Sleeping Cuteness

Dear Noah,

More pictures of you sleeping.  Mommy just can't help but capture how adorable you look when you are getting your Zzz's and happily snoring away.

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

I Don't Need No (Baby Seat)

Dear Noah,

Yesterday was a big day!  First, in the morning you sat upright in a big boy chair to prove to us that you're ready for anything. 

Next, you went to the Doctor's where you did three stomach to back rolls in a row while we were waiting for the Doctor. Everything is looking pretty good although you could gain a little more weight.  After that, you were really brave getting two shots. Mommy couldn't watch but you held Daddy's hand and only cried a little!

In the evening Gong Gong and Pau Pau came to visit and gave you all sorts of attention.

Mommy, Daddy, Gong Gong and Pau Pau are looking forward to hanging out with you this weekend.

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

Week 1 of Daycare

Dear Noah,

You officially started daycare on Monday, Sept 23rd.  Seems like you don't mind us waking you up at 6:30am.  We get better everyday in getting you ready and out the door on time (on time so Daddy and Mommy can get to work at reasonable times).  Pretty soon we'll be like pros!

Here are some pictures from the week:

Day 1 - wise like an owl.  This was actually taken after you came home, hence you looked a bit tired.

Day 2 - ready to rock.  Here you were in your carseat, waiting with your daycare bag for Mommy and Daddy to take you.

Day 3 - being preppy.  It was picture day at school so Mommy dressed you up in your prepster outfit.  The Oxford shirt is a bit too big for you but you looked cool and hip nonetheless.  Pau Pau saw this picture and commented that you looked "scholastic".  Ha.

Day 4 - calm, cool and collected.  Here you were after breakfast and outfit change and just waiting to get going.

You didn't go to school on Friday (day 5) because you had your 3-month check-up, plus Gong Gong and Pau Pau were coming to visit.  It was nice to have you around because Mommy has been missing you so much.  Even though you are doing well and Mommy is, in some ways, happy to be productive and go back to work, it is still hard not being able to spend all of her time with you.  We'll just have to make it for it with extra hugs and kisses whenever you and Mommy are together!!

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

3 Months Old

Dear Noah,

Yesterday was your 3-month-old birthday!  We didn't do much to celebrate, but we did take you to Target for the first time.  Mommy loves Target (she used to work for them!) and was thrilled to show you how great of a store it is.

You were a bit unsure of the new surroundings and started getting a little bit fussy, so Daddy got you out of the stroller and held you as we shopped.  Daddy saw the price scanner and couldn't help himself...

You are, of course, priceless!  :)

Here is the "official" 3-month-old shot.  You wore the awesome onesie that Uncle Will got you from Shake Shack.  Hopefully you will graduate from being a small-sized fry to a larger-sized fry soon!

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

A Few "First"s

Dear Noah,

We've had a number of "first"s for you these past couple of weeks:

1) First clothes shopping trip - you went with Mommy for a walk towards the beach and somehow we ended up at Old Navy.  Mommy decided that it was a good idea to pick up a few items for you since you are starting daycare.  You seemed cool with the idea of wearing stripes.  

Here we were at the checkout.

2) First time visiting Mommy's work - on Monday, Mommy took you to her office to visit her work colleagues.  You saw Mommy's office, met some of her work peeps, and even attended your first business meeting with Mommy's director!  You found out firsthand that when Mommy goes back to work, she will be taking on a new role and managing analytics for Brita, the water filter stuff.  You were well behaved and they all think you are pretty adorable.  We also went to lunch at Specialtys with Mommy's work friend Auntie Teresa.

Here you were riding the elevator up to the 20th floor to meet Clorox's Analytic Insights' management team.  You seemed nervous...

