Johnnie and Angela: Easter

29 Weeks Old

I cannot believe it's the end of March already! I've been a "single" parent for five months now. It feels like forever ago that Johnnie actually left but at the same time, it feels like time has flown by. The good news is that Johnnie is due back next month! To celebrate his impending return, I will be having our blog's first giveaway soon. Look for it within the next week. It... will... be... awesome!

Cameron is still teething but she doesn't have any teeth yet. It could take days, weeks, or even months before the teeth finally erupt. There are times when she gets really fussy and I can actually feel the sharp tip of a tooth but then later it's gone. It's like that darn tooth is teasing us. Cameron has always been a big drooler but lately she has been drooling so much that she often chokes on it. This week she has also started sucking and chewing on her lower lip.

A while ago, I bought Cameron an Amber Teething Necklace. Amber necklaces are not for babies to chew on, instead they are simply to wear. The claim is that "amber contains succinic acid, an all-natural anti-inflammatory with antibiotic and pain-relieving properties" so when babies wear the amber necklace (or bracelet), the succinic acid gets absorbed into their skin and helps relieve the pain, inflammation, and irritability associated with teething. Do I think that it works? I'm not sure yet. Cameron doesn't even notice that it's on and she seems calmer when she has it on but it could be a coincidence. The necklaces are not that expensive so I figured it was worth trying. Besides, it fits around my wrist perfectly when looped twice so I can always wear it myself as a bracelet. The healing properties of amber (assuming there really are some) are beneficial for adults as well.

One of Cameron's new favorite things to do is shake her head side to side. Sometimes we will sit looking at each other and take turns shaking our heads. It's obvious that she doesn't know that the gesture means "no" yet but it's still fun to ask her "no" questions just to see her shake her head in correct response :)

Cameron also loves to move around and reach for things all the time now, especially when I'm holding her or when I'm changing her diaper. I swear that it's like trying to diaper an octopus at times.

I recently bought a Summer Infant Play Safe Play Yard for Cameron. Honestly, this is more to keep Dulce out than to keep Cameron in. I'm not worried about Dulce being around Cameron and they actually interact really well. However, I am very tired of having to wash Cameron's toys and quilt practically every single day because Dulce licks them. It's also nice having an area free of dog hair for Cam to play in. For now, the fence is simply set up as a barrier. As soon as Cameron starts pulling herself up, I will connect the fence which will make it more sturdy. I was actually surprised by how comfortable Cameron seems to be in her play area. She crawls all around and plays with her toys, content as can be.

I've mentioned my love of the RIE approach to parenting before. One of the things this approach recommends is to provide a safe, enclosed area for your baby to encourage independent and uninterrupted play. When babies are in a safe, child-sized environment, they feel comfortable to relax, play, and explore on their own. Think about how differently you would feel being at a large amusement park as opposed to being at a neighborhood playground. The ~~world~~ living room is a very big place for babies. By giving them their own space, it helps make it less overwhelming for them.

Dulce on the other hand, doesn't like it so much. She misses her play buddy.

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“Play is the answer to how anything new comes about.”

~Jean Piaget

Being "in the future" on the other side of world from family, we got to celebrate Easter before them :) It was a beautiful day and it was wonderful having Jennie here to celebrate the day with us! After attending a church service on base this morning, we went to an Easter buffet at the Officer's Club.

There was an unending supply of champagne and orange juice for mimosas :)

There were tables full pastries, cake, pies, cookies, and fruit.

There was a huge selection of food ranging from biscuits and made-to-order omelets to mashed potatoes and hand-carved prime rib.

The Easter Bunny made an appearance... or at least it was an attempt at the Easter Bunny. This character's perpetually-surprised face and odd frontal kangaroo pouch just didn't seem quite right.

After our lunch we decided to go out for the day and explore the Pyeongtaek Lake Tourist Complex. On a map, the water appears to be an extension of the bay that connects to the Yellow Sea but it's technically an artificial lake because of manmade embankments.