Today Ava Was Grown Up

Only a few days old and already a diva.

"She looked ... grown up." 

Your mom mentioned this to me as she was sitting with you on the couch. You flashed a grin that she hadn't seen before. 

I was sitting in the recliner so from my vantage point I was unable to see what she was talking about. I moved to the opposite end of the couch in hopes you might repeat your new smile.

It didn't take long. 

By now we're able to decipher your mood by reading your expressions or figure out what it is you want, but this was something new. 

She's right, it did make you seem more grown up.

It was a fleeting moment so I wasn't able to capture it with my phone, but its one that I wanted to put into words here so I could remember it later.

Not much has changed.

I may not have described the look in detail for you to comprehend later, but all I need are these words to act as the catalyst for the memory. 

Something else that has been occurring for the past few days is the return of your "duckface." This face first appeared a few days after you were born and quickly became one of my favorite photos of you. I mean, I thought you'd be a teenage before you graced us with this phase, not a mere handful of days old. Is it a sign of your impending attitude? I hope not.

It seems to me that this time around the duckface is appearing because you are stuffy and when you show it, you're breathing hard through your nose to try and clear it up. Ask us to demonstrate some time.

Your also growing up in the fact that this morning while I was at the gym your mom heard you in your crib but you weren't making your usual noises that let us know you were awake. 

Busted

Normally we hear a groan or a slight cry letting us know you're breaking free of the sleep cycle. When we look at the screen on the monitor you'll lift your head, look around - lather, rinse, repeat - we know you're awake and one of us will go get you. 

What she heard was you slapping something and stomping your feet. When she turned the monitor on you were standing at the edge of your crib slapping the side rail and stomping your feet on the mattress. 

I can only think that this is partly my fault because one of my favorite things to do when I come into your room in the morning is stand you up inside your crib against the rail and come down to your level. I'll say good morning to you and you'll pat me on top of the head. Maybe this morning you substituted my head for the crib rail.

Needless to say, before you went to sleep tonight, the crib mattress was lowered.