Flumpie's Very Seekrit Diary

We've been so busy the last few weeks - getting everything arranged just so. You love our new house. Mainly because you can run around the couch AND around the kitchen so there's two different ways to play chase and never get caught.

It's really hot here. I don't play with you outside, I'm sorry to say. But I have taken you swimming at the Y a bunch, and you really like that.

You've miss Emmy, though - whom you've taken to calling "Bobby".


Nana and Boompah came out for a visit on June 21. And Emmy finally arrived early this morning. You were so happy to see her (please excuse your black eye - you keep falling on that side!):

We went to watch Emmy play in a basketball game today. You were very excited when you saw her run out on the court. And you were very angry when I wouldn't put you down so that you could run after her.

And, of course, you were very polite and clapped and cheered along with the rest of the audience.

Oh, and she scored a gorgeous hook shot!

Emmy had her birthday party today - two days after she turned 12. She had lots of friends over for a murder-mystery party: Lethal Luau. Which of course meant everyone had to dress up.

So here you are - looking very much like your father. Or how I imagine your father would look if he ever wore a bikini top and grass skirt:



Here you are, fascinated by a balloon:


And here you are, proud to be with the big girls!

You love to help Emmy practice her clarinet!

Tonight Emily and I watched you in amazement.

You spent about 30 minutes trying to figure out how to move your body across the floor about four feet. You were determined to reach the phone which I'd set on the floor.

I didn't actually know babies that aren't quite 8 months old could focus like that. And your task was made even more difficult by the fact that your sleeper has little sheep faces on the feet - complete with floppy ears. Every time you tried to stand or crawl, you were pinned down by one of the ears being under your other foot!

With a combination of trying to crawl, not moving, flinging your hips to the side so you could sit a little closer than you were before, pulling yourself to a stand and then hurling yourself toward the phone, you finally made it.

And then you sat there, clutching the phone, telling us all about your journey. You were so proud. And then so tired:

You are so wonderful.

We came home from taking Emmy to school and you slept for about three hours. I did stuff around the house and then realized I was completely exhausted. I needed a nap, but please, you were still sleeping after three hours; there's no way you could stay asleep long enough for me to sleep.

So, I woke you up, brought you into bed with me, fed you, snuggled down with you, and you and I both slept for two hours. It was lovely.



Then we picked up Emmy, did stuff at home, and then went to her band concert tonight. One of the other moms wanted to hold you and you eagerly went to her. You stayed on her lap for the entire two hours we were there. You didn't cry or fuss once. You smiled at everyone and everything. You did jump when the kettle drums came out of nowhere again, but you didn't even frown.

Other kids, from younger babies to 4-year oldsters were running about screaming and yelling. But not you!

I love how friendly you are. How you'll go to strangers and be happy to see them. And even happier when you see me or Emily.

You make people happier when they are around you. And that's a lovely, lovely thing.

So, um, yeah, apparently your back isn't yet strong enough for you to be able to enjoy your ExerSaucer. After I put you in, I started thinking, "I wonder if her back is strong enough". As I was thinking it, sure enough, you bent at the waist and, with your hands at your sides, crashed your head down atop the activity center.


Sorry about that, sweetie.

Luckily, your big sister was able to quickly distract you:

When your dad and I brought you home from the hospital, you slept in your crib - for two nights. This meant I had to get up several times and, by 4:00AM or so, I'd brought you into bed with us. Then your dad went back to Iraq. And then you moved into my bed.

And I would say it was because it would give you a greater sense of security. Or that it made nursing easier and we were worried about your lack of weight gain after you were born. Or I would say it was just easier than putting you in your crib - which is only about 3 feet from my bed anyway.

All those reasons are true and they all do have merit.

But really, I have you sleep with me because I love having you there. I love snuggling with you and holding you close. I love the fact that you don't have to cry to get my attention when you wake up hungry; just moving a bit is usually enough for me to wake up and realize you are hungry or just want to be moved or want me to find your pacifier. I love hearing your gurgles and coos when you wake up happy. I love feeling you kicking your feet in excitement - although I'm never really sure just what excitement you are able to find at 3:00 in the morning in the pitch-black darkness. I love that when the sun comes up and it gets a bit lighter, the first thing you see when you open your eyes is me smiling at you. And then you smile back at me. And each and every one of your smiles is so very precious to me. After seeing how fast Emmy grew, I really know that this sweet baby time is rapidly going by.

During the day, if we're home, you'll usually nap for 4-5 hours - but in your swing. And I realized I was training you to only be able to sleep if you were next to someone or in motion. And that's just not very nice to do to you. Although, to my credit, I will say I have you well-trained in terms of noise. Just yesterday I was vacuuming under your swing while you slept and you never woke up. But it's important to me not to have to say, "Shhhh!!!! The baby is sleeping!!!!", if ever anyone visited during your nap time.

I would try to put you in your crib for naps but, usually, you'd waken after five minutes or so and then I'd come get you and end up either holding you, or putting you in the sling, or in the swing.

So last night Emmy suggested we swaddle you - something we haven't done in weeks and weeks. So, swaddle you we did. And I put you in your crib after your 10:00PM feeding and you slept there for five hours. Now granted, you were sleeping pretty soundly when we put you in, but the point is, you slept there, without crying, for five hours - even though I heard you rustling around when you lost your pacifier. I was braced, ready to come help, but you just fell right back to sleep.

So today, when it was time for your nap, I fed you and then I changed you. So you were rather awake. Then I swaddled you and put you in your crib while you were awake. And then I went to take a bath. But I knew you would start crying. But you didn't. Again, I could hear you rustling around trying to somehow maneuver your face back onto your pacifier (since you still can't use your hands for much yet). But, again, you just put yourself to sleep - without crying.

I'm so proud of you.

I'll still undoubtedly have you sleep with me after your early-morning feeding. But as long as you can also sleep in your crib, I think that's fine.

This was one of the sweetest things I've ever seen. You were smiling and talking to her. She was smiling and talking to you.

After a few days of not eating very much, you're back to eating a lot. Which is good. When we went to the hospital two days ago, you'd dropped 11 ounces from your birth weight. I expect you've now dropped a pound. We'll know tomorrow when we go for your two-week check up. You're supposed to be back up to your birth weight tomorrow, but I don't think you will be. But as long as you're finally eating better again, I feel better.

Right now you're asleep on your pink boppie pillow. You're so precious.

Your big sister left today to go spend two weeks with her dad. I'm so glad you won't ever have to go there. She made a recording of herself reading you a story last night so I can play it for you every day - so you will remember her while she's gone. She loves you so very much.