Katharine Lange: Arwyn Week 32: Soft Kissable Cheeks

I was at the locker room this week, relaying the Squaw snow conditions to an older gentleman, and explaining my cost benefit analysis of why I was going home rather than skiing more (too much other stuff to do on my only day off)... After he got it out of me that I had a 7 month old and a 2.5 year old, he said, "Oh, so you have sweet soft cheeks to kiss at home!" There was nothing else to do but break out in a huge grin, acknowledge to myself how lucky I truly am, and say "yes!" And really, he couldn't have been more correct, those little cheeks are simple the best to kiss, and now I'm doing it more than ever, with both Arwyn and Leia (when she lets me).

Arwyn has really been on the move this week, even in her bed. She's started scooting all around and lying in different directions, and playing with all the toys that are in there. I finally had to flatten her elevated mattress because she kept sleeping with her head downward and waking up and puking! But now it's fine, and she's learning to play with toys to sooth herself until she's ready to fall asleep, or entertain herself when she wakes up if she's not too hungry. It will be fun to see which animal ends up being her special one, they way Leia picked Monkey. I also had to give Arwyn her second haircut (mostly just a trim). It has grown so much it was always in her eyes, and I didn't think that was good. Josh was a little concerned with my styling, but I think she looks cute! I worked a little more on her eating, deciding to try out Puffs. The first time she ate it, but still gagged and grimaced. But a few days later I tried again and it was more successful. She'll eat two or three now before she gets over it and starts gagging. I just wish I could find more time for her to practice.

Leia gave me my first little scare this week. We were on a Pirate hunt that led us up to my bedroom, and on the way back down, she was in a bit of a hurry and was wearing shoes with a broken strap, when all of a sudden she took a misstep and tumbled down the stairs! She was fine, it really scared her more than anything, but thank goodness it was those carpeted stairs instead of the wood ones! Plus she's a ninja, so I wasn't quite as worried as I probably should have been. Leia has also taken to being the reassuring voice of the family. Whenever I get upset about something (like when she spilled water all over the mail), she says in a calming and reassuring voice, "It's ok Mommy, it's ok." Just like her Daddy, always trying to convince me that I shouldn't sweat the small stuff, but coming from a two year old, it just makes me laugh and realize that she is right! The weirdest change of the week is that Leia all of a sudden decided that she likes to wear regular clothes to bed instead of her soft jams. Whatever it is that she's picked out as her favorite outfit for the day, she loves it so much that she wants to keep wearing it. Or sometimes bed is a special occasion that gets a totally new and different outfit from what she wore the rest of the day. She's so funny!