Merry Christmas!

Gerry & Gerritt playing with the set of wooden architectural blocks


Gerritt & Sophia comparing toys. Gerritt has already changed into his new Curious George fleece pajamas.


Sophia with her 1st baby doll!


Gerritt's presents


Do I look like the dog who likes to snuggle?

Well, we had the best Christmas ever! Chris & Gerry arrived during the day on Christmas Eve. We spent most of the day buying last-minute cooking ingredients, planning the Christmas Day menu, playing with the kids, & watching a movie. Shon, Gerry & Sophia stayed home while Chris, Gerritt & I made a run to PCC Natural Market. They have small grocery carts especially made for kids, so Gerritt had a blast pushing one around. Apparently, he was craving strawberries because he ate a half-a-pint box in less than 20 minutes.
We had our traditional table of finger foods in the evening - smoked wild king salmon & whole-wheat crackers, melted brie cheese with sliced organic pears & apples, smoked oysters, raw vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, carrots & mushrooms) with dill dip, shrimp with shrimp sauce & ham & cream cheese roll ups. Despite our best efforts Gerritt didn't eat anything but the crackers. He can be quite picky at times. He didn't even know what he was missing out since he refused to take even one bite. We've decided to open all of our presents on Christmas Eve after kids have gone to bed & have them open their presents on Christmas morning. Gerritt went to sleep at 8 pm, however, came out of the bedroom at 9:30 pm just as we were finishing up. I guess, we woke him up with our sounds of laughing & crinkeling paper. He looked all confused & started crying. So we asked him if he would like to open 1 present that evening. He was so thrilled to tear off the paper & find a soft red Elmo doll inside. Watching various Sesame Street episodes with Elmo on www.youtube is one of Gerritt's favorite activities, so finding Elmo inside the gift box put a big smile on his face.
The next morning Gerritt proceeded to open the rest of the presents. It was Gerritt's first "real" Christmas (the one he can understand & appreciate), so we all went overboard with the Christmas gifts. The 1st present Gerritt opened was a tow truck from Gerry, so Gerritt immediately started to play with it. 10 minutes later it was time to open another present - a book from Chris, which took all of Gerritt's attention. Poor thing, he kept jumping from one present to another attempting to play with all of them at once - an impossible task! All in all Gerritt received Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks & Boards I bought at the Lakeshore Learning Store; Melissa & Doug Architectural Unit Blocks (from Chris & Gerry); a huge yellow Tonka Toughest Mighty Dump Truck (from uncle Ananth); a wooden puzzle spelling GERRITT (from Chris & Gerry); Fisher Price Little People Builders Build 'n Drive Fire Truck (from Taj & Gabe); Curious George fleece pajama set , which Gerritt insisted on wearing right away & for the next 3 days (from Chris); a sock monkey that Chris has had since the 1970s; & 2 Christmas books (the Elf on the Shelf from the Olshavsky family & That's Not My Santa from Chris).
Then it was Sophia's turn to open presents & by that point Gerritt was an expert at opening them & had a lot of fun helping his little sister. Sophia received a handmade wool hat (distributed by the Fair Trade organization Ande's Gifts); pink Faux Fur vest from the Old Navy (from Mommy & Daddy); a wooden puzzle spelling SOPHIA (from Chris & Gerry), soft yellow organic cotton bear (from Taj & Gabe) & her very first beautiful French-made Corolle doll (from Chris). Chris even took the time to call the company & inquire whether the doll was made out of BPA- & PCV-containing plastic (which it was not). I can't believe I haven't heard of the Corolle dolls until now! They are non-toxic, soft, vanilla-scented, & machine-washable (gentle cycle). Of course, such a beautiful doll comes with multiple accessories - high chair, crib, a mealtime set, clothes, stroller, infant carrier, sling, bed, you name it. Many more gift ideas for Sophia for years to come! I think my husband & I had more fun with the kids' presents this year since we couldn't stop playing with their toys. :-)
We have been shopping for our own presents throughout the month so Mommy received a new set of Dr. Mercola non-toxic cookware. After reading about the dangers of Teflon-coated pots I've decided to get rid of them all together. I've also received a set of beautiful amethyst earrings (handmade by local Seattle artist Kristin Ford); Seven for All Mankind designer jeans; a Coach purse (my husband & I actually bought it together at an outlet mall); socks, cashmere sweater, body lotion, new pajama set (from Chris & Gerry) as well as Harry & David fruit, nut & chocolate tower (from Judy & Jerry) & beautiful Christmas ornaments (from Katie & Ed). Dadddy bought himself an electronic weather station (it predicts weather for the next 3 days) as well as upgraded our family's dish washer, dryer & washing machine. He also received the Barbecue Bible book & a set of grilling tools (from Chris & Gerry). Our poodle Spike received a set of Greenie chewing bones & a Snuggie sweater.
For dinner we roasted a leg of lamb. It was served with baked sweet potatoes & steamed green beans. I baked a cherry pie for dessert. Sophia sat next to our table during dinner & looked so sad. I gave her some of the melt-in-your mouth rice crackers, but they didn't satisfy her. So, I pureed some lamb & sweet potatoes for her. Boy, was it a hit! Our girl gobbled it up & even had TWO extra helpings.
It was a wonderful Christmas. The biggest blessing of all is our young family!

Christmas Eve

Our beautiful table


The happy couple


Boys of the family watching football game on TV


Girls of the family posing for camera


Presents under the tree ready to be opened tomorrow

Why blog?

