Our Trip to the Great Wolf Lodge

Gerritt snuggling with Daddy


Gerritt having fun on the water motorcycle


Riding the big waves with Mommy


Getting ready to go down the slide with Daddy


Story time in the grand lobby

After staying home for almost 2 years my husband & I have decided to venture out & take a trip to the Great Wolf Lodge with Gerritt. We left Sophia with her Korean grandmother since she is so little & needs to eat & nap frequently (we didn't want to spend most of our trip in our hotel room). We've arrived to the Lodge at a little bit after 1 pm on Wednesday & Gerritt got so excited looking at the surroundings, he refused to nap. We didn't waste much time & headed to the indoor waterpark. The park was impressive with 6 various slides & 3 pools (including a wave pool), a hot tub, & a giant waterfort. Gerritt was cautious at first, covering his eyes & hair from the sprays & splashes of water from all different directions, & then finally embraced the fun. After the waterpark, we had dinner & then explored the lobby where Gerritt marveled at the giant snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, the black bear fur hanging above the stairwell, a large warm fireplace, oversized log table & chairs & huge statues of wolves everywhere. Then it was time to visit the water park again. We concluded the evening with the bedtime story in the grand lobby at 8 pm. Gerritt really enjoyed it with moving, talking & singing people, animals & trees. He was especially impressed when a large wolf (a person dressed in a wolf costume) walked out at the end of the story hour. The wolf was hugging children good night, but Gerritt was too afraid to come near him (the reason we missed Santa photo this year). That night he was too excited to fall asleep easily & tossed & kicked Mommy until 10 pm when Shon finally put his arm around him & told him to go to sleep.
The next day we went to the indoor water park twice (morning & night) & spent more than 2 hours in the afternoon trying to put Gerritt down for his nap. We succeeded eventually & he fell asleep for 2 hours. It was too much work to go out for dinner so we ate the delicious Mexican food take-out from the La Tarasca restaurant in our hotel room. Gerritt enjoyed another bedtime story hour in the grand lobby & then it was bedtime again at 10 pm.
We got back on Friday around 1 pm & Gerritt took one of the longest naps ever - 3 hours & 40 minutes! That's how much he enjoyed our vacation. :-) We had to pay $400 to discover there was no place like home & that we were major homebodies! I missed our air (I run humidifier for a few hours every day, so our noses & skin never feel really dry); our comfortable bed & dust-mite-proof mattress & pillows; homemade meals & having all of the needed "kid-care" equipment available within reach. I hardly ever have to think how to entertain Gerritt at home since he usually finds something to do on his own. Most of all, we missed our baby girl. I couldn't wait to hug her & kiss her fat cheeks! I had an ambitious thought of camping this summer but the thought of packing everything me may need for a family of 4 scares me. I think a day trip somewhere locally will do just fine!

Sophia is 8 Months Old!

Gerritt & Sophia goofing off on the couch


Tummy time!


Sophia can never resist Gerritt's cars: She went from sitting in the corner to laying on her tummy in order to be able to reach them!

