Mia is getting cuter and cuter!

Hello Everyone!

So, it's been a little bit since I've posted a note. Let's see, where to start!? Ok, I'll begin by saying that I had a very busy week. I started working again at St. Peter's University Hospital. I worked a full week and had to be there everyday at 7am, which was very difficult! I have to go through orientatation AGAIN, (it's hospital policy even though I have worked there before) and then I will be doing just one day a week to start. It was my choice to go back to work. I do not want to work full time as Mia is not sleeping through the night yet and I just want to be home with her as much as possible to see her change and grow. She is doing SO SO SO much now and there seems to be something we can add to the list of things she does everday that I don't want to miss out on anything. I think one day is perfect. I'll start out with this, and then see in the future if I feel like I would like to add more days. I just think it's beneficial for Mia and I to both have time away from eachother even if it's just for one day. She stayed with my mother in law the entire week. I left the house about 6am so it was up to Giacomo to get her ready and bring her to his mother's house. It was simply too early for me to do it. He did very well I must say and even though it was torture to get through this past week, I'm so glad I did it. Giacomo is bonding so well with her and I know he feels very comfortable taking care of her now. I'm very happy about this. I have 2 more days to go, this upcoming Monday and Tuesday and then I start one day a week. It feels good to get out of the house and maintain my professional career. I don't want to lose my skills, etc. It gives Mia a chance to socialize with her family and me a chance to recharge and take a break! I think it's a win-win situation. I must admit, I can understand now how difficult it is for mothers to go back to work full time. I am blessed that I do not have to do this. I would find it so difficult to miss Mia growing up and not seeing her make those big milestones.

Mia is 15 weeks young today! That makes her 105 days! Wow, sounds long when you put it her life into days. I'll try to rack my brain and think of all the great things she is doing now. She is still singing like crazy to us, and laughs out loud every so often. She just has to be in the right mood and something will tickle her fancy. I never know what it will be though. She seems to laugh sometimes for no real reason...it's so funny. Maybe she's thinking of something silly in that head of hers. Her hands are constantly in her mouth. When we sit her up on the couch, she tries so hard and pulls herself forward. She basically can sit up on her own with little support. She eventually falls forward like a pretzel towards her feet. She LOVES to try and sit up as much as possible. It's funny to watch her try to get herself up. She works so hard at it!!

She has started to notice her feet, mostly when she is sitting up. She studies both of them and watches intently as they move around. It's so cute. I do not know if she understands that they are attached to her, but she is sure amazed by them.

She doesn't reach out for things in front of her just yet, however if something is near her hand and she feels it she will grab it, like her bib for example. She is always grabbing it and pulling it up in front of her face. Sometimes it stays there...it's too funny. It' looks like she is playing peek a boo with us. When she is in her bouncy seat her hand hits the toys hanging from it and she can lift them and looks at them. She now sees us very far away and very close up. She follows you all around the room and seems to get fussy if she is left alone. I guess she likes the company...what a social butterfly she is!

She is SO pleasant all the time now. Nighttimes are so easy and the crying spells seem to be all gone! I'm so happy. She stays up a lot during the day, taking like maybe 3-4 one hour naps here and there. 9pm seems to be consistent as the time she goes to sleep for the night. She wakes up 1-2 times before 6am. Usually around 2-4ish. Then she gets up at around 6am and stays up for an hour or 2 before she goes back to sleep for another hour or 2. This is generally her schedule now, give or take a few hours.

She is now 3.5 months old. I think we are getting ready to try some cereal soon. My pedi said not until 4 months, but according to others and my books, she is showing signs she is ready. She sits up with support, watches us when we eat, and so on. So I think next week we are going to try to introduce some cereal at night in her bottle. She'll be about 1-2 weeks shy of 4 months. If she doesn't do great with it, obviously, I'll wait, but I think at this point, it's worth a shot. Maybe it will be a lifesaver and get her to sleep through the night.

She drools ALL the time now and I am forever washing and changing bibs. They get soaked so quick. I do think she is teething. She has been very good if this indeed is the case and I hope she doesn't get any worse. I have teething rings I keep in the fridge, but she doesn't seem to be interested in these. It's funny, sometimes I take my finger and rub her gums. She must enjoy this and it must be soothing because everytime I do it, she starts to sing and go "ahhh, ahhh" . It's so cute. So I do this when I think of it.

She is now officially in all her 3-6 month outfits. Boy, does she have a wardrobe. I have something new to put on her I feel practically everydyay. She's a moviestar!

She is starting to roll over but has not done this just yet. If she is on her back she'll turn to the side, but hasn't gone all the way. I am sure this is not too far off in our future.

We are officially in number 2 diapers as well. Everything needs updating quite often I am noticing. We're always changing things! She is just overall becoming more of a person who can communicate her needs better and is just really starting to know her surroundings and the people around her. It's so, so great.

I think that's about it for now. My mother is watching her for me this coming Monday and Tuesday. My paretns are coming tomorrow to spend the day and then they are going to take Mia home with them. This is the first time they are doing this. Giacomo is traveling, AGAIN, Monday through Wednesday. I'll either stay at my mother's after I get through with work on Monday or go home to get a good night sleep and then go to my mom's on Tuesday after work. I'll miss Mia so much, but it's just 2 days so I can finish this orientation. I'm glad I got it out of the way now instead of when the weather gets even nicer and having to be there the entire week.

Ok, I keep saying this is it and then writing a lot more.

This is REALLY FINALLY IT.

Once again, here are some new pics of our little peanut. Oh and by the way, Mia made it the first time last weekend down to our condo in Wildwood. I'm so excited she finally got there and am looking so forward to summer days with my family!

Talk to you soon!

PS I purposely looked sad in the one picture with me and Mia in her Yankees T shirt. I know you can guess that I'm a Mets fan and Giacomo is a Yankees fan! I'm gonna make sure she has more Mets gear than Yankees! Don't worry all you Met fans...there's a pic of Mia in her Mets T shirt in this blog as well, and I do think she looks much better in it if I may say so myself! ha ha