Another Hump Day....

As of Easter, there haven't been any significant changes in the day to day routine of the Camero kids. Zay hit the seven week mark yesterday, and Kenna continues to be a great source of entertainment. Looking at our calendars, we realized that there won't be another holiday to look forward to until the end of May. We captured a couple of pics to show you how the kids reacted to the devestating news. Happy Wednesday!

Easter fun..

This Easter marked Makenna's second, and Isaiah's first. In fact, Makenna was just a little over a month old for her first Easter, much like Isaiah was yesterday. For little Zay, it may as well just have been another day, but for Kenna, it was her chance to show us all how much she's grown! The first part of the day was spent with Grandma & Aunt B who came over for brunch. Of course they both spoiled Kenna & Zay, but that's what family's supposed to do! Afterwards, it was off to Nonno & Nonna's house for some play time with the cousins.

We had a great time just watching the kids interact with one another. Little Isaiah was awake for a greater part of the day, although he didn't participate much in the festivities. Kenna was able to keep up with the boys for the most part, mainly because she's up on her feet now. This was her first Easter egg hunt, so naturally she didn't know what to do. She did end up snatching a couple of eggs, one for herself, and one for her brother-what a great big sister! Elliott & Wesley were pros, but were both generous enough to share the loot with their cousins! Can't wait until next year when Zay can get in on the fun. Kenna will definitely have her own little tag team partner, or she might just throw Zay under the bus--every man for himself!!!

The grandkids, the cousins, the next generation, the clique...

Makenna has two eggs, one for herself & one for Isaiah

Makenna's Easter bunny costume

showin' little brother some love on Easter

Hump Day...

Kenna is off and running now, literally. She has really made strides with her walking, and we constantly find her attempting new things as she tests her limits. While walking, she tries to look in a different direction than where she's walking, which usually ends up with her falling over. She makes attempts to play with toys while walking, and that doesn't seem to trip her up. She has mastered squatting down and picking things up while walking, so she is becoming a little more versatile. Check out the latest video clip of her "owning" the family room. She doesn't do any of her tricks, but you can see just how confident she's become with walking.

Last night, we took the kids out to run some errands, rather than leaving them at home with one of us. This was the first time we let Kenna out of the stroller to explore and boy did she have a blast! Whenever she saw an open area that allowed her to open up, she shrieked with delight, making everyone around her take notice. Her laugh is very contagious and it makes people smile, or so it did last night. We enjoyed letting her have her freedom for a bit because we knew it would tire her out. Once we got her home, it took her no time to crash out!

Zay is still eating like a madman, and at times we find it frustrating that we can't seem to satisfy his appetite. His bouts of gas & acid reflux have both let up considerably, and now it seems like his belly is a bottomless pit! At this rate, the supply is keeping up with the demand, so we're still good in that sense!

sound asleep since the belly has been satisfied...

Another week...

The weekends continue to pass quickly, and it feels like there's no time for much of anything but feeding the kids and then making sure they take their naps! And while we try to keep the both of them on the same schedule, it's a little harder with Isaiah, since he stays hungry for about 50% of the day! This "little" guy can really put that stuff away, and he's not getting any smaller. Over the past couple of weeks, we've noticed a change in him. Of course he's going through the same things that his sister did with the acid-reflux, which seems to be a bit more under control now that we've got him on meds. He's become a lot more solid and is really starting to fill out now that he's increased his intake. It's most noticeable in his face, and much like his daddy & sister, he's got the cheeks to prove it! Along with his growth, he continues to become more and more aware of what's around him. He's been enjoying a lot of tummy time, and prefers to sleep on his stomach during the day. It's almost as if he sleeps more soundly that way, and in doing so, it allows Enz to catch up on some much needed rest herself! He's starting to make some cooing sounds, and practices lifting his head up and keeping it up for long periods of time. He's got a doctor's appointment coming up, and we're curious to see how much his stats have changed since his last visit.

We brought the kids to church this past Sunday, and they both were on their best behavior. WHEW! Isaiah slept almost through the entire mass, and we pride ourselves with this guy since he's able to sleep through almost anything! And Makenna had her halo on this time, not acting out at all. She's never really had issues in church, but if she stays in one place too long, she gets a little "stir crazy," much like her mommy =) As the weekend wound down, we relaxed at home, eager for the new week to begin (hehehe)...

Little Zay's "grunge" look

One of Makenna's new hair clips (she's letting mommy mess with her hair now!)

Ahhhhhh, Mommy & Zay finally getting some refreshment!!!

