Smiles are Addicting: I can’t get enough of StarGirl’s smile, whether it’s the wide, gum-filled happy grin or her crooked little “ain’t I cute?” smirk. Even when this smile is the result of her having just peed all over her clothes, the changing table, and her daddy, I can’t help but smile back.
Grabbing Things is Fun: Within the last two weeks, StarGirl’s suddenly realize that she can grab things and bring them closer to her, with the eventual goal of putting them in her mouth. Her playset — which includes a play blanket with two curved bars crossing it, from which hang various stuffed animals on clips — has suddenly become a heck of a lot more fun. She does get frustrated when she grabs something and can’t quite get it to her mouth, at which point she starts grunting and letting out exasperated little grasps. But when she does snag something properly and starts chewing on it, she’s ecstatic.
Tigger Rocks: StarGirl’s favorite toy, by far, is Tigger. She loves to grab him by the arms and them hug him close, all the while positioning his little pink nose so that it goes right into her mouth. She’s an enthusiastic hugger, and loves to rock Tigger back and forth as she mouth his nose or ear.
The best time to get anything done is 2 a.m.: Solitary time is at a premium, and it doesn’t happen much during the week. The best way to get anything done, particularly projects involving lots of computer time, is 2 a.m., when the entire house is asleep and I can get in an hour or two of uninterrupted work.
Naps are a Good Thing: Thanks to a lot of hard work and doggedness on Sue’s part, StarGirl’s taking regular naps, usually around 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. She usually sleeps for a few hours at a time, which is a real boon for Sue, since it gives her time to do what she wants to do (or needs to do) around the house. Right now, she usually takes these naps in her car seat, which she prefers to her crib and bassinet. Which brings us to our next little fact …
Sleeping in the Crib is a Battle: I’ve gotten StarGirl to sleep in her crib a handful of times, most over the last few weeks. It’s been easier lately because she just discovered the charms of the ceiling fan in her room, which she likes to watch. However, these are still rare occurrences — put her in her crib while she’s still awake and she’ll cry. Put her in there when she’s dozing off and you have a marginally better chance of her continuing to sleep. Even if she does sleep, however, it’s never for as long as she would in her car seat, or in our bed. Still, we’re working on it — we’re leaving her in there for about a half-hour to an hour each day, trying to get her to calm down when she starts crying, with an eventual goal of getting her to sleep consistently in her own room. It’s going to be a heck of a battle.