Jonah and Sofia

The weather was beautiful today and I decided to get out a Spring outfit for Sofia to wear. I have been saving this one because the size says 3 - 6 months. I could barely button the two little buttons on the back of her shirt! This particular outfit runs small because her other 3 - 6 month clothing fits comfortably. Her little bloomers have the cutest ruffles all over the butt...I neglected to take a picture.

Our very own "Happy Feet"!

Notice that Sofia is dressed all in black! Hmm, who does that remind you of?

Contemplating Bloomers

Sofia was so very sweet today. Actually, she is sweet everyday but today she was an angel.

It seems we have entered the, "everything I touch will be placed in my mouth" phase. Sofia is now fully able to pick up her toys, or teething devices as the case may be, and place them in her mouth. See below.

Cubby Bear

Sofia and I went out tonight to Mike and Mav's house. Sofia slept for two hours while I enjoyed catching up with friends. Sofia wore her Cubby jacket for the special occasion.

Happy Three Month Birthday Sofia!

This little girl captures my heart every time I look at her...she is just magical. She is holding things in her hands now and can grab her toys and put them near (sometimes in) her mouth. She occasionally falls asleep on her own and she is sleeping between 5 and 7 hours at night. We read about "bright baby colors", "things that go", the moon, Carl the dog and polar bears.
Sofia is starting to focus on Molly (little does she know that Molly will soon be her VERY best friend) and she was staring at Corbu today.

Meet Boo Bunny

Boo Bunny has a cold tummy so when Sofia gets a "boo" she can place boo bunny's cold tummy on her boo to "make it all better".

Hands

Sofia started to grasp her alligator rattle today. She will place her fist next to the rattle and opens her fingers. She then slowly closes her fingers around the handle.

Laughing Out Loud

I feel really lucky to have caught this on camera. Sofia and I were having our normal morning chat - she was in a great mood. (I must have somehow managed to avoid all the foods not to be consumed when breastfeeding). She was smiling at everything I said. I grabbed the camera and she burst out laughing, of course this made me laugh, which made her laugh even more....you get the picture. We sat for probably five minutes just laughing at each other. Beautiful.

Discovery

Above Sofia's head is a mirror that she has just discovered. She noticed it one night a few days ago and now regularly checks it, no doubt wondering who is staring back at her.
Other updates include: She is kicking with great enthusiasm every morning when she wakes up and throughout the day when she is on her back. She will only tolerate a few minutes of "tummy time" and she has been holding her fists out in front of her...like she's riding a Harley. As far as toys and playing goes, she has been smiling at her alligator rattle for over a week and she pays close attention when I show her the animals on the Eric Carle flashcards. I introduced her to plastic keys yesterday and I ordered her a lights and motion mobile along with a "play gym".

Sleepdate...

...as opposed to playdate.

Tomato

It is amazing how much time has passed since my last post. So much has happened. I will try to spend some time updating, until then...a big thank you to Martin, Vicki, Tom and Sandy for this adorable outfit! I can't believe Sofia is into her 3 month clothes already.

Converse

I think Sofia is happiest on her changing table. Or perhaps she is so excited by this adorable little outfit from Maria at KAA, that she had to smile.

Sleepy Time

Our new favorite thing is falling asleep on mom's chest. This one is blurry but you get the picture.

Play Date

On Saturday we had our second "play date" with Jonah. Jonathan, Jin-Ah, Dan and I went to Tivoli Cafe with our little ones. What I've realized about myself...I say it would be nice to have "adult time" but I don't really mean it. All I want to do is talk about the baby and if we wander off my new favorite subject, I manage to find a way to bring her back into the picture.

