taiwan still raining

3 weeks of solid everyday rain! lots of great places to go that aren't outside - but we miss playing outside and going for walks.

ivo and i spent all day yesterday cleaning and mold preventioning... it was fun. he's an enthusiastic worker and quite helpful!

Ivo has started fake-outs... First by offering Ryan a cookie or cracker, now with throwing balls. Ivo pretends he's gonna give you something and at the last minute, stops. He either eats it or holds it far away. It's funny.

This morning at breakfast, Ivo kept putting his fingers in his ears - seemed like he was investigation the effect on his hearing.

Speaking of hearing - we haven't heard the garbage/recycling trucks yet today - are they cancelled because of flooding?

ryan's half birthday!

ivo n i have prepared a pressie fr ryan...
we think he's trying to sneak a look and he keeps begging fr hints
hee hee hee

how can i still be so fat?

my idea of one year up one year down has not panned out the way i'd anticipated.

recent pictures of me show extra face - this is especially upsetting since i've been going to gym and working out 4 days/week for the past 2 months. Yes, sure, i feel great, but c'mon! I'm thinking i'll never fit into some of my pre-ivo clothes ever again... do i give them away?

does a mother reckon her baby's age in months because it's psychologically more palatable to say, 18 months than a year and a half?

Ivo, the sweetie, just woke up - he's nursing - we're in the bedroom on the laptop. my mom usedto tell me that when i started walking, i fell so much she wanted to get me a helmet - well, we're feeling that way with ivo's little noggin taking daily bumps... He's still coordinated - but he's just expanding his territory - horizontally and vertically - Everyday he can reach or climb on something he was previously not even aware existed!

This spring the 'plum rains' have been longer lasting tha ever in my time in Taiwan. It's been raining everyday for a couple weeks and the forecast promises more... i'm becoming obsessed with mold, mildew and their prevention.

must be growing at night

ivo definitely seems bigger today. we are fairly sure he grows -noticeably- while he's sleeping. this seems so strange but it must be true.

ivo can now answer the question, "where is ivo?"!!!! he points to his chest! yay!

When confronted with the sound of a yes/no question or a directive, he now answers "no" in a sweet sing-songy way.
"Do you want some ice-cream?" -"Nooooo"

He loves the teletubbies. when he wears his hand-me-down t-shirt from cousins Ally and Mikey, he proudly walks around pointing at them. Most exciting is at the gym, on yoyo tv from 9:20-9:30 there is a condensed teletubbies show - Ivo gets very excited pointing at his tubbies and the ones on tv.

He also says uh-oh meaning something fell or is a little dirty or out-of place. This is like how the teletubbies say "hello" - "eh-o." it's confusing - but he repeats.

Just got a call from the real estate agent - he's gonna come over and take more pics of the mold.
gotta go!
pics from june 1st - got the camera back!

may end pics

here are the few pics i took before dropping off the camera...


Ivo had tripped and fallen at our closeby veggie resturant - see bruise on right side of his forehead.

may ending

Ivo n I are sitting at the computer bemoaning the near-empty May 2006 picture folder. Talked to the shop about my camera yesterday - it can be fixed - good news, which only took 2 weeks to get - but it'll take about a weeks and 2700nt to actually fix it.

Ivo's falling to sleep nursing right now. Slightly off-plan, but ok. He still speaks a little more Chinese than English - however he has started to say 'no' with both authority and conviction. The other night while Ryan, Ivo and I were eating dinner, Ivo kept pointing at some elusive tidbit on the table but everything we offered him, he said 'no' to...

this morning, as he was opening his eyes, he said, 'bu yao'- Chinese for 'no'. There was a little smile on his face while he said it - so i don't think he meant it.

yesterday he got new sandles - he likes them a lot - and points to them often. He points to all kinds of stuff, asking what it is. One of his favorites is to p[oint to me, then Ryan, then me, then Ryan just wanting us to say our names. Sometimes he points to himself. He points to other people too. He says 'mama' perfectly and so sweetly. 'dada' - 'baba' is coming. He loves to cuddle and watch baby einstein - neptune and beethoven.

new pics from Heather

Bowl-head-Ivo is at Heather's place. The others are from our house. Note the indoor/outdoor clothing... Idon't get it either!

avoiding the mother's day rush

Well, it's hard to believe I haven't posted for two weeks - it seems like just yesterday.

We've been busy and the camera is in the repair shop! Ick.

Ivo is awesome - he says and sings all the time. With only 10 hours/week in babycare - 4 of them spent napping - he has picked up as much Chinese as English. He says "mei yo" and "bu yao" which mean - "no have" and "no want". He uses them all the time; he can't find something, there isn't any, "mei yo". Bu yao is a softer "no" - which he doesn't say yet. He does say 'mama' and mean me - which is so heart-fillingly sweet. He seems to call Ryan, "dada" - which he made up by himself because we call Ryan "papa" - so maybe it's an innate name.

