I went to see the Nutcracker today with Abby, my sister-in-law, her daughter, and my parents-in-law (Grandpa's treat!). Abby is only 2 and a half, but today she was a mature little lady going to the ballet for the first time in her life. She wore her fancy silk Christmas dress from Grandma, and wore her hair in curls, styled by her auntie. I was sure she would fall asleep and be scared by the big talking toys. But she was surprisingly very interested in what was going on. For the whole two hours! Not many adults can keep interested for that long at the ballet.
She kept asking questions about what was happening, so I had to whisper a narration to her the whole time. I tried using phrases and concepts that she would understand, so at one point I told her that the naughty boy who took the girl's toy had to get a time-out.
If you're familiar with the Nutcracker, the first act is all about a Christmas party where the children receive presents from under the Christmas tree. There is a lot going on onstage, with people dancing, children playing, and general merrymaking going on... It's hard to just focus on one thing that is happening. However, Abby decided to focus on the Boy Who Got Time Out. In fact, she became fixated on it, constantly asking questions about the time-out. Maybe because she could relate to the girl whose toy was being taken away (she and her cousin Matthew have had some toy-sharing issues this past week while we're staying at his house), but whatever it was, the whole two hours was dotted with questions about the brief time-out session that the naughty boy had in Act 1 Scene 1.
Abby (whispering furiously): Mommy, is he all DONE with time OUT?
Me: Yes, he's all done.
Abby: But Mommy, did he GET time OUT?
Me: Yes, remember he took the toy away from the girl? He was naughty so he got a time out. But it's over now. (Let's move on!!!)
A couple of minutes later, some random character comes sailing in from stage left...
Abby: Did HE go to time OUT? And now he came out?
Me (regretting telling her of this supposed time-out in order to help her understand what's going on): No Abby, that's another character. The boy in the beginning had time out. Now nobody has time out.
Abby (still whispering furiously and nodding her head in understanding): Because he already got a time out. Yeah.
These are just samples of how our conversations went throughout the performance. I can't remember verbatim what she said, and what I said, but you get the gist. I could see that her 2-year-old mind was really trying to make sense of what was happening in the scenes in terms of what she knew from her experiences. It was fascinating to watch.
Anyways, all in all, a successful outing. It was complete with a money shot of her and her cousin with their grandparents in front of a lighted Christmas tree, and a toy nutcracker bought as a memento of the experience. When the final dance was danced, and everyone started to clap, she heartily joined in the clapping. The lights came on, and she turned to me and said, "This was fun!"
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Falling Apart at 30
Starting off a new year with a new age hasn't been all that pleasant. I just feel like everything is falling apart, physically. I found a white hair! Which means that I now need to color my hair out of necessity and not for fun. I just found out today that my tooth had cracked, thus allowing food to enter, thus creating a cavity, thus affecting my nerves, thus needing to get a root canal with a full crown. My teeth have never cracked before! What gives? My bones are extra creaky, things are saggy and jiggly everywhere, and it's just all-around unpleasant. As a joke, some friends gave me a multi-vitamin as part of their birthday present to me: Central-Vite Senior Formula "For Mature Adults." I laughed - it's still in its packaging. Now I'm looking at it with new wonder and hopefulness.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
I was talking to a friend the other day about life. She said something so interesting that I've been thinking about it for a couple of days now. The comment was that our Korean Christian parents' generation pushed us into becoming doctors and lawyers (or enter any other professional title that makes 6 figures), but didn't necessarily know what kind of lifestyle they were pushing us to embrace. In their minds, the salary, prestige, and the notion of making a difference to others was the aim. Getting straight As was the expectation in high school, so that you can go to a good college, so that you can go to a good law/med school (etc.), so that you can make lots of money, so that you can settle nicely and be comfortable.
But sometimes there's such a huge class difference once you make a ton of money. At times, it can clash with your own parents. They might still expect you to go to church regularly, get married and have 2.5 kids by age 30, cook every night, clean your newly bought house by yourself, and be available during the holidays. There are certain social and economic changes one might go through when entering a higher socio-economic class. You work long hours. You hire people to do things for you. You don't have time to have kids, or even get married. You can't always get to church on a Sunday morning. You might have to work on Thanksgiving and Christmas. You may enjoy fine dining instead of sub-par Japanese restaurants like your parents. You may become a little more shee-shee-fu-fu. But is this a good thing?
One of the effects of becoming shee-shee-fu-fu is that your standards are so high for certain things that you can't help but look down at other people. I see this in my own life sometimes. For example, I am appalled when people don't grate their own parmesan cheese. I grew up with American single sliced cheese (and I still love that, btw). I ate it with everything. I thought it was the ultimate CHEESE. But then I discovered other cheeses as I became more shee-shee-fu-fu. I went wine-tasting. I took cooking classes on how to eat and store different kinds of cheeses. I'm at a point now where I stick my nose up in the air at the powdery grated cheese stuff you buy in a container to sprinkle over pasta. I need to at least grate my own parmesan cheese. You might think this is a silly example, but it's nevertheless an example of changing my ways as a result of entering into a different class.
I don't know what I think about all this. I know that money is the root of all kinds of evil. I know this to be true. And perhaps that is the temptation I must overcome every day. To not give in to the "all kinds of evil" that wealth opens up. Perhaps some of you know what I'm talking about, and know it better than I do. And perhaps some of you don't know what I'm talking about, but want to know. In any case, I'm grateful that my parents didn't push me to pursue a profession that makes a lot of money. Perhaps they knew I wasn't smart enough anyway. haha. j/k. Maybe it's because I don't know yet the meaning of being "settled," but I don't mind struggling month to month in the Bay Area. And it's not even struggling in the sense of making ends meet. It's struggling to save, really, when it comes down to it.
Do I want to be rich? Do I want to be poor? I wish I could stay a happy medium.
But sometimes there's such a huge class difference once you make a ton of money. At times, it can clash with your own parents. They might still expect you to go to church regularly, get married and have 2.5 kids by age 30, cook every night, clean your newly bought house by yourself, and be available during the holidays. There are certain social and economic changes one might go through when entering a higher socio-economic class. You work long hours. You hire people to do things for you. You don't have time to have kids, or even get married. You can't always get to church on a Sunday morning. You might have to work on Thanksgiving and Christmas. You may enjoy fine dining instead of sub-par Japanese restaurants like your parents. You may become a little more shee-shee-fu-fu. But is this a good thing?
