Baby tooth alert!

It's breaking through. I felt it with my index finger this morning -- this little white sliver of enamel poking its way through her lower front gum.

I realize now that's probably what I felt yesterday when Aida clamped down to nurse and her grip made me yelp.

"Ouch!" I cried before she loosened and clamped down again. "Ouch!"

Her drooling has reached by-the-bucket proportions. And while I've resisted strapping a bib to her at all times until now, I might soon reconsider. Otherwise, her little chest is soaked and I guess she might develop a rash if I don't.

That's right: a drool rash. Thankfully, that's something we adults don't normally have to think about.

What's in: Yellow elephant bibs!

I imagine that if we did we'd be getting oodles of fashion advice for must-have bib designs.

This season, yellow's hot! And elephants are all the rage!

I guess this means Aida really is going to continue to grow. I keep asking her to stop, to just stay small enough for me to cuddle with and snack on.

She does not listen. She continues to discover new things every day: how to shake a rattle like a pro, the best way to gnaw on one's toes, how to cry when the big people remove a toy or a spoon or a blanket from one's grip.

Last week, she started raising her booty high in the air when she's on her belly and up on her arms. And she's grunting more. Like her best effort isn't enough for her. She's shooting higher.

We started Aida on rice cereal once a day a few weeks ago, but we were thinking of it as eating practice. With the advent of The First Tooth, perhaps we should starting taking this whole "eating solids" thing a little more seriously.

Can you spell indoctrinate?

Aida in hand-me-downs

Aida age 5 months 2 days, April 14, 2011 

I took this Thursday, after going through a bag of hand-me-downs from my friend Joni. All Joni asked in return for her kindness was to see a picture of Aida in an outfit or two. I think this is my new favorite Aida photo.

Blanket Addiction: The dark side of the crib

Swaddled Aida, 1 1/2 months old, just after Christmas.

We started swaddling Aida from the start.

Like millions of newly expectant American parents these days, we were turned on to The Happiest Baby on the Block by more than one of our experienced mom-friends.

The advice came something like this: "If you haven't already read the book or seen the video, you MUST. Your life will be so much better." Or, "I wish I'd read it before Junior was born."

So, Steve and I watched the video (given to us by two different couples). And whenever Dr. Harvey Karp wrapped up that insane, relentlessly screaming baby and turned it on its side for a little swaying, we looked at each other with astonishment.

Happy birthday tricks

Aida turned five months old today. And what did she do to celebrate?

She rolled over!

Yep. She's a big girl now. Next thing you know, she'll be taking Daddy's Corvette out for a spin without his permission.

Milk run

I had to run home for lunch today. Not mine. Hers.

With Aida's recent growth spurt, I'm still having a hard time keeping enough extra breast milk in stock to keep her fed when I'm away. So, the last week of work days, I've had to dash home to re-up her supply, then dash back.

Anyway. That's not why I'm writing. I'm writing because when I got home for the milk run, I peeked in on Aida and my mom in the nursery, where mom was preparing to put her down for a nap. When Aida and I made eye contact, boy oh boy, the girl started yucking it up like I was a friggin comedienne, laughing her laugh and smiling her smile and blurting out unrecognizable exclamations of crazy joy.

All that noise from little ole her for little ole me. And to think I thought I was living before she came along...

Life with Steve

My husband never held a newborn before he held his own.

I remember looking across the delivery room and seeing him hunched over in a chair pulled to the middle of the room, Aida snuggled in his arms, her staring up at him, him staring down.

It seemed like that moment lasted forever.

In the days and weeks after Aida was born, I found myself telling Steve more times than I'm proud that he better not ever leave us. They say it's biological instinct, this sudden insecurity that bubbles up in a mother bear after the baby bear is born. Steve took it in stride, continually reassuring me in his matter-of-fact way that he wasn't going anywhere. Then, he spent the next two months in round-the-clock service to Aida and me.

Aida meets Winnie the Pooh

Aunt Lynnie and Uncle Bruce drove all the way from Atlanta this weekend to meet our little Aida. It was a blast. Lynnie brought all kinds of wonderful things for Aida to play with and wear. But, in the humble opinion of this writer, the greatest gift was Pooh. Aida seemed to like him, too.