Thursday, April 30, 2009
Hair
To commemorate Anya's year and a half mark (but mainly to commemorate the fact that it was at an awkward length and getting much too mullet-y for my comfort level), I took Anya for her first haircut. I expected drama and screaming out of Anya as she battled the hair stylist for the comb and scissors, leading up to tears and a possible tantrum. Nope. It was rather uneventful and quick. Anya sat in one of those car chairs. The stylist handed her some toys and then went at her hair. Anya talked about the toys and combing of the hair, calmly and curiously, and it was over in less than 5 minutes. I was amazed. Now her hair is in a little bob cut, still slightly awkward until the hair above/in front of her ears grows in, but definitely can no longer be called a mullet.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
18 months
Anya is 18 months old today. This morning she had her well-child visit at the doctor. All is as it should be. The doctor said to start giving her more timeouts when she misbehaves and that tantrums will continue to increase. Joy. Stats:
weight: 24 pounds, 9 oz (50th percentile)
height: 32 inches (50-75th percentile)
Locomotion
I enrolled Anya at The Little Gym. She's one of the oldest in her class and is a bit of a show-off, completing the obstacle courses with ease and swinging on the bars. She absolutely loves going, which isn't a surprise, since climbing and running around are pretty much her favorite things to do. She's not so fond of the balance beam right now (refuses to stand on it if there are no support rails to hold onto and just me to assist her. I can't say I blame her!), but loves everything else, especially the bars. Next month she moves into a new age group and will be the youngest in the class, so it will be more challenging. My hope is that this class will be a good outlet for her monkey tendencies and she'll be less inclined to climb on things at home. A mom can dream, right?
Speech
This has been a month of sentences. I'd say she predominantly expresses herself with multiple words now (and since it's such a developmental leap, I think it's why she's been waking up at night a lot this month). She has also been experimenting with language, using pronouns, possessives, and plurals. Also taking words and adding -ing to them, often correctly, sometimes not. Example, she hears a dog bark. "Doggie woofing!" And, one that I thought was cute from the other day: we've been teaching her to say please when she wants something. She said please then paused and said "mama, I pleasing".
She now recites the numbers 1-10 when she's in the mood, as well as sings (way off key :-) ) do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do, and sings "twinkle twinkle little star" and bits of other songs we sing often.
Other Development
Mainly just language comes to mind for the last month. She is currently going through a growth spurt and has packed on almost a pound since she had that weird fever almost a month ago. Her stomach has been a bottomless pit the last few days. For example, yesterday's lunch:
-1 quesadilla (1 tortilla folded in half style)
-2 full size fish sticks
- A handful of peas
- 1/4 an apple
Food
This will probably be the last time I have this header for the monthly write ups, since I don't foresee any major changes with eating. She is pretty good with using utensils lately. To the point where she can eat a bowl of yogurt or soup and get 85% of it into her mouth and not on her bib/everywhere else.
weight: 24 pounds, 9 oz (50th percentile)
height: 32 inches (50-75th percentile)
Locomotion
I enrolled Anya at The Little Gym. She's one of the oldest in her class and is a bit of a show-off, completing the obstacle courses with ease and swinging on the bars. She absolutely loves going, which isn't a surprise, since climbing and running around are pretty much her favorite things to do. She's not so fond of the balance beam right now (refuses to stand on it if there are no support rails to hold onto and just me to assist her. I can't say I blame her!), but loves everything else, especially the bars. Next month she moves into a new age group and will be the youngest in the class, so it will be more challenging. My hope is that this class will be a good outlet for her monkey tendencies and she'll be less inclined to climb on things at home. A mom can dream, right?
Speech
This has been a month of sentences. I'd say she predominantly expresses herself with multiple words now (and since it's such a developmental leap, I think it's why she's been waking up at night a lot this month). She has also been experimenting with language, using pronouns, possessives, and plurals. Also taking words and adding -ing to them, often correctly, sometimes not. Example, she hears a dog bark. "Doggie woofing!" And, one that I thought was cute from the other day: we've been teaching her to say please when she wants something. She said please then paused and said "mama, I pleasing".
She now recites the numbers 1-10 when she's in the mood, as well as sings (way off key :-) ) do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do, and sings "twinkle twinkle little star" and bits of other songs we sing often.