One of the effects of becoming shee-shee-fu-fu is that your standards are so high for certain things that you can't help but look down at other people. I see this in my own life sometimes. For example, I am appalled when people don't grate their own parmesan cheese. I grew up with American single sliced cheese (and I still love that, btw). I ate it with everything. I thought it was the ultimate CHEESE. But then I discovered other cheeses as I became more shee-shee-fu-fu. I went wine-tasting. I took cooking classes on how to eat and store different kinds of cheeses. I'm at a point now where I stick my nose up in the air at the powdery grated cheese stuff you buy in a container to sprinkle over pasta. I need to at least grate my own parmesan cheese. You might think this is a silly example, but it's nevertheless an example of changing my ways as a result of entering into a different class.
I don't know what I think about all this. I know that money is the root of all kinds of evil. I know this to be true. And perhaps that is the temptation I must overcome every day. To not give in to the "all kinds of evil" that wealth opens up. Perhaps some of you know what I'm talking about, and know it better than I do. And perhaps some of you don't know what I'm talking about, but want to know. In any case, I'm grateful that my parents didn't push me to pursue a profession that makes a lot of money. Perhaps they knew I wasn't smart enough anyway. haha. j/k. Maybe it's because I don't know yet the meaning of being "settled," but I don't mind struggling month to month in the Bay Area. And it's not even struggling in the sense of making ends meet. It's struggling to save, really, when it comes down to it.
Do I want to be rich? Do I want to be poor? I wish I could stay a happy medium.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Blabby Abby
The other day, Abby woke up saying a succession of names:
1. Mommy (mah-mee)
2. Daddy (da-da)
3. Halmuni (ah-mu-na)
4. Blair (beh - I think it included Melissa in her mind.)
These are all people that have recently taken care of her for a long period of time. She now has memories of people and fun activities. For example, when she says "Blair," she immediately says "agua." This means that she's remembering how fun it was playing in the water when Blair and Melissa were over to babysit.
She and Halmuni got along really well when Halmuni visited from SoCal. But when Halmuni left, Abby woke up the next morning looking for her. She said her name multiple times and went to check in the guest room to see if she was still there. I told her that Halmuni is gone, that she doesn't live here, but that she lives in LA. (actually OC, but LA is easier to say for her) So now, whenever she asks or remembers Halmuni, I say "Oh, you miss Halmuni? Where is she? She lives in..."
And Abby responds, "LA (eh-A)," with a knowing smile.
And sometimes throughout the day she'll randomly say "dada" with a real urgency. Then I have to remind her that Daddy is at...
And she says, "wok," again with that oh-yeah-I-get-it-now smile.
1. Mommy (mah-mee)
2. Daddy (da-da)
3. Halmuni (ah-mu-na)
4. Blair (beh - I think it included Melissa in her mind.)
These are all people that have recently taken care of her for a long period of time. She now has memories of people and fun activities. For example, when she says "Blair," she immediately says "agua." This means that she's remembering how fun it was playing in the water when Blair and Melissa were over to babysit.
She and Halmuni got along really well when Halmuni visited from SoCal. But when Halmuni left, Abby woke up the next morning looking for her. She said her name multiple times and went to check in the guest room to see if she was still there. I told her that Halmuni is gone, that she doesn't live here, but that she lives in LA. (actually OC, but LA is easier to say for her) So now, whenever she asks or remembers Halmuni, I say "Oh, you miss Halmuni? Where is she? She lives in..."
And Abby responds, "LA (eh-A)," with a knowing smile.
And sometimes throughout the day she'll randomly say "dada" with a real urgency. Then I have to remind her that Daddy is at...
And she says, "wok," again with that oh-yeah-I-get-it-now smile.
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Philosophy
Let me tell you about philosophy.
(silence)
I got nothin for you. I know not, therefore I'm not. That's the extent of my philosophical musings. I don't care much to know more, really. Philosophy to me is too much abstract thinking, and I'd rather watch TV, thankyouverymuch.
But my husband. He and philosophy are one. It makes sense to him, in a sense. He is passionate about thinking. He is passionate about thinking ABOUT thinking. One of the things I admire about him the most is his ability to synthesize information in a tangible way for the common man. Even I can read some of his entries on philosophy and come away with a sense of understanding that I'm not supposed to understand, which is what I hear philosophy is supposed to be, at its core.
So when he brought up the idea on taking a course on Philosophy, I said WHY NOT? Sign up today! Along with encouraging comments from philosophical friends responding to his latest blog entry, and the gentle supportive prodding from his wife, Danny has signed up for a continuing studies class in some kind of a philosophy of the West class!!!
I'm so excited! I'm looking forward to reading his essays and murmuring mmhmm while completely not understanding what he's written, but knowing that it's good stuff. Go Danny!
(silence)
I got nothin for you. I know not, therefore I'm not. That's the extent of my philosophical musings. I don't care much to know more, really. Philosophy to me is too much abstract thinking, and I'd rather watch TV, thankyouverymuch.
But my husband. He and philosophy are one. It makes sense to him, in a sense. He is passionate about thinking. He is passionate about thinking ABOUT thinking. One of the things I admire about him the most is his ability to synthesize information in a tangible way for the common man. Even I can read some of his entries on philosophy and come away with a sense of understanding that I'm not supposed to understand, which is what I hear philosophy is supposed to be, at its core.
So when he brought up the idea on taking a course on Philosophy, I said WHY NOT? Sign up today! Along with encouraging comments from philosophical friends responding to his latest blog entry, and the gentle supportive prodding from his wife, Danny has signed up for a continuing studies class in some kind of a philosophy of the West class!!!
I'm so excited! I'm looking forward to reading his essays and murmuring mmhmm while completely not understanding what he's written, but knowing that it's good stuff. Go Danny!
Monday, August 27, 2007
Buggin'
So, like, I'm totally buggin'! This is a line from one of my favorite movies: Clueless. "Buggin'" means "stressed out," for those of you who don't know the lingo.
I admit it. I'm a stressed out person. Most people see the calm, collected, "Capricorn" Jieun. And it's not that I fake people out; it's just that the stress is all inside. I expect Danny to match how I'm feeling. When I'm excited about something, I need him to be as excited.
WHAT!? You found out your customer's Mary Kay foundation color is Beige 304? That's with a pink undertone, right? WOWZERS!
When I feel stressed, I need him to feel stressed as well. But it seems that my husband doesn't stress out in exactly the same way that I do in exactly the same situations. For example, when we need to get ready to go out, say to church on Sunday morning, I feel stressed. I need to pack the baby's bag with snack, lunch, diapers, a change of clothing, a favorite toy, water, and milk. I need to change, put my makeup on, and pack my own stuff. Abby needs to get fed, read to, loved, and sometimes bribed into getting into the carseat. I start by brushing my teeth, reading to Abby, packing a healthy snack, and then I look at the clock. It's 9:00am. Oh, I think. Plenty of time since we don't have to get to church until 10:10am. That's like one hour. Plenty of time!! WRONG.
