For my next trick.......

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen....For my next trick I will attempt to swallow my foot whole! It's possible....I know I can do it. I just gotta get these toe things out of the way!!! Okay okay, I'm just being silly. I can't really get my whole foot in my mouth...at least not this time.

But I have to tell you, right after I take a bath, I taste really good:) Maybe the next time you take a bath, you should taste your toes too.....they are oh-so-yummy!

Mmmm...Mmmmm...My Milk

I'm getting big enough and strong enough to hold my own milk now....that means I don't have to share with anyone. Just Kiddin, so far no one else wants to drink my milk. I don't understand why not, I always offer mommy a drink, but she never takes one. Oh well.

This is me hanging out at home today. For those of you who live in the cold cold state of Iowa, you know why I'm hanging out at home today (Saturday). It's really cold and icey outside. Mommy says we're stuck in the house all weekend, which is fine with me. I didn't really have any plan to go anywhere.

It's been sleeting since yesterday afternoon, and when mommy drove by the grocery stores (on her way home from work), they were packed with people. I watched the news with mommy last night and I guess it's supposed to be all ice/rain today and then tomorrow we're supposed to get more white stuff. I'm not so sure I like this WINTER thing.....mommy says I take after daddy in that respect...daddy HATES the cold! It's a good thing he's not here right now, or he'd be frozen!

Daddy has been calling us lots because he misses us and worries about us. He even sent me a card just because. He talks to me sometimes when he calls home, but I just listen and breath heavy....I don't say anything. Mommy laughs at me because I'll talk a whole bunch while she's on the phone, but when she hands it to me I just breath heavy....to be honest with you, I'd rather just stick the phone in my mouth...that's where everything belongs these days!!!:)

The news said we might lose power, but we shouldn't worry. I think that's why so many people were at the stores yesterday. I made sure mommy stocked all my food and necessities, so I'm ready for anything! Now we just have to wait for all this yucky weather to go away.....I heard that GroundHog guy said Spring was on it's way.....I'm not sure I can be patient for too much longer Mr. GroundHog.....lets get movin'!

Cookie Monster

I LOVE COOKIES.....................I AM the Cookie Monster!!!!!

Did I mention that I love cookies? :) Mommy sometimes lets me have one of these baby cookie things....they are so yummie....and SOOOOOOOOOOOO Messy!! Mommy makes me get naked before she gives me a cookie to play with. And when I'm done sucking and licking it she finds cookie all over my body!

I lick it some, then suck my thumb (my thumb is my best buddy...it goes everywhere with me now!) and then I lick some more. When I've sucked on the cookie for a little while, I decide I need a break so I play with my feet....it's kinda cool feeling the cookie mush between my toes:)

Mommy laughs at me when she's cleaning me up. She watches me while I play with the cookie, but she is still suprised at all the different places she finds cookie on me....what can I say, I like to share the mush:)

I have to be careful though, because sometimes I accidentily gum a piece of the cookie off and it gets stuck in my mouth. Mommy says I have to take a break from the cookies since I can't swallow the big pieces. Yesterday a piece got stuck in my throat because it was too big to swallow. Mommy tried to get it out, but she couldn't reach it....so I coughed it up along with some milk from earlier. Mommy was worried about me, but I felt okay and didn't see any problem.

After that happened, she told me I couldn't have another cookie until I show her some teeth....I'm workin on it already....it's not my fault my teeth are slow! But it's okay because I get to eat lots of yummy things these days. Today Mommy gave me some bananas and mixed berries...it was purple and it makes a good mess too!!! Wow, was that stuff yummy:) Mommy even stole a bite from me...she thought I wasn't looking. And have I told you how much I love Sweet Potatoes? Oh my gosh.....I think I have a favorite food!!!! Well, a favorite food other than my milk, no matter what good foods mommy feeds me, I always like to wash it down with some good ole milk!

It's Magic!

Two hands......
One hand........
LOOK MA, NO HANDS!!!!!:)

Okay, so I'm cheating just a little bit. In order to let go of my chair completely, I had to lean on it with my chest. You all thought I was really awesome didn't you? :) I can't stand up by myself...YET, but I sure do like standing up next to my chair....it makes me feel like a big boy when I can stand on my own two feet. Maybe for my next trick I'll lift up one foot, then the other......and then mommy will catch me as I fall to the ground!!!

