Week 47-March 9-March 15-Wow baby, I need to become strict again with your bedtime. For weeks, you have been staying up FOREVER and while I love you more than anything in this world, I do need some 'me' time. So tonight, bedtime resumes at 6:30.

Papa and I have noticed that you will raise both your arms above your head, so Papa started saying, 'Papietta!' which means victory in Russian. So every time we say it, you raise your arms or vice verse. We both roll over laughing each time you do this.

You are getting taller now and thus able to reach higher places, like the tops of our nightstands and bookshelves. This means all breakables are pushed back further and books and magazines are removed as well as heavy objects. It is adorable to see you reaching your tiny arms for something and your delight when you do reach what you want is emotionally satiating.

On the 14th, you began waving hello. Awesome! Now when we walk down the street or Papa enters a room, you wave hello. You truly make our hearts melt.

We love you!

Week 46-March 2-March 8-Hey baby! Now you have begun to repeat what Papa and I say to you. If we say, "DA", you do too. If we say "Bye, Bye", you say "BA BA". It is incredible. Once a month on Mondays, I go to an evening class from 7:30 to about 9:30. Papa comes home early from work to stay with you. Unfortunately (for Papa), at this point in time, I am the only one who can put you to sleep so when I came home at ten at night, you were happily chattering away, playing in your play area and Papa was sprawled out on the couch, ready to pass out! I could not believe you were up so late. As soon as you saw me, you came crawling over for hugs and kisses. A few minutes later, you were out like a light, snuggled in bed. I suppose you were just waiting for me. I find it quite flattering. You make me feel important.

When I ask you questions, or tell you things, you understand. When I ask, "May I have a kiss?", you will give me a big, open mouth droolly kiss on my face. It is fantastic! If I say, "Come here", you come. At night, sometimes I have to roll over you so you can nurse on a different side, I say, "Let's switch sides" and you wait patiently for me to move. If I move without saying anything, you holler at me, so I know that you understand what I am saying. You also comprehend when I ask you if you want to drink water, or nurse. You are definitely the smartest girl around! I love you, my heart and soul!

Week 45-February 23-March 1-On Wednesday, we drove over to our friend's house, Melanie and played with her two daughters, Mikaela and Naomi. Melanie and I packed all three of you into her minivan and drove to Mount Baldy. The idea was to have you play in the snow, but it was so foggy and windy that we didn't even get out of the car. It worked out though because by the time we got up the mountain, all three of you were sleeping. Going back down, was another matter. You began to cry and I didn't know why, until I felt my own ears pop. I figured that was what was happening to you. So I gave you water from a sippy cup to drink while we slowly wound our way back down the mountain. Each time you wailed, poor Mikaela cried as well because her ears were sensitive to loud noises. Naomi slept through it all.

On the 24th I realized that your hair is now long enough to really brush it for the first time. Each time you go through a change, such as from hairless to hair, I think I am going to miss what was, but I find myself so enamored and taken with your new abilities that I am too overwhelmed to miss the past. I find myself too stimulated with the present.

You love to move things like our laundry drying rack, our kitchen stool and rugs. It gives you a sense of strength, independence and control. Your assertiveness is beautiful and we wonder if it is a baby developmental thing or a personality thing, only time will tell.

You are now standing up for longer periods of time. Your little legs and feet are growing so strong, as is the rest of you.

Your teeth are so sharp right now-like razors-if something is in your mouth and we need to get it out, it hurts! Lately, when you are sleepy, you have wanted to be held and not put down, so I am holding you a lot.

I have been getting you ready for bed a little later than usual, and so, when I lay you down on the bed to change your dipe and put on your pajamas, you cry and fuss. It is hard for you to lay down when you are so overtired.

You intentionally go where I ask you not to go, such as the fireplace, near the computer cords and to the head board of our bed where you like to scratch (it makes the worst noise!). You are very independent now, you can play alone for long periods of time, although you and I both like it better when we play together.

One day I was looking for a toy that you had thrown. I looked everywhere and couldn't find it. After watching me for a few minutes, you crawled over to the dresser and reached under it, and got your toy. Needless to say, I was amazed! You knew exactly what I was doing and when I couldn't do it, you helped. You also help me pust the stoller and grocery cart when we are in the market. Mama's best helper!

One day we needed to go somewhere in the car and I had so much to carry, so I put you in the stroller and carried everything else to the car. When I took you out of the stroller to put in the car seat, you began to cry and I realized that you thought we were going to go for a walk. I apologized and now never put you in the stroller unless we are going to go for a real walk. I had no idea until then, how much you truly enjoy them.

