Here is Maeve kissing Uncle Brendan when he was out for a visit.
He was one of the lucky ones.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Hugs and Kisses
Aside from the fact that we have a little lush on our hands (see previous post), we also have a lover. Hugs and kisses are things she has been working on and handing out more and more. Don't be too sad if she refuses when you ask for one though. She doles them out on her own terms.
This could be foreboding
Caution: PG 13 material follows.
I'm not too sure what to make of this picture (For those of you trying to make out what the bottle says - It's Strongbow, a nice hard cider.) Did her dad and I set her up by giving her an Irish name, is it truely in her blood? Whatever the explaination, I think this could be some troubling news to the parents of this child in college. Hey, as long as she gets good grades - Megan always did!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
It's Official - She's Walking
She can do it. Not the most stable walker I've seen, but she's got it down. More often than not she can be found in the middle of a room now, standing all by herself, usually holding something that she has made way with - a book, a pen, paper she's shoved in her mouth. She can even lower herself into a squat, stand back up and resume walking. Not only can she walk, but she can climb up onto the futon to look out the window. I'm sure that's not all she'll be climbing.
A Mother's Dream
Only a mother could really appreciate what I'm about to write.
Tonight I took a page from my friend Hannah's notebook. I am in constant admiration that Hannah can get her children to eat almost anything, and always green things. Anabelle chanted with Mark once, "we love kale." I have also witness Silas eating asparagus end over end, kind of like a chain smoker, but not. It's truly amazing. Hannah tells me she just kept trying and of course hid things in other likable foods.
This afternoon on a mission to have her eat carrots, I mushed them up in her favorite yogurt, cottage cheese mix (a page I took from Helen's notebook). Little did she know that her favorite little snack would become the vehicle for goodness.
Then this evening it was like an angel had come down from above and taken over my child. I serve broccoli to her for the first time in many months. The initial trial got spit back out at me and I didn't try again because those darn little florets are hard to pick out of your hair. Anyway, following Hannah's lead, I put some butter the broccoli then poured some Bragg's Amino Acids (taste like soy sauce) over the whole thing. Maeve was eating the broccoli hand over fist, no prompting was needed. I'm down with the little extra fat and salt if it means she gets the other nutrients. Who knows, maybe she'll peak back over the 10% when we go to the doctors office again.
I began a chant of my own, "broccoli is great, give me another plate." She thought this was pretty funny and kept eating. Hopefully it will stick with her and she'll do it again.
Tonight I took a page from my friend Hannah's notebook. I am in constant admiration that Hannah can get her children to eat almost anything, and always green things. Anabelle chanted with Mark once, "we love kale." I have also witness Silas eating asparagus end over end, kind of like a chain smoker, but not. It's truly amazing. Hannah tells me she just kept trying and of course hid things in other likable foods.
This afternoon on a mission to have her eat carrots, I mushed them up in her favorite yogurt, cottage cheese mix (a page I took from Helen's notebook). Little did she know that her favorite little snack would become the vehicle for goodness.
Then this evening it was like an angel had come down from above and taken over my child. I serve broccoli to her for the first time in many months. The initial trial got spit back out at me and I didn't try again because those darn little florets are hard to pick out of your hair. Anyway, following Hannah's lead, I put some butter the broccoli then poured some Bragg's Amino Acids (taste like soy sauce) over the whole thing. Maeve was eating the broccoli hand over fist, no prompting was needed. I'm down with the little extra fat and salt if it means she gets the other nutrients. Who knows, maybe she'll peak back over the 10% when we go to the doctors office again.
I began a chant of my own, "broccoli is great, give me another plate." She thought this was pretty funny and kept eating. Hopefully it will stick with her and she'll do it again.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Sleeping baby
I want someone to explain to me the formula, running car engine + baby = sleeping baby.
Early in Maeve's life I needed someone to explain this to me because apparently Maeve instillation of this formula in her little brain was a bit late. Remember the crying! Oi the crying! Now we fully appreciate this formula, have used it to our benefit on many occasion. What I need someone to explain to me now is how running car engine + baby + car stereo as loud as it will go AND a shaking car seat can still = sleeping baby.
