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RAAARRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Noa's first Halloween !

I know, I know! Several of you rabid Noa fans have (kindly) pointed out that I haven't updated the blog in a while, so I re-commit myself to making sure that everyone gets their regular dose of this amazing girl.

She is changing so much. She just crossed the three month mark and she is growing and stretching her little capacities. Right now, she is asleep BY HERSELF in the bedroom. Hallelujah. It used to be that she could only sleep if she had direct physical contact with Jeremy or me. Sweet, but not always convenient and definitely hard on the back (for Jeremy) and shoulder (for me). At night, Jeremy would wear her in the sling from 7pm until 10 or 11 and then we would swaddle her and I would nurse her to sleep in our bed. A few weeks ago, it was approaching the time that Jeremy was to don the sling and it occurred to me that I could try to swaddle her and put her to bed at 7 rather than waiting the 3-4 hours and much to our surprise, it worked! I stayed with her until she fell asleep and then I was able to take leave and have a normal evening. This is how it has been now for 2 weeks! It is great that she is feeling more confident to sleep on her own, but is is also great for me to feel like I get to be a separate human being at least for a few hours. Now by 10 or 11, I am eager to go to bed and snuggle up next to her, I missed her so much. How could anyone resist this face?????





Tonight, we took her to bed, turned on some lullabies, read a few stories, swaddled her, and off to sleep she went.

The lullabies are quite beautiful. The CD was a gift from Laura (thanks Laura!) and it is so enchanting and perfect. The first song is called Naima, and it is an african lullaby for the singer's daughter. Amazing. There have been other songs that I have listened to recently that move me to tears at their ability to capture and express the love a mother feels for her baby. (Much to my chagrin, 2 of the songs that bring me to tears every time are sung by Celine Dion. I am not proud of this and all I can do is blame it on hormones....) As I listen to the songs, I am moved to create something for Noa.

But I wasn't blessed with a beautiful singing voice, so I cannot offer her a song, but I have been blessed with the love of writing (and I dare say a knack for it) so I have been inspired to write a children's book for Noa. I informally started it in my head when I was still pregnant with her, and now it is time to bring the words out of my head and out onto paper. I am saying it here so that I will be accountable. I will keep you updated with my progress.

Anyhoo.... with that said, I will add that Noa doesn't seem to care that I can't carry a tune. She greets every off-pitch rendition of the Puff the Magic Dragon or the ABC's with the sweetest smile in the world. She is very encouraging. I like that in a baby.