2007 Comes To An End

This has been the most fantastic year ever and its weird to feel a bit sad about it ending. Having spent an entire year as mom and dad to Bryan, its really something to look back and reflect on now. So many changes this year. We have changed, and of course Bryan has changed the most. Over the course of this year, we watched our son grow and blossom from a tiny baby into a toddler. The cutest and sweetest little guy we ever could have dreamed of.

Where there once Bryan was not even able to sit up by himself, now he is not only walking, but climbing and running. We've even gotten him to dance a couple times. He has a funny sense of humor and loves to laugh and be silly. He is very sensitive and cries easily if you raise your voice at him. He is able to communicate so much more now, and can tell us when he wants to eat or wants a drink. And now when we are outside or in the store, he will wave and say "hi" to people. Bryan loves taking a bath, and has fun splashing in the water and filling cups with water and pouring them out........sometimes all over me and the floor.

These are the words Bryan is saying so far:

ma-ma, da-da, Dyna (the dog), milk (sounds like ma, but hes trying), eat!-eat!

once we even heard him say doggie, doctor (when he was really sick and we were taking him to urgent care), and jacket

Bryans favorite foods of late:

cottage cheese and string cheese, oranges and bananas, oatmeal, goldfish crackers and of course Cheerios, anything pasta, french fries (the occasional treat that makes Bryans eyes light up). Bryan also loves Mexican food. He likes a chicken soft taco with rice and beans.

Bryan has seven teeth and is getting ready for No 8. He is much better now with letting me clean his teeth and even tries to do his own flossing. Hes making mom proud.

Bryans latest fascination is with anything to do with cars and trucks. One of his very favorite ways to spend a day is outside in the garage with daddy, and taking a ride around the neighborhood on the ATV. He likes to watch the Speed channel with daddy too, and says vroom!!! when the cars and monster trucks are on.

Bryans favorite TV shows:

Wonder Pets and Backyardigans. Oh, and Monster Truck Jam.

Bryans favorite toys:

Other than of course his cars and trucks, he loves his books, and has finally mastered his shape-sorter toy.

New things Bryan has figured out:

He goes in the veggie crisper drawer and pulls out carrot sticks and feeds them to Dyna.

He knows when we are driving down our street and starts saying da-da right away.

Bryan knows where his nose, eyes, ears, hair and belly are.

He has also gotten quite good at eating with a spoon, and very often will wave bye-bye.

Bryans adoption decree came today

Im so impressed that the county said it would take 3 months to get the paperwork done, and it was to the day. So now a birth certificate will be put on file for Bryan here in NC, and we have adoption papers (written in English!) that list us as a forever family.

Oh, and Bryans name is officially changed now too!

Names and their meanings

I knew that Bryan means strong, but it wasnt until I asked a Vietnamese woman, that I found out the meaning of Bryans middle name "Tinh". She spoke very broken English, but in the best way she could, she said that it means "I trust you", or "I believe in you".

Strong. Trust. Believe. I think those are perfect words to sum Bryan Tinh up. He is most definately going to grow to be a strong man who is trustworthy, and who his family and peers can look up to and believe in.

Happy Birthday Bryan!

This weekend is all about our sweet boy! We kicked it off on Friday by going to the mall to get 1yr pics taken, and then going to lunch. When we got the pics back, I just couldnt believe my eyes! The Bryan I was looking at was a toddler! A growing up little boy! He's just so big now! Wow is all I can say.

Then after the mall, we went home and started getting ready for the party on Saturday. Lots of friends and family, except for grandma who is sick and couldnt come to visit, came to help us celebrate. Bryan had alot of fun playing with everyone, and of course playing with his new toys and eating (if you want to call it that) his birthday cake. Thank you everyone for coming and helping us make Bryans big day really special.

We also had a Thoi Noi ceremony for Bryan, which is a Vietnamese custom that is done on the first birthday. You put several different items in front of the child and let them choose a few. The things they pick are suppossed to foretell what they will grow up to do in life. So Bryan, of course, went right for the drumstick. Growing up in this house, Im sure he'll learn an instrument or two, so we were fully expecting that. After that, he chose a calculator. Good boy. So maybe one day Bryan will be able to get mommys checkbook to balance.

