Yet another Hump Day...

The last couple of nights haven't been good for the little guy. We started him off in his crib this past weekend and things were going well up until the beginning of the week. During the weekend, he had no problems sleeping through the night, but these last few nights have been a different story. It's almost as if he reverted back to being a 3 week old, needing to be fed every couple of hours. I don't think we jumped the gun at all, but I do think he needs a little more time to acclimate himself to his surroundings & schedule. I don't think it was this hard with Makenna, but nevertheless, we just need to deal with it. And as frustrated as we get, all he has to do is look up and smile, and then all the frustration goes right out the window. Kids, you gotta love 'em...

Makenna's been a handful as well, albeit on a different level. We've been waiting for the stage in her development where she becomes more curious and inquisitive, and I think it's here, in a big way. At this point in time, she's getting into everything! And just like her little brother, we can't get too angry when she gets into stuff. She just walks away and messes around with something else until that gets on our nerves! To her, everything is a game. So if we catch her doing something she's not supposed to be doing, she just takes off running in hopes that we'll chase her. She'll continue to do that until she finally realizes we're not playing around, and then she'll do something really cute which throws us off. Makes us wonder who's really running things in the house... Happy Wednesday!

Isaiah's angel face when he's fed and rested

Makenna attempting to stare us down

Here's an interesting comparison between the two kids. This picture of Makenna was taken when she was around 18 weeks old. It's been on the blog before, although it was about a year ago. The picture of Isaiah was taken at around 11 weeks. If we put them side by side, you'd think we had twins! What a scary thought!!!

Kenna @ ~18 weeks Zay @ ~11 weeks

The Joys of Parenting

We had a very relaxing weekend with the kids, not much planned which was a really nice change. Basically took the weekend and played it by ear. We did a lot of cleanup around the house, although with Makenna getting into everything, it's hard to tell that the place has been straightened up. I can only imagine what life will be like once Isaiah gets mobile.

Enz finally got Zay's room to the point where it was no longer an extra storage space, and moved all of his stuff into it. He made the transition to sleeping in his crib this weekend, and it was pretty seamless. We started him off by putting him down for his naps in his crib, just so he could get some familiarity with his new surroundings. By the time we put him down for the night, it was like home to him, and we both let out a huge sigh of relief! Ahhhhh, we have now reclaimed our bedroom, although Marino still calls our room home. Zay took to his crib much like Kenna did when we started her out in her room. And the fact that he sleeps for 8-9 hours at night is an added plus!

We had a few errands to run so we made it a family outing of sorts, which worked out well for Makenna, our little social butterfly. Since the weather was better than average, the kids were decked out in some of their springtime gear, obviously turning heads wherever we went! Although it was nice to get out and spend time together, I can totally see where it can get to be a bit overwhelming. Gone are the days of jumping in the car and taking off. Those have been replaced with better planning and preparation, as well as loading the stroller, diaper bags, portable high chair, then loading the kids. What used to take a couple of minutes to get out the door, now seems like a big production. It's like we almost need a checklist! Can't complain though, it's just another phase of parenthood, and it feels like we'll never stop learning! Happy Monday!

Isaiah's "most muscular" pose

Kenna's attempt at finding comfort in her old swing

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday from all of the Camero children! Have a great weekend!

Images for Hump Day

Isaiah has just started making this face, usually when he's about to start crying. We never really saw Makenna do this as a baby, but we just noticed that Zay picked up this cute little habit. Although we don't like hearing him cry, we thought it was one of those rare opportunities to catch this expression in the making.
Here's an interesting comparison of our little social butterfly. Apparently there's a Sesame Street character that goes by the name of Abby Cadabby. As of late, mommy has been putting Makenna's ever growing locks into makeshift pigtails, ponytails, devil horns, or whatever you call them. Those little tails, along with her happy-go-lucky face, make it hard not to see the similarities with the Sesame Street character. It's Kenna Cadabby for sure! Happy Wednesday!

