11 months!

I turned 11 months old on December 9th! I am learning something new every day. Some of my new tricks include grinning really big and wrinkling my nose, making funny face expressions, blowing out food when I'm eating, devouring Cheerios, flirting on the buses and trying to walk on my own. I can stand up all by myself without holding on to anything and I can take a couple of steps before I fall. I am quite cautious, I always make sure I can grab something...or at least try. I love to hold Mommy's hands and walk that way too and Dad puts my feet on his and walks me up and down the hallway. I giggle and then try to jump up and down. When I get really excited I kick my legs as fast as I can.
...So back to the Cheerios~a few posts ago I wrote about practically choking on one so I wasn't about to try them again but at my playgroup (that I go to occassionally...it's right in the middle of my morning nap so we don't make it very often) all of the kids were eating them. Most of the kids are just a few months older than me. Well one of the moms gave me one and I loved it! Suddenly I didn't care about the toys anymore, I kept following her around and she kept feeding me. Ever since then I can't get enough of those things. If I had my way I'd eat them for every meal. My parents make me eat my fruits/veggies/meat first though so I eat that as fast as I can. After my meal I get a few Cheerios. And I don't just put one in my mouth, I can eat 2 or 3 at a time...yep, talented huh? When I start to get full I start feeding them to my parents and they love them too! I like to give them the broken ones. Lately I've been real sneaky...I pretend to give them one and then all of a sudden I pull my hand back and eat the Cheerio myself instead and then start laughing. Mom says I'm teasing and I get the biggest kick out of it. Want one?
Just Kidding! Ha ha ha!

One of my favorite things to do at home is play with the curtains. We have sheer ones and even when I'm behind them I can still see out, it's so cool!

You know it's officially winter when...

DOGS WEAR COATS!
The other day when mom and I were heading out for a walk we saw the funniest thing! Our village dogs were wearing coats!

Mom gets fussed at quite often for not dressing me warm enough these days. As we go on our walks we have to pass by the village grannies on our way to the road. There's no way around them and usually I love to smile and cut shines for them as they pat my hand and say, "be be, be be". One lady says, "good boy" and another says I'm "beautiful". Well they were all out there in their stocking caps and gloves when we walk by and they started shaking their fingers at mom and rubbing their arms motioning "cold". Did I mention it is still 75 degrees and sunny?! Mom just smiles and pretends not to understand. They must think she's nuts!

For our walks we usually go up to The Wishing Tree and look at fish and parrots. I like the fish but those birds make the most awful noises! When they are quiet I love to look at them and watch them move but when they start squawkin' I nearly jump out of my stroller!

Last week I had a close encounter with a dog. I actually love dogs. I have a little blue puppy that I sleep with, a big St. Bernard that I give all my hugs to and a little St. Bernard that I love to carry around with me. Whenever I see a dog outside I reach for it and grunt like I want to go see it. Well, there happened to be a nice yellow lab running about with his owner and mom decided to push me close so I could see it better. Wouldn't you know it that dog came right up and licked my face! Now I said I liked dogs but that was a little too close. Immediately I started crying and mom had to pick me up. But then we knelt down together and pet the dog and I felt a little better. Mom was afraid that I might be scared of dogs now but a few minutes later we saw another one and I was reaching and yelling for it again. Dad says when I get bigger we can get a real St. Bernard! I can't wait!

Beware of the guy in the red suit...

That's right people, this "Santa" guy is one scary dude! So what if he brings you presents, I'm not sittin' on his lap, no sir, nuh uh, not me. My day started off fine, we were strolling around the mall looking to spend some gift certificates before they expire when Mom suddenly has this good idea of getting my picture taken with Santa Claus. We walked through a little place with Christmas trees and Angels and then out of nowhere there he is...the guy in the big red suit (and he's not even Chinese)! Mom plops me right down on his lap and I couldn't jump back in her arms fast enough. I clung to her like a koala then reached for Dad to save me from that scary guy. So away we went to take my picture with a less scary piano and a giant Christmas ball. Don't ask me why, it was included with the Santa pic.
So I thought my holiday adventures were over when my parents brought me back to that scary guy again! At least they sat with me this time but I still did not like that guy one bit. No cookies for you! Thank goodness we don't have a chimney (I heard that's how he gets in!)

