Weekends are meant to sleep-in and we are strong believers of that. We don’t make any early morning plans,we rarely meet people for lunch on weekends,because by the time we eat breakfast,most people are beginning to think of lunch and by the time,we do lunch,normal people are thinking of tea. This was pretty much what we did until a few months back.
Even when I got pregnant,I would wake up in the mornings ,ravenous..So,I would sneak to the kitchen,grab a cup of milk,drink it in bed,reading a book and then go back to sleep. Then,Ms.Aadya happened and she started waking up early..So,I’d just nurse or give her a bottle and cuddle up with her,and she would go back to sleep too.
But a couple months back,she decided that the weekend should be treated as any other day..and its a great idea to wake up early.So,now,she wakes up early..and starts playing,jumping on the bed,poking me..till I don’t get up. I hate being woken up from my sleep,and god help the one,who tries to wake me up from my slumber..well..except if that someone is Aadya. So,i wake up..and most days,being a meanie that I am..I tell her to ask papa to wake up..Bolo Utho utho baby (say wakey wakey baby) and she would just pat him.Yesterday,they were both up and I was sleeping,this little missy comes up to me and pats me on the cheek and says-“Mamma,utho utho!” Oh well,I taught her to say it!
When Sanj is in the bathroom and we are getting late for going somewhere..or sometimes,just to tease him,I have Aadya knock and tell her to say Kholo papa kholo(open up,papa). She just taps on it one or two times and then comes running to cling to me..a couple days back,I went to the bathroom and closed the door.Aadya and Sanj were in bed,reading a book.She pushed the book away, and banged the door-“dham dhaam” and screamed,”Mumma,Khollo” I mean how is that she never says it when I tell her to say it..but is ready to use it for me!!Grrr..
When Aadya is being naughty,I just wag my finger at her and scold her…or try to..Sometimes,I ask her,Understand? or Got it? Now, whenever,we are talking or arguing and our voices are raised,Aadya,wags her finger at the offending party..and says something,gibberish..we used to just laugh it off..until a few days ago,she turned towards me,when I was laughing and scolded me some more and said,”Understand?” with a dead-pan serious expression!!! I just wanted to go hide somewhere!!Need I say,how much Sanj enjoyed watching my face turn white!
And this one surely takes the cake..Sanj and Aadya were cuddling in bed and Aadya was patting her dolly. so,she was trying to put her to sleep.She was humming..aaaaa aaaa aaaaa…and patting the doll.Suddenly she got up,propped her self on her elbow and scolded the dolly..haaannnnnnnnn..ninni ninni.. Gosh..it was so cute..but so identical to our typical nght-time scene..Me patting Aadya..,humming,aaa aaaa aaa..and propping myself up on the elbow and scolding her,for not sleeping..haaannnn.. ninni karo.. jaldi close your eyes and ninni karo!!
Uh-oh time to change my tactics!!:D
-
*********************And now the movie,that I almost watched.So,we went to watch The dark knight with some friends..I had been really down,last couple days and so Sanj planned this evening,the Batman,being my favorite and all.We got to the theatre well in time and got great seats too.There was a lot of room for Aadya to play and we were close to the exit.Besides,it was almost her bed-time. Mostly,we just go for the last show,that way,she sleep through it..Ideally,I would’ve liked to not take her..but,somethings cant be helped. So,not to digress.10 minutes into the movie,Aadya,started getting fidgety,we gave her popcorn,she munched happily.A little extra snack never hurt anyone. Pop-corn finished,she turned back and started pointing to the bag of popcorn that belonged to the people behind us. After the usual No-No’s she started watching the movie..and almost dozed off..but,then the screen lit-up,and she was wide awake.I took her out,let her run around in an attempt to tire her out.She was more than happy to run around. We played catch in the deserted upper floor lobby. Then,she started feeling sleepy.So,I changed her diaper,put her in the stroller,gave her the bottle..And started walking her.normally 10 minutes of this routine and she is fast asleep..But yesterday was something else.She just didn’t want to sleep. I walked around the mall,before it closed one time.Sanj offered to trade places..but I figured at least one of us,could watch the complete movie!So we walked some more..and after a while,I actually started enjoying the quiet walk.When I got tired,I sat down,drank some water,gave her some water and called my dad.Had a quiet chat with him,while Aadi looked around. As soon as I hung up,she said,”Mumma Ghumi”..yes baby,I said..and off we went for Ghumi again..While everyone else enjoyed the movie..we enjoyed our own movie…Sigh.. the dark knight will have to wait..until this fair princess is awake!
