Ice Powers

Vivian has been pretending to be Anna ALL. THE. TIME.  At every meal she'll sit at the table and ask for someone to freeze her with their powers and then someone else to unfreeze her.  About a month ago Violet started doing the freezing.  Hilarious.  I got it on video last night in the bathtub.  I should post it on here.  She holds out her hand and says CHHHH.  So cute.

HELP!

I just do not write down enough of the cute things that Violet does.  She is incredibly funny and cute.  Lately she's been laying backward on the bed in the morning after I'm done nursing her and we're all cuddling.  She'll lay back and yell "HELP!"  She learned it from Vivian when she would play and pretend she needed help.  She is hilarious!  I love seeing her picking up these funny ways to play from her big sister.  It just seems so funny to see such a tiny girl pretending!

Hugs, Lead, Sleep and More Words

This morning Violet was following me around the house saying "hug." It was the cutest, sweetest thing.  She is such a love bug.  I would bend down and she would hug me.  Adorable!  Life can be really hard right now, but man, she is so sweet.  I'm sure I'll miss these days when the girls are older.  

She is also saying: 

- Lemon (sounds a lot like banana and watermelon, but it's a little different)

- Mickey Mouse (Mah)

- Hannah (also sounds a lot like lemon, watermelon and banana but a little different)

- sock (hock)

- hug (hock)

Last night we had to start sleep training her ... again.  She is not a great sleeper yet, and it's been very trying since she was about 4 months old and we had that second tongue tie snip where the lady told me that I needed to wake her up to feed her every 3 hours. :(

Anyways, Mark suggested that we go cold turkey on nursings at night.  I have gotten lazy and just nursed her at night because I was tired and when we were in California visiting and sleeping so close to everyone else I just wanted to keep her quiet.  After we got back I have never gotten out of the habit.  Last night we decided that from now on there is no feeding until it's time to actually get up and out of bed in the morning.  All day yesterday I kept explaining that this is how it will work tonight.  She did wake up three times during the night but stayed awake crying for only about 30 minutes each time.  That's a huge improvement.  I'm hoping it gets better every night.  Vivian has dark circles under her eyes from being woken up at night and we are all sick.  It's unpleasant.  

OK... So, Lead.  While the girls and I were in California, Mark demo'd the basement in order to figure out where the water was coming from and to clear everything out so that we could see what needed to be done with electrical, plumbing, radiator pipes, etc.  Before he started he tested for lead paint and it showed up negative.  After he finished he tested for lead dust and it was EVERYWHERE.  He proceeded to do the most thorough cleaning job I've ever seen.  The basement is spotless.  We got our blood levels checked and Violet's was elevated, but not alarmingly so.  Yesterday I took her in and her levels were getting alarming.  They had to do a blood test via her arm and had a hard time finding her little vein.  The poor thing.  I was holding her on my lap while they fished around with a needle in her tiny arm trying to find her vein.  This was after two shots and a finger prick blood test.  I couldn't help but cry.  I was dripping tears into her hair and afterwards the lab tech apologized to ME about it.  I was fine, but my poor little lead poisoned baby needs some help!  I bought spirulina and chlorella and immediately started the girls on it.  Tonight I will get some vitamin c and start them on garlic.  All things I read that are helpful. You can also give them clay baths and some other stuff, but we'll start here and keep an eye on her levels.  I'm really hoping that no damage has been done.  Lead can really mess you up big time!

More Words

This probably isn't a comprehensive list, but these are the words she definitely knows:

- book
- umbrella
- Isabella (Vivian's babydoll that Violet ADORES)
- hot
- fish
- cheese (chhs)
- Blueberry (bobo)
- baby (bahbah)
- milk

Words

Violet's first word was probably "bye bye." She started saying that before she turned one and we were still living with Mark's parents she was always sitting in her high chair eating breakfast or dinner when people were coming and going. She would even do the wave with it. :) super cute.

Technically her first word coul have been bird or ball because she would see those things and say "buh," but she also said that when she saw a dog or a water bottle, so we didn't count it.

