Tuesday, January 29, 2013
6 months.... already?!?
Yo and I were talking the other day about how we already can't conceive of a life without Ari in it. It seems like he has been a part of our family forever and that we would never be complete without him. So the fact that we only met this little person a short 6 months ago is mind boggling. At the same time, it's hard to believe the past 6 months have flown by so quickly. And I know the next 6 months are going to go even faster. Ari has the audacity to keep getting bigger and doesn't show any signs of slowing down.
6 months is such a fun, cute stage and I am relishing every moment. Ari no longer looks the newborn. He has filled out in all the right places, is very engaged with the world around him, and is showing more and more of his personality by the day.
6 months is such a fun, cute stage and I am relishing every moment. Ari no longer looks the newborn. He has filled out in all the right places, is very engaged with the world around him, and is showing more and more of his personality by the day.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
FitBit
I have to admit, when it comes to my weight, fitness, and diet, I've avoided any accountability since getting pregnant...with Kai. Needless to say, it's been a while.
At first I gave myself a pass because I had just had a kid. Then I gave myself a pass because I could fit into all of my clothes so what was the point of worrying about technicalities like my weight or actual health.
While I wouldn't go so far as to say that ignorance is "bliss" it is awfully convenient--especially when it allows you to laze around the house and unapolgetically eat what you want, when you want. I admit that until I got my FitBit, I've literally weighed myself once (ONCE!) in the last 4 years.... and that was only after I had the stomach flu and couldn't eat for four days....talk about a crash diet!
Since I've made a point of avoiding accountability, I had mixed feelings about getting a FitBit. It's not like I needed a bite-sized contraption to tell me that I'm inactive. That much I knew. What I didn't know was just how motivating (dare I say, life altering?) this little contraption would turn out to be.
Here's why it works for me...
1. It makes me realize that a little activity here and there can really add up. So I'm a lot more aware when I've been sedentary for a while and make a point to get up....even if it's just to play with my kids, walk to the park, or put away the laundry.
2. It's made me realize just how much effort it takes to get to the 10,000 steps that is recommended. I, for one, would probably never hit that many steps in a day unless I hit the gym to do it. Which brings me to number 3...
3. I go to the gym a lot more now. In addition to trying to generally raise my activity level throughout the day, I also am logging some time at the gym doing some form of cardio at least a few times a week.
4. It's surprisingly motivating to strive for a set number of steps and to have a (seemingly) accurate way of tracking my progress toward that goal. This benefit would seem obvious, but I have to say that I am usually not motivated by goals when it comes to my fitness. (Sadly, I'm only motivated by my desire to look good...nothing like a wedding or a reunion to get this girl to the gym.) As I have confessed before, if I set out with the goal of running 2 miles, I will stop at 1.9 . Or 1. Or 0.9. You get the point. But for some reason, if I'm within a few hundred, or even a few thousand steps of a new benchmark I think to myself... I can do that! And I keep going until I hit it. And sometimes that will bring just a few thousand steps from the next benchmark and I think, I can do that, too!
5. One word. Inertia. Pre-FitBit I was "an object at rest". So any activity on my part is a big improvement. I had no where to go, but up. So that's why I would call the FitBit life changing. It gave me (and continues to give me) the little shove that I need to get off my butt and get moving. And now that I'm "in motion" I don't want to stop.
What I don't like about the FitBit:
1. We all know that not all steps are created equal...but they are when it comes to the FitBit. So whether you are jogging in place or running up the side of the mountain, those steps are counted the same.
2. A byproduct of the above... I have now reduced my workout to those machines that will most efficiently accumulate steps in the least amount of time and while expending the least amount of energy. I know, it kind of defeats the purpose of working out. But I being honest, if an exercise isn't going to result in my step count going up, I'm not all that interested in doing it.
3. One of the selling points of the FitBit is that you can connect your FitBit account to those of your friends. The site allows you to see how active your friends are and even ranks you and your friends according to your activity levels. I get that some people (i.e. the majority of my psychotic friends) are motivated by competition. But while I have been accused of being competitive, I actually don't like turning everything into a competition. When it comes to fitness, I see it as being different than a game or a sport. My success should not equal your failure and vice versa. But that's just me.
4. In the spirit of full disclosure, I have to admit that my FitBit One has been malfunctioning. On multiple occasions it has frozen (sometimes for hours at a time) and missed many-a-step in the process. (My fellow FitBitters can probably understand just how frustrating this would be). But I can't find anyone else who has had the same problem, so I'm hoping that it's a fluke. I plan on exchanging my FitBit sometime this week and hope that the replacement will not have the same issue.
