Good night sweet pea

As many parents know, getting your child to sleep through the night can be a challenge.  We’ve been pretty lucky in that, other than issues related to teething and reflux, Erin has pretty much slept through the night since she was just a few weeks old.

However, what I didn’t realize until Erin was months past this apparently magical cut-off of six months is that, according to all the sleep gurus, she was supposed to learn how to put herself to sleep without needing a bottle, to be held, or to be rocked. 

Well,  since I’m normally the one who puts Erin to bed, you can imagine my surprise and concern when I found this out at about 11 months.  Nobody had told me that before, and it sure as heck wasn’t in the manual.  (Come to think of it, I’m not even sure I got the manual.)  I mean, after all, what’s more natural than holding your baby until she slowly drifts off to sleep? 

However, apparently I was doing her some kind of disservice by not allowing her to figure out how to soothe herself and  fall asleep.  Even worse, by letting her have milk before bed, I was setting her up for more cavities.   However, at her one year visit Erin’s pediatrician assured us it was fine for Erin to use a bottle until she was 18 months. 

So, over the course of the next month, Erin and I gradually figured it out together along with the transition from bottle to cup.  It actually went quite smoothly. 

Erin had no problem switching from formula to milk and loved the taste right away, but wasn’t so sure about the whole cup thing.  It took her a few weeks to master sippy cups, and she definitely has her favorites, but now she’s a pro.  However, at night, she still refused her cup and cried for her bottle.  So, we took Dr. Grier’s advice and would brush her teeth after dinner, and then give her a bottle of water right before bed.  Although it was supposed to help wean her, it didn’t seem to work that well.  Erin loved the water and would often drink 9-12 ounces right before bed! 

However,  at the beginning of the week, I decided to give Erin milk and a snack  before bed, then brush her teeth, and then offer her water.  The first night, she seemed much less interested in the bottle of water.  So, the next night, I decided to try the sippy cup.  She literally read her book, took a few sips of water, pushed the cup away, and tried to lie down across me.  So, I put her in her crib and she was asleep within minutes.  I’ve repeated this same process for the entire week and it works.  Today, I packed up all of Erin’s bottles. 

While I am glad that Erin is able to put herself to sleep without her bottle, there are a few drawbacks.  First of all, I don’t get to hold her and rock her as long as I used to, which is a little tough.  More concerning however is that in order to self-soothe, Erin has started sucking her fingers.  While I hope this is only temporary since Erin is currently cutting three or four teeth, it is in her genetics to be a thumb-sucker. 

Erin and the Q-tips

Erin has an amazing fascination for q-tips.  She loves to crawl down the hall at almost a run, go into the bathroom, open the drawer, and throw everything else out of the drawer until she reaches her beloved q-tips box.  Then, she will very deliberately grab about four q-tips from the box, stick one in her mouth like a dog with a bone, and proceed to show off the others to anyone within view while she pulls the cotton off of the ends.   She is very proud of herself and,while sometimes we worry that “she’ll poke her eye out”, in reality it’s pretty harmless.

So many advancements

Erin has made so many amazing advancements lately that I’ve been busy watching them instead of photographing them or writing about them.  I’m sure I’ll probably miss more then a few, but I wanted to at least give a little bit of an update.

First and foremost, Erin officially graduated from PT!  We are very grateful to her therapist, Elva, but are extremely glad that our daughter no longer requires her services.  :-)

  Now that Erin is done with PT, she has to find other ways to stay busy and keep up her physical activity.  Not to worry though, Erin is busy learning how to crawl up AND down a full flight off stairs, get on and off the furniture, climb in and out of boxes, open and close doors, turn the lights off, and even enjoys the slides at an inflatable playground. 

In addition, to her physical advancements, Erin’s speech and cognition are also progressing.  She knows about a dozen words and phrases, including “wow”, “uh-oh”, “all done”, “I got it”,  and “hello, who’s there” (when the phone rings).  She even “barks” with Shadow.  Despite all that, she still acts like she doesn’t comprehend “no”.  Erin is also learning how too stack objects, use the shape sorter, and loves to turn the pages in books.  (In fact, her teacher gave us a nice compliment and told me it’s obvious that we read to Erin at home.)   Next week, she’ll probably know how to program the TV!

She’s also developed quite a fascination for Shadow’s kennel, q-tips, anything she’s not supposed to touch, and has weaned herself off the bottle and taught herself how to go to sleep.  In addition, she’s currently cutting 3 or 4 teeth (her incisors) and will probably have  14 teeth by next week! 

With all that going on, it’s no wonder she’s not walking by herself yet!  Erin is cruising, using push toys, standing unsupported for prolonged periods, and walking alone for a few steps with significant coaxing.  Her PT told us that Erin is ready to walk, but apparently Erin finds it much faster and easier to crawl or ride her toy car wherever she wants to go!  Not that we’re in any hurry.   If Erin’s current locomotion is any indication - once she’s ready to walk, she’ll run!   

