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. 

Macaroni and Cheese

For those of you who knew me, Cara and Ilana growing up, you knew our favorite food was macaroni and cheese. Our favorite version was Granny's - a homemade combination that, no matter how hard I try, I cannot replicate. Last Friday my grandparents came to visit for the day and it inspired me to give Tali mac and cheese for the first time (technically, it's ditalini with butter and cheese). She loved it! She is my daughter, after all.

Peek A Boo!

Like all babies, Tali loves peek a boo. It makes her laugh when I hide behind her favorite blanket. But even more fun than seeing Mommy disappear and reappear is doing it herself. After about three or four times of me hiding behind the blanket, Tali reaches for the blanket and is ready to be the hider. Where's Tali? Peek a boo!

Music

If you know my husband, you know that when he decides to do something, he becomes completely focused on that project. Last weekend, H decided to update Tali's music collection. Tali loves music so this was a great project for him to take on. In one weekend he added approximately 100 Jewish songs to her iPod. So all week we've been singing and dancing to Jewish music in the house. Tali's had a great time and I've had a lot of fun listening to songs I haven't heard in years.

In addition to the Jewish music, H also added the Barenaked Ladies kids album - Snacktime -  and put it on a CD for me to play in the car. (If I had to listen to the CD from her music class one more time I might have just driven into traffic.) This CD is hysterical! It's typical of the group - lots of word play and humor. Honestly, I think the songs were mostly written for adults who couldn't bear to listen to another kids CD. If you have kids, I highly recommend this album. Actually, I have quite a few kid-less friends who would love this album too (Ilana, Paige - I'm talking to the two of you). There are 24 songs on the album, ranging from a love ballad to the eraser to a song about raisins. (Can you link raisins to Canada in one verse? They can!) The CD is so much fun that I caught myself listening to it when Tali wasn't even in the car. I have one more week before Tali's music class begins again and we get a new CD. Until then, I'll be singing along to the Barenaked Ladies. Thanks, guys!

Turkey

Back at the end of July, Tali tried avocado for the first time and didn't like it. However, after a few days she got used to it and she now loves it. Unfortunately, I don't think the same thing will happen with turkey. I've been giving Tali turkey for 2-3 weeks now and she hasn't yet developed a taste for it. I first cooked it with some vegetables and then pureed it. She would only eat a few bites each time I fed it to her. Then when she went on her spoon strike I made turkey meatballs. After one bite (per meal), she'd refuse to eat anymore. If I tried to mix it with pasta, she'd eat around it and gag when she accidentally put a piece in her mouth. So tonight I steamed and pureed some peas and yams and mixed in tiny pieces of the turkey meatball. Success! She ate some turkey! I am not a fan of hiding things in food, but if that's what gets her through this turkey then that's what I will do. Once I'm done with the turkey I've made, I will stay away for a while and see if her tastes change in a few months.

The Strike Is Over!

Hooray! Tali's spoon strike has ended. Well, mostly ended. The way it now works is that she gets finger food first and then I can feed her with a spoon. I'm glad that she'll take the spoon again because there are many foods she's just not ready to feed to herself. But, during the strike I discovered new finger foods for her. She loves feeding herself blueberries (quartered so that she doesn't choke), bread, bananas, shredded cheese, avocado, cantaloup and more. Yesterday I made turkey meatballs for her and cut it up into tiny pieces for her dinner. She ate a little of it but didn't love it. I served it with ditalini pasta but she just wasn't so into it.  Since it usually takes her a few days to like a new meat, I'll keep going. I thought the meatball tasted pretty good (I was hungry, I ate her leftovers) so hopefully she'll grow to like it. 

She's on Strike

Tali's been on a spoon strike since Sunday and is refusing to let a spoon get anywhere near her mouth. She does one of three things (or sometimes all three at once) when I bring a spoon to her mouth: turns her head away, seals her mouth shut, cries. After two days of this I did a bit of reading to see if it was normal and, luckily, it is. This is Tali's way of asserting her independence and it normally happens between 8-10 months (she wasted no time - one week into her eighth month). The strange part is, her mind is ahead of her body/skills on this one because she's not really ready for finger foods. The signs that she's ready include: crawling (nope), pulling herself up (nope), using her jaw to mash food (not strong enough yet but she tries) and has mastered the pincer grasp (sometimes, but not always). Despite not showing any of the signs that she's ready to move on, she is.

So for the past three days all of her meals have been finger foods. She's had banana, avocado, mango, cooked apples and pears, bread, etc. - all cut into small pieces. Today I am going to be brave and let her spoon feed herself. This will be messy - Jackson will love it. I am also going to make some turkey meatballs (full of veggie purees as a substitute for eggs) so that she can get some protein. And, I'll start her on shredded cheese. I'm on the fence about giving her tofu. There's both good and bad information about soy for babies and I have not yet decided what is best for her. The more I think about it, the more I come up with foods to make for her. This won't be so bad. In fact, it might be easier than pureeing food. It's definitely more fun.