SomethingNews

This weekend, David showed three new things. One, he is starting to have a mind of his own. Yesterday we went to a small zoo next to where we live, and when I put David on his stroller, he just let his body stretched out refusing to sit. By the time I buckled him in his seat, I was sweating and it was just few degrees outside.
Two, "this is mine". It was a big surprise for us when papa took from him the hanger he was playing with. He resisted, and wouldn't let go of the thing and he got a strong grip! When papa finally got it, he raised both hands to get the hanger back, then screamed and then cried. Three, he's got another new tooth popping out on the upper-left gum. We are just over the moon!

New thing

David is having a new trick again. Yesterday early morning papa put him back to his bed to prepare his milk and David just let his legs stretch out like a stick. As papa pushed him down to make him sit, he refused unbending his legs so he ended up walking backwards on his bed. He did it again this morning with me. He wants to walk all the time now and it's a back killer for me since he can't balance on his own yet. Thank goodness, someone invented the walker!

Catching up

Hmm, I'm missing a lot on David's blog. I've been chasing time during this month and well there are a lot of things needing to be finished. Unfortunately, David's site and blog are on the last priority. But here I am, nevertheless.
Ok, so where do I start? David's website host has been having trouble. First they were upgrading, I believe their system, and when it's up, I can't transfer files because of clients' traffic. It was only yesterday that I was able to transfer files.
David, you've been such a good boy, far from your first month when we were having trouble how to put you to sleep. I remember how many hours we have spent putting you to sleep in your walker at the entrance, right next to the kitchen and toilet room, because that was where you were comfortable the most (your bed was too big for you). And then the months where the living room was transformed into a family bedroom, us sleeping on the sofa and papa sleeping on the floor right next to us. You were waking up every two hours for your milk. Funny, it seems so far away. Now I just put you in your bed after a book or two and then off you go to your dreamland.
And yesterday was your 10th month birthday. You had a piece of choco cake papa prepared. You were so excited running around the house, chasing everyone while outside, the snow was falling gently.

Talking of snow, last weekend was a wonderful time for all of us. Papa has brought us all to the mountain to let David experience his first height, first snow, first sleighing and first hotel (most of our trips were visiting loving families and relatives). To our delight, David was enjoying the whole trip. Of course, he cried a bit (but babies do after an exciting day). David adored it when we were pushing him down the slope. Papa and I took turn in pushing and catching him. I think, he wasn't frightened by the sensation of going down, the cold and the height because we were there cheering him up. He was like King Louis XIV with his bunch of cheering squads. And us parents just had the joy watching our little one smiling and laughing with the steam coming out from his nostrils and mouth.
We also had the time to visit Colmar, Alsace, the place of "cigognes" or storks. We actually saw many of them, strange for this time of the year. Then after the visit, we went to Freiburg, Germany. We didn't stay long, we know the place already. It was papa's idea just to let David cross the franco-german border, and perhaps his excuse to drive again! As it was, David went to Germany just to poo!

