Sick baby - covid scare.

       Hate seeing her ill. 

This last week Ariyah-mai has not been herself. After a very busy week in London then looking after our niece it was nice to have some quite time. However this followed by a boiling hot heatwave were temperature hit 37 degree, which is for the UK. I have never known it to be that high. This meant we had a hot, sweaty baby. On top of that this was our week to get things sorted in the house all the last touch ups before I'm back at work. We decided to paint and clean and sort whole house on the hottest week ever. Which was not a good idea. Painting in the night when ariyah was asleep however the paint was driying  quicker then we could even get it on the wall. This was not fun but finally all done. 

It was far to hot to even go out and enjoy the weather. We got out for little walks and things but far to hot for our little lady. She did get slightly burn at the beach bless her. So it was her first time at the beach with her cousins too. She love it. Wanting to swim in the sea and crawling round the sand. 

Anyways after this hot week leaving us tired, sleepless because it was far to hot for ariyah to sleep. The temperature droped and it was much better. We have visits from family which was nice for ariyah to see her nanny, grandads and grandma. But following these visits ariyah got sick.

Ariyah being ill 

Sunday evening/night was when it started. She been grumpy and not herself that day. But put it down to teething. Then her temperature was 38 degrees. She was boiling to touch. So call 111 who told us to take her a&e. They did her observations, and urine sample but all came back fine so was sent home. We had the worse night ever. She was up every half hour to hour, crying l, feverish. We have her Calpol and put her in our room to keep am eye. We also ordered a cornivirus home testing kit just to rule it out due to high temperature. Which to be honest they should have done a test in hospital but did not. Then refused to when we asked. 

Monday she weren't herself and slept a lot. Gp gave us antibiotic without even seeing her or making any history. We have her one dose on Tuesday morning which she spat straight back out. 

Tuesday she was not herself at all she was so tired she was just laying on the floor, not interested in her toys, were eating, not taking milk. She manage to drink water which meant she were dehydrated. Had direah and less wet nappies. Those who know her will know she none stop, playing laughing, climbing and getting up to trouble. So to just laying and sitting on our lap was not her at all. She was clingy but so hot she also pushing us away crying but grabbing for a hug. She just did not know what to do. 

Then as her temperature rose to 39.3+ as just kept going up, she could kept herself awake and refused milk so we call 111 again. This time they sent an ambulance who took her into hospital, she conveniently perked up. Again anyone with children will know that they do this and make you look silly. She laughing chatting to ambulance crew and nurses when we got there. Again they did observations,and checked her nose and throat, tested urine and told she fine. We were not happy so Ben took her back in and spoke to a manage a pedestrian came down from the ward to examine Ariyah-mai.

The pedestrian checked her and said that she seemed to have a sore throat and possible onset of tonsillitis however because we responded quickly with bringing her temperature down and giving her Calpol it hopefully is the end of this viral infection and see get better from now. That she was over the worse. That we should not give her any more of the antibiotic as the hp should not have prescribed it without seeing her but more so due to her being young and premmy.  Plus they don't even know what infection or if there even is a infection to treat. 

Day 4 (Wednesday) Ariyah seemed cooler and had a better night sleep. So thought it was the end of it. Then she started to just cry, like scream cry. I have never seen her or heard her like this before. Even as a baby with reflux and colic this cry was different it was real pain. We have her Calpol, teething gel and powder. She kept running her ears and making funny grimacing face so again thought it was her teeth. We can see where back ones are coming in now. So put all this down to her teeth again. But she just got worse, crying screaming, throwing herself to the floor she was clumsy tired. Still not eating or drinking. We took her temperature as she felt cooler, but sweating. This time it was low at 35.2 degrees. This continued so we rang the hospital and they told us to bring her up to actual children's ward to be assessed. Same pediatrians saw her, which was better then having to explain everything over and over to be told she is fine. So this time they did some blood tests. It came back that her infection marked are hight whilst at the lower end of high showing she did have a infection but is not to concerning. That it is the tail of it and she be better in a few days. To again keep and eye bring her back if we worried. 

Thursday morning she seems so much more herself, still moaning a bit, and tired but playing and laughing again. She was being her cheeky self. However a rash that started about in a&e yesterday got worse and spread. Last night it was a tiny patch on her stomach which nurse at hospital said was viral. While today it was blotchy, she started to get molted colouring to her skin. She still was not really drinking milk or interested in food. She started laying on floor crying again. Her eyes and arms were also swollen. We have her antihistamines to bring it down. It looked like an allergy rash. Like she got before however she hasn't had anything other then the antibiotic ones. (This contained penicillin) so worried she was all puffy and swollen. Called 111 and was sent back up the hospital. 

Still they putting it down to viral and to just see how she goes. She is much more herself come then weekend. Where she is back to eating a lot. Once she got her appite back and her cheeky personality we knew she was no the mend. 

We did book and do her covid home test just to rule out that. Which we order Sunday night, got and sent back on tuesday. Then after days of waiting it all came back negative which we knew it would as she was feeling much better.

Whilst she was ill, and even a few days after she was still receiving. This week knocked her back a bit. She was no longer interested in standing, did not really want her milk. She sleeping and tired more but still waking in the night. She still had moments where she cry but she is much more herself. 

A new week. 

Sunday she was much better and in time because my brother and his girlfriend came to see us with the dog. My brother is in the navy so is away or working on base most of the time, plus with covid happening, this meant he had not seen her since 28th of December 2019. We now in August 2020. That's a whole 8 months. She was only 10 weeks old now 10 months. So hug difference. They could not believe how big she was and clever crawling,climbing and being cheeky. She loved the dog and was very gentle with each other. 

Funny thing was we have her a treat to feed the dog, as the dog took it out her hand there was pure deviation and anger that the dog took it. We had to give her a snack too lol. But yes she was back to cheeky self but still not fully. Think it's going to take her a while to recover. As she just not interested anymore in standing, walking or anything.she just not as chatty. 

Monday comes around and she back, our cheeky, active clever bubba. She standing alone again, walking and climbing. It's my last week before going back to work so we going to try spend time and do things this week. She taken more random steps today. Which we managed to catch one step on camera. Then running around holding our hand at the garden centre. She also drunk milk and ate so much today. Which we are so half about. She such a goody so we knew she was really I'll when she refused to eat or drink. But we got nothing to worry about there her appite is definitely back. So glad that our baby girl is feeling better. And here to a good week leading to Nico's 2nd birthday this weekend. 

I will post about on both our blogs as we have some friends coming round.  

9 months.

 

How did this happen.

It seems like only yesterday that we found out we were expecting just over a year ago now. Then when she was born premmy being so tiny. That constant fear we would loss her. Now our tiny miracle 5lber now 20lb 70cms tall at 10 months old so not really a baby anymore.

The last few weeks she has suddenly just grown up. It not even that she doing anything much more then before, she just seems more independent and talking a lot. She can now say a lot of things, copies us constantly and surprises us everyday with a new word. She now eats so well and her reflux is pretty much under control. Unlike last time I posted. She is sleeping better however still not fully in a routine, with teething and the heat wave currently not helping. 

We got her weighted and put on a different medicine for her reflux, which we had research and heard from other parents on a Facebook group for reflux and allergy babies. This other tablet seems to be working wonders. It has been two weeks now and she is taking her milk without fussing, falling asleep better. No arching her back or screaming all the time. She generally happier, less constipated with much better bowel movements. She is not really being sick only on very odd occasions, no more rash, crying or arching. Basically a different baby. Still has her  frustration moments because of her teeth or when she is tired, in all she is so much better.

