tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18703373950749064822024-03-13T21:44:00.087-07:00an unfolding story of our journeyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-75826517525922651242012-07-08T20:53:00.002-07:002012-07-08T20:53:36.226-07:00Good reading, Good God, Good LifeThis weekend I made my first fried oysters. It brought me to tears. So much so that I got them out of their shells and had to wait 6 hours before actually making them. But oh, they were so good. It tasted like home and being a kid.<br />
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I'm reading "A Beautiful Mess" and while I can't summarize it all I will attempt a slice of the beauty. The chapter I just read is about loving ourselves, loving our bodies. I can't help but think that God really wants us to eat healthy, to enjoy our bodies and senses, and to rejoice that He has given us so much life to take in. This weekend we have smelled the air at Point Reyes for the first time, heard internationally recognized live jazz, eaten peaches that are divine, and seen a wonderful Korean comedy. And my personal favorite, to enjoy the sense of touch, I got a few new pieces of clothes for myself. And surprisingly, after reading the excerpt on accepting and loving our bodies, shopping felt like a worship experience and not like a major anxiety drag like it usually does. <br />
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Today at church, which is in the evening, it seemed a perfect closure to the day of thoughts and experiences to talk about God providing manna to the people of God. While some complained, others reveled in the miracle. I couldn't help but wonder about my father's death and my own pain during a traumatic birthing experience. I wondered about the songs we sang regarding healing about giving ourselves to Him. I wondered if I could be in tune with my body (rather than hating it by eating rich things or exercising infrequently) and if I was if that would be honoring his creation. I think at times we think of healing as a miracle, but I was seeing it all the more in the sense that we have to ask for God to live through us in each moment so that we are making wise choices with our food. Instead of living in the fear that I could die in my 40s or 30s I can live in the power that I need to eat less lactose, exercise more, and love myself. And in light of all this, I think eating the oysters was a good choice. I'm not talking about calorie counting, I'm talking about making good lifelong decisions so that we can feel good. So that we can live and not die young. So that we can enjoy what God has given to us.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-65629530925459142562012-07-08T20:42:00.002-07:002012-07-08T20:42:46.096-07:00Is this working? <br /><br />Testing testing. <br />
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I am so old at this blog thing. It's been almost a year!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-87064510100280858982011-08-04T20:00:00.001-07:002011-08-04T20:01:45.237-07:00SILLY<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hm5UoBPpc1k/TjtdEgm-bAI/AAAAAAAAHLA/u79hK0PlCAY/s1600/4-up%2Bon%2B2011-08-04%2Bat%2B17.30.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 302px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hm5UoBPpc1k/TjtdEgm-bAI/AAAAAAAAHLA/u79hK0PlCAY/s400/4-up%2Bon%2B2011-08-04%2Bat%2B17.30.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637201690638576642" /></a><br />Eva is old enough to know that this is funny and laugh with me about it. How fun! (Read: dreary day activity success!)<div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-61392564479727191902011-08-02T07:52:00.001-07:002011-08-02T08:17:59.486-07:00summer with cloudsDonovan is heading out to San Diego this week for DevCon, the yearly conference for developers (of the product Filemaker, it's not defcon the hacking conference!). I'm nervous and excited for my first week alone with Eva. Unfortunately she woke up with a runny nose but in comparison to the stomach flu that we had for a couple weeks in July this seems like cake. So wish us luck! We'll be doing bachelorette things all week like eating ice cream for breakfast, watching Sleepless in Seattle, and staying up late (probably none of those things actually, but it's nice to dream). <div><br /></div><div>For our family and friends in the northwest and afar, I'm sure you would love to see how different Eva is now that she is 14 months! Just within the last two months she has learned so many new things about the world. She really loves ambulances and says "wheeew" when they go by. We visited San Francisco yesterday and she really enjoyed the hustle and bustle, especially going up and down the escalator, although we had to move along after 4 times because I started to worry the security guard might ask us to stop. She LOVES dogs and yesterday attempted to ride Hunter, the 8 year old chocolate labrador that lives next door. Also, Eva has shown a lot of interest in mimicking behavior, especially bathroom activities like pretending to curl her hair, tweeze her eyebrows, and put on a shirt (none of which she actually does successfully, of course). </div><div><br /></div><div>I started a running club in Oakland and have enjoyed meeting new women, getting out regularly and just feeling healthy in general. The late evenings in Oakland are so beautiful, warm, and sunny, it's such a great way to end a day! I'm hoping by next summer I will be ready to run my first marathon. I've enjoyed getting a nice little tan too, which is a great side effect. Donovan has also started going to Toastmaster's regularly as a way to get some self care and recently spoke about himself to the group in his first talk.