Photos, Anyone?

Between being sick, working hard, getting Christmas taken care of, and doing photo sessions, I feel like I haven't been taking enough pictures of my own kids lately. And it makes me sad, because I think they are the two most adorable and incredible children in the whole world! So, without further ado, some recent pictures! You can really tell just how much Nikos loves having his picture taken, haha!






Also, we went to see Santa at the mall. I was uncertain about how Nikos would react, mainly because his plan seemed to be constantly evolving. First, he wanted to see Santa. Then he said he didn't want to sit in his lap, but would stand next to him. Then he didn't want to do. Then he did. Then he didn't want to go, at all, and said that he didn't want anything for Christmas. He just wanted to ride the glass elevator at the mall. And so on and so forth.

Anyway, Maya was also a wild card, since she is going through a sort of clingy phase and can be incredibly stubborn (just like her brother!). Still, life is short... why not try? So we went. Maya actually sat in Santa's lap, though she didn't smile and was very wary of the whole thing. Nikos wouldn't get within ten feet of Santa, but he didn't cry or throw a fit or really do anything. It was like he was completely frozen and speechless, just gazing at Santa like he was both awesome and terrifying. It was pretty funny, though I wish he'd been in the photo! At any rate, here is our official 2010 mall Santa photo. It's the same Santa from the last two years, which is kind of cool! (2008 photo, 2009 photo)

O Christmas Tree!

Well, first the good news: I FEEL BETTER! I was sick for SO long, and did not feel like myself... and my visit to the doctor merely confirmed that I have been battling a nasty virus of some sort. But my doctor (who I love) gave me a list of traditional Chinese homeopathic remedies to try. And I don't know if it was the remedies, or just the fact that the virus ran its course, but I feel a thousand times better. Hooray for that!

The other good news... Both kids had their well-child appointments today (18 months and 3 years), and they are doing great! Nikos is solidly around the 50th percentile, while Maya hovers at the 50th percentile for height and the 8th percentile for weight. Yup, she's a skinny little thing! But the doctor knows she is healthy and growing, and is not concerned at all. Neither am I, knowing how much that girl can eat! But both kids are perfect and wonderful and all is well in the world.

And... better yet... Christmas is in the air! I am so excited to have TWO toddlers excited about opening presents this year! It feels so magical! Nikos has even told me that he wants to go see Santa on Saturday, so I think we might try. He says he doesn't want to sit in his lap, but he wants to stand next to him. We'll see! I hope he doesn't freak out!

And since I have been so ill and haven't taken NEARLY enough pictures of my kiddos lately, here are a few from this evening. They love the Christmas tree, and are so good around it! They also have chocolate advent calendars which they look forward to opening every morning. I just LOVE this time of year!!!!!

Sick, Sick, Sick...

Yup, I am STILL sick. This is getting ridiculous! First I had that horrific stomach bug which lasted for a day. Then I was fine for a day or two, then BAM! I got slammed with this cold/flu/whatever this is. And after nine days with no real improvement, I am finally going to the doctor tomorrow. I am sick of being sick! Enough already!

Adding to my exhaustion, though, is the fact that my sweet baby girl seems to be going through a "Mommy" phase. As in, she wants me (and only me) to hold her and carry her around, 24/7. While it is very sweet, and I do enjoy the great cuddle time I am getting, it is also really frustrating when I have to, say, use the bathroom, or cook dinner, or just have a moment to myself! Sigh. It really wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't already so run down. And for all I know, she is sensing my sickness and wanting to cuddle with me BECAUSE of that. So I am not complaining, because I love my baby girl more than life itself! But with that being said, I am very, very tired!!

It is amazing, though, to listen to her communicate lately. I still only understand about a third of what she says, but some words are SO clear-- including words that strike me as kind of funny, such as "tissue," "napkin," and "Minnie Mouse." She also says "mess" a lot, either referring to her hands (as she requests a napkin) or when she wants to see the framed photo of her diving into her birthday cake. She is so funny about messes, too, and always likes to clean up. She will wipe her own hands/face after a meal, bring dirty dishes to the sink, and will put toys away without being asked twice. She loves brushing her teeth and washing her hands. She clearly believes in the philosophy of "a place for everything, and everything in its place." She will even go and get the push sweeper if the floor is dirty. If only she did windows... :)

Anyway, she is a really cool kid. Both my kids are just awesome, and so different from one another, and yet they get along so well (*knock on wood!*). I am thinking we are pretty lucky! Except for the being sick part. But hopefully the doctor can fix that.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Better late than never, right? Our Thanksgiving was great, minus the fact that I am STILL sick. Honestly, this has just been the worst. I timed it just right so that I'd be sick during my entire week off. Ugh!