As I said she is now sleeping and eating better. We kinda given up on trying to set a routine instead just following her and what she needs. I think it has settled us all, because we are less stressed and so is she. This was mainly due to being away in London to stay with friends and family therefore there was no point when travelling, in a different house and around other people including young children. She was not in her safe, familiar environment therefore no point trying to set or keep a routine. We were out and about so she sleep bits and pieces in the pram. Falling asleep when she was actually tired. I definitely believe this gave us the freedom to just let her sort her self out, allowing us, mainly myself, to just let go of trying to have a routine or plan. Exactly what my OCD needed after lock down.

Whilst we was away we also was able to relax a bit where I felt better in public, I was not as anxious being out, in parks or near people whilst outside. Still did not go inside shops with Ariyah. We did have to get the bus ones which did freak me out a bit. No one was wearing masks or staying the distance. Also some people where really rude tell us they will suffocate if they wore a mask so we should cover our baby. that one thing I will not be doing again for a while especially in London.

We did manage to see lots of people and do so much,  it felt so good after such a long time in lock down. It was so good for Ariyah to spend time with our chosen family, see more people and just be out. Being around her older cousins helped her so much developmentally too.

Things we did.

We went to her cousins 1st birthday seeing family again for the first time since Xmas. When she was 9 weeks old. This was lovely to see her with her 1 and 2 year old cousins all playing together. The boys were so gentle and loving with her. This was also Ariyah first train and bus journey since Febuary/March.

In London we went to Battersea park, where we feed the ducks. Ariyah loved it, saying duck and trying to throw bread in. She wanted to get in the lake with them haha. We took some lovely photos of us all and the kids together. Then we even braved going in the playground. We put Ariyah on the swing and slide but with us so she didn't touch anything. First time since lock down so second time ever in the park.

On the Tuesday we went to Tooting Bec Common to met the LGBT playgroup we attended before we moved. Where us adults social distance as much as we could but the kids were able to play together. This was lovely to just chat to other adults and parents again. To see all Ariyahs baby group friends all grown up too. We again played in the park a little, still very nervous of these things.

The following two days we spent with another family member, seeing her little cousin who 3 months younger then Ariyah. We spent time there and Ariyah enjoyed chasing the kitten and her 5 year old cousin around. We also went to see my old colleagues from work who couldn't believe how big Ariyah had gotten. She was amazed at how clever she was. Then back to our cousins on the Friday we went to the park with them were we slashed around in the little pond. Ariyah-Mai loves the water, she was walking through it and slashing her big cousins. She likes all the rough and tumble with her older boy cousins. It was nice to see her building relationships with other children and family again. Then later we went park with her Aunty Shan and MJ. Got to see our friend Chris's again who is a trans guy due to give birth in 5 weeks. More little cousins for Ariyah.

On Saturday we went to Battersea Park zoo to see Ben's friend. Ariyah-Mai first time at the zoo, she loved all the animals, mainly the monkeys and donkey which came right up for us to stroke. She got very spoilt by our friend who got her a sloth toy, as well as her first proper vegan ice cream. which as you can imagine she created a hug mess! After we took a walk through Battersea park where there a water fountain in a large water pool. Loads of kids were swimming and slashing it in so we took MJ and Ariyah in. As she loves water so much, she didn't want to get out so me and Ben took turns taking her in, as she swam and slashed around. 

Later that day we had a social distance walk with a young boy I used worked with. It was nice to see and catch up with his family. Ariyah was crawling and trying to run after him. On Sunday we venture home with another friend who drove us back and spent some time at ours with Ariyah. Whilst we unpacked and tidied.

One thing that did happen was Ariyah decided to give us a worry and banged her head hard on a TV unit whilst trying to stand. This resulted in an a&e trip to Kingston hospital due to falling asleep then waking and vomiting. Lucky she was completely fine, smiling and chatting to all the nurses. We were in and out within minutes. She got to go in a blue light ambulance which she was not so keen on this time. She had a small mark on her forehead which vanished the next day, also was her happy chatty self like nothing had happened.

 It was a very busy week away, Ariyah-Mai was exhausted but could tell it really did wonders for her social and emotional health, development and just gave her the chance to explore, relax and learn. With lots of first or things she hadn't done in such a long time. Now we have her other cousin, our niece who is 3 staying with us for the week. So very busy. We met some new friends at social distance picnic in our local park with some parents in the area, this was nice to met other parents finial after moving and not being able to met people or go to baby groups. Then to give Ariyah some friends. We also spent lots of time with her cousin playing, going for walks. 

Then recently we did another first for Ariyah. She had her first trip to the beach. We went to dymchurch beach with my cousin Beth and her three kids. The ones who 1st birthday we went to. It was there first time at. A beach too. It was so lovely as it was hot, with a nice sea breeze. It was not actually too busy so kids were a able to freely crawl around playing. Ariyah loved it she got to crawl and play in the sand and the water. She completely loved the sea, she was so confident slashing in it, sitting and walking through it. She wanted to go in deeper, so we took her in and she was loving swimming around. She laughed when the big waves came which most kids including one of her cousin were scared of it. Yet she had the best time which was just so wonderful. To see her experiences new things. She also went on her first little ride which was the tea cups and a little boat one that went round. Again she really like it despite the spinning tea cups she was laughing away. Such a dare devil and adrenaline baby we have. 

Other things that she started doing because of this week away is talking a lot!!! She says so much now and been listening and coping everyone. MJ who is 3 has really helped her learn to share, play with other children and just communicate more. I post on my previous post about all the new words she says, so go take a read.

New words or phases. 

She started just randomly talking more everyday. She now replies with yes, no, or a very sassy maybe. She seems to just respond and talk constantly. And there are word that she randomly say in context too. So we trying to get her to use the word for us to know her needs. Like yes, no, more, milk, food, drink, help, up. 

Funny things she said. So today stood at the door to the back garden. Which is her favourite place atm because the cats go out so she watches them. She say kitty and cat now. As well as Hayes. She goes hi cat. So today her first little convo. she at the door says

 "dada, cat."

I said yes "Hayes is there, he sleeping" 

Ariyah. "get cat" 

I Said "he doesn't want to come in"

Ariyah "get him in" 

It was so cute and her first ever kinda conversation, that we could make out as she babbles replies to us constantly. But this was very clear that Ben heard from the kitchen. 

Other things she said. 

• Dog
• Help just started this one. 
• Good girl (to herself, as her cousin says it)
• Nana. 

There more but as I said she catches us off guard with replies and words that we didn't even know she says, she copies us bit also just says things in context like money and picks up her toy monkey. Or ball or baby or cat to those things. 

Milestones this month.

Along with talking, Ariyah-Mai is now listen more and can follow very basic instructions like get me the ball, or following us by crawling where we need her. Or give to daddies and she hand us whatever it is she shouldn't have. 

She is now clapping too, which happened very recently. She was bring her hands together and shaking them for ages but had no interest in actual clapping. Then whilst we were away she just did it. Now she does it all the time, managed to catch it on camera too.

 

She is standing now to, she can stand independently without holding on by pushing up off the floor. On top of this she stands there for a long time before sitting back down. When holding on she can easily walk round things and navigate her way around toys, furniture well whatever is in the way really. She very good a lowering herself back down instead of just dropping to her bum or knees, this is so good because she so independent and we do not need to be right behind her every time she stands up. She also able to bend down pick a toy up and stand back up again to then let go. With this she will be stepping in no time. 

Ariyah-mai is walking holding one hand, she walks round with just holding a finger. It all about confidence ones she learns if she drops to get back up there will be no stopping her. She has started to run holding one hand now, then will let go and take a couple steps before falling into Ben's or mine arms. She know her daddies will always catch her. 

