Dearest Darling Esha - you are 10 months old today!

Dearest Darling Esha -

You are 10 months old today.  Your family is so proud of you already.  You are such a beautiful little girl with a smile that puts a smile on all our faces.

You are so fortunate to have your Mamoma take care of you all day.  You look at her and your face lights up - clearly, she is the most important person in your life.  Oh you lucky girl.

You have become so smart that as soon as you hear the garage door open - you start looking for your Daddy at the door.  Oh they are right about that Daddy's girl thing!  You let out your loudest squeal when you see him - sharing your excitement to the world.  After all - Pitra mukhi Sadaa sukhi (with a face that looks like her dad, she will always be happy!).

Even though you can't say it yet - you know exactly who to look at when we ask you - Where is mamoma?  Or Where is Daddy? When did you become this smart?  You have learnt many new things in the past 2 months - like you give us high fives now and clap when  you sing.  You haven't said your first words yet but you do love to babble and how we love to hear you!  You fluctuate your voice from the softest cutest melodious tatatat to the very loud ear numbing screams! You are so funny - we are all constantly entertained.

You have many facetime sessions with your daada, daadi and chaachu .. and they eagerly try to interact with you.  You often smile hearing Daadi's voice and smile seeing Daada's face.  You will be in their arms in about 2 months and will be spoiled rotten!  Big plans are being made to celebrate your birthday again - Desai style once we get there.  You don't know it yet - but God has really blessed you with so much love from all directions!

You have become such a good sleeper - you still continue to sleep through the night - with no help from mommy and daddy.  And recently you have even started napping with no help from mamoma!  How perfect are you! You still love your 2 binkies - Ellie and Chimpu!  You get so excited seeing them!

You celebrated your 1st father's day this year and decided to start something new on this special day - sleeping on your tummy!  It's adorable and Mommy, Daddy and Mamoma are often left gushing at the monitor when you do that!

You love your meals - you seem to love your khichdi lunches the most - that's my desi girl!  You also have learnt to eat some semi solid stuff like avocado and bananas which aren't completely mashed.  But you are still quite the princess and love to be served.  You know how to hold your bottle but expect us to.  You hardly ever want to feed yourself - I guess it keeps the meal times a lot cleaner. So we are okay with that!

At your 9 month visit - the doctor said you were very content - since you seem to have no motivation to crawl but are very curious about whatever is around you within your reach! Hope you stay content for the rest of your life - as we all know that's the key to happiness.

You are still very excited when you see Pishi - you often say tata when you see him - but Mumma and mamoma have heard you say 'cat' twice already - so maybe that's your first word! :) Pishi also loves to hang around you .. as he knows thats were all the attention is these days - but he goes into hiding during your high pitched screams. Poor boy!

We can't believe you are 2 months away from turning a year old.  When did our tiny little newborn become nearly a toddler? Sigh!  Time waits for none .. but you have definitely made time pass in the most enjoyable way possible.

We love you, Tiki! You have re-defined "Love" for me.

Love,
Mommy

8 Months!

I know I know - I skipped 7 months completely - but time does fly with this lil one!! So let me give you a round up on what Lil Miss E has been upto!

Now that she is sleep trained - putting her down at night is SO much more easier.  She goes to sleep at around 7:30-8p and is up at 7-7:30a!  Magic!! She fusses sometimes when I put her down for the night but quickly adjusts to falling asleep on her own.  I think what helps the whole process is the bath routine that we have going and the predictability of the routine.  I give her her last feed of the night - let her play a little.  We follow that by oil massage by Daddy, bath by Mommy, pajamas and lotion time, good night kisses, white noise on, a few bhajans by mommy and night night!  It works!  And then Priyank and me watch her on the monitor for the next hour in admiration!  Sigh! :)

We all knew from her grunting newborn days that this one would be a chatterbox.  She doesn't seem to eager to crawl yet - but omg ... she wants to talk.  I have heard bababaa, dadadada, ammmaaa, ya ya, and blah blah (really!).  She is also learning to imitate us lots.  Shakes her head from left to right (the desi no) but I don't think she really means no (yet!).

