So Long 2009

As 2010 rolls in (ha, ha - get it...she's rolling a wagon) a few hours from now, we wish everyone a great new year. Tali is asleep and I am struggling to stay awake until midnight. Hopefully your evening is more eventful than ours!

I Win (Why? Because I Win...)

Lately Tali has begun playing a very fun game called "drop my sippy cup on the floor." I find this game annoying and quickly got sick of picking up her cup. So yesterday I bought a piece of fabric that immediately stopped the problem. Hooray for the SippiGrip! As soon as I attached the cup to her high chair, her meal times changed. Tali tried to throw the cup once but realized it didn't really go anywhere and she hasn't attempted it again. Such a simple product yet such a great invention. A big thank you to the genius behind this product.

(PS The first person who can finish the quote in the subject and name the movie it came from will win a prize. Ilana - I know you know this one...)

First Step

When: This afternoon

Where: In her room

Details: Last week when Gran was here, we sort of forced her to take a step to us but I didn't count it as a real first step. Today, however, I am counting. Tali and I were in her room and she was playing with her activity table. At one point, she looked at me, let go of the table, put out her arms and took a step! Then she did it again! This was all on her own - it was her choice. She had to concentrate very hard but she did it. There were no more steps the rest of the day and I'm sure she still has a long time before she is really walking, but this was a big deal. In her first week as a one-year-old, she accomplished a major milestone. Hooray, Tali!

Weaning

I've been weaning Tali from breastfeeding for the past 2 1/2 weeks and today was her first day without any breastfeedings. The last one to be cut was the morning feeding and she was not happy this morning. She didn't want milk in a cup and just cried and cried and cried until I gave her breakfast. She refused to drink from the cup the whole meal (although she did cheer up).

Tali wasn't the only one upset about this - it has been very hard on me. Before I began weaning, I thought I was ready. But once it started, it was hard both physically and emotionally. For me (and many others), breastfeeding is a very special experience that cannot be explained. It was a special bond that I shared with my daughter. I was able to provide something that no one else could provide for her. (She rarely had a bottle, and when she did it was filled with breast milk.) Once the twelfth month rolled around, I thought I was ready to wean but when it actually began, I got very sad.

I cut out the first feeding (11:00 a.m.) and was okay with it. But a few days later, Tali cut out a feeding (7:00 p.m.) and that was very hard for me. Even though I eliminated the last two feedings, it was very hard and I did so reluctantly. Now an entire phase of our lives is over. I am making myself look at the positive:

- No more nursing bras.

- No more breast pump.

- No more nursing pillow attached to my waist.

- I can have a babysitter at any time (I didn't like leaving her during a feeding time).

- I can take a vacation without Tali.

- I can drink - as much as I'd like.

Even with all of those positives, I'm still a bit sad. I'll get over it but it's going to take me longer than I originally thought.

First Clap!

When: Last night

Where: In the bath

Details: Last night while giving Tali her bath, she clapped for the first time! Five months later than most babies, Tali can finally put her hands together and make a noise. Savta babysat her for most of the day while H, Saba and I went car shopping (we got a new car - yeah, won't come until February/March - boo). Savta worked on the clapping with her but she Tali just wouldn't do it. Then, while playing in her bath she decided it was time to finally give it a try. I'm very proud of her. I was convinced that she would be the only child who didn't know how to clap but now she can. What a big milestone!

First Birthday Party

This past Sunday was Tali's first birthday party. Her theme was "Winter ONEderland" (H's idea) so we decorated with snowflake balloons and a winter-themed cake. Party favors for the kiddies were personalized snow globes (a place for the kid to insert his/her own picture) and a winter-themed book. The day before the party, we experienced the first big snowstorm of the season. So there was snow on the ground for Tali's winter-themed party. How perfect! The only downside was that a few people couldn't make it at the last minute. Tali's music teacher came to entertain the kids and Tali herself had a great time. She was happy the entire party - it was like she knew it was her birthday. Here are a few pictures:

Arriving at the party.

Me and Tali - she's absolutely fascinated by her music teacher.

Sitting with her friend Samantha, staring at their music teacher.

Laughing under the parachute.

Her birthday cake!

Singing Happy Birthday to our daughter.

First bite.

Mmmm....this is GOOD!

No, Mommy! Don't wipe my face!

After the party - VERY dirty from all that crawling around!

Happy (Belated) Birthday, Tali!

Dear Tali,

Happy belated birthday! On Thursday, December 24, you turned one year old! I know I am a little late in posting this, but I've been very busy. You are now 17.5 pounds, 27" tall and have outgrown all of your 3-6 months clothes (except one pair of pants). This first year has definitely been an experience - nothing like I ever imagined.

Some things you can now do:

Voice your opinion - you can't talk, but you get your point across

Shake your head "no" (although I'm not 100% sure you really know what that means)

Stand on your own for about 10 seconds

Play with Jackson and laugh, and laugh, and laugh...

Show off - you love an audience and are such a little drama queen

Have a favorite color - I'm not sure why, but you love orange things

Wave bye-bye and understand what it means

Walk well with your wagon (see below)

Some things you still can't do:

Clap your hands

Grow teeth (yup, still toothless)

Walk on your own

Respond to your name (it happens sometimes, but not all the time)

Understand that I'm serious when I tell you "No"

Fall down and/or bump your head without screaming, no matter if you hurt yourself or not

Change your own diaper

She Has An Opinion

Tali is an excellent eater. She eats almost everything I put in front of her (curried chicken, anyone?). But lately, she has begun to have an opinion about what she eats. On any given day, she'll shoo away a food that she has previously loved. Sometimes, she'll gobble it up just ten minutes later and sometimes I'll have to wait a day or two before she decides it's okay to eat. Almost all of these foods are things she's had before (and loved before) and it's just that she's now learned she can have an opinion about food. I know of other kids who were great eaters as babies and then became picky toddlers. I'm so hoping this isn't the case with Tali.

