Georgia Aquarium

Gabriella in front of the Tropical Diver fish tank


Gabi running back and forth


Gabi was tired...


Too tired to sit still, but not too tired to run
(No, it's not logical, but it's true)


Gabi watching baby zebra sharks


Bella enjoyed watching the fish in the large Ocean Voyager tank


You can just barely see two adult zebra sharks in the tank behind Bella
(the adults have spots instead of stripes)


Gabi likes the jellies


Mommy likes the seahorses


Daddy feeding Bella her first bottle
I know we waited a bit late to introduce the bottle (10 weeks, instead of 6-7 weeks), but the first bottle Daddy fed Bella was super-easy. Since, we've had to work on it more, though. Bella takes her bottle best if you wake her up from a nap when it's time for her to be hungry but the hunger hasn't yet awakened her. The milk comes out fast, even with a slow-flow nipple, so sometimes she chokes on it. If she's really upset/hungry, the bottle won't immediately calm her down like the breast does, but she settles down once she realizes that's all she's gonna get. We haven't had a major issue, and I'm confident that it will get easier.


Mom and Bella


Mommy feeding Bella a bottle
Supposedly babies often won't take a bottle from Mom, but with Michael's work schedule, we can't avoid it. This week has been especially difficult, with Michael arriving home between 9 and 11 at night and then needing to do some research, finish up a few notes for work, and read his textbook (not to mention eat dinner and shower). Adding a bottle into his evening routine on those nights would be ridiculous, considering he has to be up to leave for work again at 6 or 7 the next morning. We figure Bella only needs a bottle twice a week (just enough to keep her used to it, so she'll take it for a babysitter), so if Michael can give her one then I'll do the other. We make a good team.


Gabi is very interested in Bella's bottle
Bella appears to be more interested in smiling at Daddy