Fran-Japani

Butter is goooood :)

2012-01-30T14:35:00.002+09:00

Saw this on FB today and had to repost...

MT Japan

2012-01-30T13:27:00.003+09:00

MT is an abbreviation of Masking Tape (hmmm how exciting I hear you say) and is one of the latest `trends` in Japan. They even have a Facebook page.

A famous masking tape producer here listened to customer`s voices (especially the females) who asked why masking tape couldn't be more kawaii (cute), and started producing a line of cute tape.

It has become a multi billion yen side business!

This is some of the tape they produce...

And it is used for decorating, wrapping, scrapbooking, collaging and much more. It peels off easily and can be written on, making it more versatile than regular cello-tape.

You can buy it in lots of different stores (like LOFT, BIC camera, Tokyu Hands...) or online in stores like Amazon jp.

They cost around 500yen for a pack of 3 or around 2,000yen for a pack of 20.

Have fun :)

The positives

2012-01-27T15:16:00.001+09:00

So I totally didn't want my last post to seem so... I don't know, like I was labeling Aiden and blaming all my issues on him.

That wasn't my intention at all, and in fact, all I really gained by learning about high needs babies is that there are other mothers out there who suffer a lack of sleep and some frustrations about how difficult it is to structure a day around a baby who has a clear mind of his own.

With the age of Facebook and some mothers letting us all know about their 5 month old who sleeps 12 hours a night, or their twins who nap for 2 hours, 3 times a day... It is sometimes really easy to wonder if you are doing something very wrong.

There are so many wonderful things about my little Aiden and I wouldn't change him or send him back or swap him for another baby (even if I could).

With that said...

One mother wrote a nice list of 10 things that her spirited child taught her and made her understand about life; and here are some of them...

High Needs Babes teach us non attachment. Attached to sleep? Gone. Attached to showering daily or alone? Gone. Attached to me time? Us time? free time? A clean House? Gone. Gone gone gone. Its all about letting go!

High Needs Babies let us practice selflessly serving another being. Technically there is no self anymore. Just a set of boobs, some arms a lap and some legs (don't stop rocking, walking or bouncing whatever you do!!)

High Needs Babies nurture our problem solving skills and our creativity. How exactly will we get the washing up done with one hand? How will we solve nap time today? How can DH and I sneak a moment alone this month? What will today bring and how can we make this work? What the hell is wrong and how do I fix it? Quickly?

High Needs Babies give us extra hours in the day. DH and I figured out that the reason this year feels like it has been so long is that we've been awake nearly the whole time so its more like 2yrs. So DS has effectively given us an extra year. (And grey hair and wrinkles but these just make us look wise beyond our years)

A high needs baby

2012-01-27T12:25:00.000+09:00

I thought tantrums were something associated with the `terrible twos`, something that I wouldn't have to think about (let alone deal with) for at least another year or so.

Well, I was wrong. Since Wednesday, Aiden has started throwing tantrums when things don't go his way. He screams, cries, yells, tenses up his body and throws his head back. He doesn't want to be held, but doesn't want to be put down; he won't let me soothe him but won't let me walk away.

The worst one came at about 4am this morning... for no apparent reason... except that he doesn't want to sleep.

And what does a first-time mother do when awake at 4am with an inconsolable baby? She goes online and finds hundreds of other mothers on internet forums discussing the same things.

In my exploration last night, I found that there is a term for babies like Aiden. He is what is known as a high needs baby (spirited child). Now of course, all babies have needs, but some have stronger needs than others, and unless those needs are met in an efficient and acceptable (to baby) manner, there is gonna be trouble.

If you are a mother who is constantly asking yourself `Why doesn't my baby sleep / play alone / nap / calm down / want to be read to ... like most other babies?` then you might also have a high needs baby. According to Dr Sears (an expert in the field of child rearing), 12 features of a high needs baby are here. It is a long article, and if your baby naps for 30 minutes at a time like Aiden, you probably won't have time to read it, so here (and below) are the main points summarized by the Fussy Baby Site...

