Jasmine van Zoest

Top picture is of our family having a goofy time after the crazy & busy holidays. We hope everyone had a wonderful New Year celebration. Jasmine was awake and did her first count down to the new year. Mama and Papa found Jasmine very amicable and she seem to have a lot of fun doing it too.

Four days left until Jasmine leaves babyhood behind. Jasmine's first birthday is arriving this Sunday. She does not know what that means yet, but Mama and Papa has a small surprise for her and we know she will love it, after all she thrives on attention these days. She is a full time walker! We are very proud of our 11 month old walker... It is a joyful, albeit tiring, time.

Check out some images of her celebrating Christmas / New Year in her gallery.

Jasmine is feeding her Papa food. I am surprised that Jasmine started to feed her stuffed animals and dolls so early. She started about a month ago with the lion, then feed the dolls and recently started feeding either Papa or me. Luckily she is much better now with the spoon. On several occasions she has successfully feed herself and us. She still spills her food, but no where near as bad as before.

In other development, we have noticed that Jasmine is embracing and kissing her dolls in the same manner as us embracing and kissing her. When she is hurt and Papa is around, she looks at him and in her cries she would yell, “PA! OUWWW!!!!!” Otherwise, she would just scream, "Ouwwww!!!! Ouwie!"

...She is not a year old yet. Our baby girl is growing up so quickly.

Cheese!

Our beloved toot, she is walking, talking, dancing, and singing. Her one-year check up indicates she weights 19 pounds and stands about 30 inches tall. Although looking at her big belly, Mama and Papa could not have guessed she is such a lightweight. She has only gained two pounds since the 8.5 months old check-up. We are not entirely sure how that is possible considering her big appetite. Well, the doctor says she is growing very well and is completely happy with her progress.

Above is a pictures of her celebrating her first birthday. We will upload more pictures of her birthday celebration soon. Hope your new year is bright and wonderful.

"She is running. And there is no denying that she is a walker!" , said her Papa. Jasmine is running around the house lately. She ran towards her Papa this morning and again this evening. She rushes towards things she loves and likes. She is also becoming very talkative and starting to use full sentences. The one sentence we can understand from her very well is, "What is this?". I am sure her pointing help us understand her as well.

We did not know that 12 months old can do so much already. Plus, her hair is getting long and very full. If Mama pulls her curl straight, her hair is at shoulder length. To us, she is looking very cute and most adorable person ever.

Jasmine wearing her preschool outfit. Already, she is gearing up for the big adventure, -- preschool... Actually, we have a much bigger event coming up and preschool is not likely to begin so soon. How will Jasmine, Mama, and Papa cope with this big adventure?

We will know very soon.

Preparing Your Other Children for a New Baby

CARING FOR YOUR BABY AND YOUNG CHILD

If you have other children, you'll need to plan carefully how and when to tell them about the new baby. A child who is 4 or older should be told as soon as you start telling friends and relatives. He also should be apprised of the basic facts about conception and pregnancy so he understands how he is related to his new brother or sister. Fables about storks and such may seem cute, but they won't help your youngster understand and accept the situation. Using one of the picture books published on the subject may help you to explain "where babies come from."

Preparing a Preschooler for a New Baby

If your child is younger than 4 when you become pregnant, you can wait awhile before telling him. When he's this young, he's still very self-centered and may have difficulty understanding an abstract concept like an unborn baby. But once you start furnishing the nursery, bringing his old crib back into the house, and making or buying baby clothes, he should be told what's going on. Also, take advantage of any questions he may ask about Mom's growing "stomach" to explain what's happening. Picture books can be helpful with very young children too. Even if he doesn't ask any questions, start talking to your older child about the baby by the last few months of pregnancy. If your hospital offers a sibling preparation class, take him so that he can see where the baby will be born and where he may visit you. Point out other newborns and their older siblings, and tell him how he's going to be a big brother soon.

Don't promise that things will be the same after the baby comes, because they won't be, no matter how hard you try. But reassure your child that you will love him just as much, and help him understand the positive side of having a baby sibling.

Preparing a Toddler for a New Baby

Breaking the news is most difficult if your child is between 2 and 3. At this age, he's still extremely attached to you and doesn't yet understand the concept of sharing time, possessions or your affection with anyone else. He's very sensitive to changes going on around him, and may feel threatened by the idea of a new family member. The best way to minimize his jealousy is to include him as much as possible in the preparations for the new baby. Let him shop with you for the layette and the nursery equipment. Show him pictures of himself as a newborn, and if you're recycling some of his old baby equipment, let him play with it a bit before you get it in order for the newcomer.

Any major changes in your preschooler's routine, such as toilet training, switching from a crib to a bed, changing bedrooms, or starting nursery school, should be completed before the baby arrives. If that's not possible, put them off until after the baby is settled in at home. Otherwise, your youngster may feel overwhelmed when the upheaval caused by the baby's arrival is added to the stress of his own adjustments.

Coping with Reactions to a New Baby

Don't be alarmed if news that a baby is coming, or, later, the baby's arrival, prompts your older child's behavior to regress a little. He may demand a bottle, ask to wear diapers again or refuse to leave your side. This is his way of demanding your love and attention and reassuring himself that he still has it. Instead of protesting or telling him to act his age, simply grant his requests, and don't get upset about it. A 3-year-old toilet-trained child who demands a diaper for a few days, or the 5-year-old who wants his outgrown (you thought long-forgotten) security blanket for a week, will soon return to his normal routine when he realizes that he now has just as important a place in the family as his new sibling.

However busy or preoccupied you may be with your new arrival, make sure you reserve some special time each day just for you and your older child. Read, play games, listen to music or simply talk together. Show him that you're interested in what he's doing, thinking, and feeling, not only in relation to the baby but about everything else in his life.

Excerpted from Caring for Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5, The American Academy of Pediatrics