Ava: 7 Months!

Past the half year mark... I must admit that it's totally bittersweet to see her growing up. Since we most likely will not be having anymore kids, everyday the thought crosses my mind that my days of baby cuddles, baby smells, gummy grins, etc are numbered. Some updates from the past month:

• Started to sit up and army crawl {I wasn't prepared to have a mobile baby this early!}
• Started solids and she loves it! Her favorites so far are butternut squash, applesauce, and feeding herself mum-mums
• Her top two teeth came in
• Stopped sucking her thumb. I think because she's been able to put a pacifier in her mouth by herself

Ava: My little mama's girl! You are the happiest little baby around, and you love your dada and big sister, but your face lights up like crazy when you see your mama. As a result, I often can't leave your side without you protesting. You are also a big cuddle bug. While you love your new discovery of being able to move, your favorite activity is to be held. I don't mind it at all. Thank you for all your smiles, thank you for all your snuggles... I'm hoping the next month goes a little slower! xoxo

JiHoon's 3rd Birthday

The past few months we've been in birthday season. When we tell Leah we're going to a birthday party, the first thing she asks is "What present are we going to bring?" The second question is "Will there be cake??" 

JiHoon had an ice cream themed party, and all the kids couldn't have been happier! It's definitely more chaotic attending parties with two kids in tow. Matt is usually running around with Leah, and I'm holding Ava. We're exhausted when we get home! Only a couple more to go... 

Anaheim Packing House

We visited Anaheim Packing House for lunch one afternoon after Disneyland. It's such a cool space filled with over 20 merchants. Most of the vendors serve food and desserts, and there was such a big variety that it took me awhile to figure out what to eat! There's coffee, juice, Indian, hot pot, Ramen, Vietnamese, poutine, beer and waffles, custom made popsicles, and so much more! There's indoor and outdoor seating, and there's a mini stage where they play live music on weekends! I will definitely be coming back!

Ruby's 3rd Birthday

Photo by Diane Valdez

We celebrated Ruby's 3rd birthday at Grand Park LA on the 12th. It was a Yellow themed party, and it was so fun to see everyone dressed in yellow! Since there were other parties taking place at the same time, the color theme totally helped us figure out who was part of our group! The party was gorgeous with all the Oh Joy! for Target goodies, and the food was delicious. You can see more details about the party here. 

*photos except top photo by Casey Brodley for Oh Joy

Frozen

Leah has been totally immersed in the Frozen craze. While we've made it a point not to have a house full of princess costumes and toys, we have given in slightly to Frozen. I can no longer count the times we've watched the movie, and Leah will put socks on her hands or wrap a blanket around her for a train on a dress and pretend she's Elsa. 

At Disneyland, the line to see Anna and Elsa averaged 2-3 hours! There was no way I was willing to do that, so I didn't even mention them to Leah whenever we went to Disneyland. Recently, Disneyland implemented a ticketed system where you wait for a timed ticket and go back during that timeframe. My parents were so kind to go to Disneyland at 8am and wait to get the timed ticket, and then we went back at 1:50pm and waited all together for another 30 minutes. Needless to say, Leah was SO happy. She gave them hugs, talked to them, and took pictures. Seeing the look on her face was priceless. I'm excited that she was able to get this opportunity! 

New York 2014

Ava's first flight was a success!

We got invited to our niece's Bat Mitzvah in New York, and we jumped at the opportunity to see family and visit NYC. I have to admit though, pre-kids I would have been so excited and planned our activities and booked reservations at restaurants weeks in advance. This time around, I was a little anxious at the thought of traveling with two kids for the first time. Matt and I made tentative morning and afternoon plans for each day, but did not set anything in stone depending on what family activities might be occurring that day.  Overall, we had such a great time. Leah was so happy to play with her big cousins, and Ava happily let everyone hold her! 

Ava: 6 Months!

Ava is 6 months! She is the happiest baby ever! I love seeing her gigantic smile and hearing her little giggles. Here are some updates:

• Height: 26 inches, Weight: 14 lbs 6.9 ounces {she's a string bean like her sister}
• Rolls all over the place now
• Loves to grab anything in front of her
• Starting to be able to sit for a couple seconds on her own
• Has become a thumb sucker! 
• Took her first flight to New York and did great! 

Ava: My sweet baby girl! I can't believe it's already been half a year, and I feel like you've really grown a lot this month. You are so alert and aware of your surroundings, and I can see your eyes taking it all in. I love to cuddle and snuggle with you, and I soak up every time you rest your head on my shoulder.  You love your big sister so much, and you light up whenever she attempts to play with you. I look forward to seeing what the next month brings! Happy 6 months! xoxo