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.