grandparents' visit / stadium / kids to work day:

Grandma and Grandpa returned for Lucas' birthday.  It is a very long trip for them, and we appreciate all they do for their grandkids.  They arrived at our place after spending some time with Manny's aunt and uncle.  The day before, I got the boys their haircuts.  I had to pick up B. from her sleepover that morning, and then we went to have lunch and frozen yogurt before going to the kiddie salon.  B. can be a baby/toddler whisperer, but even she could not calm a screaming Isaac who just did not want his hair cut.  Maybe it's better Grandpa didn't have to see that.  It broke his heart last time.

After the grandparents arrived, I went grocery shopping and then we went to a late lunch.  Naomi wanted to have cheap, fast noodle soup.  Isaac was tired, but he stayed awake for noodles and rice.  Then we went to the Korean bakery, and Isaac fell asleep on Grandpa.  I made some rigatoni with homemade bolognese sauce for dinner.  We had that with sourdough bread they'd picked up in Monterey the day before.  Lucas ate half a loaf by himself.

The next day (Thursday), after Grandpa cooked up a hearty breakfast, I took Naomi to VBS and then went to run some errands.  I had to pick up and drop off something from a friend and get some grooming done, but I also drove to L.evi's Stadium to see if I could catch the ribbon cutting ceremony from afar.  I parked at a nearby hotel and then got back in my car to see if I could get closer.  However, they said the official public opening wasn't officially open to the public and directed me to make a u-turn.  I made a big u-turn, and I caught a little glimpse of the media circus.  The traffic director just laughed about it, and I was on my way.  I started on the piranha plant cookie pop favors a little late, and then I had to run to the store because I could not find my powdered sugar anywhere for the homemade icing (it turned out I had moved it from its usual location so I could easily find it, which seldom ever works).  Grandpa made some delicious tacos and rice, and Grandma and Naomi helped me ice the cookies, which saved me a lot of time.  However, I still spent an entire day making the cake, and Manny felt like that time should/could have been put to better use.  I'm probably not doing any fondant-covered cakes again for a while.  Or at least I would make some of the parts ahead of time.  More on the cake next post.

That Friday, Manny took the grandparents and the kids to the bring-your-kids-to-work event at his company.  Naomi had a lot of fun with the rock climbing and collecting candy.  I heard it was a great time.  The hours passed so quickly while I was making the cakes and finishing off the piranha plants with brownies and ground Oreo cookies for the base.  Then I tried to get Isaac down for a nap before going to the dentist. I have work that needs to be done, but the insurance is depleted until next year.  I get a lot done while my in-laws are in town, and I'm very, very grateful.  Then we went out for Korean food.  Isaac was way overtired, and I didn't really get to eat in peace.  After that late dinner, I needed to finish up the Mario Kart cake, which I did, and showed it to Lucas.  He was amazed but noted it didn't have the racetrack we'd agreed on.  I told him I just couldn't get to it, and he said that it was okay with a smile (so of course because of his good attitude, I got up the next morning and put the racetrack on).

He started off okay, but things went south.

Lucas opening a few presents early.  He got a junior cornhole beanbag toss set from Grandma, which he wanted to have at his party that weekend.

Enjoying his rice and rice noodles.

Pulling some goods in the wagon.

Grandma made these awesome minion beanies.

Enjoying mini pops and creamsicles on a warm day.  Isaac only had a tiny bit of his.  We got this cool little playhouse for free from a neighbor.

Enjoying the fresh air.

The day of the ribbon-cutting ceremony.  This was taken from a neighboring lot, but I did get closer.

Grandma and Lucas enjoying the fresh fruit and kettle corn.

Up the rock wall.

isaac, 15 months old:

Isaac had been taking steps for months, but only really started walking right when he turned 15 months.  This was very different from the other two, who seemed to hit the ground running at 10 1/2 months.  They took their first steps and never looked back.  Isaac dances in circles and would walk pretty far if we let him.  Yesterday he walked so much in a meadow he got blisters on his feet, poor thing.

Isaac can say quite a few words meaningfully now.  Thanks to Naomi for jotting them down:  

baby

no 

yes

cool/cold

hot

mine (unfortunately)

doggie

nai nai (nursing/milk in Chinese)

la la (spicy in Chinese)

please

moh (more)

tso tso (stinky in Chinese for a dirty diaper)

Mama

Papa

ball-ball

ah-wa (water in Spanish)

yuck

that

this

bah-bah (bye-bye)

pah-pah (pasta)

ah-pah (apple)

hi

go go go (this was one of his first words at 7 or 8 months)

uh-oh

hello?

go-way (go away)

He only signs "please," "more," "all done," "eat," "baby" (followed by a pretend yawn when he wants to watch Baby Einstein Lullaby), "peekaboo," and fans his hands for "hot."  I think he does "help," but he mixes it up with please.  He puts his hands on his head when he's hurt.  He was able to identify (by pointing to) several parts of his face before, but I haven't done it as much lately and I think he's forgetting.

