Golden

Happy Halloween! I am crazy about these kitten feet. I think I may need to add them to all of her tights now.

We sleep until the sun goes down

12 weeks has been a week with little sleep (for mama) - we had three nights in a row where we were up every 1-2 hours, and a whole day with only one 30 minute nap. She is also showing signs of teething, so I think we may only be 1-2 months out from the first tooth.

Halloween knitting - a little black cat. Also, loving this headband I made with gold leaf ribbon.

Rose

First headband - good thing I waited until she learned to take things off her own head before introducing headbands... she is tolerating it for now though.

 

I also made two pacifier clips for her since I got tired of chasing rejected soothies bouncing across the floor and then having to go wash them.

11 Weeks

This week we went to the fabric store, the doctor to get her tongue tie clipped, a movie (The Martian - very good, go see it!), the craniosacral therapist, Trader Joes, the pediatrician, the chiropractor, Baby Gap, Mama & baby class, Nana & Grandpa's (several times), my office (great to see everyone, but baby girl cried much of the visit), the tire store to get my snow tires put on and my regular tires scrapped (time to buy new ones in the spring) - is that everything? What a busy week, roughly in that order.

At 11 weeks, she is standing up stronger, looking at other babies, grasping and reaching more - especially at mama's face when we cuddle in the morning (begin: waking up to tiny fingers pawing at my eyes, little fists clenching around my nose with impressive force).

Also, she just started wearing 3-6 month clothes - what. I just know I'm going to be marveling at how big she's gotten and how many things she can do for approximately the next 20 years when I maybe get used to this. Or the rest of my life, maybe? Maybe.

Oh yeah, she also rolled over for the first time and learned how to take her hat off, just your average Monday. The rolling over may have been a fluke (she was swaddled, rolled on to her tummy) - but surely is a sign of things to come.

Friday

Loving: this bright coral onesie, this song (Crystals - of Monsters and Men), the growing collection of craft supplies on my coffee table.

This Moment

Wednesday - 10/21 - 6:29 PM - Babywearing, crafting, wine - loving this moment.

10 Weeks

 

Baby girl is 10 weeks and a day today and is growing so much. She just started grasping at things this week. First was this dress, four days ago. Then shortly after at her toys as well. She will reach for and grasp Jacques the Peacock (as of yesterday) and her crinkly rabbit (new, today!) instead of just babbling at them. She is already trying to put things she grabs into her mouth, but isn't quite coordinated enough to pull it off yet, so she will pull them into her face, close her eyes and rub her hands on her face. Adorable.

She is starting to make more noises more often. She still babbles at her toys, especially in the play gym, but also make more noises at me. She is practicing the cadence of conversation and seems to understand that talking involves taking turns. I'll talk, then she'll coo and babble, and so on.

She loves her books and will stare intently at them when I read to her - especially Good Morning World. When she is done with a page, she flails her hands at the book until I turn the page - then silent and intent again on the next one.

The crying has gotten a lot better - I think changing my diet helped. She still cries, but not for hours at a time anymore.

 

 

 

This is so typical of our days together - a moment of peace surrounded by the wreckage of the day (books, toys, blanket, swaddle... tired mama, no makeup). I'll take it all!

Bright Days

We go for a walk everyday to enjoy the cool, clear weather we have been having. I have so enjoyed the red leaves blanketing our neighborhood. They don't crunch underfoot, but have a satisfying shuffle. The lowest layer is beginning to fade and it smells like fall.

I go back to work in less than two weeks - so hard to believe. I am savoring every moment of this time.

This Moment

Wednesday - 10/14 - 10:07 pm - How she fell asleep tonight

This Moment

Friday - 10/9 - 4:55pm - a walk in our neighborhood with leaves falling all around us, swirling in each gust of wind.

 

Month Two

1. Soothie - She accepted this the first time on our trip to the coast and has been enjoying it since, mostly at bed time. It helps keep her occupied while laying in her bassinette awake. She used to cry if awake and laying down, but now will soothe herself back to sleep a lot of the time.

2. Baby Jogger City Mini GT - We LOVE this stroller. It is very maneuverable, light, and the GT upgrade is the perfect choice for us and our walks on gravel paths, grass and boardwalks with added traction and improved suspension.  

