Weekend roundup

Well we've had a busy weekend and I just never got around to updating!  Lia seems to be starting to fall into a morning nap schedule.  She's starting to take a semi-regular nap after being awake for about an hour in the morning, and then she takes another short nap right around lunchtime.  The afternoons are a free-for-all, but I did some reading and research and it looks like babies don't have any afternoon nap organization until four to eight months, so I'm looking for it way too early.  It's so strange - she will sleep just fine in her crib at nighttime, but needs motion for naps during the day.  Right now, I figure naps in the swing are better than no naps at all, so that swing is turning out to be a lifesaver.

This weekend was full of adult time, and it was great.  I had book club, which I love (we read The Imperfectionists - and I'll post a review once I actually read it too).  We're reading Middlesex next, which I read a few years ago, and gave away my copy of the book a few months ago - whoops.  (See - I really should save everything - says the packrat in me.)  And then R's mom took Lia for the night on Saturday night!  R and I had a lovely date night, and we even made it out to a party.  I was really anxious at first, leaving my baby with her grandparents so I could go out and party, but I eventually relaxed.  She'll be staying with them for four days later this month when we're out of town so it was a good trial run, and I know I'll be calmer getting on a plane if it's not the first time I've left my baby with them.

In baby development news - she is definitely starting to learn about her hands!  I think she's been starting to bat at things but I couldn't really tell if it was deliberate or just coincidence.  But she was in her rocker today while we ate dinner, and probably a half dozen times, she deliberately stuck her fist in her mouth to suck on it.  I was thrilled and fascinated.  Robert didn't seem to think it was that great.  But I'm so proud of her!

But, crazy things that we are, we didn't get to bed last night until 1:00, so we're both exhausted.  The baby's in bed and quiet so I'm going to get myself to do the same thing.

Studying that mobile!

Fussbuckets

Well it's been a frustrating day.  Robert's car broke down in traffic while he was grabbing lunch today.  And he had accidentally taken the car seat with him to work so I couldn't go help him.  Him taking the car seat also meant that Lia and I were housebound for the day (way too cold for a walk), which sounded nice in the morning but by about 1:00 we were both pretty bored.  And between the combo of being bored, her shots from yesterday, and my fumbling attempts to get her on a napping schedule (which resulted in a grand total of three 10-minute naps today), she's been a fussbucket all evening.  I'm bored to tears with a little bit of cabin fever and a short temper, and poor Robert had a tough day and came home to the two of us.

So we're just biding our time until it's the last feeding and bedtime for the little princess, and I can pour myself a glass of wine.

For anyone with a baby who reads this blog - what did your baby's daytime napping schedule look like around 10 weeks?  She sleeps very reliably at night, and through the night, but she fights sleep all day long and I struggle to get her to nap even though she's obviously tired.  All the books say it's too early for a schedule but winging it isn't working either.

Well, unless a short email and a to-do list counts as "writing," I already missed a day.  But Lia was really fussy last night so R and I spent pretty much all night trying to entertain her and keep her distracted.  She had her 2-month pediatrician visit yesterday morning (she's 10 weeks now - wow!), and she's doing great.  But she also got her vaccinations - three shots and an oral - and I think they were really bothering her last night.  I am totally pro-vaccinations, but it still made me cry when she got them.  We've all heard about moms who cry when their kids get shots or hurt themselves or whatever, and I used to think that was so lame.  Now, I get it.  Fortunately, R was there too, which helped me keep it together.

She's been on baby tylenol and seems to be better today.  She must have worn herself out yesterday because she slept from 10:00 last night until 8:15 this morning (!!!).  Now I'm trying to work in a mid-morning nap - we'll see how this goes.

I'll try to think of something more exciting to write about, or, failing that, I'll just post some more photos, later on.  :)

Back in the Lou

Well, we made it back to St. Louis!  Security and check-in were a breeze, boarding was a disaster, and the flight itself went fine, so all in all, it was pretty good.  I did end up boarding while nursing (yes, actively nursing), and then we had a completely full flight, a head/armrest bump, and a giant poop, and while she did some crying, I'd say it was less than two minutes of crying the entire flight, so I'm calling it a success.  :)

Now we're home, Lia's overtired, and R is playing with her, waiting for the last feeding time so we can put her to bed.  Two-month pediatrician visit tomorrow morning!