</div><div><br /></div><div>Donovan and I celebrated five years together last week. We enjoyed an evening out alone to dinner, the beach, and a used bookstore/vintage place while we perused without Eva distracting us. It was so fun! I'm really glad we got married and I really love him more every day. I truly think I'm such a better human being than I would be without him.</div><div><br /></div><div>August will be a month of "vacation time" for our family (although some of it is others vacationing here in Oakland). We are hosting my middle sis and her husband for a week and hosting my mom for another week of August. Also, we'll be making a week long trip in August, too. And after we have our month of fun in August, my aunts and cousins will be coming to Sacramento for a weekend in September. I'm looking forward to it all! Let's hope Eva's sleep schedule remains normal and traveling goes smoothly. In the past Eva has woken up at 5am every day of our vacation, which made for really tired parents and baby.</div><div><br /></div><div>In other news, another stay at home mom and I have started a "swap" where we watch both kids one day a week. That means that twice a month I will get a half day without Eva! We started by me watching the girls last week and it was really sweet to see them together. They toddled around without any talking and reminded me of two little penguins, so cute! When I opened the fridge they both came running (which is really just a fast walk at this point) and were doe eyed, hopeful that they could get something! I just love how babies roll on top of each other, have such a different sense of space and no sense of ownership, and bump into each other when their walking ... it's like watching two comedians.</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, it's nice to talk about new changes in our family and the joys of summer because right now it looks like winter outside. The weather outside is frightful but inside we feel so *summer-y.* What are you up to this summer? Is the weather looking like summer where you are?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-30752154735311178742011-05-26T09:46:00.001-07:002011-05-26T09:49:39.904-07:00sleepingEva sleeps a LOT. Most parents say, "what a wonderful problem!" But I'm starting to hope that her sleeping/napping hours lessen soon. I miss being out in the sunshine and having longer stretches in the afternoons to be doing... well... anything. This is especially different because now she gets cranky and needs a nap but can't nap in the stroller (although sometimes I take her out during a nap anyway). <div><br /></div><div>There are only so many quiet activities I can do in my house. Let me give you a ballpark... about 13 hours of sleep a night and at times as much as 3.5 hours of sleeping during the day. Wow! Surprisingly, I can still find ways to procrastinate the hard stuff like learning about my sewing machine, sending important emails, and getting my intern paperwork done. :) </div><div><br /></div><div>Guess who just woke up? Her ears must have been burning!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-34654877964244212982011-05-17T08:09:00.000-07:002011-05-17T08:18:29.702-07:00cheatingI would like to sheepishly admit that I expanded my six items to ten. Funny that dressing up for Eva's baptism didn't end up being the thing that made me cheat. It was just a normal day. I was longing to wear a racerback tank top. How weird is that? Also, it's been rainy and some of my choices didn't foresee this awful May weather, which is turning out to be much more like winter than spring or summer in these parts.<div><br /></div><div>In other news, my mother celebrated her birthday, our friends just got married, my childhood friend is turning 27, Mother's Day was lovely, and my colleague from Fuller is earning his very distinguished Psy D within a few weeks. My heart is full of pride for his hard work and love for my family during this time of celebration. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the downtime I'm trying to not go completely crazy since Eva has been sleeping between 15-17 hours a day lately. Yes, this is really high for kids her age. They are expected to sleep around 12-13 hours around age 1. I try to be grateful for it. But being a stay at home mom can be repetitious. I'm looking forward to working part time again. I'm also hoping to do more running, sewing, and have another weekly ritual to see friends (starting this summer when our community group is on hiatus). Anyone else having a hard time being motivated this week? What do you do to get inspired?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-73736468881027248372011-05-06T08:35:00.000-07:002011-05-06T08:38:25.983-07:00crazyI'm going crazy. Too few clothes and combination. I window shopped last night and I think it made me even crazier. A part of the challenge is not buying anything for yourself during the challenge. <br /><br />The good news is, I've only done laundry twice in a week and hope to keep at that pace. It's actually not as much laundry as usual if you can believe it. Laundry is one of those things that multiplies with people and it makes me think that only having one child sounds like a good idea :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-74567026893713697682011-05-02T22:30:00.000-07:002011-05-02T22:33:46.548-07:00updateDay 2: Rocking the pencil skirt, tank, and cardi. No sweat.