Sophia posing for Mommy under the Christmas tree


Gerritt hanging the latest art project from his daycare


Gerritt, do "happy"!


Goofy baby!


On that day Gerritt insisted on going to his toddler class with his toothbrush

I have been blogging for over 2 years now & look forward to it every single time. This blog is my on-line journal that I hope to reread years later when those little details start to fade. Also, I want to leave a written account of our day-to-day living to my children. I write to inspire, to make them laugh, to show them how much they are loved, to teach certain lessons & to help them understand & remember their parents better. Compared to a paper diary, an on-line journal will never get lost or damaged. This is one of my gifts to them.
I've recently ran across an article appropriately titled The Power of Journaling. So why do people journal? Well, journaling is therapeutic. It can be a rewarding way of gaining clarity as well as charting your progress as a woman, wife & mother. Also, reading what you've previously written allows you to identify what needs to be changed. There will come a point where your journal becomes your legacy. Someone generations later could become interested in your words, thoughts & emotions. Your journal is who you are in print, so it's important to speak from your heart & soul.

Sophia is 7 Months Old! Alternatives to Traditional 1st Baby Foods. Just Say "No" to Spanking.

Gerritt riding the Merry-Go-Round at the mall


Decorating the Christmas tree with Mommy




Sophia as a pink butterfly! Gerritt had a monkey outfit, however, wasn't in the mood to dress up that day.



On December 14th Sophia turned 7 months old. Again I am happy those first months are behind us. I am NOT a fan of the newborn stage at all. Sophia has quite a personality. Having an older brother around definitely has its advantages. It seems that she is catching on to things faster. She understands a lot, just is unable to express herself except through crying. For example, if I am feeding breakfast to Gerritt (oatmeal with milk), she looks at both of us with sad eyes & whimpers. She does the same thing if Gerritt is holding a TV remote or a phone & she happened to want it. I usually have to distract her with another object. If Sophia really wants something badly, she screeches loudly (an ear-piercing scream). Gerritt quickly learned not just to take a toy away from her, but to trade it for something else more exciting.
Sophia can sit all by herself now (no pillows) & can roll from her back onto her tummy easily. She then doesn't know what to do, but someone is always around to help her. Sophia loves to smile & laughs & kicks her legs when seeing my face at night & in the morning. She really enjoys watching "Your Baby Can Read" DVD almost daily. Gerritt can already read a few simple words such as car, pig, egg, & cat, so we'll see if Sophia will follow into his footsteps. Sophia doesn't have to be swaddled anymore (she has outgrown her swaddling blankets anyways) & wears her fleece long-sleeved pajamas when sleeping instead.
Sophia has had her 1st cold when she was 6 months old & had another one a month later. They were relatively minor & I didn't have to repeat the difficult experience of all-night humidifier, traumatic saline nasal irrigations, hourly awakenings at night, & having her sleep in semi-reclined position in a stroller (everything I've experienced with baby Gerritt who had a cold almost every month from birth to about age 8-9 months).
When Sophia turned 6 months old, I've started feeding her solid foods such as pureed squash, bananas, baked apples, & brown rice cereal. Many people in the US traditionally feed white rice cereal as their baby's first solid food. After tasting it & finding it completely tasteless & boring, I have introduced my kids to such whole grains as quinoa & buckwheat. At 7 months I've expanded Sophia's menu to include pureed soups that the family was having for dinner (for example, cauliflower/seaweed/potato & split pea) as well as avocados & sweet potatoes. I was worried that I was introducing some foods too early (too many different foods, food groups & spices at once), however, was really encouraged by this recent Baby Center article. The article was based on the original article from Pediatric News. Experts used to recommend holding off on commonly allergenic foods such as eggs, peanuts, fish & shellfish until at least age 1, however, research has not supported that late introduction of these foods prevents food allergies. Also, I've learned that the idea that babies should eat only bland foods is a myth. There is nothing wrong with livening up your baby's food with spices. Apparently, if I am not in the mood to prepare separate "baby" meals, she can eat the same foods I eat, providing that I am eating something healthy. The list of adventurous first foods for babies includes pureed sour cherries, plums, stewed meat, turnips, cauliflower, broccoli, bok choi, kale, brussel sprouts, fish, quinoa, & millet. What a novel concept!
Gerritt & Sophia really get along. There is hardly any sibling rivalry. Sophia just adores Gerritt. When she is awake, she watches his every move & her face lights up every time she sees him. Sometimes when Gerritt cries, she starts to cry in solidarity. Gerritt has accepted the fact that Sophia's needs come first surprisingly well. If I can't be available to him because she wants to be held or fed, he just accepts it & finds something else to do. He doesn't throw tantrums (except on the day when we brought Sophia home from the hospital) or gets angry when I say I can't hold/feed/play with him right at that moment. Maybe it is because Gerritt & Sophia are only 19 months apart? Or maybe it is due to Gerritt's easy-going personality. I keep reading about the "terrible twos," & I am convinced that Gerritt is experiencing a mild version of this developmental stage. Of course, he has the days when he says "no" to everything or throws himself on the floor with loud screaming & kicking, however, they are rare. To deal with the "terrible twos" I make sure Gerritt has regular meals, naps & bedtime; offer him choices ("Would you like to wear red t-shirt or blue one?" for example); try not to sweat the small stuff (it is not OK to cross the street by yourself, but it's just fine to splash water in the kitchen sink or "fold" laundry even if it creates more work for me), & strive for consistency in discipline (the same rule applies every time & no amount of crying will change it).
I was able to define my style of parenting only recently. I follow a cooperative rather than authoritarian style of parenting. I don't say "Do it this way because I said so," but "Let's figure out the best way to solve this problem together." Dolores Curran who wrote book The Traits of Healthy Families found that in healthy families no one family member is dominant & that corporal punishment of children produces long-term negative consequences on character & behavior. More recent research has even demonstrated that spanking reduces child's intelligence. I must admit I've spanked Gerritt twice. Both times were the times when I was sleep-deprived, irritable & needed to gain control of the situation quickly. I just didn't know what else to do. I have since promised myself to never hit my children again no matter what the circumstances are. I will never forget the look of disappointment, hurt & disbelief in Gerritt's eyes. My heart ached for him as I thought to myself, "There must be a better way."
Legendary Peggy O'Mara (Mothering Magazine's publisher, editor & owner) wrote this in her article "Instead of Hitting" (Mothering magazine, November - December 2004) & I agree with this statement wholeheartedly:

