Yesterday was one month. We met, and adopted, Sera on April 2nd. We've been together one month. It seems like yesterday, and it seems like forever. I can't imagine our lives without her anymore. Life pre-Sera was like Dorothy on the farm. It was a nice life, but lots of shades of gray. Life with Sera is like entering Oz and seeing all the colors for the first time.
We've pretty much developed our routine now. Sera wakes between 6 & 7 am. She has her morning bottle, and we play on my bed for about 15-20 minutes. Then we go back to her room where she plays on the floor with her toys. I'll either play with her or put away the clothes I washed the night before. If she's having a mellow day, we might sit in the recliner and watch a dvd instead. She has three. Baby Einstein's Baby MacDonald, Baby Einstein's Baby Signs, and Little Einsteins origin story about Rocket. I then put her in the crib and she takes her morning nap. It's been as short as 30 minutes, but it's usually around an hour. This is my shower window.
When she wakes from her nap, she gets a bath and dressed for the day. We then head downstairs for scrambled eggs. If we have any appointments or errands, they usually take place now. If we don't, it's play time.
Sometime between 1 and 2, she'll take her afternoon nap. It can be anywhere from one to two hours long, usually two. Then Daddy comes home. She gets all excited when she hears him unlocking the front door. It's officially now Daddy & Sera time. Sometimes we head out to one of the sport events at Jim's school, a baseball game, or something. Other times, Jim and Sera head out on their own. Sera usually has her third meal around this time.
Dinner is still not routine, but we try to eat by 7. Anytime after 7 is fair game for starting the bedtime routine.
Yesterday we headed out when Jim came home. We went to Michigan City, about an hour away. Jim used to live there and still likes to get his haircut there. It's hard to switch when you find someone who really knows your hair. While there, we got Sera's first haircut with us. I say with us because it's obviously been cut before. In fact, I'd say they used to shave the front all the way back. It's growing out now, so we left that alone. We just had the back evened out as it was getting long, below her collar, but it was really scraggly. She did really well, though she kept swinging her head around to see what Margaret was doing to the back of her head. Aftterwards we headed out to dinner. Sera got to try her first grilled cheese. I tore out tiny pieces from the middle of the sandwich. She really liked it. She's finally drinking some water now, too. That started on Monday. She's always refused water before. On Tuesday, she drank from a straw for the first time. The restaurant's high chairs all had broken straps, so Sera sat on my lap while we ate. She would take a piece of her sandwich in each hand. One she'd feed to me, and the other she'd feed to herself. Isn't that the sweetest thing?
We stopped and visited our friends, Doug & Laura and their family, on our way home where Laura's mom gave us three bags of clothes for Sera. She may have officially hit the stage where she'll never wear an outfit twice now. Everyone has been so generous. It seems like Sera is always tired and in need of sleep when we visit them, but she perked up this time and got playful.
We finally got home around 8, just in time for a final bottle and bed. Jim is usually in charge of the night time routine, but last night I did it. Two days ago, we bought a video monitor because I was dying to know what Sera does in her room. We would know she was in there awake; we could hear her, but if we went in the room she'd immediately start crying. Jim had been able to get her to sleep while rocking her. She'd wake slightly when he put her in the crib, but fall right back to sleep. On the other hand, she would not sleep when I rocked her. She would reach for my glasses or stick her fingers in my mouth or stroke my face or scratch my skin, but she wouldn't sleep. She started doing the same thing with Jim. It's like she doesn't want to miss a moment with us. We had to start putting her in her crib and leaving while she was still awake. I would cuddle her and tell her I loved her and how she was safe and home now. I'd tell her to sleep all night and have lots of good dreams and I'd come get her in the morning. I'd also use the baby sign for go to sleep, and then put her in the crib. I was sitting by the crib and stroking her back for a bit, but no matter what as soon as I moved, she'd sit up and cry. I'd tell her, again, that I loved her and to go to sleep and leave. She'd cry for maybe 10 seconds and then silence. I knew she couldn't be asleep, but I didn't know what she was doing.
Last night, I cuddled her and whispered my standard good nights to her. When I made the go to sleep sign and said good night, she gave a half-hearted whimper. I then placed her in the crib and put on the cd I play for her to go to sleep. I turned around and she was lying down already. A first! I said good night again and left. Silence. She didn't even cry. I ran into my room and turned on the video monitor. For the next 20 minutes, she rolled around, played with her fingers, played with her toes, changed her position at least a dozen times and went to sleep. I love this monitor.
Sera's First Haircut
How do you get a toddler to sit still for a haircut? Introduce her to suckers. Margaret has a stash for just this purpose. Needless to say, Sera loved it.
A lock of hair for the scrapbook.
Whatever we're looking at must be fascinating.
Love the Puffs.
Girl Talk
We must remember to stand up when taking Daddy's picture. Even from a distance, it doesn't work if you're sitting on a bleacher.
Sera's friend, Kyra. It was her brother's, DJ, lacrosse game we were watching.
We've pretty much developed our routine now. Sera wakes between 6 & 7 am. She has her morning bottle, and we play on my bed for about 15-20 minutes. Then we go back to her room where she plays on the floor with her toys. I'll either play with her or put away the clothes I washed the night before. If she's having a mellow day, we might sit in the recliner and watch a dvd instead. She has three. Baby Einstein's Baby MacDonald, Baby Einstein's Baby Signs, and Little Einsteins origin story about Rocket. I then put her in the crib and she takes her morning nap. It's been as short as 30 minutes, but it's usually around an hour. This is my shower window.
