Friday evening I went to a cigar store to play poker and Tatiana stayed with Scotland.  It was nice getting out on my own, but I felt like I had an arm missing.  Scotland said she was cranky.  She didn't want to drink from the bottle, and then she gave in and fed herself from the bottle in the car.  But, then she hadn't been hungry during the day, either. 

She loves her books, particularly the ones that make animal noises.  But, they don't hold a candle to Mommies book.   I try putting some of her books in between my book and her, but noooo when she is focused on something.  She is so cute when she is crawling and concentrating, her tongue sticks out a little bit.

Saturday night she did not sleep well at all.  Which meant that Scotland and I didn't sleep well either.  She woke up about three times. 

Today, Sunday, we had a pretty normal day.  She let me sleep until 11am which was unusual and nice.  We went to Ralf's to judge the essays.  She was an angel.  When we were done, Paul held her and several other people stood around and admired/talked about her.  I commented that she knew she had the proper amount of attention. 

Thursday morning she did her first genuine crawl with the proper arm movements.  I had nursed her in the master bed and then she wanted to eat my book.  There was a sheet in the way, and I think that is why she picked up one arm.  When she'd made a few steps I started to cheer and I called Scotland in.  I don't think she knew she was doing it different.  She gave me this confused big smile that said she didn't how she'd made me happy, but she was glad she did.  I need to vacuum now.  The trouble is she is still sick, and I'm feeling a little under the weather.

Today she has spent a lot of time sleeping.  During morning playtime she crawled on the nursery floor. She was particularly fascinated with the lid to the diaper pail. 

Wednesday:  Still sick, maybe getting better.  My nickname for her has been Wheezy, but she is breathing better.  Maybe just wishful thinking.  Trouble is, now I am congested.  I really like it when she is really clear with what she wants.  During morning playtime, she pulled herself to a standing position using my bra strap.  She stood there a minute with that smile that says "Look at what I can do!".  Then she leaned forward and rested her head on me, and started to suck her thumb.  I got the message.  She was tired and wanted to sleep on mommy. 
I took some video during afternoon playtime.  At one point she rolled and bumped her head.  Somehow knowing it is on video makes me feel worse.  We fed her carrots from the garden.  I don't think the food processor mixed them fine enough. 

Sunday night, we got the shoes that Mom had bought for Tatiana's Baptism.  They are absolutely adorable!  Her second pair of the ruffled diaper covers came in too.  Everyone smiles when they see her butt in them.  I was holding her and trying to get her to go to sleep.  She was fighting it, and was doing raspberries on my shoulder.  Scotland wanted one.  He offered her his cheek and she started to, but she couldn't get the angle right. 

Monday:  Still sick.  We ran errands and she was an angel.  I looked at her red eyes, and snotty nose and realized she wouldn't be photogenic by Wednesday, so we postponed the photo shoot a week.  I want these photos to be extra special. 

Tuesday: Still sick.  I am such a Mom.  She has a gob of snot coming out her nose, and I think "Oh, Good!  Get that stuff out of your body.  Let Mommy clean that off for you."  Sometimes I look at her and she gives me that crooked smile, and I see the little girl she will become.  Other times, she is 110% baby.  Even her cry is adorable, at least when I know what to do.  Now that she is sick, she is more like a tiny baby.  Poop/pee, eat, play a little, sleep, repeat.  I hung a couple of things in the nursery, including my old music box that had made my cry with happiness when I saw it when I was pregnant.  I hung it up over the lightswitch. While holding Tatiana, I pulled the cord.  Tatiana looked at me and smiled, then looked at the music box.  She sat in my arms calmly watching it the entire time it played. 

Tuesday:  She slept without her coughing waking her up.  We got up early to go to the mom thing at church. My breakfast burritos were popular.  During afternoon playtime, I called mom and dad and they didn't answer.  I let Tatiana play with the phone AND SHE CALLED HER GRAM AND GRANDDAD.  Mom answered and was so happy.

Wednesday:  We once again woke up early.  We went to the Mom group that meets at the mall.  I wanted to get some exercise.  The other moms were jealous of Tatiana.  All 5 babies were around her age.  Three of them weren't sleeping through the night.  None of them were attempting to crawl. I forgot to bring toys, so I let her crawl to my drink.   In the evening we went to Manny's and met Ty and Margaret.  Brandon came along too.  We asked Ty and Margaret to be Godparents.  They said yes. 

