Daphne it’s been two months since I wrote about you! It’s taken a while because, of course, I went back to work photographing weddings. The first wedding back was rough – especially for your dad who watched you all day. You decided to protest and not take a bottle for about two hours. One of those hours was spent crying and the other was spent semi-contently sitting outside watching the chickens (you really like them). While that first long day away was rough for all of us, thankfully they got better. You started to get used to being with dad for a full day and he’s getting used to it as well, he loves spending time with you. Some of the weddings were a few hours away so we all traveled together and made weekends out of them. on several occasions which meant a few long car rides. When we time it right with your naps and take a few breaks it’s not a problem, but when we leave whenever we want and don’t think about your schedule it’s a disaster – not that I would know.
A lot of other things have changed along the way. You rolled over for the first time while I was away swimming and your dad was reading a book about what types of things babies do at your age… so we both missed it. The next day we were at home and once again missed the actual roll (now it’s starting to sound like we leave you unsupervised) but the third time we caught it! Of course once you started you just didn’t stop and it became your favorite thing to do. Now you like to push yourself up and watch what’s going on while chewing on a toy. You will even lift your bum in the air and we can tell you want to crawl so badly but we are kind of thankful you haven’t quite yet.
You went swimming for the first, second and third time and loved it; you went to the Pittsburgh Zoo and laughed at the sharks as they swam by; you ate your first solid food covered yourself in it at the same time.
The day we got home from Pittsburgh, after I gave you a bath, is when I discovered your first tooth about to pop up. You started to chew on anything and everything, and occasionally your shirt would become drenched from your doing so, but like most new parents it took us a while to catch on to what was happening. Earlier in the day your dad said “I bet her first tooth will be here in the next 3-4 weeks.” Low and behold when I looked later it was just at the surface, and the second one followed shortly after. These days those two pearly whites stand out whenever you smile… or cry. It’s a sure sign that you are not a tiny baby any more.
That first day away I felt awful hearing that you weren’t doing well without me, but in a way it proved to me that you really need me. That sounds crazy, because of course you need me, but as a new mom it can be hard to see. Your dad assured me that you light up whenever I get home and hold on to me in a way you do with no one else, and slowly in these last two months I’ve seen it. I think we are growing closer together and I like it.
