Nom Nom Nom

My mom predicted that baby N would grow up to bigger than W.  I couldn't understand why she thought this.  He was born smaller, first of all.  He was a poor eater for the first few months and he lost a ton of weight when he was jaundiced.  But I guess she saw something in him that I didn't.  Because let me tell you, he's more than a chunky monkey.  He's a gorilla!  A delicious, juicy, squishy, nibblelicious ball of love.  And he is already wearing clothes that W didn't wear until he was a year old.  Yup.  Ya heard me.  And it's not because he eats a lot.  I would say that W was still a better eater at this age.  It's a mystery as to why he just packs it on.  Genetics.  Mama's genetics.  

N finally has teeth!!  Unlike W, this kid was not happy about his new chompers.  Fever, pain, and drool, drool, drool.  But they finally cut through and they are so dang cute!  

Go ahead.  Bite me.

Green beans and broccoli.  Gag

Cookie.  That's much better.  Hmph! 

Happy Trails

I can't wait until we can go camping as a family.  Some of my best childhood memories are of camping with friends and family.  Pitching the tent, the smell of charcoal, the crackling fire....all of it.  I daydream about it all the time.  Not only do I blog about my life but I follow many, many blogs as well.  And I noticed that I tend to enjoy the ones of folks who live in the midwest, so close to nature, where their children get to have the great outdoors literally right outside their windows.  I envy that.  How nice it must be to experience all four seasons and hear the sound of gravel under your shoes wherever you go.  Perhaps one day we'll live in a place like that.  

Until then, a hiking we will go!  It's the next best thing and it's a little difficult to do right now with a young baby.  But we got our dusty carrier out and I gotta say, I think N is going to be an Eagle Scout for sure!  He was such a trooper!!  Didn't hear a peep from that little guy the entire time.  He was just staring at the wonderful scenery the entire way!  P had hiked this place before and failed to mention how rocky the terrain would be.  I guess he didn't remember it that way.  But it was a bit of challenge trying to make sure W didn't trip and kill himself!  We had to cross streams and walk on slippery rocks over and over again.  It didn't help that W kept stepping in the stream water on purpose!  Needless to say, I was stressed out the entire time, but it was amazing to see my little man hike the entire way and back!  I live with a bunch of outdoorsmen, apparently.  Awesome!  The reward at the end of trail was a beautiful enclosed waterfall.  W really enjoyed it.  And of course, it's always great to see your kids happy.

Papa was awesome carrying N the whole time on his back.  And he had to help me with W a lot, too.  The map says it's a half mile but...that's bullshit.  I know what a half mile feels like and that was waaaay longer, map!  Way longer!  Well, it was a good workout and I gotta say, it makes me feel like our family can get through some tough stuff when we stick together.   

So adorable, right!?

Still hard to believe we have 2 boys!  Will I ever get used to this sight?

W gets so giddy when we go walking.  

My babies look even smaller amongst these grand trees.

W, your shadow is taking a picture of you!

He was so ready to enjoy the water after that grueling hike.

Um, mommy didn't bring a change of clothes dear.  Sigh.

Isn't this kid awesome?

The road back.

Glorious pudginess at it's best.  

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

We finally went to a ballgame this year!  Was it an Angel's game?  No.  LOL!!  It was a Dodger game because our good friends are expecting and they decided to throw an awesome baby shower at the game.  They rented out a suite and it was all comfort and fun.  The food was yummy, Dodger dogs and pulled pork sandwiches.  And the dessert cart came by, not that I partook.  Dieting, remember?  I was good.  I think the kids had the most fun of all!  W and A get a long really well and when they get together, it's a giggle fest. It was a little loud and we had to go to First Aid to get N some ear plugs but other than that, the atmosphere was electric.  Did I watch any of the game?  Nope.  It's hard to do anything with 2 kids, let alone watch a baseball game.  We pretty much spent the whole time watching the kids instead.  I love taking the boys to experience new things.  This is just one more thing we can cross off that list!!

The mom-to-be was glowing!  I think the dad-to-be was glowing a little bit, too!  Hopefully, we can squeeze in one more game before the season ends.  And it won't be Dodger game!  I miss my Angels and the red sea of cheering fans.  Hopefully I won't forget to bring ear plugs for N's precious little ears.    

