Good Day, Sunshine!

Asa, you have been SOOOO sweet the past 2 days. I can hardly believe what a change there has been from last week!

I knew the beginning of last week we'd hit the 6 weeks growth spurt. That lasted about 2 days, and then it was like you never recovered from eating all the time and not napping much. You were discontent, napped only 20 min. or so max and put up a fight for even those minutes, and you didn't even sleep well at night. You were wearing us out (we're so glad Gma was here to help!). I was looking online for info about growth spurts and came across a recommendation for a book called The Wonder Weeks about development milestones in a baby's first year. A copy of it arrived yesterday, and it brought so much peace to my heart! It exactly described what you had been like the previous week--how unhappy you'd been AND new things you had started doing (noticing your hands and feet, noticing everything around you). AHA! You were so unhappy because your brain was overloaded with all this new info. It made so much sense, and it was such a blessing that God led us to this info to reassure me that you really were okay! Now we know when to expect the next "wonder week," and I won't be caught quite so off guard by it. :) And as evidence of your growing mind, your head circumference is already 1/2 cm bigger than LAST WEEK when I measured it while Gma was here!

Yesterday and today you are finally back at peace and rest with yourself and the world around you. You now LOVE to be sung to (not that you minded before), and will often GRIN along to mommy's silly songs when she holds your hands and does motions with them to the songs. You also stare intently at your feet. You are mesmerized by them and will gradually lean forward so you can grab them--then you squeal. And the best part is, you will fold yourself in half and then try to line up your mouth with your foot you can stuff it inside. It is beyond cute! You also "found" your hands. You hold your own hand ALL the time (it makes us think of your cuzzy at the aquarium). You even batted your hand around to hit the dangling ladybug on your playmat several times yesterday.

Lastly, you notice everything around you. Now if we take you back to your room to get ready for a nap and you are not really quite tired enough, you stare at your bookshelf, the curtains, the bird mobile, the fan, etc. You take it ALL in. It is sweet to see you looking all around and seeing more of your home. :) I have even started taking you out on the lanai in the afternoons. We get comfy in a chair right under the fan (which I put on high since it IS still summer), and you just sit in my lap and look ALL around your backyard while I relax or read.

The past two days, it's taken MAYBE 5 minutes of cuddling and patting to get you to sleep for naps. Today there was one nap you closed your eyes in 60 seconds and were basically out in 2 minutes. Now that the growth and developmental spurts are done, you are back to staying awake for an hour and a half. And you're more content during that last 30 minutes. I can put you in your bouncy seat for about 15 or so while I eat or get dinner started or just have free hands for a minute. :) When you start to get tired, we sing together to make it to the 90 minute mark. When you cry, I take you back to wrap you up in the Miracle blanket (that's its real name), and you calm almost upon seeing it, and definitely when you are done being wrapped in it. And you are starting to nap long enough that you're going some 3 hour stretches between feedings during the day. I don't know if you're just tired from last week or if it will stay this way. But you sure are growing and changing. You even rolled from your back to your stomach today!!!!

You have been SO calm, we even went to my school today! We went 2 weeks ago and met the principals. Today we went to meet the teachers. They all said how cute and sweet you are and how much you look like Daddy. And they couldn't believe how L-O-N-G you are (24 inches!). You were soooo sweet and even took your nap in my arms while we walked around visiting people (a downpour started right when I would have taken you home to nap, so we just made the best of it and stayed there instead). You got to meet baby Leah, too. :)

We love you EVERY day, even on the fussy days, SO very much. But it is such a sweet thing to see you so happy and content, to know how to soothe you and be able to predict your likes and wants. Thank you for fun times yesterday and today. We know they won't always be this easy. We are praising God for them! :)