The Modern Art of Motherhood

January Pictures

2010-03-04T15:05:00.001-08:00

Here are some pictures of Raffi at preschool and Raffi with his friends.

Xmas 09 Pics

2010-02-28T13:46:00.000-08:00

More December Picks

2009-12-22T09:01:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Raffi and his usual cuteness. And I finally utilized the Christmas Cards I received this year in a decorative fashion!

Photos for Nov. - Beginning of Dec

2009-12-18T07:13:00.000-08:00

Choosing Thanksgiving

2009-11-23T08:59:00.000-08:00

I’m just finished the woman’s Bible study on Wed mornings at church. It is by James MacDonald called “Lord, Change my Attitude.” I have some attitude problems like everyone else, but this study really showed the gravity of my errors. It is the month of the Thanksgiving holiday, to give thanks. And that is one attitude that I realized I needed major help on. My attitude was one of complaining, and since this study I realized that complaining is not a harmless venting of feelings but something that makes God angry and is a sin. Ouch! James MacDonald defined complaining as “to express dissatisfaction with a circumstance which is not wrong and about which I am doing nothing myself to correct.” If I put that definition to my complaining about the slow driver in front of me, the little husband annoyances, my housing situation, etc. I am convicted.

In Numbers 11, God tells the story of Moses and the Israelites who were out in the wilderness because of their complaining. Over and over the Israelites complained about everything, and the consequences were severe, even death. Granted, a pillar of fire isn’t going to consume me for complaining…I hope. But I really don’t want that attitude making me an unhappy person and negatively affecting my relationship with God.
But there is hope and a way of combating our tendencies to complain. The answer is gratitude and thankfulness to God. First you have to decide, like so many things in the Christian life. Sitting around waiting for spiritual things to happen to you isn’t going to work. It takes decisions and actions. Decide to have a thankful attitude and back up that decision by reading the Bible. God’s word gives us the reasons for us to be thankful. Our relationship with God is strengthened and God gives us the strength to help us act gratefully.

Even if you do not feel thankful, you can choose to thank God for all the many wonderful things He has done and will do. Make a thankful list of these four things:
1. Things to be thankful for,
2. People I appreciate,
3. Spiritual blessing,
4. Everything else.

Review the list a couple of times a day. You can also make this a family activity and get everyone involved in reminding ourselves of our blessings.

This website also has some great thankful activities:
http://www.squidoo.com/thankfulhearts

small victory for mom

2009-11-08T18:31:00.000-08:00

Attached picture is before this...

Tonight I actually did something I wanted to do as a mom, but haven't. When I was pregnant I had all these glorious visions of doing activities with my child and spending quality time with him. But so often that has not not happened. And when he gets too tired in the evening it is all too easy to turn on the television to try to mellow him out.

So tonight, I pulled out my toddler activity book, which I recently got to try to get me started. I know I'm late he is over 2 now, almost 2 1/2. Anyways...I went to an activity which I thought would be easy to do. Peanut Butter play dough, and its edible. Honey and dry milk and we are good to go. I actually held Raffi's attention for 30 minutes. I made a dog and a cat in the dough then we made balls and tossed them into a bowl and counted. And after the peanut butter dough was successfully in Raffi's hair, we did coloring with markers on his big coloring book.

It was wild and crazy fun! And kept his attention and let his dad get some work done. He still was a bit hyper after but at least he wasn't leaping off the window cill to the bean bag!

End of Oct review

2009-11-02T13:47:00.000-08:00

Pictures:
Raffi wearing last year's costume at Preschool.
Raffi crying because I forced him to put on his super cool SuperMan costume with muscles. That he won't wear.
Trick or Treating at local town street w/ friends. (Costumeless!)
Hanging at the pumpkin patch on Halloween day.

Birthday

2009-10-16T15:33:00.000-07:00

We went to Disneyland! And really I must say it is the best thing to do for your birthday, if you like birthdays. I really don't mind them. So I had a blast!!!

We are currently at my parents house hanging out. Raffi is running amok and running more amok. It is neat to see his discipline skills maturing. He responds to a possible or actual time out and I've actually seen it curb his bad behavior. So amazing!

He is mimicking so many more words now. "Trash" is the most recent new one I can remember. When he hears a siren, he cups his ear with his hand and says "Listen." He is still obsessed with garbage trucks and gardeners.

Back to Dland: We went on the Carosel 3 times. That was hands down Raffi's favorite ride, we also went on the Train 3 times. Also another big fav. We went on Snow White, Dumbo, Jungle Cruise, and Small WOrld. Raffi wasn't a big fan of the small world(see picture). Cried and danced almost at the same time. We went around Toon Town and near the end of the night we went on the Pirates of the Caribean. And he did great. I was soo impressed. He was shocked at the drop parts of the ride but didn't even cry. So crazy.

Random stuff.

2009-10-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

Raffi tried to say crocodile the other day after seeing one on his cup. He is saying bus clearly and pretty much loves the Garbage Trucks and the Gardeners. He seems to like the G words. He is anticipating the stories he knows on his favorite tv shows. Doug and Raffi were watching Johnny Quest and the dog was licking Johnny; so Raffi started licking Doug's face. Crazy kid!

I'm turning 35 this coming weekend. That age actually feels older to me and I'm starting to not like my gray hair again. I might need to start coloring my hair. I feel so tired when I see my gray hair.

Ronin the Cat - Memorial

2009-09-24T14:23:00.001-07:00

Last week, I put our cat, Ronin, to sleep. He had been throwing up for almost a week if he ate too much. I could tell he was really sick and we weren't going to be able to fix him up this time. So I cried a bunch. So I miss him. I don't miss the stress that it caused Doug, but I miss my fluffy friend. He was such a good cat. So loving and gentle.

First Day of One Day Preschool (last Monday)

2009-09-20T06:37:00.001-07:00

Family Beach House

2009-09-03T15:04:00.000-07:00

I was visiting family for almost 2 weeks in August. I spent some time at my parent's and then at a beach house in Southern California. My wonderful and generous grandma gets the family a beach house almost every year. And it is always a good time. Sometimes I feel a little trapped by my little guy and limited in the fun stuff I can do, but every year it gets better. And raffi enjoys the beach more and more as he gets older. Through this time he added new words, Moon, tried to say Grandpa, and others that are escaping me at the moment. He just chatters away and talks your ear off, but you just can't understand 90% of it.

Raffi loved the ocean, running amok in the house and being the center of attention. My cousin Kelly is pregnant, so it is neat to see that we will have two little ones in the coming years, to destroy everything. Two boys, even!

There was a lot of firsts as well. I took him to his first baseball game, Angels vs. Tigers, Angels lost. And he did so amazingly, I thought for certain he would be crazy and running off the bleachers. But he stayed in the little area in front of my seat and wasn't bothered by the thousands of people and noises. It was great.

Raffi got skateboard lessons from his big cousin Scott. Of course, Raffi found the skateboard while no one was looking and fell trying to get on it. but he just got up and went back for more. So it was great that Scott gave him some assistance. He just loved it. as you can see.

My brother and I took Raffi down to the shore one morning and we had fun building sand castles and then he destroyed them. As evidence I have video! Grandma-ma gave him a cool double wagon for his birthday in June and we were finally able to utilize it at the beach boardwalk. He loved to be taken on wagon rides up and down the walk. He slung his arm over the back rest like he was just chillin and cruisin! And since we've been home, I took him to our local paved trail for a walk/wagon ride and he loved it. He just lasts so much longer in the wagon than in the stroller. So I'm going to try to do it weekly. Good exercise for me.

The family went out for our annual dinner out and we were by the area with rides and such. I knew Raffi loves the Carousal so we headed over there. He caught one look of the Ferris wheel and it was pointing all crazy. He wanted to go on the Ferris wheel. Which I was thrilled, not really, I don't like heights. But we went on it and of course he loved it.

There are so many other pictures and some more video, I'll have to post them later.

Yeh! Found our camera.

2009-08-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

Our digital camera has been MIA for over a month. I checked all of Raffi's hiding places because I was sure he was the last one to have had it. So today, I moved the couch and low and behold, there was the camera, a cookbook, 2 balls, 3 pens, raisins, papers and a phone book. Thank God.

I will now be able to take good pictures at our family beach house trip in a couple weeks. I've been packing today, because I will be leaving soon to go see my parents.

Raffi is saying "Got it" when he gets something and "home" and some beginnings of "mine." He is getting so tall as well.

This week, I cooked entirely out of the The Toddler Cafe by Jennifer Carden. So far so good. Raffi hasn't like all of the recipes, but they have been pretty tasty. I've liked them. There are several recipes using veges in creative ways. I haven't really had time to do that yet. It has been baking frozen french fries and stuff like that.

Raffi is finally starting to like some chicken. And he has discovered the joy of dipping things in Ranch dressing. So he is already a big ranch fan. He ate a couple bites of chicken nuggets at Mcdonald's. He really likes those apple slices. So it is funny we go to McDonald's for apples. And I sometimes get the yogurt apple walnut snack salad.

