Growing Like a Weed

So I wrote this a couple of days ago, waiting to post until I had a picture or two to share. But I haven't gotten around to that. I figured it was better to post sans pics than not to post at all.

The Liliputian is officially playing catch up. She gained 8 oz in seven days and is now officially out of her 0-3 month clothes and into the 3-6es! I probably could have eked a few more days out of the 0-3es, and in fact do have a few bigger items still in her drawers, but for the most part they're packed up. It was just getting too hard to try and guess which particular items were likely to fit and which weren't. I didn't think we could possibly accumulate more clothes for that child than she had in the 0-3 size, but the dresser is just as full, if not more so with this next size. She's quite the fashionista. Of course she's still swimming in most things, mainly because they balloon out around her middle; she's all arms and legs.



And this clothing size transition happened so suddenly. Obviously, I was just last week worrying about how little she'd grown...and just this morning thinking to myself that I really needed to replace the spare outfit I carry around for her in her diaper bag in case of messes, the one I've never used. Guess who needed it today when she peed on our friend (still can't figure out how she managed that one; and she preceded it with a warning cry, odd) at lunch. Way, way, way too small. The onesie was stretched near to popping the snaps and her little pants were a bit pinchy at the waist. A day late and a dollar short on that one.



At this same lunch today with friends, she started fussing. We took her out of her carseat. Fussing turned to more serious complaints. We tried to feed her a bottle. Complaining turned to crying. We stood up and walked her around the room. Crying turned into shrieking. I tried nursing her at the table. Shrieking turned into an all-out wail-fest with a new brand of crying the likes of which we had not yet heard or seen. Short, staccato full-on freak-out fest of "I am so far beyond pissed that I am opening the closest thing to a can of whoop-ass that my not-quite-3-month-old body is capable of on all y'all!" The Husband and I were in states of barely controlled panic. Our friend who works with infants daily reminded us that she was fine, not hurt, not hungry, not cold or hot, not tired, just mad; all of which we know, but there's that chemical response that parents can't help but have when their baby is howling and they can't figure out how to fix it. The Husband finally took her outside for fresh air and later reported that the instant he opened the door she shut off the waterworks and was totally calm and happy. Dim lighting. Apparently our daughter has no appreciation for ambiance or mood lighting. She stands behind her convictions, I'll give her that.

Hooray!

5 oz weight gain in 5 days! This is good. Must be getting over her virus and (hopefully) back on track. We also measured her length last night at 23.5, which puts her roughly between the 25th and 50th percentiles; although, her weight is still squarely in the 10th percentile.

I know, we're a little obsessed with her size and weight, but we've had so many feeding issues so early that it's hard not to be. Plus, we're both so tall that I think we really expected to have a big baby instead of a tiny one. We'll get over it and eventually I'll stop being so preoccupied with her size. I promise. For now, bear with me, and thanks to all of you who keep reassuring me that she's fine. It does help.

Eye Candy

Dog booties from the Husband's Aunt L (already dangerously close to not fitting!)...

...and frog jammies from Grandma. These are the only footed pajamas she's not too long for yet.

The Husband was home from work today and is feeling much better. The three of us spent the day cleaning; although, I can't really say that the Papoosekin pulled her own weight. She actually spent most of the day eating, napping, and being carried around the house. She left us to do all the laundry, tidying up, dishes, etc. But she gives these great, big smiles these days. She opens her mouth wide and scrunches up her whole body with her fists up by her mouth; it's like a full body smile. We're sure a laugh will come any day now. So we forgive her for being a little lax in the housekeeping department. As long as she forgives us for the same.

The Plague Strikes Again

Return of the Plague

Y Tu, Plague, Tambien

The Plague and I

The Plague Never Dies

Dazed and Plagued

This is a game die Frau and I and other dear 'Gaters used to play in college. But we used Jean-Claude van Damme instead of the Plague as our star. Classics like Run, Jean-Claude, Run and Jean-Claude Wears Prada will never be forgotten. And yes, you've inferred correctly: we're sick again. More specifically, the Husband is. With the same stomach bug we've each already had.

