14 1/2 Weeks

Momentous Events....

Alex is in the middle of a huge developmental leap. At least, I think. Anyway, last night she slept through the night, and I'm not talking about the "technical" 5-6 hours that's considered sleeping through the night. She slept from 9-5!!! The only sad thing about it was that I woke up like 16 times because I'm so used to having to get up in the middle of the night. Also, just a few moments ago she started swatting at her zebra with her left hand! She's been reaching out to touch a crinkle sound book that she has, and all of it is just really adorable and great.

I think one of the reasons she slept through the night too was that she saw her physical therapist yesterday and has a whole new set of exercises to working on, and I think the day tired her out. She was wonderful - incredibly nice, very thorough, and very honest. She said that in some ways Alex is fine but that in other ways she's behind, although she qualified it by saying that she thinks she's fine but always wants to be more on the "pessimistic side" in order to be safe. Alex has a whole bunch of different things to do now, like rolling in a sheet and balancing on a beach ball and having to spend more time on her stomach to try and develop use of her elbows and neck. She especially doesn't like that, but she has to do it, and she just cries and cries and it's so sad! But you gotta do what's best for your kid, right? She's so incredibly adorable and I can't wait for everyone to meet her who hasn't.

3 Month Updated

Alex had her three month appointment yesterday and is ten pounds, two ounces, and 23 inches. While she's doing pretty well, Dr. Mora is having us meet with a physical therapist to show us some additional exercises to help with her development. In some ways she's a month and a half behind because she was a month early and then spent 19 days flat on her back in the hospital, and all of that time has to be made up for. The big thing we're working on is developing her neck muscles, so we're doing a lot more of making her work for herself and not supporting her neck as much. So far she is NOT happy about it, but we're working on it.

The trip with dad here was great. It was full and (hopefully) relaxing all at the same time. Alex did incredibly well being out during those times, two days of which she was out for almost the entire day. Dad was surprised at how good she was, which was really nice. Hopefully this is all contributing to her being a flexible, easy-going kid. But she went to her first volcano, her first crater lake, saw an old fort, went to Granada, and walked around a small town known for its pottery. It was overall a really great time.

3 Months!!!

Yes, Alexis is three months old today! No, we didn't have a party for her. She's been doing great. The Zantac has really helped with the acid reflux and she is generally calmer. Also, she is getting to the stage when she can usually sleep 5-6 hours in a row, which technically means (in baby terms) that she is sleeping through the night. Isn't THAT wonderful? I've recently been getting about 5 hours of sleep in a row pretty consistently.

She's been smiling so much recently and we can tell how much she recognizes us. Her eyesight is improving too and we can see her looking at us from farther away, or looking outside. Her latest trick, though, involves her legs. In her bed I put her directly underneath her mobile so that she can stare up at her little animals. However, occasionally I'm finding her head all the way at the top of the crib because she's scooted herself up by pushing her legs against the mattress.

Dad's been here this week and she's been having a wonderful time with her granddad. She's been to volcanoes and old forts and crater lakes and lookouts. It's been amazing how wonderful she's been when we've taken her out. It's quite a bit of work, but she tends to be very chill when out, especially when she's in the car or in her carrier. She likes the motion of both, and they tend to put her to sleep. I've been using her carrier more often now, and it's great to be able to go to the grocery store when I need to and not have to depend on Jason to watch her.

One funny thing I've discovered is why all the Nicas think she's a boy. Inevitably they comment on the cute white baby but they always ask if she's a boy or assume that, even when she's wearing pink! However, we think it's because she doesn't have her ears pierced, which Nicas usually do in the first few days of a girl's life. So this is why they all think she's a boy.

I hope you enjoy the pics. More next time :) And the one of her in a blue dress - that's a dress that mom wore when SHE was a baby!!!