Dia de Mia Vol. 1 No. 15

We are fast approaching the 4 month mark and Mia is really starting to change. She is way more alert than ever before. So much that it's quite difficult to figure out when, and if, and nap is in order. Also, she is getting stronger every day. She is starting to push herself up on her tummy and loves to stand up with help.

The drool is a plenty and just yesterday, Mia managed to poop so much while she was on me that it exploded out of her diaper and all over both of us. I ran her upstairs to make an emergency clean up. After almost an entire box of wipes, and a hose down for me, things were better! Daddy just laughed and said, "Yeah, I'm sorry, I don't think I put her diaper on as tight as usual". Well...watch out daddy because mommy will find a way to get you back!

Anyways, I'm almost done with my school year. I have to say that working full time, taking two night classes twice a week and being a mommy certainly is overwhelming. I'm so thankful that Brad is a super dad to help me get through this.

We hope you like this week's pictures. Mia's favorite part of the week was reading a very special book.

love,

Marlo, Brad, Mia, Cleo and Ulla

1. Leave me alone, I'm crabby

2. Wow, I grew six extra legs!

3. Learning how to swim

4. New babysitter

5. Two Cool Cats

6. Lil' girl in a big world

7. I'm a little Poohper

8. Our good friend, Amanda, and Mia

Dia de Mia Vol. 1 No. 14

Hi folks,

Mia is seeing her world through newly altered states this week: her head is up when she's on her tummy, she enjoys flying high in the air, and she loves to be pulled up from her back to a sitting position. Some might say that she is becoming more and more like a true little monkey.

This week, Mia is learning how to fall asleep on her own. Mommy and Daddy are learning how to help her do this and so far she's sleeping much better and longer (whew hoo). I think we owe some of this to her new found love of music. She all of a sudden loves lullaby's and listening to music when she goes to bed (another whew hoo is in order!)

In other news, Cleo is having her tumor removed next Thursday. I start the last of two classes this week (Tues. and Thurs nights). This will last for 6 weeks and then I will finally be done with grad school FOREVER!!! (a third very loud... WHEW HOO!!!)

Hope you all are doing well,

love,

Marlo, Brad, Mia, Cleo and Ulla

1. pretty lil' princess

2. gearing up for play time

3. heads up

4. happy play time

5. close encounter

6. heads up part 2

7. tie dye hippie girl

8. flying high with daddy

Dia de Mia vol. 1, no. 13: Laughs!

Hope everyone is having a great Memorial Day Weekend,

Another exciting week for Mia: two biggies happened this week. The first: Before he left, Uncle Bob got hear Mia's first giggle. At first Mommy and Daddy didn't believe that U.Bob knew exactly what he was hearing, but the very next day, in Annapolis, after the Blue Angels (we didn't know they were going to be there) were finished scaring the crap out of Mia (literally), and Daddy had freed her of her dirty diaper and incredibly hot clothes, a couple of out of tune bars of her favorite song "Poo-poo, Ca-ca, Pee-pee", brought out yet another giggle. Mommy got to hear a couple yesterday. Now these are not full on guffaws, but they are definitely real attempts at giggles, and boy does hearing it make you fall in love.

Number two: Mia switched from her bedside bassinet to her big-girl crib in her very own room. At first, this broke our hearts a bit -- our girl is really growing up! But once we realized she actually was much happier in her own crib than in the now terribly undersized bassinet, and therefore slept much better, we were ok with it.

Mia is starting to look around more and more. She has noticed the dogs finally and cranes her head 180 degrees to watch them. She continues to watch music dvd's with Daddy during the day, and last week, as Mike McCready blasted into a solo in "Evenflow", she pointed at the screen and said, "aamgmgda!", which Daddy knows meant, "Mike McCready!". It was a proud moment.

In sad news, Mommy and Daddy's first "baby", Cleo, the wonderful, beautiful companion they brought home shortly after they got married in 1998, got diagnosed with cancer yesterday. The tumor was not internal and seemed to be fully encased (of course you really don't know about these things until you get inside apparently), so she's getting the bad stuff removed next week and we're hoping for the best.

Don't want to end on a bummer, so see below for some evidence of what keeps Mommy and Daddy smiling all day.

1. Sitting up adds a whole new perspective

2. Mr. Mom

3. Deep Thoughts by Mia Brown

4. Almost bigger than the pillow

5. Working out at my gym

6. Head lift off

7. Three sweeties (Ulla must be sleeping somewhere)