MO Trip - Zoey and Malcolm

It was great to get to spend more time with my niece and nephew. They are both adorable in their own ways, plus I like being with Malcolm so I can think about what I'm doing taking care of a baby. Julie or Denny would bring the kids over to Mom's every couple of days, and sometimes they'd stay all day. My siblings and I took turns playing with them - with Malcolm you pretty much just move him around a lot and hold him high in the air and smile at him, and he's pretty content.

With Zoey we played with blocks, Duplos, and Ja-ma's (Mom's) Christmas puzzles (a lot). Zoey has nearly memorized some of them and can do them by herself for the most part.

Taking Baby Jesus for a ride on the choo choo.

At some point Julie put Zoey down for a nap in Mom's room. After a few minutes Everett and I heard, from the living room, a tiny voice yelling cheerfully "Hewwo! Hewwwooooo! Hewwo!" under the bedroom door. Guess she wasn't tired yet.

Proud to tell me "Z is for Zoey!" She also explained that Bear is holding the Z block.

Zoey still has trouble with the "y" sounds in "yeah," "yes," and "yay." She uses "w" sounds instead, resulting in her saying "w-eah" all the time--so often, in fact, that I find myself thinking "w-eah" whenever anyone says "yeah." We asked her if she can say "yeah" but she claims she cannot. I'm sure that will change soon enough.

Listening, enthralled, as Ja-Ma reads to her.

I noticed that Malcolm will get more interested and "talkative" if I have him around the boys. I wonder if he's just used to seeing women more often (his mom, Ja-Ma, me, Ellen...) and so men are a curiosity to him? But that doesn't make much sense, because he sees Denny all the time. In any case sometimes I would hold him just under his arms and he'd flail his arms and legs toward either Neil or Everett, whomever we were facing. It was pretty funny.

This guy can't quite smile and eat simultaneously, but he still tries.

Ellen discovered that Malcolm really loves to be physically higher than everyone else. He laughs and tries to shove both his fists in his mouth (his sign of ultimate happiness) when you toss him in the air. He also gets a big grin on his face whenever Ellen holds him, standing, on top of the back of the couch. She puts him up there and says "Tall baby! Yaaaay!" and he smiles and smiles. It's too cute.

Sink bath!

Denny also showed us that if he tickles Malcolm's knees a certain way, Malcolm laughs this deep (for a baby) kind of guttural laugh that sounds almost like an old man "heh heh heh"-ing. It's hilarious.

Admiring his sister's stacking abilities.

It was great getting to see the kiddies so often. They make the house a little messier and chaotic, but it's well worth the cuteness and bonding time. :)