Memorial Day Weekend

What a busy weekend! Isaac made his first trip to Bonita Springs to visit Aunt Lynne & Uncle Ron. They were amazed at how big our baby has grown in the past five months! We had a lot of fun at the zoo and in the pool.

Isaac had fun riding Daddy's shoulders at the Naples Zoo. It was pretty busy as they had just opened a new exhibit featuring the Florida black bear. What a great family picture. Mommy & Isaac, Daddy, Aunt Lynne, and Uncle Ron. As we walked the nature trails we found the parents feeding their hatchlings. I wish that I had a book of native birds to Florida. The parents were beautiful white birds with a white headdress. Hmmm... I googled images and think it's snowy egret, but I'm not entirely sure...

After the zoo we went home and took a nap. After our nap it was pool time! Here Isaac is having a blast jumping into the pool with Aunt Lynne. This was only his second time in the pool since we came home from China. We went in the pool twice in China and he loved it. His first time in the pool here was at Aunt Wendy's house where he saw 3 year old Anthony jumping into the pool. Isaac says, "hey I'm a big boy too!" He would jump into the pool swim to the side (Really! He would kick his legs and swim to the side and try to pull himself up!!) Later I wondered if he could move his arms without the arm floaties. Big Mistake! Now he does NOT want the floaties on AT ALL!!! Mommy is looking into swimming lessons. Unfortunately the YMCA lessons start while we are visiting family in California so it looks like we are going to have to do private lessons. Michael Phelps watch out! Isaac has started his swimming career at 20 months old and he is fearless! I hope that his love of water continues and that he can have fun on a swim team. On Sunday some of Aunt Lynne's friends came over to meet Isaac and we had a BBQ at the pool. It was so much fun. Mommy was so busy jumping and swimming with Isaac that we didn't get any pictures. On Monday we went to Lake Pearl with Daddy's friends in Orlando. We are sad to have to say good-bye to our dear friends Matt & Mary as they prepare to move to Nashville. Stay tuned for more pictures at Lake Pearl. Mommy needs to head over to Mary's facebook page to download the pictures from the lake.

May Days

Grandma and Grandpa bought Mommy & Isaac a new stroller for Mother's Day. Isaac LOVES his new stroller. The steering wheel makes noises and plays music. At the top Mommy can plug in her i-pod for when we go on walks. We both love our new stroller!! Here we are taking it for a test drive in the house just after we assembled it.

A couple of years ago Zoe got Butterscotch for Christmas. It was a little disappointing because we were all expecting Butterscotch to walk (she doesn't). Isaac never saw the commericals or participated in the pre-Christmas hype and he thinks the Butterscotch is just wonderful! (On a side note, Zoe now loves Butterscotch and allows Isaac to ride her.)

Mommy & Zoe were playing on the trampoline when Isaac wandered out. He looked like a forlorn puppy as he gazed up at us on the trampoline.

Singing in the Rain! OK, so Isaac is barely talking so he isn't really singing in the rain, but boy was he LAUGHING in the rain! He had a great time and got so mad at Mommy when she insisted it was time to go in when the lightning and thunder started up. I guess he isn't aware the Central Florida is the lightning capital of the state and the nation!
After the lightning and thunder went away Mommy let Isaac go back out and play in the rain again. Coming up next... Memorial Day weekend pictures!!!

The Dedication

Many people have wondered, so just what is a dedication anyways!? Well it is our promise to raise our child in a Godly home, seeking to teach him the ways of our faith and the teachings of Jesus. It is similar to a baptism or christening that is found in other denominations. In my mind it is similar to when Jesus' parents brought him to the temple to present him to the Lord (Luke 2:21-38). We took Isaac into the temple (church) to present him to the Lord. Will he be baptised then? Yes, we do believe in baptism, but I was raised in a denomination where children choose to be baptised when they come into the understanding of who Jesus is and what their relationship is with him. I think that is the age when many children do first communion in other denominations like the Catholic Church and Lutheran Church. I think it is wonderful that we all serve the same Lord and that we can do so in different ways. We are currently attending the church where I grew up. It was nice to have him dedicated where I spent so much time as a child learning about Jesus.

In this picture, the service is getting ready to start. I had to put Isaac's bib back on so that he didn't drool all over his cute outfit. We didn't buy a traditional outfit while we were in China. I didn't really see any that I liked and we were worried about money since Craig had just been laid off. It seemed extravagant. We found this cute outfit in the China pavilion at Epcot.

