Baby Milestone - Sixteen Months

These last few months Oliver has become more aware that he is an individual with his own thoughts and feelings. You can see it in his facial expression, and when he makes his "demands". There were a few very hard days when it seemed that nothing I did was what he had in mind, and he will throw himself to the ground and cry. Simple things that he used to just sign "please" or "more" all of the sudden seem like he never learned it. Everything was upsetting and he had zero patience for anything. I wondered how long it would last and what happened to my sweet little boy who now pushes me away when I try to kiss him.

Then a few days after, it's as if he realized that tactic didn't work...or maybe I just started to tell him "if you say please you'll get what you need right away." that he started to communicate with us again. Not only that, he also signs "Thank you!" He also started to enjoy sitting down then point to the spot next to him for you to sit. Or he will hear music and start dancing and spinning and wants you to join him. He also will pull my hand to take me to where he wants me to go, take the spoon or fork from my hand so he can feed himself. A new purchase of plastic bowls with suction cups on the bottom is a lifesaver for self-feeding. His favorite food now is oatmeal with peaches and blueberries. He also has decided he no longer needs bite sized food, and will take his fruits whole, and prefer taking a bite out of a meatball over smashing it up.

Oliver is still sleeping very well. While he was sick we put him to bed an hour early one night and found that he actually sleeps longer...almost 12 hours. He also takes a 2 hour nap from 1 to 3 most of the time. He sometimes wakes up crying, but I have found that bringing him some water when he wakes up is very helpful. It's funny that we have slowly adjusted our bedtime routine to be a fun family time. Instead of slowing him down we've actually been quite active, run around in circles in his room while clapping our hands, making funny voices while reading the same books (Freight Train,Spoon, and Polar Bear Polar Bear What Do You Hear are his favorites now) He no longer relies on the milk or the bottle. He'll drink the milk from a straw cup, play, read, run, then we blow out the 'moon" and he goes to bed. We are slowly introducing a pillow and blanket, but now he is still dressed in layers and socks to keep him warm at night. Lately I've been sneaking in the room to cover him with a blanket which I think helps keeping him sleep through the night. It's funny that he understands what sleep means because he started to sign sleep when he sees the bed. One night after dinner he signed sleep, and I thought "I better get him to bed soon! he is telling me he wants to sleep!" Today we went to the zoo, we saw a brown bear sleeping. So I signed to him that the bear is sleeping. By the time we got to the chimpanzees, Oliver saw a chimp laying down sleeping, he pointed to the chimp then signed "sleep". Wow....

Another huge milestone is our very casual attempt to potty train him. He's had 2 different potties that he played with for months and months. He likes sitting on them, or fill them up with water. Before bath is the perfect time to get him to sit on it without his diaper. In the last few months when he poops his diaper he sometimes will point to it to let me know he needs to be changed. And the doctor said that it was good that he is aware of what his body is doing. So in the last 2 months he has peed in the potty 3 times. Then yesterday he pooped in it! What a big achievement!

And by the way, he also started to give me kisses again.

Feeling Better

Both Oliver and I are feeling much better this week. His cold got better each day. He was probably tired of me wiping his nose every 2 seconds. His face had a scab under the eye and tip of his nose that also looked lighter and almost fully healed. As for myself, once I let it out I felt so much better. Sometimes that's all I need, a really good cry. It wasn't even like I was sad or anything, more tired and stressed I think. So I've been taking more time to make sure I eat and rest. And my latest tv obsession...netflix actually is the Showtime series Dexter-a show about a serial killer of other serial killers. If I can find the time to lay in bed and watch a show so far removed from reality, that's good times.

My mom is returning from Taiwan tonight after being away for 3 months. During this entire time I've only spoken to her once on the phone. The time difference plus the baby schedule made it hard to get connected. Mom and I, at least from my perspective, haven't had the greatest relationship. There's always some tension, fear on my end of disappointing her. I'm not sure where it came from, her comments always have affected me a lot. So it becomes a cycle where I am anxious in anticipation of what she might say, and then probably act weird around her and makes her feel the tension then say something that upsets me. If I saw the situation from a different perspective, I'd probably say how lame I am that I don't just enjoy her company. I think I always feel hopeful and want that, but find it hard to shake off old habits. Every year she goes to visit her family in Taiwan for a few months, and every time she returns is like another chance to start over. So hopefully this time it'll stick. The good news is my dad and I always end up bonding while she is away. I think maybe our personality if more similar, or that he is just more easy going...it wasn't always like that. I was so close to my mom and fearful of dad. Who knows what happened, I grew up and wanted to rebel maybe. She's seeing her daughter who no longer needs her, and she is hanging on tighter. Now that I have my own child, I can understand that. Oliver these days will not hug or kiss me and it makes me sad, but I know it's because he associates that with saying good bye...so in his own way, I know he loves me. I hope even when he is older I'll be able to have the same understanding.

Just about me...almost

These past week has been very tough on me. It all started when Oliver and I got into a car accident. It felt like one of those scenes in the movie where everyone else can see the car is about to hit you but you. Luckily no one was hurt. I don't even think Oliver realized what had happened. We were on our way home after visiting Chris at the office. A normal Friday afternoon interrupted by someone who was in a rush to go somewhere. He didn't even want to give me any of his information. I was intimidated and knew that I couldn't just let him leave without giving me something. I did manage to get a phone number, and he was truthful about the car not being his. He did however lied about his mom being in the hospital and that he had to leave. Things got worked out for the next few days with insurance and renting a car. I was surprised by how easy the insurance company have made it for us.

