Another First!

We took Lilly on her first trip to Northpark Mall. We braved the crowds, and used my parking karma and found a great spot in the parking garage by Dillards. We had some items to return and also checked out the after Christmas sales. With my credit at Dillards (and I even have $35 left) I got Lilly a cute holiday outfit for next season and a pink puma track suit. Now all she needs are the little Puma shoes to go with. All in good time! She was wowed by the crowds. She stayed in her stroller for about an hour but then was over it, and once JJ took her out of it, she was instantly in people watching heaven. While I was taking the picture, she kept craning her head in the opposite direction, so she could look at all the passer-bys. So she officially has a bunch of clothes, got some more from the sales ( we took advantage of the Baby Gap and Janie and Jack as well). Gap and Baby Gap are take an additional 50percent off the sale price - 2 pairs of tights for $3.99. I got a turtleneck for $7.49. Not bad!

A lot of Firsts

We've had a lot of firsts over the past week.

We took Lilly out of the car seat carrier and placed her directly into the stroller. We weren't sure if she (or us!) were ready, but she did well. We constantly checked and re-checked to see if she was sliding out and around. Luckily she stayed in one spot, well, mostly, and seemed to enjoy her ride more. She fell asleep on the walk back from Audubon Park.

Then the next morning, Lilly took her first plane ride - we went from NOLA to Dallas Christmas Day, and she did well. I think I was more nervous than she. We checked in right at the 24 hour mark (we were flying Southwest) so we got A-23 and A-24. Mark got A-33. And we went out the night before for my birthday, and we stayed out pretty late, for us! We were out until 1AM, lost some money at the casino but were with each other, had a great meal, and with friends as well. So by the time we got home, we knew we had about 4.5 hours to sleep, as we needed to leave for the airport no later than 7:30. Getting ready was crazy - luckily Mo and Mel were there and could give Lilly a bottle and dress her, while we made sure to pack everything off our list. Packing for a third person, one who demands a bunch of stuff, is a trip in and of itself. But we got to the airport and through security, with breastmilk and formula and all, and made it to the gate with plenty of time. We boarded and were able to sit in the bulkhead row. But unfortunately you are not able to sit in the bulkhead row with a car seat, so we checked the seat and had Lilly sit with us. She had her own seat, but couldn't muster the balance to sit by herself. I thought take off and landing would bother her ears, so we gave her a bottle as we took off, and she was ok. But either she was tired or gassy or probably a combination of the two, and after we leveled off, she just started crying. And didn't stop. I got up and walked with her. I rocked her. And then handed her off to Mark, who sang into her ear, and after about 10 minutes, she fell asleep on his shoulder. She stayed that way for about 30-40 minutes. Just to right before the initial descent. The Southwest flight attendants even gave her a certificate, commemorating her first flight, complete with their signatures, flight info, and wings!

And Monday we fed her rice cereal for the first time. She seemed to enjoy it, got all over mouth. Thank goodness for the bib. It's giving her bad gas, so luckily we only do 1 tablespoon to about 4 tablespoons of breast milk.

And we can see and feel her first tooth. It's unreal, I felt it yesterday! It definitely moves up and down, but you can see it how it has broken though her gum. It's giving her a lot of pain, she cried and wailed yesterday afternoon, definitely tiring herself out, but we gave her some Tylenol and it seemed to help.

Check out the video - it's us giving her rice cereal for the first time.

5 Month Birthday

We celebrated Lilly's 5 month birthday with a $10.99 3 layer Doberge cake last Saturday. It was a fun, little celebration ( only me eating a piece right from the get go). Hard to believe Lilly is five months! She's in 6 months clothing. She enjoys kicking off her socks. And I have a big bagful of clothing that she's already grown out of and will put away. And thanks to her JJ and Mel, she's got a bunch of new clothes. So she will be one well-dressed baby! The queen of Coliseum Street!

5 month check up

New vitals

17lbs 1/2 ounce. Up one pound from 4 months.

25 1/2 inches. Up 1/2 inch from 4 months.

Two more shots down. She was a champ. Cried a bit with the shots. But she really let loose when Dr. G was listening to her chest. I guess, just like she is when she first get's to Aunt Bitsy's house, she despised the cold on her chest. And the stethoscope was probably cold to her. Boy, was Lilly not a happy camper. Screams. Tears. Just not happy. I got so concerned and lost in Lilly's screams ( I was holding her) that I completely missed Dr. G checking her ears. So when finally Lilly calms down, and right before the shot, Dr. G asked if we had anymore questions. I ask her if she is going to do the ears, and she said she just did it. I said, really? I completely missed it. And Mark said I did. And here's where I go neurotic on Dr. G, I didn't believe her. Nor did I believe Mark. So who's the crazy one? I kept asking really. Until after the fourth time, she said she would re-check it. She played it off well. But she probably didn't appreciate me going all crazy on her. But she said she was glad to give me peace of mind and healthy ears for Lilly.

Dr. G also recommended that we start her on solids sometime soon. Lilly took 11 ounces in one sitting Sunday afternoon, so we think it's about time. I went out to the store tonight and bought rice cereal. Maybe for her 1st Christmas feast, she'll get some new food.

Scratching

So Lilly is turning into a scratcher - she loves running her nails over any type of texture. And she loves hearing the nose her nails make. In her pack and play, there is a mesh-type bumper, and when she is put down for a nap, if she's not super tired, she'll arch her back, and run her nails over the mesh. She hears the click click and keeps doing it. She'll also continually do it over the glider in her room as well. For her, it's a different sound than the mesh bumper but she loves it nonetheless. I'm sure she'll grow up enjoying someone scratching her back and arm.

Speaking of back scratching, I could sure use one! Lilly's fighting a cold and her teeth are really bothering her. And it seems like she's had bad gas (must be the garlic salt I've put in the food the past couple of days). So she's not doing well sleeping during the day and at times hates to be on her back, hence the gas. So the tops of my shoulders and neck are sure sore!

