7 mos old

May 13th, 2010

Dear Eowyn,
This last month has flown by. You are growing faster than our little tomato plants, and are much more fun than they are. You've learned to crawl, to unscrew screw-on lids (to your own great astonishment), to yell just for the fun of it, to push yourself up onto your feet like a little tepee, to drink from a sippy cup on your own (though I still have to help you lie down when there's just a little bit left), and to reach for things, including us. Your separation "anxiety" has grown as much as your mobility. You wail if I leave the room, even if you can see me and could crawl to me if you wanted to. Though you cry as soon as I hand you off to someone else, they tell me you settle down and are Miss Sunshine until we come get you. You really are a fun little critter. :) Today when I came to get you at school, you were playing happily with your teacher, and as soon as you saw me, you burst into tears. It was so obvious that both Mrs. Vandaveer and I burst out laughing, which you did not appreciate.

You are pretty regularly sleeping through the night, although with all the traveling we've done-- to Oregon & back, and with me to Greenville for a long weekend-- and little illnesses you've had, you waking once (or twice, unfortunately) in the night to eat isn't totally rare. You've put yourself on more of a 4 hour schedule for eating, usually taking 2 2-hour naps and one shorter one, and going to bed "for the night" at 8:30 or so. You wake up happy around 7, nurse, and then if we don't have to go anywhere, I change you, kiss on you, and put you in your crib with some soft toys. Then I crawl back in bed. You play happily for an hour or so and fall asleep, paci in mouth and blankie around yourself, until 10:30ish. Then we're both ready to eat (again) and start our day!

Eating has been quite the adventure for you! You like sitting in your high chair, and you especially like holding your spoon. When you get really into eating, you lean forward and breathe really really fast. Sometimes you shoot forward towards the spoon, and if I'm not careful you'll totally miss the spoon! Your favorites are zucchini and avocado-- you'll eat 2/3 of an avocado all by yourself in one sitting! You also enjoy pear, apple, carrot, squash, rutabaga, fermented sweet potato, egg yolk and fermented sweet & red potatoes mixed together. No more banana, though. It ties your tummy up in knots. You seem to enjoy your daily fermented cod liver oil (which is more than I can say), and take garlic oil whenever you get congested, without any complaint. You even want to suck on the syringe... yuck.

Your understanding has grown, too. You understand when we tell you not to touch, when we tell you to lie still on the changing table, and you're learning that you aren't allowed to crawl into the kitchen. You seem like a quick learner. Just a few days ago you figured out how to turn your "aquarium" on. Now we hear music, bubbles and see a glow under your door at the oddest hours. You grin SO big when you smack that button to turn it on! When we tell you not to touch, you draw back and grin at us. Of course we shower you with praise. Your smile is amazing. I'm wondering what sort of temperament you'll have. You seem sooooo happy, but then again, when we take something away that you wanted- a used spoon or dirty bib- you cry and scream and positively howl with anger.

My least favorite part of this "stage" of your life, though, is your habits while nursing. Instead of eating when you're hungry, you want to eat AND watch everything going on. Gone are the days of nursing you with just a blanket for cover. I have to take you to the most boring, quiet, dimly lit corner I can find, and even then you tend to start eating, then suddenly decide something's fascinating and suddenly stop... leaving both of us soaked and frustrated. You don't seem to realize that eating would make you feel better. *sigh* At least you're alert and interested in the world around you, munchkin.

Your favorite toys are ducks-- rubber duckies in the bath, a duck on wheels from Mama Lulu, or the little duck that once was a wet bag dispenser-- your shoes, straps & strings-- especially one string of Mardi Gras "beads" (they don't come apart) that I keep in a cloth bag. You love taking it out of its bag and playing with it. I put my sewing machine in your room and sometimes will sew with you playing nearby. We're happy just being near each other. I usually talk to you and echo your own noises back to you, to your great delight. Your favorite game is still "Boo!" You also love it when Daddy sings silly songs-- he gets you giggling with his falsetto. It's super cute and we hope you do it more often!

I love you, darling, and nothing makes me gladder than seeing you see me and grin with delight.

Love,
Mommy

Her first ever toe-nail polish (April 23rd)