Falalalala
Many Firsts~
So it has been an eventful week at the Kim/Kwan household... Work has been demanding, yet challenging and interesting. Fred and I still manage to "talk" and keep our marriage healthy. And Keoni has been experiencing many firsts this week! He got his first time out from daddy... 
I know this is the first of many to come, but I hated it. I pulled myself out of the situation and let daddy handle it, which proceeded to result in a spat between us. My heart broke as I saw Keoni in his little chair facing the wall. I'm not sure even he knew what was going on, but he definitely new daddy was not happy with him and gave me his puppy eyes and little pout. After what seemed like an eternity (but realistically 2-3 minutes or maybe just 30 seconds haha), I told Fred time out was over! I am so not looking forward to this part of parenthood!
I know this is the first of many to come, but I hated it. I pulled myself out of the situation and let daddy handle it, which proceeded to result in a spat between us. My heart broke as I saw Keoni in his little chair facing the wall. I'm not sure even he knew what was going on, but he definitely new daddy was not happy with him and gave me his puppy eyes and little pout. After what seemed like an eternity (but realistically 2-3 minutes or maybe just 30 seconds haha), I told Fred time out was over! I am so not looking forward to this part of parenthood!Onto more fun firsts! He is now insisting on taking off his own shoes and neatly puts them away (left shoe on the left, right shoe on the right) and can take off his own jacket. This morning he looked at me at said "my shoes!" realizing that he needed to still put on his shoes before going to daycare. The other first came in the form of fruits! For months now Keoni would only eat dried fruits, but never fresh fruit. During our weekend Whole Foods trip, he grabbed an apple. This didn't excite us as we knew he just wanted to hold it. We ended up buying the damn $1.50 organic apple because he would not part with it at the register. But low and behold, he asked me to cut it up when we got home and began eating it! I was so thrilled! I had also bought a box of clementines the day before. This is probably the 4th box I've bought in the past month and he's always wanted to hold it, but never eat it. And boy have I tried! He makes the most disgusted face and spits it out. But then all of a sudden this week, he decided they weren't so bad after all! Daddy had to cut them up into small pieces and then he was delighted to eat them! It's amazing how much he's changed and how quickly he still is changing! He amazes me daily with something new and impresses me with his ability to learn and makes me proud to be his mommy~
Happy Lunar New Year~
So it looks like it's been a month already since I've blogged! The days are a blur and life is moving way too fast... The 2012 year of the dragon has begun and I'm curious to see what this year brings. There were many changes and adjustments last year so I hope this year will be smooth and consistent.
Oni has been growing up like a little bean sprout! His clothes quickly become small and short and he's rambling off words like no tomorrow~ Half the time we're deciphering them, but he's begun to repeat and learn words and sentences we say to him. My fav right now is "mommy read a book!" He looks at me waiting for me to go upstairs so we can read in bed before I put him in his crib to sleep. Once in the crib he looks up at me and shouts "nite!" Yes, it melts my heart. I feel like grabbing him and keeping him up so we can play some more!
I have booked our first family trip back to Asia. It's going to be a trip to remember indeed! I hope Oni adjusts well to the plane ride, the jet lag and the change in environment! We're taking a mini trip with Ed to Taiwan as well, so I'm excited about that too. I have to put together an itinerary so we have some sort of agenda~
My new job is no longer new to me. I feel like I've been there forever and it's only been 3 months! The honeymoon is definitely over, but I am glad that this job allows me to come home at a decent hour so I can play with my Oni, Oni, Oni~ I love when he screams "mommy!" as I walk up the stairs and I love how he gives me a big hug and smile... I cannot imagine life without him! He makes everything seem ok~
This past weekend was Lunar New Year so we had Steve and his fam over. Oni followed Derek around observing his every move and imitating. They are actually interacting and "playing" now... It was great to see~
Oni has been growing up like a little bean sprout! His clothes quickly become small and short and he's rambling off words like no tomorrow~ Half the time we're deciphering them, but he's begun to repeat and learn words and sentences we say to him. My fav right now is "mommy read a book!" He looks at me waiting for me to go upstairs so we can read in bed before I put him in his crib to sleep. Once in the crib he looks up at me and shouts "nite!" Yes, it melts my heart. I feel like grabbing him and keeping him up so we can play some more!