I particularly hungry right now, and all my snacking is not even filling me up. Even some chocolate chips!

Somebody come feed me!

Thomas the Train Ride

2009-07-26T21:41:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, the whole family went to the Railyards and rode Thomas the Train for a 20 minute trip. Raffi couldn't stop saying "choo choo." And we got a bonus because we directed to park in the far parking lot and got to ride a "shuttle" train to the actual park area. I think Raffi liked that train the best. But he has looked at the pictures and said choo choo. I know he remembers it. He also tried the bounce house, got a little scared so didin't last long and he also painted with tempura paints for the first time. He of course is a natural!

Toddler Times

2009-07-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

Raphael is utilizing his fork while eating much better the last couple of days. He is still yammering alot in his own language with the occasional English word thrown in. He is quite the handful, fully exercising his "twoness." So there are frequent "Time outs" for climbing on the outside of the stairwell and climbing on the tables!

But man, he is the cutest! I'm biased, since well, I'm his mom. But so many people have stopped and remarked how cute he is. He is such a charmer as well. Occasionally he give the "whattu talking about Willis?" look to people. And that just cracks me up more.

I'm still involved in my various moms groups and activities, which I feel keep me sane with adult conversations, but also yields adult drama. Oh life. It is challenging in so many ways. But I'm growing and learning. So I can't ask for more. (maybe a winning lottery ticket, but I think God is sick of that one!)

The picture above is a recent nap time where Raffi appeared to be kissing his dream girl. Ha ha. And below he is goofing around at a recent Mom's Group Playdate. Suck a cutie!

Language

2009-07-17T14:26:00.000-07:00

Raffi's language is coming along; he is still behind his contemporaries, but yet I keep believing that he is going to wake up one morning and start speaking in clear sentences. He has added I think around another 10 words or so; gardener, door, sure, nose, cheese, and some others that I can't remember at the moment. In June, I started getting a little worried because it seemed like he regressed a little, but he has rebounded since then. He will talk to you or himself in full monologues. It seems he is talking in semi-complete sentences, just in his own language. His motor skills are just awesome. He is kicking and throwing well and climbing like a 3 year old.

I know I will look back at this time, like I am now with his crawling/walking, and just laugh that I was ever worried. Funny how that is.

June Month in Review

2009-07-06T20:30:00.000-07:00

June was a major event month and in true fashion I didn't blog about it. So my critics have reminded me!

So in review:
Raffi and I went Strawberry Picking at a farm. He did really good, actually picking the berries, (not eating them like the other kids in our playgroup were doing) and putting them in the box. I was so impressed. He got plenty muddy and I ate pie, so it was good times for all!

Raffi had his first professional haircut. We went to one of those kid places where you sit in a car. He was fine in the car like seat, until the lady put the smock on him. Then the crying and anger began. I had to assist in holding him to get the haircut finished, but he is a trooper and the hairstylist was fast, so it all worked out in the end. He looked so handsome and like such a big boy. I loved his haircut; his father - not so much.

We had a 2nd Birthday Party for Raffi with some work friends on June 13th. The party went well and Raffi was full of high energy and seemed to even be embarrassed when we sang Happy Birthday to him.

Raffi and I also went for a trip to So. Cal to visit family. We had a good time and had another birthday party where Raffi demonstrated his John Daly impression. Funny Boy.

Raffi is saying an additional 5 or more words. His babbling is getting more and more distinct. I'm so surprised he is not fully talking yet. He always seems like he right on the cusp. His motor skills are excellent and he is just crazy anyplace he goes. He loves to climb, go on the big slides at parks, and loves to dance to any good music.

We also started going to a local amusement park for preschoolers. Raffi loves the train and the carosel. It is fun to enjoy it with him, I can't wait to take him to Disneyland.

Raffi had his "2" year Child Wellness Doctor appointment. He is about 23 pounds and 33 inches tall. It was good news because his weight percentages went up (prior appointment it had decreased and gone off the chart.) So this was great! His ears look good and he was in overall good health. And no shots, so that was the best part of all. I swear he grew a whole inch in the month of June. He just seemed to sprout into a boy on his 2nd birthday!

On a personal note for me. I feel like the last couple months have been more peaceful, including feelings of contempment. As always there was instances of challenging circumstances and events. I am confident that God is with me and He can use even the suckiest situations for his Glory! Amen.

Latest Pictures

2009-05-31T08:00:00.001-07:00

Some recent pictures of the little guy. He is looking cute at the park, playing BBQ at a playdate and watching a kite at the beach.

The way a mind works...

2009-05-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

Great Picture

2009-05-01T08:30:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure exactly what this look says, but it sure is interesting and mature!

March for Babies!

2009-04-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who supported me in the March for Babies, benefiting March of Dimes!

Catch-up

2009-04-13T14:36:00.000-07:00

Raphael had ear tube surgery on March 17th, and it has been interesting to see how his development went after that. I was all expecting him to start reciting poetry or something. But what first struck me in the first week was that Raphael's expressions and personality seemed more dynamic. He was more and super charged. And as this past month has gone by, Raphael's comprehension has increased as well. He understands verbal commands without having to wave, point or mime. And when the developmental specialist came this past week and we counted his words, it was great to see how he is doing. So for that and so I don't forget I'm going to write what he is saying.

1. bye-bye
2. uh-oh
3. cat
4. dog
5. mama
6. daddy
7. cra-k (cracker)
8. mlk (milk or water)
9. all-done
10. no
11. nite-nite
12. see (his action word to see or do something)
13. thank you
His all-done's and no's are a bit muted with more body movement associated with them. But the DS said he should be saying at least 10 words before his two. So yeh. We made that.

Above is a picture of Raffi and I out wine tasting in Paso Robles with one of my mom's groups.

One Word

2009-04-06T17:56:00.001-07:00

Facebook!

words, not needed

2009-03-24T21:23:00.000-07:00

The light at the end of the tunnel.

2009-03-13T14:35:00.000-07:00

That last blog has been nagging at me, a dark cloud hanging in written word and all I needed to do was write another post. And I couldn't do it. I really had a bad day. I felt much better the next day. Today, I finally got the dishes and kitchen clean; the house had mirrored my mood this week. It has been a disaster. It was good to do a little cleaning, very cathartic.

In movie, Finding Demo, Dory the fish was singing "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming." That sort of rings in my ears but I replace it with "just keep living, just keep praying" and so forth. It is a nice little tune. Raffi's ears are going to get "fixed" and that is a big relief. I hope it helps him stay healthier and increases his developmentally. Oh, and that reminds me of some good news.

Raffi began to feed himself with a spoon on Monday. It was really messy and progressively has gotten better as the week has gone on. It is mainly with oatmeal, it is sticky and a good start for him. We also stopped feeding him baby food. We lasted longer with it than others I believe because we wanted him to eat and he was finicky on a lot of textures. Raffi's broadening his horizons on that front. Besides his stable of pineapple, he has eaten some tangelos and other fruit. I need to work harder on the vegetables. I haven't figured out the way to prepare them that he will eat them. I guess that is the mom's mantra for now on "eat your veges."

I know my family and friends who read this blog are praying for me and I say thank you.

Drip, Drip...

2009-03-11T15:37:00.000-07:00

I'm beaten down. It is just that plain and simple. I can admit it, I'm not afraid of looking weak. I sometimes talk a good game of being strong, but really life is hard, difficult and frequently blah. No, I don't have cancer, nor is my home getting foreclosed. Yes, I'm probably being over dramatic, but it is the way I feel. It is like chinese water torture, the constant drip drip of life's annoyances, difficulties and struggles. So now that you are feeling totally down as you read this. I'll just leave you. Nah. No, not yet.

One of my favorite verses is a Psalm which I always forget which number since there are like over a hundred of them. And it is Psalm 61:2 "From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I."

Yes that is me, crying from the end of the earth to God to pull me to His Rock. Save me! I'm wallowing in my own self pity and mired in a sea of conflicts and emotional baggage. What in goodness name has set me off like this, you might ask? Well, I was in a minor rear end traffic accident. I was rear ended on the way to take my little Raffe man to see his doctor. Side note: He has another cold and of course another ear infection. Thank God, we are seeing the ENT this Thursday. End Note.

So it was a little bumper. My neck and shoulders are a bit sore and stiff and I did go see a doctor this morning, just to check it out. But really, I'm fine. But today, I think the heaviest damage is felt in my soul. I just feel beaten down. So I'm publicly saying, Lord, please help me. Please help me in the inside. In the internal workings of my mind in which even talking to dear mom can't resolve.

I apologize, I was hoping I would have some really uplifting end part to this entry, but it ain't going to happen today. I know it will happen.

Kill the cold with cookies.

2009-03-09T16:15:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting in my lazy boy chair while Raffi is taking a nap and pattering away at the computer and doing my devotional. I have another cold, I got it just when Raffi was healing from his last one 5 days ago. And of course Raffi's nose started running today! AHhh. This winter sickness season is killing me. It is nonstop relentless. Once fall came I might as well put a sign on my front door, Out sick for Season see you in May! So what good am I doing to help my cold, Girl Scout Cookies. A nice plate assortment of thin mints, samoas, and my homemade oatmeal cookies. I'm trying to suffocate the cold with sugar.