3). First transition week at daycare - we started taking you to "school" the week of September 16th.  Because it was the first week, we brought you there for a little bit longer everyday for the week so you can get used to the new environment and being away from Mommy.  On Monday, both Mommy and Daddy went with you to see where you'll spend your days and meet your teachers, Miss Martha and Miss Xuan (who is actually a teacher for the older baby room, but she was there substituting for Miss Phouc, your other teacher).  On Tuesday, Mommy dropped you off and let you stay there by yourself for an hour.  You did great - no crying or fussing - even though Mommy got sad and cried a little after leaving you.  She went and got breakfast and coffee before coming back to pick you up.  On Wednesday, you were there for about 3 hours and then nearly 6 hours on Friday. In general, you seem to have settled in just fine...except for the fact that you're not quite used to the excitement and noise from the other babies, so you haven't been napping very much and would come home exhausted.  Hopefully you will get used to it soon so you can nap properly while at school!

Mommy had been preoccupied when dropping you off/picking you up, so she hadn't taken any pictures of your school. She will be better about it next week!

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

A Visit from Auntie Shauna

Dear Noah,

Auntie Shauna - another one of Mommy's dearest, oldest friends - came to visit you last week (Sep 5-7) from LA.  You LOVED meeting Auntie Shauna, smiling at her often while she held you, played with you and sang to you.

You guys hung out in our backyard while Mommy took a work call.  Look how happy you were, lounging in the shades!

Hopefully she will visit us again soon.  We love you, Auntie Shauna!

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

Sunday Brunch

Dear Noah,

A calm, happy Noah + beautiful Sunday morning = a walk with Daddy and Mommy to Park St for brunch!

Because it was a bit sunny, Daddy decided to give you his hat to protect you from the sun.  You looked good with the B hat!  Maybe we'll need to start getting you some Boston gear so you can root for the right teams.  :)

You napped during our walk over to Ole's, a quintessential diner here in Alameda, but you woke up once you got there and were intrigued by the sights and sounds of the bustling restaurant.

All the excitement meant you were tired and napped again on our way home.

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

Fascinated

Dear Noah,

About a week and a half ago (around week 7), you started having more quiet, alert moments when you observe or pay close attention to your surroundings.  

You enjoy looking at yourself in the mirror...

Or things that are black and white...

And you are very fascinated by things that are hanging above your head...

Mommy and Daddy love the last photo.  It's like you were at the aquarium or something.  :)

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

Finding Fingers (and Hands)

Dear Noah,

You have found your hands and fingers!  Mommy caught you putting them in your mouth here and there, and she has the following photos as proofs.

Yummm.

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

Jabs

Dear Noah,

You had your set of 2-month old vaccinations (or jabs, as the Brits would call them) last Friday at the pediatrician's.  You got 3 real shots (the nurse told Mommy they were of 1-inch needles, as though that would have made her feel better) and an oral solution.  You, for the most part, took them like a champ.  You only cried for a little bit and then calmed down after Daddy gave you the paci and held you.  Mommy was more upset seeing you get jabbed and actually cried more than you.  Silly Mommy, huh?

Here's a picture of the aftermath, after you were soothed and calmed by Daddy.

Here's a rather funny picture of you having fallen asleep after nursing, with the Cookie Monster bandages from the jabs on your legs...

You'll be getting shots basically every time we go to the pediatrician from now on.  Hopefully you won't be too bothered by them, just like at this appointment.

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

Party Animal

Dear Noah,

You went to your first birthday party yesterday!  It was your baby friend Owen's 1-year old birthday celebration (Owen is Mommy's friend Teresa's baby), and man, were you a party animal.  :)

Here you were hanging out by the food.

You decided to have some fruit...

...and some pizza.

Here's the birthday boy with his Mommy, Daddy and his baby cake while everyone sang Happy Birthday.  

You skipped out on the singing, but did have some cake afterwards.  Yum.

After the party, we went for a quick walk around Lake Merritt and then came home.  You hung out with Daddy still wearing the matching "Oaklandish" shirts that Mommy got him (and you) for his birthday.  I think you were a bit upset that Daddy was messing up the shot with his crazy hair.

You played on your playmat for a while before taking your late afternoon nap.  

