She's 10 weeks old.  I can't believe how fast, and  yet how slow, the time has gone by.  I return to work in two weeks.  I know I'm not ready for it.  I try not to think about it, otherwise I breakdown into a gushing puddle of tears.  So I focus on Squeaks who is developing and amazing me every day.

We already talk.  She squeaks (hence the nickname) and coo's.  I talk or sing back to her.  She smiles.  I smile.

When upset she squeaks short bursts of "aah aah" with her mouth wide open, and in a frown.  Her forehead furrows and her eyes widen.  Her eyes say more than her cries.  "Why don't you make me all better now?!"  I apologize to her and spout off a series of questions to figure out what she needs.  For the most part I know what her cries mean, but when I can't figure it out as fast as either of us like I feel helpless, even inadaquate. 
 
I realized the other day that I've felt this inadaquacy before... when Kalina, my cat, "lectures" me!  Kalina, who talks a lot, thinks she rules the house.  In all honesty, she probably does!  It took her three weeks to forgive us for bringing Squeaks home.  (She either forgave us or is plotting some way to get rid of the Baby!)

A few days ago my husband, Squeaks, I and our dog, Suma went on a walk.  Suma is 13 years old, but is all puppy when we go on walks.  She loves the retractable leash because we let her have a little more freedom to run and zigzag around us.  I teased my husband about her leading him.  He said, "I've got all my girls right where I want them!" 

"Even the cat?" I asked.  He tried to convince me that even Kalina listens to him.  I just laughed.  That's when I realized when the cat follows me around yowling her displeasures I feel the same as I do when I Squeaks cries out.  Oy Vey!

Honestly she truly cries rarely.  Real crying was when she received her two-month vaccinations.  I fully support immunizations; I just hate the short-lived pain she feels.  The nurses were excellent with her.  Two of them at once, armed with needles and bandages, gave her five shots in her thighs in less than a minute. 

Daddy held her little arms while she got the shots.  Her face turned red and she screamed out!  It was a short burst of crying followed by rounds of squeaks and exclamations that said, "How dare you?  You're supposed to protect me, not  hand me over to nurses with needles!" 

I hyperventilated a little bit and cried right along with her.  I admit, it may have been worse on me than her.  Thankfully my husband took me for a treat after it was all over - haha!

Squeaks slept for most of the day after the shots.  When she was awake she was fussy and needed to be held and touched at all times.  The night was hard for her.  She woke up around 1:30 a.m. and wouldn't sleep unless she was in my arms.  So we dozed together in the rocker. 

Around 5 a.m. I realized how hot she had gotten.  Immediately I went for the thermometer.  My fear was confirmed when the fever alert red light and alarm went off.  It wasn't high enough to page the doctor, but was high enough for a dose of infant Tylenol. 

I'm very grateful for the information sheets the Doctor went over with us and gave us.  It was scary only because I imagined the worse, but the information assured me this was a normal reaction to the shots.  I also knew what to watch for to make sure she didn't start exhibiting signs that would send us to the pediatrician's office.  For more information I recommend you follow @ImmunizeCOKids.

She didn't get any worse and only needed the one dose of medicine.  We survived her first shots!  I'm already dreading her next round.

At 10-weeks she's right on track with growth and developments.
  • Sleeping for about six hours at night (thank you! Dear Lord!)
  • Talking
  • Smiling
  • Lifts head and shoulders when on her tummy
  • Focuses on and follows objects with her eyes
  • Holds head up for a short time
Daddy is sure she's advanced for her age and is so proud!  I'm sure I love her more and more every day.