And I got my pics from my new camera uploaded.  Here are a few:

Splish splash

Awww

She watched an entire episode of The Office.  Seriously.

Getting ready for a walk (with my dad and Lulu)

Splish splash again

With her great-grandmother.  The oldest daughter of an oldest daughter of an oldest daughter of an oldest daughter.

With her great-grandparents.

Didn't I say I was going to put her in hoodie towels and take a million pictures?

Last day in Texas

Today was our last day in Texas - Lia and I go back to StL tomorrow.  We had a really nice visit, although I'm ready to get back to R (and Scraps) and get back into our routine of home.  Just in the time that we've been here, Lia's changed so much.  R and I discussed her bedtime routine on the drive down, and at that time we were pretty sure she had no idea what was going on at bedtime (and I think R was pretty sure I was being a bit anal-retentive trying to come up with a routine this early).  And now I think she's totally aware of what's going on during bedtime.  I think she's finally recognizing me, which is cool.  She's a lot more interactive and her attention span is getting better every day.  She'll lay down on her back and be amused by us for 45 minutes at a time.  She's also discovered the tv, which is hilarious.  She started splashing around in her bath last night; I know babies are notorious for loving baths but until just recently, she seemed to not really care about them either way.  Now she looks amused and befuddled by all the water.  She seems to be slowly figuring out her hands, and I think she even recognized her pacifier today before I put it in her mouth. 

So, tomorrow, it's a (thankfully brief) airplane ride by myself with a baby.  Keeping my fingers crossed that we can get a few seats to ourselves (flying SW, and who wants to sit next to the woman with the baby?  right?) and that she's entertained by the plane rather than overwhelmed by it.

(Hi Mom!)

Keeping up my NY resolution to write every day... but I can't think of anything to write about!  I compose little posts in my head while I'm in the shower, nursing the baby, etc., and then I find 5 minutes to sit down in front of the computer and my eyes keep wandering over to my Zappos tab while "New Post" sits idly open in another window.

We didn't do much today.  We went to church (Lia was great, which gives me great hope for our upcoming flight, which I'm slightly terrified about), hung out at home, and visited with neighbors.  Lia's daily routine is starting to get a little more predictable, and when we get home, I think it's time to start to get her on a schedule.  She needs more daytime naps than she's getting right now, which is just a function of being in a strange environment in a house that's noisier and has more going on during the day than we're used to.  And, admittedly, probably a function of my reluctance to put her down in her crib for a nap.  I am just having a devil of a time letting this child sleep in her crib!  Today she took two one-hour naps in her crib here, and I have to admit, it was kind of nice to be able to take a shower and do the dishes and read the paper a little while she was sleeping.  A lot more convenient than having her nap in my arms or in her sling.  *sigh*  I'm proving my mother right again.

Alright, that's my requisite writing for the day.  I've got an adorable photo of Lia in the stroller to post when I get home.  :)

(Hi Dad!)

2011 - Sleep and Smiles

When Lia was a few weeks old, we ran into another couple with a 3-month old.  They said their daughter slept all night and smiled at them all the time.  And I remember thinking, "Oh goodness if I could just get some sleep and smiles, life would be totally different!"  And now we're there.  She's sleeping like a champ (now if I could only put myself to bed at 10:00), and smiling every day - a lot.  She still requires my attention pretty much 24/7, but I'm working on letting go a little, with the help of my mom, who insists that she's perfectly fine to lay alone in her crib for a little while ("But she's sad and lonely!"  "No she's not, she's fine."  "But.... oh, she's asleep now.").

I'm with my family in Plano now, and will be for another several days, but my goals for this year are to: (1) write a little every day, (2) take photos every day (of the baby and otherwise), (3) work on eating right and exercising to get/stay healthy, and (4) actively express my gratitude and thanks for the good things in my life.  Nothing monumental, because I'd actually like to follow through with all of that, so it's more that I'd like to continue to work on those areas of myself. 

And there's the baby... Happy 2011!