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)

Dia de Mia vol. 1 no. 12

Happy Sunday Folks,

Mia is officially 3 months old today and it seems like clockwork. Just in the last few days she started fitting into her next size up in diapers and clothes. We are entering a whole new realm of cuteness when it comes to baby girl's outfits! (Thanks to cousin Melia for being so generous with her wardrobe). Mia feels significantly larger and she looks less like an alien newborn and more like a baby. And boy... can she ever talk! It gets louder and longer every day, just like mommy. If we keep this up, daddy won't ever have a chance to speak!

Mia has had some new adventures this week. She enjoyed her first BB-Q at home for Mother's day and enjoyed looking at the fire pit (don't worry, we didn't let her stare at the fire). She also made it up to her first battlefield, Antietam, and twice at that, once with daddy and uncle Bob, and the other time I joined them. The first visit didn't go so well as they barely got started when Mia experienced her first cold bottle. She made it very clear that she wasn't having that. The guys had to get back anyhow to see Black Sabbath. Thus, a second trip was in order.

Today the boys are in New York City and it's going to be a mommy and Mia kind of day. I've been looking forward to spending extra special time with her. Hmmm... I think we'll go shopping. ;)

Hope you enjoy the pictures. It's a new camera so bare with us!

love,
Marlo, Brad, Mia, Cleo and Ulla

1. Mia and friends, Leah and Charlotte on Mother's Day
2. Out to lunch
3. "Oh and she's purple too... my favorite color!" (That's what I said when she was born)
4. Mia with Uncle Bob
5. Hungry Caterpillar
6. Let's see if I can wake up Uncle Bob
7. My first cannon
8. Brown's at the battle
9. Happy Rider
10. Got drool?

Dia de Mia vol.1 no.11: Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day! I can't believe that eleven weeks have passed so quickly!!! Motherhood is definitely everything I had hoped and dreamed it could be. Mia was so excited to give me her present that she woke me up at 5:30am and didn't really want to go back to sleep. I don't mind though, she was wide awake and in a great mood. Mia, Cleo and Ulla were so sweet... they gave me a new camera (hope to send a video out soon) and the tools to make creme brulee (my favorite dessert). I can't wait to use the mini-blow torch!!!

We've had a very busy week. My transition back to work wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be. I think knowing that Brad was home with Mia helped me to feel at ease, my students were more than excited to have me back and I managed to sneak home for lunch every day. Mia and daddy are quite the pair and they spend their days at the computer, going on walks (several of my colleagues have "spotted" the crew: Brad, Mia, Cleo and Ulla walking in the neighborhood), and they even managed an outing to the mall (Brad's least favorite place) for Mother's Day shopping. We hope to have a relaxing day today and plan to BB-Q later this evening and if all goes well, we'll enjoy a tasty dessert and watch the Survivor Finale. Mia is VERY excited to meet her Uncle Bob this week. Hmm... Uncle Bob, Mia and a mini-blow torch should make for some interesting pictures...

Until next week...stay tuned for no. 12

love,

Marlo, Brad, Mia, Cleo and Ulla

1. Happy Mother's Day!!!

2. Mia enjoying her bottle

3. I can grab...kind of

4. Bouncing Queen

5. Mia and Daddy working hard

6. I found my hands!

7. Welcoming mommy back from work

8. Caught watching Star Wars Return of the Jedi

9. Mother's Day presents

10. Best present EVER!!!

Dia de Mia vol.1 no.10: Mia's First Rock Show!

Hey folks,Mia is officially 10 weeks old today. She's had another busy week. We had our first trip to the mall with our friends, Dori and her 5 week old, Isabel. Mia has proven to be quite a shopper (watch out daddy!). We also recently went to the Guitar Center and Mia was mesmerized by the noise and shiny instruments. Yesterday seemed to be a Cinco de Mia day as it was full of events: we first attended the Woodmoor Beer Appreciation Society (http://www.woodmoorbeer.org/index.html) Beer Brewers toast at site # 17(our neighbor's house). Then we went to a Cinco de Mayo party and finished the evening at her first concert ever…her daddy's Liver Damage gig (she slept through most of it!).
The changing of the guard happens tomorrow morning as I have to go back to work tomorrow (BOOOO!) and Brad will be taking over as Mr. Mom. Hopefully he'll get some great pictures for you next week.

1. Me and my lobster friend

2. Kung Fu Mia

3. Oh my God... it's a mini Marlo (or at least her lips!)

4. I'm so chill

5. Relaxing on daddy's knees

6. I'm so hungry I could eat a hand

7. My first concert

8. Two minutes after the music starts