Christmas in Kathmandu

We celebrated Elijah's first Christmas in Kathmandu, Nepal. Our original plan was to celebrate it with some friends in India but due to very recent changes in the visa regulations, we had to leave the country before Christmas. We found a temporary flat and we spent most of Christmas eve just trying to set up the place and preparing to celebrate Christmas as a family. We bought an even smaller Christmas tree to decorate and bought Elijah gifts. Daddy explained to Elijah that God has given us Jesus as a gift and that is why we give each other gifts too. What mommy and daddy really wanted to get Elijah for his first Christmas gift was a tricycle for toddlers but it is too big to carry with us on the plane to Thailand then back to India. So, our plan is to get that for him when we return to India. Meanwhile, we got some transportable gifts for him: Nesting eggs, Ride and Hide Turtles, and a cellphone ;) We also got to enjoy our first visit to the zoo as a family!! We had great fun watching Elijah intensely studying and pointing at all the animals. You remind us of what an absolutely incredible and amazing gift God chose to give to us by sending Jesus as a baby. Merry Christmas, Elijah!!

Click here for photos!

Oh Christmas Tree, oh Christmas tree!

We'll be spending Christmas in Kathmandu, Nepal. But, we enjoyed setting up our Christmas tree and getting into the Christmas spirit as a family. Mommy and daddy have been talking about what kind of Christmas tradition we would like to have as a family. Unfortunately, the conversation has been put on hold a little bit as they have been working busily to figure out a short-term solution for the visa issue. We hope to post some photos of Christmas in Nepal in a few days.

First Visit to the Slum

We visited some of our friends in the slum area. They were all delighted to meet Elijah. Unfortunately, Elijah got sick and had his first episode of diarrhea shortly after his visit....but, mom is not sure whether it was related at all. Hopefully, we'll be able to visit a little more frequently.

Elijah Attends His First Birthday Party!

On Sunday afternoon, Elijah went to his first birthday party! It was Elise's birthday party and she LOVES Elijah. Unfortunately, Elijah didn't get to enjoy the sweets there but mom and dad thoroughly enjoyed yummy desserts that Elise's mom had baked. Here are some photos to enjoy!

A Baby

Our little boy signed the word "baby" to me as we briefly looked at the story of Moses and Jesus' birth. He can't quite do the sign as we adults would do it, but he clasps his hands together and swings back and forth to mean a baby. It is so sweet to watch....

A Sick Family

Elijah had fever for a couple of days, then runny nose which lasted only a day or two, and diarrhea for two days. I'm not sure what he had...Let me just say that my senses have been traumatized forever. How can a 11 month old produce such stinky poops? We had multiple changes of clothing and good wipe sessions.... (Of course, I would have preferred to just have him take a quick bath after each session but it's cold and there is no instant hot water.) It was still a little runny today but no other episodes so I think he might be over whatever it was that he had...

Unfortunately Paul and I are both dragging our feet. I have a case of a cold and food poisoning and Paul, food poisoning. We were invited to dinner last night and we wonder if the water was not boiled for very long....I was up in the middle of the night vomiting. Paul had the squirts all day. It is hard when both parents are sick at the same time. But, we made it through the day and are grateful that we did!

11 Months Old

Mars and Venus Already?

I found this video particularly funny. This little girl is only two months older than Elijah. They have recently begun "playing" together. Isn't it funny how you can already see in this video some of the male/female dynamics? She seems much more interested in the "relational" side of their exchange while Elijah seems only interested in the container itself. ;) Mars and Venus already?

Walker?

This video is from November and I am finally getting around to posting. Elijah is using his walker to move around. However, he has yet to try walking on his own. As we have been watching Elijah, we are learning that he is a cautious explorer - not one to jump in head first. He approaches new things by sizing them up first and slowly seeing what he can do. He examines new objects before grabbing them. I have been surprised to see that when people offer new things, he doesn't take them right away. Moreover, he only takes things that he is interested in.

