This baby does not like food

Sophie did not drink much milk over the thanksgiving weekend with us. But she was drinking back to normal when she went back to daycare yesterday. Maybe she doesn't like to be fed by me?!
We are off to a rocky start for finger foods. I started her off on bits of avocado and banana. That time, she still tried to pick up the slimy things and put it into her mouth, although none went in successfully. Then she had puffs, which she also tried to put into her mouth, but without success.
The next few days, I tried to give her bananas coated in oatmeal, so they were less slippery. She tried to pick them up, but did not try to put any into her mouth this time. After a few attempts, she became disinterested. She did not care for the puffs either.
Yesterday I gave her steamed broccoli trees. I tried them in front of her to prove they were not poisonous. She held it, looked a little disgusted and dropped it aside. I tried a few more times, and each time she dropped them aside after a while.
She used to like her sweet potato dinners and was also ok when I added mashed chicken to it. Now she does not care for dinners. Maybe she's too tired for dinner? Maybe she's bored of the food? Maybe she does not like to be fed by me? This baby is so difficult to understand regarding food!
This morning, Sophie went for her 9 month wellness checkup. Doc said we could start her off on table food, and told me not to be so uptight about her consumption of milk and overly calculative on the salt and sugar in her food. Maybe she will grow up not liking food, like me.
Anyway, I'm giving her some salmon later!

Finger Foods start - Avocado

Sophie started chicken dinners last weekend! Chicken thighs apple stew then mashed them up and added sweet potatoes. She seems ok with it, probably the meaty taste is still disguised by the sweet potatoes.
And then I tried avocados finger foods last night, so she could practise her pincer grasp. It was difficult to pick up those slimy small pieces and she did not succeed last night. I fed her a few pieces and she was able to squash it with her gums - no choking phew! She was a little upset with the avocados after a while, maybe she didn't like the independent taste of avocado on its own? What other finger foods can I try for this baby without teeth?

Sitting Update

No more runny nose and constipation for Soph! She is back to guzzling her usual amount of milk - yay!
Soph can sit for quite a long period of time now, banging away at her blocks and reaching for toys within her reach. She can slitter pretty fast on her tummy too, her arms diving in left right left right... But she can't transition from sitting to crawling yet. So if I plonk her in a sitting position, she will be stuck there, until she topples over eventually. Haha. Check out her early Christmas present - Laugh & Learning Home

Any pink of health?

Last Friday, Soph developed another bout of runny nose and sneezing. Every time she sneezed, two lines of mucus flowed down, sometimes accompanied by bubbles. So we brought her in to the doctor's. Of course, no medication, but at least there's no ear infection. We'll just have to continue her with the saline and sucking which she hates.
We showed our pediatrician her dry skin, mainly on her elbows, thighs and back and it may be eczema. The weather has been cold and dry recently, plus we have been turning on the heater at home every day so that made the air even drier. Boohoo. And I thought I was pretty diligent on the moisturizer. Dr says California baby is popular but not strong enough as moisturizer! She recommended we use Cetaphil or Vaseline. She also prescribed us some steroid creams. We were reluctant to use the steroid creams so we plastered on Cetaphil. It seemed to have become better over the weekend.
And then, constipation over the weekend. Hard, dry stool with textures like play-doh. Poor Soph was straining so hard she was sweating and screaming away, it reminded me of myself giving birth. I think it was because we have been giving her too much cereal, and lacking in the fruits and veges department. Last time, she had watery stools, so I backed off on the fruits. So instead, now she has constipation. I need to strike the right balance for her diet. On top of that, she's not interested in milk these days. Only taking a couple of ounces at each feed, waking up often at night and screams for milk, only to drink a couple of ounces again.
Babies and their never ending problems!

Autumn in the Park

On Saturday afternoon, we hung out in the park with dd's co-worker and my mommy friend L for a play date with her daughter M who is about one month younger than Soph.The last time we moms gathered together was in August during summer when the weather's was nice and warm. Back then the kiddos could not sit up yet so they could only bask under the shade.

Since both of us went back to work after our six months maternity leave, it was tough finding time to gather for a play date. Now it is autumn and it was a really chilly day for a park play date so the babies were all bundled up.Still, the tots had a great time sitting and crawling on the grassy slope, gumming away at the blocks, their Sophie giraffes and the activity triangle. Here is S hard at work trying to crawl up the slope.

By the time we decided to leave, it was getting so super cold! Soph developed these awfully red cheeks after she got home. At first I thought she was sun burnt. But I think the cheeks just turned red from the dry chilly winds - yummy like a red apple.

Flipping the pages

Sophie is getting pretty good at flipping pages. Recently we have been reading this book called "Olivia Goes to Venice". They have a series of stories revolving around Olivia the funny fussy little girl pig and her family (mainly with her mother). In this one, Olivia goes to Venice with her family and visits the attractions of Venice. They had gelato all the time! Finally Olivia decides to bring home a souvenir and she takes a block from a clock tower. The story ends with the clock tower crumbling to bits but the family does not know. As they left on a boat, they thought that the people were waving goodbye to them but actually they were waving their fists angrily to them from afar. It's funny and silly. So anyway, I left the book on the mat and Soph crawled over and started flipping here and there.

Clapping and Screeching

Sophie can clap! Although there's no sound, but it's still very cute when she does it. And screech until her face turns red.
She can also help to turn the pages of the board books during bed time stories, a sign of finger dexterity.

Clapping!

Screeching!

大小眼

Soph has been having big small eyes recently. That's because she has one double eyelid and single one. I hope the other folds itself soon.

Likes reflections

I used the camera on the same side as the iPhone screen to take a photo of Soph and this got her really excited to see her own reflection. Keeping our spirits up while dd has flown to Nippon for work this week. Check out our cheery shots!

On tippity toe