June 27, 2007
counting and smiles
Lexi smiled for the first time last Thursday! She hasn't smiled very often since, but sometimes I can see the start of one (then she gets distracted and stops). She also got her first cold this weekend, which is not nearly as exciting as the smiling.
Elliot can definitely count now. He's been able to count from 1 to 10 pretty reliably for a few weeks now, but so far he could only count up to two objects. Just in the past few days he's counted the number of sofa armrests in the playroom (there are 4), and yesterday at breakfast he counted objects on his highchair tray as he placed them on the table (I think he got up to 5 or 6 before he stopped). Gary said he counted the stairs up to 10 as they were walking down them a few days ago, too. He's been learning the difference between left and right, too, but so far hasn't been able to keep them straight after an hour break.
Some new words and phrases:
"wound"
"kneecap" (Jessica taught him this one and I taught him wound after he fell down and scraped his knee on Saturday.)
"No reach it" (referring to the fan, the moon, items we've placed on high shelves, etc)
"Daddy fix it"
June 19, 2007
small bits about Elliot
No plotline here, just random bits about Elliot.
He's discovered his first mind-altering experience: twirling around in a circle until he gets dizzy. It's fun to watch, if you're not prone to motion-sickness.
He can consistantly count to 10, and has been seen counting the stairs as he walks down them. He's starting to get 11 through 20, too, but many of the numbers, and their order, still elude him.
He can put his wooden train track pieces together, although he's still more interested in tearing apart tracks that Gary or I have set up for him.
Elliot and Lexi are getting along really well. When she's crying or fussing in the car he tries to touch or hold her hand to quiet her down. He knows her name is Lexi (he'll say things like, "Lexi down" or "Lexi swing") but often calls her Tiny. I'm not sure if he thinks that's also her name, or if he's just pointing out an obvious feature. Usually he'll bring over a blanket or burp cloth to me while I'm nursing her, although he has refused to hand over the Boppy pillow (which I use for nursing) when asked because it's fun to play with.
He's been singing a lot more recently, although his sense of pitch is not there yet. He knows the first three letters of the alphabet song, and repeats them over and over again. He knows all of the hand motions for "The Wheels on the Bus," as well as what everyone says ("The babies on the bus go 'wee wee wee,'" etc).
His latest masterpiece was done in pencil, on the wall of the stairwell.
our average baby
Lexi's sleeping on my lap as I type, so this will be quick. Gary and I took her to the pediatrician this morning for her one month well baby checkup. She now weighs nearly 9 pounds and is 21" long! She's in the 45th percentile for weight and 50th percentile for length and head circumference! She's been smiling in her sleep for a couple of weeks now, but nothing while she's awake. And no, she's not sleeping through the night yet (she wakes up about 3-4 times a night).
She and I were fine while everyone else was out last week. In fact, those were probably the easiest days I've had so far because all I had to worry about was feeding her and me. Well, and changing diapers and clothes, too. I did miss Elliot a lot, but I was happy knowing that he was getting all of the attention for a few days. Elliot apparently did not miss anyone while he was gone.
Yesterday was the first time I've had both kids at dinner and bed time on my own, and it was tough. Lexi wanted to cluster feed at the same time as I was trying to get dinner ready for Elliot, so I was constantly going back and forth between them trying to get them both fed. Elliot was pretty patient, although he made a much bigger mess than usual. Bedtime was harder, because I wanted to give all of my attention to Elliot, so I put Lexi in her swing. She cried almost the entire time I was upstairs with Elliot, so I felt really bad about that. And then Elliot cried for longer than usual after I put him down, so that made me feel bad, too.
Pictures? They're on my camera. Which is in the other room. And I don't feel like waking up a sleeping baby right now.
June 12, 2007
on our own for a few days
Gary is in Montreal until Thursday night. Elliot and Gary's dad took off for Napa this morning, leaving Lexi and I alone for a couple of days. So far we're handling it well.
Obligatory baby photo:
June 08, 2007
no photos of Jen
No, no photos of me, but here's everyone else, all taken (by me) in the past couple of days.
Elliot's been a bit of a ragamuffin free spirit since Lexi arrived.
Some babies get frankincense and myrhh; Lexi got Kraft grated cheese.
Alexia, June 6th
June 03, 2007
Picnic
My friend Rose hosted a picnic yesterday; photos are here. Lexi spent most of the time sleeping, but Elliot had a good time at the playground and feeding other people.
June 02, 2007
Lexi at 2 weeks
We took Lexi in for her 2 week well-check yesterday. She is growing and gaining weight really well; right now she's at the 25th percentile for weight and height, and the 50th percentile for head circumference! Her umbilical cord stump is nearly off (most of it fell off last week, but there is still a bit of a scab there), and Gary and I gave her her first bath on Tuesday (just a sponge bath because of the scab).
Nighttime feedings are getting a bit easier because she's established more of a routine. Now she nurses around midnight, 3am, and 6am. I try to get to bed by 10, so Gary brings her in to the bedroom for the first 2 feedings (I think he naps in between), which each last about 15-20 minutes. After the 6am feeding I get up for the day, since that session seems to last a lot longer (more like an hour of on and off nursing). Elliot was waking up around 8, but this morning he woke up at 7 (someone must have told him about the Saturday morning ritual).
And speaking of Elliot, he is still having a hard time adjusting. Gary and I have tried to spend more time with him in the evenings (completely without Lexi if possible), which seems to be helping. Thursday night he went to bed with no crying, and last night he cried for less than 20 minutes. We have him give Lexi a kiss goodnight, than one of us takes him upstairs to read books and get ready for bed. I had hoped I could carry Lexi around on me while I read or sang to him, but he's not ready to share our attention with her yet.