Grandma, I miss you so much! I am so glad that I had the opportunity to see you one last time before you passed. I look forward to the day that I can see you again in Heaven. I love you!!
Monday, July 4, 2011
Great grandmother
June was such a crazy month for all of us, with momma bear traveling to Florida, Maryland, and California and your great grandmother sick in Korea. So, last minute, I decided to go visit her since it's been over 10 years since I last saw her. It was actually your pappa that convinced me to go. He said that if this is possibly the last time I will see her, that I should go. So, wedged between the Florida and Maryland trip I made a 6 day trip to Korea. I don't even know where to start to tell you about how amazing your great grandmother was. She was a fighter, she never let anything bring her down and was such strength for her family. She was an amazing woman of faith. She endured so much in her lifetime but never complained and always made a life lesson out of it. She loved your grandmother, your momma bear, and you beyond any of our comprehension. When I went to go see her, she was sick, but well enough to recognize me, to talk to me, and to even make me promise her that I would bring the whole family out to Korea to see her next year. She really believed that she was going to get better--if only her body was as strong as her mind. Your great grandmother passed on July 1--your grandmother's birthday. Don't worry, I will tell you stories of her and never let you forget how great of a woman she was, because our family would not be who we are without her.
Grandma, I miss you so much! I am so glad that I had the opportunity to see you one last time before you passed. I look forward to the day that I can see you again in Heaven. I love you!!
Grandma, I miss you so much! I am so glad that I had the opportunity to see you one last time before you passed. I look forward to the day that I can see you again in Heaven. I love you!!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Catch up
This is a catch up entry--so warning everyone it's going to be long...
So, let's start with today. It's father's day and first and foremost I am reminded of how blessed I am to have a father that loves me so unconditionally. Growing up, my dad worked really hard for our family and endured a lot of hardship for us. He instilled in me a sense of worth and pride while at the same time he taught me humility and good work ethics. I love my dad and am very grateful for our relationship today. I always said as a child that I wanted to marry someone like my dad, and interestingly enough, some parts of Jimmy is a lot like my dad. One similar thing is their dedication, love, and willingness to go out of their way for their daughter. Thank you Jimmy for being such an amazing father and husband. You work tirelessly to support us, love us, and provide for us and we are so very grateful that God has blessed us with a man like you in our lives. We love you very much!
Evangeline, this month has been such a crazy month, and your pappa has been so supportive through it all. When your greatgrandmother (my mommy's mom) was very sick, your pappa told me to stop thinking about it and to just buy tickets all the way to Korea and go see her because this will probably be the last time. While I was in Korea, he took such good care of you and we skyped twice a day (thank you technology) so that you wouldn't forget your momma. I think while I was away for the week, you lost your confidence, because when I got back you had developed really bad separation anxiety and was really whiny and clingy. It makes me sad because I have to leave again soon for a work trip and I don't want you to think that I am deserting you.
You are now 15 months old and it's amazing how much you have grown since last month. You are now shaking your head "no" to everything. I think you find it amusing and fun, and I think you like the amount of control you have when you do say "no." At first I thought it was nice, cause I didn't have to guess anymore, I would ask if you wanted this or that, and you would say yes or no, but now it seems like everything is a no. Hopefully, you'll get over this stage soon. You are also saying more words or sounds. You say "go" when you want to go somewhere, you say "boo" for book, "ah gah" for all done or no, "up" for up, "ee guh" for this, "bao" for ball, and "babee" for baby. All your other sounds are not very distinguishable yet but you babble quite a bit and get frustrated with us when we do not always understand. You love sliding down slides, chasing after animals (although when they get near they scare you), playing outside and in the fountain, feeding yourself, and reading books. You love to eat and everyday it's a new favorite. You will love one thing for a couple days and then do not want anything to do it. Currently you are into cantaloupe, dumplings, egg whites, and tofu but this changes constantly. There are days when you are confident, fearless, and full of adventure. Those are the days when you chase the birds and want to walk off the edge of the pier into a body of water. Those are the days when you approach strangers, talk to them, and walk off regardless of whether we are around. And then there are days when you are full of fear, uncertainty, and bashfulness. Those are the days when you freak out seeing a small spider on the wall or lose it when you see the church nursery because you don't want us to leave you. Those are the days you want to be held, cling on so tightly, and bury your head in between my legs. Regardless of what kind of day you are having, you are so beautiful, smart, and loveable, and we would not trade you for anyone else. We love you so much, baby girl, and we look forward to each new day.
