June 22, 2010

Down for the Count

It's been a constant amazement to me just how quickly Gracie has learned new abilities.  New skills have debuted at a furious pace of late, all appearing out of the blue.  When I hold her, she can smoothly and rapidly turn her head all the way to the right, then to the left and back again.  At the doctor's last week, she was on the table and rolled over for the first time.  Just the other day, I was holding her binky until she pushed my hand away, grabbed it, spit it out and put it back in her mouth on her own.  And last night, she showed off her most impressive talent to date.

June 21, 2010

Feel the Burn

If you want to get in shape, skip the gym and just have yourself a kid.  I've only been a dad for 3 months but I'm already in the best shape of my life.  Granted, that's not saying much.  I've never been much of an athlete (unless you count playing Madden, which I do), and have had the build of a high school freshman through my twenties and beyond.  However, the steady baby lifting program that Grace has put me on is having major results.  Now I'm built like a high school sophomore after a growth spurt, albeit one with significantly less hair.

Grace is an awesome personal trainer, determined to push me to my physical limits every single day.  It's a severe approach but it certainly works.  To show you what I mean, here's a typical workout routine.

June 17, 2010

Demure No More


I've got a confession to make.  I don't know how to make myself burp.  Whether it's because of some odd reflex or an absurd mental block, I've never been able to figure out how to belch on purpose, which has been an endless source of shame for me as a fully-grown man.

One of my less rational fears upon becoming a parent was that Grace was going to inherit this flaw from me.  My fear only grew when she was first born and was struggling to get her gas up, in no small part because I hadn't yet figured out how to burp her either.  She'd wriggle in discomfort.  I'd furiously search for the magic spot to pat on her back.  Eventually, she'd let out a tiny, halfhearted noise and we'd both be eager to just move on.

June 16, 2010

Fascination

No commentary, just thought it was cool to show how totally enraptured Grace is with the world around her.  This went on for 20 solid minutes.

June 15, 2010

Wooby Versus Wooby


We've got a ton of toys in the house, but up until the last week or so, Grace hasn't had much interest in playing with any of them.  That's perfectly normal of course.  Like most babies, Grace has spent her first three months discovering herself and the world around her while receiving plenty of entertainment from her goofy parents.  I guess that Carrie, me and the house are getting to be old hat for our little girl though, because lately she's started interacting with her woobys.

June 14, 2010

Like a Record Baby Right Round Round Round

Grace isn't traditionally mobile yet.  She's still a bit too small to crawl, let alone walk, but that doesn't keep her from moving around.  I've already covered how she likes to wiggle around when she's being held, and as cool as her trust falls are, they're not her only peculiar ability.

My little girl is a habitual spinner.  Whenever she lies down, whether awake or asleep, she shifts and shimmys around, which isn't all that strange on its own.  What's bizzare is her spin pattern.

June 13, 2010

The Perils of Pure White Noise

I've battled insomnia issues on and off for most of my adult life.  It took becoming a parent to finally discover a cure.  The white noise machine.  It's an unbelievably effective tool for helping me get to sleep.  The constant, soothing sounds of soft rain and babbling brooks put me at ease and shuts my brain down in mere moments.  I relax, my eyes get heavy and before I know it I'm going out.

There's one fairly significant problem with this.  The only time I ever hear the white noise machine is when I'm in Grace's room tending to her when she wakes up in the middle of the night.

June 12, 2010

Grace the Fashionista

As a welcome to the world, my friend Meaghan gave Grace a great gift, a set of adorable homemade hats and bows from her personal fashion label Abby Girl Accessories. Thank you so much for the gift, Grace loves them! And readers, if you like what you see and have a little one of your own or are looking for a great baby gift, check out Meaghan's online store at http://abbygirlaccessories.yolasite.com/online-store.php.



June 11, 2010

Nom Nom Nom

Over the last week or so, Grace has been cranky more often than usual.  The usual fixes weren't working, and the only comfort she was finding came by trying to chew on her hands.  This led to some inevitable parent panic and the worst-case scenario, WebMD-quality amateur diagnosis that Grace was starting to teethe.  We tried a few remedies, teething toys, OralGel and a frozen waffle (which she loved), with limited success, so after a few days we thought it best to take our little girl to the doctor.

June 6, 2010

Empty Nest Syndrome

I know it's been a while since I've posted, but it's been a crazy couple of weeks, and Carrie and I have been busy readjusting to big changes at home.  Baby Grace is growing up quick and took a huge step, moving out of the bassinet and into her own place.  Of course, her own place is her own room just across the hall, but still, I'm already dreading the day I help her move into a dorm.