1st Tooth!

So since the last time I've blogged my daughter has cut her first tooth... this week actually! Its quite surreal when you think that I have waited a long time for her tooth to come through- when I actually believed that her eye tooth would be coming through and now her front right tooth has arisen from her gums. And I am very excited :)
We even made Pancakes to celebrate this mile stone occasion.
I didn't even know that she was even teething- sure the signs were there: rash around the mouth, rash on her bum, but she wasn't really miserable or groggy, as far as I could tell. But the other day I had an urge to feel her gums and boom there it was: a hard sharp edge gnawing at my finger.
So now we wait for the next one(s).
I think part of this teething episode, and otherwise my child's extraordinary brilliance she has learnt click her tongue to make clicking sound, and does it especially when we do it first. She loves to copy, to our delight. I love it when one can follow on developments of our children, delighting in them and melting like marshmallows in their hands as they charm the socks off us! It"s pure bliss being a parent. That bliss slowly dissipates when they wake at night, the cold winters night, when the last thing you want to do is get out of bed. Thank goodness I am sleep training. Soon we will have wake-free nights.
Until next time, enjoy your TinyTot and remember: Motherhood is a gift to be cherished!

Foodies time...

Feeding Solids has become more of a challenge lately for me, as my little one has become a bit of a picky eater. I am quite a picky eater myself, and I was hoping to eliminate that being passed on the my next generation, but let's see how that goes.
Ever mother will know that feeding solids in the beginning is hair raising, as your baby has no idea to open its mouth when the food comes, and also has to slowly get used to the taste of the new substance in its mouth. This is an ongoing process trying to introduce  new foods and tastes and textures to your little one. But it gets easier as time goes by.
But now I have the typical Television model of a baby who, when food comes near her mouth, starts pursing her lips or sticks her tongue out blowing raspberries, never mind that i have put so much effort into cooking and preparing this food for her. Now when I try to show her that she will actually like it, she will shake her head down, or to the side; needless to say that she will then have porridge or butternut in her hair, ears, cheeks, you name it. To my frustration and to her excitement! She looks so proud of herself when refusing to eat- trying to show me that she is Boss! She has another thing coming for her...
Sometimes I feel like monster mom, as  I get so frustrated with her trying everything in her power not to eat (although once she does get some food in her mouth-she actually likes it), I then hold her head and "force feed" her, but only when i know she actually likes it. I'm not that horrible... Once you step back and observe the damage, the food has then fallen everywhere, and planted itself all over her- hence the fact that she gets a bath AFTER her supper time. But the food has dropped on her legs, between her legs and chair, on the high chair table front, even I am full of it sometimes! Sometimes I laugh, sometimes I want to cry! depending on my mood-which is very unpredictable still! who says hormones go back to normal after pregnancy? (see my post Hormones Shmormones).
Though times are frustrating the odd day arrives when she decides to actually open her mouth willingly and eat. It is rewarding to find that she is enjoying her mouthfulls. As long as she is getting some food in her tummy for nutrients etc I am happy.
So, enjoy feeding your little one, it is memorable times, and
Until next time, enjoy your TinyTot and remember: Motherhood is a gift to be cherished!

Do not touch that!!

Wow, it has been a while since I have Blogged... I'm so sorry for the delay. I've been busy being a mom, being a housewife and trying to get better from being sick. Such is life I suppose.

My darling daughter has also been keeping me very busy, never mind keeping me on my toes- she is such a busy body at 8 months of Age. She started crawling and immediately went from crawling to pulling herself up onto the  furniture! This vast speed of development has caused me to not be able to keep up with her!
Its quite cute though, because when she leans herself against the couch, she looks back at me, her smirky smile saying: "look at me mommy- I'm a big girl now!" And if she is standing against the coffee table, which is out the way on her tiles, she starts slipping on her socks and slides into a splits position, holding on for dear life. It's not supposed to be funny- but sometimes I cant help myself... It's just too funny! Sometimes though, she falls and then I cry with her, those crocodile tears flow hard. But the other Morning she was playing where our sound system is, pressing all the buttons, and smacking the stereo, when suddenly she hit the Radio button tuning us all into a very loud music selection, giving my husband I a very large fright early in the morning, followed by much laughter and My Baby Girls tears rolling from fright. The poor neighbours.
Besides playing with our stuff, she has stared to play extra nice with her toys too, banging and singing at the same time. Those "DaDa", and "BaBa" words gets me every time. But I will tell you what really melts my heart even more is when she slaps a big fat wet kiss on my cheek... aaah total bliss. Nothing better for a mother!
Needless to say I am definitely enjoying this stage of her growth and development, except for that ghastly teething! Her tooth still has not come through- we are waiting in deep anticipation for that tooth. So hope you enjoyed the quick update on our development as a family.

Until next time, enjoy your TinyTot and remember: Motherhood is a Gift to be cherished!

Teeeeething pains....

Teething is probably the most painful thing for both mom and baby. Not only do we as mothers feel helpless and frustrated, but also your Child is suffering and miserable, causing yourself to become more frustrated. Can you tell that my child is teething?
She is up allot at night now, which is unusual to us as she has been a pleasurable baby and sleeping through the night since 9 weeks. I might be sounding like a spoilt mother, but I am serious: I am tired and getting fed up with being up for three hours or more at night. I am not used to this and therefore am like a drained tap: tired and Energy-less. And while my daughter can have naps during the day- I have other chores to do as a Housewife and mother. On the other hand I want to have naps too, but then lay down and all the chores I should be doing are running through my head! So whats the point?
What I do realise is that this is just a season and it will pass. There is so much more to motherhood and raising a child!
Just this morning my husband and I agreed that even though during the night we get so frustrated and want to give up this parenting thing because we are tired and have had enough of interrupted sleep. But the next morning when our Princess wakes up the grass is green again; and during the day when she lays and coos and laughs at us playing the fool, all those nasty thoughts go away and all the cuteness makes up for all those hard nights. We forgive our children and have the willpower to do it all over again! It's a beautiful and God-given act. 
I do feel so sorry for them: their little bodies are in such pain and have to learn to deal with this new feeling of pain and discomfort. Their little fingers are very busy being chewed or being used to feed hard, welcome toys to soothe those itchy sore gums. My daughter loves her Biltong: Its hard and chewable and the bonus is it tastes good!
As must as I am loathing the teething stage, I am loving the new stage of sitting and exploring, and definitely enjoying the personality peeping through showering me with smiles and love! 
Until next time... enjoy your TinyTot and remember: Motherhood is a gift to be cherished!