9 months

Month 9 is coming to an end and 10 months is just around the corner!!

You are a fast moving baby!  I have been going to the YMCA almost every week day and Carla tells me almost every day that you like to play with the big kids.  Today she had to keep you "fenced" off because there were too many big kids where you usually like to hang out, crawl and just check things out.

You are babbling and babbling every day.  On our car rides, dropping off H & E and Daddy to work... you just babble and babble.  The most common sounds for a while were, "ga-li, ga-li, ga-li..."  You say it really fast.  The sounds like how we say "curry" in Chinese.

Our daily routine goes something like this.  You wake up about 6am.  For the past week, I've been bringing you into bed with me.  Daddy actually has been getting you because he has a really hard time listening to you cry, so he gets up much faster to go get you.  When he brings you into our dark room, your legs are kicking and you're doing your cough, cough sounds eager for some milk.  I usually dose off rubbing my cheek next to your soft soft hair.  ... when I touch your hair, whether with my face or my hands, it sends a calm feeling down my back.  I love you so much.  I cannot seem to remember what it was like before you came along.

Then Hannah & Elijah join us all in our bed and we have a snuggle time.  Everyone gets dressed while you have a play time in your crib listening to "Steve Green's, Hide 'em in your heart."  The longest time you've been happy in your crib has so far been about 45 minutes!!  Amazing!  You will usually stay happy for about 30 minutes before I come in and greet you with your first diaper change of the day.

I've decided to change your diaper after your playtime because I usually find a "treasure" after playtime anyway.

Then we go downstairs for breakfast.  These days it's been oatmeal, apple sauce and plain yoghurt.  You eat a really large bowl.  About the same amount as Hannah & Elijah.

At 8:30, it's snowsuits on and out the garage we go.  It's daddy to work and Hannah to school.  And sometimes Elijah to school too.  When we walk past other moms and dads, we almost always get a smile looking at your little face peeking from the pink bundle that's wedged into the navy stroller seat.  Elijah is almost always towering behind standing on his little step on the back.

We get home about 9:10 and it's right away to nap.  I hold your head on my shoulder as I slowly walk upstairs.  It's about the only time of day you will lay your head flat and nuzzle in.  (this was a little tip I got from Nana when she was putting you to bed often.)  With the blinds drawn, I lay you down on your stomach and you almost never fight it.  I click on "waterfall" on the white noise and the door is shut while I have some time with Elijah.

By about 11:00 you wake up for some milk and lunch.  And we are off to the Y where you play and cruise around.  We  come home and it's nap time again.  Elijah and I have been learning chess or playing at this time.  Then once you're up, another nursing time and we are off to get Hannah.

After Hannah gets home, it's cheerios in the high chair and down on the floor crawling and up in Mama's arms, or wherever you're most comfortable until 5:00.  Then it's supper time for you and 6pm is bed time.

You love having a good bath, but it's been tricky to get a bath for you while the rest of us are eating at about 6.  But it's working out ok for you to have a good night's rest, that your little bottom is just doing ok without the nightly bath.

About a week ago, when Auntie Vanessa was here in the evening.  You had cried out at 9pm.  Since you are over 9 months old, I knew it was time to skip that "dream feed."  So with her support, she said, "she's ok."  And I was able to endure about an hour of your crying.  You went back to sleep and you have been just fine with the exception of a few evenings where I stepped in and just fed you.

And that is the busy schedule as the baby of a family of 5.  Your life revolves around all of us, and somehow, we all get to play with you, interact with you and just love on you.. and sometimes a little "too much love" from your brother and sister.  But that's for another day.

A special period with Nana & Papa

written on Nov 17, 2010 from Florida
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Looking at some pictures from our time at home in the summer ..........time especially spent with Naomi, as you are writing some thoughts for her..........really brought back the sweet memories of our happy and smiley little Naomi.

 

First the walks - Papa just loved to take Naomi for walks and stop under the trees and have her watching with awe the moving leaves, especially the big weeping willow on Hazelwood......the branches and leaves hang right down over the sidewalk and Naomi would grab on to those leaves and immediately give them a taste (well, Papa was pretty quick to not let her eat them!)

 

Naomi loves to swing and would swing in the large red swing at the park on Papa's lap, or the black baby swing by herself, or her own blue shark in the backyard.  It  is amazing how content she would be as she would always swing for long periods of time.

