On April 1st, I will be going to Sudan for 4 days for work. This will be the first time that I have not spent the night in the same building as Lexi. I am a little concerned about Stephen handling her alone for 3 nights. I am afraid that he might get little sleep! Her sleeping habits had improved (or maybe I am just kidding myself) and she did well while we were in Uganda too. Basically, she was only waking up once a night - which is something I can live with as it is an improvement!
But the last nights here at home have been bad. She has woken up midnight or so and then 4 AM and sometimes, she really doesn't go back to sleep. She isn't hungry in the wee hours of the morning. I am thinking that maybe she is cold (Oh, how I wish she could TELL us!). It is fall here and definitely cooler in the house which has no heating system. We have a small heater in her room, but we are nervous about leaving it on when the whole house is asleep. We could put blankets on her, but she rolls around so much, they would soon fall off. I think I might try putting a hat on her tonight....wish us luck!
March 29, 2008
March 26, 2008
Our squirmy wormy
As with anything, you usually gain a new perspective in a situation you’re in when somebody from the outside enters the situation and tells you their observations. So it was with the visit of my sister for the past three weeks from Seattle (she left on Tuesday night). One of the parts of her visit that she was looking forward to the most, besides visiting Africa for the first time, was seeing Lexi again and spending some quality time with her. She last saw her when we visited Seattle in late October last year, so she was in a good position to notice a lot of changes in her growth which we have probably not observed as closely as we are with her daily and see these developments only very slowly.
The major observation she made about Lexi was how active she is, that she is constantly moving around – that she’s very squirmy. As we have mentioned many times on this blog before in our own observations, because this is our first baby, we don’t necessarily know what is normal for a baby in each stage of development. Not having been through this process before, we don’t have any other babies of our own to compare Lexi to. Of course, we know plenty of other people who have had babies as well around the same time Lexi was born, and we are more observant of other young babies now too when we go out or travel. But we’re not with any of these babies enough to know their minute-by-minute behavior and habits, which we know with Lexi. Comparing Lexi to the closest baby, the one who lives physically nearest to her, Freddy, the youngest child of the British family who lives at #7 in our compound (he’s a month or two older than Lexi), Lexi seems dramatically more active with her bodily movements. When we see Freddy, he’s always sitting very still and simply gazes up at you with big blue eyes with a very questioning look. Freddy is bigger and chubbier than Lexi and just seems to be a sack o’ potatoes who doesn’t move much.
Lexi is always moving her body. She often flaps her arms like she’s a bird trying to take off, which sometimes expresses her excitement or that she wants to play at the moment. We’re trying to teach her to bring her hands together to clap when she flaps her arms like this. Or she is moving her head, looking around, no matter where she is, being held by someone or sitting in her bouncy chair. Her head and eyes spend only a few seconds at a time looking in one direction before her attention is quickly drawn to something else. And when being held in someone’s lap, she is just generally squirming her whole body. She hasn’t yet figured out what adults know – that your body won’t necessarily move in any direction or shape or do certain movements or move in any relation to another object or person (or that, as much as you’d like it to, your upper body won’t do a full 360 at your waist). So if she has that primal urge to be over there, yet her body is facing the opposite direction or if there’s no way to get over there without an adult moving her whole body over there, she simply twists and contorts her body to try to get it where she wants.
Part of this, we know, is simply a normal part of learning about her body, and she’s very close to figuring out how to crawl. And I know that young children love to just roll around and push themselves around while lying down – squirming by themselves or wrestling with each other.
So again, we don’t know if all of this behavior is normal or unusual, but we’re so much more aware of it now that an outsider, Auntie Lora, has pointed it out to us. Now I have a bit of fear that some doctor will eventually diagnose Lexi as being hyperactive or having ADHD. But for now, I’m just content to know that she’s probably just a very curious baby with a lot of energy and can’t absorb all the new things she’s discovering in the world around her quickly enough. I have told her that there’s plenty of time to learn new things. After all, I’m still enjoying traveling around the world or observing the news and learning fascinating things that I never knew existed a full 35 years after my birth, and even though I finished my schooling many years ago. Well, I know there are many basic things that she needs to fill her mind with in her first several years just to function at a “normal” level.
