Words

Aria says "MaMa" now. (Yeah!) And while she uses both "MaMa" and "DaDa" throughout the day and in a variety of settings, she seems to also be assigning meaning to the words, often saying "DaDa" just as Keith walks into the room and "MaMa" when she wakes up in the middle of the night hungry and in need of a cuddle.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving weekend was a crazy one here at the Nelson household. Lots going on:

We had a great Thanksgiving dinner at another Nelson household (no relation). I met Sandy through prenatal yoga and the four of us (Sandy, Jason, Keith and I) often ended up in the same birthing courses at Sibley hospital (little Emily was born about 2 1/2 weeks before Aria). Now Sandy is one of the moms that I am fortunate enough to get to hang out with on a fairly regular basis. Anyway, the Nelsons were great hosts and fantastic cooks. And, much to my delight, they too are vegetarians so there was an abundance of delicious non-meat dishes (as well as turkey for carnivorous friends and family).

For Thanksgiving dinner Aria got her first taste of butternut squash (appropriately festive, we thought). She loved it.





Friday and Saturday we had visitors. My cousin, Brody, and his wife, Kourtney, came to visit. They are from Missouri and had never been here before so we had fun showing them around a bit. Kourtney is 7 months pregnant with their first baby - a boy!

We did manage to get in some "Black Friday" shopping. I love that the after-Thanksgiving sales are online too!

Sunday we spent the day with my dad and his girlfriend where we had another wonderful meal and walked around Old Town Alexandria (trying, in vain, to get Aria down for a nap).

And so, we start the week anew...

Six Months Old

On November 12th Aria turned 6 months old. It feels like a huge milestone. She's grown and changed so much in these first months. To celebrate we met Dad for lunch during the day, then he and I had a nice dinner after the birthday girl went to bed.

On Friday we had her 6 month appointment. Our girl weighed in at 17 lbs and measured 28 inches. That's over the 97th percentile for length! At some point that should taper down, but for now Aria is heads above the rest - literally.

There were more shots this appointment too. Aria was a trooper and calmed down fairly quickly once they were done, but this time a flu shot was included and within hours she had her first fever, measuring 100.7 degrees. We stripped her down and dosed her with Tylenol and within 45 minutes to an hour the fever had gone down by one degree. She was a bit more fussy than usual (she was entitled), but went to sleep pretty easily. We checked on her throughout the night; as long as we kept giving her Tylenol the fever stayed in the manageable range. The next morning she still had a bit of a high temp, but after a walk outdoors and a nap or two (and more Tylenol) it finally broke that afternoon. The next couple days she was a bit out of sorts, but all in all bounced back beautifully.

With the fever gone, Sunday seemed like the perfect time to try solid foods for the first time. With Dad snapping pictures, I fed her her first spoonfuls of rice cereal. More got on her face and hair and bib than actually got into her, but she seemed interested and ate several spoonfuls.

Since then, she's really taken to these small meals. While still quite messy, she dives for the spoon and makes "mmmm" sounds with every bite. (This actually makes it messier, as she closes her mouth around the spoon to make the sounds.)

First Bite

What am I supposed to do with this stuff?

Firsts

After a short hiatus we have this week the return of the raspberry. Just to show how little babies forget, even at this young age, Aria has made an impressive display of blowing raspberries the past couple of days. And with them have come a new set of exciting skills...

...Drum roll, please...

Aria said her First Word!

Aria has been working up to her first word for a while now, babbling so much, trying out different sounds and consonants, and saying "yayayayayaya" and "dadadadadadada" over and over. Today "dadadadada" became very clearly, very distinctly "DaDa". While we're not sure she completely understands what she's saying, we feel she does to at least some degree, as I repeat the word over and over to her in the morning when Keith is on his way to work ("Tell DaDa bye; give DaDa a kiss") and in the evening when he gets home ("DaDa is home! Look - it's DaDa!").

Accompanying this major milestone was another huge development - Learning to Clap! We often clap for her when she's doing something new (sitting up by herself, rolling over, etc, etc) to show her what a good job she's doing and to encourage her when whatever she's doing is difficult (scooting forward, reaching for something). Today Dad was clapping for her again and she started mimicking him, at first bring her hands almost together, but missing them, one going over the other. After a few tries, however, she got the hands together and clapped a few times.

