off to the midwest!!

we are excited to get to see so many of our chicago and wisconsin folks this week. we leave in the morning tomorrow at 3 am! whew! first time travelling with kai so this should be interesting. -b

super kicks


update on saying "maman!"

Kai's first time eating with a spoon

Hi all,

so, Kai has been anxiously watching us eat at dinner time, chewing nothing but his tongue, for a couple of weeks now. so, we finally decided to get him some rice cereal. here are some pics from his first big boy meal with a spoon. they don't even come close to showing how excited he was though! ;->

getting feisty with his cube

this was taken a few weeks ago...

another video...blog exclusive

i'm just being silly, but this is one that i have not put on facebook since it is a little long and i don't thinkmost of my coworker peeps on fb would want to see.

Just a few videos for those not on facebook...

Hi all,

I have not posted on here in a bit since I have been on facebook a lot lately. But I wanted to share a few hilarious videos of Kai. He is just so much fun (usually)! Right now as I send this he is having a full conersation with himself in "his garden," a little play area that V's van-mates gave us.

Also, here are a few of his recent changes:

• his hair is growing and he looks like he has a curly yarmulke
• he turns over from his back to front, but cannot turn back
• he chats away at himself or his toys for more than 10 minutes sometimes
• he kicks like an olympic swimmer (maybe an exagerration) in his bath tub
• he is on a decent nap schedule during the day and sometimes goes to sleep even when i put him down awake

one thing that has not changed is that he still does not sleep all that much at night :(

-b

Kai goes to disco

Trying to get him to make his pouty face

Learning to say maman

Going Back to Work & Other Stuff

Tomorrow I am going back to work after a wonderful 10 weeks of maternity leave (8 weeks of which have been spent with Kai). I am, as you can imagine, not looking forward to leaving Kai for almost 12 hours M-F (including commute time). My only peace comes from knowing that Kai will be in Bianca's care for the summer. I imagine the two sharing in summertime activities--walks on the beach, stealing a movie matinée, walking around the hood, discovering new ways of expression (drooling, cooing, laughing). I am glad I am going back to a job I like and I can find comfort in helping to provide for my family. I feel so fortunate to have had these precious moments to share with Kai and Bianca. I will treasures these memories as we make new ones. (see pics below).



Kai's birth seems like it was eons ago. The pain a distant (thank goddess) memory. It has been true for me that I have forgotten the pain I experienced during labor and delivery. When I look into Kai's eyes as he discovers something for the first time or babbles constantly as if he is "telling it like it is." He is such an expressive baby. Of course, Bianca and I encourage him. "Really?" we ask, "YEA!" "I know!" He smiles, as if he understands. We have affirmed what he has just expressed. OK, so much of this purposeful communication is a figment of my imagination, but I will indulge, nonetheless.



My biggest challenge, to date, has been learning to breast feed Kai. I think he might agree. Initially he lost about 11% of his birth weight, but quickly gained it back. Now, he is a champion. He loves to nurse, often times cooing and caressing my boob as he falls into a delirious stupor (imagine an intoxicated baby). My boob (or more accurately, Kai's boob) is a great source of comfort. Bianca is great at soothing Kai too. She has developed this wonderful way of using music to sooth and put him to sleep. She puts him in our sling, plays music (loudly) and dances around the living room. Once he is in place and the music begins, Kai becomes settled and listens tentatively. What B listens to aren't lullaby's, but contemporary and ole R&B, Salsa and Caribbean music (the more base, the better). When Kai is tired he rubs his eyes, yawns and grabs his hair at the back of his head. Many of his expressions look intense to me. When he does this one and furrows his brow, he looks so stressed. When he just furrows his brow and looks into space, he looks like he is deep in thought. We speculate he is thinking about his Boob or possibly how he might play with his cloth cube next. It is marvelous watching him experience the world around him.



