Updates & Happy Holidays 2012

a little blurry, but I love these boots & this vest
part of our weekend routine involves big breakfast on saturday: helping mommy make vegan banana pancakes (taste-checking is necessary)
watching the game with her uncle
cheesing after a fresh bath
weekend lounging: playing in her toy box
holiday photo...for the announcements I needed to send out yesterday

Hi everyone, it's been a while. Life is so interesting, it has its peaks and valleys, its lulls and highs, its busy and quiet moments. This year has been filled with momentum, surprises, and changes...more on these things later, as some things are still materializing. To all of you - I wish you happy holidays, may the season bring you peace, joy and love. I am so incredibly thankful for the good friends and family in my life, I hope to share my sentiments with them this season.

I have quite a few updates, and pictures, so I'm going to split this update post with one post focused on Naja, and another focused on me, so to speak. I will begin with the little lady first, who is now 17 months old - where does the time go?

Naja is able to run now, and her break-off speed is quite impressive - she continues to keep me busy. Naja is also talking more now, and is very friendly to strangers. She said a sentence last Saturday morning while we were playing with her Brobee stuffed animal. In a high-pitched voiced she said, "Hi Brobee," I was so proud! But didn't freak out with excitement because that sometimes upsets her - my extremely loud moments upset her when they happen by surprise, lol. Every week she's talking more and more. She says some words very clearly, and others that those close to her understand. She recently started this new thing where her talking is something like baby blibber blabber, and I really don't know what she's saying.

Definition
Baby Blibber Blabber: a series of noises with varied voice inflection followed by a pause that assuredly garners a response.

I'm confident that she thinks I understand her, and I'm sure I'll understand her soon enough, we'll just keep trying and chugging away with the baby talk for now.

Naja is also approaching the age of defiance. She has temper tantrums around those she knows well (I.e. my mom and me). Just in case you guys want a few examples: she has thrown items on the floor, bit my mom, and head-butted both of us to name a few. She knows exactly what she's doing, because these reactions only come after she doesn't get her way. She's stubborn, feisty  and quite a drama queen.  Those who know me well that are reading may be thinking, "...that's what you get," but I can promise you, I was nothing compared to Naja.

She's been getting a lot of timeouts, stern looks, and firm reprimands, and I don't know if it's "working." I'm finding it difficult to figure out the right way to discipline Naja since I'm not a fan of spankings. Everyone has different parenting styles, and each child is different. I'm just trying this out to see how things go -- I surely don't want a snobby-bratty child. For now, I'm praying for patience while I discipline her, consistency, grace and fairness.

Recent things Naja's been loving: a ride on shopper I got her, clementines, her princess snow boots, Princess Tiana, dinosaurs, and my pots & pans

Ok, that's little miss thing. Updates from me are next...

On Naja: one & three: top - h&m; vest - nordstrom; jeggings - target; boots - baby zara | two & five: onesie -  children's place | six: top - target; sweater - h&m

9 comments:

  1. She's a beauty! Well done mama!

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  2. She is too beautiful in her cute outfits of the day! I totally hear you on spankings ... not a fan of them either. May you continue to have patience while disciplining her. :o)

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  3. She'll be a powerhouse of a woman with that kind of no-holds-barred attitude. You could be raising a future President of the United States. :D

    Discipline issues generally suck. I have a four-year-old with a 14-year-old's attitude. I'm kind of a "crunchy" parent, so books like "Respectful Parents, Respectful Kids" and "Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves" have helped out enormously. Talk about a paradigm shift! Good luck!

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  4. This girl is just too too gorgeous and I guess she knows it, ha ha! Thanks for the update. We missed you!

    As for parenting stuff, I am not (yet) a parent, but one I really like is Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn. I also really like The Family Anatomy Podcast. It's hosted by two family psychologists and they always give you a lot to think about.

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  5. I'm a little late getting around to it, but Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I'm glad to see the update of the little miss. She's definitely been growing into her own over these past 17 months and I'm sure that as you keep seeking advice, you'll find ways that help you in disciplining her in a way that you can live with and in a way that's best for her. I wish you all the best in 2013 and look forward to hearing what's going on with you too. :-)

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  6. remembering discipline is to teach has always helped me in my journey. Your daughter is beautiful!

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  7. Your baby girl is SO sweet! She is gorgeous!

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  8. i find it so hard to believe that such an adorable little girl could possibly throw a tantrum lol. she is sooo cute.

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  9. Thanks everyone!

    @MPB- believe it!!! She's an actress too, knows when to turn things up, and when to cut it out, it's kind of funny...

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