Happy Father’s Day

 

Kurt, being the computer aficionado that he is, stumbled upon a website http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com.  For the next two days, he literally couldn’t stop laughing over a story about Happy Falker Satherhood.  If you haven’t seen the video, you really should check it out to see what is so amusing. 

So, naturally, Erin and I decided to get this shirt for his Father’s Day gift.  Kurt wore it rather proudly all day – including to brunch with our friends, the Sebbens.    Then again, when you’re such an awesome Daddy, why wouldn’t you?

First Birthday

Happy

First

Birthday!

On June 6, 2009, Erin Anneliese Schneider, along with twenty-odd friends and family (some odder than others) celebrated her first birthday. Her birthday was actually on the 5th, but Saturday was a much better day for the celebration. Food, cake, and fun were had by all, and everyone had a great time, including Erin.

We’d like to thank everyone in attendance, especially those who came from out of town: some of Christine’s family from the Dallas area, some of my family from Louisiana, and my mother from Santa Fe, NM. We really appreciate your being there for Erin’s first birthday.

Special thanks go to Brent for the smoked wild pork ribs. There were very few ribs left, and those didn’t last very long at all.

We took Erin to the photographer a few days early to get some pictures in her birthday clothes, and in her birthday cake. Literally, in her cake...

Erin was a bit cautious at first, but once she tasted the frosting, she found her confidence. There are more pictures at Erin’s photobucket site here; use her last name for the password (with a capital). The latest photos are at the end, but feel free to check out all 20-plus pages of Erin’s first year of life.

Finally, thanks to everyone for your support, advice, and love during this first year. We’re very proud of our little girl, and how far she’s come.

Bubba bear, clutter, and our life

For Christmas, Kurt's mother bought Erin a teddy bear. We aren't just talking any cute little teddy bear either. Nope, we're talking a HUGE bear so big that GG strapped it in the passenger seat of the SUV and drove it around town! Needless to say, when GG arrived at our home for the holidays, Kurt could tell that I was less than thrilled to see this giant monstrosity being lugged up our stairs. While Kurt reminded me that I was the one who chose a bear theme for Erin's room, GG was kind enough to reassure me that this would be the only "large" purchase she would make for Erin. She said that she bought the bear for Erin to enjoy crawling on when she got older. At the time, it seemed so far away and unlikely. However, in GG's defense, she was right. When Erin can't find Mt. Daddy or Mt. Mommy to climb over, Bubba Bear makes a fitting substitute. He is also a wonderful wrestling partner and apparently also makes a great Kleenex!

So, why was I resistant to such a large stuffed animal being in our home when I love all things teddy bear? Well, as a self-proclaimed "neat freak" whose favorite hobby is apparently throwing things out, Bubba was a symbol. His mere presence and size were a threat to the order I liked to believe our lives still had. He served as a herald of the materialism that I did not want our child to get caught up in, and as a warning of all the clutter and chaos that could potentially overtake our home and lives.

However, what I failed to realize at the time was that I AM a mother. Regardless of what toys Erin does or does not have, she is happy to leave a trail of them behind her. Yes, there are times when we deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Erin. Regardless of how often we try to clean, she will still find the last thing that Shadow brought in or find something to throw on the floor. Regardless of how often I try to stick to the plan for the day, Erin doesn't even realize there is a plan. As much as I might want to pay attention to detail, there's a cute little girl who would much rather that I pay attention to her, and I am more than happy to oblige.

So, this is our life. For better or worse, clutter and chaos are just part of where we are and being parents. I don't have to embrace the mess, but I embrace being the Mommy of the one who helps create it. Sure, there will be plenty of "hurricanes" in our house, but hopefully, the joyful moments and happy memories will far out-weigh even the biggest of Bubba Bears.

Be blessed,

Christine

P.S. I wouldn't trade Bubba bear and all the happiness he gives Erin for anything in the world. (But I still hope GG's promise is one I never have to remind her of!)

Mother's Day

Because May 10th was my first Mother’s Day, I thought I should write some form of post to commemorate the day. Sure, I could write about the events of the day, the highlights, the disappointments, or even the thoughtful gifts. Perhaps I could let everyone know Erin gave me chocolate covered strawberries to make up for the ones I couldn’t have when I was pregnant. In many ways, May 10th was a day not unlike so many of the ones in the eleven months preceding it.

However, none of that is what really mattered. On my first Mother’s Day, I just wanted to know that it mattered to someone that I am Erin’s mother. However, in the end I didn’t need a special present to tell me that or even someone else. All I really had to do was look into my little girl’s sweet face and listen to my heart to know.

You see, no other title that I hold will ever be as important, amazing, or life-changing as this one. I helped to create an amazing little human being. I continue to love, nurture, and care for her every day. There is no other job in this world that will ever be as difficult or as rewarding. Regardless of whether it matters to anyone else, it matters to Erin and it matters to me. I AM Erin’s mommy, and I am SO lucky.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mommies out there – every day.

