September Family Update, Photos and Video

September brought some beautiful days to enjoy before Autumn officially arrived and it was so nice around here! Rains have hit Seattle hard now, but I’m savoring the color changes and crisp air; I love this season! I was blessed to celebrate a birthday with my two favorite guys on a nice day (nice enough anyway; it wasn’t raining and was warmish) filled with family time, extra rest, and yummy food that I didn’t have cook. 😉

Timothy’s officially a toddling little guy and it’s been enjoyable to watch him grow into walking recently. While he still prefers crawling for efficacy, he’s definitely developing into a strong little pedestrian, especially with hands often full of stuffed animals, books, balls or random items to bring around the house. He makes us laugh so much with his playing, dancing, (seemingly incessant) eating, babbling and growing sense of humor each day. We love witnessing Timothy continue to learn new Chinese and English words, too. His current favorites include “grapes”, “milk”, “ball”, “doggy”, “pen”, and of course “Papa”). It’s crazy to me how he picks up new skills each week too, like hammering, jumping, hair brushing, blowing his nose, climbing and improved spoon feeding – it seems that each stage of growth just keeps getting more fun! We also delight in how sweet he is with hugs and kisses in between all the exploring and playing. Some compassion, persistence, and goofiness are emerging in his personality and it’s such a joy to witness. We get a kick out of when Timothy intentionally makes us laugh with his comical gestures like rubbing his belly and raising his arms in surprise/excitement.

I’m continually humbled as I learn to care for this little one through the great and not-so-fun days, realizing how much I need Jesus’ grace to have joy through all the messiness of mealtimes and tantrums (both Timothy’s and mine!). Sometimes, I’m brought to tears at how incredible it is to see Timothy’s little dimpled face smile at me everyday and be a big part of his learning and discovery of the world. I’m amazed to catch a glimpse of my Heavenly Father’s delight in me as his child; just because he made me his own in Christ – AND he doesn’t get easily annoyed at my foolish willfulness – such grace to me!

It’s also been great to have Timothy start helping with chores like moving laundry from the washer to the dryer, emptying the dishwasher, putting away up toys, and even wiping the floor. This is all quite handy since he may have to start pitching in with housework more here soon, because…

Andrew and I are so happy that, by God’s wonderful grace, our little family is continuing to grow. We’re thrilled to announce that we’re excited meet our baby girl next February!!! We’re grateful for this blessing growing inside of me and are pleasantly surprised at the prospect of raising a daughter (honestly, I’m actually scared). This pregnancy has been more tiring that the last but otherwise pretty good, so I’m enjoying that as well! We look forward to how Timothy will grow as big brother after he meets his sister, and are trying to make the most of this season while we can still devote more time and attention to him (and each other!).

Thanks for reading this month’s update and Happy Autumn, all!

 

August 2013 Photos

July 2013 Update and Mobile Pics

Timothy in his friend Abigail’s chair

We’re definitely enjoying this Northwest summer with it’s long days and hope you are enjoying these months where you are as well! =)

Timothy has been so busy and interactive nowadays, definitely keep us on our toes. It’s been so encouraging to see him add to his repertoire of signs to include “please”, “more”, and “food” in addition to his very frequent signs of being finished with something and wanting milk. We’re also thrilled he spends a lot of time throughout the day flipping through books. It’s so amusing to watch him growl, woof, and roar as he sees the animals in his books, and enjoy being read to even though he flips through books so quickly. I’m really enjoying watching Timothy develop and am glad to be home with him each day. Between his dancing, exploring, “reading” and mealtimes, our days are pretty full even without regular outings. We’re so blessed to be in a great neighborhood with older kiddos who dote on Timothy, stores to peruse, restaurants and a fantastic park nearby.

Timothy playing at the counter

Unfortunately, this month also brought along an incident where Timothy tipped himself into a plastic organization unit and scraped up his face. Although I know it’s minor and only a sign of things to come with a little boy, it made me so sad to see the scrape right in the middle of his face. Other than wanting some extra snuggles throughout the day, the little guy dealt with it pretty well and it’s healing quickly. A third tooth has also emerged and it’s neat to watch it appear bigger each day when he grins and giggles.

At the fridge

I notice even more how impatient and controlling I am, which is quite frustrating and humbling. I realize things are actually relatively calm now just because Timothy hasn’t shown a big interest in walking yet, aside from standing a lot lately. However as we’re on the cusp of only more busyness when he becomes a toddler and decides to start walking, and I can only imagine the messes that I’ll be cleaning up each day will multiply as he explores even more. I’m thankful that God’s mercies are new every morning and that he is being faithful to refine and sanctify me as I learn more about his heart for parenting. It’s crazy to me how much my heavenly father delights in me, his adopted child in Christ, when I often waver between delighting in and being exasperated with Timothy throughout the days and weeks. When I step back and ignore the dropped food, piles, stains and dirty dishes I can see more clearly what a blessing it is to be a mama and enjoy these days with my little guy who just wants to play and enjoy my company.

Eyeing Abigail’s snack
Petting a friendly Wheaten
Timothy peering at Bella outside
So busy at his check-up
Papa & Timothy w/ a big Golden

I’m so grateful for Andrew’s patience and great perspective as we learn to parent together and appreciate that Timothy plays so differently with his papa. I’m heartbroken to think of all the little boys who grow up without involved fathers, and I’m especially thankful for Andrew’s devotion and dedication to loving Jesus and continuing to learn to lead our family with love. We’re in a great season as a little family and look forward to the rest of this summer as a family together.

