Birthday Celebrations

We thought we'd go economical this year and have a shared birthday party for Jeremy and Cathleya. We had everything planned out, Evite sent, food bought, etc. Chris' parents drove up from Southern California just to celebrate with us.

We were going to have it at the same park next to my brother's house that we've had parties in the past. No reservations since it's a neighborhood park. So Chris was going to camp out at 4am to claim our tables. He gets up at 4am and goes to the park. Apparently the high school football team plastered the whole place with signs claiming the park for their football team and parent something or other. Chris calls me at some time before 6am (he didn't leave until closer to 5am) asking what to do. Does he wait until someone shows up to beg for a table? Go find another park?

Luckily we had looked at another no reservations park in Santa Clara so he went there to stake his claim. Even at 5 something in the morning, someone else was in a tent and sleeping bag guarding a site at this other park. But there were two more vacant spots so Chris took one. The last spot got snatched up within 5 minutes of Chris arriving and more people came looking around not long after that.

So I was in a rush to email everyone to tell them of the venue change. I emailed everyone from Evite, Facebook, text messaged phones... I don't think I got to everyone at least once. =)

It was sunny that day but a bit breezy where the tables were. The kids had a great time on the vintage playground. Lots of friends and family came out to celebrate with us. In spite the morning complications, it turned out to be a great day. Thanks everyone who joined us in the fun.

1 Already?

Jeremy is 1 year old already. Where did the time go? He's finally figured out how to crawl, although it is sometimes a little lopsided with one foot and one knee. He'll stand up if he's holding on to something. Still only 4 teeth up top and 2 on the bottom. His favorite and most accurate word is 'uh oh' when something falls. Its usually spoken as a question.

Cathleya learned how to spell her name and write it too. She's getting much better at it. She's moved to the next class, room 4 with Ms. Lilia. It was a hard week and a day of transition but she's gotten over it and has embraced her new classroom. She still misses Ms. Rosanna in room 1, but she ends up there at the end of the day while kids trickle out as their parents pick them up throughout the afternoon.

Disney World & Universal Studios Orlando

We had a fantastic time in Orlando Florida the first week of May. Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa we got to spend a week in sunny Florida with Mickey and the gang. Jeremy was 9 months old and popped out his first two bottom teeth that week but he did such a great job. This was both Cathleya and Jeremy's first airplane rides and they did pretty good. Jeremy would play for a while and fall asleep. Cathleya would talk and talk and talk and then pass out about 30 minutes before we landed. It was tough having to wake her up to get her off the plane, but she did well until the flight home. Screaming, yelling, crying after we woke her up. Glad she saved it for the last flight instead of the first.

The kids dealt with the heat ok and the rest of us tried not to melt. Sunday we played by the pool and Cathleya got a nice, instant tan. She didn't want to leave the pool.

Monday we went to the Magic Kingdom and took pictures with Mickey and the gang. Cathleya would get awe struck and give a blank smile in most of the pictures. She met Mickey, Goofy, Donald, Pluto, Daisy, and Minnie. We saw the princesses perform in front of Cinderella's castle. We started the day on the Jungle Cruise ride and Cathleya got scared of the skulls and was hiding under my arm for the rest of the ride.


Tuesday was Epcot. Epcot started with getting stuck on the Spaceship Earth ride. Its a good thing the AC was still working. We went Under the Sea with Nemo and talked to Crush and walked through Pixie Hallow and the butterfly exhibit as part of the International Flower and Garden Festival was going on at Epcot.


Wednesday we switched gears and went to Universal Islands of Adventure. Cathleya rode her first roller coaster, Flight of the Hippogriff. When she got off she said, "Can we ride it again?" Daddy sat the next one out and it was just the two of us. Daddy and I did wait in line for the new Harry Potter ride. The line weaves through the Hogwarts castle and the green houses before getting on the half simulator, half roller coaster ride, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. It was like Indiana Jones meets Star Tours. Chris got a little motion sick. Then off to the Three Broomsticks for butter beer and lunch. Cathleya had fun in Dr. Seuss land. We rode the One Fish Two Fish ride, Cat in the Hat ride, Caro-Seuss-El. We even got to see the X-Men mount their vehicles and ride off to some adventure. Maybe when the kids are older we'll go back and actually ride the cool big kid rides. Moving on.


Thursday we went to Disney's Animal Kingdom and then Epcot. We went on the safari ride, saw some cool animals. I think Cathleya's favorite was the flamingos. Jeremy rocked out to the Lion King show. She met Flick and slept through meeting Pocahontas and Camp Mickey and Minnie. Then we went back to Epcot to take pictures with all of the princesses that we missed on our first day at Epcot. Cathleya has pictures with Aurora, Belle, Jasmine and Aladdin,and Jeremy joined in with Mulan.


Epcot started with getting stuck on the Spaceship Earth ride. Its a good thing the AC was still working. We went Under the Sea with Nemo and talked to Crush and walked through Pixie Hallow and the butterfly exhibit as part of the International Flower and Garden Festival was going on at Epcot.

