Photo Shoot

Last weekend, we finally got around to going to get our pictures made for Keely's 1st birthday! Just getting ready was crazy! Getting ready in almost year round 90 degree heat slows us down in itself! We finally made it there and they turned out pretty well. So, ENJOY:

"I'm this many!"

Life

Again we are so sorry we haven't been very good updating!! Yet again, life has happened! (That's what Jacob and I say when everything that we planned to do that day didn't happen and we did 500 other things!) In about 2 weeks, we will be leaving to go do some language study for 6 weeks. We are really excited, but busy trying to tie up a lot of loose ends! When we return, we will meet my mom and aunt in the airport in Bangkok! Then we'll have a few weeks of working super hard on our big meeting in January. (I'm still in charge of publications for the meeting...so we'll see how crazy I am in the end this year!!) Then Jacob's family will be here for Christmas. Then Jacob will have a week long intensive class and I'll be barreling through trying to finish my projects. Then our meeting will happen and then we are suppose to hang out with some friends after our meeting! So, needless to say we are booked until March! So, I have been busy trying to do things that I won't have a chance to do again for a few months!! Hopefully at language study we will be able to post a bit! We'll see!!

Keely's Birthday

While Keely was napping Friday afternoon, I tried to hang streamers in our dining room. The major obstacle I had was the fan in the middle of the room. 1. I had to turn the fan off while doing it and it was HOT! 2. I ended up not hanging half of them high enough and when we returned home that evening that had been torn down by the fan and were wrapped around the fan! Keely sure had fun playing with the streamers that had been torn down!

On Saturday, Keely's birthday, we decided to give her presents to open throughout the day in order to not overwhelm her. However, after we put her to bed Saturday night we realized we hadn't give her all of her gifts! So, she got to open some on Sunday also!

Keely playing with her first gift from our Aunt Susan and Uncle Frosty

We have had a meeting in our city for the past 2 weeks and so the little boy that was born in Bangkok on the same day as Keely was in town. The new family that joined our team a few weeks ago, their daughter was also born on September 1st. So, we couldn't pass up the chance to have a triple birthday party!

The kids had fun playing in the balls together.

After dinner, the kids enjoyed cupcakes.

Keely was more interested in playing with hers then eating it!

After we ate, the kids opened a couple of gifts.

Keely thought Reister needed help in opening his.

When she opened hers, she gave me each piece of paper that she tore off!

Being the proud Dad Jacob is, that morning he informed our neighbor who was outside when we were getting in the car that it was Keely's birthday. So, that evening she came over and gave Keely a present. It was really sweet.

All and all everyone had a great day!

Balls, Balls and More Balls

Growing up, our family had the tradition of opening Christmas presents on Christmas Eve. It all started because my Grandmother just couldn't wait both to open presents and watch everyone else open their presents. So, I had a Grandma Betty moment this past week when I just couldn't resist to give Keely one of her birthday gifts early. We bought her 100 ball pit balls to put in her swimming pool to play with. We had some friends coming over who have a 13 month old and a 2 1/2 year old so I thought they would all have fun with the balls. Keely could not stop smiling when I first got them out. She helped take the balls out of the bag and put them into the pool and then she sat in the pool and would kick her legs to make them bounce. She has had a lot of fun with those balls!

What A Day!

But I sure am glad when we have days like we had yesterday and today, that Dad gives us something to smile about!

Yesterday, Keely and I went to the grocery store and normally she LOVES talking to all of the people that work there. One of the cashiers even ran to the door to meet us. But she just wasn't in a people mood. We got home and I put her down for a nap and she just screamed. (And normally she goes right down for her nap). I can't do anything to calm her down as long as I'm in her room. I finally realized that she really did have a dirty diaper, even though it didn't stink, so it fooled me! And just after a short time, she had a bad diaper rash!! So bad that she insisted on standing for the diaper change. However, that didn't help nap time. So, finally we go downstairs and she calms down when she sees me getting the stroller out. We weren't a few minutes away from the house and she was asleep! When I got home, I rolled the stroller into the dining room and she napped there in her stroller!! These days some type of bread with melted cheese is a real winner! So for lunch she was finishing up a grilled mozzarella with basil that we had gotten at a restaurant the day before and with all of the grease on the bread...she was a MESS!

(yes that is a bread crumb on her nose)

So into the bath we went. She preferred standing during her bath because of her sore bottom. (This is when Dad made me smile) She pats the faucet and looks at me and says "Wa Wa." So, of course I turned the water on!

At midnight last night, we heard Keely screaming. Yet again, nothing would calm her down as long as we were in her room. Finally, we calmed her down and were able to help her fall back asleep.