She eating well as usual, self feeds majority of the time unless it's things like jelly or yogurt, we tend to load the spoon then she take it and feed herself. But now she use her hands and pincer grip for everything else. We do have to just put a small amount on her tray and she has a tendency to just put everything in her month at once and has gagged or choke on a few occasions. But she eats every large bits now, chowing very well. She loves her food. Milk has cut down which is great because she is eating more and drink lots of water in a straw bottle or plastic water bottle, like sports squirt bottle or fruit shoot ones. She could eat all day if she could. We can no long eat or drink in peace because she wants it, she so president and will climb up us to get food. 

we went out for dinner again first time since lock down, it still weird being out after 4/5 months being in doors. especial in pubs or shops. to adapt to this new world we living in with masks, social distancing. shops having one way systems, having temperature checked at doctors or work before entering the building. then pubs and restaurant having to do contact-less service from a distance. the pub we went to was a little one by the river, it has a garden which is how they are operating now this is all good on a nice day but when winter hits and its cold and raining i wonder how these place will open. No one other then staff are entering the building, they have spaced out there tables to be far apart to adhered by 2 metre distance that the government have set out. then you order in a make shift bar which is two tables again so staff and the public are 2 metres apart, they take your order, you pay by card. then they bring out your drinks or food put them on the table step back as you step forward and take it. there a Que and hand Sanitiser provided with outside toilets. its all very strange. but it was nice to be out, Ariyah enjoyed exploring and sitting at the table/ on it. she had her first meal out ever! with lock down and her reflux and allergies being changeling when we eat anywhere else. 

She has learnt to climb onto the sofa too which we have to watch as she will roll around and dive head first off it. We have been teaching her to turn around and slide off backwards to stand up, which she can do, however she will go head first and laugh. So she knows what she doing, luckily our sofa is quite low and she does catch and slide off with her arms. She also getting so cheeky as she get something she not meant to have and laugh at us as she crawls away. Or she will start to climb looking at us to see if we are watching and laugh. 

No new teeth yet still has 8 but definitely teething badly so we are expecting back ones coming in soon. With this she has now learnt to bit which has not been fun. She crawls up and bit our leg. We have had a few occasions where we had to tell her no and move her when she tried to bit her cousin this week or the cats. 

Overall she just growing up at a blink of an eye, she getting very big and clever, we have her 9 month review next week. Then lots to look and plan for. Her big brothers 2nd birth anniversary. Then daddy Ben's birthday and her 1st. As we now are planning for which is scary to think our baby will be 1! 

Therefore keep posted and look out for more updates of these exciting times ahead. 

some extra photo to see how big she is getting and her bond with her cousin. 

(Written in August 2020)

Communication

 Baby talk.

As parents we all wait for those first words wondering what they will be, wishing for either mumum or dadad however there are many other ways in which babies first learn to communicate. Along with ways we communicate to them and respond to our babies needs.

I am going to go through very early stages of communication, from the early crys, facial and body language or little ques babies may do to express a need. Then as they grow babbling leading to words as well assalternative ways, like gestures or sign language that can aid communicate skills and development.

So from the moment babies are born they communicate a need, whether it is for a feed, sleep, nappy change or cuddle. They are communicating. At first it is hard to know what they are trying to express. But as a parent you learn the difference in their cries or moans to disinquish what it is they need. However that may be difficult, like with ariyah it is okay if they do not have different cries and you can't tell what they need, instead just go through them all have they been changed, are they hungry, tired, need a cuddle, in pain, teething, sick ect... It took us a while because ariyah did not have different cryes or ques at all. Still now it's hard but we can tell more. through routines that we have set or now that she is starting to talk, point or sign. Before she whould go from smiling to screaming in seconds.

Other ques on top of crying might show what it is the baby wants, for example rubbing eyes or yawning when tired, or hands in month and slapping lips if they need milk. Then biting or rubbing side of cheeks or ears if they in pain. Again some babies have very clear ques from a newborn however many do not. Ariyah-mai being one of these. She chow her hands or anything she can when she is teething and very moany. Then with her reflux and allergy she aches her back, crying and wiggling when she is in pain but in terms of milk hunger ques she didn't show any. Just would scream in hunger straight away no warning. Again her needing changing we did regularly when we feed her so she was always clean.

It was only around 5/6 months she showed some difference in crys and showing hunger signs before getting to screaming. But more so now as she older, as I said through her routine you can tell when she tired as she rubs her eyes and lays down. She be irrriatble and winy. Then when she hunger for milk she still just crys but again we catch her before that with having a routine. She gets very hunganrgy for actual food tho. She loves her food and will get very grumpy. But she can tell us now by eirther crawling near the kitchen or her bag where snacks are. She does say or sign milk sometimes. Obviously teething she bite on everything cry and chow so that's a clear sign.

Babling
Babling is such an important milestone, as it is where babies first start to learn about sounds, two way conversations and building relationships. Therefore it is even more important to bable back to your baby,. By coping their sounds, making different pitches and ranges with your voice for them to try and mimic back. Also use facial expressions for feeling for them to be able to pick up on tones and moods, within speach. Along with babbling actually talk to your baby, this exposes them to word as well as ryhme of language. Singing is great to teach ryhme and tones for sentences later on. Just talk to your baby, as your cooking dinner, doing chores, at the shop. Explain what your doing point out things that the baby can see and describe them. You might look abit strange walking round the supermarket but it is so virtual for babies development. As they are exposed to so many words, speach patterns and expressions, which they soak in. Their brains are like sponges they listen and watch taking it all in then with start to vocalise themselves. The more you sing and talk and interact with your children the better intellectual they will be.

I must say with my job in special education it something I have training in which is called intense interaction that's based on the interaction between baby and their parents. Then as a parent myself using this skill i do have an advance to be able to truly know the postive impact it will have on Ariyah-mai. That said my one thing, like my pet hate as a parent is when people do not talk to there babies/children. They learn from us and the world around them. The more they are exposed, the greater there chance so just talk, doesn't matter if you look strange or it even makes sense just interact, be there in that moment with your baby is the best thing any parent can do. Does take money, or much time. So please talk interact and build those bonds.

Other means of communication.
Whillst talking to baby is so vital, there are other ways of communicating which are just as important or aid speach which for some people is even more vital. Then others for example if a family member is deaf, mute (can't speak) or has special educational needs/disabilities then other forms like sign language, body/facial expressions and gestures are the only means of communicating. Whereas for others it's just extra ways to aid speach, understand as well as teaching them to be inclusive to everyone. We have been signing with ariyah since she was very young. She understand many signs but can also now sign milk, more and yes. We sign finished and wait she is trying to learn those at the moment.

So the point I am making is interact, talk and just encourage all forms of communication with your babies or children. It's never to late for them to learn to sign, or another language they learn a alot more when they are so young. Talk to your babies, don't be too worried about looking silly. Also reading to them or signing helps them pick up speach, tone, pace and the whole process of sentence structure in order to communicate. They learn two way conversations where listening is just as important as talking. You can never talk to your baby too much!

Ariyah has babledd and spoke from a very young age. We feel this is because we have always talk to her, told her what we was doing, pointing and looking at toys or things, while describing them. We sign, sing and used our face/body language to cconnect with her. So she has been able to let us know what she wants before she can even talk fully. Although she is a chatter box. No stopping her now.

First words- so people class a baby first words differently. As all babies bable and minic sounds they will generally make sounds together that minics a word they hear alot. However at first they have no understanding of what certain words mean it just coping. This is why me and Ben do not count these as first words or any words until she has consistently said it with meaning. Like baby and picked up her doll. Or when we were with her little cousins who is 6 months old, she says baby and stroked her face. This shows she truly know the meaning beind the word. Or when we ask her questions she very clear at saying yes or no. Or more. She looks at herself in the mirror too and says me. She also signs me or more along with the word again showing she knows what the word and sign means.

Ariyah first word was her name ar-iy-ah which she said broken down like that but it was coping us and sounding it out. But then her actual first word with meaning that she said on her own was hiya when we got her up in the morning she waved and said hiya. Dad and daddy came after that. Now she talks all the time.