"It took me a while to get my sea legs & to realize that the control I achieved by spanking was an illusion. My children would learn to hide their bad behavior from me if I spanked them, but I could never ultimately control them, and they would learn to resent me. The only hope I had of truly "controlling" things - that is, of having my own needs met - was rooted in our relationship. It is ultimately the relationship of love & mutual respect that ensures socialized behavior."

So what are the alternatives to punishment, time-outs & spanking?

1. Point a way to be helpful.
2. Express strong disapproval without attacking character (I really had to work on stopping myself from saying, "Bad boy, Gerritt!").
3. State your expectations.
4. Show your child how to make amends.
5. Take action.
6. Allow your child to experience the consequences of his or her own behavior.
7. Sympathize with the child. Be compassionate but stick to your decision.
8. Give an early warning.
9. Give specific instructions. Tell what to clean up, not just to "clean up."
10. Ask your child if you can help.
11. Ignore some annoying behavior. Don't reinforce negative behavior by giving it too much attention.
12. Do nothing.
13. Tackle one problem at a time. Correct one behavior at a time.
14. Use your sense of humor.
15. Give yourself time to grow & change.
16. Be affectionate.
17. Make sure the children are getting enough sleep.
18. Use the Golden Rule for children. Do unto them as you would like to have done unto you.
19. Convey respect.
20. Overlook differences that don't really matter.
21. Don't do for your children what they can do for themselves.
22. Schedule family time.
23. Use "I" statements.
24. Don't reward inappropriate behavior.
25. Use encouragement & honest praise rather than blanket praise.
26. Stop & think before you act.
27. Don't make a big fuss over spills & accidents.
28. Acknowledge positive behavior.
29. Sometimes just listen & be sympathetic. You can be sympathetic to both sides.
30. Be willing to change your mind.
31. Say "yes" as much as possible.
32. Get support & inspiration as a parent so that you remember you have choices.
33. Continue to think of your child as an emotional equal & figure it out.
34. Just say "no" to spanking.

Yes, spanking is easy. Growing as a parent requires investment & work. Honestly, becoming a Mom made me a better person. The growing part doesn't ever stop & I am looking forward to rereading this year's blog 3-5 years from now to see what progress I've made. :-)

"When a child hits a child, we call it aggression. When a child hits an adult, we call it hostility. When an adult hits an adult, we call it assault. When an adult hits a child, we call it discipline." ~ Haim G. Ginott

