*sigh*
Showing posts with label Video. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Video. Show all posts
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Camille's eighth month: A review
When I was in the thick of sleep troubles and really struggling with...thinking, a friend of mine who is also a new mom said, "Trust me, Bao. It does get better. I think around 7 or 8 months is when it gets more fun. You will start to really enjoy her."
It's totally true!
It's not that I didn't enjoy her before. But with the vast improvement in the sleep department, I feel like my mind is clearer and I have more energy to enjoy her. It also helps that she gets cuter and more fun everyday!
New this month!
As of March 29, 2011:
March 14 - Camille started having a runny nose that later turned into a cold that lasted for over 2 weeks. Nothing serious...just a bad case of green snot.
March 15 - Camille's first trip to the ER. Don't worry, it was for Chin's tweaked back. He's okay now.
March 21 - Camille & I appeared on Komo4 News!
March 25 - Very distinctly, Camille started babbling today! We also got to enjoy a beautiful day at Pike Place Market, where Camille met her first horse and got splashed in the face with flying fish juice :P
April 1 - Teeth popped out!
April 2 - Teething > lots of salival production > excessive saliva drooled & swallowed > lots of loose stool > Camille's very first diaper rash. That's right! First one!
April 6 - On the way home from getting gas at Issaquah Costco, Camille was babbling in the backseat and said, "Daddy!" She has said it again a few times since then. But fear not, competative parentkind, she did not intentionally mean "Daddy."
April 8 - First time on the swings! She liked it! Oh yeah...and also first [very mild] sun burn.
Favorite part...
Camille is just more fun! I'm also thankful for the many opportunities to meet up with folks and even have play dates with little ones. We love to socialize!
Least favorite...
I'm not such a big fan of Camille pooping 6 times a day. Not only is it a pain to change poopy diapers, pooping this much means she's not keeping in some of the nutrients she needs. She only pooped 6 times a day on one occasion. But she has been pooping 4+ times a day consistently. :(
Shout outs
...To Grandma Ng for watching Camille several times this month so that I could get out of the house to either run errands or just to have fun!
...To the nursery people at Rainier Avenue Church. They are amazing! They also told us that Camille is the loudest screamer they've ever heard, though. Oops!
Discoveries & reflections
...Camille looks really good in pink. I'm not really into pink, but I don't object having Camille in a "non gender neutral" outfit either. I have just discovered that with Camille's fair complexion, she looks really beautiful in light pink.
...When cute clothes get dirty, I am willing to spot clean and put them on Camille again. If the clothes are not cute, one drop of drool can legitimately warrant a wardrobe change.
...This is how I know Camille is my kid: she does not like books. Well, she actually only likes one book. It's called All Things Bright and Beautiful. And she only likes one particular page in this 10-page book. It's the page with a mirror. She looks at herself and smiles. My kid!
...I am not a big fan of when Camille goes down for a nap and then wakes up after 40 minutes. If this happens during her morning nap, that's fine. She usually lasts until she needs to go down for the afternoon nap. But if she gets a short afternoon nap, there would be a strong likelihood of a meltdown around 8pm. Let's say she goes down at 3pm. She usually stays down until 5 or even 5:30. But on the rare occasion, she will wake up at 3:40 and after half an hour of just playing in her crib (no crying), she is just up. This then means that she will need to stay up from 3:40 to 9pm. That's not a big deal for an adult or even a toddler. But for a 7-month-old, that is a long stretch of time without a nap. She is not used to getting a third nap anymore so she will be awake...but life is just miserable for her parents on the occasions that she does have meltdowns!
...I often need to remind myself: It is NOT her fault. It's not her fault if she wakes up earlier than normal. It's not her fault if she doesn't want to nurse or eat. It's especially not her fault if she poops all the time.
...I stress out about short/missed naps a lot. But, you know, it all usually works out in the end. She just learns to be flexible :)
...It feels like I just wrote the 7th month review a couple of weeks ago. And now she's already 8 months old?! I feel like she's growing really fast. This might be because I'm going back to school in two months (*gulp*).
