Kanooth Family Trip: 1st Days, Newport Beach

My parents were extremely generous and kind in planned a big Disney trip for all the siblings and grandkids at the beginning of October. The first couple days we went to the beach, waiting for everyone to arrive. We got to spend some time with Becky and Steve and their kiddies, Jeremy and Andrea and the girls, and Lairen, at Newport Beach. The weather was perfect, with the first few days of our trip being abnormally warm days for the area.

 

 Westin and Jade, happy to be out of the car, after driving all night.

 Lairen, Becky, Me, Andrea

Steve, Becky, Reese, Steven, Sydney, and Tori

 Westin gave me 2 seconds out of his play time to get a pic with me.

 

  Jade was happy playing in the dry sand, and seemed to have no desire for the cold water.

Baby Boy Coming to Our Family!

At the end of February we will have a new baby boy join our family.  It is really fun listening to the kids comment on the baby.  Westin is excited that it is a boy and Jade can't wait to change his diaper.  I am 21 weeks and only 11 pounds away from my final pregnancy weight with Jade...ooops!  It has been a little more difficult than the first 2 pregnancies, but now that I'm half way through it has become much easier.  The first trimester was not enjoyable in the least.  While I didn't throw up often, mostly from being in the car, I had the appetite of a lion and the energy of a sloth.  Poor Wes, but he stepped it up and did the job well. 

 

Westin in Preschool

     Westin started preschool in September.  This year he goes to the same place twice a week, instead of the co-op we did last year, that rotated host house every 2 weeks.  Last year it was hard to get him to participate for very long in any kind of work sheet, but being a bit older is benefitting him.  It probably also helps that it is just him and two girls, instead of 5 busy boys.  The co-op was a great arrangement for that year, since at that age it is mostly just fun anyways.  He is doing well and doing his work sheets, and the teacher does well calming him down when he starts to get wild.  I am going to start recruiting for another boy, because I think it'd be good for him to have another boy in the class.  He did have one of his little buddies in the class with him for the first month, but he moved.  We were sad, because his family was awesome and we enjoyed their friendship.  I remember a boss in a staff meeting saying, "The only thing constant in life is change."  I guess it would be hard to do much growth if everything stayed the same, and this is what I remind myself when yet another change occurs.  Anyway, we love Westin and his progression and craziness he brings to our family.  He is just as much fun as he is energized, so if you know him, you must realize how much fun he is!

Goodbye Too Soon

    When Wes was one he traveled from S. Korea with his 3 year old sister, Whitny, to Seattle, WA, where they were adopted by their parents.  On September 12th, Whitny's battle with stomach cancer ended when she passed away.  She was only 33, and left behind 2 boys, ages 11 and 5, and a new husband. 
     In July of 2011, Whitny was diagnosed with stage IV gastric cancer, after about a year of heartburn and progressed stomach pain.  We hoped and prayed that her young age and healthy lifestyle would help her through.  She fought hard and took every chance given her to overcome this monster destroying her body.  She was continually in pain, despite heavy medications.  It was horrendous to watch her go through it all, with little we could do to help.  Too many times Wes and I cried together as he voiced how much he hated watching his sister die. 
     We spent as much time as we could with her, and were relieved when she was finally done with the pain.  Though we knew it was coming, there is no amount of advanced notice that can prepare you.  It is surreal now that she is gone.  Crazy how many lives are affected by cancer.  She is missed daily, but we take comfort in knowing that we will see her again and that she is being well cared for.
     I remember a hike to University Falls that Wes, Whitny, Izzy and I took when Whitny was like 8 months pregnant with Aidan.  It was a 3 mile hike in and it was pretty steep at the end.  She was not the kind of person to let pregnancy or anything hold her back (in fact she hiked Half Dome in Yosemite just before she was diagnosed).  When we got to the natural water slides at the falls, Izzy slipped down one of the falls and Whitny, in all her pregnant glory, dove in to get him.  Wes and I were both right there, but her motherly instincts thought of 1 thing.  It was a fun day.  I remember a yoga class one Thanksgiving morning, and watching Whitny pulling off some pretty crazy yoga poses after she was diagnosed.  I wish I'd joined her in more classes, so I could do the same thing!  I remember her teaching me to knit, many walks, countless dinners, road trips to Boise, and the general craziness that is a family.  I need to have Wes cough up some of his good memories with his sis.    
     Whitny and I were two very different people, but we are family.   Since she has been my family, I've seen her more frequently than any of the sisters/sister-in-laws on my side of the family.  We had very candid conversations between the two of us and I enjoyed being able to connect, when I knew we were different in so many ways.  I look forward to a reunion with Whitny.  I think it will be pretty awesome. 

