Happy Sabbath!

Baby A

Sign Language

So, we've been using a few signs with baby A throughout the day, in correlation with the given task/action.  We know that cognitively, she's not supposed to really understand what we're doing until about 4 months, and not be physically able to respond the hand gestures until about 6-9 months.

However, in the past couple of weeks, baby A has started showing signs that she kinda knew what was going on with some of the hand signals.  Earlier this week, I started testing her on these, and it really seemed like she was responding like she did know what I was trying to say.  I did feel like an idiot, thinking that she really understood, and that maybe it was all just coincidence (and still do!).  But seriously, I swear her smiles/non-smiles were based on understanding.

And then today came.

We were heading out to take a walk with some friends.  Baby A started fussing and seemed very adamant that something was wrong.  I laid her down and sign/asked if her diaper was dirty (one of the signs we'd been working on a lot).  Seeming frustrated she threw her hands out and kicked, and then brought one hand back in and made what really looked like the sign for 'dirty'.  I kinda freaked out for a second, cause I was pretty sure I was seeing things.  But I checked her diaper, just in case, and it was wet.

(note: we use cloth diapers, not so easy to tell if they're wet by just feeing the outside of the pants/diaper)

But, dude!

Of course I feel a bit insane for thinking she really made a hand sign.

We will definitely be trying again (next time she may have a dirty diaper) to see if she's really picked up on it.

:-D

21st Century Baby

My sis, M, and I keep talking about how our kids will never know what it's like to live without technology like the computer, the Wii, interactive touch screens like on the iPad...

I remember watching shows like Sesame Street and Mr. Roger's Neighborhood when I was little.  Everyone did.  Now, they are soooooo sloooooowww.  I try showing them to baby A (entertainment while I clean, get ready, etc.)  She likes them, thank goodness, (she hates Baby Einstein...), but she is incredibly captivated by cartoons...and other programs M and I pull up on the computer/iPad.  Her latest muse is the CareBears.  Which have been around for a bit.  But anytime we are near a room with a t.v. on, her eyes are glued to it...especially if a cartoon is playing.  M's son, little X, was watching Dexter's Laboratory (i think) the other day, and I think it kinda scared baby A, but she kept turning her head to see the screen.

I am very glad she is beginning to take a real interest in her toys, so it takes interest away from the t.v./computer screen.  I am looking forward to her being able to really play with toys so I don't have to resort to playing movies when I need to take a shower/wash the dishes/cook dinner/etc.  Until then, I'll keep singing the Babar theme song.  :-)

Playing online baby games

Making Friends

We went swimming today (2nd time!) and had a super blast!

(again, no pictures, sorry!)

We met up with another mom&kids from one of the mother-groups in town.  She had a daughter, baby AJ, a few months older than baby A.  Honestly, I wasn't really expecting that much--baby A is usually on the friendly side, but other babies her age ten to be just curious.  But they totally took to each other!  It was super cute!  Baby AJ kept petting baby A, who loved it, and eventually they were sharing my thumb to chew on, passing it back and forth.  Definitely camera-worthy  :-(  I'll have to start looking into water cameras :-)

Probably one of the funniest things about taking baby A swimming, in general, is watching all the older women in the locker room coo over baby A.  They think she's the cutest thing in her swimsuit and the cutest thing that she's going swimming, and the cutest thing when she smiles back.  I think it's cute when they coo too lol

I'll get some photos on here soon, I promise!!

Yay! for Bollywood!

I just finished watching My Name Is Khan.

Wow.

A little on the cheesy side--but a tear-jerker, and an eye-opener.

One of my sisters had told me that it was really good.  I don't remember her telling me exactly what it was about though--but that's my brain these days.  It's the post 9/11 movie I've been dying to see.  I've kinda been waiting for one with this message to come out, and just didn't realize that it already was.  My heart breaks for Muslims in America.  Though relatively mostly Christian, we seem to base our judgements on looks.  What we see first.  Most Americans cannot distinguish between people of different ethnic backgrounds.  Asians are the most noted, where most Americans used to consider everyone Chinese.  Thankfully that is waining.  However, those from the Middle East are now being lumped into mis-cadigoration.  The worst part for Middle Easterners, a large portion of Muslims don't even come from the Middle East.  They come from the South Pacific.  Indonesia.  Malaysia.  And many also come from various countries in Africa (the largest population of people to be mis-categorized--by Westerners--we cannot distinguish anything about that continent and have labeled the entire continent as one country...aside from Egypt and sometimes South Africa and Morocco).