She is now almost 14 months (in 8 days) and she says a few more fun things. I will bullet point them in order of when she started saying them:

- bye bye

- bird

- ball

- hi

- banana (hilarious, I took videos)

- hat

- shoe

She might also say burrito and watermelon but it's hard to understand. If I wasn't standing there watching  her pointing at those things wagging her tongue around, it would be totally indistinguishable. 

She's a pretty smart cookie. We are working on better behavior at the table. We'll see how that goes.

Happy Birthday Violet

I am laying awake in bed thinking about what I was doing at this time last year. If I think about this time in London, Violet was already born. Three in the morning, though, was right about the time they were transferring me into the delivery room after being stuck in that closet for the whole night while I was in what felt like really hard labour. I got put in the delivery room, got in the tub and Violet was born very soon after. It was a hard labour and delivery but it went well. No problems, no tears, no broken tailbone, and a beautiful, perfect baby girl as a result. 

This had been a hard year for me and for our family. Violet was tongue tied and the first few weeks of her life were just agonisingly painful for me. It has been a year now though and I have made it. I breastfed her successfully and now she is a happy, healthy, robust one year old and an absolute delight. (Not just because of breastfeeding obviously but it feels like a success story despite many obstacles and and I want to celebrate the accomplishment!)

Violet is the most pleasant and happy, smiley baby I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. She is almost always happy. She always has a ready smile and will laugh and giggle without much effort on my part at all. She gives kisses willingly and often, especially to Vivian! She is a go-getter and so determined. She will just work and work at something until she gets it. For example, if she sees a toy but can't reach it she will just keep going for it until she gets to it. She rarely complains. If she gets frustrated she may squawk and take a little break but she usually just gets back in there and ends up getting it!

She does not mind making herself heard though. Especially at meals. She will sit in her  high chair and just shout, much to Vivian's chagrin. We are working on sign language but it hasn't quite caught on yet. 

We haven't quite gotten the nighttime sleep thing figured out yet (which is why I am awake). I just stopped feeding her at night last night. It has been a difficult year for us with all of the change so we may have gotten in some bad habits purely in the name of survival. She is adaptable though and she has already made great progress, sleeping much more than she did last week even! 

I am proud of her beyond what I can express. She is a delightful child and I am so lucky to be her mama. I hope and pray that I can be a good mama to her and teach her how to be a strong, loving, kind, generous, compassionate, independent, confident girl as she grows up! 

Happy First Birthdayy sweet smiley Peetie!

Walking... almost (still)

Violet totally knows how to walk.  She will take a few steps, stand there and catch her balance and then take some more steps.  She is getting more interested in doing it as she improves, but it seems to be taking a long time for her to get motivated.  I guess I just thought that she'd really be a go getter since she is such a go getter in so many other ways.

We'll see... I wouldn't be surprised if she started running as soon as she could walk.

Fun with Zach and Cheryl

Today Zach and Cheryl came over to spend Memorial Day with us.  We grilled burgers in the backyard (still at Mark's parents house) and had corn and bean salad, watermelon, potato chips and beer.  It was fun.  Vivian and Violet LOVED it.  They have so much fun with Zach and Cheryl.  Zach was teaching Violet how to make noise with her voice and pat her had over her mouth.  She couldn't get enough of it.  Now she does it all the time.  It's super cute but also confusing.  She uses the same sign for water, food, all done, blowing kisses and now this.  Maybe one of these days we'll get her straightened out. :)

Walking...almost

Violet consistently took about three steps at a time this weekend when Mark would set her down and have her walk to him.  This only happened when I wasn't in the room.  If I was there, she would immediately drop to the ground and crawl to me.  SIGH... One of these days...

First Steps

Violet took her first steps this week while Mark is in London.  She doesn't seem all that steady, but she's able to take a step or two and then tumble forward towards me.

Where is your head?

Today for the first time, I asked Violet where her head was and she patted her head.  She was so happy about it.  Smart girl!

