Weaned

Estelle is 20 months today and weaned from breastfeeding just a week ago. It's funny how it's both relieving and heartbreaking. I've spent so many hours holding her reveling in every moment looking down on her in my arms and at the same time resenting the hours stuck sitting trapped.

I had a goal to reach 18 months but around 16 months she started saying "nurse" as she would grab my finger and drag me to the rocking chair. I had an urge to quit at that moment, that societal pressures say I shouldn't be breastfeeding a child that can walk, talk, and give orders. But I kept going. Just after she turned 18 months I mentioned weaning to Trace and we attempted to have him put her to bed without nursing. She was crying out for her mom and I couldn't resist her pleas to save her. Why should I stop at 18 months?

After perusing advice on the internet I decided to keep nursing her until she was ready to quit. I was also a bit afraid. I haven't really ever put her to sleep before this point without simply nursing her. I was down to nursing her only at naptime and bedtime. Outside of the stroller and car seat, almost every nap and bedtime had been achieved with the this weapon. What other arsenal did I have to get her to sleep?

Fortunately she did it on her own. We spent 3 weeks visiting family on mainland. The flight home she had woken up early to catch a plane from Reno to San Jose, then we ran around the airport for a few hours before we caught our flight to Maui. As we were taking off she fell asleep reading books. About an hour of so later she woke up from some noise. I nursed her back to sleep and that is the last time. I didn't even realize we were weaning. I get a little teary thinking that was my last time to connect with her that way. Funny how life is. That night she fell asleep in the stroller during a walk. And since then she has fallen asleep in her bed lying next to me reading books.

I'm so grateful I get to be her mom. I'm grateful I was able to nurse her for such a long time. It definitely had it's share of difficulties but I have no regrets.

17 months!

This past month:
-New words every time she speaks. Well over 100.
-Grabs your finger and takes you where she wants you to go
-Less shy about waving and saying hello and goodbye to strangers, always blows a good kiss
-Consistently using the potty for two weeks at home with only a handful of accidents (how do I translate that to out of the house?)
-Says "dance" and rocks back and forth to get us to turn on our spotify dance playlist, she has a thing for Bruno Mars music
-LOVES the bus, garbage truck, cars, etc.
-Knows all her body parts and can say them all (hair, eyes, eyebrows, mouth, cheeks, chin, teeth, armpit, elbow, hands, knees, fingers, toes, feet, belly button, neck, and more)
-Knows so many animals and their sounds
-Really into wood puzzles, does them over and over. She gets frustrated sometimes when she can't turn the piece the right way but she accepts help.
-Does this happy crazy scream thing in the pool when the water fountain turns on or Trace splashes his legs. Sooooo funny!
-Still a really good eater, currently she loves frozen blueberries, peas, bananas, orange cuties, and greek yogurt. Of course she loves candy, cookies, and ice cream too!
-When she has a tantrum we do this thing where she will give herself a hug and take a deep breath when I ask. It is so cute!
-Started saying help and please. "Peez"

She got a book out of her room and sat herself down on the potty.

We bought bubble bath solution and she LOVES it. Now she says bubbles whenever we say bath.

She loves frozen blueberries and tends to get a bit messy

My best friend Dalein from Oahu came to visit in early November. We were tourists for the weekend and explored Upcountry and West Maui together. We took the scenic drive from Kahului to Kapalua. It was fun to have her with us and eat lots of good food.

Enjoying a hammock with Dalein in Wailea

View of clouds and coastline from Upcountry

See how quickly the clouds move

Some family photos Upcountry after church

Coastline near Honolua Bay

Watching the surfers and looking back at Honolua Bay

In mid-November we had a bbq lunch with our neighbors in the apartment complex. The food and weather were great and Estelle was thoroughly entertained by the other kids. It was a rare time when we get to eat uninterrupted. 

We took a bus ride into town with our friend Teancum and his mom Brooke. Estelle LOVES the bus. Going to "see the bus" is a frequent positive reinforcement. We usually get to see a bus on our walk to the grocery store.

Teancum and Estelle sometimes share a single stroller. Estelle LOVES it!

Teancum turned 1 on November 18 and we got to celebrate with him at the park.

For Thanksgiving had a delicious breakfast and packed a lunch for the day outside. We started the day at the aquarium then we played in the sand at little beach in Lahaina. Afterwards we went to a resort in Ka'anapali. We got home around 8PM. I broiled some fish and topped it with a garlic cream sauce over mashed potatoes. Yummy!

15 Months

Estelle just turned 15 months, she is 31" tall and 25 lbs.

Our typical day: We try to go to the pool everyday (except Sunday) for about an hour. Sometimes we visit our friend Teancum at his house if we are getting a bit bored. He comes to our house for an hour M-Th when his parents go to Crossfit. There is a community playgroup on Wednesdays at a local beach park. They have toy stations for the first hour, then snacks and music time for the second. On Thursdays we go to the library for reading time. It's about an hour of books, poems, songs, and an art project. Estelle still naps anywhere from 1-4 hours a day. Sometimes it's two naps and sometimes it's one really long nap. Fridays we get Dad home around lunch time and we try to go out and do something fun on Saturdays.

