Officially Walking

Lina<3, you are officially walking now :) Slowly you been walking since you took your first step on Oct 29, 2012. Just a few one, two, three steps at a time, or just walk while Mommy holds your hands (you like that better) made you more confident to walk more on your own. You walked with your duck in hands, doing your funny laugh, and walked towards me slowly in your play area :) in the afternoon. I love it, watching how excited you were to be walking. It made you so happy.  So much new adventures awaiting to come...
I am trying to put the home video online, once I get it up and running, it’ll be posted.

Piggy Back Rides

The other day, Lina<3 you are so funny. You like your piggy back rides from Mommy (and Daddy). You were playing in your play area while Mommy sat down on the floor to be with you and leaning on the back of the couch. You saw that Mommy was too comfortable, so you came over to me, slid yourself between the couch and myself, pushed me forward so you can fit perfectly behind me, wrapped your arms around me, and attempted to lift your legs up as to straddle my back. It was an indication that you want a piggy back ride, lol, well why did you not say so (Mommy knows that you can not say that yet). So Mommy lifted you up onto my back with the back of the my arms, n hands, bounced up and down, made you smiled and screamed. Besides bouncing up and down, we walked a little, especially toward the wall mirror in the dining room (where you also play) so you can see yourself bounced, laughed, smiled, and having a good time.

This is one of many moments that I love and there will be many moments.

My Little Screamer

Lina<3, you have become quite the screamer for the past few weeks. Screaming with your mouth open, very high pitch, and very loud. It could be deafening if you do it close to Daddy's or Mommy's ears. It started with just a high pitch squeal which became a high pitch and loud scream, lol. It is screams of excitement, and joy. It happens when you are having fun, too much fun :)
You scream when you are playing, during diaper changed (when you are not scratching up a storm, or fussy), during meals and while outside. Sometimes it is in the mornings only, or the evenings, or all day long, lol. It is fun to see you scream because Daddy and I wonders what is going on in that head of yours, and it makes laugh and smile to see how happy you are.
My little screamer, you are. Daddy and I just need to be anticipatory when it comes to your screaming especially when you are near us. So go ahead and scream!

I scream, you scream, we all screamed for ice cream! lol

Note to Lina<3: you'll learn indoor and outdoor voices later, for the time being, Mommy is going to let you be you

Nice Day for Playground Fun

Nice weather calls for a outing yesterday.  Lina<3 took advantage of the weather by going outside :) Have not been outside in almost a week. Found a playground nearby for Lina<3 to go to…yay! Took a  long walk to the playground and spent some time there. Went on the swings for the first time :) and did not cry at all when I put you on it, and swing you because you were busy watching the two other children there running around. You liked watching those two kids running away, and playing with each other, that you even called out to them, and waved to them even though they could not hear you or see you. There were times when you were not happy because those two children were in your sight, and you realized you were doing something new. There were also a lot of noise from trucks which startled you at first.

After playing, you sat back on your stroller and had your cookies and water for snack time. When snack time was over, it is time to go home. As you can see in the last picture, you were exhausted from playing.

Another Bad Night...

Another couple of hours during the night time where you refused to go back to sleep on your own. I just do  not understand.
You went sleep after 8:30pm and slept until 2am. 2am, changed your diaper, cleaned you up, nursed you, and back to your crib you went. Slept for 15mins and then was up again, this time you did not go to sleep even after Mommy patted your back, and rubbed your head. So thought a change of scenery might help and into Mommy's bed you go, played, climbed, and tugged at Mommy's shirt for breast milk. Back to your crib you went after 3am, and slept for 15 minutes, up, and cried loudly. Mommy waited a while to check in on you. After 4am, you came to Mommy's bed, nursed and slept til 7am.

I do not understand why you are unable to fall back to sleep on your own. It can not be because your tummy is empty and you are hungry. Could it be the drastic change in temperature, as a few days ago it was in the 40s, yesterday was in the 60s? Could it be your eczema symptoms bothering you? What is the reason? hmm...

Bad Night...

Ahh! go to sleep. You had a terrible last night, from 12am to 3am. Woke up and refused to go back to sleep. Did not want to sleep at all, although Mommy could tell you were exhausted. You managed to stay up for three longggg hours.
12 am, you woke up, Mommy went to check on you, changed your diaper and cleaned you up, nursed, and slept for 10mins. Woke up again, but Mommy waited a while to check in on you, hoping that you will fall back to sleep by yourself like you usual do around this time. Cried for almost 30minutes, but it was not hysterical or loud, it was a "eh, eh" cry, that is not suppose to last long or so Mommy thought. Went to check on you again after 1am, you were still lying down, cried, unable to fall back to sleep on your own, and scratched your head, thighs, and ankles a lot. Picked you up and brought to you Mommy's bed, you played, tossed and turned, and rolled over; climbed on Daddy and I; and screamed, smiled, and giggled. Brought you back to your crib after 30minutes of play, hoping that it will tired you out. Yes, you were laid down on your crib, patted your back, shushed you, rubbed your head and you drifted off. For five minutes only, you were up, cried out loud, and did not stop for a long time, as Mommy did not want to check on you right away, hoping that you will fall back to sleep on your own. Went to check on you. Changed your pjs, as it seemed like it made you hot and itchy, but did not relieve the scratching at all. So Mommy wiped you down completely with a damp cloth and moisturized your entire body from head to toe, hoping that it will cool your body down and bring back moisture to your skin so you will be less itchy. Thank goodness for the ScratchMeNot mittens, otherwise you would be covered in blood and scratch marks from all the scratching. After moisturizing and playing with you in your crib, Mommy patted your back, shushed you and hoped you go to sleep and left the room. Five minutes later, you were up again, argh. You came to Mommy's bed to sleep, no more playtime, as you were so tired. You managed to sleep next to Daddy and I, after Mommy's constant rubbing of head, rubbing belly, and pats on back. Slept finally after 3am to after 7am (then it was time to get up for the day).

In The News: Reassessing Flu Shot

Your Daddy and I were debating having our little Lina get a flu shot. We were not inclined to do so and now are supported  the following article, especially this quote: "Last month,, in a step tantamount to heresy in the public health world, scientists at the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota released a report saying that influenza vaccinations provide only modest protection for healthy young and middle-age adults, and little if any protection for those 65 and older, who are most likely to succumb to the illness or its complications." “We have overpromoted and overhyped this vaccine,” said Michael T. Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, as well as its Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance. “It does not protect as promoted. It’s all a sales job: it’s all public relations."


The link below supports our view:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/05/reassessing-flu-shots-as-the-season-draws-near/?smid=fb-share