Fruits and Veggies!

M had been only on cereal up until her half year mark. She has had rice and oats. While I guess both taste the same (actually, I needn't guess, I know as I did taste them ;)), I think oatmeal suits her digestive system better. She has also tasted juices of pears, apples and prunes. And now, we have started with mashed fruits and veggies. So, I guess this marks the beginning of solid feeding in a more holistic sense. I plan to start on everything else (proteins etc.) a month or so from now. According to the doc, yogurt and cheeses can wait till the 8th or the 9th month, and whole milk, citrus fruits, honey, nuts etc. till the one year mark. We will more-or-less stick to that.

Okay, so recording her first fruit and vegetable:

• First fruit: Malus domestica (lesser mortals know it as apple :P). If you are (and even if you are not) interested in the exact variety - it was the gala apple (organic) from California :D.

• First vegetable: Lagenaria siceraria. You know what this is? The boring bottle-gourd (from the squash family). For most of my life (and most Indians I know), have hated this vegetable. It is boring and one of the worst tasting ever. My brother actually thought I was making Manya pay for not letting me sleep at nights by forcing her to eat this. I swear that was not the point. My idea was, one, it is such a healthy veggie that goes so easy on the stomach, and two, whatever M tastes after this will definitely be better :P). 

Half Year Mark

I am late on this one, but no regrets as was busy having fun with family visiting. So yes, we are half-way through the first year and here's what we have been upto:

• The highlight of the month gone by has to be M's increased mobility. No, she is not sitting up and she is not crawling. She keeps rolling and flipping and covers quite a lot of distance in the process. Infact, when she has to reach out to an object she rolls in that direction and then flips at an angle to reach to it - some spatial sense that is, huh?

• She loves to play with the balls she owns (discounting the fact that she puts them in her mouth just like EVERYTHING else) - I have a set of these balls from Sassy, which (if I had to pick) would most definitely be Manya's favorite toys, at this point. I have to mention though, she gets thoroughly pissed off when they roll off beyond her reach - she shouts at them as if commanding them to return. Silly girl! :P

• Teething or not, she is a voracious carnivore (an apt name given by her cousin, A) at most times. She can devour most objects (only non-edible, btw) - living or not - quite indiscriminately.

• We have quite a social butterfly in the making. She is happy around people and ofcourse thinks that the world (including all its inhabitants) exists only for her recreation purposes. This is mostly evident from her squeals of delight when she sees people, irrespective of whether they are interested in her or not :D.

• M is also quite a noisy baby (did I hear you say, after all whose daughter she is?). She screams and shouts. Her mono syllables are stretched a mile long, and her recent achievement is that she has learnt to click her tongue in response to similar sounding noises!

• Her eating habits are very unpredictable - there are times she readily opens her mouth and then there are days when she zips it up so firm that nothing would go in. We had been on cereal till her 6th month mark and have just started on fruits and veggies. More on that in a later post.

First holiday with first cousins!

My sis-in-law was in town with her two adorable kids (btw, the only first cousins M has!) for a little more than a week, and not only was it a much welcome change from our mundane routine but it was also awesome to see the kids have so much fun together. Needless to mention, Manya was spoilt rotten with all the attention from her doting athai/bua, and her anna/bhaiya and akka/didi, who just couldn't get enough of kissing her. The days flew by so fast and now the house is yearning for the squeals of laughter and spontaneous outbursts of energetic running around. Sigh! All good things do come to an end, don't they? 

Tiger, Tiger, Teething Fright!

Well, well, I might have a sleep-deluded brain, but I remember Blake, alright. The deal is that our little tiger has been having a tough week with a lot of what looks like teething symptoms. 

I am saying "what looks like" because there's no sign yet of the pearls and this is already her second painful bout in the last two months - not to mention the occasional aches that last a day or two.

I spoke to her pediatrician, and she confirmed that all symptoms look like she is cutting teeth: inability to suck for long, comfort feeding (especially in the night - I have given up on the dream called sleep), holding the gums and crying, gnawing at every available object, and generally being very listless and irritable. She said that the last time around too, but also added that it was too early and maybe M is just extra sensitive.

Anyway, here's what we have been doing to help her out:

• Hyland homeopathic tablets: Manya laps them up like it was a treat or something to have these - she could make a whole meal out of them, I think. They seem to be pretty effective as far as the pain relief aspect is concerned. but it doesn't help that biting sensation.

• Teething toys: Though, everything including, mommy's shoulder bone and jaw line is a teething toy these days, we did get her the branded ones, which she doesn't care for much. She'd rather chew on the sides of her crib and the play gym!

• Applying pressure: This works the best for us. I wash my hands, dip them in cold water, and then apply pressure on her gums. She loves it, and actually gives out a sigh of relief and a broad smile too!

