Diamonds are a girl’s best friend

Jasmin is showing first signs of analyzing the world around her. She is also showing good taste, especially for diamonds and glittery stuff, just as a little girl should.

Jasmin’s has been going to a daycare center for the last two months and has been getting endless compliments form the care takers there about her gentleness and good temper. She eats well and with eagerness, plays happily, she is adorable (of course) and is always looking about her, so they say. Recently a new compliment has been added, the team of care givers argue that Jasmin understands everything. As a mother, I could never argue against a claim that my daughter is intelligent, yet I admit that I too have been observing first signs that Jasmin is analyzing her environment and slowly begins to communicate with people around her and widen her ability to explore her surroundings.

The first leap came with the ability to crawl properly and not just on her belly (at the age of 5 months). Then she stood up hanging onto furniture (7 months) and after that came the ability to sit and climb stairs on her hands and knees (8 months for the stairs, 9 months for completely sitting up). All this means Jasmin is mobile and exploring. To this preliminary set of skills is no added that of response to her environment.

Examples of such responses have already occurred at the early stages, when she brings her head towards mine in response to me leaning my head towards hers and making a sound that is a tradition in the family for this kind of first baby game (the game is putting heads together and smiling when it works - i.e. the baby responds in kind to the tilt of the head). By the advanced age of 8 months Jasmin can actually play ball! She roles the ball to me (albeit a bit awkwardly) and is happy when I role it back. She asks to be picked up by coming close and raising her hands in the air (an advancement on the action of thumping her foot against the floor at the age of 4 months).

She is now 9 months old and she puts her hands on her head in response to a children’s rhyme “clap clap clap, 123 hand on your head “. I first demonstrated the movements to the song holding her hands, clapping them and then putting them on her head, she now holds my hands and goes through the moves. She looks for positive feedback, throwing big smiles at me especially when she places her hands and mine on her head.

So far, she has shown particular responses to people, but just yesterday I observed a behavior that shows she begins to understand the environment. And this is where the diamonds come in. Well, not real ones actually but rather a picture of scattered diamonds and glittery stones. In her routine rambles about mommy’s bedroom, Jasmin saw a commercial for some jewelry on my chest and took immediate possession of the piece of paper it was on. After looking at it shortly she started attempting to pick out the stones from the paper, trying to grab the glittery objects she was so clearly seeing. It was fascinating to see her testing the paper, testing it, and then trying once more to grab at the stones.

I know Jasmin can pick up little objects between her thumb and finger; she has been picking crumbs off the kitchen floor (and shoving then as well as small pieces of paper her brother leaves behind into her mouth) for the last two months, but it’s the first time I have seen her trying to grab at an image. I guess its all part of the learning process. Babies must explore and understand what is the real thing and what is just an image. Still she is developing expensive taste quite early in life…Until she can afford a diamond necklace, she will have to settle for some very attractive images, or compromise on tossing the contents of mommy’s closet on the floor for self gratification.

The chair as a mirror for our little beauty queen  

Yummy!

Jasmin has learned her first word! It’s (drums…..)  “amm!”, which in baby Hebrew definitely means yummy, or if you like, an obvious request for food or a declaration of enjoying one’s meal.

Jasmin has taken to talking during her dinner. Such bad manners may not be applauded in general, but when a baby first starts to speak, mommy is encouraging in every opportunity. What started as a loud opening of a mouth, with eager anticipation of being fed (ahhhh – natural sound when one opens one’s mouth) has over a short period of two meals become a closed and obvious syllable – “amm!” says Jasmin, I am hungry, feed me! I like what I am eating, it’s yummy!

A sound that was only heard during meal times, and meant mostly enjoyment of tastes or a demand for an immediate refill, is now advanced to the clear request of food. Jasim crawls into the kitchen and sits up (oh yes, at 9 months she is finally sitting up nicely, on her but and on her knees). She looks at me and then clearly says “amm!” I want to eat! “amm!” Now if you did not get it! Usually mommy does not need much prompting and is always willing to oblige with cottage cheese, fruit puree or mashed chicken soup. Jasmin eats everything and always seems to enjoy her meal. And I am not sure, I can always expect her to reassure me with a simple, cheery “amm!”.

