Rainbow Pancakes

This morning I got up early to get laundry started, and Emma came downstairs with me. She said she wanted to make pancakes for Daddy in bed, so we decided to make fancy pancakes (the newest Reader's Digest had this idea). So we made the batter, separated it, and put food coloring in it. 

Cook them like normal pancakes.... I made small ones. 

Stack them up and voila! Rainbow pancakes. Emma and I piled a plate up, went upstairs and gave Daddy breakfast in bed (and she crawled up back into bed with him and ate half of the pancakes). It was really cute. 

She and Aaron snuggled in bed after pancakes, and I was able to capture this little moment. They're sweet together. 

Happy 11 weeks old little guy! He started cooing this week, which is adorable. He's starting to get better, thank goodness. He's been sick for the better part of 6 weeks now. 

Here Comes Trouble

She's probably not going to be able to wear this again, luckily we bought the exact one in the next size up!!

Trouble in action...


"Mom, why are you taking so many pictures of me!!"

It's Friday

Not that it means much, but it's my last "official" Friday on maternity leave. I'm very sad about that, although I am looking forward to seeing some of my clients again. Some random things, good and bad.

* I've been up since 4:45 am with no nap.

* I have over 200 oz of breastmilk frozen in the freezer.

* Emma and I sat on the front porch and she can track cars going up and down the street with her eyes and follows them with her entire head.

* Our new play-yard got here and it's a huge hit.

* We have a skunk who has shown up in the back yard the last 3 nights. At least I know what's digging up the yard now.

11w 2d Pictures

While she's taking her mid-morning nap on my chest, I thought I'd take some time to post pictures and the videos. Yesterday was really an eventful day -- between the nap with Daddy, the bottle, and then her sleeping in the bouncer in the evening! She slept for 1 1/2 hours in the bouncer before she got too restless and had a wet diaper, and then we transferred her to the bed with Mommy. I actually got to read a book, eat a snack with BOTH hands, and have a minute to do some work on the computer. Don't get me wrong... I *love* holding her, but I just don't have that much stamina!

Our goal is to work up to her sleeping without one of us right there, which seems to work best if we rock her to sleep first and have her rain-sound bear right next to her. Eventually we'll get to having her self-soothe to sleep, but I keep reminding myself just ONE thing at a time!

Asleep on Daddy.... such a sweet picture. I love them both SO much!


Close-up of my sleeping angel!


And after her nap, watching the dancing bear. I kept trying to capture the smile she was giving the bear, but she was too fast for me! I think this might be the last time she gets to wear the dress you gave us Auntie Mims... she's getting too big for it! :(

New Videos at 11w 2d

We took both of these videos yesterday.

This first one is Daddy & Emma playing with the mirror. He calls it her "stalker baby" since that baby follows Emma around to every mirror in the house! :)



This is when I put Emma in her bouncer after she and Daddy's nap (pictures forthcoming), and was playing some music for her. I had the bear "dance" for her and for a long time she was really entertained by it. Of course, by the time I remembered to take video, she was getting a little tired of it!

Tonight's One Thing

Has been accomplished... it only took about an hour of soothing before she was in a deep enough sleep for me to get out of the chair without her waking up, but I've got her in the bouncer asleep right now. It's not the bassinet, but it'll do for the moment. Long enough for me to pee, get a drink, and do a blog update.

We had a nice milestone in that she napped with Daddy today AND then took a bottle from him! I'm just sad and thrilled at the same time. Sad because she's able and willing to take the bottle, but thrilled that my little girl will be able to let others feed her the milk Mommy makes for her.

It was also such a nice day that I took her outside and we walked around the house several times, and then we walked up the block a bit with her in my arms. I feel like she got a better perspective of "The World" from my arms than from down in her stroller. And she seemed to enjoy "The Outside" very much! It was nice seeing the sun and being out in it for a while.

I also took an adorable video of her playing in the mirror with Daddy today that I need to upload later, but for the moment I'm going to read a book and just relax. And maybe eat a late snack with both hands. :)

11 Weeks!

A short update before bed...

Emma had another big day today. She visited another one of Mommy's facilities, and met a LOT of the staff and some of the residents. For the most part, it was a great visit -- she smiled at people, only fussed a little, and captured the hearts of everyone.

After changing her and feeding her there, she fell asleep... so I went and picked up Daddy, and we had lunch at the park and walked around with the stroller for a while. It was 60 degrees and sunny out! I think it helped all of us tremendously. Mommy & Emma also had a nap when we got home, which helped even more.

As I get closer to going back to work, it's very likely I won't be able to do daily posts but I will try to keep updates and pictures going for everyone. I'll definitely do the milestone posts!

Here we are yesterday, on our 11 week birthday, watching the fan (again!). She's a fan fan!

The Rankin/Bass Smile

For those of you who grew up in the 70's, you'll remember the Rankin/Bass claymation specials like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Emma has a smile where she'll open up her mouth super-wide and squint her eyes, and she looks *just* like one of those characters! I can't find a picture for reference, but here's the video I captured of the smile.