The pic above is me at one of my mom's groups annual luncheon. We get all dressed up and go play without the baby! yeh. I had a blast although I was bummed I did not win any fabulous raffle prizes. But it was all worth it, and I found a new tea I'm in love with; it is from Pete's Coffee and I'm pretty sure is is Xio's Blend. It blends chamomile and peppermint and it is fantastic.

Well, ok I guess I will talk about my lovely son. He is quite the chatter box this past week. He is utilizing some action words such as "See" when he wants to see or do something. He also says "brush" for brush teeth, etc. Last night he brought me a toothbrush container and said "brush, brush." At the moment, he enjoys getting his teeth brushed, I'm not sure how long that will last. He loves to watch the gardeners outside mowing the lawn and blowing all the leaves around. It is great to see a jump in his language development. We had a lot of great plans this week, but I'm unsure as to what we will be able to manage. Oh well. Back to my cookies....

Walking before the Storm

2009-03-04T15:04:00.000-08:00

This morning, Raffi and I went for a quick 20 minute stroller hike to our favorite spot. It was raining a bit before we got there, but was a bit sunnier than the picture of the oak tree suggests. Raffi was interested in the rushing stream, the sound of it grabbed his attention.The scenery was beautiful and I delighted in God's creation. I love the drama in the sky when a storm is approaching. It is just amazing. I can say that I don't like the drama in my life when a storm is approaching, here or on the way out. I'm in a stormy spot at the moment, but I'm not sure what time frame I'm in. Surprisingly, I have joy. Which has been lacking for awhile. I know how easily that joy can dissipate from the simplest annoyance. I'm praying ever more fervently, trying to practice spiritual breathing. So that I live every second for God.

Cute pic

2009-03-03T09:36:00.001-08:00

Thank you Mom & Dad

2009-03-02T13:21:00.001-08:00

Really this is a shout out to my parents. A huge thank you for all that they do, but specifically on this last visit. It is really difficult to get the simplest house chores done with hubbie and I not the most handiest and with a toddler running around. So it was a great help to have my dad here. He fixed a towel rack, replaced a shower head, fixed my closet rod, various other tasks and weeded and tidied the backyard. My mom took care of Raffi while I got some great alone time.

God is really at work in my life and He is so blessing me with my parents. Thanks mom and dad. And then on Sunday, Hubbie babysat so I could go watch a movie with a girlfriend. Thanks Hubbie. We saw Paul Blart: Mall Cop. It was cute. Yes it is no Slumdog Millionaire (I will see it eventually.) But the movie was a great fun no-thinking escape.

And I did watch a bit of the Oscar's I just can't not watch Hugh Jackman. He is so awesome.

Above is a pic of my mom (grandma) and Raffi at a Farm. Hello Cow.

cold, yes, yes again.

2009-02-26T22:28:00.000-08:00

Well raffi's nose started running on Tuesday. I got a doctor's appointment that day and I made a good call. Raffi had ear infections in both ears. I knew with liquid in his ears just a week or two ago that he was prone to it again. So we are seeing an Ear, Nose Throat (ENT) Doctor in a couple of weeks. I won't be surprised if we get tubes put in by a couple of months. For being sick and such Raffi is doing pretty good.

Grandpa and Grandma have come for a visit this week and Raff is really showing off. He was so hyper the day they arrive he wouldn't go asleep until after 10pm. He had a great time with them today and I was able to get away and get a haircut (it has been since October) and have lunch with dear super friend Julie.

Well its late and I've got to get some sleep. Night.

Raffi Video

2009-02-22T14:42:00.000-08:00

Here is a video from our trip to the Children's museum last week. He is "building" the blocks, which really means he is destroying them. Sort of a Godzilla moment.

Raffi Pic Fix

2009-02-20T07:57:00.000-08:00

Raffi at the park yesterday. He had a great time too, running around like crazy. I think he missed the park with all the rain lately.

Tv is talking to me.

2009-02-17T16:10:00.000-08:00

Raffi is pretty much all better from his ear infections, cold and other illnesses. Doug and I are still on the mend. Emotionally it still has been touch and go for me. Some it has to do with last weeks bombshell, my illnesses, being tired and being cooped up in the house. So I've gone a little nutty. I still have a tendency to try to fix things; amazing when you are up against a wall and you think, hhmm, what is the matter of this wall, maybe I'll create an anti-matter gun to blah balh, instead of just asking for help from God.

I regularly watch the new Battlestar Gallatica TV show on the Scifi network. Doug actually got me into it. It is an amazingly deep and complex show. On the most recent episode, the tag line was "This has happened before and will happen again." In the series, the it is the conflict between humans and cylons/machines. But for me it also is true of everything else, including this recent financial crisis. Today, in my bible study, it brought be to the book of Amos, where Israelites wealthy had become rich and complacent and God calls the women of that group "cows" (Amos 4:1). They oppressed the needy for their own greed. I hope that I haven't been one of those cows.

In my bibles notes on Amos, it writes "Everyone was optimistic, business was booming and people were happy (except for the poor and oppressed.) With all the comfort and luxury came self-sufficiency and a false sense of security. But prosperity brought corruption and destruction." Amazing. This has happened before and will happen again."

A bit Better.

2009-02-13T17:54:00.000-08:00

Well the days following the last post were not great. I was still feeling pretty sick, I had an embarrassing miscommunication with another lady in my church group, and I was really tired. I knew God was and is with me, but I still wasn't happy about my situation. So I'm learning to walk with God, I just need to walk with Him a little bit happier? But, today, I woke up feeling better all around.

One for the Books

2009-02-10T18:18:00.000-08:00

I don't know if this was the most humbling moment of my life, but it has to rank pretty high up there. I saw a townhome in our complex up for sale and so checked out how much it was selling for. I already knew we had lost half of our equity the last time I checked, but wasn't prepared for what I saw. We not only lost all of our equity but our now in the hole several tens of thousands. We have been hoping to move in a year or so to get a single family house. This didn't look good; it looked horrible.

I felt the ground drop from under me, even though I was comfortably reclining in my lazyboy with Raffi on my lap. That feeling of weightless panic rose up my body and back down again like a tsunami. Some part of me, I'm not sure if it was my mind, heart or soul said to look to God or we'll all freak out. I prayed right away. It was short and I don't remember it exactly, but it was close to "HELP."

It really shows how much I live my life relying on myself and the constructs of control that I utilize to make myself feel secure.

So I breathed and gave my child a kiss. I now realize we are so blessed that my husband has a stable job, we can afford our house payment, with our tax refund we will pay off our credit card bills and we are learning to live within our means. When I think about these things, I feel like celebrating.

I sometimes wish that God would protect me from all bad things, but I know that is not possible. This world is so broken and I just can't wait for Heaven. I've been singing Amazing Grace to my son recently. I had to look up the lyrics online because I only knew the first verse. I love this part; it reminds me of what is really important and yet to come:

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

Tales from the Land of Germs

2009-02-08T11:17:00.000-08:00

Major news to report: Last week I stopped breastfeeding. Raffi was sick and unable to nurse and then really didn't want to, so he basically weaned himself. It is weird. After 19 months. I'm done. And for some that number will see big and others I won't hold a candle to.

Raffi's newest favorite activity is to grab whatever adult is sitting on the couch by the finger and lead them to the kitchen or the front door. Sometimes it seems for no reason at all, he'll just sit and talk to you. It is hilarious. My girlfriend, Julie, was over for the Super Bowl and he took her to the kitchen multiple times, so she had to hide her hands when he came by.

Some other new developmental feats: he points out Cat or Dog and says the word. He was sitting on my lap and the cat was across the room. I asked him where the cat is (without pointing the cat out) and he got up and walked over to the cat and sort of squatted near him. It was great.

And of course, he is still sick. And now both his parents are sick, and it is kicking our butts.

Pooey!

2009-02-06T08:01:00.000-08:00

Raffi's cold was not improving as of yesterday, and it had been like 10 days, so off to the doc we went. And...he has a cold and ear infections, again. So that is 3 in the last 3 months, if he gets 2 more than off to the ENT Specialist.

I'm glad that it got diagnosed. It seems when the ear infection gets cleared up with medicine, the cold soon follows. But I wish we had gone in sooner. Raffi is just a happy sick kid. He has had a couple of times of more than usual fussiness. I always think it is teething because he has his hand in his mouth. He definitely has his father's tolerance to pain.

Exercising & Eating

2009-02-03T12:04:00.000-08:00

This morning I went on a viguorous stroller walk for 30 minutes. It felt great. Raffi got a little impatient so I had to cut it shorter than I normally would. And then, I went home and ate 4 Milano cookies! And a slice of frittata from last night. hhhmm. So I basically cancelled out my hike, but I think I will keep thinking that the exercise boosted my metabolism. So its all good!

This week is busy, I'm getting ready to host two different playgroups at our place. One on Thursday and another on Friday.

Oh, I am still finding glitter on me from our trip to a Pre-school open house.

