Friday, December 31, 2010

2011.

it's the new year here in korea!

(she was very mad that i accidentally woke her up. i needed my kiss though! james is working!)

hope you have a great one!

(46 minutes later, sleeping soundly. she fell right back asleep after i woke her up...don't worry!)

Saturday, December 25, 2010

sweet Christmas.


from our side of the world!

Saturday, December 18, 2010

pink bunny wins.

last night eliza we had a new experience. we were up all night with a sick baby. she was running the highest fever of her young life. i was worried because i haven't really had much experience with fevers.

she was miserable. so sad and pathetic. it really broke my heart seeing her that way.

i went in to her room at midnight and she was doing her open close fist thing (meaning "i want that) at the ground below her crib. pink bunny had fallen overboard. i tossed him back in and left with a kiss.

at 2 in the morning she was up screaming again. daddy's turn. he went in and i could hear over the monitor "you are burning up!" he brought her to our room and we snuggled and soothed all night long. mixed that with a couple doses of medicine, a strip down and a few rounds with the thermometer. it made for a long night.

at one point we moved to the (new!) couch and got her some milk to chug. she rested her head on daddy's chest and pulled that pink bunny up to her face. it was the sweetest thing. she carries him (and her blanket) all around. she chew/sucks on them. she drags him around by his already mama mended ears.

i know she was mostly comforted by us, but it was precious to see her hold him tight.

he will be real in no time!

thank you ralf for her pink bunny and the second and third string ones. they happen to be way more pink than the original. :)

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

so much to say!

eliza has been rather talkative lately. i know it's only going to better/worse.

currently she says ma-ma, or mom-mom, da-da, hiyo (hello), liza and noooooo (in a sing song voice) i'm sure there are others, but those are the ones we catch a lot.

today though, it was my favorite. she was rambling on and on, then she started laughing while she was talking and looked at me like "isn't that funny ma?!"

i swear she told me a joke.

she is awesome. a funny kid from day one.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

always catching up.

i know it's been awhile...

i've been keeping busy with paper lullaby. (link on the right!)

(slowly) chasing a toddler.

meeting new friends.

playing dr. mario with james.

decorating our apartment and james' bike for Christmas.

staying safe in korea. don't worry about us!

watching her learn something new every day.


loving life.

Friday, November 5, 2010

the one about "the boys."

one of my favorite bloggers, adventures in babywearing, has 3 boys and a girl. i love reading her entries and seeing pics of her kids. to see their interaction and the stories they make.

always makes me smile and think about "the boys."

first there is this one...

the oldest, joshUA. in my baby book it says one of my first words was "josh?" this one, he wrote a letter to santa before i could write asking him to bring me a doll. he was there the night my world fell apart freshman year of college. thank God he was there! he was also there that november 2008. he taught me everything i should have learned my first semester of algebra in the few hours before my final. he's a math whiz. he once taught me how to drive stick. it didn't stick. he creates his own card games. they are super involved and i am so impressed. he and i were always the single siblings. it was nice to have a buddy! he's a world traveler. he is a missionary. he is one of the greatest musicians i know. i love him.

then there is this one...

my middle brother, luke. he kept the peace between us. he was a senior when i was a freshman in high school and he still hung out with me! he took me to the movies. he'd let me tag along on dates with his long time girlfriend (now wife) he'd buy me a rose when i would help him pick up flowers for her. he usually keept me included. he let me escape to their place in california when i needed a break from life. he gives amazing hugs, and can always crack my back. i love the way he prays. so much i let him do it at our wedding! he (and tammy!) made me an aunt, and a Godmother. he is such a great father! kids love him. he is hilarious, even when he burps. he is fun. i love him.

and finally...

the youngest of my older brothers, david. he and i strongly disliked each other growing up. (just being honest) it wasn't until he moved away that i realized what i missed. we grew closer in college. mostly because of his now wife/my best friend. he witnessed my first tattoo. he was there the summer i stretched. the summer my faith grew stronger than ever. he gave me the chance to meet kasey kahne. he let me escape to their house, and even had a room they let me call mine. (i picked the paint color and everything!) he is a hard worker with a servant heart. he is a great listener. he understands. he also gives great hugs! he became a father 7 weeks before i became a mother. we're in it together! i love him.

