Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas
We had a holiday. Nothing special. Linda's fever broke and she was normal today. Coughing is still quite annoying. She cannot sleep. Doctor's are worthless. Hopefully we will learn more when she is tested for allergies.
Monday, December 08, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Adoption Family Reunion 2008
The weekend is done and we had such a blast! There is so much to talk about that I do not even know where to begin! I'll give a brief run-down and mention now that tons of pictures are on the way!
Friday was a day at the beach and dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory.
Saturday was a day at Legoland and dinner/BBQ at our co-host's house.
Sunday was a day of rest and most families had to leave.
Monday was a day at Seaworld with the last couple of families.
All in all it was a great success. To see all the children growing up and to know that we, as families, share something in common and fee that we should stay in touch is wonderful. Thank you to all that participated and to those who could not, we still think of you.
Pictures to come! I have much processing to do. Stay tuned.
Friday was a day at the beach and dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory.
Saturday was a day at Legoland and dinner/BBQ at our co-host's house.
Sunday was a day of rest and most families had to leave.
Monday was a day at Seaworld with the last couple of families.
All in all it was a great success. To see all the children growing up and to know that we, as families, share something in common and fee that we should stay in touch is wonderful. Thank you to all that participated and to those who could not, we still think of you.
Pictures to come! I have much processing to do. Stay tuned.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
2008 Moon Festival
As you all know we have been a bit sloooooow posting pictures and writing about our fine experiences with Linda. Approaching 3 years of age and we are having the full spectrum of highs, lows, and in-betweens. Well, how about a little bit on the high side today? We attended the FCC (Families with Children from China) 2008 Moon Festival and another one sponsered by the China House in Balboa Park. Both were as fun as fun can be.
Starting with the FCC event, we arrived early and Linda had a ball at the park. No, she did not have a ball, she had FUN! Being a Saturday and the fact she would get to stay up a bit later than normal, she made the most of the time. The playground was fabulous. The group then does a little "march" around the park with their lanterns. I did manage to get one OK shot off as I was too busy being Dad to take pictures. I am the toy, you know.
At the festivities at Balboa Park, we had some great entertainment. I did get a few shots off and even Mel pitched in with camera duties. I will have more Linda exclusives, but enjoy the shots of the dancers that follow.
Starting with the FCC event, we arrived early and Linda had a ball at the park. No, she did not have a ball, she had FUN! Being a Saturday and the fact she would get to stay up a bit later than normal, she made the most of the time. The playground was fabulous. The group then does a little "march" around the park with their lanterns. I did manage to get one OK shot off as I was too busy being Dad to take pictures. I am the toy, you know.
At the festivities at Balboa Park, we had some great entertainment. I did get a few shots off and even Mel pitched in with camera duties. I will have more Linda exclusives, but enjoy the shots of the dancers that follow.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Wholly C* Batman, We Haven't Posted!!!!
Yes, I know and Mel knows, we have not posted in quite some time. Thanks for the reminders, folks. We have been so busy "parenting" that we forget or are too tired to post. Go figure, everyone else seems to have no problem having a camera about and ready to post. Hmmm? I wonder if they keep their computers/laptops handy for all occasions? Me, I get tired of staring at a computer to really do much more than check emails and some news. I better get with the show!
Pictures are to come, but here is the latest. Our little darling is growing up so fast! We are doing the TT (Toilet Training) or whatever you want to call it. It has been 85% successful. Linda is quite a strong-headed little girl and does very well with a little mishap here and there. Otherwise, we've had people tell us she is doing fine. Mel? Well, we won't get into that.
We made our first cross-country trip a couple of weeks ago to Maryland! We visited for the first time Linda's Aunt Bonnie, Uncle Jon, and nephew Jonathan. Linda had a blast! The flight was a nonstop on Southwest. We had no issues. Linda got her own seat and we bought one of those safety harnesses. The first time we used it she began to do a little crying until we showed her that mommy and daddy had to wear their belts, too. We had toys and games. Books. Linda loved the white board and markers (dry erase). She is such a good traveler I wonder if she instinctively knows she flew half-way around the world at a very young age!
Baltimore was beautiful. I know we took our chances doing an August trip, but the weather cooperated all week. Linda enjoyed the National Aquarium and walk around the Inner Harbor. The house had a swing set that she loved. Uncle Jon bought a pool so we could have a dip which we managed to squeeze in one day. Oh, and the fire flies! Linda was amazed. We caught a couple and put them in a bug box. She looked at them with wonder. Birds. Deer. Wood chucks! One morning we were sitting in the sun room playing as we just got up. I had to take a nature break. I walked back Linda was squeaking with excitement. She spotted a baby deer and a mommy deer! Excited and proud, she stared at them and we watched until they trotted off into another yard. How fun.
