Jalen

take two

2008-02-06T00:46:00.000-05:00

Thanks everyone. No one is getting cut short. I will continue to show Jalen's progress at JALEN, YEAR TWO. This time, the photos will speak for themselves.

end of an era

2008-02-05T22:10:00.000-05:00

Jalen is now a toddler. A baby can achieve toddler status as soon as he/she starts to walk or reaches the one-year mark. Jalen has reached both milestones so it's official to me. One year has gone by so quickly that it's almost upsetting. After reviewing this blog from the beginning and reliving the past year, I can honestly say that Jalen has been everything that we could have ever wanted in a baby. He's made our first year of parenting reasonably easy. And now it's time to move on because the baby I spent a year writing about is no more. After all, can a baby feed himself scrambled eggs in the morning with a fork? Well, I guess it is possible, but it just goes to show how far Jalen has come. I still cannot believe our baby is one!

never on sale

2008-01-28T23:44:00.000-05:00

Less than a week until Jalen is one and the idea of another baby still eludes me. Having another kid might be probable if only I could buy another one just like Jalen. (Umm, excuse me, but do you sell the Jalen in a girl model?) I just read that when your baby reaches one year old, due to lost sleep and the bionic aging influence of babies, you will feel twenty years older. And thanks to a very cranky baby tonight, I have a hard time ignoring that logic right now. But the past year has been priceless. I will probably reflect a lot on the past year in the next few days. Although I haven't forgotten the hardships that got us here, all I can think about are all the great things that have happened. Unfortunately, I have a few extra wrinkles to go with it, but I can't imagine being able to buy anything that would bring as much joy and satisfaction.

louder than words

2008-01-22T22:38:00.001-05:00

While driving home today, I was passing back to Jalen some dried banana chips to munch on. Jalen has a tendency to stuff his mouth as quickly and as full as possible. For fear that he'll choke on his food, it's necessary for us to give him his snacks at a slow pace. That's why Jalen started to use his baby sign language on me. He kept signing "more" to me because I just wasn't giving him his chips fast enough. Approaching this whole baby sign thing in a lackadaisical manner, I am quite astonished with Jalen's ability to learn this. With all credit given to Eumi, it actually took very little effort to teach this one sign. Although, for now, I think he associates the sign as a general term for food, milk included. It's still a huge step toward his ability to communicate. When he woke up yesterday morning, I was changing him on his changing pad and he was signaling his "more" sign with me. It was obvious that he was telling me that he wanted his milk. It was a touching moment because it was the first time that he's ever said anything to me in the morning.

laugh but don't laugh

2008-01-15T23:27:00.001-05:00

I was watching this show on TV with Deepak Chopra and Mike Myers, and in reference to comedy and mortality, Deepak stated that "confronting your mortality makes us laugh". Ever since Eumi became pregnant with Jalen, all I think about is mortality. Bringing a new life into this world really forces you to think about it. Recently, these thoughts suddenly made me very aware of my age, and I was not laughing.

schooled

2008-01-11T22:14:00.000-05:00

We were walking down the street with Jalen in my arms when a schoolyard full of running and screaming children immediately grabbed his attention. We let him down to observe through the fence and he was engrossed by all the action. He continued to watch even as they were lining up to go back inside. Recently, during walks to the park with Melissa, Jalen started to interact with other kids. I'm really happy that he's expressing an interest in socializing. I think teaching or encouraging your kid to socialize can be stressful if he/she has no desire to. It makes me more enthusiastic about putting him in daycare soon. He'll have his walking skills perfected by that time, but it's his continuing desire to put everything in his mouth that worries us. As soon as he stops chewing on everything that he comes in contact with, his drooling butt is outta here! It's a good primer for school, I guess, except you don't get homework. All you do is play all day and you get a two- or three-hour nap in the afternoon. Actually, thinking about it makes me drool too.

goodfella

2008-01-11T16:01:00.000-05:00

Jalen is starting to thin out a bit. He's gotten taller in the last few weeks but his weight has remained the same. He's still eating well but feeding him has gotten a little more difficult because of his increased desire to play. He has taken a huge interest in what we eat and his current food addiction is scrambled eggs. I do hope that he will keep most of his mass as he continues to grow and not become like his skinny father. I really love his current proportions. It makes him look like a tough little boy. Actually, it's not just looks--he really is tough. Rarely does he cry anymore from falling or banging his head. One time, he banged his head into the corner of a wall and though he let out an annoyed yell, no crying proceeded. The next day I noticed a black and blue bruise on his head. Ever since then, I've chosen to remain on his good side.

the cheese in sleep

2008-01-09T21:13:00.001-05:00

Jalen is such the little explorer. We would be lucky if Jalen would sit still for more than a couple of minutes. He doesn't even like to be held all that much anymore because of his desire to move around. His calmest moments are when he's being rocked to sleep. Soon enough he will learn to fall asleep on his own and I'm really going to miss the rocking. It's probably the only time where he still likes to be snugly held, and it reminds me that he's still a baby. I guess rocking your baby to sleep nowadays would be considered old-fashioned, time-consuming and/or laborious. But I really love helping him with such a basic baby need. The best moment is when their eyes begin to flutter very softly and slowly just as they drift off. It's so peaceful and intimate that only a cheesy analogy can explain--It's like watching the last few seconds before the sun sets into the ocean. Ugh. Anyway, with Jalen growing so fast, his need to be rocked gives me the opportunity to enjoy his melting babyhood just a bit longer.

to make my long story short

2008-01-04T20:09:00.000-05:00

One more month to go until the end of this blog. On Jalen's birthday, I will reach my goal of archiving my first year as a father. A lot has changed since I first started this. As Jalen grew into this complex little guy, writing about him became harder as well. I struggled to write about anything the last couple of months. My initial thought was that there wasn't much to write about anymore because Jalen reached a point where his development became somehow repetitive, minimal and the little things he was picking up was not really worth mentioning. For instance, when he developed his pincer grasp which allowed him to pick up Cheerios, or a naptime kick he used to fight dozing off as he's being rocked to sleep. But in reality, at some point, he started to develop so quickly that I didn't know how to write about it all. Plus, things just sort of discreetly creep up on you. Like in this photo, when did he learn to sit like a little boy? Or one day I noticed that his hands got really big. I'll probably miss writing this journal but hopefully Jalen will help keep me busy.

where's baby?

