Poison scare

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

 

The toxic desert rose

 

While exploring the gardens, Ayanna touched a particular plant. She touched the leaf of this plant, which left her fingers with a bitter taste. This is the Desert-rose or Adenium obesum, native to tropical and subtropical eastern and southern Africa and Arabia. It’s a popular houseplant. However, many may not know that the plant exudes a highly toxic sap.

 

We rushed Ayanna to the hospital where she was kept for the night for observation. She was fine. It would have posed a problem, according to the doctor, if she had actually digested the leaf.

 

So if you do have this particular plant in your surroundings, do heed the above.

 

1-2 Step

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

 

Ayanna took her first two staggering steps forward yesterday, two days short of her 14^th month. I anticipated it happening having seen her work hard at mastering her balance while exercising her leg muscles pulling up to a standing position and cruising from one object to another. She seemed elated at having performed this great feat.

 

Perhaps it’s just a matter of time before Ayanna starts walking. Most toddlers take those momentous steps between thirteen and fifteen months of age. Many completely normal youngsters don’t step out on their own until sixteen months or even later. They most often break into a run just weeks after they’ve attempted their first tentative steps.

 

We wait with bated breath.

Moo... moo...

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

I’m overjoyed. Ayanna has taken to drinking cow’s milk. After much trial and error (experimenting with a variety of milks from formula to full cream), Ayanna has finally accepted another source of calcium besides breast milk. This means that the weaning process (which started with the introduction of solids) can fully take place soon.

 

Ayanna is, however, not drinking full cream milk in large amounts just yet. The initiation process is currently underway. It may be weeks, even months before she accepts full-cream milk wholly.

 

I plan to breastfeed her till she’s two. With the introduction of cow’s milk, the transition will (hopefully) be smoother than how I originally feared.

 

However, with the introduction of cow’s milk, there is a tendency for toddlers to develop an allergy to cow’s milk. Ayanna recently experienced some diarrhea when given a certain full-cream milk. It’s one of the symptoms of milk allergy. Others include asthma, runny nose, constipation, poor appetite and fatigue (we’ve since switched to another brand of milk).

 

As a breast-fed baby, Ayanna has never shown any allergy symptoms until now when cow’s milk has been added to her diet. Apparently milk allergy is usually outgrown by the end of the second year.

Appetite Update

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

 

Ayanna’s appetite has undoubtedly increased, even though it may not equal previous times. Though Ayanna always tends to refuse the first couple of spoons, she ultimately accepts and enjoys her food. It is this way until she is distracted and refuses to eat no longer even though she may still be hungry. No amount of distraction, singing or cajoling will do. So we’re experimenting with a new method – once she’s lost interest, we allow her to resume play and attempt to feed her again after. This is followed by some self-feeding.

 

If Ayanna is left to eat on her own at a time when she’s not interested, she resorts to food throwing. To avoid this, I’ve decreased the amount of finger food she has in her plate. I add more when the rest have been consumed. Though little messes are welcomed, mummy has to resort to a simple but firm warning when the food throwing becomes excessive.

 

A learning experience it is to feed one's self.

 

There’s no denying that taking full control of the feeding process will bring any meal to a close more speedily, more efficiently and much more neatly, but for a toddler eating is not merely an exercise in speed, efficiency and neatness but a learning experience.

 

Hmmm ...

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

 

A strange thing happened today when I took Ayanna to the park. She refused to sit on the swing and began to cry. She used to love the swing and its motion. I think she may be exhibiting a new fear.

 

I casually offered her the opportunity to try the swing a second time and received the same reaction. Even sitting her down on my lap and swinging slowly elicited a similar response.

 

Fear apparently is a common phenomenon in early childhood. The most common fear triggers change with a child’s age. Fear is not altogether a bad thing. However, excessive fears tend to interfere with the normal functioning of a child. So it is important to understand the nature of these fears and how to handle them.

 

First, mummy needs to acknowledge that Ayanna’s fears are real. Therefore ignoring the fear isn’t likely to help – but combining sensitive support and understanding with gradual exposure will. I suppose I need to buy some books that feature children with similar fears or ones with children playing on swings and read them to Ayanna.

 

Do your toddlers display fears? What are they and how do you handle them?

The battle of the bottom…

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

Not only is Ayanna calling the shots at the dinner table, she seems to be doing so at nappy changes too. There just doesn’t seem to be any way to get her to hold still for a nappy change.