...Nursing a child with new [really sharp] teeth = scary. If she's playing with something and biting on it just before latching on, it's almost a guarantee that she will bite. So, not on purpose. Otherwise, she has not purposely bitten me while nursing...yet.
...Eating bean stew for 3 days in a row makes for a very farty baby.
...Sometimes, I feel guilty that all my conversations revolve around baby. Because being a mom is my full time job, it is hard for me to think about other things. As much as I crave for real, rich conversations that are not baby related, I find that my mind will always wander back into thinking about Camille.
...Many of my friends say that around 7 or 8 months is when a mom will start to want another one. Yep, pretty much!!
It's totally true!
It's not that I didn't enjoy her before. But with the vast improvement in the sleep department, I feel like my mind is clearer and I have more energy to enjoy her. It also helps that she gets cuter and more fun everyday!
 |
| Loooves the strings |
New this month!
- Camille started reaching out for us. Arms out. "Pick me up, Servant!"
- Growling! She still has the high-pitch scream. But since I almost always tell her to stop in a stern voice, she has screamed much less and instead has replaced most of the screams with this low-pitch growl. It is much better than the shrieks!
- One day, she just started babbling. It is distinct and unmistakable. Very different from what she was doing before. Now, her vocalizations are very speechlike. Full of a variety of consonants and vowel blends. "Nhai nhai nhai nhai nhai! Da da da da! Nga nga nga nga nga!!" Since Chinese & Vietnamese are both monosyllabic and largely onomatopoeic, this is what we've picked up from Camille's vocalizations thus far:
- Masticate (chew)
- Here
- Tooth/teeth
- Banyan tree
- Throne
- Poop
- She likes to play with strings. Um, things like power cords and USB cables. She likes to chew on them. Currently, her favorite toy is a toy strap. A strap that helps latch toys onto our carrier. She likes to play with this strap by itself...*bite bite bite*
- She also likes remote controls, computers, and cell phones. But I think that's pretty normal of most babies nowadays.
- Camille's attention span has gotten to be longer. She can play longer by herself before getting bored and whining. Before, we would hand her any new toy and she would drop the one she was currently holding to grab the new object. But now, if she likes her current toy, she will continue to play with it and ignore our offer.
- Peek-a-boo is something that entertains her more now than before. I don't know if she completely gets object permanence yet. I would hide my phone (one of the most desirable objects for Camille) under a pillow with her looking...and only on a couple of occasions has she reached under the pillow to look for it. But when I play peek-a-boo with her and consistently pop out on the left and then on the right of the blanket, she can predict which way I was going to pop out next and would turn her gaze that way! Amazing! (Sorry if I sound like I'm bragging. I'm really not. I am just amazed by how God has created her!)
- Her fine motor skills are starting to show up a lot more. She's been picking at things with her index fingers more. She has a ways to go in mastering the pincer grip, but she continues to amaze us with her collaboration of index finger and opposable thumb!
- Teeth! Two finally popped out.
- She's just sort of starting to scoot/creep (which reminds me of TLC). She used to roll to get to wherever she needed to go. Now she has found a more efficient way to scoot to her destination. She uses all limbs in this effort, but her belly is usually on the ground still.
- As I'd mentioned before, Camille loves to stand. I think it's so she can be on our same eye level and see more. Her legs are actually pretty strong, despite their twiggy appearance. When I prop her up next to furniture, she will hang on and stand for what seems to be as long as she doesn't feel like she's unable. Wow, what a deep lesson in trust!
As of March 29, 2011:
- Weight: 14 lb flat - 5%ile (eeks!)
- Height: 27 in - 75%ile
- Teeth: 2, bottom, center
March 14 - Camille started having a runny nose that later turned into a cold that lasted for over 2 weeks. Nothing serious...just a bad case of green snot.
