Mama update: I made the plunge and went back to work in January. Sure, I miss Juniper during the day, but I have to just let go. After returning back to work, it seems like people are judgemental whatever decision I've made whether it's going back to work or staying home. Everyone has opinions and I think every mom and family make that decision to see what works best for their family. As for taking care of myself, I've been keeping up with my daily ritual of waking up at 5 am. I've been doing Kayla Itsines BBG and yoga. I've been using the YogaGlo app. Eventually, I would like to work spin classes in my schedule. So, I work out six to seven days a week. I wish I had more time to go to classes, but for right now, this works for me. Also, I'm following Kelly Leveque's Body Love book for food consumption. It stresses the importance of incorporating fat, fiber, greens, and protein with every meal. I know it sounds basic, but in the past, I never thought about consuming protein when I ate a meal. So far, so good. I really like her approach to eating. The reason I am so focused on taking care of myself is that I can't afford to get sick.
Juniper update:
1. When she is lying down, she can sit up. When she tries sitting up from lying down, she grunts and tries really hard. It is so cute.
2. She makes a gummy smile. She started doing this thing where she exposes all of her gums. It's kind of a scary scene from a horror flick, but because she is my baby, it's adorable.
3. She refuses to lie down on the Keekaroo when being changed. This is kind of problematic for me, especially when I have to change her out of a #2 diaper. So, I give her toys while she is lying to down to keep her preoccupied. At first, I wasn't sure how to tackle this issue because she would get so mad and make angry raspberry sounds. However, I just learned she is really intrigued by the hairbrush that lives near her body oils, so I give her her brush to keep her happy.
4. She dances in her high chair for food. This happens on occasion, but if she really likes what she is eating, she will move her head from side to side in delight over what she is tasting. So far, she gets really excited from papaya, beans (any kind), banana, guava, and any kind of potato. She does not like spinach, kale, or kiwi. We are still using Yumi and are getting it delivered once a month. It's organic baby food without added sugar. It's awesome because I can just freeze what Juniper doesn't eat immediately. You can get $50 off your first purchase with them. In addition, we have been using the Stokke high chair due to its flexibility with growing with the baby. Justin and I love it. It's easy to clean and made of wood.
5. She tries to clap. Instead of actually clapping, she bangs her hands against her chest like King Kong. She does this when she is excited about something.
