Saya - 10 Month Update

Happy 10 Months 

Saya Baby

WOW! That is really all I can say! I know I sound like a broken record but I cannot believe how fast time has flown by. Saya baby is already 10 months old! Since I haven't provided any updates since her 2 month "birthday", I thought I would write up a little something for my baby girl.

Age: 10 Months
Weight: 19 lbs 13 oz - at her 9 mo checkup
Height: 28 3/4 in - at her 9 mo checkup


Milestones:

• Walking! Walking! Walking! For a couple of months now, Saya has been walking with furniture and occasionally being brave and taking a few steps before falling down. This weekend she was something else. She was walking all over the new tile floor that her Papi had put down. She didn't want to stop and she rarely even fell. I can say she also took this weekend to start standing up without the assistance of a hand or furniture. Saya is just dieing to walk.
• In addition to walking, she is a super fast crawler. When she tries to run away or to get something she wants, look out, you may just miss her!
• Saya has been babbling for some time and on occasion you could hear the word, Dada, Papa or even Mama. Within the past couple of weeks, you can clearly hear her say Dada. Matter of fact, she says it all the time.
• She recognizes objects more and more. The last few months she had developed the ability to recognize her Mom, Dad, Grandpa, teachers and even her dog. Lately, she has been able to show that she recognizes the same object (for lack of a better word) say on the TV. The other day one of the sad ASPCA commercials came on and she got super excited because she knew it was a dog on TV. She will develop her compassion for those poor animals later. I should note that Saya does not watch TV. She really has no interest in it. If I have the TV on while I am playing with her, I usually put NickJr on so that something positive and educational is on if she should happen to look at it. Because of this, she is fully aware of certain theme songs. When the theme song to Backyardigans or Fresh Beat Band come on, she stops what she is doing to look at the TV and do her little dance. When the song finishes, she stops watching.
• Saya LOVES music and seems to have already taken favor to two songs on two totally different genres. This is mostly thanks to her Papi, who is a lover of all things art especially music. Since she was in the womb, she was introduced to our favorite artists and genres.
• She also loves to chew on EVERYTHING. This is no exaggeration. From toys to shoes, if you are not paying attention she will grab whatever is in front of her to chew on. She is our little puppy!
• Her eating habits have improved. Around 3 - 4 months, she was barely drinking 4 oz of formula at a time. Now, at 10 months she will drink 6 - 7 oz in addition to solid food. Almost 3 months ago, she went on strike with pureed foods and wanted nothing but finger foods. Since then she has been introduced to many fruits and veggies with her favorite being green beans. We have learned though that she will eat small meals many times during the day. This has definitely affected our sleep time.
• Saya tries to mimic almost everything we do. I've caught her trying to strap herself in her little high chair and she just loves walking up and down the stairs. With guidance of course, she will tirelessly go up and down the stairs, one foot at a time and has even pulled herself up the stairs using the banister. It is as if she has been walking for years.
• Has a little arm on her! Not only has she been dropping items in hopes that one of us will pick it up so that she can drop it again, she is starting to throw things. I saw it yesterday when she threw one of her toys back in the toy bin. It had some speed and power... Aw, my little softball player :)
• Clap, clap, clap! That's how she shows her excitement now! She also does this little stiff arm vibrating thing with a grunt when she is happy. It really is hilarious to watch.
• Saya now helps out with putting her shirts on. No longer does she fight me, she straightens her arms out one by one when needed.
• Bath time is a happy time. She splashes endlessly! Thank God for shower doors :)... This is also her time to play with her squirt toys which she now can squeeze the water out of.