Being ten months old

David is ten months old and for his developments, I simply cannot keep track of them. He doesn't like playing with his toys anymore, somehow they lost their appeal. When he is awake, he likes to stand up holding on to furniture or walk around. He is fascinated by lights, cabinets, hangers, washing machines, ovens, etc.; in fact anything that isn't a baby toy fascinates him. He likes watching the birds outside and keeps on saying "acha, acha", whatever that means.
He has few vocabularies, although he doesn't say them yet, I know he understands by the way he reacts to what I say: when I say "birds fly outside", he looks out the window up in the sky; when I say "where is the dog", he looks down to the street looking for people walking their dogs; when I say "where is the cow" he looks for it and holds it tight, the same with his cat; when I say "where is filou", he looks at his bed, that's where filou is all the time as filou is his sleeping companion, and when we are in the house, filou must stay in the bed and nowhere else. He has a new word, “art”. He did it when he was looking at the painting in our hotel room during our trip to the Vosges. But at home, hmmm, he says “art” to everything hanging on the walls, including the lights and mirrors.
He likes to answer the telephone. As soon as it rings, he drops anything at once and turns towards the phone ringing, says "dada, dada", then looks at me with an inquisitive look. He likes flipping through his board books; unfortunately, he has the impression that books taste better than they look. He has eaten pages! And we keep on looking for the bloody remote control, David hides it anywhere!
Alright, for the crimes, he broke his bed and fell from it. No injuries, his feet were actually touching the pillows I put right next to his bedside, and he was holding on to his bed sheets, screaming... He broke the curtain holder again! Aside from me covered with food, there are stains everywhere on the carpet; he likes to blow with food in his mouth. The other night I saw an ad on TV of a father putting on a raincoat, gloves, goggles and a hat before he feeds his children, now that's not a terrible idea. Anyway, I have few concerns, he doesn't eat much. Just how much can a baby eat? He doesn't look skinny at all, he looks fine, but I have this paranoia that he is small for his age. I wish he would just finish what I give him. I mean, he looks such a baby. Alright, I'm paranoid; he is only ten months old after all. But gosh, his energy is boundless, and he does caca three times a day! When he behaves like a boy, but looks like a baby that’s where my paranoia strikes.
And mealtime is my most challenging time with him. Since he was born, no matter how he cried, fussed or stayed awake at night, it was ok for me. It’s mealtime that makes me want to cry or scream. Ahhhhhhh!!!! All the possible mealtime games don’t work anymore, not even that ever popular airplane. He seems to know what I’m up to with the spoon! And he turns around in his high chair, tries to stand up and bangs his head… then cry. I put toys in front him, I let him munch on them while feeding him. Ok, it doesn’t matter if the toys are covered with food, I can just wash them after. But dropping toys on the floor and me spending time putting them back on his chair, back and forth, back and forth, it drains out my energy. If only I have cheering squads and four hands, two minding the toys, the other pair, feeding him… that would be helpful! But no, unfortunately I only got to worn-out hands and I’m tired of saying endlessly, food is good, yummy, yummy, yummy!! Grrrr!!!
Anyhow, after this endless grumble of mine, David is still adorable, sweet and such a coquinette (mischievous). He steals things not his and run away with them with a naughty laugh. And when you run after him, the faster he goes! It’s amazing how those tiny feet can cover miles and miles.
It twists my heart when I often, note at this time it’s often, shout at him “noooo!” He gets scared and upset. When I say to him he is not allowed to eat those books, he gets really upset, he looks at me with fearful and sad eyes, afterwards when I give him back the books he just pushes them away. The same reaction with his other toys.
When I’m preparing food in the kitchen, in his walker he goes rampaging the cabinets and opens every possible door and well, grapples every bottles, sponges, brushes and whatever you have in the kitchen. And of course, I say noooo!! He really freezes right in the middle of what he is doing, looks at me sensibly and when I repeat my no several times, he backs out, looks at me again studiously and when he sees I’m still serious, he pulls my pants looking helpless. I explain to him a million times why there are certain “nos” in the house. And he is just there, standing beside me looking like a beaten puppy. My gosh, he is just so sweet. Anyhow, there are times I noticed he remembers what he is NOT allowed to touch, but of course, most of the time he just goes doing the forbidden stuff…
Anyway, in his tenth month, we have started putting him on his potty. It’s easier than I thought. He actually has done several poos in it, so we are just happy. For some reason, he just looks funny when he does it. To keep him sit still on the potty, I give him books to read, cover his exposed legs with blankets so that they are warm, and I chant “oohmmm caca!” Don’t ask!!! The next step David needs to understand is to let us know he wants to go to the toilet before he soils his nappy. I guess we have a long way to go on this…

Potty first, potty first

This morning, David has successfully done his caca business in his potty. We usually have our little play when I think it's time for him to do his toilet. I let him sit on the potty, make the rhyme "ehmmm caca, ehmmm caca", several times until something comes out. To make him stay on the potty without moving and wiggling, I put a book on his lap and let him flip through the pages. It actually works.
I hope the "ehmm caca" would also help him understand that it's time for toilet; afterall I've been saying those since the day he was born and during the time he did his pushing and gruntling sounds that only meant he is in the middle of a stinky business.

