How I'll Get Into Shape

It's begun.  The official 'chase your child everywhere' stage has begun.  I cannot believe how fast she crawls, and how she manages to get into everything she's not supposed to.  What is it about electrical outlets, cell phones and remotes that babies love so much?  She could be surrounded by a dozen flashing, blinking, noise making toys and all she wants is my phone. 

It seems like overnight this baby of mine became not a baby.  Oh my heart.

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The Great Gatsby Premier

Last week I got together with some ladies to attend the premier of The Great Gatsby. It was on my friend Lindsay's '30 before 30' list to go to a midnight showing of a movie. She organized the event and suggested we all get dolled up in 1920's fashion for fun.

 I don't own any drop waist dresses, so I made do with what I have...I think my hair looks more 1970's than 1920's...but this is what you get when you have 15 minutes to get ready.  I haven't worn color on my lips since high school...I stick with mostly chapstick or clear gloss, so it felt strange to wear such bold lips, but I kinda liked it!

We met for dinner at a local restaurant--don't these ladies look amazing?

I read the Great Gatsby in high school, and I didn't recall the slightest bit about the story line.  Lindsy read the book right before the movie and she said the movie followed the book amazingly well.  The movie was awesome--the ending was pretty depressing, but it stayed true to the book. 

What have you seen at the movies lately?

 

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When You Don't Really Know Your Mother

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It just kinda hit me that I will forever hold the title mom.  It's a hefty title to hold.  I'm curious how my relationship with my daughter will unfold and wonder how she will view me when she is a young woman. 

Mother daughter relationships are complex and complicated. I don't really know my mother.  I know that sounds strange.  I love her and I know without a doubt she loves me, but there is a communication barrier that separates us.  My mother speaks poor English, and I don't speak Korean.  Our conversation has always been very basic and superficial. 

I didn't realize that I didn't really have a relationship with my mom until I went off to college.  My roommate at the time spoke with her  mom on the phone every day.  And I noticed most of the girls I went to college with spoke with their mothers often too.  Since I left home at 18 I probably spoke with my mother on the phone 4-5 times a year.  There just isn't really much to talk about when you don't speak each other's language. 

It's a bit strange...I don't really know much about my mom's life.  I know she grew up very, very poor, was only educated through fourth grade, and lost her mother at a very young age to suicide.  Her circumstances created a very fierce, strong willed, opinionated woman packed into a 4 foot eleven inch, 100 pound frame.  I know she did the very best she knew how to love me and raise me. I am her only child and I know the second I was born, her life became about mine.  I'm positive 99% of the worry in her head is about my well being. 

I'm not angry, or hurt, or bitter.  I love my mom dearly; I only wish we knew each other better, especially as she ages.  She has had health issues most of her life, but lately has been going through some health things that really make me wish we lived closer to each other. 

 

Although it was my very first Mothers Day, I couldn't help but think about her.  Our relationship isn't typical, but it is what it is and I'm thankful to still have her in my life. 

 

Are you and your mom close?

 



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The Nursery (Again) + A Giveaway!

We lived in a different house when Parker was born...so for a few short months she got used to being in the loft space above our bedroom.  Then of course we bought our current home and decided which room would be Parker's.  It was the first room we prepped; Andy painstakingly painted all the brown shiplap pink, and also painted pink stripes on the walls.  Unfortunately the room we chose for her shares a wall with one of the foreign exchange students we host.  We didn't want the poor girl to lose sleep if Parker was having a bad night, so after a few weeks we moved Parker's room downstairs across from our room--the tiny room that we were going to use as an office space. 

We thought it was going to be pretty temporary because we naively believed she would continue to sleep through the night. Haha, the joke was on us.  

(I bought a pink blackout panel from Target to block the massive amount of light that pours through this door in the mornings).

I still want to paint the walls a neutral color because we do eventually want to use this room as an office someday, and i want to put Parker back upstairs in her original room which has a closet. I just bought a cheapo metal frame (which you can see in the second picture) to hang some of her outfits for now.

Although the room and space is not ideal, it works for now.  What  helps me be content with the space are the little pieces that have helped make the room come together.  I made a few of the pieces while I was "nesting."  Including the bunting above her bed and he dog painting in the top photo.

This DIY paper bird painting was the very first thing I made for Parker's nursery. 

I love the little pieces like the owls, alarm clock and globe I found thrifting.   