Fifteen minutes later, Abby is only diaper-clad but well-fed, I'm still in my pajamas, and I'm starting to get into panic mode because I realize that if we need to get to church by 10:10am, then we have to get out of the driveway by 9:50am. That means leave the house by 9:40am. That means have everything packed and ready to go by 9:30. And it's already 9:15!! Fifteen minutes. During these next fifteen minutes, craziness ensues in my head. I'm running around frantically trying to put my contacts in so that I can start putting my makeup on, pulling a dress over Abby, who is screaming in protest, and praying that I don't forget to pack the milk.
Enter Danny. He takes literally 2 minutes to get ready, on a non-shower morning. On a shower day, it's 3 minutes. Puts on his uniform: jeans and a t-shirt, brushes his teeth, and slaps on some water on his face. I'm ready, he proclaims. Gr. He sees that I need help with Abby so he asks, what can I do? I give him two tasks: get the milk ready and make sure Abby has a change of clothing.
He goes off on his mission. I'm still freaking out, thinking why are we always late?? We have to show up early to help out at church, and everyone's going to be mad that we're late, AGAIN. And as I'm applying my mascara, I hear faint noises coming from the living room. I open our bedroom door.... it's the piano! Danny is playing Invention No. 8 by Bach - a lively and catchy tune. But I'm standing there in disbelief. Why is he playing the piano at a time like this!!! We have two minutes until we're officially on our way to being late for church. So I march out there and demand to know if he's accomplished his tasks. He has. Oh. OK then.
He just doesn't feel the stress of getting to places on time. I feel it ever so acutely, and yet I feel so powerless to change the situation. Danny just gets ready faster than I do. He helps out with what he can with Abby's stuff. Then he's done. Nuff said. Done deal. GGeut. But I spend so much time stressing out that maybe that's the reason why I'm late all the time. Plus, I procrastinate and I'm lazy sometimes. I want to be able to get to the point where I just get ready without all the stress, and then have a couple minutes left over to play a round of Invention No. 8. Teach me, O wise one.
I admit it. I'm a stressed out person. Most people see the calm, collected, "Capricorn" Jieun. And it's not that I fake people out; it's just that the stress is all inside. I expect Danny to match how I'm feeling. When I'm excited about something, I need him to be as excited.
WHAT!? You found out your customer's Mary Kay foundation color is Beige 304? That's with a pink undertone, right? WOWZERS!
When I feel stressed, I need him to feel stressed as well. But it seems that my husband doesn't stress out in exactly the same way that I do in exactly the same situations. For example, when we need to get ready to go out, say to church on Sunday morning, I feel stressed. I need to pack the baby's bag with snack, lunch, diapers, a change of clothing, a favorite toy, water, and milk. I need to change, put my makeup on, and pack my own stuff. Abby needs to get fed, read to, loved, and sometimes bribed into getting into the carseat. I start by brushing my teeth, reading to Abby, packing a healthy snack, and then I look at the clock. It's 9:00am. Oh, I think. Plenty of time since we don't have to get to church until 10:10am. That's like one hour. Plenty of time!! WRONG.
Fifteen minutes later, Abby is only diaper-clad but well-fed, I'm still in my pajamas, and I'm starting to get into panic mode because I realize that if we need to get to church by 10:10am, then we have to get out of the driveway by 9:50am. That means leave the house by 9:40am. That means have everything packed and ready to go by 9:30. And it's already 9:15!! Fifteen minutes. During these next fifteen minutes, craziness ensues in my head. I'm running around frantically trying to put my contacts in so that I can start putting my makeup on, pulling a dress over Abby, who is screaming in protest, and praying that I don't forget to pack the milk.
Enter Danny. He takes literally 2 minutes to get ready, on a non-shower morning. On a shower day, it's 3 minutes. Puts on his uniform: jeans and a t-shirt, brushes his teeth, and slaps on some water on his face. I'm ready, he proclaims. Gr. He sees that I need help with Abby so he asks, what can I do? I give him two tasks: get the milk ready and make sure Abby has a change of clothing.
He goes off on his mission. I'm still freaking out, thinking why are we always late?? We have to show up early to help out at church, and everyone's going to be mad that we're late, AGAIN. And as I'm applying my mascara, I hear faint noises coming from the living room. I open our bedroom door.... it's the piano! Danny is playing Invention No. 8 by Bach - a lively and catchy tune. But I'm standing there in disbelief. Why is he playing the piano at a time like this!!! We have two minutes until we're officially on our way to being late for church. So I march out there and demand to know if he's accomplished his tasks. He has. Oh. OK then.
He just doesn't feel the stress of getting to places on time. I feel it ever so acutely, and yet I feel so powerless to change the situation. Danny just gets ready faster than I do. He helps out with what he can with Abby's stuff. Then he's done. Nuff said. Done deal. GGeut. But I spend so much time stressing out that maybe that's the reason why I'm late all the time. Plus, I procrastinate and I'm lazy sometimes. I want to be able to get to the point where I just get ready without all the stress, and then have a couple minutes left over to play a round of Invention No. 8. Teach me, O wise one.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Lasagna
I made lasagna for the second time in my life. I used already-cooked lasagna strips. Very interesting! It was a huge time-saver. And, one lasagna dish can last you FOREVER! It's like my curry rice dish that lasts for two weeks in the Chai household. I'm definitely adding lasagna to my cooking rotation. Thanks Melissa for the ingredients advice!!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
GUYS ONLY
Here is a picture of Danny and some of his buds from college. Henry, Danny, and John all have one toddler (plus John has an infant who is not pictured).BTW: I love how Abby is reaching out to me, the picture taker. "Mah-mee!"
I was honored to be invited to this year's "road trip" that was GUYS ONLY for many years. I kind of felt personally responsible for making sure that people who traveled a great distance felt that their money was well-spent. Since Danny and I only had to drive to Santa Cruz, it just made sense for us to take care of local business.
But I had a huge dilemma. Since it was GUYS ONLY for such a long time, I'm not sure if they knew what a trip with GIRLS and KIDS would be like. As the weekend approached, I felt stress coming on. Who was planning the meals? What entertainment would be provided for the little tots? Was there a DVD player available? Does the beach house have cooking utensils? Does little Mary speak English? What CAN Nathaniel eat? Is it cold in Santa Cruz? Are we going to spend some time at the beach playing or just looking at the waves? Are the Yoons coming? Where is Andrew? Will Abby fight with Nathaniel? Will this be madness or happiness?
