These Days

Well, we've been home for more than a month. Time has flown (as it tends to do) and I find myself writing about milestones and outings but not about everyday life. So here you go, some pretty small but significant pieces of Violet's day-to-day life.

Playmates: She and Daniel are the happiest little siblings you've ever seen. They make each other laugh... play chase crawling around the house... he gives her toys constantly... and just enjoy each other's company immensely. It's so fun to watch!

Adjustments: Violet appears to be adjusting extremely well. I thought she was "way ahead of expectations" from day one, but even from then the changes are very apparent. For example, she will now lay on her back happily, just resting (where she used to scream every time she was put on her back). She's just a very, very happy baby, and is doing MUCH better about being out in public and not reaching for everyone that goes by.

Sleep: She wakes up happily and plays by herself for a bit in her crib before calling for us - this is a very good thing! She's not all the way through the night yet, but has done 12 hour stints a few times now. She typically wakes up around 11 or midnight, and sometimes again at 3. Sometimes she'll just fall asleep with a little rocking, and sometimes she needs milk. Fernando has been doing most of the night feedings with her - her cries just don't wake me up (which is strange, but it was the opposite a few years back - he never heard Daniel crying as a baby).

Naps: I changed her nap schedule from two to one a day... she just does better if I push her until noon. She sleeps longer and goes to sleep quicker. And as an added bonus, this means she and Daniel nap at the same time on the days they are both here - thats nearly two free hours for me to clean/blog/shower/cook/edit photos.

Car Seat: She hates it. She'll tolerate it for a while, but anything more than 10-15 minutes and she starts whining. And forget sleeping in it... that's only happened twice.

Eating: Violet loves food. I didn't know anyone could love food more than Daniel, but I think she wins that little contest. Anything and everything I put in front of her... she eats. Except cold fruit. Her recent favorites are cous cous, grapes, beans, apple jacks (I know, I know), peas, any kind of rice, and anything else on the table. Consequently, she's filling out nicely. :) She's mastered straws and sippy cups.

Pooping: Unbelievable. This kid is a champ. Like... six insane diapers a day. But she eats like a madwoman, so I guess it's par for the course. She just got her first diaper rash (today, actually) and it's so sad to hear her cry when we clean her. But hopefully Aquaphor will end it soon.

Teething: The drool is still a faucet and rightly so - her fifth tooth has already come in and her sixth is very close behind it. With Daniel we could hardly tell he was teething, but Violet seems to go through it a little more - fussiness-wise, anyway. Another way we know she's teething: She bites.

Mobility: Violet is a speed crawler. Insane speed. She's also fast at the monkey crawl and walking with some assistance. (On a side note, she still hates the feel of grass but seems to like crawling on ROCKS. No joke.) She did reach a milestone today: SIX STEPS on her own! We have been using elastic bands and stretchy things to help - enough give that she has to support herself, but enough support to keep her from falling. When we aren't home, she still lives in the sling and loves it. It's comfortable for both of us, and makes cuddling WHILE running errands so easy.

There you go! C'est la vie! (Isn't that how you say "That's Life" in French?)