Milestones

We fed The Fussa rice cereal for the first time last night - her first solid food (except unintentional ingesting of cat hair, blanket fuzz, etc., no doubt lots already). Much diluted with milk. She loved it! Ate off the spoon like a pro, and would have eaten more than I gave her. I wanted to wait until she was closer to 6 mos. for solids (not that this was very solid!) but she has been so hungry lately it seemed worth trying. Also, she has been watching us intently - jealously I think - as we eat, and salivating at the sight. So now she is satisfied and has a new game. It didn't help much if at all with the night waking/incessant feasting, which continued last night, but maybe the effect will kick in over the course of the week. Here's hoping, because the weekend was a very tired one; I could crash after the effort of keeping it together all week. Saturday is "fun day" and I was too tired to think of anything fun to do.

Other recent progress notes:
She turned over back-front on Dec. 24. Rather comical, with her arm pinned under her and looking like an upended turtle. Hasn't gone that way since. Did front-back Dec. 28, and does that every day now. Started out looking startled when it happened - rolled into a pile of books and cried in surprise once - but I think she did it on purpose yesterday.

Still likes baths but has yet to discover that they can be great fun. I try to encourage her to splash a bit, but she still just sits and looks (and, presumably, feels). Still loves to be naked or diaperless, and loves the changing table generally. Kicks madly.

Will giggle when you gnaw on her tummy like a growly monster. Mr. flea got her to do it into the phone for his mother.

Very talkative all day yesterday. Sounds like "blah blah blah."

Notices the cat, and watches her move across the room.

Likes to watch silly mother dance (to Pete Seeger, to segueways between pieces on NPR, to anything, really). Silly mother likes it too.