BOOMYAH and BEYOND

Where there's a WILL, there's a WON'T!

2012-02-09T17:49:00.000-08:00

As a little girl, I always imagined having a baby girl of my own...so that I could fix her hair. Now I have a little girl who HATES having anything in her hair. It takes two grown adults to get her hair fixed...one to hold her down/sit on her and the other to get fix her hair before she breaks away. She comes away grumpy.

She forgets for a few seconds that there is a rubber band in her hair and it seems that all is forgiven...

Then she rips out the pony tail, bares her fangs and her claws, and that is the end of the discussion!

Jody's Big Day

2012-02-06T05:08:00.000-08:00

Today was Jody's birthday. He wanted an ice cream cake...so that's what I made him. We celebrated it with our close circle of friends, as you can see.

We got a sitter for the morning and had breakfast on the beach alone before heading to the big city 3 hours away where we had a Mexican dinner and another chocolate cake with our friends.

Happy Birthday Jody!

Our Uber-High Activity Girl

2012-02-02T18:54:00.000-08:00

Cadence is the most active person I have ever met. I know, I know, all toddlers are active...but compared to Cadence, other toddlers seem to be operating in slow motion! She resists any kind of restraint: high chair, car seat, crib, bath tub, shopping cart or baby gate and has become quite adept at escaping anything confining. So we try to give her lots of outside play time. Hopefully she will learn to harness her energy constructively and become one of those people who accomplishes a lot without ever seeming to run out of energy! She climbs on tables,

and gets into all sorts of things...today it was pancake syrup...

The neighbor's dog had puppies so we are practicing our social skills with these new "friends"

Daddy taking the little super hero for a flight around the house after bathtime

Trying on my table decorations

but she wears us out!

Homemade play dough

2012-02-02T18:51:00.001-08:00

I made play dough this week. Cadence loves playing with it each day.

On family day, we all joined in and made hats for all of the critters on Noah's ark.

Play dough

1c flour
1T oil
1c water
1/2c salt
2t cream of tarter
food coloring

Mix dry ingredients in a sauce pan.
Add wet ingredients and mix together.
Cook over a low flame.
Stir constantly to prevent sticking, until mixture forms a ball.
Knead until smooth.
Add food color.
Store in sealed plastic container or refrigerate

Potty Time

2012-01-30T19:00:00.001-08:00

Potty training 101: The do's and don'ts of potty etiquette...
DON'T use the toilet to wash your feet

DO check that she seat is down before you begin

DO take friends

DON'T shut the lid on your potty partner

DO stay seated throughout the entire performance

DON'T take refreshments, even if you think you may be a while

DO wear your reward proudly

The way we were...a year ago

2012-01-30T18:51:00.000-08:00

I ran across this picture today, snapped exactly a year ago. We were celebrating Jody's birthday (Feb. 6) a few days early with our friends, Pat and Ray, Putu and Ica. What a fun memory!

Learning the art of play

2012-01-19T06:02:00.000-08:00

We are the only American family in our city. It takes us 2 hours to get to the house of the nearest American family on our island, which makes us cherish the sweet times of fellowship that we have with others. We try to get together with others once a month to speak English, play games and catch up on the news. Jody really enjoyed the past week in Thailand, at a meeting with 130 other Americans. It was an encouraging and uplifting time for him to be with others who spoke his language and shared our faith. Jordan enjoyed the week with a dear friend, whose husband attended the meeting with Jody. Cadence delighted in having a little friend to interact with. She woke up every morning at 4:30 to the Muslim call to prayer, asking for "Eli" who was sleeping down the hall. Now that we are home, she still asked for "Eli" when she woke up this morning...thankfully at 6:30 instead of 4:30! Here are the last of our pictures from our trip. This is the teepee that we made for the kids to play in.

At 18 months, Cadence still plays around other children instead of "with" other children. The week was good for her to practice her social skills, like sharing toys with Eli. This is their duet on the keyboard...right before they started elbowing each other out of the way because they both wanted a solo performance!

Neither were crazy about taking a bath in the same basin! They kept getting out and running off.

Cadence also enjoyed playing dress up with Abigail and Emily's clothes. She made a precious little fairy!

Move over Uncle Jarad...

2012-01-18T19:07:00.000-08:00

Chef Cadence is honing in on her culinary skills!

"T" Party

2012-01-17T18:37:00.000-08:00

This week, our friends, age 3 and 5, are learning about the letter "T". These are some pictures from their "T" party.

