Our berry merry Christmas

Chloe & Hobbes

Nap time with her new friend from Uncle Mike :)

That hair, those colors

Where can I get myself a great yellow balloon?

So much to tell you

Counting down!!

Wahoo!!!!!

The first of many list posts

How can I explain how dismayed I feel after I wash my hands and there isn't a hand towel to dry them with. Hand towels are among the things that up my happiness in life. Here are some others:

-Pre-washed salad, but only the first 2/3 of it where the leaves are still fresh. The remaining 1/3 on the bottom is always unfortunately soggy.

-Be nice to your toosh. Get Charmin ultra soft/ultra strong toilet paper, maximum sheets per roll. 

-Windex

-Glue sticks (not those dinky small ones, but the 36g monsters) and (the smell of) Elmer's glue

-Coasters!

Bear rug coasters

Toast coasters

Happy birthday, Kristen

Dearest Kristen, 

Today is your birthday. I want to share something with you: 

Every time I sing at church, I feel replenished. The last time I went to church was December 4, 2011. On that day as I told everyone that Chloe was due in one day, I felt a flurry of things. Excited, scared, doubtful that she'd really be here anytime soon, wishing to remain pregnant for a bit longer so that I could continue to enjoy having her in my belly, yet also anxious to see her asap. As I sang worship song after worship song, I started tearing up. Usually I'm not sure why I cry at church, where it comes from. But this time I knew.

It was because in the middle of all those emotions, I suddenly thought of you. And as soon as I thought of you, everything became so calm inside. I kept imagining you wrapped in the Christmas blanket that your mom made for you several Christmasses ago. And how, when you were praying for me after reading my first message about my pregnancy, God had allowed you to feel the peace that He wanted to give me. 

I felt this overwhelming peace coupled with a tenderness -- like a beautiful, beautiful ache because my heart was just filled with so much love. "Honor" is a big word, sort of grandiose I think, but that's how I feel when I think of me being the one who you've opened up your heart to. Honored is what I feel when I think of my place in your life and your place in mine. 

Thank you for lifting me up, for sending up prayers for Chloe with each beat of your heart. Prayers that look like this scene of floating lanterns, so bright and full of the fire of hope that they can't possibly be missed. 

Her initials are CKN.
Her first name is Chloe, middle name is Kristen, last name is Ng. 

Chloe Kristen Ng, because I hope that all her life she will carry a part of you with her. I am so, so proud to name my daughter after you. 

Chloe's Five Days Old

At home with Chloe 

Buuurp. She burps like her daddy, huhu.

Sporting her strawbelly outfit from Auntie Kristen.
She wore this on her first walk around the neighborhood, and visit to the pediatrician,
who said she's berry healthy. 

Her expression while her diaper was being changed.

Chloe sporting Mom Pants. 

Chillin' in the crib, catching some zzz's. 

She'll have a while to fill up the crib :) 

Candy comic

The other day I said to Drew, "You know what's been missing in my diet for the past couple days???" 

"Candy," he said. Huhuhu, he knows me too well. 

This explains my love for candy perfectly. Click on the "Pleated Jeans" (bottom) link enlarge. 

from Pleated Jeans

A kid's list of romantic things

from Pleated Jeans

Oates

“Reading is the sole means by which we slip, involuntarily, often helplessly, into another’s skin, another’s voice, another’s soul.”