Part of it is being a mom and making sure I prepare for plan A through plan E, for the sake of my child. Another part of it is my people-pleasing personality. Still another part was the fact that I felt like we should be the "hosts," since it was in the Bay Area.
I decided to ask Danny what we should do in preparation for this trip. He just stared blankly at his computer screen and said, "I don't know. Um, I think we'll hang out at the beach." Hm... what does that mean? Should I pack all the beach necessities? Beach toys? Umbrella and towels? Sunblock! Hats, water shoes, etc.
Then I had a brilliant idea! I should call Henry! He seemed to be the top planner/organizer of the group, and will surely have an answer for me. "Henry, what should we do about breakfast on Friday, and meals in general?" His answer for me was: "We don't plan."
Hm... what does that mean? Does that mean therefore I shouldn't plan? That if I DO plan I will not be invited to any other road trips? But how can I NOT plan? This trip potentially involves FOUR babies, THREE women, and FIVE men. We'll be staying in a house in a neighborhood unbeknownst to any of us. Who knows what we will face? As a woman, "Be prepared" is my heart's natural motto. You don't even have to remind me to be prepared, I just do it instinctively.
So my dilemma was: Shall I go with the mantra of "we don't plan" and then watch four babies die, three women cringe, and five men thrive? Or shall I take matters into my own hand and do what I can so that four babies thrive, three women thrive, and five men thrive?
Needless to say, I planned for this trip. Not completely, but I did what I could to ease my stress, anxiety, and make sure that needless chaos doesn't happen. Normal, controlled chaos is fine with me, but why add needless chaos? I just hope Henry wasn't mad that "we don't plan" method was sabotaged. My number one priority was to make sure the kiddies would be fed and entertained. I shopped at Costco and Safeway for some essential breakfast food and toddler food. As for entertainment, I brought books, basket of toys, soft surface for kids to roll around on, alphabet mat, and the rest of the time, pretty much Uncle Dave took care of all the entertainment!
Anyways, I had a great time! Even though the only real time I can relax is when Abby is sleeping, I still had a generally relaxing and fun this this past weekend. My favorite part was when I walked in on the guys having a prayer meeting where they shared about what was going on in their lives and then prayed for each other. I didn't hear anything (because I forgot my glasses and one of my eye was swollen shut from a bug bite, and I really can't hear when I can't see), but it just warmed my heart to think that these guys really care about each other. I'm glad my husband has great friends like them that will surely last a lifetime.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Abby Speaks
The following is a list of some of the vocabulary words that Abby says nowadays. Now, at first glance, the novice might say "Come on! Puh-lease! That's not saying real words. They all sound alike! How can you tell what she's saying?" Well, that's when I have to step in and say, "It's all about context."
boo-boo: any kind of minor scratch
boo-buh: blueberries
bubba: bubbles
bah: book
buh: bird
baa: the sound of a sheep
ba!: ball
baa!: balloon
buppa: por favor, which means "please" in Spanish
She'll point to her bandaid and say "boo-boo" and "aya" to let me know that she got hurt and it's quite painful. She'll point to blueberries and say "boo-buh," and I promptly ask, "What do you say?" To which she replies with "buppa," accompanied by the sign for "thank you."
It's really fun watching Abby develop her language/communication skills. That's the part I love about parenthood so far. I'm in charge of educating her, shaping her, and influencing her in all different ways. I have the power to make sure she turns out polite. I have the power to influence her thinking about God and other people. I need to teach her the right ways. With great power comes great responsibility. Very true! I could be very irresponsible and teach her the "wrong ways." For example, I could say to her that she's supposed to pick her nose every time she meets someone. And she'll do it. But then I will have ruined her whole entire social life, possibly affecting her chances of getting married, and she'll be very mad at me.
Perhaps that was an outrageous example. But does the reader get my point? With great power comes great responsibility. I am in awe of that every single day.
boo-boo: any kind of minor scratch
boo-buh: blueberries
bubba: bubbles
bah: book
buh: bird
baa: the sound of a sheep
ba!: ball
baa!: balloon
buppa: por favor, which means "please" in Spanish
She'll point to her bandaid and say "boo-boo" and "aya" to let me know that she got hurt and it's quite painful. She'll point to blueberries and say "boo-buh," and I promptly ask, "What do you say?" To which she replies with "buppa," accompanied by the sign for "thank you."
It's really fun watching Abby develop her language/communication skills. That's the part I love about parenthood so far. I'm in charge of educating her, shaping her, and influencing her in all different ways. I have the power to make sure she turns out polite. I have the power to influence her thinking about God and other people. I need to teach her the right ways. With great power comes great responsibility. Very true! I could be very irresponsible and teach her the "wrong ways." For example, I could say to her that she's supposed to pick her nose every time she meets someone. And she'll do it. But then I will have ruined her whole entire social life, possibly affecting her chances of getting married, and she'll be very mad at me.
Perhaps that was an outrageous example. But does the reader get my point? With great power comes great responsibility. I am in awe of that every single day.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Abby is Walking!
Two days ago, Abby started taking three steps on her own. Before it had been steps with aid from people and props. But she took three wobbly steps before collapsing delightfully into my arms. Then yesterday she took 5-7 steps. She would stand up, beaming with delicious pride, and then take a couple of tentative steps, followed by some quick ones at the end.
Overall, I feel great about her gaining independence. It's so amazing how the physical separation is so apparent, from birth to weaning from nursing to walking away on her own. My little girl is growing up, and I'm excited to see it!
She signs "please" like crazy. It's her universal sign for anything that she wants. Sometimes she'll wail loudly for something that she wants, such as to be held so that she could reach the blinds. I look at her and say, "Say please, Mommy." Then she immediately stops and starts rubbing her chest furiously in a circular motion with her palm, smiling broadly. It's like a game to her. I like how I don't have to listen to her wail, but it has become ridiculous. She sits there and signs "please" from across the room. And I don't even notice until a couple minutes later. She doesn't get that you're supposed to sign things once you've made eye contact. In fact, she frequently waves to people to mean hello when they're not looking.
Poor Abby! I totally understand this behavior. I do this all the time. I often say things to people at the wrong moment, and I'm left hanging. I try to enter conversations from across the room, and end up commenting to myself.
Overall, I feel great about her gaining independence. It's so amazing how the physical separation is so apparent, from birth to weaning from nursing to walking away on her own. My little girl is growing up, and I'm excited to see it!
