gym class:

We enrolled Naomi in a community-based gym class. It's only a fraction (I think 1/3) of the price of Gymboree. I also liked how this class was smaller, meaning more room to roam and more time on the equipment for the kids. Naomi made a friend as well, a little boy named Adam. Now she keeps asking to go back. It's once a week for 8 weeks.





Naomi dancing and exclaiming, "It's fun!" I compressed the video to 2MB.

santa cruz:

So Saturday night after our date, we all took a dip in the jacuzzi. It was nice and relaxing. On Sunday, we took the Roaring Camp train from Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park to the beach in Santa Cruz. I'm pretty sure I only slept 3 hours total the night before, but I was having too great a time to notice. After we got on some rides, we had lunch on the pier and then headed out to the beach. It worked out that Naomi actually had her nap on the way there, although she was ready to jump from car to car on the way back.

All we do is go out and have a good time, huh? :P No, it's just easiest to post about our special little trips when I'm short on time, I guess. But I know we are so blessed to be able to have family time like this.


Helping "Uncle Garage" (Gerard) make waffles for breakfast.


Naomi and Fran on the train through the redwood forest.


At the Boardwalk.


Lots of fun rides, several Naomi could ride for free.


Where's Officer Guapo?


Fun at the beach. We'll definitely have to do that again.

date night:

So we finally had our first full-on date night since Naomi was born. We went to see The Bourne Ultimatum and had dinner at a Mediterranean place. The movie was okay, although we both got motion sickness. I don't think I've ever been good with the first-person pov camera in movies or video games. Dinner was splendid. It felt a little awkward without Naomi, but we really enjoyed ourselves and our precious time together.

Naomi spent the evening with Manny's aunt and family. They said she did mention we had left, but overall did quite well and didn't cry. Believe me, we sure made it up to her the next day at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. :) That'll be the next post.


I had the paella and Manny had the filet mignon ravioli.


For dessert, we had semifreddo. Yum.

strawberry fields forever:

Last week, we went out strawberry-picking with some playgroup friends at Phipps Farm. We also made a stop at Pomponio Beach. It was a long drive and a long day, but well worth it.

Most of the bigger strawberries appeared to have been picked already, but Naomi scored six decent ones. She just loved feeding the animals carrots. Who knew chickens loved carrots so much? The kids enjoyed playing in all the sheds and tractors as well but couldn't wait to get out to the beach. The water at the beach had some residual bright green foam that none of us had seen before, so we decided to not let the kiddies play in the water too much.


The animals were crazy for carrots!


Fun in the buggy.


Working hard at finding strawberries.


It is hard to get a good group shot!


Me and Naomi.

kidspeak:

I've been looking forward to having conversations with Naomi. Her personality is so quirky, I had to wonder what she had going on in that little mind of hers. So the other day...

N: Mami, mami!
Me: Naomi, I'm sorry, but I have a lot of chores to do. I can't play with you all day.
N: Relax, Amy! Sit down, have tea!

I really wish I had a picture of my face. I guess Manny must have said something like that to me at one time or another. And, yeah, I sat down and played tea with her.

elmo pizzas:

The day after we got back, Naomi brought up making the Elmo pizzas again, so we did. One thing I'm really good at is underestimating my daughter. I figured I'd make a pizza bagel while she'd make a mess. But au contraire, she actually did pretty well. She even did all the eyes herself. I think you're supposed to use all cheddar for the mouth and an orange pepper for the nose, but I just used what we had in the fridge (Trader Joe's mixed blend and red bell peppers). You can guess from the pictures what goes in/on it, but here is the video for those that want to see what it's supposed to look like. :)


Naomi putting on the olive pupils with care.


Yummy, creepy fun!

days 4 and 5, super soaker + going home:

I was really tired by this time, so I skipped the water party in the backyard for the comforts of an air-conditioned home. Baby Doll took a nice video of the water party, though. The poor dogs are hiding, and Naomi's chasing everyone with the hose. I have to say she has pretty good aim.

Naomi also got to watch Boohbah, which she has come to associate with Grandma's house (they have PBS Sprout). She loves this show. They had one with everyone riding in a paper airplane, and another where Grandma and Grandpa get stuck to a giant lollipop wrapper till the dog saves the day. It's even more weird than it sounds. Before these stories, the boohbahs do some strange exercises. Naomi got everyone off the couch to participate. When they hide their eyes, Naomi shuts her own tightly, but then realizes she can't see and opens one of them for a second. It's too funny. She also watched a 4-minute special on how to make Elmo pizzas, which we did when we got back. I'll post about that later.

I missed Manny a lot, but I sort of liked talking to him on the phone at night. Just like old times. :) Naomi started saying she missed Papi and "can't wait see Papi." The first night he called us and joked, "I changed my mind! Put them on a plane and send them home!" He didn't say much about what he was doing while we were out, but he had a nice surprise for us when we returned.

