Night & day

When you see a computer, you point & say "gap'n gap'n", wanting to watch Yo! Gabba Gabba. We do not often indulge your desire, and I do more than dada does. You also have the Gabba characters for bath time. "bapf" is another of your words.

A month or two ago, you started saying "ba-ba" when we were playing with bubbles in the yard. Since then, you now pronounce it better... "ba-buhl"! We also play with bubbles in the bath, thanks to California Baby bubble bath. You LOVE bubbles! Especially that you can catch them in the bath! You even combine some together, split some apart, and move them.

Today you started trying to climb the white gate at the stairs. This is scary.

You love all your toys that make sounds (ladybug rocker, driving toy, boom box, little keyboard, mailbox.) You love finger puppets, laughing when I gently push one onto your finger, sometimes followed by a dance - holding the puppet on your finger over your head, dancing flamenco with a bharat natyam twist.

The cutest little girl in the whole wide world! I love you so much.

Time to snuggle.

Love,
Mama

Teething

Molars are coming. A top & a bottom, at the same time. Last night you could hardly sleep, keeping mama up with a constant demand for nusing. By 5:30am, dada took you downstairs to play so mama could get some sleep before work.

You love the new house. There's so much room for you to run around! Two floors, each with at least double the space of our last apartment.

Holiday Presence

Oh my dear sweet Vrindyboo, I have loved this Holiday break more than anything. I've spent nearly two weeks straight with you, culminating with a pretend-stay-at-home-mom day. Ever so wonderful.

 You were such a good traveler for the 8-hour venture both to and from Grandma's house! Lots of sleeping, playing, and very little fussing whatsoever. Best little baby in the whole wide world!

Over Christmas break, you pointed at everything, and everyone, everywhere, and said very prominently, "Dat." It has gotten to the point where we say "dat" at you as well, like a "hello." When I'm with you, and you point and say "dat," I tell you the name of the thing you're pointing at.

You had some rough nights, refusing to sleep, and waking from your sleep and crying almost inconsolably. Turns out, you're getting a top tooth! I first found out from you grinding the bottom tooth on it, even before it emerged from the gumline. It's still not showing beyond just peeking through the gums, but it's not fun for anyone. But I'm here for you.

Christmas morning was the awesomest experience, EVER! Santa brought you so many cool toys. The first gift you opened was the cutest to watch... You started by pulling the pieces of tissue paper, and being quite pleased with ripping the paper and playing like that. Then it rolled, and you saw a big VELVETEEN RABBIT inside! (From your Great Aunt) You had such a surprised look on your face that there was something else INSIDE the fun tissue-paper toy! Christmas morning your Uncle K was there with us, and helped you unwrap/wrangle you into the unwrapping area. It was so awesome having him there.

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I feel this immense closeness to you now that we've spent so much time together again. I really don't want to go back to work tomorrow (now, today, but i'm up late writing this). I feel that we finally have a groove together again, and I'm so sad that it's going to be so long before we have such a long time together again. The monkey-noms, the play times, the adventures and wearing you in the Ergo, the rocking you to sleep for naps and knowing just when the time is right to do so. All those smiles, and all those laughs. It's hurting more because work's going to be extra taxing now that the year is out, and I might have to work late and miss you even more. At least it's just a two-day week for me this week, thank goodness, so hopefully it won't be too hard on us.

I love you my little boo. You're amazing and beautiful and smart and loving and full of light. Al(l)ways. I love you.

Gratitude

I'm grateful for the moments we spend together after I get home from work. You, crawling around, having a little monkey nom, squealing with joy. Talking at the boob before the milk gets flowin. I miss our long days together, you and me, and knowing just what you need and just what your subtle cues mean. Dada rules that roost now... Mama is just the silent worker, makin the money for you and your awesome stay-at-home dad.

I love you.

sweetness & snuggles

What a beautiful day we had together today. Early wake-up, then you visited your toys in the pack'n'play while I got started on my work. We had a play yard session, and you easily went to sleep after nursing for your first nap. I pumped 6.5 oz after, stored in the freezer for another day.

You went in the walker for a while, scooting up to me, then I wheeled you backwards. You loved it. Tried to chase the cats. Tried to get the guitar. Then your second nap. After rocking getting to sleep, you snuggled down onto my chest. You curled up like a newborn, so sweet, so soft, so much love. In that moment, I just felt you there, felt so much love. Heard cars going by, airplanes overhead, the whole earth spinning and going about its business... but I was with you. Just you and me, that was my world, for that moment. You were snuggled up against my chest, in my arms, asleep. My heart chakra radiated like a sun-star. That moment was so beautiful, brought me to tears. I hope to cherish it forever. I love you.

Bouncing Boo

Four months, and in the 95th percentile for length. Almost too big for your 3-6 month clothes already. Since your recent growth spurt, now your legs are all shaky when you try to stand. But boy oh boy do you love your bouncer!

And chasing the cats... if you could chase. For now you just lunge yourself towards them, in hopes whoever is holding you will understand that it means you want to pet that cat, NOW. And by pet, I mean grab a handful of her fur and pull. Today you gave her a nice pet, though... a nice, soft, non-pulling pet. Then you pulled after a few gentle strokes. Hey, you're the baby, gotta do it.

You started making new sounds yesterday... "bla-bla-bla-bla."

Yesterday we took you to the zoo for the first time. You tried so hard to get to the little chicks! We saw white-cheeked gibbon monkeys -- a momma, a papa, and a youngin. The young monkey was going crazy swinging around on all the branches, then would go to his mama and nurse a little. Then he'd go back to swinging like mad, then nurse a little. I loved it! I was wearing you in the Sleepy Wrap at the time. Soon after, you needed to nurse, too!

Sweet Little Moments

We took a walk to the park today. We sat on the big swing together and swung. Not for too long, cause the sun was way too hot. You were wearing your little butterfly sunhat Great Aunt E got for you from Crazy8. I love that cute little hat. As we walked back, you just stared into my eyes. I loved every moment.

Upon arriving back home, we checked out the garden again. I ate some grapes off the vine. You made happy sounds. I picked four yellow pear tomatoes.

We came inside, you were sleepy from our big adventure. I nursed you, and after a bit you just started looking at me. Then you did the sweetest thing... you lifted your hand, and so softly reached for the short stray hairs that were loosened from my head, petting them ever so gently.

I rocked you to sleep, ahhh-aaaah-ahhh-aaaah. Gave you a bit of dreamy nursing, and now you're taking your afternoon nap... snuggled close to daddy.

I love you.