It was a High Tea...Outside in the garden...a formal affair

Queen Emily:

Princess Abigail:

Reaching for the Jam...

"Oh MY Jam!"

"Here Eli. You have to try this jam!"

"You want to try some too?"

Oops. Who put jam in the tea pot?

Pouring tea...

Leftover peanut butter triangle

Cadence got creative rearranging the china place setting

18 months and counting

2012-01-16T16:57:00.000-08:00

This week while Jody is out of the country, I am staying with a friend and her 3 children. There is a little boy Cadence's age and 2 preschoolers. Cadence loves to try on everyone's shoes and push the stroller "Lola" around the yard.

At a year old, the toddlers both seem to want the same toy at the same time...

Which causes a lot of drama.

Someone is always getting left out!

"The Best laid plans"...

2012-01-14T23:57:00.001-08:00

I dressed Cadence for a photo session in her new smocked dress. But she didn't want to wear the bow.

So she wouldn't let Daddy put her down to be posed.

This was all I got. I think I need photography lessons...or at least a parenting class!

Friends in low places

2012-01-11T03:46:00.000-08:00

Cadence is one of the friendliest people I know. She has a lot of friends!

Bum Genius

2012-01-11T03:38:00.000-08:00

We LOVE our Bum Genius diapers!

Our Merry Little Christmas

2012-01-06T18:45:00.000-08:00

Christmas in the tropics presents its challenges...like where to find an evergreen tree. We make do with what we have.

Time with old friends made the season so much brighter, since we were so far from family this year.

Cadence didn't get into opening presents as much as we had thought. I think her attention span is too short. She kept getting bored and running off in between jobs.

The reasons I can't turn my back on Cadence even for a minute

2012-01-02T05:25:00.000-08:00

I caught Cadence: In the tub I was running for her before I could get her undressed

Using the toilet

Undecorating the tree

Swinging from my kitchen drawers

Going through my toiletries and pulling out the Q-tips one by one

Streaking through the yard after a hen and her chicks when a calf ambled by and got chased off by a dog

And that was all before lunch!

Merry Christmas from the Blantons!

2011-12-28T02:03:00.000-08:00

Holiday Highlights

2011-12-23T07:04:00.000-08:00

We had the best time with Kim and Lexie, our friends from Africa when they were here over Thanksgiving.

We enjoyed exploring the island together

having some new adventures

and meeting new friends.

Since they left, we really miss our family. It is hard to celebrate when they are so far away this season.

But we try to be Merry by baking special holiday treats,

trying to stay cool,

and remembering that it is all about Jesus!

Thanksgiving...much to be thankful for

2011-12-17T15:40:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at our house this year with 17 guests. Holidays over seas are so different from holidays in America. It was sad to be so far away from home but sweet that God provided "family" in the form of other Americans who share our heart for this place. Here are some of the highlights:

We drove 3 hours in search of a Turkey that had been imported from America! It was delicious!

Finding "fall" decorations in the middle of "summer" on the equator is always a challenge. It was over 100 degrees as we ate together!

A piece of corn for each of our blessings this year:

We all went to the Beach together after lunch to cool off.

2011-11-20T16:18:00.000-08:00

Funny Honey Bee

2011-11-20T15:33:00.000-08:00

We had lots of fun with the Honey Bee when he came in June.
I bet you'll have fun too when you watch this!
Cadence renamed him the "Funny Honey Bee"

Fun Havers

2011-11-07T18:33:00.000-08:00

Look at the fun we have been having!

The window of opportunity for escape is usually closed for safety...

But when it opens, Cadence is quick to dash through it!

Cadence loves animals...her current favorite is a neighbor's bunny.

Her least favorite are the monkeys who steal her bananas and make her cry.

Evidence that Cadence ate her first ice cream on the night mommy went out...

and evidence that caffeine affects her tremendously as she was still awake when Mommy came home at 11pm!

"Lola"

2011-10-28T01:34:00.000-07:00

One of Cadence's greatest obsessions is her stroller, AKA "Lola". She climbs into it each chance she gets, hoping someone will take her for a ride. This week she brought me her shoes so I put them on her feet. Then she brought me one of my socks, then the other, then each of my tennis shoes. After I had put them all on, she grabbed my hand and led me outside where "Lola" awaited. I am blessed to have a husband who takes her for a stroll each morning after breakfast so that I can have some time alone with the Lord.

