What's Up With Zoey: Week 9

We're nine weeks into life with Zoey and I've already forgotten what she was like just a few weeks ago. It seems like she's changing so fast now and I want to remember all the little things she's doing week to week. I thought I would try to do a weekly update with highlights of her activities and changes, kind of like I did to track my pregnancy. The topics may change as we go along but it will generally look something like this:

• Age: 9 weeks
• Weight: Not sure. Zoey has a doctor appointment next week so we will have an official number then. Let's just say she looks normal baby size now.
• Length: I'll measure her in the morning...
  
• Meals: 4-6 ounces at each feeding, about six to eight times a day.
  
• Bed time: 10:00pm
• Sleep: Great! She just started sleeping through the night this week. Mama is way stoked. She also takes about three naps a day.
  
• Clothing size: Some newborn outfits and mostly 0-3 month outfits.
• Favorite toys/activities: We do tummy time twice a day, and she always holds her head up really well and kicks around a lot. Zoey really likes her play gym and bats and kicks at all the dangling items - rattles, stuffed toys, and other noisy things. The bouncer is the favorite right now - it vibrates, plays music and has interesting lights and things to look at - lots of fun for a little one. Another "activity" she likes is to lay on her changing table and stare at the painting on the wall next to it. She really gets a kick out of it, I have no idea why, but it's so cute to watch her kick around and talk to the bird in the painting.
  
• Milestones: Zoey can roll from stomach to back now! She is also starting to smile with some regularity. I have only seen one smile, and today she smiled a lot at Rachel while I was at work (boo). She always seems so serious so I can't wait to see her little face light up more often! She can also grasp toys with her little hands.
  
• Sounds: She chats at us pretty regularly. It's the cutest thing you'll ever hear in your whole life, honest to god.

I started back at work last Thursday, and it's going much better than I thought it would. It's good for me to get out of the house regularly and have things to work on and interact with other adults (I love talking to Zoey but unfortunately she doesn't talk back yet). But I hate that I only have a few hours with Zoey each night, and she's been napping for part of that time lately so that makes our time together even shorter. Having to work makes me really appreciate the time that we do have together.

Zoey starts daycare on Monday. Not looking forward to it. I've been giving her pep talks every day, telling her she has to be brave when she goes to day care and to not cry too much. Maybe I'm giving myself a little pep talk at the same time, because I know this will be harder on me than it will be on her. Luckily she will only be in day care on Mondays and Tuesdays and Rachel will be watching her the rest of the week, but that first half of the week is going to kill me. I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually but it's going to be rough for a while. *sad face*