new behaviors, interesting smells, and American Grandma

"Her hands smell like feet!" --Mimi

Not content to be a thumb-sucker, Yuki has been experimenting with other fingers. Sometimes it's a thumb and forefinger. Sometimes her two middle fingers. Sometimes two fingers from each hand simultaneously. Occasionally, and much to my amusement, she will put her whole fist in her mouth. It can reach a slobber-factor of about 7, which is up there with Trixie at her most desperately hungry. So after getting a good layer of saliva on one or both hands, Yuki then balls them up into tiny little fists that no one can open. Today, with her spitty little fists, she slept for 3-1/2 hours (naps are back!). Upon waking, Mimi was moved to utter the line you read at the top. Had enough? Let's move on.

Please accept this photo of Ms. Cutiepants as an apology for the preceding paragraph.

Yes, Yuki is figuring out naps (or we are). After a magical two-hour nap a couple of weeks ago, her daytime sleeping reverted to fits and starts and usually only when I was holding her. But lately she has been sleeping through the night (and I am growing less frantic about checking her every 10 minutes) which we've read is a good time to introduce the concept of naps and so far she has taken to them like a pro. Long may this continue.

Here are Ms. Cutiepants and the Original Ms. Cutiepants in a photo I took with our new camera (a Nikon D40) which we love love love.

Oh, and she has developed some skill in holding things. That may sound like the lamest milestone ever but it was a pretty big deal for us. You can hold something in front of her and she'll grab it and hold onto it for a while. Sometimes she will put the thing in her mouth. All systems would appear to be "go".

Here's Ms. Cutienopants guarding her new best friend and being so sweet I'm not even going to write about what she did when we went to the grocery store tonight.

I don't know what it says about me that I decided to lead with the strange new odors my child is producing and not the fact that my parents are here and seeing their newest grandchild for the first time. Whatever it says, it can't be good. Anyway, my parents are here and seeing their newest grandchild for the first time.

First meeting and everybody seems pleased.

They are all getting along famously.

Gramps using his amazing powers of sitting still.

Grandma (and middle-namesake) in full "Baby Whisperer" mode

Tomorrow Mimi's parents arrive and "Grandmapalooza" will be in full swing. I trust we'll have an exciting and interesting week.

Oh, and the mural is finished. Thanks to Craig and Brian for making it so purty.