Well Hana is approaching 19 months in just a few days and I have not been keeping up with this blogging bit, but wanted a place to record some milestones running in my head now, as well sweet moments to remember before she's off to Kindergarten. In no particular order:
Hana amazes us with:
-Counting to 20, though she skips 13-15, but not bad I'd say!
-Understanding letter sounds. She can identify all capital letters in the alphabet too! (Did I mention she's our scholarship baby? Considering her parents are in such lucrative positions as teaching and architecture, we hope her skill set can give her a boost come college!)
-Potty training: Halmoni came this summer and started Hana at 17 months and she now goes regularly 4-5 times a day. She actually does a "pee-pee" dance to let us know it's time :)
-Speaking of dance, she LOVES to move to any and all music. She can twirl, bob up and down, put her hands up, and do slow and fast inventive moves. I can't wait to put her in a class.
-being such a lovebug. she loves to cuddle, lean and snuggle with a good book. her thirst for reading and books is insatiable and continues each day. so thankful we got rid of tv, though I will say I miss my Real Housewives from time to time. Hana loves to give kisses, hugs and pats to everyone. She was even commended at her school for being a "nurturer" to others.
-being a rule follower : Hana is such a good girl and Sunil is convinced our next child will be the hell-raiser! Well I'll enjoy this bliss while I can. Hana can take walks with Kendall and I and if I tell her to please stay on the sidewalk, she does it. She's also great at identifying a mess and pointing it out with a "yuck" in order to warn all to steer clear.
-she has her distinct sense of style. though I choose her clothes in the AM, she gets to choose her shoes. sometimes though she will really take a fancy to an article of clothing like a sweater or dress and say, "oh, nice!" or "oh, pretty" and then admire herself in the mirror. a diva in the making perhaps, but what a cutie she is.
-saying her name, "Hana Phia (Sophia) Kumah (Kumar)"
I have many more but getting tired so will have to continue another time, hopefully before she turns two!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Big Girl Now
Hana is now 13 months and what a busy bee. I'll get into that in a bit, but first a quick update - We have had quite a start to spring break with a literal bang, or rather, "thud" of our ceiling collapsing onto the floor in our bedroom. This can be attributed to our ancient, ahem, I mean, "historic" home and its flat vs. angled roof. Thankfully we've been taken in by Hana's kind grandparents for the time being. What began as a small leak as evidenced in our photos below turned into a big headache just a few hours later!
Yuck and double yuck :( Some great things though of being displaced - lots more room at the Kumar compound for Hana to test out those wobbly legs...yup, she's WALKING! She has been taking several steps since before her 1st bday, however, she is now an official walker, moving from living room to kitchen, and chasing after her favorite pet - much to our pooch's chagrin.
We've also moved into more words vs. babble as Hana's word bank now includes: her own name, morning, baby, and a recent favorite, "hot." She first used this when trying to touch coffee mugs as her ammama (Grandma Kumar) would tell her it was very hot. Now she says hot when she wants to touch ANYTHING! It's quite cute.
Here are my current 5 faves:
1.The Cup
Hana has tried everything from Nuby, Green Sprouts, Avent, Nuk, Born Free and so much more (I wasn't kidding when I mentioned "x amount of dollars"), however we've found that she loved the Take and Toss. These in particular are great (even the nursery staff commented on their durability) because the lids don't pop off right away, though we haven't seen Hana give it a huge heave ho. I also like that they're BPA free and easy to replace. I have already used them in the dishwasher without any warping. The only con is its longevity, or lack thereof. Luckily they're cheap so if she bites on the spout, out it goes and we can use another.
2.socks that don't slip
Love these - just restocked on a few more pairs. Though we have our Trumpette, Baby Gap favorites, in terms of the sock department, these are our feet down favorite. After a full day at daycare, not only does Hana not have any missing socks, but even better, they stay in place!
3.Say Cheese!
