The construction of this site was delayed due to the many demands of new parenthood. Diaper changes, sleepless nights, spitting up milk… No, thank God that’s a rather small part of being mom and dad. We spend way more time giggling, tickling him, taking endless number of pictures, walks in the neighborhood, weekend trips to Boston to see grandma and family. Time passes by quickly. By the time we realize it, Haan Guang is now more than 3 months old, weighing over 16 pounds. Yes. He is 96th percentile in both weight and height. He has my height and his mom’s weight.
Here are some highlights of Haan Guang’s first 3 months.
Leaving Yale-New Haven Hospital
COMING HOME:
After spending 4 days in the hospital, we finally arrived back at home. It was a wonderful feeling…one of fulfillment, immeasurable joy, love overflowing, relief. The first few weeks were not easy, due mostly to Haan Guang’s inability to breast feed. Both Olivia and I were unprepared for the difficulties of breast feeding. At times, all three of us shed tears. We consulted lactation specialists. We prayed. We sought the wisdom of friends and relatives with experience. By the end of the first month, Haan Guang’s hard work and persistence paid off. He was eating like a champ. In fact, he is eating so well that he has a double chin, beer belly, and rolls upon rolls of baby fat on his thighs to prove it.
2nd day at home…a moment of relaxation after long day.
FIRST WALK WITH MOM AND DAD
New Haven is a very small town blessed with beautiful architecture of the Yale University campus. We took a walk on a warm late summer day around campus. We didn’t mind feeding and changing him in public. Neither did he.
DEVELOPING A PERSONALITY OF HIS OWN
We were over joyed in so many ways since the birth of Haan Guang. He was a delight to hold from the very beginning. We spent the first 4 days of his life in Yale New Haven Hospital. We were impressed by his gentle manners and quiet demeanor. He was peaceful. Almost never cried. Then we got a surprise as soon as we got home. That first night he wailed nonstop. Nothing seemed to quiet him down. He continued to have difficulty latching on to the breasts to feed. The next morning, all three pairs of our eyes were blood shot. Our confidence took a bit hit. What have we gotten into? Over the course of the first week, we learned that the reason for his distress is hunger. Apparently Haan Guang had not been getting enough milk. It was not after the first month that Haan Guang finally got the hang of breast feeding. Even through these early difficult days, Haan Guang showed a determined spirit…or at least that’s the impression of two very partial parents.
Haan Guang has a delightful and calm personality. His eyes possess an intense and engaging gaze. Even at this young age he studies people keenly. He enjoys being around people and warms up to them quickly. He is remarkably curious, avidly examining his surroundings visually, by touch and taste. He appears to love the color red. He loves card board books…for reading, touching, hitting, and tasting. He always seems to be captivated by his grandmother’s traditional Chinese melodies and children’s rhymes.
The days go by fast. From 8 pounds 5 once to 10 pounds then 15 pounds at 2 months. Ninety-six percentile in both height and weight. In a short three months, he has gone from a seemingly fragile newborn (although probably not too much so looking at his birth pictures) to a sturdy and plump boy. How often we want to slow down Father Time, so we can doubly savor every minute with Haan Guang. We truly have come to appreciate the undeniable truth that there is no human love like love of parents for their children. We love Haan Guang so deeply and absolutely.