She signs "please" like crazy. It's her universal sign for anything that she wants. Sometimes she'll wail loudly for something that she wants, such as to be held so that she could reach the blinds. I look at her and say, "Say please, Mommy." Then she immediately stops and starts rubbing her chest furiously in a circular motion with her palm, smiling broadly. It's like a game to her. I like how I don't have to listen to her wail, but it has become ridiculous. She sits there and signs "please" from across the room. And I don't even notice until a couple minutes later. She doesn't get that you're supposed to sign things once you've made eye contact. In fact, she frequently waves to people to mean hello when they're not looking.
Poor Abby! I totally understand this behavior. I do this all the time. I often say things to people at the wrong moment, and I'm left hanging. I try to enter conversations from across the room, and end up commenting to myself.
Monday, April 16, 2007
The Quest to Sleep Earlier
Lately Danny and I have been trying really hard to go to sleep early. Danny starts off the evening saying, "We're going to be in bed by 9:30pm." And I try really hard to believe that that's going to be true. But it never is true. I wonder why Danny is so extreme sometimes. We're used to sleeping at midnight, on average. If that's the case, why choose 9:30pm as a goal? Why not 11:30pm? I think I've suggested it before, but he'll insist, "I'm exhausted. I need to sleep. We're going to bed at 9:30pm."
But I'll be supportive. 9:30pm it is. That's our goal. To be in bed by 9:30pm. Tonight, it was a little off. I'm writing this at 11:56pm. There's always tomorrow.
But I'll be supportive. 9:30pm it is. That's our goal. To be in bed by 9:30pm. Tonight, it was a little off. I'm writing this at 11:56pm. There's always tomorrow.
Friday, April 06, 2007
A Moment in the Frozen Food Aisle II
I realized that I never talked about my "moment" in the frozen food aisle in my last post! So here it goes...
I went to the Korean grocery store to buy some groceries. I had just picked up Abby from daycare and I hadn't seen her all day. So we spent time reconnecting while she rode happily in the shopping cart. I went over all the tricks she knows, reviewed all the body parts she knows (her favorite is still belly button), and even sang some songs to her, while grabbing some green onion here and soft tofu there.
When we got to the frozen food aisle, she suddenly reached out her arms to me. At first I thought she was done riding in the cart and wanted to "go down." However, as I drew close, she wrapped her little arms around me as much as she could, and lay down her head on my stomach. She just wanted to give me a hug! So, I hugged her back, and then she promptly started patting her hand on my back because that's how we always comfort her: pat pat pat. As she pat pat patted me, we had our "moment." Right there in the frozen food aisle, next to the meat and kimchee dumplings.
I went to the Korean grocery store to buy some groceries. I had just picked up Abby from daycare and I hadn't seen her all day. So we spent time reconnecting while she rode happily in the shopping cart. I went over all the tricks she knows, reviewed all the body parts she knows (her favorite is still belly button), and even sang some songs to her, while grabbing some green onion here and soft tofu there.
When we got to the frozen food aisle, she suddenly reached out her arms to me. At first I thought she was done riding in the cart and wanted to "go down." However, as I drew close, she wrapped her little arms around me as much as she could, and lay down her head on my stomach. She just wanted to give me a hug! So, I hugged her back, and then she promptly started patting her hand on my back because that's how we always comfort her: pat pat pat. As she pat pat patted me, we had our "moment." Right there in the frozen food aisle, next to the meat and kimchee dumplings.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
A Moment in the Frozen Food Aisle
I went shopping for a total of four hours today! My purchases: Stride Rite shoes for Abby, Shiseido compact, Shiseido shimmering lipstick, Shiseido blemish concealer, gift for Abby's friend's birthday, two pajamas for Abby, khaki blazer for me, a make-up/toiletry bag, dulce de leche latte, a petite vanilla scone, jacket for Abby, robe for Abby plus slippers, sippy cups for Abby, reclining chair for the floor, and pink leggings for Abby.
A true shopping spree!
Those of you who know me know that I take FOREVER purchasing an item. I have to research it, look at it up close, weigh all the pros and cons, and then do the "love test," which is to leave it behind for said number of hours/days, and then finally buy it.
Today, I put Abby in daycare, and decided it was time to go to the mall and buy something. Over the past one and a half years I've collected gift cards, always tentative about using them because I needed to make the perfect purchase. Having so many gift cards in my purse was driving me crazy! So I had to take action. And I took it.
Out of all the items I bought today, I spent a total of $36 out-of-pocket. Everything else was through gift cards and/or exchange. This is totally unheard of. The make up and blazer alone would total about $200! Wow. Thank you to all who have given me a gift card in previous years to Nordstrom, Gymboree, GAP, Starbucks, Target, Sephora, American Express Giftcard, and Macy's. I've used up everything except for the Gymboree giftcard and the Starbucks giftcard. Whew.
I had a lot of fun! I took my time. I compared prices. I returned items and adjusted prices so that I could get the maximum out of all my purchases.
A true shopping spree!
Those of you who know me know that I take FOREVER purchasing an item. I have to research it, look at it up close, weigh all the pros and cons, and then do the "love test," which is to leave it behind for said number of hours/days, and then finally buy it.
Today, I put Abby in daycare, and decided it was time to go to the mall and buy something. Over the past one and a half years I've collected gift cards, always tentative about using them because I needed to make the perfect purchase. Having so many gift cards in my purse was driving me crazy! So I had to take action. And I took it.
Out of all the items I bought today, I spent a total of $36 out-of-pocket. Everything else was through gift cards and/or exchange. This is totally unheard of. The make up and blazer alone would total about $200! Wow. Thank you to all who have given me a gift card in previous years to Nordstrom, Gymboree, GAP, Starbucks, Target, Sephora, American Express Giftcard, and Macy's. I've used up everything except for the Gymboree giftcard and the Starbucks giftcard. Whew.
I had a lot of fun! I took my time. I compared prices. I returned items and adjusted prices so that I could get the maximum out of all my purchases.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Painful Year
I guess I haven't written in a while. I meant to write in the new year, but I got too busy, and then after a while, it gets harder and harder to start writing again.
I have done some reflecting on this past year and a half. I would say that 2006 (and part of 2005) was the hardest year of my life.
1. Morning Sickness
Just thinking about that time when I was doubled over, staring into the toilet... it amazes me that women who go through bad morning sickness can do it all over again. I remember I was holding onto a single thread of hope that somehow this sickness was going to turn into a beautiful human being. It was 3-4 months of nausea, throwing up, and general ickiness. Chris Tomlin's "Indescribable" was a song that I kept listening to over and over, to somehow convince myself that the God who made the "stars in the sky" and who "know(s) me by name" already had a plan for all this. Even as I was in the emergency room with an IV to rehydrate my body, I somehow believed that things would work out. I took a spiritual gifts inventory recently, and faith was up there as one of my gifts. It probably came in handy during this time.