Happy Earth Day

Yesterday was a good day for both of the kids. I won't say that it was perfect, but more closer to hassle-free than we've seen in a long time. According to mommy, little Zay didn't fuss much about being hungry, and even took more naps than usual, which actually gave mommy a bit of a breather! As fun as he is when he's awake, it's a relief for Enz when he does take quality naps. Not sure what it'll take to get this guy full, but there must've been something Enz did yesterday that did the trick!

Kenna, our chatty chatty spitfire, is really into testing her limits. She's already started to climb on top of her toys, mainly to reach up onto the couch to give her sleeping brother a smooch, or to dance along with the kids if Barney's on. Up until now, she's been afraid of the Baby Einstein caterpillar/rocker she got for Christmas. But since she's become our little daredevil, she figured that it would be fun to sit on it and learn to rock back and forth. She also enjoys tormenting the dog, because he's not too fond of the caterpillar. If you've been fortunate to hear her "talk" then you know that when she gets going, it's hard to make her stop. We're just anxious to hear how she sounds when actual words start coming out of her mouth!

Kids at play...

It was a nice and relaxing weekend for the most part at the E&J, just another couple of days off to chill and hang out as a family. Usually we find ourselves in a big hurry trying to get the kids out of the house on time to make it to a few family parties, but this weekend there was only one event to get to, and things seemed to just fall into place this time. It's almost as if we're getting the hang of what it takes to get things done with two little ones, but this might've just been an isolated incident. Who knows, the next time we think we're prepared might end up being total chaos...

We attended the First Communion celebration for Derick's daughter Skye, and that just made us all realize how quickly time is flying. The mass moved along smoothly and the following reception was fun. Little Isaiah was pretty much asleep through both the mass & brunch, so he was the easy one. And even though Zay was asleep for the most part, everyone still had their turn at holding the "little" guy, and sneaking a squeeze of his cheeks! I guess there's something about babies that makes people want to hold them?

Makenna was having a ball watching all the little kids at church and even danced along as they sang their Communion song. At the brunch, she had her share of kids to keep up with, and even though they're all a bit older than her, she was able to hold her own! It was nice to see her enjoying herself, without us having to follow her every footstep. It was a bit of a break for Enz & myself, as we allowed the other kids to keep an eye on her while we enjoyed eating together at the same time!

My shirt says it all

The goofy Camero family

Kenna dancing around with Cole

Kenna was wiped out after playing with the big kids!!!

Happy Friday!!

It seems that our kids tend to even each other out. When one of them acts up, the other is usually calm and mellow. Or when one of them isn't feeling well, the other is just fine and dandy. Earlier in the week, Isaiah wasn't himself - he wasn't eating normally, occasionally throwing up, and was extremely fussy whenever he decided to eat. And while he was driving us crazy with his inconsistency, Makenna was there to make us laugh with her care-free attitude. It's kind of a nice break to have the balance with the two kids. If one's bringing you down, the other is there to bring you back up again!

Now that we've reached the end of yet another week, the tables have been turned. Kenna's cutting some new teeth & she's become quite the fussy one. And with her unruliness comes Isaiah's "zen-like" disposition. Ahhhhh.... When Makenna's not 100%, she lets us know, and she let's us know loudly! The good thing about it is that Isaiah isn't affected by Makenna's crankiness, he just sits there and minds his business, which usually helps in keeping us sane.

We're getting to that point with Isaiah where we're starting to do different things with him. Using Kenna's upbringing as a guide, we've tweaked his schedule a bit to see if he's on point with Kenna's developmental milestones. Thus far, he's doing fine, and we're about to introduce him to naptime in his crib. He doesn't mind being in the crib, so that's a plus. Being a seasoned pro, Makenna took some time out of her busy schedule last night to show her little Bro the ropes...

"listen, it may seem scary at first, but the crib's really not that bad"

"you've got all the necessities within arms reach"

"and don't worry, I'll always be nearby to keep an eye on you"Isaiah breathes a sigh of relief knowing that his sister has his back...
Makenna loves being a big sister...

Hump Day...