Control

Control. It's a funny thing. I'm waylaid in bed, beset by a cold (bad congestion, mild fever, aching sinus, some leg aches), and Mark's taking care of me and Lilly. He's gotten me tea, toast, my breastpump, all the essentials in my life. He's dressed and fed Lilly. And I just can't let go and let him take over. It's control. He reassures me that he knows what he's doing, and I KNOW that he knows and is completely capable. He's done it before. He does it all the time. But I just can't seem to let it happen, well fully happen. I'm in and out of bed, with one excuse or another. I need to get some tissues. I need to get a banana. I need to get tea (Mark did get it for me). But I'm checking up on things. What's she wearing (grey penguin onesie, pink fleece pants, and yellow leopard prints Mary Jane socks). How much is she eating. Who's warming the bottle. I'm finding things that are wrong - even though nothing is. I wouldn't have put Lilly in all those color combinations, but Mark did manage to bring out the yellow in the penguin feet and beak. Mark, Lilly, and Aunt Sarah are going to get lunch, give me some time to rest and relax. We've made the bed. Brought in the computer. And I've checked out the Pay Per View movies. But I've also made the 1PM bottle - it's in the fridge, waiting for Lilly. Control, it's not easy to give up. But who said I had to let go completely?

I made 2 new friends!

So the breakthrough has happened! I met and exchanged info with two new stay at home moms today in the snuggles and struggles class! Yes!! I overheard two moms last week (or was it two weeks ago, I can't remember) about staying home and taking the year off. Unfortunately it was as I was leaving and Lilly was having a meltdown. So today I asked Debbie, the facilitator, if she knew of any other mom groups. She gave me a few but also suggested just meeting other moms in class and exchanging info. Well, toward the end of the class, Debbie brought over a new mom, who lives really close to me. And I was already talking to someone else, who also stays home, she's actually Canadian and gets a one year leave from her company because she's an ex-pat and technically on Canadian payroll. It's awesome. So we all exchanged numbers and email addresses, I had Lilly in one hand and had to put her on the mat so I could write the info. As I gleefully told Mark about my two new friends, I related to him my nervousness on getting in touch with them. I don't want to come off as too desperate, but I would love to have stay at home mom friends to meet up and walk, do lunch, etc. And they are both new moms. So all is good. I might not email them tonight, but definitely tomorrow!

Last night of Chanuka

Here are some pictures from our last night of Chanuka. Lilly 'opened' her last present - the biggest one! - that we saved for last. She won't be able to use her stride to ride Dino walker for a while, but it looked really cool and fun!

Teddy Bear Tea

We took Lilly to the Teddy Bear Tea at the Roosevelt Hotel last Saturday. They had the ballroom all done up with lighted trees, a holiday house backdrop and had Santa, Mrs. Claus, Rudolph, and Snow Princess in attendance. Lilly slept in and got up at 8AM and we needed to be there for 10AM. So getting her to nap would be a tricky thing, so we tried to keep her up, in her pajamas, and not too cranky. Well, we accomplished two out of the three, the crankiness came because she was tired and not allowed to sleep! So we put her in a holiday dress and white sweater and piled into the car. Traffic around the hotel was backed up, as loads of cars, including ours, waited to valet. That should have been our first clue, as to it might have taken a while to get our car back, but with Lilly, she fell asleep in the car, snoozing, we wanted to be able to pull right up and get right out.

We were meeting our friends and their kids, so there were three babies and six adults. The menu called for assorted teas, tea sandwiches ( the applewood smoked bacon quiche was the best!), champagne and mimosas, hot chocolate (really it was a kid's drink but Mark opted for it) delicious cookies, petit fours, and other assorted goodies (the small red velvet cupcake was the best). Anyway, Lilly was a trooper. She didn't appear overwhelmed by the people and new setting. She didn't get freaked out by Santa or Mrs. Claus. She spit up once on me. But other than that she kept her bodily functions to herself. She spent time on our shoulders and laps.

It was great to be there with our friends and their kids. It was a lot of fun, put us in the holiday spirit ( they had a parade of characters in and a second line parade out). We got our picture taken with Mrs. Claus but opted not to wait in a much longer line and get it done with Santa. We weren't getting much smiles from her as it was so it was just as well! But she (as did the other kids) looked precious, all dressed up in their holiday outfits. It's something we hope to make a yearly tradition (definitely won't mind eating those red velvet cupcakes!) with Lilly and our friends. At the end of it, each child get's a teddy bear, and with most stuff these days, as soon as she got it, it went straight to her mouth.

And then she fell asleep in the car. And slept, after we got home, for another two hours!

New Diapers

Stage 2 Diapers are out, Stage 3 are in. No more Sesame Street characters on the diapers - Big Bird, Elmo, Grover - they're all gone! Now we've got some generic birds and other cartoon-y type animals. She's no longer a new baby (which I guess they reserve the Sesame Street for). A little part of sadness. She held her bottle last night. For pretty much the whole time she was taking it. Not going to lie, definitely got a teary-eyed. She's getting so big. I always marvel at how fast the days go, especially as I take stock of each day, during our quiet time of reading/eating before she goes down for the night. It's crazy. And you'd think I would get used to it by now, but it seems like I come up with the thought during her bedtime reading. People tell you the moments go by quickly, and they do. But she sure is a trip and a special baby and so enjoyable during the day.

Silly Lilly

She's growing! I don't want to believe it but we are growing out of Stage 2 diapers, despite the claim that it goes from 12-18lbs. She hasn't made 18lbs yet but the diaper isn't fitting as well as it should. So while we have made the switch from the 2 to the 3 for the overnight (changing sheets is a pain!) and that's been good, I was hoping to hold off on going from 2-3 for a bit longer, at least until we left for Dallas. But it's not looking good. As Dr. Gorman said, Lilly's definitely a New Orleans girl, as she loves her milk. She still hasn't shown much interest in our food, though she was particularly interested in watching me drink water from the water bottle. Though in all fairness, it could have been the red Ozarka label that was peaking her interest. But until she reaches six months or shows an interest in food (whichever comes first), she's strictly on milk. The rice cereal will come later! First there will be Stage 3 diapers.

Hanukkah

So far we've celebrated 6 nights of Hanukkah - I think Lilly has been up for maybe three of those nights. But last night we celebrated with Mo and Mel, and Lilly opened up two presents, block stackers and a book. She's less interested in the opening of the presents than she is about putting the presents, be it a book, slippers, toy, or a check in her mouth. She's all about eating, well, not eating but biting down and placing it in her mouth. I sure hope she doesn't eat it! Case in point, we opened presents Saturday night and she got a check from Mimi and PawPaw. I held it up and she made a beeline for it. Her hands went right to it and she was about to rip it when her mouth opened. We didn't let her take a bite but she sure wanted to! We've saved her 'big' present for last - it's a Fisher Price Stride to Ride Dino. It can double as a walker and a little rider. It's cute. I hope she likes it. Though it technically starts at 9 months, we've got a few months before she will grow into it.

