Soft & Sweet

This week's photo challenge at I Heart Faces is Soft & Sweet. Of course, I thought of this picture of Baby Jack when he was just a few hours old.

I think the most amazing thing about this picture is that it required no editing. Roger took some amazing shots of Jack over the first few days, but I think this is one of my favorites.

Baby Jack's Hospital Adventure

Jack and I had a crazy 24 hours earlier this week.

It all started after a late afternoon nap. Jack woke up and I put him down to play while I finished up dinner. I heard him start making some sad little moans and when I went to check on him he was super hot. We took his temperature and it had gone from normal to almost 103 in about ten minutes. Little guy looked awful and felt awful, he wouldn't even eat.

After a quick call to the doctor we headed to the hospital to get Jack checked out. Of course, this was rush hour in Bangkok and it was just about to rain. I grabbed Jack and a bag (remembered the Kindle, forgot the diapers) and ran to try and get a taxi before the rain started. I found a taxi, but he didn't want to take me all the way to our hospital because of the traffic. I held up the sick Baby Jack and he quickly changed his mind.

The monsoon came almost as soon as we were in the taxi. I was glad I didn't try to get to the train. During the hour (HOUR!) it took us to get to the hospital Jack just moaned and lay in my arms. We had one of Bangkok's most talkative taxi drivers. He told me all about his family and his village. At one point he even pulled out a Buddhism brochure and gave me a lecture on something about good karma and his new taxi car. I really need to study more Thai. Finally he got us close to the hospital and told me I was better off walking in the rain than waiting for the taxi to make it. So, off across six lanes of stopped traffic I went with a burning hot infant. I splashed through some puddles and made it to the children's clinic.

Our doctor had already left, but the doctor on call checked Jack out (high fever, dehydrated), asked how traffic was (awful) and decided that it would be best if we just spent the night at the hospital to make sure Jack didn't have any of those weird mosquito/tropical illnesses. I absolutely love our hospital. As soon as the doctor said we were staying 4 nurses and a customer service lady popped in the room. They gave Jack a sponge bath, some more tylenol and had him admitted before I had time to dig my phone out of my bag and call Roger. Ten minutes later we were up in our room with an IV started and blood drawn.

Jack perked back up after about an hour of fluids and finally started eating again. The test results came back a little later and showed that Jack had some kind of infection, so they started some antibiotics. After a long night of watching his fever go down I woke up to see my happy Baby Jack looking a little more lively. The doctor came by and said he thought he would be just fine, but he wanted us to stay the rest of the day so Jack could get another dose of his antibiotics. Jack slept almost all day and by the time the doctor came by to discharge us he was pretty much back to normal.

Here are some pictures of my sweet boy that I took while we were hanging out at the hospital.

Awake one minute.

Asleep the next.

4 Months

Daddy and Baby Jack had a little time alone one morning while Asher and I went to the grocery store. After they finished smiling and giggling at each other they decided to get the camera out and make sure Jack had a picture at 4 months old.

Jack weighs 14 lbs. 2 oz. (6.4 kg) and is 25 inches long (63.5 cm). He loves to smile and giggle, especially if he sees Asher. He has rolled from his belly to his back two times, both times it was to see Asher. He's so close to being able to roll over from his back to his belly, but he hasn't quite made it yet.

Baby Jack is still sleeping great at night. He goes to bed right after Asher, around 7:30 pm, I feed him when I go to bed and sleeps until 7 am the next morning. We are making progress with his naps, the hardest part is just not always being at home for him to sleep. His first morning nap is always good and lately he's taken a good afternoon nap as well. Usually we are gone during his second morning nap, but he will usually sleep in the carrier for a little while. The biggest change in the past month (actually the past week) is the discovery of Baby Jack's blanket.

It's just like Asher's blanket, just a different color. I gave it to Jack one day while he was laying on his play mat and I was studying Thai. I looked over a few minutes later and Jack had snuggled up to the blanket and gone to sleep. Since then he has taken some wonderfully long naps holding on to his blanket.

Jack has gotten pretty good at putting his hands and toys into his mouth. He loves to suck and chew on his fingers, his blanket and any toy that he can get close to his mouth. The Bumbo chair is getting a lot more use these days, Jack sits in it while we eat or play outside.

Baby Jack is still the most laid back baby and he almost always smiles at everyone we pass. When we stroll around I always hear people saying the Thai word for "doll" as they come over and squeeze his fat little cheeks.

Friends From All Over

Almost five years ago Roger and I went off to Virginia for a few months of training before moving overseas. While we were in Virginia we lived in a dorm, stayed up late playing cards and made some great friends. At the end of our training time we all said good-bye with plans to meet up later on the other side of the world.

