Baby Love

In honor of Valentines Day, I must admit something...

I'm in love.

Again.

This is my newest crush...
decked out in her finest Valentine attire.


And this is my newest crush's tushy, which I could just sink my teeth into... but I won't.
It still amazes me that just 11 days ago, this was the same hiney that would rise up just to the left of my bellybutton no less than 100 times a day. This was, of course, the preamble to the karate kid kick into my right rib that would inevitably follow, robbing me of my breath.

It's funny how a part of me misses that.
I love her Fat Albert cheeks and lips when they pout out.

I love the "kitty cat" sounds she makes... even at 3 a.m.

I love how she holds up her little hand when I'm nursing her, and then wraps her long, slender fingers around mine.

I love that by the mere raise of her eyebrows she can go from newborn to Walter Matthau in Grumpy Old Men.

I just love her!

Since she's been home, she's only been out 3 times. The first was last Wednesday to Highland Pediatric to meet Dr. Coffman. She checked out great and had only lost from 7 lbs. 13 oz. down to 7 lbs. 12oz!! That is music to a nursing mom's ears. There is no way of knowing how much they are eating, is the milk "good" enough, is she eating often enough. I have always heard it is common for them to loose 10% of their birth weight, so I was thrilled with her losing just 1 oz.

She's an eater, just like her Mama!

We decided to keep Trace out of school last week because there had been a few cases of RSV and a viral infection going around the church and preschool. So it was a LONG week for him, but luckily the grands were happy to step in and help entertain him.

Friday night, he spent the night at Nana and Papaw's house. When I went to get him, I left Keatyn with them and he and I went to Books-A-Million to get her a baby book. I put Keatyn in my dad's arms sitting in his recliner, and when I returned an hour and a half later, they were in the exact same position. I don't think he shared with Nana at all. I would imagine, he laid there with her on his chest, tickling her ear and smelling her head the entire time I was gone. And if I'm being honest, there were probably some tears shed... from him not her. My dad usually runs like his hair's on fire, always going 100 m.p.h. But you put his new grand baby in his arms, and the rest of the world disappears.

I love that about him.

Then Sunday night, she made her first trip to Sisty and Granddaddy's for steaks. I actually remembered my camera for once.

We were there for nearly 3 hours and I think she opened her eyes once. Trace insisted she sit next to him at dinner so we had to pull her car seat right up next to his chair. She was the perfect dinner guest... never ate a bite or uttered a word.
She is so blessed to be loved by so many!

We've walked a fine line this week between wanting Trace to bond with her, hold, and love on her, and trying to keep her well. Of all the precautions we have taken, he ended up with a snotty nose and hacky cough and has been on medicine. So every time he gets near her, he hears, "Go blow your nose and wash your hands before you touch her." "Ohhh, don't get right in her face buddy." "Just kiss her on the top of the head." Poor little guy :(




We celebrated Valentines Day with a meal of California Burritos and chips and salsa, picked up from El Metate. I think Jimmy ate his while I was bathing Trace and I reheated and ate mine an hour later while he was holding Keatyn and returning Trace to bed (for the 3rd time.)

Romantic, huh? But I couldn't be happier... or more exhausted!