In many ways, his cautious approach has kept him from getting unnecessary bruises and falls. Initially I thought he would begin walking on his own by end of his tenth month, but it looks like it will take a little longer....I am not complaining though because once he starts walking, I think he will start running. That's what he does while he holds onto his dad. And, I am not sure if I am quite ready for the chase yet!

Going backwards....Thanksgiving 2009

We spent Thanksgiving this year with Anika (an American doing short-term work), Raaj, and Binu (our Nepali friends). No turkey, but we did have a delicious whole roasted chicken with mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, fruit salad, and a Nepali cauliflower and green bean dish. We had just returned from Nepal only two days before Thanksgiving, so we were all pretty tired. However, we wanted to celebrate Elijah's first Thanksgiving so we did! Paul spent some time telling the story of the original Thanksgiving to our Nepali friends who have never celebrated Thanksgiving before. Afterward, we all went around and shared what it is that we are thankful for this year. Paul and I have many things to be grateful for this year. But, of them all, we both felt like we are especially grateful for our son, Elijah. He is a long awaited gift and we are so thankful to Jesus for him.

Happy Thanksgiving, Elijah!! We are so thankful to Jesus for giving you to us. We love you!

(Pictures will be posted later...)

Some recent photos

Elijah got his first new pair of shoes!

He loves riding in the shopping cart at the supermarket in the new mall.

First swing ride....he was hesitant to try when he was alone, but when he saw another child on it, he wanted to get on it and give it a try.

And, of course, we have to add a photo with spaghetti sauce smeared all over his face!

Newest Obsession

Bottles, bottles, and anything with caps that he can twist, turn, and take off....

We showed him how to twist and turn the bottle caps to take them off. Now, he does it all on his own and is always trying to take off new ones. What I enjoy the most is when he takes off the bottle cap and then looks at me with a big grin on his face to say, "See ma! I DID IT!!" He seems to be much more interested in objects that have some functional use than just "play" toys.

Elijah's First Words....Maybe??

I am lagging behind in my blogging. I have lots of entries floating around in my head but, unfortunately, finding the time to blog is getting more difficult. So, here are a few "happenings."

Elijah is a talker. He babbles nonstop, and I am not kidding. I love listening to him. I have been surprised at how hard he tries to communicate with words. Beside um-ma (Korean), mama, ah-pa (for daddy in Korean), I thought I heard "gae" (dog in Korean) yesterday as he pointed to a dog. I think he also says "i-guh" (this) a lot too as he points to the objects that he wants. He has a lot to say and so far, he seems to have no problem trying to let us know what he is thinking. I can't wait until I can understand him more. I also want to spend a little more time learning sign language....just need to find the time because he often surprises me with different signs he knows....like, sleep. One night, he was especially tired and at the dinner table he signed "sleep" to let me know that he wanted to go to bed. He fell asleep so fast!

Language development is a lot of fun to watch. Recently, we have come to realize that he now knows objects (i.e. shoes, stuff animals, etc) and people by name. If I ask him "Where is so and so?" among a few people, he looks in the direction of or points to the person or the object. He understands simple words like "give, walk, no, where." (Most of these, he understands them in at least two languages, I think.)

These days he plays phone with us and pretends to be talking on the cell phone. Also when the music is playing on the mp3 player, he holds it to his ear and swings back and forth to the beat. When we sing he claps, and he knows how to give a high five. I'm thinking for Christmas, if I can find a toy cell phone or a laptop, I might get it for him.

Mr. Elijah Graf is also exerting his will more and more and Paul and I agree as his parents that he is quite stubborn. Usually, he is easily distractable. However, if he has made up his mind about something, he will not relent until he gets his way. And, he is only 10 months old! He throws little tantrums here and there if he is unhappy about something. But, for the most part, he is easy going and loves to play! I am having SO much fun!!

Kathmandu, Nepal Trip

The last time Elijah was in Nepal was when he was in my womb. At ten months old, he got to hear, smell, see, and experience Nepal. Here are some highlights in words and in photos!

