Big news : )

Ella started preschool last week!!!  She loves her Hello Kitty backpack, Hello Kitty lunch box, and her butterfly napmat.  Preschool itself?  Well, everyone tells me it'll take about 2 weeks before she's adjusted.  She cried when I left, she cried while I was gone - although I was assured she didn't cry the entire time!  Anyway, the people there all seem really nice and I do think she'll get into the grove and start enjoying her time there.  I am definitely enjoying the free time myself!!!!  It's amazing having a couple of hours that I can spend HOWEVER I want!  : )  Yesterday, I had lunch with Ryan before going to pick Ella up - that was really nice.  I thought maybe I'd use the time (it's twice a week) to be really productive at home...  So far, I've gotten some stuff done but I'm mostly just relaxing.  I figure I might as well take advantage of this time while I can!

I keep meaning to do a separate post to talk about being pregnant again, but I never get around to it.  So anyway, I'm now almost 16 weeks along and realizing that I might as well relax while I can!  The due date is July 2nd, and we should find out this Friday if it's a boy or a girl.  I'm hoping for another girl : )  We're excited, although it is a bit overwhelming to realize that in the coming months I'll go through labor, getting nursing right with the next baby- hopefully it will be a breeze this time around, the craziness of post-partum hormones, sleep deprivation, etc.  And doing it all while taking care of a 2 year old.  Well, at least I know what I'm getting into!  (I think.)  Oh and did I mention having thrown up daily for the past several weeks?  Yes, I am excited (in case you were wondering!) but I'm already thinking I might like to have Ella start going to school 5 times a week next fall, so that I can hopefully not go berserk.  Of course, I wouldn't do it if I didn't see benefit in it for her too- that's what we have to figure out- whether or not the school we have in mind would be a good fit for her.  What she's attending right now is really a Mother's Day Out kind of thing at a local church that lasts 5 hours long, 2 days a week.  What I'm thinking of for the fall is a Montessori school that lasts 4 hours long, 5 days a week.  Once we have that all sorted out (it'll probably be awhile), I'll have to blog about what we decide to do.  Wish us luck!

Other than that - Ella has finally started taking naps on her own!!!  She's napping right now actually.  I guess the key was to wait til noon or later to put her down.  If I put her down during her normal nap time in the morning, she would just scream and scream and scream nonstop.  It's funny that I didn't just try that sooner.  Oh well, hopefully I will be a pro by the time the next baby comes along!  The other thing I need to work on is WEANING!!!  Ella is still nursing.  It's not that I don't want to, but it's knowing that there's another baby on the way and knowing that she really doesn't need to anymore anyway that makes me anxious to put an end to it.  I'd also like it if I could wear a shirt without considering whether or not I could nurse Ella easily with it.  To go anywhere and not have to bring a nursing cover along....  A little bit of a break before I start nursing this next baby would just be nice.

Okay, well my little Ella Bella just woke up.  She'll probably demand milk as soon as I get her.  : )

Yes, I know, I go overboard....

Just when I thought that nobody reads my blog, except for my sister and Grandma Gruber, I find out that Julia Pimsleur happened to stumble across my blog and was kind enough to leave a comment!  You may or may not recognize the Pimsleur name, but Julia Pimsleur created a line of language learning products for kids, called Little Pim.  In my last blog, I mentioned that my blogging time was up since Ella's Little Pim DVD ended, which is what drew her attention to my blog.

If you have read my previous posts, then you've probably picked up on my enthusiasm for educational stuff.  I've talked so much about the Signing Time DVDs, because Ella's been able to demonstrate how they really have helped her learn since she uses signs herself.  But, I'll now admit that we have not only the entire Signing Time collection but: about half the Little Pim DVD collection, Muzzy- Level 1 and Level 2, Your Baby Can Read, MonkiSeeMonkiDo, BabyBit- Volume 1 in English and Spanish, Preschool Prep, as well as a few others....  Sounds like a bit much, huh?  Oh, and I'm itching to finish her Little Pim collection, get Muzzy in Chinese- Level 1 and Level 2, and get volumes 2, 3, & 4 of BabyBit in English.  Then maybe I'll consider getting it in Spanish too : )  I'd already have it all, except for the fact that it all adds up!

