Quite a parenting day

We had a couple of very nice parenting milestones Wednesday. First, Nikki left the house for a while and I gave Georgie a bottle. That might not sound like a big deal but it's one of the first times I've gotten her to take a bottle. We didn't introduce a bottle at all until very recently. A lactation consultant we hired discouraged us from doing it without having a very good reason. And until our Montana trip became a reality, we didn't have a very good reason. Plus Nikki doesn't exactly list pumping as one of her favorite activities.

Well, anyway, we've been trying to prepare Georgie both for taking a bottle and for mom simply not being around at times. So Nikki went down to a cafe and Georgie and I just hung out and then she started to get hungry. We've tried this before and it hasn't really taken. As in -- screaming baby, frantic return of mother. But last night it went beautifully. Georgie didn't get much out of the bottle (I think she needs faster flow nipples), but she didn't cry at all and seemed to know what to do. It gave me a lot of confidence that things are going to go well in Montana.

Later, as I was about to leave for work, Nikki was holding Georgie and Georgie was sort holding out her clenched fist in a funny way. Nikki started imitating it and Georgie just started laughing. Then we started laughing at that and Georgie started laughing even more. She's laughed at tickling before but never at something that wasn't physical. More and more, she seems like she's developing a lot of personality.

From Nikki: It was such a huge relief that she would take the bottle! I've been pretty worried about it. I'm not looking forward to being away from Georgie this fall, but it feels a little better after Aaron's success yesterday. So, that plus the fact that she's attached to and bonded with Aaron, plus the fact that I want Aaron to be able to spend a lot of time with her ... all make me feel better about being away during part of the day this fall. I do need to keep reminding myself of these things, though. Also, I've been leaving Georgie with Aaron when I ran out to do something ever since I was able to drive again after having her, but only for about an hour and a half at a time. Now I can leave her for longer and Aaron can give her a bottle, as practice for all of us for this fall, and just because.