Okay, so it’s been a couple weeks since I last had coffee. I’ve had the ocassional chai tea, but nothing that’s superduper high in caffeine.

Needing to work some more, I decided to give it a shot to see if maybe I was only imagining the change in Maya since I cut coffee. I made a pot last night, and had a couple cups. I had about 1-1/2 this morning as well (and enjoyed it SO MUCH).

This was SO not worth it. Poor Maya has not had a real nap today. The longest stretch that she’s slept is 1/2 an hour! Here we are now, 9pm, and she’s still pretty wide awake. I feel like such a terrible mom, getting her so cranked up like this. She’s so entirely overtired, she’s fussy as can be, and I have no one to blame but MYSELF.

Maya’s actually napping in the crib! This didn’t last - she woke up within 2 minutes, and to date, she still sleeps in the infant seat, in the crib. It helps with the spitting up that she’s so prone to…

Maya and I take the stroller out for its introductory run. This overlook is roughly a mile down the road from my house — Garden of the Gods in the background, Pikes Peak in the distance. What a day!

What you can’t see from this is that I entirely overestimated how long Maya might be content in the stroller. Let’s just say I ended up holding a baby with one arm and pushing the stroller with the other. What the *&^% was I thinking to not bring a sling??? Ah, well. Live and learn. And learn. And learn…

“Welcome to the world, baby” shower. We finally had our baby shower on Maya’s 8-week birthday.

Maya lays contentedly on the lap of her new buddy, Rachel.

Maya and Rachel

Maya and the hostess with the mostest, Patty

Maya shows off her new swing, complete with mobile for her entertainment. Of course, the mobile would do much more good if she’d actually stay *awake* in the silly thing, but it seems to knock her right out.

All that playing was hard work!

Of course, when she’s sleeping on her tummy, I end up jumping up every two minutes to ensure she’s still alive…d’oh! But she sleeps like a ROCK that way, after falling asleep against my chest.

The games continue! Maya started the game today…smiling and cooing at Alli.

Nyah!

After sticking her tongue out each time, Maya grins like it’s the best trick in the world. I think it is, of course, but parents are supposed to think that about their kids, right?

Maya mimics mommy and sticks her tongue out, then laughs for the camera!

Smiley girl!

Toward the end of Monsters, Inc., Sullivan gives a demonstration scare to a class of trainees while Boo is off in the background watching. Sully gives a ROAR directed at the prop, and Boo just wails.

I had that moment today.

I have several photos of Maya and Clay together — it’s really easy to get one since he discovered that she’s the creator of all that good pukey baby-manna. But, until today, I didn’t have a photo with both Maya and Katie. As I made an angel food cake, Maya was hanging out in her bouncer seat and Katie was waiting for me to hopefully drop some goody on the floor. To get a pose with all three “kids” (Katie, Clay, Maya), I held a couple pieces of kibble to attract the pups’ attention. (Can you see where this is going?) It worked well for a while, and I even got a few photos — none great, but at least all were present and accounted for.

Maya enjoying her bouncy seat

All present and accounted for. L to R: Maya, Clay, Katie

At some point, I got the kibble in just the wrong place, and Clay leaned in…over Maya. Katie leaned in and ROARED at him. Poor Maya screamed. For a little girl who’s starting to look a little more olive-complectioned like me, she turned FUSCIA. *sigh* I cried. Then I nursed her for a bit, and she calmed down.

It seems that Katie must have scared the sh*t out of Maya. The cake had just a few minutes left, so I figured I could do a quick diaper duty.

The poop came out the front of the diaper. It came out the top of the back. It was on her shirt, her pants, her legs, her belly…everywhere. After a valiant effort to clean her with wipes, I realized that wipes weren’t going to cut it. She needed a bath. I don’t have a baby tub yet, so that means WE get a bath. Shortly after getting in the tub, I remembered the cake. Let’s just say it’s a smidge dry. At least its edible. Oh well, I needed a shower anyway.

Maya just woke from a nap, so I’d better scoot…

Waking from a nap and HUNGRY

Ah…better. Napped and fed. (note milk coming out of the mouth)