Friday, November 30, 2007
we're back
we're back safe and sound from CA, and one of these days hopefully i'll have time to update the blog. i did spend a couple hours today cropping the hundreds of photos from the trip so i could send out my costco photos to people.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
5-month-old: Week 2
Have you noticed how your baby turns to you when she hears your voice? Her expressions of attentiveness to you are really gratifying after the many hours of hard work you've logged in taking care of her. What seemed rather one-sided for so long is beginning to blossom into a truly interactive relationship. Don't be surprised if, more and more often, you feel like dropping everything just to get down on the floor and have fun with your baby.
Strong enough to feed herself
Your baby may be able to hold her own bottle now and it's fine to let her, but never prop the bottle for her and walk away. A propped bottle could cause your baby to overeat or even choke. Also, if your baby falls asleep while sucking on the bottle, milk or formula can pool in her mouth, coating her teeth with sugar, which can lead to tooth decay. Pooled milk can also drip into the tubes that connect the back of the throat with the middle part of the ear, leading to ear infections.
Your baby's probably showing more signs that she's ready for solids — from a weaker tongue-thrust reflex (when your baby pushes out her tongue when something is placed on it) to a keener interest in the foods you and others are eating. But don't be in a rush to give your baby solid food. Discuss when to introduce solid food with your baby's healthcare provider.
Your baby's digestive system may not be ready for solids, and she might not be able control her chewing and swallowing muscles. (Don't worry: That will all come in a few weeks.) Giving your baby solid foods too early can raise her risk of developing food allergies, too. Common allergies include citrus, egg whites, peanut butter, wheat, shellfish, and cow's milk.
Use family mealtime to socialize with your baby. She'll enjoy watching you eat, and she may even eat more herself as a result. In another month or so, she'll be better able to sit up by herself and grasp small objects, too, adding to her dinner table skills.
Sitting all alone
Your baby may now be able to get into a sitting position from lying on her stomach by pushing up on her arms. If she's sitting independently, stay nearby for support — even if you provide pillows to cushion a possible fall. Your baby may have mastered the sitting skill, but she still might lose interest in being upright and topple over.
Who's that?!
Your baby may start showing signs of one of her first major emotional milestones — stranger anxiety. She may become clingy and anxious around new (and even familiar!) people and may cry if a stranger suddenly approaches her. **L totally started doing this when we came to California on 11/13. She's cried with mandaree, Nana, & Johnny to name a few.**
Keep this in mind when you're around people she doesn't know, and try not to be embarrassed when she cries in someone else's arms — just take her back and calm her down by holding her yourself. Tell your friends and family to approach your little one with slow gentle movements.
A case of stranger anxiety doesn't mean you have to avoid new faces. Your baby will benefit from getting used to being around people other than you and your partner. Just remember that she needs your patience and understanding to get through this very important stage of development.
Eye see you
At all well-baby visits, your child's doctor should examine your baby's eyes, checking their structure and alignment, her ability to move them correctly, and for signs of congenital eye conditions or other problems. Find out what to expect from the examination and what to look for yourself.
Strong enough to feed herself
Your baby may be able to hold her own bottle now and it's fine to let her, but never prop the bottle for her and walk away. A propped bottle could cause your baby to overeat or even choke. Also, if your baby falls asleep while sucking on the bottle, milk or formula can pool in her mouth, coating her teeth with sugar, which can lead to tooth decay. Pooled milk can also drip into the tubes that connect the back of the throat with the middle part of the ear, leading to ear infections.
Your baby's probably showing more signs that she's ready for solids — from a weaker tongue-thrust reflex (when your baby pushes out her tongue when something is placed on it) to a keener interest in the foods you and others are eating. But don't be in a rush to give your baby solid food. Discuss when to introduce solid food with your baby's healthcare provider.
Your baby's digestive system may not be ready for solids, and she might not be able control her chewing and swallowing muscles. (Don't worry: That will all come in a few weeks.) Giving your baby solid foods too early can raise her risk of developing food allergies, too. Common allergies include citrus, egg whites, peanut butter, wheat, shellfish, and cow's milk.