By the way, sitting babies have free hands to toss out content of mommy’s closet (a favorite pastime with Jasmin) or if one must compromise, the washing basket

Curiosity killed the cat

If curiosity could kill you, I am afraid our Jasmin would not be with us today. She is always investigating. As she becomes more mobile, this really does become more dangerous…statistics have shown that he home is not always a safe place for babies and many accidents occur at home…We have definitely entered the phase in which Jasmin’s every move needs to be watched…or else…

Jasmin likes electric cables! If they are connected to the socket they are even more attractive. Long cables are special favorites; regardless of the fact that she could get tangles in them…Nylon (plastic) bags are so much fun! They make this noise when you touch them or bite them… there is a reason why these transparent bags have a warning on them “this is not a toy!” it’s just that babies usually disagree with that statement – they think these bags are indeed a play thing and a fun one at that!. Standing up next to the toilet bowl and looking inside is so much fun! All the baby books warn parents about this – what if the baby/toddler falls in? They could drown. Jasmin still thinks it’s interesting enough to take a peak. The staircase at my parent’s house is also a beloved attraction…

Jasmin is now eight months old! She has managed to fall off a bed and a sofa, pull down a plastic chair over her head, eat unidentifiable crumbs (of dust) off the floor, almost choke on a piece of paper twice, eat my mother’s plants and fall back from her knees so that her head gets bumped on the floor 3 or 4 times…and yet she lives! Jonathan was not nearly as inquisitive (he did not eat anything off the floor in the first year of his life…nor did he eat plants, and his interest in the toilet started only at the age of almost 3, when learning to urinate in it!) and yet even the fact that he lives is miraculous (he fell back once almost hitting a corner of a table – missing it by millimeters! If he had hit only G_D knows what the damage may have been). 

I have a picture in which the 4 month old Jonathan discovers himself in a mirror; I have a similar picture of Jasmin at 4.5 months. I also have a picture 10 month old Jonathan is peaking into the washing machine…who knows, maybe I will also get a picture of Jasmin doing the same in a few months time…When they are both grown (in good health of course) I will look back at these times and the funny pictures they make for, and laugh – a good, relieved laugh! Happy that we all made it this far…and that my children are no longer in their teens…

Jasmin first standing up and protesting her having to stay in the crib (Jonathan was delighted the first time he managed to stand up…no protest was to be seen but  rather a shining smile on his face  - as I can still view in his “first standing with support” pic which I took when he was just 6 months old!)) 

Happy Trio (Dad, Jasmin and Jonathan) on the kitchen counter

When there is a will there is a way!

There is definitely a way for Jasmin to achieve what she wants. Even at just 4 months she has desires and she takes care to see that she is provided accordingly.

Jasmin and teddy, sleeping in same position...sooo cute!

It is obvious that Jasmin knows exactly which is the hand that rocks the cradle…or the hand that feeds her. Whoever takes care of Jasmin is rewarded with the fact that she does not take her eyes off that person and is always curious about their whereabouts, especially if they are just leaving the room she is in… If we spend the weekend at my parents’ house and I take a few hours rest while my mother gives a hand with Jasmin, then even when I wake up and return into Jasmin’s “world of people who are now present” she does not give me (her mom!) a second glance. Savta just fed her lunch! So Savta (grandma in Hebrew) is now the person who counts! Savta gets all the attention and Jasmin’s look will follow her grandmother around the room, including a wailing sound if grandma leaves Jasmin’s vicinity.

This effect was recently very strongly to be observed after we spent time with my husband’s parents in Germany. We took a 3 week family holiday and flew to visit my husband’s parents. As we wanted Jonathan to have a good time on his vacation, we took him on outings (ranging from the nearest garden to a zoo two hours drive away). Jasmin had less to enjoy on such outings and as her grandmother was eager to spend time wither new granddaughter, we often left Jasmin in the care of her devoted Oma (grandmother in German). The result was that Jasmin simply did not give me the time of day! She had only eyes for Oma in the day. At night she increased her suckling times, perhaps looking for a way to compensate for her reduced mommy time… although Jasmin does not breast feed anymore (I quit when I returned to work when she was 7 months old) she still wakes up 3 times in the night…ever since our holiday in the summer, this has been the case.

Jasmin likes to be held! She always happy in someone’s arms. As she is now spending most of her time in a day care center and sees little of her parents during the day, the “hold me now” request has become more frequent and more urgent. She crawls up to the person she wants to be picked up by and touches their feet. Then she lies down on her tummy so that she can thump her foot on the ground. This thumping clearly means “Pick me up! Hold me! Now! Please!” Wailing and whimpering is also added as the sound effect. If Jasmin does not reach her target (because said person is walking around the house faster than Jasmin can crawl after them), she will follow the desired person around the house, whimpering her protest in the process. Once reaching her goal, the thumping ritual is repeated. Even when she wakes up at night, the foot thumping is part of her whimpering call for a nighttime bottle. Maybe we should call her “Thumper”, like the rabbit in the film Bambi.