P.S. I tried adding two videos but it's taking way too long so maybe next time
So, let's start with today. It's father's day and first and foremost I am reminded of how blessed I am to have a father that loves me so unconditionally. Growing up, my dad worked really hard for our family and endured a lot of hardship for us. He instilled in me a sense of worth and pride while at the same time he taught me humility and good work ethics. I love my dad and am very grateful for our relationship today. I always said as a child that I wanted to marry someone like my dad, and interestingly enough, some parts of Jimmy is a lot like my dad. One similar thing is their dedication, love, and willingness to go out of their way for their daughter. Thank you Jimmy for being such an amazing father and husband. You work tirelessly to support us, love us, and provide for us and we are so very grateful that God has blessed us with a man like you in our lives. We love you very much!
Evangeline, this month has been such a crazy month, and your pappa has been so supportive through it all. When your greatgrandmother (my mommy's mom) was very sick, your pappa told me to stop thinking about it and to just buy tickets all the way to Korea and go see her because this will probably be the last time. While I was in Korea, he took such good care of you and we skyped twice a day (thank you technology) so that you wouldn't forget your momma. I think while I was away for the week, you lost your confidence, because when I got back you had developed really bad separation anxiety and was really whiny and clingy. It makes me sad because I have to leave again soon for a work trip and I don't want you to think that I am deserting you.
You are now 15 months old and it's amazing how much you have grown since last month. You are now shaking your head "no" to everything. I think you find it amusing and fun, and I think you like the amount of control you have when you do say "no." At first I thought it was nice, cause I didn't have to guess anymore, I would ask if you wanted this or that, and you would say yes or no, but now it seems like everything is a no. Hopefully, you'll get over this stage soon. You are also saying more words or sounds. You say "go" when you want to go somewhere, you say "boo" for book, "ah gah" for all done or no, "up" for up, "ee guh" for this, "bao" for ball, and "babee" for baby. All your other sounds are not very distinguishable yet but you babble quite a bit and get frustrated with us when we do not always understand. You love sliding down slides, chasing after animals (although when they get near they scare you), playing outside and in the fountain, feeding yourself, and reading books. You love to eat and everyday it's a new favorite. You will love one thing for a couple days and then do not want anything to do it. Currently you are into cantaloupe, dumplings, egg whites, and tofu but this changes constantly. There are days when you are confident, fearless, and full of adventure. Those are the days when you chase the birds and want to walk off the edge of the pier into a body of water. Those are the days when you approach strangers, talk to them, and walk off regardless of whether we are around. And then there are days when you are full of fear, uncertainty, and bashfulness. Those are the days when you freak out seeing a small spider on the wall or lose it when you see the church nursery because you don't want us to leave you. Those are the days you want to be held, cling on so tightly, and bury your head in between my legs. Regardless of what kind of day you are having, you are so beautiful, smart, and loveable, and we would not trade you for anyone else. We love you so much, baby girl, and we look forward to each new day.
P.S. I tried adding two videos but it's taking way too long so maybe next time
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Pushing boundaries
It's so amazing how much Evangeline has grown since her first birthday. It's been an exponential growth, leaps and bounds. This past week has been a challenging week though. I think it's the first time I really questioned my ability to be a good parent. I picked EV up on Tuesday after school like any other school day. They said that she ate well, slept well, played well, and was in good spirits all day. We got home and played a little before I started getting dinner ready. Well, it was pretty much downhill after that. EV just kept on having these hysterical meltdowns. At first I thought it was because she was really hungry (even after eating two breakfasts, once at home and once at school, three snacks, and a full lunch) but it just continued until she went to bed. I started off being firm with her and disciplining her but that only made it worse. Then I tried ignoring her but that made it even worse than when I disciplined her. I started feeling very frantic, is she sick, did I miss something, is it something I did? In the end, all I could do was get her fed, washed up, clothed, and in bed (which was not an easy task since she was kicking and screaming most of the time). After I put her in bed (which made her stop immediately), I sat down to reflect. It made me realize how on most days, EV is a really easy baby. It made me grateful for all the times we've had up until that day. At the same time, I was really worried, is this how EV will behave from now on? Unfortunately, it continued throughout the week but once I realized that she wasn't sick or in danger and that really she was just pushing her boundaries, it helped me to know how to pray, ask others for guidance, and pray some more.