So I'll admit, I wasn't wiping my baby's mouth with a damp cloth after every feeding, but despite not being a dental Nazi in the first year, I do think the six teeth she now proudly displays do need some TLC, which is why I really like this particular toothbrush. We had a Zolibot and Razbaby brush, however, this little brush has soft adult like bristles that our little one doesn't mind rubbed on her teeth and gums. We have a morning ritual after the first diaper change and last brush before bedtime.
4.Pasta Please
Farfalle, better known to moms as "bowtie" is the best shaped pasta for our little girl's growing appetite. She loves this mixed with a little tomato sauce, but I love it because I can just halve each tie and voila, the perfect little bite!
5.Fish Sticks 2.0
Okay, so I'm not really into giving the little gal processed foods, but then again, life gets hectic and when you need a quick finger food for your kiddo, try these. I like that they are organic, easy to make and actually taste good! I'm finding that the husband has mistaken them for hotcakes because the box is always left empty in the freezer, so you can see the benefit on taste alone, plus these are salmon based so think of all that omega goodness!
We've also moved into more words vs. babble as Hana's word bank now includes: her own name, morning, baby, and a recent favorite, "hot." She first used this when trying to touch coffee mugs as her ammama (Grandma Kumar) would tell her it was very hot. Now she says hot when she wants to touch ANYTHING! It's quite cute.
Here are my current 5 faves:
1.The Cup
Hana has tried everything from Nuby, Green Sprouts, Avent, Nuk, Born Free and so much more (I wasn't kidding when I mentioned "x amount of dollars"), however we've found that she loved the Take and Toss. These in particular are great (even the nursery staff commented on their durability) because the lids don't pop off right away, though we haven't seen Hana give it a huge heave ho. I also like that they're BPA free and easy to replace. I have already used them in the dishwasher without any warping. The only con is its longevity, or lack thereof. Luckily they're cheap so if she bites on the spout, out it goes and we can use another.
2.socks that don't slip
Love these - just restocked on a few more pairs. Though we have our Trumpette, Baby Gap favorites, in terms of the sock department, these are our feet down favorite. After a full day at daycare, not only does Hana not have any missing socks, but even better, they stay in place!
3.Say Cheese!
So I'll admit, I wasn't wiping my baby's mouth with a damp cloth after every feeding, but despite not being a dental Nazi in the first year, I do think the six teeth she now proudly displays do need some TLC, which is why I really like this particular toothbrush. We had a Zolibot and Razbaby brush, however, this little brush has soft adult like bristles that our little one doesn't mind rubbed on her teeth and gums. We have a morning ritual after the first diaper change and last brush before bedtime.
4.Pasta Please
Farfalle, better known to moms as "bowtie" is the best shaped pasta for our little girl's growing appetite. She loves this mixed with a little tomato sauce, but I love it because I can just halve each tie and voila, the perfect little bite!
5.Fish Sticks 2.0
Okay, so I'm not really into giving the little gal processed foods, but then again, life gets hectic and when you need a quick finger food for your kiddo, try these. I like that they are organic, easy to make and actually taste good! I'm finding that the husband has mistaken them for hotcakes because the box is always left empty in the freezer, so you can see the benefit on taste alone, plus these are salmon based so think of all that omega goodness!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
She's One!
Hana is now officially a one year old and how fast she's picking up on things left and right. She is now able to wave and say hi at the same time - still working on bye :) She clearly identifies Kendall and says, "Hi Dog" which is pretty amazing considering I only get the "mama" with no "hi" preceded by it, and poor Dad gets just, "Da!" Hana has been consistently taking 6-7 steps at a time and stands alone so well for several minutes. She gets so excited while walking she tries to run and that's when she collapses into giggles. She is officially an ambassador of the blueberry and can't get enough. Surprisingly, as much as she loves fruit, she does not share the same penchant for sweets and baked goods (see below).
