Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Another south paw?
It looks like we may have another left-handed little girl. Lucy is definitely favouring her left hand. Almost anything you hand her is taken by the left hand, or failing that - transferred to the left hand. It seems strange for two right-handed people to produce two left-handed people, doesn't it? There is a whole world of interesting theories on handedness - although some not-so-fun theories about birth stress and prenatal brain damage. It is clear that there is no definitive answer as to why left-handedness persists in the human population. I was amused by the tales of Ferniehirst Castle of the Kerr Clan. The castle is supposedly constructed to favour lefties - and the Clan was reputed to be left-handed.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
I know it's blurry but...
You can see her lovely smile all the same!
If you are wondering why there are more snapshots of Becca than Lucy these days, it's because Rebecca is far more willing to stay still to be captured on film. Lucy is so busy locomoting, that it's hard to take a nice picture of her. Rest assured, we haven't given up yet!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Ok, I've been sick too.
Around 2am I finally succumbed. Same symptoms as everyone else. I wasn't able to sleep too much through the night, and felt pretty terrible.
Grandpa really came through though, and dropped by in the morning, staying 'till late afternoon, handling both kiddies and letting Madeleine and I get some much needed rest.
By the time he showed up in the morning we were both pretty near the end of our ropes, I don't know how we can begin to repay him for his help.
As of now, it seems like the worst is past. Still upset tummies, no real appetites to be found in the house, but noone is throwing up anymore.
Grandpa really came through though, and dropped by in the morning, staying 'till late afternoon, handling both kiddies and letting Madeleine and I get some much needed rest.
By the time he showed up in the morning we were both pretty near the end of our ropes, I don't know how we can begin to repay him for his help.
As of now, it seems like the worst is past. Still upset tummies, no real appetites to be found in the house, but noone is throwing up anymore.
Everyone's sick again...
...but for the sake of variety, now it's the gastrointestinal kind of sick.
Ok, to be fair, *I* am only feeling somewhat queasy so far. It *could* simply be the effects of dealing with soiled sheets, clothing, and children for the last few hours. I've washed my hands more times that I care to count.
It started a couple days ago when I was at work. Lucy threw up in her crib. She's retained most of her good humor, but her appetite hasn't been consistent and she's obviously been having trouble with her digestion.
This afternoon Mom got sick. Pretty violently ill. Very uncomfortable. I took charge of the kids for the evening and they were pretty good. Rebecca woke up a few hours after her bed time and threw up in her bed. She's been pretty miserable since.
Meanwhile Mom's been experiencing indigestion problems of both sorts, and Lucy is occasionally waking upset with a soiled diaper, because she has a developing case of diaper rash.
I'm on my third load of laundry now, and we're running short on cloths and towels (IE: only nice ones left) to clean up with. Rebecca just crashed, after we got about a third of a dose of Maalox Multi Action into her.
I took a dose myself.
Let's see if anyone gets any sleep tonight.
:-/
Ok, to be fair, *I* am only feeling somewhat queasy so far. It *could* simply be the effects of dealing with soiled sheets, clothing, and children for the last few hours. I've washed my hands more times that I care to count.
It started a couple days ago when I was at work. Lucy threw up in her crib. She's retained most of her good humor, but her appetite hasn't been consistent and she's obviously been having trouble with her digestion.
This afternoon Mom got sick. Pretty violently ill. Very uncomfortable. I took charge of the kids for the evening and they were pretty good. Rebecca woke up a few hours after her bed time and threw up in her bed. She's been pretty miserable since.
Meanwhile Mom's been experiencing indigestion problems of both sorts, and Lucy is occasionally waking upset with a soiled diaper, because she has a developing case of diaper rash.
I'm on my third load of laundry now, and we're running short on cloths and towels (IE: only nice ones left) to clean up with. Rebecca just crashed, after we got about a third of a dose of Maalox Multi Action into her.
I took a dose myself.
Let's see if anyone gets any sleep tonight.
:-/
Sunday, January 11, 2009
The sweet big sister
Rebecca is becoming more and more affectionate with Lucy. It is very sweet to watch.
