Rob and Mina's Wedding

Yesterday we were able to go to our friend Rob's wedding. I have known Rob for 10 years. We met when we took Genetics 334 together and then started working together as RA's at UBC. Gary actually got to know him better when Rob worked at our school for several years. Rob is such a good friend to me, he's one of those guys that you can talk to like a girl ya know? His is very sensitive, understanding and caring. Oh ya, he is also the funniest person that I know. I am very thankful for having him in my life. I am so happy for him and it was an absolutely beautiful wedding. Mina is a fabulous girl and they are a fantastic team. Her last name was already Kim, so she doesn't even have to change it! There were some great speeches which had me laughing A LOT! It was great to see old UBC friends and just celebrate such a wonderful occassion.

Between the wedding and reception, Gary and I drove out to West Van to go the Salmon House for lunch. I had a some salmon and Gary had tuna and it was YUMMY! It was to celebrate our birthdays this month, so it was nice to do so with food. I guess the proper names for our dishes where: Seared 'House Rubbed' BC Coho Salmon with scalloped yams, meyer lemon apricot glaze, and purple mustard vinaigrette. Gary's was Tograshi Chili Albacore Tuna Nicoise seared rare, with new potato, haricot vert, and olives.

Here's a picture of Kai proudly showing off his brother or sister. He def. understands that the baby has to stay in mommy's belly because its growing. He wants to play ball with the baby when its born:)

Here's Gary teaching Kai how a baby is born. Sort of. I love our son, he is absolutely amazing to me. Also, Gary is an amazing match for me. I have realized that we have been together way too much these past 2 months but if I have to be with anyone for 2 months straight, it would def. be him. I hope he'd say the same:) I think it may be healthy for our marriage to have more time apart. I don't know of another couple that is together as much as we are. It's not on purpose, its just that we work together and are both introverted.

Well, I'm going to have a nap! Our neighbours new basement suite renters were ridiculously loud OUTSIDE last night til 1:30am...grrr...the downfall of this neighbourhood!

Celebrations!

**Warning: long post!!!!**
Wow, what a busy weekend. I'm going to blog now so that I don't' have 10 billion things to blog later. This weekend has; birthday celebrations (me), ultrasound (me), bridal shower (sister), wedding (rob and mina), engagement party (maria and mark). So, I'll just write now about what happened yesterday and today:)

Yesterday I came downstairs and Gary had 2 dozen roses and a jewelry box on the table for me. He had paid for these things with cash because I check our online banking daily so I would've noticed:) I do not like spending a lot of money (or any) on our birthdays because I don't like to buy things just because you are supposed to. I'd rather do it when there is a sincere need or want. Anyway, this may sound cheap (but I love it!), Gary got the jewelry box in the `As Is' section because it was broken and marked way down. He fixed it up, good as new, and left the price on just so I knew what a deal it was:) We went for a family walk before it got too hot and then we went to Red Robin's for lunch and Kai was an angel all day. Phew! Gary made my special birthday dinner which my mom made every year for my birthday growing up. They are called chicken rolls and its just a baked pastry with chicken, veggies, and curry in it and then you smother it with cheese sauce. I didn't have it the last couple of years because emotionally I didn't want too...I know its just a meal but it was all the memories of my mom making it especially for me. The picture does not do it justice!

In the evening, people started showing up. I had a feeling that Gary had invited family over for my birthday (because he was busy making cakes and tarts the whole night before) but I didn't realize he had planned it 2 weeks in advance AND invited friends as well.

People showed up bearing some strange and yummy gifts but i soon realized it was all of my favourite things (a lot due to pregnancy cravings), so I got things like; a can of coke, Kraft Dinner, choc. covered almonds, Purdy's etc. Gary had giving a list of stuff that was hopefully not pricey (and stuff I love!) because I do not like receiving expensive gifts from people. Gary had told people to leave by 8pm because its a busy weekend and I'm pregnant and not as young as a I used to be so it ended around 9pm which was great. I was most thankful to Gary for organizing something ahead of time and with thoughtfulness. I have no pictures but hopefully my sister will email me a few! I am very thankful to have such supportive and involved family, friends and in laws. I am quite an introvert and i like to have meaningful conversations one on one so its a bit busy/stressful in groups, especially when `hosting' but it was really great to see everyone in our sweaty little house!

