Ode to Uncle Chris...

Yo Bro! Happy Birthday from the clan!

My baby brother turns 28 today...which means he's approaching 30....which means I'm only getting older too. eeeks! Sorry we're skipping town this weekend, but I'm sure you'll find something fun to do on a Friday night for your birthday. (It might be best we're not attending!) Thanks for the laughs and the high fives!

Psst...I've got a Secret!

Okay, blogworld, family, friends and lurkers, here it is...

I've been DYING to tell you really. But trying to be cautiously optimistic, I had to wait until the timing was right. I also needed that professional verification. I can't trust my own hormonal history. If all goes well, you can expect our new arrival sometime early April 2008. Keep the little "bean" in your prayers.

Phew...that's done. Now, I've got some "unpublished" and out-dated blog posts to publish! (See, I haven't just been slacking on my posts...I have just been "drafting" until now!)

However, while you digest this post, I've got some digesting to do at the Reno Rib Fest for the weekend. Whoo Hoo! Stay tuned for more exciting posts, as they've just been idling in "draft" mode for quite some time. They're going to be good!

Popcorn anyone?

Why are kids attracted to placing foreign objects into human orifices? Especially 5-year old ones?

It was a successful Sunday at our house, well, minus the housekeeping that seems to be a vicious cycle. As soon as the blocks are put away, someone comes along and dumps them all out again. The Power Ranger's never stay within their storage box, puzzle pieces are flown about, books seem to mysteriously fall between the cracks of the couch, articles of clothing strung about...it doesn't stop! Donovan's constantly bringing shoes out from everywhere. He's always sporting something new - my sandals, dad's tennis shoes, brother's school shoes, and sometimes, even slippers.

I was excited to be able to post on here a joke that Dominic told me during dinner time, but this "popcorn" episode just won its spot. (The joke certainly made me laugh, so I'll post it at the end). And, to end the "successful" Sunday we were having...

POPCORN KERNELS DO NOT BELONG IN EARS!!!

Popcorn is a special treat for Dominic. He loves the stuff. Normally we save the weekends for having a bowl of popcorn and a few glasses of milk while watching..what else...a Power Ranger episode. Unfortunately, the timing of this was off, as Donovan was still awake and wanted to be included in the delicacy. I usually don't allow him to eat popcorn because I'm afraid he'll choke on a dry chunk of kernel skin or bite down on a hard one and ruin his teeth. However, it was too late. Donovan found his place next to the bowl on the couch and patted the seat next to him as if asking me to join them. I did, for a few handfuls, then off to put laundry away. I come back to check on them and Dominic says to me:

"Look Mom, we've got seeds in our ears!"

What provoked that? I don't know. So, that's enough to freak any mother out, but for him to say "WE'VE"????? Was this some sort of joint decision to do this??? Panic set in while fingers did too. Luckily Donovan's "seeds" were out already. Thank goodness! Dominic however managed to only get one out, while the other was perfectly lodged in his ear. No tugging, pulling or irrigating would get it out. It's in there...GOOD. How does one get a greasy, smooth, round object from an ear canal? After consulting with the 24-hour Advice Nurse, and Nurse Grandma Gertie and Nurse Papa Gertie (oh, and the Internet), we waited the night out to take him into the doctor this morning. He slept soundly. Perhaps because any noise was muffled out for the entire night???

The "extraction" went well at the doctor's office this morning. Yikes..full headlamp/magnifier gear required! A little whimper on Dominic's part was all. Now, if we could only have a set of tools like the doctor had! Dominic assures us he will "eat" his popcorn and never stick anything else in his ear again. Let's just hope he doesn't find another orifice to plug up!

Ready for the joke?

Dominic asks me: "Mom, what car does Minnie drive?"

(I have to think about this...Does Minnie drive a car? Doesn't Mickey drive her around?)

I answer: "Um, I don't know. What kind of car DOES Minnie drive?"

His response: "A Minnie-van!"

Good huh? Made me laugh!

