Jane is 4 Years Old

4 Years Old

Toothless cake

Jane, iubita, you're 4 years old today! What a big girl you are! It seems like yesterday that we went to the hospital to have you and now you are four.

It's been a great adventure so far and you've changed so much since the day you were born.

You look and act like a child now, not like a baby anymore. You are really smart and know lots of things. We are so proud of you and of all the things you can do now. You like to color and draw with chalk, you like to dance and sing and you like to play with your toys and with kids at the playground. You are very nice and make friends easily. You like talking with little kids and with adults alike and everyone finds you a very pleasant and friendly little girl. Other things you like are movies and games on the iPad. You also like dressing up like a princess and also like going to gymnastics. You are getting pretty good too. 

But do you know what I think is your best quality? You are very kind and always try to find ways to help those in need. When Kaley cries you pick her up or give her a toy. When Alyss cries you usually try to comfort her or tell me that Alyss needs my attention. When mommy needs help picking up, you're the one who comes to help. You are so in tune with the feelings of those around you and that's a great quality to have. 

Another gift you have is your intelligence. It seems that your brain always works in overdrive and that you make connections between different things that may not easily seem related to others but make perfect sense to you. What a great gift to have!

Some accomplishments this year would be going to gymnastics and doing really good, being fully potty trained, knowing how to put your clothes and shoes on, jumping, talking a lot in correct sentences and knowing lots of words, singing and acting and remembering lots of songs and lines from movies. Some favorite movies are How to train your Dragon, Robots and Frozen but you like most of the cartoons we have. You also like Team Umi Zoomi, Doc McStuffins, Sofia the First, Little Einsteins and, Dora. 

For your birthday daddy made a tasty Toothless cake and you got a Toothless toy, a couple of shirts, one Anna doll and from bunica: a nice bike! You loved your presents especially since you got pretty much everything you asked for and more. 

Now, at the beginning of a new year of your life we'd like to wish you a very happy birthday and good health for the year to come. There are many adventures ahead of you and we want you to know that we'll always be here for you, no matter what. You are beautiful and perfect and I want you to know that I'll always be here for you and that I'm here to always listen to you, teach you and take care of you. I love you Jane with all my heart, more than I thought possible. May you have a lot of fun and happiness in this new year of your life!

Te iubeste mami mult de tot, pui mic si drag! Sa nu uiți asta niciodată!

Water can take your most precious possession

It is true. While I love the beach and the pool, I never felt completely comfortable in water. This year we have been using the pool at our apartment complex quite a bit. The first day the girls were really scared, the second day Jane started letting go of my hand and a few times later both her and Alyss were playing in the water and having fun. However, Alyss seemed to have a hard time not rolling face first in the water. We tried different life jackets and flotation devices and the only thing that seemed to keep her up and her face out of the water was an inflatable ring sewn inside a vest. Just yesterday she went all the way around the pool and floated everywhere and j thought that we finally found the flotation device that would keep her from getting face first in the water.

Well, today we went to the pool again. As the water was dirty with lots of leaves floating around I told the girls to only play on the stairs while I got the net and started gathering the little floaties. As I was engaged in this activity I kept checking on the girls, especially on Kaley who kept wanting to crawl out of the inflatable tub I'd put her in. For a second I forgot about the older girls who we're having fun together by the stairs. As I looked towards the water I see what I now describe as the most terrifying image of my life. Alyss was on her belly with her face in the water, struggling to lift herself up. I don't know what happened but for a split second I couldn't register what was happening. It was like I was watching a movie. I looked at her, then I looked at the kids playing and not noticing what was happening then I looked at her again. She wasn't really struggling anymore and was just lying there, face in the water. I got in and pulled her out. She wasn't responsive though she was conscious. She coughed a couple of times then just laid quietly in my arms. Her cheeks were still red from the heat but all around her mouth she was a pale green. Eventually the color returned to her face and she showed a desire to get back in the water though more cautiously. All I wanted was to leave and never return but I didn't want this experience to scar her and make her afraid of the water for the rest of her life, so we went back in. My hand never let go of her though and I know I'll be scared and paranoid for a while before I could trust that she will be ok.

