Stella's 2nd Month

Steve had only been gone a few days, but Stella and I were getting used to being on our own.  Steve and I had quite a duet going on with all things Stella, so it took some adjusting for me to fly solo.  As much as I loved having Stella sleeping in her pack 'n play or bassinet in my room, I decided that maybe she was ready to be in her crib.  I thought it best that we give her a try during one of her daytime naps, and it actually was a huge success.

Stella's 1st time sleeping in her crib

She had survived a nap, but could she actually sleep through the night in there?  More accurately, could her mom survive being away from her through the night :).  Even though her nursery is only next door to my room, I thought it best that I stayed the night with her.  So, I made a makeshift bed on the floor next to her crib.  This definitely was not the most comfortable of endeavors, but it was very comforting.  If Stella made a peep, all I had to do was lift my head and I could see what she was doing.  So, Stella and I were enjoying our new sleeping arrangements, but little did I know that we would have a guest joining us.

My other daughter (the furry one) Gwen was due to have her shots at this same time.  While we were there, I wanted the vet to check out an odd lump that I had found on Gwen's shoulder.  The vet was concerned about the lump because she thought it might be something more, so she scheduled Gwen in for a removal and biopsy.  Once surgery had been completed, I now had another baby on my hands.  Gwen had always been the number one dog in the house before Stella came, so now she was happy to take her place back at the top with her sister!  Besides some serious pampering, I also had to keep a strict eye on Gwen because she had taken to eating through her t-shirt and bandages.  By about her second or third t-shirt torn to shreds, I decided Gwen needed a nightwatchman.  So, now Stella and I had a new roomie at night.  

Gwen "sharing" the bed on the floor with me.

T-shirt #3, I think!

Around time of Gwen's visit to the doctor, I also had mine.  I was cleared by my OB/GYN for all activity, so I could finally run!  We were having an unseasonably warm and dry winter here in Reno, so it was the perfect time for me to get back into running.  Unfortunately for my former running buddy, this meant that Gwen now had to watch me leave for my daily time outdoors without her.  But, after ripping stitches and staples, I was not going to take any chances.  The good news was that Gwen's biopsy came back clear, so my long-time faithful companion was not in any danger.  Needless to say, she still shared my tiny floor bed :).

I should probably mention that the common theme in my life at this time was, "Why I LOVE My iPhone!"  As I mentioned before, Steve had convinced me to buy an iPhone before he went back to Albuquerque.  I wasn't too sure that I needed such a powerful and complicated phone, but this phone quickly became an extension of my body!  It was my entertainment while I fed Stella, it kept all my data on Stella's activity in an app, and most importantly, it helped Steve stay connected to us.  I would take pictures and video of Stella every chance I got and sent them to Steve, and we would end each day with a FaceTime chat on the change table.

Now as any parent knows, trying to capture all the new and adorable things your child is doing is quite the maddening experience.  Your child is doing something amazing, something new, and where is your camera... downstairs!  You finally get the camera, and your child looks at you confused; the moment has passed.  This is also why my phone became an extension of my body because I was convinced that if I always had my phone with me I would never miss an opportunity.  Boy was I wrong!  It took almost a week to finally send Steve a picture of Stella when she started to smile.  In a moment of pure randomness, Stella rolled over, but of course, I was not filming her.  So, trying to keep Steve updated became quite the game. 

Stella's 1st smile caught on camera!

It had now been three weeks since Steve had been with us!  This meant that we were coming up on Christmas and his return.  Steve would be coming in Christmas Eve just in time to go out for our annual dinner, and he would be staying through our anniversary in January.  Here are a few photos of Steve's arrival and Christmas:

Waiting for Daddy

He's here!

Christmas Eve

Baby's 1st Christmas

In addition to a visit from Steve, Christmas also meant a visit from Auntie Mantha!  My sister, Samantha, had been on of Stella's biggest fans.  I would send her pictures and updates on Stella, and she would send me more gifts to spoil her with.  Sam has never been a huge baby person, but I think she liked buying all the adorable things that you can get a baby.  Sam also didn't have much of a desire to hold Stella or be on her own with her, but Sam took two huge leaps during this visit!  First, she offered to watch Stella so I could take a shower before Steve arrived.  I was blown away and grateful for the offer, and since Stella was sleeping, I didn't worry about it.  After about five minutes upstairs, I heard a panicky little voice ask me to come downstairs.  I had to laugh a little when I saw what all the fuss was about.  I forgot to tell Sam that Stella had started moving more in her sleep, and this meant that her hat sometimes moved with her.  Sam found Stella in a position that I had become accustomed to, but it scared her half to death.  Here is what she found:

The second big move for Sam was actually considering holding Stella.  After starting off the night with some great food and a few drinks, Sam was kind of eying Stella.  I don't know what exactly came over her, but she took Stella in her arms when Steve passed her.  I was so shocked I made sure we got a picture.

All in all, I think that Auntie Mantha found a whole new love for her little niece during this trip.  She's not planning a family anytime soon, but I think her "little buddy" is growing on her.  I know the two will get along famously, and I'm already waiting for the day when Stella tells me that she wants to go live with her cool Auntie Mantha in LA.  Anyway, here are a few more pictures of them together:

Christmas and the holiday season were a blur, and I don't think Stella will remember much of the events because she slept through most of them!  Our little lady was spoiled by people near and far, and her nursery was now stocked with hats and shoes.  I think that was the theme of the year because she literally had a drawer full of both hats and shoes after the holiday.  A few days after Christmas was her 2nd month birthday, so here is Miss Stella at two months old:

December 28, 2011