Miral Ava ♡

After 39 weeks, it was finally time to see whose been in my belly all this time.  With Malcolm coming so early everyone was worried that this baby would be early too.  So I had to take it super easy, work from home and basically keep that baby inside.  In the end, this baby was the only one where my water didn’t break.  We picked a date and waited and waited and waited and that baby stayed in until the end!
We had time to take wash all the baby clothes, set up the crib, get a fun new mobile and take pics of my big belly up all the way to 39 weeks!  

The day came and we walked Adam to the bus and Malcolm to the car to go to school before we left for the hospital.  One last picture of my boys and the baby on the inside.

Pregnancy is so funny. You spend the entire time getting ready to meet the baby, trying to find comfy positions to sleep in and hoping all is ok and dying to meet the baby and then when it’s all over you miss your big belly and feeling that baby squirm around inside.  Here is the last hour that the baby was inside.

 And just a short while later Miral Ava Ali was born.  She came out a healthy 7.4 pounds and 20 inches long on August 18 at 12:45.

Randy and I decided to wait to find out if we were having a boy or a girl, like we had done with the boys.  We were both convinced it was a boy.  When she came out our doctor held her up and asked Randy to call it.  Which made it all the more fun when he called out it was a girl!

Look at that grin!

 

   

 

Welcome Miral Ava! We love you so much already! 

First Days

This year we had some major changes.  Adam switched out of Amerikids Pre-School that he’s been going to for 3 years and started kindergarten at ISM (International School Manila). When we first moved to Manila I never thought we would still be here for Adam to start at ISM, but here we are and we’re pretty lucky.  It’s an awesome school.  Adam’s kindergarten class has three of his friends from Pre-K and camp so he’s happy as a clam.   
The first day of school was an orientation and we all went to see his new class and meet his teachers and classmates.  Adam has been waiting to wear this uniform for months now and was ready.  When Malcolm saw how cute he looked he decided he wanted to wear a uniform too. 

After our first day we all went to get some shakes and brunch to celebrate. It was nice to have the day and to be able to make it to the first week of school before the baby comes.  I never thought I would be lucky enough to still be inside!  This might be one of our last times having brunch as a family of four!

The next day, was another big day.  Adam took the bus for the first time.   We all walked him down and Malcolm again wanted to wear his ‘uniform’ .  Malcolm wanted to go on the bus too but was satisfied with a tour.  Adam got right on the bus and was so excited to go.  His 38 week pregnant mom might have shed a tear or two.  I can’t believe this boy who started as a little teeny peanut is now big enough to take the bus.

And the excitement has continued.  It’s been two weeks of excitement taking the bus.  Malcolm and I walk him down every day and Malcolm goes on the bus for a tour every day.

The day after Adam’s bus adventure was Malcolm’s first day of Pre-K!  He’s been a little nervous about this move.  Its at the same school but in a different room and with different teaches.  So Malcolm was a little worried.

But, once he went in and realized that the new room is so much cooler than the old room he was so excited! He has loved every day of Pre-K since and is excited to go every day.  He LOVES his teachers and LOVES his classmates.  Some are from toddler, some are from Adam’s Pre-K and some are new.  Hi teachers wrote us an email the first week and it was full of the sweetest things about Malcolm.  Here are some snippets.

We cannot believe that the first week of school has already come and gone! 
It is so nice to have Malcolm in the Pre-K class. He may seem to be shy during the first few minutes of his first day in class but after that everything went smoothly.  Malcolm was able to to explore all the areas in the classroom. Of course, he first visited the Language and Math area and worked on some Montessori materials.  Then, he spent an amount of time at the atelier, dramatic play area and play dough area.  From the day that Malcolm started coming to school, the Pre-K kids became more attuned with each other.  He initiated play with them such as doing picnic and him pretending to be the daddy, constructing a high slide for their people blocks and baking cupcakes (using playdough) for everyone.  Malcolm is never hesitant to share his ideas most especially during meeting time and his classmates seemed to pay attention to what he shared in class during the week.
He has become more confident and is more open to having new teachers around, in fact, he even told Teacher Criz “I can also work with other teachers.” while teacher is observing him working on a certain material.  In addition, he is also open to doing new things such as washing his own dishes after snack.

Every year that passes i’m so proud of these two for growing and becoming stronger and more curious and loving school.  I hope they always are lucky enough to have such great schools and love school this much! 

More Farms

This is an oldie from when the boys were still in school.  And because i’m 36 weeks pregnant it’s making me all weepy that the boys will no longer be in the same school.  Malcolm yesterday at lunch said that he was sad that Adam would no longer be in his school to play with him.  I know they will both love being in Kindergarten and Pre-K but they are so close and spend so much of the day together that I know it will be an adjustment for all.  Adam is super excited to start kindergarten and take the bus to school and Malcolm is excited to move up to the Pre-K class but I just can’t believe these two are so big already!  As they say the days are slow but the years are fast people.  A good reminder to slow down and enjoy all the cuddles with my soon to be three babies. 
Back to the field trip, while school was still in session the boys took a trip to a a new farm! This one was called the Farm Shed and taught them about planting and growing vegetables and running a real working farm. Their school is really into gardens. They have the kids grow a garden every year. Randy and I are the only ones that eat the eggplants and beans that come out of it but everyone enjoys it in some way!  
Everyone was excited to go on a field trip and Adam brought his camera to take pictures!