Now, before you start wondering if I just sit Ella in front of the TV all day long, let me describe what it's like...  Every morning, Ella eats breakfast in her high chair.  As soon as she's done, I pop in a DVD (usually Signing Time or Little Pim) while I take the chance to clean up the kitchen, pop a load of laundry in the wash, etc...  Then at lunch time, same thing.  That's it.  2 DVDs a day - it's about an hour or so of "TV" and we both love the routine.

Most parents are aware of the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that all children under 2 watch NO television.  So back when Ella was a couple of months old, I thought I better figure out if I would stick to that recommendation or not (who really does?).  I read a pretty thorough book Into the Minds of Babes: How Screen Time Affects Children from Birth to Age Five, that really helped me to decide how I was going to use television in our house.  I remember even taking notes from the book, I thought it was so helpful (I take this parenting thing very seriously! lol)  Here's what I remember most from the book:

•  Evaluate the content of the program
• What's most appropriate for an 18 month old will differ from what's most appropriate for a 2 year old, and that will differ from what's most appropriate for a 3 year old, and so on
• Background television isn't beneficial 
• Constant background noise makes it harder for an infant/toddler to pick out words from a constant stream of not-yet deciphered language- and all the more difficult to associate meaning with those words, possibly delaying language development
• Children engage in a higher level of play, for longer periods of time, when they don't have a TV on in the background to distract them, even when they don't seem to be paying attention to it
• Interaction between caregiver and child is reduced when the TV is on (unless you sit down and watch with him/her, asking questions about what's going on - how many parents do that every time the TV's on?)
• There's nothing better than face to face interaction
• Children learn best through face to face interaction- there's more to that argument, but I don't think most people really question the importance of face to face interaction

Based on all the information presented from that book, I decided that I would allow Ella to watch appropriate programming, for only a limited amount of time so that we would avoid background television and make sure it didn't take away much from our own interactions with each other.  

Deciding what to show to your baby is hard, because there's lots out there!  Most common is probably Baby Einstein, but thanks to Your Baby Can Read, I had already decided it held little benefit- more likely none at all- and crossed that off my must-have list (although we do have the Baby Einstein sign language DVD which I think is great).  All the other DVDs I listed that we have, I do recommend.  Well, maybe not Preschool Prep- that one is pretty boring; it just doesn't measure up to the rest.  At least Signing Time has taught me ASL and Ella uses it daily, and Little Pim has helped me pick up some foreign words myself.  I have a Japanese friend, and every time she says a word I learned from Little Pim, I'm actually proud of myself for recognizing it!  Lol.  Ella's not speaking Spanish or Japanese (though her English is emerging quite nicely!), but I wouldn't be surprised if she also recognizes some of the words from her Little Pim DVDs.  I'm about 100% sure that Ella does NOT know how to read, but I think that she enjoyed all her learn-to-read DVDs, and I have no regrets in purchasing those.  Maybe they'll help "do the trick" later, who knows?

And as far as face to face interaction goes- she gets plenty.  That's what I credit for Ella's love of books.  She has loved her books from the beginning, and I'm sure it's because it's something we do together- although more and more she'll take one and "read" all by herself - sometimes signing what she's looking at: bird, bear, hat, etc.  

So, I've confessed to yet another thing: being a crazy first time parent who went completely overboard in certain areas, and still has no plans for stopping!  Now you can see why a comment from Julia Pimsleur on my blog got me so excited...  As a parent who dreams of her baby's future being full of so much potential, I am so thankful that there are people out there making products that at the very least, help me feel like I'm doing my job as a parent when I choose to use their products for my baby.  Thanks again, Julia!

Catching up!