Anyway, we spent this Thanksgiving with Gus' family up in Orange County. There were eight of us in all: us four, Gus' parents, his sister, and her fiance, Bill. It was very nice, though I wish I had been able to actually taste the food! I am pretty sure it was good, though. :)

At any rate, here are just a few pictures from dinnertime, taken with my little camera. I didn't feel like bringing the big one, so oh well! The first one if of Nikos clinking glasses with Bill ("Cheers!"). He had on a cute sweater earlier in the day, but insisted on taking it off... sigh!


Yesterday, after we got home, we set up the Christmas tree and got all the decorations set up. All we have left to do is get the outside lights up, and we'll be done! Let the Christmas season begin! :)

Friends

It's moments like these where I realize just how cool it is to have kids so close together in age! Maya simply idolizes her big brother, and wants to play with him all the time... and he is almost always eager for a playmate! This afternoon, he convinced Maya to play "baby tiger" with him. They crawled around the house like this for nearly an hour, pretending to eat things and getting into various predicaments (created by Nikos, of course). At one point, I asked Maya if she was a tiger, and she just grinned at me and growled. I managed to get just a short bit of their tiger-playing on video:

I just think it's so cool that she's old enough to get sucked in to his pretend play, and really enjoy it! His imagination is in overdrive these days, and I also appreciate that there is someone (besides me!) to join him in all his adventures throughout the day. I get tired, you know! Anyway, I am also so lucky that they get along as well as they do (despite the occasional disagreement about which-toy-belongs-to-whom). They are some pretty great kids, that's for sure!

New 'Do

As you know by now, Nikos hates getting his hair cut. And that's putting it mildly! He throws a complete tantrum every single time, and it is pure torture for all involved.

With that in mind, and with his hair getting shaggier by the day, I made a decision yesterday: we were going to buzz it ourselves! I called Gus at work so he would have time to mentally prepare. After dinner, we all went into the bathroom, and first we cut Gus' hair (he needed a trim, anyway). Nikos thought that was great fun. But then it was his turn, and he was NOT a happy camper! Gus held him in the (dry) bathtub while I buzzed his head as quickly and thoroughly as I could. And honestly, I think it looks pretty cute! He recovered quickly, and now we won't have to worry about getting another haircut for a while. I still love his longer hair, but am not worried-- his hair seems to grow faster than everyone else's, so it will be back before we know it!

Without further ado-- our guy and his new buzz cut "just like Daddy's"!

Two Short Stories

1. After finishing up his lunch today, Nikos asked for a piece of Halloween candy. Fine, not a problem. We only have a few pieces left, and what he chose from the bowl was a bag of peanut M&M's. He took one bite, and said, "OHHH NOOOO! There's NUTS in here! YUCK! Nuts are for SQUIRRELS!" haha!!

2. Then, this afternoon, we were all in the car together. Nikos decided to ask everyone what their favorite instruments were. I said the piano, which was an acceptable answer. Gus answered "xylophone," though, to which Nikos replied, "No, no, no, Daddy... it's called a saxophone." :) He then proceeded to tell us that his favorite instrument was the guitar. I told him that his daddy plays the guitar, too. Nikos promptly suggested that they play together in a parade, and that they needed to get some marching band hats.

This kid just kills me!!!

Another Language Post

Having studied language acquisition as both an undergrad and then again while getting my teaching credential, it always amazes me how kids pick it up so quickly. However, I have been so focused on Maya's major breakthroughs recently that I haven't paid as much attention to my boy.

Really, though, his language is impressive. He is one of the most verbal kids at daycare, without question, and the little things he says are so funny. For example, he has started to say, "Oh my goodness gracious!" when he drops a toy (and sometimes seems to drop one on purpose, just to say it). It kills me! And that's just one example out of a million!

