SOS

Rolling blackouts are the worst. Last year when we experienced this temporary loss of energy, it was simply an inconvenient hour with no AC or TV. But this year, no energy = no working freezer = 2 months of breast milk slowly defrosting before our eyes = SOS!

I’ve been working slowly but surely on getting a supply of pumped milk ready for my return to work next week, and I finally have a decent amount stocked up. The loss of all that milk would be DEVASTATING! Hours of pumping and days of nutrition for Kyle down the drain! (In case you didn’t know – once breast milk is defrosted, it can’t be re-frozen and must be refrigerated and consumed within 24 hours.)

I was at my dad’s house (only about 2 miles from home) during the blackout, and his house wasn’t affected. Luckily my quick-thinking husband was home, transferred the milk to a cooler and jetted it over to my dad’s freezer. But when I say “jet,” I really mean drive in slow as molasses traffic because every single street light between our house and dad’s house was out. Thank goodness he made it over with the milk still frozen. We piled the bags in my dad’s freezer and headed back home, only to find that our power was back on and we needed to bring my milk back home.

Good times!

sun & sucks

Today, Kyle took his first dip in a pool at our friend Mackenzie's house. He played it cool, but I could tell he liked the water on his toes! And he looked super cute in his swim gear. Mommy was a little paranoid about the sun on his white boy baby skin so we only stayed in for a minute. Just long enough to prep him for a nice long nap after lunch.

Later in the day while we were celebrating cousin Jacob's 2nd birthday, I caught him sucking his thumb for the first time! He's been a big fan of the finger suck for a while, but this was his first actual thumb suck:

Since it's Jacob's 2nd birthday today, I was going through old(ish - I mean, he's only 2) pictures and found this one from last 4th of July when he was only 6 days old! Cute to compare Jacob and Kyle wearing the same auntie onesie :)

Jacob (left), 6 days old; Kyle 2 weeks old
size NB onesie

Happy birthday Jacob! Auntie Kika, Uncle B & cousin Kyle love you!!

Jakey with his Auntie on June 28, 2011

4 months

Kyle, you are 4 months old! 

You are my little sidekick. I love spending every day with you and seeing your sweet smile! Here is an update on what 4 months has brought us:

• We went to your 4 month check up yesterday. You weigh 16 lbs, 8 oz! We talked to the doc about your sensitive skin and he recommended we change detergent and use a good lotion. So yesterday mommy re-washed all of your clothes and put away all your NB - 3 mo outfits. We were so lucky to have so many hand-me-downs from your cousin Jacob and friend Logan that some of the stuff you only wore once or twice! All these cute clothes and jammies are going into storage for now...

• You are grabbing everything in sight, including mommy's necklace and hair at all times. You love to hold onto your links or toys, especially in the car. Some favorites are your monkey, Sophie the Giraffe and your crinkly books. But your favorite thing to grab seems to be your pacifier strap!
• You don't have your paci in your mouth all the time, but when you do want it you like to take it out and try and put it back in. You've been successful a handful of times!
• Last night, we stopped swaddling your arms to sleep at night. I think you were waking up in the middle of the night because you were PO'd that you couldn't move your arms! Night 1 of no swaddle was a success: you slept 9-3, nursed and went right back to sleep until 8. Yay!
• It's pretty easy for mommy to make you laugh. You laugh at me when I talk or sing to you, or make funny sounds. You even laugh at me when I say "shhhhh" when I'm trying to put you to sleep! What's up with that?
• We started music class last week through the city recreation program and you LOVED IT! We sat in a circle with 7 other moms/babies and you were just staring at the other babies and smiling. We learned a couple new songs and did some sign language, and you got to hold onto the bells and drums and shake away! We can't wait for next week's class.
• You still love to be outside, so we go for lots of walks in the stroller or Bjorn or take a blanket and lay in the park so you can stare at the trees.
• You still hate tummy time and have shown no interest in rolling from your tummy to your back since your miraculous roll-overs at only 3 weeks old. You almost roll from your back to your tummy, though. We'll keep working at it!
• You can *almost* sit up by yourself. You love to sit up with my help, and sit up in your bouncy seat and Bumbo almost all day.
• You're still not the best napper, but you're getting better. You'll nap for about 1-2 hours in the swing in the morning, 2 hours after you wake up. Then you'll nap again in the afternoon but give mommy a hard time about it. Of course you love to fall asleep while nursing or in the car, but always wake up as soon as we get in the house.
• You are LOUD! You love to scream/squeal like a dolphin and make funny sounds. They crack us up!
• You had your first cold, but it was very minor. Just a runny nose for a day or so and a little congestion, but you're better now. We are dreading you getting any sicker than that! Let's stay healthy all year, ok?

my angel boy!

barenaked.