So it seems that the kids have more in common than their obvious charm and sophistication =) Since little Isaiah has been on the fussy side lately, we inquired with the doctor what it could be. His first thought was that it was gas, remember he's a Camero, but even after giving Zay drops to aid in this, he still remained uncomfortable. His discomfort continued on through the week, seemingly getting worse as each day passed. When we called on the doctor again, he went ahead and prescribed the same medication he did for Kenna when she had her bouts of acid reflux. Wow, it's really like deja vu!
Nevertheless, we went ahead and started giving Zay his new meds, and we're hoping to see a change for the better within the next couple of days. Big sister Kenna is always around to make sure her little brother is ok, and only gets closer to him daily. I'm sure she's just waiting for the day he can keep up with her, as she manages to keep us on our toes! Happy Friday!

Hump Day...

After Makenna's first birthday bash, it's been nice to get things back in order at home. Everything leading up to the party was all about preparation, and now it's all about relaxation (well, to some degree that is). For me, work is work, and for Enz, life at home is work! The kids haven't been in the best of spirits lately, and I'm sure it's working Enza's nerves. Kenna had her first year doctor visit, and with that visit came a barrage of shots. YIKES! She was NOT a happy camper, and we think she's still letting us know that! Little Zay has had bouts of uncomfortable gas (he is a Camero) which leave him fussy & irritated. What a handful!

Of course that's just the downside and every now and then it's good to vent. Aside from all the fussiness, both kids are making waves. Zay is becoming more aware of his surroundings and loves to stare at specific things, mainly anything red, which is pretty much all of Kenna's Elmo memorabilia. We found out last night that he really loves to sleep on his tummy, and did a nice three hour stretch without much of a peep. He's able to lift his head & turn it to the other side while sleeping on his belly, so his neck strength is increasing.

the little brother...

Makenna loves to watch Isaiah sleep...

Kenna is really enjoying the whole walking thing, and even though she's still stumbling around, she's on her two feet more than she is on her hands and knees. She's been pretty vocal about letting us know that she wants to explore the house, and has sneakily found her way around one of our baby gates. When she does that, we usually hear her chubby little feet slapping the kitchen floor as she makes her way to the refrigerator. She also continues to test her vocal abilities as she chatters away! It's always nice to hear her "speaking" her mind while she's doing her own thing. Sometimes we'll hear what sounds like an actual word and we'll both look at each other with the "did you hear that" look. Can't wait to hear what her real voice sounds like... Happy Wednesday!

staying hydrated and ready to party...

Kenna's 1st Birthday Bash

This past weekend we celebrated Makenna's first birthday. Through all the stress of preparation and making sure every last detail was taken care of, we made it, and we had a blast doing it! We were fortunate that the weather was favorable for her party. Earlier in the week the forecast called for an overcast day with a chance of showers in the afternoon, but we lucked out and the weather was great! Thank God for that because if we had all those people inside, it would've been pure chaos. The kids enjoyed the jumper we had set up in the back yard, and we got through the entire party with just the right amount of food (although it did seem like a bit much when we laid it all out)!

We had a great time visiting with family, and seeing our friends, both old & new. A lot of them still hadn't met Isaiah yet, so this was an opportunity to get caught up with the growing Camero family. There were still a few people who weren't able to make it out, but don't worry, the kids will have plenty of birthday parties! Just think, we only have 11 more months until it's Isaiah's first, so we'll probably start planning it next week! Thanks to all of you who made it out and helped to make this a special day for our special baby girl. If Makenna could speak, she'd say she had a great time and she'd love to do it again soon!

Kenna's 1st birthday cupcakes

The birthday girl with mommy & daddy

cupcake face

Happy 1st Birthday Makenna!!

You say it's your birthday?

We can't believe a year has passed. This little girl keeps amazing us with her character and personality. And as much as we love her being a baby, we can't wait to see how she continues to grow. She's already proven that she can be pretty headstrong, and we already know she's going to be a great role model and mentor to her baby brother!

Here's to getting through that adventurous first year! It may have been rough at times, but it was a learning experience! Happy Birthday to our beautiful baby girl Makenna, and many more (birthdays that is, not kids, at least not yet)!!!

Happy 1 Month Isaiah!

Today is Zay's one month birthday! And where has the time gone? This guy keeps on growing and changing day by day, but one thing remains the same: this boy can eat!! We've been blessed thus far with healthy children with hearty appetites!

