32 and 33...Whoops!

Dear Baby Bean, 

You are now officially 33 weeks old. I didn't write you a letter last week (eeeek!) because we were SOOOO busy. But now I will make it up to you, I promise. 

So, I guess I need to start with last Tuesday. Well, last Tuesday kicked off a shopping extravaganza (shocking...right?). It was Gymbuck time, so we headed out to put some stuff on hold with Grandma. You did a couple of decent naps while we were walking around the mall but your afternoon nap was rough. Apparently all you wanted to do was to nap on me. I really don't mind that for one nap. In fact, I enjoy snuggle time with my little princess. 

Wednesday we headed to Michigan City to check out the outlet. It was a rainy icky day, but we still had lots of fun. I am very glad that storms really don't seem to bother you (or your brother!) I think I'd be going crazy if you guys were up all night with them, but you both did great. They don't phase you! We got back home and it was off to the gym for tumbling that night. 

Even a very stormy week can't keep us down. We'll have an inside picnic! Or at least that was your idea, playing with your picnic basket on Thursday. You are getting good at pushing the blocks through the slots if I line them up for you. It is SO much fun playing with you these days, my love!

On the bad side of things, your napping problems are getting a little out of control. Thursday you would not let me put you down at all. Every time I would try to move you to your crib you would wake up. So, it was time for some changes. Daddy and I decided to try a little bit of fuss-it-out. We didn't let you completely CRY, as that doesn't work for you (we tried once, and we were both in tears and you got so upset you threw up, so nope, never again!) but you do have a pretty distinct mad-whiney "cry". As long as that is what you're doing, you'll stay in your crib. Thursday was ROUGH. Your first nap took almost 2 hours to get you down, getting you calmed down repeatedly and listening to your whiney cry. But the second nap, you were out in under 5 minutes. And from there on it has made SUCH a difference! Naps are getting a LOT longer (up to an hour and a half, when before I couldn't get you to nap longer than a half hour!) and night time is great too...with only one wake up most nights (and even a couple with NO wake ups!). So, as much as it was a bit tough in the beginning, fuss-it-out worked great for you, and you are SO much happier now!

Friday you went over to Grandma's while I worked out, then back home to try some of that super-napping again. One thing, you are getting crazy close to crawling. You will use those super strong arms to lift your entire upper body off the ground. You don't seem to want to get up on your knees, though. Wonder why...you get carried every place you want to go. No need for this crawling stuff! 

Saturday was a CRAZY day. We woke you up at 3am, instead of you waking US up like usual! Then we were off with a group of crazy kiddos to Dayton, OH for a stunt clinic. You know how I know you were made especially for Daddy and me? You tolerate our insanity so well. Any baby princess that can make this silly face at 3am is quite the special one!

It was kind of rough with you, because you did NOT want to nap at all. Too many people to play with, apparently! They were all happy to oblige. See how much attention you had? And we wonder why you don't do too well playing by yourself....ha!

You especially enjoyed playing with Cate. She brought a very special puppet that she had as a baby. It was a duck pupped that quacked. You thought it was the most hysterical thing ever. You laughed your little behind off, especially when it tickled your belly. You are very ticklish these days! Cate was awesome with you, though. You two had a very good time playing, and it kept you both entertained at the clinic. 

After all that excitement Saturday, we spent Sunday recovering! You woke up and we had some snuggle time in our bed, then you watched some cartoons with Daddy. One important thing was missing, though...Truffle! He stayed with Grandma and Grandpa, so after you took a nap, we went to pick him up. He was very happy to see you! Even though you two drive us crazy, it is very sweet to see how much you guys like each other. 

We grabbed some lunch with Grandma and Grandpa at Cheddar's, so you could watch the big fan and see all the fish, and then I had to leave for the gym, so you got some Daddy time. The only bad thing is that you took a really awesome nap RIGHT before I left for the gym, and I had to wake you up to feed you. We have a new Sunday schedule, and I think we are all trying to get it "down."

We came home and you were TIRED! So we put you to bed, but that means you missed out on the yummy steak Daddy cooked on his new grill that you got him for an early Father's Day present. We were up late trying to finish out taxes (whoops, we were a liiiiittle behind. Wonder what had been taking up our time???) so we decided to cook something really tasty to help us get motivated to get it done. But never fear, we saved you some and you got to try it on Monday. Much to Truffle's dismay, you LOVED it! I gave you 4 big strips and you ate them ALL. You are quite the little carnivore, I guess. Truffle is not amused that you didn't share better. 

