The Banner family is doing great and we very excited about expanding our family in the next year with another beautiful baby boy. We are grateful for our family and friends across the ocean and we miss and love you all very much! Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!
February 09, 2016
17 Months
Greetings Family!
I know Ezra likes to write these sweet messages, but I'm going to take over for this month. Ezra says he loves you all and will send you a message next month!
So, to start with, Merry Christmas! Ben and I have one more week of school before going into a 3 week vacation! We have not booked anything yet because we're both so indecisive with where to go! We're thinking Thailand beaches would be pretty nice for a week or so. Stay tuned next month for the lovely pictures of wherever we decide to go.
Ezra's doing great. He's growing like a weed and just the sweetest little guy ever. He's quite shy around others and takes time to warm up. We went to have Christmas photos taken today with his best friend and he was too shy and scared to leave Ben or my side. He also seems very empathetic. When someone gets upset or a chid cries, he also starts crying. It's really sweet but kind of sad.
Ben and I have decided to not renew our contracts with the school in Malaysia! We are interviewing and still looking internationally, but our backup plan is to go home to the states if we don't get another job that fits our needs. We're all very nervous, but excited for a change.
Speaking of change, Ezra's little brother is growing well and so far seems like a very calm baby. Ezra loves to pull up my shirt and hug and kiss his baby brother. I told you, he's very sweet.
Ezra learns new words every day and is just a little sponge. He's communicating so much now that I feel like I can almost have a conversation with him. He loves cheese, applesauce, noodles, toast, cereal and his favorite is to drink the milk out of the bowl after he's had a bowl of cheerios. His personality is shining through and it's fun to watch him change and grow into a little person.
That's about all for now. We'll keep you posted on our new adventures with getting a job.
We love you and miss you all!
Merry Christmas from Malaysia!
Much Love,
Sherri
16 Months
Dear Family,
I've made it to my 16 month birthday! These months just keep flying by...
We went to Vietnam this month for a one week vacation. It was really fun. I did catch a cold (like I always do when I fly) so I had a rough time sleeping. My mom and dad made the best of it and we all had a fun time. The food was really yummy and everyone thought I was super cute and wanted to hold me! I think my favorite part of the trip was bike riding around with my dad. Mom was there too, but I got to ride on the back of dad's bike and it was awesome. I also got to see ducks for the first time! Ducks are my favorite animal in the books I read. The real ducks, didn't really look like the ducks in my books, so I was a little confused, but still happy to see them.
Big news! I'm going to be a big brother!!! My little brother is coming in May and my mom tells me it's going to be great! I love kissing my hand and putting it on momma's belly because that's where she says the baby lives. I'm excited to be a big brother. I'll have to practice my gentle hands before the baby comes.
What else? Halloween was this month! My friend River came over and we carved a pumpkin and got dressed up. I was a pumpkin and she was hello kitty. We were both really cute together and it was super fun.
In other big news, the haze is finally letting up around here and I'm able to go outside and play! I missed being outside so it's so great to be able to go for walks, swimming or just play around in my front yard. I didn't realize how much I loved playing outside until mommy and daddy kept telling me we couldn't because of the "yucky air."
Not much else is new. I'm learning new words. I'm really smart! I still love to eat. I still sleep with mommy and daddy in the middle of the night when I wake up scared. I'm a growing boy!
Much love from Malaysia.
Thanks for watching me grow!!!
XXOO Ezra James
15 Months
Dear Friends and Family,
Greetings from Malaysia! I turned 15 months old today! Or as my mommy likes to say, 1 year and 3 months old. This last month has been kind of boring for me because of the haze, but we're all hoping it gets better soon. My mommy and daddy haven't been taking me out much because the air is yucky from the fires in Indonesia. When it is clear, they let me go outside and play. My fingers, and toes are crossed that it clears up really soon!
