Interaction!

Leah has begun reaching for and playing with things. You can see that her highchair is covered with brightly-colored fuzzy things and shiny-spinny whatzits.

She has also started reaching for books as we read to her. Darcey says it's like she is trying to turn the page.

And for the first time in quite a while Darcey and I had the opportunity to visit Keefe and Ryan Harrison who live down the street. We have often gotten together for dinner or drinks since we moved in to our house, but haven't really had the chance since Leah was born. The Harrisons have two children; Etta is 3 and Miles is 1. Leah couldn't take her eyes off of Etta who, in typical 3-year-old fashion, was all over the place telling everyone about her toys and asking for people to come play games with her. And at one point, Leah and Miles sat on Keefe's lap and laughed at each other.

Darcey and I realized that we need to give Leah more stimulation, but I don't think we're sure quite how. I mean we have all of these brightly-colored fuzzy things and shiny-spinny whatzits, and Leah often plays with them while watching the History Channel (ask her about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln). How much more stimulation can you get?

Those are feet…

I've noticed more and more how aware of the world Leah is becoming. She responds to faces she recognizes and places she is familiar with. I got to drop her off at daycare today and she was excited to be put in her favorite little plaything and saw me from across the room as I was leaving and started laughing.

For so long she was just this squirmy pink thing that didn't do too much, but now she has become a little person who is soaking up information.

She has little jokes that she laughs at every time they happen. One example is when she is getting dressed or undressed. She always giggles as her clothes are pulled across her face. She has also become a bit ticklish and will belly-laugh if you get her going.

We're still waiting for her to recognize some things you would think she would already have noticed like her feet, but we're in no rush. This is an amazing time and why would we wish it away?

-Sefton

Playtime!

Saturday and Sunday mornings are just about the best part of my week. These are the days where I let Darcey sleep in and I wake up with Leah. Darcey deserves the sleep and I deserve the time with Leah.

Lately Leah's morning have started around 7 a.m. which, as most of you know, is not my best time. I've always been a late sleeper but have gotten to a point where I'm getting up earlier and earlier. Call it being an adult, I guess.

Anyway, Leah and I get to play together and I often find out that she has advanced beyond what she was capable of the week before. Mornings are also the time when she is the most smiley and absolutely irresistible.

I hope that you all enjoy this short video of her playing this past Saturday. I know I enjoyed making it.

-Sefton

A new friend

It finally happened. This weekend Leah and Daisy discovered each other. Daisy has been aware of Leah since we brought her home, but I think she was more of something to kind of sniff at every now and then.

On Saturday, Daisy came over to smell Leah while I was holding her and brought her muzzle right up to Leah's face. Leah just started laughing. At another point that day Daisy was sitting in the doorway and Leah stopped nursing and just watched her.

I think Daisy has started acting differently towards Leah as well. She's always been protective of Leah by making sure that she is not left alone with "a stranger". She usually sleeps through late-night crying fits, but on Saturday night she came into the nursery while I was rocking Leah back to sleep and curled up on the floor by the crib. She has come in before but usually looks at me with a face that says "I really need to go outside". This time she just went to sleep. I actually had to call her to come back to our bedroom.

The whole experience really makes me breathe a sigh of relief. Everyone who has ever met Daisy knows that she is full of energy and Darcey and I actually worried about her rough-housing with a baby. I think they will be good sisters together and it is just so cool to witness the birth of a new friendship.

Now we just need to get the cat on board.

-Sefton