Whew, I don't know where time goes!  Actually, sometimes I feel like giving up on blogging, facebook, etc - all things that I really don't keep up too well with anyway, and then just feel bad about it.  I may just drop off the face of the online world one of these days....  well, I'm not sure if I would go as far as giving up online shopping : )  By the way, I wouldn't say I've been shopping like a mad woman for baby clothes in a long time.  My shopping habits have shifted to the educational department- books, books, and more books would be a pretty good summary.  Kids can't have too many books, right?  : )

Today's big accomplishment was getting Ella into the doctor for her 15 month check up, although she's really 15 1/2 months at this point.  Anyway, all is well.  Ella is now 33 inches and 20 pounds, 6 ounces.  She has surpassed the 95th percentile for length; unfortunately, her weight has gone from the 50th percentile to the 10th!  Weight-for-length she doesn't even come close to the 3rd percentile when you look at the growth chart...  You wouldn't guess it by looking at her, especially if you watched her eat - she can really eat!  I'm feeling quite puzzled by it really, but I guess I'll just need to make sure to offer her snacks more often.  I'm about to give her a cookie right now, just thinking about it....  Being a dietitian doesn't mean I don't give her treats!  

What else is going on?  I'm very excited to start Ella in preschool at a local church next month!  Mommy gets a 5 hour break, twice a week!  Yay : )  I'm expecting Ella to throw a fit at first, but I think (or really, really hoping) that she'll adjust well to it.  She definitely enjoys being around other people, especially other little kids.     Anyway, I'm at a point where I really want to give it shot, for both our sakes!  : )

This picture was taken around Halloween actually - at the Brookfield Zoo in IL, when we last made a trip to see my parents, Sam & Donovan.  That was a really nice trip, I have more pictures to share, but I'm short on time and energy! : )

Well, my free time is just about up- Ella's Little Pim DVD already ended.  Back to mommy duty.  : )

Sixty signs and counting!!!

Wow, I can't believe it's been nearly a month since I lost blogged!  A couple of weeks ago I drafted a blog with graphs and everything to illustrate her signing progress- but I couldn't get the graphs to post!  Urgh- that made me soooo frustrated!  Anyway, so now I am back from my blogging break : )

Ella knows over 60 signs now!!!  She's constantly learning new signs.  The signs she uses on a regular (almost daily) basis and without our prodding, include : daddy, mommy, milk, more, eat, hot, done, wash hands, potty, airplane, bird, flower, dog, bug, bath, napkin, no, shoes, hat, apple, banana, telephone, baby, bear.... I might be missing a few!  Sometimes she'll sign please, thank you and sorry if we prod her : )  She's also now getting better and better at saying "shoes" and "keys" two of her favorite things!  Oh, and she now says "Daddy" instead of "Dada."  She's also starting to put words together - "my daddy!"  The first time she did it was when Ryan swooped up Donovan (her cousin) right when he got home from work- she also signed my daddy madly!  It's funny how babies can throw their emotions into their signs : )  She also just said "my daddy" a bit earlier - although not madly!  She's also trying to say "I want down" instead of just "down" - Ryan and Johnny (Uncle Johnny to Ella) also think that's what she's saying- so it's not just me!

Signing has been so much fun for all of us!  I really recommend it for all babies/toddlers!  Especially if you're going to show your baby shows on TV - then you might as well pop in something like Signing Time!  Ella loves it, and we both have learned tons from it.  If they had a home based business where you sold their DVDs at house parties, I would do it!  I just think there's so many benefits in babies learning to sign, that I wish everyone knew about it.

Well, I would write more but we are at Jitter's Coffee right now, and Ella is demanding more attention than I can give her while typing!  I would add pics/video if I could make up my mind on any- next time!  Hopefully it won't be so long til the next blog!

Aaa is for Apple!

I realized that in the last few blogs, I didn't really give an update on what Ella's doing now, so let me keep this post short and sweet and sum it up! Ella's regular vocabulary now includes:

1. Mommy (with that "eee" ending- she used to say Mama)
2. Dada
3. No
4. Uh-oh
5. Nana for Banana
6. Aaa for Apple (I know, not a word and neither is Nana as a short word for Banana... but she signs banana or apple at the same time that she says the word, so it's clear what she's asking for...)
7. Bye
8. Knock (as she knocks on the door, it's so cute!)
9. BB (the dog's name)
10. Stop
11. Up
12. Down
13. More
14. Milk (usually the "k" is left off)
15. Done
16. Dog (usually the "g" is left off)
17. Ball
18. Baby (sounds a lot like BB, but you can tell the difference, especially when she's signing Baby or Dog while she says it)

Of all the above words, she can and does sign all of them except for BB (we haven't made a sign-name for BB) and uh-oh (although her accompanying facial expression is appropriately matched!) I guess I can't say Ella is actually signing "knock" but she knocks on the door when she says it, which would be a loose interpretation of signing - but it is appropriate gesturing.