So I've mentioned before that Brian and I are really into traditions. Another one of my favorites is that every time the Barenaked Ladies are in town we must see them. We were trying to remember how many BNL shows we've been to, and I believe it's 8 - well, now 9 with last night's concert at The Greek Theatre.

When Brian and I first started dating in 2001 we were having lunch at EJ Malloys in Long Beach and the beer girls were handing out a BNL cassette tape of one of their singles. We popped it in my cassette player in my 1988 Nissan Sentra for the drive home and we really liked it! We started listening to more and more of their music, so for our 2 year date-a-versary I surprised Brian with 2 tickets to their concert at The Wiltern in LA on Nov. 20, 2003 - our 1st of many concerts together.

I remember having so. much. fun. with Brian. Maybe one of our best dates ever. BNL is such a fun band to watch, and The Wiltern is my #1 fave concert venue. We also had the best seats of all time - front row, very center of the 2nd floor terrace. Perfect view, small venue. I was sold.

We had so much fun that every time BNL comes to town we make it a point to see their show. We've seen them at a bunch of different So Cal venues and always have a blast. Last night we continued this tradition by attending the BNL concert at The Greek. This was our first concert post-Kyle and a much-needed date night! Mammie stayed home with the baby and we made the drive to LA to drink a couple of beers and watch our favorite band perform. We're both exhausted today, but it was so worth it. As a bonus, we discovered that we really like Ben Folds Five, who also performed. I'll be buying some new (old) music today!

June 23, 2013

flashback - so excited to see our 2nd BNL show on Dec. 13, 2005
(Santa Monica Civic Theatre)

I also need to post Kyle's 4 month update and take a new picture, since our big boy turned 4 months yesterday!! I'm going to wait until after our 4-month check up with Dr. Wong on Wednesday so I have all his updated stats :) Coming soon!

PS - if you've never been to The Greek I highly recommend it. It's in LA next to the Griffith Observatory and is one of my top venues to see a show. Parking is stacked ($15), but it's very organized. The venue itself is awesome - outdoor, small to medium size and every seat is good. They have lots of benches/grassy areas to tailgate beforehand where no one bothers you, and inside there are multiple places to buy drinks and food with lines that are never too long. And the bathrooms are amazing - there are almost more stalls in the HUGE women's room than there are women at the concert! Bonus!

no swaddle for you!

Today Kyle showed me that he wasn't in the mood to be swaddled. He woke up from his nap and pulled both arms out, no problem. And when I went to check on him he started laughing at me!

look mom, both hands!

toys, toys and more toys

We got Kyle a new play mat to lay on since he's starting to outgrow the green one we were using. Today, he broke it in for a while and checked out all his new toys. So many things to grab!

this little play mat is getting a little constricting, mom!

no time for lounging

Today, Kyle decided he no longer likes to lounge in his bouncy seat. He'd rather sit straight up and look around! He tries to sit up in his car seat, too... but the straps get in his way, which can be pretty frustrating for this guy.

ABCs

Today, Kyle's friend Sophie taught him his ABCs. He responded with a big smile, rapid leg kicks and lots of drool.

laughs!

The first time I heard Kyle's laugh my heart exploded into a million pieces and I had to pick them up and glue it back together. I was finally able to catch it on video today when I discovered his super ticklish spot.

I pretty much spend all day, every day trying to make this boy laugh. It makes my life!

father's day weekend [sunday edition]

Even though it was Father's Day, Sunday was all about our niece, Harlow! She had her first dance recital and we were so excited to watch her perform at the Carpenter Center at CSULB. She sang and danced her little heart out and we were all so proud of her.