I have booked our first family trip back to Asia. It's going to be a trip to remember indeed! I hope Oni adjusts well to the plane ride, the jet lag and the change in environment! We're taking a mini trip with Ed to Taiwan as well, so I'm excited about that too. I have to put together an itinerary so we have some sort of agenda~
My new job is no longer new to me. I feel like I've been there forever and it's only been 3 months! The honeymoon is definitely over, but I am glad that this job allows me to come home at a decent hour so I can play with my Oni, Oni, Oni~ I love when he screams "mommy!" as I walk up the stairs and I love how he gives me a big hug and smile... I cannot imagine life without him! He makes everything seem ok~
This past weekend was Lunar New Year so we had Steve and his fam over. Oni followed Derek around observing his every move and imitating. They are actually interacting and "playing" now... It was great to see~
Christmas 2011~
So Oni celebrated his 2nd Christmas~ He woke up in a great mood and had a great day! We opened one present before the family came over and he was already busy playing with his new toy. I spent most of the morning cooking with MIL and was pretty tired by the time it was time to eat! But then came the best part of the day: opening presents! I helped Oni open up all of his gifts as he continually yelled out "WOOOOW!" It was awesome to see and it made me a little sad to realize how much he's grown in the past year. Last Christmas he wasn't even crawling and was miserable due to his eczema and this year he's running around, jumping, yelling out random words and making our hearts melt...
So, as expected, he received way too many toys for Christmas! Our living room looks like a daycare and all of the gifts haven't even been taken out of the box yet. *sigh* I keep saying we need a bigger place, but that just means we'll accumulate more stuff! We need to pack away some things, but what? It's so hard to choose and actually do. The problem is a few of his toys are such large items it overwhelms the room. I guess we'll figure it out somehow...
With the family over, it was nice to see Oni interact with everyone... He had a blast with the company and was non-stop all day... We ended up going over to Nancy's later in the day and he played even more over there... He fell in love with this castle that Sophia had and would not get out of it!
Here is Oni with his new easel! Fred set it up Christmas Eve and when he came down Christmas morning he walked around and then when he spotted it, all we heard was "WOOOAAAHHHHHH!" It was so cute! A big thank you to Uncle Ed!
Here are a few more memories made~
All in all it was a great day and I received a few gifts myself! Freddie got me an electric toothbrush - yes, totally not romantic at all, but something I did need replaced. He also got me a book/DVD set to learn VBA/Macros... It is something I would like to learn more about since I am quite elementary in its skill set, but it was not a cool gift! My fav gift was the new lens I got for my DSLR. Now I can take more pics of Oni!!!
So, as expected, he received way too many toys for Christmas! Our living room looks like a daycare and all of the gifts haven't even been taken out of the box yet. *sigh* I keep saying we need a bigger place, but that just means we'll accumulate more stuff! We need to pack away some things, but what? It's so hard to choose and actually do. The problem is a few of his toys are such large items it overwhelms the room. I guess we'll figure it out somehow...
With the family over, it was nice to see Oni interact with everyone... He had a blast with the company and was non-stop all day... We ended up going over to Nancy's later in the day and he played even more over there... He fell in love with this castle that Sophia had and would not get out of it!
Here is Oni with his new easel! Fred set it up Christmas Eve and when he came down Christmas morning he walked around and then when he spotted it, all we heard was "WOOOAAAHHHHHH!" It was so cute! A big thank you to Uncle Ed!
Here are a few more memories made~
All in all it was a great day and I received a few gifts myself! Freddie got me an electric toothbrush - yes, totally not romantic at all, but something I did need replaced. He also got me a book/DVD set to learn VBA/Macros... It is something I would like to learn more about since I am quite elementary in its skill set, but it was not a cool gift! My fav gift was the new lens I got for my DSLR. Now I can take more pics of Oni!!!
2011 Holiday Party~
So this was the first holiday party I attended at my new job. It was very interesting indeed. We went down to NYC for one day just for the party. With traffic it took 7 hours to get to the hotel! We mingled for about 2.5 hrs and then headed back to Boston. It was actually a good way to see and talk to my new co-workers outside of the office. The most memorable part of the night was when Bill Clinton showed up to say hi to the staff of his foundation!
