Our World Cup Baby

Unbeknownst to her, this little cutie has officially turned four years old. We are waiting until her Daddy gets back to celebrate together but meanwhile I've had a few days to quietly reflect on how much I love this 35 lbs of pure moxie.
Aly has discovered her Aunt Ashley's extensive collection of heels and is in love. She is determined to break her ankle in the name of fashion. I'm just glad it's someone else's shoes for once since many times over the last few months when we were rushing into the car to go pick up Kenna and Kohen from school, Aly would come clip clopping out of the house sporting a pair of my heels, ready to go. Frankly, she wears them more -and better- than I do.

Aly loves attention and will do pretty much anything for a laugh. For instance, she once inserted "eyeball" into a song she and her siblings were singing. It got a positive response and ever since then she has to try out "eyeball" on everyone, like "row, row, row your eyeball, gently down the stream"- even though "eyeball" was pretty much a one hit wonder, she is determined to continue trying.

You probably didn't know this but Aly is our World Cup Baby. In the Spring of 2005 Nathan and I put ourselves in the lotto draw for tickets to the World Cup in Germany. Millions do for every World Cup so after the 3 or so rounds of draws we didn't get any tickets. We were really bummed. Until out of the blue we found out that they decided to do one last draw and we GOT TICKETS!!!! And not just any tickets, good tickets. One of the games we were the eighth row, center of the field! We were shocked and ecstatic. Which, coincidentally, is a lot like how we felt 2 weeks later when we discovered I was pregnant with #3, due during the time we were scheduled to be in Germany. Not gonna lie, it took a while to get over the disappointment that I wouldn't be going to Europe. The morning sickness didn't help.

We ended up selling the tickets on Ebay and helping pay for the delivery of our third. We watched the games at home while snuggling up our newest edition, and we were truly happy. So that is why every World Cup holds extra special meaning for Nathan and I, reminding us of the testimony we later gained about trusting the Lord's timing and how humbled we were and are, to have such an amazing little girl sent to our family.

To Our Superman

This Father's Day Nathan is working in Taipei and the children and I are in Boise. That means that we are apart and Nathan will spend his day uninterrupted by well meaning children, he will attend church where he will actually get to listen, and since he is on his own there is really nothing keeping him from getting a nap.... wait a sec. Those are all the things I want for Mother's day! Well, though it isn't my first choice for Nathan I hope it will be all right till next week.
As I considered what to write about Nathan I thought of all of the many, many, MANY things he does for our family and at first I thought if I wrote things like, "he plays with his children", "he does the dishes", "he tries to teach his children right from wrong" etc.- that it'd be gag worthy because all Dad's are this way. But you know what? You know what I've realized? Not all dad's are this way. Not all dad's care if they play with their children, help out around the house and take the time and effort to try and teach their children right from wrong. In fact anymore I'd say it's becoming more rare to find men like that. So it does need to be said. We are blessed to have many awesome BILs, FILs and Dad's in our lives who have been amazing examples of all that a father can and should be. But make no mistake about it, if you have a good man as a father in your life, you are lucky. We feel we are Four-Leaf-Clover-kinda lucky with Nathan.
Happy Father's Day Nathan!!! We love you! Buhboo! xoxo ej, Kennedy, Kohen, Aly, & Ander

Our Dad

Speaking of good men. My brother Justin, Natalie, Ashley and I were lucky enough to grow up with this guy as our Dad. Before I go any further I have to confess the reason my Dad's Father's Day card from the girls and I will be late is because I didn't get it to the post office. I am lame sometimes, please don't let this be a reflection on my upbringing. :)

One thing that I think happens to most people who have children is that at some point, maybe the night you are up all night rocking and worrying over a sick baby, or maybe just those quiet moments together snuggling up your newborn, completely in awe of them- you will have the realization that your mom and dad did these exact same things for you and what's more, they felt about their baby just like you do about yours. They absolutely were in love with their little bundle, they loved me as much as I love my baby. When I first had this realization I just sat there completely overwhelmed with the sudden understanding and knowledge of how much my mother and my father loved and cared for me.
But you don't have to be a parent to appreciate your own. These 3 ^ knuckleheads pretty much adored their Dad... At least until 13 ish when we discovered we actually knew everything and went on a sabbatical of sanity and didn't return until we were... much older. We are grateful he has loved us through it all. And of course Justin and Dad have been practically inseparable since those fateful words, "it's a boy!" and, as I imagine it, my dad let out a huge sigh of relief.
Anyway, we love you Dad! xoxo Natalie, Erin, Ashley, & Justin

Sink or Swim

I know that I am occasionally prone to exaggerations. But this new development needs none and it's still pretty impressive.

