6/19/06 - My Little Shadow

Whatever I'm doing, Eva wants to go with me and help. When I'm filling a laundry basket with clothes, she inspects them carefully, and then scatters them all over the floor. If I'm folding laundry, she'll grab neatly stacked clothes off the couch and try to "refold" them the toddler way. As soon as she hears me open the dishwasher, she rushes to the kitchen to play with the silverware. If I'm checking my e-mail, she wants to "type" on the keyboard. When I read her a book, she has to turn the pages. If I'm on the phone, she wants to push the buttons and hold the receiver to her ear. When I'm kissing Daddy, she wants in on the action. Nothing is to be done without her participation.

It can be a challenge if I need to go to bathroom. Either I take her with me and try to keep her from unraveling toilet paper or playing with shampoo bottles, or I try to find something to hold her attention long enough for me to slip out unnoticed for a second. If I'm in the kitchen, Eva keeps me company by pulling hand towels onto the floor and rummaging through the bottom baking drawer. My mother-in-law gave her some toy cooking utensils for her birthday, so I put them in that drawer to grab her attention. If it looks like it belongs to "big people", it's twice as interesting as if it came from her toy chest. The same goes for food. If we're eating dinner, she wants whatever is on our plate, not wimpy spoonfuls of baby food! Actually, I find those times when she's in her high chair to be golden opportunities to empty the trash or load the dishwasher in peace. I can keep an eye on her, but still dash up the stairs for a second without worrying if she's going to try and follow me.

Finger Food

Well, it appears I'll have to find someone to take the extra jars of baby food in my pantry, because Eva won't touch them anymore. She wants what we're having, and she wants to feed herself. That means I have to start dinner much earlier, instead of waiting for Dave to get home. He'll be re-heating whatever I made rather than getting it fresh, like he has up to now. He tends to not get home until 6:30, and Eva can't wait that long.

I want her to love healthy foods, so I give her as much variety as I can: potatoes, carrots, corn, peas, beans, asparagus, squash, broccoli, green beans, avocados, tomatoes, peaches, pears, bananas, apricots, plums, kiwi, mango, mandarin oranges, grapes, blueberries, strawberries. She also eats small amounts of cheese, yogurt, chicken, fish and beef. As long as it's chopped into small pieces, she'll eat it. For snacks on the go, I give her Cheerios, Kix, Teddy Grahams, veggie crackers, Goldfish, teething biscuits, or fruit and cereal bars.

If she doesn't seem interested in a food, I don't let it phase me. I know it can take up to 20 tries for a toddler to accept a new food, so I'll wait a couple days and re-introduce it when she's really hungry. Usually that's all it takes for her to eat it. I know I need to be persistent in feeding her healthy foods, because this is the time when her lifelong tastes are being developed. Later on, it will be much more difficult to introduce anything she hasn't already acquired a taste for. She always gets water in her sippy cups, never juice, and doesn't know the difference. She loves water, especially if I put ice in there to sooth her sore gums.

Baby Feet

Isaiah 52:7 says, "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news!" Well, Evangelina's name means "one who brings good news," and her feet are absolutely adorable! So I'll admit it: I love tiny baby feet. They're the cutest things on God's green earth. Back in college, when I worked in watch repair at JC Penney, a co-worker of mine joked that I was going to carry my future children upside-down and introduce them feet first, because I was always admiring her baby's tiny toes. Eva has gotten used to me playfully kissing her feet, and often sticks her foot in my face when she's nursing so she can giggle when I nibble at her toes. It's our own little game.

Decisions

Eva had her 12-month check-up a couple weeks ago, complete with shots. Then I found out that She wasn't allowed to be near anyone going through chemotherapy (read: Great-Grandma) because the Measles immunization she received is a suppressed live virus and potentially dangerous to anyone with a compromised immune system. I haven't been able to take Eva to visit Daddy at work either, because a lot of his Assisted Living residents would fall into that category. Both Great-Grandma and David's Mom are ruing Eva's month-long banishment, especially with my parents coming down from Oregon and staying with Great-Grandma for a few weeks, but soon she'll be able to see them again.

Vaccinations

Traditionally, Eva would get the MMR (Measles, Mumps, & Rubella) at this age, but I opted to have them given separately, per the recommendations of DAN (Defeat Autism Now). Since my brother's oldest son is autistic, it's an issue that is close to home. While Autism is assumed to genetically run in families, no one really knows what causes it, or is positively sure what environmental triggers are involved. (His condition has dramatically improved by following a strict gluten-free, casein-free diet, because his symptoms are largely attributed to a permeable intestinal tract, or "leaky gut").

It took me awhile to find a pediatrician who was willing to work with my concerns, rather than dismiss them, but she is worth her weight in gold!  For the past several years there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the suspected connection between mercury poisoning and Autism (one of the reasons pregnant women and children are told to minimize their consumption of fish).  Most of the publicity has surrounded Thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative often used in vaccinations. The theory was that if you added up all the grams of Thimerosal contained in the number of vaccinations an infant receives, it could potentially equal toxic mercury levels in the baby's system.

