Love Hurts

Ivo loves Burl and vice versa. It's a push and push relationship.
Pics from 28 May.

Ivo undercover

Ivo loves Astroboy.

Overheard conversation b/w Ivo and Burl:

Ivo: "Ivo-Dash funny. Burl funny. Boys all funny. Girls no funny."

Burl: "rrrrrrrrrrrr"


pic from 29 May

Ivo and Dylan featuring Burl and Heather

Gym 6/6

Ivo, Burl, Bath and Beyond

These pics are from last night. Ivo and Burl have their own bathtubs and Ivo likes it that way.

Thanks to Ciro, we've got nero photo snap again! I can make anything b&w. Yay!

Ivo-Dash, a la Buzz Lightyear, says "to infinity and beyond!" and "I come in peace." With or w/o his action figures, he will say, "I cowboy. You space RANGer." Or vice versa.



















Today we went to playgroup at Toby's - I took this pic of Burl cuz he's wearing this supercute 6-12 month outfit that Chrissy/Mom sent him! It's his first time in such a big boy outfit - he's 3 months 1 week and 3 days old! Both Ivo and Burl had a great time at play group.

Ivo Burl Busy

Lots happening. Brett left on Thurs night (31 May). Ciro Heather and D-man were over Saturday night. Ciro fixed our computer - Yay!

It's been super rainy.


Pics from 5/31 and 6/2

Happy Wedding and Congratulations Berton and Sasha!
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Ivo has begun to use all kinds of pronouns over the past week. He correctly uses her/him; "Ivo-Dash like her." And he's started to use I and me. At the gym, when someone else is moving in on Ivo's toy, he's saying, "No! No! I turn. I. I. I. I turn." A couple times he's tried, "Me! Me! Me! Me turn!"

Until now, when asked "Did you turn off the water?" Ivo will say a combination of, "Yep. Turn off water. Ivo-Dah turn off water." Now he's saying/adding "I did it." !!! Speaking of verb tenses, he's started to ask "Where Papa went?" as well as "Where Papa go?" Ivo likes to play with the baby monitor which has a little projector that casts moving images of stars and the moon. Ivo aims the light at the wall and says, "Growing bigger" while pulling it back and "Growing smaller" as he brings the monitor closer to the wall.

Ivo's S-sound is coming along. He's working on it - sometimes he gets it but often it sounds like a T; "Yet" for "Yes."
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We played with Dylan and Heather at gym today. I stayed in the play room cuz Burl wasn't sleepy and I didn't want to leave him AND there were a couple boys I didn't trust and the babysitter wasn't paying the kind of attn I like. (IhopeI'mnotruiningmykidsbyneverleavingthemalone! - one problem is that some kids are big jerks - what are the parameters of normal aggressive play and what's too much? What role does age play? In the end I'd rather be overprotective than under - I'm learning)

So anyway, I played and watched and tried not to interfere when it wasn't necessary. At one point, Ivo climbed into a box with a babydoll, lifted up his shirt and said, "Want Ivo-booby? Yep? OK." Then he sat the doll up patting its back and said, "I burping de baby. "

So cute!
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Burl is enjoying tummy-time and has started playing with a few toys. Interconnecting textured rings, a rattle, a maracca, a plush caterpillar and a plush turtle - both of which play music. He's a wonderful happy baby.

Baby Burl is 3 months old today!

Ivo likes Taiwanese sausage on his first try

Joe Cash's bbq.

Ivo and Burl in Tainan

"Hi Papa. Want go hopital? No. Want go 'tarbuck? No. Burl sleeping. Candy, want have candy. See soon."

"Hi Bob. Burl sleeping. Burl having booby. OK. Later."

Ivo's talking on his Buzz Lightyear phone. Pretty cute. "That Buzz Yightyear. Ivo-Dash call Buzz Yightyear."

We are recovering from the crazy fun weekend. Burl's nursing. Ivo's playing. I'm going thru pics from Sat and Sunday.

Dylan and Heather were over this morning. It was pouring in Dong Hai but sunny down here...
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These pics are from our trip to Tainan for Joe Cash's man yue party. That means he completed his first month of life - a limbo-like existence for his mom. "Lots of rules" with tv, books and
computers forbidden. Emily and Joe Cash had just come home from Nanto that same day - so they were tired and made only a limited appearance at the party. No pics of Joe Cash, Emily or John, whom Ivo called "green sock baba."
The boys and I drove down with Karin. It was a great party! Tons of food. First, Ivo and I played in the kids' pool. We were joined by a little boy - very fun kid with nice parents. Ivo and he played for hours - til the boy went home.