Words ariyah says:
Yeah
No
Hiya/hi
Byebye
More
Milk
Me
Baby
Dog
Cat/kitty.
Dad
Daddy
Dada
Nana
Wow
Brother whilst look at photo of Nico. This was a specail moment.
Then (brov) thanks to her aunty.

Other random words we think we heard:

Drink
Yum
All gone (cat ran away)
Run a few times
Mj and boy (her cousin)
Duck- quack. Once when we saw ducks
Gi (her cousin)
Said aunty once
Tries to say monkey (lots of teddies/ favourite toy)
Bum pooy (few times when changing her)
There are more but I can't remember.


One hard things being trans daddies is that Ariyah-mai has started babbling mumum which all babies do without it having meaning. She has not really heard the word other then recently with her aunty as her younger 3 year old cousins says mummy. Ariyah did say it a few times and it was hard, us being daddies. Getting asked where her mummy is by strangers or how she came into the world if we are together. So that can be hard as it is trying to explain we are transgender and her dad's. Without her now saying mumumu. We realised that she does tend to babble it when she is frustrated. Then said it when eating so we say yum yum to her. She also says me me me alot when again She wants something or more more, which can sound alot like mumumum.Hopefully she becomes more clear with what she is actually saying but at the moment I think it's just bable. Despite knowing this it still hard to hear when we are male and dad's.

(Written in August 2020)

8 months

 

I'm not ready for this. 

Our baby is growing so fast, where has our tiny premmy gone she is now turning 9 months (well a toddler more like it). She a very funny, sassy girl. And grow up to be very Independent and clever so we could not be prouder.

So this month has all gone up in the air, we were getting their with her routine, sleep, vomiting and allergy however now that all just well down hill. It is very frustrating.

So after changing milk she starting settling finally, still waking at 5am and some nights but quickly settled and was napping. She was now drinking all her milk because of having thickener. She was no longer vomiting, It was all going well.

Until suddenly she starting getting really unsettled, she was gagging and choking again. Could not handle soilds. We had to re blend stuff. She was arching her back and not sleeping straight away after milk. It took about an hour to settle her to sleep. This was hard because she bigger and stronger now so when she arching, wiggling and grabbing because she was so uncomfortable it is hard to hold her for so long. You could hear the milk in her tummy and gurgling in the throat, this was acid building up. We knew straight away her reflux was back. Yes she was not vomiting but had all her old symptoms of silent reflux. Like getting snotty and coughing too.

Therefore clearly the vomiting was due to her milk allergy while these other symptoms was from reflux. After calling the health visitor and the gp we got her back on medication. She is booked in to be weight next this week to get a proper dose and possible try a stronger different medication.

It has only been a a few days since meds so she is still abit unsettled. But hopefully with time plus a stronger dose, she will get there. I think she going to have to stay on medication because everytime we take her off it all comes back within weeks.

She is now eating better, having more soilds and bigger meals which is great, she is not coughing or gagging. She dropped her milk down which is only normal as she eating more and getting older. But still not sleeping to well.

Part of her sleep may have been due to her cot size on top of the reflux. This is where she is growing so much well how tall she is at least. As she sleeps sideways this means she bangs her head on the bars or gets her arms or legs caught. The cot she has is a small second hand one, it's 60cm by 120cm. She is 68cm tall so bless her trying to lay side ways or where she tosses and turns in her sleep. Because of this we brought her a brand new cot bed. It's bigger at 70cm by 140cm also the height off the bars are taller. Where she now stands up the old cot bars are at her chest meaning we are so scared that she will start to pull up and tumble out of her cot. So now with the new one hopefully it is taller and won't have to worry about her falling Not to mention it has a sloth on it, ariyah loves sloths so glad my likes have rubbed off onto her. She cuddles her sloth teddies and will staree at the wall stickers. So she getting more of a sloth rainbow theme now, streaming away from jungle.

On the plus side now lockdown is easing we have been able to go out abit more and have been able to start seeing friends and family. This has been amazing to be able to finally see people instead of over facetime. It was werid tho, the first person to come round without social distancing was our best friend Shannon. It was very weird to hug someone again other then Ben or ariyah. As well as having someone else in our house because since we moved in 4 month ago no one has been allowed over. We then saw Ben's cousin and the kids. Our friend Sarah as well as Imogen my old school friend had also popped over. We had also seen some family and friends in London.

Despite this being great to see people again it was weird and hard to watch ariyah reactions. Ariyah took ages to get used to people. She would cry, due to
getting very overwhelmed at first. So people had to go at her pace, letting her go to them. It did not take to long for her to start being okay with others holding her. I found it weird myself hugging people after so long or anxious being out so no wonder how she felt being held and around other people when she has only known it to be just us. She will be seeing more family this week, getting her first hugs off her grandparents after 4 months.

I have gone into work for a few days for training and meeting staff/pupils that will be in my class in September. It was very werid again being on a train and traveling since lockdown began in March. But it was also nice to be around new people, getting to know the school and just being back to some normality. At the same time it was horrible being away from Ben and Ariyah for the first time. Other then trips to doctors or shops we had not been apart, lockdown in the house 24/7. So very werid being without them. I'm looking forward to going back don't get me wrong and for lockdown to end so we can get back to normal. We can take ariyah swimming to the park ect... But at the same time I have loved being at home watching our daughter grow, not missing her first. To be able to do up our new house and spend time with Ben. So it's a catch 22. But it did mean that we got tested for covid 19, which all ccome back negative yay. We do not have the virus currently.

Ariyah-mai's milstones
There has not really been many millstone this month as I said before she seems to skip a month where she taking it all in then suddenly the next month she suddenly does loads

She has been talking so much more, making all sorts of sounds but also making out some words. She has yes, no, more, dad/dada, hi hello, hiya, ariyah, the random one off is, bye, run, trys to say cats/ there names. There is lots of times she says things we say like she is coping and learning to talk more each day. When she screams or pull the cats we always say oh gone. Telling her if she not gentle they run away. Today the cat ran away from her as she pull his fur. I definitely heard the words 'oh gone' even Ben heard and he was in the other room. There been others that we can't be sure but she is coping and chatting more each day. She is also starting to sign alittle, she signed yes for a while and now says it along side the sign so we know the sign was intentional, then she will sign more has signs milk a few times as well.

Other then chatting and laughing none stop she is always just all over the place, she can crawl very fast now, pulls herself up on everything and cruises all around the furniture. Meaning she gets up to things she should not be doing, so we had to rearrange some stuff. She can stand without holding on for a lot longer. She also very good a getting herself back down, as she carefully lowers herself back down. Hardly ever falling noow, as. She catches herself and is very stable getting up, down and around things. Sshee will even hold on with just one hand, bend to pick something up from the floor before pushing to stand back up straights still only with onne hand. Furthermore she is now started to climb so will climb the sofa, manages to get up the little step in he kitchen and in the landing. She attemps the stairs but not quiet there yet.

We all thought that by 9 months she be walking, with how early she was standing stepping and cruising however now she can crawl (very fast too) she is not as keen to walk. She can get to what she wants and stands up all independently. Whereby to walk she knows she needs help. She take a few random steps before falling where she let go of the sofa steped twice and fell but no really walking yet. She walks holding just one hand or as I said around furniture. With her first step walk now she runs, hardly bearing her weight on it, so I truly think it's all confidence. We are still hold her and encouraging her to walk, where she will step between us, taking a step or two before falling into one of our arms. But honestly we encourage her to crawl more, keep her crawling a bit longer because she gets to enough stuff as it is. Therefore we have more time to prepare, move things and make it very safe. So she older and can understand danger more.

