138--Tuesday

You had quite the eventful day Tuesday. First, a trip to the pediatricians to check your stats and get more shots (sad).


For the first time ever, we were surprised that you didn't grow longer this month! You're still 27 inches long, a good 90th percentile now. But you grew heavier by another pound. At just over 18 pounds, you're in the 95th percentile. Your head is still 50th percentile. I love your pee-wee head.


And then you got your DTAP shots, a set of 3 that really sting.


Poor guy.


I think you're so cute when you're bawling.


Look at that sad little face.


Afterwards, we went to Ikea to get your dad a new desk. I think that helped take your mind off your traumatic shots.


And later you tried out your new walker. You absolutely loved it, even though your legs were too short to touch the ground. It was so cute how you strained and strained until one tip of your big toe reached the floor, which you used to pedal furiously.

136, 137--Sunday, Monday

Usually we are so tired on Sunday, but this time your dad's sis and mom took care of you all day so we could just relax. It was awesome--truly a day of rest.


Monday you were a babe in the woods, Muir Woods, that is. We took a big outing there and braved the heavy holiday crowds. You were an angel, sleeping soundly all the way there despite all the traffic stops and winding roads.


I think you quite enjoyed looking at the amazing sights, and breathing that fresh piney air.




Your dad wanted to go off-trail so we abandoned your stroller while your dad wore you in the moby wrap--in which you later fell asleep.


All in all, you were a great travel-buddy and clearly love the great outdoors as much as your parents!

130-135, Mon-Sat

Wow, this is the longest we've gone without blogging about your daily adventures. I blame the holidays.

Thursday we went to the mom's group and saw 2 new babies who could crawl.


One baby was so friendly he crawled right up to you and poked you in the eye. You were a good sport about it.


You also loved flirting with the pretty girl baby next to you.


On your first Christmas you made out like a bandit! You got cute outfits from Mur and a fun new toy, money for a new car seat from your great-grandma in Korea and a high-chair from your dad's mom. You love seeing your dad's mom and sis this week during their visit. And me and your dad love how they give us a major break from taking care of you!


From your mom's side, you got cute slippers and a hat...



And grandpa got you a fun electric car that bounces up and down and blasts loud music with flashing lights. It's so loud I thought you'd cry, but you were totally into it.


All in all you had a great first Christmas--full of friends and family.

127, 128, 129--Fri, Sat, Sun

I'm really behind on the blogging...let's see, so much has happened...random events:

--Friday I tried to give you a relaxing spa experience in our bathtub--complete with candlelight and Enya playing in the background. You started screaming and fussing while we were half way through the bath so we didn't get to the post-bath massage portion of the program.


--Saturday we drove down to see your grandparents. Too bad there was heavy traffic and you woke up when the car slowed and screamed during the rest of the drive. Poor guy, waking up scared and alone in the back of the car by himself.

--You are really interested in watching us eat and love when we give you something to "sample".


--Your dad can always make you laugh by going "Aaaaaaaaah!"


--I made you try on your Christmas outfit to make sure it would fit. Success!


--I love you more each day (as if it were possible).

We've Come a Long Way Baby

This last week you finished your 4th month of life "on the outside." And we're still breastfeeding.

I am amazed.

During your early weeks, 4 months seemed faraway and unattainable. I really had no idea how I would survive that long. In particular, I didn't think I could breastfeed you for that long.

Me and breastfeeding were never great friends. Although you started out with a great latch and I had a good supply, it quickly turned south from there.

First, there was just the oppressive frequency with which you nursed. I was literally nursing you every 1-2 hours for the first few weeks. You probably didn't need to nurse that often for nutritional reasons, but every time you cried and fussed, nursing was the only thing that calmed you down. Maybe you were hungry, maybe you weren't.

All that nursing left me feeling exhausted, like a pacifier with legs. I wondered why I ever bothered putting on a shirt. I seriously thought I would die of fatigue. Many times I thought about giving up nursing so someone else could feed you and I could embrace some coveted rest and get my sanity back.

But after 4 weeks, I felt that your latch was good enough that we could give you a substitute bottle once a day AND we learned to soothe you without the breast! That was a huge turning point. But unfortunately, the trouble didn't end there.

Just when I thought we were getting out of the woods, you started having fussy feedings. You would pull on and off, eat frantically for 10 seconds--pulling your ears and pounding your little fists on my chest, and then cry and scream. Every feeding was a nightmarish battle and I absolutely dreaded it. I also thought there was no way you were getting enough to eat since you'd refuse to nurse longer than a couple minutes every 2-3 hours!

Was it reflux? Gas? I'll never know. But I do know it was hellacious when you'd wail after each night-nursing. There's nothing like walking you up and down the house at 2am in the morning!

I really wanted to give up nursing then, but I read that if you had bad digestion, eating formula would just make it worse. Breast milk is infinitely easier for you to digest. Oh well, so much for that.

Then, around the 100th day, after taking probiotics for a couple days, nursing you suddenly got a whole lot more manageable. You'll still have the occasional weird, fussy, annoying behavior, but by and large things are much much better--especially at night. I feed you once at around 2am, and you go right back to sleep, and so do I.

Things might get harder again when you start teething, but for now, I find myself saying (to myself) almost every day--I love nursing you! I'm so glad we stuck it through this far.

125, 126--Wed, Thu

These last couple days have found me indulging in a little retail therapy with you. We took you to the local mall to break the tedium of caring for you and so I can find the perfect Christmas outfit for you. (Incidentally, your dad, once the ergo-king, has become the moby-king--he loves wearing you in that wrap).


