Second letter

Dear Sophia,

Today you are 5 month and 2 days old. It had been another 2 and half month since last time I wrote to you. In this time, there are couple interesting things I would like to tell you.

First, on the 100 days after your birth, we took you to a photo studio for a photo shooting. You act like a star. I’m sure later we will show you those pictures. Actually your two grandmas all want your pictures. Since middle of June, I started to go back to work. I started 2 days a week. Every two weeks, I added another work day. By end of July, I started work full time. It was very difficult for me at beginning. I need to feed you in the mid night and around 4am. You normally wake up around 5am. I was very tired but I have to play with you for an hour before your grandpa wakes up to take care of you. You were getting sleep long hours. I was very happy. But three weeks ago, you could not sleep whole night. I have to stay awake with you. You know what happened? your first tooth came out. It must be very uncomfortable for you. Two weeks later, another tooth came out. Compare to other baby, your teething very early.

Sp far, your father and I are very happy with you. You are generally a very happy baby. More than a month ago I took you to a baby salon for your first hair cut by myself. Normally baby are not happy with others touch his/her head. You are very easy going. You let the hair stylist cut your hair with out any trouble. You are also very curious. You like to look around and explore the surrounding area. Two weeks ago we started to put you in the walker.

On August 4^th, the doctor told me that you can start to take solid food. I was so excited. I went out to get rice cereal and apple puree for you. To our surprise, you take it so easy. It seems to me that you want to taste the real food for a long time. Everyone told me that it’s hard to feed baby with solid. It’s not a case for us.

First letter to Sophia

Dear Sophia:

This is the first letter I wrote to you. Now you are 11 weeks old. In the past 2 and half month, you changed a lot.

After the first moment I hold you in my arm when you were born, we separated for 24 hours. You were in Neonatal Intensive Care unit for 2 days and I was in the observation room for one day. I fell in love with you from the first moment I hold you. The first night you were on the earth, I couldn’t sleep while I was in the observation room. I thought about you all night. The second time I saw you, I tried to nursing you while I was in the wheel chair. The third time I saw you, it was in the night around 2am after I moved out of the observation room. I couldn’t sleep. I went to the intensive care unit again. I just wanted to hold you. From that night on, I hold and nursed you every night.

You were born on Monday. We left hospital for home on Friday noon time. When we got home, I tried to nursing you. It took us one hour for the first time. I was very frustrated that I couldn’t provide enough milk for you. I send your father to buy the breast pump right away. When you were born, we had just moved to the new apartment for 3 weeks. A lot of stuff had not been settled at that time. We lived in the second bed room for the beginning. You spend the first couple nights in the bugaboo’s basinet. Your first doctor’s check up was in one week after you were home. You lost 7 oz weight. Doctor said that I should let you suck me all the time. From that day, I stopped using breast pump. One week later, we check up with doctor again. You gained back your birth weight. I was assured that we were in the right track.

From second week, we moved to the master bedroom together. Every night, we put you in your crib to sleep. After the mid night I nursed you, I kept you sleeping with me on the big bed. Every morning when you wake up, you look at me and smile. You are such a sweat baby.

From the third week, your unbiblical cord fell off. I started to give you bath. You like take bath. At the beginning our nanny aunty Chiang gave mommy a lot of help. She showed me how to give you a bath. Before that, I did rubbing bath for you every morning.

On the fifth week, you grandmother from your father’s side visit us. She companied you and me to the first month check up. We took you to an Austrian restaurant. It was your first restaurant experience. The guest on the other table kept looking at you. You were a little star. Your grandma brought you a lot of gifts. She bought you the cloth from new born to one year old. When she left, she held you and cried. It’s so sad to be parting from you.

For the first five weeks, you and I spend every minute together. Your grand parents (my mother and father) came to join me and your dad to take care of you at the beginning of the sixth week. With their help to take care of you, mommy finally got some sleep in the morning. I also can walk out to do some grocery shopping. Your grand parents showered you with their love. They have great patient with you. They kept talk to you. Your grandma often sings you to sleep.

On the seventh week, you had two adventures. First I took you a mommy and baby yoga class. During the class you were very cool and quiet. Everyone amazed that you can handle the new environment so easily. They didn’t believe that you were only six week and 3 days at that time. Second we took you ride subway to Manhattan Chinatown for Dim Sum. You also handled very well.

On the eighth week, it was the Memorial Day weekend. Mommy’s birthday was right after that. Your father took two days off. We took you and your grand parents to Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

On the ninth week, there were two big things. You got the first immunization shots during your second month check up and I took you to my office. You handle the immunization shots very well. You didn’t have any fever afterward. You were very cool and friendly to face many new people in my office. And you pooped in front of all my coworker. Mom was unprepared. I didn’t bring diaper and changing cloth for you. Luckily there is a day care center in my office building. I borrowed the diaper and cleaned you in the day care center. From that week, you can lift your head off the floor while you lay on your belly. For two month old baby, it was advance.

