Natasha is having a bad day today. I haven't got the slightest idea as to what got into her - she is cranky and whiney. I've tried showing her those astronomically colorful cartoons on Rogers' Baby TV, tried placing her in her swing, attempted the bouncy chair, and carrying her around, of course. Nope. None of those worked. I finally gave up and put her down in the playpen so she can interact with her orange toy monkey which is what she's doing right now - we'll see how long it lasts.

Things have been quiet lately. The snow came down after a rather snowless December and the start of January, so the sidewalks near our building are not fully cleared up. This makes trips with the stroller not very pleasant. She needs her fresh air, so option number two would be to "pack her" into her snowsuit, lay her in the stroller, and put the stroller on the balcony. I've seriously considered it, but my main concern is I like to check up on her while she sleeps, and the thought of constantly going unto the balcony is not very appealing. I cannot wait until it's March and the start of spring - Natasha should be able to sit without support by then, so I am sure going out with her would be a lot easier due to this, and the warmer temperatures.

This Saturday I am planning on going to Canadian Tire and buying a steamer. Natasha will be starting solids this weekend, and apparently a steamer keeps most of the nutrients in the veggies, as opposed to boling them, when the nutrients escape into the water. I've seen a few steamers on their website which look well priced and not too huge. We still haven't decided on whether to purchase an electric food mill or the Magic Bullet. A food mill is designed specifically for use with veggies that will be used to feed a baby; the Magic Bullet, however, is for general use and could be used to chop other foods as well. My problem with Magic Bullet is it can only grind small amounts of veggies, and I've also read that on many occasions, a rubber ring it uses gets entangled with its blades and ruins the machine entirely. Hmm. We also have a Food Processor we bought ages ago, so that's an option too. We'll have to decide on this one before the weekend. I am leaning towards getting a food mill, while Matthew towards the Magic Bullet. We'll see. Maybe flip a coin??

I can't wait to start Natasha on solids and see which veggies and fruit she loves and doesn't. The Formula and cereal she now eats daily makes Matthew and I wonder how in the world babies love that stuff. The taste is absolutely disgusting. But I guess if that's the only taste you know, it couldn't taste that bad.

After short consideration, I ended up buying the Bumbo infant chair from the Safety Superstore. I've read numerous advantages and benefits of this award-winning chair, and decided Natasha would probably like it. It took only 2 days after placing the order for the chair to be delivered by FedEx which was great! Anyhow, Natasha is still a little confused when I place her into it, so I think it might take a few days for her to get used to it. But what I already love about it is it's lightweight and small in size, making it easy to take with you when going to visit family or someone else's house in general. The bouncer we have served us for this purpose to-date, but it certainly doesn't fit into a trunk of a car. So hopefully Natasha will love the Bumbo as much as I hear other babies do.

On a different note, yesterday was Natasha's 4-month checkup with her pediatrician and she received her vaccines. *sigh* The moment the doc walked into the room, Natasha dissolved into hysterical sobs which lasted all through the appointment and 10 minutes after. It made my mother and I wonder whether babies this small can sense a stranger approaching or associate upcoming discomfort with the doctor's face. I don't know. But I suppose it's possible. Anyway, she got her shots in both thighs, and the doc recommended continuing with feeding her rice cereal, but also to start with solids in 2 weeks from now. Yay! I really wasn't expecting that, but now I am looking forward to it big time. The doc indicated sweet potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, and green and yellow beans would be ideal starters. Mashed purees, of course. I was really excited to start Natasha on something other than formula or cereal, and I'm intending on making my own purees, or at least substituting my own with store-bought. I have a great baby cookbook with some fantastic recipe ideas that I can use, but I was also browsing Amazon.com for any other baby cookbooks as well. But right now I will continue with rice cereal because a) it's recommended for babies her age, b) she seems to love it, and c) it allows her to practice using the spoon for when she does start solids.

