Vacation

It's been a while since I posted anything but that's because everyone went on vacation. H and I went to Italy (Amalfi Coast then Tuscany) and Tali and Jackson went to New York City. Everyone had a great time. Tali learned how to say "please" and Jackson learned how to guilt trip Savta and Saba into taking him out all the time. Above are some pictures from Tali's vacation. On her second day she went to lunch at Cafe Boulud and Savta snapped a few fantastic shots.

Pacifier Update

The pacifier removal is going better than I thought it would.

On day three (I left her with Savta that morning), she cried for 7 minutes then played for 30 minutes then slept for about 40 minutes.

On day four she cried for 10 minutes then went right to sleep. She slept for 1 1/2 hours!

Day five's nap was in the car on the way into the city to meet a friend so that didn't count.

And for day six (today) she cried for about 30 seconds and went right to sleep. She was laying down before I even made it downstairs to turn on the monitor. She slept for 1 1/2 hours again. To be honest, I cheated a little. She slept until 9:30 this morning (yes, it was nice; no, I didn't sleep in also) so I skipped her 11:00 nap and just put her down after lunch, around 1:30. She was very tired by this point so it was easy.

I think I'm going to wait to remove the pacifier from the next nap until Tali can go to sleep without crying for two or three days. I'm hoping that'll be soon. But, it's going well. So even if it is a slow process I can see it working and I'm proud of myself for sticking it out. Listening to your daughter scream is tough, especially if you know you can fix it.

Goodbye Tali, Hello Palm Beach!

For Tali's first birthday, H got me a present - a long weekend together in Palm Beach ALONE. I am finished breastfeeding so now I could easily leave her for an extended period of time. We left on Friday morning and came back on Tuesday evening and it was wonderful! Yes, it was hard to leave Tali (and Jackson) but they stayed with Savta and Saba and so I knew they would be well cared for. I tried to be good and only check on Tali once a day.

H and I spent the entire weekend relaxing and eating. We stayed at the Ritz and enjoyed their spa on Saturday and Monday. I did yoga every morning. We went out to dinner every night. I slept. It was perfect.

As our flight was landing on Tuesday evening, I said to H "Do you think she'll remember us?" H thought that was a silly question, but I was just predicting the future. When we got home, Jackson went nuts but Tali just stared at us. H went up to her first and she just looked him. Then I went up to her and she just looked. It was like she was watching a tennis match: stare at Dad, stare at Mom, stare at Dad, stare at Mom, etc. I think she was confused. Eventually she started smiling at me and then got comfortable with us again. She had a tough time going to sleep that night (afraid we were going to leave again?) but she was completely back to normal yesterday.

It was good to get away but it's also good to be back.

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!

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!

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.

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.

Yummy!

Babies put everything in their mouth and Tali is no different. It can be quite funny to see some of the things that make its way in for a taste test. Here is what she "explored" yesterday (besides the obvious toys, pacifier, etc.):

Ziplock bag

my bra strap

my fingers

Savta's fingers

my shirt

my hair

Jackson's ear

strap of the baby carrier

her socks (while still on her feet)

her shirt

my cell phone

sofa pillow

TV remote

cordless phone antenna

her big toe

four of her toes at once

bath towel

I wonder which one tasted the best to her.