AS BIG AS A FIVE MONTH OLD?

Last Friday morning my infant daughter had her first vaccinations. Of course baby Vanessa cried for the shots, but stopped immediately when I picked her up. And, well, that's when I started crying. WAHHHH! The nurse was impressed with Van.

Vanessa came home and napped for hours, but when she woke up she screamed. The poor dear. By the time Daddio got home to take over, mama was pretty strung out. He changed Nessa's diaper through a particularly bone chilling scream session, so I cried too: I felt helpless. Daddio bounced Nessa on the magic ball to comfort her while he talked down the mama. I wished there had been room on his lap for me that night.

Other than that, it's been a delightful week. VH1's personality is really starting to shine through. More and more every day we are getting to interact with her. She smiles and wiggles when she sees us or when we try to entertain her, and she grips us pretty hard with her arm when we hold her, like the little Little Monkey Princess she is. She can hold her head up on her own, something she's been actively trying to do since she was 2 weeks old. She's completely fascinated with the brown beams on the ceiling and the skylights. In fact, she stares at those skylights like they're portals back to whereever she came from. "Look away from the light," we beg her. We want her to stay here.

Daddio gets her down on the floor for tummy time and rolling lessons. He's clearly trying to coach her to crawl and is already whispering in her ear that she's a jumper. I did pick up a Johnny Jump Up this week to please him (and Nessa likes it!). In the meantime, she hasn't outgrown two of her gifts, the swing from Auntie Susan and Uncle Jimmy and the Aquatic bouncy seat from "Auntie" Michelle and "Uncle" Petey. Nestle isn't batting around the toys on them yet, but she is captivated.

I actually went shopping with her on Monday. I did have to hold her the whole time, but (unlike our recent grocery store excursion) she didn't cry constantly. We met another mom and look-alike baby in the infant section of WalMart. The other baby girl weighed 12 lbs. 13 oz. - just about Nessa's weight - but she was five months old! Her mom explained that she'd had problems with breast feeding, but I thought her little girl looked the picture of health. I left feeling stunned my little two month old is now the size of someone else's five month old.

BABY PHAT

Both my sister and my mother called to request more photos. We've been so busy with visitors and visiting this past week, that Nestle hasn't let me have time to post! Today is her two month birthday, so here's the week in review...

After Uncle Marky and the Magic Aunt (Debbie) left for the snows of New England, we packed up the baby and headed to the Bay Area for Granny Ernie's 80th birthday. Although she does do very well in the car, VH1 turns a 3.5 hour trip into a 5 hour trip. No matter: it's just time and she did wait patiently in an ice cube tray for us for five years, so who are we to complain?

We went straight to Jim and Sandi's brand new home, where we were greeted by Johnny, Rennie, Manami and eventually Isaiah and 4 of his young lady friends. Nessa was a hit. Too bad she vomited all over Sandi and their new carpet. We think the bottled breast milk we gave her in the car had separated. That makes 4 spit ups in her whole life. Lucky Sandi!

Saturday we spent at Granny Ernie's 80th birthday party. It was an all-day affair, with family and friends. Van was a hit, but unaccustomed to all the many hands and faces, none of which came with an offer of milk. In the end, she found she preferred the familiar sound, smell, and ways of her Mama. This was the first time I realized she really could distinguish me from everyone else.

See photo of Granny Ernie on Mt. Baldy with Aunties Judi and Sally. When Daddio took this photo, I was nursing Nessa in the car in the parking lot, realizing we have achieved our long-held dream of becoming average parents. Next trip we'll be sure to get a photo of Granny, Van and me to mark the 80-40-0 ages. Nessa looks very much like her beautiful Granny Ernestine's baby photo. It does seem she has red hair - she definitely has strawberry blonde eyebrows.

Baby Nestle has hit a high maintenance phase and cries frequently. Well, let's be clear here: she cries when she's hungry and she's hungry all the live long day. She's sleeping well at night, though. When we saw our wonderful pediatrician on Tuesday he was again flabbergasted by her rapid weight gain. VanNestle is now up to 12 lbs. 8 oz. putting her at the 90th percentile for weight and also for head circumference. Formula fed babies gain weight - not so for many breast fed babies. No wonder I've felt like a milk slave! (Rennie made me feel better when she said she spent most her first months of nursing at home wearing a towel.) VH1 continues to have problems with Silent Reflux, but we're holding off from prescription medicine for now.