Yesterday Matthew and I had a date. Well, any time we go anywhere 'baby-free' reminds me of the pre-baby time when we headed out to movies, restaurants, parks, and anywhere we pleased. So yesterday we dropped the baby off at my parents' place at 10:00am and didn't pick her up until after 6:00pm. Muhahahaha! I think my parents love spending time with the little monkey and offer to spend a Sunday with her quite often. So we took advantage and headed downtown. Like I mentioned before, Matthew is an Indian-food-aholic, so he planned on visiting Indian Flavour for their $9.99 Sunday lunch buffet. So around noon we headed to the restaurant, only to our (or mainly Matthew's) disappointment we found the once lively Indian restaurant dark, empty, and very much so closed. Ick. A note on their door indicated they're closed for the month of January and will re-open at a different location soon thereafter. Great. Of course Matthew was disappointed and I didn't blame him, so after some convincing, we headed to Red Lobster instead, where we ordered fish (and not lobster). Anyway, to make Matthew's day a little brighter (and to convince him that Red Lobster couldn't be that much worse than Indian Flavour), I had to allow him to choose the movie we were going to watch later on, and he picked Pan's Labyrinth. All I have to say is that was the freakiest, weirdest movie I've seen in a while. It's completely unpredictable with a very sad ending. I loved its originality, but as a movie, it's definitely Matthew's type and not mine. I would have settled for Blood Diamond. But overall, we had a great day just for ourselves. Meantime, Natasha had a good day without us, too. My parents took her for a 2-hour walk in the stroller to get some fresh, cool winter air. She then slept for an 8-hour stretch during the night which allowed us both some much-needed rest. Yay!

I saw this poem on a message board and thought it was hilarious!
(p.s. Matthew, do not roll your eyes, I'm not that bad!)

CLEANING POEM

I asked the Lord to tell me
Why my house is such a mess.
He asked if I'd been 'putering',
And I had to answer "yes."

He told me to get off my butt
And tidy up the house.
And so I started cleaning up...
The smudges off my mouse.

I wiped and shined the topside.
That really did the trick...
I was just admiring my work...
I didn't mean to 'click.'

But click, I did, and?oops I found
A real absorbing site
That I got SO way into...
I was into it all night.<<Sigh>>

Nothing's changed except my mouse
It's very, very shiny.
I guess my house will stay a mess...
While I sit here on my hiney

To say that my husband Matthew likes Indian food would be an understatement. It's more like he LOVES it. I can't quite recall how or when he tasted it for the first time, but it definitely wasn't with me, and was already after our wedding. When I met Matthew in 2002, he used to take me to Chinese buffets, Pizza Hut, and Swiss Chalet, but now at every (rare) opportunity when we do get to go out, he prefers to have lunch at an Indian place. We've also started buying frozen Indian lunches at the Superstore, and I see many receipts from Indian restaurants which come out of Matthew's pants pockets. Initially, after trying Indian food, I was not too impressed - it seemed too foreign to me, and a lot spicier than I would have liked. But after trying several dishes in at least two different restaurants, I grew more accustomed to it and began to appreciate it a bit more. Now, I can better see why Matthew loves it so much. The ingredients in many Indian dishes are very basic: chicken breasts, potatoes, carrots, beans... but it's the exotic spices that add all the rich flavours that make the food different, but yet familiar at the same time.

Recently, we've started printing Indian recipes off the 'Net and preparing (or attempting to!) the dishes on weekends; Matthew even went to Bulk Barn and bought all the spices required to prepare the meals. Last week, we spotted an interesting Indian cookbook with colourful pictures at Indigo, so of course, we had to buy that too. So then I thought to dedicate a portion of this website to the meals we prepare at home (which turned out a success, only). I must also add that it's great to have a husband who's inspired to cook! Ohh, and of course, Natasha better love Indian food when she grows up, or else... !

The recipe below was adopted from a mixture of recipes taken from a cookbook we own, an online source, and our own additions/supplements. It turned out great!

Tandoori Chicken and Mixed Veggie Curry

Tandoori Chicken (4 servings)

• 12 chicken drumsticks
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• salt (to taste)
• 1 small/medium onion
• 1 tbsp tandoori masala
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 1/4 cups plain yogurt
• 2 lime wedges to garnish (optional)

Wash chicken drumsticks and dry with paper towels. Place in a large bowel. Slash drumsticks with a knife 2-3 times. Sprinkle chicken with lime juice and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowel, place onions, masalas, ginger, salt, and yogurt. Mix well until smooth. Pour yogurt mixture over drumsticks and cover evenly. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 400F. Drain any excess marinade from chicken. Place chicken on a baking sheet or a roasting pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until tender and well browned. Serve hot, garnished with lime wedges.

