Merry Christmas!

A few photos from the Larsen's Christmas in Bangkok

Above: Tom, Kaj, Grandma Hawley, Cousin Jim and Grandpa Hawley at Crepes & Co., a perfect breakfast for the day after Christmas
Below: Kaj opening a squirrel puppet from Grandma and Grandpa Larsen - a big hit!

Then, Kaj watching his and Tom's "Elf Yourself" creation on my laptop - google "elf yourself" for a good laugh....Santa brought a train set!....opening a tool bench from Grandma and Grandpa Hawley- once he got his hands on the hammer and screwdriver, he proceeded to fix the stairs and everything else in sight before removing the rest of the wrapping paper

Christmas prep

A few days ago while we were getting ready for Grandma and Grandpa Hawley's arrival, we created some fun for ourselves around the apartment. Kaj spent so much time popping bubble wrap sprawled on the floor, eventually Mingus came over and joined him.
This is the fort we made in the dining room, which in the end became a hen house. Kaj has a book about a girl in China who takes care of chickens (the title's escaping me), and I received a wicker hen as a Christmas present from a student ;), so it really was the obvious choice. 

The reindeer in an awkward position? Another student gift. When I showed it to Kaj, he later shared,"Kaj no like 'dis reindeer. Kaj like Rudolph." I think he has come around, because the reindeer has been traveling with us in the stroller around our neighborhood for the last two days, snuggled up on his lap. 

Relief.

Whew! The first semester is officially over, and it didn't take more than two hours for me to finally accept that I'm feeling fatigued and need to make time to relax in the coming weeks. We're going to get our Christmas meals planned and shopped for this weekend, so we can coast through next week once my folks arrive. 

I so desperately want to make gingerbread people with Kaj, I asked a class of 3rd graders the other day had a gingerbread-person-shaped cookie cutter. To my amazement, one of them brought one in for me to borrow the next day. Sometimes it pays to be an elementary teacher!

Kaj has become an expert at stall tactics this week, particularly when it relates to bedtime. Since he now uses the toilet during the day when we're around the house, he is very tuned in to going to the bathroom before going to bed and the delay that this causes. I was quite entertained when Kaj requested this evening, "Mommy turn on Charlie Brown Christmas music. Charlie Brown music help Kaj go potty."

Dinner time...more later. :)

Rayong

Over our long weekend (thanks to the King's birthday) we traveled to Rayong with our friends, the Udagawas. A retired ISB teacher owns a condo right on the beach with enough room for two families, so we decided to give it a try. What a beautiful place! Emina and Kaj played on the beach many times everyday, and the adults got to enjoy the amazing view from the living room during their nap times. 

Here's a good shot of my 7-month-pregnant belly. This little guy seems even more active than Kaj was, as I recall, but I suppose I could be simply more aware of the sensation. Lots of bladder kicking going on these days, so I'm up at least once in the night. Overall, I am feeling really good, yet increasingly ready to have #2 on the outside. At the same time, I am not wishing away the next two months. We're really looking forward to visits from our families, and Kaj is getting very excited for Christmas. He's getting a train set from Santa, which Tom and I set up in its entirety last night on the dining room table. We think he'll like it now and  come to love it in the coming months and years. 



At the end of Kaj's usual nap time one day I peeked my head in the door to see if he was stirring. Not only was he wide awake, he was doing these ab crunches depicted above. I was so entertained a called everyone in, and Emina decided to join Kaj in the pack and play for a bit. 

Here is Kentaro reading to Emina and Kaj after nap time. 

On the way home from Rayong we stopped at the Khao Kiaw Zoo, about 1.5 hours outside of Bangkok. Here Kaj is craning his neck to see a bird that seems to be peeking its head out of the top of the enclosure. 

Lego instruments

A few weeks ago I came home from school to a lovely quartet that Kaj and Tom had created that morning entirely of legos (duplos, really).  You may notice a guitar, a clarinet, a saxophone and a violin with a bow (where's the trumpet, DAD?). Apparently they left a lasting impression because a few days later I brought home a discarded violin from school that is in poor condition, but great for play. After a mere ten seconds of enjoyment he walked over to me and said, "Mommy, bring home bow."

October/November highlights

I've decided this time each night - the time after I say goodnight to Kaj before Tom helps him brush his teeth and read that final book - is the ideal time to try to blog for a few minutes. I suspect this will not be an option once Little Larsen #2 comes along in February, but we'll roll with this plan for awhile.

October and November were months of developmental change for Kaj. Lately this streak of independence has made life a bit less predictable - or maybe more so - but we enjoy seeing his personality take shape. We have decided that the label "strong willed" is appropriate, and not necessarily a bad thing.

Anyhow, here a some photos to share, the first from Halloween. Kaj chose to wear his viking helmet and his fishing vest as a costume, an interesting combination. The photo of the loaf of break with a candle and incense is from Loy Kratong, a Thai holiday where people send their "kratongs" down the river with hopes of a bright future. Near the top is a photo of Kaj helping our Thai teacher, Khun Nikom, at a seafood restaurant outside of Bangkok that is basically a big dock surrounded by the sea. Needless to say, Kaj wore his life jacket the entire evening!