2007-12-31T23:56:00.000-05:00

I received this quote in a baby newsletter and I couldn't stop thinking about it. "During games of peekaboo, baby laughs at the question 'Where's baby?' but does not yet appear to grasp its existential significance." I hope they were trying to be silly, otherwise it's just kind of obnoxious. What's funny, though, is that if you tried the same thing on me, I, too, would laugh and fail to understand. But the most important word here is "significance" because this year's end has more meaning to us than any year passed. This is the year that Jalen came to exist. Within a month or so, he will begin walking already. And we will be right behind him, waiting for a chance that he might fall so that we can catch him. This makes us feel significant.

daddy nail technologist

2007-12-26T00:58:00.000-05:00

Babies' nails grow like wildfire. Figuring out who, what, when, where and why to cut your baby's nails takes some experimenting. Some babies like it and some won't stay still for even one nail to be cut. Some babies can't be disturbed during their naps which creates a bigger challenge. Jalen has a tendency to grab things in sort of a martial arts tiger-claw style. This has led to a lot of painful scratches and skin pulling. Let me explain Jalen's nail care with the five dubelyoos. Who--I do, because ever since Eumi barely clipped Jalen's finger and drew blood, it's become my new talent. What!!--You've never seen a male nail salon worker before? When--Once a week, usually on Tuesdays with a midweek filing just to keep it fresh. And right after he falls asleep during naptime because he's too active when he's awake. Where--My favorite and usual spot is on his changing pad because he actually likes sleeping on it and I can easily move him over to his crib when we're finished. Why--His tiger-claw style is no joke!

sleep: the final cut?

2007-12-22T00:29:00.000-05:00

Jalen's finally got it. He's had it for about a month now. He understands the great pleasure of sleeping through the night. He hasn't perfected it yet, but he's pretty close. Maybe three nights out of a week, he'll wake up looking for his pacifier. He's still very partial to napping during the day with his pacifier, so it's amazing that he does not require it for his nighttime slumber. But something will wake him up in the wee hours now and then, and he'll look for it. This amounts to about a three-minute disruption during his sleep (and mine). Otherwise, on average, it's eleven hours straight. We tried the cry-it-out thing for a couple of weeks at about 4.5 months old, but it didn't work all that well so we kind of scratched it. Then the unlucky task of tending to his numerous night wakings somehow befell mainly upon me. Eventually the task became solely mine when Jalen went through a phase of bedtime separation anxiety with his mother. They say not to exceed the six-month mark when training your baby to sleep through the night because it gets exponentially harder. For that reason, we were feeling pretty screwed when Jalen passed the nine-month mark. Still, we had no choice but to try to let him cry it out again. Well, there was one night of crying for 1.5 hours, then two more nights of under an hour and he somehow figured it out. I definitely noticed the difference in his crying this time around because it was more of a whining, angry, brat type of cry as opposed to a dying Godzilla type of cry. Now that we've entered a friendlier sleeping pattern, I've kind of forgotten the old days. I guess ten months of two to four twenty-minute wakings was not all that bad?

alluding to my delusions

2007-12-08T15:01:00.000-05:00

For the next couple of decades, we get to dictate Jalen's life. He has no choice because we created him. Therefore, we own him. Though he is still free to defecate at will, that right will soon be gone as well. Taking advantage of Jalen's infantile indifference makes it easy for us to control him. Ironically though, our goal is to teach Jalen how to confront and defeat this (and any) sort of oppression. We will help him become his own man and take hold of his destiny through our experience, guidance and support. This is the period during which we hope to gain Jalen's adoration and respect. But if we fail, we will only instill fear and indifference. Unlike his adolescent lack of understanding, this indifference would be caused by his complete understanding of us. I utterly fear failing as a parent. Conclusions that I have about my own upbringing continue to vex me. Unfortunately, I stopped smiling for my parents a long time ago. Perhaps my guilt or animosity has me striving to be a better parent. The parent that I always wanted will be the one that I hope to give to Jalen. Soon it will be Jalen's turn to judge us. I just hope that he'll do it with a smile on his face.

time towelled

2007-12-01T16:28:00.000-05:00

Jalen wears anything from 18-24 months to 2T (that's T for toddler), depending on the brand of clothing. Of particular concern are his pants, which we now buy at a minimum of 2T because even though the pants are usually too long for him, it's his girth that we have to consider first. At the last checkup, he was in the ninetieth percentile for height and off-the-charts in weight. He's not exactly flabby or mushy, in fact, he's pretty solid. He's very healthy, very active and very big. We don't feed him more than his recommended food amounts but he continues his quest to surpass us in size. We love the fact that Jalen is as huge and strong as he is (I think he could take down Eumi) but when I look at old photos of him, I feel a little jipped on Jalen's early infancy. I miss the days when I could swaddle him up and cradle him in just the palms of my hands. I miss not risking throwing out our backs when we lift him out of the bathtub. I miss the days when he could still fit in a Bjorn and when Eumi could carry Jalen for more than half a block. More than anything though, this is a statement on how fast babies grow. When they say a blink of an eye, it really is.

escape from new toys

2007-11-21T23:31:00.000-05:00

Here's Jalen escaping from his playpen and trying to make a run for it. He also has a knife with him in case I get in his way. I'm slowly starting to get it. At this age, kids have an attention span of a few minutes. You give them a new toy and it's as good as garbage in five minutes. They also hate confined spaces so putting Jalen into a playpen equals a screaming baby in about seven minutes. Imagine how hard it is to entertain a baby this way, all day and everyday. Unfortunately, there is no wonder toy to be had and most of them are a waste of money. Being creative with playtime helps but it's hard to always come up with new things. I think babies appreciate the effort but all they want to do now is explore and toys just get boring. Our plan with Jalen is simple--easy on the toys, lots of socializing and get out of the house as much as possible.

danger danger

2007-11-19T22:45:00.000-05:00

We're at a critical point here because we've entered a bumps-and-bruises stage. Jalen's balance is not that great but he moves around freely and is extremely curious and adventurous. He has no fear at this point because he doesn't have a concept of what getting hurt is. Today was the first time that Jalen got hurt because of his exploring--twice. The first time, while trying to climb over his toy box, he fell back and hit his head onto the corner of a big wooden toy. Second time, he was grabbing at the top of the back of a chair and it toppled back and popped him on the lip. I guess the fun starts here. I'm sad that those lazy and easy infant days when Jalen was this cute little flailing turtle on his back are over. Now he's more like a cuter version of the Energizer Bunny that you chase around until the batteries run out so that you can put him to sleep. But you can't follow a kid everywhere so I'm feeling a little apprehensive about Jalen's potentially painful adventures...many of them...for years to come.

our not so little inuk

2007-11-11T16:30:00.000-05:00

Jalen was born on one of the coldest days of last winter. At the hospital we could not get a private room, so I went home at nights. It was about four blocks from the parking lot to the hospital. I'm pretty good with cold weather but I remember how much I dreaded that walk because of the arctic weather conditions (twice a day, I might add). With winter flirting around the corner again, we've got Jalen prepped for the cold. In his gear, Jalen feels twice as big, which makes his car seat and stroller seem way too small. I am really looking forward to seeing Jalen's reaction to his first snowfall (if we get any). But what's giving me major chills is the anticipation of Jalen's one-year birthday, which is just a blink away and we haven't even started planning yet! Oh, the stresses and strains of parenthood.