Love,

Christine

Neurologist follow-up

Wow, it's hard to believe that just six months ago we were taking Erin to the neurologist, Dr. Ghodsi, for the first time to make sure there was not some hidden cause for her torticolis.

Was it really just before Christmas that we worried about anesthesia, MRIs, abnormal findings, and referrals to neurosurgeons? It seems so strange to think that just a few short months ago that was our reality. However, a lot can change in six months. Since then, Erin was cleared by the neurosurgeon, met all of her age-appropriate developmental milestones, and her torticolis continues to improve with weekly physical therapy.

So, it came as a little bit of a shock to flip the calendar to May and see a six month follow-up appointment with Dr. Ghodsi on the page in front of me. With everything seemingly going so well for Erin, I really debated whether or not we even needed to keep the appointment. However, in the end, I knew that I could never live with myself if something is actually wrong with Erin and we didn't find out.

So, this morning we got in the car and headed to the neurologist's office. Of course they did the standard checks for height, weight, head circumference (Erin is still in the 95th percentile), lung sounds, heart sounds, and pulse, as well as more specific neurological tests. And, I must say, it was really nice to have Dr. Ghodsi confirm what every mother thinks of her child (at least until the terrible twos hit!) - he said she's perfect. I can't tell you how relieved I am to know that Erin does not have any neurological problems. I feel so blessed for us and for Erin.

The last thing Dr. Ghodsi said was that we could follow-up "as needed". That's one follow-up we won't ever plan on needing!

A mouthful

Erin is now getting her 9th tooth - a molar! It started to break through the surface of her gum line earlier this week - with the accompanying pain, fussiness, and crying in the middle of the night. Luckily, all of it is short-term (I've been told the temper tantrums resolve when they go to college!). However, I think my favorite part of Erin's teething is the excessive drool. Just in time for Erin to learn how to "kiss" us - which entails opening her mouth wide, sticking out her tongue, and then leaning in to our faces. I think she learned this technique from Shadow!

Dress Up

When Kurt and I talked about having children, and even after Erin was born, I prided myself in knowing that I was going to treat my child as a person, not as a doll or an accessory. So many parents I know buy matching parent and child outfits or really fancy clothes so their children look more like mini adults. I just KNEW that would not be me.

Sure, I like Erin to look cute - what mother wouldn't want that for her daughter? However, I'm rather practical. I believe in buying clothes that are cute, but comfortable and functional. Sure, for special occasions we'll go with the fancy stuff and if someone buys her an adorable outfit, we'll definitely put her in it and be very appreciative. But, no, I don't buy matching mommy/daughter outfits or clothes that make her look like an adult. We're trying not to raise another Jon Benet Ramsey.

So, it came as a shock to me when I was looking at my daughter's photos that I am just like those "other" moms. The only difference is that Kurt and I play "dress up" with Erin by making her wear (or not wear) really embarrassing clothes. All you have to do is look through her websites to see what I mean.

Sure there are minor things like socks that look like shoes, shamrock bibs, hooded bear towels, mouse hats, jester hats, bike helmets, and funny hooded jackets. Sure she's had chips and salsa on her lap, and even the traditional naked bath tub, or bear skin rug photos. And yes, we did get a bit into the holidays with her sweat pea Halloween costume and her snowman outfit for Christmas. However, all of that was pretty understandable.

I think it may have started to go a little awry with the photo of Erin in her oxygen mask that I refer to as "Luke I am Your Father". However, it really didn't dawn on me until I saw the picture of Erin wearing my lunch bag on her head like a robot, and then realized that earlier today her Daddy put a box on her head to show me how Erin could look like Frankenstein.

So, I confess, I didn't have a child so I could play "dress up" with her, but I guess that is just one of those parenting skills you develop over time. For some reason, I get the feeling the fun has just started. Be on the look out for more embarrassing photos. Sorry Erin!

Adventures in Swim Land

Erin's swim class ended today, and I must say I'm a little sad to be done with the lessons. I really enjoyed our time together in the pool. Erin and I loved her teacher, Ms. Becky, and I just can't say enough about all of the staff and the heated, indoor pool at Tom's Dive and Scuba here in Austin.

Considering that Erin had never been in the pool before, we were worried that she wouldn't enjoy swimming. Luckily, that was a needless concern. Erin continued to enjoy the water and the pool. The only time she didn't enjoy it was when she developed a yeast infection from the antibiotics she'd been on. I think the chlorine stung on her raw bottom. Luckily it cleared up very quickly with an anti-fungal diaper cream.

Other than that classes went very smoothly. I'm amazed at how much Erin learned in just four weeks, especially given how young she is. She became really comfortable in the pool. By the last class, she was floating on her front or back (with help to support her), and had learned how to splash, hold her breath under water, blow bubbles, and kick her feet. She never really got the hang of scooping her arms, but she would occasionally scoop the right one.