Yesterday night, I was feeding Lucy her supper in a non-standard manner. I had her sitting on my lap instead of in the high chair. Rebecca suggested that I put Lucy in her high chair and I explained that Lucy was having a very hard day with teething and seemed to need the extra comfort. I explained to Rebecca that teething is when new teeth come in, and that it can be very painful. Rebecca immediately got out of her chair, came around to where I was sitting, told me that Lucy had a bobo, and that she was going to kiss it better. And then she gave Lucy many kisses on the head. It was very touching, especially because I didn't expect it at all. I really thought Rebecca was feeling jealous and coming to try to sit on my lap too. Lest you think I am a meanie, Rebecca did seem to have a bout of jealousy for a few days this week - for no apparent reason.
A few days ago, there was another cute incident. Rebecca, Lucy, and I returned from a shopping trip. During the car trip, Lucy had fallen asleep. We came into the house, and I was holding Lucy. We are standing in the vestibule, and I explain to Rebecca that we need to be quiet because Lucy has fallen asleep. In the midst of all this, I am trying to take off my boots one handed, and prevent Rebecca from running through the house in hers. As I bend down with sleeping Lucy all cozy in her snowsuit, Rebecca exclaims how cute Lucy is and covers her face with kisses. Part of me was touched, and part of me was desperately afraid Lucy woud wake up. Lucy did open her eyes after about the twelfth kiss, but I was subsequently able to get her back to sleep.
The girls have been interacting more and more. Sometimes, it's just making each other laugh in a manner that creates a sort of positive feedback loop. Sometimes, Rebecca "talks" back to Lucy in Lucy's language. It's strange and wonderful. We are watching a relationship develop right in front of our eyes. Previously, I've thought of the relationships in our family as being Greg and I, each of us with Rebecca, and each of us with Lucy. Rebecca + Lucy is a totally new dynamic.
Lucy and Rebecca have different bedtimes. They started out in synch, but things shifted. On nights when one parent is away, this can become tricky because Rebecca sometimes goes bonkers while we are settling Lucy. Generally, Lucy is very easy to put down for the night - but when she has a rough time, it can be very long. To help solve this problem, I decided to recruit Becca into Lucy's nighttime routine as much as possible. Rebecca LOVES this. She disposes of Lucy's wet diapers, she helps me pick out Lucy's pyjamas, she helps me pick out Lucy's bedtime story, she demos proper tooth brushing techniques for Lucy, and finally, she helps select bedtime songs and perform them. On nights when Lucy is very tired and we cut short the normal routine, Becca is very disappointed. Perhaps it's her age, perhaps it's just that enough tme has passed since Lucy's birth, but Rebecca is turning into a super-duper helper.
Yesterday night, I was feeding Lucy her supper in a non-standard manner. I had her sitting on my lap instead of in the high chair. Rebecca suggested that I put Lucy in her high chair and I explained that Lucy was having a very hard day with teething and seemed to need the extra comfort. I explained to Rebecca that teething is when new teeth come in, and that it can be very painful. Rebecca immediately got out of her chair, came around to where I was sitting, told me that Lucy had a bobo, and that she was going to kiss it better. And then she gave Lucy many kisses on the head. It was very touching, especially because I didn't expect it at all. I really thought Rebecca was feeling jealous and coming to try to sit on my lap too. Lest you think I am a meanie, Rebecca did seem to have a bout of jealousy for a few days this week - for no apparent reason.
A few days ago, there was another cute incident. Rebecca, Lucy, and I returned from a shopping trip. During the car trip, Lucy had fallen asleep. We came into the house, and I was holding Lucy. We are standing in the vestibule, and I explain to Rebecca that we need to be quiet because Lucy has fallen asleep. In the midst of all this, I am trying to take off my boots one handed, and prevent Rebecca from running through the house in hers. As I bend down with sleeping Lucy all cozy in her snowsuit, Rebecca exclaims how cute Lucy is and covers her face with kisses. Part of me was touched, and part of me was desperately afraid Lucy woud wake up. Lucy did open her eyes after about the twelfth kiss, but I was subsequently able to get her back to sleep.
