The Gift and walking

We survived our busy weekend, though we may go to bed soon (it's only 8 pm Monday night). The Gift Christmas charity bazaar went really well. Chris and his band played well and the other musical acts Chris was in charge of were smooth with no major sound problems or other issues. The atmosphere was great in there and the vendors who sold their jewelry/books/services/wood carvings/ceramics and more did good business and want to do it again next year. A large portion of profits will go to benefit several different charities, many who work with migrant children or orphans.

In other news Bennett is finally taking some steps! Today he took a few on his own from one place to another, with no one coaxing him. Then tonight he took about 5 steps for Chris and then later for me. I am glad, even though it means he will be faster. It was getting hard letting him play outside, crawling on the cold (or wet and snowy) ground. It will be easier if he is on his feet. Here is a a peek.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a full day...full in many ways (including my stomach). Chris was overjoyed to get to play football this morning with a bunch of guys around here. It wasn't quite the turkey bowl of old (he didn't spend months drawing up plays or trash talking on email) but he really enjoyed it. AND, his team WON! He never was on a winning Turkey Bowl team, so he felt redeemed. We went to watch, along with Bree and Jesh.



After some nap in the early afternoon, we rode with our neighbors (who have 5 kids) in one car to our Thanksgiving hosts' home- about a 45 minute ride. We enjoyed a very yummy and traditional meal, with turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin and pecan pie (i made the pecan pie and mashed potatoes) and much more. Austin has matured...he now disappears for awhile at big social gatherings and isn't insistent on me accompanying him the whole time. He played with some other kids, toys and their drum and piano of course. Bennett was more of a handful, but did ok.

Here is one things I am VERY thankful for:

Our family- Chris' love for me and the privilege of having two sweet boy, our extended family who we miss very much, SKYPE and technology that gives me the ability to stay in such great touch though we live far, Xiao Ji and how she helps me stay sane, this past year of relative health and stability for us here, God's grace of course that i need daily. Just to name a few. Happy Thanksgiving!

Getting ready

Today we started getting ready for this week. It is going to be a crazy week. We are of course looking forward to Thanksgiving Day. We will celebrate with a group of friends who live a bit far from us, so it will require an hour drive. Then on Saturday a friend of ours is getting married and I am in charge of the dessert section of the reception. As a westerner, I guess that automatically qualifies me as a "dessert expert". I do like desserts. Then Sunday Chris has an event he has been working on for months. It is a Christmas charity bazaar, with shopping for items all made locally and profits will go to various organizations that help others. Chris is organizing artistic performances to go on throughout the day during the bazaar and performing at it...so he will be busy. So, definitely a busy holiday weekend that isn't typical...but holidays are rarely "typical" here anyway.

Austin and I made this pilgrim hat (and a turkey one as well) today. He also "helped" me make sugar cookie dough and pumpkin muffins for the wedding (both of which went in the freezer). Tomorrow I plan on tackling the pecan pie and I will make mashed potatoes Thursday morning.

A prayer request...our neighbors the Higgins' helper, Xiao Chen, has a daughter who has been having bad seizures all week. They got really bad today. Because they are not from this city, they don't have health insurance to cover medical care here and it is expensive for them. Fortunately my friend who runs a foster home was able to connect them to a hospital that can give them care at a cheap or almost free rate. Please pray for Joy as your read this...she was having them every few minutes and possibly swelling in her brain. She is 13 years old and very sweet.

Not Again!

Poor poor Bennett. Almost a month ago both boys had the stomach flu. After almost a week of feeling better, Bennett started a cold. Not a bad one, just a runny nose. It has been almost 10 days and the runny nose is better, but he started a little cough. Just a little one, not keeping him at night. Yesterday afternoon when I got him up from nap, he felt warm. Yup, a little fever. But he seemed to feel fine. Today he still had a fever. This afternoon he finally seemed like he was feeling bad. I checked it after nap - 102.1 degrees. Then around 4:45, I was holding him because he obviously didn't feel well, and he threw up. A ton. All over himself mostly and me. Poor poor guy. I just put him to bed at 6 pm. He hasn't thrown up again yet, but the night is still young. Very young. Pray he heals quickly and the rest of us stay healthy. Our last Thanksgiving here 2 years ago all 3 of us had a stomach bug the day before and ate very little. We don't want a repeat!
Well, lots to do now....gotta run.