Breakfast with the Blantons

2011-10-06T16:22:00.000-07:00

As I sit at the breakfast table to blog after being up since dawn, Jody is still fast asleep, Cadence is pulling Kleenex out of the box one by one. This is AFTER she has finished her toast and thrown her spinach and eggs (that I made) on the floor while saying "No, NO!" as I coaxed her to just try them. Apparently she does NOT like green eggs. She took off her clothes, crawled upon the table, got my hot tea and is now using my vitamin bottle as a musical instrument to shake while she also shakes her "tail feathers". It occurs to me that "Housewife" is a title that falls far short of my job description. I'm changing my title to "International Peace Keeper".

There goes the diaper...and isn't even 8am.

SHOES!!!!!

2011-10-05T17:03:00.000-07:00

Cadence loves shoes. She is constantly bringing us a shoe that she wants to put on...often with a mate that doesn't match. She carries her shoes all over the house and it is virtually impossible to find a complete pair because she has put them in separate places. She also loves to try on other people's shoes and walk around. I think shoes to her equal adventure and excitement as they often mean we are going out of the house.

All by herself

2011-09-30T15:49:00.000-07:00

Cadence has decided that she is going to feed herself from now on...no more spoons flying toward her mouth.

This is the "all done" sign, meaning that we have approximately 10 seconds to help her from her chair before she does that on her own too!

We miss you Mae-Mae

2011-09-30T15:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks for coming to play on the beach,

bringing new toys,

and taking a break with us!

Come back and see us!

Little Fun-Haver

2011-09-26T19:33:00.001-07:00

Cadence toddles through life like a party looking for a place to happen. She constantly keeps us laughing and brought some smiles to Uncle Justin as well!

Now that she can walk, there is no stopping or containing Cadence for very long.

Beach Bums

2011-09-26T19:08:00.000-07:00

When Jody's Mom and brother, Justin, were here, we got to visit some new beaches.

Jody enjoyed a bit of sibling rivalry!

Cadence liked getting to explore!

Fun with Uncle J

2011-09-18T01:59:00.000-07:00

Cadence really enjoyed spending time with her Uncle Justin this summer. She taught him how to make silly faces and he taught her how to say, "JESUS!" with her hands up in the air. I think she thought that was his name!

Christmas in July

2011-08-26T00:35:00.001-07:00

We had so much fun with Mae-Mae and Justin when they were here.

They even got Cadence to eat her vegetables...

And enjoy it!

With all the gifts they brought, it felt like Christmas in July.

For the first time ever, Cadence has more shoes than she does feet! This caused quite a problem each time we got ready to go out and she wanted to wear all of her shoes! She literally threw a tantrum over having to wear a pair that matched her outfit...so I let her go out with one patent leather shoe and one ballet slipper on. She carried the two mates. This week she threw another tantrum at the Croc store when Daddy bought himself a new pair of shoes but put the pair she wanted back on the shelf.

Grampuh called all the way from America to sing Cadence a song.

"Mae-Mae, there's a huge frog in your lap!"

"Don't even think about eating my teething biscuit, Mae-Mae!"

Thanks Granny Ladshaw for the Animal crackers, Cheerios and Goldfish crackers! They make me so happy!

2011-08-23T06:51:00.000-07:00

Thanks Honey and HoneyBee for buying me this water ball that I can play with in the yard. Wish you could see me watering the flowers now at my friends house. I first learned about spraying water with the ball you brought me and now I like spraying mommy and daddy, (and people riding motorbikes past me) with the water hose. Cadence

New Wheels

2011-08-23T06:45:00.000-07:00

Honey and Honey Bee came to see Cadence in June this summer. Jordan had ordered a radio flyer wagon for Cadence to learn how to walk. These were some of her first steps. Even though walking is exciting, if you have other people to push you in your wagon, that is fun too! "Thanks Honey Bee for putting my wagon together so I can play with it. Could you come and push me again!" Cadence

Family Fun Time

2011-08-20T17:37:00.000-07:00

In July, Jody's mother and brother Justin flew half way around the world to visit Cadence. She was delighted to see them again after 6 months!

Her only disappointment was that she couldn't find Grampuh (Jody's dad), even though she heard his voice often on the phone.
It was during this time that she picked up the word, "Hello". Every time she found the phone she would pick it up and say, "Hello, hello, hello." Some day coming soon she will be able to say, "Hello Grampuh!"

Crazt Daddy with Pink Bag

2011-08-17T02:20:00.000-07:00

Please do not be distracted by the fact that I am sporting a pink bag on my back. Just
look at how much fun Cadence is and how happy she is. Video from May 2011.

