Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Sally Bug!

Dear Sally,

I think you enjoyed your first Christmas day.  It got off to a rough start: you woke up at about 5:30 and nursed well, but then threw up quite a lot of milk.  We got you and me cleaned up, you nursed some more and went back to sleep.  When Walter woke up you started to stir, too, and we all met up down in the kitchen to start making breakfast. Umma and Baba played with you while Walter, Daddy and I made puff pancakes.  I've been making those pancakes for Christmas breakfast since I was 14 years old and brought the recipe home from my jr. high foods class. It was fun to get your brother in on making them this year, and I could imagine you beating the eggs while he mixes the flour in years to come.

No longer safe!

You were interested in the baking, and especially interested in the eating ... you are watching us eat very intently these days!  And drooling! Daddy says you are starring in the movie Drooly and Droolia. That's a really good sign that you are getting ready to eat solid foods, and maybe even starting to get your first teeth.  Walter has been looking forward to getting to feed you your rice cereal, but you (and he) will have to wait a few more months.  In the meantime, we hold you with us at the table and let you watch ... you're getting a little too good at grabbing at things, though! We've almost lost a plate or two already.  When you get bored and frustrated with the table we let you play in the rainforest bouncer.  You are very serious about your playing and do an excellent job exploring all the different moving and sound-making parts. You are starting to do sits ups in it, though, so pretty soon we'll have to get you sitting up with us in the high chair.

After breakfast, you and I sat and nursed by the tree.  You were a little distracted by the beautiful lights, and also by me ... we like to smile at each other a lot, and sometimes that gets in the way of eating. I really enjoyed that quiet moment with you, before the present unwrapping began, just you and me and our little Christmas tree.

You love looking at the tree.

We unwrapped presents next.  You were really interested in the tissue paper from the gift bags and almost got to eat it a couple of times ... you are stronger and more persistent than I'd realized! You got many wonderful gifts, including a Mickey Mouse Club book from Walter (he helped me read it to you a few times that afternoon.)  We put you in your exersaucer and you immediately went for the teething flower, but then you turned your attention to the moving/noise making parts and had them all figured out within minutes.

You took a nice long nap on Umma while Walter, Daddy and I went outside to work off some of our excess energy and cabin fever.  It has been snowy and cold.  We haven't left the house much, which you don't mind as long as we keep you engaged with various activities.

As the day continued you had some bored moments and some colicky moments. Dr. L. says that colic is just you becoming aware of the world and not being entirely pleased with what you find. You had your four month well child check up on Boxing Day and Dr. L. was once again very pleased with you and your progress. Your stats: height: 24.25 inches (50th percentile); weight: 13 lbs, 7 oz (25th percentile); head circumference: 16.63 inches (90th percentile! Dr. L: "Her brain is taking off!")

You love your toes!!

It's taken me a week to write this post; today is your first New Years Day.  New Years and New Years Day tend to be pretty mellow for our little family.  And goopy.  Walter and I are both sick with a bad cold, and he just started antibiotics for an ear infection. He threw up at dinner last night which gave me a serious case of New Years Eve deja vu. You are a little congested, too, which makes you spit up now and then, but you are clearly doing quite well in spite of the spitting.  You are sleeping pretty well: you have taken up long afternoon naps, which makes our nights a little more difficult but I enjoy napping with you very much indeed.  You wake up happy, with big smiles and bright shining eyes. You are alert and very, very busy.  Most of your complaining these days is due to boredom; you approach every task (chewing on a teething frog, the activities in your exersaucer) with great intensity and focus.

Last night Daddy was trying to get your brother to sleep and Baba was trying to keep you entertained. He picked up Walter's toy helicopter--he'd discovered on Christmas day that you are very interested in the helicopter sounds.  He pressed the button to make the sounds and realized it was too loud--it would distract Walter from his bedtime routine.  So, he tried showing you the helicopter without making the sounds.  You reacted like you'd been pinched. HUGE scream, full-body sobs.  We comforted you and you settled down right away, but I have to admit ... it was pretty funny.  You are little, baby Sally, but you have big opinions.

You've got a good grip on me, baby girl.

Today we hung out around the house; you did good playing with Baba and very good napping with me. You grabbed my hand and wouldn't let go, which meant I didn't actually get much sleep, but somehow by the time you woke up I felt rested and better than I have in days.  You have a healing touch, I think.  In the afternoon we made pretzels, inspired by Walter's new favorite book from Christmas, Walter the Baker. They turned out beautifully and I think it'll be a new family tradition.  You watched us eat them with this look on your face like "I can't believe it.  They're eating again. Right in front of me! And they aren't going to give me any!!" Soon, baby, soon.  And, if we make them again next New Year's, you will certainly get a pretzel.

Now you are sleeping--rather lightly--in your bassinet. You are too big for it but we don't have your room and your crib ready, yet. I know it's time, maybe past time, to make that move, but I love having you close by.  You are growing up very fast, Sally Bug. To say "I'm loving every minute of it" sounds cliche and exaggerated.  You spit up right into my ear yesterday. For real. It was disgusting. And yet ... honestly, I do feel like I'm loving every minute, or at least very fully enjoying all the time I get to spend with you. And I love watching you enjoy life more and more, too.  You may be colicky and displeased with the world sometimes, but you are also delighted with the Christmas tree, fascinated by chewing, intrigued by the dog ... and today you laughed for the first time without tickling while you watched your brother dance.

Here's to 2014, Sally Bug!  It'll be a year of many "firsts" for you.  As your awareness grows, may you be increasingly pleased with all you discover!

Love,
Mama