Deep into December

It was another good week, full of firsts and memorable events.  Steve went back to his other job at WCCN (in addition to two night shifts weekly at the hospital as interpreter), so I will be flying solo more from here out during those days and nights.  I have another month until I go back three days a week.

Steve gets lots of time in with Eve alone, too, letting me run errands and go to the YMCA with Amy.  It feels good to work out again (I'm still taking it easy, but do fit into my own pants - woot!).  In preparation for going back to work, I will start pumping and we'll try bottle feeding as of next week . . . any advice from those who have gone before?  Cross your fingers for us. 

Enough about the parents, what about Eve?  I hear you say.  She has changed so much, it's constantly amazing to us.  She's definitely gaining weight (we haven't been into the clinic in two weeks, so I can't tell you how much, but look at our earliest pictures), and seems to be storing it in her chin and belly.    

As we mentioned before, she is very comfortable on her back now, and it doesn't phase her to have her arms loose.  When we brought her home, she didn't like either.  Boy, does that make sleeping easier (for everyone)!

 

Eve doesn't mug for the camera too much, in fact, she's very nonchalant about it.  Flashes, noise, lots of people don't bother her, or wake her.  She has discovered her thumbs, which will likely come in handy (ha!) later when she has to get herself to sleep.  She doesn't have good control of her head yet, but is steadily improving in strength (the picture below doesn't demo that well, but is a pre-action shot).   She has much longer periods of alertness, and loves to observe us at close range.  She vocalizes constantly with chirps and hums, much to our amusement.  Oh, and her biggest accomplishment of late - promotion to the next bigger size of diapers and wraps.  The newbie ones were getting soaked through much too quickly.  Fluid in, fluid out pretty much sums up our way of life now. 

We got out and about as much as we could this week, despite getting 16" of snow on Tuesday night and having temps plunge below zero on Wednesday.  That shut down Madison for two days and kept us indoors.  The three of us did manage to go Christmas shopping on Saturday, and got a lot of attention.  Why would a stranger shake a sleeping baby's feet to express admiration?  She was the only idiot.  Everyone else was properly adoring.   Of course, dressed like this, who could resist?  (Outfit courtesy of my mother):



We also made our first real social outing to Sarah and Heather's annual Chat and Chew holiday party.  They had indicated in the invitation that kiddos would rule the house from 4-7, and for the first time in my life, that was very appealing.  They have a nine month old daughter, Frances, and live just a few blocks away (they have also been a fabulous source of maternity clothes, baby clothes, a recipe for homemade wipes and baby gear advice).   There were a ton of little ones to watch, parents and friends with whom to compare notes, and good strong eggnog.