teeth, scullery maid, & a rearranged room

Lots of things are happening at the Osenga homestead. It seems like Ella is just growing before our eyes. Okay, that's really cliche', but it's true! Every day there seems to be a new development or change, and her smiles are getting bigger and bigger and pretty much constant (which is awfully fun). I feel like she's almost a whole new baby then she was just a couple of months ago. She makes me laugh all the time, and I like to laugh, so that works out nicely.
Last Sunday I was feeding her applesauce, and I put my pinky in her mouth so she could lick some off....lo and behold I felt something sticking out from her bottom gum. Today I am happy to report that she has two little teeth growing in, and even happier to report that she doesn't seem to be affected too negatively by the whole process. I even have a slight suspicion that a third bottom tooth is starting to crown, but that may be just a little too crazy.
Of course I have happy and sad moments about the tiny teeth. It's very exciting, and her teeth are just in time to be little snags for Halloween...but then she'll never have that all-gums baby smile again. It's silly, I know, but now I'm a mom so I have to be overly sentimental, right?
Speaking of, we rearranged Ella's room tonight, so that her crib wouldn't be in the direct middle of her drafty windows. I love that it's colder, but the poor thing can't sleep with a blanket, so we've got to keep her environment as pleasant as possible. I like the way everything is set up, but, again, I'm currently all nostalgic for the old way. It IS how the room was arranged when we brought her home from the hospital, and now there are the all-important questions like, "where do we put the night light?"
Her verbal repertoire is steadily growing. And by verbal, I mean, the craziest noises you could ever imagine. Her current favorite is what seems to be a very proficient gargling of saliva. This takes place most often when she's lying on her back (I guess that Would make it easier) and especially if people are talking and not paying attenting to her. The other day my mom and I were talking in her room - she was on her blanket nearby - and she started gargling. That soon changed to her new squawk. This is not an unhappy sound, to her anyway. I think it's hilarious, and total strangers think I'm pinching her (like one man in Subway asked). My friend, Melissa, said if her head started spinning she's outa there. It's pretty disconcerting if you've never heard it. It's like some sort of call of the wild. And it's awesome. Anyway, if that sound doesn't get your attention, she promptly rolls onto her stomach and performs "the airplane." This is a common baby move where they lift their head and all limbs at the same time, looking like they are flying. It's pretty great. If a toy is nearby, she picks it up with her mouth during the whole thing. Impressive, actually. And, of course, if you look over during any part of her performance she instantly rewards you with a huge smile displaying her two little ridges.
Also this past week, my friend, Adrienne, put a burp cloth on Ella's head - I mean, why not? So she did, and the result was something very reminiscent of a scullery maid back in the olden days. We promptly told Ella to get cracking on that stew and to scrub the floors, but she decided she'd rather play the piano. I'm glad she did.

And here she's pondering the perfect song to play.

Life is good.