About a week ago Daddio and I noticed Vanny locking onto our gaze with recognition. Now we feel we have real exchanges with her. This morning when Daddio woke up and said "Good morning" to her, she cracked out a huge smile of glee. She's not giggling, cooing, or playing chess yet, but she makes a certain noise when we lie her down to be changed that sounds like "yeah" as she grins. She's also able to swivel that 90th percentile noggin all over the place with her strong neck and she can pretty much stand up on our laps. What a little Monkey Princess!

Yesterday, during a rare milk break I plopped her in her boppy so I could attempt to fold a load of laundry. Nessa became so gleeful and smiley I had to dash off for the camera. After capturing several shots, she broke down in tears, no doubt regurgitating all that stomach acid that plagues her. The poor dear. Daddio and I are quite fond of her cry face - the quivering bottom lip and red swollen eyes. It's tough to be a little baby.

LITTLE MISS V.

Happy St. Valentine's Day! We have been busy showing our little sweetheart around to relatives. Here are shots of Nessa visiting her Granny Ernestine's on my birthday. See her with Granny, Uncle Jimmy and Auntie Susan, all of whom remarked at how (ahem) nicely filled out Vanessa has become since they last saw her. Sandi and her Aunt Janice stopped over to meet Nessa for the very first time and Sandi learned how bouncing on the exercise ball is a form of baby magic.

This week she's being visited by Rhode Island relatives Uncle Marky and Auntie Debbie a.k.a. The Magic Aunt. Uncle Marky took her for several horsie rides on his knee and the Magic Aunt proved to be the best at turning a crying baby into a sleeping beauty. They have been impressed with how hungry their wee niece appears to be. Since she's nearly 8 weeks old, she must going through another growth spurt, meaning her mother can't get a break to change out of her pyjamas. We did all go out to dinner for my 40th birthday, but neglected to bring the magic ball with us, which meant Vanny cried most of the meal and had to be walked throug the restaurant or the parking lot or nursed in the car. All labors of love.

LIFE BEGINS AT FORTY!

Today is my 40th birthday! I get to spend it with two people who are very dear to me... my beloved mother in law and my DAUGHTER. Woo hoo!

To celebrate, after we took Daddio to the areopuerto to fly to Seattle for work, Granny Ernestine and I took a sleepy and well-fed Nessers to the T.J. Maxx superstore. Afterall, it is my birthday! I believed if Vanessa were comfortable and fed, and I were equipped with an extra bottle of milk, an extra (grand-) mother, and supplemental parking lot nursing, I could get a whole decadent hour of shopping in. But Little Miss Vanessa said, "No, thank you" at the top of her lungs as we made our way quickly through the beckoning aisles laden with treasures and bargains. We had just enough time to pick up some onesies and we were outta there.

Nessers decided she didn't even like riding the California highway system today so she howled all the way home. In the end Granny encouraged me to break two laws to get us the last half mile home: she took the wheel while I sat in back holding Vanessa without my seatbelt on. I understand you now, Brittany! Vanessa was drenched in sweat, her little red hairs matted to her head and her eyes swollen and tear stained. We were so relieved to get her to calm down and actually fall asleep that we flopped ourselves in Granny's two recliners and observed the child sleeping for two hours, letting all ambitions of doing any other errands fall away.

Granny Ernestine is turning 80 in ten days, but even with 120 years between us we felt scrambled by the one in charge... the small but mighty 7 week old. If this is the beginng of the rest of my life then I say Bring It On! I love being a mom.

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA

Maribeth said babies don't smile until they are 4 months old, so maybe our wee Nessa is starting her "social" smiling really early. She's been flashing us a warm smile for the past couple days: I noticed she would smile at me when I'd lie her down for a diaper change. So, to try to document it, we put her down for a change and let Daddio tickle her fat puppy belly while Mama ran the camera. Voila! She lit up and there was even a dimple sighting. (See Daddy's nose in the first shot.) I took the equivalent of a roll of film, but I'll only post a few shots, in their true order.

