80% less plastic

Today is market day for me. Our helper takes her days off on Saturdays and since today we were up early to take Maia for a walk, I decided to do the marketing after our morning stroll.

It was the first time I made a conscious effort to take a cloth bag with me to the market. I knew I still couldn't place the wet stuff on it but I'm sure I can still save our trash a couple of plastic bags so I grabbed this souvenir bag that I recently got from Mom Expo and left for the nearby public market.  Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

When I got there I wanted to insist to have the fish and meat that I purchased placed in my cloth bag but I felt like I'm really, really going to look foolish dragging a cloth bag dripping with fish blood around so I halfheartedly accepted my first purchases in plastic bags.

I was excited to head to the veggies section though. I felt good placing my first purchases inside the cloth bag and hearing the lady I purchased my fresh veggies from say, “Ayaw mo nang dumami pa basura ano?” I felt like I somehow made them think of the advantages of using cloth bags. I know people are already aware that plastic is really destroying our environment but I guess seeing somebody point it out first hand makes a lot of difference.

Reaching home, I was thrilled to report my achievement to the hubby. I’m just really happy of what I did this morning. 80% less plastic is a start. I’ll impose this practice on our household from this day on. I know this is really mundane-thinking. But allow me to enjoy my little happy moment. Today, I just felt like I did something BIG to make the world a better place for Maia.

 

 

Effective Way to Make Babies Nap

Sleep is vital for babies and young children, whose brains and bodies are developing at an extraordinary rate — but nighttime rest isn't enough. Regular naps help them get the sleep they need.Do your best to encourage your baby to nap consistently. But keep in mind that his temperament and natural bodily rhythms will help determine how and when he naps. Some babies nap for long stretches every day right from the start and settle easily into a pattern. Others do just fine taking shorter naps or napping at less regular times. How many naps a day should my baby take? As a newborn, your baby will sleep for two to four hours at a time, day and night. At this stage, you shouldn't expect any sort of napping pattern. Just let your baby sleep as much as he needs to.When your baby's 6 to 8 weeks old, he's likely to start consolidating his sleep — he'll sleep less often and for longer stretches at a time. He'll probably need two to four naps a day, and perhaps even more.At 3 to 4 months of age, many babies begin to follow a more predictable pattern of daytime sleep. This is a good time to start developing a nap schedule (see our tips, below).By 6 months, your baby will probably be taking two or three naps a day: one in the morning, one in the early afternoon, and another later in the afternoon.At 9 to 12 months, most babies are down to a solid two naps a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. And by 18 months, most children give up their morning nap altogether but continue to snooze in the afternoon. They'll continue with this pattern until they're 3 or 4 years old.These are typical patterns, but not all babies follow them. Every baby has his own unique sleep habits. For more information, check out our sample baby sleep schedules.  Scheduling your baby's naps When your baby's 3 to 4 months old, you can work on developing a nap schedule that's compatible with his natural sleep cycles.Read the signsPay attention to your baby's sleep signals. Does he begin to rub his eyes and get fussy midmorning or right after lunch? Does he often fall asleep in the car in the early afternoon? Do you notice a difference in his alertness and overall mood when he sleeps for longer or shorter periods?You might want to keep a record of your baby's sleep signals and naps for a week or two. This will help you see your baby's patterns so you can anticipate naps.For example, if your baby gets cranky and ready to nap by 10 o'clock every morning, you can ease him into it before he gets overtired. Start 15 to 20 minutes before you expect his sleep signals to show up — feed, change, and rock him quietly, keeping your voice low. That way he's already on the road to sleep when that tired feeling overtakes him.Stick to a scheduleConsistency is the goal: Try to schedule your baby's naps for roughly the same time every day. If you put your baby down for his afternoon nap at 3 o'clock one day and right after lunch the next, for example, your child will have more trouble developing a regular sleep pattern.Try to avoid activities that conflict with your baby's nap schedule. If an older sibling needs to be picked up at school during naptime, for example, see if you can come up with an alternative arrangement.If your baby is in daycare during the week and has a regular nap schedule when he's there, follow a similar schedule on the weekends when he's at home with you. Get more tips on establishing a successful baby schedule.Don't stress over interruptionsYou won't be able to arrange it so your entire household revolves around your baby's nap schedule — especially if you have other children. Life events will interrupt your schedule, and if naps are skipped or delayed from time to time, it isn't a disaster. If you have a solid, regular structure that you can rely on, it'll be easier to get back on track after the inevitable disruptions.Figuring out the best nap schedule for your baby will take some trial and error, and it will likely change as your child reaches new developmental milestones. You'll need to assess your baby's sleep needs and habits regularly and alter the schedule accordingly. Developing a nap ritual A naptime ritual is a good idea, for the same reason it's recommended at night: It helps your child wind down and signals that the sleep period is approaching, so your baby is prepared to rest.Your naptime ritual can be shorter and less elaborate than the bedtime ritual: a story, a song, and a cuddle, for example. Once you've developed a routine that works for you and that you both enjoy, stick to it as closely as possible. More practical tips for naps •  Pajamas aren't necessary, but make sure your child is dressed in comfortable clothing that's neither too light nor too heavy.•  Playtime in the period before your baby's nap should be quiet. Avoid loud noise and stimulating play that could make it hard for you child to settle down and go to sleep.•  When you can, put your child down for his nap in the same place he sleeps at night, which he'll associate with going to sleep.•  If you're going on a trip or you know you'll be away from home at naptime, be sure to pack the books and anything else your child has come to associate with sleeping. This will help you maintain your baby's nap and bedtime routine wherever you are.•  Don't wait until your child is overly tired before beginning your going-to-sleep routine. If you do, your child may be too wound up to sleep well — or even to sleep at all. If your child isn't much of a napper, don't blame yourself or your parenting skills — even if your best friend reports that her child is taking three-hour naps every day. All you can do is offer your child the opportunity to sleep by preparing him and putting him down on a consistent schedule.Your baby may be a natural catnapper, consistently napping for less than an hour at a time. As long as he doesn't seem too tired, fussy, or difficult during waking hours, he's getting the sleep he needs.

