Growing, Growing & More Growing

If LL keeps up the rate at which she's been nursing in the past several days she'll hit 20 pounds pretty soon.  Ok, ok...so I'm exaggerating quite a bit but she has been insatiable lately.  


The past few nights have been especially difficult because her schedule has shifted for some reason.  Instead of her eating a ton between 7 and 10 and then having a larger chunk of sleep after that, she now eats several times again until 1AM, so I typically don't get to sleep until 2 or so.  Daddy took today off of work, so he helped me by rocking her and burping her after feedings throughout the night before leaving for hunting.  I was so used to these 1-2 hour feeding cycles and getting no sleep since that's how it always was until about a month ago.  However, I must have forgotten how difficult it is to not get at least one block of 4 hours of sleep per night.  Anyways, I don't mention this to complain.  She is more than worth the complete lack of sleep and I'm just so happy that she's healthy and our biggest concerns right now are my sleep amounts considering all she has been through so far.  


We've had a great week as far as all of the new things she's been learning.   I make sure we have enough time on the blanket on the floor, so we can work on rolling over, scooting, standing up (with me balancing her), sitting up (me helping with balancing again), and tummy time.  She's getting more coordinated in her movements and her limbs are getting so strong.  It seems like she's also much more aware of her surroundings than before.  If we're busy playing and the sun comes out, for example, and lights up the room she will stop playing and stare at the window. 


We read books really often now.  She LOVES "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" because of the really vibrant colors, so I read that one to her a few times each day.  When we get to the yellow duck she opens her mouth really wide, as if she is so surprised.  She also likes "Chica Chica Boom Boom" and "Goodnight Moon", although the later doesn't interest her as much since the pictures don't have as much contrast.  


Another new thing she does is to "sing" with me.  When I'm singing to her she will make noises that kind of match my tone, like she's trying to participate.  Sometimes she makes a much louder noise than I think she intends and it startles her a bit.  Her smiles are just so wonderful...I live for them.  =)


We are so excited that Auntie K is going to be visiting us tomorrow morning!  Baby will be showing off her adorable caterpillar costume that we got from our favorite tribal family, the L's/N's.  Do not worry...there will be a whole slew of photos taken of her in this way-too-cute outfit and I'll post some on here soon.  


Lots of love from baby LL to all of you!