Even after almost eight months, much of my fascination of this young creature, this emerging person, has still not worn off. It’s still baffling to my mind that this thing, a person, a human being, something so complex and priceless, could be created from essentially nothing. (To me, a writer and a journalist, whose business and skills are to observe and articulate in written words, it’s still a struggle to describe these thoughts here. It’s like trying to describe love in words. How can one really do that?) It’s still so amazing to see how a person develops and acquires the skills and behaviors she needs to survive and simply be in the world. As adults, we take so much of what we do, think and behave and how we move our bodies for granted. Dish towels are so ordinary to an adult, or you never think about how being in water (in a bath or a swimming pool) is different than being out of water, but to a 7 ½ month old baby, these things are really new and different, and there’s a lot to experience by touching, feeling and trying out with them!
The major observation she made about Lexi was how active she is, that she is constantly moving around – that she’s very squirmy. As we have mentioned many times on this blog before in our own observations, because this is our first baby, we don’t necessarily know what is normal for a baby in each stage of development. Not having been through this process before, we don’t have any other babies of our own to compare Lexi to. Of course, we know plenty of other people who have had babies as well around the same time Lexi was born, and we are more observant of other young babies now too when we go out or travel. But we’re not with any of these babies enough to know their minute-by-minute behavior and habits, which we know with Lexi. Comparing Lexi to the closest baby, the one who lives physically nearest to her, Freddy, the youngest child of the British family who lives at #7 in our compound (he’s a month or two older than Lexi), Lexi seems dramatically more active with her bodily movements. When we see Freddy, he’s always sitting very still and simply gazes up at you with big blue eyes with a very questioning look. Freddy is bigger and chubbier than Lexi and just seems to be a sack o’ potatoes who doesn’t move much.
Lexi is always moving her body. She often flaps her arms like she’s a bird trying to take off, which sometimes expresses her excitement or that she wants to play at the moment. We’re trying to teach her to bring her hands together to clap when she flaps her arms like this. Or she is moving her head, looking around, no matter where she is, being held by someone or sitting in her bouncy chair. Her head and eyes spend only a few seconds at a time looking in one direction before her attention is quickly drawn to something else. And when being held in someone’s lap, she is just generally squirming her whole body. She hasn’t yet figured out what adults know – that your body won’t necessarily move in any direction or shape or do certain movements or move in any relation to another object or person (or that, as much as you’d like it to, your upper body won’t do a full 360 at your waist). So if she has that primal urge to be over there, yet her body is facing the opposite direction or if there’s no way to get over there without an adult moving her whole body over there, she simply twists and contorts her body to try to get it where she wants.Part of this, we know, is simply a normal part of learning about her body, and she’s very close to figuring out how to crawl. And I know that young children love to just roll around and push themselves around while lying down – squirming by themselves or wrestling with each other.
So again, we don’t know if all of this behavior is normal or unusual, but we’re so much more aware of it now that an outsider, Auntie Lora, has pointed it out to us. Now I have a bit of fear that some doctor will eventually diagnose Lexi as being hyperactive or having ADHD. But for now, I’m just content to know that she’s probably just a very curious baby with a lot of energy and can’t absorb all the new things she’s discovering in the world around her quickly enough. I have told her that there’s plenty of time to learn new things. After all, I’m still enjoying traveling around the world or observing the news and learning fascinating things that I never knew existed a full 35 years after my birth, and even though I finished my schooling many years ago. Well, I know there are many basic things that she needs to fill her mind with in her first several years just to function at a “normal” level.