In the afternoon, we went over to Grandma and Grandpa's. I have a really big paper that I am trying to get done and you make that a little difficult, since you are all about the attention, these days, so you got to spend a lot of time this week playing with Grandma. Luckily, I think you both have a lot of fun with that. You love seeing the "Ellie fan" and the "Grandpa lights"...oh, and the jumpy snowman! You are starting to be able to point out the eyes and nose on the snowman. You are such a smart little bean!

Tuesday we hung around home in the morning, and then took off to the park with both you kiddos in the afternoon. You and your brother both like the park. We took a nice long walk and you went on the swings. You were able to watch the ducks too, AND Truffle got to socialize with a couple other puppies, which you thought was REALLY funny. 

Speaking of socializing, you are so social and SO much fun these days. You are a waving machine. You wave "hi" and "bye" and "come here" and "take me over there." Pretty much waving is your means of communication right now and it is SO stinking cute. Sometimes you will babble and wave at the same time, and I think I am just going to melt from all the adorableness!

You do, unfortunately, have a little bit of diaper rash going on. It is probably from all the time in the car and such, but I feel just horrible for you, little one. We've been doing a lot of nakey baby time to let it air out, and you LOVE that, though! You have been loving rolling all around, and making sure that you pee all over my carpet. You little stinker! 

Wednesday was more writing for me, so more Grandma time for you. You got to go swimming in their hot tub for the first time. Funny birdy, when you got in, you freaked out just like when you went in the big pool for the first time. I was able to get you calmed down, though, and then you were off like a little fishy, kicking and splashing and playing with the floaty toys! I am so glad that I could calm you down and reassure you, because you really do love it! You had a blast. And then, of course, had to come out and eat some puffs to re-fuel. You are a little puff-monster...you LOVE your puffs. We have to ration them, especially since Grandma got you all kinds of new flavors. 

We got home and Truff was glad to see us. He is SUCH a good big brother. He even played your favorite game with you...peek a boo! You were so silly, moving the curtain to cover him up and then peeking around. I love to watch you guys play together. I can't wait until you are chasing him around (although I am sure he is in no hurry for you to get to that point!)

Thursday the plan was to do the usual morning nap, then over to Grandma's, but guess what...the morning nap didn't exist. Yikes! Instead, you sat in your crib, singing to your lamb for an entire hour. REALLY? So you were a little (LOT) overtired. You took some decent naps for Grandma, but we're shooting for 2 hours of naps before 5pm, and we definitely didn't make that. 

Friday was more writing, but the good new is that I FINISHED IT! Yay!!! That is a good thing because I have hated taking all the time away from you. Silly science, don't they know that we have little piggies that need to be tickled and patty-cake that needs to be played? I promised you that we would have a lot of fun this week to make up for being so tolerant of not having nearly enough Mommy time! That sounds perfect to me, I can't think of anything that I like better than some time with my baby bean!

But, much to my dismay, time with my baby bean couldn't happen on Saturday. I had to make bows with some other cheer mommies at the gym. The good news is that we got lots done, and you got some awesome time with Daddy, that is REALLY good since he didn't get to see you at all on Friday and I know that made him very sad. He loves time with you, and you just light up and give him all those gummy grins! You guys sent me pictures of you two snuggling and watching the Little Mermaid. I think Daddy was the one doing the "Kiss the Girl."

Sunday was the usual, church and then home, and then gym. You were awesome at church and took a little nap and then sat quietly  playing with my necklace so we didn't have to go outside with you at all. We were very excited about that! Daddy had some errands to run that afternoon, so I took you to the gym early. Aunt Lori was excited to get some time with you...but that didn't happen. You simply have too many fans at the gym, little one. Especially now that you are so much more interactive EVERYONE wants to play with you. Every time I walked out of the gym, someone different was playing with you, or reading you a book, of making you giggle. I think we can safely say that we can no longer plan on you napping at the gym. 

Which brings us to this morning. You were up a couple times last night, which wasn't normal for you lately, so now you are taking a nap (and a good one, so far!). I'm not exactly sure what we are doing today, but I do know that I cannot wait to be able to spend LOTS of time with you today. I miss you SO much when I don't get to have lots of Ellie time! I am very thankful that I get to spend all day with you, because there is nowhere in the world I would rather be. I love you SO SO much little one, and I am so lucky that I get to be the Mommy of the best, cutest, funniest, smartest little princess in all the world!

I love you,
Mommy