We always used to joke that our family was the Griswald’s.  Do you remember those movies (National Lampoon’s)?  We so had a Griswald mobile!  Anyway, my sister Lindy is in town and we’re all together again.  It doesn’t happen very often so we try to make the most of it when we can.  We’ve done a lot of shopping, visiting, we’ve had babysitter and have been relieved of night duty - TWICE - it’s been great to have her in town!  We even got together for a child free lunch at Seasons 52 which was such a treat!

Last night we had a family dinner at my parent’s.  We took a few photos.  Please excuse my hair!

Lindy hasn’t seen Noah since the month before his first birthday.  This is the first time she’s seen him walk!

And of course the first time she’s met Kate. 

Can you see Kate sticking her tounge out at them?  LOL!

My niece Julia and Kate.  She only holds happy babies.

Here are all the sisters.  I would like to put a caption at the bottom of this stating I’m 7 weeks post partum.  We need to do this again next year when we can all look fabulous and well rested!

We have a lot of history with this green couch.  Here we are in 2004.  Why do I always have bad hair on family photo day?

And then here we are a few years before.  I’m not sure how many but I think a lot is a fair guess.  And yes, we’re shocked about the weight roller coaster too.

And for entertainment purposes we made one more person squeeze onto that poor couch!  Just kidding - mom and her girls.

Yes, really, New Kids On The Block.  My sister, mother, best friend, and I went to their concert 17 years ago for my 13th birthday at Joe Robbie Stadium.  I was an avid fan!  I just knew I would someday marry Joey McIntyre, and I knew he was as excited about our future as I was.  Yes, really - what do you want? - I was 13.  I also knew that someday I would own a Chrysler Lebaron because that was his dream car.  Gag me.

Anyway, as a surprise my sister thought it would be fun to go to a concert on their comeback tour.  So she bought us tickets and gave them to me at my baby shower.  At first I wasn’t really sure what to expect and even joked about how lame it would be but you know what, we had a good time.  Lady Ga Ga opened (she is such a freak), followed by Natasha Bedingfield (who was amazing) and then the original fab five took the stage.  They played a lot of old songs as well as their new ones.  It seems only Jordan can sing their original songs since he’s the only one with any sort of range (read: the only one who can still sing like a pre-pubescent boy).  There is some sort of debate over whether or not they can actually sing.  If any of them can it’s Jordan (who by the way was looking VERY good).  We had great seats down on the floor of the arena and had quite a view.  I took a few shots with my phone and while they aren’t very good they are worth sharing with other NKOTB fans (hello, anyone out there?).  Speaking of fans, the people watching was INCREDIBLE!  It was a mix of women who were still 13 deep down inside, those who were still pining for the love of the singers and the curious ones just looking to see how much had changed in those 17 years.  I was shocked to see how many were pregnant but I guess a lot of us 30-somethings are having kids these days.  The outfits were crazy, the place was packed and our ears hurt from all the screaming.  We had a blast though and relived a fun time in our childhood.

Lady Ga Ga

Natasha Bedingfield

NKOTB

Halfway through the show they popped up behind our seats.  This was our view.  They had a million outfit changes and for this portion they wore clothes similar to how they dressed last time we saw them.  I got a good laugh.  I wore a shirt with a giant smiley face on it to the first concert of theirs (because that’s what Joey used to wear).  Can you see what’s on the back of his leather jacket? 

Notice how crowded it was!

This was our view of them on the main stage.  Pretty decent from every angle!

Nikki, thanks again for the trip down memory lane!

Happy Halloween!  Walter took off from work on Halloween so we could have a fun day and so it wouldn’t be a huge rush to the festivities once he got home.  Unfortunately we spent “family fun day” hanging around the house with a crabby toddler and fussy baby.  One thing that made Noah happy was the sheet of stickers from one of his Halloween cards (we have the best family who send the kids cards for every occasion).  Noah was feeling very generous and decided to share them with poor Kate.

Look closely -

And here’s another cute shot from our lazy day -

Later when it was time to put our costumes on things got really cranky and Noah was super crabby.  My sister Nikki stopped by to show us her costume and it really iced the cake by freaking Noah out.  He’ll do anything for candy though, even pose for a photo.