Thursday:   She woke very congested.  So much for a late morning sleep.  We stayed home.  I wish I could make her all better. 

Friday: Still sick.   She absolutely loves to play with books.  There is one book with soft animal heads on it.  When you push on the head, it makes that animal's noise.  She laughs/coos when she hears it.  She also loves the phone.

Saturday:  Still sick.  She played with the wooden animal puzzle.  I showed her each puzzle piece and the animal noise it made when you put each piece back.  She giggled for each one.  Then she decided to chew on the rooster.  She had been sitting up and then leaned forward and her elbow hit the right spot to make the rooster noise.  She did that a few more times.  Then she decided to chew on the dog piece.  So, I put the rooster back, and it made the noise.  That got her attention and she did something neat.  She tilted the piece up, and dropped it in order to make the noise.  Before, with her elbow, it had been on accident.  But this was on purpose.  She did that many times.  Right then, Judith called.  She got to hear Tatiana make the noise.  Then I called Mom and Dad.  Mom only got to hear it once and then Tatiana decided it was time to nurse.

That evening she discovered flowing water.  She had pooped in her diaper, so I wiped her and was rinsing her in the sink.  She grabbed a hold of the faucet and made the water spurt.  Then she just put her hand in the stream and moved it.  Pretty neat

Sunday:  Still sick.  Today she discovered terry cloth. 

Monday started fairly normal. I woke her up and nursed her.  She wouldn't let me go back to sleep, but she smiled, so I melted.  I played with her and then did dishes.  Mom and Dad came over for a Tatiana visit.  She was late for her late morning nap.  I thought she might go right to sleep when they got here, but she was just cranky.  Wanted Mommy and only Mommy.  We had a nice lunch.  I'd made caramel rolls.  Then we fed Tatiana.  Mom and Dad fed her some, then I finished.  She is still learning how to eat.  She often closes her mouth just when you get the tip of the spoon in.   I feel bad Mom and Dad didn't get more Tatiana time.  She was cranky for awhile after they left.  We did a baby swim in the bathtub.  She kicked and splashed.  She seemed to settle down after that.  Scotland and I watched some TV.  While he was eating, I changed her diaper in the living room.  Since I have to kiss her belly, and I didn't want to lean down to the floor.  I picked up and kissed her belly that way.  She pushes with her legs and she moves too far away for me to kiss, then she moves back and I give her more belly kisses.  She laughed and laughed.   I laughed too.  Then I put her on my shoulder while trying to snap the bottom of her PJ's.  She was making the potty noise against my shoulder.  I said, "Yes, you went in the potty!"   Scotland said, "I think she was giving you a raspberry.  Put her face to your cheek."  So, I did.  She gave me the best raspberry ever on my cheek!  I laughed so hard and long that it hurt.  My 6 month old baby gave me a raspberry!  I never would have known if Scotland weren't so observant.  Scotland took her then and offered her his cheek, but she wasn't in the mood any more.  Maybe I scared her by laughing so hard.  Then she played on the jungle gym otherwise known as daddy and got tired out.  I nursed her and she went to sleep.  I am going to treasure that raspberry memory. 

It is Sunday morning now.  Scotland and Tatiana are sleeping.  Tatiana had a weird night.  She fell asleep really early.  She needed lots of shoulder time, and that made her sleepy.   We had put her in her crib for her afternoon nap, and maybe she needed some mommy time.  She woke up a couple of times last night.  Her diaper was very wet, and then she wanted to nurse to calm down. 
Saturday afternoon during playtime I song Dance Baby and I swear she was singing along.  I thought it was adorable. 

