A Visit from Grandma

What a great visit with Grandma! Stewie and Eliza had a blast. It was nice for mom to have a third hand... and her mom. While the kids bonded with Grandma, I got my garden planted! Yeah! But we had lots of family fun too. The biggest blast was probably going to the Burlington Jazz festival. Stewart boogied his little heart out. Eliza got to meet new friends.

The latest developments: Stewart pooped on the potty! He hasn't done it again though. His speech is really blossoming. While I look forward to clearer enunciation, his vocabulary is really expanding. I love watching him eat steak (after his father tricks him into eating it by threatening to eat his plate) and saying "delicious!" Grandma also brought him the movie Cars. On a rainy day we had to watch it quite a few times. Unfortunately we found a tick on Stewart... fortunately it hadn't latched on yet. We always thought it was too cold where we live and had never seen ticks. Ugh. Something else to worry about. As far as being a big brother goes, its going. He's still being great with Eliza, though he is having a tougher time this week. Sometimes he cries to get what he wants, and we've had to have a talk about how lucky he is to be a big boy who can use words to explain what he wants, and how hard it is to be a baby and not have words. When I had to leave to take Eliza to the pediatrician, he was really upset and wanted to go too. He also refused to let Eliza use his old stroller to go for a walk, even though he refused to use it himself a long time ago! In cuter moments, he changes the diapers on his plastic hippopotamus.

Everyday Eliza is changing. Her eyes are focusing better and longer, her neck muscles are getting stronger and she is getting closer to making real smiles. She's starting to coo and agoo too. Some nights she's slept six to eight hours, other times only a four hour stretch because her tummy is bothering her. Its really cute when her arms flail upwards while she sleeps; its like she must be having a falling dream. She had her first bath and seemed to enjoy it... or at least she didn't cry! She is also quickly gaining weight; she is now at three weeks almost the same size Stewart was when he was born!

I feel like I'm getting closer to feeling like my normal self. I can walk without pain, though I'm still a bit sore at the end of the day. My back is still messed up though, and my fingers are still numb in both of my hands. I'm still pretty emotional too. I have a ton more energy, but still really could use a daily nap! It's great when that happens, particularly if its a family nap on the couch!