Easter Greeting

Careful What You Wish For...

 
Back in my naive Wonder Belly ways, I recall thinking it would be a good thing if my offspring would inherit my hubby's athletic ability & my determination...now, however, this combination does not seem like such a good idea.  Sometimes I think "too bad this disposition couldn't skip the baby stage & show up later in life when it doesn't require constant supervision from mom."
 
Today, while at our Fit for 2 class, Scarlett pulled herself up to standing, using the nearest step-up - a new skill she has figured out in the last week & is practicing quite religiously.  Due to a slippery floor, she went into a wide stance, while turning (looking to see who was watching) & taking one hand off the step.  She then proceeded to take her other hand off her support & I (now standing behind her in case she fell) stood frozen, not sure what to do.  What seemed like a minute, but in reality was only about 1/2 a second, Scarlett stood on her own.  This made me very uneasy.  It made her very proud.  This, I fear, will be her next goal. That & climbing.
 
So why, besides the obvious, does Scarlett's mobile abilities make me nervous?  Of course, the maternal desire to protect my baby from getting hurt is there, but this is something that I knew I would go through, as all mom do I presume.  Perhaps I am worrying for nothing, but the fact that she is able to do so much so early that triggers an alarm...too young to understand the concept of "No" & to learn from the past & be more careful (I cannot count on 2 hands how many times she has conked her head on the floor).  I have a vision of her getting into anything she can get her hands on, & having little tools to teach her right from wrong. With no sign of understanding the consequence, she gets right back to what she was attempting to do the last time she hurt herself.  I'm pretty sure there is a little mischief in there waiting to get out, waiting to explode the minute she takes her first step...& she'll probably be running before she is walking!  
 
Along with her mission to emphasize the concept "growing up to fast," I am seeing another personality trait develop.  Scarlett seems to have no concept of what she is, or rather 'should' be able to do.  I often see her trying to figure out how to stand while in the middle of the room, nothing around her to pull up on.  Despite many attempts & intense concentration, she continues to try.  I see her doing the same thing when it comes to crawling on her knees or feet as opposed to her belly, which doesn't get her anywhere very fast right now, but it's as if she knows that one day it will get her to point B faster, so she must practice in order to perfect it.  And then there is the climbing.  I'm not sure where she thinks she is going, in fact I am not sure she knows...she just keeps lifting that leg, hoping that something will appear beneath it taking her to the next level. This is the determination that has led to this premature Independence at 7 & 1/2 months old.
 
And although I hold to these reservations, I can't help but admire her naive confidence. Her sense that she can do anything, without any preconceived expectations of what she can or cannot do (screw the developmental charts!).  And although I realize this will make my job as a supervising parent & caring mother more difficult, I secretly hope that she doesn't lose this sense of self.  I hope that it remains with her when she grows up & has big dreams, that she approaches life similarly to the way she does now, without allowing anyone or anything to get in her way of reaching for the stars.  ✰✰✰

In the meantime, I guess I must devote what little spare time I once had to making sure she has something soft to land on.  This must be one of those many sacrifices parents make for their children.
 
And so, we enter the next phase...

Wonder Baby Performs

Remember all that talk about Wonder Baby before she was even Wonder Baby?  Could this have led to some form of a self-fullfilling prophecy?  And so I ask myself...what have I done?

When I referred to my future offspring as "Wonder Baby" I definitely did not think she would have super natural abilities, in fact I didn't really expect anything more than a perfectly average child.  So when Scarlett arrived we were quite proud of her perfect score on the apgar.  She continued to impress us with the premature achievements that followed.....her unusually loud first cry - before she was even fully delivered, her early wide-eyed ability to track us across the room,  & her superstar ability to roll over at just 4 weeks, to name a few.  I had no choice but to tell people that she didn't get the memo about what she was (not) supposed to be able to do.

Scarlett continues to surprise us, with her athletic skills - not unheard of, but she manages to conquer most of the developmental benchmarks by a minimum of a month, followed by a glance around the room to see who's watching.  In fact, when in public, I often have to repress my pride & refrain from encouraging Scarlett to perform.  After all, we don't want other babes her age to feel that they are lagging behind.  It's hard work being a Wonder Baby's mom. 