Happy Birthday to Miss Independence!

2011-08-15T06:31:00.000-07:00

Cadence turned 1 on July 4. What an exciting year it has been! Her 1 year old party dress did not make it in time for her special day, so I pulled out a patriotic dress she had worn last year in size 0-3 months...and it still fit! At 1 year, she weights 15.6 lbs and measures 28.7 inches long.

"Thanks Granny for the spatula! I can't wait to help Mommy bake cupcakes!"

She loved getting to eat a cupcake on her birthday!

Capturing First Steps

2011-08-11T23:15:00.000-07:00

"No No. I will not perform when you want me to. I will do it on my own time. It would be nice if you could catch me when I fall though!"

Om D, Jaja, and Me

2011-08-11T23:09:00.000-07:00

OM D and JaJa came to visit me back in May. We had a good time hanging out and I really liked them until I realized what they were REALLY there for. They plotted against me with Dada to build a bamboo gate in the front door so I couldn't get outside.
Did you know that bamboo is THE MOST reusable resource in the world? Anyway, you can see their bamboo gate in the previous video where I am playing with local friends. (Still from May)

Cadence and Friends (May)

2011-08-10T08:33:00.000-07:00

Mommy and Me having fun

2011-08-10T08:24:00.000-07:00

Does Sesame Street still exist? I want to submit this one. Very Educational and entertaining.
For those of you that wonder what good parenting is like..... video from May

"Throw off Everything that Hinders"

2011-08-10T08:17:00.000-07:00

Well, technically this is not her first time getting off her diaper. But you should be grateful that I used discretion in not posting the other time because it involved some clean up. Suffice it to say that the mess was EVERYWHERE. Yes, with evidence even on the mouth. So you will have to settle for her second time taking off her diaper. Still cute. video from May 2011

Broken

2011-07-28T00:44:00.000-07:00

As I write, a dear friend here is undergoing extreme persecution because she has decided to follow Jesus. My heart breaks for her...and yet I am so encouraged by her faith in this time of trial. Let me tell you about her:

She has followed the Way for a year, boldly sharing how He has changed her life. He has stirred her heart for her family who is hindu and she wrote a letter to them this week explaining why she is following the Way. Her brother and 2 other men from her family tracked her down 4 nights ago and forced her to return home, against her will. They said she would be better off dead than to follow the Way and shame her family. She texted from her phone that she is locked in a room at her parent's house where she is praying and fasting. She testified that even though they had taken her Bible, the Word was her food and she felt His presence closer than ever before. Outside her room, her extended family gathers, plotting how to force her to return to hinduism. Several times they have taken her to the witch doctor who uses magic to make her forget who Jesus is. This morning she sent this text from her phone:

"At the moment when I am broken, my thoughts are on only one thing: ONLY THE LORD JESUS, ONLY THE LORD JESUS. There is no other. There is nothing else on my mind other than Lord Jesus. I love you so much Lord. Nothing and no one can separate my love from Lord Jesus. Even death!"

How about you? Is your love for Him this deep? Please pray for K right now to stand firm in her faith.

Materialism

2011-07-28T00:26:00.001-07:00

The last we saw of Jordan's parents, they were headed back to America without us.

We went to Singapore for a visa run and I was confronted with the materialism of a first world country for the first time since leaving America 6 months ago when we visited the mall.

It gave all of us "the wants" for things we don't really need. I don't want my child to grow up materialistic. I want her to be content to play outside in God's creation and not have to have lots of stuff. So, we didn't buy her anything! Here are pictures of Cadence with the toys she cannot have!

Summer time

2011-07-27T16:40:00.000-07:00

This summer Cadence has really enjoyed getting reconnected with familiar faces. Jody's mom and brother arrived today and we had so much fun with Jordan's parents in June.

She enjoyed making new friends, who are her age, with the children of some of our close friends.

We enjoyed the beauty of the Island where we live.

Jordan and her mom enrolled in cooking school in June!

They made delicious local dishes.

Our little girl is growing up!

Tea Party

2011-07-27T06:43:00.000-07:00

For Cadence's first birthday party, we had high tea with Jordan's parents.

We also invited some dear friends who have a daughter Cadence's age.

Cadence got her first cupcake...

and shared half of it with her friend Alana.

The girls had so much fun playing with the balloons, that we wondered why we even bothered to buy gifts!

So we sent one home with everyone as a party favor!

More fun with Honey and Bee

2011-07-13T06:20:00.000-07:00

We found out in June just what a funny Honey we have!

