Stroller Search

When you were born, your Daddy and I thought you were too young for a stroller so we had settled with a Baby Bjon carrier. Mommy carried you whenever we went out and about. We went for walks in the carrier. But now using that carrier for your little 18-19lbs behind, is getting to Mommy's back and shoulders. Even carrying you in Mommy's arms makes Mommy's arms ache (but developing muscles, lol). You and I can not go for long walks like we use to.

So it is time to shop for a stroller.

Daddy and I were very fickle minded about the brand of stroller but one thing that we really wanted was one that can face both direction: forward and back (facing Mommy). We thought that at your young age it made sense to have our Lina<3 facing us in your stroller when we go out. We want to be able to speak directly to her and see her facial expressions. For a few months, we did our research on different strollers from branded names one to less expensive ones online first. Customer reviews were extremely important for us as well (we wanted to learn about other parents experiences with their strollers/carriages). We went to stores to look at a few and came up empty. We did more research and read more customer reviews on different strollers. We must had looked at over 20 strollers over the past few months.

We went to the BuyBuyBaby store in Garden City, Long Island, and finally settled on a UPPAbaby Cruz stroller, after testing it out and strapping you in. It is so practical and nice as well. It seems like it will hold up for years to come, for as long as our little Lina<3 needs it.

The key items that we look for in a stroller were:
- back and forward facing seat
- canopy for the sun or rain (this one has a UV shield)
- must be the color red
- easy to fold
- not too heavy
- not flimsy or poorly made
- removable cup holder and tray for bottle or sippy cup and snacks
- large basket under the stroller
- fashionable

Pooping Machine

The topic right now is poop, Lina's<3 poop. You had poop three times today, three time! You broke your own record. Your bowel movements are usually once a day, at most two. You were a pooping machine. Mommy stopped using wipes (to prevent further diaper rash), and rinses you off in the tub underneath the faucet with soap. And each time you were cleaned up in the tub, Mommy has to disinfect the tub as well. Ahh, such a long process that occurred three times. The good thing about your stool is that it was not hard, nor liquidity. It is usually a good consistency. These things are one of the many things that Mommy has to be concerned about: how's Lina's<3 poop, what is the consistency, is it diarrhea, is it constipation, and did you poop for the today.

Note to my little Lina<3: This may not be a topic that you would want Mommy to talk about, but it is what it is. It was something that you went through, so here's the post. Mommy loves you very much.

Teaching Through Play

Playtime is always fun for Lina<3 rather you are playing on the floor or on Mommy's bed. And it is also a time for Mommy to teach you to do things by showing you. With your increasing attention span and focus on one toy at time, one game at a time, it is definitely time to teach, teach. 

There is a new play area set up with the play zone, and the play mats with different colors, alphabet letters and numbers. Mommy sings the "ABCs" to you every day, and count your fingers and toes (with the toes, we play "Little Piggie"-this little piggie went to the market...) There are colors everywhere, and tried to name a few for you each day.

You have shape sorters, stacking toys, and as well as blocks. Mommy is trying to teach you shapes, and colors which is harder for you to grasp. Stacking toys are fun for you to knock over and pull apart, but you have not learn to stack the toys on top of each other yet.

You can emptied out your toy box, when you want to and put toys back into your toy box. If Mommy puts toys into your toy box (which had been emptied), you do not like it, and starts to pull things out.

Learning to play with the ball is fun, but most of the time you just want to put it in your mouth. Balls (different sizes) are fun to roll, from Mommy to you, from you to Mommy (which you rolled back to Mommy a few times, sometimes it is not exactly at me, but as long as you are rolling the ball the away from you, it is already a big step.)

Peek-a-boo is fun to play, with some many different variations (like hiding behind the couch, and popping up to surprise you; turning around and back to you again to surprise you; hiding behind my hand; covering and uncovering your eyes; putting a blanket over your head and pulling it away; hiding your toys underneath a blanket; hiding your toys behind your other toys) . You  finally grasp the the game of peek-a-boo and even initiated it :) You love putting the Mommy's blanket over you and hide yourself, and then when Mommy asks "where's Lina<3?" you surprise me and pull the blanket away from your face so Mommy can see you.  It is so much fun listening you giggle and laugh.

Push toys, eh, who needs them, you have one push car, which you do not really play with, but likes it when Mommy plays with it, you rather push your toy box, your walker, your Huggies Pull Ups box, and your other toys.

You love to be chased by Mommy. Mommy crawls after you, and you move so fast.

With two new toys from Fisher Price and Playskool, Lina<3 is learning how things put things through mailbox and window, how to open and close the door (mostly open the door), turn the light/song on and off, how to slide the window up and down, how to press buttons, how to spin things around, and how to put toys down a tube.

