Baby milestones

Gracie is 15 weeks old and will be four months at the end of December. Two milestones so far this week.

She has slept through the night, 11 hours at a time, since Friday, Dec. 13 (weird, on Friday the 13th!). That was the night Mom and Dad watched her while I had a girl’s night in Estes Park for my birthday. And I told my mom, “Remember, you have to listen for her because she’ll get up at 3 or 4 a.m. to eat!” And she DIDN’T. And I was like, hey, no fair! But then she has continued this habit ever since (knock on wood - now she’ll probably wake up every two hours tonight). On Saturday night, I woke up at 4 and couldn’t fall asleep again for the next few hours because I’m so used to getting up with her. And I kinda missed our little middle of the night bonding sesh where she stares up at me adoringly. But then I was like, no, guess what, you get more deeper sleep now, which is good, because you gotta go back to work soon! Enjoying it while it lasts because who knows if developmental leaps will cause her to relapse!

Gracie laughed for the first time at around 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17. I was changing her and about to put her in pajamas and did what I always do, blew a raspberry on her tummy and made goofy noises at her just awaiting the moment when she genuinely responds. Usually, she just stares up at me, maybe smiles because she’s staring at my face and she likes it. But THIS time, she did a hiccupy giggle, hih-hih-hih, where she inhaled quick and successively. It blew my mind so I repeated the same action another dozen times while yelling for mom and dad to come in, and she did almost the same reaction every time. You’d think by my reaction that she had suddenly learned to walk and say “Mama.” But still, she GIGGLED, instead of just staring at me blankly, she RESPONDED APPROPRIATELY. Gracie, you are the best.

(Yes, yes, I know I’m not the only one to have ever had a kid. But I’VE never had a kid before so I’m enjoying my joy).