Sunday, February 18, 2007
9:43 AM
New developments: the sign for "milk" and "sleep". When she's ready for bed, she does the sleep sign, and then the milk sign, and the HEADS OVER TO THE FRIDGE AND TUGS ON THE DOOR. She did it the other night for the first time. It was like she was saying "I'm going to hit the hay..." Now she does it when she wants naps or to go to sleep at night. It's very weird having a child basically tell you you are keeping her up!
She's starting to try to run. She now can walk faster than me, but she trips often.
She loves Jack's Big Music Show. A lot. And Fleetwood Mac and Corinne Bailey Rae (is that how you spell it??) I have to get the Corinne Bailey Rae CD for her- it was on the TV the other night and Gracie stopped, dropped what she was holding, and swayed back and forth. Gracie LOVES to dance and will do it anywhere or anytime the mood strikes her. It is so amazing. I dread the day someone says something to her to make her the least self-conscious about it. I want her to always be able to dance free, to her heart's content, just for the joy of it.
In unpleasant developments: Gracie has hit the point where she hates almost all food. I know this is common in 16 month olds, but I never in a million years thought a Micheline would be a picky eater!!!
Right now we are following doctor's recommendations and feeding her lots of foods and letting her have whatever she will eat. Mealtimes are touch and go- she has to be in the mood- so we are starting to have lots of scheduled snacks. She's an itty bitty thing, so I'm not overly concerned about the quality of the food she eats, although a part of me screams "this is going to mess her up for life! She should be eating the most healthy, preservative free foods you can give her- you are not trying hard enough! Bad mom!!" But to be honest, we tried that and she pretty much laughed at us. So now we are just getting foods the pediatrician recomended- mac and cheese, waffles, cheese chunks, yogurt, cereal bars, different cereals, pasta, and things like slices of ham and turkey. We are trying to choose healthier versions - Annie's Mac and Cheese, less sugar cereals, etc. So at least we are doing that. *sigh*
Tom and I are long term vegetarians (Gracie is NOT- neither Tom nor I feel confident enough in our own nutrition or prepartaion of foods to think gracie would get enough of what she needs from what we eat. We are too carb-centric), so we really have to think hard at the grocery store when we try and find things for her. The other night she had her first hot dog at a restaurant and DEVOURED it. I mean, she acted like she never ate before. And I felt bad because I never thought to give her one. It's just not on my food radar anymore. So I am trying to be conscious of all the foods that I don't normally even think about as being "food" for her. She can't have peanut butter or eggs because she is allergic.
This is very frustrating. She either refuses to eat altogether or she spits everything right out. The worst is when you THINK she's going to eat it, she processes it, and out it comes with no warning.
Okay, I leave you with three movies of Gracie. I'm sorry they are so huge and not on You Tube, but You Tube and my camera's move format do not get along and Gracie sounds like Mickey Mouse when I try and upload them. So you'll have to click on the link to watch them. THEY TAKE A WHILE TO DOWNLOAD, so wait until the little screen comes up.
One is of Gracie walking and saying "no" a few weeks ago, and one is of her giving kisses, talking, dancing, and talking last week. In her corduroys.
Movie One - "no"
Movie Two - "kisses and corduroys" (especially big and SUPER cute!)
Omg- that second video is way too cute. And yay, she loves Fleetwood Mac! :)
Posted by Janet @ February 18, 2007 01:31 PM
She is too adorable for words.
Love Jeanne ^j^Posted by Jeanne @ February 18, 2007 04:56 PM
Don't worry too much about the food issue. My little boy is 30 months old and has been a picky eater since he was 15 months old. He eats very litte, and yet has so much energy. (He's in the 5th percentile). It's best not to make mealtimes stressful. Progressively, they'll open up to variety again.
She's adorable...
Long time lurker...Posted by Catherine @ February 19, 2007 06:38 AM
First of all, those videos? ADORABLE! Man, she and Addy would have a blast. They are like two peas!
Second, if Gracie loves her signs, you have to teach her the sign for music. It is the second sign we taught Addison and she uses it a lot these days becuase she is a music *fanatic*. She also loves CBR (the cd ROCKS) and her recent love is Katherine McFee. But she also loves the Dead Milkmen - snort :-P
Noah is a killer-picky eater. Always has been. All I can say is do what you can, do NOT make it a power struggle EVER and you will eventually figure out what the options are. Noah lived on pasta for about a year, it sucked. He still won't eat meat beyond bacon and clams so we have the opposite dilemma as you (no idea how to feed a veggie!). You just learn to adjust. It sucks and some kids grow out of it but for some kids, it is just how they are. That's hilarious about the hotdogs.
Posted by Nicki @ February 19, 2007 11:51 AM
re:vegetarianism and kids
i am in the process of adopting from VN using VORF. i am also a vegetarian (hubby is NOT) and have been debating on wheither or not to raise my lulu as one. my husband finally told me i could do it if i proved to him i could take care of myself. havent proved it yet:( i am also a carb lover. i am most likely going to raise her to only eat animal compassionate/organic meat and to respect animals. that will be my gift to her. i would just never want to harm her b/c i wasnt doing things properly. i guess nothing is worth that.
anyway, i love your little gracie. she is perfect!
emilyPosted by emily @ March 6, 2007 07:41 PM
re:vegetarianism and kids
i am in the process of adopting from VN using VORF. i am also a vegetarian (hubby is NOT) and have been debating on wheither or not to raise my lulu as one. my husband finally told me i could do it if i proved to him i could take care of myself. havent proved it yet:( i am also a carb lover. i am most likely going to raise her to only eat animal compassionate/organic meat and to respect animals. that will be my gift to her. i would just never want to harm her b/c i wasnt doing things properly. i guess nothing is worth that.
anyway, i love your little gracie. she is perfect!
emilyPosted by emily @ March 6, 2007 07:43 PM