Bad Dog

I think I'm mad at Jackson (this is rare). Today he took Tali's snack right out of her hands - three times! Her current afternoon snack is carrot sticks which I've steamed, frozen and then partially thawed in the fridge. Jackson loves carrots. So, he did this:

Then I gave Tali another carrot and he did this:

Perhaps he was just getting her back for shoving her whole hand in his food bowl this morning. Today he got a free pass. Tomorrow he gets punished. Yes, we punish our dog. And yes, we will punish our kid (often, is my guess).

First Words

I'm sure many of you have been wondering if Tali has said her first word yet. She's almost one (can you believe it?) and I haven't written about that yet. Well, to answer your question - Yes.

Tali's first word was "ma ma." The reason I didn't write about it is because she originally started saying "ma ma" as just sounds about four or five months ago. Then, about three months ago she actually made the connection. For some reason, I never got around to writing about it. Yes, I was excited that I was her first word, but it just never made the blog.

Tali's second word was "da da"(about a month ago) and she knows who that is. On Wednesday, Tali uttered her third word - "Jackson." No, she didn't say his full name. She calls him "esss" - that's the only letter of his name she can pronounce. But, it is clear that she is referring to him. It's very cute. Now she can say his name (sorta) and pat her leg when she wants him to come. She's learning quickly now.

Here We Go Again

This morning Tali threw her blanket out of her crib again. She screamed, shook the crib, tried to reach for her blanket, etc. She even threw a few of her toys out as well. (Perhaps hoping they'd pick up the blanket? Or maybe to keep the blanket company? Or, most likely, just out of anger.). But, after about 35 minutes she started to calm herself with a pacifier (I still leave a handful in her crib) and her book. She finally fell asleep about 15 minutes later. I'm sure this isn't over yet, but it's a step in the right direction. It's still really hard listening to her scream when I know that just by picking up the blanket I could make it all better.

Goodnight Moon and Jackson

Since we switched Tali's schedule to an earlier bedtime, I now read to her Monday - Thursday. Jackson loves to join us, hopping up into the rocking chair to sit beside me and Tali. Each night he comes to the chair, sits and looks up at me. I tell him it's okay to come up and pat the chair. It takes quite a few pats for Jackson to muster the courage to jump onto the chair (it's high for him) but he eventually makes it. Then I read Goodnight Moon to both of them while Tali holds her blanket in one hand and Jackson in the other (she doesn't pull his hair, just holds on to it).

Tonight, Tali initiated the pats! She saw Jackson come up to the chair, giggled (she just loves this dog) and then patted my leg (couldn't reach the chair) for him to jump up! In a week and a half, she's learned that is what needs to be done for Jackson to join us and so she did it. How cool to see her learn something so quickly.

Blanket Update

After Monday's post about Tali throwing her blanket out of the crib, I got some advice from Savta and then some from H and Gran. Savta suggested sewing a ribbon to the blanket and then tying the ribbon to the crib (Paige also suggested this later on) but the problem is that it would have to be a very long ribbon and she could get caught in it and choke. H and Gran are from the school of tough love. They told me to just let her cry. H reminded me of a kid we both think is obnoxious (I won't say that kid's name here, sorry) and said that if I don't toughen up, Tali could end up like this kid. That was enough for me! And Gran agreed - if she throws the blanket out then it's too bad and she'll just have to deal.

So on Tuesday the blanket stayed in the crib for both naps. This morning's nap I was just as lucky but Tali decided to play her little game this afternoon. I knew this would be tough, but geeze! Tali cried for 45 minutes! She stood up in her crib and just looked down at her blanket and screamed. Sometimes she shook the crib, other times she reached her arm through the bars, but she was simply beside herself. After 45 minutes, I went in because it was 30 minutes past her breastfeeding time and I figured she was probably hungry as well. I didn't pick up the blanket - I just put her in the rocking chair and breastfed her. She was hungry! After she ate I gave her the blanket and put her back down. This time the blanket stayed with her and she went to sleep.

Sadly, I'm pretty sure this isn't over. Tali enjoys testing me (I won't even tell you how many times a day she crawls to the VCR, pausing to look at me) so I'm sure I have a few more days of this before she gets the idea. After this is over I'm going to need a mental health day.

So Annoyed

They say that before a baby goes to sleep, she practices the skills she's working on. Tali's latest skill is dropping things. She's learning what happens when she lets go of something. Normally I just pick it up and give it back to her. If she does it repeatedly then I either remove the object or remove her from the area.

But now this new skill is starting to become her new nap-time ritual and it is driving me nuts. Starting yesterday, when I put her down for her nap she stands up in the crib, reaches over the railing and drops her blanket (which she is very attached to - can't sleep without it) on the floor. As soon as it hits the ground, she starts crying. So I go in, pick it up, put it in her crib and leave the room. A minute or two later (no, this is not an exaggeration), she drops it again. So I go back in, pick it up, put it in her crib and leave the room. This goes on for at least 30 minutes (this afternoon it was 45) and I've had it. I can't get anything done. Laundry? Nope. Dishes? Nope. Lunch? Nope. The only positive is that I'm getting a lot of exercise going up and down the stairs.

I'd like to think I have a lot of patience with her but I just can't take this. If I don't go in her room to pick up the blanket, her cries turn to hysterical screams and she starts shaking the crib. I really hope this phase ends tomorrow or I might just throw the blanket (and her) out the window. Any advice?

First (And Second) Push Toys

Yesterday FedEx dropped off a big box - a birthday/Hanukkah gift from Aunt Sue and Uncle David. They bought her a classic push toy - a Radio Flyer wagon and H was so excited about it that he immediately put it together. When Tali woke up from her nap, she got to play with her new toy. Unfortunately, she didn't quite get the point of it. Instead of pushing it, she pulled up on the side and used it as a prop for standing. But she had fun.

Then H decided to put her behind the wagon to see if she would push it. Nope, not yet.

A little later Aunt Judy and Uncle Adam came over and brought a second push toy for her! This one is a Fisher Price shopping cart. After the cart was put together, Tali gave it a go. She still didn't get the whole pushing concept and preferred to simply play with toys inside. This morning I gave her the cart again and she continued to play with the toys (she already has a favorite - the carrot).

And, finally, she got behind the cart on her own and gave it a few pushes! She's not cruising around yet, but it was a step (pun intended) in the right direction. Hooray for Tali!