Other Development
Mainly just language comes to mind for the last month. She is currently going through a growth spurt and has packed on almost a pound since she had that weird fever almost a month ago. Her stomach has been a bottomless pit the last few days. For example, yesterday's lunch:
-1 quesadilla (1 tortilla folded in half style)
-2 full size fish sticks
- A handful of peas
- 1/4 an apple
Food
This will probably be the last time I have this header for the monthly write ups, since I don't foresee any major changes with eating. She is pretty good with using utensils lately. To the point where she can eat a bowl of yogurt or soup and get 85% of it into her mouth and not on her bib/everywhere else.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Cute-Electro-Bouncy-Kid
Brian and Monica up the street have chickens which are a big hit with Anya. Today she discovered they also have a pretty cool trampoline. Add to her jumpy-joy the fact that the static electricity was all nutty, and you wind up with this awesome shot.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Changes in the Wee One
She's changing so fast.
Today she "talked" on the phone with Grandma long enough to get the word "Wallaby" and a round of "Kiss the phone"s and "Grandma!"s in. She held the phone in the right position and talked long enough for Grandma to hand the phone off to Grandpa who Anya felt should be put on speaker and then hung up on.
And when I got home from work and ask what she saw at the zoo today, she actually told me. Not very accurately mind you (apparently there are green bears and whoozels at the zoo today). But she was right about the ducks and flamingos and penguins and Elephants.
On a decidedly more annoying note she's begun having actual temper tantrums. Red-faced No!-screaming affairs that border on hilarity for the shear intensity and duration (45 min!) of their infantile rage. This will no doubt get old pretty quick. But even this I take as a sign that she has begun experimenting with the world and how to get what she wants from it (temper tantrums only get confounded chuckles from Mom and Dad).
She's starting to form sentences. Today she apparently said to Amy, "You hit my nose" after Amy bumped her while loading her in the child seat. Actual possessives and transitive verbs!
I also find it funny that, when asked where anyone is who isn't present, she will invariabably reply, "At home". But I think Grandma simply taught her that one.
Today she "talked" on the phone with Grandma long enough to get the word "Wallaby" and a round of "Kiss the phone"s and "Grandma!"s in. She held the phone in the right position and talked long enough for Grandma to hand the phone off to Grandpa who Anya felt should be put on speaker and then hung up on.
And when I got home from work and ask what she saw at the zoo today, she actually told me. Not very accurately mind you (apparently there are green bears and whoozels at the zoo today). But she was right about the ducks and flamingos and penguins and Elephants.
On a decidedly more annoying note she's begun having actual temper tantrums. Red-faced No!-screaming affairs that border on hilarity for the shear intensity and duration (45 min!) of their infantile rage. This will no doubt get old pretty quick. But even this I take as a sign that she has begun experimenting with the world and how to get what she wants from it (temper tantrums only get confounded chuckles from Mom and Dad).
She's starting to form sentences. Today she apparently said to Amy, "You hit my nose" after Amy bumped her while loading her in the child seat. Actual possessives and transitive verbs!
I also find it funny that, when asked where anyone is who isn't present, she will invariabably reply, "At home". But I think Grandma simply taught her that one.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Seabrook
We got back earlier today from a slightly extended weekend at Seabrook in Pacific Beach. My dad and Angie flew in, and they, along with Bobby and Amy, and Grandpa and Grandma Lodwig met up with us there. We had a good time, and, as always, the visit was way too short.
Anya enjoyed playing on the beach. Mainly because she was free to wander and explore to her heart's content. Out of anyone, though, the dogs had the best time by far, running to the point of exhaustion. I'm kind of bummed to be back home already. I hope we go there another time for a few days longer, do a little hiking and go on other excursions. Next year, right guys?
Anya enjoyed playing on the beach. Mainly because she was free to wander and explore to her heart's content. Out of anyone, though, the dogs had the best time by far, running to the point of exhaustion. I'm kind of bummed to be back home already. I hope we go there another time for a few days longer, do a little hiking and go on other excursions. Next year, right guys?
Don-don, Uncle Bob and Anya having a beer break behind the cottage.