<br /><br />Day 3: Walking a baby in my red dress and feeling a bit over dressed but happy. Plus, Part 2, purple tee with skirt due to dress getting dirty from the baby and a nighttime counseling appointment. <br /><br />So far I've done laundry once, spent $8 in quarters (coin machines), and already worked through all of my items. I think one tip for not going crazy is planning the next outfit a day ahead of time. Check out the official site if you haven't already:<br /><br /><a href="sixitemsorless.com">sixitemsorless.com</a><br /><br />I didn't just think this crazy thing up on my own, I promise!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-28353031452736537502011-04-30T21:29:00.000-07:002011-04-30T21:40:38.883-07:00six items or lessI read about an interesting project called <a href="http://sixitemsorless.com/">Six Items or Less</a>. I decided to do the challenge.<br /><br />1. Pick 6 items of clothing to wear for 30 days (not including underwear, shoes, outerwear, or accessories). So my challenge will end May 30 2011.<br /><br />2. Don't buy anything during the month.<br /><br />3. Get creative, accessorize, mix and match.<br /><br />It is an open ended experiment that hopes you will find some insight from the experiment although it doesn't push a certain agenda. I'm excited to do this and learn. I think I've convinced Donovan to join too.<br /><br />Here's what I chose:<br /><br />1. Purple v-neck tee<br />2. dark jeans<br />3. red dress<br />4. pencil skirt<br />5. stripe tank top<br />6. cardigan<br /><br />After my first day of being on the project I think having a messy baby may be my biggest challenge in the next month. I'm going to be washing my clothes all the time! Other thoughts: last night I was a bit panicked. This morning although it was a bit unexciting to already know what I would be wearing it was also freeing and time saving to have few choices.<br /><br />Here is a picture of me on Day 1<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3NaFeIF-Lm0/Tbzjhn5bF1I/AAAAAAAAHH4/bxrJQcx_hDI/s1600/photo%25286%2529.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3NaFeIF-Lm0/Tbzjhn5bF1I/AAAAAAAAHH4/bxrJQcx_hDI/s320/photo%25286%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601602203327076178" border="0" /></a><br />(I'm happy, I promise.) <br /><br />Would you consider the challenge? Why or why not?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-74949079557083003752011-03-10T10:51:00.000-08:002011-03-10T10:54:58.319-08:00lentWe're taking some time for reflection and peace in our house this Lent season. No computers after 6:30pm. I love it! So far in our first day we have already done so much bonding! We had a really great dinner, talked over tea, watched an old film, and went through our pile of bills that had been long ignored. <br /><br />Donovan made a note of how the space we have created is allowing us to look at what we had formally been putting off. It's funny how we used to say we "didn't have time" to do the bills. Sure we do! We just can't watch Hulu all night long, but that's something that's really not life giving (that's a term one of my friend's coined, I love it!). <br /><br />What are you doing this Lent season?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-85221991293575843022011-03-08T08:47:00.000-08:002011-03-08T09:01:30.625-08:00fish girlStill no walking yet, but Eva is sure a lively girl! She has a new habit of wiggling like a fish. It's so funny. Whoever picks her up grabs her around the torso only to realise that she's moving from top to bottom with all her wiggly might! What a character.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-73733927090518223432011-02-16T13:41:00.001-08:002011-02-16T13:51:08.588-08:00walking?Eva just passed the 8.5 month marker yesterday. She isn't walking yet but is so close. I started walking at 8.5 months so I was worried that she might walk just as soon. Turns out she's still not, but it might only be a small difference depending on soon she walks. <br /><br />A friend commented that she looks just like a mini adult all sized down proportionally. I think it's true. And this plus a very active baby makes for a baby that looks older than she is. People are surprised to hear that my baby who refuses to be in a stroller or carrier now (way to curious and big for that!) is only 8 months. <br /><br />I fear that this means she won't want cuddles. It's hard to say though if she is just curious because she is at this developmental marker now or if her personality tends away from snuggling and such. I'm hoping that it's the former not the latter. <br /><br />It's been rainy here. We took the car in this week and so Eva and I did a lot of walking due to no other option. We met some nice people at Whole Foods cafe and most of the people there are patient to understand a mom that needs to get out of the house with a curious and active baby. Thank goodness for understanding and even sweet and interested strangers! On our rainy day walks it made me think about Portlanders and accepting getting rained on a bit. I think some people in our neighborhood thought I was a little crazy for being out in the rain with my baby, but really, the baby was the least concerned with the rain (I think we get a little worked up as adults about this sometimes, unnecessarily so). Who needs a plastic stroller cover anyway? :) (Not that Eva would actually be in a stroller!)