Operation Overdrive

What a week! Dominic has been in "overdrive" since Day 1 of Kindergarten. Thank goodness for the approaching weekend. He's going to need to rest his noggin before next week's challenge (which includes soccer practice). As far as I can tell, he's liking school. Although I can very well tell he's overwhelmed by it too. Everything is so new to him. His routine has been completely turned around. And so has ours! It was always hard to get dinner on the table every night. Now, it's harder getting dinner ready, the kids fed and bathed, school uniform layed out for the next day, lunch made and packed, plus the morning "healthy snack" that has to be chosen - it's usually, "What would Captain Carlos choose?" when deciding which snack he'd like to have.

The papers! Wow! So they only come home twice a week in a white envelope to be signed and returned to class the next day, but I've only just begun to digest what all has taken place throughout the week, what's about to take place in the coming weeks, etc. There's sort of a parent's newsletter that is distributed, a "check list" of things that the school or class needs: money for pizza Fridays (I can do that!), mandatory supplies, forms to be filled out. Gasp! Screech! Apply the brakes!!!

So...we're all exhausted. Once loaded in the car when picked up, Dominic falls asleep within 5 minutes and is OUT until arriving home. This usually creates an "attitude" that we don't see too often. The crankiness is outrageous! Hopefully this with resolve itself in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for another exciting week!....

First Day of Kindergarten

Whelp, the time has come... Dominic is officially a full-time, Catholic School Kindergartner. We have a SJV Tiger on our hands! We definitely have some changes in our morning routine to get used to. Donovan doesn't have his brother to pal-around with at daycare anymore. But he does still have his cousins, Sydney and Peyton...they'll stick with him! I packed lunches last night for all of us (except Donovan, he gets home-cooked meals) and actually remembered to take them in the morning!

After dropping off Donovan at daycare, Rudy and I drove separately to take Dominic to his First Day of Kindergarten. He was ready for it. Camera in my hand, camcorder in Rudy's, we waited for the doors to open to start the day. We must have gotten there early because it took FOREVER for Mrs. Hooper to invite the kids in. I think the kids and parents did exceptionally well with the "parting" and the school year got off to a great start.

The boys and their backpacks

Dominic's classroom

Hey look...it's Ana!

Our First Back to School Night

Are we really that old? Is mid to upper 30's too young to have a Kindergartner? It was our first "Back to School" night, of many to come I'm sure. We sat in the classroom in the students' chairs, where our knees didn't fit under the tables and our stomachs flapped over the edge. It's been quite a long time since we were able to fit in those chairs. So, are we young parents? Or, have parents chosen to have their kids later in life? I felt so out of place! Gasp! Our son...a kindergartner? It was a very informational night for sure. And for once, I think this is going to be our solution to our constant bedtime battles. Dominic is going to be WIPED OUT by the end of his school day, his bed will never look so good. I can dream, right? I'm just a little nervous of how Monday is going to go. Hot lunch days, pizza days, early dismissal days, flag days, share days, mass days, free dress days....how does one keep track? I'm afraid of being sent to the Principal's Office! I can only hope that by the end of the school year, this will all seem like "old hat".

Oh the anticipation of being "Star of the Week"!

That's a LOT of information!

Cancel the Urologist!!!

What's been missing, has been found!!!

Donovan had a routine "well-child" appointment this morning. All is well! I was concerned about a referral we were to receive from Donovan's Urologist to see a Pediatric Urologist. I had not seen the referral yet and his doctor said he'd "get on it". It is possible that the Pediatric Urologist is booked 2 months ahead, but that shouldn't be any reason why we have not been contacted yet.

Well, lo and behold, what's been missing, has now been found! YIPPEE!!!! No need to see the P.U. (<---that's funny!) since the doctor assured us that "it's there"! We go back in 6 months just to be sure it ends up "in the sac".

Party in the park!