There's No Stopping Her

One milestone after another...from one amazing trick to another...there's really no stopping this little lady from growing up! Last Sunday, we caught her pulling herself up during our playtime.

There's just so much changes going on, I'm missing a lot from her infancy days already! For one, I miss the smell...she hardly sweated before she really smelled like a newborn baby all day long. But now...well...she smells like a toddler already a few minutes after we bathe her. :(

The only thing that has not changed though is that gummy, yummy smile she so generously offers to greet Mommy and Daddy when they get home from work.

Ma-Da-Ba

Today we discovered that Maia has started talking already. Of course, still the gibberish talk. But as most parents would react, hearing the two syllable words (or in this case multiple syllables) were like music to our ears.

She was munching on a toy this morning (or was it her hairbrush? couldn't remember now...) when she started saying...Ma-Da-Ababababababa. We were dumbfounded - her dad and me...but her reaction was to just look up and giggle at us. It was then that her yaya shared that she's been talking for the past couple of days already. We just didn't notice because when we reach home our playtime would usually just consists of giggles...giggles and more giggles. Which is actually fine with us since her giggles still qualify as the best stressbuster for us.

I caught some of the talking moments again on video later today when the 3 of us are preparing for our afternoon siesta. I am still hoping for a replay of this morning though. I will post the video as soon as Maia grants me my wish. :)

Dealing with Loss

I was browsing through my e-group this morning and I chance upon a sister sharing her grief on losing her husband just 8 months after their marriage.

I cannot imagine how painful this experience could be for her considering that at this point in their lives they're just probably starting to build dreams together and planning on how to make them all come true.

I remember the time when Tibs and I were considering the what ifs after learning that my rare disease is the malignant one. He was very hesitant to start the conversations regarding the future and how we're going to cope with the situation on hand. He was hesitant because he is afraid he will breakdown once the topic sets off. I know how hard he's trying to show his strenght at that time. But I did not want him to contain all those emotions. I was on the other hand scared that he might breakdown one day and that would be a lot more difficult for us - with my recent surgery, the baby, and ALL.

Eventually with my kakulitan, I finally got him to talk. And he cried. He just cried his heart out. He said his only fear is he does not know how to start his life again in case he loses me this early. But he knows he will eventually learn to accept everything that happened. He just isn't sure how he will react on the first few days. I was not at all happy seeing him cry his heart out. But I was glad he was able to release all those bad thoughts. And I was glad to know that inspite everything he remains optimistic that we will recover regardless of all the tragedies we face or will face.

