Baby steps

Another week, another missed week of blogging...  Here goes again.  I want to thank Lesleigh and Brion for their suggestions--thankfully, Lydia has mostly gotten past the kicking, screaming, inconsolable phase.  She does get grouchy at night, but I can console her by rocking her vigorously to sleep.  

Gina is visiting us during her spring break, and she is proving herself to be a devoted aunt.   She's something of a baby whisperer herself, and can often console Lydia by walking with her.  Don, Gina, and I all clamor for Lydia's attention and smiles, and she obliges us with toothless grins more and more each day.  

Two days ago, as we preparing to go to bed, Lydia was bright-eyed and wide awake.  She was smiling like crazy, and was so responsive.   I stuck my tongue out at her, and she stuck hers out at me, and we kept playing like that.  Then we started to converse.  Her little coos in response to my words were just amazing.  I've read about how a baby moves its whole body in response to a parent's voice, and it's so neat to watch.  Every word I said was met with a little movement of her arms or legs, and her eyes never left my face.  I can't wait to see her as she becomes even more of a conversationalist.  

Lydia is getting baptized this Sunday.  Gina and I bought her christening dress on Wednesday.  That was a tough day.  I had my six-week appointment at 11:10--it's so much harder to get ready with a baby.  We all had to shower, and I had to give Lydia a bath.  We were all racing around the house, but we made it there.  We then headed out to Twelve Oaks mall.  I had to get an outfit for the baptism, which proved to be quite a task.  Nursing definitely changes your upper half, and dresses that fit everywhere else are tight up top, which has never been an issue for me.  I wanted to get a skirt and top anyhow, and finally got lucky at Ann Taylor.  It's super-cute, and I got a pair of cute blue patent leather peep-toe shoes to match, plus another pair of cute peep-toe denim wedges (buy one, get 2nd pair half-off).  I think this was the first time I paid full price for something in ages, but it was so hard to find something that fit and looked nice, and we were exhausted, so I went for it.  Lydie didn't really like the mall much.  She had lots of screaming episodes.  Now I know to bring a sling with me whenever I go shopping.  She likes the sling better than her carseat/stroller combination.  I do have to praise Nordstrom for having a great womens' area in their bathroom--two comfortable chairs which were great for nursing.  There are some things you never think about until you have a child.  Anyhow, that about does it.  

I'm going to try again to post some photos, but don't hold your breath.  It doesn't seem to work very well.