2. Labor/Delivery
When labor finally came, it was everything that women told me it would be, except with bite! It was just one of those things that you actually had to go through in order to truly understand what it was. I still can't fully explain how a contraction feels. But it's just painful. But I will say this. For me, I knew with certainty that labor wouldn't last for more than three days. My whole labor/delivery ordeal lasted about 30 hours. I was a trooper, if I do say so myself. It was painful, but I took the pain, and then it was over.
3. Postpartum/Nursing
I think this is the part that a lot of women don't talk about as much. Everyone knows to be scared of morning sickness and labor/delivery. But not everyone knows that postpartum and nursing should be things to be scared of the most. I couldn't decide which was worse, 16 weeks of postpartum stuff/nursing or 16 weeks of morning sickness. I think I recently decided that postpartum/nursing was more painful.
The reasons are many:
1) Trying to go pee or poo after birth was a screaming kind of pain.
2) Pressure of nursing (societal) and getting it right (blisters, bleeding, engorgement, chafing, clogged ducts, etc.) was so not fun.
3) Emotionally, I was so down in the dumps, and very volatile
4) Sleep deprivation (whereas during morning sickness days I was able to just think about myself, during postpartum I had to think of my baby as well)
5) People not knowing that postpartum is so difficult, whereas with morning sickness when you tell people that you're sick, they might know what that feels like. I couldn't really explain to people who asked how I was doing that I actually was not feeling that great.
"My nipples are bleeding at this time."
"I just went pee and now I think I'm burning to death."
I think people expected that mothers may be a bit sleep-deprived, but I think for me, there was so much going on emotionally and mentally, on top of what was happening physically. This takes me into the next topic.
4. Relationships
My relationships suffered this past year.
a. Mother - On top of everything I was going through physically, emotionally, and mentally, here was my sweet mother trying to help me out the best way she knew how. Her knowledge base was all things Korean, and I just wasn't ready to receive all things Korean. We got into a lot of fights, and a lot of tears were shed.
b. Friends - I got into a lot of misunderstandings with friends. Some were mended, and some were not. My life was in major transition, and for sure things were going to change. I was not prepared sufficiently for the change that would happen with friends. I'm still grieving the loss of some friends. But one thing I realized is that I can not, and WILL not hold onto any bitterness. I know what bitterness does to a person. I've seen what it does to a person. And I refuse to let Satan have a foothold in my life. So when a friend is gone from my life, for whatever reason, I just make sure that I don't hold any grudge or bitterness.
c. Danny - I'm sure Danny was going through his own kind of transition into fatherhood. I think I didn't fully realize what that would look like. I was hyper-focused on myself. I'm sick. I'm tired. I'm this and that. I just expected him to be there for me fully. And he disappointed me. We went through our greatest ups and greatest downs this past year. It was very painful. It just shook my world (and my ego) to think that we need a lot of help as a couple.
6. Motherhood
For the first 5 months, I was stressed out. I was stressed when Abby started crying. I was stressed about swaddling her just right. I was stressed about finding daycare for Abby when I went back to work outside the home. I was stressed about her sleep schedule. I was stressed about breaking her fragile body. I thought about all the possible horrible things that could happen to her. I really had to turn to God for help on this one. I'm still learning how to treat Abby as a gift from God. Everything I do for her, I need to do it excellently, but then entrust the rest to God. That's the skill of mothering that I'm continually trying to hone.
Gosh, if you've read this far, then I applaud you. I just wanted to write down my reflections before I forget.
I have done some reflecting on this past year and a half. I would say that 2006 (and part of 2005) was the hardest year of my life.
1. Morning Sickness
Just thinking about that time when I was doubled over, staring into the toilet... it amazes me that women who go through bad morning sickness can do it all over again. I remember I was holding onto a single thread of hope that somehow this sickness was going to turn into a beautiful human being. It was 3-4 months of nausea, throwing up, and general ickiness. Chris Tomlin's "Indescribable" was a song that I kept listening to over and over, to somehow convince myself that the God who made the "stars in the sky" and who "know(s) me by name" already had a plan for all this. Even as I was in the emergency room with an IV to rehydrate my body, I somehow believed that things would work out. I took a spiritual gifts inventory recently, and faith was up there as one of my gifts. It probably came in handy during this time.
2. Labor/Delivery
When labor finally came, it was everything that women told me it would be, except with bite! It was just one of those things that you actually had to go through in order to truly understand what it was. I still can't fully explain how a contraction feels. But it's just painful. But I will say this. For me, I knew with certainty that labor wouldn't last for more than three days. My whole labor/delivery ordeal lasted about 30 hours. I was a trooper, if I do say so myself. It was painful, but I took the pain, and then it was over.
3. Postpartum/Nursing
I think this is the part that a lot of women don't talk about as much. Everyone knows to be scared of morning sickness and labor/delivery. But not everyone knows that postpartum and nursing should be things to be scared of the most. I couldn't decide which was worse, 16 weeks of postpartum stuff/nursing or 16 weeks of morning sickness. I think I recently decided that postpartum/nursing was more painful.
The reasons are many:
1) Trying to go pee or poo after birth was a screaming kind of pain.
2) Pressure of nursing (societal) and getting it right (blisters, bleeding, engorgement, chafing, clogged ducts, etc.) was so not fun.
3) Emotionally, I was so down in the dumps, and very volatile
4) Sleep deprivation (whereas during morning sickness days I was able to just think about myself, during postpartum I had to think of my baby as well)
5) People not knowing that postpartum is so difficult, whereas with morning sickness when you tell people that you're sick, they might know what that feels like. I couldn't really explain to people who asked how I was doing that I actually was not feeling that great.
"My nipples are bleeding at this time."
"I just went pee and now I think I'm burning to death."
I think people expected that mothers may be a bit sleep-deprived, but I think for me, there was so much going on emotionally and mentally, on top of what was happening physically. This takes me into the next topic.
