Cameron's Adventures

Four weeks ago I went back to work after a long and life changing five months. It was not easy returning to work as my mind was filled with thoughts and worries about Emma. I had every worry possible cross my mind and many times during the first week back at work, I cried and wanted to stop working. But luckily, Emma adjusted to daycare just fine. I got to know the wonderful ladies there taking care of her, my work has been keeping me busy and excited and I work with some really great people. So after four weeks of being back to work, I feel that I am able to handle more and more being a working mommy.

However, one thing has suffered. I’ve continued to take many pictures and videos of Emma as she’s conquered one milestone after another, but I have not posted any blogs lately. So this one will be long as Emma has started to crawl backwards, has been eating more and more solids, has enjoyed bouncing in the swing, is playing more and more with the toys in the exorciser and has been sitting on her butt without any support. In short, every day is an adventure as she discovers new things.

First, I’ll start with Emma wearing the Free Range Cycles onsie that she received from one of Rory’s favorite bicycle shops.

Next, here is Emma crawling backwards all the way behind the table.

And then, she moved backwards on the hardwoods until she got herself stuck by the book case. Silly Emma.

She loves, loves, loves sitting on her belly and pushing herself up with her arms. And of course, Teika isn’t far away.

   

    

And more crawling…

Emma now grabs things very easily. Everything her little hands hold goes directly in her mouth.

Emma has been enjoying avocados, carrots and sweet potatoes. Here she’s full of sweet potatoes.

   

And she’s learning to drink water.

Emma enjoying the swing. First by herself, then with Rory, Teika and I.

   

   

    

Playing with the toys in the exorciser.

   

She can now sit without any support. And when she’s barefoot, she gets extremely fascinated by her feet.

And she loves the mirror. She is intrigued by the little baby that looks back at her.

We also went on a short road trip and enjoyed some last days of summer sunshine.

    

   

   

   

    

A week and a half ago, Emma turned five months. It has been amazing the kind of joy and bliss we’ve experienced. And as she’s growing and becoming a little person I thought I’d share some cute photos of her sitting on the belly (which she loves a lot) and sitting for the first time in the high chair.

   

Often, starting something new can be an experience filled with butterflies in one’s stomach. On August 4th, I went back to work and Emma had to start daycare. I spent a lot of the days that week crying and having separation anxiety. Emma did fine, she adjusted to being in daycare just beautifully. However, I was a mess as I had extreme separation anxiety to leave her.

Needless to say, the days were miserable. But by the next week, things eased up and I started to get into a rhythm. Work is extremely busy which keeps me nice and occupied while I’m there. And though I’ve enjoyed my moments with Emma during maternity leave, I now savor every moment and hug and kiss her every chance I get.

The following pictures capture the most important part of life, the priceless times and love we share with family.

     

   

And then, some mother and daughter time.

     

   

Followed by three generations together, a daughter, a mother and a grandmother.

When Emma was born, one of the children’s book we got is called “Are you my mother?” by P.D. Eastman. I think I read it to Emma the first or second week we came home from the hospital. It’s a cute little book about a bird trying to find her mother.

As Emma looked at Teika today, she asked “Are you my mother?”…

After some licking from Teika, Emma looked at her, but her teeth seemed really big and she was very furry…

“Could this be my mother?” she asked…

Emma kept on looking, and looking for her mother…

   

And when finally she looked up at the camera, Emma knew she found her mother…

“You are my mother” she said as she held on tight to me…

   

The end!

A few weeks ago, my mother came over and we spent the afternoon with Emma. It was a nice sunny day and so we enjoyed it lounging in the back yard. Three generations spending some time together. This is what life is made of.

It is very fun to watch mom with Emma. You can see the huge love she’s got in her heart for her. And Emma seems happy as can be.

   

   

 

   

It is obvious that I could not stop taking pictures of the two of them. And as I’m writing this blog, I cannot decided which ones to exclude either. They are all so, so precious!

 

 

I don’t turn many pictures into black and white because the colors are so nice, but I thought I’d try a few in this set just for fun.

   

 

And of course, Teika was ever so present and laid there watching us…

Happy times!

As Emma becomes more and more aware of the dog Teika, the dog tries very hard to ignore her. Soon, as Emma will start crawling it will mean trouble for Teika. Already, she is pulling at everything she can get her hands on and she’s got quite a bit of strength. So poor Teika, soon will be the days when her ears and her tail will be pulled… Until then, Teika is choosing to ignore Emma…

If I don’t look at her, she’s not there…

   

   

  

In the picture below, Teika is definitely asking me what have I done, bringing this little baby home… Ah, but I know she’s secretly in love with Emma. I can see the carrying motherly instinct in her every time Emma cries.

And of course, Emma is ever the curious…

Over the past few weeks, Emma has been grabbing things more and more. And her hold is quite strong. In fact, if my hair is down and I’m close to her, she’ll find it and hold on to it. I quite like it but I can see how later on it can be an issue. Still, I’m thoroughly enjoying her grabbing on to things. She’s such a curious little girl.

Of course the instant she grabs on to something, she wants to put it in her mouth!

      

Everything, absolutely everything is fascinating to her. It is so refreshing to watch her get so excited and curious about everything. I’m sure all parents can tell me this, but it is so different when one actually experiences it first hand. Parenthood is amazing indeed!

   

    

I love her cute little chubby feet. They curl up in ways only babies feet can. It’s as if there are no bones in there!

A week ago, Emma and I went to visit my mom in the morning. We’ve been able to do this a couple of times. I know mom enjoys seeing and holding Emma very much. Here are a few pictures and a little video from our visit.

   

   

“Where is Emma” song that mom and I are singing in the video below is one that I learned at my PEPS meetings. It is a song that I sing to Emma very often when she is fussy and getting ready to cry. Amazingly, it stops her from crying. She loves to hear it and watches me with intense focus when I sing it.

Bye, bye, mommy… until next time!

A few days ago, I finally found Sophie the Giraffe at the Village Maternity at University Village. You see, I have been looking for it for a few days for Emma. I think she is starting to teeth because every chance she gets she goes after eating her own hands, my hands, Rory’s hands or pretty much anyone she can grab. Here’s a perfect capture as she goes for Rory’s arm.

   

So in addition to eating anything she can get her mouth to, she now has Sophie the Giraffe.

  

       

She just can’t get enough of Sophie…

   

And as a sneak preview of what’s to come, she is now standing up, her legs strong and straight. She wants to walk really bad…

As Emma is nearing four months everyday is an adventure. Recently, we had a few pictures taken of all of us. It has been since the hospital that we’ve had a family picture. It seems so long ago, yet at the same time like only yesterday.

   

And because I can’t help it, I played around with some effects, for a more “glamorous” shot of us. I just love Emma’s face expression and hair in the image below!

Rory took some fun photo of me. These were while we were in a park having a picnic. Emma slept peacefully and we had a great time except for the many flies that flew by around us. They kept trying to go either into our eyes or our ears. Why, why, why?

       

And a few more fun color change effects. This one bring out the cold tones in the photos.

   

Rory tried to keep it cool while the flies surrounded him…

      

While I decided to cover my ears with plastic cups to prevent them from getting in…

In the evening, Emma slept peacefully in Rory’s arms. A perfect ending to a perfect time.