Friday, July 17, 2009

Summer Days

We've been busy the past couple weeks as you can tell, since I haven't updated my blog in a while! We've been busy househunting, organizing playdates for Tristan with his friends, and grilling in the backyard ... We've done other fun things like take the kids to the bug fair at the Encinitas Quail Botanical Gardens and to the little water park in San Elijo. We've been trying to stay cool by splashing around the water table out back, and using our community pool. It's great being all healthy again and enjoying being a family with fun and crazy kids.

Tristan is obsessed with drains these days. Especially "dirty drains" as he calls them. We go on walks in the neighborhood and find all the drains. It's amazing how much joy that brings to him. He even calls the airvents in our house "drains" and is continually mesmerized by them. Parks aren't just about swings and slides, but they are about going on a drain search and stomping on them and putting leaves down them, etc...etc...

Kira is in love with brushing her teeth. She wants to brush her teeth all the time and she can already do it all by herself! It's amazing. If she's ever cranky (which is not that often), you just hand her a toothbrush and she is the happiest girl in the world! She's been busy figuring out how to get around the house by scooting, rolling, and jumping forward on her bottom. It's hysterical. She's busy and noisy and thinks that Tristan is the funniest dude in the world. She laughs at him all the time.

We went to the beach last week with Boppa, Grandma and Mom Mom. Tristan loved being in the sand and catching sand crabs. He built a sand castle with Boppa and every time he sees sand at the park on in movies, he says, "Boppa, sand!" Kira got attacked by a wave while we were there, but she's a trooper, and she had fun nonetheless.

Tristan just learned how to do the limbo by watching one of his KidsSongs dvd's and it's so cute to watch him try! He's quite the dancer these days ... He's also quite the mischeif maker. He got a hold of the baby powder and poured it all around our backyard. "Snow, mama!" That's one way to have snow in summer. It was fun!

We have a full weekend ahead of us with kids' birthday parties, and a baby shower. And probably more househunting, since the house we put an offer on did not get accepted. We're bummed, but excited because that means God has something better for us!

Monday, July 6, 2009

JULY HAS ARRIVED

We had a fun 4th of July Weekend ... started out the evening before, when we met Drew's family for dinner at Filipi's Pizza. Kira tasted her first black olives and was hooked - sooo cute! Tristan was more into finding the pinball machines, than actually eating pizza, but then we walked around outside and he found lots of drains and was therefore satisfied. He also got frozen yoghurt with Boppa. Yum Yum!

The morning of the 4th, the kids and I walked around the lake at the crack of dawn, then had a relaxing morning at home. After the kids naps, we headed down to North Park, to BBQ with our good friends Adam and Maureen. Drew made his famous buffalo shrimp and that was gobbled up in no time. The kids did great and we had a fun time! We ended our evening with Papi coming over for Tapas and then fireworks at Bradley Park. We found a spot on a grassy area near the park and witnessed Tristan and Kira's first introduction to an all American firework show. It was awesome! Both of them loved it. Tristan kept saying, "oh wow". Kira didn't know what to think, but she didn't seem bothered by the loud noice of the fireworks.

The next morning, Kira woke up with with a runny nose and fever (partially due to teething), but it was really cold the night before and she was out until 9:30pm! It was up and down all day and she was pretty cranky, poor thing. Then Tristan and I left for his friend Erin's birthday party. And Drew and Kira stayed home. We got a call about halfway through that Kira got her foot stuck in her crib during her nap and was very mad. Poor thing! We came home and took another walk around the lake (this always calms the kids down if they're cranky or hyper). It helped Kira relax, and Tristan came down off of his sugar high from the birthday cake he had at the party.

Kira was up all night feverish, but thank you Jesus, Tristan slept through it all! It's amazing how that happens. This morning, we went to get Tristan's hair cut and he was such a good boy. He just sat there still and quiet while the lady cut his hair. Then she gave him a green balloon and he was thrilled! Kira's fever is still fluctuating around 101.5, but the little bit of fresh air did her good. Now both the kids are napping and I am going to clean the house since it looks like a tornado hit. I may take a nap myself, and then start brainstorming on how we should celebrate Kira's first birthday ... just a month away and she will be 1 year old! Woohoo!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

"ABCD"

I can't believe it's Thursday already. This week is flying by. Monday and Tuesday we hung out with Tristan's friends in the neighborhood (Erin and Maile), because Maile was leaving for vacation on Wednesday, and I think Tristan has developed a little crush on her. Soooo cute. Wednesday we had Genesis and Jaida over for a couple of hours to play (my friend Helen's daughters). We had so much fun. Kira liked having other girls in the house for a change! They are much more gentle and sensitive. I realized that my wish for 5 children was insane. 4 is fun for a couple of hours, but I just don't know how my mom did it her whole life (and continues to do it!). I have gained a new respect for her for having 4 daughters. I can barely handle my two kids without losing it.

Kira is teething again, and it's so hard to see her miserable. She is such a happy baby normally that it breaks my heart to hear her cry. Tristan tries to cheer her up, and most of the time it works, but the rest of the time she just wants to be cuddled - which I absolutly love, because on a normal day, she'd rather be left to play by herself and she gets mad if I cuddle her. So I am good with this. But I do wish I could take her pain away. Thank the Lord for Hylands Homeopathic Teething Tablets - they are miraculous!

Today we had a playdate at Tristan's friend, Trevor's house. They had fun playing in the backyard, and Kira was fascinated with their dog Ginger. She thought the doggie was funny and would laugh everytime she came around Kira. After nap, we went over to my Grandpa and Grandma's house and hung out for a bit. Papi was there too, and Tristan liked that very much! We listened to Kira sing and watched Tristan as he investigated all the doors in the house and had an encounter with the water dispenser in their refridgerator door. It was great to see them and catch up and laugh at life, kids, etc.... My grandma is looking good. Tired, but healthier than the last time I saw her. She has pancreatic cancer and is currently undergoeing her 2nd round of chemotherapy. She had no energy and sleeps all the time. Please pray that her appetite increases in order to stay healthy and strong!

Today, as I was walking downstairs, from putting Kira down for a nap, I heard Tristan singing his "ABC's". It was the first time, and I nearly passed out with excitement. It went something like this: "ABC ... DE .... LOP ... Q .... TU .... ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ". Ah, it was adorable. I love that he left out letters, and only emphasized his favorites. Wish I had that video camera ready. I will be ready next time, that's for sure.

Well, now the kids are in bed, and I am off to hang out with my adorable, skinny(he's lost 35lbs!), and talented husband who just got offered a job at Sony Media as a Senior Web Developer! I am so proud of him!