Monday, May 28, 2012
Memorial Day Weekend
Emily had a great time with her grandparents this weekend. We will see them again when we go to Denver for Fourth of July.
We had a family dinner at my parents' house last night and Emily started cracking up when I jokingly asked her if she wanted a tomato? I said it in Korean (to-ma-to) and she thought it was the funniest thing ever! I must've said to-ma-to about a hundred times by now...
Pictures and video from this week:
We had a family dinner at my parents' house last night and Emily started cracking up when I jokingly asked her if she wanted a tomato? I said it in Korean (to-ma-to) and she thought it was the funniest thing ever! I must've said to-ma-to about a hundred times by now...
Pictures and video from this week:
Thursday, May 24, 2012
4 Months
Happy 4 months my sweet baby! It's very cool to see Emily hit milestones everyday now and she's growing up so fast. 3 month size clothes that were once too big are already too small and packed away. She's been on a roll (literally) with rolling from back to front and this morning at 4AM she really got stuck and woke up crying, poor baby. She continues to be really good at night, sleeping from 7:30/8PM to 7AM but naps are still a little hard. I wonder why she is so good at self soothing at night but not during the day? The daily bath as part of her bedtime routine helps a lot. She starts the bath off with lots of splishes and splashes and turns into mellow jello at the end, haha.
She always smiles in the morning when we meet eyes, which sends me to the moon and back, and is babbling a lot more. Her favorite songs at the moment are "wheels on the bus" and "old McDonald had a farm." She smiles and kicks her legs during "wipers on the bus go swoosh, swoosh, swoosh" and "E I E I O."
Today, powered by mommy fuel, I got a lot done.
Emily's grandparents are visiting from Denver this weekend so I ran errands and did laundry today. I also stopped by TJ Maxx and scored some books on clearance. I'm such a bargain whore, I love it!
I want Emily to love reading. I'm excited to start a book collection for her and I hope she enjoys them. I will try my best to encourage her to read anything and everything, hoping she develops a thirst for knowledge.
Emily has her 4 month shots next week and I'm excited to measure her development since her last appointment. She's currently wearing Carter's 6 month onsies and pjs.
She always smiles in the morning when we meet eyes, which sends me to the moon and back, and is babbling a lot more. Her favorite songs at the moment are "wheels on the bus" and "old McDonald had a farm." She smiles and kicks her legs during "wipers on the bus go swoosh, swoosh, swoosh" and "E I E I O."
Today, powered by mommy fuel, I got a lot done.
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| Venti skinny vanilla latte with an extra shot of espresso |
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| Five books for $20. Emily is rolling over in the corner and I finally gave in to The Hunger Games. |
Emily has her 4 month shots next week and I'm excited to measure her development since her last appointment. She's currently wearing Carter's 6 month onsies and pjs.
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| Trying to escape... |
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| She looks so big in her crib! |
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
Superpowers
Remember this show?
I wish I had Evie's power to stop time so I could tag Emily and spend more time with her before I go back to work. Also, to take a twelve hour nap.
I had a really bad scare with Emily today. She's been trying to lift her head and sit up when she's in her swing and carseat lately and today she almost fell out of her swing! Trying to lift her head to sit up and roll over + momentum of swing = BAD! We haven't been strapping her in the swing because she wasn't able to move much until now, but now I know how important it is to use the straps!! I can't imagine what I would've done if she fell out and hurt herself. I was across the room when I saw it happening from the corner of my eye and I've never moved faster in my life. I am not looking forward to all the cuts and scrapes of childhood. When is a good time to get Emily fitted for her bubble? I keed, I keed...
Remember this show? If I had his super powers I could get chores and housework done in 30 seconds, always catch Emily before she falls and be all around awesome.
Emily will be four months on Thursday! She is getting stronger, funnier and more opinionated each and every day.
I had a really bad scare with Emily today. She's been trying to lift her head and sit up when she's in her swing and carseat lately and today she almost fell out of her swing! Trying to lift her head to sit up and roll over + momentum of swing = BAD! We haven't been strapping her in the swing because she wasn't able to move much until now, but now I know how important it is to use the straps!! I can't imagine what I would've done if she fell out and hurt herself. I was across the room when I saw it happening from the corner of my eye and I've never moved faster in my life. I am not looking forward to all the cuts and scrapes of childhood. When is a good time to get Emily fitted for her bubble? I keed, I keed...
Remember this show? If I had his super powers I could get chores and housework done in 30 seconds, always catch Emily before she falls and be all around awesome.
Emily will be four months on Thursday! She is getting stronger, funnier and more opinionated each and every day.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Daycare
We visited Kindercare this morning to tour the center and meet with the caregivers. There is currently a wait list of 17 babies and we're hoping for an open spot in July before I go back to work. The staff was friendly and the center was nice. I cried on the way home and Emily hasn't even started yet.