Isaac actually goes outside in the back or off to another room (if I don't let him out) to go poop in his diaper.  Lucas does not always understand Isaac's need for personal space, and he also removes Isaac from toys by force.  He gets in trouble for it, but now Isaac has started trying to bite and hit Lucas as well in self-defense.  However, in happier moments, the two boys hug and play together.  Naomi and Isaac definitely have more of a tenderness between them.

  

He copies us a lot.  He's imitated Manny's hairbrushing and shaving, but also my applying lotion or make-up.  He also unfortunately picks up everyone's bad actions, too.  He really wants to do somersaults like his older siblings, but it usually ends up being a half roll followed by him clapping for himself.  He also loves to climb and run off.  A little explorer.  So we had to get a harness again.  

Today he actually turned 16 months old.  I've let him out of the baby tub, but sometimes I put him back in it to conserve water.  He's loving his baths.  Haircuts, not so much.  He's down to one afternoon nap and is going to bed later and later.  I'm okay with it for now since he doesn't get up at 5 a.m., but eventually we want him to get to bed earlier.  

He is still really skinny.  He hates milk of all kinds and will only take it occasionally mixed with orange juice.  The only protein he'll eat is fish and tofu.  Even the others ate eggs, chicken, nut butters, beans, and ground meat.  He won't touch any of it.  But I will just keep trying.  Fish and tofu aren't bad, but he needs more.  At least it's not as bad as when the doctor put him on Pediasure.  Then he wouldn't eat anything except Pediasure and seemed to get even skinnier.  The dentist wanted me to stop giving it to him since she gets a lot of patients with tooth decay who drink it, and he has some as well, so I've stopped giving it to him for now.  Next update will be at 18 months.

Lucas holding Isaac at N's piano class.

Practicing some baby martial arts with a foam double-edged sword.

He looks like such a mix of his siblings in this photo.

He loves his stuffed dog.

Brushing his hair with Manny's brush.

boomerang bay:

Making the most out of our passes, we headed to the water park in G.reat America for some family fun.  I think Manny and Naomi have gone six or seven times already.  It's a bigger endeavor for Isaac and I to join.  Manny and Naomi probably should go back on their own since they can handle the bigger water slides.  We haven't played with water at home this summer with the drought, but we've certainly had our fill elsewhere.

Naomi with Lucy and Charlie Brown.  No line.  Wish it was like this for Disney!

While Naomi and Manny conquered the bigger slides, the boys and I played in the large pool.  Then we all went to the wave pool together.

Lucas could not get enough of these waves.

Isaac was a little more unsettled by them, so he ended up sitting with me.

Naomi wasn't even sore from climbing all those stairs for this slide.  Sometimes it's good to be light!

Lucas on a slide more suitable for him.  Most of the other ones were closed.

Manny with Isaac in the playground while Naomi goes down this slide.  These are getting too small for her now, hard to believe.

vbs / just me and the boys:

Naomi started a new VBS this year.  Our church isn't doing it this year, so she's going to one that is held once a week in the month of July instead of everyday.  It's actually much easier for us this way since it doesn't conflict with other things as much.  Lucas saw the jumphouses and wanted to go, but they were full for his age group.  Then he saw the large crowds and said he'd rather wait till he was older.  :)  I told him I'd take him and Isaac to a doughnut shop and then the park.  We went to this place that has very unusual, some slightly creepy, doughnuts as well as regular ones.  The two we shared were good, but too sweet.  Lucas made some friends at the park, kids his age, and so I wanted to let him stay, even though Isaac was getting hot and tired.  Poor Isaac often gets the short end of the stick.  Someone always has to, but it builds character.

Rocky Road, Oreo Kooky Monster, Bananarama...he'll just have the chocolate with sprinkles.

Isaac playing peekaboo in the little playhouse at the park.

Naomi won these sunglasses at the VBS raffle drawing.  She's still winning those!  Loads of jumphouses outside.

Indoors at VBS.

swim date / blog:

Last year and this year, we got together with a couple of other families for a swim date at their beautiful pool area.  Maybe it'll become a summer tradition.  It almost didn't happen, as one or more HOA members wanted to limit the number of guests and put up more red tape for pool usage, but our friend worked it out with them, and we were free to swim!  I even got in the water, which I normally don't do, but I knew Isaac would want to get in the kiddie pool for a bit.  It's something else to see that we now have eleven children between the three of us, all nine and under!