We had a busy day yesterday.  It was good that her mood returned to normal.  We had a 10:45am doctor's appointment to get her 6 month vaccines.  It is amazing how much better the 10:00am appointments are for Tatiana.  The 10:45 nugged into her naptime.  She was 13lbs 2oz.  She got her shots and they weren't too bad.  She cried like the world was ending, of course.  But, she calmed down when I held her.  At the 4 month appointment, I think the doctor pegged me as a "Good mother".  She had really cried hard when she got her shots, and then calmed down right away when I held her.  I saw him smile and say something about good mothers to the nurse while gesturing at Tatiana and I.  She seemed OK for the rest of the afternoon.  I went to play poker in the evening and left her with Scotland.  During the second session I get a little twitchy wondering what she is doing at that moment.  I end up playing bad and leaving earlier than normal.  When I got home, I ran inside and she was sleeping so I couldn't hold her.  I waited for her to wake up, but eventually I had to wake her up to nurse her so that I could go to sleep. 
     This morning was very normal.  I love it when after a little bit of milk she'll stop nursing, back up and then she'll give me this brilliant smile. I think she is saying, "Good Morning Mommy!  Good Milk!"  Then she goes back to eating.  We haven't given her any solid foods the last few days.  We want to let her tummy settle from the solids she has had.  She pooped all on her own this evening.  Well, the car ride might have helped. 

Wednesday

WARNING:  POOP DISCUSSED AT GREAT LENGTH
She has been very distressed.  She's been crying while making the pooping noise.   I thought she wasn't that constipated since she went yesterday.  Then I touched her butt.  There was hard poop just inside there.  I looked up what I could do.   One of the first things I read is that sometimes parents see liquidy poop and think their baby isn't constipated.  When really it is a sign of it.  In hindsight, yesterday's was that way.  Then I became even more worried.   We did many many long Baby Cycles, where I exercised her legs until my arms hurt.  A bath might have relaxed her, so I tried that.  I also tried a bath swim thinking the natural leg movements might help.  Nope.  There was one more thing to try and I couldn't bring myself to do it.  I read that using a rectal thermometer can break the dam.  I worried I would hurt her more.  Scotland was playing soccer so I sent him a text "I need your help getting her to poop.  Please don't chit-chat."  Then Tatiana and I went to the recliner, where she cried and cried.  Then I turned the lullaby CD on.  When the first song came on "Dance Baby" her face lit up and she actually smiled.  That player did not have a Repeat button, so I kept restarting the CD.  Eventually she calmed down, and then Scotland came home.  He did the thermometer trick and boy did it work!  Scotland said she probably pooped out 5 ounces. 
She is asleep now. It is nice to be back to normal.  Tomorrow she gets Three shots.  My poor baby. 

It is Tuesday morning now.  We had a nice day yesterday.  We were going to meet Scotland at the pub for poker and football.  So, I nursed her and then put her in the crib while I used the breast pump.  She made a little noise in the crib and then was quiet.  When I went to get her she was sleeping in her crib!  That was the first time she went from playing to sleeping without our help.  Sigh, our little angel is growing up.  I loaded her in the car, and then the car wouldn't start.  Scotland is going to fiddle with it this morning.  We tried to go to poker in Scotland's car but Ty called us and said there was no poker.  I suspect that that location is canceled permanently.  We had a nice evening at home.  In fact, she fell asleep again in the crib yesterday evening. 

I think she is constipated, poor little baby.  She cries while making the potty noise. I looked into it, and it might be that her poop is different and her body is getting used to it.  Good thing I checked it out.  We were planning on making apple sauce next, and that might have constipated her more.  Instead we are going to try Pears next. 

I woke up at 8:30am and instead of being asleep, she was quietly chewing on a rattle.  It was so sweet!

I finished making a new fitted diaper yesterday, and she slept in it.  All was well. She looks so adorable in it!

Tatiana had another first today!  Her first snow.  She didn't know what to think of it.  Of course, both her parents were talking about how icky snow was, while we took her out in it.  We got that on video too. 

Scotland put her in the sling for the first time.  She took a nap.  I was just overcome with love looking at them.  When she woke up she did a double take when she saw Scotland and she cried.  Even knowing why, it still hurt his feelings.  To get her used to being in the sling with Daddy, he put her back in during the evening.  I got lots of stuff done. 

Tatiana & Susie & Scotland went to Arlington ELKS with Gram & Grandpa for dinner.
Then we were all entertained by Mr Rocknroll.
Tatiana moves her head in time with music = like Stevie Wonder.