On Tuesday, parting was such sweet sorrow. The flight home was tougher than our flight there, but Naomi was occupied for a good 20 minutes wiping everything down with baby wipes (after she saw me wipe with the Clorox wipes--thx Cynthia). Manny picked us up. We returned home to a new living room, freshly painted, with no more stained popcorn on the ceiling! Manny must have worked so hard--I don't know how he finished in a weekend, but now it's like living in a new place.


Fun with Grandpa.


At the airport.


Surprise! If you knew what the ceiling was like before, you'd truly appreciate this.

ETA--some stuff for my own memories:
-Naomi played "hide and seek" in the car, counting to 10 (well, she skips 3, 4, and 5 but has the rest down pat haha). It was really more like peekaboo with counting.
-She said "you're welcome" for the first time. It comes out as, "You're wacko, Mami!"
-On one night, I let Chuy in the bed with us. By 3 a.m., I was up in the corner of the bed with limbs hanging off while the two of them were snoring away and sleeping sideways.
-She asked for a tortilla so I rolled up some food in it. She got upset, took the tortilla from me like gimme that!, and wrapped up her own burrito. I mean, she folded up the sides and everything.
-Grandpa and Grandma's cooking got all thumbs ups. :)
-When it was time to give the dogs a treat, Naomi joined in the begging with her "paws" up.
-Jumped up and down on Grandpa's belly.

day 3, more family:

On Sunday, the grandparents took Naomi grocery shopping and to see Manny's dad's brother's family. That afternoon, Manny's mom's sister's family (including the dog) came to spend a couple days with us. Along with Manny's sister and her man, that made for a full house at dinnertime. Plenty of room, though. Remember one time my mom squeezed 11 adults into a 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom (for 9 women!) house.

The temperature was in the upper 90s while we were down there, so you know what that means. Time to break out the hose! Naomi preferred to be the sprayer than the sprayee, so Grandma and I got soaked. I didn't take that many photos because I was counting on some weak reflexes to keep the camera from getting wet. :)

During and after dinner, I think the only person Naomi wanted to hang out with was (Great) Uncle Gerard. She "helped" him blow up the air mattress and move it. Then she gave him a kiss and hug goodnight and pretended to sleep with him. It was pretty tough getting her to sleep every night. And no matter how late she slept, she was always bright-eyed and ready to go early the next morning.


Helping with the groceries (until she found Chuy).


Chasing me with the hose. Ahhhhh!!!


Grandma watering Naomi.


Naomi loved the air mattress.


I loved how she grunted and put all her muscle into it.


Mimi loves Chuy (from the night before). She was having a ball jumping on the bed and Grandpa's belly.

"music video":

Sorry it's a bit dark and grainy, but here she is as we're heading back to Grandma's. It gets funny at T-7 s:

day 2, long beach:

(I'll attempt to recall and write Naomi's antics in a later entry)

On Saturday, Auntie Dolly, Grandpa, Grandma, Naomi, and I went to see my parents and brother. We're really blessed our parents live about an hour and 15 minutes apart. My parents are always working at the restaurant, so we came by at lunchtime and again at dinner. I talked to my dad a bit. I actually do not remember the last time we spoke to each other, but he is still my father; I will always love him. And my brother seemed okay. Naomi has no prejudice toward him because of his condition--that is what is so precious about children. We all signed a get well card for my grandfather in Taiwan and took a picture to send him. Naomi is still talking about "Gong-Gong," "Puo-Puo," and "Jiou-Jiou" and pointing them out in pictures. I'm glad she can put faces to names now. :)

We also went to the Aquarium of the Pacific. Wow, that whole area of Long Beach has changed so much since my school days... The aquarium is pretty toddler-friendly where they can actually get up close and see everything. It was hot and overcrowded that day, but of course it was worth it to see Naomi so happy. Well, happy except she was really possessive about her spot at every exhibit. Twice I scooped her up before she could strike another kid. A couple days later I asked her if she saw some starfish, and she said that "big kids took Mimi's turn," I think alluding to how some kids took a while at the tidepool so we moved to another spot. So in her mind she didn't get to touch what she wanted. Holding grudges at two...uh oh. The aquarium was nice, but we were spent by the end of the day. I'm glad I didn't add the Queen Mary to the plans after all--what was I thinking? Haha.

I love the "aquarium" setting on our new camera. There will be more photos in the August album. Naomi was very cooperative about taking photos.


Family photo.


Naomi with her Puo-puo.


Finding Nemo (and Dory).


Walking through the tunnel.


Starfish.