Monroe Sip and See

Mel held a sip and see the Friday after Thanksgiving so people could come over and meet Lilly. Lilly wore a darling pink dress (from Mel), a sweet sweater (from Uncle Alex, Aunt Kirsten and Cousin Caroline), and tights (from Little Laughter). And she was quite cranky before the festivities. We tried to keep her up but she was having no part of it. She wanted her afternoon nap. So we moved the Pack and Play from our room and put it in the formal living room, so she fell asleep there and those who came over could see her (without having to go into our room, which was a mess, no surprise there!). She did well with the amount of people and let others hold her. I so enjoyed the yummy apple cider and lemon squares.

Later that evening, when we went to Mimi and PawPaw's house, she was not happy. She got cold, as the temperature had dropped, and couldn't get warm once she got to the house. And that freaked her out. So she just let loose, similar to her meltdowns at Aunt Bitsy's house. We dealt with it for about an hour, got through the Shabbat prayers, before finally bundling her up, and getting two plates to go, and went home. She was happier, when she got a bath, a bottle and bed.

My Cousin Georgia

Well, technically Georgia is our first cousin, she's the youngest daughter of Mark's Aunt Sally, and she's 7 seven years old. And she's the second tallest person and tallest girl in her 1st grade. And this was the first time she met Lilly. But she's been very interested in her all along. This summer, when she was visiting Mark's grandparents (she lives in CT), she sent the sweetest card and washcloths for the Senator. But she was really excited to meet Lilly, to help out. She kept asking me how old she would be when Lilly was 2 (9), 3(10), etc. Looks like Lilly will have a great teacher and friend. She was Mark's assistant when he bathed her, abling handing him the Johnson and Johnson's No More Tears Shampoo and Aveeno Lavendar body wash.

Cowboys-Saints game

Lilly Rose learned fast! She took the requisite after feasting nap. She fell asleep on Aunt Sally and passed out. She's in her Saints outfit, notice her gold socks. It was a good game, and I was cheering for both teams, just excited to see the Cowboys have some fighting spirit in them.

Thanksgiving Day

Toots had her first Thanksgiving meal, well she had a bottle. But she was with us as we celebrated turkey day at the country club in Monroe. And via the milk, albeit, several hours later, she had her first taste of turkey, cranberries, collard greens, green bean casserole, and sweet potato casserole. Delicious meal. And even more delicious was the company. Pictured are Mark's dad and grandparents. It was great to have 4 generations gathered together. While Toots was not too happy with us at the beginning of the day, she spit up on two of my outfits and one of her own ( I had this great pumpkin shirt and green pants, but nope, lots of spit up. But plus the pants were a bit big, so it was ok to get the milk on it). And while she desperately wanted to go down for a nap, we kept her up for pictures. Note our family picture - she was having no smiles. No happy Jack there for us. But she perked a bit, after dozing in the car and a continued nap at the country club, but once she got her milk, she was done. She didn't want to take part of pictures, though we put her through a round. She didn't want to be with everyone else - I took her outside, fed her some more and gave her the quiet environment that she needed. And then we took her home, she napped and got ready for the Saints-Cowboy game!

Reunion with friends

Wednesday afternoon we met up with Mark's childhood friends and went to lunch at Johnny's Pizza - a delicious pizza place. We met with Pete, Dave and Cara ( they have one son, Grady) and Geoff and Robin (they have three kids, two girls and one boy, but the grandparents were watching them that day). Unfortunately Toots was not having any of it. She was overwhelmed by her new surroundings, the Monroe house, all the new peeps, new restaurant, etc. She really didn't nap that morning, if you count 30 minutes as one. So she wasn't in the greatest of moods. And boy did she let us know it. Luckily, we were able to get our pizza and salad, and trade off, and thank goodness for Robin, she held Lilly (that's her in the picture with Lilly) and bounced her, and tried to calm her as we wolfed down our lunch (which is something nutritionists would be angry with us! but its a necessity!). But she kept getting angrier and angrier. And tireder and tireder. We changed her diaper. Still unhappy. Tried to feed her. Still crying. So I took her outside and walked her around. We did this for the rest of lunch (got me away from the pizza, a good thing, I probably would have put 2 more slices away!) and she calmed down a bit. But really she needed rest. So while she got many compliments on her outfit and looks, she definitely wasn't winning anyone over with her cries. But hey, she was tired, in a new place and just overwhelmed. Unfortunately for us, a theme that would take us through the rest of the weekend. But the pizza and company was great. Can't beat Johnny's - they've got one opened in Baton Rouge. Just waiting for New Orleans now.

Our Thanksgiving, belatedly

It's after Thanksgiving. After Black Friday and at the end of Cyber Monday, and I'm just now updating. I took a break from the computer, albeit, we skyped with JJ once or twice, but other than that, didn't use it during the holiday. I hope everyone had a great one, we did. Lilly had a fabulous first Thanksgiving.

We left for Monroe last Tuesday night. We wanted to go after work, so it would be near her bedtime and she would sleep on the drive. It's anywhere between 4-5 hours, and we made it in just about 5. I fed her, we changed her into her nightgown (in retrospect, not a good move, yes good for the pjs, but not the gown. The carseat seat belt cut right up into it, bunching it. With pants it would have been just fine). I hate driving at night, especially long car rides, but Mark's a great driver, despite being legally blind in one eye. He was calm, cool, collected, sucking down the Diet Cokes and Mountain Dew.

We had no traffic, and once Lilly got into the car, she fell asleep. And she was good, she would awake every now and again. But it wasn't until we got to Vicksburg, MS, about an hour from Monroe, did she awake and not want to go back to sleep. She made do for about 20-30 miles until we stopped in Talluah (see pics from the Travel America truck stop parking lot - everyone needed a break, to stretch legs, use the facilities, eat (we tried to feed her, but she wasn't hungry. But I found a small package of Fig Newtons, delicious!). And then once we put her back in the seat, she fell back asleep and was good until we got to Mo and Mel's house. She went straight to bed in the pack and play. And after the long car ride, so did we!

More to come!

I win!

So I win! I was in the right range for her weight - 16 pounds, not 18 like Mark originally thought. Lilly had her 4 month check up today. SShe's up about a pound, from 14lbs, 14ozs, to 16lbs. 1.5ozs, which drops her to the 90th-95th percentile (down from straight 95th!). She gained an inch, and is now 25 inches, and in the 75th percentile. And her head is 42, which places her in the 75th percentile. She's smiling, and rolling over, cooing/squealing, standing (with assistance!) and enjoying life. She got a shot (purple bandaid on the thigh), and didn't even cry when the needle went in or out. She took it no problem. She's sleeping her much needed nap now. And we'll head back to see Dr. Gorman one month from now. We head out to Monroe tomorrow, where she will get to see (and meet some) family!

