This year we were in town for the Australian Defense Force's Annual Ball and we were finally able to attend. I had a dress made by a professional tailor and Eric wore his suit for the first time in Penang. We made a small overnight vacation, bringing Adalyn with us to the hotel and having Maliga babysit while we enjoyed dinner, drinks and dancing. It was a very fun night and I look forward to going next year! Even Adi got dressed up.
Last Friday, October 4th, I had the great privilege and honor to be the keynote speaker at the 5th Annual Luscious Ladies in Pink event in Penang. This event helps raise money and awareness for breast cancer in Penang. Before we moved to Malaysia, I had a dream that I would share my story at this event and it was a great pleasure to have my dream come true. I shared my personal story with a room full of 275+ people in the hopes that I would help save someone's life from breast cancer. I can say, without much doubt, that this is one of the proudest moments of my life. I know that I bravely shared my mom's fight with cancer and my smart decision to preventatively take action against breast cancer. Honestly, I have been overwhelmed by the response from the community, locally and by those who have shared my story globally and I feel as though all of the past hardships have been validated by my message of hope, resilience and choice. If you weren't able to see my talk in person, here is the video. Please share it with your friends and family.
In celebration and remembrance of my mom, Linda Sue Bell
In celebration of my sister, Jamie Boiles who is BRCA1 negative!
And in Hope for my daughter, Adalyn, that we will find a cure for breast cancer.
I received a heartfelt standing ovation from the room. I know my story touched so many, making it all worth it!
The love of my life, Eric, who has supported me through this journey
And a few of my friends who lovingly supported, encouraged, listened and gave at this fabulous morning to help women and families in Penang who are dealing with breast cancer.
I will leave you with my closing message from the event:
If you haven't had a mammogram in a while, schedule one.
If you are wondering if you have a family history of breast cancer, talk to someone in your family.
If you have a family history of breast cancer, talk to your doctor to see if genetic testing is right for you.
If you haven't done your breast self exam this month, do it today!
And, if you can, donate to your local breast cancer fund.
Remember, you can save your life or the life of someone else. Breast Cancer doesn't have to be a death sentence.
Yikes, she's 4 months already! No longer a newborn and turning into a very sweet little girl. This month has been a big month for Adi. She has taken her first international flight, learned how to sit in her Bumbo seat, had several play dates, rolled over, started laughing, watched her first Michigan game, had her first boat and train ride, attended her first Ball and continued to grow like a weed. We've been busy. Adalyn continues to be a great sleeper and a great little companion. She is still very portable going wherever we go and not arguing about it. She is a very happy baby and is not afraid to show others her cute little chubby checks and her gorgeous smile. She continues to put on weight and grow. She has more than doubled her birth weight and now weighs 6kg+ (13.2lbs) and is still pretty long. Here are a few pictures from her fourth month of life! Enjoy!
Adi says, "GO BLUE!"
At the top of Penang Hill. We took advantage of Eric's day off and spent some time at the top of Penang
Our portable little baby!
The preferred position when being held
Story time with Daddy
Adi and her worm. She loves him
Singapore!
She can stand!
And is just too cute!
Don't mess with this girl's bottle!
What's she looking at??
Playtime with Henry!
Big enough for the Bumbo Seat
And in case you haven't had enough of Adalyn, check out this video of her laughing!
We can't wait to see how much she changes this month!
Finally, after 15 weeks of life, Adalyn took her first plane ride and visited Singapore. It took (much) longer than expected to receive her passport and our Malaysian Visas so we were excited to start traveling again. Eric and I were in need of a break from Penang and Malaysia lah, having been grounded almost 6 months, a record for our time here and probably one of the longest stretches of our adult life. It was time, so off we went to Singapore, the large, clean, accessible, modern metropolis to the south. We had an amazing time visiting our friends Louise, Eric and Mia. Adi was a little star and allowed her parents a few late (10pm) nights and a few sleep ins (8am)! We enjoyed the conveniences of a modern city, hello sidewalks, shopped, ate (a lot) and saw a few of Singapore's many many sites. All in all a great first trip away and good prep for our upcoming visit back to the States.
We visited the amazing Gardens by the Bay on Saturday. We all enjoyed our time there and the cooler weather inside of the bio domes. Adi was great, taking naps in her stroller and then showing off her smile in the baby bjorn.
Family pic with a napping baby.
Happy in the Bjorn!
On Sunday we spent a lazy afternoon at Clark Quay, taking advantage of the riverside dinning and the cooler weather. We also took a cruise down the river checking out the city and the famed Marina Bay Sands. After our cruise, we spent the evening drinking beer at Breworkz and eating delicious tacos at Senior Taco.
First boat ride!
Marina Bay Sands. Perhaps we will visit this famous hotel on our next trip.
Adi passed out after her afternoon snack
A very happy man with a "real" beer in his hand
Adi doing what she does best! Fast asleep so her parents can enjoy a beer
Real Mexican Beer and Delicious Tacos
We HIGHLY recommend Senor Taco. Legit Mexican tacos. Expats you must go here!!
On our way back to Penang, Adi and Eric had some playtime in the airport!
First trip was a success! I'm pretty confident we will be back to Singapore in the near future! We all had a great time. Next trip....back to the States. Stay tuned, it will be a big one!
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