same old beat

2007-11-08T22:56:00.000-05:00

My son is such the cruiser. Sounds a little like a stereotype but cruising is the stage that follows crawling. This is when a baby is able to walk around while holding onto something. This is an important juncture in his development, because walking is a milestone for the baby mentally and physically. What this means is that he's developing more brains and brawn to bring more chaos. Other than that, it's the same old Jalen, still playful and still a good boy. He continues to love his milk and baby food but has recently discovered bread, cheese, yogurt, tofu and rice. It's fun now to go to a restaurant with him because we can just put him in a high chair and feed him his finger foods while we eat. Only negative about him is that he still has his sporadic sleeping problems. But I've come to realize that most parents have to deal with that, even if they're telling you otherwise. He's still got his sense of humor, his health and he's growing (fast). I can continue to live with that.

do not feed the animals

2007-10-31T21:10:00.001-04:00

Charging up the monkey for halloween.

the telling heart

2007-10-23T22:21:00.000-04:00

Sometimes at night, when I rock Jalen to sleep, I often think about the day he was born. It was like something out of an Edgar Allen Poe story. I recall spending hours sitting in this calm before the storm, trying unsuccessfully to get some sleep. And the deafening beat of Jalen's heart filled the room through the heart monitor machine--it sounded like a freight train slowly gaining speed (or slowing down). Cho, cho, cho, cho... cho....... cho......... cho..................... cho! Every now and then, his heartbeat would slow down to almost nothing and that's when I would stop breathing for a few seconds, but then a nurse would come dashing through the door to move Eumi into a different position to stimulate the baby.
Fast forward about twenty hours later and Jalen popped out with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck and meconium in his lungs. After he was freed from the cord, they got him to his station and the nurses proceeded to bang on his chest and shove tubes up and down his throat to get him to breathe. I stood by Eumi's side, caressing her face and wiping away her sweat as she was falling in and out of consciousness. Because I continued to block her view of the baby, Eumi started to ask randomly about Jalen and I told her how great he was doing and how beautiful he was. This would make her smile and laugh. Meanwhile, as she continued to bleed, the doctors, anxious to stitch her up, hovered around her waiting for the placenta to come out, which seemed to take forever.
All drama aside though, it was an extraordinary experience. I can't honestly say that I would want to go through another one like that again. But I remind myself to never forget that day, especially when Jalen acts up. Sometimes, at about 4AM, when I'm trying to rock Jalen back to sleep, I touch his face and I think about that day.

every dog has its day

2007-10-17T22:36:00.001-04:00

We've finally figured out a complete schedule that Jalen seems to really like. I know it seems a little fascist, but babies really do function better on a schedule. If we let Jalen sleep, eat and play whenever he wanted, then we'd have a wild dog on our hands. It took a bit of experimenting to figure it out but it's well worth it and believe it or not, he tends to stick to it pretty consistently. He knows what to expect and it's our job to meet his expectations. Here are the Jalen rules:

8:00 he usually wakes up before 8
8:30 3.5 tablespoons of cereal
9:30 6 ounces of milk (1 hour after cereal)
10:00 NAP (about 1.5 hours)
12:30 4 ounces of fruit or yogurt
1:30 6 ounces of milk (1 hour after food)
2:30 NAP (about 1.5 hours)
4:00 4 ounces of milk
5:00 4 ounces of vegetable
7:00 8 ounces of milk
7:30 bedtime

rebel cute

2007-10-14T21:53:00.000-04:00

Recently I had a request to put out a "cute" picture of Jalen. This inspired a lot of thought. According to Wikipedia, infantile personality traits, such as playfulness, fragility, helplessness, curiosity, innocence, affectionate behavior and a need to be nurtured are generally considered cute. With my new understanding of what cute is, I realized that over time I unintentionally, but quite consciously, started posting pictures of Jalen that fell outside of the cute norm. I am now aware that I've been trying way too hard to portray Jalen as this smart, cool, strong, good-looking and vivacious baby (even though he is). But with the help of a passing airplane (Jalen loves to watch and follow flying planes), I took a cute photo.

short order

2007-10-10T22:26:00.001-04:00

"You ain't got nothing I can't handle! Bring it home, daddy!"

top ten

2007-10-09T22:56:00.000-04:00

How do you know there is a baby in your life?
-you can only dream about sleeping in late on the weekends
-you no longer have the most toys in the house
-the best seat in the house is a high chair
-you know more about strollers than you do cars
-you are now proficient in baby talk
-you freeze for a second and your ears rotate like a dog's when you hear crying
-your favorite bag now is a diaper bag
-your new scent is eau de vomit
-when you reach into your pocket for your wallet you pull out a pacifier
-you have a dedicated finger for spreading cream on your baby's butt

dark daze

2007-10-05T21:16:00.000-04:00

Jalen has been in a real crappy mood these past few days. I'd like to blame it on either teething, a growth spurt, separation anxiety or some sort of heightened awareness overload (I made that one up). He's been waking up at night, crying and refusing to go back to sleep unless held or sometimes fed. On top of that, he's been refusing to take his naps during the day even though he's exhausted. His eyes get so dark and heavy, he looks like a little zombie. Jalen is much more expressive these days, so he'll babble and shriek when he's happy and exhibits displeasure with grunts, groans and cries. Crying comes in different degrees, from a mild complaining to an all out Godzilla-in-pain type of cry. He saves the Godzilla screams for Eumi and me, which happen mostly in the evenings. The other night was probably the first time he ever gave out a cry for help. He got his ankle stuck in between the slats of his crib and was twisted in a way that had him pinned down. I got him out and cradled him in my arms to calm him down and try to get him back to sleep. He gave me this look like I was his hero because I just saved his life. Poor kid, I can't wait until he gets over whatever this is and sleeps through the night again because really it's poor us.

my sassy girl

2007-09-28T23:13:00.001-04:00

Jalen officially has a babysitter, albeit a part-time one. This is a big deal for us. Trying to figure out child care causes great stress, apprehension and financial anxiety. Daycare will have its place in Jalen's future, but it's our decision not to put him in one yet. Jalen still spends a day each with his two grandmothers and my cousin has generously offered her days off to care for Jalen the rest of the week. Melissa, currently in grad school, is studying to be a pediatric nurse practitioner. (Cool or what?) It helps, of course, that she adores Jalen and he has taken to her well. Children can often become attached to their nannies or babysitters over time. We have yet to see how long Melissa can commit to this job, but however long it may be, we feel that we've made a good choice.

who's your mommy

2007-09-24T23:02:00.000-04:00

Jalen LOVES his mother. The enthusiasm that he greets Eumi with is unparalleled. It's that unbreakable bond that exists between a mother and her baby. I probably spend more time and do more things with Jalen, but I just don't get the same flair from him when he greets me. Often, when Eumi comes home, she is received with smiles, laughs and maybe even some ecstatic jumping if he's held standing. Jalen greets me with more of a stunned look followed by grunts and moans. I know that he's excited to see me. But if I could translate his reactions, then with Eumi it's 'Yaaay! Mommy's home!' and with me it's 'Dude! What are you waiting for, pick me up already!' Well, I know that this sounds a bit like an envious rant but more than anything, I find it endearingly funny. I'm just happy that Jalen accepts me. It just goes to show that a father has to work extra hard to gain his child's adoration.

who's driving?