all three married the perfect girl. one was like an older sister, one became my best friend, and one was already my best friend. most days i call i want to talk to the girls. they like to give me a hard time. sometimes i just need them.

two are already dads. that was crazy to see. awesome, but crazy. i thought it was so cool, but what is better than seeing them as dads? seeing them as uncles. nothing, nothing compares to that.

that caught me by surprise.

i love watching them with her! i hate that she is missing out on them.

i am missing out on them.

and because they are her honorary uncles...that's a whole other story...

uncle erik at our going away party.

uncle aaron and an itty bitty eliza.

those are "the boys." pretty great don't you think? we are lucky.

she also has an uncle ed and uncle dustin. they just aren't part of the original "boys." :) but we do love them! remind me to share edo's card to eliza sometime.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

happy halloween!

from our little pink bunny!

inspired by her pink bunny.

and just because...

two halloweens. two mama made costumes. let's see how long i can keep this up!

i still love that her onesie was dyed with georgia clay. so fitting for our little peach!

hope you all have a happy and safe one!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

ladies and gentlemen...

i have an announcement (ha! does that take you back ma and dad?!)

we have a walker!



james came home and said something to her like "well, that's it. no more crawling. you are walking for the rest of your life."

i think i saw a little hesitation in her eye, but she just kept on going! :)

she loves to walk out the door, into the elevator and to the car while holding my finger. sometimes she lets go, looks up at me like "i got this."

it takes us quite some time to get where we are going, but it's worth it. to see that proud look on her face as she checks everything out, looks to see if anyone is watching, as she takes it all in.

i just watch her...and take it all in.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

paper lullaby.

for a few years now i've been trying to think of something i could make and use to open a shop. i did a lot of diy stuff for our wedding and really enjoyed it! then came bean and i got even more creative in her nursery. if you know me, then you know i have a love affair with my gocco and all things paper. you also know that my sewing machine and i don't usually get along. sure it's let me make a few random things, but for the most part we have a love/hate relationship.

except when it comes to paper. for some reason it will let me sew paper all day long! i love the look of it too. so much i had aunt steph sew all our programs for the wedding. it's just fun and unexpected "you can sew paper?" "why not?!"

for eliza's birthday i made a huge thing of circle garland. hers i cut out of felt. each individual circle. it was a labor of love! she will appreciate it someday!

then it hit me, "duh! you should use your cricut!" thankfully it's a 220v and one of the few electronic things we brought over here. (oh kitchenaid mixer, we will be reunited someday.)

they are having a craft fair over here at the end of november. mallory and i decided to share a table, and that jump started my want to start a store once again.

so, thanks to facebook for it's ease, tammy for the name (since the one i came up with was taken) ma for sending a ton of craft stuff over, and james for putting up with me taking over the desk (most days) i launched it...and i'm proud.

paper lullaby.

recognize that font?

there is a link on the right hand side, share if you want, and invite your friends! i'm slowly building it as the days go.

p.s. could i have added anymore links to this post? :)

Friday, October 8, 2010

her necklace.


i have had a ton of people ask me online and in real life about eliza's necklace. no, i'm not a crazy mom who puts jewelry on her 1 year old. it has a purpose!

okay, so i may be crazy, but this necklace kept me sane!

it's a baltic amber teething necklace. i got it from inspired by finn. you can read all about amber and hazelwood jewelry there, or read quick what i usually tell people.

1. no she doesn't chew on it.
2. it's a natural pain reliever.
3. it warms up against the skin and releases some (real technical) acid into the body.
4. the closer to the site of pain the better. people wear bracelets for carpal tunnel and arthritis.
5. the lighter the color the stronger it's supposed to be.
6. yes, she wears it 24/7. we only take it off during her bath. some people feel better wrapping it a couple times around their ankle when they sleep.
7. people said "my baby got teeth in and i didn't even know it."
8. yes, i was skeptical too.
9. then she popped all four front molars in and i only realized by seeing them!
10. she was miserable with teething before this necklace. we used teethers, tylenol, tablets and lots of tears on both our parts.
11. it is said to reduce drool too. she was never a major drooler, but i have noticed a bit of a decrease.

seriously, i cannot recommend these enough! i wish i had it for the 8 other teeth she got. 8 more to go, and they are rough ones, so we'll see how it goes. i'll keep you updated.