To Tali's aunts and uncles: Thanks for the great gifts!

How Do You Reason With An 11-Month Old

who wants to take her favorite blanket into the bath with her? I tried to explain that if it gets wet, she won't be able to sleep with it. But she doesn't understand that concept yet. I tried gently taking it away. There was a struggle and tears. I tried to distract her by offering another toy. She held on to the blanket while playing. Finally, she dropped it by accident and I seized the moment to whisk her into the bath before she could realize what happened. I was lucky that time but I'm sure that won't always be the case. Any suggestions?

Eating Like A Big Girl, Sorta

Today we all went to lunch with my cousin Michele and her boyfriend Matt. I brought veggies and Puffs and also ordered a chicken quesadilla for Tali. The quesadilla came just as soon as the last Puff had dissolved in her mouth. Like a good mom, I began cutting the quesadilla into itty bitty baby pieces and giving them to Tali. Apparently, this wasn't how she wanted to eat her food today. She reached over, grabbed a piece of quesadilla and fed herself!

For a while she simply sucked on it so that it would get mushy.

Then, she began pulling out pieces of cheese and chicken to eat.

Finally, she started pulling the quesadilla apart and putting large pieces into her mouth.

It was quite fun to watch, even though she got pretty messy (she's normally a neat eater since she rarely misses her mouth). It was also nice to be able to eat my lunch instead of feeding her the whole time. Yes, I watched her closely, but she did it all by herself! Guess she's ready for larger pieces of finger food like crackers, fish sticks and grilled cheese fingers. She's such a skilled eater, though I'm not sure I should be so proud of this.

Schedule Overhaul

Since the time change a month ago, I've been having a lot of trouble with Tali's sleep schedule. She hasn't been getting enough sleep and has just been very cranky. So last night H did a bit of research online and today Tali is getting a new schedule. I'm also increasing her food intake (I thought I was feeding her plenty but it appears as though she should get even more). I know it'll take a few days to adjust but hopefully this will make for a happier, fuller and more well-rested baby (and a happier mommy). Fingers crossed!

Giving Thanks

Thursday was Tali's first Thanksgiving and she sat down with all the adults to enjoy a typical Thanksgiving meal. She ate turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce and loved all of it. She ate and ate and ate and ate. And after all of the adults were finished eating, she ate some more. While we did not go around the table and say what (and who) we were thankful for, I'd like to do that here.

The Who's:

My husband - He works hard to provide for our family. And on Thanksgiving morning, he watched Tali so that I could prepare the meal. He's also been very supportive in my decision to breastfeed for the full first year.

Gran and Savta - They do their best to make my life a little easier. Savta comes two or three times a month to watch Tali for a few hours and Gran comes every two months for a week. It's nice to have a break and a little help.

Doctor Holly - My childhood friend is a pediatrician and a huge help to me. I can e-mail her a question and she usually gets back to me within a day. Nothing like having your own personal doctor!

Jackson - When I'm having a really bad day, Jackson seems to know. He comes over to give me a dog hug and cuddle. It makes me feel much better.

The What's:

Wisp - I know I'm not the target audience for this product, but a "toothbrush" on the go is the perfect thing for a new/busy mom! Yes, we sometimes forget to brush our teeth or realize that our breath smells terrible from our last meal and it's too much trouble to turn the car around and unpack the baby before we get to our next destination. The Wisp solves the problem. I always have them handy.

Car Navigator - We moved to a new city just 3 1/2 months before we had Tali and I still don't know my way around. I don't know what I'd do without that woman's voice telling me where to turn and figuring out a new route when I make a wrong turn. She's a life saver and has a lot of patience.

Wholesome Baby Food Web Site - So far, I have made all of Tali's food. She's never tasted food from a jar (to those who told me I'd give up quickly - sorry to prove you wrong). This site has tons of great recipes and helpful guides.

Ergo Baby Carrier - Most people use the Baby Bjorn but I found it strained my back and the Ergo doesn't do that. All of the weight is on your hips (similar to a hiking backpack) and it makes carrying Tali so easy. I've used this carrier on countless walks with Jackson, a few trips to the grocery store and have even worn it around the house. Plus, it has a weight limit of 40 pounds! I'll be using this for a while.

Fisher Price - They just get it. Their toys, the high chair, etc. are all well made and loved by kids and parents. I know this is what they do, but I must say that they do it very well.

And, of course, I am thankful for Tali. I cannot even imagine my life without her anymore.

Eleven Months Old Today

Dear Tali,

Today you are eleven months old today. One more month and you'll be able to eat eggs, drink milk and have honey (yes, I do milestones by food - it's your favorite thing). In this past month you've really gone from looking like a baby to a little person (maybe it's the skinny jeans?).

You've also grown very attached to me and Jackson. When you are upset, you look to me for comfort and Jackson for giggles. Luckily, we are good at meeting your needs.

You now have full-blown separation anxiety and freak out when I leave you home with Savta or a babysitter (hopefully you'll get over this soon).

You have become a very skilled crawler and can get to what you want rather quickly.

You have definitely inherited my independent streak but that's okay. It's fun to watch you try to do everything yourself.

In the beginning people would tell me that every month is better than the last. For a while, I felt that every month was the same (so much crying!), but now that you are getting older, it really is getting better. I'm having a lot of fun with you. I hope you are enjoying it too!

Learning How to Share

Tali gets 2-3 snacks everyday. The snacks are always Cheerios and I give them to her in a cup so that she can feed herself. Jackson is right there to catch any Os that might fall to the ground and he is always very gentle with her. I am so proud of both them - they are very good at sharing.

Sick Update

Two hours after Tali went to bed last night, she woke up. Poor baby was so congested she could barely breathe! It took us about an hour to get her back to sleep - a combination of rocking, steaming and finally some Gripe Water. I prepared myself for another all-nighter but to my surprise Tali slept until 6:30 this morning! (I, of course, didn't sleep so well because I was worried about her). She's still a bit congested today but it seems like she's on the mend.

Today I woke up with a bit of a stuffy nose (and still have the sore throat), which is a big problem. Tali is now in a phase where she hates loud noises (vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, etc.) and cries whenever I blow my nose. This'll be fun.