 

Naomi loved to get into the newspapers!  Even before she could crawl really well, she would 'scoot' as everyone called it, pulling her small body across the floor with her strong little arms..........and head for the newspapers on the bottom shelf of our table downstairs.  We blocked the table with some cushions...... with no success........Naomi simply went around the table and came at those newspapers from the back of the round table!  She would just keep pulling and pulling those newspapers off the shelf til she was done!

 

Peek!  Carrying Naomi, Nana would stop at the entrance to our apartment, from upstairs, with Naomi. Naomi and Nana would peek around the corner to see where Papa was!  She would be peeking right along with Nana and be excited with her beautiful happy smile when we saw him.

 

Naomi is the happiest, smiliest baby girl!  When anyone speaks to Naomi she smiles from ear to ear "like a lightbulb".  I (Nana) kept thinking we probably should nickname her "sunshine" or "happy" or some wonderful word that describes her contagious happiness.

 

Papa and Nana really enjoyed our special time in the mornings in September/October 2010.  Mom (Jen) would drive or walk Hannah and Elijah to school (or the school bus) and Naomi would stand/play in the bouncy seat in our kitchen as we finished our porridge.  Did you know Papa makes porridge for Nana and himself most days of the week!  (a healthy start to each day for sure)  Well Naomi just loved that bouncy seat with all its bells and whistles and she maneuvered them all as she spun herself around the array of fun things for a baby to do.  Nana would then take her upstairs for her breakfast!

 

Nana gave Naomi many of her nightly baths and got her all clean and cozy and ready for mom's bedtime feeding!  Naomi would be so..............ready for sleep after her bath!  She had  a splashing good time in her little blue tub (the same one Hannah and Elijah used when they were babies), but most of the bathtime was spent trying to reach for the faucet or something else she found interesting in that bathtub (other toys).  Hannah and Elijah would both remind Nana, when they were in the bathroom during this time to "Not take your EYES off her for even a second!"   They were so concerned about her safety.

 

We are counting the days til we get to spend that special week with Naomi, Hannah, Elijah and mom and dad, too, this coming Christmas season!   What will our sweet little girl be doing by then?  walking?  talking?  We cannot wait to see!

 

Love, Nana and for Papa 

Stairs!

I was just hanging around the "landing" area where you often stay when we are getting out the door.  It's at the bottom of the long stairs and at the top of the 2 steps from the main entrance.  Auntie Hope was around and I was just checking my email on my phone.  I looked up and you were standing on the first step, sort of rocking a little.  I looked up, looked back and my phone, and then looked up again in amazement! I almost missed the moment!  "Woa!! You just climbed your first step!" Ah, what to do.  Hold you so you don't fall forward!  Quick, go grab the camera.

I turned to Auntie Hope, "um, Hope can you hang on to her?"... I dashed for the camera.  But you turned around and just sort of slouched down beside Auntie Hope.  That first moment was not caught on film.  But it was caught on my memory.

So I then encouraged you to climb some more stairs by placing a toy a few steps up.  And step by step you went up the whole set of stairs.  The next day, you went up the entire set of 12 stairs without any incentive.  Or perhaps the incentive was the hinge piece for the baby gate at the top of the stairs.

You might be the third child, but each of these "firsts" still matter so much!  Each is a big deal!

A Special Season

Next week Nana and Papa leave for Florida.  Their departure will end a special season in your life with them.  Although they will return at Christmas and then April to come back to join us in our life here in Guelph, you will be older and the dynamics will be different.  And that will be the beginning of another season.

For this season, I want to remember the special moments.

Since the beginning of September, we have fallen into a routine.  When I drive everyone to school and work, you stay with Nana and Papa at home.  They first feed you your breakfast and then play and then put you to bed.  They say they like to get you to play hard and tire you out.  Papa loves to put you on their bed while you crawl around.  They play peek with you.  In the afternoons, they take you out for walks.  And often, you'll fall asleep on the walk and when the stroller stops you open your eyes.

Usually, you go downstairs while the rest of us have supper and then Nana brings you up at about 6:35 to give you a bath.  They know your tired signs and know how you go down best.

I will ask Nana and Papa to write some things that they have found special.  But these are what I get second hand.

