Tim and Janice + 2

The REAL perfect push-up

2011-11-04T09:52:00.000-05:00

What better way to enhance your workout than to strap a 2 yr old on your back?

The last 5 seconds is actually my favorite part of the video - like father like son :)

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-11T23:02:00.000-05:00

It's Pumpkin Patch Time!! Last year, we went to our neighborhood pumpkin patch with the Hunts, and we decided to make it a tradition by going together again this year! Hattie and Dillan had SUCH a good time running around and playing with each other. So cute that this year they could play WITH each other rather than just sit next to each other. They were calling each others' names and pulling wagons together. So precious!! Of course us parents went crazy with our cameras, and got lots of great shots :) We are definitely doing this again next year!

2010 - The kiddos were barely mobile

2011 - Look how they've grown!

Big Boy Bed

2011-10-11T23:00:00.004-05:00

We've been telling Dillan that he will need to start sharing his things with his future brother or sister, including his crib. A few weekends ago we made the transition to 'big boy' (twin size) bed. He was definitely excited about his newfound freedom of being able to climb out of his bed. The first few nights, it took him 2-3 hours to get to sleep, and we constantly heard the pitter patter of his feet running around on the hardwood floors in his room. Lots of monitoring, checking in, moving things out of his reach, bribes, and a few timeouts followed.

The novelty seemed to wear off by the 4th night though, as he was asleep within 30 minutes. Phew! We still sometimes find interesting objects (a flashlight, extra blankets, a pumpkin, band aids) in his bed when he wakes up in the morning or from a nap, so we know he still likes to explore his room. But he's pretty good about falling asleep in a decent amount of time. Funny thing was on saturday morning, he heard him wake up, get out of his bed, fling our bedroom door open, and yell 'Ding Dong! Wake up!' LOL. Such a comedian.

PS - forgot to mention that this bed is a Mah family heirloom - built from scratch by Grandpa Mah, used by several family members. Uncle Eric even autographed it in the corner of the bed with 'Eric '91'. Thanks for letting us use it, Grandma and Grandpa! We'll be sure to take great care of it!

Lake Highlands Oktoberfest

2011-10-11T10:11:00.001-05:00

We really love our neighborhood and its close-knit-community feel. A few weeks ago, there was an Oktoberfest held by the Lake Highlands Exchange Club about 10 minutes from our house, and we decided to take advantage of the nice fall weather and plethora of kids' activities. We also enjoyed food from local eateries - we had jalapeno cheddar sausages, wood fired pizza, and street tacos. YUM!!

Petting Zoo

Face Painting - he was so excited (but a little apprehensive)

And...it lasted about 10 minutes, when he accidentally rubbed it off

Balloon monkey! He loved that thing, but also accidentally popped it just a few hours later.
See a theme here?

Baby #2 - 31 weeks

2011-10-05T16:21:00.002-05:00

I realized that there are not too many posts about our upcoming family addition, so here is what's been going on with the pregnancy so far - at 31 weeks.

Baby is doing great. At this point, he/she is over 3 lbs and 17 inches. All the checkups have been 'textbook', according to my OB. Only slight concern is an iron-deficiency for me and we will get that checked again in a few weeks to determine if anything needs to be done. In the meantime, I'm eating lots of spinach, iron-fortified cereal, and taking iron supplements. We still have not found out the sex of the baby (even after much protest from friends and family). Baby is very active and kicking a LOT, especially during the later afternoon and evening times.

Although I'm measuring appropriately at the dr's office, I seem to look (and feel) much further along in my pregnancy. My doctor says this is completely normal, especially for 2nd time pregnancies. But I am still pretty sensitive about the daily comments I get from strangers and coworkers about how 'big' I am and questions on whether I am having twins or if I'm due any day now. I know that people don't mean any ill-will, but no woman really wants to be told that she looks 'big', pregnant or not. Here's a comparison from my first pregnancy to this one. You can be the judge whether I look 'huge' or not.

Pregnant with Dillan at 30 weeks

Pregnant with Baby #2 at 31 weeks

Dillan has been interested in the baby, but not TOO much. He understands that he needs to be careful around me cause there's a baby in my belly. Every night, we pray for health of baby and mommy. He likes to give my belly hugs and kisses, and often asks if baby can come out to play. He also once asked if the baby was going to come out of my belly button. Yikes! A little early for that conversation - I quickly diverted his attention to something else. We ask him if he thinks it's going to be a baby boy or a baby girl, and most of the time he says 'baby girl'. And recently, he's started calling him/her 'baby bop' :)

Dillan using mommy's belly as a pillow

Our family of 3.5 :)

First Day of School - 2 yr class

2011-09-02T14:17:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was the first day of Dillan's second year at Mother's Day Out at Heights Baptist Church Child Development Center. He really loves going there, and all the teachers there are super sweet and very helpful. Last year he was in a class with other kiddos that were within a few months of his age. This year, he is going to school 3 times a week (instead of two), and all the two year olds are in the same class. I'm hoping that he will learn from some of the 'older twos' (potty training!). We'll see!

He wanted to carry the backpack all by himself this year!

It was too heavy at first - and he kept falling over!

Here we are outside of his classroom

He was a little apprehensive at first, but after recognizing the classroom that we had visited a few days earlier for Meet the Teacher, he walked right in and started playing with the other kids. He had a great first day!

Cooking Project - "Pinches"

2011-08-31T14:00:00.000-05:00

Inspired by a friend who does lots of fun projects with her toddler, I thought that it would be fun to start doing some kitchen projects with Dillan. I looked up some easy kid-friendly recipes and found these crescent poppers that I knew he would love to eat. He really enjoyed helping me! He kept calling them 'pinches' cause I told him to help me 'pinch' the corners together. It was a super easy project using just store-bought crescent rolls, cut up hot dogs, and cheese. Only problem was that Dillan kept trying to eat all the ingredients before we finished making them :)

All ready to help!

Putting the stuffing down. The recipe suggested to cut each pre-cut triangle in half to make bite-sized poppers.

Before Pinching...

Pinch!

He got distracted halfway through when he found my sunglasses.

Look what I made!

Finally finished without eating TOO many cheese cubes and hot dogs

Waiting for them to bake...

Done!

Tasting the treasures of his hard work! He kept saying "Mmmmm...delicious!" :D

Indoor Safari Park

2011-08-30T13:12:00.001-05:00

I took a few days off work before Dillan started school for some Dillan and Mommy time, and we had our first experience at Indoor Safari Park with Lucas and Auntie Ann! It was a rare day where it was not too crowded, and the two of them almost had the place to themselves. They had TONS OF FUN!!

Our playdate started off with lunch at Chick Fil A!

Off to ISP!

Lucas showing Dillan how it's done

They had all this fun stuff for them to do

They even had 'safari animal' rides!

TRAIN! Everyone's favorite!

WHEEE!

