Diaper Duty

Those on Facebook may have already sensed my frustration on this topic, but it seems that every time M changes baby M's diaper, it leaks. I'm pretty sure it's unintentional (despite my claim that this may be M's secret ploy to get out of diaper duty), but it's really getting on my nerves. There was one day where we went through every single outfit that fit baby M (which unfortunately at this point is very limited since his umbilical cord hasn't fallen off and we can't put him in onesies yet). Yesterday morning, M changed baby M before heading off to work. After his mid-morning feeding, I was holding baby M when all of a sudden, I felt a warm sensation permeating onto my skin... turns out baby M's pee leaked underneath the diaper and went through my two layers of clothing while I was holding him. That was the last straw. I've taken over all the diaper duty since then and will have to provide a lesson in proper diaper-changing to M before he can redeem himself.

While I'm on the topic of dirty diapers, let me just comment on how many diapers we've wasted in the past two weeks. Baby M has a bad habit of peeing or pooping while he's being changed. It's almost as if he does it out of retaliation because he doesn't like diaper time (it's not as if I'm a huge fan of it either). I've started to recognize the signs when an accident is about to occur (i.e., his cries start to quiet down, his kicking slows to a minimum) and have strategized my technique to minimize the mess. It doesn't always work out that way especially when he decides to pee multiple times (and he times it right when I'm wiping him down and most vulnerable), but I'm trying. At least he's eating better, but now he also seems to have developed a case of diaper rash. It's just one thing after another...

Sibling Love

I am pleasantly surprised at how well big sister K has been handling the arrival of her baby brother. She always asks for him when she comes home from daycare, and would go over to give him a kiss or a gentle pat. She's even voluntarily offered to share her beloved Winnie the Pooh lovey blanket with him (which would offend me if I didn't find it so cute, since I don't even get such a privilege). At the young age of 3, it's already evident how protective she is of her little brother. The other day, when baby M was crying, big sister K yells, "Don't cry, M! I read you a story!" I couldn't help but laugh.

Welcome Baby M!

The latest member of the Y family arrived last Friday, 11/11/11 at 7:25pm. We are thrilled about our new bundle of joy, but life with a newborn (and an active 3-year old who demands our constant attention) has been challenging.

Baby M weighed a healthy 6 lbs. 15 oz. at birth, and when we were discharged from the hospital on Sunday, was measured at 6 lbs. 9.5 oz. The drop in birth weight was expected, but when we went to the pediatrician this past Wednesday for a weight check, I was astounded to learn that his weight had dropped down to 5 lbs. 15 oz. I knew he had not been eating well (we have a lazy baby in our hands), but I was not prepared for such a drastic weight loss. Baby M also developed a slight case of jaundice (probably due to the lack of food). I started pumping my breast milk to feed baby M through the bottle: 2 ounces every 3 hours. We went back for a weight check this morning and I was pleased to learn that his weight went back up to 6 lbs. 8 oz. The jaundice was still there, but clearing up. One thing he does have in common with his big sister - I've been unsuccessful at breastfeeding them both.

Big sister K (no longer "baby K" since there is a new baby in the house) has been great with her little brother. Unfortunately she's had a cold since he's been born, so we haven't allowed her to get too close to him. I love how she would periodically go over to baby M and give him a kiss or a gentle pat. M also came down with a cold, so he's kept his distance from the baby and has maintained sole responsibility for big sister K while I've been taking care of baby M myself. Unfortunately, big sister K has been acting up more. I'm not sure if the misbehavior is a result of the baby's arrival, if it's the lack of attention on my part, or if she's learning bad habits from her preschool class, but she's gotten more time-outs than I can remember in the past week. Let's hope this doesn't become an ongoing trend. On a related note, Happy Birthday to big sister K!

Maternity Leave

I started my maternity leave from work last Monday (woohoo!). This past Saturday, my mother-in-law came to stay with us so that we'd have someone to take care of baby K in case I went into labor. Concerned that my mother-in-law would get too bored (and wanting to take full advantage of the beautiful weather we've been having), I've been driving her around to go shopping on a daily basis. We don't stay out for long since I no longer have the energy, but nevertheless, it's becoming an expensive habit. Fortunately, most of the items we buy are for baby K, who's gotten very picky with her outfits, so I end up returning the majority of the purchases anyhow. While it's great to be out of work, and as much as I appreciate my mother-in-law coming to stay with us, it's hard to totally relax with her here. One more week until the baby's due date... maybe baby will come this weekend.

Happy Halloween

Baby K dressed up as Minnie Mouse for Halloween this year. My little girl was all ready for the Harvest parade at her daycare:

As we were walking through the courtyard, she pointed to the building where I work and exclaimed, "That's mommy's office!" Then she made reference to the one time I brought her to the cafeteria for lunch, and told me she wanted to go there to eat. That was months ago; I am shocked that she still remembers it! Here's baby K with Mr. Potato Head:

Later that afternoon, I picked baby K up from daycare a bit earlier and brought her to M's office. M was busy, so we didn't stay too long, but she had fun visiting daddy and getting a bag full of sweets. Then in the evening, when M finally got home, we went trick or treating around the block. Baby K loved ringing the doorbells and collecting candy. I wonder how many more years we can go with just allowing her to "play" with the candy and not eat them.

Baby K's Pre-Birthday Bash

For the past few weeks, I've been stressing out about the baby coming early and praying that I wouldn't go into labor until after baby K's birthday party (planned two weeks early for that very reason). God listened, and I didn't have the baby this past weekend. However, God also has a sense of humor, and decided to give us a snow storm instead. We had planned the party at a bouncing place in South Brunswick called jerZjump. As we were on our way there Saturday afternoon, my cell phone rang and I received news that they had just lost electricity, which led to the start of all the frantic phone calls telling everyone the change in plans (and this was after I had called earlier in the day to confirm they were still open). We ended up having all the guests come back to our place for an impromptu celebration.

All this time, I was praying for the baby to wait until November to come out; it never once occurred to me that I would also have to pray for it not to snow in October. Fortunately, we didn't lose power where we were and baby K still got her early birthday party. We will have to postpone the bouncing for another time, but at least she enjoyed the day with some family and friends.

Baby K's Birthday Prep

I've recently started telling baby K about her upcoming birthday party, just so she's not too surprised when it comes (though we probably won't mention it the day of for fear that she will be too excited to take her nap). I also told her to tell the baby not to come out until after her party. Baby K took this to heart and once in a while, would come to me and say, "baby, don't come out until after my party." Then she'd kiss and rub my tummy. So adorable! Only a few more days to go... let's hope baby listens to big sister!

Car Conversations

Baby K was in a particularly good mood today (probably attributed to the Tostitos chips she was eating when I went to pick her up). In any case, she talked practically the entire ride home. We were listening to the radio and Chris Tomlin's "Our God" came on. Baby K started singing along and said to me, "hey, that's my favorite song!"

