Three weeks

Yesterday was Lucy’s three-week birthday. It is hard to believe how much our lives have changed in that time! Many people advise us (wisely) to cherish these days with her, whether they are joyful or challenging. Jon and I are doing a pretty good job of enjoying each day, but there are definitely things we are looking forward to in the future.

So, in honor of her three-week birthday, here are two lists: things we enjoy now, and things we long for.

*Fabulous Things about These Days with Lucy:*

* Waking Lucy up to eat. Actually, I don’t love waking Lucy up, simply because that means I have to wake up too. But she makes it all worthwhile by doing this little stretch routine after I unswaddle her. I feel like she needs some eyeshades and a lacy robe to really play the part, but I haven’t seen any in baby sizes.
* Lucy’s eating noises. When Lucy is finally awake and realizes that it is mealtime, she gets really excited and grunts like a little piglet.
* Lucy’s head-butting. Sometimes, after a meal, one of us will put Lucy on our chest or in the BabyBjörn or sling. She takes that opportunity to bang her head on whosever chest she happens to be on, as if listening to heavy metal. I think it is part of a rooting reflex, indicating that she wants to suck on something, but whatever it is, it sure is cute.
* Lucy’s crying. Okay, I really don’t like it when Lucy cries. But, when I’m in the right frame of mind and I know that the crying will stop soon (like, if she is hungry and we are getting ready to eat), she is really cute. She looks like a cartoon of a baby crying, with her mouth all square, lips trembly, eyes squinched up, yelling “Waa! Waa!” You can almost see her uvula quavering at the back of her throat.
* Lucy’s quiet-alert time. It is just pleasant to sit with a peaceful baby, especially one who is so fascinated by the horizontal lines made by our venetian blinds. My favorite is when she makes a tiny “o” with her mouth, as if she just heard some shocking news.

*Things to Look Forward to with Lucy:*

* Smiling. Many of you say how fabulous this first smile is. As her parents and biggest fans, Jon and I get to stare at Lucy the most of anybody. And that means we get to see the little practice smiles she does in her sleep. She is going to knock everyone out with that smile! I, particularly, am looking forward to having her smile at me, as currently she spends most of her time with me staring at my boob. My friend Keri says I am more than just boobs to her, but it is sometimes hard to believe that these days. Only a few more weeks until we get a real smile out of her!
* More organized sleep. The more stories I hear, the more I feel like we have nothing to complain about. Lucy sleeps for a few longish chunks at night and is relatively easy to soothe. However, I am still looking forward to the days when I can have some assurance that she will probably nap at certain times and go to bed at a certain time. Until then, I am counting my blessings and being thankful for the sleep I do get.
* Babbling. Lucy makes some sounds other than crying occasionally, but I’m looking forward to hearing some baby babble. We spend so much time talking to her, it will be nice to have some feedback, even if it is unintelligible.
* Getting Fatter. That’s about Lucy, not me. :) Lucy is definitely filling out, but I’ll be really excited when she starts fitting into more of her clothes. We have about a thousand adorable dresses to put on her, and I want to get started!

Mostly, we are thankful that we get to be on this journey with her. And we cheer Lucy on these days as we march closer to the six-week mark and onward through babyland!