Halloween Hoopla!

For Halloween, we all dressed up as an array of superheroes. Tyrone and I used scrap material for our outfits and made up our characters...Actually, I don't think we really named ourselves, but SuperMom and SuperDad ought to do just fine. Elizabeth went as our arch nemisis --the evil banana, but a sour-patch kid would have suited too due to her mood that evening. She didn't want to nap earlier that afternoon, so by the time we took pictures, she was tired and cranky. Her costume wasn't really a banana, though. She just wore some yellow pajamas and a black cape. It was the only thing we had that would fit her cape-wise, so because it was dark, we called her the super villain. Her special power was chucking stinky diapers at unsuspecting victims. For fun that night, we went to some friends' house down the street for poker and candy.

Shot to the Heart

Monday, Elizabeth had another one of those dreaded doctor appointments for a checkup and (dramatic music) immunization shots. I've decided that the reason why little kids are so terrified of the doctor when they go in for shots just before kindergarten, is that the fear is cultivated in them at a very young age. Elizabeth Hates (with a capital H) getting shots, and is always apprehensive about the day I start giving her her medicine in preparation for her immunizations. She seems to sense that something is up --because it usually is. The day I give her medicine is usually the day she goes to the doctor.
However, this Monday the trip was exceptionally long. Not that we waited forever in the waiting room, but that Elizabeth was already in a cankaterous mood to begin with. She didn't want to nap at all that morning (as is her tradition), and so, when we arrived at the doctor she was tired and cranky. She gabbled her displeasure to anyone who would listen and then chewed out the nurse and doctor conducting the checkup. Now, Elizabeth does have a temper, but of the origin of it, Tyrone and I aren't quite sure about it. Possibly, it comes from me, but I would never admit to that myself. Well, our little pop-tart gave a thorough talkin' to to the nurses that gave Elizabeth her shots --and did she scream. However, it wasn't quite like a banshee this time.
In the past, our baby girl would scream bloody murder about her shots, and I would have to console her for at least five minutes (it could be worse, I guess) before leaving the office. The first time she got shots, she scared the children in the waiting room with her hollering. This time, she didn't scream as bad. I think she was already so upset and distressed and peeved, that she didnt notice the pain and was more concerned with being angry than anything.
My mother puts it best--when those "mean" nurses give your baby a shot, you want to punch someone and protect your child. It hurts you just as much as it hurts them. Call me morbid, but because Elizabeth was so mad over the whole thing this time, I couldn't do much but laugh about it while trying to console her. As sad as it may be, sometimes an angry baby is just funny. But don't worry, Elizabeth is just fine now and as happy as ever --unless she gets stck rolling over while playing on the floor.

(Update: It's been a week now, and Elizabeth still doesn't like her cereal. Go figure--who wants cereal when Mom and Dad have enchilladas?)

Include the Solid Food!

So, my daughter just started eating solid foods this morning --kind of. Actually, it was more of a "mom-tries-to-push-spoon-o-rice-cereal-into-baby's-mouth" kind of thing. Elizabeth wasn't exactly cooperative with the whole let's-try-a-new-food-and-not-make-a-huge-mess thing. She was okay with the first couple of spoonfuls of cereal at first, but then decided that enough was enough. Maybe it was because I grabbed our camera to take pictures of her messy-self, but obviously Elizabeth hasn't quite mastered the skill of multi-task and can't eat and be a supermodel at the same time. Oh well. It was a start, though. It might have helped if I had a

high-chair, but we'll work on that later. Tonight, we move on to round two with the cereal, and this time, her daddy will be there. After she does get used to her cereal, we'll move onto vegetables and later, fruit. I think she'll appreciate the fruit more than anything. However, right now, we'll just take things slow. Her father is allergic to poultry, seafood, and beans --so, I don't want to rush solid food too much. If Elizabeth turns out to be allergic to beef and pork, Tyrone will have to quit his automotive career and take up buffet restaurant management or something. There's no way I'm cooking three different meals every night. Then again, Elizabeth may never have allergies, and I'd have someone to make runs to KFC with. That's in the future, though. Right now, we'll stick to rice cereal and a lot of paper towels.