Biker Chick, or aunt jemima?

People!

So I have this new bandanna, and depending on how I wear it, I can look like a biker-chick or aunt jemima. Cool, no?

I have some neat new skills, really I do, but first of all, the editors would like to apologize for the short "nothing new" posts of late. For an embarrassing contrast, check out the beautiful 5-month post that Claire's parents wrote for her.

Now, the editors could hide behind the fact that this first-person style is a little harder to write than the third-person style, but that doesn't really make up for all the things they forgot to talk about. Like the fact that I've started liking Papa after several months of only liking Mama. Or how my big smile and beautiful blue eyes can really cheer up the room. Or that I have outstanding head control, or that I blow the best raspberries. It's not fair that the second child should get compared to her brother, but that's the way it is sometimes. I'm pretty amazing for my age. The one thing I've gotten too little credit for is how "easy" of a baby I've been - no colic, no tummy-aches, very little stress, really.

I like baths, I like being bounced around a little. I LOVE my brother. Yes - it will probably be embarrassing to find this in a few years, but there's just nothing that makes me smile more than if Daniel does something funny. And if he cries, I cry too.

Skills -well, the big one is that I can now transfer an item from one hand to the other. I also stand up more, can *almost* sit stably, and we're not going to focus on the whole rolling over thing - which I could probably do, but I don't see the point in yet. I have done a full 360-degree rotation on the back of my head, and yes, I'm losing a little hair because of it.

I have slept through the night, just to prove that I can, but that's not always what I feel like doing. Sometimes I might wake up and want to use Mama as a pacifier -> the parents think I'm literally milking their affection. I can get SO MAD if they try to let me "cry it out", so I usually win that battle.

I have a bit of a rash - probably from the heat. Or the sunscreen. Or possibly the chlorine at the pool. Or maybe a little bit of everything.

And THAT is about it for this time.

Love, R.

Five months old

Friends

I'm five months old today, which means that the paparazzi were out in force. Aren't I cute?

No real updates of significance around here, really.

Love, R.

Thrones

Peoples!

When I sit, I like to do so in comfort - in fact, I'll remind you with great volume if I'm not happy. These are the two favorites right now -> the "bumbo", which basically forces you to sit upright, and the carseat.

I'll hold onto an object, and will even stretch to get one that's out of my range. I still haven't figured out this "rolling over" thing yet, but it's coming. Tummy time is not as annoying as it used to be.





I like making little raspberry noises and squeals. I think "goo'" is for sissies. No hard consonants or complex sounds yet.

I now have my passport, so I'm set for seeing my cousins in about a month.


Until next time.

R.

Ah-Goo!

I have to tell you that I'm particularly fond of this picture of myself - it may look like light reflections off the leather chair, but it's really a Halo...

This is my demeanor most of the time, really -> I'm happier all the time, and rarely require that someone carry me around in "the grip" for a long time before calming down. I'm also starting to understand that a pacifier has calming properties, and for both of these developments, the parents are grateful.

I have a couple of seats of my own now, but my favorite is called a "Bumbo". Very handy device, it is - it causes me to sit upright, and with that, I can participate in the dinner experience.

Yes, I've been eating rice cereal now and then for the last 2 weeks, and all I can say about it is... Yecch! Who came up with the idea of this stuff? It's not tasty. Spoons are messy, and I am in general not a fan of the whole thing. So I'm eating solids now-and-then.















I am most definitely in the oral stage, and I chew on just about everything. Toys, knuckles, whatever. Also I've started laughing a lot. No-one can make me laugh like Daniel can - that boy is funny.

I'm not rolling over quite yet (But I'm SOOO close) nor am I crawling. I can, however, push my butt in the air and rotate around on the back of my head. And that's how I get around. I even managed to launch myself off the bed the other day, which no-one was expecting. I'm ok.

Here's the family. It's not the best shot of me, but it's not a easy to get everyone smiling at the same time. And finally - me and my great-grandmother mormor.

And that's about it for now.

Love. R.

Four Months Old!

Friends!

I'm four months old, and I'm all smiles about it. Yes I am, Yes I am... Lots of spontaneous smiles, and some evidence that I recognize Mama and (sometimes) Papa as people especially deserving of a smile.

At the four-month checkup I registered in at the 25th percentile for weight and head size, and the 80th for length. So again - I'm a tall skinny girl. The modelling career is still intact. That's about where I was at the 2-month mark.

Farmor is visiting, as is my great-grandmother "mormor" and Grandpa. We'll have to get a family shot for the next blog entry. Suffice it to say that I'm enjoying the extra attention.

I've gotten much better with tummy time - I used to scream like I was going to die, but now I tolerate it pretty well. I'm not rolling over, but I'm darned close and it's really just a question of time before I get that right.

I've also been practicing sitting, and I'm pretty goood at it. This is me in my new highchair (yes, it's just like Daniel's) and I also have a "bumbo" chair. So there's a lot of focus on the back and head control. Sitting up means that there are more interesting photos coming up - these "laying around" shots are kind of boring.

I'm grabbing things and holding them now. I'll pick up toys and hold them in both hands. Mostly I like sucking on my knuckles.


I'm still sleeping through the night, and I wake up as content as can be. I eat well, I'm sometimes fussy if I'm tired or hungry, but really I'm a pretty easy baby to deal with. And my personality is becoming more interesting.

And that's about it for this time. Hope all is well with everyone.

Love, R.

I'm more 3-and-a-half months old

Friends!

So this is my second cousin Elaine who got married this weekend. And allthough she's cute and all that, I really just wanted you to know that I can now ride in my Baby Bjorn facing forward.

I went to Chicago this weekend, and there I celebrated my 100th day on this earth. Now, I'm past that and closing in on 4 months old.

In addition to my excellent head control which allows me to face forward, I'm also doing crunches these days. Check out the video.



I "blow raspberries" and bubbles, so I'm figuring out the phbbth sound. I really like nibbling on my knuckles these days, and I'm a pretty mellow kid. I will let you know if I'm not happy.

Sometimes the only way to calm me down is to hold me in a football grip. That means that I'm laying on Papa's forearm with my head towards his elbow. I'm heavyish when carried like that.


OK, it's late and the editor needs sleep. Hope all are well.

Love, R.

It's been a week of being held

Hey there



Now when you're my size, you sort of get passed around and held a lot. I like it, really I do. So in order of appearance, here's me with Jackie, my great-Aunt Molly and Ol Granny.



Let's see. Accomplishments.... Hmm. Well, there are some, actually. I said my first verified two-syllable word last week. Ah-goo.

And I can bring my hands together



And I'm doing crunches



And I turned three months old



And I'm getting the typical baby bald-spot on the back of my head.

If the parents put one arm under me, I can roll over, otherwise I'm "really close", but I get so mad when I'm on my tummy.

And that's the update for this week. Until next time.

Love, R.