Food wise - she is getting 3 solid meals and 4 bottles of formula per day.  The bottles vary from as low as 4 oz to 7 oz. 3 solid meals are around 4 oz each and are still pureed everything - zucchini, yellow squash, mung dal, masoor dal, peas, carrots, apples, mango, pears, sweet potato and all that good stuff. I can't tell anymore what she really likes.  Sometimes she eats really well opening her mouth wide and some other times she will seal her mouth at the first bite and it isn't related to the type of veggie we are feeding her.  Who knows!  Hopefully she starts liking her foods more and is a foodie like her mommy! :D

One of my most favorite developments is the ever on smile.  No matter what is going on - we can make her smile.  Even if she is in the middle of crying ... I do something funny or just show her the mirror and I can make her laugh!! Now that's just SO cute - wish I could have that effect for ever!  haha!

She plays more on her own now - doesn't need to have 24/7 attention .. but still cries if she sees us leave her .. like we are abandoning her or something! It's hilarious!

She is developing quite a personality.  Her daddy doesn't think she is stubborn ... but I do.  Her mamoma has classified her as a cuddly bear - ever willing to be cuddled and kissed!! Muah!

Here are some recent shots to wrap this month up:

Sleep Training!

Month 1:

When Esha was born - she started off in the pack and play next to the bed.  Friends warned me, once you bring her into bed, she never leaves till she is FIVE! So pack and play it was.  With nursing every 3 hours and countless waking moments, my broken back begged me to bring her into bed - night feeds would just be so much easier.  So the shift was made.  Esha got on my bed, Priyank got out of the bed, and the king bed search began. I would like to add - I would never recommend this on a spring mattress.  Our foam mattress allowed us to move without having her being affected.

Months 2-3: 

I thoroughly enjoyed co-sleeping.  I was all about the family bed - it just worked.  I could feed her without moving much .. she was next to me .. I could watch her all night long.  It was heaven. 

Month 4-5: 

Our king mattress/bed was ordered. I went back to work.  People started asking the annoying question - Is she sleeping through the night? At first, I was like - I hope so ...soon! And then as weeks went by and my work got crazy, instead of improvement, I noticed a sleep regression.  There was a week or two where I saw her sleep 6-7 hours at a stretch .. but not anymore. She was up every 3 hours and some times every 2 hours!  I was getting NO sleep. I was also using the boob to pacify (folks warned me about this) - but in the middle of the night and in the state of my extreme fatigue - it was my easiest option! 

Month 5: 

Sleep training reading begins.  Of course I couldn't bear to hear her cry for even a second.  So I read the No Cry Sleep solution. Then I got Healthy Sleep habits book. The books went on and on about suggestions - but couldnt find anything that I already wasn't doing.  I already had a bed time ritual set - feed, massage, warm bath, lullaby, cuddle time, bed time. Only issue was instead of putting her to bed awake, I was rocked her to sleep and then placed her quietly down and tippitoed out. I knew that was the issue - but the books provided me no solution.  Finally, I decided that a change needed to happen - So I read "Solve your child's sleep problems" by the defamed Dr. Ferber or commonly known as the Cry it out (CIO) guy!  This might be horrifying to many of you .. but P and I made the decision to Ferberize our lil baby! 

Month 6:

So one fine week .. after she turned 6 months, and while Priyank was away at work, I decided to give it a go.  I had read that once you make the decision, you can't go back.  Cause then the baby learns your breaking point and knows how much to cry before you give in. I had to do it when Priyank was away as clearly, I am the stronger one and he is a total softy when it comes to the darling daughter. Night 1 was horrible - horrible horrible!! But it also was the 1st night she slept from 9p to 7a EVER! I blamed it on the fatigue from crying.  Night 2 .. was not half as bad .. but still more crying than I would ever have wanted.  Night 3 was pleasantly better.  By Night 4 .. I hardly heard a peep.  

