c in December

This has been a terrific month! Both Kong Kong and Grandpa came back this month, which has been super exciting for C.  He loves spending time with both of his grandfathers.

Even though the weather has been cooler, there have been a few warmer days where we've made it to the pool.  C still loves to swim and is getting braver each and every time we go to the pool.  If he could have it his way, he'd be at the pool daily!

Have I mentioned that I love December?? I love this month as there are a number of events that have become tradition to attend.  We always go to the Hot Air Balloon show and love watching the balloons get blown up in the early morning light.  We always go to the Night Safari for Thai Father's Day to celebrate Matt and what an awesome dad he is.  Then of course there is Christmas Day and what is there not to love about Christmas?! :)

As C gets older, I hope that we have more traditions that become a part of our Christmas celebration during the month of December.  It just makes me happy to do things with my family and to look back to years gone by and see how things have grown, changed, and evolved.  Oh nostalgia...you get me good!

December

Swimming in December...the perks of living in Thailand!

C just LOVES the water!

Love seeing the hot air balloons get blown up in the early morning...


C really enjoyed seeing the balloons this year!


C & Mama


C & Papa


I would love to ride in one some day...


Yay for running into friends!

...All About C...

C has thoroughly enjoyed the month of December.  We've done a lot and C has loved it all! He continues to just impress us with all that he learns and knows.  Sometimes we just look at each other in wonder that this boy is ours.  I cannot believe that he is almost about to turn 2!

(Linking up with Our World Tuesday, P52 Sweet Shot Tuesday, Wednesdays Around The World, Little Things Thursday, 

Photo Story Friday, Favorite Photo Friday, Practicing Simplicity, Simple Things Sunday, and Sunday Snapshot.)

c in november

This has been a much calmer month and we are back to our routines again, which is really nice.  I am a routine person and feel better when we have consistency in our life.  I think that it is good for C too as then he knows what is going on.  Don't worry though...when fun things happen, we are totally flexible and happy to adjust our routine. HA!

So the weather is getting cooler and we are enjoying the change.  This month C was able to experience only a small part of Loy Krathong by letting off some Khom Loys at home.  However Matt and I were able to go out and enjoy one of the parades in town with friends.  It was fun to be out with people! We are so thankful for my mom who helped watch over C.  Yay for fun without the kid! Haha!

After Thanksgiving (how do I have no pictures of that?!?), we put up our tree.  I gave C the small one from our previous home and he was able to go to town on it.  C totally enjoyed putting up his ornaments and rearranged them a lot of times.  I definitely think this is going to be a tradition we maintain so that he has control over his tree and will hopefully leave the family tree alone! Is that wishful thinking?!

November

Sleeping so peacefully....


Letting off a Khom Loy (lantern) at home...


Happy Loy Krathong!
This is from a parade in town one night...


Sticker fun!


Getting his coloring on!


Enjoying his first Christmas cookie....it was a hit!


Decorating his own special tree...


WOW!

...All About C...

C has had a terrific month with lots of new firsts.  He is growing and changing so much! He is doing more on his own and definitely has an opinion on things.  Ha!

(Linking up with Our World Tuesday, P52 Sweet Shot Tuesday, Wednesdays Around The World, Little Things Thursday, 

Photo Story Friday, Favorite Photo Friday, Practicing Simplicity, Simple Things Sunday, and Sunday Snapshot.)

c in october

October was a long and difficult month.  My Apo, C's Atai (his last remaining great-grandparent) passed away.  It was really hard for the whole family even though we knew it was coming.  The funeral lasted almost a week, with lots of long days at the temple.  She got a great send off with lots of people coming by to pay their respects.

To make matters worse, my dad became really ill and was in the hospital for a couple of weeks.  Again, we have some wonderful family and friends who looked in on us all and supported us during this trying time.  Thankfully he has gotten better and is totally healthy again.

The bright moment was the end of the month when C got to experience trick-or-treating.  There is a neighborhood that opens up and allows trick-or-treaters to come in.  It was so much fun and C totally got into it.  We had the stroller, which C sat in during the longer walks.  But once we got to a house that had candy, the boy was out of his stroller and ready! He definitely caught on quickly and has now had his fair share of sweets.  

October

C's Atai's casket, family represented, and her afterlife materials.

Our little fireman!

C & Papa

 C & Mama


Happy family!


C with Apo & Kong Kong

C's first trick-or-treating experience with a cool scarecrow!

A mama's gotta do what a mama's gotta do!

PS....it was NOT so comfortable.  :) 

...All About C...

C has been such a trooper this month.  We've had lots of temple and hospital visits and have totally been preoccupied with life.  Thankfully he's rolled with it all and has stayed pretty positive.  He's handled the crowds and all of the people wanting to hold him fairly well.  HA!

