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 Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker

Thursday, April 26, 2012

13 Weeks


Weight: Haven't weighed her this week...
Height: or measured her... 
Favorite activity: baby pull ups!
Favorite food: breast milk
Favorite spot: on that play gym!
Naughtiest moment: Kicking and pushing against mom so hard in the bath that her head dipped under the water
Important milestones: First week without mom, first visit with Great Grandma Lou and Great Great Aunt Ellie, able to hold her head up without assistance
How Mom's Feeling: Well, we survived our first week with me back at work. We couldn't have done it without the amazing talents of Brian, Barbara and May. It was great to be back, but I really missed being at home with Lorelei. I definitely look forward to the weekends--and what a weekend it was!

I totally had this weekend packed with activities. On Saturday, we did part 1 of grocery shopping (Trader Joe's), plus we drove down to Gilroy to celebrate cousin Maddie's 1st birthday. It was also ridiculously, epically HOT! Like 90 degrees in Gilroy! Lorelei was definitely NOT a fan of that much heat! It also cured me of any desire to have a big get to-do for Lorelei's first birthday. Brittney did an amazing job, but it looked like SO MUCH WORK! There had to be at least 40 people there. I'm thinking we're definitely doing a smaller get together here at the house for Lorelei's first. Sunday, we did part 2 of grocery shopping (Safeway), a shopping trip to Old Navy (for mom, NOT baby!), a picnic in the park and then an unexpected visit from Brian's Grandma Lou and Great Aunt Ellie! It was so sweet to see Lorelei cuddled up with her Great Grandma!



The hardest part for me this week was definitely being away from Lorelei. Confession: when I was doing the Kindergarten pick up, I felt a not-so-small degree of jealousy towards all the other moms picking up their Kinders with babies in tow. As I've said before, I love my job. But I desperately miss being home with Lorelei. I've only been at work a little over a week now, but I just feel like I'm missing so much. 


On the plus side, I made it to an early park meetup on Friday. A few of us met at the duck pond at the Palo Alto Baylands park. It was a beautiful morning, and Lorelei got to nurse in the sun--the park was dead and for a while it was only the ducks, Lorelei and I--which really felt glorious. It really inspired me to get out more in the mornings with Lorelei. My new goal is to take her out for a walk each morning at 10 am (as long as the weather is good). I get exercise and we get mommy and baby time.


As always, some photos of our week:
Tummy Time!

On her way to the park with BeeBee!

Sleeping like her papa!

Ready for a party!

Visiting with Grandma Janet and Grandpa Dan

Hiding at the picnic!

Hanging with her papa!

Enjoying the park!

Playing Scrabble with the girls

Cuddling with Great Grandma Lou!

Playing with BeeBee!

Look who's holding on to her favorite giraffe!
Outtakes

Outtakes


Caught in a Sneeze part 1
Caught in a Sneeze part 2


Wednesday, April 18, 2012

12 Weeks



Weight: 11ish pounds
Height: 23ish inches 
Favorite activity: still loving the play gym
Favorite food: breast milk
Favorite spot: curled up with mom in bed
Naughtiest moment: Epic blowout!
Important milestones: First time sticking her feet in the sand. First road trip! First day without Mom.
How Mom's Feeling: Pretty good. This has kind of been a bittersweet week--my last on maternity leave. All I wanted to do was hold Lorelei--but we also got a lot of activities packed in! We went to the park twice--found our new favorite! It's right next to University Ave. in Palo Alto. Small, clean, lots of grass, lots of sand and lots of cool things to do. It looks like the perfect place for a picnic! We had a visit with Jaime, Gladys and Lilly--we had lunch and went to our park, even got to put her feet in the sand! Then she got to spend a day with Grandma BeeBee, while Dad, Auntie Bonnie and I went to the shooting range for Brian's birthday. Sunday was our first road trip to Sacramento. She slept the whole way there! Lots of fun visiting some of our favorite people! Auntie Mel has definitely popped--we can't wait to meet the newest family member in July!


Monday, of course, was the hardest. My first day back at work. Not gonna lie, I got a little teary there on my drive in. It's hard because I want to be home with the baby, but I really do love my job and the people I work with. It was Brian's first day on Daddy Duty, but he did a pretty good job, overall!


As always, some photos of our week:





Ready for our road trip!



Grady--future husband?



But I don't want to go home!

Caught sucking her thumb!


Making "Mr. Smithers Hands"!









Look who found her hands this week!



Thursday, April 12, 2012

A Very Merry Unbirthday!

So I've been thinking a lot about birthdays and birthday parties lately. Our niece, Maddy, is having her first birthday party in a few weeks and I was talking to her parents about the party. They're expecting somewhere around 40 people for this shindig!  Fortunately, her birthday party is in late April, so they can be inside and outside.

This got me thinking about Lorelei's birthday. It's in January, not the most hospitable of months for a big party. And our house definitely does not have enough space inside for such a gathering!

Now, Brian's family always had the tradition of having a party with the number of people for how old you were (so 5 people for your 5th birthday). I usually had a family dinner at my favorite restaurant and a big to-do in our backyard with my friends when I got older.

So here's what I'm thinking: A small gathering for her actual January birthday--just family. You know, something simple. But then a big potluck picnic Unbirthday party in June (6 months after her birthday). No gifts, just a fun get together at a local park. And wouldn't it be cool to have an Alice in Wonderland/Mad Hatter Unbirthday Tea Party theme? Little compostable tea cups, iced tea and lemonade, cake, balloons...We could have as many people as we want, there would be a playground for bigger kids.

Just a few party ideas:

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

11 Weeks



Weight: 10ish pounds
Height: 23 inches 
Favorite activity: still loving the play gym
Favorite food: breast milk
Favorite spot: curled up with mom in bed
Naughtiest moment: Pooping in the tub. With mom in it! Not too fun!
Important milestones: Slept 8 hours in a row for 3 consecutive nights, plus slept in the Pack and Play for 4 nights in a row!
How Mom's Feeling: Good. We had a really nice week--we went to the park, we went out for tea, we did some gardening, we visited with family...Easter was good, although exhausting for baby! We did the morning with at my Dad and Step-Mom's house--a delicious Easter breakfast, fun visit with family plus an Easter Egg Hunt. While Lorelei was napping, the big kids all brought Brian eggs for Lorelei! In the afternoon, we went to Grandma BeeBee and Poppy's house. Took some pictures in the backyard, Lorelei took a nice long nap and we had dinner. 


Looking forward to this next week. It's bittersweet, too, since it's my last week of maternity leave.


Some highlights of our week:
Lorelei's "Waking Up" Faces




Our trip to the duck pond
It was a bit chilly and windy!
Happy Easter!
Look what the Easter Bunny left!

Happiest Easter Bunny ever!

Official Easter outfit (complete with matching shoes!)

Hanging out with Aunt Brittney

Cuddling with Mama

Cousin Maddy wants to say hello. She's aggressively affectionate!

Eating lunch with Poppy!

I like Easter Eggs!

Pouty mouth!


Looks like Daddy!

Ready for Gardening!

Official gardening ensemble!

Mama's helper!

Our new flowerbed!

Laughing at Papa!

Checking out the new Pack and Play

Our hardcore girl, ready for some wet weather!

Week 11 Outtake