Trouble ahead

Bennett's newest trick? Climbing. Lately I have found him climbing in this chair, on the trunk in the living room, etc. Trouble for me...can't leave him alone at all. Austin has also been in a climbing phase. At the doctor's visit, Austin kept climbing on the back of the couch, up on chairs and around the room. The doctor was warning my about safety at home with "a climber" and I remember thinking, "How did my cautious son just get called a climber?" but it's true. I found him standing in my dresser drawer last week during nap (I think I already posted about that though, didn't I?). Well, Bennett still won't walk, but has discovered the joy of climbing.

Friends!

We have been having more computer issues. Last Thursday our Dell just died on Chris. Wouldn't start at first. He finally got it started in safe mode, has been able to successfully copy all our data to a external drive and needs to reformat it now. Needless to say, I have had little access to the Mac this week.

Yesterday we had playgroup- a small group. It seems like it has been months since we have all been there and not been sick. Someone or many of us have been sick. But this week we hosted 2 other family units. Austin had a great time with Bree...the best time I have ever seen him have with a friend. I think he is growing socially! They played really well together, laughed a lot and Austin had a good time. He also has been talking more with adults. We had a doctor's appointment last week and Austin was very polite and talked a lot with the doctor. He even told him to call him Boston (in a nice way). He has started responding more to adults who ask him questions (he still screams occasionally or says "bu yao xiexie") though and not resisting conversation with people he doesn't know as well. I was encouraged at these steps of growth...right as he turns a year older.

Austin and Bree playing horns or flutes of some sort and laughing a lot.

Wow, everyone was into Legos for a few minutes...they are a great toy!

Here are Austin and Bree playing together...Austin was having a great time.


Austin has still been challenging behavior-wise, but has taken an unusual tactic with discipline the past two days. He likes to correct Bennett and often takes this "responsibility" way too seriously. Several times lately I have disciplined him for yelling at Bennett to stop doing something he shouldn't or that just bothered Austin (like pulling up to stand with a chair Austin is sitting on) or pushing Bennett away, etc. Yesterday and today Austin raised his voice at Bennett but I didn't immediately punish him. A few minutes later Austin had disappeared into his room and then reappeared announcing "mommy, I went and sat on my bed because I screamed at Bennett". He was punishing himself! This is our sensitive, conscientious little guy. He often resists discipline of course, like anyone, but this was something new.

In other news, last week both boys had their annual check ups. Bennett remains 75 % for height but slowed down at 50% for weight...22 pounds. Austin moved up to the 40% for height (from 7% at age 2) and about 25% for weight (28 pounds). Bennett's allergy still remains a mystery, though the doctor said I was doing the right thing with this elimation diet. It is possible the eczema on his face is not a food allergy too, so we will see. All right, I think that is enough for one post.

The bodysuit bib and more birthday

Today I decided I need to invent something that would help me greatly about, oh at least 3 times a day. I will call it the bodysuit bib. Seriously, that is what Bennett needs to not destroy an outfit every time he eats. I have these great Sally Hess bibs, with big strong pockets to catch food. It catches about 15% of what misses Bennett's mouth. I also have a long sleeve plastic "shirt bib" (pictured above, in the picture that doesn't really do justice to meal messes), but that still only helps about half of his body. Today after lunch I picked him up and did the normal...wash off his face, hands, sleeves, legs, butt, socks etc. He had gotten a bite of cheese squished into his sock. How does that happen while one is sitting in a high chair? Couscous covered all of his pants, including the butt. Mashed cheese and couscous and juice from an orange all over his sleeves. So, I thought if I could invent a body suit that covered his entire body, minus his head and hands, he could eat without a change of clothes. Should I patent it?