• 14 hour bus ride (each way)--We have no complaints about Elijah because he slept fairly well and hardly fussed. We are really blessed with a good traveler. I'm also glad that we chose the night bus because it would have been a challenge to keep him entertained in the bus for that many hours during the day. My wrists are hurting again though from holding him so much.
• Co-sleeping with mommy and daddy on a twin size bed (yes, we were very snuggled up) -- way too cold to sleep alone in the pack n play with no heater! (Oh yeah, this is not a highlight, but Elijah rolled off the bed in the middle of the night while mom was deep asleep. Good thing though that her house sandals were near the bed to provide that extra cushion for the head.)
  
• Eating Korean food and really good pizza
• Elijah's appetite has increased significantly and is eating really well. He loves dhaal-bhaat (lentils and rice)
• Being cared for by Priya didi--we were very pleased with our babysitter in Kathmandu. She knew how to take care of Elijah so that I could attend about 60% of the sessions there.
• Meeting lots of new people--Elijah was the only child at the conference so he got LOTS of love and attention from many different people.
  
• Realizing that our son does understand Korean, Nepali, and English.....he responds to all three languages and shows comprehension.

Below are a few more photos:

1) In front of a shop in Kathmandu
2) After church service with a friend's sister and her daughter
3) Elijah's favorite pose (always reaching for something that he wants to touch or grab!)

Singing Hosana

I'm not sure what language Elijah is singing in, but we love having him sing along with us these days.

ps: Please excuse my "child-like, high pitch" singing voice. :) Hopefully, it won't be too painful to listen to.

Elijah Drives

Elijah is intrigued by things with moving parts. He gets bored quickly with toys that don't involve something that needs to be figured out. Needless to say, he loves the car.

10 Months Old

First Cold

I guess I should keep a record of it. Elijah had his first cold this week. Runny nose, congestion, coughing, and a low grade fever -- he had them all. Today, he seems to be doing better. Hopefully, he will get completely better in the next couple of days. By the way, Elijah loves the nasal aspirator. It must feel good to have your nasal passage cleared.

Gaining New Skills

I have been really enjoying the process of watching Elijah develop and gain new skills and confidence. In particular, I love watching him celebrate his victories!

Yesterday, he for the first time put a spoon in his mouth. Today, he seemed to do it with ease and actually fed himself a couple of bites of apple, strawberry, and banana mix that his grandpa and grandma had brought for him. He now drinks from sippy cup on his own and has figured it out that you have to lift the cup up a bit for the water to flow more easily. We offered him some juice that we were drinking with a straw and he figured out how it worked and seemed pleased when he did. (He probably liked the sweetness of juice.)

I feel like he has graduated from the baby stage and has definitely entered the pre-toddler stage. He seems more and more like a little boy...

Here's a video of his spoon handling skill. He's got the idea, that's for sure!

A quick trip to Bangkok

Last week, we went to Bangkok for a quick trip for some medical tests and check-up. And, No, we're not pregnant. :)

Elijah got his MMR and flu shot. (We also got our flu shots.) We also learned that the weight scale that we have been using in the market for vegetables (and Elijah from time to time) are actually accurate because when we weighed Elijah at the doc's office, he weighed the same. His weight is between the 5th and 10th percentile at 8.1 kg (17.9 lbs). His pediatrician in Bangkok said that they usually like to see babies around 8.6 kg, but he is not concerned because Elijah appears healthy, very active, and developmentally doing great. Although I wouldn't mind having him a little more plump for those sick days when extra fat storage might come in handy, I am not too concerned either. One highlight for me was that he got to try some new food, like broccoli, tofu, kiwi, ground beef, peach, and American cheese (No, I didn't use the 3 day wait rule). He liked them all.

On our return trip, thanks to Elijah, we got upgraded to business class for free! Oh the perks that come with being new parents. :)

Elijah, how do you feel about getting bumped up to business class? Doesn't he look excited!
With daddy on the Sky Train after meeting one of daddy's friends.

For the first time today...

he used the walker and walked on his own for about 20 seconds. (Too bad I didn't have the camera ready to capture the moment.) Then, he stopped, let go of it, and clapped. He was standing on his own for a second or two.

he actually got the spoon into his mouth on his own and fed himself a couple of times today. It was messy, but he was so proud of himself! I was too. We celebrated this moment by clapping together! I didn't capture the first time he did this with the camera but I did the next time.

