Sunday, June 19, 2011
Father's Day Gift
For Father's Day, I took the pictures from our Father's Day Photo Shoot and made him a little accordion album where he can display some pictures in his office at work. It's double sided and has lots of panels. I love how it came out! Jorge was so surprised! I hadn't shown him the pictures until now. :)
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Baby This Week: 22 weeks
At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. Her lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and she's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath her gums. Her eyes have formed, but her irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her body and the deep wrinkles on her skin, which she'll sport until she adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside her belly, her pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Toddler This Week: 17 Months, Week 2
Does your child deliberately ignore you when you ask him not to do something? Try not to lose your temper if he does. At this age, making a big deal over little transgressions like pulling petals off a flower or spreading newspapers around the house may inspire him to test your limits even more. Ignore the minor infractions and save your lectures for really big no-nos like biting a playmate or pulling the dog's tail.
You may be surprised by the force of your child's likes and dislikes. Even at 17 months, toddlers can be very clear — loud and clear — about what they do and don't want to do, to eat, to wear. Some children surprise with another kind of force — hitting, especially when they're frustrated. The most likely target: you. It's counter-intuitive, but this is actually a sign of trust. A 17-month-old child knows that you're a safe person to show just how upset and frustrated he can get.
You may also notice that your child occasionally but very deliberately disobeys your orders. You say, "Please stay away from that vase," and your toddler looks right at you, reaches out, and touches the vase, or plucks a flower from it. You know he got your message, so rather than let the defiance become a big deal, experts say to simply ignore it whenever possible. In fact, it's important to try to avoid a confrontation with every little issue.
The first time you forget to read your toddler a bedtime story, don't be surprised if he reminds you. Toddlers thrive on routine, and they may remember each step of a particular ritual. If your child's end-of-day routine features bathing, drying hair, brushing teeth, picking out books, and then reading together in bed, there's a good chance that if you try to skip one or more of these steps, your 17-month-old will protest. Even at this young age, toddlers can be quite adamant about following rituals, some of which may make no sense to you. For instance, when you tuck your child into bed at night, he may insist that you cover his favorite doll or stuffed animal with a certain blanket — and only that blanket. Or he may want to drink his milk from one particular cup, or insist on oatmeal for breakfast every single day for a month. Though these demands may puzzle or even annoy you, they serve an important purpose: Routines help to make your child's world more predictable. At 17 months, most children are becoming less wary of strangers. At the grocery store your child may say hello to every person you pass in the aisles — something he never did before. Or when you go to music or tumbling class, he will suddenly want to be near the instructor. Mom and Dad are still the most important people in his life, but he is starting to develop special relationships with other people, too. He may even associate extended family, caregivers, and neighbors with certain activities. When you visit his grandparents, for instance, your toddler may pull his "Papa" out into the garden to investigate the roses he showed him on his last visit.
-BabyCenter.com
You may be surprised by the force of your child's likes and dislikes. Even at 17 months, toddlers can be very clear — loud and clear — about what they do and don't want to do, to eat, to wear. Some children surprise with another kind of force — hitting, especially when they're frustrated. The most likely target: you. It's counter-intuitive, but this is actually a sign of trust. A 17-month-old child knows that you're a safe person to show just how upset and frustrated he can get.
You may also notice that your child occasionally but very deliberately disobeys your orders. You say, "Please stay away from that vase," and your toddler looks right at you, reaches out, and touches the vase, or plucks a flower from it. You know he got your message, so rather than let the defiance become a big deal, experts say to simply ignore it whenever possible. In fact, it's important to try to avoid a confrontation with every little issue.
The first time you forget to read your toddler a bedtime story, don't be surprised if he reminds you. Toddlers thrive on routine, and they may remember each step of a particular ritual. If your child's end-of-day routine features bathing, drying hair, brushing teeth, picking out books, and then reading together in bed, there's a good chance that if you try to skip one or more of these steps, your 17-month-old will protest. Even at this young age, toddlers can be quite adamant about following rituals, some of which may make no sense to you. For instance, when you tuck your child into bed at night, he may insist that you cover his favorite doll or stuffed animal with a certain blanket — and only that blanket. Or he may want to drink his milk from one particular cup, or insist on oatmeal for breakfast every single day for a month. Though these demands may puzzle or even annoy you, they serve an important purpose: Routines help to make your child's world more predictable. At 17 months, most children are becoming less wary of strangers. At the grocery store your child may say hello to every person you pass in the aisles — something he never did before. Or when you go to music or tumbling class, he will suddenly want to be near the instructor. Mom and Dad are still the most important people in his life, but he is starting to develop special relationships with other people, too. He may even associate extended family, caregivers, and neighbors with certain activities. When you visit his grandparents, for instance, your toddler may pull his "Papa" out into the garden to investigate the roses he showed him on his last visit.
-BabyCenter.com
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Cathy & Carlos' Birthday
Happy birthday to my awesome sister, Cathy! And happy birthday to my cousin Carlos, otherwise known in our family as "The Paparazzi" as he's the one that takes so many of our family pictures! They were born one day apart (how cool is that?) so we always celebrate them together. :)
Friday, June 10, 2011
It's a Girl!!