Sophia turned 8 months old 4 days ago. She has had her 3rd cold, but it was pretty mild again. Surprisingly, Sophia doesn't have any teeth yet, although she has been teething for months. She is still working on sleeping through the night. 2 days ago I was so happy because she slept from 9:30 pm until 8 am & woke up only once to eat at 3 am. I felt so well rested & had a lot of energy the next day. I even went for a long walk with her in the stroller (which I haven't done in weeks due to constant fatigue). However, last night it was back to her usual routine. :-( She went to bed at 8 pm, & then awoke at 10:30 pm, midnight, 3 am, 6:30 am & up for the day at 7:30 am. Needless to say, I am exhausted again. Gerritt went to daycare today, so, thankfully, I can take a nap during the day. The lack of sleep is really getting to me. It is hard to concentrate & make decisions; it is difficult to exercise (some days I am barely making it through the day); I can't get motivated to start on the projects around the house, & I have less patience to deal with Gerritt's temper tantrums (or, more like it, my impatience causes Gerritt's tantrums to occur more frequently).
Sophia now falls asleep all on her own for naps during the day. She usually gets tired after a couple of hours of being awake. When I see the "sleepy" signs (loosing interest in activities, blank look on her face, her rubbing her eyes, fussiness) I put her down in the crib & turn on her zoo animal toy mobile. Once it is done playing its music (about 5 minutes), Sophia is asleep. Easy! It is the night time that is difficult. Maybe she is afraid of being left alone in the dark?
My husband & I joke that Sophia is becoming more "white" (I meant Caucasian-looking) as she gets older. She was born with olive complexion, black hair & very Asian-looking eyes. Now she has white skin & pink cheeks, slightly curly light brown hair & bigger eyes. Must be my genetics that's taking over. Both Gerritt & Sophia have dark brown eyes, & I doubt my husband & I will ever get a blue-eyed baby. Gerritt is definitely more serious & focused. Sophia has the happy-go-lucky personality. She is in a good mood & laughs loudly most of the time, especially when her older brother is around. She will literally start screeching from happiness when Gerritt walks into the room. He has been a kind brother - even sharing his most prized possessions like his one-of-a-kind stuffed dog & the Gravedigger monster truck with Sophia. Gerritt hasn't mastered the name Sophia yet & calls her "Phia!" for now. :-)
Sophia has many "baby" toys, however, prefers to play with Gerritt's racing cars & trucks. Most of the time she wants to have whatever he is playing with. The same goes for eating. If I am feeding Gerritt ice cream or yogurt Sophia will demand her share. Yep, she's had her 1st taste of ice cream already. I wasn't going to deprive her of this delicious treat while eating it in front of her. My Mom in Russia said last week, "What does Sophia understand? You can do anything you want with her around. She is just a baby." Wrong! Sophia is actively attuned to the world around her & she understands much more than she can express. I am often surprised by how smart she is for her young age. They say girls mature faster than boys, & I have to agree.
Sophia started Russian daycare on January 13th. Thanks to Korean grandma, Sophia has been able to avoid daycare until she was almost 8 months old. Since I work at the hospital every other Wednesday, Thursday & Friday evening, she only needs daycare from 2 - 6 pm on those days every other week (total of 6 times/month). She loves playing with other children & the children love having "baby" around.

Sophia's Ear Piercing

Getting ready for our walk outside


Asleep a few minutes later...


Off to visit Korean grandma


Sophia with her Korean grandmother in traditional Korean baby sling


Circle time in Gerritt's toddler class

Yesterday I took Sophia to get her ears pierced at the Brat Pack Salon in Redmond. I was pretty nervous, holding her tightly & hyperventilating, but it went surprisingly well. She cried for about 30 seconds right after piercing, but was able to be comforted with a bottle. Once we got home she fell asleep for 3 hours. I bought 14K gold posts for Sophia's first set of earrings. They will have to stay in her ears for 6 weeks.
Sophia touched her ears a couple of times yesterday & almost none today. The earrings do not cause her any discomfort. It is almost like she doesn't realize they are there. She looks adorable! I wonder if the little girls in Gerritt's daycare will want their ears pierced too when they meet Sophia tomorrow. I am happy I did it even though it is rather unusual in the US to pierce girl's ears at such a young age. Some parents do the ear piercing at the time of girl's first period to celebrate this rite of passage, but I can't bear to wait for 12-13 years for Sophia to start wearing earrings. I want her to feel pretty while growing up & enjoy being a girl!
Gerritt is making significant strides in his potty training. Yesterday Tamara reported that Gerritt has stayed dry all day & wet his diaper only while napping. Another milestone soon to pass! A pretty significant one, I must say, since once Gerritt is potty-trained he can start attending preschool.
I've ordered the Russian language learning program for Gerritt & Sophia called "The Seven Dwarfs" directly from the publishing house Labirint in Russia. It will take 6-8 weeks to arrive. I am looking forward to teaching both kids more Russian! I have lived in the US for almost 15 years & find it's easier to speak English than Russian. I have to make a conscious effort to speak Russian to Gerritt & Sophia. When I am alone with Sophia I strive to speak Russian only to her. I am planning on getting some Russian cartoons to reinforce the learning. And perhaps Russian TV channel???

IBS Treatment Center

Gerritt discovers necklaces in his toddler class


Gerritt learning to cut "fruit"


Time to dance!


Gerritt graciously sharing his car with Sophia (surprisingly, we had a lot of fun in our back yard that day even though it was raining)


