After a crazy (but rewarding) week at work, launching our new website (a 17 month project with Alaire’s birth delaying things) and a proposal due to FedEx by 5pm, then finally seeing my boss for a few moments at 5:30, I was late to daycare for the first time.  I sprinted the short two blocks, and upon arrival, I found Alaire in the “late train,” where the last few kids go who’s parents are running behind schedule so teachers can clean up the classrooms.  I think she was rather enjoying her ride on the late train!  At least her happy smile decreased the rating on my guilt-meter.

The “Infant 2” room at daycare, where Alaire spends late afternoons with Miss Meggie (after Miss Andrea leaves) has a huge window that looks onto 5th avenue, one of the busier financial districts streets in downtown.  Positively, the sweet little kindercare babes zap the grumpy, stressed-out bankers, lawyers, and accountants into happy-land as they pass by.  On Thursday, my little baby enjoyed tummy-time at the window.  I tapped, curious to see if she would recognize her ridiculous mommy, waving, clapping and jumping frantically outside the window.  Turns out she did!  And rewarded me with a big happy Alaire smile!

Well, what a mistake assuming the baby bath without the infant hammock means fewer splashes aimed at Dad.  Quite the opposite actually.  Boy, do we love bath time.

Alaire introduced a new concept at daycare called Track Suit Day.  Any time she sports a track suit, all the teachers say, “It’s Track Suit Day!”  Her friend Wattson even joins in (we shared the adidas hookup with Wattson’s Mom and Dad, now Dad and son have matching blue track suits).

Today I left “Sporty Spice” (Miss Andrea’s term of endearment for Alaire today) in the ball pit.  While it looks like she is simply interested in chewing on the balls, she actually kicked them like a pro!  A good thing because her Dad already told her she is going to play soccer in school.
   

Yesterday as I walked into the lobby of daycare I saw Sarah, the Asst Center Director laughing in the infant room.  I thought uh-ho, this should be good!  I found Alaire playing on the floor with her afternoon teacher, Ms. Meggie.  Alaire won the Happy Hat!  WELL!  Her name only means Cheerful.  Apparently, many families have adopted the concept of the Happy Hat.  The Vails might too!  But, how can we possibly find a hat as happy as this?

This is Alaire’s very first art project!  YAYYYYYYY! Who says 5 month old babies can’t finger paint?  I cracked up today when my new friend Melissa, mom of Alaire’s boyfriend Wattson, looked at her son’s painting and said, Oh Wattson!  Your painting looks angry!  What can we say?  We’re already disturbing our children!  I’m pretty sure Alaire will hate me for the Poo Chronicles!  I’ll have to amend this post tomorrow with a photo of Wattson’s painting.  I think Alaire is already showing the crafty talents of both her Grandmas and her Aunt Larisa!

We cherish the moments with Grandma & Grandpa…

And, Uncle Zach thinks I’m ready to walk!

Alaire is 5 months today.  Three weeks into daycare and of course her mellow personality and easy smiles make her everyone’s favorite (I’m sure all the moms say that, but for us it’s true!).  Each day, Miss Andrea tells me, she’s such a doll!  This month, we battled our first real sick germs including a bad head cold and the dreaded ear infection, but we chalk it up to the fact that we will build important immunities.  Alaire now rolls back to front with ease, front to back is still a bit hard.  Last Wednesday we ceased with the swaddling because she broke my swaddles (an impossible task up until now), now she sleeps snuggled up in sleep sacks.  Without the restriction of the swaddle, she wakes up a few times a night to chit-chat, but we know she will get comfortable with her new found freedom and resume her 12 hour sleeps.  We do find her in all kinds of strange positions in her crib.  My favorite so far was finding her feet poking out of the crib rails, using the night- stand as a foot rest.  I love this 5 month stage of giggles, babbling, snuggling (my girl loves to snuggle when you hold her close) and seeing the joy and recognition in her eyes when she sees her mommy and daddy.