12 Characteristics of High Need Babies

Intense Make their needs known in a very loud, definitive way. Are passionate about what they want and don’t want, and if you’re not quick to meet their needs, they’ll let you have it. They cry loudly, but the flip side is that they also voice their pleasure loudly.

Hyperactive In constant motion, may have stiff or tense muscles, seldom quiet or still, and may even resist being held or cuddled. May resist being swaddled or wrapped, and may be difficult to breastfeed because of their constant movement.

Draining High needs babies wear you down! They definitely keep you on your toes, and may leave little time for you to recharge your batteries. Because they often don't sleep well, there is no consistent or predictable down time for you, the parent. This can be extremely tiring and frustrating.

Feeds frequently High needs babies may desire to nurse or bottle feed more frequently. And you may also wish to feed more frequently to pacify your baby. I have heard from many parents that their high needs baby was in the top percentile for weight due to the high frequency of feedings.

Demanding This is the child that lets you know, very loudly, what he needs. If you don't get to him right away, he is quick to voice his displeasure. He feels his needs very strongly and knows how to get them met.

Awakens frequently Sleeps in short stretches and may also have trouble falling asleep.

Unsatisfied No matter what you do, your baby may still be grumpy, unhappy, or discontent, even if you've tried every calming technique you can think of. Dr. Sears encourages parents to realize when they've done all they can, and that the rest is up to their baby.

Unpredictable One day she falls asleep when you rock her, the next she doesn't. You're able to calm her by feeding her one night, but the next night she shrieks when you try to feed her. He sleeps through the night for a few days, and then is up 3+ times the next few nights. We jokingly call our little guy manic depressive because he can go from calm and content and smiling one second to red-faced screaming the next.

Super-sensitive Extremely sensitive to their environment and external stimuli. They are constantly observing the world around them, and prefer to be at home, or in a calm and familiar environment. They may startle easily, and are very sensitive to pain or discomfort.

Can’t put baby down These babies prefer to be held and in constant motion. They may resist sleeping alone, or being relegated to their stroller or bouncy chair. They prefer human touch and movement. High Needs babies tend to do very well when being 'worn' in slings or baby carriers.

Not a self-soother These are the babies that need help to fall asleep. While other babies may be able to drift peacefully off to sleep in their cribs, some babies need to be gently taught how to relax and fall asleep on their own. This may not come until a little later in infancy.

Separation sensitive Some babies definitely prefer the company of their primary caregivers. It may be difficult to leave them with babysitters or even have someone else hold them. They are deeply attached to their parents as they know that these are the people who meet their needs.

I am not coping terrible well with the lack of sleep and wonder if some day things are going to be better. I also ask myself why Aiden chose me to be his mother when I don't seem to be very well qualified at taking care of a high needs baby.
However, reading stories by mums who now have 5-year olds (who were high needs babies), I feel some relief hearing their positive words.

One such mother wrote an article called the 10 best things about high needs babies which I will post later. It did help... a little ;)

Life back in Japan

2012-01-25T15:30:00.002+09:00

We (Aiden and I) got back to chilly Japan last Wednesday and have been pretty busy unpacking and settling back into life. Aiden`s first tooth is about 3mm through his bottom gum, and looks to be causing him less stress than before... Time will tell if tooth #2 is as rough on the poor wee guy.

Last Thursday Aiden, Yoshi and I went to Ishikiri shrine for Hatsumode (the year`s first shrine visit). Ishikiri is our `local` shrine, and it is really beautiful, it is also famous for its powers in healing tumors and boils.

We threw our coins, prayed, and took our omikuji (fortune slips) for the new year. Yoshi`s fortune was really lucky, Aiden`s was quite lucky, and mine was a little lucky. Not too bad I suppose. Aiden and I tied our fortune slips alongside others for better luck.

We went to our first `Mama and baby yoga` class on Monday which was fun. There was only one other mama and baby team, so it was a very personalized lesson! The other baby was about 5 months old and didn't enjoy herself at all. She screamed the whole time making her mum rather stressed and the teacher had to speak much louder to make herself heard... not very conducive to a relaxing yoga environment, but Aiden had a blast! haha :)

As for our biggest drama of late? Sleep. Yeah, I know you are all sick of hearing about it, but things are still the same. Aiden goes down around 9pm (falls asleep during his last feed of the day) and sleeps for an hour or two before waking up again.

