The Lucas Family

13 weeks, and it was fast and furious.  Sorry this post is a little late.  Lateness is the new normal around here, and I'm trying to be ok with that.

We went back home for the very first time, and Helen Claire was the belle of the ball.  She got lots of love and attention.  We stayed at Mimi's house, and Helen Claire slept in mine and Vickie's crib.  She did great, too!  She also got to take baths in the sink, and she loved looking at herself in the big mirror and in the sink handles. 

She went to her first Auburn game party at Uncle Chris and Aunt Brandi's new house, and she got to meet her cousins Bailey and Bryce.  Bailey was so worried that he wouldn't get to hold her, but he did and he was great with her.  Bryce was really cute and got out his CD player with a Baby Einstein lullaby CD for her. 

On Sunday, we spent the whole day and Granny and Papa's, where Helen Claire had her first big Sunday lunch and grape picking.  She also got to meet Uncle Chad, Mrs. Doris and Mr. Bobby while we were there. She slept great in her pack-n-play- I think she was worn out from all the holding and playing.  Papa made us all laugh by doing impersonations of how she was sleeping, both hands up over her head.  He said, "That little fella's out."  

On Monday, we celebrated Papa's 76th birthday, met Mrs. Teresa and Daniel, then we hit the road.  We really couldn't have asked for her to do better in the car. On the way home, she slept until Montgomery, ate a little, then slept the rest of the way home.  On the way back to Birmingham, she didn't sleep quite as much, and she was ready to get out about Montevallo, but all in all, she was a trooper.  

She finished up her amoxicillin while we were gone and seems to be completely over her ear infection. Even though she was good about taking the medicine, it was a real pain, and she's a much happier baby without it, so we were glad to see it go!

She never gets hiccups anymore.  If you've been following our blog for any length of time, you know that we had recurrent hiccups for the first 2 months of HC's little life.  I'm not sure when they stopped, but this week we noticed that we haven't heard them in a while :)  We also aren't having to use Mylicon anymore.  Maybe this is all a sign that her tummy is more mature now.  

Helen Claire is really holding her head up now.  The other day Jonathan asked me if I even hold the back of her head anymore.  I don't really remember when that happened, but she is doing it pretty much on her own now.  I do hold her head in the middle of the night, just because she's a little too groggy to do it herself.

She also acts like she wants to roll over.  I have been putting her down more at home instead of holding her as much.  Her teachers at school told me she always acts like she wants to go somewhere.  Mom and I noticed the same thing at home this weekend.  She kicks one leg and flings her arms around.  She is just busy, busy, busy.

She is really grasping for things now, especially my hair.  So, we are trying to get her to take her rattle.  Here is a video of the first attempt.