• Orajel: Yes, I know the FDA warns - but only against over dosage, especially before sleep time. We tried this a couple of times, and it doesn't work for Manya - she hates the flavor and wipes it off the very instant i apply it - plus she gets even more agitated with that sensation it causes.

• Cold liquids: I actually refrigerate some milk and juice, and give her a few spoonfuls every once in a while. She responds well to the cold sensation and is actually quite instantly relieved of minor discomfort.

• Cold apple slice: I clean out a big chunk of a refrigerated apple and give it to her to bite on. Doesn't help much but keeps her distracted for sometime atleast.

Any other suggestions?

The first "real" outdoor outing!

Though Manya has been to the grocery stores, clinics, pharmacies, and even on a social visit and a long drive, she had her first "real" outdoor outing a couple of days back when we took her for a short visit to the East Potomac Park and the Tidal Basin in Washington DC to catch the last of the cherry blossoms.

We left the house at 6:15 AM. Yes, I got the AM bit right. Manya is the most active, cheerful and predictable in the mornings. So after a quick feed, we packed ourselves in the car to view the rising sun on the 267. We parked at the East Potomac Park - quite a prestigious spot :D. Though there were quite a few vacant lots, we were surprised at the number of early morning visitors. 

Her royal highness was very cooperative and supportive of our walk around the Tidal Basin, till the goddamn sun came out and hit her face. She lost all patience and howled. Oh, god, she must have really gone on me. I too so hate the sun on my face. So, we had to cut short our grand plans of the entire walk around and after soaking in the views for about 45 minutes, we were on our way back.

Most important lesson learnt:

• Expose Manya to bright light outings more often. We can't do without the sun now, can we?

All in all, I gave Manya a very high 9/10 for the trip, considering her sun-hating genes are not entirely her fault.

(P.S. Don't even ask about the pictures. No, don't you dare go there. The SD card ate them all up and I have still not gotten over the loss. Almost, as if Manya punished us for the sun :()

Goodbye to the "I am a new mommy" excuse!

Yes, I finally sat up this weekend and decided enough was enough. I had to snap out of the "just delivered"/ "have a new born"/ "am a new mommy" mould. I was beginning to feel old and decadent - and that is a very scary feeling. 

So here's what I need to do to "reinvent" myself, in the most cliched way: (I promise I will do a periodic analysis to see where I stand.)

• Get a hair cut: How simple is that! I read on a friend's FB status, "When a woman decides to change her lifestyle, she first gets a haircut." Very true. I was quick to act on this one and got some spring cleaning out of the way :D.

• Get back in shape: I am 3 massive kilos away from my pre-pregnancy weight (3 might seem a small number but those of have been there and done that know that it's the last couple of pounds that are the hardest to knock off). Not only do I need to shed those off, I need an intensive toning routine too. All the pregnancy and nursing curves and bags need to be tucked in!

• Get rid of my yoga pants: I need to just throw these away. My best friends during pregnancy, I have worn these everywhere: to the hospital, grocery stores, banks, restaurants, gym and to the bed! And now I have got so used to these shapeless comforting wonders, that these are the only clothes I reach out for in my closet every single day.

• Dust the cobwebs off the heels: Oh, how I loved wearing heels! It's been more than a year now. Wore them briefly once recently, and boy, it felt great.

• Get some paint on the nails: Ever since the 8th month of my pregnancy, when I no longer could see my toes, I stopped painting them. Trimming them was a huge exercise in itself, forget pedicures. While I still can't paint my finger nails (for obvious reasons of safety and hygiene for the little one), it's about time my toes got a makeover!

• Eat out atleast once a fortnight: This one depends a lot on Manya's comfort levels in restaurants  but we need to begin taking her out for the litmus test. I am really hoping for a nice wining and dining evening. Oops, wining can't happen cos I am nursing, but well, dining surely can!

• Blog regularly: And not just on this mommy blog, but my other one too!

• Resume reading: I seriously need to restart reading. And I mean proper adult reading, because all that I am reading these days (barring the few parenting magazines I received) is Sam and his little sister, Sleepy Owl, Goodnight Moon, Off we go to grandma's house, Bear on a trike, and the likes. You get the drift right?

• Call friends: I need to pick up the damn phone and make a few gazillion calls to all those patient friends, who have constantly kept in touch all this while, while getting a superfluous "Call you soon" in response from me!

Anything else that I am forgetting? Please feel free to use the comments section to remind me :)!

Bath Times = Fun Times

I don't know if it is the change in weather or our little babe has grown up, but for the past fortnight or so, our bath times have become a lot of fun. 

I remember mentioning in a previous post, how Manya has never ever fussed during the entire bath routine. From her very first bath, she has been the epitome of patience and good cheer, as mommy and daddy gingerly handled her during the oil massages and the actual bathing. However, her facial expression was always stoic - and I bet that if she could talk, she would tell us, "Guys, be careful and be done with this as soon as possible, I am not sure you really know what you are doing or how this feels like". It would melt my heart to see her nervously clutching the sides of the bath tub with both her hands, as she'd stare at our images in the mirror next to the tub. No cries, no complaints, very sober; at most she'd get distracted to admire her self :D.