"So what's the problem?" you think.  Well yes, I must admit that we are quite proud of this genetic code we managed to compose, but hear me this, with Wonder Baby abilities comes Wonder Baby personality, & I am starting to see a precocious little rebel develop.  I wonder to myself (but suspect the contrary) "Are temper tantrums normal for all 4 month olds?" & "Do all 6 month olds smile every time mom says 'no', or when mom is coughing from choking?" (seriously) Every once in a while she shoots me a look that I should be getting from a 3, 6 or 13 year old, & I get scared. 

And then there is this spell she seems to have on us.  Suddenly the world revolves around her.  If we are doing something that isn't in the best interest of Wonder Baby, we feel this gut wrenching guilt.  If she cries we run to her.  If she is doing something she shouldn't, we just can't get mad when she gives that infectious smile.  I'm pretty sure the hex is twice as bad for her dad.  If this is what she is capable of in her first 6 months, what is she going to grow capable of as she gets bigger & stronger.  I think I have every right to be scared.

However, for every superhero, there is a weakness, right?  It is quite obvious to me what Scarlett's 'kryptonite' is (although her appearing attention deficit symptoms come in close second): separation from her mom.  Only really developing now, it is making my life a lot more complicated.  Not aloud to leave, I now have another full time job, & feel the world is at stake if I am not in the same room as Scarlett.  (On the other hand, I seem to be the only one with a certain 'special power' over my child, I feel I must use this carefully & wisely).  Will she ever overcome this? Or is my life completely & drastically altered for the rest of time?  Probably a little of both.  


I must go help save the world now.  So, until we meet again...

Going Green - and pink, and blue, and yellow...

Recently I've been inspired to switch to cloth diapers.  I cannot really say one thing in particular led me in this direction, but a number of things, such as: conversations with a couple of my friends who use them or plan on using them, the occasional comment from my husband about considering the cloth, a conversation with my mother-in-law on environment & our impact - all got me questioning why I am not doing what I can to reduce waste.  So I made the decision.  I was going to switch to cloth.  Better for the environment, cheaper in the long run (I think) & better for my baby.  I got quite excited about the whole situation but could not fathom why, as I knew this was going to be more laundry, stinkier situations & a bit of an adjustment.  Only the other day did it dawn on me that I will be setting an example for my little girl as she grows up, & this, to me, feels like a good start.   

Upon initial research efforts, I was overwhelmed.  So much information out there & how to know what is valid, who is right, & what will work best for me.  After exhausting myself on forums, websites, emails & such, I finally chose 3 companies to start with, companies that seemed to have goof reviews but sold their diapers for less than half the price of the 'big brands' do.  I realize the potential hazard of this situation, but am counting on the reviews I have read & going with it.  Not much a risk-taker myself, this is about the greatest extent of a chance I will take (for some reason purchasing used diapers from people I do not know scares me so & I cannot make decisions on impulse, so I decided to bypass this option).

When I finally chose a couple companies to order from (all Canadian, which makes me feel warm & fuzzy inside) I started to have a bit of fun.  I got to pick different colors, materials & patterns.  And the thought of receiving snail mail thrilled me (I conveniently placed my orders on 3 consecutive days & as a result received packages 3 days in a row, what a week!) I've developed a distaste for the overwhelmingness of technology lately which I am pretty sure amplified this feeling...but that is a rant for another blog at another time.

Once they all arrived I dumped them into the wash & followed what I thought were the right instructions...later to read (on the Internet of course) that some cloth diapers are not supposed to be washed together & need to washed several times to strip the oils & ensure they repel efficiently.  Then read that this doesn't apply for all diapers.  I am quite confused.

So yesterday I decided to make the plunge & started dressing my baby in these soft, colorful diapers, expecting all would go well.  After putting the pretty diaper on her, it appeared that she would be going up a size in clothes as long as she is wearing these, as they are quite a bit bulkier than the disposables.  The first one leaked (number one) through all the fabric (in the diapers defence - my way of convincing myself that I did not spend $200 on crappy diapers - I probably should have changed her earlier) the second leaked (number two) out of a number of corners (in the diapers defence, this was quite an explosive event) & Scarlett resorted back to disposables for the rest of the night out of respect to Scarlett's tush & my in-laws who were baby-sitting for a couple hours.  Not quite ready to get rid of the disposables (& will probably keep them for emergencies, travel & stuff) but I am determined to get this right.  Today is a new (hopefully leak-free) day.  In the event of any leaks maybe I can pray to the cloth Gods for a little help?
 