A big thing happened tonight, though. As we were finishing up our dinner, I had a coughing fit (see previous post). Without thinking, Nikos said, "Xristoulis!" Now, my Greek is very limited, but I knew that was something. So I asked Gus, who started to explain that "It's something you say when people..." Nikos jumped in to say "Cough," which was apparently correct! I know that he understands a lot of Greek, but it was really unusual for him to produce a Greek word on his own without any prompting/modeling. I was impressed!

And one more silly story from today... He didn't want to take his nap this afternoon, though he eventually succumbed to sleep. But for the first half-hour or so, he laid in his bed and yelled "MOOOOOOMMYYYYY! MOOOOOOMMYYYYY! MOOOOOOMMYYYYY!" over and over and over again. He wasn't really upset, just yelling for the sake of yelling, I think. Anyway, he took a little break, reevaluated his strategy, and then started calling out, "BRIIIIIIIAAAAAR! BRIIIIIIIAAAAAR! BRIIIIIIIAAAAAR!" haha! Needless to say, I didn't respond. But I did think it was a clever ploy, at least! :)

Sick Bay

Well, it's that time of year again: Cold and flu season! Blech!! We started off with a bang last week, when Gus and I were in Massachusetts. Both kids came down with some sort of short-lived stomach bug while we were gone, forcing my parents to clean up more than their fair share of toddler vomit (sorry, guys!). They seemed okay by the time we got home, though.

Tuesday afternoon, I felt like I had been hit by a truck. Everything just felt wrong. My head was pounding, my heart was racing, I felt dizzy, I had chills, etc. Not good. I forced myself to eat dinner, thinking that maybe I just needed some food. Bad idea. Long story short, let's just say I won't be eating chili again anytime soon. I continued feeling queasy on Wednesday, but woke up feeling fantastic on Thursday. So at least it was quick!

Then, Thursday night, Gus joined the club. It was not a pretty sight. He stayed home from work yesterday, and luckily feels a lot better today, because... I am sick AGAIN!! This time it's a really bad cold of some sort. I can't stop coughing, my head hurts, and I'm dizzy and weak. blech.

The kids seem to be mostly okay, though they both have runny noses and Maya has a hacking cough just like mine. We are just Germ Central right now. In fact, all four of us are still in our jammies, and I have already taken an hour-long nap on the couch (it helps that it's a rainy day). Here's hoping we feel better and get our appetites back in time for Thanksgiving!

Oh, and I did take a few pics of my girl playing on the floor in her jammies earlier. Nikos didn't want his picture taken, as he was too busy snuggling with daddy on the couch. But here's my little sickie!

Manners

I just need to brag about my kids for a minute. And really, what better place to do it? :) But they have both impressed me so much lately, and I am really proud of them!

First, there is Maya, who is very rapidly mastering her "P's and Q's." Her language is just exploding lately, and it is such a treat to watch! For example, this morning. She finished her waffle, pointed to her tray, and said "Wan mo (want more)." If you pause ever so slightly before fulfilling her request, she will tack on a "Peez! (please)" to the end. And after she got more food, she said "tankoo (thank you)" without ANY prompting whatsoever. She is such a good kid!

Oh, and despite her love for digging through the drawers in the kitchen island, she almost always cleans everything up again. She even puts things roughly where they actually belong, which is a minor miracle. Love it!!

Then there is our boy. He has been great with saying please and thank you for a long time now, which is most likely why Maya picked up on it so quickly. But the other night, his manners impressed me in a different way. I went to give the kids their bath, and Nikos ran in and turned on the cold water (he wasn't supposed to do this). The bath was actually set to "shower," so water started raining down, and we both got a little wet. I turned it off really quickly and told Nikos not to do that. A minute later, he wrapped his arms around my neck and said, "I'm sorry, Mommy. I'm sorry I sprayed the water and got you wet." Totally unprompted, totally remorseful. He is the sweetest kid, I swear. And so smart, too. This is off-topic, but he will tell you all about how the Mayflower was a boat, and that the pilgrims sailed on it from England to Massachusetts. It's the cutest thing ever!!!

