Ho Ho Hold yer own bottle

We all had a great Christmas and wore Alexiss out. Mark is off work this week and enjoying a vacation (hehehe, I've had him hard at work at home). At the snap of your fingers it seems Alexiss grows into the next phase of babyhood! Sitting up and wiggling or bouncing around is her most favorite thing to do. Daddy is super talented in "wiggle bums" and it never fails to make Alexiss smile.

Oh my goodness, the clothes she got! They are all so cute that I'll have to turn this blog into a fashion show! Christmas day was spent on Skype with grandparents and opening presents. Mark swooped her up and changed her a few times to show her outfits off. Here's the pile of presents before we started opening them, even Alexiss was stunned wondering what she's going to do!



I can't say again how helpful it's been having Mark home and having the luxury of sleeping in for three mornings in a row. Of course, I worry a little. Yesterday it was feeding time and Mark generously offered to take that round, I turn around to this:



The adorable stuffy is from Uncle Gerry and Aunt Jacqueline and is so soft and grabbable that it's quickly becoming a favorite. Poor thing is already slobbered on!

And later that day I turn around to this:



Yep, that's a remote in her hand. Next thing you know she'll be flipping through netflix selections and starting in the fridge with the door open looking for something better to eat.

Brave Little Alexiss!

Mark is tickled and wanted to share that Alexiss now tries to hold her own bottle sometimes during her feedings. She's not strong enough to do it all herself but I sure appreciate the help and initiative!

Our brave little girl had her first immunization shots yesterday. She's my daughter for sure, doing the exact opposite of what's expected! She's been sleeping since without a hint of a fever. She has been a little fussy during her waking moments and I'm giving her lots of love and cuddling. No complaints from her about soreness where they put the needle in.

She was so great on the truck ride into Strathmore but got fussy during the nekkid "measure baby" portion of the visit. She's a whooping 12 lbs 14 oz, she's gained a total of 6 lbs since being born, almost doubling her weight! Then the poor girl wasn't allowed to dress so I swaddled her in a blanket and kept her warm. She was really fussy at this point and all the nurse wanted to do was "chat" while Alexiss and I just wanted to get on with the show so to speak. Of course Alexiss settled and quieted right before the needles, the nurse seemed oblivious to her moods or at least disregarded them and didn't adapt and go with the flow. I sped her along and jumped in to interrupt her ramble and excessive concerns with postpartum depression to get back to the real reason we were there.

What is usually a negative experience has a silver lining, as they always do. I've always felt through the hardships we grow the most and come to paths we wouldn't get to through being "happy" all the time. Through this we've seemed to bond more; me through respecting her independence being an individual coupled with admiration for her blossoming personality and the way she's faced her first real negative life experience (aside from her abrupt "I'm not ready" entry into the world) and I feel from her that she's gained trust in me by being able to count and lean on me to comfort her and not taking it as something I "did" to her.

So here I sit, cuddling a sleepy Alexiss. It breaks my heart a little knowing she's not feeling well and she's really not being herself, but I'm so proud of her being brave yesterday during the shots and now while not feeling well.

Here's the mail!

We had a super fussy day yesterday, but today Alexiss let me get her ready for a fast jaunt to the post office. We had some parcels waiting at the beginning of the week but when we got to the post office it was closed! I had Alexiss's Santa letter ready to go too. ack, what a ride, Alexiss doesn't love going for car rides at all, the shorter the worse it is it seems. At least longer rides she settles in a bit for. Seven parcel's in all!

We've been watching movies and tv shows on netflix through the Wii on our new 40 inch flatscreen! Out with the third hand little cathode tv and in with the new! Alexiss actually likes watching a bit of TV and I'm happy to say she likes my all time favorite.. Blue's Clues!

Thank you to Nana, Oma and Opa, Gail, Glenn and Uncle Gerry and Aunt Jacqueline for their parcels! Can't wait to see what hides inside!

Happy 3 Month Day!

It's hard to believe 3 months has passed since Alexiss joined our family! She's keeping me busier than ever but now I get smiles and laughs between cries. She's still as impatient as ever for food and fights sleep til she can't fight anymore. There's usually a few loud cries amid her droopy eyes in protest, the daytime naps are a little easier to ease her into but I can't put her down and have to hold her the whole nap or she wakes up stunned and shocked that I would do such a thing. I'm going to start transitioning to her swing for naps and am expecting a few rough days with little napping and lots of cranky crying. It's become this game at night:

Game set-up
Players are responsible for supplying a well fed newly diapered baby (referred to as The Baby). The better prepared the Mamma player is (referred to as The Mamma) the quicker she will progress through the game. Suggestions for set up are to ensure tripping hazards are dealt with before the game starts, failure to do this could result in having to repeat the phases more times than necessary.

Phases
All Phases are actions done by The Mamma player unless otherwise stated.

Phase 1. Hold The Baby juuuust right.
Phase 2. Shhh through the cries until The Baby settles or you run out of breath. (No cheating, if you are a little out of breath keep shhhing. The result of not doing this phase correctly could mean having to start at phase 1 again.)
Phase 3. Try gently to put The Baby in the crib and wrap blankets.
Phase 4. The Baby at this time may choose to rouse enough to either
a) Make the Mamma do a mini version of this game in the dark with The Baby
positioned in the crib and The Mamma hovering above.
b) Make the Mamma go back to Phase 1

Rules
Rule 1. The Baby will choose a new "juuuuust right" position every night. It is allowable to change mid-game.
Rule 2. The Mamma is permitted to ignore cries only if she is positive The Baby is fed, diapered, not too hot..etc. Following this rule can halt and postpone playing the game. Failure to follow this rule could extend gameplay.
Rule 3. The Mamma is permitted to scoop The baby and all blankets into her arms, making a tight little package. This usually happens if the Phases restart after finishing Phase 3.
Rule 4. The Baby is allowed to add rules and not tell The Mamma at anytime.
Rule 5. The Mamma is permitted to call in The Daddy to stand in for a few minutes if gameplay is longer than 3 hours or The Mamma isn't enjoying playing the game.