<br /><br />We are officially over being sick. Thank goodness. What a long road that was. Now we are due for more immunizations. Oh no. They always come with a few days of being sick. I just can't bear to do that right now after the last two weeks. So I've gotten to attend our normal weekly functions and see friends which has been a great light in my life. I was seriously getting cabin fever!<br /><br />The blossoms are pink and white and started turning around the end of the first week of February. I love the signs of spring coming. My father always loved this time of year so much. The two year anniversary of his death is Feb 28, 2011 and it's been a funky month as I am entering a new season of grief.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-28426029817527738352011-02-02T12:17:00.001-08:002011-02-02T12:21:23.328-08:00sickiesAnyone got any great ideas for taking care of sick babies and making them better? I've heard of some different theories about high temperatures. What do you do? Bundle them up or try to "get the heat out" (stripping them down, cool baths, etc). Eva also has a nasty head cold, is mouth breathing, and subsequently is not sleeping well.<br /><br />Here I will throw up my prayer to God for today...<br /><br />"Make me patient and kind, God. Make me gentle. Make me soft and huggable. Show me how to help Eva even when she can't say what she needs. Give me understanding when she is fussy and needy. Help me to see her needs in a sweet sense rather than looking at her resentfully. Give me strength to be a big strong rock of a mother. My strength comes from you. Give us rest tonight. And peace. Provide us with shared smiles and sweet glances in the midst of this hard week. Heal our bodies by your mighty power, Jesus. Come and touch us. And please Lord, keep us close to you. Amen."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-36437295621632771032011-01-25T20:14:00.001-08:002011-01-25T20:31:22.367-08:00crazy little girlEva loves...<br /><br />crawling<br />pulling up to standing<br />waving at people (and by waving I mean opening her mouth really wide, saying hi with her eyes, or flapping her arms like wings... because she doesn't know how to "adult wave" yet)<br />letting you know she's tired of being held and sometimes she does this by clenching her little legs together so you can't wrap her around you or arching her back!<br />back arching in general, for any and all occasions, and to generally communicate frustration<br />sleeping<br />eating oatmeal, rice cereal, veggies, bananas, and especially Graduates (an infant type of Cheerio)<br /><br />She is absolutely in love with little girls. She loves watching them do anything. Yesterday she admired a little three year old from our church as she played a lap harp and talked. Today she watched as a little toddler peeled an orange. And by watching I mean some intent staring as well as some crazy chasing as fast as she could crawl, climb and go in her direction. <br /><br />She also loves doting adults and really doesn't have any preference over who it is (stranger, friend, man, woman, child, etc) although hats, glasses, and facial hair score big points. I was a bit afraid at all this apparent extroversion until a friend of mine simply stated "she just loves people, like you and Donovan!" I feel much calmer about it all now. Somehow that made it seem so fitting for our family and so beautiful. Sometimes I get nervous and think, she will be so extroverted she'll make me crazy! But that's not necessarily true. <br /><br />Right now if Eva could instantly become an adult in the working world, I have a few ideas of how her raw talent could be optimized. (I can't believe I'm doing that which I said I would never do, but this is partially for the sake of comedy.) Eva could be a...<br />-missionary. She is a magnet to others and really loves them without restraint. She ministers to others and makes them feel closer to God. She radiates beauty and is unashamed. She just wants to make others happy.<br />-computer technician. Seriously. Today I found her in a nest of computer cords with a huge smile on her face and I could almost imagine her pulling out plugs and reorganizing them and saying gibberish that I couldn't understand like "Stanley, pass me the B35 ninety X, I have a real problem over here and it's going to take me all afternoon!" <br />-artist. She loves looking at the sky and just stopping and staring. Sometimes she finds the most simple thing (like a tagged speed limit sign) and locks onto it with her eyes, even following it as we pass by. It's beyond me what she sees in something so simple! But I can imagine great things coming from her. She helps me see the world anew and I think that's what artists can do too. <br />-animal rescuer. Eva loves animals as much as she loves people. She tries to interact with cats and dogs and attempts talking to them in the same way she communicates with humans, she doesn't judge them to be any different!