November

Okay, I know I am behind but things are just so busy around here. all. the. time.
Here are some images to catch you up on November!

This was a day early in November when we went to Red Wood Park.  The leaves were everywhere and Nathanh enjoyed running into them.  We were last there in the summer with Nana and I was amazed when we went back to the tree house in the park Nathanh associated it with Nana. 

November 9th marked our one year anniversary together as a family.  We got together with three of the other families that we travelled to Vietnam with and celebrated our first Family Day.  We went to a toddler play centre and then out for a Vietnamese dinner.  I have only posted pictures of Nathanh here but I have to comment that I love that the kids all know each other.  Nathanh knows exactly who I am talking about when I mention the other kids' names and he is so comfortable with them and their parents.  I am so glad that they will always have a special connection with each other.

These next few are just random shots from throughout the month.

In Daddy's shoes...

I signed Nathanh and I up for evening swim classes.  It didn't work out too well.  This pool was colder that the other pools we've been too, thus he shivered and clung to me most of the time.  The chlorine levels were also off and caused Nathanh to get a bad rash unless he showered for about 20 minutes after each lesson.

Nathanh piling his stuffed animals into his chair and then sitting on them...love!

Outside in the leaves with his caregiver...my guess is a plane was going overhead!

The first of the Christmas parties!  This one was with other families from around the Lower Mainland that have adopted from Vietnam.  It was a great evening with the Vietnam Families Group, however, it was not a great night for Nathanh.  He was VERY clingy that night and would not let me put him down.  I had made the turkey for the dinner and poor Erwin had to run around following my instructions because Nathanh was not being one bit cooperative.

Erwin dressed up as a bird for a little play.

This was the only was Nathanh would go near Santa.

And that was November in a flash!  Now that I am on holidays, perhaps I will manage to get a few more posts up for December!  We'll see...

One Year Ago

I have been thinking back to one year ago a lot since the start of the month.  What was I doing this time last year?  Were we in Hong Kong yet?  Hanoi?  Well on this day last year Erwin and I were meeting our wonderful little Nathanh for the very first time.  One year ago I couldn't share the photos which we took on that day but I can now.  So here is a look back at the amazing little baby that made us love him in one instant...one year ago today when we visited the orphanage.

When we had to give him back on that day, I remember whispering to him that this would be the last time that we would ever have to give him back.  Tonight when I gave him his bottle I told him the story of us meeting for the very first time.  Every time that I stopped and asked him if he remembered that he said "yeah."  So sweet.

October

Time is definitely passing WAY too quickly and I am feeling WAY too busy with school and being a mommy.  Nonetheless, we do what we have to do and if fewer blog posts are the result then so be it.  I did way better at remembering to have the camera with me throughout October than I did in September...however that has made it harder to choose which wonderfully cute pictures of Nathanh to share...Enjoy!

These photos are from our fabulous caregiver.  She has taken Nathanh into her family and heart.  She takes him to programs, swimming and showers him with attention everyday.  I can tell that he is happy and well cared for.

A few weeks ago we decided to go shopping down in the States for the day.  Here is Nathanh enjoying some of the amenities at the shoppping outlet.  Yup, always busy!

And of course we spent LOTS of time playing.  I like to get Nathanh outside as much as possible when it is dry...oh and wear him out!

Yes, he has become quite good at climbing!

I've converted his water table into a sand table for the winter months.  It is up on our veranda which is covered so hopefully we will still get some outside time even if the weather is not fully cooperating.

This was Nathanh's first visit to a pumpkin patch...and daddy's too!

Looking at the bunnies!

Nathanh loves animals and has become very gentle with them.

The tractor was a BIG hit!

In the petting farm area, Nathanh made sure that no animal was left untouched.  There was one little sheep though that didn't really want to be pet...but boy did Nathanh try.  I finally had to pick him up and take him over to another group of animals.

This is how Nathanh gives hugs.  He loved the animals!

Tractor riding out to the pumpkin patch.

Running into the corn maze!

Nathanh chose his own pumpkin.

And his own gourd...which he would not stop sucking on!

And then came the big night...Halloween...Erwin had been planning the costumes since summer.  It was both Nathanh and Erwin's first time trick-or-treating!

My little Yoda!

Yoda with his lightsaber!

On the eve of Halloween.  Nathanh admiring his jack-o-lanterns.

Getting ready for trick-or-treating.

Yoda gave up on using the force - so his hands just had to do!

My big trick-or-treater!  Who ever thought I'd be married to Luke Skywalker?

Heading out the door!

Nathanh liked daddy's costume but I think he was a little disappointed that the buttons didn't work.

This was Erwin's jack-o-lantern.  He wanted to stick with the theme!

But this by far is my favorite picture of Nathanh taken this month.