 

Mummy’s intention – to cover it; she struggles to keep it bare. Although I ultimately end up victorious, it is quite a task to perform when you have to do it countless times a day.

 

We’ve had to move Ayanna from the changing table to lower, safer ground (the bed). Other times I’ve had to change her while she stands or approach her behind from the behind J. Creating a diversion sometimes works best – a toy usually does the trick.

 

I’m thinking of beginning to toilet-train her. Too soon? What are your thoughts?

 

Itsy bitsy …

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

 

My tiny baby

 

I’m making comparisons – not about names or development but of size. I find myself constantly comparing Ayanna’s size to other babies her age.

 

Ayanna is tiny – barely touching 8kgs at 13 months. She has been on the lower end of the weight scale for months now. This worries me. Ayanna’s pediatrician seemed concerned but alleviated my fears somewhat when he added– “Just because she’s tiny, doesn’t mean she’s not healthy. Besides, breastfed babies are generally smaller.”

 

It doesn’t help that Ayanna’s appetite has slumped. We used to marvel at how well she ate but now, she seems to reject everything we feed her including her favorites.

 

Experts point to some development factors as culprits:

 

-         a budding sense of autonomy.

 

-         a newly active lifestyle: Ayanna is so engrossed in practicing her talking skills that she doesn’t seem too interested in anything else.

 

So, according to the experts, a drop in appetite is perfectly normal. Apparently healthy toddlers who aren’t’ pushed or coerced into eating consume enough food for normal growth and development. Normal appetites vary from meal to meal, day to day, week to week, month to month. Interest in eating may pick up during a growth spurt, slow down at teething or with a cold or flu. Even so, the intake of food almost invariably balances out.

 

For now, the doc has recommended a multivitamin supplement.

 

Are your toddlers experiencing a similar lack of appetite? If yes, do share.

 

 

Thirteenth Month

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

 

Up to mischief

 

Ayanna turned 13 months last Tuesday.

 

At this stage, she’s been pulling up to a standing position, putting objects into containers, using more than three recognizable words, scribbling, experimenting with using a spoon and pointing to 1 body part when asked (most often it’s her nose).

 

She’s busy exploring, testing, manipulating and still putting things in her mouth. She’s displaying a wide range of moods, behaviours and feelings- from affection, frustration, fear, protest and independence to anxiety.

 

Butterfly Farm

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

 

I am butterfly

I am flying high

I can almost touch the sky

I’m flyin down to say hi!

 

Butterflies were introduced to Ayanna early on through poems, songs and picture books. So, naturally we were excited to take Ayanna for her first visit to the butterfly farm.

 

Ayanna was somewhat excited, though her reaction was rather muted. She seemed more enthralled by the surrounding flora and fauna than she was about the butterflies.

 

Meeting the stunning Rajah Brooke

 

 

Mummy and daddy were excited with all the butterflies fluttering by and landing on everything from our bright coloured t-shirts to our backpacks. Kids will be just as enthralled as adults are by the 120 exotic butterfly species and the park’s whimsical maze of pathways and secret gardens.

 

Perhaps we’ll make another visit when Ayanna is older, so she can better appreciate the butterflies.

 

Note: The farm has limited stroller access so carrying along a baby carrier like we did is best. Visit in the mornings for that’s when the butterflies are most active.

 

A second language

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

Experts say that teaching a baby a second language gives her an invaluable skill and may help her to think in different ways. It also gives her a significant link with her roots. Some say it’s best to wait till the child is two or three before introducing a second language By this time she usually has a pretty good grasp of English (which is what is spoken at home) but is still able to pick up a new language easily and naturally.

 

It is best though to have one parent speak English and the other the mother tongue. However, in our household that’s quite impossible - mummy understands Tamil and speaks very little, which of course makes me a weak teacher. It is important for the teacher to be fluent in the language. In our case, it would be a grandparent who will teach Ayanna to speak her mother tongue. However, this remains the least successful of methods.

 

Ayanna at 4 months with ammachi

 

Ayanna has already mastered her first Tamil word – ammachi (grandma). Now, it’s on to acquiring some basic words as in kanna (eye), katha (ears), muka (nose) and vai (mouth). Experts recommend that it’s best to immerse your child in the language – during playtime, through the reading of books together and singing of songs. Whoever is speaking the second language should speak it exclusively to the child.

 

Children will go through some periods mixing the two languages in the beginning, but eventually a separation of the two will occur.