Update

Here are some pictures from our late Easter egg hunt at a friend's house.






Cute kids!



My parents visited (from Laos, where they are doing missionary work) last weekend so we drove to the Twin Cities to be with them. Also, my brother graduated with honors from the UofM Twin Cities Mechanical Engineering program.



It was so wonderful to have both sets of Roan's grandparents around. My parents took Roan to visit his great grandma one morning so we got the chance to sleep in and sleep in we sure did! Then Choua's mom watched Roan while we attended my brother's evening graduation. I mssed him, but it was nice not to have to chase a stinky little guy around all night. It was way past his bedtime anyways. Finally, one night we decided that we should go check out the venue of his birthday party after we put him down. We actually got to have dinner--alone--together! We are so used to taking turns to go out that it is weird when we actually don't have to rush through eating because our child is done and wants to run around. Thank God for grandparents!



We also celebrated Roan's golden birthday over the weekend too. I'll post up pictures in the next post. I still need to post up a few pictures from Tswb's visit to Chicago too.

Ageing

Roan turns two tomorrow. His birthday is affecting me more than my own. I can't believe he's already two. It feels so natural to be a mom and wife, but every now and then I catch a glimpse of my life as a single young working woman and I can't believe that I am 32 and completely domesticated.

I look in the mirror and think I still look youthful, but then the pimply kid cashier calls me "Ma'am" and I am floored. Do I really look like a "Ma'am"?

When I go back to my hometown and I run into someone I knew from high school, I think, "Gosh, [insert name] has really aged." I wonder what they think of my looks? I can't look that old. Of course, my extra 20 pounds does aid--they probably just think: "Kaosong got fat". Seriously, I need to lose at least 20 pounds. That's another entry.

For the most part, it doesn't bother me, since 40 is the new 29, but some days, I think I really need to start taking care of myself. Since I've become a mother, I have completely lost myself again. I wonder how many more times I'll do that in my lifetime?

Rain Day

Roan's daycare provider had an emergency today so he spent all day with Choua. He's been loving "The Fox and the Hound" lately, but I thought he was due for some fresh air. I also wanted to get some pictures of him in his little rain boots. He loves these little boots.

I really need to work on my photography. I just learned a few things, but Roan moves around so much and never is facing the camera so I get a lot of shots with him running away. And in the picture above, I am trying so hard to get a facing pciture of him, I forget about placement. Doesn't the car in the background ruin the picture? I guess the only way to learn is to keep taking pictures.


Roan has been active all of his life. I remember when I went for the big ultrasound, the doctor looked around and then said, "Everything looks good," and started putting the instruments away. With my bladder still about to explode, I say to him, "Don't I get a profile picture?" My OB tells me that our baby was too active. He's been into twirling around in circles lately--to the point that he falls down. This always reminds me of the very first ultrasound I had, when he was still a little bean. All I could see was him spinning around so fast.

I need to crop the photo to the right a bit, but I have to move my PS Elements over to our new PC. All I have is the software that came with my camera.

I layered his hair a little so that it would have some shape to it. I'm pretty proud of myself since I didn't think that he'd sit still long enough for me to do it. It's not great, but it was free.

What the heck...why not one more? It's fuzzy...again...but he's just so darn cute!

Having one of those nights...

I feel so weak and lonely.

On a funny and happy note, Roan did something so funny tonight. After his bath, I had him covered in his towel and carrying him upstairs he tooted so loud. He laughed so loud, I couldn't help myself. We laughed all the way up the stairs.

Frustration with Being Mommy...

It's often bittersweet. I couldn't wait until Roan could roll over, sit up, crawl, walk, and finally talk. I found that each milestone was not only accompanied by relief, but equally, some grief. Even sleeping through the night had it's disadvantages--if I didn't hear him wake up or make a sound, I worried that somehow, something horrible might have happened to him so I worry myself awake for hours.

Yesterday, we went to a late Easter Egg Hunt/Party and Roan kept running out into the road. I was so frustrated with him. Later that evening, as I was watching Extreme Home Makeover, I realized how grateful I should be. The little boy and his dad were both paralyzed from the neck down. I found myself feeling so sad for both of them--the little boy because every little boy should run around and cause trouble and the dad for the obvious but moreso because as a parent, you just want your child to be normal. I don't want to and can't imagine my little active boy still for one minute.

I am so comforted by his love for me. It feels good to be #1. I know that he will never love me like this again, or at least show me like this. It's the best feeling in the world, when I open the door and hear his heavy little feet running down the hallway to greet me. His giggle, his hug...thank you, God. He's my own, real miracle!

Lion Cub on Safari...

This is my new favorite picture. It was taken off of my cheap old point and shoot. He looks so innocent in this picture, which is the opposite of how he has been behaving. He has been such a little brat! Terrible twos...bring it on!

Lull...

It's been well over a month now since I started this blog. I am trying to phase out my other blog--it's a bit too high school-ish for me though I can't let go because a lot of family and friends use it and it's a great way to keep in touch informally. I think this forum will serve me better though, since I can access it from work.

These past couple of weeks have been heavenly for me at work. Finally, a lull in the constant work. I don't know what to do with my time! However, the start of the new quarter [for our group] starts next Monday. I will be in Tampa next week for our annual conference. No fun for me, but Choua and Roan will have a great time, I'm sure. I am leading a session at 7a in the morning. With the time change and the earlier time in Tampa, it'll feel like I'm getting up at 5a on a Monday morning.

I am still waiting for my Nikon D80 to be in stock. I've been waiting for just over a month now. I keep calling the store and they keep telling me that it's coming. I cannot wait! Since I sampled one, I have had no interest in using my old point and shoot. I've little or no pictures of DS lately. I'm told it'll be in stock in two weeks....

My little son is growing up. This morning I had to try four times to get his pj shirt off. He loves puppies and embroidered on the shirt is a cute doggie. He kept fighting me to keep it on. I finally got him to take it off on the fourth time and 2o minutes later. I was already sad, when I went to get him new pj's, since he's outgrowing the ones he has now, and the one for his age didn't have the cute cartoony dinosuars, but rather, the more real looking ones on them. You can't imagine how sad I was this morning when I learned that he has preference for clothes now.

I'll need to get a picture of him in his pj's and post it up. He is a so cute! ...especially with his puppies. I'll hear him making "MUAH!" sounds in the background and see him making out with his puppy.