Sunday, September 6, 2015

Month Five

   Cinco de Mayo was a special day for me, as it was one year since I found out that I was pregnant! I will never forget that day and am so grateful for all the changes that have come in the past year!  We had some friends over for the first time on May 8th for a late Cinco celebration, including tacos, queso and margaritas. The babies played with L's toys while she quietly observed from her swing.
  We spent the month shopping at the malls (while avoiding the heat outside), starting music classes, yoga classes, and swimming in our pool.  On Mothers day, we started Mom's First School classes that included baby massage, baby gymnastics, and basic swimming. That afternoon we had to get L's vaccinations, which was so sad, but she did great and fell asleep quickly afterwards. The first couple of Kindermusik classes, Lillian would fall asleep half way through class, while the music and instruments were going loud and strong. But the poor baby would just get too tired from all the excitement and couldn't last the full hour class. For Mommy and Baby Yoga class, she tends to sleep on the blanket for part of the class too, but it lets me get a good yoga workout in so I definitely do not mind. I guess the drawback of starting all the classes is that L got a cold, but luckily it only lasted a day. It is just so sad to see her sneezing all the time and constantly sucking out her nose since she hastes that so much. We took her to the doctor on May 25th to make sure she didn't have an infection but all lab tests came back clear. She had grown another pound since her 4 month checkup and 1.5cm!
   I started putting Lillian in the Bumbo chair on the kitchen counter so that she can watch me while I cook dinner and clean the kitchen.  She started laughing when I play peek-a-boo with her, as she loves hearing the high pitched word and the surprise. I can really say anything in the same tone of voice and she will laugh. She got into a good bedtime routine this month of bath, massage, pj's, eating, and storytime so has been able to fall asleep quickly without crying. During the night, I try to put her pacifier back in her mouth when she wakes up (instead of feeding her) while holding her hands to get her to go back to sleep. Sometimes this works and she will sleep for another hour or 2, and other times she refuses the paci. She has been playing in her exersaucer for longer periods of time, which gives her a good rotation of toys when we are home, as she often gets bored and needs a change of location around the house. She loves when I read her books and tries to reach out and grab the pages. We avoid swaddling or putting a blanket in her crib to sleep anymore because she will just pull it over her face and not know how to get it off. She had rolled over from her tummy to back a couple of times on the bed where it is softer and easier to move around. She learned to put her feet in her mouth by herself this month. She loves to grab everything out of my hands and continues to laugh at her reflection in the mirror. She also loves to sit on our bed and watch me get ready, either putting on makeup or doing my hair. She started blowing bubbles (raspberries) with her lips this months and will just keep going forever when she gets on a roll. She also went under water for the first time at our swim lessons and did so great!
  We had visitors at the end of May and it was so fun to take Lillian out and about to show our guests the sights of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. She had her first brunch experience and did great napping, taking the bottle and just watching all the people pass our table. She also stayed with a babysitter for the first time while we enjoyed a nice dinner out with our friends that came in from Nigeria. I was a nervous wreck getting everything ready for the babysitter, but our friends were a good distraction while we were out so I didn't worry (too much) and could enjoy the time away. We had fun at the hotel pool in Dubai and she even fell asleep in my arms while sitting in the baby pool.
having fun in the Victoria Secret dressing room
celebrating Cinco De Mayo in our dress
loves her bathtime
at Music Monkeys class
fun with selfies
water baby in her new "baby boat"
Mama's cute kitchen helper
playtime with Dada
all smiles today
getting her 4 month vaccinations :(
Baylor Proud
cheese!
practicing our kicks with Dada
another swim day with Mama
saying goodbye to our friends, Lidi and Sophia
photo shoot in the sunlight to show off those gorgeous blues!
learning how to put my foot in my mouth all by myself!
patio time with Mama
those toes!! loves watching Mama dance around the kitchen
last day of one session of Kindermusik classes (L was fast asleep)
blowing bubbles became her new favorite thing
shopping with Miss Amanda
Baby's first brunch
why not drink 2 glasses of champagne while caring for a baby!
took her bottle like a champ at brunch
fun in the sun with Dada
swimming in the chilly pool with Mama
this is one hot, sleepy, chubby, precious baby
sight seeing at the Burj
my loves! (Dada, baby, and Texas Roadhouse, yum!)
at the Aquarium in the Dubai Mall
swim lessons
swim lessons 
the instructor used Lil for her model child
she was seriously the most comfortable in the water of all the babies.
our graduation class from Mom's First School
5 month photo shoot
she dove forward and I took a photo (and this makes me lol every time!)
my happy 5 month old showing off at the Mall with Aunt Missy