Last Infant Massage Class

Our last infant massage class was yesterday. We learned facial and back strokes. Lilly LOVED the back strokes - you move downward, not upward, as the instructor says, move down like the growth of hair. Move with the hair. She didn't mind being on her tummy as I was doing the back strokes. And she really didn't mind the facial strokes, mainly to help the sinuses. It was a weird sensation to her, I'm sure. But we saw Clair and Amalia, and the two babies, at one point, were on the stomachs, facing each other, and Lilly reached out to grab her. Not once, but twice. I'm wondering what was going on in her head. What was she thinking about Amalia?

But we also made a new friend in Kate and her daughter Emma. Kate goes to the Tuesday class, so we are going to exchange info, and hopefully meet up in the park. So we definitely had a good time in the class. I've got handouts if anyone is interested in learning the different strokes.

Addicted to Parenthood

Or at least that's what one author believes. (check out the article on Slate.com at http://www.slate.com/id/2274721/) That as much as people complain about parenthood, the exhaustion, the spit up, the crying, the frustration, that as soon as the child gives a smile, a hug, a kiss, a coo, etc, all bad is forgotten and only the good remains. Mark sent this article to me about a week ago. I read it, in between nap times, I might add, and it totally rings true. I can be so frustrated with her, for the smallest things, like why are you crying? I just fed you 6 ounces. Why are you not liking your car seat? It's an easy way to get around. And once she gives me a smile. All is forgotten and all is love. Take yesterday for example. I was feeding her a bottle of expressed breast milk. Because of the water restriction(power outage at the Sewage and Water Board Friday night, have to boil water to drink, eat, etc) we aren't able to wash the dishes, or we could but I am fearful of the minute risk that is entailed with the restriction so we aren't doing it until its lifted. Anyway, I digress. So I am done with one bottle (leftover 2 ounces) and about to move onto the other one (fresh 4 ounces) but I have to pour the 4 ounces into the leftover bottle. Well, she's hungry and all she wants is her food. So once its taken away from her, she goes crazy. She starts to cry. And then scream. And then cry louder. I know its because she's hungry. But its still not happy to hear. So once I transfer the liquid, the bottle goes back into her mouth and she's a happy camper.

I don't know why it made me so upset, but here I am, feeding her the 1:30PM bottle, and tears are in my eyes, I feel like I failed, and I am apologizing to her. And then later that day, as I am changing her into the PJ's (couldn't give her a bath, water restriction, they said not to shower if you have open cuts or wounds, just not going to chance it!), I have her on the changing pad. And she's happy but tired. And I am taking her clothes off, first the multicolored fleece hooded vest, then the magenta fleece pants, and as I at the brown longsleeved onesie, she gives me a big smile. All the while I am singing a silly song to her (I've taken Madonna's 'Who's that girl?" to the tune of "Who's that baby?" all along while butchering the lyrics too.) And then she laughs! And it's been a while since I've heard it. And it's the most glorious sound you've ever heard. And then she does it again! I yell down to Mark, and then she does it again. And again. Four times in a row. So awesome.

I want to hear it again, so I keep singing. But she's done for the night. If I'm an addict, all tears mostly forgotten, smiles remembered, then I'll keep on singing. Just don't tell me I'm tone deaf. I know. But she doesn't.

4 months and counting

Yesterday we celebrated Lilly's 4 month birthday. Crazy how the time has just flown by! But she's now 4 months and 1 day. I was at Slice yesterday, which is a pizza place, but also have delicious cupcakes. I couldn't decide which ones to get, they all looked so good, so I ended up getting four, one for each month. Two were called 'old school' which are like Hostess cupcakes, one was pumpkin maple (what I had last night) and the other was red velvet (what I will have today). Lilly was interested in the flame from the candle but I blew out her candles as we finished singing "Happy 4 month birthday to you" She's smiling, sleeping, observing, and just a lot of fun to be around. Regina has nicknamed her Fuzzy Wuzzy as her hair is starting to stick up on top. It's quite cute. But we go back to the doctor for two more shots and the 4 month check up Monday. Mark thinks she's 18 pounds I think she's definitely under it. My money is on 16 pounds. We'll see who does the buying Monday afternoon.

Sock Rattles

My friend Clair told me about sock rattles. They are exactly what they sound (no pun intended) like - rattles attached to socks. Clair said Amalia really liked hers and enjoyed the sounds. Another lady in the infant massage class said the same thing about the sock rattles, so I decided to give them a try. Last Saturday I ordered a pair off Amazon.com, and they arrived yesterday. I put them on her last night, and let her make noise. They were on her feet for about five minutes and she gave them a good whirl. I don't think she was too impressed, but they were really cute.

Today Regina let her play with them, and she didn't put them on her feet, rather, as she is doing with most items these days, the top part of the sock, the rattle, in her mouth. And she gummed it. And loved it. And it became all wet, but boy was she happy. So while she might not enjoy them on her feet, she has found a new toy to gum. And that right now is worth every penny!

Snuggles and Struggles

This morning Lilly and I went to the Snuggles and Struggles class at the Parenting Center. It's designed for mom's and dad's and newborns (0-6 months). And it's a discussion. Group setting. We got there at 10, as that's when I thought it started. But turns out it wasn't supposed to begin until 10:30. My bad. So I fed Lilly and then we talked to another mom who was in a different class, but also there early. It was really cool, being around other moms and dads, with their babies. It was great to have infants who are so close in age to Lilly and have either gone through or going through the same things, like taking/not taking a pacifier, drooling, pooping ( a popular topic!), etc. The facilitator had a doctor's appt, so she ran late, but the adults were talking to one another. I actually went with a friend, her daughter is 3 weeks, so it was really nice to know someone there. But, I did worry about our first impression. I worried over Lilly's outfit (silly, huh?) and mine, but in the end, everything turned out fine. It's a real low-key environment, the babies lay on the mat, like in infant massage, and adults sit around it. It's set up in a T formation. There were four moms from infant massage class there, which was cool to see a familiar face. So I think I am going to see if Regina can switch days, so we can start going on a regular basis. I'd been feeling lonely lately, and feel like things are going in a new direction, and hopefully will get to know the other moms and dads further.

