Unapproved use of zebra

(I promise I'll go back and do Christmas - just as soon as John gets me some pictures!)

Ian has started day care, and so far so good. He seems pretty happy most of the time, and likes playing with the toys and the day care folks. He pretty much refuses to take a bottle anymore, which is somewhat problematic - not that he really needs to eat (I'm down there twice during the day) but it does leave the day care folks (and Bill) at a bit of a loss when he gets really fussy.

Like his sister, he doesn't sleep much. 2-3 20 to 40 minute naps is the best they're getting - but he seems happy enough when he wakes up. He's more than making up for it on the between days (for instance, he took a 3 hour nap today). He can sort of sit up now, if in a contemplating-toes kind of way. He's got the left-right balance thing pretty good, and has started straightening out his legs (you can hold him up and he'll stand).

He had his 4 month appointment - 15 pounds, 14 ounces, 26 12 inches, which puts him somewhat heavier (75th percentile) and very long (97th percentile). He survived his four shots, with substantially more wailing than the 2 month shots. And in other big news - the first of the bottom teeth has shown up! And he's started watching people eat (we have him in the high chair during dinner).

Isabella's been a lot better since we got back from Christmas - not so many meltdowns, and a lot easier to get to bed in the evening. We've started a swim class - the best part being *I* don't have to be there, so I can do a bit of swimming. But we hang around afterwards - she just loves swimming around and around in the whirlpool in her fishie ring. Then she goes to the steps and hangs like a monkey from the railing. And goes down the slide, on her tummy. I think she'd stay there all day if we let her.

At the climbing gym she managed to get herself high enough on the wall by herself to get too scared to come down, while I was climbing, of course.

She has informed us that we need to get two green cars (green is her favorite color) with no seats in the back and she's going to drive one (with Ian in the passenger seat) while we drive the other one.

The Magic House has a new extension with a 3 story "bean stalk" for the kids to climb. A bunch of wooden "leaves" that make up the steps surrounded by a wire mesh. Despite the leaves being spaced far enough apart that the next one up is often at her tummy, she climbed the entire thing, all the way to the top. Often whimpering to herself about how scary it was. Stubborn child - she got herself stuck in the top part and Bill had to half hold her down. Sure enough, she went back and did it again (!)

We went to the zoo with Caitlin (unfortunately, carousel closed). She requested the reptile house again - I think she likes climbing on the boxes to look in the cages. Had dinner at Caitlin's, which comes with Salvie the dog, who also likes popcorn (we couldn't find any at the zoo). Isabella learned how to get Salvie to sit before feeding her popcorn - not sure if the poor dog really knew what she was saying or if she just figured if she sat down... watched a movie and Isabella curled up with Caitlin and Salvie (after helping to set up the fire in the fireplace).

We've watched Beauty and the Beast many times (she finally seems to be willing to watch something else). Despite whimpering her way through it (the wolves and beast are pretty scary, and I'm not sure she really gets the story line) she kept insisting on watching it again. And all the way to day care it's "what happens next in the movie? Why was the girl walking out there? Was the beast bad?". Bill's taken to answering the 4th or 5th "why" with "elephant".

She's also discovered puzzles - we got a couple more for her. She can do the in-frame ones all on her own very fast. Still needs help with the regular puzzles, but she can almost do the floor-sized one (24 pieces) by herself. We've done four puzzles the last couple nights - the big floor puzzle is daddy's, the caterpillar one is hers, the farm one is mine, and Ian gets the tiger-elephant one. Sometimes she just reaches out and grabs the right piece and puts it in, sometimes she doesn't seem to understand the edge piece thing.