Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Highs & Lows

Well, I guess it was too much to hope against something that was pretty inevitable... This morning, my dad got taken down by the nasty virus, followed by my mom this afternoon (who had a much worse experience, from the sound of it). So basically, the entire long weekend has been spent inside dealing with different people vomiting at different times. Ugh!!! I feel really terrible for EVERYONE, especially since Gus and I have been having such a good time. Really, the only thing that would have made our trip better would have been knowing that everyone was happy and healthy af home. But, knowing that the kids were in competent hands has been a huge relief, and we have been determined to enjoy ourselves. And we have been successful!

Last night, we went to see Penn & Teller, which was a LOT of fun! The coolest part was after the show, when both Penn and Teller hung out in the theater lobby for a little meet-and-greet with fans. Sooo... Gus took my picture with each of them, AND they both signed my ticket stub! I admit, I was a little starstruck. I knew it was coming (our friend, Steph, warned us that we might get to meet them), but it was really cool nonetheless. I mean, I have seen these guys on TV since I was a kid. And they were just like I imagined they'd be, too!

Anyway, after two nights of going to shows and having scheduled events, we decided to wander today. We walked next door to the Monte Carlo after lunch today, and took the tram down to the Bellagio (which, by the way, is my new favorite hotel... The decor is so bright and happy and garden-like-- I love it!). From there, we walked across to Planet Hollywood, and then to Paris next door. We mostly just shopped and wandered, and it was fun! Until I fell down, anyway... On the walk between Planet Hollywood and Paris, there was something slippery on the sidewalk that I clearly did not see... Next thing I knew, I was doing the splits! In addition to making my already-sore legs even MORE sore, I also scraped a buch of skin off the top of my left foot and got a nasty bruise on that knee. Not fun!!!

We eventually made it back to our hotel, only to find that the pool was closed-- until Wednesday! What?!? It was over 100 degrees outside! BUT... We learned that we would be able to use the pool at the MGM Grand, which was even better! :) So we walked over and spent the afternoon there. At dinnertime, we came back to our own hotel and had a delicious dinner at Il Fornaio. And now we are just relaxing, drinking wine, watching tv, and just enjoying our last night of vacation. Because tomorrow, it's back to the real world!! I can't wait to cover my babies with kisses, and I'm sure Grandma and Grandpa are more than ready for a break!!

Sunday, June 27, 2010

More from Poolside...

Well, it seems that my last blog post was a little premature... When we got back to our room after hanging out at the pool all afternoon, my mom called to let us know that Miss Maya had started throwing up. :( The good news (if you want to call it that) is that she was done throwing up by bedtime. Both kiddos slept soundly through the night, as did my parents. :) And Nikos seems to be back to his normal self today, while Maya is getting there (she is still a little more snuggly than usual). And my parents seemed to escape whatever nasty, short-lived virus that both kids had, so that's good!

Aside from the constant phone calls home to check on the kidlets, our trip is going great! We saw Cirque du Soleil "Love" last night, which was fantastic!! I know I enjoyed it (90 minutes of great Beatles music with crazy dancing/acrobatics/special effects? Yes, please!) , but I think Gus really liked it, too! After it was over, we walked next door to Treasure Island, where we played penny slots for a while (with much better luck), had a drink, then went to watch the 10 o'clock performance outside. Which, by the way, stars a girl I went to high school with, so that was kind of weird, haha! But it was very definitely her.

Today, I didn't wake up until nearly 10:30am, and then we ordered room service for brunch! That was such a nice treat. Then we got ready and took the bridge across to the MGM Grand to wander around there. Oh, and we saw the lions! :) After that, we came back, got our suits on, and headed down to the pool, where we are currently camped out. Later we'll make our way over to the Rio, and then we have tickets to see Penn & Teller. I have heard it's another great show-- I can't wait!!