It's been in the works, but yesterday marked the first day that Makenna really and truly walked on her own! She's been taking steps here and there, and would do so only when she was pushed to do so. But somehow, something lit a fire under her little butt yesterday, almost as if she woke up in the morning determined to "make it on her own." Enz called me during the day to tell me that Kenna walked the entire length of the couch without holding on, and did so numerous times. When I got home, she was already walking across the room, without hesitation. When we took her to visit Nonno & Nonna, she kept on walking! Of course she'd stumble at times, but that's just a fact of life. She'll be running in no time!

Now it's just a matter of keeping her away from things we don't want her walking to!!!

Magic Number One

Things are changing in the home for us. Both kids are hitting some memorable milestones this week. For Makenna, she'll be turning 1 year old, while Isaiah hits the 1 month old mark. Where has the time gone? I took an entire month off to help out at home while we get adjusted to twice the kids, and that time off flew by! Of course the days blended together for the first couple of weeks due to lack of sleep, but when I finally got my bearings in order, it was time to get back to the daily grind!
Kenna has started to develop a little more confidence with her attempts at walking on her own. She knows she can do it, but we think fear is getting the best of her. She loves the safety net of knowing that if she loses her balance, all she needs to do is grab onto the couch or whatever's nearby. Her eyes bug out substantially when she steps out of her comfort zone. Of course we all get apprehensive about doing things for the first time

Updates on the kids...

Things are starting to calm down a bit in our home, at least for now. Isaiah is keeping to his schedule of 3-4 hours between feedings, which makes it nice for us to get a decent stretch of sleep. It appears that his jaundice has been regulated to a point where it's no longer a factor, although you can still see a hint of yellow in the whites of his eyes. For Makenna, it took a while before that went away, so we're not worried about it with Isaiah. He continues to grow like a weed, and those who have seen him recently have noticed a considerable amount of growth, especially with his weight! That seems to be the norm with these Camero kids!



Makenna's tantrums have calmed down considerably, in fact, she hasn't had a big outburst since the beginning of the week. We're still keeping our fingers crossed in hopes that it was just a passing phase. We realize that she'll have more of these outbursts in the near future, bur for now, we've had our share! We also forgot that she's been teething, so that discomfort probably added to her irritation. Aside from all that, Makenna is still trying to perfect the whole walking thing. On occasion, she'll get brave enough to take a few steps on her own without holding onto anything. You can still see that she's not 100% steady on her legs yet, and we were figuring she'd be walking by herself by her first birthday. She's still got a week to go, and we don't want to pressure her. We'll just have to wait and see...

Fun comparisons...

It's been an interesting three weeks so far having two young kids in the house. And while we're still trying to get used to getting up every 3-4 hours for Isaiah, Makenna has added a new dynamic to her personality that has really begun to try our patience. She's started to throw little tantrums every now and then, but we haven't figured out why. I don't think we hold her back from much of anything, and it's still a little too early to determine if it's jealousy, although we don't think that's it. Who knows?

Anyway, little Isaiah is growing like a weed. He's doing a lot of the things that Makenna did when she was under a month old, and that's how we're gauging his development. Isaiah is fairly alert of his surroundings, especially after he's been fed. He loves staring at things, especially if they're red. He enjoys falling asleep on mommy's or daddy's chest, and like any other baby, will scream when he's hungry. He's beginning to smile a lot more, and just started to show that he enjoys the kisses that his sister showers him with. Physically, we can tell he's grown because he's starting to feel more solid. Even his head size is catching up to that of his sister's!

Just for fun, I was able to find some pics that we took of Isaiah that resemble those we took of Makenna. Hope you enjoy the comparisons of our babies!

Sleeping Beauty #1

Sleeping Beauty #2

Makenna's Italian pose

Isaiah's Italian pose

Makenna's first bath

Isaiah's first bath

Two weeks old...

Yesterday was the little guy's two-week birthday, can you believe it? For us, the time has gone extremely quickly, especially since the days kind of blend together. Sometimes it's hard for us to tell what day it is unless we stop to think about it. I think we're doing okay though, as Isaiah is starting to develop his sleeping & eating schedule. We've been fortunate that he's pulling 3 & 4 hour stretches, but there are still times when he goes only 1- 2 hours before he's hungry!

So with his two-week birthday came his two-week doctor visit. After all the visits to the doctor to test his jaundice, it was actually a nice change to go in without having to leave with a crying baby from the heel-prick blood test. Our little one is really on the up-swing of things. After his immediate weight loss in the hospital, he's been on the positive side, gaining more and more weight with each visit. Here are his current stats: Isaiah now weighs 8 pounds and 10 ounces, he's 20.25 inches long, and his head circumference is 37.5 cm. The doctor isn't worried about this little guy, as he has proven that he's going through one of his many growth spurts! Although it's hard to tell, Isaiah weighs more now at two weeks than Makenna did at birth. It's like Kenna was fuller where Isaiah is more lanky. I'm sure he'll get some mass fairly soon, especially the way he's been eating!

