Manny

Lately JoAnn has been picking up so many new words. At times it can be a little bit of a reality check about what I am teaching my daughter without meaning to. For example, the other day I was driving to the store and for those of you that have visited the PI before, you know exactly what I mean when I say I was getting a little frustrated with the traffic. One of the biggest traffic problems here is what they call "jeepnies." They are a mode of public transportation, but the drivers basically do whatever they want, whenever they want. I often get cut off or stuck behind one that stopped suddenly in the middle of the road to let a passenger off. On top of that they hardly ever have break lights that work and rarely use their headlights at night. They are one of my biggest frustrations while driving and the other day I was really loosing my patience with them. So when one suddenly stopped right in front of me to let someone off, I honked my horn and yelled "go" at them. After which JoAnn would not stop laughing. So on the way to church this morning everytime JoAnn heard a horn, she would yell "GO!" I know it isn't the worst thing for her to be yelling, but I don't really want to teach my daughter to have road rage at the age of 2.

Anyway, her other new favorite word to say has become "Manny," as in the cartoon Handy Manny. Unfortunately, the Disney Channel doesn't show it in Asia. I have tried to find it on DVD in stores, but then realized that it wouldn't matter even if I did find it because our DVD player no longer works since JoAnn put coins in it the other day. That means the only Handy Manny we have is on the iTunes that we downloaded for our trip back to the US, so we have improvised. She now watches it on our docking station for our iPod and since we only have one episode on the iPod, she watches the same one over and over. Nevertheless, she continuously throughout the day comes running up to me saying "Manny, Manny, Manny." The other day I was busy making dinner so I gave in and played it for her and I think she ended up watching it 3 or 4 times in a row and was upset when I told her she couldn't watch it anymore. I get sick of hearing it, let alone the times that she wants me to sit and watch it with her. I really don't understand how it could be interesting anymore, but oh well, I guess I should be thankful that she likes the one we have.


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This picture is one that I have been meaning to scan and post for a few weeks now. However, that would mean that I had to sit down for a while and try to figure out how to use our scanner since Daniel is always the one to use it. Anyway, this is baby #2, which is due to arrive sometime around Feb. 20. The ultrasound was done about three weeks ago so it has developed even more that this, but I love this picture. I don't ever remember having a picture of JoAnn that was showed this much detail this early on. Despite a couple nail biting moments, both the baby and I are doing great and now Daniel and I are trying to get JoAnn used to the idea that she is going to be a big sister.

Visit to Ohio

Alright, so my goal was to get done recapping our trip to the US around a week and a half ago. Needless to say, I didn't even come close to making it. With that being said, I will am going to pick up where I left off, which would bring me to just after Daniel and I got back from NY. We got back to Indy on July 1 and Daniel spent the next day getting everything ready for the annual shipment of food from the Northwest Food Bank to the Arthur Center (which, was released from the docks and unloaded this week!). He and some of his family went down to the warehouse, where they prepared everything that was going on the container, which got packed and started its journey on July 6. Anyway, I wasn't at the warehouse when they prepared everything, but I can only imagine that it was neat for Daniel to see this side of the shipment since we have always been on the receiving side.

Then on July 3, we went to visit my family in Ohio for a week. It was a busy, but great time. My sister and her son were also visiting from Florida, so it was fun to have them around and actually see them for more than just a day or two for the first time in a long time. On the 4th, my uncle every year has a picnic at his house where he invites the whole family over and we spend the day together. He actually does it on Memorial Day and Labor Day also, but since the last time I have been in the US during one of those holidays was before we moved to the Philippines, I was so excited to be able to go again. This time, he decided that he was going to make it into more of a family reunion, so not only was I able to see my grandma, aunts and uncles, cousins, and their kids, but I was also able to see some of my mom's cousins. A couple of whom I have never met and some I haven't seen since I was really young. Anyway, it was fun to see people and catch up and JoAnn loved my uncle's huge back yard with so much to do. There was a swing set, a bubble maker, a motorized tractor for the kids and a pool. We actually didn't go swimming since it seemed a little chilly to me to be swimming, but she had fun with everything else. I didn't get any pictures from the day, but I stole some from one of my cousins, so here are a few...


This is JoAnn's cousin, Ty...
I think this is everyone that was able to make it...

That night after we got back, I begged Daniel to let me keep JoAnn awake long enough to go to the Westerville fireworks. This was a big deal for me that we went, I think its because I have so many fun memories of going to the fireworks as a kid and then after we would always come home and get together with the other kids in the neighborhood and set off a few of our own. It was always such a fun day and something that I miss every summer we are in the Philippines. Anyway, it wasn't anything like Red, White and Boom (the Columbus fireworks), but it was neat to be in the US to celebrate the 4th and I think JoAnn loved her first time ever seeing fireworks. Here are a few pictures from that night...

Before it started the people next to us were kind enough to share their glow in the dark necklaces and bracelets with Ty, who was nice enough to share with JoAnn.

This was once the fireworks began...I don't think she new what to think. This was the look on her face the whole time.

The next day, we had another family get together to celebrate JoAnn's birthday. We were a couple weeks early, but I really wanted to celebrate with family while we were home. These are a few pictures that I took from other people's cameras since I once again didn't actually take any of my own. These are of JoAnn openning her presents and enjoying her birthday cake...


The rest of our time in Ohio was spent playing outside in the yard (a luxurary we don't have living in a condominium building) and one day we even went to the Columbus Zoo. It was so much fun to see JoAnn enjoying the things that I used to love doing as a kid. These are a few last pictures...

This Daniel trying to learn Ty's rules for playing baseball, in the end the rule ended up being that Ty always won.


JoAnn and Ty.

Watching cartoons in the morning. This rocking chair is actually one that I was given around JoAnn's age from my grandparents. I wish there was a way for me to bring it back here with me because JoAnn loved it.

At the zoo, I didn't get a picture of them, but it was a fun day for me since we went with one of my friends from high school and her 3 kids and also another friend from growing up and her son. We were a large group, but I think everyone had fun. This was JoAnn's favorite, the lions.
This was always my favorite as a kid, but I could not get JoAnn to even think about touching anything. Its just a little place with the aquarium where you can touch a sea cucumber and a star fish.

After our week in Ohio, we spent two more days in Indiana before we flew back on Monday. While we were in Indiana, we spent Saturday with Matt, Britt and their daughter Addison. These are our good friends from college and I'm so sad we weren't able to spend more time with them. We always have so much fun together. Later that night we spent some more time with Daniel's brother and sister and their families. That was a fun night for me because after the kids went to bed, my sister-in-laws and I went out for coffee, which is something I wish I could do more often. Then on Sunday, we had one last Bucher family get together to celebrate the 5 birthdays that are in June and July. I always love it when the family gets together, it seems like there is never a dull moment. During that time we also were able to see one of Daniel's friends and his wife and one of the high school kids that Daniel knows from basketball here in Manila was in Indianapolis for some basketball camps, so he and his mom stopped by as well. Just like the rest of the trip it was a busy weekend, but I wouldn't change it and me being me, I managed to not get a single picture.

Well, all that leaves from our trip is the plane ride back. In order to keep me from getting frustrated about the trip once again, all I will say is that I think it was quite possibly one of the worst experiences with flying I have ever had. It just seemed like one thing after another went wrong including mechanical problems that kept us sitting on the plane in Detroit for almost 3 hours before we even took off, which was probably the worst that happened. So, I was beyond grateful that it was over when we landed safely in Manila.