General Update

(I don't know HOW, but this posted in the wrong blog (baking) on Wednesday, and I didn't catch it until today!)

Somehow, the days have gotten away from me, and it's been another week since I wrote! Here are some general updates from the past week:

Judith has discovered her vocal chords - and she definitely has the "Beebe lungs". She yells all day long! About 60% of the time, she's not upset at anything, just rather fascinated with her noisemaking capabilities. It's cute for a few minutes, but after a few hours I have a definite headache!

Judith is sitting up more and more - a friend gave us a Bumpo chair (see picture) and the amount of time that she sits in it before getting upset is lengthening exponentially day to day.

We've also decided that she's to the "definitely holds her head up on her own" stage, and so we've put her in the exersaucer/jumper as well. Here too, she's getting used to it, and will sit in it for longer and longer periods of time. She doesn't quite engage with all the toys yet, but that will come.

I've started using the front pack more frequently as a means to have both hands free while I carry her around (the yelling constantly has something to do with this - she doesn't yell as much when being carried and I'm trying to save my eardrums!). I haven't tried her facing forward yet, but she seems to enjoy it facing backward, and has even fallen asleep in it on occasion. Today I'm planning to use it outside the house for the first time - we're going to a store where I'll need a cart and not the stroller. So we'll see how that goes - especially with getting her into it from her carseat!

Sleep-wise, Judith is doing quite well at night - she's now sleeping for 9 1/2 hours or so. During the day, however, she's pretty inconsistent. She seems to be stuck between transitioning to a couple long naps and wanting to sleep more frequently. There have been several times during the past week when she has been so tired, and yet didn't want to nap...or hasn't napped for very long and just wakes up tired. I'm hoping the transition works out soon!

She also seems to be transitioning to fewer feedings during the day. First, she's now going to bed around 9:00 instead of 10:00, and I'm not "tanking her up" as much (only two feedings two hours apart, instead of three). Second, and sort of in combination with the first, she's going more like 3 1/2 hours between "meals". My body is, of course, taking a while to adjust to that, especially because it's not consistent. I'm doing my best to pay attention to her hunger cues, so that I don't feed her when she's not hungry; at the same time, I get a little worried about whether she's getting enough food!

So she's in a state of transition, it seems, but she's still so happy most of the time, and the joy she brings is indescribable.

Diaper Graduation

Today Judith moved up to the next size in diapers. These are actually labeled "supersoakers" (as opposed to "newborn") and are for 15-35 lbs. They seem to be about twice as big as the newborn diapers (see picture)! I had a hard time unloading the new bag of diapers into her changing table, because I can only fit half as many into the drawer as before...the side cupboard is stuffed full as well!

She's also moved up into "medium" diaper covers. When I pulled them out of the bag, I thought "oh, these are way too big!" but they fit perfectly. She just continues to grow!

Baby Carrier

Today Judith spit all over her bouncy seat. Which means that the cover had to go in the wash. Which means that I have to find another place to put Judith down when I can't hold her - except she didn't want to be put down, and I needed my hands free. So I tried on the baby carrier for the first time (Lance has worn it a couple times), and figured it all out on my own! She didn't last too long in it, because she started to get too tired, but it was extremely convenient while it lasted.

One year

Today is the one year anniversary of Lance's step in faith (a year ago today he decided to say "ok" to having a baby). And I realized this Sunday, on Judith's three month "birthday", that she was born two days less than nine months after he made his decision! In a time when many of my friends have tried for months or years to conceive, I still find that an astounding affirmation from God of Lance's trust.

Last walk

Today we went walking for the last time with my friend Erin - she's moving to Des Moines next week :-(. I took some pictures to memorialize the occasion. Some walks have been better than others (really, it depends a lot on whether Judith is content to sit in the stroller - Erin's son Blake is always good), and today was a good one. Judith was asleep for most of the walk, and when I stopped to get a rock out of my shoe, we discovered Blake was sleeping too. Here they are asleep in their matching Bob strollers.

giggles!

Today she giggled! I tickled her under her chin (in what my friend Traci calls "the sweet spot") and she giggled and giggled. I called Lance in, and we were able to experience it together!

camera

Yesterday I was working on a project, and I wanted a picture of Judith crying. So I put her in her chair near me, and figured that eventually she'd start fussing (no, I wasn't going to pinch her to make her cry!). And she did start fussing....but as soon as I'd turn to take a picture, she'd smile and coo! It was a good 15 minutes before I actually got a crying picture - and it's only a partial cry. I guess she really just wanted my attention.