Witnessing all this were our good friends from Indiana - Jen, Lucas & 2 1/2 year-old Parker. Aria loves Parker and Parker loves Aria. Parker dances silly dances for Aria and Aria giggles her infectious, beautiful laugh, making all of us laugh as well. It's really too cute.

So, it's been a big day in the Nelson household. I'm off to feed the baby...and maybe demonstrate a few "mamamamamas" before bed.

In Search of the Great Pumpkin

The Fam at the Farm

Last Saturday, before the Halloween festivities, we set off on a drive through the countryside, looking for a pumpkin patch. We instead stumbled upon an organic farm just outside the District in Maryland. Though tours were not running over the weekend, we were able to walk the grounds, both beautiful and serene. A variety of animals were on display in centralized pens and Aria, ever the animal lover, giggled with delight as ducks, geese and chickens clucked and cawed just over the fence.

Duckies & Geese & Chickens, Oh My

Aria & Dad

Aria's First Halloween

This year for Halloween Aria dressed up as a Ladybug (thanks, Grandma!). Yes, the bright, spotted ladybug is truly a male bug, but this just added to the mystery and wonder of her costume. (Actually, it seems that boys don't dress as ladybugs and for once, no one mistook our little lady for a boy.)

We began the season with a Halloween party made up of new parents and their little ones, all decked out in their holiday best. It was Aria's first party EVER and probably the first party her parents' have attended since she was born (it's hard to remember, really). We had a great time! Aria was asleep when we got there, but awoke shortly thereafter and mingled (albeit a bit groggily) with the other babies and parents.

Partying baby style

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On Halloween night, we attended "Hilloween" - an annual Capitol Hill Halloween festival for area kids and featuring such treats as face painting, a moon bounce and free cider. Geared mainly toward the older kids, there were still plenty of young ones milling about, parents in tow. Costumes abounded, with everything from an adorable 2-year-old Princess Leia to bears and Tiggers, oh my.

At "Hilloween" 2007


Little Ladybug & her good friend Tigger
(Tigger is just 4 days older than the Bug)

Catching Up: WV and The Dalai Lama

It's been a busy few weeks and I've been a horrible blogger. To all those who regularly check for updates, I apologize and present the following pix, stories and ramblings as penance.

As I said, it's been busy at the Nelson household. Two weeks ago we made a last minute trip to the West VA cabin to celebrate Aria's cousin's 17th birthday. I was not easily convinced to take another roadtrip after the trauma of the last drive, but finally relented so as not to disappoint the birthday girl or her doting uncle. Plus, opportunities for Aria to see her far-away family are few and far between.

We set out much earlier this time, seeking to avoid the dreaded fussy hours of late afternoon and happily, the drive went much more smoothly. We had a great time hanging out with everyone and especially enjoyed our visit to Seneca Rocks - a beautiful park probably best known for it's rockclimbing, but with great hiking trails as well. (The Bugaboo was amazing on the gravel and dirt hiking trails.)

It was a full-circle kind of trip to the Rocks. We spent last Thanksgiving at the same place. At 4 months pregnant I stood on a little foot bridge in the middle of the woods with golden leaves raining down and a waterfall rushing behind me. This time, a now very present Aria Grace was just about to turn 5 months old. Though the waterfall was only just drizzling down the rocks this year (due to severe drought in the area) the leaves again rained down through rays of sunlight, creating an ethereal atmosphere.




This week Aria and I made another last minute trip (this time local) down to the Capitol lawn to see a public address given by the Dalai Lama. It was a beautiful day on the Capitol lawn. Aria played in the grass for the first time while His Holiness delivered a message of peace and nonviolence, a message so refreshing in a country that often takes a very different approach. I treasure the opportunity to expose Aria to such a message, even at this young age. Teaching values such as these early on will hopefully instill them into her moral fabric, allowing her to appreciate an approach to life that is less confrontational and judgmental than so many in this world utilize.

The Dalai Lama on the JumboTron

Aria on the Capitol lawn

Fake Coughs & Raspberries

This week in Aria sports...

Each day seems to bring something new to Aria's repertoire. This week she's mimicking like crazy and as such, is learning new sounds almost daily. There's the fake cough (I taught her that) and the raspberry (courtesy of Dad). Then there's the raspberry with her tongue sticking out (a Mom-Dad hybrid), currently in development. These are in addition to the babbling sounds ("ya ya ya ya ya ya ya"). She gets "stuck" on a sound for a day or so, fake coughing or raspberry-ing whenever she makes eye contact or to get attention, practicing each sound until it's perfect and she's able to do it with both ease and passion.