She enjoyed giving Cadence a bath each evening. Thanks Aunt Kk for the bath toys!

We enjoyed making (and eating) key lime pie together...twice!

Cadence and Honey Bee went to see the neighbor's puppies each day. "Dog" is her favorite word and favorite animal.

Cadence introduced her grandparents to her little friend...
but I'm not sure they will be friends for long if Cadence keeps pinching her!

She loved having Honey Bee push her in her new wagon.

More fun with grandparents

2011-07-06T12:16:00.000-07:00

Jordan's parents were delighted to witness some of Cadence's first steps.

We had fun introducing Jordan's parents to our friends here.

Can you spot the proud Grandmothers?

We also enjoyed getting to show them the beauty of this island.

Adventures with Honey and Honey Bee

2011-07-05T05:13:00.000-07:00

While Jordan's parents were here we took a boat out to an uninhabited island for a day of snorkeling, hiking and picnics.

On the way home, Jordan and her mom were held hostage by a hostile group of wild monkeys!

The guys were exhausted after all that fun!

Honey and Honey Bee

2011-07-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

This June we were graced with a visit from Jordan's parents, "Honey" and "Honey Bee". Cadence took right to them and loved all the attention. They were such a blessing to us as they could hang out with Cadence so that we could focus on all of our summer volunteers.

Slam Dunk in Rain

2011-07-01T01:48:00.000-07:00

Cadence had just learned how to let go of the ball in April. She loves the water and the rain, and being naked. Sorry for the obscene view of the dad with his shorts hiked up. Mom was strictly asked to video above the waist but thought it too priceless not to get it all on video. What a fun mom she is!

Family photos

2011-06-23T19:11:00.001-07:00

We had a family portrait session done recently and I just love the way these turned out! It is so rare to actually have pictures of all three of us.

2011-06-08T06:04:00.000-07:00

At 11 months, Cadence is still wearing 6 month old clothes and very petite.

Hanging with friends

2011-06-07T20:01:00.001-07:00

We really look forward to the time we get to spend with friends from the US. It is such an encouragement to have fellowship with others who share our heart. These are some of the only opportunities Cadence gets to be around English speakers. She loves playing with "Om D",

Joshua, and Matthew,

Stephen,

and "Aunt Kathy".

2011-06-07T19:55:00.000-07:00

Villa Agung April 2011

2011-06-07T19:46:00.001-07:00

This video was made specifically for Mae Mae. Sorry the video doesn't last long enough to enjoy the lapping of the ocean for an hour. Still one of my favorite spots but we don't actually make it here often enough. Joshua Basha had come to stay with us for 3 days and that is him in the background. We normally put up Cadence's Jump Up and let her jump around.

Toy Box April 2011

2011-06-07T19:33:00.000-07:00

She has a toy box full of toys and she chooses the blue diaper disposal bag dispenser. So why do we buy toys for our kids? She is still content with bugs and fuzz and plastic and dirt on the ground. This room is our safe play area for Cadence, but she only likes to be in this room if we are with her.

Everyday life as a mommy

2011-06-03T16:09:00.000-07:00

No need to lift weights now that we have an 11 month old!

This is what my life would look like if I had twins.

Cadence pulled over the tupperware shelf at a friend's house.

She is getting an opinion about everything, including picking out her own clothes.

She brings baby with her when she gets up from naps. Daddy will even give baby a few spoons full of babyfood, to Cadence's sheer delight.

Hudini Can't Make it Disappear

2011-05-31T03:47:00.000-07:00

There's a first time for everything. And then there are second times to try first's again.
This was her first time trying broccoli. But as you can tell she didn't really get a good taste.
So she will have to have a second time to get her first full taste of broccoli.

Fruit in Basket

2011-05-31T03:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the bad lighting. Was taken before we got lights in the middle room. This is what Cadence and Jordan did one night while Daddy was out. If confused, at one point Cadence is either practicing riding a bike with her leg or learning how to jump start her motorbike that she will get when she turns 12. When in Rome do as the Romans do, right?

Like Father Like Daughter

2011-05-31T03:28:00.000-07:00

This one was videoed from outside Cadence's window. Found her playing with my soccer ball after waking up from her nap.
Would you like to join me as I walk in and get her out of her crib? She's only the cutest baby ever to be born. And I am not just a proud biased father either. Seriously.

Waiting for Daddy

2011-05-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

I found Cadence at the front widow like this, waiting for Daddy to come home and play. Poor girl. I spend a lot of time waiting on that man to finish conversations and come play with me!