We had our big ultrasound today! We have been soooo excited waiting for today! Before the appointment, people would ask me if I had any inkling on what I thought the gender would be. Honestly, although I'd be happy any which way, I thought it might be a boy - mostly because my nausea wasn't as bad as with Mila and so many people would look at my belly and say, "Boy!" Even my grandmother thought it was boy! She was so convinced, she went out and bought boy clothes and even gave it to me already! Then, a few nights ago, I had a dream that it was a boy. And then last night before the appointment, I dreamt it was a boy again!
So imagine our surprise, it's a girl! I couldn't help but get teary-eyed! Mila's going to have a little sister! I have 2 awesome sisters, both younger, and it was great! I'm so happy Mila and G2 will get to share toys and clothes like I did. Sisters rock!!!
So imagine our surprise, it's a girl! I couldn't help but get teary-eyed! Mila's going to have a little sister! I have 2 awesome sisters, both younger, and it was great! I'm so happy Mila and G2 will get to share toys and clothes like I did. Sisters rock!!!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Baby This Week: 21 weeks
Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Toddler This Week: 17 Months, Week 1
By now your toddler may be able to climb up a set of stairs, turn around at the top and sit, then scoot her way back down. Some more cautious toddlers may like climbing up the stairs but will call for help to get back down. Sign your child up for a toddler gymnastics class at the local Y or community center where she can climb and tumble over soft play structures without getting hurt. Or make your own play area at home by stacking pillows on top of a mattress or futon on the floor to make a pint-size climbing course.
Your child's growing independence is asserting itself in numerous ways: He may be able to take off his own socks or diaper (undressing fully will come later, and putting clothes on, quite a bit after that) and brush his own teeth (though "brushing" at this age pretty much means sticking the toothbrush in his mouth and chewing on it, so he continues to need your help). Could toilet training be on the horizon? If potty training your child on the early side sounds appealing, take a look at this unusual method: Potty training in three days or less. It's designed for children as young as 15 months – although, of course, every child is different and no single method will work for everyone. Even if you decide it's too early to begin now, the method is described in detail and it'll give you food for thought. Kids change so fast that what seems impossible now may be perfect for your family in a few months.
New talkers are often hard to understand. In fact, you and your partner might be the only people who can decipher what your child is trying to say. Lisping and mixing regular words with babbling phrases isn't unusual at 17 months. As your child's tongue and mouth muscles develop, enunciation should improve. Help him out by repeating what he says. This models correct pronunciation and helps out Grandma and other frustrated listeners. With time and patience, kids almost always outgrow this situation.
-BabyCenter.com
Your child's growing independence is asserting itself in numerous ways: He may be able to take off his own socks or diaper (undressing fully will come later, and putting clothes on, quite a bit after that) and brush his own teeth (though "brushing" at this age pretty much means sticking the toothbrush in his mouth and chewing on it, so he continues to need your help). Could toilet training be on the horizon? If potty training your child on the early side sounds appealing, take a look at this unusual method: Potty training in three days or less. It's designed for children as young as 15 months – although, of course, every child is different and no single method will work for everyone. Even if you decide it's too early to begin now, the method is described in detail and it'll give you food for thought. Kids change so fast that what seems impossible now may be perfect for your family in a few months.
New talkers are often hard to understand. In fact, you and your partner might be the only people who can decipher what your child is trying to say. Lisping and mixing regular words with babbling phrases isn't unusual at 17 months. As your child's tongue and mouth muscles develop, enunciation should improve. Help him out by repeating what he says. This models correct pronunciation and helps out Grandma and other frustrated listeners. With time and patience, kids almost always outgrow this situation.
-BabyCenter.com
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Ryan & Amanda
My friend and former co-worker Ryan and his 8 month pregnant wife, Amanda, invited us over for lunch today. They live really close to us. We had a great time at the pool! Look how fabulous Amanda looks with her belly in her bikini!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Sunglasses in B&N
We got Mila these sunglasses about a year ago. But she never really liked wearing them... until we rediscovered them today. She didn't want to take them off! Hilarious! She was walking around Barnes & Noble with them on! Haha!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Baby This Week: 20 weeks
Congratulations — you're at the halfway mark! Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.) She's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for her digestive system. She's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (although some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery). First Date Night Since Mila
20 weeks, 1 day pregnant
Earlier this evening we went on our first date night since Mila was born. We left Mila with her Tia Yaya. We were a little nervous about her dinner time, but she was totally fine! She did great! We went to Season's 52 for dinner. It was so delicious! So nice to be out at a nice restaurant, enjoy the food, have nice conversation.... all without telling a rambunctious toddler to stop doing one thing or another! Ahhhhhh... just some nice adult time! Why, oh, WHY haven't we done this earlier??????
Earlier this evening we went on our first date night since Mila was born. We left Mila with her Tia Yaya. We were a little nervous about her dinner time, but she was totally fine! She did great! We went to Season's 52 for dinner. It was so delicious! So nice to be out at a nice restaurant, enjoy the food, have nice conversation.... all without telling a rambunctious toddler to stop doing one thing or another! Ahhhhhh... just some nice adult time! Why, oh, WHY haven't we done this earlier??????
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
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