Baby, it's cold outside

Dear Maya,

Boy, did you pick a season to be born!  Well, I guess you didn't exactly choose your birthday, but anyway...

Since the week before you were born, we've had freezing rain, ice, slush, snow and even a 'snow hurricane' complete with drifts several feet high.  From your second to third week, it seems like your daddy spent half his time outside shoveling paths to our cars and up the hill to the landlady's chicken coop.  We've also become quite friendly with the man who plows the long driveway that leads up to three homes including ours.  He even sent you a teddy bear and a book to celebrate your birth!

With all of this inclement weather, we've been going a bit stir crazy.  Mommy took you down to see our previous landlords, then grandma, Stan and Aunt Bobbie on Saturday, but aside from that and a quick trip to the supermarket yesterday, we haven't set foot outside the house at all.  I know that most moms and newborns stay home a lot in the beginning, but it's starting to get ridiculous!  Now the weather report says that we have a 90% chance of snow from 8:00 tonight until 11:00 tomorrow night.  Ugh!

Though we've been experiencing a bit of cabin fever, you've been keeping us on our toes.  Monday you didn't nap at all, then barely slept Monday night, and no napping again Tuesday.  You were so cranky and mommy and daddy were worried about you so we reluctantly sterilized a couple of pacifiers to be ready for Tuesday night.  We didn't need them, though, as you not only got right back on your usual schedule, you even went above and beyond, sleeping for six hours straight!  Thank you so much for that!

Our next concern is a rash that appeared on your face a couple days ago.  When you get fussy and cry, the little pimples get even redder than they already are.  Between researching it on the internet and mommy talking with her doctor, it seems that it's a really common thing for babies your age.  It doesn't seem to be bothering you a bit, so we're just going to watch it and see what happens.  We still think the photos mommy took of you today are adorable, even with the little bumps on your cute, sweet face. 

You have changed in some positive ways this week, too.  A couple times you have tried to mimic your mommy when she was making kissy faces, sticking her tongue out or humming.  Also you have gotten much, much stronger and you are able to lift your head up for longer spans of time.  Sometimes you kick against the side of your bassinet or against our arms when we're holding you and you seem ready to break out and run around.  Today when mommy put you in a basket for photos, you almost crawled out several times.  Yikes!

You've also shown that you like music of all kinds, stopping your fussing to listen to everyone from Louis Armstrong to Vanilla Ice!  It's so funny and endearing to watch your face concentrate and light up as you listen and try to figure out where the music is coming from.  Sometimes you lounge on your Boppy pillow on mommy's lap as she bounces you to the beat, or sometimes we dance around the room together, but mommy loves loves loves that you are into music and that you seem to enjoy it when she sings to you.

Well, that's all for this week sweetie.  Love you!