This past month:
-She does "ugga mugga" and rubs noses
-Gives closed mouth kisses, I kind of miss the open slobbery ones already
-Loves "Ring around the Rosie" and other movements to songs
-She's got more grooves than the typical haoulie, she really bounces and swings to the music
-Pooped in the potty a handful of times. She typically pees in the potty 3-4 times per day. I got peanut butter M&Ms to encourage her to use it more. Hasn't really helped but now she points and says "Ca" after going potty
-Started saying "Jesus" and folds her arms to pray. This is the cutest thing ever!
-Into hide and seek, she will cover her face and peek through her fingers while I search for her. She's also really good at hiding in the closet and behind the curtains while I yell "Where is Estelle? She must be in the bathroom..." She doesn't budge.
-Really into closing doors but becomes quickly irritated if she has closed herself out of the same room from me and I don't respond quickly enough to her knocking
-Says "no" for most things now but hasn't grasped the meaning, also says "cool"
-Says "one" and holds up her pointer finger when asked how old she is
-Has a sound for her own name but it sounds a lot like "dad"
-Really into trucks, trains, planes. Making the appropriate sounds is an easy way to help her eat her food. She makes most of the sounds too. A favorite activity it going out Tuesday and Friday mornings to watch the garbage truck.
-Does knuckles and high fives, this gets a laugh from any approaching stranger
-Says "e-i-e-i-e-i" to instigate Old MacDonald while holding her animal puppets
-Says "Wub, wub, wub" when I put lotion on her. She will also take her empty bottles and pour out lotion on anyone in the room and rub it in. This has been a particularly nice characteristic because she doesn't mind the daily sunscreen ritual before the pool.
-Started holding her breath and putting her face in the water for up to 3 seconds at pool!

Enjoying her own watermelon slice in my favorite outfit

A favorite pastime decorating herself in leis and clothing

First face painting at a birthday party, not easy getting her to stay still

No words for this one

Typical evening at playground with dad and neighbor friend Teancum

View from walk to the library

The firetruck!

Fireman Den

One library reading hour we took a field trip to the fire station. Estelle LOVED it. We got to tour the truck and station. Upon entering the fireman den, she immediately grabbed the remote control and tried to change the channel. 

Poops! We were all a bit shocked. She stared at it for awhile before we flushed.

Dress-up! @ the Wednesday beach park playgroup

She really loves Teancum and he's pretty fond of her too.

Hiking above Iao Valley, so beautiful!

Seven Sacred pools

A few weekends ago we got out of the house at 9:30 on the road for a 3-hour drive passed Hana to the Pools of ‘Ohe’o or Seven Sacred Pools. Thank you for sleeping for most of the drive Estelle!

We hiked the Pipiwai Trail "which passes stunning vistas, pools, waterfalls (including the 200′ Makahiku Falls), jungle, a bamboo forest, culminating at the base of the 400′ high Waimoku Falls."
Maui Guidebook

Afterwards we ventured down into one of the pools and swam around one of the many waterfalls. Estelle was jumping out of my arms to get in but screaming to get out after her body touched the water. I guess she wasn't expecting it to be cold.

On our 3-hour drive home we stopped and got some "Voted Best" banana bread. It was ok but it did fill our hungry stomachs. Thank you Trace for entertaining Estelle for the 3-hour drive home.

This stop is a must if you plan to visit Maui. I'd consider staying a night in Hana so you could spend more time on the drive and other Hana activities.

Looking up through the bamboo forest

The start of a rather long planked trail through the bamboo forest

Waimoku Falls

Looking out at Makahiku Falls

Looking up at the sacred pools from the ocean cliffs

View from the other direction out at ocean

Lookout Point

14 Month Photos

14 Months

23.5 lbs,  30.75 in tall
This past month:
-We go to the swimming pool almost everyday. She is so good at putting her face under, blowing bubbles, and laying on her belly! She even jumps in from standing. We live about 25 steps from the Kihei Aquatic Center. They have an Olympic size pool, another pool, and a kiddie pool complete with a watering tree with free admission.
-Joined a Mommy and me swim class once a week

-She has really picked up her communication. She says so many words mom, dad, ball, dog, moon, star, bird, Elmo, doll, bubble, door, uh-oh, all done, more, belly button, mole, no, and many others

-really into animals and the sky, loves to point to the moon, stars, and airplanes
-Books are probably her favorite thing. She will bring you book after book and sit on your lap while you read. She knows the words to many of them. In a tantrum reciting a favorite books is an easy way to calm her.

-We got her a training potty at a garage sale and she peed in it the next day. Now we put her on it after naps and swimming.

 

As soon as Dad starts doing pushups she hurries over to get in position. 

 

This is our friend and neighbor Teancum. He comes over to his house when his parents go to the gym. Teancum is almost 5 months younger than Estelle. Estelle is very good at patting his back and kissing him.

 

Estelle is sporting her micronesian nightgown. She got it as a birthday gift from a micronesian family at our church in Honolulu. Thanks Bedi, Kino and Smith Family!