Growing.

Sadly, I've returned to work.  Last week, I saw a baby that I delivered 9 months ago - he's 16 lbs (he was born several weeks early).  My not-yet-3-month old is 15 lbs!  It was so fun to see a baby who is near the same size as my baby but doing all the typical 9-month things!  But, you're meeting (& exceeding) all of your milestones (I know because I'm crazy about checking!)  You giggle all the time (first giggle was March 4th - I caught it on video!), are starting to intentionally reach for toys, you notice your feet and you rolled over for the first time last evening (you did it three times - and both your mom and dad saw it :).  

I'm so in love with you and want nothing besides to hang with my baby.  You dad just bought me a book called "The Mama's Boy Myth. Why Keeping Our Sons Close Makes Them Stronger" - I can't wait to read it!  Taking care of you is the best thing I've ever done and I cannot believe how fast you are already growing up.  There's nothing else that has made me slow down like you've made me slow down.  I try to cherish every moment with my baby...

The bottle, the mirror book and the Wild Thing

Your nanny has started working with you prior to my return to work.  We hired her after interviewing many women who we met through an agency.  Your daddy and I both agreed on this nanny & are hopeful that she becomes part of the family - and that she falls madly in love with you!  As of now, our hope is that she works with you over the next few years and becomes an important part of your life.

You've been rather fussy with her - much preferring to cuddle with you mama 24/7.  Yesterday, you absolutely refused to take a bottle from her :(  You were so angry and screamed and screamed.  She was very patient but after a few minutes, I took you and fed you to allow you to calm down.  After posting a plea on Facebook and contacting a lactation consultant, I've ordered some new bottles (overnighted them, actually) and gave you a bottle mid-morning today (around the same time you'll get your first bottle of the day with the nanny).  Here's to hoping that you'll 'give in' and take the bottle from the nanny tomorrow.

You LOVE your mama and daddy reading to you.  Your favorite book right now is a mirror-me book where you can check our your own reflection on each page.  I aim the mirror so I can see your giggling face as we read :)

This morning, you were rather fussy.  I put you in the moby - which still didn't calm you.  In my typical way, I tried to engage you in conversation and I suggested that we go water the plants....and at the end of the convo, I said, "Let's do it."  For some random reason, I then started rapping Tone Loc's "Wild Thing" to you and you instantly stopped fussing and started giggling at your mom singing about a grown man "getting fly with the honey's".  You enjoyed my rapping skills for about 15 minutes until you fell asleep.  Hilarious.

Circuit training...& giggles!

Meme visited the past few days and came up with the idea of circuit training.  Since you sleep *way* less than the average baby (although you slept from 10p until 4:30a last night - wahoo!!), we are always working on finding new ways to engage & entertain you.  I even bought 2 books about games to play with babies!  You have a "texture box" with things I gathered from around the house (a fake peacock feather, some twine, a soft piece of a blanket, a (clean) sponge, etc).  You look at the textures and we talk about them and I let you feel them (Meme thinks that is a little odd and she didn't include that activity in your circuit training :)  Circuit training did consist of:

1. Sitting in your new Bumbo chair while playing with various toys that we hold.
2. The play gym (of course!)  You're starting to make the connection that your hands can hit the rattles and make them move - so much fun to watch!
3. Tummy time - both on the homemade doggie-shaped pillow from Ms. Kelly - and flat on your tummy (most recently on the homemade quilt made for you by Ms. Jane).
4. Lying in your crib watching your firetruck and dalmatian mobile (we talk about how your Grandpa Mike used to drive fire trucks!)
5. Rocking in the recliner reading books and staring at the fan (one of your favorite activities!!)

Your very favorite activity continues to be your play gym (you'll play under there for 20+ minutes!)  Your least favorite is tummy time and you're a bit indifferent about the Bumbo chair.

You spend hours per day doing circuit training :o)

And then today...in the midst of circuit training, I started acting silly...and you GIGGLED!!  It was the best sound I've *ever* heard!  You were laying on your back and I was doing push-up like motions with you kissing your cheeks and face...and all of a sudden, your huge smile turned into a giggle!  Amazing!  I managed to get it on video and your daddy and I have watched the video many times this evening.

I don't know that there has ever been a more loved baby in all of history!