On the last class, she even was comfortable enough to play in an inflatable raft, put on a pair of goggles, and use a life vest! She grew so much in such a short time she even had to get a bigger swim suit!


One of the things that really impressed me was that Erin learned how to sit and wait for me so we both could get safely in and out of the pool! Needless to say the commands "wait for Mommy" and "1,2,3, go" have come in very handy in the bathtub and when getting out of the stroller, and I plan to continue to use them.

I think Erin's favorite parts of swim class were playing with the cup of water, being dunked, and gliding back and forth between me and Ms. Becky. If you asked Erin, she might say the best part was watching all the other kids or waving "bye, bye" at the end. We met some really neat people in the class and look forward to more water adventures with Erin.

True Daddy

Kurt said he wouldn't really feel like a Dad until Erin was old enough to ride on his shoulders. Well, here's proof that he's a real Daddy now. :-)

Easter Egg Hunt

Growing up, Easter was full of traditions such as dying eggs on Saturday, waiting for the Easter bunny, getting candy, eating good food, being surrounded by my immediate family, and going to church. So, even though Erin is really too young for many of those traditions, I still did not want her first Easter to go unrecognized.

Easter Sunday was pretty low-key. We went to church with Heidi, Larry, and Lauren and later had a nice dinner with a few close friends. The eggs weren't dyed, there was no pastel Easter basket with funny colored "grass", and there was no candy. However, even if Erin couldn't have it, I still made my favorite - poppy seed cake.

So, when I heard that the local park was having a pancake breakfast and Easter egg hunt that Saturday, complete with a visit from the Easter bunny, I just knew we had to take Erin. Sure, she's too young to have eggs, pancakes, sausage, or orange juice, but we never pass up a cheap breakfast and Shadow was more than happy to eat her share. :-)

Now, I've never actually hunted eggs, but I thought it would be fun for Erin. What I failed to realize is that Erin wouldn't be interested in crawling around looking for bright colored plastic eggs. You see, once I got there and put her on the grass, I realized that Erin had never actually felt grass or been on it before. So, she was much more interested in the texture, looking at the individual blades of grass, and trying to eat the leaves and plastic candy wrappers. I even got her to hold onto my hands and "walk" a few steps in the grass (not bad for someone who is just learning to cruise!).

Of course, it was also funny to watch her reaction to the Easter Bunny - who I must admit was rather creepy looking. She really wasn't sure what to make of it at first. She seemed scared when he held her, but once we started laughing and pointing to his teeth, ears, and eyes, she seemed to take it all in and warm up to him.

It was a lot of fun watching her process this new experience and I think it's definitely one tradition we plan to keep.

Happy Hunting.

Shuffled Pictures

An apology is in order.  I suggested to Christine the other day that we might want to sort the images on Erin’s Photobucket site such that the most recent is at the top.  Since this blog presents the latest update at the top, a similar sort order for the photos made sense. 

I should have known better.  Since I work with computers, I know that nothing involving a computer is ever as simple as it seems.  And that’s definitely the case here. 

• Complication 1: Photobucket will let you sort by date added (newest or oldest first), by original filename (A-Z only), or by title (A-Z only). 
• Complication 2: A number of cameras were used to take the pictures, and each one uses its own naming convention. 
• Complication 3: Christine and I both use Canon cameras, which use the same naming convention, so her IMG_150 and my IMG_150 might be taken six months apart.
• Complication 4: Photobucket doesn’t have an “undo” function. 
• Complication 5: All new uploaded images go to the back of the line, so we’d have to re-sort everything every time we added new images.

I’m sure you can see where this is going.  After an hour or so of frustration, we gave up on getting it right.  We undid what damage we could, but we had to create a couple of additional folders to sort things out.  You can access them from the links on the left side of the main page, under KurtsCamera and other.  Over the next week or so, we’ll be re-sorting Erin’s pictures, but for now, things are a bit messy.

As I said, an apology is in order. 

PS If anyone has a better idea for a photo site, please let us know by email or in the comments below.

Water baby

Erin started swim lessons on Tuesday. Since Kurt loves to scuba dive, and I love to be in the water, one might assume that taking her was purely selfish on our part. After all, if Erin loves the water, that means we probably get to enjoy our own hobbies more often. However, that was not our motivation. While it would be flattering for our daughter to express an interest in the same things her parents like, the real reason we enrolled her is because we truly hope she gets as much enjoyment out of swimming as we do.

The day started out on an ominous note, with Erin being very uncooperative while I struggled with putting on her swim diaper. I tried to keep my cool by telling her that it was the precursor to something really fun. She was more interested in crawling away.