-
I am in a mood to blog today and I want to write something non-baby.Some days I feel,my whole life is revolving around Aadya..and I love it..OK that’s all I am going to write about her.
So, last couple days have been really eventful- happy or not,I will tell you in a bit.I have been dealing with some health-related issues and that has left me feeling rather low. I am just coming to terms with the situation and hoping things start to look up soon. But seeing doctors,waiting for reports and then waiting to get appointments is tiring.And on the whole,I am really tired.The house is a mess-I tidy up,then,it gets messy and I am just too tired to pick up again.Some days,even cooking seems like a big chore too.There is no energy for socialising too,so other than the really unavoidable ones,I have been keeping a low profile.. Hopefully things will get better from here on.
I spent quite a few days moping over my health but its just not me to keep moping..There is always something that makes me want to get up and take charge! Getting doctors and specialists appointments unless you are pregnant or unless its an emergency or unless you are just back from the ER is so tough. I waited 2 months to see a specialist,only for her to refer me to a super-specialist,who doesn’t have any openings for new patients for at least 2 and half months from now.It is nerve-wracking,I tell you,this waiting.You know there is a problem..you have google for support and ideas..you talk to people you know,who might have some ideas for you.. but you are still at a loss,till you don’t get the final verdict from the doctor!Gahh!!
Then,there is a big move on the cards..and this time,it seems like the right thing. Sanj’s assignment officially ends on August 28th and anytime after that,we would be boarding the flight to leave Dallas. Dallas bloggers ,how about having a meet before that? I had booked my tickets to Seattle for mid September..now I don’t know if I will be able to take that trip..But somehow the uncertainty that came with this new development doesn’t seem overwhelming.May be because we had made up our minds to move,even before this announcement came through. Some time in June,we had decided that we wanted to go back to India,when our visa expired..so may be that why we are mentally ready for this change.
Now,I need to start organising our stuff- what to throw,what to donate/give away,what to take along,what to ship ahead of time.Oh and there is this question of destination.We don’t have any idea about destination yet..so,can’t start on the apartment search.That’s always the first on my list,every time we move.But this time,that will have to wait. The sorting of the stuff will take a long time. I have a complete section of the garage packed with boxes and trash bags,full of stuff. They need to be unpacked,checked through and repacked. I know I can do it during the day,when Sanj takes the car out, but its too hot in there. And its not such a good idea to let Aadya run around when I open the boxes.There will be more things on the floor than in the boxes,if madam is around.So, may be that needs to be done on the weekend. I guess things will pick up only when,we have a final date and destination for the move..till then,I should at least try to collect the odds and ends scattered around in the apartment.
This time,I am really excited to move ..if only I had the energy to keep up with the excitement.Funny, now when I think,I have had really low energy levels,around the last two moves..the first was from Chicago to Phoenix,when I was pregnant..and the next was from Phoenix to Dallas-when I was sleep deprived.. and this time I am just sick.But there is still time for the actual move and by then,I am sure I will be fine. Oh and BTW, those are just two of the six moves we made in the less than 4 years.
And now,since I have decided to write about non-baby stuff,I am going to steal this tag from , Cee Kay. No one remembered to tag me * sulk*
Here’s the Book tag:
Pick up the nearest book.
Open to page 123.Find the fifth sentence.
Post the next three sentences.
Tag five people, and acknowledge the person who tagged you .I am currently reading “Sweet Dreams at the Goodnight Motel” by Curtiss Ann Matlock.
Here’s what I have :
“But her money was gone,all that she had saved out,little by little,for the past six months of serving Krispy Kremes.The money that would get her to the doctor,that would get her somewhere if Denny left her.
Denny had known about it all along.”
OK,now I am tempted to flip through the pages and reach page 123. I am still on page 94 and have no clue..who this woman is and who this Denny is!!
As for tagging and acknowledging..remember I am sulking..No one tagged me..*sulk sulk*Ha! and even in this non-baby post,I managed to mention Aadya 4 times!!Oh what the heck,I spend every waking second of my day with her.. so,its OK..Na?
-
Sooooooooo, we have been bottle-free for a little over 3 weeks now..Yayyy!
