Camera

Everyday we take at least one picture of Baby Tao. Saturday I lost the camera which had 7 days pictures on it. Yep, I was not the Loved Ones favorite wife anymore. One of the neighbors found it and returned it thru Christian, our nice landlord. We are very thankful. And I now have more highly favored wife status again.

Labor Day was not labor free. We helped the Rios pack for the big move. That was so fun. BT did a great job. Saturday is the big move day. We will most likely have a slumber party at their place Friday night. Won't that be fun?

Today BT helped me turn a page of a book I was reading to him. I laughed with delight.

Everything is now heading toward his mouth. He is chewing heartily on those gums. I am going to go look for the vibrating star which we tried out at the YMCA. He seemed to really like it and it soothed him. His friend Hunter also really liked it.

I went to help Patricia set up her classroom so Steve, who had a day of furlough, offered to watch baby for me. He was supposed to take BT to sing and sign class at the Y at 9:45 am. When I called to check how things were going and to let them know I was on my way home he had quite a tale to tell about why he did not take baby to class.

"I started to get baby ready at 9:15 am by putting him on our bed to put on his socks, when I heard the runny gushy sound--baby poop. After I finished putting on one sock, I got to suspecting that it had leaked thru. I picked him up to check. Yep, it sure had. And it a tiny bit had also flowed onto the quilt. I said to myself, I am going to change him downstairs where the paper towels are available. We went to baby's room to grab a diaper since we had run out downstairs. So we went downstairs, I put down a papertowel, then baby, then I removed the soiled diaper.

Before I had completely removed his overflowing diaper, to my horror, BT continued to gush baby poop. Since his old diaper was about half off, I was in the process of wiping his bum when another big gush happened. Eewwww! It was now all over my hand. I was totally disgusted. And that was my big mistake. I assumed he was done with the show. I grabbed the soiled diaper with all of the nasty wipes to throw it away and wash my hand. I left him bare-bummed on a papertowel since my hand was nasty and I could not put on the new diaper without messing it up. When I turned around he continued to spew forth baby poop as well finishing the show with a pee fountain. He completed this show with an evil grin. He had succeeded in soiling the outside of his new diaper as well, not to mention the blanket under him and his clothes. Finally he was clean and diapered and I went to find a new outfit. Wouldn't you know I picked the one with the small neck that I think might hurt him when I put it on. Needless to say, by the time I finished with BT, baby class was already over."

I told him he could have just said, "I did not feel like taking him today." It would have been much easier, don't you think?

Chubby bunny

Our Baby Tao is getting super chubby. He is starting to wear his adorable shoe collection.
He is also starting to grab anything within his tiny grasp.

How about some slimey drool?

Baby Tao can fall asleep in a second, even still holding a toy.

What a baby

OK, score for napping...Round one, baby cried for 20 minutes. I got him up to calm him, he laughed and giggled and broke my heart that I had to put him down again. Round two he cried and cried until finally at the 19 minute mark after fits and starts he was asleep. When I went up to check on him, he had shimmied to the top of his bed and wrested off the miracle blacket.

Today he was just crabby. When I went to sing and sign class he fussed and whined which he hasn't done before, and when I went to work out the child care woman had to come and get me since he was so irritable. Must be one of those days.

I did get my kitchen floor clean during that crying though.

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.