Will the model :)

Ok I am embarrassed that it has been so long since I've blogged. This is why I won't get a facebook- I just can't keep up online! All my friends blogs are so good and up to date with posting about the lives of their kids but I can't compare- I will just have to put up with posting snipets here and there.

So, anyway our friend Carol who is Taiwanese (yea Taiwan!) started this amazing company called Shokay www.shokay.com (check it out!).  They use yak wool (really warm and super soft) to make all kinds of products and they work directly with the Tibetan herders to buy the yak wool so they can make a sustainable living and seek to give back to the community there. Really cool and socially conscious business model.  Carol asked if Will wanted to be a model for some of their new children's clothes line- I said YES!! In a land where white skinned babies are fawned over I jumped at the chance to show how cute my little asian boy is. The modeling sessions (2 of them) were so fun and as payment we get the stuff he modeled. Thanks Carol! At first he didn't get it but then with us jumping around to make him look a certain direction and showing him the pictures afterwards he got the idea and enjoyed it. 

Here I am a proud mama so here are his photos :)

He is supposed to be a yak- how cute!

At this shoot we had to bribe Will with a cookie to keep him focused :)

I stuffed his hands in his pockets just before the photo- ha ha

So I don't think I will be running out to sign him up for every modeling opportunity but it was really fun.

Ridiculously long Christmas Post

As per the title this is a ridiculously long post, so I assume it may only be grandparents that make it to the end. But since we celebrate Christmas so far away from family and friends in the States we thought we would well document the day. So here goes...

We started out Christmas Eve with a great party with some of our local friends here. It was so fun to celebrate Christmas with them. Unfortunately Will missed the whole thing as he was fast asleep... but he would need the energy for the next day.
This is first thing Christmas morning...Will right away went for was this plastic giraffe and Bob the Builder video in his stocking- he wanted to watch it so we let him watch ten minutes of it. Little did he know how much more Bob was awaiting him...
Here we are at Christmas breakfast. 
A favorite gift was this HaiBao doll(see earlier post for explanation) that his friend Winston gave him. Here he is feeding HaiBao a piece of granola bar.
One of the new toys. :)

Unwrapping a gift- Will REALLY got into the unwrapping gifts thing- in fact he opened most of Den and I's too.


Here he is opening one of Den's.
Merry Christmas.
And helping Mommy with one of her gifts.
Lest you think we never take pictures of just the two of us anymore.
Self taken Christmas family portrait.
Will taking a close look at the Bob videos he received from Grandma and Grampa Baker. 
Getting ready to head out to Christmas brunch with friends.
Our friends Russ dressed up as Santa at our Christmas brunch- Will wasn't phased at all. This guy gives me presents...why be scared?
A picture of all the kids at our Christmas brunch. A Christmas miracle to get them to all be still for a second.

We definitely missed being with our families but it was a great day- we have been blessed so much.

Christmas Music Class

Every week Will and I go to a music class for toddlers. I love it and so does Will- its our special mommy and Will outing. It so cute they play instruments, sing songs with motions, read a story, and play with a parachute. Around Christmas the teacher did a special Christmas music class and Dads were able to come because it was on a Saturday. Here are a couple shots from the morning.

                          Running from the bubble "snowflakes" and having a great time. 
Dads were enlisted to be reindeer for the sleigh ride. It was so funny. This room with like 15 Dads with antlers pulling kids in plastic tubs.

Fun with instruments.

Merry Christmas!

Lots of pictures to update from the last couple weeks but for now we will leave you with a Merry Christmas greeting from Will. :)

Our favorite blue guy

This might look like blue gumby to you but to us here this is HaiBao (Hi-bow (like bow wow) ). He is the mascot for the upcoming world expo and he is EVERYWHERE.  We see him on subways, tv, parks, supermarkets, elevators, you get the idea. Well they must have done some market research because the kids love this guy- and our Will is included- every time he sees him he excitedly says "Rai Row!" (that's Haibao in his language) One time we were having some friends over for dinner and when they rang up from downstairs I looked at Will and asked "Who do you think is here?"- "Rai Row" was his answer. Not sure this guy makes house calls, but there will be a miniature version of him under the tree this year, so Will can play with him anytime. :)

Will is doing much better!...so we put up the tree.

I realize that I need to update from my last post lest you think Will is still sitting on the couch all lethargic like my last post. He recovered in a few days but was still contagious so we had to keep him quarantined (he did pass it to a few friends I'm afraid- sorry Monica and Gina). SO Will was feeling much better but we were stuck inside so... we put up the Christmas tree! Before Thanksgiving I know I know but let's be honest its a little depressing on Dec 26 after Christmas and so this way we can enjoy it longer. Here are a few shots from the event. :)

When we took the tree out Will was really not into the tree at all. This shot was taken by me telling Will- "Will just touch the tree. Touch the tree." So definitely posed.

This is what Will asked to do for most of the time the tree was going up- "uh uh" he says as he makes the sign for eating.

This was taken to show you how very far from the tree action he was- he even had his back turned- ha ha.

However.... as the  ornaments started to go up he suddenly got very interested and wanted to help.  So cute.... and lasted for about 9 minutes before returning to snacks, but here are some shots from that brief window of interest.
So we have the apartment all decorated and haven't even made my Thanksgiving dishes yet- its great! You should all try it. :)

Here We Go Again....

Many of you may know that our family has had a surprising number of random medical issues this past year.  (Seriously two of us have met our deductible). But anyway, as you can see from the picture- it is Will who has fallen ill with hand, foot, mouth disease- yes that's correct you read it right. I thought that this was common everywhere but I think maybe only those of us who live in asia are more familiar with it. I'll spare you the details but it involves painful blisters in the mouth, hand, and yes feet you guessed it.  Today he seems to have turned a corner so we're hoping that it won't be long until he's feeling like this again.............................

(sorry Will- your father thinks I'm horrible for posting this picture- but I couldn't help it)