Leakage or no leakage, Scarlett seems sold on the cloth.

Top Ten Wonders...Answered

Looking back to the early days of the Wonder Belly Blog, I thought I would reflect on my top ten wonders from before Scarlett was born.


Top Ten Wonders (and Answers):

10: How will Willow (Wonder Dog) react to dropping in the ranks to a new family member?
 
It seems inevitable that the dog moves from the centre of attention to outside the circle when a baby comes into the picture. At first Willow wasn't really sure what to think about this newest addition, but definitely took interest.  He would be the first to jump if Scarlett started to cry, & if she kept crying he would come back as if to ask you to make it stop.  If it still didn't stop he would ask outside (do you blame him?)  More recently Scarlett has taken a particular interest in him & I noticed his path is often detoured to avoid her grabby hands on his way by.  As far as no longer getting the attention he used to, Willow has taken it pretty hard.  Whenever we try to talk to, videotape, take a picture of, play with, or do anything with Scarlett, Willow is always wedging his way between us & the baby.  He is constantly bringing his toy to Rodd, then me, then the baby in hopes that somebody - anybody - will play with him.  You would think with time, he would get used to it, but 5 months later, he still feels resented  just as much as ever.  When not attempting to divert your attention to him, he can often be found pouting under the table, a desperate whine coming from under his breath.

9:  Do we have everything we need for the first week or so?
 
Little did I know that the generosity of people in our lives would lead to not having to leave the house for 2 months after Scarlett was born.  We came home to a care package from our east neighbor & a set of "daddy doodie" & "mom's off doodie" aprons from our west neighbor (as well as balloons & banners) with everything we need to take care of our babe & more.  The gifts kept coming, even past Christmas.  Scarlett is equipped with a wardrobe to last her for her first year.  As I suspected the media makes us think we need way more than we do to survive.  

8:  How long before I send Rodd back to work?
 
Funny that I wondered this, it must have been an on-going argument between the two of us.  Rodd initially thought he would go back in December, but I think between the nursing frustrations & falling in love at first sight of his daughter, he was pretty easily persuaded to stay on paternity leave until after the New Year.  I was grateful, as he would have otherwise had to work nights on Christmas Eve, Day, & Boxing Day - good thing, I definitely needed him to help show off the kid to all our family.  Having him home with me was a blessing, & I soon realized how much it helped when he did go back to work on January 10th.

7:  How big will Wonder Baby be (more concerning, how big will his/her head be?)
 
Scarlett was born 7lbs 2oz.  That's smaller than average.  So why was it so hard to get her out of 'there'?  Turns out her head was, according to the nurse "a decent size for a girl of my build."  That explains why I pushed for an hour (during which the nurse kept saying "this much further!" showing me the same distance between her fore finger & thumb each time).  Meanwhile the nurse kept turning down my epidural - which initially only worked on one side anyway - from 6, eventually to 2 & I started to regain feeling below the waist. Regardless, it hurt.  A lot.

6:  Will Wonder Baby be an easy baby?
 
Turns out Wonder Baby is a pretty easy baby.  Don't get me wrong, she has moments, & a temperment.  But overall, no colick, & generally pretty happy unless hungry, tired or wet.  We feel pretty lucky & are even considering a second.

5:  How labour will go for me?
 
I should have just asked my mom.  She knew.  It went pretty much exactly as she told me - the same way it went for her.  In fact when I phoned her in the morning she told me she wouldn't be surprised if I had her by 5pm.  She wasn't too far off.  Apparently it went fast, although it didn't feel like it at the time.  Cramps started at 4am, contractions around 8am, we went to the hospital around 2pm, epidural at 5 pm & baby at 6:35pm.

4:  Who/what Wonder Baby will look like?
 
She looks like Scarlett.  There is definitely resemblance, but I am surprised, for some reason, how much of her dad is in her at times.  There is no doubt that she inherited the dominant round Thorson squishy head (that one was a given) & it looks like her hair is turning red, as mine was as a child.  Rodd's blue eyes & his animated expressions.  On the scale Scarlett is perfectly average (with a slightly oversized head, still) - not freakishly tall...yet.

3:  Wonder Baby's gender.
 