Five Weeks

The time goes by so fast. I can hardly believe Sofia is five weeks old. Over the past week or so Sofia has lost most of her hair and has developed 'baby acne' which resembles a rash that comes and goes. The pediatrician said it would go away on its own. Aidan was here this week and took a few pictures for us. This is one of them.
This week we've noticed that Sofia is smiling to interact with us. She even laughed once when Dan was making faces at her. In addition, she will hold our gaze and if we move, her gaze follows us. She has big blue eyes still, which the pediatrician commented might just stay. Sofia is using her legs a lot more; she kicks both legs out and then will alternate kicking each leg.
And lastly, I can now recognize her cries. The most furious ones are instigated by a wet diaper or impatience with me if I take too long to feed her.

Little Feet

Endless

I could do this forever.

Almost One Month

Friday, Sofia will be 1 month old. This is both wonderful and sad to me. She is kicking her legs more now and is increasingly more "chatty". I see her holding my gaze for longer periods of time, and after a duel weigh in, she has gained back her birth weight plus three pounds. (Proudly I have lost 30 of the 50lbs I gained!) It makes me sad because the last four weeks have gone by so fast and I just don't want her to grow up. (Yet.) I want to soak in every expression she makes, every sound she utters and all of her movements - so that I won't forget how truly amazing this experience has been. I have enjoyed each day with her...more than I could have ever imagined. I don't mind the sleepless nights or when she cries, because the second she smiles or coos I forget how tired I am.

Talking About Toes

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mug Shot

I'm sure Sofia's face will change but it is so hard to imagine in what way. Who will she look like? Right now I think she looks like Dan's side of the family, more specifically, I think she looks most like Dan's mom.
For the time being I have given in to this overwhelming desire to capture every moment with Sofia, which means many more solo Sofia pictures to come. She is truly the light in my life.

Captain's Log

Date: Sunday
Time: Late...or very, very early.
Location: Bed
Notes: Baby is well fed. Gastrointestinal tract is in check = clean diaper. It's the middle of the night. She's wide-eyed. She doesn't appear sleepy. Hmm, middle of the night, not sleepy...I'm sure this won't be the last time this happens.

3 Days Old

This is our big day of "firsts".
We are going home today which means many things:
Sofia will not wear a "Property of St. Johns" tee shirt.
Sofia will ride in an elevator.
Sofia will go outside for the first time.
Sofia will ride in her car seat in a car.
Sofia gets to meet her first dog Molly and Cat Corbu.
I could go on and on...but the bottom line is that we had a great "First" day home.

Three Days Old At Home

Our little angel!

Details

It's always the little things: the whole package is amazing but when I look at the details I am even more entranced. My body made this little person, with finger nails the size of pinheads and barely formed eyelashes. This little being incubated for nine months and then voila - was delivered with all of the same pieces and parts that I have...just smaller. (Okay, MUCH smaller.)

20 Minutes Old

After they finished stitching me up from the C-section they moved us to this temporary room. This was where I nursed Sofia for the first time and where Max met his little sister for the first time. She was around 20 minutes old!

Newly Added...

Welcome to the family Sofia Sage!
Details:
8lbs 6oz
20" long
light brown hair
30 hours of labor
cesarean section

Happy Halloween

After a month of thinking we were going to wear big fish bowls around our bellies we found easier options…the nun and the bun. Purely meant to be ironic and funny, we had a lot of laughs! Molly was content in her batman costume, though Dan hated that I dressed her up, quoting Kevin and Bean, “now we know why dogs bite their owners”.

Palm Springs

On Sunday the KAA Design Group team left for Palm Springs for our annual management retreat. The trip was a wonderful reminder that our people are our strength. Our goals this year were leadership, clarity and communication. We have a big year ahead of us but everyone is up for the challenge. On Tuesday (the last day of the retreat) we went to the Prefab Desert House. http://www.marmolradzinerprefab.com/prototype.html

36 Weeks

We went to the Jonathan Club on Saturday to see Nando Parrado speak through our YPO chapter. Nando is one of 15 who survived for 72 days after their plane crashed in the Andes in 1972. The talk was amazing and left us feeling very fortunate for our family. After the event I asked Dan to snap a quick shot so I would have my requisite blog picture for 36 weeks.

