Mommy's been so busy with moving and settling into our new home, as well as taking care of baby W, that she has not been able to post for over a month. She's been working really hard to get our lives organized. I think that at this point, she has so much to blog about that she can't decide on what to blog about! I imagine that she will be writing about our new place and all the work that went into it pretty soon...and of course, more W.

In November 2009, I happened on a backpack hiking carrier for babies on the Steep and Cheap website. It looked comfortable, was about 70% off, and I figured that we would need it...someday! Little did I know that it would only be a couple months later that we would be expecting someone who would use the carrier in the future. Its been a year and a half since I bought the carrier and finally we got to put it to use! We weren't sure how W would like it, but he seemed alright with it.

I decided to take him out for a short hike close to our new place with Bug. I think he liked it, at least he didn't complain at all. He just looked around and took it in. He likes being outdoors.

Here we are taking a photo break by the creek.

-p

Mom

This is my lovely mom.

(My mom has as habit of posing with random items. My guess is that she's watched one too many episodes of The Price Is Right. This photo is about 12 years old, but she's aged really well, so it's not too far from the truth)

First off, I just wanna say that we don't always see eye to eye. P knows first hand just how crazy she makes me sometimes. My mom has what you call "selective hearing." Basically, anything I consider important, she conveniently loses her hearing. It causes me to repeat myself (which I hate to do) all the time and it drives me crazy! She's an absolute horrible listener! As a nurse, she makes for the worst kind of patient. She doesn't take care of herself as well as I beg her to. She has the idea that if she can eat, then she's fine. Ugh. Again, drives me nuts. She never remembers that I hate mushrooms, she's always trying to poke me with needles, her purse is waaay too big for her, and even if there were proof, she'd never admit she was wrong. But that is the extent of my complaints(at least for today). Notice how short this paragraph is. :)

Now comes the love.

Other than the above, my mom is perfect. She is truly the strongest, most positive person I know. I often wonder what she was like as a child. She tells me that her and her siblings used to play till they passed out and that she only remembers laughing a lot. Man! That sounds awesome. It doesn't surprise me. My mom is always happy, always cheerful and always looking forward. I love that about her. There are no regrets with her. I think she feels like it's a waste of time, which it is!

As far as I can remember, my mom has been epitome of cheerfulness. I didn't realize what an asset this trait was until recently. Each day, she drives through the same dreadful LA traffic that makes all of us insane. All day, she deals with difficult Korean patients that don't listen or make appointments. Comes home to cook for her husband, her picky daughter and son-in-law, in a terribly outdated kitchen, no less. Plays the part of the lovely, submissive wife whenever she's with my dad (but we all know who really wears the pants). Sadly, she has not had a vacation in years. I can't even count how many years. And the only time she took off was to take care of me when W was born. In fact, she hasn't had a free weekend in at least 4 years. Ever since my dad started his restaurant business, my mom has been working 2 jobs. Can you imagine working 7 days a week for 4 years straight?!! She's a complete workaholic and thinks resting is for the dead.

The woman never goes shopping for herself. You think I exaggerate, but I'm not. Any money she has, she spends on food to feed her family or to buy her grandson clothes and toys. I don't remember the last time she ever brought home something she had bought for her own use or pleasure. Last year, P thought it would be nice to take my mom shopping for her birthday. So we went to a mall and you could tell, she hadn't stepped into one for a very long time. She looked lost. It made me want to cry. My mom, a typical woman who loves clothes, jewelry, shoes and purses, has not been shopping in a decade! I hate shopping and even I NEED to go to the mall once in a while. Thankfully, she has wonderful people around her who gives her clothes and whatever essentials a woman needs in appreciation for her friendship and hard work.

And I love that she's not self-centered. It's never about her. For instance, her birthday. She doesn't expect the world around her to stop and notice this important day. She's mature enough to know that life gets busy sometimes and flexibility is virtue. A birthday cake a week later tastes just as good. She doesn't look at another person and think..."how come I don't have what they have?" or "I wish this..." and "I wish that..." My mom is a real-life PollyAnna. If she lost a finger, she would probably say, "Well, at least I still have 9 others." No joke. Any other woman would be bitching to a girlfriend or complaining to her husband about all that she is deprived of. But not my mom. She gives so much and receives so little in return. To me, she is simply amazing. I could never put up with all that she does. Even if I had to, I would never be able to do it with a smile.

And then there is her role as a wife. My dad is not an easy person to live with, let alone be married to. It must be hard for a free spirit like my mom to be trapped under tradition and culture. But she handles it beautifully. My dad is the youngest of 4 boys and the prince of his family. Need I say more? So you can see, my mom had her work cut out for her from the start. And though my dad may be the big talker and think he's the center of attention, I know that it is my mom that people are drawn to. Without her, my dad would be a lone geezer somewhere, with no one to listen to him.

