happy's place

I was looking around on facebook today and saw that someone I knew was a fan of Happy's Place, the daily after-show cartoon program on our local station in Ft. Wayne. Suddenly I flashed back to my childhood and the day I got to go to Happy's Place. Almost everyone I went to elementary school with got to go be on Happy's Place at some point. In every show, Cousin Happy would have everyone in the audience come up and say their name and he'd ask them a question. Then he'd play some cartoons with the help of Froggy the Frog. Froggy eventually got his own show in the morning called Froggy's Pad. I would watch both shows every day when I was growing up. I also have a faint recollection of Happy coming to Edgerton during our annual festival in the summer. And I think my brother Kurt got to go up on stage with him. Christy, is that right?
Anyway, here's a clip of one of his shows, if only we'd taped the one that I was on...

christmas colds

Sorry we haven't blogged about Christmas or posted pictures yet. We were in Edgerton until Sunday night, then Libby and I both came down with colds. Libby seems to be feeling a little better today, but I'm feeling worse, so Daddy has been taking care of both of us. We promise to share lots of Christmas photos soon! We'll leave you with this pretty picture until then, lol.

merry christmas

We hope you find something just as precious waiting under your tree this morning...

santa baby

santa baby

Libby and I met Daddy downtown today for a late lunch and a visit to Santa at Macys. Libby wore the pretty green velvet dress Pap and Gramma sent her. She thought it would coordinate well with Santa's red velvet suit. Libby didn't pay Santa much attention. I think she was more interested in looking at the kids who had just visited with him, which is why she's looking off to the left in the pictures. We look forward to visiting this Santa every year. It's especially nice that you can take your own pictures--for free!--and Santa's helper will take photos with your camera for you too!

We've had lots of fun holiday festivities the past few weeks. The Friday before last, I had my staff gift exchange. Every year, the 5 of us make homemade goodies for each other and spend the afternoon taking a late lunch and trading gifts. This year I made chai tea. It turned out really yummy--and pretty! I've posted a photo here. That Sunday we had our annual Christmas celebration with Matt, Amanda and Maddox. They came over for Christmas brunch, and the kiddos exchanged gifts. Libby got lots of great toys and clothes. I've posted a photo of Libby opening her first Christmas present, and one of her and Maddox checking each other out.

This past Saturday Nonny babysat Libby and Gus while Kevin and I went to dinner at Nada and to the Over The Rhine Christmas concert at the Taft with Doug and Sue. Of course, we talked about the babies a lot, but it was so nice to go out and enjoy a great dinner with just the 4 of us.

We're planning to spend Christmas Eve at home. Kevin bought lots of appetizers at Kroger yesterday for us to graze on throughout the evening, and we're going to bake cut-out sugar cookies for Santa. Christmas Day we're going to Nonny's and Gran's for dinner, stopping by the Carusos' open house, then it's off to Edgerton on Friday.

I'm posting a bunch of photos, which I hope you enjoy. Kevin and I are on vacation next week, so we plan to get our photos organized and add all the Christmas ones to the gallery. I'm sure there will be plenty, so be sure to check back mid-week.

doctor/4 months

Libby had her 4-month well visit with Dr. Z yesterday and got another A+. She weighs 12 pounds, 6 ounces, is 23.25 inches long, and her head is 16 inches (they measure their head to chart brain growth). So she gained a pound and a half since her 2-month visit, and gained one inch each in her length and head. She's still squarely in the 50th percentile, which is perfect. Since she's growing so well, we don't need to start her on rice cereal until 6 months. But if she starts wanting to eat more frequently or just doesn't seem to be getting full when she nurses, he said to go ahead and try it. She moved up to 7 ounces instead of 6 in her bottles this week, too.

She got four shots again but did much better afterward this time. Katie gave her a dose of Tylenol before Kevin picked her up, and the doc suggested we continue that for 24 hours. She cried when she received the injections but was an angel last night. She even slept for 9 hours straight overnight, a luxury for us!

Dr. Z gave us some diaper rash tips, including applying Maalox or Mylanta to her bum when she has broken skin, as a few of my friends had suggested. He said that because her skin is sensitive and she poops so much (still at least 6 times a day!), she's just going to be prone to diaper rash. We battle an outbreak at least once a week. He said she doesn't have eczema, but that her skin is dry and sensitive, so we'll just need to put lots of mild lotion on her. We pointed out the birth mark that has developed on her leg and he wasn't concerned. We also noticed a red "stork bite" birth mark at the nape of her neck while we were there. It's under her hair, and he said it should fade in the next few years.