It's getting hard with this virus and not being able to go out too much, although things have eased and we been able to see people, there still no baby clubs, swimming, parks or soft play open these are all the things ariyah really needs. She such an active and curious baby so trying to keep her busy with the same old toys is hard. She is bored, we are bored, so any ideas to do with a 9 month old who had a short attention span, puts everything in her month and just climbs please comment with ideas.

Other things that are small but still millstone is that she now completely self feeding, we put little bits on her tray or give her the spoon. She won't let us do it, getting so independent. This means she practicing and getting very goot at her pinch grips. This is where the index and thumb is used to pick up small objects. We give her tiny bits of fruit or pasta so she can grab them and managing to get majority of it in her month. Before she tried but kept dropping it. Her chewing and eating is much better being able to handle lumper and bigger pieces of food. She also uses pinch grips with her toys and started to be able to press buttons with purpose. Again before she just bang and accident press them, now it is accurate. She understands cause and effect that if she pushes or pull something she can make it work, like her pop up toy. If we hid a toy or stack a toy she will lift something or push the tower down laughing. She puts the balls on her ball drop and the rings on her toys. Photos of them below for reference.

She is getting very good at telling us whats she wants, like looking or reaching for things she wants. She has picked toys up, especially bubbles and gives them to us to play with her. She loves knocking things over, playing peekaboo and being tiggled. She very rough and tumble kinda girl.
Another really sweet thing she doing now is dancing. Any music on she waves her arms around and wiggles. If she is on her hands and knees or standing she shakes her bum. We have a google dots which she know where it is, she will crawl over to where it is on the desk, while shouting and dancing for us to put music on. This is so sweet and I'm glad as a dancer myself that she got such good rhymes and loves music. She has always liked music, it's always something that settles her but now we dance around laughing together too.

Most of the day other then her teeth or her little tantrums she laughs and is such a happy baby. She getting a very funny sence of humour, as she laughs at naughtiness, so knocking something over, if I pretend to steal her toy. If we just mess around and be cheeky (slap stick humour) meanwhile she has been throwing what seem like tantrums, she will shout, and kick her legs screaming when we are trying to get her changed, whilst she wants to roll and crawl away. Or if we not quick enough to give her food she has had little meltdowns. Other reasons where she very persistent is when she getting something she is not allowed like climbing on tables, pulling lead/plugs we can't hid, or just general things she can't have. Putting hands in cat  foood or water too. No matter how much we move things, move her away telling her no. She will keep going for it, she is very studdon. We try distracting her with toys and she is not interested, thus will throw herself backwards and cry because she don't get what she wants.

But I'm sure ones she starts understanding more she will calm down, all we can do is keep moving her away, telling her no and distracting her. We have been ignoring her when she screams and she stops because she knows she not getting her way, but when she gets really upset we cuddle and calm her then explain. While yes she is young we beleeive even just calming her and explain why, despite her being young it will help her understanding, as she takes some of it in. Therefore being able learn quicker and not hurt herself.

She is also trying to clap, she will bring her hands together and will clap our hands. She enjoys anything messy, or noise, including banging things together. Also has a weird fascination with ears, our ears and the ears on her teddies. She will play with them. Also she is getting into books. More so the that's not my collection. Where she can touch and feel them. We have quiet a few of them now but the unicorn if her favourite. She remembers where to feel even without us showing her or reading, she will sit turning the pages and touching the senssory bits.

Things we manage to do/wean off, additionally to her new cot, we manage to get ride of the gro-bag that she would not sleep without. Even in 30 degree heat wave we had a few weeks ago. Then also her music from the baby monitor that we had to have playing constantly, has now been dropped in her naps. She still needs it on at night to settle as it helps sooth her back to sleep during the night. But during the day is a start then we will work on turning it off during night. She dropped her milk intake down which she seemed to do herself and is actually napping better since all this. However still waking at night and early in the morning. Dummies went ages ago can't remember if I state that in previous post but she was about 7 months and just decided one day she didn't want it, and has not had it since. We did offer it a few times if she got really upset but she was not interest. We are very pleased with this as Dummies are bad for there teeth what with her having 8 and more coming. Then soon hopefully her reflux settles and we can all get some sleep again.

Cant wait to see what summer brings, being about to get out more, enjoy the sun and see more people. For ariyah to build those bonds with her loved ones as well as other children. For things to get back to normal, where we can take her baby clubs eventually. So here to more milstones, tears, laughter and fun. Let's see what the next month brings.

Few picture of our daughter showing her loved of food and humour.

This photo was from her first father's day and. Second year without Nico. But he was part of the celebration.

(Written in July 2020)

CMPA, reflux and allergies.

 

Allergies and milk update.

I will first explain what cmpa and reflux is, the symptoms, diagnosis and treatments before going onto Ariyah-mai update on her milk, feeding and allegies ect...

Cmpa- cow milk protein allergy

This is an very common allergy to the protein within cows milk this is different from lactose intolence. Cmpa occur before the age of 1 due to the body's own immune defence system, whereby the immune system responds differently to the proteins in cow milk. Causing many symptoms. (listed below.) not all baby's with cmpa get all of the symptoms and can differ on how it effects each baby.

• Rash like hives
• Vomiting
• Ecxma 
• Wind and stomach promblems
• Direah
• Conspiatation
• Heavy breathing (respiratory issues) 
• Coughing
• Runny noses
• Reflux
• Bloating

Lactose intolence has similar symptoms however is extremely rare under 5 years old. It does not involve the immune system its more of a digestive issue involving the sugars in milk not the protein. where an upset stomach is the result of having too much lactose. 

Cmpa symptoms are very similar to reflux and colic, which are also very common therefore could be miss diagnosed as eirther of these when baby is still young especially if your baby is have only a few mild symptoms or delayed symptoms. Therefore it is important to keep track especially when weaning a baby to see if they react to anything they have eaten or from their formula. It can also happen the other way round were a milk allergy is suspected but it may be due to reflux which normally settles around 6 months when weaning or once baby is able to sit upright more. 

Many baby with Cmpa can also have reflux as a result but can be separate by have one and not the other. Early treatment is the same for both cmpa, and reflux. By eirther cutting out dairy from the parents diet if baby is breastfeed, or changing to a hypoallergenic baby formula that can be precripted if formula feed. Symptoms should resolve almost straight away if baby has CMPA however it could take a few days or weeks to get cows milk out of their systems especially if they have started on soilds and it was in food that was eaten. Some baby's can even react just by touching milk produces or if cross conatimation happens, when preparing food. So being very vidulent by ensure sides are wiped and u tensile are washed thurally. 

On the plus side almost all baby's grow out of CMPA, with 40-45% by the time they are 3 years old then 60-85% by the time the child is 5. Unfortunately for a few it can continue into early teenage years. But rare for adults to have cows milk allegy.

Reflux-
This is when baby brings milk back up aka vomiting during or soon after a feed. It happens because babies windpipe is still developing. It means that milk or food can be pushed back up the oesophagus, due to the muscle not being able to shut of the little volve that keeps food or fluids down. It is very common and happens to 4 out of 10 babies. Normally it is mild and does not cause any really issues, it will revolves itself, normally when the babies 6-12 months as there digestive system developed as well as when they start to sit or stand upright. Most babies grow out of it by 1. No medication is needed just some changes to feeding for example sitting baby upright during feeds and for a while after. Feeding little and often instead off large amounts of milk in one go. 

Common symptoms of reflux. 

• Vomiting, spitting up milk or projectile
• Arching their backs and turning head away
• Coughing 
• Crying aand irriablle during and after feeds
• Waking frequently and problems sleeping. 
• Choking or like they have something struck there. 
• seeming to have a sore throat,or ear infections
• Constant hiccups
• Poor weigh gain
• Loss of weight
• Refusing or fighting during feeds 
• Seems in pain or discomfort, especially when laid flat 

However reflux can be very bad when it is caused by a cow milk protein allergy or other allergy which is when it includes other symptoms not just vomiting. On top of those above, these can be cold like symptoms (runny nose, sneezing, snuffly, wheezing, coughing.) along with bloating, trouble winding or constipation. Rashs, blood in stools. So be sure to talk to a gp or health care provide if you feel the reflux needs medical intervention and can not be managed by yourself. 