However, when it came time to go in the pool, Erin was wide-eyed, curious, and full of smiles. I had a great time in the pool with her, and she seemed to enjoy herself too. In fact, of the four infants in the class, Erin,despite being the youngest, was the only one who did not cry or go into hysterics at some point (not even when she got splashed or dunked under the water). She readily went to the teacher and even squealed with laughter a few times.

I didn't want to project my own desires onto Erin's experience, but when her teacher, Miss Becky, came up to us later and said that Erin was so comfortable in the water, it really confirmed how happy Erin was in the pool. Then she said that Erin is a true "water baby". I'm really glad that the most traumatic part of the swim lesson was the diaper change. I only hope that all the rest of our classes prove to be just as much fun for both of us.

Time stands still?

Kurt and I are constantly amazed and in awe of how much our little girl is able to pick up on her environment and learn every day. We know that she's a baby and that this is her job right now. We know that for the first few years of her life Erin is supposed to eat a lot, grow really fast, and learn as much as she can about her environment and how to put it all together. Still, some days the speed at which she does so is astounding.

There are days when the achievement is something as simple as realizing that the moving black thing in our house is a dog, and other days it's something as major as smiling, laughing, holding her own bottle, or crawling for the first time. Regardless, almost every day there is at least one "Oh my gosh, did you see what she just did?" moment. So, for those of you who are already familiar with Erin's crawling story, what I'm about to relate should come as no surprise.

It started quite simply. A few weeks ago, Erin started trying to pull up on whatever containment device we had her in. Kurt assures me that he saw her stand up twice, but all I'd ever seen was Erin tall kneeling. So, we were both pretty excited when we saw her pull to standing on her playpen. Within two hours, Erin had gone from being a crawler to being able to consistently pull to standing on whatever object she chose on the first try. Later that evening she tried to pull herself up and over her Daddy, pulled to stand at the side of the tub, and tried to climb the first stair holding onto the baby gate. Earlier this evening, she tried to climb up the stairs to help me pet Shadow. Erin is getting much stronger and braver. Tonight, she tried to bypass side-stepping and "cruising" to lift both hands briefly to stand on her own.

There are plenty of moments when I've thought "our life will never be the same", and, the reality is that was true the moment I learned I was pregnant. However, in that moment on Sunday, I really knew it for the first time. As exciting as it is to see Erin stand, it's also a little scary. However, I know that it's all part of making sure that one day Erin will be able to stand on her own two feet regardless of what turmoil and triumphs come her way.

So, for a fleeting moment this Sunday as I watched Erin, time stood still... but only long enough for me to take a deep breath and hang on for the ride!

Best friends

Ever since Erin entered our lives, and turned Shadow's world upside-down, I have been promising my beloved dog that one day he would love Erin and they would become best friends. I'm not sure if he understands me or not, but even if he does, I highly doubt he believes me. After all, how could this loud beast that disturbs his sleep, eats way more than he does, gets all the attention that he used to, and constantly tries to pull his tail, ever be his best friend?

Well, I think Shadow is finally starting to see the possibility, and I have the photo to prove it. He may not be there yet, but he's definitely coming around to the idea - or, if not, at least around to her highchair a lot during meals!

Erin’s First Annual St. Patrick’s Day Party

When you’re as Irish as Erin is, people just expect you to throw a good St. Patrick’s Day party.  So we knew we had to set a high standard, but we also didn’t want to overwhelm ourselves or our precious little leprechaun. 

After we decided to compromise on a small gathering of friends and family, we sent out invites, expecting maybe a dozen adults and well under a half-dozen kids.  But when the dust settled and the last guests left, the final tally was twenty-one adults and eight kids.  Wow, our daughter’s even more popular than we thought!

Micheal and Shawnee brought a very tasty Guinness and lamb stew, and some homemade soda bread.  Michael and Brooks brought a tasty cookie cake with tongue-dying green icing.  Nef brought the fixin’s for Guinness milkshakes (which sadly went untried, although the ice cream is quite tasty on its own).  And although the bulk of the thanks go to Whole Foods Market and our crock pot, I cooked up an excellent corned beef.  (I used a nitrate-free/organic corned beef; it’s so tasty that I frankly don’t care if it’s healthier or not.) 

Oh, and apparently everyone (kids included) brought beer, because we somehow ended the party with more than when it started. 

The crowd was a great mix of friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family (some of whom fall in more than one category), and everyone got along just dandy.  Unlike some of the more infamous St. Paddy’s blowouts in my not-so-recent past, there were no injuries or property damage, nobody got sick, and we all woke up the next morning feeling just fine.  (Well, speaking for myself, Christine, and Erin; I don’t know what the rest of the crowd did after leaving our place!)

Although we did somehow end up with this picture on the camera:

…And I was wondering what happened to that glass of Guinness! 

An excellent time was had by all, and although we were joking around by calling it “Erin’s First Annual St. Patrick’s Day Party…” we’re definitely going to continue the tradition.

(A special thanks go out to Dave L., who was in town to attend South by Southwest, and took time out to attend Erin’s party.) 

