Being a Mom of 2

Photo by Bob Cho

Left Photo by Bob Cho

This video made me laugh a lot. While I was never as extreme as these moms, I can definitely relate to both of them. With Leah, I leaned more towards the Lysol mom, and now with Ava I'm definitely more relaxed. As Ava's first birthday is approaching, I found myself thinking how I've changed as a mother. I think the biggest changes are learning to be more efficient, becoming more of a minimalist, and just being more relaxed. Here's a few examples:

• There are actually very few baby items I consider essential. Helpful -yes, Essential - no. There isn't one baby toy that I think is a must have. I saved so many baby items from Leah to use with Ava, and most of them have rarely been used! Neither of my kids have ever really been drawn to their baby toys. They much rather play with a water bottle! If I left my house with nothing but a diaper, I would be just fine. I've been organizing a lot the past couple weeks, packing up so many items to give away because they haven't been used!
• I cook the same food for everyone. Ava started eating table food way earlier than Leah, and she eats everything! I save so much time not pureeing or chopping into tiny pieces separate food for Ava. I'm not sure if there is any relation, but I'm curious if she's a way better eater because of this. Praying she stays that way! 
• A little fall or slip just needs some extra cuddles most of the time. I hate to admit this, but Ava definitely has a few more bumps and bruises than Leah had at that age. Having a toddler around, I'm not always able to be right next to Ava when she slips on the hardwood floors or loses her balance. I've learned to not freak out over these incidences and after some cuddles she's back to being her happy self! 

It's interesting to look back at how my perspective has changed. I'm sure I still have a lot of change in the years to come! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Before the day is over, I wanted to give a big shout out to my mom. My mom thinks about her kids and family 24/7. We are her greatest joys and biggest worries, and I can now relate having my own little family. My mom is the ultimate mom. When she visits, she brings an ice chest full of food such as washed and trimmed vegetables, my favorite dumplings, cut fruit, milk tea, and special dishes I can't get nearby. Leah gets dishes brought for her as well. She helped clean my house and do my laundry during Leah's newborn days. She also still buys me clothes if she's shopping and sees an item I may like.  I really can go on and on about the things she still does for me and now also does for Matt and Leah. 

Mom - Thank you for continuing to set a great example of what it is to be a mom. You have set the bar high, and I hope to be the type of mom to Leah {and future kid} that you are to me. Happy Birthday!!

First Time Mommy Group Picnic

I've been part of this mommy Facebook group for over a year now, and it has grown into a group of over 1,800 women! We had one get together awhile back at the LA Zoo, and this time we had a picnic basically in our backyard at Griffith Park. There were over 100 mommies, daddies, and babies! It was wonderfully organized by Korinna Peterson with food catered from Zankou Chicken, a photographer, games for the whole family to participate in, toys and a baby play pen area, raffle prizes, gift bags, and more! 

Ready to make her move on Hudson

Getting fed puffs by Jace

Our whole family had tons of fun meeting new families, and also catching up with some old friends. It was a gorgeous day, and Leah was in her element getting to roam around and play with other kids/babies. This was the most babies she's ever seen at one time. Leah usually naps around noon, and she held up all the way until 1:30pm! She quickly passed out once we got home though!

Me & Leah, Crystal & Hudson, Masae & Reagan

Poor Leah is exhausted! Photo by SoCal Wedding Photography

I've really enjoyed being part of this group. It's been a great resource for me as a new mommy, the women are so supportive and hilarious, and I love seeing a constant flow of baby photos! Thank you Masae for starting this! 

By the way, they even started a blog right here!

What's in My Diaper Bag?

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1. Diaper Bag: I used a Kate Spade diaper bag similar to this during the newborn months. I loved it because it carried all the many things I needed for a newborn. Now that Leah's older and I don't have to carry as many things, a crossbody bag has been essential. A crossbody bag allows me to kneel down, go down slides, and swing Leah without worrying about it falling down my shoulder. 

2. Pacifier: Not all mommas agree with using a pacifier, but it has been like magic for us. It instantly calms Leah when she's fussy, and it helps her fall asleep. Luckily, she seems to be slowly outgrowing it on her own, and she only uses it for her nap now. 

3. Feeding essentials: I carry a little baggie with a bib, baby scissors {it's way easier/faster to use scissors instead of a knife to cut up food}, and child size fork and spoon. I also make sure to always have water, some snacks, and hand/face wipes. 

