Finally, the perfect birthday month photo! This was taken a day late on the 15th since we were busy playing yesterday. It's hard to believe this is the last month before our little tiger turns a year old. How the months have flown by... he's all grown up.
Here he is with his mischievous look
His "I know there's something on my head, but I'll be nice and let you take a picture of me" look
And his grown up look
The big news - he finally started walking, just shy of 11 months. He's not perfected it yet, but he's pretty good at it and fearless (funny, since he was so cautious to start). We'll upload a video soon.
If you haven't heard, when Daddy met Santa for the first time when he was around 1, he cried. More like bawled. Mommy was certain the same would happen with T when it came time for him to meet Santa. After all, he seems to be scared of anyone in costume....
So, 35 years after Daddy's dreadful experience, Mommy took T to meet Santa at the Westfield mall with the Posse. What happened? T cried. Bawled. He was truly afraid of this bearded old man.
We never quite thought about the need for T to stand without support BEFORE walking. We just kept thinking he'd walk. Of course, all things have to happen in stages. DUH. Here's a video of T free standing today, talking and dancing with Elmo. We're guessing that within two weeks he'll be walking... stay tuned.
Tyler went through a phase (we think it's over...) where he would try to kiss everyone. This video of T trying (successfully?) to kiss Emika cracked us up. It just had to be shared. Thanks to Auntie Tomoko for capturing the kiss and to Emika for being a good sport. *MUAH*
T's 1st birthday is quickly approaching! It's crazy to think that our little guy is now 10 months old. He's a real talker (Lola says he "daldal" which is "chatty (?)" in Tagalog) and likes to play telephone with everything he gets his hands on. We have no idea what he's saying except for the one sign he's learned - "more." But, since this is the only thing that he can communicate, it appears to have become the universal sign language for "more", "food", "want", etc. Surprisingly, he still hasn't started to walk, but is getting closer and closer. This morning he tried run from the ottoman to the couch, but face planted. Ouch.
Here's his 10 month photo. It was actually taken 2 days late as he had an allergic reaction to something he ate on the actual day. We think it was something in the pancit (stir fried rice noodles), but we're not sure exactly what. Anyway, he's fine now and we'll just have to be careful about what he eats.
For kicks, here are pictures we took of him sleeping on his 10 month birthday. The first is in his crib, the second is in Mommy and Daddy's bed (Mommy was scared that T might stop breathing from his allergic reaction in the middle of the night so had him sleep with her). Since we don't have a video monitor, we had no idea this is how he's been sleeping in his crib.
Maybe his crib is too small and he prefers a larger bed?
At T's 9 month appointment, he got a flu shot. It was probably just coincidence, and he was probably coming down with something already, but T ended up getting a pretty bad cold with a fever for a couple of days, a runny nose, cough, congestion... the whole gamut of symptoms. Of course, he passed it onto Mommy, and then to Daddy. It seems getting sick is all a part of having a baby.
Anyhow, 2 weeks after his appointment, T was still really congested, coughing and sneezing out gook. Pretty gross. Mommy decided it was time to see the pediatrician because something wasn't right. Our mostly happy camper was running on maybe 60%.
So, off to the pediatrician we went. Diagnosis - the little guy had an ear infection. Everything now made sense. We were under the impression that babies pulled their ear, had a fever, or something when they had an ear infection. Apparently not, that's more of what a toddler does (at least the ear pulling). We immediately started T on antibiotics (he loves it. Bet there's a lot of sugar in there or something that makes it so pink) and within a day he was 90% back to being a happy camper. A whole week later, he's back. =)
Moral of the story - go with Mommy's instinct. Mommy's always know best. =)
Today we spent the day with Emika, William and Ben at the California Academy of Science. We played in their kid's room and then checked out the Aquarium. T loved the fishes.
We met up with Tyler's friends (in order of photo, left to right), Ben, Emika, William, and Willy Sukai at the Clancy Pumpkin Patch in San Francisco today to celebrate Halloween. Happy First Halloween!
Yesterday, we attended the Golden Gate Mother's Group's Annual Halloween Party. Tyler dressed as Tigger, which seems appropriate as he's always all over the place just like the little tiger. =) Thankfully, the weather cooperated and even though it was overcast and a little muddy, we had a good time. There was an inflated play gym for little ones which T really enjoyed, a photo booth, and a professional photographer doing a photo shoot. Here are some of the photos she took. Our amateur pics will be up once I get around to uploading.
