Lil D is 18 months!

Lil D is officially a toddler, she is 18 months old. She has developed many fine and gross motor skills that have me impressed with each new development. Her cognitive development is superior for a little one learning two languages. The only area of concern for me is her language development. I have looked at the research on raising bilingual kids and of course there are opposing schools of thought. One side states kids can take whatever you throw at them.

While the other is against introducing a second language right away. In my case it's too late to stop the train. Lil D has been submerged in Spanish and English from birth. Her primary language has been Spanish, because I am really the only person who speaks to her in English. Cognitively she understands and responses to both, but she is unwilling to mimic or speak words that are recognizable to us. She clearly says "eat", "yay", and "no".

She is very vocal, speaking her own language. Her babbling sounds mostly Spanish with a sprinkling of English. She uses her hands to express herself a lot. I will post a conversation we had about a month ago below and you'll see what I mean.

Latest Developments

  • Can position herself to sit on a stool, small chair, or step.
  • Runs everywhere, very little walking.
  • Developing the skills to walk down stairs holding onto rail.
  • Uses a spoon to feed herself. Can drink out of a cup unassisted.
  • Imitates scribbling
  • Shows affection
  • Listens to a story or looks at pictures
  • Identifies one or more parts of the body {her nose, eyes, feet}
  • Understands and is able to point to and identify common objects {ball, cup, chair, doll, shoe}
  • Is able to take off some clothing items {socks, diaper!!, pants}
  • Rebellious at bedtime.
  • Hates her car seat, high chair, and stroller -- does not want to be confined to one space
  • Shows signs of receptive language skills (i.e., understands when spoken to}
  • Points to show what she wants

 Lil D and our new neighbor, Lil Shelby

 Getting a little hang time!! Finally.

Lil D in her Jordache Skinny Jeans

Baby Fashionista: Tulle Skirted Trench Coat

Lil D's trench coat and Chanel inspired dress arrived from China yesterday. Check out the video below:

To purchase visit EBay vendor xiameiqin2011's Store. The prices are inexpensive. The designs are super cute, and very different from the typically children's clothing seen in most retail stores in the States. If only I could find a shoe retailer that sells hand-made leather hard-soled shoes for inexpensive. Oh well, I guess I will continue to bite the bullet and purchase expensive shoes, but cheap clothes.

Lil D's 1st Modeling Gig

At the beginning of the summer, we made the journey to Bmore for Lil D to participate in the Wee Chic Little Characters Fall 2012 photo shoot. Wee Chic is the premiere children's boutique in the Baltimore area. They carry all of my favorite children's designers like Anthem of Ants, Tea Collection,  Desigual, and Toobydoo. The shoot was at the exclusive Ritz Carlton residencies in the Inner Harbor.

Here are pictures of Lil D and her Papi before the shoot.

 

Lil D shooting with Laura Black

My mother is the person who told me to enter the contest. She read about it in the Baltimore Style magazine. According to the Wee Chic Team, over 1000 children were considered. They narrowed it down to 32 kids between the ages of 6 months and 10 years old.

{See Lil D top row second picture || was taken in Jamaica this past November}

The ad campaign was shoot by Laura Black Photography. 

Above is the latest Facebook banner from Wee Chic.

 

 

Phelan Marc Photoshoot

A month before Lil D's birthday we made the long journey to Crofton, Maryland to have the brilliant Phelan Marc of Phelan Marc -- House of Photography Inc. capture Lil D in a formal portrait session. Months prior I ordered all the necessary accessories and outfits to go along with the themes I had in mind. Phelan exceeded all of my expectations! It was great, Lil' D enjoyed herself and it showed in her pics. Below are iPhone pics of her album.

 

 

 

 

 

Latest Purchases for Lil D

Ya'll know I'm a bargain shopper, not that it matters much since I shop so much, who doesn't purchase anything for the retail price. Last week when my sisters and brother came up we went to the mall for end of summer sales. I got Lil D a cute pink peplum top from the Gap for only $8.99. I also got a cute navy and white sweater for the same price. 

 

The white leggings I purchased in Century 21.

