Almost back to normal

It’s been a very hectic couple of weeks. Mia’s ear infection really affected her sleep. A few nights she was inconsolable, then after the ear started feeling better she got a head cold from her allergies. For 12 nights straight, Mike and I had minimal sleep. One night I got up with her at 2:00 a.m. and never went back to sleep (that was a fun day at work), another night Mike stayed up with her until 4:00 a.m., then we switched. We’ve been like walking zombies. During all this we went to Gatlinburg for a weekend with Missy, SP and Cara. We had a great time during the day, but the nights were pretty miserable. Mia was very congested and it was hard to get comfortable sleeping with her in a bunk bed. The great news is that last night provided us some relief. She only woke up twice and immediately fell back to sleep. I’m hopeful we’re going to get her back into her routine and Mike and I will be able to get a full night’s sleep at least once this week!

In other wonderful news, Mia is in a new room at daycare with great teachers. I dropped her off yesterday and today, and I’m extremely comfortable with these women. They seem very devoted and caring, they offer lots of information about what Mia’s up to, and they also offer practical advice for a new mom. I’m so thrilled! She seems very happy in there and I have a good feeling that she will thrive in their care.

Mia has started a few new tricks these past few days. Now that she’s starting to feel better, it seems like she’s ready to get back in the swing of making baby progress.

• Although we always place her to sleep on her back, we very frequently find her sitting up in her crib playing with her toys now.
• She scoots herself around so much in her bed that she gets her legs caught through the crib rails. I had to buy a mesh bumper so she wouldn’t do that all night.
• The other day she started pulling up on her crib rails so we had to lower her mattress and remove her mobile.
• She stands at the ottoman to play with her toys, and on Sunday I realized she wasn’t holding on, but just standing there for a few seconds on her own. It wasn’t long before she fell on her bottom, but it was an accomplishment nonetheless!
• She’s now making clicking noises with her tongue. We actually enjoy doing it together. It’s our mother-daughter musical act.
• She mimics me when I clap my hands and say “yay”. Of course her “yay” is more like “eeehhhhhh”, but I get her point.
• She did a brief wave to me on Sunday, although she wouldn’t repeat it on demand. She’s not caught on to the “obey your father and your mother” commandment just yet!
• She’s still primarily crawling backward, although since Sunday she’s been moving herself forward one “step” before collapsing and rolling onto her back.

I really think things are starting to align for her. She’s feeling better, she’s in a new room at daycare and she got to hang out with Cara over the weekend and see how these crawling and waving things are supposed to work. It’s nice to see her back to her bouncy little self!

Mia’s social calendar is very full this week. She’s spending the evening with Granny and Grampy Hollkamp tonight, going to a Halloween party with Nana and Papa Wilson and Cara tomorrow night, a Halloween party at MODA on Thursday night, and visiting with Mamaw and Papaw Robbins at her Trunk or Treat party at daycare on Friday. There’s no question this little social butterfly is our daughter!