Life & Love at the Meadsters: November 2011

Tick Tock, Tick Tock.

The time is flying by, just like everyone said it would.
Lia has already passed the 2 month mark (she's 11 weeks right now) and is racing toward 12 weeks/3 months way too fast. I want so badly to turn everything off and make it all slow down...but that's just not the way it works. Additionally, I'll be returning to work in a few short weeks adding to the angst and realization this blissful and incredibly special time will be coming to an end and a new reality will be upon us. Fortunately we have mine and Todd's parents nearby, so we will have wonderful help as this new chapter begins. At least there is a sense of peace and comfort knowing she will be well-cared for.

So much continues to unfold in terms of her development. My favorite *new* thing is all her SMILES!!!! Oh my goodness. She had a few grins here and there around Week 3, but now she just lights up the room with her sweet smile and tiny giggles. It's the best thing in the world to see her go. She is completely amused by wind blowing on her skin so you know what that means....yep, Daddy and Mommy look like simple fools blowing air in her face just to catch her adorable reaction. She also gets the biggest kick if we blow raspberries and give playful kisses on her belly and chest.

She's also producing many new NOISES. This includes continued changes in the pitch and volume of her cries (um, screams!) and other fascinating gurgles and coos. It is so much fun to hear what she will sound like next. I promise, I heard her say 'Ma' the other day. She began crying and it totally sounded just like 'Maaaaaaaaaa'. It melted my heart. Todd thinks I'm crazy, but I know what I heard! Ha ha.

She is also a bubble-making factory! OMG. It'll be interesting to see when she actually begins cutting her teeth. She's now having to wear a bib regularly because the bubbles and drool are non-stop. This began right around the 9 and 1/2 to 10 week mark.

She continues to gain upper and lower body strength and is doing a great job holding her little head up as much as possible. She also tries so hard to stand on her little legs and push-off if she's on your lap. We keep telling her to slow down, but she's not really listening. Uh, oh.

Lastly, and most significant (for Mommy anyway), she has started to sleep longer stretches through the night. She's gone as long as an 8 hour stretch with anything from 4 to 6 and 1/2 hours in between!!! Now, if I had known she was going to pull off 8 hours, I would have gone down at the same time that night!!! But regardless, I've started to get better sleep over the past few nights and am just praying she keeps this up. It will be so helpful when I return to work!!! What a good baby girl she is. :)

Some recent 1st's include:

- 2 month doc visit complete with a set of Immunizations (poor baby. broke our hearts.)
- 1st Halloween (check out my digs below)
- 1st shopping trip to the Mall with Mommy (so much fun, should've started this so much sooner!)
- 1st trip to a restaurant with Daddy and Mommy (celebrating Daddy on Veteran's Day)
- 1st outing to a sports event to watch Big Cousin Alex play soccer

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, our hearts are very very full!
We are truly Blessed beyond words and could not ask for anything more.
Our cup runneth over.

Some photos from the past few weeks...