And since I am already straying from the subject of this post, I just wanted to share one more fun story. I was making dinner tonight, and both kids were playing nearby. Nikos was playing with some Play-Dough at the table, and Maya was going through kitchen drawers. Next thing I knew, she was walking by me with a mouth full of... something?? Instantly concerned, I grabbed her and took a look-- only to discover her mouth was full of CAT FOOD, which she was happily chowing down on. OH MY GOSH!!! Our cat's food dish is behind a baby gate, but I guess she has gotten tall enough to reach it. She was happy as can be to be eating it, too, and started wailing when I scooped it out. EW!!!! The good news, though, is that her urinary tract should be very healthy, and her coat nice and shiny...

Exhaustion, thy name is Briar

Exhausted doesn't even really begin to cover it, but that's okay!

I had two days off this week, due to Veteran's Day and the Friday afterward (which the school district wisely gave to us). Gus and I decided a few weeks ago that I would take one extra day (Wednesday), and we would spend the long weekend in Massachusetts!

There are lots of good reasons why we decided to go there, of all places, but that's another post for another time. Still, we had so much fun! We explored the central/northern parts of the state, which were absolutely gorgeous! A lot of the leaves had just fallen, but there were small parts where autumn was still alive and well. And those parts were truly spectacular! We also spent a night out on Cape Cod, which (as it turns out) is really pretty dead this time of year. Still, we could see what fun it would be during the warmer months!

The highlight was our final day, which we spent in Boston and Cambridge with Gus' old friend, Ramzi. These two went to high school together, lived together as roommates in college, then Ramzi was a groomsman in our wedding... you get the drift! After undergrad, Ramzi swent to Harvard Law School. And now, he lives right down the street from Harvard! So, after a morning spent walking the Freedom Trail in downtown Boston (which was a fun adventure, since it can be tricky to follow at times!), we headed back and got the full tour of Cambridge and the Harvard campus. My feet STILL hurt, but it was really neat! I loved getting to actually go inside some of the buildings and see the actual classrooms. Amazing!

Anyway, we got back to San Diego at about 1am, slept for a bit, did a few quick errands, then headed up to my parents' house to get the kiddos. My parents had an adventure of their own, with two sick kiddos! Nikos was throwing up on Thursday, and Maya joined in not too long after. She bounced back right away, but our boy has been kind of blah all week. He was ready to come home, I think, despite having a blast with his grandparents. I think he is a lot like me. If I am sick, or tired, the ONLY place I want to be is home. He was doing well this afternoon, so here's hoping that tomorrow he feels better!

But without further ado, here are just a few of the pictures I took on our mini-vacation! And yes, the fourth picture is of Ramzi giving Paul Revere a high-five. I love it, haha!!

An odd milestone...

Today, our sweet baby girl is 18 months and 6 days old!

What is the significance of this age, you wonder? Well, this is exactly how old Nikos was when she was born.

Looking at Maya now, she still seems SO little. Maybe it's because she will always be "the baby" in the family, but I cannot even imagine her as a big sister to another baby. Nor could I imagine being pregnant again! I guess we are just at a different place now!

Still, eighteen months and six days ago, our boy was this same size. And in a matter of minutes, he went from being a baby to a big boy, and from an only child to a big brother. I remember coming home from the hospital and noticing how big his hands and feet seemed, how active he was, and how thick his hair was. Of course, if I had another newborn, it would be easy to make these same comparisons with Maya! I actually did go through this just a few weeks ago, seeing her next to her baby cousin. She really IS a big girl!

Anyhow, just for kicks, here is the picture we took the night before Maya was born. Our last photo as a family of three!


And then Maya, with her cousin Colton a few weeks ago. Who's a big girl now (with her Farrah Fawcett hair)?

Happy Halloween!

Man, am I tired! And I am REALLY ready for Gus to come back home tomorrow!

Anyway, my parents drove down this afternoon to have dinner with us and help me out with the whole trick-or-treating thing. It was nice to have two more pairs of hands available, especially since one of those pairs made Maya's costume and knew how to tie the bow properly!

So we ate an early dinner, cleaned up, and got the kids into their costumes to head out right at dusk. Our first stop was Bonnie's house (our daycare lady), where her daughter Renee gave them oodles of candy and they basked in the attention. From that point on, Nikos seemed to put careful thought into which house to visit next... He didn't want to go anywhere with scary things in the yard or music playing. But at the houses we DID visit, he would shout out "Trick or treat!!" get candy, say thank you, and just generally act adorable. Maya followed behind him, mostly due to being sleepy and a wardrobe malfunction (her shoes kept slipping off). She was as cute as can be, but would shake her head "no" when offered candy. It was hilarious! She would try to put it back into the giver's bowl!