Sophia's First Christmas

Sophia & Santa


Gerritt & Sophia


Gerritt's 1st pee in the potty - November 26, 2009



Praising from grandma



Gerritt's 1st "big boy" haircut - November 21, 2009

It has been more than a month since I've written - it is amazing how busy my life is! I am happy to report that Gerritt has made a big progress in the potty training department. It is all just "clicked" over Thanksgiving Day weekend. I've noticed him waking up with a dry diaper for a couple of mornings in the row, so I put him on the potty chair right after getting out of bed. My husband's Mom visited us for Thanksgiving, so she was pleasantly surprised when Gerritt peed in the potty on Thanksgiving morning (the best present ever!). We all cheered & praised him loudly. We also gave him hugs & kisses, & I even took a photo of Gerritt with the potty chair. He was so proud of himself, he walked around with a smile for the rest of the morning. He used the potty AGAIN at lunch, so we were over the moon! For a few days after Thanksgiving Gerritt used the potty in the mornings, however, refused to do it in the afternoons by yelling, "No, no, no, no!" As eager as I was to potty train him, I had to take a step back since I didn't want to turn the potty training into a power struggle. My husband forced Gerritt to sit on a potty chair once & it was a disaster. Gerritt fought & resisted & ended up peeing on the carpet because he was so upset. Again, my goal was to keep the potty training process pleasant & happy, so we've decided that no force would be used ever again. Now Gerritt uses the potty every morning upon waking up & sometimes 1-2 more times during the day (depending on his mood). He uses it every 2 hours at his Russian daycare since there are other potty-trained children there & everyone sits on the potty at the same time. We've dealt with diapers for more than 2 years now (plus 7 months & counting of having 2 kids in diapers), so it is nice to see some light at the end of the tunnel. :-)
On the day after Thanksgiving we bought a Christmas tree. This is the first time I cared about getting a Christmas tree so early in season. We didn't get one last year since Gerritt just started to walk a couple of weeks before Christmas so he was into everything. However, what a difference one year makes! This year Gerritt knew what Christmas tree, Santa, toys, & presents were (thanks to reading our It Was the Night Before Christmas book so often). This is his first Christmas where he understands & appreciates the holiday's traditions. We were planning to get him only one Christmas present, however, couldn't help ourselves & bought more. He has 4 presents waiting to be opened under the tree & more presents are coming from Chris & Gerry who will be spending Christmas with us.
I had so much fun decorating the Christmas tree with Gerritt! He is old enough to understand to be gentle with the tree ornaments & even put a few on the tree all by himself. Within a week he knew all of the ornaments' names including mittens, snowman, Santa, star, bell, angel, pinecone, heart, & reindeer among others. We have a few special ornaments including the white glass heart embellished with Swarovski crystals given to us as a present for our wedding & as well as the pink one given to us for our 1st Valentine's Day as a married couple by our dear friend Judy Lawson. Gerritt has attempted to open Christmas presents a couple of times, however, put them back after being reminded to wait until Christmas. He knows what presents are, however, I am not sure whether he knows there are fun toys inside, otherwise, I don't think he would have been so patient.
Last week I went to the Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood with Sophia for her first Santa photo (our annual tradition). There were Santas in Bellevue, however, none of them offered a photo CD for purchase. Since photos fade over time, I chose to take a longer drive to Lynnwood to create another precious memory for our family. We were the first ones in line & even managed to capture Sophia's smile. I skipped the Santa photo with Gerritt this year since he refused to come anywhere near him. I have the last year's Santa photo with crying Gerritt, so I chose not to repeat this experience. Hopefully, next year both Gerritt & Sophia will happily sit on Santa's lap.


It has been over a month & Gerritt is still sleeping in our master bedroom with me. I am so used to it, I can't imagine sleeping separately from him. Gerritt does not demand that I go to bed at the same time as he does like he used to in the beginning of our cosleeping experiment. Now I just tuck him in, kiss him & his dog & bears good night, turn off the lights, close the door - and he is asleep a few minutes later! When he wakes up in the middle of the night, sometimes he touches my face & hair just to make sure I am there. I reassure him, "Mommy is here, honey. Go back to sleep." Gerritt initiated sleeping alone all by himself. One day I was home alone with both of the kids. It was Gerritt's nap time, however, Sophia was crying so I needed to attend to her needs first. It took her about half-an-hour to calm down & fall asleep, & when I came out of her bedroom, Gerritt was already asleep in our bed. He took matters into his own hands, which made me very happy.
Sophia's sleeping habits are still just getting established. The longest she sleeps is 5 hours at a time. It is getting better however. I was elated last week when I put Sophia into her crib with her crib mobile & found her asleep a few minutes later. No rocking or bottle were required. Hopefully, this is the start of her learning how to fall asleep on her own. I am working on putting her to sleep while she is sleepy but still awake, which does not go well when she is really tired. But it works better during the day for naps, so I'll keep on trying. One time we both laid down for a nap, however, Sophia woke up half-an-hour later. I was too sleep deprived to get up right away, so I let her fuss for a while. She talked to herself & then fell asleep all by herself. So getting adequate rest is a hit or a miss for us. Sleep deprivation is the hardest part of the motherhood for me, along with aching shoulders, neck & back since both of the kids are so heavy. I am usually so tired after an outing with Gerritt & Sophia, I count the minutes until my husband gets home from work. It is not the outing itself, but lifting Sophia & Gerritt in & out of their car seats, getting the double stroller ready & later putting it back in the car along with carrying 2 diaper bags. Once we get where we are going I usually carry Sophia and/or chase Gerritt. I didn't realize before I had children how physically fit you have to be to be a Mom.
Speaking of being physically fit, I renewed my 24-hour Fitness gym membership recently. It has been months since I've exercised & I feel an urgent need to get my old shape back. The gym near my house even offers childcare for a reasonable price of $3.50 for 2 hours while I exercise. Even though I bought the membership 2 weeks ago I haven't been back to exercise yet since none of my old workout clothes fits anymore. I need to go shopping again soon! It is hard to believe I used to wear size 4 just 2 years ago (I currently wear size 8). Actually I look great compared to the photos of some women I've seen on the Shape of a Mother - a website showing what real women look like without airbrushing & plastic surgery. I miss my "before-kids" body, but would not trade being a mother for anything!

Cosleeping Success!

The glow-in-the-dark moon & stars


Gerritt's 1st time falling asleep on his own in the "big bed"


Gerritt reading his favorite book at bedtime


An unexpected finding one morning - Sophia in bed with Daddy!


