Day 195: Getting a Cold

I know it is usually nice to learn to share, but I'm afraid I might have given Michal (and Josh) my cold.  She definitely had a runny nose today and I might have heard the beginning of a stuffy nose.  Here's hoping I'm overreacting and she's fine.  We're heading up to New Jersey this weekend and had a few gatherings planned.  We don't want to share this cold with anyone else!  Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Day 194: L'Chayim!

A Public Service Announcement from your favorite neighborhood baby:

It's hot outside - drink water!

This PSA was brought to you by the letters "W," "Mem," and the number 7.

Day 193: Adventures in Baby Sleeping

Just another day at work - she really loved that peach!


With our recent sleep battles, I've been nervous this week about having Michal with me at work.  She has been such an easy baby for so long that I tend to take it for granted that it will not be an issue to have her in the office.  She plays with toys, charms everyone she sees, and sleeps in her stroller, which fully reclines.  Our normal nap routine at work includes a darkened office, classical music, and usually a crying baby - for at least the first few minutes.  Then she drifts off into sleepyland.


This week has been weird.  Her naps have switched, first of all - she is now taking a short nap in the morning and a long (two hours yesterday and today!) nap in the afternoon.  Weird.


Yesterday went off without a hitch, alleviating my fears.  Today was a little trickier, as Michal started to move around in her stroller, not entirely eager to take a nap, despite her crabbiness up until that point.  Much crying, much sadness, and then...

She fell asleep like this.  

She readjusted a few times, never moving from her stomach.  Crazy kid.

Two hours later... 

Hi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's amazing what a mood changer a good nap can be.

Day 192: Swimming with Friends

A little more than a year ago, I received an email inquiring about bat mitzvah tutoring.  I was pregnant at the time - only a few months along - but I jumped at the opportunity to work with this family.  We got along famously, my student did a marvelous job, and, when she arrived, they loved on Michal as well.  She accompanied me to their home for tutoring sessions.  The bat mitzvah was the evening before Halloween - Michal behaved herself through the entire thing - and we visited their amazing haunted garage during trick or treating, Michal resplendent in her bear "costume."


And then we just got busy.  We haven't seen them since Halloween, despite a few failed attempts to get together.  When I opened my email this morning and found a note, asking about meeting at the pool in the early evening hours, I jumped at it.


We had a WONDERFUL time, and while Michal was uncharacteristically reserved at first, she quickly warmed up.  She even practiced floating, kicking, jumping, and putting her face in the water - she is one crazy baby!

 Just chillin'

One picture from earlier - "on the phone" at work!

Day 191: Sleep Training?

Good news: Michal knows how to pull to standing like a pro.

Bad news: Michal pulls to standing while crying hysterically in her crib.

It's been a tough sleep weekend.  While we were at the beach, we encountered a new problem: Michal did not want to go to sleep.  When it came for naptime or bedtime, we would go through our normal routine, only to encounter hysterically crying baby.  She would only calm down if we were holding her or sitting right next to where she was (theoretically) falling asleep.  We weren't entirely sure the cause of this problem - was she adjusting to being in a new location and sleeping in her play yard instead of her crib? Was it a new variation of separation anxiety?  We found a way to make it work and get her to sleep and assumed that all would be fine when we returned home.

Taking a nap with Mommy this afternoon. 

 Stopping at Sonic for lunch - sitting like a big girl next to Daddy.

So sleepy - in the car.

Unfortunately our assumptions were incorrect.  Tonight, once we got home, Michal took a bath, got into her pajamas, had a bottle and a cuddle with Mommy, then went into her crib for a good night's sleep.  Except she didn't fall asleep... for 2 1/2 hours.  Our easy sleeper is no longer so easy, and it seems like one of our guesses for the vacation sleep problems was correct: separation anxiety.  She just did not want to be apart from us.  

After some quick consultations with friends who have worked through this in the past, we experimented with a routine that we hope will work Michal through this and get her back on a good sleep path.  It took a long while tonight, with tears for everyone involved.  And on the bright side, Michal is now an expert at standing.  We just hope it does not interfere with some much needed shut-eye.  

Day 190: Surf, Sun, and Some Sand

It wouldn't be a weekend at the beach if we didn't go to... the beach.  That was the plan for the day - after sleeping in a teeny bit (thanks, Josh!), having a delicious breakfast, and getting prepped for a day of sun, sand, and surf.  (And that last part - incredibly strong today.  If you tried to dip just your little toe in the water, you were nearly washed away.  The goose did not go into the ocean today.)

Before we headed out, Michal got in some play time with Uncle Roy and Aunt Kylie. 

Chilling out on the balcony (she refused to look at me - I got lucky with this one) 

On the phone!

Playing with the shovel newly purchased today.  

VERY interested in the sand.  She probably played in the sand at least half of the time we were at the beach.   

Focus 

Handful of sand - If she could pick out individual grains of sand, I think she would.

This was pretty much inevitable.  Sand is delicious.
(Great job with this shot, Josh!)

Day 189: Beach Weekend

Where in the world is Michal??

If you said the beach, you win!  A friend allowed us the use of her condo at the beach, so we headed up today to spend the weekend there with friends.  We have not been to this beach in at least four years, and it is always nice to get away.  While it is not Michal's first trip to the beach (we went to Myrtle Beach when she was about four months old), it will really be her first time experiencing the beach.


A funny thing about the picture above.  When we were in California a few weeks ago, Michal started to do this silly little thing where she tilted her head to one side, as if she was squeezing a telephone between her ear and her shoulder.  My mother and youngest sister, seeing this, started to say "On the phone!" every time Michal did this.  She still does it, so I continue the tradition - I think she just knows she's being stinking adorable when she does it!
  

 Smiles!

 Streeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch

 Big, double waves

 Later, Michal checked out all the furniture, cruising around.

 High cutie!

It wouldn't be a day in the life of Michal without abundant raspberries