March 15 - Camille's first trip to the ER. Don't worry, it was for Chin's tweaked back. He's okay now.
March 21 - Camille & I appeared on Komo4 News!
March 25 - Very distinctly, Camille started babbling today! We also got to enjoy a beautiful day at Pike Place Market, where Camille met her first horse and got splashed in the face with flying fish juice :P
April 1 - Teeth popped out!
April 2 - Teething > lots of salival production > excessive saliva drooled & swallowed > lots of loose stool > Camille's very first diaper rash. That's right! First one!
April 6 - On the way home from getting gas at Issaquah Costco, Camille was babbling in the backseat and said, "Daddy!" She has said it again a few times since then. But fear not, competative parentkind, she did not intentionally mean "Daddy."
April 8 - First time on the swings! She liked it! Oh yeah...and also first [very mild] sun burn.
 |
| She was laughing! |
Favorite part...
Camille is just more fun! I'm also thankful for the many opportunities to meet up with folks and even have play dates with little ones. We love to socialize!
Least favorite...
I'm not such a big fan of Camille pooping 6 times a day. Not only is it a pain to change poopy diapers, pooping this much means she's not keeping in some of the nutrients she needs. She only pooped 6 times a day on one occasion. But she has been pooping 4+ times a day consistently. :(
Shout outs
...To Grandma Ng for watching Camille several times this month so that I could get out of the house to either run errands or just to have fun!
...To the nursery people at Rainier Avenue Church. They are amazing! They also told us that Camille is the loudest screamer they've ever heard, though. Oops!
Discoveries & reflections
...Camille looks really good in pink. I'm not really into pink, but I don't object having Camille in a "non gender neutral" outfit either. I have just discovered that with Camille's fair complexion, she looks really beautiful in light pink.
...When cute clothes get dirty, I am willing to spot clean and put them on Camille again. If the clothes are not cute, one drop of drool can legitimately warrant a wardrobe change.
...This is how I know Camille is my kid: she does not like books. Well, she actually only likes one book. It's called All Things Bright and Beautiful. And she only likes one particular page in this 10-page book. It's the page with a mirror. She looks at herself and smiles. My kid!
...I am not a big fan of when Camille goes down for a nap and then wakes up after 40 minutes. If this happens during her morning nap, that's fine. She usually lasts until she needs to go down for the afternoon nap. But if she gets a short afternoon nap, there would be a strong likelihood of a meltdown around 8pm. Let's say she goes down at 3pm. She usually stays down until 5 or even 5:30. But on the rare occasion, she will wake up at 3:40 and after half an hour of just playing in her crib (no crying), she is just up. This then means that she will need to stay up from 3:40 to 9pm. That's not a big deal for an adult or even a toddler. But for a 7-month-old, that is a long stretch of time without a nap. She is not used to getting a third nap anymore so she will be awake...but life is just miserable for her parents on the occasions that she does have meltdowns!
...I often need to remind myself: It is NOT her fault. It's not her fault if she wakes up earlier than normal. It's not her fault if she doesn't want to nurse or eat. It's especially not her fault if she poops all the time.
...I stress out about short/missed naps a lot. But, you know, it all usually works out in the end. She just learns to be flexible :)
 |
| Isn't she lovely? |
...Nursing a child with new [really sharp] teeth = scary. If she's playing with something and biting on it just before latching on, it's almost a guarantee that she will bite. So, not on purpose. Otherwise, she has not purposely bitten me while nursing...yet.
...Eating bean stew for 3 days in a row makes for a very farty baby.
...Sometimes, I feel guilty that all my conversations revolve around baby. Because being a mom is my full time job, it is hard for me to think about other things. As much as I crave for real, rich conversations that are not baby related, I find that my mind will always wander back into thinking about Camille.