This is one transition,I was worried about.I had heard so many horror stories of babies crying their heads off for their bottles and being the weak heart that I am..I just wasn’t ready for it. My own siser didnt want to give up her bottle and one day,my mom just “accidentally” dropped it in front of her and she cried her hearts out over bottle “tutti”,I wondered how I would break this solid bottled.Since I had to wean her off breast-feeding too,I decided to take things slow,one thing at a time.
But when we went for Aadya’s 15 month check up,her pediatrician said that she should have been off the bottle by then..Her reasoning behind it was that bottle just adds to empty calories. It made sense to me..This little girl would any day trade in her bowl of dal rice for a bottle of milk.
So,I decided,it was time to take things seriously.In part,I think I waited this long because I was lazy.I mean she was drinking from an open cup and sipping from the straw too.But,it meant more cleaning..sitting with her for 20 minutes..holding the cup,so she could drink it.So,I just kept putting it off. And she had almost given up on her sippy cups.She refused to take it.Thus began my quest for the perfect sippy cup..something that she liked.
First I tried again with her old sippy cups, the ones with soft rubber spouts from Nuby .She sipped from it for exactly two minutes.Next I tried some no-name brands from Walgreens and CVS,just to get her interested.But all she wanted to do was play with them.I re-tried Avent Trainer spout..She cried through the whole thing and didn’t drink any milk.I think she was so used to the quick flow in the bottle nipple that sucking from a sippy cup required strength and she didn’t think it was worth the effort.
My friend P had been telling me about how her son baby A liked his sippy cup,which had a straw in it.Then it dawned on me..that she loves sipping from straws so why not try one like baby A’s.I found one and tried giving her some water in it..She took it..And in fact,started drinking water from that cup,every single time.Yayy..so we had a winner.But she still wouldn’t drink milk from it.
Now,I know Aadi is the hungriest when she wakes up from her nap.So,one day,I just offered her the sippy cup,filled with milk,instead of her bottle and she took it.But the flow in this cup was too fast for her to gulp.It was fine for water but not for milk.
So, we tried two more and finally found one which required slightly more work to get the milk out.It was one of those spill-proof cups from Playtex.I let Aadya choose the cup.And made a big deal about it. First I tried sucking from it..like P had suggested and then,made the valve slightly larger with the help of a knife. And gave her milk in it.
We did the after nap milk in the sippy cup,for about a week.But she still needed her bottle first thing in the morning and at nap-times and bed times.I tried taking away the nap-time bottle and she cried and cried..and it broke my heart. I let her keep it. And i think a big hindrance was a bleeding heart Papa too.Every time,I tried to take the bottle away,at bed-time or nap time he would give in to the tears and give her the bottle.
Then,one morning,I just replaced the first bottle of the day with her new shiny sippy cup! I was nervous and kept the bottle by the bed..ready to jump out the bed and transfer the milk from cup to bottle.So,I gave her the sippy cup..and both of us ooh-aahed over the new cup..And cuddled with her from both sides.And SHE drank!and finished !!! all the milk. That was a start.
After that I never gave her a bottle in the morning.Even if it meant scrubbing the sippy with my eyes shut after a long tiring day..I did it.
2 days after that I tried giving her the sippy at nap time again..And again she cried and cried and refused to drink from the sippy cup. The next day,I gave her the sippy cup 10 minutes before her nap time and let her play with it..Then asked her if she wanted milk and poured some in it ,in front of her.She was excited..we counted the seconds off the microwave together.. and then I gave her the sippy cup. She drank from it..and then threw the cup and then turned over and slept.I kept up this routine..followed by lots of Ooh-ing and aah-ing. and good jobs!
But we were still left with the bed time bottle..That one took longer to get rid off.But, I started giving it to her,around 2o minutes before bed time.That way,she drank her milk,we played,read and then lights off. But surprisingly 3 days into this routine and she was off the bottle.
On the 4th day,I was cooking and she was sitting on the kitchen counter,and spotted the bottle.She pointed it out to me..”This?” I said,”yes baby..that’s your bottle.”Aadi ko chahiye?”[Does Aadi want it?].And gave it to her..she looked at it,upside down and then held it for the longest minute and then chucked it,in favor of something else.The bottle is still on the kitchen counter.but she is not interested anymore.I guess she was more or less ready for the change. Also what helped was that she saw the milk in the cup,and so knew that she was getting the good stuff.I would really recommend getting those see-through sippy cups for beginners.If they see what they are going to down,they gulp it happily.
