Saturday, August 31, 2013

Stretch!

Dear Ava, 

If the Olympics had an overhead arm stretch event I think you would be a contender for a gold medal.

Here you are demonstrating the One Arm Overhead Stretch, Left. Note the level of intensity and concentration required in this event. The extension of the arm and roundness of the fist is superb!
However, your One Arm Overhead Stretch, Right, still needs a lot of work. There isn't nearly the same level of concentration and effort seen in this one and your form reflects it.
Moving on to the Two Arm Overhead Stretch. This is your money maker. Your form, near perfect. You start the stretch long and wide. Once again, great left hand fist form. 
Then you flawlessly bring the stretch in closer to your head.

Finally, to end the stretch you have near synchronization with the arms as you bring them down. Bravo!
If only I could capture your amazing skills on something other than my iPhone. 

Friday, August 30, 2013

42 Weeks

Dear Ava,

Happy almost 42 or so weeks of age!

I think the Korean's have a more accurate age system then we do in the West. In the Korean age system, when you are born you are already thought of as one year old. The system gets a little more complicated from there, but thinking of a person as one year old from the moment they are born sure makes a lot more sense to me than discounting the previous 40 or so weeks of their life.

From the moment you were conceived I was your mother and Joseph was your father. The fact that we did not yet know about you does not preclude the fact that you existed, you existed as a member of our family, and you were already growing and developing at an extremely rapid rate.

Here you are sucking your thumb around 20 weeks:
When I told both your dad and Grandma P. about you I used the present tense saying "you are a dad" and "you are a Grandma". That is because you already existed and were developing as a completely unique individual. Whether or not I was conscious of your existence before then, my body was already nurturing you, feeding you, and taking care of you as a mother. Even if I had miscarried or you were stillborn it would not negate the fact that you existed and carried half of my genes and half of Joseph's genes as our child.

Unfortunately, most people don't think like that. They count motherhood and fatherhood as beginning when you are born. One coworker even corrected me when I called Joseph a father before you were born.

While being a mother and father changes dramatically at birth, it also changes quite dramatically at many other stages of life. Sending a son or daughter off to college, or watching them marry, or even going through every parent's worst nightmare and having to bury a son or daughter doesn't change that a person was and still is a mother and a father. The responsibilities change, but the relationship tie/bond/genetic code can never be broken despite how hard some people may try.

From the moment you were conceived I am your mother, Joseph is your father, and you are forever part of our family. So, whether you like it or not you're stuck with us. I'll put some more money in the therapy savings fund for you.

Monday, August 26, 2013

Heat Wave

Dear Ava,

Despite a heat index over 100 degrees and the house not having central AC working, we are downstairs because I can only take so much of being cooped up in our cool room. That and the outfit I have you in is better suited for the warm house.

Someday I hope to learn all the ins and outs of taking decent photographs with my camera. Today, I am playing around with it without adjusting any settings or trying too hard to focus.




Please ignore my double chin. I still have a lot of baby weight to lose. Perhaps we will go walk around the gym track later.
Even out of focus you are incredibly cute.
 Please don't grow up too fast.

AC Failure

Dear Ava,

You slept so well last night. Grandma F and I were all set for another sleepless night when you surprised us by only waking up at 2 AM, 5 AM, and 7 AM to nurse and then fell back to sleep. It helped that our room was not impacted by the central AC unit failure like the rest of the house. We have our own window AC unit in the room because I would get quite warm while pregnant with you. We camped out in our room for the majority of the day since there is a heat wave hitting the area right now.





Even though you slept so well last night, making it to the 11 AM church service was too much of a stretch for me in my own sleep deprived state. Instead, we once again showed up to the 5 PM service 15 minutes late. One of these days/years I will figure out how to get us there on time.

One thing that we did accomplish today, or maybe it was last night, was talking to Joe/daddy on Skype. As much as I miss him, I am very thankful that we are not in Korea with him at the moment. He is battling a huge black mold outbreak in his place. He was up until 2 AM washing down his walls with a diluted bleach solution the day he got back to Korea. Thankfully, by the time we go visit him the black mold should not be an issue. Hopefully, that time is sooner rather than later. I miss him and I know he really misses you.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Pajamas

Dear Ava,

What is the right room temperature and number/type of clothing layers for you at night? I have spent more than a couple hours of your short life awake at night worrying that you are either going to overheat or be too cold. The result is that I often end up changing one or more pieces of your clothing in the middle of the night even though I am not sure you actually were too hot or too cold. Someday I hope to be able to put you to sleep without worrying about what you are wearing and the temperature of the room. I think that day may be when you are 30 or 40. Please try to be understanding when I show up at your college dorm room with a set of pajamas with feet for you to wear at night. I will start putting aside some money now for all the years of therapy you will need because of my inability to figure out the perfect sleep attire and room temperature for you. 