Here's a video of Elijah's Mealtime Exploration:

An extrovert?

I'm not sure yet. But, he definitely likes kids. Today, at the Korean mom's group, he was initiating conversation by babbling to other kids and reaching out to touch them. He even got in a little "fight" with another baby two months ahead of him. She took the water bottle from him and he was babbling and had his two fists next to him grunting to let her know that it was his. It was funny to watch. He also offered a cheerios to the same girl he got in a little tiff with all on his own initiative. (He has been offering food to me here and there, and using his spoon, trying to feed me.) I think he somehow understands that you can offer things to other people, especially food.

He is beginning to express himself so much more and is starting to exert his will too. This morning, I took him away from touching something (can't remember what now) but he was unhappy. He got his two fists, arms half way up, and did a scream, which looked like it was the beginning to a tantrum. In a firmer voice, I told Elijah that we don't have tantrums, and he looked straight up at me and to my surprise, he stopped. Now, I have no idea if he understood what I was saying. But, I feel like nine month old pre-toddlers are able to understand much more than we think they are capable of....

Paul and I have been surprised to realize that he understands what an edge is because he gets to the edge of the bed and stops. He also knows the difference between soft and hard because only on the bed does he launch himself backwards and plop himself on the bed. He has not tried to do that on hard floors.

He loves to play hide and seek. He thinks any time he can't see us, we can't see him. So, sitting on Paul's lap, he'll throw himself backwards and arch his neck so that he is staring off into space. Then, we'll call saying, "Where is Elijah? Where is Elijah?" And, after a few seconds of waiting and giggling, with the help of Paul's thumbs, he'll strain to do a sit-up and when he can see us again, we scream, "There is Elijah!" Then he hides again falling over backwards still on daddy's lap. It is hilarious and so cute to watch. Even though he is sitting on daddy's lap and daddy is helping him to sit up, he has no idea that we can still see him.

When he was first born, I marveled at this little creature that came out of my womb, how perfect and beautiful he is. I still find myself marveling and I feel like there is still more things to marvel about. What a marvelous gift parenthood is.

Photos from our prayer retreat

I'm a little behind in posting photos from our time in Kurseong, a hill town where we went for our quarterly prayer retreat. It was great to wake up each morning to the view of Mt. Kanchenjunga, the third highest peak. It was extra special to now share it with Elijah. One day, I will get to tell him the story of how God called us to the Himalayas and how He showed me this mountain.

From top to bottom: 1) Mt. Kanchenjunga 2) Elijah and mommy early in the morning 3) with a toy train model 4) Climbing to the top of the stairs on his own while mom followed--see the excitement on the face?! 5) with Daddy.

The Eating Saga Continues...

No bananas cut up, please.
I want the whole thing to hold and eat.
Mama says big bites are a choking hazard,
But I say that is okay.
Mama can always dig her fingers in get it out.

I am too smart to be tricked by mama now.
She mixes in bits of cheese with cheerios,
But I don't fall for that sneaky trick.
Oh no! I pick through and only pick out cheerios.
Sorry mama. Any new tricks up your sleeves?

My favorite sign during meal time is "All done."
Mama complains that I sign, "All done," even when I am not.
She is right.
Sometimes, I am not "all done" being hungry,
But I am all done with the food if I don't like it.
My "all done" sign often gets me off that booster seat,
Because I'd rather play than eat.
As my baba says I eat to live,
I don't live to eat.

Mama works hard to make sure I get good food,
But, I might be like baba when he was little,
I might be a picky eater and not that interested in food,
If that is the case, baba says, I am gonna be one skinny boy just like he was,
One day, you might be able to count all my ribs.

So, the saga continues.... but, don't be too frustrated mom.
Remember, until I am one years old,
most of my nutrients still should come from breastmilk.
And, I know that you have plenty to keep me happy and healthy.

