My Feets!

My Feets!
Originally uploaded by vczdavis

Day 21 Thursday 8/7

Well today was a very very long day. This morning at 10:30 we went to a new Mother's group for 6-12 month olds. Holly was a little young, but the babies in the 0-6 month group were all like 4-8 weeks old, and the facilitator thought we were ready. There were two babies 6 weeks older then holly, a little boy and a little girl. The girl was sitting and crawling, walking (holding mom's hands) and rolling, the boy was not really doing any of these, he was sorta sitting, but not well. It was great to compare how holly is doing, even though I know your not supposed to do this, but i got a chance to see other babies in action. Holly can almost roll onto her stomach, but she has no desire too, she does in fact walk when i hold her hands, and she sits up, but still pushes back, rather then falls forward, so doesn't quite get that yet. In a char or leaning she sits fine. it was fun to see how they play and interact with toys, and I think that holly is right on target. Serina the little girl crawled over to us, and reached out to holly and holly reached back and took her hand, and they looked at each other and smiled. it was so amazing to watch. Holly was certainly watching and absorbing everything she saw. She was playing with her feet some more also.

The we went to a place called Tumble and Tea, a Play Cafe, where I met tow other mom's with 6 month olds. Another Boy and Girl, and the same again, the boy wasn't rolling or crawling, he was just starting to sit, and the girl wasn't crawling, but rolling onto her belly pushing up and sliding and rotating, so she was certainly on her way. I see holly doing some of the same moves, but she doesn't like those arms, I can see she needs to be looser to really get there, and the little girl would slide to her side when sitting, but could do it a bit. Her and Holly also played and holly watched her intently. The play area has rubber mats and inclines, and I had holly on her belly on the incline looking over to the little girl, Laural, and she stayed there for like ten minutes watching her and on her belly and pushing up, then she rolled of her belly and got grumpy. We also read a long Big Kid Book about sleepovers and she was very attentive, she loves to be read to. This is great!

I did call Hilary earlier this week, but there was no answer and no voicemail on the phone I called, Perhaps she was out of town, and I know she is busy, I will try to touch bases again soon, but perhaps wait until after the wedding and honeymoon. I don't think that holly's tone has really changed much on the Minocycline, though I try to give her several massages a week, and we do daily stretching. On the play mat incline we did some more upside down baby stretches, with her head extended looking at me backwards, this made her laugh as she knew it was me, but I didn't look right, she kept trying to right herself. Normally when she is upside down she doesn't see me, so she stays like that.

Later we went toy shopping and I got a few more teethers, and some toys that make music and sound when you rattle or press them. One is her octopus friend from ocean time, and each arm is a color and it says the name of the color when you press it. In the store she kept laughing and playing with it.

I also am ordering a set of 350 picture cards, I am very excited about these. Stage one does matching, where there are two of each card on plain white backgrounds. Stage 2 has 5 or 6 of each thing in a natural setting, so like apple, on a tree, in a bowl, ect. I hope to get these in about a week, and they should be fun.

I also ordered the Hanen Infant book, like 3 weeks ago, but it has not come yet.

Once we got home, Holly danced, played with all her new toys, and was very talkative, told her daddy all about her day. I think she is a little shy, but not really. When playing she is more of an observer, watcher, and will interact with you, but not make the first move, and she is usually more quiet. But then at home she is all smiles and talkative. She will smile at the babies and other moms when they smile at her, and she reaches for them or takes toys from them, but she is also a wait and see kind of girl. I guess I will know more once she is crawling, and see how she does. There were some older kids who came and played with Holly, like 3 years old, they seem to all love babies, and she is happy to play with and interact with theses miniature people.

Today She fell asleep on my lap and I had to go pay my tab and I let one of the other mothers hold her while I went to pay and she woke up and started crying because it wasn't her mommy, but a strange lady, so she definitely needs to get to know people, but she recognizes faces she has seen before, like our regular friends, and even some of the moms and babies from swim class, so she has warmed up and will be more talkative there.

In two weeks I am taking her to try out a gymboree class, but heard I should join the YMCA and that they have a warm pool and kindergym, that is better and more affordable. Next week we will be in LA, so things will be crazy, and off her regular routine, but it should be ok. Holly didn't eat much today, I think it is because she is teething.

She had a full bottle at 6:30 then at 8:30 only drank 1 ounce. Then fell asleep around 9:30. I gave her her 25 dose of Minocycline with 4ml of Apple Juice and 3 pinches of sugar at 11:30. She did not have a poopie diaper today, but has been very very gassy, and i think that also made her super cranky. I am surprised the sugar isn't making her go more.