Things are looking up for Isaiah

Isaiah had another follow up appointment yesterday morning. Even though we saw the on-call doctor, she was able to determine that his jaundice level was probably on it's way down, just by looking at him. After another blood test, and then waiting for a few hours for the results, we received a call from the doctor. She was very pleased to tell us that Isaiah's bilirubin had dropped down to a safe and tolerable level, and that we wouldn't have to continue the phototherapy. Woo-hoo, finally! I think Isaiah's jaundice went down faster than Makenna's, but either way, it appears that we're out of the woods. Whew! At his 12 day old mark, and after the initial weight loss from the hospital, Isaiah has gotten past the 8 pound mark into a healthy 8 pounds, 4 ounces! He has his two-week appointment this week, so we'll see how it goes then. For now, we can all breathe a sigh of relief!

Makenna has been her usual entertaining self lately. With all the visitors we've had, she's been able to hold their attention just as much as Isaiah has. And with that, she has no shortage of love for her little brother as she demonstrates to everyone that she loves to give her brother kisses. For those who have come to visit, I'm sure they've all noticed just how much of a chatterbox little Kenna has become. She loves to "chat" as if she knows how to say full sentences, and will even answer when talked to. It's fun to watch, and those that have young children have probably gone through the same stage at one point. There are times where it almost sounds as if she repeats what was said, but you really have to pay attention. Looks like she'll be the one who gets her name on the board for excessive talking!!

Happy Friday! Isaiah's 10 days old!

Little Isaiah had yet another appointment this morning, to follow up on his jaundice. We've pretty much been very aggressive with his phototherapy at home, in hopes that the exposure to the light will help decrease his bilirubin level. And the times when he's not on the light, we have him sleeping in the sun. Like I said before, deja vu.

Well we got the call from Isaiah's doctor, and this time he had very good news for us. All of our efforts are finally beginning to pay off. Isaiah's bilirubin level had dropped 3 points, and it's now pretty close to being at the "normal" range for a newborn child. We've been instructed to continue the phototherapy for the next day or so, and then they can determine if he'll be done with that light. Frankly we're really tired of having to subject the little one to that equipment, but if it means that it'll make him get to a manageable state, then we're all for it. We're keeping our fingers crossed that we've seen the worst of his jaundice, and that it's on the down swing.

Happy Friday! Happy Friday indeed! Have a great weekend!

**check out Isaiah's mohawk (faux-hawk)!!!**

Updates on the kids...

We took Isaiah to his follow up appointment this morning, and they needed to do more lab work to determine the level of his jaundice. We were hoping that it would start it's decline, but we got a call from the doctor and he told us that the level remained the same. He also mentioned that it's not a cause for worry just yet, and that we should continue to do what we're doing.

Our poor little guy is going through the same stuff that his big sister went through. I guess it wasn't a big surprise to the doctor that Isaiah had the same complications as Makenna. We're just taking it in stride for now, because we've been here before.



At home, Makenna is really getting into her role as big sister. She's grown very fond of her baby brother, and will kiss him on the head any chance she gets! She always points to him, and it almost sounds as if she's making attempts at saying his name. In the mornings, she looks for him before she goes off and plays with her toys. We haven't seen any jealousy to speak of, but it's still too early to tell. Not that we're hoping for it, but it's just something that we may have to deal with sooner or later. For now, we can tell that she loves having the little guy around!

Getting Settled In...

So now Mommy and Isaiah are at home, and have rejoined the world of Daddy and Makenna. Even though we visited them every day, it still seemed like an eternity before we were able to bring them home. To be honest, bringing Isaiah home was like deja vu. It was almost the same time of year when we brought Makenna home, Enz was laid up in the hospital for five days, and the weather was beautiful. It was pretty much the same exact setting for both kids. Life works in very strange ways.
Of course Isaiah's trip home was the same short ride Makenna went through only months earlier. He got to ride in Makenna's carrier, since she "graduated" into her bigger car seat (still facing rearward for another few weeks, of course). When we brought him home, it was all about getting re-acquainted with the house for Enza. Everything was pretty much the way she left it five days earlier, especially since Kenna & I were really only there to sleep. We showed Isaiah around his new home, and introduced him to Marino. The dog didn't pay him any mind, really. I guess he figured that he's just going to get bumped down another rung of the priority ladder. It's true though that the dog always gets the short end of the stick, but either way, we love ALL our kids just the same!

