Wow, home two months already? Time flies!! We are definitely much more attached. I still don't feel like a mom most days, but I feel so much love for her. I feel myself wanting to be more protective, I feel more pride in her accomplishments and I hurt more when she's hurt or scared. Her little personality is blossoming and it's such a joy to watch unfold. She is independent, curious, funny, mischievous, determined, energetic, happy, easy going, sweet... Man, she is the greatest little kid. I am so lucky!Recent Stats:
height: 32" ( 12th %ile)
weight: 25.74 lbs. (46th %ile)
(Not sure if the percentiles are correct since this doctor placed her in a very different rank than the last doctor but she does seem to be on the shorter side).
New Words:
pee or pees - please
nana - banana
up or uppy - definitely "up" not "help me" (but she also says it for down)
hi
show - shoe
Momma - oh how I love it!!! She also says Emmay still which I also love!!
dada or joojee - to get my attention, for more food, for other random things where she doesn't have the words
Signs:
thank you (but she does it with a kiss cause it looks like blowing a kiss. Too cute!!)
milk
apple
baby
hot
fish
Other:She told me no for the first time on Friday, April 16th by shaking her head when I tried to put a certain shirt on her. She now shakes her head no all the time when she doesn't want to do something. Uh oh... I'm in for it. She is becoming a lot more vocal and opinionated on a number of things!
She hands me her plate when she is done eating to let me know she wants it refilled. 'Get to it, Mom!' Ha!
Speaking of food, we are still having major issues. She eats SOO much and SOO quickly! She could easily eat an adult-sized entree with a whole cup of soy milk and a dessert. I want her to eat a lot of healthy foods and grow strong but I have serious concerns about choking and her eating herself sick. The doctors don't think it's an issue but they also have never seen her eat. Anyone who has thinks her eating habits are incredible (friends, family, daycare, etc.) So far all I have been doing is monitoring her, trying to slow her down, cutting things into tiny pieces of course and saying no when I really think she has had enough. It's tough because I don't know if she's really still hungry (and she may be since she eats way faster than the 20 minutes her brain needs to signal to her that she's full) or if it's something more serious. I guess time will tell.
She has gotten very whiny with me. Not with family or friends. No, she saves it for me. When she wakes up in the morning (99% of the time before I do) she whines in her crib. She's not one of those happy kids who play quietly or call out "hi" or "momma". No, she whines or cries, even though I am only 2' from her. We are working on it and it seems to be getting better. I model for her a happy face and a kind greeting and she's getting it. Maybe she's not a morning person... I can relate! (Update: she has gotten so much better at this! She is so much sweeter in the mornings now!) She also still whines at mealtime when I am taking too long to prepare her food. She whines when I put her in her carseat when she wants to stay outside and play. She doesn't do it with other people and fortunately it doesn't last long with me either. She is often easily distracted or redirected (except when it has to do with food). Basically, she is extremely verbal with not much English (um, and yeah, she's a toddler!). I know in a few short months this whining will turn into comments/requests/demands and I am soo looking forward to that! Really. I want to know what she is thinking. Here's a cute story: the other day I left the gate open at the top of the steps when I went to bed. Early that morning when she woke up too early, I took her out of her crib and put her into bed with me so we could get more sleep. Later that morning she climbed out of my bed and walked into the hall. She came running back in and insisted I get out of bed. She took my hand and led me into the hall and pointed to the gate. It was so amazing! She's such a smart cookie!
The scowls she presented last month are basically gone. I guess now that she's bonded to me, she doesn't worry about every new adult she meets. That makes me feel so good. I want her to feel safe and secure with me.
She can blow her nose. She will pick up random things around the house, wipe her own nose and then use that item to clean the counter or floor :)
Her diapers are still wretched. She continues to have diarrhea almost every day. In fact, she has had only 3 diapers in 7 weeks - three!- that have had a normal poop. I know, TMI, but it's very disconcerting. The pediatrician can't seem to figure it out. She tested negative for Giardia three times and I don't let her eat dairy products. Maybe she's allergic to wheat or gluten? Maybe she really does have a parasite? I took her to a gastroenterologist last week. I took two stool samples and she got extensive bloodwork. Hope I get some answers!
She still loves to pray! We pray before meals and at bedtime (though she will initiate prayer at random times) and she takes it very seriously. Even though she loves her food, she will put her spoon down to clasp her hands and she follows up my prayer with an "Ahbay!"
She is pretty good in restaurants... which means I can still have a life :) If she is eating, she's fine. When the food is cleared away, though, she is ready to get down and go!
