She's Walking!

First, I can't say how good it felt to see Natasha walk! I've been wishing she'd start soon, mostly bc all the babies in our playgroup (including the younger ones) have all been walking for a couple of months now and I felt 'left out'. I know I know, silly, each baby is different, each one does things in their own time, but I was anxious, impatient and excited all at once for her to start walking. Plus my hip really would love a rest from carrying her all the time. ;0)

Every Tuesday the girls in my group have a play date. We alternate homes each week so the same person is not stuck cleaning up each time. This week, as luck would have it, I was hosting it. We were all gabbing about our experiences after we have our babies (several of us are talking about starting to try again soon) and it was about that time that Tash

She's Walking!

I will readily admit I am so happy that Tash is walking! I know I should not feel this way, but every baby in our play group has been walking for at least 2 months, so I was starting to feel like Tash might never walk! One other baby who was born the same day as Tash just started walking 2 weeks ago, so that stressed me even more. Amazing what stresses us out eh? I know each baby does things in their own time, but I was starting to feel like I'd be carrying her around forever. ha!

Every Tuesday our baby group has a play date. We alternate homes (in the summer we go to the park or zoo) so it's not stuck on one mom to clean up each time. As luck would have it, today was my day to host the playdate. Not only that, O was "working" from home today so when she started to walk I ran and got him, so we both got to share the moment.

At first she was just taking 3 or 4 steps between myself and L, but then she walked from me, across the play room to J. It was so exciting! I really can't express how sweet it is to see her walk. She seems so little, yet there she is putting one foot in front of the other and walking. She has far from mastered it, the walk across the room was her longest stretch, after that is was a lot of standing and a few steps, then crawling, but I'm sure in a week or two she'll have it down and I'll be chasing her all over the place.

She's down for a nap (a late one!) but I'm going to try and video her walking. :0)

Vaxs.

After months of researching and talking to other mom's about their opinion on the MMR vax, I finally decided I'd schedule Tash's apt. for hers. I decied that she'd get the MMR, but not Chicken Pox or Influenza. I called yesterday morning and they had a cancellation so we were able to take her that evening at 6pm. I was 100% expecting to get a hard time about not getting the Flu/CP shots but the RN was really nice (she looked familiar I think we saw her last time we went) and just went on to explain about the MMR.

Also yesterday morning, we got out of the house and met up with a couple of friends at MM for lunch and a visit to the kid play area there. Tash is still not walking so I was a bit worried as to how much fun she could really have in there as most of the kids I see are running around, I never see crawlers in there.

We booked our time for 1pm, went for lunch and then went back. Tash did her normal sit on her knees, look around for 5 mins and then she was off and running. hah The first thing she went to was the bridge, which we spent a good 10 mins with me having my hand on her bum while she used her hands/arms to crawl up it [it's this shiny plastic and the no shoes in the play area make it impossible for her to do it on her own] only to turn around and slide down on her belly. She'd giggle, and then look at me waiting expectantly for me to help push her back up again. I tried just sitting her on the top but she was pretty determined she wanted to crawl up.

Overall, she had a great time, she crawled like a mad woman over and under all the stuff, played with the things on the walls, and only had one incident where this little boy (who was much older then her) pushed her a few times. I was standing right there the first time and bent down and said something like "It's not very nice to push, perhaps you and Natasha can share this?". Of course my laid back daughter just moved a foot to the left and played with the other wall thing (like those things they have in the Dr's offices) and this little boy followed and pushed her again and stood blocking it completely. At this point I'm looking for his mom, who I see, who sees me and comes over, takes her son by the arm and tells him to play nice or they are leaving. Tash at this point has wandered off to something else so I casually follow. Thankfully no more run ins with that kid, but a bit later I notice his mother scolding him once again, this time because he's pushed a little girl who is on the floor crying. :0(

I wish I would have had my camera with me to take some photos of her playing. She was actually a bit sad when our 30 minutes were up. I'm going to try and go once a week earlier in the morning while it's still cold out. Perhaps it will play her out enough for a nap.

The other conclusion I've reached is that perhaps 11:30 is too early for her afternoon nap, so today I tried a new tactic and feed her lunch first, then put her to bed at noon. It did not work, she spent an hour laying there babbling, but it was worth a try. I went and got her and we played for a bit, then I tried again at 3, at which point she did snuggle up under her blanket and go to sleep. Perhaps tomorrow I'll try at 1pm.

Frustration.

It's been a tough 2 weeks. First Tash was sick, then I got sick, then Owen, then all 4 of her molars came in and then when we started to get some semblance of order back to the house, I put my back out. So for the last six days, my movement has been minimal and up until yesterday I was unable to pick up Tash or really play with her.

Needless to say, I'm exhausted and would just like things to go back to normal. My house is a mess, my toddler is not eating nor is she sleeping anymore. The last 2 nights she's woke up 5xs and has gotten up at 7am instead of her normal 8-8:30. She also has a need to be with me constantly or attached to my leg, which is starting to wear me out.

Right now she's in her bed, obviously tired and needing rest, but instead is standing there, hands on rails screeching. Not crying, but screeching. I've called my husband and his only response is So? just let her screech, she'll stop soon. Does he not realize how grating it is on one's sanity to have your child screaming down the hall?? I know she's tired, I go in to sooth her and she snuggles into my chest but as soon as I put her in her crib she starts to screech and pretend she's choking.

It's not for lack of attention, I've read her 5 stories today, given her my undivided attention/playtime for the 2 hrs proceeding her nap, but it's not helped. I'm literally ready to lose it right now. I know she is screeching to get me to come in and I almost feel going in just proves to her that if she continues to screech I'll come running.

I'm torn between comforting my baby and at the same time, not going in so she knows that screeching is not a new 'trick' to get mommy to come. I know what the issue is, she's over-tired and when she's over tired, she has trouble going down for naps, but it still is so hard for me [and her] when she is not caught up on her rest.

The food issue, well I have no idea why she is suddenly refusing to eat her food. I'm guessing it's her teething coming in and her mouth being sore, but she needs to eat something!

Half way there

Almost 14 months old and Twitchit still is not walking, but in the last few days has started to walk on her knees. It's sort of a bit funny to watch. She'll be crawling one minute, the next she will sit up on her knees and start to walk on them. It's really slow going and Owen and I have taken to walking over to her, taking her hands, and getting her to walk on her feet, but as soon as we release her hands, back on her knees she goes.

To add to her stair routine, she can now, along with getting up the stairs, scale down the stairs. Going down is a bit scary to watch for me, and I never let her do it alone, I'm so fearful she's going to take a tumble. Owen though thinks it's great.

And then there were four....

It's been an exciting week for us. NYE Tash started throwing up, and then had diarrhea and a slight fever for 3 days. I then got sick on Thursday at noon and O caught it on Friday around 1am. Not.fun.at.all. It's not the most conducive environment when the two responsible adults can barley keep their faces out of the flush and the toddler has free run of the house.

On top of all of us being sick, all 4 of N's molars broke through in the last few days. Yes, so.much.fun. I should not be too surprised, since she never seems to just have one tooth come in at a time, it's always at least 2, but 4 molars at once is a bit hard on ones sanity, especially on top of being so sick.

A happy moment pre-illness/teething;

We have a tooth!

After a month of fussing, diaper rashes, thick drool and a horrible temper, Twitchit has a bottom left molar now. It's not all the way through, but the tooth finally broke the gum and is out. I was happy until my wonderful husband said "Well it's just one, she still has more, plus her eye teeth. Hopefully we can get a small break between her foul mood and the next one.