2007-09-24T22:57:00.000-04:00

One day, having lent out our stroller, I was confronted with the prospect of going to Home Depot and holding Jalen in my arms the whole time. While pushing a dirty shopping cart with one hand and struggling to hold a heavy, writhing baby in the other arm, I couldn't help but fantasize about having a stroller with me. Ironically, at checkout, the cashier (a lady probably my mother's age) told me how impressed she was that I was actually holding my baby and that it's a shame how nowadays most babies are confined to a stroller. Another older lady in line seemed to agree with her. I joked with them about my arm falling off but never revealed my desire for a stroller. Looking deeper into it than I needed to, I couldn't help but think how much raising children has changed from our parents' generation. They had only a portion of the baby gadgets that we do today--did they even have car seats? And imagine the wealth of baby information accessible to us not only in books but the internet. It's like learning to drive with a manual in front of us as opposed to learning to drive in the dark with no lights on. Nowadays babies are born with instructions and have more things than they really need. We are a generation of parents obsessed with baby information and products. Jalen is obviously the driving force behind our obsession but we've definitely learned to ease up. I have much respect for our parents' generation though--walking down the street, holding their babies with eyes closed and no stroller.

divided attention

2007-09-15T23:06:00.001-04:00

This natural pose of Jalen flashing me some bad attitude occurred right after lunch. I spent a couple of minutes lecturing Jalen that eating time is not play time because he was attempting to grab the spoon and bite it. Well, I don't know if I could legitimately call it a lecture since he can't understand a word that I'm saying. But his body language here (which really did happen spontaneously and naturally) makes me feel as though he understood my disapproval. Babies kill me. Their actions and expressions often make them seem more mature than they are. I sometimes have to remind myself that Jalen is still just a baby. But yes, we do cherish every moment of it, and yes, we do laugh a lot.

buddha's delight

2007-09-15T22:30:00.000-04:00

Constant stimulation--that about sums up Jalen these past few days. He's a really good baby that rarely complains but this 25-pound slithering machine can be a handful. He was very cute, at first, in his determination to crawl and I eagerly anticipated the moment he would begin. But now I wish that it would have taken him a bit longer. His developing curiosity and awareness of things around him, coupled with his ability to get to those things can be, and is, an exhausting combination. Also, Jalen has eight teeth now, so his sole purpose in life at this point is to put whatever he can get his hands on into his mouth so he can gnaw on it. This goes hand in hand with his love of food, for now one of the few things that he continues to sit still for.

gleaming the boob

2007-08-28T22:33:00.000-04:00

The end of an era is near and it may be an unwelcome moment for Jalen and Eumi. Eumi's milk production is slowing down and their breastfeeding days are coming to a close. After being a front row witness to this amazingly wonderful process, I know that I have a new understanding of life. Though it is probably one of nature's most primary and rudimentary acts, it may also very well be one of the hardest to begin. As if it weren't enough that the mother gives up her body to gestate her baby for so many months and endures hours of the utmost pain to deliver him/her, she continues to devote her body and soul to feed her child for as long as nature allows.
It's reasonable to think that a baby is born with the skill to feed from the breast or that the breasts should instantly be full of milk, but that's not the case. Breastfeeding is a process that must be learned and practiced for both the mother and child. On top of that, a mother's breasts don't produce milk until about 5-10 days after birth. Jalen needed to feed 12 times within each 24-hour period, with each session lasting 45-60 minutes. Fatigue, recovery pains and a hungry, crying baby (among other things) can help to create a senseless and insecure mother. To make a long story short (I could write a book on this), those were friggin' hard times and it really sucked. When the milk finally comes in and the baby is actually feeding, it's a feeling so great that it's like the baby is being born again.
I know that Eumi will be a little sad and she may not even be ready to give up breastfeeding yet. I know that Jalen, too, may feel a little desolate that the one thing that made sense to him since being brought into this world will no longer be there. I cannot even pretend to know what it will feel like for them to lose this intimate relationship. But I will also miss those moments because I've been able to experience those moments with them in my own way. I will carry this most bittersweet and beautiful image of Eumi and our child in my mind forever.

ready, set...

2007-08-22T23:01:00.000-04:00

Coming soon! A mobile Jalen! Seen here is a never before revealed photo of Jalen test driving himself being on all fours. Well, he hasn't quite mastered the crawling part just yet but he can shimmy backward and forward pretty well. To be honest, I can't say that I'm a hundred percent looking forward to the crawling. He looks like he's so ready to wreak havoc.

mover and shaker

2007-08-20T22:59:00.000-04:00

Jalen's life has been corrupted by an abundance of babysitters. A couple times a week he'll go to my parents' place. Once or twice a week, Eumi's parents have him. Once a week, Eumi usually gets to stay home with him. I'll take him every so often and every now and then, his aunt Eura joins the mix. Jalen's pretty lucky to have so many options. He's a real trooper about it too because he doesn't seem to mind being passed around this way. If I had to speak for him, I would say that he thinks it's all very interesting. Everyday is a new adventure.

the silky tag phenomenon

2007-08-18T22:42:00.001-04:00

Of all the things that I've learned about babies, one really sticks out. One day I discovered that Jalen was totally absorbed in the silky little label that was attached to his toy. He had this plush little dog pinned down with the label sticking straight out. With the precision of a tailor threading a needle, he stroked the silky tag between his little fingers, over and over again. I'm more used to seeing Jalen hitting, pulling, gnawing and throwing his toys, so I was a little surprised by how absorbed and focused he was on such a peculiar detail. From that moment on, I noticed that Jalen had an affinity towards labels and tags of all sorts. Apparently, baby label fascination is a pretty well known fact. So much so that there is a company devoted to making baby products full of labels and tags sticking out all over them. Can you believe that? It's a good thing to know too, because I've got a box full of labels that I'm gonna glue to myself in case Jalen gets bored of me.

