Beautiful Sounds!

Brenna has become very animated in the noises she makes to interact with us. I must get the video camera out and record it soon. She now coos, gurgles, squeals, and cackles. When we get her going, we cannot stop ourselves from laughing until we have tears streaming down our faces. It is hysterical. Brenna just thrives on it too. She sees our reaction and gets louder and louder. I love the belly laughs. It really doesn't take much to get her going. Case in point: We dance...a lot. I have a "dancy baby" game that I play with her after diaper changes where I stand her up on her feet on the changing table and sing the song "Shake Your Booty". She LOVES it, and proceeds to shake her baby butt around and laugh out loud until she is cackling. It is priceless. I must get it on film. Hilarious stuff and a memory we will cherish forever.

Maternity leave is winding down

This is my last weekend of maternity leave. I cannot believe Brenna is almost three months old already. I am not ready to leave her, but I am ready to reestablish my normal schedule and routine again. Thank goodness I have a job that I really like, or I would flat out refuse to go back.

It's funny how life works. The minute that baby starts getting all cute and interactive you realize that, in the not so distant future, you will no longer be able to devote every waking second to playing with her all day long. We recently discovered that Brenna knows who I am, and she makes my heart melt when I approach her after her nap and her face lights up. How can I leave that?

I have so many fears and questions. How can I cram in hours of playing and cuddling into just a few evening hours? Will she still light up when she hears my voice a week from now? When will I find time to do the laundry and restock the nursery, while packing her diaper bag for the next day? Is the house going to look like a sty because I already know that I will want to come home and play with Brenna instead of cooking and cleaning? I am thinking that post partum exhaustion has nothing on working mom exhaustion. Thank God for Ken. That's all I can think to say. I know he will be a saint through this readjustment period, and things won't be nearly as bad as my brain tells me. I just want to hold my baby girl all day long. They are only little for a minute.

Brenna's first trip to the zoo

With Dad at the Gorilla Exhibit

Thinking about taking a nap

We took Brenna to the zoo for the first time this afternoon. It was her first time strolling in the front facing stroller. We usually use our Snap N Go, but that is rear facing and not great for seeing things at the zoo. I knew it was too warm to keep her happy being worn in the Moby, so the big girl stroller was the wheels for the day. Ken and I had so much fun with it.

Brenna did great. She was awake right after we arrived and she seemed overwhelmed a bit with all of the new sights. She decided to nap a bit during the elephant and giraffe exhibits, but was wide awake to see the birds on the Jungle trail and in the Manatee house. She definitely noticed the fish in the big tank at the manatee exhibit. We lingered there for quite some time because we thoroughly enjoyed watching her follow the fish with her eyes. She decided to chat up to fish for a bit, and it made us laugh. Her confused expression when she laid eyes on the giant manatees was priceless. She just kept watching them with a "what the heck is that" expression on her face. We also found a turtle in a smaller tank that she took to for a few minutes. I am thinking that a trip to the Newport aquarium is in order. Maybe next month...

She laughs!

Brenna has decided that life is funny. She is now doing full on belly laughs in reaction to whatever silly thing we are doing in front of her. That noise is priceless! I cannot get enough of it. She started chuckling a few days ago, and proceeded to squeal a few times. Now it is a giant laugh. Out of nowhere. Are they supposed to do that at 2.5 months old? It so surprised me that I started yelling to Ken to come listen. Ahhh, tears of joy. It was a beautiful sound.

Brenna's first day with the sitter

Here's how my day went: Get Brenna ready. Brenna is acting super cute, cooing, chatting it up with me, smilling, gurgling. Spend extra 30 minutes with Brenna because of said cuteness. Take Brenna to the sitter's. Linger for 20 minutes chatting up the sitter. Leave and start sobbing before I get out of the neighborhood. Calm down and let Ken take me to lunch at McAllister's. Proceed to PetSmart for dog and cat supplies. Go to the shoe store for serious shoe shopping. Score two new pairs of fall shoes. Go to Target for baby shopping. Score new Bumbo seat. Brenna is ready for that Bumbo! Go to Kroger for diapers and formula because formula is always cheaper at Kroger, and I have formula checks (less hassle at Kroger) and coupons.

Brenna SLEPT ALL DAY! What? Never even asked for her binky. Again...WHAT??? Sitter has to wake her for feedings. WHAT??? She did not even notice that she wasn't in her house. Ok...fine...so it was not a big deal to her. What about Mommy? Mommy could not even be in the house without her. Mommy got shoes. Shoes=happy mommy.

So...that brings me to pictures of Brenna in her shiny new Bumbo seat.


Whoa...what is this thing you sit me in?


OK...so the world looks different at this angle.


Ooohhhh....me likey!

Nursery Pics!

Since Brenna is now in her own room at night, I thought nursery pics were in order. Ken did a fabulous job of getting the nursery ready. This room was formerly an office space that we converted. The room is all new down to the electrical plugs, ceiling fan, paint etc. Only the best for his little girl. We finished it and took these photos when I was around 27 weeks pregnant. I have since put B&W photos in the frames that I made. There is a new shelf ledge and chest with a lamp on the other wall. I took these photos shortly after the nursery was set up, and before much of the wall art and name letters were installed. Photos of the way the nursery looks today coming soon.

So many changes this week

Wow...it feels like everything is changing all at once. I am not sure that I like giving up the newborn phase. It feels like she just got here. Mommy has issues with letting her baby girl grow up.

In the past week Brenna has moved into her own room and is doing a fabulous job of sleeping in her crib. She looks so very tiny in that big crib. I was soooo sad to put away the bassinet. I remember how excited we were to purchase and assemble that bassinet when I was pregnant. I purchased the Symphony in Motion Mobile, brand new in the box from Once Upon a Child last week. It was a steal at $12 vs $39 at BRU. She is totally in awe of that mobile. I think it is noisy, but she loves it and seems to not have a problem with the noise. We both have managed to sleep through the night for all but one night since she made the move to her room. The one bad night was my fault for putting her down to sleep way earlier than she was used to.

I packed up all of the newborn and most of the 3 month sized clothing today. She outgrew the newborn size quite some time ago, and they just took up space in her drawers. I have been buying clothing for cooler weather and needed the space, so it was time to pack up all of the tiny, but very cute newborn stuff. All of the mittens and newborn caps are a thing of the past now.

She also decided that it was time, once again, to move up in diaper sizes. Why is it that we never can finish out our supply of one size before we move to the next? I have so many diapers to donate that it is not funny. Size one lasted only a few weeks. One big blow out up the back tonight was enough to convince me to move on to size twos. I have used up the baby shower stash now, and have to go out and buy our first pack of diapers. I now can see a great argument for cloth diapering. At least they fit longer!

She has also decided that 4 ounce baby bottles do not quite do it for her. So off to the store to buy bigger bottles. We did and she decided 5 ounces doesn't cut it, give me 6. What? Ok, so 6 it is.

She started using her high chair tonight as well. She loves to be right there with us at dinner time, and it did not feel right putting her in the car seat or bouncer, on the floor, next to the table. We got the high chair out and put the toy that came with it on the tray. She was entranced by that toy. Nevermind that she is such a peanut that you can barely see her head over the tray. She loved the toy. Jamie kept hitting buttons and making it do different things. She couldn't get enough!

Too many changes in one week already. I love having her be so little and just want to freeze time every now and then. Brenna is thriving, that's the important part. Mommy loves her little girl.