You are fearless. It is a trait Papa admires very much. Even when Zed growls at you, you just continue doing what you do! Your toys are being spread out much more than ever before. I find them in the far corners of the house which tells me that you are becoming more and more mobile.

My baby is growing up so quickly. We love you so much.

Week 44-Feb 16-Feb 22-Hi Baby! Now you have two new teeth on the top, which makes four total on the top and two on the bottom, so six. Six sharp little teeth that help you chew your food. We play ball. You pass me one of your little brightly colored plastic balls and I roll it back to you. I can't take credit though. The person responsible for teaching you to throw the ball is Grandpa. He showed you how to throw it to the dogs and how they would bring it back to you. A couple of tries and you were hooked!

When your hat falls and covers your eyes, instead of taking off the whole hat, you can just push it back out of your eyes.

On Sunday, Papa, you, Zed and I went to Mother's Beach in the Marina. It was a cool day, but still so much fun to be outside all together. We put you in a swing in the play area and Papa swung you so fast that your little cheeks were pushed back. I was a little worried, but you didn't seem to mind one bit. Beginning Monday, you have started bringing toys with you on walks, to your naps and when I carry you around. You just like to hold onto something. It is adorable to see this attachment of yours.

You are standing without holding onto anything now. You also have begun scratching walls. I cannot stand this sound. To me, it is the same as if you were scratching your fingernails against a chalkboard. I never stop you though, but it makes me shudder every time.

You have been pulling down the cover of your car seat when we travel in the car. I pull it up to shade your face from the shining sun and you pull it back down again. As long as you are comfortable, its fine by me!

Wake-up time for us has always been seven am, but lately you have been waking up at six. I am sleepy and so is Papa. You, however, are bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready for action. You pull my hair, crawl over Papa and play with you toys. I usually end up getting bonked in the face with them, but can catch a few extra zzz's while you play.

You let me know when you are done with bathtime. You will come to the edge and stand up for me to pick you up. You love bubbles and are fascinated with them! But I don't think you like the sound of the bathtub running. That is usually when you make a beeline for me.
I love you baby!

Week 43-February 9-February 15-We are creeping up to week 52, baby girl. It's so exciting! After spending almost two weeks at Grandma's and Grandpa's house, we are back home in Pico. It always takes us a few days to reacclimate into our routine. You have to get used to napping by yourself, especially since we were both sick, we were always sleeping together. We are also both stir crazy from being couped up for the past several days. We need to have some playdates, but are waiting until the last of the sniffles subside. When I am in the kitchen cooking, you always come in now to keep me company. Your hair is growing so beautifully and is a silky golden blonde. I love you honey!

Week 42-February 2-February 8th-Hi Angel Girl! I am way behind in my entries. Life has been busy! Delfina babysat you when Papa and I went out bowling for his birthday. You like her and she loves you. She calls you princessa! So far, she is the only one I am comfortable leaving you with. You bumped your little head one day and started to cry a little. I looked at you, made sure you were fine and told you so. So you stopped crying and just rubbed your head a little and went on playing. So sweet. It was the first time you touched a spot that hurt. Your motor skills are developing rapidly.

Now you enjoy opening and closing our laptops and cabinets. Whole new worlds are waiting to be discovered by you. You also love crawling into small spaces like underneath chairs, into boxes and cabinets. You are getting pretty good at it too, you duck your head so it doesn't get bumped.

One day we were driving around with my mom and she said that you are really well adjusted and whatever it is that Papa and I are doing, we are doing it right with you. This is a high complement coming from her and made us both feel special.

On the 7th, I became really ill. It turned out to be a combination of the flu and strep throat. I always wondered who took care of a baby when the mama gets sick. It turns out the mama still takes care of the baby. I was pretty out of it. I couldn't eat because my tonsils were so swollen so I lost about 8 pounds, plus you are still nursing, so I felt pretty weak. I felt badly that I didn't really have energy to play with you or read or sing either. Papa paid a lot of attention to you when he came home from work as did Yaeli when she came over to visit. So did, of course, Grandma and Grandpa. Luckily for me, you are very understanding and patient. We were staying at my folks house to help take care of my mom while she was recovering from her double mastectomy, but I was fairly useless due to being so sick myself.

Alright baby, I am signing off. I love you! You are our entire world!