Even after almost eight months, much of my fascination of this young creature, this emerging person, has still not worn off. It’s still baffling to my mind that this thing, a person, a human being, something so complex and priceless, could be created from essentially nothing. (To me, a writer and a journalist, whose business and skills are to observe and articulate in written words, it’s still a struggle to describe these thoughts here. It’s like trying to describe love in words. How can one really do that?) It’s still so amazing to see how a person develops and acquires the skills and behaviors she needs to survive and simply be in the world. As adults, we take so much of what we do, think and behave and how we move our bodies for granted. Dish towels are so ordinary to an adult, or you never think about how being in water (in a bath or a swimming pool) is different than being out of water, but to a 7 ½ month old baby, these things are really new and different, and there’s a lot to experience by touching, feeling and trying out with them!
March 4, 2008
More advanced discourse
In Lexi’s ever-evolving way of communicating, she’s moved on to some advanced noise-making. Several times a day for short intervals, she will “speak” a few phrases. The sounds are still gibberish baby talk, but she’s doing a good job imitating regular speech by putting some inflection and phrasing in it. Of course, we have a good time “talking” back to her in the same way, but she has yet to get the hang of the back and forth of conversation – she just sort of blurt things out as she’s inspired inwardly.
She is making one sound that arguably is a word. In fact, her favorite sound in this “speech” she is making is a “dada” word. Sometimes it’s just “dada,” while other times it’s “da-da-da.” Now Sarah and I are debating whether this can be counted as her first word or not. Of course, I think she loves her daddy so much and has quickly learned to call out for me. Sarah isn’t willing to recognize it as a real word yet. Perhaps what it actually could be is a Kiswahili (the local language in Kenya) word that Jane, our nanny/housekeeper, has taught her. We have told Jane to speak to Lexi only in Kiswahili, which she does in the many hours a day they spend together.
In all the speaking and playing Jane and LExi do together, Lexi gets revved up with excitement and still does some good screeching. Yesterday I was in the kitchen with Lexi and Jane, and Lexi was doing this, and it hurt my ears. I know it’s only the beginning of ways that she will touch a nerve.
As this “speech” evolves, Lexi is making her popping (sort of a quiet smacking) sound with her lips less often. That seemed to be an entertaining game with her. It seems to have been replaced by quick breathing through her nose, something we recall Olivia, her cousin on Sarah’s side of the family doing, a few months ago.
She is making one sound that arguably is a word. In fact, her favorite sound in this “speech” she is making is a “dada” word. Sometimes it’s just “dada,” while other times it’s “da-da-da.” Now Sarah and I are debating whether this can be counted as her first word or not. Of course, I think she loves her daddy so much and has quickly learned to call out for me. Sarah isn’t willing to recognize it as a real word yet. Perhaps what it actually could be is a Kiswahili (the local language in Kenya) word that Jane, our nanny/housekeeper, has taught her. We have told Jane to speak to Lexi only in Kiswahili, which she does in the many hours a day they spend together.
In all the speaking and playing Jane and LExi do together, Lexi gets revved up with excitement and still does some good screeching. Yesterday I was in the kitchen with Lexi and Jane, and Lexi was doing this, and it hurt my ears. I know it’s only the beginning of ways that she will touch a nerve.
As this “speech” evolves, Lexi is making her popping (sort of a quiet smacking) sound with her lips less often. That seemed to be an entertaining game with her. It seems to have been replaced by quick breathing through her nose, something we recall Olivia, her cousin on Sarah’s side of the family doing, a few months ago.
February 23, 2008
SO Big!
Today when we went to the grocery store, Lexi rode in the cart for the first time – in the kid’s seat, that is. Before, we have either carried her or put her entire car seat in the main part of the grocery cart (they have very large carts here) and piled the food around her. But she has been sitting up well enough (still not completely stable, but close) that we thought we would try it. She seemed to enjoy the trip as she was able to look around more. She did keep trying to turn around so that she was facing the direction we were pushing her, but obviously couldn’t.
I have also been talking to some of you about Lexi eating solid foods so I thought I would share with everyone because there are some differences in what is available here. First, we have not been able to find baby food in jars. So this means if we want to feed her anything besides cereal, we have to make it ourselves. Having house help is nice as since the blender is now getting a lot of use and neither of us like to clean the blender, we can have Jane do it. We have cooked and mashed up/blended sweet potatoe (not liked too well by itself), squash and bananas (not cooked).;l,vcfcC~Cccccccs aas,,,,,,,,,m (Lexi was helping with the typing there.) This week’s new ‘real’ food is paw paw (a fruit).
