Things I am Thankful For

I wanted to do this on Thanksgiving, but it was such a hard day that I could hardly manage it. I want to list out some of the things that I am thankful for as they relate to being a new mommy. There are, of course, far more things to list than possible, but here are some (in no particular order):

-Being the second oldest of six children. This probably is at least in my top five. What I learned from watching my own mother and from helping out myself is just far more valuable than I think most people could ever know. With all of the modern developments in childcare nowadays (gadgets for washing bottles, breathable everything, etc.), I would have gone insane trying to figure it all out if not for having those memories. My experience has saved us a ton of money, I am sure, and has helped us get a bit more sleep. I guarantee you our baby is much happier because of this as well. God has not blessed me with a desire for a big family myself, and the only thing that makes me sad about this is that our child(ren) will never have such memories to fall back on some day when it's time for them to have their own babies.

-I.R.I.S., America's Next Top Model and Project Runway/Models of the Runway. I.R.I.S. is my Wednesday and Thursday night show, ANTM is Friday, and PR/Models of PR is Saturday. Seriously, knowing that "my shows" are on in a day or two helps me keep my sanity sometimes. You should have seen me last night, as Hee Suk was out of town again, when I turned on KBS2 to watch I.R.I.S., and the 30th Annual Blue Dragon Awards were on and running over. I about lost it, but I kept holding out for it to start soon (which it finally did).

-Nehemiah's bouncer. To him, family meal time is very important, so he often wakes up just as we sit down to a meal. It's so great to have to keep him distracted, even when it's only for a couple of minutes.

-What to Expect When You're Expecting, The Complete Book of Breastfeeding and What to Expect: The First Year. If you know anything about me, you probably know that I hate reading. However, I new that Dr. Internet was not going to cut it for me with regards to pregnancy, childbirth and childcare. While there is great info on the internet, there is also too much sometimes. I love these three books to no end. They have saved my sanity and preserved my peace countless times.

-Others' experiences. One of my friends here told me while I was pregnant that she was uncomfortable breastfeeding in public still because it's messy. I am so glad she mentioned that it was messy for her because I have not really seen this in any of my books. When he starts coughing while feeding, and I notice it's because I've got a fountain of milk that won't stop than sometimes squirts all over his face, I know that there are others going through the same thing (or something similar).

Another friend of mine always says to herself and others, "It gets better/It'll get better." It's a bit of a mantra for me sometimes now. It really does help to get through some of the harder times.

-I don't know how to simply put this, so I'll just say our son's quirks. When I feel like I am not doing a good job, him laughing in his sleep or sleeping soundly on my chest helps me to feel so much better. (I am currently trying to capture his sleeping laughs on video and what I call the "Do I know the Muffin Man??" look in a photo.)

-That Nehemiah's grandmothers live in different countries. OK, so it's a little sad, yes, but anyone whose baby has one Korean grandmother and one Western grandmother knows what I am talking about. No, I don't keep him wrapped up in blankets all day. Yes, I do walk around the house in minimal clothing and drink *gasp* cold water! And darnit, I'll snap his onesie if I want to! I just can't imagine what would happen if they were together and wanting to take care of him.

-Hee Suk wins everything. I can't count how many things we've gotten free because of him. Countless photo sessions, the ear thermometer, a baby blanket...we're 95% certain he's won us a baby stroller valued at about $250 as well. That's not even half of it.

That's about as far as I can get for now. I've got a poopy diaper to wash out and food to eat. And I.R.I.S. may or may not be in in 45 minutes...

We are so greatly blessed!