We are driving a different vehicle, because ours is in the shop. The day before when we were going on our walk, I had to run back inside for my keys to get our umbrella out of the truck because it was about to rain. BUT I forgot to get my keys out of the stroller. After Keely and I played and visited at the office, we drove back home for a nap. But then I realize I don't have keys or my cell phone. Our helper was suppose to be there, but wasn't yet. So, we wait a few minutes and then decide to drive to a store I had been wanting to go to. Keely fell asleep on the way there, so we napped in the parking lot. After we went to the store, I drove back by the house to get Keely's milk before we picked Jacob up for lunch. BUT the helper is still not at the house. So, Keely and I made a stop at a corner store for some boxed milk! Then at nap time this afternoon the electricity went out (at least it was only 15 minutes)!

What a couple of days!!

Springfield Cardinals

For those of you not from Springfield. Springfield got a minor league baseball team a few years ago, the Springfield Cardinals.

My dad sends Jacob the comics and this is one that he sent him.

For Christmas one year, Jacob got a Springfield Cardinals hat from my parents. When my parents came in may both Jacob and Keely received Springfield Cardinal's attire. Here they are showing off their spirit!

(You can also see our new living room rug!)

Hong Kong Vacation

Our week long vacation was to Hong Kong to spend time with some friends. We were very blessed to be able to get an affordable flight that goes directly to Hong Kong from here, without having to go to Bangkok first. However, the flight did leave at night and Keely wasn't able to sleep much on the plane. So, it did make it a very late night for her.

A couple interesting things about our flight was 1) there were only 25 passengers on a Boeing 737! They did skip the middle seat unless it was a family of 3 traveling, but they put us all up in the front together! 2) They gave us a baby seat belt to attach to ours for Keely. She fell asleep in the middle of the flight and then they put the seat belt sign on because supposedly we were going to experience turbulence (we didn't). So, I help Jacob get his belt on (he was holding Keely), but we didn't worry about Keely's. Then the flight attendants come up and stand there until I get hers on...so I had to undo Jacob's, attach the baby seat belt to his and then hook her in it. Keely let out a nice little scream protesting the interruption of her sleep, though she did go back to sleep!

The first day we all hung out together, but then Alan needed to go to Macau for work, so Jacob went with him leaving us ladies with the 3 kids for 2 days! I definitely got to experience what it is like living in Hong Kong with kids! The first day we went to the park. It was a great park, complete with birds and flamingos! To get there we took the bus and I'm pretty sure it was a hilarious scene watching us get on and off the bus with 3 kids, 2 strollers and 2 diaper bags! We were going to go to Toys R Us that day as well, but after the park and lunch we abdanoned that idea and went home for naps. The next day we went to the market to shop for clothes for the kids. Jason was very concerned we were going to forget to go eat lunch and after every shop asked if we were going to go eat and when we told him a few more shops first he was say, "Remember, eat lunch." Thursday we went to Toys R Us when Jacob was with us and I'm glad he was there! Melissa had to go feed Danny, so Jacob went around Toys R Us with Jason looking for buttons to push and I pushed Keely while looking and feeding her Cheerios (she was hungry and didn't want to be in the stroller). Then we went to lunch where we had really great milkshakes. I decided to get blueberry and Keely decided to help me drink it! She's been working on sucking out of the straw, but hadn't been able to get it to come all the way up because the straw is too long. That is one determined little girl! There is ice cream in a cup and mom is offering it to you, then figuring out how to get it up the straw is very important. And she figured it out!

She also liked playing with the straw!

Yum!
(Keely does make a sound that sounds like yum and she was making it that day!)

Friday we went to the great recreation center that has a pool with an indoor and outdoor area. Half of the pool was a kiddie pool complete with play area with slide and rope swings! We put Keely in her float and she was able to walk and run all around by herself. She LOVED it! That evening we went to dinner with some friends and then walked along the harbor.

The next day we went to Stanley market and went shopping. Then we took the scenic route back home. Can you believe such a populous city can have such beautiful scenic spots?

(This one was taken through the window)

The trip wouldn't have been complete without excitement while we were trying to leave! That afternoon we looked online and saw our flight had been delayed by 2 hours. So, we decided to not leave as early and then Keely could take a nap. Keely had been having trouble napping all week, so she fell asleep on our bed and I put pillows around her (knowing that wouldn't contain her long, but hoping we would hear her when she woke up). Well, when she woke up, she was familiar with where she was (unlike a few days earlier when she cried immediately after waking up). So, she decided to go find mom and dad and crawled off the bed! She's fine, but that started our line of adventures for the afternoon. We were going to take the train to the airport, but our friends decided to go with us and eat at a restaurant that is not nearby where they live. On the way there, our tire blew out! We finally got to the airport and go to check-in and we can't find out check-in counter. We go to ask and we are informed that they closed check-in at the time as if our flight was on time. After some phone calls, they finally let us check in. We all go to eat dinner and Jacob and I don't have watches (I did find my yesterday though!) and Alan tells us we should get going pretty soon. As we are going, we realize we haven't ever gotten pictures of the kids and had to take a couple pictures!