<br /><br />On a serious note, most of the time I'm trying to hold onto every precious moment. I love being with her and raising her. But one bad thing did happen this week! As I sat a mere 1 foot away while Eva was bathing in the adult bathtub, Eva put my razor in her mouth! You can imagine my shock and surprise to look over to see her with the handle of my razor sticking out of her mouth. There was a cut and some blood and a restless night but I think all is well now. The only other hiccups we've had lately with this developmental stage is 1. learning to get down (from standing or sitting) gracefully, which is much harder to do when tired and 2. eating things (leaves are our biggest problem).<br /><br />She keeps me on my toes! Did I ever say I'm glad I'm 26? Whew. I am!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-23787295674264640912011-01-14T18:20:00.000-08:002011-01-14T18:28:12.251-08:00just becauseI love seeing Eva's determination. Today she stood on her toes to reach for something but it wasn't just her toes it was the tops of her toes. Her whole body reached for the object (I'm still not quite sure what exactly she had in mind at the time because there were a few things within her line of vision). I look at her sometimes and think, "if only I had that much zest for life!" Children make you new again, they help you realize how fun simple things like water can be, and they help you enjoy simple things (like breathing fresh air) as you live life along with them. Just today I found myself sighing and screaming along with Eva as we breathed our lungs full of cool fresh afternoon air. Of course, children also make you tired beyond all belief. So there is this strange dichotomy of complete exhaustion, sweet slowness, exhilaration, and a desperate cry to go to sleep. I'm hoping this long weekend finds you slowing down, breathing in fresh air, and kissing the cheeks of your loved ones just because.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-87075022756244869832011-01-06T21:40:00.001-08:002011-01-06T21:40:54.292-08:00watching a person unfold into humanityEva is working on grabbing toys while she is propping herself up (in a standing position) on furniture. I can see the wheels turning. She wants to grab the object. She also wants to stand and hold onto the furniture. But she can't stay standing without holding onto the furniture. She's tried and figured it out. It hurt to learn that lesson! After she fell that first time she went about furniture-standing much more cautiously. And to get down there were two options 1) wait until her legs almost buckled and then cry for help, while shaking from head to toe meanwhile (looking very helpless and often getting the hoped-for assistance) or 2) slowly tipping like a falling tree, allowing her big baby belly brushing the couch to slow the force of gravity. I watch these things and wonder with her. How she figures them out. How she decides to explore further. How she trusts again and risks again. The world is a scary place! But she is a brave soul. I think all babies are. To work within a world where things hurt and are not always working out as you would like them to. To work at things that time after time don't succeed. I wonder at how she is motivated to try things like walking that she has never accomplished before. How does her body and her brain motivate her to try for the first time? And second and third time (after those attempts didn't work), before there is any reason for her to think that she will eventually get it? Eva puts her whole body into moving. She can scoot and just this last two or three weeks can do a proper knee and hand "crawl." If she sees a computer cord or a piece of paper she is on a 100-meter sprint speed toward it, nothing will stop her. Yet, to my great delight and humor, if I pick her up and play a different game with her the memory of the cord is removed from her entirely and she is enveloped in the new activity. I will delight in this for as long as it lasts. It seems if we could delay this lack of short term memory until about age 4, many toddlers would be easier to manage :) So Eva is moving through this world, one small task at a time. And I am watching. I love just seeing it, experiencing it though her eyes. It really does make me feel like the whole world is new again. Small banana pieces are new again. I cut some up for her today and reveled at how she watched them, grasped for them, and in spite of them slipping away from her rigid little fingers, she continued on this journey at trying to get them. Although when she did I was surprised to find that the goal was not to get them in her mouth and I'm not quite sure what the real goal was. Perhaps just to chase them. Ahhh, raising babies makes me feel young and carefree and wild. I love having a little learner in my house. It is so strange and lovely!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-4656715133874027242010-12-10T13:16:00.000-08:002010-12-10T13:22:38.768-08:00a snapshot of a growing wonder<span style="font-style: italic;">A good friend and I exchanged emails recently and I wanted to share some of my correspondence so you can see a glimpse of all the wonderful new things Eva is doing this week. Could you imagine an adult doing this much changing and growing in just a few days? Babies are really remarkable!