Linda really enjoyed her and aunt and uncle and I hope we get a chance to visit again soon. It's a shame it is such a hassle to travel and the expense. It was worth it, though.
More later! And did I mention, pictures, too?
PS- Did I mention how difficult it is to take pictures of Linda? As soon as she sees the camera she runs behind it and yell, "I want to see!" "There's nothing to see, I haven't taken a picture yet!" She's funny. I think she will get a cool present for her birthday this year. Wink wink.
Pictures are to come, but here is the latest. Our little darling is growing up so fast! We are doing the TT (Toilet Training) or whatever you want to call it. It has been 85% successful. Linda is quite a strong-headed little girl and does very well with a little mishap here and there. Otherwise, we've had people tell us she is doing fine. Mel? Well, we won't get into that.
We made our first cross-country trip a couple of weeks ago to Maryland! We visited for the first time Linda's Aunt Bonnie, Uncle Jon, and nephew Jonathan. Linda had a blast! The flight was a nonstop on Southwest. We had no issues. Linda got her own seat and we bought one of those safety harnesses. The first time we used it she began to do a little crying until we showed her that mommy and daddy had to wear their belts, too. We had toys and games. Books. Linda loved the white board and markers (dry erase). She is such a good traveler I wonder if she instinctively knows she flew half-way around the world at a very young age!
Baltimore was beautiful. I know we took our chances doing an August trip, but the weather cooperated all week. Linda enjoyed the National Aquarium and walk around the Inner Harbor. The house had a swing set that she loved. Uncle Jon bought a pool so we could have a dip which we managed to squeeze in one day. Oh, and the fire flies! Linda was amazed. We caught a couple and put them in a bug box. She looked at them with wonder. Birds. Deer. Wood chucks! One morning we were sitting in the sun room playing as we just got up. I had to take a nature break. I walked back Linda was squeaking with excitement. She spotted a baby deer and a mommy deer! Excited and proud, she stared at them and we watched until they trotted off into another yard. How fun.
Linda really enjoyed her and aunt and uncle and I hope we get a chance to visit again soon. It's a shame it is such a hassle to travel and the expense. It was worth it, though.
More later! And did I mention, pictures, too?
PS- Did I mention how difficult it is to take pictures of Linda? As soon as she sees the camera she runs behind it and yell, "I want to see!" "There's nothing to see, I haven't taken a picture yet!" She's funny. I think she will get a cool present for her birthday this year. Wink wink.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Two New Video Clips!
After a real fun Spring Training trip, as you can tell from previous posts, I'm finally getting around to posting a video. Well, it's the best I could do with our little director hanging around!
This next one is actually from today! A new "toy" came home from Spring Training. Guess who wants to play?! :-)
This next one is actually from today! A new "toy" came home from Spring Training. Guess who wants to play?! :-)
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Play Ball
Wow, what a great vacation!!! I was kind of concerned before we left because Linda is going through a very minor “terrible two’s” stage. There are no temper tantrums just a little whinny and usually “I want to go home”. The other thing was that at home she wanted nothing to do with the “Pack and Play’ so I figured she really doesn’t need it at home so I put it away.
Well, we had a great drive to Phoenix. Linda took a couple of half-hour naps in the car. We sang and played with her “car buddies” Pooh, purple bear, piggy book and elephant. We got to the La Quinta hotel and was very happy to see our nice big room.
Our friends the Sobos were already in town. They went out to lunch so Bill went to get us some food while I unpacked our clothes. Linda has this new little travel train track with Thomas the Train. She was happily playing with the toy on the bed. It’s great that the bed is low enough that Linda can climb up and down by herself.
When our friends got back it was time for the pool. Linda had a blast. By the second day she was swimming by herself with her floaties on… and finally keeping her mouth closed this year!!!! Yeah!!! We are definitely going for swimming lessons this summer.
Well now it was time for our first game and it was an evening game. Again, a little concerned since no real nap and big crowd. Linda had a great time. We were in the first row of the Padres vs. Mariners games on the first base side. When everyone would clap, Linda would clap. When the ball was hit Linda would yell, “I got it”. That was hilarious. I would tell her to yell “Go Padres”. Yes those words came out of my mouth. She would yell “Go Padres”.