Today was a good day. We went to church, came home and had a short morning nap, ate lunch, and went to Barnes and Noble. EV, you love little chairs. You spent the whole time getting in and out of the chairs at the store. You did this for nearly an hour!! Afterwards, we came home, you took a longer afternoon nap, had dinner, and went down to bed. You have been trying to figure out how to prolong your bedtime routine for a few weeks now. Today, you were very funny. I usually read you your books while you drink your milk. Usually you drink your milk really fast, so I usually have time to read you 2-3 books. Well, today, after about 20 mins of reading, I asked you if you were all done with your milk. You were holding your cup so that I couldn't see the contents inside but I noticed that there was about 1/2 an ounce left. So, I said we'll read until you finished your milk. Well, it sounded like you were drinking but the milk wasn't disappearing. That's when I realized that you were drinking and spitting the milk back in the cup to prolong the time. So, I said, "EV it's time for bed, all done." I picked you up, and you quickly finished the rest of your milk, and pointed to the bed (you used to put your head down on my shoulders and let me rock you for a little bit). But lately, once you're done with your milk and your books, you don't want to cuddle, you just want to sleep. So, I asked for a hug and a kiss, which you very sweetly gave me, and I put you in your crib. Well, I am not ready to give up my cuddle time, so I tucked you in and continued to stroke your back. At that point, you looked up at me, waved bye bye (telling me to leave) and put your head back down. So, I gave you another kiss and left you to sleep. You are already more independent than I am ready for you to be. Oh how will your teenage years be?
Today was a good day. We went to church, came home and had a short morning nap, ate lunch, and went to Barnes and Noble. EV, you love little chairs. You spent the whole time getting in and out of the chairs at the store. You did this for nearly an hour!! Afterwards, we came home, you took a longer afternoon nap, had dinner, and went down to bed. You have been trying to figure out how to prolong your bedtime routine for a few weeks now. Today, you were very funny. I usually read you your books while you drink your milk. Usually you drink your milk really fast, so I usually have time to read you 2-3 books. Well, today, after about 20 mins of reading, I asked you if you were all done with your milk. You were holding your cup so that I couldn't see the contents inside but I noticed that there was about 1/2 an ounce left. So, I said we'll read until you finished your milk. Well, it sounded like you were drinking but the milk wasn't disappearing. That's when I realized that you were drinking and spitting the milk back in the cup to prolong the time. So, I said, "EV it's time for bed, all done." I picked you up, and you quickly finished the rest of your milk, and pointed to the bed (you used to put your head down on my shoulders and let me rock you for a little bit). But lately, once you're done with your milk and your books, you don't want to cuddle, you just want to sleep. So, I asked for a hug and a kiss, which you very sweetly gave me, and I put you in your crib. Well, I am not ready to give up my cuddle time, so I tucked you in and continued to stroke your back. At that point, you looked up at me, waved bye bye (telling me to leave) and put your head back down. So, I gave you another kiss and left you to sleep. You are already more independent than I am ready for you to be. Oh how will your teenage years be?
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Happy Anniversary!!
I cannot believe that I have been married for 6 years! Time really does fly. We've definitely have had our ups and our downs but God has really grown me through it all. I would not be the person I am today if it weren't for all the joys and trials. So, thank you for 6 wonderful years and I look forward to many many more! We celebrated last night with dinner and a movie. It's amazing how something so simple can be such a fun date. It was nice to be able to have a conversation over dinner and relax watching a movie without worrying about a little toddler. I feel so blessed to have my parents and my sister close by that they can babysit so that Jimmy and I can have some alone time. It also reminded me that this is something we need to do more regularly. Date nights are important we definitely can't take it for granted.
Today we took EV to the park and played in a water fountain. She was having sooooo much fun, she did not want to leave. Here she is embracing the shooting water.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Mother's Day
Being a momma myself, it makes me realize how little I show my love and appreciation to my own momma on most days. If EV treats me the way I treat my momma sometimes, I would be so hurt and upset. It also humbles me and makes me want to be more like my momma. It doesn't matter what I do (or don't do), how I say things (or don't say things), or what I think--my momma has always been there for me. I hope I can be half as good a momma to EV as my momma was to me and my sister.
Me and my momma
This mother's day, it also made me realize how great of a husband I have. How supportive and loving he is and how blessed I am to have him here loving me and EV. I know that I am not the perfect momma and I know I have quite a bit of growing to do, but it is encouraging to know that I have people around me that love me and are willing to be patient with me as I learn and grow.