When she wakes from her nap, she gets a bath and dressed for the day. We then head downstairs for scrambled eggs. If we have any appointments or errands, they usually take place now. If we don't, it's play time.
Sometime between 1 and 2, she'll take her afternoon nap. It can be anywhere from one to two hours long, usually two. Then Daddy comes home. She gets all excited when she hears him unlocking the front door. It's officially now Daddy & Sera time. Sometimes we head out to one of the sport events at Jim's school, a baseball game, or something. Other times, Jim and Sera head out on their own. Sera usually has her third meal around this time.
Dinner is still not routine, but we try to eat by 7. Anytime after 7 is fair game for starting the bedtime routine.
Yesterday we headed out when Jim came home. We went to Michigan City, about an hour away. Jim used to live there and still likes to get his haircut there. It's hard to switch when you find someone who really knows your hair. While there, we got Sera's first haircut with us. I say with us because it's obviously been cut before. In fact, I'd say they used to shave the front all the way back. It's growing out now, so we left that alone. We just had the back evened out as it was getting long, below her collar, but it was really scraggly. She did really well, though she kept swinging her head around to see what Margaret was doing to the back of her head. Aftterwards we headed out to dinner. Sera got to try her first grilled cheese. I tore out tiny pieces from the middle of the sandwich. She really liked it. She's finally drinking some water now, too. That started on Monday. She's always refused water before. On Tuesday, she drank from a straw for the first time. The restaurant's high chairs all had broken straps, so Sera sat on my lap while we ate. She would take a piece of her sandwich in each hand. One she'd feed to me, and the other she'd feed to herself. Isn't that the sweetest thing?
We stopped and visited our friends, Doug & Laura and their family, on our way home where Laura's mom gave us three bags of clothes for Sera. She may have officially hit the stage where she'll never wear an outfit twice now. Everyone has been so generous. It seems like Sera is always tired and in need of sleep when we visit them, but she perked up this time and got playful.
We finally got home around 8, just in time for a final bottle and bed. Jim is usually in charge of the night time routine, but last night I did it. Two days ago, we bought a video monitor because I was dying to know what Sera does in her room. We would know she was in there awake; we could hear her, but if we went in the room she'd immediately start crying. Jim had been able to get her to sleep while rocking her. She'd wake slightly when he put her in the crib, but fall right back to sleep. On the other hand, she would not sleep when I rocked her. She would reach for my glasses or stick her fingers in my mouth or stroke my face or scratch my skin, but she wouldn't sleep. She started doing the same thing with Jim. It's like she doesn't want to miss a moment with us. We had to start putting her in her crib and leaving while she was still awake. I would cuddle her and tell her I loved her and how she was safe and home now. I'd tell her to sleep all night and have lots of good dreams and I'd come get her in the morning. I'd also use the baby sign for go to sleep, and then put her in the crib. I was sitting by the crib and stroking her back for a bit, but no matter what as soon as I moved, she'd sit up and cry. I'd tell her, again, that I loved her and to go to sleep and leave. She'd cry for maybe 10 seconds and then silence. I knew she couldn't be asleep, but I didn't know what she was doing.
Last night, I cuddled her and whispered my standard good nights to her. When I made the go to sleep sign and said good night, she gave a half-hearted whimper. I then placed her in the crib and put on the cd I play for her to go to sleep. I turned around and she was lying down already. A first! I said good night again and left. Silence. She didn't even cry. I ran into my room and turned on the video monitor. For the next 20 minutes, she rolled around, played with her fingers, played with her toes, changed her position at least a dozen times and went to sleep. I love this monitor.
Sera's First Haircut
How do you get a toddler to sit still for a haircut? Introduce her to suckers. Margaret has a stash for just this purpose. Needless to say, Sera loved it. 
A lock of hair for the scrapbook.When I downloaded the pictures from the camera, I found these from the day we went to the lacrosse game.
Whatever we're looking at must be fascinating. 
Love the Puffs.
Girl Talk
We must remember to stand up when taking Daddy's picture. Even from a distance, it doesn't work if you're sitting on a bleacher.
Sera's friend, Kyra. It was her brother's, DJ, lacrosse game we were watching.By the way, in case anyone is curious, baby food carrot stains are permanent. :o)
7 Comments:
I found out about the carrots the hard way! Luckily it was only a bib. I find that I am doing much more laundry. Shout is my new best friend. Love the Tide to go pen also!
Isn't motherhood great?!!!!
Now be fair! Tell them what my hair has looked like every single time I have tried a local person!
A disgruntled dad.
Sounds like you've got it down really well!
I lurves the photos :0)
Magi, How you have time to keep blogging is beyond me, but I am so glad you do. Looks like you found your groove. I love love your pics of Sera. Thanks for the pointer on carrots. I had no idea about staining!
I LOVE that mommy-and-me picture. Totally frameworthy.
Sounds like a great routine. I am going to add video monitor to my wish list. That sounds like a good thing.
The pictures of Sera's first haircut are priceless!
Such wonderful thoughts, events and pictures! You are awesome and Sera looks like she is just blossoming<
A
Post a Comment
<< Home