Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Overnight, she's a moving machine

I swear in less than one week, BG has become mobile and is not pulling herself up to nearly standing.

My favorite part, although it's a toughie for me, is when she is sleeping, she'll roll over to her stomach, push up and pull herself up to sitting. She then opens her eyes with a look of, "How'd I get here?" and proceed to cry for me to put her back into sleeping position.

I say it's my favorite because she does this all in her sleep. Her eyes are closed and she silent. I noticed it the other day and nearly busted out laughing. I'm going to have to get the night vision camera out to film it.

Yesterday, she skipped a nap and was beside herself when it was time to settle in for her bedtime. She kept flipping, pulling and sitting but she added a flopping. She did this drunken master kind of teetering before flopping over and then repeating the whole thing. I think she probably hit all four directions with this move. She looked like a Cirque de Soleil tumbler.

With the new found mobility, comes the furniture moving. We've now pushed our bed to a wall, moved the couch to open up a new play area for her and moved as many extension cords and wires up high. She seems to love wires. I'm trying not to get sucked into the babyproof the entire house with gizmos and gadgets. One: It's too expensive and Two: I think I need to use my common sense a bit. Afterall, I survived a childhood without childproofing. Steel poles in concrete, steel plate swings and wooden seesaws were my playground.

She also loves the computer so she crawls to the laptop whenever she can.

Yesterday, my husband knew he was in for it when he swears he plopped her in front of his computer and blinked and she was heading towards our entertainment center. "It was like a time warp. Our daughter tired her dad out."

She's also running away from diaper changes. She becomes interested in her surrounds that she flips over and starts crawling away before I can even wipe her bottom. This has lead to alot of wrestling and making silly faces to keep her attention. I've also mastered the quick wipe and diaper slap.

We also cleaned our her closet again. Holy moly, she's a size 12-18 months already. She's 29" long and enjoys pulling her socks off. We keep her barefoot unless we're outside and only slap on shoes if we think she'll be walking around or standing up.

BG is also learning to put her spoon in her mouth. The majority of her food doesn't make it in but at least she manages to get the spoon in her mouth every now and then.

She also says, "Mmm" to signify she wants solids. I'll ask her, "Eat?" and give her the sign language for it and she smiles and says, "Mmm." if she is hungry.

She also slaps my breasts a happy slap every now and then. I think it's hysterical except when it's in public. She's been known to pull my blouse down when she's thirsty.

As for other remarkable things:

She claps her hands (Thanks to numerous renditions of 'If you're happy and you know it.')
If you put your hands up in front of her, she'll put them together to show you how to clap.
She recognizes her stuffed animal names and will pull them up to show you if you say their name.
She tries to say 'blue' but says 'boo'.
She rides her wheely bug and turbo turtle with zeal and body shaking excitement.
She says 'daddy' not just 'dada'.
She sits and quietly flips through her board books instead of just slamming them shut.
She practices her b words although she only can pronounce the 'b' sound. She points at her ball, my buttons, the color blue. I've noticed, she seems to be attracted to 'blue items'. She grabs her blue shapes and toys first.
She loves to put things in boxes and take them out.
She's slowly learning that not everything fits in containers. Somethings are too small or too big.
She loves music and bops to any music.
Music will steer her attention away immediately.
She doesn't cry when she falls over anymore. She just picks herself back up.
She can stand with assistance, sit on a pillow and pull herself back up by herself.
She waves if you say, "Hello" or if she thinks you are friendly. She even taught a playmate how to wave. Do I sense a future teacher?

Sunday, May 10, 2009

"I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times."