Dillan played at the train tables for like 20 minutes (that's years in toddler time)

Good example of how Lucas and Dillan play together: Dillan tries to copy what Lucas does, and ends up giggling nonstop

Brittany's Baby Shower

2011-08-22T16:17:00.000-05:00

I had the pleasure of helping host a Dessert Baby Shower for my friend Brittany, who is having TRIPLETS! Tim works with her husband Jake at First B, and we've gotten to know each other well through bible study these past few months. She is due a few weeks after I am in December, and we were so excited to shower her and the babies with lots of gifts and words of encouragement.

Dessert spread

My first attempt at making decorative poms - super easy and fun!

Check out this awesome homemade cake by Vanessa with layers that perfectly matched Brittany's nursery colors - Pink, Blue, Green, and Brown!

Rice Krispie Baby Rattles - Thanks Tim for helping me make these :)

Here are the babies! Luke, Joshua, and Emily

Gift Opening time

Can you believe there are FIVE pregnant women in our bible study? Ranging from 34 weeks to 18 weeks!

Congrats Brittany! We are praying for you and the babies!!

Summer Weddings

2011-08-21T12:24:00.000-05:00

This summer we had the pleasure of attending several weddings - mostly younger siblings of family friends. It's the next generation of weddings!!

Karen and Alex - 05.28.11

Didn't get any good pictures of the bride/groom, unfortunately :(

But here's one with Dillan, Pau Pau and Gung Gung!

Kara and Chibong - 06.04.11

Tim making some type of joke about our Marina and my burgeoning bellies

Super Cute flower girl Faith + Mommy Alicia :)

Mike and Stephanie 07.03.11

Jeremy and Syrinda - 08.06.11

Houston Trip - time with kids

2011-08-14T12:53:00.000-05:00

I will never get tired of seeing my kids play with my friends' kids. There is just something so heart-warming and fun about it! When we went to Houston for Jeremy's wedding, we had a chance to hang out with the Engs and finally meet Baby Stan!! What. a. cutie. I love his chunky thighs and sweet smile!

We were also so glad we were able to attend Penny's birthday party - Happy 2nd Birthday, Penelope!!

Dillan's Birthday Celebrations - Part 2

2011-07-31T10:23:00.000-05:00

For Dillan's 2nd Birthday, we had his party at a splashpark in our neighborhood, since he loved going to the one in corpus so much. Thanks to everyone who braved the 100+ degree temperature and came out to play. It was a lot of fun, and we enjoyed hanging out with all our friends and the kiddos. Dillan had an absolute BLAST!!

Waiting in the car on the way to the party. He was super excited!

Splash!!

Patrick and Andrew joining in on the fun

Adorable Hattie + Daddy

The party favors turned out to be a hit!

Can't get enough of Grandma's cupcakes...

Boys...

Showing off those muscles...classic.

Hanging with the fam

Dillan's Birthday Celebrations - Part 1

2011-07-15T09:50:00.000-05:00

Dillan got a fantastic birthday present this year - he got Hand, Foot, Mouth disease the day before his party! :( So unfortunately, we had to postpone his birthday party by a few weeks, but we still had a family celebration on the actual day of his birthday. I don't think he minded the double celebration.

Part 1 - Family Dinner on 07.11 at Spring Creek BBQ:

Dillan turns TWO!!

2011-07-08T09:38:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Dillan!! Can you believe he is TWO already?! He has been such a blessing to our family with his constant love of laughter and playful personality. These days he is constantly coming up with ways to entertain himself and us, and is in complete Parrot mode by repeating everything we say. Of course, with his 'independent' personality also comes his fair share of picky-ness, whining, and tantrums. Ah, the life of a two-yr-old! Here is what he is up to these days:

- 27 lbs (50%), 35" (70%)
- calls himself 'DD'
- has abandoned his high chair and only wants to eat at his chair/table or at the big table with mom and dad
- wants to drink out of a 'big cup' (no lid) - but only under supervision at this point!
- chatterbox: nonstop talking, talking in short sentences. even said 'stethoscope' at his 2 yr Dr Appt!
- becoming mommy and daddy's helper and following directions (when he wants to)
- knows his ABCs (all except W :), numbers 1-10, colors, shapes
- plays well with others - LOVES playing and following older kids around
- is preparing to be a big brother!
- has a full set of teeth - final set of molars just came in
- starting to nap in a big bed

July 4th Weekend

2011-07-07T10:14:00.001-05:00

We had a great 4th of July weekend!! First we spent some time at the Nasher Sculpture museum with Auntie Fiona, Uncle Eric, and Cousin Ethan. On the 1st Saturdays of each month, Target sponsors an event for kids and admission is free! They had some pretty cool stuff for the kids to do!

A balloon-filled room!

Dillan was too young to go in the room, but Ethan and Uncle Eric explored!

Art project: Coloring Hats - the theme was creativity and the arts

Finished Product!

We also celebrated Grandma's birthday with a great family dinner, where we all pitched in and cooked.

Cooked dinner for Mom for once! Cedar Planked Salmon, Roasted Asparagus, and Sauteed Scallops

Birthday Card from the whole fam

We got her a vaccuum! I promise it's not a hint, she told us she wanted one!

Make a Wish!

Seattle Trip

2011-06-30T11:40:00.000-05:00

We visited the Su's in Seattle over the summer, and we had SUCH a wonderful time. Not only did we escape the 112 degree temps in TX, we spent some quality time with our good friends, and got to explore an awesome city! Since it was so beautiful in the Pacific Northwest, we took LOTS of pictures.

Day 1 - visited a beautiful waterfall nearby the Su's house

Happy10th Birthday, Thomas!!

Day 2 - Daytrip to Vancouver!

First Stop - Dim Sum!! These Ha Gows were humongous - and delicious!

We went to the Capilano Suspension Bridge - who knew there was a rainforest in Canada?!

Grrr!

Goofin' around with the boys

Exploring the trail

Cliffwalk bridge - awesome views!

Family Pics

Day 3 - Seattle Children's Museum, Space Needle, and family dinner

Day 4 - Exploring the city and Pike's Peak Market

Fish toss!

The food was GOOOOD...

Gum wall....gross, yet fascinating

We had so much fun!! Thanks Sus for being such great hosts!!

Corpus Christi

2011-06-16T10:14:00.001-05:00

Since the Lees are now back in the same state as us (yay!), we decided to make a trip to visit them for a weekend. Too bad Texas is such a BIG state, since it still took us 8 hours to drive there. Totally worth it though, cause we all had so much fun! Penny and Dillan spent some quality time together, and us parents got a ton of pictures for their future wedding slideshow :)

Frolicking in the backyard

We had to do it...bathtime shot!

Cuddle time :)

Trip to the Texas State Aquarium

Loving the underground view of the dolphins

Look who's in the aquarium?!

Sea Turtles....Dillan was a little freaked out

Dillan's first time in a splash park - LOVED IT!

Celebrated Auntie Ju Ju's 30th bday!! Love you!

Fort Worth Zoo

2011-05-21T10:18:00.015-05:00

Before it got too hot, we decided to venture out to the Fort Worth Zoo. Dillan had a blast and it was really great family time with the three of us.

