Oh Central Market, how we love you! Before Giada was born Central Market was Brad’s and my Friday night date. We had a great time walking around the store with a glass of wine and trying out all the free samples.

We would get to legitimately spend money because we were buying groceries. It was great! Now we bring Giada and she does really well. Most of the time she conks out in the Baby Bjorn. I think all the colors and sounds make her tired. On this trip we  brought her to buy her first baby food. We got Ella’s organic carrots in a pouch.

I stopped breast feeding on Giada’s 5 month b-day 23rd of March.  Went to the dr. and I was only pumping 6 oz a day even with medication to increase consumption. She was feeding from the breast 2 times in the morning and then was like screw you, this is too hard for what I’m getting – give me a bottle! by lunch time.  The last time I breastfed her was very bittersweet.

I was all torn up about it until I realized that meant that I could take Concerta again – AND WOW! HOW THE DID I EVER LIVE WITHOUT CONCERTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My God – seriously, I got more done in one day than I had I a year and ½.  unbelievable.

We just finished our latest house renovation. Adding stairs from the back of the den into the new office – which was Ann’s old bedroom. Plus we ripped out the bedroom in the guest house and completely redid it with can lights and so on. It looks really good. Brad Basar – Brad’s best friend and out former client has come to work for us – and live in the back house. It has been interesting. The new office is nice if small but it holds me Brad, Brad Basar, Rebecca and Shannon well and makes our business seem separate from our family life which I have been waiting for for a long time.

I can sit up now in a Bumbo but it is very hard. I only like to sit here for a couple of minutes, no matter how many toys I have.

We took Giada out of her Moses basket in the bassinet and she slept last night in the bassinet only. She did pretty well. We are still not able to get her down before midnight but she is sleeping til about 10 am. I wish she’d flip her schedule!

Grandma Canterbury's Blanket

Wow, it has been snowing here all morning. It is almost noon and still going strong. The roads still look ok though so alas we can’t really call it a snow day.

This is a picture of Giada with the blanket my Grandmother Canterbury crocheted her. Giada loves to look at the contrasting pink and white. We usually have it draped over the sofa where she sleeps in the corner and cover her with it when she is asleep.

One of the most horrifying days of my life.

Giada’s two month doctor’s appointment was really more like a 2 month and 2 week appointment. Dr. Curtis (Dr. Somer Curtis and I went to high school together at Ursuline Academy.) said Giada was doing well. She is growing on a 20% growth curve and weighs 10lbs 1 oz now. When she was born she weighed 6lbs 11 oz. but dropped to 6 lbs 1 oz at her 2 week appointment. Her head is normally shaped, not flat (thank goodness) and is in the 50th percentile at 39.9 – I am not sure why this is important – it shows her brain is developing?

Everyone always says that Giada is tall but she is actually just 24 inches tall – weird, she’s grown 4 inches in 2 months – that is pretty amazing that she is getting that big just on breast milk. (That’s in the 85th percentile if you’re interested.)

The whole percentile thing is kinda odd. How important is it? Does it matter really? Hmm…

Well all that was just fine. Somer said I need to be careful to not let her fall off anything as people underestimate the dexterity of their  babies at this age. Giada is not flipping over yet but she can scooch around pretty well. At our first appointment with Dr. Curtis Giada did actually flip her self from her side to her back which was pretty precocious. She also turned herself in a circle by scooching her feet.

I really should see Giada gets more tummy time so she can get stronger. It is funny to see her hold her little head up when against my chest or in a sitting position. She is still not super strong but she is doing better and better. She started doing this around Christmas.

The horrifying part of the visit was the vaccinations. The nurse came in with three shots with needles so long I thought they would go all the way through her leg.

I really thought I was prepared. I knew she was getting shots. I knew they were going to hurt her. I breastfed through the appointment to get her lots of oxytocin or whatever the feel good hormones are called. I steeled myself – telling myself that it was for her own good. The nurse came in, three shots in hand, jabbed Giada in both legs so fast I barely saw her hand move and had 2 band aids slapped on before Giada could even articulate the extreme pain she was in evidenced by the awful kidney bean red color she had turned. Poor thing!! She screamed and screamed. I immediately put her to breast but it took awhile until she would take that comfort. I guess it eventually worked though as after she finished eating she seemed ok and was fine all the way home. It was awful! I’m terrified of her 4 month appointment. Jesus.

The baptism was lovely. Uncle Joe’s whole crew was there. Super Joe’s youngest had pink eye, poor thing, so they couldn’t come to the party afterward because it was contagious. We were so glad they made it to the service though.

Embry, Kate and Stacy did an excellent job as godparents. It all seemed to go so fast. Deacon Schuster officiated expertly. I like how you walk through different parts of the church to show how you join the Catholic community as you are baptized. Especially how you end up at the altar and they talk about how the sacraments are a great comfort. You begin your life at the altar during Baptism, have your First Communion, Confirmation, marriage and eventually the altar is brought to you during your last rites. All a part of the cycle of life and how the Catholic community participates in the cycle. It is comforting.

Giada looked very sweet in her white dress and only cried once.

Giada woke up on Tuesday with a very gummy left eye. I immediately thought it was some eye eating bacteria that was going to make her lose her vision. I called the pediatrician at 9:20 and was in their office by 10am.

It looks like it is a blocked tear duct, apparently common and self correcting by 6 weeks. I’m a little worried because brad had to have surgery to open his tear ducts but My pediatrician, Somer Curtis, assures me this is rarely done any longer, the surgery causing more damage with scar tissue than beneficial opening of the ducts.

Since we were there and her two week appointment was on Friday we went ahead with the PKU testing and check up. I am tired of having my sweet baby’s feet pricked for blood – which are more like slices as her skin is so fragile. Thankfully she does not go back for 2 months.

She is 3 days early for her 2 week appointment so here true percentile might be off but they came in: Weight: 6.8 lbs  (birth weight was 6 lbs 11 oz) 20th% Height: 20 1/2 inches (up 1/2 from birth) 75th % Head: 34.4 (Don’t really know what her head circumference was) 25th%