Tai came to visit me on Wednesday. She said that I am still 26.5 inches tall, but I now weigh 15lbs and 5ozs. Mommy is so happy to know that I'm still gaining weight. She was getting a little worried because I hadn't made it to 15lbs yet. Don't ask me why she was worried, she knows I like to eat like a pig!

Every time Tai comes to visit me I always end up crying. That's saying something, since I rarely cry any other time. It's funny because when Tai comes to visit I always feel pain in at least one of my legs....this time I felt pain in both legs! But I was looking at Grandma DoMo when the pain started so I blamed Grandma DoMo instead of Tai. I'm not really sure what happens, but I do know that whenever Tai does come to my house, mommy says things like, "I'm going to hide, I don't want him to look at me". And then the pain comes and I cry my huge crocidile tears...I bet if I cried a whole bunch I could flood my house!

I think I hurt Grandma DoMo's feelings when the pain came. My legs hurt, both this time and I thought Grandma DoMo did it, so I could only be consoled by mommy. Mommy tells me I'm a good boy and that I did really good. You know.....*thinks*....come to think of it, mommy did mention something about shots.....but Grandma wouldn't do that to me...she's my buddy, she's supposed to give me whatever I want, EXCEPT PAIN. I think I know what happened....I think Tai gives me the shots, but since I don't see her stick me, I blame whomever I'm looking at. I'm going to have to pay more attention next time Tai visits.....I'm going to investigate this pain stuff and see where it comes from. Until then, I better say I'm sorry to Grandma DoMo...I don't want her to cry huge crocidile tears:)

I'm Sorry Grandma DoMo, you can console me next time and I won't blame you!!!!!:)

It's so hard being me!

After a hard day at day care I like to come home and relax in my Waba recliner. Mommy and daddy bought this awesome Zander sized chair for me when I was still in the hospital. It matches their recliners perfectly. How did they know I would need a comfortable chair to relax in after all the hard work I do???? I guess mommies and daddies are more smart than I give them credit for.

Sorry about sticking my tongue out, it's just something I do these days. Daddy tought me how to stick my tongue out and how to "pfrtpbt" by putting my lips together and spitting. So now that daddy is far far away in school I sometimes feel the urge to remember him by doing what I do best:) I don't do it too often though....because it makes me drool!!!

The ground is white!

On the only warm day in a really long time, mommy took me outside and introduced me to the white stuff on the ground. Daddy had let me feel the white stuff once before he left, and all I remember is that it was really cold. Well I still feel that way, but luckily, I was bundled up in my warm snowsuit. Mommy tried to sit me up in the snow, but I was being lazy so I decided to lay down. Mommy started laughing at me because right after she took my picture I decided to make a snow Zander. She said that it's really called a SnowAngel....but what does she know. I'm the one who made the snow Zander so that's what I'm going to call it! I sent these pictures to daddy over the computer so he could see the white stuff too....I guess there isn't any white stuff on the ground in Florida. Does anyone know when the white stuff will be gone? I really want to see green grass again!!!!

Who's a big boy??? ME!

And you all thought I didn't write my own stuff. Now I have proof:) Here's me in front of the computer. I'm learning how to type really fast and I barely spell any words wrong...anymore. Mommy proofreads all my stuff for me:) Of Course I still need to sit on mommy's lap in order to reach the keyboard. I keep asking for a booster seat or my very own Zander computer, but mommy just won't listen to me!!!!!

Batter Up!

Hey hey, check me out....I'm the newest junior member of the Arizona DiamondBacks! Okay, so I'm not really a member. Mommy just let me wear the outfit so we could pretend it was warm outside. Do you know that it can be really cold outside? Mommy hardly lets me go anywhere when it's so cold. I can't wait for it to be summer time....then I might get to see the sunshine.

And who knows, maybe mommy and daddy will take me to Arizona so I can see the DiamondBacks play sometime. If they do that then I can see my cousins, Miranda and Tyler too!!!!! Mommy says they are great fun to play with....she should know, she says she visited them a whole bunch when she lived in Arizona. Mommy told me that if we can visit Arizona then I can have Miranda teach me how to swim. Mommy says Miranda is an awesome swimmer!!! Yay for Miranda:) And Tyler likes to make big splashes when he jumps in the swimming pool. Maybe I can make a big splash too!!!

