Likes:
- Reading books, especially Where is Baby's Belly Button? from Aunt Kristi and Uncle Brady, and this soft panda book from our friend Sammi.
- Baths - still. I think she knows that it's bath time when I put her on the counter now, because she acts really excited.
- Having people talk to her
- Having her diaper changed and looking at her bows on the wall. HUGE SMILES.
- Having people sing to her or talk to her
- Lying on the floor looking at toys, especially her little car seat dollies, her penguin rattle, and just the other day, the little owl Lindsey sent her that's been hanging in her crib. (She looked at it and suddenly seemed to process that it was there, and then she gave it the biggest smile.
- Her mobile that I made for her!
- Bouncing, swinging, driving - but not stopping.
- Being outside, and especially going on walks.
Dislikes:
- Having a wet bottom, especially since we started using some cloth diapers. It was a weird adjustment when I realized that she pees WAY more often than I thought, and that the cloth does nothing to minimize the unpleasantness.
- Being kept awake when she is tired
- Having a pacifier put in her mouth when she's crying, even if she wants it. So much rage. (I think she secretly wants to be a thumb sucker, but can't get her hands up to her mouth consistently, especially because she's always swaddled for naps and bedtime.
- Tummy time, sometimes. She doesn't seem to enjoy it as much as she used to these days.
- Pretty much always sleeps through the night. Huzzah! As long as her schedule during the day doesn't get too messed up, she pretty consistently sleeps from 10 or 11 until 6, wakes up for breakfast, and goes back to sleep until 8:30 or 9:00. It is GLORIOUS.
- Smiles more and more at everything.
- Falls asleep on her own more often (i.e. without bouncing, rocking, singing - I've been trying to just swaddle her and put her down as soon as she starts acting tired, and sometimes she just puts herself to sleep from there. I count every time she does it as a victory for her future sleep habits.
- Has grown back quite a bit of hair on top, although it's still thin enough that it's hard to see in pictures. It's very soft and silky, and seems a little lighter than the hair she was born with.
- Stayed awake and relatively happy for family pictures.
Adventures:
- Went on a shopping trip with Mom and Grandma
- Met author Shannon Hale at a book signing, and was so cute Shannon asked to hold her.
- Went to her first fair, including a sideshow circus. Slept through most of it, but seemed a little nervous when the fire eater lit his sticks on fire.
- Met her uncle Trebby, and seemed to like him. When he left, she gave him a pretty dubious look when he gave her a whiskery kiss, but then she gave him some big smiles.
Upcoming:
- Shots (oh no!)
- Grandma and Grandpa leaving on their mission
- Daddy going on some long business trips (including one RIGHT AFTER Grandma and Grandpa leave!)
CB, it is ridiculous how much I like you. I love lying on the floor reading with you. I love sitting and snuggling you. I keep getting excited about doing things with you when you get older, like going down that big yellow slide at the fair, painting your toenails, or introducing you to ice cream.
I swear you seem to know when you've been inside doing the same thing for too long. A couple of weeks ago you'd been really fussy for a few days, and the only thing that would calm you down was walking out on the porch to swing on the glider and listen to the wind chimes. You even seem to sleep better after you've been outside for part of the day, even if you've been napping in your stroller.
You seem to enjoy listening to music, especially music sung by old crusty old cowboys. I'm not sure how this happened, but I'm guessing it's because your daddy and grandpa both like to sing Johnny Cash to you.
This month your daddy made a diaper changing chart. You'd think this would be a bad idea and we'd be resenting each other because one or the other of us is changing more diapers, but actually it just makes an unpleasant task more fun, especially because we get one point for pee and two for poo. Suddenly a poopy diaper is something that's exciting instead of disgusting - because we get two points! When life gives you poop, make lemonade, my darlin'. (This morning, we were tied, but I have a feeling I'll be winning handily soon, because Daddy is going out of town for a week, and I'm not saving him any.)
Now, not only do you recognize me, but you recognize your daddy and your grandparents. You give them big smiles and watch them as they move around a room. You calm right down when your daddy starts bouncing you, and I sometimes walk in on him and find you two reading books together, which is adorable. You're so lucky to have a daddy who thinks you're so much fun, and who is so willing to change your poopiest diapers and bounce you when your mommy is feeling a little frustrated with your fussing. (Your mommy is pretty lucky too.)
Even though I feel sad when you grow out of your clothes (goodbye, sweet newborn outfits! See you with the next baby!) I am so excited to see who you are becoming. You already have opinions and preferences, and I love seeing the little person you are becoming each day, even if it means you aren't my tiny newborn anymore. I can't wait to learn more about you this month.
Love,
Mama