The pool is usually a great place for us - 2014

Alyss at Two

Alyss loves Sulley and Monsters U

Fun on the slide

Disney Store in SLC

Happy Birthday our sweet Princess

Sulley cake made by daddy

Happy birthday our sweet Alyss!!!! Man, you're two years old! I can hardly believe it but you've grown so much and every day you show us more of your personality and of who you are and what you like.

Physically speaking, you still look like a toddler, with chunky legs and squishy rolls on your arms and cute, chubby cheeks but you are slowly transforming into a small child. Sometimes I think I see an older you when I look into your face but then I blink and your serene, innocent 2 year old face stares back at me. I just love your little face and everything else about you. I love you when you fight with me, when you bite your binky or when you throw yourself on the floor because I won't let you play with the iPad anymore. I love you when you cry and scream and I love you when you give me hugs and kisses and when you play wit Jane and when you love Kaley so much you can hardly stand it. I love how vibrant and spunky you are. I JUST LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU!

You are so lovely and smart and happy. You still copy many of the things Jane says but you are also becoming more and more independent and are learning how to use language in your favor. You are a talking machine. You know so many words and you put them together in sentences and are pretty easy to understand. The pediatrician is always amazed when she hears you talk, how coherent you are and how many words you know and understand. You also know lots of songs both in Romanian and English and you love to sing and dance. You also love to watch movies (Minions and Monsters being some of your faves) and to play on the iPad. 

I just thought of something really cute you do. You like to give me hugs and kiss me when I'm on the floor at your level, after I change your diaper. Yes, you're still wearing diapers even though sometimes you use the big potty and tell us now when you need a diaper change. It's a bit scary to let you run around naked because of the puddles and bombs we usually find all over the floor when that happens :) I guess this summer will be the time to help you learn more about using the potty all the time like all the big kids. And speaking of big kids, you also still LOVE your binky; so much in fact that you cry even when I move it from one onesie to the next. We'll see how we'll deal with ditching it but for now I just think that it's not that bad and that you'll eventually stop loving it so much eventually on your own.

Now, a bit about your actual birthday. We went to Chuck E Cheese in Orem with Eni, Lia, Rodica and Maria and their kids and we had a great time playing and eating yummy food. You love to eat and are a great eater. I love how you try almost everything and are good at sitting down and eating your food. After this party we went home where daddy had another party for you. He had made a Sulley cake and decorated the living room with Monsters U stuff. It was so cute and the cake was delicious. Your daddy is an awesome cook! You then opened the presents and loved everything you received. Jane liked your new toys so much too and you two shared the little ponies that you got.

Our dear Alyss, you are such a sweet little girl and we love you more than you can imagine. This kind of love cannot be explained and you will too experience it when you have your own children. We want you to know that we are proud of you and so happy to have you in our lives. You are an independent and very happy little girl. You are not afraid to try things and you show no fear even going down the tall slide for big kids. You show me every day that life is to be lived. We love you and hope that you'll stay happy and adventurous and will keep saying "no" and being the independent little person that you are. Te iubesc Alisucu' meu mic si drag!

Well-child visits and development for Kaley

2 Weeks:
We found a pediatrician, Dr. Barbara Bean in South Jordan, that Dr. Merrill recommended and this is where we took Kaley for her two weeks well-child visit. Everything went well but the doctor heard a murmur in Kaley's heart and sent us to a pediatric cardiologist. We went and Kaley had a heart ultrasound that confirmed that there is a small hole in the center of Kaley's heart. The doctor wasn't concerned and said that many times these type of holes close on their own by the time the child is two. We will need to have Kaley's heart checked again when she's one and hopefully she will be all better by then. Other than this problem, Kaley is healthy and happy and is growing fast. She is also exclusively breastfed.