The happy parents-to-be

Just chillin'

Besties

I can't hear anything and I love it!

These two can have fun doing absolutely nothing.

They don't look like babies anymore, do they?

Mermen

The ONLY good thing about summer in the valley.... time to hit the pool!!!  Well, the summer nights are pretty amazing but we don't go out at night anymore so I don't count that.  My little mermen were loving the water.  Last summer, I was big and pregnant and would stay poolside to watch my ONE son swim.  Fast forward to the present and now BOTH my sons are in the pool.  Isn't that crazy!?!?  One year can bring so much change.  Well, I was still poolside this year and I will probably remain so because...I don't like getting wet.  I'm like a cat.  Independent and hydrophobic.  Besides, who else is going to take the pictures of my adorable swimmers?!  

The weather is mild now but it was insanely hot for a little bit there.  It seems like in Southern California, we don't have Fall or Spring.  Just really long hot Summers and then a brief tease of a Winter.  I wish I could say that we're finally cooling down, but it stays warm, especially where we live, until around November.  When I was little, I remember being cold while Trick or Treating.  Not anymore.  It's a little scary how much our climate has changed in just a couple of decades.  Makes me fear what's in store for my boys.  Makes me regret not buying a hybrid car or recycling more.   Never too late to start, right?  These cuties are worth any and all efforts.

I heard that babies can naturally hold their breath under water until about 8 months of age.  But I was too chicken to try it with N.  I'm too scared to douse water on his face during bath time so I don't know what I was expecting.  Hopefully, these kids learn to swim, unlike myself.  I still have to pinch my nose.  The water just goes up my nose, I promise!!!  It's like I have no stopper!  Perhaps, if W goes to swim school next year, I'll learn right along with him.

Aren't they cute?

Look!!  W is swimming on his own now!

Gotta protect that yummy fair skin.

Doesn't he look so grown up? 

Just give him a rock and clam and he could be a sea otter!

I like swimming, daddy.  

Best buds.  Sigh.  I love this.

A Big First

I've been both dreading and waiting for this day to come.  W's first day of school.  It's been a few weeks now and I have not been able to write about it until now.  Honestly, we're both still having a hard time with the adjustment.  W cried a lot for the first couple of weeks.  But it got better.  He liked school, he just didn't want to be there without me.  That was heartbreaking.  Seeing him cry as I left.... it's a terrible feeling that I will never forget.  I was numb for the first week.  Completely stressed out.  So stressed, in fact, that I got sick.  AGAIN!!!

Wait a minute, I should mention that W missed the entire first official week of school because he was sick.  So, yes, I probably got it from him.  But I'm usually able to fend off these bugs.  I guess when you're that miserable, your defenses weaken.  Anyway, I think he likes his teachers.  Each class has two.  I'm not too sure about one of them.  I guess it's better than being unsure about both of them.  I think I annoy them with my constant....oh, I dunno, concern for my child.  But you know me.  I don't give a shit.  He's a baby and I'm going to make sure he's happy and well taken care of.  Especially with what we're paying... they better not disappoint.

Anyway, I digress.  The bright side to all this is that W doesn't have to stay home and be bored all day like he was.  As for me, I finally get to spend some quality time with awesome N.  I knew N was getting neglected as any baby would with a 2 year old running around.  But after I dropped off W at school and it was just me and my baby....man, it was weird.  I was so used to playing with a toddler that I had forgotten how to entertain a baby!!!  It's a work in progress but a lot fun at the same time.

W has a couple of friends at school but they don't really play with each much at this age.  They just kind of stay in the same vicinity.  And lunch has been a challenge.  You can buy a hot meal that they will provide everyday or you just send your kid to school with a lunch bag.  We tried both.  The only thing he'll eat are the fish sticks.  And the only thing I make that he'll eat is rice and seaweed.  LOL!!  We tried the fake peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but he won't eat it.  So it's kimbap every freakin' day.  Sigh.

You know most parents send their kids off to daycare because of work or because they just want to be free of their kid.  Sad but true.  And hey, I'm not judging.  It's not easy being home with the kids all day.  It was getting really hard to watch both kids especially since W is getting older and entertaining him is a lot of work.  Not to mention messy.  Poor kid would just lay on the floor and play with his cars and trains all day long.  Honestly, the guy was horizontal more than he was vertical.  So I knew it was time.  This whole school thing was definitely going to be a challenge because we've been together since the day he was born!!!  That's a long time.  Even now, I can't nap without him.  He was like my teddy bear.

