This week started off with feeling for sleep deprived and giving us flashbacks of our newborn phase. Kenzie is 51 weeks old and we had hoped for an “easier” week. A couple of our friends have come over to help look after Kenzie for a few hours so I can get some things done. I am so thankful to have friends who are willing to help on their days off! We feel so blessed.
So far, here is her tally:
Nappy Changes: 38
Sleep: 98 hours
Feeds: 87
Although we were running off little sleep, mom group was meeting at 10am and I knew that Kenzie didn’t want to miss it. She enjoys her time there and is so happy walking around and playing with the kids. I did experience an older child stepping on her fingers (mom nowhere to be seen) and I couldn’t help myself and tell him it was not the right thing to do. I don’t know if boys play rough because it’s in their nature but at 3-4 years old, I’m sure he would have known not to step on peoples fingers! Kenzie didn’t seem hurt by it as she happily kept walking around and playing.
I’m so happy to announce that this week, school holidays are over! There are less kids in the play area and Kenzie is finally feeling 100%, sniffles all gone. I don’t know if it was a coincidence she just happened to get the sniffles the day after she encountered all the kids in the play area during school holidays or I’m just thinking about nonsense. We’re all getting our vaccinations done as soon as we can schedule in a time to do them as a family.
This week, I had to do a supplier run for a client and as a small business, your suppliers become a second family to you. I love bringing Kenzie with me, she plays with the equipment, walks around and bangs on the printers and they love seeing her. She’s losing her “Stranger Danger” trait while around them and is now flashing a smile when she sees them.
I have taken it upon myself to bake Kenzie’s treats for her birthday gift bags. I love baking but it’s a challenge to bake (especially new things you’ve never tried before) when you have a child. I gave in and purchased a cake and cupcakes for her birthday but I wanted to bake cookies and cake pops for our guests. I have started to prepare all the things I need and will be starting it the week of her birthday. Let’s hope it’ll turn out okay.
This week, I discovered that Thelma the Unicorn is awesome! Mom bought Kenzie the book from Aldi at a bargain price of $4.99! It has such a good message about being yourself to be happy. I’ve been reading it to Kenzie daily! I hope she’ll understand the message. The world we live in is superficial and fake, I hope she won’t fall into having to be someone she’s not just to fit in.
My mom has been helping out so much with Kenzie, I’ve been so thankful and blessed to have her! Especially at night, I’ve now been able to shower without Kenzie being in there with me or having her bath at the same time! I’ve also managed to clean up and finish a whole season of Claws (which is such an incredible series)! Kenzie loves my mom so much, it’s hard to pry her away. She refuses to come to me when my mom has her. She’s so attached to her, it’s so cute!
Kenzie is continuing to show off her walking by going everywhere. She no longer needs the walls to support her to stand from sitting position and some times even refuses to hold our hands. She’s becoming independent! Our weekly photos are so hard to take as she refuses to sit still. We’re trying our best to capture candids as she zooms right past us. She does still fall to get hands, knees and bottom quite a lot but we try not make a big deal so that she doesn’t freak out and cry every time she falls. She squirms a little but gets back up with a smile and runs off again.
Kenzie can understand words! “Head”, “Clap”, “Hi”, “Bye”, “Yay”, “No”, “Come Back”, “Yum”. She’s also started to understand “Nose” and “Ears” but forgets some days and ends up patting her head or clapping her hands.
She has a fascination of watching herself in videos. She will laugh out loud and giggle as she watches her videos in repeat. She also cracks up when she watches the video of a piglet eating grapes. I also think she’s been watching too many puppy videos as she is starting to copy puppy crying noises.
This week, Kenzie has been very clingy at night. She’s been only wanting to go to either myself or my mom. I feel like Leap 8 is approaching and it’s getting Ramon really down as he wasn’t able to comfort or soothe her as she wouldn’t let him. We’re hoping this phase wouldn’t last very long. I’ve been preparing for Kenzie’s birthday party and I’m only able to do it when she’s sleeping but when she sees I’m not there, she freaks out and won’t settle till I put her back to sleep. This means I’m up till 2am doing business taxes or doing artwork or editing photos and videos.
Before we fell pregnant, we would find it hilarious to watch videos of parents freaking out over nappy changes and poo explosions. Once Kenzie transitioned to solids and her poop became solid, it became so much easier to clean! Not only can you smell her from afar (and no longer have to dig your nose into her nappy or take a peak), it’s super easy to clean… until she sat down before we cleaned her. Oh boy, it becomes a mission after that!
We’ve found it difficult to keep Kenzie on a balanced diet as we ourselves have not restricted ourselves in a balanced diet. We feel as though a lifestyle change is needed so that we can offer Kenzie less fast food and takeaway food and more nutritious food. I’ve read many guides and although it’s extra work, we’re determined to make sure she has a good diet. Some days we get it right and other days we take the “easy” way out and we feel so guilty. Hoping we can get into a better routine of things as she grows older as it’ll impact her health in the future.
Speaking of growing older, wow, almost a year has passed and Kenzie has grown so much, mentally and physically! We are so thankful and feel so blessed. We do understand why parents miss the “baby phase” but we’re so excited for what’s to come and can’t wait for her next set of developments.
We have learned to be light sleepers as Kenzie twists, turns, flips and kicks in her sleep. We’ve also learned how to fall back asleep within seconds after repositioning her. People say “it gets easier”… unfortunately it doesn’t and you only learn how to adapt and become more stronger to be able to get through raising your child. At 30 years old, I still think my parents have a tough time raising us! Oh, what a year it’s been!