9 Months

This month we moved out of our apartment in Taiwan and have been staying in a temporary apartment in Hillsboro, Oregon where you've been excitedly practicing your crawling, standing, cruising, and falling.  You've been saying "dada dada" for a few months now and to my joy started saying "mama mama" too!  We're not sure that you know what it means yet, but absolutely love hearing it none the less.  

Grandma G is delighted to have you near and has babysat several times now while Mom and Dad enjoy a few dates.  You love all the attention and snuggles and have really turned on the charm to get her laughing.  

• Size: We haven't had a scale this month so we'll have to wait for a weigh in when we meet your new pediatrician next month.  You look to have grown in height quite a bit and slimmed down with all the activity.

• Eating: You still love eating and we've started giving you more table foods cut into small pieces rather than purees or mashes.  Your favorites have been blueberries, peaches, cherries, raspberries, pasta, cheese, and pb&fruit sandwiches.  You often say "mumumumum" when you really like your food.  You are growing less interested in the pouches of food, but still eat them on occasion when we go out to eat and there aren't good options for babies.  

• Sleep: You were a jet lag champ and adjusted to Oregon time in just 3 days, which was much faster than Mom and Dad.  You've been going to bed at around 8pm and waking up between 6 and 7am.  You take two naps and they've been quite long lately as you've been going through a growth stage.

• Play: You've figured out how to "play" with Oolong by grabbing her baby or bone and swinging it wildly around while squealing with enthusiasm.   Oolong doesn't quite know what to make of it but is very ready for the day that you learn to throw her toys for her.   You've spent many, many hours playing with your stroller while you stand up - exploring the straps, wheels, and levers while making various grunts and blowing loud raspberries.  You also love to push your highchair around, swing doors, pull on drawers, open your books, and unlace our shoes.  

• Bath:  Dad gives you a bath in the regular tub after dinner every night and you love to relax and play with your cups while he scrubs you down and squirts water on your belly.  

Looking slim and trim this month, please don't lose those leg rolls yet Hux!

Turn up the volume for Huxley's giggles

Who's that handsome baby?

Last visit to the Art Museum in Taichung

Making friends

View from our hotel room in Taichung

First crawl through the grass in America

First playground swing

Always enthusiastic about dinner, we're enjoying it while it lasts! 

Jeff has this exact facial expression!  

Cheeky boy!

Exploring the Portland Children's Museum

Games at the park, sadly Hux couldn't enter the eating competition

Stroller time is serious business

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Oregon Summer

Since we moved to Asia 5 years ago, our trips back to America have felt like a whirlwind of activity and reunions.  While we needed to pack the schedule so that we could spend as much time as possible with our loved ones, we also missed the leisurely summer days in Oregon.  We've been so lucky to travel the world the last 5 years, but we haven't yet found a place that can compete with Oregon during the summer (February in Oregon is a whole different story though).  Since our move back on July 2, we've spent our days soaking in as much of Portland's beauty as possible.

Our travel back to Oregon couldn't have gone any smoother which is really saying something when you're traveling with baby who just learned to crawl.   Since we weren't flying on our dime, Hux got his own business class seat which still seems a bit hilarious and ridiculous to me.  We were able to build a little blockaded area in our row where he could crawl around and explore all the features of the plane.  He is so active now and can't sit still for longer than a few minutes so this made the trip very close to pleasant.

We will miss you Taiwan

Hux and I clearly livin' it up in business class

We arrived back just in time for the Smith's 4th of July party and the festivities did not disappoint - homemade burgers, bubbles, wine, sparklers, a table full of desserts, and this wonderful group of ladies.

Celebrating 4th of July with old and new friends

We've spent an enormous amount of time exploring all the parks in the area around Orenco Station where we're staying temporarily until our shipment arrives from Taiwan.  Our apartment is very hot so getting outside in the evenings for picnics and play time for Hux and Oolong has kept us all happy.

No shirt, no problem for Hux

Who me proud? Dad says Hux is ready for lawn mowing duties.

Movie in the park with a special appearance by Santa and the Easter Bunny

Jeff sporting Hux's new backpack on our way to a concert at Shute Park

Waterfront park while visiting Grandma during her lunch break

Wow have we missed Oregon wines!  Luckily tasting and opportunities are readily had and much easier to manage with the help of Grandma G to babysit.  We LOVED the break from parenting, thank you Grammy!

White Rose winery with the Smith's

Going solo at a few wineries in Forest Grove 

Trying to stay cool at the Hillsboro Hops game

Stick statues at Orenco Woods park

Cuddles and botany lessons with Grandma G 

Blueberry picking with a great group of Moms and their kiddos

Sweating it up in the carrier!

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