Thursday, April 28, 2011

Month 6


Now that I'm six months I am doing a lot of things like sitting up all by myself, sitting in my high chair to eat, eating a lot of food, creeping (moving around on my tummy), babbling ("babababa"), jumping in my exersaucer and in my Johnny JumpUp. I am also working on my fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. I like to experiment with my body and lately I've been doing back bends while my mommy holds me so I can see the world upside down. I also like to stand a lot and am really strong. I already am trying to climb in and out of the bathtub and climb up my mommy when she holds me.

As you can tell, I have a very cute and fun personality. I like to play with toys a lot. I like to play with my mommy, my daddy, my brother, friends, and my kitty too. My mommy says the kitty has a lot more patience with me than she did with my brother because the kitty appreciates the fact that I cry much less.

I like to play outside too. Hip and me are best friends. My mommy thinks I am Hip's biggest blessing in life right now because I like him so much. I like to hear him talk, laugh, and play. I like to watch him be rowdy, laughing hysterically at his attention seeking. My mommy says to ignore him when he does obnoxious things but I can't help thinking he is really funny. Sometimes I even copy the things he does which makes my mommy roll her eyes and take some ibuprofen for her resulting headache.


We like to do many things together including watching movies/helping Daddy with homework (as pictured above) playing cars, tummy time, riding in the jogging stroller side by side, riding in the bike trailer side by side, riding in the car side by side, going to the store together. Costco is our favorite store to go together; last week at Costco Hip was making me laugh so hard we were attracting more of a crowd/comments than the sample booth for crescent rolls. Now that is a HUGE deal, says Mommy.

This is how I know Hip loves me: he shares this swing with me. This swing, besides his rags, is his prize possession. He loves this swing but does not think it is a big deal at all when I take a turn. In fact, he often offers it to me first and waits for his turn patiently.

Hip does not like it when mommy gets me out of my crib before he wakes up because he likes to come in my room and greet me to each new day saying/yelling, "WELL HI PT!" He also likes to help change my diapers, bath me, feed me, dress me, etc. Hip sometimes gets bored and upset when I am napping and he begs Mommy to play with me when I wake up.

I get really excited a lot. Mostly about toys, my mommy, Hip, and food. I make a lot of sounds (one of my laughs sounds like a machine gun) and facial expressions which makes my family and friends laugh. I still like to drink my milk, mostly in the morning and at night but I am really into eating baby food and cereal. I love it all. My doctor was surprised that I gobble up green vegetables so easily and readily. My mommy told her that I was born into a food loving family and so it is not that surprising.

Here are my two teeth. They don't really help me with eating yet and I'm not sure I like them because today I bit my tongue! I didn't cry very long because I never cry very long. The one exception is in the middle of the night last night when I realized my mother was upstairs sleeping instead of holding me. That means I am going through object permanence right now.

I pretty much demand to sit in my high chair. My mommy wishes I didn't like it because she says it takes up way too much room in our snug dining room. But I love it. I can interact with Hip better while he is eating and I can also stare out the window and look at the various rodents which congregate on our front lawn. My mommy didn't get a picture of it but today Hip and I stared out the window while cars drove through our flooded street. She says she can't believe how different we are (Hip and me) but how alike we are too.

My mommy says I was born "barrel-chested" and I still am. Even though I am in the 50% in weight (17.10 lbs) and in the 70% in height I definitely have girth.