You starting grasping onto things!  Look who has gotten a hold of the keys!

All in all, it was a pretty good day.  :)

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

2 Months Old

Dear Noah,

You're 2 months old today - look at how big you've gotten!

This is the "official" 2-month-old picture.

Here are a few "outtakes."  Clearly, we're still working with you on your muscle control.

Love,
Mommy & Daddy

Week 6

Dear Noah,

This week was exciting because your Auntie Rima - one of Mommy's oldest and best friends - came all the way from Atlanta to visit you.  It was so great to see her, and she was really excited to meet you.  You really liked hanging out with her too and flashed her a few cute smiles.  She helped feed you, changed one of your diapers (you peed on her), did tummy time with you, and also cooked for you...well, she cooked for Mommy and Daddy, which is almost the same as cooking for you.

Here are a few pictures of the two of you together.

New happenings/milestones this week:

• You started napping in your crib in your own room this week.  We still use the rice bag Pau Pau made you to make you feel safe.  

• You have been used to Mommy and Daddy rocking you to sleep up until now, but this week, we started putting you down in the evening and letting you fall asleep on your own.  You really cried at the beginning - Mommy and Daddy would come into your room to comfort you after 10 minutes, or sooner if you cried so much that you started turning purple - but after a few times you were able to fall asleep on your own.  We were so proud!  We started a bedtime routine that consists of nursing you, changing your diaper and into sleep-appropriate clothes (although sometimes Daddy would dress you in a onesie intended more for going out), and then rock or bounce you on the bouncy ball while singing a few songs.  Mommy would always sing "Rainbow Connection" and "Lullayby" (by Billy Joel) to you, whereas Daddy would sing whatever tickles his fancy.  Daddy also likes reading to you too but you would always start crying after a page or two.  After the singing, we'd put you down, kiss you good night and let you go to dreamland.  Even though sometimes you change schedule on us, we try to be consistent in doing these activities so you'd know it's night-night time.
• You started sleeping in longer stretches.  There were a few 4 and 5-hour stretches at night!  Woohoo!

Love,
Mommy & Daddy

Week 1

Dear Noah,

Your first week seems like such a long time ago now, even though it really has just been 7 weeks.  Because everything about you was so new to Mommy and Daddy, and we were, quite frankly, exhausted, those first days seem like a big blur.  Here's what M&D remember:

• You had your first pediatrician appointment (outside of her coming to visit you at the hospital) when you were 4 days old.  Mommy and Daddy were a bit nervous venturing out of the house (the first time!), but luckily your doctor's office is within walking distance from home so we were able to take you there in the stroller.  You had already regained what you lost and back up to your birth weight, which was amazing!  Everything was on the right track in terms of you being a healthy boy.
• You ate every 1.5-3 hours and slept in between feedings.
• Your first regular pee diaper came on day 5 (your pee had urate crystals in them before then).  Mommy and Daddy were so excited because we knew you were dehydrated.
• Your first non-meconium diaper came on day 6.  Mommy and Daddy were, again, very excited.  Who knew we could be so thrilled about pee and poop?
• Gung Gung and Pau Pau busied themselves everyday with grocery shopping and cooking for Mommy and Daddy so we could focus on taking care of you.  There were all sorts of soup and Chinese food deliciousness.
• Your Grandpa Len (Daddy's Daddy), Grandma Laura (Daddy's Mommy) and Uncle Ben (Daddy's brother) arrived on Friday of this week for your bris.  We would also have a mini party for you to celebrate the occasion.  

Here are a few pictures from your first week, after you came home:

You were so tiny!

Your stubbly toes, including a crooked one.  Ha.

On our way to the pediatrician's office for your first visit since coming home!

First time peeing on Daddy since coming home.  We left you sans diaper for a few minutes to air-dry your bottom.  You took full advantage of the opportunity, aimed and fired!

First bath.

You HATED it.

Happiest after eating.

Love,
Mommy & Daddy