Her first cold

Last week was a super busy one for us - Monday saw Maddie and I attending a 'mommy and me' class - hosted by the same teacher that taught our prenatal classes - it was interesting and we learned a few things, and it was definitely cool being around a bunch of new moms, but since it was in the city, the drive was a bit much for us. And while it would have been nice to make some new friends, they all lived in the city and I was the only one in the 'burbs, so I don't think I would have ended up seeing much of them. It did motivate me to try and find some similar classes/groups up here in the Durham region (well, motivate me to be interested in finding some, not that I've actually done anything about it yet!).

Wednesday was another day in the city - we had a few doctors appointments - one in the morning with Maddie's doctor to check her for thrush (yup, she has it - and is now on a 10-day treatment of niacin - antibiotics). At noon we headed to the Suzy office to introduce Maddie to my colleagues - everyone thought she was gorgeous (of course!) and sooo well-behaved (she makes such a good first impression!). We then headed down to Mt Sinai for my doctor's appt - the doc was running behind schedule, so we had to wait for almost an hour, just to pretty much be told, okay - glad you're feeling well - nice knowin' ya. After a big long feed, we were back on the road, just in time to hit full rush-hour traffic - it took us 2 hours to get home - nightmare.

Seth got off work early on Friday and we headed out to do some grocery shopping and other errands - we were home by 7pm and in bed just a few hours later - as we had an early morning planned - had to tidy up for Mom and Walt as they were visiting for the day on Saturday. We had a good visit and Maddie was well-behaved (as usual sleeping through most of it!) - and Grandpa Walt helped us by cutting a hole in our door for our cats to get into the basement - so the door doesn't have to be propped open anymore! Too bad we couldn't find a cat door that would allow fat Simon to jump through - so for now that hole is just open - we'll eventually figure out some kind of door for it.

On Sunday Maddie and I went shopping with Auntie Liz for xmas decorations for the front of the house - we got lucky at Cdn Tire as they were having a huge sale and we got all sorts of lights, garland etc. I wrapped the garland around our front porch and attached mini-lights. Seth then went out to put up the lights on the eavestrough - but because they were backed up (and that water had subsequently frozen), he couldn't get the clips attached, so we still need to get those lights up - hopefully this weekend.

This week has been a lazy one so far. Poor Maddie came down with her first cold on Monday - she's really stuffed up and sneezing/coughing all over the place. Her one eye was tearing up on Monday a lot and when we got up on Tuesday it has crusted shut (ewww!) - so we headed to the walk-in clinic that night and the dr prescribed her antibiotic drops to circumvent any infection. So the poor thing is on 2 medications now and has a cold to boot - and I have to say she's handling it like a champion. And sleeping a lot more - which I'm not sure is due to the cold or just her becoming a class A sleeper - hopefully the latter and hopefully it lasts!

She is officially 7 weeks (this past Tuesday) and has grown so much I can't believe it. She started giving full smiles (not random ones - actually giving them out when you ask for them now!) on Sunday, and I swear she laughed today during her conversation with the bears that hang above her swing. She loves talking to her mobiles - she really gives them hell sometimes - and it's funny to hear her gurgling away as I do things in the kitchen - too cute.

We also had to put a bunch more sleepers into the 'doesn't fit anymore bin' this week - I'm not sure how much she's grown - but I swear at least another inch. She was 10 lbs 7 oz as of last Monday (Nov 19th) and I wouldn't be surprised if she's up to at least 11 lbs this week. She definitely has lost that lean look she had for the first few weeks of life though - while she's still tiny, she definitely is chunking up with baby fat nicely. Her little thighs are like tiny little sausages you just want to eat up!

Not only is she growing and learning things at an astonishing rate (she found her hand this week - so she sucks on her fist whenever she's tired - not just a thumb will satisfy her, has to be the whole fist!) ... but she's also developing the cutest personality. She is definitely a morning person - giving out all sorts of coos and smiles during her morning diaper change and being a generally happy cuddly baby. Although she does get super happy every time her diaper is changed - or maybe she just likes to be naked - can't decide which. And when she's tired, she rubs her eyes and yawns like a little person - and then gets super cuddly - really, she'll cry just to be picked up and cuddled in before she goes to sleep.

She's currently working on learning how to roll over - she tries pretty much every time we do a Tummy Time session, lifting her leg and swinging it backward, but she's hasn't worked up enough momentum yet - but I'm sure it will happen soon.

I have to say (and hopefully am not jinxing us) - but we got really lucky in the baby department - her temperment is really happy and easy-going (clearly takes after her daddy, not me!). And of course she gets more gorgeous every day - her eyes are definitely going to be brown - but the verdict is still out on the hair - she is losing more and more every day - let's hope she doesn't turn into a total baldy.

This weekend is going to be busy - we have a baby/family photoshoot with an old friend on Saturday afternoon, and Saturday evening we're going out to a friend's house for dinner. That will be fun as Seth is DD'ing and I get to have a few drinks for the first time in almost a year - don't worry, Maddie will be drinking a few bottles that night of breastmilk that I've stocked up - we don't need to introduce her to the sauce just yet. Sunday we have Grandma and Grandpa Vallier coming to visit for the day - so it's a full weekend for us - let's hope Maddie's good nature keeps up!

S&S