Backaches!

Backaches, that's what I've been feeling since last week. David is just so active. He doesn't like sitting down playing with his toys, he keeps on moving holding on to furnitures or to me to stand up. If I'm not around, the next thing I could hear is a head bumping on the floor, followed by a scream. Good thing the carpet is thick, if not he would have bruises on his head. When on bed, he keeps on turning on to his tummy and since he can't turn over back yet, he screams again. Sometimes even asleep he would turn over, I dunno how he does it and then he would wake up crying and gone is the sleep....
He likes watching birds flying outside his window. If I stand away from it he cries and turns his head towards the world outside. Today I brought him to the playground and he was just chasing every possible pigeons who landed. And since he can't walk nor balance himself well, I had to hold him all the time. Gosh I feel like a grandma with back twisted and achy...

Oh by the way, he started his toilet training the other day, so far just "pipi" coming out!

Oopps, I did it again!

Something disgusting happened today! David had his usual daily bath, I should have known when he suddenly stopped playing and flying his tiny arms up to me asking to be taken out! I thought, that was a new trick, usually he likes to stay long in his bath that if I don't take him out, he would just be happy staying there forever. Today, was different. I thought hmmmm, another progress!

What progress!!! I took him out from his bath seat and let him float for a minute in the water so that his shoulders would be warm. He gave me this look, a kind of look that people wear when they do multiplication and division! Well, calculation! I talked to him gently and I was about to caress his bottom submerged in the water when I suddenly saw a caca slowly nudging its way out to its final glory!!! Holyyyy gollly, I was so surprised but maintained a good hold of David. I didn't want to interrupt him in the middle of something really eventful! It was like looking at a submarine slowly moving its way to the surface of the sea. As soon as David popped everything out, I whisked him out of the bath together with all his toys...

I complained to the tiny head that it was the second time he did it to me. (The first one was ok, I didn't see it going). I just got a curious look and a contented smirk glued on his face. Kakun!!

Happy Birthday tita Alyssa

Dearest tita Alyssa,
It's your big day today! I hope it's going to be a blast! Have a wonderful time with everybody! Happy birthday tita. I love you!

hugs ans kisses,
David

A weeekend filled with Galette des Rois

Galette des Rois is a large round cake, often filled with almond paste, traditionally eaten on the Twelfth Night of January. It contains a small porcelain figurine (the fève). The cake is shared out and the person who finds the "fève" becomes the king or queen and is given a cardboard crown to wear. This is a french tradition.

Saturday this weekend, the fête was hosted by Lionel and Jaina. David was there with his little friend Roxane. David is really becoming a boy now as he was behaved and was playing around with his toys while we adults were having our lunch/dinner. As the galette was served David was fast asleep so he missed the whole ceremony. It was too bad he didn't see his papa wearing the crown as he was the one who got the tiny figurine. David had his own photo session with the crown only later after he woke up.

The following day, Sunday, well today, we went to another "galette party" in Claude's place, David's big cousin. It was amusing to see him very shy with our hosts who he met for the very first time. But he was friendly with the black cat, first time he actually had a close encounter with one. He wanted to touch it but the cat was rather too shy and escaped away. Later in the afternoon, we found out that we haven't brought any milk for him!!!! My gosh, how stupid of me! I have brought three bags all for him, containing toys, extra diapers, bottles, yoghurt, etc... but no MILK!
When he started fussing, I tried putting him to bed, but it wasn't his bed so he was crying. I called his papa downstairs, in the middle of his lunch to make David's milk; he cried out that there was none in the bag. Gosh my heart skipped a thousand miles and I was really thinking hard, it's not possible I've forgotten our baby's milk. So I went downstairs with David in my arms and searched the three bags. Nothing! Duh!!! Alright dilemma!!!! Ok, no panic!!!
We gave David his yoghurt which he didn't finish. He wasn't crying really so he wasn't hungry, just a bit tired. But I felt so guilty and worried. The party lasted till 7 pm and David, the whole time, was feasting on a piece of baguette (French bread), biscuit, banana and water. Again he missed the galette ceremony as he fell asleep.
There were five of us and the host was wondering how to cut the round cake into five equal parts. We suggested she cuts it in six parts to make it easier. Funny thing was, everybody had finished their share and there was no "fève" found. So we assumed it must be in the last slice. And no one wanted the last part since it was obvious the much expected fève was there. So our lovely host sliced again the last part into five shares and as she did, the fève popped out!!! Another dilemma, if she gives out the slices like that, the mystery is gone and well, it would kill the whole fun. So she hid the plate and as she held a slice she let me decide to whom it should be given, without me seeing if the fève was there. As the distribution ended, it was her husband who got to wear the crown and picked up my mother in law to be his queen! Now that was fun!
David woke up crying, and I knew he was hungry so I gave him another piece of baguette and he kept quiet. He just loves munching this bread. It was time to go and I started packing up all his toys that were scattered on the floor. As we arrived home, and papa opened the car trunk to collect our bags, it was the time we realized duh!!! we forgot his pushchair. So tomorrow papa will go back to Claude's house to collect it... bon courage dada!

