Tivona's weeks 2-10

I had one precious week at home after Tivona was born. I couldn't take more, because I had to submit the package for my Canada Research Chair renewal. In that last breath of summer, we got out as much as we could (thanks largely to Nanna, who was here for more than a month). Here's Taya at a distant park (Nanna and I rode, partly for the excursion).



And here we are, getting dizzy together--something we've loved since Taya was a young baby.


Getting dizzy with Daddy

Here's Taya on another day, playing at the pool at New Brighton.



You see a lot of pictures of Taya smiling--almost seems like nothing interrupted her usually sunny disposition after Tivona's birth. We wish. Taya actually had a rough spell that started the day Nanna arrived, a week before Tiva's birth (Taya knew what it meant). It's been gradually improving, and it's still driving Lj nuts at times, but it's completely understandable. Here's Taya, smiling with Nanna. Being outside almost always helps.



And here's Taya and I, snacking after I squeezed in a swim.



We took Tivona out, too, of course. Usually she was bundled tightly on one of us, but here she is sleeping in her stroller (at the pool). Not a common occurrence, and not to happen again after this for quite some time!



It wasn't at all uncommon for Tiva to fall asleep on Ljuba's breast. That kind of sleep doesn't last long. As soon as Lj takes Tiva off the 'lily pad' (the nursing pillow), she usually wakes up (even though she can sleep while being jostled quite vigorously on it).



We discovered pigtails for Taya, and quite liked them. I even learned how to do them, but we won't show any pictures of those hairdos. ;)



Taya knows more songs than I do! And whereas it takes me countless sessions with Ljuba practicing line by line, Taya seems to learn whole songs just by listening. Here's "Little Rabbit Fufu", Taya style.


Taya singing "Little Rabbit Fufu"

Taya loves playing on our bed. Here she is looking chubby-cheeked.



Tivona, like Taya, has some wonderful facial expressions. Here's Tiva's "life is so hard" look.



Tivona also went through a bad-skin phase.



Although Taya soon showed little patience for watching Tivona, and definitely showed signs of resentment ("Dada put Tiva down," and "Daddy is not going to carry Tiva", etc.), Taya did continue to show her maternal instincts. She babied all her dolls, including the one actual baby-like doll (see the Jedi picture, below), which she interestingly called "Baby Taya". (It was a definite no-no to call that doll "Baby Tiva"!) Taya would do everything that we would do with Tivona. Here's Taya nursing Mama Bear/Bride Bear.


Taya breastfeeding Bride Bear

But a few weeks later, Taya did decide to call another baby toy "Baby Tiva", and here's Taya practicing our welcome song for Tiva, "Hi, hi, baby" (here she's signing 'baby').



Taya can be quite photogenic, as long as she's not trying too hard. :)



Speaking of trying to hard, this is the squinty smile you get if you ask her to say cheese, here with Nanna, Tiva, and Ljuba.



Yay for nearby parks, and yay for Auntie Sandra, who came out to visit and take care of Tiva, Taya (and us all) for her entire week's vacation!!! Here's Taya doing chin-ups (inspired by me--I'm always squeezing them in, and also coaxing Taya to hang on to me for 'cuddle-ups').


Practicing chin-ups with Auntie Sandra

And here's Taya walking the log with Auntie Sandra.


Walking the log with Auntie Sandra

Also thanks to Auntie Sandra, who helped bake the cake, take care of both girls, and otherwise host the party, we did manage to host a little party for Taya's second birthday. Here she is receiving hugs from some of her guests, including Hugh Grant ;).



And here's Taya blowing out her candles on her icing-less cranberry kuchen. You might think that she's being deprived, but she was thrilled to have a slice of cake!



Taya also got some gifts. Here she is opening one, not quite getting the concept. Or is that her parents, not quite getting it?



Taya opening presents

Here's Auntie Sandra with her little walking buddy/bundle, Tivona.



Babica came out the next day and stayed for weeks. She, too, was a tremendous help, especially for Tiva who couldn't yet sleep without being carried. Babica walked her legs off for hours everyday, carrying our peaceful little baby. Peaceful? Did I mention Tivona's a tiger? (More on that later.) She was peaceful nestled into the wrap, usually.



Here's Tiva peeking over her hands.



And here she is, sprawling.



Tivona developed a delightful smile very early on. Here she's barely a month old.