Ways to manage reflux 

• Giving baby smaller amount of milk in one go, but feed often. 
• Generally burb baby inbetween or several times throughout a bottle. 
• Sit them up more when feeding
• Keeping them upright after they have had  milk. 
• Using gripe water or infocol to help their wind 
• Using salin drops and nose sucker to help relief the cold symptoms 
• Humidifier help too
• Do not do tummy time straight after a feed leave it a few hours. 
• Using anti reflux milk or precription milk if you talk to your gp. 

They say never lift the head of the cot or moses basket but our health visitor told us to and we got a wedge that was a perfect fit to just tilt the mattress in Ariyah-mai's moses basket while she slept and in the pram. This help wonders so it's down to digression but do not use things like books or normal pillows make sure you invest in something design to fit and is safe. Also NEVER put anything like baby Ceral or rice in their bottles to thicken their milk. It can cause chocking, unless it is proper thickener precripted by health professional.

Ariyah-mai's update

Many of you who have followed our whole jounery will know we had difficulty with Ariyah's reflux and milk. If you have not please go back and read my previous posts about it. (https://transdadstoarainbow.blogspot.com/2019/11/reflux-and-colic.html?m=1&zx=303ac60956fcf729

A brief summary of her history is that from a tiny baby at only 2 weeks old she started projectile vomiting, suffered with constipation, bloaty, was hard to wind. She would scream in pain because of her tummy. We used gripe water, infocol, Feed her little and often and burbed her throughout her bottle, this didn't help. She did get rashes a few times as well as having a cold, runny nose or being bunged up and a cough. Without a temperature or actually being ill within herself. We kept getting told it was just a viral infection and respiratory. But they were confused as she never had a temperature or seemed unwell. She weren't sleepy actually the opposite being very alert.

At 8 weeks after hospital stay for vomiting dyhration and rash we were kept in over night. Ariyah had to be tube feed because she lost so much weight and was just vomiting. They finally listen to us and diagnosed her with reflux, possible milk allergy but told to see how she goes. She was put on medication plus given hypoallergenic precription milk. It settles slightly but still had lots of the symptoms above. The cold and cough did get better when we moved our of a damp flat, but she was still being sick alot and had all the tummy issues. Ariyah was put back on her meds. It just wasn't doing anything. Then had a reaction to the liquid form which was a higher dose, so we stopped that. Ariyah got given gavison instead which actually made her worse.

Currently she is on no medication for her reflux it's been about 3 weeks but she started to cough and gag/choke a lot again. However she is not being sick.

This is due to yet a another change in milk. Our Gp after 3 months of moving to kent told us that they can not precription the milk airyah is on which is similac, apprently they don't do it down in kent, it is a London thing she said. However for last 3 months the same gp has been precripting it andd the chemist had no problem ordering it. She has been on simulac alimentum since sshe was 8 weeks old. But now they gave ass nutramigen which is still a hypoallergenic milk. Whilst it's the same thing just a different brand it was alot thinner and had a different taste/smell. Ariyah was not taking well to it at all. She. Was only drinking a few oz, was very unsettled and stopped sleeping through the night.

At 7 months old we finally got an appointment over the phone with a dietitian. When we ran through everything our poor little one had suffered with, straight away she said it was a milk allergy, to cows protein. Therefore she gave us another formula where the protein is so broken down and there was no soya as often that can trigger the allergy too. This has made all the difference.

At first it was hard, because Ariyah-mai h wouldn't drink it. We wean her onto it slowly but adding one scoop first to her old milk so doing 6:1. Each day we drop the old one and added an extra new one so 5:2, 4:3, 3:4, ect.. Until the bottle was the whole 7oz of the new milk. We found that the new formula was so thin that it was not filling her up. She would not drink it all maybe 4 oz at most, due to taste or the thinness. Then she was wanting it more often, furthermore she was waking in the night again. It was not easy she was crying and struggling when drinking. So we were precripted thickener to add to her milk to well make it thicker. This really helped and she is now back to her usual 4/5 7oz bottle with 8 at bed. Although she now will only drink it cold (think this is more due to the weather where it has been so hot)

Her new milk which is neocate with Carobel thickener seems to have settled her so much. She is not vomit at all really now, odd little bits every few days maybe. Her tummy has settled abit. She still get constipated but doesn't seem to be in much discomfort and has not had bad diarrhea like before. We have complety cut out dairy and soya from her diet as advised. When she has had soya we do notice she will get a it little bit of a rash or her ecxma will fleer up.

However as I said we have noticed that she is now choking on nothing, her saliva or coughing more again. She having trouble with finger food or lumper blended dinners that she was fine with before. So another call to the dietitian and health visitor is needed. Nonetheless we noticed a huge improvement in her moods, tummy and just general discomfort. She not being sick, she more comfortable and less bloated. Back to our happy little baby.

Other allergies we think ariyah may havee but just got to keep an eye and check as she gets older is soya and nuts. Soya can be similar reactions to Cmpa because of the way the proteins are broken down. Therefore it's very common that if a baby has CPMA they are also aleergic to soya or wheat. Equally to CPMA most babies out grow these allergies very young, it can also just be a slight intolerance.

Ramdonly her nut allergy is something we are not sure the extent of it or if it was a one off. We had tried all the  other allergic foods

• Fish
• Eggs
• Wheat
• Tomato 

Insep nuts. So the dietitian told us to give ariyah smooth peanut butter. She has the tiniest bit on toast only had half so two finger bits. She seemed fine no imidate reaction, hour later had a nap. And Wass fine. Then arounnd 3/4 hour after we were out for a walk when her handss started to go puffy, her cheeks and bottom lips started swelling. We rang go and they precripted periton saying to just see how she goes. They said it was only. A real concern if she was struggling to breath, going blue and if her top lip or tounge started to swell. By thee time we go to thee chemist to get the medss the puffiness had gone. She seemed fine. So pharmacist said to just watch her and if needed it give her meds but at the moment shee didn't need them. Therefore unsure if it was thhe peanuts and as she only had the tiniest bit it was not a severe reaction but could be worse if she had more. Therefore told to. Advoid it til a controlled allergy test can be done.

So if you suspect your baby has reflux or allergies or whatever it maybe, just push push push. Do not stop til you get answers and solutions. Your baby is important and you as a parent no better then anyone. We are here for advise. feel free to comment what you found has helped or if your suggerling with a reflux baby, we are here to help with mmay tips. We learnt the hard way, with trial and error so we are happy to pass on our wisdom.

On a amazing note Ariyah-mai said dad!! She can say lots of other words too. But finally said dad to us both on different occasions on the same day. Now she none stop dad dad.

(Written in July 2020)

Ref:

https://www.nestlehealthscience.co.uk/health-management/paediatrics-food-allergy/cow-milk-allergy/about-cmpa

https://www.nct.org.uk/baby-toddler/feeding/common-concerns/what-baby-reflux-symptoms-and-support

Father's day

 

 Fathers day 2020

Technically this is our 2nd/3rd fathers day. In 2018 we were pregnant with our first. We found out at the begining of June so it was every early days but we were still daddies. Then in 2019, we not only had our angel son celebrating from heaven but we were also pregnant with our rainbow. We did celebrate both these years as we were fathers from the moment we created life however it was special as this year having the chance to celebrate with our rainbow baby.