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Blogging Poolside

What a weird feeling! I recently got this iPod Touch as part of a grant (through school), and it is such a novel thing for me to be able to blog while lounging poolside on our mini vacation! We are having a blast so far! last night, we joined our good friends Mike and Steph for an incredible dinner at delMonicos. I am pretty sure it was the most pricey meal I have ever eaten but Oh. My. Goodness. Heaven! We also played the slots a bit ( and lost), and wandered around to different bars in different hotels. Today's agenda includes relaxing by the pool (in the crazy desert heat), going out to dinner, and then going to see Cirque du Soleil-- Love tonight! I can't wait!!

On the flip side, there was bad news on the home front today. Maya is doing fine, but our sweet little boy seemed to have picked some sort of stomach bug. :( He threw up five times last night, prompting my mom to call the advice nurse (smart move, grandma!!) and move his bed into my parents' room for the night. Other than being exhausted from lack of sleep, he seems to feel fine today. He is eating and drinking, so that's good. But, he has never thrown up before, ever, so Gus and I feel pretty rotten. :(

Still, we are determined to enjoy our vacation... And on that note, it is time to hop in the pool before I melt! it is over 100 degrees right now!!

Friday, June 25, 2010

Five Years Ago Today...

We got hitched!


I can't believe it's been five years already, but the calendar doesn't lie. Wow! Of course, we've been together since 1998, but our wedding is still one of the highlights. Really, I think it was the happiest day of my life! The kids' births were pretty significant, but not really as happy. That sounds terrible, but that whole experience was entirely different. I mean, I had surgery, was exhausted, etc. There just wasn't as much drinking, dancing, and general merry-making. :)

Anyhow, it's been a great five years, filled with incredible memories and momentous events. And to celebrate, my hubby and I are dropping the kids off at my parents' house and heading to Vegas. :) See ya later, alligator!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Exhaustion.

I. Am. So. Tired.

I haven't mentioned it on here, but I've decided to start running. I've been meaning for a while now to start exercising, but nothing has really appealed to me. I tried doing a workout DVD (way too hard with both kids around). I tried running on the treadmill (boring and just not any fun whatsoever). I'd do these things for a few days, then quit. And then I learned about the Couch to 5K running plan. A lot of my friends from the discussion board are doing it, so I thought I would check it out. Basically, it involves running and walking for certain time periods-- and each week, the running parts get longer and the walking parts get shorter. The thing that really sold me on the program, though, was that you can download free music mixes online that actually tell you when to switch from running to walking (and vice versa). So all I need is my iPod and my running gear, and I'm good to go! Today was my second run, and I went a little over 2 miles in 30 minutes. Not terrible, for someone who hasn't run since high school (and even then, only ran for P.E. class).

Anyway, it's actually fun to get out in the neighborhood early in the morning, while the kids are still asleep and it's still nice and cool outside. SO much more interesting than using the treadmill! And today's run was actually a lot easier than Monday's run, so that's a good thing! I think my cardiovascular health is improving already-- yay!

But I'm still exhausted. I did my run, hopped in the shower, and then got the kids up and out the door so we could go to the zoo. And if you have ever been to the San Diego Zoo, you know that it is not flat. Some of the hills there are downright impressive. But the kids and I spent 2.5 hours there this morning before meeting Gus for lunch, so I got my second workout of the day!

Sadly, there are no pictures of our zoo excursion, because I decided it would be too much of a pain to bring the camera AND deal with both kids. But they had a great time! Nikos was sad when we left, but was distracted by the merry-go-round next door that was actually operating (something I've never seen). I told him we'd come back so he could ride on it sometime this summer... Guess I should figure out what its hours are, huh?

At any rate, both kids are asleep, and I desperately need a nap, too... So off to dreamland for me! :)

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Funny Faces!

Nikos will rarely make funny faces on request, but when he does do it, it cracks me (and everyone else) up!

Have I mentioned just how much I love these kids??? ♥

Monday, June 21, 2010

The Many Faces of Maya

For whatever reason, Miss Maya decided that today would be a great day to fight her afternoon nap (something she never does). After trying for nearly an hour to convince her that sleep was, in fact, a good thing, I gave up and brought her out to the living room with me. Nikos was sound asleep, and so I snuggled with my girl for a bit. As we sat there together, I started to play with her hair. And I realized, "Hey! It might be long enough for pigtails!!" So, naturally, I had to try. And they were pretty freaking cute, even if they lasted for only a few minutes! :)


Taking her picture was tough, though, because she so desperately wanted to play with my camera strap. I don't blame her-- it's a custom strap, and it is pretty interesting! But I had to laugh when I saw this series of pictures. First, she was focused on playing with the strap. You can see what happened when I took it away (haha!). And the final picture is when I let her hold it again. Sigh... The girl knows what she wants. Still-- those faces!