It's kind of funny the random things that pop into kids' heads. After the song ended:
Baby K: I don't like the dinosaur.
Me: What dinosaur?
Baby K: The dinosaur at BJs.
[I don't recall seeing a dinosaur the last time we were there, but baby K might have been referring to those giant inflatable decorations they have on display for Halloween.]
Me: Remember you picked out your own birthday cake from BJs? Remember the princess? Tinkerbell?
Baby K: Yes.
Me: They're busy making your cake right now. We're going to pick it up when it's ready. Mommy and daddy are throwing you a party for your birthday.
Baby K: Oh! Thank you mommy!

I couldn't help but laugh. My little girl can be so sweet sometimes.

Transition to Pre-School

I got a call from the toddler coordinator at baby K's daycare earlier this week, informing me that they have a spot available for baby K in Peaceful Ponds, one of the preschool classes. A few hours later, AM (baby K's current teacher) calls me and the first thing she said to me was, "I heard the bad news." I was thinking, "uh oh... what now??" but then I realized she was referring to baby K's transition to preschool. She said the toddler coordinator had dropped off some paperwork for her. When she saw baby K's name on top, she immediately said to her, "I don't want it... put it in the shredder." I thought it was sweet of her to call just to let me know how much she'll miss my little girl. Baby K is very attached to AM, so I'm sure we'll be visiting her a lot in Penguin Pals even after the move to preschool.

Most of the Penguin Pal alums had graduated to Peaceful Ponds, so I was very happy to learn of the opening in that particular class. Hopefully that will aid in the transition since a lot of baby K's friends are already there. She's been visiting Peaceful Ponds a few hours a day and seems to be enjoying it so far. I'm just afraid that with the baby coming around the same time of her official transition, there might be too many changes for her all at once. I've been trying to prep her on the baby's arrival, as well as the move to preschool. Can't believe my little girl will be turning three in just a few weeks! How fast time flies!

This Past Weekend

Saturday was a busy day for us. Baby K didn't sleep well the night before and we all ended up waking up late (well, later than usual since it was 8:30am when we got out of bed... which I still consider early). We attended a Sibling Preparation Class at the hospital where I will be giving birth. Baby K got to make a birthday card for the baby, saw a brief video on how to be a good big sister, and even got to tour the maternity ward. We saw a few newborn babies that had just been born and when we were shown into one of the recovery rooms, baby K had fun pushing the buttons on the side of the bed to make it go up and down. Her favorite part was probably getting the snack at the end though. She enjoyed a huge chocolate chip cookie (which I normally would not give her) and some juice.

After that, we headed to Fuji Japanese Sushi & Seafood Buffet Restaurant in North Brunswick to celebrate MS's first birthday. Despite the restaurant being all-you-can-eat, baby K only nibbled on some string beans, then refused to eat anything else (except for the unhealthy stuff, of course). Here's our little girl looking forward to the cake:I love this picture of baby K and her daddy:
After the party, we ran a few errands before heading home. The late afternoon was actually very well spent. We ended up getting a lot accomplished to prepare for the baby's room. The crib, drawers, and shelf are all set up, the diapers and wipes put away, the first load of baby clothes washed... I just have to finish decorating and put up the new curtains.

On Sunday, we went to service at CCOB, then had dim sum with the H family. They agreed to pick baby K up from daycare in case I go into labor and can't make it there in time. They even have an extra car seat set up in their mini-van already. Thank God for great friends! Then after dim sum, we took a drive to Menlo Park mall, thinking we'd pick up a pair of ballet shoes for baby K at the Disney store to go with her Minnie Mouse costume. Of course, things never go as planned. Baby K was cranky and wouldn't try on any of the shoes, so we ended up walking away empty-handed. Looks like she'll be sporting her New Balance sneakers with the pink and white Minnie dress for Halloween instead. On the bright side, at least it saves us some money.

After the mall, we made a trip to my friend JM's home to borrow some things for the baby since I haven't had a chance to pick up the items from my sister-in-law. Baby K had such a great time playing with AM (or maybe it was because of all their toys) that she refused to leave and threw a big tantrum when we dragged her to the car. In retrospect, I probably should have given her a five-minute warning. I usually do that at other play dates, and she is always responsive to it. I'll have to remember that in the future.

Another Year Older

This year's birthday proved to be quite memorable in more ways than one. I got some great gifts this year...

• M surprised me with a nook color for my birthday a few days ago. I had mentioned wanting to get an iPad so that I can have something to entertain myself with while at the hospital, but after seeing how much it costs, I don't think I would have ever gone through with the purchase. My wonderful hubby decided to get me the nook color instead (and it was quite a surprise, considering I was thinking of getting him the kindle for his birthday next month!). I'm still trying to figure out how to maneuver the device... plus the touch pad takes a bit getting used to.
  
• Sometimes it's the gifts from the heart and nothing really tangible that mean more than anything else. Baby K showered me with tons of "I love you mommy!" and "Happy Birthday mommy!" today. She also continuously sang "Happy Birthday" to me in the car ride home this afternoon. During dinner, I must've gotten at least five voluntary hugs from her. Every few minutes, she'd go "I love you mommy!" and reach out to give me a hug. This girl totally melts my heart!
  
• And what did I get from baby K's little sibling? A day full of Braxton Hicks contractions. What a lovely birthday present from my soon-to-be-born baby. I never experienced it with baby K, so this was new to me. While I knew I wasn't in labor, it was just surprising that the contractions still hadn't gone away by mid-afternoon. I finally called my doctor a little after 3pm... turns out that the office was closed for the day, so the nurse told me to go to the hospital so that they can monitor me. I opted to wait it out. The contractions eventually went away, but not without causing much concern to M.

Over the Weekend

We spent Saturday morning putting together some of the baby's furniture (or rather, M and baby K did). We finally got the shelf and drawers assembled after purchasing them from Ikea weeks ago. Here they are, hard at work:
We went apple-picking at Battleview Orchard afterwards but were a bit disappointed... the apples didn't look too good (probably due to all the rain we had) and weren't as sweet as we expected them to be. Still, we managed to carry away 14 pounds of apples. Baby K stayed in her stroller the entire time we walked through the aisles of apple trees. It wasn't until we got done and she saw the pumpkin patches that she finally agreed to get up for a family picture.

This Pregnancy

It is true when people say that no two pregnancies are alike. It was so much easier with baby K, not only because I didn't have an active toddler to chase after, but it wasn't as physically and mentally draining. With this pregnancy, the three trimesters seem to be very well defined by various degrees of discomfort:

1. First trimester: morning sickness (except it wasn't only in the mornings). Fortunately, this went away fairly early in the pregnancy.
   
2. Second trimester: an unexplainable rash on my legs. I tried hydrocortisone, tiger balm, Sarna anti-itch lotion, Eucerin, Aveeno oatmeal bath... nothing worked to relieve the itchiness. It got so bad that my legs were bleeding from all the scratching. To this day, no one knows the cause of it. My OB/GYN claimed it was unrelated to the pregnancy and a dermatologist claimed it was an allergic reaction to poison ivy; I have my doubts about both their theories. I refused to take the steroid cream the dermatologist (who I don't believe diagnosed me properly) prescribed for fear that it may have an adverse effect on the baby. After sharing about my condition with some fellow sisters in Christ and having them pray for me, the rash miraculously got better by itself. It's amazing how ineffective modern medicine can be sometimes, and how powerful a simple prayer can be.
   
