11 Weeks

So, Cate is 11 weeks today.  She's kind of a wonder baby in some ways.  I'm afraid to say that because I will probably jinks myself.  She is just so ... easy.  I mean she has her moments when she is a little needy and we don't know quite how to console her, but I'm serious when I say 'moments'.  I remember pouring over book after book with Emma about what to do, when to do it, and how to do it.  I remember Emma crying endlessly.  I remember crying because Emma wouldn't do what I wanted her to do.

All swaddled in our 'borrowed' hospital blanket. Emma's 'borrowed' hospital blanket actually.

Now she's too big for the blanket, and mommy got tired of trying to get the swaddle perfect,
so she sleeps in a 'Swaddle Me' which has panels that you just wrap tuck and velcro.   Didn't like them with Emma. Love them for Cate!

Cutie Patootie!

With Cate, it all just sort of happens.  She just sort of started sleeping through the night.  She just sort of started putting herself on feeding schedule.  She just sort of started sleeping in her own crib.  Okay that one I helped a little on.   As amazing as she is, she can't quite make it into her crib by herself yet. I didn't have some big debate with myself, though, on when it should be.  With Emma, Jeremy set the date.  He wanted her in her room, by 4 months.  With Cate, I had a vague idea that it wouldn't be past 4 months and somewhere around 2 or 3 would be ideal.  So the other night, she was ready for bed really early.  Thinking she would just take a little nap and then eat again around 9 or 10 since it was so early (like 6 or 6:30 I think), I decided to try putting her in her crib to see if she would sleep.  Well she did ... until about 5:30 or 6 the next morning and until 7 after I gave her the binky again! So now she sleeps 10 to 12 in her own bed.  Just sort of happened. She takes 4 6-oz bottles a day now ... just sort of happened. 

She has found her hands and sucks on them from time to time ...

... but the binky is still king.

My children could not be more different in some respects.  Maybe I'm just more laid back now.  Maybe I don't have time to obsess over the 'perfect time' to make every new thing happen.  Maybe God just gave me a break this time! Whatever it is, I am SO grateful! (I will say, with Cate, I have learned to put her to bed awake so that she has learned to soothe herself mostly. I think that is a big part of it!)

Our darling Emma, Big Sister Extrodinaire, is also a wonder.  She cracks us up.  She is VERY into pretend these days.  The other night, we had quite an elaborate birthday party for Ellie (Emma's beloved stuffed elephant) at dinner time.  Imginary cake and all.  I think it went on for at least 45 minutes. Emma should be a part planner.  She is also planning her wedding to her friend, Owen.  We asked where the were getting married and she said, "Well, since we didn't want to get married somewhere fancier, we're just having it here at home."  My how practical she is.  Seriously!?  She is also very into everything and really quite capable.  Sometimes I can't that she was like Cate just 3 years ago.

Demonstrating just how much of a 3 year old she is.
 At a playdate recently, my friend Kim went up to check on the girls only to find that Emma had discarded her shoes and socks and was painting her nails with a lovely shade of blue polish belonging to her friend's older sister. Yup, she's 3!

One of her many ... umm ... costumes?  We have quite the array of outfits these days.



Another one of her get ups.  Here she is ... I think ... pretending to be a magician.  That is her magic hat and her wand.



Harnessed for jumping at the Carnegie Science Center SportsWorks

As much as she cracks us up,  she is quite the 3 year old these days.  I was told, when I professed how wonderful it was that Emma wasn't going through the Terrible Two's, that in fact it is 3 that is the most trying age.  Well they were right.  The tantrums, the outbursts, the fighting with friends ... it's pretty terrible.  We're muddling our way through, but I am constantly second guessing myself.  Putting my parents through it is even worse, especially, since to their recollection, Andrew and I skipped this phase.  The only consolation I have is that her 2 little friends that we have weekly playdates with are the same way.  We spend most of our playdates breaking up fights and instituting time-outs.  She'll learn some day though. In the meantime, I bought about 5 books about raising a 'spirited' child.  We'll see if they are helpful.

My 'spirited' child tuck in her dress-up clothes valet.  She was calling for help -"Help me! Someone! Please help me!"- so naturally I had to get my camera before helping her out.

Poor Jeremy is missing out on all the fun.  He's been gone for a little over a month now and is exceptionally busy.  He gets up around 6 and works until 9 or 10 at night.  His boat has actually left Diego Garcia and is en route to Guam.  A very long route actually.  He won't be there for another month or two.  Hopefully, he will get a little break once he gets there since they will be joining another crew and sharing the work load. I told him that nothing earth shattering is happening here and that as wonderous as Cate is, she is sort of boring (Thank you, God!) at the same time.  He says though that even all those little, seemingly unimportant things that you take for grated, are the things he misses so much.  So if I document the mundane on this blog, it is so that he might feel like he's missing just a little less.