I think with that happening, I had to readjust my schedule and plans. It's not something I enjoy in my days. Everything is already so out of my control, having something like a car accident really throws me off. I had to reschedule a meeting I set up with a new potential design job. And leave the house after Oliver goes to bed for my meeting. It was strange to go out by myself at night. I couldn't remember the last time I did that. The meeting went really well. The name of the company is OLIVE U and the owner Jennifer needed someone to design appliques for her. She had received many referrals, but felt that I was right for the job. And so far she's been extremely happy with my work.

This past weekend was the Halloween party for the moms club. I'm enjoying being part of the club, mostly the outings that I don't need to come up with myself. It's nice to have some more mom friends to talk to. So far there are a few moms I enjoy talking to. Others are a little more intimidating. I think they are the ones that I feel like I have to really work on making conversations with them. I guess I don't really have to try that hard. I can't expect to get along with everyone, and the few that do seem more friendly towards me are enough for the short time we hang out with the babies. The party was nice and I was friendly with everyone. The highlight, although bums me out a bit, was a young boy telling me what a "sorry looking banana costume" I had on. One that I spent hours making and was very proud of. He didn't agree. I also made Oliver's Tarzan costume, which worked out pretty well.



Oliver got sick the next day. It could have been the other kids at the party, or when it cooled down for the evening. He had a runny nose and slight fever. When he gets sick he likes to be held a lot, so it was hard physically to keep carrying him. I'm happy to do it, but I can feel that all the holding and chasing him around has really taken its toll on my body. And being so close to him too puts me at great risk of getting sick also.

I can feel myself getting more sensitive to everything happening throughout the day. I felt anxious, tired, hopeless at times. I realize how stressful my job is to take care of Oliver. There's never a break, and even when he goes to bed, there's still more work to be done. Weekends don't matter either. It just never stops. Don't get me wrong, I love every minute of it. I think it's not that I don't want to do it. My body and emotions are just tapped out. I try to give 100% all the time, and I can feel that it's slipping down. It's not even about getting more sleep. I guess it's about making the time to give myself a break, both physically and emotionally.

Then yesterday, Oliver took a big fall in the backyard which left his nose and cheek bruised. He is fine, but along with the cold and teething he looks like a mess. Amazingly he is still in good spirits. Lately he started to push and pull me to where he wants me to go. He loves to see me sweep and vacuum. He keeps me moving all day long. We have discovered a children's museum nearby and joined the membership. So now we have the zoo, and the museum to go to whenever we can schedule it in. I've found that I much rather be out with him and let his surroundings entertain him than just me. It's probably better for him anyway. Although he never turns down a ride on the toy giraffe around the house while I pull him.

So...I had a break down. I cried while feeding Oliver dinner and expressed to him how tired I was. And he laughed at my tears, which made me realize maybe it's not that big of a deal. He gave me a hug, and it made me cry even harder. I just needed to release all the tension I've been suppressing. Because all of these days I have shut myself down so I don't have any needs to be fulfilled for myself. It's not a good plan because it just made life so much harder. I'm not sure what I'll do differently, but I know Oliver will benefit more from a mom who is more relaxed and takes care of herself.

In Transition

It seems that both Oliver and I are in a transition, we are both well on our way to figuring out who we are right now. We both have a lot going on each day, and luckily it's been mostly good. Actually there are very little not so great moments, but mostly it's because we are both tired.

I'll start with Oliver. Like most things now in my life, he comes first. It's like an automatic switch has been turned on where I don't even have to pause to see the world through his eyes. he has trained me well to meet his needs before all others. He is smart, I have 33 more years of experience than he does and he never hesitates to ask for help. Now that he knows how to sign "please" and the overly used "more", he can get just about anything. I hope I don't sound like I'm complaining. I'm not. His happiness is closely tied to mine. And even at times when I do feel like complaining, it's only when I'm exhausted.

Oliver is back in the new semester of music class. He's been a bit shy around the new kids in class, so he's been holding me very tight around the neck with his chubby cheek pressed against my. Then the teacher brings out a new music instrument, he'd go over to see what it is. This class has really shown me the mellow and curious side of him. When other kids want to push him out of the way, or grab a toy from him, he just observes and not react negatively. He dances to his own rhythm, sings when he feels like joining in, and hangs out by the corner so he can get a good view of the entire space. He is independent, and has many ideas of his own.



Other times he is the life of the party. When he goes to visit Dad at the office, he walks around unsupervised and finds his way. He plays his favorite game peek-a-boo with anyone who is interested, and visits his uncle Brumby for the little solar powered toy plant. He has no problem finding things to keep himself entertained, and loves to pick rocks from the atrium and give them to his Dad. It's funny that just a few months ago he can walk underneath Chris's desk, but now he needs to watch out or he'll bump right into it. I'm guessing he's about 33, 34 inches tall now.

Before Oliver's nanny Michelle finished up working for us, I wanted to make sure that Oliver would take his naps in his crib. It was easier when Michelle came that she can walk him in the stroller while I do my work around the house. However, I just can't walk that much in a day, especially when we like our morning walk as a family about 2 miles round trip to get coffee on Sunset Blvd. Oliver not only naps well in his crib, he has also transitioned himself from 2 naps (9:30, 1:30) to 1 nap at 1pm for 2 hours! It's been consistent and wonderful for me. Even though at first I didn't know what to do with all that time, I soon learned to just stop and rest. He often wakes up laughing, talking and singing (which meant he had a great nap). And that makes me very happy.

