I am Wa-wa

This is where you sleep

I read a book on "respecting kids"(can't remember the exact name of the book) when I was pregnant. I remembered well a story the author told in the book - The author went to visit a friend who just had a baby. The friend, a new Mum, fed her baby first; she then took the baby to author room for a nappy change. Not a single word was spoken to the baby during this time. Towards the end of the nappy change, the family dog who followed them around made a sound. The friend turned to the dog and said "Just wait a second, I'll feed you next". The author pointed out the common mistakes we all make - talk to the dog but neglect the baby because we think they don't understand. Telling babies what is going on and what will happen next from the start, before you think they understand is how we respect babies, the author concluded.

Remembering this story might have helped in solving a problem Lara had at day care....


(Lara slept here at Hunter Valley)

For the first 3 weeks, Lara refused to sleep in a cot at day care. The only way to get her to have a short rest was in the pram. By the fourth week, I was quite worried. I decided to try something.

At day care next morning, I took Lara to the room where babies sleep - I never set foot in this room with Lara before that day. Holding Lara, I walked around the room, telling her she would sleep here during the day and she would be very safe here. I also told her the teachers would come and get her when she wakes up and that she would have lots of energy to play after a good sleep, etc. I would never know if this did anything, but Lara slept for the first time in a cot at day care that day.

I tried the same thing while we were away in Lake Macquarie and Hunter Valley. Both times, I showed Lara her new room and told her this is where she sleeps and she would have a good sleep etc (I also let her have a little play in the room sometimes). She slept very well in the new cot/room both times. Lara is older now so she might have gotten better at sleeping in different places anyway. However, this is something I'll keep doing if it means we get a better night of sleep because Lara sleeps better!

[1y 3m] Talking and mimicking

Lara is talking all the time. She's also constantly mimicking everything we say and do. We swear we heard some intelligent words from time to time. She learns something new and understands more and more every day.

Teeth: 4 at the bottom (one half out), 4 on the top.

This month:

* Lara loves the "play kitchen" area at day care. Giving her appetite and love of food, I was not surprised that she likes "kitchen/food" toys. She also loves playing with tea sets. On my days off, we could sit together and play poring and drinking tea for a long time!

(Fortunately, sickness has not made her eat less!)

* Like to "share" things with me. We take turns playing with her toys (Lara will give me the toy to play with and then want it back, then give it to me to play etc). Lara sometimes takes out what she's eating and gives it to me to eat. One of her bad habits is: if she sees another food being offered while she's still chewing, she spits the food in her mouth, so she can put new food in. Food time is quite messy sometimes.

Understanding of words:
* Have clearly said "Ta". She could say "ma-ma" and "da-da". She calls her own name after we call her (it sounds like she's saying "wa -wa").
* Would give me a kiss if I say "kiss Mummy". She also kissed Daddy, Grandma and teddy.
* Husband said "don't drop it" and Lara looked at the floor, so we think she understand the word "drop". When I say "have a bath", she walks to the bathroom. When I say "go to bed", she shakes her head most of the time (even when she's very tired).
* More and more, Lara uses shaking and nodding her head to tell us what she wants. When I ask "More?" for food, she shakes her head when she doesn't want any more. Sometimes, Lara's confused and shakes her head on minute and nods the next or sometimes she shakes her head to things she wants.

* Dislikes having hair washed but likes to pretend to wash her hair. Dislikes having her teeth brushed.
* Still facinated with other kids.
* Like to walk backwards. Able to lift her walker up for steps. Able to run.
* Likes to wipe table with her flannel.


(Play with pebbles at Cypress Lake)

* Lara had her second cold. No temperature just running nose and lots of mucus and coughing. I was debating with myself whether to give her antibiotics (doc said there was a secondary infection and there was a 50/50 chance it would develop into something more serious. I could give her antibiotics straight away or I could wait to see if Lara's immune system could fight it). Luckily I gave her antibiotics (Amoxil) on the Friday night before we left for Hunter Valley, because Saturday was the worst day of her cold. She really was quite sick and not happy at all. By the way, she loved the taste of antibiotics.
* Lara traveled well during our Hunter Valley trip. She slept most of the way there because she was not well and she didn't complain for too long on the way back. She's generally able to sit longer in the car.