If you count animal noises, then "baaaa" and "ooo-ooo-ahhh-ahhhh" count! When she's playing with her monkey or sheep, she'll make the noise.... Today at Target, she started making all those monkey sounds when we went past some stuffed monkeys. And whenever we walk by bananas, she'll say and sign banana. Then when she woke up from her second nap, she walked over to the fruit bowl and said and signed apple. Today when she noticed a bug flying around, she signed bug (well, her own version anyway!) and said "buh." She also signed bread and juice today, for the first time- I was excited! She's getting close to 50 signs now! : ) Or is she already there? Could be... We're having fun watching Ella learn and discover new things! Here's a few pictures from the past week...

The playground at Memorial Park was awesome,

although you can't really tell here...

Playground at King's River,

walking distance from home

At the airport, watching the planes land...

Ella mesmerized by the fish at the zoo's aquarium

Life After Baby...

We were at Jitter's Coffee earlier today. It's got a little kiddie corner, so we love to come with Ella since she can occupy herself while we relax, or get stuff done on the computer. You can see the progression of Ella from playing to.... pooped!!!

It's quite an adjustment when you go from being able to do whatever you feel like in your pre-baby life, to having to consider whether or not the places you want to go to are baby-friendly, whether or not it'll fit in with their nap/feeding schedule, whether not you'll even have fun going, etc... So.... you end up with a whole new list of activities you wind of doing with your baby : )

Although there might not be anyone reading this blog that needs ideas for stuff to do outsideyour home with your baby (especially since there are very few people reading this!), I'm going to share what I've found anyway! I love to share tips/ideas - even when unsolicited (right Dad? hehe...)

PLAYGROUNDS, POOLS & PLAY DATES

In the past few weeks, I just started taking Ella to playgrounds. I wasn't sure at first if she could really "play" at one, but I guess I underestimated her! If she's not interested in the equipment itself, she's either into the wood chips, the bugs, or any other kids around - so yes, she loves a trip to the playground - indoor or outdoor! And oh my goodness, there are so many options for playgrounds!!! And of course, they're free!

I like to relax at the pool, so a day at the pool better include more than just me and Ella! When we have Ryan with us, it's so much better - I think I only did the pool as a duo once... Anyway, Ella loves the pool too, but this activity requires more work and planning...

I don't usually use the term "playdate", I mean we've gotten together with other mommies & their babies before, usually to do some activity and we don't call it a playdate... But hanging out in someone else's house is always fun for Ella: new place, new toys = excitement!!!

STORY TIME

Story times seem to be abundant for us, and usually they are free! We live close to a library that offers 3 storytimes a week, for just her age category alone and we don't even have to register beforehand. *Drop-in activities are the best!* There are 2 other libraries in the area that have similar programming, although we haven't tried theirs yet... We just tried the Barnes & Noble weekly storytime a week and a half ago- it was great (the storyteller was so animated- he even danced and sang!) There is a small local bookstore that recently opened, and we will be checking out their storytime as well : ) We have a community center nearby that has a monthly story time and craft (lots of places have story time PLUS a craft). Been there, done that one! I must say, the library is the best option for us considering that it is the most age appropriate for Ella.

So that would seem like plenty of options, right? Well, there are also storytimes at our zoo, the Teddy Bear Stuffin' Shack (like Build-A-Bear), Jumpin' Joey's (a bouncy place for kids) and The Mud Pie Company (paint-your-own-pottery studio). We just got a zoo membership, so I'm sure we'll go to that one, but I'll probably wait til Ella's a little older for the other three which are meant for about 3 year-olds and up... which by the way, do charge...

MOMMY & ME CLASSES (or Daddy & Me!)