Look at the White Tiger!

Petting the goat

Watching the animals so intently

Elephant Exhibit

Daddy's 30th and Easter pictures

2011-04-29T13:28:00.000-05:00

Tim turned the big 3-0 this year!! We celebrated with a dinner with friends at a Churascarria (Brazillian BBQ), opening presents, and dinner with the family at Grandma/Grandpa's house!

At Rafain with the gang

Dillan and Daddy

ooh...a cool new driver...

I have one too, Daddy!

Dillan chowing down on some ribs at Daddy's 2nd birthday dinner

Grandma made Key Lime Pie!!

Cousins in their dapper Easter Suits

Grandma feeding her grandsons some treats, as usual :)

Dillan with Pau Pau and Jo Jo

Hugs!

Pau Pau's Birthday Cookout...and some special news

2011-04-28T10:17:00.038-05:00

We celebrated a "BIG" birthday for Pau Pau with a family cookout in her Garden Oasis of a backyard. Uncle Jason also flew into town for the occassion, so it was really good family time!

Perfect Spring Picnic

Being a ham at dinner...performing 'Wheels on the Bus'

We got Pau Pau a photobook for her birthday...

Filled with pictures of her and Dillan

The last page had a sonogram picture

Wait...this isn't a sonogram of Dillan?

I'm going to be a grandma again!

Yes, we are expecting again! Baby Mah #2 is due December 6th, and we are choosing to not find out the gender. It will be a great surprise for everyone!! We are looking forward to having a playmate for Dillan and expanding our family even more :)

Happy Birthday Pau Pau!!

More tired than hungry...for once

2011-04-26T15:30:00.000-05:00

He nodded off with one hand still on a strawberry :)

NYC Trip

2011-04-04T10:14:00.000-05:00

It's been over four years since I've been back to my old stomping grounds, NYC. It was definitely a different experience going back with a toddler. But we had the best time with Peggy, Leo, and precious Kaitlyn. They were the most hospitable hosts, and K and D played really well together! Although D might have taught K some bad habits (sorry Pegs!)

Milk and Blues Clues Time

Central Park Family Pic

Look Ma! No Hands!

Slide Buddies

Us and our awesome hosts!

We also celebrated the marriage of Jon Jon and Kim at a beautiful wedding and reception. Dillan met a new friend who was absolutely smitten with him. Her mom said that later on she said...."I think that boy likes me. I think he wants to marry me." !!!!

Congrats Jon and Kim!

Dancing up a storm at the reception

The "Older Woman"

Ta Da!!

2011-04-01T17:56:00.002-05:00

Yes, even eating fruit constitutes evening entertainment at the Mah household

Lucas the Comedian

2011-03-16T15:58:00.000-05:00

We had some good friends over for dinner the other night, and the kiddos are finally at an age where they can really play with each other. They also provided our evening entertainment, as Lucas expertly made Dillan dissolve in a fit of giggles with his dramatic 'fall', complete with a leg kick up in the air. Absolutely love it! Hmm...I think I know where Lucas gets his flair for drama from :)

FORE!

2011-03-16T15:57:00.000-05:00

Following in Daddy's footsteps. I'm bracing myself for the green fees this kid is gonna be costing us :)

March - Arboretum fun

2011-03-15T10:09:00.000-05:00

Alright...here is my attempt to catch up on the last four months....blog blitz!!!

I took a day off of work in March, and had the most wonderful time at the arboretum with awesome friends Lucas and Ann!! Picnic lunch, lots of outdoor play, exploring the park - couldn't have asked for a better day :)

Lucas frollicking...love the tongue hanging out :)

HUGS!

One of my fav pics of Dillan

checkin out the beautiful flowers

Loving mommy and dillan time! (at least one of us does in this picture)

Bible..or Bah-bool

2011-03-10T15:50:00.000-06:00

Documenting Dillan's sudden attachment to his Goodnight Bible. He loves looking at all the pictures, and thinks that every character that looks like an old man (Noah, Moses, Samuel, Daniel, etc) is 'ooh-wah' (for Noah). He also thinks that Eve is 'mommy' because she has dark curly hair. Hmm, we're going to have to clear some things up for him...

sorry for the long video, editing videos from the fancy new digital camera is more difficult than the convenience of the (lower quality picture) iPhone

Dance Moves

2011-03-04T13:52:00.003-06:00

This kid REALLY loves music...and loves dancing to it too! Here are some of Dillan's moves from the last month or two:

Dancing to the Ice Cream Truck

Sorry I can't figure out how to get this to rotate, but it was too cute not to post

The Carlton

The Wave

Learning from Usher on TV

Muscle Man

2011-03-04T13:36:00.001-06:00

One of Dillan's latest 'tricks' that never fails to make us laugh...

PS - no, we don't typically let him go shirtless around the house - this was a pre-bathtime performance :)

What a Difference a Few Days Makes!

2011-02-05T11:08:00.001-06:00

While we had such beautiful weather over the weekend, a few days later, we encountered a 'winter storm', complete with freezing rain, 'thunder-sleet', ice, snow, and low temperatures in the single digits! I think it's the coldest it's been in recent memory. Dillan had a blast in the snow - he kept running around and playing. Definitely a different experience than last year, when he was not yet mobile.

We got almost 6" of snow!

Dillan kept saying 'nooooooo'! (for snow)

He loooved playing with the snow!

But did not enjoy getting snow on his face :(

Playground Fun

2011-02-01T16:26:00.003-06:00

We've only been able to enjoy playgrounds recently, as it has been either too hot or too cold since Dillan has been able to climb around. Last weekend we had a few gorgeous days and we spent some time at the playground at a nearby lake. It was really fun seeing him play and climb around with other kiddos, and made me appreciate our proximity to the lake and our awesome neighborhood.

New Playroom

2011-01-30T17:51:00.000-06:00

As Dillan's toys keep getting bigger and more plentiful due to his generous friends and family, we knew he needed a more dedicated playspace. We decided to re-arrange our house a bit and made our Den into Dillan's playroom, and converted the 'formal' living room into our tv/family room (what were we thinking with a 'formal' living room anyways?!) After a few trips to IKEA, and an evening or two of assembly and moving, our house has evolved a bit to fit the needs of our growing family better.

Playing in our new playroom!

Dillan calling Mommy

New Family Room

Hook'em!

2011-01-29T21:36:00.000-06:00

Dillan can finally show his allegiance to mom and dad's alma mater! I think he was feeling extra school spirit in his UT pajamas and matching Daddy at the same time :)

Cousin Ethan turns TWO

2011-01-19T22:57:00.001-06:00

We traveled up to Tulsa to celebrate Cousin Ethan's 2nd birthday and had a blast at his Painting Party! Dillan and Ethan are definitely playing more 'with' each other these days, although they still get in a few scuffles over sharing toys now and then. Hopefully this phase will pass and they will be BFFs in no time :)

Let the Painting begin!

