This week Riley finally started sleeping alone in her lovely bassonet (which we have on loan from Anne and Traverse). When she first came home from the hospital she would start screaming whenever we put her in there (even if she was fast asleep when we put her down) so we were taking turns holding her while we slept. Makes it difficult to get a good nights sleep when you have a baby sleeping on you, but honestly I was full of irrational fear that she would suddenly stop breathing if we left her alone in the bassonet, so I didn’t mind missing a little sleep and knowing she was safe. Anyway, that irrational fear has faded (mostly) and the whole family is now sleeping a bit better with Riley sleeping soundly right next to our bed. I guess the next step is having her sleep in a different room… but i think that day is still quite a ways away.
As she basks in the glow of the computer displays, one can’t help but wonder: will she grow to love or hate the unending flow of bits and bytes? Cyborg-wannabe or techno-hater? Too early to tell. LCDs make a great nightlight, though!
We love this little froggie suit from Becky because it has all snaps and little feet… sadly she has almost grown out of it already (amazing really). Here are some more recent pictures too, including a few of the new apartment, which is still (you guessed it) 2-3 weeks away! For reals this time, though.
Riley made her debut on the bay area party scene on Saturday at Brett’s going away party (he’s moving to Holland in a couple weeks). She lasted 2 whole hours (though she slept though the first hour) and seemed to handle the attention pretty well. Truth be told her favorite part of the day was probably the car ride to Oakland and back – she seems to be happiest when she’s in constant motion.
Of course deciding what to wear for such a big event was a challenge, but we found the perfect outfit… (Thank you to Josh and Margo)
Riley had her 2nd visit to the pediatrician today… she’s now weighing in at 9 lbs, which Dr. Drucker says means she’s eating like a champ. Go Riley. I have to say, it’s very reassuring to have a doctor tell you your child is healthy and developing normally. Though she says the weeks to come are going to be tough as Riley is likely to get more fussy and to sleep less for a while…Â not the news we were hoping to hear, but as long as she keeps smiling between the fussing I think we’ll make it through.
Riley really is becoming quite the smiler. I know some in the medical profession would maintain that it’s just gas, but I think it’s real. I’m not sure what she’s so happy about – maybe it was meeting her great-uncle George, or her first walk around the Stanford dish – but whatever it is and whatever is causing it, it’s super cute, I love it.
Also, what Sage neglected to mention in his post about the hikes is that all credit for us getting out of the house should go to my parents. We’d likely be sitting on the couch feeling tired and lazy all day if it weren’t for them getting us up and out… I’m very grateful for it though. It’s good to get out, and I think walking is a good start along the long road to fitting into my wedding dress again…
So to anyone planning on having kids, definitly let your parents help. Especially if they’re good cooks.
For those that missed it at the baby shower: some 28 years ago my grandmother Mimi knit (crocheted?) a yellow hat for me, complete with ribbons to tie under the chin and these strange flower (creepy?) things on the ears. Alas, at 10+ lbs, my head was too big from the start. At the shower we found that it barely fit a small doll’s head:
Anyway, it appears that despite 27 years in a box the yellow hat’s big day has yet to arrive… and I’m not sure it will until someone ends up with a premi. Sorry Riley, but it’s better this way!
Riley went on her first hike this Sunday! Not that she probably took much notice snuggled into her Baby Björn and pea green baby suit. We went up to the Palo Alto Foothills Park nature preserve, which has a bunch of trails and excellent views of the bay. It was so nice we went back again on Tuesday. Vida and Dallas came by afterwards (with Charlotte!) to meet Riley and say Hi.
The first thing Riley did when she was born was scream at the top of her lungs. At the time it was cute and reassuring – and kind of amazing how much noise such a tiny thing could make. In subsequent days it became less cute, and somewhat distessing when she would out of no where just scream and cry, sometimes all night almost inconsolably. Luckily we’re learning how to make her happy… Sage has developed a swinging/tossing/baby-free-fall technique that has proven very effective (though it kind of freaks me out) and the pinky finger in the mouth is always a good fall back (poor man’s pacifier). Sometimes it seems like nothing is really wrong, she’s just frustrated and needs to cry for a while… the baby book says that 90% of babies cry for an hour or more a day without any clear explanation… which makes it a bit easier to endure, but just barely. There’s something heart breaking and exhausting about a crying baby.
Most of the time Riley is totally mild mannered and pleasant and wonderful to watch and play with. And the last couple nights we seem to have gotten the routine down better and she hasn’t been crying so much (thank god). We figure it’s all a learning process, on both ends.