I am trying to cut down on night-time nursing and stop it completely by his 10th month, so am sticking to my guns and not feeding him any more than once every 3 hours at present. If he seems thirsty I will offer him baby o-cha (tea) and try to soothe him back to sleep with shh-ing and back patting. In a week, I will try to cut it down to once every 4 hours... and so on

Last night he woke up at 10:30pm (when Yoshi came home), 12:30, somewhere around 2:00am, 3:30am and 7:00am. Not bad considering some of the nights we have had recently!!

I am also working on daytime naps because Aiden will only nap in the Ergo, or in my arms (or in the car seat when we are out with Yoshi). I put a small mattress on the floor and will lay down with him until he falls asleep, then try to sneak away and have some time to do housework etc. It has had mixed results so far, because he has some kind of sensor - when I try to get up he feels the weight/temperature change and wakes up.

In other (and much happier) news, my great friend K had her first baby - a girl - on January 14th! I have only seen her in photos so far but she is gorgeous and I am bursting with excitement to meet her in person someday really soon. CONGRATS K :)

Obsessed

2012-01-20T18:48:00.001+09:00

Recently I found myself obsessed with teepees (tipis?)! We visited a family friend in NZ who had this one in the backyard of their home and I fell in love with it.

A blogger made one for her daughter Rowan and I decided I simply must have one for Aiden too...

I searched the internet, scoured fabric shops, read DIY/crafty magazines and came up with a plan on how I would construct it and give it to Aiden on his 1st birthday...

And then I realized. The 3 of us live in a room - on the second floor of my MILs house. We don't even have a nursery for Aiden, let alone any free corner space for a teepee... :(

Oh well, it was nice to dream, and to obsess a little :)

16/1/2012; a kind of anniversary

2012-01-16T16:42:00.000+09:00

Today Aiden is 40 weeks and 3 days old. Pretty random, but that is how long he was inside my belly! So he has now been on the outside as long as he was on the inside!! Am I the only one who thinks that is pretty cool? haha ;)

To celebrate this veeeery special day, here are some recent pics of my gorgeous little man...

Goldstein`s baby language studies

2012-01-14T17:16:00.000+09:00

I have been reading a book while staying here in NZ... `Nurture Shock` by Po Bryson and Ashley Merrym (here is a link to an excerpt from the book if you are interested).

The book is definitely educational and also psychological, the two things I am very passionate about and spent most of my university years studying. The central premise of the book is that many of modern society’s strategies for nurturing children are in fact backfiring – because key twists in the science have been overlooked.

One of the most interesting things that I have read about so far is the way in which babies learn languages. This is something I am really interested in as I hope Aiden will become bilingual in English and Japanese naturally.

I (and many other mums and dads) believed that exposing a child to hundreds of words is the best way for him/her to learn to recognize and speak them... in fact, there is much more going on inside our babies` heads, and there are definitely more ways to help (and hinder) language development, starting as early as 9 months of age (when babies have the ability to speak their first words!!).

Here is some information from the book, and a link to more information if you are interested.

Tips to Help Toddlers Develop Language Skills

1. Baby Talk May Sound Silly But It's Really Good For Kids
Baby Talk: We've all done it — that oddly sing-song, slow, giddy cadence that people suddenly use when speaking to children. There's actually a lot of research on baby talk — the scientific expression for it is parentese. Its patterns and cadence are so universal, that scholars can play a recording of someone speaking in a language you've never heard before, and you'll still know if the person was talking to a baby.
Some parents are adamant against baby talk; instead, they want kids to hear adults speak normally. But that's the wrong approach. Parentese's exaggerated qualities help children's brains discern discrete sounds. By elongating vowels and stressing transitions more clearly, parentese helps a baby brain's auditory cortex recognize vowel-consonants groupings. And some use of it helps until a child's second birthday.

