2/28/2010 Happy Baby!

Stella - you were so happy when I took this picture of you in your little chair! What a smile! You are so alert and interactive - you love to hear music, be spoken to, walked around the house and bounced on the exercise ball. This week mom started using the high chair for you...so now you get to sit down near eye level/above the counter/table and watch us in the kitchen...much better then being so low on your bouncy chair. Your neck is getting stronger too - you like to turn your head to see what's going on all around you and do not require as much neck support from mom or dad when we hold you. Life is joyful with you!!! XOXOXO

2/25/2010 Tummy time and Mobile

Oh Stella - how loud you can be - the baby/second child that needs to be heard - that's good in some ways too. Mommy started doing tummy time each day with you this past week or two - you're okay with it for 10-15 minutes, turning your head from left to right. Mommy also put up your new Tiny Love Mobile today...but called Daddy to get batteries for it on the way home from work ;0) Things are a little tiny bit easier now that you will sit in your bouncing chair, lay on your play mat or in the crib with the mobile on for 10-15 minutes at a time. Gives Mom free hands to prep dinner or get some little things done around the house...now only if you wouldn't cry in your car seat when the car is stopped...but you are better at being in the car then you big sister was - Julia hated being in the car seat as an infant!
You love music, being held and talked to...and of course the bounce on the exercise ball...the magic to get you to sleep. If you're tired enough and I put you in the baby bjorne or Mommy does the wrap carrier you will fall asleep within 5 minutes also...Mommy is still fearful of sleep training - something we will revisit after our Spring Break trip to Chicago.

2/24/2010 First No Cry Bath!

Stella - Mommy was so proud and happy this evening when she completed your bath and you didn't cry at all! Now she knows you like a "shower" more than a "bath." You came out smelling so nice, like lavender, and all relaxed and content! Happy Baby = Happy Parents!

2/22/2010 See you soon Yei-Yei and Ah-Ma!

This morning yei-yei and ah-ma left for Chicago - it was a great 16 days of home cooking and grandparents time with Stella and Julia! Meme and Stella got up to say goodbye and of course Stella gave ah-ma a couple good smiles for the road!

Oh Stella - your gas and acid reflux is still a problem...plus we haven't started training you to nap/sleep on your own, as Mommy and Daddy's backs have pain from carrying and bouncing you on the exercise ball. But you are so darn cute, strong, alert and vocal! Plus you love being in the car when it's moving but curse the red lights and traffic that make us stop or slow down too much and you start to cry bloody murder... It's almost comical that within a minute or so or the car moving, you stop crying again, but as soon as we slow down too much or stop the vocal cords and tear ducts go to work! Hence, we are planning on doing the drive to Chicago next month straight - no need to spend the night near the MO/IL border.

2/17/2010 The downside of a 12 pounder!

Okay - Meme's back is in big owie due to the constant picking up carrying/nursing, bouncing, etc of our 12 pounder...and even Ah Ma was complaining that her chest hurt and then Meme and her finally figured it out that the pain was from the knot of the mai-tie (Chinese baby carrier).

I just started another cold (darn it) so no more kisses and a lot less cuddling with both my girls...

2/14/2010 Happy Lunar New Year!

Stella's first lunar new year - year of the tiger 2010! What a great way to celebrate with ye-ye and ah ma here in Tulsa...cooking up a storm. We had special soup, curry chicken and a stir fry shrimp dish for new years eve dinner. On new years day we had lunch at Asian Cuisine and then dinner consisted of rice noodles, steamed whole fish, roast pork, asparagus and roast duck with taro stew. Man, I put on 4-5 lbs since my parents have been here cooking up a storm of home cooked dishes. Meme is learning some things too - special pigs feet with vinegar and ginger stew (now she's ready for the future "grandkids" ;) ), taro cake and ninh gao for new years! She's also picking up some Chinese cooking techniques in the kitchen from my parents as well. Although Stella doesn't get to eat the stuff yet...she gets it second hand (boob) from Mommy - LOL.
The day after new years we had home made dim sum - ah ma really out did herself by making a big platter of home made shrimp and roast pork fun rolls, egg rolls, and of course we still had taro cake and the ning gao! WOW - it was a feast for brunch!
Julia and Stella are enjoying time with Grandparents Moy, as are Meme and I - a lot of home cooking, extra hands with the kids and good company.
Stella is so alert, more active and will be fine on her play mat or bouncy chair for a good 10-20 minutes now - she likes to reach for the little dangling toys and she's a talker when spoken to - which Grandma Moy loves to do - it's so cute! Unfortunately we are still dealing with the stomach/gas/digestive issues, but things seem a bit better...or we just got more use to it. Poor Stella...
Happy Lunar New Year!

2/8/2010 GERD sucks!

Our poor Stella - suffers from GERD - Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disorder. It's horrible, she will cry in pain from her stomach to her throat with a tomato red face and tears rolling down her cheeks...and there's nothing we can really do to help her...so no one in the house gets a great nights sleep. Nursing often soothes her throat...but then Mommy never gets to sleep much more than 1-2 hours at a time. We hope it passes soon!
http://www.reflux.org/reflux/webdoc01.nsf/(vwWebPage)/AboutGERD.htm?OpenDocument

2/5/2010 Doctor's appointment...

Stella had her check up and shots today - 2 months and a day old - grew 3" and now weighs 11 lbs 12 oz! Yow Za! She had 3 shots today as well, Mommy seemed okay...so I guess it wasn't so horrible - LOL.

2/4/2010 Happy 2 months Stella! Grandparents Moy arrive!!!

Today was the first day Stella meet grandparents Moy - it was a great day filled with smiles, laughs, great food and a whole lot of love! Julia and I picked up my parents from the airport - J ran to yei-yei and ah ma and gave hugs and a kiss. We went home so they could have a late lunch and unpack, see/hold and kiss Stella - pics coming soon with the happy faces! Then it was off to the Asian grocery store! Meme made kalbi, tilapia, rice and broccoli salad for dinner while my dad cooked up a big live crab with ginger & green onions. Meme learned how to make the traditional pig feet/egg/vinegar stew. Dinner was great and the kitchen was filled with so many delicious smells and our fridge is packed!

Stella loved being held by her grandparents and the grandparents loved holding her - noting how alert she was, she smiles, coos/talks. Julia loved having new audience members and wanted yei-yei to chase her around the house!

2-3-2010 Napping in the crib!

Our Stella Rose - I was able to put her down for a nap in her crib for about 40 minutes this afternoon, which allowed me to fold the laundry and have a few clementines! Meme and big sister Julia were at Ms. Shelly's Dance Studio for J's dance class...I was so tired today that I took the afternoon off work and got to relax a bit at home.

2/1/2010 Holding On!

Here's a picture of Stella napping on daddy - with a super grip on my t-shirt collar to ensure she is not put down... Her regular stomach pains/gas is a big hindrance to all of us getting a good nights sleep...hopefully this will end soon???