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Microphone Practice?

Dear Ava, 

You make such cute faces. I love how your yawn looks like you are practicing holding and singing into a microphone. 




Microphone Practice?

Dear Ava, 

You make such cute faces. I love how your yawn looks like you are practicing holding and singing into a microphone. 





 
 




 


 

Sleep Cycle

Dear Ava,

Grandma F and I gave you another bath last night in hopes that you would sleep better. You still think that Midnight to 4 AM is the optimal time to be wide awake, checking out the world, eating, and filling diaper after diaper. You also think that the afternoon is the best time to fall into a deep sleep. Grandma F and I are on a mission to try to get your circadian rhythm better adjusted so that we can get some sleep at night.

I didn't take any pictures of your bath this time, but daddy did take a couple pictures of your previous bath:


You slowly seem to be adjusting to the idea of a bath. Granted, you still cry a lot, but it didn't seem as intense this time. Or maybe it is that I am more used to you crying during a bath. Grandma F just read me something she found online that states "bath time is often a time of fun and bonding for parents and baby". Clearly, the people writing that article have never tried to bath a newborn.

While you may still cry during a bath, I do know for sure that you are adjusting to having a shirt put on over your head. The first time daddy and I put a onesie on you by placing it over your head when we were coming home from the hospital you screamed bloody murder. Your reaction scarred me to the point where I haven't clothing on over your head until recently. You've been so skinny up until now that it has been easy to put clothing on feet first, but you are slowly starting to plump up and I don't know how much longer I can put onesies on you that way. Though you still cried a little when I put a onesie on you today by putting it over your head, it was a very short cry and not nearly as loud or dramatic as the first time.

Grandma F is holding you at the moment and it looks like you may be in your very deep sleep. While you look really cute when you sleep (and every other moment of time as well), please please please try to get some sleep tonight. 

First Mommy & Daughter Outing

Dear Ava, 

We made our first solo trip out yesterday. Just you and me...and the BMW. I'd been wanting to go to Target for a few days, but the sleepless nights got in the way of accomplishing much during the day. Today, however, I have been a lot more productive as I try to keep my mind off the fact that your dad is currently in a plane flying to the other side of the world. After straightening up our room, organizing your clothes, and doing other small tasks around the house I finally decided to take the plunge and go to Target with you. 

The was a major event not only because it was our first solo outing, but also because it was the our first solo outing with the BMW. We bought the BMW just a few days after you were born. We needed a bigger car, your dad wanted to ensure we were safe and didn't have to worry about vehicle maintenance, and he absolutely loves BMWs. I am still trying to figure out how he talked me into us buying the X5 (it cost a lot!), but I love the safety, size, and no hassle maintenance. 

Yesterday was the first time I drove it, and that was only around the block with your dad sitting in the passenger seat making sure I understood all of the controls and features. I refused to drive the car for the first time with you in it. Driving an expensive car carrying priceless cargo (you) would have been too much for me, especially since it was raining yesterday.

Our first family car: 

On a side note, occasionally when you nurse you have really cute poses, like the one right now where your hands are folded together up against your left cheek. I immediately think about taking a picture, but thankfully realize that I would be showing the world much more of myself then I am comfortable with in said picture. Oh well.

The trip to Target went very well. You slept almost the entire time and also survived being alone in the second row of the car. On every other car trip of your life someone (mostly me) sat back there with you. I think it was more for daddy's and my piece of mind rather than your needing someone back there. 



You are definitely growing and changing. Your head is bigger today than it was even yesterday. The was another newborn at Target and to me you seemed older and bigger than her. It is amazing to watch you change and grow even though you are only 12 days old. 

Friday, August 23, 2013

Seeing Joe Off

Dear Ava,


This morning we dropped your daddy off at the airport. I managed to not cry until we arrived at the airport, but then the waterworks started. It is a good thing he was driving because I probably would have turned the car around with him in it and driven back home. His goodbye to you was very sweet, though you managed to sleep through it. Yesterday he asked if he could take you back to Korea with him. I wish we were all going there together, or all staying here. When we arrived home I took you upstairs to feed you and I proceeded to cry for a while. You will look so different the next time he sees you in person. You will no longer be a teeny tiny newborn with limbs that look so frail and thin. Already, you cheeks, chin, and tummy seem to be plumping up a bit and you look a little older each day. Do you have to gow up so quickly?

