Just checking in...
It's been a while since my last post, I know. We've been rather busy here as of late, so I just haven't had the time. But I thought you'd like to know what we've been doing, so here goes:
Philippa is nearly 14 months old. She is much more physical than Charlie was at her age, but not nearly as verbal. She only says Mama, Dada, and Bye-Bye, but she walks all over the place, and actually managed to escape out into the garage. Twice. Needless to say, we keep the door latched firmly when she's awake now. She's also entered an interesting stage of development - the tantrum. And when I say tantrum, I mean throwing herself on the ground, thrashing about, and screaming her face off. It's kind of funny, actually. I remember being mortified when Charlie started tantrum-ing, but now I'm all "Whatevah, just do your thing". So, progress for me. :-) The thing of it is that until now, we haven't had to tell her no. Or take things away. So now, she has a reason to be angry, and doesn't hesitate to tell us about it. She's started sleeping through the night again, which is a bit of a relief, as much as I enjoyed those special 3 am feedings, the tiredness the next day was a bit of a struggle. Her eczema is somewhat under control for the moment, thanks to aggressively avoiding all known or suspected triggers. We did challenge her with a small amount of cows' milk, which did not go over well. She didn't rash out, but she did have some problems down south which, thankfully, have eased. The paediatrician referred us for the same allergy test that Charlie had, except that Pippa will be tested for cows' milk protein, soy, egg, and wheat. He also referred us to a nutritionist, for help with feeding guidelines. So we're making some progress, which is good. Other than a lingering and awful case of nappy rash, she is well.
Charlotte never stops talking. Ever. From the moment she wakes up, until the moment her eyes close at night. Does. Not. Stop. Talking. It's adorable, and sometimes absolutely maddening. She tells us about things she's seen, sings songs, and does counting and letters. I remember reading a letter that my mother had written when we were kids, in which she described my sister as a 'talker'. That's my Charlie. She is a talking machine! She's also quite a klutz, just like her momma! Poor kid is always bashing her head, or tripping, or falling over imaginary cracks in the floor. The other day we had our first scalp laceration. She was messing around, and fell backwards and cut her head on a door hinge, of all things. No stitches required, and within 5 minutes she forgot all about it. She is also starting to be more vocal about what she likes (avocado and olive) and doesn't like (baked beans) in the food department, which is helpful. She also has some musical preferences, and in the car will tell me what songs she likes (Mamma Mia, Stayin' Alive) and which ones she doesn't (slow ballads). She is still hopping into bed with us, and although our bed seems a bit small when she turns sideways, or puts her bottom in my face, it's cozy and lovely.
I am in a good place at the moment, in terms of motherhood. I am truly enjoying my girls. Enjoying being a mother. Happy about what that has come to mean for me. Amazed at how quickly Pippa is growing out of things, and into others. Stunned at how quickly Charlie can stain, rip, or otherwise destroy her clothing. Curious about how we've managed to lose 6 halves of pairs of socks. Sad that Pippa might be our last baby, but content if that's the case. In terms of domesticity, I've been trying lots of new recipes, but mostly Indian cuisine. So far, I've loved them all. I've made Butter Chicken, Tandoori Chicken, and Lamb Biryani - they were all incredible. It's all part of my New Years' Resolution - to try new things. I've also recently tried refried beans - I can't believe that I lived in San Antonio for 4 and a half years and never tried them before. They are freaking awesome! The exercise resolution? Still there, in the background. When life slows down a bit, I'll have more time. I know my exercise class this week is going to HURT, because I skipped it last week and have done ZERO other exercise in a couple of weeks. The eating has also suffered a bit, due to increased stress levels. But it's not a permanent thing, which is different from before.
So I guess, overall, we're doing well. Sure, we've got our struggles (Pip's eczema, my patience levels, and Charlie's relative naughtiness), but there are a lot of positive things too - the look of sheer joy on Pippa's face at being able to walk places, Charlie's voice singing songs first thing in the morning, and when I have a good day with the patience stuff.
