This is a week of new achievements for Carolyn. She started sucking her thumb and rolling over, and now she’s figured out how to get her toes in her mouth. This morning, she was laying in the middle of my bed sticking her feet in her mouth – and every time she did it, she’d look at me as if to say “Look, Mom, aren’t I cute?”
Month: March 2005
Roll Over, Roll Over
Dear Carolyn,
Of course, the day after we told the pediatrician you weren’t rolling over yet, you decided it was time to. And of course you couldn’t do it while anyone was watching, could you? Daddy put you down on your back and sat down at the piano, and a few minutes later he looked over and you were on your tummy!
This is the end of the easy part, isn’t it? Before, if I put you down somewhere, I could be reasonably sure that you’d still be there when I came back – you could sort of rotate yourself around, and creep at about an inch an hour, but now…once you figure out how to roll from front to back you’ll be able to roll your way across the room.
I guess it’s time to start getting serious about the baby proofing stuff, isn’t it?
Love, Mommy
March Cross Stitch
A year ago I started collecting the charts and buttons for a 12-month series of cross-stitch patterns from Shepherd’s Bush. On Saturday, I was finally inspired to start them! They’re teeny-tiny – I didn’t measure, but maybe 3″ by 5″? – so they’re quick to stitch. I figure this one took about 8 hours worth of stitching time.
I’m finally starting to have a bit more crafting time lately. Once Carrie goes to bed, I have a little “me” time, plus we’re starting to work out how she can take naps that last longer than 10 minutes without having me hold her for the duration. Not that I mind snuggling with my baby, but it’s nice to have my arms free occasionally!
Now I just need to figure out how to display these without spending a fortune on framing them. Oh, and I still need to stitch the other eleven months. Details, details…
While I was out buying the thread I needed for this, I bought a couple of patterns for cross-stitched ornaments and some fabric to stitch them on. My goal for Christmas this year is to have an “unbreakable tree”. I have some felt ornaments I started last fall that are nearly done, and I’m planning to order a pattern for some knitted ornaments. This way, if we secure the tree to the wall, we won’t have to worry quite as much about having a toddler near it. (The dozen or so spun-glass heart ornaments we got as a gift the first year we were married won’t be coming out of storage for a long, long time.)
4 month well-baby visit
Vital stats:
18 weeks, 2 days old
13 lbs. 15 oz.
25″ tall
Round number 2 of shots today. They weren’t nearly so traumatic as last time, apparently – just a few tears instead of screaming bloody murder. Carolyn’s still in the 50th percentile for weight, but she jumped to the 75th for height! Maybe she got Denis’ tall genes instead of my short ones?
We got to talk about starting solids today. On the one hand I can’t wait, but on the other, I don’t think Carrie’s quite ready yet and I – yes, me, Carrie’s Mommy – think it would be better to wait. Unless she starts signaling that she needs solids before then, I’m planning to wait until after the musical is over – so another 5 or 6 weeks. I’m sure people will think I’m cruel, because she watches us intently and drools when we eat, so of course she must be starving. In fact, I get comments about it from family, friends, and complete strangers already. But she also watches intently and drools when I knit, fold clothes and talk on the phone. So obviously I ought to give her some knitting needles, the laundry detergent and a calling card. (Oops, was that as sarcastic as it sounds?)
The other thing I don’t get (as long as I’m on an “I’m the mommy so I know best” rant) is why there seems to be this prevailing attitude that babies are out to get their parents. It’s not just the pediatrician, it’s also (well-meaning, I’m sure) family, friends, and the ever-present complete strangers. The general gist is that if you respond to your crying baby in the middle of the night, she’s training you to respond to her when she cries. This is a Bad Thing, because then she learns that she can get what she wants out of you by crying long enough or hard enough. I believe that if I don’t respond to my crying baby in the middle of the night, all she learns is that when she needs me most I won’t come. We’ll work the sleep thing out eventually, I’m sure, and in the meantime I’m just going to lie to people and say through a sweet smile, “why, yes, she sleeps through the night like a perfect angel!” when they ask.
Wow. Apparently, I needed to get that off my chest. Now I need to go check on Carrie, since she’s been sleeping since we left the pediatrician’s office two hours ago. I guess getting shots is hard work!