Studio Pictures

Before we left to come back to America for the summer I finally, for the first time, got the boys pictures made in a studio. I have been wanting to do this for a LONG time and finally took action. Actually, I went and had them done one week while Micah was traveling but we went back to look at them after he was back and we didn't like them at all. So, we went back and had them done again and they turned out much better.  Here are some of the best ones:

Last Day of Preschool (You Er Yuan) for Reister

Reister has been going to the local preschool across from our home in the Hazy City since the spring of 2009. Actually he went to another one briefly that summer and then of course didn't go while we were back in the States from November 2009-May 2010. But pretty much the rest of the time he has gone half days 5 days a week at the preschool. It has really been a great school for him. We are really SO grateful that our biggest goal for him in going has been fulfilled - he has learned Chinese.  He can really speak pretty fluently about simple every day things. In September our plan is for him to to be in a Kindergarten class at a local Primary (Elementary) School near our home - still for half days.  Then I will be homeschooling him for the other half of the day.  We have actually already started homeschool and are well into a Phonics program and have started Math as well.
Here are some great pictures of Reister and his friends on his last day at preschool - May 31st

Now I should also offer a disclaimer that local preschool hasn't been without it's challenges. Not anything that the school or teachers have done wrong, it's just been that when Reister has a bad day and doesn't feel like going, he can be pretty stubborn with his attitude about it.  And he would still always choose his English speaking American friends (there are PLENTY in our city) to play with over his local friends. But we have pressed on and it has really paid off.  Although sometimes it has taken him a while to make new friends when the older kids that he liked graduated and moved on to the primary school, or when we've come back from being gone for a while, he has always been able to find a few boys to be buddies with.  Mason will continue on at this school in the Fall and we are very thankful to our Father for the blessing of this school - it is close, has caring teachers and a Montesorri teaching style.

Peyton 8 Months

So I skipped 7 months but here are Peyton's 8 month pictures taken right before we left to come back to America.

I call Peyton my little Einstein because of his crazy hair!  Not sure what to do about it but it definitely gives him character!

At 8 months Peyton is moving - he still crawls on his belly. He can sit up on his own, and even pull up at times to standing.  He babbles sometimes but mainly likes to scream or shout.  He is weaned and sure loves his bottles. In fact, he's not really a fan of baby food but we still try to force feed him a couple times a day. He tried mashed potatoes tonight and enjoyed them.  He is our precious little baby boy and we love him so much.  His big brothers both adore him and love to give him hugs.  In just 4 days he will turn 9 months old and it will be time for another update!

Peyton 6 months

Fun in Our Yard

Don't you love the boots & shorts?

Rock Climbing!

There's a rock climbing gym near our home that Micah takes the boys to sometimes. They have a lot of fun!

Reister and a buddy who went one day in March

A New Look

Mason has worn glasses since he was 6 months old. He had surgery when he was 1 1/2 to correct his (crossed) eyes. They weren't permanently crossed but would both turn in at times. He had to continue wearing his glasses for far-sightedness.  This past December Micah took him for a visit to the doctor in Hong Kong and he said his vision had improved and no longer needed to wear the glasses. But at that time Mason wasn't ready to stop wearing them.  A couple weeks ago he got a hair cut and I told him that with the haircut I could see his "cool" eyes better but that if he didn't wear the glasses people could see them even better. He said "I don't want to wear my glasses anymore" and hasn't put them on since.  We're still monitoring his eyes and in June will take him to see the doctor in Texas that performed the surgery.  Here is his "new look". We were at a nice Cherry Blossom grove last weekend on the outskirts of the city. 

Peyton's Toupee

These pictures were taken in Thailand while we were on vacation. I'm sure Peyton will *love* these pictures when he's 15! HA!  We say he has a toupee because he has a lot of hair on top and it's thinner-to non-existent on bottom. But he sure is cute!  He was still 4 months old in these pics.

Grrr.. why are you putting that flashy thing in my face, Mom!?

Vacation Part 2

Our last day in Thailand we went to a waterfall called "Sticky Falls" with a group of friends and had a blast!  You can literally climb up the rocks of the waterfall - they are "sticky" because of some kind of mineral formation.  Reister was brave and enjoyed going up and down with his friends and Dad.  I got to climb up once by myself.  It was a great day of getting out in nature and having fun!