Lil D got to wear her lacey rhomper again. The only other time she wore it was to take her one year old photo shoot {will post pics from her album in later post}.

Latest Purchases from Daffy's

Brand: Ciao | Treks {site here} | Special features of Treks here

Brand: Venettini {site here}

Brand: PePe {site here} My absolute favorite kids' shoe brand to date

 

 

 

Baby Fashionista: White Tulle Dress

When we got on the plane, Lil D decided to engage a flight attendant in conversation. The woman asked her where was the wedding, because of her dress. SMH... I confess I dress Lil D a little over the top at times, but hey I waited a long time to have the privilege so I'm running with it.

 

Lil D in her white tulle Target dress returning home from P.R.

And let's not forget her melt-down on the dirty airport floor. SMH...

Kicked off her shoe and decided it was sock for breakfast.

Part Two: Summer Vacay in Puerto Rico

More pictures from our vacay . . .

 

A part of visiting Puerto Rico is going to each and everything family members house! OMG. . . it's a must and I can't stand it.

Manati, Puerto Rico 

 

Everyone got an extreme tan! Lil D is a little toasted almond baby, check out her picture above.

Ganips

  More Videos . . .

Baby Fashionista

My latest purchases for Lil D's closet:

 

Getting ready for the fall.

Cotton + Tulle Trench

 Long Sleeve Chiffon Tutu Dress

 

I purchased this in yellow, my favorite color to dress Lil D in.

Response to Heather Morgan Shott Article on Mayor Bloomberg's New Initative

I just got wind of an article on Parents.com that relays the new initiative Mayor Bloomberg plans to launch this September 3. Here are the specifics according to Shott:

As part of his Latch on NYC initiative, which launches September 3, the city will keep tabs on the number of bottles that participating hospitals stock and use, making it the most restrictive pro-breast-milk program in the nation, reports the Post.

More than half of the city’s 40 hospitals have also agreed to give up swag bags sporting formula-company logos, toss out formula-branded freebies, and document a medical reason for every bottle that a newborn receives.

Policies like Latch on NYC do nothing but create more stress and anxiety for expectant mothers. If a mom is willing and able to breastfeed her child, she will. If she’s not, she should have a viable alternative without being put through a major guilt trip. Why should NYC’s mayor–or anyone else, for that matter–have the right to institute a policy that make a new mother’s time with her baby anything but joyful?

 

My response to her article:

As a woman who was apprehensive and guarded about having her baby in a traditional hospital setting I truly appreciate Mayor Bloomberg's efforts in educating the masses and creating true social change. I've come to realize people can be given the statistical data, facts, and figures on the benefits of breastfeeding, but still choose to feed their new baby's chemically laced formula. It's mind-boggling to me and just basic common sense that a person would willingly choose the healthier alternative. But like my mama always says, "All sense ain't common". I documented my hospital birth experience here and here, and I was quite appalled at the push from the nursing for pain killers and formula. I refused both and I was obviously an anomaly. I shocked the nurse during my discharge when I took the two huge Similac containers out of its niffy backbag and stuffed it with diapers, instead of formula. She said to me, "Just take it just in case, please." Just in case of what, my breasts stop working or I get lazy and selfishly decide I don't want to feed my baby the best stuff on Earth?

 

I agree that breastfeeding is not always as simple for some as it was for me, but to be able to produce milk and feed your child formula is just ludicrous. Being a mother is a sacrifice, make a decision for the betterment of your child. I applaud anyone who actively creates change for the world. Kudos to Mayor Bloomberg for understanding a change is needed. And what are breast for any way, TOO FEED YOUR DAMN BABIES. In the words of  Henry Ford, “Don't find fault, find a remedy; anybody can complain”. Bloomberg is creating policies that will greatly impact several of the preventative issues that many American children face due to unhealthy lifestyle choices, like not breastfeeding. These issues include, but are not limited to, childhood obesity, childhood diabetes,  asthma, allergies, bacterial meningitis,gastrointestinal issues, and possibly autism {don't quote me on this, but I truly feel there is a correlation to the drugs given during hospital births and autism}.


