It has begun.

Zuzu is now becoming an expert at repeating sounds. She has repeated "maaama","poo po", "a**hole", and "baby." She clearly learned the middle one from baba. I don't think she likes Steven Colbert. Baba now needs to be very careful about what he says.

I know this sounds unusual but Zuzu's Meme (Baba's mom) was talking at 6 months. She told her own mother thank you for the curl (in her hair).

I agree this is a little weird so I'll keep everyone posted on her "talking."

4 months

Zuzu is now 4 months old. She weights 16 lbs 10 oz and is about 26 1/2 inches long. She still fits in her infant chair but she is quickly running out of room 2 inches left at most.

We tried to install the Brixtex Roundabout in baba's Golf this weekend. After an hour and not getting the proper recline nor the seat tight enough, we gave up. On our way to baba’s sister's we stopped at Babies R Us. I knew we were looking for a car seat with a flat base and I knew the Evenflo Triumph's were as safe as the Britex.

The Triumph had more reclining positions, a flat base, latch system belts included, and straps that were easy to adjust. Plus it looks pretty cool and comfy like a nice reclining chair. Baba installed it himself in less than 5 minutes and it was A LOT more secure than we could get the Roundabout. I was also happy it fit in baba's car without the front seats being pulled up to the dashboard.

Last night Zuzu also got her first haircut. Her bangs were in her eyes.

Rrrrrr....(Baba's fault)

Baba is getting "old." 32 almost 33. He has been suffering with a bad back and neck the last month or more. Well Monday night he wakes up and decides to call Egypt at 4am. Well if you have ever seen someone call internationally they usually talk so loud you might as well call it hollering. It woke me up of course and Zuzu started squirming. Finally when he finished at 6am, Zuzu woke up hungry.

Last night he wakes up at 4am takes his computer and goes into the bathroom and turns on the light. Did he shut the door all the way?? No. So then I am awakened by light shinning in my eyes. So I go and shut the door for him to minimize the light. Sure enough when he flushed and came back to bed Zuzu woke up hungry.

I am trying to be nice about it but dang....how is it I can have the worst stomach ache and be throwing up and Zuzu sleeps right through it, but yet Baba always seems to wake her up???

Links

So I have collected a ton of links so I thought I should share:

For Breast feeding moms:
http://www.kellymom.com
http://www.glamourmom.com
http://www.motherwear.com
http://www.nursinggowns.com

Diapers
http://www.cutofcloth.com/article_differentsystems.asp
http://www.tinytots.com (Bay Area Diaper Service)
http://www.1800diapers.com

Baby Gear
http://www.ergobabycarrier.com (they just re-did their website)
http://www.specialtybaby.com/
http://babysaway.com/ (Baby gear on the go)
http://www.kidsflysafe.com/ (The new FAA approved kids harness)


http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/usefultools/l/bl_percentiles.htm (Growth % Calculator)
http://www.thecarseatlady.com/
http://freekidsmusic.com/index.html

Laughing Baby

This weekend we drove over to visit my sister in law and Zuzu's cousins house. Everyone was busy so we went to the Toyota dealer to look around. I really want a 2004 Sienna now. The mpg on the highway is the same as baba's Golf. Everyone can ride in it and be happy (no more fighting and taking 2 cars everywhere on the weekends.) Now my goal is to find one that is reasonably(kbb) priced with dual power sliding doors. If you know of one within 100 miles of San Francisco send me a comment with contact info....I won't publish it. Or if you know of someone in search of a fantastic commuter car let me know...again I won't public the comment.)

Zuzu had a fun day and baba learned how to trigger her laugh. It has already been 6 or 7 weeks since her very first laugh. My brother in law caught it on his camcorder.

Sunday we sat around and rested. We planned to clean up the apartment but we never really got to it.

Still...

All week Zuzu has been sleeping through the night. Last night I heard her make noise like she was awake twice, but she never really woke up and cried. Even on Wednesday night I put her down in her crib awake and she went to sleep on her own. Her basic hours are 11pm-8:30am. Baba and I couldn't be happier.

Next week Zuzu will be 4 months old. She has no problem standing and supporting her own weight and holding her head up. She loves to chew on her teether. Her biggest challenge is getting her head up once she has her legs underneath her (as if to crawl.)

Just a though....

Why is it when ever Zuzu is sleeping on my lap so nicely that it is always the exact same time I feel the urge to run to the bathroom (notice run not walk.) I hate to move her because 3/5 times she wakes up....but what's a mommy to do....? :)

I know understand why so many moms get urinary and bladder infections often.

