Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was especially fun this year because Ez got to join in on the joys of feasting.  We had dinner at my parents house and enjoyed a day of delicious food, family, and crazy boys.  I started to describe the day as relaxing, but really there is nothing relaxing about three hyped up boys under the age of three!  

Emily and I made the most delicious Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake. We had so much fun making it together and went gaga for the final product. Some of my favorite holiday memories, as of lately, are of baking with Em. 

For whatever reason, I was really excited to make rolls for Thanksgiving.  Unfortunately, they didn't taste quite as heavenly as I was hoping for.  For all of the work and time I put into them, I was pretty disappointed. Once we got to my parents I had no issue getting over it with all of the amazing food my mom prepared!

This Thanksgiving I am especially thankful for my Ezra obsession, my kind-patient-supportive-funny-perfect husband, to have all of my sisters living with in 30 minutes of each other, cousins that are more like brothers, parents that are best friends, and great grandparents to love my sweet Ezra. 

M

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I guess I forgot to take pictures.

Falling Apart

Our condo is quickly falling apart. 
After living in 100 year old homes in Bellingham during college, and then apartments in Fremont my first few years out of school, my brand new condo felt so cookie cutter clean and perfect.  Unfortunately this didn't last for long... In the last couple of months, our carpet started coming up, granite is falling off the counter top, our fire sprinkler randomly leaks, the garbage disposal became unattached and started leaking, and we had to buy a new dryer. Of course, Ez likes to be in on all of the action and is very eager to help. 

Our bathroom smells like a marijuana dispensary because the vent is attached to our neighbors.  We had to move parking spots, making grocery trips even more of a pain. The apartments are for rent now.... 

Needless to say, Tieba just opened an account for us to start really saving for a house. 

M

So Many People Love Me.

For Ezra's birthday I asked everyone in our family to write him a little love note. Then I attached each note to a picture of the writer and Ezra, and put it all together in a book.  
Ezra loves looking through the book and attempting to say the names that match the faces. The notes are all so sweet and will forever be treasures.

Tieba's note was just a little too long to fit on the page.  The note in it's entirety is so sweet, I want to be sure that Ezra can read the whole thing some day as well.

...................

Dear Ezra,
        It has been such an amazing and fun journey over the months being your Father, I can hardly believe your first birthday is only a few weeks away. Time has gone by so quickly, I remember staring at you in your crib at the hospital in disbelief that you were here. You were the most beautiful little thing I had ever seen. I made you a promise in the hospital the day you were born that I was going to be the best daddy in the world to you, and I fully intend on keeping that promise. You’ve made it pretty easy so far, as having you as a son has been such a blessing to your mother and I. You’re such a happy, energetic, and beautiful little person that brings so much additional love into our home. You always have a warm and welcoming smile that brightens every and anyone’s day. Your mother and I constantly get comments/compliments from people about how cute and friendly you are.
The best part of being your dad thus far has been watching you develop, (physically, mentally, and emotionally) you are quite the mix of your mother and I (even though she fully believes you’re her twin). While physically you’re built like me (a mack truck) you have many facial features and expressions from your mom, it always cracks me up when you make those faces because you look just like her. Your personality is a blend of ours and much bigger than life itself. You are mischievous, funny, playful, smart, a good eater, love to dance, and have a little bit of a dramatic flair (you can guess who you get that from). You love to have me chase you around the house crawling and frequently roam into the kitchen to play with things you shouldn’t like the trashcan or dishwasher. You know you shouldn’t be playing with these things because as soon as you see your mother or I coming for you, you usually get a little impish grin on your face and go scurrying off to the next thing you’re not suppose to be playing with. Over the past few weeks you’ve really developed some humorous habits for example when you’re in a room with adults and they start laughing you do a fake laugh that gets everyone else in the room cracking up. One of my favorites is your dramatic fake cry you use when we take something your not suppose to have away from you. You open your mouth as wide as you possibly can and make a fake crying noise, but as soon as you get something else you instantly stop and have a look of contentment on your face it’s pretty funny.  All in all Ezzy you’re a wonderful and perfect child. I look forward to seeing you further develop and grow and can’t wait to see the outstanding boy, young man, and man you’re going to become. I love you will all my heart.
-Dad

12 Months in a Basket

One thing is for certain, this guy just gets cuter, sassier, naughtier and more fun as he grows! 

M

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Dreaming of a new camera by the time I have my next baby so that all of my pics aren't taken from my iphone...

12 Months

Dear Ezra,
My sweet little baby, how are you already 1 year old? It feels like just yesterday I held you for the first time and my heart grew times 100.  While you no longer need me to hold you all day, I am so grateful that you still love our cuddle time.  Every so often when we are playing on the carpet, you come over to lay your head on my lap or give me your mini version of a hug, I just love it. You are becoming a little communicator.  You are quick to say "uhh ohh" anytime something drops, or if things are too quiet for your liking.  Every so often at the end of a prayer before we eat you will say amen.  I have it on video to prove it, but since then you've decided to boycott it- maybe you are camera shy? You go crazy for dogs and love when Gus licks you all over. You are using your signs for "more","all done", and "water".  You usually want more cheese, and you are all done when it is time to eat your vegetables. You especially like to do the sign when I am feeding you with a spoon and will whack it out of my hand. Cutest of all, you are blowing kisses anytime we say goodbye and often decide to blow kisses to people you see at the grocery store. You are a little vacuum cleaner.  I don't know how you do it, but you pick up the tiniest crumbs on the ground and you love to get up on one knee to show me your treasures.  Somehow, you are even able to pick up pieces of hair- you must (I hope) have my eye sight and not your dad's! You aren't walking quite yet, but that certainly isn't holding you back from getting into mischief. Thankfully, for the most part before you do anything too naughty you turn around and make sure that I see what you are about to do.  You know I won't let you get into any trouble, but you sure get a laugh out of watching me zoom over to the rescue.  Sweet Panda, you are going to continue to grow faster than I want you to, and before I know it you will probably be too big for snuggles, kisses on the lips, and kangaroo time, but like the book reads, I'll love you forever, like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be. 
Love, 
Mom

Photo Dump // October

Ez is obsessed with the garbage can.  We have had to fish quite a few important objects out of there...