2 Months:
At the two months appointment, Dr. Bean still heard the heart murmur and she also pointed out that Kaley's head was a little miss-shaped and that she might need a helmet if it doesn't fix itself by 6 months. We hold her mostly on her left side now to help normalize the shape of her head, and it's looking better in my opinion. She also had her two months vaccines (3 in the legs and one by mouth) and she did very well and didn't cry too much. By the next day she didn't seem to be bothered by the shots anymore and she seemed to be feeling ok. Also, the measurements were great, Kaley being healthy and happy. She loves to smile and to look at our faces. The doctor was impressed that she is exclusively breastfed and is as big and healthy as she is, but I know that she is that way, BECAUSE she is breastfed. Breast milk is the best food there is for babies and I will try to feed her as much as I can. I'm really happy that I can feed her breast milk and that she strives on it so well.

4 Months:
We actually went at almost 5 months so that we could take Jane for her 3 year appointment as well. The appointment went well. Kaley is tall and skinny. Her head has a nice shape now and the doctor didn't mention anything about a helmet anymore. We've been helping her lay mostly on the left side to balance the shape of her head and it seams that it worked. Her heart murmur is still there but the doctor didn't seem concerned since Kaley is so happy and alert. The doctor was pleased with how curious Kaley is and how much she smiles. She rolled from front to back at 4 months, which is right on track! We were advised to introduce all regular foods, puréed except for honey on top of the breast milk.  We started at about 5 months with just a little and by 5.5 months Kaley learned how to eat from a spoon and how to chew her food. She absolutely LOVES regular foods and gets really excited when she sees the jars :) she doesn't like bananas much and pretty much hates carrots and pears but loves squash and sweet potatoes. At this appointment Kaley had three more shots and the nurse gave them so fast that Kaley didn't even cry too much. My mom held her and she calmed down quickly. Both Jane, Alyss and myself got the flu shot too so all of us pretty much had to go to McDonalds afterwards to treat ourselves with ice cream for being so brave.

6 Months:

No appointment at 6 months. We'll go at 8 months in February when Alyss goes for her 2 year appointment and she'll catch up with her shot schedule then. Kaley is very happy and curious, loves to eat and smiles and laughs a lot. She also cries when she wants something and is starting to interact more and more with us. She loves her sisters and is always happy to see them. She looks after them all the time and smiles when she sees them. The girls love Kaley a lot too and always try to make her laugh and even feed her or calm her down when she cries. Kaley doesn't like pacifiers and she doesn't have a binky. She rolled over front-back-front at 5 months and sits up with very little support. She holds toys and likes to taste everything that gets near her. She also likes to talk and squeal and says 'mama' when she cries. :) I'm still breastfeeding Kaley. She is pretty small, still wearing 3 - 6 mo clothes but she looks happy and healthy and has cute chubby cheeks and round legs and arms.

7.5 Months:

At this appointment Kaley got the shots she was missing. She is on the schedule and on track with the vaccines. Kaley is healthy but small for her age. Actually more skinny than short. The doctor told me not to breastfeed her at night anymore and to give her real food, 3 meals a day. I will continue breastfeeding on demand though as I still think breast milk is best and most nutritious food for babies. We have been eating real food (no purées as she now hates them) and I think that she is now heavier but don't know... She does wear 6 - 9 months clothes now and they're starting to look short on her but she is still skinny. I think it's just her body type. She is happy and healthy otherwise but still has a heart murmur. She scoots everywhere and sits on her own for long periods of time. She feeds herself and is practicing the pincer grasp successfully. She repeats sounds and talks to me. She fakes a cough to get a response from me and laughs when I make funny faces and sounds. She likes to touch our faces, mouths, eyes and noses. She squeals with excitement when her sisters do something funny. She is very happy and smart, knows where her milk comes from and let's me know if she doesn't want something by pushing it away vehemently. She is starting to pull up on her knees and will probably crawl soon. Still no teeth which I don't really mind :)

