Our Story

Dearest little Dahlia,

We made it through month two without breaking “any of the rules”:http://kennsarah.net/2007/01/06/full-circle/! And you made it through to begin the third month of your life with an entirely new set of skills. You now regularly smile and coo when you are in a good mood. In fact, we love it so much when you interact with us that we regularly stop videos or whatever we are doing just to watch you and coo back. Daddy calls this time “Dahlia TV”.

There have been so many physical developments over this past month! You have always been good at holding your head up, but you seem so much stronger now! When you lay on your tummy, you can look around for practically a minute or two, holding your head steady. Your legs and arms are a lot stronger and more coordinated (you like to pummel me with your feet when I bring you to bed to nurse you). You have also discovered the joys of being coordinated enough to suck on your fist and bat at toys that are dangled in front of you. I guess your physical strength is the reason that you were able to roll over when you were just five weeks and two days old. Grandma and Poppy had just gotten finished putting your crib together, and we wanted to see if you liked hanging out in it. We put you in it on your tummy, and you proceeded to roll all the way over onto your back. We actually caught this on video, which is pretty amazing, since we haven’t videotaped anything else before or since. I thought it might have been a fluke, but you have rolled over again since then. We’re proud of you. I mean, it took the dog until she was three years old until she learned how to roll over.

Although you have had a few nights where you felt it necessary to get up every hour or so, most of the time your sleeping habits are great, and you have even gone seven hours between feedings on two separate occasions! Those were almost scary times. I wasn’t sure you were okay since I am so used to feeding you every few hours. You have also taken to sleeping in your crib without a problem. This was very hard for me at first, I have to admit. It was emotionally difficult to allow you to sleep in another room. But I guess ten feet isn’t that far away, and we both seem to sleep so much better when I’m not constantly awake, listening to your every move and sometimes getting you up to nurse when you were really still asleep.

You are so much more inquisitive about your surroundings, you sometimes fuss when you can’t look around, and you definitely prefer to be vertical so you can check things out. It seems as if you learn something new every day, and that you are constantly changing! Daddy and I have realized that we shouldn’t ever feel like we have you figured out. It seems like when we do, you decide to switch things up.

My favorite part of this month has been my “conversations” with you; those special times when you stare so intently at me that I wish I knew what you were thinking. And then you start cooing and warbling. I talk to you about what you are saying and doing, and let you fill in the pauses with your own opinions. (It’s also very amusing to watch the faces that Daddy makes when he has his “conversations” with you). It is just so great. Your smile makes everything worth it. We love watching you become more aware of this big wide world around you, and we are honored that we get to show you around it for the next few years.

With much love,
Mom

I have been using a sling as a baby carrier for Dahlia, and I love it. The ring sling I have can be adjusted to hold a baby in so many different positions, you can use it for newborns all the way up until they are about 20 lbs (depending on your resiliency as a pack animal). Not only can I soothe her to sleep in it most of the time, I have my hands free, I can nurse her in it, and we have even used it to take her into a movie with us! Strollers are just too bulky!

Anyway, when I walk around the neighborhood with her in it, I usually get funny looks. Sometimes someone asks with amazement, “Is that a baby in there?”. I have to smile as I restrain from replying, “No, I usually sling a bag of potatoes across my chest like this to burn extra calories while I walk.” Most people in my area, if they have seen a baby carrier at all, are used to the Bjorn or Snuggli types.

I was taking the dog on a walk a few days ago, and I put Dahlia in the sling. One of my Portuguese neighbors stopped me and asked me whether I had had a boy or girl. I said that I had a girl, and then I offered her a look at Dahlia, who was sleeping in the sling. Surprised, she said, “Oh, that’s the baby?”. Then, after taking a look, she smiled and said, “She’s fat!”. I was laughing and telling her that Dahlia is a good eater when she followed up by saying, “She looks like you!”. I said, “Um…thanks! Have a good day!”, and continued on my walk.

Must be the language barrier.