Memorial Day and Milestones...

I know it's been too long since my last post, but this motherhood thing is sort of time consuming, who knew? Maizey has been really busy growing like crazy and hitting all sorts of milestones. Today I got on my drugstore scale (a hint to its reliability) with Maizey and then without and according to the scale she is 8lbs!! Okay okay, I know that is probably not what she weighs, but I'm sure she has to be in the 7s by now. As far as I'm concerned, either the baby IS 8lbs, or my scale is telling ME I weigh more than I actually do--it's a win win situation if you ask me. Anyway, I know she's heavier because my arm starts to ache after I hold her for a while, which is definitely a new sensation. I'll know for sure on Wednesday at her 6 week checkup and I'll pass that info along ASAP.

Other milestones have been hit, whether or not they were intentional on Maizey's part, I'll never know. She rolls over, yes, my 5.5week old rolls over. She can roll from her back to her stomach, or her stomach to her back. It's not like this has happened once or twice, it happens almost anytime I lay her down when she is wide awake. We went to a BBQ at Jon and Georgia's on Saturday night and she must have rolled over 5 or so times. My little over achiever. She is also doing really well at holding up her head. She can hold it up for at least 20 seconds at a time. She is learning that she has a little voice and starting to "talk" and coo. It's the sweetest sound ever. She's still smiling and more and more people are getting to see it. It's the cutest smile I've ever seen and it makes my heart soar (for lack of a less cheeseball expression) every time I see it. She still loves showers and baths, and she even loves the hairdryer.

She took her first journey to Tahuya for Memorial Day weekend. We had a blast! We only intended to stay until Sunday night, but decided to prolong the trip until Monday morning because we were having so much fun and the dogs weren't being total assholes (by dogs I mean Porter--not Louise since she is always pleasant). Maizey did really well too. She slept well and tolerated being held by many new people better than I could have hoped. She even tolerated the long drive in holiday weekend traffic. We went for walks, took the dogs swimming, and pot lucked with the family. I'm looking forward to many weekends with her in Tahuya.

The other milestone (if you can call it that) is the "is-she-just-cranky-or-do-I-have-a-colicky-baby" milestone. From about 5-10pm (aka the Witching Hour) she gets cranky (and by cranky I mean she screams almost inconsolably) almost every night. Last night she went nearly non-stop from 6:30-10pm, she lost her little voice at the end and just sort of whimpered, which was super cute in a really unfortunate way. It's frustrating, but mostly it's just really hard to know she is so upset and there isn't anything we can do. I was a responsible parent and read "Happiest Baby on the Block" before she was born, but even the 5 S's can't help my baby. We manage okay through it and just stay positive, I'm hoping that last night is the worst it will ever be, so far we can't say she has colic. A colic diagnosis requires 3 hours of screaming for 3 days a week for 3 weeks in a row. Before yesterday she had never cried more than about an hour a day. Time will tell...

The last update I will give (and then I gotta run 'cause my baby smells gamey) is about Maizey's appointment that she has with a Pediatric Dermatologist tomorrow morning. She has a red hemangioma birthmark by her right eye that is growing like crazy...it's almost doubled in size in 3 weeks! I think it adds character to her beautiful face, like the beauty marks made famous by Marilyn Monroe and Cindy Crawford, but because it's so close to her eye, it could begin pushing up on her lower lid and obstruct her vision. These birthmarks always go away on their own (usually by 2 years old), but they can increase in size before they go away. There is a good chance that we'll have to have it removed with laser surgery. I don't know what is involved in that (whether it's general anesthesia or what), but I'll have a much better idea after tomorrow. I can't think of anything harder than having to put your little one "under."

Okay Maizey is now awake and free time is officially over.

At the cabin after Maizey's lunch.
Maizey in the Moby on her first walk in Tahuya.
This is what Ryan and Jim did all weekend, this and drink.

Maizey in bloom!
Taking her morning nap in Uncle Brion's sleeping bag. This sounds like a SIDS what-not-to-do, but we were there with her the whole time.
Enjoying the weather while daddy enjoys technology in Tahuya.
Taking a nap on Grandma.

Just plain cute.
The only proof I have that she rolls over, this is a split second before she did it!
Mama and crazy eyes Maizey.
Trying to cool off from a hot day in Tahuya.
An up close shot of Maizey in the Moby.