Once we got them dressed we took these -

Kate was supposed to be a teddy bear.  I bought her costume months before she was born.  It’s size 0-3 months but as you can tell it’s a little ridiculous and might fit her next Halloween.

Then we were off to the Friedman’s hoping for the best.  We had very unfortunate weather, it rained all day, but we managed to catch enough of a clearing for the kids to do some trick or treating. 

Ayla and Noah dressed up in coordinating Dolphin’s costumes (a cheerleader and a football player), Kate played along in a Dolphins sleeper and Aaden was a lion.  We had a great time and enjoyed watching Noah actively participate for the first year.  He rang doors bells and even managed to say “trick or treat”.  Anyone who knows him would be shocked at that (including us), the thank you’s were a little coaxed.

If you look closely you can see Robby on the floor behind the ottoman waiting to catch a clumsy toddler.  Luckily no one was harmed in the making of this photo.  Doesn’t Rachel have the most amazing decorations?

The Linder Family

To finish off Ayla’s costume my sister Lindy made her a diaper cover that says “#1 Dol-Fan”.  She looked adorable!

Ok, maybe supermodel is a bit of an over statement, but Noah is on the Quiet Waters website!  The very first post on this blog from August 6, 2007 was when we went to Splash Adventure (the water park at Quiet Waters) with the Friedman family.  Two months ago they contacted us to see if they could use our photos.  So we sent a disk with every photo from every visit we’ve ever made there and they updated their site with Walter’s photos.  There are a few general water park shots but also one of Noah on the whale (from when he was very young and old man looking) and one of Robby and Ayla - how cool is that?!  We were very flattered.

You can see the entire Parks and Recreation page here - http://www.broward.org/parks/qw.htm

Photos were taken!  Ok, let’s be honest, we’d be hard pressed to find a day photos of Kate or Noah weren’t taken but when Kate was nine days old a family friend and photographer (who wishes to remain anonymous) came to take photos of Kate.  Here are a few of my favorites -

Her umbilical cord stub fell out the next day, it was a big week in the Yap house!  Thanks for letting us drown you in photos!

Kate is one month old today.  I can hardly believe its been a month, it seems like she arrived just yesterday.  I’ll spare you the emotional, goopy, sappy words and just give you an update.  Unlike Noah, she’s actually on the growth chart, comparable to her peers (not that it matters that he’s so little, but he is).  She weighs 9 pounds, 7 ounces (in the 50th percentile) and measures 22 inches in length (in the 80th percentile).  She’s definitely filling out and chunking up and the doctor is pleased with her growth.  We’ve had a few challenges over the last month but none that couldn’t be solved with sleep, lots of rocking, formula and more sleep.  Turns out our little angel is lactose intolerant, just like her brother.  Luckily this time we didn’t suffer through weeks of gas and fussiness before finding this out.  So once again we’ve opted to bottle feed exclusively which at least means we get to take turns sleeping at night. 

I know she will continue to grow and thrive and bring joy to our family.  I promise to torture you with an overload of photos at every milestone.  Thanks for caring and keeping up with our family!

Here is her on her one month “birthday” -

“Kate, want me to take your picture!?”  The poor baby has had a fever from her first vaccine a few days ago.  Needless to say this was a very short shoot.  This is her first time sporting a bow.  What do you think?  I know, I know, she needs more hair.

She looks very “Asian” to me today.  Maybe I’ve been in denial but today I definitely see it.

And because I know Walter is rolling his eyes at the bow -

Last year we went to Canada to experience what fall is really supposed to be like, or at least what we see on TV - it was amazing!  We had such a great time and tried so many new things like apple picking and fall leaves, it’s a bit disappointing spending fall here this year but we are so blessed with a new person to spend it with we won’t complain (any more than we have already). 

