Work Those Arms! Work Those Legs!

Smacky's swimming lesson was a little better today. She gulped the poolwater a few times when she forgot to hold her head up, she learned how to hold on to the edge of the pool, and she floated on a noodle.

It was soooo exhausting that she fell asleep on the counter in the locker room afterwards.

Jumping Jumping Jumping

Smacky's new favorite toy is a pink bunny that one of my coworkers gave to me. She loves it when we flap the bunny's ears in her face, she adores sucking on the bunny's ears, and she her mouth opens wide to gum bunny's nose. Bunny even shared her cereal last week.

Here they are together with Granny in Smacky's jumperoo, a favorite place for all of them. One of Smacky's legs powers the jumping, the other just sort of twitches. She likes it so much that she jumps in my lap hours later.

Childcare Woes

We're pretty lucky with our childcare situation. My mom watches Smacky on Mondays and Fridays and Gary works from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays while watchingAurora and Arlo.

Smacky goes to Kindercare on Wednesdays, sharing care with 8 other babies between two caregivers. I've been pretty happy with Kindercare, and so has Smacky, until their "reservation" fees started.

When Aurora misses a day, they charge us half-price, even if they're closed. I suppose it makes sense since they still have to staff the center, but we missed three days last month and $160 for no services is a little steep.

So we're looking for a new provider. Maybe I'm crazy and everyone operates this way. I guess we'll see! Does anyone have any suggestions or criticisms to help our search?

UPDATE: We found out yesterday that Gary can't work at home any longer, so we need to find a facility that will care for Smacky three days a week. We're looking into the Y- any opinions on that?

Another Day in Paradise

We brought Smacky's jumperoo home this week from Granny's and she had a fun time jumping while Gary worked this afternoon.



And what's that in the background? Could it really be SUNLIGHT?
Also, if the expression in this photo says TEETHING to you, you're right. I came home last night to an exhausted Gary and a screaming Smacky. Thank god for infant tylenol!

Cookieface

I realize after posting this that it isn't the most flattering picture of Smacky, with her stuffing a cookie into her mouth with both hands.

They are thin, crisp gingersnaps that turn soft when they meet your mouth. Perfect for a drooly baby!

Here she is after gumming her cookie. Most of it ended up on her chin but she looks determined to finish it.

Maybe she's just trying to keep it from her bug, who's staring covetously. (see right of photo) Naughty bug! stay away from Smacky's cookie.

Spaghetti and Swimming

Today was a day of fun firsts!

Granny got me and Smacky a present of swimming lessons at the Mt Scott Community Center near our house. They remodeled it a few years ago and it went from a plain rectangular outdoor pool to 2 indoor pools and a hottub. It's fancy now! There were about 10 other parents in our class who sang to, propelled, accidentally dunked and then comforted their babies along with me.

(This is a stock photo from their website, not a photo from today.)

I didn't think ahead last summer in order to get a suit, so Smacky wore an old onesie instead of a real swimsuit like some of the other babies. All in all it seemed like it was at least tolerable for her. She didn't seem uncomfortable but she was definitely working on getting her swimming legs. Hopefully Gary or Granny can come sometime and get some photos of Smacky in the pool.


In other news, I ground up some
spaghetti and sauce today and Smacky had her first spaghetti. I was surprised that she liked the strong flavor but she gobbled it down, extra garlic and all. Too bad I didn't think to grind up some garlic bread.

Arlo helped me peel, cut, and grind apples for baby applesauce for a different meal. What a good helper!

Precious Sleep

Smacky and I haven't been sleeping well lately. Not well at all.

Whether due to the fact that she's back in daycare, or that she's adjusting to life after having two weeks at home, or just that I'm slower on the draw with the nighttime bottle, she has been up in the night fussing QUITE A BIT lately.


I made an executive decision to use disposable diapers in bed since I was changing her cloth diapers 3-5 times each night. This way I don't change her at all and she only eats when she wakes. I thought we would get more sleep this way but it feels like less!

Yesterday, her first day at Kindercare in a month, there were new/different caretakers, new screaming babies and screamingly bright fluorescent lights. Hence, Smacky only took three ten-minute naps.

Gary somehow enticed her into sleeping for two hours today, but apparently she's still sleepy, as evidenced by this photograph. She loves to rub her eyes when she's about to fall asleep, sometimes keeping herself awake with those tiny fingers.