Feeding the cats a treat

Chloe loves feeding the cats treats

Row your boat

Chloe singing "Row, row, row your boat.."

Apple Picking

We took Chloe to Smolak Farm in North Andover yesterday for Apple picking and she loved it! And she loved eating the apples. The grass was taller than she was which made wading through and stepping on apples very interesting!

Peanut Allergy

We're really worried that our little Chloe has a peanut allergy! We started to notice the reaction the second time she had peanut butter, when she was 15 months. Her face broke out in hives. We didn't give her Peanut butter again until her second year doctor's appointment. The dr wanted to see the reaction so we gave her a ritz PB cracker before we went into the building. She had a few hives around her mouth but the dr didn't think it was a big deal.

I gave her peanut butter and jelly for lunch yesterday and within 15 minutes Chloe broke out in hives on her arms and on her torso. She said she was itchy. I gave her benadryl and called the on-call doctor. The reaction calmed down within an hour.

Today I talked to Chloe's doctor and he said that this is now very serious and he is concerned about the reaction. With each exposure it can get worse. We have an epi pen waiting for us at CVS and we have to make an appt with the nurses at the pediatrican's office to learn how to use it. Hopefully, we never have to. So far, there has hasn't been any respiratory issues, but they could happen. This was only Chloe's fourth time eating peanut butter.

Dr. Vogler said when he first started with the practice the allergy was rare. Now it's very common and there's no explanation. I did eat peanuts and peanut butter while I was pregnant but the Dr said there's no findings that eating peanuts while pregnant causes the allergy.

There's a resource and we need to get familiar with called the Food Allergy network.

Pictures of Chloe with the first reaction at 15 months (She has pink eye here too, but you can see small hives on her face)


The hives as they were popping up at 2 years old. They eventually covered about 50% of her torso.

Painting the baby's room

Today we painted the baby's room and we're so relieved it's done! We choose "Oklahoma Wheat" which is the same color we painted in our Kitchen.

The day started with getting ready to go to the paint store....


Sean and Chloe prep the walls...


Chloe is ready to clean the walls...


Then Elmo needed a bath...


Then Chloe let Mom take a picture with Elmo...


Then Chloe took a 2 hour nap and Mom and Dad got a lot of the room finished! Sean did all of the rolling after Chloe woke up.







Then Chloe had pudding with whipped cream and said she was "painting" on her tray...

Video from our VA-NC trip

Chloe's second birthday celebration



Chloe on the lady bug/bee roller coaster



Chloe on the boat ride


Singing Happy Birthday in VA

Chloe being silly

Chloe being silly with two pacifiers...

More pig tails

2 year check-up

Chloe had her two year check up with Dr. Vogler today. She's doing great! She cried the whole time though. She doesn't like him or rather she remembers the shots -- or just doesn't like any part of it!! The minute he walks into the room she won't make eye contact with him. :). He said they usually enjoy the Drs when they turn 3! After we left, she kept saying "More Doctor" on the ride home. Chloe will talk to him at the appointments, but only if I'm holding her. And her face is usually buried in my shoulder. She kept saying "Time to go Mommy?" Especially when the dr reached for the shots. She knew....

She got two shots and had blood drawn from her finger. :( They pricked her thumb and then fill a vial. It takes forever. I can't stand it. I didn't know who to feel more sorry for, Chloe, who was crying while they were drawing (or rather squeezing) blood, or Sean, who looked totally stressed watching Chloe get her blood drawn. We tried to distract her but her eyes were glued to the nurse who was taking her blood. It's heart breaking watching her cry and waiting patiently for them to finish.

Her stats:

35 & 1/4 inches tall (85%)
27.2 pounds (Not sure what percentile)

We asked the Dr what he estimates Chloe's height to be when she's an adult. He thinks 5'7'' or 5'8''.

We can switch to low fat milk - either 1% or Skim. Might take awhile to get her used to the lesser fat!

We also talked about how Chloe's world will be rocked in November with the new baby. The dr suggested that Sean should periodically take the baby while I spend some quality time with Chloe. He also warned that Chloe will probably act up and told us to reward only the good behavior. And when she acts up she'll need to go in time out. Another thing we haven't had to do yet.

He also said we shouldn't try anything new with Chloe until the baby is at least 3 months old, then we can revisit. This includes holding off on potty training, letting her continue with the pacifier and keeping her in a crib (unless she starts climbing out).

Latest pics
She found one of my wool hats as I was cleaning out a closet...

She got this Guitar that she keeps calling (and playing like) a violin. She says "biolin"...

More Violin pictures... and check out her shoes, had to wear one of each...

Chloe's pig tails

Julie sent me this picture today which I thought was totally sweet. Chloe lets Julie do her hair into all sorts of cute styles. I can't get her to sit for a minute and I certainly can't do as good of a job as Julie does, especially with the pig tails!

OBX-Williamsburg-Busch Gardens

We had a very nice vacation in OBX, Williamsburg, and at Busch Gardens. Lots of special milestones! Mike and Kathy's 40th wedding anniversary and Chloe's Second Birthday! Got to see lots of family and friends and had a great time.

Some pics

Chloe on her favorite ride at Busch Gardens the little balloons...


Getting ready to leave for Grammie and Granddad's 40th Anniversary dinner at Owens...


Dancing in Fancy Nancy outfit, a Birthday present

A walk down to the Sound one night...

Sitting with Grammie overlooking the Sound...

Daddy taught her how to Boogie Board! Watching Granddad...

The little Boogie boarder...

At Ocean Boulevard for Dinner...

All of the animals she brought to bed while at the beach: Elmo, Mr. Noodle, Doggie, baby...

Making Waffles with Grammie...

Sitting with Granddad watching the Sesame Street show at Busch Gardens...

On the slide at one of the playgrounds at Kings Mill...



Chloe was so excited to be at the beach she had trouble sleeping there! She was up very early!!

2 years old and 3 parties

Chloe turned 2 on August 27th, and we've been having a fun time celebrating, three parties later! We had one party in Boston before we left on our vacation. Then we had another party in Williamsburg, the same weekend as Mike and Kathy's surprise 40th Wedding anniversary party when the McCrackens/Boyce families and friends were in town. Then at the Beach (OBX) we had a third party where Grammie and Granddad decorated the house and we had a little cake to celebrate.

Chloe's vocabulary is really picking up. She asked me in the car the other day "Mommy, I want ba-ba (Pacifier)." And just yesterday I took a bite of her sandwhich and she said "Momma, no, eat yours," and pointed to my sandwich.

It's been a fun vacay so far and we are spending the next few days in Williamsburg with Mike and Kathy, We're headed to Busch Gardens tomorrow. who-hoo, for Chloe's second trip of the Summer. She loves the rides.

It's amazing how fast they grow up!

Chloe wearing "Fancy Nancy" attire in the car on the way to dinner. It was really tough convincing her to take off the jewels.



More pictures to come once we get home and I can download from my camera. We had a great time at the beach!