Kai continues to be a bit fussy, mostly when he is overtired. Bianca and I try to catch him when he is just getting tired so we can sooth him and get him to sleep. Sometimes we are hugely successful and sometimes we fail miserably. Kai's response to this failure is to cry and scream. His gums exposed all the while. We feel like we have just won the lotto when we get him to sleep without any crying. We are experiencing this more and more. We spent so much time thinking about getting pregnant, my gestational diabetes and the labor/delivery that we had little time to think about the day to day of having a little baby. Now that Kai is here, we read books about breastfeeding, vaccines, his development, etc., but mostly we ask people for advice and experiment.



Kai is already outgrown his 0-3 month clothes, as well as most of his 6 month clothes. He is growing and changing from day to day. His baby book is nearly put together and I have assembled a photo cube (complete with 6 photos) for my desk at work. We have also videotaped Kai in his swing, bouncy chair and on his first walk. Sometimes it seems like we are going overboard documenting, but then I dismiss this notion. After all, Kai will only be a baby for so long, and it is important to cherish every moment (as every moment is a gift).

Since Kai's birth we have had many visitors. Kai's grandparents (Jimmy and Joanne) have visited from Wisconsin, his grandmother (Linda) and aunts (Sabrina and Erica) have visited from San Diego and friends from SF (Lisabeth), Chicago (Herek, Gary and Kendra), LB (Lauren, Beth, Jude, Courtney, Ed, Shelly and Judah).

Our plan is to continue to update the blog as we can make time. thanks for visiting! xoxox

A few pics

Hi all, we have been crazy busy taking care and loving our little butternut!! here are a few pics from the last 3 weeks. hugs! -b

Our baby is home!

Meet Kai Leo Sol Johnson, born April 7, 2009 at 3:26pm. He was born 9lbs 3oz and 22 inches. We are so in love!! more pics to come later....

April 8 or earlier!

Ok, so we have an induction date! This baby is due to be helped along on his grand ma-ma Linda's bday, unless he decides to get things moving earlier. Basically, they had planned to schedule an induction no later than the 13th b/c of the diabetes, but we decided to push that date back so that his grandma Joanne and grandpa Jimmie can be here when he is born. But we are doing our best to encourage him to come on out sooner to avoid the induction. ;->

Any day now....

Baby Shower - 2/21/09

Our baby shower was a wonderful event. We both felt very special and excited by everyone who was able to attend and help us celebrate the arrival of our son. The atmosphere was festive and joyful. We were surrounded by family and friends, laughter and food and cute baby gifts!

My mother came in late Friday night from Wisconsin and was able to be here for the weekend. I am so glad she was able to see my pregnant belly and meet so many of our dear friends here in So Cal.

Linda (Bianca's mother) and Sabrina (her sister) came Friday afternoon and started prepping for Saturday. Besides pulled pork, we had coleslaw and delicious mashed potatoes (w/ fixings, i.e. bacon, several cheeses, sour cream, scallions, etc.), pickle chips, a veggie platter and dip, fruit skewers w/ a yogurt dip and 4 (yes, four) different kinds of brownies (I was off my diabetes diet for a few hours & was in Brownie Heaven:). Everything was very yummy and presented beautifully. Erica (Bianca's childhood friend and co-planner) came Saturday morning to help with set-up. There were balloons (courtesy of Lauren), streamers, a mobile and a sign above where Bianca and I sat that announced "Its a Boy!" Everything was jungle themed--complete w/ monkeys, lions and other animals.

We played several games. There was a Verlena and Bianca Baby questionnaire (baby facts about B and I). I only got 3 out of 10 correct. Sad I know. :) Bianca did better and scored an 8. We played a game where we had silly nick names and had to refer to one another by these names or lose a small clothes pin attached to our lapels. And finally, we played a trivia game where we went around the room and named songs with the word "baby" in the title. I could not think of one. The winners of the games received gift cards for Trader Joe's and Starbucks.

Bianca and her mother Linda (w/ friend Jude) & Verlena & her mother Joanne

While our mothers were in town, they helped us put jungle animal decals and vegetation on the walls of the nursery and it looks so great. Within the next several weeks, we will have it finished. Amazingly, the baby is 34 weeks and could be here anytime soon. Probably within the next 3-6 weeks :).