Challenges:

• Still not sleeping through the night. About a month ago she was still waking up 2 - 4 times a night. Our feeling was that Saya was hungry, especially since she ate small meals throughout the day. She was drinking 6oz bottles every 2 hours. And yes we tried everything including cereal in the bottle but that didn't work at all. So at her 9 month visit, the doctor had confirmed that she was just hungry and that is why she woke up during the night. So we tried a little something different and it has helped out. She gets up maybe 2 times the most.
• She is not a morning eater or at least for us she isn't. She will get a bottle usually between 6:30 and 8:30 am, depending on when she wakes up. We try to feed her some solids or even a bottle by 9:30 am and she will maybe drink an oz or have a couple cheerios or whatever is for breakfast and that's it. She starts her big eating after 11:00am.
• Saya is constantly sick. Right now she is fighting another chest cold and head cold. In addition, we think she is teething again. So her temp is elevated, she can't breathe through her nose and she sounds like a smoker when she babbles. Poor girl can't beat this. My mom and MIL seem to think she is suffering from allergies. They may be on to something!

Appearance:

• Many still have differing opinions but no one can deny that she is her father's twin. Of course she has some of my features (squirrelly cheeks and nose) but they aren't noticed too much unless I am holding her. Saya is her father from her looks to her little attitude!
• Her hair has grown in significantly in the last few months. I can start putting little alligator clips in her and he it takes. The front and top are fairly straight with little wave but the back is starting to curl like mommy's hair. The color is more like a light to medium brown similar to her Daddy's hair.
• Love her blue eyes. OK, well they are a different shade of blue. Blue-grayish with a tint of green? So she didn't get her daddy's gorgeous blues or my boring browns. She has her own shade. That perfectly describes our little girl. A little of both (or most of her dad) BUT truly her own person.
• She is still pretty pale in complexion. Her beautiful soft skin replicates the color of her daddy's skin that never sees the sun (upper leg, upper arm).
• She has teeth! Miss Saya has 4 teeth, two on top and two on the bottom. It's been a month since we have seen any teeth break through so I think she is about due for more.
• Depending on the store brand, she fits just right into 12 month clothing. With help from G'Ma, she is totally ready for the summer.

Easter 2011 - 10 months old

{Phone pic by Titi Tanya}

Saya @ 2 Months

I cannot believe how fast time is flying. My baby girl is already 2 months old. Below are a few updates on what's going on in Saya's life.



Saya Vittoria
Age: 2 Months

Weight: 12 lbs

Height: 22 inches

Milestones:

• She now smiles and laughs or more like squeaks so I now call her squeaker.
• She tends to stare more at things just trying to concentrate on the. The cutest is when she stares at her fist, she ends up crossing her eyes.
• She is still drinking at least 4 oz at a time but now every 2 - 3 hours. We are waiting for her to want to drink more at one time so the hours get extended.
• She is more comfortable sleeping on her back. Soon she will be making the transition back to her crib from her bassinet.
• She doesn't have full control of her hands just yet but she tries to touch or hit the toys in front of her.
• She can lift her head up when during tummy time
• We can lift her to a seating position just by her gripping her little fingers on our fingers.

Challenges:

• Her "witching hour(s)" still exist and will for some time but at least they are becoming fewer and fewer.
• She is still having issues with sleeping on her back but she is getting used to it.
• Being able to go to a store in the time period before her next feeding. If she is ready to feed, naturally she will be extra fussy and cry a lot (and loud) until she is fed. So shopping becomes more of a task especially if there is only one of us with her.

Sleep:

• She still gets up every 2.5 - 3 hours  (or sometimes more) for a feeding or changing then goes right back to sleep.
• Her current wake up times have changed a bit by a half hour or so.
• She is taking fewer naps during the day but they are lasting 2 -3 hours.

Appearance:

• Her eye color is now developing more. They still appear to be a dark shade of blue. She will definitely have lighter color eyes, we just don't know which way they will sway.
• Her hair still looks like the Charlie Brown hairdo but it seems to be getting a little darker and a little longer.
• She is now officially in 3 month clothing. 0-3 months are mostly too short for her but some are a little too tight.
• She is filling out more so now she has more baby fat rolls on her legs and arms. Just too cute though!

Saya on her 2 month birthday

What's in a Name?