In other news, here are some more birthday for those relatives especially who had to miss the party. Enjoy!

How many presents does one 3 year old need? He has certainly become an expert in opening wrapping paper at this age.

Thomas pajamas from Nai Nai and books from Great Grandaddy and Great Grandma Haney, and Great Aunt Deannine, cousins Abby, Joshua and Brittany.

MMMMM. He actually couldn't even finish his whole piece of cake...but he made a good dent and devoured the ice cream.

Three

Well, the big day has come and gone. Austin had a great day, lots of sugar and even more presents. Thank you to everyone who sent or brought presents and love for Austin. There is no way I can document the whole day with the few pictures I can upload in one post. Check out facebook for more pictures.

I have to admit, I think we hit a home run with this gift. Austin got to open his present from mommy and daddy soon after getting up this morning. We got him a violin. It is a real one (but the cheapest we could find). He barely put it down all day- he wanted to sleep with it at nap. It isn't always very pleasant on the ears, but he loved it. He has pretty good form, don't you think?

Austin requested a piano cake and this was my best attempt. I read online how to make the from bars of white and dark chocolate...it made it pretty easy. Otherwise it was a pretty simple chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.
Austin still doesn't love to smile for the camera, so to get him even looking at it is a success in picture-taking these days. He sang the Happy Birthday song loudly along with everyone else and successfully blew out all 4 candles (3 little ones plus the Number 3 candle) before we even stopped singing.

Here are Austin's friends. Even though he told me earlier "I don't want any friends for a party, just by myself" I think he was glad they came. Bree and Sydney are in the front with the Shaffar kids (Simeon, Benny and Jasmine) around Austin.

Presents! Austin got more than he knew what to do with. Here he is with Bree opening her gift...a Thomas Lego-type set.

The theme was music and it worked well. We did a craft where everyone colored or decorated a musical instrument (made of plates stapled together as tambourines, ice cream containers as drums, etc.). Then we had a musical parade led by Chris on the guitar and Austin on the violin. I also had all the musical instruments (appropriate for children) out...as you can see in the video we had Sydney on mandolin, Bree on keyboard and more. Music is such a fun way of interacting and I think the kids got into it.

Boston

Austin has learned what rhyming means and has fun throughout the day trying out words that rhyme. First I taught him some examples of words that rhyme and then he slowly started getting it. He doesn't always get it right...he is also learning opposites and sometimes confuses them. So he will say "tall and short rhyme." And I will say no, and then he says "They are opposites". A lot of time he makes up a word to rhyme with a real word, and he especially loves saying words with "m". For example, he will say "mommy, munderwear rhymes with underwear", "med rhymes with bed" etc. The other day he said "mommy, chinese rhymes with my knees". I thought that one was pretty good. Lately it has gone from a fun game to correction time. I will say something like "Austin, please take your bowl to the sink" and he will respond with "no, mommy mink!". He will replace a word with a "rhyming word" (usually that starts with m) and "correct" me.

Lately he has developed this even further into an alter ego. One of the first rhyming pairs he learned was Austin and Boston ( one of the few things we could think of that rhymed with Austin). But now whenever he is not obeying or I correct him for something, I usually say "Austin!...whatever he needs to correct" and he will respond "Boston!" or "no, sorry mommy it's Boston". At first it was funny, but sometimes it comes with quite a sassy attitude, which has needed discipline. But he is only Boston when he is in trouble, so I think it is some way of trying to shuffle the blame off of himself. It pretty clever I guess, but not keeping him out of time out :).

Here are a few more snow pictures. I let Bennett venture a little bit into the snow. He liked it, but would cry after a few minutes when he got too cold. Then a few minutes later would want to be right back out there.

more snow

Believe it or not, we woke up to 6 inches of snow on the ground this morning! Actually, I woke up at 1:50 am because Bennett was crying and I noticed that pinkish glow outside and I looked, and sure enough, most of it had already fallen. I am definitely not used to November snow, but it has been fun. I actually had a busy day out- a women's time this morning and the grocery store this afternoon, while Xiao Ji watched the kids. But Chris took Austin out in the snow this morning, doing what they like to do best in the snow...tackle snowmen!


