Laurel goes Pro!

We had a very busy week this past week! Lots of things going on with business and family. My dad was in town this past week and we had the opportunity to attend the local stop on the PGA tour. Gorgeous day, beautiful course. Not the most ideal place to take a baby:)...lots of silence required, but we made it through and she was very good. The couple of times she fussed seemed to be timed for the most silent moments:), but babies are unpredictable! The same thing happened in church last weekend. She had a rough time in the nursery, didn't like being left with strangers for the first time. But in the church service, she waited until the silent prayer to cry out. I made a dash for the door to the nursing room and we were all good.
Laurel also took her second trip to the beach this past Saturday. The week before was her first trip. And this past weekend we all took the walk along the beach to Venice and back.

Alex and my dad spent the rest of the long weekend in our shop finishing up the back room. They layed the rest of the flooring and we painted the walls. It's dangerously close to being finished. Just some tidying and putting things in new homes.

Video of Laurel

So I just discovered I can put up video! (Yes I've noticed the video icon, but I never actually thought about putting anything online).
Here's Laurel today, 2-21-08 enjoying her play gym.

Laurel is such a joy. She is so funny to interact with and makes all kinds of new chatter noises. She's working on her "b"s, but muffles them and scrunches her mouth up. I'll try to see if I can get it on video sometime:). She's also starting to enjoy peek-a-boo. She just laughs and laughs when you appear from hiding. Startled at first, but then giggles.

We've also started cereal again. She's taking to it a bit better. Unfortunately, it's changing her poops...a lot stinkier!

And finally we're on to a good solid routine! Up at 6:30/7, cereal at 8:45 followed by nursing, rocking and a nap at 9 for 1.5 - 2 hours! Up until 1 and then down for another hour. Sometimes at the store in the sling, when at home - in the crib. Up until 4ish and down for another hour. Bedtime routine starts at 7 with baths every other day. Nursing, rocking, singing and down around 7:30/45. No fussing:). She is loving her blankets. She loves to be snug as a bug and chew on the fabric. And I know she's well rested because she wakes happily and chats and coos.

Laurel is starting to get better at sitting by herself. She just needs a comforting hand on her back and she stays propped up. She also takes spastic marching steps when you hold her up. Still not a fan of tummy time, she will roll from her tummy to her back, but not vice versa...and prefers standing. Maybe not a crawler, we shall see!

Always doing new things!

Our little Laurel is a busy girl! She's doing new things almost everyday. Yesterday, she rolled over one way for the first time. I've had her on tummy time at the shop quite a lot. Finally yesterday, she was laying on her playmat with some toys and heard a bonk and thought maybe she fell...but wait, she was already on the floor, how could she fall? No, she rolled over onto her back! And to test her, I put her right back up and she did it again. She also did it two times at home. It takes her a while and almost seems like she tilts her head over and the weight of her noggin carries her:).
We also took our stab at baby foods. I think it may be turning out that she's not ready. We started with rice cereal and she was very unimpressed and actually unhappy about it. After a couple of unsuccessful sessions of that, I tried the oatmeal yesterday. Again, not wanting it. She pushes it back out with her tongue, makes fussy faces and refuses to open her mouth for the spoon. I even have her eat with me at breakfast...mommy eats oatmeal too! But nothing. So today in my last ditch effort, I moved her straight on to sweet potatoes. The rice and oatmeal are mixed with breast milk and pretty much tastes like milk and nothing new. So, I had hoped that a new flavor would intrigue her. Nope. Uninterested and pushed a lot of if out of her mouth. She's still learning the reflex which allows her to move the food to the back of her mouth and swallow. But after several feeding sessions, she's not getting it and doesn't seem ready. I'm going to take a break for a week and try again.
I show Laurel her reflection in the mirror every day. I talk to her about the baby in the mirror and lately she's taken to reaching our and touching that baby:). She smiles and giggles at the baby like she's seeing a friend. She even gets silly and bashful and turns away into my shoulder. It's pretty darned cute!
I think she's also grown again! It was just a couple of weeks ago that we started putting her down to play with her little gym. There's pieces that hang above her head that she plays with and a ball that hangs by her feet to kick. Not long ago, I remember her struggling to reach the ball. And today I was watching her kick the ball and her feet are right under it now! She's grown longer again already!!