First smiles....

These were taken when she was just one week old.
I think she was dreaming...and passing gas.

But these bigger smiles only happened when I'd sing "So--PHI-a."




Now she's starting to smile a little even when she's awake. This was just this week...right after a bath. I love her hair when it's soft and clean...it's just so puffy and wild. I think she likes it too.

more to post later... i must sleep now.

I have three pillows.

And they each perform unique and essential functions. Despite my narcoleptic tendencies while riding in a car, I must have these three pillows to sleep comfortably in a bed.
There's my firm 'head pillow', my slightly-less-firm 'leg pillow', and my beloved 'fluffy.'

I don't think I had any one particular 'comfort object' as a child...no 'blankie,' or 'soft,' or special 'bear.' Maya has several, There's 'white soft' and 'pink soft.' 'Loopy.' 'Lyssa,' 'Amy,' and 'Sasha.' 'Monkey.' And recently...'hairbrush'. (Yes, most nights...all of these objects are in bed with her.)

As an adult, I think I may have developed a similar kind of attachment. My 'Fluffy' is irreplaceable. It comes with me when I travel. It's really hard to fall asleep without holding it (I think this is mostly because it helps keep my shoulders and arms supported). But this perfectly soft and airy pillow still gives me nightmares. I think it's the frightening new responsibility of another (terrifyingly fragile) life...and the inevitable lack of sleep that comes with any newborn...but it's happening to me again just like it did two years ago.

Maya's New Favorite Sport...

Last weekend we added a very special option for our outdoor fun.




First I had to teach Maya how to celebrate when she scored...




For the most part, she had a pretty good kick... I will admit that she prefers the throw-in method - which I'm pretty sure isn't legal.


But we couldn't spend too much time outside because we really missed our mommy and new sister.

four days old.

Our doctor saw this video and was pretty impressed and happy to record this milestone in her chart at her five day check-up. He suggested we try giving her an Algebra book.

I think I'd rather start her on Tolstoy or maybe Victor Hugo. We're just not 'math people.'

It was pretty much love at first sight...

...even though the 11-minute-old Sophia was still pretty slimy.

But the next morning, Maya came bounding in with her wild pig tails, smiling broadly "where's So-phi-a? Where's 'dat baby?" Then she stretched out her arms and said, "Sister. Hode her."



I didn't really cry much at all at for the first couple of days. But on the car ride home, everything started to hit me... fear, unbelievable happiness, inadequacy, heartbreaking love, overwhelming worry, exhaustion, fear....
So the night we all came home from the hospital, I was feeling pretty weepy. We were having our first 'story time' all together in Maya's room before bed. And Maya got to hold her. She very sweetly started talking to her in a soft voice..

"Sophia. Baby sister. Aww. (and pointing carefully) Tiny toes. Tiny hands. Eyes. Nose. Little mouth. Sophie." (gentle kiss)

I cried some more.