zestfully clean

2007-08-10T21:05:00.000-04:00

As a reward for being such a good boy, we've decided to give Jalen more freedom during bath time. At this stage, he is super curious of everything around him and very easily distracted, even during feedings. His 3rd and 4th teeth have just broken through and hopefully he gets a nice long break before the next teething period. Though he's still very friendly and sociable, he definitely recognizes the people that are close to him. He's very playful and interactive so we can easily get him laughing like crazy. We never got used to letting him cry it out, so we've figured out our own bedtime routine and often rock him to sleep. Now I'm sure some people may be jeering at the fact that I rock him to sleep at night. But the rocking usually only takes a couple of minutes and honestly, he's now a pretty good sleeper. After spending months drowning in baby books and websites telling us how to raise our baby and what not to do, we've cleansed ourselves from most of the baby paranoia. From now on, we'll have to raise Jalen like animals, on instincts.

rear up

2007-08-05T23:13:00.000-04:00

Jalen has reached his 6-month mark. First, I will state the obvious--I'm elated that Jalen is a big and healthy stud. But, not so obviously--I'm more amazed that Eumi and I have survived without killing each other. No one ever warned us how difficult it would be on our relationship. On top of that, learning to understand and deal with opinion differences on raising a child is stressful. And now that Jalen is priority, our relationship has taken a back seat. We're here trying to juggle taking care of a baby, our work schedule, keeping our household in order, friends and family on both sides. Where would we find time to groom our loving partnership? I guess you don't. I suppose if you have a strong enough foundation, then you could put it in hibernation-on-demand. But that's probably unrealistic because life has changed and there's no reverse. It is quite sad for me, thinking about our intimate little life before. Unfortunately, amorous sighs have been replaced with exhaustive snoring and lustful stares with take-care-of-the-baby looks. Ironically (and not surprisingly), though, our love is stronger than before. For me, maybe it's because I take great comfort in knowing that Jalen will grow up with the greatest mother he will ever know, or that it's only with my soul mate that we could have created such a great kid, or that sooner than later, hopefully, things will get down and dirty again.

light that never goes out

2007-07-26T23:23:00.000-04:00

Okay, I've already done this (musing on Jalen) but I'm going to do it again...THANK YOU! To friends and family and to those that we have yet to meet, I've received some extraordinarily kind words from you. Incredibly, 'dear jalen' has been received quite auspiciously and a comment from 'skparsons', in particular, has moved me to express my appreciation. This blog is proof that I spend a lot of time contemplating on Jalen. And time goes by so quickly that what I thought happened yesterday actually happened a month ago. So, if it weren't for Jalen, I would not have this blog. And if it weren't for this blog, I would not remember how Jalen became Jalen. Come back often, the pleasure and privilege is mine.

Michelangelo's new David

2007-07-24T23:42:00.001-04:00

"The sense of moral power and tense energy is conveyed not only through the anatomy but through the concentrated gaze..."

table talk

2007-07-19T14:42:00.000-04:00

This week, Jalen's been eating carrots. Anytime he tries a new fruit or vegetable, he'll be on it solely for a week to make sure that he doesn't develop any allergies to it. He loves eating from a spoon now and it's a lot of fun for all of us. The only downside is his much more smelly and nastier poop. One evening, I was feeding Jalen some baby food, chewing some fat and having a good ole time, when it struck me...There is a little dude sitting in front of me who recognizes me as someone who belongs in his life! It was a whopping realization that this is all real. Jalen as a boy is now a sensible reality. The fact that he can identify us, coupled with a desire for interaction, makes him seem more like a person. The first few months of his life, he was more like a new gadget, lots of fun to play with and look at, with no reciprocation. Nowadays, spending time with Jalen feels more like an assembling relationship. This type of bond has changed somewhat the way I see and relate to him. He's also mature beyond his months which makes him a great dinner date. Anyone for pureed carrots and breast milk?

career night

2007-07-14T22:46:00.001-04:00

We're taking votes here...professor, beatnik, fashion designer, comedian?

sick of it

2007-07-14T22:33:00.001-04:00

It started with a simple, albeit painful, case of food poisoning. All hell broke loose after that. I don't have too many nice things to say about these last couple of weeks, so I'll tell it with a list in order:
1. Ben-food poisoning (vomiting, diarrhea, chills, fever, body aches)
2. Eumi-tooth extraction and gum graft (pain)
3. Jalen-fever (high temperature, puffy eyes)
4. Jalen-cold (fever, nasal/throat mucus, loss of appetite)
5. Jalen-conjunctivitis (redness, swelling, tearing, discharge, sticking eyelids, irritation)
6. Jalen-ear infection (pain)
7. Ben-fever (high temperature, body aches)
8. Ben-conjunctivitis (redness, tearing, irritation)
9. Eumi-conjunctivitis (redness, tearing, irritation)
10. Eumi-fever (high temperature, body aches)
11. Eumi-cold (tired body, severe coughing)
If I've learned nothing at all, at least I know now that conjunctivitis (also known as pinkeye) is highly contagious and annoying. Actually, when your kid is sick, there's a good chance that he's taking at least one of you down with him/her. But, really, I'm just so happy that Jalen (much more so than me) is back to being healthy and sleeping soundly. The whole time he was sick, he was sleeping in our bed and waking up constantly at night. Now, it's back to the dungeon (his crib) to continue his sleep training. (He probably prefers being sick.) Hopefully, in a few days, Eumi will be better and we'll be a happy family again. It sucks when you're sick yourself, doubly worse when it's your partner and downright heartbreaking when it's your baby. I'm already dreading the next time.

with sugar

2007-07-01T23:42:00.000-04:00

I got ill a few days ago. During the downside of my misery, I kept wondering how awful it is for a baby to deal with maladies. On my last day of healing, Eumi had to get a tooth extracted, as well as a bone graft in her gums. This made me think about a baby's tooth as it breaks the surface of their gums. I think most would agree that dental problems rank pretty high on the pain scale. How do babies deal with this sort of stuff so often in their early years and still manage to smile? I guess it's up to us parents to serve up that double-shot of TLC.
When I was sick, Jalen served me some TLC that made me better instantly. At about 4:30AM, Eumi placed Jalen in bed between us, on his back. I groggily and unhappily looked at him, wondering why he needed to be lying right next to me at that moment. He sleepily turned his little head and body toward me and looked me in the eyes. He held out both hands and caressed my face for a few seconds, then returned to his back and went to sleep. Ahem.
In this photo, Jalen is sick with a fever. He was quite spiritless today but still mustered up a little strength to sit up, share some laughs and pose for the camera.