Although the damage has not been conclusively proven, the suspected connection to Autism has been enough for parents to take notice and demand change. The issue has been so hotly debated that the use of Thimerosal in vaccines was largely eliminated (except in flu shots) a few years ago. Although not enough studies have been done to satisfy either camp of thought, DAN recommends an alternative vaccination schedule with Thimerosal-free vaccines, as a precaution. Even so, some parents are concerned enough to refuse vaccinations altogether, trusting that if their child does catch one of these diseases, their bodies are designed to build natural immunity. The rates of death and disability still caused by these diseases in areas of the world where they are still common, coupled with the influx of unvaccinated immigrants pouring across our border, were enough to convince me of the need to have Eva immunized. I'm just being more cautious about it.

6/16/06 - Baby Steps

Eva has started taking her first cautious steps while clinging tightly to Mommy's legs. She'll pull herself up on me, I'll slowly back away, and she'll take uncertain steps to follow me. I'm proud of her for finally grasping that "one foot in front of the other" concept. She can also push herself up to a stand and hold it for a few moments. It won't be long before those shaky little legs will be carrying her even further away from me. She may not be toddling yet, but she is officially a mischievous toddler! She's started waving hello and good-bye. She likes to play "give and take", where she offers you a toy and takes it back, over and over again. She's fascinated by shoes, her own and other people's.

She drops food off her high chair just to watch the cat eat it, and finds it hilarious. When she's feeling especially ornery, she'll throw anything she can get her hands on: her bib, hair ties, glasses, sippy cup, and even the removable top tray to her high chair, if she can pry it off. She knocks down blocks, tosses toys, and empties drawers and bookshelves. When we give her a cup of cheerios, she dumps them on the floor and then eats them off the carpet. She likes to test her vocal abilities by frequently shrieking. She also pinches skin, pulls hair, and tries to chew on your arm or leg. None of it is out of anger or malice, but curiosity, playfulness and an attempt to test her powers and alleviate teething pain. It's tricky because she's too young to understand that she's causing pain or trouble. She's still discovering cause and effect, and to her, big reactions are funny and worth pursuing. She understands the word "no", but self-restraint is not anywhere on the developmental radar screen, so I have to be firm and consistent. Not wanting to wear out "no" to the point where it's meaningless, I have to stay alert and divert her attention to permissible activities whenever I can.

Proceed With Caution

I look back over the past year with joy and pride, but it's bittersweet. Eva is no longer a baby, and that's difficult to accept. Already I miss how tiny and cuddly she was, though she's turning into a beautiful little girl. Lately people have stopped asking how they can tell she needed glasses "so young", because she's apparently past the age where it would be considered unusual. We are heading into rough waters, however. Eva's strong will is starting to rear it's head, and at times it's downright ugly. If there's one thing I can't tolerate, it's whining, and it can get on my nerves more quickly than anything else.

While I don't want to reward it, I understand she's often not able to tell me what she needs in other ways. The "baby signs" strategy still hasn't really taken hold yet, largely because I usually forget to use it. Sometimes fussing is the only way she knows how to communicate, especially when she's frustrated or tired. I confess I often tune it out to spare my sanity. She'll want me to hold her, then push me away, pick her up, then put her down. It's a tug-of-war that we dance a thousand times a day; the age-old struggle between wanting the comfort of Mommy and wanting independence at the same time. It's a wearying process. Where do you draw the line between giving them plenty of attention, and being a slave to their every whim?

Mood Swings

Eva is cutting her six and seventh teeth right now, which makes some days fussier than others. When it comes to teething, when it rains, it pours! Some days Eva can play quietly by herself for hours, others she won't leave my lap or let me get anything done. This is where a sling might come in handy, if the weight didn't hurt my back (and if she didn't constantly change her mind and want down). Of course, Eva's whiniest days are always when everything else seems to be going wrong. This week, for instance, our water was shut off without warning by a paving crew, I had to reinstall our PhotoShop software because it kept freezing up, Dave had to work late, and I couldn't get a shower because Eva wouldn't nap except in the car.

On days like this, it's as if Eva decides that if I'm having a bad day, she should have one, too. Sensing my stress, she becomes clingy and crabby, which makes me even more cross. As the adult, I know it's my job to break the cycle, so I have to find a way to make her laugh and think about something else. I take a B-vitamin to help improve my mood and distract, distract, distract. Pop in a "Baby Einstein" DVD, dig out a toy she hasn't seen in awhile, or take her out to the grocery store or mall, just for a change of scenery.

Perfect Fit

Eva started getting a strange rash this week that appeared only on her front and never spread to her bottom. I tried diaper cream, oatmeal baths, and eliminating possible dietary culprits, with no improvement. I finally figured out that she had gotten too tall for her 18-month one-piece outfits, and it was causing chafing in her diaper. She can still wear two-piece 18-month outfits, like dresses with matching bloomers. But any one-piece outfits now have to be size 24-months. Her mother is in a similar quandary. It has been increasingly difficult for me to find jeans or shorts that fit. Size 12 is usually too loose and tends to fall off my hips, size 10 is unbearably tight. The fit differs from brand to brand and in style of cut as well, making it absolutely necessary to try everything on.

