Merry Christmas!

Me with Grandma Ginna at SFO

Merry Christmas everyone! My Christmas has been full of a lot of "firsts" (first time to meet the grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, etc), but that will come in another post. Today's post just includes a few highlights from the last two days--like meeting Grandma Ginna and GranTom in the San Francisco airport on Christmas Eve, finding out that wrapping paper is great (shiny, crinkly, and not that bad to taste), learning about Christmas lights, and just enjoying time with my family.
More later . . . right now Daddy and I are headed out on a walk on the beach (Mom & Dad are saying something about the fact that it's 4 a.m. because of jet-lag, but I'm not sure what they mean by that . . . ).

Hey, this whole "presents" thing isn't all that bad!

Wrapping paper is definitely worth exploring!

Christmas Joy

New Things!

Talking with my friend in the mirror

In exactly eight days, I will be four months old. And wow, these four months have held a lot! Recently I've started exploring a lot of new things. I've found my hands, and I've struck up a great friendship with this cute little baby that I see when I look at what Mom & Dad call a "mirror."

I'm working hard on standing, and I do a great job, if I do say so myself. Of course, Mom or Dad needs to hold me up, but still . . . it looks like standing to me! I'm talking and smiling, thinking about laughing, talking some more. And I've got to admit that baths have a rival for my spot in "favorite things to do."It's called "stroller rides." And they're pretty darn cool. And, even better: I get at least one a day: Daddy and go out every morning for one of these.

One other thing that is new is that I'm starting to learn about these things called "rattles." Not yet sure why they call them that, but they're pretty cool to lick! Mom even took a video of me and my favorite rattle. Of course, she's pretty technically challenged, so the video is sideways, but you know, if you just tilt your head a bit, it works . . .

Oh yeah, and one final thing. Mom's friend, Nadine Bakri, took some pretty amazing pictures of me (if I do say so myself). You can see them on Nadine's facebook page--look for her name or for the Family Photographer!

Trying on cute new outfits
(Hi Curt & Vilma!)

And stroller rides! Don't let my expression here fool you:
I LOVE these!

Movie Time!

About a week ago, some people were filming a movie in the alleyway right outside our house! I don't know what the movie was about--all I know is that there were bright lights and people saying things like, "Scene 26, Take 6"  and "Cut!" Anyway, I slept through most of it.

But I decided that, hey, if they can do that here in Weibdeh: so can I! So attached are some of my movies. You'll notice that I'm expanding my repertoire of sounds and that I am quite adept at the whole "shoving my fist into my mouth" thing.

Cheers!

Direct from Mom

 This week both Jim and I had the whole week off for Eid-al-Adha, and it has been a real treat to just have time to hang out together as a family. Yes, I have been back at work for less than two weeks, but still: I don't know when I've enjoyed time off more!!

Katie is definitely growing up and is starting to interact with her world more--which is a lot of fun! Just today she laid on her play mat for nearly twenty minutes, "talking" animatedly with the other little baby looking back at her from her mirror: she was delighted  that the other person smiled back at her so consistently!

Molly & Katie, Sara & Laila

This week we also had a chance to connect with a number of friends and get Katie out a bit more: we had a barbecue (despite the rain) and got to meet up with some friends who used to live her but now live and teach in Saudi Arabia. Their daughter, Grace (2 1/2) was quite excited to meet "baby Katie"! We also spent some good time with the Bridges and their kids--they were Katie's first visitors when she was born and are still delighted by Baby Karis. It's also a great opportunity for Katie to learn about "real life" with other kids running all around!!

At one point during our visit with the
Bridges, Katie got fussy. Jim was walking
her to calm her down, and Sara (the
Bridges'  3 year old) joined in,
walking her "baby" as well!

Monday Katie and I had another "play date" with Sara, a friend from my pre-natal class, and her daughter Laila, who is only one month older than Katie. It was fun to see how much the two girls have changed since their last play date. And this time they even looked at each other: Katie babbling away while Laila calmly took it all in (except when she was demonstrating her great little laugh!).

