Nightime Routinesss

Now that my daughter Rian can sleep peacefully straight at night,  I can sleep for at least 6 to 8 hours, unlike before which I had to wake up in the middle of the night because Rian was crying and I had to either feed her or cradle her back to sleep (and I ended up having eye bugs and gloomy face in the morning).  Moreover, Rian can now put herself to sleep, as long as she sees us (her parents) also lying on the bed, preparing to doze off.  Getting off the bed or a nightime visit from other people is prohibited because when she sees someone else sitting or standing, she would also sit up and begin to play around (and it would be harder for us to make her prepare to sleep again!).  Well, at least I don't have to cradle her every single night (unless she wanted to make lambing, especially if she missed me so much).

I had a few practiced tricks on how to prepare her for a sound sleep at night.  Before, I usually gave her a milk before sleep, and I still do that until now.  The difference is, before, she was fast asleep after drinking milk.  Now, drinking milk relaxes her before bedtime (which is better because milk residue in her mouth while asleep would be bad for her two front teeth).  After having milk, she would either roll on bed and find a perfect spot for sleeping or just lay on her back with arms and legs wide spread.

Aside from drinking milk, we also play quietly (means no rough play like tags, hide and seek, and other active games).  We would just get few toys like stuff toys and her telephone toy and play with them on her play mat.  We would play until she gets bored and sleepy.

Story reading is also one of my techniques to prepare her for bedtime.  I would either read her the Bible Story book (which she lifts the next pages even when I'm not still done reading the former page) or create a "Once Upon A Time" story which she loved listening to because she hears her name when I tell her that the princess' name is Baby Princess Rian. She even talk back at me when I tell her bedtime stories.

When she's already relaxed, it's a signal for me to dim the lights, get the baby oil (Johnson's baby oil - lavander) and massage her all over her body.  I usually do the I-Love-U  massage on her.  And whenever I do that to her, with matching smile and cute voice saying "I-love-you" to her, she smiles back at me.  Obviously, she likes it!  When she starts to get fussy, I massage her legs.  She loves to have her legs massaged eversince I introduced it to her when she was one month old-- she was just lying on her back, watching me quietly while I touch her legs and feet.  And when I begin to massage her head, her eyes begin to feel droopy until she finally falls asleep.

Writing this blog makes me sleepy...so I'll probably say goodnight too. Goodnight everyone! :)

Daddy Jeff and toddler Rian, sleeping.  They both found a perfect spot for a peaceful sleep. 

Goodnight dearests!  Tabihan ko kayo maya-maya. :)

The Daddy and The Baby

Among the baby pictures my daughter has with her daddy, this one's my favorite.  It was taken when my baby was 2 months old.  At her young age, she could already sleep on her side, and copy her daddy's sleeping pose! Haha!  Ok...I know that she was not aware of what she was doing, but the sight of that two adorable persons I love most with the same sleeping pose really made me smile. So cute! Ang kulet talaga!  The moment I saw them sleeping together like that, I hurriedly grabbed the camera and took a shot of them.  And when my husband woke up, I let him see the picture and he was also delighted.  It's one of those kodak moments we had ever seen in our lives!

For those who first encountered the term kodak moments, it means a special, priceless captured shot (by camera or video) which is not directed, nor edited. According to http://www.urbandictionary.com/, kodak moment  is a rare, one time, moment that is captured by a picture, or should have been captured by a picture.  And that special picture above is one example of it!

Somehow, that picture reflects the similarities of my husband and my daughter in terms of personality.  Both are hard headed and very persistent.  They never stop until they get what they wanted.  My husband loves computers and other techi gadgets...I think, my daughter would like them too.  Hey, whenever I place my baby infront of the computer, she would always want to press the keys.  And she also gives a lot of effort to grab our cellphones and play with them! Haha! Hmm...what else...well, they say that my baby looks more like me.  But when she's asleep, she looks like a mirror image of her daddy.  They both have the same facial expression while sleeping.  Not to mention same pose, as well!

It's not just the picture that gives me extra joy, but also the times when they bond together (whether playing and laughing together, until the baby cries and so, my husband would pass her to me).  I love the sight of them together.  I hope they would not just be father-daughter, but also best friends.  I really love those two very important persons in my life---my husband and my daughter.  Daddy and baby.  I consider myself lucky to have them! :)

P.S. Now that my baby is 8 months old, she does more than copying her father's sleeping pose.  She can now hug him while they are sleeping, as well.  Someday, I'll be going to take a shot of another kodak moment--- a picture of the daddy and the baby embracing each other while sleeping.  Nice idea, right? :)