The other day I took 10 pairs of jeans and shorts into the dressing room, and walked out with just 2. Eva tried to entertain herself in the mirror while I tried on several pairs. She actually got frustrated enough to call out "mom-maa!" for the first time! I was so excited! "Did you just say mama? Say it again! Say it again!" Of course, she would only silently grin at me. Typical toddler!  She has said it a few other times since then, but never by request, and only when she's REALLY trying to get my attention. I'd like it if she would say my name for some other reason, but right now I'll take what I can get!

6/7/06 - Baby's First Birthday

Eva is officially a one-year-old! I can still hardly believe it. It has really flown. I don't know whether we survived our first year of parenthood, or she survived her first year with new, inexperienced parents, but either way, we all made it in one piece! Her birthday was on Sunday, June 4th, the same day as Pentecost. I wanted to go to church, but we had too much to do getting ready for her party. We had a big birthday bash at aunt Nanci's house with family and friends. She had fought off a nap so hard while we were preparing for her party that I finally threw her in the car and went to the new Starbucks drive-thru to get coffee for everyone. When she finally dropped off I sat in the car with her to give her more time to sleep, so she ended up being late to her own party, albeit with enough of a nap under her belt to be in a good mood. Eva got her own little cake and dug in with a relish, getting icing all over her! She wore a pink princess crown and opened her presents with a little help from Mommy and cousin Allen.

Birthday Party

Sleepy Girl

Eva has been having a difficult time napping lately, partly because she's too busy exploring to wind down, and partly because newly emerging teeth have been making her miserable. Tylenol wasn't easing enough of her pain, so I switched to baby Motrin, and that seems to have helped. She's no longer insisting that I hold her every minute and is returning to her cheerful self. Just in time for her 12-month check-up with shots. Oh, well! Parenting magazines tell you not to let a baby fall sleep nursing because she'll associate sleep with nursing, and won't go to sleep without it. Well, I wish that were true, because even nursing doesn't work to get her to nap anymore. The only thing that works like a charm is driving until she falls asleep in her car seat, like I did before her party. Now that she is facing forward and the view is more interesting, it takes a little longer. But she eventually relaxes and nods off, much more comfortably since her legs can stretch out freely now.

Heat Wave

The heat of summer is officially here! Dave has dragged the wall-unit air conditioners out of storage and situated them on their respective windowsills. We've started opening the windows at night, and closing them during the day, to try and trap cooler air in the house. I've got sippy cups full of water on every floor and have Eva drink them throughout the day. Thankfully we've had a few cooler, "June Gloom" days to give us a break from the heat, but that won't last for much longer. We've finally cleaned up our back patio so we can enjoy summer evenings again, listening to the water fountain and enjoying the warmth of our little chiminea. This year Eva can try out her wading pool and swing back there, too. The spiders have come out of hibernation and the ants are on the prowl, and both seem intent on taking over our house. If I leave even the slightest crumb on Eva's high chair, I end up with a mile-long ant invasion within hours. We've set traps indoors and poison without, but still they persevere in search of that stray cheerio.

Memorial Day

On Memorial Day weekend, Eva finally met David's Dad for first time. He drove down with Dave's half-brother Mark and 3-year old grandson Riley, and we met up at Aunt Nanci's house. Eva enjoyed playing with her cousins, riding around the cul-de-sac in the wagon and on the little toy car. She also got to taste her first ice cream cone, and loved it! She kept smacking her lips and signing for "more". Looks like Eva inherited her mother's sweet tooth!

Dressing Up

Though she's still wearing clothes designed for older babies (18-24 months), Eva hasn't grown into a larger size for awhile now, which means she's reached a plateau point. In fact, with her increasingly taller and slimmer physique, she's fitting back into clothes that were too tight for her just before she started crawling. At her doctor's appointment this week she weighed in at 22lbs, 8oz, which means she lost two ounces! Chalk that up to all the restless crawling and climbing she's been doing. Last summer, as a newborn, she was dressed mostly in onesies, so I tried to get her some cute cotton dresses and outfits for this summer. Although, I've discovered, some are difficult for her to crawl in. Perhaps that's because 18-month clothes are designed for walkers. At any rate, Eva has an adorable wardrobe for the next few months, including a couple of bathing suits that are so cute on her, I can't stand it! I, on the other hand, am dreading the imminent necessity of shopping for a new bathing suit myself. The addition of stretch marks to my upper thighs makes any swimsuit without board shorts absolutely unthinkable.

Being Neighborly

Sometimes neighbors and infants don't mix. More than once, I've tried to transfer a sleeping baby from the car to the crib, only to have her awakened by some noisy kids running past our garage door. And our next-door neighbor smokes on his patio so incessantly, it makes it nearly impossible to open any of our windows during the summer. I get especially upset when the smoke drifts directly into the baby's room. I can't blame the neighbors entirely, though. Sometimes it's the UPS man hitting the doorbell that causes the problem.