After four houses, Nikos announced that he was ready to go home. When I asked him if he wanted more candy, he pointed out that he already had candy in his bucket. So, we went home! He had a BLAST the rest of the night, distributing candy to the other kids that came by. He did NOT want to go to bed!

Anyway, I am beat (being a single mom for a week will do that to ya!), but here are a few pictures from this evening... They aren't the best, because I put my camera on "auto" mode for convenience. I generally shoot in "manual" mode these days, and have so much more control over what I get! But the lighting was bad, I needed my hands, and had very little time to take pics... So, it is what it is, right? I tried!

Fall!

Ok... to be honest, fall (the season) doesn't really exist in San Diego. I mean, our front lawn is still green, our flowers are still blooming, and most of the trees and plants still have their leaves. Which is why it's so cool to see a place that actually has SEASONS!! :)

Gus has actually been gone most of this past week, on a business trip to Massachusetts. And he had time today to drive around some of the smaller towns and enjoy the fall color. He sent me a bunch of pictures, and I couldn't help but play with a few to make them pop a bit more. Isn't it gorgeous??? It has me all excited for our own mini-vacation to Boston in two weeks. Hopefully, there will still be some leaves on the trees!

One last birthday post...

So yesterday, my baby turned THREE! I still can't believe it! We had a fun afternoon at home, just playing with his new toys, playing the piano, snuggling on the couch, cooking dinner together, etc. It was a Very Nikos Birthday (=low-key). I made his favorite dinner (chili and corn muffins), and we decided to see if he would blow out his candles this time. And of course he did! He blew them out with one big puff, and later told me that it was "the best birthday EVER, Mommy!"

Anyway, since his birthday cake was already pretty demolished, we put his candles in a corn muffin. I just love this face!


And later, I got this picture of a very-sleepy Maya, minutes before bedtime. Much to my surprise, she has recently gotten really into her baby dolls! She is such a girly-girl, which throws me off (since I am NOT one). But she loves her babies, her purses, her shoes... you get the idea. This one is going to be trouble! But for now, she is just pure sweetness. How can you resist this face?

3 Year Letter

Dear Nikos,

I know it's been a year since I wrote your last letter, so I should have plenty to write about, right? Well, that is exactly the problem. There is too MUCH to write about, and I'm not even sure where to begin! So I will just do my best to recap the year-- bear with me!


This time last year, I remember thinking what a big boy you were! You were actually able to open some of your presents, though you were far more interested in playing with the ones that had already been opened. You celebrated your actual birthday by a) breaking my 50mm camera lens (doh! my fault, though, for leaving it in a bad place) and b) going out to brunch at our favorite local restaurant (which has since closed down). Your sister was in the baby carrier, if that tells you anything. We had a great time together, though, as we generally do when we go out to eat. It never ceases to amaze me how comfortable you feel chatting with restaurant staff. Maybe you inherited some of the restaurant bug from your pappou? Who knows!


Anyway, we made it through most of the year without major incident. Daddy and I worked, you went to daycare, and we made the most of our time together. On my Spring Break, I worked it so that I would have solo time with both my kiddos, and you and I had a BLAST together! We went to the beach, the park, the zoo, you name it. Just the two of us. It amazed me to take you these places and really have conversations with you about what we were seeing, without the distraction of a baby to attend to. And don't get me wrong, I loved my solo time with your sister!! But it was nice to reconnect that week, and was one of the highlights of my year.


When summer rolled around, I made it my mission to fill your days with exciting and memorable activities. I couldn't maintain this every day, naturally, but I did my best! We learned about the pleasures of U-Pick strawberries and blueberries. We went to the zoo, to visit friends and family, and just generally enjoyed getting out of the house every day and soaking in the sunshine (or lack thereof... it was sort of a gray summer!).


A BIG highlight of your summer was when we did our three-day potty training boot camp. I shouldn't have been surprised (since you always surprise me!), but you picked it up so incredibly quickly. Within weeks, you were even potty-trained at night, and any accidents you have had after the initial three days have been few and far between (and usually small). It was a huge success! I was SO PROUD!!

