Merry Christmas!

We celebrated your first Christmas last weekend...  Merry Christmas little love!

Your dad made us a delicious Indian dinner for Christmas eve.. but it might have been a bit spicy for you!  We thought it was the perfect time to offer you your first spoonfuls of a food other than milk, pureed butternut squash.  We think you liked it!  

You've Got the Wiggles!

Oh my goodness... you're actually four months and two weeks or so.  Just about five months old.  It's so cliche but time is really flying!  And you are changing every freakin' day.  Just the last couple of weeks you're so very eager to be sitting on your own.  Dad or I prop you up on our knee while sitting on the floor and you start bouncing around, wiggling and kicking off the ground like a cowboy on a bunking bronco... but you're in charge of all the movement!  I can also prop you up on the floor sitting by yourself and just keep my hands on your hips and watch you bob around and explore the sensation of sitting on your own.  You are so eager to get going and direct your own movement that I think it's leading to great frustration on your part.  I'm guessing that's why you've developed a constant grunting sound and a new high-pitched scream of sorts.  You are very clearly trying to express your displeasure!  But while you sometimes seem very frustrated, you also have moments of extreme giggles and silliness.  It is wonderful!  It's really one extreme or another these days.

Sleeping is crazy right now.  You are all over the board.  We used to have a bit of a schedule before Thanksgiving but now we're just kind of going with the flow.  You wake up at 5, 7, 9 a.m. and you're ready for your first nap usually an hour later.  I'm wondering if this is the consolidation of a first nap starting.  I need to reread some books on sleep that I've got on the kindle but seems like there's not time at all to read a book!  And of course when you (occasionally) take a nap on me in the rocking chair, the kindle is no where within reach.  Of course!  You are going through a squirmy phase again.  While you're taking about one nap a day in your crib, you're still sleeping at night with us in bed.  It is (mostly) so wonderful to go to sleep with your sweet breathing next to me and wake up to your peaceful face so close.  But in these squirmy phases I'm not sure who is keeping whom awake more but neither one of us is getting a whole lot of high-quality sleep.

Raspberries!  You are still all about throwing the spit.  You've developed a new method with your lower lip out pretty far and the spit flies upwards.  So... when you're sleeping next to me and you give this a go, I end up with a wet neck and chin!  It's definitely included in your expressive repertoire.  Grunt, grunt, grunt, raspberry, scream.  Well then little lady!

Four Months and Firsts

It seems like you've got the "firsts" rolling in steady now.  Today while I was rocking you to sleep you reached up and grabbed my chin.  Then you tried to pick my nose but it was so touching.  You must have been reading my mind because in one of our recent marathon rocking-to-sleep sessions, I fantasized about asking you to scratch my cheek where a piece of hair had fallen loose and was swaying back and forth tickling me.  These are the things I think about these days.  :)  You've also started some pretty determined grabbing with your feet.  You've gotten a pretty good grip on a forearm between your two little feet.. maybe in protest to actions taken on your changing table.  You're quite strong!

Oh, the talking!  I should say, "talking."  You will chatter on and on to us in very serious tones.  Oh how we wish we knew what you were trying to express exactly!  Frequently while nursing you stop, look up at me, and begin telling me a story or about your day or your plans for the weekend.  You've also been waking up earlier and while laying between us in bed, at 6 or 6:30 in the morning, your soliloquy begins.  It is truly a beautiful thing and we love the sound of your voice.  Well, in all honesty, we love just about everything about you.

You also rolled over today!  That was not exactly a first but a second.  The first time I saw you roll over was in Sacramento at Grandma Christine and Grandpa Terry's house.  You were on your tummy one minute and on your back the next.  I almost missed it!  But today you did the same in physical therapy and dad got to see you.  We all applauded your accomplishment and dad was particularly excited for you.  You looked a little confused!

While you have no teeth as of yet, it seems you might have started the process of working those little pearly whites up and out of your gums.  Anyone whose hand has come within striking distance of your mouth has experienced your newfound dexterity.  You are getting very good at grabbing and pulling things to your mouth!  And then you chomp down on a finger, wrist, knuckle, whatever.  Nom nom nom.  Actually, it's been really hard for all of us I think.  You seem pretty uncomfortable and unhappy on a regular basis these days.  It seems to come and go but just to make sure, we're heading in to see your doctor on Monday.  It will be your official four month appointment and of course more shots.  Ugh.  Never fun for anyone but hopefully you'll feel better quickly.

Another first was our flight to Sacramento and staying in a hotel.  You did AMAZING!  The flight was only one hour and twenty minutes or so.  Perfect for a first trip.  We had quite a day of traveling... bus to train to plane to car.  And you just rolled with it!  We are such lucky parents....  on the flight back you even let me rock you to sleep in the aisle.  I think dad and I did a good job of keeping things simple which is something we strive for.  But that was in part thanks to Grandma and Grandpa buying a carseat to use in their car when they picked us up at the airport and drove us around a bit.  Carseats are a tricky thing... no more just grabbing a cab to get home!

While in Sacramento we got to visit with friends and had some nice time with family members... some you  hadn't met yet!  My good friend Robin came with her daughter Rachel from San Francisco on the train and we had a nice lunch together.  Robin was a bridesmaid in my wedding and was so very eager to meet you!  My good friend Jessica recently had a son, Nathan, who also joined us for lunch.  Jessica and I went to high school together and she's one of my oldest friends.  It was such a nice time, visiting with friends and introducing you.

Thanksgiving was wonderful... you took several naps on Grandma and Grandpas bed including for the first part of Thanksgiving dinner.  Thanks sweetie!  I'm glad you didn't sleep through the whole thing but your well-timed nap allowed dad and I a little hands-free stuffing, er, eating of stuffing, and visiting.  Let's see... my step-sister Karen and her husband Jeff, my cousin Susan and her husband Matthieu and their son Leon.  Leon was a little old and you a little too young to be interested in playing with each other but maybe next year you'll be able to entertain each other a bit!  My cousin Brenda enjoyed meeting you and holding you.  She brought you some adorable little holiday socks!  Matthieu cooked a goose for dinner and we had ham as well.  Everyone wanted a turn holding you and you obliged.  It is fun to imagine what you will be next year at this time...