Friday, March 26, 2010
Happy Birthday Dad
Today (well US time today) is my dad's birthday. So we wanted to say, HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA! We love you and wish we could celebrate with you.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
One month old (well, actually 32 days)
I had been wanting to take more pictures of Isaiah for a few days now since I hadn't taken any in a long time. I actually feel kind of guilty that I haven't taken more. Anyway, I decided to take a few last night in order to celebrate the fact that he was one month old as of this past Saturday. So, here are a few of the better ones...
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Happy Birthday Ella!!!
Let's start off by saying HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLA!
I can't believe you are already 5. Have a wonderful birthday.
***************************************************************
I've been meaning to put these pictures up for a few days but haven't been able to find the time. On Thursday mornings one of the ladies here babysits for me and another lady so that we can go to coffee. It is one of the highlights of my week. For a few hours the two of us and another mom sit and talk without any interruptions from the kids. This week Faith was on spring break so Rhonda (the babysitter) was with her family on vacation. So, Val, Michele and I decided the next best thing was to take the kids to a play place at a mall. The kids can play while the three of us sit on the side and talk. We get interrupted a few times, but for the most part the kids are able to entertain themselves. We started going to this place a while ago, not long after JoAnn was born and at that time there were 5 kids. Now we are up to 8. These are 7 of the 8 (one of the boys is with his dad in the States). Walking through the mall with that many white kids we sure get a lot of stares and a lot of people usually stop to watch the kids play through the windows, but it is always a fun outing.
While we were taking pictures we told the kids to make a silly face. I don't think JoAnn understood...
About 5 minutes later she was making all the different faces she saw the other girls making and I couldn't get her to stop for a while.
I can't believe you are already 5. Have a wonderful birthday.***************************************************************
I've been meaning to put these pictures up for a few days but haven't been able to find the time. On Thursday mornings one of the ladies here babysits for me and another lady so that we can go to coffee. It is one of the highlights of my week. For a few hours the two of us and another mom sit and talk without any interruptions from the kids. This week Faith was on spring break so Rhonda (the babysitter) was with her family on vacation. So, Val, Michele and I decided the next best thing was to take the kids to a play place at a mall. The kids can play while the three of us sit on the side and talk. We get interrupted a few times, but for the most part the kids are able to entertain themselves. We started going to this place a while ago, not long after JoAnn was born and at that time there were 5 kids. Now we are up to 8. These are 7 of the 8 (one of the boys is with his dad in the States). Walking through the mall with that many white kids we sure get a lot of stares and a lot of people usually stop to watch the kids play through the windows, but it is always a fun outing.
While we were taking pictures we told the kids to make a silly face. I don't think JoAnn understood...
About 5 minutes later she was making all the different faces she saw the other girls making and I couldn't get her to stop for a while.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Happy Birthday Joel
I know I'm really late on this, but happy birthday Joel! I'm sorry I'm late, but I'm going to blame that on Isaiah. I hope you had a great birthday. We miss you.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
I finally found time to write
I've been meaning to update this for a few days now, but I'm starting to realize that life with two kids is much busier than life with one. Well, truthfully I'm not really sure it's life with two as much as it is life with a newborn.
Last Friday, March 5, we took Isaiah in for his first doctor's appointment. It was definitely interesting. With JoAnn we had used a wonderful pediatrician who had done her undergraduate schooling here, but the rest of her studying was done in the US. I don't necessarily think that means she had much better training, but I do think it meant she was much more used to the way Americans think and she definitely was much more used to American products than most doctors here. I was extremely sad last fall when she announced she was going to take some time off from practicing medicine to explore some of her other interests. Anyway, I think she spoiled us. This time we ended up using the doctor that my OB recommended and although she seems like a good doctor, she is much more Filipino than what I am used to. All of this to say when we took Isaiah in at 13 days old, she told us that he had gained 300 grams (11 oz.) and grew 9 cm (3.5 inches). I can almost believe the weight, except that they weighed him fully clothed and with a wet diaper. However, the length seemed really crazy to me. I made a few comments about that seeming like a lot to me and she just kept agreeing that it was a lot. Looking back I should have asked her to measure him again, but instead I just did it when we got home and sure enough, he was no where near as tall as she had said he was. When I measured him, he had only grew 2 cm (just under an inch). Daniel's favorite comment of the day was when he was sucking on his pacifier and put his hand up to his mouth and she goes, "Oh, he already knows how to put his pacifier in his mouth." Um, sure. I don't really think these things reflect on her capabilities as a doctor, rather they just seem more like the Filipino culture to me. Anyway, that combined with how she sometimes struggled with her English made me double think whether or not I will use her for the next few months before we leave. I still haven't made my final decision on that one.
Oh, that story reminded me of a comment that I got from the resident helping my OB when I went in for my 1 week post-op. He saw Isaiah and told me he didn't think it was a good idea to pick him up much because "he's as big as a 6 month old." What! Not quite. I realize he is bigger than most Asian babies, but seriously not that big. Not to mention I'm not really sure how you take care of a baby without picking them up much.
Anyway, those are the little goofy things that happened since my last post and now I'll actually get to the picture I put up. One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to head out to the pool. It has hit hot season, which can get really hot and it is sunny pretty much all day every day. So, really almost ever since I had Isaiah, I've been itching to go swimming, but wasn't really sure how I would be able to watch JoAnn and take care of Isaiah at the same time. JoAnn is getting much better at swimming with her wings, but she still isn't at the point where I would be alright with her swimming without someone in the water with her and I knew Isaiah would want to eat at some point while I was outside. So, when our neighbor texted me and said she was going to be out at the pool if we wanted to join her, I jumped at the chance. It was great to sit outside in the sun by the water. I loved every minute I was out there. JoAnn did the best I've seen her do with her wings. It took her a while but she was able to get pretty much anywhere she wanted to go without anyone helping her. So here the kids are ready to go swimming. JoAnn and her wings and Isaiah under his special UV proof/bug proof cover for his car seat.