I guess each of us will always have to go through a certain tragedy in our lifetime. If you look at it positively, those tragedies will probably become the turning points of our lives. It would all depend on how we chose to deal with them.

Am I A Bad Mommy?

I never expected to get this emotional after months of enjoying my new role as a mother. Yes after everything that I went through from day one of my pregnancy up until now I immensely enjoyed the journey. I never dreamt of all this so up to this day it amazes me how natural this all felt.

The past seven months were never a breeze though. For first time moms like me who live far from their immediate family, most of the decisions would be based on trial and error. I did try my very best to compensate this lack of immediate help by educating myself through reading and taking notes but as most mommies would later on realize, at the end of the day, you will still rely entirely on your mommy instincts. The books can only help as much.

Anyways, as I was saying it was never easy for us - being first time parents. At first we thought that we've already hurdled the most difficult stage of all this. Receiving the news of me having phyllodes tumor when I was still struggling to breastfeed Maia at two months was quite a blow. But my instincts guided me to take the decision that would be most beneficial for our family. I was bent on breastfeeding Maia for a much longer time but then I knew that only radical mastectomy will buy us the most essential thing that she needs - TIME with her Mom. Learning later on that the tumor was malignant was even more difficult to take but by God's grace getting clear scans soon after was such a relief. We thought we survived the first 3 months, all else should be easy breezy by now.

But alas...how wrong can we get? It seems that the difficult part is just starting to unfold.

Later this afternoon, I called home to check on how Maia was doing. Imagine my horror upon receiving news that she got locked inside our house ALONE for almost 30 minutes earlier today! What's even worst was she was left on the floor and not inside her crib. I almost dropped the phone if not for the repeated assurance from her yaya that Maia is okay and is now back in her usual giggly self. I still wanted to go home that instant though. Good thing, it was raining really hard I still had time to collect myself together and calm myself up.

Thirty minutes later, while I was on my way home, I could not help but replay the scene (as described by the yaya) in my head and I could not help but think of the what ifs. I suddenly felt like I failed my Motherhood test today. I felt like I am not doing my best to keep Maia away from harm's way.

Today, I felt like I was a really, really bad Mommy. Sigh. Am I Maia?

Trouble Sleeping?

 ...well Maia is. And since we co-sleep...us too.

I used to be paranoid back way before we had Maia. But since Maia's birth -- I'm now became MORE paranoid than ever. Since my only reference to track Maia's development are books and the internet, I would worry if Maia is a bit off-track. I know, i know...the baby websites ALWAYS reiterate that each baby is an individual so it highly possible that he/she might not always undergo the development markers that I would read. But I really can't help but drown myself in pointless anxiety sometimes.

Actually my problem usually just evolves on whether Maia is taking in enough milk and sleep. Those two - I ALWAYS, ALWAYS monitor with the Yaya...because these two is usually what contributes to her Physical Development. Maia is fine with ALL other development markers. On most of them especially the motor skills, Maia is even ahead at her age. But to me physical development is first and foremost! Especially since I desperately want Maia to grow bigger and TALLER than me. (HAHAHA...so now you know where all this FRETTING is coming from...)

So anyways, since I was a kid, I was told that the reason I did not grow any taller than I am now is because I abhor sleep when I was still a kid. Yes. You read it right. I was never fond of sleep. It wasnt until I became a mom that I learned to appreciate the BEAUTY of SLEEP. Even when I was pregnant with Maia, I'd be all tired but I would still prefer the waking hours than the sleeping hours. I guess, I am to blame for Maia's growing hate on sleep.

But is she really NOT getting enough zzzz's?

Well according to Baby Center:

By age 6 months, most babies sleep a total of 11 1/2 to 15 hours of sleep a day (between nighttime sleep and naps) and are capable of sleeping for long stretches at a time.

Between the ages of 6 and 9 months, many babies consolidate their daytime sleep into two naps, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Don't be concerned, though, if your baby continues to take three naps a day. Keeping consistent times for bedtime and naps will help regulate his sleep patterns.

