Communication

(from Ro)

Radha's latest development spurt has definitely been all about communication. She's starting to talk, and also her non-verbal communication is coming along nicely. She's always been pretty focused on mental things more than physical, often preferring books over toys. Here's a snapshot of where she's at:

Words: Mama, Dada, cat, cheese, Baba (for her Grandpa), bath, lots of attempts to repeat what we're saying

Signing: "More", "Eat", and gesturing along to songs like Ittsy Bittsy Spider and 5 Little Monkeys

Body Parts she knows: Head, hair, fingers, toes, arms, eyes, ears, mouth, nose

Singing: Twinkle twinkle, 5 Little Monkeys

Animals she recognizes: Duck, dog, cat, cow, pig, sheep, snake, frog, fish, monkey

There's plenty more I'm forgetting!

"Cheese!"

Blast Off to Summer

(from Terri)

Ro, Radha, and I spent the Memorial Day weekend very leisurely before our big trip back to the Midwest (Quad Cities, Illinois-Iowa area). Thanks to some good (and very generous!) friends of ours, we finally had the time to try out a hiking carrier pack and go on our first family hike.

Since this was our first trial with the carrier, we decided to take things easy. We headed to Oaks Bottom Nature Preserve within town. Radha was intrigued as we started the hike, wondering when the spaceship would lift off. "Where's the warp speed on this thing, Dad?"

Away we went! The "tent" cover for her head was great sun protection, especially since Radha prefers playing peek-a-bool with hats rather than wearing them. Of course, living in Oregon this will also be a handy rain protector on rainy days.

Can you spot the rare species, Cutius Babius Evahius, among the trees?

Curry Lover

(from Terri)

The other night Ro and I were having some Thai take-out leftovers for dinner. We gave Radha a piece of some tofu for the first time, and then somehow we ended up with this in our head.

(sung to the tune of "Easy Lover" by Phil Collins & Philip Bailey)

Curry lover
She’ll eat your tofu but you won’t see it
She’s like no other
Before you know she’ll be eating the green curry at Siam Thai
She’s a curry lover
She likes the yellow and maybe one day, the spicy red stuff
She’s like no other
It’s just something you gotta see…

She’s the kind of girl we dream of
Dream of eating lots of foods
You’d better forget it
You’ll never get it
She will take your food and grab it
Grab it and smash it
Between her little fingers
If it doesn’t go on the floor first…

No, don’t try to take it from her,
just leave it, leave it
Serve it up warm ‘cuz tastin’ is believin’
It’s the only way, she’ll really eat it…

Curry lover
She’ll eat your tofu but you won’t see it
She’s like no other
Before you know she’ll be eating the green curry at Siam Thai
She’s a curry lover
She likes the yellow and maybe one day, the spicy red stuff
She’s like no other
It’s just something you gotta see…

Snow, Meet Radha

(from Terri)

Well, almost everyone by now has heard about Portland's record-breaking and highly unusual winter storms (aka, Snowpocalypse 2008) that swept through our city, starting last week.  People seem to have a love/hate relationship with the snow and it brings out the opportunity to gripe about the city's lack of snowplows, use of salt, blah blah blah.   It's also a time when us non-native Oregonians bond over the days of our youth in Iowa/Minnesota/other bitterly-cold-winter-States and how we had it "so bad" during winters and how this storm is "nothing like the ones I grew up with", how Portlanders don't know how to drive in the snow, blah blah blah...

 

I'm kind of tired of talking about the weather and more tired of having it hamper a lot of plans (holiday, family, social, work, doctor's appointments, etc.).  It's been fun snow, and while it's cool that Radha got to meet you at our house (without having to drive up to Mt. Hood), I think we need a break from each other for a while.  Nothing personal?  

But I'm not too tired of taking pictures to remember you fondly:

To the above left is our hilly street, looking northbound.  Now snow-covered, it's popular with bicyclists (yes, still biking in the snow, gotta love Portland), skiiers, a dog sledder (Ro spotted, yes, actually pulled by dogs), and kids and parents sledding.  Today I even saw a couple of hardcore joggers in the snow!  For obvious reasons, our street is NOT popular with buses and cars going northbound, and sometimes even southbound.  When this weather hits, we typically have free entertainment and start counting the number of minor accidents and stalled cars in front of the house.  

Kids like to eat snow, right?  We gave Radha a tiny bit, just to see what her reaction would be.  Clearly, she's not impressed.  We may have to cross off future Winter Olympic Skiier off her list.

During one of the less windy days we all ventured down to the library and store (where onions were sold out of, oddly enough).  Interaction with the outside world was a pleasant change for us; we were all going a bit stir-crazy being homebound.

Radha gets a close-up look at this fluffy white stuff a week ago during the first snowfall day.

Snowfall at night outside our house.

Things Just Got a Whole Lot Messier

(from Terri)

Earlier this month 

we decided it was time to give Radha something totally new:  solid food. Well, not actually solid, more like slightly thicker liquid food, but something other than mom's milk.  

Can you imagine eating nothing but the same thing for six months, and then, BAM, a whole new flavor profile and explosion in your mouth?  No wonder the reactions are really weird.  Here's what we've tried thus far.

First food:  organic brown rice cereal

Second food: pureed pears

Third food: pureed sweet potatoes

Radha was pretty weirded out by the rice cereal since it was a whole new thing but she wasn't exactly thrilled.  We thought maybe it was too warm, or too cold, and wondered why she didn't take to it immediately.  After hearing some experiences of other moms at the moms group, I realized it's pretty bland on it's own and why not just move onto something different, although we plan to try it again because it's got some important vitamins in it that she needs. 

Radha liked the pears much better, but seemed to give us mixed signals.  She occasionally would lick the spoon fine, but then turn her head, yet stick out her tongue as if she wanted more.  What did it mean?  A few more servings of pear and then we were done with that and time to move on.   Sweet potatoes?  Instant hit!  

Radha was learning forward, lurching towards the spoon, mouth open, and grabbing for the spoon.   Who knows what makes babies like one thing more than another, but I predict much more sweet potato in our future (luckily we eat them pretty often anyways).  Next on her menu will be avocado and banana, two of my personal favorites.

Our other big realization from the foray into solid foods?   We should probably get some of those rubber bibs that wipe off easily!