We're Hoping the Perfect Sleeper Slogan Describes More than Just the Serta

Well, dance recital fever is in the air. Both Margaret and Patricia are participating in jazz and tap, and I'm in jazz, so the recital, which is held the second weekend in June, will be very busy for us. It's good exercise and a lot of fun, and the recital is a reward for the hard work all year. By the looks of it, Brigid will be a hula baby as well. When I have her with me during Margaret and Patricia's classes, she bounces and dances all over the waiting room. She loves to dance. This week is photo week in the dance studio, so the girls' jazz and tap classes will be taken up with individual and group photos and my jazz class will be the same way, but I doubt many of the women in my class will worry about individual photos. I had my photo taken with the girls in their jazz costume so it will be documented.

Speaking of documentation, I have to make sure I document all the words, or sounds of words, that Brigid has been making. I honestly believe she is saying words. We are just having a hard time figuring some of them out. But I think she's been saying "outside" and bye bye lately, especially since she knows what "outside" is now and really loves being there. She says Dah Dah and Mah Mah now for her parents; and she still says muh muh for "Boob," which she pats, sometimes frantically, when she wants some. She says "mmmmm" for food or when something tastes good. She says something that sounds like done when she is done. She also lifts her arms up to emphasize when she's done. That's if the throwing food on the floor doesn't give us a hint. She says things that sound like what you're saying to her. She was holding a yellow sock, and I kept saying, "That's a yellow sock," and she would repeat sounds that had the same intonation and emphasis. It's almost like an explosion of verbal development has started. It's exciting to see/hear what she'll do next.

She is certainly better on her feet and starting to really run, especially in the opposite direction that you are heading. She'll head for the driveway if you don't have your eye on her all the time. And the little devil knows when she's doing something, or about to do something, that she isn't supposed to because she'll stand there, almost waiting and wanting you to catch her before she takes that first forbidden step.

She loves jokes or funny situations, like pretending to chase her around the house and saying "I'm going to get you." She laughs her head off. It's hysterical.

We're hoping we've lined up a babysitter, or "nanny" for a regular three days a week so Jack can get some work done or go to exercise and I don't have to re-arrange my schedule every day. Leslie has babysat for us one time before and the girls, all three of them, really enjoyed her. Of course, it was better for Leslie because BB could be handed to both Margaret and Patricia and back again if she seemed suspicious or cautious with her at any given moment. If we can work this out, Brigid will have Leslie all to herself a few hours each day until Patricia comes home from school. That will be nice for Brigid.

What was also nice for Brigid, and the rest of us, is that she went to sleep last night at 7:30 and didn't stir until I brought her into bed with us about 5:30 a.m. She drifted off to sleep again until close to 8 a.m. If only she'd sleep a little longer so Daddy could return for another hour or so of much-needed rest. The new bed, by the way, is great. We highly recommend a new bed/mattresses to anyone looking for a more restful sleep, even one that's disturbed routinely at 5:30 a.m. by a crying baby.