Today Hazel is 4 months. Makes me think about her development & growth, and also about how my life has changed so much. None of this is unique -- I'm pretty sure it makes me just like every other mom out there! But I still do believe she's amazingly special -- the spark in her eye charms the hell out of me. I think back on her delivery and kind of want to do it again actually! Like riding a mechanical bull -- it was crazy & kind of hurt, but still exciting, and you think you could do better next time so you want to go again. I'm so thankful I had a positive birth experience. Ummm, and just for you annoying people that keep asking if we're going to have another one anytime soon, the above statement does NOT mean that we're getting on the wagon again!
Hazel has officially found her hands. Play time is so much more fun now that she loves to touch things and poke at them. She has a favorite little fuzzy/silky hanky that she loves to touch, and a stuffed/crinkly ladybug book that she will play with endlessly. This playful autonomy has led to more time in her swing or on the floor -- playing with stuff as opposed to just cuddling with me. I'd assert that we still probably interact more than the average mother/baby, but I'm just trying to make the investment in her becoming capable of self-entertaining. It gives me a bit of a guilt trip; I'm not quite used to having time to switch laundry, much less fold it. And it's weird because I've adjusted to tasking with one hand, and it seems like such a luxury to work with both. At the same time, it's still impossible to find time to do all the things I want to do like working out, learning spanish, cleaning adequately (and blogging). I'm glad we humans don't have litters -- I can't imagine caring for more than just her (well, her and Tory). What is that Angelina-wannabe in California thinking?!?!
Hazel can really coo up a storm. It's got to be the sweetest thing I've ever heard. She also has started laughing, and laughs most at her dad. I've always struggled with being silly, so it's a bit of a learning experience for me -- trying to figure out dumb things to do to get that giggle to come out. She's also getting great at holding on when being held. She sleeps from about 8:30 to 8:30, often longer, and takes at least two good naps during the day. Her hair (sigh...) is definitely falling out, and I wonder if it will come back blonde like mine did. Her eyes are still very blue, and I kind of want to believe that they will stay that way.
Nursing is still going really well, and continues to be one of the most magical experiences of my life. With our dishwasher still broken, I may just nurse her forever to cut back on the dishes I have to wash by hand! Still planning to nurse for as long as it seems to work, up to a year. We'll try some cereal at 6 months...which unfortunately will mean dishes. Seriously -- there are just way better things to do than housework!
She's a bit of a chunker & quickly filling out her 3-6 month clothing. I hope she doesn't move to 6-12 month stuff too quickly as everything I have is for warm weather. Dressing her is still one of my favorite activities! I know, I know...that makes me lame & cheesy.
We sit at the piano almost every afternoon and play & sing songs. She seems to be getting the hang of it -- she starts making sounds and every once in awhile I will think I hit a wrong note only to look down & spot her fingers on the keys. I really hope that Tory & I can thoroughly show her the varying heritages we both come from, and hopefully she'll enjoy it all.
Our friend Steph brought over an excersaucer the other day, and Hazel has been loving it. I had to put an atlas in the bottom as her legs aren't quite long enough. She fell asleep in it the other day. I took a picture to go along with the encyclopedia of pictures I have of myself as a baby sleeping absolutely everywhere and anywhere. I can take myself to dreamland in just about any situation, but Tory always battles with sleep. I'm hoping her good sleep habits are foreshadowing of being a super-duper sleeper. That's definitely a Tummons gene, and a great talent to have if you ask me.
Speaking of genes, Tory started drilling me at 1am the other night about my grandparents and exetended family. Asking about height, weight, health problems, dispositions, etc. After awhile I asked why, and he said something about wanting to know what our future kids might be up for, genetically speaking. That guy is a nature guy for sure! (...in the whole nature/nurture world, that is.)
Well, Hazel is waking up & I've officially spent all my free time on the computer today. Guess Tory's shirts will have to wait until the next nap to get ironed. She is looking a bit woozy today with her Tylenol-buzz. Pretty funny. But it's better than the post-vaccine fever that was causing her so much misery.
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