2012
64 posts
July 2012
August 2012
September 2012
- 011st smile: July 13, 2012
- 01Week 5
- 016 weeks!
- 01Meeting Grandee and Dana
- 03Brother shirts
- 03Fun times with dad (July 31, 2012)
- 03Wedgehead then and Wedgehead now
- 03Smiles with Wedgehead August 2, 2012
- 03Z tells his joke: clicking his tongue. And then smiles and laughs after. Awesom
- 04Cousin Lisa comes to visit
- 04Favorite pasttime: hangin' with big bro
- 05Something real time/current this time: SPL reading Uncle Bryan’s Australi
- 08The many moods of ZBL @ 8 weeks This expression above reminds me of his dad :-
- 08What we know about ZBL: 2 months
- 10<p>Playing Wii with the big boys: August 19, 2012</p>
- 10<p>First bottle: August 19, 2012</p>
- 11Post 31301141033
- 12Post 31409539968
- 14September 10, 2012
- 14Three months
- 14giggling while doing squats I figured out today that if I wear ZBL and do glut e
- 14And why not take two videos – we were having so much fun giggling!
- 17First Trip to San Francisco!
- 22Clap Your Hands by They Might Be Giants, dance moves by John & Z. This was t
- 29<p>This is the expression Z has when he watches the fan. I love it and he loves the fan :-)</p>
- 29No crying
- 30major sleep milestone!
October 2012
- 10<p>14 weeks old (September 19)!</p>
- 10<p>Visiting with Angel and Chun Hua</p> <p>Our babysitter’s daughter, Angel, was visiting from Hong Kong and came over to play with ZBL for awhile :-)</p>
- 10<p>September 25, 2012: Making moon cakes</p> <p>ZBL and I volunteered in SPL’s classroom this year to make moon cakes as part of the Moon Festival in Chinese tradition. We are fortunate to be friends with a master moon cake maker, Chun Hua, and she helped us out again this year to make delicious cakes.</p>
- 10<p>15 weeks old: September 25</p> <p>This week we started working on your sleep with a sleep teacher who came over on Sunday and taught us some healthy sleep strategies. So far, it’s been working well with you: you napped the first time on Sunday for 3 hours!??!?! Unprecedented. And it’s also extending your nighttime sleep as well.</p> <p>You started reliably and repeatedly sucking your thumb and index finger this week. I wonder if that will last? You also are lifting your head up when you are in your carseat or lying against a pillow or a boppy. Rolling over here we come!</p> <p>Your eye hand coordination is improving and on Friday September 28 you had fun figuring out how to spin a toy on your exersaucer. Dad was watching you and called us over to see your accomplishment (what else would we have to do on a Friday night?!?! :-) You were so focused and intent on figuring it out. Loved the look on your face!</p> <p>You also are laughing a lot more and in a more vibrant and hearty way. We were over at our friends Sulu and Zahra’s house, and Sam made you laugh and laugh and laugh. Dad has also developed this idea of the kissing camel (thanks for the camel Nan :-). He moves it to your face and then makes a kissing noise and you laugh, especially when you are on the changing table :-). I joined in with an Ernie laugh and that made you laugh more :-). Good times.</p>
- 25<p>16 weeks old: October 2, 2012</p>
- 26<p>17 weeks: October 9, 2012</p>
- 26<p>Happy boy hangin’ in the stroller on his way to big bro’s soccer practice.</p> <p>ZBL enjoys the stroller we borrowed from our friends the Schroepfers: very comfy and can see out – plus has a good canopy when the sun is shining on his face. We are fortunate that the Great White Sharks team practices 5 mins from our house so we can walk over if Z’s not napping. He loves watching the big boys play and visiting with the siblings and parents on the sidelines.</p>
- 26<p>Walking to Starbucks wearing dad’s old Georgia Tech hat</p>
- 26<p>4 months old!</p> <p>I picked out a half-zip for this photo shoot b/c it’s a fave of his dad :-)</p> <p>It’s been a big month for ZBL! His major accomplishment was rolling over on October 4th, from tummy to back. Most of his efforts, however, have been focused on using his hands: to get things to his mouth, to move objects, to grab things. It’s been fun watching him realize he can control them and do things with them. I can see the look on his face, the intensity with which he is focused on his goal. He is definitely moving out of the 4th trimester set of needs into a broader and more interesting set.