Her "dol" party went great, though Grandma and Papa Johnson were sick with bronchitis while staying in St. Louis. We celebrated with Korean, Indian and American elements. Hana also selected a microscope as her first item of choice during the "dol jabi" ceremony - much to her Achacha's delight. We had placed scissors, rice, yarn, a stethescope, paint, a pencil, money, a butter knife, and a book on a table to represent various elements to bless her future, such as prosperity, wealth, good health, etc. After the dol jabi (which translated means, "first grab"), we attempted to give Hana bits of Korean rice cake, as well as her organic birthday cake (yes, I am a crazy mom like that who found an all-natural bakery, yada yada yada). Hana did not want any of it. She seemed gaga for the chap-chae (Korean noodles) my mom made for the event. We've tried fro-yo, ice cream, a muffin, a cookie, and pancakes with our little monkey, but she has no palette for sweets. It's savory all the way. Guess we won't have to worry about cavities in the near future :)
We have her big annual check-up this weekend and I'm looking forward to seeing if this kid still ranks off the charts for height - she's already in 2Ts. We might have a supermodel on our hands, or at least someone who can get the fancy dishes off the high shelf in the kitchen.
Here's one tip I'll likely use for future party planning:
1. We went to Party City (yes, cheesy I know) but found great deals on pom poms (just like the Martha Stewart version or similar on etsy) that came in a pack of 3 for $5.99. Though I only wanted to use the pink and not blue or green, still a better deal than previous said vendors. We also purchased solid color cups and napkins to accent the more pricey and decorative items for the party. I'd suggest "hitting up" (as Hana's dad might say) PC for one time use items needed in bulk.
Some presents we love love love:
1. Scanimation - This was one of the many presents from Cousin Mala but has definitely appealed to our little bookworm. I find myself flipping through the book too amazed at the motion of the animals.
2. Wonderful Wooden Cart - A "supermom" purchased this for our busy, on-the-go girl. She absolutely loves strolling around the open space at her grandparents' crib with this fun, non-battery operated toy.
3. A gold bracelet engraved with Hana's name and birthdate - perfect accessory for her Indian outfits.
4. Hip Fruit - As much as we enjoy the giant knob Melissa & Doug puzzles, this one has an "artsy" boho feel which pairs well with her Sara Anderson books.
5. A classic - Though the illustrations are a bit cutesy, the rhyme itself has entranced our toddler. Whenever she's on the move about to get into a little curious mischief, I start reading this and she literally turns around comes back to me wanting to read this together.
Finally, here are some pics of our Korindian toddler in her Indian dress (being held by her Ammama), one of the happy fam (Hana in her Korean hanbok), and finally capping the day off with cupcakes.
Her "dol" party went great, though Grandma and Papa Johnson were sick with bronchitis while staying in St. Louis. We celebrated with Korean, Indian and American elements. Hana also selected a microscope as her first item of choice during the "dol jabi" ceremony - much to her Achacha's delight. We had placed scissors, rice, yarn, a stethescope, paint, a pencil, money, a butter knife, and a book on a table to represent various elements to bless her future, such as prosperity, wealth, good health, etc. After the dol jabi (which translated means, "first grab"), we attempted to give Hana bits of Korean rice cake, as well as her organic birthday cake (yes, I am a crazy mom like that who found an all-natural bakery, yada yada yada). Hana did not want any of it. She seemed gaga for the chap-chae (Korean noodles) my mom made for the event. We've tried fro-yo, ice cream, a muffin, a cookie, and pancakes with our little monkey, but she has no palette for sweets. It's savory all the way. Guess we won't have to worry about cavities in the near future :)
We have her big annual check-up this weekend and I'm looking forward to seeing if this kid still ranks off the charts for height - she's already in 2Ts. We might have a supermodel on our hands, or at least someone who can get the fancy dishes off the high shelf in the kitchen.
Here's one tip I'll likely use for future party planning:
1. We went to Party City (yes, cheesy I know) but found great deals on pom poms (just like the Martha Stewart version or similar on etsy) that came in a pack of 3 for $5.99. Though I only wanted to use the pink and not blue or green, still a better deal than previous said vendors. We also purchased solid color cups and napkins to accent the more pricey and decorative items for the party. I'd suggest "hitting up" (as Hana's dad might say) PC for one time use items needed in bulk.
