The Eberhard Family

* Monday, 25th Feb - 7 months & 3 weeks* Photos first... read for the full story... if you want :P 先看照片,等一下慢慢讀吧... Yesterday afternoon, I've noticed that Emma has a few red spots on her legs and arms, phoned up the healthline to check. Nothing major but if it doesn't go away in 3 days or if she develops fever, then phone back or GP. Last night, she kept waking up after 1:30am and was very hard to settle. I've changed her nappy twice, then felt she was very warm around 3. Checked the temperature, 38.7. I thought hmm... doesn't look good but I kept thinking I only need to worry if it's over 39. So I left her. 3:30, she was up again and still very warm, 38.0 I thought, okay... better give her some pamol. Finally around 4:30am she woke daddy up, while mummy was making the bottle. So daddy took over and fed her. (That's when mummy finally can go back for another 2.5 hour sleep). We took her in to see the GP, she was still relatively happy and active. The GP said ...

* Saturday, 23rd Feb 2008 - 7 months 2-3weeks* I've read somewhere that says we should put some pillows or cushions to let the baby learn to crawl around them. 我看書上說要在地上放一些枕頭等等, 讓小朋友練習爬, 他們可以練習從枕頭旁邊繞過去這樣爬... I've tried it many times and here's just some pictures taken on Saturday, of what usually happens: 我試了很多次, 每次都變成這樣...看看照片吧.. Straight onto it... 直接給他爬過去... Hop...we are almost over it now.. 快要爬過去囉! Yah! Hehe, those kind of obsticles are not going to stop me! (Very proud of herself) 這些障礙物是難不倒我的啦! (你看我很厲害吧!) Sally

* Saturday, 23rd Feb 2008 - 7 months 2-3weeks* Quite an eventful day, eh! Emma does her usual standing up by the piano and play around... which happens more often than her feeds and nappy changes. But, she slipped a bit differently today... And bang her face on the leg of the piano... BIG BRUISE! And... CRY! Oh the poor little thing... took a bit more cuddles and hugs to calm her down... then seeing the little named zipper friend on her napppy bag distracted her attention from crying. Then mummy was worried about that big thing on the face, tried to put the ice pack on it for a while but she hated it and struggled so hard to get away. So I gave up. Oh well, she's been having a few more bums and knocks recently... all part of the process I guess. (scroll down for pix) ------------------------ 今天還真多事情喔! 妹妹平時就常常扶著鋼琴的腳就站起來玩了. 這是很稀鬆平常的事情. 結果今天往前滑倒的方向不太一樣... 就這樣臉去撞到... 馬上就腫起來, 淤青一塊! 好痛! 妹妹就哭啊... 可憐的小傻瓜... 這次要抱抱秀秀久一點... 然後他看到他尿布袋上的名牌 (一個綠色的小東西別在他的拉鍊上, 上面有他的名字 Emma), 終於忘記要哭了... 結果換媽媽擔心他不知道...

* Saturday, 23rd Feb 2008 - 7 months 2-3weeks* Because Emma has been standing around the coffee table, we've cleared out most of the things we can. But, given that we still use it everyday, there are still some stuff on it. So, what we do is, if she's on one side, we move the stuff to the other side, so she can't reach. She started off leaning over one side to try to reach it, but that doesn't work. She also tried to move a little bit along the coffee table every now and then. But today, it is very obvious, she was walking along the coffee table from one end to another... yes, still trying to get to some stuff that she's not allowed! ^^;; Oh dear ^^;; Have to start packing things off the coffee table now. Also, I pushed the high chair over to feed her in the living room. Afterwards, she was pulling herself up using the high chair, then trying to hop over to come to the coffee table side... it's about 30cm away... and guess what?! She landed on the floor instead!...

