Friends and family with Ethan

I've been meaning to put these up for awhile but somehow forgot.
I hope to post more photos so, when you're visiting Ethan, make sure you remind me to take a photo of you with him!

Cara trying to take a bite of Ethan's foot.

Mom and Mrs. Moh with Ethan.

Nadia with Ethan.

Vic and Grenda with Ethan.

A Busy Few Days

Hmm. Let's see. My last post was Thursday and now it is Sun.

What have we been up to? A-ma and Gong- Gong have been amazing. They suggested instead of them coming over to our place to look after Ethan, that we bring him over to their place. That way, they can get their own chores and things done as well as look after Ethan.

This has been great since Adam and I have been able to get a few hrs to ourselves for naps, a movie, getting dinner and doing some errands together.

On Friday night, we went to see Oceans 13. The movie was really great although mommy did keep thinking about her baby boy throughout the movie. Despite this, spending time with daddy and eating popcorn and softdrinks did us a world of good. It helped Adam and I relax and his headache wasn't so strong afterwards and brought us closer since we have been sleeping in separate bedrooms while looking after Ethan so the other can get some rest.

Saturday, Adam and I looked after Ethan for most of the day. The past week has been abysmal since it has been raining non - stop for days and will continue until next Wed. Then we dropped Ethan off at A-ma and Gong Gong's place.

I went to have my hair permanently straightened- it was FANTASTIC- got my hair washed and a massage. (Yes, at Taiwanese hair salons, you get your shoulders, scalp and back massaged before or after your hair cut and wash.)

Adam went to visit our friends Vic and Grenda.

The hair straightening process took 3hrs and by then my breasts were ready to explode from milk overload. When I called A-ma's house, Gong Gong said that Ethan needed my breast to calm down. (afterhe had already had a bottle of formula)I could hear him screaming in the background and felt so bad. So I quickly called Adam to go over pack things up and pick up Ethan. Then come and pick me up from the salon. When he arrived at A-ma's, Ethan has already fallen asleep. Poor guy.

By the time Ethan and Adam got to the salon, Ethan was screaming again- he hates the car seat so I quickly whipped him out of it and put him to the breast. He was almost drowning in all the milk that was flowing out but he was pretty content and soon soundly asleep.

This morning (Sunday) Gong Gong and A-ma came by to take Ethan back to their place so Adam and I could catch up on osome sleep. That was at 7:00am and Adam still hasn't woke up and it's 12:20pm. I have already expressed my milk to avoid the explosive pressure buildup but i'm missing my baby boy so hopefully he gets up soon so we can take him back to ours.

Later on, we all may be meeting with our friends Eddie and May Fong.

Well, that's it for now. Keep you posted when I get the chance.

Luv Mommy

Ethan's First Ever 3 hr wakeful play time!

Wow!
Today was a great day because mommy got to experience a happy and curious Ethan for 3hrs.
It was a little tiring because I was counting on him napping so I could get some rest but playing with him in his bouncy chair, walking around the house and talking to him, wiggling his feet around made up for my slept deprivation.

Poor daddy had to go to work to make up for Monday's Mission so I video called him to let him see his son wide awake and happy and alert. He and his co-workers were thrilled.

Adam has been having some migraine headaches almost daily starting the last few months of the pregnancy up until now. It's affected his appetite, energy drive, focus and he is having a hard time coping with the sleep deprivation now that Ethan is with us.

The Western medicine doctor instantly prescribed him medication that we found to be addictive in the long term and quite bad side effects including intestinal problems and coughing up blood. Since he has been taking this medication daily we asked Gong- Gong who works at China Medical Hospital and University to make an appointment for Adam to see a Chinese Doctor in the hopes that we can find a natural way to help Adam get over his headaches.

