To my Owen,

Hello my baby! You just turned 7 months and you love eating! So far, you've had carrots, avocados, bananas, butternut squash, green beans, and sweet potato. You have loved every single one of them. I am so happy you are a good and joyful eater. If I don't feed you fast enough, you even get a bit demanding.

Another exciting event was your first trip to Manhattan last week! I forgot how difficult it is to find a bathroom big enough to have a changing table in the city, but we managed to change you in a Barnes and Noble and in the car. You were a good trooper. You actually went to the city two days in a row. The first day we met up with Uncle Will and we went to Sugarfish. You were a little fussy there because you were tired, but you fell asleep in my arms and I gently placed you back into your stroller. We also met up with Aunt Da Hee and went to Madison Square eats, where you were still passed out. Finally, we went to Uncle Tae and Will's apartment, and even got to go up to the rooftop to enjoy the view. I think you liked it too.

The next day, we went in to the city with grandma and met Aunt Soojin at Ippudo, mommy's favorite ramen place in the city. We also went to go get cream puffs at Bibble and Sip. Mommy and daddy were very happy and full :)

Tomorrow will be your first day of daycare at Bayer Discovery days. Mommy is nervous, but also hopefully that you will do great! I am praying for wonderful teachers to love you and make you laugh while mommy is at work. Also praying for God's protection over the daycare and the children, and all daycares and all children! We hope that you will learn sharing, kindness, respect, love, joy, and learn to have lots of laughter! Love you so much.

Love,
Mommy

To my Owen,

Hello my 6 month old! You have become quite the sitter! You are so much more stable sitting up on your own, and you can now turn your head and wave your arms/reach for things while keeping balance. You are just growing too fast.

We hit another big milestone yesterday - we introduced solid food to you! Mommy made jook, and at first you liked it, then hated it, and then loved it! Today was day two, and you have been chomping down on the spoon. It is ridiculously adorable to see you eating from a spoon, and you open your mouth wide as I approach your mouth with the spoon. You are too cute and smart! You also use your little tongue to lick your lips, and it makes mommy and daddy wonder at how lovely God made you. We thank Him everyday for you. Thank you for being the best baby. I love you!

Love,
Mommy

To my Owen,

Hi my baby! You hit a big milestone yesterday - you sat up all by yourself! (A good 5 seconds later, you started tilting to the right until gravity got the best of you and that's when mommy swooped in). Mommy and daddy were both there to witness it, and we were smiling and clapping and just so full of joy to catch these little milestones from you. You also started reaching for and grabbing your little feet while laying on your back. You even started clapping your happy feet together. Another new thing mommy noticed was that you started hitting the bottle (with a good amount of force) while feeding. It's so entertaining to see you fool around and refuse the bottle when you are full. You push the bottle away and then block your mouth with both hands, push the nipple out with your tongue, etc. But mommy is persistent and makes you finish your milk. :) I think you also started teething, because you have been making these new funny mouth movements. I can't wait to see those little white pearls pop up!

Today, we had lunch with grandparents at Mcloone's Boathouse in West Orange, and we had plans to walk around the lake but it was raining so we only got to walk a very little. The place was nice, and got us thinking that we can possibly celebrate your first birthday there. We shall see.

I alway want you to know that you make being a mom the best job anyone can ask for. I love you so much!

Love always,
Mommy

To my Owen,

Sorry for the much delayed post. So much has happened since the last blog. During the last week of March, we took our first family trip to Washington DC. You visited 2 museums -- the National Air and Space Museum as well as the National Gallery of Art. You were a pretty good sport throughout the whole trip. We ate at some delicious brunch spots such as Founding Farmers, and had dinners at restaurants such as the classic Old Ebbitt Grill or the Michelin Star Blue Duck Tavern in the Park Hyatt hotel that we stayed at. You were a popular baby at Old Ebbitt Grill - we had a couple of the waitresses come by to try and make you giggle and smile. On the day of our check-out. the fire alarm went off, which took you by surprise and scared you. Mommy carried you down 9 flights of stairs holding your one ear close to my chest and covering your other ear with my hand.

The whole trip was a big learning experience for mom and dad, and we realized that traveling with a newborn forces you to be very flexible and on-the-go. Did I mention that you woke up at 3AM on our first night there, and you and dad had some bonding time with the night cleaning crew down in the lobby for an hour or so?

Besides that, you have been wonderfully sleeping through the night. Whoo-hoo! You have been loving bath time, kicking your feet and splashing water everywhere! You have also been playing around while eating, swatting the bottle away with your hand and sticking your tongue out while drinking from the bottle. You also started gurgling the milk and make funny noises while drinking. You did your first "jam jam" (opening and closing your fist), which we were all waiting for you to do since your 100 day.