Learning to Cut Hair

     Westin's hair grows so quick, unlike Jade's.  He needed his hair cut pretty bad this week.  Normally I trade babysitting with a friend for his haircuts, but we haven't been able to align our schedules lately and I didn't want to tack on more babysitting debt.  I was looking for an extra distraction, since I can't control my emotions lately.  I watched two quick YouTube videos and decided to have a go at it.  I had seen it done enough on him anyway.  I figured the worse that could happen would be a buzz cut.  I used Cutco kitchen scissors, so it kind of looks like it anyway, but I expected much worse.  It took a while, but I figured practice will take care of that, and proper hair cutting scissors should help it also.  I don't need to do anything impressive, since he is a little boy who doesn't much care, so I'm happy that I can be self-sufficient in this little area. 

 Westin was striking a bunch of poses, and he looks like a cute little dancer here, so I had to stick it on.  Wes probably won't like it, but he won't be able to deny how cute it is either.

 

  

WA Trip and the 4th of July

We went to WA for a cooler 4th of July. 

These pictures are not exactly in order, and there are a lot.  The collages sometimes make it difficult to see the pics, and it's not like we are short on space, so I usually post anything I might want to see in a book of the blog someday.

 4th of July breakfast at a park. 

 Playing in the Washougal River.

 A short hike with Grandma and Grandpa Kanooth.

Kaitlyn and Jade after Audrey and Rachael's piano recital.  Jade wants that brownie.  Rachael and Audrey played so well, and Lauren played awesome for us when we got back to their house!

There were pony rides at the fireworks booth we went to.  Jade was ok until it started, then scrambled to get off.  They stopped for us to get off.  Westin was not interested at all.  Crazy kids. 

We had lunch on the 4th at Jeremy and Andrea's house.  We were outside the whole time.  The weather was perfect.  The kids loved playing outside with the cousins, and Jeremy and Andrea have tons of space on their relaxing property.  Great Grandma Martin was there with us, and it was really fun to sit and relax with the family.

Mom, Dad, Wes, Andrea, Grandma Martin, Katie, Aaron, and Jeremy.

 Westin playing hide and seek with the camera.

 Thomas, Ally, Westin, and Audrey.

 Audrey and Ally.  Love this picture.

 Rachael and Kaitlyn helping Jade swing.

Westin had a great time with Thomas.  They are both your typical busy, curious boys.

Westin, Kaitlyn, Thomas, Aunt Lairen, Jade, and Rachael.

Jade and Westin were both well cared for by their cousins, and Aunts...see below.

Lauren, Westin, and Thomas.

The night of the 4th, we went with Jeremy and Andrea to an AWESOME fireworks show put on by some of their friends at church.  Besides watching the National Fireworks on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, in my college years, this was the best show I've seen.  We sat right underneath the show that consisted of 1500 lbs of commercial fireworks.  Westin and Wes stood in a Roman Candle line before the show, along with 50+ other people.  I wish we had taken pictures, but Jade was clinging to me, so I just enjoyed it all instead.  Thanks for having us along Jeremy and Andrea!

  

On our way home we got to quickly see GG and Papa Wayne.  I forgot to get a picture of the kids with them.  There was a carousel at the place we ate dinner...Jade got freaked out when it started to move.  I had to move her to a bench where Wes and Westin were.  Westin covered his ears, because he didn't like the carousel music.  They are not keen on rides, hopefully that will change soon.

SF Giant's Perfect Game

Wes has been able to go to a couple San Francisco Giant's games this season, including the first ever perfect game for the Giants (June 13)!  There have only been 22 perfect games in the history of baseball.  He was pretty excited, and even caught a ball during batting practice.