9 weeks old

Dear Pea,
I suppose this is as good a time as any to teach you about Murphy's Law and jinxing good news.  Basically, as soon as you say something that's unbelievably good out loud, it ceases to be true.  This applies to putting it in writing, too.  For example, when you brag on the internet that your 2 month old is a champion sleeper, invariably that 2 month old will decide that sleep is for the birds and keep you up all night.  Or if you tell your landlord that the nightly screaming fits seem to be over, back they come, with vengeance.

Sweet Pea, you are a complete manifestation of what they always say parenting is all about: our kids teach us what we need to know. And in your nine weeks on the outside of my body, boy, am I learning lessons.  To celebrate the beginning of your tenth week, I went back to work to show you off and tell them that I wasn't coming back to them: I am going to be your full time mama for a while. Before dropping this news, everyone admired your gorgeous features, the sweet way you cuddle into grown ups shoulders and your glorious smiles.  My (former!!) boss commented that I was so different, so relaxed now.  I used to be such a control freak (and probably still am in other ways, or it's in hibernation and will come back) but now I just bow to your schedule and your needs.  If you don't feel like eating at 10am, you're not going to eat.  If  you need a nap right now, you let us know. If you don't want to be asleep at 3am, I'm not asleep either. I can't plan on anything anymore, and you know what?  It's awesome.

Anyway, enough about me.  You are now nine weeks old.  You play with your tongue and mouth, sticking your tongue out through open lips or pursed lips.  You have found your fingers and fist to suck on a few times so far and this seems to be a fun activity, more for novelty than comfort.  You still have no interest in sucking on a binkie, though my fingers or Daddy's fingers are satisfying.  You are a champion pooper, which you probably hate me for writing, and have already pooped through three outfits today and it's only 1pm.  Luckily, you love bath time, so taking a soak in the sink doesn't send you into a meltdown. You are smiling a lot more now, and often in response to people or noises that you find agreeable.  You are also quite chatty and have many sounds.  This morning you feel asleep bouncing on the ball with me and I transferred you into your swing. After waking up 10 minutes later, I was trying to find other places that you would fall asleep.  I pulled your poor neglected bassinet out of the bedroom and put you in.  You did not sleep, but you happily babbled and cooed and kicked your legs and arms for about fifteen minutes.  I did some yoga; it was nice for both of us.  So, ruling out falling asleep in the bassinet,  you pretty much only fall asleep in your sling or after nursing.  To really get a good length nap out of you, I need to walk with you in the sling.  Yesterday we went along the water in Brooklyn Heights-you woke up and cried for a few minutes about 45minutes in, but then fell back to sleep as we headed home. 

Tomorrow we are taking your first airplane ride to go visit all of your Seattle family.  Daddy and I are a little nervous about how you'll do on the flight, how you'll adjust to the time change and how we will manage our first travel experience as a family. But we are so excited to introduce you to so many people who love you very much.