Lilly didn't nap this morning, and she fell asleep on me for a little bit at the beginning of class. So when we got home, she went straight into the pack and play, and has been sleeping for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Almost time to get her up.

Lilly's 1st Po-Boy Festival

We took Lilly to the 4th Annual Po-Boy Festival on Oak Street. The festival has grown so much since 2007, when we lived on Oak, and could easily walk across Carrollton and get in and out with loads of food. But over the past four years, the festival has exploded in popularity and food booths, and it's a lot more difficult to maneuver. Now they extend the festival from Oak and Carrollton to Oak and River Road. So the merchants and restaurants all benefit from the increased exposure. Weather was overcast today, there was a chance of rain in the afternoon and the cool front moved in last night. So we were dressed (well, all except Lilly and Mark) in long sleeves and jeans. Mark, Lilly and I went with Lara and Cliff.

Uncle Cliff wanted to 'Bjorn' Lilly, so he strapped her in and carried her throughout the festival. She fell asleep pretty much as we got there, and stayed asleep for about an hour and a half. So we ran into cousin Glynn, as we sampled the sandwiches. Mark had BBQ shrimp from Manale's. And then we split a bowl of Collard Greens with pork from Coquette (delicious). Mark, Lara, and Cliff wanted to try the Fried Maine Lobster Po-Boy from GW Fins, so we got in line for that one. And boy was there a line. This turned out to be an extremely popular sandwich. We waited for about 45 minutes for it, but according to three, it was well worth it!

By then, Lilly awoke (she actually did when we all took turns using the Port-a-Potty, and was taken out of the Bjorn). And she was hungry. So after they ate the lobster sandwich, we went through the crowded street (thank goodness we didn't bring the stroller) before making our way to a side street (no crowds) and got Lilly her bottle. She ate, and then we made our way back to Oak and Carrollton and found the Boucherie booth. There they were in their purple food truck and were making a delicious pulled pork and cabbage Po-Boy and salted seasoned fries. We waited probably about 30-45 minutes for these sandwiches and fries. And Lilly did extremely well. She was looking all around. Even spit up some of her lunch. And she let us know when enough was enough not by crying but by insistently sucking on her thumb. So after our sandwiches we walked back to the car, and Lilly then fell asleep on the way home.

Second Infant Massage Class

We had our second infant massage class yesterday. She did much better, reacting to the other babies. She was definitely stimulated by the surroundings, especially five babies, but she only cried once in response to their cries! Much better than last week. She was particularly interested in our teacher, she kept tracking her as she moved us through the chest and arm strokes. Lilly did not enjoy the chest strokes as much. Luckily there were only two. Arm strokes were pretty much the same as the legs, so it was a good review, but even better to have an awake baby to practice on ( she was sound asleep last time, for pretty much 3/4 of the time. But yesterday was a good class. And then we went to lunch with Clair and Amalia. Lilly was so relaxed from the class, that when we got into the car at 11:17, she fell asleep. And stayed that way through lunch and into getting home. She had little under than a 2 hour nap. So I'm glad she's liking the infant massage. We've got one more class left - facial and back strokes.

Daylight Savings

Daylight savings has screwed with Lilly's sleeping. Well, it hasn't messed with her actual sleeping just the time of it. She's going to bed about 30 minutes earlier and waking up at 5:30AM instead of getting up between 6:30-7AM. This morning I tried to feed her with the lights out and not really saying anything to her, as I thought she might be fooled into going back to sleep. Nope. Not interested. She wanted to eat, get dressed, and play. So that's what we did. By 6:30AM, she was fed, dressed, and ready to go. More than I can say for Mark and myself. But she has been napping well (something I should be doing, getting up at 5:30 is not so fun!). This morning, after the second feeding, she was seated on our bed. And before I knew it she rolled over, found her thumb and started sucking away. Her eyelids started drooping, and she got comfortable on the bed. And off to sleepingland she went. Here's to hoping she'll stay up until about 8PM and get up at 6:30AM, not 5:30AM. But either way, I'll take a napper like her any day.

A nice little Saturday

This morning Lilly and I met my friend Clair and her daughter Amalia at the Parenting Center at Children's Hospital. Clair and I met in pre-natal yoga, took the Positive and Prepared Childbirth class the same weekend, and had Dr. Peeper deliver our babies (though not at the same time. Dr. Peeper had been her doctor all along. Amalia was born June 30). So we hung out during our maternity leaves and have been in contact since. Anyway, I digress. I went last Friday to check out the Parenting Center, on a recommendation from a friend. I got a tour of the facility, couple classrooms, indoor play area, kitchen, and library. It's really close to us, juts up to the edge of the park at Calhoun and Camp. So we can easily walk there (which we did yesterday, to meet a friend of a friend). And I digress again, but last Friday I found out that there was an infant massage class and sent the info to Clair. It is three Saturdays and sounded like a great class. So I signed up as did Clair.

So we got to the class this morning. The instructor told us to bring a blanket so the babies could lay on. Clair was already there when we got there, so we sat next to one another (it was really great to know someone in the class, to see a familiar face). Amalia had change so much since I last saw her, her hair is strawberry blonde and she was wearing super cute yellow pants. There were four other babies in the class. The instructor had us undress the babies down to their diapers and then put them on their individual blankets.

Well it was really funny because this was the first time Lilly was really interested in other babies. Perhaps because she was so close to them and could really see them. And here's something even funnier, the babies would set off like a chain reaction. One would start to cry, then another would hear it, and go, and then Lilly, poor Lilly, she would hear it, her lip would curl and she would startle and begin crying. This happened several times. Today we learned leg and stomach massage. Stomach strokes will ease gas and other stomach indigestion. But unfortunately I couldn't practice on my model, as she fell asleep 20 minutes into the class, after crying several times in response to the babies. But she had a nice nap on my shoulder. I saw the instructor practice on the doll and I do have pamphlets with the moves as well as some oil so we can practice. Amalia did great, she loved the massage. I'm hoping Lilly will like it, we go for two more Saturday sessions.

Then this afternoon I went to Harrah's Casino to audition for Wheel of Fortune. Unfortunately my name was not picked to play the game ( you have to fill out a form and then all the forms are put into a bin and 5 at a time are picked at random to play). I still have a chance to get on the show, slim though, as the fake host (no Pat or Vanna) said some spots would be reserved for those who came but were not picked. The show is coming to NOLA in April to film for three weeks worth of episodes. If anything else, I'd love to be in the studio audience. Perhaps we'll get tickets and go!