We received beautifully wrapped gifts (w/ ribbons and bows in cute gift bags and wrapping paper)! The baby received a crib, pack and play (a new version of a play pin/sleeping unit/changing table), the jungle crib Mobile, a rainforest crib music machine, a diaper genie, a swing, a bouncy chair, a stuffed dog with receiving blankets, pacifiers, a cute little short overalls outfit w/ a matching onesie w/ animals, etc. . . . Prior to the shower, a friend brought over her son's stroller (a Graco brand in excellent shape). On Sunday we found a Snugride car seat that will fit perfectly and checked out a few other things we still need. But we feel we are in very good shape.

More Photos . . .

Masai, Erica and Kim

Art and Baby Arturito

Bianca, Courtney, Ed and Sabrina

Verlena, Bianca and Lauren

Verlena, Bianca and Amy

There have also been many who have sent their well wishes and gifts who could not make it that day. We truly feel blessed to have so many people in our lives who care for us and who have shared their wisdom, excitement and love!!! We will definitely need all as we embark on this AMAZING journey--one we have been planing for years.

Our sweet baby is almost here. We can barely contain our excitement (and fear).

Outting Bianca

Since being diagnosed with gestational diabetes Bianca has been AMAZING!!!!! During the work week, she has gotten up with me at 5am to prepare my breakfast (a scrambled egg, toast and 8 oz of milk or oatmeal, teaspoon of butter, toast and 8 oz of milk), as well as my lunch and two snacks. She documents everything on my food chart, which I follow religiously. Not having to give what I eat or the precise amounts any thought has been so liberating and one of the only reasons I don't break down and cry. She reminds me to take my blood sugar and asks me what my results are. Bianca being in love with data collection and finding meaning in relationships tells me the significance of my fasting numbers and 1 hour tests. She even went on the Baby Center website and has posted a thread asking other pregnant women their experiences with gestational diabetes (it even includes a survey asking women what their blood sugar levels have been).

Within the last week Bianca also painted the entire nursery by herself (two coats). Today I sat in our son's room and thought about how we would lay him down one day in his crib, rock him to sleep in his glider, read him children's books, such as Wyken, Blyken and Nod (a book I've read to him several time in utero).

I feel so lucky to have Bianca as my life partner and the co-parent of our son.

Painting the nursery...diabetes, and stuff

so these last few weeks have been busy. i am feeling much better and my back is healing up pretty good (just gotta keep up stretches!). last weekend my sis helped us out immensely by scrubbing down our kitchen and doing several other major housework. erica came up to the LBC and helped us finish the registry! we are moving along, trying to get ready for the shower...and the baby, of course.

so, today I completed the first full first coat of paint in our nursery. you can see why the color had to be changed!

also, it has been a busy couple of weeks because v was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. this has meant a very intense level of planning of 5 small meals a day for her, but we are starting to get the hand of it. i try to plan the meals since she is so tired lately and has so much else related to pregnancy to manage. we are hoping we can do a good enough job with the diet so she does not have to take insulin.

but the lil' boy is doing fine- kicking like crazy all the time! below, see how big she is getting! (though she hasn't actually gained any weight since the pregnancy. she basically loses weight because she doesn't eat much and the baby adds on that exact amount.

i also included a gratuitous shot from new years day with my sis and erica! -b

not really about baby, but related

well, I had the great misfortune to have a sciatica injury this past week, which has put some nursery and home cleaning plans on hold. V has been a total trooper and taking great care of me despite her ever-growing belly! she's the best! but we have found a new activity to do as a couple (one fatigued from pregnancy and the other who can hardly walk)- watching heroes on netflix on the computer. it's like having a theatre in the bedroom! i am recovering though day by day and hope to get back to nursery stuff asap. for now, just trying to live in the moment... -b

Now u feel me, now u don't

I think the baby has a public library card and a vcr because this morning at 3:30 he decided to do a 20 minute Tae Bo workout. If not Tai Bo, then riverboat clogging. oh what joy! I think he might have internet access also, and he must of surfed the web and learned about freeze tag, because when i woke b from her sleep to put her hand on my tummy, he froze, suddenly; I imagined his eyes getting big when he saw or felt her hand come down and stop. Then when she got too tired of waiting and took her hand away, he would start his MC Hammer dance again.