Cut to the present. We have a giddy cherub wriggling naked on the mat as mommy massages her hair and body with what mommy thinks to be the best oil ever (olive). Then, as the water is filled in the bath tub, the cub rolls and flips all over. And, then the real fun starts when she is in the tub. No more holding tight to the rim - we have her splashing her legs in the water, smiling, laughing, trying to catch hold of the mug and merrily  letting the water fall all over her hair, eyes, face. 

(P.S. I can swear by my life that Burt's Bees Baby Shampoo and Wash is indeed tear free!)

While I get to enjoy this everyday, Vish has only the weekends but the two of them, daddy and daughter, make quite an adorable sight playing with the water!

5 Month Milestone

Yes, yes, that time of the month again. The li'l darling is 5 months old and continues to rock (pun very much intended) our lives!

• She flips from her tummy to back, the minute I put her on her tummy for mandated tummy time or pre-bath oil massages! And on the other hand, she is so lazy to roll from her back to her tummy on her own. She seems to not have any motivation to do so. 

• She laughs ever so whole-heartedly with so much chuckling and chortling that you'll think she is surrounded by jokers all the time.

• Her vocalization is very good - lots of haaas, waana, maaas. At certain times, you'd almost thing she said something meaningful :D. Oh, and she talks to everyone and everything - fans, curtains, pillows, bulbs, doors, windows - I really mean every damn thing!

• Her night sleep has been quite a bit napish this whole month. Hoping for more "sleepful" times ahead!

• Her favorite sleeping positions are on her side and on her tummy! Trust her to just do the opposite of what is recommended (sleeping on the back, that is)!

• As I had mentioned before, she has started on cereal. We have begun alternating between rice and oats. She cheerfully sits through her eating time, irrespective of the fact that she opens her mouth or not! No clear like or dislike and no clear preferences between rice or oats. However, I have noticed that oats seems to suit her better in terms of efficient pooping though. (With all that fiber, what do you expect!)

And so we roll...

From the horse's mouth...

Had to put this on record. After getting fed up of my incessant cribbing on lack of sleep, my mommy finally conceded and gave me the true milestone. She says I will get to sleep for longer hours only when Manya is done with school. She talks out of her first hand experience at raising too hell-breakers for kids. Sigh. She never ever told me this before I got pregnant :D.

Looks like my sleep quota's exhausted!

Irrespective of whether you know the art of power nap or not, you will agree that atleast 6 hours of sleep at night remains non-negotiable. 6 hours! Damn! There was a time I needed 9 to 10 hours of sleep every night. I used to joke about it when people raised eyebrows - for all the energy I spent during the day, I had to have that 'recharge' time. 

So, very obviously, Sleep and I have shared a beautiful relationship since the longest I can remember. I could sleep anywhere, anytime, anyhow. I slept entire weekends with barely any wakeful time. Long, boring train journeys, bus rides, car rides, plane rides: I could and would sleep to my heart's content. 

Then 11/6 happened! 

It was like our relationship status went from 'happily married' to 'no longer see each other', overnight. They said at 6 weeks for sure I'd get atleast 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep. No luck. 

Then, I was the told, at 3 months, life would magically change overnight and we both (mommy and baby) would be sleeping for longer stretches. Haa! 

We are reaching the 5-month mark now, and 2 hours of continuous sleep happens only on days I am very lucky. The pediatrician gave me some gyaan on 'sleep regression' in 4-month olds - emphasizing it was "all normal". So, that's the thing with parenthood, all you end up with is truckloads of jargon for all the annoying stuff and a mutated meaning of 'normalcy'. 

The verdict?

They say, the half year mark will be the turning point. 

Only for Bollywood buffs: I feel like the Sunny Deol of Damini. "Tareeq par tareeq par tareeq milti rahi hai, par insaaf nahin mila." (Translated as: All that was given was one date after the other. But, justice was never given).

Sigh.

Ask me again, "Is it really that bad"? 

I swear it is! I have slept for 3 hours at a go on exactly two nights. No, don't even begin to tell me babies have phases that come and go. Ofcourse I know that. All that I want to know is in exactly which phase do I get to sleep?

And thus, my latest theory: God has allotted a fixed number of sleep hours to everyone. Something like the limited quantity of the chocolate ice cream in your refrigerator. You can have it all at one go or have a little and make it last for a very long time. Looks like, I have exhausted my sleep quota! How else do you explain other mommas getting to sleep 4-6 hours already?

Special note to all the parents-to-be: Use your sleep quota very wisely. Someone up there is keeping an account!