4. Relationships
My relationships suffered this past year.
a. Mother - On top of everything I was going through physically, emotionally, and mentally, here was my sweet mother trying to help me out the best way she knew how. Her knowledge base was all things Korean, and I just wasn't ready to receive all things Korean. We got into a lot of fights, and a lot of tears were shed.
b. Friends - I got into a lot of misunderstandings with friends. Some were mended, and some were not. My life was in major transition, and for sure things were going to change. I was not prepared sufficiently for the change that would happen with friends. I'm still grieving the loss of some friends. But one thing I realized is that I can not, and WILL not hold onto any bitterness. I know what bitterness does to a person. I've seen what it does to a person. And I refuse to let Satan have a foothold in my life. So when a friend is gone from my life, for whatever reason, I just make sure that I don't hold any grudge or bitterness.
c. Danny - I'm sure Danny was going through his own kind of transition into fatherhood. I think I didn't fully realize what that would look like. I was hyper-focused on myself. I'm sick. I'm tired. I'm this and that. I just expected him to be there for me fully. And he disappointed me. We went through our greatest ups and greatest downs this past year. It was very painful. It just shook my world (and my ego) to think that we need a lot of help as a couple.
6. Motherhood
For the first 5 months, I was stressed out. I was stressed when Abby started crying. I was stressed about swaddling her just right. I was stressed about finding daycare for Abby when I went back to work outside the home. I was stressed about her sleep schedule. I was stressed about breaking her fragile body. I thought about all the possible horrible things that could happen to her. I really had to turn to God for help on this one. I'm still learning how to treat Abby as a gift from God. Everything I do for her, I need to do it excellently, but then entrust the rest to God. That's the skill of mothering that I'm continually trying to hone.
Gosh, if you've read this far, then I applaud you. I just wanted to write down my reflections before I forget.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Crazy Food
Tonight I had leftover rice and some random Korean side dishes for dinner, while feeding Abby her dinner of Earth's Best peas with brown rice and a big cube of soft tofu, the kind you would use to make soondooboo. Then, after putting her to sleep, I boiled some water and ate some Shin Ramen in a cup. Wow, that was great! It hit the spot on a cold wintry-like day. While watching "Overboard" and folding laundry, I suddenly wanted Rice Krispies treats, but realized that we didn't have any marshmallows. SO, what did I do? I got a bowl of Rice Krispies, a giant scoop of crunchy peanut butter, and some mini Hershey's bars from our leftover Halloween candy stash, and had a grand ol' time. It was yummy delicious. But now I feel totally bloated, my teeth feel sugary, and I'm tired because it is now way past midnight.
I need guidance and direction in my life.
I need guidance and direction in my life.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Baby Hair
Interestingly enough, this post is about the baby hair that is growing on my head! Not my baby's hair, or lack thereof, actually.
With nursing comes all kinds of strange and wonderful experiences. For the first six months, my hair fell out like crazy. I don't know the physics of it all, but there was just one too many hair falling out. I would run my hand through my hair, and out came a handful of hair. I would blow dry my hair after a shower, and it would blow a handful of hair out. It was not pleasant. I would lean over in Abby's crib, and all of a sudden, flutter flutter flutter. There goes three strands of hair, now landing all over Abby. But around seven months, something even more weird started happening. New hair started growing on my head! Right alongside my hairline, all these little baby hairs are sticking out. Other friends who are in similar situations are experiencing the same thing. I haven't had baby hair since third grade.
Danny thinks it's cool. I guess I should be thankful that my hairline is increasing, and not the opposite. It's not like fathers get a fresh new batch of hair to replace their missing strands. Hey, but no complaints, right, men? A small bonus for mothers, who do all the hard work with the nursing.
With nursing comes all kinds of strange and wonderful experiences. For the first six months, my hair fell out like crazy. I don't know the physics of it all, but there was just one too many hair falling out. I would run my hand through my hair, and out came a handful of hair. I would blow dry my hair after a shower, and it would blow a handful of hair out. It was not pleasant. I would lean over in Abby's crib, and all of a sudden, flutter flutter flutter. There goes three strands of hair, now landing all over Abby. But around seven months, something even more weird started happening. New hair started growing on my head! Right alongside my hairline, all these little baby hairs are sticking out. Other friends who are in similar situations are experiencing the same thing. I haven't had baby hair since third grade.
Danny thinks it's cool. I guess I should be thankful that my hairline is increasing, and not the opposite. It's not like fathers get a fresh new batch of hair to replace their missing strands. Hey, but no complaints, right, men? A small bonus for mothers, who do all the hard work with the nursing.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
OLD NAVY
I have found it! There's now an Old Navy right next to Nordstroms at Valley Fair Mall. For the longest time I was saying that there should be a variety of colors for girl babies' clothing, such as black and gray. And boy was I pleasantly surprised to find that Old Navy has that! Solid colors galore! I love it. Now Abby and I can match: long sleeved black shirt and jeans. I didn't actually buy any of the black and gray yet - I'm still waiting for Abby's hair to get a little longer so that I can put a clip in her hair. And she has plenty of clothes for now, thanks to Ellie and her two grandmothers. But once I start being the main shopper of clothes for Abby, I think Old Navy is the place to be. Plus, the clothes are cheap!
Saturday, September 16, 2006
An Update
I started working a couple days a week. It's been crazy hectic for me. For one, it's been a shock to my system to wake up at 5:45am or earlier, depending on when the baby decides to wake up. And, I can't afford to wake up late anymore. Even though I really love and trust the daycare that we chose, there's a little part of me that stays guilty for leaving her.
On the other hand, it forces me to be a super responsible, focused, and productive teacher. I have to leave school no later than 4:30pm in order to pick up Abby. Before, I had the freedom to leave whenever I wanted to. Now, every minute counts. I don't have time to dilly dally. No time to check my personal email. I have to set aside time to go and pump. This is important because it's the main source of nourishment for my child!
In addition, since I am job-sharing, it is essential that I keep track of everything that happens in the classroom because I need to tell my partner about it. As a teacher, I have never been so organized and so accountable to another person for my actions and decisions. Teaching is usually a solo effort. Sure you can plan with other teachers, but in the end the one teacher is in charge of what happens in the classroom. Sharing a teaching position has forced me to reflect on my lessons, and write down all of my student observations.
So I feel like I'm a better teacher. And I also feel like I'm a better mother because the time that I do get to spend with Abby, I'm totally attentive. If my part-time job were something I mildly enjoyed, I don't think it would be worth it to work outside the home. But because I love to teach, this job-share situation is ideal for me.
OK, so it's only been two weeks. Talk to me around December and see how I feel!!!
On the other hand, it forces me to be a super responsible, focused, and productive teacher. I have to leave school no later than 4:30pm in order to pick up Abby. Before, I had the freedom to leave whenever I wanted to. Now, every minute counts. I don't have time to dilly dally. No time to check my personal email. I have to set aside time to go and pump. This is important because it's the main source of nourishment for my child!