Last year Lucas just stood on the stairs and splashed by himself, which was a big improvement over the previous year.  This year he was playing with J's son, and more confident.  As of this writing, he is now doing canonball dives and playing with other kids in the water regularly.  Even I myself have written him off at times, but he just needs time to grow.  Don't lock your children into a personality.  I often like to show the kids how they've grown so they don't confine themselves either.  Speaking of growing, Isaac was also having fun in and out of the water.  He was only a few months old last year.

Here comes an onslaught of back-to-back updates.  I'm determined to get all of these out of draft mode and get closer to real time.  I'd also like to get back to writing about other topics than our calendar.  Manny and I have often used the blog to find out certain information about a certain date, so it's useful for us.  Plus the family can see photos of the kids.  For those friends who still keep up with the blog, I appreciate your time and interest.  I'm hoping to write something more meaningful eventually.  In the meantime, memories are meaningful, life is meaningful, love is meaningful.  Don't miss out on what you've been given.

Lucas and K bouncing our beach ball (thanks, Grandma!) back and forth.

Isaac walking around with the ball.

Beautiful day at the pool.

independence day weekend / great america:

This was the first year in a while that Manny didn't have a company-wide shutdown during the week of Independence Day.  However, he did get the 4th of July off, so we had a nice long weekend together.  Friday we had a nice outdoor lunch at E.lephant Bar.  After that, we went to a Japanese dollar store where we bumped into his coworker and her daughter and mother (or mother-in-law?).  It's always nice but awkward to run into someone like that.  Normally, shopping with the kids for me means we are in and out of the store.  With Manny there, we tend to browse a little longer.  Isaac fell asleep in that time, and B.eard Papa's (cream puff place) was closed by the time we got there.  We made some good finds at the store, like a $1.50 watch for Naomi and $1.50 CD album for me to keep our home movies (do they even call them that anymore?).

The next day, Naomi really wanted to see fireworks, so we went back to G.reat America.  I really didn't want to go, but she felt like we should all go as a family and enjoy it.  We like traditions, but we knew it would be very crowded.  It took almost an hour to get out of the parking lot afterward.  I don't think I would have minded just seeing the fireworks, but having to occupy Isaac for all that time before that made me admittedly unhappy.  It probably would've been easier for all parties if Isaac and I just stayed at home, but in the end, I was glad to be there to see the kids' excitement.   

Three-dollar flag t-shirt time (except Naomi, who of course likes to do her own thing).

This was not an easy photo.  Isaac wouldn't sit still, so the kids and I had to continuously crawl after him until he sat down.

Lucas in the mood for a burger.

And me, I wore the shirt from 2012.  No need to buy a new one!

Isaac mooching my brown rice.  We had gotten some noodles for him, which we were told was "not spicy at all" and turned out to be very spicy, even too spicy for me!

Manny proud of his boys.  Naomi looks like, "Not again," but she's just looking up at the spikes in the ceiling (to prevent birds).

How I kept Isaac occupied while the others were in line--on an out-of-order steering wheel.  His nose isn't runny from being sick, but from crying every time I took him off it.

Lucas got scared at the last minute, so Manny had to ride in the front alone.  lol  Naomi was in the last car.

Naomi got to "fly" in circles with fireworks above and behind her.  What a memory.  The boys were in the grassy area a few yards away.

Fireworks still going as Naomi got off the ride.

more june fun:

We've been catching up with some friends whom we don't get to see too often during the school year.  And others with whom I promised to connect again.  One morning someone awakened me after a rough night with a text me asking if I was coming over.  I was dazed and confused, but postponed my plans and hurriedly got the kids ready, packed a lunch and baby items, and headed over.  She said she'd emailed me about it twice, but it turns out that she had tried to reply to my F.acebook private messages by email, which one cannot do.  I've one friend who can't open my messages.  I've a love/hate relationship with social media, but I understand I'm getting a free and useful service.  

I was a little out of it, but we had fun, and the other mom and I enjoyed seeing how Naomi takes care of her preschool-aged daughter.  So, all is fine of course, but next time I probably won't just up and drop everything.  I'm just really bad at saying no, always feeling guilty, so a friend of mine suggested this book called Boundaries.  Still, it's summer, so it's the biggest window of opportunity for get-togethers.

We also have swum more this summer than any other.  I've even hosted a couple of swim dates for the first time at the complex pool, and hosting is not my thing.  However, we like the company, and I need another adult when I'm with the three kids alone since two of them can't swim.  Naomi's friend's mom is working this summer (as a wushu instructor), so we had to find time to get together with her on her week off.  She's the one who told me about Boundaries.  We don't know each other that well, but you'll meet a lot of people through your kids.