For some people the name of their future children is very important. It can be the name of a close family member (alive or deceased), a name given by someone that is no longer with us or even a name of a location that has special meaning to you or your SO. There are a gazillion (OK, maybe not that much) reasons as to why someone chose the name they did for their child, even if it is as unique as Apple or Moonbeam.

The reason I bring this up is because more often than not this can become a very sensitive issue - like relationships get destroyed when other people "steal" a name.

My hubby and I struggled with revealing the name of our DD because it is something unique to us and our relationship. Do we reveal it or do we not? At times we were overly anxious about it and it made this whole process quite depressing. We kept saying to ourselves, "Would someone really take our name?"... unfortunately the answer could be yes. This unknown factor was killing us. Because of this we were keeping track of those that were pregnant, especially those due before us. Sad, I know but this is what was happening to us. I am very happy to say that 3 of my beautiful cousins are due before me and they too are having girls (Yay to girl power!!). Now having said that, can you imagine what was going through our minds at that time when we found out? The problem I was having internally was that I didn't know these cousins well enough because we weren't really close so I didn't know whether they would take our name or not, but I didn't want to take a chance. Our chosen name is not a common name so if it is used it isn't because of coincidence. Our decision... We kept our mouth shut.

As time went on we have relaxed quite a bit about this whole naming process. No, we haven't revealed the name yet at all but have agreed on a time we felt was "perfect" to reveal the name. The baby shower. This will be our chance to celebrate the coming of our dear daughter and also give her the name that we have chosen for her. It will be a beautiful moment for us and our guests. What a better way to include them.

Using our baby shower for the revealing also satisfies our fear. My family is huge so I am positive there will be quite a bit of people at the shower. So when we reveal our name, essentially it is our time to put "dibs" on the name and advise them that it is taken. If someone chooses to take the name (family or friend) others will know where it originated from. We felt this to be the better option than adding more stress to the labor and delivery process which is coming on fast.

So my question is... Can you really have "dibs" on a name? Does it make it more acceptable to claim a name if you are expecting?

Do you have name(s) for your future children already picked out whether you are expecting or not? How would you feel if someone you told the name to, used it for their child?  Would you be OK with it if they approached you about it before using the name? Also, what if you never revealed the name and out of coincidence, your family member or friend chose it for their child, can you be upset about it?

My take from this whole experience, is to make sure that if you have a special name picked out for your children, do not share it with anyone, especially if you are not expecting. Be sure to have back-up names and try if you can to not stress about it. It takes all the fun out of it.

Only 8 Weeks Left...

And there is just so much to accomplish before our DD arrives. Today hits the 32nd week of my pregnancy, so that means we can have the baby in as little as 5 weeks (37), 8 weeks (40 weeks), or the latest which would be 10 weeks (42). Time really does fly, my Dad really wasn't kidding.

So since there has been so much to do, this blog has been neglected. BUT I wanted to provide some sneak peaks at what we have been doing...

Decor for the nursery:
The baby's name hasn't been revealed to our family or friends yet (I promise it will be soon) but I needed to get started on the letters of her name that will be hung up on the walls of her nursery. Because of my taste (or maybe lack there of), I wanted each letter to be of a different design / pattern. So here is the 'S'.

{personal photo}

I am not sure if I ever mentioned that my hubby loves to paint as well. It is one of his many talents. Anyway, he decided he wanted to be a part of the decor, so he started to paint a picture for the nursery. It is his own interpretation of this painting sold by Pottery Barn Kids. Please note this picture is not the completed painting.

.

{personal photo}

Lastly, one of the many projects my Mom was trying to complete for my surprise shower was a shadow box. It is something that I have created for many Mommies-to-be in the past and this time, it was for me :). Because of time constraints and all the work my Mom has to do, the project got assigned to me. I loved every second of it. Here is the contents inside the shadow box. Again, an unfinished project picture.

{personal photo}

Papi Gettin' Some Practice In..

