Sunday, January 8, 2012

Dear Violet...

Could it really be January 8, 2012??  Could you really be 11 months old??  It really seems like yesterday when I was (suffering) in the hospital and wondering who you were going to look like...and wondering how much pain you were going to cause me during labor!  I've been feeling very nostalgic lately and thinking back to my first few days with you.  They were the happiest I've ever been...and most stressed I've ever been!  My world had been turned upside down and yet, I never wanted to look back.  One look at your sweet little face and my heart and soul were yours.

This past month, I've been doing a lot of chasing you around and picking up after you....when will you learn to pick up all your toys???  I'm ready for that stage!  But this past month, I've laughed so much because of you.  The older you get, the funnier you get...and you think you're pretty funny, too!  I definitely see a lot of my personality and your daddy's personality in you.  But there are plenty of times throughout each day that I think, "OMG.  Where do you get that from???"  So, I know you are definitely your own person as well....which I love...

Here are some of the things you've been up to this past month:
--You're not quite walking yet, but you're sooooo ready!  The most steps you've taken are 3...I know if you just let go and take off, you would totally walk circles around me...but something in you just isn't ready.
--You are a little piggie.  I'm pretty sure you consume the same amount of calories in a day that I do!  You love chicken, blueberries, toast with strawberry jam, bananas, crackers and most of all....CHEESE!!!  I'm pretty sure it's like baby crack to you.
--You still drink 3 bottles of formula a day, but we're going to cut that back this month.
--You still take one morning nap (9 am - 10 am) and one afternoon nap (1 pm - 3 pm) but I know you're going to phase out that morning nap pretty soon.  *sigh*  Even though you only nap for an hour in the morning, I feel like I get a lot done in that hour...like, enjoying my coffee while catching up on my celebrity gossip...
--You love giving kisses to your baby dolls and your stuffed animals.  You now even say, "Awwww" when you're hugging them.  Beyond. Sweet.
--Your bedtime routine has changed dramatically in just this past week.  We give you a bottle at 6:45, you're in your crib by 7 and you're asleep by 7:30.  Then you sleep through the night and wake up at 7 the next morning.  You have managed to start falling asleep on your own!!  YAY!!!  I didn't think I could love you any more than I already did, but this sleep schedule has made you a SAINT in my book!!    If you wake up in the middle of the night, you might whimper a little bit, but you stick your binky back in your mouth, cuddle your lamb, and fall back asleep.
--You now sleep with your lamb every night and sleep with a nightlight on....works like magic!
--We celebrated your first Christmas and your first New Year.  It was perfect.
--You LOVE other kids.  Connor came over yesterday, and you practically pounced on him when you saw him!  Everywhere he went, you were right behind him...actually, sitting right on top of him.  You also love other babies.  You want to touch them and kiss them...it's seriously the sweetest thing.  I guess I better get you in some sort of playdate soon!
--You point your finger to where you want to go.  You also like to point your finger up my nose when I'm feeding you a bottle.
--Right now you're saying, "Dada," "Mama," "Uh" (for Uh-oh), "Ba Ba" (for Bye Bye) and "Buh" (for Baby).  It's so cute when you drop something and say "Uh!" But not so cute when you keep dropping it and I have to constantly pick it up for you...
--You now often fall asleep in the car.
--You're in a bad stage for taking out to eat!  You're too distracted by everything going on around you so you don't eat and all you want to do is socialize with the other people....mainly the people on the other side of the restaurant.  So, you'll give them a shout out, then they look at smile at you, then you smile at them and now you think you all are best friends.  So that means, much more and much louder shout outs.
--You haven't picked sides yet, of whether or not you like me better or if you like Daddy better.  But you do get very excited when Daddy comes home from work.  If he doesn't drop everything and pay attention to you, you get very mad at him!!
--You still love to read (and eat) your books.
--You still love to clap your hands...for an accomplishment that you made!  You're your biggest fan!  :)
--You can play Patty Cake and instead of "rolling it up" you just shake your hands.
--You play peekaboo, but instead of covering your eyes, you cover your ears.  It's the cutest thing ever...