Well, five years later several of us ended up in Bangkok and decided to get together to catch up and eat pizza. And let all of our kids run wild.

Five years ago none of us had children. Now there are five little ones that were born in three different countries. What a difference a few years makes.

(All of the little girls were going crazy with all of our cars and trucks. Asher and Jack seemed to be very unimpressed with everything and everyone).

Asher's First Day of School

This morning Asher got up and ate his oatmeal and got ready for his first day of school.

He was very excited about going to school, but I think it was mostly because he knew that he would get to ride a motorcycle and the train to get there.

The night before Roger made a name tag for Asher's backpack.

We managed to get a few quick pictures with Baby Jack and Mama before he ran out the door with Daddy.

He was so happy to get to go with Daddy, he smiled and skipped all the way down the street.

Asher loves to ride motorcycles, so this was the perfect way to start his day.

Roger said that Asher cried when he left him with his teacher, but a few hours later when he went to pick him up he was sitting in a circle playing with some new friends.

The Teacher's Report: He didn't cry after Roger left, he was very good, he wouldn't let anybody help him eat, he's really good at eating.

Asher's Report: School! Wash hands! Eat noodles! Motorcycle! Train! Go back to school?

Overall I would say it was a very successful first day of school. Asher will actually be going to school everyday for the next two weeks (it's summer term), but when the regular school year starts in May he will probably only go a few days a week. Also, in May he will wear the little Thai preschool uniform. He looks so sweet in it! Roger said that his backpack alone got a lot of stares today, I can't imagine what it will be like when he's in his uniform.

As for me and Baby Jack, we just hung around the house. I did some cleaning, caught up on some reports for work and enjoyed being able to walk outside to hang up laundry without finding Asher's shoes, putting on Asher's shoes and then corralling Asher out the door to "help" me. I was so excited at lunch time when Asher came running through the door and I enjoyed his pre-bedtime cuddles even more than usual tonight.

Daddy Time

Here are the boys watching Toy Story 2.

Asher wore his Cowboy pajamas (thanks Granny!) while watching the Cowboy movie. He thought that was amazing. We think it is amazing that Asher has now discovered a new movie he likes and we can quit watching Cars.

These two look alike, don't you think?

And Roger's other look alike, Asher Boy.

Ayutthaya

We made a day trip to Ayutthaya earlier this week to check out the old temples and have some out-of-the-city fun. Here are a few of my favorite pictures.

Roger pushing over an old chedi. He's so strong!

Asher exploring some really old stuff.

Jack also joined us. He looked cute and was generally adorable and easy going, even when an old Thai grandma got a hold of those big cheeks while we were eating lunch.

There were lots of headless Buddhas. It is impolite and against the rules to stick your baby behind them for a funny picture.

The old stuff we went to see.

There has been much debate as to whether Asher is screaming in this picture because he is happy or if he is screaming because he is 2. I think the consensus is that he was currently enjoying himself.

Jack's First Flight

Jack took his first airplane trip a few weeks ago when we went to Chiang Mai.

We took the new airport link train. Love it. Definitely recommend it if you are traveling in and out of Bangkok.

Baby Jack hanging out in the stroller waiting to board the plane. Of course, he was wearing The Hampton Family First Flight shirt.

Asher was soooo excited about the airplanes. He still talks about them, "Asher Boy ride airplane, take off, up sky, go Chiang Mai, go Krungthep (Thai name for Bangkok). See CLOUDS!"

Jack slept and ate and then slept some more. Easy.

Church Time

This is Mini (formerly known as Baby Mini, also formerly known as Asher's favorite baby). She loves Baby Jack. She loves to sniff him (it's an Asian thing). I think she also loves that she is no longer The Baby in the nursery.

Min (as she is often called) was trying to creep on Asher's Pretz last week. He was not pleased.

Another Sunday, another snack. Sticky rice is a Sunday favorite for Asher. Usually he gets some grilled chicken to go with it.

And finally, Baby Jack after a long morning at church. Little guy was just worn out.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

We had a cold spell last week in Bangkok. It was freezing. We got to sit under blankets at night, we almost froze on the motorbikes and Baby Jack got to wear a hat. A hat!

I guess I should mention that our idea of cold may have changed since The Great Ice Storm of 2009. It was around 70 degrees and we were wearing sweaters and jackets. Jackets!

This week we are back to normal March weather in Bangkok. High of 93, low of 91. But last week was fun. We had cornbread muffins and soup for dinner and pretended, just for a few days, that we lived in a temperate climate.