Langkawi Getaway

We had a three day weekend because of Ramadan so we decided to take advantage of it and go on a little beach vacation at the Andaman Resort in Langkawi, Malaysia.  We wanted to go somewhere pretty close and low key for our first trip in southeast Asia with Caroline and this was the perfect place.  We are still getting used to traveling with an infant so this served as a good test run.

We started off the first day with massages.  Unfortunately we could not enjoy our massages at the same time like we used to do on vacations due to baby duties. It was so enjoyable in the open air cliff side villa.  Although during my massage I could hear the wild monkeys ransacking a nearby villa.

The rest of our weekend consisted of eating, hanging out by the pool, and relaxing in our room.  We had intentions of going to the cable car on the island but due to logistical issues and potentially long holiday lines, we decided to stay around the resort.

Caroline and Derek at lunch.

Swimming really wears them out

Before dinner the first night

Feeling the sand between her toes

Super baby!

Sleepy poolside snuggles

Watching the waves

Dinner with a view

Caroline has proven to be an excellent traveler and we think she genuinely enjoyed vacation.  I know we loved getting to spend some quality time with her and just wish that she could remember the wonderful time we had.  We learned some valuable travel lessons on this trip which we used on our trip to Vietnam.  More to come!

4 Months and Into the Pool

The months are flying by and we are enjoying every moment!  Caroline has become very interactive in the last month and loves to play and observe the world around her.  She studies everything we do and gives lots of smiles.  She is one great sleeper and usually sleeps 9-11 hours straight through the night which many find surprising for a 100% breastfed baby.  Hopefully we won't get hit by the dreaded 4-month sleep regression.  No major accomplishments for the month but she is working hard on sitting up and standing.  She always wants to be up and able to see what is going on around her.

We still like to celebrate the 4th of July while we are abroad so we made sure Caroline was dressed up right for the occasion.

Celebrating her first 4th of July  

Our condo complex has a fantastic pool and we could finally take Caroline down to enjoy it.  She actually quite enjoyed the water so she will be ready for our trip to Langkawi.

Wearing her Baby Banz at the pool

Tuckered out from swimming

Bedtime stores with daddy

Practicing sitting up

Those baby blues!

She loves trying to stand.

Caroline's Baptism

While we were home for our vacation and John & Layne's wedding, we decided we wanted to get Caroline baptized.  We don't have plans for when we will be back in the US next so this was the best opportunity we had to do it with most of our family around.  I wanted to have the baptism in the sanctuary where Derek and I were married on a Sunday so that the church family could be there to witness but due to some scheduling conflicts and some extravagant bible school decorations we settled for a private Saturday service in the  chapel.  We hosted our family and friends at a luncheon before proceeding to the church for the service.

The precious baptismal gown that Caroline wore was first worn by her older cousin, Lauren.  My sister-in-law, Beth, monogrammed the girl's initials and dates of their baptisms.  Hopefully many more little girls in the Cutshall family will get to wear it too!

Caroline and Lauren's Initials

This party is for ME? 

Patti Cakes strikes again!  A beautiful baptismal cake by my mother.

How Caroline spent most of her luncheon.

Our family and friends who were able to make it.

Mid baptism.  So glad Pastor Barry was able to do this for us.  He married us as well.

Thanks to Katie and Adam for being Caroline's godparents!  She is one lucky little lady!

The nap paid off, she was wide awake for the baptism and pictures.

With Derek's parents 

With my parents

Cousins Lauren and William.  Lauren was so excited to share her gown with Caroline. 

The Cutshall Clan

The Mrozik's 

The godparents

Thank you to all the family who came and to Katie and Adam for being Caroline's Godparents. Also, thanks to Barry and Debbie Antley for joining us and welcoming Caroline in to the Christian family.

3 Months and Traveling the World

During our trip to the US, Caroline turned three months old!  It was a big month for her as she went on her first flight, first trip to the US, attended her first wedding, first time meeting most of the family, and was baptized.  All of this new stuff also brought her first jetlag and separation anxiety.  I'll be the first to say, jetlag baby is no fun but she really is a good traveler.  We were certainly nervous traveling that long with such a young child but we got several compliments on her behavior so she must have done well enough.

We were fortunate to have some global upgrades to redeem and we were upgraded for all but one of our flights.  This made it so I could lie flat most of the trip with her sleeping on my chest.  She loves to snuggle so she was quite happy.  The only embarrassing moment was when I nursed her a few minutes too early on the descent into Atlanta and she screamed her head off due to the pressure in her ears.  I learned my lesson and got the timing right for the rest of the trip.  Just like us, she was a bit cranky and tired for the first two days but we got her straightened out by waking her up at her normal time and going for walks to get a little sunlight.

She is typically a pretty easy going baby but we learned she has her limits.  So much newness was a bit of an overload on the senses bringing on the separation anxiety.  Thankfully, she has much improved since returning to Singapore and getting back to her routine.

Caroline is still on the small side but growing so quickly.  She is an observant little girl and learning new skills everyday.  She has started to coo and jabber a lot which we just love to hear and cannot get enough of it.

Smiling at Daddy during bathtime

Staring intently at her Daddy and talking to him a bit after her bath

First flight!  We took off just before midnight so she was exhausted.

Her first flight, on Singapore Airlines no less

So every time Derek and I have gone to Changi Airport, we have seen at least one Caucasian girl in baggy elephant pants.  After living in Asia, you realize only the tourists wear those pants so we enjoy picking them out all over the continent.  When Caroline received elephant pants (albeit not quite like the ones the tourists wear) we knew she had to wear them on the flight.  Hers are definitely much cuter!

"That girl" in the Tokyo airport wearing elephant pants.  Making full use of the lounge!

Sleeping with Daddy in business class

What Caroline thinks about getting to sit in business class

She was a trooper with all the driving we had to do from place to place during our trip.

Tummy time!

Caroline and her "talking"

3 Months!

More to come on her baptism and adventures over the last month!