Playdate

Rachel and I had a playdate yesterday with Anna (mom) and Grayson (her 9-month-old son). I met Anna through one of the moms groups I joined, frantic and miserable, about 7 weeks after Rachel was born. She was the only other mom in the group who fed her child formula and gave me permission to stop trying to breast-feed when it wasn't working: "If you switch to formula, don't look back." I haven't, and Rachel is thriving.

Grayson is a sweet-looking kid, blue eyes and blond hair, and boy is he active! He came right up to Rachel's car seat and starting poking her face and trying to play with her. She endured it for a little while and then started crying, obviously traumatized. So I picked her up and cuddled her, fed her a bottle and then she went to sleep in my arms.

I'm still getting over what a powerful feeling it is to be able to pick up a crying baby -- MY crying baby -- and have her stop the minute she's in my arms. I wish all of her problems will be as easy to solve, but I know that some day I won't be able to soothe her fierce heart so easily. And that makes me sad.

She is so giggly lately, especially when Drew or I laugh at her or near her. Her whole face breaks into a huge grin, and her sweet laugh bubbles out of her. I love hanging out together. After we got home yesterday she played with her toys on her playmat while I sat nearby, reading the Sunday paper. Every once in a while she'd spontaneously erupt in giggles; I'd tickle her tummy, she'd start playing with her toys again and then another burst of giggles would erupt and I'd tickle her again.

Forget what I thought about having long, thoughtful discussions with my little girl about British monetary policy or the fine points of the Nixon recession. She's a lot of fun just the way she is!