11/10/06 Katrina smiles

There is no doubt in my mind. Today, after a long nap, a good nursing, and yet another clean diaper, Katrina was in a great mood and wide awake. I made a face at her and smiled, and then she smiled back at me, maintaining eye contact, rather than fading into half-sleep as she's done before. It absolutely was a responsive smile, and it was beautiful.

And I'm also certain I heard a few coo sounds today! Once I thought she said "HI!". I didn't think the adorable baby sounds came until about 8 weeks old; at least, I'm pretty sure the boys didn't make those sounds until about then. Then again, it could be the Mom Amnesia thing (essential for procreation of the species).

I don't think she counts as a newborn anymore. She's also already losing that drowsy newborn thing. The rooting reflex is just about gone too, though she still has the newborn startle reflex.

You all might be getting tired of these photo sessions, but I'm having no end of fun experimenting. Today's experiment was with colors. I love this outfit, a gift from the Rojas family (Peggy, Miranda & Co.). It's a strong pink that looks great on Katrina. I think I like strong colors best, odd since with the boys I really didn't care much, and they wore a lot of baby pastels. But now, I have years of experience with bad pictures to shape what I like!























The boys were at Tonya's this afternoon, and will be all evening for sleepover. I feel a little guilty for enjoying the day so much without them, just me and my sweet little baby, who's hardly been fussy at all. I don't feel guilty for enjoying nursing her in peace, rather than having to yank her off time and again to go peel the boys off each other.

I think the hardest thing about this three-child thing is the differences in life phases between the boys and the baby. Part of me wants to be in little-boy mode; another part wants to be in baby mode, and I can't completely commit myself to either. It's a little schizophrenic.

It might be easier if the two life phases didn't both demand my immediate attention, but at the same time the needs of those two phases are very different. And it's really more than two phases, it's three, though Gabriel and Julian are pretty close to each other in terms of their care & feeding. Perhaps too close, since their rambunctious play together causes half the trouble!

Dave and I have a nice evening planned, with a yummy dinner from Whole Foods and catching up on our Netflix movies. Baby allowing, that is.

11/10/06