Yeah, Dad's back!

For the past week Mommy and I have been on our own. Dad went to Cambodia with a group of students for a service project. We missed him so much but he's home now! Mommy and I met him at the airport today and boy was he glad to see me (and Mommy too I guess). I gave him the biggest smile and hug ever! Thank goodness this was his last trip (without me at least).

We took a double-decker bus and here is a cool bridge we went over.
When we got to the airport there were tons of kids waving flags awaiting Dad's arrival...ok so maybe they might have been waiting for someone else...

Here I am reaching for Daddy when I first saw him. It's cool just to reach with one arm (two arms seem too sissy).














I sat in Daddy's lap for the whole taxi ride home and gave him lots of snuggles and nose honks. He says that I've grown so much in just one week. I love my Daddy so much!

Thanksgiving

Happy Turkey Day!


















Gobble-Gobble! My first Thanksgiving was pretty fun. I wasn't compared to a turkey...although I'm sure I'm much bigger! I didn't stuff my face with pumpkin pie...although mom and dad did get me some pumpkin pie baby food (we forgot to try it though, oops!) But in the past week I went to two Thanksgiving feasts! (That makes 3 for me including the Canadian one!) First we went to our friend's house just up the road a couple villages. I got to play with a plastic bowl and spoon while everyone else ate, but I was very happy the whole time. Then this Thursday we went to the Hubbard's where my parents have gone for the past 4 years. There were over 30 people there so I got passed around quite a bit. I was also out way past my bedtime and I wasn't really happy towards the end of the evening so I made mom and dad take me home before dessert! I'm guessing they didn't go home hungry though, Mari Hubbard is the best cook in Hong Kong and I'm pretty sure they both got seconds!
I didn't get to eat any of the real food but I did get my "Grandma's Turkey Dinner" baby food and it was yummy.

10 Months!

I'm in double digits! Mom can't believe how fast I am growing up.
My Herzog grandparents sent me this outfit just a few days ago and it's a good thing cause I was running out of basketball outfits for my pictures!

Sorry I don't have any stats (weight/height) for you this month. I don't have to go back to the clinic until I am 1. But I do have a lot of new tricks. I am walking around holding onto furniture around the house and I can stand for a couple seconds all by myself. I can even hold on to the wall and stand up that way too and yesterday I took one step and grabbed the chair before I fell.
I make all kinds of sounds like ma-ma-ma, da-da-da, ba-ba, etc.
I love to play in the hallway and in my room. Sometimes when I'm in my room mom will call out, "Where's my baby?" and I come crawling out of there real fast and stick my head out of the doorway and giggle at her. Then we wave to each other and I go back to play. I have this cupboard thing that I love to open and close. I also think it's very fun to play in my crib. I squeal and drop all of my babies (stuffed animals) out and mom picks them up for me.












I still love to eat and I get very sad when the bowl is empty. As soon as I hear mom say "all gone" I start to cry. It's also not fun to get my face wiped off after eating. I wave both of my hands really fast and yell but it doesn't seem to help.

I'm still sleeping 11-12 hours at night and I love bedtime! Mom and dad are trying to change my bedtime to 7:00pm instead of 6:00pm but I get so tired in the evenings. They always take me on walks before it's bathtime and I love to be outside so I don't mind. I take 3 naps a day, usually just an hour each. Mom can always tell when I'm getting sleepy. We read a couple books before she puts me down. My favorite books now are "Picture Me" books. One is called Cute As Can Bee and the other is In the Circus. I have my picture in these books and I am dressed up as a different animal on each page along with other babies in costumes. It's so fun to read and I can even help turn the pages!

I like to listen to music and I love to dance!

I still won't take a bottle but I'm learning to drink water from a cup. Mostly I blow bubbles but occasionally I get a gulp full down my belly!
I am a very happy little boy and my personality is really starting to shine through.

How BIG is Jonah?