Creative Juices are Flowing

Paint-sharing

Whoops!

Nice and Messy

Cleanup

who knew? toddlers are naturals

the kiddos and their Masterpiece

Happy Birthday Ethan!

Cupcake Monster

Family Pic

Awww...they do love each other

Eighteen Months!

2011-01-11T10:04:00.008-06:00

Dillan has grown so much since his last checkup - he is now a very busy, very active, very verbal eighteen month-old! The last few months have been by far the most accelerated in terms of growth and development. Someone told me that this period is called 'Language explosion' and boy, is that right! A few months ago, Dillan could say a few words here and there, but when we tried to teach him new words, he would mainly stare blankly back. Now, he is learning at least one or two new words or sounds every day! We are totally enjoying this really fun age, as he learns to communicate so much more effectively with us now. As expected, he is also becoming Mr. Independent, and wants to do everything 'his' way, resulting in some pretty interesting battle of wills at the Mah household. We are learning more about the disciplining and boundary-enforcing part of parenting these days! At eighteen months, Dillan is:

- 25 lbs 7 oz and 33" tall
- saying a TON of new words: moon, football, star, teacher, turtle, juice, josh, yellow, no, bible, and many others
- loves making animal sounds - funny how many versions of 'rar' he can make for different animals
- nods head yes and no
- starting to learn his alphabet - his favorites: A, Y and B
- learning his colors - thinks everything is lell-o (yellow) at the moment
- loves playing with balls - kicking, throwing, hitting with a play golf club, etc
- starting to get picky with food, but still eating lots
- getting introduced to potty training (still a long ways away, but it's a start!)
- enjoys dancing and bopping head to music
- started Mother's Day Out 2 days a week
- LOVES watching football with Daddy
- self-feeding with a spoon
- enjoys scribbling and decorating papers (and people) with stickers
- favorite toys: trains, blocks, gears, stackable cups
- favorite books: anything with elmo, Goodnight Bible, Noah's Ark, Monkey pop-up book

'Doctor' Dillan at his checkup

Cuddling with Grandpa

Getting into trouble in Grandma's kitchen

Balloons!

Clowning around

First Day of School

2011-01-06T12:27:00.000-06:00

We decided to enroll Dillan in a Mother's Day Out program so that he could get some more social interaction with other kiddos and to give Grandma a bit of a break. Although we had been planning it for a while, I still could not believe our baby was going off to "school"!

He was a little shell-shocked at all the things going on at school at first...

Not a terribly exciting video, but definitely a memory I won't forget!

He did great on his first day - his teachers said he was pretty cooperative and happy, ate all his lunch and took a nap. He's all grown up now!

Independent play

2010-11-03T21:19:00.000-05:00

Thank goodness that Dillan is getting pretty independent and is content playing by himself for a little while. Today, we found him happily enjoying a book....underneath his laundry hamper :)

And...we're back! Dillan 15 months

2010-11-02T09:40:00.001-05:00

Chillin at his 15 month Appt

So sorry about not posting for the past three months! As you may have noticed, the second Dillan started walking, life got a LOT busier. I'll be slowly posting (and back-dating) some entries about our summer, but I thought I'd fill you in on some of the things Dillan has been up to at FIFTEEN months:

- 23 lbs 9 oz (50%), 31.5" tall (60%)
- ALL over the place - walking, running, climbing
- saying a handful of words: mama, dada, what's that? duck, bao bao ('hug' in chinese)
- has 15 teeth - they started sprouting like crazy after his birthday!
- favorite foods: bananas, cheese (still), yogurt, broccoli - eats pretty much anything that he can chew
- starting to use utensils
- new baby signs: dog, hat, thank you, please, milk, eat, pray
- can point to body parts when asked: nose, ears, eyes, tongue, teeth, feet, belly (my favorite)
- is becoming attached to his blankie (or any blankie actually)
- loves making sounds for monkey, cookie monster
- obsessed with hats
- favorite toys: cars, balls, shape sorter, books
- slowly transitioning from two naps to one
- started getting time outs for throwing food, touching electronics :(

Poor dillan :(

2010-07-30T23:04:00.000-05:00

Shortly after his birthday party, Dillan caught Hand Foot Mouth Disease :(
Don't worry, it wasn't as bad as it sounded. Really just fever and rash all over his face, hands, and feet. Thankfully it was a mild case and no blisters. He just didn't look as cute as he usually does!

Dillan's Birthday Party

2010-07-27T22:53:00.049-05:00

Dillan's birthday party was a blast! Filled with family and friends, he had a fantastic time. We are so thankful to everyone who made our first year of parenthood bearable and enjoyable with help, advice, and support!

We had a party at Pau Pau and Wai Gung's house with both Grandparents on Dillan's actual birthday

Grandmas and Dillan

Dillan doesn't know it yet, but he's about to taste cake for the first time!

YUM!

Yay! We survived the first year :)

Kisses for the Birthday Boy

We then had his big birthday Pool Party with friends and the rest of the family a few weeks later at Grandma and Grandpa Mah's house

Enjoying the water

Playing with Baby Patrick - they had the cutest matching monkey swim trunks!

Digging into the awesome Birthday Cake from Grandma!

COOL birthday hat made by Auntie Fiona and delicious cupcakes for the rest of us

Picture mural of Dillan's first year

Blurry Family Pic

Opening Presents the next day

GGP

2010-07-20T21:23:00.004-05:00

Our dear GGP (Great Grand Pa) passed away on July 1st, 2010. He was a loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather whose joy in life was being around his family. At every opportunity, he insisted on treating the grandkids out to lunch or dinner at one of his many favorite restaurants. He always looked forward to when any of the family was coming into town and asked about each of his grandkids and great-grandkids often. We knew he loved us all very much.

Dillan is so lucky to have spent his first year of life with GGP. Seeing GGP would always bring a smile to Dillan's face. They seemed to have a special connection that only seems to exist between babies and the elderly. Every day, they would have 'Dillan and GGP time' and spend some precious moments with just the two of them. They would have 'conversations' back and forth, that only they understood. GGP loved sitting next to Dillan in the car, playing with him and taking care of him. He was always concerned and looking out for Dillan as he grew from tiny infant to rambunctious toddler.

We miss you, GGP. We look forward to seeing you again one day.

Walking!

2010-07-17T23:41:00.003-05:00

Like Father, Like Son

2010-07-13T00:37:00.008-05:00

I come home from work one Friday, and it's really quiet. I wonder where everyone is...

this is what I find in the bedroom :)

Happy Birthday Dillan!!!

2010-07-11T00:01:00.005-05:00

Can't believe our little boy is ONE YEAR OLD! Exactly one year ago today, our lives changed forever as this sweet little boy entered our lives. Never would I have imagined it would be so fun, challenging, fulfilling, exhausting, or rewarding to be a parent. I clearly remember a moment in the hospital, holding Dillan for one of the first times after a very long day of labor and delivery, when everyone had left and Tim had fallen asleep (why was HE tired?!). I was finally able to take it all in, that this tiny baby in my arms was finally here, and I remember wondering what he would be like. Well one year later, Dillan is this rambunctious, happy, giggling little boy and has brought us tremendous joy and purpose in our lives. We are so very thankful of the blessings that God has provided in our family, and pray that His guidance will continue to be with us.