8 months

You were 8 months before we were ready for it.  And you are an advanced 8 months child.

From your little army scoot to your now high hands crawling, your little body just moves across a room quickly.

Papa likes to tell me all the things you do in the mornings when you spend time with them.  One of those amazing moves is your pulling up to the couch and moving along toward the exersaucer.

You now say "Mama," "num num," "da da," "na na."  And we have also heard many other sounds that sound like you are mimicking speech.  Perhaps you will speak early too?

I've heard you utter something that resembles "hi!" And within context!

How we delight in you our little girl.

Six months and a movin

You are six months and such a funny, cute little girl.  You found a fun way get around.  You are so mobile.  We call it the mermaid scoot.  You pull yourself forward and then do a cute little push with your feet that looks like a flap.

Ah, my sweet girl.

You pump your legs when you eat.  As you're nursing away, you scratch my back and pump your legs.  You're a busy little girl.

You have been pushing up so high when you are on your stomach that I've lowered the crib mattress and pulled up the side rail so you won't go tumbling over.

In the bath, I've had to switch you to a larger bathtub.  The "infant to toddler" bath tub simply won't do when you are turning around trying to roll or climb OUT of the tub.  When we went swimming, I laid you on the ledge of the pool and I discovered how much you just LOVE being on your tummy.  So that night, I pulled out the larger plastic tub, filled it with about an inch of water and put you in it on your tummy.  You were so happy splashing and chewing on the plastic star.

Speaking of swimming.  When we were in BC, I dunked you for the first time.  And there you enjoyed the water even the first time.  We spent about 30 minutes in the water!   I was afraid to dunk you, but with the encouragement of Auntie Jamie and a few others, I did it.

I remember asking Auntie Vanessa wether or not I should go under water with you or not.  She said, "if the water is going to distract you too much, then I would just dunk her."  That was good advice.  I've been dunking you since!  And here we are, just over a month later, at the Y.  And there you were just splashing and kicking your legs.  It was like you couldn't wait to swim!

Nana says, "the way that girl kicks, she's going to be a swimmer!"

Six months is also the milestone where food is introduced.  I introduced rice to you first.  You had a typical, "what is that texture mom!" look to your face, but licked away every spoonful.  I kept giving you rice cereal for over a week.  I just didn't have my act together to get sweet potato as the next item.  I finally bought the sweet potatoes, steamed it in the steamer outside (since it was so hot that I didn't want to heat the house up even a little), I ground it with the electric foodmill that I bought off Kijiji for $10.  And voila.

Then I introduced banana the next day.  Now I have to look what would be next.

As for sleep, you've kept me on my toes.  You wake up about once a night on average.  about 4:30am would be the time, after I've fed you at about 11pm and went to bed.  There were a few days where you woke up every two hours.  I had to take some drastic measures and let you cry a bit at night to break what seemed to be a forming habit.  That quickly broke and there you are back to 4 hour stretches at night.

And as we close in on six months, you are so responsive and happy.  Papa LOVES to take you on late afternoon walks, where I forego your need to sleep in your crib.  Somehow he has managed to bring you back home after you've fallen asleep, laid you in your crib and have you keep sleeping for a long time.

You give Papa a most sweet laugh when you see Papa.  You light up when you see it, it's so very sweet.  When you see me, it's this eager yearning.  But Papa gives you such joy.  Ah, it's so heart warming to witness such a relationship.  When I walk down the stairs with you in my arms, you always start babbling and making sweet noises as if to tell Papa, "here we come!!"

I have also noticed that you've responded with such glee when you see Daddy and I hug and kiss.  You just light up.  Seeing this, I realize that I need to show Daddy affection more.  Our affection for each other is a symbol of the most important relationship that gives you a foundation for security.

Seeing that we are now more than half way of you turning a year, I realize just how fast time has gone!  I guess I can still continue, but I have less than a year to breastfeed you, if I am to stop at the usual 12 month mark.  Hmmm, looks like at the sound of my yearnings, I think I may nurse you for longer.

switch

It has been a few weeks coming.  The morning I found you watching your mobile with the miracle blanket by your side was a strong indication that miracle blanket days are coming to an end.  I could have held off buying an extra blanket, but I caved.  And here we are, just 2 days after being swaddled in the new mint green miracle blanket (it hasn't even been washed yet!) you have shown me you are done.  The makers of miracle blanket say it's for babies up to 4 months anyway.

