Grace's update

Grace turned five on 15th Nov. My baby girl isn't really a baby any more. She wanted gift vouchers for presents so she could pick out her own things. I think that's because I normally tell everyone she wants clothes. This time she got some vouchers for Smyths toy store. She picked out some dolls with changable heads and clothes and she also got books and some art stuff. She really loves to draw. I also, I mean she also got vouchers for Next. She bought a coat, slippers and a cute pair of slip on shoes. We had her party in tons of fun on 14th Nov so for this year she has switched her birthday to that day as well because apparently your birthday and your party have to be on the same day...There was 16 children including Grace & Daniel at the party.
We are going to have to go and get a family portrait done because it seems beyond us to get all four of us together in a picture at family occaisions.

I know all parents think their children are the most beautiful but they are wrong becauase Grace really is the most beautiful girl in the world. She is also so funny. The other day she clipped in her seat belt but it was twisted a little. I asked her to fix it and she said " Mom, who do you think I am, Bob the builder?" I was glad the car was relatively dark so she couldn't see me smile. She is doing really well at school. Her reading and writing skills are very good. She has a word box that gets two or three new words added to it every week. I use the words to make up sentences for her. Last night I started putting the words in the sentence in the wrong order just to be sure she was actually reading the words and not just learning off the sentence. She had no trouble and even told me I wasn't going to catch her out. Grace also started ballet again in September. She looks so cute in her outfit. A few weeks ago Nelius and Geraldine were up for dinner and Grace was showing them her ballet. When she was out of earshot Nelius asked if she was doing ballet or trying out for the Munster front row.

Daniel's update

Daniel turned two on Sept 14th. We decided to hold his birthday two weeks previously because the weather was so good. We hired a bouncy castle and all the usual family and friends were there to celebrate with us on the day. I'm glad we pulled the party forward because it rained constantly on the actual day of his birthday - not like last year when we could spend the day on the beach.

It's hard to believe how much he has changed in the last year. He is as handsome as ever of couse, but he is also a walking, talking worldwind. He thinks he is the able to do everything that Grace can like climbing walls and jumping off them. He has over 150 words. My heart gets stuck in my throat when he is on a slide because he just launches himself off them.. He is also so independant. The constant refrain in our house is "Daniel do it" He is adept at putting on his socks and shoes and most of his clothes. He has also started climbing out of his cot and knocking on his bedroom door saying "Mommy, let Daniel out" It looks like we will be buying a big boys bed sooner rather than later. I think he has all his teeth now. He won't allow me to check but when I turn him upside down and tickle him so that he opens his mouth real wide it looks like they are all there. He uses them occaisionally to bite. Poor Grace has a mark on his chest that you could take a full impression of his teeth from :-( She usually gives him as good as she gets but I really felt sorry for her when I saw what he had done. He's so cute when he's telling her he's sorry. He loves to sit at the dining room table and colour with her, though there is fierce competition over who makes the better artwork.

First day at school

Today is Graces first day in primary School. How did that happen? It seems like only yesterday when she was placed in my arms by her nanny in China. In reality that happened on 13 August 2006. Four years ago. I really can't believe it was that long ago. She is still my baby even though I know it drives her nuts when I call her that. I don't care though. She will always be my baby :) She does look very grown up today. Her teacher gave her a sticker with her name on it and Grace said "why is she giving me that? I already know my name" I had to turn away so she wouldn't see me laughing. I've been clock watcing since we left her at school at 9AM. She's finished at 12PM today so we are going to go to lunch together as a treat.

Happy birthday Nana

Nana and Granda Hayes with all their grandchildren last week as we celebrated Nana's 75th birthday. Back row from left to right: Brian, Amy, Rachel, Daniel, Mark.
Front row from left to right: Grace, Granda, Martin, Nana, Luke, Andrew

I'm such a bad blogger. I have great intentions of posting something every few weeks but I have yet to stick with my plan. We have had a very busy few months though. That is my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Since January I've had three work trips to China. One of them ended up being 18 days because of the Volcano in Iceland. I'm off again this Saturday, but at least it's only for a week this time. I miss Grace and Daniel so much when I'm away. I skype home everyday so at least I get to see them. I don't let them see me though because the one time that I did Grace was hysterical. Poor Mike had a job calming her down once I had hung up.
My first work trip to China was on January 4th. I had to tell Grace I was going to Asia because she would not have been impressed to know I was in her China without her. Grace instructed me to bring her back 16 presents. That's more than one a day. I didn't get her quite that many but both she and Daniel did very well out of the trip. My second trip was on February 3rd. Daniel was sick for a couple of days while I was away. On Feb 7th he vomited all over Mike and my bed and then slept for about 14 hrs. On the plus side he also gave up his bottles that week. The official date for his last bottle was Saturday 13th Feb. I finally threw all his bottles away about two weeks ago.
We went to our first Tet event in Cork on Feburary 20th. We met two of the couples who had travelled to Vietnam with us last year. It was lovely to see them all again. All the kids had gotten so big.
We went to Lanzarote with Geraldine and Nelius for a week at the biggining of March. The kids had a ball but poor Ger and Nelisu were both sick for a few days.
Chris turned thirty on March 17th. We had the usual family get together to celebrate it. We also got to meet Fergus. It's wonderful to see Chris so happy and Fergus seems like a really lovely guy. We had taken Grace and Daniel to the parade earlier in the day. Grace loved the whole thing, but her favorite part was shen a group of men dressed as leprachauns showed up. They had plastic bums on show and she just thought that it was so funny. We had chips from Donkey Fords afterwards and Mike told her that could be our parade day tradition:)
We celebrated our one year anniversary with Daniel on March 19th. We keep these days low key but we did light a candle for his family in Vietnam.
We went to Port Laoise on March 27th to meet up with five of the families who we had travelled to Vietnam with last year. Unfortunately one of the families couldn't make it. Hopefully next year. It was wonderful to see everyone again. All the babies are walking and starting to talk. We had lunch in the Heritage hotel and then headed to the Roll and bowl play area so that the kids could run around. We turned quite a few heads when we arrived. Everyone seems to have a great day. Grace talked about nothing else for about two weeks after we came home.
I headed for China again on 8th April. My trip was to last 10 days but it ended up being 18 days. I had given Grace a calander to colour in the days so she would know when I was going to be home. Baaad idea. The poor child was in bits when she ran out of days to colour and I still wasn't home. I tried to explain to her about the volcano but then she thought I was stuck in it and on fire so obviously I did a great job there - not. Daniel spent the extra week I was away blowing kisses at the computer and saying bye Mom. I finally got home on April 18th. I was bumped to first class for the trip. I don't know how I'll slum it in economy or premium economy now. Mike brought the kids to the airport. Daniel gave me a quick wave when he saw me and then pottered off to play with a toy car. Grace gave me a hero's reception with lots of weeping and wailing about how much she had missed me. I'm ashamed to say that I was delighted by this display. It lasted for about a half an hour before she was back to her usual self. Well that brings me up to April so I'll have to do May and June later.

I'm ready to go swimming, Mom

We were in Lanzarote two weeks ago. This is my favorite picture of the week.

What a difference a year makes.

This day last year we landed in Hanoi. I cannot belive that the time has gone so quickly, or how much Grace and Daniel have both grown. My baby boy is a walking, talking holy terror and my baby girl - well suffice to say that Daniel has learned everything he knows from the master terror...I thank God ervery day for my beautiful children even when they are playing on my last nerve :)