Mount Diable - Chester's first hiking trip

Chester is 6-mo old today

The quiet side of Haley

攝石人?

Grocery shopping with dad

Chester's laughing out loud

The Resurrection

Matthew 28: 1-10 Jesus Has Risen

1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Bay Area Discovery Museum

A great view of the Golden Gate Bridge is behind usHaley loves the nature, she loves exploring the different roads on the trail Haley walked THROUGH the tree Overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge Chester sat on the flowing lily padChester sat very steadily on the waterbed

Tickling Chester

Egg Hunt - Part 2 @ School

Haley

My magical voice

Easter Egg Hunt - Part 1 @ Newark

Chester, mommy need to rest too...

Chester is going to be six months old soon, and he's still not sleep through the night yet. He usually gets tired after playing 1.5-2 hours during the day. His naps are power naps which can be as short as 10-15 minutes. We usually get him to bed around 10pm, and I'm lucky if he sleeps 2 hours straight. To avoid waking Haley and Owen up (since he has to get up at 5am to go to work), I get very alert as soon as Chester makes any noise. I will pick him up before he cries out loud to nurse or rock him back to sleep. Maybe it is my fault that he gets so used to getting attention even before he asks for any, but waking Haley up in the middle of the night can be a worse situation that I have to deal with both of them.
Owen suggests using the "cry-it-out" method during weekend when he doesn't have to go to work in order to train Chester to fall asleep by himself. "Cry-it-out" method...NO NO NO! Even I have a higher tolerance in dealing with my babies' crying now, there's no way I can ignore his cries that almost cries his lung out.
Mommy Maggie... it's only a transition... eventually he will sleep through the night and you will get a better night of sleep. You have done it before and you will do it again!

Sibling-hood

Haley & Chester

Haley gives me her silly smileChester can sit with support and play his new toys

Haley is showing Chester how to play...

Lego blocksHaley: 轉!Haley shares one of her two Garfields (帶鏡貓) with Chester.

The war within me

During the fellowship @ BSF, I shared with other ladies in the group that I look forward to God to transform me into a better person. I confess to Him every time after I did things that I know I am not supposed to, yet I repeatedly fall into the same mistake. One of the ladies shared the following passage to encourage me. The apostle Paul wrote in Roman 7:14-25:
"We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin."
Even the apostle Paul who did so much work for God still struggle the same problem that I have; I believe God will transform me through the Holy Spirit slowly. I wish one day people around me will notice God's work on me. I wish people can see His light through me as He had shined on me.

Haley's real life lesson

I recently have scheduled playdates with other moms and kids who are the same age as Haley. During a few hours of play time, we hear the same phrases like "it's mine!" and "no!" Everyone of them cries at a different time because they are upset that they can't get what they want spontaneously. The lesson to share and take turn is so new and tough for them. It is hard on both moms and our kids. We as mom has to be sympathetic to their feelings, yet need to be firm to stick to the rules when playing with others. Haley will repeat the rules to me before and after each playdates, but she definitely need more practice in order to put the rules in her life.

Chester - First experience with rice cereal

Planting strawberries

I taught Haley the other day that the flowers need sunlight and water for them to grow. I was amazed that she told me today what the strawberries need in order to grow. Wow!

My Neighbor Totoro

Emily bought Haley four sets of Totoro puzzle and the movie. For months, Haley played with the puzzles and we taught her the character's names. Daddy decided to show her the movie last night. It's so cute that she called out the character's names as soon as they showed up in the movie. Toward the end of the movie, both of the sisters visited their mommy at the hospital because she was sick. They brought a corn all the way from home to the hospital thinking it will help healing their mom. I was so touched by that scene and my eyes were getting watery. Haley was sitting on the my lap at the time and I noticed she was sniffing as well. I told her, it's ok, their mother is going to be healed and go home to see the sisters. She then looked at me and start to cry. Oh! My Haley is just as sentimental as her mom. On the same night, she asked to hold my hand when she's in her bed, getting ready to fall asleep. OHHHH! I love my little Haley!

Chester sitting on highchair

Chester is happy sitting on the highchair so he can join us during meal time...

Chester & Daddy's play time

Haley's first fingerprinting

Haley always refused to fingerprint because she thinks it's dirty. Today, she's very brave and try fingerprinting for the first time!

Haley is playing balloon with Chester

What a great comfort!

As always I enjoyed nursing my baby very much. I love watching my babies from that angle as they have the most precious expression on their face. It is the best moment that I feel most needed for my babies. I came across the following passage during bible reading time: "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. (Isaiah 49:15-16)

Wow! A mother's love for her child is so strong, yet God says His love for us is much greater than a mother's. He described that He even engraved us on the palms of His hands...not write, not tattoo, it's ENGRAVED, which means it can never be removed or erased. What a great comfort from God's promise to us!

Little Prayer

Haley has been introduced to knowing God through Sunday's children program at church and BSF. I began to have a little prayer time with her before bedtime. After a few nights, she will even remind me that we need to pray before saying good night. We hold our hands together, close our eyes, and we have our little prayer. We focused on giving thanks to God for what He has given us that day. Mommy sometimes will confess for losing my cool toward Haley during the day. I asked Haley what she wants to thank Jesus for, and she answered she wants to thank Him for chocolate and crackers. She cracked me up by saying that. I guess chocolate and crackers are her biggest joy! Ha Ha!

Our garden 2011

We can know about God just by looking at His creation. As busy as our day to day life, we sometimes overlook the beautiful sky and blossoming flowers.
Psalm 19:1-4 "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the skies announce what his hands have made. Day after day they tell the story; night after night they tell it again. They have no speech or words; they have no voice to be heard. But their message goes out through all the world; their words go everywhere on earth. The sky is like a home for the sun."

Book corner for C&H