Under the weather

Dear Catalina,
For the past few days, you seem to be suffering from a bit of a cold.  You're very snotty and having trouble sleeping.  Poor little munchkin!  Luckily it doesn't seem to be too serious and its not really affecting your personality during the day--you are still as smiley and fun as usual.  Still it is awful to hear you suffer at night.  You seem to appreciate cuddling even more when you don't feel well!

I just can't get over how much you've changed in the last few months.  I can't even put my finger on all the things that are different, but I know for sure you are changing.  You've started sucking in your bottom lip in the last few days and making a humming sound.  You also seem to be very much interested in our dog, Rizo.  You laugh and smile at her all the time.  I'm so glad you seem to like animals.  I wouldn't know what to do if you didn't! 

I've been thinking lately about how foolish I feel to not have wanted to have children before having you.  You really are the most amazing thing I've ever done.

Just a short post tonight. 

Goodnight, sweetheart.
Mommy

A few steps forward, a few steps back

Dear Catalina,
I have noticed so many changes in you these last few days--actually since we returned from our trip.  You seem so much more jolly lately--it is really easy to make you smile.  You are "singing" more and more too, and when we swing you around you have a little chuckle that I've never heard before.  More and more, you want to stand or sit and look at the world around you.  It is so amazing to watch you change.  I bought you a little "jenny jump up".  You don't really jump yet, but you seem to enjoy spinning around and almost making yourself jump!

We took you swimming for the first time last Friday.  At first you were a little overwhelmed at the kids and the noise (to be honest so were Daddy and I).  I was nervous because the water felt a little cold.  I really didn't know how you would react.  You didn't cry and gradually you really seemed to enjoy gliding around in the water.  I think we are going to make this a fairly common outing.  You slept very well afterwards as well which was an added bonus!  That same day I took you for a jog in your jogging stroller for the first time.  You spent the entire time singing and shouting--so I guess you enjoyed that too!

Yesterday, Daddy figured out a way to get you to roll over again.  So once again you rolled over twice in a row and failed to repeat it today.  So frustrating, baby girl!  I'm not as anxious about your motor development as I once was, but I still do worry a little.  I can't help it.  Your 4-month visit to the doctor was last Thursday.  She said you looked great.  You were 15 lbs 8 oz which is about 70th percentile for your age.  Not bad!  You've slipped a little in height--once upon a time you were 75th percentile and now you are only 63rd--still better than your mom has ever been I'm sure!  Your noggin is 81st percentile which is great!

Today we officially started to give you some solid food.  We've been giving you tastes for a few weeks now, but today I actually pureed some fruit and Daddy "fed" it to you.  It was nectarines today.  You seem to enjoy the eating part.  Sometimes you would make this hilarious sour puss face, but you didn't refuse it afterwards, so I guess it wasn't so bad. It is going to be fun to experiment with different foods for you.  Tomorrow--avocado!

So those were the steps forward.....  Unfortunately, while we were traveling you apparently decided that you shouldn't have to sleep alone.  When you wake up and find yourself alone, you let out the saddest little wail I have ever heard!  It breaks my heart!  As soon as you have someone to cuddle, you quiet down and fall back to sleep, but until then you sob your little heart out.  Oh I can't tell you how well you can manipulate me at such a young age!  I was hoping to start working toward getting you to sleep in your own crib, but it seems you have other plans.  I must admit, I love cuddling with you, too.  I'm sure that doesn't help matters much!  I wish I could describe how awesome it feels to have you put your little arms around me and fall into a deep sleep.  Sometimes you wake up and look straight into my eyes for a little while--like you're looking into my soul.  Man, you are a masterpiece!

Well sweetie, Dad is trying to get me to watch a movie with him, so I better go.  I can't wait to see what new things you have in store for us in the next few days.

Love you,
Mommy

Traveling

Dear Catalina,
We are in the middle of your first long distance trip away from Flagstaff after your first plane ride.  We first went to San Francisco for daddy's cousin Elianna's wedding and then came to Indianapolis to see Nana and Poppa.  I was so nervous about flying with you.  You were great though.  You slept most of the time and everyone said how well-behaved you were.  I'm so proud.  Your first experience with airplanes wasn't too great as we missed our connection in Phoenix and got to San Fran about 5 hours later than we expected, but you didn't seem to notice.  In San Francisco you got to meet a lot of family on daddy's side.  We stayed with your Aunt Sarah and cousin Lucas in a hotel room.  Lucas is about 18 months old.  He was fascinated by you.  During your first meeting, however, he bent down to kiss you and you started crying.  We soon realized by the mark under your eye that he actually bit you!  Sorry honey, but we had a good laugh about that!  I don't think he meant to hurt you. 

We all went to the Academy of Sciences and you saw lots of fishies.  I was surprised how attentive you were to the fish--until you fell asleep.  Your great aunt Donna went with us.  She was very happy to get to meet you.  The next morning you met your great Aunt Jules and Uncle Dave and also your second cousin Abraham.  You slept through that too!  At the wedding you met your cousin Kylee, and your great Aunt AJ, and second cousins Alex and Daniel.  Some other folks that you are probably related to, but I'll let Daddy explain them to you!  You were the star of the party--so adorable.  You didn't let your mommy see the ceremony or stay very long at the reception, but that was ok.  I wore a silly long dress that kept getting stepped on, so I was happy to have an excuse to leave!

Once again you were great on the flights from San Fran to Indy.  You cried a little bit more, but we were able to distract you fairly quickly.  At one point daddy took you into the toilet to change your diaper.  He flushed the toilet and scared the dickens out of you!  Once in Indy your Nana and Poppa were so happy to see you.  We left to go see Auntie Marie Anne in South Bend the next day.  You met your cousins Julianne and Caitlin, too.  Aunt Marie Anne loved you and you smiled a lot with her.  We all came back to Nana and Poppa's house on Friday and then met Uncle Chris, Aunt Meredyth, Uncle Hugh and your cousins Genevieve and Josephine on Saturday.  Whew! so many relatives!  Genevieve and Josephine were so excited to meet you.  On Sunday night I left you for the first time with someone other than Daddy.  I knew you would be ok with Nana, but I was a bit worried you would cry a lot.  Apparently you did just fine.  This trip has messed up your eating and sleeping schedule and you have developed some bad habits.  You really like for one of us to be with you when you sleep.  A couple of nights we left you in the bed and you woke up with the saddest sounding cries.  They really break my heart!  You just want someone to hold you.  I can't resist--which probably isn't helping you learn to sleep alone! 

Tomorrow we leave to go home.  I am going to be happy to be home, but it will be weird to not be visiting with family.  I hope you don't get to bored with just daddy and I!  Ok sweetheart, this post wasn't terribly exciting, but I wanted to document the first time you met your cousins etc.  Please be good on the plane tomorrow!

Good night, my little one.
Mommy