Developmentally she's doing great. She's super strong, curious, happy, vocal--just an engaged and good-natured girl.

libby three months

I thought we were due for an update on what Libby is up to lately.

Noises. She's been making more and more noises, including little laughs, coos and squeals. She also blows raspberries now, which leads us to the next thing ...

Spitting. If there were a market for baby drool, we could bottle it and make a fortune. She's been drooling, spitting and chewing on her hands 24/7. We go through many bibs each day.

Smiling. Miss Libby is all smiles these days, as I'm sure you've noticed in her pictures. Her face lights up whenever she sees us or Aunt Katie. We can't get enough of her big, open-mouthed grin and little chuckles!

Diaper Rash. We're still battling diaper rash. During one diaper change her bottom will look perfect, then it's raging red the next. We use Aquaphor to prevent it and diaper rash ointment to soothe it when it flares up, but she's just got a sensitive little bottom. We had lofty goals of using more natural, environmentally friendly diapers, but we've joined the masses of Pampers users, as they seem to keep her the most dry.

Dry Skin. With the cold weather, Libby's skin has turned very dry and patchy. I fear that she, like every one of my friends' babies, might have eczema. I've been lathering her up with lotion after her baths, but I plan to consult the doctor about it at her 4-month check up December 19th. For those of you with babies with eczema, I'd love any advice about what you do/use for your babies. We love our Burt's Bees products, but I'm guessing we may have to switch to something more soothing. We do have a humidifier attached to our new furnace.

Grabbing. Libby has started reaching for things and grasping them in her hands. The toys dangling from her play mat, her washcloth in the bathtub, my bowl of peppermint ice cream this afternoon, my hair. I'm excited for her to start grasping toys because I think she'll be able to entertain herself a little better when she's hanging out on her own.

Growing. I'm so excited to see how much Libby has gained and grown in the past two months. This week she moved up to level 2 bottle nipples and size 2 diapers. She's still wearing 3-month clothing, but I have a feeling we'll be breaking out the 3 to 6 month wardrobe soon. I don't want her to get big too fast, but it's very gratifying to see the fruits of all my breastfeeding and pumping efforts.

Sleeping (Sporadically). We're perplexed about Libby's sleep habits. She goes to sleep easily at night, but on the nights when Kevin is traveling, she hasn't been able to stay asleep. It took me several hours to get her to sleep the nights he was gone last week, resulting in three consecutive nights of 3 to 4 hours of sleep for me. By Thursday when he came home I was a zombie and ended up with a mild stomach bug and a cold. Yet she's gone to bed easily and slept through the night since Thursday. We've hypothesized with Katie about a dozen different factors that could be affecting her, but we really don't know. If Kevin's presence has that strong of an effect on her it's really sweet, but we're both kind of hoping that's not it, since he's traveling again this week.

Standing. Libby has never liked to lay back and act like a little baby, but lately she likes "standing" more and more. She loves it when we grasp her hands and pull her into a sitting, then standing, position. I wouldn't be surprised if she was one of those kids who skipped crawling and just got up and walked one day!

happy holidays from the whitmans

Enjoy this Country Christmas with the Whitman Clan.
(minus Kenz, he's allergic to hay, so he couldn't join us...)

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

libby's three month photos

Friday Sarah and I took Libby for her second photo shoot. On Katie's advice, we took the first appointment of the day. Being the day after Thanksgiving we were worried about finding a parking place and about a photo studio full of crazy kids and parents. When we got there (30 minutes before they even opened) we were lucky on both accounts. We walked in as soon as they opened and started taking photos right away. By the time we left, the place was packed with families dressed in their holiday best waiting for their turn. Below are a few of our favorite shots, and more are available in our Mobile Me Gallery. Enjoy!

thankful

As we sat down to another delicious Thanksgiving dinner today, I realized that in thirty years I can't remember a time when I've felt more thankful. I have a wife who is beautiful in every way that a person can be. I have a daughter who manages to make me fall deeper in love with her every day. We have a home that is warm and safe and perfect for us. We have successful and rewarding careers that we not only enjoy (for the most part) but they provide us with a very comfortable life. We have family and friends that love us unconditionally and that we love back just as much. And in the world we live in today, I don't know what more I could ask for.
Happy, happy, happy Thanksgiving...

working from home

My office is only open a half day today, so Libby and I decided to work from home. She kept me company during breakfast this morning in her Bumbo seat. As you can see, she was a very nice dining companion. Katie sent the red booties home with her yesterday because she said she liked looking at them while she sat in her Bumbo. I just stuck them on her toes, but she did seem to like the bright color.