3. Third trimester: major sciatic nerve pain. This probably started months ago, but it wasn't as bad as it is now. The pain tends to come and go, but more recently, it's been coming (and staying) more than it's been going. It's a sharp pain that shoots all the way down my right leg, causing me to buckle if I happen to be walking. I've read online that going to see a chiropractor or physical therapist helps... I am now contemplating if I should go to one myself or just live with the pain for the next month or so.

Fall Birthdays

As much as I enjoy the warm weather (and summer Fridays at work, which unfortunately ended after Labor Day), I am thankful that fall is finally here this year. One and a half more months until baby's due date! Until then, our weekends are jam-packed with birthday parties. Last Saturday, we attended a birthday party at the Build-A-Bear Workshop in Menlo Park mall. It was in the middle of the afternoon, so baby K missed her nap and started acting up (I had to drag her out of the store and threaten to take her home), but we got her to calm down and she had fun making her bear, which she named Teddy Bear (yes, very original). It was nice of the store party planners to get all the kids together at the end for a group picture. Baby K stood next to the birthday girl in the pink tutu:Yesterday, we attended a Thomas-themed birthday party. We weren't as successful getting all the kids together in one picture, but here was our best attempt during the candle-blowing:

We were surprisingly able to take a family picture together with baby K sporting some sunglasses she got as part of the party favor:

There might be a bit of a breather next Saturday from all the festivities, but the following three weekends after that, it's birthday party after birthday party after birthday party. I can just imagine this being the start of our lives for the next few years... and I don't suppose it gets any easier once baby K starts school.

My Daughter the Mediator

It's kind of funny when M and I have our little squabbles, baby K likes to step in and act as mediator. This morning, I was complaining to M that he told me to wake him up last night (he fell asleep putting baby K to bed), but when I did, he got all grouchy on me and refused to get up. M started defending himself and when baby K saw our little banter (as innocent as it was), she yelled, "No! Daddy, come here daddy!" M went over to baby K and she gave him a big hug, then she said to me, "Mommy, don't bother daddy." She then told me to sit down next to her and ordered M to go to the other side of the kitchen, demanding that he "stay there daddy!" I couldn't help but laugh at baby K's seriousness in her attempt to keep peace by separating us. I suppose this is what her teachers do at daycare when the kids start arguing with each other.

Lazy Baby K

When baby K first started learning how to walk, she would do it all the time and even refused to sit in the stroller. How things have changed in a year and a half! Nowadays, baby K insists on bringing the stroller wherever we go, and if we happen to be somewhere without it, she'd ask to be carried. A classic conversation between M and baby K:

K: Daddy, I want po po [to be carried].
M: Why do you need po po? You're a big girl now.
K: I'm so lazy.

M often tells baby K that she's lazy when she asks to be carried, and I guess it stuck. I don't know if baby K realizes that being lazy is not a good thing, or if she doesn't care because she knows she'll get her way by saying it.

This morning, baby K woke up and started asking for "MOMMY!" I waited patiently for her to come running into my bedroom as she usually does, but that never happened. Instead, baby K started yelling, "MOMMY! I'm awake, mommy!" I ignored her for a while, but when she continued to yell for me, I eventually responded with, "K! I'm awake too!" Then I looked at the clock and decided it was time to get up anyway. I went to her room and found my lazy daughter sitting up on her bed with her back leaning against the wall, wide awake as ever. She said to me, "Look mommy, I'm awake" with a big grin on her face.

A Sweet Moment

M had to work late yesterday. After getting his text at 7pm last night, informing me that he was still in the office, I said to baby K, "Looks like it's just you and me tonight." Baby K looks at me for a second, then wraps her arms around my neck, giving me a big bear hug. As if that didn't already melt my heart, I told her I love her, and she says the same thing back to me, then proceeds to give me a kiss on the cheek. Moments like that make everything so worth it. Of course, half an hour later she starts acting up again and I get frustrated beyond belief. Funny how God has a sense of humor when it comes to parenting. I wonder if that's how He feels about us.

Dorbrook Park

We went to Dorbrook Park in Colts Neck, NJ this past Saturday to attend a birthday picnic for our friend's son who turned one. We spent most of the time chasing after baby K at the playground than catching up with our friends. She had a blast running through the different climbers, going down the slides, swaying back and forth on the swing, and even trying the seesaw for the first time.

The weather was a tad bit chilly, so we kept baby K's hood on the whole time we were there. Her long hair was hidden, but I was shocked at the number of people who thought she was a boy. Some little girl came up to us and asked, "is that a boy or a girl?" while someone else asked, "how old is he?" It reminded me of when baby K was a newborn and people used to confuse her for a boy. C'mon, look at that sweet little face... does she look like a boy to you??
On another note, happy 34 months to my little GIRL! I can't believe how fast time flies!

Dining with Elmo & Friends

I made reservations at Sesame Place for dinner with Elmo and friends this past Saturday. Naturally, baby K loved seeing all the characters and watching them sing and dance. The dinner was only an hour long (would have liked it to be longer), and she spent more time dancing around than eating (not that I blame her since the food was nothing to be desired... I probably wouldn't have eaten myself, had this meal not taken a big chunk out of my wallet), but it was well worth it seeing how much fun baby K had. We also got to take pictures with many of the characters. Here are a few of them: We also saw Grover, Bert, and Ernie once we got to the park. Of all the times we've been to Sesame Place (and believe me, there were many), this was the first time we've ever seen these three characters, so we quickly got on line for a photo op to complete baby K's collection.

Chuck E. Cheese Disaster

M and I have been brainstorming on where to hold baby K's third birthday party. We've heard a lot about Chuck E. Cheese and neither one of us have ever been there before, so we decided to check it out over Labor Day weekend. Unfortunately, things did not go over too well. Baby K got scared of the life-size characters on stage in front of the restaurant and would not take her eyes off of them. Our feeble attempts to distract her with games went by the wayside. When we got done using our measly four tokens, baby K traded in her tickets for a sticker and could not get out of there fast enough. Throughout the rest of the day, she would constantly say to us, "I don't like the mouse." I kept reminding her we're not going back and she doesn't have to see the mouse again, but she didn't seem convinced. I guess at least now we can confidently strike Chuck E. Cheese off the list for baby K's birthday party. Thank you Chuck E. Cheese, for traumatizing my little girl for life.

Where's C?

I took the day off last Monday and joined the W family at Sesame Place. Baby K had a great time playing with C, and it gave me a chance to catch up with WC, whom I haven't seen all year. We even got to take a group picture with everyone's favorite furry red monster:

My conversation with baby K in the car this morning:
Baby K: Where's the blue car?
Me: What blue car? Who has a blue car?
Baby K: C has a blue car. Where's C?
Me: C is at home. You'll see him next time, okay?
Baby K: Okay.

