8 months

So, as you might be able to tell from previous posts, I'm totally besotted with Aggie.  She's just awesome.

We survived her first ear infection, which wasn't too bad, probably 'cause it was just a minor one.  She and I spent several days on the couch, just laying there.  It was kind of nice, in a way, because she just wanted to be held.  Minus the fever and crankiness, it was a great week.

She's got two teeth coming in on top, which explains last weekend's fussiness, which unfortunately coincided with me getting a cold.  Poor Papa - two sick, unhappy girls at once.  Don't feel too bad for him, though - he was handsomely rewarded with a new BBQ/smoker.

I started back to work this week and was surprised to find how much I missed Aggie.  I miss being able to enjoy the mornings before Papa whisked her off to daycare and being able to pick her up early and go to the park.  Last night I got home and she was already in bed - I hate that.  My chest hurts when I don't get to hold her.  It is nice to watch her sleep, though, esp. when it's not the middle of the night and I have time, not trying to rush back to sleep.

Dancing!  I almost forgot the dancing!  She likes to spontaneously dance to music in her head or music playing.  It's more jerky spasming and the waving of hands, but it's so cute and she gets the biggest grin on her face.

We (ok, just me really) are still anxiously awaiting the arrival of warm temperatures so we can make our first trip to the pool!  We have the swimsuit and summer membership fee (thanks to my mom), sun hat and sunscreen - all we need is for it to warm-up!  And we (ok, just me again) need it to warm up so Aggie can wear the adorable anchor print shorts I bought her - too much longer and she'll have outgrown them without actually wearing them.  Hop to it, summer!

No crawling yet.  We keep hearing that at daycare she's crawling a little.  Part of me is a little jealous of this - I want to see her crawl too!  The other, bigger part of me is content with her being immobile for now.  I can tell that's a whole can of worms that Papa and I are not ready for (Bella and Hugo either).

Speaking of Hugo, he has become and indoor/outdoor cat.  He kept trying to sneak outside, so we got him a collar, which freaked him the heck out.  Once he got used to it, we let him out.  That was so hard for me.  I kept envisioning him running away and never coming back or being hit by a car or being eaten by a cougar (not as far fetched a scenario as you might think) or taking up with a rough crowd.  But I also saw him discovering the millions of bugs outdoors (he LOVES bugs) and making friends and being happier.  So, I let him go, along with a little bit of my heart.  And, you know what?  He hasn't left the deck.  He's taking it nice and slow and is enormously happy for his expanded horizons.  And that's what parenting is all about, isn't it?  You let them go with a piece of your heart, trusting they'll do what's best for them and that they'll come back and tell you about their adventures and love you for it.  Too bad it can hurt so much and cause so much worry.  Joy and pain - the two sides of the parenting coin.

Pic of the month (thanks, Victoria!):