In addition to sounds, the lady's getting more mobile. Not quite crawling yet, Aria scoots forward like an inchworm - sticking her butt in the air and pushing with her feet, her head and belly on the ground. A bit slow, but effective none the less, especially when teamed with a couple rolls this way or that to move her to the left or right.

Mom & Baby

First Trip to the ER

Just before midnight in the lobby of Children's Hospital,
awaiting a cab ride home

Let me preface this story by saying Aria 's fine. Really. No lasting issues or damage to our little one; we parents, however, are a different story...

It all began last Wednesday just as we were settling in for the night. Aria had been asleep but awoke shortly after Dad got home and the two were enjoying a bit of father-daughter time before dinner. Aria lay on the bed and began rolling over, a maneuver she's quite adept at these days. This time, however, she got her (left) arm stuck out to her side and couldn't get all the way from her stomach to her back. Keith did the obvious thing and helped her out a bit, lifting her up and placing her safely on her back. It was then, however, that Aria began to wail - cries that got only more intense as time went on. As it was her bedtime, we at first attributed the cries to tiredness, but grew concerned as we realized that the arm that had gotten stuck while she tried to roll over - her dominate arm - now hung limply to her side. Touching or moving it in any way only resulted in more intense cries. So, after a quick consult with the pediatrician on call and a cab ride filled with hand wringing and worry, we found ourselves in the waiting room of Children's Hospital, where, it seemed, every other child had TB. (Not really...I don't think so, anyway.)

We waited, and waited, and waited...Aria slept on Daddy's chest, well comforted though still in pain. Mom & Dad had a lovely dinner of Coke and Snickers from the hospital vending machine. Mom then paced the waiting room, psychically willing the TB to stay away from her daughter.

Eventually we were seen. Aria's arm was inspected and examined and X-rayed (all to her most heartfelt dismay) and diagnosed with a muscle strain. Baby Tylenol and warm compresses as needed, but should clear up in a few days. See ya. We got home at 1am; Aria slept soundly and awoke only a couple brief times to eat.

The next morning she still wasn't using the arm so we made a follow-up appt with the pediatrician and gave her some Tylenol. Then she and I went to the Botanic Gardens while Dad went to work. Slowly she began using her arm more and more, but I couldn't tell if it was actually feeling better or if it was temporarily doing so b/c of the Tylenol. By the time we saw the pediatrician though, the Tylenol had worn off. Aria happily chewed her left fist, waved it at the doctor and tore up the exam table paper with gusto, prompting the Dr. to give Mom a "Why are you here again?" look and Mom to swear up and down that really, she hadn't used it at all last night and only a little this morning.

And so, our first (and only, please) trip to the ER resulted in little more than a long night for all involved. Mom & Dad have been traumatized a bit, but are so relieved that Aria is OK that the rest doesn't even matter (not even the embarrassment felt at the Dr's office for bringing in an apparently healthy child).

First Road Trip: A Lesson in Parenting

Our Family: Tired after the long drive, but

enjoying the peace & quiet and the gorgeous view.

Aria's first Labor Day was marked by her very first road trip - to her aunt & uncle's West Virginia cabin. Once there, we relaxed and took in the beautful scenery, panoramic views and, at night, a sky full of stars. The trip there, however, was a different story...

Aria's "fussy time" starts around 4pm each day and generally lasts until bedtime (around 7/8pm). This "fussy time" is Aria in winding down mode; she's tired from the day's events and wants to eat frequently and be held constantly. Sometimes she'll nap for a bit before going to bed for the night; sometimes she won't. At home this time of day is quite manageable as we've come to accept it as part of our nightly routine and can anticipate and react quickly to any wants/needs, thereby heading off any major meltdowns. Generally if we go out, it's a short walking trip just after a nap, allowing us to make it home quickly when our little lady deams it necessary.

When planning the roadtrip to W. VA we did take "fussy time" into consideration and chose to leave during the afternoon, figuring it could go one of two ways - either she'd sleep through it or she'd have a meltdown; we were obviously hoping for the former. Aria usually likes the short car rides we take around town and though not a huge fan of the carseat, she doesn't hate it when we put her in it for walks or quick trips. And so, pulling away from the apt Saturday afternoon, with naptime looming large, we were sure she'd fall asleep soon, allowing us a blissful drive across country.