True Story: Last week Aly wouldn't even jump to Nathan in the pool. We've only gone swimming a few times this season but Nathan and I both thought it was going to take some persuading to get Aly to even put her head under. Monday, on her own she started jumping off the bottom step, bouncing off the bottom and coming up for air acting half drowned. I tried to get her to just play on the steps because she was worrying me. She refused. The following videos are from Tuesday.

Did ya catch that little "1,2,3!" in Chinese as she jumped in the water? Oh, and how she JUMPED IN THE WATER! And swam to the side like no big thing. I couldn't believe it. I still can't. It was literally overnight and she figured out how to swim on her own. I guess she wasn't kidding when she said she was going to be a mermaid.

Farewell 09/10 School Year

I aspire to be more like this woman who, when faced with a room full of boisterous 4/5 year olds, continues to speak more and more quietly until the noise level slowly retreats to meet hers. It magical.

Mrs. Cook has been Kohen's KA teacher this year and regularly amazed me with her consistent uses of positive reinforcement and redirecting- Kohen has simply thrived in such a positive and encouraging environment. He had ample time to create all sorts of 'projects' he imagined up and the supplies to do it and Mrs. Cook was his greatest cheerleader. Even for the picture she went and found the card Kohen had given her to show it off.

Unfortunately Kohen's KA class came to an abrupt halt on Wed. around 11am when the CDC decided that 2 confirmed cases of Hand Foot and Mouth were enough to shut the class down. So we all came and gathered our disappointed students and I had Kohen home 2 days earlier than expected. Thankfully he hasn't been too upset about the water fight and ice cream party he missed out on. Other than that, Kohen's year = amazing.
I contrast that with Kennedy's year in 1st grade. When the girls in the class informed her that they had all been together since preschool so they were not going to be her friends, I think she was a little shocked. Especially after her Kumbaya-esque year in Kindergarten. I think I was shocked too. At first I thought things would iron themselves out over time but the girls held firm.

Eventually the teacher and a parent were involved and things got better. For about a week. Then the off and on games started and have continued throughout the year. About once a week Kennedy cries after school, sometimes she'll tell me how there are X amount of weeks left and she still doesn't have any friends. Not to make this about me but wow, can you say gut wrenching? And having to act the opposite of how I feel as I try and teach my daughter to forgive and be kind to those who hurt her, hoping she doesn't see the Mother Bear I'm fighting to keep contained inside....NOT EASY.

And I know I am biased but what's not to like about Kennedy?! Seriously, she is a smart, nice little girl and a loyal friend. The only cruel tricks and antics she knows now are the ones that have been used on her this year. It makes me sad. I am praying for a true friend for her next year.

Anyway! Much of the friend drama took place during recesses. During class things usually appeared to be okay. Kennedy loves school, especially reading and science. The school's science program is amazing. She would come home inspired all of the time wanting to recreate experiments.
Kenna brought home a CD with over 1,000 pics from the school year and it was fun to see so much of what went on during their school day.
Overall Kennedy enjoyed 1st grade. I am trying to block out the social failings she experienced and hope she overcomes them with ease next year. Meanwhile I find myself at 30 yrs old, resisting the juvenile urge to draw horns and scribble out a few choice faces on the above picture.

Hey, I'm a mom. I'm not perfect.

Mosquito Bandito

Here's the thing. Over the last 9 months we have had a menagerie of different disgusting bugs come parading through our home. The only reason I have refrained from blogging about them is because I have hopes that some of you will come visit. A less selfish person might've just said "because I didn't want to gross you out in case you were eating breakfast" but, this is me after all.

Of all the creepy crawlers, I have found it is the tiniest irritators that are the most rage inducing. Mosquitos. I loathe them. And Taiwan's climate enables Mosquitos to be prolific reproducers. Have I ever mentioned I hate mosquitos? Don't mind if I do.

I think I hated them the normal amount until they started playing dirty and attacking us at night. Like the morning Aly woke up looking like she had a bad case of the Chicken Pox but no, it was just 30+ mosquito bites, twelve of which were on her right upper arm. I was livid. How can you fight something in your sleep?!! It wasn't as if our home was inundated with them, all it takes is a few glutinous suckers to make a smorgasbord out of you while you're out cold drooling on your pillow.

And it's not like I'm stingy about my blood, heck I've given it to the Red Cross plenty of times. I'm just saying if something is going to come suck my blood, can I make a request it be this ^ guy, or maybe one of his brothers? I may not be a "Twihard" but I know a better deal when I see one.