come to the crazy side it's comfy over here! :)

p.s. if you become a fan on fb they have a discount code.

and no, i wasn't paid or compensated to say this, i'm just a happy mom who loves this product!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

korean food.

ma wanted me to write a bit about the food here. here is my take, mixed in with a few pics from today. (not related to the food whatsoever)

i've actually only eaten korean food a handful of times since we've been here. james is a bit more experienced when it comes to this. i usually just order what he tells me!

there is a place near his work, a korean canteen. we went there for my first taste of korean food. james and i both got bulgoki and rice. i have had it many times since, but that place remains my favorite. i've gone back on my own and ordered take-out a few times when i ran up there to check the mail. it's so good! according to wikipedia it's "a korean dish that usually consists of marinated barbecued beef, although chicken or pork may also be used." james has also had bulgoki pizza (from pizza hut!) and bulgoki burgers. i like mine just on rice!

the next time we went he ordered chicken and cheese ramen. the cheese part was just a slice of cheese dropped on top! i thought it was a bit too spicy. james loves spicy food. i wasn't a big fan of this. definitely regretted not getting the bulgoki.

of course kimchi is very popular here. there are hundreds of varieties of it. some are good, some are too spicy, some are not so good!

the last time we went out to eat at a korean place james ordered yakimandu. (more commonly known as a pot sticker) i hadn't ordered any over here, and i almost stole all his. they were so good! they are meat and vegetables wrapped in a thin piece of dough. so delicious!

as for the kids...eliza usually eats what we eat, or at least tries it. she's a big fan of rice! we also get her chicken a lot of places. one thing she has become addicted to is banana milk. if i run down and get a little carton from the store in our apartment complex, i'm guaranteed 5-10 minutes of silence while she chugs it!

so far, that's about all we've experienced. we've eaten a lot of american food, some local pizza places, gotten to know the beer, and had one home cooked bulgoki experience. we even own our set of stainless steel chopsticks!

i'm sure i will have more to report home about the longer we stay!

Sunday, October 3, 2010

some proud moments.

in august 2005 i got to witness my first baptism as a Godmother.

evia bug was welcomed into God's family and i'll never forget the feeling that washed over me as the water hit her head. such an amazing thing to experience.

exactly one year ago we brought eliza to the same holy water. seeing it through a parent's eyes? nothing greater. so very proud to have her become a child of God.

and then, just last night, around midnight our time, james and i got to see our nephew kade washed in the Spirit. we are honored to be his Godparents. also thankful for skype for allowing us to be right there.

our view.

ma's view.

one God, three babies, many blessings.

Monday, September 27, 2010

two sides.

OTg*MDEzOTFhYmVmOWY3N2Y*ZjQ4OCZvZj*w.gifpimp myspace

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

badge code.

here is the code for the sealed strength badge.

sorry nic, it wouldn't let me leave it in the comment section!

<**a href="http://www.sealedstrength.org/"><**img src="http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b244/mvanderc/ssbadge2.jpg" alt="sealed strength" width="200" height="65" /><**/a>
remove all the *

i promise my next post will be about something else. :)

one more.

post about sealed strength. (for now)

i made a badge for blogs that links to the site. see it over there? --->

if you want the code for yours, let me know!

we also now have a donation spot. if you would like to make a monetary donation just click the pay pal button.

thank you for all the encouraging words and support!

we are so excited to see this grow!

email.

if you or someone you know is a military wife needing support through a deployment email me at

shel@sealedstrength.org

we're in this together!

Monday, September 20, 2010

sealed strength.

i have been so blessed here in korea. i have found a friend...a good one. they are hard to come by sometimes!

her and i have so many similar interests and passions.

she dreamed up something big, and we both jumped in head first!

i am so proud to be a part of this. thankful for mallory for including me in this adventure. really thankful to God for bringing us here together.

sealed strength.

(you can also find us on facebook!)