Here's what Dillan has been up to at ONE year old:

- weighs 22.1 lbs, 29.5 inches
- switched to cow's milk and no more bottles!
- loves to wave hi and bye and blow kisses
- baby signs 'more', 'all done', and 'water'
- points to everything
- loves ceiling fans and lights
- first actual word: a-dat? (for 'what's that?')
- took his first steps at 11.5 months! Still not 100% steady, but walking a good 10-15 steps at a time!
- losing some of that chub :(
- got his molars in! Two on the bottom and the upper ones are coming in any day now

Check out how much I've grown in one year!

One Day Old

One Month

Two Months

Three Months

Four Months

Five Months

Six Months

Seven Months

Eight Months

Nine Months

Ten Months

Eleven Months

ONE year!

Diaper Wedgie

2010-07-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

hee hee

Happy Birthday Grandma!

2010-07-04T21:54:00.001-05:00

We celebrated Grandma's birthday over 4th of July. Dillan is so lucky that Grandma takes such good care of him every day - playing with him, teaching him new skills, and spoiling him with yummy food. Nothing is too good for Grandma's Dill-weed :)

Grandma with her grandbabies

Mah boys and Mah mama

The whole fam

Eleven Months

2010-06-17T21:54:00.000-05:00

Eleven months! So hard to believe that Dillan is almost a year old. As we head towards the one year mark, we thank God every day for a healthy, happy, and very curious little boy. It seems like every day he learns or tries something new, and it's so fun to watch him figure out how the world works.

Here are some updates on the past month:

- 22 lbs-ish and losing some of that baby chub :(
- full on crawling (like a crab), pulling up, cruising, and climbing with no fear
- waving hi and bye
- starting to stand for a few seconds on his own
- smacks his lips when we do kisses now and is working on blowing kisses
- learned to crawl up stairs
- has developed this crazy high-pitched scream - both when happy and mad
- got his first pair of shoes
- starting to do baby sign for 'more'
- went swimming for the first time and loved it
- got his first professional haircut
- current favorite foods: cheese and strawberries
- totally into books - favorites are Hungry Little Caterpillar and Cowboy Joe
- always exploring everything - leaves no cabinet or drawer untouched
- still loves Tucker and giggles and tries to pet him all the time
- 2 naps, 4 nursings/bottles, and 3 full meals per day

The monthly Bevo picture has been harder and harder to capture. This month, we decided instead of making Dillan pose next to Bevo, we would have Bevo follow Dillan. Here are some adventures of Dillan and Bevo:

Chillin'

stealing toys from Bevo

Storytime with Bevo

Picking Bevo's nose (learned that one from Daddy)

Pulling Bevo's hair

Child's pose

2010-06-13T20:55:00.000-05:00

We find Dillan asleep in this position ALL the time. It doesn't look very comfortable to me, but he obviously doesn't seem to mind. Guess this where they got the name for the yoga pose :) Does anyone else find their kiddo sleeping in this strange position?

Uh oh...

2010-06-10T21:34:00.010-05:00

Look who figured out how to climb stairs...

I'm really glad we live in a one-story house.

Reunion!

2010-06-08T21:11:00.000-05:00

Penny and Dillan reunited when Julie and Penny came from Cali for a TX visit. It was so fun to see the two of them together again. What a difference a few months makes! They have both grown so much since our visit in February, and the differences between girl and boy personalities were even more evident. The mamas also had some quality BFF time together, with a girls' night out :) We wish we could hang out with them all the time and miss them so much already!

Summertime Fun

2010-06-06T20:29:00.003-05:00

We kicked off summer with a pre-memorial day swimming at friend Lucas's house. It was Dillan's first time in the pool and he had so much fun! He loved splashing around.

Here he is at our neighborhood block party a week later. We thought he would just stick his feet in, but ended up plopping right down in the water for some more splash time. I'm sure this will be the first of many pool adventures, since it's the best way to escape this crazy TX heat!

First REAL Haircut

2010-05-28T20:55:00.001-05:00

So after many complaints from several aunties (and both grandmas), we decided to get Dillan a 'real' professional haircut. We took him to our awesome family hair stylist, Chi (who has been doing my hair for almost 15 years!), and he did great! Her gentle touch was just the thing to keep him calm.

Before...

during...

After!

So sad...he doesn't look like a baby anymore...he looks like a boy! My baby is growing up so fast :(

Crab Crawl

2010-05-24T23:24:00.000-05:00

Dillan isn't truly crawling yet...and we have a feeling that he might not ever do it, since he still prefers to stand/cruise/walk with a walker over 'crawling'. but he does have his own version of crawling - we call it the crab crawl. He's not super fast (thankfully), but it gets him where he needs to go. And always cracks us up :)

Ten Months

2010-05-11T21:29:00.000-05:00

What a difference a month makes! We tried taking the usual seated picture of Dillan next to Bevo, but the little guy would not sit still long enough for us to capture the moment! Instead he was constantly in motion, wanting to pull himself up and stand or roll around, which pretty much describes life with our 'squirmy worm' these days. This picture was the best we could do

This month, Dillan:
- forgot to get weighed - oops!
- is cruising around furniture like a pro
- scooching/crawling backwards
- has decided that he prefers table food to yucky baby food
- discovered a slight allergy to egg
- took a trip to Tulsa
- had his first haircut
- got his first cold
- can pick up toys from the ground while standing
- had his baby dedication
- loves to babble bababadadadpapapa (but still no 'mama'!)

Some fun pics from this past month:

I love Grandma

baby model Dillan striking a pose

Showin off the muscles

happy dillan + happy daddy

Loves wearing mama's shades

Mother's Day and Baby Dedication

2010-05-10T23:14:00.000-05:00

My first Mother's Day was great! I feel so blessed and humbled to be a mother, and know that Dillan is truly a gift from God. I love watching him grow, change and learn everyday, and I love that motherhood constantly teaches me so many things about myself.

We first celebrated on Saturday with a delicious brunch with a few friends with new kiddos too.

Mommy and Dillan

All the Mamas and their Babies after a belly full of brunch buffet

On Sunday, not only did we celebrate Mother's day, but we also celebrated Dillan's baby dedication! We were so honored to make a commitment to raise Dillan in a Christ-centered environment in front of our AABC family, and were so encouraged to have everyone's prayers and support in doing so.

Dedication Service with both sides of the family

Thanks Lins for coming to support us!

Family Pic with Pau Pau and Wai Gung

Tulsa Time

2010-05-05T21:26:00.002-05:00

We took an impromptu family trip to Tulsa and visited Uncle Eric, Auntie Fiona, Cousin Ethan, and the Sus. We had so much fun hanging out, Farmer's Market-ing, and Bike Riding. Dillan and Ethan are finally interacting with each other more and they were so cute together (esp the bike ride). Perfect weekend with friends and family!