In the mean time I've had to come up with a plan to defend our family. First I tried the "clap!" method. This is where you chase after the mosquito, who, by the way, flies like he spent a little too much time at the Cantina. When you finally get close you *!CLAP!* your hands together and then quickly survey them in hopes you've just made a Skeeter Sandwich.... Dang. Nothin. At least 85% failure rate.

Then theres Nathan's method. I have to share it because, well because I've never seen this technique before and I suspect I know why. He chases the weaving little bugger around the room and all of a sudden with one hand he' ll grab! at the air and then he'll start scrunching up his fingers in his fist like he's trying to pulverize the mosquito in a motion that looks like he's scraping a sticker off his palm with one hand or something. Very unique technique, 100% fail rate so far but it sure does entertain the whole fam watching him employ it.

*I think we both sensed we were overwhelmingly getting owned by something miniscule, so Nathan took action and went and purchased us some weapons. Game on.

It's become a family effort, the kids often spot them first and ring the alarm Beyonce' style. I have good eyes but wow, theirs are better. Anyway, I'll go get the Racket of Death, two if I'm feelin feisty, and we hunt the offender down until we hear the most satisfying *ZAP!* - a sound that gives me a high I could easily become addicted to. Never mind that I just took out a bug that I am roughly 200 x's bigger than, by swinging around a large bolt of electricity. Over kill? I think not. Not when they play dirty and leave behind a reminder of their silent assault for days after they are gone.
These are our battle faces. Don't mess.

A Snail Tale

It might be a little hard to know the real focal point in these top pictures but the kids were insistent I get some shots of them with their new pet snails.
After some unusually cool temperatures this spring the heat, it seems, is finally here to stay. The proof is on Weather.com where it says the current temp. is 91* and with humidity feels like 103*. So we can all call me an idiot for wishing for warmer swimming weather just a few short weeks ago. On the up side the kids are loving immediate access to the pool and I'm loving the new 'motivational' tool I have for them to get their stuff done.
Anyway, I came out to find they had all adopted pet snails which they were quite proud and defensive of.
They had made them each a bed of flower petals,
then jumped back in the pool, content that their new family members were making themselves at home......

Never, have I seen 3 snails move as quickly as these guys did. They must have sensed their minutes would be numbered with my kids.

As sweet as this face is, Iiiiii don't know how much I'd trust it either.

Sometimes, there are no words....

For a kid like this.

Gerber = Gold Bullion???

You are looking at the Gold Bullion of Taiwan. After I discovered the price of baby food here I realized investing in it could be a great way to diversify our portfolio, though not if I intended on feeding it to our son since that would be akin to flushing our money down the toilet.
68 dollars for a stinkin little jar of baby food?! Well, NT dollars anyway but still. That is about $2.15 U.S. on a good day. Granted, a lot of imported foods -and basically much of the food we buy to make our meals- is actually quite expensive but that is a story for another day. When I realized how much I could end up spending in baby food I indulged a slight panic attack before getting my hysteric breathing under control, putting down my brown paper bag and reminding myself that I used to make baby food for Aly so... I can do this... I think.

One of my favorite things here is this little truck. See that cement dome in the back? That is an oven where they cook a couple different kind of potatoes. One or two nights a week Nathan regularly picks up baked sweet potatoes for dinner. They are delicious. Not only that but they are a super food, highest nutritional veggie score thank you very much. Don't believe me? Click here.

Seeing as Ander's favorite food is Sweet Potatoes, this vendor makes it very easy for me to augment (10 points for word usage) his diet with them, with little difficulty.
For as expensive as foods are the produce is actually better, thankfully. I have been steaming and pureeing carrots and green beans etc. for the little guy but as reported before the green beans are not his favorite. If I put a little with the carrots he doesn't gag as often and will eat them without the afore mentioned tears. So, progress?
It does feel good to feed him something that I know is fresh. And nutritious. I save a few jars of baby food for emergency's but it feels good to avoid it with that price tag. One interesting tidbit, Ander does so much better eating with a regular sized spoon. I'm not sure why but it's SO much less messy when I just use a regular spoon. Bonus!
And finally, I am pleased to announce that Ander is going to have a little baby...........tooth! What did you think I was going to say? Ha! Definitely not that. Yes, after literally MONTHS of drooling we have spotted a little tooth poking through. Finally! Proof that all that drool "ain't been in vain for nothin."

Anyone know that movie quote? anyone???