9 Months:
At this appointment she only got one shot and she cried just a little and did really great after. The doctor was a bit happier with her weight.Though she is still very slim, she is gaining slowly and it getting taller. She is still not crawling, just does the soldier crawl. Also, no teeth yet! She likes to eat everything, still but doesn't seem to enjoy eating very much. Sometimes she eats alright and others she won't touch the food. I guess she is not a eater :) Other things that the doctor checked: the heart (still no change - so she still has a hole that hasn't closed yet), the ears - ok, the eyes - ok and a beautiful blue color. :)

12 Months:
It was a good visit. She got 2 shots and she did cry and was scared but I held and nursed her and she calmed down fast. I love how I can just reassure her and help her calm down by holding her close and nursing her. It makes me really happy to be able to do it. She weighs a little over 16lbs and though it is not a lot she is gaining and growing taller as well. The doctor didn't seem worried even after listening to her heart and could still hear the murmur (we also went for a check-up at the Primary Children's Hospital and they heard the murmur too but didn't worry and told us to return in another year). One little thing that the doc was a bit worried about was her eyes - she seems to not focus and look perfectly straight when the doctor put the light in her eyes but would adjust after a bit. In my opinion she has a bit of my eye problem. Her eyes are a bit too far apart so it takes her a bit to adjust and focus on things. I doubt she actually has a problem. It's mostly anatomy, in my opinion and also the fact that she is still growing and developing. Kaley is very happy and is developing well. She now stands while holding unto furniture, crawls everywhere, climbs on low chairs and up and down the stairs, goes up and down the slide, says a lot of words, gives hugs and plays with us. She shows emotion and things she wants and gets upset when she doesn't get what she wants. She is sensitive and sweet and loves to smile and play with us, her sisters and by herself. She likes to eat and some days eats all the time while other days she won't even look at food. She sleeps well at night (only wakes one or two times at the most) and we still co-sleep. I still nurse her and I doubt I'll be stopping any time soon as she absolutely adores "boo" :) If she ever catches me naked her face lights up and she would alternate between the two boobs while smiling and saying 'boo' in between sucks. It's the most priceless and wonderful feeling in the world.

15 Months:
Another successful doctor's visit. Kaley got 2 shots and cried very little. Mommy was there for her to give her a big, tight hug and she felt a lot better after that. She is right on track developmentally. Her heart still has a murmur but she looks and feels healthy so the doctor isn't concerned. She weighs 19lbs and still nursing quite a bit. She eats regular foods as well but doesn't seem to love them. She still sleeps with mommy and nurses several times every night. Since her last visit she grew a few more teeth, including molars which gave her a bit of a hard time but she bravely overcame all the discomfort and can now eat anything she wants with her band new teeth. Haley is still very happy. She plays a lot, likes pretend play, likes to talk and talk and says A LOT of words. She just started walking by herself at 15 months, after trying it and practicing for about 2 months, and is getting quite good at it. She also loves to sing and knows many songs.

18 Months:

This was a very good visit even though the girls were loud and climbed everywhere. As far as Kaley is concerned, her height and weight are good. She is growing steadily. Her eyesight is so good and... Not sure if I wanna believe it but the doctor says that her heart sounded good. I'm not sure I wanna believe it because it was pretty noisy in the office because of the girls talking so even the doctor was a little distracted. I really hope her heart is ok now! Other than that, the doctor advised that we stop nursing at night because Kaley's teeth seem to not like that. I asked about how to night wean her and the doctor just said that as long as we cosleep it would be impossible. I was disappointed by her answer especially since she usually is pretty good but I thought to myself that she told me that she didn't nurse much at all and so I'm pretty sure she doesn't understand these things. I'll research this and hopefully I can help Kaley sleep and not nurse anymore. It breaks my heart because I know how much she loves it but I also known that her teeth' health is important and also her and my sleep as well. 

This time Kaley got one shot and it looks like it will be her last one until she turns four. Good job little one! We did it!