I forgot to mention in my super bowl post: I really loved that game!

Super bowl ads, the day, and cooking success.

2009-02-01T18:19:00.000-08:00

The Super Bowl ads were pretty normal, some cute and some depressing. Part of me wants to have exciting ads, but yet when they get all gross and perverse as in years past, i don't like it. I guess I complain when they are boring, too. Most ads were normal ads I've seen in the last six months or longer. I guess financial times being what they are; companies are cutting back on the actual production of ads (of course they will spend the crazy money to pay for ad time.) I think the depressing ads needed to go.

Today, Raffi and I went to an open house for a local Parent Participation Preschool. I'm looking into them for Raffi and I for this fall. Because of his age, it is only like once a week. I'm there with him and they play and have activity stations. The place was cool and Raffi had a blast. This is the second one I've been too. I've put applications in with both. I hope we get one of them!

Tonight, I made a simple frittata out of the How to Cook Everything Cookbook by Bittman. It came out a bit dry, I cooked it a little too long. I made it with mushrooms and green onions. Yum. And my husband liked it. Yeh! Success. And it was so easy.

Motherhood

2009-02-01T13:16:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture from our trip to the community farm. Raffi is sharing some dirt with one of his toddler friends.

Some random thoughts of the last couple of days:

The lows and highs of mothering are interesting. There is the face we where at playdates and social occasions that we are all the best super moms and then you get home and are just exhausted. A couple of nights ago, Raffi was whining for over an hour and not going to sleep. Exhausted and fed up, I just felt like jumping out the window. He did finally go to sleep and so did I.

And then on the other hand, I love the moment when I pick him up and he wraps his arms around my neck. The times he runs towards me when I'm sitting on the floor and tackles me. He always has the greatest grin on his face.

Cute pic and March for Babies

2009-01-30T15:34:00.001-08:00

A quick announcement, I will be walking in the March for Babies to raise money for the March of Dimes. I will be sending out emails in the next couple of days, I hope if you are able that you can support me and this wonderful cause. As many of you know, this cause hits pretty close to home. Raffi was born 2 months early at 2 lbs 12 ounces. I'm so thankful for the advancement in medicine that allowed Raffi to thrive and grow. He is now a healthy, growing 19 month old. He is a little underweight still, but he eats well and is growing steadily.

Below is a picture taken while Raffi was in the NICU. I think he was only a week or so old.

Pics from Mom's Group Winter Party & Watching the Inauguration

2009-01-29T11:01:00.000-08:00

Raffi not paying attention to Obama Inauguration (just like my Dad.)

Raffi with bubbles at the Party:

Raffi making coffee for the Party:

Colds again and being on the farm.

2009-01-28T22:03:00.000-08:00

Raffi got another cold. It is such a bummer on so many levels. It basically cancels our playdates for the week, Raffi has a hard time sleeping because his nose is all clogged and so on and so on. But today, we did escape the house and went to a community farm where moms from my yoga group go to help harvest, weed and volunteer. You get to take some of the produce home with you. Today, we picked some broccoli, swiss chard, and spinach.

It was neat to harvest food right from the ground. Being a suburban gal my whole life, I haven't had this opportunity often. So I was giddy. And Raffi ran around, sometimes trampling poor defenseless growing plants. He dug in the dirt and rearranged the sprinklers and basically had a blast. I have a few pics but I haven't downloaded them yet.

I think Raffi's top incisors are finally cut through, because they do not seem to be bothering him as much. He is still chewing on plastic and such. But his whimpering at night has gone away. So that is a good thing.

Momentous Occasion

2009-01-24T12:05:00.000-08:00

I just went to Target and only spent $4.28. I just had to record that amazing fact! We started an all-cash spending system to stop putting junk on our credit cards we can't afford. And it has worked, it really has cut down on my extra spending. Especially those dangerous trips to Target!

Oh, Random note: I'm not watching or will pay attention to anything Oscars this year. They didn't nominate Batman. And really that flick was so good it was painful. So basically this year is worthless. I'm sure that some of the other movies are good (I haven't seen them.) But really I'm done this year.

January Pics & Stuff

2009-01-23T14:31:00.001-08:00

Raffi's top incisor teeth are coming in at the moment. He has actually been cranky for the past week or so(unlike the super cute pic above). He is also demonstrating more toddler like behavior: protesting when he doesn't get his way including dramatically falling on his knees with his head slumped forward. It is partly cute and other part frustrating. He is getting so tall, he reached into my bathroom sink cabinet drawer and got into my makeup bag. He took out a eyebrow brush and tried to brush his hair. ha-ha.

Leisurely Snacking:

Raffi enjoys music and loves to dance. Grandma and Grandpa got him a keyboard for Xmas which he like to turn on to a musical selection and dance around the living room. I actually have video but I need to trim it down, so hopefully I'll get it posted before summer.

Raffi at the Children's Museum

Catching Up.

2009-01-21T14:58:00.000-08:00

Ok, what have I missed to talk about. The last two months, I've thought, oh that would be good to write about in my blog or that would be great. So still I have a blog written about not writing in my blog. I am probably not the only one with this problem. So back in it.

So to catch up & some xmas pics:

Christmas: Lots of fun. Visits with Family was a blast. Raffi didn't really care about xmas too much, I think next year he'll get it more.

Development: Raffi is chattering a bunch, mostly non-scensical. He can mimic tree, duck, fish, and other basics. He points and says "tis" for this and he says "see" when he wants me to pick him up so he can see what I'm doing in the kitchen. He is definitly understanding verbal direction more, whether he chooses to obey is another story. He responds to the no-nos, drop, lets go bye-bye, etc. It is wonderful to see him grow.
Raffi w/ Santa

When we were not traveling, we spent the time going to playdates with various moms groups, park visits, returning stuff at the mall, and hanging out.

I've started counting calories this January, coupled with a bout with the stomach flu I lost a bunch of weight! I have this great handy application on my Iphone where I keep track of my calories. I had no idea I was eating so much during the day. Those times in between meals snacking, really add up!

So I've been doing it for a couple of weeks and have increased my exercising (a bit, getting back into the stroller walks/hikes.)

So things are pretty normal crazy around here!

Commercials

2009-01-10T15:55:00.000-08:00

Those darn commercials for ancestry.com make me want to join and track down my ancestors. And then I come to my senses...I don't have time to track down dead people with my DNA.! I just don't.

And those McNugget commercials from MacDonald's. Argh. I've already loved those fried chicken pieces since I was a kid. But those commercials just call to me. And I'm trying to watch what I eat.

Ummm.... Christmas.. what Christmas.

my bro's rock band

2008-12-05T13:56:00.000-08:00

My brother is in a band called Cubicle, and their music video Wall Street Polka made it on an CNN international Ireport. My brother, Mark, is the serious looking drummer.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T08:52:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Our thanksgiving was fine; we ordered our feast from an Italian Deli recommended by a friend. Some of the items were good, but some were quite bland. But it is always good to have turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce. And I'm glad I didn't have to cook since I've had a weird throat/neck cold this week.

We took Raffi to the park when the sun came out and it was drier (it rained all day tues/wed). He is quite the swing junkie. He could swing for hours. Raffi liked the turkey, so that was fun to feed him his first thanksgiving meal, however small it was.

Raffi's cold was not letting up, so off to the Doc's office we went (Monday). and Low and behold he had ear infections in both ears. I figured he would be super fussy for ear infections. Our little guy certainly has his daddy's tolerance of pain.

Also this week, Raffi's top 2 first molars are coming in. So he has been a little fussy here and there, gnawing on just about everything.

Colds not slowing him down.

2008-11-22T12:10:00.000-08:00

Raffi's cold is now in it's third week. Last week, I thought he was all better but he had a couple days of a low-grade fever and then the nose running works really started kicking in. Poor guy and may I also whine that poor me. He wakes up in the middle of the night for hours at a time because he can't breathe through his nose. The funny thing that happened today as a result of us wiping his nose hundreds of times: Raffi pulled a tissue out of the tissue box and wiped his own nose. Doug and I were floored!. Sometime this little guy just scares me(in a good way).

Last week, my yoga moms group went to Sonoma and stayed over night and yes with babies. One of the mom's family has some houses that we were able to stay in. We went wine tasting, going to a total of 6 in two days. With toddlers in tow, that is quite an accomplishment. We got lots of looks, and surprisingly most were complimentary.

While at the Sonoma house, Raffi was playing with a floor fan (that wasn't plugged in) and he tried to plug into the electric outlet. If the prongs were set up correctly he would've actually done it. Talk about another Raffi Brain moment!

Other developments: Raffi is consistently waving bye-bye, clapping unprompted and mimicking words more. He used his ride-on bus as a step stool to play with the door knob and try to turn the light switch. He is putting the phone to his ear and puts Doug's blackberry to his ear like he knows what you are supposed to do with it. It is so much fun to watch him grow up.

Lions and Tigers and Astronauts?

2008-11-09T16:47:00.000-08:00

1. This past week: Raffi is sleeping through the night. (I nurse him to sleep and for a nap; so 2-3 times a 24 hour period.) Sometimes he does wake up at night, I rub his back and most of the time he goes right back to sleep.