(Linking up with Our World Tuesday, P52 Sweet Shot Tuesday, Wednesdays Around The World, Little Things Thursday, 

Photo Story Friday, Favorite Photo Friday, Practicing Simplicity, Simple Things Sunday, and Sunday Snapshot.)

c in september

The months are flying by it seems with so many things to do.  Our weeks are busy with working all week long and then running around all weekend long with errands for the house.  It is seriously one thing after another with things to buy for the house, or things to fix up, or things to organize.  When will it end?!? That said, we are loving being in our space and enjoying most of the putzing about.  :)

The weather is warm these days and we are outside a lot.  We definitely hang out a lot in our driveway (in order to be outside, but in the shade).  One of these days we'll get our lawn sorted so that we'll have someplace else to play.  C doesn't know any better though and loves playing outside with all of his balls, in his toy house, and in his swimming pool.  I'm pretty sure he'd stay outside forever if we let him.

September

Just hanging in our driveway with all of his balls. 

Love this one!

C loves sweeping up.

Playing in a swimming pool filled with water and more balls! FUN!

Afternoon fun.

Cuddling up with papa and enjoying a good book.

Love my two dudes!

...All About C...

So this month has been another transition for C as he got a new nanny! Our old nanny was taking care of C and other children and was getting too overwhelmed.  So we went back to the drawing board and began frantically searching for someone to watch over C and thankfully we have got someone we think is just brilliant!

Our new nanny Nup (yes, all of C's nannies have N names for some reason - Nan, Nuan, Noot, and now Nup) is wonderful.  C has taken to her quickly and seems to be more settled in the nursery now.  He still cries when we leave him, but it is definitely for a shorter period.  Yay! The nanny is teaching C so much during the day.  He's learning about animals, numbers, and colors.  She spends time playing with him, reading with him, and encouraging him to try new things.  We are so thankful.

(Linking up with Our World Tuesday, P52 Sweet Shot Tuesday, Wednesdays Around The World, Little Things Thursday, 

Photo Story Friday, Favorite Photo Friday, Practicing Simplicity, Simple Things Sunday, and Sunday Snapshot.)

c in august

This has been a big month for our family.  We have finally officially moved into our new home! YEAH! It's been a long time coming (2 years, but who's counting anymore).  We are thrilled to be in our new space and loving everything about it.  We've just got the bare necessities in right now, but are working to slowly fill up the space with our things.  It will definitely be a work in progress, but we are IN!

Matt and I also started back up to work this month.  It's been a hectic summer with our traveling and finishing up the house, so we both started the year off a wee bit tired.  Thankfully we are both teaching something we are familiar with, so that is helpful.  However, all of these changes to our house means that C now can't stay at home with his Apo anymore.  So as if we didn't throw enough at him, C has begun going to the nursery at our school 5 days a week with a new nanny (his old one had a baby and stopped working).

This last transition to school with the new nanny has been the hardest one for C.  He's cried so much this past month, but things are getting better slowly.  During the first couple of weeks, C balled his eyes out when we dropped him off, clinging to us and screaming our names.  Apparently this lasted for quite a while after we left.  But slowly and with lots of time and patience, C is getting better. At the end of the month, C now is crying a lot less and for a shorter amount of time.  He seems to be getting the hang of life in the nursery with the 3 other kids.  We are hoping he will soon learn to love it as it is HARD leaving him like this.

School this year has been a harder transition for me.  In order to cope, we've been leaving work at three and then coming home to be with C for the rest of the evening.  That means no work gets done while C is awake and usually I'm too exhausted to be able to do anything beyond zone out in front of the TV after C has gone to bed.  It's helped to find balance between work and family and I think we are doing okay.  We'll see how the rest of the year goes.

August

C loves his bananas! I love the way he is squatting like the Asian he is in the first shot.   

Feeding the fish at the Tiger Kingdom with Apo!

Checking out the elephants.  He loved them from afar, but definitely NOT up close.  :) 

It's been too long since we've had a mama and C picture.  He's gotten so big y'all!

C also LOVES his bubble maker...which he's since broken.  Sad.

C couldn't get enough of the rice.  Guess we don't feed him enough?!? HA!

Thank goodness for Apo bringing us some yummy food!

Just hanging in OUR driveway with some chalk. 

...All About C...

C is growing lots and is learning so much everyday.  He seems to pick up a new word daily and never ceases to surprise us with all that he can say and do.  Now that we are back at work after having spent all summer with him, it's crazy to see the changes a day can bring.

C is sleeping pretty well these days and even though he is still in our room, at least he is on his own mattress! That is improvement people! One day he may even be in his own room....but don't hold your breathe.  HA! He's napping twice a day still and sleeping fairly well through the night with only a couple of wake ups.  With all of the changes, the poor kid must be absolutely exhausted.