Here are a few other things about me that my mommy wants to remember: The ladies at the gym childcare really like me and tell my mommy that I am their favorite baby because I am so cute, nice, and cuddly. I get out of my swaddling really easy and I think it's funny my mommy still tries to swaddle me at all. I like to smash my face against my bumper in my crib, I can't sleep if I don't. I still take a pacifier but I can be okay without one too--except to sleep, I really like it when I sleep. My feet are chronically cold and clammy and my mommy had to get special socks to help them stay warm. I love the bath and I even love to poop in it. My mommy says she doesn't mind that I poop in it as long as daddy is here to clean it up! I entertain myself quite often. I can wake up and play for several minutes so Mommy can finish whatever she is doing before coming to get me. I am content but very curious and interested. I would rather watch and interact than nap and so I have to sleep in my crib otherwise I won't nap, which makes being out and about difficult for Mommy sometimes. I still have pretty severe reflux which has made my mommy's life a nightmare. Our living room area rug is destroyed due to beginning solids like sweet potatoes and carrots. My mommy can't wear anything too nice or it will also get ruined. In fact, I ruined her University of Utah hoodie and she said it was "okay" since it wasn't her BYU one!

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Dear Dad, I Forgot

This is me.

I forgot your birthday.

Helen Keller said, "Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in this world." That's what I was busy doing when I forgot your birthday--self-pitying.

I haven't blogged much lately, because I was well-aware of my self-pity and quite ashamed to admit it. Blogging is about honesty for me and I knew my self-pity would come through. Unfortunately, it did come through in other ways, like holding my thoughts captive instead of thinking of others. And, nonetheless, I am ashamed.

A birthday is a time to celebrate, to rejoice in what the person has contributed to others. So here goes, belatedly:

I recently read, "People of the Book" by Geraldine Brooks. Part of it takes place in Sarajevo which hits a bit close to home for us. The novel documents some of Yugoslavia's war-time history and it made me think of your forefathers who had the wisdom and fortitude to leave Yugoslavia. I know this is a subject you have been thinking a lot about over the last few years as you have faithfully worked on your Yugoslavian family history. By slaving over this task you have provided a great blessing to me in the form of gratitude for my ancestors, pride in my heritage, and a feeling of being connected to the past and the future. Being the social worker that I am, I can't help wonder what these people were like and about their personalities. The best way to figure that out is to observe what we are like and wonder what characteristics and qualities we might share.

You are intelligent. From what you have gathered about your Grandpa Sajovic's life, I think he was like that too. You are the most intelligent person I actually know. Intelligence is a mix of knowledge and ability to think rationally, logically and reasonably. I still count on your opinion more so than my own most of the time. In fact, I appreciate your insight about how I should conduct myself regarding the sale of my house and property/settling my financial affairs more than any other gift you have ever given me. I knew when I called you to discuss those issues you would have the most reasonable solutions because you are able to put aside the frivolous and unimportant. Moreover, I have great faith in you and your advice.

You are quiet. I think you get this from Grandma. Grandma has quiet dignity and calmness that soothes. You do too.

You are steadfast. Some people may confuse this as stubborn but I choose "steadfast" as a personal adjective (to describe myself) and I know I get it from you. "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness in hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." 2 Nephi 31: 20.

You are kind, giving, and compassionate. The time, effort, expense, and patience it took for you to help us move to Michigan will never be forgotten or lost on us. Thank you seems too trite of phrase to describe my (our) immense gratitude to you for that.

You have a way with words. Our immediate and extended family and people in Canby 1st ward have all complimented your ability to speak publicly. And it is a huge compliment if I enjoy your writing/style, which I do. I know that if I practiced more I would have a way with words too, thanks to your endless hours of editing my work.

You are humble. I've never heard you brag and I've never known you to be lofty, arrogant, or to care about worldly things. Not ever. Not even close.

You are interesting. I really like hearing about your life, present and past.

You love your family. You love your grandchildren.

Thank you for being my dad. One of my favorite memories, of many because you have been an active part of my life, is one drizzly Oregon day I was playing soccer in Lake Oswego and when I glanced over to the sidelines I saw you there in a trench coat and hat. I did not know you were going to come to that game and I was glad you did. I'm not sure why I like that memory so much but maybe because it captures nearly everything I have written about you today. I am glad you enjoyed coming to watch me play sports, even though I was lousy, it made playing a lot more fun.

Love, Me