And Tuesday we took a trip up north to Jerash, giving Katie her first chance to get out of Amman and "smell the air" (Molly's translation of a common Arabic saying). She did great and we were even able to eat lunch at a restaurant with a friend.

By Thursday we were all pretty tired, and we've been taking it easy. Katie has a slight cold . . . but a good friend of ours who is a doctor (thanks, Cal!) once told us that it's actually really good for babies to get sick quite a few times in their first year--it helps build their immune system . . . so Katie's getting started!

Tomorrow we're back to work and a bit more "normal" schedule . . . but we are now counting down the days til Thanksgiving break (11 days!) and then to Christmas (one week, nine days until we get to meet the grandparents!!).

We're Back!

Good news. Mom now has a working camera again, so we're back!

Bad news. Mom now has a working camera again. Seriously: how many camera flashes in a day can one little girl stand?!!

But just to catch you up on the last few weeks: I'm now over 2 1/2 months old, and it's amazing how much more of life I'm able to see and experience! Fortunately, Mom and Dad have learned that sometimes I need to just be left alone to play in my crib or on my mat so that I can experience the world and take in all the sights and sounds and smells.

We are going out more: I've been to Mommy's work, to a barbecue (in the rain!), and over to friends' houses. I've even learned how to take naps at other people's houses . . . it's not all that bad, though it is a bit disorienting to wake up and not see all of my familiar things around me!

Mom has gone back to work, which means that I spend more time with Malou, my nanny. Not sure if I've introduced her yet or not, so I'll include a picture of her on this post. Yeah, I'm little in the picture so I've changed a lot since then, but she hasn't! Malou has been here in Jordan for a long time, and she's got a granddaughter in the Philippines who is only two weeks younger than I am, so she knows all about taking care of babies! She sings to me and holds me and helps me "fly" through the air . . . and also does all of those normal things like feed me and help me go to sleep.

Right now Mom, Dad, and I are enjoying a week-long holiday  which means more time relaxing at home and more time to visit friends. I'll write more later . . . just wanted to make sure you knew that I'm still growing and doing well . . . and I should be writing more soon!

A Thousand Words

'Nuff Said

Routines

Morning walks with Dad

OK, so I've been offline for a while. Mom and I have been having significant conversations about sleep recently. See, apparently there's this thing called time. Yeah, I don't have it figured out yet, but apparently it's pretty important to big people. And if I only sleep for a little bit of time, then Mom kind-of freaks out. She worries that I'm not getting enough sleep, that she's not getting enough sleep, etc. I'm not really sure what the big deal is--I go to sleep, I wake up, end of story--but Mom says that babies need a lot of sleep.

Anyway, things seem to be settling down a bit: apparently I'm sleeping for a bit more time, and Mom's OK with it. So I thought I'd tell you about my typical day.

Well, if I wake up and it's still really dark and I'm feeling pretty tired, then I just eat and go right back to sleep. After all, it's hard to play when you can't see anything.

Bath time!

In the morning (at least that's what Mom calls it), I wake up and eat, then Dad takes me on a walk around the garden. He's got lots of trees out there and sometimes he waters them with me. I usually hang out, look around, and sometimes nap a bit before he brings me back inside and puts me to bed. And then I sleep (maybe Mom was on to something about babies needing sleep?).

For the rest of the time while its light, I usually sleep, eat, and play: sometimes Mommy and I talk and sing, other times I play on my play mat (you know, the one with all the brightly-colored bugs that hang down?), sometimes Mom lets me sit in my chair and just look around, sometimes we visit neighbors or friends, and sometimes we go on walks. And sometimes I get to take a bath (still one of my favorite things!).

In the evenings, Mommy, Daddy, and I sometimes go visit people, sometimes we go walk around different parts of Amman, and sometimes we just hang out at home . . . but once it's dark again, I'm usually ready to sleep again. At least for a while--until it's time to eat again!


So . . . I may  not know a whole lot about time, but at seven weeks I can tell you that whatever it is, I still manage to have a pretty good time of it!

40 days!

Me telling Mommy about the play date

Here in Jordan, there's a tradition that babies need to stay at home for the first 40 days of their lives. Obviously I've been a bit . . . unconventional shall we say? in regards to that tradition. However, it seemed like a good time to celebrate, so on Monday I had my first "play date."

