Friday 16 November 2018

Dani 9+ months, and family adventures

Happy days....Dani is 9 and a half months. AJ is four years old.

Many changes since we got back from our vacation to visit family last month. Dani was almost crawling at the end of October, and now she is crawling everywhere. She also wants to walk with support lately.

She chatters and chatters in her baby language.   She giggles at people especially big sister. The interactivity is so fun. Although she has been a part of our family for most of the year, I feel like a Dani shaped consciousness truly joined us in the past month. She smiles and laughs so much and she loves to make friends by grinning and babbling  at people. When she is very happy her face crumples up like she can’t fit all the smile into it. Dani likes mom best when she is tired and grumpy (lucky me)  but when she is happy she likes all kinds of people. She got along very well with my ex pat in-laws in the USA.

The flights to and from the states went well. Dani slept most of the first flight and then wanted to be in my lap for the shorter second flight. On the way home she didn’t want to sleep. She passed the time twerking in my lap, stealing my snacks and yanking out the headphone jack. I was grateful to sit next to an understanding gentleman who betrayed no discomfort when she fussed or I breastfed somewhat awkwardly in close quarters (Mr Turtle and AJ were in the row ahead). The worst part was the seriously bad turbulence coming into our city. The plane was bouncing around like a yo-yo and Dani screamed whenever I tried to put her back in her seat, which we paid for precisely for such a situation. I was watching the flight monitor, trying to rationalize myself out of sheer terror, counting the minutes till it was over. I did finally get her into the seat and oddly enough, the pilot (a lady, ha) performed the softest landing I have ever experienced. I could barely tell when we touched the ground. 

AJ was a model traveller. So proud of her. My mom bought her a suitcase as a birthday present and she loved it. She rolled it on her own for most of both trips, including the late night arrivals when we were all tired. I made her a big grab bag of activities for the plane and airport ($20 at the dollar store went a long way) and between that and the inflight movies she was happy. We also did a travel journal where I asked her to tell me what we did every day and I wrote it down so she has a memory of the trip (though at the moment I’m not sure where it is.....probably still in the activity bag which should be good to go for our next trip.)

Other firsts for Danika this month include eating more finger foods, sitting up on her own, and showing more emotions including frustration. For example she really doesn’t like it when she finds a prize on the floor such as one of her sister’s endless collection of stickers and I take it away instead of letting her chew on it. 

Speaking of chewing, two bottom teeth and one top one just cutting, which may account for her more restless nights lately. 

The interrupted sleep plus shorter days and colder temperatures have been making it harder to motivate myself to do things, especially during the week when I’m alone. Sometimes it’s after 3 by the time I get out of the house. We also went to a bunch of parties after getting back from vacation. I’m very grateful but I had the urge to be a hermit afterwards, and now I have to try not to let it become a habit. Also having less disposable income I second guess going to concerts or things like that, because how do I pick one over another, and  then I give up on making a decision and we end up going to nothing. 

Anyway, winter is long so I’m not going to let this go on forever. AJ’s party was a success, so that’s good. It went as expected: two hours of kids playing on bouncy castle and eating cupcakes, then home to our nice quiet house (our kids fell asleep; I hope other parents were as lucky).  I am looking forward to Christmas and happy to see bright lights and decorations on the long winter evenings (though I still think it’s tooooo early for Christmas music).

I’m using the carrier more with Dani as I anticipate snow making it more difficult to use the stroller. Unfortunately the mei tai doesn’t do front facing but it still is working pretty well. We also have an underused chariot / jogger and I want to get the flat tire fixed as I think it will be handy in snow and cold conditions. Thinking of introducing AJ to cross country skiing this year. If we have anything resembling the insane amount of snow we had last year I think I will also get snow shoes!

I will end with this Halloween picture. The dress is a hand me down from AJ. The furry object are black bear ears Dani refused to wear. (Her nickname is Dani bear so she had to be a bear for her first Halloween. I was also a bear. AJ was a T. rex again and Mr Turtle was also a T. rex.)




5 comments:

  1. I definitely can agree that colder temperatures and the time change of winter make it harder to want to get motivated to go anywhere. It’s a pain to bundle everyone up and get in and out of caraways with all those layers. I cherish the days that get just warm enough to give us a break from the harshness and allow for more outside time, because the sunshine does wonders for my mental health!
    Oh my word, look at her little bottom toofers!! Man, she has the biggest smile! I love how you put it that she couldn’t fit her whole huge smile so she has to scrunch her face!
    Glad AJs party went so well! It’s always such a rush and so exhausting, I love the feeling when the house gets quiet after everyone leaves.

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    1. Yup quiet is a gift! Dani's smile so makes the world better. It really does.

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  2. It sounds like both kids managed the traveling well. We are going to Ireland again in a few weeks and I am hoping this trip goes smoothly. Last time was a bit of a disaster with us forgetting one of our suitcases on the train on the way over and on the way back the flight was delayed and it took us ages to get home. In the meantime poor Mini was overtired and upset. This time we have booked flights earlier in the day and we will try to plan better! That's a very cute Halloween picture. Hope you all have a lovely Christmas together as a family of four

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    1. Thanks! I'm looking forward to it. So nice to look forward to Christmas without holding back. I hope your trip goes well. I think adventures are always worth it. Even the disasters just turn into stories we tell.

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    2. That's so true. Leaving our suitcase on the train after being distracted by some friendly Mormons turned into a funny story which we laugh about now!

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