Another parallel we encountered with both kids happened while Enz & Isaiah were still at the hospital. The doctor discussed with Enza that Isaiah's bilirubin level was elevated resulting in his jaundice. He had lost 10% of his birth weight, bringing him down to an even 7 pounds. We went through the same thing with Makenna, go figure! Isaiah, on the other hand, didn't need to stay at the hospital for an extra day like Kenna did. We were able to bring him home on Saturday as planned. The doctor requested that we bring him to the clinic on Sunday, just to follow up on his jaundice. At that appointment, they tested his blood again, and found that the bilirubin level increased. She recommended that we start phototherapy for Isaiah, much like we had done with Kenna. It sucks to see our kids, or any kid for that matter, have to be stuck under those lights for hours at a time. Although the light isn't harmful to them, I can't help but think that this is what hamburgers feel like under those heat lamps! Brutal to say, I know, but it's just a thought.

We did the phototherapy at home on Sunday, and had yet another appointment with the doctor yesterday. Miraculously, Isaiah's bilirubin level decreased by a little more than a point, which was great news. Even better news was the fact that Isaiah was back to his original birth weight, so we know that everything's working properly. We're continuing the therapy as well as the appointments this week, so hopefully we've seen the peak of the jaundice. It took Kenna a little while before hers went away, so we're remaining positive through this whole experience. Again, it's like deja vu! We're still not out of the woods yet, so I'll keep everyone posted with Isaiah's condition as the days progress.

The Newest Camero

Welcome ISAIAH DAELEN CAMERO!

Today we had the honor of bringing the newest member of the Camero Family into the world. Isaiah Daelen Camero was born on February 5, 2008 at 8:21am. He weighed in at 7 pounds 12 ounces, and was 19 inches long.

The surgery went well for Enza this time, especially since she didn't have to go through nearly a full day's worth of labor first. We were admitted into the hospital early this morning, and just a few short hours later, we had baby Isaiah in our arms! At the time of this post, Enza has successfully gotten up to take a walk to aid in getting the blood flowing normally in her legs. Being numb for many hours can take its toll on the body, but this time around, Enz took it in stride!

We couldn't wait to introduce Makenna to her little brother, and at first, she didn't know how to react. Once she got in close enough, she was happy and even reached over to give her little bro a kiss. Then again, she might have just been excited to see another baby, but who knows? It'll be interesting to see how things pan out between the kids these next few weeks. But, it still might be too early to notice a difference just yet.

We couldn't be any happier with how things turned out today. The doctors were great and the nursing staff proved to be very helpful to Enza, much like the time when Makenna was born. It took no time at all to have Isaiah out with us, and thus far, Enz has been fairly comfortable. Only a few short days until they release the two from the hospital, and when we're all home, that's when the fun begins. Wish us luck!

The time has come...

So we've made it this far and the anxiety has really set in pretty hard. In less than 24 hours we'll be in the hospital for that familiar scenario, the one we went through approximately 11 months ago. Of course this time Enz won't be going through 21 hours of labor with literally nothing to show for all her efforts. And this time we won't be having our family waiting and waiting and waiting. This time we've got the operation scheduled in the books, and we know that our second little one will be born tomorrow morning, sometime after 7:30am.

These last few days have been fairly hectic at home, with both of us trying to get the last bit of preparation completed, all the while having little Kenna to look after. She's been keeping us entertained, to say the least, and her little antics have managed to keep us smiling in an otherwise chaotic time. It'll be very interesting to see how she adapts to this enormous change in our lives. I've said it before that we think she may be too young to fall into that whole jealousy thing, but you never know. Her personality has developed so quickly that she just might get the urge to lash out wondering "what about me" as we do our best to accommodate two children. I guess we'll just cross that bridge when we get to it.

As we did when Makenna was still in Enza's belly, we had a little fun with some paint. We just wanted to give Coconut an option at a possible college choice for the future =)

And of course, little Kenna is literally not so little anymore! She's been on this steady growth spurt as of late and we can never really tell when she's done eating. We finally busted out her second stage car seat, and even though she meets the weight requirement to allow for forward facing installation, she's still 1 month shy of the age requirement. That being said, she's stuck facing rearward in the new seat for just one more month. You can see her reaction to the news in this picture!

For the readers of this blog, don't worry if you don't see an update over the next few days. I'm sure you can understand why! We'll resume the updates once things settle down, whenever that is, and finish out Makenna's first year. Not quite sure how the blog will change, but stay tuned!

And now the 1972 Miami Dolphins can pop another bottle of champagne in celebration of a record still intact, the only perfect season in the Super Bowl era.