This week we had our 36 week appointment and all looks well. Based on the amniotic fluid "estimate" taken from the doctor's ultra sound measurements, this little one is weighing in at 6lbs 3oz. I was told that she would gain only a few more ounces each week. (Which means she might be a little over 7lbs.)

Since we have limited space in the office (where Sofia’s room will be) we opted to go with a smaller crib. I put it together today while the boys watched football. The room is far from ready…I put together the bookshelf last week and still need to buy a carpet and dresser.

We met Jonathan and Jina for breakfast today at Coral Tree. Jina is due two weeks before me on October 20th. After breakfast we headed over to Max’s soccer game, this is his third week playing.

34 Weeks

I had my 34-week check up today and all is well. We peaked in on Sofia to make sure her head was in the right place (I was convinced that she had turned herself around after the car accident) and her head is, thankfully, down. When I say we “peaked” in on her, I mean the ultrasound wand touched my stomach for a count of five seconds.
I cannot believe I only have six weeks of pregnancy left. This makes me SO incredibly sad…I have loved being pregnant. Of course it helps that I’ve had the world’s easiest pregnancy, but there is this big part of me that will miss my bump. (I have SBA - severe bump attachment.) Naturally I can’t wait to meet the little one, but I feel like she is protected and safe right where she is, why change anything? Sorry for the photo - it’s the best I could do on my own.

Revamp

These past few months I've found myself in need of a new cut but I couldn’t commit to one. I guess letting it grow until it looks style-less is one way of forcing a decision, which is what happened on Friday. I went in thinking I would just get the standard 1” taken off, (secretly wishing I knew what I wanted my next hair style to be) and left with a new look. This is what I love about Reva, she knows what to do!

33 weeks

It seems every time I read, “what’s happening now” in my week to week guide to pregnancy, I usually identify with one or two of the ailments. This week, while my wrists are not sore, and I’m still sleeping well, I have been losing my balance and my “bump” seems to be further out than I’ve become accustom. I can no longer “squeeze” out of my car if parked next to someone – even if both cars are between the lines (damn LA and all those compact car parking spaces) and if I am sitting and attempt to pull my chair up to the table, I find that my "bump" keeps me a good distance away. With each bite I take, I feel that I will inevitably drop food on my belly or in my lap. The veins popping out on my right leg are beyond hideous, to the point where I’m seriously considering surgery because I’m afraid the next time I put on a swimsuit it will looking like my lower right leg was mauled by an animal in heat. I’ll spare you the “Wilma Flintstone eat your heart out” swollen foot and ankle, with deep purple bruising photos. And, finally yesterday, all of the emotion I’ve somehow managed to skip over in this pregnancy came crashing down on me and I’ve been in a funk ever since. Weeping and wallowing, sighing and crying - you name it if it involves a tear duct I’ve done it over the past two days. The bottom line: this too shall pass. I have had an AMAZING pregnancy and as I was told last week in my prenatal yoga class after declaring that the arm exercises we were doing were, “awful”, many women have it much worse. (Like the women in Tibet carrying loads of heavy rock up major hills so they can have roads.) Keep it in perspective shall we?

Love Boat

Our friends invited us to go out on their new boat today. (Note: The Queen Mary in the background!) I was a little nervous I might get motion sick but the day was simply amazing. They picked us up from the public Pier in Long Beach and we cruised over to Naples. I watched as they launched the tender and carefully stepped in after Dan. (Images of me going head first into the water flashed before my eyes, but I made it in unscathed). Our friends planned a wonderful dinner for us and we watched the sunset. This was Sofia's first boat ride!

30 Weeks!

Meet Sofia or at least the 3D image of her! I went in for my 30-week appointment this morning. After begging for an ultrasound last time, Dan and I were able to see this very realistic image of her today. She has her right hand and arm in front of her face and at one point during the ultrasound we saw her wiggling each finger on her right hand. The technology is amazing. The doctor said Sofia has a very long femur, which suggests one of the following:
1. She will be tall
2. My due date is off
3. The doctor’s calculations are wrong

Of course, I prefer to think that she will be tall.