Allergies

2011-05-23T06:40:00.000-07:00

Something in the air has given Jody a runny nose. Cadence finds his solution to the problem amusing and wants to be like her Daddy. I caught them like this today.

2011-05-18T03:25:00.000-07:00

Back in April, Cadence began to feed herself. She loves cheerios. And she loves to paint herself with other foods.

First Time Scaling

2011-05-18T03:10:00.000-07:00

Not great lighting but her first time scaling by herself. This happened back in April.

Super Baby

2011-05-13T17:22:00.000-07:00

Cadence hates bibs. She immediately rips off the velcro ones, but she can't get out of this one. So, Cadence recently traded her bib in for a cape. It gets in her way and she prefers this new look as a super hero.

Cadence's favorite things

2011-05-09T16:44:00.000-07:00

Long baths...

Playing with my friends...

Cheerios! Has anyone seen my last cheerio?

Team Blanton

2011-05-06T16:19:00.001-07:00

Last year for Jody's first Father's day, I gave him matching Manchester United jerseys for his growing soccer team. This year we finally get to wear them.

Soccer lessons have begun in earnest on the street in front of our house, as well as inside.

But I'm not sure Cadence is that interested.

I guess time will tell whether we have a soccer player or a princess...

Let's Party!

2011-04-26T06:52:00.000-07:00

Cadence was recently invited to her friend Stephen's birthday party. It was Stephen's birth 8 years ago that brought Jody and I together in Kenya so we all enjoyed the celebration. Stephen celebrated his big day at "Fun World" and we were amazed at how much our little 9 month old enjoyed the experience. Notice the progression of losing clothes as the party wore on. She still spits up all the time but she's a happy spitter.

She literally had a ball with her friends!

She enjoyed a ride on the Rockin Rooster.

Took the car out for a spin...

Only to find it went much faster if she just pushed from behind!

Played in the ball pit...

Took her first solo flight...

And climbed the wall...

High Chair Art

2011-04-21T00:13:00.000-07:00

We are so proud of our lil artist!

Green beans and tofu: the video

2011-04-20T23:50:00.000-07:00

I'm guessing this isn't her favorite food. She LOVES bananas, cheerios and pumpkin. She tolerates other things as witnessed in this video.

Hide and seek

2011-04-20T23:34:00.001-07:00

We caught Cadence playing hide and seek with her bear, putting it between the bed and the wall.

Music Stars are Made in the Shower!

2011-04-13T03:20:00.000-07:00

I apologize the her microphone is upside down.
Or maybe that is her guitar?

1st Time pulling up

2011-04-13T03:10:00.000-07:00

Just after she pulled up the first time on Daddy's leg, he got excited to show this new trick off to Hot Mama.
In his excitement, he didn't realize that she would be top heavy over his calves and flip right over and have her first
big thump on the hard tile floor with her noggin! This was not recorded and we are hoping that she forgets it
and doesn't hold a grudge. We are afraid she is in for many more falls!

Cadence Laughing at Mystery Man

2011-04-13T03:03:00.000-07:00

Cadence is a baby who likes to smile and laugh ALOT!!
Can she make you smile?

C with Indo Friends

2011-04-10T22:28:00.000-07:00

Our friend Mariani could always make Cadence laugh.
Cadence is cute when she laughs but Mariani is outright hilarious
with her cow horns!

Underwater March

2011-04-07T09:01:00.001-07:00

They say, (whoever "they" is) that babies are natural swimmers. Put them under water right after they are born and they are suppose to be able to swim. What about 8 months after being born? Brave enough to find out? Cadence is!

2nd Time in Sand March

2011-04-07T08:38:00.000-07:00

Cadence Begins to Crawl

2011-04-05T18:10:00.000-07:00

Cadence makes her first movements towards crawling on March 5, 2011. I was impressed since she hadn't had a nap since waking up in the morning and the time of the video was 1 in the afternoon. I guess you can see that we are a little behind on getting up to date with current videos but we are trying. We didn't want you to miss these moments. Also, on this day she said "Dada" for the first time which put the biggest grin on her dad's face!

throwing toy

2011-04-04T18:04:00.000-07:00

I think she is lefty. This was taken in March when we were still at our friend's house.

Sippy Cup Scream

2011-04-04T07:14:00.000-07:00

Could someone who has been a parent longer than I have PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THIS GIRL WANTS!!

What did you mix with my green beans!?!