Our First Family Halloween Photo
Tyler as Tigger
Tyler with William, dressed as Pooh. Unfortunately, Ben couldn't make it. We missed him!
9 months old! This month, T was a little more cooperative with his photo shoot. He's not yet walking on his own, but he's oh so close. We're thinking that before this month is over he'll definitely be taking a few steps here and there. =)
We never posted a picture of T in his first tuxedo! When Tito Ray and Tita Pia got married in Carmel on July 24th, Mommy couldn't resist and bought T a tux (she justified it by saying he'd wear it again to another wedding). Unfortunately, we didn't get a good pictures, but here's a decent one with Daddy. Congrats, again, to Ray and Pia!
October 4th was Mommy and Daddy's 2nd Anniversary. We celebrated by taking a drive down to the Ritz at Half Moon Bay (where Mommy and Daddy spent their 1st anniversary) for drinks and then dinner at Sam's Chowder House. Here are pictures taken at the Ritz.
We finally got to take T to the the City where Mommy and Daddy met - New York. T is, without doubt, Mommy's boy. He loved the Big Apple. The first stroll we took from Auntie Kristy and Uncle Bryan's place to K-town (that's Korea Town) for dinner, T was smiling big and kicking his feet in excitement. He continued this throughout the trip.
Here's Daddy and T walking the streets of Manhattan.
The next day, our awesome hosts (Auntie Kristy and Uncle Bryan) made us breakfast. Sadly, we had to bid them farewell as they were leaving for Germany that evening (THANK YOU for lending us your apartment!).
Kristy with T. Bryan had already left for class. =(
Having missed the hustle and bustle, we decided to take a stroll uptown to the Central Park Zoo where we were meeting with friends.
With Mommy (totally being tourists).
Along the way we stopped by Times Square (more tourist pics)...
And got some chicken over rice from the Biryani Cart for lunch.
T getting to smell the spicy chicken.
Mommy devouring the chicken.
We finally made it to the Zoo and met up with the Shah and Nogueira families (Daddy's friend's from med school). The Zoo is one of Mommy's favorite places in the City and she wanted to share it with T. Daddy didn't think that T would appreciate it yet but, he was wrong. =) T loved the penguins as Mommy knew he would (but Daddy loved them too).
T checking out the penguins.
T made sure to get in a nap before entering the zoo.
All the boys.
T saying "hi" to Sebastian.
T saying "hi" to Ravi.
Group shots.
Family shot.
A trip to NY isn't complete without pizza, so after the Zoo (and a stop at FAO Schwarz where Daddy bought (T) a monkey hand puppet) we met up with the Blabey's and Auntie Em and Hillary at Totonno's. Not only did everyone get some yummy pizza (why NY pizza can't be replicated outside of the City, we'll never know), but the ladies got some soft, wet kisses from T.
Kissing Aunties Em, Betty and Hill. Yup, he got lucky.
Group shot.
Having done enough walking for a week, T took his first cab ride (always a scary experience in NY).
The next day, Daddy went off to hang out at Uncle Tiki's for some football and poker while Mommy took T to have brunch with Aunties Wendy and Ashima (friends Mommy used to work with) and Auntie Ashima's daughter Nouri (who's just turning one. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!). At first, Nouri played hard to get, but she warmed up to T and shared her bib, peaches and toys. Thanks, Nouri!
T trying to get Nouri's attention.
With Auntie Wendy (we forgot to get a photo with Auntie Ashima. Boo.)
After brunch, T had his first NYC subway ride downtown to Wall Street to see all the Wellesley Aunties (Mommy went to Wesleyan, but she's honorary. People get the school's mixed up all the time anyway) at Auntie Jeannie's. He also got to meet Auntie Jeannie's kids, Matthew (2 1/2 years) and Lauren (just turned one - HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!).
Future stop, Wall Street?
With Auntie Jen and Uncle John.
With Auntie Sarah and Uncle Chris.
Group shot.
Next stop was another Subway ride back uptown to watch Auntie Em bowl (she's in a bowling league). T was her good luck charm that night and she bowled FIVE STRIKES IN A ROW - CONGRATS!
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and, after a trip too short, it was time for us to leave and get T on his 10th flight (Daddy thinks that T might be traveling too much... such a thing??). But, we didn't leave without lots of memories, firsts for T, and souvenirs. =) And, we hope this is only the first of annual trips to NYC (Mommy needs her fix).
So, until next time, we leave you with T on the flight home representing NY in his Mets uniform (Thanks Uncle Tiki and Auntie Guna!).
