Hot stuff

We have been a little sad this week -- Lucy got her second round of vaccinations on Monday and has had a fever every night since, making for a lot of discomfort and fussiness. She's also had a stuffy nose which led me to finally break down and get a humidifier (which I'd previously sworn we'd never need). There is undeniably something deeply maternal that flows through you as you rock a sick baby while holding her burning hot head in the middle of the night.

Even though I've come to work totally exhausted and overwhelmed every day this week, I am so very grateful that I've been trusted with the care of my sweet baby girl. She is getting big so fast and I find myself trying to purposefully remember how she feels cuddled up under my chin with her little feet cradled in my hands... I know she won't be small enough to hold her like this forever.

We got the shots during her 4-mo check-up, and according to our pediatrician Lucy is very healthy and "well proportioned." :) Here are her new stats:

• Head circumference: 16 1/2 in [75th percentile]


• Weight: 15 lbs, 10 oz [85-90th percentile]


• Length: 24 1/2 in [75th percentile]

Hopefully we'll be feeling better soon!

My ride

Lucy cruisin' the neighborhood in the nice fall weather -- it's gotten cool enough to actually need a blanket for our legs in the evenings now!

Inappropriate crush

We are both big fans of Michael Cera -- first from his days at George Michael Bluth on Arrested Development (in my opinion, one of the funniest TV shows ever created -- it's cancellation was ridiculous!) and then in movies like Juno. Love his sweet nerd appeal plus his droll delivery and spot-on comedic timing.

We got a babysitter (thanks Tara!) last Sunday night to go see Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist and he hit another home run. Although the movie didn't quite live up to my expectations, it was a fun reminder of going out in high school where you never really had any plans and driving around with friends was half the fun. And Cera's character Nick was as hilarious and endearing as all his other roles. Loving him...

Sunday in the park

The weather here finally decided to resemble something close to fall, so we gathered up the gang for a Sunday stroll in nearby Highland Road Park. Lucy took a nice nap in the carrier while we walked the frisbee golf course and Evie was punch drunk with excitement over the chance to protect her baby from all those other fierce dogs at the park. We even got to watch the weekly Latino soccer league match from a blanket under a giant oak tree. Go Team Rojo!

Prematurely bald?

Lucy now has a growing bald spot on the back of her head -- I guess it's from the hair rubbing off when she sleeps and rides in the carseat. Andrew has a growing bald spot in the front of his head, presumably from genetics and... from generally getting to be an old fart. Here's a picture of some daddy-daughter bonding over this sensitive issue.

This little piggy...

Lucy has finally located her feet, and she is fascinated with them. I honestly think she looks forward to waking up from naps now so that she can play with her feet. It's pretty funny. I remembered that we received some "foot rattles" as a shower gift and dug them out of storage last night -- that took the appeal up to a whole new level and she's now trying to get the animals on them into her mouth! And yes, the changing table is still our favorite place to play.

Mini-me

These latest pictures of Lucy and Andrew have finally convinced me that aside from those pinchable chipmunk cheeks, she looks exactly like her Daddy and nothing like me. Andrew even had the reddish tint to his hair when he was baby that she has! They especially look alike when Lucy is doing something mischevious. :) And as you can see from the pictures, Lucy loves to eat at Superior as much as Daddy does!

Cooper Thomas James

Congratulations to Jessi and Sam on the birth of their beautiful baby boy!!! We have been anxiously waiting for our new friend & Cooper finally made his big arrival on Friday, October 10. We went to visit them in the hospital this weekend and seeing Cooper so sweet and cuddly swaddled in his little blanket made me a little bit teary. Lucy's only a few months old and I truly do not remember her being that small when we were in the hospital (although I'm sure the total exhaustion that came from being in labor for about 36 hours had something to do with that!). The expression "they grow up so fast" really hit home for me while holding this new life.

We wish the James' all the best as they prepare to bring their bundle of joy home and begin a new life together as a family of three!

"For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of him." ~1 Samuel 1:27

Bigger than Christmas

Happy, happy birthday to the fabulous CDC! Candace is my beloved friend of 15+ years and in addition to being a terrific support system and always cracking me up with her keen sense of humor, these are some other things I love about her: she has impeccable taste in music and is an insanely good singer, she is frequently the life of any party because people are naturally drawn to her infectious spirit, she is an enthusiastic learner, she's a wonderful mother who has beautiful and kind children, she stills thinks that her husband of many years is the funniest person ever, she loves to eat but also loves to exercise, she is passionate about her devotion to the Lord... the list could go on and on. So here's to you my old friend -- may this new year of your life bring you many blessings and abundant joy. I love you!

P.S. The picture is from Lucy's post-baptism lunch over Labor Day weekend.

Bumbo mumbo jumbo

Lucy's finally holding her head up well enough to sit in the Bumbo seat (although we get still get tired and have to take a break sometimes). What a great invention! Now she can "sit" at the table with mommy and daddy while we eat dinner and see the world from an upright vantage point instead of always looking up at the ceiling fan. Yeah!

Shake, rattle, & roll

Lucy's new three-month-old activities include: holding a rattle and putting it in her mouth, (sometimes) realizing that kicking the toys on the play mat results in a fun noise, trying to smile her way out of being put down for a nap, and attempting to roll over while pushing up when she's on her belly. We sure are busy these days!

The godfather

Our friends Laurie and Jeff (Lucy's godfather) came down to Baton Rouge for a visit last weekend with their cutie 5-mo-old John Michael. It's amazing to see the developmental difference in babies that are just a few months apart -- John Michael's already a pro at "standing" up on people's laps, reaching up for things while on his belly (including Evie's fur!), and speaking small syllables that begin with consonants. He also loved looking at Lucy and trying to grab her face while they played on the baby gym mat, and well... she barely noticed his existence. Just like a woman! :)

Andrew and I kept JM while his mommy and daddy went on a date to the LSU game. Both of the babies were good, but the experience definitely made us grateful that we didn't have twins. Whew! We went shopping on Sunday and Laurie & I got the babies matching outfits for Thanksgiving -- can't wait to take a picture of them together over the holidays. In the meantime, here's a picture of Jeff with the kids. Thanks to the Salvails for a fun family weekend!