</p> <p>This month I’ve seen him engage with people more. When we drop SPL @ school, the other kids come to say hi and he smiles at them and their parents. Sometimes he’ll even talk with them. When we go to SPL’s various activities too, the parents and other kids often visit with Z and it’s clear he enjoys the interactions.</p> <p>Talking: ZBL likes to talk with people. I see him talk with our babysitter as she replies in Mandarin (side note: I think many of the initial words that babies learn are easier in Mandarin: big brother vs. gēge (pronounced “guh guh”) and big sister vs. jiě jie (prounounced “jeh jeh”) and little sister mei mei (pronounced “may may”) and little brother vs. di di (pronounced “dee dee”). It’ll be interesting to see how his language develops. SPL didn’t get exposed in earnest to Mandarin until he was 3 years old but spoke his first word in English, “hi”, at 10 months.</p> <p>Z is at his most interactive on the changing table. Often we will have lengthy conversations or laughs while he’s getting his diaper changed or right after. His vocalizations have increased dramatically this month and he clearly has something to say when he’s talking to me/John/SPL/our babysitter. His eyebrows will arch and his lips will change shape along with the rest of his face to express emotion along with the sounds. </p> <p>Our biggest effort this month as a family has been towards getting Z on a better day time sleep pattern. For awhile, he was sleeping 4 20 minute naps a day and even this good natured child was Mr. Crankypants by the end of the day. A friend recommended a sleep coach for us and after working with her, Z and I have found better sleep patterns. He now sleeps in his papasan bouncy seat, which elevates his head above his stomach to help relieve any reflux that he’s been suffering (undiagnosed) from. He struggled so much on his back, even with the swaddle, and was much more peaceful in the bouncy chair (it’s not vibrating though – just used for the elevation). The first nap he got after working with the sleep coach was 3 hours?!?!? Unprecedented. His babysitter and even many parents at SPL’s school noticed the difference in his face and skin. He’s like a new kid! Let’s hope it keeps going.</p>
November 2012
- 01<p><a href="http://lilly.tumblr.com/post/34734220052/stroller-shark" class="tumblr_blog">lilly</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>Stroller shark!</p></blockquote>
- 04<p>Halloween 2012</p>
- 04Another sleep milestone!
- 09<p>20 weeks (October 30, 2012)</p> <p>Some milestones include:</p> <p>– he’s now in command of his exersaucer</p> <p>– hey what are these? Z’s discovered his feet</p> <p>– He is talking up a storm (wonder where he got that? ;-)</p>
- 18<p>5 months old! November 12, 2012</p> <p>ZBL has had quite a month! He’s mastered his hands and can use them to get toys, hold toys, and manipulate toys. There is also a newly developed intentionality around toys that he didn’t have last month. He wants to see what they can do and at the beginning of the month, he had some notion that he could manipulate them. As the month went on, that notion became play and it was awesome to watch unfold!</p> <p>ZBL found his feet! Now we often seem him in the “happy baby” yoga pose holding just his left foot. He seems to have that side more under control than his right at this point. Maybe he’ll be left handed?</p> <p>Having control of his limbs now makes diapering a *much* more challenging endeavor! Plus he is *super* strong! </p> <p>This month has been about everything going in his mouth – if your hand or arm is near his mouth, it will go in too! No permission asked. You are on notice.</p> <p>It’s not a bib, it’s a cape…in the front! It’s a fact of 5 month old life: drool and lots of it. So instead of changing his shirt 3 or more times a day, he is wearing a cape….in the front :-). It’s not as dignified as just a regular outfit is, and it does cover over the interesting parts of his shirt, but it does minimize laundry which is key at this point.</p> <p>Pulling hair – those able hands are finding stability in my hair – ouch! I’ve talked to ZBL about this but his retention of our conversations isn’t great. Sigh. It’s good that he’s so strong and able to control his hands – just wish my hair wasn’t part of the equation. Oh and note to everyone out there – necklaces and dangley earrings are a thing of the past as well.</p> <p>Sucking his thumb and 1st finger – Z seems to get some comfort from sucking his thumb and 1st finger. It’s not a habit yet but maybe? He uses the pacifier sporadically too but only to get to sleep so we’ll see….