C and I went on an adventure last weekend: the March For Life in DC! We left on Thursday noon with M&J on a bolt bus. I was a little anxious about the whole thing, not knowing how a 13 month-old would endure all that time spent in the wrap, but I realized that it would only get harder to go to the march and that this was my chance to do it. About an hour in the trip, C threw up. She was in the wrap, so both her and I were covered. Now, I had very much limited the amount of clothing we were bringing to fit in a backpack, so this would mean that she would have to wear her clean set of PJs for 36 hours. Oh well. Same for my shirt... We both changed at the rest stop with M's help and were therefore less stinky for the rest of the trip. Just less though, because C's hair was still impregnated with vomit until she finally had a bath on Saturday morning... The little accident did not dampen our mood though, C and I were still very happy. We made it to the Cathedral for the vigil mass not too much in advance and it was very very packed. M and I "sneaked in" through the crowd (or whatever you want to call screaming "excuse me" and going through people with a baby in a wrap, a backpack and a folded umbrella stroller in tow) to the Dominican chapel on the side where we attended the mass watching it on a screen and surrounded by teens who told me they loved my baby. By communion (about 9:00pm), Claire, who had slept a total of maybe 20 minutes that day, had had enough. She didn't cry, or yell, she just started to whimper in the most pathetic way. It almost broke my heart. She quickly fell asleep however and so we decided to go to DHS for complines. C woke up right after and joyfully played with her Godfather for a little while before we headed to the Divine Mercy House somewhere far far away where M, C and I were to sleep. C fell asleep instantly as she went in the wrap and stayed asleep through the subway, the transfer, the other subway, the bus, the walk, the chat with M's old roommate, the drop on a mattress on the floor, the night next to Mommy and the first alarm at 7:00am. Good girl. We then got up and C and I went back to DHS for breakfast, mass and finally the march. C walked all over the refectory and ate everything in sight, sang a little during mass then slept and quickly fell asleep in her stroller on our way to the march. When she woke up, she quietly people-watched and was good and happy until we had taken the metro and were in Annapolis. The march itself was great. There were so many people! They say at least 300 000. It was joyful and peaceful and respectful. Of course, there are always people who are a little weird, and chants of which I'm not a big fan, but nothing really bothersome. It's hard to imagine how amongst so many people there would be no trouble makers.
Afterward, we took the metro to Annapolis. Now, we had been there three weeks earlier for Christmas, but three weeks is a long time for a 13 month old. As soon as we got out of the car, before we were even in the house and without hearing them, C screamed for the dogs. She has a very distinct dog cry! So she remembered! I thought that was amazing! We took the bus back Saturday afternoon and got home without any further adventures. During the whole time, I felt a little bit like a teenager backpacking through Europe without a set plan, except that, somehow, backpacking through Europe with a baby is a little different. I'm glad we did it though!
On an unrelated note, after my parents were gone, we decided it was time to get C to sleep through the night. We decided that when she would wake up, we would let her cry a couple of minutes, then I would go in and, without saying anything and without taking her out of her crib, I would put her back down. The first night was very hard. At the time of what was usually her first night feeding, she woke up and cried. I did as planned. But she kept on crying on and off. It was very stressful because I kept thinking that she had finally gotten back to sleep and I would doze off myself and then she would start again. That lasted about one hour and I went back in three times. At the time of her second feeding it lasted about 25 minutes and I went back in twice. The second night they lasted 30 and 10 minutes each, I only went back in once the first time and not at all the second. The third night the only woke up for the first feeding and went back to sleep in about 10 minutes without any intervention. Since the fourth night, she has consistently slept for 11 to 12 hours straight. Even the night at the March sharing a mattress with me (which we never do at home), even in Annapolis in a crib in the same room as me. Good girl, yet again!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Holidays
Wow, the Holidays are finally a thing of the past. For this year at least! It has been fun...
First, there was C's birthday party. We had a couple of babies and their parents over, it was chaos, it was fun. Many many thanks to Nona who helped a tremendous amount! Everybody loved her cooking! We might not be as fancy as some of the other parents, but we know people who can cook. That compensates! C was not in a great mood unfortunately, but I think she still enjoyed playing with her friends and, later, with her Godmother and our other friends. She received a lot of toys and clothes.
C and I went down to Annapolis to visit the grand-parents for two weeks. P joined us a week later, just in time for Christmas. C is growing up really really fast! Before I forget, she started walking! She took her first steps alone on December 21. They were already well controlled and stable and she made rapid progress. For a couple of days, she enjoyed the challenges we offered her, going from the kitchen to the family room, from the counter to the den, etc. Then, the novelty faded and her lazy self somewhat resorted to holding on to the walls and asking for hands again. Since then she continued to walk from time to time, mostly when encouraged, but sometimes also of her own impetus. She's taking her time.