We also had this one get-together that reminded me of something I used to struggle with but now find sort of humorous--I'm talking about the dynamic of a playdate with Chinese friends.  I mean naturalized vs. American-born Chinese.  You who are Chinese speakers know that even adults invite others over by saying, "Come to our house and play sometime."  However, "play" is all relative.  

We went to Naomi's Chinese friend's house with another Chinese friend, also Christians, and while we were there, one or more of their five (yes, five) kids were still practicing their Chinese writing, practicing the piano, working on their computer codes, and doing homework.  They were allow breaks to play, and they have no shortage of toys, but their fun definitely was a side note to hard work.  Then Naomi's other friend got on her site (she's taking computer classes this summer), and showed her work and a nice little crowd built around her.  Yep, that's what 9-year-old girls do at these playdates!

A lot of my Chinese friends, whether homeschooling or public schooling, are doing school (worksheets or academic classes/camps) through the summer with their kids.  So when I'm talking to them, I see that I'm doing so much less than they are.  Then I talk to other friends, and they're like, "What?  It's summer!  Time for a break!  Don't force the kids!"  I guess I'm always somewhere in the middle.  :)  I know people will continue to be appalled that our kids aren't in Chinese school, but we don't have that in our budget and can't sacrifice our family time during the weekends.  There is a Friday night class I may try when Naomi is older, but right now that is family time, too.  So we just started Rosetta Stone Mandarin, but it's been inconsistent since I continue to spend more of my time on Lucas.  Anyway, Naomi came home from that playdate wanting to work on her computer coding (scratch.mit.edu--it's free), and I have to admit that made me giddy.  Still, I am trying to fight the Tiger Mom in me and give her some space to grow at her pace.

Swinging in the hammock.

The girls with I's bunnies.

The boys with I's brother in the backyard.  I like their backyard.  There is sand on one side, grass on the other, and they are separated by a little patio with toddler toys for the littlest one.

Pool to ourselves!

Isaac enjoyed having water being blown on him.

summer classes:

This summer we are doing aikido, reading (remedial for Lucas), VBS, piano, and art camp.  We are also continuing with homeschooling whenever we're home.  Lucas has to do the reading exercises seven days a week.  The two days of art class we only do for Naomi and her friend to explore a shared interest together.  We hung out at their lovely home either before or after class.  Lucas played with their sweet son a bit.  Isaac mostly played outside in the back.  They are one of the few here who have a backyard.  The theme that week was a fun one--Fairytales, Myths, and Legends.  Naomi sketched a griffin, made a gnome scene out of modeling clay, painted the tortoise and the hare, and drew Rapunzel.  I enjoyed seeing her work.  Last year's quality of instruction and supplies seemed better.  She's had far better art instruction from her ISP teacher, and that's free.  Lucas wants to join now.  Maybe we'll look into a different place for next year.

Waiting for camp to begin at the art studio.  Hernandezes don't want to be late!

Lucas and O. riding around the house while the girls put on a fashion show.

Naomi's cute gnome scene.

picnic, passover, and pentecost:

The next Saturday we went to a church picnic.  It's nice to get together since our community life gatherings are off in the summer.  It's also good to be out there in the neighborhood.  There was originally a "share" table where we could offer food to any homeless people nearby.  I think there was some confusion, and it ended up being a semi-potluck table (which I thought it was as well, but of course I wouldn't mind giving that food to the homeless instead).  We shared some food, and then some folks went out and offered food to the homeless, so that worked out.  

It was a fun time, and we got to know some people better.  Naomi participated in her first sack race, went from last place to first in two rounds of a three-legged race, played tug of war, bobbed for apples, and played a wet duck-duck-goose-type game.  She was nowhere close to winning the watermelon eating contest.  :)  Lucas just played in the playground for the most part.  Isaac went all over, but he got pretty worn out, so we had to take off before the pie throwing.  

I had made baklava for our pseudo-Jewish dinner at home and then brought the rest to the picnic.  With my limited time (I also made a meal for a family at church), there's no way I could have made two batches.  Toward the end of Naomi's school year, we were going to celebrate Passover then an Omer and then Pentecost.  Our friend had invited us to their Passover, but her husband got in a bad accident.  Thankfully, and perhaps miraculously, he is okay.  He is a Jewish Christian, and their family is far more familiar with the traditions than I am.  So I compressed all the celebrations into one, which probably wouldn't go over too well if we were in OT times, but for educational purposes, I think it was okay as long as I distinguished between them for Naomi.

First attempt at homemade baklava was fairly successful.  It was a mix of three different recipes.

An odd Jewish dinner, but it got the point across for our lesson on the Omer and Pentecost.

Isaac at the picnic.

Naomi bobbing for apples.

From last to first place in the three-legged race!

Tug of war!  Naomi's team won it, but all that matters is that everyone had fun.

Watermelon eating contest.