2. Labeling objects
One of the ways parents help babies and toddlers learn language is through what's called "object labeling" — telling them, "That's your stroller," "See the flower?," and "Look at the moon." While babies may look at an object of a parent's interest, they learn more from object labeling when the parent isn't intruding or directing the child's attention. Instead, the parent is following the child's lead: object labeling is the most effective when the parent describes an object that the baby is already focused on – gazing, pointing or vocalizing. But timing is everything: the word has to be heard just as an infant is looking or grabbing after it to make sure that the child connects the word to the right object.

3. Beware criss-cross labeling
The danger in overzealous object labeling is that you might inadvertently crisscross the child: that is, don't put words in his mouth that aren't really there.
Say a baby, holding a spoon, says "buh, buh." But a mother doesn't respond to the child's object of attention; instead, she responds to the the "buh" – sound the baby had made. So the mother replies with: "Bottle? You want your bottle?" Inadvertently, she just crisscrossed the baby: she taught him that a spoon is called "bottle." While proper object labeling can accelerate word learning, frequently crisscrossed labeling can slow it to a near halt.

4. Use Motionese
When adults talk to young children about small objects, they frequently twist the object, or shake it, or move it around — usually synchronized to the sing-song of parentese. This "motionese" is very helpful in teaching the name of the object. Moving the object turns the moment into a multi-sensory experience. This helps attract the infant's attention and ensures that the child attaches the right label to the right object.
Children have better recall for words learned via multi-sensory exposure. But the window to use motionese closes at fifteen months: by that age, children no longer benefit from the extra motion.

So interesting, right?

Beach Boy

2012-01-14T16:09:00.000+09:00

We spent a few hours at Ocean Beach (Hawkes Bay, NZ) on Thursday with Aiden.

It was his first time to see the ocean close up and he even took a dip! He loved the water and wasn't afraid of the waves at all.

Unfortunately there were a few blue bottles (jellyfish) in the shallow water, so we couldn't stay in too long. But lots of fun in the sun, and he fell straight asleep when we walked off the beach to the car.

He sure is a kiwi nature baby!!

Blue Ivy Carter

2012-01-12T07:40:00.000+09:00

Congratulations to Beyonce and Jay-Z on their new baby girl Blue Ivy Carter!!

Say what you will about her unconventional name, but this baby is already making music history as the youngest person ever on the billboard charts...

She's not even a week old, but Blue Ivy Carter is already making music history.

Billboard says that thanks to her dad, Jay-Z, featuring her on his new song, "Glory," Blue becomes the youngest person to ever appear on its chart.

Jay-Z released the song about his first-born child with wife Beyonce on Monday, and it immediately became a viral sensation. The song, which credits B.I.C., features the sound of Blue's cries at the end.

The song's refrain is "The most amazing feeling I feel/Words can't describe what I'm feeling for real/ Maybe I paint the sky blue/My greatest creation was you. You. Glory."

Now, the song will enter Billboard's chart next week at No. 74.

Blue was born Saturday, and her parents confirmed her birth Monday.

-Associated Press

Versaries

2012-01-10T17:46:00.002+09:00

Have you heard of this iPhone / iPod application?

Versaries counts little anniversaries in your life which is really neat, not only to celebrate with others, but to remind yourself that every day is special in its own little way.

Yesterday was 1 and 1/2 years since Yoshi and I got married! Yay :)

And on March 21st this year, Aiden will become 500,000 minutes old!

Here is Apple`s description of the app...

Experience time in unexpected ways with the Versaries™ app. Versaries Interactive Time Machine will uncover once-in-a-lifetime special occasions that would otherwise go unnoticed. Versary™ Milestones happen all around us – whether it's the 1 Billionth Second since you were born, the exact moment when you have been married longer than you were single, or a milestone moment until your retirement - the Versaries app lets you discover Versary Milestones worth celebrating.

It sure is cute, and best of all? It is free!

9 months old

2012-01-08T05:34:00.003+09:00

Happy 9 months birthday baby Aiden!!

So Aiden is 9 months old today, can`t possibly imagine that in 3 short months he will be a year old!!