This next portion is about Kai. He's funny. The other day we were walking and he had stopped. Gary said, `Hey Kai, let's roll'. So, Kai laid on the ground ready to literally roll:) He loves pointing out letters that he knows EVERYWHERE. His favourite letters are D (for daddy), M (for mommy) and K for Kai. He sees it on anything (ingredient labels, street signs etc) and points it out excitedly. I have to admit that Gary and I failed. We tried potting training on Wednesday. We gave up on Thursday. Kai peed in the house 3 times which is totally fine with me (I won't tell you where in case you visit) and told us he had to poop about 12 times. Every time we put him on the toilet, he just couldn't do it. He told us all day he wanted to poop in his diaper. Finally, at bed time, we put his diaper on and 5 minutes later, he did it. I just don't think any of us are ready. I don't give up on stuff usually but I'm not convinced now is the time. Kai is very interested in the anatomical differences between males and females. He knows the proper words for everything and loves to announce to daddy how mommy is different. I'm nervous he's going to say something very embarrassing in public sometime soon! I have to say that as of yesterday, I was ready to go back to work. I need a day where I'm not mommy. Where I can just be teacher Louise.

Okay, so today! We had our ultrasound this afternoon and it went well. Well, I saw the arms, legs, head and beating heart so that's always good! We will get results (percentiles, gender) next week Thursday. Oh ya, it's just one! I asked the man twice, just to be sure:) Gary and my dad think its another boy and I think it's a girl. Regardless, so happy to see a baby in there! For one second, I was like `Aw, it looks just like Kai!'. As if, it looked nothing like Kai. We framed a picture of the ultrasound so Kai can have it in his bedroom to get to know his brother or sister a little better. He's pretty proud of the picture, showing people `mommy's baby' and pointing out the head and nose! Tonight he rubbed my belly and sang (a made up song) `Go to sleep, little baby' over and over, it was precious. I will post a pic of the ultrasound later, it has to be scanned etc. Oh ya, this morning, he said to me `I wuv you mommy!' without me saying anything first. And, when Gary went on his jog, Gary said `I miss you daddy!'. So cute!

This evening we had a wedding shower for my sister at our house. She got a lot of useful (and some fun) stuff and they are currently out with her all dressed up but I am at home, exhausted. Tomorrow morning we are off to a wedding in Vancouver so I hope I get a good nights sleep! I bought an air conditioner today. It is not a very efficient one but its the only one I could find that fit in our window. It was on sale and then i got $20 off for getting a Home Depot credit card so it only cost $56 with tax!!! Tried it out tonight and it worked decently. I've noticed that discomfort and heat=grumpy, grumpy Louise. Poor Gary. I also went to Walmart and bought a dress that I will wear all the time at home. It's that jersey material and is not attractive but I find anything with a waist extremely painful. Especially when sitting. So, please let me know before you stop by or you may get a glimpse of the clearance Walmart dress! I should post a picture just for memory sake:) Okay, I should prob. apologize to Gary for being grumpy and then head to bed. Bon nuit!!!!

30 years old

I am excited and ready to turn 30 (on Thursday). I feel like my 20's were so jam packed and full of wonderful (and some not so wonderful) experiences and can't imagine trying to fit anything else in. My hope is that my 30's are filled with ample experiences of growth as well. In the past 10 years, I had a lot of fun at UBC and then graduated, started teaching, got married, had a kid, travelled a lot (Mexico twice, California 3 times, across Canada, Alaska, Kenya and Tanzania), hiked a great deal, adventure raced, ran many races, and played a lot of sports. I have experienced pain and dissapointment through break ups, illnesses and death. I have grown spiritually and have grown closer to my family. My close friendships have grown deeper and my heart has grown fuller. I am so thankful for all that I have, I know I am so blessed. I look forward to these next 10 years and hope that I will continue to experience many new things and to maintain an appreciation for the world and those around me.

Here are some pics from the day (nothing exciting but pictures sometimes make it better?)

