Well, I guess a few of you are still out there....so feast your eyes, I plan to put lots of updates and pictures. And since Caelyn doesn't have a separate baby book...this blog will have to serve that purpose too!
We've had Caelyn for almost a year now and overall the last six months has been, believe it or not, better than the first six months! She truly spoils us. See for yourself!
Caelyn is now 19 months and can say lots of words even though only a few of those words she can pronounce crystal clear. Most recently she would call out her school friends' names so I can guess who she's talking about! Oh, yes, she now goes to daycare (school) while I have gone back to work part-time. We have settled into a routine we all love. Generally speaking. Zach is still working at the same place with occasional schedule spikes...those are the really hard times because he just misses his "noi-noi" (little daughter in Cantonese) so deeply and we miss him. My new job is fantastic with very reliable and flexible hours, twenty four to be exact, so I'm always there if Caelyn or Zach need me. Caelyn goes to a small in-home daycare that is set up like a preschool both in facility and program activity. There's no TV so her day consist of circle time with her teacher/friends in the morning and free play, reading, and planned activity in the afternoon. Perhaps daycare isn't for every child but Caelyn sure is thriving at school.
The last six months we have taken a couple trips...a two-week trip to see papa and nana for Christmas. And recently we took Caelyn to Kauai for 8 days. Here are some photos of those trips and other random moments....
The Garden Island - Kauai
Zach and I came here to honeymoon almost 13 years ago...how we would never have dreamt it would be 12 years later before we would have a child...but we wouldn't want it any other way. If that's how long it takes to wait for Caelyn then we are happy to wait for her. We weren't sure how she would enjoy Kauai...but to our surprise she had the most fun out of all of us! Each day she rises extra earlier due to all the birds and rooster chirping and such. And the first thing she says from her crib (she sleeps in our room) while we're still sleeping is, "bird! bird!" and points out the sliding doors. When we're out and about she chases birds and chickens, eat all kinds of food, and every other day played in the shallow waves. She was giddy happy. Every time she sees the ocean from the car she would shout, "wa-wa!!". Water. The trip was great for Zach and I as a couple too. Papa and Nana were with us so they babysat several times while Zach and I ventured off to a couple's massage on the ocean, a 250-acre botanical garden tour, and just sleeping in.
Mommy and Daddys' Mommies & Daddies
It's not a riddle...just another way to say grandma, grandpa, papa, and nana. Caelyn is only the second grandchild on either side and she's the baby. She gets a lot of love and attention from them. My parents come out to see us on my day off once every few weeks and Zach's parents go on vacation with us (sometimes) and offer lots of babysitting. They also come to see Caelyn every few months.
In fact, once in a long while Caelyn gets to see her great grandparents too!
Other Fun and Goofy Things
Caelyn's Uncle Alex came to visit for a long weekend and we spent one day at the zoo. Caelyn was just wide-eyed bushy tailed the whole time. She got to sit on both daddy's and Uncle Alex's shoulders for better viewing. Mommy is too weak to do it. And as the kawala...he's just so cuddly!
Picture below shows that there is something cute taking over our king size bed! She's been taking over this space a lot lately!
A step in daddy's shoes!
Caelyn doesn't have any dolls...this blue bear is her "doll." She wraps him up in her blanket and rock him to sleep often. She accompany her rocking with, "shh-shh-shh." It's hilarious! 
A sniff...probably getting ready to eat it! 
A step in mommy's fluffy socks!
Caelyn's first haircut. She did not cry but boy, she was grumpy. She didn't break a smile the whole time.
A walk in the park.
A walk in daddy's slippers.
A hike in the woods. Caelyn in her royal carrier and daddy her elephant. And mommy her food sherpa. 
What Caelyn did, I gather, was considered quite unusual. At 18-month she tells me "poo-poo" and within half hour I find a soiled diaper. So I hurried and bought her a potty. First 4 times she sat down per her own request, she went poo-poo and pee-pee. Funny thing was I wasn't ready for her to be potty trained. I know nothing about it! She has since gone on the potty once more but now she tells me "no" when I ask if she wants to use the potty. I ask if she rather go in her diaper and she says, "yup!" She must have seen us and kids at school using the potty. I'm told that the typical age for a child to be interested in potty-training in America is 2.5-3.5. So I guess with that standard 18 months seems pretty early.
Caelyn loved her balloon. She calls it, "bubble!"
This day was Caelyn's first official easter egg hunt. She's done a small one at our weekly Mommy and Me class. At the class she (more like me while she wonders all around) dyed eggs and made an easter egg basket.