Like last time,this time also I tried step by step elimination..I don’t think I would have been able to go cold turkey.Oh..and most of all,it was possible because I took away the last two feeds-the nap-time and the bed-time bottle,on a weekday..when Sanj was working!hehehe..EVIL mommy!
But its so funny.. right from Day one Aadya has known..when he is around and always cries out to him for attention.Even when she was 2 or 3 days old,and I was trying to get her to latch on,she would try to cooperate if it was just the two of us,in the room.But when Sanj was in the room too,she would definitely cry and scream..like asking him for help!!And every single time,it worked.He would get mad at me and want to take her away from me..like I was some evil mother..torturing his princess. Gosh!we fought so much in those first 4 days…it was like that’s all we seemed to be doing.. every time,she cried,whoever was holding her,would get yelled at. I asked Sanj to “get out of the room” one time when he yelled at me,for forcing her to latch on!!Hehehe crazy times..Imagine,you spend so much time worrying about whether your baby is going to breast feed or not..and then you spend even more time worrying about whether she will ever be weaned off or not. 🙂
All the best Cee Kay,Rads and Mona 🙂 -
A friend wanted to know how I weaned Aadya from Breast-feeding.
And just the very next day, Mona and I were chatting when she asked me about how I weaned Aadi off her bottle and after giving her a few pointers,I decided to write a post about it. We had trouble breast feeding initially and that’s when I had decided to breast-feed Aadya for about 15 months..against the recommended 1 year,as if to make up for time lost.
So,when she turned 1 year old,she was both bottle-fed and breast-fed and her pediatrician told me to try and get her off the bottle in time for her first birthday.But the bottle was so darn convenient..more than her,I think I was the one who wasn’t ready to let go of it.Every time we were out in the car and she was crying,I would prop the bottle in her mouth and she would be happy. I am quiet sure,that on certain days,she used the bottle as a replacement of her pacifier..but whatever kept her quiet.
The day after she turned one,I started her on whole milk and she loved it. Since the pediatrician was already nagging me to get rid of the bottle,I tried giving her milk in a sippy cup,and then in an open cup. She refused to drink milk in the sippy cup..as it was for water ONLY.She would drink from the open cup,but soon the novelty wore off and we were back to the bottle.
In the mean-time,I was trying to fit in cups/bottles of whole milk with breast-feeding.So,I first replaced the mid-morning feed with a cup or bottle of milk.She was happy..Slowly after a week or ten days,we replaced the after-nap feed with the bottle too. And so on we continued till only two feeds were left- the early morning and bed time feed. By this time she was almost 14 months.
Then one I was too tired and Sanj let me sleep in and gave Aadya her bottle.And she was equally happier.She snuggled close to between us and happily sipped her bottle and then dozed off again.Sanj was happy too,because this time she was cuddling with him,instead of me. And that was one of the last morning feeds.And we were down to just one feed,sometimes two,but mostly one at bed-time.About 2 weeks before she turned 15 months,we were out all day.one Saturday and she didn’t fuss or ask to be nursed.And i didn’t offer after we came back.Next day,again,we were out,but that she kept tugging at my shirt.I gave her the bottle and she was OK.When we came back,I did nurse her.But,I knew it was just a paci-feed. She nursed a little and then just snuggled up.
After that,every time,she tugged at my shirt,I would give her the bottle,and cuddle up..snuggle real tight.And soon,we were completely weaned off.One week later,I woke up and realised,that Aadya hadn’t nursed for one whole week.
I had heard and read of so many things about weaning the baby-horror stories about physical discomfort etc.. but the thing that worked for us was gradual elimination ..By the time,we finished,we were both ready to let go.I did feel a little bad,initially..I think I was a little depressed over the fact that my baby is growing up too soon..But the fact that I could be more independent and have more choices when we were out,made me feel good.The first time I ordered a Latte for myself and organic milk for the baby..I felt GOOD!!
So,all you mommas trying to wean off your baby, be patient..its going to happen..when you and the baby both are ready. Go slow..be persistent and you will be fine.
But if you do decide to go cold turkey,be sure,you have lots of cabbage in your refrigerator and a good painkiller,on your bed-side table.
Why Cabbage you ask? The instructor at the parenting and child-birth course we attended,was also a lactation consultant and she suggested stuffing the bra with cold cabbage leaves, if you have to stop breast-feeding immediately.
I haven’t tried it..but she swore by it and even claimed to have tried it herself.
So, good luck!
Transition from Bottle to Sippy-cup coming up next.