Oh Christmas Tree~
So Freddie and I went through our annual discussion about whether or not to get a tree. It's a pretty useless conversation because in the end we get a tree and every year Freddie complains about what a pain in the ass it is to throw it away. This year I put an end to his mumblings by reminding him that I am halfway around the world, away from my family year after year on the holidays... And the least that he could do is get a tree for the house. Plus this year Oni is a little older and might actually enjoy the tree! So on Wednesday he and Pat went to Home Depot in the pouring rain to pick out our tree. Of course they pick the one day that all of the trees are drenched! *sigh* What could I do... Oni was very curious about the tree when it was brought into the house. He peeked over and eventually moseyed on over to inspect this new addition that had invaded his space.
We also went to take Christmas photos. I can't believe that it's been a year already since we last took it! This year was more difficult since Oni was not stationary and squirmed his way out of every pose and just would not smile! I think we took over 100 shots and only got a handful of mediocre shots with maybe one or two good ones. I hope I can get a new lens for my DSLR so that I can take more candid portraits of him at home. I have slipped with my photography due to day to day priorities, but I'd love to get back into. I feel like I need to go to another class to refresh myself! But that is just a wish and not reality. I hate being away from him on the weekends since that is the only time I get to spend alot of time with him. He was sick all weekend so it's been very draining, but even through his whining and tears, I still feel patient and nurturing. No matter how tired, I jump up and out of bed and run to him to soothe him. It's amazing how your body reacts when your mind is in control. Nothing and no one else could make me do the things I want to do for him... I hope my little man feels better soon! Here are some of our pics from the photo shoot!
We also went to take Christmas photos. I can't believe that it's been a year already since we last took it! This year was more difficult since Oni was not stationary and squirmed his way out of every pose and just would not smile! I think we took over 100 shots and only got a handful of mediocre shots with maybe one or two good ones. I hope I can get a new lens for my DSLR so that I can take more candid portraits of him at home. I have slipped with my photography due to day to day priorities, but I'd love to get back into. I feel like I need to go to another class to refresh myself! But that is just a wish and not reality. I hate being away from him on the weekends since that is the only time I get to spend alot of time with him. He was sick all weekend so it's been very draining, but even through his whining and tears, I still feel patient and nurturing. No matter how tired, I jump up and out of bed and run to him to soothe him. It's amazing how your body reacts when your mind is in control. Nothing and no one else could make me do the things I want to do for him... I hope my little man feels better soon! Here are some of our pics from the photo shoot!
Can't.Stop.Shopping.
So I don't know what is going on with me lately. I have been on a shopping spree that has become ridiculous! From home goods to baby goods, I just keep going and going... I don't even realize what I'm doing until I get my credit card bills the following month and then get stressed about paying them all off... Yes, my OCD extends to my need to pay off my bills every month. Carrying over balances is just not acceptable or an option with my OCD. I feel as though I need to do a budget for 2012. Perhaps that will give me some control and transparency to myself on a regular basis...
However, this was Thanksgiving week, which means shopping week! 
Yes, I've digressed again! Black Friday is only one day and this year it seems the retailers were getting a jump start by inundating my inbox with endless advertisements the entire week. And it worked. I bought a new monitor, a tv, computer accessories, clothes and make-up just to name a few... I took Oni to Toys R Us yesterday and he was so happy! He's such a good boy! He wants to touch everything and anything, but in the end, he willingly puts everything back... I bought him some new legos that he absolutely loves. BTW - what is up with legos' ridiculous pricing!? OMG! $25 for one lego truck!? But the golden buy was a $10 Crayola table. It is "his" table and he is in love with it. He will only allow what he wants on the table and will remove anything we place on it. Yes, it seems he has mommy's OCD! He has sat at that table non-stop since we brought it home. He yells "mommy" to show me the new item he's placed on it and looks at me beaming, so proud of his new table.