We left about 9:15pm because I was getting tired. Linda was delirious but having a great time. When we were in the car I reminded Linda that she was going to sleep in the “Pack and Play”. Linda said, “No, I’m scared of the Pack and Play”. I said that we are going to put sheets under the pad and then her fitted sheet so it would be more comfortable and that she would have Mickey, Arf Arf and Pooh sleeping with her and we are all in the same room. When we got back she was trying to climb in the “Pack and Play”. We put her in, read a couple of books and we all went to sleep. We never heard from her all night. Yeah!!!!!
The next day was more pool time in the morning and then off to the Padres vs. Brewers game. This was a new stadium to us. It’s in Maryvale. It’s not a great area of Phoenix but what a nice park and a lot of grass seating. Our friends the Sobos arrived there first and picked an area to sit in. Mark called me and said, “We are on the lawn by the third base side. It will get shady”. Boy was he right. It was great. We had a great time. Linda was playing with Chloe for most of the game and they had a blast. After a while Bill took Linda and Chloe for a walk and Chloe got hit by a foul ball. Chloe is just fine. Then the man that got the ball gave the ball to Chloe. Now that’s exciting.
What was also great about this game is that we met up with our friends that live here that were in our travel group in China, Becky, Mark and Mai. Wow I tell ya, when you look at Linda and Mai it’s amazing to see how much they have both grown.
After the game we all went to that culinary delight, The Cracker Barrel. Ah yes, nothing better than Chicken ‘N Dumplins and some corn bread. It was a nice treat to have everyone at dinner.
Saturday was the big game for me. It was the Dodgers vs. Angels game. We woke up to me with a sore throat and Linda in a grumpy mood. This vacation was really getting to Linda. Needless to say naps and sleep time was all screwed up. She would be so excited that she wouldn’t even sleep in the car. But you know all this was smoothed over with a little visit from Chloe at breakfast. La Quinta has a free breakfast bar and we would all meet up there at some point. Chloe came and sat with us and Linda had a great time talking and eating with her. My throat, well I guess Phoenix wasn’t as kind to me as it usually is. Bill thinks it’s because they also had a decent amount of rain and so stuff is actually blooming here too.
We headed off to the game and let me tell you Sobo did a great job again at picking seats. It was in the upper 80’s today but we wouldn’t know that since we were in the shade. It was wonderful. We were in the last row of seats behind home plate. You have to remember that these stadiums are very small so it’s pretty close. I was sitting in front of where Fernando Valenzuela was broadcasting for a Spanish station in L.A. For those of you who know who that is… you know I was dying. He wouldn’t give me an autograph though. I guess he was too busy… oh well.
Linda was her delirious self again. She had a great time in the seats with Chloe making “pies and soups” with their hats and pom poms. Towards the end of the game, Linda was screaming, “GO DODGERS” as loud as she could. The people in front had a blast with this. They were hoping for a rally and thought maybe Linda’s screams would help. It didn’t, they lost 4-2.
Chloe’s brother Will got a real cool set of baseball trading cards. He now has an Ichiro card and a new Andruw Jones in a Dodgers jersey card. Great cards Will.
After we said goodbye to the Sobos (since they were leaving today), we decided to go for a drive to see if Linda would sleep… not. We ended up at a Macaroni Grill and as soon as we got there, she fell asleep so we decided to do “to go”. I think we are all going to bed early.
Tomorrow after having breakfast with a friend we will be on our way home. This has been a great trip. I’m already looking forward to next year.
Well, we had a great drive to Phoenix. Linda took a couple of half-hour naps in the car. We sang and played with her “car buddies” Pooh, purple bear, piggy book and elephant. We got to the La Quinta hotel and was very happy to see our nice big room.
Our friends the Sobos were already in town. They went out to lunch so Bill went to get us some food while I unpacked our clothes. Linda has this new little travel train track with Thomas the Train. She was happily playing with the toy on the bed. It’s great that the bed is low enough that Linda can climb up and down by herself.
When our friends got back it was time for the pool. Linda had a blast. By the second day she was swimming by herself with her floaties on… and finally keeping her mouth closed this year!!!! Yeah!!! We are definitely going for swimming lessons this summer.
Well now it was time for our first game and it was an evening game. Again, a little concerned since no real nap and big crowd. Linda had a great time. We were in the first row of the Padres vs. Mariners games on the first base side. When everyone would clap, Linda would clap. When the ball was hit Linda would yell, “I got it”. That was hilarious. I would tell her to yell “Go Padres”. Yes those words came out of my mouth. She would yell “Go Padres”.