Today, I picked him up from school a little early.  I missed the guy.   But I did take a moment to watch him from a window.  He was sitting in the sandbox with another kid, shoveling sand, getting dirty and having fun.  Breaks my heart to a million pieces.  Everything he does breaks my heart.  Love really does hurt.

Ok, I know the haircut looks bad, but it's not.  I promise.  Papa is usually the one who doesn't his hair.

Not So Little Brother

The question I get the most.  How old is he?  They don't believe he's only 6 months.  The second most asked question.  Is he as big as W was at this age?  I admit I asked this one myself.  Well, it turns out that he IS bigger!!!  In fact, he's off the chart! Don't look at me, the kid wouldn't even eat solids until now.  He retains fat well.  Must take after me.  He's been sleeping well, and we just dropped one night feeding so he's officially sleeping about 12 hours.  Good baby.  I didn't even have to wean him off the night feedings like I did with W.  We just let him cry a little and then he got the message.  Awesome, right?  He's still a chill pickle most of the time and now that W's in school, it's much easier to get around.  He'll sleep in the stroller and that allows for a lot for flexibility in our lives.  He wakes up happy and doesn't fuss for food unless he's really hungry.  In a way, I kind of admire my little chubster. He's more patient and tolerant than I am.  He doesn't complain much at all and he picks his battles.  He's already a much better person than I am and I love that about him.   And with W in school part time, I can give our little baby some much needed one on one time.  This poor guy has been more neglected than I'd like to admit.  Perhaps God intended him to be so good so that we could tend to big brothers' needs.   

I'm trying to enjoy every bit N because he's my last baby.  We're done.  Pregnancy is like a slow death for me and it makes it hard on everyone around me so we won't be expanding our family anymore.  Not with humans anyway.  I foresee lots of pets in the future.  I would like a third child.  Three just seems like a nice number of kids.  But unless we win the lotto and hire a surrogate, we're going to remain a family of four.  

Of course, being a little wiser helps.  I can spend more time enjoying N instead of worrying and fretting about it.  Like I said, he's a different baby than W was so he makes it easier.  I wonder if one day he'll flip the switch and decide to be difficult.  Let's not think about it unless we have to cross that bridge.  

No teeth yet.  Though he drools quite a bit.  And all of us girls just discovered that all our babies have 2 swirls on the back of their heads!!! What are the chances?!  According to Korean superstition, it means they will marry twice in their lifetime.  Not a good thing...but hey, it doesn't have to be a bad thing either, right?  He's not much of a thumb sucker like his brother.  He chomps on his hands from time to time...but he pretty much just soothes himself without it.  I don't know what goes in that little head of his.  He's so mysterious to me.  I'm so used to W wearing his emotions on his sleeve that N just baffles the heck out of me.  LOL!

I'm looking forward to the next few months.  This is when it gets really fun.  I can't wait until he can sit up on his own.  That is the best!  Though his big belly is kind of an obstacle so I suspect it won't be happening for a while.  I'll be really honest and say that I'm a little concerned about how big he is.  I thought W was big, and he was!  But since he turned 2, he's really thinned out and looks quite skinny now.  But I also remember W having a hard time with turning over, sitting up, crawling, standing...all that because he was such a heavy baby.  I mean, who wants to be laying there all day when they could be going places?  No one.  Another thing... I'm old.  I'm waaaayyy old.  I had a hard enough time carrying W around waiting for him to walk....at 15 months!!!  I can't even fathom how hard it's going to be with N.  Please God, give him the strength and determination to walk much earlier than that.  Please. Please. Please!!

I couldn't get the slideshow to embed so ....  lots of photos this time.  He's cute, so it's okay. 

I love the way infants sleep.  I could stare at him for hours.

Marshmallow hands.

So yummy.

For some reason, N always spits up on this onesie.  Gotta a photo before it happened.

Sharing the spotlight.

Why couldn't he nurse with this ferocity?

Poker face.

Joker face.

Gotta get some nudy shots in here.

TIMMMMMMMMBEEEERRRRR!!

Priceless conversation.

Birthmark and fat.  

Jaws, remember?

Smile for mommy.

Bigger!

That's better.