If your baby hasn't yet settled into a sleep pattern that fits your family life, now might be a good time to try some type of sleep training. Sleep training methods can help your baby go to sleep more easily, sleep for longer periods at night, and keep more regular hours. Sleeping through the night If your baby now sleeps for nine or ten hours at night, it means he's figured out how to settle back to sleep — a sign that you're raising a good sleeper. If your baby isn't yet sleeping at least five or six hours straight, you're not alone. Many babies still wake up at night for feedings in the 6- to 9-month stage — though most are ready for night weaning, if that's what you choose. But babies this age don't necessarily wake up because they're hungry. We all wake up several times every night for brief periods of time. And as adults, we put ourselves back to sleep each time — so quickly we don't even remember it in the morning. If your baby hasn't mastered this skill, he'll wake up and cry during the night even if he's not hungry. Waking up again Babies who were great sleepers may suddenly start waking up at night or have difficulty falling asleep between 6 and 12 months of age. Why? Sleep disturbances often go hand-in-hand with reaching major milestones in cognitive and motor development and with separation anxiety. At 6 to 9 months, your baby may be learning to sit up, crawl, or possibly even cruise or walk — quite a list of achievements! Not surprisingly, he may not want to stop practicing his new skills at bedtime and may get so excited that he'll wake up to try sitting up just one more time. Separation anxiety could also be the cause of your baby's wake-up calls. Waking up and finding you not there may cause some distress. But he'll probably calm down as soon as you enter the room and greet him. How you can establish healthy sleep habits Here are some tips for helping your baby sleep well at this age: Develop and follow a bedtime routine. If you haven't already established some sort of bedtime ritual, start now. A bedtime routine should help your child wind down and get ready for sleep, and at this stage your child will really begin to participate. Whether your routine includes giving your baby a bath, playing a quiet game, getting your child ready for bed, reading a bedtime story or two, or singing a lullaby, make sure you do it in the same order and at the same time every night. Babies like having routines and schedules they can count on. Keep your child on a consistent schedule. You'll both benefit from having a daily schedule that includes set times for bed and naps. That doesn't mean your baby has to eat lunch at exactly 12:15 every day, but it does mean you should try to stick to a fairly predictable schedule. If your baby naps, eats, plays, and gets ready for bed at about the same time every day, he'll be much more likely to fall asleep easily. Encourage your child to fall asleep on his own. To nap well and sleep through the night at this age, your baby has to learn to fall asleep on his own. Try putting him down before he nods off, so he can practice. If he cries, the next move is up to you. Do wait at least a few minutes to see if he's really upset or just fussing a little before settling down. Try putting him to bed earlier. If your baby's used to going to sleep after 8:30 p.m. and suddenly begins to wake up during the night, try making his bedtime a half-hour earlier. Surprisingly, you may find he's much more likely to sleep through the night. Practice getting "unstuck." Children who are learning to sit or stand up may practice their new skills at night in their crib and get stuck in an upright position once they're sitting or standing up. If this is happening to your baby, you'll need to teach him how to lie back down. Take a week or two to help him practice getting "unstuck," not necessarily in his crib but wherever you're spending time together. Make it a game — sit him up and then lay him down. Do the same with standing, helping your baby sit down at first and then encouraging him to do it on his own.

Maia Stands Proud

Maia learned to stand up on her own a few days ago. I was lucky to be at home to witness it firsthand. Earlier on, I was really afraid I would miss out on a lot of her firsts but I got lucky my baby learned to wait on Mommy. Here's a video I took on that day that she learned to pull herself up on her crib. This was not the actual first standing scene but it's a good thing I was still able to take a souvenir video on that same day :)

Since Maia's birth I have now become a camera whore...all for my baby. These days however, pictures are becoming rare since she's so squirmy I can't make her stay on one spot for at least 5 seconds.  She now moves pretty fast and is pretty scary to be left out on the bed. So the 3 of us, Tibs, the yaya and me are on 24/7 Maia Patrol. Everyday is starting to be really exhausting with us trying to make time after coming home from a full day spent at work but the excitement of knowing what milestone comes next for our baby definitely wipes the exhaustion away.

Baby proofing for Maia

These past week marked a lot of firsts for her...including her first fall off our bed. This is one first though that I'm glad I was not at home to witness. But it seems my baby inherited my strong personality, her yaya reported almost immediately after the fall that she never cried when she fell off. Good thing, one of her favorite pillows cushioned the fall she only got a very small bump on her head. I now accidents like this are pretty hard to avoid. But then I guess it would not hurt to prevent some of them. The praning side of me did not stop until Tibs gave in and decided to buy some baby proofing supplies. We're only about 20% done but it's a start. We're still looking for the other stuff that would complete our babyproofing supplies. So far, we found some in Rustan's and Ace Hardware.