Backyardigans in the Park

So having Donovan's party at the park is WAY less stressful than having it at home! It's still a lot of work, and you have to transport everything you'll need to the party location. It was SUPER nice to use someone else's garbage cans, picnic area and playground. It made clean up easy, although having to come home to make room for leftovers in the fridge wasn't fun.

The kids had a blast...and most of them had a splash! If you remember, back on my first day of the SAHM Trials, Donovan and I scoped this place out and reserved it for this special day. It was fantastic. The weather was gorgeous. Couldn't have asked for a better day (...well I'd prefer Saturday, but the party area was booked). Between Tio Phil, Grandma Gertie and myself, we were sure to get some great photos. I'm sure Tia Kristie got some too, if you check out her blog! (hint, hint Tia!). Miss Bianca had 2 games today in her soccer tourney so she came by with the rest of the gang in between her morning victory and her next game going for the Championship! Glad they could come by for a bit. For all who came out, we thank you for having fun with us and celebrating Donovan's 2nd Birthday.

Sometimes, the water had a mind of its own.

Pablo Dominic

Pretending to be "best buds".

Don't ever shop with Tio Ben...it'll be nerve-wracking!
Can you imagine how many toys he has
to "test" before finding the noisiest one?

Donovan, just hangin' around.

Peyton and Sydney take a break from all the water fun.

Some photos taken by Tio Phil:
(photos not of original quality)

And more photos from Grandma Gertie:

Gee, I guess I'll have to look at my photos from my camera.
They'll have to be a separate post...if they're blog-worthy!

Bats, skunks and classmates....OH MY!

Tonight we went to Rudy's 20th High School Reunion. Boooooorrrrring! What fun is it to attend these things when you don't know ANY of the people? We both went to his 10th and 15th Reunions and this one wasn't much different. The men were still bald; the women still competed for "best dressed". I wasn't "around" during Rudy's high school days, so I'm clueless as to who these people are. We didn't "connect" with anyone really...just sat like loners and greeted those who came by squinting at our name tags to find out who WE were. Everyone asked the same questions: "What have you been up to? Got kids? What do you do? Where do you live?" Then the typical comment, "My, you haven't changed! Less hair is all." ---Introduce the wife, then we never see them again! People were standing around chit-chatting. What more could they possibly be talking about? Perhaps, we just weren't made to be "socialites".

The Reunion took place aboard the Delta King in Old Sacramento. Nice venue, but a heck of a walk to get there - not fun walking cobblestone streets and wooden-planked sidewalks in dressy shoes! We parked in the parking garage, where a stench was evident throughout. I couldn't wait to breathe fresh air! The gathering consisted of about 75 alumni with their guests. No dinner was served, but they did have delicious appetizers (I'd spell "hors'deurves", but I only scored 87% in spelling, per previous post) and scrumptious dessert. The audio was horrible, as we couldn't understand the announcer, DJ or hear the sound from the "Senior Film" they played. Yep, we're party poopers and just gawked at people. One noticeable alum was a gentleman who everyone knew as the "LSD-acid dropper" who looked like a hippy back in his heyday...heck he still does! Would you believe this guy is a professor at Cornell University and traveled all the way from the East Coast for this lovely event? His attire tonight was quite the fashion statement: navy collared shirt, black shorts with a belt, black ankle socks and Tevas. Yep, still a hippy!

So where do bats and skunks come in? As soon as we "jumped ship" from the Reunion, we smelled a strong odor of a skunk as we walked to the parking garage. Ewww! At the parking garage, remember, was this other unique stench. We figured it out.... Bat guano! There were tons of bats flittering about crevices of this parking garage, most likely having a meal of the insects lurking about the lights. Gross, gross, gross. Their squeaks, their fast mobility and the fact that they're blind, just doesn't settle well with me. Back in the safety of our car, we proceeded toward the freeway, when we encountered yet another skunk. A baby one! Sure, the river was close by, but this smelly creature was definitely heading the wrong direction! A skunk in the city will never survive! Glad he stayed on the overpass' sidewalk.