Sick Again

Tali officially has her second cold. It started yesterday afternoon with just a few sniffles and became a full blown cold last night. She was up every few hours (so I got about three hours of sleep) and we must've used half a bottle of Gripe Water. Today we revisited the steam room from this past August and had four 15 minute sessions. In August, she sat in the Bumbo and played with a rattle or two. This time she crawled around and played with stacking cups, a book and Jackson. Much more fun!

Wherever she caught this cold, I caught something as well. I have a sore, scratchy throat. I've drunk my way through six cups of herbal tea (I don't even like tea) and endless glasses of water today. It's no fun being sick and dealing with a sick baby. Tonight I gave her some Tylenol before bed so that she'll (hopefully) sleep better. I am hoping today was the worst of it and we'll both be on the mend tomorrow.

Best Friends

(Make sure you have your volume on for this clip!)

First Phone Call

When: Yesterday evening

Where: In our living room

Details: Tali was playing with the phone (as usual) when it rang. So I took it from her, answered the phone and had this conversation:

Man on phone: Hi this is the police. Is this the D... residence?

Me: Yes.

Man: Did someone dial 9-1-1?

Me: No....oh wait, my 10-month old daughter was playing with the phone. Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!

Man: (Chuckle - as if this happens all the time.) Not a problem, ma'am. At least you know the number works.

Me: I'm so sorry. I can't believe she managed to do that!

Man: No problem. Have a nice evening.

Somehow Tali managed to hit the "Talk" button and dial the numbers 9-1-1 in that order! Must've just been a coincidence but I can't believe she managed to do that. I always ask her if she's calling China when she plays with the phone. I guess now I need to be more concerned with her calling the police.

She's Learning

It's fun to see Tali start to learn and retain information. She's just at the point where she's starting to show that she can grasp "complicated" information. There were two recent instances that were very cool to watch.

Our cleaning woman, Vicky, comes once a week and Tali really likes her. When she arrived last week, she picked up Tali to say hello. Tali immediately began pulling down the collar of Vicky's shirt to find her necklace. Vicky wears the same necklace every week and Tali likes to play with it. I was very impressed that she knew Vicky had a necklace and where to go to find it.

This morning Jackson was on the sofa with one of his toys. The toy dropped to floor and Tali crawled over to the toy, picked it up, looked at Jackson and put her hand up for him to take his toy. Until now, she has played with his toys, somewhat teasing him to come and get them. But this morning she saw he dropped his toy and she gave it to him. This was very intentional and so cool to watch.

She's definitely growing up!

Balloon

Tali got a purple balloon today at a birthday party. She had a great time playing with both the balloon and the ribbon. Jackson was terrified of the balloon and gave it a stare down for about 30 minutes. No matter what we did, he wouldn't go near it. It was pretty funny.

Stranger Anxiety

Just as quickly as it came, it left. It seems as though Tali no longer has stranger anxiety. We went to a birthday party today and while I was talking to another mom, Tali leaned over and put her arms out for this mom to hold her! She was perfectly fine in this mom's arms and had a great time. She was in a new place and surrounded by tons of people she didn't know. Yet, she chose to go to a woman she barely knows. We were all a bit shocked. Guess I have a friendly baby.

My Little Secretary

Pig Protection

Tali got her first swine flu vaccination today (she gets her second one in a month). In general, I believe in vaccinations and think it's very important that your child be protected against possibly fatal diseases. However, this vaccination was a hard decision for me. There has been a lot of negative noise about this vaccine and it took me a long time to decide whether or not it was something I wanted to give to my 10 month old. I did a lot of research and spoke to Tali's doctor about the pros and cons of this shot. In the end, it seemed like the only actual complaints were simply things like soreness and fatigue - same with the regular flu shot. After doing my research, I concluded that the negative things I had heard and read were somewhat alarmist and I am chalking it up to people who like to be heard (like those who don't think our president is a U.S. citizen). Besides, if I didn't give Tali the vaccine and she suffered complications from swine flu, I would never forgive myself.

I'm sure this is just one of many difficult decisions I will have to make for Tali. I guess it's good practice - she cannot protest my choices yet. I'm happy with my choice and only hope that there will be enough vaccination left for me to get it (I have asthma so I am high risk).

Now it's time for me to go wake her up from a very long afternoon nap. Shots always make her sleepy but she should've eaten lunch 1 1/2 hours ago!

The Honeymoon is Over

Sunday was Daylight Savings and we were all supposed to gain an extra hour of sleep for the night. I spent last week worrying about how this was going to affect Tali (whoever came up with this stupid plan obviously didn't have small children). Was she going to wake up at her normal time everyday? Would the new bedtime be good or bad for her?

H and I decided that the one thing we would do is switch her bedtime from 8:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., which really meant that she would now go to bed at 9:00 p.m., according to her internal clock. On Sunday morning, Tali woke up at 6:20 a.m. (she'd been waking up and eating at 6:30 recently) and I was thrilled. On Monday morning, she woke up at 5:45 a.m. and I managed to hold off feeding her until 6:30. But this morning she was up a little after 5:00 a.m. Yup, it sucked. I tried everything to get her back to sleep but nothing worked. Finally I let her cry it out in her crib for a while. After lots of screams and tears, I fed her at 6:15 and put her down for a nap shortly after. Getting her on a new schedule, even if it's just an hour difference, is going to be tough.

I. am. exhausted.

This Morning's Project

This morning I gave Tali a box with some tissue paper inside. She had a blast. The clip below is about the middle of her playing. She eventually tears up the paper into tiny pieces and moves them back and forth from hand to hand.

First Taste of Curry

(Yup, curry.)