</p> <p>This month he has been watching us eat with great interest. He hasn’t moved in to actually try to grab a bite yet but it’s coming soon. We’re planning on trying solids at 6 months so maybe he’ll participate in Christmas dinner. Oh, and we need to get a high chair!</p> <p>I got home the other day and our nanny reported that he was holding bottle by himself! I IM’d John and his reply was “our job is done!" Now he can feed himself and sit up – he’s good to go.</p> <p>Which brings me to sitting up – it seemed like it happened pretty quickly this time. He was tripod-ing last month as I remember – John had him set up to do this – so maybe it was just my sieve-for-a-brain not noticing the in between steps. But he can sit up! And now that is his preferred position. He can even sit and hold onto some toys. But be careful to surround him with soft things as he can tip over as he’s not totally stable yet.</p> <p>Red numbers on the clock – we have a clock in our room that has red numbers. I had to turn it around so he couldn’t see it as at night, he would notice it and it would then keep him awake (at 4:45 am or 5:30 am – not playtime Z!)</p> <p>Time change – that was a doosey! I don’t remember SPL having such a hard time but the mornings were tough for Z to adjust to. He wanted to play after waking up at 4:30 am and eating. Mama and Dad no want to play @ 4:30 or 5:30 am, Z. Go back to sleep!</p> <p>Talking – this kid loves to talk! He has the M, N, G, B sounds now and probably a lot more. We often have conversations on the changing table and while he is in the exersaucer. He’s fun to talk to and clearly is figuring out how to interact in different ways. </p> <p>Smiling – this kid loves to smile! He has a huge, open-mouthed smile and busts it out when he sees SPL, his dad, or me as well as the camera (which makes for some nice photos :-). Such an endearing thing. I could smile with him all day.</p> <p>Looking forward to what’s ahead with you Z. You are a charmer and a sweet baby and we love you very much.</p>
- 18<p>Fun with Daddy!</p> <p>ZBL and his dad have a good time together and I love this photo of them.</p>
- 19<p>What a cute duo!</p>
December 2012
- 04<p>We had a fun time with Grandma over Veterans’ Day weekend. So happy she could spend the 3 days with us! We worked on puzzles, played with the cousins, and showed grandma how much ZBL has learned since July. And since her birthday was right around the corner, we took the opportunity to celebrate it! Happy birthday Grandma! We love you!</p>
- 09<p>On November 19, ZBL tried solid food for the first time. It wasn’t anything special, just rice cereal as the doctor had recommended it for his acid reflux. He took to it like a duck in water – gobbled the entire bowl down. Within a couple of days we’d tried pears, then bananas, and then sweet potatoes. He likes all of them! Solid foods are so far a huge success! w00t!</p>
- 09<p>We celebrated ZBL’s first Thanksgiving with Nan, Uncle Dave, Aunt Sue, Grace and Evan who all flew out from Austin. We had a lot of fun playing games, solving puzzles, watching movies, and showing them the Stanford campus. ZBL loved having all the extra people around and was a bit perplexed when everyone left :-). It was Grace and Evan’s first time to CA so we were also celebrating that :-). Hope they come back soon!</p>
- 12<p>w00t! I love these boys. So awesome.</p>
- 12<p>We decided to keep it local this season instead of driving up into the mountains to chop down our own tree. Z was taking it all in as he usually does – every the observer. We found a great tree– dare I say the most beautiful one we’ve had so far?? </p>
- 12<p>We had a lot of fun decorating the tree - -but got interrupted by the “Flood of 2012” – on Sunday 12/02/12. Our babysitter and SPL filled in though and took care of a lot of the ornament distribution. Thanks Chun Hua and SPL!</p>
- 12<p>Look who got a highchair!</p>
- 12<p>Meeting Uncle Bryan</p> <p>This is the one I have been waiting for – and considering Uncle Bryan lives in Australia – I was happy it happened as soon as it did. ZBL met his Uncle Bryan, for whom he is named, on Thursday December 6. Bryan was here for work and stopped by for dinner. Bryan and John have been friends since Stanford days and he is like a brother to both of us. SPL loves him too. We are fortunate to count him as family. </p>
- 17HI8A3507 on Flickr.Fun times playing and laughing with camel (thanks Nan!)