Oliver's also has moved from the bottle for milk to a sippy cup. And the high chair to eating at a small table and chair set I got from IKEA. He can get up on the chair himself, and I am teaching him to stay seated while he eats his meal. These days he can't live without bread and fruits. And he can eat bananas all day if I allowed it. He calls them mama! He is also well on his way to feeding himself with a spoon. It's funny to watch him chase the food around.

On Sundays, Oliver goes to his swim class. Even though it's only 15 minutes each week, he is making really good progress. He has stopped crying through the classes, and is having a great time with the instructor Lana. It often seems like he doesn't want to leave, and he waves to her goodbye. Now he has no problem jumping into the water, and float on his back.



The biggest change is Oliver's ability to imitate actions. Sometimes you just have to show him once and he learns how to do it. Some of things he enjoys doing now is spinning till he falls down dizzy, drawing with crayons, bath himself with soap and fill a cup with water to rinse his body, throwing away his dirty diapers (now I don't even have to follow him to the trash can) and using the hand sanitizer afterwards, helping me with laundry by putting the dirty clothes in the hamper, or pushing the clothes into our front loading dryer, he loves to water the plants with a watering can, clean up with the broom or vacuum (not well enough to actually clean, but he likes to try), He loves to throw the ball, and getting better at t-ball.



So last week, October 3rd to be exact, Oliver gave me the first real kiss on the cheek before he went to bed. It was the sweetest little kiss. I was so happy and excited, I started to cry. Of course I did! Wow, it was wonderful. Since then he's given me many more kisses and hugs, but I'll always remember that first time. : )

These days I still take Oliver to the LA zoo every chance I get. We must have gone there over 10 times this year. He loves seeing the animals, collect leaves, and just explore the land.



Now on to myself. First of all, I slept really well last night. Everything seems to be working in a good rhythm. I'm able to do all the chores with Chris and Oliver helping me whenever they can. My new freelance design job is going really well. My friend Corri and I worked very well together back when we both were at Disney, and now even though he is in Colorado, we are able to get so much done through our phone, email, and video chat. I am able to get some more urgent projects done while Oliver is napping. The rest of the work I do after he goes to bed for 2-3 hours. At first that felt very stressful. Between taking care of Oliver (which takes more energy than ever to keep up with him), taking care of the house (chores, running errands, overseeing home improvement projects), I really don't get any time to rest. Because as soon as one stops, the other picks up. By the time I finish making dinner, it's time to hop on the computer. It really was overwhelming.

This past week, I took on even more. I was helped some friends designing flyers for their kids' school.They loved my designs, and I realized that in the future it would be helpful to tell any potential schools Oliver might want to get into that I can do flyers and t-shirts.

The other thing was that I finally signed up to join the Moms Club of West Hollywood. Our friend and neighbor Carla is the VP of the club, she's been asking me to join since I met her almost a year ago. I was very hesitant because I knew it would involve me doing some design or cake decorating from time to time. And even though I am someone who loves to help out, you can understand my hesitation by how much I already have on my plate. After asking them to swap baby sitting while Chris and I went to the Hollywood Bowl for a Kylie Minoque Concert (which was really fun and an amazing show!) I thought it was time to join the Moms Club. I just had to get it out of my head that it was going to be "work", instead remind myself that it's a group to support each other. So a few days ago I attended our first meeting. Oliver had fun playing with the other babies, and I had a chance to be informed by a guest speaker about private elementary schools. I also joined the event planning committee to talk about our Halloween party. I volunteered to bring cupcakes, design the evite, and a background for a photo booth at the party.


Since then there's been many email exchanges with my new friends who all are very nice. I think this is a good opportunity to let my guard down and not assume I know how the club will affect my life. I believe I will relax more and start to really enjoy the benefits of having that support, especially now that I'm taking care of Oliver all day and working part time.

A quick photo update: Chris was a part of his friend Dave's wedding last month. It was a nice wedding at the Pasadena City Hall, a beautiful spanish court yard with an amazing fountain. The highlight of the whole experience was a photo booth they set up for the guests. We had fun posing as you can see.



I haven't taken new photos of the new room set ups after we made the switch, but this is the view I'm looking at now while I sit on the bed comfortably with a laptop. Oliver is taking a nap at the moment, and the birds are chirping...life is good.

Makeover!!

My good friend from Art Center is getting into doing make up for people. Since I have an upcoming wedding to attend, she took some time after Oliver went to bed to teach me how to do it over video chat. Here are the before and after. I think she did an amazing job! I can't wait to try it out again this weekend and will take lots of photos.

Baby Milestone - Forteen Months, and other updates

I really should update the blog more often...but then again my list of things to do seems to only get longer. It's been a great month. Oliver is still amazing!!! He is such a happy baby. He is so helpful around the house. He loves to throw away his dirty diaper or any trash. He puts the dirty laundry in the hamper. He knows to be careful when he closes a door or cabinet to not pinch his finger, but even if he does he shows me where it hurts. He's been signing more and now signs please and sometimes thank you. He definitely understands everything I tell him. I love watching him problem solve when it comes to reaching for something or how to hold on to what he wants and still grab something else. Physically he is still growing big and tall. He also has an amazing head of curly hair that everyone adores.

