Life Is Good

There are a few things that make me super happy...I would classify them as things I truly LOVE!

• A 75* day, no humidity, and the windows in the house open for some fresh air!
• A clear night sky
• Laying on the grass, looking up and watching the sun shine through the trees
• A quiet evening alone with a glass of wine or tea
• My morning coffee watching GMA
• Watching the excitement on a child's face when they learn to do something for the 1st time
• The smell of a freshly bathed baby
• Watching a baby sleep
• A clean house!!!!
• Flowers in bloom
• Playing tennis
• Reading my Nook
• Watching the shows I DVRed
• Watching Libby play sports
• Listening/Watching Ty learn new words
• Smiles and laughter
• Cuddling with my kids
• MY NEW FAMILY OF 4 (and Reggie too)

How lucky am I that I get to experience most of these things on a pretty regular basis?  As Libby's favorite clothing line says,  Life is Good!

Okay to the highlights of the past few weeks.  One of the coolest things happened to Libby this past weekend.  We went to downtown Northville as a family for a little outing and Libby got super lucky.  At the the local shoe store she scored 2 new pair of shoes off the sale table.  One, a cool flashy pair of water shoes, and the other a pair of Puma gym shoes for tennis.  The Puma shoes had laces, not velcro, something new for Lib.  Well what do you know, when we got home she surprised herself... she tied her own shoe for the first time!  It was so cool seeing how amazed and proud of herself she was.  She was actually in shock and had to keep showing me over and over.  I would say she can do it about 65% of the time on her own!  I loved seeing the excitement and pride she felt from learning how to tie her own shoe... the little things in life that mean so much!  Libby also started tennis this past week, and yes she wore her new shoes and tied them herself!

Ty is also learning many new things.  He knows how to wave bye-bye, wave hi, get his shoes when it's time to go outside, say "out" in addition to "up" "mama" "hi" and "bye".  His little mind is going a mile a minute and you can see that he is really beginning to understand the english language.  We fingured out the coolest thing this past week about Ty.  He is a little like a dog in that he thinks we have an invisible fence separating our yard from the road.  Whenever he walks to the end of the driveway or yard we yell "NO".  Well obviously he understands NO because he stops, looks down at the spearation line and refuses to put his foot over it.  It's as if if he did, he would get shocked!  It's so funny to watch him.  He wants to test the line but just won't... good boy!  We don't even say NO anymore, he is trained to stop!  Why is it that I paid $1200.00 to get an invisible fence put in for Reggie and he could care-a-less about the shock?  Oh well, Ty is trained and it was free!

We all know the more time we spend around someone the more we learn about them.  I have learned a lot about Ty in the past 36 days (yes we have only had him for 36 days but to me it feels like he has always been here :)  Here's a few things I know about him:

1. He plays with his hair when he is tired
2. He loves to cuddle
3. He hates socks
4. He loves music and dancing
5. He likes to throw his food
6. He has a belly laugh
7. He likes to suck on things when he is tired (perferrably a tag)
8. He likes routine and already knows his
9. He hates a wet diaper (who wouldn't)
10. He loves waving hi and bye to Libby school bus
11. He is tough (usually falls and gets up without crying)
12. He's ALL BOY!

Since my last post we have been to the zoo, park, gone on bike rides, braved eating at the club (not a wonderful expereince), gotten a family protrait (adorable), and just hung out!  We have a fun Memorial weekend ahead of swimming at the club, cookouts with friends, and getting ready for Libby Lu's 6th birthday.  Libby turns 6 next Saturday, oh my where has the time gone!?!  On Tuesday I head back to work for 2 1/2 weeks.  I need to end the year with my Kindergartners and pack up my room since my partner and I are heading to a new school next year!  Chris will be watching Ty next week and my mom will do the following week.  The last 3 days are still TBD... can't think that far ahead right now.  It's funny cuz 3 weeks ago I never would have said Ty would have been ok with me heading back to work so soon... amazing the difference in this kid in just a few short weeks.  He even stayed with our babysitter Annie for 3 hours tonight with no issues... Lib said he had tons of FUN and never cried!  Yippee... Ty is adjusting and Life is Good!

Pictures and videos speak louder than words...

Crazy Kids!

 

Playing Ball

 

 Cheesy simles guys!

Headin' out for a run...

 Watch out LPGA

 Check out the little guy in the background...

My guy

There's that BIG smile

 Getting a little daily reading in

 We really don't have time for another sport Lib...

