Quick update

Oh how I wish time management courses offered a mommy management section. Still figuring it all out but I must admit it is getting easier as Van and mommy both get more comfortable with the new routine. We made a trip to NOVA this weekend to be part of a wonderful Baptism for my new Goddaughter Ada, beautiful daughter of our dear friends who are back in Virginia!!
This weekend we take a serious road trip to NJ and then next weekend to WVA. Van is doing pretty well on the short road trips as you can see...we'll report on the big ones next week....
Here's some cuteness...

Guess they didn't do bubble baths much in China!

Can Aunt Christina spoil Van any more after this awesome toy...his very own toddler size Quad!!

Road warrior

Van takes the cake at our belated family celebration and entertains Dad as usual

Blogging and Working...not a match made in heaven

I know, I know we owe you an update and some photos...it's been a long two weeks of working full time and even with Nanie here cooking, cleaning and loving Van, I can still barely keep up. Hats off to all the moms out there (especially Nanie!) who manage it all with ease...please share your secrets!
Van seemed pretty interested in the Olympic Opening Ceremonies tonight. He got all excited when he saw all the kids in costume and the drums but then he got just as excited when he saw the VISA commercial. So perhaps we are reading too much into his sense of heritage or he's bound for a career in advertising like his parents...who knows.
So we have a date for surgery, September 17th and we had our first evaluation for speech therapy services. Everyone seems pretty convinced that Van will be talking up a storm pretty quickly after his recovery. He's got plenty to say now with his signing and sounds and we can't wait to hear what his first real words will be. I had a dream that he spoke a full sentence as his first "word" and it was "I no want to be a good boy"...hoping that dream doesn't come true...
Now what you've all been waiting for...the cuteness...

Van gets lots of attention at the Families of the China Moon since the girls outnumber him

Mr. Silly shirt thanks to Aunt Christina

Our impromptu play date at the mall playground and food court with our twin buddies Austin and Logan

Checking out a new playground

We got to visit the backlot of the John Adams HBO series and Van found some friends-another family who had adopted from China and live in the Virginia Beach area and also work in the TV industry

Oh yippee...pre-season Redskins football...who is the happier fan?!

Pretty in Plaid

I've been meaning to post these photos for a while now. One of our family favorite photos is of Scott on his 6th grade graduation from Stratford Elementary School so we managed to get Van to pose at the same location just a few weeks ago. How cute are these boys!

Promise to post more later this weekend...this back to work schedule makes bloggin tough!

Lemonade makes us all see yellow!

So Van has discovered lemonade and decided it's the perfect summer drink. It started with a lemonade stand outside the grocery store and he was hooked. He can't get enough of it. And this week he's had a fascination with the potty...wants to sit, wants to flush, wants to watch everyone doing their thing in the bathroom. So enough lemonade in the system and enough "dry" runs on the potty finally came together this morning for the first pee in the potty day for the little man! It was a huge moment of pride...he was so very excited and much to your relief I did not take photos to commemorate the day.
But here's a couple fun photos from our last week before mommy heads back to work...

Guess what, Beepa? Van LOVES eating at the diner...whipped cream on your pancakes for breakfast...what's not to love?!

Van got some cool shades from his cousins in Florida but prefers to show off his big peepers.

He later enhanced the shades wardrobe with Daddy's biker boots...fashionista that he is. They told us in China that he's from the area where 80% of all clothing "made in China" comes from. Apparently pants not always required in his case.

We visited Maymont Park with some of our pals and Van got up close and personal with the turtles and fish.

Van loves playing with the big boys!

Posed and charming...

All boy!!!

Long overdue update

Van's social calendar has been chock full as usual as we countdown the days till Mom returns to work. Here's the recap of our latest fun in living color!

Van's first Krispy Kreme donut...like father like son...loves him a donut!

Dressed up for the wedding rehearsal for Pam and Mike at the Masonic Temple in Alexandria...how cool was that!

Playing with Aunt Claire and Grandma at Dad's old elementary school.

More birthday cake and celebrating with our cousins.

Just a typical day for this rock star drummer.

The after 4th party

Van kept the holiday spirit going past those fireworks and took a quick road trip to meet some DC friends half-way for dinner and some ice cream...oh yes there were rainbow sprinkles..again.

"I want you to bring me some pizza now!"

Post rainbow sprinkle belly...and smile with Amanda and Jay and hidden Daddy.

That Uncle Sean is funny!

One happy new American citizen

Van got a letter from The White House this week congratulating him on becoming a US citizen.
"Welcome to the joy, responsibility, and freedom of American citizenship. God bless you, and God bless America."
How blessed we are to have him in our life.
Happy 4th to one and all, especially all the new US citizens this special day!

This neighborhood 4th of July party rocks!

Of course I ate a whole hot dog but donated my bun to the ducks, turtles, fish and geese at the pond.

One of the neighborhood gang already!