Matching cousins watching Sesame Street Podcasts :)

Dillan playing with Ethan's cool ATV car

Too busy playing to put any pants on...

Double Daddy Diaper Duty

Scoring a Deal at the farmer's market

Go Thomas! We attended his Tae Kwon Do demo and saw him in action

Mah Family Bike Ride

Cousins in the bike trailer at the beginning of the ride -

so happy with their cheerios and sippy cups

Poor Ethan was not feeling so well halfway through and spent the entire ride home crying :(

Guess the crying lulled Dillan to sleep as he was trying to console his cousin :D

Daddy's 29th and Pau Pau's 29th+

2010-04-26T23:24:00.000-05:00

Happy 29th Birthday to Daddy! Lots of celebration and fun times. We had birthday brunch with the whole family, and then Dillan helped dad open presents at home. We also spent some time enjoying the awesome weather at a nearby lake before having a yummy dinner at Fogo.

The next day was Pau Pau's birthday, and we celebrated with a wonderful BBQ in her newly renovated outdoor 'garden oasis'.

First Hair-trim

2010-04-21T23:22:00.000-05:00

As much as we love Dillan's hair, it was getting a little too shaggy on the sides and was itching his ears. He also started getting mistaken for a girl, and we definitely can't have that happen. So we got Grandma to give him a bit of a trim.

Don't worry, not too much was taken off, we're still goin for the Justin Bieber look :)

Happy Birthday Lucas!

2010-04-17T23:22:00.001-05:00

Dillan was invited to his buddy Lucas's 2nd Bubble-themed Birthday Bash, complete with delicious food, bubble machine, lots of friends, and a big ole cake! We had a great time :)

Birthday Boy

Dillan sat there and got a faceful of bubbles,

while Lucas and Joshua chased bubbles around him

Dillan seemed more interested in chewing Lucas's bus

All the kiddos gathered to sing Happy Birthday to Lucas

What an awesome cake!

Nine Months

2010-04-15T22:20:00.005-05:00

Dillan is nine months! This month, Dillan is starting to show more and more personality, as he will surely tell us when he's happy with squeals, giggles, and babbles, as well as promptly informing us when he is not so happy with whines and rapidly shaking his head 'no'. He is quite the expressive boy :)

At nine months, Dillan:
- is officially 20 lbs 13 oz (guess our scale at home isn't that accurate)
- is learning to drink with a straw
- is up to three meals of solids a day and loves table food
- has finally taken an interest in being mobile - scooching and turning and reaching
- pulled up to knees and then feet
- enjoys standing while holding onto furniture
- celebrated his first Easter holiday with the family
- is clapping his hands and giving high fives (more like slow/soft fives)
- likes: seeing himself in the mirror and blowing raspberries
- dislikes: getting his face/nose wiped

At the doctor's office for his 9 month checkup

Waving after pulling himself up to his knees for the first time

...and then to his feet a few days later

started turning and pivoting and reaching...precursor to crawling?

LOVES when daddy tosses him in the air

Always on his feet

Easter

2010-04-10T23:20:00.000-05:00

Dillan's first easter was so special! We were very excited to attend an Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, where Dillan 'hunted' (or sat there and reached) for eggs with lots of other kiddos.

Hanging out at the party with Auntie Ann

hunting for eggs...they were not too hard to find :)

Family Pic

Walking around with Daddy

Lucas...such a ham :D

Our gracious hosts, the Hungs

On Sunday we had family brunch over at Grandma and Grandpa Mah's house, where Dillan was able to see the whole family and play with his cousin Ethan. What a perfect way to celebrate Christ's Resurrection!

Ethan and Dillan in their Easter Sunday Best

Playing with Pau Pau

Staredown with Wai Gong

Everyone loves Easter Eggs

Pai Pai Soh

2010-03-31T09:53:00.000-05:00

For those of you non-mandarin speakers, that funny phrase I keep repeating ("Pai pai soh") means "Clap your Hands" in Mandarin. I know there's very little hope that Dillan will be fluent in Chinese (I wouldn't even call myself fluent) but for some reason, I have a propensity to teach him little chinese phrases. Maybe it's an effort to instill *some* chinese culture in him. Or maybe I just think it's cute.

zoom zoom

2010-03-29T22:26:00.008-05:00

Springtime Weather

2010-03-22T22:45:00.001-05:00

Last week, we had some beautiful spring weather, and we took advantage by visiting the Dallas Arboretum. Apparently, we weren't the only ones who thought that was a good idea - it was packed! We fought through the crowds and were able to enjoy the beautiful tulips and daffodils and got some good pictures and great family time with Pau Pau.

Exactly seven days later, we had snow! And lots of it! Hopefully it will be the last snowfall of the year - we want to enjoy the outdoors some more before it gets to be 100 degrees here :)

Eight Months

2010-03-21T10:34:00.000-05:00

Dillan continues to delight us with his sweet, giggly personality. He is definitely starting to show us that he is all BOY - with his mischevous grins, dislike for being smothered with kisses, and love for banging on things. We are so enjoying this age, and it's fascinating to watch him learn and grow at lightning speed. At eight months, Dillan:

- weighs 21-ish pounds
- has six teeth: four on top, two on bottom
- likes drinking water from a sippy cup
- eats lots of pureed veggies and fruits
- is working on the pincer grasp - about 1 out of 5 cheerios successfully make it in his mouth
- may have some food allergies: peanuts and shellfish (just a theory)
- is always babbling - first pseudo phrase: "Heyyy Dada!"
- starting to respond to "ching ching" (chinese for kiss) by giving slobbery open mouth kisses
- hair is getting long...but just on the sides. we think it's quite fashionable :)
- loves being on his feet still
- really hates being on his stomach, so we think he might skip crawling
- can't get enough of the exersaucer (thanks, Sus!)
- had his first plane ride and met his girlfriend Penny in California
- loves when mom sings and dances with him
- enjoys getting lunchtime visits from mom now that work is only 2 minutes from Grandma's house!

Cheerios...nom nom nom

2010-03-04T18:29:00.001-06:00

Penelope + Dillan = PeneDillan

2010-03-01T22:29:00.002-06:00

These babies are just too cute - I just had to devote an entire blog entry of pictures of just the two of them. Julie and I even had a "photo shoot" with all their matching outfits. Yes, we are crazy mommies, but hey, we had to take advantage of their cuteness and the fact that we don't get to see each other that often. Get ready for some baby overload...

First meeting - they love each other already!

Morning Playtime

Imagine them in a hot air balloon...
...it was funnier when we thought of it

Small Paul Monkeys

Chillin' in their shades

Surf and Sand Fun

Relaxing by the Water

Naptime!

Silly Hats

Life is Good :D

All dressed up for a night on the town

Ready for a Swim

The Bibs say it all :)

Birthday Suits!

