Sweet Sunday Baby,
You and me... we are BFF. We hang out all the time... we make each other laugh and we give lots of snuggles. We share toys and meals and we talk about everything. The older you get the more fun we have. I am crazy about you and I kinda think you are perfect.
One of my favorite things about you is that you are such a social butterfly (just like your mama!). You pretty much love everyone. Okay, well, except Uncle Frank. But he's kind of an exception. Everyone loves him so we're sure you will love him, too, when you get older. But there is no denying you are SOCIAL. You get sooo bored when we have "at home" days with no company. Of course we have those pretty regularly, so we're working on that. You always prefer the company of others, even if it's just the puppies. I love that I don't have to worry about you when I leave you with your nanny (Allison)... or grandma... or Aunt Christy. You don't seem to ever be afraid of other people and I am so proud of that! Although, I'm not quite sure what you are actually afraid of. I really hope you didn't get your daddy's fearlessness. However, one could argue that his quality of life is higher since he's not afraid of anything. :)
You are still an animal lover through and through. You and Traveler seem to have worked out the few kinks between you guys and you've finally learned how to tell Hawkeye to STOP kissing you, please. They are both super patient with you and they even let you play in their crate whenever you want! (Which happens a couple of times a day.)
Oh guess what?! You are FINALLY teething. Like, for real. There are teeth in your mouth now! They just showed up overnight. Here I thought you had Pink Eye and just weren't feeling that great and it turns out you had Pink Eye AND you were teething. My poor baby. You've been especially fussy a couple of weeks this month but God gifted me with a large dose of grace and somehow I have managed to truly enjoy nurturing you all day every day (instead of praying for patience during your cries). I love to take care of you. I love that you find comfort in my arms and I savor every one of those moments when you can't be close enough to me.
Speaking of closeness. You are such a little cuddle bug and it makes my heart skip a beat every day! Every time I pick you up out of your crib you lay your head on my shoulder. Snuggle, snuggle - you never tired of it! Actually, you really love to cuddle your sock monkey. It's the cutest thing in the world. I will pick you up and you lean back into your crib and reach for your sock monkey. A lot of times he comes between you and I and you are actually laying your head on HIS head instead of my shoulder. It's pretty adorable.
You are learning to communicate. You are doing this new pointing thing when you want someone or something. It's mostly when you want a person, though. It's your way of saying "You! I want YOU!" Daddy always comes around the corner and sees you and points to you and says "You!" And you flail your arms and giggle as if you are saying "Exactly, Daddy!!!" So cute! You can say "mama" and "dada," but not quite when you actually MEAN mommy or daddy. But, when you want food you smack your lips together. You've definitely got that down. We're working on baby sign language and you almost have "more" and "all done" behind you. We'll get there!
On September 7th you crawled for the first time. Boy was your daddy grateful to see that milestone, because the very next day he had to go work out of town for three weeks. By the time he returned home you were crawling everywhere and even using furniture to help you walk! You were a whole different baby when he saw you again. You are growing up so super fast.
For about three weeks now now you have slept through the night every night. I think we did it. We made it, Sunday Quinn. You are officially a good, solid night time sleeper and dare I use the word "predictable." I think our challenges were many but the big ones were overtiredness (I made that word up - so don't try to use it in a paper in school) and the lack of an eating schedule. Now that you are eating real food regularly we are finally getting on somewhat of a schedule and you go to bed MUCH earlier than you did before. Here's what a typical at-home day looks like for us this month:
7am - Wake
8am - Breakfast (you love bananas, strawberries and eggs!)
9:30am - Nap
11am - Playtime
12pm - Lunch (often we eat veggies and chicken or leftovers from the night before)
1pm - Bathtime after an especially messy lunch
2pm - Nap
4pm - Playtime
5pm - Dinner (whatever mama & daddy are eating for dinner)
6:30-7:30ish - Bedtime
Sometimes on weeknights we push your bedtime a little later if you aren't too tired just yet. Daddy doesn't get home until 7pm and he hates not seeing you at all during the week, so we make lots of exceptions. We are both really grateful that you have adapted to our flexible lifestyle.
Some of your current favorites are: strawberries and bananas, puff snacks (thanks Daddy!), sweet potatoes, chicken, new animals to play with, when friends come over (especially Aiden!), breastfeeding (always), your sock monkey, Grandmommies chapstick (you kind of have a weird obsession with it...), your little bitty board books you received from Mrs. Emily, being outside, when daddy plays any instrument around the house, any toy at Grandma's house, and any power cord you can find (against mamas wishes).
And some things you really don't like: Not being able to play with power cords, oatmeal, yogurt, avocados, being told "no," losing your balance, wearing a poopy diaper (who doesn't dislike that?!)... and that's about it!
I'm really stretching to come up with more things you dislike but you are such a happy, content girl... there's not a whole lot that makes you cry. I am so grateful. I enjoy your company so much, just last night daddy said to me "She is so much fun." It's true, sweetie. I'll tell you so many times in your life: you are the light of our lives. We love you and love being with you and love watching you grow.
Always,
Mama
