I’m not sure how cogent this post will be, because I got up at 5:45 a.m. and, unlike the past three months, have not had any pockets of time in which to doze (as I used to get when holding Claire).

This morning when Claire woke I gave her a big bottle and played with her for nearly two hours, until she could barely stay awake. Then I rocked her for ten minutes and she fell asleep. As soon as I laid her down, she woke and started to cry. However, they weren’t the shocked You’re changing everything you can’t do that don’t you love me anymore? sobs of indignation. This time it was a protest, kind of a whiney cry, and she did this for only 20 minutes before dropping into a deep sleep for and hour and 20 minutes. During that time I took a long hot shower (luxury!) and called my mother to gab a half hour.

When she woke, Claire was hungry. So I offered her rice cereal and applesauce (trying some spoonfuls mixed and some separately). I managed to give her one tablespoon of cereal and probably almost equal of applesauce, after which she also drank 4 ounces of milk.

We ran errands as a family (tell me, does anyone else hate humanity whenever they enter a Costco?) and once we returned home, she was ready for lunch and another nap. I rocked her again and put her down awake. She cried meagerly for only five minutes. She slept for 50 minutes. Later in the afternoon she had one more 20 minute catnap, and she was in bed and asleep by 7:15.

She also enjoyed sharing another apple with me, and at dinner she ate a few spoons of applesauce as well.

How do ya like them apples?

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Two other notes. When Aunt LP was here, we took many walks at Central Park. One afternoon we heard the keening sound of bagpipes. I love me some bagpipes. We located the source, a young man (teenager?) practicing by the duck pond. I took Claire out of the stroller, and she listened with interest. When he paused we asked how long he’d been playing, and he said six months. He was really good for having just begun. So Claire got her first exposure to live music from another culture.

Also, she and I went to the Santa Clara farmer’s market for the first time today. While there, we met a man with a Saint Bernard. I’d forgotten how huge those dogs are. She was friendly, and while I patted her, the dog sniffed Claire and Claire smiled. What’s funny about this is that I asked the owner the dog’s name, and the answer was Claire. So Claire and Claire met. I didn’t have my camera but perhaps someday we’ll all meet up again at the market and I’ll take a snap.

Instead of a photo of Claire and Claire, here’s a photo of Claire wearing silly hair. It’s a privilege of parenthood.

Tomorrow we’ll have our friends over for dinner. I’ve made shortcakes and Husband cut up strawberries for strawberry shortcake as dessert. We’ll be grilling steak and veggies too. But right now I need to get horizontal and unconscious or I’ll be good for nothing tomorrow.