This is a pic taken by Supah-Sho from the wedding - you can see the bride and her father behind Ivo.

ivo plays music

Ivo drums, keyboard, guitar (not pictured). he also sings! He applauds himself!

ivo eating noodles

Ivo really likes playing with noodles - eating them is sort of the icing on the cake!

it's mayday!

ivo is taking an early and unusual nap in my arms which has allowed me to do a little email. i'm gonna try to post some pics while the posting's good!

he's loving the playroom at the gym - he gets to climb and leap into thousands of balls... pics of that have yet to be taken...

he sits and reads books aloud. he can point to bird(ies), the sun, dog(gies), fish and more.

we love him so so so so so so so so!

Sharp-dressed flower boy

Ivo may not know he was the flower boy - but he sure knew something was up! He loved his fancy shirt and bowtie. He kept checking himself out in the mirror and making faces. He didn't end up carrying his basket for most of the procession, but he did walk where he was supposed to go!

A band called the soilers played and Ivo n Jade (flower girl) loved the drums. He also lovd the balloons and the whole scene!

Rainy Wednesday Round-up

Pictures from AJ and Sian's wedding. 23 April


Did I mention that Ivo says "hot"? His version involves fanning his chest briefly, a shocked look and sounds sort of like, "haaaa!"

He chats and sings and really seems to have an amazing sense of rhythm.

He loves to eat yogurt, pineapple, rice, noodles and sweet potatoes.

Yesterday, we got the 69Across keyboard - Ivo loves it!

Amnesty International: the US ranks only behind China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia in carrying out state executions. 94 percent of the estimated 2100 executions worldwide took place in those four countries alone.

Hu Jintao is in Washington. His visit is not considered an official state visit by the US - but is by China. I wonder why the semantics - and how a 21 gun salute and full military welcome and review don't constitute official.

I saw a bit of CNN - how I wish we had BBC instead - CNN SUCKS - All the coverage was about Hu's visit and Nepal - but nothing on the ongoing shake-up/change-up in the Bush administration - resignations etc.

I hope we don't get hoodwinked into starting a war in Iran.

MMR vaccination pt 2

And life goes on - Ivo has to go back for the 2nd dose of his MMR vaccination. It is admninistered at 15 months here.

In other Ivo-news,

+he makes funny faces on purpose and to make us laugh. You can tell him to show someone a face and he usually will.

+if he wants you to get up and go do something for Pete's sake, he pulls on the sleeve of your shirt and tries to drag you!

+he love kids and tries to hug them - works well with bigger ones, not so well with smaller ones.

+he loves to read books and has developed a keen interest in reading books without pictures.

+he still says "wow" and has added "what dat?" as well as "yi er yi er" which is Chinese "1, 2, 1, 2"

+he loves to sing

+he just woke up!

A bit about Melissa's visit

So much is and has been happening! We haven't had much time to post.

Where is the account of Rock n Roll weekend pt 2? -
good question. Coming soon with stories of beach and friends.

The night before Phil and Genevieve went back to Japan and then home to Anacortes, a surprise visitor showed up - Melissa! It's been almost 3 years since she left Taiwan and 69Across for Toronto and an M.Ed.

She stayed through the 2nd weekend of Spring Scream Dog and left Tuesday, 17 April - also for Japan and then home to T-town.

Ivo LOVES her!

Ivo's first ice-cream of his own

Ivo's first ice-cream of his own

Watch the video

We went to hot-pot with Melissa and Sho. It was Melissa's last night in town - Sunday 16 April.

Ivo plays kazoo - he's gonna be a flower boy!

The first picture is Ivo with the basket that Sian made. He is gonna be a flower boy at Sian and AJ's wedding whiv=ch is this Sunday, April 23rd. Very Exciting! Can Ivo walk and throw stuff? Yes Yes Yes!!!! Bret and Hannah's daughter is gonna be the flower girl. Also - Taiwanese weddings have both flower girl and boy so that the couple will bear both girl and boy. That's what I'm told - I'm not sure if there's anything sinister beneath the seemingly balanced plan - I'm choosing to think not.

The other pic is Ivo playing the kazoo - he can do it! He's so awesome!

Ivo loves the beach!

Even though it doesn't look like it!

progress report: rock n roll weekend pt 1

Ivo and I went to Taipei to meet Phil and Genevieve at the airport on Thursday night - 30 March. We went up to Taipei, stayed in a hotel and then spent the next day sight seeing. Weather was great and so super fun. Ivo had a blast.

We went to the National Palace Museum - which had a lot of renovations going on - sothe grounds were mostly closed. But on our way out - we found a beautiful garden with paths and ponds. Then we walked to the MRT - which I think took about an hour and on the way stopped at a temple. Phil is an excellent map reader, getter-arounder, he was able to navigate the MRT system without a hitch.

Three trains each way to the zoo stop where we caught a cab to Maokong - atop a mountain with a view of Taipei 101 and lush forest.

Then we trained back to the Wall where Phil n Genvieve sound checked. There were about 50 people waiting on line - even before doors opened.

Ivo n I drove home - only took 2 hrs 15 min. Today Ryan, Ivo n I are all going to Kenting!!! Yay!!!

More soon.

Ivo likes to play with water

Ivo likes to play with water

Watch the video

this is a reposting because it didn't cross post

ivo likes to giggle

ivo likes to giggle

Watch the video

ivo likes imported chips

ivo likes imported chips

Watch the video