Blurb from NYC.GOV

Latch On NYC is a citywide initiative to support mothers who choose to breastfeed and limit practices that interfere with that choice. It involves both a hospital commitment to limit infant formula promotion and a public awareness campaign on the benefits of breast milk.

Hospitals joining Latch On NYC have agreed to:

  • Enforce the New York State hospital regulation to not supplement breastfeeding infants with formula unless medically indicated and documented on the infant’s 
    medical chart
  • Limit access to infant formula by hospital staff
  • Discontinue the distribution of promotional or free 
    infant formula
  • Prohibit the display and distribution of infant formula advertising or promotional materials in any hospital location

Additionally, the Health Department is launching a subway and hospital poster campaign highlighting the benefits of breast milk, such as reducing the risk of ear infections, diarrhea and pneumonia. {SOURCE}

The only program I see with this program is the need for quality breast pumps to be issued via the hospital. 

"Feeding synthetic human milk is not a neutral lifestyle choice. It is a critical maternal-infant health decision with monumental implications." -- Katie Allison Granju

For more information on program check below: 

Initiative Description here

Committed Hospitals here

FAQ here

 

101 Reasons to Breastfeed Your Child here

Tralala Inc.

I joined the Tralala Inc.'s Facebook fan page soon after I had Lil D. I was impressed with the bold patterns and textures, uniquely styled clothing for little girls. Tralala is a coming out with their Fall 2012 line soon,  but here are a few of my favorites from past seasons.

Anastasia Backstrand's clothing line was forged in part through her exposure to design from a very young age. Her love for seasoned treasures and vintage antiques developed in this "one of a kind" inspirational environment as her imagination ran endless in the whimsical world of the past. With the founding of Tralala Inc. in 2003, Anastasia's personal flair for combining applique and toile patterns into intricate, frilly collections was unleashed. All prints are produced in limited quantities and are exclusive to Tralala.

 


 

Big Girl Bed

While we've been in Puerto Rico Lil D has been sleeping on a fold-up cot I purchased from Ideeli.com {<$30}. It's lightweight, easy to use, and comfortable  {I tested it out on the beach}. I'm concerned that when we get back to New Jerusalem she won't want to sleep in her crib. I mentioned to D that I would purchase the toddler bed kit for her crib from Bratt Decor once we get home, I definitely think we will need it sooner then later. It's $196 with shipping on BrattDecor.com. 

 

For more information on portable toddler bed click here.

Part One: Summer Vacay in Puerto Rico

We spent two weeks in Puerto Rico, with a two day stint in St. Thomas U.S.V.I. and I'm bushed. Between 7 hour jaunts on the beach, visiting family, and exploring the islands we didn't have much downtime. We visited the following places in Puerto Rico-  Barceloneta, Arecibo, Carolina, Isla Verde {where we stayed}, Fajardo, Manati, Santurce, Florida, Luquillo, and Loiza. We visited the following places in St. Thomas- Bolongo Bay {where we stayed}, Charolette Amalie, Magen's Bay Beach (Amazingly beautiful), Peterborg, Ritz Carlton, Sapphire Beach Resort, and Red Hook. 

After a long flight we arrived on the island and needed to rent a car. The condo we leased had three car rental agencies within walking distance, but we figured since we were already at the airport we could rent from a vendor there. Wrong Answer! No one had compact cars. After 3 hours we finally when to Charlie's, a block from condo, and rented a small car from them.

Once we got the keys to the condo we were beach bound immediately. With the beach less then 30 feet from our temporary residence we made quick work of putting on sunscreen and bathing suits.

After spending close to $100 a day to eat we decided to hit up the super market, Pueblo, and buy groceries. First we tried in vain to find a market that sold organic whole milk. Needless to say we the island doesn't sell it because its too expensive to import it and their are no organic milk producers on the island. What does that mean? Lil D has been drinking none organic whole milk for two weeks. I know shocking! We'll get her back on the organic track once we return to NJ. 

Anything organic on the island is twice as much as on the mainland.

Besides going to the beach daily we took enough pictures to fill three photo albums.

