33

Andrew turned 33 this last week. To celebrate both his birthday *and* Genevieve's rolling over milestone, he took the week off of work to get cracking on childproofing our house. (We will NOT be caught unprepared again.)

You can see the Danger Gleam_TM in her eyes.

I listed a number of his good qualities last year, but with this year's Major Life Change, that list has grown.

Genevieve brings out the best in you: you are patient, kind, and calm.

SuperDad in action!

Even when she is screaming her head off, you keep your cool and rock the 5 S's like a champ. You've worn a groove in our hallway bouncing and shushing and - even though we need to refinish the floors - I think it's a testament to your excellent parenting.

You regularly get up early on the weekends to give me a couple of hours of precious, precious sleep while you spend quality time with our daughter. Once I get up, you make breakfast and coffee.

Quality time in the glider

I love our morning Civilised Breakfasts_TM- where I get up during Genevieve's morning alert time, make breakfast, and then we drink our coffee and eat breakfast without computers, phones, or any of the other modern conveniences that could rob us of our civility while she plays.

I love that you are on board with all of my Attachment Parenting ideas, including limiting/restricting Genevieve's access to television- and that we started listening to the Hunger Games Trilogy together. I also appreciate that you didn't say ONE WORD about me weeping into my dinner at the end of Mockingjay. (You are the "nice one", after all.) I love that you're asking about what we're going to listen to next.

I love that you are into wearing Genevieve (in the Moby or the Ergo), and that you know that the measure of a man isn't being cowed by other people's opinions. (Except for mine, of course. Babywearing dads are super-hot.)

I love that you are thoughtful, and that thoughtfulness extends out to my mom, too. We are both still enjoying our bouquets of roses for Mother's Day.

I love watching you play with Genevieve.

Super-wiggly baby!

I love how your eyes sparkle when you look at her.

You see it, too, right?

I love how you've risen to the challenges of parenting, and you make it look effortless.

Okay, some times are easier than others.

Most of all, I love that you have a sense of humor when it comes to me, my crazy ideas, and the honey-do list I set up for you on Pinterest. I love that you still heckle me over thinking that Queen was a one-hit wonder band for Bohemian Rhapsody, since I didn't realize that I know (and like) a lot of their songs.

I love that you pick cute clothes for Genevieve. I am simultaneously terrified and intrigued at the thought of what you'll pick once I really start sewing for her.

Parallel impromptu naps!

I hope Genevieve marries someone just like you someday. But not in a creepy Electra complex way.

Happy (belated) birthday, hubs.


[SIDE NOTE: I swear he owns more than just the "Got Crabs?" t-shirt that he got at The Crab Pot on our honeymoon.]

Milestones and mimosas

It's been busy around these parts.

First, I finished DangerMouse's mini garter yoke cardigan; a smaller version of one I knit for myself out of my handspun yarn.



Unfortunately, it was just in time for a ridiculously hot week. Lest I miss my brief window of opportunity to photograph her in it, I grabbed a shot early one morning.

I have also started sewing, and I LOVELOVELOVE it! Sure, I'm only sewing baby blankets at right now, but I'm learning techniques that will translate into other projects, too.



Genevieve has been hitting milestones left and right, including rolling over and grabbing her toes!



There has also been the beginnings of teething,



Genevieve is chewing on EVERYTHING. Fingers, toys, her play gym. I may have called her a tiny termite the other day. The best/most terrifying part is how she goes in for the bite- like a shark.

When she's working on one of your fingers, it is NOT the time for kisses on her cheek. Because she'll try to chew on anything. Noses, chins; nothing is safe. Teething babies need tough, fearless parents.

I can feel the bumps under her gums when she gnaws on my fingers, and she's starting to look at our plates hungrily.



She still smiles in her sleep, which I find endlessly charming. A new development is that she will babble in her sleep, which proves that she's my daughter. (KidBrother Sam and I both talk in our sleep. I have even been known to enable in my sleep, if Meghan is to be believed.)