The girls have been interacting more and more. Sometimes, it's just making each other laugh in a manner that creates a sort of positive feedback loop. Sometimes, Rebecca "talks" back to Lucy in Lucy's language. It's strange and wonderful. We are watching a relationship develop right in front of our eyes. Previously, I've thought of the relationships in our family as being Greg and I, each of us with Rebecca, and each of us with Lucy. Rebecca + Lucy is a totally new dynamic.
Lucy and Rebecca have different bedtimes. They started out in synch, but things shifted. On nights when one parent is away, this can become tricky because Rebecca sometimes goes bonkers while we are settling Lucy. Generally, Lucy is very easy to put down for the night - but when she has a rough time, it can be very long. To help solve this problem, I decided to recruit Becca into Lucy's nighttime routine as much as possible. Rebecca LOVES this. She disposes of Lucy's wet diapers, she helps me pick out Lucy's pyjamas, she helps me pick out Lucy's bedtime story, she demos proper tooth brushing techniques for Lucy, and finally, she helps select bedtime songs and perform them. On nights when Lucy is very tired and we cut short the normal routine, Becca is very disappointed. Perhaps it's her age, perhaps it's just that enough tme has passed since Lucy's birth, but Rebecca is turning into a super-duper helper.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Get ready for the cuteness
I have to admit the eyebrows were my addition, but the rest of the face, that's all her.
Dare to compare
Baby number one at 9 months:
Obviously the cheeks on Lucy are more formidable. Nose seems similar. Hair a little lighter, finer and much straighter. And less of it.
Lucy's taking to free standing a little on her own now, and will usually be standing up in her crib after she wakes up, if she's not upset rolling around wailing, which, fortunately, isn't that common.
Child the second at 9 months:
Obviously the cheeks on Lucy are more formidable. Nose seems similar. Hair a little lighter, finer and much straighter. And less of it.
Lucy's taking to free standing a little on her own now, and will usually be standing up in her crib after she wakes up, if she's not upset rolling around wailing, which, fortunately, isn't that common.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Long-overdue post
My public (Hi Mom!), has recently commented on the lack of posts. Sorry! It seems that everyone in our household is over the cold/virus/curse but me. I have a lingering sore throat which is quite painful but otherwise does not interfere with my life. Maybe if I'm lucky, my reluctance to swallow food can turn into a post-Christmas nog-busting diet. Ha ha.
At any rate, we took down the tree this week, much to the chagrin of Rebecca. She accused me of breaking the tree, and was pleading that we put the ornaments back on. She seems to have recovered and is already pestering me about Hallowe'en.
I had to take Becca for her 3 year checkup on Monday. Let me preface this story by stating that there are no vaccinations during the 3 year checkup, it simply consists of the very simple measurements of height and weight, in addition to looking at eyes, ears, listening to the heart and lungs, and palpating the digestive system etc. Traumatic? Surely not! It started out well enough - she was quite willing to hop into the car for a trip with Mommy, albeit disappointed that Grandpa was staying with Lucy instead of joining us. She played with a toy in the waiting room until the nurse opened the door and called her name. That was when the screaming began. I guess this means she remembers our trip for the flu shots in November! Anyway, I had to carry her in - she was screaming "NO: the whole time. Suffice it to say - many of the normal procedures were not performed. I do know that she now weighs 33 lbs. Of course, I had to stand on the scale with her, and then solo. When I let go of her, she attempted to get back into the waiting room. Thankfully, I had the foresight to bring her newest teddy bear with her, and this mollified her somewhat. All the same, I spent a lot of time reassuring and cuddling a mostly naked preschooler, who was willing to receive a sticker (and one for the teddy bear!) but unwilling to endure the stethoscope. Rebecca repeatedly told me that we were all finished and that it was time to go home. When it was time to leave, she was very happy, but then decided she wanted me to read her some of the books in the waiting room. The more often things like this take place, the more I lean towards nature over nurture. She's like my behavioural clone - it's eerie! For those of you who are only acquainted with adult-me, it might be difficult to imagine that I was ever anything like Becca... but it's true!
So, based on discussions with my doctor, Rebecca seems ready for junior-kindergarten in the fall (how is it possible that she is already this old?!?!), and I will be taking her to an allergist in the spring, so we can determine whether she has any food allergies like me. I haven't exposed her to any of the most common allergens yet, just in case she takes after Mommy. It will be a relief to know whether there is anything to be concerned about foodwise, but I am not looking forward to going through the testing procedure with Rebecca.