Tonight as I wrapped you up, it was clear you were not going to sleep just yet.  So I left you, swaddled, sort of.  Then heard you babbling away.  Eventually, you cried out and it seemed that you had made a full circle of your crib.  You were at the other end, crying cuz you were stuck with no more crib space to maneuver.

I moved all the bibs, toys out of your crib and anticipated that you may move around some more.  I turned you on your belly, sans miracle blanket.  And ah, Auntie Vanessa's sleep sac!  Mama needs to do SOMETHING for you when I put you to bed.

Alas as I write this at 10:59pm, you are crying.  hmm, maybe I didn't spend $30 for a second blanket for nought.  You still need a good swaddle.

toes

You found your toes today!  I have been watching other babies and wondered if maybe you just weren't a "toes baby."  Ah but you are, it was just a matter of reaching that developmental stage.  You happily sucked on your big toe at your last diaper change of the day.

Blanket girl

I think you're going to be a blanket kid.  H & E will have their special toys and you're gonna have your blanket.

When it's sleep time, you seem to settle once I put a little terry cloth in your hand.  You rub it, put it to your face, and you're out.

4 months

You made some significant headway in your fourth month.  The most significant one was waking up one morning to the music of your mobile and your cry, when no one else had been in there before me.  You were out of your swaddle, face up, kicking and crying... probably because you were surprised that you turned on the mobile all by yourself!

When you started to reach out your arms to me, it melted my heart.  I'm utterly amazed at how many developments you have and how you are constantly changing and gaining new skills.

When we went for your check up, the doctor undid your diaper to check your tummy.  You immediately let out a worried cry and turned your head toward me.  Dr. B said with intrigue and apology, "she felt it was invasive."  She was quite taken by you and your reaction.  I don't think she expected this from a 4 month old baby?  I don't remember other babies "making strange" at your stage of development, but quite possibly, you're just hitting all the milestones early.

Our whole family is so taken by you.  Everywhere we go, you flash that sweet smile for all.

3 months

It's been 3 months since you've arrived.  Now when we see people, like Auntie MC, who haven't seen you since the first few weeks of your life... they say you've changed.  It's true, you're not just a sleepy little bundle.  You're alert, with a sweet personality.  You want to see and you furrow your brows, you smile wide.  I tell you people you are extroverted.  Anyone who tries to talk to you gets rewarded with a huge drooling smile.  

Papa loves to talk to you in "ooos and arhhs."  Elijah copies him and sounds like he's horking at you.  When I understood his intentions, I accepted it.  I'm sure when we are out, people may think otherwise, but we don't live according to the expectations of strangers.  

You sleep swaddled, on your tummy.  At some point, I concluded that you slept better on your tummy.  I've tried letting you just sleep on your back, no swaddling, after you've fallen asleep nursing.  But those naps last 3 minutes long.  Although it's not recommended by public health to put you on your tummy, I concluded, that you were just fine since you could even roll over in your swaddle.  Anyone who holds you, and knows babies, will comment, "she's strong!"  

Speaking of comments.  This is what people would often comment about you in the last 3 months. 

"She's so tiny!"

"She's strong!" 

"She reminds me of Elijah!"

"She looks like Hannah!" 

"She looks like Bethany!"  

The best comment has been from Noah.  When he saw a picture of you and Bethany, he said, "Two Nomi's! Two! Two of them!"

And to date, at 3 months and 2 weeks, you have slept 10 hours through the night once.  But these longer nights happen about every 3 days.  I don't really mind it because the longer nights make me feel uncomfortable since I'm waiting to feed you.  

Speaking of feeding, a general pattern that happens with feeding is the cries you have after a few minutes of eating.  You will need a good burp.  The very cute thing that you do, especially in the evening, is how you'll spontaneously stop feeding and then start to talk and smile at me.  It's one of my most favourite times.  Too bad it would not be possible to take a picture of it.  

first day trip

We finally did it.  We went for your first day trip... all the way to Hamilton!  It took us 30 minutes to get ready, burp cloths, bibs, pack n' play, diapers, extra outfits.  DVD player for Hannah & Elijah, books, snacks for the drive, bathing suit for just in case there is a sprinkler somewhere...