We had driven to Sesame Place together last Monday (NW was following me in his blue Camry) and baby K had kept asking where the blue car was to make sure they were still with us. I can't believe she remembers it from a week ago!

My Hurrican Irene Experience

As told from baby K's perspective:

"I don't know what all the big commotion was about hurricane Irene. All I saw was a lot of rain, so I couldn't go outside to play. I don't exactly know when the hurricane started, so I'll just start from Friday since that's when everyone started talking about it.

Mommy had promised to come pick me up early from school on Friday, but she didn't come until 5:30pm... later I found out it was because she was out trying to find a backup battery for the sump pump in the basement. She shouldn't have bothered, since everything was sold out... she should've just came to pick me up early like she said she would.

On Saturday, daddy made me pancakes for breakfast. I love the weekends because I get to hang out with mommy and daddy all day. After breakfast, I was playing happily in the living room and putting together my Thomas trains until mommy and daddy made me go out. I didn't want to, but soon changed my mind when they told me I could ride on my favorite shopping cart at the red store [Target]. We made a pit stop at the supermarket first. It was so crowded, but good thing we didn't stay there for long. Mommy and daddy only got a few items, but we had to wait on a long line to pay. When we got back in the car, I started complaining because I thought we were going home and they had forgotten all about the red store, but then mommy tells me we're going to Target, so I was fine. When we got there, all the shopping carts I like were outside and wet, so I had to wait while daddy got some paper towels to clean it for me. I liked riding in the shopping cart, but it got boring after a while so I told mommy and daddy I wanted to go home. For lunch, mommy made me chicken nuggets and gave them to me on my Elmo plate. Yummy! Then after lunch, mommy made me go take a nap. I wasn't even sleepy, so I had her read me two Olivia books. When I asked for the third one and she said no, I started crying. Then daddy came in and read to me instead. After my nap, they gave me my favorite panda bear cookies, then I asked to watch TV. Daddy had the channel on the news the whole time (BORING!) so I made him turn on Fresh Beat Band for me. It's so much more fun watching Marina, Kiki, Shout, and Twist sing and dance than to watch the boring reporters talk about rain. Mommy and daddy only let me watch one show, then they made me turn off the TV and told me to go color with my markers. At some point in the afternoon, it started raining. Mommy and daddy kept looking out the window, but I don't know what the big deal was. I went upstairs to practice my numbers and letters. Daddy came with me, but mommy stayed downstairs to prepare dinner. She made beef with peas and corn. Daddy said I had to eat more vegetables, otherwise I have poopy problems, so I was a good girl and ate lots of peas and corn that night. I didn't get all sweaty that day, so mommy said I didn't have to take a bath. Instead, I watched Curious George. Then I got tired and went to bed, but not before mommy and daddy made me brush my teeth. I don't like brushing my teeth, but they make me do it all the time.

I slept through the night and didn't even know that daddy woke up every few hours to check on the basement until the next morning when I heard mommy and daddy talking about it. I guess he was worried the power would go out since we didn't have a backup battery for the sump pump. Mommy and daddy saw on the news that there was flooding in a lot of places, people lost power, and there were down trees everywhere; they said we got really lucky. Mommy and daddy were praying about it, so maybe that helped?

We didn't go to church on Sunday; mommy checked online and saw that it was closed. We also got a call from the township and there was a travel ban where we lived, so mommy and daddy said we were stuck at home. It stopped raining by mid-morning, so I don't understand why we couldn't go out, but I didn't complain. Being at home wasn't too bad... I played with my blocks, my Thomas the train set, I colored with markers, I pretended to go shopping with my shopping cart, I looked at pictures on the camera, I sang all the songs I knew, I took a nap, I watched TV (but mommy and daddy only let me watch one show)... before I knew it, it was bedtime already. Mommy took a picture of me playing with my blocks. I was so proud because I put them together all by myself."

Random Phrases

A few months ago, baby K started saying, "that's a GREAT idea!" (where the "great" would be in a slightly higher octave). It was so cute the way she said it, but that turned out to be short-lived, as I never heard it again after a few days. Maybe it's something she picked up from AM, one of her teachers, so when AM went on medical leave, so did the phrase. AM's been back for a few weeks now, so let's see if it re-surfaces.

More recently, baby K started telling us, "don't say 'no thank you' to me" when she asks if we want something and we'd respond with a "no thank you." She'd continue on that cycle until finally she asks, "do you want paper mommy?" (or it could be a variety of other items like Cheerios, Chex, crayons, markers, coupon, hair tie, etc) and I'd say, "okay, I want paper." Satisfied, she'd give me the paper and all will be right with the world again.

Something that totally made me laugh:
Baby K: Where's my purple ball?
Me: It's in the family room. I'll go get it for you.
Baby K: Okay. You have to hold the handrail mommy. Be careful, otherwise you fall down.

She knows me and my clumsiness so well. I didn't even realize she had the word "otherwise" in her vocabulary. Kids... the things they surprise us with.

WHY?

I thought I'd have a few more years to go before I hear those annoying three letters, "WHY?" in every single response I give to baby K. Silly me, what was I thinking?? I guess kids do grow up faster than we expect them to. As I was driving to daycare/work this rainy Tuesday morning, we passed by a soccer field and there were kids preparing for a game. Here's the conversation that followed:

Baby K: They're playing ball.
Me: Yes, they're playing ball. They're going to get all wet.
Baby K: Why?
Me: Because it's raining.
Baby K: Why is it raining now?
Me: Because it's been so hot, and we need the rain.
Baby K: Why?

Fortunately, it doesn't take much to distract baby K, so I was able to redirect her attention elsewhere. I am fearful for the day when the endless "whys" come and I won't be able to change the subject as easily.

Numbers

After my last posting about baby K's reluctance to learn her numbers, I was really getting discouraged. Then recently, I woke her up one Saturday morning and the first thing she said to me was, "I want to do my numbers." No "hi," no "good morning mommy..." Just the words, "I want to do my numbers." Well, who am I to say no to my little girl? So we spent a few minutes going through numbers 1-10 before starting her morning routine. Since then, we've practiced her numbers almost on a daily basis (most of the times with her actually cooperating). She's mastered all the single digits and I am now starting her on 11-25. If we keep this up, with any hope, I can get her to memorize the multiplication table by the time she's four (though I guess I'd have to teach her the numbers in Chinese first). Full scholarship to Princeton University, here we come!

Tiger Mom Syndrome

I've been called "Tiger Mom" by a few of my friends (in reference to the book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua, which I found to be a very good read in case any of you are interested), and I am not offended by it. I don't feel I quite live up to the term, but I am at the moment second-guessing my disciplinary ways with baby K. Although she's mastered her ABCs and can count from one to ten with ease, she has difficulty identifying what the actual numbers are on paper. As a result, M and I have recently started "forcing" baby K to learn her numbers on a daily basis, much to her chagrin. Like a typical toddler who'd rather be doing something else (anything else!), her concentration is not there and she often picks a number randomly without looking, therefore getting it wrong. Our patience wears thin and there are few nights where the lesson does not end in tears. Tonight was no exception (my ears are still ringing from the crying), and we even told her that she is forbidden to watch any more television until she's gotten all her numbers right (if I were a real tiger mom, there'd be no tv-watching in the first place!).