Gerritt's new love - the racing horse at the mall

Last night a miracle happened - Sophia slept continuously for 7 hours & 15 minutes (10 pm - 5:15 am)! After eating, she fell asleep again & woke up at 7:30 am. We are so ready for her to start sleeping longer. My husband jokes that when we start to get more rest we'll probably begin thinking of having another baby. :-) We are so thrilled to have our kids that those sleepless nights quickly become a distant memory. When a newborn enters the household again we will say, "What were we thinking? How could we do this to ourselves AGAIN?" Well, there is just no easy way to have children, & everything worthwhile in life requires hard work. It was inspiring to read about the study in the Journal of Happiness Studies finding that married women with children are happier than their single counterparts, & that the largest "happiness effect" is attributed to people with 3 children.
On Wednesday I had my appointment with Dr. Stephen Wangen at the IBS Treatment Center. I've been having gastrointestinal problems for years & have finally decided to address them. Dr. Wangen is a naturopathic physician specializing in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) & food allergies. Almost $900 later & after submitting my blood & stool samples, I have about a month to wait to find out whether I have intestinal parasites, yeast, abnormal bacteria, & food sensitivities to about 96 different foods. Perhaps there is more to my lack of energy & fatigue than having 2 little ones 19 months apart? Now begins the battle of having the insurance company to reimburse my medical bill since Dr. Wangen doesn't deal with insurance companies & requires payment from patients up front. He finds the insurance companies to be too restrictive in the kind of service he wants to provide. I would spend more if only he could get to the root of my gastrointestinal problems. I guess, I'll have to wait & see...

The Birth Order

Sophia is very popular with children at Gerritt's daycare


Gerritt playing at the Bellevue Square


Sophia & Mommy enjoying breakfast at the Bellevue Square


Gerritt & Sophia playing Melissa & Doug's architectural blocks


Sophia snuggling with her teddy bear

My husband took Gerritt & Sophia to Tacoma to see their Korean grandmother on the New Year's Eve since I've had to work that evening as well as the New Year's Day. When they all returned on Saturday morning, the kids looked older all of a sudden. This happens to me more often than I would like. Even if Gerritt & Sophia were only gone for a couple of days, I realize how fast they are growing up!
I've earned my money on the New Year's Day since I was assigned to a constant observer room (meaning all of the patients were not stable enough to be in their own private rooms). The shift started with my nursing assistant Richard being punched in the face by a demented gentleman & me having to call a Code Gray (all available staff to the rescue). After some IV Haldol (a powerful antipsychotic) we were able to avoid restraints, however, this patient kept us busy by attempting to climb out of bed for the next 8 hours. The other 2 patients were also confused. The 90+ year old grandma threw a fit about being held in the hospital against her will & attempting to walk out & my other elderly patient could not urinate on his own after his urinary catheter was removed 6 hours ago. It is never boring at work! Sure, I have some quiet evenings when I can sit & read my Mothering magazine, but those are rare.
Gerritt is in his new phase of liking TV shows about monster trucks & racing cars. After Curious George cartoons that is all he wants to watch nowadays. He also likes the show about antique cars & their restoration. Who would have thought a 2-year-old boy would find a mechanic's talk about engines so appealing? Last couple of days my husband & Gerritt have been sleeping together in the guest room while I watched Sophia. Gerritt is very intense about being with Mommy as much as possible including bedtime & the only reason he agreed to sleep with Daddy was because he showed him a monster truck show on his laptop computer in bed. :-) It is really funny to listen to Gerritt's "Oh, no!" as well as loud excited squeals.
Gerritt also loves to play rough & asks Daddy & I to give him piggyback rides & to turn him upside down often. One of his favorite activities is to lay on the couch & then fall off "accidently" on the pillows below. He then proceeds to yell, "Oh, no! Oh, no! Crash!" & repeat the above several times over. He really likes to eat ice cream, so some days he requests it in the morning (I make him eat his hot cereal 1st) & in the evening (after dinner). We usually have strawberry, vanilla & chocolate flavors in the fridge, & Gerritt calls them by color (pink, white & brown). His favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate.
Sophia loves her new diet & squeals with excitement when she sees a cup of new food to try. She even enjoys drinking water from a real cup (I have to hold it for her). Today she had a pureed soup of chicken, avocado, beans, barley & vegetables. After lunch she discovered the clattering sound produced when a metal spoon touches a ceramic bowl & spent about 20 minutes just hitting the bowl with the spoon & laughing loudly. What a funny baby!
Sophia will start daycare for the 1st time next week. She will join Gerritt at his Russian home daycare, however, just for 4 hours (2 pm - 6 pm) on Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday every other week (my work days). We are so relieved Tamara agreed to take Sophia (she usually takes children age 1.5 or older). My husband is really tired of driving Sophia to Tacoma, & I really miss not seeing her for 3 days in a row. We will be paying $10/hour for Sophia in addition to $60/day for Gerritt, but I am willing to pay that much knowing she will be in a safe & happy place. I am sure Sophia will love interacting with all of the older children, & she is already a star there. Every time we come, the kids just go crazy over "baby" in the house!
I love having a little girl & dressing her up in cute dresses & put bows in her hair! We call Sophia our little princess. According to the Birth Order book (read below), she may not be as significant as the firstborn, but she is our 1st girl, so we all love her to pieces. Next Monday I will take Sophia to get her ears pierced. The scheduling was interesting since 2 people have to pierce both of her ears at the same time. It is better to pierce her ears now than when she is a toddler (when she might pull on them more & cause infection). I had my ears pierced when I was 12 or 13, & remember being really frightened.
I am in the process of reading the Birth Order Book by Dr. Kevin Leman. I've learned that firstborns are more motivated to achieve than their younger siblings; a much greater proportion of firstborns wind up in "high achievement" professions such as science, medicine, or law; they are perfectionists, reliable, conscientious, list makers, well organized, critical, serious, scholarly, goal oriented, believers in authority & ritual, self-reliant & people pleasers. Middle children are good negotiators; unpredictable (they often have opposite of the firstborn's character traits), avoid conflict, independent, have extreme loyalty to the peer group, have many friends, & tend to have the fewest number of photos in the family album. The babies of the family (last born, the youngest) are manipulative, charming, blame others, show offs, good salespeople, & engaging. Apparently, the fact that my husband & I, both firstborn & only children, married each other is not a coincidence. Who would have thought? Gerritt definitely fits the firstborn description. He is serious; a perfectionist (I understood this when I saw him lining up his many cars in a perfectly straight line & finding little pieces of lint on his clothes & putting them in the garbage); & self-reliant. I am looking forward to learning more about Sophia's personality as she gets older. The part about middle child having the fewest number of photos in the family album doesn't fit Sophia. I take several photos of her almost daily. She is our firstborn girl, so perhaps we don't really treat her as the middle child.