* Saturday, 23rd Feb 2008 - 7 months 2-3weeks* Today we went over to a family friend's place to pick up some stuff for Emma. Mum has asked him to bring back a bag of clothes for Emma, his wife had also bought some clothes for Emma. They've bought very nice winter clothes for her... tops and pants. Most of them are size 3 and 4. There's a set of size 2. Obviously they are a little too big for Emma for now, especially the pants. But I'm sure she'd be able to wear them later, maybe next year! :) Some of the tops, well she can wear them now as a big "dress". Mum's got Emma a few new clothes, one of the kimono style on that I've asked her to get. It is very cute! :D Then there are lots of cute clothes from my niece! Finally, I've been saying, it's pity that we can't get any 2nd hand clothing for Emma, so it's quite expensive having to buy new clothes all the time. Of course I've been careful, so we don't have to spend too much. I...

* 7 months 2-3 weeks * Just in the last week or so, I've noticed something... Emma has stopped biting. She still likes to slobber on you and you will feel her teeth on you but no more biting. There had been a few times that we screamed out of shock when she was biting unexpectedly... Not too sure what happened but hey, that is a good thing for us! :D ----------------------------------- 就大概這一個禮拜吧, 我發現妹妹不咬人了. 還是會張嘴含在你身上, 腳上手上, 也感覺的到他牙齒含在腳上手上... 但是不會咬人了. 有幾次被他突然咬下去... 嚇到大聲叫了幾次... 也不知道最近是怎樣了, 好像學會不可以咬人了... 真好! :D Sally

* Friday, 22 Feb 2008 - 7 months + 2-3 weeks * Just in the last week or so, it is becoming more and more clear that this little one is pulling herself up all the time and everywhere. On top of that, she's also trying to balance herself standing with very little holding on. She will let go of one hand and play.. And, she's trying to move from point A to point B once she's stood up. She'd try to grab on something else, then move towards the next point. She also tries to climb over things, climb on people to get to higher places. She has a few way of getting down, too... mainly landing on her bum! :D We were told that she's fearless! Keeps crawling everywhere and standing up everywhere... Interesting... and a few friends and the teachers in daycare have all said.. she's probably going to walk soon. We hope that "soon" means a few more months :P Otherwise it'd be even harder keep an eye out on her! Sally ------------------------------------------------...

* Monday, 18th Feb - 7 months + 2 weeks * Last 4 days we've been trying to 9-ish top up (basically a top up feed when she wakes after going to bed or before we go to bed). That (with 1 feed around 4-5 and another one around 6:30ish) successfully eliminated the nightfeeds. She lasts till after 7am for the next feed! (Of course we were like, why didn't we think of this earlier?!!!) Anyways, last night we put her down around 7:15pm for the night; then she woke just before 9:30pm for another feed. I went to bed around 10pm... What do you know, I woke once in between for the bathroom, but I did not hear from her until 4:15am!! That's a gap over 6.5 hours!! Boy! I should have got up around that time... but I went back to bed and only got up around 6:30am... The little madam.... woke up just before 7am. Wow! Now, I can get use to the 6.5 hour gap for sure!! Tonight, I will try to go to bed after her "top up" feed! Fingers crossed... hopefully we are closer to her sleepin...

* Sunday, 17th Feb 2008 7 months & 2 weeks* Plastic wrapping isn't kid's toy and that's fine. I don't give her that... except when I give her the teething rusks, sometimes she grabs the wrapping. I thought that's small enough that she won't be putting it over her head...etc. Also I thought it might be good for her to learn how to get the rusk out of the wrapping... So yesterday she was doing that and she eventually got the rusk out, but no... we were more interested in tasting the plastic wrapping. A bit later, she's doing this weird facial expression, as if she was chocking but she wasn't. There was coughing as well... I was a bit worried, so I put my finger in her mouth to search.... What do you know, it was a small piece of plastic wrapping. She somehow managed to bite a piece off and probably tried to swallow it but couldn't... hence all the weird facial expressions. Oh well, no more wrappings for you to chew on then! :P (I'm sure a lot o...

