My back has been aching again and instead of complaining about it myself, I decided to start doing some exercises -- focusing on the back. I did a good 10 - 15 minutes this morning. Hopefully this will be the small step I need to start getting more exercise in general. I could really do with starting up stretching again. I know I totally let myself go after the 4 month of pregnancy in that department -- though I did walk ALOT. Still, that isn't stretching.

I was feeling guilty this morning about Morella. Sometimes during the day, I feel like my main goal is to get her to sleep. Then as soon as she is asleep longer than an hour, I wonder if she is sleeping TOO much! Sigh. I mean, it's not like she sleeps the whole day, and you are are supposed to let a sleeping baby sleep -- and she could still be working on some of those immunizations (yesterday she sleep almost all day!). She was up for two hours before crashing and at the end of the two hours she was crying pretty hard. I thought about giving her more tylenol, but then decided the swing would be better and she probably needed a nap. True to form shes been sleeping now for two hours.

How long do babies nap? She seems to nap in the morning at around 10 or 11 for twoish hours, and then later on will nap around 3-4 for a couple of hours and then is up for the evening and then goes to bed at 10. Sometimes she is so tired she'll crash around 9, but since she still has to take her medicine at 9.45 we let her hang. Mostly though she's still up and at 'em at 10 and has to go bed by 10.30 whether she likes it or not.

Yesterday I got so much done! I showered, got dressed, did laundry, washed dishes, made dinner and made a mobile. Well I didn't make the mobile, but I did put clip on butterflies and flowers for Morella to look at in her bedroom, right above the diaper station. She LOVES it. Inspired, today I did make my own mobile -- flowers -- for the living room. I'll take a picture. Now I need one more mobile for the bedroom for above her co-sleeper. We are thinking of transitioning her out of the bouncinette to the co sleeper (in two weeks)-- and I will need something for her to look at night while she goes to sleep.

Another big development this past week, is that she is really interested in stuffed animals now. I have two right next to her diaper station -- Eyeore and Lampchop (who she prefers) and she smiles and flirts with them! In the living room she gets to play and talk to Cheery Carebear and Honeybee Busy doll. I don't have any toys for the bedroom because she should be sleeping when she is in there. :P No wait, I do have a book -- a peek and boo book. You know, I always had thought that stuffed animals were kind of lame and a waste of space. But then I have to think back -- and by that I mean look back at pictures -- of when I was little and I did have a few dolls and stuffed animals that I loved. Namely the doll that my Mom made me in which the thumb would stick in the mouth -- and Dumbo. Anyway, apparently babies like to socialize with stuffed animals and dolls. I didn't know that, and honestly wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself!

She hasn't been that chatty the past few days, I think that's because she just wasn't feeling that hot, which I can totally understand. Oh man was she mad when I made her do tummy time this morning. Is there anything more heart twinging than tears?! Geez.

It was a good thing that I got dressed yesterday because Laima called met at 5.30 and said she had an extra ticket to the Birdhouse Factory performance at the Overture Center! Of course, I said I would go -- I've never been to the Overture Center for a show and it was free! It was an acrobatic sort of Cirque de Soliel show with "factory" as the theme. I think my favorite part was the trampoline act although the contortionist did make me say outloud 'What?!" when she suspended herself using only her teeth. Before the show I had a few extra minutes because Tim and Morella drove me. It has snowed and Tim said I wasn't skilled enough of a driver to handle that snow. I think he was right, because our tires are sort of sad (bald?) and not handling the snow well at all. At one point in the drive, we were going down this hill by the Capitol and all the cars stopped and we started to fishtail and Tim used the emergency brake!!!! Now that was skill. I was utterly impressed with his driving finesse. (shh, don't tell him otherwise it will go to his big head).

After being dropped off safely, I went to Paul's club for a drink. I only had 10 minutes before meeting Laima (who was eventually late, so I could have taken my time), I decided to get a hard alcoholic mix drink instead of my beer standby. I got a cranberry vodka. When I ordered the the drink I had said, in a very questioning sort of way "Vodka cranberry?" and she said sure, then stopped and asked me for my ID. Woo! Still getting ID'd at my age. :P

I had my one drink, and on an empty stomach proceeded to get very tipsy for the next hour! Dang. I paid for it later on though because drinking any alcohol makes me super tired by bedtime, and when you are trying to get a baby to go to sleep -- it just isn't worth it.

What else, oh I got my last tax form in the mail today so I can finally do taxes!! I can't wait to get a new couch and stove. This couch, I feel like, has gotten WAY worse the past couple of months. Maybe that is because I spend so much more time on it. In fact, I would do it today if weren't for the fact that the office desk is a sty and I need space to work and spread out. Plus, the baby has started to chirp herself awake. I got a mix cd in the mail today from my friend Heather and I can't wait to listen to it.

This week as been an awesome mail week. I got a tye dye dress/bag/shirt type thing for Morella and ... get this -- Tim and I both laughed and appreciated the great humor in it -- a Lil' Edgar action figure. We LOVE it. Thank you Laura! You rock and it's the cleverest Morella present yet. We also got a dress jumper with embroidered butterflies on it for the baby from my Aussie friend in Houston, I got a lovely handmade card with fluff and a princes photo album from Sarah, a bottle of fancy schmancy body wash and bar of decadent

[LOL baby snorted herself awake! Oh my god that is so funny]

chocolate from Kate and Eric, and a card from my Mom and great wonder woman print and news from Callie. I am determined to redouble my efforts to start getting some mail sent out from this address. You know more exporting (though I love the imports - it makes winter less dull and really brightens up the days). Thank you friends! I am so lucky to know such awesome people.

Oh, now Morella is eating her fist, time to rescue her! Or at least offer her some salt or pepper to go with that fist. ;)