Friday we battled a bout of rain in the morning and explored Disney's Hollywood Studios and watched the Disney Junior Live on Stage with Mickey and the gang, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Handy Manny, and Little Einsteins. After the sun came out we met Woody and Buzz.

Saturday was airport day. We were glad to be home. And just in time for Mother's Day.

3.5 & 9

Isn't she a beauty? The pictures came in from picture day at school. I said to the photographer, "She never smiles that nice for me." He said, "Did you have a monkey on your head?" Alas. My response could only be 'no'.

Her favorite things to do is to decapitate any flower that she sees. Maybe not every flower, but I've developed quite a collection of dried up, smashed flowers scattered all over my car, random flowers shoved in a vase in the kitchen, and she's even give her teachers flowers too. She is a sweetheart but I have to limit her flower picking to one a day. maybe two if there's a lot. And to tell her that those aren't ours or this isn't our yard or our flowers so we shouldn't be picking them without asking.

At 9 months old my baby is starting to pop out his first teeth. The front bottom two look like they'll erupt while we're in Disney World...great. That's next week. He's drooling all over the place, like normal. He's been doing that since birth, it seems. Jeremy is also getting better at the Mama and Dadas but I'm not sure he knows what he's saying yet. He's sitting up very well now and can reach over to his pacifier and put it back in his mouth. He also enjoys eating solids. He'll tell you if he's still hungry and you better get him something else in his mouth or he'll keep screaming and whining at you.

Jeremy is still very clingy to Mom and Cathleya always seems to chime in with her "I want Mommy" routine whenever Jeremy cries for me. I think they're both learning about jealousy. But Cathleya still likes kissing Jeremy.

So our first airplane ride for both kids starts on Saturday. I'll be in denial until we land. Then I'll be excited to go to Disney World. But until then, it's all logistics and planning at this point. What to pack, what the airline requirements are, what security will let us bring, do we need a car seat, do we check it in, what about the strollers, what 'must haves' do we need out of the nursery, how much baby food can we bring on the plane, should we buy the rest when we get there, same with diapers, where on a plane do you change an infant, etc. Not to mention packing for Cathleya our ourselves. But every morning Cathleya asks if we're going to Disney World today. She'll have a blast. I just hope she's not moody when we have to get her out of the house by 4am.

Things Cathleya says:
- I don't want to wear that jacket. It makes me crazy. *starts to wiggle around*
- I DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING!! I'M STILL SLEEPING!!
- G'pa: See you later, alligator. Cathleya: I'm not an alligator.
- *She farts* Was that a mouse???

It's Cold Season

Jeremy's got an ear infection. He's on his second week now. The first week he was on antibiotics that didn't take. So he had to get a shot yesterday. Poor kid. But today the doctor said he's made improvements so she didn't need to give him the second shot. She tried to stick something in his ear attached to a machine to measure the fluids inside. He needed to stay still for like 30 seconds. She tried at least 6 or 7 times with no luck. He kept moving. So she had to rely on her own observations rather than some machine. Hopefully he won't relapse.

At 7 & 8 months Jeremy's been sitting up more and started solids. He's been eating well. He's quickly outgrowing his clothes. He's in 9 month's clothes for a while now. He coos and loves playing with his feet. He's a kicker. But he hasn't rolled over much yet or started crawling. He's very much a Mama's boy. Separation anxiety is his middle name. Its okay if I'm not in the room but if he sees me walk by, almost guaranteed he'll cry for me in the next minute or two. And of course Cathleya chimes in with the "I want Mommy" act too. Everybody loves Mommy.

Cathleya had picture day today. Yep, she started preschool after President's Day. She's going to Action Day Nursery preschool. She liked it the first week then cried when I left her for the following week. Although her grandparents were visiting at the time and she wanted to stay home with them. But the daily morning "I don't want to do ANYTHING!" is common nowadays. But her teacher says she's attentive and interacts well with the other kids. She comes home singing new songs and shows me her art projects. And she unloads half of the sandbox out of her shoes and socks. I really need to clean my car.

Four, Five, Six

The little guy is 6 months old today. Where does the time go? Obviously not toward this blog. Sorry.

Jeremy has gotten a lot more interesting in the last 3 months. At 4 months he started greeting Mommy & Daddy with a great big smile. At 5 months he started babbling. At 6 months he's saying what sounds like "I wah Mama", flirting with big grins and giggles, blowing raspberries, and stares at his hands from time to time. He hasn't mastered rolling over or sitting up yet, but he's getting there.

Jeremy loves to watch his sister. And Cathleya, in turn, loves playing with Jeremy's toys. I suppose its a type of regression. But Jeremy doesn't seem to mind yet. He'll just pull her hair if she gets too close. She loves kissing him and askes to hold him once in a while. If he's napping she'll tell you, "Shhh, baby's sleeping" as she proceeds to scream at the top of her lungs for no good reason.