Friday, June 18, 2010

Odds & Ends

1. Maya is obsessed with shoes. She still doesn't really wear them on any sort of regular basis, but boy does she like to play with them! She will crawl around the house, find a shoe (usually not her own), then sit there and attempt to make her foot go inside said shoe. The other day, she found a pair of her own shoes, crawled over to me, and held out one shoe and one foot-- as if to say, "Hey lady, I need this shoe on my foot, stat!" It really is SO cute. Especially when she goes into Nikos' closet and emerges with several pairs to "try on." :) Funny kid!

2.Nikos has started saying "awwwwww" when he finds something tiny and cute. For example: "Awwwwwww!! Look, Mommy, a little baby puppy, awwwwww! It's so cute!" or "Awwww, look at the little baby dolphin! I NEED one!" He cracks me up! He's also started doing this when Maya is crying, or someone is crying on TV/in a book/etc. It is just the sweetest thing! Well, especially when it's aimed at his sister. Because he then asks her what's wrong, and will usually follow up with a hug or a kiss. Honestly, he is a pretty awesome big brother, 99% of the time. Gus and I really lucked out!

3. Nikos' Word of the Week: "Jacaranda." The way he says it makes me giggle every time, because he is so precise about saying every single sound. This started when we were driving home from the supermarket, and he pointed out a tree with pretty purple flowers. So I told him it was a Jacaranda tree, and now he sees them EVERYWHERE. He also told Gus that he wanted a Jacaranda tree in the front yard. But when Gus asked him if he was going to clean up the mess that the tree makes, he got a big smile on his face and said, "Nope!" At least he's honest!

4. Nikos and I made homemade whole wheat blueberry waffles this morning, using some of the blueberries we picked last weekend. Maya supervised from her highchair. But oh my goodness, they were so good!!! I may, after 32 years, be becoming a blueberry junkie. Now to figure out if there is a way to grow them in our yard, hmmm... I don't think our climate is very blueberry-friendly, but there must be a way! I will find one! :)

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Art in the Afternoon

Subtitled: Ideas I stole from Barney

Yes, my child watches the hideous purple dinosaur. And yes, Barney has that magical pull on his little mind that is pretty unfathomable to me. But I have realized lately that Barney gives me some pretty good ideas!

For example, Nikos watched an episode called "The World of Color" the other day. It got him so jazzed up about art, so I knew we needed to plan some of that for this week. This kid already likes drawing, etc., but I thought it would be cool for him to mix colors on paper plates (just like they did on Barney) and then paint with a brush for the first time. And it went really well! He was so interested in mixing the colors and seeing what he got-- I think he actually learned something, so hooray for that! And he was so careful with his paintbrush. Such a far cry from the boy who was once covered from head to toe while finger painting! Anyhow, here are a few pics of my little Picasso, along with his finished piece. I really like how the colors mixed together, actually!



And not wanting to leave Maya out, I set her up in her high chair with finger paints and a blank sheet of paper. After trying to eat the paint several times (thank goodness it's non-toxic!), she pretty much decided that it wasn't her thing. Maybe another time...

Yummmm...

After this past weekend's success with blueberry-picking, and Nikos' continual requests to go back to the berry farm, I thought we'd stay local and pick some strawberries this morning! As soon as everyone was dressed and fed, we headed up to the strawberry fields in Carlsbad. Having never been there before, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to put Maya in the stroller... so this required some planning, since it was just me with the two kids! And it was a good thing I thought about it, because there was NO WAY a stroller could fit in there. Not to mention the mud factor. So Miss Maya rode in style, strapped to my back in the Ergo carrier. She hadn't been in it since she was a newborn, but it went well! I think this will be a good backup plan for us until she is a full-time walker (which won't be too much longer). And then Grant and Melissa can have the Ergo for their baby boy, yippee!!