...Many of my friends say that around 7 or 8 months is when a mom will start to want another one. Yep, pretty much!!
 |
| Daddy loves Camille a little bit, I think. :) |
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Spitty Gonzales
This is an old video...but I can't stop watching it and bustin' out laughing. This girl is so funny!!
Taken on January 20, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Camille's sixth month: A review
This month, we are thankful that there are no more hunger strikes. Not serious ones anyway. I think what I am more thankful about is just the fact that she appears to be healthy and happy. I have just learned to let go of wanting her to get a full portion of her feeding.
This month also marks the beginning of an earnest effort to sleep train Camille. After long months of debate, it just came a point that we had to allow Camille to cry in her crib until she learns to fall asleep by herself. We were both so tired of having to rock her to sleep. Sleep training has been going okay. You can follow Camille's sleep journey here.
Finally, here are some new things we've noticed about Camille this month:
The specs
As of February 15, 2011:
January 15 - Really busy day.
January 16 - I got sick for the THIRD time since Camille was born. Aaaand Camille had another hunger strike.
January 21 - Went to open-gym volleyball with Chin @ CBC and went out with people after. We did not end up going home until well past midnight. Surprisingly, Camille did okay despite waking up at one point and just wanted to stay up to play for a bit. Earlier that same evening, Camille had a bit of a melt down. We thought it was stranger anxiety kicking in. In hindsight, however, it was probably gas. Maybe strangers give her gas.
January 28 - Had another melt down at my parents' house. My parents were really bummed because they thought she didn't recognize them or didn't like them. Turned out, yep, it was gas!! Nothing a little simethicone can't fix. :)
February 3 - Camille's first Lunar New Year! Also the first day of sleep training using the cry-it-out method.
February 10 - Camille learned how to "endearingly bonk heads" with Grandpa Le. "She's so smart!! She's smarter than her mom!!" he says.
Getting to nap when Camille naps (for those days that she naps well)!
Least favorite...
The results of busy days of being out and about. I love getting out of the house. But when getting out results in missed naps and tired baby, I am not a fan.
Shout outs
...To the Rainforest Jumperoo that Chung+Alice+Anna Jane are letting Camille borrow! She loves it. We have been putting blankets on the ground underneath the jumperoo to prop her up since her feet can't quite reach the floor when she's on it yet.
...To our exercise ball. Useful for Chin's back exercises. Useful during labor. Useful for rocking Camille.
...To the B.O.B. Revolution SE 2011 jogger stroller. An amazing stroller that we probably don't need (it's big, I don't jog) but Camille seems to really like it so far!
Discoveries & reflections
...Every newly postpartum mom will have an "oh snap" moment when her stomach bubbles and she wonders, "What? Is it possible that I'm pregnant again?" Then the thought process that follows is akin to asking God why good people get cancer.
...When old Asian people (those you only see once or just occasionally) critique your parenting and give you random [bad] advice, if it's feasible at the moment, just do whatever they say in their presence. It's just so much easier than using logic and reason.
...I get very bothered when people would wake up Camille or distract her while she's feeding or just irritate her in general. And when she cries as the result, they would call her "a difficult baby" or label her with a behavioral problem. It has only happened a handful of times. They've all been Asian people. Coincidence?!
...If you did not birthe the child, do not demand that the child do cry-it-out to sleep train. Especially if you aren't the one who has to be there to listen to her cry (Chin!!).
...Holidays, weddings, and parties are fun! The aftermath of missed naps are not. :(
...I have discovered that Camille has more than just one smile. I wish I could capture them all with the camera. But here's the list of what I have observed:
This month also marks the beginning of an earnest effort to sleep train Camille. After long months of debate, it just came a point that we had to allow Camille to cry in her crib until she learns to fall asleep by herself. We were both so tired of having to rock her to sleep. Sleep training has been going okay. You can follow Camille's sleep journey here.
Finally, here are some new things we've noticed about Camille this month:
- She rolls everywhere now. We are more cautious about leaving her unattended for more than 5 seconds unless she is in a very safe place.