2011-03-31T07:07:00.000-07:00

I tried to sneak some tofu into Cadence's pureed green beans recently, thinking she wouldn't notice...

Adventures with Dad!

2011-03-27T16:16:00.000-07:00

It had rained a lot that day and the small foot paths were very muddy and slippery. As we were leaving the village, after showing Cadence off to our friends, an older friend said,"This way is better." What an adventure it became when faced with this stream of water and a very skinny bridge to cross. Had I been by myself, no problem. But I must say I hesitated a bit before embarking across this skinny bamboo bridge with my 6 mo old Cadence Grace. Then adventure filled my bones and Cadence was a real trooper. Close your eyes Grandparents!

Finger paint

2011-03-24T01:55:00.000-07:00

Cadence enjoys her baby food. She loves the brightly colored carrots, green beans and vibrant purple sweet potatoes. She puts her fingers in her mouth and uses them to "paint" her chair, table and body.

She wants a "high-5" from Daddy when she eats everything in her bowl.

Never wake a sleeping baby!

2011-03-14T17:41:00.001-07:00

We are in the process of moving to a new house so Cadence is learning to sleep wherever we are. The other day I put her down for a nap on top of some blankets and sheets I had just taken off the bed to be washed. She looked so sweet and peaceful sleeping that I got my camera to take her picture. The flash must have woken her up.

Then she went back to sleep so I tried again. That was a mistake!

2011-03-13T17:06:00.002-07:00

Cadence danced like crazy when Mariani was playing the guitar and singing her name so as usual
I grabbed the camera to video and all we got was a little bitty shake! She loves to smile in the camera
but performing is a different thing. This video is from January.

Cadence's first visit to the beach

2011-03-12T15:49:00.001-08:00

We shot this in January, the week we arrived. I wanted to post something more recent but Jody insists on starting with the oldest videos and moving toward the more recent so that the grandparents don't feel left out.

Cadence loves to get her hands and feet in the sand. Lately she just really enjoys getting down to check things out as opposed to being held all the time. She's still not crawling, but is creeping. I guess she is officially a Creepy-Crawly!

My baby dress

2011-03-11T06:40:00.001-08:00

This is what Cadence looks like in my old baby dress.

This is how happy she was to wear it...better reaction than I ever got when I put it on my baby dolls!

Village People

2011-03-10T16:04:00.000-08:00

We spent the day in the village yesterday visiting friends. One of my friends had a baby a month after I did so Cadence had someone her own age to play with. She loved it!

Oops. Missed my mouth, but I did it myself!

2011-03-10T04:32:00.000-08:00

I have a friend I call "Fun Mom" and her kids are the "Fun Havers". She is the one you see in a restaurant laughing at her 8 month old "Fun Haver" for flinging a spoon full of pureed carrots across the room. "Fun Mom" doesn't hide out at home during the preschool years, waiting for them to end and for her children to become more socially acceptable. She actually goes out in public, knowing that one of the "Fun Havers" is more than likely going to poop in his pants (or on hers) and she will not humiliate him even though he has been potty training for more than a year. "Fun Mom" is quick to laugh at life's absurdities and slow to scream at her "Fun Havers". She doesn't threaten them with statements like I made today, "If you pull Mommy's hair one more time, I'm going to pull yours." I want to be "Fun Mom"...but it will have to wait until I am less stressed out from life and my little "Fun Haver" lets me sleep for 8 hours straight. That's my problem, isn't it? I have to choose to be "Fun Mom" today even though I don't feel like it. My little "Fun Haver" deserves a "Fun Mom".

Daddy & Daughter Time

2011-03-07T01:09:00.000-08:00

Daddy and Cadence enjoy their mornings together before Mommy wakes up. I caught them enjoying the WORD together.

Daddy is also teaching Cadence to play the guitar!

2011-03-03T05:22:00.000-08:00

Cadence and her first time eating some solid food, organic rice cereal. That was back in January after we first arrived home in Asia. Ever since that day she has made the exact same face EVERY MEAL THAT SHE EATS! I practically had to trick her into every bite by smiling at her. She loves smiling and she forgot each time that when she would crack a smile I would shove food in her mouth.

Fun in the Park

2011-02-28T18:00:00.000-08:00

This is a new park that has just opened in the mountains about 45 minutes from our house. We stop here on the way to and from the capital city to enjoy the cool air and break up the 3 hour car ride. Lately we have been making the trek to the capital city twice a week as we prepare to move into our new house.