Snuggling while missing Joe/Daddy:

First Growth Spurt

Dear Ava, 


Today is your daddy's last full day in the States before he returns to Korea. We most likely will not see him again until November. I had hoped that our little family could enjoy some time out of the house together during his last two days, but I did not account for or even know about your first growth spurt at 10 days of age. 



You are currently sleeping peacefully in my arms as I sit downstairs in the living room.  You appear so peaceful, but appearances are deceiving. The price I am paying for this peace is in the form of the purple pacifier in your mouth....which you just spit out. I had hoped to go with the recommendation to wait until you are 4 weeks or so of age before introducing one, but as with most things so far, reality laughs at my plans. I am guessing the next round of feedings will soon commence. 

Briefly calm after a feeding during the growth spurt:



The two hour break between the end of the last feeding and now is greatly appreciated. I was able to eat, shower, get laundry started, and organize a bit while grandma held you. Unfortunately, I did not sleep. 

Sleep is something both your daddy and I have not had much of recently. From midnight to 1:30pm you nursed at least every hour, if not twice an hour, and would not sleep unless you were held. Daddy and I caved at 7am and enlisted Grandma Fenton's help to hold you in-between feedings so that we could get short catnaps. Beware of the growth spurt that happens at 7-10 days old!

Ava's preferred way to sleep:



The two hour break starting at 1:30 pm is due to Grandma F asking if I was philosophically opposed to pacifiers. Despite my wishes to delay giving you one, Daddy and I had already tried sometime in the wee hours of the morning. You sucked on it for maybe 2 minutes before spitting it out and becoming even angrier. However, when Grandma F gave it a try and it worked! I would say that my plan is to not give you pacifiers very often, but since all my plans seem to go out the window I am not making any such plan. 

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Seeing Joe Off

Dear Ava,
This morning we dropped your daddy off at the airport. I managed to not cry until we arrived at the airport, but then the waterworks started. It is a good thing he was driving because I probably would have turned the car around with him in it and driven back home. His goodbye to you was very sweet, though you managed to sleep through it. Yesterday he asked if he could take you back to Korea with him. I wish we were all going there together, or all staying here. When we arrived home I took you upstairs to feed you and I proceeded to cry for a while. You will look so different the next time he sees you in person. You will no longer be a teeny tiny newborn with limbs that look so frail and thin. Already, you cheeks, chin, and tummy seem to be plumping up a bit and you look a little older each day. Do you have to gow up so quickly?
Snuggling while missing Joe/Daddy


 


Ava's First Growth Spurt

Dear Ava, 

Today is your daddy's last full day in the States before he returns to Korea. We most likely wont see him again until November. I had hoped that our little family could enjoy some time out of the house together during his last two days, but I did not account for or even know about you first growth spurt at 10 days of age. 

Ava and Daddy

You are currently sleeping peacefully in my arms as I sit downstairs in the living room.  You appear so peaceful, but appearances are deceiving. The price I am paying for this peace is in the form of the purple pacifier in your mouth....which you just spit out. I had hoped to go with the recommendation to wait until you are 4 weeks or so of age before introducing one, but as with most things so far, reality laughs at my plans. I am guessing the next round of feedings will soon commence. 

Briefly calm after a feeding during the growth spurt

The two hour break between the end of the last feeding and now is greatly appreciated. I was able to eat, shower, get laundry started, and organize a bit while grandma held you. Unfortunately, I did not sleep. 

Sleep is something both your daddy and I have not had much of recently. From midnight to 1:30pm you nursed at least every hour, if not twice an hour, and would not sleep unless you were held. Daddy and I caved at 7am and enlisted Grandma Fenton's help to hold you in-between feedings so that we could get short catnaps. Beware of the growth spurt that happens at 7-10 days old!

Ava's preferred way to sleep

The two hour break starting at 1:30 pm is due to Grandma  Fenton asking if i was philosophically opposed to pacifiers. Despite my wishes to delay giving you one, Daddy and I had already tried sometime in the wee hours of the morning. you sucked on it for maybe 2 minutes before spitting it out and becoming even more mad. However, when Grandma Fenton gave it a try and it worked! I would say that my plan is to not give you pacifiers very often, but since all my plans seem to go out the window I am not making any such plan.