All girl.  More girly than her mother.  She has a high voice & squeals when she laughs.  Between you, me & the keyboard, I have to admit that she does look good in pink.  But I dress her in browns & reds sometimes just to make sure she isn't always all girly.

2:  Will Wonder Baby be healthy?
 
I'm pretty sure they don't come any healthier.  I'm quite proud of the fact (I may have mentioned this once or twice) that she scored a perfect 10 on both apgars, as well as an 8 out of 8 on the biophysical ultrasounds in the 1st 5 minutes.  With the exception of thrush (probably her mom's fault), reoccurring blocked tear ducts, a couple common colds & a reaction to laundry detergent, she's been thriving as a strong, bright & healthy little baby.  

1:  When will Wonder Baby decide to join the rest of us?
 
September 3, 2010.  Almost one week after her projected due date (according to the first ultrasound), however I initially thought her due date was September 4th, so I guess I was closer to right in the first place.  One more reason to listen to maternal instinct. Still it made a long week, especially accompanied by a very bad cold.  The doctor wanted to induce me on the 2nd, because of the long weekend, but I convinced him to bump it to the 6th (the monday), I didn't have to get induced in the end, thank goodness for that.  By the 3rd my cold was almost gone...but I tell you, it hurt to cough.  A lot.


So I thought that upon the arrival of Wonder Baby, the wonders would seize....however they only multiplied.  I realize how simple life was at one point, & although raising a 5 month old is still pretty basic, I realize the simplicity of a child is about to get a lot more complicated.  On the verge of mobility, I have the feeling the wonders (& their answers) have only just begun.

Just a few videos of Scarlett being Scarlett.  Enjoy! 
 
(Warning: the quality of these videos have been sacrificed out of convenience of the iphone at hand & inconvenience of the 'real' video camera which was out of reach at the time of recording)

Reading out loud.

Helping with the baking...or is she? (take note of her expression at the end)

Practicing her bird calls for when dad takes her hunting?

With Child

Where to begin...
 
So it's been a while.  During the Wonder Belly days, I remember time almost standing still at times. Normally when the New Year approaches I wonder to myself where the year went, & every year seems like it flew by quicker than the last.  But at the dawn of 2011, I reflected back on the previous year & thought to myself, "that took forever, what a long year."
   
Just when you think you could get used to this casual pace, time sneaks up on you. Suddenly life grabs you by the strings & you are learning the 7 step dance, while trying to find a harmonious balance between life, family & work.  This is how life is since Scarlett came along.
 
But its not such a bad thing, being busy all the time.  I've always needed something happening & if it it wasn't I would make something happen.  I suppose the challenge of keeping up is what keeps me in the game.  Sometimes I lag behind & really have to pick my priorities (ie. baby & work), accepting that everything cannot always get done.  This was an adjustment.  As a result, you, my faithful readers, have been neglected, but anyone that's anyone knows that these stages can mess with your plans & you just have to go with it.
 
So here we are, almost 5 months in & having a blast.  Sure there are 'days,' but in all honesty I often think to myself "I didn't realize it would be this easy."  Oblivious & naive in the beginning, I later realize, that I've had it pretty easy & was only doing half the work most new moms have had to do.  First of all, Rodd, the loving & supportive husband that he is, took 4 months of parental leave to help out, & I was working again by November.  Although I could not go out for long, I had the (planned) freedom to get out & do what I do.  Additionally, we got along pretty nicely the whole time he was home, aside from the ocassional harmless bantering.  Second, Scarlett, the thoughful child that she is, has taken it pretty easy on us.  Sleeping her first 11 hour night at just 3 months, she got over her 'gassy' phase early & goes 5 or 6 hours some days between feedings.  She's quite entertaining & luckily thinks so herself most days.  Just when you think it cannot get any more fun, she comes up with a strange new quirk that just makes your day.  We can't help but brag, I guess that is what parents are supposed to do?  
 
It's been fun, but I refuse to be tricked by her sweet & innocent almost-five-month-oldness.  As she starts to show signs of what's to come, I hope that she stays the way she is for a while longer...we are getting a sneak preview of temper tantrums, manipulation & strong will...but that is another post for another day.  In the meantime I am arming myself by getting out more, with child, & doing anything productive to prevent cabin fever during the frigid winter months.