This past month, Oliver's been doing better and better in his swim class. He is able to float on his own! And he went from crying throughout most of his 15-minute class, to last weekend with no tears. He was having such a good time in the water and felt so comfortable, I think he was sad to leave. Another big adventure was that we attended my old friend Lenny's daughter's 4th birthday party. They had a petting zoo and pony ride at a park in Tehachapi where they lived. It was a long 2-hour drive to get there, but worth the trip to not only see my good friends, but to see Oliver having a great time.

A few days ago we decided to switch our bedroom with Oliver's room. It was so that he can have a quieter and warmer space. So now our bedroom has the french door entrance to the backyard. And we are loving the new set up and convenience. We have a few other updates lined up to make the home even more comfortable and more usable space. It's great that even after all these years we can still make small changes to the house but have a big impact. It's evolving as our needs have changed, and it's good to know we can definitely enjoy the home we love for many more years.

This past Monday was also our nanny's last day. We had given her 2 months to find a new job, and it worked out that she left 2 weeks early to a family with 2 older children. We will see her often still when we have date nights or morning appointments. I'm glad that we had her for as long as we did and I was able to get the things I need to get done completed. It'll be great to save that money. And speaking of money, I have just been hired by an good friend from Disney to do some design work. It could potentially be a long term deal, so I'm very excited about the extra income.

My website is also completed an has been well received. I'm so glad I got it done and now I have a place to continue updating with more of my projects.

More to come...

Baby Milestone - Thirteen Months, and other updates

So after the wonderful birthday celebration, Oliver had his first doctor visit as a "toddler" when he got more vaccination shots. One of which made him get a fever and rash. We were so worried since one of the shots was in the headlines a lot for links to autism. Our doctor says not to worry, but that's useless telling first time parents. Turns out all the side-effects were normal and went away after a few days. However, Oliver had a cold, then we all got sick for 2 weeks.

Oliver now weighs 22 lbs, and is 31 inches tall! Catching up to me very soon. He is very strong too, pulling himself up with only his upper body strength. And he is walking all over the place and climbing 2 flights of stairs every morning in front of the Crunch Gym at the corner of Sunset and Laurel Canyon. He pretty much understands everything I tell him and helps out with putting his dirty diaper in the trash and laundry in the hamper. However, he also has figured out he can scream and cry when I do something he doesn't like.

So Chris and I decided to let our nanny go by the end of September. It was good that since she's been with us I got to work on my book to help new moms, and took the cake decorating class, but the rest of the time I felt like I was creating work to stay busy while she spent time having fun with Oliver. So now that we've set a date, I'm actually using her time better. I'm in the process of putting together a website for myself to show all of my design work, cakes, t-shirts, home decorating stuff, and my book that I finally finished.



We were also looking into finding a bigger home in South Pasadena thinking that we plan ahead for the good school district. We started to look and were disappointed with what we saw. None of the houses have big back yards like we do. Or if people have done updates on their homes, they didn't do a good job at it. And the prices were so high too, and we're just not ready to make a commitment like that. So instead, we are making some smaller updates to our home to freshen it up. So that's been fun too trying to repurpose and redecorate.

Chris has been doing great at work, directing his latest music video for Selena Gomez. It is so good!!! The first time I watched it in rough cut I cried. I can't wait till it's on tv and see how people react to it. I know people will love it and make Selena a big music star!

Happy Birthday OLIVER!!!!!

Can Oliver be any more awesome? He is really one of the coolest person I know, and I get to spend all day with him. I'm so lucky!

Oliver just turned one on Thursday. And all the days leading up to it has brought me many joyful and teary-eyed moments thinking about how much he has grown. He's quite an accomplished one year old. Walking, singing, helping out with clean up, eating and sleeping well. There's not one night that past in the last year that I didn't say "what a good baby!" And he continues to amaze me with his curious and adventurous personality.

Although he says baba, dada, mama, and gaga, he understands pretty much everything I tell him. He can point to the object or location I'm referring to, and often the action. And he understand them in Chinese and in English! It is true that babies are like a sponge. He now imitates actions too, which is super cute.

The night before his birthday I stayed up late to finish making his birthday cake. I kept thinking I just want him to know the next morning it's a very special day. I set up all of his favorite toys in the living room, and blew up a few balloons and left them around his play area. We took our regular morning walk, but we went to a Starbucks instead because it was closer to home and we had something else planned after the walk. Oliver was excited and curious about the new setting. And the new outdoor couch he got to sit on while looking at the dogs nearby. He was taking huge bites out of a banana, and bang his hands on the metal table expressing his excitement.

After the walk we got in the car and drove to the Grove. It was also the Farmer's Market's 75th year anniversary. There was a cake that looked like the clock tower, and a stage set up for the celebration. Oliver got to see the USC marching band, and everyone sang happy birthday (we'd like to think it was for Oliver). After that we played around on another stage and near a water fountain. Oliver had fun walking around and didn't want to leave.

Shortly after getting home it was time for his nap. He woke up to his a-gon a-ma greeting him. They had fun playing as always. And grandma brought him some birthday gifts which he played with the next day. Chris got home early from work for the next gathering with GrandaD and Joan, and cousin Colleen. We set up a play area in the backyard and had some food. It was very relaxing. Joan took lots of pictures, and dad had fun playing with Oliver.

It was a really long and busy day for Oliver. He was such a good sport, operating on a single nap (he's been in transition from 2 to 1 nap) and he was so tired by the end of the day he even laid down on his bedroom rug in his birthday suit before his bath. He slept just ok that night. I think he was probably over stimulated and over tired, but I think he had a great first birthday.

He has another party coming up this weekend with more friends and family. And I'll have another cake to decorate. Fun!

