Week 8: Farts & Faith

Lexi,

This week you really made the transition from being a "newborn" to being a full-fledged baby. Gone are the days where all you do is eat, sleep, and poop; now, you're awake and busy, interested in what's going on around you, constantly observing... and sucking on your fists. Needless to say, your busy-ness has made it a little more difficult to get things done around the house. When I put you in your swing and leave the room, you're okay for a few minutes, but once you realize that I'm gone, you start squealing and if I don't come back in time, that squeal turns into a cry. Your carseat doesn't put you to sleep very well anymore, either - you're just too interested in the world around you!

Daddy and I took you for your first golf game this week. It was Tuesday evening, and you decided that you were going to have a hungry night, so I only managed to golf every second hole. That's okay though; between you and me, I'm not a very good golfer, so the fewer holes I have to golf, the better. Don't tell Daddy, though. You loved the fresh air and the bumpy ride on the golf cart.

Your two-month doctor's appointment was this week. You now weigh 11.3 lbs - that's almost a full four pounds growth since you were born. The doctor marveled at how much weight you'd gained since your one-month checkup. The crazy thing is that your one-month checkup actually occurred at 6 weeks - so in two weeks, you gained an entire pound. Sometimes I wonder how you're gaining so much weight because you throw up at least every second day. Always at the most inopportune times, too - like last night, when you were nursing, and you threw up all over me. I'd just had a shower and changed into fresh clothes. You like throwing up on clean clothes! Thankfully, throwing up doesn't seem to bother you very much, and it did release a crazy gas bubble that had been bothering you for a few hours. You fussy girl, you.

Speaking of gas, the other night I was nursing you on our front steps, and our cat, Trixie, began nuzzling against your bum. You promptly farted on her head. That ended the nuzzling pretty quickly. With all that gas, you're definitely your father's daughter.

Something very special and beautiful happened this week: you were baptised. Your baptism was celebrated at Tide Lake, the same church where Daddy and I were married nearly two years ago. Your father and I were worried that you were going to fuss through the entire Mass because you'd been very fussy the previous few evenings. While you were a little bit fussy, something magical happened when we took you up to the baptismal font. You fell asleep in Daddy's arms, and a huge smile spread across your face. I truly felt like you were being calmed by the Holy Spirit as you were welcomed into the Catholic faith. You didn't even cry when the water hit your head. You were a perfect angel and it was difficult to hold back the tears. Lexi, my own faith journey has been a difficult one, and while my parents encouraged me to believe in God and to go to church, it wasn't until I was well into my twenties that I began really seeking and found Jesus. I pray that your faith is cemented in you as a child, and that your journey is easier than mine was - although I recognize how things needed to happen the way that they did in my life in order for me to ask Jesus to take the wheel. I know that He has a perfect plan for you, so I trust that no matter how your faith develops, it will be part of that plan.

Love,

Mama