What I love most about my mom is how easily she laughs. She almost laughs too much and too readily, but it's a flaw many of us could only wish to have. It's as if she knows something we don't. I remember a few times, when I was a child and being scolded by her for whatever reason, in the middle of her anger..she'd just start cracking up. She'd laugh so hard that she would start wheezing. Of course, that kind of laughter is contagious and you'd end up with the two us in tears, rolling on the floor, trying to catch our breath. We didn't always fight this way, but we did it quite often. Isn't that the BEST?!

I remember when my mom came to the hospital after W was born. She came up to my bed, held my hand and started crying. She almost never cries. Strong, I tell you. But I think at that moment, it was about finally having something in common. Our lives are so different, growing up in different countries..in different times. She came from a big family, where I am an only child. Though we share a few quirks and traits, for the most part, we are very different people. So when I became a mother, it was as if for once, we were on the same page. And without having to say anything, I knew she was excited for the both of us.

To this day, I have friends who ask about my mom, even though they haven't seen her in over a decade! That's the kind of impact she has on you. For such a small person, her personality fills up the whole room. I'm so blessed to have her as a mother and a role model.

Happy Mother's Day! I love you, mom!!

On Your Mark

I've been walking around telling people that my baby was 6 months old. WRONG! He's 7 months now!! When did this happen?! I didn't think it was possible, but I think time is ACTUALLY going faster than ever. I feel like a lot has changed since W was 6 months. He still hasn't said "mama" on purpose...but I know it's a long shot anyway. But he started reaching for us when we call to him. He doesn't do it every time but when he does...it's such a gratifying feeling. It makes me wanna say.."aw, he DOES love me!"

Some of the whining has decreased and we got our happy baby back to some degree. He's been rocking on all fours and it's sooo cute! He does it during tummy time and whenever he's in his crib. But the poor little guy gets so frustrated because he hasn't figured out what to do next.

Soon, it'll be hard to get these still shots of W. He was kind enough to smile for the camera in the middle of his whining. Thanks, baby.

He's been practicing non-stop for the past couple of weeks. Rocking back and forth. But how to move forward...hmmmm...

He's also been sitting up by himself. This is something we didn't really work on but he's doing surprisingly well. I think it helps that he's so bottom heavy. :)

Grandma is so excited that she didn't even change out of her work clothes yet.

Oddly enough, there's a photo of me making this exact face when I was a baby. If I weren't so lazy, you'd be seeing them side by side.

W has been busy, going from place to place with us. See, we have big news! We're moving!!! Soon, I hope. This has been in the works for some time now, but I was afraid to say anything out loud for fear of jinxing it. We soooooo desperately want a place of our own. We NEED a place of our own! W is getting big and he'll be crawling in no time. There is no way I'm gonna let my baby crawl around this house. It's too dangerous and too dusty. Our Dyson probably wants to cry every time we use it. So much dust, so little time!

So we've been shopping. You name it, we need it. So you can imagine how crazy it's been doing all the price comparisons online and in person. My feet need a good soaking. At least it was good for W to be out and about, seeing all the shiny appliances and plushy sofas. He's been a pretty good sport about it, too. I think I was the one doing all the whining.

We're super excited and still having a hard time believing it all. We won't get to move in right away due to the MAJOR updating the place needs. But once it's done, I'll literally be dancing in the street!

Even W is excited about the move!

A Little Cheese With That Whine?!

It is the beginning of the end, my friends. Up until now, I have been COMPLETELY infatuated with my baby. It was to a nauseating degree, really. Everything W did was oh! so cute and he could do no wrong. Even when he pooped while I was changing his diaper. CUTE! Golden showers. SUPER CUTE! Spit up...that was only kinda cute. Even his crying...the little water globes forming in the center of his eyes. Sigh. I love that.

But it's all downhill from here. I just know it. He's growing up and he's definitely experiencing growing pains. W is just downright frustrated right now. Like most everything else, it happened overnight. He was this happy, love to play by himself, jumperoo-crazed baby. Then WHAM!! Whine. Whine. Whine!!! It's not an outright cry. He's just whining. And it kills me that I don't know what he wants. Tummy time...no? Wanna sit up? Nope. How about the bouncer? Hates it! I know...you wanna jumperoo!!! You love jumperoo!! What? You hate jumperoo? Shit.

According to mommy forums, this is really common. I guess at this age, babies get frustrated because now they REALLY want to interact and explore but they just can't seem to get where they want to get!

What's worse is he's starting to experience separation anxiety AND stranger anxiety. I used to be able to leave the room and W would hardly notice, bouncing up and down in his jumperoo. It was awesome. Now, I have to sneak away while he's not looking. And that only buys me a couple minutes. Forget about it if he actually sees me leave. Whine. Whine. Whine!! I thought my baby didn't even like me! Perhaps he's just used to me. It happens. Whatever it is, it's heartbreaking. He just looks at me with his sad frowny eyes, presses his lips together and says, "Mommy, don't leave!" Tissue. I need tissue. And if he's not used to your face, oh boy. Get ready to hear the most heart-wrenching cry ever. We made the mistake of thinking that he will get used to the person if they carry him. Then I read that we shouldn't do that because babies are truly terrified of these "strangers" and the fear they feel is very real. *sniff* I'm sorry, baby, I didn't know.