Since then, you have repeatedly amazed us with your sense of humor, chattiness (with people you know), and imagination. Lately, you love to tell us how you want to be a firefighter when you grow up. You go on to explain how you will live in the fire house, wear fire clothes (boots, hat, and jacket) and eat fire food (which, when pressed for detail, is chili). You love driving an imaginary fire truck around and ringing its imaginary bell, and are always off to rescue someone. Or, when you aren't being a firefighter, you are a doctor-- using Daddy's headphones as a stethoscope and listening to Maya's heart, all the while gently explaining to her what you are doing ("Hold still, My-my, I'm just gonna listen to your heart. There, all done!").


Really, just about everything you do these days is beyond cute. You have your stubborn moments, of course, but are generally a pretty pleasant little guy to be around. You are a great brother, too, and your sister absolutely idolizes you (she calls you "Geeko"). We are so lucky to call you our son, and wouldn't have it any other way. To steal a line from you, we "love you a million!" Happy Birthday, sweet boy!!

All our love,

Mommy and Daddy (and Maya)

Party on!!

So, our baby boy doesn't turn three until tomorrow (at 12:09pm, to be exact), but we had his party today. And after getting to know our little guy these past three years, we have come to realize that he hates (HATES) big parties where he is the center of attention. So, with this in mind, we invited only the core group: both sets of grandparents, both sets of aunts/uncles, Nikos' godparents, and Bonnie (our daycare lady/next-door neighbor). This turned out to be just the right size for Nikos, who was happy as a lark for the majority of his party (the only unhappy part being when we brought him back inside to blow out candles and open presents... but he recovered quickly).

It was so much fun to watch him open his presents this year, now that he is really old enough to "get" the whole process. He opened each gift, announced what it was, thanked the giver with a hug, and moved on. Maya was happy as can be to help clean up the wrapping paper. And both kids were thrilled to meet their baby cousin, who made the three hour trip to visit with us for a few hours (and we really loved it!). Honestly, it was a great party, for a great boy. Here are just a few pics from this afternoon's celebration!

Sneak Peek!

Ok, ok... so Halloween isn't for another week... but I couldn't help myself! Maya needed to try on her costume to see if it fit, and of course I had to take a few pictures! Her bow is sloppily tied (sorry, Mom) and her pigtails are messy, but isn't she just the cutest Dorothy you have ever seen?? Nikos is going to be a monkey, but we've already tried on his costume. And in lieu of wearing it again, he opted to demonstrate his monkey climbing powers. Gotta love these kids!! ♥


Thanks to my mom for making Maya's dress. It's perfect!!! :)

I Love These Kids!

I know it's not surprising, seeing as how I grew them and all, but wow... we are so lucky! There are certainly moments of difficulty, but they are nothing compared to the joy that these two little boogers bring to our lives. What's that? You want video proof? Ok, it's a deal!

First, a quick video of Nikos showing off his hidden talent: somersaults. I had no idea he could do this, until he announced, "Hey Mommy, watch me do a somersault!" Next thing I knew, he was doing one... then another... then about 200 more. My little tumbler!

Then the two kiddos were playing together (as they usually do), and I caught this little snippet. They really do adore each other, but I don't usually get it on camera! In case you have trouble hearing him, Nikos declares that Maya is a good friend, and that she plays toys with him. He also says they have a lot of fun together. And you know what? It's true, and the feeling is absolutely mutual. I love them so much!!

Odds & Ends

In the interest of staying on top of things, I figured I had better post! So many things happen on a daily basis where I think, "Oh, I should TOTALLY write about that!" But by the time the kids go to bed and I finish up whatever else I happen to be working on, I have very little energy lately for blogging. And it's so sad, because I LOVE blogging. LOVE it! It's so therapeutic, and I just adore being able to go back and see how my babies have grown!

That being said, work has been pretty intense lately. I have a huge class this year, and a huge group of students with learning disabilities and/or behavior issues. Today, I had a student call me a word which should not be repeated on here. But let's just say I have never had a student dare to call me anything so bad before, and was really shocked. I'm sure that was the intent, and this particular student has a pretty notorious track record, but it stung nonetheless. It was not fun.

