46 Months

The countdown is on! The girl is two months away from her fourth birthday! Woohooo! [[image:2012-yaya46month-01.jpg:Purple flowers:center:0]] It has been an action-packed month, since Vin’s sister Jo was here for over two weeks. (More on that later) * Mouse over the pictures for captions I won’t go into the details of all the goings-on while Jo was here (stay tuned for that), but it’s been a busy month! Yaya keeps getting bigger and saying funnier things. I just don’t believe she used to be as small as her little brother! Little Miss Pot-pet (chatterbox) will talk your ears off, it’s hard to believe that she didn’t even speak until she was 27 months old! Food status: still no change. What can we say? She does seem healthy enough. Bananas, toast, butter, and lots of whole milk (with a dash of chocolate soy milk) seems to be working for her. She […]

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A Yaya and Adik Story – April 2012

OK, a second installment of the “choose your own adventure” of Yaya and Adik. This time I did jumble up the order (last time I went chronologically) to make up the story. Enjoy! Also, feel free to write your own version! [[image:2012_yayaadikapr_01.jpg:Photo 1:center:0]] Photo 1: Yaya: Adik, let’s lie down on the pillow! Adik: OK, Kak Yaya, but you play nice this time, OK? [[image:2012_yayaadikapr_05.jpg:Photo 2:center:0]] Photo 2: Yaya: Adik, I want to introduce you to someone special. He is my favorite stuffed animal, Purrsley! Adik: He is cute. I like his nose, so pink and triangular. [[image:2012_yayaadikapr_07.jpg:Photo 3:center:0]] Photo 3: Yaya: Let’s share him, Adik. Now you hug Purrsley (he’s such a good hugger) while I tuck the blanket around us. Adik: Oooo he’s so soft! And cuddly! [[image:2012_yayaadikapr_08.jpg:Photo 4:center:0]] Photo 4: Adik: And now he’s mine! All mine! Bwahahahahaaaaa! *kicks blanket off* [[image:2012_yayaadikapr_06.jpg:Photo 5:center:0]] Photo 5: Yaya: Adik, […]

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Rafe’s 4 Month Birthday

Here we are, at the four month mark. He’s just getting so big now! He seems to be just growing up almost too quickly! [[image:2012_0429_rafe14.jpg:I’m droooooling!:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions He went out to dinner with us and was quite sociable – he was passed around the table and was content to be held by everyone. He just quietly sat there and observed us. He did not cry. We were very pleased. He’s also been to Yaya’s soccer matches and was quite content to stay in the carrier, enjoy the fresh air, and watch all the little kids running around. Again, no tears. He had his first trip to the grocery store – he just slept in his car seat the entire time! So far, so good, still a mellow little fellow! The day after his 4-month birthday (since it fell on a Sunday), we went to […]

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45 Months

This cheeky girl is 3 months away from her fourth birthday! [[image:2012-yaya45month-04.jpg:Waaaaa!:center:0]] Amazingly, that is what you get when you ask Yaya to cry! She can’t help smiling while she does it :-). Another month of fun-filled days has passed very quickly! * Mouse over the pictures for captions In a similar vein to last month, Yaya has had a physically active month. Not only does she tear around the house at top speed (why walk when you can run, skip or hop around?), she has played soccer and gone swimming at the pool, and gone outside to do yardwork. Lots of fun physical activities. [[image:2012-yaya45month-10.jpg:Having fun catching and throwing the pink ball:center:0]] She plays all day long, and has a dozen costume changes a day (at least) where she transforms herself into a different character. Previously she could switch roles without a change of clothing, but now that she […]

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Goooooooooolllllll!!!!!

So we signed Yaya up for the Itty Bitty Soccer league (for three-year-olds) at the local Y and it’s been an interesting time. She had her very first soccer practise a few weeks ago: [[image:2012-april-yayasoccer05.jpg:Wearing her Tigers uniform courtesy of Aunty Yati:center:0]] She loved the practise so much that she cried when it was over! * Mouse over pictures for captions Here are a few more pictures from said first practise: [[image:2012-april-yayasoccer01.jpg:Standing in a line:center:0]] [[image:2012-april-yayasoccer02.jpg:Papa, this is fun!:center:0]] [[image:2012-april-yayasoccer03.jpg:Kicking (it is football, after all):center:0]] [[image:2012-april-yayasoccer04.jpg:Getting sweaty in the sun:center:0]] The following week, she did not want to put on her soccer clothes, so she ended up practising as a ballerina-footballer: [[image:2012-april-yayasoccer06.jpg:Tutu and shin guards:center:0]] [[image:2012-april-yayasoccer07.jpg:More standing in a line:center:0]] [[image:2012-april-yayasoccer08.jpg:No hands in football, Yaya!:center:0]] On the morning of her first match, she refused to go because it was too cold. We were the snack parents, so Vin and Yaya […]

