Monday, February 21, 2011

Break Dancing in Moonlight

Natali has become quite the little trickster. Her latest trick is to pretend to be super sleepy. We place her in bed and she closes her eyes and pushes her head to the side as though she is going straight to sleep. Once we leave the room though...the party starts.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rNefcq7DL0

Hold that pose!

Natali is still sick. Wheezing at night....and small coughing fits. Last night I tried saline up the nose (she is finally used to it and doesn't cry), baby rub on chest and humidifier. Mildly worked. I spent 40 minutes around 2AM rocking her as she got frustrated by all the coughing. I know it will pass.

Last night she finally held a crawling position. She didn't crawl. She knew she wanted to, but just kinda hung out. In the past she would collapse right away.

[nggallery id=26]

The "Da Da" sounds are non-stop now. Loving it.

She has started to eat those dissolving kiddie treats that have zero nutrtional value. She can pick them up and aim them toward her mouth....but she misses most of the time. When she does have one in her mouth she likes them.

Natali still despises rolling over. She will roll to one side....and stop. I guess she feels it's beneath her. She loves to stand up and makes and effort to walk. Who knows if she will blow off rolling over and crawling and go straight to walking. From one month old she liked to stand up. Who knows.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Her first word?

For about two weeks Natali has been saying, "Da Da" a lot. I'm sure she is calling me and not just making random sounds. She says it most while she is standing, thus I shot a short video of her standing up (holding my hand) and randomly saying Da Da.

For higher quality, after clicking play, click on the number to the right of the scrolling bar. It should be available in at least 480P if not 720P.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTPhNbnwn1U

Thursday, February 17, 2011

6 month visit

I brought Natali in for her 6 month visit. The stats:

Weight : 17.6 pounds

Height: 27 inches

Head Circumference: 44.45 cms or 17.5 inches

The visit went kinda okay. The office was busy. Before we went to the office we stopped by my allergist. Natali was her normal happy and exploring self.

I gave her a bottle right before the office visit. She had about 2 ounces.

The Doctor isn't very talkative. He examined her then said the nurse would be in for her shots. Then we waited. Natali was getting sleepy and cranky. I walked around and sang to her. I bounced her around. I then ignored the sign saying to not feed your child and fed her the other 2 ounces of her bottle. Finally 20 minutes later the nurse arrived.

I've read several articles about shots and immunizations. The number of shots Natali gets at each visit is mind blowing. I would be pissy if I go that many shots at once. The reason they cluster them up is because MOST parents won't bring their kids in every 2 weeks or so for the shots. Doctors "have" to cluster them up.

Natali was a different person after her 4 month visit for about a day. This 6 month visit would be worse.

The nurse came in and held Natalis' legs down. One oral medicine and then three shots (including a flu shot). Natali was screaming. I was able to quickly calm her down. She left somber.

For the rest of the day she was just off. Much crankier than normal. It didn't help that she had her first tooth start to come in this same morning.

On top of that she is sick again. Something about that day care. So shots + first tooth + being sick = long night.

Natali coughed all night. After two hours I brought her to our bed. I initially thought there was something in her room making her cough. She never coughed anywhere else in the house previously. Each morning she sleeps in our bed between 5AM and 8AM....and never coughs.

I put some baby rub (baby version of Vicks vapor rub) on her chest and laid her next to me. She fell asleep quickly.

Through the night she was mostly okay. Woke up a few times when her pacifier came out.

I am very cautious with her in the bed. I sleep on my right side and have Natali in front of me. I sleep on the right side of the bed so I am her cushion in case she suddenly decides to roll. Natali hates to roll over so not a big concern.

This morning she is still cranky. On the next visit I am going to ask to spread out the vaccinations/shots. We live 2 miles from the Doctors office and I typically have weekdays off so I can take her whenever.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

There's an App for that

Several years ago Fry's Electronics sold a brand of network video camera called Airlink. They were cheap, but reliable.

The current Airlink cameras have been watching over us (literally) for at three years non stop. They just work.

Fry's has since stopped selling the brand. Booo as I want more!

Anyways I moved the pan and tilt camera from the front to above Natali. Why? Well I rarely moved the camera. At least in her room it can move around when she gets to the age of playing around more.

Viewing the cameras was easy enough via a laptop or Ipad. The Ipad would never save the password...which is a bit annoying. So I got to searching. Sure enough Airlink released a iOs app! Now we have one click access to the camera. Super convenient.



