William's Birthday Party

Birthday Party!! Sunday, August 19, 2012 4:00-5:00 pm. 

Not the prettiest cake I have made, I am learning it is not my specialty, but it spelled out "ONE".  I hung up lots of pictures of him over the past year which was fun to see. We had a great time with an apartment full of friends.  We prayed over William and thanked everyone for helping us and loving him and us during his first year and then enjoyed some cake and goodies.

First taste of cake!

not quite sure what to do with it...he usually does not like to touch food or get dirty, so he  tried to clean his tray off by picking up his food and putting it into his seat...if he can't see it, it isn't there, right?

He is not quite sure what to think...lots of people watching him eat

 These two pictures were the best we could do for a family picture that day.  Laura Cate is sitting next to William's high chair. 

 

William's First Birthday!

We made it through the first year! First year birthdays  are so momentous to me. AT times the year goes by so quickly and you don't even remember all of the sleepless nights with a newborn.  At other times, the days seem very long. Nevertheless, I always enter the day of  "First Birthday" with a heart full of thankfulness to the Lord for his faithfulness, protection, strength, grace, patience, and everything else that I need each and very day! Wow, we did it. It is also amazing to look back and see not only how this precious babe has grown, but how he has developed and grown into his own little person.  William Alan Head is so unique and such a perfect addition to our family.  He is very affectionate, loves to be held and  gives big bear hugs around your neck.  He smiles a lot and rarely cries. He likes music and can play the tambourine pretty well already!  He is easy going and gets a thrill out of observing everything around  him...and Cameron and Laura Cate give him lots of funny, crazy things to watch! He just takes it all in.  He is such a joy to have and is such a gift to each of us.  Cameron loves having a brother and Laura Cate loves having a baby around to take care of.

On his birthday, August 13, we skyped and talked to grandparents and he had his first taste of a real yummy breakfast...milk and a cinnamon roll.  I was ready to get the solids started get off of pureed mush :)  We opened some gifts for him and he enjoyed playing with the wrapping paper.  Cameron gave him a pile of some of his favorite old stuffed animals.  Alan and Laura Cate and I have not found the perfect gift for him yet... I don't think he notices because he has plenty of things from Cameron and Laura Cate to play with and use.  

After two good  naps I took him and the other kids swimming.  He LOVES the water. He actually tries to crawl through the water and doesn't mind getting his face wet.  It was a lot of fun.  It was a fun way to enjoy him that day.  

William's First Haircut

It took a couple of sittings but William received his first haircut August 11th, just in time to sport his new hairdo for his birthday!  He did not like me cutting his hair, especially at the back of his head where he could not see, but we did it and he really does look so much older. What a big boy!  

Before the scissors came

After we finished the second time and he pulled the apron off :) 

First Day of School!

Last Tuesday Cameron started his first day of school in first grade at an international school in our city.  It was an exciting and slightly sad day for us all. Oh, I will miss my buddy so much.  Six and a half years all day with this cool kid! I wish I could know every single thing that he does and says and be a fly on the wall in his classroom.  So much to continue to trust the Lord with.   I really wanted to ride on the bus (it is a small bus and other parents ride if they need to go to school) and take Cameron to his classroom. I actually wanted us all to go, but the reality of getting all five of us fed and out the door at 7:00 was impossible, so Alan stayed with William and the day before Laura Cate begged if she could go with me.  So, she got up with Cameron, had breakfast and was so excited to go to school with him! It was a fun time. Cameron seemed so big and responsible. I was excited for him too and just know that he will love it.  We are so thankful to the Lord for providing such a great school for him. It was just a half day of school,. so I spent the  morning with Laura Cate and invited some little friends over to play and make cookies for the new students :) It was really fun. They did a great job!

 I told Cameron what time I was going to get him up (I woke up extra early just to be ready) and before I could get to his room he was dressed and ready for breakfast.  So far each day I have not had to wake him, he has jumped out of bed, ready to go!  I asked Cameron today if there was anything he didn't like about school and he said, "No, just that today it rained, so they didn't have recess outside..." Not bad!  He loves to play outside, be with friends, and play soccer, so I guess he got to do two out of the three things during recess, just not outside :).  He has had a great attitude and I know he is going to have such a great time learning about so much.  I met his sweet teacher a few weeks ago. She is new here, but has spent the last three years teaching lower elementary in Cambodia!  How cool is that!!.   We look forward to getting to know her better. Thank you Ms. Cole for moving here to love and teach Cameron!