I know daycare is a great option, there are many pros for children, a lot of families trust the caregivers and Emily will have to go to school eventually but when I think about being away from my baby my heart shatters and I get so incredibly sad. The caregivers said 9 out of 10 times, the moms cry more than their babies. I'm going to have to mentally prepare myself to stay strong. I don't think I'll be able to leave if Emily starts crying for me when I drop her off. Ahhhhh
I know daycare is a great option, there are many pros for children, a lot of families trust the caregivers and Emily will have to go to school eventually but when I think about being away from my baby my heart shatters and I get so incredibly sad. The caregivers said 9 out of 10 times, the moms cry more than their babies. I'm going to have to mentally prepare myself to stay strong. I don't think I'll be able to leave if Emily starts crying for me when I drop her off. Ahhhhh
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Parenting Styles
There are so many out there. Check any parenting forum or even facebook and you'll see parents getting snarky with each other regarding what's best for their babies. Relax people. Even Dr. Sears himself says attachment parenting is a guideline, not a strict set of rules. Maybe some parents should spend less time having internet wars with other parents and spend more time with their children? Just saying. I was reading through a facebook comment thread about vaccinations and I couldn't believe how intense some people were being. Parents were criticizing each other and there was even some name calling. Wow. I believe parents should do what works best for them and their families. A friend posted this article and I'd have to say I agree.
Coddling Moms Aren't Helping Their Kids
In the run-up to Mother's Day, we have been predictably inundated with stories of women who give up everything to make things easier for their children. There's Clueless actor Alicia Silverstone, who chews her child's food and spits it into his mouth, as though he's a baby bird. Then there was the woman who was on the cover of Time, shown breast-feeding a child who looks old enough to chew barbequed ribs. Most of the rest of the stories are less provocative, extolling women who gave up such selfish pursuits as a career and adult personal life to cater to her children.
Me, I called my mother on Mother's Day and thanked her for not being quite so easy on me. Or more to the point, I thanked her for doing her job as a parent.
Listen at the park or mall, and you'll hear parents tell their children they are "special," that they are prettier, smarter and just better than other children. My mother's common refrain to us kids when we were growing up was, "The world does not revolve around you." Kids nowadays are told, "If you can dream it, you can do it." My mother told me that no matter what I did in life, there was always going to be someone who was better at it than I was. Young adults now often assume they will move back in with their parents after college. My mother made it clear to me throughout my childhood that she expected I would be living on my own after I graduated-not living alone in a fancy apartment my parents paid for, but in a group house where we argued over who drank who's milk, and who was slacking off on taking out the garbage.
Perhaps my mother's comments sound, in retrospect, a little harsh to some. But she was doing what may be the hardest part of parenting: preparing me for the real world.
Now, some of the standards my parents had are a little unrealistic today. I was able to put myself through college through low-interest loans, financial aid, a small scholarship, and part-time work. That's just not possible today, with the 3 percent interest loans no longer available, college tuition through the roof, and a dismal job market for graduates. And it's understandable that parents would have a natural inclination to make things easier for their children.
Mothers in particular are rewarded for this sort of hyper-parenting. Father's Day honors men who go out and earn a living for their families. Mothers are celebrated for sacrifice, sublimating every personal and professional ambition they have to give to their children. In return, the mothers are taken to brunch once a year.
But parents are doing no favors to young people by not letting them grow up, or by not pushing them to grow up. Silverstone might remember that while mother birds masticate their babies' foods before placing it in their mouths, the adult birds eventually push the babies out of the nest. This is not only best for the offspring, it's better for the rest of us. Immature young adults do not prosper in the workplace. At a recent job recruitment event, I spied a young women (in flip-flops) standing idly while her mother tried to negotiate with a potential employer (I doubt she got a call-back). And many of us have observed young adults who are so unused to criticism, they cry or fall apart when demands are made on them at work.
When I called my mother to thank her for parenting, she said, "I knew one of the most important things was to teach you kids how to fail." And all of us, at some point, have endured failures or disappointments, but we pulled ourselves together and made things work another way. Being a little tough on kids sometimes is itself a sacrifice. It's easier and more fun to be a cheerleader than to be a developing kid's reality check. But that's what it means to be a good parent. And I thank my mom for that.
Me, I called my mother on Mother's Day and thanked her for not being quite so easy on me. Or more to the point, I thanked her for doing her job as a parent.
Listen at the park or mall, and you'll hear parents tell their children they are "special," that they are prettier, smarter and just better than other children. My mother's common refrain to us kids when we were growing up was, "The world does not revolve around you." Kids nowadays are told, "If you can dream it, you can do it." My mother told me that no matter what I did in life, there was always going to be someone who was better at it than I was. Young adults now often assume they will move back in with their parents after college. My mother made it clear to me throughout my childhood that she expected I would be living on my own after I graduated-not living alone in a fancy apartment my parents paid for, but in a group house where we argued over who drank who's milk, and who was slacking off on taking out the garbage.
Perhaps my mother's comments sound, in retrospect, a little harsh to some. But she was doing what may be the hardest part of parenting: preparing me for the real world.