Anyhow, I even managed to take pictures of our berry-picking, which is slightly miraculous. I had one child strapped to my back, I had the bucket in one hand, my (giant) camera around my neck, and then I was using my other hand to actually pick berries and help Nikos out. All things considered, I think the pictures turned out pretty well! And we had fun, too! Especially Nikos, who probably ate his weight in strawberries... Good thing they don't use any pesticides!





Then, once we got home, we took a bunch of the strawberries and made some delicious strawberry sorbet. I don't think I have used the ice cream maker even one time since Nikos was born... But now that I remember how good this stuff tastes, I think I need to use it more often!


And, the smile of approval. After announcing that it was cold, he said it was "deeewicious!!" :)

Adventures in Haircutting

Well... Nikos got his hair cut today. I can't say it was a pleasant experience, but we lived to tell the tale, so I guess that's something! ha! Seriously, though, that boy is SO strong-willed. And when talking to the hairdresser about it, she said that it's a control issue for a lot of kids. It made so much sense. Nikos thrives on being in control of the situation, and things fall apart when he feels like he's not in control. Which, of course, includes being forced to sit in a chair and have a stranger hack his hair off. Go figure!

We actually went to a new place today, since the old salon went out of business. The old place was kid-friendly, but NOTHING like the new one! Holy cow, this place was great! Nikos was instantly sucked into the large play area loaded with toys, including a large playhouse and a play castle with a slide! Then, when it was time to get his trim, the very sweet Miss Lisa walked him over to pick out a movie to watch at her station (he picked "Cars," of course!). All was going well until she asked him to sit in the seat. I think that was when he put it all together and realized where he actually was! He started saying, "I don't WANNA sit there! I wanna GET DOWN NOW!" He got louder and more forceful (and more wiggly-- I was holding him there) and then Lisa suggested that maybe we should go in the quiet room. hahaha! They basically have a room where they take the screamers, so they can yell to their hearts' content without bothering other customers. I appreciated it, since it also meant that I didn't have to make apologetic looks at anyone. It was a good arrangement for everyone!

Well, except for Nikos, who still didn't want his hair cut. He sat in my lap, neither one of us wearing a drape (it would have made things impossible), and I did my best to hold him still while he howled and writhed and fought with all his might to escape. And Lisa, bless her heart, was so calm and collected and got in there at every possible opportunity and cut his hair! She clearly has experience with this! But it was like wrestling a crocodile. Seriously. And in the end, Nikos and I were both covered with sweat AND his hair, which made for an incredibly itchy trip home. And the cut isn't perfect (we need to clean up the back a little), but it's truly miraculous when you think about how it was achieved. So I got Lisa's card, and will definitely be going back!

A few funny things happened while we were there, though. Aside from the screaming and wrestling, which actually were a little comical. I'll admit, I laughed. Because you have never seen anyone resist a haircut the way this kid does! But I digress... One funny thing was Maya. Yes, she was there, too-- it was just me with both kids. And she sat in her stroller and GIGGLED while all this drama was going down. She seemed to realize that her brother was overreacting, too, which was so funny to watch. She may not talk a whole lot, but I really feel like Maya has an innate knowledge about human behavior and social skills. I love watching her reactions!

The second thing was when we left. Or rather, when I had to drag him out of the salon because he didn't want to leave! That's right. The kid who fought every second of his haircut didn't want to go home. He wanted to go back and play with the toys. And then he wanted to bring them home with him. I ended up having to carry him out of the place kicking and screaming. It was truly an awesome experience, haha!

Anyhow... Some pictures! Here's a "before" shot, for comparison. This is from this past weekend:

And today. It's sticking up a little bit in the back because they didn't wash it before they cut it (can you even imagine attempting that? because I can't!). It looked better post-bath.

And one more, because I think it's funny. In order to get the picture above, Nikos insisted that I take a picture of his cars. He likes to put them into rows and say that they are parking. I love that kid, even if he can be a booger at hair salons!