We picked the boys up from Rudy's parents. Once we hit the main road back home, they were both OUT like a light. Here's Dominic dead asleep...notice his hand? How does he do that?

Happy Birthday My Sweet Boy!

My baby boy has a birthday today. He's the big TWO! Seems like it was only last summer that he entered this world. Yet, it was 2 summers ago! I remember clearly, sitting at home anticipating the day of his arrival. My leave of absence from work left me on the couch in front of the TV watching The Price is Right, old Family Feud shows, reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond, or The Discovery Channel episodes of A Birth Story, Birth Day, Bringing Home Baby or Make Room for Baby. I cried my eyes out at ANY of these shows. Well, okay, just those few sappy, girly-hormonal shows. When I had enough, I flipped over to watch Ellen DeGeneres' show....she's hilarious!

August 10th, 2005 was a special day. It was the day that my routine appointment turned into a few steps over to the hospital for an unscheduled C-section. Heck, why not? No one else was in need of these doctors during the 2:00 to 3:00 hours and Donovan couldn't figure out which way was out. Hence, he was pryed from under my ribs and out into this world into a freezing cold operating room. I made a slideshow for his First Birthday last year (and have yet to order it). Turn on your sound, sit back and reminisce with me, won't you? (tissues optional)

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I thawt I wur a gud speller...

I Scored a 87%!

Mingle² - Free Online Dating

Happy Birthday Papa!

After church we went over to Papa and Grandma's house for BBQ and some birthday cake! Dominic was a bit disappointed that the house wasn't decorated in a theme. Just the day before, we joked around at what Papa's "theme" would be, and thought "Judge Judy" would be perfect for him! Dominic was leaning more toward a Power Ranger theme. Oh well. I guess there's always next year.

Tios Amezcua and Cousins Matthew and Kalyn came over to help us celebrate. We missed the Six Pack, as Bianca's soccer team played in a tournament all weekend. They got to come later though. (The Land Park Rage got 3rd Place! WAY TO GO BIANCA!!!!)

Goin' to the dogs!

Playdates used to be associated with "Stay At Home Moms". They were small get-togethers for moms to have some adult interaction while their kids wore themselves out playing together. Well NOT NO MORE!!!! Yes, playdates are now going to the dogs!

Roxy had a playdate this evening with Gertie. She was excited to go. It was her first time. We met at Gertie's favorite dog park - a place full of wonderful odors and happy tails to gather. Balls were flying everywhere, noses were exploring the surroundings. I've never seen so many happy dogs together, and on their best behavior I might add!

Gertie greets a Great Dane while Roxy (lower left) studies the procedure. We don't know these people. Heck, we don't know these dogs. However, the dogs are bound to "know" each after their first date anyway.

Creative minds...again.

Dominic and Dad did some "engineering" tonight with Lincoln Logs. We usually don't see much variance in structures built from the "blueprints" that came in the box. However, Dominic ventured off and designed this fine piece of architecture. He is quite proud, however can't break away from his TV show for the papparazzi.

Donovan: "Wanna get away?"

Lots of August Birthdays!

What a busy month this will be! Papa, Donovan, Tia Patty, Great Uncle Bob, Great Aunt Louane, Cousin Alana and Uncle Chris all have an August Birthday. Did I forget anyone?

I wanted to share some other special birthdays that have recently taken place:

Happy Birthday TODAY to the San Diego Zoo's newest Giant Panda. Congrats to Momma Bai Yun! Also, Happy 2nd Birthday to Su Lin (August 2)

Happy Birthday (on the 1st) to Savannah, Benjamin, Ethan and Andrew Steece. Proud parents Joe and Suz have the world praying for them and their 4 miracles.

Happy Birthday to the Quintuplets born on July 31st. The Wilkinson miracle babies made it to 34 weeks gestation and they are doing awesome! Momma had approximately 21.5 lbs of Kassidy, Kaydence, Kyndall, Rustin, and Ryder in her!

Stay tuned for these quad-families due ANY day: The Burkett's and The Malone's.