Rohin, you’re changing almost every day! You’re such a kind little two year old. So many things to talk about. First, you’re very tall and starting to outgrow your two year old one piece pajamas already! Your vocabulary is changing also – you’re stringing words together and amaze mommy and daddy with what you can say. Recently, ammuma called and mommy handed the phone to you – you said “hi” so clearly that ammuma had to ask who it was! You love to talk on the phone, particularly to ammuma and grandma.
Your favorite TV show is Dora the explorer. Daddy will sometimes sing the first part of the Dora song “Dora Dora Dora Dora…” and wait – and you will in this cute high pitched voice say “explorer”. You also have this amazing talent at remembering almost every last word of every story we ever read to you. For example, with the Cat and the Hat – we can say “I did not like, not one little….” And you say “bit”. You know this for so many books – even books like Courdoroy – which is a story you love also besides cat in the hat. You also seem to love the personal penguin book. I new personal favorite book of yours is a potty book. You’re a great reader and love to read with mommy and daddy.
Speaking of potty – it’s POTTY TIME – at the Jopp household. You’re starting to wear big boy underwear and trying your luck with potty training. And you’re doing a great job! You have a couple accidents, but by and large – you’re getting the hang of it. That’s pretty amazing for your age.
Speaking of potty – well, of course you and your brother Talin get along infamously and like to repeat each other. If Talin spits, Rohin spits. Well, after your brother had a potty accident while getting a bath – you ran into the bathroom to see all the commotion while daddy was cleaning up Talin’s mess. Daddy made sure to tell you not to poo in the tub. Well – of course, the next day, Cate was giving you a bath and sure enough – you poohed too! So like Talin, bath tub got a little shorter for a while to give you both some time to gain better bowel control.
We also did a photo shoot for Talin and you recently. A woman offered to take model pictures of you both wearing clothes. The pictures turned out really cute – and you got to sit on our neigbor’s lawn tractor for pictures and got to drink chocoloate milk for the first time (since it matched your brown shirt). Needless to say, you love chocolate milk now. You’re still a huge cookie fan too!
Also, one of your other favorite things to do is to ask for your brother. Recently, mommy took you to a Dora show and you kept asking for Talin the whole time (who was with daddy at home). One funny situation was when we were in church last month. Daddy had to take Talin out because he was a little noisy. Well, mommy was holding you and you barely saw us over the crowd and you yelled “TALIN”! You both are great brothers to each other. Mommy and daddy hope you all stay close to each other – as family is the most important thing in life.
Oh yes – big news. For your’s and Talin’s birthday you both got a new swingset in the backyard. You love the sliding board! So going “outside” is a big hit. Speaking of – we are having a beautiful spring and spending lots of time outside. We planted a new garden recently and you have been going out to water it diligently.
One last update -- your baby sister is coming soon Rohin -- so you're going to be a big brother twice over! That’s it for now Rohin. Mommy and daddy love you so much!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Cherry Blossoms
Welcome to April Rohin! The weather is incredible and the flowers are now in bloom. This week, we went over to see the Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC. They bring back memories for mommy and daddy when they first went to see them before you were born. So it was mommy, daddy, Rohin and Talin. We had a great day and then went to M&S Grill for lunch.
In other news, your language is really developing Rohin. You are stringing your words together to form sentences. You've become a little pickier about food recently -- but love your veggies and fruits -- it's just meats that are more difficult. You're doing a great job also reading your books. You also now love to sleep with you giant pooh bear in your bed at night. This weekend we're heading over to grandma and grandpa's for Easter! Happy Easter Rohin!
In other news, your language is really developing Rohin. You are stringing your words together to form sentences. You've become a little pickier about food recently -- but love your veggies and fruits -- it's just meats that are more difficult. You're doing a great job also reading your books. You also now love to sleep with you giant pooh bear in your bed at night. This weekend we're heading over to grandma and grandpa's for Easter! Happy Easter Rohin!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Happy 2nd Birthday Rohin!!!