 

Thankful

I recently found out that one of my former PT school classmates and all three of her little girls have a genetic mitochondrial disease. Her youngest child has been experiencing very serious medical problems, which are life threatening. My classmate and her other two daughters' conditions are fine for now, but they are all undergoing testing to see exactly what type and severity they have. Her oldest daughter is autistic and they believe that may be part of how the disease is manifesting itself.

This news has really thrown me for a loop, and I am constantly checking the family's blog to see how everyone is doing, what tests they've had to endure, and just overall if they have any answers.

I can't imagine what it must be like to be the mother of three children, all of whom could be dying. But even worse, is knowing that it's because of some horrible disease you didn't even know you had.

I have only had Erin to love for a relatively short time, but I can't imagine what it would be like to know that she was dying. Sure, we complain about the monotony of taking Erin to weekly physical therapy for months but, compared to what this family is going through, it's really nothing.

So, I just want to say right here, right now, in this moment, for everything I take for granted - I am thankful. We are very fortunate. I am so thankful for my beautiful baby girl, for her health, for my own health, for my wonderful husband who stands by us, for the love of my family and friends, for Erin's amazing health care team, and for all of the blessings that God sees fit to bestow upon us every day.

Thank you.

The List

Before Erin was born, Kurt and I were talking about what it takes to be a good parent, and how we definitely wanted to do everything we could to be good parents for our child. We talked to lots of parents and solicited advice on what they thought was either a trait of a good parent or some advice they wished they had received before becoming parents themselves.

As a result of those conversations, Kurt and I decided that we needed to have a list, in writing, to look back at every year to see if we were still on track. The list was not something that was to be set in stone, but rather a blueprint that would change and grow with us and our child. Obviously, since we were novices at the whole parenting thing, we might be rather naive and idealistic (which our original list would reflect), and as we woke up to the realities of parenthood, the list would require a revision.

Well, the list actually ended up evolving into the need for two lists. One list of the things we wanted to do to insure that we were good parents. The other, a list of things we wanted Erin (our as of then unknown, unborn child) to accomplish by the time she was 18 years old and embarking out into the world on her own.

Well, needless to say, as young,idealists, we put off making the list thinking we would have plenty of time to put it in writing before our child arrived, but Erin came early, and life has been a whirlwind since. So, the list has been talked about and rambling around in our heads, but it's never made it out on paper or any other form that would hold us to some accountability. So, nine months late, here is my version of "the list". They are not numbered, as they are in no particular order.


The list of things Christine thinks she needs to do to be a good parent:
*Don't take myself too seriously as a parent - remember to laugh
*Don't take Erin too seriously either - allow her to be a child
*Remember that the end goal is to raise an adult, not a 30 year old child
*Let my child know that I love her, even when I don't love what she does
*Do not compare my child to other children or compete with other parents
*Do not put a label on my child, allow her to be who and what she is
*Allow Erin to make choices - but also teach her about boundaries
*Do NOT try to be Erin's best friend at the expense of being her mother
*Teach Erin the importance of charity, compassion, and hard work
*Tell my daughter every day how much I love her and am proud of her - not because of what she accomplishes or how she looks, but just for being her - so that she has self-esteem that is not tied in to anything else
*Let my daughter know that it is okay to fail, but praise her accomplishments
*Make sure she understands the importance of good nutrition, good hygiene, and good morals
*Teach her about God and take her to church
*Teach her that she is accountable for her own actions
*Try not to react out of anger - give myself a time out when needed
*Spank Erin when she truly needs it - which is when she is putting herself or someone else in immediate danger and not listening
*Love her and her father every day
*Keep the lines of communication open
*Always make sure to have dinner together as a family - and not in front of the TV
*Be a "mean mom", who checks up on her kid and where she is, who she's with, etc. like my mom was

The list of things Christine hopes Erin accomplishes before she turns 18:
*Reaches all the age appropriate developmental milestones
*Is toilet trained and able to wipe herself (without yelling to let me know)
*Knows her own name, and how to spell it
*Able to tie her shoelaces - without using the 2 bunny ears method
*No longer sucks her thumb
*Is able to eat, with the correct silverware, set the table, and cook a basic meal
*Can do basic chores such as laundry and cleaning her own room
*Understands the word "no"
*Is part of a team sport and an individual sport - so she learns the value of both
*Is in an honor society and a service organization - to acknowledge both achievements
*Knows not only how to win gracefully, but also how to lose gracefully
*Plays a musical instrument for at least one year
*Is able to swim
*Can do basic car maintenance
*Graduates all levels of school - on the first try
*Takes dance lessons (so maybe she won't get her mom's gracefulness)
*Knows how to balance a check book, not bounce one
*Saves the money from a job to use toward a car and college - so that she develops a work ethic, knows the value of a dollar, and learns that the best things in life are earned
*Learns empathy, compassion, and charity firsthand
*Knows right from wrong, and develops a strong moral conscience
*Goes to church on a regular basis
*Knows the true meaning of friendship and has the kind that will last a lifetime
*Learns not to take herself too seriously
*Is not afraid to try, even if she makes mistakes, and is not afraid to fail
*Knows how to set up camp and pitch a tent
*Can kill her own bugs
*Is not afraid of heights, roller coasters, or lizards
*Can drive a stick shift
*For Daddy, can shoot a gun - but Mommy is not too fond of this one
*Knows when to fight, and when to walk away
*Knows how to say "I'm sorry" and "I messed up"
*Knows how to forgive - both herself and others
*Has gone to school dances
*Has kissed a boy - BUT THAT'S IT!
*Knows how much she is loved