Thank you Oliver for your smiles and laughter. Happy Birthday!!

More cakes!

I've been really enjoying my cake decorating class. Each week it gets a little bit easier, and I get more adventurous with my designs. Here are the latest cakes I've made:


This is the cake for Oliver's first birthday. I almost didn't make one because I had another cake that I just made for class. I'm glad I didn't get lazy and just had a cake that was not made especially for him. It turned out really cute. It was a carrot cake with Buttercream icing for the water and grass. Then I made a lily pad out of homemade marshmallow fondant, and gum paste frog with marshmallow eyes. The sign is cut Special K chocolate meal bar with icing lettering. And then there are the gold fish crackers. Oliver was very excited about the frog when he saw it!


This is my first fondant covered cake. I made the fondant from a marshmallow recipe (it was fun making it, much easier than I expected) We were supposed to make an 8x8 square cake, but I didn't have a pan. So I decided to make it with my 8" round cake and cut away the sides in to a square. I doubled up the layered and make a 5 inch cube. The design for the class was to cover it with flower shaped fondant cut outs, but I went for the more modern simple dots instead. And a Tiffany-ish blue ribbon.


This was the final cake for Course 3. All the flowers are piped royal icing. The ruffle was really hard to do, but learning how to stack and secure the tiers was fun.


This was a father's day cake for Chris. He liked lemon cake, so I did a lemon slices line art in a brownish yellow color. I was very shaky making the outlines, but I like the style of it, and would try to practice more in this style of cake decorating.

It's official, Oliver is walking!

After a week of testing out the water, Oliver started walking a few feet at a time yesterday June 20th (11 months and 4 days old). Up to that point we would only catch glimpses of it out of the corner of our eyes. We were convinced he was secretly walking, and only crawls to keep us from not picking him up.

This morning during our usual routine of me making breakfast in the kitchen and Oliver watching his sign language video (By the way, he can sign milk, eat, all done, and his new favorite animal-dog) I watched from the kitchen as he walked around the living room holding a balloon. It was the cutest things I've ever seen.

I've also noticed today that he didn't want to be picked up as much. Oh...how quickly things change.

Happy Birth+Mother's Day to Me!

This year my birthday fell on the same day as Mother's day. Since I've been taking the cake decorating class, I thought it was a good chance to show off my skills to the family. I even decided to make all the food. Here's our Sunday Brunch menu:

Soy Chorizo Burrito with Cheese and Refried Beans, topped with Enchilada sauce
Egg White and Turkey Sausage Frittatas with Parsley
Fresh Baked (Pillsbury) Croissants brushed with butter and topped with Parmesan cheese.
Fresh cut fruits
And Natural Italian Soda from Whole Foods in Pink Grapefruit, Blood Orange, and Tangerine

The larger cake is a yellow cake with chocolate frosting, both from a sugar free cake and frosting mix.

The cupcakes are angel food cake. the recipe has been altered with egg whites and apple sauce so it's lower in fat.

We all had a wonderful time, and everyone loved the food and the decor. Needless to say it was truly a happy day!

Baby Milestone - Eleven Months

So much has happened in this past month. Oliver took his first swim lesson with his dad on June 7th. He did so great! (and Daddy did good too.) He went completely in the water and floated on his back, even crawled across a floating bridge. He seemed nervous and held on to Daddy very tight, but never cried. This week he'll be back again, I hope he is looking forward to it.

Oliver also took his first few steps on June 12th. They were tiny little steps, but he look so cute doing it. It's funny that he only does it when no one is watching. I think when he sees us, he knows we'll pick him up. So he goes back to crawling, which gets him around the house very fast.

We've started showing him a dvd for sign language. Each morning he watches the show while having some Special K corn flakes. He also needs his favorite drums nearby, so he can play the drum while the songs are playing on TV. And just over a week, he started to sign Milk, and lately he does the "all done" sign when he is full after a meal. He also signs dog, which comes in handy because he's been very friendly with the neighborhood dogs.

Our little boy not only loves to play the drums, he also loves to sing. When we go for our morning walks, sometimes he'll sing in his stroller while checking out the scenery. We also sing together in the bath, and pretty much any time he is in a good mood. Although he mostly says BaBaBa, he has discovered he can change his pitch. He can hit quite a few high notes.

It's amazing that he is truly a little person now with his own thoughts and ideas. He loves to point to things that he doesn't know the name for. Or he points to the places he wants to go. He can communicate so well. He also has started to share with food and put away his toys.

I can't wait to see what he does next! running? talking? oh my...

What has Ann been up to, that's not baby related.

So somehow this blog has become an update on what Oliver has been up to. Hey! get your own blog Oliver! (Just kidding, mommy loves you) I thought before I enter another milestone update. I should write down my latest projects.

During the first few months of Oliver's arrival. I had a really hard time adjusting to my new life. Postpartum depression hit me pretty hard, and I had trouble coping with being a stay at home mom. All that seem like so long ago, and I've since recovered and feeling 95% like my old self. The other 5% is my never ending nursing and pumping schedule that keeps me close to home. And the other is waking up at 5:30 am each morning and taking a 2 mile walk with Chris and Oliver.

The hard days have inspired me to write a guide book with tips to help new moms. I had one draft that was put to use when our friends Corri and Kristin were about to have their baby. Brielle was born the next day after an "in-home consultation". She must think her mom is a fast learner. I tried out the book on another new mom who also has a little Oliver. Both times I felt great helping someone going through a tough transition in their life. I was surprised that I have somehow made myself an expert at this subject. On and off I found time to rework the book and redesign it. It's been on hold for a little bit because of other projects, but I will get back to it for sure. My plan is to find a publisher as soon as it's finished.