Baby K is not three yet; she knows her alphabet and her colors, her vocabulary is growing each day, she can communicate with us, she can tell you who all the Disney princesses and Sesame Street characters are, she can even spot a Honda Pilot (2011 model) a mile away... so I'm wondering, are we being too hard on her? M didn't think so, but baby K has a stubborn nature about her and I don't want our strict parenting style (which in my defense still pales in comparison to author Amy Chua's) to deter her from learning something. I don't suppose there's a right or wrong answer, but I'm just wondering what other parents out there are doing. Any thoughts?

Trip to Ikea

We were originally planning to have a garage sale yesterday, but decided to cancel due to the heat wave. Instead, we made a trip to Ikea in Elizabeth and met up with the M family (my brother, sister-in-law, niece, and nephew). Baby K got so excited when I told her she was going to see her cousin AM. As usual, she had a blast with him. The great thing about going to Ikea is that she loves playing in the store, especially the children's bedroom section (much cooler than going to an amusement park, and just as much fun), but the downside of it is that she tends to run a bit too wild (not a good thing in a crowded store). One of her highlights was seeing all the planes land and take off from Newark International Airport while we were eating at the restaurant.

M and I haven't mustered enough bravery to let baby K play in the ball pit by herself yet, so we still drag her around the store as we shop for furniture. We picked up a dresser and a book case for the new baby's room, but also unexpectedly got two armchairs (one for baby K). We saw the toddler version first, and baby K loved it. It was so cute I couldn't resist, so we decided to get it plus the matching adult version. The black one is for us and the cream-colored one is baby K's (it's much smaller than the black one, but you can't tell from the picture). M put them together last night and they're still sitting in the family room, but we haven't figured out where we're going to put them long-term yet.

Baby K In Concert

One of our favorite past times recently has been to watch baby K "perform" for us. She'd take the step ladder (normally used so that she can reach the kitchen sink to wash her hands), place it in the middle of the kitchen, and climb up to the last step. Then she'd order M and me to sit down, face her, and she'd start to sing, using her markers as a microphone. We were able to enjoy a full-blown concert last night, which even included a period of intermission when she took a break to finish her cup of juice. Some songs we heard from my little girl:

- If You're Happy And You Know It
- Father Abraham
- Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
- A-B-C
- The Wheels On The Bus
- Jesus Loves Me
- The Papaya Song

Here's one time where I was fortunate enough to capture a video of baby K singing (but without the pretend-microphone). Knowing she was being filmed, she says "I see it" at the end of the song.

Breakdowns

Baby K has been having breakdowns pretty much on a daily basis when I drop her off at daycare (and this is considering she never cries during drop-off!). It's been going on for the past two weeks or so. The waterworks come out the second I tell her I have to leave. It starts off with her shaking her head, followed by a pout of the lips, then the eyes get all watery, and then the full-blown bawling comes out. Sometimes I'm able to get her to stop crying before I leave; other times I'm force to walk away with my little girl still in tears. Even though I know she'll be fine once I leave, it still doesn't make it any easier.

One factor that I believe has been contributing to baby K's breakdowns is the fact that both her primary teachers are gone (one left permanently and the other is on medical leave, not due to be back for another month). Baby K has had to adapt to two new teachers in the last few weeks and probably doesn't understand why Miss A and Miss S aren't there anymore. Nowadays, I'm trying to prep her each morning at home and in the car so that she doesn't cry when I drop her off. I wasn't very successful this morning... we'll have to see how it goes tomorrow.

Potty Training

It's been a few months since baby K has stopped wearing diapers during the day, and other than a brief regression a few weeks ago, she's been pretty good. I think it helped that we instituted a punishment for each time she has an accident: no TV for the rest of the day. Cry as she might, we've stayed firm on the rule and it's worked.

Baby K still wears a diaper overnight, but it stays dry half the times. Once in a while, she'd wake up in the middle of the night and ask to go pee pee. I'm not sure how to wean her off the nighttime diaper yet. Not that I'm in a hurry, but let me know if you have any ideas.

July 4th Weekend

We spent Saturday at Sesame Place, and I did get to take advantage of the maternity bathing suit I just bought. Unfortunately, our fun in the water was cut short when baby K got injured. She was running a little too fast and slipped, ending up with a big bruise and scratch on her knee. We went to the first aid office where the nurse cleaned the wound with some peroxide, then applied some Neosporin and band aid on her boo-boo. Baby K was just obediently sitting there, no expression on her face. I said to M afterwards that had it been us caring for her wound, she'd be kicking and screaming, refusing to let us do anything. Baby K also got an ice pack for her bruise, which she wouldn't let go until it completely melted and all that was left was a puddle of water that ended up soaking M's shirt.

There were a series of nasty thunder and lightning that night. M and I woke up to the rumbling sound and couldn't go back to the sleep. We were commenting on how surprised we were that the noise hadn't woken baby K up when just then, we heard a pair of tiny footsteps scurrying into our bedroom. Needless to say, baby K stayed with us for the rest of the night. She went back to sleep fairly quickly and didn't get woken up again, but unfortunately I couldn't say the same for myself. Baby K kept kicking my stomach (I'm sure her baby sibling didn't appreciate that very much) and by the time she got up in the morning, her foot had landed on my face at least three times. I made M get up for solo daddy duty that morning while I tried to get some extra zzz's.

Sunday was fairly uneventful; we couldn't do much due to the torrential downpours that kept coming. We went to church in the morning and shopping in the late afternoon to pick up food for our barbecue the next day, but other than that, it was a good day to stay indoors and help baby K brush up on her ABCs.

M's mom, brother, and sister came over for a barbecue on Monday. As usual, we had too much food and not enough people to eat it. We didn't even get a chance to grill any of the burgers we bought (guess we'll be having another barbecue very soon). In the late afternoon, the S family came over and baby K got a chance to play with KS. It was good to see the kids interact together. I only wish we can do it more often.

Clumsiness

I've forgotten how clumsy I get when I'm pregnant. Last week, my hand got caught in the trunk door of my Pilot when I slammed it shut (yes, ouch!). I tore some skin on my middle finger and my ring finger got all bruised and swollen, but at least I don't think I broke anything. It's been over a week, and my finger is still in pain. Then over the weekend, I somehow ended up with two deep cuts on my arm. I still don't know how they got there. Baby K was looking at my arm before and this is the conversation that followed:

Baby K: Let me see your arm, mommy.
[Baby K carefully inspects the two cuts on my arm.]
Baby K: You have ouchie mommy.
[Baby K gently kisses my arm.]
Me: Thank you baby K.
Baby K: It's okay, mommy. Ouchie will go away.
Baby K: Do you need a band-aid mommy?
Me: No, I don't need a band-aid.