LIVING THE DREAM

So, Aunties, don't get used to posts every day, but I have the time with Daddio home, so I'll do it...

Last night we had an outing for a celebratory dinner compliments of Jack's athlete Whitney. YUM! Her roommates appeared, scooped up Nessers, and disappeared with her until after dinner. See Daddio showing Whitney Vanessa's birth video recorded on his cell phone. Whitney made Vanessa a Fairy Princess blanket as a gift. Jack thinks it's a SuperDad cape.

Poor Nestle came home and had some ominous belches, then spit up her night's meals and some stinky acid on her Dad. We felt bad, but she went on to drop into a deep sleep that lasted 4 hours uninterrupted by digestion. Usually we have to hold her upright and can't lay her down flat because of that dratted acid reflux. But, truth be told, having that little gipper wadded up on our chest as she sleeps is pretty much what we've been dreaming of for, oh, seven years.

Today was beautiful so we took baby and puppy dog to the beach for some R & R. Nessa looked hot in her pink headband, but it went catty-wampus by the time we left for home. A good time was had by all.

TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING?

Today, VanNestle and I visited the pediatrician, who was delighted to see us. We discussed Nessa's gas and nursing problems - fidgets, cries, chokes and sometimes screams as she nurses - and all the things I've tried to make things more comfortable for her. Seems after I've tried diet modification, foremilk and hindmilk manipulation, and new positioning strategies, Nessa still has a problem with "silent reflux," like many babies born early.

We think that I have the enviable problem of producing too much milk. My milk "let down" could be so powerful it swamps my baby girl! Just last night, as I was helping her get mama's milk faucet into position, I sprayed milk three different ways across the room and all over her face. Vanessa did not appreciate that. So, a trip back to the lactation specialist is in order, rather than jump right to a medicine.

The very good news is that Van does indeed weigh 11 lbs. 2 oz., putting her in the 75th percentile for weight, up from the 45th percentile from her first ped visit. She's in the 90th percentile of length, not bad for an early baby. I can't help feeling good that A. she's gained so much weight on my milk production, and B. she's longer than she is wide, just like you want your Levi's size to be.

Daddio, in keeping with Grandma Patty's declaration that Vanessa is a genius, has taught her a new trick: she can imitate him as he sticks out his tongue. Okay, maybe there's no place for this on her resume, but we're excited.

Today I had a follow-up appointment with my OB. Nessa was very cooperative until we were halfway through the exam. Then she began to scream. My doctor had to stop what he was doing to try to please her. It didn't work. Nessa hit a new octave, resulting in one of the nurses busting down the door to see if we could handle things. My OB had to rush the exam then he handed Nessa to me while I was still sitting there undressed. She was hungry! I got dressed and fed her a bottle (not in that order), then managed to carry her out in the carseat with the bottle in her mouth. Every single nurse in the hallway poked their head out and said, "She's loud," and the front desk staff all turned and said, "She's really loud." Yes, I said, she's calm most of the time, but when she has something to say she's very assertive. I have no idea where she gets that.

SIX WEEKS OLD?

Tomorrow Vanessa sees the pediatrician, so we should get official specs on her, but unofficially, she's 23 inches long and 11 pounds. She's a growing machine!

Auntie Susan and Auntie Anne have requested daily photos of their baby niece. I'm not to that point yet, but I am interested in pleasing them, so here are more. It's hard to be photogenic when you have a rash-like mask of pimples and a receding hairline, but Nessa pulls it off with the help of a girlie headband. I ordered a few more frilly jobbies from eBay, something I've just been itching to do anyway.

Van and I ran into our banker, who hadn't seen me in 9 months. He was floored to meet Vanessa, knowing my health history. He couldn't believe how "beautiful" she looks at such a young age; "Not like an alien at all," he said. His son was 6 lbs. something at birth and 22 inches long, so he was really long and skinny and took awhile to look soft and babyish.

We've discovered that bouncing on the exercise ball is magic to Vanessa, especially if someone simultaneously serenades her. See Daddio doing just that. Oh he knows he's good.