Happy 2nd birthday Rohin! We had such a wonderful time celebrating your birthday today Rohin. Mommy, daddy, Talin, Ammuma, Grandma, Grandpa, and your aunt Savitha and aunt Sadhana and godmom Usha were all there to celebrate with you. Mommy made you a car cake for your birthday! We went to your first circus ever and you LOVED it! You ate cotton candy and were in awe the whole time. We then came back home and grilled out and had chicken and beef and then ate your cake! You even blew out your own candles and told everyone that you were 2 years old! Mommy and daddy are so proud of you Rohin!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Winter is finally almost over!
Well, this month Rohin, you will be turning two years old. We cannot believe how fast time has gone by – but it’s been a wonderful two years. You’re such a wonderful little boy – you’ve made our lives so rich. You're growing up so fast and have learned so much.
So lots of things to update the world on. Your leg is now completely healed and you’re pretty much back to normal walking and running – with a little limp. You are really talking a lot these days Rohin. You are starting to strings words together regularly. You still love the words car, mama, dada. Your new love is light switched – you will move the laundry basket on your own and get on it to reach the light switch to turn it on and off. You also have learned to open the front door now!
Finally, the snow is melting. We had one of the worst snow storms ever in our history – but now it’s finally getting close to spring. You really love going outside and enjoy riding on daddy’s lawnmower and also enjoy walking over to George and Judy’s house and hope on their old lawn tractor that doesn’t work.
We also seem to have a new routine at night time. About 6:30pm, you cuddle with mommy or daddy on the sofa and when daddy asked you if you’re ready for bed – you shake your head and say “SIT”! And I swear, you don’t move one inch off the sofa! You’re still sleeping through the night for 12 hours and also sleep in the afternoons now for about 2-3 hours. As for foods, you love Italian food and fruits and green vegetables like Broccoli.
Also, you have become very interested in Talin recently and hug him often and kiss him. You also love to snuggle with mommy and daddy before bed time on the sofa to watch TV. If we say "are you ready for bed" -- you say "sit...sit".
One funny story mom told daddy (who was away in Seattle) was that apparently you went potty in your diaper, reached in and put pooh all of your head this week – saying “pooh pooh”…
We love you Rohin!
So lots of things to update the world on. Your leg is now completely healed and you’re pretty much back to normal walking and running – with a little limp. You are really talking a lot these days Rohin. You are starting to strings words together regularly. You still love the words car, mama, dada. Your new love is light switched – you will move the laundry basket on your own and get on it to reach the light switch to turn it on and off. You also have learned to open the front door now!
Finally, the snow is melting. We had one of the worst snow storms ever in our history – but now it’s finally getting close to spring. You really love going outside and enjoy riding on daddy’s lawnmower and also enjoy walking over to George and Judy’s house and hope on their old lawn tractor that doesn’t work.
We also seem to have a new routine at night time. About 6:30pm, you cuddle with mommy or daddy on the sofa and when daddy asked you if you’re ready for bed – you shake your head and say “SIT”! And I swear, you don’t move one inch off the sofa! You’re still sleeping through the night for 12 hours and also sleep in the afternoons now for about 2-3 hours. As for foods, you love Italian food and fruits and green vegetables like Broccoli.
Also, you have become very interested in Talin recently and hug him often and kiss him. You also love to snuggle with mommy and daddy before bed time on the sofa to watch TV. If we say "are you ready for bed" -- you say "sit...sit".
One funny story mom told daddy (who was away in Seattle) was that apparently you went potty in your diaper, reached in and put pooh all of your head this week – saying “pooh pooh”…
We love you Rohin!
Blizzard of 2010
My dear sons, Rohin and Talin,
By the time you are old enough to read this blog for yourselves, you will already know how much I love your daddy. But you will not have remembered an experience we had together as a family that had a small impact on me in life. It was during the blizzard of 2010.
Your father was in Los Angeles on a business trip and was unable to fly back due a the major snow storm that hit our area. We predicted that all flights would be cancelled and decided to stay with Ammuma and Thatha through the weekend. We packed up as much as we could, including some food items, cloths, even your Jump and Jive which you both love so much and of course, Yogi. Ammuma and Thatha were very excited to have us all stay over. We hoped and prayed for your daddy's safe return knowing it wouldn't be for 2-3 more nights that we'd see him.