We have a nice long holiday weekend on tap. Uncle Seth is coming down today to visit us and to bag up our leaves. Tomorrow we're going to Gran's and Nonny's for Thanksgiving. And Grandma Whitman is coming to visit on Friday. We're hoping to get our Christmas tree this weekend, so stay tuned for lots of pictures. Happy Thanksgiving. We have a lot to be grateful for this year--more than ever!

great gran!

Since Kevin was traveling Tuesday and Wednesday, and Libby has been pretty fussy in the evening, my maternal grandma, Gran, came to stay with us girls for a few days. It was such a tremendous help to have her around and we really enjoyed our time alone with her. Usually when we see her there's a big family gathering and we don't get much one-on-one time. And she hadn't seen her little Libby is several weeks, so she was itching for a fix! I think Gran especially enjoyed helping with Libby's bath (I told Libby that Gran used to give Mommy and Aunt Katie baths too!). As I was getting Libby ready to get in her tub, Gran was talking to her and laughing, then Libby started laughing for the first time! It was such a cute little throaty guffaw. Daddy got her laughing again last night, and I can't wait to hear more of that sweet little sound. She's also all smiles these days. Last Friday, I came home briefly from work before heading out again for some take-out dinner. Kevin was holding her facing outward as I chattered and put my things away. Then I looked at her and realized she was just beaming at me as if to say, "Mommy, you're home!"

As you can see, Libby is growing and changing fast. She's sooo close to rolling over from her back to her tummy. I'm hoping she does it when Kevin and I are both home and watching. She's also making more and more noises as she talks to her toys. And she's started batting at them too.

We're looking forward to the weekend and a short work week without travel. Wish us luck catching up on sleep (Mommy's averaging 4 to 5 hours a night this week) and that Kevin's wicked cold is better soon.

our big week

As you know, I returned to work last week, and Libby started daycare with Aunt Katie. All in all it was a successful week. I managed to get both Libby and myself where we needed to go on time each day and to pump three bottles of milk a day so that we don't need to supplement with formula, which were the things I was most worried about. I feel settled at work now and enjoyed seeing my co-workers again. And Libby seems to be doing great with Aunt Katie. Katie keeps a detailed record of Libby's day, and she sent us photos of her twice last week. She's giving her lots of good playtime and love. And it's nice to have someone else (who's already a mom) to weigh in on her care. I like seeing Casey every day too. All three of them wave to me from the window as I leave each day. Sometimes it seems too good to be true that I lucked into such a great daycare situation. There's nowhere else I'd rather have her staying if she can't be home with me.

It does stink to get up at 6 a.m. and not get to work until 9 a.m! But that's the drill by the time I eat breakfast, give Kenzie his pill, get myself ready, feed Libby, get Libby ready, pack her bottles/my pump/my lunch/her diaper bag/my purse, take Gilmore out, put our coats on, load her in the car, take her to Katie's and drive to work. I'm ready for a second breakfast and a nap by the time I get to the office!

Libby has been kind of cranky in the evening. We think she might have a bellyache from taking bottles during the day and/or taking her vitamins, which she just started this week. (They recommend that breastfed babies get vitamin D supplements now.) Or she might just be adjusting to her new routine. Really, she just wants to be held all evening, which isn't too hard to accommodate when Kevin is home, but it was really challenging Tuesday night when he was out of town. I'd LOVE to just sit and hold her all night, but I have to find time to eat dinner, take care of pets, wash bottles, etc. And it's been taking several attempts to get her to bed. Last night we started our bedtime routine at 9:30 and she finally fell asleep at midnight. Luckily she slept until 7 a.m. after that, which she's done three times in the past week. It's just really frustrating when she's sound asleep, and just as I start to drift off she wakes up crying. Kevin tries to help, but often the only thing that calms her down is to nurse a little more. I'm hoping this phase will pass as she settles into a new routine. And, needless to say, I'm not looking forward to all of Kevin's upcoming travel. I don't want him to feel guilty, but rather, want him to know how much we appreciate having him here to help in the evenings!

