Getting Stronger

Libby is really getting ready to sit. I will sit her up facing me in my lap and barely hold onto her so she can practice. I have to be careful, though, because sometimes she decides to throw herself backwards all of a sudden. She's also had some practice sessions sitting up with the Boppy around her to cushion her when she falls over. I've been trying to get her to use her arms to hold herself up, but she ends up leaning too far forward and falling on her face! The couple of times this has happened, it hasn't been very hard, and she hasn't cared at all.

I have to make sure I react appropriately to things. Besides starting to fall as she learns to sit (and eventually stand!), Libby has gagged herself a few times sticking her hands in her mouth too far, and I have to make sure I don't act concerned. She's just checking things out, and this is a necessary step in desensitizing her mouth a little bit so she can get ready to eat solids.

She's waking up from her evening nap, time to go see how she's doing!

Cereal, Take Two

We tried cereal again yesterday, and Libby was much more enthusiastic! I couldn't believe the change. She got impatient and whiny between bites. I don't think she's figured out how to swallow it yet, because a lot got on her bib, but since she was so excited, I'm willing to try again every day or every few days. We'll try this afternoon and see what she thinks.

Next weekend, Libby will be baptized. I'm really excited for this special day, excited for what it means for her, and for Todd and I. And I'm looking forward to having all of the family visiting!

Cereal, Day One

Today, Libby tried rice cereal for the first time. She was not really impressed. I don't know if any actually got swallowed. Oh well, she's pretty young for starting solids. We'll try again next week. I was surprised that our pediatrician was so gung-ho about starting right at four months, but I figured we'd give it a shot. From what I've read, I've decided that starting this early doesn't necessarily get you ahead, it mostly just gets you two months of buying/making well-strained food. Or just feeding rice cereal.

Better luck next time, Libbs.

Life as a working mom

Well, today was Day Three of daycare. Libby and I are both surviving just fine. I did not cry at all on the first day, and I only teared up a little yesterday when a coworker (who is a mom and a grandma) asked how things were going and said something very supportive. People being nice makes me cry more than people being mean.

Since I am still breastfeeding Libby and I'm away from her for eight hours while at school, I have to pump. So far it's going okay. I found a good place to do it--the cooks have a desk in their pantry, which is the only room in the school without a window into the hallway. They very graciously let me use it.

Okay, time to put Libby to bed. More later, I guess!

Lullaby and good night

When I was little, lullabies were an important part of my bedtime routine. My parents both like to sing, and I think they enjoyed the special quiet moments we shared. My dad even went so far as to copy down the lyrics from "Stay Awake" from Mary Poppins. I'm pretty sure he watched the movie, pausing after each phrase or stanza and writing it down. "You're not sleepy as you seem, stay awake, don't nod and dream..."

I sing lullabies to Libby, too, and even though I know plenty of my own quiet, sweet, slow songs, I find I sing our old standbys almost exclusively. I sing Mom's favorites: "Edelweiss", "May the Lord" (to the same tune), "Bind us Together", and "Hush Little Baby". And I sing a family favorite from Tom Chapin CD, "Grow in Your Own Sweet Way":

May you grow in your own sweet way,
And blossom more every day,
And follow the music in your soul.
May there be time for you to grow.

I couldn't sing it without crying when Libby was first born, but it's getting better. Libby has taken to crying sometimes when I sing to her, I wonder if she's starting to realize that it means I'm going to put her down for a nap?