2. Last Friday: I went out for my first mom's night out (after 7pm). It was the first time I'd been out without the baby past 7pm. It is weird driving in the dark. I don't do it that often. It was great. Doug was able to get Raffi down with no problem. Yeh!!!

3. Halloween was tons of fun. Raffi was an astronaut and looked super cute in his so professional looking costume. (Thanks for picking it out Sam!) We went to 2 Halloween playdates (One I dressed up as an Egyptian Mummy...from space) and did a little 10am trick or treating at a local little town main street. I'm looking forward to next year when it will be a little more interactive for him.

4. Mid October: Raffi and I went down to So. Cal for a visit with family and friends. It went well logisitically and Raffi had a great time. He started repeating words more often including: Thank You, Turtle, nite nite, fish, bye bye and other random words which he never repeats.

Got by me.

2008-10-11T16:19:00.001-07:00

I've actually had lots to talk about the last couple of weeks. But I didn't.

I'll at least get in the noticeables for today. A pic at the park, he was having a great time in the swing. He also learned how to go down the slide staying seated up. Before he sort of fell back and slid on his back. He also seemed to get the rocking horse.

So to some highlights:
Two Fridays ago, I had my mother meltdown moment. At my church moms group, Raffi was crying too much so they called me to take him. (it was only like 30 min into the program.) I felt like the childcare people just gave up on him and the manager said she "needed her caregivers in the room with the kids" not strolling around crying babies. I almost left and cried in the car, but a mom at my table stopped me and told me to just hang around with Raffi. Which turn to be a little difficult because he wanted to run around. Later that day, Raffi deliberately kept doing a no-no, while looking at me. I didn't know that it (disciplining) would start so early. Now when I look back at that day, it doesn't seem that bad. But mentally, I was not in a happy place.

Raffi had his NICU follow-up meeting with a developmental specialist and a social worker. After Raffi got over his shyness he did very well. There was some speech recognition that we are keeping an eye on. But overall he is doing great. The social worker started going on this tangent that at 20lbs he was so underweight that we should start fortifying his milk and feeding him extra butter! After I got off the ceiling, I calmed down, and realized later that our pediatrician thinks he is doing fine and that trying to force extra calories won't translate to weight gain.

We still have been doing the usual music classes, playgroups, and park time. Lots of fun.

Oh and this last Friday, we went to MOPS, the church moms group. I talked with the caregivers and told them to work with him, and not to call me unless he was ill. So Raffi pretty much cried the entire 2 hours, but he was more mad than upset. I just hope at some point he will get over it before his 8th birthday. I know he will, but there is just that fear (with so many things about parenting).

So badly needing an update

2008-10-07T20:55:00.000-07:00

Playing around.

Hosting a Playdate.

Grandparent Fun

2008-09-21T15:29:00.000-07:00

The Grandparents (plus one great-grandparent) was a success. I know they had a great time and enjoyed experiencing Raffi in person, instead of over a web cam. My father and I played a little par 3 golf, while my mom babysat. On Saturday, Doug and I had a date and saw the latest Batman movie. We came home to Raffi taking a nap on my mom, it was so cute. I sadly didn't take as many pictures as I have on previous visits. Of course, there was a lot of eating of food and dessert, especially chocolate cakes (from various restaurants.)

My parents could probably better describe their visit, but Raffi had a blast for sure. He was going a mile a minute talking and running around. He always kept an eye to make sure someone was paying attention to him and loved to play peek-a-boo with the grandparents. Raffi also had some amazing conversations with my 92 year old grandma Audrey. I'm not sure this week can compare with the last, with his favorite audience gone.

Music Class and reading

2008-09-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention in my last blog that I finished the novel I was reading; Blue Heart Blessed by Susan Meissner. Or did I mention it. Now I can't remember. ...Nope, just check, I hadn't. I blogged that I was reading, but not that I finished. Which, I did. It has been like over a year or so since I finished a fiction book. It felt victorious.

Music class went well. As soon as Raffi's little feet hit the classroom floor he was running around examining the doors, electrical outlets, the boom box, etc. He was in a room full of strangers and usually he is glued to my side. Nope, not that day. He would swing by give me a smile and keep on moving; Basically through the entire music class. While other children were sitting calmly on their mother's, grandma's or nanny's lap. But no, not Raffi. I guess he really does have my DNA in him. Ha ha. I'm starting to get a little frightened of what life is going to be like for the next decade or so with an active boy!

Raffi did clap a couple of times and did his own dance, which is twirling around with his head cocked to one side. For a first class, I declare it was successful. I'm looking forward to watching his development in this class.

Today, my parents and my dad's mother are coming for a visit for several days. I'm really excited. I can't wait for them to witness the little boy that has emerged from my baby.

Big Boy Seat

2008-09-15T17:58:00.001-07:00

Raffi in his front facing car seat today. He sort of seemed amazed and apathetic all at the same time.

We got good news from the doctor's office today; Raffi's iron level is good. I'm so relieved. I never was really diligent about getting the iron in him, becuase he threw it up most of the time. (At his 9 month appt, his iron levels were low.)

It was a slow starting day, we didn't leave the house until 4pm to go to the grocery store and run errands. Oh well. Glad I'm not on a clock! Tomorrow is our first music lessons, so I hope that goes well.

Follow-up thoughts and such

2008-09-13T11:47:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I came to a epiphany about my worry about Raffi's weight. I have wanted him to be 20 pounds because #1. He could use his new car seat, and #2. Some notion in my head that he needs to be 20 pounds. So the realization was that just because he reaches 20 pounds isn't going to make him more healthier, happier or really anything of consequence. He will just be 20 pounds. Raffi is healthy and quite happy; so no more fixating on his weight for me!

Did I mention, that Raffi has had a cold all week and lovingly gave it to his mother. Oh yes. While mentioning our colds to my dad, he reminisced about all the illnesses we brought home to him and mom. Especially, the time my brother and I gave my dad the chicken pox; which for an adult is much worse. He was quite miserable, I remembered as well.

I made some odds and ends addition to the blog, i figured it needed some art. I keep telling myself that I'm going to review any artwork that I've come across, ie the Seattle Art Museum and really haven't. Eventually, I will. I hope to take Raffi to the San Jose art museum and also make it back to the San Francisco ones.

What A Day!

2008-09-12T19:28:00.000-07:00

Today, Raffi and I had are first meeting for the MOPS Group. Raffi went to childcare at the church and I went to the group meeting with food, introductions, quick devotional and other such talkings that go along with moms meeting each other for the first time: talking about our kids. I didn't see Raffi cry myself because I slipped out of the room while he was playing. But another mom said he was crying while she was dropping off her crying child. But he and I made it through the 2 hours without any rescuing!

When I picked him up from the "toddlers" room, he was playing with a chair and didn't notice that I was calling his name. But the look on his face was amazing. He was not happy about the situation, he would play(it said), but gosh darnit, he wouldn't like it!

Then we ran over to a birthday party at park in the hills. I nursed him for his lunch and then off we were to his 15 month well baby checkup with the Doc. He is 19 1/2 pounds and 30 inches long. The Doctor gave us the blessing to use our front facing car seat and I think it is time. Raffi's feet easily hit the back seat in front of him. He may not have the weight, but he is a little tall for his current seat. The conversation made me remember Raffi coming home from the hospital at 4 1/2 pounds!
Also at the Doc's, he received the OK for health and all that and as a parting gift received four vaccination shots (including MMR) and had his blood taken to check his iron level. Of course he screamed like a banshee! He fell asleep in the car but I couldn't get him to go back to sleep once we got in the house. So his entire nap amount for the day was around a half an hour. So for all that he was such a trouper!

After all that I had a glass wine at home. So we traversed through some milestones today and I feel good about it. Thanks for praying for us Mom!

Reading

2008-09-10T14:54:00.000-07:00

Here is another pic of Raffi at the mall's playarea. It is so convientant while I'm shopping to just let him run around a little. And I like the best part, FREE. I'm enjoying the walking Raffi. It is fun to interact with him and watch him play. Doug misses the baby, but I surprisingly don't that much. I love to watch him walk/run with such joy.

The last two days while Raffi has napped, I have been reading a novel. Usually I'm just surfing the internet mindlessly. Today, I even had a glass of wine with my novel. It just feels great to read and really get engrossed in the book. Oh, and the glass of wine certainly helps. The book is Blue Heart Blessed by Susan Meissner. So far, I'm really liking it.

This week was going to be really busy with classes, playdates and birthday parties, but Raffi got a cold a couple of days ago, so that has put the "cancel" to many of our plans. The cold doesn't seem to severe, he is sleeping ok. I'm clenching my teeth again, so I must be sleeping more.
Here is a picture of the chocolate chip cookies I made last Friday. They came out great!

2008-09-04T14:15:00.000-07:00

Victory of the day: I used multiple coupons at Babies R US for stuff we actually needed. I hate to buy things at full price when I know I could/should have a discount. So I was all coupon geeked out about today's purchase. Part of the purchase is a baby gate. So far we have used the big plastic storage bins, luggage and other odds and ends to coral are little toddler. Day by day he finds new ways to test the perimeter. So it is time to put up the gates!