All in all, though, things are good. I'm happy we survived the first week and that we have some very short weeks to look forward to during the holidays. And I'm very thankful for my Mondays off!

good stuff

I saw this online today and thought it was so appropriate for Libby's first day of daycare with Aunt Katie. It's a good reminder to stay focused on what's most important now that so many other things will be competing with Libby for my attention. It also brought a few tears to my eyes.

"Try to feel honored, rather than burdened, by your baby needing you so much and needing so much of you. He/she is probably the only person in the world who will ever love you 100% without criticism or reservation. Arrange to enjoy his/her company whenever you can and don't let even the first murmurs of jealousy set up stresses between you and whoever cares for him/her when you can't. He/she is probably the only person in the world who always wants to be with you. He/she would never prefer anyone else although they'll accept loving care wherever it can be found. Make him/her feel good and let him/her make you feel good, too. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose."

tiny bubbles

I know this is a little overdue, but I finally found time today to finish up Libby's first bath video. It's actually a two parter, but I only have the first one complete.
Sarah went back to work today and Libby and I get to hang out all day because I didn't have to go to work. Oh, Happy Veteran's Day to all the Vets we know and love. Thank you!!!

all good things …

… must come to an end.

Today is my last day of maternity leave. Tomorrow I start back to work 30 hours a week. I'll work 4 days a week, Tuesday through Friday, and Thursday will be a 6-hour day so I can leave early and get our weekly grocery shopping done.

I'm pretty sad about ending my gig as a stay-at-home-mom, but I'm trying to think of it as less of an end and more of a change. I feel blessed that I'll still have Mondays with my girl, and I have zero anxiety about taking her to "daycare" since she'll be in the very capable and loving hands of her Aunt Katie. I'm just bummed that I won't be able to spend each day with her and that I'll only have a few hours with her in the evenings on those days when I am working. I am looking forward to seeing my co-workers on a regular basis again, though. They're such dear friends and I've missed them. I haven't missed all the outside stresses that the working world brings, though.

I'm going to continue to breastfeed—my goal is to stick with it for year—so I'll also have to pump bottles of milk twice a day while I'm at work. Little Libs is worth it, though! And Kevin is starting a 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. schedule this week, so he'll be able to pick to Libby up and spend some time with her before I get home each day. Unfortunately, he's going to be traveling a lot between now and Christmas, so Libby and I will be going it alone some days, and I know we'll both miss him very much. Tomorrow he's off for Veteran's Day, though, so he'll get to spend the whole day with his favorite girl. Please wish all of us (Aunt Katie, too) luck with this big, new transition!

bathing beauty

I took some super cute photos of Libby's bath a few weeks ago and thought I'd share them. You can see more in the "libby month two" section of our mobile me gallery.

I also thought I'd take a minute to explain her bathtub since we get so many questions about it. Yes, it's like a bucket, but it has a few features that make it more comfortable than sitting in a bucket. It has a foam contoured bottom for her to sit on. It has a handle that makes the water easy to dump. And it has curved edges that are comfy for her head. She loves being submerged in the water for her baths as you can see in the photos (the idea is that it's similar to being in the womb). She can support herself and likes to push up with her legs to a semi-standing position when she's in it. The only complaint I have with it is that it's hard to clean all the little creases in her thighs when she's sitting on her bottom, but we just hit those spots again with a washcloth when she gets out of the tub.

It's called the Prince Lionheart Wash Pod, and you can learn more about it here.

halloween

Unfortunately, little Libby didn't react well to her shots, and we had to cancel our Halloween plans. She had decided to be a black cat, and I had even washed her costume. It's hanging sadly in her room, unworn. :-(

We had planned to stop by to see Maddie and Sydney, then Casey, then Gus. Afterward we were going to hang out at Doug and Sue's. When Libby woke up from a nap around 4:00, she was hysterical, and it took her a good hour to settle down. She felt warm, and she was acting hungry, but wouldn't nurse. She's never been inconsolable, and she never refuses to nurse. We gave her more Tylenol, and she eventually ate and seemed to feel better, but we didn't want to press our luck. So we just stayed home and cuddled her all evening while she slept. She was still a little fussy on and off, which is uncharacteristic.

We ended up having a fun evening, though. Liz came to visit from Indianapolis and spent the night with. She and Kevin went and bought some candy for trick or treaters when we decided to stay home and picked up some Thai food and sushi. We just hung out all night and watched movies and TV, and made Halloween goodies like caramel apples and peanut caramel cereal treats.