Yes, I've digressed again! Black Friday is only one day and this year it seems the retailers were getting a jump start by inundating my inbox with endless advertisements the entire week. And it worked. I bought a new monitor, a tv, computer accessories, clothes and make-up just to name a few... I took Oni to Toys R Us yesterday and he was so happy! He's such a good boy! He wants to touch everything and anything, but in the end, he willingly puts everything back... I bought him some new legos that he absolutely loves. BTW - what is up with legos' ridiculous pricing!? OMG! $25 for one lego truck!? But the golden buy was a $10 Crayola table. It is "his" table and he is in love with it. He will only allow what he wants on the table and will remove anything we place on it. Yes, it seems he has mommy's OCD! He has sat at that table non-stop since we brought it home. He yells "mommy" to show me the new item he's placed on it and looks at me beaming, so proud of his new table. Why is he just so lovable? If I had known how in love I would be with my own child, I would have considered having one earlier! Who would have known I could have been this type of mom. Melting constantly and always revolving my life around him thinking about his future. I never thought another human being could control me completely. I feel so vulnerable and lucky at the same time. I am also lucky to have such a great man in my life. Freddie is the best father in the world and I couldn't ask for anything more from him. He loves Oni to death and I can physically feel his love towards him as he watches Oni laughing, playing, giggling hysterically or dancing to a commercial on TV. I love my boys~
Elmo!
So Keoni has officially discovered Elmo. He just blurted it out last weekend and hasn't stopped saying it since. Unfortunately Elmo is seemingly encompassing every Sesame Street character whether it really is Elmo, Big Bird, Oscar or whoever else. He has also associated all stickers and sticker books with Elmo now. It's quite fun to watch and amazing as he seems to add a word each day to his vocabulary. Today he perfected "down" as he stepped down each stair. I wonder when he'll learn yes??? He just nods his head, but still hasn't said the actual word. Mind you, he has no problem saying no and has been saying that word for some time now...
It's been 3 weeks since I started my new job and so far so good. I think it's the minor things that have taken time to get used to. The commute for one is definitely not pleasant most nights. I leave early enough in the A.M. to avoid most of the major jams, but the evening is a different story. I have yet to take the same route home in my attempts to take shortcuts depending on where I get stuck. Another is adjusting to sitting in an open area. I didn't realize how comfortable I had gotten to sitting in an office and don't remember when the last time I didn't. I literally went from a nice corner office to a cube. But apparently this is one of the nicer, bigger "cubes" on our floor. It's not bad, but it's just going to take some time to get used to not having a door and having people walking around me while I'm working. I cannot turn on my music freely anymore and have settled for earphones while working, which is working out ok. But all of this is minor. The most important thing is I am liking my job so far. The team seems engaged and committed, which is nice. We'll see how things go as the year end and audit approaches. Lucky me, I get to go through two audits in one year since I just left from doing the audit for my prior employer. I need to get up to speed asap if I'm going to be useful and informed during the audit. The sheer volume of info and work at my new place is ten-fold! It is exciting and overwhelming at the same time, but I am confident I will be fine.
I cannot believe the year is almost over. When I saw that insane lady on the Target Black Friday commercial again this week, I turned to Fred in disbelief that it had already been a year since I'd seen her in last years commercial! Tomorrow is Turkey Day and soon it'll be Christmas! My little man is growing up too quick!!! He just turned 18 months last weekend... He still makes both Fred and I smile everyday and somehow makes us love him even more day by day... I melt when I hear the pitter-patter of his feet running down the hallway accompanied by his screams of "mommy!"
Here's Keoni eating his first (of many) munchkins!
It's been 3 weeks since I started my new job and so far so good. I think it's the minor things that have taken time to get used to. The commute for one is definitely not pleasant most nights. I leave early enough in the A.M. to avoid most of the major jams, but the evening is a different story. I have yet to take the same route home in my attempts to take shortcuts depending on where I get stuck. Another is adjusting to sitting in an open area. I didn't realize how comfortable I had gotten to sitting in an office and don't remember when the last time I didn't. I literally went from a nice corner office to a cube. But apparently this is one of the nicer, bigger "cubes" on our floor. It's not bad, but it's just going to take some time to get used to not having a door and having people walking around me while I'm working. I cannot turn on my music freely anymore and have settled for earphones while working, which is working out ok. But all of this is minor. The most important thing is I am liking my job so far. The team seems engaged and committed, which is nice. We'll see how things go as the year end and audit approaches. Lucky me, I get to go through two audits in one year since I just left from doing the audit for my prior employer. I need to get up to speed asap if I'm going to be useful and informed during the audit. The sheer volume of info and work at my new place is ten-fold! It is exciting and overwhelming at the same time, but I am confident I will be fine.