Veggie Curry (4 servings)

• 3-4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced thinly
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2-3 large potatoes, cubed
• quarter of a cauliflower head, broken into flowerets
• 4 oz green beans (fresh or frozen) - approx. 2 handfuls
• 5-6 thin carrots, diced into bite size pieces
• 14 oz can of diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 1/4 cups of vegetable stock (broth)

In a large saucepan, heat oil. Add onions and cook for 5-7 minutes until onions have softened. Stir in cumin, paprika, coriander, and turmeric; cook 2-3 minutes. Add potatoes, cauliflower, green beans, and carrots, tossing in spices until coated well. Add tomatoes and stock and cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let cook for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes have softened and veggies are tender. Serve hot.

So today we bought a brand new camcorder. Well, to be more exact - Matthew traveled to the Sony store at the Eaton Centre and bought it by himself. We've been wanting to buy one for a few months now, ever since Natasha was born, but were hesitant towards the price, make, and generally anything in regards to camcorders. Finally, after some research, Matthew settled on Sony's 30GB HDD Camcorder (DCRSR40); we figured a HDD camcorder would be more efficient for our purposes as opposed to a DVD one, mainly because we intend on creating more videos that would be published on YouTube as opposed to burning it directly to a DVD. So today we tested it by recording our very first video featuring Natasha (duh!) taking a bath. I must say that for our first attempt, the video turned out great and the sound was satisfactory too. I still have to learn its features and generally how to use it on a daily basis.

Honestly speaking, we did ask ourselves whether we really need a camcorder, considering we already have hundreds of Natasha's photos online, so is a video really necessary too? And we finally came to the conclusion that yes, we do want to own one - Matthew's family live in Mississauga and aren't able to visit with the baby on a weekly basis, so this would give them a quick and easy access to 'see' her more often. And also the majority of my relatives (grandparents and other family members) live in Israel, and so have zero opportunity to be with the baby, and this would also allow them to see a more 'live' version of her. Plus, a few years along the road, it would also be fantastic to look back at how Natasha (and we) have changed and grew and matured. So woohoo for our new camcorder! I am looking forward to playing with it and capturing those precious (and maybe emberrassing) moments.

I've started wondering on the teething issue about two to three weeks ago. Normally, the average age a baby begins teething at is seven months, but for many it begins as early as three months or even a bit before that. Natasha is approaching 4 months, so the start of teething is very possible for her, but how can I be sure? So I Googled up some 'teething signs' and she does appear to have a number of them but I am still not 100% certain. Does everyone go through this unknown, or is it normally all too obvious?

Irritability: God, yes! Natasha has been super cranky during the day - not the swing, the bouncer, or her favourite orange monkey seem to quiet her down. She falls asleep but only for 20 minute intervals, following which she awakes irritated all over again.
Drooling: She's been drooling more and more each day, but I can't say it's excessive. A few days ago she drooled to the point where the back of her head was covered in saliva. Her wrist is also constantly wet from her sucking on it never stop.
Biting and Gnawing: Natasha mainly 'bites' on her hand; she has not yet mastered the skill of grasping too well, so giving her a teether ring would probably not work.
Diarrhea: yesterday Natasha had a very loose bowel movement, but I cannot necessarily make a connection here. As of now, it only happened once.
Night waking: teething babies tend to wake up more frequently during the night. Our baby woke up twice at night for the past two night instead of just once as she used to. Again, I can't quite decide if there is a connection because upon feeding she went back to sleep as before.

Oh, can someone point me in the right direction? I hate to see her so cranky, especially if she's in any sort of pain or discomfort. I do not see any swollen gums which is another common sign, so maybe after all it hasn't started yet, or is at the very early stages. It's as if on one hand I am looking forward to all these baby milestones (i.e. teething is a painful experience for a little baby, but it will enable her to start on solids), yet alternatively being a first mom and never knowing anything for sure is also very frustrating. I am certain that with baby #2 both Matthew and I will have a more relaxed attitude towards it all, but right now the unknowns are overwhelming.

Today was Natasha's 3 1/2 months doctor's appointment. There were no vaccines scheduled for today or changes in diet, but simply a routine check-up appointment. Dr Levy, her pediatrician informed us (my mom went with me) that she's doing fine weight wise which is very relieving to know. Natasha is somewhat of a fussy eater so I was worried about that. Her next appointment is on January 23rd during which she will receive her second set of vaccines (oh, no! last time she had a high fever), and possibly start on cereal. Oh, and the doc gave us the heads-up on getting Tashka's ears pierced sometime soon, preferably following the next appointment so that she has her 2nd vaccines covered. My parents bought Natasha a beautiful set of little gold hoops (earrings) with a tiny rock for when she get her ears pierced and they're adorable, sitting in their tiny jewelry box waiting to be worn.