Here's a babyproofing cheatlist that I've put together from my readings -
· Keep coins, small toys, nail scissors, and balloons -- any item that is small enough to fit inside a cardboard toilet paper roll -- out of infant's reach.
· Remove mobiles and other hanging toys from the crib as soon as your child can reach up and touch them.
· Shorten drapery and blind cords.
· Remove the plastic end caps on doorstops, or replace the stops with a one-piece design.
· Drill breathing holes into any closed containers that you are using as toy box in case a child gets trapped inside. (And install safety hinges on toy boxes, or buy one with a removable lid to prevent pinched fingers.)
· Lock any potentially dangerous substance in an upper-level cabinet. This includes alcoholic beverages, household cleaning formulas, laundry supplies, medications (including nonprescription varieties like vitamins, children's Tylenol or Advil), paint, kerosene, gasoline, charcoal, lighter fluid, bug spray, pesticides, and fertilizers.
· Place houseplants out of children's reach; know the names of all plants in case a child eats one of them.
· Cover every electrical outlet in your home with a child-resistant outlet cover (the plastic plugs are easy to pry out).
· Install ground fault circuit interrupters on outlets near sinks and bathtubs since they stop the electrical current when an appliance gets wet.
· Install hardware-mounted safety gates at the top and bottom of stairways with two or more steps. (good thing we do not have stairs at home)
· Pad the edges of coffee tables and brick or tile fireplaces.
· Remove the crib bumper pad as soon as your infant can get up on all fours since baby may use it as a step to climb out.
· Position audio/video equipment so children cannot pull televisions or stereos off furniture. · Keep appliance cords wrapped short so children cannot pull coffee makers, toasters, and other appliances.
· Secure bookshelves, entertainment centers, and bureaus to walls since they can topple onto children who use furniture to pull up and stand.  (good thing we also do not have bookshelves to worry about)
· Familiarize and memorize emergency numbers and first aid procedures. (this I have yet to master)
· Most importantly, BE VIGILANT and JUST REMEMBER TO NEVER LEAVE YOUR BABY ALONE not even for a MOMENT if he/she is not contained on a babyproofed environment.

Mother's Day Adventures

So how did my mother's day go? Well, it was a tiring but fun-filled day for me, Tibs and Maia!

We started the day of course with Maia's early wake up call for playtime. So at 530 in the morning we were already up and about...since our camera's broken we had to wait for the sun to come up before we were able to take pictures...

Maia was having fun as usual...climbing pillows that we placed all over the bed. Sometimes, even climbing over me...only to giggle upon seeing his dad on the other side...sometimes, I forget she's only a six month old baby...she acts like a one year old already!

We got tired of the usual bedroom view so we moved to our next favorite place which is...our Living room! Haha...now Maia has plenty of space to show off new tricks. One of them is picking up her books and licking them all over! Haha...plus...a-mommy-i-can-now-stand-up-without-your-help show off!

After breakfast Tibs and I prepared to leave for our date...hehehe..yiheee...after 6 months <would you believe???>

We planned on dropping by at the Expomom Bazaar in Rockwell since I do have some stuff that I ordered from Indigo Baby thatI plan to pick up there. We arrived at Rockwell early and decided to check out the baby stores first before heading to the bazaar. We found a couple of shops that we regret not visiting before. We would have bought better supplies for Maia if we checked out the shops there...but well...better luck next time Mommy!

When we reached the bazaar we went straight to the Indigo Baby booth first to get my order...I met Yummymum Denise but she was really busy with some customers so we did not really bother her na. I got the stuff I ordered and we checked out their other displays. They're displaying Saya...a new baby pouch design which is going to be available very, very soon. I'm thinking of getting one...I think Maia will enjoy riding on a new pouch soon! Anyways, here's what we got for Maia from the bazaar...oh oh...i dont have a picture to post but we also got her an organic baby shampoo called Kid's  Nature. It smells really good...and its loaded with nothing but the good stuff. Maia seems to be enjoying it.

After checking out the other exhibitor's we headed to Greenbelt for lunch and attend Sunday Mass.