Some presents we love love love:
1. Scanimation - This was one of the many presents from Cousin Mala but has definitely appealed to our little bookworm. I find myself flipping through the book too amazed at the motion of the animals.
2. Wonderful Wooden Cart - A "supermom" purchased this for our busy, on-the-go girl. She absolutely loves strolling around the open space at her grandparents' crib with this fun, non-battery operated toy.
3. A gold bracelet engraved with Hana's name and birthdate - perfect accessory for her Indian outfits.
4. Hip Fruit - As much as we enjoy the giant knob Melissa & Doug puzzles, this one has an "artsy" boho feel which pairs well with her Sara Anderson books.
5. A classic - Though the illustrations are a bit cutesy, the rhyme itself has entranced our toddler. Whenever she's on the move about to get into a little curious mischief, I start reading this and she literally turns around comes back to me wanting to read this together.
Finally, here are some pics of our Korindian toddler in her Indian dress (being held by her Ammama), one of the happy fam (Hana in her Korean hanbok), and finally capping the day off with cupcakes.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Recap of 11 months
Well I'm finally committing to keeping an a virtual album of Mini Kumar's achievements that's I've only been able to keep on Babycenter.com. Though I've been good about writing in the dates of first smiles, foods and such, I'd like to write down in detail the things that make my husband and I laugh out loud to the times when she just melts our hearts with a "hi!"
Not going too far back in time, Hana has been keeping us entertained with her constant mimicking of sounds such as "biaper" for diaper and the constant, "hi" or "hi there!" I love waking up and peeking in at her in her crib at 7 am, saying, "Hi. Hi. Hi." to her stuffed dog or little lamb. She is now saying hello to just about anything with a face - babies in books, Kendall (our golden retriever) and even the teapot with a smile printed on it. We have a social butterfly on our hands!
Hana finally has two top teeth, can take up to 6 steps solo, throws a ball overhand into targets like her shape bucket and toy basket. She's also moving onto whole milk - I've been pretty adamant about her organic eating habits so we've toyed with 2 grass-fed cow options. My favorite, feels like a throwback to the Lassie days of milkmen at your door, but so far, so good. The only downside is the glass jugs only come in 1/2 gallons, have a very very short shelf life and are quite heavy. You'd think having an almost toddler at your hip would build up those muscles - not so much.
The next big transition aside from the big birthday party ahead is moving to a cup. I'm still on the fence about sippy vs. straw vs. whatever else my books and resources tell me. I have heard great things about the Nuby and I'd like to try that before moving onto the Zolibot - though I do love the teething sticks from the latter we bought for Hana a few months ago. Coupled with the Sophie and Chan squeakers, teething hasn't been too big of an issue. Thought I'd end my posts with some items I love (both for baby and sometimes for moms like me).
1. Blabla dolls and accessories (we have two dolls and the fruit shaker set - she loves them all, especially this one). Giant Blabla
2. Leslie Patricelli books - exploring the world of opposites has never been so simple and engaging. We have at least 5 of her books and Hana can spend 10 minutes just "reading" to herself. Hana's Library
3. Sesame Street Elmo remote - I know there are parents out there opposed to anything with batteries, but we actually really enjoy this toy... it may even be partially responsible for Hana learning to say, "hi there" (a la Ernie). Sesame Street & Co.
4. Egg by Susan Lazar - here's a pair of great leggings to pair with any tunic - wish this print came in adult sizes
5. Kate Quinn organics - we have bibs, crib sheets (in jersey), and LOTS of sleeping gowns, kimono tops, soft pants, and dresses ready to be brought out once the sun shines. organic heaven
6. livingsocial.com - purchased ten 1/2 price yoga classes for my current studio, as well as a couples massage for the hubs and I for next weekend. not bad I'd say!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)