Wednesday, November 23, 2011

3 Months



Dear Rosebud,

This month was all about learning to use your hands. You, like your brother before you, can now hit the monkey, although you're much more partial to the giraffe that dangles from your play mat. Just last night I saw you grab his foot and direct it into your mouth. And this morning you found your thumb for the first time--uh oh! You're enthralled by any toy someone puts before you, but not as enthralled as you are by ANYTHING your brother does. When you nurse, you use your free hand to grasp at the nearest object--my hair, my shirt, my fingers. It's almost as though you need an anchor.

We were able to capture some of your first giggles on video. Your dad and I found it hilarious that you mostly laughed without opening the back of your throat, so it sounds like you're laughing under water--complete with your Snorty McSnorterton noises that you seem to be (slowly) growing out of. In the last few weeks, though, your underwater giggles have morphed into full on belly laughs and squealing. I can't, for the life of me, capture it on video yet but I'll keep trying. You laugh when someone tickles your belly (particularly if you're undressed), and when someone says "boo," and pretty much whenever you're on your changing table (something about the butterflies on your mirror is HILARIOUS), or whenever someone takes off your pants. Let's hope that changes before you go to high school. (wink)

Bath time remains a favorite activity, especially if your brother joins you. He's great at helping to wash your hair and your feet. You also love when he reads and sings to you, and when he chooses a new toy (or perhaps ALL your toys at once!) for you.

Developmentally, you're working on strengthening your neck muscles. You prefer to sit up all the way, and are sitting in your Bumbo seat for the first time. You still loathe tummy time, but you did roll over from front to back for the first time. I'm not convinced it wasn't an accident, though. And, as I mentioned, you can easily guide your hand and fingers to your mouth.

Your eating schedule has spaced out considerably, as your naps get longer and more predictable. (For my records, your sleep cycles are usually 45-60 minutes, after which I often need to soothe you back to sleep.) You're ready to sleep two hours after you last awoke, which means you often go 3.5-5 hours between feedings during the day. Nights....are still unpredictable. You slept through the night (once), and followed that by waking every three hours the next night. I'm hoping this month will bring a more predictable nighttime schedule. Ha.

You are such a pleasant, easy-going baby. Thanks for that gift, my love.

Love,
Mom

http://gallery.me.com/hannahrae#100806 (P.S. You may have heard that the Mobile Gallery feature offered by Apple will be discontinued soon. I will be moving the photos to another host site. Stay tuned.)

Sunday, November 20, 2011

The Big Brother

(Quick! Before anything changes!)


Dear SIR,

You are an amazing big brother. You care more for your sister than I've ever seen you care for a person--including your best friend, Daddy. Toward her, I see your empathy and concern. I see your unabashed glee when you're responsible for making her happy. Of all our family members, she saves her biggest smiles for you. I love that you "read" to her and sing to her. I love that you enjoy helping me put her to sleep. I love that you willingly fetch diapers and pacifiers and burp cloths for her. I love that you understand some days you get to "go first," and some days she gets to "go first"--usually regarding eating. I love that you'll jump down from the lunch table with a "Mommy, I got it," to give her a paci when she's fussing. I love that you try to engage her with toys--whether she wants them or not. I love that, three months later, you still ask to hold her.

With her, you put your needs last.

Thanks for being so incredibly awesome.
Love,
Mom

First bath together

(SIR was asked to watch her for a minute while Daddy ran downstairs. This is what he found when he returned.)

Sibling love!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

"You're Doing it WRONG!"

You ever get the feeling that you've been doing something wrong for a long time? That you can't QUITE figure out what's wrong with what you're doing wrong? And you certainly have no idea how to fix it?

Me too.

I have been feeling this way about a) child discipline and b) children's toys.

a:
Frequently uttered phrases, "He never LISTENS." "He never OBEYS." "He's so DIFFICULT." Enter this book: Parenting with Love and Logic


It's not a perfect approach, and I'm certainly not going to be perfect while implementing it, but it's a start toward a healthier relationship with my son and a happier life as a stay-at-home-mom.

b:
This one is trickier, because it requires other members of my house to get on board. And the holidays are coming up. BUT. Here goes: I'm struggling with the amount of STUFF we have on our home (toy and play related), how it is organized, displayed and available for play. I want a crafting/art area; I want a single "playroom" area on the main floor (but I'm unwilling to sacrifice my piano and my coat closet); I want my children to get messy and learn from doing so. Enter Play at Home Mom. This group of women are some of the bravest mothers I've ever encountered, and I currently want to BE them. How I'm going to implement their techniques is a work in progress...but my Christmas shopping list for the children is looking a lot different this year. (Want to help me brainstorm? Feel free!!!)

Stay tuned...I hope.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Halloween 2011 Wrap-Up


Hey! Guess what the most overrated Halloween activity is, according to my three year old? You guessed it...carving pumpkins. But bedazzling a pumpkin for a baby sister? Best. craft. ever. (Next year we'll explore no-carve options like these. )

This year, the boy settled on his firefighter costume by mom's deadline (Oct. 1), which gave us plenty of time to work on the baby's dalmation costume--since we prefer themed costumes whenever possible (read: for one more year, before she develops her own opinions). Thanks to etsy, I only had to make her sleeper (black felt + glue gun), and attach her ears to a headband or hat--one for inside, one for outside.

A last minute RSVP to a party meant we would need grownup costumes, too. One trip to the Halloween Express, two trips to Michaels, one trip to Target, and 15 yards of tulle later, we added a fire chief and...FIRE!....to our costumed crew.

Enjoy the photos! http://gallery.me.com/hannahrae#100798

2008/2011