It took Lil D about two days to get used to walking on sand without holding anyone's hand. She took to it well along with eating the sand. SMH . . . Obviously she wanted to experience sand with all of her senses. 

Every evening we took a stroll around the various neighborhoods of San Juan. The pictures above show us in Condado {which has become to major hot spot since the last time we were on the island}.


Everyone told us the best beach in Puerto Rico is the Flamingo Beach of Culebra. We were sold on the idea of taking a ferry to the island and enjoying the beach. We drove to Fajardo to find out more information about the ferry and was told the wait is extremely long to get to Culebra. If we were interested in the 6:00 a.m. ferry we needed to get in line to purchase ferry tickets before 3:00 a.m. People get in line as early as 1:00 a.m. After hearing this I was like it's not that serious, so we decided to forget about the whole Culebra idea. Maybe next time. {Forgot to mention you can't purchase tickets for the ferry prior to the day of your trip}

 

The Montessori Way:Play Ideas for Developing Fine Motor Skills

"Fine motor skill is the coordination of small muscle movements which occur in body parts such as the fingers, usually in coordination with the eyes" {Source}.

Lil D is at the age where she is developing skills rapidly through mimicking, discovery, and by direct instruction. She is a hand full to keep engaged if she doesn't have something constructive to do, I know this is true for most people. We travel a lot so finding activities that are quiet and keep her attention for long periods of time is critical to our sanity. My sister sent me a link to an amazing website that offers activities that meet our needs and develop fine motor skills for toddlers. Check it out below. Also, check out the blog dedicated to sharing several Montessori strategies as told by a parent of two adorable boys titled, How We Montessori.

Photo Credit {here}

Another great resource for children activities is Pinterest. Check out my favorite Pinners:

I Can Teach My Child Boards {here}

Teaching Our Children {here}

Positive Parenting {here}

Kiddies: Parenting Tips + Tricks {here}

Carter's is Having A Sale!

For Lil D's first birthday she received a large amount of clothing, but they are all too big! She still fits 9-12 months sizes and most of the gifts were 18-24 months. So guess what, I had the perfect excuse to do a little shopping. Check out my purchases.

 

1 $6.72

2 $7.99

3 $8.16

4 $7.04

5 $7.04

6 $7.04

7 $2.99

8 $5.99

9 $7.99

10 $6.99

11 $6.99

12 $7.99

13 $6.72

14 $7.99

 

Grand Total . . . .$97.25 not bad

Maxi-Cosi Pria 70 Air Convertible Car Seat

Lil D is too tall for her rear facing car seat, so I did a little research and settled on the Maxi-Cosi Pria 70 Air Convertible Car Seat. I ordered it from Ebay for $249.99 in my favorite color, Red.

 

I'm expecting delivery late next week. Here are the specs:

From Giggle.com

 

The Pria 70 really gives you more bang for your buck, since its convertible design covers both the infant and toddler stages, which means one less car seat to buy! But what really sets the Maxi-Cosi apart is that it's the only convertible car seat that reclines to four different positions while your child is sitting in it. Plus, it has revolutionary side impact technology that immediately reduces side impact forces through the precise release of air (yes, really), and a TinyFit System that guarantees a better fit for tinier babies. It also boasts one-hand harness height adjustment, a one-click latch system, and a rear-facing adjustment feature that makes it easier (and faster!) to switch the car seat’s position.
Why it's a giggle pick Parents who don't need a true infant car seat that can be clicked in and out of the car will love saving a purchase with this convertible seat.

 

 

Adrienne Bosh's Baby Shower

One of my favorite blogs, the YBF, just shared the baby shower pictures of NBA wife Adrienne Bosh. Check it out! 

Adrienne Bosh looking great at 8 months preggo

"Miami Heat star Chris Bosh and wife Adrienne are celebrating the impending arrival of their 'little gentleman.'  Adrienne's country-chic baby shower was held yesterday afternoon at the Coral Gables Country Club in Florida, complete with blinged out pacifiers and all.  And other NBA wives and her friends and fam came out to support."

For pics from the shower click here.