Gary installing the motion detector light. He has been asking for one for 2 years. He finally found one he liked that was less than $50 so he didn't `have' to tell me about it. There have been a lot of break ins in detached garages lately so maybe this will help? Gary and I got to go out on a double date last night!!! We went to see `The Dark Knight' with Maria and Mark and it was a really good movie. We need to get out more often!

My 18 week picture. This was taken in the morning so i'm always a little smaller in the morning. I am feeling great. The cramps have alleviated and usually only occur when i'm rotating sides at night. I am nervous to start back at work in a few weeks as it will exhaust me like crazy, I'm sure of it! It will be a strange start to the year, knowing that I won't be there all year. Exercise wise, I'm only walking about 30 minutes a day. Nothing else. I would like to bike but my tailbone is not in the mood for it. I think I will sign up for some prenatal yoga in september just to get out of the house since I'm not playing football anymore:(

Kai lying on the rug...telling me something silly. Each day, we walk around the neighbourhood checking out all the diggers and tractors. He loves it. I would have to say that of all transitions, I am nervous about potty training. There are too many methods and I really don't know when he's really going to be ready. I think that we started too soon. Back in June, there were about 2 weeks when he went poop on the toilet. I should not have introduced that option so early. Now, it is not exciting. Underwear does not excite him. He will say to me, `Mommy, Kai pooping again!' before he has to go. I ask him to go to the toilet and he says, `No, Kai gonna poop in his diaper'. I ask him why and he says he likes it. Gross. If I put him on the toilet, he will make some great pushing sounds but will not go. As soon as the diaper is back on, away he goes! Why am I in a rush? I'm not. I am just sick and tired of changing dirty diapers when he knows that he has to go. I do not want two kids in diapers. I would like Gary and I to do it together (we are home for 2 more weeks) so its easier. The reason I don't want to do it is that if he goes to daycare in a few weeks, they will have a harder time always having to ask him if he has to go. Whatever, maybe we'll wait a few more months. Other than that, he has adjusted well to his new room. We have also introduced a rule that his blanket (Bubbi) stays upstairs. We are struggling with this one but if we let him have it downstairs, he spends half of his day sucking his thumb with his blanket. When Gary was taking it back upstairs yesterday, Kai said `Daddy, don't take Bubbi upstairs, Kai needs it!'...his sentences (okay, maybe thats two sentences?) are getting so long!!

Well, time to do some work while Kai naps. Ultrasound on Friday....so excited!!!

You Look Nice

Yesterday I went with my dad and sister Jackie to the island for my cousin's wedding. It was a long day but boy oh boy, traveling without a child is wonderful!!! I could be so selfish. I could eat and drink when I wanted. Sit when I wanted. Talk when I wanted. Wow. Gary and I have never gone anywhere (besides a wedding or something) without Kai. I think we may have to travel without him one day.

I have been feeling quite uncomfortable when going from a sitting to standing position. I get tons of cramps for about 30 seconds. I'm not sure if its just that my uterus or ligaments are stretching or the baby moves when I stand but I def. did not have this with Kai. It's just been happening the past 3 days so we'll see if it gets better. Baby is def. moving a lot more now and I notice it at night when my belly is full and I'm lying down:) I'm still so excited for my ultrasound...just 5 days away!

My cousin that got married is on my mom's side so we spent the whole day with my mom's family. It was nice to catch up and always good to see my oma and uncle Al who has been sick recently. My oma made a simple comment that almost brought me to tears. She said `Louise, you look very nice'. She doesn't make comments like this so it was nice, but also, that's what my mom would always say. My parents didn't compliment our physical beauty very often, it was more `I'm proud of you for...' etc. However, maybe once every few weeks my mom would look at me and say that I looked nice. I know she really felt that I was beautiful. There is something about a mom that no one else can provide. The way that she listened, loved, and thought I was wonderful is different than what anyone else can provide. I know Gary loves me and thinks I'm beautiful but its different than my mom's awe, appreciation and dedication for us kids. I have it in my memories but I sometimes wish I had it now.

Kai's birthday part deux

Thursday night, my family all came over to celebrate Kai's birthday. It was a very low key event although Ani and Kai were extremely hyper. They just ran around in the upstairs bedrooms making a mess and LOVING it.