And so, in times like this, I find so much joy in being a mom to my own wonderful kids. :)

Maya, sadly, is covered with spots. It's not any of the obvious things (roseola, hand, foot and mouth, etc), and it's definitely not chicken pox. Our pediatrician thinks it's just some sort of viral rash. Maya is officially our Rashy Child, I've decided. While Nikos is much more prone to respiratory illnesses, our baby girl tends to have more sensitive skin. She is as happy as can be, and not acting sick in the slightest, but she is covered in these spots. Here are a few pictures I took this evening... You can see her spots best in the first one. And the second one shows just how happy she is, playing Peek-A-Boo in her highchair at dinner time!



For his part, Nikos continues to amuse us with his ever-expanding vocabulary and fantastic sense of humor. He has recently decided to assign numerical values to his love for us all. For example, if I ask him how much he loves me, he might answer with, "I love you FIVE!" or "I love you THREE!" Five seems to be the max, since he also accompanies this proclamation with a display of fingers. It cracks us up to ask him how much he loves the cat, the fish, etc. He really thinks about it, then assigns a number. It generally seems to match up, too, with the humans in his family getting higher numbers than the pets. Whew!

He has also started to get excited about his upcoming birthday, though we have had some disagreements. For one, he does NOT want people to sing "Happy Birthday" to him. He has, however, decided that we can sing the ABC song instead. He also argues with me when I tell him how many days are left. Today, I told him that there were only 11 more days left until his birthday, to which he replied, "NO! No, Mommy, my birthday is OCTOBER TWENTY-FIFTH! NOT ELEVEN!!" haha! He is also insistent that he gets a "farm animal cake," and wanted it to be "animal-flavor" for the longest time. Now, he wants vanilla, which should be much easier. Still, he makes me laugh every single day.

One more prime example... Last night, we watched the final miners get pulled out of the San Jose mine in Chile. It was mostly for me, since I was riveted by the entire thing, but Nikos had a lot of questions. In the end, I told him that these guys were trapped in the cave, and that they needed to ride in the little elevator so they could see their families again because they missed them a lot. When Gus came home last night (late), Nikos was eager to recap the entire event. He started to tell Gus about the men being trapped in the cave, but the story took a drastic turn when a robot flew in to rescue the men (complete with sound effects). Yes, Nikos was holding a Transformer toy at the time. It was HILARIOUS!! His little imagination just took off, and he spun this elaborate yarn for Gus that cracked us up. Love that kid!

Anyway, both kids (the spotted one and the non-spotted one) are just so darn lovable these days. We are so lucky!! :)

Productivity!

You know, I was pretty productive before we had kids. I mean, I single-handedly painted most of our house, refinished all our kitchen cabinets, built our kitchen island, built our rose garden, installed drip irrigation, etc. That being said... having kids has changed things in this area. Instead of Gus and I working full-force on different home improvement projects, it tends to be him doing most of the projects, every now and then when time allows for it, while I hang out with the kiddos. And it's not bad, just different!

This weekend, however, the kids went to go and spend some time with Gus' parents. We decided to focus on some projects that have gone unfinished for too long, and it is just CRAZY how much we got done! Before kids, I don't think we would have gotten this much done, because there wouldn't have been a deadline. But all weekend long, we pretty much only stopped to shovel food into our mouths and refuel.

So, without further ado, here's a list of what we accomplished! I would include photos, but that will have to wait. It's too dark, and I'm too tired!

-We installed crown moulding in the ENTIRE HOUSE (this was what Gus spent most of his time on... I just helped him hold it in place when it was time to nail it up. This stuff has sat in our garage for years!!)
-I caulked all the crown moulding and baseboards and filled in all the nail holes
-I cleaned out/organized all the kitchen cabinets/drawers and Nikos' closet
-I replaced most of the old outlets/switches with new ones, so now they will match.
-I installed a new doorknob on the hallway bathroom door (so now it matches the others)
-I caulked the wood paneling in the hall bath, making the whole thing look much, much nicer (there were holes/gaps in it before).
-I installed a shelf above the refrigerator
-I replaced the batteries in the smoke/carbon monoxide detector (that picked an excellent weekend to die, when the kids wouldn't be freaked out by its squawking!)
-I put up a wire across the wall in Nikos' room to display some of his artwork.
-I removed the vertical blinds above our sliding glass door, then spackled/painted over the screw holes
-I walked around touching up the wall paint

Anyhow... it looks GREAT in here!!! There are still a few things that need to be done, but the bulk of it is out of the way. The house looks so much more polished than it did before! I love it!!!!!