A lot of learning has happened for me this month. I'm learning to communicate more using sign language and words. I can tell my mama when I'm all done eating and say "down" when I'm ready to get down from the dinner table. Daddy says it's really nice that I'm using more words. I can even say please (dzz) and thank you (da ooh). Mages is teaching me to be kind to others and she's also teaching me to speak Tamil and Bahasa! She's so great! I love when she comes to play with me.
Mommy keeps telling me we're going on a trip to Vietnam next week. I like plane rides because my mommy and daddy let me do whatever I want, as long as I'm quiet. I eat snack after snack and go walking up and down the isles of the plane as many times as I want. Vietnam should be fun too.
Well, I love to read books, ride on my "car", eat blueberries, play chase, peek a boo, stacking, sorting, coloring, play outside, dance, sing (I'm always singing, it's my favorite), laugh, be tickled and help in the kitchen.
I don't really like my veggies not pureed (still), bath time, diaper changes, meeting new people, and lawnmowers.
I love you all very much! Different parts of the world, but watching me grow. Thank you for loving me.
Much love,
Ezra James
14 Months
Dear Family and Friends,
A message from my mommy:
Ezra's made it to 14 months and we couldn't be more proud of our smart, sweet little boy. He's learning new things every day and he's so stinking smart! We look forward to coming home every day to squeeze him tight and cherish all the moments we have together. His personalty is shining through and he's turning into quite the funny little monkey. Enjoy his little message...
A message from Ezra:
Hi family!!! Oh boy, I turned 14 months old! I had to have shots the other day and it made me cry. I love seeing my doctor, but I don't like it when she pokes me! I'm learning so much lately. As you can see from my pictures on the cover, I'm learning how to eat with chopsticks and learning how to swim! I love the water! Mommy and daddy take me swimming after work sometimes and it's great. I also got this new blowup bathtub that makes my bedtime routine a blast! Daddy fills the water up so high and lets me play with as many toys that I want! I'm kind of an expert with walking now. I've got a lot of words too! A few favorites are cracker, mum mum (food in Bahasa), tractor, flower, book, ba-br (blackberry), nana (banana), wawa (water), da (ball) and of course mama and dada. My curly long locks are still growing and everyone mistakes me for a girl.
My favorites: sleeping with mama/dada, swimming, fruit, dancing, dada playing guitar, outside time, naked time, being chased, stacking games, sorting games and pulling all of the diapers out of the bag.
I have 4 teeth on the bottom and 2 on top.
I still don't sleep through the night, but I'm almost ready.
Thanks for reading my message and caring about me so much! I love you!
Hugs and kisses from Malaysia!
Love,
Ezra
13 Months
Dear Family,
I just loved seeing each one of my Grandma's this summer! Grandma Trish- I was a little tired and grumpy from all the traveling, but I loved seeing you and having you teach me new things! Grandma Pam- Lummi Island was fantastic and hanging out with you everyday was a special treat! Great Grandma Stella- thank you so much for making the drive to come visit me! I love my little cup you gave me and I just love you so much!
This was a busy two months for my family! We spent time in Taiwan and the United States. I had my FIRST BIRTHDAY on Lummi Island with my friends and family! It was so much fun! I ate carrot cake and everyone was there just to celebrate me!
Another great thing is I learned how to walk this summer! It was funny, I just started one day and I haven't stopped since!
I had a wonderful summer visiting with my family! I cant wait until next summer! Thanks for spending so much time with me and loving on me as much as you do!
My words: tractor, cracker, mama, dada, mum-mum (food), doggy, truck, wawa (water)
My favorites: pancakes, MILK, crackers, rice cakes, peanut butter, egg, yogurt
My games: peek a boo, how big is the baby, in and out, stacking
I love you!!!!!
Much Love,
Ezra
May 19, 2015
A message from Ezra...
Dearest Family,
I'm 10 months old!!! That's only 2 short months away from being one year! This month was nice and relaxing for me, mama and dada. I did have to go see my doctor to get more shots, but I'm used to them by now.
Let's see. I went to my first wedding this month! It was really loud and I cried a lot because the music was too loud for my ears and I got scared a little. My mom and dad were really nice and kept taking me out of the room where it was much more quiet. I like quiet spaces a lot more than noisy places.