reprogramming

2007-06-22T22:29:00.000-04:00

The past week or so has been a little rough on all of us. First of all, Jalen is growing like crazy. He's bulging out of all his new clothing. We've been trying to regulate his eating habits by spacing out his feedings, while giving him more to eat at each sitting. His two teeth are totally out now and he's chewing anything that he can wrap his little fingers around. We've started to introduce him to cereal, which he seems to enjoy, but more for its novelty. Milk will remain his main source of nutrition until he's one but now is the time to start him on solid food. He's getting bottle-fed more often because, much to his dismay, we've been weaning him off the breast a little. We've also elected to start him on a modified cry-it-out sleep training (more on this later). Next, we will probably get him to roll over and bark at will. All this stress has made him a little more subdued recently and as you can see, we've broken him down good.

dear jalen

2007-06-18T00:35:00.000-04:00

I remember when you were just a little strobe light on a computer screen. I was informed that this was your beating heart. I remember it to be the loudest blinking light that I have ever seen. You were a 9-week embryo then and though I could not touch, see or smell you, you were more real than anything I've encountered in my life. 32 weeks later you came into this world and no one could have altered my reality like you have. For you, I've had to fight through a lot of travail, but it's been worth every stinking minute and more. I've got Jalen tattooed on my heart and Father's Day will bring a different sentiment from now on. I honestly never knew fatherhood could feel like this. Thank you.

bit by bit

2007-06-14T21:38:00.000-04:00

Jalen is teething big time. Aside from some mild crankiness, he's taking it like a good sport. Poor kid, it's not just one tooth coming out, but two! Sooner than later, he's going to start taking in solids. It's scary how quickly he's growing up but he's becoming more and more fun as he does.

in the buff

2007-06-13T22:49:00.000-04:00

I snapped at Eumi recently about some stupid things. I realized that I was a little stressed out over what to do about Jalen's sleep training. I had no idea that I would feel so vulnerable to something that's supposed to benefit Jalen and us. It's not that I'm opposed to letting the kid cry. But how do we know we're not doing him wrong. I can easily apologize to Eumi for being a jerk but how do I confess to a baby? I would feel so guilty. How does the saying go--hurts me more than him? I'm learning that trying to decide what's best for your child can make you feel a little naked. Judging by the look on Jalen's face, he's going to get me back for deciding on this one. But look at those thighs!

mommy birthday

2007-06-07T23:31:00.000-04:00

Eumi's first birthday as a mother. No better present than love and laughs from her baby boy.

rain dancing

2007-06-03T00:17:00.000-04:00

"looking at jalen SSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOO makes me smile." That was all that was said in an email we received. That is my new mantra, it's my less obvious reality. That is my new idiom, it means I can't wait to get home to my baby. According to my almanac, our harvest will be strong for a long, long time.

sleep: the rough cut

2007-06-01T23:42:00.000-04:00

To cry or not to cry? This is the question that Eumi and I harp on constantly. Every child reaches an age where a sleeping routine must be instituted. You must direct children to nap and sleep at exact times every day. You must direct them to be independent so that they can soothe themselves to sleep. This will create great existential harmony in a baby. But the path to sheep-counting nirvana belies a bit of pain and suffering.
This is all thanks to Dr. Emmett Holt who created the "Cry It Out" (CIO) sleep method way back in 1894. This method entails putting the baby down at sleep time and not returning to the room until sleep time is over, even if your baby just spit up his/her lungs.
Dr. Richard Ferber released a book in 1985 teaching a modified CIO method, which is the approach most widely practiced today. "Ferberization" involves creating a bedtime routine followed by intervals of CIO that increase over time. In this method, if you see your child's lungs on the bed, you may intervene.
Attachment parenting practitioners scoff at the idea of allowing your baby to CIO, their logic being that it's cruel and insensitive. They feel that it's unnatural to raise a baby from books.
Unfortunately, I'm looking for a bit of resolve. Consciously governing Jalen to cry (or not) is the first hard decision we'll have to make. I have yet to release the final cut.

path to the dark side

2007-05-27T00:08:00.000-04:00

Jalen is just getting over a growth spurt. He was not himself for a couple of days as he had it pretty rough. Unfortunately, he broke out of it ready to fight. He became this mean little sucker whenever he was feeling a little irritable. It's not anything that has to do with crying if that's what you're imagining. It's more like a screaming reptilian monster out of a B-horror flick. Man, he was mean! Just when I was raving about what a great kid he is, his dark side emerges. I have to admit that he had me laughing. Amusing, yes, but I was scared. Not to worry though, I've got Master Yoda on the speed dial.

curiously standing

2007-05-24T23:50:00.000-04:00

Jalen is now standing and took his first steps...just kidding! He does like to stand, though, with assistance. His least favorite position is lying down. He's very active and rarely stays still. He loves jumping up and down when being held up. He's such a curious little guy too. He loves meeting people and going out to look around. Actually, what I'm trying to say is that he reminds me a little of Curious George. I've thought this for months and just a few days ago, our cousin mentioned that he reminds her of Curious George. This is Jalen's not-so-great impersonation of him (the foliage adds very little effect as well). By the way, Jalen does not know how to stand nor pretend yet. I just keep forgetting that he's still a baby sometimes.

favorite pastime

2007-05-23T00:23:00.000-04:00

Okay, I've held off long enough, but it's time to exhibit the bathing baby. This kid absolutely loves taking a bath. His only peeve is having too much water in the tub because it freaks him out a little. He loves bathing so much that he often gets a little ticked off when bath time is over and will complain for about a minute. Please note that I've taken great care to create a tasteful yet elegant photo of Jalen so as to not embarrass him when he later finds out.

through the looking glass

2007-05-13T23:39:00.000-04:00

Jalen has been such a great kid that it has almost been (dare I say) pretty easy. I guess it's been easy hard work. One thing is for sure--forget that aversion that I had to pee, poop, boogers, drool, toe jam, vomit and flatulence. It's not that I'm into that sort of stuff now, but I'm not running away from it. The less than ideal sleep schedule...you get used to it. The occasional cranky spells...it's probably 10 times worse for him. Still, it's great being a parent. Though, sometimes I think it would be nice if I could be outside looking in. It's great enjoying someone else's kid because it's all play and no work. I do wish that I had more time for my nephews because it's these early years that are really memorable. My nephew, Aidan, is walking now and I feel like I missed a lot of time with him before he got to this point. The problem is that I'm so focused on Jalen. Raising your own kid is a little obsessive. You can easily lose yourself when caring for your child. If it weren't for this blog, I would probably forget to think about all these great moments. As hard as it has been to organize my thoughts at times, I'm glad to have this to reflect upon.