We went to visit great-grandpa and all was okay...for about 20 seconds until...

Yup. This is what he did the entire time. Poor guy. Who are these people?!?! Waaaahhh!!!

Who is this person holding me!?!?! Please give me back to daddy!!!

If you can't fight 'em, join 'em.

I know this phase will pass and he will be back to pushing me away and ignoring me. So I'm trying not to take this sudden neediness for granted. It's kinda cute actually. Okay, so maybe it's not downhill just yet. Maybe this is parenthood. Loving your children so much that even when they make you crazy, it only intensifies the love you have for them.

Look who finally cried himself to sleep. Take a picture...quick!!

Caps For Sale!

I am not a hat person. Wish I was, but I just can't get used to them sitting on my head. I don't have the face for them and they give me headaches. But I do adore seeing them on my baby. Until he's old enough to pull them off his head, W is going to be wearing lots of them. Sorry, sweetie. This particular hat we bought in honor of his great grandpa, who has quite a spiffy collection of caps himself.

We had a special guest last weekend! Auntie C spent the WHOLE day with us!! I hope W knows how much she loves him :)

.5

Just burnt some toast. Go me.

Some days I feel like supermom. And other days, I can't even remember to brush my teeth. There's no question that these last 6 months have been a doozy. I will admit, my life, up until the pregnancy, has been really easy. No major hurdles or tragedies to deal with. Nothing that makes me feel like a victim or a statistic. And I always justified my easy life as being such because God knew I couldn't handle it. You know how the saying goes. God only gives you what you can handle. Well, there you have it. So you can imagine my surprise when my morning sickness was as bad as it was. I kept thinking...there must be some mistake. Is God on vacation or something because he knows what a wuss I am.

And we all know about the challenges P and I faced when W finally arrived. Thrush, jaundice, crying whenever he was tired (which was always), hating his stroller, and, of course, his size. Newborns are hard. A big newborn is even harder!! And to be honest, I hate hearing people comment about how big he is. If he was underweight, I'm sure no one would say a peep. At least W doesn't look like a lollipop. His big head is proportioned to his big body and I think he looks perfectly squishy and adorable. So there!!

We did have it easy in other ways though. He was a good eater and breast feeder from the get-go. Boy, was he ever! He didn't have colic or reflux. At least I don't think he did. No major skin issues. Hasn't gotten sick yet (crossing fingers, toes and eyes). Laughs and smiles a lot. Nice round head, mainly due to the fact that his head is too large to keep straight when he's sleeping. LOL! He never cries when he's soiled his diaper. He loves his changing table and doesn't care when we change his clothes. And, of course, he's not underweight.

It's gotten easier. Much easier. W can ride in his stroller for a lot longer and he loves tummy time. It's no wonder he didn't try rolling onto his back until recently. He's on his way to crawling, sticking his little tooshy out, scooting around his crib. Much to my surprise, he holds and sucks from his sippy cup...sorta. Why couldn't he do this with the bottle?! He's talking and squealing constantly, making eye contact as he does. He especially has a lot to say to Bug. Weird.

Everyone keeps telling me that I'd better start planning his 1-year birthday party. Really?! I guess it makes sense. It takes a week to fold a load of laundry... so a planning a bash for my little sweetie will probably take about 6 months. It will truly be a celebration for P and I. I don't think a day has gone by where we don't look at each and say how blessed we are to have W in our lives. What an amazing experience it is to be his mommy and daddy. Even if we are going broke doing it. Ha ha!!

"Still" Love Bug Friday

Remember him? I know, I know. I'm such a bad person for not posting about Bug more often. I've been a little busy but believe me, we didn't forget about Bug. Mainly because he won't let us.

When we first brought W home, Bug went bonkers. He was practically bouncing off the walls.

He was Bug, the dog on crack. And to say he did not like the baby would be a gross understatement. Oh the jealousy! P did his best to prepare Bug for our new addition. He brought home a blanket that smelled like the baby while I was still in the hospital. We made sure to say hi to Bug first before bringing the baby into the house. But none of it took.

Much time has passed since then. He still doesn't like the baby, but he tolerates him. Sometimes he even comes up to W's hand so that he can be pet. That's the funniest, seeing as how W has no idea what to do. Mostly W just grabs his ears and pulls really hard. But Bug is so desperate for the attention, he doesn't care if W is smacking him in the eye!

I think Bug secretly loves W. Whenever I leave the room to wash my hands or grab something, I find that Bug has stationed himself right next to W. Even when W is in the crib and we leave the room, he stays with the baby, sitting under the crib. When W cries, Bug immediately stands at attention, as if to alert us of the situation. I think he realizes...the baby is one of us. He's one of the pack. Cesar Milan would be proud.

He won't even look at the baby. Snob.

Ignorance is bliss, I guess. Look how delighted W is just to be so close to Buggie.

Bug could only stand to sit next to W for so long. Sigh.