9 months seems to be a fun age, as his crazy happy personality is shining through. He loves to entertain other people with his facial expressions and noises, and is becoming an expert in manipulation (getting just what he wants when he wants it!)

Here is what has been happening in the last month...

- separation anxiety - it takes him much longer to warm up to strangers than it did before (especially men), and he often cries when I leave the room (even if others are there with him.

- sleep - still no improvement, but he is able to be moved to a bed or couch after falling asleep and will stay there to nap during the day (freeing up my tired arms).

- baa baa sounds and lots of noise - aaaaah!

- passing toys back and forth to other people - he enjoys `giving` his toys to other people for a few seconds and then grins when he gets them back.

- objecting to toys being taken away - when he picks up and plays with things he shouldn`t (cords, pens, tools etc.) and I take them away, he cries a little; so I have to have something else to give him pretty quickly!

- standing for a few seconds at a time - without any conscious effort on his part, he has taken his hands off the things he was using for support and stood for a few seconds. I think the main reason he sits/falls down is in reaction to a big gasp from me!

- sucking his own feet

- exploring new places and new sensations - this month Aiden had his first experience with real grass, and sand in Australia and NZ. He also LOVED the sand and water combination at the hotel pool. Of course all stray leaves, blades of grass and clumps of sand went straight in his mouth!

- Christmas - Aiden had his first experience with Christmas as we opened presents in Japan and in NZ with family. As with most babies he preferred the wrapping paper to the gift inside!

- the army crawl has gone completely and has been replaced by the much faster on-all-fours crawl

- teeth - his first tooth started breaking through yesterday... and it seems to be taking its painful time :(

Bad, then good start to 2012

2012-01-07T07:44:00.000+09:00

The bad day... (january 2nd)

- tried to fill up the rental car with petrol before returning it, but the petrol station on the GPS didn't exist in real life!
- we were late to the Coolangatta airport.
- my luggage was overweight and we had to pay $150 in excess baggage.
- had to throw away my cute and trusty nail scissors, and then...
- we were chosen randomly for extra security checks going through customs!
- the plane was late leaving Oz, and didn't arrive in Auckland till past 1:00am.
- paid $30 for a 3 minute taxi ride to the hotel!!
- checked into the hotel to find that it was smaller than most business hotel rooms in Japan... our luggage would barely fit!
- teething baby wouldn't fall asleep

I was not a happy chappy :(

The good day... (january 3rd)

- woke up to find that last night`s taxi driver had returned my laptop (which I hadn't even realized was missing - the perils of carrying too much luggage). Thanks Andrew!
- after a wee bit of complaining and negotiations, we were moved to a bigger room in the hotel free of charge :)
- got to catch up with Eve, my mum and have some yummy NZ food (mmm, banana and corn fritters at Safran) and a bit of window shopping.

- Aiden played outside on the grass

- met the coolest tattoo artist who inked Yoshi with his first tatt!! NZ represent!! Thanks Thomas.

So, it all turned out ok in the end!

Aiden and Katia

2012-01-06T15:06:00.003+09:00

Aiden met a new friend recently, another international baby (half kiwi and ukranian!).
She is just a month younger than Aiden and they had lots of fun goo-ing and gaa-ing together.

aww!

News story - Mama power

2012-01-06T15:04:00.002+09:00

I read this article and thought you might like it too;

A widowed teen mom who shot dead one of two intruders on New Year's Eve is being called a "hero" and the "Make My Day Mom" by the media – and the surviving burglar has been charged with murder.

But Sarah McKinley, 18, who fended off the intruders with her late husband's shotgun and pistol, modestly says she only did what was necessary to protect her 3-month-old son.

"Obviously when somebody breaks into your house with a deadly weapon, they're not here for anything good," McKinley tells NewsOK. "But I am very sorry and it wasn't anything I wanted to do."

McKinley showed tremendous composure and maturity during an unimaginable holiday season that started when her husband Kenneth died of lung cancer Christmas Day and ended when two burglars, reportedly looking for any pain medications left behind, started slamming at the doors of her Blanchard, Okla. mobile home on Dec. 31.