Instead of making cake, I just made some cupcakes and a pear and hazelnut dessert.

Kai getting a kiss from the big bear

Reading Kai's new biking book (all about bike safety:))

Auntie Jan and Uncle Doug got Kai a package of 10 different trucks (cement, dump truck etc) which he LOVES.

The little piggies (below) could not be coaxed downstairs for anything, not even cake! After he got a bit upset, we let him know he could run around upstairs after opening presents and eating cake and he was okay with it. I love that we can work through stuff with him.

Kai and Ani playing hide and go seek

This morning, we had a photo shoot at Derby Reach and the weather was great (cloudy)! We dropped Kai off at his daycare for a couple hours and he had a great time. I think it was a great idea because 2 months away from daycare could create quite an adjustment come September. We had to get up at 7am and shower, have breakfast, get kai ready to go...it was just like we were working again. I def. am enjoying my summer and laying in bed til 7:30am and coming downstairs in my p.j's. We are very happy with our summers (remind me of this when I'm sitting at a staff meeting til 10pm on a MOnday!). Anyway, very excited for the pics we took at Derby Reach, they were such a fun family to take pictures of!

Gary is at the BC Lions game tonight. I'm glad he got a chance to go out with the guys. It's weird being home with Kai by myself again! Tomorrow morning I'm off to the island for a wedding and Gary will be with Kai all day...wonder what they'll get up to! Bon nuit.

Coffee With Opi

My dad took Kai out for coffee today. This was a welcome break for Gary and I as Kai was up at 4:30am ready to go for the day. Is it because he's in a new bedroom? I'm not sure but all I can say is I'm exhuasted. The reason I didn't leave him in bed is because he was crying and I don't think he's woken up crying in at least 6 months. Opi took him from 10am-11:30am and during that time, I just laid in bed (unable to sleep..grrrr...). I asked my dad to take pictures of their time together so I can see what really goes on:)

Picking his own snack. Little did he know that the `big one' was actually a bran muffin...not his favourite!

Serious coffee drinker (its cranberry juice that I sent with him otherwise, who knows what Opi would have him drinking!). Joanne (my dad's girlfriend) gave Kai this cup especially for going out for coffee with my dad.

Afterwards, they stopped to dig in the dirt with the diggers....

Tony! Tony!

Last night while watching the news, Kai said `Tony! Tony! Gook at Kai's golf cubs'. At least now he knows Tony Parsons is not Opi:) Kai has successfully slept in his big boy room for two nights, although, he has prob. slept about 1/2 hour shorter than normal. This heat is a little crazy (I feel for you Melissa!). Last night I went for a walk with Maria around 8:30pm and it felt so good to walk while it was cool out!

Gary, Kai and I went to Campbell Valley Park to check out a possible new wedding photo location yesterday. Kai loved it there. There were a ton of frogs in that pond, and lots of fish too.

He's very good at smelling the flowers instead of destroying them. If you ask them what they smell like, he will say `mommy'. Daddy taught him that.

Kai loves his rocks and leaves. Especially his rocks. We are in the process of learning where you can and cannot throw them.

I had my first baby dream two night ago. Our baby was born 13lbs 7oz (What? is that big or something?). It was a boy in my dream but in real life, I'm positive it's a girl. Anyway, I remember thinking that it was the easiest birth ever (must have been a miraculous one because I had no pain anywhere) and I wanted to go for a run! I was following the nurse around because she was trying to find the perfect place to feed him a bottle. I told her I wanted to breastfeed and she still proceeded to take me all over the hotel/hospital to find the right place. Our baby was born with all his teeth. At one point, I was holding Kai and the new baby and someone asked how old they were and I couldn't tell them apart because they were the exact same size.

Yesteday, Kai got to go out for coffee with Opi (kai got orange juice). Opi bought him a cookie and Kai asked for another. Opi brought him to the counter so he could pick one and all he said was `The big one!' which was the one right in front. What a piggie. Opi has a hard time saying no to Kai for anything. At one point, Kai (Opi) called me on the phone. It was really cute to talk to him on the phone. He sounded so grown up.

Well, Kai found a thing of bubbles so we better go out and play with them.