One of my favorite new additions is this beautiful framed custom birth piece made by Etsy shop Baby in the Rain.  Isn't it darling?  I love how it has all of Parker's stats and that I was able to choose the colors to match perfectly with her nursery.  And one lucky reader will win their own!  Winner will be announced next Wednesday.

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You Don't Understand Unless You Live in the PNW

Every single blogger who lives in the PNW is blogging about how glorious our weekend was.  Because it's blogworthy people.  Spring is usually pretty crappy in these parts; so when the sun shines for more than 3 days in a row (and expected to shine for the next week), Washingtonians go bananas.  All the parks, pools, waterfront restaurants and anything to do with the outdoors is PACKED. 

All the fans, sunglasses and sunscreen sell out, and pale white shoulders and legs are exposed for the first time in about 9 months.  PLUS, it was Cinco De Mayo.  So to celebrate we went on a walk to the Ruston Way waterfront in Tacoma, then dined out on a restaurant patio eating a plateful of nachos.

Parker wore a dress I've been dying to put her in that her Nana bought her last year on a trip to Italy.

Unfortunately we changed shortly after because she spit up green peas all over it.  Boo.

Later that afternoon we got to hang out with a bunch of friends for a little Cinco De Mayo get together.  Parker experienced two firsts.  The baby pool and watermelon! (She loved both).

It truly was such a fun and relaxing weekend.  I hope it's just a small taste of what summer will be like in the PNW.  Days like we've been having truly make you forget about the overcast, rainy days most days of the year.  Sun, food, family, friends and views like this of Mt. Rainier:

It doesn't get any better.

The only downside...I realized I no longer own a single pair of shorts.

Linking up with Sarah  

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Parker Penny // 8 Months

 It's impossible to get a picture of this girl--she is constantly in motion...so these are the only shots I could get!

Well, these past 30 days have thrown me for a loop.  Nothing has been consistent this month but I'm guessing it's because of how crazy fast this little girl is developing physically and mentally.  My coffee intake has definitely increased as she is waking up 1-2 times a night again (after months of sleeping through the night), and she's been ready to start her days lately at 6am.  My mornings are a bit foggy, but I just eat up every second with this girl.

Here are some updates-

Eating:: This girl can EAT.  I'm actually a little shocked at how much this girl puts down in a sitting.  I'm still breastfeeding and she usually eats solids twice a day.  We've done the baby led weaning thing for a couple of months and really like it a lot.  It's messy, but this way we can all eat at the same time. She still doesn't have any teeth but manages to gum all fruits, veggies and even meat!
 
Talking:: She's pretty vocal.  When she wakes up at 6am, I can hear her "talking" and playing in her crib for about 20 minutes before it turns into a cry.  She still repeats dadadadada, and bababababa...and just within the past couple of days has been saying mamamama!  I know she hasn't attached meaning to the sounds yet, but it still makes me happy.    

Play:: This girl is ACTIVE. She does have moments of contentment playing by herself, but it's rare. She is constantly crawling and pulling herself up on everything, including me.  I'm a human jungle gym.  I'm flying across the country in June with her and I'm terrified as sitting still is not on her list of favorite thing to do.

Sleep:: Sleep is all over the place. In the beginning of the month she was going to bed around 730 or 800, but now is back to 630 or 7...she would probably prefer I put her down earlier, but evenings are a little hectic.  I still go in for a dream feed around 10pm. 

Naps:: Naps have been all over the place this month.  Mostly because my schedule hasn't been consistent.  On the days I'm home all day, she'll usually go down for a morning and afternoon nap.  Nap times still vary from 30 minutes to about 2 hours.  There have been days where she only takes one nap though...I am not a fan of those days.

On a sad note, nursing has become pretty difficult.  I keep getting recurring milk blisters and plugged milk ducts.  They are incredibly painful and last 3-4 weeks (I've had about 5 or 6 so far).  So the last 5 months or so I've been dealing with this issue.  I'm not ready to be done nursing, but it just hurts terribly.  And to make matters worse, Parker wont sit still while I nurse.  She will actually turn herself so she's on her hands and knees, or position herself on her knees facing me and nurse.   This, plus the pain of milk blisters makes nursing in public quite awkward and difficult.

Other than that, this girl is the light of my life. 

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Our Only Job

"Besides nurturing and feeding our kids, our only job when they are this age is to delight them." 

I was out with my friend Lillian last week and she said this.  I loved it.  It's so true. Making Parker smile, giggle and belly laugh brings such joy to my day.  I think I might love it more than she does. 

Truly...is there a better sound in the world than baby giggles? 

Linking up with Mandy

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