So here it is - fall Florida style.  You pack your cranky family into the car in outfits that are way too hot for the 90 degree weather and you act like idiots and bribe them (or threaten them) until they smile.  It’s very painful.  We managed to get a few cute photos and in a few years when Kate is running circles around us and we forget how defeated we felt leaving the pumpkin patch (without a pumpkin) we will love these photos and show them how well behaved they appeared.  Long gone will be the memories of Kate screaming (hoping someone would call Child Welfare Services) and Noah protesting by stepping on pumpkins, dropping them, and then icing the cake by sitting on a completely rotten pumpkin that ended up all over his pants.  Oh, fun times.  Enjoy the photos!

When did he turn into such a big boy!?

You should have seen me.  I swear the video would have sold millions.  It must have been good, it even got Noah to smile.  Kate - not so much.

Again with the hats.  I can’t help myself.

He was drawn to the “bumpy punkins”. 

We don’t title our photos but we couldn’t stop talking about how this would have turned out if we did.  Something that could have been a very cute, but cheesy, “Special Delivery” turned very quickly into “Handle With Care, Damnit!”.  I cannot tell you how many looks we got for doing this.  The bystanders definitely thought we were nuts.  Who are we kidding?  We are nuts.  Our poor children.

Today we attempted to take family photos.  Our friend Rachel got suckered into… err… volunteered to shoot them for us but unfortunately Noah wasn’t in the mood.  He woke up way too early for anyone’s good and gave us a run for our money as we were tried to leave the house by 8am.  It was an interesting morning that had quite a few tears but ended pretty well with a few good shots, bribery and breakfast.  We followed through with his promised lollipop afterwards but that wrecked his afternoon nap, of course.

Anyway, thanks to Rachel for the photos, Robby and Ayla for putting up with the whole ordeal and hello to Lani and her peanuts who we bumped into at Mizner doing the shoot!

And now for the photos -

There was a lot of tickling but those shots look mostly like this first one. 

Noah is just so darn serious (but cute)!  And yes, he’s practically bald.  This happened right after I told the hairdresser “just make sure he doesn’t look bald!”.  Ummm, thanks.

Noah has the cutest face in these but it’s not his love for photos he’s showing you, which is why he’s not looking anywhere near the camera.  Instead, it’s his love for airplanes.  I edited out all the photos of him pointing, and the really funny one where Walter and Noah are watching the plane fly by while Kate and I look oblivious.

At this point we’d pretty much lost Noah completely.  I have no idea what was in his mouth.  It was also about 109 degrees with 600% humidity, you can tell by the gradual demise of my hair!

This is the face he makes when you ask him to smile.  I guess it’s better than the broken neck look Kate is going for.  And yes, she’s a girl in blue.  Does it count that it’s a dress?

I seriously could watch this little girl sleep all day.  She has the sweetest face and best expressions.  I still giggle when she smiles.  I’m sure it’s gas but I would like to think she’s dreaming.  Of what, I can’t imagine.  Boobs maybe?  Just kidding.

My family has been so amazing that Kate and I have been alone together for the past several days.  My inlaws have been keeping Noah busy and my mom has helped me get some sleep and keep my sanity.  So this morning the little angel and I went outside and took some photos, since we didn’t have anything pressing to take care of.  The hats were gifts from volunteers at my sister’s NICU.  I did take one photo without a hat because I’m sure Walter is going to think I was crazy to shoot her in hats but if you saw how small these things were you’d be realize just how cute they are and how little she is.  Anyway, long story even longer, excuse her hat head and bad hair.

Now that she’s starting to lose her newborn face, what do you think?  Does she look like Noah?  Or me, or Walter?  Most people think she looks just like Noah or nothing like him.  I’ll tell you what I think but you tell me first. 

These are from this morning in our backyard -

This gorgeous blanket is a gift from our dear friends the Scott’s.

This hat reminds me of Harry Potter.

Sweet dreams.

Dear Kate,

You were due to be born today.  October 7th is the day after your great grandmother’s birthday (who I still miss every day) and the day before your Aunt Nikki’s but you’re already two weeks old.  It’s a beautiful day outside today, nothing like the past week of rain we’ve had, the sun is out, the air is warm, and the palm tree outside my window is gently rocking back and forth. 

