Appetite 4 Life - Camilla's Blog

When I'm a big sister...

... there will be lots of changes in my life, and I sure hope Mamma and Pappa know what they're doing, as I'm really not sure about this whole thing. Yes, I don't mind Mamma having a baby in her belly, and there being cute baby clothes around the house, and besides I got a new doll from Mommo and Moffa, one that I can put a diaper on and dress up really pretty, so that's all good! But... how am I going to get used to a cry-baby in the house, taking up so much attention? Attention that I should be getting, really. 

So Mamma and Pappa asked a friend of theirs, Julia's Mommy Lisa. Julia (who's also 2) had a baby brother Jonathan this winter, so I guess they know what they're talking about. And here's some advice that Lisa sent for how to introduce (big word) the baby: 

* Julia visited me in the hospital on day 2 and I had a gift for her from me vs. from the baby. I heard that it would help Julia know that I was thinking of her.  (The gift was "I'm a big sister" t-shirt and something else). When she came to the hospital, we had a neutral 3rd party person there (my friend) who picked up Jonathan and showed her him vs. me or Paul holding him the first time. She quickly saw him and then went about her own thing (playing in my hosptial bed :-) 

* When we got home from the hospital, we brought Julia an Elmo balloon (she loves Elmo) and that occupied her attention while we got Jonathan settled in. We showed her him and said "baby", and that is how she now knows him and calls him.

*  The next day when we tended to Jonathan in front of her, we had her help (e.g. hand us a diaper, etc.).

A few months down the line, turns out that Baby Jonathan isn't so bad after all, and Julia is OK with having him around. But... he's not yet so much fun to play with (go figure), but Julia's Mommy had an idea that Julia really liked. I could see myself doing something like that, because I'm a really good Mamma's and Pappa's helper!

* Toddlers, as you know, have tons of energy. Moms (especially those of us with toddlers/infants in our 40s often don't :-). Babies at times want/need attention/interaction. So last week I was thinking, how can I channel Julia's energy into giving Jonathan positive attention so I could rest nearby? Well, Julia has an alphabet wooden puzzle that she likes to play with, so my thought was, how about I was teach Julia how to engage with Jonathan by modeling for her / pretending I was teaching Jonathan the A, B, Cs using her alphabet puzzle board. (Jonathan was sitting in his bouncy seat next to us). I would say "Baby, A....,Baby, B...., Baby, C...." and I would show him each letter as I said it and then put it in the puzzle. I then encouraged Julia to do the same, and she did that for several letters. Funny Part: The next morning I ran upstairs for something while Julia was playing in the living room. Julia's favorite toy is her stuffed animal, bear. She sleeps with him, hugs him, loves him. A few moments later I overheard Julia saying "Bear, A....Bear, B..., Bear, C...." and as I peaked down the stairwell, I saw her sitting on the floor with Bear right next to her as she was teaching him the alphabet. It was so cute. If I had my video camera at hand, I would have taped it. The win-win-win: Since then, Julia has engaged more with Jonathan wanting to teach him the alphabet, numbers, show him books, etc. So my ongoing strategy is to continue to encourage her doing that and model more positive / educational interactions like that.

All this is good stuff, but I'm still not 100% convinced, so if you have some more creative advice for Mamma and Pappa - send it their way, especially if it involves them spending more time with ME!

"The nugget that got away" and other adventures by Sofia

Yesterday was an exciting day in the Pags household. And no, not the new baby making waves yet - but toddler Sofia in action -  taking centerstage!

Moffa was downstairs vacuuming the cars and Mommo was on the other side of the house with Sofia watering the plants in the garden, and Mamma (i.e. me) was inside the house getting a thing or two done. Did I tell you what a blessing it is to have such active "babysitters" when my belly is forcing me to just slow down and almost watch from the sidelines at times? I just wanted to get that in there, before you read the next paragraph...