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Rafe’s 3 Month Birthday

Rafe (a.k.a. Adik) turned 3 months old! His first quarter of the year mark. He has been growing and growing (and maybe getting a little cheeky too!) [[image:2012_0329_rafe11.jpg:Thhptt!:center:0]] He enjoys tummy time and can keep his head upright, looking at things while his little legs kick and push. Perhaps not long before he’s mobile? * Mouse over the pictures for captions Adik is almost fully breastfed at this time. He still gets about 2-3 ounces of formula to supplement the breast milk, and that seems to be working so I suppose we’re in no hurry to change our schedule. Adik flipped from his tummy to his back the day before he turned three months old! It was quite an impressive feat. We think he’s just raring to run around with his big sister. 🙂 He cannot take his eyes off Yaya and will often smile and laugh at her even […]

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44 Months

It has been a busy and activity-filled month for our Yaya! And very quickly she turned 44 months old. She has definitely come a long way from the little baby that we brought home from the hospital. She can even successfully blow her own bubbles! [[image:2012-yaya44month-03.jpg:Mari kita main buih sabun (Let us play bubbles):center:0]] *Mouse over the pictures for additional captions. As mentioned above, it has been an action-packed month for Yaya. She has gone to the pool almost weekly (and we are guaranteed a post-pool nap). Otherwise she seems to be giving up the nap, which really is a big change for us. It’s really a shame for Vin who has to give up that one-two hours of peace and quiet that he used to get daily. But, on the flip side, she falls asleep quickly and easily at night! Give and take I suppose. She is a helpful […]

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A Yaya and Adik Story – February 2012

When we were kids, Hisham and I went through a “Choose your own adventure” book phase. You know, where you read the story and at the end of a chapter, you decide what the character should do. For instance, cross the bridge, proceed to Chapter 5, or take the footpath along the river go to Chapter 7. Wiki says this about it. But I think of it as kind of a watered-down RPG. Perhaps it led to Hisham’s enduring passion (and my old love) for it. In any case, what does that have to do with Yaya and Adik, you ask? Simple. This entry contains nine photos of a single interaction between the two children. For my version, I have ordered Photos 1 through 9 chronologically. The captions tell my fictional version of the story. But If you were to reorder the pictures, what kind of story could you come […]

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Rafe’s 2 Month Birthday

Despite the date on this entry, it has been a long time since the boy’s 2 month birthday. It’s been a crazy busy time, but definitely a wonderful, and exhausting time for Vin and me. Just look at this entry as a way to show some cute pictures of Rafe 🙂 [[image:2012_0229_rafe07.jpg:Bright eyed and a little drooly:center:0]] The above really shows off his gray-green eyes and is one of my favorites. *Mouse over pictures for captions Rafe is coming along nicely and quite recovered from his bilirubin difficulties. On this leap-day, he had his 2-month checkup. He measured 24 inches long (90th percentile, surprise!) and was at 50th percentile for weight. He recovered from his 3 jabs, heel poking, and oral vaccine in record time, barely crying at all. And then he got to show off his bandages to Kak Yaya (she had band-aid envy). He was a little feverish […]

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43 Months

So another month has passed. Another fast and hectic one! We are settled in and pretty well adjusted to the new member of our family, and Kak Yaya is doing a great job of being an older sister! [[image:2012_yaya_43months_04.jpg:Mama, look at me!:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for additional captions Yaya is definitely becoming a good big sister. She still loves to pet, touch, hug and kiss her little brother. She even tries to whisper and be quieter while Rafe naps, which is a sweet effort. It’s hard for her to remember though, so Adik usually naps upstairs without her. 😉 She does like to help out, and for her efforts she’s rewarded with different activities. This month she has gotten to go to the playground and the pool (also courtesy of the mild winter we have been having). She also finds all kinds of things to do at home […]

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Rafe’s 1 Month Birthday

And so the boy is a month old! (More than that by now but thank god for backdated blog entries, teehee!) This month has really flown by. Since Adik’s adventures in bilirubin, it has been fairly peaceful for us. Like most newborns, his activities are confined to eating, sleeping, pooping, peeing and crying. He does have a sweet disposition and is definitely far more mellow than Yaya at this age. In fact our challenge is mostly trying to get good pictures of him while he’s awake. Seems like all the pictures I post on Facebook is of him sleeping. Here’s one of him with his eyes open: [[image:2012_0129_rafe02.jpg:Awake on the nursing pillow:center:0]] * Mouse over pictures for captions Adik was completely cleared by his pediatrician about a week after being discharged from Dayton Children’s Hospital, and has been doing well at home with us. We are still supplementing with some […]