Merci beaucoup pour tous les cadeaux de Noël!

I would like to thank the following people for the Christmas gifts they have offered. You made my first Christmas really special. (Je voudrais remercier les personnes suivantes qui m'ont offert des cadeaux de Noël!):

• Lolo Pierre & lola Sarah, Tita Laetitia, tita Alyssa & tito Matthieu
• Lola Bernie, papa & mama
• Oncle Robert & tante Colette
• Ginette
• Tito Al & tita Nina
• Friend Mathias
• Tita Joy
• Tito Emmanuel & tita Terence
• Tito Guillaume, tita Ana & Roxane
• Friend Elise
• Tito Lionel & tita Jaina
• Claude & Rosita
• Tito Laurent & tita Rochelle
  

Thank you also for those who have sent us lovely greeting cards. Happy 2005 to all of you!

David

David's Website Update

Dear family, friends and visitors,
David's site cannot be updated until 17 January due to our hosts improving their platform. Anyway, you can still visit the site which was updated last 30 December 2004. A bientôt, see yah!

David's Chatter Room

Bonjour People,
I have just discovered by chance the blogger today and find it quite interesting. So here is another little corner where I can jot down some notes about David's daily changes. Feel free to post your comments.
à bientôt,
Webmaster (mama)

Nine months old

Last night I was watching a French documentary show about women giving birth. It was an excellent documentary as it covered a lot of different situations. There was a woman in the middle of her labour who kept on laughing every time the midwife said push, push! Geez, she was practically laughing all through the labour process. The midwife even said she was the queen of “giving birth”. There was also a woman who was howling of pain, there was another who just had a blank look on her face you wouldn’t realize she was pushing. There were babies who were born premature, had respiratory problems, etc. My heart went to a baby boy who was born really healthy but the mother didn’t want him, she didn’t even look at him. The midwives took the baby away and put him on the list for adoption.
The saddest part was when there was a woman who gave birth (induced) to a dead baby. The camera wasn’t allowed inside the delivery room but you could hear the sobbing of the mother when the baby came out. I was overwhelmed with sadness when behind the closed doors of the delivery room you could hear the midwife saying, “Push madame, push, I could see the baby’s head now….ok, good work madame…” There was a short and intense silence. I was hoping to hear a baby’s cry, but there was none, just the sobbing of the mother. Apparently, it was a healthy pregnancy from the start, but at eight months and a half, the mother discovered that there was no movement in her belly and when she went to have a check-up it was too late… the foetus just stopped breathing. The doctors don’t know the reason. There was also a woman who wasn’t allowed to get pregnant because of her heart problem and did otherwise. By six months she was into daily monitoring and by seven they opened her up. The baby was really tiny, just over a kilo, but managed to stay alive through medical interventions.
I have never realized that pregnancy could be that hard or life-threatening for that matter. Maybe because my own personal experience proved otherwise, except of course of the pain. My mother has given birth seven times, three times at the hospital, four times at home. And with all the scientific and technological advancement, pregnancy and birthing should somehow come with minimal complications, if there is any. It is a natural process. After watching the show, I realized there is never guaranty in life… or giving life.
I went to see David who at this time was sleeping tight and snoring like a pig. A few hours ago, we presented him his ninth month old cake. I watched him for a long time and found myself saying words of gratitude to the powers in heaven. I feel so lucky to have him and hope that one day he’ll feel the same for us as his parents.
Anyway, this is not supposed to be the main subject of this journal. I actually want to write something about his developments.