Monday, September 13, 2010

twelve.



things she likes...
making it impossible to get a good picture.
pushing things around the room.
her blanket and bunny.
screaming during diaper changes.
fruit of any kind.
yo gabba gabba. (finally let her watch a bit of tv and this one she's hooked on)
dancing.
crawling around the park.
still growing teeth. (9, 10 and 11 came in without me knowing it, thanks to her amber teething necklace!)
pulling all the books off her shelf.
putting stuff in containers.
showers and baths.
climbing on everything.
getting off the couch face first.
milk. lots of it!
her friend logan.
standing up on her own, but not walking!

busy but fun month! we made some new friends here so eliza and logan have been getting quite a few play dates in. she loves to tease him and steal his blanket, or take his seat. if he sees her she just starts squealing and laughing. such a little girl already! we're no longer nursing. didn't last much longer than 11 months. dropped the night feeding, and then she just stopped asking in the morning. it was so hard for me. definitely growing up! she got 3 more teeth in, but i didn't know she was teething. we tried an amber necklace, a natural pain reliever, and i'd say it works! got a new camera this month, so i was on picture overload! we went down to seoul for labor day and took her to an imax, aquarium, art gallery, wax museum and zoo! she got sick for the first time, had a fever one morning, lots of green snot the last few days. she wasn't into her cake, or any food too much. now we're all sick! she was a pretty happy sick kid though, and she's been extra snuggly! she even slept in my arms a few times! yesterday we celebrated her first birthday with a morning party on oovoo, and a party here that night with our friends. it was a great day! still can't believe she's one!

and all her month pictures. crazy how much they change!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

happy birthday eliza june!

we love you!

we had a great oovoo birthday party this morning, and another one tonight with our friends.

i still have to do her month pictures. they weren't happening today. hopefully i'll post tomorrow! it's been crazy around here!

here are a few shots from our day.

with her picture wall. i had family and friends send us pics and i taped them up to this frame wallpaper.

mama made hat ready for the birthday girl.

officially one!

waiting on the party to start.

party army style. thankful for technology!







her birthday ring that doubles as our advent wreath.




logan has a red chair like this that she always climbs in when we go over there. he got her this one, and she loves it!

what a happy day!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

american mom in korea.

i know i owe you all (whoever still reads this poor excuse for a blog) some korea posts. what our apartment is like, what we've been doing, sites we've seen, food we've eaten, etc. let me know if there is something specific you're interested in.

for now, i'm going to write about what is on my mind most of the time. motherhood.

back in the states i got a few stranger encounters, random pieces of advice and criticism while pregnant and also as a new parent.

nothing compares to here.

i was told that in the korean culture babies are held high. they let children do what they want, and also everyone feels they can take responsibility for them, and take care of them.

we see this a lot! people aren't afraid to take eliza from me. we've joked a couple times about them stealing her. they'll just grab her and walk over to their friends and act like it's no big deal!

there have also been times where people want to feed her. a lady on the train gave her part of her nectarine. this was before she was eating "big people" food. from then on it was like "well, she ate that fine, i suppose she can stop eating baby food!" it was also weird that we didn't really second guess taking food from a stranger.

you can also tell when they don't agree with your parenting. even though there is a language barrier we know they are ridiculing us for...

  • having her out in the rain without an umbrella. (she won't melt)
  • not keeping her shaded from the sun. (she has sunscreen on)
  • keeping her out too late. (she's usually in bed by 7, but some weekends it's later)
  • tickling her. (she was laughing!)
we have had encounters with all of these situations. my friend mallory was being lectured on the street for not having the shade over her son logan's stroller. the ladies stood there with their umbrella covering him while she pulled the diaper bag off and put the shade up.

i once had a group of pre-teen girls pull eliza out of her stroller to wrap her towel around her better. we had just come from the fountain, and i just tossed her hooded towel on her. they had to make sure she was all bundled up!

protecting her head. very important!

just this past weekend while riding the train i was tickling eliza. she was laughing like crazy! the lady next to me started waving her hand. then she grabbed my side, kind of tickled me, then started waving her finger like "no. don't do that!" later i reached over and was rubbing eliza's foot and the lady straightened up and peered over to see what i was doing!

they sure do love kids here. anytime we go out the kids draw so many people in. i know it's partly because we're american and a walking freak show, but also because they are babies.

new exhibit at the zoo. american babies!
it is fun to see the interaction. i know i can't understand them, but i'm guessing eventually eliza will start to. they just talk to her like korean is her language. she'll pick up!


i'm so thankful for these experiences...even if they have caused some awkward moments!

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