18 month newsletter

Dear Beatrix,

Yesterday you turned 18 months old, and to mark the occasion I decided that I was 18 weeks pregnant. (I really was.)

You seem to be happy with my pregnancy, as long as I still carry you when you want and feed you on a regular basis. You seem to understand that I have a baby in my belly and you'll often lift my shirt and say "bebe" and kiss my belly. It's quite cute. I hope that you feel the same about the baby once s/he's here and you're no longer the littlest. I think you'll do well, you're quite nurturing and are so attracted to babies.

So you've made it 18 months! Despite Daddy putting your diapers on backwards and dressing you in mismatching pajamas.

Your vocabulary has exploded in the past few weeks. So far you're saying 2-3 new words a day, I'm stunned sometimes that you've managed to remember a word that you heard weeks ago. The other day you pointed to a butterfly in a book and said "butterfly" clear as could be. We haven't talked about butterflies in weeks, and yet you remembered the word. You're also trying to count. One day you counted the buttons on Daddy's shirt, touching each one, "un, oo, ee, oar", then yesterday we were counting my fingers, touching each one in turn, I counted the odd ones and you the even ones "tooo, oar....". I think you're a little genius, other people tell me that you're just mimicking us. I disagree.

You still eat like a wee little bird, content to live on air and love. About once every 2 or 3 days you'll eat a good solid meal, leaving me wondering if you're going to explode with the amount of food you've tucked away. Fruit and vegetables still are your favourite fodder, which I hope continues to hold. I haven't found a fruit or veggie that you won't eat, although tomatoes are your least favourite. Meat is still hit and miss for you, and you're still off of cow's milk.

You love to be outside and demand "shoes" several times a day. When outside you love to run and smell the flowers and point out trees and airplanes. We bought you a sand box a couple of weeks ago and we play in it nearly everyday. Mostly you like to throw the sand, showing us that we made the right choice to not buy the $1 a pound sand. Perhaps when you're not throwing it around we'll splurge for that sand.

As for indoor toys, you're all about cars, balls, babies and books. If you would master holding two balls in one hand with a baby and a car while reading a book you would be the happiest toddler in the world. However, my sweet baby love, sometimes you have to let the dream go. How about you read your book to your baby, or even a book about balls, or cars. I think that this would make everyone happier. Your most recent toy love is cars, and we have about a dozen little matchbox cars scattered around the house. You love them, and if you weren't so cute when you said "car" I would have hid them in the garbage disposal by now, they hurt when you step on them! Along with your car love you love your babies and balls, you're always asking Daddy and I to open your sack of ball pit balls, just so you can run through them and scatter them everywhere. We indulge you, it makes you so happy. As a baby bonus you help us clean them up too! Topping off all of your toys are your books. I think that if you were given a choice of what toy you could only have, I'm pretty sure you'd choose your books. You still spend a lot of time in front of your bookshelf reading your books. Now that you're starting to talk too, I get to listen to you narrate the stories that you're reading. It's pretty cute, just as cute as when you say "cars".

It seems like you are taking to being a happy toddler like you took to being an "easy" baby. I think I'm a pretty lucky mama!

Love,
Mama.

Would be Facebook Updates

I had a lot to say today, but I don't like to update my facebook status too much in one day. I'll lay them out here instead:
*Trixie signed eat then cheese, I love how she's stringing signs together. She also says cheese, it sounds like "shchee".
*I'm really homesick for Canada. I would like to move to Vancouver post haste.
*I'm a socialist.
*Trixie has a killer diaper rash, so we're diaperless today. She signed potty so I sat her on the toilet, she struggled to get down then peed on the floor. 2X.
*I'm making beets for dinner with a cucumber salad.
*Perinatologist appointment today, looks like a homebirth is off the table, but a VABC isn't, yet.
*I bought Trixie pre cut watermelon and other melon chunks at Whole Foods, they are so yummy I want to eat them all up myself.
*I need more shoes.

