It has certainly been a journey to see how babies grow especially since Daniela has come into our lives. We love her so much everyday that just to think about a year ago we were just wrapping our heads around the idea that we were going to be parents. It was scary for me because I did not know what to expect. Fast forward and in retrospect, I still worry about whether or not I am doing the utmost to make her comfortable and most of all happy and healthy.

We had a good Mother’s day celebration because we were able to visit with both grandmothers and great-grandmothers plus our adoptive grandmother Maria del Carmen. Raul’s mom and grandmother were able to enjoy a brunch with her. While my mom and grandmother enjoyed the rest of the afternoon with her.

This month we were amazed at what Daniela is doing with her body. She is quite the contortionist.

1. Puts her toes in her mouth.

2. Turns over onto her belly. She just started doing this in the past week. She does turn back over. Initially she needed help but know she is turning back over on her own.  We are waiting for her to get up and run.

3. Sits on her bottom and is leaning forward. When she comes back she tilts over so we make sure she is on the bed when she does this.

4. What Raul calls trompetillas, saying ga ma (when she is stressed out or someone scares her), a, da.

5. She also recognizes her name when we call her. She loves to put blankets over her head and we call her name, she turns her head to us.

6. She is reaching out to grab anything and everything including JuanGa. If he is sitting close to her, Daniela will grab for his coat, ear, nose, and tail.

7. When she is mad and can’t grab something, she starts to yell and gets really angry.

8. She knows where her food comes from. Daniela will start to tap at my chest.

9. Loves sucking on her thumb and two fingers in the middle.

10. Holding a cup and putting it up to her lips. Of course it is not filled with anything we are just practicing.

Today Daniela celebrates four months with us. This month of April, we met Great-Grandma Generosa, Great-Uncle George and his wife Chiky, dad’s good friend Moises and his family. We also celebrated Raul’s birthday for the second time in her life. The first time we did not know she was incubating.

One of her first visits to get vaccines happened earlier in the month and she got her first fever. Of course I cried more than she did.

Within this past week some of the things she has done are:

Start making trumpet sounds with her mouth.

Exercising her lungs aka screaming when she can’t put something in her mouth.

She is still getting up at least once a night to eat but its more towards the morning time.

She is starting to pull at everything. She even grasped Raul’s lips this morning. If you have ever met or seen Raul, you will know why.

The transfer from her basinet to her crib is coming along. I am actually sleeping in the room with her. Yes we have a baby monitor but I don’t trust it. I am having detachment issues.

She is almost turning completely over. She titer-toters.

She found her toes and hangs on to them when I am changing her diaper.

Oh did I forget to mention how she pulls herself forward?

She loves sucking her middle and ring finger.

Our friend’s Ramon and Denisse sent us a toy that includes a piano and she loves banging on the keys.

JuanGa was close by and she reached out to touch him. But he was too far away from her grasps. Oh just wait till she gets old enough to try and ride him.

My Grandmother  Generosa, Daniela’s GreatGrandmother had been wanting to visit and see the baby since she was born. Due to health issues, we couldn’t make it happen until today. My mother called that she was in Ponce with my Grandmother and that they were going to come up to visit. When they arrived, we immediately took pictures with Grandma, who immediately gave her blessings.

She kept asking if Raul was a great man to me, and I replied many times over that he was the best dad and partner. She fell in love with JuanGa and wanted to take him home with her.

Most importantly, we were able to take a picture of four generations of women on my side of the family. Of course Grandmother Generosa is still witty and told me that a boy was coming to the family. I of course asked her when and she told me when you make him.

One thing today taught me was the importance of remembering your grandparents no matter how old they are or what they did in the past, they are still your family.