The happy family

Well, Gerritt has been sharing a bed with me for about a week now. Like I noted in my recent post a couple of weeks ago, he became interested in sleeping next to me by requesting to go to the "big bed" as I tried to rock him to sleep in a rocking chair one night. I always liked the co-sleeping idea, so we've decided to give it a try. The 1st couple of nights were rough as we were both getting used to each other's tosses & turns. We both woke up frequently & ended up being pretty sleep-deprived. The bed sharing has gotten easier, so now it is more enjoyable. Gerritt loves to face me close (so we can feel each other's breaths & our noses are almost touching) while drifting off to sleep. Our bed time routine involves changing Gerritt's diaper, brushing his teeth, & reading his favorite book "It was the night before Christmas" before turning off the lights. The bad news is that I have to go to bed with Gerritt (he won't sleep without me), which means going to bed at 8:30 or 9 pm. So I have to have my pajamas on & have my teeth brushed by 8 pm. I just have to say, "Gerritt, let's go to bed!", & a few seconds later I find him laying under the covers. The good news is that I don't have to bottle-feed him before bedtime anymore, thus reducing his risk of cavities.
Gerritt is very attached to me & has been known to get out of bed & walk in the dark to the opposite side of the house to find me sleeping with Sophia upon discovering Daddy instead of Mommy next to him in bed in the middle of the night. My husband is actually quite annoyed with this & reprimanded me multiple times for "spoiling" the child. However, I trust my attachment parenting skills. If you really listen to your parenting instinct, who wants to sleep alone? I wouldn't want to fall asleep in the crib alone & in the dark, separated from people I love most. This Mothering magazine article sums it up perfectly. Some other interesting facts I've learned from the article: US is the only nation in the world where infants are routinely put to sleep in their own beds in their own rooms; more parents sleep with their children than they are willing to admit; & cosleeping is safer than sleeping alone in the crib (it may even prevent SIDS). I am not exactly sure what makes me like bed sharing with Gerritt. It is probably having a quiet, uninterrupted, peaceful & unhurried time together. It is great to snuggle up next to him when returning home from work after midnight & not seeing him all day. One night I was actually laying in bed & listening to Gerritt's breathing & feeling his body warmth knowing he was happy & safe next to me. This wonderful feeling came over me & the word I thought of was "bliss." It is pure bliss to sleep next to your baby & feels so natural & right! I wish Sophia could join us, but she still wakes up frequently. If she was in bed with Gerritt & I he would be really sleep deprived. So for now I sleep with Gerritt in our master bedroom while my husband sleeps in the guest bedroom with the baby monitor on. Sophia sleeps in Gerritt's crib for most of the night, however, my husband ends up bringing her to bed with him around 4 or 5 am since she refuses to be left alone. Most of the mornings I find Sophia sleeping sweetly next to him in his bed - quite a sight!
This week I bought 2 boxes of the Glow-In-The-Dark Moon & Stars. Our bedtime routine was taking too long since Gerritt wanted me to read "It Was The Night Before Christmas" book to him over & over. Loud crying followed every time I told him "Good night" & turned off the lights. I really wanted bed sharing with Mommy to be a happy & peaceful experience, so I came up with the idea of putting the glow-in-the-dark moon & stars on our bedroom's ceiling. Gerritt loved it! The stars & moon glow for up to 45 minutes after turning off the lights, so Gerritt has plenty of time to admire them while falling asleep. Now he can't wait to go to bed, turn off the lights & start counting the stars. Problem solved!
I have to wash our bed sheets every 2-3 days since Gerritt's diaper leaks occasionally, otherwise cosleeping turned out to be easy. Good thing it is a king-size bed since Gerritt's 2 dogs, bear & boo-boo (blanket) go to bed with us too. Sometimes Gerritt insists on sleeping with his favorite book & several cars, so I wait until he is asleep to remove them. My husband tried sleeping with us a couple of times without success. Gerritt slept between us & kept waking up every time one of us turned. We were also too warm. I couldn't sleep because of my husband's snoring & Gerritt's kicking. We had the baby monitor on so we could hear Sophia in the bedroom next to ours, however, I couldn't go back to sleep after hearing her cry even if my husband got up to feed her. So we are back to square one: Gerritt sleeps with me & Sophia sleeps with Daddy. My husband & I had to get creative on finding ways to spend time as a couple. We might as well wear t-shirts like this. :-)
Yesterday he & I went to the post office to file an application for Sophia's passport. Gerritt got one when he was about 3 months old, so Sophia followed suit. The passport is valid for 5 years, so we got one for both kids since we plan on traveling to Mexico or Canada in the next few years. Right now it is just too much work, but it is nice to dream about traveling again just like we did before kids came along.

Gerritt's Dental Visit

Sophia's first Halloween


Gerritt enjoying "hammer & nails" in his toddler class


Circle time!


Admiring a sprouted avocado seed


Painting with both hands!

Last week Gerritt had his dental check-up visit. Dr. Thomas did not find any dental concerns & praised me for being such an informed parent. Gerritt cried during the exam & fluoride application, however, had so much fun after the visit, he didn't want to leave. He wanted me to read him books, & he played with wheel magnets on the wall & with a plastic puzzle on the floor of the dental office. He also got a couple of stickers for being a good boy, so he kept admiring those.
Dr. Thomas doesn't know my personal health history, but I didn't see a dentist until I was 6 or 7 years old, & I went to one in my school (When I was growing up in Russia, every school had its own dentist on staff) only because my cheek swelled up. I had a dental abscess. The dentist did not use any anesthetic while slicing my swollen gum with a scalpel & doing a root canal, which was the standard of treatment back then. Needless to say, the trauma of this visit did not encourage me to return. There was no such thing as preventive dental care in Russia (no, no dental cleanings every 6 months), & you went to the dentist only if you were in pain.
I remember spending most of my early childhood crying in pain due to toothaches. I was never taught how to brush or floss, & ate chocolates & fruits at bedtime regularly. I am not sure why my parents or grandparents never took me to the dentist - maybe they thought there was no need to worry about "baby" teeth? And here I am many years later having had fillings in all but 8 of my teeth & more than 9 crowns altogether. If you think there is another parent out there who is more concerned about their child's dental health than me, think again. I am determined to spare my children the unnecessary pain & suffering I went through since tooth decay is largely preventable.
I brush Gerritt's teeth using an electic toothbrush every morning & night using Spry Dental Defense System Tooth Gel, which contains bacteria-fighting xylitol. Xylitol helps raise the pH of the mouth (from acidic to alkaline); inhibits plaque formation; enhances the mineralization of the enamel (it is even effective in treating small decay spots); & stimulates saliva flow. Xylitol is not just for the young. A Finnish study showed that children whose teeth are colonized between 19-31 months of age by Streptococcus mutans bacteria are more likely to have a large number of cavities. Most children acquire these bacteria from their mothers by sharing food, food utensils & kissing. The study showed a 70% reduction in tooth decay amoung children whose mothers chewed xylitol gum (see How Xylitol-containing Products Affect Cariogenic Bacteria. J. Am. Dent. Assoc., April 2000). A study conducted at Harvard School of Dental Medicine concluded that "xylitol can significantly decrease the incidence of dental caries."
Dr. Thomas shared the following educational resources with us:

1) CariFree - I found its article on preventing cavities to be especially helpful.

2) Dr. John's Candies - a variety of tooth-friendly, sugar-free sweets.

3) Spry Gum - xylitol-containing, sugar-free gum.

4) Weleda toothpaste - Calendula & Ratanhia toothpastes contain licorice root extract, which inactivates cavity-causing bacteria for up to 3 months.

I have certainly learned a lot & look forward to implementing more healthy lifestyle changes into our lives. Prevention is worth an ounce of cure, that's for sure!
On a different note, Gerritt is still enjoying his toddler class. We have progressed from holding Mommy's hand to holding his stuffed dog only to holding nothing! Even the teachers commented when Gerritt's dog didn't show up for class one day. He still wants me near him at all times, however. I've attempted to attend the lecture for Moms the other week & had to leave after just a few minutes. Yes, Gerritt is more comfortable in his toddler class. Instead of whispering, "Mommy, come!," he yelled it out loud! :-)

Mommy's Attempt at Potty Training. Gerritt's Attempt to Cosleep. Gerritt's Favorite Breakfast.

Gerritt in his toddler class


Gerritt found unexpected fun in an empty diaper box


Making faces at the playground


Gerritt's cars all neatly organized


Sitting on a potty while watching his favorite "Word World"

I finally made it to Friday! After watching Sophia for 6 nights I am ready to have some "me" time. My husband took both of the kids to his Mom's house with an overnight stay since I have to work next couple of days. Not looking forward to my 12-hour+ work day tomorrow, however, I can't complain after having 7 days off in a row. I really love being a nurse! What other job would give me such flexibility? Speaking of my job, I got the H1N1 flu vaccine last Monday. After reading reports on Dr. Mercola's website about potential dangers of this vaccine, I wasn't going to get it. I intended to be one of those nurses at my hospital who would complete the Flu education module on line & sign a paper stating that I was informed of the risks of not getting the flu vaccine including potentially not being able to work for up to 2 weeks, infecting my unsuspecting patients & bringing the flu home to my family. I quickly changed my mind after having to take care of 3 Swine Flu patients last week. In fact, when I came to work last Friday, the Evergreen hospital has moved to Level 3 alert due to more than average patients with flu-like symptoms being admitted to the ER. It was decided that all of the flu patients would be put on 8 West, the hospital wing where I happened to be assigned that evening. The swine flu pandemic wasn't exaggerated news after all. The patients I've admitted were very sick & had high fevers (103-104 degrees F), fatigue, malaise, myalgia (muscle aches), hard-to-control cough, shortness of breath, & decreased blood oxygen saturation level (in low 80s with normal being above 92%). One of my patients was a young 32-year-old mother of 4; another one was an immunocompromised woman in her 60s. It wasn't the H1N1 flu itself that made my patients so ill, but the resulting bacterial pneumonia. Heavy-duty intravenous antibiotics (Vancomycin, Rocephin, Azithromax) were needed to help them get "over the hump." I started to seriously doubt that my diligent handwashing, N-95 mask & extra vitamin D3 alone would be enough to keep me from catching the swine flu. I've decided to receive the H1N1 FluMist vaccine instead of the injectable one to avoid controversial mercury & other preservatives. Luckily I didn't experience any side effects. I will have full immunity against the H1N1 flu in about 2 weeks. I was fortunate to get vaccinated since our hospital has received only 400 doses of the H1N1 FluMist & I was on the high-priority list due to working on the front lines, so to speak.
Moving on to my mothering job... I've been trying to potty-train Gerritt for the past couple of days. Several wet urine spots on the carpet, several pairs of wet pants & many hours of watchful waiting didn't amount to much. Gerritt was without his diaper from 8 am until 12:30 pm & he still pooped in his diaper as soon as I put it back on at 12:40 pm. He always has a BM right after breakfast, so I made sure he was planted firmly on his Baby Bjorn potty chair while eating & for at least 30 minutes afterwords. It looks like he is afraid to poop in the potty. Not sure how we are going to solve that one. He is becoming more aware of where the urine comes from & even takes off his wet pants all on his own. It is not pleasant to have wet spots all over our living room carpet, however, we are getting rid of it anyways (we are transitioning to hard-wood floor everywhere). I'll keep on trying...