Papa & Timothy “driving”

June 2013 Photos and Update

What a full and busy June we had! Timothy’s first birthday brought along a very enjoyable visit with the Ma grandparents and we made some great memories together while they were here. It’s also been so fun for us to see the little guy start to sign and use some words to communicate with us. Timothy has taken to doing some bouncy and jiggly dancing (anytime, anywhere) when he hears any sort of upbeat music, occasionally even trying to sing along! We’re thankful to have had this first year with Timothy and are certainly starting to feel the time fly by as he’s growing so quickly lately. Thank you for all of your encouragement and love to our family in this past year!

1st birthday letter to Timothy from Mama

In the coming years, I’m hoping to write letters to each of our children on (or at least near) their birthdays. I want to do this to both commemorate each year of their growth and capture some fun stages that we may otherwise forget since I’m not good at scrapbooks and growth journals. 11-month smile

Dearest Timothy,

Oh, little guy – you’re one year old today! It feels longer to me since it’s been quite a full year getting to know you and learn how to care for you. I imagine the years may fly by from here on forward as you grow up. It’s been such privilege to stay at home and care for you. I’ve cherished getting to watch you develop over the past twelve months. From watching your little eyelashes emerge at 7 weeks old, to seeing you become proficient at popping fruit into your drooly mouth, it’s given me such pleasure to witness so many stages so far. Lately, I’ve especially loved seeing your little two-toothed smile beaming at me throughout the day. I also really enjoy watching how your little friendships are developing with the kiddos you see every week, especially as you learn to fend for yourself. It’s neat to see how you play around other babies and toddlers at this age.

What lessons I’ve learned from being your mama so far! Thank you for helping me see that God’s love for me is far greater than the warm surges of affection I feel for you. When I feel frustrated and desperately tired, I am reminded about how much I need Jesus’ grace to get me through the days and weeks. I appreciate how mellow you seem to be so far, and am humbled to have a relatively easy-going baby to care for in you. It’s been quite of year of continue to learn how to release control to the Lord and just enjoy this season we’re in without wanting to hurry to the next. Thank you for the ways you help me to slow down.

Just so we can remember in the future, here are some stats from your first year: you held your little head up at 6 weeks, rolled over at 3 months, started sitting up proficiently at 6, scooted at 8, had your first tooth break through at 9, crawled quickly at 10, and began standing a ton before 11 months hit. Your first intelligible word was “Papa” in Cantonese, but I can’t remember when you started saying that…maybe 7 months? For the first 5 months or so, you would often follow-up your sneezes with a cute little coo that made us melt. I miss that sometimes. Your birth story was amazing and so special for us. It was a long and tiring labor, but you came out so perfectly – completely enclosed in your sac! The doctor had to rip it open to let you out so we could meet you! Mama cannot fully remember how painful it was, but she does recall how strong and supportive your papa was and was so grateful to have had you arrive naturally after about 31 hours. You were a hungry little guy from the start; oh my, did you nurse super often – every 45 minutes for the first month or so! You still eat a lot nowadays and we sure wonder where it all goes since you’re so slim. =)

I adore the ways you’re like Papa in what we’ve noticed so far. It’s so fun that you’re beside yourself with chatty excitement when you see fluffy dogs or get to pet our Stewie rabbit. You seem to have no fear of animals thus far so we’ll need to help you learn to be cautious. You double fist and gobble down sharp cheddar so eagerly, it’s amazing you’re not chunkier. You have such expressive round eyes and sweet little lips that curl up when you babble. You crack us up with how much you enjoy using the potty sometimes – what a funny little guy you are with your giggles, claps, and bounciness!

Often, I pray the Lord will give you strong biblical convictions like your father and that your life would honor God and be used to display his immeasurable grace to others. This was our hope in naming you Timothy Ian. You are so blessed to have a strong, loving, fun, courageous and gracious father who loves the God of the Bible. I can’t wait to see your relationship with him continue to blossom in the years to come. We love seeing your face light up when Papa comes home and it’ll be so fun when you can run to meet him at the door.

I find it endearing when I observe parts of me in you, too. Your little smile, flexible limbs, and ravenous hunger for papayas and pears give me a tiny glimpse into how amazing it is to see some of my traits in a little boy I love so much. I’m looking forward to noticing more of your personality and physical traits emerge in the months to come. For now, I’m tucking into the memory bank of my heart the adorable way you crawl to me and hug my legs, snuggle with me throughout the day, how your precious little head feels against my chest, and the sweet experiences of nursing you. I enjoy looking at the double swirls on your head as you hug me and hum along to “Be Thou My Vision” with me before you go down in your crib. You’ve started to exert your willfulness at times, and I’m learning how to gently guide you and help you understand how to communicate. You’re not very much into sign language yet but I’m continuing to try everyday! For now, we need to decipher whether your claps mean you want more food, are finished with your activity, need to use the potty, or are just generally excited. 😉

As we celebrate this first year with you, you’re likely oblivious to the hubbub all around you.  We’re glad to see you happily crawling around and exploring our home with your large baby hands – free of any concerns. Papa and I are sad for you to soon discover the brokenness of this world you’ve entered, but we’re looking forward to being stretched and challenged by the opportunities we’ll have to teach you about God’s sovereignty and grace in it all, including the ways we’ll unfortunately disappoint you. We love and serve such a wonderful Savior and hope that you will one day find your hope in Him. Papa and I pray that you can see how bountifully the Lord has provided for you in our home, and that you would grow a heart of generosity that flows from gratitude for all that our family gets to enjoy.

I love you so very much, little Timothy. I’m sure we’ll have our struggles in the years to come, but I pray everyday that God will equip me to be a mother who will point you to the gospel in my failures, shortcomings, and bright moments as you grow up. I’m thrilled to see what’s in store for your future! Happy 1st Birthday to you, my happy precious boy!

With lots of affection from your Mama