Today on a quick trip out in the car, Maeve decided that our ride home was cutting it too close to her nap time. Go figure, she moves it around all the time, how could I know she was going to pick the ride home to kick it. I wanted her to stay awake until we got home so I could put her in her crib and actually think about getting something done (imagine that). First I started singing to her and reaching back and tickling her at all the stop lights. When I stopped any of those, her little lids would drop and her thumb went right into her mouth. Next when all those looked like they had failed, I turned the radio up, full blast, granted it was Gerrison Keillor. Possibly not the best choice to stimulate a child. As that began to fail I started shaking her car seat to keep her awake. The shaking had to register at least a 5.8 on the Richter scale. Despite all this, she fell asleep.
I just don't understand this. Especially because just last night all I had to do was turn over in bed, the sheets would wrinkle a bit and she was up like a Pop-Tart. I do not understand it one bit. If someone has an explanation let me know.
In the end, I hung out in the car reading a book with her while she slept for an hour. Good thing we both had down coats on...it was chilly today. At least I got some reading in.
Early in Maeve's life I needed someone to explain this to me because apparently Maeve instillation of this formula in her little brain was a bit late. Remember the crying! Oi the crying! Now we fully appreciate this formula, have used it to our benefit on many occasion. What I need someone to explain to me now is how running car engine + baby + car stereo as loud as it will go AND a shaking car seat can still = sleeping baby.
Today on a quick trip out in the car, Maeve decided that our ride home was cutting it too close to her nap time. Go figure, she moves it around all the time, how could I know she was going to pick the ride home to kick it. I wanted her to stay awake until we got home so I could put her in her crib and actually think about getting something done (imagine that). First I started singing to her and reaching back and tickling her at all the stop lights. When I stopped any of those, her little lids would drop and her thumb went right into her mouth. Next when all those looked like they had failed, I turned the radio up, full blast, granted it was Gerrison Keillor. Possibly not the best choice to stimulate a child. As that began to fail I started shaking her car seat to keep her awake. The shaking had to register at least a 5.8 on the Richter scale. Despite all this, she fell asleep.
I just don't understand this. Especially because just last night all I had to do was turn over in bed, the sheets would wrinkle a bit and she was up like a Pop-Tart. I do not understand it one bit. If someone has an explanation let me know.
In the end, I hung out in the car reading a book with her while she slept for an hour. Good thing we both had down coats on...it was chilly today. At least I got some reading in.
Friday, December 7, 2007
An overview
Before I even get started, no she didn't sleep as well the next night. It was awful actually, but what can you do?
It seems that indeed we have a little person on our hands. I know I've said this before, but I am simply amazed by this. A year ago we cared for a little sac-of-needs. Now we on a regular basis received demands from that little being.
Walking is the preferred mode of transportation now. Crawling is merely what she resorts to when she has become frustrated with her wobbling or has shoes on. HATES them. I realize now I may have done myself in for by never putting shoes on her this summer. But then again, she did come out with a foot-loose and fancy free attitude, my shoe choice, or lack there of may not have had anything to with the fact that she rips her shoes (and socks) off at any moment she gets.
She is eating more, which may have a lot to do with the fact that sleeping is getting better. Mark says he stuffed her full that miraculous night. I tried the last two nights to do the same, but she resists me. Maeve sits in her highchair, usually pushed back away from the table with her feet up on the table like some Fortune 500 exec. She prefers things this way, despite the fact that it makes it infinitely harder to reach the Cheerios.
LOVES Cheerios....especially the way they fly through the air when she gives them "5." She learned to give "5" and likes to do it all the time, to anything. It can get a bit rough, so if you choose to engage her in the game, be prepared for a solid "5" to the face. Then she is told to be gentle and thinks that is the funniest thing since raspberries.
Raspberries, she is great at giving them. Hasn't cared for the food version as much though.
"uh-oh" has fallen somewhat out of favor. I think she has probably realized that Fortune 500 execs do not admit mistakes that easily. Has added "hi" to her repertoire. It's super cute to be greeted by the little gal, face pulled over the gate at the top of the stairs, saying HI when I get home. Makes me want to rush home that much faster.