I was advised that since being independent and in-control is of such huge importance to Becca, I should endeavour whenever possible, to offer her choices. This is something that Greg and I already do, so it is nice to have it reinforced. 3 year olds have so little control over their lives, Rebecca gets frustrated very often. Her strong will, and her determination to do her own thing are fantastic traits in adults, and challenging traits in a child. This is of course, our major stumbling block in toilet training lately, and explains why some days are flawless and some days are a battle.
I now have the o.k. to take Rebecca off Homo milk (hooray!). Of course, we'll be putting Lucy on it in the spring, so we'll still be buying two types of milk for some time.
Lucy's mobility continues to grow. She has perfected the art of landing from standing, and has done a bit of hands-free standing. She is way more curious and adventurous than Rebecca at the same age, and there have been some fabulous wipe outs. It is hard to give her the freedom she needs when my instinct is to put her in a padded room filled with round and soft objects, but I have experience as my guide. Lucy is so happy to be experimenting and exploring.
At any rate, we took down the tree this week, much to the chagrin of Rebecca. She accused me of breaking the tree, and was pleading that we put the ornaments back on. She seems to have recovered and is already pestering me about Hallowe'en.
I had to take Becca for her 3 year checkup on Monday. Let me preface this story by stating that there are no vaccinations during the 3 year checkup, it simply consists of the very simple measurements of height and weight, in addition to looking at eyes, ears, listening to the heart and lungs, and palpating the digestive system etc. Traumatic? Surely not! It started out well enough - she was quite willing to hop into the car for a trip with Mommy, albeit disappointed that Grandpa was staying with Lucy instead of joining us. She played with a toy in the waiting room until the nurse opened the door and called her name. That was when the screaming began. I guess this means she remembers our trip for the flu shots in November! Anyway, I had to carry her in - she was screaming "NO: the whole time. Suffice it to say - many of the normal procedures were not performed. I do know that she now weighs 33 lbs. Of course, I had to stand on the scale with her, and then solo. When I let go of her, she attempted to get back into the waiting room. Thankfully, I had the foresight to bring her newest teddy bear with her, and this mollified her somewhat. All the same, I spent a lot of time reassuring and cuddling a mostly naked preschooler, who was willing to receive a sticker (and one for the teddy bear!) but unwilling to endure the stethoscope. Rebecca repeatedly told me that we were all finished and that it was time to go home. When it was time to leave, she was very happy, but then decided she wanted me to read her some of the books in the waiting room. The more often things like this take place, the more I lean towards nature over nurture. She's like my behavioural clone - it's eerie! For those of you who are only acquainted with adult-me, it might be difficult to imagine that I was ever anything like Becca... but it's true!
So, based on discussions with my doctor, Rebecca seems ready for junior-kindergarten in the fall (how is it possible that she is already this old?!?!), and I will be taking her to an allergist in the spring, so we can determine whether she has any food allergies like me. I haven't exposed her to any of the most common allergens yet, just in case she takes after Mommy. It will be a relief to know whether there is anything to be concerned about foodwise, but I am not looking forward to going through the testing procedure with Rebecca.
I was advised that since being independent and in-control is of such huge importance to Becca, I should endeavour whenever possible, to offer her choices. This is something that Greg and I already do, so it is nice to have it reinforced. 3 year olds have so little control over their lives, Rebecca gets frustrated very often. Her strong will, and her determination to do her own thing are fantastic traits in adults, and challenging traits in a child. This is of course, our major stumbling block in toilet training lately, and explains why some days are flawless and some days are a battle.
I now have the o.k. to take Rebecca off Homo milk (hooray!). Of course, we'll be putting Lucy on it in the spring, so we'll still be buying two types of milk for some time.
Lucy's mobility continues to grow. She has perfected the art of landing from standing, and has done a bit of hands-free standing. She is way more curious and adventurous than Rebecca at the same age, and there have been some fabulous wipe outs. It is hard to give her the freedom she needs when my instinct is to put her in a padded room filled with round and soft objects, but I have experience as my guide. Lucy is so happy to be experimenting and exploring.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)