Can you tell they are all exhausted?

So, we finally get to immigration and Jacob looks at his phone to see what time it is and it is 6:35. We are suppose to board at 6:35 and the ticket agents even told Jacob to be there at 6:35 and not to be late! And they close the gate 20 minutes before the flight leaves, so we have 20 minutes to get there. Well, we seem to get in the wrong line to go through immigration and when we are finally through we see that the line is SO long at security! It snaked 4 times (very long snakes)! So, we have 5 minutes to get there now. The gate was nearby but we had to go down 2 escalators! Jacob is carrying his backpack, the video camera, a bag of foam tiles and Keely and I'm carrying two bags, the computer (there wasn't time to put it back in the bag) and the stroller! We run up to the gate and find out the plane hasn't even arrived yet! Whew! That flight almost seemed not meant to be!!

Can you tell we had a good time, though?

Birthday Pizza Party

A few weeks ago, after we went to dinner for a friend's birthday, Jacob started thinking about what he wanted to do for his birthday. He decided he would like to have a make your own pizza party. So, since we got back from Hong Kong (Sunday night) I have been preparing for his birthday dinner. We had individual pizza crusts and lots of toppings for people to choose. Then we toasted marshmallows in the oven and had s'mores for dessert. It was a lot of fun!!

Keely sure liked her cheese pizza that Jacob made for her!

Happy Birthday Jacob

Thank you Grandma Kane for sending this picture. You definitely can tell who is Keely's daddy!

Busy Week

We go on vacation next week, so we have been busy trying to get a lot of things done before we leave. Monday, the girls and I played at the office in the morning. Tuesday morning we had to go to immigration and our visa was renewed. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday we went to the office so I could work on my projects for our upcoming meetings. And of course Keely is a big help.

"Dad, I'm not sure that is a good idea. Let me think about it."

On Wednesdays during lunch, I have a study with the ladies in the office. So, Jacob and Keely do lunch together. Sometimes they go home and sometimes they go out. This week they went to Burger King and Keely got her very own Burger King crown. She was modeling it for me when we got home that evening, but by the time I got the camera she was ready to take it off!!

"May I take this off now?"

Keely's New Friend

Last Friday, a new family arrived to our city. They have a daughter who was born on September 1st as well! What a small world! Monday morning, we all played together while her parents had meetings. They seemed to be having fun, what do you think?

Teething

Keely is cutting her upper teeth and chews on anything she can. She enjoys chewing on her plastic links because they fit in her mouth just right and doesn't have to hold on to it. It is really funny to watch though. We were in the grocery store and she was sitting in the cart with the link in her mouth while she played with another toy. I couldn't help wonder what the other people in the store thought! Today she crawled all over the living room with the link in her mouth.

Gotta Get My Toys

Keely likes to pull up on anything she can, including the drawer that holds her toys. Her newest "game" is to lean over the drawer from the back and pull out all of her toys!

French Fry?

"Hey Mom, see the french fry Dad gave me."

Learning to Drive

The other day when we were getting Keely out of her car seat, Jacob pulled up to the front with him. She was so intrigued with what the front seat of the car looked like, so Jacob decided to let her get a feel for what's it like up front.

"Where to Dad?"

"Do I turn here?"

Hanging Out With Friends

The last couple weeks we have been pretty busy. But busy hanging out and catching up with friends! We had some friends come in town for a meeting and met them at the airport and hung out with them most of that day. Keely loved the additional attention!

That Friday, Jacob took the day off and the guys went golfing in the morning and the girls hung out. That afternoon we went swimming. In the evening, Keely got to play with a babysitter while the adults went to dinner and got shoulder and back massages. The next day our office had a 4th of July swim party. Keely was heaven with 2 days in a row of swimming! (One day we'll get a picture of her neat float she uses in the big pool). Monday night, another friend came into town and we got to hang out with her Tuesday and Wednesday morning before she had to be at her conference. Wednesday morning (July 4th) we went to a waterfall. That afternoon we went bowling with some friends. Keely loved all of the action going on there. Afterwards, we went to a friend's house and grilled out, made homemade orange sherbet (and Keely ate some) and did fireworks. Keely loved being with people all day long! We didn't have our camera nearby, but some friends took pictures so hopefully we'll post some of our 4th later!