Time Flies and So Does Lia

Happy New Year! We are back in Germany after a very relaxing holiday season in Reading. Lia continues to be an excellent traveler, but I imagine we will be increasingly uncomfortable sharing an airplane seat as she gets bigger and bigger. In fact, Lia fits into her 12-18 month clothes already. (I am a bit of a compulsive Baby Gap shopper - the clothes are so adorable.)

We have hit a lot of milestones including standing (using everything - walls, tables, legs, etc.) She is starting to explore the world and our apartment is as of yet decidedly not baby proofed. We have to get on that, because if you take your eyes off of Lia for more than 2 seconds, she is into something new. Lia is enjoying cheerios and more people foods - overcooked pasta yesterday! She babbles all the time, and we have heard: up, hallo, mama, and dada - although none necessarily were attached to real meaning.

Jan and I are both very busy with school and parenting, leaving little time for anything else. Despite the stresses of too much to do and too little time, we are truly enjoying the adventure of new life and working on taking one day at a time.

Once again - Happy New Year!!

6 Months Old

Lia is half a year old.

Major accomplishments: eating "real" food Her favorite is rice cereal
sitting from lying down
jumping jumping and more jumping
screeching and blowing raspberries

Likes: baths
sleeping in on the weekend
whistling
flirting with men

Disklikes: getting dressed
diaper changing
relaxing or chilling

And here are some cute videos

Long Hiatus - Lia is 5 months old!

But now I finally have a vacation from school. 7 weeks of work with a baby done! And they were tough. Hopefully after this two week break, life will get a little easier.

Lia is doing incredibly well. 5 months old, going on 12 :) She had her first meal last night, in her brand new tripp trapp chair, and ate like a pro. I am now waiting on the result of this meal - the dreaded first solid food poop.

Lia also can get up on her hands and knees, but isn´t quite crawling yet.

Here is an adorable baby slurping up her rice cereal :)

Before


Hey, this is pretty good!


Yum, yum, yum

On Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is a great joy, but also a great challenge. Little did I know, 3 months ago, that I would be able to squirt milk, out of my boob, clear across the room. This is quite a talent - and was a shock - the first time I did it.

Lia and I had little trouble getting started. Once she came out, my body was free territory, and the senior midwife stuck my boob in her mouth and off we went. Our midwife said that we were naturals and we should teach other woman. Great.

At that point, little did I know, that Lia would assert her own opinion about that whole thing, and torture me at will.

Here's what happens. Lia goes on a hunger strike. My boobs hurt. Lia gets hungry. Much awkward positioning and crying follows and ...

somehow I find myself sticking my boob in front of Lia's mouth, in the middle of a traffic jam, in a tunnel, not really caring when my sister points out the old man in the next car checking things out. Unfortunately, the body contortions and shamelessness did not pay off, and Lia gave me a look that said - what are you doing to me, get that thing out of my face, and punctuated it with some crying. That is the first in long string of what the hell moms.

Lia and I are living in the lap of luxury at my parents house, where we usually recline on the bed, and Lia can eat at her leisure. I think this is bad training, because next time we are jambed in an airplane bathroom, standing against a wall in a dark corner, or hiding in Lia's UV beach tent, Lia will turn her head in disdain as if to say, forget it, find me a double bed with 400 thread Egyptian cotton sheets, gently position me on my side, position yourself just so, allow me to ponder it for a while and then MAYBE, I will eat, stopping my hysterical crying and your chest pains.

Despite the challenges, breastfeeding is a bonding experience, and a joy, and a miracle of biology, and yes, I will really miss it when I am sitting in a cramped bathroom at work hooked to a pump, and of course, best of all, it is free.

Fast Approaching 3 Months

Baby smiles!!!!!!!

My sweet little baby will be three months old in a few days. Time is moving far to quickly.

Lia is still a sweet and wonderful baby, turning baby haters to baby lovers in an instant.

Her likes include:
Staring at a hand of cards - completely mesmerizing
Blowing raspberries
Smiling and raising her eyebrows
Standing (with assistance)
Kicking vigorously
Doing shoulder bridges
Baths

Her dislikes include:
Being held like a baby - so undignified
Planes
Eating when overly hungry (this can be an issue)
Tummy time for longer then 2 minutes
Shirts that go over the head
Hooter Hiders
Going to bed early

Achievements
Lia has progressed to making angry noises to warn you that she is about it cry if you don't do something FAST!
She can roll over - but only by accident
Many noises - the favorite is oooo gaa
And Lia is a baby body builder - she is pure muscle

6 Weeks Old Already

Wow...having a baby keeps you busy. Yes, there are long periods of sleeping, but those periods are being used to recover from the awake periods of constant baby interaction. When somebody asks me what I have been doing. The answer is often...well, hanging out with the baby.

Lia is a sweety. I think she is probably a relatively easy baby, but she does have her moments. Babies can really scream. And when they start up, they often don´t want to calm down. Luckily, the screaming does not even happen every day, just occasionally and afterward she passes out for hours. I still don´t understand the evolutionary purpose of the screaming - I mean, she has all of her needs taken care of and really, there is no point in screaming. But, she seems to get really pissed off at the world sometimes and ready to let go.

We have been making a lot of progress. I no longer am terrified to be alone in public with Lia (this resulted from the hard core screaming that happened the first time I took her for a walk alone). Nothing like a screaming baby to make you feel like the most negligent person ever. Here we are getting ready for an outing.



Since then we have mastered the stroller and the Moby wrap. Lia and I are becoming pros at leaving the house.

Every day, Lia is more alert and interactive. She coos and has conversations with us, and is more and more aware of the world around her.



Here she is checking out the patterns in her bassinet. (Thanks for the baby stimulating blanket Grandma!) Yes, babies like bright colors with sharp contrast - as they can actually see them.

Our neighbor knit Lia the cutest outfit. She very nicely slept through the fitting session.



She may have a future as a clothing model.

I will leave you with the cutest thing ever...a baby butt!!

Baby Sarah and Baby Lia

Lia and I seem to have scowling and pinchably fat cheeks in common.