Rebekah Joy - 11 Month Summary

Rebekah is such a delight.  Solo playtime improved this month.  I started staggering her and Faith's start time so that Rebekah and I could have our time together before she went into playtime.  Then I would try to put her in on the quarter or half hour so that I could just close the door on the room and then 25 or so minutes later I will turn the monitor to her room and wait to hear the timer.  Either she is doing better with it that way or I just can't hear the screaming as well through the closed door.  I am happier with it though and I figure she will eventually learn to play in there rather than just soothe herself and hold her stuffed animals!
Eating:
We had a battle over meat this month in that she didn't want to eat it but I insisted that she do so.  I won.  After that 2 day fight she has been an even better eater than she was before.  She is on 100% table foods, other than Sunday nights and Wednesday nights when they are in the nursery at church during the dinner hour.  Then I provide purees for the workers to feed her but when those are gone I will give them table food to feed her.
Sleeping:
For the last several weeks she has been periodically waking at night coughing.  I don't think she has an ear infection as she has no other symptoms but I was blaming the congestion on teeth but none have come in (she still only has the bottom front 2).  Her afternoon nap is no longer in her carseat and she is doing well with it.
Skills:
Rebekah has a unique crawl/scoot and she is doing well with it but it looks so painful.  I am sure she is destine to be a gymnast with the flexability she is demonstrating!  She is mobile but is also content to sit in one place as long as she has toys, especially books.  She loves to look through them and I never have to tell her to keep them out of her mouth!  We have done blanket time a few times and I haven't had to correct her yet.  I am sure that as her mobility increases so too will her curiousity and she won't be quite so content on the blanket.  We'll see.  She has learned "all done" and "milk" and does them both consistantly.  She also comes when she is called, for the most part and we will continue to work on that as her mobility progresses.  She is drinking water from her sippy cup and feeding herself her own bottle.  Once she is on complete cow's milk I will switch her to the sippy only.
Play:
Like I said, solo play is improving, mildly (but I feel better about it whether she does or not!).  She continues to enjoy books and balls as well as a few other toys I've gotten for her like the Melissa and Doug grasping giraffe http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002IPGXTC, her Rainmakers (we have a large and a small one) http://www.amazon.com/Battat-68716-Rainmaker/dp/B003CI1DAS/ref=wl_mb_hu_c_3_dp , the Manhattan Toy Put and Peek Birdhouse http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001NEAB6/ref=ox_ya_os_product, and the Plan Toys Roller http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RE6S1E.  She loves the swings at the park as she has all summer!  She is also learning to "share" in that she enjoyes picking things up (anything including the rubber tire pieces at the park, my shoes, toys, etc.) and giving them to me.  That has helped a little in Sister Playtime as I have tried to incorperate that by Rebekah handing Faith the block or whatever and then Faith building something out of it.  Sister Play is something that will continue to evolve but I feel like it is important to teach them that there are times when they play together.

 

Our Schedule:

0800 - Up, breakfast (nurse + 2oz pumped milk), dress, Bible story

0900 - Outside time

1000 - Water in sippy while Faith has snack, start chore

1030 - Nap (somedays she'll only sleep 45 minutes, others she sleeps for an hour and 45)

1200 - Lunch (nurse + 2oz formula)

1230 - Errands if we have any, if not, then blanket time, freeplay, and sister play, followed by reading

1400 - Nap (usually wakes around 1545)

1600 - Snack (nurse)

1615 - Mama time / structured play

1645 - Solo play

1715 - Kitchen time / free play

1800 - Dinner, evening activity, bath, bottle and bedtime o/a 2001