They gave him IV fluids at Urgent Care on Saturday. He got sick Friday night, just in time for his whole weekend to be ruined, and now he gets to go back to the germ factory they call a hospital, when he returns to work today, to pick up the new and improved version of said Plague to bring home and share with me and the Papoose. Lovely.

I'll be disinfecting the house today. Again. But this time, I take no prisoners. We've already started on the bedding. I will also be washing all dirty clothes, towels, dishrags, etc. I'm buying new toothbrushes. All doorknobs and handles will be getting the alcohol or bleach treatment. The Husband already cleaned the toilet. Any other ideas?

We even cleaned the Papoose.

Baby Fat

Or not, if you're like our Papoosekin. She should be 11 lbs by now. She's only gained 2.5 oz since the 2nd. She should be gaining 4-7 oz per week. I'm mildly concerned. I'm sure it's because she's been sick. She had a slight fever while we were in Tahoe and didn't eat well at all for a few days. She seems much more herself now, talking and smiling up a storm, and eating, but still congested and coughing.

She's been sleeping sitting up in her swing at night. She slept propped up in the bed with us most of the time we were out of town in Nashville and Tahoe, but I had to put the kabosh on that today. She tipped over on me twice today, both in unsafe ways. She was fine both times, but it has become clear that she is just a bit too wiggly for that to be safe any more.

So, our feeding problems never end. I discussed with Ouiser while visiting Nashville that I strongly suspect I produce skim milk and she produces heavy cream. Our children are living proof. So, we'll start supplementing with some formula again. Just a few ounces a day. And I have a few other tricks up my sleeve that I won't go into detail on here for fear of TMI, but am trying everything I can to fatten up the Liliputian (by the way, the Husband's cousin Wawa didn't know that reference, then accused us of being old...what are they teaching in schools these days? There. Self-fulfilling prophecy. I'm now old.). I'm also off dairy for at least a month to see if her problems are purely viral or might be a milk protein intolerance. Sigh. Wish us luck.

I have no time or energy to give you my life in review since my last proper post. But I can at least appease the Papoosekin fans with some eye candy.

At 8 weeks...the whole fam. Taken when Toddler Tamer and crew were visiting.

The Liliputian and her unofficial namesake.

Discovering her mobile for the first time. Poor thing would have discovered it much sooner, I'm sure, but she's rarely in her crib. I tried to put her to bed in it last night, but it didn't take. We'll try again next week. Did I mention she's sleeping through the night now?!? Rejoice!!! We still have occasional off nights (like last night), but for the most part, she's been giving us 6-8 hours for a couple weeks now.

Really, it's been like magic. She hit that two-month mark and BOOM! Brand new baby. She smiles all the time now. I swear, a laugh is minutes away. She's sooooo into faces. She's officially discovered her hands and has them in her mouth half the time. She sleeps through the night, is awake during the day. It's like I finally have the baby I imagined having. We are officially at the end of the tunnel. I know there is plenty of rough road ahead, but I feel like I just finished the endurance test. Maybe some sleep will help the old immune system.

Speaking of sleep...there was lots of relaxing to be done while we were in Tahoe. And I totally mispacked. I spent weeks planning how I was going to keep her warm, bought some long-sleeve onesies, worried she wouldn't be warm enough at night especially. She spent much of her time there naked. Turns out that three boys who are overly interested in stoking the fires in the woodstoves kept it plenty toasty warm. I actually wonder if her fever was really a fever or just overheating from the high temps in the house.

I'm off to bed. We're done traveling for at least a few weeks now, so I'll try to be more punctual here in blogland. Night.

Stand By

Sorry for the long hiatus. I've been sick (three times in three weeks, ugh) and traveling and just haven't had time to keep up. We're leaving tomorrow on another trip; so, it will be at least another week before I can post again. I'll be back eventually, promise.