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.