Sofie Giggles

There's a lot to smile about at our house!

Four Months

Little Worm you are four months (and one day!) old, and you are really not so little anymore. This month has just flown by, and it scares me how fast time goes by and how quickly you change. Every little milestone is so exciting, but some days I just wish I could make the time stand still and burn your sweetness into my memory.

This has been my first month back to work full-time, and it is both fulfilling and heartbreaking. I feel like I've entered a second "stage" in our lives together. Those first few months, ripe with meeting you and learning your habits, spending every moment of my day with you, have necessarily ended. I feel slightly detached now, and it saddens me. I want so much to be your everything. Sometimes I cry on Sunday nights because our quality weekend time is coming to an end. I know that grandma will soon be sweeping in and taking over, and I don't want to let go. I could never be keeping up with this crazy schedule without her help, but it is the hardest thing in the world for me to let someone else be there for you because I can't. Six more months...the countdown has begun!

This Christmas-time was hard for me too. I didn't have time to bake cookies or think of thoughtful gifts. I couldn't even make some of the handmade things I had planned for. Christmas came, feeling like little more than just another day for me, and then it was gone. I always want Christmas to feel special, but I was especially sorry that my memories of this Christmas, your very first Christmas, were marred by too little time and too much stress. I'm so glad that you don't know yet Worm. Next year will be better.

Despite my emotional leanings this month, you have been an absolute ray of sunshine. You are always delightful, easygoing and quick to smile. You really only cry when you're hungry, and hardly protest even when we drag you around past your bedtime. You play by yourself beautifully, grasping your toys and pulling them towards yourself, always in a quest to pop them into your mouth for a taste. You can hang on to a rattle now, and you wave it around haphazardly, often bonking yourself in the face. You're enjoying tummy time more and more lately, and you grunt and concentrate on trying to pull your knees up under your bottom. It'll be awhile before you're successful at it, but the intention is definitely there. You've recently found your feet and you pull your toes up into your mouth and roll from your back to your side, feet in hand. You're getting better and better at popping your thumb in your mouth too, though you're not so sure that you like the taste of it once it's there.

You are smitten with your daddy, and you've been giggling at him regularly for weeks. He held the honor of being the only one who could make you laugh for quite awhile until very recently when you've finally let me in on the fun a few times. You watch him intently, often focused on him even when he isn't paying attention to you. It's as if you know you're his spitting image and you're observing him so you can model your actions after his.

You are such an amazing little creature, Worm. I'm not sure what I did to deserve a baby girl as wonderful as you are, but it must've been something really really great.

The State of My Weight

Our old scale broke about a month ago. I just bought a new one today, and granted I only paid 6 bucks for it and I'm not sure if that bodes well for it's accuracy, but it just told me I only have 8 more pounds to lose before I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Woohoo!

Filler

My wall calendar says it's the 20th, my advent calendar says it's the 12th...I have so much to write about...hoping for some time this weekend!

Update

Hello Internet!
I don't have much time to post, but seeing as I have effectively freaked everyone out, I thought I'd take a minute and let you know that all is (tentatively) well at the Otto house. Sofie is doing just fine. Although we're still unsure what caused Sofie's malady, the medical establishment's best guess is that something irritated her stomach. There's some thought that it might be a milk allergy and I've been asked to cut milk from my diet. Do you have any idea how many things have milk in them?!! But of course, my bean is worth the hassle. Thanks for everyone's kind thoughts...we're happy to be home and healthy!

Drama

We took Sofie to the ER on Sunday night spitting up blood. We came home this evening after two nights in the hospital spent trying to decipher what could be wrong. We're still not sure, but we are pretty sure that it isn't something extremely serious or life threatening. Sofie was her happy, busy self through the whole ordeal. I have a whole new level of empathy for families spending extended time in the hospital and a new appreciation for my warm bed and the warm little body lying next to me in it. I'll update as we learn more!

Baby Blue Eyes

Celebration!!

Above are the remains of a little celebration which occurred at our house tonight. Around noon today Ben accepted a really great job in his field! We are so thrilled, and we couldn't have asked for a more amazing Christmas gift!

Chatty Sofie

My kid, she loves to talk...



...and just in case you weren't convinced...

Three Months

My sweet girl you are three months old today! This morning I took you in for your three month pictures and a stroll around the mall. You are such a good baby. You hang out in your stroller and take in all the sights, coo and smile when people stop to talk to you, and rarely make a grump. Sofie, you'd better get a lot less fun to hang out with if you're interested in being an only child for long.

This month has been big for you. It seems like every time I turn around you're trying your hand at something new. You are getting so strong, and your body is no longer a flailing mass. Now it is under your control, an extension of you, and you're delighted to shove your hand in my mouth for some kisses, or pull your toys down from your activity bar. You interact with us beautifully. One of your favorite things to do is to blow raspberries at us and wait for us to blow them back. When you were first learning how you would work so hard to get your tongue to go where you wanted it, then work so hard to get some air to come out (sometimes it would come out your nose!) and then when you finally got it right you'd light up with your accomplishment. You also love it when papa blows raspberries on you. You are closest to laughing when he gets your belly, cheeks, and chubby thighs. You were teasing us weeks ago with your first little chuckle, and we've been anxiously unsuccessful at squeezing more out of you ever since.

This month you've also learned to languish in your stretches, and you arch your little back and throw your little arms straight up over your head gleefully. When we change your diaper your little legs stiffen straight out and you grunt as if you've been waiting all day for a chance to do just that.

I spend a lot of time imagining what you'll look like with hair and teeth, what kinds of questions you'll bowl me over with, and what types of interests you'll develop in your lifetime. I'm so grateful that I get to play a key role in your happy childhood memories. I don't know how much your little three month being can understand, but when you're nursing and you look up at me with your eyes sparkling and we both can't keep from grinning, I believe you can feel just how much I love you. I hope that even when you're making me walk six feet behind you at the mall, you'll know that I'm still grinning and I still love you.