And here's Tiva on the change table. I'm sorry I can't show you a picture of her amazing (dark and huge) Mongolian spots. That pic was removed by Webshots as possible child pornography!



Here's Tiva in video.


Tivona gets her probiotics

I mentioned that Tivona's a little tiger, right? Here she is practicing her roar. Seriously, though, she really does roar--you should (read: shouldn't) hear her scream in the evening, falling to sleep for the night. You could be down the block and still hear her go.



Here's Tiva's more usual bath-time docility.



And here she is again, enjoying her bath.



Life as a baby is like one long trip to the spa, no? Look how calm she is.



Here's Taya again, dressed in the cape she got last Christmas. Then, she was stepping all over it, but she's grown so much that now it fits her beautifully. I think it makes her look like a Jedi princess (yes, too much Star Wars!). In her arms is Baby Taya, her one baby doll.



Taya blows us away with her artwork and her patience for it. She paints--things in action--sitting on her own.



Nanna and Grandpa came after their trip to Malaysia and China, and they instigated celebratory meals for Tivona's first month (she was almost two months old by then, but all the better), and for my promotion and tenure. It was super to have that impetus, and their help with the girls, because it afforded us a brief moment of consideration of the momentous nature of those events. Taya had received a chong-sam from Veronica and wore it, much to the delight of her grandpa and the Chinese wait staff at the dinner (the Chinese restaurant Whole Vegetarian).



Tivona has super head control from all the time she had being carried. She actually slept very little on her back.



Hallowe'en was fun. Okay, it was what Ljuba calls a 'gong show', but it was also fun. Here's Tivona as a squid, courtesy of Megan's beautiful hand-knit hat.



And here's Taya as a poppy, a joint project of Mama and Dada.



We had fun trick or treating. I held Tivona while she got wired not sleeping as hundreds of kids invaded our trick-or-treating heaven (60 homes, almost all with kids, with very little walking and no roads to cross). Taya met her little friend Logan, a firefighter. As you can see, they both played hard to get.



I'm painfully aware that this blog entry wasn't perfectly equal in coverage. I'm also aware that Tiva doesn't get nearly as many photos and videos as Taya did at this age. And that Taya now doesn't get the coddling that Tivona does. Ah the joys of juggling multiple kids! Anyway, to close off this entry, here's our little big-eyed Tiva, dressed pumpkin-ish.

Welcome Tivona (Tiva) Katja Kovacic Chan!

Hi, hi baby!
Taya continued to be thrilled about the baby in Mama's womb without a view, so I made up a song with actions we called "Hi, hi baby!" Playing on the similarity between the sign for baby and a made-up sign, Taya amended my original version.



Taya strums the ukelele with Sarah
Musician Taya had the time of her life on my birthday, when Sarah brought over her ukelele and let Taya strum it.


The same day, Taya developed a groupie crush on Robin, whom she knows by name and also as "guitar-player man"; she also reports that he is "very, very friendly".



Daddy Loves Me
Taya absolutely loves this book called "Daddy Loves Me" (and also "Daddy's Girl"--she mixes up the titles). She continually requests it, and here she shows that she can now read it on her own, singing and turning the pages.



Sunflowers for Mama and Tivona
At the farmer's market, Taya and I got sunflowers for Ljuba and the baby--thanks to Dada's winning ways and a kind woman's generosity (we were flat out of cash!).


We loved going to the beach at Trout Lake. The first time I took Taya this summer, Ljuba couldn't believe that I swam out to the dock and back with Taya (holding onto my shoulders as we used to do on my dad), and jumped off the dock with her repeatedly. "Taya swim like Kapono!" she said over and over, referring to a character in a beloved book of ours.


Here's Ljuba at the same beach, sporting a beautiful belly.

Our second baby was due August 25. The day before, the midwife hadn't even been able to do a stretch-and-sweep because the baby was too high, but she nevertheless had a feeling Ljuba might deliver that day or the next. Ljuba did have a day full of contractions, but then, she'd had plenty of those in the 12 days we were overdue with Taya, so we didn't think too much of it. The next day (the due date), her contractions strengthened, and Ljuba had a chiropractic adjustment (which had really been helping her SI joint problems), and the contractions strengthened further. But they were still irregular, so our midwife-on-call recommended getting into the bath and checking in later. After a few long strong contractions, we decided it was time to go to the hospital. By that time, it was the middle of rush-hour, and as I turned onto the first major road there was a major accident and traffic jam. But--as if the heavens were smiling on us--one of the emergency vehicles moved as I got to the scene. I gunned it and made it through before a long line of cars waiting.