It is also clear to me that Jasmin understands the word “no”. As she crawls under the table to reach the computer cable, I say no in a strict tone ad she stops. Now it is obvious that she is considering if to obey the command I issued. A slight pause, and she either obeys and turns around or continues on the way to the desired cable – only to be warned off it again by my resounding “no”. Jasmin is a very curious baby, she has also become mobile – increasing her capabilities in crawling (belly or on hands and knees) and becoming stronger every day! She loves! Cables – of any kind, but electric cables are a favorite, as are the obviously forbidden nylon bags from the supermarket and as well as any nook and cranny. I have often had to fish her from underneath a table or a chair. It really is like they say, when there is a will, there is a way…

Communicating her Will

At almost 6 months of age Jasmin is very able to communicate her will and her opinions on the situations she is. Like with my first son, I am once more amazed at the scope of elaboration a baby can achieve with body language and whining sounds.

If she is hungry, I can usually tell by the urgency of her cries. When I pick her up, she breathes with excitement and grabs onto my shirt, pushing her head towards my breast. There is really no clearer way to say “mommy, I want to breast feed please”.

I took Jasmin to get her shots at the age of 4 months. The routine in Israel dictates that at this age a baby receives two shots. After the first one, Jasmin croaked uncomfortably, clearly not enjoying the procedure, but after the second shot she moved onto crying protest. She was very displeased at being pricked a second time, especially after showing me that she sis not like it at all the first time…her protest was so obvious! I felt like a bad person cheating my baby out of her right to remain relaxed and unpicked…

At the age of four months it became apparent that Jasmin took an interest in what I eat. Staring at everything that went into my mouth while she was in the vicinity. So we started giving her solids. At the age of six months it is clear she can see what I am eating from a distance! While she was laying on the carpet in the lying room, I was eating a slice of bread with cottage cheese in the open kitchen. From a distance of about 5 meters, Jasmin called her protest! Clearly whining louder every time the slice approached my mouth. I stopped eating and went to get her food…she enjoyed some mashed vegetables and a bottle of milk as a result.

Although I cannot be sure if she just wanted to be picked up or if she realy was trying to indicate that her diaper was full. One afternoon Jasmin bobbed with her behind up and down and whined to gain attention. When I picked her up, I discovered the full diaper and started wondering if the particular movement to get my attention was intentional. Jasmin likes her diapers clean and protests in discomfort and crying if they are not changed.

There is no tricking Jasmin. Playing with the plastic box housing her wet wipes is only fun when we are changing a diaper and the game makes it harder for mommy to complete the task. Allowing Jasmin to play with same said box in her cot is simply of no interest, bordering on an insult! The box is only fun in the diaper changing corner… 

  

Ladies pretty in Pink, Mommy and Jasmin (Check out the family pointing finger...)

Summer Cuddle - July 2012 - Jasmin and Jonathan

J&J

The harmony between Jonathan and Jasmin continues (the two J's of my life). As she becomes more active she becomes clearly and adoringly interested in him. Following him with her eyes as he runs around the living room. He also remains interested in her and even plays with her, looking forward to her reactions. I picked him up from kindergarten this week, and Jasmin was with me in a carrier. She looked down on him and laughed as he made funny noises (hopelessly trying to roar like a lion).she continued laughing as long as she could look down on him, the effect was lost the moment I sat down on a bench and the height relation changed. Jonathan  spend the entire walk home trying to get Jasmin to laugh, as he was very successful. At home too, he sings and played for her and even on a drive home when she was upset, he helped me sing lullabies…out of tune, but with very good intentions…

Siblings at play

Eating Habits

Jasmin is 4 months old and is therefore beginning with solids. Considering that Jonathan took his time getting used to solids and I was a much more careful, bordering on a panicky mom, I was expecting the process to be a gradual one. Jasmin however had other plans…

It’s been about three weeks since I first noticed that Jasmin is staring at me when I eat.  Considering her infant age, I did not do much with this new information. But officially at 4 months, it is recommended by the Israeli health services to start giving tastes of solid (excepting milk and honey…ironic, milk and honey forbidden in the land of milk and honey…).  And so, today, when I was eating my dinner, I saw that Jasmin is gazing at me with longing… Jasmin had also just eaten her portion of baby milk, so I brought her some carrot mash and let her taste it. She sucked the spoon a bit confused, not sure what to do, but I gave another small bite and she began to get it.

