as we turn the page to a whole new chapter: June 2012

Matthew has grown up so much since our May family vacation. His vocabulary is growing so much. He's able to say more one word sentences (his favourite being firetruck, bird, or bus) and has even began to form multiple word sentences likes "daddy work","hot tea" "daddy, daddy! Where are you?" - which is his favourite phrase at the moment. Matthew repeats almost everything you ask him to. His memory is also getting better too. I showed him a picture of Obama one day. Then a few days later I showed it to him again and he uttered what sounds very much like Obama which makes me think he really got it! And then today he saw him on TV at my parents place and told my parents that it's Obama! He's also beginning to count to 10 (most times not in order though and might skip numbers, usually #4) in English and Cantonese. Our little toddler is also following many commands, and at times two direction commands like "Put the block away and get daddy a blanket". His eating has been the same which is great. He basically eats up a storm during each meal, as long as he's not under the weather. Luckily for us, he's still eating our no flavour, healthy mush and then when he's finished, he continues to eat whatever our salty, delicious eats are while we are out! He's been pretty good at feeding himself. Our new thing that we are doing with him during dinners at home and while we are out is that he needs to still stay in his seat even if he's done eating. He tells us he's done and then if someone is still eating, he's told that he needs to wait. He can choose either to keep snacking or to play with his cars. He's in love with Elmo and cars right now. So as long as we have one or the other or both, mommy and daddy can eat in peace! His sleeps habits are still really good. For the most part, he sleeps for about 11.5/12 hours a night. And it seems like it doesn't make much of a difference what time we put him down, he'll wake up after 12 hours - makes it easy for us to stay out later once in awhile. For Mary's wedding, he stayed up till 11:30pm and he was super good still! At school they have been teaching him to wake up nicer (instead of crying for mommy) and we've been reinforcing it at home as well. So now, he'll say "mommy, mommy where are you?" when he's awake. Or he'll just roll around a bit, look up once in awhile if he thinks he hears us and just waits for us to come get him. So much more pleasant! Matthew's personality is definitely strengthening each day. He's quite the ham! He loves it when we laugh at him for being silly. Whenever I tell James to look at him, Matthew holds his face in the same funny way and turns to show him. So cute! He hadn't been sick or anything for a while now. Recently, he had been coughing lots with a runny nose and at times would throw up. Even though he looked sick, he wasn't his usual whiny sick self so we thought something was up. He was actually really happy. We took him to the doctor and she said it looks like he has hayfever which apparently is hereditary. Man, he definitely didn't have a chance as James and I suffer from it big time! He's also been better at controlling his emotion of crying when he's in trouble. Before, when he thought he was in trouble (especially when you call him by his full name - Matthew James Wang), he starts to cry or throws things. Now, he'll look at you, then look down and checks to see if you are still looking at him from the corner of his eye. He'll try to test you by fake laughing in hopes that you aren't mad anymore. He's still whiny and gives up easily when things don't come easy to him. For example, he's been putting on his own shoes, taking them off and puts on his own pants. But if something like his toes are stuck, right away he starts whining and saying "help please". I'm trying to encourage him to do it on his own though. At times it works but he still gives up too easily for my taste. Things that have happened recently... - mommy traveled without baby and hubby to Las Vegas with her girls for Mary's staggette! It was tough at first but then I got over it very quickly and did things that I thought I never would...like club at over age 30, stay up till 5am! - we bought a house! It's right across from my brother's and we're moving at the end of July. Life has been crazy busy and overwhelming since I came home from our May long weekend Vegas trip. We crazily cleaned our place one weekend, put it on the market by that Monday, had three families come through and had an offer signed before our place got put on the market. It was sold right after the first open house which was the following weekend of the first weekend we cleaned. And then before this, we put a bid on our new home and pretty much got it a week after! Crazy, crazy! - James and I are going on a second honeymoon to Dominican Republic in July for Big Wes' wedding. Matthew's staying behind with the grandparents...wah wah wah! I'm really gonna miss the little guy :(