Don-don showing Anya different types of shells
playing in the dune grass
bubbles!
Aunt Amy showing Anya how to make good footprints in the sand
worn out and taking a rest on Grandma Lodwig's shoulder
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
What My Daughter Learned Today
As Amy mentioned, we just got back from Anya's first Easter Egg hunt.
Before we all showed up volunteers liberally spread candy, crackers and other snacky items across the very same field where our dog poos every morning, and a conveniently fenced-in tennis court.
They herded all the kids by age groups, sending the older ones to pick through the mud etc., and ushering the more junior of the ranks into the cage.
This was brilliant. All we had to do was station an adult at one of two exits and sing the "clean up" song Anya knows from school and commence taking photos.
I do worry about the lesson Easter teaches our children. Basically it's okay to pick up and eat food you find on the ground as long has you have no idea who it came from or how it got there. If you're near a playground and there is an adult with a camera near by, all the better.
At least--as is evidenced by the picture below--she is learning how to read the package for ingredients.
Before we all showed up volunteers liberally spread candy, crackers and other snacky items across the very same field where our dog poos every morning, and a conveniently fenced-in tennis court.
They herded all the kids by age groups, sending the older ones to pick through the mud etc., and ushering the more junior of the ranks into the cage.
This was brilliant. All we had to do was station an adult at one of two exits and sing the "clean up" song Anya knows from school and commence taking photos.
I do worry about the lesson Easter teaches our children. Basically it's okay to pick up and eat food you find on the ground as long has you have no idea who it came from or how it got there. If you're near a playground and there is an adult with a camera near by, all the better.
At least--as is evidenced by the picture below--she is learning how to read the package for ingredients.
pictures from this morning
This morning we took Anya for her first ever Easter egg hunt at Ravenna-Eckstein community center. Technically, there weren't any eggs (except some candy ones) and I wouldn't let her eat any of what she picked up. She didn't seem to mind, though, and had quite a lot of fun loading things into her basket and running around.
After breakfast I dragged her around the house in a sheet of stretchy material. 
Talking on the phone to "grandma"
Hunting for Easter goodies
Reading the ingredients on the fruit gems. High Fructose Corn syrup? No thanks, mom.
At the playground after hunting for "eggs"
We're hunting for more eggs in the neighborhood tomorrow morning, and then more still in the afternoon at our friend Christi and Derek's house. She'll have this egg hunting business down for sure.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
weekend pictures
It has been beautiful out this weekend, especially today. We took advantage of the weather and played outside. We also spent a lazy afternoon with the Seligs, playing with the kids, sipping martinis, and having dinner. A few pictures...
showing her best side yesterday afternoon. She was starting to feel better.
blowing bubbles
Anya and Flynn
Chris pushing Anya on Riley's bike. Anya really wanted to show off for Riley that she was a big girl too (Riley wasn't all that impressed)
showing her best side yesterday afternoon. She was starting to feel better.
blowing bubbles
Anya and Flynn
Chris pushing Anya on Riley's bike. Anya really wanted to show off for Riley that she was a big girl too (Riley wasn't all that impressed)
Bug's bug
The last several days have been kind of hard around here, with Anya being as sick as she was. She was miserable when the fever meds wore off or hadn't kicked in fully, and Chris and I (mostly Chris) were tired, from having to wake up every 3 hours to give either Tylenol or Motrin. Apparently, it was a virus that has been popular with the neighborhood kids, but Anya's fever was just so much higher (steady 104.4-104.8 range) that it had us a little worried and wondering if it was something else. We had to make two trips to the doctor because the fever just wasn't relenting, the second poor thing had to get a catheter to check for a UTI (negative). It wasn't a fun experience for her.
I had two scary moments with her. The first was with one of those new forehead thermometers that are supposed to be very accurate; a friend let us borrow it. Well, it's pretty accurate if your kid doesn't sleep on her face. At one point Thursday I scanned her head when she woke up from a nap and it registered at 106.7. I panicked and immediately plopped her into the bathtub and administered Motrin to bring down the fever, and was about to go to Children's Hospital. But then I stopped and took her temperature the old fashioned way and she registered 103.3. Through trial and error we realized she registers a few degrees higher on the forehead (during or right after sleeping) than her actual body temperature. Yeesh.