This pic is from a park playdate on Tuesday. He finally went in the tunnel.

You know when you buy some gadget, small electronics, etc and then never use them. Well, I'm actually using that slow cooker I got. I made a beef Merlot stew earlier this week and today I'm making a marinara mozzarella lasagna. The cookbook I have is "Not your mother's slow cooker for two" or something like that. I like it.

I do watch a little reality TV and most of it is the stchk stuff from Bravo. Top Chef and Project Runway are my favorites. Last night, Stella, the biker chik, was aufed on Project Runway. I knew she was going to be on the chopping block soon. I would love to be able to sew my own designs. I had quite a style of my own in Jr. High/High School. Of course, it was the 80's so it was a little Depeche Mode meets Wham!

Labor Day Weekend Run

2008-09-01T14:10:00.001-07:00

Play Time

2008-08-28T13:19:00.001-07:00

This past week Raffi began calling out to me using Mama. When he really wants me, the MAMA, comes right out. He also said Hi, in a meaningful appropriate way, to Doug the other day. Of course, when we tried to get him to say it again, he just looked at us.

I'm still enjoying my moms groups, sometimes it is a little daunting with moms I don't know. I'm bound to say something stupid, but I refuse to hide in my house. I will socialize even if I put my foot in my mouth here or there. I've signed Raffi up for some music classes this fall. I'm really looking forward to it, the babies I have seen that have taken it, really get so much from it.

Today, we played at the local mall's indoor play area; It is air conditioned and a slightly cushioned.

Quick Entry

2008-08-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

Raffi is taking a nap and once he wakes up we will rush out the door to get to our Mama & Movers Yoga class. But I thought I would drop a quick note that I'm feeling a little better this week. Having a Mom's night out, last night, certainly helped. A group of moms at a bar, drinking and laughing and talking about poop, nursing, lack of sleep, etc. Needless to say, there were some bar patrons around us that looked at us a bit strangely. But we all had a blast. I'm already counting down the time till the next one.

One of my fav things about being a mom and Raffi is when he lays his head on my chest when I'm holding him. He usually does it when he is being shy around other people or he is tired. It just gives me such a happy feeling. A close second when he reaches his arms up to be held and he just collapses his arms around my neck. And thirdly, I love to hear his laugh and giggles; most often heard when he is being tickled or playing peekaboo.

Oh, and another thing, If I had a dollar for every time someone says that Raffi is adorable, gorgeous or so cute, we could afford a house in San Francisco!

Vacation Hangover

2008-08-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

I hate vacation hangovers. The days after our return, I felt angry, frustrated and frequently took it out on the husband, (sorry honey.) To top it off, Raffi's #7 tooth is coming in, so his moods and sleep are erratic. So it hasn't been the cherriest of days lately.

The vacation is over and that means my return to home is a return to motherhood that at times lately feels like it is choking me out. This month, I would of had ten years of service at my former job if I was still working. And the ongoing political happenings remind me of happy times at work; Traveling carefree, hanging out with the guys, doing a job I thought was important. Of course, my memory glosses over the 12 hours of standing, rarely being home, stress upon stress, and many other hardships that I complained about so frequently while I was working.

So a little nostalgia and the fact that I can't go out after 6pm, because I have to put down Raffi, makes for a little bit of stir crazy Darcy. This too will pass, I know.

Home again.

2008-08-18T12:53:00.000-07:00

We all made it home safely yesterday. The travel was much smoother the way back. Over the weekend, we went up to Anacortes, WA for lunch and looked at the pretty Victorian houses overlooking the San Juan Islands. On Saturday, we went to the Children's museum, had lunch with some old friends, and went to Tacoma, WA for some of Doug's favorite Teriyaki. On Sunday, we hit Pike Place market for breakfast for one last hooray before we packed up and headed to the airport. Raffi did great on the plane, I think his ears were bothering him a bit on the descent, even with nursing, but he is such a champ.

This is a picture of Raffi in the hotel lounge area. He loved to run around the lobby of the hotel. In this pic he was looking out the window and talking to all the people that walked by.

But, as sad as I was to leave Seattle it is good be home. This week, Doug is off from work, so we hope to have lots of fun, just hanging out.

Hello from Seattle!

2008-08-14T18:40:00.000-07:00

We are currently in Seattle this week. Hubbie had a work conference, so we tagged along. Needless to say, Raffi and I are having more fun than he is.

Our trip started this past Sunday as we flew from SFO to Seattle. Of course, as airlines go, stuff happens. We left our house at around 1pm for a 4:15p flight. Checking in and security was a little sweaty but a breeze. As we got to our gate, there was a notice that their was a delay of an hour. So we finally boarded the plane sometime after 5pm. And I could see some workers in the cockpit. Not a good sign. The captain announces that their is some mechanical minutia that needs to be fixed. We wait. and wait. Then they say it is going to be some time, so they let us off the plane to wait at the gate. Which was a godsend with Raffi. He just loved to run around the airport. Such wide open spaces, he would just giggle and run! I hope to get video of it on the way back. So finally, the mechanical things were "fixed" or whatever and we were off. We got to our hotel room at 10:50pm. Luckily, right in time to order room service before it closed.

So flying with a toddler. Just flying in general is not my favorite thing to do. Raffi did pretty good. He got fussy, here and there, but overall he was a champ!

So far this week, Raffe and I ate are way through Pike Place Market, shopped, went to the art museum, aquarium, and then back to the Pike Place Market for more food. Well, I guess I ate the most, but Raffi did try some new foods. I have been pigging out. Some good stuff.

I've made some observations about traveling with a kid, as well. You find all the elevators and you pick restaurants based on whether they have a high chair, etc. Most people either have/had their own kids, so they understand or they are nice about it. And then their are other people that just don't get it.

One worker at the art museum treated me like I was an idiot. I know my brain isn't what it used to be (and you know it wasn't much before anyway) but just because I look tired and carrying enough loads to pack a mule, and my child might get fussy and ruin your ambiance, doesn't give you the chops to treat me like an idiot. Ok, that was my rant about that.

Usual Suspects

2008-08-05T13:24:00.001-07:00

I blame summertime on my lack of blogging. I feel quite lazy about it. At night, when he is finally asleep, all the wonderful thoughts I had during the day escape me. But he is currently napping so let me say a little nonsense.

Raffi got a bug last week, which included a 102 fever. Luckily it was only a 24 hour type thing and it went away. The past couple of nights I didn't give him any Tylenol because he didn't have the fever...well he was waking up almost every hour and sometimes twice in a hour. It was a return to the old days where he nursed all the time. Eegags. So into the doctor's office we went today. And as usual it is a sore throat. At least I have something to blame now and back we go on the Tylenol. His weigh WITH clothes was 19lbs 9ous. Which still seems light compared to how he looks. It feels like it will take forever for him to reach 20 lbs! Normally toddlers will not gain as much weight during this time and lean out a bit. Raffi obviously doesn't need to lean out at all.

On other fronts, I purchased and used for the first time a slow cooker. It is a small 2 1/2 quart size: perfect for Doug and I. I made a beef bean chili that came out pretty good. It works great in that earlier in the day I have more free time and raffi is not all crazed; I can prepare all the ingredients. And then later dinner time, when raffi possibly is melting down, we just dish and serve. I hope to use it frequently, i know how these convenience electronics are. You buy them and then not use them. So we shall see how it goes.

Verse on my mind

2008-08-01T20:05:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 55:2

2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.

=

Walking Video

2008-07-30T18:03:00.000-07:00

Finally! The Birthday cake video.

2008-07-27T11:40:00.000-07:00

Walking and Sleeping (sort of)

2008-07-21T14:58:00.000-07:00

My little man is so on a mission. He is walking up a storm. At night, he should be winding down, but no he is doing laps around our living room. Laughing while he walks and cruises away. I have yet to post the video from his bday cake eating and now I have a walking video to add to my "To Post" List. Please forgive me for my tardiness; I'll blame the summer, that is convenient.

Raffi’s sleep schedule is in flux at the moment. I worry about how to go about getting him to sleep, weaning, bed situation, etc. It does take up alot of my energy. I don’t know what to do. He only nurses to sleep, and occasionally will roll over still awake at bedtime and fall asleep on his own. But when he wakes up in the middle of the night, he is in a state of distress and will wake up completely (and usually for an hour, if I don’t nurse him right away.) So here is my prayer:

Lord, please forgive me for taking back this worry and “working” on it. I know I don’t work on it very well and I need to leave it with you. I give it back to you right now. Lord, you are in control. I only need to trust you. Babies and toddlers have been going to sleep for thousands of years by your design before their was 50 different sleep books and baby whispers. Lord, help me to rely and trust in You.

Walker

2008-07-16T19:31:00.000-07:00

I'm finally calling it. Raffi is walking; not all the time and not long. But he is walking. He will stroll a couple of steps and stop, seemingly forgetting where he is going. Ha.

