Twenty Weeks!

Weight: She's a heavy babe! I'm guessing we're over 12 pounds now. I'm having a hard time imagining what it would be like if my 20-week old were heavier than the fifth percentile!

Sleep: We're still working through those night wakings. It's seemed to get better, with her waking up just twice throughout the night for much of the week... until she woke up every two hours the past few nights. Papa Randy (the hubs) suggested we maybe give the rice cereal a go because maybe it would keep her tummy more full, thus reducing the wake-ups. It's a good thought, but I was able to put Lizzie bear back to sleep twice that particular night without picking her up or feeding her -- just by giving back her buddy (our pet name for her pacifier :)) a few times and being patient. So I'm not convinced it's hunger-related, though a couple of times a night I think it is -- but I'm completely okay with that. She needs to eat to grow and get smarter! Milk is food for body and brain growth... so I'll happily keep it comin' on demand.

Medical Issues: Nada :)

Clothes: We're still wearing our 0 to 3 month clothes. I'm beginning to wonder when we might grow out of them. Baby girl stayed in her newborn stuff until she was about three months before moving up in size, so I'm wondering if it'll be six months before she's ready for her 3 to 6 month sizes. The switch-over will happen when she's too long, which could be coming in the next couple of weeks -- but so far, those 0 to 3 month clothes are the perfect fit.

I do have a question for the mommies out there regarding winter gear. Did you buy your infant (who wouldn't be playing in the snow!) a warm suit (i.e. a snowsuit, a warm sleeper-style suit) and a warmer winter coat as well? Or just the warm suit? I'm trying to decide if should get Lizzie a winter coat -- I've already got a warm suit for her to put over the outfits she'll have on each day in the car seat. We also have a warm car seat cover that we'll have her covered up in her car seat with.

Socialite!: Little Lizzie got to see all of her aunties, uncles and cousins on my side of the family last weekend because everyone was home to take a great big family picture. We got to put she and Michael, our nephew who is just four weeks younger than Lizzie, together and see how they interact. In all honesty, they don't do much interacting, but soon I'm sure they will. She also loves to watch her older cousins play, which doesn't surprise me because they tell me she loves watching the older kids at her daycare center, too -- but it was fun to be able to see it myself!

We also took Lizzie out to Inspiration Peak, a tall hill that overlooks the area, last weekend with my family and my grandma. Andy was beyond excited to go because he could finally test out the front-pack carrier for her. We've used it before, but only when her head control wasn't as good and she had to face his chest, which she hated. Now, though, her head and neck control is good enough where she can face forward. And I'm not sure who loved it more, but Lizzie was happy for the whole hike, and Papa Rand was beaming. He was ready to hike up and back the hill a few times!

Diet: Still nursing Lizzie exclusively (lucky mommy -- even after I've gone back to work!).

Baby Gear Love: Honestly, there's nothing new that we're truly over-the-moon using right now. She's not quite in love with her Jumperoo just yet, as she's not quite long enough to touch the floor (though it's super awesome that she can sit up on her own in it!), and the Bumbo just isn't that awesome (yet... maybe we'll grow to love it). So our favorite is an old favorite -- her Snuggabunny Swing! She can get a little fussy around suppertime while I'm trying to get supper ready, and if Andy's not around to help with her, she loves to hang out in it. I love it because the mobile rotates and goes up and down, and there's a mirror in the center of the mobile so she can gaze at herself :) She loves it!

Crying: She is one sweet baby. She's only fussy if she's hungry or tired :)

Mommy News: Not much new in the mommy realm... just loving every minute I have with my sweet girl!

Milestones:Where do I even begin this week!? Last week one day, Lizzie's cry suddenly sounded different... older. I think she's losing her baby cry! Honestly, I didn't even know that happens -- which, obviously it does, but I guess I never thought it would be now. I suppose it's just her new baby cry that she lost... now she's on to her big baby cry? Anyway, she also cries less and "complains" more :) She talks in kind of a sad voice, which is pretty cute :)

On that same day, she also blew us out of the water with a new trick! She'd been pretty quiet as far as "talking" goes -- in fact, I'd even gone so far as to research online whether or not it's normal for a chatty baby to suddenly go mute (which isn't surprising that I researched any worry I have if you know me at all). Anyway, we'd figured it was because she was working on something new, so all of her attention and efforts were going toward that. I think we were right, because that night on our way down the hallway to take a bath with baby in just a diaper, she stuck her tongue out and buzzed it. It was definitely the cutest thing we've ever ever ever seen! We, of course, screamed and instantly had the video camera out to record it. She made that little noise non-stop for the next two or three days, but has definitely backed off of it the past few... which is a bummer, because it was so. Dang. Cute!Regardless, a new sound! That's definitely a milestone.

Baby girl has also been playing with her feet more, though she also likes to grab her calves as well. We've also been giving her the opportunity to sit on her own a little... and she does! Well, for five seconds or so... and if we prop her up :) But still. That's mega progress from last week, when she'd just do an instant nose-dive into the floor if you let go of her in the seated position. I can't believe how fast she changes from week to week!