17 weeks

I don't feel that I've grown in the past few weeks but I def. gained back those 4lbs I lost:) I did feel some movement a couple days ago and am anticipating the huge, belly rattling kicks in a few months from now. Kai's femurs were over the 100th percentile so I think he was kicking pretty hard to make some room:) I'm already getting up twice a night to go to the bathroom...at least I can still get back to sleep right away and don't have a crying newborn to take care of!!! I've noticed another difference in this pregnancy, my skin. No pregnancy glow here folks, just some big zits that won't go away. Yup, two big ones that have been around for a week or two and aren't going anywhere. I feel like I'm back in grade 10:) I know its not a big deal but when I already look like I'm exhuasted, I feel like my skin isn't helping me out. Oh well.

Today is Gary's 33rd birthday. We had a blueberry cake at my dad's where Kai was excited to participate in blowing out the candles again. We also may have indulged in our basketball cake:) Kai and I made Gary a card and this may sound lame but our present to eachother for our birthdays is our fancy dinner out in a couple of weeks. I asked Gary if he wanted to do anything special for his birthday like a day hike, but he was very content staying home and relaxing. He is currently playing his football game in the basement, you know, Madden football or whatever it is called. He plays every summer:)

Kai is currently sleeping in his big boy room for the first time. We took a long time transitioning him from crib-->toddler bed-->big boy room (in the toddler bed). We had the toddler bed next to his crib for about a month before he requested sleeping in it. He has been sleeping in his car bed (which he LOVES) for the past 3 months or so. Today, we moved that car bed into the `big boy room'. I guess the problem with having a very structured and routine life is that transitioning may take a bit longer:) Kai learned today that you cannot throw your buzz light year gun in the pool. Gary got it kind of working again. Kai said `Way to go, daddy!'.

Happy Birthday Kai!

Today is Kai's 2nd birthday. Wow. I love this age. So far. I find him so funny and intelligent. Don't get me wrong, if I have play `Mommy, where's Kai?' (where he hides under his blanket and i have to make silly guesses about where he is), I might go crazy! Yesterday, we were driving and Kai said, `Daddy, go faster! Make car pop a wheelie!' (which Gary does when Kai's in the stroller). Silly kid.

His stats are:

Height= 34 3/4 inches

Weight=32lbs

When I was his age (I just found my stats while my dad was cleaning out his house)...

Height=34 inches

Weight=30lbs

I have no idea what Gary was, but, I'm assuming a lot bigger.

For his birthday, we took him to gramma's house in Aldergrove yesterday. He loves going to visit `Mama' and `Papa'. We also picked up a coupon from them to go to the zoo (saved $18..woohoo!). We walked around for 2 hours seeing all the animals and Kai LOVED it. I had some mixed feelings about seeing these animals in captivity. I know some animals are really only left in zoos and there are no more in the wild, but others, I just think might have wanted a bit more freedom. I've never seen a jaguar or a cheetah before so that was cool. Kai seemed to love the zebras, male lion, and the ducks the best. He also enjoyed watching the man shovel giraffe poop into a giant bucket:) It was cool to see chinchilla's and marmoset's as Kai has learned about these guys from Diego. He was pretty pumped about that and wanted to go home and watch it as soon as we left.

Today we gave him his gift from us and gramma and grandpa; a wagon. He loved it. He spent an hour putting stuff in it, doing the buckles up and pulling it around the house. We went outside for a walk and he refused to get in it, he wanted to pull it! That was frustrating for me because my hope is that I can pull it to Extra Foods and the park. I think I will just say after his nap that we are walking to Extra Foods and he has to sit in the wagon to help me hold the groceries. Hopefully that works! Here he got tired of pulling it and wanted to hold his newest sports interest; badminton rackets.

I was going to make a 3-D basketball cake but the pans were all sold out at Michael's so I just made a plain basketball and softball. Kai loved it and couldn't wait to eat it so that's good. We plan on celebrating with my family on Thursday and then with Gary's family later on when we can combine all the August/Sept. Chapman bdays, there are just too many of us:)

I'll try to think of Kai's highlights of the year:

1. Going to subway and getting to order his own sandwich. We have always just given him some of our food when we go out (and we really never go out) so he was seriously pumped to have his own.