(Linking up with Our World Tuesday, P52 Sweet Shot Tuesday, Wednesdays Around The World, Little Things Thursday, 

Photo Story Friday, Favorite Photo Friday, Practicing Simplicity, Simple Things Sunday, and Sunday Snapshot.)

c in july

Since I've done such a poor job of blogging about the second half of 2014, I've decided to make it easier on myself and just put up some monthly highlights so that C won't think I completely forgot about him!

The rest of July has been a whirlwind of getting our house done before school started back up.  We got done just in time and were able to move in at the end of the month.  WOHOO!

July

Lots of coffee was consumed.

Fun glasses from Uncle Bert.

C loves to draw with chalk!

Bathing with all the ladies!

Watching the big girls play ball.

C singing in the rain!

...All About C...

C has been enjoying this last month at Apo and Kong Kong's house.  They have been loving on him a lot as we won't be neighbors for much longer.  We will totally miss this first home of ours, that's for sure!

(Linking up with Our World Tuesday, P52 Sweet Shot Tuesday, Wednesdays Around The World, Little Things Thursday, 

Photo Story Friday, Favorite Photo Friday, Practicing Simplicity, Simple Things Sunday, and Sunday Snapshot.)

c's 80th week

We have survived our first week back and C has loved being back home.  There have been a few early mornings/late nights, but the transition back to the time here in Chiang Mai has been much easier and smoother.  We've relaxed and enjoyed some down time and eaten some delicious food, which has been awesome.

July 8 - July 14

C loves listening to the radio at his Apo's house.

C started eating the apple whole this week.

...All About C...

C's been loving being back with his Apo and Kong Kong as well as all the other awesome people in his life.  He's enjoyed playing with the kids in the neighborhood and spending time with his Ayi.

The other highlight for C is also eating Asian food again.  He's been loving the rice and vegetables. We definitely have a little Asian boy on our hands!

(Linking up with Our World Tuesday, P52 Sweet Shot Tuesday, Wednesdays Around The World, Little Things Thursday, 

Photo Story Friday, Favorite Photo Friday, Practicing Simplicity, Simple Things Sunday, and Sunday Snapshot.)

c's 79th week

Our last week in North America was fabulous! We were able to enjoy so many great things that California and life in the States has to offer.  We ate lots of yummy foods (loved the mexican food truck nearby), went shopping a couple more times, and hung out with my brother.  The highlights though were definitely our day at DISNEYLAND and celebrating the 4th of July.

Disneyland was a treat we received from friends.  We basically went all day, from about 11am - 8pm.  It was exhausting, but so totally worth it! C really got into it and enjoyed all of the rides.  He only cried once on the carousel, which he road like a champ the second time round.  He took a nice long nap when we stood in line for our first time on It's a Small World, but couldn't stop pointing at everything he saw when we went on it again.  He napped in line, through the ride, and even long enough for Matt and I to go on a couple of roller coasters.  It was fabulous.  We hustled through the day and were able to go on about 15 rides.  The night ended with the amazing fireworks.  It was a really memorable day.  Can't wait to do it again when C's older!

We celebrated the 4th with my brother's friends.  It was the day before we had to leave, so it was all a bit hectic.  We went to Redondo Beach and had a fun party at his friend's house.  There was swimming, a bbq, delicious foods/snacks, and nice people.  Later in the evening, we also caught a firework show from the rooftop of where we were staying for the night.  C loved it all!

July 1 - July 7


Getting ready to enter Disneyland!


Let the fun begin!


Enjoying flying on Dumbo!

C loved it, honest.  He loved it so much, he fell asleep while waiting in line for It's a Small World! :)

Crying on the carousal.  

We went on about 15 rides, which is unheard of apparently! So fun!

Happy Fourth of July!

(How lame am I for only getting this one photo?!?)

...All About C...

C has been a trooper with all of the shopping we've done while in California.  It isn't always fun, but he's managed just fine.  Bert really helped us out as he took a day off to help watch C at the mall while Matt and I got our shopping on.  We bought a lot and were pretty fast with it all even if the guys don't think so! HA!

C's done a great job of meeting new people.  During this trip, he's had the chance to meet a lot of people and he's enjoyed everyone he's met.  Lots of credit goes to all of the amazing people we've met as they've got out of their way to include the three of us and make us all feel welcome.  Yay for new friends!

(Linking up with Our World Tuesday, P52 Sweet Shot Tuesday, Wednesdays Around The World, Little Things Thursday, 

Photo Story Friday, Favorite Photo Friday, Practicing Simplicity, Simple Things Sunday, and Sunday Snapshot.)