When: Yesterday

Where: Stone Barns farm

Details: Yesterday we went to the cafe at Stone Barns farm for lunch. Since Tali eats most everything now, I decided that I'd buy lunch for her there. When I looked at the offerings, I realized there were only two things that she could actually eat (the rest had either eggs or milk, or they were not cooked enough for her to chew). One salad was quinoa with broccoli and green beans and the other was squash, chickpeas, onion, spinach, etc. in curry. So I put a bit of the quinoa on the plate and more of the curry salad and hoped that she would like it. Well, she loved it! She ate it all. I tasted it myself just to see how strong it was and it there was definitely a curry taste to it. I know she likes most everything but I was still a bit surprised that she liked this. The best part? I was out running an errand when she had her "curry" poop today. H got to change that diaper. (Sorry, H - I change about 4 VERY stinky diapers a day so I guess this is payback.)

Happy Halloween!

Thanks to Aunt Ilana for the adorable costume!

Today's Mission

After Tali ate lunch today, she had one goal: put her little fingers in Jackson's water bowl. No matter where I put her on the floor, she crawled to his bowl. No matter how many times I told her no, she crawled to his bowl. And no matter how many times Jackson tried to distract her, she crawled to his bowl. (I told you she was determined.) So, I decided to take out my camera and document it.

This went on for 45 minutes and it probably would've gone on longer if I hadn't decided to take them out for a walk.

10 months old now

Dear Tali,

On Saturday, you turned 10 months old. For some reason, 10 months was an important marker for me. Now you have a personality, strong likes (and dislikes) and a sense of humor. You've grown from being a big crybaby to a baby who smiles a lot, laughs at random things and cries on occasion. Some observations about you:

• You love food and it seems that bananas are your favorite. If someone is eating a banana in front of you, you get very upset if they do not give you a piece (Aunt Cara experienced this in Florida). At the grocery store, I have to sneak them into the cart when you aren't looking. If you see them, you will turn around and try to get out of your seat to get to them.

• Speaking of the grocery store, it's one of your favorite places. Most babies like the grocery store because of all of the colors. You, however, like the people. You love when people say hello to you and tell you how cute you are. You also love the free food samples (surprised?).

• For the most part, you are well behaved in public. You like to go places and see people. You enjoy waving "hello" and "goodbye" and almost always smile at strangers, even scary-looking ones.

• You think Jackson is the best toy. You have a great time playing tug with him and get so excited every time you see his leash and collar. You've learned how to pet him (but still pull his hair) and you even gave him two kisses this morning.

• Right now, your favorite toys are items that you can pull up on. Your little chair, the crib railing and your little table are all items that you crawl to regularly. You also enjoy pulling up on the baker's rack in the kitchen and crawl right back to it every time I pull you away.

• You are a very determined little girl. When you want something, you go to it. No matter how many times I pull you away, you go back to that same thing. If I hide it, you start looking for it. Usually you are good natured about it and just keep trying, no tears, just determination to get what you want.

• As with most babies (I assume), you hate being told "no" and even though I think you understand that word by now, you do it anyway. You don't like waiting for your food to be made or served to you. You want it now! And, you don't like having things (pens, coasters, etc.) taken away from you. All of these make you cry.

• You are a drama queen. You can produce tears in seconds and can stop them just as quickly. You can be a perfect angel for strangers and as soon as we are alone you show your true colors.

• One of the funniest things to you is when I yawn. You find it hysterical to see me open my mouth wide. On our flight back from New Orleans, you spent the first half of our flight laughing (loudly) at the guy two rows back and across from us who was sleeping with his mouth open. You'd lean over, look at him, laugh, look back at me and repeat. You made an entire area of the plane smile and laugh at your open-mouth obsession.

• Sometimes, you look at Jackson and laugh. Usually he's not doing anything, but that's funny to you.

• I've become very skilled at making you smile/laugh. Singing the Ants Go Marching or Trot To Grandma's house always gets a smile. Peek-A-Boo receives an ear-to-ear grin. And, spinning around in a circle together emits a chuckle every time.

• You still enjoying cuddling with mommy.

Tali, you've become a lot of fun these past few months and I enjoy spending time with you. I can't wait to see what you'll be like in two more months.

First Stand By Herself

When: Tuesday afternoon

Where: In our living room

Details: On Tuesday afternoon (20 days after she first pulled up to a stand), Tali was standing with the support of her little chair when she decided it was time to let go. So she did. She lasted 2-3 seconds before she needed to put her hands back to catch her balance. She was so proud of herself that she did it again a few minutes later and then one more time that evening while holding on to her crib. Yesterday I took out the video camera to try and capture her in the act. Through about 30 minutes of footage, I got 6 usable seconds. Enjoy!

(Apologies for her head being cut off in the beginning. I had to use a tripod so that I could hold on to the chair and I couldn't get her head and hands in the same shot. But you get the idea anyway.)

First Time in Overalls

Tali looked so cute yesterday in her Osh Kosh B'Gosh overall skirt that I just had to take (and share) a few pictures.

Enjoy!

P.S. She's playing with her "big dog" that really needs a name. I'm open to suggestions, but have already ruled out Spot and Jackson, sorry.

Week of Firsts

Last week was a week of many firsts. Tali and I flew down to New Orleans and spent a few days in Florida with Granny, Papa, Gran and Aunt Cara. We had a great time and she charmed everyone she met. Some of the "firsts" highlights are:

First time she enjoyed the swimming pool. There were two main reasons she liked this pool: 1) The pool was very warm, bathtub warm. 2) The pool sloped up to the ground so we could sit at the edge of the pool and just get our feet wet (like you would at the ocean). This allowed her to gradually get used to the water and eventually she crawled in a bit further.

First time she ate Granny's macaroni and cheese - and she LOVED it! This girl is definitely my daughter. Tali's first experience with Granny's macaroni and cheese was so funny. Once she had one bite, she did not want the rest of her food (veggies and chicken). All she wanted was the mac and cheese. Whenever I put another piece of food on the table, she'd look at it, look at me, then look at the mac and cheese. It was so yummy that she even scooped pieces out of the pocket of her bib. She didn't want to waste one bite!

First time she willingly went to other people from my arms. Yes, she reached out for Gran and Aunt Cara to hold her. And she was happy even if I disappeared. By the end of the week, she let complete strangers hold her without any fuss. From Aunt Cara's friend Tiffany to Grandpa's secretary, Tali traveled from arm to arm without a fuss.