While our little angel continues to wow us with his developing personality,

Our little devil's horns finally came out!!!

Hahaha, just kidding! Both of our kids are little angels, or so we think! Of course they both have their devilish sides, more so with Makenna since she is mobile and seriously getting into everything! While we still have the reins on Isaiah, little Miss Independent is the walking, talking definition of payback, at least for this stage in the game... Happy Hump Day!

More posing from the kids...

Our two little ones love to ham it up for the camera. We thought Makenna was the only one who could "turn it on" when the camera came out, but check out Isaiah's pose...

I'm too sexy for my shirt...

Makenna's learning to smile without making a silly face...

Interesting weekend

This past weekend was a warm one, so we took advantage of the great weather and took the kids out. We didn't do anything or go anywhere spectacular, just spent some time outdoors. Both kids love to be outside, although it's more apparent in Makenna. She's able to let us know that she's enjoying everything she sees, while Isaiah just lounges in the stroller. We know he's enjoying himself because he's usually quiet during our walks.

Isaiah was a bit on the uncomfortably fussy side over the weekend, but not more than normal, or so we thought. During one of his early morning feedings, he decided to "share" it with mommy, if you know what I mean. He's never done that before, at least not at that volume, so that worried us a bit. So much so that we took a trip to the clinic just to have him checked out. His eating habits have changed recently, and we thought that he might have some sort of bug. The doctor wasn't able to determine anything wrong with the little guy, so she made some suggestions until we could see Isaiah's doctor. After the visit, little Zay was ok for the most part, and didn't feel like showing us what he just ate for the remainder of the weekend. We'll see how this pans out, but for now, the kid just keeps on growing. BTW, he's gained half a pound in the last two weeks, just to put it into perspective for you...

Makenna, on the other hand, loves to be out and about. Little Miss Independent is having a ball being able to play out in the back yard, or at the park. Since we've given her the freedom to roam the house, she thinks it's an invitation to get into anything and everything! Basically, she's showing us just how child-proof our house is NOT! On the flip-side, it's great having a little shadow following us around!

Happy Friday

The Evolution of Isaiah. The little big man is well into his 9th week, and the changes are remarkable! There's not much to update at this point, just that he's become more alert, more smiley, and much more hungry! Here are a few pictures I put together just so you can see how he's changed throughout these past nine weeks.

Our little "fridge DJ" loves to run through the kitchen while the music plays on one of her favorite toys. Here's a picture of her as she starts up the music on her toy. Happy Friday!!!

Another day in Paradise...

As the days progress, it seems that Isaiah's going through another possible growth spurt. He's been pretty consistent with about 4 ounces each time he eats, but lately he's not completely satisfied until he gets another ounce or two. He's also been consistent with the length of sleep he gets at night, usually around 6.5 hours, which has been really helpful for Enz. We're almost, but not quite, at that point where he'll get up when I do for work, but we're getting there (hopefully more sooner than later)! Aside from that, he's a lot more smiley and tends to make new sounds, especially after he's eaten.

Makenna continues to be another great source of entertainment. We've eased up on her "restrictions" around the house, and have given her the opportunity to explore. Of course, the doors to the off-limit areas are still closed, but it's not like she understands that anyway. She just enjoys being able to cruise through the family room, kitchen and office without having a baby gate in her way. Being outside is another story, and from the beginning, this girl has loved the outdoors. Now that the weather's getting warmer, we're taking her out more. She's got her outdoor shoes that she's been breaking in lately, and loves to run around and chase the dog! It's fun to watch, but we still cringe every time she hits the ground! She's been a trooper though, and doesn't really cry unless she really gets hurt. We've been pretty fortunate thus far, but again, this is just the beginning...

Ahhhh Monday...

Isaiah had his 2 month appointment last Friday, and that came with a series of shots. UGH! The little guy wasn't too thrilled with the shots, but it's just another part of growing up. Judging by the way he handled the initial shock, we made sure we were prepared for the coming night. Sure enough, he was very uncomfortable, and woke up screaming in the wee hours of the morning. Poor guy =( He's ok now, we hope, and here are his numbers just so you can see how much he's grown these past two months.

