May 2007 Archives

Today, Kumi turned 10 months old. It also happened to be her buddy Barend's 1 year birthday so we celebrated in style at the zoo.

Here they are looking like they are about to kiss -- in fact, they had their first kiss last week.

Other fun firsts: first family photo using one of those cheesy booths in the Seattle Center. I really like it:

First swim. We took the ferry out to Bainbridge Island and went to the Aquatic Center. Though I'm usually overly prepared, this time my brain completely melted down and we ended up digging through the lost and found for something to wear in the pool. The only thing I'd brought was Kumi's bathing suit and donned in borrowed shorts, we dunked her in the kiddie pool. She loved it! Later, for lack of a towel, we dried off with cloth diapers that I happened to have.

I feel like her personality is coming out more. She is funny. Sweet. A little moody. Very, very adventurous.

The greatest achievement this month, however, has been on the sleep front. Thanks to my amazing friend Jen who helped me stick it out with her brand of "sleep training", Kumi now sleeps through the night for 9 or 10 hours. The best part? She doesn't even cry when I put her into her crib AWAKE at bedtime. She drifts peacefully off to sleep and stays asleep for what feels like an impossibly long time after being used to waking up every hour.

Such a wonder. And how cute are these pigtails?????

Just a quick post today -- trying out a new illustration style that I'm liking a lot. A rather moody image of Kumi, don't you think?

I've been making a lot of stuff lately and am starting to draw again. I'm feeling very productive and I think it has to do with the fact that Kumi is now sleeping 10 hours straight EVERY NIGHT. It is truly a miracle.

P.S. I removed the comments because I was getting spammed to death. I am still trying to finish deleting the 12,000 plus spam from Viagra and many unmentionable sites.

Giving birth reminded me of climbing Mount Fuji. I was 25 years old and willing to do pretty much anything for an adventure. The climb started at 11pm and the goal was to reach the summit by dawn to witness the rising sun. I was with a group of friends and we were fairly chipper and energetic at the outset, albeit a little tired. By about 3am, I begged my friends to leave me so I could sleep amid the hardened lava, but my buddy Greg grabbed my hand and dragged me along. After many games involving the alphabet and off-key songs, I was groggy, dirty, sore, exhausted -- and then suddenly we were at the top. And there was the glorious sun, peeking out of rosy clouds. Just like giving birth, I instantly forgot the pain and desperation I'd felt just seconds ago.

Spending my days with a 9-month-old is more like a marathon. I am constantly running. "No! Don't touch that cord!" "Oh no, oh no, when did you learn how to pull yourself up using the ottoman?? Don't lick that!" She crawls. She stands. She does what's called "cruising" and walks while holding onto various pieces of furniture. She eats dust bunnies. Licks the oven. Swoons over her own reflection in the mirror. Laughs hysterically when I say "uh-oh". She is so much fun, sometimes it hurts and makes me feel out of breath.

Still, she does not sleep. She's a champion napper and loves to sleep while I carry her around. Yet nighttime sleep is something she refuses to master.

This month, my mother came to visit and Kumi was very curious. Every morning, she carefully licked her grandma's face, paused and said "huh". As in, "Huh, you don't taste too bad." Kumi even gave some of her famous slobbery kisses. My mother was productive as always and was a clothes-making, sweater-knitting, barette-crafting, playhouse-constructing wizard. It was so lovely to have her here; I often wish we lived closer to our families.

So this last month has been rigorous and exciting. She's eating solids a little more now and she just looks so much more grown-up to me...anyway, I must go and work on child-proofing the place some more.