It was our first offical father's day with a living earth baby to cuddle and kiss. Celebrating the joys that everyday fatherhood has brought over these last 8 months with our daughter.

While she is still young it was still lovely. Me and Ariyah made daddy Ben a card, whilst Ben got me a book from Ariyah and a sloth rug. As I am obsessed with sloths that I have manage to pass this love down to ariyah who. Seems to love them too. See cuddles all. The sloth teddies she has aand loves look at her sloth wall stickers.

To have our daughter to hold and kiss is so magical on this specaail day however still very sad that we are daddies to an angel baaby who can not be here to physically hold or celebrate with. Whilst this is sad and we honor him everyday. We have to know hee is always with us. We see his smile and cheeky personality without his little sister. We have to make sure she iss cherished and doesn't feel like second best. Nico will always be our first and our son but Ariyah is also our gift and little miracle spent down from heaven from him.

We had a lovely day, we also had our newpth and sister (chosen not blood family) here for the weekend which was nice. We basically help raise him and have been there from day one. Caring for him alot when he was young. Then helping him develop, learn and grow. We watched him grow to this funny, cheeky and sometime sassy boy. His dad unfortunately is not around and it was so nice to get presents and love frrom him, as his male role models in life. We always look out for him as our own. Mj your two uncles have got your back. We love you.

Thank you shan our choosen sister for cook breakfast and making the day extra special.
So whether this is the first or 30th fathers day you. Are celebrating and whether your hhave the chilldren, dad's, grandads or faather figures with you on this day or not. Let's not forgot those we loved and lost and those we still have here to be thankful for.

We hope you had a great day as much as possible and make memories or to honor those who can't physically be here on this day. Weather your a child, a daddy, step daddy, uncle, grandad or mum that plays dad role. Or just someone who takes that roll on for anyone happy fathers day to you and for all those non binary parents out there.

(Written on father's day June 2020) 

7 month development

 

Another month already!

Time has really speed by I cannot believe our baby is going on to 8 months in just a week. She has grow up into this sassy, independent, funny human that me and Ben could not be more proud of.

For a tiny premmy baby who we truly could not believe to be blessed with after lossing Nico and having a very scary, difficult pregnancy. To see her now reaching above her milestones. Catching up with her weight and hight, is amazing, a dream come true. Of course with yet more stress, scares or bumps along the way. She truly keeps us on our toes.

So lots has happened this month, both with ourselves, Ariyah and the world.

Ariyah-mai seems to skip a month, at 5 months there was lots of millstones, some first's and growth happening. Then six months not much changed just lots of really trying to crawl and more talking. Then again this month she is just all of a sudden doing everything. Therefore I will break it down into sections.

Milstones.

Biggest one! We have a Crawler. 

So after weeks of frustration, as Ariyah-mai tried so hard to crawl. She would constantly roll onto her tummy and get herself worked up. She could turn and shuffle in circles, but would just end up pushing backwards instead of forward. We tried everything to encourage her with toys, all her favourite things even the sky remote but nothing. She would push forward if we put our hands behind her feet or she is by the sofa. She then started getting up on want I could only discribe as a monkey crawl, with her fist on the floor and up on her toes. She then would step her feet in and out but couldn't get the idea or had the strengh to move her arms so would just drop forward. We decided to just let her do it in her own time, we didn't want to put pressure on her, as she was getting herself very stressed. She preferred pulling and standing up at the furniture or us, she would walk holding our hands because of this we thought she skip crawling and just walk.

Then one morning out of nowhere we were all in her room. She had woken up early at 5 am so me and Ben were tired, she was playing on her mat while we sleepy talking about the day when we caught her out the corner of our eye crawl (well drag herself) to reach a toy. Now there is no stopping her. she is getting fast everyday and it's very funny how she does it. So she uses one big toe to push and her arms to lift up slightly and drag forward. Normally the opposite arm to whatever toe she using like a side ways swim.
(Edit as I went to post this Ariyah starts crawling fully on her hands and Knees)

She so much happier now she can crawl. she can go from sitting to crawling. She can pull herself up on whatever she can, mainly us or the sofa, where she then can cruise around and stand. Her favourite most happiest place is when she is stood at the sofa playing. If we hold her hands, or waist for balance she walks and even tries to run. She very good and will step over or round objects. She stand at her toys to play and can get her own toys off the shelf or from her box now. This has improved her frustration massively although she still gets annoyed as she will follow us to pull herself up and walk. Quiet often she forgets she cannot walk alone yet and will let go of whatever she holding and tried to step but falls. Not yet got the ballance, but she very good and catching herself or falling onto her bum or knees, to just do it all over again. We are always near and catch her if we need to but as I said she generally catch herself before we do. That way she learns to get herself back up. She very determined and persistent always has been our strong fighter so I know she will get there and be running around in no time.

Another great achievement is she can know walk with her first step walker. She started standing and holding it but would push it and not step. We had to stop it from rolling to far so she didn't fall. She would also stand leaning over to play with the toys on the front. Then again one day she was standing at it, I was stood behind in case, when she pushed it as usual, instead of falling she started stepping. I followed so scared incase she fell but she kept going. She can now lean sideways to be able able to step to the side and even backwards to re balance herself. She still really like her sit in walker we use in the kitchen, mainly because she can go very fast in it, turning round to open the carpboards and the bin. So please wish us luck for the next coming weeks as she starts to walk. We will be chasing her, as she tries to pull and get to everything (she already gives it a good go, but her daddies are quicker right now!)

Talking 

Ariyah-mai talks/ babbles all day long. From 5/6am she is shouting, laughing and chatting. More so this month she has been making lots more sounds. Including more words sounds, like yeah, no, oh, hmmm, and many others, that have become very clear, responsing to whatever we are talking to her about. This week she started saying hey, hiya. Sometimes hi or hello but mainly hey. She also has been waving. We practice, by getting her to wave whenever we are on facetime to friends or family. Or on our walks when we came across neighbours (at a distance of course). She then been doing this in the morning or when we get her up from a nap. She will say hay and wave with the biggest smile, getting all excited to see us. It is the best part of my day.

Another not so great sound that she has mastered is screaming/skriching. So the joys of a babies high pinch screwl. She does this mainly at the cats to which they run away. Mainly Hayes, she doesn't do it to oakly as much and he seems to not care. But yes it's very loud, hight pitch and great at 6am. But it is still amazing to see her so happy and get excited. She laughing all the time now and finds it funny when she is cheeky, if we mess around and tiggle her.

We try to get her to say dada, but she just laughs at us. Oh she's clever, it is as if she thinking 'haha dad's I know what your tring to do' . However she was got a certain call that sounds a bit like daaaaaadd that she will do if she has woken up after her naps or if she is playing and we are doing something. There is definatly a disquished noise for us. Which is so good that she is chatting and figure out ways to get our attention. She also working out which one of us she wants for certain needs, or just because. She getting very independent and clever but also loves cuddles, kisses and our undivided attention to play, laugh, and climb all over us.

Teething 

Ariyah-mai got her first two teeth at exactly 5 months. Now her top two lateral incisors have come through just as she turnt 7 months. With her top middle and bottom lateriaal incisors moving into place and emerging. Ariyah really struggles with her teeth. While this time round it has not been as bad, it's still hard on us all. She gets clingy, irritated and it effects her sleep. Maybe she is getting used to the pain after the first lot came through but also she is older that she is able to actively get the teethers or anything for that matter to chow on. Instead of waiting for us to figure out what she wanted. Despite this calpol is still the only way to settle her.

Chart showing what each tooth is called, the placement and when roughly they start to come in. I have circled the ones Ariyah has. 

With her 4 more following soon.

Feeding/weaning. 