New Sound

Before I forget, I want to jot this down. Whenever I would see a bird in books or outdoors, I have been using the sign language for it and making a chirping sound. Well, we were out at a training where Paul was teaching and there were chickens running around. He began making the chirping noise to say that they are birds! Well, they do belong in the bird family, I guess. To him they probably all look the same. It is so fun to have your child communicate with you.

9 Months Old

Nine months old today!

As you can see from the video, he has begun to cruise. I don't know how soon after cruising babies begin to walk, but he is so eager to walk. We are so excited to see his growth and development.

One of the games we have been playing with Elijah has been "Where is so and so?" kind of like a peek-a-boo. We realized today that he totally understands our question, "Where is ah-pa (daddy) or where is um-ma." Because it is a game, when we ask, either one of us is hiding and asking. It is so fun having him look for us....a prelude to hide and seek. But today, it was so evident to us that he understood our question because as Paul was holding him, I asked him, "Where is ah-pa?" He looked straight up at Paul and smiled! How sweet. He knows his ah-pa.

He now knows how to wave good-bye. Today, for the first time, he shook his hands for "all done," after his meal.

Developmentally, he is also going through a phase where he wants to do everything HIMSELF and do what we do. He doesn't want me to feed him. He wants to feed himself. So, right now, he seems to only want finger foods. Of course cheerios is a big winner. I have been smearing mashed bananas on his toast, melting cheese on them, etc. because he is not eating very much of anything else. The other day, I had cut up small slices of pear for him. But, what he wanted was to hold the pear in its entirety and eat it. I did the same with an apple today too. I just peeled it and gave him the whole thing. He held it and gnawed and bit on it for some time. I have always given him a spoon to play with during the meals. Now, he puts them in bowls and plays around. I have this feeling that eating is going to be even messier, but that's okay with me as long as he eats! It is another opportunity for him to explore. He hates gooey and mushy textures. You should see his face! Ha! He has that, "Gross look...." where he frowns, touches a bit, quickly removes his hand, and looks at me like "What in the heck is that?" Hopefully, it is only a phase and he will grow to like mushy things and smear them all over his face too!

I'll post photos tomorrow when I am not so tired. Need to go to bed....

Prelude to the Chase

Elijah's Obsessions

Door handles, hinges, small holes, bed posts, chairs, tables...basically anything that he can use to pull himself up, and oh yeah, cheerios and toasts(besides these two things, he refuses to eat and is driving his mom crazy with his eating habits! Hopefully, it is just a teething thing....but then, I think everything has to do with teething! :)) He also loves his daddy. Today, Paul came home after a long day at work and Elijah, upon seeing his dad was laughing in joy and repeating the words, "Babababa." So cute to watch. Now, for some photos!!

What are you going to become when you grow up Elijah? He definitely likes to tinker around, investigate, and wants to master whatever new thing he has discovered.

Teething

He has three top teeth and another bottom tooth coming through. No wonder he was not a happy camper today. He was clingy today and not really himself. I finally gave him Tylenol to help ease the pain a bit. Hopefully, he will sleep well tonight....for his and our sake. I am so tired!

Well, I will post more photos and other thoughts when I have more energy. We were planning to go out for our ten year anniversary but we couldn't find a babysitter and both Paul and I developed bad headaches and were not feeling well. We had ham sandwiches for dinner, a bowl of ramen, and now we're ready to sleep....yes, Elijah, your mom and dad are old farts! :) For some reason, we are reminded of this reality more ever since we had you!

Grandma and Granpa's Visit

Grandpa Phil and Grandma Ann came for a visit this past weekend. It was a very short visit, but we had a good time together exploring the hills of the Himalayas. Grandpa and grandma read to him and played "To Boston," with Elijah. Elijah loves "To Boston!" (I am going to go off on a tangent here, but as I have been reading more nursery rhymes, I am mortified by how morbid they are!) The words to "To Boston," are kind of sad, but Elijah loves the part where he "falls" with the words, "dropped dead."

The words go:
To Boston, to Boston, to buy a loaf of bread,
Home again, Home again, the horse dropped dead!