15 months!!

I am a toddler now!! Mama says she doesn't know when kids are officially called "toddlers," but she says I am one! I am so happy not to be a "baby" anymore 'cause I have always felt very grown up. I like to do things the way I see Mama and Dada doing them. For example, Mama gave me my muffin this morning without the paper on it. I saw that she had a muffin with the paper still on and she was eating around it. SO I used my sign "please" and my favorite word "eww eww" (in an annoying whining voice) and she gave me the muffin paper. I held it on with one hand while eating with the other.
My mind is always processing and thinking and I like to do things a certain way.
I am very busy with lots of moving, gathering, climbing and my favorite thing: OPENING stuff. They call this "playing," but that makes it sound unimportant. What I do is all very important and I like to be noticed and congratulated at every stage.
One of my first "toddler" moves was when I could complete the slide circuit of going up the ladder, down the slide and repeat, all on my own! It is very fun and addicting. Sometimes I just can't stop. Speaking of the slide, I love being outside: at the park, playgroud, on the porch, and in our backyard. I even have my own slide at home. I also love throwing the ball. Daddy says I like being outside because I like exploring the wild!
Now that I am not the "baby" anymore, Mama gave me a baby doll called Baby. I like to carry her around, feed her with a spoon and sippy cup. Sometimes Baby needs nursing, so I do that too. Mama still lets me nurse in the morning and before I go to sleep. I guess toddlers can sometimes still do baby things, when needed.
My favorite sign right now is "open." They tell me that everything doesn't "open," but usually if I have something and I sign "open," something really cool happens. For example, a box of crayons- ta da! It's like magic with all those colors. I like opening containers of food, body lotion, sippy cups, toliet seats, windows. . . everything is a whole new adventure once you "open." I get really mad when I am not allowed to "open" the hairspray or that they said my baby doll didn't "open" into anything.
My favorite word, as mentioned, is the "ew ew ewwwwww." Usually they give me what I am reaching towards but sometimes Mama sings me a song about "patience." There is no sign for patience, so I guess it can't be that important.
I do have a few real words. My first sentence is "Thank You." I usually say this when I am handing something away. They go crazy when I say it and say I am adorable.
Which I am. My hair is getting longer and curlier, especially with the humidity. Dada says it makes me look less Asian. I am hoping to have a career on the cover of magazines when they need a kid that could be white, could be latina, or could be asian. . . .
I am growing super tall, but my weight continues to lag a little bit. I have had a couple of bad colds (with ear infections!!) that slowed my eating down a little.
The last one I had was when Mama was away. She went away for three days on a retreat to New Mexico with Aunt Katy. She came back looking tan and very zen like. Then I cried for two days straight cause I had a 104 fever and pain in my ears. I also wanted to be sure she didn't leave again, so I added some extra fussiness in, to top it off. But overall, I didn't miss her too much. I got to spend an extra day with my Nanny (fun times!!) and Daddy had an endless supply of breastmilk in the freezer, which was almost as good as Boobs herself.
I had a VERY BAD day in March. My Mama gave me peanut butter and whoah it was bad. I started throwing up and had a hard time breathing, and my eyes swelled shut. The worst part was seeing my Mama so upset she was crying and driving like a crazy woman to the hospital. I did NOT like all those shots and machines at the hospital. They kept poking me with different things, but in a few hours I felt better. I was really glad when Daddy came to take care of Mama cause I was tired and didn't want to hold her anymore. Now they do a lot of reading of food boxes. There's also a few really cool looking pens that they always bring along, but I am not allowed to touch them. I am still obsessed with writing utensils of any kind. I bet these epi pens "open" into something super cool.
I just got back from TOY PARADISE over Easter. Whoah. I set my alarm early everyday so I could go to my cousins' play room before they woke up. Talk about fun stuff! They had doll houses, balls, a bike that I could ride on! and a really little black dog that had looooong ears that everyone called the Easter Bunny. I think something was wrong with the dog though, cause it didn't bark like Bella. Plus it ate lettuce. Weird.
Mama and Daddy have been looking for someone for me to "share" Shirley with for next year. I think they are a little worried that they won't find someone. Personally I think I need her all to myself. I love her so much that I cried one day when I saw Mama. Shirley has so much love that sometimes I just want to be in her arms all day. Luckily both Jona and I fit. For the most part I love Jona too, but one day I got mad and bit him. Whoah, they got REALLY upset about this. I haven't done it since, but it's nice to have a last resort. Mama has been talking to other mommys about when the age is to "discipline." I think that has something to do with being a toddler, but I am not too eager to find out about that part.
Okay, better go before they find me typing all this!

Easter 2011

 
 
 
 

Weaning: a three step process

Step 1: Night Weaning: Hallelujah!
Despite Pete thinking that I am going to nurse Nori before she walks down the aisle, we decided to wean her. Although night weaning took some guts to confront, I had the confidence that it would improve our whole family's life and it did.
We each get in our beds when it is time to go to sleep and . . .we don't get out until the day is beginning! What a wonderful concept. Oh Joyous straight through the night sleep has been ours for almost TWO months. The night weaning process only took about 7-10 days. We were surprised at how easily she learned to put herself back to sleep and how brave we were to not give into the wailing.

Step 2: Day Weaning: Mama Cries.
Bracing myself for the similar wailing during the day, I decided to wean Nori from her day nursing around 15 months old. And. . . she didn't even ask for it!I was heart broken at how easily she skipped the sign for "nurse" and went straight to "sleep."
She nurses now in the morning and night.

Step 3:In Process: Weaning Mama
Now she nurses sometimes because it's part of the routine and Mama needs some cuddles and sometimes because she does. I am being gentle with myself realizing how much I enjoy this time with her. And also to reflect on what a powerful way it has been for me to be a mother to her. Breastfeeding is bonding.convenient, free, nourishing and most of all, selfishly, makes me feel like Yes, I am your mother and I am doing a damn good job.