  Wednesday we woke up early to go to Christian's custody hearing.  I packed everything and the kitchen sink.  I hate driving and parking in Dallas, so we took the train.  Yeah!, Tatiana's first train trip.  It was so much nicer than driving.  I was able to hold her, and feed her and diaper her.  She looked out the window for a bit at first, but the sun was bright.  At the courthouse each side had their own little room right outside the courtroom.  Since it was private, we could relax.  Judith got in lots of Grandma time.  Tatiana was an angel. At one point when the lawyer was updating, she fussed and I took her out of Judith's arms to change her diaper.  The lawyer seemed a bit surprised that I knew her diaper needed to be changed.  I told him she was quite upset.  He said, "If that is upset.  I wonder what her happy is like?"  It is Friday now and I have not heard the result of the court case.  I'm a little worried.  On the way home she fell asleep so deeply I was worried she wasn't breathing.  I really moved her, and she shifted her head from one side to the other.  I swear I could read her mind and it was "Mommy, Let me sleep!"
  Thursday morning we once again had to wake up early.  This time was for her 6 month checkup.  He said that because she has been coughing at night he wants to postpone the vaccines for a week.  We also need to put a pillow under her mattress to keep her head elevated.   Before we went to lunch, she got her first sweet potatoes.  She seemed to like them.  She is so cute the way she tries to help!  She tries to use her hand to scrape the food from the spoon into her mouth.  Sometimes it works, sometimes she gets it all on her hand.  Thursday evening I left her home with Scotland and I went to play poker at Southfork.  I like that place.  They are so friendly.  They had a nice evening together.  She still woke up coughing
  This morning I was going to let us sleep in, but of course she woke up early.  Right now she is sleeping in the sling. 

Today was a busy day.  Last night she woke up coughing shortly after she fell asleep.  I held her in the rocker.  She felt so warm and snuggly, and I had a book on CD going so I think I held her for a long time after she went asleep.  I just didn't want to put her down.  We had to wake up early to get to the Mom group at the church.  I enjoy that.  She gives me an excuse to walk around.  The ladies are so nice.  Then we went to the Church service.  I sat next to one of the moms from my table.  Her daughter is 1.5 months older.  They were fascinated with each other. We picked up some fabric and got home.  We had a nice time at home.  Scotland got home and we went out for Pizza.  They didn't have a baby changing table in the Men's Room.  Grrr.  Very annoying.  We got home and she took a nap.  We fed her bananas, and then watched TV.  She was in the floor gym and then Scotland says, "You want to watch this"  She saw a pile of newspaper ads on the floor and creeped/crawled a couple of feet to them.  She probably went about 10 feet total.  We kept putting new ads a little bit out.  Yes, mother, I have it on video. At least all but the first.  She was really going for that paper.  I don't know if it was an actual crawl.  Probably more of a fast creep. 

We are having a nice day today.  She is spending lots of time sleeping in the sling.  She is still waking up in the wee hours coughing.  Scotland brought her to me to nurse, and I totally did not remember it this morning.  I talked to Mom and Dad today and she was so intent on the phone.  It was adorable!  Of course, I think her poop doesn't stink.  But, then in her case it really is true.  Last night Scotland was proud because she did a "Man pushup."   That is when you do a pushup using your toes. 

Jan 2

She is still feeling a little sick.  She'll be cranky and the next minute she'll be happy.  She added a new twist to the kissing game.  She kissed my nose, then turned her head to the side.  I gave her lots of kisses om her cheeks and she giggled.  It was nice.  At the moment she is in the sling hiccoughing and sucking on her thumb.

She did so good at her second feeding.  She tried just as much to help, but it was more helpful this time.  I got an adorable photo of her eating. 

Jan 1: First solid food

We fed Tatiana her first food today.  We were waiting until she was 6 months old, and she is a few days shy.  She has been quite insistent about grabbing for my food and particularly my water glass.  She gets a little sick for a few days after her vaccine so I decided to start now.  In the morning I set up her highchair.  She became a little fussy, so I didn't investigate why the legs fell out when you lifted the chair.  When it was time to feed her, It took us awhile to get setup.  She was such a patient girl.  I swear she knew what was coming!  She sat there and swung her arms.  We mushed an organic banana with freshly pumped breast milk.  Since I do most of the feeding, I let Scotland give her the first bite.  She took right to it, and wanted to help shove the food in.  We also fed her a black-eyed pea, for luck.  After a few bites she became fussy.  I thought it was because she'd had enough of the new experience, but it turned out her diaper was soaked.