Use family mealtime to socialize with your baby. She'll enjoy watching you eat, and she may even eat more herself as a result. In another month or so, she'll be better able to sit up by herself and grasp small objects, too, adding to her dinner table skills.
Sitting all alone
Your baby may now be able to get into a sitting position from lying on her stomach by pushing up on her arms. If she's sitting independently, stay nearby for support — even if you provide pillows to cushion a possible fall. Your baby may have mastered the sitting skill, but she still might lose interest in being upright and topple over.
Who's that?!
Your baby may start showing signs of one of her first major emotional milestones — stranger anxiety. She may become clingy and anxious around new (and even familiar!) people and may cry if a stranger suddenly approaches her. **L totally started doing this when we came to California on 11/13. She's cried with mandaree, Nana, & Johnny to name a few.**
Keep this in mind when you're around people she doesn't know, and try not to be embarrassed when she cries in someone else's arms — just take her back and calm her down by holding her yourself. Tell your friends and family to approach your little one with slow gentle movements.
A case of stranger anxiety doesn't mean you have to avoid new faces. Your baby will benefit from getting used to being around people other than you and your partner. Just remember that she needs your patience and understanding to get through this very important stage of development.
Eye see you
At all well-baby visits, your child's doctor should examine your baby's eyes, checking their structure and alignment, her ability to move them correctly, and for signs of congenital eye conditions or other problems. Find out what to expect from the examination and what to look for yourself.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
5 months old...
Your baby will soon master the art of sitting up unsupported. Give her the opportunity to sit up in different places, and take her on outings in a stroller. The time your baby spends sitting up helps her develop and maintain balance, a key part of her physical development. What's more, making use of the new perspective helps her cognitive development, too.
Homing in on sounds
Your baby now realizes where sounds come from, and he'll turn quickly toward a new one. One of the easiest ways to engage him is to jingle a set of keys. Wind chimes are great attention-getters, too. Your baby may now be able to recognize his own name and understand that you're speaking to him when you say it. You may notice that your little one turns his head when you call him or talk about him with others. If you want to engage and entertain your baby, all you need to do is talk to him. At this age, babies don't learn language from the television or radio, so turn them off and use real dialogue instead.
A growing range of emotions
Your baby can't express his emotions in the same complex way that you can. Although he can let you know in clear ways when he's angry, bored, or happy, his ability to show love and humor are just developing. Your baby also shows a strong attachment to you by raising his arms when he wants to be picked up and by crying when you leave the room. He may also give you hugs and kisses. And he's beginning to get the joke — he'll laugh at funny expressions and try to make you laugh, too. Keep the laughter flowing with your silly faces!
Homing in on sounds
Your baby now realizes where sounds come from, and he'll turn quickly toward a new one. One of the easiest ways to engage him is to jingle a set of keys. Wind chimes are great attention-getters, too. Your baby may now be able to recognize his own name and understand that you're speaking to him when you say it. You may notice that your little one turns his head when you call him or talk about him with others. If you want to engage and entertain your baby, all you need to do is talk to him. At this age, babies don't learn language from the television or radio, so turn them off and use real dialogue instead.
A growing range of emotions
Your baby can't express his emotions in the same complex way that you can. Although he can let you know in clear ways when he's angry, bored, or happy, his ability to show love and humor are just developing. Your baby also shows a strong attachment to you by raising his arms when he wants to be picked up and by crying when you leave the room. He may also give you hugs and kisses. And he's beginning to get the joke — he'll laugh at funny expressions and try to make you laugh, too. Keep the laughter flowing with your silly faces!
Monday, November 12, 2007
"daddy is my hero"
fun in the swing
watching daddy
Last night I was able to go out with my women's study to the Dushanbe teahouse. It was really beautiful and I had a nice time. Dave said L drank 9.5 oz. before he cut her off and that he put her down awake and she fell asleep without much fuss. She slept until 6:50 this morning so no 3am waking which is good. I still didn't get much sleep b/c it was after 10 when I got home and I still had to pump so I didn't get to bed until 11:30pm. Doing laundry now so I can try to pack today since I leave tomorrow!