All of a sudden Mommo comes inside to ask me if Sofia is with me. Oops. "Nope, I thought she was with you". Mommo was watering the (by now somewhat famous) albicocca tree and Sofia was up there with her potty. Mommo asked her to bring the potty back down, and a minute later she found the potty halfway down on the grass but no Sofia. 

Time to mobilize. Mommo trots up to the camper/husbilen/RV/mobile home, I call down to Moffa who has not seen her, but he starts walking around the house that way, our landlord Georgio is with the gas&water guy, and both of them head out with me towards the other logical places. 

Hens ready for some adventure

I go down towards the swing and the back of the property, and leave them to go into the chicken coop. Every afternoon Georgio opens the door and lets the hens out - happy hens, but not so happy me when I catch doing their business where I want to have easy walking access, but it's a small price to pay really for country living. So the gate is open, and within 30 seconds I hear Georgio shout that he's found her. I pass on the word to Dad, and via him to Mom and head in to find her happily standing in the middle of about half of the dozen hens that Georgio has, splashing away in their little birdbath, talking up a storm. 

Phew, to say the least. And the start of freedom in a bigger way for Sofia, one where she is enjoying starting to explore on her own, whereas previously she was always making sure someone familiar was close at hand. An excellent example is that just two minutes after I got her washed up and ready to go after her chicken adventure, she trotted up to husbilen with very determined steps - not even looking behind her to see if anyone was following, and refusing to acknowledge any of us calling her.

Should I put up the don't disturb sign?

A while later it's potty time, and there's nothing quite like a bit of fresh air to go with that. And some literature entertainment. So I'll let the picture speak for itself. But do note that her newfound friends from the coop are now wanting to get very friendly - and one boldly approaches the potty, until the inborn fear chases it away. Sofia is completely oblivious to the whole thing, and why not: she's engrossed in a good book by now. 

Fast forward to late at night and Jeff emptying the washing machine of the evening's load of various and sundry. He poked in a rag to collect the excess water in the rubber sealant of the door (frontloader, European style) when something very surprising caught his eye: a dark brown hard little nugget. Thinking exactly what you are thinking he smelled it. Nothing. Again. No smell whatsoever. A third time... ok, maybe a little whiff of what once must have been a normal #2 nugget, but now was the cleanest, shiniest and best disinfected little thing you could find. 

How was your day, by the way?

Gigi's special day: 100 years young!

Jeff, Gigi, Larry, Lois and Sofia

Sofia's paternal Great Grandma doesn't really like being called that - it makes her old, she says. And it's a handful for all the great-grandchildren of various ages to remember too, so the abbreviation "GG" or Gigi works well for her and everyone. 

Sofia and Gigi share their private joke

And today is a very special day for Gigi - one that most of us can only dream about: it is her 100th birthday! She manages on her own with cleaners and shoppers to help her out, and of course her daughters. And she knows more about vitamins and minerals than most people, and she's still sharp as a bullet.

Last November, we had the wonderful opportunity to visit her down in Florida for a few days, and it was lovely to see the relationship starting to blossom between Gigi and Sofia - despite the 98 year age difference!

So here's to you - Gigi: have a wonderful birthday today, and keep it up! You are such an inspiration for all of us!

A great day for baking

 

Roll it out

Shape it

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sofia had a wonderful experience baking with Mommo the other day.

It took her a while to get into it, as the rolling and patting is something that she is just getting the hang of, using play-dough. But as you can see she really got into it! But once we experimented with putting some raisins on them, we quickly discovered that they disappeared quicker than they brought out!

Needless to say - she loved the finished products too, as did all the families we had over on Sunday afternoon! Thanks Mommo.

Pat a cake...

 

Toddlers say the darndest things

Last night Jeff was proudly sporting an oily little hand print on his right shoulder. At dinner time, Sofia decided enough was enough of this cuddly pappa figure trying to get between her and her spaghetti.