It is so much fun to watch you play, with or without Daddy and Mommy. Repetition is good for you but not too repetitive because Mommy does not want you to get bored (oh wait, do babies get bored? hmm).

Learning New Words and Phrases

After saying "dada" for the first time , it is time to learn other words for my little Lina<3, such as mama, lol. You are learning to understand more and more each day.

I believe that you are starting to say "mumumm" which means mama and then you said, "ma". Two days ago, said "mama" while in the living room, and standing up during playtime in the evening.

You had said "hi" yesterday while waving to yourself in the mirror in your own room. Repeating after Mommy, it is so cute, because you had said "hi" in a high pitch squeal.

These three words are so amazing to hear and still you say "dada" more often. It is so exciting and I am saying a lot of easier words, mostly one or two syllable words, so that you can catch on easily. I am also speaking Cantonese phrases to you along with the English phrases. Mommy wants you to be bilingual. Some of the common phrases are good morning, how are you, did you sleep well, potty time, pee pee time, food, time to eat, milk, apple sauce, water, playtime, nap time, clean up, brush your hair, look, up and down, open and close, and etc.. Mommy talked to you all the time, when you get up in the mornings, after naps, during meals, playtime, potty time, changing clothes, bath time... basically all the time. (wow Mommy sure gets tired from talking, lol.) Isn't fun listening to Mommy talk you? Sometimes you respond, and other times you just look at me like you have not the slightest idea what I am saying, or what I am doing. Mommy loves it when you response with babbling words, with squeals, with laughter, with smiles, with giggles, or just loud noises from you banging your toys.

Help! The Children's Place Kids Model Search

Hello All, Lina's<3 beautiful audience and supporters, Lina<3 need your help! My little Lina<3 has entered the Children's Place Kids Model Search. Please vote for my little Lina<3 daily.  Please pass the link along for more votes after viewing it and liking it. Thank you very much.

Look for Lina<3 #348856 and #348718

http://childrensplace.promo.eprize.com/model2012/:b=firefox16/?entry_id=348718#gallery

Thank you very much again :)

Potty Training

Lina<3 had been sitting on the potty for a few weeks now.
At first, it was difficult because you would not sit still on the potty chair for more than a few seconds. As soon as you fuss, and do not want to sit still, Mommy took you off your potty chair right away due to the fact that Mommy does not want to make you anal retentive (as sometimes it happens when potty trained to prematurely or so I had read).
Now you go peepee in the potty two to three times a day out of four to five times you sit on the potty chair. You can stand to sit on the potty chair for a longer period of time, but no more than a few minutes. You are wearing Huggies Pull Ups which I think are helping you. On days when Lina<3 does not wear your pull ups, you go peepee in potty once or twice. You are starting to realize that you go potty, you look down as it happens. I am so proud of my baby girl.
Mommy sings a made up potty song for Lina<3 which helps to distract her from scratching and from fussing too much while sitting on the potty chair.

“Potty time, potty time, Lina’s<3 going potty time.

Potty time, potty time, Lina<3 is sitting in  your potty chair.

Potty chair, potty chair, Lina<3 is sitting in your potty chair.

Potty chair, potty chair, Lina’s<3 doing peepee time

Peepee time, Peepee time, Lina<3 is going peepee.

Peepee time, peepee time, Lina’s<3 going peepee this time”.

This song does not always distract you, nor do you go peepee after the song is over. Sometimes, you go right away, other times, it takes you longer or it does not happen at all,.
The funniest thing was when you learned how to get up from your potty chair, after Daddy interrupted your potty time and encouraged you to stand up from that chair. That happened one time, and now you get up whenever you can from your potty chair, especially when you do not go right away.

Lina's Minimalistic Bedroom

Lina<3 you finally have your own room :) Yay!! Daddy and I are sadden that you will not in the same room with us (you had slept with us for 10 months), and happy that you have your own room. Although you may not be in the same room with Daddy and I, you must know that we are never too far away from you, and always a whimper away, lol. We are equip to hear your every squeals, cries, screams, giggles, and laughter through the baby monitor.

The room is not very decorative, but it is sufficient enough because all you really need is a crib to sleep in; an area for your toys, books, diapers, and moisturizers; drawers to put your clothes in; and a mirror for you to see yourself, and wave to yourself. I doubt that you notice the lack of embellishments in your room as long as you can play with your toys, and a mirror to look at.

Your first night in your own last night was worrisome for Mommy because I wanted to know that you were okay behind the closed door. Mommy managed to peeked in on you once and you did not wake up. I had hope that you would sleep well and not be afraid when you wake up in the middle of the night and not see Mommy next to you. You slept four hours straight, and then another five hours after a waking up and a feeding.

With your own room, Daddy and I hope that you will sleep better on your own, and sleep through the night.