I've also started to take cake decorating classes. I've been watching all the cake decorating shows on Food Network thinking "I can do that!" I found a class at Michael's craft store, and I have completed course 1, 2, and now taking course 3 making tiered cakes. I was never a fan of eating frosting, but now I'm making frosting and baking cakes almost every week. I am enjoying it a lot. The ladies in my class are all very nice, and they like to sing along to the music inside the store while piping frosting to a cake! I will be using this new skill to make the most awesome birthday cakes for Oliver!

Here are some "practice" cakes I've done.







And my latest project is designing a logo for my sister who is trying to open her own nightclub/restaurant in Shanghai. She's been an amazing jazz musician for many years, and it's time she takes a big step. We emailed back and forth and came up with the name Shanghai La Vida. After a few rounds of designing and revision. I'm still working on putting together a presentation for her while she looks for investors. Fingers crossed she'll soon be a happy club owner. Here's the final logo:



And last, we've just started to look for our next house. It's something we've talked about, but it always feels like it's a long time away. Now that Oliver is almost one, we are starting to think about where to move to so he can get the best education. That will keep me busy for a while I'm sure. I can't even think about packing and moving right now.

Until next time...here's another baby milestone update.

Baby Milestone -Ten Months

Hello Everyone! Oliver just had his 10 months old check up this morning. He did extremely well. Starting with laying and sitting still for the nurse to take his measurements. He now weighs 20 lbs 12 oz., 29.8 inches tall. His head circumference is 45 cm.

He still has a little cold and cough, but it's all in his nasal passage and not in the lungs. He has 2 new teeth on top, and 2 more about to pop out on the bottom.

Other big developments are:

1. He understands the words "where is" "ball" "toothbrush", there would be toys all over the floor, but when I ask for the ball, he crawls over and touches it. He also love to open and close doors. And he understands that in English and Chinese!

2. He can walk with little support, some times only being held by one hand.

3. He likes to pick up food and feed himself. Chicken and avocado still is his favorite. He also enjoys pinto beans and broccoli.

4. He loves to play the drum or anything he can hit like a drum. We learned from a visit to a musician friend's house that Oliver is also excellent with the tamboreen with good form, and made a few sounds on the harmonica!

5.He loves to play hide and seek. He starts the game by going behind a wall or the couch, waits for you to look, than peek his head around with a big smile. He also hides behind you if you are sitting on the floor. He may even give you a back massage.

6.He likes to play chase and have you crawl behind him.

7.He also figures out how to turn the walker so he can keep moving! So he is all over the house with the walker. Nothing can stop him now.

8. He can say baba dada mama and blow air out to make his lips vibrate. He often sings little tunes, and I like to sing along with him.

9. He will dance to any music and clap.

10. He like to wave, often with both hands at the same time. Or I suspect he is being sarcastic and making air quotes.

The doctor said he is thriving and showing developmental skills months beyond his age. So as if you don't already know, we think he is perfect!

Baby Milestone -Nine Months

Doesn't he look like a big kid? At 9 months, Oliver has truly become a very interesting little person. His personality is starting to show through. And he is laughing and smiling more than ever. Most of the week he spends part of his day at the park nearby with other kids. There are quite a few baby girls who just want to hug and kiss him. He also enjoys bonding with the boys and does his signature pointing gesture when he sees them. It really helps that he is crawling like a pro and doing more walking with the walker. He has also figured out how to stand on his tippy toes, which makes reaching for things much easier for him, but more work for mommy to baby proof the house. He has also mastered playing peek-a-boo by lifting up a blanket to cover himself, or hide behind the wall or couch and wait for us to find him. He also loves to play chase and crawl after him. With every game he always cracks up laughing so hard his eyes get so squinty. I love his giggly laughs!

Oliver got to spend a little bit of time at the Santa Monica beach one afternoon. It was a very hot day and I had an optometrist appointment on the west side. It just made sense to bring him and the nanny along to get some ocean breeze. It was so spontaneous, but a wonderful time. Oliver loved to play in the sand and feel the cold water splashing on him. He didn't even care he was soaking wet and covered in sand. Needless to say he had a great nap on the way home.

Oliver continues to enjoy trying new food. We went to a taco party at my old boss's house. Mmmm....they were the best tacos made fresh with all the toppings. Oliver liked them too. He got to have some chicken, pork and little pieces of tortilla. He even got to put on a bib that says "I LOVE TACOS!"

Another exciting thing is that now he can sit in a shopping cart! So I took him to Target one afternoon. We started out going very slow, once he got the hang of it, he knew where to hang on. He really enjoyed the view from the cart, and everyone got to see his curious little face. He did really well, and we picked up a pair of swimming shorts for him that day.

The weather is warming up, I'm sure we'll be having more outdoor fun in the coming months.

Baby Milestone -Eight Months

Growing and growing. Ollie now weighs 19.9 lbs and has grown an inch up to 29 inches long. His head also grew a centimeter, Probably because we always tell him how cute he is. He is crawling all over the house and pulling up to standing. He can let go and stand for a few seconds unsupported. So we are thinking he will be walking soon! He has two more teeth coming out.

