him to do in there?" Madi: "He can play his guitar and I can play my guitar and we can all do jams"

She woke up this morning, saw that I was brushing my teeth. She then turns to Steve, wakes him up and says "Daddy, it's time to brush our teeth"

Last night she fell asleep drinking. We decided not to wake her to brush (we rarely let her go to sleep without brushing) she woke up when we brought her to her bed and said "I don't want to go to sleep with dirty teeth"

Can explain when things are the same and different

Knows almost all of her letters by sight and some numbers

Loves to play her keyboard and anything musical

Update 1.6.11

Wow- it has been a long time since we posted last...

Madilyn continues to talk more and more and in full sentences and ideas. She makes up games, stories and songs. She sings to baby (my belly), makes things for baby, tells us she loves us, she
explains what she does (ex: my toothbrush got a little messy, that is why I am cleaning it), she also loves to find letters she recognizes in newspapers and books. She can write an M. She is very friendly and outgoing and adventurous. We can hear our words parroted when she speaks sometimes, but the best is when she comes up with some amazing (and hilarious) things on her own.

We recently went to Florida, it was a bit chilly even out of the ocean, but Madi and Steve did swim 2 times in the ocean. We also went to Disney with Grandma and Papa Abelson and Aunt Joanne. Madilyn had a great time.

More later,
Abelsons

I am currently at the end of the 27th week of pregnancy.