SO BIG!
Yep, that's right. I'm a big boy! My Gramma Jani taught me this great new trick one day when I was watching her on the webcam. She was actually telling me a story about when my mom was a baby. She would ask, "How big is Susie?" and my mom would throw her hands up over her head. I thought to myself, how hard could that be and I did it! She and mom both laughed and I was real pleased with myself. Sometimes I just raise one arm and that is pretty cool too.

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Boo!

Happy Halloween! I've been out all night trick-or-treating, eating lots of candy and scaring everyone in my peapod outfit!
...Actually my first Halloween was pretty uneventful if you don't count being crammed into a costume. You see, before I was born my parents found this great outfit that was size 9 months. After doing the math they realized I would be 9 months old in October so they thought, perfect! Well, I quickly outgrew size 9 months a few months back but how could they let a good costume go to waste?! I happened to be in an exceptionally good mood today and let them have their fun dressing me up. I also got a jack-o-lantern outfit since I didn't get to carve a real pumpkin. You can't see it in the picture but my feet say "Little Pumpkin". Mom thought it was cute.

Fall Fair at ICS

Dad's school had a Walkathon and Fall Fair yesterday. It was so much fun. Mostly dad carted me around and with all the excitement I didn't sleep all day! There were games, food, an auction, white elephant gifts and mom's favorite...baskets for sale! She got a laundry basket, a toy basket and one more that I'm sure she will find a good use for...
Mom and dad also bought me some Christmas presents and I even got to hold one of them! (They think I won't remember it in 2 months, ha!)



I got to play with my friend Emily and a water bottle too!












Here are Jeff and Anna getting sponges thrown at them!






It was a fun day but boy was I tired. I slept the whole bus ride home then went to bed at 5:30!

Canadian Thanksgiving Eh!

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! Uncle Tim and Aunt Connie threw a great Thanksgiving feast. They invited me since I am so adorable and of course I had to drag mom and dad along too. But I do have some Canadian in me...my great grandma on my dad's side was from Nova Scotia!
Here I am with my friends Ceiba, Montana and Kenya (can you guess where they were born??)



Mom's friends Salome and Anna
Newlyweds Jeff and Anna Goh

Jeremy, Dad and Kaiser (drinking Canada Dry)

Mom put this silly hat on me but she must have forgotten that I don't like hats because I quickly jerked it off. It did have some cool bells on it that I liked to play with as long as it wasn't on my head!


We played lots of fun games while we were there. Mom volunteered Dad to play one where he had to read this speech and it was so funny!

"Hey, I'm not a lumberjack, or a fur trader....I don't live in an igloo or eat blubber, or own a dogsled....and I don't know Jimmy, Sally or Suzy from Canada, although I'm certain they're really really nice. I have a Prime Minister, not a president. I speak English and French, not American. And I pronounce it 'about', not 'a boot'. I can proudly sew my country's flag on my backpack. I believe in peace keeping, not policing, diversity, not assimilation, and that the beaver is a truly proud and noble animal. A toque is a hat, a chesterfield is a couch, and it is pronounced 'zed' not 'zee', 'zed' !!!! Canada is the second largest landmass! The first nation of hockey and the best part of North America! My name is Joe!! And I am Canadian!!!"
He didn't win but we were still proud of him.

After all the excitement I was a little tuckered out so Dad and I took a nap together. I can't wait for my American Thanksgiving!

9 Months!

This is my special month birthday because I'm 9 months old on the 9th. Dad bought me this great Spurs outfit and I love wearing it! It is shiny and fun to touch. The shorts look more like pants on me but that's okay, I've got growing room!

My newest trick is waving. I can't totally do it on command yet but I love to wave at mom when we're playing. And none of this little open hand stuff, I get my whole arm into it! I would be great on a float in a parade!

Here I am anxiously awaiting my next bite! I am a very good eater, I love every food I try. Lately I've been snacking on shredded cheese, it's quite fun to chew with my two little bottom teeth. Oh, but no Cheerios for me yet! Mom thought I might be ready for finger foods so she let me try one. Well, everything was going okay until I started hacking a bit and she thought I was choking so she quickly dumped me upside down and oops, out came the Cheerio!

The week before last Dad left me for 3 days to go to a high school camp but when he came back we had some fun bonding time riding the train together and swimming!