Back to Work

This week marked my return to freelance work and we all did really well. Belle and Claire loved spending time with Audrey and Kacey, and I enjoyed using my brain again, which I've learned isn't completely baby mush! I'm loving the balance of both worlds, which is allowing me to appreciate all dimensions of my life that much more. Patrick and I also went on our first date since Claire's arrival, something we desperately needed! Night at the Museum 2, followed by an early dinner at the Cheesecake Factory made for a memorable time.

In terms of milestones, Belle discovered just how funny Curious George is, standing on the floor or sitting on the couch, following the show and laughing at the most hilarious parts - it was adorable to see the progression. Claire, for her part, discovered her toes, her tongue and spit bubbles this week. She's also now using bumpers in her crib because she's so strong that she moves from the bottom to the top of the crib and often bumps her head. She's still waking up in the middle of the night, but most days it's because she's rolled onto her back and thinks it's just the funniest thing she's ever encountered.



Both are discovering how much fun having a sister can be. Belle loves sitting next to Claire, holding her or trying to help Mommy feed her bottles. Claire, who turned three months old on Thursday, thinks her sister is a little loud and overwhelming sometimes and definitely didn't enjoy her bath with Belle this week, but she's adjusting.

It's also funny how different the girls are. While Belle takes after Mommy, very serious, studious and cautious, Claire is the life of the party. She's always laughing, smiling, giggling and watching the world with great blue eyes. This was most obvious during a trip to the Cracker Barrel with Paul, Jess and Tyler, where Belle fell asleep on Daddy and missed her breakfast while Claire sat in Mommy's lap and watched all the movement in the restaurant. You could just see her trying to process all the sights and sounds. Now we're having fun!

This week, Claire also got her very own chair, an infant-to-toddler rocker that plays music, vibrates like a car and has lots of bright colors. She enjoys it so much that she often falls asleep in it, a feat to behold since she didn't take to the swing or the baby papasan chair...