</span><br /><br />Eva: wow, what a growing, changing, human being. How do I even begin? She is just changing every moment. I am SO glad I get to see it all happen; I can't imagine not being at home full time to see it all unfold! She is starting solid foods and really likes the food of the week: pears. Food falls out of her mouth and sometimes she doesn't use her tongue right and the whole mouthful of food goes out instead of in :) She is getting up on her hands and toes and really getting around. Eva can't get her knees up yet though so it's more scooting than crawling. She loves finding computer cords and chomping on them whenever we have our heads turned. She loves slapping things with her hand, like her own thigh and the tile flooring. Also, she has a knack for finding "wet" sound areas and talking and hearing her own echo. She loves pushing her feet up against the person holding her and she cranes her neck around to see everything. She is so curious! It makes breastfeeding in public difficult at times. Oh, I love seeing how mellow she gets on a full belly. She had bad acid reflux as a baby and I think it's subsided. So just starting recently she will let me hold her flat on her back (like a traditional baby cradle hold) and after a good meal she will relax and gaze at me. It's unbelieveable, Lou. It really is. <br /><br />Gotta go, she's talking and waking up from her nap. The other day she was making her first escape attempt, eek!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">....and later...</span><br /><br />Oh, there is so much more Eva is starting to do... I just have to share:<br /><br />Eva runs into her own image when she is crawling towards the mirror. I often wonder if she thinks that it's her or if she thinks it's another baby. She also crawls right into furniture so we moved our coffee table out of the living room. <br /><br />She's not sitting up yet but she is SO close.<br /><br />She laughs when we give her kisses now and understands tickling (last month she just kinda sat there).<br /><br />She loves to see her dad at the end of the day. When she's left alone with him she doesn't act up or miss me, she's really secure when he's there.<br /><br />She can spot something from about 5-10 feet away and scoot to that spot in about 30 seconds!<br /><br />Her belly is the softest and sweetest thing I've ever felt. Same goes for her tongue. I'm in such awe that it is so pink and perfect. <br /><br />Her grasp is getting better but at times it takes her a few attempts (and a scoot closer often) to actually grab something... she's working on depth perception. She has been spotting food on the kitchen floor lately too, just specks, and will try to grab them. It's so funny! Her hand moves the speck of dirt and then she looks where it used to be (*confused look*) before she finally finds it again. <br /><br />Today I saw her on her hands and toes with her butt in the air and she grabbed for a toy (balancing on three limbs!) and put it in her mouth. It was great!<br /><br />I think she really likes the feeling of a q-tip in her ear and is really still and patient when I'm cleaning them. If only diaper changing was so interesting and fun!<br /><br />She doesn't mind the rain at all. We go out in it and she tries to lap it up like a puppy :) !<br /><br />...Well, off to more adventures with the little one!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-10180418443300040892010-11-10T12:49:00.000-08:002010-11-10T12:51:54.592-08:00teethingTeething is a journey. There are bad days and good days. This morning there were crazy bursts of tears and moments of sweet carefree laughter. Teething pain sneaks up on us and steals us of naps and of the small order we have in our house. You won't get to hear more about teething or other things because... Eva's crying again because of teething. Ironic?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-33423285759845742782010-11-02T14:18:00.000-07:002010-11-02T14:20:14.446-07:00votingIt's Election Day and Eva got to go to the polls with me. We had a cuteness factor of over 100% because our neighbor brought his 8 week old black lab too. I bumped into the woman who lives in the apartment below us, Pat, and cast my vote! That makes it sound simple, but here in CA it means casting tens of votes with all these measures they have. I did some last minute researching this morning during Eva's nap. So to my American friends, don't forget to vote!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-9437120696444817552010-09-28T13:13:00.000-07:002010-09-28T13:16:46.418-07:00hotnessBeing hot is like my winter. I want to stay inside and hide from the heat. Yesterday and today Eva and I have spent our first days inside all day since... the hospital (and maybe the few days after that too). It's meant being more creative with our time since we can't rely on the natural entertainment of trees, bushes, and friendly strangers. <br /><br />Sometimes Eva watches me cook and I explain it to her. I keep telling her that she's going to grow up to be an amazing cook. This is what I think they call brainwashing because both Donovan and I hate cooking and secretly hope that Eva wants to take over, say, in three or four years? :) Sometimes we also Skype family and chat which is always fun. <br /><br />What do you do on long days inside?