Top Ten Updates from Babyland...

While there is still no sign of the long-awaited first word, there are still signs of progress in Babyland.  (OK, second word, but he's even stopped saying "bye-bye" because he finds a hand wave is sufficient.  Apparently he doesn't like redundancy.)  Here's a summary (for those who missed by Facebook status updates where all the real action occurs).

1.  Princess Vivienne has added the consonant "d" to her firmly established "b" -- which means 9 month old Vivienne is about halfway to where 21 month old Jonathan is speaking wise.  We're taking bets as to which will speak first, though you'll have to check with my husband as to the odds.  She has also figured out clapping.

I love her slightly-awkward movements next to Jonathan's confident ones.
It's great seeing her starting to doing things competently
and starting to express herself intentionally.

2.  Today, I spent about 20 minutes searching everywhere for my keys while the baby sat in the middle of the room screaming and Jonathan stood up in his stroller and proceeded to pull everything off the table with great glee.  Finally, in desperation, I pulled out the spare keys and shook them.  "Jonathan, do you know where Mommy's keys are?"  Giggling, he ran off into daddy's room ... and emerged with mommy's keys.  Houston, we have comprehension!  This kid could come in handy.  (Of course, I'm pretty sure he was the reason the keys were missing in the first place, but oh well.)

Jonathan reenacts his amazing find.

3.  Prince Jonathan has less hair than before and Princess Vivienne has more.  Last week I asked the nanny if she knew how to cut hair.  She seemed pretty uncertain about the idea, which is why I was pretty surprised to come home to a little boy with a rather short fringe/rather short bangs last night.  (See the picture above.  Now that's a lot of forehead.)  Truth be told, I would have kept the hair long in front, but I think he looks rather cute rocking' the hairstyle of a medieval monk (though if I come home and find him sporting a tonsure, I'm asking for my money back).  I'm a bit sad to have missed his first haircut, but whatcha gonna do?  At least people should stop asking if he's a girl.  As for Vivienne, Rapunzel, she 's not.  We still have a while to go before people will be sure about her gender, but at least we're seeing less and less scalp on top.  Until then, when I really don't feel like answering if she's a boy or a girl, it's super frilly dresses and hair bows to the rescue, which brings me to ...

Look, hair ... sort of.

4.  I finally got around to getting my anniversary/Mother's Day gift.  Does Taiwan have a different Mother's Day than America?  No.  It was May 13th.  It is now August, but that's just how we roll here in Babyland.  What was this amazing, incredible gift that took three months to arrive?  A guilt-free  shopping spree for Vivienne at my favorite day market that sells discounted Western brands of baby clothes, 'cause really, her clothes are so much more fun to buy than anyone else's.  You see, my love language is totally gift-giving (I guess -- I never actually read the book) and my husband's most decidedly is not.  So most of the time I tell him what I am going to go buy.  But the day market is, well, during the day (mostly morning), which is when everyone is asleep here in Babyland.  However, last Saturday after playing clapping games with the Princess of Babyland 'til about 7 am, the Queen was not at all sleepy.  (We had napped a bit together earlier.)  So I decided to stay up 'til 10 and sneak out.  The vendor even threw in two tank tops and some shorts for free (including the outfit she's wearing in her clapping picture above).  Here are some shots from our try-on/photo shoot session at home.  (Even the prince got a new shirt sporting BOTH FOOTBALLS in honor/honour of his dad.)

Although I mostly went with practical play clothes,
I did allow myself one proper princess dress.

If you look closely you'll notice this one says, "I want a pony."
I hope she's kidding.

5.  The King and Queen of Babyland had their first real date (that did not involve a hospital) in a really, really, REALLY long time.  We highly recommend the specials at T.G.I. Fridays followed by BATMAN!  (Thanks to the wonderful Duchess Katie Beth who came over to play with the royal children.)

6.  Jonathan has begun to point to things when asked, though not always the right things, making it all the funnier.  (Also, this is his cool new shirt with the two footballs.)

"Jonathan, show me Vivienne."
(He's pointing to the picture of the
baby in the book.)

"OK, now show me the mommy."
Um, not quite.

7.  The Prince's Taiwan adoption is ALMOST FINALIZED.  A social worker from the office his birth mother's father first visited came with his birth father's grandmother (who is the family member we have contact with) to follow up and to make sure the child is where they said he is.  We had a nice chat (I think -- it was all in Chinese), and I showed them the letters (which are also all in Chinese so we can't actually read them), and as suspected, we have the final declaration of the adoption from the court.  Now all we have left in Taiwan, I believe, is to switch his household registration (which we'll work on once Stephen and I have our renewed resident cards in hand, hopefully by the beginning of September), and then the fun begins.  USA and the UK.  Sigh.

8.  The Court Jester of Babyland Baby Giraffe (who keeps us all happy by keeping Jonathan happy) has gotten an official understudy in the person of Mr. Hippo, or Mr. Po, for short.  Now, there is no danger of Baby Giraffe being replaced any time soon (as is quite evident at bedtime), but we thought if he cuddled them together for a while we could have an extra one for on the road or if, God forbid, something happens to Baby Giraffe (and He has so far -- Baby Giraffe has had at least one really close call).  So, although Mr. Po does not yet bring about sweet, blissful sleep and is not able to stop the flow of tears, he has been seen being carried around the living room from time to time, and he has the same cool loop on the back, the purpose of which, apparently, is to hang it on your big toe.

Giraffe on toe

Hippo on toe

9.  The princess of Babyland has always been a momma's girl, and, although she can now STAND UP (usually with support, but occasionally all on her own), this changes nothing.  Vivienne's motto:  Baby Giraffe (or, in her case, Berry Bear) may be fine for Jonathan, but this baby ACCEPTS NO SUBSTITUTES when it comes to mommy.  There are definite times I feel like a glorified teddy bear/pacifier.  Nursing is all well and good, but I have to say, having had one of each, bottle feeding definitely has its advantages.

Lately I seem to have a bit of trouble walking.

10.  The queen of Babyland has a sewing machine!  I have no idea how to use it or where to set it up or when in the world I might get to use it (see number 9), but it's a start!  And it was free!  I asked a woman at church if I could come around to her house to use a sewing machine some day, and she said that someone had left her an old Singer I could have.  So it may not be the newest kid on the block, but I'm happy to have it and excited to relearn how to use it.  (Except for a few scrunchies to sell at the senior fair in high school, the last time I used a sewing machine was when I took sewing lessons with a woman at church when I was about 12, so it's been a while.)  Here's an exempt from the beginning of the manual: "You are about to begin an adventure in creativity:  You are going to sew!  And, you are going to sew with one of the easiest to use machines ever made.  The following features have been included on your machine, promising rewarding hours of uncomplicated sewing pleasure ..."  Well, I'm glad they're confident I'm going to figure this out at least.  I'll let you know if it's as uncomplicated as they make it out to be.  However, at the moment I am really trying to finish up a cross stitch project before Jonathan outgrows the shirt I'm stitching on, so no new projects until it's finished.

So how do you wind a bobbin again?

Somewhere in Philly, Betsy Ross is turning over in her grave.