Naomi and Grandpa.

naomi's first plane ride:

Thanks for all the travel tips; they really helped. Our plane was delayed 2 hours, but it probably turned out for the best, because Naomi got her wiggles out running all over the airport. She even slept for 20 minutes of the flight. The rest of the time, the Cheerios on a string (thx Esther), a $4 Color Wonder (=mess free) mini set, and the window view kept her occupied.

I bought these children's Earplanes ear plugs for the takeoff and landing, and I think they worked. My own ears kept popping for 2 days. And while I was getting airsick, everytime we hit a bump, Naomi would go, "Wee!" and "Mimi likes planes!"

Don't be fooled by the pictures--she slept even less than usual during our trip. It was a great bonding trip. More to follow.


Watching the airplanes with great anticipation.


A short nap on the plane.


Falling asleep on Grandma.

more about that:

I do want to add about that last post that it doesn't all happen by accidental osmosis. It requires diligence, perseverance, and endurance on our part. And so much patience. Being a parent/guardian can be an exhausting and complicated experience with sometimes little to show for our efforts, but for me, doing it for the Lord not only gets me through each day but renews my joy constantly.

At the end of the day (literally), working to know a child's likes, quirks, habits, propensities is sort of its own reward. And we juggle the various hats of being a spouse and raising a child (cook, helper, nurse, friend, teacher, lover, chauffeur, bookkeeper, coach, inventory manager, etc.). All that plus teaching the child the gospel through diligence and an imperfect example in ourselves...yet we have a perfect example in Christ.

You know, I saw this mother of four very young boys (two years apart--the younger three were triplets) traveling alone and trying to keep all of them together (seriously, I would've gotten four harness buddies and prayed often), but she managed. And no one was there to thank her (especially not the boys--haha!). I was on a flight filled with kids and therefore filled with "are we there yet?"s and crying. :) Even if everyone around is thinking, "Shut that kid up!" you know with love and understanding, you can say for the hundredth time, "No, sweetie, not yet." :)

the grace that grows us:

Naomi has never had a diaper rash, likes healthful foods, does not love TV, is pretty smiley, is not clingy, hasn't had a runny nose in over a year, and is very helpful. I would love to say I employed some latest-and-greatest technique, but I didn't. It's God-given wisdom and grace. I truly believe that. On the flip side, just about everything I've ever tried out of a book hasn't really worked. And I've continued to be consistent about certain things (like Naomi's hitting and bedtime routine) and seen little improvement. In the end, I've learned so much as a parent--I can't take all the credit and I can't take all the blame. Naomi's behavior doesn't validate me as a person; my relationship with Christ does.

I really am thankful for all that God continues to teach me as a mother. We are bombarded with so much information on how to parent, which I'm thankful for, but I really do believe the daily trials and errors, and successes, have taught me the most important thing--humility before the Lord.

I remember when Naomi was a baby, I felt like a failure and a supreme idiot. People would say, "all babies cry" when I said she was colicky, which made me feel like I should just be able to handle it. (Of course, when one asked if there was a time interval everyday in which she cried, I replied, "Oh yeah, 2 to 7 p.m. and then 9 to 11 p.m. straight, and sometimes all morning.") Even at the time I didn't know how extreme Naomi's colic was. I said it was hard to figure out what was causing it, and someone said, "How hard can it be? It's just one of three things (hungry, tired, dirty diaper)." But it wasn't those things with her, and she didn't cry like other babies--she screamed. There were days she didn't have a single nap while other mom's babies napped every 2 hours. I figured once again I was an idiot. And then there was the reflux. "All babies have reflux." But until they're 1 year old with constant projectile vomiting? I would correct that to "All babies spit up." Sometimes I wanted the situation to change just so there wouldn't be comments or looks, or so I could make Manny happy, or because I kept failing no matter how hard I tried (and so I could get some sleep!). But God showed me how not to compare nor take for granted, that He was good, and nothing was separating me from His love, that He had orchestrated all of this.

This is just to show a side of motherhood. I totally understand now why moms are so defensive--it's the judging, insecurity, guilt. Read those books again--most of them say if their technique didn't work, it's your fault. But I had no defense; I could only rest in Him. Whatever we went through at the time, God used it to open our eyes and to depend on Him.

So now I am more grateful for what I have, I am not as easily discouraged, our marriage has survived a valley, and we are stronger for it. This is my answer to why people that do their best still suffer through so much--in my case, this is how God chose to reveal Himself more to me for His glory.

potty time:

*graphic text warning* Naomi made her first successful poop in the potty today! At first she grabbed a pull-up and tried to do it herself (as usual), but she finally cried for help because it got painful. She cried that it hurt and was "too hard." I held her gently but firmly, encouraged her, and eventually it happened. And she got a treat, too. And the tears turned into a big smile when I told her she was a big girl now. Then we made a big deal and called Grandma Hernandez and Manny at work, and then we re-enacted what happened with her stuffed Elmo and a pretend poop. I hope this will encourage her to do it at Grandma's as well. She usually yells or punches at us if we even look at her when she poops (remember she always went into hiding to poop since she was a crawler), so this was a big step forward.

misc update:

I accidentally deleted all five hours of medical transcription work I did while Manny was out with Naomi Saturday. I'm caught up again, but I'll have to work fast to get the homework done before we leave for the trip Friday morning. I just feel bad that Manny made all that effort.