Gerritt's Christmas party & deciding to become bilingual

Gerritt is not sure what to make of Ded Moroz (Father Frost)



He is not so scary after all! Gerritt dancing.


Some of the excited parents


Daddy & Sophia - pretty in pink!


The holiday table

Happy New Year everyone! I am so ready to be done with all of the holiday celebrations. Yesterday we've attended another Christmas celebration for Gerritt. This one was at his Russian daycare with a real Russian Santa (Дед Мороз, or Father Frost to be exact). All of the kids had to say a poem in Russian, which Gerritt couldn't do since he was the newest & youngest kid there. We did an English rhyme about teddy bear, but Gerritt didn't understand what was expected of him. Good thing, he got several presents anyways. There were singing, dancing, delicious tea & desserts, & all of the parents with flashing photo & video cameras. Sophia sat on Daddy's lap most of the evening & had a lot of fun watching the kids perform. She became the main attraction after Russian Santa has departed. All of a sudden, she was surrounded by the children who couldn't believe she was a real baby & wanted to touch her face, hair, feet or hands. Sophia was squealing with excitement.
My husband got concerned about Gerritt not fitting in since he seemed to understand Russian the least of all children. He even started to talk about moving him to an English-speaking daycare so he would not develop a low self-esteem since he was so behind in his Russian-speaking abilities. However, after some thought I've decided to give Gerritt more time. If we switch his daycare now, this golden opportunity to learn another language will be forever lost. It is my fault that Gerritt is not learning Russian as fast as the other children since I hardly ever speak Russian at home. Russian grandmother comes to visit only for 1 month twice a year so Gerritt's Russian language exposure is limited. He has had only Russian nannies since 4 months of age so, hopefully, he has some foundation already. Gerritt's nanny Tamara tells me he understands everything she tells him (go outside, go to sleep, time to eat lunch, let's change diaper, etc.), so all I need to do is reinforce it. We've actually started today. Gerritt, Sophia & I all went to a playground near our house this morning &, while Sophia was sleeping, I taught him how to say yellow, green, blue & red in Russian. I was surprised how well Gerritt could pronounce the Russian words, so maybe not all is lost! Tamara promised to give Gerritt & I some homework in Russian, & I am planning on buying a few Russian cartoons & books. The reason I didn't speak Russian to Gerritt were convenience (unfortunately, I am so Americanized, it is easier for me to speak English) & my fear of confusing him & possibly delaying his speech development altogether. Thankfully, I've come across this Baby Center's article appropriately titled "For kids, two languates can be as easy as one" recently. Apparently, children can acquire more than one languange simultaneously; bilingual children pass the language development milestones at the same ages as their monolingual peers; bilingual children quickly become more flexible learners making them more efficient at acquiring new information; & young brain is more plastic than older brain, making it easier to learn at an earlier age.