California Dreamin'

2010-02-25T22:18:00.003-06:00

We took a vacation to Orange County, CA to visit BFF Julie, Wai and baby Penelope. It was so much fun! Dillan and Penny met for the first time, and instantly loved playing with each other. Although we had a such a good time hanging out, shopping, going to the beach, eating at fun restaurants and meeting up with friends and family, I would have been just as happy to just sit and watch the babies playing with each other all day. They were SO CUTE! Here are some highlights from our trip:

First plane ride - California, here we come!

Love at first sight <3

Dillan and Penny meeting for the first time

Taking a break while shopping

Dillan meets Maggie - and tries to go for a ride :)

All ready for the beach!

Mah Family Pic

Lee Family Pic

The ocean was BEAUTIFUL

Matt came and hung out with us

Triple Date!

Happy Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year!

2010-02-17T22:44:00.005-06:00

This year, Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year fell on the same day so there were lots of celebrations. Mommy and Daddy celebrated Valentine's Day at the NBA All-Stars game while Pau Pau and Wai Gung took Dillan to a New Year's party. Everyone had fun :)

Daddy and Dillan opening their Valentine's Gifts

Dillan was Mommy's Valentine :)

Dillan wanted to eat his Red Envelope from Pau Pau

A night out at the NBA All Star game at Cowboys Stadium

LOL

2010-02-16T15:33:00.000-06:00

Most of the time, Dillan will laugh in response to someone's laugh. Especially if it's Auntie Ann's infectious laugh :)

Snow Day

2010-02-12T22:44:00.000-06:00

We had record breaking snowfall on Dillan's 7 month birthday - 11+ inches in one day!! I honestly do not recall ever having near that amount of snow in Dallas. Not sure if Dillan will even see anything like it in the future.

Seven Months

2010-02-11T23:26:00.000-06:00

Dillan is seven months old! We are so enjoying him at this age as he is getting more independent and showing his bursting personality with giggles and squeals at everything. This month, Dillan:

- weighs 20ish pounds
- has four teeth - two on bottom, two on top
- started baby sign language (not much reaction yet, just a ton of repetition on our part)
- responds by putting up his arms when we say 'bao bao' (chinese for 'pick me up')
- loves eating solids: rice cereal, sweet potatoes, carrots, but green beans not so much
- enjoys standing while holding onto something
- attended his first birthday party
- is starting to get attached to mommy and daddy

Here are some fun pictures from this past month:

Still a thumb sucker

Standing up

Snuggling with Daddy on a lazy Saturday

Happiest when eating

More Friends

2010-02-10T22:52:00.000-06:00

Elijah came back to visit before going overseas, and we had to have another photo session. Compare how much they've grown!

Dillan had a 'date' with Miss Hattie, our neighbor who is just a few weeks younger than him. They even tried to give each other a hug :)

Uncle Michael came to visit while passing through Dallas on his cross-country move. He's one of a handful of people who have seen both Dillan and his future gf Penny.

Green beans - NG!

2010-02-06T23:24:00.000-06:00

We're starting green vegetables this week. Apparently green beans are

not as palatable as sweet potatoes.

Eating...another type of solid

2010-02-03T22:40:00.001-06:00

I know almost every baby does this, but it still cracks us up whenever Dillan gnaws on his toes. Especially funny since I really despise feet - adult feet, at least. Baby's feet are just too cute to despise :)

Mommy or Daddy?

2010-02-01T23:00:00.001-06:00

When Dillan was born, EVERYONE said he looked just like Daddy. But these days, more people are saying that he's looking more like Mommy. What do you think?

Baby Dillan and Baby Tim

Baby Dillan and Baby Janice

First taste of sweet potatoes-yum!!

2010-01-22T21:28:00.000-06:00

So good he smeared it all over his face and started licking his bib :)

Happy 1st Birthday, Cousin Ethan!

2010-01-16T22:45:00.001-06:00

Cousin Ethan celebrated his first birthday with a monster-themed birthday bash. It was so much fun! Great party for a special BIG boy. We love you, Ethan! XOXO

Birthday Boy with his cool "Where the Wild Things Are"-esque hat

Birthday Cake and Cupcakes made by Fiona and Grandma

Ethan got to enjoy the soy-free/dairy-free cake all by himself :)

Monster-y party hats for the kids

Dillan getting into the party spirit

Edible crafts for the kids

Party kiddos

Eating Solids

2010-01-15T22:46:00.019-06:00

Finally the moment Dillan's been waiting for...his first taste of solid food. Well, that's if you count runny rice cereal as solid. Of course this momentous milestone was well documented:

Six months!

2010-01-11T19:11:00.016-06:00

Dillan is six months old! Wow, has time flown by. I was re-reading some of our old blog posts and can't believe how much Dillan has grown and changed in just half a year. He is starting to go from baby to little boy. Too fast!! I really love this age because he can sit and keep himself busy playing, but isn't mobile yet so he doesn't get into too much trouble. And everything makes him smile or laugh at this point. Fun stuff. At six months Dillan:

- officially weighs 18 lbs 11 oz (70%) and is 27 inches in length (70%)
- has some new tricks: blowing raspberries and sucking on toes
- is starting to respond to his name
- can happily entertain himself by sitting and playing with toys
- lunges and reaches for everything
- cut his first tooth!
- is still battling eczema :(
- has the green light from the pediatrician to start solids
- celebrated his first white Christmas

Bye Bye! See ya next month!

Dillan hearts Tucker

2010-01-05T23:03:00.000-06:00

People always ask how Tucker is doing with the addition of Dillan to our family. Until recently, our answer has been....he's been a little neglected. But now that Dillan is much more interactive, he LOVES Tucker! He just laughs and giggles at him all the time. Tucker is still a little apprehensive (he's a bit of a scaredy cat) - but he's warming up to him. Lots of sniffing.

Dillan and Friends

2010-01-04T23:05:00.001-06:00

Ethan taking advantage of being the older cousin :)

Gotcha Back!

2009 babies: Alicia with Faith, Fiona with Ethan, Janice with Dillan

Posing with the Daddies (Dillan's smile cracks me up!)

Lots of Generations of Ongs: Cousin Grace, Second Cousin Lucy, Cousin Madison, Dillan, and Grandma

All dressed up for a wedding in Houston

Dillan's First Christmas

2009-12-25T22:25:00.002-06:00

So I'm a little bit behind on the blogging. So here's my attempt at catching up - blog blitz!

This year we hosted Christmas Eve dinner with the Ong side of the family at our house for the first time. With snow falling outside, we had a delicious dinner of steaks (courtesy of chef Tim), and had gift opening time and then introduced my parents to Rock Band :)

White Christmas!

Uncle Jason made it through the snowstorm just in time for dinner

Yum! Dillan wants to eat with us!

Dillan enjoying all his gifts

Tucker got lots of edible christmas presents :)

Christmas Day was spent at the Mah household with a special appearance by Santa J, opening tons of presents, and a awesome prime rib dinner.

