Hands

For some time now our sweet little girl has been a wonderful hand holder. But now she is working on how to use  her hands to learn about the world around her. 

Daddy took the video below this morning of Kathleen on her play mat. Today is a break through day where she has really been focusing on her hands. It's still hard work, but she's trying her best to control where they go and how to open them to grab on to something. She will have them mastered in no time, but for now it's fun to watch her learn.

We're also enjoying the signs of affection that come with hand coordination. One of Kathleen's favorite places to play is on her changing table. She can stretch out and kick her legs and talk to Mommy and Daddy at a comfortable distance. Yesterday as I was leaning over to talk with her she took her hand and placed it on my cheek as if she just wanted to say, "Mommy, I love you." My heart melted with her little smile and intentional pat. She had a similar moment with Daddy today as well by resting her hand on his chest after her bottle in a way that showed she just wanted to touch him as they sat there together. Grabbing on to shirts, arms and necks while being held is also a wonderful part of this new phase. There's really nothing like knowing your touch comforts your child and that she wants to hold onto you as much as you love holding her.

Going to see Dr. Diaz

Dr. Diaz is Kathleen's pediatrician who stole Mommy's heart in the hospital. Originally we planned for Kathleen to see the same family doctor that I regularly saw before I was pregnant. But as a new mommy, when Dr. Diaz came in to check Kathleen out the morning after she was born, I quickly took notice of how well he handled her. Kathleen loved him immediately and quieted down while he examined her. Dr. Diaz was also well spoken; he explained what he was looking for and informed us of what we needed to know. He was both friendly and formal at the same time.

When Dr. Diaz came in the second morning after Kathleen was born, we were expecting the all clear to head home with our sweet little girl. Instead he told us that Kathleen had jaundice and would need to stay an extra day. Although I was not happy about the news, I was happy with the way Dr. Diaz explained what having jaundice meant, what caused it, and what the plan was to fix the problem. He took his time with us and made sure we had all of our questions answered yet he remained efficient with his explanations and actions. After that conversation Calvin and I quickly agreed to make Dr. Diaz Kathleen's pediatrician. After spending 24 hours under the blue lights Kathleen was released from the hospital Friday morning. We scheduled her first visit with Duke Children's Primary Care on Saturday for a biliruben check and her first weight check appointment with Dr. Diaz the following Monday.

Now, a little over two months since Kathleen was born, we headed back on July 6th to see Dr. Diaz again for a well baby check up and vaccines. After looking into it on our own we decided to trust Dr. Diaz and go with all of the standard 2 month vaccines. It was a total of one oral vaccine and 3 shots. Kathleen survived them like a champ. The shots did however bring forth a death rattle from our little nugget that we had never heard before, but she quieted down immediately once they were done and I picked her up. We can thank the nurse for how well Kathleen did because she was able to inject all three shots in what seemed like one quick fell swoop. That night and the next day Kathleen was a bit sluggish, but after sleeping it off for about 24 hours she was good as new the following night!

When Kathleen was born she weighed in at 7 lbs 2 oz and was 19.5 inches long. At 1 month she weighed 9 lbs 3 oz and was 21 inches long. Now at 2 months she's a healthy 12 lbs 11 oz and 22.5 inches long.

Splashing in the bath tub and playing with her zebra and giraffe in the bouncy seat are some of her favorite things to do these days. Kathleen has also perfected the art of blowing spit bubbles!

Saturdays in Saxapahaw

This past Saturday we joined some friends in Saxapahaw to celebrate the warm summer weather. There was a band, farmer's market, grilled cheese food truck, and Maple View Farm ice cream. So while Calvin and I relaxed, Grandma and Pop Pop got the chance to play with Kathleen. It was family friendly fun all around. I was also happy to pick up some fresh produce, munch on blackberries and enjoy a couple glasses of local wine.

Playing with Grandma and Pop Pop

Daddy and Baseball

Daddy was very excited to take Kathleen to her first baseball game last night. They have enjoyed watching several games together on television this summer with the college world series going on and the discovery of a new local channel just for the Durham Bulls ball field. The weather was perfect for our family outing and over 9,000 people showed up to cheer on our favorite home town team. Kathleen loved hearing the noises of the game and seeing all the lights and people. You can't beat $1 hot dog night. The Bulls won, Daddy now has a new hat, and Mommy enjoyed Rita's Italian ice. Who could ask for more?

Waiting in line for hot dogs and nachos.

"Stop taking pictures Mommy, we're trying to watch the game! "

Happy Father's Day

This year Father's Day has a whole new meaning since it includes my husband. Kathleen's arrival made for a sweet sweet gift in May and made my first Mother's Day absolutely perfect. Everyone in my family spoiled me and went above and beyond to make this first Mother's Day extra special. Calvin of course gave me an incredibly sentimental gift by awarding my 2nd Awesomeness Award "For exceptional results in the area of awesomeness. Specifically for the awesomeness that transpired on and prior to May 3, 2011." Both awesomeness awards from 2008 and now 2011 are framed in our kitchen.

So on Father's Day this year I would like to take a moment to recognize just how wonderfully awesome the "Director of Awesomeness" truly is. I feel so incredibly lucky to have you by my side as my teammate, my friend and my husband. Thank you for all that you do for me and our family. Whether it's making sure there's food in the pantry, clean clothes in the closet, rubbing my feet for hours on end in the labor room, giving Daddy manicures and pedicures to Kathleen and Rascal both, or making sure your sweet daughter has had enough cuddle time for the day. You're on it, and I appreciate you trying so hard to make our daily lives as stress free and enjoyable as they can be together. I'm so proud of  you, all that you've accomplished, where you're headed, how you lead and take care of this family, and how you do it all with a calming, reassuring presence.

In honor of you, I would like to post the video of your first father, daughter dance here. I'm sure this is the first of many. We love you.