For starters there's yoga and StrollerFit which are great for fairly young infants. We didn't have a Mommy & Me yoga class in the area, and while I was up for the free trial of StrollerFit - I was too lazy to make it a commitment! I wish I had though! Actually there's also Infant Massage workshops you can do, but I didn't find out about that til Ella was past the age recommendation.

Kindermusik classes start from infancy, but we only began a couple of weeks ago. There are actually 3 different Kindermusik options in our area - after sampling each (lots of places will let you do a free trial class), I chose to go with Miss Sandy because she's closest to home and seemed to be the friendliest with the most affordable tuition. Actually I won her 1/2 off tuition raffle : ) Anyway, I'm really happy we're doing this one - mostly because I like the other participants in the class.

Around 4 - 6 months, you can start doing swimming classes with your baby. I'm glad we did, and will probably pick it back up again soon (we're on a break!) There's a huge difference between the regular classes and survival classes, the best choice would just depend on your goals... socialization opportunity or life saving swimming skills, weekly or daily lessons, affordable or break the bank tuition.... Moving on!

There are Baby Signing classes, which I was dying to do with Ella a couple of months ago but I couldn't find any classes around us. As it turns out, Ella has learned so much from the Signing Time DVD series that has taught her so much in the comfort of our own home. I still think Baby Signing classes are a great activity that would be worthwhile for most babies. In my opinion, the optimal age for this kind of class would be 10 - 12 months. The earlier you start, the longer it takes for your baby to sign back and I imagine you'd want to see results if you brought your baby to classes- they are kind of expensive!

The Little Gym, Gymboree, My Gym - these are all about the same, I think. (We haven't been to My Gym, but we have their DVD.) These places all have neat age-appropriate equipment and instructors that demonstrate how to do skills right for their developmental stage. Ella goes to The Little Gym every week and because of this class is willing to do forward rolls with help. It's very cute how she bends over and tucks her head a little- although she doesn't seem to think she needs to use her arms since we are there helping her! It'll come : ) Ryan and I both enjoy taking her to the Little Gym, but it is expensive... There's another place nearby called Kids in Action, which has similar equipment; they have an open gym time for only $5. I've been meaning to try out their open gym, but we've been kind of busy! Oh I almost forgot- even Lifetime Fitness has a class for toddlers which we are enrolled in- it's okay, looks like it might get cancelled though... As soon as that's cancelled (or just over with), we're going to try the Tiny Tots class offered at the gymnastics academy- can't wait!

There's actually also Mommy & Me Spanish classes... I had to pass on this one, since it just didn't fit our schedule very well : ) We're busy people, as you can see!

MORE OUTINGS

There's the zoo, Old MacDonald's Farm, the Children's Museum (downtown and at the Woodlands Mall), the Health Museum, the Downtown Aquarium, the Space Center, events at Outdoor Miller Theater and Discovery Green Park. Lots to do! There's also just the simple stroll through the neighborhood, which Ella always enjoys... and we can walk the dog at the same time! Or we could walk to the park, the nearby Target, Petco, or other stores/eateries in walking distance. Even a drive through the car wash is cool for a baby- after we got out of the car wash, Ella signed for "more." We want to take Ella to the airport to watch the airplanes take-off and land- there's a perfect spot meant just for that- we just haven't found the time to do that yet. So much to do, so little time...

LIFE AFTER BABY?

Well, I hope that I've illustrated that you still have plenty to do once you have a little one... You don't have to stay holed up in your house going batty : ) It just takes a little searching to see what's going on in your area! Luckily there are lots of free things to do, and free trial classes so you can decide if it's worth the money before you dish it out.

There's other stuff like MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers, usually organized through churches) but it's not really something you do with your baby which is why I didn't list it above. While they're little you can keep them with you, but at some point (like by 1 years old) they go into childcare.I did MOPS in the Spring but have since crossed it off my to-do list for multiple reasons (Ella doesn't like to go into childcare, conflicts with nap time, just to name a few.) Along the same line, lots of gyms also offer childcare so you can get in a workout- although we tried that today and I got exactly 15 minutes in since Ella SCREAMED the whole time we were apart : ( so they paged me to come pick her up... I can't wait til Ella likes going to the gym- they really do have a great play area!!!