Afterwards, the family came back to our place for a late lunch and some fam time to end the weekend! Here's some pictures of our sweet niece on her big day:

Harlow & her mommy

Harlow with her Uncle B, Auntie Kika & cousin Kyle

this little girl is LOVED!

father's day weekend [saturday edition]

Kyle is becoming a Joe Jost's regular! For lunch on Saturday we took Brian to his favorite place for a special and a schooner. As a bonus, the bartender gave Kyle a new Joe Jost's onesie for when he grows out of the one he has now! :)

When we got home, we noticed Kyle had a little bit of a runny nose, so we stayed in and made dinner at home. We think our baby may be coming down with his first cold :( I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later, but I hate to see my baby not well. He seems to be feeling ok and slept great last night... let's hope it gets better before it gets worse!

father's day weekend [friday night edition]

Last night Brian took Kyle to Glory Days for some man time of burgers and beer... and I crashed the party. But I think they were both happy to have me around. I mean, I'm not really drinking beer right now but I eat a mean pickle and make some pretty funny faces. And it's always nice to have someone to drive you home.

My boys watching the Angels beat the Yankees, woohoo!

father's day weekend

I'm so excited for Brian's first Father's Day! He's been working so hard, and definitely deserves some spoiling & TLC.

Kyle & I I kicked off his first Father's Day weekend this morning by surprising him at work with a framed photo of this cutie for his desk:

Juls Megill Photography

It was hard sneaking off for an "errand" (aka secret Father's Day photo shoot), but we pulled it off and Brian loved it!

Tonight we're taking daddy out to watch the Angel game over a burger & beer! Tomorrow we'll have lots of family time, and Sunday we're watching cousin Harlow's ballet recital and will celebrate after. Can't wait to show our new daddy how much he is loved & appreciated :)

life of a 3.5 month old

Kyle at 3.5 months is so different than Kyle at 2 months, and waaaaay different than Kyle at 1 month. This might sound obvious (duh - babies grow, change and learn so fast!), but as a first-time mom I didn't realize just how much they change, and in so many different ways.

This baby right here - the one laying calmly on the play mat, focusing intently on those butterflies, grabbing them and discovering that he can touch things in front of him - doesn't seem to be the same baby that I brought home from the hospital. That baby would cry if I put him down for 3 seconds! That baby just wanted to nurse and lay on his mama's chest all day and sleep. But this baby is growing so fast and surprising us with new tricks every day.

For Kyle, the life of a 3.5 month old involves lots of playtime with links, rattles, books and balls; time in his bouncy seat and/or Bumbo while mommy cooks and does chores; tummy time; playtime in the park to look at the trees and people watch; lots of walks in his stroller and Bjorn; afternoon outings to run errands or meet friends; less frequent but more efficient nursing (and starting to get distracted while eating); fighting naps but sleeping good at night; lots of smiles and drool; starting to put everything in his mouth; LOUD coos and screams and sometimes laughs.

2 weeks ago, I didn't think Kyle would be sitting in his Bumbo like he did this morning, just watching mama vacuum his room. I didn't think I'd be able to sit in the park for 2 hours talking to friends while Kyle hung out on my lap playing, like we did yesterday. A month ago, I didn't think I'd get 6-7 and sometimes 8 hour stretches of sleep, like we've been getting (for the most part) this month. With a baby, it's hard to know what it will be like a month, or even a week from now. And once things change, it's hard to remember what life was like before.

I can only imagine what I'll be writing for his 4 month update - only 10 days from now!

15 weeks

Kyle, you are 15 weeks old!

I feel so lucky that I'm able to be home with you right now. I'm enjoying every day getting to know you better and loving you up!

This week you:

• Had your first professional headshot taken. Well, mommy had hers taken for work and you looked so cute that the photographer wanted you in a shot, too :)

• Were such a good boy for Mammie Day - we went to the mall, shopped around (making a nursing pit stop in Nordie's and taking a good nap in your stroller) and even ate dinner at Red Robin. You love taking in all the sights and sounds around you!

• Hung out with your friend Sophia. You showed her how you like to play with your toys now, and how much fun it is to be SUPER BABY! You tried to sit up in her back yard, but you still need to work on your upper body strength a little bit more to be able to sit up without mommy's help.

• Spent time with your Papa John, GG, auntie and cousins Harlow & Jacob when we went out to dinner to celebrate mommy and auntie's birthday. You were a trooper sitting out on the Denny's patio for over 2 hours! You always get so much love from your auntie and your cousin. They love you to pieces.

• Drove your mommy a little nuts by only taking good naps in her arms. I know this is just a phase and it won't last forever, but mommy is trying hard to train you to nap on your own without making much progress! Hopefully next week's update will be a different story... at least you are sleeping great at night and we are both getting good rest then.

• Sat like a big boy in your Bumbo while mommy & daddy ate dinner!

