Olivia Layne - 15 Weeks

Laynie Bug,

You are 15 months old! I can’t believe how much you are growing. I could watch you smile and look at things and listen to you “talk” all day, every day! You celebrated your first Easter this week. Grandma and Granddad Smalberger came over and had a delicious meal with us. Guess what else you did…you rolled from your tummy to your back! I was watching you on your tummy thinking how strong you were and silently thanking Cheryl for practicing tummy time with you when all of a sudden you were on your back! It was so cool J Good job! When Grandma and I went to lay you down on our bed for your nap you were absolutely adorable. You fell asleep in her arms, then as she was laying you down you opened your eyes three times and smiled and then closed them again and stayed asleep! You’ve also fallen asleep several times without crying and without your binkie. I would say sleepy time is one of the times you cry the most, you just fight it!, so that is an accomplishment, too. You seem to be a morning person. (we’ll see if that lasts into your teens!) You just babble and smile and talk to your mobile or me while we get ready for the day. I still dread leaving you at Cheryl’s every day. I miss you so much all day and cry pretty much any time I think about not getting to rock you or hold you when you’re sad or feed you. I’m so thankful that you are in a caring home and someone so kind gets to love you, though. You haven’t gotten back into the schedule we were working on at home during the days, with a nice long nap in the afternoon, but I think you’re getting more comfortable with the changes and seem to be sleeping more at Cheryl’s. Who knows, maybe you would have changed schedules whether you were at home or not anyway. I just want you to be happy! We are going to try to work on having you nap in your crib so you can get used to it. Right now you are still in your Rock ‘N Play for naps and bedtime, which makes it hard for Cheryl to put you in a crib at her house. You sleep in a swing when you are there, which is fine, but can’t last for too much longer. I’m sure it will take a while to adjust, but hopefully you’ll do great. You gave mama a scare yesterday. Cheryl called me at work to tell me you weren’t taking the bottle. You had gone 4.5 hours without eating and you usually eat every 2 hours. I was so worried! You eventually ate and then your 2^nd and 3^rd bottles that day were easier so I don’t know what was bothering you. Maybe you had a tummy ache or just weren’t hungry. I hope you’ll stay used to going back and forth from bottle to nursing from now on, poor girl! You love to stick your tongue out and touch things with it and you love to suck on your fists and fingers. It makes me laugh to listen to your loud sucking noises! You also started wearing your adorable cloth diapers this week. They seem to be working well with no complaints from you. One of them leaked through to your clothes, so I don’t know if it was too loose or just got way too wet, but I’m hoping we can figure it out so that doesn’t happen. They are so fluffy on you that many of your 3 month onesies don’t fit! I think maybe it’s partly because you are tall, too, but we’ll see if that’s true on the 27^th at your 4 month appointment. Many of your pants are too tight with those diapers, too. Oops! In the meantime I’m hoping the weather will warm up so you can wear some of your cute dresses or some of your 6 month shorts instead. You are so wonderful, Livi. I love you more than words could begin to explain and we’re so happy to be your Mama and Daddy.