Family Pic in the snow

Picture time with Santa J!

Opening our sea of presents

Dinner time - see how much Tim loves prime rib?

If you ever have a bad day...

2009-12-22T15:03:00.000-06:00

this should cheer you right up. Baby giggles are the best!

Five Months

2009-12-11T21:29:00.001-06:00

Dillan is five months old! He is becoming quite the squirmy, curious little monkey and is ALL boy. This month, Dillan is:

- 19-ish lbs - getting heavy!
- No more rooster hair! He now has a floppy, Conan O'Brien-esque 'do
- Sitting up much better
- Figured out how to roll back and forth
- Loving peek-a-boo
- Reaches for and grabs everything in sight
- Teething - loves to chomp down on his toys, blankets, fingers
- Taking longer naps - no more catnaps
- Starting to be very interested in watching us eat...solids on the horizon?

Sitting 2.0

2009-12-10T22:25:00.000-06:00

Getting there!

SNOW!!

2009-12-04T21:58:00.000-06:00

Snow in Dallas in early December?!?! Time to get out the snowsuit!

Dillan wasn't so happy about that.

Baby's First Thanksgiving

2009-12-04T21:15:00.000-06:00

Dillan's first thanksgiving was packed! Between three turkey dinners, one sushi buffet, trips to the mall for Black Friday shopping, and lots and lots of family time, he had tons of fun. We are so very thankful for the many blessings that God has given to our family this year. A great pregnancy, lots of family and friends to support us, and of course an awesome little boy that delights and surprises us with new things every day.

Gotta love those cute holiday outfits :)

Hanging out with Uncle Jason

Having fun in the bouncer during Grandma's Thanksgiving Dinner

Playing around at lunch - he is ALWAYS missing a sock or two

4 months....3 weeks late

2009-12-03T23:07:00.000-06:00

These months are flying by! We've been having so much fun with our little Dillan that we haven't had time to post any blog entries! So...here are some very late 4 month stats. Hopefully the 5 month post will be a little more punctual :)

- 16 lbs, 13 oz (80%), 26.5" long (90%), 16.5" head circumference (50%)
- sleeping through the night 11-12 hours consistently (finally!)
- rolling over from back to tummy like a pro...but then can't figure out how to roll back and gets stuck
- found his toes
- all smiles and giggles
- working on sitting up
- had his first bout of rashy but (thankfully) not itchy Eczema
- drooling buckets, but not teething yet - according to the dr
- loving being with Grandma while mom is at work
- got to dress up for halloween

Some highlights of Dillan's 4th month:

AABC 2009 babies and their daddies

Dillan got to hang out with "Lady GA" (Great Aunt) Jennie who visited from California

The hair is getting crazier...

Watching the ABCs on YouTube with Grandma :)

Happy Baby!

Rolling Over!

2009-11-09T21:48:00.003-06:00

Dillan rolled over from back to tummy yesterday! And just 3 days shy of 4 months. I've never been so proud of him. I think I was even more excited because I was able to catch it on video. I still can't get a good video of him rolling from tummy to back - too bad he can't do it on command. Maybe Tucker can teach him a few things :)

Sitting Up...sorta

2009-11-08T20:50:00.004-06:00

Here's Dillan "sitting up". He's really just leaning forward on his big belly, but hey, it's a start :)

Play Date at the Park

2009-11-07T22:43:00.000-06:00

Dillan meeting cutie pie Miss Riley for the first time

'Sup?

Lucas showing the little ones how it's done.

Lucas wishing he could still fit in an infant carrier

Biggest Spit Bubble EVER

2009-11-07T22:00:00.003-06:00

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T23:07:00.003-05:00

Baby Corn...get it?

Family Pic at the halloween block party

Dillan with Lucas in the COOLEST, prize-winning Elvis costume ever

He tried on one of Lucas's leftover costumes - not too happy about the headgear

Baby Corn Dillan and Ethan-Bear

Hanging out with Pau Pau in his halloween outfit

Grandparents and Grandkiddos

Our main form of entertainment these days

2009-10-31T22:58:00.003-05:00

Some fun pics...

2009-10-30T22:54:00.007-05:00

Enjoying the fantastic fall weather with his favorite toy, mr. cow

Hook'em!

Fried corn on the cob at the State Fair - YUM!

Hangin' with the Engs

Enjoying bathtime in the 'hot tub'. Look at that belly :)

Matching bathrobes!

I love my mama

And my daddy too

Cousin Time

2009-10-23T21:25:00.000-05:00

Ethan and Dillan 'played' for the first time while we were in Tulsa. So fun!

Happy Three Months!

2009-10-11T22:17:00.000-05:00

Dillan is three months old! When he was first born, I kept reading and hearing about so many milestones that babies hit at this age. Time flies so quickly, and Dillan really has grown and developed so much and has hit a lot of those milestones. In the past week or so, he has gotten so much more fun as he smiles, laughs, and 'talks' to us nonstop. We are definitely lucky as he seems to have an easygoing temperament and is pretty content most of the time. Here are some quick 3 month stats:

- weighs 15-ish lbs
- holds his head up pretty steadily with a few bobbles now and then
- loves to babble, squeal, and laugh
- can reach for his toys and hold a rattle
- has strong little legs and loves kicking and 'standing' (with assistance, of course)
- slept through the night for the first time 8:30pm - 5am three days ago!
- growing so quickly out of his clothes that he's leaving some outfits behind unworn :(

As you may have noticed, there have been a lack of blog postings lately, mostly because I have returned to work and have not had time to post. It's been a hard transition, but thankfully my work has been very understanding and allowing me to be flexible with working a few hours at home. And we are also very lucky to have the best caretaker possible - Grandma Mah! Here are a slew of pictures of what Dillan's been up to the last month or so...

having fun at baby story time

celebrating fall at the pumpkin patch

LOVES his new mobile

first time in the bumbo

reaching for toys

playing with rattle

crazy hair - mom thinks it looks like Guy Fieri from the Food Network :)

*almost* flipping over...halfway there

first road trip - to Tulsa to celebrate Uncle Eric's 30th birthday

oh and whoa

2009-10-01T21:43:00.000-05:00

oops - this post is about a month old and I never published it. Here it is anyway - enjoy!

Dillan is getting to be more interactive these days and likes to baby-talk a lot. I love having conversations with him in the morning. Apparently, his favorite words right now are 'whoa' and 'oh'. It's pretty fun :)

Out of Town Visitors

2009-09-23T17:10:00.000-05:00

Late post, but we had some visitors a few weeks ago: Dillan's Great-Uncle and Great-Aunt from the far reaches of Taiwan....and the Sus from a closer Tulsa, OK.

Mr. Schmooze with D

Auntie Marina enjoying some baby time - I'll be looking to her for her expertise on raising boys

Travi, Der-Bear and Thomas with Tim - is this a prediction of what our family will look like in the future?

Derek loves babies :)

With Great-Uncle and Great-Aunt from Taiwan. It was great to see them!