Last Friday, March 5, we took Isaiah in for his first doctor's appointment. It was definitely interesting. With JoAnn we had used a wonderful pediatrician who had done her undergraduate schooling here, but the rest of her studying was done in the US. I don't necessarily think that means she had much better training, but I do think it meant she was much more used to the way Americans think and she definitely was much more used to American products than most doctors here. I was extremely sad last fall when she announced she was going to take some time off from practicing medicine to explore some of her other interests. Anyway, I think she spoiled us. This time we ended up using the doctor that my OB recommended and although she seems like a good doctor, she is much more Filipino than what I am used to. All of this to say when we took Isaiah in at 13 days old, she told us that he had gained 300 grams (11 oz.) and grew 9 cm (3.5 inches). I can almost believe the weight, except that they weighed him fully clothed and with a wet diaper. However, the length seemed really crazy to me. I made a few comments about that seeming like a lot to me and she just kept agreeing that it was a lot. Looking back I should have asked her to measure him again, but instead I just did it when we got home and sure enough, he was no where near as tall as she had said he was. When I measured him, he had only grew 2 cm (just under an inch). Daniel's favorite comment of the day was when he was sucking on his pacifier and put his hand up to his mouth and she goes, "Oh, he already knows how to put his pacifier in his mouth." Um, sure. I don't really think these things reflect on her capabilities as a doctor, rather they just seem more like the Filipino culture to me. Anyway, that combined with how she sometimes struggled with her English made me double think whether or not I will use her for the next few months before we leave. I still haven't made my final decision on that one.
Oh, that story reminded me of a comment that I got from the resident helping my OB when I went in for my 1 week post-op. He saw Isaiah and told me he didn't think it was a good idea to pick him up much because "he's as big as a 6 month old." What! Not quite. I realize he is bigger than most Asian babies, but seriously not that big. Not to mention I'm not really sure how you take care of a baby without picking them up much.
Anyway, those are the little goofy things that happened since my last post and now I'll actually get to the picture I put up. One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to head out to the pool. It has hit hot season, which can get really hot and it is sunny pretty much all day every day. So, really almost ever since I had Isaiah, I've been itching to go swimming, but wasn't really sure how I would be able to watch JoAnn and take care of Isaiah at the same time. JoAnn is getting much better at swimming with her wings, but she still isn't at the point where I would be alright with her swimming without someone in the water with her and I knew Isaiah would want to eat at some point while I was outside. So, when our neighbor texted me and said she was going to be out at the pool if we wanted to join her, I jumped at the chance. It was great to sit outside in the sun by the water. I loved every minute I was out there. JoAnn did the best I've seen her do with her wings. It took her a while but she was able to get pretty much anywhere she wanted to go without anyone helping her. So here the kids are ready to go swimming. JoAnn and her wings and Isaiah under his special UV proof/bug proof cover for his car seat.
Monday, March 1, 2010
JoAnn with Isaiah
One of the most frequent questions I get from people is, "What does JoAnn think of Isaiah?" Well, she absolutely loves him and loves to do anything that has to do with taking care of him. Her greatest reward for doing anything right now is to hold Isaiah. She loves to help me burp him, put him to sleep, give him a bath and give him his pacificer when it falls outs. Here she is holding him.
The other day Isaiah was sleeping and she asked if she could go see him, so I told her as long as she was quiet she could go in and look at him in his crib. After about 5 minutes of complete silence I decided it was time for me to check out the situation and make sure she wasn't doing anything crazy. When I walked in I found her with her forehead pressed between the bars just staring at him sleep. I am kicking myself for not grabbing the camera, but I did manage to snap this picture earlier today when he started to cry, she tried to reach between the bars to touch him so he would stop crying. (Alright, he isn't actually crying at the exact moment I took this picture since I had given him back his pacifier before I stopped to take a picture.)
Here she got a little side tracked while she was helping me give him a bath. She was supposed to get his clean outfit for me and somehow she ended up running around with one of his onesies on her head.
This is the face she gives us a lot lately. Anytime we tell her she can't do something or when I ask her to leave Isaiah alone this is the look she gives me. She is getting very good at sticking out her bottom lip.
Truthfully she is wonderful with him. We still have a lot of learning what it means to be gentle or not scream while he is sleeping, but really she does great with him and already loves him so much.
The other day Isaiah was sleeping and she asked if she could go see him, so I told her as long as she was quiet she could go in and look at him in his crib. After about 5 minutes of complete silence I decided it was time for me to check out the situation and make sure she wasn't doing anything crazy. When I walked in I found her with her forehead pressed between the bars just staring at him sleep. I am kicking myself for not grabbing the camera, but I did manage to snap this picture earlier today when he started to cry, she tried to reach between the bars to touch him so he would stop crying. (Alright, he isn't actually crying at the exact moment I took this picture since I had given him back his pacifier before I stopped to take a picture.)
Here she got a little side tracked while she was helping me give him a bath. She was supposed to get his clean outfit for me and somehow she ended up running around with one of his onesies on her head.
This is the face she gives us a lot lately. Anytime we tell her she can't do something or when I ask her to leave Isaiah alone this is the look she gives me. She is getting very good at sticking out her bottom lip.
Truthfully she is wonderful with him. We still have a lot of learning what it means to be gentle or not scream while he is sleeping, but really she does great with him and already loves him so much.
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