Anyway, we're in for the night. Mark's going to pick up dinner and after Toots goes down to bed, we've got a movie (Get Him to the Greek) to watch. I'm excited for some chilling and relaxing. I've scrubbed the casino stench off me, so I feel refreshed and good to go. And Toots is good too! Enjoying her mat. Perhaps I'll give her a leg massage! Got to show Mark the techniques.

Wheel of Fortune

So I guess a little bit of me is rubbing off onto Lilly. I love Wheel of Fortune (the Wheelmobile is coming to Harrah's Casino this weekend, so I am going to try out to be a contestant. Imagine! Me on Wheel of Fortune. Awesome). We always try to watch it on Fox 8 at 6:30. And Lilly has become more aware of the tv and the sound and can turn her head toward the television. While she likes HGTV, she loves football and Wheel of Fortune. She just becomes enraptured in it. And can zone out. It's probably not the best thing for her. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 1 hour of tv for two and three year olds. I asked Dr. Gorman about it, and she said not to worry about it now. Basically she said she doesn't want television to be a babysitter, and its not, it's background noise. But she loves it. I told Regina that perhaps she's getting all her tv watching out now. Regina said not likely. I'm probably hooking her to the tube. Well, perhaps one day she'll thank me when she spins the wheel and solves the puzzle.

Baby Einstein Musical Jumper

Lilly's got a new toy that will compete with her jungle gym mat. It's the Baby Einstein Musical Jumper, and it's intense! Loads of stimulation. Regina put it together last week, but said that she didn't think Lilly would be long enough for her feet to touch the ground. Yesterday we tried it out, and when standing upright, her feet don't even come close (box says it starts at 4 months) but when she leans forward to do the activities (so far she likes the lighted triangle, circle and square that play music when you press them) the tips of her toes skim the carpeted surface. The seat swivels 360 degrees and I guess when she's older she will be able to maneuver herself. So far either it's one of us to move her. But it's definitely going to provide lot's of fun! Check her out!

A giggle

Lilly laughed for the first time today. In all honesty, I had been worried because the books say that babies should have had their first giggle between months 2-3. And we passed the three month mark without any laughter sounds. But she smiles and coos, so it was a small worry on the edge of my mind.

But today, this afternoon, she gave out the sound. She had not been having a good day. She slept ok (about an hour) for her first nap. But not so great for the other ones. I tried to let her cry it out (8-10 minutes each time I lasted before they overwhelmed me. The cries are hard to hear. And it felt and sounded so loud) but that didn't work. She was hungry when she woke and was not on her three hour schedule. Twice, she fell asleep eating and when I put her down she lasted about 10-20 minutes before waking up crying. So the cycle would begin again.

By 1PM I was growing quite frustrated with her. The repetitive crying is hard to take. And we were supposed to meet a friend of a friend to go walking in the park. So by 2PM, she finally went down, and seemed to stay down, so at 2:30 I called my new walking buddy and asked for a raincheck (she has a 11 month old) as I wanted to let Lilly to sleep. She said no problem and as we were rescheduling Lilly awoke and her cries and screams reached the phone and I had to go. Needless to say I was a bit annoyed but also worried - what was going on with her?

I got her up. Checked her diaper. Not wet. She just ate. But she didn't want to play on her mat. So I held her. And held her. Until I felt a heaviness in her diaper. Sure enough, she was wet now. So I went to change her and while laying in her napper, and after seeing the new diaper, she gave me a little smile. We talked some more - ok, I did the talking, she just listened. And then before I knew it, she gave me a laugh. It was deep and a bit nasally sounding, but it was her laugh. Immediately I wanted to hear it again. I tried to tickle her. No go. Then I blew my mouth on her stomach and that got her laughing. It was awesome.

I called Mark and repeated the stomach manuever and she laughed. Such a cool sound. She only laughed one other time after that. She basically went back to her not sleeping. Crying. Eating. Until I gave her more than four ounces (thank goodness for the freezer door of breastmilk), and at the 5:30 feeding she wolfed down 7.5 ounces. So she must have been hungry all day. No wonder she didn't want to sleep.

Happy Halloween

Lilly's first Halloween! She went as a peapod - and it's a gender neutral costume so a lot of people thought she was a boy. But also a lot were like, "oh what a cute/sweet (insert your adjective here) baby" in the pea costume. We did a dry run of putting her in her costume this morning, to see that everything fit, and really just an excuse to put her in it and see how'd she look. It all went well, and around 5:30 we put her in the attire. And then we walked about 10 blocks to State Street, where the Police block off the streets to car traffic and about 300-400 kids come trick or treat. Mark's Great Uncle Albert and Aunt Linda live on State Street, so we brought Lilly over there to trick or treat and visit. It was a nice walk over, went Joseph up to St. Charles and then St. Charles over to State Street. It was still light out and you could see kids (and adults) coming out in their costumes.

On the way over, I told Mark I didn't feel like a real New Orleans parent because I didn't have my to go cup with my alcohol beverage inside. We didn't take the stroller, rather opted to carry her the distance, and Mark said had we had the stroller, with its cupholders, we would have had our drinks. And thus blended in with the others.

But Halloween was fun. I've always liked this holiday - and Mark can tell you every year I buy tons of candy though I can count on one hand the number of trick or treaters we've had over the past 4 years. But State Street is packed, tons of people out. Parties going on. Even one house does a haunted house. We opted to not take Lilly in it this year. And then on our way back we walked down Octavia, from St. Charles, and that street is also packed with families and kids and adults in costumes. It was great to get out and see the little ones in their garb, brings a smile to your face to see how excited they all are. Or in our case, Lilly fell asleep on our way home, while on State Street. Next year she'll be able to eat a bit of her candy ( we got butterfingers, a Milky Way, Caramel Junior Mints, and 1 Peanut M&M - it's all ours!). And fun to see it through her eyes, albeit they were closed but we were making the memories for her.

Friday

Yesterday was a good day. Nope, a really great day. And because of a prior commitment, Regina couldn't come Thursday so she came Friday. I went to Morris Jeff, saw my first graders. We did some math, played outside, and then ate lunch (square cheese pizza, green beans, syrupy pears, and animal crackers). I said good-bye to them, after lining them up for their Spanish class and hearing the myriad of costumes (Princess, Olivia the Pig, Spiderman, among others) that the students said they were going to be for Halloween. I then returned a candle to Saks and came home to eat and pump. And see Toots and Regina. And Toots was playing well. I told Regina that we had Lilly in the Bebe Pod Chair, and Regina wasn't sure if she was ready for the chair, as she didn't think Lilly could support her head. But when we put her in it, she did and could support her head, and Regina was just amazed with this child.