We had a real snowstorm during our stay there, which meant a lot of shoveling, but also some fun in the snow for C! She went on a couple of sled rides in the driveway while it was still snowing. It took her a little while to realize how to keep her balance, which means that she endured a couple of face-plants in the snow. She seemed to think that it was unnecessarily cold and wet, but did not cry.
One of the gifts she received for her birthday is a shape sorter. She has now completely mastered the cylinder in the circular hole. However, the concept of one hole per shape has not completely sunk in yet. She tries to put the cylinder in the other holes too and tries to put other shapes into the round hole. We'll work on it!
Bonne-Maman and Bon-Papa came to visit us for a couple of days in early January. C came out the door and walked to the elevator to welcome them when she heard the doorbell. That was sweet of her and I think Bonne-Maman was moved to see that little thing walk toward her! C had started imitating the dogs in Annapolis, here she started imitating ducks. No real words yet, just animal sounds... A couple of days later, it was the roaring of the lion that was the sound of predilection. Quite versatile little girl! She even seemed to recognize the word "lion" and roar when I said it. Mind you, she also roared when she saw a picture of a crying baby. She has some insight. During their visit, C learned how to pick up something she dropped by squatting, but without holding on to anything. Then she learned how to get up by herself. She was in a very cuddly mood the whole time. She would run to me or to Bonne-Maman and hug our legs or put her head in our lap. Sweeeet...
We went on an expedition on the Staten Island Ferry, then walked around in Battery Park a little and then went over the Brooklyn Bridge. It was cooooold. We wanted to get Pizza at Grimaldi's, but they won't take strollers inside. By then C was asleep in hers and I was a little reluctant to leave her on the sidewalk :). No dinner for the freezing tired group! The view from the bridge was worth the effort though. Amazing! I bet it would be even more amazing in the Summer. We'll have to try!
First, there was C's birthday party. We had a couple of babies and their parents over, it was chaos, it was fun. Many many thanks to Nona who helped a tremendous amount! Everybody loved her cooking! We might not be as fancy as some of the other parents, but we know people who can cook. That compensates! C was not in a great mood unfortunately, but I think she still enjoyed playing with her friends and, later, with her Godmother and our other friends. She received a lot of toys and clothes.
C and I went down to Annapolis to visit the grand-parents for two weeks. P joined us a week later, just in time for Christmas. C is growing up really really fast! Before I forget, she started walking! She took her first steps alone on December 21. They were already well controlled and stable and she made rapid progress. For a couple of days, she enjoyed the challenges we offered her, going from the kitchen to the family room, from the counter to the den, etc. Then, the novelty faded and her lazy self somewhat resorted to holding on to the walls and asking for hands again. Since then she continued to walk from time to time, mostly when encouraged, but sometimes also of her own impetus. She's taking her time.
We had a real snowstorm during our stay there, which meant a lot of shoveling, but also some fun in the snow for C! She went on a couple of sled rides in the driveway while it was still snowing. It took her a little while to realize how to keep her balance, which means that she endured a couple of face-plants in the snow. She seemed to think that it was unnecessarily cold and wet, but did not cry.
One of the gifts she received for her birthday is a shape sorter. She has now completely mastered the cylinder in the circular hole. However, the concept of one hole per shape has not completely sunk in yet. She tries to put the cylinder in the other holes too and tries to put other shapes into the round hole. We'll work on it!
Bonne-Maman and Bon-Papa came to visit us for a couple of days in early January. C came out the door and walked to the elevator to welcome them when she heard the doorbell. That was sweet of her and I think Bonne-Maman was moved to see that little thing walk toward her! C had started imitating the dogs in Annapolis, here she started imitating ducks. No real words yet, just animal sounds... A couple of days later, it was the roaring of the lion that was the sound of predilection. Quite versatile little girl! She even seemed to recognize the word "lion" and roar when I said it. Mind you, she also roared when she saw a picture of a crying baby. She has some insight. During their visit, C learned how to pick up something she dropped by squatting, but without holding on to anything. Then she learned how to get up by herself. She was in a very cuddly mood the whole time. She would run to me or to Bonne-Maman and hug our legs or put her head in our lap. Sweeeet...
We went on an expedition on the Staten Island Ferry, then walked around in Battery Park a little and then went over the Brooklyn Bridge. It was cooooold. We wanted to get Pizza at Grimaldi's, but they won't take strollers inside. By then C was asleep in hers and I was a little reluctant to leave her on the sidewalk :). No dinner for the freezing tired group! The view from the bridge was worth the effort though. Amazing! I bet it would be even more amazing in the Summer. We'll have to try!
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