I'm still only eating my pureed food and I love it! My mama and dada make me the most delicious organic baby food and I cant get enough of it! My parents have tried to sneak in some chunky foods and even pieces of food, but I'm not interested. No thanks. I'll take my fruits and veggies with rice, barley or oats and I'm a happy boy. I do still love my puffs though! And sitting in high chairs when my parents go out to dinner is great! They give me puffs and feed me purees and I'm a good, happy boy!
And guess what? Last night I slept in my big boy bed from 7:30pm all the way until 3:30am!!!! My mom told me that she was up just waiting for me to get up because she was so confused why I was sleeping so long. Guess I was tired. Probably not going to sleep that well again for awhile, but it sure felt good!
Oh yeah, I'm getting a brand new room because we're moving! I've seen it and it's great! So much bigger than my room now! More space for more toys!!! Also, there's a space outside with grass for me to play! I can't wait!
Let's see...what else. I still only have two teeth. I'm thinking another few are going to pop though because I've been kinda grumpy lately. I love standing and holding onto the couches and walking around the room. I'm a great crawler! I love dancing. Reading books. Sleeping with mommy and daddy. Splashing in my bath. Singing. Laughing and pounding on things!
That's about it. Not much new this month. I'm almost one year old!!!
Love, Ezra
April 21, 2015
9 months
Hi Family!
Can you believe I'm 9 months old?!? A lot has happened this month and I'm changing so much everyday! First of all...I have TWO teeth! They popped out together and now I like to bite on everything I can get my hands on. They weren't so bad coming out either. My mom and dad thought I was teething for months, but really I was just growing a little cranky sometimes. I'm still loving my solid foods! My mom gave me egg and cheese for the first time this month. I like them a lot. If I eat too much egg, I sometimes throw up, so my mom has learned to not feed me too much.
Let's see, what else. Well, I went to Bali with my mommy and daddy for vacation this month and did GREAT! I got tired on the plane and slept the whole way there and home too. My mommy and daddy let me sleep with them in bed on the trip and that's my favorite! I took great naps and got to see some fun new things! It was hot...really hot, but I love to be warm so I was happy most of the trip. Spending time with my mommy and daddy is my favorite.
I learned how to crawl this month too! So many changes! I like to watch my hands because I just noticed they were there and they never leave! I still love my veggies, warm baths, blowing raspberries, my mommy and daddy singing and reading to me every night, snuggles and pounding on things. Mommy keeps telling me to be "gentle" but I get so excited and happy to see people that I like to just pound with excitement, so I'm working on my gentle hands.
That's about it. Teeth, crawling and trip to Bali. Kind of an exciting month. Oh yeah! The Easter Bunny came this month too! My mommy and daddy kept telling me that a bunny was going to come into our house to leave treats when I was sleeping, and they were right! You would have loved it! The bunny left me my favorite snacks and even a stuffed animal.
Love,
Ezra
8 months
I turned 8 months! I haven't slept a full night in my own bed yet, but I'm getting closer and closer every night! I've even made it until 5am before having to sneak into my mommy and daddy's bed. I still like waking up 2 or 3 times every night to eat, but then I go back to sleep. Maybe in my ninth month I'll sleep in my big boy bed all night!
I love rice cereal and veggies. My mommy makes my food because she's always saying something about "organic" fruits and veggies, but I'm starting to like the way it tastes. Mages likes to give me baby rice teething treats and I think they taste great! I eat them all by myself.
I love my jump toy! I love sitting up and playing with my toys. I love that mommy and daddy read to me every night. I love going for walks with Mages. I LOVE splashing in my bath. I love that I'm going to Bali soon and get to spend 12 days with mommy and daddy. I don't like dogs barking. I don't like avocado (it makes me throw up)! I don't like oatmeal (yet). I don't like to be in a room by myself.
I'm 8 months and loved very much. I love you! I know you love me.
Hugs and kisses from Malaysia!
Love,
Ezra