Did you know that this cool outfit came all the way from Arizona? Miranda and Tyler's mommy and daddy sent it to me a really long time ago....well, a long time ago in Zander time. I finally fit into it:) I can't wait to meet Miranda and Tyler......and all my other relatives too! Mommy says there's a lot all over....in Arizona and in lots of places in Canada. I think I'm going to learn how to drive so I can visit everyone!:)

NICU Follow-up

On Feb. 6, 2007 I had my second NICU Follow-up appointment. I saw Sharon, the developmental specialist, my #1 doctor and two new people. I can't remember their names but I'm sure I'll meet them again.

First I got my hearing checked and this time I passed both ears with flying colors!!! I was worried because last time I didn't pass my left ear....but they weren't too worried.

After I was all done hearing things I got to play with the hospital's toys. They were watching me closely to see if I could transfer toys from one hand to my other hand without using my mouth. Of course I can transfer things from hand to hand.....but it's much more fun to stick it in my mouth first. Don't you know that EVERYTHING goes in my mouth first? :) Well I did what they wanted to, but not before I studied that toy from top to bottom. Then this lady was holding this weird object in front of me...I didn't know what she was doing, but I did watch her. When she handed me the object I moved it from hand to hand and tasted it, but she wasn't happy with what I was doing. My #1 doctor made a joke that maybe she needed to give me directions. So she took the object away from me and held it in front of me again. All the sudden she started shaking the object and it started ringing.....mommy called it a bell. So she rang the bell for a few seconds and then handed it back to me. I finally figured out what she wanted me to do....so I shook that bell thing like mad and it rang and rang and rang! Apparently I did a good job:)

Then I got to lay on the floor. Now everyone that knows me, knows that I love being on my tummy. Most of the time, if you lay me down on my back....I will roll over. And this time was no different. Sure I played with my feet for a while and sucked my thumb, but then I rolled over really fast. Everybody thought that was great!!!

Mommy told them that I don't crawl yet....I can move my body in circles and inche towards things on my tummy, but I don't understand why I need to crawl. I mean really....when I want something I just tell mommy and she either hands it to me, or takes me to it...it's a sweet life:) No one seemed to concerned that I'm not crawling yet. I can sit up with minimal assistance and sometimes all by myself, but not for very long.

Sharon and my #1 doctor explained to mommy that my adjusted age is really only 6.5 months. Adjusted means that when I should have been born, which would have been July 21, 2006. Since I was born early, my doctors always look at my adjusted age for developmental stuff. After I was all done showing off, they told mommy that I'm functioning at about a 7.5 month old's level. I guess that's okay....but I'm going to work really hard so that in four months I'm closer to my actual birthdate. Sharon also explained to mommy that the only reason I'm having difficulty sitting up on my own is because my torso is so long. I didn't know what a torso was so mommy told me my tummy area is really long. She said that most babies don't have as long of a tummy area as I do and their arms reach the floor when they sit so they can hold themselves up. Since I'm so long, I have a harder time because I have to bend over farther to reach the ground. Sharon told mommy some different things that might help me so we're going to try those.

After everyone downstairs was done watching me perform, mommy took me upstairs to see my lovely ladies. I got to see a few of my lovely ladies, but they lavished me with attention so I was satisfied:) Do you know that I missed seeing my Fox'y' ladies by mere minutes??? I don't know if you remember...my Fox'y' ladies are three baby girls who were in the NICU part of the time I was there. I hear they are doing wonderful and wow are they cute:) Maybe someday I will get to see them in person, rather than just in a picture.

My Hero!

Look at my daddy everyone....he's my hero!:)

These are pictures my daddy sent me from his school. He's been working really hard to learn how to be a commercial diver. He calls me every day to talk to me and he told me that he is spending a lot of time studying. He got 100% on a test...mommy says that's the best you can do on a test. I'm still not really sure what a test is, but if mommy says 100% is really good then I believe her. Daddy told me that he has a wet suit jacket that he is supposed to wear when he dives, but he didn't wear it in these pictures so I could see my footprints on his arm and know that it was him. He misses me a whole bunch and is afraid I will forget him...doesn't he know that I could never forget my daddy???? :)

Under The Sea

Hi everyone, I know it's been awhile (again) since I've written on here, but lots of things have been happening. I was planning on putting more pictures of my Christmas(s) on here, but my daddy took the laptop with him to Florida. Now why is daddy in Florida???? I can't wait to tell you, but first.....all my Christmas pictures are on the laptop so until daddy comes home, Christmas will have to wait.