The app allows us to move the camera via the four arrows. We can also listen in via the speaker icon on the left and we can talk through the camera (once I install a small speaker in the room) via the ear icon on the right.

Tomorrow is Natali's six month check up. Tomorrow night her grandmother is coming in town. Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow!

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Dress and Jacket

I (Darren) bought Natali a new jacket (with matching hat!) and two dresses last week. Kelli is not very girly. I've only seen her in a dress at weddings and funerals. Same goes for makeup. Thankfully Kelli is naturally beautiful and doesn't need makeup. A dress or two wouldn't hurt though. Anyways I have a feeling all girly clothes will be purchased by me and not Kelli.

[nggallery id=25]

Saturday, February 12, 2011

6 Months Old!

Natali turned 6 months old today. Kelli and I are truly lucky to have such a healthy, beautiful and funny child. It was a long bumpy road on the way to meeting her. Several detours along the way. I never thought it would happen. Looking back it was all worth it. I can't imagine my life without her in it. The only thing I regret is that my own mother isn't here to see her, although I know she is watching her from a far.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXDJhmM0FVg

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Never Grow Up

Heard this song while listening to the latest Taylor Swift album. Liked it.

Never Grow Up


By: Taylor Swift



Your little hands wrapped around my finger
And it's so quiet in the world tonight
Your little eyelids flutter cause you're dreaming
So I tuck you in and turn on your favorite nightlight

To you, everything's funny
You got nothing to regret
I'd give all I have honey
If you could stay like that

(Chorus:)
Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little
Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
It could stay this simple
I won't let nobody hurt you
Wont let no one break your heart
No one will desert you
Just try to never grow up
Never grow up

You're in the car on the way to the movies
And you're mortified your mama's dropping you off
At 14, there's just so much you can't do
And you can't wait to move out
Someday and call your own shots

But don't make her drop you off around the block
Remember she's getting older too
And don't lose the way that you dance around in your PJs getting ready for school

(Chorus:)
Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little
Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up



It could stay this simple
No one's ever burned
Nothing's ever left you scarred
Even though you want to, just try to never grow up

Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room
Memorize what is sounded like what your dad gets home
Remember the footsteps, remember the words said
And all your little brother's favorite songs
I just realized everything I had is someday gonna be gone

So here I am in my new apartment
In a big city, they just dropped me off
It's so much colder than I thought it would be
So I tuck myself in and turn my nightlight on

Wish I'd never grown up
I wish I'd never grown up
Oh I don't wanna grow up
Wish I'd never grown up
Could still be little
Oh I don't wanna grow up
It could still be simple

(Chorus:)
Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little
Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
It could stay this simple
Won't let nobody hurt you
Won't let no one break your heat
And even throuhg toyu want to, please try to never grow up
Don't you ever grow up
Just never grow up

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Balancing out the parental units

Kelli and I care for Natali in very different ways. Much like our personalities differ, so does the way we react to situations.

With me, I use humor and noises to calm Natali down. Kelli is more laid back and uses a cuddling and calm nature. Both work, and we can't switch methods.

I learned a while ago that if I sing/make noises while putting Natali in a car seat, changing a diaper or anything else that sometimes annoys her....it distracts her enough to remain calm or calm down. I can't hold a tune for the life of me, however all my silly noises makes her laugh, smile or just stare long enough to do what I need to do.

We have almost reached six months. I'm looking back at photos and post and am worried that I missed something. Six months? Really?

When I place Natali in her swing her feet hang off the edge. I swear it was just last week I had to place a blanket under her but so she could be strapped in securely.

Solid food is going well. Of course solid food equals solid poops. Yay?

Natali has been really vocal lately. I swear I hear "Da-Da"...Kelli thinks I am wanting to hear it. Maybe I am.

Natali talks the most when she stands up. She really enjoys holding my hand (or hands) and standing up. I can tell she is trying to balance. There are times where she is putting very little pressure on me. Maybe she will just blow away crawling? Time will tell.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Five months and Nineteen Days....

Natali has finally rolled over. Took her a while.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX25ja4TFUg

When this happened I was sitting in a cockpit preparing to fly to Little Rock, Arkansas. Thankfully Kelli shot a video of the event and emailed it to me.

Since then she has not rolled over once. Natali will pretend she is rolling over....going 75% of the way....the rolling back onto her back again. Ah she is my daughter.