Now, some of the standards my parents had are a little unrealistic today. I was able to put myself through college through low-interest loans, financial aid, a small scholarship, and part-time work. That's just not possible today, with the 3 percent interest loans no longer available, college tuition through the roof, and a dismal job market for graduates. And it's understandable that parents would have a natural inclination to make things easier for their children.
Mothers in particular are rewarded for this sort of hyper-parenting. Father's Day honors men who go out and earn a living for their families. Mothers are celebrated for sacrifice, sublimating every personal and professional ambition they have to give to their children. In return, the mothers are taken to brunch once a year.
But parents are doing no favors to young people by not letting them grow up, or by not pushing them to grow up. Silverstone might remember that while mother birds masticate their babies' foods before placing it in their mouths, the adult birds eventually push the babies out of the nest. This is not only best for the offspring, it's better for the rest of us. Immature young adults do not prosper in the workplace. At a recent job recruitment event, I spied a young women (in flip-flops) standing idly while her mother tried to negotiate with a potential employer (I doubt she got a call-back). And many of us have observed young adults who are so unused to criticism, they cry or fall apart when demands are made on them at work.
When I called my mother to thank her for parenting, she said, "I knew one of the most important things was to teach you kids how to fail." And all of us, at some point, have endured failures or disappointments, but we pulled ourselves together and made things work another way. Being a little tough on kids sometimes is itself a sacrifice. It's easier and more fun to be a cheerleader than to be a developing kid's reality check. But that's what it means to be a good parent. And I thank my mom for that.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Setting a good example
My mom is a saint. Growing up, she did a lot for us, A LOT. My dad went to work, came home and wasn't asked to do more than that. My mom worked, cooked all the meals, did all the cleaning and laundry, took care of household errands, and did everything our family needed and not once did she complain. She was damn good at it all too. Saint.
My dad didn't mean any harm by not helping, he was just never asked. I don't think it occurred to him to help out around the house because he wasn't asked to do so as he was growing up. My grandmother never demanded household chores from her sons, only her daughters. I guess in Korea circa 1950s, gender roles weren't something to be messed with and so I conclude that my parents are just a product of their time. This isn't true for every family but it's what I speculate from what I see with my parents.
As my mother's daughter I feel this need to bear all the weight of running my house on my shoulders, doing it all perfectly and not complaining because that's what I saw growing up. It's not to say I don't enjoy doing these things because I love to cook, I like things cleaned and done my way and I cherish my role as the heart of this house. But sometimes a girl needs a break, am I right?
I rarely saw my mom kick up her heels, relax and do nothing after dinner or on weekends. She was constantly in the kitchen or doing something around the house and while she loved doing all these things I'm sure she could've used a guilty soap opera marathon or a nice foot massage. If I could go back in time, I'd give her a "CLOSED" sign to hang on her door so she could enjoy some quiet time.
As Emily grows up, I don't want her to think that she too will have to do it all and do it perfectly if she doesn't find the joy in being domestic. She'll be watching and learning from me so I'll have to remind myself that dishes will get done one way or the other, the house will get cleaned, the laundry will be done eventually and in the meantime, I'll kick up my heels, snuggle with her and read a book together.
My dad didn't mean any harm by not helping, he was just never asked. I don't think it occurred to him to help out around the house because he wasn't asked to do so as he was growing up. My grandmother never demanded household chores from her sons, only her daughters. I guess in Korea circa 1950s, gender roles weren't something to be messed with and so I conclude that my parents are just a product of their time. This isn't true for every family but it's what I speculate from what I see with my parents.
As my mother's daughter I feel this need to bear all the weight of running my house on my shoulders, doing it all perfectly and not complaining because that's what I saw growing up. It's not to say I don't enjoy doing these things because I love to cook, I like things cleaned and done my way and I cherish my role as the heart of this house. But sometimes a girl needs a break, am I right?
I rarely saw my mom kick up her heels, relax and do nothing after dinner or on weekends. She was constantly in the kitchen or doing something around the house and while she loved doing all these things I'm sure she could've used a guilty soap opera marathon or a nice foot massage. If I could go back in time, I'd give her a "CLOSED" sign to hang on her door so she could enjoy some quiet time.
As Emily grows up, I don't want her to think that she too will have to do it all and do it perfectly if she doesn't find the joy in being domestic. She'll be watching and learning from me so I'll have to remind myself that dishes will get done one way or the other, the house will get cleaned, the laundry will be done eventually and in the meantime, I'll kick up my heels, snuggle with her and read a book together.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Naptime
Today's daytime naps were better than yesterday. She only cried it out for a few minutes. She's starting to sleep on her side and isn't tossing and turning as much. We went grocery shopping in the early afternoon and she was all smiles in the ergo.
She's getting a kick out of looking at her own reflection in the mirror and has been staring at me all day as if she's finally realized who I am, haha.
She's getting a kick out of looking at her own reflection in the mirror and has been staring at me all day as if she's finally realized who I am, haha.
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