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-46175963806305155852010-09-23T08:38:00.000-07:002010-09-23T08:43:46.999-07:00coincidence?I was needing to get out with Eva the other day so we walked to our local coffee shop and she fell asleep in the carrier, bonus! So I read some local news and enjoyed the "ooooh, look at that baaaaby!" comments from friendly folks. Then a great coincidence happened. A brand new mommy (5 day old baby in tow) and another new mommy walked around the corner together. They both said hi to me too and we all started chatting. Turns out new mommy, Sierra, was out for the first time and her dad was in town. And semi-new mommy, Heather, and her two and a half month old baby were on their way to an appointment, only 1.5 hours late! Being a mommy is hard sometimes. But they had just met each other moments before and then they bumped into me. Coincidence? I think not.<br /><br />We exchanged emails and phone numbers and off Heather went. We decided we would meet another time to talk more. Then last week I emailed them all. We are getting together this morning at my favorite neighborhood coffee shop (yes!) and chatting about babies and such (double yes!). We even are considering doing a babysitting swap so we can all have free babysitting sometime. Score!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-83411596536097791682010-09-21T16:54:00.001-07:002010-09-21T17:03:07.316-07:00screamingHave you ever sat with a colicky baby and felt powerless to help them? They cry uncontrollably and there is nothing you can do. Oh, it is so sad for all! Have you ever been stuck in traffic and wished and hoped the light would turn green? Me too!<br /><br />Eva HATES the car. <br /><br />I know, I know. You have visions of infants being lulled to sleep by the motor and parents gaily driving around town with a baby knocked out in the backseat. That is not so. I guess Eva is a social person. So the idea of riding in the backseat without a friendly face is her worst nightmare. And she will go on and on for 30 minutes at full scream power to let you know it.<br /><br />Today this came to a head because I was stuck in construction traffic so the short jaunt from Berkeley to home took about 30 minutes. 30 minutes from my worst nightmare! Eva screamed the whole way. <br /><br />At first things were quite calm and collected. I said things like, <span style="font-style: italic;">oh, I know, baby</span>! I leaned back and touched her forehead. I tried rolling down the window for entertainment. Then I turned on some music to soothe her (or drown her out, I'm not sure). Then things got a bit more intense...<br /><br />After 20 minutes of screaming I usually start sweating. The hormones that rush through your body when your infant is screaming in sadness/pain make you sweat and your heart race. People tell me it's a good thing to have these hormones, but my body says, EEEEKK, stop the screaming, now! I resorted to running orange lights, attempting to put something in her mouth to chew on (she's teething), tapping loudly on my steering wheeling, begging in a loud/mad voice for her to stop, and eventually plugging my ears and humming loudly. <br /><br />So if you see a crazy mom in a minivan running lights, be kind. Or if you stop at a light and from the rearview mirror you can see the parent in the car behind you is going crazy, remember this blog post. It's a crazy, crazy experience. <br /><br />Eva's now sleeping off the screaming tantrum. It feels all perfect and peaceful now. But in those moments, wow, I feel pretty crazy!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-39556791087578753112010-09-21T16:48:00.000-07:002010-09-21T16:53:59.223-07:00Hee JungOur friend Hee Jung came for a visit last weekend. It was SO fun. We went to an AMAZING Korean restaurant. I'm a bit scared because it was so good and so close to our house. I want to go there daily! It is such satisfying food. And the courses are so well planned out. I love it! When can we go again?!<br /><br />We did some local things with Hee Jung nuna (a term I recently learned, meaning older sister). We went to Lake Merritt and took a stroll. We went to my favorite coffee shop and talked espresso. I love that Hee Jung knows about shot times and the effects of different brewing on overall taste. We had two rounds, I won't lie :) We also toured the Cal campus and walked around Tildon Regional Park, my favorite! It's so beautiful there! It sounds busy but it was somehow soul filling and relaxing just to be together and to talk and to really be heard. I have a special place in my heart for my colleagues from Fuller. Especially my soul friend, Hee Jung! Thanks for coming to visit me, I know it's a long drive!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-3892190143803714112010-09-02T21:39:00.000-07:002010-09-02T21:51:20.296-07:00i think i'm falling in love...Oakland has this amazing coastal air. The mornings are cool and the afternoons are bright and beautiful. Little old men, hipsters, and mommies alike gather in one of seven coffee shops within walking distance of our place to converse each morning, and yes, you can often get a pretty amazing breakfast at these places as well which is not as gross as it sounds to a Portlander. There are several hidden "sanctuary" spots although I will not name for both the person who reads my blog and is not in Oakland and to keep the local secret a ... secret! People are super friendly, especially when we go to the Rose Garden and see families in our neighborhood meeting and chatting. Plus we one of our neighbors is this great little home for the disabled and there is always plenty of activity there throughout the day with people saying HI or BYE as we stroll along. There