Okay okay okay.....My daddy is in Florida. He left for Florida on January 27th and drove all the way there. I don't know how far away Florida is, but it must be pretty far because I don't get to see daddy on the weekends anymore. I talk to him every night though, sometimes two or three times. Daddy is kind of a wimp like that, he misses me and mommy a lot...but it's okay becuase we miss him just as much, maybe even a little bit more! So he went to Florida to go to school, but it's not like regular school. It's a school where you learn to be a DIVER...mommy says a DIVER swims through the water like Superman flies through the air. Doesn't she know that daddy and I like Batman better? So daddy will be in Florida at school for 4 months, and then he graduates. I know I know, it sounds silly that someone who lives in Iowa would want to be a DIVER, but if you know my daddy, you know he's more than just a little silly:) That's why mommy and I love him sooooooo much!!!

Daddy didn't like working at the Window Factory and he wanted to find a way to have a fun job but still make lots of money so he can buy me everything that I think I want. I am still not sure what I want, but by the time daddy starts making lots of money, I'm sure I'll be able to think of something:)

He started looking at being a DIVER over a year ago and decided that he might like to try it. Did you know that a good DIVER can make lots of money. I guess first, you need to know what kind of DIVER. Daddy won't be diving just for fun.....he'll be working on things called Oil Rigs....they're things out on the Ocean where oil is drilled. Well, sometimes those things break down, or they need more pipes under water. Daddy's job would be to weld on those pipes and to fix things....and he will do all of this many feet under water.

Just thinking about it makes me want to sing, "Under The Sea". Mommy said she would make her phone ring like that song every time daddy calls. Then I can sing along!!:)

So daddy started looking at schools and found a whole bunch, but they are all in Florida or Louisanna. Well, because he's a big boy, he decided he was going to go to one of those schools and learn how to be a DIVER....he's only been there a week so far, but he's doing really good. He is passing his tests with grades above 90% and has to swim in the mornings. He told me that today when he swam in the water it was really cold outside....he said it was 36 degrees in Florida this morning. In order to make him feel bad for me I told him just how cold it was here. He felt very sad for me and told mommy to make sure I stayed really warm!!! Do you know what Physics is? I don't, but apparently that's something you have to know in order to be a DIVER.

The other interesting thing daddy told me is that he really likes Os now. Remember when I had my Os? Well now, when Daddy goes down in the Dive Tank, he has lots of Os too....and daddy says that having lots of Os makes his knees and back not hurt anymore. I told him that all he had to do was ask and I would have gladly given him my Os back when I had them....I didn't want them!

Daddy lives in a big room with lots of other big boys. He only has a small space and he tried to explain what a Barricks is to me, but I just don't get it. I have a big room, he should too. He's been studying a lot too...so when he takes a break he calls me and mommy. It's sad not having him here, but he told me a secret...he said that his plan is to do really good in school and get a job as soon as he graduates. Then he will be making good money and once he saves up some he's going to tell mommy she doesn't have to work anymore. I think my mommy would be really happy to hear that, but daddy told me I had to be patient because it will take a lot of work to get to where he wants to be. He also told me that if he passes school and gets a good job, I won't get to see him every day, but eventually maybe I can move closer to him and go swimming in the Ocean with him all the time.

Then we can sing "Under The Sea" together!!!!!:) My mommy wants me to practice singing so she got me an outfit for summer with a crab on it, and another one with a shark on it. Those are sea creatures that can help me sing....they will be around daddy all the time when he's in the Ocean....maybe we could even have a pet shark someday:)

Okay, I'm going to go for now, but I wanted you to see a picture of part of the school where daddy is. I'll put more pictures as he sends them. He's going to go to the beach next weekend and maybe take a picture of the Ocean for me...I Can't WAIT!!!!!!!

I'm behind!

Mommy and I were doing really well at getting caught up on our blogging but then we had some problems. I got sick with a cruddy cold and then Mommy got sick with it too. Also, we can't access our photos right now (these computer-things sure are complicated) but we'll try to get some new posts up real soon! I promise to have a chat with Mommy about that. :)