First experience with Mardi Gras beads. What fun! They are the perfect toy for Tali. Long enough for her to swing around and manipulate between her fingers and small enough to go into her mouth. She loved them so much we took a pair home.

First set of car keys. Gran bought Tali her first set of keys. And while they aren't nearly as fascinating as my keys, she did enjoy playing with them.

First long car ride. Tali spent five hours in a car (each way) without a problem. She slept, she played, she pooped and all was good. We took an hour break each way (included in the five hours) so that we could all eat and just get out of the car. But she had no complaints.

Below are a few more pictures from the week. (More will come later from Aunt Cara.)

(Tali with Aunt Cara, Uncle David, Papa, Aunt Ilana and Uncle Greg)

First Bath In A Big Tub

When: Tonight

Where: At Gran and Grandpa's house (in their jaccuzi tub)

Details: Tomorrow we are driving to Florida (another first - long car ride!) and in order for everyone's things to fit in Gran's Prius, Granny and Papa took some of our things today to put in their car. One of the things they took was Tali's tub. So tonight she got her first bath in a real tub - with her mommy. Tali was scared as soon as I sat her down and she immediately turned around and hugged me tight. She held on for a few minutes as she got acclimated to being in such a large tub of water. I washed her hair and body while she sat on my lap (not the easiest thing to do). After all of the cleaning was done, I sat her back down in the tub, wrapped my legs around her, and she was okay. But she is still so tiny that she was slipping and could have easily drowned if I wasn't in there with her. There was no laughter or playtime, but there were no tears either. She survived but she's definitely not ready to give up her little blue tub just yet.

Flying to New Orleans

Yesterday Tali and I flew down to New Orleans for a week (technically, we'll be in Florida for three of those days) and it was the first time I flew with her alone. Back in March, we took Tali down to New Orleans for my sister's wedding and she was a perfect angel on the trip. She was so young (just over two months) that she slept most of the time. But this time I was worried. I've heard numerous horror stories about babies this age (and older) causing a scene on long flights. So I chose to take a connecting flight instead of flying direct so that we could have a break between flights for her to crawl around (and me to sanitze her hands afterwards).

Our first flight left the Westchester airport at 12:30. We had enough time to check in and purchase some water before we lined up to board the plane. Although it was a tiny plane, it wasn't full and there was an empty seat next to me and Tali's car seat made it onto the flight. She was very tired so I tried to get her to sleep but she simply refused and began crying. Five rounds of "The Ants Go Marching" later, I took her out and she sat on my lap and played with some toys and my keys. Twenty minutes before we were scheduled to land in Detroit I breast fed her and put her back in her car seat to give her food. As the wheels touched the ground, Tali fell asleep mid-chew (a pea). She slept while we got off the plane and the whole time I frantically looked for the stroller (turns out it was put on the plane, contrary to one passenger's story) but left next to the plane when they unloaded the rest of the carry-on luggage). I then sprinted from the end of Terminal C to Terminal B to catch my connection.

Once at my new gate, I asked if there were any extra seats and there was one. I spoke to the woman in that seat and she agreed to switch with me! As I was boarding the plane, a guy offered to help me and he carried Tali (in the car seat) while I carried my very heavy bag. I was walking to our seats and looked behind me just as Tali was waking up. She opened her eyes, finished chewing her pea and smiled at me. She stayed awake the entire 2 1/2 hour flight and was very good. After her diaper change (two poops - I felt guilty putting a stinky diaper in the bathroom garbage), she ate the rest of her lunch, played with my keys and smiled at other passengers as we walked the aisle. As the plane was landing, I tried my luck and put her back in the car seat for a nap. She was not happy about this and let out her first real screams. Luckily, the landing was loud so it didn't carry too far. As we were leaving the plane, I got lots of compliments on how good she was.

Tali didn't fall asleep until we got in the car so Gran drove around for a half hour until she woke up. She had a lot of fun playing at her grandparent's house and went to sleep pretty quickly. All in all, it was a successful day. Fingers crossed the flight back is as smooth.

First Pull Up to Stand

When: Monday afternoon

Where: In her crib

Details: On Monday afternoon I went into Tali's room to get her out of the crib after her nap. When I opened the door, she was standing in her crib holding on to the rail! I was shocked and asked her how she did that. She just looked at me and smiled, as if to tell me that she's been able to do it all along. Since Monday, she's pulled up on the fireplace ledge, our chairs and me many times. I've been waiting to write this entry because I wanted to take a picture of her standing in her crib, but she hasn't done it since. Guess you'll just have to believe me.

First Wave Bye-Bye

When: Yesterday

Where: At the Loweniger's house

Details: Since my mini freak out about missing the clapping milestone, Tali and I have been working on waving bye-bye. We wave bye-bye to everything: people, Jackson, her toys, the car, etc. She still cannot clap, but I was hoping the wave would come at a normal time. Yesterday we went to the Loweniger's house for Sukkot (this was also Tali's first Sukkot, first time in a Sukkah and first time she only napped for two hours the whole day) and we had a great time. When it was time to go, Tali waved bye-bye! And she did it again, and again, and again. Later on that afternoon, I took her and Jackson on a walk. We ran into some friends who waved hi and she waved back! I think she gets it. Hooray! We're on track for a milestone!

A special thanks to Savta for the video

and Aunt Judy for her vocal performance.

Tali TV

This past Friday we got a new baby monitor for Tali. Up until now we had been using an old-fashioned sound-only monitor. We had originally purchased a video monitor but it interfered with our Internet so I returned it. But since she's doing a lot of thumping with the crib, we wanted to make sure she was okay in there. H found a monitor that doesn't interfere (made by Lorex) and it is working great. Honestly, I was perfectly happy with our sound-only monitor, but now that we have a video one, I don't know how I did without it. It's priceless entertainment.

For example, I put her down for her late afternoon nap on Friday and, although she acted tired, she was wasn't ready to go to sleep. So she played quietly in her crib for 45 minutes. First she sat up and played peek-a-boo with her blanket. Then she crawled to the other end of her crib and played with her rattle. Next she played with her soft book. She then brought the rattle and the book to the middle of the crib (where her blanket was) and decided she wanted to play with the ribbons on her bumper. So she leaned over and untied one ribbon and pulled it into the crib. Then she went to the other side and untied that ribbon. Now she had her blanket, a rattle, a book and two ribbons all around her. She played with everything for a little while longer and then finally fell asleep for 30 minutes. It was so much fun to watch! As H commented, she's much more active in her crib than we thought.