Since today is his actual birthday, we're going to go out for a pasta dinner tonight. Bryan is like his mom and just loves his macaroni! Im really looking forward to this since it will just be the three of us. And Bryan still has a few presents to open from mom and dad later on too.

To our birthday boy.......Bryan sweetie, we love you very much and are so happy that you are our son. We couldnt have asked for more in a child than what you are. You fill our home and our hearts with so much love, warmth and joy every single day. We are so proud of you. Happy Birthday baby!

What Bryans up to these days

We just cant believe that Bryans birthday is coming up in two weeks! I still cant believe that Im planning my babys birthday party. Sometimes having Bryasn still feels like a dream to me. And sometimes I still have to go up in his room at night and just to look at him. Just to make sure I havent been having a dream.

So these are some new things Bryan is doing at 11mos:

He is starting to really get the hang of using his sippy cup. Yesterday we used it all day long with the exception of morning, and a small bottle before bed.

He is interesed in using his spoon, and can manage to get it into his mouth if I put a little food on it.

He is walking around the house wtih his Lion push toy really well. Hes also starting to let go and stand on is own. Yesterday, George said that Bryan took 2-3 steps by himself!

He is very interested in the kitchen. Opening cabinets and turning on the dishwasher by himself. He loves to open the lazy susan too, and pull all the containers of spices out to play with.

Bryan has discovered the bathroom now too, and has destroyed one roll of TP so far. Unfortunately, he also tried splashing inthe toilet. Ewwwwww! Needless to say, now the bathroom door has to stay closed.

Im quickly learning that as babies become more mobile, so do mom and dad. You cant turn your back for a second anymore!

Things about Bryan that I love

OK well, he's my son so of course I love every single thing about him, but these are a few of my favorites of late.

When Bryan get really excited about something, whether its someone he sees, or something he wants to eat, he claps his feet together really fast and loud. Sounds like hands clapping.

Which brings me to the next one. Bryan clapps when I say "yay!", and he also does it when I sing Pat-a-Cake to him. Just melts my heart.

Bryan has a thing about his feet too. If hes sitting on my lap at the table and he cant reach something with his hands, he tries to get it with his feet. He gets a foot up on the table and tries to get what hes after with it. His toes are long enough that they could almost be fingers. Maybe hes gonna be able to do weird things like write or eat with his feet.

Bryan has got the funniest, loudest belly laugh. He loves to be picked up and have kisses on his belly, and he goes nuts when I lay on my back and pick him up in the air on my legs. One of his other favorites is being up on my shoulders and taking a ride around the house. He just screams with laughter.

Now when Im in the kitchen, all of a sudden I'll feel these little hands on my legs. Its Bryan pulling up to stand. I love feeling those little hands, and hearing his little grunts as he picks himself up and gets on his feet. No small task for such a little guy!

Last night we were looking at a book in Bryans room at bedtime, and he was pointing at things in the pictures. Another something new to celebrate!

Meal time is a real adventure now. Bryan is really wanting to feed himself alot now, which is great developmentally, and also just a hoot to watch. Everything has to be inspected from all angles, and squished in the hands thoroughly before it is fit to be swallowed. About 10 mins into his dinner, there is food covering every bit of baby too. Face and hands of course, but then there's hair, eyes, ears....... Too bad he hates having his face washed. Since food is now ending up on the floor too, Dyna is just in heaven. Hooray, table scraps!

Bryan likes to play with his spoon too, and last night I put a little food on it and gave it to him, and he did get it into his mouth. Go Bryan!!!!!!

Saying "Oh-oh!" when he drops something. Thats pretty much everything now since hes starting to toss things around more.

His determination. He can fall down over and over again, and he just gets up and tries until he gets it.Unfortunately this includes the stairs, which little man just mastered. More baby barricades!

When I walk out of the room, I'll hear "Ma!" (not ma-ma, just ma), and then see Bryan coming looking for me.

I'll never get tired of hearing Bryans soft breath as he sleeps, or the beautiful innocent look on his face.