This, I might add, can be dangerous... we certainly have a little Italian in our house when it comes to pasta, and preferably with extra virgin olive oil and a little parmesan cheese. Personally I blame our Italian pediatrician who suggested that as part of her diet already at 6 months!

Anyway Sofia puts her oily hand on his shoulder without hesitation and says "lean back!". I had to laugh out loud, because these kinds of random, but fitting expressions are becoming more frequent now. 

A couple of days ago my Mom was rummaging around in the vitamin box in the kitchen, and Sofia decided enough was enough of this meddling in family business and tells Mommo off: "don't touch our vitamins". Note the possessive pronoun here that obviously didn't include the extended family.

Another re-occurring request is when she wants time alone in the bathroom (my goodness, how did this happen so soon?) on her potty and she will look at me, and sometimes push me away if I am within arm's reach and declare: "Mamma go in the kitchen!". 

Happy Easter 2012

Cousin Alva and Sofia get a visit by Easter Bunny!

Tea party in our living room

 

I want to help pappa!

Checking out the lay of the land

   

   Can I use this?

 

This has been our living room for the past two weeks, thanks to my creative husband. The tent came down yesterday to make space for the family visiting for Easter. But it was also time... as with most toys, the fun wears out after a short while, so while it was fun putting it up, having lovely tea parties with various dolls and stuffed toys, it was equally fun to take it down with pappa yesterday. 

 

Would you like cake with your tea, Mr Giraffe?

 

The art of slowing down

I am beginning to think of it as a real art form. Something you have to practice to be good at and something to strive for. I was reminded again yesterday of how easy it is to rush through projects, activities, chores - life really.

I joined a small pre-natal class, and it happened that all the other Moms-to-be are first-time-arounders when it comes to having a baby. We were going through things that we like and dislike about being pregnant, and I raised the topic of slowing down. As being a positive thing. Only to find out that none of the other participants had actually, or even thought about, slowing down while pregnant. So I thought back to two years ago with Sofia in the womb, and realized that was me. Then. I was so busy working, and showing everyone that I was still as capable of doing everything just as well as I did before becoming pregnant that I deliberately chose to almost ignore the changes. 

So I realize that things are different this time around. My body tells me to slow down, or I get cramps if I stress or walk too fast (forget running), the baby sometimes pushes on the schiatic nerve, forcing me to just look through dirty windows and ignore the dust bunnies as pushing the vacuum around doesn't always work.

And I think of how these things really can be a blessing for me, as I enjoy life at an even slower pace now, and can enjoy moments I may otherwise not even consider important.

I socialize when I can, knowing that time will be more restricted with two rather than just one. I spend time outside in the sun with Sofia when I can, realizing that also this is coming to an end: soon she will be a big sister having to share time with Mamma and Pappa. I try to put my feet up for a few minutes when Sofia goes down for a nap - not always an easy task. Relax... not a concept well-looked upon where I come from. 

And with all of this, I wonder... is it a temporary thing that I feel that I am starting scrape the surface of this art form? Will I forget how to do it with the next change, or am I learning something that I can implement even when life shifts into higher gear next time? Working from rest. Such a difficult concept, but oh, so important. 

Baby looks like big sister!

Baby in the womb 2012

Sofia in the womb 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Friday I had my most recent ultrasound, and I love the 3D imaging they have, which really makes a difference from deciphering the regular ultrasound images. 

The left image is our baby number two, growing steadily and healthily, now moving into week 30 of the pregnancy. I pulled up a VERY similar photo of Sofia which I have posted on the right, taken when I was in week 35, so a little further along. 

Wouldn't you agree that the siblings look a LOT alike? Two peas in a pod really.

Family outing in San Rossore

 

Family photo

Peekaboo - here I come!

Together with friends we had a lovely Saturday in Pisa, lunch and then playground. And what a great one too! Well maintained and big - right by the hippodrome, so of course we know where the money comes from. We also took a lovely little drive in the park of San Rossore - a first for us, but definitely not a last.