Here is Malcolm with one of his friends, Kenza. 

Everyone always asks if these two are twins, but this picture makes Adam look so much taller!

Gardening! 

Learning about plants

Eggs fresh from a chicken!

Goat Herding

Planting

Last Pancake Sunday with Grandma

After almost two months it was sadly time for Grandma Gertch to head back home.  We asked the boys what their favorite part of Grandma’s visit.  Malcolm’s answer was playing and Adam’s answer was swimming.  Both excellent answers considering they played and swam their hearts content the last two months with grandma. 
Here are the top ten things I’ll miss most about having Grandma Gertch around. 
1. Homemade pancakes made from scratch on Sundays.
2. Watching her play legos with the boys. They played a lot of legos!
3. Her love of cakes from Wildflour, which resulted in a lot of cakes from Wildflour!
4. Her yummy kourabiedes (white butter, sugar cookies)
5. Her never-ending energy to play with, swim with, go to active fun with, take care of pregnant people (perhaps fueled by a decent amount of coffee 🙂
6. Her ability to make friends with everyone in our building after two short months at the pool.
7. Her undying belief that her grandkids (and kids) are smarter and better than everyone else.  
8. Her patience to sit and play with the kids for hours. 
9. Her company around the house while the boys are at work and camp.
10. How much she loves all of us. 

Someone wasn’t in the mood to have his picture taken….

We love you Grandma and we’ll miss you!

Sundays

My new goal is to take pictures every Sunday, with an actual camera instead of an Iphone.  Here is last Sunday. 

 
Malcolm is obsessed with lifting up my shirt and giving the baby hugs and kisses.  Just in case you were wondering what a 33 week pregnant belly looks like, here you go.

 
Comparing bellies.

 

My three babies

It’s amazing to think that in a few short weeks (hopefully 5 more!) we will have a third little Ali! We’re all starting to get pretty excited!  Adam keeps talking about how he’s going to feed the baby bottles and Malcolm keeps talking about how he’s going to play with the baby.  Randy and I keep talking about what to name the baby 🙂 but we figure we’ll stick with what works and pick a name at the hospital like we did the last two times.

In the meantime i’m working on resting and sleeping and spending time with my two boys before their new brother or sister comes along!

Celebrating 66

This year we were lucky enough to celebrate Grandma Gertch’s birthday together in Manila!  The boys made Grandma fun signs and we decorated with balloons and streamers!  The highlight of the party..a yummy campfire cake!  It was great to celebrate Grandma who loves us all so much and does so much for all of us! We love you Grandma!
 

 

 

 

 

 

Baby Makes Three

We have some exciting news in the Ali home. And no, it’s not that I managed to bribe my kids with a lollipop to take cute photos, although these are pretty cute.

The big news is- we have a new baby Ali arriving this summer!

The boys are super excited! Adam is convinced it’s a girl and Malcolm is convinced it’s a boy.  Adam is enthralled with the idea that the baby can hear him talking and is so sweet to the baby.  He is also so interested in how the baby eats what I eat.  He told me at the Easter party that he was going to share his candy with me so the baby can have some too.  Malcolm is warming up to the idea and has been giving my stomach kisses and telling the baby I love you.  He even offered to bring the baby a cup of milk the other night when I asked if he wanted to help give the baby a bottle.   I’m not sure he has wrapped his little head around the fact that a real baby is coming.

Malcolm has decided the baby should be named Malcolm or Boy.  At first he wanted a girl, to quote because then there would another mommy.  When i explained that the baby would be much smaller even than him and not mommy sized he changed his mind and now firmly wants a boy.  Adam wants a girl and when we’re watching something will turn to to me and say how about that girls names.  It’s just about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.  Just like with Adam and Malcolm we won’t find out what we’re having so we’ll all find out together when the littlest Ali decides to make an appearance.  At least one child will get what they want.  I told Adam the winner can change all the diapers to lessen the blow, that helped alot and now he’s ok with Malcolm being right.

We are all pretty excited to have one more little person around here to love and another sibling for Adam and Malcolm!

Grandma Love ❤

Guess who came to visit us! Grandma Gertch!! And boy are we all happy about it.  Malcolm walks around saying I love my family and insists on sitting next to Grandma at dinner. Adam runs right in her room in the morning to talk about the day.

In between the swimming, lego building, walks and reading we snuck in some pictures.

Malcolm is obsessed with funny face pictures so Grandma obliged.

We ❤ You Grandma!