 Ty putting in Libs bow

 No fake sleeping Lib

 Looking at the turtle at the Detroit Zoo

 Rouge River in Ford Field in downtown Northville

My morning coffee, GMA, and cuddle time with Ty and Reggie

Awww... morning teeth brushing ritual

Off to the park on the bike...

Velcro Baby

I'm back and tired as ever!  Our little easy-going happy guy has become a little high maintance, okay a lot high maintance!  Why I was ever worried he wasn't going to attach is beyond me...he is velcro baby!  He basically wants me to hold him all the time!  If I put him down he whines and puts his arms up saying "up"  So my biceps are gaining definition and toning up...that's the biggest perk to all this.  He will play with Libby for a few minutes, play with Chris for a while, but he always finds his way back to me.  Operation attachment = Successful! 


Ty loves our standard American little kid songs.  His favorite was The Eency Weency Spider, but now we have moved onto Pat-a-Cake.  He puts his hands out to be hit and then he just giggles and smiles.  Although he still only has 2 English words he is catching on to so many things. He understands some things, especially "NO"...poor kid hears that a million times a day.  I asked him if he needed a new diaper and he came over to me and layed down...I was amazed, he totally understood what I said.  I actually think he knows the word "diaper" cuz he gets a new one many times a day... I hate wet diapers on babies!

We have been dealing with quite an odeal with his digestive system lately.  He has been so constipated ever since we got custody of him.  After many awful days and nights of pain we finally got this under control.  We give him MiraLAX in his bottle and it has really helped.  I'm also making his bottles half milk/half water now.  It's the only way I can get water in him...tricky me!  Next feat, getting him to drink out of anything other than a bottle!  This kid loves his bottles...and they have to be his Korean ones.  I guess he has to hold onto a few things that comfort him from his life in Korea. 

I have been so far removed from baby things for so long I have forgotten about all the little things that occur in the first two years of life.  TEETHING!  Poor Ty is teething big time.  Not sure which teeth, but some teeth are coming in and causing him pain.  His whinning and fussing is due to the pain he is feeling.  The last few nights he has been waking a few times in what seems like pain.  It's so hard to know what is bothering him when he can't talk.  I remember these days from Libby and am so glad she can now commuicate what is bothering her!  Hoping these teeth come in soon so we can have our happy, easy-going guy back!


This morning, after our daily walk with Reggie, Ty and I went for a bike ride.  Do you remember when I told you he could fall asleep anywhere?  Well, about 5 minutes into our ride I felt a thud on my back.  I turned around to see Ty's head smack dab on me...He was sound asleep!  I was like, "NO, not yet it's only 10:30!"  I tried to wake him up, NO WAY he was not getting up.  Oh well, I had to give into the fact that my daily schedule was not going to work and that Ty needed his sleep.  What this means is that once he gets up, at about 12:00 we will have a very long day ahead of us...I will  have a child velcroed to me for about 7 hours. 

So, I have heard that boys eat more than girls but I had no idea how much more!  This kid eats more for breakfast then Libby eats all day!  This morning, 8 mini-pancakes, a pouch of applesause, half of a FiberOne bar, and some Strawberries.  Libby had the other half of the FiberOne bar and she was full! Ty currently weighs 26 lbs. and Lib weights 38 lbs.  I bet you within one year he weighs more than her!  :) The sad thing is  I hate to grocery shop but it looks like I will be spending a lot of time at Krogers. 

Today I am planning on picking up Libby from school.  Last night we wrapped gifts for all her wonderful teachers to honor them for Teacher Appreciation Week.  We love our teachers and thank them for all they do.  All you teachers out there... Thanks for teaching, guiding, and loving our kids! 

We have been busy doing many things...
1.  Having friends visit
2.  Going to BBQ's
3.  Going to Soccer games
4.  Running around outside
5.  Teaching Ty all the sports we love
6.  Spending tie together as a family
6.  Going to Laurel Park Mall, mom needs to shop and Ty gets to play at the little play place

 Big SIS teaching Lil' BRO

Team Work

 Lib will be on the WCCC tennis team this year!

 Future Michael Chang

 Playing at Laurel Park

Nick, our neighbor, reading with Ty

Mrs. Erika and G hangin' with Ty

 Uncle Jon, Aunt Jill, Karlie and Grandpa... Ty loves his Grandpa!

 Ty watching Lib play soccer

Lib is about to kick the ball to start the game.  GO BRAZIL!