I think baby K said something else after that, but another symptom of pregnancy is forgetfulness and I seem to be experiencing it full-blown, so unfortunately the transcript will have to end there.

Anniversary Weekend

This past Saturday marked the sixth wedding anniversary for M and me. Baby K also turned 31 months on that day. No weekend trip was planned this year, so off to Sesame Place we went (yes, definitely taking advantage of those season passes). Baby K was very excited when we told her where we were going, and even woke up extra early that morning. However, for some strange reason, she got really cranky once we arrived at Sesame Place and refused to do anything. Maybe she was overwhelmed by the amount of people at the park (I think this is the most crowded we've seen out of all the times we've been there), but whatever it was, we were definitely thrown off by the sudden change in behavior. She just wanted to stay in her stroller; even seeing the merry-go-round didn't do much to lift up her spirits. Fortunately, she got out of her slump after we watched Elmo's World Live. We didn't stay at the park too long. We grabbed a quick bite to eat, baby K spent a bit of time playing in the water with daddy, and then we caught the afternoon Sesame Place Neighborhood Parade before heading out.

We went to a Korean restaurant in Edison for our anniversary dinner that night. M had his usual dolsot bibimbop. We ordered japchae for baby K and myself since we love our noodles, and we also got a spicy tofu casserole dish. The food wasn't anything extravagant but it was good, and my stomach hasn't felt so satisfied (or full!) in a very long time.

At the Breakfast Table

Scene: Baby K and I are sitting in the kitchen having breakfast. Baby K is holding her bowl of cereal (without milk) and munching on Cheerios. All of a sudden, she points to the floor on the other side of the table.

Me: Did you drop a Cheerio on the floor?
[Baby K nods.]
Me: Do you want mommy to pick it up for you?
Baby K: Yes please.
[I walk over and bend down to pick up the Cheerio.]
Baby K: Watch your head, mommy! Watch your head! [So that I don't bang my head against the table.]
[As I make my way to the garbage can...]
Baby K: Don't eat it, mommy!

It's funny how my little girl picks up on everything we tell her and ends up saying it back to us. At least it goes to show that she's actually listening!

Strawberry Picking

All our Saturday plans were canceled as I was forced to stay home and nurse my terrible cold (who gets a cold in 80+ degree weather anyhow??). Despite the runny nose and cough (and the unsettling suspicion that I had passed it on to baby K), we went to service at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge on Sunday. Afterwards, we decided to go strawberry picking (originally planned for Saturday), since it was Strawberry Festival Weekend at Von Thun Farms. I called MH to see if she wanted to join us and was pleasantly surprised that she said yes. We had a great time meeting up and baby K was happy to see her classmate NH; I just love watching the kids interact with each other.

Here's my little piggy trying out a strawberry:
Baby K and NH walking alongside each other as we headed back to our cars:

This Morning

Me: I have a cold, baby K.
Baby K: Feel better, mommy. Feel better.
Me: Thank you.
[I take a tissue to blow my nose...]
Baby K: Blow mommy! Blow!
Baby K: Good job, mommy!

(At what point did we switch roles without me knowing it??)

Memorial Day Weekend

We had a busy Memorial Day weekend. It started on Friday when I kicked off the holiday weekend by taking advantage of summer hours. I left work in the early afternoon and went with M to get a new mattress for baby K. When we brought it home, he spent the next few hours cramped in her room putting her new bed together. He finally finished that night with some "help" from baby K and myself. Unfortunately, baby K's crib was too big to fit through her bedroom door (we'd have to disassemble it first) so baby K insisted on sleeping in her crib that night even though she had a brand new bigger bed right next to it.

To ease baby K's transition to her new bed, we went shopping on Saturday for baby K to pick out her own bedspreads. Our first stops that morning were TJ Maxx and Kohls. I was very disappointed with their selection; we ended up walking away empty-handed from the two stores. After baby K's nap in the afternoon, we hit Target, Bed Bath & Beyond and Walmart, and finally hit the jackpot at Bed Bath & Beyond. It's still hard to believe we spent all day running around just to get three sets of bedsheets! At least it didn't go to waste since baby K was willing to sleep in her new bed that night.

We went out to New York on Sunday: first church in Chinatown, followed by lunch at my mother-in-law's place. After lunch, we headed out to Queens to visit SW. Baby K's nap was cut short when we arrived there, but she had a blast playing with SW's kids. Then that evening, it was off to the Sheraton Hotel in Flushing for FY and SS's wedding reception. We ended up spending half an hour looking for parking. It was pure chaos! M saw how stressed I got and was about to drop us off at the Sheraton when luckily we saw someone pulling out of a spot. We arrived at the wedding hall right in time for the bride and groom's grand entrance. I had a great time catching up with all the familiar faces from college. Meanwhile, it was getting way past baby K's bedtime and she was exhausted, but between the loud music, the disco lights, the glow sticks, and the balloons, she kept wanting to go out on the dance floor. Fortunately, she was tired enough that she didn't put up a fight when I told her we had to leave at 10:30pm. By the time we got home, it was past midnight.

We were supposed to head out to New York again on Monday to celebrate Mike's nephew's birthday, but it got canceled at the last minute. On a whim, we decided to take baby K to Sesame Place in the afternoon. We were only there for a few hours, but seeing the smile on baby K's face made the whole trip worth it.

Entertainment in the Car

If you've ever seen or sat in my car, you will see the back seat littered with toys, papers, dolls, books, and whatever else peaks my little girl's interest at the moment. Baby K's latest favorites are Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Somehow, she's acquired a Mickey and two Minnie dolls over her lifetime, none of which we purchased for her. It's funny how she keeps herself entertained with them in the car... and how conversations with her stuffed animals relate to what's happening in her own life. Some of baby K's latest phrases (or a variation of them):

• "Uh oh! Minnie Mouse pee pee in underwear!"
  
• "Uh oh! Mickey poopied in pants. That's yucky!"
  
• "Minnie Mouse is crying! She fall down and bump her head!"
  
• "It's okay, Minnie Mouse... it's okay..." [In response to Minnie falling down and bumping her head. This is then usually followed by a kiss.]
  
• "Change diaper, Minnie Mouse... change diaper!"
  
• "Mickey pushed Minnie Mouse."
  
• "No pushing Mickey... not nice!" [In response to me telling her it's not nice to push.]
  
• "I did it, mommy! I did it!" [When she is able to each down next to her car seat and pick something up by herself.]

I probably find more entertainment hearing baby K's ramblings than she does saying them. It's such a great de-stresser after a long day of work. I never know what's going to be coming out of her mouth next and it's awesome just to be able to look forward to that half an hour car ride home with her.