And I remember looking at her, and thinking, she's a little person. But she's our little person. And it's hard remembering that she is a little person in disguise, that even though she can't talk, she can still interact through her squeals, smiles, spit ups, and yes, even cries. It's a weird feeling but a complete one. After Lilly went down for her nap, Regina and I talked for a while before I went out and ran some more errands. I checked out the Children's Hospital Parenting Center (free class from Newborns to 6 months, every Tuesday from 10:30-12) and hope to go to some of the classes (also an infant massage class on Saturdays) and meet other parents.

And then I met Aunt Bitsy and saw her try on her wedding dress (she looks amazing!) and then we went for a drink and some tasty snacks (bruschetta and prosceutto) and then went to a new Children's Shop (Nola's Ark) where I found Lilly's Thanksgiving outfit. And why am I going on with my day? Because it was a good one. A full one. And I was still able to spend time with Lilly but able to get out and reclaim some of me without worrying ( I knew she was in capable and good hands with Regina!).

Even though Lilly had a huge meltdown ( I think half the people on Aunt Bitsy's block heard her screams and cries) when we went to Adam and Elizabeth's house for drinks last night, it was still awesome to get out. I felt awful, for her and for Adam, Bitsy, Aimee, and Mark, when she was going into full upset mode. Nothing would soothe her. It went on for quite a while. Even the dogs didn't know what to do with her. But finally she calmed down (Mark walked the length of their house, taking long strides and that seemed to calm her). And we were able to stay and drink and hang out. And it felt like it had been a while since we did that, just getting out, going over to someone's house and drinking. And Lilly was fine (minus the meltdown). She slept for a bit and I drank loads of good white wine.

So a really good, full day. A great day!

I'm a Wiggle Worm

Lilly's fingernails grow at such a fast rate. It seems that once they are cut, her nails need to be trimmed the next day. And so, as time passes, I've become more comfortable with the tiny nail scissors and feel ok about cutting her nails ( in the beginning I relied on other people (and mittens) to do the job for me). But just over the past couple of weeks, Lilly has turned into the biggest wiggle worm. She squirms on the mat, in your arms, in bed (slept last night with her arms extended in a big V) - you get the idea. And when she sleeps she has her thumb (sometimes fist) in her mouth, and so trying to cut fingernails has been difficult. They say to cut the nails while napping so the babies can't move around as much. But they sure didn't take into consideration the sucking of the thumb.

So the cutting has been delayed and Mark can tell you for a few days in a row, I kept saying, we need to cut her nails, and I just didn't do it. So today, I knew was the day. But she only napped for about 30 minutes during her first nap, and her right fingers were in her mouth, so no go. So after she fed for the second meal, I got the scissors and started to cut. But she's such a wiggle worm, that I would start on one finger and forget which ones I had done because she's constantly shifting (not to mention cooing/squealing). But my mom suggested to start from the pinky and go in. I had been starting with no finger in particular and trying to get the ones I could. But the thumb, no matter how you get to it, is quite hard, no matter how much she's shifting. It's a hard appendage to cut! But alas, her nails are trimmed (for now at least). We'll see how long the manicure lasts.

But she's also a wiggle worm when trying to feed her a bottle. If she can sense sound (especially from the tv) she twists her neck towards the noise. She's not keen on sitting up for the bottle, she likes to be splayed out. I'll try to get a bottle feeding on video so you can see her posture (lack thereof).

The First 100 Days

The first 100 days - so crucial in Congress that the President issues a report and the media comments on the performance for days leading up to and on the 100th day. And well, in the style of our government and in honor of the Senator's future profession (just getting her ready for Congress), I thought I would take a step back and comment on how we've done during the first 100 days and doing on the 101st day and beyond.

Lilly is a trip. Constantly wiggling and so badly wants to be on the go. She's 'scooting' on the mat, trying to get some traction and get herself to crawl. She'll become easily frustrated when she can't get moving. She'll roll from her back to stomach and vice versa. Sometimes she becomes hampered by an arm that she hasn't figured out what do with it yet but for the most part, she'll roll from side to side, lift her stomach and then try to start 'scooting' The socks have come off. The mat is slick enough without the accessories, so I figured its warm enough inside and out, and she can do without her socks, well at least for the time being. I did bring them down with me as I'll put them on when we leave the house.

She also like wearing skirts/dresses/onesies with a skirt as she enjoys bringing the dress part to her mouth. Or grabbing onto it tightly. Either one or both will do. Her thumb has become her new peace pipe. The pacifier will go with the clothes she is outgrowing, as she loves the thumb so much she doesn't need it. And quite frankly its nice, she can keep her thumb in and can put it back in her mouth, whereas she would cry once the peace pipe fell out. So now while she can (and does) take her thumb out, at least she can place it back in her mouth.

We're getting high pitch squeals. And lot's of spit up lately. And she's becoming regular again (pooped twice yesterday, twice already this morning). She's an exercise in patience. Reminding us to slow down and enjoy each day and not become frustrated when something doesn't go right (or on schedule). The stroller she does not so much enjoy but the Baby Bjorn is much better. Her hair, depending on the day and amount of light streaming into the room, is getting lighter, though the back of her head is still pretty much dark. Her eyes are still blue and her eyelashes are so long and beautiful. Perhaps before she runs for Congress she will be a mascara model.

Regina coming in two days a week is really working out. Lilly loves her and I feel so comfortable leaving her. Volunteering at Morris Jeff is really fun, the first graders are so sweet, and yesterday one asked if I could stay with her for forever. I'm helping them out with writing, some phonics and math. And then we play at recess and I sit with them at lunch. And then I come home, eat lunch (pump) and then hit the gym or run other errands or both. Like everything, somedays are easier than others. I have to remind myself to get out of the house, especially with her. And now that she's taken so much better to the Baby Bjorn, walking is fun and easy. But she's fun to listen to, the squeals are great (on my Vimeo page and Blog if you haven't heard them by now).

99 days of Lilly

We've had 99 fun-filled, memory making days with Lilly. Last night, as per Regina's suggestion, we put her down early. We gave her a bath at 7:45 and then gave her a bottle and she fell asleep by 8:30. It was glorious (just too bad Mad Men wasn't on!) and she slept until 7 this morning. Mark said she stirred around 5AM, but put herself back to sleep. He said we had a conversation about this at 5AM, but I have no recollection of these events. So we are hoping for a repeat of last night, though it looks like we won't be able to put her down too early. Just now about to eat dinner and it's 7:40PM.