Libby slept well last night and seems more herself today. It was sad to miss out on our Halloween adventures, but we're glad our little kitten is feeling better today.

boo (hoo)

Libby had her two-month check up today, and she's doing great. She's in the 50th percentile for weight and head size, and the 60th for length. She weighs 10 pounds, 14 ounces and is 22.25 inches long. Unfortunately, she had to get 4 shots and one oral vaccination. Needless to say, the shots were no treat for Libby or Mommy and Daddy!

rock the vote!

There's only one day left to vote for Libby's Halloween costume! Check out your choices on the right and vote today!

Oh, yeah. And don't forget to vote on November 4th, or before!!!
I voted yesterday, it was pretty cool.

libby's first trip

Libby made her first trip to Edgerton this weekend to see Grandma & Grandpa Whitman, and to meet her aunt, uncle and cousins. It was a whirlwind trip! Friday, we drove up, stopping once for nursing and a diaper change. When we arrived, Kurt and Christy were pulling into the drive, so we got to spend time with them, Kraig, Casey, Chloe and Cayla that night. Kraig and Casey suddenly seem so grown up, and it was fun talking to them more as adults than kids. All four of the kids are so smart and funny.

Saturday, Libby attended her first auction where Grandpa was working, and she met lots of people (Keith is an auctioneer). We also made a trip to the Edgerton campground to see Kurt and Christy's new camper and campsite. Then we took Libby to meet both of her great grandmothers. Saturday night, Jenna, a childhood friend of Kevin's, came over for dinner with her 3-year-old son Jacob. He is convinced that he's Spiderman and was so cute and funny.

Sunday we attended the annual early Engler Christmas. Libby got to meet lots of aunts, uncles and cousins. We headed home after that, stopping at Bob Evans for dinner and diapering.

It was a fun weekend, but it's always nice to be home. Thanks to Keith and Kathy for all their hospitality!

busy little bee

Libby has been a very social girl this past week. Last Thursday, she and I met Daddy and our friends/his co-workers Gina, Erin and Josie at Don Pablos for lunch. Friday night, we went to a party at Daddy's boss's house. Libby was a big hit with all the ladies at both events, and Daddy played—and won—his first game of Euchre!

Saturday, we went to Hallzooween at the Cincinnati Zoo with Katie and Casey. It was a beautiful afternoon and fun to see all the little kids dressed up. All the animals were out, and they had treat stations where the kids could collect goodies. Casey was the cutest little skunk, and Libby wore all her Halloween apparel. We didn't get many photos, though, because we took video most of the time. Saturday night, Daddy and Libby stayed home and celebrated Sweetest Day together while Mommy, Katie and Nonny went to dinner at Dewey's Pizza and saw "The Secret Life of Bees." It's Nonny's favorite book, and she had bought it for both me and Katie.

Sunday, we met Doug, Sue and Gus for brunch at Lavomatic, then went to Findlay Market. Karen Wildey gave Libby a pretty fall flower bouquet (she did the flowers for our wedding, and we just love her and her husband, Ed). Then we went to see Nonny at Katie's (she was babysitting Casey while Katie and Matt were at the Bengals game).

Needless to say, we were very tired Sunday night and enjoyed a day at home Monday.

growing up

I think Libby might be going through a little growth spurt. She's been sleeping for longer stretches, and she's nursing for longer periods of time. She's also outgrown all her newborn sleepers and socks, and her newborn onesies are getting snug. Some other developments:

She seems to be finding her voice. Right now she's watching the giraffe mobile on her pack 'n play go round and round and letting out little squeals. She has always loved these "friends," and now I think she's trying to talk to them!

She's also started sucking on her hands and blowing spit bubbles. I read that these things can be a precursor to teething, even though that probably won't happen until at least 3 or 4 months (hopefully later, for the sake of this breastfeeding mom!). She's spitting up more often after she eats, too. Not much, but enough that we're plowing through the bibs and burp cloths lately. We really need to go buy some cuter bibs that match all her pink outfits.

She's showing more and more signs of recognition and happiness when we're around. Today she brightened up when I went to get her out of her crib after a short snooze. She's also been smiling and furrowing her brow inquisitively when I make funny faces and noises for her. She seems to alternate between being delighted and concerned, which is probably a pretty appropriate response to my nonsensical behavior, lol.

She seems to be happiest in the morning and little fussy in the evening, which seems typical for most babies. This makes lunch outings a little more pleasant than dinner dates. Her fussiness is very, very mild--she just likes to change positions constantly. She doesn't have trouble falling asleep in the morning or after she nurses overnight, but I think she fights sleep in the evening.