are magical trees in our neighborhood. I don't know what they're called nor have I ever seen them in the Northwest, but they are stunning, and when the light comes through them it's a spiritual experience. And when I am really seeking quietness and a holy place I go to the Mountain View Cemetery for a stroll (it's like a giant park) and listen to the silence. I really needed some of this space to think when I was in grad school and ended up seeking therapy for a while only to find out that my brain was really overstimulated while living in LA and space was exactly what I needed to cure it. The space to just be. And imagine. And when I'm in that place I naturally pray. Which is funny because I wouldn't say that's always the easiest thing for me. I do miss my family so much. But I went to one of these quiet spots today. And when I came home I skyped with my parents-in-law. I think I might be falling in love. With Oakland!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870337395074906482.post-2332054789662442372010-08-26T11:16:00.000-07:002010-08-26T13:06:26.851-07:00new eatsI heard from some research that I did on the internet that babies who are breastfed can have sensitivities to the same foods as mom and dad. I was curious about this and talked to some of my friends with breastfed babies who had food sensitivities. I also talked to my pediatrician who basically said there's no research on it but he's only heard antidotes (with a look on his face like, "you're crazy"). I guess he didn't read this <a href="http://www.llli.org/NB/NBJulAug98p100.html">article</a>. I still like him though, I just feel bad for US doctors who get no background in natural health. It could really help them and their patients! Anyway, I digress.<br /><br />After spending the time talking to these people and <a href="http://www.mamapedia.com/article/breastfeeding-mom-told-to-avoid-dairy-eggs-chocolate-nuts-etc">reading</a> up on my own as well as watching Eva's spitting up and eating habits I came to the conclusion: Eva is sensitive to tree nuts and dairy. I know this sounds crazy, but Donovan had nothing but an almond butter sandwich the other day and he heaved like no one's business until it was all expelled from his stomach. We don't usually have almond butter (this was at a friend's) so this had never happened before. But he does try to talk after eating nuts and often chokes on his words. So it's slight. But we just figured that out this month too. And of course I'm allergic to dairy... sigh. I hate it but it's true. And it's even more true now then before unfortunately. So the whole theory on what we're allergic to, she is having a hard time digesting early in her life makes sense. Sorry Eva, our genes are crap. No ice cream or trail mix for you (Note: this is just a joke. Eva is very likely only "sensitive" and not allergic, which means she will very likely be able to have those foods when she is on solids and it is appropriate for her to be eating them, ie. later in childhood).<br /><br />So this all started when I was in Portland I ate a handful of almonds on an empty stomach before a big breastfeeding meal for Eva one evening and she had the most explosive and painful throw up I had ever seen. That was the day that I started to realize something was really wrong and started asking questions.<br /><br />Unfortunately there is some ambiguity whether or not coconut falls into the tree nut allergy realm. The FDA has recently switched <a href="http://www.allergicchild.com/tree_nut_allergies.htm">opinions</a> on it, saying it is a part of the tree nut allergen foods, but there are only about 10 total documented cases of coconut allergies. This is only the beginning of the madness to finding foods I can eat. Last night I went to the restaurant 30 minutes early before meeting friends to read the menu and talk to a nice waitress who helped me find something dairy (butter, milk, cheese, milk derivatives) free AND nut free. Boy, I felt crazy! Even in Berkeley oddly enough.<br /><br />My one sad thing in this all is that the US has really poor regulations on milk in foods and you have to basically completely change your lifestyle, like always cook from scratch and never eat a processed grocery food item and never eat out. Well, I'm not <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> extreme. The alternative is memorizing or always having with you a long list of words that don't always look like "milk" but basically mean... milk. Why can't we just have some kind of marker on our foods/drinks at the store, like "L" for lactose free. And really mean it! Because I recently found out that "dairy free" powder (the kind used in coffee at church and as a base for bubble milk teas) actually has a milk derivative in it, and yes, it makes Eva and me very, very sick. So PLEASE at the least, don't do fake "milk free" advertising! But in the UK and many other developed countries they are much better at this than the States. Makes me think the milk companies have something they're hiding!<br /><br />In addition to this there is a long list of foods that are just generally not recommended for breastfeeding moms. Coffee being the most notable on the list. And broccoli. I really love broccoli.<br /><br />But if you could just see her face when she is eating and it is good milk, you would know why I think that this is totally worth it!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1