Hi. I’m a week late with Week 15’s post, and we’re nearly done with Week 16. I hope this doesn’t hurt your feelings, but I’m kind of excited about forgetting to write.

I know I always preach about how the Internet is not your diary. But since Suzianne came shooting out into this world on March 5, this blog has been a much-needed outlet for me. Most of the time, I write as a way to sort through my self-doubt. Or to remind myself that there actually are some things I am doing well.

I guess you could say that blog posts (with words) were a sign of a not-so-confident me. So, when I would go for a while without blogging, it was a good thing!  And these past two weeks have been very good things. See:

Helmet-schelmet

Remember how I broke the baby? Well, last week, I took Suzianne to see those flat-head helmet people, even though our repositioning work seems to be doing the trick. The whole experience felt very sales-y to me. No doctor; just a nice lady who smiled at odd times while she was talking. She basically told us that Suzianne didn’t really need a helmet, but that she was going to recommend the $3,500 device that Suzianne would need to wear 23 hours a day for several months anyway. Um, no thanks?

BUT the trip out to BFE, Virginia, wasn’t a total waste of time. I did get these awesome baby mugshots:

NPR

Also last week, Suzianne made her first pilgrimage to NPR’s Washington, D.C. headquarters. A couple of my friends work there, so we went for a visit. I’m most excited about the NPR visitors pass they made her wear. It will be a great addition to Suzianne’s yet-to-be-cracked-open baby book.

Rolling Over

On June 16, Suzianne rolled over on her tummy for the very first time! As you can see, she was super proud:

A few days later, Dave looked over at the play mat and found her like this; and not nearly as angry about it:

Chatty Cathy

Last week, our child somehow figured out she can make purposeful noises. Lord help us. She’s a loud talker who doesn’t think twice about telling you every detail about her day, no matter what you have going on. Not sure who she gets that from. It’s so cool how for three months, she was just a little, relatively silent, blob; a week later, she’s rolling on her stomach and chatting with us about her music preferences. She’s a night-talker, too; I now keep the monitor on low when I go to bed.

Nashvegas

During Week 16, I made a sneaky trip home to Nashville to surprise my grandparents. We had a great time just hanging out and talking; meanwhile, Suzianne had two days of daddy-daughter party time:

The most awesome part of my trip was how Dave kept Suzianne’s routine right on schedule; from arriving at Nanny D’s, to baths and bedtime. You always hear women complaining about how their husbands mess with the baby’s routine, or refuse to do some parts of it because it’s easier to just skip them. But Dave was a rockstar and I came back to a well-rested, clean, happy baby.

D is for Dang-we-are-so-lucky-we-found-Nanny-D

I love how in the middle of the day, I get pictures like these from Nanny D; along with texts that tell me how well Suzianne is eating, pooping, playing, napping, etc.

We are so, so blessed to have found our wonderful nanny-share family and such a thoughtful, caring woman who takes amazingly good care of our baby girl.

Giggling

This week, Suzianne started to giggle. Just a bit. I have a couple of videos to prove it, but WordPress is acting odd and won’t let me embed them here. So, the most proof I can offer you is this blurry picture:

Guilt-free Assessment: 3.5 month-old infants are way more fun than newborn ones

I remember asking my friend Beth when babies usually start smiling, giggling and actually acting happy to see you. She said “just in time.” This is true. Week 15 was a big turning point for Suzianne, as it seems to be for most infants. Suddenly, your tiny baby blob is human-like. Talking, watching you walk across the room, expressing joy and displeasure. Beaming like you are the most awesome, funniest person in the world when you greet her at 4:30 each morning. It’s fascinating. And, selfishly, a lot more gratifying.

I would not push pause on these weeks for the world. Each one brings something new and amazing for Suzianne. Onward we go!