There is a variety of powdered cereals though that you add water to and we have tried several flavors. Wheat or rice are the bases – and you can get them plain – and then they are flavors like wheat and banana or rice and carrot, etc. Today, we picked up a different brand of cereal – the flavor is chicken and vegetables. Sounds tasty! J Lexi seems to really like all of the cereals so far no matter what the flavor. There is also Nestle brand baby cereals but we are avoiding them for ethical reasons. If you don’t know why, ask us.
I have also been talking to some of you about Lexi eating solid foods so I thought I would share with everyone because there are some differences in what is available here. First, we have not been able to find baby food in jars. So this means if we want to feed her anything besides cereal, we have to make it ourselves. Having house help is nice as since the blender is now getting a lot of use and neither of us like to clean the blender, we can have Jane do it. We have cooked and mashed up/blended sweet potatoe (not liked too well by itself), squash and bananas (not cooked).;l,vcfcC~Cccccccs aas,,,,,,,,,m (Lexi was helping with the typing there.) This week’s new ‘real’ food is paw paw (a fruit).
There is a variety of powdered cereals though that you add water to and we have tried several flavors. Wheat or rice are the bases – and you can get them plain – and then they are flavors like wheat and banana or rice and carrot, etc. Today, we picked up a different brand of cereal – the flavor is chicken and vegetables. Sounds tasty! J Lexi seems to really like all of the cereals so far no matter what the flavor. There is also Nestle brand baby cereals but we are avoiding them for ethical reasons. If you don’t know why, ask us.
February 21, 2008
No real changes - just more
I know I haven’t written in a while on what’s happening with Lexi (although Sarah has). Actually, I tend to write about changes in me instead as I learn about this strange creature and try to adapt to the way she changes.
The reason I haven’t posted in a while here is because there haven’t been any dramatic changes in Lexi, nothing that I think is especially strange, funny or incomprehensible. The only thing I can say that has changed is that she’s doing more of what she started in the past. She still loves to smile at us when we look or talk to her. She’s still a very happy baby in that way. And she gets excited more often by kicking her legs and beaming broadly in that funny gummy smile of hers.
Lexi is also “talking” a lot more. Now there’s a whole strange repertoire of noises. There is sort of the hissing or “talking” by quick breaths from her mouth. It’s almost as if she’s trying to say words in her mouth but can’t get a sound from her throat. And there are strange shouting outbursts that are sort of like quacking. It’s a rough sound. Sometimes among these sounds are high-pitched screeches, but these sometimes come on their own, which are especially hard on my ears, but she really enjoys making them (it’s when she’s excited). She has a good time all day conversing with Jane in this variety of ways.
This means she’s getting better all the time at interacting and responding to people. She turns her head when someone from behind her calls to her. And Sarah noticed the other day when she took Lexi to see Freddy (the baby of Sarah and Ed at #7 in our compound) that she was really chatting away to him, while Freddy just sat silently, staring back with his big blue eyes with slight concern (although he does this with everyone). I’m beginning to wonder if Lexi needs some playmates now!
The reason I haven’t posted in a while here is because there haven’t been any dramatic changes in Lexi, nothing that I think is especially strange, funny or incomprehensible. The only thing I can say that has changed is that she’s doing more of what she started in the past. She still loves to smile at us when we look or talk to her. She’s still a very happy baby in that way. And she gets excited more often by kicking her legs and beaming broadly in that funny gummy smile of hers.
Lexi is also “talking” a lot more. Now there’s a whole strange repertoire of noises. There is sort of the hissing or “talking” by quick breaths from her mouth. It’s almost as if she’s trying to say words in her mouth but can’t get a sound from her throat. And there are strange shouting outbursts that are sort of like quacking. It’s a rough sound. Sometimes among these sounds are high-pitched screeches, but these sometimes come on their own, which are especially hard on my ears, but she really enjoys making them (it’s when she’s excited). She has a good time all day conversing with Jane in this variety of ways.