3. Jaques the Peacock - One of the few toys that holds her attention. She will happily stare at the colored front and black and white back.

4. Car Mirror - So important for safety to be able to check on baby in the car.

5. H&M Footie Pants - These are the best pants - they fit perfectly, the feet stay on through kicking and squirming, they are organic, and $13 for two.

6. Sleep Sheep - Most white noise keeps me up, but the tracks on this one are very short (2-12 seconds, repeat). We like heartbeat and whale sounds the best. For travel, you can just remove the sound portion (about the size of a deck of cards).

7. Sassy Rattle - One of her favorite toys.

8. Angel Baby Lotion - Vanilla and orange, so yummy!

Two Month Update

Growth: 50^th percentile for height, weight and head

Weight: 11 lbs, 5 oz

Height: 22.75”

Clothes: BabyGap 0-3m, Boden 0-3m, H&M 2-4m (getting tight), Carters 3m

Diapers: Target Up&Up size 1

Books: My Big Animal Book, Chica Chica Boom Boom, Good Morning World (her favorite, and mine)

Noises: Eh, Ah, Neh, Ma, Ga, Awoo

Likes: Being held, being walked, standing, being read to, adult faces, her soothie, listening to other babies (she doesn’t pay much attention to looking at them yet, but cries and coos from other babies hold her full attention), TV (consequentially, we mostly leave it off)

Dislikes: Being set down, hiccoughs, baths, tummy time, the car if she isn’t sleeping

What’s new: So much. She has so many new expressions, vocalizations and cries. It is now easier to tell what she needs just by the tone of her cry. She has one for hungry, one for a dirty diaper, one for a really dirty diaper, one for tired, for cranky, for bored, and then many combinations of the aforementioned ailments. And, of course, there is the complete meltdown cry – a new development from the last two weeks or so – we all hate that one.

She is getting so strong and holds her head well now, although we are still careful to support her head anytime she is picked up, put down, shifted or sleepy. She loves standing up on us while held and looking around.

She will often look at her books while being read to (as of last week), and her eyes track pretty smoothly if a favorite toy is moved back and forth in front of her (toys that didn’t make the short list do not get this level of attention however – currently this means the Sassy Rattle and Jacques the Peacock).

She still does her newborn sneezes every day (in twos, almost always), and gets hiccoughs a few times a day but they are fading in frequency. She still has rock hard abs (has since the day she was born) and her grip has gotten even tighter – this baby is seriously strong.

We have had our fair share of crying this month, sometimes all day except for eating and naps. I started out on the elimination diet and then started slowing adding things back in. Nothing seemed to trip her individually, but she has gotten fussier and fussier in the last month so I am back on an elimination diet to see if that might help. This means no: diary, coffee, chocolate, caffeine, peanuts, garlic, onions, cruciferous vegetables or soy. If that doesn’t cut it, I’ll drop tomatoes and citrus too. I was doing this already but had added decaf coffee, cream for the coffee and chocolate back in. Then I had some peanuts and we had the worst three days ever. Possible coincidence, but for now it’s back to square one. We are also both doing probiotics and I am taking licorice (DGL - like giving gripe water, but through milk).

But the very best part of being two months old...

                                                                 …we officially have SMILES!

 

They haven’t been every day since she hasn’t been very happy the last week (food suspected), and most are too fleeting to photograph, but when she does it is the sweetest thing and melts my heart. The first one in blue is her smiling at her new friend, my friend’s three year old daughter, who was jumping up and down on the couch next to me and being highly entertaining. The second was later that night.

Hello, October

It is hard to believe it is already October, and my girl is 8 weeks old and almost to her two month birthday! The time has gone by so quickly as these magic days are both the longest and shortest I've known - we are so taken up by each moment and then suddenly it is time for bed.

We have had a long, hot, perfect summer and are just beginning to get cool crisp days regularly. I am so ready for fall to settle in now - for sweaters, hot cider and rainy days.

I'm thinking of making K a stocking for Christmas. Cross stitch, my own improvised design, with materials I haven't even ordered yet. Am I crazy? Maybe. We'll see.

Loving: this pumpkin beer, this yarn (in Seqoia), this song (Welcome Home, Radical Face).