Adam said the experience was quite interesting. The Chinese Doctor checked his eyes, tongue, blood pressure, pulse, heartbeat. Then he used a soft paintbrush and lightly brushed certain areas across the face to see if both sensations of the brush strokes felt the same. Then he used a small hammer to check reflexes of the elbow, side of the foot and knee. He also used a piece a dowel and scored it across the soles of his feet. He then asked Adam to clench his bicep and try to push his arm down and similarily with his leg and wrists. His diagnosis was that Adam was having migraines due to stress caused by lack of sleep, work and lack of relaxation and prescribed Adam a weeks worth of herbal packets ( which resemble fine sandy colored powder)which he is to take 3 times a day. Since Eastern medicine has slower results we hope that Adam can manage through the pain until some positive effects start showing. So keep him in your prayers.

Take care,
Joanne

Ethan's first passport and citizenship photo

We would love to hear your comments on this photo!

Wakeful Wednesday

So A-ma and Gong Gong arrive this morning at 7am and decide to take Ethan back to their place so Adam can get in another 2 hrs sleep before he goes to work and I can get some sleep without hearing Ethan fussing outside of the bedroom. ( I ended up sleeping until 11am)

This would seem like a fantastic idea until I discovered that Ethan was up fussing and crying at A-ma and Gong Gong's place from 7:30am - 12:3opm. Poor guy. Such a new environment without mommy and daddy must have gotten to him.

Right away I nursed him and he fell asleep for three hours while Gong Gong and I went to the immigration office to report my canadian passport stolen- last time we didn't manage to finish the process because I didnt know my lost passport number, get my Taiwanese Driver's license renewed and buy some Avent nipple cream. Ethan sure has good suction. (I swear I deserve an award for nursing under excruciating pain.)

Then we came back and Ethan just woke up so we nursed again but he was wide awake and didn't want to sleep. A-ma and I quicky took this opportunity to get his passport and citizenship photos taken at the Kodak Photo Shop. I'll post the photo- I think its quite hilarious.

Then, Ethan proceeded to scream his head off while in the car seat during the 10 minute drive home from A-ma and Gong Gong's place to ours.

As of this moment, he is finally asleep in the sling, happy to be home in familiar surroundings and smells and I am able to use two hands to type this post.

Now, i'm wondering if I should let him sleep or change his nappy which is emitting a slight odor since he has only has 3 hrs of sleep total today. His soiled nappy doesn't seem to be bothering him though so maybe i'll leave him to get some rest.

Adam has just gotten home from work so i'm signing off. I'll let you know how the playgroup goes tomorrow if its on.

Take care and luv to all
Joanne

Tuesday's Wonderful Outing

This past Tuesday, Ethan and I had a great time out of the house. A-ma came over early to let me sleep a little bit longer while she watched over Ethan. Then when I woke up and got showered, we put Ethan in the sling and did some major grocery shopping. After returning to the house, and putting the groceries away, we drove out to have lunch in a Korean Restaurant. I learnt how to use my right hand to eat while Ethan was in the sling while I was nursing him and supporting him with my left hand. Amazingly enough, I didn't manage to spill my lunch all over him with help from A-ma. Then we came home. Ethan wasn't happy about returning home so soon and voiced his displeasure despite me trying to get him nurse so I called a friend I had met in the Kodak Photo shop named Krysta who has a 3 month baby girl named Shayto see if she would like to come out for a chat and a drink. (It turns out we both graduated from the same education program from the same university in the same year but with 900 graduates we didn't come across each other. She goes to a playgroup this Thursday so hopefully that is where I will be bringing Ethan tomorrow.) Ethan was in his sling and slept pretty much for the whole 3hrs we were out except for one feed. So she met me at a parkade and we walked over to a nearby shopping area called Tea street and meet up and do a little shopping. Ethan was fantastic through it all. Mostly slept with one feed the entire 3 hrs we were out. Shay was wide awake the whole time just taking everything quietly in. Then around 5:45pm , we said our goodbyes and Ethan and I strolled home and waited for Adam to come home from work. The evening was pretty calm and I stayed up with Ethan until 6am this morning(wed). Adam took over until 7am when A-ma and Gong- Gong came over to see Ethan.

Photos of the Monday Mission

Sticky rice and two pink eggs!

Photo of High school students and co-worker.

Adam's new haircut.

Director May of the Elementary School with Ethan.

A-Ma looks after Ethan while Adam and Joanne take a quick rest.