Evangeline, for this mother's day, you made me a placemat. Your teacher was telling me that while other kids were trying to put as many flowers on the mat as possible, you would take your time and make sure each flower was on correctly before you moved on to placing another flower on the mat. It just shows how at 13 months you are systematic and thorough. I love how now you will just come grab my neck and give me big hugs, how you will blow kisses at me, and just be more affectionate then you've ever been. You make being a momma totally worth it! Thank you for being my beautiful daughter. I love you more than you'll ever know.
Me and my momma
This mother's day, it also made me realize how great of a husband I have. How supportive and loving he is and how blessed I am to have him here loving me and EV. I know that I am not the perfect momma and I know I have quite a bit of growing to do, but it is encouraging to know that I have people around me that love me and are willing to be patient with me as I learn and grow.
Evangeline, for this mother's day, you made me a placemat. Your teacher was telling me that while other kids were trying to put as many flowers on the mat as possible, you would take your time and make sure each flower was on correctly before you moved on to placing another flower on the mat. It just shows how at 13 months you are systematic and thorough. I love how now you will just come grab my neck and give me big hugs, how you will blow kisses at me, and just be more affectionate then you've ever been. You make being a momma totally worth it! Thank you for being my beautiful daughter. I love you more than you'll ever know.
Monday, April 25, 2011
To the Capitol!
This past weekend we took a long drive up to see granmomma and granpoppa in Maryland. Evangeline, you were so great on this trip. So, as I woke up Thursday morning, I had a really bad fever, migraine, and my monthly friend had come to visit. It felt like the opening to a really bad horror movie. After being in bed all day, not having packed a single thing, Jimmy came home with EV after a successful Easter egg hunt at school and it was time to eat dinner, bathe, and get the car packed to drive 10 hours. Oh my...
Well, EV you were great, the moment you got in the car you fell asleep and you slept until we arrived at granmomma's house at 5:30 am. Poppa, you were great as well! You drove straight there, made great time, and you seemed very excited to see your parents. I didn't want to be the party pooper but I was feeling very very sick. I pulled you out of the car, hoping you would sleep another hour but that was ridiculous of me. Earlier in the car, I remember noticing green goo in your eyes and when you opened your eyes, they were crusted shut with goo. I told poppa that we should try to find a pediatric urgent care in case you had conjunctivitis. So, in the next few hours, we ate breakfast, found a pediatric office, went to the pediatric office (you had an ear infection and pink eye), ordered and picked up your prescriptions, and met with granmomma for lunch. After lunch, we took a long nap and got ready for dinner with the family. This was a special dinner because you got to see your great granmomma. You were such a little ham. You really turned it up a notch after dinner. You were standing on a chair near the middle of the table and you winked, blew kisses, did your animal sounds/motions, and everything else on demand. You smiled and laughed and you made everyone at the table melt and fall in love with you. We crashed that night, we were so tired from the drive and all the family interactions.
The second day was a little more low key. We took the time to go to the National Zoo. Oh, how nice is it to go to the zoo for free! You were pointing to all the animals and making all your sounds and motions. It was so fun to watch you see all your animals in real life. After lunch and walking around the zoo for hours, you were so tired, you passed out in the car and slept for nearly 2 hours.
Sunday was Easter and we went to granmomma's church. It was so sweet. You sat next to granpoppa and just laid your head on his shoulders. You just melted their hearts. After church, we went to poppa's Aunt Laura's house, had dinner, and got ready to make our drive back home. After a great dinner, we got ready for bed, and got back in the car for our long drive back home. Again, EV you slept through the whole way, continued to sleep when we got home at 4:30am, and woke up at 6:30am at your usual time. You've had a completely normal day as if you did not do any traveling all weekend. I cannot say the same for poppa and myself. We are tired, I am still sick, but very glad that we got time to spend with family.
Well, EV you were great, the moment you got in the car you fell asleep and you slept until we arrived at granmomma's house at 5:30 am. Poppa, you were great as well! You drove straight there, made great time, and you seemed very excited to see your parents. I didn't want to be the party pooper but I was feeling very very sick. I pulled you out of the car, hoping you would sleep another hour but that was ridiculous of me. Earlier in the car, I remember noticing green goo in your eyes and when you opened your eyes, they were crusted shut with goo. I told poppa that we should try to find a pediatric urgent care in case you had conjunctivitis. So, in the next few hours, we ate breakfast, found a pediatric office, went to the pediatric office (you had an ear infection and pink eye), ordered and picked up your prescriptions, and met with granmomma for lunch. After lunch, we took a long nap and got ready for dinner with the family. This was a special dinner because you got to see your great granmomma. You were such a little ham. You really turned it up a notch after dinner. You were standing on a chair near the middle of the table and you winked, blew kisses, did your animal sounds/motions, and everything else on demand. You smiled and laughed and you made everyone at the table melt and fall in love with you. We crashed that night, we were so tired from the drive and all the family interactions.