Unfortunately she has added an ingratiating whine to her bag of tricks too. I'm sure there will be words (read: demands) that replace that whine some day, but for now it's short little bursts of a cry that lacks tears...unless she sees you looking. She can squint up her eyes real tight and squeeze out a tear for effect when she is really working it. Hopefully this is just a phase. I told her if she knows what's good for her she'll stop that because it's not going to keep the beasts in the forest away when her parents leave her in the woods. Growling would probably be much more effective.
And that's about it for our day to day. We are just plugging along and watching in awe this little life unfolding before our eyes.
It seems that indeed we have a little person on our hands. I know I've said this before, but I am simply amazed by this. A year ago we cared for a little sac-of-needs. Now we on a regular basis received demands from that little being.
Walking is the preferred mode of transportation now. Crawling is merely what she resorts to when she has become frustrated with her wobbling or has shoes on. HATES them. I realize now I may have done myself in for by never putting shoes on her this summer. But then again, she did come out with a foot-loose and fancy free attitude, my shoe choice, or lack there of may not have had anything to with the fact that she rips her shoes (and socks) off at any moment she gets.
She is eating more, which may have a lot to do with the fact that sleeping is getting better. Mark says he stuffed her full that miraculous night. I tried the last two nights to do the same, but she resists me. Maeve sits in her highchair, usually pushed back away from the table with her feet up on the table like some Fortune 500 exec. She prefers things this way, despite the fact that it makes it infinitely harder to reach the Cheerios.
LOVES Cheerios....especially the way they fly through the air when she gives them "5." She learned to give "5" and likes to do it all the time, to anything. It can get a bit rough, so if you choose to engage her in the game, be prepared for a solid "5" to the face. Then she is told to be gentle and thinks that is the funniest thing since raspberries.
Raspberries, she is great at giving them. Hasn't cared for the food version as much though.
"uh-oh" has fallen somewhat out of favor. I think she has probably realized that Fortune 500 execs do not admit mistakes that easily. Has added "hi" to her repertoire. It's super cute to be greeted by the little gal, face pulled over the gate at the top of the stairs, saying HI when I get home. Makes me want to rush home that much faster.
Unfortunately she has added an ingratiating whine to her bag of tricks too. I'm sure there will be words (read: demands) that replace that whine some day, but for now it's short little bursts of a cry that lacks tears...unless she sees you looking. She can squint up her eyes real tight and squeeze out a tear for effect when she is really working it. Hopefully this is just a phase. I told her if she knows what's good for her she'll stop that because it's not going to keep the beasts in the forest away when her parents leave her in the woods. Growling would probably be much more effective.
And that's about it for our day to day. We are just plugging along and watching in awe this little life unfolding before our eyes.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Breaking News
********imagine the sound track for breaking news in your head...clanking typewriters, although out of date is what comes to mind.**********
Maeve slept from 8pm to 5am - NO wake ups. Read that again, NO waking up.
Of course her mother didn't. My body is so trained to wake up that I woke at 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30. At 4:30 I had the issue of also supporting the Swiss Alps on my chest so I layed in bed awake, after checking to make sure she was still breathing of course, wishing my chest didn't throb so much. Maeve eventually woke at 5am to eat, for which I was thankful. But I wondered if my brain traffic is what woke her up or did she just wake on her own.
Hopefully a question I'll get to ponder again tonight. I won't hold my breath, but I plan on drugging myself heavily in anticipation. I haven't decided on the drug of choice yet, but that's just details.
Maeve slept from 8pm to 5am - NO wake ups. Read that again, NO waking up.
Of course her mother didn't. My body is so trained to wake up that I woke at 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30. At 4:30 I had the issue of also supporting the Swiss Alps on my chest so I layed in bed awake, after checking to make sure she was still breathing of course, wishing my chest didn't throb so much. Maeve eventually woke at 5am to eat, for which I was thankful. But I wondered if my brain traffic is what woke her up or did she just wake on her own.
Hopefully a question I'll get to ponder again tonight. I won't hold my breath, but I plan on drugging myself heavily in anticipation. I haven't decided on the drug of choice yet, but that's just details.
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