I cannot believe the year is almost over. When I saw that insane lady on the Target Black Friday commercial again this week, I turned to Fred in disbelief that it had already been a year since I'd seen her in last years commercial! Tomorrow is Turkey Day and soon it'll be Christmas! My little man is growing up too quick!!! He just turned 18 months last weekend... He still makes both Fred and I smile everyday and somehow makes us love him even more day by day... I melt when I hear the pitter-patter of his feet running down the hallway accompanied by his screams of "mommy!"
Here's Keoni eating his first (of many) munchkins!
New Beginnings~
So I start my new job tomorrow! I am excited and anxious at the same time... This is much larger organization with more complexities so it'll be new and a challenge at the same time... I am already impressed with their efficiencies with the new hire process alone!
I had one week off in between and it was so nice and peaceful. I stressed myself out by having a long ass to do list, but I got most of it done so I'm satisfied! It's the little things... I finally grabbed the hammer and hung up the frame in Keoni's room and even finally put up the wall clock for him after months of it sitting there collecting dust. I was able to cook dinner every night and had Keoni and Fred eat hot home cooked meals. Keoni loved my chicken adobo and my kalbi jjim~ I wish I could do that every night, but I know that is not realistic, no matter how great of a job I have...
At one point in the week, as I was driving, I truly felt happy. I think I unconsciously even smiled. I felt as though the big boulder that had been sitting on my chest the past year was truly gone. I don't know why I didn't leave my job earlier. It made me realized how stressed out and unhappy I had been. The long hours, the endless piles of paper, the tunnel that never seemed to end... Alone and doing all that work by myself... People offering to help with their endless words, but no follow through with actions... I'm so glad it's all behind me... I hope this new job is totally different and that I can feel that motivation and excitement I once did.
I had one week off in between and it was so nice and peaceful. I stressed myself out by having a long ass to do list, but I got most of it done so I'm satisfied! It's the little things... I finally grabbed the hammer and hung up the frame in Keoni's room and even finally put up the wall clock for him after months of it sitting there collecting dust. I was able to cook dinner every night and had Keoni and Fred eat hot home cooked meals. Keoni loved my chicken adobo and my kalbi jjim~ I wish I could do that every night, but I know that is not realistic, no matter how great of a job I have...
At one point in the week, as I was driving, I truly felt happy. I think I unconsciously even smiled. I felt as though the big boulder that had been sitting on my chest the past year was truly gone. I don't know why I didn't leave my job earlier. It made me realized how stressed out and unhappy I had been. The long hours, the endless piles of paper, the tunnel that never seemed to end... Alone and doing all that work by myself... People offering to help with their endless words, but no follow through with actions... I'm so glad it's all behind me... I hope this new job is totally different and that I can feel that motivation and excitement I once did.
Pumpkin Time!
So a few kids and parents came over so we could decorate pumpkins. Ok, so realistically the moms had to do all the work because the kids lost interest quickly... Anyway, it was a good time and chaos at the same time. Our place was just way too small for everyone. We need to move and get a bigger place!!!
I think Oni had a great time so that's all that matters. He was feeling a little under the weather, but still wanted to hang out with the kids and run around~
I think Oni had a great time so that's all that matters. He was feeling a little under the weather, but still wanted to hang out with the kids and run around~
End of the road...
So I am officially closing a chapter in my life and starting a new novel... This month has been full of surprises, excitement and relief. I finally pulled the trigger and gave my notice earlier this month. It was long overdue and after I did it, I physically felt the pressure on my heart release. I don't know how I've lived like this for over a year, but at least it's almost over now... Everything has worked out perfectly. I was offered two positions right away so I was in a happy dilemma. One was a CFO position out in SF and another was a DD position here in Boston. I thought long and hard about it and ultimately decided that I'd rather work at a larger, global organization at a lower level instead of at a smaller organization at the top. The CFO title was appealing and I was flattered by their offer. It was at an organization the same size as my current CHC. It was odd how when they did make their offer was when it finally hit me that I do not want to work at a CHC anymore. I want to do something greater and on a larger scale. CHC's are a great resource and a necessity in local communities, but I want to be involved in resources that extend globally... Either way, the pay is more than what I currently have, the benefits are SO much better and the work/life balance is going to be exactly what I'm looking for. I did consider culture alot as well and it seemed from all of the people I met that it was the type of culture and environment that I wanted to be a part of. The best part is that I'd get to travel as well, which is one of the things I miss most lately. All in all I am excited and ready to move forward and leave all the ugliness, frustrations and stress behind. Here's to new beginnings!