Yipee!

2008-07-13T17:50:00.000-07:00

All-Points-Bulletin! White Female, approximately 30+ years of age, has escaped her home and her 13 month old son. She was last seen carrying golf clubs. Please approach with caution, she has been attached to her infant for a year. She is considered crazed and possibly delusional. End.

Yes. I had mommy time out! Yeh, thanks Hubbie. This actually wasn't the first time, but really it has been close to the 2nd or 3rd time. And this time I feel like I actually used my time well. I went to the driving range and smacked some golf balls, ate some tacos, ice cream and sat at a coffee shop and mulled over some writing ideas. Raffi did great for his daddy, too. Raffi has been very attached to me, basically since November, so it has made it difficult for me to get away. This was such an answer to prayer. Thank you God.

Vacation.

2008-07-04T18:02:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July! I remember last year I was leaving the NICU/Hospital visiting Raffi while Fireworks were going off. Now he is eating Korean take out food and some tangerine Popsicle. They grow up so quickly, I've heard.

Raffi and I had a great vacation with the family at the beach. We drove at night this time which made the trips much easier. Raffi's development is just growing by leaps and bounds. He is walking a couple of steps, between objects that are pretty close together. He is also waving when you say goodbye.

I know there was more I was thinking in putting in here, but I can't remember them at the moment, my child is beating me.

Hot.

2008-06-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

Wow the last couple of days have been hot! We have luckily avoiding the heat by hiding in our air conditioned house. When we first got to San Jose and were looking at real estate, our agent thought we were a little particular about absolutely having to have air conditioning. HHmm. I don't think we so crazy now!

Well, anyway. On Thursday, Raffi's visit with Allyson, the developmental specialist (for now on will be know as Allyson; ds is just so long a word to type.), the visit went really well. Raffi babbled for her and even played with her. Allyson thought that raffi could walk in about two weeks or so and pronounced that he is doing really well with his development. So that was a happy day.

This weekend, besides hiding in the house, Raffi has tried and loved eggo waffle and bacon. He also tried mango and avocado and promptly spit it back up. We will keep having to work on those. But everyone loves bacon. hhmm. (and for you worry warts it was a very small piece, i'm not trying to clog his arteries at 1 year of age). Raffi is about fed up with baby food, he will get through about a half a jar and start whining. But you put some banana pieces or cheerios in front of him and GAME ON!

It is a little more difficult than I thought to switch to thinking about feeding him table type food. Doug and I eat so haphazardly. But we will adjust, as always.

Regular Days

2008-06-19T10:20:00.000-07:00

This week has been full of regular days. Good days, nonetheless. Some of the things Raffi and I have done this week are: Lunch with the mom's group, gymboree open play time, lots of laundry and those fun old doctor visits! Today we are going to a playdate at a mom's house and the developmental specialist comes this afternoon. Tomorrow, we hopefully will make it to the a park playdate with my church's mom group. Geesh! I don't think I knew how busy one can get with a baby.

Next week, we head down to So. Cal to be with family for a week. I'm looking forward to showing off my boy. Doug suspects that he will start walking while he is down there. We shall see.

Oh, I'll post a funny pic of raffi at our lunch out the other day. What a noodle!

Party Pics and Doctor Info

2008-06-16T15:01:00.001-07:00

Here are some pics of the party goers getting into the Pirate Spirit! Thanks Guys!

Above is the pic of Raffi, who would rather eat a banana then eat a sugary cake! Well, ok, he really was nap deprived, but I'll just remember the good eating choice.

Today was Raffi's "one year appointment" and it went pretty well. He weighed 18lbs 6ounces which is less than last week because I forgot to note that he was wearing clothes when he was weighed at 19lbs. I was still a little concerned because his growth has slowed recently. He looks great and is healthy, so the doctor isn't concerned. The doc just said is probably because Raffi is a preemie. Raffi got a few vaccinations but not as many as I had feared.

This afternoon we went to the open play time at our local gymboree and had some fun rolling around on the cushioned mats. He did well with the new environment and having had 2 shots that morning.

Raffi says thanks(and his parents do to) to everyone who came to the party and all the cool gifts he got. SO spoiled!!

Party!

2008-06-15T19:46:00.000-07:00

The party was a success! Thanks to everyone who came and celebrated with us. Yeh! Raffi. We gave Raffi his own birthday cake while surrounded with onlookers; and the lack of a nap and Raffi hit the wall. He didn't even touch the cake! oh it was still funny though. We will have another cake/frosting attempt at the end of the month when we visit family in So. Cal. and maybe we will get some embarrassing photos of frosting face then!

I'll post some photos tomorrow. I can't find the cord and the baby is asleep.

Raffi's one year doctor appt is tomorrow, (it was originally Thurs but was moved up.) Everything should be all square since we just went last week. But I'm a little nervous about the vaccinations. geesh!

OH! I almost forgot. Raffi took two steps of a woobly walk towards me tonight! YEh. He is on his way, he'll be walking in no time.

Birthday Suit

2008-06-13T10:25:00.000-07:00

Pre-Day

2008-06-11T20:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was concerned about Raffi's tossing and turning at night, so I took him in to the doctor to rule out an ear infection. And it was ruled out, just a sore throat and a "I don't know what is causing his crazy bedtime manner" from the doctor. But other info, Raff is 19 lbs. I was hoping for more, but I will take it. He is so tall looking and looks much heavier than 19 lbs.

I still haven't posted any video like a promised. I hope to get some up soon.

Tomorrow is Raffi's First Birthday and his party is this Saturday. Although he is not quite aware of it all, I'm excited for him. It is just one of those times that you look back at the previous year and wow. What a year. Who knew that he would be born so early and so small, yet persevere and be so happy and healthy. We are blessed, for sure.

Pirates!

2008-06-09T14:24:00.001-07:00

And the winning theme is Pirates. Over the weekend, we went and picked out some great pirate themed decorations and completed some baby proofing. I should have a video of him standing on the website in a little bit.

Moving and Falling

2008-06-06T15:21:00.000-07:00

Raffi is crawling, standing and falling. His favorite thing to do is stand against a wall and then lose his balance and go head first into the wall. I think it is easier to guard the President then to protect a baby from himself!

I went to my first playdate yesterday with my new moms group. There were about 10 other babies/toddlers there. Raffi did pretty good, he stayed pretty close to me as he analyzed the situation. But he didn't get overwhelmed and freak out, so it was a big win in my book.

Today we just got back from a picnic with other moms/babies from my yoga class at a local winery. Umm, fun. One mom cut up fruit in portions for adults and another smaller portion for the babies! Quite talented she is. So Raffi dined on some watermelon, cantaloupe and a pickle. Yesterday, he had some beef and white rice, so his food repertoire is coming around nicely.

I'm definitely enjoying the "mom" social life. The mom's group has something almost everyday from playdates at someones house to a park, walk or gymboree play. It is good to have some sort of social life. I never imagined it could be so busy.

This weekend we are "babyproofing." Wish us luck!

More and more

2008-06-03T20:35:00.000-07:00

Raffi is baby babbling. Last night he started with the bababa, mamama, and other variations. We have been waiting for this step and very happy he has got to it. He is standing stronger and more a little longer. He just hates to be sitting down.

Here is a pic from our festival day trip a couple of weeks ago. Appropriate, you think?

Yeh!

2008-05-31T21:15:00.000-07:00

Raffi stood on his own tonight for about 25-30 seconds. He likes to climb up me and then sort of push off a bit and balance on his own. I'm so excited to see him progressing.

He has been fighting the naptimes lately and seems distracted easily during meals. He just wants to go run around. It will be fun when he is older and we can turn him loose on some park to burn off all that energy.

I joined two local moms groups, one which is year round and another that will start up in fall. I'm looking forward to getting connected with other moms in the area. It certainly has taken me a while to do so. I have enjoyed the mamma/baby yoga class but it is a little expensive and I don't think I will be able to keep doing it. The yoga teacher has started a mamma and movers yoga class, so I can always go to that class once Raffi really gets mobile.

I think Raffi is around 19 pounds. I weighed him on our home scale, which is very good, but oh well it is close. Please pray for Raffi to be meet the 20 pounds by his next doctor appointment on June 19th. That is a goal that the doc would like Raffi to be at by his 1 year old appointment.

Party Theme?

2008-05-29T20:44:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: I've posted a blogger poll doohicki to the right of the question below.

What should Raffi's 1st Birthday Party theme be:
Cammo
Pirates
Batman
Superman
or
Something else?

VOTE NOW.

Raffi wants to move...

2008-05-27T20:12:00.000-07:00

Raffi is sleeping better the last couple of nights. Still nursing to sleep and waking up often, but not as crazy as when his teething was bothering him. Raffi is trying to stand on his own. He likes to stand next to the sofa to balance and I'm also his fav gym toy. He so wants get moving. Here is a pic from our home photo shoot today.

Corn Syrup Conspriacies et al.

