Happy Birthday, Love

Today we celebrate the Birth of Steve Yuan Tao. I am so blessed to have the blessing of being married to such a great man, loving father, interesting conversant, best friend, passionate lover, intellent auditor, committed believer. He is so compassionate, patient, gentle, kind. He provides so well for his family with love and materials. He is sacrificial in his care for us.

I do not think I could find a better husband than this great man. He continues to improve. I love him more today than the day we married.

Happy Birthday, My good-looking husband.

Oh, and on his birthday he bought me a new couch. What a love!

Deanna, we finally got rid of blue plaid one. I was sentimental about it for a moment of silence to consider all the memories and people that little loveseat has served. Almost seems like a family heirloom...

Baby 1, Mommy 0

Ok, trying to have BT fall asleep on his own... In the past I hold baby while he naps. If not, he wakes himself up for miscellaneous reasons. I am now trying to mend my evil ways and have him nap in his bed. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

After getting him plenty tired, I placed him in his bed. 15 minutes later he was still crying heartily with no sign of stopping. So, I got him up, took off his clothes, put him in his miracle blanket, fed him a touch--poof!ASLEEP! So, in round one, he took a two hour nap --in his bed--but he was asleep when I put him there. Hoping for improvement, where he can fall asleep in his own bed alone.

Today I picked up baby from the Y's childwatch center so I could work out. He was chilling in the swing. Here is his sitter. She read him books and fed him, and of course, she said he was adorable. =0)

He attended the sing and sign class today. I was so disheartened to learn the teacher makes up her own sign language instead of using ASL. Bummer! He really gets excited when the teacher plays the guitar right in front of him while singing to him.

Roll over, roll over

Yes, can you believe this? Our boy is beginning to roll over. I had no idea this happens so early in his life. He is growing non-stop. I have already packed away clothes that no longer fit. I held a tiny pair of socks that are just precious and I can't remember him having feet that tiny. He is giggling and goo-gooing.

He is also crying when I put him down. He follows my every movement with his eyes. I am a MOM! It is really hitting now. no escaping or resigning. Do you remember that book, "Where does a mom go to resign?"

He is almost officially to the 3 month mark. That is when his little life is supposed to change to schedules and timetables--parent directed. We shall see how the battle is waged. He has definite oppinions and brings hours of cheap entertainment to his mom and dad. He was sitting in his little Bumbo chair when we hear the "pooping noice". Wow, it was the blow-out of the century! Is that over-share? That is my little world now.

We attended the YMCA sing and sign baby class. It is a lot of fun. I am learning signs for animals and lots of new songs. How fun!

Daddy is reading baby books in Chinese to Baby Tao nightly. I am trying to repeat the words as I am cooking dinner. He really loves books and pictures.

Baby has discovered his sucking fingers. This morning Steve went to check on baby and he was awake happily sucking on his fist. We call that a knuckle sandwich. So do you want a knuckle sandwich.

Steve is hunting for a van for our expanding family. Is obsessing too strong a word?

Sister, Clothing

Sisters Kendra and Cathy are clothes addicts, gurus, professionals, fashionistas...whatever you want to call them. I did not get that gene or jean...ha ha! Anyway, so they bring four suitcases this weekend for only one 24 hours stay. We almsot could not fit them into the car. We forgot to take out the stroller. We almost couldn't bring Keni back.

Steve managed to get in his favorite mantra, "We need a bigger car!"

Here are some of the fun outfits they brought...

Russian hat, have I ever mentioned they have an entire wall of hats...I didn't even try to count those...

Old Navy fun shoes, have I ever mentioned that they own over 100 pairs of shoes... I stopped counting at 100.

Opps, sorry, this outfit is from Aunt Cindy.

Baseball hat--

And this picture cause they gave him a nap with no clothing except his diaper, which he seemed to really like.

Kung-Fu Baby

My sisters named Baby Tao, Kung-Fu Baby. He holds his little fists up in a defensive boxing pose and waves them about frantically. He really looks like he knows Karate and his brother Kung-Fu.

Sisters to the rescue

Kendra and Cathy came for the weekend. They watched BT Saturday night and Sunday morning so that Steve and I could go for date night. We napped, slept, went out for dinner and did not return until noon on Sunday. What a lovely break.

Kendra also surprised me with bags of clothes for BT from a friend of hers who has a four year old and had saved his baby clothes. Wow, I will not have to shop for BT for at least four years. What a blessing!

Personality

Yes, Baby Tao is showing some of his personality. One afternoon when he was sleeping on my lap, I lightly tapped his bottom. Without waking, he lifted he head, snarled back his lips and said, "Aehhh!" in a very irritated voice. I got the message. Don't interrupt his naps.

Today we were playing with the cow that when squeezed says "moo-ooo, moo-ooo." After I had sqeezed it one too many times, Baby Tao got back that irritated look, and then perfectly immitated the cows double moo-ooo, then started to cry. It was such a perfect immitation I thought I had lost my marbles. He has not done it again.

Today BT was rather short tempered. I think this heat is getting to him.