Natali has taken to a new sleeping style. She now sleeps on her side most of the time. This should help the hair on the back of her head grow back. It looks very uncomfortable to sleep like that. Eh.

Kelli has been cooking up a storm. She has cooked more meals for Natali in the last 2 months than she has cooked for me in the last 8 years!

My mother in law will be heading down to Texas in a week or so. Kelli and I are going to plan a one night escape somewhere. Maybe New Orleans. Maybe Canada. Maybe.....who knows.

Weather in Texas this week has been down right cold. The high today was 20. Kelli and Natali had been cooped up since Monday. They had to get out. We all went to Walmart.

Natali was very surprised with the cold air. She sat motionless and expressionless the entire trip from the car to the store and for an additional 5 minutes. It was as though she was conserving heat. She finally came too.

We all walked around the store for an hour. Forty five bucks later and we left. Kelli did score two jackets for Natali. One 18 month and one 24 month for $2.50 each!

We paid for 3 days of daycare this week. Natali has gone one day. Glad we aren't like "normal" people and paid for a full week. They were closed yesterday though. She might go tomorrow.

This time next week Natali will be 6 months old. Crazy how time flies.

5months1



5months0



Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Random stuff

I am off work today, not by choice, but because of this nasty weather.  My company actually closed until noon, which seems silly because this weather will definitely not be getting better later.  They may change it to a full day, but I will not be there regardless.  My daycare is actually open today, but I was not going to take a chance and go out in this weather.  I called up there to tell them Natali wouldn't be in today and was told they didn't have any infant teachers at the moment anyway.  I asked if there were any kids there, and she said there was 1 infant there, but the baby's mother got her car stuck trying to leave the daycare.  It's kind of nice that they stay open even in conditions like this because there are some people that just can't skip work no matter what.  If it were just me I would probably have tried to go this morning.  I've done it before.  These days I always have to think about Natali first though.  Darren is currently stuck in Milwaukee.  His flight is going on 3 hours late now.  He should get here at some point today, but DFW is shut down right now, so we'll see how long it takes him.  Me, Natali, and the dogs are just hunkered down in the house right now trying to keep warm.  It's so cold my dog door froze shut!  Now I have to keep getting up to let the dogs out.  It's a good thing they are lazy and hate cold weather.  I pretty much have to force them out the door to make them go to the bathroom.

Anyway, in other news my adventures in baby food continue.  We have tried several different things with Natali.  She has eaten butternut squash and sweet potatoes, both of which she really enjoys.  She has also had bananas and apples.  She really wasn't a big fan of either of those, but she did eat them.  She made a lot of faces with the apples though.  I wonder if I need to change the type of apple I am feeding her.  I read a list of good apples for babies, but my apples aren't on that list.  Darren got them for me and he wasn't sure which ones to get.  The ones I made were pink lady apples.  They are really flavorful.  I'm thinking maybe a more bland apple would be better for her right now.  Last night I made sweet peas.  I haven't fed them to Natali yet, but I will later today.  The peas were the hardest to make so far because I couldn't get the puree very smooth.  It was really gritty.  I ended up mashing the puree through a strainer to remove the larger bits and make it smoother.  That wasn't an ideal solution though.  It took a while to strain.  I will have to look into that a bit more.  Perhaps someone out there has a suggestion on those for me?

Also, this morning I learned you can never be sure if the pooping is finished.  Natali woke up at 6am and I went into her room to get her up.  I was greeted with a smile and the distinctive sound of a poop in progress.  Nice.  I got her up and immediately went to change her diaper.  It was pretty messy.  Darn the baby food!  It makes all poops really gross.  I started cleaning her up and quickly pulled the dirty diaper out from under her to put the new one on.  Just a second after I had pulled the diaper away Natali pooped again.  It was projectile poop!  Thankfully my hands and body were not in the way of it.  The poop exploded out of her butt and literally shot across the room.  I ended up having to clean up Natali, the changing pad, the changing table, and the carpet.  So gross!  I couldn't help but laugh though.  It is amazing the crazy situations that parents get into.  I will have to steam clean the carpet when Darren gets home.  After the poop explosion I fed Natali and put her right into the bathtub.  It was bath day anyway.  I'm just waiting for the day when the poop explosion happens while she is in the tub.  I'm sure that is a common problem many parents have faced.  Darren would be horrified if something like that were to happen on his watch.  I think it would be hysterical. :-)