for Heidi

SOME people have made it clear to me that I have been neglectful of the blog. Truth. I admit it, I have been and I have a renewed commitment to keep up from now on. As for now a little back-up posting is in order.



Last October, we had an amazing trip to Singapore and Bali. From Manila there is no direct flight to Bali, so Singapore started as a means to an end but was slightly thrilling in itself. Always fun to get two birds with one stone!

As always we were in a frenzy to catch our early morning flight. Nate offering to do whatever needs to be done is assigned the grab the baby bottles and fill them with hot water. At the airport as we make it through our 2nd round of security scans (with one more to go) I notice that the diaper bag is soaked and there is no water in the bottles. Come to find out he has forgotten to put the silicone insert in which make the bottles airtight and leak proof. Oh joy, three hours on a plane with a baby and NO bottles and what better, not too much breast milk left either! (The reason I tell this part of the story is to prove how amazing my husband is and what a fool I am.) I am SO angry with him. SO VERY ANGRY and I am mean and he feels bad enough as it is. But we survive surely as we always do and arrive in Singapore unscathed.

Singapore is clean and orderly and HOT and sterile and I love it. The taxi drivers are kind and smart and well-spoken and really act as tourguides for their city. We stayed at a great hotel off Orchard Road, ate fabulous food in Chinatown and spent time at a Hindu ritual in Little India. Took in the city at night while on the Singapore Flyer (the worlds largest observation wheel) which is a giant ferris wheel with enclosed capsules. We saw the iconic Merlion and did some shopping on Orchard Road and had a Singapore Sling at the Longbar at the Raffles Hotel its originating home.






All in, it was what I had planned for the day and a half before our flight to Bali or was it supposed to be our day and a half after our trip to Bali...

We arrived at the airport in Singapore with plenty of time to spare to get our flight to Indonesia. Looking at the boards for where we check in we notice that our flight is not listed. Strange because I am sure they would have emailed or called us if the flight had been changed, right? Nate pulls out the itinerary and (here I need to mention that I do all of our travel planning and booking) low and behold our flight was YESTERDAY. Seriously. I wanted to die. Well first I wanted to throw-up and then die. I went to the customer service desk. Yep, sure enough we had missed the flight and of course we are at fault so there is NOTHING they can do about it. Luckily (I use that term lightly) there is a flight leaving in an hour to Bali and it just happens to have 4 seats and I can buy them right there for a whopping last minute rate. Frantically I am looking online and calling the airline to see if we can get a better deal but no...the sales have already been closed as the flight is happening in 30 minutes. What better, because I had messed up on the flight booking on one end I had messed it up on the other end as well and my flight dates and hotel dates didn't match up and I got to spend the money for all new flights one way and extending the flights back to Singapore on the return flight. Now this whole time my lovely husband whom I have been so angry at just a few short days ago for something as stupid as a bottle is calm and cool and kind and not angry and if he is, he isn't showing me that. He is being nice and loving and soothing and telling me it could happen to anyone. (Hang head in shame here) Note to self: try to be more like Nate.


The whole flight I am just praying that Bali will be so amazing that we won't feel the sting of a twice paid for trip and guess what...it was SO WORTH IT! Rather than stay at a big nice hotel, we booked in a gorgeous resort that had individual villas each with their own pool. We had the bonus of being at a resort with a large pool and the benefits of the spa and room service and restaurant in addition to the feel of being at our own private villa without other tourists. We could have spent all our time lounging around at our pool, but we did a few touristy things as well. Holden enjoyed body surfing at sunset, we did a little shopping around Seminyak and made a trip up to Ubud for some amazing scenery and monkey encounters.

BIG little Deuce

Finn, our chub-a-bub started out as such a little guy and has really grown into our big boy. He is much bigger than Holden was at this age and continues to surprise us with his sheer size! At the ER the other day(another story for another day) he weighed in at a whopping 33 lbs. He eats vegetables and fruit. No one believes me, but he is our little vegetarian feasting on spinach and squash and carrots and peas.

We had a special day the other day, just the three of us while Holden was at school when we went to the pool. It's been quite some time since Finnley joined us poolside. He wasn't exactly thrilled with the water but boy did he look yummy in his speedo.

He has such a fun personality. Full of mischief and spice. He is so shy at first with people and takes quite some time to warm up which is so unlike him when in the confines of our home with our family. It's not a day in our home if Deuce hasn't had a tantrum by 9am and several more throughout the day. We have to laugh as they are quite cute and brought on by the simplest things like not opening the door quickly enough for him, or closing the fridge or taking the broom away or taking more than 10 seconds to change his diaper. He really is a bright light in our family. He adores his brother, truly madly loves him and thinks he is a big kid too. He understand almost everything we say and lights up when we understand what he is gesturing to or babbling about. He is the spitting image of his father but with the fire of his mama. Finnley, our lives were not complete before you graced us with your presence.

