Growing up already

It's been a long week but Passover will finally be over Tuesday evening, and we are looking very forward to having a meal that does not revolve around matza. This year though, it honestly didn't feel as rough as previous years felt, and I tried to cook things for dinners, and pack meals for lunches, that made us feel as though we weren't eating "Passover food."

Every day Sami's habits change. Her newest thing is having an ounce of formula, then suddenly not wanting any more, and then wanting another ounce a half hour later. This goes on throughout the day and evening, and I'm starting to feel like I'm not doing much aside from feeding her. I don't mind feeding her and holding her all day and night (in fact, I'll admit that I love it) but I have work to do and some days it's very challenging. I'm taking over the business magazine next week, and have finally received the first three chapters from the author whose book I am editing, so I do have a lot to do. If things become too difficult and if I'm making enough money to warrant it, we are considering trying to find a college student to come over here and there for a few hours at a time during the day to watch Sami while I am home working. I wouldn't be leaving her alone with the "mother's helper," as I would just be in another room in the house working, so I think I'd feel comfortable with it. Anyway, it's just an idea and it's not happening yet. It's just an idea we have talked about a couple of times.

Most nights Sami is sleeping through the night, but she still has some nights where she doesn't sleep much through the night. I complain of being tired from my lack of sleep, but every smile from Sami makes it all worth it. She truly is our world. I already worry about what will happen when it's time for her to go school and how much I will miss her. I think my separation anxiety will be much worse than Sami's!

Sami's getting so big, and I've recently put away the clothes she has outgrown. I was looking at her preemie-size clothing the other day and it's hard to believe she was so small that even those were too big. It's hard to believe that our 12-pound little girl was that small. She is growing so quickly, and although I know that's a great thing, I have to admit that it makes me a little sad to see her grow so fast. Yes, I know she isn't even six months old yet, but I'm already having visions of her growing up and going away to college!

This past week, Sami started using a high chair! I've attached a photo. (I've also attached a couple of photos from the first night of Passover, including a photo of Sami with two of her cousins, Rachel and Sydney.) She gets excited when I put her in the high chair, because she knows it means she will be eating soon. She seems to really love eating, and eats cereal every morning, and a fruit and/or vegetable in the evening, with bottles in between of course.

In addition to working, Sami and I also have a few play dates this week. Sami loves seeing other children, especially babies, and cries after we say goodbye to them. But watching her laugh and smile when she sees the other babies is so amazing and warms my heart. While she still screams and cries a lot some days, she generally is a very happy baby, and it's very easy to get her to laugh and smile. And those laughs and smiles may just be the best things I've ever heard and seen in my life.