Every single day, you become more of a strong willed girl.  Every single day, you never cease to amaze me by your personality and by all your tricks!  Every single day, become sweeter than the day before.  I look at you, as I did the first time I held you, and I still think, "Can you really be mine?  How did I get so lucky?"  I've never been completely whole, until you entered my life.  Your Daddy and I love you to the moon and back.

Love,
Mommy

Playing outside w/o a coat in January! 
Looking very serious about your reading...

Playing your sax!  

Drowning in toys....




Such a lil fashionista!  :)












Snuggling with your lamb
Such a sweetie...

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Buh Bye, 2011...Hello, 2012!!

Could it really be possible that Christmas is over and 2011 is a complete blur??  This was, by far, the fastest that Christmas has ever come and gone for me.  I feel like every year, it passes in the blink of an eye, but this year, it literally did.  I woke up on Wednesday morning, December 21st, blinked, and now it's Tuesday, January 3rd.  Just like everyone else, our Christmas was packed with spending time with family.  We started celebrating on the 21st and didn't stop eating, I mean, celebrating, until yesterday!  

This was the best Christmas for Brad and me...thanks to Violet, of course!  She is at a really fun age right now.  She's not old enough to understand Christmas or even open the gifts by herself, but she definitely loved all the presents, all the parties and all the attention!  She walked away with a whole toy store and a whole new wardrobe.  She got so many gifts, it made me feel guilty.  Brad and I got her a mini grand piano and some other toys, along with the million toys given to her by grandparents, aunts and uncles, and I kind of wished we could take them all back and donate that money to a charity.  (Too bad we opened all the toys and she's claimed them by putting 8 layers of slobber on every square inch of the toy.)  I think next year we'll definitely get her less gifts and donate more.  

I think the best part of Christmas was seeing the happiness and joy on Violet's face as she got to see family and play with her cousins.  She's a very social baby and isn't the least bit shy and she LOVES other babies and kids.  So it was such a joy to see her excited and playful.  But another beautiful part of Christmas was seeing the joy on our family member's faces as they got to play with Violet.  This little girl brings so much joy to us and our family.  She really lights up a room with her smile and laugh.  She can make a gloomy day so bright and cheerful with one little snuggle on the neck.  I can already tell she has a good heart by the way she loves to snuggle and kiss her baby dolls.  

I remember starting 2011 with a lot of excitement, anticipation and anxiety with the upcoming birth of Violet.  This year, all I have is excitement, enthusiasm, and eagerness to see what 2012 will bring.  I've never been good at making and keeping resolutions, and I'm sure this year will be no different.  However, I want to make a solid effort to be better everyday...a better Christian, a better mother, a better wife, a better daughter, a better sister, a better friend...  I'm so thankful to God for all the blessings that He's given us.  I know that I need to be better at giving back to others as I have received so much in my life.  I know in order to raise a strong, kind and compassionate daughter, I have to be that example for her.  I wish nothing but happiness, contentment and gratitude for everyone in 2012!  

Violet and her Grandpa and her favorite toy...a remote control.

Giving Grandma some love...

Funniest bath face


Snuggling her doll from Eemo.  

My piano page turner
Lounging in her new chair

Best friends 
Too. Many. Gifts.

Future Juilliard student??

Nam, Violet and Pop

Can you tell she LOVES bath time??

Loves sticking her head under the faucet
First snow fall!!
Completely worn out
Present!  Whoo Hoo!!!




Violet snuggling with Natey Clause



Granny and Violet

Hey Sylvia, smell my shoe!!  


Our first Christmas as a family of 3







Connor and Santa



Thanks to my brother in law, Brian Choi, for taking the amazing pics (the first 15)!!