* Sunday, 17th Feb 2008 7 months & 2 weeks* Today, I brought her little rocking horsie out and let her sit on it to play on the keyboard on the horsie... She couldn't quite stay on it properly... but, hey how about try to stand on it?? Well both legs were bent but at one point, she was standing (more like squating) on the horsie ^^;;;; Why does it sound like we don't play very lady like?? ^^;;; Sally

* Saturday, 16th Feb 2008 - 7 months & almost 2 weeks* Lately, Emma's been trying to stand a lot! Now it only takes her a few seconds to stand up in the cot and playpen. So I thought I'd make her crawl a little more... (well more like mummy's having fun :P) While daddy's off to put the bath on for Emma, I picked up the remote controller that she was playing and eating... and started leading her with it. I put it out of her reach and waited for her to crawl towards it, then move it further away, then a little more... and a little more....eventually, I lead her crawl from the living room all the day to the bathroom :D What a mean mummy! Although, she was smiling and enjoying it all the day! Thought I was playing with her, well I was!! :P Sally

* Sunday, 17th Feb 2008 7 months & 2 weeks* Today, twice she did this.. indicating for me to pick her up by pulling my hands towards her armpits, which is where I reach for her to pick her up. First time, after her solid feed, she was mucking around for a bit, then she had enough... wanted to get out. I was there playing with her and she pulled both of my hands over to her armpit under each arm, and lift her arms, signalling... "pick me up". Shortly after, she was playing on the floor or something... again she did that. Daddy was watching, too and he was amazed. Now that I think about it, she is learning faster and changing quite a bit lately... I've noticed she does similar things last night as I had her on my lap while I was typing. She kept trying to get to the keyboard but I was in the way. So she pulled my hand away so I can't stop her. Again when she was trying to get to the mouse. My hand was on it, she pulled it away, so she can get to it. Yesterday, earl...

* 7 months * Just a quick note... little Emma is now quite a nipper, as daddy describes her. If you feel slobbering on your legs, arms, hands... etc, used to be okay. It'd just be slobbers... but now... it usually comes with a bite, too! And it HURTS! Chomp chomp.... I don't think she knows it hurts.... she's been trying to chew a lot of stuff, other than the usual exploring type... ^^;;; So watch out! Sally

* Thursday, 14th Feb - 7 months + 1 week * Lately, she's been very easily distracted. This morning, we gave Emma a bottle before we left home. When I gave her the bottle before we were leaving, she had a mighty.... 70mls. Then she's off to play instead... (*sigh*), but then we gave her a few minutes, then daddy took her to the bedroom, where it's still dark and not much things to look at or play... they came back with an empty bottle! So we told daycare this is the trick... and we start seeing more almost finished bottle instead of this 100ml, or 60ml ones ^^;; Sally

* Friday, 15th Feb - 7 months + 1 week * Yesterday, we picked her up from daycare... I looked on the borad and was a little puzzled and surprised! What? Only had 1 bottle of 180ml?!?! After learning the new trick? There's also a full bottle that still feels warm. Obviously they tried to feed her but she wasn't interested. Oh well... so we gave the bottle after we got home and let her played for a bit... So 5pm, she had the 200ml bottle. After shower and just before bed at 6:30, much to our surprise, she finished a 180ml bottle. After the night before's 2 night feed, we decided we will give her a dream feed before we go to bed... So when she woke and cried just before 9, daddy gave her a 150ml bottle and she finished it!! Mummy still had a bit of sleep problem because she couldn't sleep till after 11pm, but Emma woke around 11:40 and took about 5-10 mins to calm and then went back to sleep.... Then I think I went check on her around 4 something coz she sounded really wei...

* Monday, 11th Feb - 7 months + 1 week * After 2 days of sleepy naps, first day the sleep overnight was not too bad either.. But, Monday night, she got so stirred for some reason, was screaming for a while... nothing could calm her down quickly... not feed, not cuddle, not dummy... got both of us quite a fright. Later, it took about 30 mins of daddy holding her in his arms and gentle rocking..... before she drifted back to sleep again. Throughout the night, she kept waking up, very stirred... Of course... very sleepy parents in the morning... Then... Tuesday night, also very stirred..... Wednesday night, not too much better and woke up for 2 night feeds!! *sigh* I really hope it's teething or whatever... and it will be over and done with soon! Sleepy Sally

* Monday, 11th Feb - 7 months + 1 week * Today, Emma had another round of sleepy day... In the morning, she had a little bit more than 3 hour nap and we had to go gently wake her up by talking in her room and opening the curtain slowly... In the afternoon, she slept for about 2 hours and 15mins before we thought we better go wake her up.... It's interesting, she must just needed those sleep for some reason. Normally doesn't sleep that long for the naps! (more to come... see the next post...) Sally