• Stayed home alone with daddy and Grandma Suzie for a couple hours while mommy went to dinner with some friends. I think we both suffered from separation anxiety that night, but maybe mommy a little more... when I came home, you looked pretty content in your grandma's arms!

mirror, mirror

Kyle loves looking at himself in the mirror! It's become our little ritual to "check ourselves out" after I get him dressed for the day. He always gives himself a huge smile :)

Makes tummy time a little more fun, too!

who is that handsome boy?!

movin' out

We accidentally put Kyle in his crib for the night for the first time on Sunday, and he slept like a champ. How does that happen, you ask?

Kyle was tired. When this boy gets tired at night, nothing can keep him up. Which is the complete opposite of his napping habits. At night we can vacuum, watch TV, do dishes, Penny can bark… and this boy won’t stir. But if I put him down for a nap – even if he’s been yawning, rubbing his eyes, can’t take another minute without sleep and out like a light on my lap– if I put him down and so much as fasten my bra strap in the same room as him he is WIDE awake and good luck getting him back to sleep. I even woke him up from a nap once by getting up from the glider, and my knee cracked. That was a fun afternoon.

But on Sunday night, he was DONE. He was changed, swaddled, fed, half asleep, ready to hit the hay. I took him into our room to start our bedtime ritual, and out of the corner of my eye I spotted a bug. A huge, gross, bug that I was no way going to sleep knowing that he was roaming our bedroom, ready to crawl on my baby’s face as soon as I closed my eyes.

As Brian proceeded to tear our room apart looking for the unwelcomed guest (and by tearing our room apart, I mean taking the bed off the frame, pulling out dresser drawers, the whole 9 yards), I was left with a tired, tired boy who needed to go to bed. So in his crib he went and there he stayed while we scoured our room. Finally, after an hour-long hunt, the bug was vacuumed to death and the room was back to normal. But by now, Kyle was deeeeep asleep. In his bedroom.

We didn’t think we were ready for the transition, but by then I was so exhausted and Kyle looked so peaceful that we decided to leave him be. We stared at him on the monitor for a while and decided to finally try and get some sleep, with our baby in the other room.

It was really hard going to sleep that night without the sounds of his little snores and whimpers right next to my bed. We felt like something was missing! Brian had even a rougher time than me, going in to check on him quite a few times before we finally closed our eyes.

That night, Kyle slept in his crib from 9:30 pm – 6:30 am, waking up only once to nurse! At 6:30 I found him all smiles in his crib, just looking around like he’d been sleeping there all along, and thinking what’s the big deal mom? I brought him back in our room to eat, and then he slept 2.5 more hours there next to me.

The second night wasn't so easy - he slept the same hours, but woke up twice to nurse. This may not seem like it would make too much of a difference, but it really does. Sleeping 10-1 and 1:30-6:30 is much, much easier than sleeping 10-1, 1:30-4 and 4:30-6:30. Hopefully tonight we'll be back in line with night one, because sleep training is not something I want on my radar yet!

14 weeks

Kyle, you are 14 weeks old!

I've said to Brian so many times that you have grown up so much this week! You are grabbing onto your toys (and still love to grab onto blankets and burp cloths), batting at toys above your head, wanting so badly to sit up (you still need some help from mom), drooling all over, sucking your fingers non-stop, grabbing your feet and laughing! It still takes some coaxing from us, but we can get you to giggle by talking or singing to you.

there is a smile behind that paci!

It is so funny, you sometimes start laughing so hard when we take off your clothes. Something about the movement of pulling your arms through the onesie really cracks you up. I think it's the funniest thing I've ever seen. You also started laughing in the middle of a cry fit this week! We were driving home from dinner and you were getting upset. I sat in the back seat with you and started talking to you, and you went from crying to laughing - and right back to crying. So funny.

We had a pretty big week this week! It was my birthday week, so we made a trip to Grandma Suzie's for dinner on Wednesday, then on Thursday had a playdate at the park and went to Ruby's for dinner. On Friday, you drove with mom to Costa Mesa to attend an awards ceremony for mommy's work. You got to meet all of my co-workers, who loved you of course. Daddy met us there to watch over you while mommy attended the luncheon, and you gave him a pretty hard time. I think it was because you missed your morning nap... lesson learned!

This week you reached my favorite milestone - sleeping an 8-hour stretch, 2 nights in a row! Thank you! You're still in the sleeper next to our bed... I'm not ready to move you to your room yet. Maybe at 4 months :)