Weather was beautiful today, so we took a stroll outside around the neighborhood, and hung out in the back patio afterwards. You were chilling in the bumbo wearing the new hat grandma got you, and you looked so adorably cute and mommy took a bunch of photos of you loving the outdoors :)

Oh - one surprising update. You no longer require the pacifier, because you started sucking on your fingers instead. But guess which fingers? Your index and middle finger - the same ones mommy sucked as a baby. When I first saw you do it, I thought it was a coincidence. But without fail, those are the only fingers you will suck on. Mom and dad and grandparents thought that was too funny.

We all love you so much. Mommy has been smothering you with kisses. Your cheeks and chin are constantly slimy from all the saliva, but that doesn't stop mommy. You have also been cracking up at whatever daddy says to you. Oh, we are enjoying you so much.

Love,
Mommy

To my Owen,

Yesterday was your first night sleeping through the night by yourself in your room! You are such a good baby...

You also had your 4 month check-up yesterday, where you got 4 shots. You let out a huge shriek, but you got better soon afterwards. You were a bit fussy today, but I cut you some slack because your temperature was rising a bit from the vaccines. You were very tired today, and took good naps during the day. You even fell asleep on mommy's chest for 1.5 hours! It was a blissful time for me, hearing and feeling you take each breath.

Something that mommy and daddy find so amusing is that you could be whining one minute, but as soon as you see us, you start smiling. It cracks us up! It feels like you are getting chubbier and chubbier each day, and mommy can't resist nibbling on your arm and thigh rolls. You actually smile when I do it. The doctor also checked your weight and height yesterday, and you were in 47th percentile for weight and 17th percentile for height! That is an amazing improvement from your 2 month visit - where you were 20th percentile for weight and not even on the chart for height. Doctor was very happy, but mommy was even happier at the sound of that. Even though you were born 3 weeks early at just 5.5 pounds, you are doing a great job growing each and every day. We praise God for you. We are so thankful for you.

Love,
Mommy

To my Owen,

Last night was your first night sleeping in your big boy crib in your own room! Hooray! Until now, you have been sleeping in your bassinet, right next to mommy and daddy's bed. We love going to sleep to the sound of your breathing (you are a heavy breather), and love even more waking up to your babbles and your grinning face every morning. But we knew it was time to graduate from the bassinet and move onto the crib. Mommy was nervous.

Before going to bed, I spent 10 minutes hovering over your crib, making sure the room temperature was just right, making sure the cold air was not leaking in from the window next to your crib, making sure your blanket would not cover your mouth or nose, and the list goes on. I thought I was done worrying, but a little later, I went back to see you and really contemplated taking you out and bringing you back into our room. I was so close in doing so, but I knew I had to be strong and disciplined so I scurried back to my room before I could change my mind. I even woke up dad and asked if we were doing the right thing.

Sure enough, we wake up to your babbles in the morning, but this time the noise is coming from the baby monitor on our nightstand. Dad brings you into our room, and you are just oblivious to the big milestone you have hit. We were so proud of you for sleeping all by yourself in the crib, but for you it was just another morning. It was as if you were telling mommy to relax, and that you will be fine. I know you are only 4 months old, but in so many ways you have already shown resilience and compassion to your newbie parents. Thank you for that.

Love,

Mommy

To my Owen,

Good morning baby. Today I put you down for a nap in your big boy crib. I think it's time to graduate from the bassinet. I am watching you from the monitor, and even in your solitude, you succeed in being happy, waving your arms around with the music. A couple of weeks ago, your hands found your mouth, and since then you are constantly trying to fit your entire fist into your mouth. You recently found your hands and arms with your eyes, so you tend to gaze in amazement at each of your little fingers. It's amazing to see how quickly you are growing and developing. You are just 3 days shy of being 4 months already!

You might be able to read about this day later, because the temperature is going up into the 70's today! This is very unusual for our area, so we are going to seize the opportunity to go take a stroll around our neighborhood. One of mommy's favorite things to do with you is to take you out - we've already ran so many errands together, from going to Shop Rite, the bank, many different malls... :) You are becoming a little too heavy for mommy's arm in that car seat of yours, but I will still try my best to take you around with me. I think it's important for you to see the outside world as much as it is to have your quiet time at home. Mommy is trying to find a good balance. Sometimes you get very tired from being out all day, or having guests over to entertain. Still you are always a good sport, and mommy and daddy are always thankful for that.

Love,
Mommy