Jenna, me, and Laila

Mom met Jenna and Laila's moms during her prenatal class, before I was even born. Both Jenna and Laila are older than me: Laila is already 10 weeks old, and Jenna is 9 weeks old--but she was supposed to be born on my birthday! Anyway: we had a great time: we played together on Laila's toy mat, we had snack time, and Jenna and I even got to check out Laila's changing table: it's an antique dresser, so it's definitely fancier than mine, but I've got the window view, so I guess I'll stick with it!

Other than that, life is continuing on as normal, I suppose. I'm getting to meet more people (Mom & Dad say they're getting "braver" about taking me out . . . whatever that means!), and I'm still getting to take baths!  Oh, and the trench coat outfits are starting to fit a little better :)

Pictures

Ever feel like you're the "dog and pony show"? If not, you're probably older than one month. I'm serious: here I am, happily going on with my life, and suddenly Mom whips out the camera and that darn flash starts going off again. What's up with that?

Anyway, not a lot to say this week: I'll let the pictures (and their captions) speak for themselves.

Yes, Mom: I do have hair!
(she wants me to point out
the little fringe at my neckline . . .
can you say "over the top"?)

This was when I was helping Mom & Dad
outside again--it's starting to get cooler,
so Dad wanted to put up tarps
to protect all the wood . . .

OK, so I was just hanging out,
looking around, when all of the
sudden this thing (Mom called it
my hand? )showed up
right in front of my mouth.
So I sucked on it: why not?
(What's the big deal, Mom?)

And this really got Mom all excited:
all I was trying to do was to make sense
of my world that suddenly got turned upside-down
(Mom called it "tummy time"??)

Birthdays and Barbecues

I wasn't kidding when I said that Mom & Dad love hosting barbecues: I turned one month today, so Mom decided that, of course, we must have a barbecue in celebration. She was in charge of the guest list and the food; I provided entertainment.

And I have to admit, I was entertained as well: lots of people were willing to hold me, talk with me, and even bring me toys to play with (thanks, Hannah!). And I had a new chair to sit in, so I was able to join in with the adults as they sat outside around the barbecue.

Sarah has been waiting
to hold me for a long time:
before I was born, she used
to ask Mom to "open it up"
so that she could meet me!

Well, OK, so the boys didn't
actually do much talking
directly with me, but they were
definitely entertaining!

Hannah was willing to get  right
down there with me! She's one of the
people who helped pick out (and give)
my play mat to me.

Today (my actual one-month birthday) I got to talk with Grandma Ginna and Gran-Tom, since it is his real birthday today, and I again spent some time practicing my smiling and playing on my play-mat. Overall, a great birthday--and a great month!


The video below is terrible quality (I have a pinkish purple streak across my face throughout most of it!), but Mom insisted that I include it because it's her evidence that I've been smiling (like I said, it's been fun to watch her reaction!). Hopefully she'll figure out better video quality soon!

Alien Babies and Barbecues

OK, Mom may have lived in Japan when she was younger, but she definitely missed out on the tech-savvy side of life: it's taken her five days to figure out how to get a photo off of her phone and on to her computer. I mean, come on, Mom: Grandma could do this ages ago!

Like I said: straight out of science-fiction!

So, anyway, that's why it's taken me so long to get my next post up: I was waiting for the photo. Yes, I know I look like something straight out of The Matrix (just like my Uncle Dave?) or some other science-fiction film, but that's not really what's going on. All that was happening is that I was getting my hearing tested . . . of course, it might have helped if I weren't hollering to get out of there the whole time, but they said my hearing is fine, so something must have worked!

But that was just a one-time thing: I don't normally spend my time dressed up as some sort of alien baby. These days, I spend a lot more of my time, well, sleeping of course. And eating, taking baths, etc. But I've added some new things to my repertoire! I got a bit tired of the "one cry fits all," so I've been trying out new sounds: Mom calls them "cooing," but I'm just trying out my range of tones. I've also been smiling a lot more--still practicing when and for what reason, but it's been fun to watch Mom & Dad's reaction when I try it out! 