Winning and Gameplay
The Mamma wins when The Baby is sleeping peacefully in the crib for longer than 45 minutes. Upon winning The Mamma can play a fast solitaire version of this game. Gameplay can be anywhere from 15 minutes to 3 hours. Extreme games can go on longer. There is no time limit or ability to call a tie or forfeit the game.


mmm..What can I tell you.... I guess we are settling in and finding a routine. Alexiss's big accomplishment and milestone since laughing is rolling over on her side using her legs this weekend but it hasn't happened since. I righted her and turned for one second only to see her "shoomph" back on her side.

We braved our first power outage this morning, Alexiss was kind enough to sleep through it and not have me stumbling around in the dark. My mind was already going through the motions as I sat in bed half asleep. Mark was prepared enough to think ahead last month when the called for the snow storm so I knew I had everything I needed, that doesn't mean it's an easy feat though. Big jugs of water, a coleman stove (or side BBQ element) and propane are the things we need the most. The furnace is gas (the fan electric) and the fireplace is gas. I always call the electric company when the power is out now. It's been out twice (once in Ontario and once here) and we found out hours later, when someone finally called, that the electric company didn't know.

These are the things I know, I know.. these are the things I know

• Peas cannot be good for us, they smell too much like baby poo to be healthy. Kinda like the opposite as corn
• Cheaper is sometimes better. Pampers are super thin, there's more in a package AND they passed the poop test.
  
• Cheaper is sometimes better. My Compliments wipes are a bit rougher. You'd think this was bad but the result is better bum cleaning and coming out of the dispenser better.
  
• Just because a baby sleeps through the night for two weeks and graduates to smacking her lips when hungry.. does not give reason to put the past behind. Just when you let down your guard and get used to these new habits.. things have a way of creeping back to crying when hungry and waking crying and hungry every 3 hours.
• Netflix is great when you don't have cable!
  
• The most embarrassing part of motherhood is not lack of personal hygiene, my sagging still-look-pregnant belly or the baby's lack for need of privacy for bodily functions, or not being able to put on your own underwear after a c-section... it's the state of distress the house is in and the horrible push to clean it before you clean yourself.
  
• The most rewarding thing about motherhood are those smiles and coos and being the one person that can calm the baby after your partner laughs too loud and scares her into a crying fit. Well, being able to calm her when no one else seems to have the right moves.
  
• Boogies are rewarding too! When Alexiss finally sneezes out that huge booger and I'm soo happy for her.
  
• Batteries are expensive and don't last near as long in kids toys as they do in the remote, clock radio..etc. Kid's stuff are battery killers!
• Being stuck on the couch all day is not as much fun and as relaxing as it seems, specially as I said before the house and my person are a mess. As long as little Alexiss is sleeping, eating in a clean diaper and not craving attention (aka: not cranky) then I'm a success at my new job, this is more tiring than 8 hours staring at numbers and tables on a computer.
• I drop way too many things. Putting things away and cleaning means they aren't easily accessible carrying a baby and trying to do things one handed. I should ask Santa for one of the reaching grabby claw arm things. At least that way I'd have two hands again, four or six would be even better!
  
• Eating and finishing a meal can really be a 2 hour affair. I'd give my Nana a run for her money these days!
• Mommy brain is simply from trying to multitask and rushing to get stuff done when the baby finally gives us a few moments. Again.. personal hygiene isn't a top priority.
• A smile in the morning IS the best way to wake up, or to be greeted with first thing.
  
• A good nap IS amazing for a cranky mood, adult and baby alike.
  

Off to cooking, eating, cleaning, washing dishes and starting a laundry before I run out of time! Love to all!

Morning smiles!

I don't have long to write, Miss Alexiss has been enjoying my company so much that she demands it during daylight hours, even while napping. It's comforting feeling her body heat and gazing down at her as she sleeps but I keep threatening to call the labor board on her for only giving me short breaks through the day.

She'll be 11 weeks tomorrow and she's really grown up.. and out. She's learning to communicate for food by smacking her lips instead of crying, unless of course she sleeps a bit too long and is way to hungry to consider coordinating her tongue to do the right thing. A few people have mentioned the new trend to use sign language with babies before they can speak. Giving babies a way to communicate before they can talk! I can see frustration in Alexiss when she tries to communicate and I'm just not getting it, eventually I do what she's asking for.

I've also caught her zoning out a few times on her playmat, in the past she's cried at being overstimulated but continues to play because she can't switch her mode. She still can't fall asleep on her own, but we'll get there. Like the smacking when she's hungry, she can't do it all the time. When she's at the height of a mood it's more difficult.

She's trying to laugh too! It comes out more like she's clearing her throat, but the smile on her face tells me it's a laugh, I can't wait to hear her giggle!

Okay, she's making some noise asking for company, better go.

Just a little snore

Just a little snore
Just a little nap
Just a few minutes longer
She doses on my lap

Just a little time
Just a little rhyme
Just another morning
spent with this babe of mine