We left about 9:15pm because I was getting tired. Linda was delirious but having a great time. When we were in the car I reminded Linda that she was going to sleep in the “Pack and Play”. Linda said, “No, I’m scared of the Pack and Play”. I said that we are going to put sheets under the pad and then her fitted sheet so it would be more comfortable and that she would have Mickey, Arf Arf and Pooh sleeping with her and we are all in the same room. When we got back she was trying to climb in the “Pack and Play”. We put her in, read a couple of books and we all went to sleep. We never heard from her all night. Yeah!!!!!
The next day was more pool time in the morning and then off to the Padres vs. Brewers game. This was a new stadium to us. It’s in Maryvale. It’s not a great area of Phoenix but what a nice park and a lot of grass seating. Our friends the Sobos arrived there first and picked an area to sit in. Mark called me and said, “We are on the lawn by the third base side. It will get shady”. Boy was he right. It was great. We had a great time. Linda was playing with Chloe for most of the game and they had a blast. After a while Bill took Linda and Chloe for a walk and Chloe got hit by a foul ball. Chloe is just fine. Then the man that got the ball gave the ball to Chloe. Now that’s exciting.
What was also great about this game is that we met up with our friends that live here that were in our travel group in China, Becky, Mark and Mai. Wow I tell ya, when you look at Linda and Mai it’s amazing to see how much they have both grown.
After the game we all went to that culinary delight, The Cracker Barrel. Ah yes, nothing better than Chicken ‘N Dumplins and some corn bread. It was a nice treat to have everyone at dinner.
Saturday was the big game for me. It was the Dodgers vs. Angels game. We woke up to me with a sore throat and Linda in a grumpy mood. This vacation was really getting to Linda. Needless to say naps and sleep time was all screwed up. She would be so excited that she wouldn’t even sleep in the car. But you know all this was smoothed over with a little visit from Chloe at breakfast. La Quinta has a free breakfast bar and we would all meet up there at some point. Chloe came and sat with us and Linda had a great time talking and eating with her. My throat, well I guess Phoenix wasn’t as kind to me as it usually is. Bill thinks it’s because they also had a decent amount of rain and so stuff is actually blooming here too.
We headed off to the game and let me tell you Sobo did a great job again at picking seats. It was in the upper 80’s today but we wouldn’t know that since we were in the shade. It was wonderful. We were in the last row of seats behind home plate. You have to remember that these stadiums are very small so it’s pretty close. I was sitting in front of where Fernando Valenzuela was broadcasting for a Spanish station in L.A. For those of you who know who that is… you know I was dying. He wouldn’t give me an autograph though. I guess he was too busy… oh well.
Linda was her delirious self again. She had a great time in the seats with Chloe making “pies and soups” with their hats and pom poms. Towards the end of the game, Linda was screaming, “GO DODGERS” as loud as she could. The people in front had a blast with this. They were hoping for a rally and thought maybe Linda’s screams would help. It didn’t, they lost 4-2.
Chloe’s brother Will got a real cool set of baseball trading cards. He now has an Ichiro card and a new Andruw Jones in a Dodgers jersey card. Great cards Will.
After we said goodbye to the Sobos (since they were leaving today), we decided to go for a drive to see if Linda would sleep… not. We ended up at a Macaroni Grill and as soon as we got there, she fell asleep so we decided to do “to go”. I think we are all going to bed early.
Tomorrow after having breakfast with a friend we will be on our way home. This has been a great trip. I’m already looking forward to next year.
Friday, February 29, 2008
A Rainy Day
It has been a while since we posted a video of Linda. I took the opportunity to capture some of her finest moments. I will upload more. This one is a test as it has been sooooooo long. Enjoy!
And I just finished another clip. Here is one busy little girl!
And I just finished another clip. Here is one busy little girl!
Sunday, February 03, 2008
I've Seen The Future
A little tibbit from this morning.
I'm walking around brushing my teeth (yes a wierd habbit of mine) and wandered into Linda's room. Linda comes by wheeling her shopping cart and this is what she said to me:
Get out my room... my room.
Well there you have it. A look into teenage life.
I'm walking around brushing my teeth (yes a wierd habbit of mine) and wandered into Linda's room. Linda comes by wheeling her shopping cart and this is what she said to me:
Get out my room... my room.
Well there you have it. A look into teenage life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)