The world has an entirely different feel now, than it did then. Re-reading the last post is a reminder of how exhausting the early days were.
While neither Amanda or I would turn down a nap, we're definitely in a more regular state of mind.
This will be a quick post, going over some of the major steps forward.
Sophie in Daycare
At 10 weeks old, Sophie started attending daycare at a local church near us. Monday-Friday, Amanda drops her off in the mornings, and I pick her up at night. They're always doing fun things with her, motion development, songs, and of course art (Sophie's first piece was a Christmas wreath - perfect!).
Overall, we're happy with the place. Like all kids in daycare, she gets sick at times, but we see it as a good thing in her development.
Sleep Schedule
No baby blog can ever go far without discussing sleep. Around two and a half months old, Sophie started sleeping for longer and longer periods and eventually would sleep through the night. Boy, that was a total game changer! It helped kick us into a schedule, knowing she'd be tired and cranky by a certain point. But, that was all thrown out when ...
Sophie Gets an Infection
Around six months old, my parents were visiting and on Friday night, Sophie just seemed a bit off. We took her temperature and there was a slight fever. After a quick check in with the doctor, we let it sit overnight.
The next day, the fever was on and off. It was hard to tell what was going on, but it was clear our normally happy, go lucky baby wasn't feeling well. She wasn't eating much (definitely not normal) and she pretty much cried whenever she wasn't being held.
We took her to the doctor, and his instinct that she had a urinary tract infection was proven correct. We treated her with antibiotics and thought it was fixed a week later. Even though she wasn't sleeping all that well, she seemed better. The next week though, it became more clear through screams in the middle of the night she wasn't right just yet. The doctor tested her again and apparently the infection hadn't cleared.
We started a new round of antibiotics, in conjunction with a new round of sleep training. Well, actually it was our first round as she'd been sleeping on her own. Having moved into a two bedroom apartment and getting her crib set up, the sleep training was tough for a few nights until, poof, we had a good sleeper once again!
Family Visits
It's been great having family come and visit baby Soph. Since moving into the bigger apartment, my parents, Amanda's parents and both sisters have all visited. During Passover, we even got treated to a quick trip from my AEPi bro, Steve. Both of my brothers have plans to visit in the coming months. We're so lucky to have people we love want to come be with us in this special time. While we don't always know what to do for entertainment, Sophie keeps everyone happy being the star she is!
Star of the Show
Speaking of, the song that fits Sophie nowadays is "Star of the Show" by Thomas Rhett. Truly, everywhere we go, people are wanting to know, who's that girl, what's her name, with the prettiest smile in the world. It's amazing to watch people's reaction to her, including the waitresses at Ruchi's who absolutely adore her.
Developmental Milestones
There are a ton, thankfully, but I'll just list a few of my favorites: the smile, the giggles, sticking her tongue out (and now able to curl it as well), sitting up and eating. Oh yes, just a couple weeks ago we started giving her solid foods. So far, she seems to be enjoying them, even if she's only had rice cereal, carrots and sweet potato.
Bali as Big Sissy
One of the great joys is watching Bali interact with Sophie. Our two daughters are quite the pair. Bali is always around to help clean up Sophie's face from drool or stray potato (Sophie literally opens her mouth to let Bali lick. We totally allow it because we're gross parents. It's so dang cute). The coolest thing is Bali often just wants to be near the baby. While Sophie is playing on the mat, Bali will often be laying right next to her. Bali could go anywhere in the apartment, but she chooses to be with her baby sister.
Overall, we're in a happy place with Sophie at the moment. We're starting to get into a good schedule which includes a nighttime routine. We still don't have, and never will, all the right answers, but we're doing our best.
Most importantly, I'd say the biggest change from the seven weeks' posts is we're now madly in love with our little daughter. All those mushy things people say, I understand it much better now. She's our little person, and it's all worth it when she smiles.
