Will Waddle for Food

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Mikaela at One Year!

Someone once told me that we realize, in children, the swift passing of time. Goodness knows, I have repeated that to myself often enough, and to several other friends as I marvel how quickly my little princess has grown.

Could it be, that exactly twelve months later, the sweet little newborn I held in my arm is now the same toddling, chunky, kissable baby I see?

And that in the three weeks since she took her first, tentative steps at 11 months, she's already looking more girly, independent, and less like a baby?

I don't want to blink.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Summer, it's too soon to go . . .

Between Aaron's graduation, my summer classes, the Karen Kingsbury Book Party and Picnic, fun times with our neighbors (one of whom is from my parent's small hometown in Malaysia - what were the odds?!), hanging out, celebrating our 2nd anniversary, playing at Six Flags, going to The Muny, puttering in Montreal, catching the much-dreaded flu, and attending a friend's wedding in Wisconsin . . . you could say that the past few months days literally took on wings and disappeared.

The 50 degree weather during our time in Montreal and Wisconsin caught us unprepared, and caused me to lose some faith in summer. Amazingly, Mikaela appears *not* to have inherited any of my Southeast Asian cold-bloodedness in her.

Like her dad, she thrives in cool weather, but melts in the heat:

In front of the Notre Dame Basilica, sporting a sundress
on a wet and windy day (Montreal).

Melting like butter on a humid Missouri day.

Scariest thought about Summer being almost gone?
The knowledge that the days Mikaela remains as a baby are numbered.

I mean, c'mon.

Babies don't climb stairs, turn around, and celebrate by balancing precariously whist clapping their hands!

Toddlers do.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Hacker-in-training

Remember the old Macbook Pro that got immersed and died a corrosive death? So much for meaning to disassemble it and sell it for parts on ebay. In all honesty, I packed it away before Baby came and promptly forgot about it.

Then, Baby came along. Baby grew into a curious being, and took an interest in laptops, keyboards, and wires. All things electronic and forbidden. I debated whether or not to get her her own (toy) laptop.

Just so she would leave ours alone.

Shoot. She doesn't need to be spoiled. She needs to learn that a "no" means no.

In cleaning out my old study table last week, I found it.

So much for lofty resolutions and consistent parenting.

She's just a baby.



~ Mrs. Arcfide

Dear Friends,

First things first.

Two of my upper teeth are in! I gnaw at everything in sight, including my mummy's toes.


I am learning to walk. Mummy and Daddy walk me up and down every day, so that by the time bedtime comes around, I am too exhausted to complain. They smile whenever they see me leaning forward, to embrace my bed.

There's so much to see and do in the day. I spend most of my time in our apartment, playing with "toys". I don't like my own toys, that is . . . I prefer the toys my parents use all the time. The clickkity-clack of daddy's typing sends me crawling like a torpedo to his keyboard. Too bad the best toys are always forbidden, though. Daddy will sternly say "Mikaela, ~ no, no", and swat my hand away. Sometimes, that hurts my feelings and make me cry. I feel even more sorry for myself if I fall down right then and bump my head.

But that doesn't deter me! No, daddy's always said "What are a few bumps in life". I get up and try again. Daddy smiles at mummy over the top of my head and say that I'm a persistent little girl, whatever that means.


Anyway, I'd better go. All this typing is killing my brain cells.







Lots of love and slobber,
~ Mikaela

Celebrate 5 months

Our little monkey can now smile on command!

The words she finds so funny?
"Say, Peek-a-boo!"

Well, sometimes she confuses another Kodak moment
with the game. :)

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Just because she's irresistably CUTE . . .

And she's 4 months!

~ Mrs. Arcfide

The Story of My Life ~ Stuffed in the Corner ALOT

It's past midnight. I'm the ONLY baby at IU's library.

And then . . .

Oh NO! Daddy wants to play cribbage tonight.

Ok, guys. I'm getting bored.

The chewing continues. . .

Woah, Did I just hear someone say MORE pictures?

Yes, I have a paunch. But ~ So do You. :P

~ Mikaela

Mature infant?

I often wonder at the maturest expression
from this tiny face that gazes back at me.

Well, ok. Sometimes she does look like a real baby. :-)

~ Mrs. Arcfide

From Little Miss Posh

Daddy took mama out on a date! They bundled me up warmly for the night out, and I behaved perfectly (read slept the entire time) as their Third wheel.

They talked, and laughed, and had a great time. Even if they didn't forget I was actually there, they sure acted like it! I'm SO glad my parents are the best of friends. :)

P/S: Can you believe I'm already over a month old?

~ Baby Mikaela

She's the smallest thing we put our whole lives into . . .

Small child-once you were a hope, a dream. Now you are reality.
Changing all that is to come. So small. A flick of star stuff.
A mind to touch the edges of the universe. A love to hold our hearts forever.
~Charlotte Gray

Mikaela's first Sunday at church

~ Mrs. Arcfide

How can anyone resist these faces?

"The Un-Amused"

"The Tough Girl"

"The Curious"

"The Thinker"

"The Bored"

She keels us with her cuteness!

~ Mrs. Arcfide

New Baby

Mikaela Zhi Min Hsu
welcomed with love by aaron and johanna
october 7, 2009 at 11:32 p.m
7 pounds 7 ounces ~ 20 inches

*stares at the calendar*

2.5 weeks to go. UNreal.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Little baby bump

26 weeks, 3 days

Of all people, I feel the most blessed.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

It's a Girl!

And her name's Mikaela.

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Peanut's Update: 12 weeks, 4 days . . .

Hey everyone!

Daddy and mummy caught their first glimpses of me today. For my first Side profile mug-shots, I amused them by posing with both my webbed hands high up beside my head, and stretching my foot out.

My head is still as big as my body, but I know I'll be more proportional 8 weeks later at my next ultrasound-shoot.

Until then!

XOXO,
Peanut



P/S: Mummy found out she was 1 day off, my official due date is now October 3rd.