- She can transfer objects from one hand to another (maybe this started last month, I can't remember).
- Before, Camille would just bite on her hands and fingers and lot. Now she has shown an obvious preference to her thumb. Ruh roh!!
- It doesn't happen very often or very predictably, but Camille likes to laugh out loud more often now than before. Chin is the only one who can make her laugh uncontrollably, though.
- Camille gains a new nickname: Spitty Gonzales. (Which, btw, is her second Spanish nickname...after Camillio.) She blows bubbles and spits a lot.
- She poops less frequently than before (used to be 3-4 times a day). Which is very nice!! :) Her poop is also more solid.
- Ever since she was 2 months old, she has been very keen on sitting and standing up. When she grabs onto our fingers, she would try to pull herself up to a sitting and then a standing position. She has been doing this a lot more this month.
- She knows that her name is Camille. I didn't know about this, but my parents tested out this theory when they called her by other kids' names and she would only turn when "Camille" was called. :)
- Before, Camille would be very calm and observant during bath times. Now, she actually smiles and shows signs that she enjoys it.
 |
| Camille checking out her Lunar New Years loot - red envelopes! |
The specs
As of February 15, 2011:
- Weight: 13 lb 7 oz - 10%ile
- Height: 26.75 in - 90-95%ile
- Head: 16.25 in- 10-25%ile
- Teeth: 0! That's right. One tooth started emerging right before she turned 4 months old and now it has disappeared. This is common.
January 15 - Really busy day.
January 16 - I got sick for the THIRD time since Camille was born. Aaaand Camille had another hunger strike.
January 21 - Went to open-gym volleyball with Chin @ CBC and went out with people after. We did not end up going home until well past midnight. Surprisingly, Camille did okay despite waking up at one point and just wanted to stay up to play for a bit. Earlier that same evening, Camille had a bit of a melt down. We thought it was stranger anxiety kicking in. In hindsight, however, it was probably gas. Maybe strangers give her gas.
January 28 - Had another melt down at my parents' house. My parents were really bummed because they thought she didn't recognize them or didn't like them. Turned out, yep, it was gas!! Nothing a little simethicone can't fix. :)
February 3 - Camille's first Lunar New Year! Also the first day of sleep training using the cry-it-out method.
February 10 - Camille learned how to "endearingly bonk heads" with Grandpa Le. "She's so smart!! She's smarter than her mom!!" he says.
We missed the really hard head butts. Ouch!
Favorite part...Getting to nap when Camille naps (for those days that she naps well)!
Least favorite...
The results of busy days of being out and about. I love getting out of the house. But when getting out results in missed naps and tired baby, I am not a fan.
Shout outs
...To the Rainforest Jumperoo that Chung+Alice+Anna Jane are letting Camille borrow! She loves it. We have been putting blankets on the ground underneath the jumperoo to prop her up since her feet can't quite reach the floor when she's on it yet.
...To our exercise ball. Useful for Chin's back exercises. Useful during labor. Useful for rocking Camille.
...To the B.O.B. Revolution SE 2011 jogger stroller. An amazing stroller that we probably don't need (it's big, I don't jog) but Camille seems to really like it so far!
Discoveries & reflections
...Every newly postpartum mom will have an "oh snap" moment when her stomach bubbles and she wonders, "What? Is it possible that I'm pregnant again?" Then the thought process that follows is akin to asking God why good people get cancer.
...When old Asian people (those you only see once or just occasionally) critique your parenting and give you random [bad] advice, if it's feasible at the moment, just do whatever they say in their presence. It's just so much easier than using logic and reason.
...I get very bothered when people would wake up Camille or distract her while she's feeding or just irritate her in general. And when she cries as the result, they would call her "a difficult baby" or label her with a behavioral problem. It has only happened a handful of times. They've all been Asian people. Coincidence?!
 |
| Jusssssst chillin' |
...Holidays, weddings, and parties are fun! The aftermath of missed naps are not. :(
...I have discovered that Camille has more than just one smile. I wish I could capture them all with the camera. But here's the list of what I have observed:
- The "I just farted" smile. Very sneaky. Tongue sticking out, of course.