I do know that many people disagree on piercing a baby's ears, not only due to the potential risk of infection, but also to enable the child to make their own decision. I think it's really a parent's personal choice; everyone in my own family wears earrings (I myself have two holes in each ear), and I am 100% positive that Natasha won't have regrets later on. And even if she does, she can always take them off and the holes will grow in. But I personally believe it's beautiful for a girl to have pierced ears, so I am going ahead with it. I think Matthew's is ok with it too.

So following the doctor's appointment, I took all of Natasha's measurements and plugged them into Baby Centre's growth percentile calculator, and here are the results:

Sex = girl
Age = 3 Months
Length = 26.75 inches
Weight = 11.25 pounds
Head circumference = 39.0 centimeters

Based on the data you submitted, your child falls into the following percentiles:

Length = above the 100th percentile
Weight = between 10th and 25th percentile
Head Circumference = between 10th and 25th percentile

Based on the above, it appears she's tall and skinny! Well, not too skinny but she's definitely not a chubby child. In any case, she seems happy all the time so I am not concerned that she isn't getting enough to eat. Good baby! Although it would be nice to see how she compares to other 3-month old little girls!

Firstly, Happy New (2007) Year to everyone!

Last night Matthew and I went to my parents' house and celebrated the upcoming year by saying a toast to the old, having a pleasant dinner, sharing gifts, followed by dessert, and around 8:30pm we headed back home; Natasha was having a rather cranky day due to a tummy-ache (our educated guess), so we couldn't stay for too long, anyway. Following that, we drifted to sleep around 10:30pm and the next time we woke up was 2:30am - time to feed the baby! Woohoo, so much for drinking champagne at midnight, watching New Year's concerts on TV, or celebrating the upcoming year in general. And gratefully, nobody phoned us at 12:00am to wish us a Happy New Year because we were deep asleep by then. And to be honest, I am glad we didn't stay up since good rest is extremely important to new parents, and I'm sure other newbies will agree. So...

Looking back, 2006 was a superb year for us, mainly because our little bundle of joy was born. What better gift can you ask for? We found out about the pregnancy back in January 2006, so realistically we spent the majority of that year waiting for her, and the past 3.5 months enjoying her little self. Now she's with us, blooming and growing every day, and she's definitely made this past year a fantastic one and I can't wait to see how she grows and develops in 2007.

This is somewhat unrelated, but I stumbled upon these in a Catholic blog and thought they were hilarious and very smart. Matthew and I had a chuckle over these, so he suggested I post them on my blog, so here goes...

Large Family Comebacks (some comments people with large families receive from strangers, and suggested comebacks). People quite often feel they have a right to inquire on how many kids we plan on having, and often enough they ask this question with a very negative-lean to them, somehow implying that having a large family is wrong, crazy, or plain stupid. Hmm!??

"You have your hands full!"
- Yes, and happy so!
- Yes, and my heart too.
- Yes, but I would rather have my hands full than empty!

"Are they all yours??"
- No, I just went to Rent-a-Brat!
- No, this isn't all of them, my oldest is home with the triplets.
- No, actually two are the mailman's and I'm not sure whose is that one...
- YES!!!
- Yes, but if you have any you don't want, I will gladly take them too.

"Are you going to have more?"
- Yes, we just enjoy sex sooooo much!
- Why do you want to know?
- Well, not today.
- Check back in nine months and you'll see for yourself.

"Do you know what causes that?"
- No, please tell me!
- Of course, don't you?
- Yes, I do...... cold winter nights......
- Of course, and the Lord has greatly blessed us!

"Haven't you heard of birth control?"
- Oh, yes we have. It's for people who don't want children.

"Don't you have a television?"
- Yes, 4 of them. Why?
- No, we have much better things to do at night!

"How can you afford having so many?"
- Lifestyles are expensive, not kids.
- We are not on welfare, in huge amount of debt, and no, my husband is not a doctor or a lawyer. We just budget well.

"I am glad it's you and not me."
- Yes, me too!

"Did you give birth to all of them?"
- Yes, I gave birth to all of them. Do you really think the stork dropped them off?"