This means she’s getting better all the time at interacting and responding to people. She turns her head when someone from behind her calls to her. And Sarah noticed the other day when she took Lexi to see Freddy (the baby of Sarah and Ed at #7 in our compound) that she was really chatting away to him, while Freddy just sat silently, staring back with his big blue eyes with slight concern (although he does this with everyone). I’m beginning to wonder if Lexi needs some playmates now!
February 14, 2008
Getting Bigger
Lexi and I went to the doctor Tuesday for her 6 month check up and vaccinations. She now weighs 7.03 kilos and is 67 cm in length – pretty much right around average in both categories. She did very well with her shots: she didn’t cry after the first one at all and only for a few seconds after the second one. I think it has affected her a little more than usual though – she was running a slight fever after I came home after work and didn’t get all of her cereal for dinner like usual. The doctor said she is doing very well. We don’t go back now until she is 9 months old.
February 3, 2008
What a strange creature!
I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised as a first-time parent because every stage of Lexi’s life will be new to me, but I am still confounded by the newness of Lexi and the strange way she is learning to do things.
The latest addition to her behavior in the last few days is making chatter. She’s done this in some ways in the past, but this is a new way and a little more sophisticated than the last. It’s just a bunch of grunting and baby “gaga” and “goo-goo” sounds, but they’re formed in a way that is closer to real speech and sounds more like a conversation. It’s fun to talk back to her when she’s doing this, like we really are having a conversation. She just sounds so busy when she’s “talking” like this, like she suddenly has a lot to say while we’re changing her diaper or at other random moments when she has these outbursts.
The way Lexi plays by herself in her chair while Sarah and I are eating dinner and then looks up at us as if she expects us to say something or just pauses to look at us like we’re strangers who have suddenly arrived in front of her just makes me laugh. I’ve said to Sarah several times in the last week or so, “What a strange creature!”
She’s always been a curious baby (well, maybe all babies are like this, but it’s new to me), but it’s fun to see her be more organized and controlled with this curiosity. Like this morning in church, I was holding her against me, with her head looking behind me over my shoulder. She had to get a good look at everyone behind us on one side of me and then move her head to the other side of mine and spend a few minutes looking up and down the pew at the people on the other side. We do recognize this curiosity in her, and we try to cater to it. When we prepare dinner each evening, she’s in the kitchen with us, and when we can, one of us holds her so she can watch the other chopping veggies or stirring what’s in a pot on the stove. We hope she learns to cook this way and learns to enjoy doing things like this.
The latest addition to her behavior in the last few days is making chatter. She’s done this in some ways in the past, but this is a new way and a little more sophisticated than the last. It’s just a bunch of grunting and baby “gaga” and “goo-goo” sounds, but they’re formed in a way that is closer to real speech and sounds more like a conversation. It’s fun to talk back to her when she’s doing this, like we really are having a conversation. She just sounds so busy when she’s “talking” like this, like she suddenly has a lot to say while we’re changing her diaper or at other random moments when she has these outbursts.
The way Lexi plays by herself in her chair while Sarah and I are eating dinner and then looks up at us as if she expects us to say something or just pauses to look at us like we’re strangers who have suddenly arrived in front of her just makes me laugh. I’ve said to Sarah several times in the last week or so, “What a strange creature!”
She’s always been a curious baby (well, maybe all babies are like this, but it’s new to me), but it’s fun to see her be more organized and controlled with this curiosity. Like this morning in church, I was holding her against me, with her head looking behind me over my shoulder. She had to get a good look at everyone behind us on one side of me and then move her head to the other side of mine and spend a few minutes looking up and down the pew at the people on the other side. We do recognize this curiosity in her, and we try to cater to it. When we prepare dinner each evening, she’s in the kitchen with us, and when we can, one of us holds her so she can watch the other chopping veggies or stirring what’s in a pot on the stove. We hope she learns to cook this way and learns to enjoy doing things like this.
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