The doctor gave us the ok to start giving him finger foods. So I chopped up some chicken and avocado and waited to see his response. We've got a great video of it, he was curious and seemed interested in the texture of it. It took a few days before he started to get the hang of having solid food in his mouth. Some of his other favorites are salmon with spinach and rice, and scrambled eggs or cottage cheese for breakfast.

On March 14th, we took a trip to San Diego to visit grandma. We took Oliver to the zoo. This is our first trip with him as a crawler. We found a hotel that has a kid's room attached so Oliver can go to sleep early in his own room. It was nice to have the room divided, but we still had to be creative and hang sheets to block out the light coming from our side of the room. Mommy figured out a way to use the sink as a food station, even used the bottle warmer as a sterilizer for the washed bottles. Oliver had a great time checking out all the animals at the zoo, but I think the real fun for him was crawling around in his room like a new playground.

A new game I came up with this month was blanket surfing. After 8 months being in the same living room, it was time to invent some new ways to play. Oliver loves to be on the move, so being pulled around a blanket was great fun for him. We also lined up the dinning room chairs to make a tunnel to crawl through. He didn't know mommy can be so silly sometimes.

Baby Milestone -Seven Months

The difference between 6 and 7 months is huge. On February 8th, Oliver had his first "crawl". He was in his room, while Chris and I sat on the chair watching him struggle. He was determined and had his eyes on the toy near my foot. It took about 5 minutes for him to army crawl and frog leap over to the toy that was about a foot away. We were so happy for him, and felt slightly bad for his frustration. Then each day that passed, he moved a little farther, a little faster. In the mornings we'd read together on the rug in his room. He'd crawl closer to grab the book, and I'd rotate just a little to the right and we move in sync like the arms of a clock...that went on for a few more days until one morning, Oliver crawled away towards his toy box. He proceeded to pull it out and try to pull himself up and look inside. I panicked for a moment and thought "I need to baby proof the house ASAP!"

Since then Oliver has been moving around the house, trying out new moves, going from crawling to sitting (super strong abs!), trying to pull himself up to standing. He aimed right for the power outlet, he moves to the front door and tries to reach the door knob. He has definitely discovered this new ability to move, and is on an adventure around the house.

It wasn't long before I found him sitting up in his crib, holding onto the side of the bed. It's a sad sight, but also very adorable. He also has no fear of heights. Chris tosses him in the air, swing him around, and Oliver just loves it and laughs the whole time.

Oliver has also been trying to talk. For days he would make the "bbbb" sound and blow out air. 3 days later, he finally got "baba!" out of his system. I've also heard "googoo" and lots of other sounds like feels like they're words making up a sentence.
His bottom tooth finally came out, and another on it's way with 2 more on top.

I think Oliver is a little multi-tasker, don't you think?

Work In Progress

Counting the first month I took off work before Oliver's birth, I've been home for about 8 months. I can't believe how much time and how quickly the days have gone by. Baby brain is still making things easy to forget, but I do know it's been difficult making adjustments to my new life. Oliver continues to do well and making great strides. He's happy, healthy, and has been a wonderful sleeper. I have no complaints except for occasionally he likes to chew on my hair and pull on them.

Myself on the other hand has been on a roller coaster ride that I'm hoping to get off soon. It's as if when I gave birth I used not only my physical strength to endure labor, but I also lost some of my emotional strength. It's understandable that with the hormones going crazy, a little bit of postpartum depression is to be expected. I just didn't think I'd have such a hard time adjusting. It is so much better than the first few months, but there are still some lingering issues I need to deal with.

As the months go by, a little bit of my old self comes back. I've lost all the baby weight. I've been cleaning and organizing the house from top to bottom. I've got all of our taxes done early. I even finished a book project with practical tips to help other first-time moms. I've got a great set up with a nanny who comes 3 times a week so I can get chores and errands done. A cleaning lady who helps with the kitchen, bathrom, and the floors, the gardeners come every week too. All that's left for me to do is focus on taking care of Oliver and the household stuff.

So when I was still feeling anxious and frustrated, I didn't know why or what to do. Is it my need to have control, or my inability to relax and enjoy people helping me? Do I miss having a career? Why don't I see taking care of Oliver as being productive? Is it too early to try to find answers, maybe I need to wait they'll surface on their own?

I finally searched online for "adjusting to being a stay at home mom". I was surprised by how many other moms shared the same confusion. We all were good at doing tasks and finishing projects that shows clear results that can be measured. Taking care of a baby and making him happy is the result, but so often it's credited to the baby being born with an easy temperament. Or, the result of all the hard work will reveal itself 18 years from now.

Work in progress, transitioning, adjusting. Whatever it's called I'm right in the middle of it and can't see very clearly where I'll end up. It's not a place I enjoy and I have to remind myself not to over think things. I did make some progress. I realized that I've spent so much time working on being the best "ME" I can be to society, to my family, my job, I'm stuck in that mode. And with my new mom title, I just want to be the best mom I can be. I don't know why I see them as 2 separate roles, but as of right now I'm feeling the pressure of trying to pick a side.

I may be I'm one of those people who believes you have to struggle for the end result to be worthy of the time and suffering. Just like my 22 hour labor without an epidural, I wanted to experience childbirth with every painful contraction only to end up in a c-section. Maybe a part of me still haven't resolved those feelings, that instead of seeing the result of having a healthy baby and healthy mom, I am focused on not able to carry out something I planned for 9 months. So I agonized over whether to return to work or stay home. And who will take care of the baby if I went back to work. I'm stressing over not doing "enough" for being home. And sees being home as me being lazy or not driven, and having help as me not adequate enough to do it all myself. There is the part of me that feels undeserving of the luxury and guilty for the freedom. All these emotions feels unnecessary if I can just accept that things are different now and my "plan" has to evolve too. And it is, and I am. It's just uncomfortable in the process.

