Sucking my thumb!

Meg is taking her cue from Vivie and rejecting the pacifier completely.  No thanks.  I prefer my thumb.  But first we have to work up and appetite by working on tummy time:

Ahh, now it's time to relax and enjoy a nice clammy thumb!

This was her first attempt at the exersaucer.  A little early for this and she lasts only a minute or so, but she does very much want to be vertical! 

Hiking

It was a beautiful day for a hike so Phil scouted out a trail to the top of Holt Hill.  It's probably only a half mile to the top but it's the highest point in Essex County and you can see the Boston skyline from the grassy meadow at the top.  We almost didn't make it because Pip and Viv's legs were getting very tired, but eventually we reached the "peak". 

Here's Viv resting with a sandwich:

Pip surveyed the area while Meg and I scanned for a Geocache on my phone: 

On the way home we were ambushed many times by some relentess wood gnomes:

Pip trekked ahead of us for the last bit and we found him waiting patiently at the head of the trail on this stone. 

Settling In

We're starting to feel settled in the new house.  It's a good feeling.  Perhaps it is getting closer with the neighbors.  Maybe summer helps.  Maybe our trip back to Melrose in some strange way provided closure with the old neighborhood.  Today we went to Pine Banks in Melrose for a birthday party and stopped on the old street to see what was up.  Pip really wanted to.  I had been avoiding it because I thought he'd get too emotional.  When we pulled up he quietly said how much he missed the street and his old house.  We knocked at David and Elise's and were very excited to find them home.  How we miss them!  Wonderful neighbors and truly great people.  I wish we could have brought them along.

We got to see their new kitchen and check out the street again from a different perspective.  I miss the people, but I have to say coming home to our house again felt good.  I think we belong here.  Seems like we fit right in.  Here we are making S'Mores after dinner, just right.  Ahhhhh!

Megan Found Her Hands!

What a milestone! Megan found her hands and has been sucking them blissfully every now and then. What a joy to be able to self-soothe. Here's the cutie in action:

She can also grab things for a bit if I give her a little help.

And a video, of course!

http://youtu.be/U5LvMwunbs4

Here I get her to stop munching and talk to me a little.
http://youtu.be/1bIbXKu6Epw

Milestones -- first kiss and sleeping through the night.

Last night we had the Patterson's over for our first of hopefully many family nights together.  We get along great and the kids played happily (seriously, no fighting all night) until near 10pm.  Vivie finally passed out on the couch just as everyone was leaving. 

It remains to be seen what will become of Pip and Bridget's relationship.  Friends?  Frenemies?  Besties?  Loves?  Love-Hate?  Who can tell?  But here was the first kiss, for the record. (Yes, I told him to kiss her!  And the dumb camera would not focus!  And it was only on the cheek!)

I put Megan down at 7:30pm and she slept straight through til 7:30am!  First official 12 hour stretch!  Go Megs!  I think swapping to the Miracle Blanket helped because she was still swaddled when she did wake up.  She had been going til maybe 5am but was busted out when I went to her.

Dentist Gauntlet

We were very brave at the dentist today.  I'm speaking not only of Pip, who did a great job, but also of myself.  Had to take Viv and Meg with us too because Daddy had a big meeting and couldn't stay home this morning.  So we all went!  Pretty sure this is frowned upon in the medical establishment, but what's a mom to do? 

The fact is this happened again the following week and I had to take all three of them with me to the OB.  As if being in the stirrups isn't awkward enough already.  I didn't take a picture of that, don't worry!!

Poconos!

This weekend we went to Visit Jodie, Mike, Sammy, and Charlie at the new house in the Poconos.  It was a fabulous trip.  Relaxing and scenic in the mountains, lots to do, great company!  Can't wait to go back.

Charlie definitely got the award for "Most into Megan!"  She was drawn to her like Pip to butter. 

There is a beach on the lake that we ended up spending the better part of every day at because the kids enjoyed it so much.  Here they are burying Phil's feet:

Jodie with the girls!

Pooped after a day in the sun.  We ended up ordering two of these Ultimate Sacks for our house when we got home.  Perfect for reading books on or cuddling up in!

And sleeping in!

Isn't it a bit early to be addicted to your Smart Phone??? 

Pip and Viv posing by the lodge!

Megan was a trouper.  I fed her constantly and that helped, I think.  She loved the attention from the girls and of course her swing!  Never leave home without it! 

Vivie sported her Samurai hairdo -- don't have to swipe away and tendrils this way!

Pip about to roll up into his burrito of warmth.

Me getting ambushed!  How very rude!  I think this was prompted by Phil who very conveniently was sitting 50 feet back with the camera at the ready.

The big girls got their faces painted at the festival, but Pip and Viv could not be pried away from the beach to go!

