Sleeping

Sleeping and babies. Do the two really go together? For the first six weeks of her life Mae had to be held and/or lay on somebody to sleep. Usually that pleasure fell to me. Don't get me wrong, having a beautiful newborn to cuddle with isn't awful. But when you haven't "slept through the night" in a bed for oh, about three months, you start to go a little crazy.

So this:



was a big deal.

When we got home from Spokane I fed Mae and then we put her on the floor to stretch out.

And she feel asleep.

By herself.

Alone.

And we left her there and got ready and went to bed. It didn't last long, but it was a start.

And the next day I decided to take the plunge and let her cry it out in various locations. Ie: the pack 'n' play, the crib and the bassinet. It wasn't too bad and we got this:



And now she has been getting up once at either 1:30 or 2:30 to eat, goes back to bed in the crib in the girls' room, wakes up at about 5:45 and lays on me to sleep for another couple of hours. I am getting much better sleep and can fully enjoy this snuggle time that I know will be gone sooner than I would like.

Meeting

A couple of weeks ago we got a chance to visit a couple of our favorite service people. Molly & Jim were in Spokane for a Gonzaga reunion (for Molly) so we loaded up and headed north.

[On a side note: On the way to Spokane Etta kept asking, "I go on a plane?" We kept telling her "Not this time..." Her response? Etta: "On a train? On a boat?" This girl really likes her transportation!]

Took most of the pictures with Molly's camera, but I did get a couple...

Mae sleeping through lunch. It's what she did most of the day...



Etta with her "ponies" - just for Aunt Molly!



And trying to get a photo op at the end of the day.

Seriously?



Just. Sit. Still. For. One. Sec. Ond.



One baby. Much easier.

Trick or Treat!

Since U of I Homecoming was on Halloween last year we did not go trick or treating. So this year it was a whole new experience. Even after a few houses I don't think Etta quite understood what was going on. But that was okay with me as we only did about eight houses and were done. And she didn't even mind.

Our first stop was Great Grandma Barb's.

Etta wondering what the heck is going on.



Well, who do we have here?



Candy for me? Really?!



When Etta went by this window she noticed sports on the TV (the World Series). She started yelling "Football!! They're watching football!"



Then to Grandma Cathy's for stew and pie.

Pumpkins!!

Grandma Cathy and Baba Steve went on a cruise to the Panama Canal for TWO WEEKS and Etta was going through withdrawal. So the day after they got back we had them down for dinner. And pumpkin carving.

What are you guys doin'?



What's in dere?



Eeeeeeewwwww! (She's not much for "yucky" stuff I guess)



Cheese!



What should we carve Etta?



A grumpy face? Okay. (She actually asked for a grumpy face...takes after me I guess.)





Bob's happy pumpkin.



Etta coloring her own pumpkin.



Definitely cool. And those are ears. Because Etta wanted them.

Etta's first race

Two years ago Etta was in her first race. As a passenger. Last Saturday she was in her first race. It was free, but there was a huge line of people and I didn't think that the college students doing the registration would appreciate me filling out a form for a 2-year old and having to put a timing chip on her shoe. Oh well. There will be a lot of chances for races in the years to come.

The race two years ago was my first post-Etta. But Christine and I actually ran it. All 4.65 miles of it. This time we walked it as a family. The two-mile. And what was I thinking most of the time? "Haven't we gone a mile yet? This has to be farther than two miles".

Seriously?

Am I the same person of two half and one full marathon of last summer? And I was SORE the next day. Wow. Have I got a ways to go until the Portland half next October. And the Chelanman Sprint Tri in July. Having pregnancy "recovery" be during the winter is going to be a bit difficult. But we have started going to the gym. Up to twice a week! And slowly increasing as time goes by. It will come back. I know it will.

Back to the star of this post. Etta was very excited for this race. "Just like mommy!" And she was quite disappointed she didn't get "for MY shoe, mommy!" and "Where's MY number?" I am hoping that this will instill a life long love of activity in her.

She had been practicing her running. Around and around the dining room table. And when we got there she did run.

For about 50 yards.

"Up on da stroller mommy".

Just fine with me. She gave it a shot!

Waiting to register. Etta up on her sweet ride.



Playing at the playground between registration and the start of the race.



The big finish. She finished strong. And there were people who took note and were cheering on the "baby".



Miss Mae who slept from the time we left home until we got back home.



Etta wearing my race number after we got home. It's now her "race shirt".

Two Month Annibirthery

Yesterday Mae turned two months old! I had the greatest of intentions of getting her picture on the rug in a certain outfit. Well...that didn't happen. But I did get some pics of her this morning before we went in for her doctor's appointment. She currently weighs 9 lbs. 7.5 oz and is 22 inches long. She is just under the 50th percentile for height and 25th percentile for weight. Not too shabby!

The lighting in this one isn't great. But it's the only one that at least one leg is almost, kinda straight...



And she is starting to smile. A little. Whenever it suits her. Usually right before she gets tired and cranky.




And for the ever important comparison click here.

Costco

Our first family trip to Costco. Etta even doesn't mind sharing the cart.