So what I really should learn from this is to be more like Oliver. He has no plans, he takes one day at a time. He doesn't suppress any of his emotions. He asks for help when he needs it. He tries new things everyday. He learns new skills and practices them. He laughs at whatever life throws at him. He knows he is loved and is very happy to share his love with a big smile. I should remember these lessons. It makes you wonder why he has chosen this time to be in my life.

Baby Steps

When Oliver was about 2 months old, I started reaching out to friends who recently had babies for advice. I was having a hard time recovering from the delivery. With the lack of sleep, and me being stubborn about doing the same tasks I used to around the house, my energy and spirit was at my all time low. When you are in that position and the hormones working against you, it is really hard to see the experience of having a baby as "enjoyable". I loved Oliver more than anything, but I did not love the way I felt each day.

After getting some encouragement from those who have been through it, I had to think positive that things will get better. During that time I started to think about writing a helpful guide for first time moms to survive the first 3 months after birth. There were so many things I learned during that time that if I were to do it over I would change. I started to jot down notes and gather helpful tips. I think having that focus also helped keeping my mind off of my sleep deprivation and my internal conflict about my career life. Although each day felt long and tiring, the baby brain makes you forget how hard it was. That must be nature's way of keeping the civilization alive, otherwise who would do this over and over again?

So by the time Oliver was 6 months old, I was ready to put the book together. I was motivated by our good friend who was due on Valentine's Day. So that gave me a deadline to finish and ready to present. With my show and tell bag packed, I was off to Kinko's to get my first book bound. It looked quite impressive I thought to myself as the guy behind the counter came back with a book with an image of Oliver's little feet on the cover. "BabySteps-Simple tips to help first time mom survive the first three months" was the title. By Ann Dooley. Inspired by Baby Oliver.

The visit to my friend's house was a success. She looked amazing, resting her hand on her belly. She seemed calm and comfortable for the most part. We had a great time going over all the tips. I was surprised and happy that I was able to answer all of her questions. I felt energized and wanted to do more for her, but it was time to head home to Oliver.

Two days after, we saw her husband's facebook update saying she has gone into labor. I was excited and nervous for them. I almost felt like I was going to have a baby. The next day we heard the great news that she had a baby girl. It brings back memories of when we first met Oliver and how tiny he was. And that same night, Oliver made a huge step, he crawled for the first time! it took some time and frutration, but he moved all on his own for about a foot to pick up a toy. I was amazing watching him figuring it out. One day he was lifting body up with his arms straight and falling, the next day he can push himself back up, then the day after he can lift his legs up too. And finally he put all the pieces together and reached out. How amazing it is to see these transitions. I don't even want to blink so I don't miss anything.

I can't wait to meet Oliver's new friend and check in to see if they've tried out the tips from my book.

Baby Milestone - Six Months

I've been waiting for this day for a long time. Well...for 6 months at least. In my mind, this is supposed to be the time when I am back at work, Oliver is sitting up by himself and eating solid food. In reality, things are slightly different. I'm now a stay-at-home mom, Oliver has been sitting up since 4 months old, and he did try some rice cereal and banana, but he is playing with it more than actually eating it.

Oliver now weighs 18.5 pounds and measures 28 inches tall. He's almost half my height! While sitting, he is able to lift his torso back up when he falls forward. Talk about strong ab muscles! He can scoot for a few feet forward to pick up a toy, move a toy out of his way. And he is making attempts to crawl. He is so close to doing it every time he tries, even after he falls, he gets right back up again. In his crib, he is constantly moving from one end of the mattress to the other. He has also figured out that he can pull down the bumper around his crib to see what's on the other side! It makes me want to set up a night vision camera to see what is going on. When Chris and I check on him before we go to bed, we just stand over the crib and can't help but giggle at Oliver's sleep position.

Oliver is also great at expressing his needs. He has learned to do a fake cough to get our attention or when he wants to change position. He throws his arms wide open when he wants to be picked up. And looks away when he is no longer interested in playing. Although his schedule seems to change daily, paying attention to the sound he makes and body language has really helped us learn and meet his needs.

Some of his favorite games now are peek-a-boo, sliding off the edge of the couch to jump onto daddy's lap, going from sit to stand (he never gets tired of it), sitting in a swing and watch the kids play at the park, tickles mommy's feet and making me laugh. And He laughs nonstop to the sound "beeeew!beeew!" like a laser gun.

Oliver has been a great sleeper for months, but lately with all the new skills he is learning, teething, separation anxiety, he is keeping mommy and daddy up half the night. We're doing everything we can to ease some of his growing pains and making sure he gets his naps during the day. We suspect the next baby milestone entry will be packed with exciting accomplishments as Oliver continues to cross things off his list.

Top of the class

Since Oliver was 9 weeks old, I've been taking him to a play group called Outside the Box started by our doula Octavia. The play group focuses on activities that stimulates the babies brain, and help with its development.

Oliver impressed everyone including the teacher from day one with his ability to lift his head up and hold it for long stretches of time. Then each class he continued to show what an exceptional student he is. Here are some photos of some of the fun activities he was a part of.


1st Class, feeling the vibrations on a drum.


Xylophone!



Finger Painting


Sensory Balls


Beads! Beads! Beads!


Oliver with friends Yardin and Chloe.