5 More Things

This week I am grateful for ...

1. My Sister-in-law - who read this blog and, due to the ever-increasing size of Andrew, mailed out some 12 month clothes, which he will fit into all too soon! I guess my brother receives credit, too. How fun is it to get an unexpected package!!!

2. Birthday money - my grandparents sent me a check for my birthday on Saturday and I decided to treat myself at Target to a few of my favorite things - fancy body wash (which I normally don't buy since soap is so much cheaper), a big dark chocolate bar, and a huge container of yummy yummy trail mix. And I still have $10 left just waiting to be spent on a new book. Aren't the simple pleasures the best!?!

3. And speaking of which, Body Wash, especially the really creamy lovely aroma stuff. Today's shower (while baby Andrew was awake!) was divine.

4. Talking to friends on the phone ... a favorite past time.

5. By small and simple things .... finishing my quals report draft over the last two weeks. I really am amazed how much work I have been able to get done between naps and evenings and weekends!

I guess 5 is enough, but I have tons more. A good and tiring week so far!

5 Things

We had a great high council talk about gratitude yesterday that really got me thinking. Especially now when I am under a lot of stress, I think taking some time everyday to count my blessings is just what I need spiritually. So here are 5 things ...

1 - Sunday, a day I can relax and not have to work on research.

2 - The baby fussing whenever I sit down during Sunday School, so I have to walk the halls and socialize with people (maybe it's bad, but I really like getting some adult conversation packed in on Sundays)

3 - Meeting new people - at least 15 families have moved in in the last 2 weeks in our ward, so there are tons. A little overwhelming, but lots of possibilities.

4 - Laughter - who knew that Beyond Balderdash could bring so much fun with the couple of new families who came to our house last night. Between sniddle and knowing why "Ladies Crave Excitement", we had LOTS of laughs

5 - Plums - I had my first plum of the year yesterday and it was divine. One of God's greatest gifts, really.

100 Days Old

Andrew is 100 days old ... or was, yesterday. We celebrated the Japanese way, by serving him up his first real meal. Traditionally, the meal is supposed to wish the baby good luck that they will always have plenty of food - a kind of protection against starvation, I suppose. So, you feed the baby a bit of rice, then a bit of miso soup (tofu, miso, and seaweed), then a bit of rice, then a bit of fish, then a bit of this sweet rice and bean dessert that Katsu made. Andrew was a little perplexed, but seemed to find the tofu and the sweet rice and beans "oishii" or tasty.

And on another note, since Andrew is big and already wearing 6-9 months clothes, he gets to wear this cute outfit from the ojiisan and obaasan (Funai grandparents) for the next little while on Sunday. Isn't he cute? We are having lots of fun with him! Katsu takes great care of him in the evenings and Saturday morning/afternoon, so I can work on my research. Here is a picture of Andrew playing with his toys in the morning with Katsu. And hopefully, hearing all that Japanese will pay off with a bilingual baby!

Book Reviews

I want to start keeping track of the books I read and share a few thoughts about them. I don't get as much reading time as I used to ... so it might be short.

So far this month, I've read:

The Tao of Pooh - a really fast read and an interesting, though bit odd, introduction to Taoism, the Chinese philosophy. I liked the passages from the Pooh books, but having the author talk to Pooh as he went didn't turn out as well, IMO. I especially like the idea of knowing who you are. going with the flow, and not being a busy backsoon (or however Christopher Robin spelt it). THe ideas are useful to me as I am getting stressed out about my upcoming qualifying exams and balancing school, baby, family, and me.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan - a fascinating tale of two friends during China's footbinding past. The story of friendship really makes me think about my past and current friendships. But I was mostly supremely saddened to think about the suffering women have gone through due to past patriarchal societies. It really strengthens my feminist tendencies. Anyway, I highly recommend this book.

Three months old

Andrew is three months old today and lots of fun! As you can see from the pictures, Andrew is huge. The outfit he is wearing there is a 3/6 month, but it is too small, so it will probably be the last day for that one. He has basically already outgrown all his 3/6 mo clothes and is wearing 6/9 mo clothes. He sure goes through clothes really fast. I don't know how tall he is, but guessing from the bathroom scale, he must be about 16 lbs! Hopefully, the scale is wrong ... no wonder my back is starting to hurt.

Other than that, we are having lots of fun with him. He smiles and laughs all the time. He loves when you sing songs with hand motions and move his hands along (like the Wise Man and the Foolish Man and the Eensy Weensy Spider). He likes to knock block towers over and grab links and is starting to hold things with both hands and to put things in his mouth all the time. He likes to talk, especially in the morning when he wakes up. Yesterday, he seemed to learn to roll from his stomach to his back and did it at least ten times, but wouldn't do it once Daddy came home (of course). He also got to spend a week touring the finer parts of the area (Henry Ford Museum, Bronner's Christmas store, Frankenmuth, Ann Arbor, and the Toledo Zoo) with his Crookston grandparents and Aunt Sarah.

I am starting to write my report for my qualifying exams in the evenings and nap times, so I guess the care free days of the summer are really ending ... school will be starting before I know it.