Burl Ivo Big Weekend Friday night

Burl and Ivo began their big weekend on Friday. After shots, gym, lunch and a brief nap we went to the Wen Xin Carre Four and played in the kids' land for a couple hours. First time we've been there since Grammie Gail went home.

There was a really nice 3-1/2 year old boy - we don't have a pic of him but we spoke with his mom, exchanged phone numbers and may see them again. His mom hasn't decided whether his English name will be Brandon or Maxwell. I like both. There was one kinda ada kid with a very attentive mother and 3 kinda not nice kids whose mother was awol and when she returned was on the phone the whole time. Maybe I'm too sensitive but they kept telling Ivo they didn't want to play with him, in words and actions. They kept all the loose toys and carried them around like nomads. Eventually I could take it no more and told them they weren't being nice. In response, they gave Ivo a couple toys to play with.

The baby pictured with Burl is one month older than Burl. The woman holding Burl works there and was very excited to see us after so long!

Ivo Burl blah blah blah

Friday morning began with inoculations for Burl (5-in-one) and Ivo (Japanese encephalitis). Ivo screamed from beginning to end, punctuated by teary proclamations of "Ivo-Dash all done." Burl smiled at the dr and didn't even flinch when the needle went in. Neither knew he was getting a needle. All they knew was that we were going to the gym to play which we did right after riding the giraffe in front of the dr's office.

Burl weighs 6.4kg (b/w 50-75th percentile). He is 64.5cm long (b/w 90-97 percentile). His head circumference is 41cm (b/w 75-90 percentile). These percentiles are quite rough - but I'm not gonna probe deeper - no time.

Ivo weighs 12.5kg. He wouldn't go for having his height measured.

Ivo used the word "mistake" several times appropriately to mean accident. Once to mean, something which shouldn't have been done, ie, "gege throw the truck upside down. Mistake."
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We met Rayne at Finga's for lunch. We saw Sean, Bob and Donna - Yay! At lunch, Ivo spoke seriously, wrist cocked at right angle, rhythmically emphasizing his points, "blah, blah, blah," he said.

Burl and Ivo busy schedules

Pics from 5/22








On Tuesday, Burl, Ivo and I went with Dale (the famously "not pictured") to the Nike outlet and Tom's World Arcade. Ivo had an awesome time - in both places. It's possible that he was shriekier and runnier at the shoe store...Let's just say, he napped when we got home!

We bought 2 pairs of shoes for Ryan - both of which we took back and exchanged on Wednesday. A repeat visit to the arcade was almost as thrilling but not quite as fun w/o Dale.

Today we went to Toby and Heidi's house for playgroup and it was a blast! Lots and lots of kids and mamas - even a baby Burl's age! Her name is Shea. She was due 2/27 and was born on 2/21. Sort of a flip of Burl, due 2/22 and born 2/28. I haven't started taking pics at playgroup cuz I feel like I should get Mama consent - plus my hands are full with baby or snacks...

Other fun fun stuff: Ryan took Ivo to meet Bret at a baseball game last night but it was called due to rain. Kevin and Kaia came over later that night. Today, Bret came over for lunch.
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When I play guitar, Ivo says, "That nice, Sandy." He's interested in the Statue of Liberty and thinks it's in Canada. Bret taught him to say Ryan is full of "hot air"!

More soon. Ivo didn't nap today even tho... so many things that I'm exhausted!

Ivo holds Burl

Ivo often asks to hold Burl. He's pretty patient about it too. Usually the holding is mediated by a couple pillows - Burl's a big baby!

The holding lasts about 2 minutes maximum. Pretty quickly, Ivo starts grimacing and squirming, "Mama hold Burl."

Burl's shirt says, "I didn't do it." The silliness of it cracks me up. Paul sent it to Ivo when he was born - so it's been cracking me up for years. Burl doesn't do anything to deny, can't read, doesn't comprehend the words. He doesn't even know he's wearing a shirt or sporting a motto. He's not in on the joke. Maybe that's why I'm so stuck on it - it's perverse!