XOXO,
Sarah
Philippa is nearly 14 months old. She is much more physical than Charlie was at her age, but not nearly as verbal. She only says Mama, Dada, and Bye-Bye, but she walks all over the place, and actually managed to escape out into the garage. Twice. Needless to say, we keep the door latched firmly when she's awake now. She's also entered an interesting stage of development - the tantrum. And when I say tantrum, I mean throwing herself on the ground, thrashing about, and screaming her face off. It's kind of funny, actually. I remember being mortified when Charlie started tantrum-ing, but now I'm all "Whatevah, just do your thing". So, progress for me. :-) The thing of it is that until now, we haven't had to tell her no. Or take things away. So now, she has a reason to be angry, and doesn't hesitate to tell us about it. She's started sleeping through the night again, which is a bit of a relief, as much as I enjoyed those special 3 am feedings, the tiredness the next day was a bit of a struggle. Her eczema is somewhat under control for the moment, thanks to aggressively avoiding all known or suspected triggers. We did challenge her with a small amount of cows' milk, which did not go over well. She didn't rash out, but she did have some problems down south which, thankfully, have eased. The paediatrician referred us for the same allergy test that Charlie had, except that Pippa will be tested for cows' milk protein, soy, egg, and wheat. He also referred us to a nutritionist, for help with feeding guidelines. So we're making some progress, which is good. Other than a lingering and awful case of nappy rash, she is well.
Charlotte never stops talking. Ever. From the moment she wakes up, until the moment her eyes close at night. Does. Not. Stop. Talking. It's adorable, and sometimes absolutely maddening. She tells us about things she's seen, sings songs, and does counting and letters. I remember reading a letter that my mother had written when we were kids, in which she described my sister as a 'talker'. That's my Charlie. She is a talking machine! She's also quite a klutz, just like her momma! Poor kid is always bashing her head, or tripping, or falling over imaginary cracks in the floor. The other day we had our first scalp laceration. She was messing around, and fell backwards and cut her head on a door hinge, of all things. No stitches required, and within 5 minutes she forgot all about it. She is also starting to be more vocal about what she likes (avocado and olive) and doesn't like (baked beans) in the food department, which is helpful. She also has some musical preferences, and in the car will tell me what songs she likes (Mamma Mia, Stayin' Alive) and which ones she doesn't (slow ballads). She is still hopping into bed with us, and although our bed seems a bit small when she turns sideways, or puts her bottom in my face, it's cozy and lovely.
I am in a good place at the moment, in terms of motherhood. I am truly enjoying my girls. Enjoying being a mother. Happy about what that has come to mean for me. Amazed at how quickly Pippa is growing out of things, and into others. Stunned at how quickly Charlie can stain, rip, or otherwise destroy her clothing. Curious about how we've managed to lose 6 halves of pairs of socks. Sad that Pippa might be our last baby, but content if that's the case. In terms of domesticity, I've been trying lots of new recipes, but mostly Indian cuisine. So far, I've loved them all. I've made Butter Chicken, Tandoori Chicken, and Lamb Biryani - they were all incredible. It's all part of my New Years' Resolution - to try new things. I've also recently tried refried beans - I can't believe that I lived in San Antonio for 4 and a half years and never tried them before. They are freaking awesome! The exercise resolution? Still there, in the background. When life slows down a bit, I'll have more time. I know my exercise class this week is going to HURT, because I skipped it last week and have done ZERO other exercise in a couple of weeks. The eating has also suffered a bit, due to increased stress levels. But it's not a permanent thing, which is different from before.
So I guess, overall, we're doing well. Sure, we've got our struggles (Pip's eczema, my patience levels, and Charlie's relative naughtiness), but there are a lot of positive things too - the look of sheer joy on Pippa's face at being able to walk places, Charlie's voice singing songs first thing in the morning, and when I have a good day with the patience stuff.
XOXO,
Sarah
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