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Sleep last night
Elodie woke up at 3:15am again. I fell back asleep and thought she did too but Dave said she was up until 4am. She woke up again at 6:50am and she either fell asleep again or was really quiet until I got her up at 8am. Anyhow, I got much needed sleep last night even if it was interrupted briefly. Elodie's currently taking her morning nap...so far so good. She did well for her afternoon nap yesterday too.
We're planning on getting our pictures taken for our ski passes today along with some other errands. At some point I need to do laundry so I can pack tomorrow. I also have my women's Bible Study dessert tonight. Dave's going to have to feed Elodie a bottle and put her to bed for the first time (w/a bottle).
We're planning on getting our pictures taken for our ski passes today along with some other errands. At some point I need to do laundry so I can pack tomorrow. I also have my women's Bible Study dessert tonight. Dave's going to have to feed Elodie a bottle and put her to bed for the first time (w/a bottle).
Saturday, November 10, 2007
day with cousins
Jenny & the kids got here around noon and left around 7pm. We had lots of fun reading books, playing, talking, going to the park, and Dave & Chase played Nintendo games. We also went out to dinner. Here's some pics from our day and a video of the kids making L laugh. Too cute!
Video of cousins making L laugh :)
Video of cousins making L laugh :)
Your 4-month-old's development: Week 4
Your 4-month-old's development: Week 4
Sitting pretty
By now, your baby's physical developments are coming fast and furious. When lying on her back, she'll lift her head and shoulders as you reach to pull her up. If you place her on her stomach, she'll extend her arms and legs and arch her back. This is good exercise for strengthening her neck muscles, and it will help her develop the head control necessary for sitting up.
When you pulled your baby into a sitting position a few weeks back, her head lagged behind her arms and shoulders. Now, she can anticipate the direction you're pulling her, and her head will follow right along with the rest of her body. What's more, her spine is straightening, allowing her to sit unsupported, which frees her hands for exploring, and she can pivot to reach a desired object.
Once her back and neck muscles are strong enough to hold her upright and she's figured out where to put her legs so she won't topple over, it's just a matter of time until she moves on to proper crawling, standing, and walking. Until she can get into a sitting position without your help, you can prop her in the corner of your sofa or on your legs to steady her. Ba ba ba ba ba ba . . .
Your baby is adding new sounds to her language repertoire, and she may sound like a broken record. Babies this age often become so enthralled by a newfound ability that they get stuck on it for a while. This is normal — babies tend to master one skill before moving to the next.
Hearing the same sound over and over can get annoying, but practicing patience now will prepare you for the endless string of "nos" and "whys" you'll be hearing from your child soon enough.
Your baby may also watch your mouth intently when you speak and try to imitate inflections and utter consonant sounds such as "m" and "b." Peaceful goodnights
Following a well-established nighttime routine, which might include a bath or a bedtime story, for example, may help settle your baby to sleep. It's a good idea to consistently "sequence" your baby toward slumber: Feed her, give her a bath, put her in her pajamas, play a game, read her a book, sing songs or play some music, then put her down.
A beloved routine gives you and your baby plenty of time to connect and wind down. You may decide to alternate going-to-bed activities with your partner (you do the bath, he reads the story, and so on). Or, to give both of you a regular break, try taking turns, with one person responsible for putting your baby to bed each night.
Sitting pretty
By now, your baby's physical developments are coming fast and furious. When lying on her back, she'll lift her head and shoulders as you reach to pull her up. If you place her on her stomach, she'll extend her arms and legs and arch her back. This is good exercise for strengthening her neck muscles, and it will help her develop the head control necessary for sitting up.
When you pulled your baby into a sitting position a few weeks back, her head lagged behind her arms and shoulders. Now, she can anticipate the direction you're pulling her, and her head will follow right along with the rest of her body. What's more, her spine is straightening, allowing her to sit unsupported, which frees her hands for exploring, and she can pivot to reach a desired object.
