I think I've decided to go on the training trip. It could be good information for what we're trying to do in our office right now, which is strengthen our testing processes. And Matt thinks he'll be okay handling Penny for the three days I'll be gone, and I checked with my parents to make sure they'd be willing and able to come over to the house for a couple of hours each evening to give Matt some baby-free time to do things like eat and shower.

Which means I'll start the weaning process around mid-January, which suddenly seems much nearer than before. As much as I hated nursing in those first months, I've gown to enjoy it, now that it's just a few times a day. I'll kind of miss it, I think.

I won't miss pumping at all, though. Not even a tiny little bit.

Signs that Penny is on the road to recovering from her virus: Her diaper contents have improved considerably (and that's all I'm going to say about that, I promise). And last night, for the first time in what must be two or three weeks now, she took nearly six ounces of formula in a single feeding. Which is something of a relief, because for the course of this illness, she's been refusing to take more than about three ounces at a time, which means she wants to eat more often - which is definitely a step in the wrong direction.

Signs that she's not completely well yet: She's still coughing a lot, and she's still sleeping a lot more than normal. Yesterday she slept through a good five hours of daycare (not continuously, but in several longish naps). I wouldn't mind - sleep is the best thing for someone who's sick, usually - except that it's playing havok with her nights. Lately she's been going down at her usual time of 8 or 8:30, and then waking up again around 10:30 - which would be perfect if she would then sleep until 5 or 6. I wouldn't mind staying up until 10:30 or 11 if I knew I was going to get to sleep through the night. But no, she's up again around 3 or 4. Last night, she not only got up at 3, she then refused to go back to sleep until well after 4.

If I could just get her to take the six ounces at the 10:30 feeding, instead of the 3... But maybe not.

This morning, after going to sleep (finally) after her big long feeding, she woke up again at 5, less than an hour later. She must have had a bad dream (whatever passes for a nightmare in a baby's brain?) because she woke up crying hysterically. She calmed down very quickly, but then didn't want to go back to sleep.

Since Matt had been up for the previous (very long) feeding session, I sent him back to bed and volunteered to take over.

But there wasn't much to do. She'd just finished six ounces of formula only an hour earlier, so she wasn't hungry. In fact, she was lying in her crib, happily kicking her feet and chewing on her hands and looking at the mobile. I watched her for a while, and she was in a great mood. Every time she looked at me, she'd break out in a huge grin, as if to say, "Hi, Mom! Isn't it a great day?" She didn't seem distressed that I wasn't picking her up.

Well, she may have been ready to begin the day, but I certainly wasn't. I left the light on, so she could continue to look at her fingers and the mobile, and - not without some trepidation - went back to bed.

For every moment of screaming frustration, there's a moment of perfection. I dozed for ten or fifteen minutes, pulling back to conciousness every time she vocalized - but she never got cranky. She was just talking. After a while, she fell asleep again, or at least fell quiet. I went back to sleep until my alarm went off.

It promises to be a busy weekend. My grandmother is coming to town tonight, so Friday evening (if Penny's mood remains good) we'll probably head over to my parents' to visit with her and let her meet Penny. Also, Matt and I need to swing by K.T. and Kevin's Friday, to drop off some things and pick up our Christmas cookies. (I can't believe K.T. actually managed to do holiday baking with a baby in the house! Of course, Jess is better than Penny about being left on her own for a while.)

Saturday, my mom's brother and his wife are coming to town for a visit, so we'll be back at my parents' house that evening for dinner.

And somewhere in there, we've got to do some last-minute holiday shopping.

(I know, I know. It's only really last-minute shopping if I leave the baby with my parents on Christmas Eve while I run out to get things. Which might very well still happen.)

--Liz