High Pitch Video

This is video that I wanted to accompany the 'my new sounds' post but it wouldn't load last night, despite numerous attempts. But this morning it loads - go figure!

My new sounds

Lilly has discovered her high pitched singing/operatic voice. She can shriek! She can coo. And she can scream. All in these high pitched tones. They are cute but not so when squealed right into your ear. It's weird. But cool that she's getting her voice. I wonder what she's going to sound like. Will she have a combination of mine and Mark's voice? Or will it be something entirely her own?If its anything like the high pitched sounds, then I definitely think its all her.

Must have been the spit up!

Texas Rangers win! Advance to their first ever world series. All that spit up (check out above the 'E' and on the mat - that's just what you can visibly see) sent good vibes to the team. Congratulations!

Geaux Rangers

She pooped twice today, once in the morning hours, and the other around 5-6pm. Thank goodness she's back to being regular.

She started out and ended the day in the outfit pictured. As per Grandpa David and Uncle Jeffery, we put her in the Texas Rangers shirt to lend them good luck and support in their game six against the Yankees in the ALCS. She was totally fine in it. She was up at 6. Ate heartily. And then as she was playing on mat, she also spit up. Heartily. We're talking five times. First two times were mild, but then the combined next two leave white curds in her neck and not only on her shirt but mine as well (I've gone through three today). But Regina once said if a baby spits up on you then it's good luck. So as I told my siblings and parents, she's definitely given the Rangers good vibes and luck. So while I took her out of the shirt for the majority of the day, I was able to wash it (along with the jungle gym mat, twice in two days) so she could put it back on for the start of the pre-game show. And so far, the spit up luck seems to be working. It's the top of the 9th, and the Rangers are two outs away from the World Series, the first time in franchise history.

Poop, Glorious Poop

I never thought I would be so excited to see Lilly poop. It had been since Monday evening, and she's usually pretty regular, mostly everyday, if not every other. But with the exception of some dry, small movement, no go since Monday. You could tell Lilly wanted to go, she would strain, try to push something, but above all, she was farting up a storm. And these weren't ladylike farts - these stunk. Pure adult smelling ones. She certainly gave off an odor. But nothing with Regina Tuesday. Nothing Wednesday. So when I was telling Regina to look out for her poop, she mentioned that if Lilly went three days, I might want to think about a baby suppository. She said all I had to do was stick it between her butt cheeks and the hold the butt cheeks close, so it didn't fall out, as Lilly would probably trying to push it out. And then she said be prepared for poop.

Well, I was gearing myself up for it, to call Uptown Pharmacy and have them add a baby suppository to make prescription delivery, when, around 6PM, she started straining. She got that half smile, and her face turned a bit red, so I could tell it was coming. She also stopped eating, as she needed to clear the way, to make room for incoming food.

But after 5-10 minutes, nothing happened. She still strained but no squirt or splat. So I resigned myself to the baby suppository. But then she started crying. And she started smelling. An odor was wafting out of her diaper. So i was like, did she?

And sure enough, she did. She did it on the sly. I told her she was a stealth pooper. And once I cleaned her up, only three wipe diaper, she devoured the bottle, and then fell asleep. So pooping was good! Never thought I'd be super excited or rejoicing for poop. Baby suppository will have to wait for another day and someone else's butt cheeks.

My new stats!

Lilly was three months old on Monday. And today we went to see Dr. Gorman for her check up and receive two shots - Hepatitis B and Pneomococcal. She was not a happy camper receiving the immunizations, pneumo burns as it is injected. When we got to the Doctor's building and riding up the elevator to the 6th floor, Lilly didn't like the motion and feeling. So she began to cry inside the elevator car. Unfortunately for her, we had to stop at three floors before we got to the 6th floor. So as we left Dr. Gorman's office and she was wailing (mother's in the waiting area looked at us sympathetically as she's screaming, and said shot, huh? I said two!), Mark suggested we walk down the stairs. Good call. She fell asleep on my shoulder.

Anyway, all is good with Lilly Rose. She grew an inch from her two month check up, she's now at 24 inches. And she's a bit shy of 15 pounds, she's at 14 pounds, 14 ounces. Dr. Gorman said she's definitely a New Orleans girl as she likes to eat. And her head is 40.5.

We go back for the 4 month check up the Monday before Thanksgiving where she'll receive another shot. At her fifth month, she receives two more. She was definitely a trooper, slept in the car ride home. Stayed asleep for about an hour, and woke up with some pep, unlike her last go around with the shot. She played on her mat ( even fell asleep on it, sucking her thumb, for a little bit), ate, and finally went down for a nap at 5:30PM. She's been asleep for about an hour. Here's hoping to a smooth evening and her not being afraid of needles!

Some new things

Lilly has accomplished much in her 3 months! Last Sunday, while we were at Aunt Bitsy's watching the Saints game, she held her bottle on her own. She has since repeated this feat, and will hold it for a bit and then get tired or bored (or perhaps something else) and then put it down. But then she gets mad that her bottle is taken away! But it's all her doing! So she's got to learn some control and how to keep her bottle at her mouth. She's definitely found her thumb, and while she's an equal opportunity thumb sucker, we think she is beginning to favor her right one. Regina has mentioned that she's a hard sucker - she's replaced her Maggie Simpson pacifier sounds with Maggie Simpson type thumb sucking.

She's also sat in her red Bebo pod chair. She supported her head and sat up. But it was a lot of work for her so she was only in it for a bit before she started to whine and we took her out. But it's a cool chair and I hope she likes it! And Monday morning she rolled over, from her back to her stomach. She was so nonchalant about it, she was just on her back, got her weight behind her and did. It was right after Mark went to the office. And ever since I've been trying to capture it on video. I spent 18 minutes last night, with her teasing me, she would get some weight, roll, but not make it fully over. The flip camera had no battery left, so I was worried that once I stopped filming, she would roll over. So I kept the camera on her, full 18 minutes worth. And she finally did it - at the end. But I posted the video to Vimeo ten hours ago and it's still converting - it's a large file. So once its on the site, I'll post the link. Aunt Sarah saw her do it today (or was it yesterday, I can't remember, the days seem to run together) and Regina said she rolled over a couple of times yesterday. Here's hoping that Mark will see her do it tonight!