At the end of the day the FitBit has made me a believer. So much so that I talked Yo into getting his own a couple of weeks after starting to use mine. So if you pass by my house and see my jogging in circles in my living room or bouncing up and down on the couch, don't worry. I'm just getting my FitBit on! (And you should too!)
Sunday, January 13, 2013
I can't get enough of...
...this baby's laugh. He still makes me work hard for those little giggles and squeals of his. What makes him laugh one day, doesn't the next. So I'm constantly trying new tricks and get really excited when something gets him going.
Like this....
Like this....
Saturday, January 12, 2013
We found ourselves some winners!
By the end of opening presents on Christmas morning, Kai seemed a wee bit overwhelmed.
If you ask him, he will tell you that Christmas is the best day E-V-E-R! If you ask me, I think that a three year old is not equipped to handle so much excitement. After opening a present or two, he kind of stopped registering what was beneath the wrapping paper. So I ended up stowing away a lot of Kai's new toys and reintroduced them one at a time over the last couple of weeks.
I knew that he would like some of his gifts more than others. The trucks and sandbox were obvious winners. Other gifts I figured would grow on him.... like the board games and his art supplies. But we've also had some surprising successes.
Including:
I found this puzzle for a steal at Home Goods. I like it because it is educational. Kai loves it because it is a train and it is really long. He has already put it together a few times in the last week since I pulled it out for him. It is the first floor puzzle that he has been able to put together on his own. The pieces are nice and over-sized and fit together in a straight line making it perfect for puzzle beginners. Once the train is fully assembled, Kai likes to talk about each car and then slide it across the floor like a real train. It keeps him entertained for a good 15-20 minutes.
I found this Leap Frog Fridge Phonics at Outrageous Outgrowns. Just before Christmas I was asking my mom if I should be worried that Kai showed no interest in his letters and out of the entire alphabet could only recognize "o". My mom reassured me that there was no need for concern and that he would learn when he's ready. Little did I know that one week with this toy was all that Kai needed. He plays with it multiple times a day. After three weeks he can now recognize a handful of letters and knows what sounds they make. The best part is, it is totally self-directed play. I LOVE toys that Kai can and will use without me being involved.
This was another Home Goods find. I have to say for sheer entertainment value, I got the best bang for my buck on this one. It keeps Kai entertained, literally for an hour or more at a time. The clincher was when Kai decided his Fun Factory was a lot like a garbage truck. He meticulously loads up the playdoh canisters with little bits of playdoh that he calls the garbage and then dumps that into the fun factory that "compacts and incinerates" the trash (according to Kai). And that is serious business.
If you ask him, he will tell you that Christmas is the best day E-V-E-R! If you ask me, I think that a three year old is not equipped to handle so much excitement. After opening a present or two, he kind of stopped registering what was beneath the wrapping paper. So I ended up stowing away a lot of Kai's new toys and reintroduced them one at a time over the last couple of weeks.
I knew that he would like some of his gifts more than others. The trucks and sandbox were obvious winners. Other gifts I figured would grow on him.... like the board games and his art supplies. But we've also had some surprising successes.
Including:
What were the big Christmas winners (and losers) for your kids this year?
Friday, January 11, 2013
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Bath Time
Ari loves bath time. In the evening he usually gets a little bit fussy as his bedtime approaches. But nothing stops his fussing faster than being lowered into a warm bath. He used to spend bath time splashing and kicking around, but since he is so long now and doesn't have as much room to move around, his new trick is to inch his bottom forward as far as possible so that he is almost entirely submerged in the water. No matter how many times I scooch that little bum of his back, he immediately resumes the same position, with only his little face sticking out. It cracks me up every time.
And while we're on the subject of Ari, aren't his rolls delicious? Those thighs of his were just made for squeezing!
And while we're on the subject of Ari, aren't his rolls delicious? Those thighs of his were just made for squeezing!
Haircut
For the last several months we've been experimenting with a longer-hair look on Kai. He has the sweetest, blondest locks. He also has a TON of hair. So there were some days that he looked like a cute little surfer boy and others when he looked like an ill kempt wild child.
I've been toying with the idea of cutting it short again for a while, but have gotten some push back from Yo who prefers it long and, surprisingly, from Kai too. Who knew that a 3-year-old boy would have an opinion about his hair.
But yesterday, with a little peer pressure from Kaari, Kai finally agreed to undergo the clippers. (I learned long ago that the key to getting Kai to do anything is to have Kaari ask him. Hopefully this will continue to be true well into his teens.)
