New experiences...

So far it's been a busy month for Cole. With so much going on, it's no wonder his sleep is still off.

Rice Cereal: Last month, I asked Cole's pediatrician when he would sleep through the night and not wake for his midnight snack. Dr. Martin thought he probably was waking up hungry since he's so big. He suggested giving Cole some rice cereal before bedtime and I might gain another hour or two on his first leg of sleep. So that afternoon I picked up some rice cereal so I could give it to Cole before bedtime. If you've never tried to feed a baby solid food for the first time then it sounds so simple... give him some before bedtime and gain 1 or 2 more hours of sleep - awesome! But when Vere came in and found me on the rocker with Cole on my lap and a bowl of rice cereal on the table next to me and asked why Cole wasn't sitting in his own chair or wearing a bib, I knew that this was not going to be the simple task I was envisioning in my head. Needless to say, night 1 of rice cereal was not a success. And neither were nights 2 and 3. I soon realized that there is just no way I could introduce something this new to Cole just before bed, the time of day when he is the most tired and cranky. It was an impossible task. So the next day I started giving Cole the rice cereal at some point in the morning/early afternoon. That way I could get him used to it so I can one day give it to him before bedtime and then I may finally get another hour or two of sleep. But that dream is a long way off. I actually did have a couple of successful and super messy attempts but have decided to call it quits for now and will try again at 5 months. It was just too much work and neither one of us were ready for it. And at this point, I can live with waking up in the middle of the night.



Rice Cereal!



Travels: September 10 - 13 was the 3rd Annual Koga Family Reunion in Carmel. We rented a villa right on Highway 1! The weekend was so much fun! And I'm not just saying that because I managed to come home with the Koga Kup this year :) We really are lucky to have such a great family. We have so much fun together. This trip was Cole's first time flying and I was so nervous because we never know what we're gonna get. But he did such a great job on the way out there. Not one cry the entire day. It was funny because people on the flight even commented on what a well behaved baby we have and asked if he was always that mellow. The first night we were there, Cole actually slept the longest he has ever slept before. The room we stayed in was a level below the rest of the house. There was no heat in that room for some reason and there was a door to outside so there was a constant cold draft of air going through the room. Cole had on a long sleeve onesie, a long sleeve shirt, footed pants, sweat pants on top of that and 2 blankets! But when Vere and I came to bed he was freezing so I pulled him into bed with me. I don't know if it was the comfort or warmth of sleeping with his mommy but he slept 8 hours straight! Then went back to sleep for another 3 1/2 hours! I told Vere that Cole was gonna sleep in bed with us every night! But he quickly shot down that idea. Also, thank you Kimber for bringing the space heater - we wouldn't have survived without it! After that first night however, Cole began slipping into his pre-sleep-training days and had the two worst nights of sleep he'd had in weeks. He also was not an angel on the flights home. I did manage to get him to fall asleep on both flights but he did not go down without piercing a few ear drums first. The people on those flights did not comment on what a great baby we have...

Reunion Highlights:

• Winning the Koga Kup.
• The Koga Kup Tournament itself was super fun. Kimber organized it this year and added some seriously entertaining Minute to Win It games.
• The usual Koga smorgasbord.
• The 17 Mile Drive, although it was kinda cold.
• The jellyfish exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
• Uncle Curt saying that the brown mm's are the best because they're chocolate flavored. (sorry Uncle Curt... but that really was funny!)

Cole at the airport in his new stroller ready for his trip. He loves this stroller by the way. I guess it's kind of nice being able to see what's going on. Before he was in a travel system and always stayed in his car seat.



The villa

Our view of the ocean



The 17 Mile Drive: Bobby, Curtis Ross, Tommy, Yu-Chen, Chelsey and Kimber at Spanish Bay (I think)

KC, Maya, Vere and I at the same place. Cole and Kalia were sleeping in the cars. Which were parked 20 feet from us, we didn't just leave then in a parking lot somewhere.

Bird Rock with lots of seals on it.

Vere and I in front of The Lone Cypress along the 17 Mile Drive.



Bobby stacking his cups during the tournament.

Chelsey moving cotton balls from one plate to another with vaseline on her nose. These are the Minute to Win It games.

Curtis Ross trying to knock down soda cans with rubberbands. Sarah, Jan, Auntie Cheryl and Yu-Chen all laughing at something in the background.



Even mom got in on the action!



Cole with cousins Kalia and Maya.

Cole sitting on cousin Maya's lap. Maya was so cute - she had to have Cole on her lap just like Kalia.

Cole with Great Grandma and Great Grandpa

Cole with Auntie Midori

Mom with the cookies she made to look like Scrabble game pieces to go with the Koga Kup Tournament theme.

We also celebrated National Grandparents Day on September 12. Dad, Grandpa, Grandma, Auntie Midori, Uncle Ben and Mom.



The cake



Kalia and Maya looking at fish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium 



The jellyfish

More jellyfish

Jellyfish video. I wish I had made it longer...



Vere (last year's winner) passing the Koga Kup on to me after I beat out KC in the final round. We were happy to bring it back home to San Diego. Better luck next time guys :)

2010 Koga Family Reunion Pic (minus Jan, Auntie Midori and Uncle Ben because they were still at the aquarium and Tommy was leaving with his cool camera).





Below are some of the other things Cole has been doing this month...

Cole in the middle of his new playroom. It used to be our living room. He has accumulated a lot of new toys this month.

Cole playing in the activity center he got from the Levensons. It was so cool because he was actually making the bird spin.

Deciding which new toy to play with.

This is Cole's new thing. Pulling clean diapers out of the diaper caddy when I'm changing him.




And then he tries to put the diaper in his mouth. He has really been grabbing at everything lately.



This is how Cole has been sleeping at night - with his feet up. Sorry if you can't see it that well, it's on Cole TV (aka: the baby monitor).



Cute video of Cole...and Vere.