Kessa update

Everyone tells you it goes so fast... well, they mean it.

Kes will be 8 months in less than a week. While physically robust, she's easy-going and happy in temperment, and loves her family. Giggles abound, especially when Eliana blesses her with interaction. Daddy is a sedative, and can induce sleep even when lacking in breastmilk or at inappropriate times. Mommy has the breasts, and as such, I retain an advantage over the others... though I would like to believe she favors me in a few other departments as well.

She is motivated to crawl and is trying to figure out exactly what needs to be done. Toys and Elly are her primary motivations, while cats - which prompted Elly's first adventures in crawling - are objects of fear and fascination: she cries when she sees one up close, but cries harder if I remove it from her view.

Teething is in full force. She has 3 teeth now - 2 middle lower and one upper, just left of center. I think her top four teeth are going to erupt in a row. Kes emphatically asserts that teething and sleep do not mix, except with the help of Hyland's and perhaps a touch of Tylenol. Mommy's presence helps, and nursing continuously would help more, but since I can't abide a ceaseless latch, the teething tablets will have to do. Still, it's fun to snuggle her as she falls asleep with a belly of 99% milk and 1% homeopathy, eyes slowly blinking as she drifts off, assured of my presence by her hand on my cheek or chest, and my drawn-up knees pressed to her feet.

She clearly understands many words, though the most important is, naturally, "milk". I say "Kessa want milk?" and if the answer is yes, she responds vigorously with any or all - smiles, giggles, flapping arms, kicking legs, a smacking tongue, or a sideways dive into position. Other important, obviously understood words are "Mama" "nigh-night" "sleepy" "sister" "clap" "blink" "more" and, thanks to EC'ing, "peepee". Once when I opened the door to get her out of the carseat, she looked right at me, giggled, and said, "Mama!" - which I'm counting as real, despite no repeat performance (yet).

It's flying by... but the part of me that swears I was just meeting her in that tub is being slowly overtaken by the part of me that swears there could never have been a time in my life that I didn't know this loving, determined, giggly babe.