Big girls

A quick story about right now. Jeff is upstairs napping with Maren. She won’t nap alone, so Jeff is with her.  I am downstairs wearing nothing but Jeff’s rain pants and my raincoat, with Linden sleeping in my arms.

Why? Because Linden was having a crying fit that started in the middle of a diaper change, right below the room where Maren was trying to fall asleep. I really wanted Maren to nap today because she has a bad cold and has been up coughing since 4:30am. So I picked up Linden, sans diaper, to try to calm her down, and she peed instantly, soaking my shirt, bra, and pants. Rain gear was the most appropriate replacement clothing I could find downstairs. Linden proceeded to keep screaming, unfortunately, but it seems Maren must have fallen asleep, because she and Jeff are still upstairs. And Linden did finally stop screaming and fall asleep. Parenthood.

I bought Maren a knife set. They are some kind of plastic, so not sharp or dangerous, but designed so that with a little work they will cut a variety of foods. Maren tends to have some issues around being told to eat (she would rather starve than be told what to do), and has since she was an infant. Any perception that someone is taking away her choice or control is more salient than hunger. The hope is that she will be more interested in food if she is involved in preparing it. So far so good:

Maren also insisted on putting in her own hair clips yesterday. 

Meanwhile, Linden is eating well and growing rapidly. She is 78th percentile for weight, and 98th for both length and head circumference. She cries a lot more than Maren did at this age, and we have had some concerns about her comfort while nursing, maybe reflux or problems related to her laryngomalacia. But we are definitely not worried about whether she is eating well and growing well.

Crying in her new sunglasses:

Maren and Linden are similar in some ways, but are definitely two different people!