Friday, December 26, 2008

Christmas in Korea!

As some of you know, Tyler and I flew to Korea 2 days ago to be with Andy over Christmas. It was kind of a spontaneous decision in order to maximize our time over Andy's holiday leave and to see if Korea is a place Ty and I might want to call home for the rest of the year. The flight was very interesting. It was 13 hours, but surprisingly didn't feel that long. Tyler did not want to sleep so I ended up holding him for the first 9 hours. He did really well; but had a "minor" emergency...So here's the deal...he hadn't pooped in 6 days prior to our trip. I called the pediatrician and they said to wait it out 7-10 days until we need to do something. I had a funny feeling that it was going to happen at the best possible moment; on the flight. Not 1 hour into the flight he was sitting on my lap when I smelled something...I was so proud! But moments later; I felt something too...I looked down to notice that my shirt and pants were soaked from what looked like and was a 'massive explosion'!! I stood up to take him to the rest room to clean him up when the captain turned on the Fasten Seatbelt sign. The flight attendants kept telling me to take my seat and all I could do was hold Tyler up to them and say "emergency!" One look at his clothes and mine and they understood :) He was covered from his chin to his socks!! Gratefully I brought an extra outfit for Tyler but not for myself. Poor people next to me must think that this American didn't know how to pick out perfume!
Here we are with Andy on Christmas Day morning in his dorm...note the miniature tree and Christmas wrapping wallpaper in the background? Who needs garland? (you can also see I am now a brunette...so blonde jokes no longer apply :)

Spending Christmas day at our friends apartment in the city of Songtan which is where the base is located. These are some of the other pilots from Andy's A-10 class also stationed at Osan AB for the next year.

Daddy reading Tyler's Christmas book

He loved his new frog hat :)

This is the shopping area right outside the gate...we took a quick stroll yesterday and found some amazing deals...can't wait to explore some more! Their currency, the Won, is very weak right now so it helps out us tourists when shopping.

We signed a lease to a brand new apartment yesterday. The appliances along with our stuff will get moved in on Monday (our time, Sunday y'alls time). It is a furnished apartment; but really lacks some essentials, such as a desk. We went to E Mart; thier equivalent to Wal-Mart. We didn't find much for furniture so Andy says, "I know, let's go Korean!"....

Here is his solution...hmmm

Driving back to base last night. Here is a typical street lit up in the evening. Don't ask me what any of this means :)
We will be here until mid February then back to the states for 2-3 months. Georgia is getting plenty TLC at Andy's parents right now...thanks for taking such good care of her! I will take more photos of the area and our apartment soon; right now I have to feed Tyler...he's waking up again in the middle of the night to eat...still getting adjusted to the 16 hour time difference but doing great!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Bathtime!

Thankfully, Tyler has always enjoyed bathtime. Whenever I put him in his tub he usually smiles followed with a potty of course! I've been practicing on catching it while in the tub :) Last night I had to take a video of him splashing (shown at the bottom). It was pretty funny cause he started to kick and he would splash himself in the face and get startled.
Getting ready for bathtime...notice the pudgy tummy? :)

Getting splashed!!


Friday, December 12, 2008

One Long Goodbye...

Well, Andy left for Korea on Sunday. I've talked with him briefly throughout this week. He is getting settled and in-processing on the base. We have been having computer issues, so talking has not been ideal; but we are making it work until the laptop is fixed. The last few weeks were a ton of fun but also very hard. It's like we were just delaying the inevitable. Saturday and Sunday was not a good day for this German gal; who shed many a tear...shhh!!! don't tell :) We did several lil' trips, flew to Seattle, went to a drive in movie, and shopped for warm clothes for the cold that awaited him in Korea. Meanwhile, Tyler, Georgia and I have been hanging in Sacramento with Andy's parents and having a good time getting settled for these next couple months. Hopefully Tyler and I will get a chance to visit him mid February. Please pray for us during this major transition and separation and for Andy as he starts a very busy year in a very new environment. For now, here are some pics of the last couple weeks. Taking a tour at the Jelly Belly Factory near Sacramento




I wish I had taken this picture 1 minute earlier. We just competed in the Bean Boozle. It's wear you see who is man enough to taste test the most disgusting flavors. I tried vomit, booger, and skunk spray. Andy opted out of skunk spray so I guess I won. You can actually buy a box called "Bean Boozle" where 2 beans are colored the same but one might be vomit while the other one is pina colada. You don't know which one is the bean boozle so you each take one and see who gets to re-live brussel sprouts at lunch time in 3rd grade :)

Nappa Valley wineryYou got it...The Golden gate bridge in San Francisco



Andy exploring some old Army batteries that were used to protect the coastline agains the Japanese in the 40's.

A horrible picture of Alcatraz...but you get the jist.

We were driving up and down the hills of San Fran and asked, "I wonder where Lombard Street is?" (for those of you that never watched Full House, it is the windiest street in the world...apparently). Speed Limit: 5mph



Tyler not doing a great job of helping cut the Thanksgiving potatoes




Visiting with Andy's old buddy Rob and Sarah Hills after church



Tyler's first plane ride headin for Seattle to visit family. He did great! Slept through the whole thing on the way there and back....I was relieved :)


With Aunt Sigrid and her family and Aunt Renee

Going for a hike on a foggy but beautiful day. Unfortanately, we couldn't see Mt. Rainier because of the fog....we'll just look on the internet and pretend.

Tyler bundled up for his hike :)

With Great-Aunt Sigrid

With his cousins Andrea and Amy

My friend Heather from Texas who just got stationed here at McChord AFB and her little girl Kennedy

We flew out of Portland so we drove down from Seattle to see Andy's sis Katie and hubby Chris. You can also see the nieces in the background...Alex entertaining Tyler in his carseat...and Addie, well....she's the naked one :)



It was Georgia's 3rd birthday on December 5th! We took her to Petco so she could pick out her birthday present.

Getting some good naps in before the big move.

Tyler is laughing all the time now....all you have to say is, "Tyler!" and you get this response :)

Having a gigantic ice cream cookie with Andy's parents and sisters the night before he left.

Just hours before his plane took off for L.A. He headed out at midnight Sunday December 7th for Korea and 13 hours later...he was in a whole new world!!
Last kisses...but not for long...we will see you very soon :)


Monday, December 8, 2008

Tyler Weeks 6-10

Here are some recent pictures of Tyler. He is starting to smile and giggle when you talk to him; especially during a diaper change...it's his favorite time :) He is officially 2 1/2 months and just had his 2 month shots last week. Wasn't a fan; but did a great job. Doc was impressed with his content nature, altertness, and strength...affirming Andy's notion that Ty is gifted :) haha. His current weight is 10 pounds 8 oz and 22 inches....growing, growing, growing! I tried to upload a video of him laughing but it didn't work; so will try again later. Still not sleeping through the night, but his smiles like this one in the middle of the night make up for it :)