4. Diaper essentials: I carry a pouch with a changing pad, wipes, and a couple diapers. 

5. Wallet: I carry another pouch that holds my iPhone, credit cards, cash, keys, and lip gloss. When I'm running a quick errand, I can just take that out of my bag and use it as a clutch. This way I don't have to worry about transferring items from one bag to another. 

These are the essentials that I always carry with me. Of course there's always other things in there, but if I forget one of the items above, I usually panic. What are your diaper bag essentials?

Mother/Daughter Bond

The bond a mother has with her child is beautiful. It's the best feeling in the world to know I'm Leah's favorite person. She lights up when she sees me, and her biggest hugs and kisses are reserved for mama. I'm trying to soak it all up before she becomes a teenager. ;) This post by Joanna Goddard explains that magic of a mother's touch so well.

And I've watched this video at least a hundred times now.

What I've Learned from Being a Stay At Home Mom

*Here is the third part to my posts regarding being a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM). Read part 1 here and part 2 here. 

What I've Learned: 

1. I learned to plan ahead. In the early days, I didn't have a schedule and just went with the flow. This was fine in the beginning when I was adjusting to mommyhood, but I eventually felt like I was in the movie Groundhog Day. I found myself getting bored, the days became long, and I no longer knew what day or time it was. Also, if I decided to do something last minute, by the time I got Leah ready and all her stuff together, she either wanted to take a nap or wanted to eat.
  I eventually figured out that I'm a person that likes to have things planned and organized. I implemented a flexible schedule for each day, so at any given time, I had a sense of what would be going on. For example, at 9:30am Leah would be napping, so I could shower and do laundry or 11:30am is lunch, so I could schedule lunch dates at that time or figure out what I need to make. I really began to enjoy being at SAHM once there was more structure in my life.

2. I learned to take time for myself. Being a new mom, it's really easy to get consumed with all things baby and even easier to forget to take care of yourself. There would be days I stayed in sweats all day or when I forgot to eat lunch. Then I would walk past the mirror and wonder... who is that?!
    Once I put Leah in day care twice a week, I really took advantage of this time. Not only did I use it to get all my errands done, but I also would meet up with friends for lunch, get a pedicure, go to the gym, or do some shopping. I felt refreshed, and when it was time to pick up Leah, I missed her so much, I smothered her in hugs and kisses. It also felt nice to look and feel put together for my husband.

3. I learned to find a group of mommies with kids close to Leah's age. I was one of the first in my group of girlfriends to have a baby. While I love to meet up with them for dinner or get togethers, occasionally I did feel disconnected. This article does a really good job of explaining the feeling.
    When I signed up for Gymboree, I ended up finding a group of mommies that I really connected with. Since then, we've been on numerous play dates where the kids have buddies to hang out with and the moms can have some adult conversation. We've even had a few "Mom's Night Out," and let me tell you, the topics we cover are hilarious!

4. I learned to really appreciate my parents. I've always had a pretty good relationship with my parents. Of course I went through some rebellious teenage years, but I've actually always enjoyed hanging out with them. Even before Leah, I knew my parents worked very hard in order to support the family and give us a comfortable life.
    My parents as grandparents, however, are amazing! They constantly provide us with food that's pre-washed and pre-trimmed, they never turn down a request to babysit, they'll walk around with Leah if she gets restless at restaurants so we can eat, they've traveled with us, and they've watched Leah overnight. We're really blessed that they live close by, and Leah is super attached to them.

5. I learned to appreciate this time I get to be Leah's primary caregiver. She is growing up way too fast, and I find myself taking a moment everyday to mentally note every aspect of this rapidly changing little girl. I may eventually decide to go back to work once the kids are older, but right now, I'm soaking it all up. Today, she'll be a little monkey and want me to carry her all day. Tomorrow, she'll be off to college. ;)

What have you learned since becoming a parent?

Life as a Stay At Home Mom

*Here's the second part to my posts regarding being a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM). Read about my decision to stay at home here. 

Wonder what being a SAHM is like? I'll break down what life has been like by Leah's age since it has changed as she has gotten older. 

Deciding to be a Stay At Home Mom

*Since it's Thursday, I thought I'd have a throwback of some old photos, as well as my story of how I decided to be a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM). Warning: this post is super long.