To me this was too cute not to share. It's the hubs posing with the completed stroller. While we were putting this together his excitement started to show. So much so, he started walking around the living room with the stroller, already pretending :)

{Personal Photo}

Baby Roddy is a...

GIRL!!!

Yes, you read that right. Our first baby is going to be a PRINCESS! She will be one spoiled princess as she will be the 1st Roddy girl in over 50 years. Imagine that a beautiful little girl in the mix with all those little boys.

Mommy and Papi are just so ecstatic to have received a clean bill of health for Baby Roddy. Her little heart, brain and bones were perfect. At 20 weeks today she weighs in at a healthy 11 oz and is on track for her due date of June 25.

Here's to another great 20 weeks!

Dear Baby Roddy...

Tomorrow is a big day for you and for your dear parents. It's the last phase for the Sequential Screening which will confirm that you are growing up to be a very strong and healthy baby. As a bonus to your loved ones, we should also be able to see what your gender is.

This is not only important to your shop-a-holic mother who is dying to start shopping for your nursery but it is your parent's chance to give you your birth name instead of the generic name, Baby Roddy. We find that calling you by your real name is very personal and more intimate. This chosen name is yours and yours only and will possess until you are old and gray.

We are excited to see you and look forward to these ultrasounds to make sure all is well in the Mommy Roddy Hotel. It brings out a certain joy out of me and your Papi that is truly indescribable.

So all I ask from you, my baby, is to cooperate with me, your Papi and Abuela and show us how big and strong you are. A sneak peek will also help :)...

Can't wait to see you sweetheart!

Baby Roddy

Baby Roddy is now officially due June 25, 2010.

{personal picture}

Our little peanut is 8 weeks and 5 days big and oh what a blessing. My OCD kicked in so I desperately needed visual confirmation since I won't be feeling baby until about the 20th week - a long time from now.

Thank you all for your kind wishes and prayers! We have a long way ahead of us but we are so excited for it all.

First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage, Then Comes what?

Ah yes, I remember...Then comes baby with a baby carriage!

Since my Mom and my MIL read this blog I need to clarify that there is no baby yet!

OK. Now I can start.

So this past Friday we got to spend time with our newest nephew, Ayden. OMG - he is just soo perfect in every little way. He was so soft and still had the new baby smell :). Oh and while I was holding him, he fell asleep. This was also the day when I received my only "Aw" moment from my FIL. It was when I was upstairs, I overheard him telling my hubby that I am going to be an excellent Mom and doesn't need practice at all... say it with me, AW!!

So guess what?!?!

I'm having baby fever - AGAIN!

I think it is funny how when I was growing up I didn't dream of getting married and having kids. That was the furthest from my mind. My thoughts were filled with goals of graduating college and having a career way before a family was even thought of. My thoughts weren't the norm where I was living. There were kids having kids and in my culture it is very normal to be married and start a family in your early 20's. I always wanted to be different then the norm so that is what I did.

Now that I am married, I am constantly thinking about babies. It's crazy how one's sex life has become less personal and more public after you get married. Just when all the questions about "when are you getting married?" have stopped the next question is, "when are you having a baby?" or when you you mention starting a family the next question is "OMG - are you pregnant?." I know everyone is excited for Mr. Roddy and I and so are we. We are just hoping to be blessed with a little one some day. We'd love to give baby Ayden a playmate but until that happens we just have to wait and see what's in store for us.

I am just hoping this baby fever can subside for a little while until it really happens. :)

Have any of you had a bit of baby fever before? How did you learn to control it?

Welcome Ayden Michael!

8 lbs. 11 oz 21 inches long

Born at 8:35pm on August 25, 2009 by c-section.

Welcome Ayden Michael!

We cannot wait to meet you, our new nephew!

Today's The Due Date...

For the birth of Ayden Michael, my FSIL & FBIL's first baby!

As of Saturday, my FSIL has been dialated to 1cm...Only 9cm more to go :)!