Traffic Lights

I recently started teaching baby K about traffic lights as I drive her to/from daycare. She's gotten into the habit of saying "red means STOP!" and "green means GO!" whenever she sees a traffic light. Once in a while, she would say "turn green, light!" when I'm stopped at a red light (and when she's in a hurry to get home and watch the Fresh Beat Band). This morning, the light changed to red just as I approached it, so I had to come to a full stop. Baby K goes, "come back, green light!". I just started cracking up in the car.

New Bed for Baby K

We went shopping for a new twin-size bed for baby K on Saturday. Our first stops were to a few furniture stores in our area, but the prices they quoted were way over our budget. After lunch, we decided to make a trip to Ikea in Elizabeth. Surprisingly, we ended up picking something out and purchasing it. It wasn't a unilateral decision, since we did ask baby K if she liked the bed and she said yes (but then again, she probably would've said yes to anything). While I was writing down the article number and location (for self-service pickup), baby K voluntarily lied down on the bed as if to test it out (which she didn't do on any other bed), so I took that as a good sign. It was a bit of a struggle putting the seven-foot box into the car, but miraculously, we managed to fit everything in. Guess that's one good thing about having a gas-guzzler. Now our next step is to find a nice mattress for baby K before we can build the bed.

Here's a picture of baby K's new bed... simple, but that's the way I like it. We also bought the headboard with a shelving unit that pulls out (second picture below... shelves on the left) to provide baby K with some extra storage space. Hopefully the furniture won't be too hard to put together.

Fresh Beat Band at Sesame Place

Baby K had the best of both worlds on Saturday. We brought her to Sesame Place where she got to see all her favorite characters, enjoy unlimited rides on the carousel, and hear her favorite band perform in concert! Unfortunately, baby K was a bit under the weather as she battled a cold, but when the Fresh Beat Band came on stage, all signs of discomfort were instantly forgotten. Baby K was absolutely mesmorized by the band and loved all the songs they sang. I actually enjoyed it too, but was disappointed by how short the concert was. Our total wait time (between getting on line and being inside the theater) was a good hour and a half, but the concert itself was just shy of 30 minutes. We skipped the "Meet and Greet" with the Fresh Beat Band afterwards since I knew it would've meant getting on another long line, and I'd much rather have baby K enjoy some of the other offerings at Sesame Place. Besides, even if she did get to meet the members of the band, what is she going to do? Instead, we saw Elmo sing with his friends Zoe, Cookie Monster, Bert, and Ernie. Baby K finally mustered up enough courage to stand at the bottom of the stage where she got high-fives from some of the characters at the end. We also saw Elmo's World where Elmo and Mr. Noodle learned about dancing. We finished off the day with one last trip on the carousel (baby K must have rode it three times), and in between, we got to take some pictures with a few more characters, including Rosita, Cookie Monster, Elmo, and Big Bird. All in all, it was a good day.

Jesus Loves Me

Baby K prayed before dinner tonight all by herself! It went something like this, "Dear God... thank you for this day... thank you for this mum mums... thank you for mommy and daddy... Jesus we pray... AMEN!" I was almost expecting her to say thank you for Fresh Beat Band, but she didn't. Wish I could have captured her first prayer alone on video, but instead, here she is singing "Jesus Loves Me." Enjoy!

2011 Rutgers Day

We spent Saturday morning enjoying Rutgers Day at their New Brunswick campus. It was very similar to last year's event: vendors were there selling food and trinkets, each organization from the school had a booth set up promoting its function and fundraising, and we got to see some of the farm animals raised there (like last April, baby K was still afraid of the horses). To my pleasant surprise, they added a "Kids' Zone" this year where they had a bounce house set up. Baby K loved going into the bounce house. It was only two minutes per session since a lot of kids were waiting to go in, but that was probably the highlight of her visit.

Sesame Place Preview Night

I took a half-day off work today and we took baby K to Sesame Place for their opening night preview. It was great being at the park when it's not so crowded. Baby K got to see all her favorite characters and enjoyed the three shows they had on. She also got to ride on the carousel a few times and took a picture with the Count. We'll be back there again next Saturday for the Fresh Beat Band concert. Hopefully baby K will get a chance to take some pictures with a few more characters then.

Accident Free!

I know I shouldn't get too excited, but I can't help it. Baby K actually asked to wear underwear after her bath tonight (a rarity, since I've been trying to get her to do so for months now and she's always refused). I would ask her every few minutes if she needed to pee pee in the potty chair, and she kept saying no... until the one time I asked her, she didn't answer me, and I saw the "look" on her face. I quickly rushed her to the bathroom (she held it in) and she peed in the toilet! She stayed accident-free the rest of the night until it was bedtime and I had to put her back in diapers. I am so proud of my little girl!

No More Monkeys

...jumping on the bed!

At the end of the video, baby K says, "I see it" because she knew she was being recorded and wanted to see herself on camera.

Laugh of the Day

I just got a call from baby K's teacher, Ashlie at daycare. I found this so funny I couldn't resist sharing:

[Scene: Baby K was playing with a brown baby doll, which apparently she does pretty often.]
Ashlie: K, why are you always playing with the brown doll? Do you like the brown doll?
Baby K: Yes.
Ashlie: Who else is brown?
Baby K: Tanya is brown.
[Note: Tanya is one of baby K's classmates, who is Indian.]
Ashlie: That's right. Who else is brown? Is Jaimie brown?
Baby K: No.
[Note: Jaimie is one of baby K's teachers, who is Caucasian.]
Ashlie: Is K brown?
Baby K: No.
Ashlie: Is Ashlie brown?
Baby K: No.
[Note: Ashlie is African-American.]
Ashlie: Ashlie isn't brown?? What color is Ashlie?
Baby K: Ashlie is black!

LOL! Where does she get this from??

Fresh Beat Band

For the past few weeks, we've gotten ourselves into a weekday routine where we'd allow baby K to watch the Fresh Beat Band when we got home. On our drive back, I try to get baby K to talk more and would ask what she did during the day. We'd chat for a few minutes, but she would always go back to asking for her favorite Nick Jr. show (of the moment). I'd tell her, "When we get home, say "hi" to daddy, give him a hug and a kiss, and ask him to turn on TV for you. Then you can watch Fresh Beat Band." Despite all my prepping, baby K would usually forgo the first two parts. The second she walks through the door, she'd run upstairs to the kitchen to look for M and say, "Daddy, I watch Fresh Beat Band!" No hi, no hello, no kiss on the cheek.

Yesterday, just for kicks, M decides to tell baby K, "No Fresh Beat Band." I half expected her to look towards me for a different response or to start throwing a tantrum. But to our surprise, neither happened. Instead, she says to daddy, "HUG!" and opens up her arms to give M a big bear hug. After that, how can you say no? My little girl... where did she learn to kiss up like that??

Update from tonight:
[Scene: In the car ride going home]
Baby K: I watch Fresh Beat Band mommy!
Me: Are you a good girl? You can only watch Fresh Beat Band if you're a good girl.
Baby K: Yes. Mommy, I pee pee in potty chair.
Me: LOL!
(Looks like my little girl has gone from kissing up to bribery!)