Mommy's First...

...official mother's day!

Let me share a conversation between me and Tibs over dinner last weekend:

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Me: Ei beb, mother's day na next Sunday!

Tibs: Ha? Wow beb...finally...it's official! Last year, soon to be ka pa lang...now, Mommy ka na talaga! <hugs me then goes silent>

Me: Uh-huh...saya no? <looks at Tibs> Naiiyak ka?????!!!!???

Tibs: Ano ba!!??? Bakit mo pinansin...e sa rush of emotions eh...

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Funny lang sya pa ang naiyak. hehehe...

It actually feels great pala...to have one special day all for me <i mean, apart from my bday>.

What's even better is I'm sharing this with many friends, a sister and most especially -- MY Mom!

It might have taken me one heck of an experience to finally emphatize with Mommy but I am glad I'm now able to understand her. I still have a long way to go...and I'm glad my Mom is still here to guide me through.

Mom, a million thanks will never be enough to repay all the hardwork you've put into raising me and my siblings. I love you very very much! I wish and pray that things will be a lot better for you in the coming days. :)

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

TO ALL MOTHER'S ALL OVER THE WORLD!

And he caved in...

He finally gave in to my long-time request...

...Tibs finally cooked dinner! And the pasta dish turned out to be really good. Even if it was not an original (since it's a recipe of mine), I was surprised he actually gave justice to my recipe. It turned out really yummy and I came back for a second serving.

It's a bit disappointing though since our camera's still broken, I was not able to get nice pictures for souvenir. I just thought I needed to document it since it might take sometime again before he does this again. I guess it will have to take another Mother's day celebration before I get to convince him to take over kitchen duties again.

But then again, I'm happy he finally gave in to my plea...<babaw ng kaligayahan eh ano?>  Love you sweetie!!!!!!

Now I'm off to do the dishes.

Thank you for the gifts Ninang Ching and Tito Bogs

I wore one of them today! Bagay bagay gid sa akon! Hihi...

Baby Steps

Maia's first baby steps out of the walker!!!!! Saya! I could not put into writing yung feeling yet...(well maybe later pag nakarecover na ako...)

Surprises for Mommy

Hello Baby...

Yesterday was a milestone. You finally learned to sit up and do close-open with your tiny little hands. Mommy was in a state of shock she only managed to nudge Daddy and point straight at you. Daddy was laughing really hard.

Today, you did something again for Mommy, here's a post from my multiply site:

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As if yesterday's milestones were not enough, Maia did something today that really melted my heart.

I was trying to put her to sleep tonight. We did our usual stuff...roll over the bed (as in all over the bed), shared her favorite story (it was actually her birthing story), butt-patting (she actually likes it better when Daddy does this to her) and lastly, lullaby singing. When she was about to fall asleep, she rolled over to me and laid her head on my feet. I felt she wasn't very comfortable with the position so I slid a pillow underneath her head to cushion it.

And as if to tell me how she appreciated the gesture, she looked straight at me and raised her tiny little hands to caress my face. I was singing her favorite, "twinkle, twinkle little star" at that time...I almost choked on the lyrics. I felt really teary-eyed. I was so touched by her gesture.

I know at 6 months she's not yet capable of understanding emotions but I felt at that moment that she did in fact convey a message of thanks.

At times like this, all the exhaustion and pain just melts away. :)

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Yes baby, you always never never ever fail to make Mommy's heart leap.

Motherhood Awes

As if yesterday's milestones were not enough, Maia did something today that really melted my heart.

I was trying to put her to sleep tonight. We did our usual stuff - roll over the bed (as in all over the bed), shared her favorite story (which is actually her birthing story), butt-patting (she likes it better when Daddy's the one doing it to her though) and lastly, lullaby singing. When she was about to fall asleep, she rolled over to me and laid her head on my feet. I felt she wasn't very comfortable in that position so I slid a pillow underneath her head to cushion it.

And as if to tell me how she appreciated the gesture, she looked straight at me and raised her tiny little hands to caress my face. I was singing her favorite, "twinkle, twinkle little star" at that time...I almost choked on the lyrics. I felt really teary-eyed. I was so touched by her gesture.

I know at 6 months she's not yet capable of understanding emotions but I felt at that moment that she did in fact convey a message of thanks.

At times like this, all the exhaustion and pain just melts away. :)