"I walked over and got the 12 gauge, went in the bedroom and got the pistol, put the bottle in [my son's] mouth, then I called 911,” McKinley tells Eyewitness News 5, explaining she wanted the baby to remain quiet so the intruders would not know where she was standing as they charged through the door.

As she laid out the situation to dispatcher Diane Graham, McKinley said, "I've got two guns in my hand. Is it OK to shoot him if he comes in my door?"

Graham responded: "You do whatever you have to do to protect your baby."

Justin Shane Martin, 24, died clutching a knife in his gloved left hand, says a police affidavit.

His alleged accomplice, Dustin Louis Stewart, 29, who turned himself in to police, has been charged with murder. The sheriff says the charge is appropriate when a felony leads to someone being killed, whereas McKinley did not violate the law in any way.

Outtakes from the New Year card

2012-01-06T08:41:00.000+09:00

2012 is the year of the dragon here in Japan, so we dressed Aiden in a dragon costume and took him to the roof garden at Nishinomiya Gardens shopping centre where we took pics for the New Year card.

Too cute!!

Happy New Year everyone :)

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-05T13:34:00.002+09:00

Happy New Year everyone!!

I am currently in NZ staying with my mum, so haven't been too inspired to blog - preferring instead to soak up the summer sun and play with Aiden outside on the grass and sand :)

Here is a copy of the nengajo (New Year card) we sent out to our friends and family to celebrate the start of 2012 - the year of the dragon.

Do you like Aiden`s dragon suit?

Funniest kid videos of 2011

2011-12-27T13:27:00.001+09:00

Had to repost this after seeing it on Lil Sugar`s website...

Emerson - the scary sneeze...

Talking twins...
Volkswagen - The force...
Lil Lucian on the cell phone...
Super Bass by Sophia Grace Brownlee...
Baby Laughing at Ripped Paper...
2-Year-old Wakes Up to Waka Flocka...
5-Year-Old Needs a Job Before Getting Married

Too cute :)

Race day

2011-12-25T17:10:00.000+09:00

On Saturday, we woke up really early to accompany Yoshi on a drive to Himeji. We drove in convoy with the other members of staff from his company to Central Circuit, a car racing track right in the middle of Japan (the nearby town of Nishiwaki calls itself 日本のへそ Japan`s belly button!!)

The mechanic from Yoshi`s company was taking part in a drag race, so we all came along to support him!

Here are some pics from our day out...

1. Aiden `driving` the car at the rest stop.

2. Aiden and daddy at the race circuit.

3. Fast cars.

Noisy and cold, but lots of fun!! And we saw our first snowfall of the season :)

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T11:35:00.000+09:00

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Today is a normal work day for Yoshi so unfortunately things are not very festive around here, but Aiden did get a cute new indoor swing from Santa...

Wheeee!!

Hope you all have a lovely day.

Fran xx

Winter time in the jikka

2011-12-20T18:05:00.002+09:00

Almost every day I find something to complain about, and 9 days out of 10, it has something to do with living at the jikka (the japanese word for family home, or parents home).

Winter time, especially close to the end of the year, is one exception... there are lots of things to be grateful for;

Oseibo : (winter gifts) as with most seasons, celebrations and events in Japan, winter is just another excuse to give one another obligatory gifts. Younger people don't usually partake in these traditions, but families (especially those with deep roots in the community) send each other food, drinks, soap, washing powder, cooking oil etc. beautifully wrapped and delivered by courier. The people to whom you are `supposed` to send oseibo are 1) relatives, 2) matchmakers, 3) your doctor or physician, 4) your teachers, 5) higher ranked staff in your place of business.

Yoshi`s late father, and now his older brother run the family business - a dentist clinic. This business has hundreds of ties to the community, and so both Yoshi`s mum, and Yoshi`s brother receive close to 100 oseibo each winter! Luckily, because I live here with Yoshi`s mum, I get to enjoy the oseibo too.

This week I have enjoyed some very delicious imported sweets, like these...

...as well as fresh fruit, fresh juice (both which are very expensive here in Japan), japanese sweets (like mochi and manjyu) and much more.