* Monday, 11th Feb - 7 months + 1 week * We've been pulling ourselves up quite a bit more in the last few days. So now she's standing in the cot, in the playpen... Or whenever there's somewhere she can grab hold of... Or grabing us to try and stand up... Even tried to stand in the bath today ^^;; What's interesting was, she's not just trying to pull herself up, she's trying to stand up without holding onto things! She's trying to stand! She'd get herself up, then let go of one hand then slowly let go of the other one... then have to grab hold again.... Wow... hmm... are they supposed to be doing all these?? With very little support, she can actually stand herself up and stay steady for a little bit... so I think her legs are getting stronger... hmm... but we don't really want her to be walking too soon though ^^;;;;; We will see... Sally

* Monday, 11th Feb - 7 months + 1 week * Recently Emma has been chewing on a lot of things, as babies do... Every now and then she will lick instead. Then today, we've noticed that she's been poking her tounge out a lot more than before... Looks like we've found our tongue! :P She's been very happy today, which was really nice! :) I've got a few nice pictures, will put them on later! :D Sally

* Sunday, 10th Feb 2008 - 7 months + 6d * (I thini it's time to stop counting the weeks, eh? :P) Last night we fed Emma around 6:30pm-ish and she went down straight after that. Only cried once for dummy before we go to bed. Then again at 11, that's when daddy gave her a bottle, she finished it all! Then there was peace... until 3am! That's nice! 4 hour gap! I can live with this :P Well she was woken up by a wet and poo nappy. so I changed her. A little later, she decided she's hungry, too. So she had another bottle at 3:30 and back to sleep. She started to wake up around 7:30 and finally was up just before 8. I thought that was a good sleep, 13 hours and almost 30 mins. 8:45am, another feed (110ml this time) and down for a nap around 8:50am. It's 11:15am... she's still sleeping. (daddy just went checked on her... still fast asleep) I can get used to this :P I think she really needs this nice sleep. She's a little sick and needs more rest to recover. :) Sally

* Saturday, 9th Feb 2008 - 7 months+5d (31weeks+3d) * Today, I was cooking up another batch of solids for Emma... The usual... potatoes, carrots and courgettes. Also cooked up one kumura for her, hopefully she would like it. She didn't seem to like the peas... Still got the brocolli to cook up for later but the ice tray is all full anyway. I cut some of the carrots and potatoes into strips for her as finger foods. After it's been steamed up in the rice cooker, Andrew gave her some. Boy she loves her potatoes (just like her father!!), there was about 6-7 pieces of potatoes and only 1 left... she also had 2-3 carrots. I tell ya, finger food is definitely a faster way to feed Emma than with spoons! Maybe I should try the peas as finger food when she's older... maybe she'd like it then?? Sally

* Saturday, 9th Feb 2008 - 7 months+5d (31weeks+3d) * Today we took Emma to the Pakuranga Plunket again to do some DIY measurements. Weight: 8.97kg (even though daddy was so convinced that she's over 9kg :P) Height: 73.5cm (the nice Plunket nurse who was there, she didn't have any appointments at that time we went, so she measured Emma for us. Her measuring tool is easier than the one outside...) The Plunket nurse really likes her, was talking to her and playing with her. Said she's very smily. Then she was asking us how old Emma is... and she said this must be a 9 monther. 7 months? Wow... she's a big girl! That is 620g and 3.5cm in 4 weeks time. So the weight growth is slowing down a bit, but the height seems to be going up... :) Sally

photo taken on 03.02.2008 Very rarely we get a photo where you can see Emma's two little teeth... So here, if you look hard... you will find them...and you may also notice tht she's slobbered quite a bit... :P Sally