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Month Four

   Lillian started off her fourth month of life by celebrating Easter! We read the Easter story in the Bible stories book that Mamaw gave her. That evening we went over to Jason's co-workers house for a yummy Easter dinner. All the ladies loved meeting L for the first time and cuddling with her. Unfortunately, she didn't want to take the bottle, so she got a bit fussy, but no one seemed to care as she was happy walking around in anyone's arms!
   She loved to try to eat my arm or clothes while I try to change her diaper. She is also sleeping up to 5.5 hours at a time at night, but only about 30-40 minute naps during the day. We met a few new friends at the Bumps and Babes play group this month, which is every Tuesday at Cafe Arabia. It is good to catch up with other moms and compare stories (and learn from all the ones with older babies). Lillian sat in her Bumbo chair without support for the first time and her neck is starting to get a lot stronger. On April 12th, we went swimming in our pool upstairs for the first time. She really had no reaction as I dipped her toes in and gradually went deeper with her in my arms. She loved looking at the bubbles in the Jacuzzi and was happy as long as she was in my arms and holding on tight! The water was so warm that it's easy to get used to. She continues to get super fussy around 7 at night as she gets tired and just wants to be held.  She started laughing more this month, like when I kiss her arms and put her feet in her mouth. She started having signs of teething (drooling, gnawing on everything, etc.) but now I know that it was only the start of a very long process to wait for her teethies to come in!  
   We went to have some drinks with friends on the patio at a local hotel on a Friday afternoon. It was so fun to enjoy the weather and a small band that was playing, while Lillian was so happy sitting on laps, eating her bottles, and napping in the stroller. She also had a 2 hour nap in her swing before we went (of course, only when we are waiting on her to get up so we can go somewhere) so that helped her enjoy her time awake as well. Luckily, she easily falls asleep in my arms with her paci and a little swinging, even when we are in public. She had a couple of 7 hour sleeps at night this month (which were amazing) and some times where she slept another 2 hours or so after just putting the paci in her mouth when she woke up in the middle of the night. However, there are still nights when she wakes up every 3 hours, so we are hoping that we can both sleep through the night very soon!!
   We explored the new Mushrif Central Park with our friends, Kate and Peyton, on April 27th. Unfortunately, it is now getting too hot during the day to be outside much as it is around 106* by mid-day. She started crying when in her car seat almost everytime now as she just doesn't like to be strapped in when she is used to sitting in her big stroller now. I started taking her to the gym in our building while she is sleeping in the stroller so I can run on the elliptical machine for a bit. She just watches me when she wakes up and is so calm just observing the movement and wondering what is going on! 
   At her 4 month checkup with Dr. Fani, she weighed 7.32 kg (93%) and was 64cm long (85%).

back in AD in time for Easter

my precious Easter bunny
started putting everything in her mouth!

everything!

loving her selfies!

the smiles just kept coming this month

began sitting in her Bumbo chair like a big girl

my little water baby loves our pool days!

haha Mama, I tricked you into sleeping on your lap

one of the last Fridays enjoying the good weather

happy hour on the balcony

loving cuddles with Daddy when he gets home from work

excited for a walk outside

showing JJ around the Abu Dhabi parks

her new jumper

a fancy dinner out with friends

enjoying her shopping cart ride at Lulu's

sleepy lovebug!
happy girl

hanging at the St. Regis pool with Mariana and Daryl

bath time fun

our nightly bedtime story

at our 4 month appointment

4 month photoshoot

all smiles

sleepy girl watching me work out