And She's Off!!!

As you probably know, Christine and I have been taking Erin to physical therapy for her torticollis. Erin's therapist, Elva, mentioned that being on her belly would help to strengthen her neck, and since then we've been watching our little princess squirm around, trying to crawl.

Then one day Elva put Erin on her belly, and helped coordinate her legs as she tried to crawl. Erin screamed bloody murder the entire time, and was jerky and unsteady, but she crawled.

And our entire life changed.

We can no longer do many of the things we used to, such as put Erin on the bed while we change clothes, or set her on the sofa while we grab the phone. We've also been busy baby-proofing the house. All of the tall furniture is now strapped to the walls. All of the electrical sockets have plugs in them. The kitchen cabinets now have baby locks, much to the frustration of the adults in the house. Even the refrigerator has a lock on it.

Erin is now very impressed with her new trick, and takes every opportunity to show it off. She even crawls in her sleep some nights, bumping her head on the crib. The first few days, Erin's knees were rubbed raw from the carpet, but we started putting pants on her, regardless of the weather.

She's getting more mobile by the day, and apparently her success at mobility is spurring her on to greater achievements: This weekend, she pulled herself upright in her play pen, and proudly stood there for a few seconds before 'barn dooring' back down to the mat. She has an elephant toy attached to the handle of her baby carrier that giggles and vibrates when you tug on it (no jokes, please); today in the car, for the very first time, she pulled it hard enough to set it off.

Just when we get used to some stability in our life, Erin surprises us again with a new development. Given that she's almost standing, and starting to get a sense of what she wants, we're probably in for some turbulence in the future.

The many changes of Erin

When you live with someone day in and day out, it's hard to notice all the small, subtle changes that occur until either someone makes you stop and see them or they turn into big changes. So, when my parents call and ask me "what new things is Erin doing this week?" sometimes it's hard to come up with anything. However, when relatives come to visit who haven't seen Erin in months, I realize just how much she has changed and accomplished.

So, here's a list of some of Erin's accomplishments since the start of the year.

1) Erin is eating level 2 foods and starting to try meat
2) Erin is eating some finger foods using a pincer grip
3) Erin has gone from having two bottom teeth to a total of seven teeth and gets them brushed with special baby toothpaste!

4) In addition, Erin grinds her teeth
5) Erin claps her hands together - but not on cue
6) Erin can pass an object from one hand to the other
7) Erin loves playing "peekabo" and knows how to pull an object off her face
8) Erin grasps the concept of object permanence and looks for an object when it goes out of sight
9) Erin is holding her head erect and only has to go to PT once a week now
10) Erin has outgrown her reflux and is sleeping in her own crib in her own room full-time
11) As a result her crib/bassinette has finally graduated to being a playpen in the living room and Erin enjoys playing in her jail
12) Erin can make transitional movements from lying down to rolling, sitting, tall kneeling, or hands and knees without help and is able to sit unsupported
13) Erin is exhibiting precrawling behaviours such as turning in a circle, rolling, scooting backwards, and rocking on her hands and knees - we anticipate she will be able to fully crawl in a few short weeks
14) Erin has started to develop some stranger anxiety, but not consistently
15) Erin loves to "dance" - in sitting, lying down, or when you hold her up to stand
16) Erin has perfected what we refer to as "old man face"
17) Erin is babbling more to indicate what she wants with her favorite sounds now starting with "m". She occassionally uses "da" but is more fond of "ba", "ah blah", "ga", and "ca" lately.

Just add water and watch her grow!

I thought you might enjoy seeing a "before" and "after" shot of Erin to get some perspective on how big Erin has gotten in just a few months. The "before" photo is at roughly two months. The "after" photo is at about eight months.

Before, Erin was leaning back on the incline unable to hold herself up or even fill half the tub. After, Erin is sitting upright, holding her head straight, and has almost outgrown her tub!

Erin's Baptism

Erin was baptized on Sunday, February 15, at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church in Austin, Texas. Her godparents are my sister, Heidi, and her husband, Larry.

We were truly amazed by how well the day went. Erin woke up at 6:30 in the morning with a fever of 102 degrees. We thought that might prevent Erin and us from going through with the ceremony.