Yangmingshan Calla Lily Festival 2010

I am grateful to have friends in the know. Otherwise the Yangmingshan Calla Lily Festival would have come and gone and I never would have been the wiser. Thankfully I got to go up The mountain to have lunch with a few friends and see the sprawling fields of Lilies all in bloom. It was exquisite.
We took some time to snap some pictures though it's hard to do the scenery justice. I felt like I was in some scene from a Chinese movie or something. I would have hardly been surprised to see people flying/fighting through the air.

All of us minus Cici, on our way to go pick some lilies of our own!
I don't know why I love this pic of Aly so much. Maybe because it's so reAlyty. A new word Nathan and I have cause to use frequently with this one.

When I saw this guy walking by I wanted to ask how much for that bouquet? They are all so perfect and beautiful even in an old bin, I'm thinking I like lilies in mass. We actually picked our own which was fun, especially at only 10NT, or roughly 30 cents a lily. Even Aly got to pick a few and add them to our pile. It was such a beautiful and unique way to spend a morning. So glad I got to go!

Proof of Mobility

As I've reported Ander is on the move. I am glad I snugged him up as much as possible while I could because he is way too busy these days to be bothered with such idleness. Even when he is strapped securely into his high chair while the rest of us whirl around him going about our day, you can see it in his eyes that he is sitting there solving the Yang-Mills existence and mass gap. That or plotting his escape a la Basil of the Great Mouse Detective.

Quick Story: I recently tried to trick him into eating my freshly pureed green beans by giving him bites of his favorite sweet potatoes in between. That worked for about 3 bites until he started straining to see over the edge of his chair to check which food I was putting on his spoon. Seeing he was on to me I reverted to several bites of sweet potatoes before slipping him another bite of greens- as he realized what I'd done he just burst into tears! I felt SO bad! Of course I ditched the beans at that point and stuffed him full of sweet potatoes. Teaching him to "eat his feelings" young you know.

In an effort to share some proof of mobility I video'd him ejecting himself from his car seat like he does the instant the bottom buckle unsnaps. It's about half of the time his arm will get stuck like it does here, and though I helped him it normally doesn't take him very long to escape on his own. But to to expedite the process, I helped okay?

This short video you will probably have to watch twice. Why? Well, you'll realize at the end that you got distracted and missed what I told you to watch for, which is Ander pulling himself up and standing around like it ain't no thang.

It's also a video that proves my life is a lot like the people who say they have "voices in their head" except the voices all over in my life are decidedly out of my head, making me literally out of my mind- (aka: the Jensen Insanity Theory, solved in 2006, proved daily. No monetary reward has ever been given.)

Anyway, enjoy.

Rant Canceled. I'm Too Tired.

Kohen literally refuses to wait for Ander to get bigger so he can play with him. I would rescue Ander more often except that he pretty much loves it.

The Fount of all Sass, both cute and naughty.

This is how I found Ander after a drive-by-dress-up from his brother.

Needless to say, there will never be Gak in the house again. In case you're wondering it took 45 minutes and quite a bit of Goo Gone to fix this debacle. And I still have no clear answer as to how Kennedy got the gunk in her hair in the first place.

After all of the random pictures I have here I was planning on writing a whole rant on how our kids have turned into Holy Terrors in the last few weeks, but I find my resolve slipping away with the minutes until my bedtime. Suffice it to say that Nathan and I have both found our selves saying shouting things at our children that we distinctly remember our parents saying to us in impotent frustration.

In an effort not to be a total Debbie Downer I won't begin to list all of the recent offenses, there are too many to list anyway. But it kinda gets me down when my job right now is being a mother, and it's obvious I'm sucking at it. Sorry, I shouldn't write the "S" word, we don't say that at our house. And I suppose somebody should be following the rules. Anyway, don't cry for me Argentina, it's just one of those days, weeks, months.

Papa John, Pixie and Justin Visit

At the beginning of April my parents and brother were able to come and visit us here in Taiwan. Due to Kohen's low tolerance for anticipation, we kept it a surprise until the morning my mom and brother walked in. We had a great time, though never enough time for exploring and enjoying Taiwan.

My dad arrived for the last week and Justin was able to take them down to Taichung and show them around where he taught on his mission and meet some of the people that he had written home about. We took my dad for his first massage EVER, a foot massage, and had a really nice time. It's always fun to have someone with you who speaks Chinese. Nathan does more than alright but Justin gets pretty much everything so we laughed and joked with the guys working on our feet.

Otherwise we played with the children and snuggled Ander to pieces. It was all just over too fast. Only solution is for them to come back soon!!!