Milk Sign

Violet now consistently signs for milk.  She ALWAYS wants milk when she's getting her diaper changed, but she's getting more clear about asking for it before bed.  It might mean that she's tired.  I love it when this communication starts happening.  It's FANTASTIC!

What does a monkey say?

Inconsistently Violet will say "ah, ah, ah" when you ask her what a monkey says.  It's adorable and she loves it!  She has a monkey decal on the wall by her changing table (and Grandma and Grandpa's house) and she loves giving it kisses.  I think she's a fan of monkeys

Time for Bed book

I started reading her the Time for Bed book that I always read to Vivian as a baby.  I had been reading Goodnight Moon but she never really latched onto it, so I switched it up.  She took to it immediately.  Two days later (about two weeks ago) she would finish nursing and immediately sit up, smile, look directly at the book up on the shelf and start grunting.  Super cute!  She's a smart little thing!

She still does it every night, and now she can't even wait until she's done nursing.  As soon as she finishes one side she won't even take the other until we've read the book.  She always kisses the page with the lamb on it, and then at the end she kisses the little girl.  I can't get over how lovey and kissy she is!

On Violet

Violet is absolutely the most lovey, smiley baby of all time.  She gives kisses to Mama, Daddy, Vivian, Grandma and Grandpa all the time.  She is so happy to see you when you've been gone.  Every day when Mark comes home from work Violet is sitting in her high chair eating and gives him the biggest squinty eyed smile.  It's precious and he LOVES it.  She loves her big sister too.  Vivian can almost always make Peetie smile by paying attention to her.  When it's fun, it's REALLY fun!

She is also a very determined little thing.  She decides that she wants to do something and she just works at it until she gets it done.  If there is a toy in the basket and she can see it but can't quite reach it, she just keeps trying until she reaches it.  I appreciate that quality in her.  It makes it difficult sometimes as a mom when what she really wants is to chew on Vivian's shoes in the shelves by the back door (at Grandma and Grandpa's house), but I know it's a good quality for her life.

We have had challenge with Violet sleeping through the night since her second tongue-tie snip at four months old.  The past week I have been feeding her at night again because it's the only way to get her to go back to sleep and I'm too tired for anything else.  We've had a few weeks where she'll sleep about 10-11 hours, but now she's up twice a night again.  The doctor that we went to yesterday for her well baby appointment (Dr. Manus) said that she will probably start sleeping through the night once we get our schedule really stable and consistent.  Who knows when that will be?!

Overall, I would trade her for a baby that sleeps more.  She's really, truly a magical child.  She brings constant joy!

Turn the page

Violet started turning the page to books on the plane on the way home from London today.

Goodnight Lamby

When we say goodnight to Violet's toys, we always say the same thing, and she always gives them kisses.  I am pretty sure that "kiss" is the first word that Violet demonstrated understanding.

"Goodnight Lamby" kiss on each cheek
"It's bedtime Lamby" kiss on the lips.  At this point Violet grabs the animal with both hands on either side of the face and plants and wet sloppy one right on them.  It's awesome.  She also gives lots of kisses to Mama, Daddy and Vivian.  What a lovebug!

Standing in the crib

Last night in the middle of the night I woke up because I heard some shuffling coming from Violet's crib (we are staying at Mark's parents house and the crib is right next to my side of the bed).  I didn't want to make much noise because I thought she might just be turning over.  She didn't make any sounds, just shuffling.  I peeked over at her and there she was standing in the crib and looking right at me!  I couldn't believe it!  She just learned how to stand up two days ago.  This child has such quiet determination!

First Teeth!

Violet cut her first tooth today.  Both of the bottom teeth cut through at the same time.  I have been seeing the tell tale signs of the teeth coming up... little white bumps on the gums.  This morning when she woke up I felt them poking through.  She also slept from 7 p.m. - 4:45 a.m. ... progress.  Hopefully now that the teeth have cut through she'll be sleeping better!

My little girl is growing up!