Unlimited hot water and electricity : in winter time, japanese houses can be quite miserable. They are not made with thick walls and don't have central heating, so keeping warm is rather difficult, tiresome and pretty expensive. Living at the jikka, I enjoy the use of the heater, clothes dryer, and an always full (and hot) ofuro (bathtub)!

Not being married to the chonan : Yoshi is not the eldest boy in his family (he is the second boy, and third child) - thank God! The wife of the chonan has a lot of responsibility especially over the winter, and new year period. I won't go into all the details, but I visited the chonan`s home yesterday to find his wife buried deep in thank-you cards (thanks for the oseibo) and nengajo (new years cards). She told me she had over 40 thank you cards to write (each by hand with a heartfelt message) and more than 200 new year cards!!

I know not all chonan`s wives have such responsibilities, and in some families, the wives of the younger sons do a lot as well, but... what a lot of stress!

So until the next time I find cat hairs on my tights, or whatever... living at the jikka isn't always bad!

8, 9 and 10 month sleep regression

2011-12-20T15:26:00.003+09:00

You know when you are pregnant, or you don't have kids at all; and when you go out, or visit friends and all you see are happy mums pushing their sleeping babies around in strollers, or mums asking you to `shhh please` because baby is napping...

Well, that mum isn`t me, and that baby sure isn't Aiden. It is no secret that we have had our issues with sleep, and our issues in dealing with that lack of sleep, but I recently received an email from The Baby Sleep Site, which offered a possible explanation about our current situation.

Here is an excerpt from that email;

For many of you, you may be wondering what is going on with your 8, 9, or 10 month old's sleep. She may be having more night-wakings or napping very inconsistently. Although you can sometimes start to feel like it's something you're doing wrong, rest assured at least part of it is probably due to another sleep regression. You may want to read this article: 8, 9, or 10 month sleep regression and get some tips to get through it.

According to the article that this email links to, your 8, 9, or 10 month old still needs 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 2-3 hours during the day, but as with all developmental milestones, night sleep can be disrupted while your baby is going through a big developmental leap. Either they are too busy practicing their new skills (either by choice or impulsively) or their brain is just too wired to settle down.

This is definitely true for Aiden. He wakes up throughout the night, and the first thing he does is try to crawl around, or pull up to stand. He is exhausted and ends up crashing right back down several times before giving up and going back to sleep.

I hope the article helps a little, and if not, here are some more links to the 8-10 month sleep regression.

- Is it really sleep regression? - here
- A blog for sleep deprived parents - here
- Some info about the 4 month sleep regression - here

and an excerpt from a great mum who blogs positively at the memories of the 8-month sleep regression...

Last night, as I nursed him back to sleep for what seemed like the billionth time, I realized that, instead of becoming frustrated at my more-than-usual lack of sleep, I really should cherish it. This is time I'm investing in my son, and although I'll probably wake up more tired than usual, I can still function just fine. One of the hallmarks of my mothering has been that I really haven't ever minded night parenting, and you know what? Travis will never have an 8-month sleep regression ever again. Maybe he'll have a 12-month one, or an 18-month one, or maybe he'll be the kind of little kid who wakes up a lot to come sleep with Mommy and Daddy, but this moment in time will never be repeated. When he's older, I'll be able to look back lovingly on these moments and speak to him of them with a twinkle in my eye and a smile on my lips. And I'll never have to worry about whether or not I did the "right thing" in caring for him as best I could through these more difficult times. As tiring as it may be, in my deepest heart of hearts and at the very core of my mothering instincts, this feels right to me, and so every time he needs me at night, I get up and take care of him. It might be more difficult, but what good thing ever comes easy? And while that's probably not the glamorous image of motherhood for most people, there's really no place I'd rather be.

And just for good measure, 2 pics of my little sleepless angel;

Celeb babies in 2011

2011-12-20T10:14:00.000+09:00

The last time I wrote about celebrity babies, most of the celebs were still pregnant! But now, some of my favorite celebs have had their babies, creating an internet stir with links to fashionable baby clothing stores, trendy strollers and carriers, and of course, pictures of the cute mamas (and papas) and their new babies!