Cameron and his 1st Grade teacher, Ms. Cole

Cameron in class, third from the left, front row

Laura Cate and her friends helped me make cookies for their brothers...the boys are all in the same class and are missed by their younger sisters :(
Laura Cate, Riley, and Sophie

the bus dropping him off outside our gate

welcome home from first day of school hug!

on the second day of school waiting in the morning for Cameron's bus to come, Laura Cate was wearing her own bookbag and offered to carry Cameron's for him. She felt soo big!

Cameron and Cooper on the bus, they talk the entire way to and from school I am told...30 minutes each way! 

Cameron before going to his classroom

All last week Laura Cate walked with Cameron and me to his bus-stop to drop him off, but this week she had to learn to stay at home with daddy.  Throughout the day she says she misses Cameron and asks when is he coming home. It is fun to see him get off the bus and be greeted by a loving sister with lots of hugs.  I am so thankful for their relationship and for extra time that I have to spend with our sweet Laura Cate and  William.  I better go to bed...6:00  a.m. comes way too fast!

Moving and a time to celebrate

Moving!

Thursday, July 12. We are moving apartments just a few buildings over in our complex.   Our lease ran out in our current one and some friends were moving out, so we got to move in.  We were expecting to move sometime mid-July, but weren't exactly sure when.  We were slowly packing up and then last week I got a terrible stomach bug, ending up in the E.R.  It was a horrible experience and I came home to severals days of the kids having sick stomach and fevers, then our apartment was ready for us to move into sooner than we thought. So, life was kind of crazy this week, but we spent all day Tuesday and Wednesday moving and we were able to sleep in the midst  of boxes Wednesday night.  It is slowly coming together and the kids have been helping and amusing William who an crawl faster that you think.  I love our new place. It is on the 7th floor, unfortunately with no elevator, but we just take it slow, very slow.  My favorite thing is that it gets lots of light....now where we live grey, smoggy, cloudy days definitely outnumber sunny days, so when we do have sun I am so thankful it can pour in.    We celebrated July 4th with some friends, without fireworks, but we had fun being together. The kids made it so fun. We called it "America's birthday" and Laura Cate kept referring to it as the "America's country birthday party!" 

Mother's Day

Where we live, as I go about my day shepherding three precious kids, people always have the same basic comments: 1) they ask if I have "help",  meaning do my parents or in- laws live with me and help us raise our kids, of course they are always surprised when I say no and they cant imagine why not...but really, I don't expect our parents to move half way around the world to come help us.  2) the other thing I hear most often is that life with more than one kid is so difficult.  They are a culture that has been brainwashed to think that children are a commodity, to raise, get to the best schools so that the can be the best jobs, go to America, and pay for their parents when they are retired.  That is basically the vicious cycle and idolization of money, materialism, Western things, and children.  I don't disagree that motherhood is difficult. It is the most demanding, non-stop job I've ever had. BUT, children are a blessing from the Lord and oh so precious.  I love my munchkins and am so thankful I get to be their mommy.  I get to teach them how great God is and how to walk in His ways, all daylong, and every day, about repentance and forgiveness (i do a lot of asking them for forgiveness), grace, love, and truth. 

A wise friend with a little bit older children once said to me about having little ones, "The days are long, but the years are short." I couldn't  agree more. I cling to the Word of the Lord and He says in Galatians 6:9, "And let us not grow weary while doing good,  for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." I know I may not see my efforts today, tomorrow, or even in a few months, but I do know God is faithful to me,and to my kids and I am so so thankful  He is with me, leading me, being my strength, my wisdom and and entrusting me with Cameron,  Laura Cate, and William. 

So whenever someone here says life is really difficult raising three kids, I smile and say "yes,  but I am blessed."

William is 10 months old

An old post that I drafted a few months ago, but is still noteworthy, I think!

It seems the first couple of months with William went by so slowly and I was so sleep deprived, but now it just goes by way too fast.  He turned 10 months old a few days ago!  He has changed so much recently. In a few weeks he went from rolling to sitting up on his own and crawling. It only took him a few days to figure out that there were places to go and things to see and explore by crawling. He is everywhere!  What a happy, easy little babe.  We all love our little Will and the fun, chaos that he brings to our lives.

Going, going, gone!

Cameron's first tooth finally fell out!  It held on for a long time and. I think I scared Cameron into not pulling it out by telling him how my two from teeth were knocked out when I fell out of my chair in kindergarten and I had two missing teeth for half a year because they weren't ready to come out.  So, I was giving my weekly piano lesson and Cameron knows not interrupt me, but when he came running in sort of yelling, but smiling, and his mouth full of blood I knew what had happened.  We were excited and my sweet student was excited for him too.  Now Cameron and William have their top teeth coming in at the same time :) Fun times.