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.