I'm posting a picture of her "sitting up" in her chair. She's actually falling over, so I think we'll wait a few more weeks before we try the sitting up position again. I thought this pic was cute, though.

lucky libby

Saturday night, we attended a dinner at Great Wolf Lodge to benefit HART, the dog and cat rescue group Katie volunteers with and through which we adopted Gilmore. In addition to a great dinner, silent auction, live auction and several raffles, there were about 20 door prizes distributed. Because our family (Katie, Matt, Casey, me, Kevin, Libby, Mom and Mom's friend Carolyn) bought an entire table, Libby was a registered attendee and eligible for the raffle. We joked as we filled out her entry that it would be so funny if a 6-week-old baby won. Well, Libby must have inherited her mama's good luck because, sure enough, she was a winner. When they called her name, Kevin had to go up in front of everyone to claim her prize. Most of the baskets were dog-themed or had items suitable for grown-ups. But Libby had the good fortune of winning a basket of Easter items for a little girl. There's pastel bath confetti, a puppy wearing bunny ears, a tiny butterfly purse and more. I packed everything away to give to her for Easter when she's a little older, but we snapped a photo of her with her winnings at the dinner. Katie and Matt also won door prizes, so we must have been seated at the lucky table!

Libby also took her first trip to Findlay Market on Saturday. Then we went shopping at Kohl's for some new sleepers for her since she outgrew all her newborn ones this week. It was a big day!

itzbeen awesome

As a new mom, I've already discovered a few products that make my life so much easier. Here, Libby will model all three while I explain why we love them so much.

Itzbeen Timer. This tiny tool has four different buttons you can use to either time how long you've done something, such as fed the baby or changed her diaper, or you can set each as an alarm to remind you to do something, such as dispense medicine. It also has a clock, a flashlight, and a little switch you can use to remind yourself which breast to start with the next time you nurse. It even has a clip for easy carrying. At first I used it mostly as an alarm to take my own medicine, since I was taking pain medication every 6 hours and blood pressure medicine every 8 hours. Then we used it to keep track of Libby's diaper rash medicine applications. Now I use it religiously to time how long Libby nurses and how long it's been since she last ate. Day or night, this little gadget is always within arm's reach.

Boppy. Some people think the Boppy, a crescent shaped pillow used primarily for nursing, is a waste of money. I think it's one of the best inventions yet. It's so helpful to have support not only across your lap for the baby, but by your sides to prop up your arms as they support your baby's head. We use ours all day long, and we love the soft cover Doug and Sue bought for us. It's also great to lay your baby in, and it's supportive when they first learn to sit up since it wraps around behind them to cushion them when they tip over.

Zippered Sleepers. I quickly learned that zippers are so much easier to maneuver than snaps when you're trying to change your baby in the middle of the night without turning a bright light on. Why don't more sleepers zip?

all clear

I had my 6-week checkup with my doctor yesterday and all is well. My incision looks great, my uterus is back to normal size, and I don't have any restrictions on activities anymore. It's weird to have this journey come to its end. I really enjoyed being pregnant and looked forward to my doctor visits. I even have some nostalgia for my hospital stay. I feel a little bit like I just broke up with someone who I still like a great deal but just don't really need to have around anymore, lol. Plus, the next time I go to the doctor, I'll have a co-pay again. When you're pregnant, you pay one co-pay at your first visit, and that covers all your subsequent visits. How great is that?

Libby is doing well, too. She's sleeping longer stretches through the night—4 or 5 hours–so I'm only having to get up once to feed her between the hours of 10 or 11 p.m. and 6 or 7 a.m. She's starting to smile at us more, and she follows us with her eyes now. We've started to read books to her in an effort to ease into a bedtime routine, and she seems to like listening to our voices. She still sleeps a lot, but we're not concerned since she's eating well and growing like a weed. We've been trying to get out of the house to do something every other day in an effort to avoid going stir-crazy but not run ourselves ragged. Yesterday, Libby stayed with Katie and Casey while I went to my doctor's appointment, got an allergy shot and went to Trader Joe's in Kenwood. Today, we're vegging at home, and tomorrow we're going to my office to see my staff and all my other co-workers who were so kind to me while I was pregnant. Let us know if you'd like to plan a date with us in the next few weeks. I don't go back to work until 11/11.

libby's first photo shoot

You may have already seen them in our gallery, but I wanted to post the photos we selected from Libby's first photo shoot last week. Enjoy!