Oh, and did I mention that you can always go shopping???? : )

Creating a Shop-ster

Now when we are in a clothing store, Ella wants to get out from her stroller and "shop." Just the way a lot of us will look through the rack, so does Ella! I guess she's had plenty of time to observe. She is definitely learning through imitation....

How do I not create a "shop-ster" when I am one myself? I have been reflecting deeply on this- though you may be chuckling as you read because it seems like such a shallow subject to begin with.... Let me start from the beginning of my shopping madness...

While I was only a few months pregnant, I began buying baby clothes- always on sale, which seemed to justify my large purchases at first. Then at some point, she just had way more than she actually needed, at which point, who cares if it's a bargain? Enough is enough. But still I shopped and shopped. I used to try to put it all away very inconspicuously, so Ryan wouldn't notice how full her closet became... Well, he's not an idiot! Luckily though he never minded so much that it caused arguments. Now that Ella has a closet FULL of clothes for 12-18 months, and plenty in 18 - 24 months, and then 2 years just waiting to be worn you would think that I'm done. But no, I am still frequently browsing my favorite stores online for any "must-haves"... I also considered a couple of times, loaning or giving some away- each time I just couldn't do it! I'd end up buying more clothes to give as a gift out of guilt of not being able to part with anything from my "collection."

What is wrong with me? Do other mothers go this crazy or is it just me? From the mommy friends that I have, I seem to be on the far end of the scale... So, I'm thinking something probably is wrong.... And thus in my self- psychoanalysis I have decided that I have always felt insecure in what I am wearing and am trying to prevent Ella from feeling the same. If that just sounds like an excuse, trust me, my analysis doesn't make me feel any better...

I remember once a Spanish teacher telling me in junior high that I looked like Barney (yeah, Barney). In front of the whole class. It's because I was wearing a purple shirt and green pants. And you know what? I really liked that outfit! Well, I don't think I ever wore that again... I remember once going to a church event and not taking my jacket off the entire time because I thought my shirt was too tight, and I didn't want to be judged. And there were plenty of times I was reluctant to even go to church because I just didn't know what to wear. Even now when Ryan and I are like, "maybe we should go to church?" I'll be thinking "wait, what would I wear?" It's not just church events either. For instance, I love going to nice dinners with Ryan, but even then, it's like "WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR?" Not to mention what shoes to wear!

While Ella rotates from adorable outfit to adorable outfit, I am rotating between 2 pairs of pants and about 5 shirts. I had more clothing choices, before I had a baby! You'd think I'd just go get more clothes for myself, but that's easier said than done. I am still up 10 pounds and not feeling up to buying clothes in a bigger size : ( I bought one pair of pants in a size so big I won't even say- I felt so sad trying all the pants on, I was crying in the dressing room. You'd think I'd cut back on the sweets, head to the gym... What can I say? I love to eat (I am a dietitian!) and I hate leaving Ella screaming in the childcare center at the gym. And the cycle of feeling less than beautiful goes on and on...

Which brings me to the next realization. I took all the compliments that my sister received while we were younger, as an implication that I wasn't pretty. Growing up, it felt like everyone always told my sister how pretty she was- but not me. What some family would remark on, was that they thought I was skinny. Not such a good thing to tell a young girl. I just felt even more worried about gaining weight- which I eventually did. So what's left to feel good about?

So there you have it. I didn't feel like I was pretty. I think I'm buying a ridiculous amount of clothes because I want the girl that Ella becomes, to always feels beautiful. So what's so wrong with my shopping then? Does that make it okay? I'm still not sure.... I do know one thing for sure. No matter what Ella wears, it doesn't make me feel pretty! So, while I do love buying her cute stuff, maybe what I should really do is work on beautifying myself... because as it turns out, that may be the real problem.

Well, this blog was more serious than intended, but this is what happens when I stay up late and blog, I guess. Typing while sleepy has its dangers: loss of inhibition. Hey, why would I ever pay for therapy when I'd rather use the money for buying baby clothes? : ) Might as well just blog my feelings : ) Then go shopping- or not : )