After the first song, the pastor started the dedication. There were five children being dedicated! Isaac was the most active of them all! There are times when you want your child to stand out, this was not one of them!! Grandma got a picture of Isaac trying to escape Mommy's arms.

Here we are with "Uncle" Dominic. Craig asked Dominic to be Isaac's godfather. Uncle Dominic bought Isaac a beautiful gold cross that he can wear when he is older to commemorate the day!

With Grandma. Isn't that a cool dragon on his top?
With the family. From left to right: Grandma, Grandpa, Isaac, Daddy, Mommy, and Uncle Joe.

What a beautiful family! Last Mother's Day I wouldn't leave the house. I was so sad. This year, it is so unbelievable. I want to stand on the rooftop and yell, "Look what the Lord has done!" In the past I related to Hannah crying in the temple (I Samuel 1-2). To me I felt like Hannah and every mother felt like Peninnah showing off all of her children. To make it worse the church would play games like the most children & grandchildren. It was more than I could bear! Last year I told Craig, "No More! I'm never going to church again on Mother's Day until I am a mother!" I never imagined it would be this year. This year I felt like Hannah going back to the temple after Samuel was born. How fitting in my heart that we could also dedicate him to the Lord on Mother's Day. At first I was horrified, I felt horrible for the women who like me in the years before could not celebrate. To me it was more healing to be able to dedicate my son to the Lord on a day that had been so difficult for me in the past. We prayed for his birthmother in China. We prayed that she would come to know the Lord and that she would know that her son is safe and loved.

Oh my! I have to run to work. I will post more updates later!!

Fun with Mama

Mama said that she needed help with dinner so I got out all of the pots & pans that I thought she might need to make me a very yummy dinner. Then the broiler looked like a fun place to play and I thought we could play a quick game of hide & seek.Last Saturday, April 25th I had my first visit to Epcot. Mama & Grandma both love Epcot and they said that I would love it too. I was very happy to find a play ground. These people at Disney really know how to keep a baby happy. The slide was SO MUCH FUN that I went down close to 20 times. One time another little boy tried to cut me off so I held up my finger and told him, "Ma! Ma! Ma!" While shaking my finger at him. (Ma! Ma! Ma! translates into No! No! No!) Mama thought it was so funny because Grandma, the little boy, and his parents didn't know that I was telling him No! Mama told me that I had to share the slide and we ended up having lots of fun.

After we played for a while we stopped in Canada to check out their totem poles because Mama is getting ready to teach her students about the Native Americans of the Northwestern United States. I had fun playing on the steps and chasing bubbles while Grandma looked for some items in the trading post.

Our main purpose in going to Epcot was to help Grandma buy some artifacts to show her students while they study Asia. When we went to China we got to meet Mulan. I think Mama and Grandma were pretty excited to meet her, but I just wanted to play with Mama's sunglasses. While we were in China Mama & Grandma found a very nice outfit that I will wear when I am dedicated next Sunday. Mama & Grandma thought it would be nice to include my birth culture with my families culture when they dedicate me to the Lord. Mama is so excited that the church chose to have the dedication on Mother's Day. Please stay tuned for pictures of my adorable outfit. [Note from Mama: Last Mother's Day was so painful! I wouldn't allow Craig to take me to church and I made sure that our meal was at home. My prayers are with all of the women out there who are still waiting to become mothers. This is such a painful time of year for those who still wait to hold a child in their arms.]

Wednesday, April 29th Freedom Middle hosted a track meet. Mama took me so that we could help time the big kids as they ran in the races. My favorite thing to do at the track meet was to play on the go-cart. Mama tried to get a picture of me as I ran around the track, but she only had her cell phone with her because I took off so fast! Maybe I'll be a track star like my Daddy and my Uncle Keith!

Yesterday we met with the cleft team to discuss the different types of treatment I will need as I grow up. Mama & Daddy didn't know that we would be in the same room for the entire time. I got so bored! Luckily Mama & Daddy were creative and found ways to entertain me without toys. I met with so many people, I can't remember them all. But my bestest friend was there and he was so happy that my mouth continues to look very good and that I have learned how to use a straw. He said I need to follow up with him in 6 months and that he'll see me at the cleft team again next year. The speech therapist told Mama that we need to have my comprehension & speech evaluated and that I might qualify for some speech therapy to help me learn how to say more words. Overall the experience was very tiring! It was interesting, but it was a long morning. Next time Mama & Daddy promised that we would bring toys!

Well it was fun catching up with you. I hope to see you again soon!!

Love,
Isaac