Dinner at Jimmy's with Grandpa and co. 

Levi's favorite game of the month: "Bad Choices Cat". 

 A few of Ezra's favorite things... 

My typical attire- transitioning for morning to afternoon. 

 We spend a lot of time building towers. 

Still waiting for Ez to snuggle up with one of his stuffed animals- he'd rather hold on to a ball... 

Ezra LOVES playing in the kitchen, both the real deal and play sets. 

Hello, Pero :)

We love play dates with Piper and Cathy!

Ez loves playing with his cousins. Their toys are way cooler (even the duplicates) than ours!

It was such a nice month. We tried to get out and enjoy the sun as much as we could. We love walking the little trail next to Kel's. The view of Snohomish is so pretty. 

Transferring Ez from the car to crib is nearly impossible. When is does happen, it needs to be documented. 

Happy birthday, Baby Arlo! I got to meet him just hours after he was born, it was such a special moment. Em is a warrior and an incredible mom. Can't wait for our boys to be friends. 

Ezra's stinky helmet requires that he take a bath every day.  Bath time became a special time for Ezra and T to spend together. They both love it. My favorite part about it is the time that I get to get some things done with out my little helper. I love my view from the kitchen. Ez is always up to mischief and seems to make things even harder than they should be for his dad!

We love Tambark Park.  It is perfect for the boys because it is a padded ground that they can crawl around on, it is fenced in, and no one over 5 is allowed to play there. 

M

Happy Birthday, to Ezra!

The week before Ezra's birthday he had a 100+ degree temperature for 4 days in a row.  By the time his birthday party rolled around he had been fever free for two days, but he still wasn't his usual self.  This also meant that I didn't have time to do the shopping that I wanted to and nap times were spent mostly holding him rather than working on the few projects I hoped to complete.  Those things considered, it was a really nice party.  Kelly and Ben hosted it at their house and we kept it small, just immediate family + Greg and Janet. 

We ate pizza, opened presents, and played a fun little game to predict Ezra's future.  This is a Korean tradition that the Kims and many of my students have told me about.  I certainly didn't do it in the correct form, but it was one of the highlights of the party.  I set out a number of objects that are supposed to predict the child's future:  a pencil (good scholar), money (rich), ruler (dexterous), knife (chef), thread (long life).  Ez sat back to survey the items and then dove straight to the money!  Now we just need to find out how he will make his fortune.

After being spoiled with such generous gifts, we headed into the kitchen for dessert.  The poor bird had little interest in his birthday cake and pretty much just sat there with a blank stare on his face. Eventually he took a few bites, but overall, he was quite reserved. 

Thankfully, by the time his actual birthday rolled around, he was 100% Ez- as happy and chipper as usual. We had a lazy morning at home and then went to play with Levi and Troy.  He had a big boy lunch of chicken teriyaki and then we headed to play at the park, with Grandma in tow. 

After Ezra went to bed that night, T and I had Taco Time for dinner and reminisced on the year- spent time looking at pictures and watching videos of our little panda growing into a big boy. We both agreed that it was the best and fastest year of life so far.  We decided that we wouldn't change a thing, and those things that may not have been the best, we can do it differently next time.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Ezzy Bear! 

Time, please slow down!

 M

...
Hands down, the best present of all was the doctor's suggestion that Ezra could stop wearing his helmet!  In the midst of a triple digit fever we went to our appointment with high hopes of the news I had been waiting for! We are so glad that the helmet did the trick and Ez has a rounder noggin, but T and I couldn't have been happier to put that stinky helmet in the closet- we couldn't bare the thought of tossing the $2,000 piece of plastic in the garbage!

Boot Camp

After gaining just over 50 pounds while pregnant, it makes sense that breast feeding, walking, and crawling around on the carpet with Ez hasn't put me back to my pre baby state.  So, Kel and I decided to take matters into our own hands and we joined at Boot Camp. Really, we have Ben to thank for  signing us up for the class and watching the boys while we go! We checked out the first class free and got our butts' kicked!  Kel had to stop a couple of times and I kept mouthing to her to see if she needed to go home, wishing she would say yes, so I would be taken out of my misery! The class made me realize just how weak and out of shape I am.  I looked around and saw people twice my age powering through it and decided that I had to come back.  That and Al saying that there is a 30% chance that we would stick with it...  
We successfully finished our 4 weeks and are embarking upon another month!  Now we just need to buy some work out gear that fits us so we aren't constantly pulling up our stretched out, pregnancy ruined pants! 

M

Happy Halloween!

I have so many fun memories Trick or Treating with my cousins.  Dad and Uncle Gregg walked around with us, while Mom and Aunt Nancy stayed at home handing out candy.   A few memories that stand out include the dads wearing cone heads, Jenny walking into the back of a truck, and coming home to sort our candy.  We always had so much fun. This year we started our own cousin trick or treating tradition at my parents.  Levi was dressed as the cutest fireman on the block, the babes were sweet little skeletons, and Ben was a real creep dressed as a "shadow". 

There were hardly any trick or treaters out, but Levi had fun ringing door bells and grabbing hand fulls of candy.  The babies enjoyed pawing through Levi's candy, and all the boys loved the glow sticks. 

I can only imagine how crazy next year will be!

M