My Growing Girl

We measured baby K's height over the weekend and saw that she has grown another half an inch in the past few weeks. When I told M at first, he wouldn't believe me and thought baby K was standing on tippy toes. He had to see for his own eyes and confirm that baby K had her feet flat on the ground. My little girl is well over three feet now! Judging by how sore my arms get when I carry her, she's also definitely been putting on weight.

Some recent "Moments of the Day":

• We were praying before dinner the other night, and baby K goes, "Thank you God, for Fresh Beat Band." (Those of you on Facebook would've seen this already.)
  
• Yesterday, baby K was playing with her Elmo doll and accidentally knocked him on the ground. She picked him up, brushed off the imaginary dust on his fur, and said, "Are you okay, Elmo? I'm sorry, Elmo." Honestly, sometimes I think she treats her toys better than she treats mommy and daddy!
  
• We had the Yankee game on last night. Baby K saw them on TV and shouted, "Go Yankees!" Too bad her cheering didn't help win the game against the Red Sox.

Orlando Vacation

Day 1: We arrived in Orlando on Monday, 3/21. After picking up our rental car, we stopped at the first restaurant we saw for a quick bite (which ended up being TGI Friday's). By the time we checked into the Holiday Inn Resort at Lake Buena Vista, it was already 6pm. We decided to pay a visit to Downtown Disney, then stopped at Walmart for some water, cereal, and other food essentials before heading back to the hotel.

Day 2: We spent Tuesday, 3/22 at SeaWorld. Despite fighting a terrible cold and not being able to see Elmo (I was very disappointed that they didn't have the "Elmo and Abby's Treasure Hunt" show on that day), baby K seemed to have a good time. We met up with my sister-in-law for dinner afterwards.

Day 3: We spent the morning at a Holiday Inn Vacation Resort listening to some salespeople try to sell us a timeshare... oh wait, they don't call them timeshares anymore. Now it's referred to as "vacation homes." What a waste of three hours! I must say, they are quite persistent. We were approached by at least five different salespeople, each of them lowering the price more and more; it went from $35,999 down to $7,500. After the full three hours (even though we were told the sales pitch would only last an hour and a half), they finally gave us our discounted Disney tickets and we were off to Magic Kingdom! Baby K got to see Mickey and was happy. M and I were were also glad to see that her cold had improved from the day before. After a day of fun at Magic Kingdom, we arrived at the Nick Hotel and crashed with my brother and his family in their two-bedroom suite.

Day 4: On Thursday, 3/24 we took advantage of the benefits offered by the Nick Hotel and stayed at the resort the entire day. We saw a Spongebob Squarepants show and got to take pictures with Dora and Blues Clues. The kids went swimming in the two pools and had a blast. Day 5: Friday, 3/25 was our last full day in Orlando. We spent it at Disney's Animal Kingdom. The fact that baby K got to hang out with her cousin A made it much more enjoyable. Every time we separated from them, baby K would ask, "Where's A?" followed by "Where's Aunt K?" followed by "Where's Uncle P?" I think it was the company that made it more fun than the theme park itself. Baby K got a little scared during the Finding Nemo musical when some of the characters came up close to the audience. She also didn't have much patience to sit through the entire Lion King show while cramped inside the little theater. The highlight of the day was probably the fact that she got to take pictures with Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Pluto, and Goofy. Day 6: Saturday, 3/26 was a sad sad day, since that meant our vacation was soon to be over. We took a morning flight back to the cold, wintry 40 degree weather in New Jersey. Unfortunately, our luggage never made it back with us, but good thing they found it and delivered it to us the next day. Now that we're back, I'm ready for the next vacation already! Any suggestions on location??

Almost 28 Months

Tonight was a long but productive night in the potty training front. I sat with baby K in the bathroom for over an hour before she finally peed and pooped in the toilet (and this was after she spent a half an hour crying in the kitchen because she was constipated). It was past her bedtime and despite her cries, I was determined not to let her out of the bathroom until she pooped. Eventually my stubbornness (or maybe it was the bribery) paid off; she was awarded with a new Melissa and Doug puzzle at the end of the successful night. Hopefully this brings us one step closer to getting her off diapers (though I thought that two months ago).

Baby K has become a big fan of the Fresh Beat Band. She kept singing the theme song (at least her version of it, which consists of LAA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LAA) over and over today. I've never even heard of them until I (or rather baby K) started watching Nick Jr. a few weeks ago. Now she prefers the Fresh Beat Band over Dora and Ni Hao Kai Lan. (No more mention of Elmo... Elmo? Who's Elmo??) Let's see how long this craze lasts.

Here's my little two year old behind the wheel, about to go for a spin:

After realizing she can't drive (her feet doesn't reach the pedal... not to mention she didn't have the keys), she decided to stuff herself in a USPS Priority Mail box to be shipped out instead:

March Madness

Slowly but surely, the month of March has crept up on me and is now in full swing. I started off the month going to a Rachael Ray taping in midtown Manhattan. I reserved four tickets and invited WC, SW, and KM, but apparently the show hands out more tickets than there are seats available, because by the time they got to us, there were only three spots left (good thing WC got there early to stand on line!). I felt so bad that KM didn't get to go in with us. I'll have to make it up to my sister-in-law somehow...

For the rest of March, weekends are fully booked with kids' birthday parties, family birthday celebrations, and the biannual visit to the cemetery. In between that we're also squeezing in a trip to Orlando. I can't wait for the warm weather and the much-needed time away from work! I am hoping and praying that baby K stays healthy for her travels this time around!

Crayola Factory

We spent the day at the Crayola Factory in Easton, PA yesterday (it felt so good to take off from work!). I have been planning it for a few weeks now and was very excited to bring baby K there, but I didn't want to get my hopes up too high in case she didn't like it. Fortunately, she had a great time (as we all did). The place wasn't that big, but we spent a good amount of time on each activity they offered. Baby K even made early birthday cards for gong gong, por por, and grandma. She was so busy enjoying herself that she didn't nap until we left at 4:00pm (at which point she promptly conked out in the car). Here are some pictures from our day of fun. As usual, my little girl doesn't like to smile for the camera.
Out of the 126 photos taken yesterday, here's my favorite one:

Family Day

It was nice to have this past Monday off (thank you, past presidents!). We spent the morning in New Brunswick, where the State Theatre hosted a "Family Day" event, offering children's activities (most of them requiring a fee) throughout the day. We took advantage of the free activities and enjoyed a mini-concert at the Crossroads Theatre. I thought the music would be too loud for baby K, but she seemed to enjoy it (despite the blank stare on her face as she was watching the kid's rock band "Starfish" perform). Afterwards, we visited the United Methodist Church where the front of the sanctuary offered a display of animal pelts, courtesy of the Philadelphia Zoo. It probably wasn't worth the 20-minute wait it took to get to the front since there weren't many real animals to look at and baby K wasn't interested in touching the pelts (not that I blame her), but she did get to see a cute little hedgehog. We also took pictures with a few costume characters and baby K experienced her first visit in a fire truck.