Once her back and neck muscles are strong enough to hold her upright and she's figured out where to put her legs so she won't topple over, it's just a matter of time until she moves on to proper crawling, standing, and walking. Until she can get into a sitting position without your help, you can prop her in the corner of your sofa or on your legs to steady her. Ba ba ba ba ba ba . . .
Your baby is adding new sounds to her language repertoire, and she may sound like a broken record. Babies this age often become so enthralled by a newfound ability that they get stuck on it for a while. This is normal — babies tend to master one skill before moving to the next.
Hearing the same sound over and over can get annoying, but practicing patience now will prepare you for the endless string of "nos" and "whys" you'll be hearing from your child soon enough.
Your baby may also watch your mouth intently when you speak and try to imitate inflections and utter consonant sounds such as "m" and "b." Peaceful goodnights
Following a well-established nighttime routine, which might include a bath or a bedtime story, for example, may help settle your baby to sleep. It's a good idea to consistently "sequence" your baby toward slumber: Feed her, give her a bath, put her in her pajamas, play a game, read her a book, sing songs or play some music, then put her down.
A beloved routine gives you and your baby plenty of time to connect and wind down. You may decide to alternate going-to-bed activities with your partner (you do the bath, he reads the story, and so on). Or, to give both of you a regular break, try taking turns, with one person responsible for putting your baby to bed each night.
lack of sleep
So L finally had great naps yesterday only to wake up at 3:15am and not go back to sleep until 5am...then wake again at 6:50am and I finally got her up at 7:27am. NOT GOOD!! I quite enjoy that two hours of sleep in the middle of the night that I didn't get last night and Dave really needed that sleep to get better. Needless to say I'm not a very happy mommy this morning.
Friday, November 09, 2007
November 9th:
new borrowed outfit from mya.
L's finally doing well in her naps. Yesterday she did both naps without much fuss and today she slept for an hour and forty-five minutes and she went down for her afternoon nap without a peep. Yea! Hopefully our trip to California next week doesn't mess that up too much. It took a week and a half of hard work to get there.
In other news, on Wednesday I had L in her crib with a book and the monkey playing while I put away laundry in her room. I turned to look at her and she had somehow gotten the monkey wedged between the bed and the crib. She had both arms over her head with her back arched and one leg over the other trying to get the monkey. She was SO close to rolling over; I couldn't believe it. Last night I tried to recreate the situation but downstairs on the carpet and again she got really close but no cigar. It's like she bounces back to right-side-up. Anyhow, I guess her next major milestones will be rolling over and sitting on a more consistant basis. She can sit all by herself now, in either a cloth or a paper diaper, but not for more than a minute or two.
November 8th:
the sicko
mommy and baby matching socks, complements of Dana Lavin. :)
she really likes the monkey grandma got her. she like to play mama monkey and give the monkey a bath w/her tongue. needless to say, monkey needs a real bath.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
November 5th:
sucking in her lower lip while tap dancing her feet on the end of the tub.
playing with her toys
happy baby
exploring daddy's mouth. she likes to do this to me (and scratch my chin) while she's feeding.
daddy gave L a mohawk
November 3rd:
there she goes sucking in that lower lip again...
happy times w/daddy. she's wearing a dress w/pants (i thought it looked cute together), both borrowed from cousin Mekdes.
she pulls all blankets up around her (and over her face) so we have to watch her closely.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Trip to Estes Park (Oct. 26-Nov.1):
trying to sit but too curious about the dolly so leans too far forward
then falls to the side
foggy camera after night in the cold car...daddy reading to L
on our way to waffle sunday breakfast out in the cold
where are you dolly?
gotcha now!
daddy w/L the day before Halloween b/c he had to work and go to class on Halloween
she's showing off already :) penguin costume on loan from cousin Sara :)
the gradual slide all starts with a look to the side...
timber...
tummy time!
beautiful eyes :)
look mommy, i can stick out my tongue at you!
i can sit by myself (w/grandma)
more pictures to be posted later... off to feed L... she's currently trying to eat my desk!!
more pictures:
Halloween morning: snow in Estes Park :)
i think she decided that she was cold and hungry.
here's the sucking in the lip that i talked about...
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