Every time I tried to put you down for a nap, you fought it.  Hollered and turned red.  So back downstairs we went.  It turned out that you were just happy to be around the action.  And you were not fussy.  So after a long day away, I have concluded that you are a social baby.  And we can take you anywhere!  And today, the day after, I took you to Hannah's music class.

first impressions

Auntie Kareena went to get you when you were crying at supper time. She came down just amazed saying, "wow, she's so happy to see me and she doesn't even know me! She's just smiling at me even on the change table. I didn't know that babies liked getting their diaper changed!"

And that is what you do these days. You draw in people with your sweet gummy smile. Anyone who takes the time to talk to you, you give them a huge gummy smile.

Today as we ran around running errands. You didn't sleep well in the carseat. So you cried the soft "wah.... wah" cry when you are tired. Sleeping in the car is hard for you, but I've found out something new about you today. You are quite happy to skip your nap as long as you're looking at my face! As soon as I plopped you in your carseat into the stroller, you saw my face and you opened your mouth wide greeting me with a huge gummy smile! But when we returned to the car and I plopped you back into the car facing backward, you cried immediately. And then we would stop and I'd get you out, and you'd be smiling again. Back and forth we went, and today, I concluded that you may be just the extroverted type. And one happy little girl to make others happy with your smiling eyes and huge grin.

After the birth: jogging my memory

Your first 2 months of life have been a full one. I had abandoned the idea of writing blogs because I'd rather spend the time with you kids. But there is real treasure in writing and keeping notes about things that I swore I would never forget. And to find them later and read them is so sweet.

Your middle name "Grace" is particularly important to me because God's grace is constant in my life. I need His grace to parent. And You are a gift of grace to me because of the timing of when you have entered our lives. This I will write about soon, but for now, just the first 2 months.

Breastfeeding really started with a breeze. You latched on within 2 hours and had many feeds. I had some "toe-curling" pain like the first moments twice before. But the fortunate thing about previous difficult experiences, is that I reaped the reward of experience. I didn't let you latch on too long if it hurt. I could hear the lactation nurse Jackie (that we paid $50 for!, but well worth the money) say, "A proper latch should not be toe-curling pain." I remember evaluating whether or not I was curling my toes or not. When I started to curl my toes, I would pull the side of your mouth to relieve the suction and start again. I also remembered the mommy friend of mine that lost a "piece" of her because she just pushed through and she was in so much pain and was so "beat up" from breastfeeding, she actually lost a piece of her! Ouch! I actually want to stay in one piece so I kept unlatching you until we got it right. You're a smart little cookie too, you got it right away. Someone thinking I am a mommy for the first time, might actually be deceived into thinking that breastfeeding is easy to get started.

Week 1, you surprised us all with a series of roll overs! I captured it on video and posted it to facebook to let our world to see. One person, Lily Taylor said, something to the effect that we should sign you up for Olympics 2030!

Ah the Olympics. That first week, I came home to plop myself in front of the TV and watch the Olympics the whole week, among other re-discovered shows like "What not to wear" and "Super Nanny". ...

to be continued

Your birth

A brief story about your birth. We were scheduled for a c-section on Feb 7. As I got ready for the next day, 8pm to be exact, I received a call from the nurse at the hospital that our surgery has been postponed til further notice. It didn't seem like she was even going to give me an explanation until I pressed for one. There was an infection in the nursery so you were safer inside me than outside. Although the practice is that after birth you would end up next to me in the little bassinet, but they wanted to make sure there was a place for you should complications arise. So I was to wait til the next morning for further notice. Dr. Elliot, our Obstetrician did call that night to tell me that we would not expect to give birth to you til at least Wednesday.

