At the Waterpark!

Yesterday I took Nathanh to a waterpark for the very first time.  I had planned to spend three days per week at the waterpark this summer...but this summer has turned out to be rather chilly for daily excursions to the waterpark.  When I saw the sun today I knew we had better get out!

I think he enjoyed the whole experience.  Generally Nathanh LOVES water so put that together with playing outside at a park with other kids and it is a great day for Nathanh!  I do wonder what goes through his head sometimes though...does he think that the people back in Vietnam would comment about how crazy his mother is taking him outside NOT all bundled up?  He probably doesn't think that but I have to admit it went through my mind!

Here are some photos of our day.

It was an exciting moment when Nathanh discovered he could turn and move the water guns!  he also discovered that if you are by the water guns then you are free game for any of the other kids at the park to squirt you!

Drying off with a little snack.

All warmed up!

All dry and dressed enjoying a banana!

With a full tummy and all worn out from playing so hard Nathanh fell asleep in the car before we were out of the parking lot!

Family of Festivals

July has come and gone and feel like I never blog anymore...sorry about that!  One thing that I can say about July is that it has been a month of festivals. 

It started out on July 1st with Canada Day celebrations.  We went to our local Canada Day Celebration in Cloverdale.  There was music, food and Nathanh's personal favorite balloons!  When we got there he kept pointing at balloons and making a loud "ughhhh" sound.  We finally managed to get him one and Erwin tied it to his wrist.  He was quite content with his balloon until he saw the PowerSmart beach balls...then the point started again!

Happy with his balloon and new beach ball...but concerned that he cannot get the grapes out of the container!

Maple Leaf tattoo.

 We left the Canada Day Celebration in the afternoon and headed over to my parent's place for a Canada Day BBQ

Reading with Grandpa.

The following weekend we headed to Stanley Park the help Celebrate Vancouver's 125th Birthday.  Unfortunately we didn't plan very well and we just were not expecting it to take three hours to get there.  Traffic was horrible leading up to Stanley Park so we decided to turn around and park at Erwin's office and take the bus in.  The bus got there but it was stuck in the same traffic!  Anyways, by the time we got there, did a diaper change, and figured out where everything was all of the children's performers and activities were finished.  There were still bands playing just not geared to children.  However, a couple of clowns did come around and drop about 75 hoola hoops on the ground so a good time was still had!

Vancouver really is pretty...when the sun shines!

Next up was the Surrey Fusion Festival.  The weather was not favourable for this one.  The ground was so wet and muddy, it really was not very enjoyable.  We did go to a drum performance and Nathanh enjoyed "dancing" and moving to the beat!  There were stalls from all around the world with food, products to buy and crafts for the kids.  We made a point of going to the Vietnam stall and watched a little game they were playing.  Nathanh then got to make the little craft, a pinwheel.  I can't find any pictures of the day...I thought I took a couple...but I guess it was too wet and cold to get my camera out!

Finally, last weekend we went to the HoneyBee Festival!  Nathanh gets all excited by bees and actually found the flier on a bulletin board at the Rec Centre himself.  He gets excited because of a book that we have which has bees in it...my voice may get quite excited when I read him that page...anyways now he loves them and points bees out at any opportunity.  So when we were walking past the bulletin board he started pointing and saying "ummmmmm" until I realized what had caught his eye.  Anyways, it was fairly close to our house so we thought we'd make a short visit.

He managed to get himself a balloon again!  He is watching performers here.

Nathanh quite liked the big "gigi" as he calls everything that is not a dog or a cat!

Animal Sounds

As the days tick away posting is getting harder and harder.  The lack of posts are in no way reflective of a lack of activity, just the opposite in fact!  Every time I think I should post something, I think "oh, but I have to post that too, and that, and..."  and the list gets longer and longer until I figure there is just no time to post everything. But today Nathanh had a first that I want to remember so I am getting myself on the computer if only for a short time.

Nathanh LOVES animals but he especially loves dogs and cats.  I think he knows all of the dogs in the neighbourhood and visits them as they walk through the park behind our house.  He also loves cats.  Our neighbour has a cat that is often in the park and will also roam through our backyard and from time to time Nathanh will spot the cat and run to our back door to watch him in the yard. 

Nathanh and Casper.

Nathanh is quite good at saying "doggy" and "kitty" and uses them correctly to tell me what he sees.  So for quite awhile now I have been telling him about animals and the sounds that they make and until now I have never had any indication that Nathanh understands what I am talking about.  Today, as we were reading a book Nathanh said "kitty" when he saw a picture of a kitty in the book (one that I had not even noticed).  So when I said "yes that is a kitty and kitty cats say meow," Nathanh repeated me!  He now makes the cutest little "meow" sound when I ask him what kitty cats say! 

One Year Ago

One year ago today we our lives changed forever...more importantly our hearts changed forever.  One year ago today we saw a single photo of a little baby who would be forever ours...and we fell in love. 

Nathanh at 9 days old.

Of course way back then we didn't know him - his personality, likes, dislikes, or anything else about him.  And now I can't imagine not knowing this wonderfully funny, active, engaging, amazing, clever, quirky little guy!  He has come a long way...and so have we!

Nathanh - one year later!