16 month newsletter

Dear Beatrix,
Today you are 16 months old! To celebrate we went to the mall and bought you some new shoes. Apparently you now have the same sized foot as your average 12 month old. We're very excited! It's actually getting easier to buy you shoes. When you first started walking the shoes you fit were crib shoes which aren't so good for playing in playgrounds and such. But now you are firmly in walker shoes, hurray!
Your vocabulary has exploded. You have about 30 or so signs that you use on a regular basis and another handful that you know, but don't use. You've also started to speckle your signs with some words along with a lot of babble, which is quite adorable. In general I think you will be a really vocal baby. When you want something and I am not there to get your water, milk, snack, toy etc. you will just yell until I see what you're shouting about. It's kinda funny, but I think it might get a little weary after a while.
You are still cosleeping with me and your daddy, and we continue to love it. My hair is still your lovie and you will push my face out of the way so you can play with my hair, so I often have to sleep with my back to you, to save the hairs around my face, which hurt the most when you lovingly stoke them. I also really appreciate how you use your feet to play with my hair too when you're sleepy. I'm starting to wonder if you are perhaps part monkey. Also also my sweet Love, I don't like your feet in my hair. I would love it if you would stop that!
During the night you still wake about once for a bottle. We still give you one. I am sure that many people would disagree with that, but oh well. You're a growing girl and you need all of the nutrition that you can get!
Speaking of nutrition. You are not much of an eater. Most days I can get you to eat a few bites of a meal, and one meal a day you'll go at with some gusto for 5 or 6 bites, but then you sign that you're all done and you push yourself away from the table. I see that you're still growing, but I wonder how. I guess there really is something to the air and love diet! It's always a guessing game to see what you'll like each day. What you love on Monday you'll hate on Tuesday. It's amusing and frustrating all at the same time. I have found that plain pasta, berries and pickles are standbys. Also anything you can dip. Oh, you love to dip your food, and often you'll dip things so delicately, which saves on the mess. Thank you!
I love to see that you are sprouting an imagination. You will often put your babies to bed all over the house on little blankets. The other day I gave you a bowl and a spoon and you spent most of the day walking around feeding your babies, the dog, the cat and mama, always commenting mmmm, mmmmm! It was very adorable. You've also taken to colouring and will run to the desk and do your adorable/ annoying demanding whine asking for a crayon so you can colour. So far your works of art are just faint scribbles since you don't push too hard with your crayons, and you'll carry your paper around for most of the day, but I've collected them all up and saved them. You still love music and adore your kazoo and recorder. I've also let you play more with your xylophone and you bang on it happily making noise. If you hear music from anywhere, you'll stop what you're doing and look for it. Daddy is convinced that your favourite band is Green Day, but I think you just like any music.
All in all, you are a total dream to parent. You've made this parenting gig so easy that Mama and Daddy decided that it's time for you to have a baby brother or sister. So, my Love, you're going to get a late Christmas present. We're sure that you're going to be a fabulous big sister!
love,
Mama.

A day in the life....

Of Trixie.
Today was a good day, she woke up, and found the remote and pushed random buttons until she turned it on, then proceeded to watch PBS Sprout. (which we let her watch in the morning for a precious extra few minutes of sleep, it's the only TV we approve, it doesn't have a lot of scene changes) Anyhow, apparently she's figured it out.
Then this evening she peed in her potty which is good 'cause she's been on a bit of a potty strike. So we let her go diaperless 'cause she likes it and she has a prickly heat rash on her bum. About 10 minutes after the potty she wanders over to me and I get a poopy whiff.... And I notice that her socks are poopy. Oh dear. I called Adam over and we embarked on a poop hunt. Chachi was no help finding the poop. Eventually, I found the poop. She had stood in her pile of blocks and pooped.
Yeah, that's what I said.
Later at dinner we were eating cucumbers soaked in vinegar and she loved them, taking forever to get through one disc of a cucumber, then after finally finishing her second, she decided she wanted the vinegar. So I let her, thinking she'd stick her finger in it and then decide it was far too sour. Yeah, so uhm, no. She drank the vinegar, made a face and went back for more. (she never had more than a teaspoonful.)

Goofy goofy girl.

Bringing back Date Night.

Last week Adam and I went out (with Trixie) and had Indian. Trixie loved the rogan josh which I was shocked about 'cause it's spicy.
Then tonight we went to uWink and it was fun! There are games that you can play against the whole restaurant, or just against the people at your table. There are plenty of games to play alone too.
Adam really liked that you order everything from your terminal, your food and even your water, it's rather efficient! You can also pay through your terminal and they can email you your receipt.
The down side of the whole restaurant is that you are occupied staring at a computer screen that there isn't much interaction going on with your date, it would be a great place to go with someone that you didn't want to talk to though! An alternative to the movie date! Heh.
Anyhow fun stuff. I was amazed that Trixie lasted for 2 hours there, but I think that the Cheerios helped!

10 month newsletter

Dear Beatrix,
Today you turn 10 months old! Now if years were metric, you would be a year old! But, gratefully they are not, and you are still a little baby, although in 2 months I may have a heart attack when I have to admit that my baby is a year old!
This past month has been busy for you, as they have been! You've learned to crawl and it's opened a whole new world to you, full of pet hair, dust bunnies and Mama's feet. You started crawl when we were in Wellington which is the capital city of New Zealand, you quickly perfected your crawling and when we got home a week and a half later you mastered pulling up to a stand in literally one pull up and now you boldly stand just balancing with one hand on something. Last Friday you learned to crawl up stairs, again with no learning curve. You tried a stair, tried again and then figured it out and climbed the whole flight right then, now when ever you are out and crawling around the house you make a break for the stairs, which do not have a gate on them yet! So, here I am, chasing you all over the house in an effort to prevent you from breaking your sweet little head.
Your babbling has become more complex this month. You have lots of bababas, mamamas, nanans, dadadadas and an interesting gnagnagna, along with many other odd sounds. You also love to sing. Oh child you love to sing. And by sing I mean yell, a lot, and loud, and long. But it means you are happy, so I let you. You call me Mama and you have said Daddy a couple of times, very purposefully and at Daddy. I think you're a genius.
I've realized that you're not my tiny cuddly baby, but you are still a sweet baby, you love to give me kisses and they are now transforming from open mouth drooly wonders to closed mouth MMMM kisses, where you will say mmmm and bump your mouth on mine and say mmmmaaahhhhh. It's quite sweet and it melts my heart every time.
The other day you started dancing, which was the cutest thing ever, but again everything you do is cute. It was odd to see you dancing 'cause I don't dance with you, so it's just something in you. Maybe you're the next big singer? But please don't be like Britney. (I'll tell you all about her when you're older.) When you started dancing you were sitting and just rocking your hips in an abrupt manner, now you'll dance standing which is a quick series of mini squats. It's awfully cute to watch your little cloth diaper bum bounce to some random song in your head, or my off tuned "Twinkle, Twinkle".
You still insist that my hair is the only lovie that you'll consider, and I've come to grips that I might be bald by the time you're two. When it comes to play time, you love plastic drink bottles, cloth blocks and balls. I love that you are fascinated by simple toys and I wish so much that you'll continue with that and really develop your imagination. You're also fascinated by books, which is also a blessing for me. Oh the fun we'll have with books as you grow up. I've already made plans for all of the books we're going to read together!
We continue to work on potty training with you. So far you've been really good, going on the potty and even the toilet several times a day, which is great for my laundry pile, YAY for less diaper laundry! I still have grand designs for you to be in training pants by the time you are one, now I just hope that I can find some for 12 month old babies!
Tomorrow is Christmas, and I am so excited to see you open your presents! We bought you some simple toys, and I've decided to wrap a box of Kleenex for you, I think that you will really love unwrapping it and pulling the tissues out and tearing them up. There will be many photos!
Good night my darling, I am so excited for tomorrow!
love Mama

9 months

Dear Beatrix,
Today, my sweet baby you turn 9 months old! And what a crazy month it's been! You've been very busy, on all aspects of development. You are trying so hard to learn to crawl, and you have certainly mastered moving backwards, and as of today you have crawled forwards a couple of crawls or steps as they may be. I suspect that I will soon have a very mobile and active baby on my hands. Even without the ability to move forwards all that well you are quite good at getting around. Initially you would spin on your tummy, but more recently you have been kind of scooting and pushing yourself around backwards. Not always to an intended place, but where ever you seem to end up is good for you.
In terms of your eating, you've decided that pureed foods aren't at all acceptable, and you much prefer finger foods. And really, my little darling, that is okay with me. I wouldn't want to eat pureed foods all of the time either! Your Daddy and I have exposed you to all sorts of different types of cuisines, and you love them all. The most shocking one that you've had has been Indian, and you ate it up, surprising everyone in the restaurant! Just a couple of days ago we gave you some really watery apple juice and you seemed to be a little confused with it, but you soon learned that it was good stuff... liquid ambrosia, as one of our friends calls it.
You still love bananas and all things banana related the best and I can always get you to eat them. Often for breakfast you and I will sit on the floor and share a couple of waffles and a banana.
We've been travelling again this month. Right now we are in New Zealand visiting your Nana and Papa. You adjusted very well to the time change, much better than your Daddy! And since we've been here you've had lots of fun and lots of kiwis! I think that you might be a little New Zealander at heart!
You have started chatting more, but not using a lot of hard consonants yet; a lot of mamas and dadas, but mostly you love to sing. You sing at everything, at your toys, when we're in the car, if you hear something humming, and along with Mama. Also with the singing, you love it when I sing, even though I am always flat, you seem to love it. If you are fussing I just need to belt you "Twinkle Twinkle" or "The Grand Ol' Duke" and you immediately stop fussing. It's quite adorable, and frankly, makes me feel so special.
Your potty training or potty learning continues to go well. In the 3 months that we have been doing it you have had only a couple of poopy diapers, I would guess less than 5! Everyone is quite amazed that you are so smart and that you are learning so quickly, but we know that you would do better if I was better at noticing when you are peeing! We'll figure it out though, you and I, we will.
We're still working on your signing, and we use several signs, and I know that you know them because you'll get excited when I make a sign, and rather than you signing back, you flap your arms. I am sure that like your pottying, you'll start using your signs more and more. I did notice this month though, that you do use your milk sign often, I just wasn't noticing it. Silly Mama!
You have developed quite a sense of humour and will laugh at so many things. Your favourite thing to laugh at though, is Daddy and his funny faces. I think that perhaps you might be a little comedienne in the making! Chachi also never fails to crack you up, especially when you two are playing tug of war. It's so sweet!
Trixie, my little darling, you are the sweetest baby and I am so happy that you're mine!
Love always,
Mama.

Honey Hive and Meadery

Today we're going to a mead brewery. I've had mead before and didn't much like it, but I do love honey and perhaps this will be yummier mead.
Trixie is 9 months old today here, but not yet in North America... which totally doesn't make sense, I know.
Well, I'm on paid internet, and therefor I have no time. Perhaps I'll have to do another nablowrimo in January so that I can have more time to prattle on and on....
Until we meet again....

Pucker Power

Dearest Trixie,
When kissing Mama, could you pucker your sweet little lips? The open mouthed kissed while you're teething and super drooling are cute, but a little impractical.
Love always,
Your drool smeared Mama.

Tooth Watch

Day 270...
no teeth. However there have been a lot of drool, buckets and buckets, for about 4 months now.
We're waiting....

Videos!

These are videos of Trixie laughing at/ with Adam as he pulled his sweater up over half of his face. Apparently that is highly amusing to an 8 month old.

I have a baby, her name is Trixie!

Come on, you have to give me a little credit, I've gone 7 days without a Trixie themed post!
So today while Trixie was on the potty I was working away on the computer and I heard this "scritch scritch" and I look down to see that she's pulling herself along with her heels, on the potty, while she's pooping. Funny, funny, funny. I wish I would have had the video camera ready to go, next time, I hope!
(we were in the office on the hardwood, we use her potty in every room, where ever we are in case the need strikes quickly.)

Christmas Capers

Trixie and I went to the mall today to start our Christmas shopping, because I want to get a jump on it and we needed to get out of the house so she didn't drive me crazy.
Mostly we wandered around the mall window shopping and I tried to think of the perfect present for her first Christmas. So I decided that it should be a keepsake, and I thought jewelry, but I'm not sure what beyond that. An ID bracelet? But it won't fit her in a couple of years. A necklace? Same issue. Perhaps a small ring that fits her now, and then she can have it as a necklace charm in the years to come? Or perhaps a lovely pearl, then a new one at birthdays and Christmases until she has enough for a necklace.
So I am officially stumped.
Ideas?

I only have time for bullets.

I have a bunch of posts floating around my head, but I can rarely find the time to sit and compose a post so I don't, and then most of it leaves my head.
Here's what's left.

1. My friend ran a marathon yesterday. She rocks. It was really interesting to watch the marathon, oddly. The vibe was really supportive and upbeat. There were a lot of people cheering the runners on, many of whom were excited themselves, even when we saw them the first time at mile 16. A lot of the runners were running for Team In Training, and I think that they come with a large cheering section of their own. But still it was amazing the amount of support that was there. I may have been moved to tears a couple of times. (shh don't tell anyone that I'm a total wuss)
Watching the marathon made me feel bad about the time when I tried to train for one and quit. (my shin splints, ohhhhh the PAIN) anyhow I wondered why some people run and put themselves through the pain. Running isn't good for the body really, it's horribly jarring and mangles you, and yet there were 20000 runners yesterday. Perhaps they do it for bragging rights, perhaps just for self satisfaction, perhaps to raise money for charities like TNT. It's interesting, I think the last 2 reasons are totally admirable, the first isn't. Boo on braggars.

2. Trixie is always on my mind, I am always composing posts to talk about how amazing she is and how much I love her. I would write one everyday, but then I wouldn't have much to write in her monthly newsletter. But golly I love that baby, I knew I would, but I didn't know that it would be this amazing. A few weeks ago I was trying to figure out the amount of time I've spent with her since she was born. I would guess between 95-97% of her life she's been within arms reach of me. How amazing is that? My percent is so high because I wear her all of the time, I take her everywhere with me, I sleep next to her and I really love being with her. We're working on potty training with her, and I'll tell you more later in her newsletter, but she rocks! She had a watery tummy a couple of days ago, and even then she had only 2 poo misses, she made it to her potty every time. Yay for less poopy diaper laundry!

3. Politics. Oh this is a big one. I really hate that I can't vote. It's not fair, my husband pays taxes here, we own property here and I have an American baby, I should be able to vote! I actually care to vote as well! Anyhow I'm sure you would have figured that I would vote for Obama, (duh) but what's really frosting me right now is Proposition 8. It kills me to see ads on TV prompting people to vote yes on prop 8. Seriously, vote yes? As in deny a human basic rights? And this is supposed to be the best country on earth?
I'm so glad I'm Canadian.

So to summarize, Regan is a running goddess, Trixie is adorable and all people deserve basic civil rights, because what will be next? Taking the vote from women? Ugh!

More on babywearing.

I know I have been accused of being "one of those parents". You know, those parents, the ones who wear their babies and practice attachment parenting and believe in other lofty ideas where you actually *gasp* make your baby your up most priority, above yourself. *gasp*
I read this article and it just rings true to me. There have been times where I've been in the mall and I would wear Trixie and push the stroller laden with bags rather than carry the bags and push the baby. When I do this people so look at me funny, but it makes sense to me, I would much rather cuddle my baby and smell her baby smell than carry the stuff.
But that makes me "one of those parents".
And you know, that's totally a title I'm okay having!

Name Game

Deadra is the #3443 most common female first name

0.001% of females in the US are named Deadra.

Around 1225 US females are named Deadra!

source: namestatistics.com

Adam is the #69 most common male first name

0.259% of males in the US are named Adam.

Around 317275 US males are named Adam!

source: namestatistics.com

Beatrix is a very rare female first name

Very few female first names in the US are Beatrix

Be proud of your unique first name!

source: namestatistics.com

6 Month Newsletter

Dear My Little Love, Beatrix;
Today you are both 26 weeks old and 6 calander months old. It was so monumental to have both of these milestones on the same day, that we had to throw a party in your honour! You had a great time being held by all of your friends, but mostly I will use any reason to have a party in your honour. I think you're such a great little person that I have this desire to show you off whenever I can (and cooking for a big group of people is always amusing for me).
Your 6th month was a crazy one for you, full of pre-moving. (which is not a technical term at all, but works for us.) You are able to sit up supported, either leaning against a pillow or leaning forwards on your hands. I find that you are the happiest when you are sitting or standing and laying is no longer an option for you. You are still a champion stander and are getting more and more sturdy. Some days you are a little daredevil and you will just hang on to the ottoman or table with just one hand, opting to flail the other one around telling some outrageous story. (probably of how your daddy put a diaper on all haphazardly and you managed to get poo all over him.)
I think you are close to crawling (hense the pre- moving) you spin on your tummy when you are playing. It's like I've driven a stake through your back and out your belly button into the floor and you spin on it on the spot. It's really amusing to watch how you maneouver yourself. I can tell that you are getting fustrated and want so badly to be much more mobile, and for your own good I do my best to not always move a toy to you or you to the toy, just so you can practice being more mobile.
You've taken to your activity centre like a pro and can turn around in it really well. Your favourite toy on the activity centre is a noise maker which is a circle of 5 buttons. You've learned that if you pound on a button 4 times it will say the word in english, make the noise of the animal, say the word in spanish then sing the song. You love the songs, your face will light up when you finally make it sing. I've also been making your vibrating chair sing, just to see you glow with happiness from hearing the music. Often I will just make it sing and you will play somewhere else, not in the chair, but you do love the music. So far I've noticed that Twinkle Twinkle is your favourite song, followed closley by The Grand Ol' Duke of York. (complete with going up and down the hills.) If anyone were to sit outside of our house on any given day they would think I was crazy with how much singing I do to you, always really off key and often with crazy made up words to made up songs. Daddy has said in the past that I always have a strange soundtrack playing in my head and now having you has given me legitamate reason to unleash the soundtrack into the universe. Hopefully I haven't and won't have harmed you with my crazy songs, but rather will inspire you to love laungage like I do.
Just before your 6 month birthday I broke down and introduced solids to you. Your first food was frozen wild blueberries and they were a big hit. I gave them to you in a little mesh bag and you devoured them once you figured out how to work the bag. Your second food was avacado, and I just gave you a quarter of a whole avacado and let you "bite" off pieces yourself. It was really interesting to watch you bite a piece, move it around in your mouth and then spit it out. I know that some people wouldn't agree with me skipping all of the purreed and strained foods and letting you go straight to chunks, but it makes sense to me. And you haven't choked at all. If a piece of food is too big for you to deal with, you spit it out, then I will break it up and give you the smaller pieces. I am doing this based on some research I've done on self feeding and it's so facinating to me to see how you naturally know what to do with food and know instinctivly not to choke. The article said that you would naturally move the food forwards in your mouth, not back, and you do. So at this time, you are experimenting with food, playing with it, tasting it and mostly spitting it out. If you swallow some, great, if not, I am okay with it. Mostly I want you to have a healthy relationship with food. I want you to eat when you are hungry and know what your body is saying, so to that end I won't push you. I'll follow what you want and I will never give you the same serving over and over until you eat it. More than anything I want you to love fruits and vegetables, and your Daddy promises to help me to cultivate that love into you, even though he hates veggies himself.
Trixie I am so excited to see what the next month brings, but I mourn as well, for my little baby who is growing up so fast and becoming so independant. I long for the days when I would just hold you all day and stare at your beautiful face, whereas now you aren't as cuddly and would much rather be on the go. I still stare at your beautiful face, trying to make out what you will look like when you are older, and noticing how much it has changed already.

Babywearing!

OR: I tie, buckle and sling my baby from my body!

Remember this post?

I still stand by what I said, although it was a little harsh about Bjorns.... However, the more I read of people's accounts with them the more I'm glad I've never bought one. I find that often when I am wearing Trixie around other moms with little babies they'll make some comment that they've tried wearing their babies, but the babies didn't like it. So, naturally, I'll ask which carrier they used and their answer is always either a Bjorn or a Snuggli.

le sigh.

Since my last post I have not been blessed with the blue daisy Didymos, I guess Adam didn't get the hint that well! I have bought a Beco Butterfly though, which some people might say is the same as a Bjorn, but it's soooo not. The Beco does have a panel between you and your baby, which I find to be annoying, but it's small and still gives me lots of contact with Trixie. It's also to have the panel there because it makes putting the baby into a back carry really easy.

The Beco also differs from a Bjorn in how it sits the baby. In a Bjorn the baby sits on it's crotch, which is hard on the baby's hips, pelvis and spine (do a Google search if you don't believe me), whereas in a Beco (or Pikklo, Ergo, Jet Pack, etc.) the baby sits on their bum, which is much better for the baby's hips. Laura at the Portable Baby explains this better (and explains why facing out isn't good for a baby).

I've also recently bought a Baby Hawk, which is a great carrier. Trixie fell asleep in it with in a couple minutes of trying it on for the first time, which lets me know that it's a great purchase for us. I'll try to post some pictures of us using it. The Baby Hawk is really easy to put on, it just ties to your body with straps. You can wear your baby on your back with it, although it does take a little practice.

I use my New Native pouch a lot in the carrier rotation, Trixie either lays in it in the cradle hold, which isn't her favourite, or she sits cross legged. She's so cute in the pouch with just her little head poking out. (thanks Regan for the picture!) I also use the pouch to do a hip carry, although Trixie is a little small for this and my pouch is a little big on me. I covet a size 2 or 3 Didymos to use like a Rebozo for a hip carry. It is really quite amazing what you can do with a piece of fabric!

And so concludes my recent forays into one of my new favourite things: Babywearing! (Trixie gives Babywearing a gummy, drooly smile)

Edited to add,
here is an old article (from the 90s) about how some carriers are bad for a baby's spine. At the top of the article it has a disclaimer: "an upright carrier should hold your baby the way your arms would, e.g., facing you with legs in a frog-like, spread-squat position with the baby's weight supported across the buttocks and thighs"

5 Months!

My Dearest Baby Love, Beatrix;


I can hardly believe it, but you're 5 months old now! You've morphed from one of the most loveable loaves of bread (well you had the skills of one) into a baby! I could gush on for many, many paragraphs about how lucky I feel to have you and what a miracle you are, but I will spare you and the internets from that. Suffice to say that A) I am so lucky and B) you are a miracle and I will never forget that. (but that doesn't mean I'll let you get away with bloody murder....)




As for milestones you have been a busy girl this month! With each milestone you reach more and more of your personality surfaces and I delight to see who you are turning into. It really is one of the most amazing things to watch, or rather try to watch as it's happening so fast!


You've learned to blow raspberries this month and you take delight in this new noise that you can make. To my well trained Mama ear I can tell how you are feeling based on how you are blowing your raspberries. If it's a straight raspberry you are happy and playing, but if you are vocalizing a little with it, you are getting fustrated, either from being in a situation you don't want, or you're getting tired. Generally when you are tred you will combine this with scrubbing your head into my shoulder and head butting me as you flop your head down to my shoulder or chest.



Along with blowing raspberries you find it funny when I blow raspberries at you. You will giggle and act like it's the funniest thing ever, which is so good for your Mama's ego. Just like last month your giggle is the greatest thing I've ever heard, and I will do anything to hear it again! Luckily for me you grant me the giggles really easily. It's not an exaggeration to say that you really are the happiest baby on the block! People are always amazed at how easily you smile and how quick you are to giggle. I always tell people that it's all you, I have nothing to do with your easy going personality and that I am truly blessed that you are such a happy little girl.










Your favorite toy this month is your Sophie the Giraffe which is an old school teething toy, but you will spend a lot of time gnawing on her head, face, bum, legs or what ever part you can cram into your drooly, drooly mouth. I will offically declare Sophie to be the best $20 I've ever spent! I know of other moms who have lost their Sophies and have been quick to replace them, because they are such a great toy! I think with my mom's group we might have a little Sophie army to take over the Bay Area!

The mom's group I belong to is made up of moms and babies who were born in 2008, so you are one of the older babies. It's a great group to belong to because we get a chance to socalize and not get bored of staring at each other every day. You seem to love the other babies and you get so excited to see them. You'll squeal and laugh and if I let you get close enough you will grab at the babies, (they react in the same way and there is much Mama cooing at how cute the babies are.)

You are still a petite little girl. You wear mostly 0-3 month clothing, although you're still in some newborn sizes and you can fit into some 3-6 month clothes (mostly because your cloth diaper bum is bigger than a 'sposie bum.) I am trying to make sure that you wear everything that you have since you have a huge wardrobe because we have some of the best friends and family ever, and you were showered with generous gifts!

You have started to take a pacifier or as we call it a suckie. You do not like the Nuk ones and prefer the straight Gerber ones, and you will only take it when you are tired and about to go to sleep. I will only offer it to you if you are resisting sleep and are clearly sleepy, which seems to be a trend for you. To be fair you aren't hard to put down, you just want to be involved with everything going on; the suckie seems to remind you that you are tired and it settles you down, much like a shot of rum would, I imagine.