On the tenth week, I started to work again. It was only two days a week. I missed you a lot. When I got back from work, I hold you for an hour. I was attached to you. On the Friday of the tenth week, you got cold the first time. I was so worried that I have to take you to see doctor right away. So far you are being a healthy baby. I hope you got well soon. I learned to give you steam bath. You like it a lot. That weekend, you went to a street fair at you first time.

Yesterday, we took you to visit your father’s office. When you faced his coworker, you cried very loud. You never cried that loud before. We guess that you start recognize and afraid of strange people. That was another mile stone for your mental development. After that office visiting, I took you to MOMA. Although we only had a short visit, I’m sure I will take you there many many times in the future.

Ok, right now I just report to you what you’ve been experienced in the first 11 weeks. I will write to you in the next month. Have a good sleep now.

Kiss,

Mommy

Week 73: Raining weekend and a girly girl

Last weekend was rainy. We took Sophia to the city to meet with our friends. After last picnic we haven't seen them for two month. I originally plan to go to beach with them. The weather forced us to stay local.

Lately Sophia became more and more a girly girl. She has been wear dresses for the last couple days. She even don't want to change to her bodysuit at her sitter's place. One day she found her jade pendent and signal me that she want to wear it. She got a lot of complements after she wear it. Every time her sitter ask her "who is beautiful?". She pointed to herself. Every morning when we leave our apartment, she has to hold a handbag as we do. She will hold the handbag the whole day at her sitter's place. She even takes naps with it.

Last week Sophia changed her sleeping schedule. Her evening sleep gets longer and she skips her afternoon nap. It's about time that she changes from two naps a day to one nap. One thing I notice that day gets short and she wakes up late. Now she wakes up around 7am. Before was 6am. Big difference for me.

Week 72: Museum visiting

Last Monday Sophia did something that shocked me. I took her to play on the slide at the playground. While I put her to sit down on top of the slide and I went to the bottem of the slide to wait for her, she stood up and walked down on the slide. I was scared to death when I saw it happen. She sit down after 3 steps and slid down to the bottem. She is a risk taker. I have to be very careful with her. From now on I only take her to play ground with my husband or other friends. Sophia needs two adults to look after her.
Last weekend we had an intensive museum visiting weekend. We went to MOMA and the Morgan Library on Saturday. Sunday we went to the Brooklyn Children's museum after a play date with Sophie and Katya. Sophia had lots of fun in the Children's museum. We will go back there soon.

Week 71: Prospect Park Zoo & Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Last week Sophia didn't have her regular play date: Michael. Michael and Michelle went back to Idaho for 3 weeks vacation. I took her to Citigroup Daycare on Monday. She couldn't adjust to the new environment and through up 3 times. Sophia was very unhappy on Tuesday night when we left the play ground. On Wednesday I took her to Barnes & Noble after work. On Thursday I found a new game for Sophia. She played "water table" in the bath room. On Friday we took her to YMCA swimming pool. Saturday she was very busy. After morning swimming and sleep, we took her to Brooklyn Botanic garden to see the Corpse Flower. She took a horse ride on the Carousel, met her play date Katia and Sophie at Prospect Park Zoo.

Week 70: An in house music together play date

Last week the weather was supper hot. For 3 days it was more than 38 degree. We minimized the outdoor activities. Michael and Michelle visited us for two days and we went to her place one night. Friday Sophia and I took Michael and Michelle to YMCA swimming pool. Sophia now can swim 4 meters with floaters help. Saturday it was our usual swimming class. Sunday we invited Sophie and Katia came to our place to have a music together play date. It was a blast. Lots of fun. After the play date we send Sophia to her sitter's place. We went to our friend's wedding in the afternoon. It was first time we had real social event without Sophia in this year.

Week 69: Baker's Camp

Last Saturday we went to Baker's Camp in upstate New York. It's just 1.5 hour away from Brooklyn. We went there after Sophia's swimming class. There is a lake beach in the camp. Sophia enjoyed the water and played sand. She was so excited that she skipped her afternoon nap. She felled in sleep in my arm when I had dinner with others in the camp's dining hall. On Sunday Sophia had her last music together class for the summer. We will have 6 weeks without music together class. We will think about some baby date to have Sophia play with other babies.

Last Friday we took Sophia to see an eye doctor. Her left side eye tearing a lot after swimming. The doctor said her left side tear tube might half close. We need to check it up later in the winter. What a pain!