Dead Battery

Since I am now a stay at home mom and baba has his motorcycle (and car) my car has not been drove much. So today I had a dead battery. This made me realize that it is time to sale my car. Insurance renewal is in 3 weeks, and registration is due at the end of the year.

Thing is, baba's car isn't practical either. The current car seat barely fits. We pick up his parents at least 3 times a year from the airport with 2 bags of luggage each and the cousins are always fighting over who gets to ride with us (every weekend), not to mention I want another baby in less than 2 years.

So after much research today I think a used Sienna will be in the works. (I really want a Highlander but I can't justify another $8-10k over the price of a Sienna.)

More sleep

I am pretty sure Zuzu has this sleeping thing down now. She was exhusted yesterday from having so much fun. She slept on the way home then fell back asleep as soon as I got her out of her carseat. Then she slept from 10:30 to 6:30 last night. She must really love her mama and baba or something :)

Our friends

Zuzu and I had a beautiful day with our friends. We meet some moms and babies today and ate some delcious Zachary's Pizza at the park in San Ramon. I am picky when it comes to pizza and I was truely impressed with thier Meditereanan. I brought the left overs home for Baba and I know he will love it. I don't normally like arihcokes on my pizza but now I have a different prespective.

She did it again!

We must have really worn out poor Zuzu this weekend. Last night she slept from 11-8:30am and currently she is sleeping again and has been for the last 45 minutes.

We just went to Costco on Saturday and then with my sister in law to Costco on Sunday. 2 Costcos in a weekend is enough to wear anyone out, let alone a baby.

At Costco on Sunday I did test out the Ergo carrier. I carried my sleeping nephew who is almost four around in it for an hour. I wish we would have got a picture. He is about half my size and I am sure it looked funny, but I have no aches or pains. They weight really is distributed to the hips. Now I am an even bigger fan of the Ergos.

Mama and Zuzu Alone

Baba had business in Seattle so he flew out yesterday morning. (His first night away since her birth.) Zuzu and I had to fend for ourselves. I now have a greater appreciation for single moms and I have no idea how they keep their sanity the first 3 months when the baby is more needy.

Zuzu is a good girl and can now entertain herself for short periods of time (15-20 minutes) but I found myself still wanting a 30 minute break to myself. Obviously I didn't get one.

We are still alive and sane this morning and I honestly don't think Zuzu noticed her baba was gone. Next time we are going to Seattle with him since I happen to have some free time :)

Weekend at Carmel

We went to Monterey on Saturday and Zuzu and baba got to see the aquarium for the first time. Then we stayed in Carmel and had a nice dinner. Then we went to Point Lobos and walked around and saw the sea otters. It was a small trip to celebrate our 2 year wedding aniversary.

Zuzu was a good girl and did a lot of sleeping in the car and in her Ergo carrier at the beach. Last night she went to sleep at 9:30 and did not wake up till 6:30 this morning (9 hours!!) I fed her and she went back to sleep till 8:45. The trip exhuasted all of us but it was a lot of fun and the perfect first trip for Zuzu.

(I'll try to add a picture this afternoon.)

We are outa here

Last night Zuzu went to bed at 9:30. It was because baba was already in bed sleeping. I think his snoring calms her.

Zuzu and I spent her gymbucks today. Hopefully she will be able to get through the winter now. I also made a mess on her pjs while eating chocolate today. Good thing they were cheap ones.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend. We are off to do some exploring.

It wasn't a fluke!

She slept for 7 hours straight again last night...but she did stay up till midnight.
It is raining today, but the three of us are going away this weekend. I can't wait. No working for baba.


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Beautiful Sleep

Last night Zuzu slept from 11pm to 6am. She was laughing and kicking off her covers at 3am so baba turned on the light and she was still sleeping. Last night I put her comforter on her and her thin flannel blanket (under her arms) and that apparently did the trick. I think swaddling would have done the same thing but she is at the stage where she hates to be constrained.

Today I realized that she also feels constrained by her infant seat. She was trying so hard to sit up and those stupid straps were in the way :) So she fussed and in her own way told me how frustrated she was.

Last night she also did a full sit up, vs. a crunch like normal. She is very determined to sit up like an adult. Now if only she can balance herself a little better once she is up.

Faces everywhere

This weekend Zuzu started to reach for faces. She likes to feel baba's scratchy beard and mama's smooth face. Best of all she is doing it with an open hand. Usually she spends most of the day with her fists clinched.

She is consistently sleeping 5 1/2 to 6 hours every night before waking up hungry. This means I am finally catching up on all my lost sleep.

I am also happy because I am starting to fit into medium clothes. Hopefully in another 3 months I will be back in my pre-pregnancy clothes. I can't wait to be happy about my body again.