Sunday was Easter and we went to granmomma's church. It was so sweet. You sat next to granpoppa and just laid your head on his shoulders. You just melted their hearts. After church, we went to poppa's Aunt Laura's house, had dinner, and got ready to make our drive back home. After a great dinner, we got ready for bed, and got back in the car for our long drive back home. Again, EV you slept through the whole way, continued to sleep when we got home at 4:30am, and woke up at 6:30am at your usual time. You've had a completely normal day as if you did not do any traveling all weekend. I cannot say the same for poppa and myself. We are tired, I am still sick, but very glad that we got time to spend with family.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
April showers bring May flowers
I cannot believe that we are approaching the end of April already! Wow, I have really neglected this blog, huh? Okay, so where do we start....
Evangeline, you are now 13 months! I absolutely cannot believe it, sometimes I feel like your 30 months old. You can identify most of your body parts now (head, ears, eyes, nose, mouth, teeth, tongue, hands, feet, belly button) and you can do many of the sounds/sign language I made up of the animals we've taught you (lion, seal, cow, fish, bee). You love being outdoors, riding in the wagon, playing with a ball and a bat, and making new discoveries. You help with putting lotion on yourself after a bath and you help put things away after you make a mess (although you take it all out after you put it all away). Your favorite food is cheese. You can eat cheese anytime, anyplace, all the time. You clearly tell us what you like, don't like, want, and don't want. Sleep is still very important to you--you are still taking two naps a day and sleeping close to 12 hours at night. You are a very happy toddler, you make us smile everyday and we come home looking forward to seeing you. I miss you when I'm not with you and I wish time would slow down when we are together. I love you so much little one!!
You also have a very fun sense of humor. You think it's funny when we cover your face with a shirt or your binkie and you run into things. You laugh when poppa bear gets hurt (I guess we're going to have to teach you some empathy). You also get very silly when you're really tired--at that point, you think everything is funny. You are also very ticklish.
You had your very first Easter egg hunt at school today and you did so well. You immediately understood the concept and picked up as many eggs as your basket could hold. Although poppa bear was holding your basket, you knew to hand over your eggs so that he could put it in the basket and so that you could get more. I promise I will try to be better at updating the blog more regularly. In the meantime here are some pictures from the last few weeks.
You are so independent, you always want to do everything yourself:
Evangeline, you are now 13 months! I absolutely cannot believe it, sometimes I feel like your 30 months old. You can identify most of your body parts now (head, ears, eyes, nose, mouth, teeth, tongue, hands, feet, belly button) and you can do many of the sounds/sign language I made up of the animals we've taught you (lion, seal, cow, fish, bee). You love being outdoors, riding in the wagon, playing with a ball and a bat, and making new discoveries. You help with putting lotion on yourself after a bath and you help put things away after you make a mess (although you take it all out after you put it all away). Your favorite food is cheese. You can eat cheese anytime, anyplace, all the time. You clearly tell us what you like, don't like, want, and don't want. Sleep is still very important to you--you are still taking two naps a day and sleeping close to 12 hours at night. You are a very happy toddler, you make us smile everyday and we come home looking forward to seeing you. I miss you when I'm not with you and I wish time would slow down when we are together. I love you so much little one!!
You also have a very fun sense of humor. You think it's funny when we cover your face with a shirt or your binkie and you run into things. You laugh when poppa bear gets hurt (I guess we're going to have to teach you some empathy). You also get very silly when you're really tired--at that point, you think everything is funny. You are also very ticklish.
You had your very first Easter egg hunt at school today and you did so well. You immediately understood the concept and picked up as many eggs as your basket could hold. Although poppa bear was holding your basket, you knew to hand over your eggs so that he could put it in the basket and so that you could get more. I promise I will try to be better at updating the blog more regularly. In the meantime here are some pictures from the last few weeks.
You are so independent, you always want to do everything yourself:
We took a trip to West Palm Beach, Florida before your first birthday and it was so fun to see you discover the sand and the water. Although it wasn't your first time there, it was definitely a new experience for you:
You love being outdoors:
These are your first school photos. You obviously do not look very happy. I asked your teacher if you look like this all the time. She said no but she did say that you are on most days a serious baby. Lately, you have been very excited to go to school. We are grateful.
We put some bunny ears on you for fun and this is the face you gave us--always so expressive. Love it!!
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