CRAWLING! (for realz)

Today was such a fun day!

It started on a down note:
In the morning I was super sad to be leaving Olivia at daycare and missing out on all this fun time with her.  Saturday we scrambled to prep the house for Natalie, Steve, and their two little girls (Gabby and Maddy) to drop by for dinner on their way up to Santa Rosa from SLO.  We had a fabulous visit, and Olivia really loved watching the other girls (ages 20 months and 3 years) play.  We had "tickle monster" time and lots of laughs.  Pizza was the entree and beer and wine were delish.  A lovely day, but no one-on-one time with Olivia.  It's important for us to build friendships with other families with kiddos and we've hit it off with N&S.

Yesterday, I spent most of the day cooking - I made stew for Megan and Chet as they welcome their new little girl (Persephone) into the world, and tried making some bean soup concoction for us.  I went to the store for Megan and Chet gifts, and did various other chores.  We all (including the dogs even) went to Karen's to fix a sprinkler as a thanks for all the help she's given us with last-minute Olivia and dog care, and then dropped everything off at the Lim's.  By that time, Olivia was basically asleep for the night so I hardly got to see my little girl all weekend. :(

Olivia is just about weaned now and I'm sad about it in the mornings when she awakes and wants to cuddle and nurse in bed and I don't have enough.  Today we supplemented with a half-bottle because she was clearly still hungry.  So that is bittersweet.  I was weepy last night and this morning with the transitions and not getting to see Olivia as she sits there so cute.  I honestly would like to go back to part time after our trip to Hawaii.  I don't want to miss out on everything... and I feel guilty dropping Olivia off at daycare when she clearly doesn't feel well.  Today one eye was gunking up in the morning.  By the time we picked her up, both were gunking badly and when she cried and clenched her eyes during dinner, she was squeezing gunk out of her tear ducts.  I feel so sad about it.

..and then this evening helped a lot!  After Olivia's bath, little girl played peek-a-boo with her towel.  She would put it over her face, and then pull it back all on her own!  Kevin and I were laughing so hard.  I managed to snap a quick video of the shenanigans. :)  After Olivia was all dressed in her bunny PJs, we had her in the family room and out of nowhere she had her knees under her and was moving along forward on the floor!  She's had trouble with the ab muscles bringing her knees in - but today she figured it out!  How awesome!  We managed a video of that tonight as well.  So cute and exciting!

Yesterday we also dropped her mattress in the crib down to the lowest spot.  Olivia is pulling up, or trying to, so we don't need that danger in our home.  Tomorrow's task, rearrange the linen close to put all the medications up high!!!!!

Tomorrow I work from home and will take Olivia to the doctor for her eyes.  I'm sure she's fine, but I wonder if there's some eye drop we could get for her to help clear it up.

OK.  Speaking of work and chores.... I should be doing both.  I'll have to add photos later.  They're all on the big camera and I have to download them for today's crawling adventure!!!

Oh, and the email from BabyCenter.com today about "your 10 month old, week 2" is spot on!  They talk about biting and laughable moments - of which Olivia exhibits all  behaviors, especially the back arching and dancing!:
"Milestones, the second six months: 

• Playing music causes your baby to clap, bob her head, and utter the syllables "Dugga dugga!" 
• When you point to show your baby a distant object, she stares at your finger. 
• Your baby progresses through all four of the "saucer stages" at each sitting: (1) Bouncing happily up and down. (2) Swatting happily at saucer accessories. (3) Bouncing and swatting with increasing speed, vigor, and intensity. 4) Frantic bouncing and shrieking, also known as a "meltdown."
• Your baby arches her back during one or more of the following: buckling her into her car seat, changing her diaper, inserting her into her highchair, catching sight of her crib. 
• During games of peekaboo, your baby laughs at the question "Where's the baby?" but doesn't yet appear to grasp its existential significance."

xoxo
Momma-J!