An actual smile from Austin for the camera...these are very rare these days. He is in a very anti-camera phase lately. I am afraid all his upcoming birthday pictures will have him frowning, but I hope not.



By the way, we received 2 packages today, one from each set of grandparents. Austin can hardly contain himself and wait for 4 more days.

Humpty Dumpty and other tales

Our Mac has had some problems this week. We think the power cord died and hope that is all that it is, though still frustrating considering we have only had this computer about 6 months. Thankfully we live in a city with an actual Apple store with actual Apple "genius"'s. I have an appointment in the morning and hope to walk away with a new power cord and no more problems. So, I have not done much blogging this week since we are down to one computer.

But here are a few scenes from the week.

Since it has gotten cold, we have been dressing the boys very warmly at night. Neither one will sleep under a blanket and it is chilly (though not as cold as last weekend with the snow). Austin was wearing two sets of pajamas, one on top of the other. When Chris dressed him for bed one night, he called him Humpty Dumpty. And then we both started laughing hysterically looking at what Chris called "the portly Austin". He is just so little and skinny, it was funny to think this is what he would look like if he were, well, more portly. We couldn't stop laughing, though I don't think he picked up on why. He kept saying he wanted to fall off a wall like Humpty Dumpty after Chris' comment, so he would "fall" off the couch or the bed and then he would say "I didn't break!".

Here is our skinny little Bennett in his layers of winter sleepwear.

Bennett loves to play behind our couch lately, where many toys are stored by the window. Here he is posing. I am still having lots of trouble knowing what to feed him these days. He is better from his illness, but then yesterday had some diarrhea and spit up (I think, not throw up) twice yesterday. I am afraid wheat might be an allergy culprit, but still not certain. And we still have a ways to go to test his reactions to eggs, soy, tomatoes, corn and more. He does ok with yogurt and cheese, but when he had a whole cup of milk, his stomach was not quite right. So mealtimes feel a bit stressful trying to make our regular meal and then something Bennett can eat that contains no wheat, eggs, tomatoes, etc. The other night we had lasagna and bread and he had rice noodles, but when he saw us eating bread he got so upset. Then he proceeded to throw all his rice noodles on the floor and refused to eat them. He is starting to "get it" that he is not eating the same things as us. Poor guy.

Bennett loves to "talk" on the phone now. Here is he with a toy phone (my old, broken cell phone). But a remote or anything with buttons can also be good phones. He will put it up to his ear and "talk" into it for awhile. Still no walking from this little guy, much to my surprise.

I love this picture. Here is Austin in his bed, surrounded by pillows and all his animals. I forget what thing the bed was this time, but I love his little face peeking out from there. He looks sort of mischevious. He is counting down the days till his birthday and having trouble understanding "7 days". After every nap or nighttime sleep he says "Now it's my birthday?" He wants a piano cake - this one could be a challenge! Anyone made one like that before?

It's only November 1

I woke up today to this shocking sight out the window.



I don't think I have ever seen snow on November 1, unless it happened during my first two years of life, when I lived in Boston. It was exciting to see, BUT since it is only November 1, we still don't have heat. It is centrally turned on November 15. So that means it is COLD. It is not as bad as it could be though. We could turn our A/C unit on (it also heats) but so far we have managed with lots of layers of clothes.

Austin was thrilled and wanted to go outside as soon as he woke up. We went out before breakfast- got out the heavy coats, snow pants, hats and gloves from the closet and bundled everyone up. We didn't stay out too long...it was cold and I didn't want Bennett to be out too long, since he is still a little sick.


Then we came in and had hot chocolate and donuts (little prepackaged ones I bought at the store for a special treat since Chris is gone and we weren't well enough for church today). It really made me want to get out the CHristmas music. Usually I have a very strict- wait-till-after-Thanksgiving policy on Christmas music...but I may give in this year. Snow brings it out!