100 Days and Counting!

So much has happened in the past 3 and a half months. It's hard to believe that we survived it all. My new year's resolution is to start writing down more updates as up until now, finding time to write even a little tiny thing has been the furthest from my mind. To summarize, "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times".

BBH is a textbook baby that doesn't like to nap (as textbook as a baby can be anyway - hello, grow spurts!) Thankfully after the 2 month mark, we figured out how to nap and have settled into a traditional E.A.S.Y. pattern. The length of the naps, however, is still a mystery. Sometimes as short as 40 minutes, or randomly as long as 3 hours. Once she's down, I'm on the clock for "me-time".

2013 brought us our first uproarious giggle fit, and the beginning of 8-hour long stretches of sleep...in her own room! No more kangarooing, and no more co-sleeping. She loves taking selfies and squealing at her reflection in the mirror. This week, she started to wiggle her hips more and take an interest in her toes. Above all else, RAB loves to "stand". It's been her favorite activity since week 4. Coming in at a close second is bath time! Needless to say the "splash zone" has increased significantly since the early days.

As timing would have it, BBH's 100 days was January 1st. In Korean culture, the 100 days tradition (baek-il) is celebrated with a mini birthday party. You have piles of fruit, rice cakes and plenty of food for friends and family to come over to celebrate. Stemming from low survival rates, the 100 days celebration is first of many cultural milestones tied to the birthday. We were in the midwest for the holiday break, and had some beautiful white snow to play in for a festive photo shoot to commemorate the special occasion.

showing off her winter coat

waving to the paparazzi in her sherpa hat

Halmonee's Postpartum Rules

Halmonee is Grandma in Korean. And below are a combination of Korean old wives tales and my mother's own anecdotal postpartum rules from having 7 children. I thought I'd jot them down while I still remembered them so that I can be sure to *lovingly* nag my own daughters and daughter-in-laws in the future.

• Soup of any kind is the best for breastfeeding (seaweed soup is best).
• One must stay covered up at all times, to the point of sweating. 
• Socks must be worn at all times.
• Don't take large bites of hard objects, teeth will start to weaken.
• No reading or computer time, your eyes will get worse.

My mother has never spend more than 10 minutes in front of a computer her entire life so not sure how that one got in there, but her visits during the first two months were a godsend.

I understand now why new parents can seem so obsessed with their kids, smug even. It is without a doubt the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. To survive caring for a newborn is nothing short of a miracle - thus my complete absence from blogging for the past 3 months! But for now, a toast to all the mamas and papas before me as I raise this glass (of real alcohol!) to them.