Here’s a brief summary of what I’ve been up to lately…
Paying more attention to the singing balloon than to Sierra at her bday party:
Lots of hugging – with my daycare friend Sophia (I was SO happy to see her again when she came over our house last week) and of course with bday girl Sierra:
Splashing in my new pool:
Enjoying the San Mateo Fair with Sydney (mom even let me try a deep-fried twinkie!):
Learning from a Harmonica virtuoso at the Symphony Silicon Valley Summer Pops:
Now we’re off to upstate New York to visit my Ba Noi and some friends. Daddy says I might even get to meet Otto the Orange in person!
This week has been a dream, almost like those first few days in the hospital when I was living up to my Vietnamese name, Linh, which means “gentle spirit.” My parents decided to try out this Gripe Water stuff that Auntie Lorna told them about and it makes me feel so much better!
Now I can actually be awake and hang out without all the fussing and crying.
When I’m awake, I like to look at everything around me – I’m very curious. Sometimes mommy says I look funny with my wide eyes, fat cheeks, blotchy face, and wild hair (which just won’t be tamed). I may look silly, but I’m still carefully to keep my composure. No smiles for anyone, no matter how goofy they’re acting.
I also have started to enjoy my pacifier, instead of spitting it out every time someone tries to give it to me. It’s so relaxing to just suck on it and look around (with one or two eyes open, depending on my mood). Here’s a picture of me with my paci on my first trip to the playground. As you can see, I was super-thrilled.
My big sister Maddy sure does like to hang out with me a lot. She gives me lots of hugs and kisses every day, but sometimes her hugs are a bit too much.
Here’s a video of Maddy helping me out with my pacifier. Nice of her, huh?
We need to say thanks to everyone who’s been so amazingly helpful and generous to the Phamsters over the past few months. I still can’t believe that we’re now parents of a 6-week-old and almost-2-year-old, and I think I’d have completely lost my mind by now if we didn’t have so much support.
In addition to all the wonderful gifts we’ve received for both Hayden and Maddy, we want to give special thanks to the people who traveled from so far to help and visit us…
My sister Lorna from Oregon was a huge help and amazing emotional support during our first week as a family of four. Not only did she keep me calm during the c-section and talk me through my painful nursing issues, she also made fast friends with Maddy while I was in the hospital and helped her adjust seamlessly to being a big sister.
Next my mom came from DC and spent two weeks changing a gazillion diapers, cooking dinners, taking Maddy to the park and swimming lessons, cooing over Hayden, and tolerating my hormonal nastiness.
Then my dad, stepmom and half-brothers Mason and Bennett came for a visit from Utah and it was so great to see them. We spent a relaxing day catching up, stopping by the Metro team picnic, touring Yahoo! and talking talking talking. I can’t believe how grown up my little brothers are getting – it seems like just a few years ago that they were born.
Finally, my cousin Allie just finished a two-week visit, during which she unfortunately learned the meaning of both “terrible twos” and colic. Especially because of Maddy and Hayden’s bipolar behaviors, Allie was a big help. We were even able to get out of the house and do lots of fun stuff with the kids, which I never would’ve been able to manage on my own.
HUGE thanks again to our helpers extraordinaire, and to their families and friends who helped make the visits possible. Can’t wait for our next round of visitors – in September my sister Maren and niece Eva are coming down from Oregon, and also my brother Gavin with his girlfriend Jamie and son/dog Lumas. Then in October my best friend Leigh, her husband Jim, and son Blake are all coming to visit from Rhode Island. We’re so lucky!
