Learning to Walk

Kailyn has taken her first steps! I am working on capturing it on video, but it has defintely happened and it's pretty cool.

I'm especially proud of her because I've been told first kids in a family tend to learn to walk a little later than others since they are usually carried alot by their parents and others and thus do not get as much practice.

So kudos to our little walker!

Gettin' Into the Holiday Spirit

From Santa Visit, Yu Zhen bday Nov 2011

Kailyn is a huge music fan. She will clap her hands and do a little dance whenever she hears a good beat. It's cute and funny. I like to say it's because I sang to her when she was in Helen's belly, but I think it's also that she is just a happy little baby and can't help but show it.

With two weeks left to go before Christmas, we've been listening to a radio station whose format has changed to all Christmas, all the time. While she enjoys the classics, one time in the car when Kailyn heard the song below, she went wild. Then again so did Helen and I, and we sang along while Kailyn happily moved to the music:

Happy 1st Birthday, Kailyn!

Dear Kailyn,

It's hard to believe a year ago today you were just a little 6 lb peanut:



You have made us so happy! We love you so much and can't wait to see you grow up - just don't do it too fast. Have a great day today and eat as much red velvet cake (or other sweets) as you like!



Love,
Mommy and Daddy

My Best Friend's Wedding

Good news! I recently heard my cousin Jason is getting married. He is like the brother I never had, was the best man at my wedding and besides Helen is my best friend. That we grew up together, share the same brain and have the sense of humor probably helps a bit (ask him about You know Joe Namath?/Joey the Horse/VCR to VCR dubbing/New bases, new bases' and any number of random things and he and I will both crack up simultaneously.)

After I told him about my awesomely romantic proposal story (I hid the ring in an Arby's beef 'n' cheddar sandwich and made Helen search through the cheese to get it,) he went ahead and did something even more memorable. In fact a local Boston TV station was so impressed they ran a VO of it on the morning news. Well done, Uncle Yeson!

Fast and Furious Learning

As Kailyn nears her one year birthday, it is simply amazing how quickly she is picking up on new things. Among her cool new tricks- the abiility to crawl up the stairs, pretend to be on the phone, hugging her stuffed animals (very sweet), feeding herself food, saying real words (like 'mama' and 'dada'), understanding what we're saying to her, talking into empty bottles to hear the echo it makes and laughing at funny things.

One of our friends told us that 6-12 months is the best age for little children because the babies usually get more hair, coordination and personality, and can communicate better. This has totally been the case with Kailyn. she is a total joy to be around (most of the time.)

Scream

The baby has now learned that screaming will get her what she wants, or at the very least get our attention. So she yells at the top of her lungs pretty much every chance she gets. Lots of our friends and family are surprised because Kailyn used to be such a quiet, little angel.

We try not to encourage her and allow her screaming to dictate what happens, but when it's in public and everyone's looking, it sort of forces our hand a little. At her old nanny's place, Kailyn used to scare the other babies because while they'd build up to their screaming, she would go from 0 to full blast immediately.

Also, when we're feeding her and are a bit too slow to get the next bite into her mouth, she'll produce an ear-piercing scream at the top of her lungs until more food is put in her pie-hole. Then she'll happily sing 'Nom, nom' like nothing ever happened. It's pretty cute, even if our ears are still ringing.

Great Cuts

Forever ago, when I was single and had a Match.com account they used to have a section asking what your best physical feature was. While I assume most people put down 'eyes' or 'smile,' I went with 'hair.' As a former TV news anchor, my hair was my thing, so much so I once told someone my biggest fear of doing crowd 'live shots' wasn't having someone attack me or swear on the air, but rather having someone mess my 'do up.

Anyway, I had to laugh because the other day we had Kailyn in pigtails. When we took them out, her hair defied gravity, stood straight up and was quite a sight.



She looked like Wolverine


Or Flock of Seagulls


Or like me when I wake up in the morning and haven't put any product in.


The good news is if she takes anything after me, Baby K's hair will be thick, strong and abundant. Even if it's a littl wild sometimes.

Santa 1, Kailyn 0