And then on Friday after a nap, she wouldn't stop shaking...like more than chills and for 20 minutes. It was unnerving and I wasn't sure if she was having some sort of "alert" febrile seizure or if those even exist. So I called the nurse line. Turns out that's normal when kids have high fevers; just their bodies in a little shock from the fever and air temperature difference. So I wrapped her in a blanket and gave her lots of water and it stopped.
And fortunately her fever just *poof* went away yesterday evening and she woke up afebrile and feeling fine this morning. No rash (I was expecting possibly roseola), no nothing.
So, I dunno. Maybe she runs hot with illnesses. Time will tell. I'm just glad this is over with.
I had two scary moments with her. The first was with one of those new forehead thermometers that are supposed to be very accurate; a friend let us borrow it. Well, it's pretty accurate if your kid doesn't sleep on her face. At one point Thursday I scanned her head when she woke up from a nap and it registered at 106.7. I panicked and immediately plopped her into the bathtub and administered Motrin to bring down the fever, and was about to go to Children's Hospital. But then I stopped and took her temperature the old fashioned way and she registered 103.3. Through trial and error we realized she registers a few degrees higher on the forehead (during or right after sleeping) than her actual body temperature. Yeesh.
And then on Friday after a nap, she wouldn't stop shaking...like more than chills and for 20 minutes. It was unnerving and I wasn't sure if she was having some sort of "alert" febrile seizure or if those even exist. So I called the nurse line. Turns out that's normal when kids have high fevers; just their bodies in a little shock from the fever and air temperature difference. So I wrapped her in a blanket and gave her lots of water and it stopped.
And fortunately her fever just *poof* went away yesterday evening and she woke up afebrile and feeling fine this morning. No rash (I was expecting possibly roseola), no nothing.
So, I dunno. Maybe she runs hot with illnesses. Time will tell. I'm just glad this is over with.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Makin' Baby Proud: Daddy Plays Soccer
On a lighter note than the horrible virus that the stinker seems to have caught. I had an early soccer game Tuesday and Amy was nice enough to let me drag her and Anya a long so I would have a fan base. (The desire to perform is something that the bug got from me it seems).
Fortunately, Anya has no concept of "winning" or "having ones a@# handed to one" as she stood on the side lines and yelled "Soccer Ball!", "Daddy!", "Running!", "Kicking!", and (for some inexplicable reason) "Barack Obama!".
We lost a humiliating 10 to 3, but daddy scored (which apparently both Anya and Amy missed).
Seems they have parent kid soccer starting at 18 months...I think we might just sign up for that.
Fortunately, Anya has no concept of "winning" or "having ones a@# handed to one" as she stood on the side lines and yelled "Soccer Ball!", "Daddy!", "Running!", "Kicking!", and (for some inexplicable reason) "Barack Obama!".
We lost a humiliating 10 to 3, but daddy scored (which apparently both Anya and Amy missed).
Seems they have parent kid soccer starting at 18 months...I think we might just sign up for that.
Sickety sick
Poor little bug is sick. She had a fever all day yesterday and felt crummy, getting up to 104.4 in the evening, but with no obvious symptoms. Fortunately Tylenol and lukewarm baths have been controlling the fever well. We brought her into the doctor's office this morning (104.7 this morning, eek) and they think she probably caught "the virus that's been going around". Her little throat is all red and probably sore. If it's indeed that virus, then the fever will slowly taper off over the next 48 hours and she'll get a mild runny nose and cough. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's just that and she won't have to be poked and prodded further.
Fevers that high freak me out. But I was out with PEPS moms last night and they've all been through high fevers with their kids and had good advice to dispense. It made me feel a little better, but I was still worried about my little girl. Anyway, please cross your fingers with me that it's just a run-of-the-mill virus and she gets better quickly. I just hate seeing her feel so awful, poor thing.
Fevers that high freak me out. But I was out with PEPS moms last night and they've all been through high fevers with their kids and had good advice to dispense. It made me feel a little better, but I was still worried about my little girl. Anyway, please cross your fingers with me that it's just a run-of-the-mill virus and she gets better quickly. I just hate seeing her feel so awful, poor thing.
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