2 goals and an assist

Successes and Failures

Here's why I haven't been blogging, Ty hasn't been sleeping (well not at the right times anyway)!  Basically he goes to bed late, 11:00ish and gets up late, 10:00ish.  His nap has been in the late afternoon and very short.  So, after enjoying my mornings and GMA for a few days I decided to put an end to this not so ideal schedule.  This morning I woke him up at 8:00am.  He was tired and mad at me but I didn't care.  It hasn't taken me long to get into the "I'm your mom and this is how it is mode."  Poor guy, he only got one week of nicey nicey  me and now he gets the real deal!  Well it is 1:30 in the afternoon and I am blogging, you guessed it...he's napping right on schedule.  My plan is working, now I have to hope it works for the rest of the day and he goes to sleep at 8:00pm as I'm hoping.  No more jet lag excuse here buddy, I mean business and I like my sleep so you are going to like yours!!!

Yesterday I took Ty to meet my students.  He loved them!  He ran into the classroom and engaged with them right away.  They were all about him and they were so sweet.  They gave him his space, most of the time.  A few made adorable cards for him and just thought he was the cutest thing.  I was watching very closely to see if he would find his way back to me.  I'm still very much aware of the atttachment and want to see that he wants me.  He'd play for awhile and then find me.  His bond to me was more apparent in the staff lounge with my colleagues.  He was not as social, still social, just not as.  He mostly sat on my lap and played peek-a-boo with whoever would engage with him (it's by far his favorite game...maybe because it's one of the few words we actually know in Korean!)  Overall our visit was a success and I felt confident leaving there that he knew I was his mama and that I was the one who would keep him safe, provide his food, give him a bath and put him to bed at night... Not sure he wants to be put to bed but too bad, I'm doing it anyway kid!

 This is a fun game

Ty trying to escape Kindergarten

Class Clown

Libby and Ty are getting along well, Libby is still being so sweet.  There have been a handful of times when I see that she is feeling sad and left out, but she handles it in stride.  Ty requires so much attention right now and it is making me feel that mommy guilt.  I'm trying really hard to give Lib a little extra right now but it seems everytime we start doing something Ty needs something.  Last night Lib and I were working on designing her a thrity-one lunch box for next year.  She needed to pick out the fabric and color for the monogramming.  Half-way through our designing I needed to get Ty to bed, a long process that Chris and I had both already at this point spent about an hour on.  I went up to relieve Chris.  When I finally got him down I went to look for Lib, she was sound asleep on the couch next to the computer still waiting for me.  I felt so bad :(  I quickly finished the order so I would be able to tell her in the morning it was done and on it's way.  Oh, and she so kindly let me know this morning that I forgot to pack her a snack yesterday for school.  Man, this mom thing sure has gotten complicated with 2!  CALGON TAKE ME AWAY!

Lib designing her new lunch bag

But, inspite of a few challenges, we are a happy family of 4 (except Reggie, he and Ty are not the best of friends!)  We are enjoying each day and learning new things about Ty.  First, he doesn't like to wear socks.  My sister informed me that in Asia people don't wear socks, even in the winter.  All the floors in their homes are heated so socks are not needed.  That explains why everytime you put socks on Ty, he quickly takes them off.  Another thing is he will drink his bottle where ever you give it to him.  If you hand it to him in the kitchen he will lay down on the hardwood floor and drink it.  It's super funny :) Also, he likes to suck on the tags of stuffed animals.  So, today we made a trip to Toys R' Us and got a taggie blanket.  It was the perfect blanket, a dog named buddy because Chris calls Ty Buddy, it was mean't to be!  It's amazing how much you can learn about someone you spend every waking minute with.

My Taggie, Buddy

Notice, no socks!

Ty learned his first English word in a matter of days...UP!  He puts his hands up and says, "up."  His little mind is working so fast, you can just see him soaking up everything.  He also loves the song The Eency Weency Spider.  I taught him the hand motions to it and he loves to take my fingers and put them together to make the spider.  I'll try to get a video of it.

Tonight we have Libby's art show at school.  I can't wait to see her masterpieces... unfortunately she got her art skills, or lack there of, from me.  However, it will be fun to make the night all about her!

 Libby's first Art Show

Lib's masterpiece

Guess what, it's 2:10 and I'm still blogging, that means Ty has been napping for over an hour...SUCCESS!  

Now it's 9:45 pm and I just got Ty to sleep after three rounds of letting him cry it out...FALIURE! :(
Better luck tomorrow.

Here are some great pics...

 Another hockey player

 Take me out to the ballgame

 Little brother, Big sister