Here's avocado in your eye, kid!

Literally.

Smile-ah tried avocado for the first time today.  My friend Rae always started her little ones on avocado, and I was always so jealous!  It is packed full of wonderful things for the babies, and yet Little A and T N both rejected it.  T N rejected it again today (as our 'official taster' he feels the need to come and test every new food that is served in the house).

Smile-ah loved it though.  I wanted to give her some more for supper, but she fell asleep, in Peter's famous egg roll wrap.

Egg-head

The avocado is a great starter, especially since I am having great difficulty finding 'starter' baby cereal.  Rice is plentiful, but rice has caused major constipation in both my other two little ones, and so I have sworn not to inflict this on Smile-ah.  I know she'll tolerate the rice (it's in her genes), so I am looking for a single grain:  wheat, oats, millet...we'll see what I'll be able to find.

Obviously this picture was not taken last night

Last night was awful.  Smile-ah was actually SCREAMING and crying (with tears) and refused to take milk. I tried the salinol (for gas) and then later tried the camomilia (for teething) followed by the emidol (like baby tylenol)--for SLEEP!!  Once I got her settled, Little A came into my room, having to pee (no diapers now--her first bed-time without diapers was Wednesday night), and sweaty with a fever.  After she relieved herself, I placed her fevered little body into the crib, hoping the comfort of having me near would help her fall asleep faster (along with the emidol).  However, when SHE fell asleep, Smile-ah was back up again--screaming and inconsolable.  I believe I got about 5 hours of sleep in total last night (from 10 to 1, and then from 5:45 to 7:15).  Yet--I am not all that exhausted right now (Peter suggested that I go to bed at 6:30--but I just can't do it!!).

Pudding painting on Friday

T N had speech therapy today.  Sara tried to massage his cheeks and tongue (which he did not like very much).  She also tried to get him to identify himself and his 'mama' (which he wouldn't do), and to differentiate between a cow and sheep (again--not doing it).  At home, I am supposed to work on all of these things, in addition to trying to get him to use a straw...we'll see how it goes.  I must share that today I got my very first KISS from T N (he obviously knows who 'mama' is) b/c I said "Give Smile-ah a kiss" and he did.  Then I followed with "Give mama a kiss" and he stretched up his sweet lips to mine--it brought tears of joy and love to my eyes.

Looks like the screaming will continue again this evening.  Smile-ah has been fed (avocado) and is once again bucking the breast.  I have salined her nose, given her some emidol and Peter is giving her a bath, while I put little A to sleep (we are currently eating cookies).

I hope they all feel better soon!