It's now been nearly 4 weeks since we ferberized - and the girl still sleeps through the night!!!!! 

So yes - I will recommend this method to my friends if they say they have a similar issue, I will do this on my next child, and I don't have any regrets. I know there will be plenty more opps in the future where she will have to be retrained (vacations, sickness etc.) ... but hopefully it won't have to  be this bad! 

Half done!

Turning 6 months was a very exciting time for us!  I was finally ready to give Esha solids and also introduce formula!  The AAP recommends waiting till 6 months for solids and so I did.  I was in no hurry cause it adds it own set of work .. but now that it's begun, I love it!! 

Play time: 

Esha is still not rolling over - makes me thing she is going the lazy route like her sister, Shria. But she is babbling lots and definitely has a personality.  She is also teething like crazy so can have very fussy days. She is also biting everything in sight. She absolutely loves her jumperoo and gets even more excited if you jump in front of her while she jumps! We think she looks like a lil monkey in it. LOL! She is not a big fan of playing on her own - not good!! We are hoping once she learns to move - this will improve. She can sit now with support ... yay! No stranger anxiety yet - not looking forward to that phase! 

Mum-mum: 

1st foods she seems to love - Apples, pears, roasted sweet potatoes, peas, butternut squash (basically all the sweet stuff - can she be more gujju?) 

Foods she seems to not be a big fan of - Carrots, Summer squash

We have also started her on oat and rice cereal which she doesn't seem to have much of an opinion of. 

I finally introduced formula.  Had a lot of fear of how her stomach would handle it - and if she would like the taste - but she seems to have adapted excellently.  

Sleep: 

For 6 long months, Mom and Dad have sacrificed their sleep.  I don't think I remember what 8 hours of sleep is .. or 6 hours or 4 for that matter!! But now is the time sleep training begins.  A lot of people begin sleep training at a younger age, but I was comfortable with doing it at 6 months esp. since her 6 month appointment told me that she is growing well and should have no need for a night feed. I will write another post on sleep training and my experience.  

Other happenings: 

Daadi left and Mamoma returned.  Esha is so blessed to have so much grandma love! Kum Mauu came to visit as well with Shria .. got some awesome picture of the girls. One for the frames! 

5 Months - Almost half way there!

I missed a month in the middle .. oh well .. here's an attempt to get back on track. :) She is 5 months old now and has changed tremendously over the last 2 months! She is such a smiley baby - every morning my last words to her before I head out to work is - Mommy is going to miss you baby! And I really do! With every passing day, I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to experience motherhood.  The morning smiles, the curiosity, the wide eyes, the bonding - oh how I love it all! 

What's been happening in Esha world - well she has been sleeping better with just one nightly feed. She does wake up looking for her paci a few times but since she is tightly swaddled, mommy has to oblige. She is still in the family bed - mommy aims at getting her into the crib by 6 mos. (ha! Good luck, right?).  She seems to be teething - since drool and biting are a common occurrence. Tummy time is a lot more enjoyable. She can turn from tummy to back but prefers to scream for help instead of doing it herself. (Lazy!!) Her curiosity is just so fascinating.  She is constantly looking around to absorb everything in her surroundings. Colors, faces, smells, people, sounds .. everything. Swaddle helps her go down easy but Mama fears the swaddle weaning.  

Esha also had lots and lots of family time in the last 2 months.  First Kum Mau visited at the end of Nov, then Daada - Daadi flew in early Dec., Mamoma left early Dec., houston trip with Jay fua-rusha bua, ruchik chaacha and anjali chaachi & badi bua followed by abhi bua and saurabh fua's visit. Phew! All that interaction definitely helped Esha grow ten fold! She definitely is a social bee and loves the company and the attention! She also loves to babble.  She is going to be a talker for sure. Cutie!! Can't wait! She definitely missed all the family when they left - but is totally enjoying day time with Daadi! Daadi wants to take her back with her in her purse.  Let's see her get past Daddy first!! 