for my next trick

2007-05-13T19:59:00.000-04:00

I remember our friend's mother asking us, "What is the most surprising thing about parenthood?" Eumi quickly replied, "That I could love something so much, so immediately." I was not surprised that we shared that exact same answer. Love for your child is like no other. It preys on your mind and soul. For that reason, parents can't stand being away from their children.
A couple of weeks ago, during tummy time, I turned around for 5 seconds. When I turned back, Jalen was on his back. This was his first time flipping over on his own. I was excited but also a little disappointed that I missed this much anticipated moment. I immediately sent a text to Eumi (who was at work) and she called me instantly, excited and eager to know. Everytime your kid does something new, you love him/her more. It's a strange occurrence. That's why you don't want to miss any moments. It's an excuse to love your kid even more.
A few days ago, I put Jalen down for tummy time and he's poking his head up and around like a periscope. It's a thrill to see him figure things out. It's always a surprise when he does something new. Someone told me recently that all he did for the first couple of years was lie around and watch his baby grow. Tempting...a bit unrealistic, but tempting.

beware the elf

2007-05-06T22:29:00.000-04:00

I caught a little elf that has me all addicted. Jalen, he is called, meaning lively and animated. He kicks and grabs and coos and screams. I can watch and stare all day. Beware the power of this magic elf, he'll catch you in a hard way.

homebound

2007-05-02T21:44:00.000-04:00

I remember how difficult and stressful going out with Jalen used to be. I can't even remember all the little things that I used to worry about. It's never good to be cooped up too long, even for the baby, so it's important to get out. These days, it's quite simple and easy. It helps that Jalen appreciates going out. The hard part is just getting motivated. We're always trying to catch up on chores and rest most of the time. We also feel an urgency to get back early because Jalen needs to sleep.
I remember a time when good weather or an upcoming weekend would bring anxiety because of a desire to venture out. Nowadays, all I want to do is go home. Home, though, has a new meaning in my life. It's not someplace that you can go to or anything that you can touch. Eumi, Jalen and me, together, is home.

too much time on our hands

2007-04-27T11:39:00.000-04:00

I have to admit that I underestimated, a little, the concept of taking care of a baby. (Okay, maybe more than a little.) I have absolutely no time for anything these days. This was my daily life before Jalen...30% of my time devoted to sleep, 30% to work, 10% to eating, 10% to daily responsibilities and 20% to anything that I wanted to do. Taking care of Jalen requires approximately 40-45% of my time. Everyday now is about trying to figure out how to distribute Jalen's 40-45% into my life. So, scratch off the "anything that I want" routine and then it's about clawing away at everything else. This usually requires a bit of offhanded planning for Eumi and me and no two days are the same. It's also a little harder now because Jalen sleeps less during the day and requires more stimulation. His naps only last about 20-30 minutes at a time. He bunks down for deep sleep somewhere around 10-11 pm and even then he wakes up 2-3 times a night to feed and change diapers. So, Jalen is high maintenance. But it's not a bad high maintenance though, because, luckily, he's not colicky. He just likes to eat a lot and play. Jalen really loves doing different and creative things. He gets a kick out of doing silly things.

old cuz

2007-04-22T00:21:00.000-04:00

Aidan is one year old now and I can't believe it. One day I find out that I'm an uncle and not too long after that, a father (and then an uncle again a couple of weeks later). I really feel a great responsibility to these kids. Growing up, my greatest influences were my two uncles, Manny and Eddie. They were my foundation. Being a great father is what I strive for but I also understand the importance of being an inspiring uncle. My first incentive is to keep these angel faces out of trouble. They may look sweet and innocent, but their eyes twinkle with mischief.

musing on Jalen

2007-04-16T18:19:00.000-04:00

Many thanks for some of the flattering support I've received on and off the record for this blog. My original intent was just to show some photos to family and friends. As time went on, I realized that I became more wordy. But I was actually enjoying the process of keeping a journal. This is the first time in my life that I've done so, thanks to Jalen. So, thanks again and we'll continue to keep you posted.

taking it easy

2007-04-14T19:13:00.000-04:00

Jalen is our new best friend. We spend all our time with him and he makes us happy. Keeping him happy keeps us happy and it's been a learning process. It's a relationship that, I hope, will remain in synchrony for a long time. There is nothing like watching him grow and develop before our eyes. Seeing his personality develop has been especially rewarding. It is a tremendous privilege to be a part of Jalen's maturation process. It's great if you can furnish your child's life with all the material things the world has to offer, but it's really about spending time with your child and being there for him/her. Anyhow, he makes us laugh a lot. He just kicks back, watches us and we do the same.

please step back

2007-04-08T23:16:00.000-04:00

Jalen is going through a phase where he keeps putting up his guard. I realized that he's probably trying to send Eumi and me a message to stay back and stop smothering him so much. I know that it's been over 2 months now, but we can't help it. Eumi returned from an errand the other day and the first thing she said when she came through the door was, "Gosh, I love Jalen so much!" In the morning, I often find myself running out the door late because I'm usually staring at him sleeping. The kid's got us cornered.

4 shots in a row

2007-04-04T17:00:00.000-04:00

We are always thinking about Jalen's well-being. We closely monitor his daily routine and developing needs. From the moment he was conceived, we've done nothing but worry about his health. We've had moments where we worried so hard that it almost became a physical pain. It's hard not to because we are so responsible for him and will be for many, many years. Often it can feel a little overwhelming to have someone depend on you so much. But our love for our child is much more overpowering, so we move on. The idea is not to think too far ahead if you don't have to. Day by day is the key because everyday brings new surprises. We don't know what the future holds for Jalen--what type of person he will become or what he will accomplish. But I'm not so sure that I care. I'm just so happy that he has his health and all that I wish for is that he continues to keep it.

hold off on the rogaine

2007-04-02T11:58:00.000-04:00

We got some nice soft fuzz growing in on the top and, don't be jealous ladies, but look at those long lovely lashes!

neglectomatic

2007-03-31T09:56:00.000-04:00

Babies are impatient and get bored easily. You must find any way possible to keep them calm and happy. The most useful of tools is the classic pacifier. Often times, Jalen just needs a little soothing when he's tired. Sucking is a baby's greatest skill, so it's great when you can get babies to use their powers against themselves. Here's when I feel a little guilty--sometimes when Jalen gets hungry and we're in a situation not suitable for feeding yet, we'll hold down that pacifier in his mouth. Jalen gets pissed when we do that. He cries, yells (Jalen has a special yell for when he's hungry, hard to describe, but it's sort of a monotone yodel), kicks, and/or twists his head from side to side. With every minute that passes, he'll get meaner and meaner until he's fed. I hate trying to double-cross him like that mainly because he knows it.
The swing makes me feel like a criminal. The one we have rocks back and forth. Little birds chirp and leaves rustle to the sound of a soft breeze, while rotating above his head. Then, to top it all off, there's a bird's-eye mirror facing him at all times and music playing to make sure that all bases are covered. It really does soothe him to sleep though, but ever since I read somewhere that refers to a swing as a neglect-o-matic, I hated these things. How would you feel if someone put you on a rollercoaster (assuming you like rollercoasters) on repeat until you fall asleep (with a rubber candy in your mouth)? If he doesn't fall asleep within 20 minutes or he wakes from slumber, we'll take him out. By the way, this one in the photo is a borrowed swing, so if you see a good deal, let me know.

is that seat taken?

