18 Weeks Old

As much as I hate to, the time has come for me to return to work.  This week will be my last week off and I plan to spend it cuddling and playing with you as much as possible.  I am fortunate to be able to work from home when I do go back.  Because of that, we have decided to get a part-time nanny to care for you in our home while I'm here.  It makes the return to work seem far less daunting than if I had to leave you with a stranger.  I spent weeks talking to countless nannies but finally found who we think is the right one. Heidi starts on July 29.  I know she will be great with you, but it still breaks my heart that my time off with you is coming to an end.  Now, on to some lighter topics....

When Daddy and I kiss your cheeks you always open your mouth wide like you are going to kiss us back, or perhaps take a big bite out of our faces.

You love the television.  We were recently sat down to watch a movie (Star Trek) and I was so amused by your interest that I had to take a picture to prove it.

You love me to sing to you more than ever.  I'm sure you would love anyone to sing to you, but Daddy doesn't do much of that, so I am sticking with "you love ME to sing."  You are strangely calmed by the alphabet song.  Your favorite letters are LMNOP and S.  You smile at those every time.  Rock A Bye Baby is another of your favorites.

Perhaps your favorite song though, is all about you.  When trying to come up with new things to sing to you one day, I realized that your first and middle name fit perfectly in the Mickey Mouse Club song.  I honestly had to Google the lyrics because I don't think I've ever actually seen the show, but I committed a few verses to memory and we sing it every day.  And you absolutely love it.  If I didn't know better I would almost believe that you know I'm putting your name in the song:

Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me?
K-I-N-L-E-Y L-A-Y-N-E

Hey there, hi there, ho there, you're as welcome as can be.
K-I-N-L-E-Y L-A-Y-N-E

Kinley Layne, Kinley Layne
Forever let us hold our banners high.

Come along and sing a song and join the jamboree.
K-I-N-L-E-Y L-A-Y-N-E

You rarely suck your thumb, but when you do, you often suck your thumb and index finger together.  Or sometimes you even get your middle finger in there too.  It's pretty cute and funny.

The bottle strike continues.  In addition, in the past few days you have developed a preference for the left side only when I feed you.  You're really narrowing down our options for feeding you, Kiddo.  However, I continue to persevere.

You kick your feet like mad when you are really excited.

You continue to play around with making lots of new noises.

You are a real Daddy's girl.  You love it when he plays with you.  And even when I have you if he comes up to say hi or give you any attention you get so excited and smile real big.  (In my defense, you smile at me when he has you too.  I think it's just more exciting to get the attention from him because you already spend all your time with me.  That's what I'm telling myself anyway.)

This week we had your 4 month doctor's appointment.  You continue to grow like crazy.  You were 20 lbs 8 oz, 26.5 inches long, and head circumference was 44 cm.  All >98th percentile.  When Dr. Nourmand walked in, she was contemplating weighing you again because she couldn't believe you were that big.  But I asked her if we need to be concerned that you are gaining too quickly and she said there's nothing to be worried about.

When Dr. Nourmand first walked in the room and said hi to you, you burst into tears.  I feel that you are much too young to associate the doctor with negative feelings, so I hope that she just startled you and not that it was actually her causing you grief.

You got another round of vaccines.  I was so traumatized by the last visit that I gave you Tylenol BEFORE we left home this time and I think it helped.  I gave you additional doses every 4 hours for the rest of the day and you never had quite the reaction you did last time.  I would say the actual shots themselves were worse than last time, but at least we seemed to lessen the aftermath.

We also got the okay to begin solids if you are interested.  You like watching Daddy and I eat and you love to sit in your high chair at the table with us when we are eating.  So I think we are going to give it a try very soon.