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42 Months

It has been a milestone month for everyone! Yaya spent her first month as Kak Yaya (big sister Yaya), and we all had to adjust to having Rafe in our lives. And now the girl is officially three and a half years old! Halfway to four! Craziness right? [[image:2012_yaya_42months_01.jpg:Our beautiful Yaya:center:0]] Note: Mouse over the pictures for additional captions. It has certainly been an eventful month leading up to Yaya’s half birthday. The big thing is of course Rafe’s birth and how that has changed all of our lives. Yaya has been awesome – rolling with the punches and still managing to make the best of everything and having fun. She enjoyed the attention of her cousins and of course Becky while they were here, and now she enjoys playing the role of big sister and interacting with her new little brother: [[image:2012_yaya_42months_02.jpg:Yaya and Adik ride the Papa express!:center:0]] [[image:2012_yaya_42months_05.jpg:Yaya […]

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While Becky was here…

As you know, Vin’s cousin Becky and her family were here for Rafe’s birth. Everyone arrived the day before Rafe was born, and everyone except Becky and Aunt Mary (Becky’s 98-year-old grandmother) left the day after he was born. Becky (and Aunt Mary) stayed to help us out for the next few days. Here they are with their beautiful smiles: [[image:2011_becky_10.jpg:Becky and Aunt Mary:center:0]]  Note: Mouse over the pictures for captions Yaya had tons of fun with her cousins! When Gabby and Grace arrived, Yaya immediately roped them into playing with her. She even allowed them to do her hair (she hates when we try to do her hair): [[image:2011_becky_01.jpg:Grace, Gabby and Yaya:center:0]] [[image:2011_becky_02.jpg:Back view of Yaya’s hair:center:0]] I think they managed to use every single hair thing that we had available in the girl’s hair :-). While we cooked dinner, the girls made cookies together: [[image:2011_becky_03.jpg:Choosing cookie cutters:center:0]] [[image:2011_becky_05.jpg:Gabby […]

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The Bilirubin Files

As mentioned in the previous entry, Adik was going to experience some complications in his young life. On Saturday January 7, we took him to see the doctor because his left eye was gunking up despite our best efforts. His usual pediatrician was unavailable given that it was a Saturday but we saw one of the other doctors in the practice. She looked at Rafe’s eye and prescribed an antibiotic ointment to put on his eye. She also expressed concern over his color and sent us to the satellite Dayton Children’s Hospital that was in our town to get a check on his bilirubin levels. So off we go where Rafe gets his feet poked and blood taken for said test. Then we got his prescription filled and went home. That afternoon we got a call from Rafe’s regular pediatrician, telling us that his bilirubin levels were too high (21.2) […]

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Rafe’s 1 week birthday

Here’s an excuse for gratuitous baby pictures, Rafe’s 1 week birthday! I’ve included pictures of the boy taken over the past week, including some professionally taken ones that we purchased. 🙂 [[image:2012-0105-rafe01.jpg:Sleeping in his cot at the hospital:center:0]] Note: Mouse over pictures for captions Let’s start with the professionally taken photos. Here’s a subset of them. The company is called Bella Baby and we thought they did an awesome job! [[image:2012-0105-rafe08.jpg:Sucking his fingers:center:0]] [[image:2012-0105-rafe09.jpg:Winky!:center:0]] [[image:2012-0105-rafe10.jpg:Was he posing for GQ or what?:center:0]] [[image:2012-0105-rafe11.jpg:His tiny feet in my hand:center:0]] [[image:2012-0105-rafe12.jpg:Holding Mama’s finger:center:0]] Rafe is such a good baby, much more mellow than his high maintenance sister had been. (When you’re old enough to read, understand and resent this comment, don’t be mad at me Yaya. I am only speaking the truth.) For the first 2-3 months of Yaya’s life, she cried inconsolably for no apparent reason every night, ate in snack-sized portions, […]

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Kak Yaya gets to hold her Adik

The Arrival of Rafiq Charles

The new member of our family has arrived. Vin and I welcomed our son Rafiq Charles Renstrom to the world on December 29, 2011 at 4:35 PM, Eastern Time. He weighed 8 lb 11.2 oz (3.95 kg), and was 20 1/2 inches long. In other words, he was 2 oz heavier but the same length as his sister Yaya was at birth. Here are some pictures of Rafe’s (a.k.a Adik) birth. Note: Mouse over the pictures for captions Like Yaya, Adik would be a caesarean-section, so we arrived at the hospital at 1:30 PM for the pre-op stuff. Yaya would stay with Becky and a whole bunch of Yaya’s Indiana cousins while Vin would stay with me and be there for the birth. We were all ready (including our OBGYN and her surgical team). However there was a delay due to the fact that there was a busy surgical schedule […]

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