I'm still really backlogged in publishing entries about Arianna, but I have been taking notes every week. I think it's important to write it down, even if it's not edited and the pics aren't chosen yet. There's no reason I can't catch up from both directions!

Ari's been moving up toward the top of her crib during the night, sometimes getting wedged into the corner. We've been fortunate that she's doing really well with sleeping through the night, but this new moving around thing has been waking her up.

Sometimes she wakes up pretty unhappy about the fact that she's in the corner or against the side of the crib, and I'm a bit paranoid about her wrenching her neck in frustration, so I'm yet again glad we got the video monitor about which I've sung praises before. Ania inclined the mattress to try to keep her from moving up, but Ari countered that by going perpendicular! The problem is, she's just about as tall as the crib is wide, so that's gonna be a very tight squeeze soon. She was so adorable when I went to get her this morning (07 May) and saw her all turned around, looking up at me as if to say, "Look what I did!"

Arianna has a very distinct personality now, and is clearly enjoying learning how to interact and communicate. She loves to smile and seems to purposely do things that make us smile at her, looking for our reaction; what a joy it is to indulge her! Sometimes I wonder if we're starting to see Ari developing a sense of humor...

We've been enjoying visiting with Jene, Carter, and Lily, and the two babies are great together, sharing toys, and even collaborating on a little music. It was especially nice to be able to celebrate Jene's birthday with her this year; it's been a while since we've been together on her birthday.

We usually keep Arianna's face pretty clean while feeding her, but Ania was having fun one day and made a moustache on her face. It was so cute, she couldn't help continuing to play. I love this picture where Ari looks like a forlorn clown!

Arianna has long been holding her own bottle, which is great, but it's also a double-edged sword. I liked holding it for her, because it very directly involved me with feeding her. Bottle feeding is already one layer of abstraction away from breast feeding, which I can imagine must be a wonderful bond to experience. But now, having fostered her independence by teaching her to hold the bottle, I've move yet another layer away from the process. *sniff* On the other hand, it's really fun to say "Hold the bottle!" and see her hands shoot out & take it, and watch her negotiate getting the nipple into her mouth, holding that big glass bottle. :)

Some of my favorite times are when we just sit quietly together, and Ari absorbs the world in the comfort of my arms. Times like this, I feel like Ari and I really "get" each other — perhaps this "Daddy/baby time" is my equivalent to breast feeding, but instead of food, I'm nourishing her sense of security and love...

Milestones & Metrics

• Grandma Wanda has been teaching her, and now Ari can open the door and mailbox in her toy house by herself.
• Started eating prunes and avocado.
• Getting much stronger on her tummy, staying up higher and longer on her arms. Wanda said that today (09 May) she was even turning pages in the books she reads (Mommy taught her that a long time ago) while on her tummy!
• Rolling over "for the fun of it" now, but still not always happy to end up on her tummy, and can't yet roll back. She also never rolls to the right, always to her left.
• Started a bit of tantrum like crying; this is generally a sign of hunger, but I think it's evidence of the Dark Side too, and believe me, the Force is strong with this one!
• Loves high-pitched squealing. Yes, we hear you, Arianna! :)
• Twisting her tongue in her mouth; prep for talking?
• Started rocking back and forthon her tummy, probably a sign of pre-crawling!
• How Arianna looks this week: