As of this week, Rebecca is officially interested in books beyond gnawing and ripping them. I admit, I had been wondering when reading to her would begin to seem like more than an act of futility - but suddenly, she sits quietly in my lap with rapt attention. What is going on? This is not to say that there aren't incidents of book in mouth, but she is definitely listening to the words and looking at the pictures.
Initially, I tried reading all sorts of books to her as part of her bedtime ritual and also sporadically throughout the day. She was interested in grabbing and them, and touching them, eating them, and slobbering on them. I guess babies have to reach a certain developmental stage to be able to appreciate books. We started with soft ones, then moved to board books, and I'm hoping that once we get past the oral fixation stage (or whatever it may actually be called), we can enjoy paper books without worrying about collateral damage.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Fish face
Yesterday, Rebecca acquired a new facial expression - fish face. It's exactly what you might imagine from the description - she sucks in her cheeks and makes a classic fish face. This is often when I try to feed her something she doesn't like, but it is not exclusive to mealtimes.
It's hard to remain serious when someone makes this face at you. I will do my best to capture it on film, but I'll have to be like lightning.
It's hard to remain serious when someone makes this face at you. I will do my best to capture it on film, but I'll have to be like lightning.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Tooth 7 and waving
Finally, tooth #7 is out. It's just not as exciting as at the beginning. And certainly, watching Rebecca suffer through gum pain is not getting any easier (although we are getting better at reading her cues).
Becca is now learning to wave goodbye to people. Greg is convinced that the first time was last night, when she bade farewell to our friend Terri. She also waved to my parents this morning.
I'm trying Rebecca out on some purées that I made in August (fear not, I froze them). At the time, she despised some of them. Now, it seems she loves them. I'm glad I kept the food, especially since so much time and effort went in to making the purées. I am gratified that her tastes have evolved. Today she had beginner dhaal, so perhaps at some future date, she will be ready for curry.
Becca is now learning to wave goodbye to people. Greg is convinced that the first time was last night, when she bade farewell to our friend Terri. She also waved to my parents this morning.
I'm trying Rebecca out on some purées that I made in August (fear not, I froze them). At the time, she despised some of them. Now, it seems she loves them. I'm glad I kept the food, especially since so much time and effort went in to making the purées. I am gratified that her tastes have evolved. Today she had beginner dhaal, so perhaps at some future date, she will be ready for curry.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
The Mommy Dichotomy
It's capitalized so it must be important!
I just wanted to share a recent observation of mine. It isn't anything particularly wise, inspired or novel, but I think it bears discussing all the same.
Sometimes, as a mommy, one can feel invisible. Naturally, babies take centre stage, but on occasion, it is challenging (especially afloat in the somewhat unnatural world of mat leave), to fade into the background and be quite secondary.
Especially because...
Back at home, you are alone with someone who perceives you in a manner which is exactly the opposite! To your baby, you are everything. They are totally dependent on you, and you are their ultimate focus. You don't have a moment to yourself, and you know that your very presence can sometimes mean the difference between happiness and misery. It's a lot of pressure.
Moving from one extreme to the next can be mentally and emotionally exhausting.
So, a big thank-you to the givers of much needed TLC, neutral attention and caffeinated or sugar-laden consumables!
I just wanted to share a recent observation of mine. It isn't anything particularly wise, inspired or novel, but I think it bears discussing all the same.
Sometimes, as a mommy, one can feel invisible. Naturally, babies take centre stage, but on occasion, it is challenging (especially afloat in the somewhat unnatural world of mat leave), to fade into the background and be quite secondary.
Especially because...
Back at home, you are alone with someone who perceives you in a manner which is exactly the opposite! To your baby, you are everything. They are totally dependent on you, and you are their ultimate focus. You don't have a moment to yourself, and you know that your very presence can sometimes mean the difference between happiness and misery. It's a lot of pressure.
Moving from one extreme to the next can be mentally and emotionally exhausting.
So, a big thank-you to the givers of much needed TLC, neutral attention and caffeinated or sugar-laden consumables!
Cute things she does
1. Steals clothes from her own clothes hamper and cuddles with them in her crib
2. Holds my thumbs when I'm clapping my hands, and "helps" me
3. Uses an upturned laundry basket to motor around the hardwood
4. Basically everything
2. Holds my thumbs when I'm clapping my hands, and "helps" me
3. Uses an upturned laundry basket to motor around the hardwood
4. Basically everything
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Tooth #6 is out!
Not much more to say than that, although it looks like 7 and 8 aren't far behind.
Also, took Rebecca out in the stroller in some cold weather outerwear - a cute kushies bear suit. I hope to photograph it soon!
Also, took Rebecca out in the stroller in some cold weather outerwear - a cute kushies bear suit. I hope to photograph it soon!
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Stacking toy
I finally got Becca a traditional stacking toy. You know the one - yellow post, big blue ring, green ring, yellow ring, orange ring, small red ring.
She will not stack with it.
This is what she will do:
She will not stack with it.
This is what she will do:
- Bang the rings together
- Suck on the post/see how far it will go in her mouth
- Chew on the rings
- Crawl across the floor with rings in her hands
- Unscrew the post from the base (?!?! I didn't even know it unscrewed until she did it)
- Hit rings when I spin them
- Turn a fully stacked toy upside down so that all the rings fall off
9 month checkup
Rebecca weighs 19.9 lbs, is 2'5", and is still above average for height and weight. Thankfully, there were no immunizations this time! Rebecca got to sit on the scale and was greatly intrigued by a poster depicting a row of chubby babies (enough so to enable an accurate measurement - I guess that's why the poster is there). She successfully grabbed the stethescope at least twice, and tried to eat the crinkly paper on the patient table.
I haven't posted recently because I have been dealing with Becca's alter ego- Cranky Baby (tm). This is not to say that she doesn't have her joyous moments - she certainly does. It's just that she's been especially crabby and clingy lately, and doesn't like not getting her way. I blame teething. It's been very intense these past few days, and there has been an increased incidence of spit up (something I haven't seen for many moons), and an unwillingness to drink from a bottle (despite obvious hunger). Sometimes Tempra is not enough to ease her suffering. It is difficult to watch her go through this. I've come to realize that she is actually teething four incisors at once. It would make me crabby too.
I was under the impression that only her next two top incisors were emerging, but a trip to the grocery store proved me wrong. I had Rebecca on the change table yesterday, and as she laughed, I noticed the telltale signs of an emerging tooth on the top gum. Basically, when it's near to breaking through, it is inflammed and the centre resembles the middle of a chancre sore (sort of clear). So, here I was merrily expecting to be the proud mommy of a 5 tooth baby. Later that day, Rebecca started to pitch a fit in the Gatorade aisle - I guess teething snail just wasn't up to snuff - so I do what I normally do when she becomes unhappy at Loblaws, I run with the cart while making strange noises and faces. It worked (albeit temporarily), but as she opened her maw to guffaw, I noticed the top of a new tooth on the bottom?!?! I already had my 5 tooth baby. It looks as though she is bringing in the incisors right to left instead of top to bottom or bottom to top.
Credit where credit is due: Please note - the following attractive pictures of Rebecca: Rebecca at breakfast time and Rebecca with slobber dinosaur, were taken by my sister, and not by Greg or myself. The picture of Rebecca outside was taken by my friend Terri.
On the weekend, Greg and I had our first parent/baby social encounter. After our running clinic, we went out for breakfast with another Fitmom couple and their adorable son. It was lots of fun, and Rebecca is quite happy in a social situation. We even shared the miraculous vibrating teether. I'm still not sold on play-groups. I think I socialize Becca enough.
Rebecca recently had her first ride on a swing at the park in the neighbourhood I grew up in. She seemed indifferent. Actually, her main focus was Samantha (Sammy), the daughter of a family friend. Sammy is about one year older than Rebecca, and is therefore an object of fascination.
I haven't posted recently because I have been dealing with Becca's alter ego- Cranky Baby (tm). This is not to say that she doesn't have her joyous moments - she certainly does. It's just that she's been especially crabby and clingy lately, and doesn't like not getting her way. I blame teething. It's been very intense these past few days, and there has been an increased incidence of spit up (something I haven't seen for many moons), and an unwillingness to drink from a bottle (despite obvious hunger). Sometimes Tempra is not enough to ease her suffering. It is difficult to watch her go through this. I've come to realize that she is actually teething four incisors at once. It would make me crabby too.
I was under the impression that only her next two top incisors were emerging, but a trip to the grocery store proved me wrong. I had Rebecca on the change table yesterday, and as she laughed, I noticed the telltale signs of an emerging tooth on the top gum. Basically, when it's near to breaking through, it is inflammed and the centre resembles the middle of a chancre sore (sort of clear). So, here I was merrily expecting to be the proud mommy of a 5 tooth baby. Later that day, Rebecca started to pitch a fit in the Gatorade aisle - I guess teething snail just wasn't up to snuff - so I do what I normally do when she becomes unhappy at Loblaws, I run with the cart while making strange noises and faces. It worked (albeit temporarily), but as she opened her maw to guffaw, I noticed the top of a new tooth on the bottom?!?! I already had my 5 tooth baby. It looks as though she is bringing in the incisors right to left instead of top to bottom or bottom to top.
Credit where credit is due: Please note - the following attractive pictures of Rebecca: Rebecca at breakfast time and Rebecca with slobber dinosaur, were taken by my sister, and not by Greg or myself. The picture of Rebecca outside was taken by my friend Terri.
On the weekend, Greg and I had our first parent/baby social encounter. After our running clinic, we went out for breakfast with another Fitmom couple and their adorable son. It was lots of fun, and Rebecca is quite happy in a social situation. We even shared the miraculous vibrating teether. I'm still not sold on play-groups. I think I socialize Becca enough.
Rebecca recently had her first ride on a swing at the park in the neighbourhood I grew up in. She seemed indifferent. Actually, her main focus was Samantha (Sammy), the daughter of a family friend. Sammy is about one year older than Rebecca, and is therefore an object of fascination.
Friday, September 1, 2006
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