I wish someone would have told me that you will love your children differently. There were times I doubted that I had the capacity to love another child the way I love my Holden but everyone said it was possible and true enough, the love expands. But the love I have for Holden and the love I have for Finnley are so different, one is not better or worse it's just a different. I love Hold as my first, as the boy who made me a mother, as the child who stole my heart and made me realize just how deep love can go. Finnley I love as my baby, the boy who made me confident in my ability to be a mother which is the most amazing thing I have ever been called. He has shown me how big love can be. I can barely remember the days and years before these two boys. Having them is a newness of responsibility, a reminder that I am no longer the most important person and that so few things matter outside of them.

A relaxing beach vacation

Those were Nate's exact words for what he wanted after his chaotic 2 weeks at work.

This is what he is getting instead:

A weekend swim with the whale sharks in Donsol. The whale sharks are the largest fish in the sea and range from 18 feet to 40 feet long and lucky for us they feed on plankton. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm a little nervous, but more excited. As for Nate, I doubt this will be too relaxing but he did say beach so I got it half right!

Watch out HOLLYWOOD

"When do I get my own movie?"

are the words that came out of this kids mouth on the way to his photo shoot the other day. WOW. Mr. Ambitious. He shot for this brand a year ago for their store displays and its fun to see how far he has come in a year. Last time the shoot was smiles and fun and this time, they wanted brooding and serious. He complied and when they pulled out the fan and the skate board for action shots, he thought he had hit the big time. They even let him have the board after he asked about a million times for it. Last time he wanted the surf board prop they brought and his leaving comment was, "next time, bring a Ferrari." SERIOUS. Every day I wonder how I can love him more and every day I do.

Tondo

Here is the link to photos I took on our trip to Tondo last month. It was a moving place to visit and while it was sad it was also very beautiful.


www.picasaweb.google.com/MelissaMayPhotography

Every Mom's dream and other musings in San Francisco

"I am totally going to be a fortune cookie maker when I grow up," is what Holden exclaimed as we were leaving the fortune cookie factory that we found down a tiny alley in the middle of Chinatown. As long as it makes you Happy Hold! I love that in the eyes of child anything and everything is possible. Finding the fortune cookie factory was somewhat paramount for us as 2 years ago in Beijing Holden searched high and low for a fortune cookie, this tradition is clearly an American one so we have come full circle and hopefully someday will have a family business. Maybe Holden could introduce the fortune cookie to the Chinese IN China. :)

Finnley was thrilled in Chinatown he smiled at everyone and was very gregarious and excited as we ate dumplings. Dumplings which for the first time Holden tried. How is it that we have had the best dumplings in their country of origin and yet he waits until Chinatown San Francisco style to decide that yeah, they are alright? As we were parked by the window of the hotel waiting for Nate and Holden to return from a errand Finnley found his yaya! She passed by the window and boy did he holler for her. " YAYA YAYA!" She didn't stop, she didn't hear his cry for help and he was a little crushed as he kept banging at the window with his sippy cup. Ah, someone to rescue me from these people that drag me through the rainy city is what he was thinking I am sure. Heaven help us if we have to leave the Philippines for good.

We bummed around the city today amazed at how much it reminds us of other places all over the world. Enthralled by the things that all tourists are amazed by. Wishing it wasn't raining so that we could play in the park or bike across THE bridge. The jet lag has passed by now (knock on wood) and Finnley slept through the night. Nate has left us today and will again tomorrow for meetings and survive we will as long as we find a toy store soon. "What am I going to do all day today?" I asked him. "I thought you were going to go shopping." he said. "Ok, but what am I going to do tomorrow?" He scoffed "Surely you won't be able to shop two days in a row will you?" Ah, to find a man who knows you so well...bliss

I left my heart in San Francisco and my toothbrush in Manila

San Francisco is our first stop on our homes leave this winter and it's cold oh so cold and rainy. The city seems expansive and open and uncrowded even for having over 800,000 residents. The crisp air is nice, but I find myself longing for the warmth of the tropics.

So far this trip to the States has made me feel like a foreigner in my own country.