A Not So Warm Welcome

She's done it to Savta quite a few times. Uncle Adam was a recent victim. And last night Miss Vicky (our cleaning woman/babysitter) got the full experience. Tali does not like people walking into her house. When someone walks through our front door, it's not uncommon for Tali to look at them and burst into tears. I am not sure why she hates the front door so much. Perhaps she knows that this means I'm leaving or maybe it's just the shock of someone new entering the room, but it happens quite often. Last night she put on a full show.

H and I went to a concert so Miss Vicky came to babysit. When she arrived, Tali was happy, playing in the Exersaucer. But one look at Miss Vicky and the waterworks began. She didn't cheer up when Vicky held her or tried to play with her. The only thing that would calm her is me holding her. Normally, Tali loves Vicky. She sees her once a week and is always happy to go to her and play with her but Vicky usually arrives while Tali is sleeping so there is no front door shock.

So I decided to "reset" Tali and brought her upstairs to play for a few minutes. She calmed down, began smiling and we came back downstairs. Tali was happy to see Vicky but still didn't want to leave my side. Since I didn't want to leave Vicky with a screaming baby, I put her in the stroller, got Jackson's leash/collar on and Vicky took them on a walk while I left. I'm happy to report that did the trick! Tali was happy on her walk and a perfect angel when Vicky brought her home. I'm glad we were able to solve the problem, but I just wish it wasn't a problem in the first place. I guess it's time for me to teach Tali some southern hospitality.

Bad Hair Day

Tali's hair was normal this morning. But when she woke up from her afternoon nap, it looked like she'd stuck her finger in a socket. I've been trying to figure out how she slept to make her hair do that. The only position I can imagine is that she was in a crawling position with her forehead on the mattress (child's pose in yoga). Regardless, this was too funny not to take a picture. Enjoy!

Tali vs. Jackson

(Sunday evening, Erev Yom Kippur)

Announcer: In the pink corner, weighing in at 14 pounds and 9 months of age is Tali. And in the orange corner, weighing in at 14 1/2 pounds and almost 2 years of age is Jackson. The prize? Jackson's blue rope. Looks like this evening's match will be a close one. 

Bell rings.

Announcer: Round One. Tali grabs the rope from Jackson and moves it to her right side. Jackson takes it back. Tali, displaying a trick she just learned that morning, crawls to Jackson, tugs for a few seconds and then reclaims the rope. She hides it behind her back, but Jackson is doesn't fall for that trick. He tugs it away and moves just out of her reach. Tali must crawl again to get to Jackson and this time he lets her have the rope for a quick game of tug before he pulls it away again. Just out of her reach, Tali must once again crawl to get to the rope. Jackson guards the rope but Tali manages to get her hands on it anyway. Looks like they've agreed to play together. 

Bell rings. End of  Round One.

Bell rings. 

Announcer: Round Two. Tali takes the rope from Jackson and puts it over her head. She turns her back to him but Jackson quickly gets into position and takes the rope back. Tali uses the Sit n Spin to get to the rope. A game of tug ensues until Tali takes the rope away. Tali pauses to look at the audience. Laughing with pride at her success, she momentarily puts the rope down and Jackson seizes this moment of weakness to retrieve the rope. Tali takes the rope again, smiles at the audience and then loses the rope to Jackson. Round two goes to Jackson.

Bell rings. End of  Round Two.

Bell rings. 

Announcer: Round Three. Tali takes a breather and then goes for the rope again. She gently tugs it away but it seems as if she's losing interest. Her eye wanders to the far corner of the ring and Jackson takes the rope. She crawls back towards the rope and Jackson inches further away. Tali loses interest and eyes her favorite blanket in the corner. She begins to crawl towards the blanket. She reaches out, grabs the blanket and the drops it. She reaches again, gets a good grasp and then pulls the blanket over her face for a game of Peek A Boo. 

Announcer: Looks like tonight's winner is Jackson. Congratulations, Jackson! 

Editor's Note: We'd also like to congratulate Tali on her first day of crawling. She did very well.

First Taste of Grass

When: Yesterday

Where: At Jack's house (it was his first birthday party)

Details: H and I took Tali to a birthday party yesterday and it was held in the birthday boy's front yard. There was a guy playing guitar for the kids and babies, food, drinks and some toys (mostly hula hoops). We sat Tali in the grass next to the other babies and as this was her first time sitting in grass, she was curious. She put her hand in it for a bit and then realized that she could pull it out. After she pulled out a few clumps, she decided to taste it. It didn't really phase me when I first saw the grass in Tali's mouth. I'm so used to seeing Jackson eat grass that it took me a minute to realize this was a baby, not a puppy! Since Tali eats everything, no matter how many times I told her no and removed the grass from her mouth, she put more in. Finally, I decided that the best thing to do would be to pick her up, eliminating the opportunity. On the bright side, there's still only one thing that Tali doesn't like (turkey)!

Bad Mom - Missing Milestones

I receive daily e-mails from a site called What to Expect about developmental milestones based on Tali's birthday. Sometimes she's already hit the milestone and other times it's just around the corner. But the e-mail I received the other day freaked me out:

Do you recall the proud moment when your baby first learned to clap her hands? (Chances are it was sometime around the seven-month mark.) She beamed with glee at her newfound skill, and so did you. (Finally! All those rounds of patty-cake paid off!) As with so many of her milestones, your parental pride created a virtuous cycle: She was pleased with herself and saw that you were pleased, too, so she clapped again and again. And each time you reinforced her positive feelings. So what's next for those pudgy little paws? Somewhere near the nine-month mark, she'll reward you with a wave. Keep showing and telling her how to wave bye-bye, and before too long she'll give it a whirl herself.

Wait, clapping? Tali should have been clapping her hands two months ago? She's not even close! Patty-cake? We don't really play that game! Oh crap, Tali's behind and it's all because I haven't been showing her how to bake a cake as fast as she can. 