2. Going to Disneyland with the cousins (and family) AND getting his buzz light year gun there

3. Going to Mexico

4. Picking peas (and eating them) from the garden

5. Watering anything

6. Watching Diego

7. Watching diggers

8. Petting dogs

9. Playing with Ani (especially in their backyard)

10. Moving into his toddler bed (car bed)

11. Going up and down stairs by himself

12. Eating any and every type of berry

13. Playing with guns (dart guns/nerf guns etc) and gramma's house

14. Wrestling with daddy, playing `super mommy' with mommy (running around with capes)

This afternoon, 3 of my sisters (and 2 bro in laws) showed up here so we did an impromptu `Happy Birthday' with candles. He just stared at everyone as they were singing. Stunned. I believe he had a similar response last year. He did request that we all sing again. So we did. Three times. He tried blowing out the candles but his technique needs a little touching up. He requested the softball cake so it looks like the basketball cake is for daddy's birthday tomorrow:)

He is currently watching Diego, the Chinchilla episode of course! Kaisie, mommy and daddy love you so much. We love seeing you discover this amazing world and we are so thankful for you. You are so special to us and you make us smile each and every day. Our prayer for you is that you will continue to discover this world with curiosity and that you will continue to giggle, laugh, love, and remain healthy. We pray that you will enjoy your new role as a big brother as we know you are a very good helper. We love you bubba!

My baby is almost 2

Kai turns 2 on Sunday. Due to the fact that its a long weekend and everyone is always gone (Gary's bday on Monday so he is familiar with this), we will just be celebrating with the three of us for now and extended family later. I'm very excited to give him his present and I hope he likes it! Here are a couple comments made by Kai:

Me: Kai, you're two!
Kai: No mommy, I'm a boy!

Me: Kai, we are going for breakfast will Holly!
Kai: Can I touch her?
Me: Yes, you can touch her
Kai: Can I kiss her?
Me: Um, we might have to ask her mommy
(It's just funny because he's never wanted to kiss anyone before unless we ask him for it)

We got to go for breakfast with Dean and Caroline and their daughter Holly. Gary and Dean have known eachother since the good ole days of TWU basketball and they also taught in Korea together. We only see them every year or two so it was nice to meet up for a bit. Holly is just 3 weeks younger than Kai so it was really fun for him to run around with someone his own age. She is also quite a talker and enjoys running, what else could he ask for?

I find that our life is quite easy right now and in some ways, I don't want to `mess' with it. Obviously, I'm thrilled with the idea of expanding our family but I am very worried about my irritability when the new one comes. Poor Gary. Poor Kai. I am a disaster without a good night sleep. Disaster.

Pregnancy wise, I am feeling fantastic. I only nap once a week now and forget that I'm pregnant all the time. The only thing that I have noticed is that my tailbone and pelvis are really sore. I don't remember this happening last time and I really felt it on our 5 hour car ride the other day. I'm still particular about what I eat in the sense that I crave certain things. For one week it was cream of mushroom soup, another it was Lipton chicken noodle soup and last week it was *gasp* processed cheese. We never have these high sodium/processed things in our house so I did feel a little guilty eating them. I am at the stage where i should/could feel the baby moving in the next two weeks. I look forward to this in the sense that I will be able to feel that the baby is doing okay. At this point, when you don't really have many signs, you just have to hope and pray that the baby is growing and thriving. I am sooooooooooooooooooo excited for my ultrasound in 2 weeks, I cannot wait! Last time it was a bit stressful as we had to go back for a second one due to Kai's enlarged renal pelvis, but, all was well in the end.

Overall, Gary and I are trying to relax right now as in the next 3 weeks we have; our 3 birthdays, 3 weddings, 2 doctor appts, my sis' bridal shower (my other sister gets married in 3 weeks), a couple photo shoots AND THEN it's back to school?! I know we are so fortunate that we don't have to work in the summer and that we love our teaching jobs. We are fortunate in so many ways and we really recognize this daily. Sorry, no pictures with this post. There were some adorable pictures of HOlly and Kai hugging that were taken today but I didn't have our camera so I'll have to wait to get them from Caroline. Also, I think Gary and I may be `pictured out' for a bit:)