Squeals...

Miss Luci has learned to squeal! The last month or so she spent most of her days moaning...quite loudly and with a pretty gruff, deep pitch for such a little girl. She didn't seem unhappy during the moaning, but it gave me mommy anxiety because it just isn't possible to sound happy during a moan. Thankfully, over the last couple of days she has developed quite a squeal of delight and spends much of her day going from a high pitched squeal to a low crackle/gurgle almost, and then back to the high pitched squeal. She was making so much delightful racket this morning when I put her down for a nap that I decided I MUST buy a camcorder soon so that I can record such moments.

She also LOVES to look at herself in the mirror. After every nap we visit our reflections...she smiles & flirts with herself, and then bashfully buries her head in our chests....and then does it all over again! She is SUCH a funny girl!

We've been blessed with lots of visitors lately...our friends Liz, Jen & Paul came to visit last weekend. Luci was pretty well behaved...she saved all of her typical sleepy time antics for Monday night after everyone (including her Pop Pop) had gone. Jen & Paul got to attend Miss Clara's 2nd birthday party with us and meet lots of our Texas friends. Liz came in just for a night before meeting up with her family downtown on Friday. Sadly it was not quite enough time for Luci to feel snuggly with her...but I promise no babies were harmed in the taking of this photo. Liz was very capable of soothing our Luci, just not at the exact moment I snapped the photo!

Aunt Baylee arrives on Sunday for Thanksgiving & we can't wait to see her!! I'm very excited about trying out some new Rachael Ray recipes...and a Pumpkin Gooey Cake recipe by Paula Deen!

In other news, Amanda and I are starting Bikram Yoga next week. It involves 26 postures in a heated room for 90 minutes. I practiced this type of yoga when I lived in DC for just a few months, but really enjoyed it. I've noticed a build up in my aggression level lately, and since I no longer have work* to use as a release (my nickname in a previous life was 'battleaxe') I need to figure out what to do with that energy. I have an almost endless patience with Miss Luci, but I find myself losing my cool at the most random times...like at the Marshall's fitting room clerk when she insists on touching the hanger of each item while she counts it, or at Clay when I chomp on a bite of shell in my eggs that he so kindly prepared for me. I've been doing lots of walking, but it just isn't enough I guess. So...I have convinced myself that this will cure all that ails me, both mentally and physically...and that somehow this mind/body alone time will make me a happier individual, wife & mommy. If only it were that easy, right? We shall see...

*I have finally sorted out my work situation...I'll be returning to 5/3rd Bank, working from home an average of 10 hours a week starting in December. I'll be working on special projects that I can do independently at any time of the day or week, and even change the amount of time I spend from one week to another. It is such a great & flexible opportunity that I just have to give it a try. We'll see how it goes!