I'm It! 7 Things...

Got *tagged* to share 7 random things...

1. Okay, I already posted this on Hank's blog, but I must have the driver and passenger side windows rolled down to even lengths, if they're not, I will mess around with the power window switch until they are (I'm getting worried that I may be revealing too much of my OCD tendencies with this confession).

2. I really dig vocabulary, as in, when someone uses just the right word to capture just the right moment, I really, really dig it.

3. I am a foosball shark, in fact, my brother is the only person I know that can beat me (for anyone who knows Amir, he and I still need to play the tie-breaking 3rd round of our Louhelen match).

4. Blackberries are my favorite fruit.

5. Last night, I got really scared in bed thinking about scorpions and rattlesnakes, which are far too prevalent (see, nice vocab, eh?) in Arizona. I just remembered how in Az I twice almost picked up a scorpion in my house because I was walking around without my contacts/glasses and saw what I thought was brown *fuzz* on the carpet & how Emiliano found a rattlesnake (!!!) slithering around in his parent's bathroom when he was a teen. Those are 2 perfectly good reasons to raise Kapono in the Midwest.

6. Kapono inherited my favorite features of his father's: nose, brows, fingers, and toes.

7. This is a given, but my absolute most favorite thing in the world right now is my achingly, breathtakingly beautiful son.

Below: Kapono in his newly arrived *hanbok* hat -- he will wear the full traditional Korean dress for his one year birthday

How Moms Do Math

So, I did not know that it was possible to feel even more tired beyond being a new nursing mom, but I've discovered that adding a full summer school courseload will do the trick :P Hence, this photo of how moms really get things done.

In the world of Kapono, our lil' guy had his 2nd round of immunizations today :( which is no fun for anyone. On a lighter note, he's 26 inches long and 19 lbs 2 oz (compared to 22 in & 7 lbs 14 oz at birth). We are just so proud of him -- I think it's the neatest thing that we adults are so proud of babies for simply doing things like growing taller and bigger. His pediatrician joked that he must've read the chapter on 4 month olds because he's doing all those things that 4 months old tend to do...rolling over back to belly (it's the cutest thing, too, b/c he rolls himself over & then gets *so* frustrated to be on his belly but Emiliano & I are both thinking, you're the one that got yourself there -- have fun with it!), knawing anything that he can get his hands (and gums!) on, smilling, cooing, giggling, and the gradual face to floor motion when he's seated. I'm still in awe of his dark, dark eyes and Emiliano & I will do just about anything for his smiles.

Kapono's Photo Shoot

Check out these too beautiful photos from our mid-morning photo shoot with budding baby photographer extraordinaire Liza

The first photo that you link to shows a recent Kapono developent -- he's discovered his toes! What does this mean?!? ;-)

Why I Love Weekend Mornings

This Is How Tired We Really Are

Today is June 10, 2007. 4 years and 2 days ago, Emiliano and I got married on June 8, 2003, in Arivaca, Arizona. He and I completely forgot this all important fact until earlier this afternoon when a long-lost friend mentioned that he and his wife were celebrating their 5 year anniversary in 20 days and I said, "Wow. Our anniversary's coming up, too...wait, what's the date today?" Emiliano said that he was happy because I'd forgotten, too. This is how tired new parents really are. Our belated anniversary dinner tonight was Basha's (fine Lebanese cuisine which I think might actually be better than *gasp* Pita Inn) and which we discovered does not have a changing table in the restroom. [Side note -- why is that the women's restroom is usually the only restroom equipped with a changing table?!?] Happy anniversary to us!

Life As A Mom

So I've decided to re-enter the world of blogging in an effort to better chronicle my new life as a mom (or my life as a new mom?), but more importantly, to remember the tiny details of Kapono's babyhood. He is 17 weeks and a day and it takes my breath away how quickly the time has passed. I remember hearing people say that they can't remember life before their children...well, I can remember life before Kapono but it was a different life -- a little less chaotic and exhausting, but also a little less miraculous.

Emiliano and I are still in the awestruck phase of being Kapono's parents -- sometimes we just gaze at him, drinking in his beauty, marveling at our creation, well, God's creation, but we do take some credit! I tell people that we couldn't be happier with Kapono and it's the absolute truth. I find myself already nostalgic for his newborn days, although, it also feels like parenting gets better with time. And it also feels like Kapono has acclimated a litte more to life outside the womb. The concept of the 4th trimester (Dr. Karp) makes a lot of sense to me -- I mean, babies spend an average of 40 weeks (nearly a year!) inside the womb, it's logical to think that they would need a little time to adjust to life outside of it. I remember writing a poem in college with the opening line "I awake in liquid life..." and I wonder about that now -- life inside the womb. It boggles my mind to think that some people actually remember that experience. I feel so disconnected from my own babyhood, not in a bad way, just a not-able-to-remember way.

So...chronicling Kapono...today, after a sort-of lazy morning (there really is no such thing as *lazy* in a parent's existence), we had a lovely time visiting with friends at a beach party for dearest Negin and Lev, who get married tomorrow!!! What is still amazing to us is how good-natured Kapono is about being passed from person to person -- especially being a part of such a large and vibrant Baha'i community, Kapono has lots of aunties and uncles to adore him. Last night, we dined at Ethiopian Diamond, also part of the pre-wedding festivities, and the wait staff there just couldn't get enough of him. One of the ladies even took him behind the bar while she worked!

Well, my most favorite things about Kapono lately have been his giggling, his ticklishness on his back and his neck (just like Uncle Kenny), kissing his nostrils (yes, his nostrils!), and his *talking*. He's also so sweet and snuggly -- and he sleeps beautifully at night, meaning, he actually sleeps A LOT. I'm also crazy about his hands and his toes (miniatures of his father's) and his dark, dark eyes -- I realized just yesterday that his eyes are even darker than mine (which are darker than Emil's). The brown of his eyes is almost as dark as his pupil right now -- which only adds to his overall gorgeous-ness, of course. Kapono is also really enjoying the sight of himself (and mom!) in the mirror thesedays. I'll hold him, cheek to cheek, and rock towards the mirror and he scrunches his nose and laughs. I read that it's not until 7-8 months that babies recognize their own reflections but he really does smile when he sees his own sweet face.

Emil will often look at Kapono and then say something along the lines of "we are so blessed" or "we got so lucky" and I think that really captures how I feel -- blessed and lucky in my life as a mom.