Of course, I DO miss my babies. While they may hamper my home improvement productivity level, they are so totally worth it. I can't wait for them to come home on Tuesday and see the changes we've made!

Depressing Day

Without going into too much detail (simply because it's probably boring to the rest of the world), today was kind of a downer. For one, it was rainy and dreary. Normally I would have enjoyed the change, but it just kind of emphasized all the other bad things that happened. My students were in fine form (well, one in particular), and let's just say I was really, truly DONE once the bell rang for the day. Add to that a dysfunctional computer that sucked up most of my planning/prep time, and a late meeting that I had to attend, and I was just in a really rotten mood when I got home.

Then I got online and logged into my mommy message board. I have mentioned this group before, but these girls have really become my friends over the past few years. I have met many of them in person, and just adore them. Anyhow, one of the mommies, Lacey, has two little girls named Jillian and Aubrey. Jillian is 3, and Aubrey is 14 months... They are almost the same ages as Nikos and Maya. Not even two months ago, Lacey found out that Aubrey had leukemia, and she underwent her first round of chemotherapy. While this treatment is effective for 95% of young leukemia patients, Aubrey wasn't so lucky. She went through a different, more aggressive treatment... and it didn't work, either. And somehow, in the process, she developed what appears to be an infection in her brain, and was put into the intensive care unit today.

Anyway, it just makes me want to cry. I can't even imagine someone Maya's age (or younger!) battling this horrible disease. It seems so incredibly unfair! Fortunately, a lot of my friends are working together to raise money for the family (to help cover hospital bills) and help send them things to make life easier while they are spending so much time in the hospital (meals, toys and books for both girls, etc.). If anyone wants to help, you can check out their Facebook page. My friend Jesi is also hosting an online Tastefully Simple party (host name: Aubrey Deno) where 100% of the proceeds and hostess gifts will be sent to Aubrey's family. I placed an order tonight. Nobody should EVER have to go through this-- EVER!

Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day... and Aubrey will be out of the ICU. Fingers crossed!!

Pumpkin Patch!

We went to the pumpkin patch today! In what's quickly become our annual tradition, we made our way out to Bates Nut Farm (not Nate's Butt Farm, which is far funnier) in Valley Center. They have the best pumpkin patch for miles around, along with pony rides, a petting farm, a corn maze, tractor hayrides, horse-drawn wagons, and a large section of booths run by local crafters. Oh, and it's a working nut farm, which means they also have a huge store with a huge variety of nuts and candy and Christmas goodies. It's pretty close to the happiest place on Earth!

Anyway, we met my parents there this year. It's actually right in between our houses, and it was fun to have four more hands to help manage our two rambunctious kiddos (especially Maya, who is the crazier of the two!). Nikos had been talking about the trip for days, making plans about what he wanted to do. He wanted to pet the baby animals first, then go on a tractor ride, then look at the BIG pumpkins. This was his plan.

So we got there, met up with my parents, and headed to the petting zoo. I went in with the kids and my dad. Maya went bananas-- she chased little chickens around, touched goats, and didn't get too disturbed when some of the larger animals bumped against her. Nikos did better this year, but quickly decided that some of the animals were scary and that he needed to be held. He did enjoy looking at the animals, and proceeded to talk about them all afternoon ("The pig was my favorite!"), but he was a little shy about the whole experience.

Later, he announced that he wanted to ride on a pony. Sure, no problem! Except that he changed his mind, decided it was too scary, and Maya ended up going instead. This just illustrates the key difference in their personalities, doesn't it? They get along well, love each other, and they do have a lot in common. But oh my gosh! Nikos tends to overanalyze things, and fears the worst. He is so shy, and reluctant to try anything new. Meanwhile, Maya is completely outgoing and unafraid. I'm actually hoping that having such a wild younger sister might help Nikos come out of his shell a little bit. And it wouldn't be a terrible thing if some of her brother's cautiosness rubbed off on her, too!

At any rate, they both had a blast, and promptly crashed when we got them home and into their beds. How about some photos? :)




Finally, three years' worth of wheelbarrow pics! I just think it's fun to compare how things have changed since October, 2008! :)