Matthew 18:22
I've been bad and not focusing on the dare. Life has been getting in the way but that isn't an excuse as the point of the dare is to reconnect and make an effort however tough it may be.
I got lost along the way.
I need to remind myself of my role as wife. I'm not just the lady that lives with him and makes sure that he doesn't leave the house with a hole in his pants or the lady that knows where his keys or assorted items are. I'm his lifelong companion and part of my duties is to protect him and the one thing I haven't been doing is protect him from me.
I've been so busy being a worker bee, being a daughter, being a mother, being a sister, being a friend that I forgot to be a friend to my husband. I forgot to be his cheerleader.
For a while I've been stuck with the day to day. I wake up, feed the baby, rush to work, work, rush home, rush to get a meal on the table, feed my family and get my baby to bed to start the day again. In between, I'm busy trying to schedule in chores and planning outings, trips, excursions, family events, etc.
It started getting heavy. I wondered who was bolstering me. I asked why must I be the one who does all this.
I still do but I suppose I forgot that even though I do alot, that doesn't mean that DH shouldn't get attention and protection. I inadvertently kept pushing him aside. DH can take care of himself. I suppose in away it was my way of displacing my hurt for not being able to care for our child by staying at home. I know I care for her in other ways including working and I know that I compensate by doing other things like reading copious journals on development and going out of my way to plan outings or special meals. It still hurts though.
Things happen for a reason though and I need to trust the Lord and be thankful for the blessings I have and that includes my husband.
So I am sorry for placing my husband third and I'm sorry that I may be a bit callous with my thoughts, words and actions toward him. Love begets love and I must remember that although we both know we love each other, we shouldn't use that as an excuse to not display love.
I may not understand my husband sometimes and I may not approve of his actions at times and I may not like his human faults but he is human. I too am human and must try to be more understanding.
It's not going to be easy. Many times I feel like I'm always just accepting. It is what it is but I must not do so with a resignation in my heart. Things are what they are and there is a method to the madness. Patience, young grasshopper. Patience.

Happy Mother's Day!

I never took Mom's Day to mean much but now that I'm a mom, I understand why it's needed.
I don't think Moms in general want accolades but they do want to be acknowledged for all they do every day, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
I have an infant and I'm pretty sure it's going to get a lot more hectic in my life. I'm not sure how I'm going to balance that. I'm not sure how I balance everything now but I suppose as a Mom, we find a way and we do so without request.

Dad's are special too and they get their special day but Mom's are ducks paddling away underwater while still looking calm and put together (at least I hope I look put together most days). Mom's are circus performers juggling balls, spinning plates and taming lions all while smiling and entertaining the troops.

Happy Mother's Day to you and to all Mothers out there.

I hope you have the day you desire, whether it be a family day or a 'me' day and here is hoping the next 365 days 'til the next Mother's Day are filled with less juggling and more savoring.

Oh and on a 'the best mother's day present' ever front, my 10 month old (double digits already!) daughter woke me up at 4:30 this morning. She looked at me and said clearly, "Mama." I'm fairly certain she did say it and it wasn't a dream as her eyes were wide open and I'm pretty sure she actually was referring to me as "Mama" and not just saying it.
Of course, she stayed up until 8am and we missed church but I couldn't have asked for a better Mother's Day (1st Mother's Day at that) present.

Saturday, May 02, 2009

'Two!'

Ok, it's not as if she knows what she's saying but we have definitive copying.

It started two days ago with her mimicking me saying, "two."

She gets so proud when she mimics us too.

Now she says 'two', 'boo', 'dada' and a weird version of 'who' when we say them.
She also gently gives me 'ten' and 'five' when I ask.

She waves a slow, stately wave as if she was the Queen of England.

She stares at strangers intently as if she's making a judgment call, are you friendly or do I move on? Trips on the bus and subway have become social events for her.

On the playground scene, her hair is pretty attractive to the boys. She's had her share of hair pulling to the point where she has this personal space thing going on. She doesn't mind playing and sharing but get in her face or hover over her and she's going to tell you to back off. She doesn't push but she is pretty vocal.

This time last year, I was panicking because I didn't have half the equipment I was 'supposed' to have. Now, I'm looking at my wipe warmer wondering why I thought this was essential, my diaper pail wondering if that was really necessary and preparing to lower the crib bed for the first time!

Wow time flies.

BG is according to our pediatrician a social vocal girl. She foresees her excelling in these areas. That's a nice way of saying our baby isn't the physical type. That's ok. She's content to play with what's around her and doesn't get too frustrated when she can't reach another toy.

She is slowly learning to pick herself up. She gets to her knees and then sits back down but it's a start.

My little girl is getting mobile. Look out world!