- The "Good morning" smile. A mild smile with lots of blinking.
- The "I know you" smile. It's a smile that's flashed when she recognizes someone she's seen before.
- The "I see another baby" smile. Oftentimes this smile occurs when she sees herself in the mirror. This smile is accompanied by a lot of excitement. Sometimes shrills and always hands-in-mouth.
- The "My parents just want me to smile for the camera" smile. Only lasts about 2-4 seconds. We usually miss it.
- The "Daddy's home!" smile. Eyes opened wide...and then biggest smile with crescent-shaped eyes!
 |
| "Working...on...my...cooooore!" |
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Camille's fourth month: A review
What am I doing?! I'm so under-qualified for this motherhood thing!! I have no clue what I am doing with this little person. I am not constantly down on myself, but there is always this feeling in the back of my mind that I am "not doing it right." Oh well, that's normal, right? :)
This month, Camille's tummy has gotten much better with the keeping-food-in business. *phew* She has also gotten a lot more talkative and more curious of her surroundings. She still hasn't reached out for toys yet, but there are plenty of things that do make her eyes light up. Her neck muscle has gotten stronger. Her legs have also gotten stronger and she really enjoys standing and sometimes jumping. Her hair, of course, continues to grow wildly. And, yes, she does have a mullet.
There were a couple of nights toward the end of the month where she slept through the night! Camille has been sleeping for stretches of 6-7 hours every night (with a total of around 11-12 hours, but with 1-2 feedings in between). But for a couple of nights this past week, she slept for 10.5 and 11 hours straight! Not sure what caused that...but we sure were glad to get the continuous sleep, too! :)
Finally, the biggest milestone this month is: teething! Yes! It's true. She is growing up so fast.
The specs
As of November 30th
November 14 - Camille had a huge meltdown in the evening for no apparent reason. She just started screaming. We thought we'd give her a bath to calm her down. She was completely calm during the bath, but resumed the screaming immediately after we put her clothes back on. Still no idea what happened.
November 18 - Camille's first trip to the UW School of Nursing!
November 25 - Camille's first Thanksgiving! Also, Camille's first real cold. :( She woke up in the middle of the night with tons of green snot. But after the snot-removal process, she was all smiles. Gotta love this little girl!
November 26 - Chin & I got new phones (myTouch 4G). Okay, so this is not a Camille milestone, but it is a significant event as these phones enable us to take pictures of Camille, take videos, do video chat, text about Camille, look up information written by baby sleep experts, etc. Very useful!
December 2 - Successfully put my wedding band back on since 2nd trimester of pregnancy! I also shared the gospel story with Camille for the first time. She smiled. :)
December 3 - Camille had another huge meltdown for no apparent reason (in the middle of my company's holiday party). This time, we think it's because of a growth spurt.
December 10 - We left Camille with the Grays (a pastoral family from our church) for a few hours as we went to Chin's company party. The Grays are fantaaastic with kids!! We came back from the party to see Camille contently laying on the couch as Marvin read her the Gospel of John. Haha! Anyhow, Julie asked us, "Did you know that she's teething?" No! A little tooth bud is popping up from the bottom...right of the middle. *sigh* Why must you grow so fast?
Favorite part...
Sometimes during feeding time, Camille would just unlatch, stare up at me, and coo for a few minutes. These are the sweetest minutes of my day.
Least favorite...
Dealing with the sleep-training conundrum. Do I let her cry it out? Do I rock her to sleep? Camille is a good sleeper at night but naps are not coming very naturally for her even when she is tired. I am very torn on this topic. There is a blog post re:sleep that I'm still working on. Stay tuned!