We celebrated my first Mother's Day with our family and some close friends. We had a delicious, decadent brunch.



And of course, mimosas.

Love in a Time of Productivity

In the last four months, I have learned that sometimes you snuggle because it's fun, sometimes you snuggle because your baby needs snuggles, and sometimes you snuggle because *you* need it. Friday was the latter.

DangerMouse had her four month checkup last week. 95th percentile for height, 90th percentile for weight, 25th percentile for head size. Fun fact: our pediatrician (who will henceforth be dubbed Dr. FTW) told us that DangerMouse looks a lot like Andrew. In her culture, that means Genevieve will be very successful.

I'll take that. Especially since she didn't tack on "... as a stripper" to the end of that sentence.

(Truth be told, while I would rather Genevieve *not* be a stripper, if she decides to go that route, I would hope she was a very successful one.)

[FUTURE GENEVIEVE: DO NOT BE A STRIPPER.]

How did this become about strippers? Quick, palate cleanser!

Sweater and hat both by DangerMouse's knitting aunties

In four months she has gone from a scrawny 6 lbs 11 oz to a robust 15 lbs and 11 oz. I'm still kvelling over this. I've also been reading  The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers, which I checked out from the library on a lark.

I'm finding it helpful, partly because it addresses a lot of the less-than-sparkly feelings that sometimes accompany new motherhood, and partly because I'm more mindful of some of the things I can actively work on. Like being frustrated that I'm not getting enough done.

Enough of what? Genevieve is fed, clean, and mostly cheerful. We talk, we sing, we play, we nap. We don't run 400 errands and do 8000 things every day; or every week even. But, I am trying to stay positive and treasure the time I have with her while she is small.

Matching hats at the Farmer's Market

Andrew says he feels it too, the feeling that he's unproductive. But it's things like the picture with their matching hats that reminds him that everything else isn't as important. He's right.

For now, I'll take the snuggles where I can get them, because like the poem says, "I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep."

Four months

Today, Genevieve is four months old. I can easily say that in the last four months, my life has done a complete 180º. Being a Mom isn't easy, and not all of my days are good days. But the good moments and good days make my heart swell with all those excellent mommy hormones that the books promised.

I love staring at her.

She's amazing, and probably the smartest, funniest, and most talented baby in the whole world. No bias here; just the facts. She's growing like a weed, and every day I have the distinct privilege of watching her world get *just* a little bit bigger every day.

I think the best thing (to date) was on St. Patrick's Day, when she realized that Mealtime Is For Talking. Our family is the kind that can make dinner last six hours; we're having a great time telling stories, jokes, and enjoying all the elements of a family meal.

"Oh, Unkie Sam. Not THIS story again!" (Picture by Laura)

At mealtime, she'll sit on someone's lap, and babble and laugh away. I'm endlessly charmed by it. Connections are being made; I put her down in her crib for a few minutes, and I heard her talking to her stuffed dinosaurs, pause, and then HYSTERICAL laughter. I can only assume she was doing stand-up for them.

She rolled over for the first time this last week, and there have been no shortage of other milestones- discovering that hands were for reaching, finding her feet, and then actually INTENTIONALLY reaching for things! And grabbing them!

In related news, I'm wearing my hair in a ponytail again.

Other fun DangerMouse facts:

- Farts are funny. It doesn't help that everyone who helps change diapers laughs when she farts. I know that we are unintentionally reinforcing this.
- We love the word "booty". Also "naked" and "squish".
- Fake sneezes will still get her mother to say "gesundheit". Which is another funny word.
- She laughs in her sleep.
- She can work a room. She's all smiles and charm when we're out and about.
- She can sleep through dogs barking, loud music, hammering, leaf blowers, and the sewing machine.
- When she stretches, she makes the Blue Steel face from Zoolander.
- Any problem can be solved through the judicious application of a fresh diaper, a boob, or some time in the baby sling. (We have loved the Moby Wrap from the start and the ERGO now that she's stable enough for it.)

The most important thing I've learned in the last four months? Everything else can wait.