"Stormy" Week

This weekend was full of relaxation and escape that included a massage for me at Burke Williams on Saturday morning and a drive up the coast to the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa for lunch with my Ph.D. advisor, Robin, and her husband and daughter on Sunday. 

Thank you Robin for lunch and the soft pink blanket and cute clothes and accessories you got Miss Kate.

The weekend was a welcome relief from one of our more challenging weeks. Steve was stuck working the early morning shift and according to the "Wonder Weeks" book that explains baby's developmental milestones, at 11 weeks old, Kate was in the middle of a "stormy" period as she is making another leap in her development and discovering smooth transitions (we have noticed that she does now follow us with her eyes and track Otter as he passes by). The book says that this fussy period may include intense crying and demands for attention. We're not sure if it was indeed the stormy phase or the fact that if she's not in my arms, her stroller or the car, Kate will not nap during the day for more than 20 minutes, but the evenings this week were tough. Kate discovered a murderous scream that she let out around 5:30 pm each night and her usually soothing and fun baths also didn't work. The cry was so bad that Steve called me in a panic on Monday because he thought she had to be teething or in some sort of pain. We are now working on purchasing blackout shades and moving Kate downstairs where it is quieter and cooler during the day to see if it will help her nap and be less exhausted at the end of the day.

A picture taken during one of Kate's afternoon "naps"

Don't even think about laying her down to sleep during the day!
She immediately wakes up and kicks her legs up like she is trying to catapult herself out of her bassinet.

The good news is that we are getting Kate to go bed for the night an hour earlier at 8:45 pm (we are gradually getting closer to 7:30 pm) and she is still only waking up one time during the night for a quick feed and diaper change after a 7-8 hour stretch of sleep...

...And, these kisses, long lashes, and smiles make even the most challenging nights completely worth it!

Impossible to resist!
We love this girl more each day!