Home Sweet Home (Updates and a Feature!)

If I haven't posted anything, it's because things are kinda chaotic right now.

Before anything else though, Offbeat Families published Malaya's birth story the other day!

Overexcited Nanay shared the post, despite having been told off by her peers at the interlocal health zone, after people from our town assumed the waterbirth was a service the local hospital was giving now.

We're back home now. The paint fumes are gone, and the house isn't covered in cat dander anymore. The fire tree outside is in full bloom, with fallen flowers on our pathway like a red carpet for the boy.

Instead of tentacles, this is what Chris did to the vents for the AC:

Laya's been staring at his old photos and doodles ever since we moved back in the room.

In other news, one of our furry babies is back!

Hello food dispensers/thermal pillows! You've returned! - Sofia Fififufuy

We wonder if Fufuy's pregnant. She was in heat when I left to give birth a month ago. I don't see any baby bumps anywhere tho, so she might not be.

Meanwhile, we've barricaded the kitchen door, and she seems content to stay there. She hasn't given any indication of awareness that we brought a new human home. When we bathed Laya this morning, she took a peek but stayed at the bathroom door, schadenfreude-ing most likely.




I just finished reading this book I got some months ago from Tita Arni. I wish I'd gotten to it sooner.

It proposes you go down to the baby's level, get into the habit of narrating events as they happen, or about to happen, asking baby for permission before doing anything to/for him/her, letting them know when you're going to leave a room, and finally, giving them your full attention during 'caregiving' time, and then not being in their face for the rest of the day while you let them figure things out while being flat on their backs.

In other words, pretend you're caring for an incredibly debilitated grand uncle instead of a puppy like most people do.

'nuff said

Supposedly, being flat on their backs in a consistent environment is going to help them focus on the physiological changes on their bodies.

Babies who aren't consistently carried, bounced, rocked or walked are more graceful because they were allowed to figure out movement by testing their limits instead of bring guided to it. Check this video out:

When we stand babies up, or prop them up to sit, they remember the sensation of sitting/standing, but not how they got there. When they practice, they tend to overestimate their own capabilities, and then... THUD. Crying baby.

Oh noes.

Malaya's gotten used to directing people around as to where he wants to go. When we carry him, we sit him upright and bring him where his head leans toward. When we sit down, he kicks to indicate he wants up.

Much much like Vision of Escaflowne.

I think the boy thinks he can fly. It must be so frustrating when his usual magic tricks of kicking his feet won't work and his perspective of the world around him is limited to the ceiling.

Also, if you've been following this blog, you already know his surroundings have been fairly inconsistent.

I seriously stopped reading for a bit, thinking, "Have I doomed my baby to future padagness by constantly carrying him?

So I tried leaving him on his back, just talking to him and telling him how I wasn't going to pick him up.

He was quiet for a while, then he started hollering. When he realized no one was going to pick him up, he started sobbing in a very offended way. I waited, because this was supposed to pass right? He just started crying louder.

Maybe we should have never let him get used to being carried. Then he wouldn't have known what he was missing.

Sure, we want to teach him autonomy... eventually. For now, I'll worry about insecure attachment and cuddle him when he wants to be cuddled.

I realized, no matter how much we want to do what's best for our children, we're bound to screw up one way or another. It's okay. That's what therapy is for. Our children thrive despite us.

I haven't given up though. There might be a gentler way of reintroducing him to being constantly on his back.

The intervals between feedings are becoming longer too. I only woke up twice last night to nurse! And he no longer poops at night! Morning habit in the works!