The storm got so bad that the the snow reached 3 feet in height. All was well until the power went out early Saturday. We all huddle together to prepare for a cold, cold night. Firewood was available but unfortunately had to be hauled from way back at the edge of the property. Ammuma, Sadhana Chechi and mama hauled loads of wood to start a fire in the fireplace. Thatha was very sick so we put him in charge of managing the two of you. You both were starting to get very cold but were playful and happy. As the night drew closer, I had a feeling that we were in for a long night. Talin, we bundled you up in a thick fleece pajama and over top you wore your brown grizzly bear warm up suit. You might have been the warmest of us all, except, even with mittens I couldn't seem to keep your hands warm. Rohin, we suited you up with three layers of clothing, and later decided to keep you in your thick winter coat. You could hardly move your were so bundled up. You were not happy anymore.
By seven o'clock that night we were ready. All of our cell phones had lost power. I had one bar left on my phone, enough to say goodnight to daddy and tell him not to worry and that we all loved and missed him very much. It was pitch dark in the house except for the small glow of the fire. The wood we had was not good and radiated very little heat. We all cuddled up on the floor in front of the fire place. It was cold. I stayed up all night tending to the fire and making sure that all of your body parts, especially your heads, were covered by mounds of blankets. By 3am, it was really cold. We had run out of firewood and the temperature in the house dropped below 40 degrees.
So much ran through my head that night. I thought of how difficult it was to see you both so cold and uncomfortable. I worried so much about you both getting sick or being hungry. I thought about the less fortunate, without even the basics to survive, who have no choice but to see their children suffer cold, hunger and sickness. We are so fortunate. We must always count our blessings.
What I didn’t know that night, was how your father was very tormented by the fact that he couldn’t speak to us to know that we were ok. And just like your father, he was going to do something about it. That night, after countless hours of negotiating with the airlines, he managed to get on a red-eye flight to Charlotte, NC. He rented a car and drove up to Virginia through horrible road conditions and reached our neighborhood by afternoon. He then understood why our roads hadn’t been plowed. Union Church Road was blocked by two fallen trees and down electrical lines from both directions of Bellview Road. He hired a group of men to snow blow around the tree to create a walking path to the house that spanned almost a mile long. We walked the path and escaped safely. It was quite a rescue mission that your father orchestrated. If it hadn’t been for him, we would have been stranded in the cold for another two nights.
I hope that you will consider this story a testament to your father’s heroism. You will see much more of his courage and leadership in your lifetime. Here’s a little secret I’ve learned about him, that I’d like to share with you…he is driven by love, his love for us. You see, there is nothing in the world he wouldn’t do for you boys. You are our most precious gifts in life. In a few months, we will welcome your sister into the world. And since your father named you both symbolically after heros, I would like to name her after my hero in life. I’ve decided to call her Aeowyn Devin Jopp. Love – mom.
By the time you are old enough to read this blog for yourselves, you will already know how much I love your daddy. But you will not have remembered an experience we had together as a family that had a small impact on me in life. It was during the blizzard of 2010.
Your father was in Los Angeles on a business trip and was unable to fly back due a the major snow storm that hit our area. We predicted that all flights would be cancelled and decided to stay with Ammuma and Thatha through the weekend. We packed up as much as we could, including some food items, cloths, even your Jump and Jive which you both love so much and of course, Yogi. Ammuma and Thatha were very excited to have us all stay over. We hoped and prayed for your daddy's safe return knowing it wouldn't be for 2-3 more nights that we'd see him.
The storm got so bad that the the snow reached 3 feet in height. All was well until the power went out early Saturday. We all huddle together to prepare for a cold, cold night. Firewood was available but unfortunately had to be hauled from way back at the edge of the property. Ammuma, Sadhana Chechi and mama hauled loads of wood to start a fire in the fireplace. Thatha was very sick so we put him in charge of managing the two of you. You both were starting to get very cold but were playful and happy. As the night drew closer, I had a feeling that we were in for a long night. Talin, we bundled you up in a thick fleece pajama and over top you wore your brown grizzly bear warm up suit. You might have been the warmest of us all, except, even with mittens I couldn't seem to keep your hands warm. Rohin, we suited you up with three layers of clothing, and later decided to keep you in your thick winter coat. You could hardly move your were so bundled up. You were not happy anymore.