She answers to Naomi and Almi and I call her both pretty equally--well, no, I think I call her Almi more. Some people still call her Almaz which is fine by me but she doesn't really answer to it. I heard Almi was a nickname for Almaz and I think it's cute and my family mostly calls her that as well.
She sleeps from 10-12 hours a night but she still wakes me up most nights with whimpering, though it seems to be subsiding.
When I'm too loud or something else is too loud, she puts her finger to her lips and shakes her head no. Too funny!
Here someone mowing the lawn was too loud to her.She still calls me both Emmay and Momma. The other day I turned around in the car and said to her, "Hi, Baby" and she responded, "Hi, Momma." I was thrilled!! Soo cute!
She loves to brush her teeth and put on lotion. She will pretend to brush her teeth with her finger to let me know. Lotion she loves to put on really, really thick.
After I comfort her when she gets upset or hurt I'll say, "Ishy?" and she'll confirm, "ishy."
When I tell her to say bye bye to someone she will sometimes, but more often she blows a kiss. Of course people love this and think she's the cutest thing ever. And you know what? She is!
12 comments:
I agree. Cutest ever! Especially with the lotion smeared all over her face. Priceless. :)
Hi. I can't believe we're both home 2 months now (hoping you remember me- we met at the Weygoss with Hazel). So much of what you wrote is so what is going on in our home too.. The food anxieties- they had gotten a bit better but then come back even worse. The stuffing... And the lack of chewing- just stuff it in, swallow and get the next fist full. Our 2 are just a bit older, but our girls are close in age, and we have found the word "bohala" or later to be so helpful- they are now letting us stop the meal when we assure them there is more for later. However, we are still in the midst of this and are trying to find new ideas to help.
And the whining... And the stinky diapers... We had a week of normal stool after treating the camplyobactra but now are back to the mess. Oh to have them healthy!!
Hope your day goes well.
Ramona
Great description of everything! I hope you're printing out allthese pages... wonderful for your (Almi's) scrapbook/album.
Love it! What a great update!! Im so happy that you are both doing so well...
Big hugs to you both, from the two of us!
:)
Aw, thanks Sarah! :)
Yes, I remember you Ramona. I lost the link to your blog. Would love to see photos of your kiddos. Bohala? I'm going to have to try that.
Anon, I am doing a baby book for her and a lifebook. I will certainly refer to this, but I also plan to get the whole blog made into a book at some point.
Hi Robyn! :) Kisses for twinkle!
Two months--you are doing such a great job parenting (I reflect back on some of your pre-Naomi/Almaz at home days where you expressed doubt)--Sistah-girl, you bless the name of Single Mom!!!!
Just a thought... her need to keep eating could be due to previous mal-nutrition. So she keeps eating because subconsciously (sp) she doesn't know when she will eat again. With time this will subside.
She truly is precious. I love your blog and live vicariously through you until I bring my own little one home. (further down the road)
She IS cute! I love that last picture. Great to hear you guys are doing well and settling in as a family.
She is so BEAUTIFUL!! As far as the food and the poop go- I can relate!
My Doctor told me that it could be MONTHS....yes MONTHS before it becomes normal! Thankfully Bereket is "poopoo trained" he hasn't used it in is diaper in 2 weeks now!
Glad to see you are adjusting so well!!
She is so precious!!! How do you not give in to her every whim? It would be hard.
Quinn is a huge eater too. Really unbelievable amounts. Of course, his and her issues could be different. On thing I tried with him that worked a little bit was I gave him a healthy snack while I was making dinner. veggies or fruit cut up and some water. then we ate in 'courses.' so he had his first while we i was cooking, his second on a small plate as an appetizer and then a third or fourth. We ate the same way. this slowed him up a little bit. That way it at least gave his brain time to register it. the first two courses were large helpings of veggies or fruit. that way he filled up on those, then came the pasta/meat/bread kind of stuff. Until he was four he needed little snacks through out the day.
I think his issue was he never stopped moving and he was growing really tall. He had two full breakfasts before daycare and then ate their breakfast too!
she sounds like such a smart fun little girl! I love reading these posts!
Girl, i keep callin' that chile Naomi. I will try to switch up! hahaha! but yes she is the cutest ever! and the boys love her!
She is amazing and so beautiful.
On the poopy issue. I'd see if they will give her the flagyll to treat for giardia...even without a positive sample. It sounds exactly like what giardia does. Nasty poop! I live with an ICU RN...so there is no such thing as TMI. ;)
Becky
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