* Health concern these two weeks - nappy rash. Generally better on the weekend, but gets worse as Friday approaches. Somtimes it looks like it's all cleared one day but gets very bad again the next day. Pepole say it could be due to teething. I'm trying different cream and ointment at the moment. I don't think it's allergy because she never got nappy rash in her first year and we use the same nappy and wipes, but I'm asking child care if they changed wipes.

* The other big thing this month (or since last month) is her "security" blanket. She wants to hold this particular pink blanket(s) all the time. Luckily I have two so it can be washed. If she sees her blanket, she wants it whether she's at day-care or home. She robs the blanket on her face and she sleeps with it. I'm trying to get her to like another smaller blanket, but so far the bigger pink blanet is still her favorite.

Lara on the phone

One of Lara's favorite activities at the moment.

Cypress Lake resort

(Views from the resort lobby.)

We spent a couple of days at Hunter Valley on the weekend staying at Cypress Lake resort. Parents-in-law and Uncle Pete from England also came with us. The weather was mostly beautiful. Luckily we were having lunch at a restaurant when the worst hailstorm that weekend went past us on the Sunday afternoon.

Accommodation was comfortable enough, pricey too. Buffet breakfast included was sensational; it set us up for the whole day. Unfortunately, we didn't get to use the resort facility. I didn't have any spa treatment either.

Both Lara and Simon were not feeling very well, so we tried not to pack too much in in the day. We went around some wineries (more later); that was nice and relaxing. I love looking at the rolling hills with vines and cattle amongst it. It makes the most beautiful picture that a camera can't capture.

I want to rent a cabin on top of the rolling hills and just look at the views for a week!

More photos of the resort:

Our two bedroom "cabin" is upstairs.


Views from the balcony.


One of the resort pools.

The third culprit

(The 3rd culprit!)

Most of my mint leaves where eating a few weeks ago. It took me a long time to spot 2 caterpillars hiding under the leaves. One of them was very ver "fat"!! There wasn't a huge difference to the leaves after about a week. After another search, I caught a 3rd one.

My mint is thriving again!

A series of unexpected events

Two of my oldest and dearest friends planned a visit to Sydney via Auckland at the end of March. I was very excited about seeing them again after over a year. I booked a nice restaurant and planned to do some serious retail therapy with them. The week before they were scheduled to arrive, I got an email to say one of the friends had to be taken into hospital by ambulance. This friend ended up staying in hospital for over a week (had to miss her flight to Sydney) and was ordered not to fly for over a month!

Luckily I still got to meet the other friend. She and her husband made a huge effort of coming to see us at home. I was busy all day cleaning up and getting dinner ready. I made a Vietnamese noodle salad (with meat wrapped in betal leaves-usually quite popular). I also bought a few interesting-sounding things to supplement the meal (didn't "banana blossoms with pine nuts" sound delicious?) I'm sorry to say but the dinner was a disaster. Everything tasted dry and funny. It would be so much easier, less time-consuming (and tastier) if I just got take-out at the local fish'n chips shop!

This same friend also got tickets to see Celine Dion with her parents who came to Sydney for the first time for the concert. I got a call from her after the concert to say that the concert was cancelled! (Ms Dion not feeling well) The organiser didn't even bother to call her (just an email to let her know concert was cancelled). Luckily she happened to check her emails!

Sometimes things just didn't go as planned. Life's full of surprises, isn't it?

I love this toy!

I love to be pulled around by Mummy in my toy car. It fits me just right. Things look more interesing from the car.

I tell Mummy where I want to go. And I let Mummy know if she stops in one place for too long.

I don't know why Mummy looks tired and keeps rubbing her back when she pulls me along but I think she enjoys it as much as I do.

I like to go from one end of the garden, to the other end and back, again and again!