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Blueberries!

We went blueberry picking today!!!!

I know this is going to sound weird, but I have never been a big blueberry fan. At least, I never liked eating them by themselves. The frozen ones were gross, and the fresh ones from the supermarket just didn't have much flavor. I really wasn't impressed.

Until last weekend, that is! I posted about wine tasting with some of my mommy friends. As we were waiting for one of the girls to arrive, our hostess put out a bowl of these huge, juicy-looking blueberries. They were so appealing that I thought I might try one. And OH MY GOSH-- they were fantastic! Sweet and juicy and, well, everything I had always thought that a blueberry must be (but had never found to be the case). As I guzzled them down, she told me that she had gotten them at a local U-pick blueberry farm. What?? A blueberry farm? I knew that there were strawberry farms in the area, but this was news to me. And so it was decided that I NEEDED to go blueberry picking, and I NEEDED to bring the kids (who both love blueberries in ANY form).

Anyway, it was only about a 20 minute drive from my parents' house, and it was AWESOME! The blueberries were abundant, huge, juicy, and sweet. I think my parents are hooked now, too, and might be making a return trip on their own before the place closes down for the summer. Oh, and they sell fresh blueberry pies every Friday-- BONUS! Nikos was practically dancing down the rows of bushes, eating as many blueberries as he could fit into his mouth. He would even run back to the stroller to make sure that Maya had blueberries, too. They were in blueberry heaven! We only picked about 2 pints' worth, but that was still quite a bit. They are FANTASTIC. And as someone who didn't really like blueberries until recently, that's saying something! :) Here are some pics of our blueberry-picking adventure!







Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Video Proof: She Walks!!

Just ignore the crying (she didn't want me to walk away). And my annoying voice. But look at that girl go! She has NO fear, I tell you!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Mother of the Year

So, um, I kind of forgot to mention something that happened yesterday. I think, with all the exciting events of the day, that it just slipped my mind that MAYA TOOK HER FIRST STEPS!!! Yes, please hand me that Mother of the Year Award... sheesh! I was so proud of my baby girl, but when it came time to post on the blog, I focused on the things I had pictures of. But just before naptime, Gus and I sat on the living room floor and she was repeatedly taking two or three steps to walk between us (before collapsing into our arms and giggling). Seriously, she is such a little daredevil! I think she may be a little bit ahead of her bro in this regard, but it is probably because she so desperately wants to keep up with him. At any rate, we love her little Frankenstein toddling, and can't wait to watch her become a full-time walker over the next few months. I even bought her some cute shoes! :)

In other news... I am so excited that a good friend became a daddy today! His wife went into labor yesterday, and little Israel was born early this morning. And even though he was a few days overdue, he was a little peanut-- just 5 lbs, 11 oz! The best part (for me, anyway!) is that I get to take newborn portraits of the little guy, probably next week! I will be posting those on my photography blog, so stay tuned!

Monday, June 7, 2010

It's Here!

Summer, that is! :) After a few weeks of unseasonably cool temperatures, the weather gods seemed to have decided that it was about time for a heat wave. The result? Fun in the sun! Since Gus is leaving on a business trip later this week, and since I was gone all day yesterday, we decided to have a day of family togetherness. And I am pretty sure both kiddos had fun!

After Maya's morning nap, we loaded up the stroller, sprayed on the sunscreen, and walked down to our neighborhood park. Nikos had a blast climbing everything that was climb-able, and Maya thoroughly enjoyed her swing, as usual. After a while, though, it was just too toasty for me. So Maya and I settled down in the shade of a large tree, and she crawled around on the cool grass for a bit. Nikos and Gus joined us soon after, and then we headed back home for lunch. Here are a few pics from the park:




Since it was so hot, we thought about heading to a local community's (free) splash park after naptime. But we knew it would be crowded and, honestly, the idea of packing everyone into a hot car and driving the 20 minutes there and back didn't sound too fun. Don't get me wrong-- we WILL be going there this summer! But today just wasn't the day. Instead, I ran and bought a cheapie little wading pool for the yard (to replace our old one), and plunked the kiddos in that. Oh my goodness, they LOVED it! Especially Nikos, who splashed like a maniac and had the time of his life. Maya was a little more hesitant at first, but quickly decided that it was good fun.