Weaning is still going well she loves her food, for a few days she did go off it and then was wanting milk more, she would now have more amounts of milk in one go but stopped drinking her night bottle if she had dinner as usual. So we had to shift timings around, to get her to have the night bottle in order to sleep through the night again. She has picked back up on soilds, having more oz each milk feeds but dropped a day time bottle and nap. Thus for a while it was abit all over the place with her routine, resulting in lots of trial and error. By shifting things around I think we are back to a better feeding routine. She is eating a lot again, but prefers blended whole meals over finger food. She can handle bigger lumps so we can just mash/ cut her food up. This is because she get annoyed at herself if she cannot pick food up, or that she is not getting a alot of food. Where as with blended dinners she can get enough food. She does feed herself with the spoon. Again she would get frustrated us feeding and helping her. She grab the spoon off us and get upset when we took it back to refill the spoon. 

Additionally Ariyah loves food so much that with finger food she would not know when to stop, where by she would push the whole lot in her month. For example if we gave her finger slices of toast she put it all in or big massive bits, making herself gag or choke. Then would get distress as she had to take it off her. 

What we found is best for her was let her feed herself using the spoon, instead. We would load the spoon and give it to her. She would feed herself, we would then take the spoon to reload it, and so forth. While explaining its daddies turn as we take the spoon. Then give it back to her, saying 'Ariayh's turn.'  afterwards we put our hand out for her to place the spoon back in our hands. If she throw it on the floor il give it back to her and place my hand out again. Showing her that if she gives us the spoon she will get more. This puts it in her control, because she learnt that we are not taking the spoon or food away in fact we are giving her more. Now she is very good, by giving the spoon back and takes it nicely, feeding herself. Subsequently we do not need the vocal exchange anymore, making dinner time calmer. We give her warning when the food is nearly gone. When it is finish, we show her and sign finish. Again place our hand out for her to give us the spoon. She still does have some finger food, like her bit melts, or rice cakes. She hold bits of toast but we just give smaller pieces, while watching her closely. It is good practice for her pinser grip too. If anyone wants a better break down or tips please comment, or tell us your babies dinner time routines and strategies. Let's help each other!! When these meal time can be stressful. 

Sleep 

Daily routine as I stated before in both her feeding and nap times have been a bit all over the place. Lately we manage to get back into a routine just had to alter it slightly. This was very frustrating because it took us a very long time getting Ariyah into a routine. If you have read my sleep blog (if not go take a read) Ariyah was never a great sleeper. She has short naps, meaning she had multiple a day making it hard for us to get any rest or tidying while she slept. She also would only slept on one of us leaving the other to do the chores. However we did start to get her napping in her cot by mimicking her bed time routine for every nap. Sometimes napping four to five times a day. She needed milk and to be rocker or sung to in order to sleep. We had to ensure she was fully asleep before placing her down or she would wake up screaming. She works herself up, sometimes being sick because of the reflux. Hence it was hard to get her calm again, let alone to sleep. We had to do many walks around the block in her pram. Thankfully she has started to have longer naps in her cot. Furthermore she was sleeping through the night 7:30- 6:30. 

Suddenly she did not nap again, was waking at 3/4 am taking am hour or more to get back to sleep to wake again at 5am. Her feeds were up and down taking only 4/5 on one then more on another. She was so over tired, teething. It didn't help it was so hot at the moment at 26°. She also had problems with her medication and got a rash that could of be an allegic reaction so was very difficult week or two. She was just irritated with the rash and her reflux. Everything just was all at ones and she could handle it. 

Turns out it was possible excma linked to an allergic reaction but can not be sure what caused it. Maybe her meds but also possible soya. We are just keeping an eye and noting down when it comes up and what she has had. I will do a post following our dietitian call in a future post next week so keep posted. 

Other things happening that she is doing. So she is building a lovely relationship with the cat, now she crawling and playing more they come play with her especially Oakley. She shakes their cat toy and loves watching them and chasing them around. The cats are so good with her. 

She is able to move fast now getting what she wants, pulling up and also today started to sit herself up from a crawling position. She can lean and rach out to grasp smaller objects, transferring them between each hand. She is working out how to press buttons, to make her toys work. She loves musical noise or light up toys. She is getting favourite of toys and food disquishing which ones she finds more engaging. Light up toys are favable, like her sensory ball, and bubble tube. Others likes are Mirrors and any sensory stuff. She has started to enjoy reading, and feeling books, for example her touch and feel books. She loves teddies too, where she cuddle, and talk to them. There is this monkey that skreeks when you press its belly. She screams back. And minic the sound it makes as she laughs. Her humour and personality is definatly coming through and it's so lovely to see her sassy funny personalitycome to life

Not to mention one thing we are glad about is she seems to have stopped needing her dummy. She never really had it during the day only when getting distress or when she slept. Where as she now just won't take it and doesn't need it at night. It has been about a week that she not had it at all. Her blankets are her comfort. Which we are glad about as now she has teeth she was starting to bite the dummy which is bad for their teeth. So we will see but hopefully that's her no longer needing dummies. 

Oh we have even started experiencing tantrums, mainly because she is tired. It's been so hot and she in pain with her teeth as well. As well as this rash. She has just not been herself doesn't know whats she wants. Will crawl and stand herself up at us then maon if we talk or play with her. She want to be picked up but put down at the same time. She started to shout and even pinch or hit if we didn't feed her fast enough, when we are tring to get her dress or change her. If she wanted something she could not have like cat food bowls, sky remote or to be moved somewhere she will scream or have a strop. We firstly tried distracting her with her toys, however we had to start telling her no moving away, so she could calm down. Whilst reassuring her that it is okay. This is when it is dangerous like grabbing the cats, pinching us or trying to touch the oven (when in walker). We are using signing with her and very clear explanation as a result this is getting better. Any tips on how to mangager tantrums at 7 months would be very appreciated. 

Routine. 

With lots of researching asking other parents and shifting things around slowly we are now in a good routine. Where she has drop a bottle and nap. So we had to shift timings, feeds and soilds around to accommodate. 

New routine.  

• 5-6am wake up
• 7:30 Breakfast with some milk in a beaker. 
• 8:30-9 Milk (1hr nap) 
•  10:20 we do baby club on cbeebies (can't go to real one right now) 
• 11:30 lunch and go for a walk 

• 12:30 milk and long nap 
•  4 milk and another shorter nap (3:30 milk and long nap if havnt slept at lunch) 
• 6-6:30 dinner. 
• In the night garden and calm play. 
• 7:15 eirther bath or a wash down, massage. 
• 7:45 milk and down for bed by 8

Sometime we can shift her milk and naps half hour eirther way. Depending on how long she has slept. At every nap we also go upstairs, play a in her room. Get pj on and grow bag. Then sit on the storage box for her milk. This creates the same routine as bed time. This way she knows it's time to sleep. I hightly recommended simulating bedtime as much as possible for naps too it done wonders for Ariyah sleep and frustration. I know some babies don't have milk before each nap which is different but we have too as Ariyah doesn't sit still long enough because she so active climbing and crawling everywhere that she will vomit because of her reflux. Thus her sleeping after milk gives it time to digest and settle. After food we try keep her still by going for a walk so she is sat in pram after lunch or she sits and watches TV after dinner.
She is sleeping through again, is taking soilds and precription milk better. She napping longer only having three which is amazing. Let's hope we can keep it up.

Anyways we could not be prouder of our clever little miracle, she was a fighter from the moment she started to form. Both in the pregnancy birth and now growing she is defining all odds and proving the world she is a survivor. Look forward to the next month and leading up to her first Birthday as we begin to plan. Daddies are so proud ariyah but don't grow up to fast, where is our tiny premmy 5lb baby gone. She is now this cheeky, clever, funny very sassy human. Talking, crawling almost walking. Getting what's she wants and going where she wants to. Keeping us on our toes. Wouldn't change you for the world however demanding you can be.

(Written in June 2020)