Welcome, Tivona!
Good thing! Minutes later, Ljuba rode a huge contraction, and I could tell by her grunty groan that she was pushing. She exclaimed that her water had broken. By the time we got to the hospital, Ljuba couldn't walk. I hauled her out of the car and then a couple dozen steps into the waiting/admitting area. We were both yelling for help and for someone to page our midwife. The various staff were apparently used to folks making a big fuss on the way in, so they were in no big hurry. When a man offered Ljuba a wheelchair to sit on she refused flatly, "The baby's coming--I'm not going to sit on her head!" To prove it, she pulled down her pants and started bending over, revealing the crowning baby's head to a handful of nurses that had finally gathered--and also a room full of people in the waiting area. Finally, the nurses realized she meant business, so they closed the waist-high door that separated the waiting room from the admitting room, and seconds later the head was out. As I gazed on the purple, swollen head, a nurse directed me around to Ljuba's head (apparently afraid I'd faint). A minute later, Tiva was born. In this video, Ljuba announces her name to our midwife, Laura: Tivona (Tiva) Katja Kovacic Chan.


Here's Tivona, on Ljuba's breast.


We already knew well that Tiva is a very different baby than Taya (based on their activity in the womb), and several experiences confirmed that. First, whereas Taya hollered and howled for minutes upon entry into the world, Tiva let out two small cries. Second, whereas Taya did the same every time someone dared to stick a thermometer in her armpit, here Tiva takes without blinking.



Tiva's first bath
And here Tiva takes her first bath, getting a shampoo without a peep.


And she was equally calm getting her heart checked.


The next day Taya came to visit her new baby sister with Nanna, who has been incredibly helpful with so many things. Taya was absolutely thrilled to meet Tiva. She's ramped up her care for her baby doll and so many of her other toys, feeding them, diapering them, dressing them, etc.


Nothing's ever perfect, but we're all grateful that nursing has been so much easier this time around.


As you can tell from the big smile, I love carrying Tiva. It's not as clear that the feeling is mutual, but I think it is!


But even if it's primarily good for putting Tivona to sleep, that's good too!


Tiva was a much smaller baby than Taya--a pound lighter at 7 lbs 6 oz (3.35 kg) and an inch shorter at 20 1/4" (51.5 cm). She dropped down just below 7 lbs, but at day 8 she had already regained her birthweight, weighing in at 7 lbs 8 oz.


We love it that Tivona loves to sleep!


Here's Tivona getting a kiss from her big sister Taya.


Tiva has precious few moments of quiet alert (of awake of any kind), but they are precious.


Taya has two striking hair whorls opposing each other at the back of her head. Tiva also has two, one right at the back and one right at the front, as you can see here.


Taya is in absolute bliss when she's able to hold and touch Tivona. She doesn't know quite what to do with herself.


But she really does try to be gentle.


We've been swaddling Tivona. Sometimes anything works. But it's also true that sometimes--especially in the evening--nothing seems to work. But she doesn't scream much at all--she grunts. It's very cute! Except when it goes on for hours after bedtime.


Some people say that Tiva looks just like Taya, and sometimes you can really see that. But while virtually everyone can tell that Taya is part Asian (the same isn't true for me), you can barely see it on Tiva. Except when you see her bum with her huge, stark Mongolian spots. But you can see a bit of Tiva's Asian genes here, I think--in her eyes.


The truth is, even with easy babies, parenting an infant isn't easy!


Of course, the cuteness usually makes up for it, when we aren't too bleary eyed to see them.


Holding Tiva is like holding a feather. Taya gained 10 lbs while we were in the hospital--or so it seemed.


Snuggled in ... mmm.


The one downside of breastfeeding working well (don't get me wrong--I'm not complaining!) is that I get much less time with Tivona than I did with Taya. I savour it.


We had a little family photo shoot: here are some of the better ones.


Taya and Tiva, sister to sister.


Mama and her baby girls.


Tiva with Dada's head for scale.


Taya holding Tiva on Mama's "lily pad".


Taya hamming it up.


And Tiva sleeps on!