Shout outs
...To Lance+Krista+William for letting us borrow this amazing play mat! Camille loves the blinking star that plays music.
...To nursing tank tops! I have been living in nursing tank tops since the day Camille was born. I have one nursing bra and have worn it exactly twice. Nursing tanks are so much better because they keep your tummy warm when you feed and they look more "respectable" when you're feeding without a cover. And let's face it, those nursing covers are awfully annoying!
Discoveries & reflections
...Sometimes, I just feel like I am the most blessed woman in the world. Then I look down and see that I've leaked milk through my shirt...and I curse the day I was born. Leaking milk is like my worst enemy. Curses!!
...Even though I don't set a schedule for Camille, I do feel bummed and sometimes even frustrated when Camille's routine gets shifted.
...When the baby is asleep and you see a hair on her face that you really want to pick off...resist the urge!
...Camille loves to be naked. Whether it be bath time (which she has always enjoyed), getting her diaper changed, or being put over the toilet to do bidnez. Whenever she is cranky, we just take off her diaper and let her just...hang out. We call it "naked time." Because we've been putting her over the toilet several times a day, it's almost like she knows not to pee or poop when she's naked elsewhere. Maybe we're really on our way to having a diaper-free baby! :)
...The spot on baby that needs scrubbing the most during a bath: the neck.
...The spot on baby that is the most difficult to access during a bath: the neck.
...Camille is adamant about not taking the bottle. She feels the same way about pacifiers. We've tried on many occasions (when she's happy and not too hungry, when she's starving, fed by Chin, fed by Bao, etc.) and nothing seems to work. Sometimes, she will even gag and throw up. This is sad because it limits me from being away from Camille for any period longer than 4 hours. :(
...It is a little sad when Camille grows out of some of her outfits. She's growing so fast!
...I believe that deep down inside, every new parent wants to be "the cool parent." We want to be nonchalant about child-rearing and give the impression that we're cool like the Fonz. But we ain't. Deep, deep down inside, we are scared shitless. Am I the only one?
...In an interview between Don Miller and Dr. John Townsend in the Convergence series, they mentioned something to the effect that God is the perfect parent. Yet we, as His children, are terribly screwed up. I think that takes a lot of pressure off of me as a parent to know that, well, Camille is screwed. Hehe, kidding. Well, I feel a lot better knowing this because it means that effort and results are not necessarily equivalent. Still, I think I put a lot of pressure on myself to do what is best.
...I often feel that I'm not giving Camille enough social interactions.
...I am much better at encouraging other new moms than I am at forgiving myself.
...I just need to convince myself that (1) there is no "one perfect way" to raise a child, (2) the most well-intentioned people (mostly moms) may not have the best parenting advice for me, and (3) I, actually, am not an idiot.
This month, Camille's tummy has gotten much better with the keeping-food-in business. *phew* She has also gotten a lot more talkative and more curious of her surroundings. She still hasn't reached out for toys yet, but there are plenty of things that do make her eyes light up. Her neck muscle has gotten stronger. Her legs have also gotten stronger and she really enjoys standing and sometimes jumping. Her hair, of course, continues to grow wildly. And, yes, she does have a mullet.
There were a couple of nights toward the end of the month where she slept through the night! Camille has been sleeping for stretches of 6-7 hours every night (with a total of around 11-12 hours, but with 1-2 feedings in between). But for a couple of nights this past week, she slept for 10.5 and 11 hours straight! Not sure what caused that...but we sure were glad to get the continuous sleep, too! :)
Finally, the biggest milestone this month is: teething! Yes! It's true. She is growing up so fast.
Chin playing with Camille (Nov 18)
The specs
As of November 30th
- Weight: 11 lb 11 oz
- Height: 23.5 in
November 14 - Camille had a huge meltdown in the evening for no apparent reason. She just started screaming. We thought we'd give her a bath to calm her down. She was completely calm during the bath, but resumed the screaming immediately after we put her clothes back on. Still no idea what happened.