What a huge error in judgment. A 3hr drive became a 6hr drive, with frequent stops generated by high-pitched screams, lots of tears and just general hysterics (by all involved). Aria was miserable in her carseat and so wanted to be cuddled; we were miserable about causing her such misery. At 1030pm, still 15 minutes from the cabin, Aria finally crashed, exhausted after just one 20 minute nap during the entire drive.

Her parents vowed never again to drive anywhere. Ever.

The Aftermath: Aria's schedule was a bit off for a few days, but we did have fun hanging out in the cabin. Aria slept very well in her new travel crib (much to her parents relief) and when awake got to spend some long overdue and much enjoyed time with her aunt & uncle. Keith and his brother, meanwhile, got to do the male bonding, physical labor thing, hacking up overgrown brush and whatnot.

The ride back (done much earlier in the day) was not nearly as bad as the ride there. After the 1st hour (lots of crying and two pit stops), Aria slept for 2hrs and awoke happy and amenable to a stop at Target. All in all, not a bad trip, but we'll think twice before traveling very far by car anytime soon.

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

At 5:20 AM this morning Aria Grace rolled over from her back to her belly! She finally was able to get that offending arm (see previous post) out of the way and up onto both hands, holding up her head and chest. I can't say she was thrilled to find herself in that position as there was a whole lot of grunting going on. But for the next hour she continued to roll over whenever finding herself on her back. (It was a bit early - and dark - for pix, but hope to capture her in action soon.)

Two hours later, another developmental milestone...Aria took the pacifier out of her mouth, then put it back in! I read somewhere that most babies aren't able to put a pacifier back in the mouth until around 6 months; if that's the case, she's well ahead of schedule.

Add these developments to the now frequent grabbing of the feet on the changing table, the evolving sucking of the thumb (from the occasional thumb in the mouth while all other fingers covered her face and poked her eyes, to the now purposeful thumb-in-mouth with the rest of the fist closed) and the growth spurt that has jutted our baby into larger sizes and I'm suddenly realizing why parents always say "It goes so fast." This morning's mobility development seized me with a moment of panic: "She's moving! Quick, child-proof the apt! Any minute she'll be crawling, no running, through the house!" Perhaps a little premature, but with all the changes of the past 3 months, it really doesn't feel like it.

Toes! etc.

Feet are fascinating!

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At 15 weeks old, Aria measures 27 inches long (!) and weighs just about 14 lbs. She's so long that she's outgrown her newborn (long ago) and 0-3 month clothes and is into 3-6 month and 6 month + clothing. The onesie she has on in this picture is sized 6 months! For a girl that was almost too small for newborn sizes when she was born (she would have fit some preemie sizes), she's sure grown fast!

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Happy

Not So Happy

15 Weeks Today

Each moment with our little lady is better than the last. Aria smiles easily now and giggles, too. Other recent accomplishments include:

- Learning to play with us, i.e., reaching her hands into our mouths and waiting for us to pretend-bite

- Starting to roll over from her back to her belly. She pretty much has it down, but gets one arm stuck under her that keeps her from getting all the way over. If we help out a bit she can get up onto her hands, holding her head and chest way up off the bed. Yesterday she stayed that way for quite a bit, then toppled over with a decent thud. She looked a little shocked, but Dad and I played it off and soon she was smiling again.

- Reaching a lot - for us from her crib or bassinet or the arms of the other parent, for a toy hanging above or lying beside her

- Plays with the little rolling crab and starfish on the musical aquarium that attaches to her crib

Aria To Be Published!

Exciting news! Aria is going to be featured in a book, to be released next spring. Marie Connolly, the owner of Stitch DC (a yarn store), will be releasing a new book on knitting. Many of the patterns are for babies and young children and Aria was chosen to model some of the items. The photo shoot was today and they got some great shots of Aria in a beautiful cashmere romper and a lovely blanket.

Some of you are aware that I love to knit. See completed projects, etc, at moogielight.blogspot.com.

My, How We've Grown

3 months old.

Announcing Aria Grace

Aria Grace Nelson

Born May 12, 2007
6 lbs, 15.7 oz
20 3/4 inches