When I give you a bottle you have taken to rubbing my arm with your left hand as your right hand stroke my face or touches my hair. You are still so gentle when you do this and my heart swells as we share a little moment, it makes waking up at 4 am to feed you so very worth it. It seems that the middle of the night feedings will continue for a little while. I know that some parents talk about letting a baby your age cry themselves back to sleep, in an effort to "train" the baby to not need a bottle or a feeding in the middle of the night. I promise you that I will not try to train you, I understand that you are waking up because you are hungry, and you prove this to me when you drink your bottle, give me your lovey eyes and go back to sleep right away. The way I see it, you'll stop waking in the middle of the night when you're ready to sleep through the night, and I'm okay with you taking your time.

love, Mama.

5 Months ago today

I went into the hospital because I had a bit of a headache....

No Blogher for me...

Blogher starts in a couple of days and I can't go. Pooh!

I wanted to go, and it kills me that it's in San Francisco, so close, and yet I can't go.

I could have bought tickets, but I'm not ready to be away from the baby for a whole day yet, and I don't think she would appreciate being at a conference for a whole weekend. I will go out on a branch and say that she would behave wonderfully and no one would mind that she was there, but alas I will stay home and play with my little baby instead.

So Regan and Whitney have fun! If you talk to Dooce tell her hi! And if you meet Cecily, tell her she rocks!

And so that no one feels sorry for me, here's who I get to play with all weekend!

Trixie talks.

Unflattering video of me, cute video of Trixie.

I tie my baby to my body.

Before I had Trixie I knew about this baby wearing thing, but since I've had her I've fallen absolutely in love with baby wearing. My article of choice is a wrap, so really I do tie Trixie to my body.

In all honestly I've become a bit of a baby wearing snob. I don't much consider it baby wearing if someone is using a bjorn or other mass marketed devise like that. (I'm sure I'll get yelled at for saying that.) I don't consider it baby wearing because there is so much engineering between you and your baby. In the bjorn there is a padded panel that separates you from your baby, where as if you use a wrap you are tummy to tummy with your baby, almost becoming one with your baby. Also I've heard more complains about bjorns than any other carrier, how they are really uncomfortable and how the baby isn't well supported and such. In a wrap a baby is really well supported, and it's comfortable for them. Trixie just curls herself up around my body and snuggles in and often sleeps when I wear her.

Wearing Trixie has also helped me to recover from my c-section and helped to strengthen my abs and back after pregnancy. At my first hard workout back after having her I didn't have any pain when I was working my abs, I totally attribute this to wearing Trixie so much. It's a great work out regime. My muscles are strengthening as she grows, so she isn't too heavy for me. I suspect I'll be able to wear her well into her toddlerhood.

Also baby wearing is so convenient. I can go places with Trixie that I wouldn't be able to take her in a stroller. Shopping is easier since I don't have to worry about lugging a car seat around or dealing with a stroller and a basket as I shop. I just wear Trixie and I go. I have both hands free and she sleeps. And as an added bonus all sorts of people stop to compliment me on Trixie and how cute she is and how she looks so comfortable. Sometimes I feel like such a celebrity in the grocery store in the middle of the day, all of the little old blue hairs stopping me to coo at my baby. It's good for Trixie too when there are a lot of strangers around. She's free to interact with them and feel confident because I am right there, or if she is overwhelmed she can nuzzle into the wrap and hide away from everyone.

While I love wearing Trixie in a Moby, I'm finding that it's a really hot wrap, and with summer breathing down our necks I want something a little lighter. I bought a solar veil wrap and it's nice, but I want this. They are the Rolls Royces of wraps, and they're sturdy and light. I think that the blue one with the daisies is the prettiest. (hint hint Adam... )

hee hee hee.

(okay maybe this post was just a not so subtle ploy to convince Adam that I need the didy, although I do stand by everything I've said.)

Oh My Aching.....

Everything!
Today I went to my trainer's bootcamp workout and I might go and die about now. I haven't trained with her since the early days of my pregnancy because the relaxin kicked my ass. My joints were so loose I would roll my ankle walking and my knees would just periodically give out, so I figured it best to not jump around and stuff which I do when I work out. And then today. Oh golly lolly, I should have just sucked it up and took the chance of blowing out ligaments and such, then I wouldn't be suffering like I am now! (okay it's not that bad, but poetic licence and all)
The reason for the self torture? I've made no bones about wanting another baby, as soon as possible, please. But I need to finish losing the pregnancy weight and then some before the next baby. To this end I have started working out again and I even bit the bullet and joined Weight Watchers, whch has been going suprisingly well. A nice bonus of today's workout was for me to realize that while my fitness has suffered, not too much else has. I can't jump as high, but I can still skip, although not as long, but at least I don't trip all over the place like I expected. It was really nice to work out again, I do love the physicality of it and my trainer rocks and creates a routine that really challanges me and is quick to show results so I keep loving it. Another nice gift from the post partum gods was that my abs have seemed to heal well and I did at least 100 crunches today with no pain! I was a little worried that I would feel pain in my incision or where my abs seperated, but there was nothing. YAY! I totally attribute it to wearing Trixie in a wrap (like a Moby) so much. It's helped to strengthen my abs and my whole core, plus Trixie loves it and I love it, but the merits of babywearing is a whole another post.