That won't be as easy now that I've started dropping Naomi's nap. We need some private time at night, and it's hard if Naomi's not tired till midnight. On Monday, I didn't let her nap, and she went to sleep at 9. Yesterday, though, I think she was wiped out from playing with Josiah and she fell asleep while we were out for a walk. All she needs is half an hour and it's back to midnight before she'll fall asleep.

Usually when Naomi hits Josiah, he laughs it off because he's so much bigger, but she's discovered that pulling his hair and scratching his face makes him cry. He ended up with three scratches, one of which was bloody, on his face. :( Today I asked her if she went to Josiah's house yesterday, to which she replied, "Mimi hit Jo-yai-yai face...boo-boo..Yai-Yai wah [cry] Mommy, Mommy!" I feel terrible. At least she's very gentle with his baby sister.

Naomi has two cavities in her front teeth. The dentist said it looked consistent with acid erosion. It might be from when she had reflux or her love of tomato sauce and lemons/lemonade, who knows. She doesn't drink juice or soda but loves the tart stuff. Right now the plan is to try to work on her teeth little by little without the anesthesia. By the way, she is very cooperative with brushing her teeth now. I got these flashing toothbrushes (2 for $1.89) at Target, and Elmo toothpaste. I told her we were going to make foamy bubbles in her mouth then spit them out. She gets to brush a little first, then it's my turn, then it's hers. And she gets to rinse and spit on her own. Flossing's not as easy, but she'll still open her mouth. I tell her to say or sing "ahh" and then "eee". At least now we don't have to press down her limbs and wait for her to cry to open her mouth. What a difference a month makes for a toddler.


Naomi at Dr. Mike's. She really likes going to the dentist.


Naomi with Josiah and Baby Sofia (before she scratched him).

food post:

Trader Joe's Mexican Red Sauce It's not really spicy (good for Naomi) and makes cooking faster (great for me). I haven't liked the Chinese sauces from Joe's as much, but this sauce is really good. I threw it in with some meat, cheese, olives, and corn tortilla strips, and voila--enchilada skillet. I also really like Joe's Organic Yellow mustard. Not too plain (good for me) but not too Dijon (good for Manny).

Now that I have less time to cook (e.g., mainly because I'm trying to prevent destruction and/or injury), I have benefited a lot from various tips I've picked up. For example, to peel a boiled egg, I tap once and then roll it along the counter back and forth to crack the rest. To cook asparagus, I snap it and it breaks at just the right point. You can let potatoes rest in water to keep them from browning. I cut them now before I boil them to save time on mashed potatoes. Well, this is all stuff I did yesterday. You are welcome to share some tips with me! America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated has BKMs (best-known methods), but I mean more like time-saving tips.

more toy recalls:

I usually get some of these through Babycenter emails, but here is the full list of toy hazard recalls (thx, mare). I didn't see any of Naomi's toys on the list. We'll probably start the recommended lead testing this year.

daddy and me:

Manny took Naomi out to Gilroy Gardens on Saturday so I could concentrate on my medical transcription practices. This surgery module is very challenging. I've seen ER, but hearing how these surgeons operate in real life, no pun intended, gives me an even greater appreciation. If I'd gone down that career path as my parents wanted, we'd all be in trouble (biochem engineering was the compromise). Not only am I squeamish and clumsy, but there is no way I could make those types of crucial, intelligent decisions under that kind of strain.

At Gilroy Gardens, Naomi got to drive for the first time. She was a bit short to fully take in the view, though. :) She also won herself a huge stuffed dog. I guess the game required throwing the ball into either one red square or a couple blue squares among a sea of white squares. At first she couldn't get the ball over the net. Manny told her she had to throw hard, like hi-YA. So she pulled back, held the ball over her shoulder like a shotput, and let out a "hi-YA!" and kicked her leg up simultaneously. And the ball made it--into a blue square. Manny asked her which character she wanted, but she chose the puppy instead.

toy recall:

Products recalled by Fisher Price (mostly Dora and Elmo toys). Naomi has a couple of these, but they were given to her before May 1.

Nevermind--I'd better just delete what I had here before--but we can discuss offline?

photo time:

Photos from July.

A few more:


Naomi making her rounds at the community group dinner.


Uncle M.!


Meeting Baby Sofia!


Smiling! Yes, Josiah's only 2 months older than Naomi!


They seem more like 12 than 2 in this photo.