Jeremy's growing like a weed. Well, maybe not quite that fast. Clothes seem to always need washing, even after we've spent the weekend washing everything... it all comes back the next day. He 's outgrowing his 6 month clothes already and we're dipping into the 9 month already.

Cathleya has been growing too. But she's more in line with the standard sizing. Still fits 3T clothes. Although her brain is a different story. She's always been advanced for her age. She's got the mind of a 5 year old. We try hard not to compare her with other kids, but she is coloring in the lines, successful with dot to dots, she can count past 50 and loves her tracing letters game and her Leapster 2. She knows her first and last name, can name all of the Beatles, and loves to invent new dances and sing made up songs consisting of blending together lyrics from other songs. She's expressed disintrest in daycare and wants to go to school. She doesn't really know what school is, but her daycare alumni has been in and out of daycare to drop off her little brother and talks about going to school. So we took her cues and have been touring preschools. Daycare isn't a challenge for Cathleya anymore. We'll hoping to find an affordable preschool that will test her brain.

Jeremy has started going to Cathleya's daycare since the new year. He's fairly easy to read so Auntie Et enjoys the predictability with Jeremy. He's made daycare a bit crowded making him kid number 6 so we really need to get Cathleya into a new school or montesorri.

Cathleya and Jeremy spent the holidays in Murrieta. That was Jeremy's first road trip. He handled it well and slept most of the way. I had to remind him that back home, winter is never over 70 degrees like it is at Lolo & Lola's house. It was also Jeremy's first time in a motel. We decided to extend our stay in LA and stay in SLO overnight so spend time with our college friends that still live there. They both got a great haul this year. And as I mentioned already, Cathleya has lots of fun playing with Jeremy's toys.

This year we're hoping to finally break ground in our house expansion which is 2 years in the making already. Why its taking so long, sometimes I don't even know. We're hoping for a snow trip in the next few weeks. At least to build a snow man and go home. Cathleya has never been and Daddy doesn't want to break his promise again to take her to see snow. We're also going to attempt Yosemite over Labor Day. Not sure what else is in store for us this year. A marathon, some halfs, and a relay or two for Chris. He's hoping for Comic-Con as well. Mom and the kids can visit Auntie Janice and Uncle Zach in San Diego with Auntie Lisa. Maybe we'll hit up Disneyland sometime in between.

3 Years and 3 Months

Cathleya is now 3 years old and Jeremy has 3 months under his belt.

In month 2 Jeremy started smiling. Now in month 3 he's cooing back at me, smiling, kinda laughing. We swear we can hear him cry "Mama" sometimes when he's whining. He's found his hands and tries to shove the whole fist in his mouth. It does occupy him for a little while if his binky falls out. Speaking of which, we were hesitant to give in to the pacifier but with Pah-Pah watching him now that I'm back to work (booo!!!) it was easier to stick the pacifier in his mouth than let him suck on her newly manicured fingers. Nail polish can't taste very good.

He's starting to grab for things that dangle in front of him while he's strapped in his car seat or swing, which is good for us to keep him occupied. But we are still his favorite form of entertainment. We will catch him staring at Cathleya's latest show or movie on the TV. He was rooting for the Giants too. His happy place seems to be the changing table. Unless he's hungry, he's usually all smiles on the changing table. Tummy time can be a challenge but it calms him sometimes. He loves singing along with "Head, Shoulders, Knees, & Toes" while sitting in Mommy's lap.

Cathleya loves her little brother, unless he's impeding on her alone time with Mommy or Daddy. But for the most part she's constantly trying to give Jeremy kisses, offers a diaper when we're changing him, independently offers him his pacifier when it falls out of his mouth and tells him 'Don't cry, Baby. It's ok. Mommy's coming', when he's fussing in his bouncy chair. We'll occasionally get a request, "Mommy, give Baby to Daddy so you can play with me." She tries.

Cathleya has discovered the Beatles. Her favorite song is Yellow submarine. It always amazes me when she starts singing full lyrics to songs like 'It's a Wonderful World', 'Yellow Submarine', or 'Lollipop Tree'. She's been learning to write her letters and sounding out words. She' not too good at the second part yet, but you have to catch her when she wants to try. She's drawing shapes like triangles and actually coloring in the lines. She likes connect the dots and attempts the other games in those activity books.

She speaks very clearly and matter of factly and cream or a band-aid will fix any owwie. She has gotten very good at working her Leapster 2 and "computer" with the drawing games, matching, memory, biggest to smallest type of activities using a stylus. I have to remind myself sometimes that she's only 3 years old.

We had a party for the kids celebrating Cathleya's 3rd birthday and Jeremy's Red Egg and Ginger party. The Red Egg party is historically to celebrate the life of the newborn (since the infant mortality rates where high in China way back when), introduce him to the family & friends, and symbolize happiness and renewal of life. Of course, Cathleya had too much fun playing and spent less time eating at the Todai-esk asian buffett. She ended the day with an extreme tantrum while trying to get in the car due to the lack of a nap. All in all it was a good day spent with generous friends and family.