I need to remember

The other day just after we had woken up Adam, Trixie and I were laying in bed just talking and playing. So in between intoxicating baby giggles I asked Trixie where Daddy was and she looked over to Adam! (she sleeps between us) Then Adam asked her where Mama was and she looked back over to me. Based on this I've concluded that she's a little genius. In all seriousness though it warmed my heart. She knows who we are by name! Then today I asked her where Chachi was while we were playing in bed and she looked over to him. Now I'm not sure if she knows him by name or if he moved and the movement caught her attention, so I'll try that experiment again. It's really amazing to see her interacting like that. I think it's almost time to start the baby sign language lessons. I initially planned to wait a little while, but I think she can start now.



Last night we were eating dinner and I had Trixie on the island with us, sitting her in her Bumbo so that she could be part of dinner. To further amuse her I gave her a tea spoon to hold and wave around. Adam commented that she would poke herself in the face with it and as soon as he said it she whacked herself in the eye with the spoon. I held my breath waiting for her to start crying or something and instead my silly little girl breaks out in the biggest smile and started belly laughing for all she was worth. It was quite funny listening to her laugh like that, Adam, my dad and I all started laughing with her, which only made her laugh harder. I nearly had tomato sauce coming out of my nose! The rest of dinner was less eventful, but I really liked having Trixie there as part of the meal, I think I'll include her more.

Infertili-what?

Today at a playgroup I was talking to one of the other moms who conceived her baby through IVF, so I shared my story with her how Trixie is an IUI baby. We spent the next 40 minute or so sharing our stories and talking about when we were each going to try again. (me later this year, her maybe next year) Then we both reminded each other about the infertile gone fertile urban myth. How some mothers will just have all of her problems magically go away after she gives birth the first time. Other mothers that were sitting near us and heard the conversation also assured us that they know of someone who knows someone who turned fertile and "it was amazing!" I smiled and nodded, secretly hoping that I'll someday have an "accident baby", but in reality I suspect I'll be injecting myself on a daily basis again for a couple weeks to get Trixie a sibling.
Then on my way home I was thinking about the whole conversation and how talking about it kind of dredged up some old feelings. I had forgotten how gutted I was every time I would get my period, or how when I found out a good friend had her baby I sobbed so hard I nearly lost my voice. I'd forgotten how lonely I felt, feeling like everyone around me was getting pregnant and I couldn't, even though I wanted to so badly.
I feel like I shouldn't forget those times, after all I was so consumed with my efforts to get pregnant, and I will have to go through it again. It's kind of like if I don't remember the efforts I put in I'm doing an injustice to every imagined baby I would have had each time I'd slog through another two week wait.
On the other hand I don't want to dwell on something so depressing when I have her to look at every day.

It will grow flowers....

Adam may have been right....

I'm a hippy.

Today my midwife came over to pick up her birth pool and give us a receipt and I sent my placenta home with her. Initially I asked for it from the hospital because I wanted to encapsulate it, but since I needed stupid drugs I can't use it, so it's just been taking up space in my freezer. She said that she would take it home and use it in her garden, which makes me happy that it isn't just going to get thrown out. But that's not what makes me a hippy. As I was pulling it from the freezer I peeked into the outer bag and thanked it.
Yes, Internets I thanked my placenta. And the scary part is I didn't realize I had done it until I handed the bag over and realized that I thanked it.
I know that some people highly regard their placentas and some hold special ceremonies or other rituals to thank their placentas for what they've done. But I didn't know I was one of those people. I guess I am.

I think I need to go and buy some birkenstocks now... I wonder if they make baby ones too?

Baby Mama

This is why I've been gone. Isn't she cute!

Lately I haven't been able to even keep up with the blogs I used to read daily, let alone post. I suspect that it will all let up now, until then...

I call this one ACHOO!

Beatrix Update

Hi everyone. Thanks for the messages and well wishes.
Trixie is so cute that I swoon everytime I see her.
There is a little glitch in my ultimate mommy plan.
She's in the NICU right now and it's not clear what's wrong, but it doens't appear to be something horrible. It looks like my placenta started to give out on her and she actually may have lost weight before she was born. So she came out at a deficit and when she lost more weight as normal newborns do it was too much for her. The good news is that she started taking formula from a bottle today and keeping it down. She does have a feeding tube in, but it's only been used once. (she hates it!)
I will post more updates and pictures as soon as I can.
Right now we're off to the hospital again to feed her and we've been given a parent's room for the night so that we can be near to her.
More later I promise!