Never underestimate the power of God and a little Tylenol. Erin's fever broke and she made it through church and the entire ceremony without a problem. She didn't cry once! In fact, she seemed to enjoy being blessed with water and was very interested in her candle.

We were so overwhelmed by the outpouring of love that Erin and we received. Most of my immediate family was able to be there. In addition, Kurt's mom flew in from New Mexico on Friday to spend the weekend with us, which was also a nice early birthday treat for her. However, the biggest surprise was finding Kurt's dad waiting for us outside the church - especially since he had told us the day before he would not be coming. However, he flew in Sunday morning. I know it really meant a lot to Kurt to have both of his parents there. It also meant a lot to us to have close friends, neighbors, coworkers, and even part of our engaged sponsor family present to welcome Erin into the church.

We feel so blessed to have had so many love ones there to share in Erin's day. We hope that all of you will continue to be a very important part of our lives and Erin's, and play a role in helping Erin grow up to be the kind of good, mature, God-loving, adult we can only hope and pray that she will be.

New Year's Resolutions

For 2009, Erin has resolved to:

1) Sleep in her own big girl crib in her own room
2) Avoid going to any more doctor's appointments besides those already scheduled or needed for well baby checks
3) Get rid of her torticollis
4) Learn how to crawl
5) For that matter, just plain be one darn happy, healthy baby

On that note, Erin has already achieved resolution number 1 by sleeping in her crib on New Year's Eve and every night since! (Goodbye, reflux!)

We had a harder time adjusting to the change than she did. Kurt checked on her twice the first night, and I went up three times (to make sure she was breathing - since the monitor seemed way too quiet).

We hope you resolve to have a happy, healthy 2009 also.

Love,

Kurt, Christine, Erin, and Shadow Schneider

Update 1/16/09: Erin is doing well with her resolutions. Both the craniofascial doctor and the neurosurgeon said that she is fine and that there is nothing they can do for her. She doesn't need their services. :-)

Erin's Latest Word

Since Erin was just a few weeks old, I have been trying to teach her to say Mama by telling her that I am her Mommy and even spelling the word. I started doing this every morning as a way of talking to her, so she would get used to my voice. However, it became a joke between Kurt and me. He said it was because I wanted her to say "Mama" first. While that is somewhat true, all the research indicates that "Dah" is much easier to pronounce. So, it came as no surprise that she started to murmur "Dah" and "Blah" first.

Now, I realize that these are probably sounds with no associated meaning. I've also been told that when she's older I'll wish she wouldn't say "Mom" so much. However, that didn't negate my gleeful expectation of hearing my daughter utter "Mah" for the first time.

So, it may come as a surprise when I tell you that the day after she first said "Dah", I was not as excited as I'd hoped the first time I heard my daughter cry out "MM" or "Mah". Why? It seems that every time Erin says "Dah" she's in a happy mood, but whenever she makes an "M" sound she tends to be upset, hungry, or overtired. Somehow, Kurt's mom telling me it's because Erin already knows to call out for her mommy when she wants to be comforted doesn't make me feel better. I'd just really like to hear a "Mah" when Erin is smiling.

Erin's New Words

On December 26th, Erin started talking. Her new words are Dada Blah Blah Blah. It's not really all that purposeful yet, but it sure is funny. Kurt jokes that maybe she'll end up being a politician, lawyer, or college professor.

Christmas

On Friday, December 19th, Erin was cleared by Dr. Grier to return to day care and to go to Dallas to see her cousins.

So, we drove up to Garland the next day, and had a nice early Christmas celebration. I think she had a good time seeing all of her cousins, and finally got to meet her Uncle Todd. However, Erin was a bit overwhelmed by all of the activity. She became fussy during the opening of gifts, and proceeded to fall asleep midway through her cousins' excitement.

However, Erin had a chance to redeem herself during Christmas festivities the following week.

That Monday, her GG came to visit for a week from New Mexico, along with her two dogs, Spencer and Zoe. Erin had a great time laughing at Spencer, a 120 lb. "small brown dog"! She also got to take her GG to see the lights downtown at the Zilker Park Trail of Lights. Unfortunately, Erin fell asleep right after the entrance archway and didn't wake up until the trails end! At least she got to see the archway and the giant tree. :-) I'd also like to think she enjoyed seeing the animated reindeer I made Kurt buy for our front yard, but really, those were more for me.

Christmas was rather low key, with me working Christmas Eve, and later enjoying a wonderful roast, followed by church services with Erin, Kurt, Kurt's mom, my parents, Heidi, and Lauren. On Christmas Day, Erin showed much more interest in her gifts - trying to put the bows, tissue paper, and packages in her mouth. It was so cute! We spent the day enjoying each others company, eating, and watching "It's a Wonderful Life." It really is a wonderful life, and the best present was being able to share it with Erin. :-)

We hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas season.

Love,

Christine