Gerritt's favorite games still involve playing with puzzles & cars. He loves to stuff the cars into the crevices between our couch pillows, line them up on a carpet in a straight line, hide them under a pillow or a blanket, or line them up along a window seal. He went through a period of wanting to sleep with cars too. It wasn't easy to hold his stuffed dog, bear, blanket & 3-4 cars while putting him to sleep in a rocking chair. I had to wait until he was asleep & then quietly sneak into his room to remove all of the cars to prevent Gerritt from rolling over them in his sleep. Thankfully, this stage didn't last long! Unfortunately, there is always something else to take its place. For the past couple of days, Gerritt has been refusing to sleep in his crib. I would rock him for up to 1 hour in a rocking chair & as soon as I attempted to put him into his crib, he would shake his head "no" & cry loudly. I was so tired that I ended up putting him to sleep with me in our bed for the last couple of nights. Actually, it's not such a big deal to me. I am aware Americans in general are strongly opposed to having their kids sleep with them in a family bed, & cosleepers are looked down upon by other parents & doctors. I used to share my parents' bed occasionally up until I went to school (age 7). My parents divorced when I was about 4 years old, so cosleeping with my Mom & Dad (when I visited him) was very comforting to all of us. Since I practice the attachment style of parenting, cosleeping was something I've been wanting to do for a while. I tried to cosleep with newborn Gerritt & couldn't do it since I wasn't getting any rest due to my anxiety of constantly checking on him & being woken up by all of his newborn noises. I've tried sleeping with him again since he became a toddler, however, wasn't able to do it since he kept climbing all over me & laughing (even with the lights out) thinking it was a game. I will welcome Gerritt into our bed gladly if he is truly serious about it this time. I guess we'll find out. That was the whole reason we bought a king-size bed. I was imagining both of the kids sleeping with us eventually, if not during the week, then at least snuggling together on weekend mornings. :-)
Not sure what brought this on... My husband thinks Gerritt really misses me when he goes to daycare 3 days a week. It is not hard to guess. Yesterday after coming home from daycare Gerritt followed me all over the house & even to the bathroom when I took a shower. He undressed himself wanting to get into the bathtub with me. So much for Mommy's relaxation time! We ended up bathing together & playing with foam alphabet letters once again. On Tuesday in our toddler class Gerritt did not let me out of his sight. When I went to a separate room for my bi-weekly parenting lecture, he found me there, grabbed my fingers & tried to pull me off the couch while whispering, "Mommy, come! Mommy, come!" (I guess he was shy of other Moms sitting next to me, so he didn't speak in his full voice. :-))
As much as Gerritt enjoys being in his new Russian daycare, there is no place like home, even if being at home involves doing nothing exciting. He just likes to be close to me. Since I don't leave for work until 2:30 pm, Gerritt & I have plenty of time to bond in the mornings. Sophia is already at her Korean grandmother's house, so Gerritt gets undivided attention. My husband likes to get a rise out of him by saying," Common, Gerritt! I'll take you to daycare. Let's go!" Gerritt makes a sour face & responds in a whiny voice, "Daddy, york ("work"). Mommy, stay!" If I attempt to take him to daycare, he immediately switches his whining to, "Pacaaaaakes ("pancakes"), saaausyyyyy! ("sausage")." I proceed to ask him if he is hungry, to which he replies, "Baby, hungry!" I usually comply dutifully since making pancakes & sausage doesn't involve that much time & happens to be our family's favorite breakfast of all time.


Our favorite pancake mixes are the Arrowhead Mills' Organic Buckwheat Pancake & Waffle Mix & the Arrowhead Mills' Buttermilk Pancake & Waffle Mix. I follow directions on the package, but alter it slightly by adding a few tablespoons of Bob's Red Mill Whole Ground Flaxseed Meal (a good source of omega-3 fatty acids) & Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract for flavor. We serve pancakes with pure maple syrup & sauteed fruit (like peaches or strawberries). I serve some kind of protein at every meal, so our favorite protein to have with pancakes is ground turkey patties (Gerritt calls them sausage). Waking up on Saturday mornings to a delicious smell of pancakes is one of my happy childhood memories & the one I would like to create for Gerritt & Sophia.

"A life-long blessing for children is to fill them with warm memories of times together. Happy memories become treasures in the heart to pull out on the tough days of adulthood." ~ Charlotte Davis Kasl

Beautiful Artwork & Father's Role in Breastfeeding

Sophia did something new today. She has been trying to turn from laying on her side onto her tummy during the past week & today she finally succeeded! I was so proud of her, I was clapping & yelling, "Yeah!" & made her do it a few more times just to make sure it wasn't a one-time occurrence. When my husband got home from work, I showed him what Sophia could do. She is also sitting much better. I am still supporting her with pillows on both sides, however, she is able to lean forward, grab a toy & sit back without any difficulty. Sophia's legs are stronger as well. She loves to be held in a standing position & going up & down. This is so exciting!

I have found a set of breathtaking artful images while browsing the Internet today. I often read blogs & other publications related to pregnancy, natural birth, & breastfeeding, so it wasn't surprising I ran across these thought provoking pictures. I just had to post them in my blog for everyone to admire!

Baby Earth

Papaya: Can you believe where this all began? 1 life. Unlimited possibilities. Remember.