In addition, since I am job-sharing, it is essential that I keep track of everything that happens in the classroom because I need to tell my partner about it. As a teacher, I have never been so organized and so accountable to another person for my actions and decisions. Teaching is usually a solo effort. Sure you can plan with other teachers, but in the end the one teacher is in charge of what happens in the classroom. Sharing a teaching position has forced me to reflect on my lessons, and write down all of my student observations.
So I feel like I'm a better teacher. And I also feel like I'm a better mother because the time that I do get to spend with Abby, I'm totally attentive. If my part-time job were something I mildly enjoyed, I don't think it would be worth it to work outside the home. But because I love to teach, this job-share situation is ideal for me.
OK, so it's only been two weeks. Talk to me around December and see how I feel!!!
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Narcissism and Abby Food
I think it's hilarious that both Danny and I think that our own blogs are hilarious. I sometimes sit here and read one of my old entries, and I say out loud, "Haha! Good one!" Or I'll just sit here thinking, "Wow, how witty of me to have written that." Danny would see the big smile on my face, and ask, "What's so funny? Are you reading one of your old entries again?" Danny, being the master programmer that he is, has now built a new feature on his page whereby if you click on it, you get a random entry he'd written, along with all the comments posted from people. This "Random Entry" link is basically the same thing I do, except it's more nerdy. We just have a blast thinking we're all that.
Anyways, on to Abby. She has started solid foods!!! So according to the books, you're supposed to introduce one food at a time so that you can figure out if your baby is allergic to that particular food. I started out with rice cereal. Everything seemed fine, except that she had major constipation. Poor little grunting girl! Apparently, a teaspoon of prune juice diluted in milk should do the trick. We'll see... Tomorrow she will taste avocado. As I was pureeing the avocado to a nice smooth consistency, I had a thought that horrified me. This avocado is not organic!!! Oh well. Just don't tell my mother-in-law.
Then I wondered what kind of a mother I was going to be, in terms of providing food. This book that I'm reading, Super Baby Food, is sometimes over-the-top, according to Lorraine, and I'm seeing why. For example, it recommends growing your own food. It's one thing to make your own baby food, but to grow your own raw ingredients?? I don't know. Maybe it's just that anything I've ever tried to grow has died. The other thing is, I don't have time to be that kind of mom. My motto will be: Do the best that I can, and make sure I do it for all my kids. This latter clause really grounds me. I know that it definitely will be an entirely different experience with my other kid(s), but some things I want to try and keep the same. I can give all my kids store-bought organically grown food. I can puree a couple of fruits and vegetables here and there. I will not raise my own cow, churn my own butter, or plant my own garden (I'll hire someone to do this if we have a nice backyard one day).
Anyways, after the avocado introduction, I was thinking of introducing KIMCHEE!
Anyways, on to Abby. She has started solid foods!!! So according to the books, you're supposed to introduce one food at a time so that you can figure out if your baby is allergic to that particular food. I started out with rice cereal. Everything seemed fine, except that she had major constipation. Poor little grunting girl! Apparently, a teaspoon of prune juice diluted in milk should do the trick. We'll see... Tomorrow she will taste avocado. As I was pureeing the avocado to a nice smooth consistency, I had a thought that horrified me. This avocado is not organic!!! Oh well. Just don't tell my mother-in-law.
Then I wondered what kind of a mother I was going to be, in terms of providing food. This book that I'm reading, Super Baby Food, is sometimes over-the-top, according to Lorraine, and I'm seeing why. For example, it recommends growing your own food. It's one thing to make your own baby food, but to grow your own raw ingredients?? I don't know. Maybe it's just that anything I've ever tried to grow has died. The other thing is, I don't have time to be that kind of mom. My motto will be: Do the best that I can, and make sure I do it for all my kids. This latter clause really grounds me. I know that it definitely will be an entirely different experience with my other kid(s), but some things I want to try and keep the same. I can give all my kids store-bought organically grown food. I can puree a couple of fruits and vegetables here and there. I will not raise my own cow, churn my own butter, or plant my own garden (I'll hire someone to do this if we have a nice backyard one day).
Anyways, after the avocado introduction, I was thinking of introducing KIMCHEE!
Monday, August 14, 2006
New York Trip
Flying with an infant is not so fun. LA trips are ok because a one hour flight is nothing. However, a six hour flight is not too pleasant for all parties involved. I felt really bad for the teenage girl sitting next to me and Danny. Abby slept for most of the flight, but the several hours that she was awake, there was much fussing and crying and wailing.
Anyways, this is a shot of Abby at Marshall and Connie's wedding. When she's in a new situation with new people, she gets really clingy to mommy and daddy. People wanted to hold her and admire her and coo at her, but she gave them nothin. The most she'd do was stare calmly, if in Mommy's or Daddy's arms.
I just love getting to know who Abby is. She is her own person. It's startling to realize that your little girl is not a replica of your own self, and yet it's exciting to see how my influence on her development marks her as my own.
So far I'm finding that she's shy with strangers, doesn't like big crowds, hates being the center of attention, and she's introverted. Wait a second, am I talking about Abby, or DANNY? Ha! They have similar personalities, for sure. It's cute.
One thing about having an infant: when you walk into a store or a restaurant holding your child, you get a LOT of attention. You can hear whispers of "Oh, how cute!" or "Look at those little toes!" Other people simple walk up to you and ask, "How old is he?" I usually respond by saying, "SHE is 4 months old." Anyways, I love the attention we get. I actually enjoy random interactions with strangers, most of the time, when it's not with creepy men. But I realized that Abby probably doesn't enjoy them as much as I do.
Anyways, this is a shot of Abby at Marshall and Connie's wedding. When she's in a new situation with new people, she gets really clingy to mommy and daddy. People wanted to hold her and admire her and coo at her, but she gave them nothin. The most she'd do was stare calmly, if in Mommy's or Daddy's arms.
I just love getting to know who Abby is. She is her own person. It's startling to realize that your little girl is not a replica of your own self, and yet it's exciting to see how my influence on her development marks her as my own.
So far I'm finding that she's shy with strangers, doesn't like big crowds, hates being the center of attention, and she's introverted. Wait a second, am I talking about Abby, or DANNY? Ha! They have similar personalities, for sure. It's cute.
One thing about having an infant: when you walk into a store or a restaurant holding your child, you get a LOT of attention. You can hear whispers of "Oh, how cute!" or "Look at those little toes!" Other people simple walk up to you and ask, "How old is he?" I usually respond by saying, "SHE is 4 months old." Anyways, I love the attention we get. I actually enjoy random interactions with strangers, most of the time, when it's not with creepy men. But I realized that Abby probably doesn't enjoy them as much as I do.
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