Before:
After:
For the rest of the afternoon, I caught Kai constantly staring at himself in the mirror with a strange look on his face. You have to admit, the change was quite drastic. I felt like I needed to get reacquainted with that little boy's forehead myself, it had been so long since I'd had free access to it last. I made up for lost time by kissing it every chance that I got.
Long hair or short, Kai Kai is the cutest!
I've been toying with the idea of cutting it short again for a while, but have gotten some push back from Yo who prefers it long and, surprisingly, from Kai too. Who knew that a 3-year-old boy would have an opinion about his hair.
But yesterday, with a little peer pressure from Kaari, Kai finally agreed to undergo the clippers. (I learned long ago that the key to getting Kai to do anything is to have Kaari ask him. Hopefully this will continue to be true well into his teens.)
Before:
 |
| Note, he had so much hair it took two brushes to comb it! |
For the rest of the afternoon, I caught Kai constantly staring at himself in the mirror with a strange look on his face. You have to admit, the change was quite drastic. I felt like I needed to get reacquainted with that little boy's forehead myself, it had been so long since I'd had free access to it last. I made up for lost time by kissing it every chance that I got.
Long hair or short, Kai Kai is the cutest!
Food glorious food!
I finally found a food that Ari seems to like.... baby oatmeal! (I should have guessed since Kai is an oatmeal fiend!) After a few failed attempts at getting Ari to actually swallow a spoonful of solid food, he downed an entire (little) bowl of oatmeal last night--an occasion worth documenting!
Monday, January 7, 2013
The Lion King
Yo and I have talked about seeing the Broadway production of The Lion King for years. So when I found out it was coming to SF, I knew that's what I had to get Yo for his birthday this year. The day of the show rolled around last week. But while I was anxiously waiting for Yo to get home from work so that we could head up to San Francisco for our big night on the town, Ari, who had been suffering from a cold all week, suddenly got worse. He was running a fever and just generally sad and pathetic. He cried anytime I put him down.
I felt guilty about the thought of leaving my poor sick baby. I felt worse about pawning my poor sick baby off on my friend who had volunteered to watch the boys with the promise that I would watch her boys some future night in return. So when Yo got home around 4 PM, I suggested that he find someone else to go with. We talked about his options, but both of us kept coming back to the idea of letting Kai go.
When I originally looked into getting tickets, I was tempted to get Kai a ticket too. But at the end of the day I thought it was too big of a risk, especially when I found out that all of the matinee shows were sold out. Kai has never been to a live show and I didn't think it was a good idea to take him to an 8 PM production that's over 2.5 hours long for his first.
Yo had the same concerns about taking Kai, but both of us also know that Kai is usually really well behaved in public places. He's sat through many movies and tends to be cheerful when we are out and about even well past his bedtime. We also talked about what an amazing experience the night could potentially be for Yo and Kai if things went well. Ultimately we decided it was worth the risk, but I made Yo promise to be understanding if Kai did not last through the show. He had to realize that by taking Kai with him, the night had to become about Kai...not about him.
Once the decision was made, Yo was pretty excited about it (and I can't lie, I was pretty bummed to be missing out--not only on the show, but on getting to see Kai experience it). Since I was missing out on all the action, I made Yo let me tell Kai "about the surprise" when he woke up from his nap. Then Yo and Kai got dressed in their theater attire (Yo put together these outfits all by himself).
I kissed my handsome boys goodbye and waited anxiously for the update on how the evening was going while I hung out with this poor baby:
And watched my other favorite guys on TV:
The least the Gators could have done is win their bowl game. That would have been a nice consolation prize. Luckily, Yo and Kai fared better than my team. I wish I could have been there to see it myself, but from what Yo said, Kai was at his absolute best. He loved the show. He was laughing at the funny parts and clapping enthusiastically with the rest of the audience. Apparently he had all of the crowd sitting near him quite charmed by his enthusiasm and attentiveness. I was so proud of my little guy and so happy that it went well for Yo, too.
Yo was nice enough to send me some pictures throughout the night. They're not of the best quality because they were taken on his phone, but I'm so happy to have some record of this momentous occasion. It's an experience that I don't want Kai or Yo to forget.
They arrived safely and Kai was feeling like quite the big boy with his bag of snacks in hand. I don't know where he got this lean-to-the-side pose from, but he does it all the time. Lol!