Mother Earth

Milky Way


While looking around I was also able to find two informative articles about the role of a father in the breastfeeding relationship. I have underestimated the role of my husband & underutilized his support after Sophia's birth as I described a few months ago in Postpartum Recovery. The 1st article titled Experiences of a Breastfeeding Father comes from the Chronicles of a Nursing Mom & the 2nd article titled A Father's Role in the Breastfeeding Relationship is from the Arubian Breastfeeding Mamas. If your partner feels shut out & useless because of your exclusive nursing relationship with your child, reading these articles is a must!

Sophia is 5 Months Old Today!

Our goofy kid trying on several hats at once


Trying out the swing


Bath time with Mommy


Sophia snuggling with Daddy


Sophia loves her jumperoo!

Our little girl is growing up fast. She can already hold her head & is trying to stand up. She likes to jump in her jumperoo. She also loves to be held. I give her many kisses & hugs (especially if it is just 2 of us at home). Sophia has the cutest laugh. All it takes is me looking at her & saying, "Where is my baby?" She also laughs when looking at herself in the mirror. We've started to read the Mirror Me book this week & she squeals with excitement every time I turn the page. Sophia has the strongest hands & grabs everything she can get her little sausage fingers on including my hair. She is healthy & has not had a single cold despite not being breastfed. I love her fat rolls & give her frequent massages, especially after a bath. She is addicted to her pacifier & always sucks on it when falling asleep. She doesn't use it when she is awake since she has her favorite Sophie the Giraffe & the BornFree teether to chew on instead. Gerritt always used to fall asleep with a bottle. Sophia can fall asleep with her pacifier alone as long as she is not hungry, so we've made progress in that area. Once she starts getting fussy, rubbing her eyes, look tired or loose interest in playing, I swaddle her & give her a pacifier. She is asleep 2-3 minutes later - easy!
She is definitely teething since she's been drooling & putting fingers into her mouth frequently. I rub her gums with my finger & Sophia likes to "bite" me.
Sophia often gets mistaken for a boy since she wears a lot of Gerritt's blue handy downs. There is no reason to throw away perfectly good clothes just because it is blue. She has a few cute outfits in "girl" colors.
She loves to watch Gerritt play or goof around & she always smiles when she sees him. Gerritt used to ignore her, but now he knows she is a real baby. If she drops a toy, he often picks it up & gives it back to her. He likes to be helpful so he brings a bottle for Sophia or put her dirty diaper in a trash when he is around. It is so great to have Gerritt entertain Sophia! I didn't have such luxury when he was a baby. That's how the Duggars from the show "18 Kids & Counting" do it - the older ones help raise the younger ones.
When I was pregnant I often wondered whether I could love another baby as much as I loved Gerritt. I found that my heart just got bigger. My love for Sophia grows stronger every day & our relationship is everchanging. She is so easy to love! I've always tried not to treat her like a baby, but a little person who has similar to mine emotions & feelings, but limited ways to express herself. Sophia is definitely more emotional than Gerritt. She can get quite loud if she doesn't get her way & it takes her a while to calm down once she is upset. Crying is a late sign of a certain need not being met, so most of my time is spent anticipating Sophia's needs. My Facebook friend Danelle Frisbie (who I've never met, but learned a great deal from) could not have said it any better:

"I used to say, "Babies cry to communicate - not manipulate." But, really, babies communicate in many non-verbal ways and their cry is indication that their initial non-verbal cues were not read or attended to. Maybe they were ignored, missed, or misinterpreted. Their cry is a last ditch effort to tell us something is wrong - a need they have has yet to be met. Babies never cry to manipulate. There are societies where a baby's cry is rarely heard. And attending to babies' needs is never detrimental to their health, happiness, well-being, or development. Let's learn our babies' cues and non-verbal forms of communication. Let's listen to what they are telling us - in their own way - and meet their needs as only a mother can. Note: I am not speaking here of older toddlers who fuss as a means of getting attention - although this occurs less often among toddlers who were peacefully parented as infants. And I am also speaking of babies labeled with 'colic' - there is a root cause to their pain - there are needs that were not or are not met. Maybe it was protection from pain or bodily harm at birth (being sectioned out before their lungs were ready, being genitally cut apart at birth, etc.); maybe it is gastrointestinal pain from cow's milk proteins in their diet that they cannot digest or pass; maybe they are simply in need of being held - close to mom's heart - being comforted, being worn, for more hours during the day; maybe they need more time at mom's breast. There is always reason for the tears. It is our job to know our babies well, to protect them, and to meet their needs when they cannot yet do so for themselves. And, hopefully, to do so before the cries are necessary."

Both my husband & I can't stand to hear a baby cry (probably the result of our parents' upbringing). I remember reading in Dr. Sears' The Baby Book that if you want to teach your child empathy, demonstrate it to her on a daily basis. It comes naturally to us.
I've been re-reading another wonderful book the Diaper Free Baby by C. Gross-Loh about elimination communication (EC) & trying to put both kids on a potty. Yep, you can start potty training in infancy! EC is toilet training practice involving timing, signals, cues & intuition to address your child's need to eliminate. The goal is to partially or completely avoid the use of diapers. I can usually tell when the kids have to have a bowel movement, especially if I am holding Sophia. "Pee catching" is more difficult. Gerritt has seen us use the toilet & loves to flush it afterwords. He asks to sit on a toilet once in a while, but has not produced any "goods" yet. I need to get some more supplies from the EC Store to jump start the potty training process.
It took Gerritt about a week to learn colors, so now he proudly names them everywhere we go including when driving in the car. "White car! Black car! Red car!" It is too cute! His favorite color may be purple. He doesn't wear it that often, but likes to say the word "purple."