 It was clear she was definitely eating and swallowing, and enjoying the new food. In fact, I wanted to take it after a few spoons, as the recommendations are to give babies tasting samples when they are not really hungry, rather after a bottle of baby milk or a breast feeding session and to do so moderately, and she protested loudly! The wining stopped only when I returned the food and gave her some more. After a few more bites, she began to grab at the spoon, and by the end of the feeding session she was holding the spoon and pulling it towards her mouth with very decided movements. After a few more bites and she clearly lost interest all at once! IT was clear that dinner was over for today.

We ended the day with a bottle of enhanced milk powder that also introduces cornflower and is a bit heavier that the regular milk powder. This formula is recommended starting at the age of 4 months and at night. The idea is that the babies will sleep better at night after the more substantial formula.

It would seem that the transition to solids will be a more flowing with Jasmin, but then again, I cannot really tell only after one time. She is however clearly showing consistent interest in my meals for some time and the easy feeding of carrot mash today is, It is hoped, a good sign. Tomorrow we will try some peas mashed and next week, fruit.

Bon apetit!

Jasmin Maxima Zoȅ the second!

Our second child, a daughter, Jasmin, sister to Jonathan is born on exactly the 4-th week of the pregnancy! Timing is everything! And it looks from the very start that Jasmin will be a master in timing.

Big brother and little sister :-)

Jasmin is a result of insemination treatment, thus we knew exactly what her due date was supposed to be. She was due at the beginning of February. As Jonathan was only a day early and both pregnancies were rather similar, I was expecting to see the pregnancy through. Jasmin thus surprised me when I began to get some serious cramps two days before Christmas. I lay awake the whole night in much pain, but labor did not develop and the cramps stopped. I drank a lot and rested the following weekend and things went back to normal.

On the evening before the due date, we went to visit a small German community about 30 minutes drive from our home. We completed the visit as planned and returned home. The evening routine was also fulfilled with no problem and Jonathan took a bath, ate his dinner and went to bed. Mommy read his a bedtime story and he fell asleep as always at around 21.00. I went into the kitchen to wash some dishes, happy that the evening went well and the boy was asleep – at that exact moment – when all duties had been completed, the water broke! Jasmin’s excellent timing was demonstrated for the first time.

When I brought Jasmin home, she slept the whole day quietly and I was able to tidy up the house and put up the baby bed that my parents had brought for her. Once all the preparations were completed and only then, did Jasmin wake up to demand her dinner. Once again, excellent timing.

Jonathan is not so good with timing. On the first night of my return home with Jasmin, he woke up in the middle of the night is hysterics, exactly when I was breast feeding the baby. I had no free hands to help him or hug him and his father’s attentions unfortunately did not help calm him down, although my husband was helpful getting the crying boy to the toilet. We think his feet must have somehow become numb in his sleep and he woke up in pain from this numbness. My mother was there to stay the night and help, she was able to indeed help as eventually she managed to calm Jonathan down by rubbing his legs, and he fell asleep shortly afterwards, leaving me feeling hopeless, as I could not assist him.

Parents must be expert jugglers of time if they are to make it through the first years of raising kids. We are getting used to managing two children and so we are always late…

Jasmin also has a sense of humor when it comes to timing, she starts pooing exactly when the diaper has been changed, or exactly when I open the diaper in order to change it. The first causes a waste of a diaper because of the short term use; the second just causes a big mess…

Jasmin was born exactly on the week that Jonathan was learning about family in kindergarten (because of mother’s day – or family day as it is now called). The timing could not be more perfect, Jonathan was totally mentally prepared to accept his sister because he had been learning about siblings in kindergarten. In fact, in a way, we brought him his sister as a gift for family day… he loves her! He always wants to have her in his vicinity. In the first days after her birth he insisted n having her laid in his bed when he heard his bedtime story. He hugs and kisses her at every opportunity and also would carry her around the house to keep her near him, if we had permitted it… when she cries he goes to her to explain to her that mommy will be coming any  minute, and then he announces to her that she should not worry, after all Jonathan is here! It is hoped that this harmony between our two children will continue…