2008-05-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

I am viciously anti-corn syrup at the moment. I still will eat foods and drinks that have it, but I get upset about it. If you have ever watched the X-files movie or a 60 minutes episode about corn in the United States. You can't help but get a little paranoid. It is out there and everywhere. Lets make nuclear material out of corn, why not? But corn syrup is sugar to the extreme. It just doesn't seem natural and most food/drink companies put it in their products without abandon. It is just wrong.

Ok, enough of that. And now for something more serious. ... Monkeys are evil. Non no.

Ok. really.

I submitted my first "filler" story article to a Christian magazine. It is around 300 words, so it is a short story. And today, I got my first rejection. I feel like a bona fide writer now. So on to the next magazine and keep submitting it until I'm blue in the face.

Scripture and Developments

2008-05-23T21:15:00.000-07:00

Today I felt better than yesterday. Raffi and I got some good sleep, I think he woke up less. And today, twice Raffi pulled himself up from a sitting position to standing. And he went to sleep on his own for his afternoon nap and for bedtime tonight. I had to be right next to him, but hey its a step in the right direction. (normally he only nurses to sleep.) That was encouraging.

And speaking of encouraging, My mom prayed for me and sent me a large email of scripture that she prayed for me; here are a few of my favorites:

Isaiah 40:29 (New International Version)
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

Isaiah 40:31 (New International Version)
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Psalm 27:1 (New International Version)
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—

Philippians 4:13 (New International Version)
13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Ephesians 3:16 (New International Version)
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

and my own personal favorite:

Psalm 61:2

From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

I love that thought, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. It helps me acknowledge that I can't do it alone. That there is a rock higher than me.

One of those days...

2008-05-22T16:50:00.001-07:00

I had a feeling about today when Raffi dumped about a gallon of water on the carpet. His water tub had water in it from a bath the night before and he was exploring on the floor and before I could think "stop." SPLASH! Raffi was a bit upset over the cold water but he dried off fine, the carpet still hasn't dried out.

I felt like my soul was being dragged down my a Volkswagen.

Then he kept spitting up his breakfast and didn't really seem interested in eating. And he didn't want to go down for a nap. So I packed us up to make a trip to whole foods for grapefruit...$80 later.

For Lunch, Raffi only wanted to eat cheerios which he promptly spit up. I trudged through another spell of "i don't want to take a nap." And finally got him down around 4pm.

And there is my soul, hefting that Volkswagen, up a hill and carrying a cello,..barefoot!

UPDATE: The answer: Teething! One of Raffi's top teeth have broken through the gums and probably what has been causing all the hubbub! It feel relieved to have something to claim.

quick hello and pic

2008-05-19T10:15:00.000-07:00

I really hope Raffi is teething, because his sleeping is even more erratic the past week or so. I just want to believe that something is causing it becuase that means eventually it will be fixed and he will go back to his regular night waking of 3-4 times a night. Last night, he woke up frequently, I couldn't get back to sleep and then he woke up at 4:30 am and never went back to sleep/as well as I. So I'm a bit tired today. I prayed ferociously for help to keep my bearings today. On the fun side, here is of pic of Raffi today in a new outfit, I bought because I like the "star" (familiar huh!) So cute!

Getting out of the house.

2008-05-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

Yes, today we got out of the house. Raffi, my friend Julie and I went to a local food festival with a Cajun theme. We ate breakfast at a local diner and strolled around to view all the booths selling items that I wanted to buy but had no actual need for. I enjoyed the sun on my skin and even better; Raffe was spectacular. He fell asleep in the stroller while we cruised around and didn't even get upset at some Harley Motorcycles that were making lots of noise. It was a great day out. Yeh!

Swimming and Eating

2008-05-17T21:10:00.000-07:00

Today at swim class, Raffi actually verbalized and appeared slightly more at ease. His face was still stern like a rock, but I think he is warming up to the whole thing. Sometimes, I think he believes he is in the pool for me, so just deals with it.

The instructor had us sit our child on the edge of the pool and jump/push off into the water and into our arms. Raffi would lean forward as he was about to fall and close his eyes and I would catch him as most of his body would go in the water. It was just amazing to see him come to me like that. He totally trusts me. He doesn't like the big pool but mom, she is ok. After several of these leaps of faith, he then would just sit on the wall and make noises.

"I know these tricks" he probably thought, "If I jump in the water, you are just going to put me back on the wall, so I'll just stay here,...look a toy!"

That afternoon, I was tuckered out, so we both took a nap. It was wonderful.

Saturday afternoon naps...beautiful.

Hunkering Down

2008-05-16T20:00:00.000-07:00

It has been around 100 degrees here the past couple of days. So Raffi and I have just laid low in the air conditioned house. So some mind wasting internet searching has gone on and I found this guy on YouTube, and I know I really shouldn't like this. But its sort of goofy and fun:

Cute with Chris

He has a lot of wacky cat stuff and witty dialog. Oh and one of my all time favorite cat websites is:

My Cat Hates You

Hilarious!

PeaceOUT

Development and things.

2008-05-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

On Monday, was Raffi's 11 month birthday. I can't believe he is one month shy of his first birthday. I'm tentatively planning a small shindig for our friends in home area. I'm planning for an adult get together in the name of Raffi's bday. I'm looking forward to watching him devour his own little cake. We shall see if he takes the bait.

On Tues, development specialists from a local program assessed Raffi. Because of his prematurity and the slight bleeding on the brain that he had the first week or so after his birth, he qualifies for free development therapy. At first we didn't decide to pursue it because we thought it would label him or some other fear I can't quite describe. But since we saw the development specialist from the hospital, we have warmed up to the idea of getting some help.

They assessed him and he was at or above his adjusted age on gross motor skills, social skills, cognitive ability but was below in communication and listening(related to communication not his hearing.) Raffi has just started verbalizing limited consonants but we learned some ways to encourage his sounds by repeating back what he says and then waiting for his response. Raffi, of course, showed off to the ladies and was cute as ever.

After the appointment, the mom in me felt a little scared, nervous and anxious. It is just one of those things as a parent, that when it comes to your kid, it just makes you sort of crazy. I felt a little depressed, I mean. Once I got some food in me and as the day progressed, I felt much better.

Through this program, we will see a specialist twice a month. I'm looking forward to learning more exercises and ways to encourage Raffi's growth and development. Doug and I both know that he will develop at his own pace, but due to his prematurity, I think any help and attention can only help him.

Video

2008-05-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a music video for your viewing enjoyment of Raffi's first commando style crawl!

Yeh!

2008-05-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited. Raffi did a commando style crawl this evening. He hasn't quite gotten to getting his belly off the ground, but he was doing a great job. I have a video of it, but haven't downloaded yet. He also seems to be talking more, previously his "talking" was verbal grunts and other noises without opening his mouth. Suddenly today, he seems to be more verbal.

It is amazing and shows my lack of faith. On Wed of this week, we were at our yoga class and a baby girl around Raffi's adjusted age start crawling, clapping and saying mama and dada. The sacred parent rule is to never compare your baby to other babies. Of course, what do I do? I freak out and get depressed, worrying about Raffi's development. And here he goes, him and God, showing me STOP WORRYING YOU FOOL! Well maybe not exactly those words but something pretty close.

So anyway. I'm humbled and our little boy is growing up. wow.

Are you on a schedule?

2008-05-09T20:01:00.000-07:00

That is a frequent mommy question? I usually say "not really." We eat when he is hungry and sleep when he is tired. Raffi was hungry a lot the first...well he still is. But today demonstrated that we do have a schedule. Or more correctly, Raffi has parameters that he operates under and those are not met; meltdown city here we come. The stroller hike group that I go to changed the hike away from the close trail to farther away. So I felt that maybe we won't go on a walk at all.

Raffi and I were hanging around on the ground in front of the TV watching the golf tourney and I asked him what he wanted to do. He just smiled. So late in the morning, I looked at my belly and decided I needed to go for a walk. As we were driving to the park/trail I saw the sprinkler stains on the car and decided I needed to get the car washed. Bad idea. Mini-meltdown in the car wash. He recovered and we made it to the park, into the stroller and on the trail.

We had gone for about fifteen minutes when I looked at him to say hello. And that was it. Meltdown like Chernobyl. I realized that he should have been waking up from his nap at this point; it was like noon. Mommy messed up. I tried to walk and weave so he would fall asleep. It was not happening. He was upset and no stroller walk was going to soothe this beast.

So to end this story that is dragging in details; we made it back home. Raffi took a nap and ate lunch at 3:00pm. So I guess my answer is yes, we are on a schedule.

Solids (food) at 8a/9a, nap at 11am, solids at 1p, nap at 3p, and solids at 5/6pm. And occasional nursing snacks in between. Then there is play time with Dad, bath, reading and bedtime. So that pretty much sums up my life. Of course it is just the basic structure. It is amazing I can fit stuff in there like yoga, groceries, dishes and such.

Baby Murphy

2008-05-08T17:31:00.000-07:00

Why is that when I go to Babies R Us and buy food and diapers the very next day I get coupons in the mail? Why?

Pics

2008-05-07T18:41:00.001-07:00

Pic of Grandma and Raffi at the Presidio in front of the Golden Gate Bridge.