And now she's supposed to wave? I'm not even sure she gets the concept of bye-bye. How is she supposed to wave? I don't ever wave to her when I leave a room. I try to sneak out quietly while she's distracted so she doesn't cry. Now I have to tell her I'm leaving and make a scene about it? Really? I'm not sure that's such a good idea. Can't we just skip the waving? Is it really that big of a deal if she's the only kid in preschool who cannot wave and doesn't know her name?

Thump, Thump, Thump

About five minutes after I put Tali down for one of her naps yesterday, I heard some loud thumping. I assumed it was the neighbors (hanging a picture, perhaps?) and hoped it wouldn't wake her. Today I heard the same thumping and realized it was coming from Tali's room. I couldn't figure out what she could be doing to make that noise so I went in to check and make sure she was okay. Tali was on her knees with her hands wrapped around the crib bars. She was shaking the crib and it was banging against the wall! All I could think was "wow, she's strong." Guess we need to move the crib away from the wall.

She'll Regret This When She's Older

This morning I took Tali to her first gym class (yes, there are gym classes for babies). Because the class started at 11:30, I had to wake her up from her morning nap and rush through her meal. Tali was the only girl in the class and all five little boys wanted to play with her! Unfortunately, all Tali wanted to do was sit on the carpet and eat her Cheerios. (She didn't get to finish her finger foods before we left home but I figured she had enough to last through the class. Guess not. Good thing I was prepared!) Every time I tried to put her in an activity with the boys she threw a fit. She cried on the big roll, she cried on the trampoline and she cried when the teacher tried to hold her. Finally she found some peace sitting alone in a hammock. Afterwards, she joined the boys in the ball pit but wasn't too happy to be there (no crying, just a blank look on her face). The best part of class? When it was over. Luckily, this gym lets you try a class for free before signing up. I don't think we'll participate in this semester's class. Maybe I'll try again in January when she's a bit older.

Sit n Spin

Tali displayed a new trick (skill?) yesterday and she did it over and over again all day long. I'm calling it the "Sit n Spin" because that toy was just so much fun when I was a kid.

First Taste of Fish

When: Tuesday, September 22

Where: At home

Details: Two days ago I finally gave Tali fish for the first time. Her doctor had encouraged me to try it a few weeks ago but I was afraid she wouldn't like it. We've been on such a good eating streak (turkey is the one food she doesn't like) that I didn't want to break it. But I decided it was time so I purchased a very small piece of sole and cooked it in a bit of olive oil. Not sure why I was worried - she loved it!

She ate every piece I gave her. Well, sort of. Some of it landed on her cheeks, forehead, nose, in her ear, etc.  

First Sleepover Without Her Mommy

Tali at Saba's and Savta's the next morning

On Friday night, Tali slept at her grandparent's apartment (Saba and Savta) without me. She's slept at my parent's house (Gran and Grandpa) but this was the first night she was away from me since we brought her home from the hospital and I was very nervous about it. In fact, I didn't want her to do it because I was worried that she would wake up in the middle of the night, not know where she was and want her mommy. But, in a moment of weakness (or frustration), H got me to say yes and so off Tali went. Luckily, I was wrong and Tali was fine. Since we were all over there for Rosh Hashanah, we (H and I) were there to put her to bed. She did cry for a while (not normal), but she eventually went to sleep. She slept through the night and woke up just fine the next morning. Savta gave her a bottle and measured her head for a hat she is knitting, and then Tali was driven home. She survived. I survived (though I barely slept because I was worried about her) and we were back on our normal routine that same day. Once I am no longer breast feeding, it will be nice to let her sleep at her grandparents for a night so I can sleep in.

That's New

When I went in Tali's room to get her from her evening nap, she was sitting in her crib (hands on the bars, crying, as if she were in jail)! I've seen her manipulate herself into a sit on the floor (she rolls on to her belly, gets in to crawl position then leans back on her tushie to sit up) but I've never seen her sit in her crib. Pretty soon, she'll be standing in the crib, trying to figure out how she can jump out. 

The Name Game

Tali had her 9 month check-up yesterday (a week early) and everything is fine. The heart murmur is completely gone. She's ahead in fine motor skills - I brought her breakfast with us as we didn't have time to finish at home and the pediatrician was very impressed by how well she eats finger foods. She is right on target for core strength and trunk control. The one thing she is "average" on is knowing her name. By nine months she should be able to recognize her name but so far, she does not turn if you call her by name. (She does, however, know Jackson's name and will turn if I say hi to him when he walks in a room.) 

Honestly, this is our fault. H and I call her too many different things for her to learn which one refers to her. I call her sweetheart and Ms. T while H calls her baby and whatever animal is on her pajamas. We do call her Tali (and Talia), but not exclusively. So now we're both making a real effort to cut back on the nicknames until she understands her name. It's a tough habit to break, but we both catch ourselves - usually mid-word - and switch to her actual name. 

My daughter is not even nine months old and she's already having an identity crisis!

My Little Carnivore

Today I introduced Tali to red meat. I made her tiny meatballs (with spinach as a substitute for egg, some baby cereal and Italian bread crumbs) and served them to her with potatoes and carrots - all finger food. When she put the first piece of meatball in her mouth, she let it sit there for a minute or so and had a pensive look on her face. Then she chewed, swallowed, smiled and reached for another piece. She loved it! Tali cleaned her plate (tray) - no complaints. She might be a fussy baby, but at least we don't have to fight at meal time. 

First Real Doll

When: Last Friday, with her great grandparents

Where: The toy store

Details: My grandparents (Granny and Papa) were in town last Friday and bought Tali her first real doll. We took Tali to the toy store and let her pick it out. There was an entire case off dolls and we laid a few on the floor for her. She loved this Madame Alexander doll, and so did we, so Granny and Papa purchased it for her. Her name is Pocket Full of Posies Pussycat (I know, I know) and she's currently sitting in her box in Tali's closet. I haven't given it to her yet (the hair is a chocking hazard for babies) but when I do I will make sure she knows who it came from. It's a beautiful doll and I'm sure she'll have it for years to come.