By seven o'clock that night we were ready. All of our cell phones had lost power. I had one bar left on my phone, enough to say goodnight to daddy and tell him not to worry and that we all loved and missed him very much. It was pitch dark in the house except for the small glow of the fire. The wood we had was not good and radiated very little heat. We all cuddled up on the floor in front of the fire place. It was cold. I stayed up all night tending to the fire and making sure that all of your body parts, especially your heads, were covered by mounds of blankets. By 3am, it was really cold. We had run out of firewood and the temperature in the house dropped below 40 degrees.
So much ran through my head that night. I thought of how difficult it was to see you both so cold and uncomfortable. I worried so much about you both getting sick or being hungry. I thought about the less fortunate, without even the basics to survive, who have no choice but to see their children suffer cold, hunger and sickness. We are so fortunate. We must always count our blessings.
What I didn’t know that night, was how your father was very tormented by the fact that he couldn’t speak to us to know that we were ok. And just like your father, he was going to do something about it. That night, after countless hours of negotiating with the airlines, he managed to get on a red-eye flight to Charlotte, NC. He rented a car and drove up to Virginia through horrible road conditions and reached our neighborhood by afternoon. He then understood why our roads hadn’t been plowed. Union Church Road was blocked by two fallen trees and down electrical lines from both directions of Bellview Road. He hired a group of men to snow blow around the tree to create a walking path to the house that spanned almost a mile long. We walked the path and escaped safely. It was quite a rescue mission that your father orchestrated. If it hadn’t been for him, we would have been stranded in the cold for another two nights.
I hope that you will consider this story a testament to your father’s heroism. You will see much more of his courage and leadership in your lifetime. Here’s a little secret I’ve learned about him, that I’d like to share with you…he is driven by love, his love for us. You see, there is nothing in the world he wouldn’t do for you boys. You are our most precious gifts in life. In a few months, we will welcome your sister into the world. And since your father named you both symbolically after heros, I would like to name her after my hero in life. I’ve decided to call her Aeowyn Devin Jopp. Love – mom.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Snow Storms and Casts
Well, apparently the worst snow storm in 50 years has hit -- on top of the almost 30" we already had this year. Total snow fall is in excess of 2 ft. This was only a couple days after we had 5 inches of snow earlier in the week. Daddy is writing this blog post from Los Angeles, because he traveled on business and all the flight were cancelled coming home. Mommy took you both to Ammuma and Thatha's house (see the picture). Daddy gets home tomorrow to see you all and to dig out from the storm! We're going to go play outside and build snow forts too!
In other news Rohin, your cast came off. You were only in it for 9 days. Mommy said that you laughed when they used the buzz saw to cut it off because they put ear protection on you like daddy does when you cut grass together. So you're back to walking around. You continue to learn so many new words -- but you still love to say car! Daddy car, mommy car, car outta here, etc... You understand pretty much almost everything and have even learned to negotiate -- I will do x if you do y!
Also, we have lots of renovations going on right now in the house. You love to watch the workers. We had a closet moved upstairs and next week, we're going to have all new carpet put in upstairs to make it a big play area for you, Talin and your new little sister who is coming soon!
That's it for now. Daddy misses you very much!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
First injury
It's Saturday, Jan 23rd -- the sun is shining and the whole family decided to go to the air and space muesem here next to Dulles. Daddy grabs Talin's car seat and you and goes down the steps. Unfortunately, there is ice and daddy slips down the steps with you both. Talin was safe and daddy kept you on top of him -- but your little foot wasn't so lucky. We took you to the urgent care center and they said you had a little fracture.
At the urgent care center and at the doctor's office when you got your cast, they remarked about how wonderful little boy you are and how they've never seen such an agreeable little man. We're very proud of you. So you have your blue cast for the next 10 days -- and then they said you're free! you can walk on the cast too - which is great!
The two pictures are 1) your xray and 2) you in your blue cast with Mr. Boo Boo -- the glove that daddy blew up. You do like to point to your leg and say "boo boo".
BTW -- a funny post Christmas story. After mommy and daddy took down the tree, you and Talin were down for a nap. When you got up -- the tree was gone. You told daddy and mommy "Tree, car, outta here". Of course, Santa used the sleigh instead of a car -- but pretty much that's what happened!!!!
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