I felt guilty about the thought of leaving my poor sick baby. I felt worse about pawning my poor sick baby off on my friend who had volunteered to watch the boys with the promise that I would watch her boys some future night in return. So when Yo got home around 4 PM, I suggested that he find someone else to go with. We talked about his options, but both of us kept coming back to the idea of letting Kai go.
When I originally looked into getting tickets, I was tempted to get Kai a ticket too. But at the end of the day I thought it was too big of a risk, especially when I found out that all of the matinee shows were sold out. Kai has never been to a live show and I didn't think it was a good idea to take him to an 8 PM production that's over 2.5 hours long for his first.
Yo had the same concerns about taking Kai, but both of us also know that Kai is usually really well behaved in public places. He's sat through many movies and tends to be cheerful when we are out and about even well past his bedtime. We also talked about what an amazing experience the night could potentially be for Yo and Kai if things went well. Ultimately we decided it was worth the risk, but I made Yo promise to be understanding if Kai did not last through the show. He had to realize that by taking Kai with him, the night had to become about Kai...not about him.
Once the decision was made, Yo was pretty excited about it (and I can't lie, I was pretty bummed to be missing out--not only on the show, but on getting to see Kai experience it). Since I was missing out on all the action, I made Yo let me tell Kai "about the surprise" when he woke up from his nap. Then Yo and Kai got dressed in their theater attire (Yo put together these outfits all by himself).
And watched my other favorite guys on TV:
The least the Gators could have done is win their bowl game. That would have been a nice consolation prize. Luckily, Yo and Kai fared better than my team. I wish I could have been there to see it myself, but from what Yo said, Kai was at his absolute best. He loved the show. He was laughing at the funny parts and clapping enthusiastically with the rest of the audience. Apparently he had all of the crowd sitting near him quite charmed by his enthusiasm and attentiveness. I was so proud of my little guy and so happy that it went well for Yo, too.
Yo was nice enough to send me some pictures throughout the night. They're not of the best quality because they were taken on his phone, but I'm so happy to have some record of this momentous occasion. It's an experience that I don't want Kai or Yo to forget.
They arrived safely and Kai was feeling like quite the big boy with his bag of snacks in hand. I don't know where he got this lean-to-the-side pose from, but he does it all the time. Lol!
Isn't this shot of Kai priceless? It was taken inside the theater before the show began. Pure glee!
Kai with the stage behind him right before the curtain call
An obligatory shot of the playbill
Kai and Yo after the show. By this point Kai was a little bit slap happy, but otherwise in good spirits and really well behaved. Yo was so proud of him and so happy to share the night with him.
This picture captures just how tired Kai was at the end of the night. Despite the fact that the show didn't get out until after 11, he stayed awake for the entire drive home. He didn't get to bed until after midnight, but guess who was up bright and early the next morning....you got it!
Now that I know Kai can handle live performances, I've already got my eyes on some upcoming plays that are coming to the Bay Area. This is the beginning of a fun new era and I think it's only fair that Mommy gets to take him to his next performance. :)
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Family Pictures
I don't know how my friend Meghan MacAskill does it. After our 30 minute mini-session with her in December, I left with my fingers crossed that she had captured one decent picture of our family worthy to use on our holiday card. But I was skeptical because our session felt like it hadn't gone very well, at least not from my perspective.
For one, we were running late...as usual. For two, Kai was just not in a cooperative mood, Ari was prime for a nap, and Yo was frustrated with Kai. As for me, I found it next to impossible to concentrate on how I looked when I was so focused on how the kids and Yo looked. I could just feel myself making weird faces while trying to get Kai to look at the camera and stand normally and smile, too.
But there must have been some fairy dust in that camera bag of hers, because Meghan captured so many cute pictures of us.
If I had millions of dollars, I would hire her to follow our family around with her camera snapping pictures all of the time. She would be worth it. But for now, I am saving my picture-taking dollars for the next time that she offers her mini-shoots...and you should, too.
Here's a sampling of the magic she worked:
For one, we were running late...as usual. For two, Kai was just not in a cooperative mood, Ari was prime for a nap, and Yo was frustrated with Kai. As for me, I found it next to impossible to concentrate on how I looked when I was so focused on how the kids and Yo looked. I could just feel myself making weird faces while trying to get Kai to look at the camera and stand normally and smile, too.
But there must have been some fairy dust in that camera bag of hers, because Meghan captured so many cute pictures of us.
If I had millions of dollars, I would hire her to follow our family around with her camera snapping pictures all of the time. She would be worth it. But for now, I am saving my picture-taking dollars for the next time that she offers her mini-shoots...and you should, too.
Here's a sampling of the magic she worked:
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