Picture perfect Vivie.  I asked her who was the sweetest after we went for a Kayak ride during which she was completely in a state of peace on the water ... she said MegaLou!  I said, but you are also the sweetest Vivie!  She said, No!  I'm the Prettiest!  Can't argue with that.

Mike weaving traditional Hawaiian Leis as is the custom in his homeland.  Did we mention he may be a pthological liar?  He's got his neighbor believing I head up some astro-physical biofeul project at NASA.  Yikes!

All of us loaded up vacation style on the Hoopdie!  ARRRR-UUU-GAH!! 

Totally zonkered with a bag of Cheese-Doodles about 30 minutes into the drive home.

Bon Jovi Fan

Driving down to visit Jodie and Mike in the Poconos.  Found Bon Jovi on the dial and turned to find Vivie spontaneously bobbing to the beat.  Can't possible not love it!

http://youtu.be/Re78EHLvkho

BALASES DON'T GIVE UP!

I'm trying to train Pip early. Everyone knows girls like a guy who can dance. Guys are a bit wary of other guys who can dance, but who cares about that? Here he is trying out some early moves on the Just Dance Wii game. Completely unbeknownst to him, the song is Womanizer.

http://youtu.be/7k6f68myvRI

Note at the very end he gets frustrated and gives up. This is, unfortunately, a common pattern. He HATES taking instruction -- wants to do it all himself. But he has a very limited tolerance for failure and freaks out when he's not doing well. This is not a good combination. I've been telling him that the Balas Family motto is "Balases don't give up!" If I remind of this when he's already in freak-out mode it angers him greatly. But if he has just bravely stuck it out and succeeded in a task, this makes him smile ear to ear.

What's the Balas Family motto? BALASES DON'T GIVE UP!

Sugar Snap Peas!

Phil went outside today and found our sugar snap peas are nearly ready for harvest!!!  Wowee!  Seems like these just popped overnight.  Here they are on June 6th, no pods that I noticed. 

And now today, just 6 days later they are ready to eat!!

 Our other surviving plants are also getting bigger each day.  Here they are now! 

Pirate Party!

Nick held his belated 5th birthday party this weekend.  Pirate theme!  Here his is walking the plank!

Vivie too!

Pirate Mom and Pirate Vivie!  Arrrgh!

All the pirates got swords as they were leaving.  Phil was ambushed ... pip was asking the other day what "bloodbath " meant ... I think this would have been it were the swords not foam.

http://youtu.be/AUPK8EbzXQY

more attacking, eventually Dad rallies:

http://youtu.be/6kG2GGrJzIc

and finally Pip joins him to push back the renegades:

http://youtu.be/aQL5qIdPdcc

Megan at 2 Months

Megan had her 2 month appointment today.  She did great!  Gained 4 pounds now to 11 pounds 5 ounces.  Pip and Viv sat criss cross applesauce and tried their very best to keep their hands in their laps and their mouths shut when the doctor was in the room to earn ice cream afterwards.  Meg got two shots and squealed when they first when in but was easily consoled quickly.  I looked up to see Pip with tears in his eyes, more scared for her than if they had pokedn him.  What a sweet pea.  He loves his MegaLou!

Ugly Bike Ride

Me, Pip, Viv, and Meg decided to go on a bike ride.  Well, Meg styled in the stroller with me and Pip and Viv rode their bikes.  Pip is quite the strong pedaler ... he'll even stand and use his body weight to get up  hills now.  Vivie is a beast on that trike!  We were doing good, made it all the way up our hill and around the first cul de sac.  Exiting there Pip found a "huge" puddle in the sidewalk and perfectly held his training wheels while his back tire could spin.  He loved the spewing effect and continued until all the water was thrown out of the puddle.  Side effect ... his back was also soaked and this made his shirt stretch even longer and get caught on his seat when he tried to stand.

So later when we had to climb back up this hill to get home (Viv was already off the trike and walking) Pip was giving up.  I gave him my full lecture on how "Balases don't give up" but he wasn't motivated.  Instead, he was a ball of tears on the side of the road ... "THIS IS A STUPID HILL!!!!"  Finally ... and I mean FINALLY under threat of me giving the bike to the kid who lived at the house we were stuck at, he sucked it up and pedalled the bike up the hill and home.  Ride started nice, ended ugly.

Mafia Pip

Pip thinks he can extort me.  He's constantly telling me he won't do things unless I negotiate with him first.  It's become a bit unnerving.  So I went undercover and caught this on film:

http://youtu.be/3rUOaPW7XMY

Realizing he was busted, he turns to whining to get that one more Batman video.  I got that on film too:
http://youtu.be/sNzlOO6lxOQ

Perfection

There is no greater joy than holding a peacefully sleeping baby while sitting blissfully knowuing nothing else needs your attention right now.  I got such a happy moment this day.