My point, though, is not that we're mis-categorizing who is Muslim and who is not; we are not paying attention to the Muslim religion itself.  Or to the people to practice it.  This is what the movie is trying to convey.  An Indian man, practicing Muslim is no more a terrorist than a one who practices Buddhism, Sikhism, Hinduism, Christianity.  What makes a terrorist are the fundamentalist ideas and the 'need' for violent revenge.  Christianity has had its own terrorists, posing threats on other Christians.  There are several forms of Christian fundamentalists, some of which we pay attention to, most of which we deem ugly.  I'm quite sure the KKK can be labeled as a Christian fundamentalists.  And just as an American has a hard time telling an Indian from a Pakistani, we also have a hard time telling a Catholic from a protestant, a Baptist from an Episcopalian, a Morman from a fundamentalist Morman (one fundamentalist belief is that they prefer to believe in polygamy, not most of the Morman church), an Adventist from a cult member (that's an Adventist joke).

You can't tell them apart.  In the end, you have to rely on your 'good' judgement to watch their behaviors.  Personally, if I had to choose between two babysitters for my baby A, and one was a kind Christian and the other a selfish Muslim, I would choose the Christian.  Or, if one was a Christian bigot who angered easily and the other a kind Muslim who treated others with respect, I would choose the Muslim.  And yes, just as this movie portrays, they exist.  

I'm well aware that being under threat, as we unfortunately are, you must use extra precautions.  However, it seems that a lot of the threat is really built up paranoia from the media and social inspirations (or from our imaginations).

I only wish that a story like this was real (aside from a boy dying).  At least the movie is a step towards social knowledge, as long as the story gets out.

This is one movie I will ask my friends and family to see.

No-nos

I've known for quite some time that certain foods affect a nursing baby.
I've done very good at staying away from coffee.
I learned quickly that even a cup of hot chocolate can give a baby a decent amount of energy.
Except for the night of the hot chocolate, we haven't had any issues getting baby A to sleep at night.
Tonight...we learned that my go-to Luna bars also contain enough energy to give...energy...
Especially when my favorite is the peppermint chocolate...
How I missed it....I'll blame it on prego brain...
I also usually eat them early on in the day--evening is obviously Not a good idea.
Note taken.

First Swimming Pool

baby A went swimming (in a real pool, not the bath tub) last friday
:-D
(i really need to start taking more pictures...)
she's in love with bath time, and we thought she'd love the pool just as much--especially since we'd be able to move her around in the water a bit more
the massive amount of water i think was a bit daunting for her...but overall she loved it
was very content to lounge in my arms and chew her fingers and watch her cousins play in the water
she didn't kick around as much as she does in the bath, but loved it when i flipped her on her stomach...
...and stuck her tongue in the water, licked her tongue, and wanted more...

we're going again this week--the more she goes, the more used to it she will be, the more fun she/we will have
:-D

Combinations

thumb
index finger
thumb, index finger
thumb, index finger, middle finger
index finger, middle finger, ring finger
clinched fist
double clinched fists

baby A's trying to decide which fingers she like sucking on the most
maybe one day she'll stick to one (set) of finger(s)
or maybe decide fingers just aren't for her
(just like the bobos aren't-----bobos are pacifiers around my family)

poor baby :-(

baby A had boosters today
poor thing, i'm not sure i've seen her cry like that :-(
as soon as she stopped crying, she started again...
she finally fell asleep...
now is for hoping she has no reactions and the pain has faded by the time she wakes up

m.i.a.

oye vay!
so sorry it's been so long since i've written!
holiday season was extended holiday season this year...
and we still have one more holiday to go :-D
LUNAR NEW YEAR!
Chúc mừng năm mới!
less than a week to go!