First Birthday Party, First Blog Post!

Happy Birthday, Isaiah Tiancheng Goll! 高天成，生日快乐！

Mama and Baba (Daddy in Chinese) have been working hard to get this blog running so we can start writing and leave a “simple abundant legacy“. What a joy that our first post after we are done with the blog construction pages is to celebrate our 2nd son’s first birthday!

His birthday this year has fallen on a Monday, free zoo day, also the first day my husband is done with Monday classes for the semester! With the beautiful weather, we can’t think about a better way to celebrate Isaiah’s birthday but to a zoo visit!  To make the event merrier, grandparents also joined us! Yeah for grandparents living nearby!!

Let’s get to know our little buddy a little more:

10 fun facts about Isaiah:

1. “Happy Feet, Isaiah!” Since he was born, he likes to move his feet and toes. At first I thought it was a baby thing, then I realized it is an “Isaiah” thing. Not sure how long this is going to last but we surely enjoy watching his movement.
2. Adores his big brother, Elijah. He is watching and interested in what his brother is doing and where he is going.
3. Loves music. As soon as music starts, so does his rocking.
4. Born at home on Mother’s Day in 2014.
5. “In Christ Alone” is Isaiah’s bedtime hymn.
6. Loves people and would rather happily play with people even when naps/meals are missed.
7. Blocks are not to build but to throw, the further the better.
8. Two bottom teeth like to chew a lot of real food, especially food from mama’s bowl.
9. Uses a lot of clicks in his speech (a great potential to learn African languages with clicks).
10. Loves sitting position the best as he discovered all the potentials by being super flexible.

Isaiah’s 5 Major Events 

1. He watched us gutting the house so patiently and joyfully.
2. Two road trips: Chicago, Memphis. Lost some hair in the back while laying in the car seat, but did amazingly well with the trip.
3. Attended BSF infant program.
4. Got to be with Gonggong (mama’s dad from China) for six weeks.
5. Attended Sunday services with us as a family.

5 Things Isaiah didn’t do for the first year: 

1. No fancy themed birthday party.
2. No sick visit for the first year.
3. No hair cut.
4. No baby story time at the library but attended pre-school programs with his big brother instead.
5. No walking, which worked out great with the house construction going on.