Her face is still a 100% Daddy look alike but there have been times she has been suggested to look like Daada.  No Mommy in there yet! Sigh! Maybe eyes .. who knows! :) 


Round up: 

Food - still a 100% mama's milk and fattening up well with it! ;) 
Toys - Balls, rattles, anything with music, teether
Gadgets - none really 
Best times of the day - Morning time, evening massage, evening bath, looking in the mirror
Sounds - screams, screeches ,ayyyee (like a gunda), akhaa.  

And now a pic of how funny this munchkin's expressions can be: 

3 months new!

Has it been 1.5 months already since I last posted?? Wow!  Time does fly when you have a newborn!  Well, in the last month - Esha already completed her 1st domestic flight to Atlanta and 1st road trip to Dallas.  So we have all been keeping busy!

Personality changes - Esha is babbling away - knows most of the vowels - aa oo eee and says them out aloud with a whole lot of emotions and expressions. This little thing has a VERY loud voice and an even louder cry. Daddy is convinced that she has swallowed a loud speaker when we weren't looking.  Now we just need to get her to swallow a silencer! ;) She is being fed on demand - which means I get some nights with almost no sleep. But as always daddy and grandma are such big help and make sure they give mommy some rest! She has been learning to smile lots - lots and lots of social smiles.  And lots of playtime.  Another change is learning to realize that talking to people is SO  much more fun than being left alone on a play mat! Oh Boy! Tummy time is getting better - maybe tolerable for ~3-4 mins at a time now. One thing she loves is her crib mobile time! The moving animals definitely gets her squealing!

Big 3 month change - back to work for me!  Very depressing - very hard .. but so blessed to have grandma's that are giving up their precious time to make this transition easy!

Family time in Atlanta - 2 weeks of non-stop fun!  Esha seemed to have grown so much all of a sudden. Must be the constant interaction with the other kiddos making her eager to grow.  Oh time .. please stop and let me soak it all in!

The transition to the 3-6 months clothes have started.  SAD!!  I don't have a newborn in hand anymore! SIGH!

Now for some pics since I last left off!

1st outing - Aunty Sha's for pumpkin carving! 

MONKEY! 

Still very cute! 

Best pic to date! 

Aunty Diane visits! 

Bumble bee for halloween! 

Mommy's attempt on a photo booth shoot! ;) 

At Shria's Bday # 1!

We are bumble bees! 

With the sissy and the mauu!

At Reema's godh bharai

All smiles for Daddys funny faces! 

New outfit for Diwali! 

New outfits for Diwali! 

All ready for Diwali potluck at Anars

Modelling for mommy! 

How adorable is this?!?!?

At Reema's Godh Bharai in Dallas! 

Week 7 ...

Another week has gone by and I swear I have no idea where it's gone.  Everyone told me life would get better after 6 weeks .. and it most definitely did. She sleeps longer, sounder, feeding is going great, pumping isn't that scary, we have had the courage to go out with her!  All in all a great week.  Esha had quite a few fun visitors this week and she was as always in her best behavior!  I have a feeling she is going to be one social butterfly!  :( 

Future Leader of the pack!! Aadit the cutie! 

Oh my God .. how adorable are these munchkins - Selin and Sera  visit! 

Work BFF, Leyla - the baby whisperer!

Now my baby is a wubbanub addict! 

Ellie the elephant! 

Aunty Girja flies in all the way from SEA!!

Anuj kaaka needs lot more pics!!  He has seen Esha the most and has the least # of pics with her :( 

How the Texans brave a mild cold front!! Ridiculous! 

Mommy's FAV cupcake! 

Eeek smiles!  

More smiles!!  SIGH! 

My lil doll!  Can't get enough of this one! **MELT**

Adios all! See you in Week 8!