* Wednesday, 6th Feb - 7 months + 2d* Today is Chinese New Year Eve, we went over to my aunty's to have dinner. Meg (cousin Stephen's wife) cooked up the feast for everyone! Before the feast begins, Stephen's god mother was happily playing with Emma. Both seem very happy :D There's my aunty (Eliza) helping to get everything ready... Uncle Tony having a turn, taking Emma out to the garden to show her around... Woooo.... I'm hungry again now... yummmmmmm...... Emma is having her small feast.... well a teething rusk :P Eventually after some screaming and a bottle... Emma passed out on daddy's laps Then we live happily ever after...... err... not :P Well she woke up eventually... had bit more playing and grizzling... we got her home... about 15-20 mins of on and off complaining in her cot.. eventually she felt asleep. :) Sally

* Tuesday, 5th Feb 2008 * - 7 months + 1 day Today, we went into the doctors to get Emma a check up. Because the night before, she was having a very hard time and wasn't sleeping well after 11:30pm. She kept waking up and couldn't breath... so she couldn't have her dummy because her nose are so blocked up. The doctor said she has a little infection on her right ear. Talking to a friend, she said it's better that Emma doesn't get water in her ears. We usually shower with her so that's probably not the best idea. So we decided to give the hated bath another chance. And.... well... SCREEEEEAAAAAAAAAM.... as soon as we put her into the bath! Took a while to calm her down.... and she's slowly feeling a bit better.... And nothing like a few duckies in the bath helps distract her... Let's eat the small duckie... What about this other one? I wonder if it tastes different... Oh what about this other big one... What are you looking at? *phew* So at the end o...

* Monday, 4th Feb 2008 * - 7 months Today, I've noticed that every now and then, Emma started doing this proper crawling. That is, the body is up and pushing forward with her knees and hands proper... But she would only crawl for 2-3 steps, then sits up, find something to eat or play with... then a few more crawls... I guess it's only the matter of time before she's crawling everywhere! I think she's still quite happy with the newly learnt sitting up skill, so still practicing a lot with it :D Sally

* Monday, 4th Feb 2008 * [photos added] Today is the first time we worked from home to look after Emma. I was sitting there working away then I hear this funny noise... I looked over, she's sitting in the playpen and shaking the bars... and looking at the bits where you lock the playpen together... trying to touch it... and holding on the the bar... shaking it... I've got a few photos of that :P Almost looks like she's trying to escape out of it!! :P Hopefully she doesn't figure out how to escape too soon Sally

* Monday 4th Feb - 7 months * Just in the last week, after Emma started being able to sit up on her own, she started doing that more and more. Now it seems so easy for her. She'd be on the floor on tummy time, then the next thing you know, her bum is up high... sit the bum down, and she's sitting up. Then she's off again.... then sitting up again. Even in bed, she'd be sitting up for a while after she wakes up. We had to lower her cot the other day after her starting to pull up and stand up. She's been quite happily playing on her own most of the time. So it is quite nice :D It is quite amazing watching them grow and change so quickly. A week and half ago, she definitely couldn't go from tummy time to sitting up all by herself! Now, it's like she's been doing it for ages! Sally

** Tuesday, 29th Jan 2008 - 29weeks +6/7days * 6 months 4th week ** Well, maybe not quite helping :P More like mummy having fun. But hey, before I sat her up and took photos, she was lying in the suitcase... I think we could fit her in there just fine... well :P Of course, later we all have to leave, so grandma can actually pack :P Sally

Earlier, there was a post about Emma eating the duckie ...I've added photos to it now :)

* 1st Feb 2008 - almost 7 months * Tonight, the little one seemed so tired quite early on in the evening. After finishing the full 210ml bottle (which she doesn't always do, especially in the last few days or a 1week or so!), and a bit more playing, still showing very tired signs. We put her to bed. Then comes the crying... which stopped after 2-3 mins, I thought, wow that's good. But it started again.... so we waited. After 15 mins, we went into check, she had the blanket over her face. Poor little thing, so that's why she's been screaming for ages! So we picked her up, cuddles and more cuddles, finally calmed her down, stayed in there with her for a long time, waiting for her to go back to sleep. Instead, she crawl around the cot and keep checking if we are still there. Eventually, she was pulling herself up and holding onto the side of the cot, and holding onto one of my arm... then both hands on the cot... standing on an angle for about a min or so, until she tried ...