I think Asian hotels have officially spoiled us. I packed nothing in the form of toiletries forgetting that hotels in the US don't provide toothbrushes and paste, razors and toiletries for children. When we walked into Starbucks (and there is literally one on every corner in SF) we look like we have never seen a coffee shop before. There are different things on the menu and cooler and on the shelves and we just stand there looking a little shocked. I am sure the barrista assumes we have just fallen off the turnip truck and have never been to a "big city," yet Manila is 10 times the size. I keep waiting for someone to open the darn door for me and I asking where the CR is and saying things like "no need" and "for a while." Maybe I can blame this all on the long flight with a 14 month old.

After a rather uneventful flight (always good when travelling with kids) jet lag officially reared it's ugly head lastnight and I am certain everyone on the 25th floor of the Marriott knows it! Finnley had a rough night but the rest of us were so tired we pretty much slept through his all-night-tantrum. He cried "YayaYaya" throughout the night and to be honest I was kind of hoping one of the hotel staff (hopefully Filipino and understanding of the word) would hear him and come running. No such luck. Luckily everyone slept in and we started our day fairly refreshed.

Rainy weather calls for bowls of soup in fresh sourdough bread bowls so we headed for Fishermans Wharf and Pier 39. The cold rain seemed to have kept most of the sealions away but there were enough for the boys to get the point and we had glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. Holden is pretty intrigued by the concept of the prison. Hopefully, for the right reasons! Afterwards we headed to Ghiradelli square for a little persuasion of the chocolate kind.

We still have a few more days here to explore and then off we head to the frozen tundra where at least I know there are fireplaces...and grandparents!

Tragedy

On Saturday, Tropical Storm Ondoy or Ketsana (depending on where you are) came through the heart of Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. In the span of 12 hours 16.7 inches of rain fell. That is well over an month’s worth of rain. This flash flooding was actually never even a typhoon but because of the monsoon seasonal rains we are already experiencing this time of year, the slow moving nature of this tropical storm caused the worse flooding the Philippines has had in 40 years.

They estimate that close to 200 people have died and almost half a million are displaced due to the flooding and devastation. So many that had so little to begin with have literally lost everything. We feel so grateful that we are safe. Grateful that none of our household staff and their families were in areas that were hit hard. I can't even begin to imagine the work and rebuilding that will have to be done as the flood waters clear. As we went to the grocery store today to buy supplies to donate it was heartwarming to see almost everyone in the store doing the same as they bought cases and cases of needed food and supplies. If anyone is interested in donating to the relief effort, we are involved in many expat organizations that are helping charities in need and can make sure your money gets to where it is needed most. Just contact us. Below are some photos of the devastation. So hard to believe that some of the hardest hit are less than 8 miles from our house.

Whew

I have been a complete slacker on the blog lately...we not even lately, for the past two months! Life seems to have become a snowball effect and time gets away from me trying to keep up with these two busy boys in my life. We have been busy living and loving and traveling, the three things we do best.

Holden turned 6. SIX years old. Where on earth does that time go. Sometimes I call Finnley Holden not because I am mistaken on the name but because I literally still think of Holden as this bubbly bouncy baby with the toothy grin. He has become such a little man and I can already see the teenager in him. It's bittersweet to watch him grow. I pine for the days past when it was just me and him making our way through the days together in Utah but am also so excited for each new phase we grow through with him. Half of his life has been spent here in the Philippines and I am so proud of the little international child he has become. He doesn't miss a beat. He is such a good traveler and so relaxed when it comes to trying new things. He told us the other day he isn't sure if he wants to be a rock star or a genius. Serious lofty goals kiddo! We celebrated his birthday a day early with 25 friends and yes that was narrowing the list down! We filled them full of star wars themed food and sugar like wookie hair (cotton candy) yoda soda (sprite with green food coloring) pizza the hutt and bounty hunter bites(mini corndogs) and of course a star wars r2d2 cake and sent them across to timezone, a kids game arcade, with an hour of free play time.

The following day we scooped him up from school early and told him we had errands to run. We let him open his gift from us (an ipod shuffle already filled with songs) which he instantly started singing along to. Once we pulled up to the airport we told him that this errand was going to take a little long he kept asking what we were doing, and was a little worried we were leaving Manila. We had to help him to figure it out and said "Holden where do you think we would take you on your birthday as a surprise?" First guess Hong Kong Disney. BINGO! We landed in Hong Kong to Holden singing out loud with his ipod "sweet caroline (bum bum bum!) all through customs and immigration.

The trip was magical for Holden. Finnley got an ear infection and the trip was miserable for him. After a couple of days at the Disneyland Hotel we moved into the city for a little more mature vacation and rounded out the long weekend with some good food and some shopping. As it wasn't our first time in Hong Kong, we felt less pressure to see and do everything and that proved convenient considering our lack of Finnley induced sleeping and sickness.