All in all, it was a great day, and I am certain that they will both be sleeping well tonight. And me too, since there are only two more days of school! Hello, summer!! I can't wait to be a stay-at-home mommy for a few months! :)

Sunday, June 6, 2010

A Day Without Kids, part 2

I mentioned in the last post that I had more wine tasting plans for this weekend, so that is what I did yesterday! The kids stayed with Gus, who had a great time and took both of them to the zoo. Nikos, in particular, had a blast, and declared that he wants to go back to the zoo really, really soon. Good thing we have a family membership, right? :)

Anyway, while they were home having fun with Daddy, I drove up to the Temecula area to go wine tasting with some of my mommy-friends. Really, I call them my "internet friends," since we all met through an online parenting discussion board, but they have become some of my favorite "real life" friends. It's always funny to explain that to people! Two of the girls live just a short drive from my parents' house, and even came to Maya's birthday party last month. And the other two live up in L.A., but made the drive down to hang out. Really, for a group of people who would have otherwise been strangers, we get along SO well! We are so like-minded, in so many ways, and I don't think we stopped laughing the entire time! It is really neat, when you think about it!

At any rate, here are just a few pics from the day. I have a million of them, but since this blog is mostly about the kiddos, I will control myself. :)



And, on a side note, I made a cool discovery! We took the backroads from my friend's house out to the wineries, a way I had never been before. And I learned about a U-Pick blueberry field! I have seen lots of strawberry fields, but NEVER a blueberry one! I called my parents, and guess what we're doing next weekend? The kids (both certifiable blueberry-holics) will go crazy!!

Friday, June 4, 2010

A Day Without Kids

It's only taken me all week to post about this, but that's just how life is these days. :P Anyway, last weekend, Gus and I got to get away for a day and go wine tasting with our very dear friends, Mike and Steph! We had a great time exploring a handful of Temecula wineries and just catching up. AND... What a fun discovery to realize that they had planned a Las Vegas trip for the same exact weekend that we were going! Such an awesome coincidence, and we are already making plans to get together while we are all there. Yippee!!! Anyway, I thought I'd share a few pics from our fun day. Really, I only took a few, because a) we were drinking wine (mostly me, since Gus was driving) and b) we were talking the whole time. So here they are!

First, Mike and Steph (hehe!) at one of the newer wineries-- it was really nice!

And an almost-in-focus wine glass, with my non-cooperative husband in the background...

And some barrels at the Briar Rose winery. :) I asked for a cork (Steph's idea), but they keep them for inventory. I think I might need to buy a bottle next time!

Funny enough, I am actually going wine tasting again this weekend (same area, probably some of the same wineries, but different friends). It should be fun! And as much as I adore my babies with all my heart, it IS nice to get away and have some grown up time. I am really looking forward to it, and our Vegas trip, too! :)

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Proof They're Ours

As I looked at a recent picture I took of Nikos, it hit me that I had a similar picture of myself at about the same age. So, just for fun, I thought I'd look at them. And WOW! Yes, he is mine, haha! At the same time, Maya so totally looks like her daddy... It's in her eyes and smile, I think, but it's obvious. I even found a childhood photo of Gus for comparison. What do you think??

My boy and his mommy...


My girl and her daddy...



hehe! Anyway, a lot has been going on lately, all good, but I am just too tired to post about it all! Hopefully I'll start posting more next week, once school ends (yay!). But it's been fun, and this summer promises to be AWESOME, so I can't wait! And I have more pictures to share, too, but you might be better off just checking out my photography website, since they are there already. :)

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

I Scream, You Scream...

We all scream for ice cream! Especially Nikos, who makes it his daily mission to see the ice cream truck as it passes by our house (which happens probably 300+ days out of the year). And he is always sad once it leaves. My plan today was to record his sadness and his staring out the window, willing the ice cream truck to come back. Only this time, it actually DID! haha! So here is my boy, looking out our front window and chatting. Our typical weekday afternoon. :)