So in no particular order, introducing some of 2011`s cutest celeb bubs...

Pink and her daughter Willow Sage

Jessica Alba and her daughter Haven

Victoria Beckham and her daughter Harper Seven

Orlando Bloom and his son Flynn

Selma Blair and her son Arthur Saint

Tori Spelling and her daughter Hattie Margaret

Alyssa Milano and her son Milo

Devon Aoki and her son James Bailey Jr

Sure looks like a baby boom to me!!

Pancakes in Osaka

2011-12-20T10:09:00.000+09:00

I have blogged before about Mog Pancakes (Kyobashi Osaka) and I recently found another pancake cafe in Namba!

This cafe is named Porco and the character on all the signs and menus is a pig, which certainly doesn`t make you feel any better for stuffing your face with sugar filled delights, but, it is a nice cafe. The table decorations are very cute too.

Porco`s pancake menu include;

Blueberry cream cheese Pancakes ブルーベリークリームチーズパンケーキ

Scrambled egg and bacon Pancakes スクランブルエッグとベーコンのパンケーキ

...and many more; caramel pancakes, stewed apple and tea pancakes, plain pancakes with butter, pancakes sprinkled with green tea powder, and other sweet and savory varieties.

They also serve hot and cold drinks, and slices of chiffon cake too.

The cafe is located on the 8th floor right next to the cinema complex, so is probably very busy in the evenings and on weekends, but the 2 times (yes 2 times!!) I have been there were on weekdays in the early afternoon and it was easy to get a table (for 4 adults and 2 babies!)

The staff don't speak English, but made an effort to communicate with us nonetheless.

Overall, I would have to say that I preferred Mog`s pancakes because they were a bit fluffier and the portions were a bit more generous :)

* Porco and Mog have some japanese customer reviews and photos on the restaurant website Tabelog 食べログ.

Baby things we love 6m+

2011-12-14T18:32:00.002+09:00

I love it when other mummy-bloggers do these kinds of posts, so I thought I`d do one too (... hehe such a follower).

These are things that we use everyday and that definitely make our lives easier; happy baby = happy mummy!!

High chair.
Although Aiden has just recently got into the swing of eating and enjoying it, we have been using this Ikea high chair at least once a day, even just to give him his snacks. I hate it when kids walk/run around while they are eating, so I am hoping that this will teach him to sit down while eating.

Sippy cup.
Combi makes sippy cups that helps baby make a smooth transition from bottle (with a teat) to cup (with a straw). I am using the Combi Teteo range with Aiden and love it.

Teething feeder.
Great way to give baby whole, fresh, age appropriate foods, while reducing the risk of choking.

Stroller liner.
Good in winter and summer, and helps to keep baby protected from the hard/uncomfortable base of the stroller. It was hard to find a liner that fit our Mountain Buggy but this one (I bought it from Amazon) does the trick.

Stroller footmuff.
These are available in Japan and come in every design and color under the sun. They are a bit pricey, and some of them are padded like feather-down jackets... it isn`t really THAT cold in Osaka. I liked this one (the Buggy Snuggle) when I found it on Amazon, but buying it direct from the UK maker was MUCH cheaper.

Play gym.
This is the version of the play mat for babies who are learning to sit and stand. Tiny babies can lie under it too I suppose, but the plastic pipe legs might be a bit annoying for babies who like to roll around. Aiden can pull himself to stand using this and it doesn`t wobble too much. The music that ours (Combi melody gym) plays is very loud and a bit annoying, so if you can listen to the `melodies` before you buy it, that would be a good idea.

The O-ball.

It seems like every stroller in Japan has one of these attached, but I can see why. Perfect for little hands (and mouths), it keeps Aiden entertained when he is a bit fussy in the stroller - actually he has loved it since he was about 2months old, so don't put this one off... buy it now!

Sensory balls.
Also perfect for little hands, these balls are covered with rubber bumps and spikes making them easy to hold/chew and even be massaged by. Aiden loves them. We got ours from Costco, but you can probably get them online too.

*I wasn't sponsored in anyway to review these products and all opinions are my own, from personal experience,