Last week on our trip, a tree fell down right in front of our car so Jody got out and helped clear the road so that the cars and motorcycles could pass again.

Sumo Cadence

2011-02-26T16:46:00.000-08:00

Here is Cadence's interpretation of a Sumo wrestler. This was taken in December...still working on getting something recent!

We found a house

2011-02-19T06:25:00.000-08:00

He has provided a place for us to "land" and we have signed a 3 year lease on a house in our old city. The house is 3 years old, and will need a kitchen and bathroom before we can move in so right now we are very busy overseeing those improvements. We are expecting to move in the next month. Here's a quick tour...

This is the living room as you walk in the front door.

This is the bathroom, but we will replace the bucket with a sink and the blue latrine with an actual toilet.

This is where we will put our kitchen. Notice the existing kitchen sink in the far right hand corner about 1 foot off the ground. We'll have it raised so that Jody doesn't have to wash dishes on his knees every night.

This is one of my favorite parts: a courtyard off the kitchen.

This is where I will put my bath tub!

And this is Cadence's very own room! The house has 4 bedrooms, all the same size (9 ft square).

Nana and Cadence

2011-02-19T06:10:00.000-08:00

This is our Nana (Jody's grandmother) singing "Jesus Loves Me" to Cadence last fall. Nana is in the hospital after a very bad fall. We love you Nana. Get well soon!

2011-02-17T21:20:00.000-08:00

We have been teaching Cadence sign language for every day activities. Verbal skills are the last thing that a baby learns and we have hoped that being able to express herself with her hands will cut down on her frustration in communication. Until yesterday, she only gave us a blank stare when we would sign a word to her so we weren't sure if she was getting it. Then when she woke up and I set her on the ground to play, she signed "All done", indicating that she wanted to get up. Now every time we put her in the car seat, which she has detested since birth, she starts crying and signing "All done. All done." It makes us laugh. Here it is:

Silly Daddy put a burper on Cadence's head.

Cadence and her friends:

Cadence and her two new teeth! The better to bite you with!

Cadence is really enjoying baby food. Here she is wearing carrots:

2011-02-17T18:52:00.000-08:00

Cool huh? Looks like Cadence is back in the womb but this time she brought a flashlight! If she needs calming down, the flashlight normally does the trick.
The verdict is still out: is Dad responsible or not? I mean, she could have fallen, right?
Johnny Jump Up works great everywhere! And no, she will not be allowed to be a table dancer when she gets older!
"All these taste like plastic! When will I get to try something other than tofu, rice cereal, avocado, banana, and carrot?!!
Just plain CUTE!

Shower!

2011-01-28T05:37:00.000-08:00

We spent the past two weeks in the city where we formerly lived, staying at a friend's house. Most bathrooms here are tiled but don't have a separate tub to catch the water from a shower, so you just use a shower head or a bucket and the floor gets all wet. The bumbo seat came to the rescue each day as we washed the dust and sweat off of Cadence. I was afraid she would hate taking cold showers, but she LOVED getting to play with the nozzle.

Beach Baby

2011-01-23T17:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we enjoyed a day off at the beach. Cadence loved getting her feet in the sand...but didn't like it on her hands so much.

The beach was very crowded with local people. Notice the offering to hindu gods in the foreground of this shot. They are everywhere we go, on the street, outside of stores and at the beach. The locals hope to gain favor with the hindu gods by making daily offerings.

Cadence is doing so well sitting up. She can sit unattended for several minutes at a time before face-planting onto the mattress. She never cries after she tumbles over...just rolls on to her back and smiles!

Cadence has started making funny faces:

Beach Baby

2011-01-16T05:35:00.000-08:00

Cadence enjoyed her first trip to the beach this week. She liked playing in the sand...

She even listened when I told her that she could not eat the sand!

Then she caught a few waves with Daddy!

She was even a good sport about our changing her on the beach in front of everyone.

Just after this photo was taken, we felt a rain drop and all of a sudden we were caught in a monsoon. Sorry I didn't get any photos but Cadence was a trooper about getting drenched and having to go home that way as we walked back to our house, 10 minutes away!

Watch out world!

2011-01-10T23:24:00.000-08:00

We had a great 32 hour journey back to Asia. Cadence was wonderful and loved meeting all the new people. She really enjoys the attention she gets as the only white baby on the block and is quick to smile at her growing fan club.

Cadence is adjusting well to life in Asia. She loves drinking water from her new sippy cup in the heat and trying to sit up by herself. It won't be long before she is mobile!