Isaiah currently weighs 13 pounds, 2 ounces which puts him in the 95th percentile for weight. What? Hehehe, must be that healthy appetite of his! He's also 22 inches long, which puts him in the 25th percentile for height. Go figure, neither one of his parents are tall, so hopefully his height will eventually catch up to his weight. His head circumference was around 41 cm, placing him in the 75th percentile for head size. Much like his big sister, we're hoping that the big head means a big brain! Nevertheless, little Zay is little no more! We compared his numbers with that of Kenna's 2 month figures, and he's right up there where she was. He's taken her in weight by about half a pound, and came up an inch short (no pun intended) in height.

Aside from that, it seems that Isaiah is going through a bit of a change. He's able to sleep through a good portion of the night with an occasional outburst here and there as he searches for his pacifier. He's been eating more, as well as more frequently, obviously. He's also been taking more notice of Kenna as she scurries around the house. His eyes have been focusing intently on her, but he can't move them as fast as our little speed demon can walk! Zay's been making new noises as well, but will still make a meowing sound like a cat when he wants attention, and he'll also snort like a pig when he's hungry!

Who can resist that face? Zay's shirt says it all...

Kenna has been all personality lately, and spends most of her time up on her feet. She seems tireless as she explores beyond the confines of what we affectionately call her "gated community." Those who've seen it, know exactly what we're talking about! At times she gets overly excited with her "freedom" and we find that she's face planted into the couch, or tumbled over her toys. Unless it's something major, she usually just dusts herself off and continues on. She's had a couple of bad spills, but none that have required immediate medical attention (keeping fingers crossed). For now, she loves cruising around the house in search of things to get into. She loves to test our patience to see just how much she can get away with before one of us takes notice. And like any other mischievous child, she immediately runs away when she hears those parental footsteps! It's fun, but it's exhausting, and we both know this is only the beginning....

Kenna representin' the Phins

Kenna showing her support for JT on Dancing With The Stars...

Smiley

Isaiah is starting to gain a little more awareness of his surroundings. He's making a lot more facial expressions as he reacts to everyone being "all up in his grill." He's been cooing more as well, and he still sounds like a cat when he makes those noises! Since Makenna likes to get in his face and give him kisses, we've noticed that he's starting to make more eye contact with her, and will even follow her with his eyes. We're still trying to get Kenna to understand the meaning of "being gentle" when it comes to Zay, but she just loves him so much she gets clumsy around him. She always manages to fall on him whenever she tries to get near his face, and even though it looks like it's hurting Zay, he just shrugs it off. But whenever I pick him up wrong, he let's me know! It must be a sibling thing...

While he still enjoys sleeping throughout the day, he's getting much better at going for longer stretches at night. At this point, he's averaging around 6 hours before waking up hungry. He'll be getting through the night in no time, so we'll be introducing him to his crib once he makes that switch.

You're not going to believe this...

Not sure if it's a blessing, but it might be a curse. The last time we joked about it, we ended up laughing at ourselves. It's not a bad thing, don't get me wrong, but to have to go through it for yet another consecutive year is enough to drive anyone to the brink of insanity. I won't say what it is, but for many of you who read this, you probably already know what I'm hinting at. We'll keep you posted. The ironic thing about it is that right around this timeframe after we had Makenna, we were wondering about some changes, and that's all I've got to say about that. Hmmmm.....

On a lighter note, today little Isaiah hit the 8 week mark! Happy 8 weeks to our "little" boy! Here are a couple of pics to compare the two babies, although Makenna's was taken when she was right around the 10 week mark. It's always fun to compare pictures of the kids, especially when we find ones that are fairly similar.

Mommy and Isaiah @ 8 weeks

Mommy and Makenna @ 10 weeks

Oh and btw.... HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S DAY! Get it? =) Cruel joke, I know, and I'm sure it'll bite me in the a$$ someday...