November 2016 – Just Venting…or something like it

Dear Nathalie,

Though you did not realize it, you were present for a couple of very important moments this month. First, we had to say Goodbye to your mom’s first cat, Ash. She was an old cat, same age as your momma, but she became senile and she was not living a happy life. You, however, did not have a care to give about this event based on the picture below: goodbyeash Look at that, your mom and dad are saying farewell to a heavily sedated cat and you are just living it up! It’s not your fault, I get it, no one has taught you any manners yet.

Aunt Pixie celebrated her 26th birthday, and you missed it. It’s okay, we know you don’t have a car or a phone… or the motor skills to operate either of them or the vocabulary to wish someone a Happy Birthday. Maybe next year.

You also celebrated your first Thanksgiving. You were completely oblivious to the mountain of food but you were so happy to be surrounded by people. You were so busy people watching that you hardly noticed that you had a protrusion trying to work its way through your tender little gums.

Yes, you are teething…and it sucks. You live with your hand in your mouth most of the time, but don’t worry – Gramma ordered you a Munch Mitt. You also like to nom on your blankets so I also ordered you this weird thing called a Terry Teether. Let’s hope something brings you some relief.

Between teething and the regular waterfall of regurgitated formula that you expel, you are constantly damp. Based on being with you for several days straight, and the science behind the people at WebMD, I am fairly certain you have GERD. I have been trying to mentally invent a contraption for you to wear around your head or neck to catch the flow of liquid that regularly escapes your mouth. A bucket bib per se, but one that has the bucket part right under your chin – because a regular bib just doesn’t cut the mustard.

Enough with that. Let’s talk about the cool things you are doing. You DEFINITELY like squeaky toys and ~~Aunt Pixie~~ someone has threatened to shop the pet aisles for your Christmas toys. You are rolling over onto your tummy and lifting yourself up. You are showing your future potential as a contortionist by chewing on your feet. You like to grab the faces of the people within in your grasp (and promptly gauge them with your sharp little nails). You are experimenting with baby food… you are not keen on the apples but so far sweet potatoes are acceptable – rumor has it that bananas are next on the list and this will be a very intense moment as this is one of the things your father seems to have an allergic reaction to…I will be asking my friends to pray for you later today. Oh, Miss Nathalie, how I wish you had been born with my iron stomach. OH, you also seem to enjoy when I cover you in a blanket and slowly pull it off of you, sort of like peek-a-boo but not really. You seem to need constant entertainment; I read somewhere that is a sign of higher intelligence… why couldn’t you just be – nevermind – you’re perfect.

nathalie5months

Keep reaching for your toes Little Miss. We love you bunches.

Love,

GrandDawn

Dear Nathalie,

You have survived 4 months and 4 days of life thus far. Bravo little one, BRAH VO!

You are developing quite nicely. Your visual acuity is on point and your ability to reach out and grab your feet has come along quite nicely. Which also means that you enjoy it when I play with your feet! For today anyway.

Your ability to crush the heart of a grown up is well above average – you have the “sad look” perfected like no other. There is something about the way you squint your eyes and push out that little bottom lip that makes the heart just seize up from the desire to make you happy again. I fear for your Grandfather… he did not get the nickname “Uncle Sucker” for nothing. We may just have to change the “Uncle” part…

On one of your more recent visits, I subjected you to a viewing of one of my favorite animated movies: The Last Unicorn…to be honest, I watched it while you did your Nathalie thing and discovered new objects and demanded to be entertained… the only time you showed any interest was during the theme song… so, like a good GrandDawn, I purchased the song and added it to your playlist. I really hope that playlists are still a thing when you are old enough to comprehend this letter.

As I type this, you are visiting Dr. Sarah Bajuyo and getting shots (your mom loved getting shots – really, she did) and your current stats are 13 pounds and .02 oz and you have sprung up to a whopping 24 1/2 inches! Your father likes to point out that you are more than 1/3 of your mother’s height. It’s okay, your mommy might be less than a giant physically, but she is FIERCE – don’t mess with her… she may appear to be a cute, little, angelic snuggle bunny – and she is for the most part, but she can turn into the Mother of Dragons when you push the wrong button… consider yourself warned.

nathalie4months

To be honest, you are still simply perfecting the art of cuteness and not much else. You are trying your hardest to hold yourself up in a sitting position but you just aren’t there yet, you keep spotting your feet and then you reach for them and once that happens your course is set and downward you go… like one of those little Roly Poly bugs…pill bugs I think they are called. Anyway, until you get that stuff down, I am afraid that we just can’t move forward with some of the activities I have in mind for you. (Like learning how to write, type, complete jigsaw puzzles, and Aunt Pixie is sure to want to teach you how to use chopsticks while you are mastering the art of common utensils.) I suppose we just need to let you develop your gross and fine motor skills for any of that to happen… Although, it would be really awesome to see a baby using chopsticks while writing on a fine piece of parchment with a calligraphy pen.

I know, I know… slow my roll. I hear you.

Just keep doing your Nathalie thing, you will eventually catch up…I have patience.

Love, GrandDawn

Month: November 2016

GrandDawn’s Log: Month 5

GrandDawn’s log: Month 4