17 weeks

Bella is 17 weeks old today. We’re cruising toward 4 months on Friday. She is a giggling, smiling, sleeping wonder. She slept 8 hours at night, 2 nights in a row. I woke up more than she did. So did Henry one night and Miranda the other.

Arabella has been pulling herself up. Her ab muscles rock. She would like to think that she can balance and sit. She can’t, quite yet. But it is coming. Her high chair arrived today. I think I love it. She tried pears today. Rice cereal is good. She liked the taste of pears. Let’s hope it doesn’t make her grumpy later on, as applesauce did.

Bella is smiley and happy. She wakes up happily. She sucks her hands, her thumb, your thumb, her pacifier. She sleeps in her crib, in the small crib downstairs, tucked in bed with me. She nurses well. She prefers breast milk to formula. She tolerates the kids jumping near her better than I. She likes kids, dogs and older people. She makes it clear without screaming that she is ready to eat, sleep or have a diaper change. I think I sympathize with old wives of yore–I am nervous to say so many nice things about this delightful baby. What if she gives up sleeping? Egads.

Miranda went back to school yesterday. Henry went back to preschool. Life is flowing on. I am not doing especially well on any new year’s resolutions re: diet or budget. I am not failing spectacularly. For this week, that’s good enough.