My college roommate, Katieah, and I often used the word loveburst. We defined loveburst as one of those moments when you feel so much love and emotion and happiness that it actually feels as if your heart wells up and nearly explodes out of your chest. You are usually left with a silly expression on your face, and possibly even some happy-tears.
New cause of lovebursts:
Bellabean has started giving baby kisses. Until these started, I didn't know they were a thing with lil' ones. This is how her baby kisses happen... She:
looks at you
looks at you like she wants to eat you (lovingly, of course)
gives a big smile
puts up her tiny hands to your face
squeezes the daylights out of your cheeks/neck/eyesockets
pulls your cheeks/neck/eyesockets towards her with all of her might while leaning in and planting the wettest, open mouthed, tongue lolling kiss on the side of your face or tip of your nose
holds on for dear life
often sings or smiles, or laughs all while kissing on you
Although there is occasionally some discomfort (baby nails in the eyesockets, yes?) it is one of the sweetest things I have ever experienced. When she kisses on my nose, I will kiss back and usually get her chin. This makes her laugh big ole' baby belly laughs and leaves us both in a pile of giggling girl.
Miss Bellabean: I cannot believe that you are nearly five months old. I am catching up on the past four weeks in two separate posts <3
Week 17: (7/24-7/30)
I turned thirty this week! Funny, but I was more interested in your four month birthday than I was my thirtieth. You guys got me new yoga mats! I wore through my old Jade mat (bits and pieces were coming off as I practiced) and now have a new Jade Harmony mat in Orchid and a mat to go underneath. You really started playing with toys this week - Lola the pink poodle, Bug, and rings really kept your fascination. You found your mouth in these past few weeks and have been mouthing everything you can grab. When we side-lie nurse, you have started doing these leg-kick spinning quarter turns, and I think it will be soon that you are turning from back to tummy. I would be interested to see if cloth diapered babies turn later... I think the junk in your trunk, due to CDing, makes it hard for you to push over!
On Sunday, you went with me to the All Night Eggplant for the first time, where we had a date with Erin YM and Jen. You were (as always, really!) such a great brunchmate.
On Monday we had our first Summer Festival Orchestra rehearsal. Lauren stayed with you during the rehearsal and played with you the whole time. She told me that you danced to the music and only made sounds when we stopped playing. You had many visitors during the rehearsal, and charmed them with smiles. We went to Zebb's for veggie burgers and guacamole after.
Tuesday, during the day, Dad started building the treehouse! Bill and Marty helped, and by the end of the day, it was up in a basic form! That night, the three of us went to Francesca's for the first time, for a dinner with Frank and as a birthday dinner for me, as we would have rehearsal on my actual birthday. Frank gave you a purple ball that vibrates and bounces when you pull a string and you absolutely LOVED it! I posted some video of the giggles. I've never uploaded a movie on Blogger... hope it works! The meal was spectacular. Truly wonderful. On the way down, at least. I was then sick to my tummy for the next 20 or so hours. You (thank goodness!) and Dad didn't get sick at all, phew!
Wednesday was my birthday, and I was sick for the whole day! You were amazing. You just snuggled with me for the whole day, never fussed, and kept me great company. The 27th was also your fourth month birthday! You pushed buttons on the Musical Bouncer for the first time! You were amazed that pushing the buttons made music, and your eyes just lit up when you figured out that YOU were making the music happen!
By the way, due to magic and other happenings, I am taking off the first semester of school for the 2011-2012 school year. I am so. SO. relieved. I would stay home with you until you went to full time school, if I could, no hesitation at all. We're playing lotto, hoping it might happen :-) Thursday was interview day for my school replacement, and it marked the longest I have ever been away from you - about 4 hours!
Saturday was your first trip to Skaneateles. We lounged on the shoreline, ate a picnic lunch with Dad and the boys, read Harry Potter aloud, and got icecream. A great end to a great week!
Week 18: (7/31-8/6)
You had your four month appointment this week, and you weighed in at 16lbs, 7oz. and 25.5 inches long! You are still in the upper 90%s for both measurements! To all of those who hinted that a vegetarian nursed baby would not thrive.... there is no withering-away going on here! You have a clean and great bill of health!
This week, you grabbed objects, put your teething rings on your arms like bracelets (over, and over, and over!), and wore your first necklace! You have an amber teething necklace by "Inspired by Finn," and I am sure it really works. Your upper right first tooth is working its way down, and when you are wearing the amber, it seems that you drool less and are more content (aren't you glad I discuss your drooling on here?) Even if it doesn't work, you look adorable and we get compliments and questions on it wherever we go.
We had a great weekend! Your Maya Wrap came and we started wearing it around. You lovelovelove to be worn, and as much as I like the Ergo for some things (doing chores and having arms while still holding you!), the Maya Wrap is so easy and snuggly. This week was World Breastfeeding Week, and we participated in the Big Latch On! in Syracuse.
Mamas and Babies at The Big Latch On! in Syracuse
Word has it that we did not beat the world record, but it was a great time meeting mamas and babes in the attempt. You also had your very first trip to Carousel Mall. You loved the lights and sounds and we went to Coach, Banana Republic, and Gymboree. Could life get any better for Bella and Mama? You are the proud owner of an orange and pink tutu, so No!
I'm learning to be/finding out that I am an Attachment Parent and I am admittedly a Crunchy Mama and there is so much importance placed on night/sleeptime and Night/sleeptime Parenting and what that means. Last night, I lived a perfect nighttime family moment.
Backstory:
We have been in a battle with Metro Mattress (the Sleep Superstore! Sol Sol Mi Re Do!) since 2008 (ok, since late 2008, and then again over the past few months.). Long, boring story short: bought AWESOME bed. 6 months later bed had canyon-like indents and made Handsome Husband's legs fall asleep. Long paperwork struggle. New Bed! Promises of eternal sleep happiness! Awesome bed! Now? LAME. Canyons. HH's legs AND arms asleep. Too much $ invested to feel good about just heading to Raymour and Flanigan. "Bed Inspector" was supposed to be here last week to see our busted bed, but arrived an hour early and we weren't home, so the busted mattress and box spring are on the floor, and we put my old queen sized bed on our bedframe so HH's arms and legs could stop going numb while he sleeps. Mattress Lady will be here sometime in the next eon or so, hopefully before the bed is out of warranty, likely she'll be here the day after. So, we have two beds, a Pack-n-Play, and a puppy pouf in our bedroom. It is truly a room of beds. When Blue-Eyed Boy and Legoboy saw our room of beds, their eyes lit up (as we knew they would). There was NO way they would be sleeping in their own room. ominspiredstepmama and Dad bedroom campout!!!
The moment:
Last night at 2:30 or so, I woke up to nurse Bellabean and realized I was in a perfect moment. My husband was snuggled close to my right, Bean was nursing tummy-to-tummy on my left, BEB and LB were sleeping on the king bed on the box spring on the floor with BEB's leg hooked over LB. Both puppies had sneaked onto the king bed with the boys; Sadie was sleeping on her back with front legs straight up in the air and back legs splayed and Lucie was curled up on LB's feet. Rain was pouring down and a gentle breeze floated in through the windows. It was an absolutely perfect moment.