2007-03-27T19:46:00.000-04:00

Jalen is a little over 7 weeks old now. I can't begin to tell you how fast that time has passed. All the things you hear before becoming a parent are true. They say time flies, you will get no sleep, they grow so fast, no more time for anything else, no time with your spouse, hardest thing you will ever do, most trying time in your life, maddening, sad, happy, exhilarating, etc.,...it's all true. Undoubtedly, this is the most difficult assignment that I've ever ventured into and it's only been 7 weeks. It's surreal, being a parent for the first time. I still can't believe it. It really is wonderful and profound. At times, though, I feel a little melancholy because I know that Eumi and I will never be the same again, no matter what happens at this point. I deeply miss those times alone, just the two of us. But when I come home to see that lovely shiny head and those strikingly big eyes staring me down and demanding that I wipe that stinky butt of his, I say, 'Hey Eumi, move over, this seat is reserved!'

do you have a gymini?

2007-03-23T23:43:00.000-04:00

That was the question that Nina asked Eumi and me. With grins on our faces, we thought, what on earth is that? I think it's human nature to not want something that sounds a little stupid. Boy, was I wrong! Thank you, Nina, for a great gift. The first time I put Jalen in it, he was cooing and smiling and getting cross-eyed from looking all over the place. I had to take him out after a little while because he was getting a little freaked out from all the stimulation. Jalen loves this thing!

tummy time!

2007-03-20T23:02:00.000-04:00

Having kids these days means having to deal with SIDS fears and warnings at every corner. Basically, the term SIDS is used whenever there isn't an explanation for why a newborn passes away. That's why all babies today are sentenced to sleep only on their backs. That's just one of the many SIDS prevention rules. For that reason, fewer babies are learning how to roll over. In fact, some babies learn to walk before rolling over. So, in order to develop their back muscles you spend some time every day doing tummy time. Let me tell you, those of you who have never witnessed the early stages of tummy time, it is too cute. Words just cannot explain.

cool jalen

2007-03-19T00:13:00.000-04:00

Recently, Jalen started to get baby acne. They come in small sets that last for a day or two, only to be replaced by a new set. He has also become much more aware of his surroundings and people around him, hence his staring problem. He has developed an interest in conversing. Basically, he'll throw in a sound or two or three while you're speaking to him. His movements are less twitchy and more deliberate. We have figured out ways to make him smile, which, more than anything, could just be a reflex. But we like to think that he likes us. After all, we can't help but smile at him, especially when he looks so cool in all his little outfits.

ain't easy being baby

2007-03-17T17:50:00.000-04:00

Every now and then, an infant will go through a growth spurt that lasts 2-5 days. The baby becomes very insecure and needy. Even in their infancy, babies can notice the changes happening inside their little bodies. They struggle to comprehend the world around them as their senses develop rapidly. These are usually pretty dark moments because the baby is quite miserable. And misery for baby equals misery for you. But what may initially seem like a step backwards for the baby will turn into two steps forward when it's all over. Why didn't someone warn me about them growth spurts?

hal-mu-nee and me

2007-03-12T17:48:00.000-04:00

I'd like to give a big, special shout out to Eumi's mom, Jalen's hal-mu-nee. This picture was taken the week before Jalen's cousin, Rilee, was born. She was with us until it was Tony, Eura and Rilee's turn for some good old Korean TLC. As I relive, vicariously through Tony and Eura, the pain and stress of being first-time parents, the laborious task of learning to breastfeed a hungry baby, the dreadfully frequent sound of a newborn cry as you're trying to catch up on days of lost sleep, the fear of...
OK, I think you get the point. Anyhow, without Jalen's adoring hal-mu-nee doing all the cooking, cleaning, helping with the baby and taking care of Eumi (who suffered from a slow 3-week recovery) while I was at work, I don't think we could have gotten through it all as smoothly as we did.

double trouble

2007-03-09T15:59:00.000-05:00

Jalen is 29 days older than his new cousin, Rilee. In this picture, Rilee is 3 days old. Even though Jalen has grown about 2 inches and weighs about 10 pounds now, Rilee makes him look like a pipsqueak. Jalen later revealed to me that he was somewhat intimidated by his little (or big) cousin. Thus, Jalen's reaction when placed next to Rilee.

napping with papa

2007-03-09T15:45:00.000-05:00

I suppose there will be a time soon when all Jalen wants is his mother. I assume that most babies go through this phase. I'm not exactly looking forward to it, but I'm prepared for it. Hopefully, we will still share our naps together. Jalen seems to sleep particularly well when he's on my chest. I wonder if he anticipates these moments as much as I do. Eumi and Jalen have breastfeeding whereas Jalen and I have naptime.

monkey baby

2007-03-05T23:06:00.001-05:00

We've recently discovered a way to distract Jalen for a little while when he's hungry. Holding him this way will kind of stun him for about five minutes.

3 of us

2007-03-05T07:02:00.000-05:00

I love this photo of us. Jalen is starting to make lots of different sounds as well as funny faces. He's very aware of the camera.

just like mama

2007-02-27T11:16:00.000-05:00

Jalen is not the best sleeper. He's not too fond of the crib during the nights. In fact, he despises it. You can see him here imitating his mother's sleeping position. Like mother, like son.

feed me

2007-02-23T04:02:00.000-05:00

Jalen is a pretty great baby. He only cries when he is hungry. But he's always hungry. He's got a mean set of lungs too.

sexy legs

2007-02-18T21:34:00.000-05:00

This photo says so much to me.

coy boy

2007-02-18T21:18:00.000-05:00

Here is Jalen being coy with the camera. As you get to know him, you'll know that this is a typical Jalen stare.

3 days old

2007-02-08T20:58:00.000-05:00

This is me burping Jalen, the first night home. Look at the size of his head, it's like a softball.

1 day old

2007-02-05T22:28:00.000-05:00

Jalen was so peaceful--the first couple of days after birth.

ben, eumi and jalen

2007-02-05T20:20:00.000-05:00

This photo was taken a little over an hour after Jalen was born. You can see he's being a little creepy by posing for the camera.