I can’t believe your journey in my belly has come to an end.  I miss feeling you inside of me.  You weren’t much of a mover but at night when things finally calmed down, your brother was in bed, and your father and I sat down to catch up with each other (and our DVR) you always let me know you were there.  You were very shy when others tried to feel you, like you knew the difference between their touch and mine.  You also always had the hiccups.  Big ones.  And you still do.  It’s crazy to see how violent your chest caves in and out with each one and how uncomfortable they make you.  I can’t believe you used to live inside my body.  That you grew a full head of hair, became so big, so strong, and developed such amazing features, fingers, toes, and a personality in a bag of water inside of me.  I can’t believe how perfect you are.  I can’t believe how beautiful you are.

My pregnancy with you was certainly a roller coaster.  There were many days through the summer that I complained and wished it would end but that all seems so far away now.  I cannot tell you how badly I wanted you.  My little girl.  I’ve never been a girly-girl, never loved the color pink, never been very high maintenance, but I always wanted a girl and threatened to have a third child if I didn’t get you.  I had several ultrasounds, sleepless nights, an amniocentesis, more doctor appointments than I can count, four shots of Rhogam in case we ended up with opposite blood types (and we did), a day in the hospital because I fell on top of you in the driveway but you’re tough and we were fine.  You seem to know you’re not an only child.  You are very low maintenance at the moment, you tolerate your brother even if you’re not sure if he’s trying to love you or hurt you (sometimes we’re not sure either), your father’s photo addiction, and my need to enjoy you and love you like crazy as I hold on to every moment like you are the last baby I’ll every touch.  You are usually very quiet and when you’re upset your cry is raspy and hoarse.  The doctor says you’ll be screaming at us in no time.  You fuss when you’re hungry but you’re patient.  You wail when you’re naked or get your diaper changed.

I will probably never be pregnant again and I’ve lost all the weight you (and all that ice cream) gave me, but you did leave a token of your stay, a scar across my belly where you were forced from since you were too stubborn (and your head was too big) to come on your own.  The day you were born I was as big as a house.  My belly was so large and so high that breathing had become a chore.  I remember telling my doctor how bad I felt that you were resting so comfortably and warmly in my tummy just as he started to look for you and how upset and stunned you would be to be born.  I was right.  You cried from the moment they found you up in my ribs until we were reunited almost an hour later.  Life will never be that simple again.  I would do it all again though if it meant having a chance to meet you and hold you even for just a moment.

You are so much different from your brother.  You look different, you have a different temperament, you are more tolerant of so much.  Your father and I are different parents than we were with him too though.  We are enjoying every minute of you, we know we won’t break you, we know that it’s ok for a baby to cry every now and again, and that a diaper can hold a lot more than one drop of pee.  I keep saying how it is such a shame that you will only be little for such a short period of time.  I do love this stage but I also have big hopes for you and I’m excited to see the person you will become.  What will you look like?  What career will you choose?  What kind of partner will you want to marry and will you ever become a mother yourself?  Will you be as close to me as I am to my mom?  Will you love the things that I do?  What kind of relationship will you have with your brother?  There is so much I don’t know but I’m not in a rush to find out either.  I promise to love you no matter what.

Our world is a little crazy right now.  Politics are huge right now with our economy in the toilet and our president a disappointment.  The election is next month and it will change everything, one way or another.  I hope it brings good change and makes this world a little less scary for your future.  Gas is $3.67 on our corner.  It’s been worse but it has certainly been better.  Education is very expensive right now but homes are cheap.  Professional athletes make millions of dollars but teachers live paycheck to paycheck.  I wonder how it will be different when you are my age, and I am 60.  I wonder what you will do to help shape and change things and what impact you will have on others.  I want nothing but the best for you and hope more than anything that you will grow up and be happy.

I could write forever, in run on sentences and rambling paragraphs just like the rest of this post.  Just know that I love you.  That you have completed our family.  That I cry every time I realize I have everything I’ve ever wanted and I can’t imagine what I’ve done to become this lucky.  At the same time know that I have no idea how I got here, when I grew up, how I got blessed with two amazing children, and became a wife and mother.  Know that all I want is for you to feel love, even if you’re 16 and we say things that hurt because you’re making me crazy.  I will always love you.

You will always be in my heart,
Your mom.