83 days...

This was the first night she wore her first sleeper...As you can see, she is SWIMMING in this newborn sized piece of clothing.

This is tonight, 83 days later. It will be the last night she wears this sleeper, because it's officially too small for her. Her arms barely fit...her feet are pushing against the bottom so hard that the top goes off her shoulders in a scandalous way!

In 83 days, our baby has doubled in size. She has learned to soothe herself to sleep (on rare occassions), how to splash in the bath water, and how to push herself up with her legs. She's discovered her hands, her tongue, her feet, and the feel of Jolie's fur. She makes eye contact, smiles, and plays copycat games. She pays attention to hockey games, talking, singing, and books. In 83 days, or baby has gone from super tiny to just tiny, from sleeping 20 hours per day to only 14 hours per day, from looking like her neck would break to having excellent head control, from still learning the breastfeeding dance to being able to anticipate and communicate about nursing.

In 83 days, I have learned her pain cry, sleepy cry, hungry cry, bored cry, dirty/wet cry, and overstimulated cry. I have learned how to bathe her by myself, how to change a diaper almost anywhere, and how to manage all of her complex transportation details. I have discovered her favourite games, her favourite times of day, her favourite sounds. I know how she likes to be held, when to give her a soother, and when the only thing that will make her quiet is ME.

In 83 days, we have discovered each other. I am still learning her, and she is still learning me...but we've come a long way. In 83 days, I have become a MAMA and she is my BABY.