23 Weeks Old!

Time is flying and I'm sure it will go by even quicker now that the Holidays are here! I absolutely adore Hannah at this age. She is a smiling sweetheart and I can't get enough of her! We play, laugh, read, and sing. Last week we went to the library for a kid's program. I got some great ideas for songs to sing with her and she got the book "Moo, Baa, La La La." The librarian read us Who Says Woof and I'm going to get a copy for Hannah as a Christmas gift. The book has beautiful illustrations and it will be a nice theme for Christmas this year since my husband is getting his puppy.

I'm nervous and excited for this addition to our family. I've never had a puppy before, and I have no doubt that it will be a ton of work. Plus, I really want him to be a good, neighborhood walker so that will take time for training. It seems crazy to get a dog with a 6 month old in the house, but we desperately miss our loveable Brutus that passed away last spring and my husband needs another male in the house to balance things out. Hopefully Baja (that's the new puppy) and Hannah will be playful pals. I have a feeling adorable photos are in store...

Last week, Hannah amazed me with her wonderful temperament. It was easy to take her out on fun trips and have friends over. She even spent some time at the campfire with us, which is her Dad's favorite pastime. She's polishing off her solid meals so quickly and with such enthusiasm that I'm adding a second meal into the mix. At some points she'll try to grab the spoon from me, and I'm constantly working around her hands to get food into her mouth. I guess it's only a matter of time before we start some finger foods. Meal time sure is getting more messy now that she is becoming an active participant! It's obvious that she is growing more interested in other foods and drinks, too.

As much as I love and enjoy all the new activities Hannah can do now, my favorite time is holding her while she falls asleep. Her cherubic cheeks make me melt and the little twitches on her face are so entertaining. She often smiles and moves her mouth like she is nursing. I suppose she is dreaming about milk and that makes all the hard work of breastfeeding worth every minute.