So, David is nine months old. He’s got four teeth. He has experienced his first Halloween and first Christmas. The past month we’ve encountered a lot of challenges and witnessed a lot of milestones. The last two weeks of November and the first two weeks of December were dominated by running nose, ear infection, teething, crying and sleepless nights. David has experienced a lot of falls, bumps and thuds as he turns himself around while sitting down, or when he tries to grab objects far from his reach or when runs around with his walker. He knows how to refuse by pushing away things he doesn’t like or not opening his mouth when he doesn’t want food anymore. He gets so frustrated and mad when he can’t reach his toys.
He has his few favourites: Barney music, the météo (weather channel), Tibère et la maison bleu (a children’s show), yoghurt, toilet (we call it the magic room), playing in the bath, pulling things out of cabinets and drawers. Every time I let him play in our bedroom, just a little minute over, the room looks like tsunamis have passed over. He likes banging things, the louder the better.
He screams when he is furious, still cries like a beaten puppy when scared and gives a deadly look when he is not contented with you. He sleeps all night without interruption but still wakes up so early, 5:30 in the morning, grrrr, grrrrr and grrrrrrrr!!!
He is like a real person now, you know when he is awake even if you don’t see him and you somehow miss him when he is asleep because the house just seems so quiet. If he is hungry and he happens to be in his walker, he goes to the kitchen crying. Or he gives a loud “dede, dede, dede”; meaning milk.
He knows where to find things. He goes to corners in the house expecting that the things he saw yesterday would still be there today. After learning things through conditioning, unfortunately via accidents, he knows what not to touch. We have this thing in the kitchen to hang up our laundry, several times he was playing with it and it fell on him. Every time he approaches it now, he gives it a curious look, touches it gently and when it moves, he backs out. He understands my “no”. It was fascinating when it happened for the first time. I was boiling water and he tried to pull the cord out of the socket. I got so scared I screamed “noooooo!” I kneeled in front of him looked at him in the eyes and delivered my firm “no” several times accompanied by hand gestures. He was so surprised and I’m not sure shocked, that he stepped back and looked at me hard. I touched the cord, wiggled my index finger, shook my head and said no! I’m sure he understood. He ignores it now. I’m just waiting when he starts walking, I’m sure it’s another story.
He drinks four bottles a day, eats breakfast, lunch and dinner. But feeding time is a terrible time. David doesn’t eat much. He nibbles his food and it takes him a long time to finish half of what’s on his plate. We have tried several ways to make him eat his food; the only way that works a little bit is the “airplane” technique. You know, you fly the spoon around with all the airplane sounds and land it in his mouth. He opens his mouth at every “landing sound”. Still he hardly finishes what’s on his plate. The only food he actually devours without much fuss is yoghurt. He could finish a pot, with matching piggy noises. And at the end gives a big burp.
I have promised myself not to compare David to other babies, but I would prefer jotting it down here for remembrance sakes. David hasn’t done some things that other babies do such as rolling over his stomach back and forth and then eventually sit up. My brother’s son, Seth who is just six months old apparently can do that. Seth weighs nine kilos and very active. He rolls over his stomach and manages to sit up on his own. David on the other hand doesn’t do this. When he was less than five months old, he tried rolling over few times. But every time he was on his stomach he screamed. He hated it. By six months he could sit, but that’s only when we put him on that position. If we won’t he would actually just lie down turning side to side until he gets bored. Now he moves few inches here and there using his bottom, that is, while turning and turning. Time to time we make him practice crawling; a week ago he managed to crawl a bit but going backwards.
However, I’m not in the least concern if he doesn’t do things other babies his age do, as long as I see he is ok. As they said, each child is different. As long as we see David developing normally in his own ways, I guess that’s ok.