November 18 - Camille's first trip to the UW School of Nursing!
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| Visiting Auntie Hilary & Auntie Lam |
November 26 - Chin & I got new phones (myTouch 4G). Okay, so this is not a Camille milestone, but it is a significant event as these phones enable us to take pictures of Camille, take videos, do video chat, text about Camille, look up information written by baby sleep experts, etc. Very useful!
December 2 - Successfully put my wedding band back on since 2nd trimester of pregnancy! I also shared the gospel story with Camille for the first time. She smiled. :)
December 3 - Camille had another huge meltdown for no apparent reason (in the middle of my company's holiday party). This time, we think it's because of a growth spurt.
December 10 - We left Camille with the Grays (a pastoral family from our church) for a few hours as we went to Chin's company party. The Grays are fantaaastic with kids!! We came back from the party to see Camille contently laying on the couch as Marvin read her the Gospel of John. Haha! Anyhow, Julie asked us, "Did you know that she's teething?" No! A little tooth bud is popping up from the bottom...right of the middle. *sigh* Why must you grow so fast?
Favorite part...
Sometimes during feeding time, Camille would just unlatch, stare up at me, and coo for a few minutes. These are the sweetest minutes of my day.
Least favorite...
Dealing with the sleep-training conundrum. Do I let her cry it out? Do I rock her to sleep? Camille is a good sleeper at night but naps are not coming very naturally for her even when she is tired. I am very torn on this topic. There is a blog post re:sleep that I'm still working on. Stay tuned!
Shout outs
...To Lance+Krista+William for letting us borrow this amazing play mat! Camille loves the blinking star that plays music.
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| She loves it! |
Discoveries & reflections
...Sometimes, I just feel like I am the most blessed woman in the world. Then I look down and see that I've leaked milk through my shirt...and I curse the day I was born. Leaking milk is like my worst enemy. Curses!!
...Even though I don't set a schedule for Camille, I do feel bummed and sometimes even frustrated when Camille's routine gets shifted.
...When the baby is asleep and you see a hair on her face that you really want to pick off...resist the urge!
...Camille loves to be naked. Whether it be bath time (which she has always enjoyed), getting her diaper changed, or being put over the toilet to do bidnez. Whenever she is cranky, we just take off her diaper and let her just...hang out. We call it "naked time." Because we've been putting her over the toilet several times a day, it's almost like she knows not to pee or poop when she's naked elsewhere. Maybe we're really on our way to having a diaper-free baby! :)
...The spot on baby that needs scrubbing the most during a bath: the neck.
...The spot on baby that is the most difficult to access during a bath: the neck.
...Camille is adamant about not taking the bottle. She feels the same way about pacifiers. We've tried on many occasions (when she's happy and not too hungry, when she's starving, fed by Chin, fed by Bao, etc.) and nothing seems to work. Sometimes, she will even gag and throw up. This is sad because it limits me from being away from Camille for any period longer than 4 hours. :(
...It is a little sad when Camille grows out of some of her outfits. She's growing so fast!
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| "So, um, you like my new hat?" |
...In an interview between Don Miller and Dr. John Townsend in the Convergence series, they mentioned something to the effect that God is the perfect parent. Yet we, as His children, are terribly screwed up. I think that takes a lot of pressure off of me as a parent to know that, well, Camille is screwed. Hehe, kidding. Well, I feel a lot better knowing this because it means that effort and results are not necessarily equivalent. Still, I think I put a lot of pressure on myself to do what is best.
...I often feel that I'm not giving Camille enough social interactions.
...I am much better at encouraging other new moms than I am at forgiving myself.
...I just need to convince myself that (1) there is no "one perfect way" to raise a child, (2) the most well-intentioned people (mostly moms) may not have the best parenting advice for me, and (3) I, actually, am not an idiot.
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| Next thing you know, she'll want to go shopping for a prom dress |
Thursday, April 15, 2010
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