Consulting for Daddy

Cutting wood in Amman:
Daddy-Daughter Time

A more important task, though, has been helping Daddy. We have a great barbecue outside in our garden, and Mom & Dad love hosting barbecues for people, but that does mean that sometimes Daddy has to cut wood. I figure that, even though he's been doing this for a while, he might need someone to just keep an eye out, make sure he doesn't miss anything. So far I haven't needed to point anything out, but I figure I had better stay close just in case! 

An American Baby in Amman

I finally got my passport yesterday. I guess that makes me official, right? Doesn't really change my life much, though. At least not yet. Mom and Dad are already talking about a trip to see Grandma Ginna & GranTom, Grandma Ruth, and all of my aunts & uncles & cousins . . . I guess the passport will come in handy then.
Other things that have been keeping me busy, though, include sleeping (Mom and Dad are pretty happy that I like this), playing with Dad, getting dressed up by Mom (yeah, she still does this!), and meeting a lot of people. Oh, and baths!!!

Bath Time

OK, my parents have definitely been holding out on me. See, there's this thing called a "bath," and it has got to be one of the best things in the world!  Basically, it's just this pool of nice warm water that I get to relax in--and I can't believe I've had to wait until now to experience one. I mean, I'm 18 days old today: just think of how many baths I could have had by now!
Of course, Mom says we can't do this every day since we live in Jordan, which is a "water-scarce" country, but I might try negotiating with her. After all, I am still pretty small: how much water can it take?

Other good things have been going on as well, though. Now that I'm getting a bit older, Mom and Dad are taking me out a bit more. True, Saturday's trip to the doctor was not one of those "good things"--needles are not on my list of favorite things!  But we've walked downtown a few times, and I highly recommend the Ergo Baby Carrier: talk about comfortable! I'm out cold (yes, sleeping) within a block once they get me out in that! Once in a while I might open my eyes to try to have a look around (Mom and Dad say there are some pretty good views), but I still think sleeping is the best way to go.

Dressing Up

And they label this for newborns?
TWO of me could fit in those legs!!

Three cheers for the cuteness factor!

OK, what's up with Moms and "dressing up." No, not her dressing up--dressing me up. And it doesn't stop with my mom: it seems like every auntie, cousin, female friend, and even some random female acquaintances of Mom wants to dress me up in some cute little outfit--or at least coo over me in another cute little outfit.

But I'm with Dad on this one: once you find something comfortable, stay in it. I try to let Mom know how I feel about this: crying on the changing table, fussing when she changes my clothes . . . I even tried spitting up a number of times, but nothing seems to work! The weather cools down, she dresses me in some oversized pink pantsuit thing; it warms up, and out come the cute little dresses. I mean--come on, Mom, I spend most of my time wrapped up in a blanket, sleeping, anyway!

But she insists that it's worth it--and of course, out comes the camera. And I guess I do have to admit: I am pretty darn cute . . .

From Mom

Earlier this week, when I mentioned to a friend that I was thinking of going in to school for one of the beginning-of-the-year meetings, she told me I was crazy and threatened to lock me in my house. "It will exhaust you," she insisted.

But I was feeling good: Katie had been sleeping for 5 - 6 hours at night, Jim had been great about giving me breaks--why not stop in to see my co-workers and join in? And maybe even introduce Katie around a bit?

Dare I say it? Sleeping Beauty :)

That was before I found out what being over-tired and over-stimulated can do to an 11-day old baby. BAD idea, mommy!

Katie actually held up incredibly well: she wowed everyone and made it home in one piece . . . and then fell apart. We're 29 hours out, and she's recovered--sleeping again, eating again, not quite so over-stressed. But I'm not sure Jim and I will ever look at a trip, a visit, or anything outside of the house the same again!

In other news, Katie is now almost two weeks old and is starting to fill out a bit. She's a lot more alert and will actually spend time looking around at her world and environment. Attached is a video . . . true, it's not the greatest quality, and babies this age don't actually do all that much . . . but it's HER!!

One Week In

Happy Birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday . . .

OK, so it's only one week, but still: why not celebrate?

Since my last post, a lot has happened:

• my first "outing": we walked two blocks to Chocaholic (a coffee shop/cafe), Mom & Dad ordered dinner . . . and then decided that maybe it would be best to get the food "to go." I'm sure it had nothing to do with the popularity of "argileh" (water pipes) or with the fact that I was starting to get fussy!
• my first real trip in the car: to the Embassy. I've got to say, though, that some of the questions on the passport application didn't quite seem to apply: height? 50 cm. occupation: baby. have you ever been married before? hmmm . . . 
• my first visitors here at home: Mom's friend Manal was first, then some of her co-workers from school (I made sure to "baptize" one of them with spit-up . . . glad she's already an experienced grandma!), then the Wednesday night study group. Whew!

Asleep in Daddy's arms

They call me "Little Miss Houdini":
there's not a swaddle invented
I can't get at least one arm out of!

Other than that, it's been life as . . . well, "normal," I guess. I'm getting really good at eating and . . . shall we say eliminating? Once I'm asleep, I'm great at sleeping, and I'm even getting better at falling asleep, as long as Mom & Dad pay attention to when I get sleepy. After I've eaten, I love to just look around at my world and "taste" everything. Yeah, I know that seems strange, but Mom says that the way I stick my tongue out all the time makes it look like I'm wanting to taste my world. Little does she know that light & dark have different flavors! And, of course, hanging out in Daddy's arms is still a definite favorite . . .

Names and Hands

Dad just got back from getting my birth certificate, and it seems like a good time to properly introduce myself.

Yes, I'm called Katie, but that's actually only my nickname. It's what Mom & Dad have been calling me for months now--although they wouldn't tell anyone else. Mom wanted to "meet" me before deciding for sure on a name. Guess it must have fit!

My official name, however, is Karis Lydia VanCleave. Well, at least that's my official name according to Mom & Dad and, hopefully, according to the US government once I apply for my passport on Wednesday. Karis is Greek for "grace," and Mom & Dad say that that's what I am--an amazing gift of grace to them. Lydia comes from the woman talked about in Acts 16: 14 - 15. Apparently, she sold purple cloth and was from Thyatira. I don't think that's why Mom & Dad chose the name, though! But it does says that she "was a worshiper of God" and that God opened her heart so that she responded to the truth that Paul was sharing.

As far as hands are concerned, have I mentioned how great Dad's hands are? They're big, and they're great for calming me down when I'm upset, for sucking on (his thumb pad is just about the right size), and for making me feel safe before I go to sleep. And, yesterday, I "discovered" my hands! Well, not really: Dad helped me find them, but I've got to say that when Mom or Dad helps me out, my fists, fingers, thumbs, whole hands . . . pretty much any part of them . . . are also great for sucking on. Which does, by the way, seem to be my favorite thing to do when I'm awake.

Arrival

Dad "pushing":
He heard that Mom might have to push a lot,
 so he offered to help!

 Anyone who has ever visited Amman knows that, unless you're flying Royal Jordanian, chances are very good that you'll arrive some time in the wee hours of the morning--so why should I have been any different?

Yep, Mom & me

I was born at the Istishari Hospital in Amman, Jordan, at 1:40 a.m. on Thursday, August 18, 2011. I weighed 3.4 kg (that's about 7.5 lbs) and was 50 cm (about 20 inches) long. With my fringe of light blonde hair and dark blue eyes (well, for now at least), I definitely stuck out in the nursery--everyone else in there had dark eyes and a full head of jet black hair!!!

Here's Dad and me,
maybe a minute after I showed up

By the time the nurses were done cleaning me up, measuring me, and who knows what else (can you believe what they make you go through these days?!), I was ready to hang out with Mom for a while and try to figure out this whole eating thing. Not as easy as everyone makes it seem! Then it was back to the nursery for more trauma (sticking my foot for blood?!) before we finally got to go sleep for a few hours in the hospital room. 

According to Mom & Dad,
this is what I look like most of the time:
a blanket with a head.
Apparently, "swaddling" is a good thing!