My thoughts at the time, "what will I do for 3 more days?!" I was, we all were, eager to meet you. Hannah & Elijah had already gone to bed, expecting to wake up and not necessarily see me. So when they awoke the next morning, it was a bit disappointing for all of us that I was still at home. However, at least I didn't have to tell them I wasn't going to the hospital at all that morning. Dr. Elliot called at 6:30 am and told me just to be ready to go because there was a chance I would go in for the surgery. So ready I was. I felt like my emotions were being toyed with, with much anticipation and yet just embracing the unknown and the timing of things. Then we got the call that we are to go in. But I was still told that I may not give birth that day. More waiting. More waiting. No one knew anything. There were no answers. I was sitting in the triage area, fully gowned, hair covered, papers signed. Then the nurse came to give me an IV. A midwife in training asked for permission to put the IV in my left hand. I look away as she held my hand and poked me, it hurt. She said, "oh, my bad." Uh, not something you want to hear when you're getting prodded with a huge needle. I peeked and a pool of blood stained the crisp white sheet just under my hand. She forgot to hold the top of the vein while she poked the huge thing in. The discomfort was barely bearable. I was very relieved when it slipped out of it's place 24 hours later.

By 11:00 a doctor came up to me and said, "Hi, I'm Dr. Jaddi, I'll be your surgeon." He got me some papers, I signed it. He came back and asked me, "are you getting your tubes tied?" "yes" and that was the extent of conversation I had with him. I was disappointed that Dr. Elliot didn't explain to me that she would not be doing my surgery. It may as well have been because I may have opted to go home and come back when she was available.

I was nervous about the surgery. I didn't cry this time as the needle went into my spine. Instead of waiting for the anesthetist to find out I hate needles, I told him, "I hate needles." He said something smart like, "that's nice information, but it's too late." The anesthetist had about 35 years experience. So he was an old guy and did something different from the guy who was there for both Hannah and Elijah's birth. After the spinal went into my back, they laid me down very quickly. Strapped my arms down like I was on the crucifix, pulled up the curtain... they always move so fast... That was also the moment for me to tell the nurse, "I want to give my baby a kiss when she comes out." As I felt my legs go numb, (the first time they told me they would feel like tree trunks, so I always visualize my legs turning into tree trunks), the oxygen mask went on. I started to feel the familiar nausea. As usual, I hated the oxygen mask. Ironically it made me feel like I was suffocating. The nurse held one of those curvy pans next to my hear for throwing up as I started to gag. And of course, of all things, the anesthetist had a hearing problem! So I was weakly telling him "I can't breath." He would say, "what!" And I would muster all strength to say it again. The nurse heard me and repeated to him, "she says she can't breathe!" Then when I told him I was nauseous, that was really painful, "I'm gonna throw up." "What did you say!!" "I'm gonna throw up!" "What?!" With the nurse holding the pan next to my head, I think he got the picture. The anesthetist quickly put something in the I.V. and he said I didn't need to worry, he just gave me something for anti-nausea. This anti-nausea also was instrumental in my immediate recovery. Instead of throwing up every I gobble down because I am so starved after the surgery, I gobbled food nausea free! Ah I have the c-section mastered after the 3rd, yet there shall be no more. Sad, but I'm ok with that.

The usual pulling, tugging happened. I heard someone say, "I see her face!" But after the strong pulling and tugging, there was more pulling and tugging. It seemed a bit strange that they were pulling and tugging for so long. I didn't think much of it. I heard no cry when they pulled you out. I think I was a bit suspicious, but I didn't suspect anything, because think I just trusted the doctors. Later, when I saw a mark on your face, I asked the nurse about it. It turns out that the doctor had to use forceps to get you out. The video footage of them cleaning you up explained more. They sucked all the goop out of your nose and mouth and actually tried to make you cry. Eventually you did, and that's when I heard you from the little table where they were taking care of you and wiping you down. Then the little bundle Naomi was present to me for a kiss. What a sweet moment.

The long term recovery was a whole other story... but that's for another day.

2 months

Today: 9 weeks old/2 months +

Smiles all around: You love to smile at people talking to you. You love the mobile of the 3 little friends you have, you smile at them even from 8 feet away when I have you on the nursing pillow after a feed. You smile at the flowers on your wall. You smile at me when you're done eating. A few times when you were not hungry, you opened your mouth and just smiled at me instead of eating. Little coos come from your sweet mouth. The gummy smile melts everyone's hearts. Since you met Papa, less than a week ago, you are enthralled with his gentle growing.

I love when you're eating your little hands and feet just move around slightly and constantly. And I also love when you grab the neck of my shirt as you gulp away. You've managed to gulp and gulp when the flow comes fast too, but I need to lean back a little so the gravity helps the flow from going too strong.