The first day we came up empty after visiting 3 stores. But at least you got to enjoy "playing" with the stuffed animals at Barnes & Noble.



Actually for the last couple weeks I've looked on every website imaginable for a good Christmas outfit and came up with bupkis--the good stuff is all gone. But today we went to Baby Gap and found the perfect thing--squeeeeeeeeeeee (that's the noise I made when I saw it, realized it was 50% off, and the salesperson said there was only one left in your size!) Can't wait to put it on you next week!

But honestly, my favorite "look" on you is your birthday suit. I just adore your fat, chubby little body sans clothing. You are delicious!

122, 123, 124--Sun, Mon, Tue

Sunday I dressed you up in another big boy outfit--corduroy pants and "hush puppies". Too bad you can't really see the cute dog slippers in this picture.


Monday was a nice chore day with you. We went to Trader Joe's for tons of prepackaged food--a new mom's best friend! Here's you by the poinsettias.


Tuesday we took a big trip to see Peg and Isaac. I was pretty nervous about how you would do on the car ride. It's by far the greatest distance I've ever traveled with you on my own--scary!


I thought it would be nice for you to sleep during the hour-long drive, but sadly you woke up about 20 minutes too early and proceeded to scream bloody murder the rest of the way. My nerves were so frazzled by the time we got there!

It's always great to visit Peg though. I wished she lived closer because she is such a great baby-mama friend. I'm always commiserating with her and borrowing baby stuff from her.


You seemed to enjoy hanging out in Isaac's walker while you were there even though your feet missed the ground by a couple inches--incidentally it's the same walker we have at home except I didn't construct it for you yet (it's still in the box).


The trip back was a little better--my nerves were still frazzled because it was raining hard, I was rushing to beat traffic, and for the last 7 or 8 miles on the freeway, traffic was awful--it was like a parking lot! But all's well that ends well. You slept until we were 10 minutes away from home and didn't scream too much.

120, 121--Fri, Sat

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...


I'm still amazed that we're in December already. Since my brain stopped functioning when you were born, I'm still mentally stuck in August/September.

Today we went to go see your grandma and grandpa. Their neighbor came to visit with her grandson who is almost exactly 1 year older than you. He was such a sweet big brother to you--letting you play with his little star wand that plays music when you push a button. You were pretty excited about that.


And then Tony came by to visit your dad and I made him hold you because I try to hand you off to as many people as I can so I can get a break (you're really heavy!). Get a good look at Mr. Tony--that's your tall, over 6ft, future son.


Also, today marks a new clothing size for you--you're wearing a 9 month footie! Did I mention that you're not yet 4 months old?! I just love this Ralph Lauren footie that you got as a hand-me-down--so chic and preppy.

An Open Love Letter

Dearest Mandi,

I've been working on a little knit sweater for your sweet guy ever since I learned that you were having a boy--I chose the color to match UCLA's baby blue. I had grand ambitions of putting buttons on the shoulder and stitching his initials on it, and maybe knitting a matching hat to go with it. But life got in the way--work, birth, colic, etc.--you know how it is.

But a couple weeks ago I thought long and hard about that half-finished little sweater. I could let it fall by the wayside, another victim of good intentions but poor execution, or I could focus all my limited free time into finally finishing it (without the fancy ambitious extras). And I decided to finish it. Why?

It's just a humble little sweater, but it's my way of saying thank you and I love you (and Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas!). Thank you for all your sympathy and compassion, for listening to me whine and moan and cry about reflux, sleepless nights, and feeling inadequate all the time. Thank you for reminding me to ask for the grace to cherish these hard times, and setting an example of how to do just that. Thank you for all the little encouragements and practical help you sent, through snailmail, over the phone, and via the interwebz--they really kept me afloat each time I felt like I was sinking. Thank you for being a friend (cue the Golden Girls theme song).

But seriously, thank you. Thank God for you. You are an awesome new-mom friend. And I'm so glad our boys are only 3 months apart! Can't wait to continue sharing the trials and joys of mom-hood with you.

Here's a pic of Judah modeling the sweater (had to make sure it fits!) and me modeling a cowl-neck scarf I knit for you using the crazy-fun yarn you sent me last year. Hope they get to you guys before you leave for Christmas vacation!


May you wear them always (well, until the sweater doesn't fit anymore) in good cheer and good health.

Love always, Alice

118, 119--Wed, Thu

Today's post is all about your oral fixation. I'm so proud of your new-found ability to use your hands in this way!

When your dad saw this he said--you give our boy garbage to eat?!


Hey, whatever works and keeps you happy. (This is a plastic bag).


Your dad calls this the International Sign of Bulimia.


You love chewing on your blue bee toy--an early Christmas gift from the sweet Ms. Mandi.


And Sophie the giraffe is also a favorite of yours (Thanks Tam!).


Sometimes you're not quite coordinated enough to get it into your mouth though.

116, 117--Mon, Tue

Some random unconnected thoughts:

Monday we went to the grocery store and I found a way to distract you while I shopped. Sometimes you're totally happy to be in your stroller and sometimes you scream bloody murder. I'm not sure why though. It keeps life ...um ...interesting.


These days you love to stick your fist in your mouth and talk simultaneously!


Lately I've been really shocked how much you look like your dad. You used to look exactly like me when I was a baby. But now you definitely have his eyes and eyebrows.